Me and We
God's New Social Gospel
Published on 16. September 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
184 pages
978-1-4267-5776-1 (ISBN)
Description
When Christians answer the clarion call to be missional, too often it is primarily to feel good or to grow in their own faith. But ultimately we remain unsatisfied because, in the end, it's still about "me"--my church, my faith, my salvation. Then sometimes inspiration dries up. We forget that Jesus is the head of the Church, which exists at God's pleasure and disposal. God is birthing a new Social Gospel, meant to reclaim mission and justice ministries as prime directives for the Church, and not with the naive thinking of the 19th or 20th centuries. What are the characteristics of this new Social Gospel? There is an expectation that mission is "with" and not "for" others. There is an acknowledgement that tolerance is not a dirty word and we have to find a peaceable way to live in our intercultural world. It carries the Wesleyan impulse to change the world by working to build God's kingdom in this world. It offers the grace and salvation of Christ to those in need, believing that none are free unless all are free. It means that we feed the hungry, educate to poor, and equip the powerless in tangible ways.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Nashville, Tennessee
United States
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
308 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4267-5776-1 (9781426757761)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2014
Abingdon Press
€21.49
Available for download
Person
Leonard Sweet is a theo-semiotician, historical theologian, and preacher who grew up with two brothers under a preacher-mom (see "Mother Tongue"). Author of almost eighty books, hundreds of articles, and almost 2000 published sermons, his most recent publications include his lifelong semiotic study of the Jesus story, "Jesus Human" and "Designer Jesus," as well as an introductory textbook on theo-semiotics, "Decoding the Divine." His pastoral sensibilities are currently evident in "The Sound of Light" (with Lisa Samson) and upcoming "The Advent and Christmastide Adventure" book of meditations. His semiotic Len-Talks are posted on YouTube, and his Napkin Scribbles podcasts can be accessed on leonardsweet.com or Spotify.After a lifetime in academic administration as Dean, Provost, President, and Chancellor, Sweet now works with graduate students at four institutions: Drew University, where he has occupied the E. Stanley Jones Chair, George Fox University, Northwind Seminary, and Southeastern University. One of the most sought-after speakers in the religious world today, he and his family reside on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, where they operate a hospitality resort (or "advance center") called Sanctuary Seaside. His next book (with Chris Eriksen) is a theology of football called "Gridiron Gospel: Faith That Moves Chains."