Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace - Volf, Miroslav Review & Synopsis

Synopsis We are at our human best when we give and forgive.But we live in a world in which it makes little sense to do either one. In our increasingly graceless culture, where can we find the motivation to give? And how do we learn to forgive when forgiving seems counterintuitive or even futile? A deeply personal yet profoundly thoughtful book, Free of Charge explores these questions� - and the further questions to which they give rise - in light of God's generosity and Christ's sacrifice for us. Miroslav Volf draws from popular culture as well as from a wealth of literary and theological sources, weaving his rich reflections around the sturdy frame of Paul's vision of God's grace and Martin Luther's interpretation of that vision. Blending the best of theology and spirituality, he encourages us to echo in our own lives God's generous giving and forgiving. A fresh examination of two practices at the heart of the Christian faith� - giving and forgiving� - the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lenten study book for 2006 is at the same time an introduction to Christianity. Even more, it is a compelling invitation to Christian faith as a way of life."Miroslav Volf, one of the most celebrated theologians of our day, offers us a unique interweaving of intense reflection, vivid and painfully personal stories and sheer celebration of the giving God ... I cannot remember having read a better account of what it means to say that Jesus suffered for us in our place."- Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury Review Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. He has published and edited nine books and over 60 scholarly articles, including his book Exclusion and Embrace, which won the 2002 Grawemeyer Award in Religion.Free of Charge Chapter 1 God the Giver In The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky tells a story about an old peasant woman, very wicked, who died without leaving a single good deed behind. All she did, she did for herself alone, illicitly taking what she could take and acquiring by legitimate means what she could acquire, but not giving anything to anyone, nothing useful or beautiful, no helpful deeds, not even a kind look. After she died, the devil seized her and plunged her into the lake of fire. The story continues, So her guardian angel stood and wondered what good deed of hers he could remember to tell to God; 'She once pulled up an onion in her garden,' said he, 'and gave it to a beggar woman.' And God answered: 'You take that onion then, hold it out to her in the lake, and let her take hold and be pulled out. And if you can pull her out of the lake, let her come to Paradise, but if the onion breaks, then the woman must stay where she is.' The angel ran to the woman and held out the onion to her. 'Come,' said he, 'catch hold and I'll pull you out.' He began cautiously pulling her out. He had just pulled her right out, when the other sinners in the lake, seeing how she was being drawn out, began catching hold of her so as to be pulled out with her. But she was a very wicked woman and she began kicking them. 'I'm to be pulled out, not you. It's my onion, not yours.' As soon as she said that, the onion broke. And the woman fell into the lake and she is burning there to this day. So the angel wept and went away.1 Some may read this story naively, as a recipe for how to get into paradise with minimal effort. If you do just a single good deed, God will pull you on the slender thread of that generosity out of the lake of fire. But the deed must be good, given to others in true generosity. If you do it just for yourself, just to get you out of hell, the thread will break, and you'll end up licked by flames for eternity. If this wonderful story were a recipe for getting into paradise, it would be a bad one. True, it would get one thing right. God, here personified in the guardian angel, is immensely good even to the wicked. God seeks to save them and weeps when they are desperately stuck in their sin. But it would get the main thing wrong. It's not by our generosity, however slender, that we are saved, at least not according to the Chris tian tradition. We are saved by God's generosity. But the story isn't about how to get into paradise as much as about how to avoid hell -- not the fiery lake at the end of one's life and of the world's history, but the hell in the here and now, whose flames are made up of greed, selfishness, cold calculation, pride, indifference, exclusion, and many such things. No life worth living is possible without generosity. Indeed, it is doubtful whether the tender plant of newborn human life would even survive without generosity. Yet from the get-go, we seem to be but one bundle of cravings that screams for satisfaction of needs that appear to go unfulfilled and for interests that feel threatened from all sides. That's the big fissure in the life of human beings, individually and collectively -- a yawning gap between deep self-centeredness and true generosity. Can we bridge the gap? We can, if we can show that in all our selfcentered cravings, we are ultimately craving love -- which is to say, craving both to receive love and to give it. Such recognition would be the first part of the bridge on which we could travel from the land in which even what looks like generosity is a form of self-centeredness to a land where generosity is our true self-interest. But how can we con- struct such a bridge? We can't construct it using secular materials -- or at least, I haven't seen it happen so far, and I can't imagine how it could. It takes God to make such a bridge, a God who is love, a God who gives and forgives, a God who created human beings to find fulfillment in love. This chapter -- this book as a whole -- is an attempt to construct such a bridge, and it is an invitation to then walk from one side to the other, from self-centeredness to generosity. So the first and central question is, Who is God? A Spacious Heart "A Spacious Heart" is a call to people to help heal