Authentic Engagement

Dieumeme Noëlliste

Description

Though called to partner in God’s holy work of transformation, the church has often responded with resignation rather than hope in the face of a broken, hurting, and violent world.
In Authentic Engagement, Dieumeme and Mirlenda Noëlliste remind us that the church was never meant to content itself with faith in the hereafter. However, to fulfill its God-given role in society, it must know what and whose it is, and situate itself accordingly. The authors explore questions of ecclesiology and
establish the theological foundations for social engagement as they examine what it means to be a people defined by relationship with the triune God. Arguing that the church has a mandate to see the world transformed, they suggest a model of engagement that would empower believers to act as agents of
transformation in all realms of society, while remaining deeply rooted in their calling as ambassadors of a heavenly kingdom.
This book brings hope and conviction in equal measures as it reawakens the church to a consciousness of its identity, its calling, and its powerful potential to bring change in the here and now.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian Church
• Religion

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 15 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781839738012
• Langue: English

Extrait

Authentic Engagement is clear and straightforward, but it is not an easy read. It is truthfully and painfully prophetic, but it is hopeful. It is not an easy read because Noëlliste unflinchingly identifies, describes, and grapples with ways in which the church too often fails to be the church and fails to be the church in the world. Yet it is hopeful because Noëlliste’s vision of and prescriptions for the church are grounded in the reality of the Triune God and are unswervingly shaped by the redemption available to the world in Jesus Christ. When his clear-eyed analysis stings, it is “the wound of a friend,” and when he issues constructive calls to action, they are informed by his own authentic engagement in the life of the global church. Throughout, this is a book of biblically grounded theology – theology about the church, for the church, and for the world.
W. David Buschart, PhD
Professor of Theology and Historical Studies,
Denver Seminary, Colorado, USA
This volume is a clarion call for the church to be all that it was meant to be in and for the world. Biblically thoughtful and theologically thorough, with interaction from an array of global voices, Authentic Engagement argues that the Christian faith has social import: being a constructive agent of social change is necessary for the church’s witness and indispensable to its mission. It has been so from the beginning. This book returns us to this fundamental truth.
M. Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas), PhD
Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy,
Wheaton College and Graduate School, Illinois, USA
Professor Dieumeme Noëlliste’s fiercely intelligent, deeply committed, dynamic personality guided the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology from its inception, and his ever-expanding influence on global theological education spread from there. Now, four decades into a notable ministry of preaching, teaching, and cross-cultural leadership, he offers us a bountiful harvest – his biblical and theological reflections on the church’s call to social transformation. While his own life story might be held up as an inspiring example of radical transformation, Dr. Noëlliste deliberately grounds his arguments in Scripture, reason, and the historic teachings of the church. What we see in this book is not Dr. Noëlliste, the Haitian prodigy, but the rich fruits of a carefully disciplined mind that is subservient both to the word of God and to the will of his heavenly Father. Thus, a humble submission to God’s word and will undergirds this prophetic call to Christian social transformation. His partnership in this project with his gifted niece, Dr. Mirlenda Noëlliste, signals the way their message spans genders and generations. Read this and renew your prayers for God’s will to be done here on earth, as it is in heaven – faithfully, lovingly, justly, and joyfully!
Timothy Paul Erdel, PhD
Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy,
Bethel University, Indiana, USA
Dieumeme Noëlliste and Mirlenda Noëlliste have done it again, this time in English! This is a well-researched and carefully argued volume that demonstrates in a theologically rich fashion how the Christian church can authentically engage with the wider world to bring positive transformation to all. I particularly value how the two authors bring the voices of a wide range of important theologians around the world into the conversation about the church’s role in the world. This is an important and valuable resource for scholars in ecclesiology and theological ethics. It will also work well as a textbook in theological ethics at graduate and undergraduate levels.
Rev. Knut M Heim, PhD
Professor of Old Testament,
Denver Seminary, Colorado, USA
The church endures scathing criticism from both insiders and outsiders. As the church’s ranks decline, many view it as irrelevant. But rather than merely lament the past, and especially the current state of the church’s ineffectiveness in the world, Dr. Noëlliste and his niece show how the church can recapture its Christ-ordained mission. In this robustly resourced, historically nuanced, and theologically informed treatise, they put forward this challenging proposal – the church can advance the cause of social transformation by being authentically engaged with the present social order. Both italicized words are crucial for their project: the church must truly be the church as God’s alternative society (no compromise of its nature and character); and the church must fully engage the world in all its messiness with a holistic and transformational message characterized by its pursuit of righteousness and justice. Here is no unrealistic fantasy, but rather a truly hopeful appeal in a world mired in hopelessness and despair.
William W. Klein, PhD
Professor Emeritus of New Testament Interpretation,
Denver Seminary, Colorado, USA
Social ills are, arguably, the chief ethical and apologetics issues of our time. But American evangelicalism, on the whole, has aligned with political tribes to determine our approach to these problems. Instead of setting culture, we have chosen sides in societal schisms. In Authentic Engagement , Dr. Dieumeme Noëlliste challenges the church to address social matters on the king’s terms. We do not have the privilege of indifference or idleness, but kingdom ethics should determine our participation. God has equipped us with an eternal message that is temporally relevant. It allows us to have hope in tumultuous times. I commend this book to anyone who desires to embody Christ’s kingdom-minded message and mission.
Brandon Washington
Pastor of Preaching,
Embassy Christian Bible Church,Colorado, USA

Authentic Engagement
The Role of the Church in Social Transformation
Dieumeme Noëlliste
with Mirlenda Noëlliste

© 2023 Dieumeme Noëlliste and Mirlenda Noëlliste
Published 2023 by Langham Global Library
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-83973-800-5 Print
978-1-83973-801-2 ePub
978-1-83973-802-9 Mobi
978-1-83973-803-6 PDF
Dieumeme Noëlliste and Mirlenda Noëlliste have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
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Scriptures unless marked otherwise are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NET), are from the New English Translation (NET). NET Bible® copyright ©1996–2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.bible.org. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV), are from the New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-83973-800-5
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
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Contents

Cover


Foreword


Preface


Acknowledgments


1 Introduction: The Transforming Vocation of the People of God


Transformation: A Keynote of Scripture


Transformation: A Future Hope with Present Implications


Transforming Influence: God’s Mandate to His People


The Purpose of This Book


Part One Models of Transforming Engagement


2 Major Views on the Church’s Role in the World


Mapping out the Options


Nonengagement


Restrictive Engagement


Indirect Engagement


Unbridled or Thoroughgoing Engagement


3 Authentic Engagement


Meaning


Foundations


Criteria


Part Two Ecclesial Consciousness for Transforming Engagement


4 Society of the Triune God


Identity and Engagement


Trinitarian Ecclesiology in History


The Church as the People of God the Father


The Church as the Community of God the Son


Instituted and Empowered by God the Spirit


Holistic Trinitarian Connection


Trinitarian Theology and Authentic Engagement


5 Ambassador of Heaven


Differentiating Activities from Role


The Church as God’s Representative


Biblical and Theological Grounding


Praxiological Implications


Part Three Acts of Transforming Engagement


6 Exemplar of a New Order


Ecclesial Life as a Reflection of the Life of the Triune God


Ecclesial Life as the Space for Showcasing the New Order


Displaying the Life of the Triune God before the World


7 Herald of Transforming News


The Mandate to Proclaim


The Message to Be Proclaimed


The Manner of Heralding the Gospel of the Kingdom of God


8 Catalyst of Human Well-Being