Books published by Cascade Books

Description:Once upon a time, on grounds of both religion and common sense, people assumed that the earth was flat and that the sun literally rose and set each day. When newly developing knowledge made those beliefs untenable, giving them up was difficult. Today the belief that only one of the world''s various religions is true for all people on earth is equivalent to the belief in a flat earth. Both notions have become untenable, given contemporary knowledge about religion. Even though many people are still troubled by the existence of religious diversity today, that diversity is a fact of life. Religious diversity should be no more troubling to religious people than the fact that the earth is round and circles the sun.This provocative book, based on the author''s longtime practice of Buddhism and comparative study of religion, provides tools with which one can truly appreciate religious diversity as a gift and resource rather than as a deficiency or a problem to be overcome. After we accept diversity as inevitable and become comfortable with it, diversity always enriches life--both nature and culture.

In Passing Over and Returning Paul O. Ingram describes his particular dialogue with the world's religions, illustrated by his experience of passing over into Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, Judaism, and Islam, and by his return to his home as a Lutheran Christian. While religious diversity is not new, neither are the questions posed by religious diversity. What is new is that more and more people are actively engaged with the world's religions because more and more people are willing to be informed by insights found in religious traditions other than their own. This is particularly true among progressive Christians. But openness does not necessarily mean rejecting one's own tradition, even though persons sometimes convert to another tradition or combine their original religious identity with the identity of another tradition. Whether one returns to the home of one's own faith tradition after passing over, or assumes a dual religious identity, or converts to another tradition, all persons engaged in interreligious dialogue undergo processes of creative transformation.

The scholarship on Martin Luther King Jr. has too often cast him in the image of the Southern black preacher and the American Gandhi, while ignoring or trivializing his global connections and significance. This groundbreaking work, written by scholars, religious leaders, and activists of different backgrounds, addresses this glaring pattern of neglect in King studies. King is treated here as both a global figure and a forerunner of much of what is currently associated with contemporary globalization theory and praxis. The contributors to this volume agree that King must be understood not only as a thinker, visionary, and social change agent in his own historical context, but also in terms of his meaning for the different generations who still appeal to him as an authority, inspiration, and model of exemplary service to humanity. The task of engaging King both in context and beyond context is fulfilled in remarkable ways in this volume, without doing essential violence to this phenomenal figure.

Description:What does it mean to take the Bible seriously? This introductory book explores how Scripture itself gives us the resources to read it wisely. First, it looks at the basic questions of reading in context--historical, literary, and theological--and understanding the significance of the two-testament structure of the Christian Bible. Then it looks at how the Bible can itself contribute to shaping a wise doctrine of Scripture. Finally, it considers some of the many hermeneutical perspectives that contribute to reading the Bible wisely. New to this revised edition are chapters addressing the significance of the Old Testament, the performative function of Scripture, and how reading Scripture actually helps form the reader. The aim throughout is to explore key questions critical to the task of reading the Bible generously, constructively, and in a comprehensible way, without oversimplifying core theological issues.Endorsements:"Reading and interpreting the Bible is both necessary and challenging. Richard Briggs turns his masterly hand to this and provides an excellent introduction and guide. Writing in an engaging and reflective style, he covers a good deal of ground expertly and accessibly and makes available to the reader his own wisdom and insight. Take Richard as your wise guide in this adventure of faith!"-Ian PaulSt. John's College, Nottingham"Briggs both thinks and writes wisely. He draws deeply on scholarly resources, lucidly synthesizing crucial ideas from a variety of academic sub-disciplines, while nimbly avoiding the academic tendency to become embroiled in technical jargon and remaining alert to the experience of curious believers encountering the Bible. Readers will absorb a great deal of learning and wisdom with astonishingly little effort and will find their experience of reading the Bible transformed."-Maria Poggi JohnsonUniversity of Scranton"With wit, sophistication, and engaging prose, Briggs cuts away much of the dry rot in biblical studies that threatens to the keep the Bible from actually being useful in the church. This book takes Scripture seriously and has taught me that too often attempts to do so fall short because they rely on 'methods.' Finally, something readable to give to Christian friends and family members who ask for a good book on how to interpret the Bible."-Joel N. LohrTrinity Western University "Written with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Reading the Bible Wisely is a much-needed encouragement to let Scripture be Scripture--in reading it, thinking about it, and living it.-Antony BillingtonLondon Institute for Contemporary Christianity"Richard Briggs offers a series of test cases by which to examine the meaning of biblical texts and the issues involved in their theological interpretation. Paying close attention to the assumptions we bring to Scripture and how it transforms our understanding, Briggs writes with a perceptive eye for detail, an unostentatious but profound and rigorous scholarship, and a sparkling, evocative style. A must for anyone wanting to grow in their appreciation of God's Word today."-Richard HarveyAll Nations College, United KingdomAbout the Contributor(s):Richard S. Briggs is Lecturer in Old Testament and Director of Biblical Studies at Cranmer Hall, St. John's College, Durham University, England, where he teaches Old Testament. He is the author of Words in Action: Speech Act Theory and Biblical Interpretation (2001) and The Virtuous Reader: Old Testament Narrative and Interpretive Virtue (2010).

