Theologizing In The Radical Middle

This book doesn’t endorse any systematic theology; rather, it’s about how we theologize. Why do two equally trained theologians, studying the same book and loving the same Lord, arrive at such different conclusions? This theological disagreement, at times becoming personal, spills over from the academia to seminaries and churches. And if history is any indicator, this always weakens the unity of the church. Who needs unity when correct doctrines are at stake, right? But, is the defense of all doctrines worth foregoing the unity of the church, despite Jesus’ prayer that “they may be one even as we are one”? At bottom, our theological contentiousness stems from not recognizing that the way biblical revelation is framed is not designed to be handled the way seminaries typically do. Regardless, we strive for the rightness of our tidy theology, even disowning those who disagree while doing so. The disavowal of continuationists by the Strange Fire crowd is the most recent instance in a long line of placing doctrinal purity over the unity of the body. This book uncovers how Scripture is really structured and how, therefore, we need to theologize differently so that we may grow spiritually in Word and Spirit.

This book doesn't endorse any systematic theology; rather, it's about how we theologize. Why do two equally trained theologians, studying the same book and loving the same Lord, arrive at such different conclusions? This theological disagreement, at times becoming personal, spills over from the academia to seminaries and churches. And if history is any indicator, this always weakens the unity of the church. Who needs unity when correct doctrines are at stake, right? But, is the defense of all doctrines worth foregoing the unity of the church, despite Jesus' prayer that "they may be one even as we are one"? At bottom, our theological contentiousness stems from not recognizing that the way biblical revelation is framed is not designed to be handled the way seminaries typically do. Regardless, we strive for the rightness of our tidy theology, even disowning those who disagree while doing so. The disavowal of continuationists by the Strange Fire crowd is the most recent instance in a long line of placing doctrinal purity over the unity of the body. This book uncovers how Scripture is really structured and how, therefore, we need to theologize differently so that we may grow spiritually in Word and Spirit.

Radical Orthodoxy is a new wave of theological thinking that aims to reclaim the world by situating its concerns and activities within a theological framework, re-injecting modernity with theology. This collection of papers is essential reading for anyone eager to understand religion, theology, and philosophy in a completely new light.

Reconstructing Christian theology and understanding Ingolf U. Dalferth here develops a "radical theology" from the event of God's presence to every present moment. In a concise and clear manner, Dalferth outlines the theological and philosophical approaches to hermeneutics in the modern era in order to promote a convincing and defensible theology for the twenty-first century. In doing so, theology unfolds "limit concepts" and develops "ideas of orientation" that illumine the ways in which human life is understood and lived in radically new ways in faith. Book jacket.

The major death-of-God theologian explores the meaning and purpose of radical theology. In The Call to Radical Theology, Thomas J. J. Altizer meditates on the nature of radical theology and calls readers to undertake the vocation of radical theology as a way of living a fully examined life. In fourteen essays, he explores how the death of God in modernity and the dissolution of divine authority have freed theology to become a mode of ultimate reflection and creative inquiry no longer bound by church sanction or doctrinal strictures. Revealing a wealth of vital models for doing radical theological thinking, Altizer discusses the work of philosophers such as Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Marion, Derrida, and Levinas, among others. Resources are also found in the work of imaginative writers, especially Milton, Blake, and Joyce. In the spirit of Joyces Here Comes Everybody, Altizer is convinced that theology is for everyone and that everyone has the authority to do theology authentically. An introduction by Lissa McCullough and foreword by David E. Klemm help orient the reader to Altizers distinctive understanding of the role of theology after the death of God.

In this incisive work, distinguished theologian Peter Hodgsonreflects on the precarious yet vital role of theology today andits nearly lost and sometimes discredited tradition of liberalthought, especially liberal theology. Liberal theology has beenthe main thread of Christian thinking over the last 200 years, butit threatens to be obscured by a rising tide of conservative andeven fundamentalist Christianity, on the one hand, and a secularmaterialism, on the other. Hodgson's sure-footed work offers a way of seeing our religiousand political situations together. He calls for liberal theology toreinvent itself and to fulfill its crucial historical roles as a mediatorbetween Christian commitment and the cultural situation andas a critical lens through which to retrieve and reconstrue keyChristian doctrines. The heart or root of Christian commitment, Hodgson finds,lies in its radical vision of freedom – God's, nature's, and ourown. In the end, Hodgson's proposal embraces not only theologybut Christianity itself and its relevance to today's mostpressing problems.

Pentecostalism in Context is a collection of essays produced by Pentecostal scholars from North America, Europe, and Asia. The essays, produced in their various geographical and cultural contexts, reflect the rich diversity that characterizes the Pentecostal movement. Biblical, theological, and missiological issues relevant to the Pentecostal movement are treated. The book thus represents a valuable resource for those seeking to understand better the key intellectual currents within this dynamic and influential movement. The essays are offered in honor of William Menzies, a leading Pentecostal scholar and Chancellor of Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (Baguio City, Philippines).