Power, Truth, and Community in Modern CultureChristians at the turn of the twenty-first century face the awesome mission of discerning and responding to the ways of God for the society around us. It is our business to grasp history theologically and to act in it with confidence and hope. If we succeed, we will be faithful witnesses and the church will prosper; if we fail, we will simply become part of an increasingly confused generation. To help Christians discern their mission in today's world and to act in it with confidence and hope, Charles C. West examines: (1) the gospel as truth; (2) the gospel as community; (3) the gospel, God's power, and human powers; and (4) Christian hope in a fragmented world. Christians have a "new work" to do in this world, that is, to inspire it not with ideology but with hope. For "God's reconciliation of the world is working to weave society together despite the self-centered conflicting structures of human life." Charles C. West has been a missionary in China, Associate Director of the Ecumenical Institute of the World Council of Churches, and a seminary professor. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Christian Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary. |
Contents
THE GOSPEL AS TRUTH | 1 |
THE GOSPEL AS COMMUNITY | 51 |
THE GOSPEL THE POWER OF GOD AND HUMAN POWERS | 99 |
THE SUBSTANCE OF HOΡΕ | 129 |
Common terms and phrases
American basic bear witness become believers Bible biblical blessed Bonhoeffer bring called Catholic century challenge Christendom Christian faith church conflict confront congregation context covenantal created creation crucified David Bosch define Descartes Dietrich Bonhoeffer discern earth economic ecumenical empirical Enlightenment enterprise experience expressed God's covenant gospel grace Greek heavens Hebrew Holy Spirit hope human mind human power humanist ideology individual inspired Israel Jesus Christ Jews judgment justice Karl Marx knowledge Lamin Sanneh language Lesslie Newbigin live Lord meaning metanarrative ministry Miroslav Volf missionary modern culture moral movement nations nature nomic object oikoumene peace Pentecost philosophy Pilate pluralism political postmodern postmodern world Presbyterian Church U.S.A. promise prophetic question reality redeeming Reformation relation relationship religion religious repentance responsibility revealed Roman salvation scientific secular social society structure struggle technological Testament theology things tion transforming Triune true truth claims tures unity vision whole word worldview worship