Description:The ambitious and accessible essays collected in this volume were presented by John Howard Yoder during an extensive visit to South America in 1966. Reflecting and also subverting the acknowledged "faddish" attempt to address the revolutionary nature of Christianity, these lectures provide an illuminating snapshot of Yoder's vibrant initial encounter with Latin American Christianity. In these lectures, he thematically addresses the shape of the free church, the Christian practice of peace, and the place of the church in the midst of revolution. In a manner that betrays his confidence in the eventual triumph of faithfulness, Yoder concludes that the peace-witnessing free church is, by definition, always the community that is the soul and conscience of our revolutionary age.Endorsements:"Revolutionary Christianity will be a welcome addition to the Yoder corpus for those familiar with his work as well as those who will read him for the first time. For the latter, Revolutionary Christianity is a wonderful introduction to the major themes in his work. For the former, this book is a very helpful reminder of the interconnectedness of Yoder's thought. We are fortunate, therefore, to have yet another book by Yoder." -Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School"This volume makes a significant contribution to the important task of bringing into print all the treasures in Yoder's unpublished materials. John Howard Yoder is the greatest Mennonite theologian/ethicist in our history. Revolutionary Christianity provides further insight into his fertile, creative mind."-Ronald J. SiderProfessor of Theology, Holistic Ministry & Public PolicyPalmer Seminary at Eastern University"For those of us that heard some of these lectures in the atmosphere of social turmoil of Latin America in the 1960¿s and 1970's, it is a joy to see them gathered and published in book form. Yoder's fresh and creative way of reading both Scripture and the Anabaptist tradition is still surprising and challenging. I am amazed by the continued relevance of his theological reflection and thankful for it."-Samuel EscobarProfessor Emeritus Palmer Theological Seminary and Theological Seminary of the Spanish Baptist Union, MadridAbout the Contributor(s):John Howard Yoder taught at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary and later became a professor of theology and ethics at the University of Notre Dame and a fellow of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. He is the author of The Politics of Jesus (1972), The Priestly Kingdom (1984), For the Nations (1997), and several other books.

