Yes! A Christian Vision of Life

by Thorwald Lorenzen

Overview

Doing theology in the public square must have a personal and confessional dimension. This book is therefore a confessional attempt to summarise the underlying grammar of my life as a Christian. It is focused on Jesus of Nazareth and tries to understand his story as conveying meaning and purpose to our life. As a messenger of God's ways, Jesus brings freedom and compassion into the world. He inspires and empowers us to worship God and care for those who are vulnerable in our world, being committed to nonviolence, and walking respectful on the earth. This is first rate theology because it is lived, not just thought. Its purpose is to bear witness to the loving, liberating, compassionate God, whose ways with this world are revealed in the Story of Jesus. Yes! indeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781922582669
Publisher:	ATF Press
Publication date:	11/20/2021
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 1.50(h) x 9.50(d)

About the Author

Thorwald Lorenzen has been the Senior Minister of the Canberra Baptist Church. Before that he was Professor of Systematic Theology and Social Ethics at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Zurich, Switzerland. He chaired the Human Rights Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, was the Baptist representative at the United Nations in Geneva, and participated in several ecumenical dialogues. At present he is Adjunct Professor at the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University. His publications include Resurrection and Discipleship. Interpretive Models, Biblical Reflections, Theological Consequences (1995 and 2004); Resurrection-Discipleship-Justice. Affirming the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Today (2003), and Toward a Culture of Freedom: Reflections on the Ten Commandments Today (2008).

Table of Contents

Beginnings

A Comprehensive Vision 2

Language 3

The Truth Question 4

God 4

Global Moral Challenges 5

Who am I? 5

The Bible 6

Faith and Morality 10

One Humanity 11

Relation is Everything 12

Chapter 1 Awareness

The Mystery of Life 15

The Quest for Meaning 19

Are we Surrounded by Something or by Nothing? 24

Chapter 2 Faith

Surprised by Joy 28

'… You will know them by their Fruits' (Matt 7:15-20) 31

Being Radical 31

Examining Faith 32

Faith Seeking Understanding 35

The River and its Source 36

Chapter 3 Accessing Jesus

Accessing the Jesus Story 41

The Life, Deeds, and Teachings of Jesus 42

'The Word became Flesh and Lived Among us 45

'Christ died for our Sins' 46

'God raised Jesus from the dead!' 50

The Challenge 52

Chapter 4 Reconciliation

What God has done 56

God brings together what belongs together 57

Jesus as 'Atoning Sacrifice'? 62

Conclusion 64

Chapter 5 Jesus

The 'Reign of God' 71

Sacraments of Joy 71

Solidarity 72

Eschatological Justice 73

Deeds of Healing and Liberation 73

Religion and Law 74

Sacred and Secular 76

Politics 76

Waging Nonviolence 78

Call to Discipleship 78

Relation to John the Baptist 79

Liberating Authority 80

Ecology 80

Conclusion 80

Chapter 6 Verification

Faith Seeking Understanding 83

History and its Effects 85

The Easter Appearances 86

Necessary Strangeness 90

An Appropriate Way of Thinking 91

The 'Empty Tomb' 93

Conclusion 96

God's Spirit 97

Outlook 98

Chapter 7 Discipleship

The Gift 101

The Call 102

The Walk 104

Evangelism 106

Baptism 107

Prioritising Victims 108

Waging Nonviolence 110

Community 112

Conclusion 115

Chapter 8 Faith, Justice, and Human Rights

Christian Faith Includes the Passion for Justice 117

Human Rights 119

The Quest for Ontology 120

Christian Faith and Human Rights 123

The Humanum as Imago Dei 123

Jesus of Nazareth as Vere Homo 124

Justification by Faith 125

The Biblical Imperative 126

Conclusion 128

Christian Faith and the History of Human Rights 128

The Radical Reformation 130

Religious Dissidents in Britain 132

The Struggle for Religious Freedom in the American Colonies 132

Conclusion 133

Outlook 134

Chapter 9 Christian Faith in Conversation with Human Rights

Freedom as a Social Reality 136

Equality-with a Specific Bent 139

Waging Compassionate Solidarity 141

Nonviolence 142

Rights of Nature 144

Rights rather than Charity 145

Implementation 146

Outlook 146

Chapter 10 Suffering

Naming the Question 150

Authentic Narratives 151

Voices from Latin America 152

Maintaining Faith in Difficult Times 154

Christians and Heathens 154

Biblical Testimonies 157

Theological Reflections 159

The 'Way of the Cross' and the 'Way of Glory' 159

God-as Hidden and Revealed 161

The Humanity of God 164

An Empathetic and Suffering God 166

God and Death 169

Decisions Needed 170

Conclusion 172

Chapter 11 Evil-Fate and Challenge

God as Creator and the Relational Independence of Creation 176

Whence Evil? 178

Dualism? 178

Human Agency? 179

Deism? 180

My Attempt 180

Sin 184

Relational Betrayal 185

Moral Consequences 186

Institutional and Structural Manifestations 188

Ecological Dimensions 189

Conclusion 189

Outlook 190

Chapter 12 Death-and Thereafter

How to Interpret Texts that Speak about Life after Death 195

Death is Real, Stark, and Confronting 197

Life is Relationships 198

What about the Immortality of the Soul? 200

Transfiguration 202

Judgment 205

Hell? 208

When God will be God! 211

Conclusion 213

Outlook

God 216

Reconciliation 217

Jesus Christ 219

The Spirit of God 221

'Trinity' 221

Discipleship 221

Social Justice and Human Rights 224

Suffering and Evil 224

Death 225

Bibliography 227

Scripture Index 235

Person and Subject Index 243

Editorial Reviews

"This is first rate theology because it is lived, not just thought. Its purpose is to bear witness to the loving, liberating, compassionate God, whose ways with this world are revealed in the Story of Jesus. Yes! indeed." Rev Dr Graeme Garrett, theologian and writer, Melbourne. "Dr Thorwald Lorenzen had a profound impact on me as my theology Professor in Zurich. Until I took his classes I didn't know how my personal faith related to the big issues, like human rights, war, nationalism, and capitalism. He taught me that Christian faith is an ethical vision from the perspective of the victim." Rev Tim Costello AO, Melbourne. "Only a few theologians in each generation can capture in concise and readable form the core convictions (and contradictions) of Christian faith. Thorwald Lorenzen, European- trained but globally focused, is such a one, having served in Australia and abroad as faithful and ecumenical scholar-interpreter for ecclesial communities, and as pastor to socially engaged disciples." Ched Myers, author of Who Will Roll Away the Stone? Discipleship Queries for First World Christians.

From the Publisher