Wesleyan Perspectives On Human Flourishing Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of Wesleyan Perspectives On Human Flourishing book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.
Wesleyan Perspectives on Human Flourishing by Dean G. Smith,Rob A. Fringer Pdf
Human flourishing is an ever-expanding concept that crosses geographic, ethnic, cultural, and religious lines as persons, both individually and corporately, seek to find happiness, fulfillment, and purpose. This book brings together well-established and burgeoning Wesleyan scholars to consider not only John and Charles Wesley’s understanding of human flourishing but the broader Wesleyan perspectives on contemporary issues such as calling, creation care, healthcare, education, technological enhancements, death and dying, and more. Throughout these chapters the complexities and challenges of life, both past and present, are explored and grappled with, and we are reminded over and again that God is the ultimate source of flourishing.
What does it mean to flourish? Human flourishing lies at the heart of the good news of the gospel, and yet contemporary theologies know not only one way of speaking about what it means to flourish. If we embed our theological grammars of flourishing in the doctrine of salvation, as the doctrine in which theological flourishing talk is arguably rooted and from which rich fruit may be borne, there is not one but various ways in which to speak about what it means to flourish. Yet what governs our speaking? Why do we speak of flourishing as we do? The various conceptions of human flourishing that are outlined in this book – piety, joy, and comfort; being fully alive, healing, and dignity; grace, happiness, and blessing – represent a collection of attempts not only to imagine human flourishing, but also to imagine ways of speaking about human flourishing. Perhaps what theology could offer to the vibrant and robust conversations on human flourishing lies exactly in the reminder to take care about how we speak about that which is truly and deeply human: our longing to flourish.
A powerful guide for new and longtime United Methodists. Upward! is a simple but brilliant course on Wesleyanism for regular people. It thoroughly and methodically guides readers through the distinctive qualities of the Wesleyan way—the theology, practices, habits, and attitudes that characterize Methodist people. Paul W. Chilcote and Steve Harper, two of Methodism’s most beloved teachers, offer this extraordinary book as an invitation to a life of wisdom and wonder in our current world. It is a book of both instruction and celebration, teaching (or reminding) us what makes the Wesleyan way most gracious and lovely. Pastors and other leaders will use Upward as their primary resource for sharing the Wesleyan approach. It can be used in a wide variety of ways and settings—as a sermon series, congregation-wide study, or for new member classes, to name a few. Individuals will use the book as a personal study, ideally in connection with others. Upward! helps leaders and readers to: - correct misconceptions about Wesleyan theology - clarify and reclaim Wesleyan theology - gain a new framework for understanding Wesleyan theology and sharing it with others
Setting Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and George Whitfield into their own contexts, Sean McGever tells the true story of these men's deeply compromised relationship to slavery. More than just a history, this book is an invitation to examine our own legacies and to take ownership of our heritage and our own part in the story.
"A Curious Machine" by Arseny Ermakov,Glen O'Brien Pdf
In his sermon “What Is Man?,” John Wesley spoke of the human being as a “curious machine,” reflecting the eighteenth-century view of the person as a set of complex mechanisms animated by the soul. The rapid rate of technological development in recent decades is opening toward a future in which the centrality and uniqueness of human beings is undergoing a shift. Developments in robotics, artificial intelligence, surveillance, autonomous weapons, human enhancement, and genetic modification raise an array of questions for the Christian tradition. The awareness of the negative impact of human activity on the natural environment is challenging the traditional view of humanity as having a uniquely privileged role at the heart of creation. This collection of essays addresses Wesleyan and broadly Christian voices that explore the theological, philosophical, biblical, ethical, and practical implications of emerging technologies, their impact upon different aspects of human life, and the possibilities that are opening up toward a posthuman future.
Is it possible to violate God's moral law without experiencing guilt and shame? Can a person silence their conscience from the strange emotions that emerge when one sin? An examination of the original design of humanity in the imago Dei suggests one cannot sin and avoid the debilitating duo. Humanity is created to live within the moral structure established by God. Therefore, a violation of the divine laws, which is sin, leads to guilt and shame. The strange emotions were innate sensation imparted to humanity to stop rebellion against the moral laws and to compel an offender to acknowledge the offense through the confession of sin. Unconfessed sin debilitates the physical and mental functions of a person created in the image of God. Guilt and shame are the strange emotions that serve as mental guardians for an individual as well as for the society in general. The duo was given as silent deterrents to immoral behaviors.
Many Believed Because of Her Testimony by Robert A. Derrenbacker,Christopher A. Porter,Muriel Porter Pdf
The Reverend Professor Dorothy A. Lee FAHA is well-known as a New Testament scholar not only in Australia but around the world. An Anglican priest, her ministry, particularly as a preacher and retreat director, is highly regarded and highly sought after, not only in her home city of Melbourne, but in many parts of the country. This Festschrift volume honors her contributions and ministry on the occasion of her seventieth birthday. An interdisciplinary collection of twenty-one essays, it offers two biographical contributions, several essays on New Testament themes, essays on women, feminism, and the church, and cross-disciplinary essays focused on the biblical text. Contributors to the volume come from Australian theological education centers and Australian churches.
