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It is not simply for rhetorical flourish that politicians so regularly invoke God's blessings on the country. It is because the relatively new form of power we call the nation-state arose out of a Western political imagination steeped in Christianity. In this brief guide to the history of Christianity and politics, Pecknold shows how early Christianity reshaped the Western political imagination with its new theological claims about eschatological time, participation, and communion with God and neighbor. The ancient view of the Church as the "mystical body of Christ" is singled out in particular as the author traces shifts in its use and meaning throughout the early, medieval, and modern periods-shifts in how we understand the nature of the person, community and the moral conscience that would give birth to a new relationship between Christianity and politics. While we have many accounts of this narrative from either political or ecclesiastical history, we have few that avoid the artificial separation of the two. This book fills that gap and presents a readable, concise, and thought-provoking introduction to what is at stake in the contentious relationship between Christianity and politics.

In this new introduction to the Apostle Paul and his gospel, written especially for lay readers, for beginning students, and for those unsure about what to make of Paul, Michael J. Gorman takes the apostle seriously, as someone who speaks for God and to us. After an overview not only of Paul's radical transformation from persecutor to proclaimer but also of his letter-writing in the context of Paul's new mission, Reading Paul explores the central themes of the apostle's gospel: Gorman places special emphasis on the theopolitical character of Paul's gospel and on the themes of cross and resurrection, multiculturalism in the church, and peacemaking and nonviolence as the way of Christ according to Paul. Gorman also offers a distinctive interpretation of justification by faith as participation in Christ--an interpretation that challenges standard approaches to these Pauline themes. Reading Paul demonstrates that the apostle of faith, hope, and love speaks not only to our deepest spiritual needs but also to the challenging times in which we live.

Description:How can we speak about God without assuming that God is nothing but our own speaking, nothing but our culture''s effort to name what cannot be named? How can we deny that our speaking of God is always culturally located? To answer these questions, we need to pay close attention to what we mean by culture, and how we use this very complex term both in our everyday language and especially in the language of faith. Culture is an exceedingly complex term that nearly everyone uses, but no one is sure what it means. This work examines various uses of the term culture in theology today.Endorsements:""Modernity, Steve Long tells us with his patented acerbity, is a broken record that never stops repeating its supposed novelty. If broken records require sharp, swift smacks to be knocked out of their tiresome grooves, Long''s palm-sized book delivers a salutary slap that gets us back on track--and out of confused modern conceptualities that pit theology against culture. An excellent, masterly introduction to its topic.""--Rodney Clapp, author of A Peculiar People and Border Crossings""Too many ''guides'' pretend to a kind of theological neutrality that leads us nowhere. Steve Long''s wonderful little book is a noted exception: here is a guide to the theological terrain that doesn''t apologize for working with a compass. Providing a helpful survey of various schools of thought, the book also constitutes an argument for a particular theological understanding of culture. Long not only charts the territory, he also shows students how to plot a path through it. I''ve already been commending it to my students."" --James K. A. Smith, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Calvin College ""Long''s book is filled with deep insight and strategic provocation, both of which ought to push the theology and culture conversation beyond its unexamined truisms and self-satisfied dogmas. This is a book for people who take their theology without cream or sugar.""--Brent Laytham, Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics, North Park Theological Seminary""This work, as the title suggests, offers a bird''s eye view of the state of play between theology and culture. It provides a valuable summary of the contribution of Richard Niebuhr to the subject, but also suggests there is a need to revise Niebuhr''s classifications in the wake of the rising influence of the theology of Henri de Lubac common to both the Radical Orthodoxy and Communio Catholic scholars. From de Lubac''s perspective, Christ transforms cultures, rather than standing aloof outside them. The dynamics of this transformation is now a pressing theological concern which flows over confessional boundaries.""--Tracey Rowland, author of Culture and the Thomist Tradition: After Vatican II (Radical Orthodoxy)About the Contributor(s):D. Stephen Long is professor of theology at Marquette University. He has published a number of works, including Divine Economy: Theology and the Market (2000), The Goodness of God: Theology, Church, and the Social Order (2001), John Wesley''s Moral Theology: The Quest for God and Goodness (2005), and Calculated Future: Theology, Ethics, and Economics (2007).

