“Keep Theology Weird!” (redacted) Jurgen Moltmann

‘Keep Theology Weird!’  In Jurgen Moltmann’s newest book, Sun of Righteousness, Arise!, he begins by setting a unique goal for himself…’to bring out what is specific, strange, and special about the Christian faith.‘  For Moltmann, ‘what is distinctively Christian is the confession of Christ and belief in his resurrection.’  Despite the tendencies since the Enlightenment to establish a general one-size fits all notion of ‘religion’ that can be justified scientifically, historically, and philosophically, Moltmann takes as his goal a development of a doctrine of the resurrection in these disciplines which amounts to a ‘Christianization‘ of the thought for those in the church.

He lists 3 fundamental Christian insights that carry him through the book:

1. God is the God of Christ’s resurrection.

2. God is the righteousness which creates justice and puts things to rights.

3. The traces and signs of God give the world meaning.

To emphasize the resurrection in such a way, really keeps theology weird.  Today many Christians begin thinking about theology having already made a commitment to other truths at the outset.  Often times these are not consciously chosen beliefs but ones accepted either from one’s church tradition, culture, or academic work.  Moltmann’s desire for a resurrection drenched theology leads him to reject those who…(1) pretend all religious people believe in the same God, (2) see divine judgment as either a dated theological idea OR an act of annihilation instead of salvation, (3) reject the need for an atoning work of God for the world, (4) understand the atonement of God without specific attention to the Victim, and (5) see science as a means to mark the boundaries of all discussions of meaning, purpose, and value.

I do digg me some Moltmann so I imagine as I finish this book a couple more blog posts will roll out.  Check out the book if you are on the look out for a good summer theology read (and have already read Transforming Christian Theology!).

Few theologians get as much attention these days as Jurgen Moltmann, let alone have Danielle Shroyer running his fan club!

CLEARLY YOU SHOULD ALL WATCH THE VIDEO OF MOTLMANN, Tony Jones, and Myself talking!!!!

You can download and read chapter one here.