the world by embracing "others" as they remain true to themselves. Ethnic differences pose a challenge to churches to struggle for a just peace between cultures, and "A Spacious Heart" addresses this problem by exploring the key aspects of the problem of diverse group identities. "A Spacious Heart" is a call to people to help heal the world by embracing "others" as they remain true to themselves." Work in the Spirit Since the rise of modern industrial society, work has come to pervade and rule the lives of men and women. Although there have been many popular books and church documents on on the Christian understanding of work, this is the first scholarly effort to articulate a developed Protestant theology of work. In Work in the Spirit, Miroslav Volf interprets work from a new perspective - in terms of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. He exhaustively explores the nature of work in both capitalist and socialist societies and considers a variety of work, including industrial, agricultural, medical, political, and artistic work. Examining the importance of alienation in work in industrial and information societies (particularly in the relation of workers to management and technology), he analyzes various forms of such alienation, and elucidates the character of humane work. On the basis of the ÒpneumatologicalÓ theology of work that he develops, Volf rejects the traditional Protestant understanding of work as vocation, and takes the concept of charisma as the cornerstone for his theological reflection on work. He denies that one is ÒcalledÓ to do a particular work irrespective of one's inclinations, and asserts, instead, that it is our privilege to do the kind of work for which God's spirit has gifted us. All human work done in accordance with the will of God, Volf argues, is cooperation with God in the preservation and transformation of the world. Although there have been many popular books and church documents on on the Christian understanding of work, this is the first scholarly effort to articulate a developed Protestant theology of work." After Our Likeness In After Our Likeness, Miroslav Volf explores the relationship between persons and community in Christian theology. He seeks to counter the tendencies toward individualism in Protestant ecclesiology and give community its due. In After Our Likeness, Miroslav Volf explores the relationship between persons and community in Christian theology. He seeks to counter the tendencies toward individualism in Protestant ecclesiology and give community its due." The End of Memory Can one forget atrocities? Should one forgive abusers? Ought we not hope for the final reconciliation of all the wronged and all wrongdoers alike, even if it means spending eternity with perpetrators of evil? We live in an age when it is generally accepted that past wrongs -- genocides, terrorist attacks, bald personal injustices -- should be constantly remembered. But Miroslav Volf here proposes the radical idea that "letting go" of such memories -- after a certain point and under certain conditions -- may actually be the appropriate course of action. While agreeing with the claim that to remember a wrongdoing is to struggle against it, Volf notes that there are too many ways to remember wrongly, perpetuating the evil committed rather than guarding against it. In this way, the just sword of memory often severs the very good it seeks to defend. He argues that remembering rightly has implications not only for the individual but also for the wrongdoer and for the larger community. Volfs personal stories of persecution offer a compelling backdrop for his search for theological resources to make memories a wellspring of healing rather than a source of deepening pain and animosity. Controversial, thoughtful, and incisively reasoned, "The End of Memory" begins a conversation hard to ignore. But Miroslav Volf here proposes the radical idea that "letting go" of such memories -- after a certain point and under certain conditions -- may actually be the appropriate course of action." Life Worth Living What kind of life would be truly worth wanting? What kind of world would be truly worth seeking? How should we live? We are facing a crisis of meaning. Swept up in the obstacles of the day-to-day, the deeper questions of our fundamental purpose linger just beneath the surface of our personal lives and our collective culture. What we need is to seek the truth. In Life Worth Living, leading Yale theologians Volf, Croasmun and McAnnally-Linz offer a deep dive beneath the levels of habit, strategy and introspection to the bedrock question of what kind of life is truly worth living. Inspired by the leading Yale course of the same name, this perspective-shifting book will guide you through life's biggest questions. Drawing on the world's greatest religious and philosophical traditions, this is your path to understanding the true meaning of life. As the psychologist: Paul Bloom , The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning (New York: Ecco, 2021), xxiv. 3 When Julia Wise was young: Julia Wise's story has been told in more detail, ..." A Common Word A letter printed in the pages of The New York times in 2007 acknowledged differences between Christianity and Islam but contended that "righteousness and good works" should be the only areas in which the two compete. That letter and a collaborative Christian response appear in this volume, which includes subsequent dialogue between Muslim and Christian scholars. That letter and a collaborative Christian response appear in this volume, which includes subsequent dialogue between Muslim and Christian scholars." The Home of God "Addressing the aching sense that there is nowhere we truly belong, this book tells the "story of everything" in which God creates this world as the home for humans and for God"-- "Addressing the aching sense that there is nowhere we truly belong, this book tells the "story of everything" in which God creates this world as the home for humans and for God"--" Joy and Human Flourishing Joy is crucial to human life and central to God's