Серия "Princeton Theological Monograph Series"

". . . that you may become partakers in the divine nature" 2 Peter 1:4 "The theme of deification intimately touches on human identity and the actualization of humanity's ultimate purpose. It is predominantly an anthropological and soteriological expression of Christian theology. At the same time, it testifies to the identity of a Christian God, divine universal design, and God's economy, where the trinitarian and christological apprehension receives the central place....

This delightfully multifaceted volume, comprised of thoughtful essays by an esteemed array of cultural critics, probes the intersection of Christian faith and culture to honor the memory of A. J. «Chip» Conyers, a remarkably ecumenical Christian scholar and cultural «warrior» whose premature death in 2004 cut short a remarkable career in teaching and writing. As those who knew him can attest, Conyers lived his life at the intersection of Christian theology and cultural concern with a singular...

"What is the purpose of theology for the church?" Systematic theology provides an inroad into this question by offering both a method for doing theology and an explanation for the purpose of that method. However, «system» is itself the product of a specific understanding of knowledge grounded in rational demonstration of facts. This study attempts to address the historical debate over when systematic theology began. Much of the debate is centered on the definition of system and revolves...

Scholarly readings of John Chrysostom's Christology seldom examine the intimate relationship that exists between his doctrinal, sacramental, and praxeological views. The vital correlation between exegesis and praxis in patristic thought must be taken into consideration in any evaluation of christological positions. Chrysostom's doctrine of Christ is intricately bound to life in the church. Within this conceptual framework, Chrysostom's commentaries on John's Gospel and...

The most outstanding theological thinker of the twentieth century is proving to be the most pivotal theological figure of the twenty-first century as well. It is no wonder some have referred to Karl Barth as a «Father» of the Church. Karl Barth, widely acknowledged as the most influential theologian of the modern era, continues to provoke and inspire Christian theological reflection in a distinct and enduring way. His work has occasioned appreciation, critique, and rejection, but however one...

Does apologetic method matter? Helmut Thielicke argues that the method should conform to its own message. He thus rejects traditional apologetic methodologies beholden to supposedly neutral scientific and philosophical paradigms. Seeking to reform Christian conversation, Thielicke discovers a lost way of persuasion, that is, the table-turning approach found in Christ's conversations. Whenever Jesus is questioned, he seldom answers directly. For he refuses to allow the conversation to be...

Religious diversity is a persistent theological predicament for Christian thinkers. Historically, theologians have wrestled with the relationship between believing Christians and religious others. The clash between the Christian doctrine of salvation and non-Christian belief systems often comes down to the question, can non-Christians be «saved»? In a pluralist world, a second question arises: can believers of divergent traditions reconcile their theological differences? Is the logical answer...

When asked about his work for social change, one Presbyterian elder and activist sighed, «You always have the feeling that you're attacking an iceberg with an ice pick. . . . But still, some people do listen, and it does some good. As they say, even glaciers move every now and then.» The work for social change is long, arduous, and yields only the smallest of results. What sustains religious social activists while they chip away at social change? This book examines the practice of social...

The Ecclesial Base Communities (CEBs) emerged in the wake of Latin American liberation theology and are often referred to as «the Church of the Poor.» This book, however, addresses whether or not CEBs are indeed the Church of the Poor today. It is an open question now if Pentecostalism has in fact become the new church of the poor. To answer this question Philip Wingeier-Rayo conducted a one-year ethnographic study of both movements in a marginalized barrio in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Using the...

Although covenant is a major theme in Hebrews, Morrison contends all mention of covenant can be deleted without damaging the coherence of the epistle or its christological conclusions. What role, then, does the covenant motif have in the epistle? The arguments in Hebrews are aimed at a Jewish audience–they ignore the needs and religious options relevant to Gentiles. For the readers, the Sinai covenant was the only relevant conceptual competitor to Christ. First-century Jews looked to the...