Women's Christian Theology Reader

BETH RITTER-CONN is Assistant Professor of Religion and Honors at Belmont University. She specializes in theology and feminist thought, focusing on the voices of women in Christian history. STEVEN R. GUTHRIE is Professor of Theology and Religion and the Arts at Belmont University. His research explores the intersection of theology, music, and the arts.

• Notes on Contributors xAcknowledgments xvHistorical Timeline of Authors xviiAbout the Companion Website xixIntroduction: An Invitation to Read – and a Thought-Provoking Question 11 Knowing and Speaking of God: Theological Prolegomena 6The Sources of Theology 10Reading and Hearing Scripture 19Theology and Other Ways of Knowing 30The Un/Knowability of God, and Theological Method 41The Posture of the Theologian 48Contemporary Reflections 54– Jennifer Powell McNutt 54– Maeve Louise Heaney 55– G. Sujin Pak 572 Who and How God Is: The Doctrine of God 59Attributes and Names of God 63The Almighty, The Creator 73God as Immanent and Transcendent 82God as Trinity 91Trinity, Love, and Community 99Contemporary Reflections 109– Valerie Cooper 109– Maria Clara Bingemer 110– Lauren Guerra 1122A Excursus 1 – Gender and the Fatherhood of God 114Gendered God- Talk as Metaphor for Relationships 116The Richness and Necessity of Father Language for God 121Feminine/Maternal Metaphors and Names for God 1263 All That Has Been Made: The Doctrine of Creation 134God’s Act of Creation 137Creation As Witness to and Communion with God 144The Ambiguous Testimony of the Creation 152Providence: God’s Ongoing Care for Creation 158Humanity’s Calling to Care for Creation 168Contemporary Reflections 173– Aminah Al-Attas Bradford 173– Cheryl Bridges Johns 1754 Being Human: Theological Anthropology 177The Image and Likeness of God 180Body, Soul, and Human Personhood 187The Gift and Challenge of Gender Differentiation in Theological Anthropology 196Human Nature and Missing the Mark 202The Vocation of Being Human 213Contemporary Reflections 220– Rachel Muers 220– Melanie A. Howard 221– Elizabeth Y. Sung 2235 The Person of Christ: Christology 226Thinking about Deity and Humanity in Jesus Christ 228The Son as the Eternal Word of God 237The Christology of Nicea and Chalcedon 245Jesus as God with Us – Friend, Example, Co- Sufferer, Brother, Mother, Spouse 257Contemporary Reflections 272– Kayko Driedger Hesslein 272– Christina Carnes Ananias 2746 How and From What Are We Saved? : Soteriology 276Salvation as Victory and Triumph 279Sacrifice, Suffering and Atonement for Sin 290Salvation as Following in the Way of Jesus 302Salvation and God’s Participation in the Suffering of the World 309Recapitulation, Participation, and the Remaking of Our Humanity 318Contemporary Reflections 327– Natalie Carnes 327– Marion Grau 3297 Holy Spirit, Breath of God: Pneumatology 331The Spirit Who Breathes Life into all of Creation 334The Holy Spirit Who Creates and Gives Life to the Church 342The Spirit Who has Spoken, and Speaks 349The Spirit as God’s Presence With Us 354The Spirit Who Draws and Unites Us to God 361The Sanctifying, Gift- Giving Spirit 365The Spirit Who Makes God’s Power Actual in Our Lives 370Contemporary Reflections 375– Kirsten Laurel Guidero 375– Jane Williams 3778 The Community of Faith: Ecclesiology 380The Distinctive Character of Christian Community 383The Unity And Diversity of the Church 394Church Missions and the Mission of the Church 403Sacraments – Eucharist 409Sacraments – Baptism 416The Protestant Critique 420Contemporary Reflections 426– Sarah Jean Barton 426– Lama Htoi San Lu 427– Alexia Salvatierra 4298A Excursus 2 – Women in the Church 431Proponents of Women’s Leadership in the Church – Historical Voices 433Proponents of Women’s Leadership in the Church – Contemporary Voices: Catholic, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Evangelical 441Proponents of Differentiated Roles for Men and Women – Contemporary Voices 4519 The Life of the World to Come: Eschatology 458The Hope of the Resurrection 461Heaven, the Beatific Vision, and the Communion of Saints 467Paradise, Purgatory, and the Intermediate State 470Hell and Judgment 481The Promise of Justice Beyond This Life 491This Present Creation and the New Creation 497Contemporary Reflections 508– Katherine Karam McCray 508– Zaida Maldonado Perez 510– Lizette M. Acosta 511Image Credits 514Index 516