An Ethos of Compassion and the Integrity of Creation addresses how to reconcile the lawful order seen in the world, which the Institute for Christian Studies takes as given by God, with the need for human compassion, also called for by God. The Institute sponsored this book in celebration of their twenty-fifth anniversary. An Ethos of Compassion and the Integrity of Creation opens with a study of parables relevant to today and closes with a meditation by Langdon Gilkey on the ideas brought forth in this book. A study of the history of the idea of 'creation order', central to the Institute's philosophical tradition, is followed by a controversial challenge suggesting how that philosophical tradition can be changed to give centrality to the viewpoint of compassion toward vulnerable people and the physical environment. Medical ethics, the environment, and gender chauvinism serve as case studies for issues of compassion and created order. Contributors: Atie Th. Bruggemann-Kruijff, Adrienne Chaplin, Jonathan Chaplin, John Cooper, Calvin B. DeWitt, Harry Fernhout, Langdon Gilkey, Sander Griffioen, Caroll Guen Hart, John E. Hare, Hendrik Hart, Sylvia C. Keesmaat, J. Richard Middleton, James Olthius, Elaine Storkey, Johan van der Hoeven, Allen D. Verhey, Brian J. Walsh, Albert M. Wolters, Nicholas Wolterstorff. Copublished with the Institute for Christian Studies.

Can religious faith be critical and remain recognizable as faith? Or is the idea of a critical faith a contradiction in terms? In this book an emerging new voice in the philosophy of religion argues in favor of critical faith. Playing on a double meaning of the word ‘critical’, the title of the book suggests that faith is not only a critical (crucial) component of human life, but also a component that can and should develop in a critical (intellectually vigilant) way. Taking John Locke’s reflections on the relationship between faith and reason as his point of departure, the author weaves his discussion around a wide array of intellectual figures and conversations. In addition to addressing important elements in the work of such historical figures as Aquinas and Locke, Kuipers also incorporates themes from recent discussions in the philosophy of science, feminist epistemology, philosophy of language, liberal theology, and critical theory. The book ends with a discussion of elements in Jurgen Habermas’s theory of communicative action, and offers a critical assessment of the merit of Habermas’s notion of critical rationality as a normative yardstick for the achievement of a critical faith.

Why should we seek and tell the truth? Does anyone know what truth is? Many are skeptical about the relevance of truth. Truth Matters endeavours to show why truth is important in a world where the very idea of truth is contested. Putting philosophers in conversation with educators, literary scholars, physicists, political theorists, and theologians, Truth Matters ranges across both analytic and continental philosophy and draws on the ideas of thinkers such as Aquinas, Balthasar, Brandom, Davidson, Dooyeweerd, Gadamer, Habermas, Kierkegaard, Plantinga, Ricoeur, and Wolterstorff. Some essays attempt to provide a systematic account of truth, while others wrestle with the question of how truth is told and what it means to live truthfully. Contributors address debates between realists and anti-realists, explore issues surrounding relativism and constructivism in education and the social sciences, examine the politics of truth telling and the ethics of authenticity, and consider various religious perspectives on truth. Most scholars agree that truth is propositional, being expressed in statements that are subject to proof or disproof. This book goes a step farther: yes, propositional truth is important, but truth is more than propositional. To recognize how it is more than propositional is crucial for understanding why truth truly matters. Contributors include Doug Blomberg (ICS), Allyson Carr (ICS), Jeffrey Dudiak (King’s University College), Olaf Ellefson (York University), Gerrit Glas (VU University Amsterdam), Gill K. Goulding (Regis College), Jay Gupta (Mills College), Clarence Joldersma (Calvin College), Matthew J. Klaassen (ICS), John Jung Park (Duke University), Pamela J. Reeve (St. Augustine’s Seminary), Amy Richards (World Affairs Council of Western Michigan), Calvin Seerveld (ICS), Ronnie Shuker (ICS), Adam Smith (Brandeis University), John Van Rys (Redeemer University College), Darren Walhof (Grand Valley State University), Matthew Walhout (Calvin College), and Lambert Zuidervaart (ICS).

Human knowledge and language reflect the 'metaphorical' nature of the human experiential and conceptual system. The author shows that metaphor and its underlying analogical structure are significant keys to the understanding of the metaphorical nature of reality and cognition and provide a better understanding of the relationship between science and religion. This study builds critically on the insights of Lakoff and Johnson by introducing a new angle to the discussions concerning conceptual metaphor and its basis in human embodiment. In her proposed alternative to the traditional view of knowledge the author argues that the distinction between literal and metaphorical language ought to be revisited and replaced with a view in which the idea of proper analogy and necessary metaphors are acknowledged. The insights gained in this respect are also applied to the changing views concerning theory and observation in scientific theorizing. A case study on the relationship between religion and science in the work of Michael Faraday illustrates that scientific observation is impregnated with theoretical convictions and that metaphors play a decisive role in the models developed to understand reality.

For more than two millennia believers have struggled with the antinomy of God's absolute sovereignty over and man's ultimate responsibility in justification and sanctification. Theologians have used some version of the terms »active justification« and »definitive sanctification« in an attempt to illuminate this mystery. However, in the past decade scholars have begun to criticize these concepts, saying that they are unsupported in Scripture, lead to theological confusion, and are of no practical benefit to believers.Through the work of theologians from the broader Dutch Reformed tradition, especially Herman Bavinck, Alexander Comrie, Herman Witsius, and Abraham Kuyper. Jae-Eun Park demonstrates that the terms »active justification« and »definitive sanctification« are derived from Scripture and serve to clarify, not obscure the doctrines of justification and sanctification. In addition, the book shows that neglect, misuse, or misunderstanding of the terms have resulted in contemporary criticisms that are unconvincing and unfounded.Writings of the aforementioned theologians define and expound four characteristics held in common between active justification and definitive sanctification, i.e., inseparability, objectivity and decisiveness, Christ-centeredness, and God's absolute sovereignty – concepts of the mentioned theologians. All four characteristics of active justification and definitive sanctification emphasize the »God-driven« nature of salvation.Jae-Eun Park explains how – when properly defined and presented – the two terms are important theologically, bringing clarity to the issue of the perfect balance between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. He also shows how active justification and definitive sanctification offers practical assurance of their perseverance unto glory to true believers, and provides pastors with an invaluable tool for exhorting parishioners who may have lapsed into either triumphalism or defeatism.

This book is for both evangelicals and ecumenicals interested in a holistic approach to the Christian vision of social transformation. The author compares Richard Mouw’s Reformed political theology and Nam-dong Suh’s Minjung theology to suggest a vision of transformation that is theologically more cogent and politically more engaged. In general, Minjung theology understands transformation in terms of political liberation and Reformed theology in terms of spiritual redemption, and theologians of the two theologies have criticized the other’s approach as theologically inadequate. However, Suh’s formulation of Minjung theology and Mouw’s Reformed political theology based on the neo-Calvinist worldview show significant affinities with each other in their understanding of transformation in Christ. Both Suh and Mouw show a broad understanding of liberation and redemption. They develop their theologies in an inclusive both/and way of thinking, and their holistic approach is contrasted with the exclusive either/or way of thinking in the Minjung theology of Byung-mu Ahn and the Reformed theology of David VanDrunen. The book concludes that redemption in Christ aims at an all-encompassing transformation that includes not only spiritual renewal but also liberation from social alienation, economic inequality, and political oppression.

"Includes papers presented at conferences sponsored by the Abraham Kuyper Center for Public Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary over the last two years"--Introduction.