Dennis Metzler looks into the work of early Holiness movement writer and forerunner of American psychology, Thomas C. Upham. Metzler comments on Upham's rigorous stance on pacifism from a biblical perspective. Upham's main contention is that militarists will use the smokescreen of just war theory to promote any and every war to the public and especially to the church. Upham's writing "1842" is taken from "Pentecostal and Holiness Statements on War and Peace" by Jay Beaman and Brian K. Pipkin, published by Pickwick (Wipf & Stock) in 2013. Check it out by following this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBEQ8G0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Intro and outro music is from the Alan Jones Sextet album "Unsafe", available from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Unsafe-Alan-Jones-Sextet/dp/B0006A9GSQ. It is used by permission. Video recorded at On Earth Studios, Portland, Oregon.

Dennis Metzler considers what Jean Vanier has to say about ministering to people with intellectual disabilities. Even more, Vanier says that what is most important is having communion with others in the deepest relational sense. The text examined is taken from Vanier's "Brokenness and Community" which became a chapter entitled "Communion" in the anthology, "Called To Community". In spite of Jean Vanier's significant moral failures and the damage he inflicted on others, his work and writings are nevertheless exemplary. Intro and outro music is from the Alan Jones Sextet album "Unsafe", available from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Unsafe-Alan-Jones-Sextet/dp/B0006A9GSQ. It is used by permission. Video recorded at On Earth Studios, Portland, Oregon.

Today we take a look at the thought of Stanley Hauerwas on peace, violence, non-violence, and peacemaking. Dr. Nathan Hosler, Director of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy  is the author of "Hauerwas the Peacemaker?: Peacebuilding, Race, and Foreign Policy". Hosler examines the biblical background related to peace and peacemaking and then explains the three theological pillars that are critical to Hauerwas’ thought: Christocentrism, the church and its practices, and the centrality of non-violence. We discuss how virtue, character, and narrative form believers in their vocation of peacemaking and consider Hauerwas on ecumenism. Hosler offers more in depth thought on Hauerwas’ approach to race, peacemaking, and foreign policy. I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or send me an email at [email protected] Check out Dr. Nathan Hosler's book, "Hauerwas the Peacemaker?: Peacebuilding, Race, and Foreign Policy" https://www.amazon.com/Hauerwas-Peacemaker-Peacebuilding-Foreign-Policy/dp/1532671482/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SEPT29H475UJ&keywords=hauerwas+the+peacemaker+hosler&qid=1667517866&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjI1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=hauerwas+the+peacemaker+hosler%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc

In "Life Together", Dietrich Bonhoeffer looks at idealism, dreamers, and visionaries, particularly in the way they affect relationships in close-knit Christian communities. Dennis Metzler offers commentary on Bonhoeffer's writing from "Life Together", which is reproduced as a chapter entitled, "Idealism" in the collection, "Called To Community".

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Sean McDonough considers together the themes of creation and new creation throughout the Scriptures as well as historical theology. Rather than the traditional model of creation, fall, and redemption McDonough proposes the paradigm of creation, counter-creation, de-creation, and re-creation.

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Check out Dr. McDonough's book, "Creation and New Creation: Understanding God's Creation Project" by following this link:

https://www.amazon.com/Creation-New-Understanding-Gods-Project/dp/1683070267/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1632863679&sr=8-1

Dennis Metzler examines early Quaker Robert Barclay's take on the key question, 'what is universal redemption?'--not 'what is universal salvation?' Barclay insists that all people have the possibility of being saved through faith, even without ever hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. God ultimately judges people on their faithfulness to what they do know--not what they don't know.

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The theology of the image of God is explored here with Dr. Catherine McDowell, Professor of Old Testament at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Various theological views of the imago dei are considered along with the relevant scriptural passages and Ancient Near East parallels. The implications for life in the church and ethics are also discussed.

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Check out Dr. McDowell's book by following the link below: "The Image of God in the Garden of Eden: The Creation of Humankind in Genesis 2:5-3:24 in Light of the mīs pî, pīt pî, and wpt-r Rituals of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt"

https://www.amazon.com/Image-God-Garden-Eden-Mesopotamia/dp/1575063484/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3IR8FLK3SXCDB&dchild=1&keywords=the+image+of+god+in+the+garden+of+eden&qid=1631914065&sr=8-2

Art Gish, an authority on Christian community, wrote about the necessity of surrendering to God in the context of committed relationships in community. Dennis Metzler interacts with his text and brings key points to life, encouraging believers to experience the freedom and victory that unexpectedly comes through a surrendered life.

Art Gish is the author of the classic "Living in Christian Community"

I would love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected]

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Christian-Community-Arthur-Gish/dp/0836118871/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TOY91NA9IBS9&keywords=Gish+Living+in+Christian+community&qid=1666639744&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjg0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=books&sprefix=gish+living+in+christian+community%2Cstripbooks%2C134&sr=1-1

Visual art and its relationship to theology is explored by Dr. Bill Dyrness with a view to topics as diverse as creation, beauty, the gospel, new creation, sacramentality, the Reformers, the transcendentals, spiritual formation, evangelicalism, asceticism, Rouault, and Rembrandt.

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Dr. William Dyrness is Senior Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of many books including:

Poetic Theology: God and the Poetics of Everyday Life (2010)

https://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Theology-Poetics-Everyday-Life/dp/080286578X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?dchild=1&keywords=Poetic+Theology%3A+God+and+the+Poetics+of+Everyday+Life+%282010%29&qid=1630794950&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Senses of the Soul: Art and the Visual in Christian Worship (2008)

https://www.amazon.com/Senses-Soul-Visual-Christian-Worship-ebook/dp/B00YD5U4M2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Senses+of+the+Soul%3A+Art+and+the+Visual+in+Christian+Worship+%282008%29&qid=1630794999&sr=8-1

Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue (2001)

https://www.amazon.com/Visual-Faith-Theology-Dialogue-Engaging/dp/0801022975/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?dchild=1&keywords=Visual+Faith%3A+Art%2C+Theology%2C+and+Worship+in+Dialogue+%282001%29&qid=1630795075&sr=8-1-fkmr0

The Earth Is God's: A Theology of American Culture (2004)

https://www.christianbook.com/the-earth-gods-theology-american-culture/william-dyrness/9781592447954/pd/47954X

Dennis Metzler explores Dallas Willard's take on spiritual formation as espoused in his classic tome, "Renovation of the Heart", published in 2002.

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