relationship to the world, yet it is remarkably absent from contemporary theology and, increasingly, from our own lives! This collection remedies this situation by considering the import of joy on human flourishing. These essays--written by experts in systematic and pastoral theology, Christian ethics, and biblical studies--demonstrate the promise of joy to throw open new theological possibilities and cast fresh light on all dimensions of human life. With contributions from Jurgen Moltmann, N. T. Wright, Marianne Meye Thompson, Mary Clark Moschella, Charles Mathewes, and Miroslav Volf, this volume puts joy at the heart of Christian faith and life, exploring joy's biblical, dogmatic, ecclesiological, and ethical dimensions in concert with close attention to the shifting tides of culture. Convinced of the need to offer to the world a compelling Christian vision of the good life, the authors treat the connections between joy and themes of creation, theodicy, politics, suffering, pastoral practice, eschatology, and more, driven by the conviction that vital relationship with the living God is integral to our fullest flourishing as human creatures. This collection remedies this situation by considering the import of joy on human flourishing." God's Life in Trinity Jürgen Moltmann's distinctive insights in trinitarian theology - especially about the relations within God and God's presence in creation - are revolutionary for theology and set the stage for these further explorations. The esteemed group of contributors in this volume probes new ways of understanding the triune character of God. Among the contributors are: Nicholas Constas Sarah A. Coakley Harvey G. Cox Jr. Lyle Dabney David Fergusson David H. Kelsey Daniel Migliore Gerald O'Collins John Polkinghorne William Schweiker Dirk Smit Bryan D. Spinks Kathryn Tanner Ronald F. Thiemann Miroslav Volf John Webster Nicholas Wolterstorff The esteemed group of contributors in this volume probes new ways of understanding the triune character of God." The Hunger for Home "Through a set of passages focused on the theme of food in the Gospel of Luke, Croasmun and Volf offer readers a vision of a meal as the quintessential enactment of home: a site of nourishing mutual encounter between people, places, and God ..." The Future of Hope Over the last three decades a major cultural shift has taken place in the attitudes of Western societies toward the future. Modernitybs eclipse by postmodernity is characterized in large part by the loss of hope for a future substantially better than the present. Old optimism about human progress has given way to uncertainty and fear. In this book scholars from various disciplines -- theology, the social sciences, and the humanities -- explore the move from a bculture of optimismb to a bculture of ambiguity, b and they seek to infuse todaybs jaded language of hope with a new vitality. "The Future of Hope" offers a powerful critique of todaybs stifling cultural climate and shows why the vision of hope central to Christian faith must be a basic component of any flourishing society. The first section of the book sets the context with telling cultural criticism of modernity. The second section focuses on affinities between premodern Christian visions of hope and twentieth-century thought. The final section of the book examines the relationship between postmodern thought, Christian tradition, and biblical hope, addressing how Christians in a postmodern world can best articulate their faith. Written by truly profound thinkers, these chapters are diverse in their content, methodologies, and temperament, yet they are united by a deep engagement with both the Christian tradition and the larger cultural and intellectual climate in which we live and work. "The Future of Hope" can thus be read not just as an attempt at retrieval of hope for today but as itself one small act of hope in an age when people too seldom take time to think critically and hopefully. Contributors: DavidBillings Robert Paul Doede Kevin L. Hughes Paul Edward Hughes Daniel Johnson William Katerberg John Milbank Jurgen Moltmann James K. A. Smith Miroslav Volf Nicholas Wolterstorff In this book scholars from various disciplines -- theology, the social sciences, and the humanities -- explore the move from a bculture of optimismb to a bculture of ambiguity, b and they seek to infuse todaybs jaded language of hope with a ..." The Future of Theology Front-ranking figures in today's theological enterprise have contributed to this superb collection of essays setting the agenda for theology in the twenty-first century. Contributors include Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, Gustavo Gutierrez, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Hans Kung, and numerous others. Thus, a book on the future of theology takes up an aspect of "his" theme and "his" concern. The essays in this volume attempt to revitalize theology as it confronts a difficult future." Gracious Forgiveness Divine forgiveness is expressed in biblical and liturgical contexts through a variety of metaphors-canceling debts, covering stains, forgoing or stopping litigation, forgetting iniquities, and more. In this study, Cristian F. Mihut retrieves a theologically paradigmatic, liturgically deep, and symbolically evocative image of divine forgiveness that has received little attention: bearing burdens. Gracious Forgiveness: A Theological Retrieval articulates a divine disposition to forgive starting from this metaphor. Embedded in a larger covenantal-relational framework where sin is a cosmic sickness, humans are targets of divine healing, and divine transcendence is expressed through inexhaustible gracious commitments to redress brokenness, divine forgivingness finds its most lucid, tangible, and full expression in the life and work of Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus Christ, we see most clearly how a gracious God is committed to separating sinners from their sin, and how God heals people by absorbing into God's own being the consequences of their offense. A second main argument of the book is that sin-bearing