Theology for the Community of God

by Grenz, Stanley J.

• ISBN13: 9780802847553
• ISBN10: 0802847552
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781467430746
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

This proven systematic theology represents the very best in evangelical theology. Stanley Grenz presents the traditional themes of Christian doctrine -- God, humankind, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the last things -- all within an emphasis on God's central program for creation, namely, the establishment of community. Masterfully blending biblical, historical, and contemporary concerns, this new edition of Grenz's respected work provides a coherent vision of the faith that is both intellectually satisfying and expressible in Christian living.

Author Biography

Stanley J. Grenz is Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology, and Ethics at Carey Theological College and Professor of Theology and Ethics at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Preface	xxxi
Introduction: The Nature and Task of Theology	1	(1)
The Theological Task	1	(12)
The Historical Development of Theology	2	(1)
Development in the Meaning of the Term	2	(2)
The Need for Theology in the Church	4	(2)
The Task of Theology and the Church	6	(2)
The Relationship of Theology to Other Concepts	8	(1)
Theology and Faith	8	(1)
Theology and Religious Studies	9	(1)
Theology and the Sciences	10	(1)
Theology and Truth	10	(2)
The Ongoing Nature of the Theological Task	12	(1)
Dangers in the Theological Enterprise	12	(1)
Substitution	13	(1)
Dogmatism	13	(1)
Intellectualism	13	(1)
Theological Method	13	(14)
The Sources for Theology	14	(1)
The Reformation Debate	14	(1)
Contextualization and Experience	14	(2)
The Threefold Norm of Theology	16	(4)
The Integrative Motif of Theology	20	(1)
Representative Alternatives	21	(1)
The Kingdom of God	22	(1)
The Community of God	23	(1)
The Eschatological Community	24	(1)
The Structure of the Theological System	24	(1)
Theology and Ethics	25	(2)
PART 1 THEOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF GOD	27	(98)
The God Who Is	29	(24)
The Reality of God in an Era of Atheism	30	(13)
In the Era of the Bible: Which God?	30	(1)
The Rivalry of the Gods	31	(1)
The Universality of God	32	(1)
In the Christian Era: Does God Exist?	32	(1)
The Ontological Argument	33	(1)
The Cosmological and Teleological Arguments	34	(1)
The Moral Argument	35	(1)
The Rise of Intellectual Atheism	36	(1)
The Critique of the First Cause	36	(1)
The Critique of the Concept of God	37	(1)
The Elimination of the Idea of God	38	(1)
Theology and the Modern Situation	38	(1)
The Assertion of the Uniqueness of Christianity	38	(1)
The Reformulation of the Proofs	39	(1)
The Appeal to Anthropology	40	(1)
Christian Faith in the Contemporary Context	41	(2)
Knowledge of God in an Era of Agnosticism	43	(10)
The Claim to Know God and Intellectual Agnosticism	43	(1)
Epistemological Agnosticism	43	(1)
Logical Positivism	44	(1)
Agnosticism and the Incomprehensible God	45	(1)
The Means to Knowledge of God	45	(1)
Knowledge of God through Reason	45	(2)
Knowledge of God through Religious Experience	47	(1)
Knowledge of God through God's Self-Revelation	48	(1)
Knowing God	49	(1)
Knowing God as Subject	49	(1)
Knowing God in History	50	(1)
Knowing God and the Concept of Community	51	(2)
The Triune God	53	(24)
Trinitarian Doctrine in Theological History	54	(11)
The Situation of the First Christians	54	(1)
The One God	54	(1)
Jesus' Lordship	55	(1)
The Spirit's Presence	55	(1)
Historical Development of Trinitarian Doctrine	56	(1)
The Deity of Jesus	56	(3)