Description:Historically, angels have been viewed as either disconnected objects of speculative investigation, or as mystifying beings mysteriously influencing our lives. However, this is not how the Bible describes them. Scripture, in sober and straightforward terms, simply describes what angels do. It is a practical depiction, a pastoral presentation. We see messages of encouragement, revelation, and guidance; we see judgment and correction; we see strengthening; we see journeying; we see prayer and worship. The biblical focus concerning angels is on ministry to the people of God. Angels are one way that God intervenes in human affairs in response to pastoral concerns or problems. Created to minister, angels are best understood, not using speculative or detached theology, but through applied and pastoral lenses. Using only Scripture and a classic model of pastoral theology as the framework, this book shows practically how angels are employed by God to bless His church and people as His servant ministers who glorify Him alone.Endorsements:"Angels are frequently overlooked in Protestant Christianity, despite their significant place in the Scriptures. Jonathan Macy addresses that oversight with clarity and conviction in this important book. He does so by stressing the pastoral importance of angels as 'ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation' (Heb 1:14). This is theology in service of the Church that pushes back against secular pressure to minimize the heavenly realm, and opens eyes more widely to God's saving activity in the world he loves so much. I hope it will be widely read not only by Christians who are concerned to form a robustly biblical worldview, but also by others who wonder if the material world is all there is."--Justyn TerryDean and PresidentTrinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania"We live at a time when not since the medieval period has there been such a keen interest in the existence and activity of angels. Much that is written, taught, and believed about angels is gnostic nonsense with disastrous consequences. Dr. Macy's significant study on angels is compellingly written, biblically grounded, pastoral theology of the highest order. It is a thrilling read and will take its place as a standard reference work on the subject."--Simon PonsonbyPastor of TheologySt. Aldates, Oxford"When modern theologians can be dismissive of the idea of angels and orthodox evangelicals be uninterested in them, outside the Church there is much post-modern fascination with them, Jonathan Macy helpfully explores the biblical material and the Church's attitude to angels through the centuries with scholarly care. He also offers his own interpretation of that material, providing a stimulus to others to reassess their beliefs in the ministry of angels."--Michael PerhamBishop of Gloucester"This book will awaken both your biblical academic knowledge and your deeper spiritual awareness to the role of angels in our lives today. Many books have been written about demons and the deliverance ministry but at last here is an in-depth study of angels and their gift to man. Enjoy!"--Rachel HicksonDirector of HEARTCRY FOR CHANGEAbout the Contributor(s):Jonathan Macy is a minister in the Church of England. His first degree was in Theological & Pastoral Studies, followed by MThs in both Early Church History and Applied Theology. He did his PhD at Kings College London, on Angels in the Anglican Tradition (1547-1662). Prior to ordination he worked for fifteen years in care homes for the disabled, and the elderly.

Congregations today face both old and often new, unprecedented challenges--spiritual, moral, technological, and economic--for which there are no easy solutions. Facing such challenges calls for pastors able to lead with authority in ways at the same time faithful to the gospel and appropriate to the congregation's setting and the issues at hand. Yet many pastors are unsure of their authority, often experiencing conflict as they attempt to lead. Others have abused their authority and brought mistrust and suspicion to ordained ministry, making it difficult for other clergy to lead. In this book, a new and revised edition of his earlier, highly regarded work on pastoral authority and leadership, Jackson Carroll brings together theological and sociological perspectives to provide an interpretation of pastoral authority as reflective leadership, a style of leadership that involves vision and discernment, and that is appropriate for the many roles in which pastors engage--preaching, worship leadership, teaching, counseling, and shaping the congregation's corporate life. In this new edition Carroll draws on what he has learned from many conversations with pastors and lay leaders since the book's initial publication as well as insights from others. He also introduces helpful new case material from practicing pastors and incorporates the perspectives of several recent leadership theorists and practitioners to deepen and enhance the discussion of pastoral authority as reflective leadership.

From the first episode to the latest feature film, two main symbols provide the driving force for the iconic television series The X-Files: Fox Mulder's ""I Want to Believe"" poster and Dana Scully's cross necklace. Mulder's poster may feature a flying saucer, but the phrase ""I want to believe"" refers to more than simply the quest for the truth about aliens. The search for extraterrestrial life, the truth that is out there, is a metaphor for the search for God. The desire to believe in something greater than ourselves is part of human nature: we want to believe. Scully's cross represents this desire to believe, as well as the internal struggle between faith and what we can see and prove. The X-Files depicts this struggle by posing questions and exploring possible answers, both natural and supernatural. Why would God let the innocent suffer? Can God forgive even the most heinous criminal? What if God is giving us signs to point the way to the truth, but we're not paying attention? These are some of the questions raised by The X-Files. In the spirit of the show, this book uses the symbols and images presented throughout the series to pose such questions and explore some of the answers, particularly in the Christian tradition. With a focus on key themes of the series--faith, hope, love, and truth--along the way, this book journeys from the desire to believe to the message of the cross.

