A Molinist-Anabaptist Systematic Theology / Edition 1

by Kirk R. MacGregor

Overview

As the first systematic theology of its kind, the ecumenical construction synthesizes the strengths of what are typically considered two disparate branches of Christianity, namely, Roman Catholicism and Anabaptism. Focusing on the celebrated Jesuit neo-Scholastic theologian Luis de Molina (1535–1600) and the evangelical peace communities from the early modern period onward, this system integrates the best in Catholic philosophical theology with the best historical implementations of the Free Church ecclesiological tradition. In doing so, this progressive doctrinal edifice furnishes provocative new answers to perennial quandaries. Included in this discussion are the polarity between sovereign predestination and libertarian freedom, the interaction between omniscience and God's "changing his mind," and the existence of gratuitous evil. This system breaks ground in the realm of practical theology by proposing an antithetical relationship between church discipline and the sacraments. While avoiding the either-or debate between egalitarianism and complementarianism, this theology demonstrates exegetically that women should not be restricted from holding any leadership position within the church. Drawing together these dialectical and Scriptural threads, this book advocates a social ethic that exhorts Christians to display extreme reluctance on matters of war, and to exercise discernment toward political agendas by measuring them against the Sermon on the Mount.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761838517
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	08/31/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	366
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.05(h) x 1.08(d)

About the Author

Kirk R. MacGregor (Ph.D., University of Iowa) is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Radford University. He is the author of the book A Central European Synthesis of Radical and Magisterial Reform (2006) as well as articles in leading scholarly publications including the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and Westminster Theological Journal.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Prolegomena
Chapter 3 Scientia Media According to Molina, not Arminius
Chapter 4 A Molinist and Contra-Openness Approach to Scriptural "Anthropomorphisms"
Chapter 5 The Coexistence of God and Genuinely Gratuitous Evil
Chapter 6 Theology Proper
Chapter 7 Inerrancy and the Importance of Reading Scripture Biblio-Critically
Chapter 8 The Sacraments and Church Discipline
Chapter 9 Women in Ministry
Chapter 10 The Historical Jesus' Non-Violent yet Socially Revolutionary Conception of the Kingdom of God
Part 11 Epilogue
Part 12 Bibliography
Part 13 Index of Scripture References
Part 14 Subject Index
Part 15 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

By including many divergent perspectives, MacGregor provides creative discussion and novel solutions to various issues that readers will find interesting.

Thomas Finger