The Deity of the Spirit	59	(1)
Formulating Trinitarian Doctrine	60	(1)
Trinitarian Doctrine in Post-Cappadocian Theology	61	(1)
Eastern and Western Conceptions	61	(1)
The Filioque Controversy	62	(1)
Decline of the Doctrine	63	(1)
Recovery of the Doctrine	64	(1)
The Formulation of Trinitarian Doctrine	65	(6)
The Content of Trinitarian Doctrine	66	(1)
God Is One	66	(1)
God Is Three	66	(1)
God Is a Diversity	66	(1)
God Is a Unity	67	(2)
The Filioque and the Relational Trinity	69	(2)
Analogies to the Trinity	71	(1)
The Theological Implication of Trinitarian Doctrine	71	(3)
Love as the Essence of God	71	(1)
Love and the Inner Dynamic of God	72	(1)
Love as the Fundamental Divine Attribute	72	(1)
Love and the Divine Holiness, Jealousy, and Wrath	72	(2)
Love and the Other Moral Attributes	74	(1)
Trinitarian Doctrine and Christian Life	74	(3)
Trinitarian Prayer	74	(2)
Trinitarian Ethics	76	(1)
The Relational God	77	(21)
The Nature of the Relational God	78	(10)
God as (a) Being	78	(2)
God as Transcendent and Immanent	80	(1)
God as Spirit	81	(1)
Hegel's Conception of ``Spirit''	82	(1)
The Biblical Conception of ``Spirit''	82	(1)
Theological Implications	83	(1)
God as Person	83	(1)
The Philosophical Concept of ``Person''	84	(1)
Personhood and God's Relationship to the World	84	(1)
Personhood and God	85	(1)
The Name of God	86	(2)
The Divine Attributes	88	(10)
The Attributes and the Divine Substance	88	(1)
The Medieval Debate	88	(1)
The Doxological Position	89	(1)
The Division of the Attributes	90	(1)
The Eternal God	91	(1)
Eternality and Our Experience of Time	91	(1)
Attributes Related to God's Eternality	92	(1)
The Good God	93	(1)
Holiness	93	(1)
Compassion	94	(1)
God as the Moral Standard	95	(1)
The Practical Importance of the Attributes	95	(3)
The Creator God	98	(27)
God as the Creator of the World	98	(14)
The Creation of the World as the Act of God	99	(1)
The Free Act of Creation	99	(2)
The Loving Act of Creation	101	(1)
The Creation of the World as a Trinitarian Act	101	(1)
The Role of the Father	102	(1)
The Role of the Son	103	(2)
The Role of the Spirit	105	(1)
The Act of Creation and the Sovereign Creator	106	(1)
Present and Final Soverignty	106	(2)
De Jure and De Facto Sovereignty	108	(1)
God's Future	109	(1)
The Time of Creation	109	(1)
Creation as Past	109	(1)
Creation as Future	110	(1)
Creation and Essence	111	(1)
God as the Providential Administrator of the World	112	(13)
``Community'' as God's Purpose for Creation	112	(3)
The Doctrine of Providence in Recent Theology	115	(1)
The Classical Position	116	(2)
Providence in Liberal Theology	118	(1)
The Destruction of Providence	118	(1)
God's Administration of His World	119	(1)
Preservation	119	(2)
Concurrence	121	(1)
Government	122	(3)
PART 2 ANTHROPOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF HUMANITY	125	(118)
The Human Identity And Our Origin In God	127	(24)
Our Place in Creation	128	(4)
Humankind and the Cosmos in Changing Cultural Contexts	128	(1)
The ``Premodern'' Answer	128	(1)
The Modern Answer	129	(1)
Christian Faith and the Insights of Anthropology	129	(1)
The Concept of ``Openness to the World''	130	(1)
The Theological Significance of the Concept	131	(1)
``Openness to the World'' and General Revelation	132	(7)
The Question of General Revelation in Theology	133	(1)
The Meaning of General Revelation	133	(1)
The Place of General Revelation in Theological History	134	(3)
The Theological Importance of General Revelation	137	(1)
Revelation in the Human Person	137	(1)
Revelation in Nature	138	(1)
The Limit of General Revelation	138	(1)
God as Our Origin	139	(5)
The Existential Significance	140	(1)