Christological forgivingness has ethical and relational ramifications. The study articulates a human disposition to forgive-forgivingness-that involves both a certain conception of one's participation in Christ and a certain formation of one's sensibility. Entrenching forgivingness depends at once on developing gracious, hopeful, and merciful dispositions, but also on seeing oneself as a continuant of God's cosmic story of redressing brokenness. Mihut concludes with a defense of the surprising claim that curative forgivingness is compatible with anger, and even recommended to people living under oppression. I now turn to a different account, one not at all reticent to ground interpersonal forgiveness in the divine character. In his Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace , Miroslav Volf offers a radically ..." Exploring Christian Theology : Volume 2 The Foundations of Theology in Everyday Language Dallas Seminary professors Nathan Holsteen and Michael Svigel are passionate about the key doctrines of Christianity. They want readers to know why they're important and why they matter. This volume includes two parts: · From Dust to Dust: Creation, Humanity, and the Fall · Wise Unto Salvation: Gospel, Atonement, and Saving Grace The authors explore these important topics in a concise and highly readable style that makes sense--whether you're a student of the Bible, a pastor, or someone who simply wants to know God better. For each topic you'll find · An introduction, overview, and review of the key points · Several applicable Bible texts, including verses to memorize · A quick-paced history of the doctrine · Distortions to be aware of and avoid · Reading lists for further study · A glossary of theological terms "Exploring Christian Theology is a wonderful doctrinal primer that teaches theology in a way that will engage you and cause you to reflect. . . . A great way to get acquainted with key biblical theological themes."--Darrell Bock, Senior Research Professor, Dallas Theological Seminary A pastoral treatment of the challenges of living in grace . [BEGINNER] Volf , Miroslav . Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Treats forgiveness as grace's gift, ..." Theology of Reconciliation in the Context of Church Relations Christians are called to be peacemakers in a world rife with conflict, but how should Christians respond when the source of strife is not outside the church but within it? Built on an in-depth analysis of three Palestinian church splits, this text examines the cultural and theological implications of intra-church conflict in Arab evangelical communities in Israel. Translating Miroslav Volf’s formative theology of reconciliation into her contemporary Palestinian context, Dr Rula Khoury Mansour provides a critical evaluation of both Volf’s theory and Palestinian peacemaking models. Through her research and analysis, Dr Mansour develops a Middle Eastern theology of reconciliation and encourages congregations around the world to develop greater cultural and theological awareness in their quest to experience lasting peace within their churches and wider communities. A Palestinian Christian Perspective in Dialogue with Miroslav Volf Rula Khoury Mansour. Chapter 7 ... The theme of forgiveness is drawn mainly from Volf's book Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." Mercy and Justice Mercy is omnipresent in Catholic debates. Mercy calls to consider an individual's needs and this conflicts with justice necessitating equal treatment for everyone. This is most apparent in the Sacrament of Penance, and other forms of penitence, forgiveness, and reconciliation where mercy both transcends and undermines justice. In particular, Miroslav Volf focuses on God when talking about forgiveness .22 For him, sin is about the connection between God, ... 22 See Volf , Miroslav , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." A Cultural Theology of Salvation There aren't many serious works of systematic theology which engage with Breaking Bad, The Big Bang Theory, Crazy Heart, theories of capital and positive psychology, as well as the Isenheim Altarpiece and Handel's Messiah. This lively, contemporary study of salvation does precisely that. Christian doctrine cannot simply repeat what has gone before, even as it recognises the value and richness of the traditions Christianity carries with it. Clive Marsh acknowledges this in exploring how doctrine interweaves with life experience and cultural consumption. A Cultural Theology of Salvation considers how salvation is to be understood and articulated now, when the theme of 'redemption' appears outside of Christianity in the arts and popular culture. Marsh also assesses whether contemporary interest in 'happiness' has anything to do with salvation. The first part of the book sets the enquiry in the context of how theology operates as a discipline, and the cultural climate in which theology has to be done. The second part offers a number of case-studies (in art, music, TV, film, positive psychology, and economic life) exploring how the concerns of a doctrine of salvation are addressed directly and indirectly in Western culture. The third part distils the results of the case-studies in formulating a contemporary exposition of salvation, and concludes by showing what this means in practice. and forgiving in Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . ... and that is why we can forgive .” Volf speaks more of Christ living in people than of their being in Christ', but the result is the same." Practicing God’s Radical Forgiveness Forgiveness marks one of the most important issues of our time. If the enormous number of books and articles are a measure, then forgiveness--our forgiveness of others and forgiveness for ourselves--appeals to our deepest concern. It's a challenge to determine just what we mean when we speak of "forgiveness." Any discussion will reveal that our shared understanding and practices of forgiveness quickly diverge. For example, is it the same thing to forgive a child, a criminal, a malicious acquaintance, or someone who's inadvertently done us harm? Likely, no. We'll discover in this book that how we understand and practice forgiveness has shifted and changed through history, formed by cultural context. Even biblically, our understanding of forgiveness has altered over time. We'll unpack the importance of this cultural history and then turn to the three strands of forgiveness that together form our modern practice of forgiveness. First, the personal and therapeutic forgiveness. Second, the communal forgiveness that's valued for its power to resolve conflict, renew relationships, and restore peace. Finally, the divine, God's absolute unconditional forgiveness, a forgiveness we'll discover that undergirds every other way we understand forgiveness. New York: HarperOne, 2014. Volf , Miroslav . Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. ———. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." The Critique of Religion and Religion’s Critique The Critique of Religion and Religion’s Critique: On Dialectical Religiology, is a book compiled in honour of Rudolf J. Siebert, Critical Theorist of Society and Religion. It is meant to both illuminate and interrogate his critical approach to the study of religion: Dialectical Religiology. 29 Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005), 211. 30 Robert J. Schreiter, The Ministry of Reconciliation: Spirituality and Strategies ..." Push Back the Dark Adults in your church, small group, or other Christian organization are silently suffering the tragic consequences of having been sexually abused as children or youth. Why aren't they coming forward for help? Their reluctance may be related to wounds given by the faithful--religious people they trusted, who said things like "well, it wasn't rape" or "it's been thirty years--why is this such a big deal?" Such responses from people with religious authority deepen victims' need to shrink into anxiety, depression, and self-degradation. This book offers you the tools needed to undertake caring ministry to adults suffering in the aftermath of childhood sexual abuse. Once you understand the scientific research on such topics as trauma memory, consequences of abuse, and forgiveness, you will appreciate how caring collaboration can create hope and healing. In these pages every reader will find helpful content that will take you from feeling out of your depth to knowing you are empowered to be an effective companion in God's transforming work in the lives of survivors of abuse. He and his wife are founders of Mending the Soul Ministries.37 Tracy conducts research and ministers in areas of gender, sexuality, and abuse. Volf , Miroslav . Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." Amish Grace Praise for Amish Grace "A story our polarized country needs to hear: It is still grace that saves." —BILL MOYERS, Public Affairs Television "In a world where repaying evil with evil is almost second nature, the Amish remind us there's a better way. In plain and beautiful prose, Amish Grace recounts the Amish witness and connects it to the heart of their spirituality." —SISTER HELEN PREJEAN, author, Dead Man Walking "Faced with the notorious Amish aversion to publicity, reporter after reporter turned to the authors...to answer one question: How could the Nickel Mines Amish so readily, so completely, forgive ? While the text provides a detailed account of the tragedy, its beauty lies in its discovery of forgiveness as the crux of Amish culture. Never preachy or treacly, it suggests a larger meditation more than apt in our time." —Philadelphia Magazine "This balanced presentation . . .blends history, current evaluation of American society, and an examination of what builds community into a seamless story that details the shootings while it probes the religious beliefs that led to such quick forgiving. Recommended." —Library Journal "Professors Kraybill, Nolt, and Weaver-Zercher have written a superb book—a model of clear, forceful writing about a tragedy and its aftermath. They have an obvious affection for the Amish yet ask tough questions, weigh contradictions, and explore conundrums such as how a loving God could permit schoolgirls to be massacred." —National Catholic Reporter Visit the authors' Web site at www.amishgrace.com How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, David L. Weaver-Zercher. Volf , Miroslav . 2005. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . Grand Rapids, MI : Zondervan ." Changed Heart, Changed World Developing a friendship with God may be the starting point for the spiritual journey, but how can that important internal relationship move us to make an impact on—and even transform—the world around us? In Changed Heart, Changed World, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, delves into such topics as how friendship with God impacts our role in society, how to see forgiveness as a way of life, and how compassion can make its mark on the world. Throughout the book, Fr. Barry provides many practical ways to integrate the inner life, where we experience a relationship with God, with the outer life, where we live in relationship with our world. Above all else, Changed Heart, Changed World reminds us that God has a dream for his creation here and now—a dream that can only be realized by our becoming “other Christs in this world.” Desmond Mpilo Tutu, No Future without Forgiveness (New York: Doubleday Image, 1999). 25. Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 161. 26." Religious Identity and Cultural Negotiation Given increasing global migration and the importance of positive cross-cultural relations across national borders, this book offers an interdisciplinary and intercultural exploration of identity formation. It uniquely draws from theology, psychology, and sociology--engaging narrative and identity theories, migration and identity studies, and the theologies of identity and migration--and builds on them in an unprecedented study of international migrants to construct an initial theology of Christian identity in migration. New sociological research describes the social construction of religious, ethnic, and national identities among non-North American evangelical graduates who entered the United States to pursue advanced academic studies from 1983 to 2013. It provides an intercultural account of Christian identity formation in the context of migration, transnationalism, and globalization. It ultimately argues that an integral component of Christian identity-making involves the concept of migration, of movement, toward a transformation. