Sanctified by Grace: A Theology of the Christian Life

Description

Books on the Christian life abound. Some focus on spirituality, others on practices, and others still on doctrines such as justification or forgiveness. Few offer an account of the Christian life that portrays redeemed Christian existence within the multifaceted and beautiful whole of the Christian confession. This book attempts to fill that gap. It provides a constructive, specifically theological interpretation of the Christian life according to the nature of God's grace. This means coordinating the Triune God, his reconciling, justifying, redemptive, restorative, and otherwise transformative action with those practices of the Christian life emerging from it. The doctrine of the Christian life developed here unifies doctrine and life, confession and practice within the divine economy of grace. Drawing together some of the most important theologians in the church today, Sanctified by Grace achieves what no other theological text offers - a shared work of dogmatic theology oriented to redeemed Christian existence. Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations List of Contributors Introduction Kent Eilers and Kyle Strobel Part One-The Gracious One Chapter One The Triune God Fred Sanders, Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University, USA Chapter Two The Electing God Suzanne McDonald, Calvin College, USA Chapter Three The Creating and Providential God Katherine Sonderegger, Virginia Theological Seminary, USA Chapter Four The Saving God Ian McFarland, Emory University, USA Chapter Five The Perfecting God Christopher R. J. Holmes, University of Otago, New Zealand Part Two The Graces of the Christian Life Chapter Six Reconciliation and Justification John P. Burgess, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, USA Chapter Seven Redemption and Victory Christiaan Mostert, previously at Uniting Church Theological College, Australia Chapter Eight Communion with Christ: Mortification and Vivification John Webster, University of St. Andrews, UK Part Three The Means of Grace Chapter Nine Scripture Donald Wood, University of Aberdeen, UK Chapter Ten Church and Sacraments Tom Greggs, University of Aberdeen, UK Part Four-The Practices of Grace Chapter Eleven Discipleship Philip Ziegler, University of Aberdeen, UK Chapter Twelve Prayer Ashley Cocksworth, The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, UK Chapter Thirteen Theology Ellen Charry, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA Chapter Fourteen Preaching William Willimon, Duke Divinity School, USA Chapter Fifteen Forgiveness & Reconciliation D. Stephen Long, Marquette University, USA Bibliography Index Dedication Contents Preface Abbreviations List of Contributors Introduction: The Christian life in dogmatic key • Kent Eilers and Kyle Strobel Part One: The gracious one 1 The triune God • Fred Sanders 2 The electing God • Suzanne McDonald 3 The creating and providential God • Katherine Sonderegger 4 The saving God • Ian A. McFarland 5 The perfecting God • Christopher R. J. Holmes Part Two: The graces of the Christian life 6 Reconciliation and justification • John P. Burgess 7 Redemption and victory • Christiaan Mostert 8 Communion with Christ: Mortification and vivification • John Webster Part Three: The means of grace 9 Scripture • Donald Wood 10 Church and sacraments • Tom Greggs Part Four: The practices of grace 11 Discipleship • Philip Ziegler 12 Prayer • Ashley Cocksworth 13 Theology • Ellen T. Charry 14 Preaching • William Willimon 15 Forgiveness and reconciliation • D. Stephen Long Bibliography Index