Burghardt Liberated by God’s Grace

2017 – 500 Years of Reformation
unv. Nachdruck 2017
ISBN: 978-3-374-04739-0
Verlag: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 332 Seiten

In these four booklets, theologians from all parts of the world reflect on the main theme and three sub-themes (Liberated by God’s Grace: Salvation—Not for Sale; Human Beings—Not for Sale; Creation—Not for Sale) of the Lutheran World Federation’s commemoration of the 500th
Anniversary of the Reformation.
This collection of essays provides profound insights into the crucial issues and challenges daily faced by the members of the worldwide Lutheran communion in very diverse contexts. The theological concept of
justification by God’s grace and its consequences for different dimensions of life serve as the main guiding principles for the essays, each one of which is accompanied by three questions that invite to further contextual reflection on the subject.

This work comes in a boxed set of four booklets, which can only be purchased together:
Booklet 1: Liberated by God´s Grace – 500 years of Reformation
Booklet 2: Salvation – Not for Sale
Booklet 3: Human Beings – Not for Sale
Booklet 4: Creation – Not for Sale

[Befreit durch Gottes Gnade. 2017 – 500 Jahre Reformation]
Theologinnen und Theologen aus verschiedenen Teilen der Welt denken über das Thema »Befreit durch Gottes Gnade« und dessen drei Unterthemen (Erlösung – Menschen – Schöpfung) nach. Leitend ist dabei die in der Rechtfertigungslehre gegründete Einsicht, dass weder die Erlösung noch der Mensch und die Schöpfung insgesamt durch menschliches Vermögen zu erwerben sind. Schon gar nicht sind Gott, Mensch und Welt für Geld zu haben. Anlass für diese Vergewisserung eines Grundanliegens der lutherischen Kirchen weltweit ist die Vorbereitung auf die Feiern des Lutherischen Weltbundes zum 500. Reformationsjubiläum.
Die Beiträge ermöglichen Einblicke in die wichtigen Themen und Herausforderungen, vor denen die Mitglieder der weltweiten Kirchengemeinschaft in den verschiedenen Kontexten stehen. Das theologische Konzept der Rechtfertigung durch Gottes Gnade und dessen Folgen für die verschiedenen Aspekte des Lebens waren die wichtigsten Leitprinzipien für die Texte, von denen jeder einzelne drei Fragen enthält, die zu weitergehender Reflexion und Diskussion im eigenen Kontext einladen.

Das Werk erscheint in vier, in einem Schuber zusammengefassten Heften und kann nur vollständig erworben werden:
Heft 1: Befreit durch Gottes Gnade – 500 Jahre Reformation
Heft 2: Erlösung – Für Geld nicht zu haben
Heft 3: Menschen – Für Geld nicht zu haben
Heft 4: Schöpfung – Für Geld nicht zu haben

Autoren/Hrsg.

