Pursuing Moral Faithfulness

Pursuing Moral Faithfulness PDF Author: Gary Tyra
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830824650
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 309

Book Description
In response to the moralism and relativism that characterize the present age, Gary Tyra presents an evangelical ethic for "everyday" moral faithfulness, arguing that Christians can have confidence in their Christ-centered, Spirit-enabled ability to discern and do the will of God in any moral situation.

The Dark Side of Discipleship

The Dark Side of Discipleship PDF Author: Gary Tyra
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532691238
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 330

Book Description
There's a dark side to Christian discipleship church members ignore to their peril. The New Testament has much to say about why and how Christ's followers must deal with the devil. Learning to take the evil one seriously without obsessing over him is crucial to the spiritual endurance training we all need if we are to someday hear Jesus say to us: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Specifically, pastor/theologian Gary Tyra argues in this work that key to overcoming Satan is a balanced, Spirit-empowered engagement in what he refers to as the four cardinal components of Christian discipleship. Understanding the various ways the devil attempts to derail our experiences of worship, nurture, community, and mission can serve to motivate us with respect to them! With the help of the Holy Spirit, church members can cultivate a "lifestyle spirituality" that enables them to don the "full armor of God" and engage in several critical "close-quarters combat tactics" the New Testament encourages. In the end, The Dark Side of Discipleship is a no-nonsense yet inspirational New Testament theology of spiritual warfare that can serve Christ's church as a powerful aid to the spiritual, moral, and ministry formation of contemporary Christians.

Getting Real

Getting Real PDF Author: Gary Tyra
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498292321
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 218

Book Description
Some reputable sociological research indicates that a surprising number of evangelical churchgoers are living out a version of the Christian life that's more informed by the values of the surrounding culture than by the discipleship teachings of Jesus and his apostles. Viewing the cause of this disturbing trend in the church to be a "discipleship deficit" that's exacerbated by a "pneumatological deficit," Gary Tyra has written a book that addresses both. In this work, Tyra encourages evangelical Christians of all stripes to become more fully aware of the tremendous difference it makes when the Holy Spirit is experienced in ways that are real and existentially impactful, rather than merely theoretical, conceptual, and/or ritualistic. Intended to be read by church leaders as well as by students in Christian colleges and seminaries, the message here is that the cure for the ministry malady currently confronting us is the recovery of a robust, fully Trinitarian doctrine of the Spirit. A pneumatological realism, says Tyra, combined with an understanding of just how important a spiritual, moral, and missional faithfulness is to a genuine Christian discipleship, can revitalize the lives of individual Christians and churches, making it possible for them to reach their post-Christian peers for Christ!

Finding and Seeking

Finding and Seeking PDF Author: Oliver O'Donovan
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467442232
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 259

Book Description
This is the second of three volumes in Oliver O’Donovan’s masterful “Ethics as Theology” project. In his first volume -- Self, World, and Time -- O’Donovan discusses Christian ethics as an intellectual discipline in relation to the humanities, especially philosophy, theology, and behavioral studies, and in relation to the Christian gospel. In Finding and Seeking O’Donovan traces the logic of moral thought from self-awareness to decision through the virtues of faith, hope, and love. Blending biblical, historico-theological, and contemporary ideas in its comprehensive survey, this second volume continues O’Donovan’s splendid study in ethics as theology and adds significantly to his previous theoretical reflection on Christian ethics.

Introduction to Spirituality

Introduction to Spirituality PDF Author: Gary Tyra
Publisher: Baker Academic
ISBN: 9781540965226
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
This introduction by a veteran teacher and pastor explores Christian spirituality as a pursuit of the global church today. It encourages students to adopt a lifestyle spirituality, which involves relational intimacy with the Triune God. By keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, says Gary Tyra, we can experience an ongoing mentoring relationship with the Son in order to faithfully and fruitfully engage in the mission of the Father. This lifestyle spirituality--a collection of convictions, commitments, and customs--constitute the disciple's lifelong journey with the Triune God. This book is part of a new series that reflects the changing face of global Christianity. Series volumes are written by leading Pentecostal/charismatic scholars who highlight themes of interest to Pentecostal/charismatic students; however, the books are respectful, appreciative, and inclusive of a variety of church families and traditions. Series editors are Jerry Ireland, Paul W. Lewis, and Frank D. Macchia.