Endorsements:"Affirming that 1 Peter represents from beginning to end a coherent and integrated line of thought, Prof. Elliott seeks to show in these two essays how this pastoral letter, forged to respond to the alienated situation of its readers, employs the conceptuality of the moral discourse and pivotal values of honor and shame that reigned in its contemporary world. The book is an excellent introduction to Prof. Elliott''s seminal work in applying social-scientific analysis of this New Testament writing, and will richly reward its careful reader.""--Paul J. Achtemeierauthor of 1 Peter (Hermeneia)"[This volume] reveals the letter in its own context, in such a way that we can appropriate its message and values into our own."--Carolyn Osiek coauthor of A Woman''s Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity ""Here, as elsewhere, Elliott expertly joins the findings of social-scientific research with the insights of literary and theological analysis to clarify the ''good news'' that is proclaimed in this often-overlooked New Testament writing.""--Victor Paul Furnishauthor of The Moral Teaching of PaulAbout the Contributor(s):John H. Elliott is Professor of New Testament Emeritus at the University of San Francisco. Among his numerous publications are A Home for the Homeless, The Elect and Holy, What Is Social-Scientific Criticism?, and 1 Peter (Anchor Bible).

Description:Dorothee Soelle once wrote, ""Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the one German theologian who will lead us into the third millennium."" As we near the end of the first decade of this third millennium, Bonhoeffer continues to inspire new generations as a spiritual guide for their actions on behalf of peace and social justice. This book by Geffrey Kelly provides a critical analysis and reading guide to two of the spiritual classics that are now available in new translations through Fortress Press. Reading Bonhoeffer offers a running commentary of each segment of these popular texts along with discussion questions suitable for the university and seminary classroom as well as parish adult education programs. In a final section of the book, Kelly excerpts and analyzes three significant texts by Bonhoeffer on the need for world peace against the rising militarism and continued glorification of war in Germany and other European nations.Endorsements:Geffrey Kelly fuses personal characteristics that define him--deep sensitivity for spirituality, ecumenical openness and knowledge, the discipline of individual and communal practice of devotion, a sharp eye for contextuality, and his unmistakable Irish passion--and mingles them into this study of two widely acclaimed works by Bonhoeffer. The combination of those elements, and his intimate knowledge of the literature by and on Bonhoeffer, make for a fresh, well-written, and compelling introduction . . . and highlight Dietrich Bonhoeffer''s relevance for living in today''s context as followers of Christ.--H. Martin RumscheidtAtlantic School of TheologyHalifax, Nova ScotiaReading Bonhoeffer--both vintage Kelly and vintage Bonhoeffer--will serve to introduce yet another generation to this important voice from the church''s immediate past. Specialists and those looking for an introduction to Bonhoeffer''s faith and witness, as well as the average Christian seeking to grow in faith, will benefit from this text. In this presentation, both Bonhoeffer''s and Kelly''s passion for Christian discipleship comes through.--H. Gaylon BarkerV. P., International Bonhoeffer Society, English Language SectionEditor, Theological Education at Finkenwalde, 1935-1937Geffrey Kelley, a prolific writer in the field of theology and religion, has now provided what I think is his best and most helpful work in spirituality--a work useful for ordinary readers as well as scholars in living their own daily lives.""--Charles W. Sensel United Methodist MinisterEmeritus Board Member, International Bonhoeffer Society,English Language SectionAbout the Contributor(s):Geffrey B. Kelly is Professor of Systematic Theology at La Salle University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for his research and publications on the theology and spirituality of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Kelly is past president of the International Bonhoeffer Society, English Language Section. The present book is the offshoot of his editorial work for the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works English Edition--the new translations and critical editions of the collected writings of Bonhoeffer, which are being published by Fortress Press. Among his recent works on Bonhoeffer are Liberating Faith (2002), The Cost of Moral Leadership (2002), and A Testament to Freedom: (1995).

