Christian Wisdom
Christian Wisdom
What is Christian wisdom for living in the twenty-first century? Where is it to be found? How can it be learnt? In the midst of diverse religions and worldviews and the demands and complexities of our world, David Ford explores a Christian way of uniting love of wisdom with wisdom in love. Core elements are the 'discernment of cries', the love of God for God's sake, interpretation of scripture, and the shaping of desire in faith. Case studies deal with inter-faith wisdom among Jews, Christians and Muslims, universities as centres of wisdom as well as knowledge and know-how and the challenge of learning disabilities. Throughout, there is an attempt to do justice to the premodern, modern and postmodern while grappling with scripture, tradition and the cries of the world today. Ford opens up the rich resources of Christianity in engaging with the issues and urgencies of contemporary life.
- Provides a creative contemporary understanding of the Bible, integrating Christian worship, thought and life
- Includes case studies exploring inter-faith wisdom among Jews, Christians and Muslims
- Brings theology to life in the practical realm, focusing on disability and trauma as well as education and human flourishing
Reviews & endorsements
'The wisdom tradition in theology has made a comeback, and Ford's book is delightful to read, resplendent with wisdom ancient and new.' The Christian Century
'…deeply original book … this is theology at its most hospitable … this book is the fruit of many rich conversations. The tone of generous inclusive dialogue is maintained throughout. It is an invitation to a praxis.' Church Times
'… this book seems to be both profoundly original and generative. More than simply a study of the Wisdom theme in Christian theology, it is actually a tremendously important essay in the theological method, a proposal for what it might mean for church to 'do theology'. … Let's hope that it's picked up by all the various courses, across the denominations, which train clergy, and from there makes its way into life of the Church.' Theology
'… by his own admission, Ford is not attempting to be theologically comprehensive as much as to encourage a wide and encompassing search of 'the heights and depths of our fragile existence, always learning and discerning, and never past being surprised.' Christian Wisdom will no doubt inspire many others to go and do likewise …' Anvil
'This book is deeply theological, profoundly spiritual, and imaginatively engaged with some important issues that confront thinking people in our time.' Journal of Reformed Theology
Product details
June 2007Paperback
9780521698382
428 pages
226 × 155 × 25 mm
0.686kg
Available
Table of Contents
- Introduction: theology as wisdom
- 1. Wisdom cries
- 2. A wisdom interpretation of scripture
- 3. Job!
- 4. Job and post-holocaust wisdom
- 5. Jesus, the spirit and desire: wisdom Christology
- 6. Learning to live in the spirit: tradition and worship
- 7. Loving the God of wisdom
- 8. Inter-faith wisdom: scriptural reasoning between Jews, Christians and Muslims
- 9. Interdisciplinary wisdom: knowledge and formation in the negotiable university
- 10. Interpersonal wisdom: L'Arche, learning disability and the Gospel of John
- Conclusion: love's wisdom.
