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Kenneth Brewer

By on March 1, 2013 in Faculty Publications

Brewer, Kenneth W. “Rob Bell and John Wesley on the fate of the lost and those who never heard the Gospel.”Wesleyan Theological Journal 48, no. 1 (March 1, 2013): 117-134.

Abstract: Most theologians seek to ground their theology in Scripture. Often, a conflict in interpretation emerges. When this happens, both sides claim that it is there position that is supported by Scripture, while other interpretations are not warranted. And so, the exegetical battle ensures. Recently, Rob Bell critiqued the traditional view of hell and the fate of those who never heard the Christian gospel in his bestselling book, Love Wins. While admittedly not a sophisticated academic treatment, Bell charged that the gospel has been misread and that the biblical images of hell have been taken too literally. He seeks to revise the traditional story-line of the gospel by accenting the love of God, wondering how a God of love could torture people in hell forever. Bell is also disturbed by those who claim that only a few will be saved and by those who know that someone like Gandhi is doomed to an eternal hell without any possibility of redemption.

Laura Widstrom

By on October 4, 2011 in Faculty Publications

Widstrom, Laura. “Adolescent Peer Relationships and Behavior Problems Predict Young Adults’ Communication on Social Networking Websites.” Journal Of Youth Ministry 9, no. 1 (Fall 2010): 111-114.

Abstract: The article reviews the article “Adolescent Peer Relationships and Behavior Problems Predict Young Adults’ Communication on Social Networking Websites,” by A. Y. Mikami, D. E. Szwedo, J. P. Allen, M. A. Evans and A. L. Hare, which appeared in the periodical “Developmental Psychology” in 2010.

Laura Widstrom

By on September 2, 2011 in Faculty Publications

Widstrom, Laura. “Evaluating Adolescent Catechesis.” Journal of Youth Ministry 10, no. 1 (Fall 2011): 110–113.

Abstract: The article evaluates the effectiveness of adolescent catechetical curricula in fostering Christian discipleship. With statistics revealing that ten percent of Americans are former Catholics and that one third of Catholics born in the U.S. are no longer practicing their faith, Catholic church leaders are anxious to understand why so many young people are leaving the church and what tools might be effective in reversing the trend. The Youth in Theology and Ministry program is described.

Kenneth Brewer

By on May 19, 2011 in Faculty Publications

Brewer, Kenneth. “The Cambridge Companion to John Wesley. Edited by Randy L. Maddox and Jason E. Vickers.” Heythrop Journal 52, no. 3 (May 2011): 513-514. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2265.2011.00663_58.x

Abstract: The Cambridge Companions to Religion series has provided numerous volumes of high quality to its readers. The recent addition, The Cambridge Companion to John Wesley, is no exception. The various chapters include four sections covering Wesley’s 18th century context, his life, work, and legacy. The text, in its entirety, provides an excellent overview and introduction not only to John Wesley in particular, but to the Wesleyan tradition in general.

Laura Hunt

By on February 25, 2011 in Faculty Publications

Hunt, Laura J.The Not-Very-Persecuted Church: Paul at the Intersection of Church and Culture. Eugene, Or.: Resource Publications, 2011.

The Not Very Persecuted ChurchHow do we live distinctively in communities embedded in the world around us? The Not-Very-Persecuted Church provides church leaders, pastors, and Christians interested in community development with principles for evaluating culture in light of mission. Since we are called to live in community, the processes that build group identity can help us understand how to live together well. Paul addressed some of the problems that can occur in not-very-persecuted groups in the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians, and he shows us the way suffering forms identity in that context.

With discussion questions and stories from personal interviews, this book offers both fascinating glimpses into the world of the first century and practical applications for Christians today.

Brian Lugioyo

By on August 27, 2010 in Faculty Publications

Lugioyo, Brian.  Martin Bucer’s Doctrine of Justification : Reformation Theology and Early Modern Irenicism: Reformation Theology and Early Modern Irenicism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Martin Bucer's Doctrine of JustificationMartin Bucer has usually been portrayed as a diplomat who attempted to reconcile divergent theological views, sometimes at any cost, or as a pragmatic pastor who was more concerned with ethics than theology. These representations have led to the view that Bucer was a theological lightweight, rightly placed in the shadow of Luther and Calvin. This book makes a different argument. Bucer was an ecclesial diplomat and a pragmatic pastor, yet his ecclesial and practical approaches to reforming the Church were guided by coherent theological convictions. Central to his theology was his understanding of the doctrine of justification, an understanding that Brian Lugioyo argues has an integrity of its own, though it has been imprecisely represented as intentionally conciliatory. It was this solid doctrine that guided Bucer’s irenicism and acted as a foundation for his entrance into discussions with Catholics between 1539 and 1541. Lugioyo demonstrates that Bucer was consistent in his approach and did not sacrifice his theological convictions for ecclesial expediency. Indeed his understanding was an accepted evangelical perspective on justification, one to be commended along with those of Luther and Calvin.

Nathan Foster

By on March 7, 2010 in Faculty Publications, General

Foster, Nathan. Wisdom Chaser: Finding My Father at 14,000 Feet. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014.

Wisdom Chaser This book, Wisdom Chaser: Finding My Father at 14,000 Feet begins with a simple question from a struggling son to a world famous Father: “Hey Dad, you want to climb the highest mountain in Colorado?'” And for Nathan Foster and his father best selling author, Richard Foster Celebration of Discipline, Prayer, that simple question changed everything. With no hiking experience to draw on, they embarked on a journey of physical challenge, discovering just how far they could push themselves. For Nathan a parallel journey took him inside himself.

Having grown up in the shadow of a famous father, Richard J. Foster, Nathan had a lot of questions about who his father really was. Would hiking open the door for him to get to know this distant figure? As the one-time experiment evolved into a decade of challenging hikes up Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, the Fourteeners, Nathan navigated his twenties–finishing college, choosing a career, a possible cross-country move, the early years of marriage and a major personal crisis. Along the way he would discover exactly what his father could offer him.

Charles White

By on February 3, 2010 in Faculty Publications

White, Charles Edward. “Wesley and Methodist Studies, Vol. 1.” Fides Et Historia 42, no. 1 (Winter, 2010): 79-80.

Abstract: The Manchester Wesley Research Center has launched a new journal which, as its website says,”[publishes] scholarly essays that examine the life and work of John and Charles Wesley, their contemporaries (proponents or opponents) in the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival, their historical and theological antecedents, their successors in the Wesleyan tradition, and studies of the contemporary Wesleyan and Evangelical traditions. Its primary historical scope is the eighteenth century to the present; however, WMS will publish essays that explore the historical and theological antecedents of the Wesleys (including work on Samuel and Susanna Wesley), Methodism, and the Evangelical Revival. This journal will have a dual and broad focus on both history and theology. Its aim is to present significant scholarly contributions that shed light on historical and theological understanding of Methodism broadly conceived.”