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In recent years, Eastern Orthodox thought has had an increasing influence on key aspects of contemporary Western Christian thought, particularly as regards the doctrine of the Trinity and mystical spirituality. However, the foundations and fundamental presuppositions of Eastern Christianity's theological system have remained largely unstudied -- and thus unknown -- in the West.In this important study, Emil Bartos examines the doctrine of deification which provides the conceptual basis for the way Staniloae and other Orthodox theologians understand the major doctrines of the Christian faith. The idea that God became man that man might become God sounds almost heretical to many Western ears, yet this affirmation is repeated countless times in the writings of the Eastern Fathers.Beginning with the apophaticism that lies at the heart of Eastern theology, Bartos examines each of the key doctrines of anthropology, christology, soteriology and ecclesiology as they relate to deification in Staniloae's thought. Bartos' study represents not merely a contribution to contemporary dialogue between Eastern and Western theologians, but also a much needed introduction to an aspect of Christian thought down the centuries that is largely neglected in the Christian West.'Emil Bartos has provided a fine and thorough study of the theology of Staniloae, the Romanian scholar-priest, and so fills a gap for the English readership. The concept of deification, too easily misunderstood in the West, gains sympathetic exposition in this authoritative guide.' - Timothy Bradshaw, Senior Tutor, Regent's Park College, Oxford'This is a book which deserves to be widely read and pondered throughout the English speaking world. It deals with one of the most important themes in Orthodox theology and shows what substantial and constructive contributions towards the work of Christian understanding and unity are coming from the Balkan countries.' - A.M. Allchin, Bangor University, North Wales'This is a splendid and thorough introduction to the work of a leading Orthodox theologian, and it is long overdue.' - Oliver Davies, University of Wales Emil Bartos is Dean of Theology at Emanuel University in Oradea, Romania, where he teaches systematic and comparative theology and the history of dogma. His doctoral research was carried out under the supervision of the Orthodox Bishop Kallistos Ware (Professor of Theology at the University of Oxford) and the Catholic Theologian Oliver Davies (of the University of Wales).

This book develops a theory of imagining biblically that explores the contributions scripture can make to a new way of thinking about creativity, reading, interpretation, and criticism. The methodology employed in order to demonstrate this thesis consists of a theoretical exploration of current theological understandings of the "imagination" and their implications within the fields of literary studies. The biblical texts locates the function generally defined as "imagination" in the heart ("the eyes of your heart," Ephesians 1:18). This book assesses what the biblical text as a literary and religious document contributes to the concept of "imagination." Due to the eclectic nature of the individual books that comprise the scriptural canon, the text is considered primarily in terms of its overarching metanarrative, language, genres, and theological propositions. Tracing the various trajectories the biblical text opens up and the ways in which they intersect with and modify post-Romantic assumptions about the imagination reconfigures traditional definitions of this concept. A Calvinistic, evangelical hermeneutic is deployed to establish a theoretical concept of what it means to "imagine biblically." This is further substantiated by a comparative study of authors ranging from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries (John Bunyan, Samuel Rutherford, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and C. S. Lewis). Each author's chapter incorporates a close reading of a key text which concretely examines various trajectories of imagining biblically, including creativity, faith, morals, narrative, Romanticism, and eschatology. The conclusion returns to the biblical text and draws these elements together, with a definition of the concept of imagining biblically and its implications for literary studies.

In the context of Latin America, the theology of liberation is both dominant and world renowned. However, this context and the pursuit of theological relevance belong also to other voices. Orlando E. Costas, Samuel Escobar, J. Andrew Kirk, Emilio A. Nunez and C. Rene Padilla are thinkers who have sought to bring an evangelical understanding of liberation to the people of Latin America. Despite their influence on national and international theology and despite their transformative contribution to the praxis of churches ministering in contexts of poverty, their thought has not been systematized to dates. This work deals with this lacuna presenting the vitality of Latin American evangelical theology which seeks to be biblical, relevant and missiologically effective, thus offering a liberation which is holistic and grounded in the kingdom of God.'For over thirty-five years the Latin American Theological Fraternity (FTL, its acronym in Spanish) has been actively engaged in articulating an evangelical and liberating response to a wide variety of socio-economic, political, cultural and religious issues that affect the life and mission of the church in Latin America. Without denying the contextual character of the FTL, one is safe in claiming that this theology has very much to say to Christians all over the world. That being the case, many readers will be deeply thankful to Sharon Heaney for providing a first-class systematic and comprehensive review of the historical background and the main themes of this most significant theological movement in Latin America - and indeed, in the world today.'C. Rene Padilla, International President of Tearfund,Emeritus President of the Kairos Foundation in Buenos Aires, Argentina'Whereas Latin American Liberation Theology is renowned throughout the worldwide Christian community, a fresh expression of evangelical mission theology from the same context is less well known. This book redresses the balance and shows why this latter pattern of theological thought offers a new focus and process of the renewal of theology that successfully combines faithfulness to the full biblical message with sensitive awareness of the historical and social reality of a turbulent, suffering continent. Her comprehensive, sympathetic and discerning treatment of this theological approach deserves to be read widely, pondered deeply and enacted practically.'J. Andrew Kirk, author of What is Mission? Theological Explorations and Mission under Scrutiny: Confronting current Challenges'Well-researched, clearly written, informative and illuminating. Sharon Heaney's study of evangelical theology in Latin America is a significant contribution to our understanding of the contemporary church and its mission.'Stephen N. Williams, Professor of Systematic Theology, Union Theological College, BelfastSharon E. Heaney was educated at Carrickfergus Grammar School and Queens University Belfast. She holds an honors degree from Queens University in Theology and Hispanic Studies. Presently Dr Heaney teaches Religious Studies at Bloxham School, Oxfordshire. She lives in Oxford with her husband Robert and son Sam.