Throughout the biblical story, the people of God are expected to embody God's holy character publicly. Therefore, holiness is a theological and ecclesial issue prior to being a matter of individual piety. Holiness and Ecclesiology in the New Testament offers serious engagement with a variety of New Testament and Qumran documents in order to stimulate churches to imagine anew what it might mean to be a publicly identifiable people who embody God's very character in their particular social setting. Contributors: J. Ayodeji Adewuya Paul M. Bassett Richard Bauckham George J. Brooke Kent E. Brower Dean Flemming Michael J. Gorman Joel B. Green Donald A. Hagner Andy Johnson George Lyons I. Howard Marshall Troy W. Martin Peter Oakes Ruth Anne Reese Dwight Swanson Gordon J. Thomas Richard P. Thompson J. Ross Wagner Robert W. Wall Bruce W. Winter

According to Willis, confusion about God's holiness is due to the mistake of treating transcendence and immanence as opposites and subsuming holiness almost exclusively under God's transcendence. To correct this view, Willis begins with the cross and resurrection, where the transcending One is freely immanent to fulfill God's covenanting purposes. God, says Willis, is not so much "the wholly other" as "the Holy Other" who confronts us as purifying love. Willis looks in detail at several facets of holiness--love, simplicity, communion, beauty. He shows that when we recognize beauty to be an essential aspect of holiness, we can better reconsider frequently given definitions of the glory and the sovereignty of God and can better understand something of the awe-filled love that this beauty inspires. Finally, Willis explores how the holiness of God provides the basis for the life of Christian faith and hope in today's world. --From publisher's description.

Here, Webster presents a trinitarian theology of holiness, which is aimed at a wide range of audiences, including ordinands, students of theology and interested laypeople. According to this account, God's holiness is known not in his simple transcendence but in his gracious and free relationship to his creatures. That holiness finds an echo in the holiness of the Christian community, especially in worship and witness, and in the life of the individual disciple. Integrating biblical, dogmatic and practical theology, the book - which is based on the Day-Higginbotham lectures delivered in the University of Toronto in 2002 - offers a succinct account of a central theme in Christian teaching and practice.

One of the most persistent slogans of Reformed theology is that it is "reformed and always being reformed." But what does this slogan mean? This volume gathers thirteen essays written by a younger generation of Reformed theologians who teach and write on five different continents, who together offer this work in Christian systematic theology. Unlike many other works of Reformed theology, however, this book is framed by pressing contextual issues and questions (instead of traditional loci). Each chapter engages classical doctrine, but does so through the lens of contemporary, lived experience in particular contexts. The result is not a theology where doctrines are "applied" to contexts, but an approach where doctrine and context mutually shape one another. The contributors take seriously the notion that theology is "always being reformed" and is always partial, ever on the way--hence it requires conversation partners beyond the Reformed family of faith. The result is a study in Reformed theology that is thoroughly ecumenical.

An in-depth exploration of holiness in the context of rabbinic Judaism, providing a much-needed comparative view during a key period in the development of the Jewish religion.

In a confused world with moral decay, we need clear direction for godly living. While the mention of holiness is not commonly heard these days, the Psalms call us to cultivate holy lives in today's society. The psalmists not only teach us how to grow in holiness but they draw us into their own rich experiences. The author explores the Psalms to give us a perspective on the nature of holiness and the many important ways we can grow in holiness. The Psalter serves as an invaluable guide for our spiritual formation as followers of Jesus Christ.

Everyday Holiness presents the spiritual journey to and with Christ as possible, noble, challenging, and rewarding. It describes the many aspects of holiness and how it is essential to our growth in Christ. Holiness is the most important developmental area in life and the greatest goal to which we can aspire. The Doctor of the Church St. Francis de Sales wrote: “All of us can attain Christian virtue and holiness no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life’s work may be.” This book should be read slowly, prayerfully, and seriously. It invites us to ponder the meaning of life and how holiness benefits every aspect of our church, our society, and ourselves. Because all good things lead to God, the book infuses a deeper meaning into the ordinary circumstances of daily life, thus showing how holiness is not a static reality but a dynamic force that transforms every aspect of our day. The book is replete with concrete examples and practical illustrations that show how living holiness is possible today. Indeed, holiness is our greatest need, deepest joy, and hardest challenge. Everyday Holiness is for everyone who wants to love God more and serve him better.