Description:Christians have been interpreting Scripture with an aim of deepening their life with God and each other from the very beginning of the church. The past twenty years or so have witnessed an explosion of scholarly writing devoted to the theological interpretation of Scripture. Stephen Fowl, as an active participant in and contributor to the burgeoning literature, has written an ideal companion for guests at the ""large and somewhat chaotic party,"" introducing them to important people, texts, and issues. The companion explores some of the connections between the long-running and essential Christian practice of theological interpretation and the more recent body of scholarly literature. Ultimately, the companion hopes to encourage readers to join the party in their own right.Endorsements:""Steve Fowl has been both a pioneer and a leader in the return to theological interpretation. In this concise book, he offers us a truly theological and ecclesial account of theological interpretation. It is an inspiring, liberating, and practical work, encouraging all Christians to interpret Scripture so as to find our proper end in ever-deeper communion with God and one another in anticipation of the fullness of God''s reign.""--Michael J. Gorman, author of Reading Paul (Cascade Books) and Inhabiting the Cruciform God ""In this brief companion we find a focused, clear account of major themes in Steve Fowl''s approach as well as gracious interaction with the work of others and numerous illustrative appeals to Scripture itself. This is definitely a case in which less is more: attention to this little book will prove very fruitful for engagement in biblical interpretation as a theological practice.""--Daniel J. Treier, author of Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a Christian Practice""Fowl here plays the role not only of companion but guide and host in this clear and compelling introduction to the most important turn-of-the-twentieth-century development in biblical interpretation. He argues that Christian readers should interpret the Bible with an overriding interest in God''s interest in using the Bible to promote communion. He practices what he preaches: he is generous towards those with whom he disagrees and gives fair descriptions of other approaches to theological interpretation.""--Kevin J. Vanhoozer, general editor of the Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible""Stephen E. Fowl''s latest, Theological Interpretation of Scripture, displays gems in the treasure trove of the new-yet-venerable task: reading the Bible as Scripture of the Church. Fowl helps us to think theologically about reading Christian Scripture as the living voice of God. Fowl invites us into a ''cocktail party'' with his conversation partners in this renewal of reading sacra scriptura for the Church''s life and witness. Entirely accessible, thoroughly convincing, with a sense of adventure and hope. May his tribe increase!--Rev. Kathryn Greene-McCreight, author of Galatians in the Brazos Theological Commentary Series (forthcoming).About the Contributor(s):Stephen E. Fowl is the Chair of the Department of Theology at Loyola College in Maryland. He is the author of several books, including Engaging Scripture: A Model for Theological Interpretation (Wipf & Stock, 2008); Reading in Communion: Scripture and Ethics in Christian Life (with L. Gregory Jones; Wipf & Stock, 1998); and the Two Horizons commentary on Philippians.

Description:People too often enter into conflict with an eye on how to resolve, manage, or transform it, thereby losing sight of the people involved and the end desired. Justice and peace too often serve as abstract ideals or distant shores. We have not yet learned enough about how these ends can also be the means of conflict resolution. Drawing on the imaginations of some leading peace and restorative justice practitioners, Justpeace Ethics identifies components of a justpeace imagination--the basis of an alternative ethics, where the end is touched with each step. In this simple companion to justpeace ethics, Jarem Sawatsky helps those struggling with how to respond to conflict and violence in both just and peaceful ways. He offers practical examples of how analysis, intervention, and evaluation can be rooted in a justpeace imagination.Endorsements:With wisdom and sensitivity, Justpeace Ethics explores how justice and peace become one. There is genius in the way it holds together diverging values: interconnectedness and individual uniqueness, immediate care and long-term thinking, change and humility, needs-focused action and nonviolence, empowerment and responsibility. In such an ethic, life is sacred, relationships are central, and justice is beautiful. A must read for those who long for a better world.- John DerksenConflict Resolution StudiesMenno Simons CollegeWinnipeg, CanadaThis book is an enormously valuable contribution to thinking about doing justice and building peace. . . . Justpeace Ethics provides an immensely practical guide to those seeking to build peace and justice. At the same time, it is anything but a simple ''how to'' book. Rather, the patient reader is rewarded with an account of the values of restorative justice and peacebuilding that is deeply sophisticated, philosophically profound, and rooted in awareness of the complexity of thinking and acting ethically.-Professor Gerry Johnstone, author of Restorative Justice: Ideas, Values, DebatesThis book provides a fresh and provocative perspective on the intersection of restorative justice and conflict transformation. . . . This is a must-read for conflict resolution academics and practitioners.-Neil Funk-Unrau, Conflict Resolution Studies, Menno Simons College, Canadian Mennonite UniversityAbout the Contributor(s):Jarem Sawatsky is Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies, Canadian Mennonite University.

