Keeping Faith in a Fearful World
In the midst of a culture of fear, the churches need to be intentional about cultivating the virtue of hope-both as personally and corporately. How might we do this? One way is to recover an understanding of divine providence that can help us trust the future. Read more...Responses
Extras
A Note from the Editor
This edition focuses on the way Christian faith responds to a culture that seems increasingly to be driven by fear. Filled with articles from theologians, biblical scholars, and church leaders--not to mention resources for teaching on this topic--this edition helps to fill an important need in the contemporary church and society: the need for thoughtful reflection on an emotion that permeates our world.Edition Resources
We've provided learning resources for congregations and pastors: lesson plans on facing our fears, as well as fear and the mission of the church, and an annotated bibliography on theology and fear, to guide further reading.At this point, it's your turn!
We are very pleased to publish selected messages from our readers. All comments on articles and any aspect of this online journal are most welcome!
-----------------------Response to "Fear and the
Rick Brand, pastor, the First Presbyterian Church
March 7, 2007
What troubles me as I read these articles, especially Dr. Taylor's, is that there seems to be this great hunger for a vision of the end which is answered by the fear makers. But I am not sure that the other response, as great as it is, will scratch the itch.
The human curiosity to know what will happen is so great and is given such authoritative answer by the fear people and I am not sure that the answered proposed will be anything like adequate for the hunger. (Like obesity, I have a hunger and a 6,000 calorie sandwich will over kill my hunger and make me obese, but the 30 calorie carrot will not satisfy my hunger.)
So while I do teach and preach a different eschatology than that based on fear, I sense it is not being heard as good news.
