Rescuing the Church from Consumerism
Rescuing the Church from Consumerism

Author: Mark Clavier

Publisher: SPCK

Published: 2013-08-01

Total Pages: 187

ISBN-13: 0281070393

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Rescuing the Church . . . examines how people are initiated into a consumer culture during childhood and thus drawn into pursuing a vocation as consumers by means of various quasi-sacramental rites and practices. The upshot of this is that the church today is composed primarily of men and women whose lives are situated more within a consumer culture than within a distinctively Christian one. In order for the church to free itself, the author believes it must reclaim a sacramental identity that is grounded in a narrative tradition and realized in real, local worshipping communities.

The Meanings of Discipleship
The Meanings of Discipleship

Author: Andrew Hayes

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2022-07-22

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1666751316

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Discipleship is a foundational concept of Christian life which has become a popular and ubiquitous description of belonging and growth in early 21st century ecclesiastical language. Discipleship courses and popular writings abound, and the term is used liberally in official church documents and strategies for growth and development, particular in a western context. But does recent use of the word risk reducing the wide range of meanings of discipleship to something less rich and inclusive than is warranted? With contributions from an array of leading thinkers, scholars and theologians, including Rachel Mann, Kirsteen Kim and Anthony Reddie, this book argues that there is need for more clarity, precision and depth in defining what meaningfully and constructively is construed as discipleship. Beginning with an overview of how the concept of discipleship has been understood in history, the volume goes on to consider some of the key figures who have shaped our understanding of the concept, and finally to reflect on what discipleship might look like in contemporary society.

A Pilgrimage of Paradoxes
A Pilgrimage of Paradoxes

Author: Mark Clavier

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-12-30

Total Pages: 209

ISBN-13: 0567703592

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Winner of the 2022 Nautilus Book Award in Religion / Spirituality of Western Thought (#24B) Mark Clavier examines a series of paradoxes that lie at the heart of Christian faith: eternity and time, silence and words, and wonder and the commonplace. In an intellectual reflection on an overnight trek on Cadair Idris in Wales and other wilderness walks, he explores the oft-hidden connections between faith, society, and nature. Each reflection ranges widely through history, folklore, poetry, philosophy, and theology to consider what these paradoxes can teach us about God, ourselves, and our world. Drawing on the recent upsurge in interest in the personal experience of landscapes and memory, this book invites readers to walk with Clavier in the Appalachians, Norway, Iceland, the Alps, and around Britain as he discovers the ways in which Christianity is profoundly earthed. By weaving together nature-writing, memoir, social commentary, and theological reflection A Pilgrimage of Paradoxes uses a memorable mountain journey in the ancient landscape of Wales to draw readers into reflecting about what it means to belong. Please find the study guide for this book here: https://convivium-brecon.com/a-pilgrimage-of-paradoxes/

Feasting in a Famine of the Word
Feasting in a Famine of the Word

Author: Mark W. Birkholz

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2016-02-16

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 1498203167

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The Lord warns of a "famine . . . of hearing the word of the Lord" (Amos 8:11). Has this warning come to pass in our day? There is no shortage of preachers, but how often do they miss the mark in actually delivering the word of God to their hearers, leaving them hungry? The authors of these essays seek to equip preachers with resources to offer their hearers a rich feast from the word of the Lord. Writing from a Lutheran perspective, contributors from across the globe provide a fresh approach to preaching. These authors represent seasoned pastors and professors as well as young scholars. All are actively preaching and teaching God's word on a regular basis. This book covers a wide range of topics relating to preaching--from the scriptural background and hermeneutical issues to historical examples of notable preachers, and also practical guides to crafting and delivering a sermon. These essays will assist preachers in proclaiming God's word in a manner that provides a feast for those living in a famine-stricken world. Check out a review on Logia Online Review on the Pastoral Meanderings Blog! Video Endorsement by LCMS President Matt Harrison Interview with Mark Birkholz and Jonathan Mumme with BookTalk on KUFO

On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight
On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight

Author: Mark Clavier

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Published: 2018-11-29

Total Pages: 169

ISBN-13: 1501330918

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The Reading Augustine series presents short, engaging books offering personal readings of St. Augustine of Hippo's contributions to western philosophical, literary, and religious life. Mark Clavier's On Consumer Culture, Identity, The Church and the Rhetorics of Delight draws on Augustine of Hippo to provide a theological explanation for the success of marketing and consumer culture. Augustine's thought, rooted in rhetorical theory, presents a brilliant understanding of the experiences of damnation and salvation that takes seriously the often hidden psychology of human motivation. Clavier examines how Augustine's keen insight into the power of delight over personal notions of freedom and self-identity can be used to shed light on how the constant lure of promised happiness shapes our identities as consumers. From Augustine's perspective, it is only by addressing the sources of delight within consumerism and by rediscovering the wellsprings of God's delight that we can effectively challenge consumer culture. To an age awash with commercial rhetoric, the fifth-century Bishop of Hippo offers a theological rhetoric that is surprisingly contemporary and insightful.

The Worldview of the Word of Faith Movement: Eden Redeemed
The Worldview of the Word of Faith Movement: Eden Redeemed

Author: Mikael Stenhammar

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-12-16

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 0567703479

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This volume approaches the Word of Faith as a worldview, and analyses the movement through N. T. Wright's model for worldview-analysis in order to provide necessary nuance and complexity to scholarly interpretations of the Word of Faith. The reader receives insights into the movement's narrative, semiotic, practical and propositional dimensions, which cumulatively offer a multifaceted understanding of how the Word of Faith interprets reality and engages with the world. The analysis shows that there is a narrative core to Word of Faith beliefs in the form of a unique theological story with focus set on the present restoration of Eden's authority and blessings. This study demonstrates how the Word of Faith operates as a distinct worldview that parses the world through the lens of faith's causative power to affect a direct correspondence between present reality and Eden's perfection. The findings advance a critical and therapeutic approach that acknowledges how the worldview both strengthens and subverts Pentecostalism.

Christmas Unwrapped
Christmas Unwrapped

Author: Richard A. Horsley

Publisher: Trinity Press International

Published: 2001-08

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13:

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Fascinating critique of the American Christmas from the perspectives of cultural studies, theology, & biblical studies.

The Divine Commodity
The Divine Commodity

Author: Skye Jethani

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2009-05-26

Total Pages: 182

ISBN-13: 0310574226

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The challenge facing Christianity today is not a lack of motivation or resources, but a failure of imagination.A growing number of people are disturbed by the values exhibited by the contemporary church. Worship has become entertainment, the church has become a shopping mall, and God has become a consumable product. Many sense that something is wrong, but they cannot imagine an alternative way. The Divine Commodity finally articulates what so many have been feeling and offers hope for the future of a post-consumer Christianity.Through Scripture, history, engaging narrative, and the inspiring art of Vincent van Gogh, The Divine Commodity explores spiritual practices that liberate our imaginations to live as Christ's people in a consumer culture opposed to the values of his kingdom. Each chapter shows how our formation as consumers has distorted an element of our faith. For example, the way churches have become corporations and how branding makes us more focused on image than reality. It then energizes an alternative vision for those seeking a more meaningful faith. Before we can hope to live differently, we must have our minds released from consumerism's grip and captivated once again by Christ.

Death by Church
Death by Church

Author: Mike Erre

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Published: 2009-01-01

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0736924965

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Examining how materialism and consumerism have made their way into the church, a teaching pastor and author of Jesus of Suburbia reveals how Christians can more effectively demonstrate Christ's presence and how the church can cooperate with Jesus in the world in which they live. Original.

Stewardship in African-American Churches
Stewardship in African-American Churches

Author: Melvin Amerson

Publisher: Upper Room Books

Published: 2015-11-01

Total Pages: 136

ISBN-13: 0881777730

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"When the church embraces the responsibility of living as faith managers of God's vast resources [as Psalm 24:1 teaches], the community of faith will prosper." So begins this practical and theological study of stewardship, both in the context of the African-American church tradition and beyond. After all, a systematic approach to stewardship undergirds the ministry and mission of the church universal. A stewardship consultant, Amerson draws upon his experience to help churches develop a theology of generosity; define stewardship leadership roles; celebrate the offering each week; and establish endowment giving. While recognizing still-relevant traditions, he also points to newer tactics and strategies convenient to both members and congregations—including electronic giving, contribution statements, and year-end giving. A highlight of the book is Amerson's explanation of the development of a narrative budget/narrative spending plan. He also writes about stewardship education at multiple levels. This book is a solid resource for financial stewardship education.