Description:Why should feminists care about Christianity? Why should Christians care about feminism? In Feminism and Christianity Riswold presents a collection of concise answers to basic questions like these in order to generate discussion about how the two can challenge each other and can even work together in the twenty-first century. Situated firmly in the third wave of feminist activism and scholarship as well as in contemporary Christian theology, Riswold addresses issues such as race, class, gender, and sexuality with an affirmation of tradition alongside a push for change. This book is an opportunity for Christians to gain a fuller understanding of feminism, moving beyond stereotypes and assumptions and into history and contemporary society. Simultaneously this book is an opportunity for feminists to understand the ongoing relevance of a religion whose social power and core commitments can contribute to a vision of a just human community.Endorsements:""Riswold''s talent as a teacher comes shining through as she confronts the suspicions Christians and feminists hold of one another, calling for appreciation of the complexity and diversity in both traditions. Rather than simply reviewing past interactions between Christianity and feminism, she boldly takes the conversation into the twenty-first century by engaging the pressing issues of race, ecology, sexuality, and interreligious understanding. A must-read for students, book groups, and scholars alike.""--Deanna A. Thompson,Professor of ReligionHamline University""Even though the conversation between feminism and Christianity has developed for decades, no other book so clearly names and answers the leading questions they ask of each other . . . Riswold''s book is a delightful introductory resource for individuals, classes, and groups as it touches on and aptly answers all the main questions and fears I have heard expressed from students in women''s studies and religion courses concerning feminism and Christianity. All in all, Feminism and Christianity exemplifies Riswold''s gift for thorough, broad scholarship presented in a very clear, engaging, and accessible style.""--Marit A.Trelstadeditor of Cross Examinations: Readings on the Meaning of the Cross TodayAbout the Contributor(s):Caryn D. Riswold is Associate Professor of Religion and chair of Gender and Women''s Studies at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. She is the author of Two Reformers: Martin Luther and Mary Daly as Political Theologians (2007) and Coram Deo: Human Life in the Vision of God (2006).

Rudolf Bultmann is one of the most widely known but least read theologians of the twentieth century. He is famous as the one who ""demythologized"" the New Testament, but very few understand what he meant by this or how his hermeneutical program connects to the other areas of his theological project. Bultmann presents a unique challenge to readers, not only because of his radical theological inquiry but also because of the way his ideas are worked out over time, primarily through short, occasional writings that present complex issues in a disarmingly straightforward manner. In this introduction to his theology--the first of its kind in more than twenty years--David W. Congdon guides readers through ten central themes in Bultmann''s theology, ranging from eschatology and dialectic to freedom and advent. By gaining an understanding of these themes, students of Bultmann will have the necessary tools to understand and profit from his writings. The result is not only an accessible guide for those encountering Bultmann for the first time but also a cohesive, systematic presentation of his thought for those wondering how his work might speak to our current context.""With great clarity and insight, focusing on themes which lie at the very heart of Bultmann''s theological project and placing him in conversation with recent and contemporary trends, David W. Congdon has written the best short introduction to Bultmann''s thought. The point is not to ''return'' to the great New Testament scholar and theologian--but neither should we bypass him.""--Christophe Chalamet, University of Geneva""Who better than David Congdon to take us into the work of Christianity''s greatest interpreter of Scripture in the modern period? With an expert''s grasp of the entire architecture of Rudolf Bultmann''s thought, Congdon leads the reader through its conceptual entry points. Here is a reliable primer, likely a classic, to guide both beginning students and well-schooled theologians away from the misconceptions, even myths, so often bedeviling treatments of Bultmann.""--James F. Kay, Princeton Theological Seminary""In these pages, Bultmann stands before us as a difficult but compelling figure, a Christian thinker who took the eschatological vision of the New Testament as his charter and pursued its course with extraordinary tenacity and fearlessness. Congdon sets Bultmann''s thought into critical discussion with contemporary theology, posing sharp challenges to our current preferences for ressourcement and the rule of faith. And he saves the best till last. The book ends with a superb meditation on Bultmann''s Christmas sermons--a glimpse of Bultmann at his most attractive, or most seductive, depending on where you stand."" --Benjamin Myers, Charles Sturt University""David Congdon''s lucid and innovative treatment of Rudolf Bultmann is an excellent contribution to scholarship. Those eager to understand, appreciate, and, most importantly, learn from one of the most important (and, alas, most misunderstood) ''greats'' of twentieth-century European theology have, in this book, an indispensable resource.""--Paul Dafydd Jones, Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia""Being master of a subject matter as demanding as Rudolf Bultmann''s theology and a master communicator, capable of introducing that subject-matter to beginning students in a manner both interesting and arresting (!) is rare. David Congdon has that rare combination of skills. This is a wonderful ''guide'' to Bultmann''s thought. Indeed, it is hard to imagine one more perfectly executed. It is a companion worthy of the thought of one of the real giants of twentieth century theology.""--Bruce McCormack, Charles Hodge Professor of Systematic Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary; author of Karl Barth''s Critically Realistic Dialectical Theology (Clarendon Press) and Orthodox and Modern: Studies in the Theology of Karl Barth (Baker Academic)David W. Congdon is asso

