Ethics and Spirituality

by Roy H. Jr. May

Overview

Description: What does it mean to believe in the church? What is the relationship between the church we believe in and the church we experience? Is there an invisible church that is different from the visible? This book is an argument for an ecclesiology of the visible. The only church, the real church, is a concrete reality made up of people, just like any other fellowship. What distinguishes it as church is the presence of the triune God among those who gather in the name of Jesus, making it a sign and anticipation of the fellowship of the kingdom of God. From this premise Dr. Hegstad analyzes such issues as the relationship between church and world, mission and diakonia, church as fellowship and organization, ministries in the church, worship, and the unity of the church, as well as discussing the relationship between a sociological and a theological understanding of the church. Endorsements: ""Harald Hegstad is one of Norway's most interesting theologians, and I couldn't be more excited that his work is now available in English. Hegstad is one of the very rare thinkers who has both an incredible handle on the theological Christian tradition, as well the acumen to do empirical examination of the contemporary state of the church. . . . We have many books about the empirical state of the church and many more on dogmatic/doctrinal ecclesiologies, but few-to-none that put these two important foci together--and together in such a rich way."" --Andrew Root, Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary ""This is an ecclesiological masterpiece. Hegstad's multidisciplinary erudition, logical acuity, and, above all, theological wisdom all come into play as he argues--very convincingly--that the church we believe in is not, and cannot be, anything other than the church we live within and experience. A complex-yet-balanced constructive, theological proposal that is a must-read for everyone interested in the church."" --Nicholas M. Healy, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, St. John's University ""This book reminds us of a strand in Lutheran-Melanchthonian ecclesiologies sometimes forgotten: the concepts of visible church and invisible church are distinctions in ecclesiology not at all aiming at a separation between two churches. Hegstad productively encounters this by means of combining systematic theology and social sciences. The result is a concrete ecclesiology in which non-dogmatic factors become theologically relevant."" --Sven-Erik Brodd, Professor of Ecclesiology, Uppsala University About the Contributor(s): Harald Hegstad is a Norwegian Lutheran theologian. He is Professor of Systematic Theology at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway. His research in ecclesiology includes empirical studies as well as publications within systematic and practical theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620322536
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	02/15/2013
Pages:	76
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.16(d)

About the Author

Roy H. May Jr. is a retired minister and missionary of the United Methodist Church. For many years he was professor of theology and ethics at the Latin American Biblical University in San Jose, Costa Rica, where he resides. He is the author of The Poor of the Land (1991) and Joshua and the Promised Land (1997).

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction xi

1 Living According to the Spirit 1

Step 1 Spirituality: Person and Community

Step 2 Ethics and Spirituality for Life

2 Ethical Problems and Spiritual Life 10

Step 1 Who Is My Neighbor?

Step 2 Spirituality and Community

Step 3 Spiritual and Ethical Formation

3 Ethical and Spiritual Values 20

Step 1 Sin, World, and Flesh

Step 2 Bible, Church, and Values

Step 3 Values for a Spirituality for Life

4 Biblical and Spiritual Ethics 34

Step 1 Social Justice and the Prophetic Tradition

Step 2 Spirituality in Action

Step 3 Jesus and the Gospel Traditions

5 Moral Discernment and Spirituality for Convivial Living 43

Step 1 Moral Reasoning

Step 2 How to Make a Moral Decision

Step 3 Living Responsibly

6 Moral Imagination 54

Step 1 Moral Situations

Bibliography 59

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Roy H. May Jr. provides us a profound book on the intersection of ethics and spirituality, which is made accessible so all can live purposely, constructively, and joyfully. His book leads us down a path where a deeper understanding can be uncovered concerning our relationship with God and our fellow sojourners on the road toward justice. May gifts us with a how-to book on drawing nearer to a more liberating existence."
—Miguel de la Torre, Professor of Social Ethics, Iliff School of Theology

"What a breath of fresh air it is to learn from Roy May that spirituality and ethics are fundamentally about building convivial community! His deeply communal yet clearly personal approach to ethics and spirituality express a welcome and wise word. He offers exercises for personal or group use that are quite concrete and significantly connected to today's issues and concerns. Accessibly written, this book will be helpful for small groups, adult classes, and retreat settings."
—Tex Sample, Emeritus Professor of Ethics, Church, and Society, Saint Paul School of Theology

Editorial Reviews

"Roy H. May Jr. provides us a profound book on the intersection of ethics and spirituality, which is made accessible so all can live purposely, constructively, and joyfully. His book leads us down a path where a deeper understanding can be uncovered concerning our relationship with God and our fellow sojourners on the road toward justice. May gifts us with a how-to book on drawing nearer to a more liberating existence."
—Miguel de la Torre, Professor of Social Ethics, Iliff School of Theology

"What a breath of fresh air it is to learn from Roy May that spirituality and ethics are fundamentally about building convivial community! His deeply communal yet clearly personal approach to ethics and spirituality express a welcome and wise word. He offers exercises for personal or group use that are quite concrete and significantly connected to today's issues and concerns. Accessibly written, this book will be helpful for small groups, adult classes, and retreat settings."
—Tex Sample, Emeritus Professor of Ethics, Church, and Society, Saint Paul School of Theology

From the Publisher