Volumes 10 and 11 of Studies in Reformed Theology consist of the texts written for the fifth international conference of the International Reformed Theological Institute (IRTI), which was dedicated to the theme, 'Christian Faith and Violence'. Specific theological questions were at the core of the discussions, e.g. what does violence imply for the doctrine of God? How to deal with biblical stories and commands that often contain an overwhelmingly violent character? What about applying christian ethics in situations of violence that we are exposed to? What is our calling in situations of oppression and a longing for liberation and justice?
In Faith and Violence, Thomas Merton offers concrete and pungent social criticisms grounded in prophetic faith about such issues as Vietnam, racism, violence, and war.
How can we make sense of violence in the Bible? Joshua commands the people of Israel to wipe out everyone in the promised land of Canaan, while Jesus commands God’s people to love their enemies. How are we to interpret biblical passages on violence when it is sanctioned at one point and condemned at another? The Violence of the Biblical God by L. Daniel Hawk presents a new framework, solidly rooted in the authority of Scripture, for understanding the paradox of God’s participation in violence. Hawk shows how the historical narrative of the Bible offers multiple canonical pictures for faithful Christian engagement with the violent systems of the world.
Volumes 10 and 11 of Studies in Reformed Theology consist of the texts written for the fifth international conference of the International Reformed Theological Institute (IRTI), which was dedicated to the theme, 'Christian Faith and Violence'. Specific theological questions were at the core of the discussions, e.g. what does violence imply for the doctrine of God? How to deal with biblical stories and commands that often contain an overwhelmingly violent character? What about applying christian ethics in situations of violence that we are exposed to? What is our calling in situations of oppression and a longing for liberation and justice?
Though many people believe that humanity is doomed to be mired in violence, Kaufman argues that the Judeo-Christian offers a path toward peaceful, harmonious coexistence among humans and between humans and the rest of creation, including animals. The book first analyzes the sources of human violence and scapegoating and then compares insights from the social sciences (particularly the works of Ernest Becker and Ren Girard) to the biblical accounts. In pursuit of self-esteem, humans often find themselves in conflict with each other, which results in crises that threaten to tear communities apart. The solution to these conflicts is to blame one or more scapegoats. But such scapegoating is unjust, and it is only a temporary solution to a recurrent human problem. Further, other crises, such as epidemics, droughts, and natural disasters, and military defeats, encourage scapegoating.Kaufman argues that for Christians the antidote to scapegoating involves adopting the faith of Christ. Despite institutional Christianity 's often tragic history of violence, Kaufman asserts that the Bible supports the notion that God is loving, compassionate, and merciful. Jesus encouraged communities to be bound not by their contempt for scapegoats but by their common bond as beloved children of God.In the final chapter, Kaufman applies the book 's principles to modern social issues, with often surprising results. In particular, Kaufman shows how the rise of humanism has encouraged humans to scapegoat animals rather than other humans. This is not only morally wrong; Kaufman shows that countenancing the victimization of any vulnerable individuals actually puts everyone at risk. If a crisis occurs after scapegoating animals, humans invariably become the next victims, and greater crises lead to a greater number of victims.
Although many people suggest that Christianity is declining, research indicates that it continues to be the world's most popular worldview. But even so, the Christian faith includes many controversial beliefs that non-Christians find hard to accept. This book explores 12 issues that might cause someone to dismiss orthodox Christianity—issues such as the existence of suffering, the Bible's teaching on gender and sexuality, the reality of heaven and hell, the authority of the Bible, and more. Showing how the best research from sociology, science, and psychology doesn't disagree with but actually aligns with claims found in the Bible, these chapters help skeptics understand why these issues are signposts, rather than roadblocks, to faith in Christ.
Australian theologian Scott Cowdell explores how 'having faith' has changed under the influence of modernity and post-modernity in the West. Following the understanding of faith typical of Saint Paul, the Fathers and the medieval monastic theologians, faith is returned from pious sentimentality and arid philosophy of religion to the realm of 'participating knowing', 'paradigmatic imagination', and personal transformation where it belongs as a 'form of life', shaped by encounter with Jesus Christ and worked out through the Eucharistic community.
How should Christians respond to war? This age-old question has become more pressing given Western governments' recent overseas military interventions and the rise of extremist Islamist jihadism. Grounded in conservative evangelical theology, this book argues the historic church position that it is inadmissible for Christians to use violence or take part in war. It shows how the church's propensity to support the "just wars," crusades, rebellions, or "humanitarian interventions" of its host nations over time has been disastrous for the reputation of the gospel. Instead, the church's response to war is simply to be the church, by preaching the gospel and making peace in the love and power of God. The book considers challenges to this argument for "gospel peace." What about warfare in the Old Testament and military metaphors in the New? What of church history? And how do we deal with tyrants like Hitler and terrorists like Islamic State? Charting a path between just war theory and liberal pacifism, numerous inspiring examples from the worldwide church are used to demonstrate effective and authentically Christian responses to violence. The author argues that as Christians increasingly drop their unbiblical addiction to war, we may be entering one of the most exciting periods of church history.