Ideas like the "preferential option for the poor"-arguing that people marginalized by the economy have a claim to "special consideration"-have been among the most significant insights in twentieth-century Christian theology. Arising out of various theologies of liberation, options for the poor and for people at the margins of society have provided major new impulses for biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, ecclesial practice, and the academic study of religion. Opting for the margins continues to be an important issue at a time when the gap between rich and poor is growing at an alarming rate both in the United States and in many other parts of the world, and when other gaps (based, for example, on differences in gender or race) continue to linger. Recently, however, options for the margins have been challenged by postmodern shifts in intellectual, social, political, and economic realities that often replace preferential options with other emphases, such as general concerns for pluralism, otherness, and difference. Options for the margins are therefore (at best) reduced to the special interests of certain minority groups, or (at worst) rejected as antiquated and irrelevant for the twenty-first century. The essays in this volume show how some forms of postmodern thought and theology can mask patterns of oppression and provide an excuse for deafness to voices from the margins. The authors, writing from a wide variety of national, ethnic, and theological perspectives, seek to revive the preferential option for the poor for the postmodern world, showing how options for the margins can engage postmodernity in new ways and break new ground in religious, theological, and ethical, as well as social, political, and economic thinking. The essays connect philosophical and theological arguments to the concrete realities of the postmodern world and to uncover new sources of energy in the life and death struggles of people across the globe.

After the birth of the Protestant ecumenical movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and following the first great wave of universal Christian ecumenism in the 1960s and 1970s after the Second Vatican Council, prominent theologians of nearly every ecclesial tradition charted new territory in the last decades of the twentieth century. They crossed boundaries within their own ecclesial traditions and built bridges to other Christian churches--churches that were once excluded from fellowship. In the development of these new programs of ecumenical theology, the theologians redefined their own confessional identities and, in many cases, crossed the liberal-conservative divide within their own traditions. This volume introduces this fascinating dynamic of theological mediation, redefinition, and generosity. It shows how the ecumenical impulses, which were directed outwardly to other traditions, had reflexive effects inwardly. Working in the realms of both historical and systematic theology, the essays in this volume provide a critical analysis of the history of this general theological sentiment and offer an outlook for its future. Contributors Brian D. McLaren, Foreword Paul Silas Peterson, Introduction Part One: Ecumenical reform theologies Andrew Meszaros, Yves Congar: The Birth of "Catholic Ecumenism" Matthew L. Becker, Edmund Schlink: Ecumenical Theology Dorothea Sattler, Otto Hermann Pesch: Ecumenical Scholasticism Ronald T. Michener, George Lindbeck: Ecumenical Unity through Ecclesial Particularity Nikolaos Asproulis, John D. Zizioulas: A Pioneer of Ecumenical Dialogue and Christian Unity Part Two: Overcoming liberal-conservative polarities Ben Fulford, Hans Frei: Beyond Liberal and Conservative Friederike Nussel, Wolfhart Pannenberg: Liberal Orthodoxy Jay T. Smith, Stanley J. Grenz: The Evangelical Turn to Postliberal Theological Method Part Three: Boundary crossings in philosophical, systematic and ethical theology William E. Myatt, David Tracy: Difference, Unity, and the Analogical Imagination Christophe Chalamet, Robert Jenson: God's Way and the Ways of the Church Victoria Lorrimar, Stanley Hauerwas: Witnessing Communities of Character Christine M. Helmer, Marilyn McCord Adams: Philosophy, Theology, and Prayer Part Four: Ecumenical theology today Wolfgang Vonday, Pentecostalism and Christian Orthodoxy: Revision, Revival, and Renewal Johanna Rahner, Shifting Paradigms - Future Ecumenical Challenges Michael Amaladoss, Theology today in India: Ecumenical or interreligious? Bernd Oberdorfer, Next Steps - and Visions? Lutheran Perspectives on Doctrinal Ecumenism

Membership in the United Methodist Church in the United States has been shrinking since the merger of 1968. Yet the bishops and young clergy who contributed essays to "Do Not Be Afraid" are unconvinced by the constant claims that the church is dying. The authors provide powerful stories pregnant with hope. Editor Dr. John Harnish masterfully weaves the chapters together so that the readers understand why each writer was included, as well as how each comes from a unique context.

To be a follower of Jesus means to bear witness to the truth of God. In an age when so many contemporary voices portray faith as a form of personal therapy, Gene L. Davenport, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Lambuth University, has consistently reminded us in his own witness that the truth of the Gospel entails confrontation with the world that dwells in darkness. These essays in honor of Davenport address the meaning of witness in the face of racism, sexism, and religious bigotry, to name but some of the forms this darkness takes. The topics range from emerging forms of prayer to religious themes in cowboy music, from the work of white pastors in Mississippi during the growing Civil Rights Movement to the meaning of the Righteous Gentile in Jewish-Christian friendship. Contributors: D. Brent Laytham Randy Cooper Stanley Hauerwas Billy Vaughan James T. Laney Kenneth L. Carder M. Douglas Meeks Phyllis Tickle L. Edward Phillips Tex Sample Cindy Wesley Joseph T. Reiff Margaret J. Meyer Charles Mayo

Reckoning Methodism addresses the brokenness of The United Methodist Church (UMC) in the United States. Homosexuality is but one of several fault lines with decades-long histories in this predominantly White denomination. Demographic shifts, racism, and imperialism are heavily implicated in the current state of division. What, then, is the true nature and mission of this church? The UMC is the public church divided. Distinct missional theologies arise from competing commitments and priorities. When Methodist programmatic initiatives—such as vital congregations, environmental witness, and volunteers in mission—fail to account for these differences, denominational unity is weakened. Constructively, this book seeks historical clarity, collective repentance, charismatic learning, and institutional courage as United Methodists reckon with inherited animosities and divisions. This book provides no answers or programmatic fixes. Rather, it provides possibilities for repairing past harms as United Methodists seek ways to continue living out their Wesleyan faith. Reckoning with the public church divided, we glimpse the nature and mission of the church—not only as it has been but also as it could be. Podcast interview with GCAH

Margin is the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits. Today we use margin just to get by. This book is for anyone who yearns for relief from the pressure of overload. Reevaluate your priorities, determine the value of rest and simplicity in your life, and see where your identity really comes from. The benefits can be good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for God’s purpose.