Does ecumenism have a future? -- What would it mean to take the "next step" in ecumenical and interfaith relations -- Is the ecumenical movement a movement for peace? -- What can the churches say together about the church? -- What can the churches say together about the environment? -- Can the tension between unity and justice be overcome? -- Has the ecumenical movement become too "political"? -- What is the way forward for Catholic-Protestant relations? -- How can the Orthodox help others understand them better? -- How are interfaith relationships as challenging as they are necessary? -- How can we deal with the tough issues in Jewish-Christian relations? -- Are councils of churches a thing of the past? -- What does it take to be an ecumenical leader? -- What will it take to revitalize the ecumenical movement? -- Why care about Christian unity when there are so many other things to worry about?
There is no doubt that ecumenism occupies a prominent place in the history of the church in the twentieth century: countless churches have been renewed through encounter with Christian sisters and brothers in other confessions and cultures. But it is not clear that this ecumenical impulse will continue to figure prominently in the church’s story. In this book Michael Kinnamon argues that the ecumenical movement, which has given such energy and direction to the church, needs to be reconceived in a way that provides renewing power for the church in this era — and he shows how this might happen. He names the problems with ecumenism, identifies strengths and accomplishments upon which the church now can build, and suggests practical, concrete steps we can take in the direction of revitalization, especially at the local level.
In Receptive Ecumenism and the Renewal of the Ecumenical Movement, Antonia Pizzey offers a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the approach of Receptive Ecumenism, which is widely regarded as having the potential to revitalise contemporary ecumenism.
Personal renewal or sanctification belongs to the heart of the Christian life and is becoming more important in our present-day culture. Listening to Scripture and in conversation with a variety of theologians from the protestant tradition, the author presents an up-to-date concept for a theology of personal renewal.In this concept the spiritual union with Christ (unio mystica cum Christo) is taken as the starting point in order to consider the way in which renewal obtains form in relation to God, our neighbour, ourselves and the world. To place this concept into a historical perspective, van Vlastuin begins his study with an investigation of Luther and Calvin's theology concerning the relationship between the union with Christ and personal renewal. The concept is developed within the current theological debate, with particular reference to the eschatological character of the Christian life.An important issue concerns the measure of renewal, especially in relation to the sinful heart of the believer. In this context the author also deals with the question of sanctification as a position or a process, and the relation between the two.In addition the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the human soul in the process of renewal is discussed. Another important issue concerns the abiding significance of the law and the way in which it functions in the Christian life. The exploration of several theological positions leads to a modern concept by which to understand law.The study concludes with an investigation of the relationship between the eschatological Christian life in this present life and the complete revelation of the eschaton.
If you've ever felt utterly exhausted by life and longed to find a source of refreshment, you are not alone. In Renew Your Life Pastor Kai Nilsen points the way to the wellspring of renewal in the Holy Spirit. Through revitalizing spiritual practices, we find the energy for creative life change in God.
REAL-LIFE ANSWERS TO LIFE'S BIGGEST QUESTIONS Real Life Theology invites you to a fresh way of living by bridging two areas of your life: what we know about God and how we live our lives. This collection of thirteen accessible books gives real-life answers to fifty-two of life's biggest questions, such as: What is the gospel? What is saving faith? What role does baptism play in salvation? What are the essential, important, and personal elements of the faith? How should we view marriage, gender, and race? Real Life Theology was written with everyday Christians in mind. We encourage you to read it, walk with others through it, and along the way learn God's real-life answers to your biggest questions. This series will help churches in their training of pastoral staff as well as the everyday disciple maker in your church or ministry. -- Jim Putman, author of Real-Life Discipleship As our churches become more diverse and our culture less biblically literate, we increasingly need Real Life Theology. -- Mark Moore, author of Core 52 This book is a one of a kind for our generation. Highly recommended! -- David Young, author of King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship We're excited to integrate Real Life Theology into our leadership development resources at Southeast Christian Church. -- Matt Reagan, Associate Pastor of Southeast Christian Church It's imperative that we do theology wisely and well, and this book is a fantastic help! -- Matt Proctor, President of Ozark Christian College BOBBY HARRINGTON (DMin, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is CEO of Renew.org and Discipleship.org, both national disciple making networks. Bobby is the founding and Lead Pastor of Harpeth Christian Church. He is author or coauthor of more than a dozen books on disciple making. DANIEL MCCOY (PhD, North-West University) is Editorial Director of Renew.org. He has created classes on philosophy, ethics, and world religions for Ozark Christian College. Among his books are The Popular Handbook of World Religions (general editor) and The Atheist's Fatal Flaw (coauthored with Norman Geisler).
Lessons from Naomi in the Book of Ruth. Few things make us feel as helpless as living with a story we don’t like. Maybe one that involves the loss of a loved one, an unwanted transition, a difficult diagnosis, or a dream that fell through. At one time or another, we all deal with disappointments and feelings that life is unfair or that we are being punished. In Renewed, a four-week study of the Book of Ruth, women glean wisdom from Naomi’s perspective, a woman who lived a story she didn’t choose or like. Forced to chart a new path as she mourned the loss of her husband and two sons, Naomi learned that the journey from bitterness to renewed hope and joy was rooted in God’s promise of redemption. With insight from her own journey of living with a story that is not easy, Heather teaches women to flourish even as they live hard stories through a willingness to trust that God can transform them and trade their heartache for hope. They will learn to rely on God’s movement in the details of their story, even when it can’t be seen, gain confidence to act in the part of their stories that they can change, and watch expectantly for God to redeem the parts they can’t. Components for this four-week Bible study, available separately, include a Participant Workbook with Leader Helps and a DVD with four 20 to 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).
The "culture story" of evangelicalism during the second half of the twentieth century has been well told. It is important now to think about the theological mission of the church in an ever-increasing post-Christian and post-partisan context. What is the theologian's calling at the beginning of the third millennium? How do global realities impact the mission of evangelical theology? What sense can be made of the unity of evangelical theology in light of its many diverse voices? This collection of essays draws together a stellar roster of evangelical thinkers with significant institutional memory of the evangelical movement who nonetheless see new opportunities for the evangelical voice in the years ahead. Contributors: Os Guinness Michael S. Horton Richard Lints Bruce McCormack Mark Noll J. I. Packer Gary Parrett Rodney Peterson Cornelius Plantinga Tite Tienou Kevin J. Vanhoozer Adonis Vidu Miroslav Volf
This book is an exploration of the renewal of the Baptist Union of Great Britain in the 1990s, the only historic UK denomination which grew in this period. It was an exciting time, with plenty of denominational activity and engagement, both theological and institutional. The book tells this story focusing on the particular individuals involved and the wide-ranging discussions centered around mission and identity, ministry, associating, and ecumenism. It argues that there were competing visions emerging from two different streams of thought which whilst not divisive caused tension. At the end of the decade structural changes were introduced with hope for the new millennium, but the book contends that opportunities were missed for a more deeply theological renewal.
