Philemon's Problem: A Theology of GracePhilemon was a wealthy Christian whose slave Onesimus went off in search of freedom, met and listened to Paul, and joined the church. But instead of being given a new life of his own, Onesimus was sent back by Paul to an aggrieved master with no protection but his mentor's brief Letter to Philemon. Paul never asked Philemon to free his slave. Instead, he admonished him to take Onesimus back - only now as his brother in Christ. This left both master and bondsman with a problem: how could one man own another and both be brothers in Christ? In this unique work James Tunstead Burtchaell uses the ancient story of Philemon and Onesimus as a compelling entry into modern theological reflection on the unbelievable reach of the grace and forgiveness of the Father whose Son died without disciples, rose to reconcile and transform them, and then scattered them around the world as men and women who were now also able to love those who loved them not - and transform them too. According to Burtchaell, in order for the faith of Philemon and Onesimus to cope with Paul's imperative, they required an inspired imagination to take in the notion that the Father loves sinners (i.e., all of us), and he neither would nor could do otherwise. For Philemon and Onesimus to undertake such a relentless love themselves would require frighteningly new convictions, new commitments, and new celebrations. |
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... continued to make its way . Sales have abated now , but to have a book remain in print for 25 years is always a comfort for an author . Now it is time for a new edition . Over the years I came to wish for a shift of weight here , a ...
... continued to make its way . Sales have abated now , but to have a book remain in print for 25 years is always a comfort for an author . Now it is time for a new edition . Over the years I came to wish for a shift of weight here , a ...
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Contents
Philemons Problem | 4 |
The Father of Jesus and Strange Gods Before Him | 36 |
His Fathers Son Firstborn of Many Children | 58 |
What Need for Jesus If the Father Already Loves and Saves? | 85 |
Does Moral Behavior Matter If It Makes No Difference to the Lord? | 105 |
Old Morality or New? The Moral Force of Action and Forbearance | 127 |
An Ethic Both Personal and Social Decisions of Choice | 165 |
The Suppleness of Moral Wisdom A Case Study in Armed Force | 181 |
When a Gesture Isnt Only a Gesture The Good of Ritual | 231 |
The Rituals of Jesus the AntiRitualist Worship the Real MakeBelieve | 269 |
Close to the Prodigal Father Case Studies on Penance and Prayer | 295 |
Our Problem | 327 |
Common terms and phrases
accepted anger arms Basil of Caesarea become behavior believe better bomb brothers and sisters Catholic Christian Church claim Colossae command commitment confession conscience corrupt death decision disciples divine divorce duty eternal ethical eucharist evil faith Father of Jesus flag Fletcher follow force forgiveness give God's gods Gospel grace guilt hand heart Hilaire Belloc human imagination imperatives insight Israel Jews John John Steinbeck judge kill lives Lord marriage master military moral Moses nation neighbor never offered one's Onesimus ourselves Paul peace Penance person Philemon pray prayer priest prophetic Proportionalists reconciled responsibility revealed rite ritual sacrament salvation Schüller Scriptures sense simply sinners sins Situation Ethics slave slavery social society soul Spirit Tertullian Testament things Tom Wicker Torah tradition Uncle Tom's Cabin understanding violence woman words worship wrath Yahweh York Zacchaeus