Description:This volume addresses the promise and peril of post-9/11 interfaith trialogue. In fifteen clearly written and insightful essays, distinguished scholars of different faiths and divergent world views guide readers toward an informed understanding of the role of religion and the basic teachings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. Acknowledging commonalities, these essays also shed light on the essential differences among the teachings of the Abrahamic traditions and raise pivotal questions regarding humanity's future: What prompted the carnage? What has changed since then? What remains to be achieved? Dispelling ignorance about the religious other is a necessary but only a first step toward achieving a durable and effective trialogue. In an increasingly perilous and interconnected world where the effects of globalization are yet to be fully recognized, interfaith trialogue holds out the hope of genuine movement toward a more peaceful coexistence.Endorsements:"Alan Berger's astute editorial direction brings together a seasoned group of scholars from the Abrahamic traditions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--to provide a stellar example of interreligious cooperation that is so needed in today's world. Timely, incisive, challenging--these words summarize and highlight the importance of Trialogue and Terror." --John K. Roth, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College"As a prominent scholar of interfaith relations, Alan Berger provides us with essential reflections on the connection between religion, violence, and terror. No topic on religion is more urgent for us today. The book has a stellar line-up of thinkers whose . . . contributions give us a robust picture of how religions can better understand each other to foster coexistence and build a more hopeful future for the entire human family." --Rabbi Eugene Korn, Codirector, Institute for Theological Inquiry"The essays collected here focus on very different kinds of issues, sometimes going deep into theological problems, such as Catholic understanding of Judaism's ongoing validity, and other times attending to chronic political challenges, such as how the State of Israel complicates Muslim-Jewish relations. The book is an important contribution to a vitally significant conversation in our time."--David P. Gushee, Distinguished Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University"Kudos to the contributors of Trialogue and Terror for an unflinchingly sober and honest analysis of the necessity and possibility of trilateral engagement among the Abrahamic faiths. Courageously self-critical, the authors mine the resources of their traditions to provide hope and constructive pathways for the extensive interreligious dialogues so sorely needed in the post-9/11 world."--Elena Procario-Foley, Professor of Jewish-Catholic Studies, Iona CollegeAbout the Contributor(s):Alan L. Berger is the Raddock Family Eminent Scholar Chair of Holocaust Studies at Florida Atlantic University. Among the books he has written, coauthored, and edited are Children of Job, Second Generation Voices, and Jewish-Christian Dialogue.

--What is Anglicanism and how is it distinctive?--Where did it come from and where is it ?--Which beliefs, values, and practices stand at the heart of this important, global Communion?--How can its rich heritage help it move into the future?This book is an essential guide to the Anglican tradition for anyone who has ever wondered what Anglicanism-the largest Protestant denomination in the world-is all about. Now fully updated and significantly revised, this second edition of Our Anglican Heritage gives voice to the strong and vibrant evangelical roots of Anglican Christianity. Events at the start of the twenty-first century have threatened to tear the Communion apart. The authors of this book, both Episcopal clergy, each responded to the crisis in different ways. One, a bishop, chose to stay in the Episcopal Church. The other chose to lead his congregation out of the Episcopal Church and into another Anglican Province. This book is a reflection of the strong faith and heritage they still share, and a recommitment to the biblical principles that still undergird and enliven Anglicanism.

