Analogy of Love: Divine and Human Love at the Center of Christian Theology

by Gary Chartier

Overview

This book offers an overview of Christian theology organized around the twin themes of divine and human love. The book covers the traditional theological topics as well as basic questions of theological method. It seeks to integrate a focus on love throughout. While love is regularly canvassed as a dominant theme in Christian thought, it has rarely been the focus of Christian theological construction or a constraint on theological formulation. The book seeks to suggest, chapter by chapter, how a given topic relates to the broad theme of love.The book is written in a way designed to make it accessible to university students and educated laypersons. At the same time, it takes positions on controverted scholarly issues, and the methodological approach outlined at the beginning will be of interest to academic theologians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781845400910
Publisher:	Imprint Academic (Ips)
Publication date:	08/01/2007
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	6.34(w) x 9.18(h) x 0.93(d)

About the Author

Gary Chartier received his PhD at Cambridge University for work in Christian doctrine and the philosophy of religion. Currently he teaches law and business ethics at La Sierra University.

Table of Contents

Dedication     iv
Contents     v
Acknowledgments     ix
Preface     xv
Love at the Center     1
The Meaning of Love     1
Love and the Architecture of Theology     2
Love and the Content of Theology     8
Features of a Love-Centered Theology     14
Love and Complacency     15
Love Begins Where We Are     19
Belief and Love     20
Love, Belief, and Action     21
Love and Revelation     22
Love and the Roots of Belief     24
Love, Faith, and Reason     33
Confidence and Commitment     35
The Apparent Absence of God     37
The Reality of Pointless Harm     39
Love and the Attractiveness of Christian Belief     49
Whose Nature and Whose Name Are Love     51
Love as Personal     52
The Christian Meaning of "God"     55
The Functions of Trinitarian Doctrine     56
The Power of Love     59
The Roots of Christian Talk about God as Holy Spirit     60
Starting with Suffering     60
Love and the Nature of Divine Power     61
LoveCherishes the Particular     63
God's Spirit and the Reception of Revelation     68
God's Spirit and Prayer     69
God's Spirit and Spiritual Gifts     74
Love Makes the World     81
The Loving Creator     82
Love and the Reality of Creation     83
Loving God in Creation     85
Loving the Creator through Science     96
Loving God's Good Creation     97
The Contours of Love     102
Alternative Conceptions of Love for Creation     106
Divine Command Ethics and God's Love for Creation     112
Morality and Religion     121
The Shape of Shalom     122
The Sabbath and Creative Love     128
Disordered Love     131
The Abuse of Sin-Language     131
Inadequate Accounts of Disordered Love     133
Disordered Love and the God of Love     135
Sin and Harm     135
Disordered Love as a Condition     141
Gender and Disordered Love     144
Love Takes Flesh     149
Jesus, the Remembered Lover     150
Jesus' Disclosure and Demonstration of God's Love     156
The Identity of Jesus and the Love of God     160
Jesus and Maleness     163
Love Suffers Long     167
Jesus' Birth and His History     167
Jesus and God's Suffering Love     170
Our Story and Jesus' Story     177
The Cross and the Vulnerable God     179
The Politics of the Cross     184
The Representative Particularity of Jesus' Suffering     185
The Cross and the Reality of Death     185
Jesus' Descent to the Grave     186
Love Is Alive     187
The Difference Jesus' New Life Makes     188
Why Love Affirms Jesus' Life beyond Death     190
Love Bears All Things     197
Divine Acceptance     198
Salvation and Meaning     203
Love, Growth, and Healing     204
The Dynamics of Human Forgiveness     209
Judgment as Love's Work     211
The Activity of Jesus and God's Healing Work     213
The God of Love and the God of Hell     222
Love and Double Predestination     224
A Loving and Beloved Community     229
Rooted in Love     229
The Church, Jesus, and God's Spirit     231
Love as the Church's Calling      232
Love as the Mark of the True Church     243
The Inclusiveness of the Loving and Beloved Community     246
Universal Love and Dialogue across Traditions     249
Loving a Challenging Church     269
Love Hopes All Things     275
Love's Hope for History     275
Why Love Hopes Beyond Death     280
The Significance of Personal Hope Beyond Death     283
Index     287
About the Author     295

Editorial Reviews

"It is certainly an impressive achievement. The author sticks to his purpose and each article is examined from his chosen standpoint. The book could confidently be used as a starting point for conversation with undergraduates and ministerial training courses."

Tim Gorringe