Martin Luther S Theology Of Two Kingdoms In Buddhist And Christian Communities

Socially engaged religion teaches that people of faith have a responsibility to address and reduce suffering in all its forms, both physical and spiritual, including suffering resulting from social injustice, exploitation, oppression, false faith, and so forth. True religion engages with society to alleviate suffering and bring transformation. In other words, religious violence is an obscenity, a deviation from the true character of religion. Martin Luther's Theology of Two Kingdoms in Buddhist and Christian Communities examines the principle of separation between religion and politics in the context of both Buddhist and Christian communities. In predominantly Buddhist contexts such as Myanmar, where a reciprocal relationship between religion and politics is expected, separation is not effective. Attempts by Christians to separate religion and politics cause the church to run away from tyranny and follow the state with blind obedience. Martin Luther’s model of two distinct but interconnected systems for religion and politics creates space for each institution to give constructive advice and criticism to the other for the health of all human beings.

Martin Luther and Buddhism: Aesthetics of Suffering carefully traces the historical and theological context of Luther's breakthrough in terms of articulating justification and justice in connection to the Word of God and divine suffering. Chung critically and constructively engages in dialogue with Luther and with later interpreters of Luther such as Barth and Moltmann, placing the Reformer in dialogue not only with Asian spirituality and religions but also with an emerging global theology of religions.

"Hermeneutical Theology and the Imperative of Public Ethics is a groundbreaking attempt to present constructive missional theology in an integrative and interdisciplinary framework as it provocatively utilizes and contextualizes Reformation theology and hermeneutics concerning ethical theology embedded within the wider horizon of World Christianity. Mission as constructive theology is explored and refined in an hermeneutical and interdisciplinary fashion, underlying a new horizon of postcolonial theology and mission in light of God's act of speech. Missional church founded up God's grace of justification and Christ's diakonia of reconciliation becomes ethically oriented public church as it is engaged in mutireligious diversity of people's lives and lifeworld in the postcolonial context of World Christianity. "

Is Christian belief tenable today? Is it possible to be a creedal Christian? With the help of Martin Luther, Paul Hinlicky here explores classical Christian beliefs regarding the person and work of Christ and human nature and destiny. He also counters contemporary objections to creedal faith, from the so-called new perspective on Paul to Pope Benedict s rejection of the Augsburg Confession to the continuing challenge of Marx. Luther and the Beloved Community does not present Luther s medieval thought as a possibility for today, but does make him available for the future as a teacher of the faith and a help for tackling contemporary questions of Christian belief. According to Hinlicky, Luther is misused and misunderstood by those of his own tradition and needs to be understood not as hero of the faith but rather as the proponent of a beloved community that does not yet fully exist. In performing this makeover, Hinlicky reveals genuine new insights concealed within Luther s rhetoric.

Reflecting on Martin Luther's response to social and political issues of his time, one can realize its relevance for us today. These issues are meaningful for church and society in India. Basing his arguments on the Bible, Luther stressed the active role of the Christian in society. His two kingdom concept explains the ways and means of furthering God's kingdom on earth against the kingdom of the Devil. Indian Christian theologians have also expressed their concern for building a society of justice and peace and made their contribution toward the transformation of society. This book wants to show that Luther's ideas can enrich the life of the church and society in India.

A volume of eight seminal essays by four American and four West German scholars, presented at a symposium held to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Luther's birth.

One of Christianity Today's 1996 Books of the Year Especially in today's complicated world, moral practice and decision-making raise many hard questions. Dealing with those questions often requires wide-ranging understanding—in areas such as systematic and practical theology, psychology, economics, sociology and philosophy. For the first time, the New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology offers expert information and guidance across this range of disciplines—in a single volume. Besides hundreds of articles on specific issues, the Dictionary includes eighteen major keynote articles which provide a basic introduction to the main themes of Christian ethics and pastoral theology. These articles alone constitute a textbook of Christian ethics, excellently surveying that broad field. Written at a nontechnical and accessible level, this dictionary will be consulted again and again by Christians from all walks of life.