Christian Ethics

Christian Ethics PDF Author: Russell A. Morris
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 151271108X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 144

Book Description
Within the Christian community at large there is often little correlation between scriptural guidelines for Christian living and the lifestyle practices and behavior of believers. Christian social scientist, George Barna, has done extensive research in this area that reveals alarming data. For example, nearly nine of ten adults state that religious faith is very important in their lives. However, only one in five adults claims that the Bible is the dominant influence in their decisions regarding lifestyle practices. Further research suggests that there is often little difference between the lifestyle practices of Christians and non-Christians. This nominal difference in lifestyle practices and behavior between Christians and non-Christians, as well as the minimal correlation between Scripture and practice among many Christians, produced an interest in this area of practical theology. Serving as a Christian pastor over the past two decades, the reality of Barnas research has been observed personally. The biblical parallel of the prevailing apathy within todays churches is seen in Judges 21:25 (NASB), In those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes. That is, in those days there was no accepted standard of truth. Likewise, only one in four American adults believes in the existence of absolute truth. As a result, the relationship between doctrine and practice, belief and behavior, is often minimal, with many Christians doing only what is right in their own eyes, rather than allowing Gods Word to influence their mode of living. A distinct relationship between belief and behavior is seen in I Timothy 4:16. In this passage, Paul clearly identifies a correlation between what one believes (doctrine) and the lifestyle (behavior) one lives when he writes, Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. From this verse it is clear that there are two areas in the life of the Christian that need to be scrutinized and pursued, namely, belief and behavior. The fundamental thesis of this book is that a deeper understanding of Christian ethics will inform and facilitate the Christian life.

Faith and Faithfulness

Faith and Faithfulness PDF Author: Gilbert Meilaender
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

Book Description
Gilbert Meilaender here offers reflections on the moral life from within the life of faith. Drawing on such diverse sources as E.B. White, Alasdair MacIntyre, Augustine and Felix Salten, the author of Bambi, Meilaender focuses on the particular shape of the Christian life as it pertains to the commitments of believers and to the way in which those commitments form moral vision.

Entering into Rest

Entering into Rest PDF Author: Oliver O'Donovan
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467447099
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 246

Book Description
Oliver O'Donovan's Ethics as Theology project began with Self, World, and Time, an "induction" into Christian ethics as ordered reflection on moral thinking within the life of faith. Volume 2, Finding and Seeking, shifted the focus to the movement of moral thought from a first consciousness of agency to the time that determines the moment of decision. In this third and final volume of his magnum opus, O'Donovan turns his attention to the forward horizon with which moral thinking must engage. Moral experience, he argues, is necessarily two-directional, looking both back at responsibility and forward at aims. The Pauline triad of theological virtues (faith, love, and hope) describes a form of responsibility, and its climax in the sovereignty of love opens the way to a definitive teleology. Entering into Rest offers O'Donovan's mature reflections on questions that have engaged him throughout his career and provides a synoptic view of many of his main themes.

The Christian Moral Life

The Christian Moral Life PDF Author: John Rziha
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Pess
ISBN: 0268101841
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 368

Book Description
To take a journey, travelers must know where they are, where they are going, and how to get there. Moral theology examines the same three truths. The Christian Moral Life is a handbook for moral theology that uses the theme of a journey to explain its key ethical concepts. First, humans begin with their creation in the image of God. Secondly, the goal of the journey is explained as a loving union with God, to achieve a share in his eternal happiness. Third and finally, the majority of the book examines how to attain this goal. Within the journey motif, the book covers the moral principles essential for attaining true happiness. Based on an examination of the moral methodology in the bible, the book discusses the importance of participating in divine nature through grace in order to attain eternal happiness. It further notes the role of law, virtue, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in guiding and transforming humans into friends of God, who participate in his happiness. Following this section on moral theology in general, the book analyzes the individual virtues to give more concrete guidance. The entire project builds upon the insights of great Christian thinkers, such as Thomas Aquinas, Thérèse of Lisieux, and John Paul II, to uncover the moral wisdom in scripture and to show people how to be truly happy both in this life and the next. This book will be of great interest to undergraduate students of moral theology, priests and seminarians, parents and teachers seeking to raise and to form happy children, and anyone interested in discovering the meaning of true happiness.

Moral Passion and Christian Ethics

Moral Passion and Christian Ethics PDF Author: Robin Gill
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1316828476
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages :

Book Description
In this book, Robin Gill argues that moral passion and rational ethical deliberation are not enemies, and that moral passion often lurks behind many apparently rational ethical commitments. He also contends that though moral passion is a key component of truly selfless moral action, without rational ethical deliberation it can also be extremely dangerous. Gill maintains that a reanalysis of moral passion is overdue. He inspects the gap between the 'purely rational' accounts of ethics provided by some moral philosophers and the normative positions that they espouse and/or the moral actions that they pursue. He also contends that Christian ethicists have not been adept at identifying their own implicit moral passion or at explaining why it is that doctrinal positions generate passionately held moral conclusions. Using a range of disciplines, including cognitive science and moral psychology, alongside the more usual disciplines of moral philosophy and religious ethics, Gill also makes links with moral passion in other world faith traditions.