Theology And Social

Difference can enrich us or tear us apart. Difference can make our lives stronger, fuller, and richer or it can destroy them. Therefore, how we engage difference matters. Conflicts between different peoples around the world, the movement of refugees from nation to nation, tensions over immigration, and growing diversity within our society bring difference to our doorstep daily. We can engage people who are different constructively and compassionately, or we can allow the fear of difference to distance us from others and to demonize them. At a time when racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious differences have created heightened tensions, we need more than ever to find our bearings. We need to re-examine what we think about difference. Author Theodore "Ted" Hiebert re-examines the Bible's stories explaining difference and its beginnings in the book of Genesis, exposing the inclination to interpret these stories as a negative view of difference. These stories recognize difference as God's intention for the world, providing us with constructive resources of living with difference today. Hiebert starts with the story of "The Tower of Babel" and moves beyond it to examine how Genesis's writers saw their unique identity and role in the world not as separate from all others but as members of the human family of which they were a part. He presents how biblical characters lived with difference and how the first Christians embraced difference. Finally, he invites the reader into new conversations about our biblical traditions that reveal a respect for difference, a generosity toward others, a desire to include rather than exclude, and a continuing interest in negotiating difference in ways that build relationships rather than destroy them. Praise for The Beginning of Difference: "At a time of increasing diversity in American society, polarized social and political discourse, and heightened suspicions about 'the other, ' Theodore Hiebert provides this much-needed and accessible study of biblical notions of difference. His readings of texts from Genesis and Acts challenge long-standing interpretations that assume and perpetuate fear of difference and urge instead the recognition, negotiation, and celebration of human identities and differences as divine gifts. The result is an ancient and compelling call for openness, realism, empathy, and generosity with one another for the survival and flourishing of all."--Christine Roy Yoder, J. McDowell Richards Professor of Biblical Interpretation, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA "Ted Hiebert teaches a better way about diversity from the very inception of scripture. He sets forth his interpretation of Genesis and Acts extensively and compellingly. Hiebert repeatedly demonstrates that old, sectarian interpretations of Genesis are not coterminous with the book called 'The Beginning'--a book that showcases the God-ordained and God-blessed difference that relates all of us to one another."--Brent A. Strawn, professor of Old Testament, Duke Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, NC

"Sustainability is about contributing to a society that everybody benefits from, not just going organic because you don't want to die from cancer or have a difficult pregnancy. What is a sustainable restaurant? It's one in which as the restaurant grows, the people grow with it."--from Behind the Kitchen DoorHow do restaurant workers live on some of the lowest wages in America? And how do poor working conditions--discriminatory labor practices, exploitation, and unsanitary kitchens--affect the meals that arrive at our restaurant tables? Saru Jayaraman, who launched the national restaurant workers' organization Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, sets out to answer these questions by following the lives of restaurant workers in New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Detroit, and New Orleans.Blending personal narrative and investigative journalism, Jayaraman shows us that the quality of the food that arrives at our restaurant tables depends not only on the sourcing of the ingredients. Our meals benefit from the attention and skill of the people who chop, grill, sauté, and serve. Behind the Kitchen Door is a groundbreaking exploration of the political, economic, and moral implications of dining out. Jayaraman focuses on the stories of individuals, like Daniel, who grew up on a farm in Ecuador and sought to improve the conditions for employees at Del Posto; the treatment of workers behind the scenes belied the high-toned Slow Food ethic on display in the front of the house.Increasingly, Americans are choosing to dine at restaurants that offer organic, fair-trade, and free-range ingredients for reasons of both health and ethics. Yet few of these diners are aware of the working conditions at the restaurants themselves. But whether you eat haute cuisine or fast food, the well-being of restaurant workers is a pressing concern, affecting our health and safety, local economies, and the life of our communities. Highlighting the roles of the 10 million people, many immigrants, many people of color, who bring their passion, tenacity, and vision to the American dining experience, Jayaraman sets out a bold agenda to raise the living standards of the nation's second-largest private sector workforce--and ensure that dining out is a positive experience on both sides of the kitchen door.

