Review of A Contemporary Theology for Ecumenical Peace

James Will. A Contemporary Theology for Ecumenical Peace. New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. 

A review by Alva R. Caldwell, Retired Associate Professor of Ministries at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

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At age eighty-six, James Will knew that he had one more book in him that needed to be written. Dr. Will had a story to tell, and a deep need to share that story. Having worked in a theological seminary as a member of the faculty and as director of the Peace and Justice Center at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, Dr. Will had spent a career addressing professional, academic audiences. But in this book, he made a decision to address a different audience. Although, still a book that has much to say to the academic community, it is primarily addressed to the laity of the church. The book is intended for a general audience.

The inspiration for the book grows out of Jeremiah’s lament, “'Peace, peace', they say, when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 8:11). What is one to make of the fact that the world continues to find ways to reject peace, and to live in hostility? In the very first chapter of this important book, we get a flavor of what Dr. Will means by “Ecumenical Peace.” This is not an appeal for denominational unity; Will goes immediately to the fact that God through Abraham brought into being three great religious traditions, and from the beginning of the book, the reader is challenged to set aside any presumptions that Christianity alone has the answer to establishing peace. The three great Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity are called into an ecumenical exercise to live into the peace that God demands of us.

The book is small in size, only fifty-seven pages, but large in its challenge to live into an ecumenical peace. The book is clearly theological in nature, helping the reader to work through various expressions of what it means to approach life through process theology, platonic philosophy, panentheism, pantheism, creation theology, and also gives us beautiful expressions of what it means to talk about God as Creator, Liberator, Redeemer. Here he does the reader a great favor by wading through much of the theological language that can only confuse and aggravate the reader. Instead, Dr. Will, invites us to hear these theological expressions as an invitation to live into an experience of working with one another to bring about peace. In fact, Dr. Will speaks of the world as an “unfinished creation,” in which the Abrahamic religions are invited to participate in peace making. In his own words, he says, “God’s enabling of human co-creation of peace is actualized in human dynamic praxis in an unfinished creation…”(page 13)

This delightful book is also a kind of memoir. Some folks read and then conclude that there is “nothing I can do to make a difference.” One of the wonderful things this book does is to listen to this eighty-six year old man tell stories of when he was in ROTC, when he was in college, when he was a seminarian, when he taught in graduate school, and in these lovely memories of his reflections, he gives the reader some very concrete ways in which persons can make a difference. This makes this book particularly valuable as a study guide for a congregation seeking to be pro-active in promoting peace and justice. Unfortunately, the publisher has chosen to deal with this book as a “publish on demand,” meaning that copies are printed as they are requested. This makes the book quite expensive. The book sells through Amazon for $67.50, but even at this price, the book is well worth reading as a contemporary witness to ecumenical peace.

Alumni Publications

Summer can be a great time to kick back and relax with a book. So if your reading list is looking a bit short, a number of our alums have published books in the past year that might peak your interest.

Research and Writing in the Seminary: Practical Strategies and Tools
by Diana Capitani (G-ETS 2000 and 2002) and Melanie Baffes (G-ETS 2010)

This practical, how-to book for beginning seminary students offers step-by-step guidelines for typical writing assignments at the master's level. Chapters are included on the most basic and common types of writing in seminary: theological book reviews, exegetical papers, theological essays or summaries, reflection papers, research papers, and sermons. Practical, immediately relevant topics offer guidelines students can use as soon as they need them--as they begin the research and writing process. The content is accessible to all students, including those with no writing or theological background and second-career students who finished undergraduate study many years prior to entering seminary. Samples of each type of paper are included, with step-by-step commentary to help beginning students understand the process.

A Contemporary Theology for Ecumenical Peace
by James Will (ETS 1952)

 Humanity's long history of intermittent conflicts and contemporary violence undermines Christian's (and their Jewish and Muslim fellow believers) religious confidence in and moral commitment to world peace. The principal issue is the ambiguity of God's presence and action in the world as we experience it. In A Contemporary Theology for Ecumenical Peace, this problem is addressed by relating biblical theology to contemporary philosophical and theological perspectives to motivate and sustain the practice of love and justice in the context of civil religion.

From Despair to Faith: The Spirituality of Søren Kierkegaard
by Christopher B. Barnett (G-ETS 2004)

Søren Kierkegaard has been called many things, from brooding genius and "melancholy Dane" to the father of existentialism. Yet, rather than clarify the nature of Kierkegaard’s writings, such labels have often obscured other important aspects of his authorship. Such, indeed, is the case with Kierkegaard’s standing as a spiritual author.

