Incarnational Ministry: the Presence of Christ in Church, Society, and Family

Book excerpt: How does the reality of the incarnation inform and shape the nature of Christian ministry? What is the church's impact in the world when its members embody the powerfully redemptive presence of Christ-in personal as well as corporate witness? These key questions are addresses in 'Incarnational Ministry: The Presence of Christ in the Church, Society, and Family'-a volume honoring the significant contributions and personal witness of Ray S. Anderson to a theology of incarnational ministry. The essays explore three central themes: (1) the church's nature and life as the ministry of the incarnate Savior; (2) the church in mission and service, witnessing to Christ's solidarity with the world; (3) the church in ministry to families and as family to all of humanity. The diverse voices in this volume harmonize in a shared passion for the church to engage in the hard theological thinking and costly personal practice that should flow from its doctrine of the incarnation. Contributors: David Allen Hubbard, Thomas F. Torrance, Donald W. McCullough, Alasdair I. C. Heron, Christian D. Kettler, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Colin E. Gunton, Alan E. Lewis, James B. Torrance, Todd H. Speidell, Willie J. Jennings, Adrio Koenig, John W. de Gruchy, William E. Pannell, Walter C. Wright, Jr, Dennis B. Guernsey, David E. Garland, Diana R. Garland, Lewis B. Smedes, Jack O. Balswick, Dawn Ward, Frances F. Hiebert, Paul G. Hiebert, Judith K. Balswick, Cameron Lee