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It is now universally accepted that we are experiencing a profound mental health epidemic, and too often Christians have struggled to know how to respond. The need for the church to take mental health issues more seriously is urgent, and this is perhaps especially true when it comes to understanding depression. Offering a theological and biblical account of depression, this book considers how depression has been understood and interpreted by Christians and how plausible and pastorally helpful these understandings are. It offers an important and well-informed resource for those with, or preparing for, positions of pastoral responsibility within the Christian Church With a foreword by John Swinton.
The far right is on the rise across Europe, pushing a battle scenario in which Islam clashes with Christianity as much as Christianity clashes with Islam. From the margins to the mainstream, far-right protesters and far-right politicians call for the defence of Europe’s Christian culture. The far right claims Christianity. This book investigates contemporary far-right claims to Christianity. Ulrich Schmiedel and Hannah Strømmen examine the theologies that emerge in the far right across Europe, concentrating on Norway, Germany and Great Britain. They explore how churches in these three countries have been complicit, complacent or critical of the far right, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. Ultimately, Schmiedel and Strømmen encourage a creative and collaborative theological response. To counter the far right, Christianity needs to be practiced in an open and open-ended way which calls Christians into contact with Muslims.
Listening intently to what the poor have to say is Laurie Green’s way into a new study of Jesus’ most famous Beatitude – Blessed are the Poor. Combining years of pavement level experience with informed biblical analysis he sets out for us how the perspective of the poor opens us up to new biblical and theological insights. These issue in a radical rethink about mission and what it means to be Church in a post-secular society. The book introduces us to Britain’s poorest housing estates and uses the radical edge of contextual theology to present a prophetic challenge to each one of us, and to a Church which is reluctant to respond seriously to the challenges of the Beatitudes.
What would theological reflection look like if scripture were the starting point? For many, beginning the process of formation the bible is already a natural place to begin, and models of theological reflection which start in other places can be hard to swallow. All too often, as a result, they reject the idea of reflecting theologically altogether, an outcome which is damaging for their future ministry and for the church as a whole. This book to re-discover the theological heart of the discipline of practical theology and develop new methods which take scripture and tradition more seriously. Offering an alternative to the usual models of theological reflection, this careful and helpful guide demonstrates to students the possibilities which emerge when the starting point for theological reflective practice
Practical Theology used to be a subject where students were left to fend for themselves, using what they had learnt from their scholarly studies in history, biblical and systematic theology and applying it where they could. Things have moved on however and practical theology is a growing discipline in its own right, and the latest thinking in practical theology; of how to use theological learning in practical situations, is fully explored in this textbook. This text examines methodologies of the social sciences and questions how they can enable the task of theological reflection. They begin by tracing the development of practical theology as a discipline and comment on current methodological...
The first comprehensive textbook on the theology and methodology of Fresh Expressions, one of the most important developments within the contemporary church.
Is it possible to develop such a thing as a biblical theology of mental health? How might we develop a helpful and pastoral use of scripture to explore questions of mental health within a Christian framework? This timely and important book integrates the highest levels of biblical scholarship with theological and pastoral concerns to consider how we use scripture when dealing with mental health issues. Chapters include: *Paula Gooder on Healing and wholeness *Joanna Collicutt on Jesus and mental health *Isabelle Hamley on Job *David Firth on Anxiety in Scripture *John Swinton on The Bible in Pastoral Care *Walter Brueggemann on Psalms and lament With a foreword from Archbishop Justin Welby
Bryan Spinks is one of the world’s leading scholars in the field of liturgy and to have a comprehensive work by him on the Eucharist is a major catch for SCM. Like the author’s previous work on Baptism, this will become a standard work about the Eucharist and Eucharistic theology worldwide. The book, a study of the history and theology of the Eucharist, is the fifth volume in the SCM Studies in Worship and Liturgy series and will help to establish the series as a place for landmark books of liturgical scholarship.
This landmark text offers critical reflection and practical tool for pastors working and leading congregations where there is a large percentage of African Caribbean worshippers and other marginalised communities. Drawing from real-life pastoral examples, socio-political analysis and the theme of Eucharist as a means to human healing and restoration, it outlines and explores what a black British pastoral theology might look like.
Theology, Spirituality and Mental Health provides reflections from leading international scholars and practitioners in theology, anthropology, philosophy and psychiatry as to the nature of spirituality and its relevance to constructions of mental disorder and mental healthcare. Key issues are explored in depth, including the nature of spirituality and recent debates concerning its importance in contemporary psychiatric practice, relationship between demons and wellbeing in ancient religious texts and contemporary practice, religious conversion, and the nature and importance of myth and theology in shaping human self understanding. These are used as a basis for exploring some of the overarching intellectual and practical issues that arise when different disciplines engage together with an attempt to better understand the relationship between spirituality and mental health and translate their findings into mental healthcare practice.