Dirk J. Smit

After Method

Theology

“This book is pathbreaking. Reichel is indeed after method—in many ways. Convinced that method cannot save, as many mistakenly believe, there remains the hope that it can still deliver valuable affordances. The book’s argument is therefore designed—intentionally, skillfully, artfully, playfully, care-fully, craftily, logically, insightfully, authoritatively—as a conceptual guide on such a way to do better theology. It shows ways to do theology that will be less violent, less complicit in falsehood, and less arrogant and self-assured than much of what we know and do. It offers an intriguing invitation to come along on this way of doing theology—to journey together with others, often strange and unexpected faces, including outsiders; to experience the surprise of recognizing much that seem so familiar yet now suddenly new and exhilarating once more, like law turned into life, swords into plowshares; to become sensitive to false promises of trails in the forest leading nowhere or worse, to destruction; to richly receive that alien grace that awakens hope for what may become possible and provides reorientation in the dense forest. For those of us doing theology—whether in church, academy, or public life—this guide on how to get along—and how not to get along!—will offer much discernment and delight on our shared journey. Many readers may feel strangely reassured, comforted, and at home—yet also somehow subverted, even shocked, and strangely surprised with every twist and every turn: the route was clearly designed with that in mind and for that purpose. This book is simply trailblazing—in so many ways.”

Barth in Conversation

Theology

“This translation of the second of three volumes of Barth’s conversations and interviews, this time from 1963, is yet another welcome addition to Barth scholarship in English, and of the same excellent technical quality as the earlier volume. Readers will again find intriguing personal perspectives on many themes, events, figures, questions, developments. The volume brings joy, insight, and inspiration to many who do not read as scholars, after all, bringing to life the voice of someone keenly interested in the students and the pastors he is listening and talking to. Again and again one cannot help but see the smile, hear the laughter, smell the pipe, and sense the urging – ‘to show some courage,’ ‘be a bit younger,’ ‘speak less complicated,’ ‘become more like children,’ ‘not be boring,’ ‘keep things simple,’ ‘drink more coffee.’ Still, the joy and the laughter never hides the seriousness, both of his responses and of his often critical counter questions. Indeed, ‘this joy is a serious joy,’ still today.”

Consummation

Theology

“A beautiful collection. Van Ruler’s words of ‘breathless enthusiasm’ still resonate today, helped by excellent translation, introductions, and a thoughtful afterword. His ‘eschatological notes’—on law and life and future—still surprise, fascinate, and delight. Perhaps it is the strangeness, perhaps his way with words, perhaps his thought-provoking sense of eschatology? After all, he understood that when Kuyper on his deathbed ‘retained a measureless interest in the world’ it was a sign of his piety!”

God the Revealed

Theology

“This is the study many have been waiting for — the mature thought of a leading scholar, weaving together insights from historical studies, biblical material, doctrinal developments, confessional convictions, philosophical arguments, cultural observations, and contemporary experiences in a creative way — and responding to Bonhoeffer's question Who is Jesus Christ for us today? There is nothing available that can be quite compared to this wide-ranging study, rethinking the presence of the living Christ in the light of current debates on the resurrection, cross, and office of the historical Jesus. Given Michael Welker's international repute, this translation will certainly be studied and discussed in many classrooms throughout the world.”

Homo Florens?

Theology

“This book is an invitation. It invites readers to the ongoing human conversation about happiness and flourishing. Taking the form of a survey of nine well-known such discourses, it asks why we speak in these ways. It discerns three logics behind ways of imagining flourishing—faith, love, hope—yet even together they offer no final word, but merely invite readers to join this ongoing conversation about meaningful and more humane life. Is anything more important?”

In God's Image

Theology

“This is vintage Welker—wonderful to read! Those who know his work will recognize the ripened fruit of familiar convictions, insights, and trajectories. At the same time, they may be pleasantly surprised. Welker offers an innovative natural theology by way of ‘bottom-up thinking,’ arguing that popular views of humanity as the image of God are hardly convincing, given the abysses of the human spirit that are so painfully obvious in our time. Instead, he argues that being in the image of God means being called to justice, freedom, truth, and peace—thus growing into the image of God.”

Neither Calendar nor Clock

Theology

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Redeeming Identity

Theology

“What a gift! Vosloo invites readers on a wonderful journey of eye-opening and thought-provoking encounters—with poems and songs, paintings and films, short stories and novels, classical literature and historical studies, dictionaries and doctrinal works, biblical pericopes and sermons from history, philosophical arguments and liturgical practices. Through respectful close-reading and attentive listening he does not tell us what to see, he invites us to recognize for ourselves—a surprising surplus of grace, questions, challenges, possibilities. Even the familiar becomes new as if one sees it again for the first time. It is indeed a theology of recognition—original, urgent, moving, addressing contemporary challenges in a theologically responsible and inviting way, as he intended.”

Sexual Reformation?

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“The question mark already suggests the approach—this collection is offered not as answers but as calls to conversation, not as an argument from only one perspective but as different voices from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Together they ask whether these themes, often silent and invisible, are not perhaps more urgent, and these questions, sometimes unmasking, sometimes painful, not more challenging than many may seem to think.”

The Crucifixion

Theology

“Fleming Rutledge's reputation as a preacher is widely known, her rhetorical skills — of logos, ethos, and pathos; of content, engagement, and passion — widely respected. This treatment of the crucifixion — the fruit of almost two decades, and indeed of a lifelong journey — could in fact also be read as one long sermon. . . . What does it mean to say that Jesus Christ died for us? Honestly facing her own resistance to many traditional and contemporary framings of this question, she consults widely and delves deeply into biblical, historical, and interpretive material in search of her own answers. . . . Informing, reminding, critiquing, illustrating, unmasking, challenging, reassuring, encouraging, and inspiring, she writes for both preachers and listeners. The question Will it preach? is in fact her major concern. The answer can only be a resounding and grateful Yes!”

This Earthly Life Matters

Theology

“Welcome to a promising series! A wise choice as first volume. More of this intriguing thinker still so silent in English. This volume includes helpful introductions, well-chosen essays, instructive annotations, inspired translation (from wordplays to hymns), fascinating thoughts on joy and play and chaos and life (indeed, to proto-ecotheology), and talk about ‘the marvel of existence,’ ‘matter is holy,’ ‘sin’s sunny side,’ ‘this earthly life matters,’ and yes, ‘reality as God’s joke—and a good one.’ Creative, challenging, and more than welcome!”