The Surprising God

This post continues a series in  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 , 11 , 12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 .  Photograph by Steven Pavlov used with permission granted via Wikimedia Commons Having answered the question, What does it mean to be human? , Anderson next addresses a corollary question: Where is the church? His answer is grounded in a biblical ecclesiology that defines the church as the Body of Christ in the world. With that in mind, he goes on to note that the church, in order to truly be the Body of Christ, must be with Jesus, where he is---not tucked away in the protective cocoon of the sanctuary, but redemptively present in the community. Anderson comments: The humanity of God in the person of Jesus Christ seeks incarnation in the soul of the city before taking up res...

This post continues a series in  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , 8 ,  10 ,   11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Lost and Found by Greg Olsen, used with permission Each subculture has an implicit understanding of what it means to be human. While it's vital in Christian ministry and ethics to be aware of and sensitive to these subjective cultural understandings, our primary focus must be the objective reality of what it means to be human, revealed by God to us in the humanity of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. Anderson comments: The core assertion of a Christian theology [and anthropology] is that the controlling social paradigm by which humanity is defined sets squarely within the objective relations that exist between God and humans, through the humanity of Jesus Christ as...

How are we to understand the commands of God recorded in the Bible? Some view them as  threats  ("Do this or else!"), others as promises ( "In me, you shall do this"). Here we find a key distinction between a legalistic and a grace-based view of obedience to God. While legalists view obedience as what must be done to avoid condemnation (or to earn rewards), those living by grace view obedience as the outflow of the relationship they have been given with God in Christ through the Spirit. While legalists obey God out of obligation, those living by grace obey God because they are part of his family. As noted in the helpful sermon below from Peter Heitt (lead pastor at The Sanctuary in Denver), this difference of viewpoint is seen clearly in how people interpret Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount.

This post continues a series in  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , 7 , 9 ,  10 ,   11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . In a chapter on ethics grounded in Trinitarian, Christ-centered practical theology (Christopraxis), Anderson offers this summary statement: The criterion by which we measure... the "ethical event" between humans is the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ by which humanity is liberated from the inhumanity of sin and restored and morally empowered through grace. Christopraxis is a form of moral empowerment rather than merely moral judgment. (p160) The Good Samaritan (Modern) by Liz Lemon Swindle (used with permission) Following the teaching of Karl Barth, Anderson asserts that Christian ethics is not about impersonal rules and ideals, but about true humanity found...

This post continues a series looking at The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , 8 ,  9 ,  10 ,   11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Wikimedia Commons, creative commons license These days we're often told that churches must become more "missional." Various models are offered for doing so (including the one at right). Ray Anderson helpfully adds to this discussion with a Christ-centered ecclesiology and missiology grounded in incarnational, Trinitarian theology: [The] mission of the church is grounded in its nature as the community of the children of God whose lives have ontological grounding in the very being of Christ.... As the inner life of Jesus in his relation to the Father is constitutive of Christology, so the inner life of the church in its experience of Jesus Christ is constitutive of e...

This post continues a series looking at The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 , 5 , 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 .  11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Last time  we saw how Anderson addresses the calling Christians have to discern what Jesus is now doing so that they may participate with him in serving the Father, through the Spirit, for the sake of the world. An essential part of the discernment process involves carefully exegeting Scripture in order to understand God's will. Part of that exegesis involves looking for what Anderson refers to as a biblical antecedent related to the issue under examination. Last time we saw how Anderson applies this hermeneutical method in addressing the issue of female ordination. This time we'll see how he applies it to the issue of homosexual relations. From Wikimedia Commons (cre...

It seems that among Christians and non-Christians there is much confusion about hell. What is it? When is it? Where is it? Why is there a hell at all? And what does the reality of hell say about God and his grace? These challenging questions are addressed in the powerful video embedded below that bears the provocative title, Hallelujah in Hell.  It's from the folks at Downside Up . What are your thoughts? Let us know using the "comments" feature below. Next time we'll return to our series looking at Ray Anderson's book on practical theology.

This post continues a series looking at  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 , 4 , 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 .  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Last time  in this series we looked at how Anderson addresses ministry as not what we do for Jesus, but what we do with him---our participation in his ongoing ministry to the Father, through the Spirit, for the sake of the world. In order for us to participate meaningfully with him, we must discern what he is actually doing---a challenge that frequently will require that we set aside some of our presuppositions about what our risen, ascended Lord will or will not do. Christ in the house of Mary and Martha by Henryk Siemiradzki Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons What about female ordination? One of the issues that has challenged the church is to discern the min...

In this post we'll take a break from reviewing  The Practical Shape of Theology to address a related concept: God's wrath and his love. Sadly, some folks pit one against the other as though they were equal and competing aspects of God's character. For them, God's wrath (judgment, justice, punishment) begins where his love ends. But is that so? Are God's wrath and love at odds? Is the Trinity of two minds? (angry Father, loving Jesus). These questions are helpfully addressed in the video embedded below. Entitled The Flaming Toilet of Death, it illustrates two foundational truths addressed by John in his first epistle: "God is love" and "perfect love casts out fear" (1John 4:8, 16, 18 ESV). Enjoy!   For more videos like this, click here to go to Downside Up (God is better than you think) . For a related Surprising God post, click here .

This post continues a series looking at The Shape of Practical Theology by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number: 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 .  11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Jesus and the Samaritan Woman   by Giacomo Franceschini Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Previously in this series we've noted Anderson's emphasis on the unity of theology and mission. When fully Christian, both are grounded in the person (being) and work (doing) of Jesus, the incarnate, resurrected, ascended Son of God. There is no separation between Jesus' being (from which flows Christian theology) and his doing (from which flows Christian mission). In Jesus, by the Spirit, Christian mission (ministry) is actual participation in what Jesus is doing in the world to fulfill the Father's mission. It is thus vital that the church keep at the forefront of its thinking the truth that it is...

This post continues a series looking at The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number: 1 , 2 , 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 .  11 ,   12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . Last time we noted how Dr. Anderson emphasizes that mission is at the heart of theology. This time, we'll see how he places theology at the heart of mission. Jesus Healing Centurion Servant by Paolo Veronese Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons  According to Anderson, there are many ways people care for one another, and in so doing alleviate human suffering. While such efforts are laudable, they only constitute Christian ministry to the extent they reveal the reality of "God's revelation and reconciliation through Jesus Christ" (p. 54). Anderson comments: A social worker or psychiatrist may be able "make" people better or to "make" the conditions of human existence better. But...

This post continues a series looking at The Shape of Practical Theology  by Trinitarian theologian Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click on a number: 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ,  9 , 10 . 11 , 12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 . We ended last time noting that Incarnational Trinitarian theology unites theory and practice with its focus on the person (being) and work (mission) of Jesus Christ. Rather than incidental, mission is at the very heart of this theology. The Exhortation to the Apostles , James Tissot Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Fundamental to this understanding is the realization that in Jesus Christ (the God-man) the various dualisms that infect less than adequate theologies are swept aside. With Jesus there is no separation between being and doing; between the holy (spiritual) and sacred (physical); or between the heavenly and earthly. This realization has profound implications for the life (being and doing) of the church, as Ray A...