Author: ppadmin

Reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

Ateek is (Anglican) canon of St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem and pastors its Arabaic speaking congregation.  The claim for security for the one people, the Israeli Jews, has been purchased at the expense of the just claims to the land of another people, the Palestinians.  In Ateek’s words, the Israeli Jews seek peace with security, and the Palestinians seek peace with justice.  The rival claims of these three major religions with their roots in Palestine underscores that the key to peace is the acknowledgement that this land must be shared.  How do we end violence to one people in a way that does not create new violence to another people? 

The critical issue for every liberation theology is not simply how to throw off oppression and empower the formerly victimized, but how to do it in a way that does not create new violence to another people.  ‘Only justice rooted in compassion can save us from repeating the cycle of violence (p xiii).  Ateek writes carefully about the historical pressure in Palestine and the various movements in the struggle (Zionists, Christian and Jewish; right wing eschatologies).  Ateek writes well about the role of the bible, and our concept of G-d.  A biblical hermeneutic that seeks to identify the authentic word of G-d, and this hermeneutic for Christians Is Jesus Christ.  Applying this hermeneutic to the Old Testament passages is for the Christian the need to see as inadequate the human understanding of G-d.  (The wholesale destruction and killing of Jericho’s inhabitants, the death by bear of small boys, the massacre of the Amalekites.  Ateek identifies three central biblical themes:  justice (Naboth), prophets (who tell the truth even when it is unpopular), refugees’ hope in G-d (Psalm 42,43).

Reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

So it’s a book about Canadian small churches.  But the sociological and cultural focus of small churches is not particularly different depending on which side of latitude and longitude we probe.  Adamson’s treatment of small churches examines the United Church of Canada, Canadian Catholic churches the Anglican Church of Canada (Episcopalian), Lutheran churches I Canada, Presbyterian and Baptist churches in Canada.  (a few comparative figures for congregational size provides size comparisons for Canadian and American congregations.  P 28, p 224f18) 

Adamson concentrates on examination of what small congregations can offer, rather than on statistical data.  much of this represents the application of pastoral care, e.g., aspects of small congregations (250 or fewer members) is the care and support of each other, grounding each other in the faith and traditions of the church, mutual ministry, ministry to the surrounding community, a lean, simple and efficient organization, formation of clergy, a sense of stability and strength.  Small congregations may also have weaknesses:  temptation to be exclusive, to monopolize power, to be reserved, to neglect simplicity, to ignore certain crises.  ‘The primary difference is that big churches offer programs in which to participate whereas small churches offer a place in which to belong (p 42). 

Reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

The intersection of scientific discovery and religious belief have consistently resulted in comment, controversy and sometimes violent dispute.  On Faith and Science offers perspective on the always complex relationship between science and religion, exploring cosmology, geology, evolution, gender and the environment.  Larson and Ruse avoid rancor and polemic as they identify the key issues under debate by the adherents of science and the advocates of faith.  They write compellingly of the interaction of science and religion that focused on conflict as the paradigm for the relationship of science and religion.

Another major perspective is that of complementarity, illustrated by Muslims and Christians, with a major emphasis on natural law, cause-and-effect relationships in nature:  the complementary perspective, religion fostering science, although  the writers’ summary of students at UCLA identified a conflict model.  They also point out the ways in which evangelical and fundamentalist churches have participated in this struggle ‘the conflict model still survives among historians and philosophers of science (p 13)’.  ‘The world works according to unbroken law and … G-d stays out of it’ (p 45).

Reviewed by Vern Ratzlaff

        Ellingsen says the theological community must articulate the significance of traditional Christian doctrines for daily life with more power and force.  Doctrine and Word reflects this concern for doctrinal relevance.  The first section of each chapter describes the doctrine (14 doctrines are treated), its historical roots, and how it has been dealt with by varying Christian traditions (the ecumenical perspective).  The second section of each chapter summarizes its significance for daily life, with a sermon on a biblical text; the sermons illustrate how Christian doctrine can help make sense out of everyday experience (p viii), i.e., What is the nature of Christian identity?  What purpose in life do Christians have as a result of this faith?

        Ellingsen focuses on the nature of Christian identity, articulating the meaning and relevance for life of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.  Christian faith begins with the assumption that G-d is known in Jesus, Christians are people of the book, the church as community, the practise of sacraments, and the role of ecumenism (different concerns addressed sometimes by apparently contradictory doctrinal formations)(p 173).