Includes bibliographical references (p. 297-307) and index.
Contents:
learning to see red wheelbarrows : on vision and relativism. Look at it and live : a sermon ; Seeing darkness, hearing silence : Augustine's account of evil ; Disciplined seeing : forms of Christianity and forms of life / with D. Stephen Long ; God and goodness : a theological exploration ; Naming God : a sermon ; Speaking Christian : a commencement address ; Why "the way words run" matters : reflections on becoming a "major biblical scholar" -- The language of love : from death to life. Why did Jesus have to die? : an attempt to cross the barrier of age ; More, or, A taxonomy of greed ; Love : a sermon. Love's work--discerning the body : a sermon ; Body matters : a sermon ; Finite care in a world of infinite need : a sermon ; Sent : the church is mission -- Habits of speech exemplified : some teachers. "Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet" : reflections on A secular age / with Romand Coles ; H. Richard Niebuhr ; The virtues of Alasdair MacIntyre ; The virtues of the Summa theologiae / with Sheryl Overmyer ; "A recall to Christian life" : what is social about the Catholic social teachings / with Jana Bennett ; Methodist theological ethics / with D. Stephen Long ; Friendship and freedom : reflections on Bonhoeffer's "The friend" -- Appendix : learning to see red wheelbarrows : on vision and relativism.
Summary:
"When theology is done well the reader should be led to think, 'This is true.' Recognizing claims that are 'true' enables readers to identify an honest expression of life's complexities. The trick is to show that the theological claims, the words that must be used to speak of God, are necessary if the theologian is to speak honestly of the complexities of life. The worst betrayal of the task of theology comes when the theologian fears that the words he or she must use are not necessary"--Pref., p. xi. "This new collection of essays, lectures, and sermons by Stanley Hauerwas is focused on the central challenge, risk, and difficulty of working with words about God. The task of theology is to help us do things with words. 'God' is not a word peculiar to theology, but if 'God' is a word to be properly used by Christians, the word must be disciplined by Christian practice. It should therefore not be surprising that, like any word, we must learn how to say 'God' rightly"--From publisher description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.