Calvin Today: Reformed Theology and the Future of the Church

Introduction /I. Faith / Faith: Introduction / "For the Glory of God": Learning the Future of the Church from Paul / Calvin as a Model for Theological Interpretation of Scripture, illustrated with his Exegis of Tim. 4:1-5/ Contemplating the Living Image of God in Creation / How Calvinism travelled to America: The story of Susanna Bell / Calvin, Children and the Church / Inconvenient, because Consistent Theology: John Calvin and Karl Barth / II. Ecumenism / Ecumenism - Introduction / Calvin's Concept Of the Church and Present-day Ecumenical Challenges / The World Alliance of Reformed Churches today and the John Calvin Legacy / Not without the World Council of Churches: A contribution to the history of the Catholic-reformed international bilateral dialogue. / Calvin's Theology: an Ecumenical Challenge / Can Scripture interpret itself? Thoughts on the relationship between the interpretation of Scripture and Church ministry in Calvin's theology / III. Public Responsibility Public Responsibility - Introduction / On Self-love. Impulses from Calvin and Calvinism for Life in Society? / Meditatio futurae vitae - A spiritual challenge for Church and society? / Calvin's Interpretation of the Church as the Communion of the Saints - a Challenge and an Opportunity for Present-day Reformed Churches / Calvin's Doctrine of the "Civil Government": Its Orienting Power in Pluralism and Globalization

Dr. theol., Oberkirchenrat and Head of the Department for Mission, Ecumenism and the Church's World-Responsibility in the Church Office of the Evangelical Church of Westfalia, Germany. Dr. theol, Dr. theol. H.c., Professor of Systematic Theology, Dogmatics and Ecumenism, Director of the Ecumenical Institut at the Protestant-Theological Faculty of the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. Michael Welker, Dr. theol, Dr. phil., Dr. h.c., Professor for Systematic Theology and Director of the Center of International and Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

'This collection of essays, written for the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth, illuminates the continuing relevance of Calvin's writings in the 21st century. Focusing on major themes, such as the call to live for the glory of God, the living image of God in creation, and the theological interpretation of Scripture and its practical relevance, Calvin Today demonstrates that although the context has changed radically, the issues of unity, ecumenism and public responsibility which shaped Calvin's thinking have powerful resonance for the modern church.' - Eddy van der Borght, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Editor of the Journal of Reformed Theology -- Eddy van der Borght 'Aninternational and ecumenical group of world-class theologians explore here fromthe perspectives of faith, ecumenism, and public responsibility the presentsignificance of Calvin for Reformed theology and the future of the church. Thisvolume demonstrates a relevance of Calvin for all Christians and offers apresentation of ignored aspects of his thought. It is a substantial work thatdemands attention by those concerned with the history of the church and theapplication of the church's faith to the contemporary world.' - WilliamG. Rusch, Yale Divinity School, USA -- William G. Rush