Description:"If this book moves, I hope it moves in the way pop songs do. There will be a lot of talk about songs, but inasmuch as this is a book about listening to music, it's also about how listening to music makes us who we are, or at least about how it makes me who I am, and so it is an exploration, an idiosyncratic and opinionated and particular one, of a self shaped by the oddly intersecting forces of the American evangelical Protestant church and the American popular music scene. I don't mean for that to sound hoity-toity--if this were fifteen years ago, I would say that this book was about Christian music, and I would know exactly what I meant. My purpose now is not only to talk about "Christian music." I am not here to explicate Christian music, to explain why it exists and whether it is any good. Instead, think of what you're about to read as like an iPod playlist, a collection of essays and thoughts on listening to music and having faith and how they have made me, and a lot of people like me, and maybe you.            Also, there will be some jokes about Stryper."Endorsements:"If you can name the exact musical connection between Michael W. Smith and Sufjan Stevens, then you don't need to read this book. But you can't do that, can you? None of us can. But Joel Hartse can, and he does that kind of s#*! on Every. Single. Page. I'm pretty sure he knows everything. Plus, he's witty and wise. I can't imagine a better book on the weird world of Christian rock."--Patton Doddauthor of My Faith So Far: A Story of Conversion and Confusion"Part personal narrative and part cultural history, Joel Heng Hartse's musical memoir is a lovingly written ode to all that is weird and wonderful, disturbing and divine about the world of Christian rock. Conversant in everything from White Town to Rebecca St James, Radiohead to Michael W. Smith, Hartse provides a richly observant, nostalgic document of the shaping artifacts and sonic ephemera of his evangelical youth. His book paints a picture of the recent past that will be funny, poignant, and therapeutic for anyone who grew up in a similar milieu."--Brett McCracken author of Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide"Joel Heng Hartse grew up during an era when Christian rock was actually kind of decent, but he was never shy about exploring all music. He emerged equal parts Jesus freak and music geek. His memoir is utterly charming . . . but seriously, dude, Genesis? --Andrew Beaujonauthor of Body Piercing Saved My Life"Joel Heng Hartse's travels--and travails--through the world of rock and roll (spiritual, secular, and all those artists who aim to land somewhere in between) add up to something like a lesson in music history. But mostly, it's a warm, witty, and downright entertaining trek down one man's memory lane, a lane lined with insight, humor, and, of course, just enough love and sects to keep the pages turning. Joel knows music, and after reading this book, you'll feel like you know Joel--and that's a good thing."--Mark MoringPop Culture Editor, Christianity Today"There's so much to love here: nostalgia tempered by wry humor; a slice of rock and roll history rich in detail yet anchored in emotions we all share; a series of tart but ultimately generous insights into the foibles of a religious subculture. Joel Hartse's memoir is a postmodern 'pilgrim's progress,' the story of a young man in search of truth and beauty, rendered in a voice that is at once self-deprecating and heartfelt.--Gregory WolfeEditor, IMAGE"I basically stopped paying attention to Christian rock music right around the time Joel was getting into it. But even though I recognized only a handful of the bands he cites here, I still found his account of growing up with church and pop music easy to relate to, and fun to read. In an accessible, opinionated, and humorous way, he gets at what the music means--and how that meaning has changed, for him personally and for the culture

Description:In the wake of excessive evil--the Holocaust, genocide in Africa, tsunamis in Indonesia, terrorism, earthquakes, and floods--must one surrender belief in a good God? The poems in this volume, honest and reverent, arose from the struggle to answer that question with an emphatic "No." They exhibit the tension that also exists in the Bible where the expression "Dust and Ashes" occurs. When Abraham questioned God's justice involving the wholesale destruction of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and an aggrieved Job responded to speeches from a whirlwind, their status as mortals gave rise to different approaches, boldness in one, humility in the other. Following their examples and the voice of dissenters within much of Scripture, these poems chronicle the journey of a lonely "man of faith," the agony and ecstasy of one who refuses to abandon belief in God despite much evidence that brings it into question. They discover the Sacred in Nature, a book written by the finger of God, and they lovingly reflect on biblical texts, a human record of encounter with the Sublime.Endorsements:"Like photographs or glimpses through a window that capture a moment and reveal an unsuspected truth, these poems by James Crenshaw are encounters with the pain and joy of nature, biblical characters, and human relationships. Through these poems Crenshaw wrestles with that enigmatic God from whom he seeks a costly blessing."--Carol Newsom Emory University "A fish called Methuselah and a cat called JOY, the Babel and beauty of the church, the joys of family and of study, and the anguish of cancer--James Crenshaw beautifully articulates these and many more aspects of a rich life, viewed by a mind that is sharply critical and yet humble. The poems are both complex and lucid; many are peopled by the characters of Scripture. These are poems to share with other Christians, and to read again and again."--Ellen F. Davis Duke Divinity School"James Crenshaw's prose always makes me think slowly yet also furiously, and refuses me the luxury of easy answers. Now his poems do the same, though they also open up avenues to hope and trust."--John GoldingayFuller Theological SeminaryAbout the Contributor(s): James L. Crenshaw is the Robert L. Flowers Professor of Old Testament Emeritus, Duke University. Among his recent books are Defending God (2005) and Prophets, Sages, & Poets (2006).