This intimate, first-of-its-kind account of young undocumented immigrants fighting to live legally within the United States is a "must-read for anyone interested in the immigration debate" (Booklist)

Of the approximately twelve million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, as many as two million came as children. They grow up here, going to elementary, middle, and high school, and then the country they call home won't--in most states--offer financial aid for college and they're unable to be legally employed. In 2001, US senator Dick Durbin introduced the DREAM Act to Congress, an initiative that would allow these young people to become legal residents if they met certain requirements.

And now, more than ten years later, in the face of congressional inertia and furious opposition from some, the DREAM Act has yet to be passed. But recently, this young generation has begun organizing, and with their rallying cry "Undocumented, Unapologetic, and Unafraid" they are the newest face of the human rights movement. In Dreamers, Eileen Truax illuminates the stories of these men and women who are living proof of a complex and sometimes hidden political reality that calls into question what it truly means to be American.

Book by Knight, Henry H., III

Historians have noted the connections between the Wesleyan Methodist movement that began in the eighteenth century, the emergence of African American Methodist traditions and an interdenominational Holiness movement in the nineteenth century, and the birth of Pentecostalism in the twentieth century. This volume, written by historians, theologians, and pastors, builds on that earlier work. The contributors present a diverse array of key figures-denominational leaders and mavericks, institutional loyalists and come--outers, clergy and laity--who embodied these movements. The authors show that in spite of their differing historical and cultural contexts, these movements constitute a distinct theological family whose confident and expectant faith in the transforming power of God has significant implications for the renewal of the contemporary church and its faithfulness to God's mission in the world today.

Contributors
Corky Alexander
Estrelda Alexander
Kimberly Ervin Alexander
Leslie D. Callahan
Barry L. Callen
Douglas R. Cullum
Dennis C. Dickerson
D. William Faupel
Philip Hamner
David Aaron Johnson
J. C. Kelley
Henry H. Knight III
William C. Kostlevy
Diane K. Leclerc
Joshua J. McMullen
Rodney McNeall
Stephen W. Rankin
Harold E. Raser
Douglas M. Strong
Matthew K. Thompson
Wallace Thornton Jr.
L. F. Thuston
Arlene Sanchez Walsh
Steven J. Land
Laura Guy
John H. Wigger

"This remarkable book fills a gap in contemporary understandings of American--even global--Christianity. Scholars such as Vinson Synan and Donald Dayton have shown the genetic kinship of Wesleyan, Holiness, and Pentecostal Christianity; this book fills in the picture. With sensitivity to cultural, gender, and racial dynamics, the book offers essential historical and theological insights. Biographical studies of key leaders add flesh and blood to the account. The book is accessible to general readers, not demanding specialized knowledge of the movements covered."
--Howard A. Snyder
Professor of Wesley Studies
Tyndale Seminary, Ontario

"This is an absolutely terrific volume. It provides a whole new angle of vision--historical, theological, and pastoral--for looking again at the legacy of Wesley; it raises searching questions for the future of the Wesleyan and Pentecostal traditions which urgently demand attention; and its potential for breathing new life and hope into the contemporary church is enormous."
--William J. Abraham
Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies
Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

"From Aldersgate to Azusa Street is a panoramic survey of the lives and times of Wesley and his descendents once and twice-removed. The result is a fascinating biographical history of the emergence of world Christianity. The important contributions of these men and women make this an essential text for teachers and students of Wesleyan, Holiness, and Pentecostal movements.
--Amos Yong
J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology
Regent University

"Contrary to many convoluted texts, this remarkably readable book uses a narrative approach to embody the primary teachings and ministries defining the Wesleyan family. It focuses on leaders who have engaged in the quest for holiness from Aldersgate to Asuza. Helpful charts clearly highlight the branches and leaders of the Wesleyan family tree. For those seeking renewal of persons, church, and society, this is a must read!"
--Susie C. Stanley
Professor of Historical Theology
Messiah College

Henry H. Knight III is Donald and Pearl Wright Professor of Wesleyan Studies at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of five books, including The Presence of God in the Christian Life (1992) and A Future for Truth (1997).