The Reconstruction Of Belief Belief In God Belief In Christ The Holy Spirit And The Church

Addressing faith as it is lived, rather than as a system of doctrine, F. Gerrit Immink emphasizes that having faith means more than assenting to certain opinions about God; it involves a dynamic relationship, or dialogue, with God. As he investigates the practice of faith, Immink holds together the poles of divine activity and human experience, external Word and indwelling Spirit. At its heart, this book is about God. How can faithful people speak about God and understand God's presence? Well versed in both philosophical analysis and the theological tradition, the author argues for an understanding of God as a speaking, acting person, genuinely experienced in faith. In so doing, he issues a compelling plea to reevaluate the theoretical foundations of practical theology. Applying his work particularly to the theories of preaching and pastoral care, Immink brings to bear insights garnered from years as an academic theologian, as the dean of a theological seminary, and as a minister. Scholars, ministers, and seminary students alike will benefit from his careful reflections on the Christian life of faith.

While its companion volume, The Resurrection in Retrospect, addresses the inadequacies of an approach to the Resurrection of Christ purely as an event of past historical time, The Reconstruction of Resurrection Belief articulates an alternative understanding of Resurrection faith as essentially a response of trust based upon a knowledge by acquaintance with the living presence of Christ today. In the hope that it may have some traction in an increasingly secular world of contemporary scientific realism, Carnley demonstrates an understanding of the nature of Resurrection faith in the language of today, with as much logical coherence as possible, and explains how the claim that the animating Spirit of the Christian community that Saint Paul spoke of as 'the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' (Rom 8:2) may be justifiably identified in faith today as 'the living presence of Jesus of Nazareth.'

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