L. Gregory Jones's Books

Christian Social Innovation

Renewing Wesleyan Witness

By: Dr. L. Gregory Jones

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Christian Social Innovation

Renewing Wesleyan Witness

By: Dr. L. Gregory Jones

Everybody seems interested in innovation and entrepreneurship these days. Start-ups are generating new jobs, creating wealth and providing solutions to longstanding problems. People are also aware that old-line social institutions need innovative approaches that provide renewal, re-establish trust and cultivate sustainability. What do faith communities have to do with innovation and entrepreneurship? Faith communities have their own need for innovation, demonstrated in a growing interest in starting new churches, developing “fresh expressions” for gatherings of community and discussions about how to cultivate a renewed sense of mission. But do faith communities have anything unique to contribute to conversations about innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in “social entrepreneurship”? At first glance, the answer seems to be “no.” Burgeoning literature on social entrepreneurship barely mentions the church or other faith-based institutions — and when it does they’re often described as part of the broken institutional landscape. Recently much of the most innovative and entrepreneurial work in these sectors has been done apart from faith communities, whether through secular non-governmental organizations (e.g., Teach for America, Knowledge is Power Program schools) or for-profit businesses (e.g., hospitals and hospices). Indeed, it is now often assumed that faith and faith communities either are irrelevant to social innovation and entrepreneurship or are a significant obstacle. We believe too many people in faith communities, and faith-based organizations themselves, turned inward. They became preoccupied with managing what already existed rather than focusing on innovative renewal of their organizations and entrepreneurial approaches to starting new ones. However, Christian social innovation, at its best, depends on a conception of hope different than the optimism that often characterizes secular endeavors, a hope that acknowledges personal and social brokenness. Further, faith communities, at their best, have embodied perseverance, often bringing people together across generations and diverse sectors to imagine how common effort and faith might overcome obstacles. Although some faith communities have lost the “at-their-best” focus, new conversations and experiments are emerging beyond the goal of starting new congregations. But they tend to be “and” conversations: faith and innovation, faith and entrepreneurship, faith and leadership. We don’t think this goes deep enough. Faith might truly “animate” social innovation and entrepreneurship. In this perspective, faith is not held at a distance from the activities of life but is instead its vital force, providing the imagination, passion and commitment that lead to transformation.

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101

Publisher

Abingdon Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

150182578X

ISBN 13

9781501825781

Living the Good Life Together

Forgiveness - Letting Go

By: Susan Pendleton Jones,L. Gregory Jones

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Living the Good Life Together

Forgiveness - Letting Go

By: Susan Pendleton Jones,L. Gregory Jones

A 12-week series exploring key features of Christian character.

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ISBN 10

0687466105

ISBN 13

9780687466108

Why Narrative?

Readings in Narrative Theology

By: Stanley Hauerwas,L. Gregory Jones

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Why Narrative?

Readings in Narrative Theology

By: Stanley Hauerwas,L. Gregory Jones

Narrative Theology is still with us, to the delight of some and to the chagrin of others. 'Why Narrative?" is in reprint because it represents what is still a very important question. This diverse collection of essays on narrative theology has proven very useful in university and seminary theology classes. It is also of great use as a primer for the educated layperson or church study group. Jones and Hauerwas have done an excellent job of selecting representative essays that deal with appeals to narrative in areas such as personal identity and human action, biblical hermeneutics, epistemology, and theological and ethical method.

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376

Publisher

Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1725207540

ISBN 13

9781725207547

Reading In Communion

Scripture and Ethics in Christian Life

By: Stephen E. Fowl,L. Gregory Jones

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Reading In Communion

Scripture and Ethics in Christian Life

By: Stephen E. Fowl,L. Gregory Jones

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177

Publisher

Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1579101240

ISBN 13

9781579101244

Navigating the Future

Traditioned Innovation for Wilder Seas

By: Andrew P. Hogue,Dr. L. Gregory Jones

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Navigating the Future

Traditioned Innovation for Wilder Seas

By: Andrew P. Hogue,Dr. L. Gregory Jones

Traditioned innovation is a habit of being and living that cultivates a certain kind of moral imagination shaped by storytelling and expressed in creative, transformational action. Moral imagination is about character, which depends on ongoing formation that takes place in friendships and communities that embody traditions and that are sustained by institutions. There is no quick-fix or set of techniques that will create a mindset of traditioned innovation. But we do believe that you can learn to cultivate it by Becoming immersed in an imaginative engagement with the story of God told through Scripture Learning from exemplary institutions, communities, and people practicing traditioned innovation. Discovering new skills for integrating character formation and dense networks of friendships, communities and institutions into your leadership and life. Navigating the Future will explore stories and tips for cultivating traditioned innovation that will stimulate your thinking and inspire your imagination for more faithful and fruitful living along with the cultivation of more vibrant, life-giving institutions.

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Page Count

280

Publisher

Abingdon Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1791015964

ISBN 13

9781791015961

Embodying Forgiveness

A Theological Analysis

By: L. Gregory Jones

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Embodying Forgiveness

A Theological Analysis

By: L. Gregory Jones

The practice of forgiveness is often taken to be either too easy or too difficult. On the one hand, forgiveness is sometimes made too easy by today's therapeutic culture, which views forgiveness mainly as a means for making ourselves and others feel better. On the other hand, forgiveness is sometimes taken to be too difficult by those who believe that violence is the only effective force for responding to injustice. This engaging volume by L. Gregory Jones argues that neither of these extreme views is appropriate and offers, to society as a whole, an effective and biblically centered exploration of what it truly means to embody Christian forgiveness.

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Page Count

313

Publisher

Eerdmans Publishing Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

0802838065

ISBN 13

9780802838063

Book's by L. Gregory Jones

Christian Social Innovation

Christian Social Innovation

Living the Good Life Together

Living the Good Life Together

Why Narrative?

Why Narrative?

Reading In Communion

Reading In Communion

Navigating the Future

Navigating the Future

Embodying Forgiveness

Embodying Forgiveness

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