This book employs a global history approach to John Wesley’s (1703–1791) political and social tracts. It stresses the personal element in Wesley’s political thought, focusing on the twin themes of ‘liberty and loyalty’. Wesley’s political writings reflect on the impact of global conflicts on Britain and provide insight into the political responses of the broader religious world of the eighteenth century. They cover such topics as the nature and origin of political power, economy, taxes, trade, opposition to slavery and to smuggling, British rule in Ireland, relaxation of anti-Catholic Acts, and the American Revolution. Glen O’Brien argues that Wesley’s political foundations were less theological than they were social and personal. Political engagement was exercised as part of a social contract held together by a compact of trust. The book contributes to eighteenth-century religious history, and to Wesley Studies in particular, through a fresh engagement with primary sources and recent secondary literature in order to place Wesley’s writings in their global political context.
Wesleyan Theology and Social Science by M. Kathryn Armistead,Brad D. Strawn,Ronald W. Wright Pdf
Science and religion are living, organic, and creative traditions. Both see humans as profoundly interconnected and in some way responsible for our environs. This worldview is especially true for social science and Wesleyan religious tradition. While the dance between science and religion will always be complex, it can also be enjoyable and mutually satisfying. However when couples dance only one at a time can lead and both have to acknowledge the importance of the other. This book is written with the conviction that theology and science can have a beneficial relationship if only both recognize their mutual value to the lives of persons. The Methodist tradition links the welfare of the body with care for the soul. Historically, ministry involved tending to physical and psychological needs of the Methodist band members but also to non-churched poor and imprisoned. Thus Methodists built places of worship, schools, orphanages, and hospitals. For John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, practical divinity always involved attention to whole persons including their living conditions and basic physical needs. He sought to improve life for all. Therefore throughout his life, Wesley was interested in theology but also scientific discovery as paths toward a better future. He believed that both were of value to help people move toward “perfection.” He even attended lectures and offered medical treatment in the first Methodist meeting hall in Bristol, England. As a scientific practitioner Wesley wrote the best selling book, Primitive Physic or An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Diseases using the cutting edge science of his day. Packed next to the Bible, this book traveled with countless pioneers as they settled the territories that became the United States. Methodism has a long tradition of using science and religion to carry out the biblical mandate to go into the world and make disciples for Jesus Christ. This book seeks to continue that legacy by bringing current trends in psychology into conversation with Wesleyan theology. Composed of essays that represent different psychologies and theological traditions, which trace their roots to Wesley, this book aims at creating a space where science and theology can partner and dance. In the book readers will find positive psychology, self psychology, object relations, family systems, moral psychology, and neuroscience in conversation with various theologies. Under this canopy, the contributors see themselves as “people called Methodists” seeking to follow the example of Wesley to use all available tools to enable persons to live fully and well.
Theology needs to engage what recent developments in the study of evolution mean for how we understand moral behavior. How does the theological concept of holiness connect to contemporary understandings of evolution? If genetic explanations of altruism fall short, what role should we give to environmental explanations and free will? Likewise, how do genetic explanations relate to theological accounts of human goodness and holiness? In this groundbreaking work, Matthew Hill uses the lens of Wesleyan ethics to offer a fresh assessment of the intersection of evolution and theology. He shows that what is at stake in this conversation is not only the future of the church but also the fine-tuning of human evolution.
Pastoral work can be stressful, tough, demanding, sometimes misunderstood, and often underappreciated and underpaid. Ministers devote themselves to caring for their congregations, often at the expense of caring for themselves. Studies consistently show that physical health among clergy is significantly worse than among adults who are not in ministry. Flourishing in Ministry offers clergy and those who support them practical advice for not just surviving this grueling profession, but thriving in it. Matt Bloom, director of the Flourishing in Ministry project, shares groundbreaking research from more than a decade of study. Flourishing in Ministry project draws on more than five thousand surveys and three hundred in-depth interviews with clergy across denominations, ages, races, genders, and years of practice in ministry. It distills this deep research into easily understandable stages of flourishing that can be practiced at any stage in ministry or ministry formation.
Justice, Mercy, and Well-Being by Peter G. Bolt,James R. Harrison Pdf
This collection of essays examines how God’s justice and mercy intersect in the lives of individuals and their communities, with a view to the establishment of personal and social well-being in the world. The authors, drawn from England and Australia, approach the theme from a variety of methodological and interdisciplinary perspectives. Theological, exegetical, historical, healthcare, moral, and visual arts approaches are brought to bear in an investigation relevant for the identity and mission of the church in a world characterized by cycles of revenge, the perpetration of injustice, and the marginalization and persecution of various ethnic groups. The practical outcome of these studies has wide-ranging relevance for our attitudes toward indigenous peoples, the well-being of single and married people, healthcare throughout the ages, the spiritual care of people (including those suffering dementia), the personal experience of trauma, issues of moral judgement, and the abiding value of the creative arts.
Public Intellectuals and the Common Good by Todd C. Ream,Jerry A. Pattengale,Christopher J. Devers Pdf
In the midst of a divisive culture, public intellectuals speaking from an evangelical perspective have a critical role to play—within the church and beyond. Representing the church, higher education, journalism, and the nonprofit sector, these world-class scholars and practitioners cast a vision for intellectuals who promote human flourishing.
In the Gospels we encounter many people who were shunned by their society because they lived with some form of impairment. In stark contrast, Jesus embraces these people and offers compassion without condescension, relationship without ulterior motive, and provides them with practical help. Subsequent history has rarely matched his ministry, particularly for people living with intellectual impairment and their families. Based on personal interviews with a number of families who have children living with intellectual impairment, two major challenges constantly impacted them--a longing for people to treat their child as a person and to form genuine friendships with them. Written from a Wesleyan perspective, this book seeks to address these two issues from a theological and pastoral perspective. It offers practical help for anyone to initiate and develop healthy friendships with people who live with moderate to severe intellectual impairment, their families, and carers.