PUBLIC THEOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY IBD

Sinopsis

? ... a very significant moment in the history of public theology over the past fifty yearsor so, taking stock of and renewing a sense of social vision in theology ?Raymond Plant, King?s College, London and the House of LordsThis major book is a unique stocktaking of the issues facing public theologyat the beginning of the 21st century, combining retrospect and prospect. Thecontributors are leading Christian theologians and social theorists from Europe,North and South America, Africa and Asia.Part one surveys the legacy of the 20th century and asks what shouldbe carried over into the third millennium. There are authoritative essayson political and public theology in Germany, Argentina, South Africa andBritain. In part two, the contested legacy of modernity itself is considered,revisiting such ideas as freedom, toleration, human rights, pluralism,environmental stewardship and God in history. Part three addressesglobalization, offering a range of critical interpretations of this key conceptfor public theology in the 21st century. The final part offers theologicaland ethical insight into some of the most pressing public issues of the newcentury - medical ethics, punishment and forgiveness, inequality, socialexclusion and political participation.Throughout, the authors engage with the public and theological concernsthat have shaped the life and work of Duncan B. Forrester, to whom this bookis dedicated. Public Theology for the 21st Century is a landmark publicationfor all those concerned about theology?s contribution to public debate in thechurches, the academy and society.William F. Storrar is Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology, andDirector of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Edinburgh.Andrew R. Morton is an Honorary Fellow in the School of Divinity, and a formerAssociate Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues, Universityof Edinburgh.