The twenty-first century has seen violence thunder back onto the stage of history. Religious, political, social, cultural, and economic constituents and interests thus contribute to the local and global manifestations of violence in our interconnected and contracting global world. Firmly embedded within the field of religion, the authors of this volume concede that religious motifs and impulses are alive and well in this unfolding of bloodshed. It is no wonder then that in our volatile his...

Often theological colleges are the site of tension between the aspirations of the overall institution of the church and the goals of the particular college itself. While they are usually the first called upon to solve the numerous problems facing the modern church, yet, just as likely, they are criticized for being too academic, too out of touch with contemporary society, and too expensive. A fair reading of the ten essays in Things That Matter will refute or, at the very least, question t...

Using the form of the classical symphony as an analytical and critical tool, Sidney Green examines the concepts of orthodoxy and heresy and their historical development in the Christian church and applies those to the confessional approach of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON). Using examples from history of the early church, the Reformation, and the contemporary emerging church, Green examines how the concept of boundaries and the exercise of ecclesiastical authority have been...

Within the field of theology per se a fundamental issue is raised when we begin with the Spirit. This issue concerns the particular shape and trajectory of the Christian faith. How will the doctrine of God at the heart of theology be re-configured when the Spirit becomes the fundamental theme? To begin with the Spirit is to place such a question at the centre of the theological agenda.

Humanity operates like a force of nature capable of affecting the destiny of the Earth System. This epochal shift profoundly alters the relationship between humankind and the Earth, presenting the conscious, thinking human animal with an unprecedented dilemma: As human power has grown over the Earth, so has the power of nature to extinguish human life. The emergence of the Anthropocene has settled any question of the place of human beings in the world: we stand inescapably at its center. T...

In-Between God explores three important areas for contemporary Christianity: theology, community and discipleship. Part One inquires into the rhythms of faith as it interacts with themes of uncertainty and doubt, the nature of theological discourse, the task of systematic theology, evangelism and the various ways in which theology is done. Part Two discusses the importance of place in relation to the church, and themes of innovation, undecideability and new forms of monastic community. Par...

This book contains fresh insights into ecumenism and, notwithstanding claims of an “ecumenical winter,” affirms the view that we are actually moving into a “new ecumenical spring.” It offers new theological insights in the areas of Christology, Pneumatology and Trinitarian theology, and discusses developments in ecumenism in the USA, UK, Australia, India, and Africa, as well as in ecumenical institutions such as the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Anglican Roman Catholic Commission...

The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology brings together a set of original and authoritative accounts of all the major areas of current research in Christian systematic theology, offering a thorough survey of the state of the discipline and of its prospects for those undertaking research and teaching in the field. The Handbook engages in a comprehensive examination of themes and approaches, guiding the reader through current debates and literatures in the context of the historical develo...

What does it mean to engage the whole campus for the Christ? Do we have the biblical foundation to this vision? What are the challenges faced and possible blind spots discovered as we practice our faith and serve in the academy?Drawing lessons from Scripture and history, the contributors present how Christian students can learn to think about ways to practice their faith in the university life. They include stories from different parts of the world on how students ...

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of A History of the Bible, this is the story of how the Bible has been translated, and why it mattersThe Bible is held to be both universal and specific, the source of fundamental truths inscribed in words that are exact and sacred. For much of the history of Judaism and almost the entirety of Christianity, however, believers have overwhelmingly understood scripture not in the languages in which it was firs...

God, Sexuality and the Self is a new venture in systematic theology. Sarah Coakley invites the reader to re-conceive the relation of sexual desire and the desire for God and - through the lens of prayer practice - to chart the intrinsic connection of this relation to a theology of the Trinity. The goal is to integrate the demanding ascetical undertaking of prayer with the recovery of lost and neglected materials from the tradition and thus to reanimate doctrinal reflection both imaginative...

Globalisation and consumerism affect every area of our lives. But it's not just about shopping; these powerful forces shape our personal lives, how we relate to one another, how we view the world - and they are having a seriously detrimental impact both on the lives of the global poor, and on the health of the planet itself.Every Christian in every generation down through the history of the church has had to work out what it means to be a follower of Jesus in their particular cultu...