God as the Ground of Personal Existence	140	(1)
God as Universal Father	141	(1)
The Essential Significance	142	(2)
Our Temporal Origin	144	(7)
The Question of the ``First Human''	144	(1)
The Traditional Position	144	(1)
The Mythical View	144	(1)
The Underlying Hermeneutical Question	145	(1)
The ``First Human'' and Evolution	146	(1)
Considerations in the Evolution Debate	146	(2)
Adam as a Historical Person	148	(1)
Anthropology and Our Temporal Origin	148	(1)
The Temporal Beginning of Humankind	149	(1)
The Temporal Beginning of Each Person	149	(1)
The Unity of Humankind	149	(2)
Our Nature As Persons Destined For Community	151	(30)
Our Ontological Nature	152	(16)
Autonomy versus Determinism	152	(1)
The Focus on Autonomy	152	(1)
The Focus on Essence	152	(2)
The Christian Perspective	154	(1)
Human Substances	155	(1)
The Idea of Substantial Entities	155	(1)
The Trichotomist and Dichotomist Viewpoints	156	(2)
Substantial Entities and Modern Theology	158	(2)
The Contemporary Wholistic Alternative	160	(3)
Death and the Whole Person	163	(1)
The Origin of the Soul	164	(1)
Traditional Alternatives	164	(2)
The Classical Debate and the Contemporary Context	166	(1)
The Soul and Our Ontological Nature	167	(1)
Humans as the Image of God	168	(13)
The Image of God in Theological History	168	(1)
The Structural View	169	(1)
The Relational View	170	(2)
The Dynamic View	172	(1)
The Image of God in the Bible	173	(1)
The Divine Image in the Genesis Creation Narratives	173	(3)
The Divine Image Elsewhere in Genesis	176	(1)
The Image of God in the New Testament	176	(1)
The Theological Significance of the Image of God	177	(1)
The Divine Image as a Special Standing	177	(1)
The Divine Image as a Special Fellowship	178	(1)
The Divine Image as an Eshatological Reality	178	(1)
The Divine Image as a Special Community	178	(3)
Sin: The Destruction Of Community	181	(32)
The Nature of Sin	182	(7)
Biblical Terms for Sin	182	(1)
Old Testament Words for Sin	182	(1)
New Testament Words for Sin	183	(1)
Sin and the Human Person	184	(1)
Sin Infects the Core of Our Being	184	(1)
Sin Perverts Goodness	185	(1)
Sin Is Universal	185	(1)
The Essence of Sin	186	(1)
Sin as Failure	186	(1)
Sin as Disruption of Community	187	(1)
Sin as Revealed in the Gospel	188	(1)
Original Sin	189	(18)
The Fall of Humankind --- the Fall of Adam	190	(1)
The Garden	190	(1)
The First Sin	191	(1)
Consequences of the First Sin	192	(1)
The First Sin and the Sin of Humankind	193	(1)
Historical Suggestions	194	(3)
The Reality of the Fall	197	(1)
Original Sin and Guilt	198	(1)
The Question of Guilt in Theological History	199	(3)
The Biblical Basis for the Reformed View	202	(3)
The Reality of Original Sin	205	(2)
The Results of Sin: Our Human Situation	207	(6)
Alienation	207	(1)
Condemnation	208	(2)
Enslavement	210	(1)
Depravity	211	(2)
Our Spiritual Co-Creatures	213	(30)
The Nature of the Spiritual Realities	214	(14)
Angelology in Christian Theology	214	(1)
The Middle Ages: Speculative Angelology	214	(1)
The Reformation: Biblical Angelology	215	(1)
The Enlightenment: Rejection of Angelology	216	(1)
Contemporary Theology: A Renewed Interest	217	(2)
A Biblical Theology of Angels	219	(1)
Definition	219	(1)
Angels in the Old Testament	219	(2)
Angels in the New Testament	221	(1)
A Biblical Theology of Demons	222	(1)
Definitions	222	(1)
Demons in the Old Testament	223	(1)
Demons in the New Testament	224	(1)
A Biblical Theology of Satan	225	(1)
Names Related to Satan	225	(1)
Satan in the Old Testament	225	(1)
Satan in the New Testament	226	(2)
Angelology and Structures of Existence	228	(7)
The Structures of Existence	228	(1)
