Models Of The Kingdom

Christians often misunderstand one another when they refer to the kingdom of God. They may ask: Is it here on earth? In our hearts? In our churches?" Over the years, best-selling author Howard Snyder has been helping pastors and church leaders understand kingdom terminology. Now he explains in eight models how the kingdom or reign of God has been and may be conceived. Snyder explains with biblical texts and illustrations from church history. If you are a pastor or church leader, you will find guidance for building new kingdom communities in your congregation as well as ways to relate kingdom theology to global crises with the environment and our economy.

Everywhere the church is rediscovering Jesus' call to live under God's rule. What the world needs, however, is not just greater kingdom awareness but more kingdom action. How can the church stabilize families, revitalize, neighborhoods, create just societies and a peaceful world? How can we hasten the day when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord?

There is today a dramatic reexamination of structure, authority, dogma -- indeed, every aspect of the life of the Church is held up to scrutiny. Welcoming this as a sign of vitality, Avery Dulles has carefully studied the writings of contemporary Protestant and Catholic ecclesiologists and sifted out six major approaches, or "models," through which the Church's character can be understood: as Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, Servant, and, in a recent addition to the book, as Community of Disciples. A balanced theology, he concludes, must incorporate the major affirmations of each. "The method of models or types," observes Cardinal Dulles, "can have great value in helping people to get beyond the limitations of their own particular outlook and to enter into fruitful conversation with others... Such conversation is obviously essential if ecumenism is to get beyond its present impasses." This new edition includes a new Appendix and Preface by the author.

"The fruit of many decades of study and teaching, The Kingdom of God provides an impressive, systematic treatment of the doctrine of the Kingdom of God. It is a comprehensive review of this crucial symbol, as well as a careful analysis of its meaning, and a creative intepretation of the Kingdom motif for the church and Christians in our age. The Kingdom of God begins by analyzing the background of this idea in Hebrew scripture and tradition, and in the preaching of Jesus. Fuellenbach explores how this elusive phrase presents a specific, comprehensive view of reality, and a goal for transforming the world. In Fuellenbach's reading, the Kingdom forms the core of Christian faith and the reference point of all theology, spirituality, and apostolic activity. Fuellenbach pays special attention to the relationships among Kingdom, Church, and World, arguing that with the Kingdom, Jesus proclaimed a vision that embraces God, humankind, and the whole of creation in the single most comprehensive vision of reality imaginable. The Kingdom of God is balanced and nuanced in its scholarship, but also vigorous and courageous in taking positions sure to provoke debate. For example, Fuellenbach argues that the word 'Kingdom' is to be preferred over the word 'Reign', despite critiques that find the word problematic in its patriarchial connotations. Designed for and tested in classrooms worldwide, The Kingdom of God will be particularly useful in both scripture and theology courses. It holds much food for thought for religious educators, pastoral workers, clergy and others who wish a clear, systematic understanding of Jesus' vision of the Kingdom now and to come"--Page 4 of cover

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the wage moderation in the Netherlands. Wage growth has been subdued in the Netherlands despite tighter labor market conditions in recent years. Besides various cyclical factors, rising labor market flexibility may have contributed to the wage moderation in the Netherlands. Like other advanced economies, slower productivity growth and lower expected inflation are important drivers to the wage moderation in the recent years. In addition to that, remaining slack in the labor market also weighed on wage growth. Going forward, wages are expected to grow faster given higher expected inflation, foreign wage spillovers, and tightening labor market.