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. Volf , Miroslav , et al. A Common Word: Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010." Ex Auditu - Volume 35 Introduction Stephen J. Chester The Church and the Hermeneutical Challenge of Zionism Philip Alexander Response to Alexander William Andrews Another Look at ""Early"" Ideologies of the Land in the Hebrew Bible in Light of Recent Study Lawson Younger Response to Younger J. Nathan Clayton Reading the Gospel of John in the Palestinian Context Yohanna Katanacho Response to Katanacho Madison N. Pierce The Jewish People and Eretz Israel: A Jewish Evaluation of Selected Christian Theological Perspectives Yehiel E. Poupko Response to Poupko Robert Cathey Communities of Forgiveness: A Palestinian Christian Perspective Rula Mansour Response to Mansour Jeff Anderson The Unknown Path: Martin Buber's Zionism and the Making of a Vexed, Atypical Christian Zionist Joel Willitts Response to Willitts Michael Walker Returning to the Heart of the Gospel: A Practical Evangelical Theology of Libera-tion and Call to Action for Christians Engaged in Peacebuilding in Israel and Palestine Mae Elise Cannon Response to Cannon Robert Hostetter Teach Us Your Ways, Lord (Micah 4:1-3) Jack Y. Sara Annotated Bibliography on The Holy Land: Biblical Perspectives and Contemporary Conflicts Presenters and Respondents Introduction Christian forgiveness is much more than an individual experience involving the speaking of words and ... See Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, ) ." Witness to Life Worth Living This book is an exposition of the basic themes of the work of Miroslav Volf, the Yale ecumenical theologian who has written much about the ethics of embrace, life worth living and human flourishing, and my personal reflections on these themes. The volume is the first of its kind. So far there has been no attempt to systematize Volf's theology and ethics. However, the book is not just a simple description of Volf's work. It tries to merge into one single theological reflection Volf's two basic paradigms: the ethics of embrace and the concept of life worth living. It also demonstrates a unique approach from the perspective of the personal and spiritual reflections of the author who shares a worldview similar to Miroslav Volf's. The book is strengthened by many references to personal interviews and conversations with Miroslav Volf. Reflections on Miroslav Volf's Ethics of Embrace Aleksandar S. Santrac ... Oppenheimer, Mark, “Embracing theology: Miroslav Volf spans conflicting worlds. ... Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." Remembering the Future Remembering the Future is a collection of poems, essays, and interviews that ask readers to see their world with double-vision-to imagine the redemptive consequences of engaging the world with a fastidious awareness of both the biblical tradition and the cultural moment. Remembering the Future is gathered from the first years of The Other Journal, an online quarterly positioned at the intersection of theology and culture. The Other Journal examines theology with fresh eyes, probing faith with passion, authenticity, and creativity; and this anthology represents the highlights of that endeavor, including content from some of the most important voices in the field of theology today. Remembering the Future offers readers an engaging, thought-provoking picture of what sound theological thinking can and must offer today's Christians giving witness to Christ in our contemporary cultural landscape. A Collection of Essays, Interviews, and Poetry at the Intersection of Theology and Culture : The Other Journal 2004-2007 ... Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . ... Volf , Miroslav , and William Katerberg." Jürgen Moltmann's Ethics of Hope This book develops a thorough account of the sphere of human moral action in sustained dialogue with Jürgen Moltmann. By examining God's role as promise-giver, particularly in the Christian understanding of resurrection, this work describes the occupancy of both history and space in moral terms. This leads to an understanding of Jesus' description of 'the kingdom of God' to feature prominently in describing both the possibility and content of human moral action. By offering an account of each of the main doctrines found in Moltmann's corpus - the role of the future, the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and anthropology - this book locates how each contributes to the understanding of ethics from a Christian perspective and subsequently applies these findings to the contemporary issue of poverty and global economics. Volf , Miroslav , 'The Trinity is our Social Program: The Doctrine of the Trinity and the Shape of Social ... Volf , Miroslav , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace , Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005." Becoming Whole and Holy This Christian formation text combines insights from social science, biblical studies, and ethics to present a dynamic vision of human holiness and wholeness. Miroslav Volf , “Being as God Is: Trinity and Generosity,” in Volf and Welker, God's Life in Trinity, 7. See also Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005). 