The Function of the Structures	228	(2)
The Existence of Structures	230	(1)
Structures of Existence and the Bible	231	(1)
Structures and Spiritual Beings	231	(1)
Structures and the ``Powers''	231	(1)
Structures and Governance	232	(1)
A Theology of the Structures	232	(1)
God's Intent for the Structures	232	(1)
The Evil Manipulation of Structures	233	(2)
Structures and Christ	235	(1)
The Demonic and Superstition	235	(8)
Superstition and the Old Testament	236	(1)
The Old Testament Opposition to Superstition	236	(1)
The Presence of Superstition in Israel	236	(1)
Superstition and Idolatry	237	(1)
The Status of the Power Lying behind Superstition	238	(1)
The Reality of the Powers	238	(1)
The Powers as Unreal	239	(1)
A Christian Stance toward Superstition	240	(3)
PART 3 CHRISTOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST	243	(114)
The Fellowship Of Jesus The Christ With God	245	(27)
Foundations: Jesus, the Divine One	246	(16)
Development of the Affirmation of Jesus' Deity	246	(1)
Christological Controversy in the Second Century	246	(2)
The Arian Controversy	248	(1)
The Basis of Christology	249	(2)
The Foundation of Our Christological Affirmation	251	(1)
Jesus' Sinlessness	252	(1)
Jesus' Teaching	253	(1)
Jesus' Death	253	(1)
Jesus' Claim	254	(2)
Jesus' Resurrection	256	(4)
Jesus' Claim and His Resurrection	260	(1)
The Historical Foundation and Faith	260	(2)
Implications: Jesus as One with God	262	(10)
Jesus' Unity with God	262	(1)
Function versus Ontology	262	(2)
Jesus as the Revealer of God	264	(2)
Jesus' Fellowship with the Father	266	(1)
Jesus' Compassion	266	(1)
Jesus' Special Fellowship with God	267	(3)
Jesus' Lordship	270	(1)
The Cosmic Lord	270	(1)
Our Personal Lord	270	(1)
The Lord of History	271	(1)
The Fellowship Of Jesus The Christ With Humankind	272	(22)
Jesus as a Human	273	(6)
Development of the Affirmation of Jesus' Humanity	273	(1)
Apollinarianism	274	(1)
The Council of Constantinople	275	(1)
Jesus as Sharing in True Humanness	275	(1)
Jesus and the Conditions of Human Existence	275	(3)
Jesus and Human Growth	278	(1)
Implications of Jesus' Humanness	278	(1)
Jesus as the True Human	279	(7)
The Foundation for Affirming Jesus as the True Human	279	(1)
The Foundation in Jesus' Earthly Life	279	(2)
The Foundational Importance of the Resurrection	281	(1)
Jesus' Claim to Uniqueness	281	(1)
The Content of Our Affirming Jesus as the True Human	282	(1)
Jesus and the Resurrection	282	(1)
Jesus and Community	283	(1)
Jesus and the Upward Fall	284	(1)
Jesus as the New Human	285	(1)
Jesus as the Universal Human	286	(8)
Jesus and the Marginalized	286	(2)
Jesus and Women	288	(4)
Jesus and the Individual	292	(2)
The Fellowship Of Deity And Humanity In Jesus	294	(32)
Jesus as Divine and Human	295	(10)
The Historical Debate concerning Jesus' Person	295	(1)
The Nestorian Controversy	296	(1)
The Eutychian Controversy	297	(1)
Christology after Chalcedon	297	(1)
The Reformation Debate	298	(1)
The Foundation for Affirming the Unity	299	(1)
Jesus as the Word	300	(2)
Jesus as the Son	302	(1)
The Relationship between Deity and Humanity in Jesus	303	(1)
Jesus and Revelation	303	(2)
Jesus and Community	305	(1)
The Incarnation	305	(9)
The Incarnation in Theological History	306	(1)
The Kenosis Theory	306	(1)
Modifications to the Kenosis Theory	307	(1)
The Incarnation as the Paradox of Grace	307	(1)
The Critique of Incarnational Christology	308	(1)
Criticisms of the Traditional Understanding	309	(1)
Significance of the Incarnation	309	(2)
Jesus' Preexistence	311	(1)
The Problem of Preexistence	311	(1)
The Meaning of Preexistence	312	(1)
Jesus and Preexistence	313	(1)
