With reference to social science research and the work of David Bosch and Max Stackhouse, this article argues that the energy for Christian communities to act in socially transformative ways is strengthened and enhanced by attending to poiesis. The concept poiesis is explored in the light of social science research on effective social movements and this is related to the Christian practice of liturgy. Liturgy is used as a broad heuristic concept that represents the creative and imaginative energy of Christian faith in its gathered communities, its telling of inspiring and transformative stories, and its engagement of its context with a vision for a better world. There is a need to enhance the hermeneutic cycle of "see-judge-act" with the inspiring vision of poiesis that will move Christian communities to action for social change.
This paper describes research relevant to spiritual care for LGBTQI refugees and migrants. The literature indicates some distinct challenges faced by religiously involved LGBTQI migrants and refugees. LGBTQI migrants and refugees may not be able to experience family and religion as supportive compared to migrants and refugees who do not identify as LGBTQI. Such migrants and refugees thus face elevated levels of mental health challenges compared to non-LGBTQI refugees and they also face additional mental health risks compared to non-refugee LGBTQI adults and youth. Such risks include suicidality, depression, substance abuse, social isolation, internalised religious homonegativity, shame and risks to sexual health and a breakdown in the ability to trust others and caregivers. The paper identifies five seminal areas for extending care in the light of the research. These include building trust and properly assessing risk, working towards relational health, helping clients move to new ways of constructing and conceiving of family, easing the influence of internalised homonegativity and shame, and finding written and human resources that will be helpful to clients. These areas of care only present a tentative map as this issue requires more research and reflection.
This paper responds, from a North American perspective, to Sebastian Kim’s plenary address at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Society for Missiology on the relationship between public theology and missiology. The paper reviews the contribution of North American missiologists to the reflection on the public witness of the church, highlights the published contributions of Hunsberger, Leffel, Pieterse, Hunt, Okesson and Fensham, while recognizing the contribution of practitioners such as Kenney and Simpson. The paper proposes that missiologists can contribute to the conversation with public theologians on the themes of theologies of culture, the missionary dimension of all theology, the clarification of the meaning of “church”, “world” and “publics,” the theme of repentance, and offering an inspiring transformative vision for a flourishing creation.
This essay will compare the approaches of Jürgen Moltmann and René Girard and those who follow his social criticism, in the light of the need for an ecological reinterpretation of the nature of sin. Sin, and the doctrine of original sin in the Western tradition goes to the very basis of the Christian story and the concept gospel. Good news is there to address bad news. In turn, the story of good news in the Christian tradition requires a thorough exploration of bad news. The need for an ecologically sound harmartiology begs the question of ktisiology and the very nature of 'God the Father Creator of heaven and earth'. It leads us to ask: Why is the Christian faith a salvifijic faith? Why redemption and what is it?
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