28." The Church, Migration, and Global (In)Difference The painful reality faced by refugees and migrants is one of the greatest moral challenges of our time, in turn, becoming a focus of significant scholarship. This volume examines the global phenomenon of migration in its theological, historical, and socio-political dimensions and of how churches and faith communities have responded to the challenges of such mass human movement. The contributions reflect global perspectives with contributions from African, Asian, European, North American, and South American scholars and contexts. The essays are interdisciplinary, at the intersection of religion, anthropology, history, political science, gender and post-colonial studies. The volume brings together a variety of perspectives, inter-related by ecclesiological and theological concerns. See also Miroslav Volf , Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Interpretation of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation (Nashville: Abingdon, 1996); Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand ..." To Give Or Not to Give John Rowell sets out a program that will enable affluent churches in the West to give generously across cultures without fear of promoting dependent, hierarchical relationships. 13 Yale Divinity School professor Miroslav Volf captures the essence of generosity in a fresh way. He writes in Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace about what he calls “the law of the flow." The Nonviolent Atonement, Second Edition A provocative study that cuts to the very heart of Christian thought, The Nonviolent Atonement challenges the traditional, Anselmian understanding of atonement along with the assumption that heavenly justice depends on Christ s passive, innocent submission to violent death at the hands of a cruel God. Instead J. Denny Weaver offers a thoroughly nonviolent paradigm for understanding atonement, grounded in the New Testament and sensitive to the concerns of pacifist, black, feminist, and womanist theology. While many scholars have engaged the subject of violence in atonement theology, Weaver s Nonviolent Atonement is the only book that offers a radically new theory rather than simply refurbishing existing theories. Key features of this revised and updated second edition include new material on Paul and Anselm, expanded discussion on the development of violence in theology, interaction with recent scholarship on atonement, and response to criticisms of Weaver s original work. Praise for the first edition: The best current single volume on reconstructing the theology of atonement. S. Mark Heim in Anglican Theological Review Weaver provides an important contribution to atonement theories by seriously inserting the contemporary concerns of pacifist, feminist, womanist, and black theologians into the centuries-old christological conversation. . . . A provocative but faithful proposal benefiting any student of christology. Religious Studies Review A noteworthy contribution to the literature on the atonement. Weaver provides a useful critique of the history of atonement motifs; he does a fine job of placing Anselm s theology in its historical context; he creatively fuses a singular biblical vision from the earthly narrative of the Gospels and the cosmic perspective of the Apocalypse; and he attempts to relate discussions of the atonement to Christian social ethics. Trinity Journal This is a superb succinct survey and analysis of classical and contemporary theories of the atonement, ideal for students and general readers. . . . A clearly written, passionately expressed introduction to current debates on the atonement. . . . Excellent resource. Reviews in Religion and Theology Like the appeals to the Trinity noted earlier in defense of satisfaction atonement, Volf depicts a violent element of God ... Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, ..." Eucharistic Reciprocity This volume probes the nature of gratitude as a virtue and identifies its moral value in the Christian life in order to enhance pastoral effectiveness in ministering to those gripped by sins of desire. Such impulses are explored in terms of the seven deadly sins, which this inquiry regards as distorted desires for the good God provides. Utilizing a method of mutual critical correlation, this volume brings philosophical and psychological claims about gratitude into conversation with the Christian tradition. On the basis of an ontology of communion in which humans are inextricably situated in giving-and-receiving relationships with God, others, and the world, this inquiry defines gratitude as a social response involving asymmetrical, agapic reciprocity, whereby a recipient freely, joyfully, and fittingly salutes a giver for the gift received in order to establish, maintain, or restore a personal and peaceable relationship. Critiquing especially the reductions of gratitude by Aristotle and Jacques Derrida, this inquiry recommends gratitude as a virtue which, when embodied, practiced, and ritualized especially, though not exclusively, in the Eucharist, has potential to repel the destructive idolatries generated by the seven deadly sins and thus function as a crucial ingredient in human social flourishing. Familiarity with the virtue of gratitude as a vital ingredient in moral flourishing therefore equips pastors for greater ministerial effectiveness. Volf , Miroslav . Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. ———. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . Grand Rapids: Zondervan ..." The Philosophy of Forgiveness: Vol III The Philosophy of Forgiveness, Volume III: Forgiveness in World Religions is a collection of essays that explores the philosophy of forgiveness in different religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Each chapter scours one of these religions for insights on the concept of forgiveness, asking questions such as whether forgiveness is a virtue, whether it is conditional, whether God has standing to forgive, and whether it is permissible not to forgive some extreme wrongs. In some of the chapters, the concept of forgiveness in one religion is compared with that in another. In other chapters, the ideas of different traditions within a religion are compared and contrasted. Also, some chapters compare a religious concept to the views of a philosophical figure, such as Aristotle, Kant, or Derrida. The contributors to the volume come from various cultural and religious backgrounds and from different disciplines, such as philosophy, religious studies, and psychology. The collection is written for scholars, graduate students, and upper-division undergraduate students interested in forgiveness or comparative religious philosophy. Rethinking Christian Forgiveness : Theological, Philosophical, and Psychological Explorations, Collegeville MN: A Michael Glazier Book ... Volf , Miroslav . 