Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions

Books reviewed:
Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Trinity and Religious Pluralism: The Doctrine of the Trinity in Christian Theology of Religions. Reviewed by John Flett Princeton Theological Seminary     

Essentials of Christian Theology

Books reviewed:
William Placher, ed., Essentials of Christian Theology. Reviewed by Murray A. Rae University of Otago     

Bioethics and Christian Theology

The authors of this essay suggest that the field of bioethics and Christian theology have a great deal to offer to each other. The authors first argue that representatives from both fields must first make sure that they fully and correctly represent their respective position. In other words, scientists, ethicists, and theologians alike must make sure that they present their fields and not use their knowledge merely for personal gain at the stake of misguiding people. Once this is established, the authors then proceed to show the intimate relationship between Christianity and medicine that has existed throughout the ages. It is a call for a continuation of such a relationship that the authors suggest between bioethics and theology. Through an integration of bioethics and Christian theology, both scientists/physicians and theologians are able to gain greater insight into the human person—a focus in both fields.     

Attitudes to Authority in Women Religious

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between three stances in attitudes to authority and levels of intrapsychic and interrelational of maturity in women religious in initial stages of membership. Subjects were drawn from congregations throughout the U.S. from those involved in programs of formation or temporary commitment. The total sample (N = 162) was divided into three equal-attitude groups (N = 54), using complementary but uncorrelated measures of attitudes to institutional authority and directiveness. Relationship between the behavioral rating of directiveness seemed associated with intrapsychic measures of individuation, with those scoring as most directive found most mature from this perspective. Maturation rated from an intergenerational system approach seemed to be associated with pro-authority attitudes, with those most supportive of authority scoring highest on this construct. Implications for further research as well as work with religious in formation are suggested.     

A Theology of Christian Spirituality – Samuel M. Powell

Book reviewed:
A Theology of Christian Spirituality , Samuel M. Powell, Abingdon Press 2005 (0-687-49333-1), vii + 227 pp., pb $26.00/£19.99     

The Refusal of Work in Christian Ethics and Theology

Reviewing major accounts in Christian ethics and theology concerning work reveals a set of assumptions that together form the field's current “common sense” regarding this central human activity: work is part of what it fundamentally means to be a human; there is an aspect of work that is intrinsically good, because it reflects God's work; and work that is degrading can be transformed into this intrinsic good. An emerging body of social thought, however, interrogates work from an anti‐work perspective, rejecting capitalism's demand that people be integrated as fully as possible into the profit‐generating modern‐day work structure. After exploring core tenets of the anti‐work perspective, this essay reconsiders the assumptions often made about work in Christian ethics and theology and delineates some contours of anti‐work Christian normative interpretations of work.     

生态危机与神学思考的转向

西方基督教神学对生态危机的反思,始于回应来自基督教神学外部的批判,这些批判针对的是支撑现代科技发展背后的基督教理念。与此相应,基督教神学一方面立足于圣经和教义为基督教传统辩护,另一方面以JohnCobb为代表的神学家也在谋求,在新的人与自然关系的背景下改变基督教神学的传统、思考神学未来的发展走向以及如何回应当今日益严重的生态问题。