‘On Being A Broad Church’ by J.W. Rogerson PURCHASE A COPY HERE
This book brings an offer of refreshment to the Christian faith in Britain.
It introduces you to a new chapter in the Christian story of Britian. It has transformed our outlook, and the work of the New Library.
Available here for £9.99 (+p&p): Buy/On Being A Broad Church/Rogerson/lulu.com
This short book sets out a dynamic pathway for modern, well-thought-out Christian faith in Britian.
It is by John Rogerson, one of the world’s leading biblical scholar, an internationally acclaimed author and Christian priest. Discover missing ways of thinking and understanding faith in society that our British churches have lost. How can the deep faith of the past inform new visions and energies for church and society today?
ON BEING A BROAD CHURCH reveals many insights and profound wisdom from the 19th century Broad Church movement, and points the 21st century church towards social confidences and intellectual vitality. It speaks to all our present ecumenical Christian traditions, brokering reconnection with the spiritual life of Christian faith, intellectual confidence and practical help.
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Book contents:
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Differing and conflicting expressions of church today. The need for clear confident churches. An introduction to the 19th century Broad Church movement. What is required is not a middle way, but a deeper way.
Chapter 2 – Scripture & the Broad Church
British attempts to enage with biblical criticism and scholarship in the 19th century. Biblical scholarship does not undermine the message of the church. Understanding “cultural memory” in the Bible and discovering the history of the tribes of Israel and Judah through Biblical scholarship? The completely unexpected and astonishing ministry of Jesus. Biblical criticism and the new life offered in the New Testament.
Chapter 3 – Reason & the Broad Church
Modern church’s failure to talk deeply about science and the natural world. Mistaken thinking that ‘God’ is an object within our world. Nature cannot point to the God of the Bible. How the 19th century ideas of Reason and Understanding can help today’s church to discover confidence when talking about faith and nature. Faith revealed as trust and right relationships. The motive role of proclamation in biblical traditions, and Broad Church approaches to proclamation.
Chapter 4 – Tradition & the Broad Church
Tradition in the Christian sense must be a continual and confident critical engagement with what has been passed down. The importance for churches of understanding the history of biblical interpretation. Church hymns, theology and tradition. Tradition as being grasped by divine love. Hymns for children. Education, preaching and growing discipleship which is not afraid of honesty. Tradition should be liberating. The importance of collections of prayers giving access to traditions of wisdom and reflection. The Broad Church approach’s offer to Christian traditions that find themselves in anxious conflict with other Christian traditions. The work of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 5 – A modern Broad Church – practical implications for today
A modern’Broad Church’ today is biblical, evangelical and catholic. It exists because of God’s initiative to humanity. The Bible can be discovered as something central and liberating. A modern church is evangelistic becasue it is biblical. The costliness of love. God’s judgement puts us and the world right. ‘Catholic’ means being aware of membership of the church of Christ across the world. The ecumenical character of modern church. The church’s mandate to proclaim the true relationship between church and state. The roles of church in national life, and the idea of the nation. Education as a leading priority. Justice, and the Kingdom of God as a realm of right relationships. The church’s role in articulating and educating towards this vision. Humanity without God lacks central vitally and true identity – a Broad Church approach offers a deeper vision of what our societies could and should be.
Buy On Being A Broad Church here for £9.99 (+p&p): Buy/On Being A Broad Church/Rogerson/lulu.com
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