Reasonable Radical?: Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy

by Ian S. Markham (Editor), Joshua Daniel (Editor)

Overview

One of the most interesting voices in the Academy and the Church today is Martyn Percy. Percy, the Dean of Christ Church Oxford and a leading voice in the Anglican Communion, is both theologically orthodox, yet deeply unconventional. While remaining engaged in the scholarly community, Percy writes with clarity and passion on topics that range from ecclesiology to music, from sexuality to the Trinity, from advertising to ministerial training--he is a polymath. This book is two books in one. The first half contains a series of articles (written both by church leaders and academics) that serve as substantial, critical introductions to Percy's thought. In the second half, the reader gets to hear from Percy himself in a collection of wide-ranging material from his corpus. While producing a dialectical engagement of some depth (as Percy offers written responses to his interlocutors), this volume should prove useful for a variety of communities beyond academic circles, especially ones engaged with contemporary issues facing ecclesiology, churches, and the wider Anglican Communion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498242837
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	01/16/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	364
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Ian S. Markham is the Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and Professor of Theology and Ethics. He is the author of numerous books.



Joshua Daniel is a candidate for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Arkansas and a seminarian at Virginia Theological Seminary. He completed his PhD on Wittgenstein and Religion at the University of Arkansas in 2015.

 

The Very Rev Ian S. Markham is the dean of Virginia Theological Seminary and professor of theology and ethics. He is a priest associate at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA.

Joshua Daniel is a candidate for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Arkansas and a seminarian at Virginia Theological Seminary. He completed his PhD on Wittgenstein and Religion at the University of Arkansas in 2015.

 

Table of Contents

Notes on Contributors ix

Acknowledgements xiii

Introducing Martyn Percy Ian S. Markham Joshua Daniel xv

Part I Methodology

1 Contextual Theologian: The Methodology of Martyn Percy Ian S. Markham 3

2 Radical Reasonableness: Ontologies and Politics of Knowledge in the Work of Martyn Percy Simon Coleman 16

3 Signs and Signals: Ecclesial Life and the Cognitive Science of Religion Joel C. Daniels 31

4 "Circuits of Power" in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal: Re-reading Martyn Percy's Words, Wonders and Power Matt Gompels 46

5 Response to Part I: On the Vocation of the Contextual Theologian Martyn Percy 59

Part II Ecclesiology

6 Three Sketches of Symbols and Sacraments: An Appreciation of Martyn Percy's Perspective and Tone Richard Lawson 67

7 Time for an Anglican Ecclesiological Revolution? Martyn Percy's Ecclesiological Realism Gerard Mannion 80

8 The Prudent Priest: Exercising "Good Sense" for the Good of the Church Lyndon Shakespeare 99

9 Ecclesial Engagements: Some Reviews and Responses Robert Carroll Peter Coleman Richard Roberts Gavin D'Costa 117

10 Response to Part II: "Savoring the Social-Sacred": Reading the "Real Church" Martyn Percy 128

Part III Applications

11 "Secondary Indicators of Emphasis": Sexuality and Gender in Martyn Percy's Writings Kathryn D. Blanchard 137

12 Learning to Take Note: Martyn Percy's Engagement with Music and Worship Monique M. InGalls 152

13 Practically Priests: Privileging the Lived in Ministerial Training Daniel Warnke 164

14 Ministry as Occupation: The God Who Occupies Us Samantha R. E. Gottlich 180

15 Response to Part III: Ecclesial Formation Martyn Percy 185

Part IV Selected Readings from the Works of Martyn Percy

16 Sampling: Martyn Percy's Essays and Extracts 193

Section 1 Short Extracts

17 Christianity and Contemporary Culture 199

18 Casual Ethnography 202

19 On Women Bishops 204

20 On Ministry 208

21 Music, Theology, and Ecclesiology 212

22 Peace-Building in the Anglican Communion 217

Section 2 Mission and Ministry: the "Formation of the Church

23 Restoration, Retrieval, and Renewal: Recovering Healing Ministry in the Church-Some Critical Reflections 223

24 Growth and Management in the Church of England: Some Comments 236

25 Sacred Sagacity: Formation and Training for Ministry 247

Section 3 Comprehending Congregations: Power and Polity

26 Power in the Local Church: Locating the Implicit 259

27 Rules, Recipes, Rubrics: A Theological Anatomy of Contemporary Christian Fundamentalism 269

28 Adventure and Atrophy in a Charismatic Movement: Returning to the "Toronto Blessing" 277

Section 4 Church and World: Challenges in Contemporary Culture

29 Sex, Sense, and Non-Sense for Anglicans 291

30 Mind the Gap: Generational Change and Its Implications for Mission 302

31 The Anglican Communion as Ecclesial Vocation: Faith, Hope, and Charity 314

Afterword

32 Confessions: Tone and Content in a Reasonable Radical-A Self-Critical Retrospect Martyn Percy 327

Martyn Perry: Selected Publications 345

Author Index 349

Subject Index 353

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This volume exemplifies the approach which distinguishes Martyn Percy’s work: open, interdisciplinary, and generative of new connections and approaches.”

—Linda Woodhead, Professor, Lancaster University



“An excellent introduction to a theologian who represents the best of contemporary Anglican thought, with a deep spirituality firmly rooted in reality.”

—Keith Ward, Professor, University of Oxford



“If the church is permanently in crisis—necessarily so in light of its eschatological character—then it requires lucid and shrewd interpreters like Martyn Percy to mediate its critical engagement with society. This collection is therefore both timely and ambitious in its scope, insights, and humanity, and the balance is impressive and substantial. It takes some courage to be so liberal in today’s Anglican Communion, but Percy’s work shows how relevant that struggle remains.”

—Gareth Jones, Professor, School of Theology, Charles Sturt University



“In these wide-ranging and fascinating essays, the reader is invited to explore the many and multi-faceted contributions of Martyn Percy—priest, practical theologian, and sociologist of religion—and the open, generous Anglicanism that lies at the heart of all his work.”

—Jane Shaw, Professor, Stanford University

Editorial Reviews

This volume exemplifies the approach which distinguishes Martyn Percy’s work: open, interdisciplinary, and generative of new connections and approaches.”

—Linda Woodhead, Professor, Lancaster University



“An excellent introduction to a theologian who represents the best of contemporary Anglican thought, with a deep spirituality firmly rooted in reality.”

—Keith Ward, Professor, University of Oxford



“If the church is permanently in crisis—necessarily so in light of its eschatological character—then it requires lucid and shrewd interpreters like Martyn Percy to mediate its critical engagement with society. This collection is therefore both timely and ambitious in its scope, insights, and humanity, and the balance is impressive and substantial. It takes some courage to be so liberal in today’s Anglican Communion, but Percy’s work shows how relevant that struggle remains.”

—Gareth Jones, Professor, School of Theology, Charles Sturt University



“In these wide-ranging and fascinating essays, the reader is invited to explore the many and multi-faceted contributions of Martyn Percy—priest, practical theologian, and sociologist of religion—and the open, generous Anglicanism that lies at the heart of all his work.”

—Jane Shaw, Professor, Stanford University

From the Publisher