Theology that Works
Drawing on Isaiah 5, Andy Crouch speaks about the challenge of separating real flourishing from mere material prosperity in the midst of economic growth and technological innovation. In a world of instant gratification, what is of lasting importance? IDEAL FOR: Ethics, Old Testament, spiritual formation
In this highly personal talk, Joshua Jipp of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School shares stories of his grandfather on the Iowa farm where he grew up. Grandpa Wayne had absorbed key economic teachings from Jesus, prioritizing contentment, productivity and community. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, ethics, spiritual formation
Evangelical Theological Society Executive Director J. Michael Thigpen describes how the image of God in the Genesis creation account structures every area of human life, including our work and economic activity. IDEAL FOR: Systematic, Old Testament, ethics
Nathan Hitchcock of Sioux Falls Seminary unpacks the meaning of the biblical term oikonomia. He points out that Paul uses this term frequently; reviewing Paul’s use of the phrase oikonomia theou in Ephesians, Hitchcock argues that God’s creation plan – the economy of God – is an audacious enterprise. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, systematic, ethics
Made to Flourish President Tom Nelson speaks on the integral relationship between faithfulness and fruitfulness, reviewing passages including the Genesis creation account, Proverbs 31 and the teachings of Jesus. IDEAL FOR: Systematic, pastoral leadership, ethics
Chris Armstrong of Wheaton College evokes key moments from church history, and from his personal history of struggle with attitudes about rest, home and work, to offer a compelling vision for why a theology of vocation must be central to the life of faith. IDEAL FOR: History, ethics, spiritual formation
Keith Reeves of Azusa-Pacific University describes the connection between the household, family structure, land ownership and economic opportunity in the Old Testament law and prophets, and how these connections apply today. IDEAL FOR: Old Testament, ethics
Charlie Self of Assemblies of God Theological Seminary draws together God’s communicable attributes with church experiences from Dallas and Oregon all the way to Sri Lanka and Cambodia, presenting the church’s mission is to embody joy, peace and justice in the world’s communities. IDEAL FOR: Systematic, pastoral leadership, ethics
Anthony Bradley of The King’s College looks the fallout of the Religious Right, and how the school of thought known as Christian Personalism can provide an alternative approach to bringing our faith into the public square. IDEAL FOR: History, ethics, pastoral leadership
Deborah Gill of Assemblies of God Theological Seminary carefully unpacks the Greek text and biblical/cultural context of the church’s original misison statement, the Great Commission, to show how the church’s task is to “disciplize” in every area of life. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, missiology, spiritual formation
Christopher Brooks of Moody Theological Seminary, merging theology with his pastoral experience in Detroit, argues that poverty need not be permanent; the truth of the gospel and the imperatives of discipleship demand constructive solutions to poverty. IDEAL FOR: Ethics, pastoral leadership
Drawing examples ranging from the book of Acts to modern Africa, W. Jay Moon of Asbury Theological Seminary unpacks how Chrsitian involvement in the economy is vitally interdependent with Christian witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, missiology
Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary unfolds the ironies and reversals in Luke – from the rich fool and Lazarus’ wealthy neighbor to Zacchaeus and the widow’s mite – that call us to use all our money for good stewardship of God’s world. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, ethics, spiritual formation
Why isn’t Monopoly as fun as it should be – grabbing everything for ourselves should be fun, shouldn’t it? Eric Tully of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School brings wisdom from Proverbs to help us rethink the role of money in our lives and in our economies. IDEAL FOR: Old Testament, ethics, spiritual formation
Celeste Cranston of Seattle Pacific University demonstrates how the story of the prodigal son invites us into a life of kingdom work marked by abundance and gratidue, not scarcity and fear. IDEAL FOR: New Testament, spiritual formation