The Virgin Birth	314	(12)
The Historical Context of the Modern Debate	315	(1)
Affirmations of the Virgin Birth	315	(1)
Reinterpretations of the Virgin Birth	316	(1)
Current Debate about the Virgin Birth	317	(1)
Protestants and the Virgin Birth	317	(1)
Roman Catholics and the Virgin Birth	318	(1)
Points of Debate concerning the Virgin Birth	319	(1)
Theological Arguments	320	(2)
Historical Arguments	322	(1)
Textual Arguments	323	(1)
The Virgin Birth and Christology	324	(2)
The Mission of Jesus	326	(31)
The Vocation of the Earthly Jesus	327	(12)
Fulfilling the Old Testament Hope	328	(1)
Jesus as the Prophet	328	(1)
Jesus as the Messiah	329	(4)
Heralding the Divine Reign	333	(1)
The Centrality of the Kingdom	333	(1)
Jesus as the Son of Man	333	(2)
The One Sent to Die	335	(1)
Jesus' Consciousness of His Death	336	(1)
Jesus as the Suffering Servant	336	(2)
Jesus' Self-Consciouness	338	(1)
The Atonement and the Mission of Jesus	339	(15)
The Atonement in Theological History	340	(1)
Dynamic Imagery	340	(2)
Objective Imagery	342	(1)
Subjective Imagery	343	(1)
Modifications to Anselm's Theory	344	(1)
The Significance of Jesus' Death in the New Testament	345	(1)
Jesus' Death as Our Example	345	(1)
Jesus' Death as Our Ransom	345	(1)
Jesus' Death as Our Expiation	346	(1)
Jesus Is Our Reconciliation	347	(1)
Jesus' Death and Us	348	(1)
The Atonement and the Human Predicament	349	(1)
Our Reception of Christ's Atonement	349	(1)
The Atonement and Community	350	(2)
Christ's Substitution	352	(2)
The Ongoing Work of Christ	354	(3)
The Exaltation	354	(1)
Jesus' Present and Future Ministry	354	(1)
Jesus' Present Ministry	354	(1)
Jesus' Ongoing Ministry	355	(1)
Implication of Jesus' Ongoing Ministry for Prayer	355	(2)
PART 4 PNEUMATOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT	357	(104)
The Identity of The Holy Spirit	359	(20)
The Spirit in Salvation History	360	(12)
The Holy Spirit and the Old Testament Era	361	(1)
The Spirit of God in the Old Testament	361	(1)
Functions of the Spirit of God in the Old Testament	362	(2)
Eschatological Direction of Old Testament Pneumatology	364	(1)
The Holy Spirit and the Christ	365	(1)
Jesus --- the Bearer of the Spirit	365	(1)
Jesus' Promise concerning the Coming Spirit	366	(1)
Pentecost --- the Fulfillment of Jesus' Promise	367	(3)
The Spirit and the Community of Christ	370	(1)
The Significance of Pentecost	370	(1)
The Holy Spirit and the Risen Lord	371	(1)
The Spirit in the Trinitarian Life	372	(7)
The Foundation of Pneumatology in the Immanent Trinity	373	(1)
The Basic Identity of the Spirit	373	(1)
The Deity and Personhood of the Spirit	374	(1)
The Holy Spirit and the Economic Trinity	375	(1)
A Basic Understanding	375	(1)
Aspects of the Spirit's Identity as the Power of God	376	(1)
His Identity as the Eschatological Creator Spirit	376	(3)
The Spirit And The Scriptures	379	(26)
The Spirit as the Foundation of Scripture	380	(8)
Inspiration and Illumination	380	(1)
The Concept of Inspiration	381	(1)
The Concept of Illumination	382	(1)
The One Act of the Spirit	383	(1)
Functional and Canonical Approaches	383	(3)
The Development of Scripture in the Community	386	(1)
The Risk of Subjectivism	387	(1)
The Task of the Spirit Speaking through Scripture	388	(4)
Scripture as the Source of Spiritual Sustenance	388	(1)
The Constitutional Role of Scripture	389	(3)
The Bible and Revelation	392	(5)
The Concept of Revelation	392	(1)
Barth's Proposal	392	(1)
Revelation in the Bible	393	(1)
Revelation and Scripture	394	(2)
The Bible as Revelation	396	(1)
The Bible as Derivative Revelation	396	(1)
The Bible as Functional Revelation	396	(1)