Burghardt, Anne

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Cover;1
2;Heft 1: Liberated by God’s Grace;2
2.1;Impressum;5
2.2;Contents;6
2.3;Preface;8
2.4;Introduction;10
2.5;Liberated by God’s Grace — From What, To What?;16
2.5.1;A concept in crisis;16
2.5.2;A world without mercy?;17
2.5.3;God’s humanity;20
2.5.4;The imperative of the gospel;22
2.5.5;Freedom;24
2.5.6;Questions;29
2.6;The Church and the Public Space. A Lutheran Interpretation;30
2.6.1;The Reformation and the understanding of being church;30
2.6.2;The Word as a powerful public word;31
2.6.3;The vocation to be active citizens;33
2.6.4;The “living word” as diaconal action;35
2.6.5;Advocacy;38
2.6.6;Sanctuary;40
2.6.7;Public church;41
2.6.8;Questions;42
2.7;The Liberating Word of God. Reflections on the Lutheran Understanding of Holy Scripture;44
2.7.1;By Scripture Alone (sola scriptura);45
2.7.1.1;The original area of interest;45
2.7.1.2;Objections to sola scriptura;48
2.7.1.3;The Protestant scriptural principle;51
2.7.2;Interpretation of Holy Scripture;54
2.7.3;Questions;59
2.8;Implementing Gender Justice: An Asian Perspective;60
2.8.1;Testimony of the impact of God’s liberating grace;60
2.8.2;The LWF Gender Justice Policy (GJP) and its relevance in specific Asian contexts;61
2.8.3;The Reformation and continuing the reformation of individuals, communities and institutions;67
2.8.4;Questions;69
2.9;Education and the Reformation;70
2.9.1;Being an educated and mature believer;70
2.9.2;The importance of vernacular Bible translations and catechisms;72
2.9.3;Sunday schools and the preparation for confirmation;74
2.9.4;Church education of Lutheran youth;76
2.9.5;Education and the gospel;77
2.9.6;Questions;78
2.10;Freed by God’s Love to Change the World: A Youth Perspective;80
2.10.1;Youth are leaders: Youth are church;80
2.10.2;Freed by God’s love;81
2.10.3;Freed from—Freed to;82
2.10.4;Freed to change the world;84
2.10.5;Questions;85
2.11;Liberated by God’s Grace: Grace and Peace. An Anglican Perspective;86
2.11.1;A humble thesis;86
2.11.2;Grace and peace;91
2.11.3;God the Giver;91
2.11.4;Peace and the gifts of God;92
2.11.5;Grace, peace and liberation;94
2.11.6;Liberated from pressures of self-sufficiency;95
2.11.7;Postscript;96
2.11.8;Questions;97
2.12;Bible Study: Isaiah 55:1-2;98
2.12.1;Introduction;98
2.12.2;Similarities in climate between Namibia and Israel/Palestine;98
2.12.3;Not for sale—sola gratia (verse 1);99
2.12.4;The root of the sores haunting humanity (verse 2);100
2.12.5;What this invitation means to us here in Namibia;102
2.13;List of Contributors;106
3;Heft 2: Salvation – Not for Sale;108
3.1;Impressum;110
3.2;Inhalt;111
3.3;Introduction;113
3.4;How Do I Find a Gracious God?;115
3.4.1;Paradise rediscovered: Luther’s discovery of the free gift of righteousness;115
3.4.2;Salvation for sale? Luther’s critique of the sale of indulgences;116
3.4.3;Justification by faith alone;116
3.4.4;Justification and ethics;118
3.4.5;Church dividing no more? The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification;120
3.4.6;Justification today;120
3.4.7;Questions;122
3.5;Human Will—Free or Enslaved?;123
3.5.1;The bondage of destiny;123
3.5.2;Free will?;125
3.5.3;Between freedom and predestination;127
3.5.4;Questions;129
3.6;God’s Promises and Human Prosperity;131
3.6.1;The American background;131
3.6.2;E. W. Kenyon and the “Word of Faith”;132
3.6.3;Variations on the prosperity theme;133
3.6.4;A Trinitarian critique of prosperity;133
3.6.5;A law-and-gospel critique of prosperity;135
3.6.6;Questions;137
3.7;Your Will Be Done;139
3.7.1;Learning how to pray—the Lord’s Prayer;141
3.7.2;Answered prayers—magic and prayer;143
3.7.3;Concluding remarks;144
3.7.4;Questions;145
3.8;“I am because I work”—Identifying Oneself through Work;147
3.8.1;Introduction;147
3.8.2;Selfie 1. A monochrome view: “work as dharma”;147
3.8.3;Selfie 2. A sepia view: “I am a Dalit”;150
3.8.4;Selfie 3. A panoramic view: “I am a Christian and a Lutheran”;152
3.8.5;God’s work: “Not my merit, but by God’s grace”;153
3.8.6;Priesthood of all believers: “I am privileged to work as a puj?ri”;154
3.8.7;The theology of the cross;155
3.8.8;Conclusion: salvation not for sale;156
3.8.9;Questions;158
3.9;Freedom of Movement and the Reality of Migrants, Displaced Persons and Refugees—a Theological Dialogue based on Acts 27;159
3.9.1;Women, gender and migration;161
3.9.2;About hopes and boats: Act 27, a Bible text in dialogue with the reality of migrants seeking asylum/refuge in Europe;162
3.9.3;Routes and geographies;162
3.9.4;Movements in the globalized market economy—sharing as counteracting a “for sale” culture;166
3.9.5;Justification, justice and human dignity;168
3.9.6;Questions;168
3.10;The Catholic Doctrine of Justification in the Ecumenical Context;169
3.10.1;Dealing with the controversies of the Reformation era;170
3.10.2;Justification—the central salvation event in the faith of the church;171
3.10.2.1;Christ alone is holy;172
3.10.2.2;Grace is God’s eternal design, God’s universal will for salvation that God extends to the individual;172
3.10.2.3;Justification takes place through faith in Baptism;173
3.10.2.4;Faith is a personal decision;173
3.10.2.5;Faith becomes effective through love;175
3.10.2.6;The communion that comes into being through participation in God is the consequence of God’s justifying action;176
