Salvation as praxis : a practical theology of salvation for a multi-faith world

Will People Of Other Faiths Be 'saved' And To What Extent Should The Response To This Question Shape Christian Engagements With People Of Other Faiths? Historically, The Predominant Answer To These Questions Has Been That The Person Of Another Faith Will Not Be Saved And Is Therefore In Need Of Conversion To Christianity For Their Salvation To Be Possible. Consequently, It Has Been Understood To Be The Obligation Of Christian Persons To Convert People Of Other Faiths. More Recent Theologies Of Religions For The Past Half Century And More Have Sought To Reconsider These Approaches To Soteriology. This Has Sometimes Led To A Reaffirmation Of The Status Quo And At Other Times To An Alternative Soteriological Understanding. In Seeking To Articulate Soteriologies That Make Logical And Doctrinal Sense, Too Often These New Approaches To Salvation And People Of Other Faiths Have Paid Little Attention To Questions Of Practice. Drawing On Alternative Understandings Of Soteriology As Deification, Healing, And Liberation, Each Perspective Having Ancient Roots In The Christian Tradition, It Is Argued That Salvation Can Be Understood As Form Of Concrete Earthly Practice. Understood In This Way, This Book Considers How These Alternative Theologies Of Salvation Might Shape Christian Practices In A Way That Departs From A History In Which The Person Of Another Faith Has Been Perceived As A Threat To Christianity And Therefore In Need Of Conversion. Further It Asks How The Complex Multi-faith World Of The Twenty-first Century Might Better Inform And Shape The Way In Which Christian Theologies Frame Soteriological Understandings. Part 1: Why A Practical Theology Of Salvation? -- A Practical Theological Perspective -- Salvations In The Christian Tradition -- Deconstructing Historic Practices Of Salvation -- Salvation In Contemporary Theologies Of Religions -- Part 2: Salvation As Praxis -- 'communion And Otherness': Salvation As Deification -- Embodied Well-being: Salvation As Healing -- 'god Of The Oppressed': Salvation As Liberation Wayne Morris. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Content: Cover HalfTitle Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Explaining key terms The Structure of this Book PART ONE Why a practical theology of salvation? 1 A practical theological perspective Introduction Theology and practice: Inseparable bedfellows Towards a practical theological method Critical conversation: Identifying key dialogue partners Summary: This practical theology A very particular and public theology Conclusion 2 Salvations in the Christian tradition Introduction Christian soteriology: Multiple salvations. Dominant western soteriology: An overviewSalvation as normalization Rediscovering alternative salvations: Salvation as praxis The state of salvation: Saved into what? How salvation is realized: Human and divine collaboration Conclusion: Salvation as praxis 3 Deconstructing historic practices of salvation Introduction Salvation and anti-semitic praxes Salvation and the Crusades Salvation and colonialism Salvation and neo-colonialisms? Salvation discourses in a post 9/11 context The need for alternative soteriological praxes: Concluding remarks. 4 Salvation in contemporary theologies of religionsDominant soteriological models in twentieth century discourse Perspectives on soteriology: Moving beyond the 'Dominant Model' Shaping a practical theology of salvation for a multi-faith world PART TWO Salvation as praxis 5 'Communion and Otherness': Salvation as deification Introduction Salvation as deification Salvation as deification: Towards an understanding Becoming God: A trinitarian perspective Practising deification in a multi-faith world: Further conversations Conclusion 6 Embodied well-being: Salvation as healing. IntroductionSalvation as healing Salvation as healing: Critical conversations Conclusion 7 'God of the Oppressed': Salvation as liberation Introduction Twentieth century liberation theologies: Early developments Characteristics of liberation theologies Liberation and Christian praxis in a multi-faith world: Critical conversations Conclusion Conclusion Bibliography Index. "Will people of other faiths be 'saved' and to what extent should the response to this question shape Christian engagements with people of other faiths? Historically, the predominant answer to these questions has been that the person of another faith will not be saved and is therefore in need of conversion to Christianity for their salvation to be possible. Consequently, it has been understood to be the obligation of Christian persons to convert people of other faiths. More recent theologies of religions for the past half century and more have sought to reconsider these approaches to soteriology. This has sometimes led to a reaffirmation of the status quo and at other times to an alternative soteriological understanding. In seeking to articulate soteriologies that make logical and doctrinal sense, too often these new approaches to salvation and people of other faiths have paid little attention to questions of practice. Drawing on alternative understandings of soteriology as deification, healing, and liberation, each perspective having ancient roots in the Christian tradition, it is argued that salvation can be understood as form of concrete earthly practice. Understood in this way, this book considers how these alternative theologies of salvation might shape Christian practices in a way that departs from a history in which the person of another faith has been perceived as a threat to Christianity and therefore in need of conversion. Further it asks how the complex multi-faith world of the twenty-first century might better inform and shape the way in which Christian theologies frame soteriological understandings."--Bloomsbury Publishing Will people of other faiths be 'saved' and to what extent should the response to this question shape Christian engagements with people of other faiths? Historically, the predominant answer to these questions has been that the person of another faith will not be saved and is therefore in need of conversion to Christianity for their salvation to be possible. Consequently, it has been understood to be the obligation of Christian persons to convert people of other faiths. More recent theologies of religions for the past half century and more have sought to reconsider these approaches to soteriolog. Read more... Abstract: Argues that Christian understanding of salvation is not about a future in heaven but a way of life that shapes the present. This book also argues that such ways of thinking about salvation must be given greater prominence when thinking about inter-faith questions. Read more...