Description:In The World in the Shadow of God, Ephraim Radner argues for a vigorous Christian natural theology and insists that such a theology must, of necessity, be performed poetically. The peculiar character of such a theology is found in its disclosing of the natural limits that indicate indirectly the impinging and more fundamental reality of the divine life. Natural theology represents the encounter between created reality and the "shadow" of God's creative and revelatory grace. However, the encounter is a morally demanding task for the Christian church if it is to be held accountable to the truth on which its life is based. The first portion of the book offers an extended critical essay on the nature of this sort of natural theology, while the second provides a developed set of examples through poems that display the natural world in light of the truths articulated in the Apostles' Creed. Those interested in the intersection of theology, literature, history, and the natural world will be challenged by this attempt to renew a basic element of Christian knowledge and culture.Endorsements:"Never sweetly pious, always directly quarried from the particularity of life, Ephraim Radner's poetry beautifully and movingly reflects the straining, searching, God-desiring pathos of natural theology. Shoes and suitcases speak as eloquently--and as obliquely and uncertainly--as the reliable routines of the lowly ant."--R. R. RenoCreighton University"Radner's style in the introduction where he wrestles with the nature of natural theology as that which 'beats us on the head' is one of vast but lightly worn learning in service of spiritual discipline, the life of somehow joyful penitence. The poetry that follows is crafted and careful, full to bursting with Scriptural imagery, gained from a wise American harvest of both the European (one detects the modernism of Rilke, Celan, and Milosz) and global (Burundi, Haiti) traditions where the world viewed up close in God's holding presence is as cruel as it is colorful. It is as though the wandering children of Israel camp on the northern prairies to dream dreams of wild nature which has possessed the familiar (cats, raccoons, and small children!) One might call this post-Darwinian theology."--Mark ElliottUniversity of St. Andrews, School of DivinityAbout the Contributor(s):Ephraim Radner is Professor of Historical Theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto. He is the author of several volumes on ecclesiology and hermeneutics including The End of the Church (1998).

Description:In A Pacifist Way of Knowing: John Howard Yoder's Nonviolent Epistemology, editors Christian Early and Ted Grimsrud gather the scattered writings of Yoder on the theme of the relationship between gospel, peace, and human ways of knowing. In them, they find the beginnings of a pacifist theology of knowledge that rejects strategies of empire while at the same time avoids a self-defeating relativism.Endorsements:"Whether in Yoder's approach to Christology within the first portion of this collection or in other important areas, epistemology is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the legacy of John Howard Yoder. Bringing these essays on Yoder's way of knowing together in one volume should go far toward correcting these misperceptions."--J. Denny Weaverauthor of The Nonviolent Atonement"I am not a pacifist, but reading John Howard Yoder the past several years, I am moving in his direction. Meanwhile, this remarkable collection of Yoder's writings offers wisdoms, bearing many other names, that enrich me in mind and spirit right now. There are wisdoms about the truth universal that resides in the particularity of my scriptural tradition, about the covenantal context in which ethics may be received, about why serving the good begins only where we are and why we can talk about it only from where we are, and about why, oh why, we have to be patient."--Peter Ochseditor of The Return to Scripture in Judaism and ChristianityAbout the Contributor(s):Christian E. Early is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology, Eastern Mennonite University.Ted G. Grimsrud is Professor of Theology and Peace Studies, Eastern Mennonite University.

