The church as we know it in North America is dying. Statistics make this overwhelmingly clear. And yet, despite this observation, the church remains a resurrection people. How might these seemingly contradictory observations hold true? Taking a cue from Romans 5, Rustin Brian suggests that resurrection necessarily implies death. The church is called to follow Christ. This is a call to come and die. The Christian affirmation is that death is not truly the end, though, but rather the beginning of new and unending life in him. And so the first statement must be tempered by stating that the church is going through death on the way to resurrection. This book is truly one of two halves, then. The first half examines the present death of the church. The second half examines the possibility of resurrection for the church. Throughout, key factors for decline are considered, such as: poor and destructive evangelistic practices, civil religion, moral therapeutic deism, and consumerism. In the end, Brian suggests that the church embrace its peculiarity--the things that make us, dare it be said, a religion. As we embrace our strange beliefs, therefore, and discontinue our obsession with growth and relevance, we just might discover the possibility for renewed and resurrected faith amidst the death that we are experiencing.
Karl Barth's Christology provides a key to out-narrating the Deus absconditus, which, as Rustin Brian contends, is in fact the god of modernity. Included in this is the rejection of the logical and philosophical systems that allow for the modern understanding of God as the Deus absconditus, namely, dialectics and nominalism. This rejection is illustrated, interestingly enough, in Barth's decision to literally cover up, with a rug, Martin Luther's works in his personal library. Surely this was more than a decorative touch. The reading of Barth's works that results from this starting point challenges much of contemporary Barth scholarship and urges readers to reconsider Barth. Through careful examination of a large body of Barth's writings, particularly in regard to the issues of the knowledge or knowability of God, as well as Christology, Brian argues that contemporary Barth scholarship should be done in careful conversation with the finest examples of both Protestant and, especially, Roman Catholic theology. Barth's paradoxical Christology thus becomes the foundation for a dogmatic ecumenicism. Barth's Christology, then, just might be able to open up possibilities for discussion and even convergence, within a church that is anything but one.
Jacob Arminius was a Dutch theologian whose views have become the basis of Arminianism and the Dutch Remonstrant movement, and are quite influential on Wesleyan, and therefore Methodist, theology as well. Arminius attempted to reform Reformed theology and ended up lending his name to a movement that resisted some of the primary tenets of Calvinism. Rustin E. Brian outlines the life and theology of Arminius, shedding fresh light on his life, theology, and writings. In hopes of better understanding Arminian theology and Arminianism, Brian concludes with a constructive comparison and contrast of Arminius and several prominent theological figures: Pelagius, John Wesley, and Karl Barth.
Jacob Arminius was a Dutch theologian whose views have become the basis of Arminianism and the Dutch Remonstrant movement, and which are quite influential on Wesleyan, and therefore, Methodist, theology as well. Arminius attempted to reform Reformed theology and ended up lending his name to a movement which resisted some of the primary tenets of Calvinism. Rustin E. Brian outlines the life and theology of Arminius, shedding fresh light on his life, theology, and writings. Brian argues that Arminius's theology is thoroughly unconcerned with being either 'Reformed' or 'Catholic', but it results in one theology that is shaped and guided first and foremost by Scripture. The theological persuasion known as Arminianism become fully developed not during Arminius's lifetime but rather after his death when the five articles of the Remonstrants systematized and formalized the ideas. Furthermore, the Calvinist Synod of Dort condemned Arminius's theology and persecuted Arminian pastors who remained in the Netherlands - though it might be argued that Arminian theology and not the theology of Arminius was the subject of this condemnation. Later, John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, embraced Arminian theology and became its most prominent champion. Today, the majority of Methodists remain committed to Arminian theology, and Arminianism itself has become one of the dominant theological systems in the world, particularly in the Great Britain and the USA.
The church as we know it in North America is dying. Statistics make this overwhelmingly clear. And yet, despite this observation, the church remains a resurrection people. How might these seemingly contradictory observations hold true? Taking a cue from Romans 5, Rustin Brian suggests that resurrection necessarily implies death. The church is called to follow Christ. This is a call to come and die. The Christian affirmation is that death is not truly the end, though, but rather the beginning of new and unending life in him. And so the first statement must be tempered by stating that the church is going through death on the way to resurrection. This book is truly one of two halves, then. The first half examines the present death of the church. The second half examines the possibility of resurrection for the church. Throughout, key factors for decline are considered, such as: poor and destructive evangelistic practices, civil religion, moral therapeutic deism, and consumerism. In the end, Brian suggests that the church embrace its peculiarity—the things that make us, dare it be said, a religion. As we embrace our strange beliefs, therefore, and discontinue our obsession with growth and relevance, we just might discover the possibility for renewed and resurrected faith amidst the death that we are experiencing.
Karl Barth's Christology provides a key to out-narrating the Deus absconditus, which, as Rustin Brian contends, is in fact the god of modernity. Included in this is the rejection of the logical and philosophical systems that allow for the modern understanding of God as the Deus absconditus, namely, dialectics and nominalism. This rejection is illustrated, interestingly enough, in Barth's decision to literally cover up, with a rug, Martin Luther's works in his personal library. Surely this was more than a decorative touch. The reading of Barth's works that results from this starting point challenges much of contemporary Barth scholarship and urges readers to reconsider Barth. Through careful examination of a large body of Barth's writings, particularly in regard to the issues of the knowledge or knowability of God, as well as Christology, Brian argues that contemporary Barth scholarship should be done in careful conversation with the finest examples of both Protestant and, especially, Roman Catholic theology. Barth's paradoxical Christology thus becomes the foundation for a dogmatic ecumenicism. Barth's Christology, then, just might be able to open up possibilities for discussion and even convergence, within a church that is anything but one.
Jacob Arminius was a Dutch theologian whose views have become the basis of Arminianism and the Dutch Remonstrant movement, and are quite influential on Wesleyan, and therefore Methodist, theology as well. Arminius attempted to reform Reformed theology and ended up lending his name to a movement that resisted some of the primary tenets of Calvinism. Rustin E. Brian outlines the life and theology of Arminius, shedding fresh light on his life, theology, and writings. In hopes of better understanding Arminian theology and Arminianism, Brian concludes with a constructive comparison and contrast of Arminius and several prominent theological figures: Pelagius, John Wesley, and Karl Barth.
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