Ephraim Radner Book order

One of today's leading theologians examines how Christians might more faithfully and realistically imagine their political vocation.

Exploring the interplay between Scripture and the natural world, this work emphasizes the concept of "The Two Books" of God, where Scripture shapes temporal experience rather than being shaped by it. Radner builds on his previous insights, illustrating how the creative relationship between divine revelation and history unveils the natural world’s inherent Scriptural significance. The use of poetic description serves as a key method for conducting natural theology, aligning with the Bible's own narrative structure to deepen understanding.

Focusing on ecclesiology, this book explores the theological understanding of the Christian church, addressing its conception, historical development, and the diversity among various Christian denominations. It presents modern methodologies for studying the church and emphasizes a scriptural perspective centered on mission. Additionally, it critically engages with historical issues while being attuned to contemporary challenges, particularly regarding Judaism and global national identities.

The history and theology of figural reading -- Figural history as a question -- The fate of figural reading -- Imagining figural time -- Creative omnipotence and the figures of scripture -- Figural speech and the incarnational synecdoche -- Figural reading in practice -- Juxtapositional reading and the force of the lectionary -- Trinitarian love means two testaments -- The Word's work: figural preaching and scriptural conformance -- Four figural sermons.

The book presents a compelling argument for a Christian natural theology that emphasizes the poetic nature of understanding divine reality. It explores the tension between created existence and God's grace, highlighting the moral responsibilities of the church in embracing this truth. The first part offers a critical essay on natural theology, while the second features poems that illustrate the natural world through the lens of the Apostles' Creed. This work challenges readers at the intersection of theology, literature, history, and nature, aiming to revitalize fundamental Christian knowledge and culture.

Focusing on 17th century Europe, the book delves into Jansenism's perspective of a dark and fallen world. Radner examines how this theological viewpoint engaged with and responded to claims of miraculous occurrences, shedding light on the interplay between faith and skepticism during this period.

Ephraim Radner's exploration delves into the theological implications of church division in the Christian West, offering insights that extend beyond typical socio-historical interpretations. By analyzing post-Reformation debates, he presents a theory linking Christian fragmentation to the Holy Spirit's role in modernity. Radner argues that a divided church resembles a "dead" church, paralleling the suffering of Christ with the disintegration and restoration of Israel. His work revisits scriptural practices of unity, addressing key pneumatological issues that shape ecclesial existence.