In From Despair to Faith: The Spirituality of Søren Kierkegaard, Christopher B. Barnett endeavors to remedy this problem. He does so in two overarching ways. First, he orients the reader to Kierkegaard’s grounding in the Christian spiritual tradition, as well as to the Dane’s own authorial stress on themes such as upbuilding, spiritual journey, and faith. Second, Barnett maintains that Kierkegaard’s spirituality is best understood through the various "pictures" that populate his authorship. These pictures are deemed "icons of faith," since Kierkegaard consistently recommends that the reader contemplate them. In this way, they both represent and communicate what Kierkegaard sees as the fulfillment of Christian existence.

In the end, then, From Despair to Faith not only offers a new way of approaching Kierkegaard's writings, but also shows how they might serve to illuminate and to deepen one's relationship with the divine.

 

Arturo and the Navidad Birds
by Anne Broyles (G-ETS 1979)

Boxes of Navidad ornaments and a lifetime of memories form the cornerstones of this enchanting bilingual tale told in English and Spanish. Young Arturo and his grandmother Abue Rosa spend a day decorating the Christmas tree. As each ornament is lifted gently from its wrappings, Abue Rosa tells the story of how it became a part of her collection. Some ornaments represent friends who have passed away; some were precious childhood gifts from her own parents; and some are mementos of her life with Arturo's abuelo (grandfather). Each brings a glittering fragment of the past as it adorns the tree. While Abue Rosa attends to the tamales in the kitchen, Arturo plays with a delicate ornament. When disaster strikes, Arturo is heartbroken. He learns an important lesson when he takes responsibility for his actions.

Arturo and the Navidad Birds was awarded Second Place in the International Latino Book Awards for "Best Bilingual Children's Fiction Picture Book." These awards represent 18 countries and three languages (Spanish, Portuguese, English).

Untamed Devotions: Stories of a Wild God
by Shane Allen Burton (G-ETS 1995)

In an untamed world riddled with untamed hate and violence, it is powerful and comforting to know there is an Untamed Love born of the heart of an Untamed God. Through these very personal stories, you will find yourself drawn into experiences of the extravagant Love of a very Wild God. God is untamed - God never holds back. God is always with us, waiting and wanting to help us through life's untamed moments.

Reform Movements in Methodism and How They Were Treated
by Paul F. McCleary (GBI 1956)

This book examines early reform movements in American Methodism, particularly the reform movements between 1790-1830, and their impact on the governance within the denomination. A secondary purpose is to initiate a study of the ramifications of the episcopal form of government has on the vitality of a local congregation of The United Methodist Church.

Fifth Annual Student Theological Conference

Let all who have ears, hear! The Student Theological Conference at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary is entering its fifth year of bringing together students from Chicagoland theological and divinity schools to share their papers, sermons, and presentations on a designated theme.  As the political rhetoric heats up over the next year in anticipation of the 2012 Presidential Election, “Church and State” seemed to be a most appropriate theme for the Fifth Annual Student Theological Conference.

The theme of “Church and State,” as well as being timely, offers students a broad array of paper, sermon, and presentation topics. Students could write a theological paper on abortion, a history paper on Constantine’s Christian State, an exegetical paper on Jesus’ view of government, or an adult education curriculum that examines the Christian ethical issues around war or the death penalty. Other topics include gay marriage bans by state/federal governments, the right of parents to not vaccinate/seek medical attention for their children based on religious beliefs, or how much voice the church should have in the government and vice versa.

The Conference brings together students of various denominational, political, and theological backgrounds to discuss these important issues and to hear the many viewpoints and stances. While it may seem that some of these topics may be better argued in a political debate or courtroom case, these are issues that persons of faith must also grapple with theologically, biblically, and in ministry.

At the same time, the Conference also recognizes that these are issues of Church and State and therefore we must be in dialogue with our brothers and sisters who are educated in law and the legal system. This is why Marci A. Hamilton, the Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, is our keynote speaker. Hamilton, who has worked on a number of religious land and clergy sex abuse cases, gives us the legal perspective on issues of Church and State. The issues that fall under the theme of Church and State involve persons within and outside of the local church who will not only be depending on their theology and beliefs to guide their actions but also the law of the city, state, and federal governments.

Students who are interested in presenting their work should contact student coordinator, Tasha Sargent or staff coordinator, Krista McNeil at stc@garrett.edu or by seeing Krista in office 213 in the main building at Garrett-Evangelical. Persons interested in attending the day-long conference on April 20, 2012 should likewise contact Tasha or Krista.  Please visit our website at www.garrett.edu/stc.

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The Student Theological Conference at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary offers students enrolled in any Chicagoland theological or divinity school the opportunity to present, critique and share their writings on topics related to theology. It creates communion and ecumenical discussion through open invitation to the Association of Chicago Theological Seminaries, the University of Chicago Divinity School, Loyola University of Chicago's department of theology and Wheaton College's biblical and theological studies department.