2005. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." The Philosophy of Forgiveness: Volume III 'The Philosophy of Forgiveness, Volume III: Forgiveness in World Religions' is a collection of essays that explores the philosophy of forgiveness in different religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Each chapter scours one of these religions for insights on the concept of forgiveness, asking questions such as whether forgiveness is a virtue, whether it is conditional, whether God has standing to forgive, and whether it is permissible not to forgive some extreme wrongs. In some of the chapters, the concept of forgiveness in one religion is compared with that in another. In other chapters, the ideas of different traditions within a religion are compared and contrasted. Also, some chapters compare a religious concept to the views of a philosophical figure, such as Aristotle, Kant, or Derrida. The contributors to the volume come from various cultural and religious backgrounds and from different disciplines, such as philosophy, religious studies, and psychology. The collection is written for scholars, graduate students, and upper-division undergraduate students interested in forgiveness or comparative religious philosophy. Rethinking Christian Forgiveness : Theological, Philosophical, and Psychological Explorations, Collegeville MN: A Michael Glazier Book ... Volf , Miroslav . 2005. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace ." Economics in Spirit and Truth Wariboko offers a critical-philosophical perspective on the logics and dynamics of finance capital in the twenty-first century in order to craft a model of the care of the soul that will enable citizens to not only better negotiate their economic existences and moral evaluations within it, but also resist its negative impact on social life. Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 57; italics in the original. 9. Volf , Free of Charge , 57; italics in the original. 10. Volf , Free of Charge , 56; ..." Jesus Christ for Contemporary Life Jesus Christ for Contemporary Life is an understanding of Jesus as the Word of God, grounded in what can be known historically of Jesus and informed by subsequent reflection upon him, which hopes to help shape a Christian identity characterized by "bounded openness." In Jesus Christ for Contemporary Life, Don Schweitzer explores the significance of the person, work, and relationships of Jesus Christ for contemporary life. He moves from the historical Jesus to the present in three parts. In the first part Schweitzer develops an understanding of Jesus as the Word of God, who became incarnate to give the goodness and beauty of God further expression in time and space. Second, he explores how various atonement theories articulate ways in which Jesus empowers people to further express this beauty and goodness in their own lives. And finally, Schweitzer explores how Jesus relates to people in the church, to the events and movements in history, to other religions, and to Christians in their dialogue with God in prayer. Volf , Miroslav . Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. ———. Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace . Grand Rapids: Zondervan ..." Systematic Theology In this concise, one-volume systematic theology, celebrated scholar Anthony Thiselton comprehensively covers the spectrum of Christian doctrine with an eye to practical application for Christian discipleship. Written with students and busy ministers in mind, this book is readable and accessible, comprising fifteen chapters of relatively equal length, with each chapter containing five evenly balanced subsections for teaching and learning convenience. Rather than setting out an abstract system, Thiselton explores theology as a living, organic whole. The book thus includes biblical foundations, historical thought, contemporary writers, and practical implications. Expertly incorporating biblical exegesis, philosophy, conceptual grammar, and hermeneutics, this work is the most succinct multidisciplinary systematic theology available. Miroslav Volfentitled his book that relates to grace Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace .63 Nevertheless, Augustine's aim was to show that God is all, that is, that everything comes from God, ..." Faith as a Way of Life Christian ministry is deeply concerned with proclaiming the transforming power of God??'s gift of faith in the daily lives of disciples. How is it, then, that so often Christian faith fails to orient our lives? Christian Scharen offers the compelling argument that such a way of life needs communities and leaders that build and communicate faith as foundation. Pastors will be able to impart this vision of faith, he cautions, only if they themselves are compelled by it and if their parishioners find that the model helps them make sense of life as a whole. Faith as a Way of Life is one response to this call for reflection on Christian faith as an orienting force impacting every aspect of daily life. Scharen examines the powerful languages that can replace faith language? emotion-driven therapeutic and results-driven managerial models? and shows how their domination leads to faith becoming a weak sibling. He directly engages the problems these languages often lead to with the hope of fostering pastoral leadership grounded in a vision of faith as a way of life. Faith as a Way of Life is an engaging and encouraging examination of how pastoral leaders can model and mediate faith as the beating heart pumping life-blood through every sphere of life Miroslav Volf , Free of Charge : Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 2005), 27. 2. Christian Smith, quoted in Michael Cromartie, “What American Teenagers Believe: A Conversation with ..."