The Bible as Mediate Revelation	397	(1)
Biblical Authority	397	(8)
The Trustworthiness of Scripture	397	(1)
Verbal, Plenary Inspiration	398	(1)
An Infallible, Inerrant Bible	398	(4)
Biblical Authority and the Authority of the Spirit	402	(1)
The Extent of Biblical Authority	403	(1)
Our Sole Authority	403	(1)
Our Authority in All of Life	403	(2)
The Dynamic of Conversion	405	(27)
The Individual Aspect of Conversion	406	(5)
Repentance	406	(2)
Faith	408	(1)
Our Response: Repentance and Faith	409	(2)
The Divine Aspect of Conversion	411	(12)
The Spirit's Activity in the Conversion Process	411	(1)
Conviction	412	(1)
Call	413	(1)
Illumination	414	(1)
Enablement	414	(1)
Conversion and the Baptism of the Spirit	415	(1)
Modern Pentecostalism	415	(3)
Pentecostal View of Spirit Baptism and Tongues	418	(1)
An Evaluation of the Pentecostal Position	419	(3)
Spirit Baptism, Conversion, and Spirit Filling	422	(1)
The Community Aspect of Conversion	423	(9)
The Role of the Community in Conversion	423	(1)
Proclamation of the Gospel	423	(1)
Incorporation into a New Community	424	(3)
Conversion and Church Initiation Rites	427	(1)
Historical and Contemporary Positions	427	(1)
The New Testament Teaching	428	(1)
Conversion as Faith Expressed through Baptism	429	(3)
Individual Salvation: The Wider Perspective	432	(29)
The Process of Salvation	433	(14)
Conversion	433	(1)
Conversion and the Human Predicament	433	(5)
Conversion and the Establishment of Community	438	(2)
Sanctification	440	(1)
The Concept of Sanctification in the Bible	440	(2)
The Theological Concept of Sanctification	442	(1)
The Sanctification Process	443	(1)
Perfectionism	444	(2)
Glorification	446	(1)
The Eternal Context of Salvation	447	(14)
Divine Election	448	(1)
The Controversy over the Five Points of Calvinism	448	(3)
The Decrees of God	451	(1)
Election to Community	452	(3)
The Ordo Salutis	455	(1)
Historical Perspective	455	(1)
Representative Positions	456	(2)
The Order of Salvation and the Future Community	458	(3)
PART 5 ECCLESIOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH	461	(110)
The Church --- The Eschatological Covenant Community	463	(23)
The Church as a Covenant People	464	(8)
Ekklesia	464	(1)
The Nation, the Body, and the Temple	465	(1)
The Nation of God	466	(1)
The Body of Christ	466	(1)
The Temple of the Spirit	467	(1)
The Church as Mystical, Universal, and Local	467	(1)
The Marks of the Church	468	(1)
The Classical Alternatives	468	(2)
Biblical Consideration	470	(1)
Balanced Congregationalism	471	(1)
The Church as the Sign of the Kingdom	472	(7)
The Biblical Conception of the Kingdom	472	(1)
Old Testament Teaching about the Kingdom	472	(1)
The Kingdom and Jesus	473	(2)
The Biblical Drama of the Kingdom	475	(2)
The Kingdom and the Church	477	(1)
Church and Kingdom in Christian Thought	477	(1)
The Church in the Kingdom	478	(1)
Ecclesiological Implications	478	(1)
The Church as Community	479	(7)
The Basis in the Covenant and the Kingdom	480	(1)
The Community of the Covenant	480	(1)
Community and the Divine Purpose	481	(1)
Community and the Divine Nature	482	(1)
The Church as the Image of God	483	(1)
The Church and the Spirit	483	(3)
The Ministry of The Community	486	(25)
The Purpose of the Church	486	(4)
The Church in God's Purposes	487	(1)
The Church and the Purpose of Creation	487	(1)
The Church and the Glory of God	488	(1)
God's Purpose in Glorification	488	(2)
The Mandate of the Church	490	(21)
Worship	490	(1)
The Focus of Worship	491	(1)
The Means of Worship	492	(4)
Edification	496	(1)
Aspects of Edification	496	(1)
The Church as a Praying People	497	(1)
The Church as Community to Its Believers	498	(4)
