Resistance and Theological Ethics

by Ronald H. Stone (Editor), Robert L. Stivers (Editor), Frances S. Adeney (Contribution by), Brian K. Blount (Contribution by), F E. Bonkovsky (Contribution by)

Overview

Protestantism, at its best, grounds both its religious and its social critique in the faith of the prophets and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as understood and lived by the church. Its teachings and desired practice stand in start contrast to complacent religion that seems to be at ease with imperial greed, domination, and violence.

Resistance and Theological Ethics collects the edited and updated essays that emerged from the meeting of the Theological Educators for Presbyterian Social Witness in Geneva, Switzerland and southern France in 1999. Inspired there by the sixteenth century forces of renewal unleashed through resistance to an imperial church and society, the writings of these educators and ethicists combine to sound a clarion call for the church to stand in resistance to social, economic and political forces that threaten—while embracing those that foster—social justice, peace and human welfare.

Each author emphasizes a specific call to nonviolent resistance against powers grounded in particular forms of sin: religious pride, greed, violence and domination. Divided into three parts, the book details social forces to be resisted, presents historical and biblical examples of resistance, and concludes with theological analysis and advocacy for action in contemporary American society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742541603
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/13/2004
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 8.88(h) x 0.76(d)

About the Author

Ronald H. Stone is the John Witherspoon Professor of Christian Ethics (retired) at Pittburgh Theological Seminary. Robert L. Stivers is professor of religion at Pacific Lutheran University

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction: Contemporary Resistance Ethics Part 2 I Resistance to Social Forces Chapter 3 Resistance and Economic Globalization Chapter 4 Globalization: Reform or Resist? Chapter 5 Environmental Movements as Forms of Resistance Chapter 6 Resistance to Structural Adjustment Problems Chapter 7 Nationalism and International Migration Chapter 8 Resistance and Biotechnology Debates Chapter 9 Resistance to Military Neo-Imperialism Part 10 II Biblical and Historical Roots of Resistance Chapter 11 The Subversive Kingship of Jesus in Luke Chapter 12 Reading Revelation Today: Witness as Active Resistance Chapter 13 Nature, Resistance, and the Kingdom of God Chapter 14 Citizenship, Resistance, and St. Augustine Chapter 15 "Is God Dead?": The Complexity of Resistance Chapter 16 Korean Women's Resistance: "If I Perish, I Perish" Part 17 III Theological Ethics of Resistance Chapter 18 Resistance, Affirmation, and the Sovereignty of God Chapter 19 Fundamentalism and the Big Picture Bible Chapter 20 Is This New Wine? Resistance Among Black Presbyterians Chapter 21 Spirit and Resistance: A Theological Perspective on Lillian Hellman Chapter 22 Theology of Resistance in Bonhoeffer and Tillich Chapter 23 Resisting Malpraxis in Religion

Editorial Reviews

The nineteen writers of this book are diverse in their jobs, ethnic identifications, genders and and interests. Yet all share a Christian commitment to resistance to social evils, dogmatisms, and ideological conformites. Readers, like the authors, will applaud some of the arguments, challenge others, and find all provocative of further thought.--Roger L. Shinn, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics (1959-1985) at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

For those who are seeking strategic and theoretical guidance about the feasibility of non-violent resistance to such seemingly overwhelming social forces of our time as globalized economic inequality, militarism, and state arrogance, this book will be a welcomed resource. Rich in biblical, historical and theological insights, the essays are bold, highly thoughtful--and eminently useful.--Samuel K. Roberts

With roots deeply embedded in the Presbyterian and Reformed Tradition, Resistance and Theological Ethics exposes societal and world trends toward pride, greed, violence, and domination. The authors--some of the best ethicists working in the Presbyterian Church (USA) today--assert hope can be found in social witness that resists the insidious, corrosive features of these four sins, both in church and society. Informed by critical ethics, to be Christian in the 21st Century requires particular strategies of resistance. This book will have a long shelf life in both the seminary and Sunday School classrooms throughout the church.--Reverend Peter A. Sulyok, Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, Presbyterian Church (USA)

From the Publisher

With roots deeply embedded in the Presbyterian and Reformed Tradition, Resistance and Theological Ethics exposes societal and world trends toward pride, greed, violence, and domination. The authors—some of the best ethicists working in the Presbyterian Church (USA) today—assert hope can be found in social witness that resists the insidious, corrosive features of these four sins, both in church and society. Informed by critical ethics, to be Christian in the 21st Century requires particular strategies of resistance. This book will have a long shelf life in both the seminary and Sunday School classrooms throughout the church.

Reverend Peter A. Sulyok

The nineteen writers of this book are diverse in their jobs, ethnic identifications, genders and and interests. Yet all share a Christian commitment to resistance to social evils, dogmatisms, and ideological conformites. Readers, like the authors, will applaud some of the arguments, challenge others, and find all provocative of further thought.

Roger L. Shinn

For those who are seeking strategic and theoretical guidance about the feasibility of non-violent resistance to such seemingly overwhelming social forces of our time as globalized economic inequality, militarism, and state arrogance, this book will be a welcomed resource. Rich in biblical, historical and theological insights, the essays are bold, highly thoughtful—and eminently useful.

Samuel K. Roberts