Biblical Studies for Public Church

 

There are numerous scholarly works that link foundational Biblical texts with the call of the church to public theology and public witness.  Although all books of the Bible speak to issues of human need and God’s response, four core areas of Biblical texts and the theology they engender form, in my view, the Biblical foundation for doing public church: the Creation story (Genesis), the Law (Exodus, Deuteronomy), the Prophets, and the Gospels.   I offer here some examples of Biblical studies that forge those links, generally and specifically.

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GENERAL

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Chung, Paul S. Postcolonial Public Theology: Faith, Scientific Rationality, and Prophetic Dialogue.  Lutterworth, 2017.

 

Hansen, Paul.  “The Bible and Public Theology,” A Companion to Public Theology.  Brill, 2017, 23-39.

 

Brueggemann, Walter.  Money and Possessions. (Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church). Louisville, Westminster John Knox, 2016.

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Donahue, John. R.  Seek Justice That You May Live: Reflections and Resources on the Bible and Social Justice. Paulist Press,  2014.

 

Neville, David J.  The Bible, Justice and Public Theology. (The Bible in the Modern World).  Wipf and Stock, 2014.

 

----. “Christian Scripture and Public Theology: Ruminations on their Ambigous Relationship.  International Journal of Public Theology 7.1 (2013), pp. 5-23.

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CREATION

 

Barreto, Susan. “Finding Meaning and Purpose as Created Co-Creators.”  Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology. December 2013. 

https://luthscitech.org/finding-meaning-and-purpose-as-created-co-creators/

 

Hefner, Phil.  Created Co-Creator.  Chicago, LSTC, 2001.

 

Hefner, Phil.  The Human Factor: Evolution, Culture and Religion.  Fortress Press, 1993.

 

 

LAW

 

Opderbeck, Paul. Law and Theology: Classic Questions and Contemporary Perspectives. Augsburg Fortress, 2019.

 

 

PROPHETS

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Matthews, Jeannette.  “Prophets Performing as Public Theologians.” Global Network of Public Theology Conference. 2010.

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Brueggemann, Walter. The Prophetic Imagination. Fortress, 1978. 

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GOSPEL

 

Marshall, Christopher D.  Compassionate Justice (Theopolitical Visions). Wipf and Stock, 2012.

 

Lee, Hak Joon. “Public Theology: from Mid-Twentieth Century Origins of the Contemporary Discipline,”  The Cambridge Companion to Christian Political Theology Hovey, Craig, Ed. Cambridge UP, 2015, 44-65.