Outreach	502	(1)
Outreach as Evangelism	502	(3)
Outreach as Service	505	(6)
Community Acts of Commitment	511	(31)
Acts of Commitment and the Church	512	(8)
The Function of Acts of Commitment	512	(1)
Sacrament or Ordinance	512	(3)
The Meaning of ``Ordinances''	515	(2)
Commitment Acts and Community	517	(1)
The Number of Commitment Acts	518	(1)
The Historical Question	518	(1)
Two Acts of Commitment	519	(1)
Baptism: The Seal of Our Identity	520	(11)
Background and History	520	(1)
The Meaning of Baptism	521	(1)
The Symbolic Significance of Baptism	521	(1)
The Eschatological Orientation of Baptism	522	(1)
Baptism and the Community	523	(1)
The Impact of Baptism	523	(1)
The Working of Baptism	524	(1)
Baptism as a Divine Act	524	(2)
Baptism as a Human Act	526	(1)
Baptism as a Divine-Human Act	526	(1)
The Subjects of Baptism	527	(1)
Baptism and Faith	527	(1)
Infant versus Believer's Baptism	528	(2)
The Mode of Baptism	530	(1)
The Lord's Supper: Reaffirming Our Identity	531	(11)
The Presence of the Lord in the Celebration	532	(1)
The Development of Transubstantiation	532	(1)
The Protestant Reaction	533	(3)
The Meaning of the Lord's Supper	536	(1)
The Question of Terminology	536	(1)
The Orientation to the Past	536	(1)
The Orientation to the Future	537	(1)
The Orientation to Community	538	(1)
Our Presence at the Lord's Supper	539	(1)
The Importance of Our Presence	540	(1)
The Presence of Others at the Table	540	(2)
The Organization For Community Life	542	(29)
Membership in the Community	543	(6)
Community Membership in the First Century	543	(1)
Baptism and Community Membership	544	(1)
The Legacy of the Reformation	544	(1)
The Pure Church Ideal	545	(1)
Initiation into the Community	546	(1)
Baptism after the First Century	547	(1)
Sectariansim versus Denominationalism	547	(1)
Beyond Denominationalism	548	(1)
Community Structures	549	(8)
The Government of the Community	549	(1)
Models of Government	549	(2)
New Testament Considerations	551	(1)
Balancing Autonomy with the Associational Impulse	552	(1)
Government within the Communities	553	(1)
The Congregationalist Dilemma	553	(1)
The Foundation of Democratic Congregationalism	554	(2)
The Democratic Congregational Ideal in Practice	556	(1)
Leadership for the Community	557	(6)
Offices in the Communities	557	(1)
Church Offices in the New Testament	558	(2)
Church Offices in the Ecclesiastical Tradition	560	(1)
New Testament Offices and Today's Church	560	(1)
Offices of the Community	561	(1)
The New Testament Background	562	(1)
The Pastoral Office	562	(1)
Ordination by the Community	563	(8)
The Basis for the Practice of Pastoral Ordination	564	(1)
The Biblical Foundation for Ordination	564	(1)
The Theological Foundation for Ordination	565	(2)
The Significance of Ordination	567	(1)
The Meaning of the Act	567	(1)
The Ordaining Body	568	(1)
The Ordaining Event	569	(2)
PART 6 ESCHATOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS	571	(108)
The Consummation of Personal Existence	573	(26)
The Significance of Death	574	(9)
The Problem of Death	574	(1)
The Problem of Definition	574	(1)
Death and the Meaning of Life	575	(1)
The Biblical Trajectory	576	(1)
The Old Testament: Death as Ambiguous	576	(2)
The New Testament: Hope in the Face of Death	578	(2)
The Theological Significance of Death	580	(1)
Death and the Biological Realm	580	(1)
Death as Loss of Community	580	(2)
Death's Loss of Ultimacy	582	(1)
Overcoming Death in the Resurrection	583	(6)
The Nature of Culminated Personal Life	583	(1)
Contemporary Visions of the Culmination of Life	583	(3)
The Christian Hope	586	(1)
The Possibility of the Resurrection	587	(2)
