Power And The Powers [Hardcover]

Missio Dei by its very nature requires the church to come to terms with the exercise of power, both internally and externally, as it confronts the world. Tune in to any newscast or glance at the daily newspaper and it immediately becomes clear that the use and abuse of power is a live issue. The more we focus on the twists and turns of current events, the more it appears that uncorrupted exercise of power eludes the human race. All too often we become uneasily aware that there are powers lying behind the power that any of us wields, whether it is in the family, the classroom, on the shop floor, in the boardroom, or in churches. Effective missional leadership involves creative engagement with the powers at work in the world without being debased by them. This book sets out to address the issue of the use and misuse of power from biblical, theological, and practical perspectives. The authors bring their theological, pastoral, missionary, and personal experience to their task in order to inform, challenge, and invite readers into a responsible use of the powers that God has put into the hands of each one of us to achieve his purposes in the world. This book's scope surprises, in its rich array of cited literature (from ancient to postmodern) under a missional canopy. What and how does the power of Jesus Christ's gospel confront the powers in their sociopolitical systemic forms and in their personal and/or territorial demonic manifestations? Culture, context, and worldview are essential in assessment and understanding. The work of these scholars has a solid biblical foundation with a constructive, critical edge. Gratis! --Willard M. Swartley, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary A cross-disciplinary study that effectively interweaves biblical, historical, theological, and cultural perspectives, this well-researched and carefully nuanced exploration of various dimensions of power offers helpful pastoral counsel and important ml3'