For the Life of the World

by Robert J. Dean

Overview

What is the church? What is its mission in the world? Modern Protestantism's inability to provide a clear answer to these seemingly simple questions has resulted in vast confusion amongst pastors about the nature of their calling and has left congregations languishing without a clear reason for existence. Many of the voices and allegiances competing for the churches' attention have rushed in to fill the void, with the result that the church in modernity has frequently found itself captive to the prevailing culture. Yet from within the belly of highly culturally accommodated churches, both the German pastor-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the American theological ethicist Stanley Hauerwas were able to articulate compelling visions of churches freed from their cultural captivity in order to truly and freely serve God and neighbor. Against the complex and confusing backdrops of Nazi Germany and late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century America respectively, Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas sought to recover the ethical and political character of the Christian faith through recalling the church back to the christological center of its faith. Together they provide a rich set of complementary, and at times mutually correcting, resources for the contemporary church as it seeks to faithfully bear witness to Christ amidst the ruins of Christendom. ""What has Berlin to do with Pleasant Grove, Texas? Much in every way. Robert Dean's splendid book uncovers many unexpected convergences and resonances between the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas. Dean shows how both men write theology in such a way as to draw us into the passion of Jesus Christ 'for the life of the world.' A rich and rewarding piece of work."" --Joseph Mangina, Professor of Theology, Wycliffe College, Toronto ""Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas are the major forces in contemporary theological ethics in North America. Dean gives us a masterful guide to their work. . . . Because this book gives such a clear, reliable, and engaging account of Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas, it could easily be used as a core text in undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in Christian ethics and political theology, or as an essential guide to either or both theologians. An outstanding contribution!"" --Douglas Harink, Professor of Theology, The King's University, Edmonton; Author, Paul Among the Postliberals and 1 & 2 Peter in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible Robert J. Dean (ThD, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) is an Adjunct Professor of Theology at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto and formerly a pastor of Good Shepherd Community Church, Toronto.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498233194
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	05/13/2016
Pages:	302
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Robert J. Dean (ThD, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) is an Adjunct Professor of Theology at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto and formerly a pastor of Good Shepherd Community Church, Toronto.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Abbreviations xi

1 Introduction 1

Why Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas? 1

The Importance of Karl Barth for Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas 6

Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas: Christ, Church, and World 12

2 "This Man is God!": The Person of Jesus Christ 16

Part 1 The Christology of Dietrich bonhoeffer 17

Part 2 The Christology of Stanley Hauerwas 41

Part 3 Christological Conclusions 64

3 A Peculiar People: The Church of Jesus Christ 72

Part 1 The Ecclesiology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer 73

Part 2 The Ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas 101

Part 3 Ecclesiology Conclusions 130

4 For the Life of the World: Church and World 153

Part 1 Church and World in the Theology Dietrich Bonhoeffer 154

Part 2 Church and World in the Theology of Stanley Hauerwas 188

Part 3 Concluding Thoughts on Church and World 214

5 Conclusion 230

Summary 230

For further Consideration 233

Appendix: The Ethics of Tyrannicide 241

Bibliography 253

Index 279

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"What has Berlin to do with Pleasant Grove, Texas? Much in every way. Robert Dean's splendid book uncovers many unexpected convergences and resonances between the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas. Dean shows how both men write theology in such a way as to draw us into the passion of Jesus Christ 'for the life of the world.' A rich and rewarding piece of work."
—Joseph Mangina, Professor of Theology, Wycliffe College, Toronto

"Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas are the major forces in contemporary theological ethics in North America. Dean gives us a masterful guide to their work. . . . Because this book gives such a clear, reliable, and engaging account of Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas, it could easily be used as a core text in undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in Christian ethics and political theology, or as an essential guide to either or both theologians. An outstanding contribution!"
—Douglas Harink, Professor of Theology, The King's University, Edmonton; Author, Paul Among the Postliberals and 1 & 2 Peter in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible

Editorial Reviews

"What has Berlin to do with Pleasant Grove, Texas? Much in every way. Robert Dean's splendid book uncovers many unexpected convergences and resonances between the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Stanley Hauerwas. Dean shows how both men write theology in such a way as to draw us into the passion of Jesus Christ 'for the life of the world.' A rich and rewarding piece of work."
—Joseph Mangina, Professor of Theology, Wycliffe College, Toronto

"Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas are the major forces in contemporary theological ethics in North America. Dean gives us a masterful guide to their work. . . . Because this book gives such a clear, reliable, and engaging account of Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas, it could easily be used as a core text in undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in Christian ethics and political theology, or as an essential guide to either or both theologians. An outstanding contribution!"
—Douglas Harink, Professor of Theology, The King's University, Edmonton; Author, Paul Among the Postliberals and 1 & 2 Peter in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible

From the Publisher