A Marginal Scribe collects eight studies written over a period of two decades, all of which use social-scientific criticism to interpret the Gospel of Matthew. It prefaces them, first, with a new chapter on the struggle between historians and social scientists since the Enlightenment and its parallel in New Testament studies, which culminated in the emergence of social-scientific criticism; and, second, with a new chapter on recent social-scientific interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew. The eight, more specialized studies cover a variety of themes and use a variety of models but concentrate and are held together by those that illumine social ranking and marginality. The book closes with a chapter that ties together these studies.

This study offers an intercultural theory of interpretation and religion. It does so by bringing Western and East Asian traditions into dialogue regarding the nature of interpretation. The result of this innovative study is a theory of interpretation which integrates the socially embodied dimension of human life with the study of hermeneutics and religion in post-foundational and cross-cultural perspective. Toward this end, Paul Chung offers a constructive theology of divine speech-acts in a manner more amenable to the social-public sphere than other proposals. In all of this he deeply considers intercultural horizon of interpretation between West and East and its implications for a theology of interpretation. The result is a truly theological theory of interpretation that takes seriously the issues of intercultural studies and their intersection with Christian doctrine.

Description:Our known world, the world of twenty-first century Americans, is shaped and defined by consumer choice. The premise of consumer choice is that somewhere the perfect fit between product and purchaser exists. In the books on changing traditions the consumerist tone prevails--fundamentalists looking for an even more literal interpretation of Scripture, Protestants "going home" to Rome, feminists heading to the womyncentric sacred grove, conservatives fleeing inclusive rites, Catholics embracing the independent seeker church. But the consumerist impulse masks the kind of prayer and discernment necessary for living in Christian community and for following God. Twenty-first century Christians do make choices, but the hope is that they do so because they follow God. How then is one to answer the question of whether to stay or leave? Through meditating on the fruits of the Spirit that Paul addressed to the church at Galatia, a community that had several of its members wondering whether to stay or leave, Bennett and Nussbaum offer sage reflections about what it means to be led into and out of Christian communions.Endorsements:"A friend of mine once said, 'You have an aisle seat in the Methodist Church.' He was right. Like many I have struggled with the question if I should stay or leave the church that formed me and that I love. So many seem to be dissatisfied with their church these days that the movement among churches is dizzying. Liberal Catholics become Episcopalians. Evangelicals turn to Orthodoxy. Nazarenes find freedom with the Methodists. But is this constant back and forth a sign of sin or can it be faithful? Does it violate the need for a vow of stability? Bennett and Nussbaum offer us a careful, biblically grounded means of discerning how we might be 'free to leave' or 'free to stay' in the context of the fruits of the Spirit. No one should jump from one church to another without spending significant time with these deeply considered reflections. Hopefully, as Bennett and Nussbaum themselves point out, this will be done in the presence of others."--D. Stephen Long, Marquette University"Searingly honest and beautifully written, Bennett and Nussbaum have given us a book, an amazingly gentle and peaceful book, about the painfully difficult decision they made when they became Roman Catholic. This book, I believe, is destined to be a classic."--Stanley Hauerwas, Duke Divinity SchoolAbout the Contributor(s):Jana Marguerite Bennett is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Dayton. She is the author of Water Is Thicker than Blood: An Augustinian Theology of Marriage and Singleness (2008).Melissa Musick Nussbaum is a regular contributor to the liturgical journals Celebration and GIA Quarterly. She is the author of six books and numerous articles. Her work has appeared in Commonweal, Notre Dame Magazine, and National Catholic Reporter. She is a contributor to Take Heart: Catholic Writers on Hope in Our Time (2007).

Modern theorists are virtually united in understanding that space encodes social practices and power relations. Those who control space exert their control by means of particular spatial practices. Models of critical spatiality, such as that of territoriality, show how social relationships are predominant in the classification, communication, and control of space. Space is seen as a relational category rather than an absolute category. In this innovative study, Stewart addresses Mark's editorial and/or compositional control over the geographic presentation of Jesus's ministry. He makes the case that Mark presents the world spatially in a manner widely consistent with geographic traditions found in Greek and Roman texts. In Mark, Stewart argues, Jesus offers an alternative spatial practice, one that is centered on himself. The kingdom of God exists spatially in the area around Jesus in which the new community ""gathers.""