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Focusing on the metanarrative of exile and restoration Timo Eskola claims that a post-liberal, narrative New Testament theology is both consistent and explanative. Combining a post-New Quest perspective on Jesus with an eschatological reading of Paul, the author states that Jesus' temple criticism aims at restoration eschatology. Jesus starts a priestly community that expects God's jubilee to begin with Jesus' work, and proceed with the preaching of the new gospel. The reception of this message in the post-Easter church results in resurrection Christology that proclaims Jesus' Davidic kingship on God's throne of glory. Both Paul and Jewish Christian teachers later present Christ's community as a new temple where believers serve the Lord as priests of the new covenant. Furthermore, restoration eschatology provides a new basis for understanding Paul's contrast with the words of the law, and his teaching of justification.

This title was first published in 2000. From the work of Hegel and Schelling to the dialectical theology of Barth, Bultmann and Gogarten, "Revelation" has developed a long, rich tradition of diverse thought, as well as many misunderstandings. Meaning, first and foremost, "God's encounter with those to whom God wishes to communicate God's own self", Revelation seeks to be recounted and communicated to others. As a theological expression, Revelation aims to direct our attention to the modes and areas in which we have a basis for expecting encounter with God - through stories, nature, the world as creation. From a rediscovered emphasis on "story", narrative theology has emerged - a concept the English-speaking world has welcomed for its neutrality between history and imaginative fiction and stress on narrative rather than doctrinal dimension of biblical text. This volume brings into relationship a concern with theology of revelation and an interest in the theology of story or narrative theology.

This book presents narrative theology as radically orthodox. It is orthodox because in the tradition of all those who maintain the priority of the story of Jesus, as it is sacramentally performed in the Church, and radical because it eschews all modern attempts to found Christian faith on some other story, such as that of reason, critical history or human consciousness. Acknowledging the indeterminacy of and textuality of human existance, Telling God's Story presents the Christian life as as a truly postmodern venture: the groundless enactment of God's future now.

Hans W. Frei (1922-1988) was one of the most influential American theologians of his generation. This collection provides an unrivaled introduction to Frei's work.

Twenty-five doctoral students from around the world recently set out to forge a new path toward a theology of mission. As they blazed a new trail, they discovered the footprints of God--evidence that God was their trial guide. Charles Van Engen led this group of mission practitioners, pastors, teachers, and mission executives as they set out to discover answers to important questions, such as "What is theology of mission?" and "What is missiology?" The team used a new approach to answer these questions, employing narrative to integrate personal story, community stories, cultural stories, and biblical stories. Each writer brings his or her own unique context to bear on these important questions through personal story and by highlighting the work of a major missiologist who has impacted their life and work. By drawing from personal stories, the authors show how human factors affect missiology. All of the chapters are set within a unique theological framework created by Charles Van Engen that focuses on mission of the way, mission in the way, and mission on the way. This framework reveals that mission must be "of the way" (Christ-centered), "in the way" (happening among the peoples and cultures of the world), and "on the way" (moving forward over time through God's people as they anticipate Christ's present and coming kingdom). If you are concerned about connecting the Bible, theology, and ministry with the complexity and variety of contexts facing Christians today, then you will want to join this journey to discover the footprints of God. As Van Engen says, you will be encouraged to "think theologically about mission, and missiologically about theology."

"I have chosen to write a narrative theology because I am convinced that all human stories are implicitly meanty to communicate loving interpersonal and social trelationships that utimately are embraced by the value and mystery of a loving God. ... The story of God's unconditional love for us in Jesus Christ is the Christian community's norm for judging the authenticity of our own life and loves. It is the Good News of the Love that transcends every human love, given to us. ... The four Gospels are four faces of God's love in Jesus Christ manifested as costly (Mark), fraternal (Matthew), universally compassionate (Luke), and inhabiting (John)."--Introduction, pages 16-17

Reflects what traditional proverbs used in Christian catechetical, liturgical, and ritual contexts reveal about Tanzanian appropriations of and interpretations of Christianity.

Reading the New Testament is intended as a companion volume to the successful New Testament Readings Series. It analyzes the many ways in which the New Testament can be read and interpreted.

J. Arthur Baird is the author of several important books in New Testament studies, his best known perhaps being his Audience Criticism and the Historical Jesus. At his untimely death, he left a nearly complete manuscript, now published here. In this timely and relevant manuscript, Baird offers first a critical introduction to the historical paradigm, pointing out its limitations in terms of tracing the paradigm of New Testament formation. He then traces this development himself, beginning with the starting point of the Holy Word and noting its development through the context, theological interpretation, and application, to its manifestation in the apostles, schools and fathers. He concludes with comments on its current implications. This book represents the last and lasting final thoughts of a scholar who was very much devoted to the importance of the Holy Word.

The author reminds us that our Christian stories are at the heart of the faith. Without these stories, formulated doctrines and theological systems would be bereft of meaning and substance. With the breadth of bright Vision, he explains what story theology is al about; and he tells us why it is gripping the minds and hearts of so many.