This unique book is an introductory guide to the life and theology of John Calvin (1509-64). Calvin''s theology has been highly significant as a major expression of Protestant theology. Reformed churches throughout the world appropriate Calvin''s theological understandings and find his work provides important insights into Scripture and communicates a vibrant Christian faith. The first part of this book describes events in Calvin''s life that helped shape his major work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. The second part follows the flow of the Institutes and provides a narrative exposition of this major work, with numerous quotations of Calvin''s own words. This enables readers to hear Calvin''s voice as his views are explained. This close reading of Calvin opens the door to further, more thorough Calvin studies.""A superb primer on the life and thought of John Calvin by one of our finest Reformation scholars. Highly recommended!""--Timothy George Founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, General Editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture""McKim''s accessible and lucid presentation of Calvin''s life as well as his thought through a summary of the Institutes of the Christian Religion prioritizes the voice of Calvin in a fresh way that provides a solid and useful introduction for any reader.""--Jennifer Powell McNutt, Associate Professor of Theology and History of Christianity, Degree Coordinator of M.A. History of Christianity Program, Chair of Graduate Council, Wheaton College Graduate School""John Calvin''s ideals for theological writing were clarity and brevity. Don McKim''s work would have made him proud. In fewer than two hundred pages, McKim gives a rich but accessible biography of Calvin, and an equally inviting summary journey through Calvin''s mature theology as found in the 1559 Institutes. It makes a good first exploration of the influential Reformed theologian as well as a ready reference guide.""--Gary Neal Hansen, Associate Professor of Church History, University of Dubuque Theological SeminaryDonald K. McKim is a former seminary Dean, Professor of Theology, and Executive Editor for Theology for Westminster John Knox Press. He is the author and editor of a number of books, many focusing on John Calvin and the Reformed theological tradition. He is an Honorably Retired minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The current immigration crisis on our southern borders is usually debated from a safe distance. Politicians create a fear of the migrant to garner votes, while academicians pontificate on the topic from the comfort of cushy armchairs. What would happen if instead the issue were explored with one's feet on the ground--what the author calls an "ethics of place"? As an organic intellectual, De La Torre writes while physically standing in solidarity with migrants who are crossing borders and the humanitarian organizations that accompany them in their journey. He painstakingly captures their stories, testimonies, and actions, which become the foundation for theological and ethical analysis. From this vantage point, the book constructs a liberative ethics based on what those disenfranchised by our current immigration policies are saying and doing in the hopes of not just raising consciousness, but also crafting possibilities for participatory praxis.