Hope in the Face of Death	589	(10)
Competing Visions of Life after Death	589	(1)
Death as the Entrance into Eternity	589	(1)
Soul Sleep	590	(1)
Conscious Existence of the Soul	591	(1)
Biblical Insight into the Intermediate State	592	(1)
The Old Testament Concept of Sheol	592	(1)
The New Testament Basis for an Intermediate State	593	(2)
The Biblical Conception of Life Beyond Death	595	(1)
The Situation of the Righteous beyond Death	596	(1)
The Foundation: Hope for Resurrection	596	(1)
The Realm beyond Death	597	(2)
The Consummation Of History	599	(24)
The Meaning of History	600	(9)
Christian Hope in a Changed Context	600	(1)
From Optimism to Pessimism	601	(2)
The Challenge of a Pessimistic World	603	(1)
Corporate Eschatology and the Biblical Message	603	(1)
The Prophetic Vision	603	(2)
The Apocalyptic Vision	605	(1)
The Significance of History	606	(1)
The Basic Characteristics of History	606	(2)
History as God at Work Establishing Community	608	(1)
The Presence of Community in and beyond History	609	(3)
History's Goal as ``Already''	609	(2)
History's Goal as ``Not Yet''	611	(1)
The End as Grace	611	(1)
The End as Judgment	611	(1)
The Climax of History	612	(11)
Apocalyptic and Millenarianism	612	(1)
The Millennium in Christian Theology	613	(1)
Postmillennialism	614	(1)
Amillennialism	615	(1)
Premillennialism	615	(2)
The Deeper Issue of Millennialism	617	(1)
Postmillennial Optimism	617	(1)
Premillennial Pessimism	618	(1)
Amillennial Realism	619	(1)
Our Ultimate Hope	619	(1)
The Era of the Imminent End of History	620	(1)
The Biblical Understanding of Our Age	620	(1)
The Eschatological Timetable	621	(2)
The Consummation of God's Cosmic Program	623	(27)
The Transition from Creation to New Creation	624	(10)
The Judgment of the Cosmos	624	(1)
The Certainty of Cosmic Judgment	624	(1)
The Purpose of Cosmic Judgment	625	(1)
The Judgment of Humankind	626	(1)
The Certainty of Our Judgment	626	(2)
The Time of Our Judgment	628	(1)
The Basis for Judgment	629	(1)
Our Presence at the Judgment	630	(1)
The Nature of the Judgment	631	(1)
Eternal Rewards	632	(2)
The Dark Side of the Judgment	634	(10)
Universalism	634	(1)
The Place of Universalism in the Church	634	(1)
The Foundation of Universalism	635	(2)
Difficulties with Universalism	637	(1)
Conditional Immortality	638	(1)
Its Presence in the Church	638	(1)
The Foundation of Annihilationism	638	(1)
Difficulties with Annihilationism	639	(2)
The Reality of Hell	641	(1)
The Foundation of the Doctrine	641	(1)
Hell: The Eternal Tragedy	642	(2)
The New Creation	644	(6)
The New Creation as the Renewal of the Cosmos	645	(1)
Renewal as the Completion of Creation	645	(1)
The Relationship of the New to the Old	645	(1)
The Implication of Cosmic Renewal	646	(1)
The New Creation as Fullness of Community	646	(1)
A Place Where God Is Present	647	(1)
A Place of Fellowship	647	(1)
A Place of Glorification	648	(2)
The Significance of Eschatology	650	(29)
Eschatology as Insight into the Present	651	(1)
Eschatology as God's Call in the Present	652	(3)
The Foundation for God's Eschatological Call	652	(1)
The Biblical Precedence	653	(1)
The Implications for Theology	653	(1)
Aspects of God's Eschatological Call	653	(1)
A Call to Evangelism	654	(1)
A Call to Holiness	654	(1)
A Call to Steadfastness	655	(1)
Eschatology as Insight for Living	655	(6)
Eschatological Living as Hopeful Involvement	656	(1)
Eschatological Living as Realistic Engagement	657	(1)
Our Actions as Effective	657	(1)
Our Actions as Penultimate	657	(1)
Eschatological Living in the Light of the Eternal	658	(3)
INDEXES
Subject Index	661	(10)
Name Index	671	(8)
Scripture Index	679