3.10.3;A short summary of Catholic justification theology;176
3.10.4;A consensus in the basic truths of the doctrine of justification;177
3.10.5;Questions;177
3.11;Bible Study: Ephesians 2:4–10;179
3.11.1;A Bible study in three steps;180
3.12;List of contributors;183
4;Heft 3: Human Beings – Not for Sale;185
4.1;Impressum;187
4.2;Inhalt;188
4.3;Introduction;190
4.4;The Human Condition—a Lutheran Perspective;192
4.4.1;Luther’s discovery: God’s grace—not for sale;192
4.4.2;Towards a realistic understanding of the human condition;194
4.4.3;Human beings—made to take responsibility;196
4.4.4;Questions;199
4.5;Human Trafficking;200
4.5.1;The scope of human trafficking;201
4.5.2;The effects of trafficking on human beings;203
4.5.3;The traffickers’ modus operandi;204
4.5.4;The causes of human trafficking;204
4.5.5;Theology of resistance as a way out;206
4.5.6;Conclusion;208
4.5.7;Questions;209
4.6;Church, Politics and the Use of Power: Some Examples from Hungary;210
4.6.1;Historical background;210
4.6.2;Present situation;213
4.6.3;Conclusion;215
4.6.3.1;The human being is not for sale;215
4.6.3.2;Practical application of the teaching of the two realms;215
4.6.3.3;The theology of the cross;216
4.6.4;Questions;217
4.7;Life with the Other: Migration, Displacement and Gender Justice;218
4.7.1;The refugee crisis;219
4.7.2;Christ’s disciples, welcoming the other;221
4.7.3;Working toward gender justice;224
4.7.4;Conclusion;225
4.7.5;Questions;226
4.8;Leaderships Capable of Responding to God’s Call;228
4.8.1;Models and changes;228
4.8.2;Contexts;231
4.8.3;Jesus and leadership;233
4.8.4;Leadership within the framework of the Latin American and Caribbean Sustainability Program;235
4.8.5;Aptitudes and abilities;235
4.8.5.1;Aptitudes;235
4.8.5.2;Abilities;237
4.8.6;Summary;238
4.8.7;Questions;239
4.9;Conviviality: A Core Value of Diakonia;240
4.9.1;Introduction;240
4.9.2;Processing diakonia from different realities;240
4.9.3;From hospitality to conviviality;242
4.9.4;Conviviality: living together in solidarity;243
4.9.5;Convivial diakonia;244
4.9.6;Towards the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation;245
4.9.7;Questions;246
4.10;God’s Repentance—Human Beings are not Interchangeable Commodities;248
4.10.1;Moses in dialogue with God;248
4.10.2;God repents;249
4.10.3;The meaning of God’s repentance;250
4.10.4;Repentance and God’s sovereignty;251
4.10.5;God’s sanctification of life;252
4.10.6;Committed to justice;253
4.10.7;Questions;254
4.11;Bible Study: Galatians 3:25–29;256
4.11.1;Opening Prayer;256
4.11.2;Text;256
4.11.3;The Lutheran World Federation and the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation;257
4.11.4;Our Baptism defines us;258
4.11.5;Global advocacy;258
4.11.6;Gender justice;259
4.11.7;Closing prayer;260
4.12;List of Contributors;262
5;Heft 4: Creation – Not for Sale;264
5.1;Impressum;266
5.2;Contents;267
5.3;Introduction;269
5.4;And God Saw that it was Good: Reflections on Theology of Creation;271
5.4.1;Seeing the earth;271
5.4.2;Good, very good;273
5.4.3;Good as common good;274
5.4.4;Luther’s theology of creation and the cross;275
5.4.5;Are fossil fuels “good”? Energy and the common good;276
5.4.6;Questions;277
5.5;Responding to the Word of God and Creation. Ethical Reflections on Genetic Engineering and Responsive Science;279
5.5.1;The Lutheran theology of creation and the Word of God;280
5.5.2;Whose are we? Responding to creation and the will of God;282
5.5.3;Genetic engineering in light of responsive science;284
5.5.4;Questions;286
5.6;Natural Disasters and God’s Good Creation;287
5.6.1;God’s nature;287
5.6.2;God’s creation;287
5.6.3;Before and after the Fall;288
5.6.4;Natural disasters;289
5.6.5;11 March 2011, 2:46 pm;290
5.6.6;The image of prayer;292
5.6.7;Questions;294
5.7;Responsible Stewards of God’s Creation: Advocating for Climate Justice;295
5.7.1;Climate change: an issue of justice;296
5.7.1.1;International justice;296
5.7.1.2;Intergenerational justice;297
5.7.1.3;Social justice;297
5.7.2;Green and just: a theological grounding to address climate change;298
5.7.2.1;A renewed understanding of the theology of creation;298
5.7.2.2;The theology of justice;299
5.7.2.3;From recognition to grace and love;300
5.7.3;Creation—not for sale?;301
5.7.4;Questions;303
5.8;Creation not for Sale: How to Share Land—Problems around Land Ownership in Tanzania;305
5.8.1;Introduction;305
5.8.2;The importance of land;305
5.8.3;Problems around land ownership in Tanzania;307
5.8.4;Concluding remarks;310
5.8.5;Questions;311
5.9;Creation is not up for Sale, but what about our Theological Conscience?;313
5.9.1;The Spirit of God breathes on the bones of organic farming;315
5.9.2;Questions;317
5.10;A New Heaven and a New Earth: Orthodox Theology and an Ecological Worldview;319
5.10.1;Introduction;319
5.10.2;Three ways of perceiving the world;320
5.10.2.1;The iconic vision of nature;320
5.10.2.2;The liturgy of nature;321
5.10.2.3;The way of the ascetics;322
5.10.3;Three models of caring for creation;323
5.10.3.1;The biblical model;323
5.10.3.2;The ascetic model;323
5.10.3.3;The sacramental model;324
5.10.4;Conclusion;324
5.10.4.1;Ecological sin: The arrogance of domination;325
5.10.4.2;Responsibility: What can I do?;325
5.10.4.3;Accountability: Stewardship of God’s creation;326
5.10.5;Questions;327
5.11;Bible Study: Romans 8:19-21;329
5.11.1;Questions;332
5.12;List of contributors;333