Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to Ecclesiology. Historical, Global, and Interreligious Perspectives. Revised and Expanded. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2021. Pages: 281, ISBN: 978-0-8308-4189-9.
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Ecclesiology is a highly relevant theological topic that requires constant revisions of textbooks in contemporary discussions. This work provides a thorough revision of a book published in 2002. As the title makes clear, this book is an introduction to ecclesiology and includes all that has happened in the field in the past two decades. Specifically, it is a work on comparative ecclesiology where we are given fresh perspectives on traditional ecclesiologies and discussions of emerging trends in less than three hundred pages.
The book serves as a primer on ecclesiology that introduces all the major trends. Having identified the key issues in ecclesiology today, the book is divided into four parts. (1) The first part of the book covers all major ecclesiological traditions, focusing on one or two representative theologians for each. However, Pentecostalists and charismatics are not represented by a representative theologian. (2) The second part examines contextual and global ecclesiologies. It examines how ecclesiological understandings are being developed as Christianity expands beyond its traditional centers in the West to the global south. African, Asian, Latin American, and womanist ecclesiologies are all included. (3) This section does not focus on a particular tradition or region. It focuses on the missional church, discussing the ministry, mission, and governance of the church. (4) The concluding section of the edition discusses the challenges that religious diversity presents. We cannot ignore similar ideas in other religions in today’s globalized world, so the author has offered brief comparisons of the Jewish synagogue and the church, the Islamic Ummah, the Hindu spiritual life, and the Buddhist Sangha.
It is a convenient resource for students of ecclesiology where all they need to know about the church is in one place. Furthermore, the specialist will not be disappointed as the extensive footnotes and bibliography provide sources that can be investigated further. The previous editions have already been successful, so it is likely that the revised edition will do even better.
Hilber, John W. Ezekiel: A Focused Commentary for Preaching and Teaching. 2019
By this work, Hilber has demonstrated how to write commentary for pastors and teachers who are the major consumers of Bible commentaries. Many commentaries very technical the ordinary pastors and students of the Bible. On the other extreme are commentaries who compromise exegesis for detailed suggestions for application. What is unique about this commentary is that it has a proper balance between exegesis and application; and is not too technical for the non-specialist.
What makes this a very user-friendly commentary is its structure. In the short introduction, the author gives us an overview of the Book of Ezekiel. He also offers some advice on how to divide the book into ‘teachable units.’ This is followed by suggestions on how to apply the text to the context of the preachers and their listeners.
He divides the Book into teachable units. The key themes of each unit are presented in the form of bulleted lists. He then presents the specific context of this passage in the wider context of the Book of Ezekiel. In the section that follows titled ‘Interpretive Highlights’ comments on the significant verses are given. So, we don’t have comments on all verses and words or phrases! Only what is essential for our understanding of the key themes of the passages are discussed. Besides these, all units also have a section called ‘Theological Bridge to Application’ where the key themes of each unit are seen in the light of the larger Biblical theology. In the last section, titled ‘Focus of Application’ the author makes broader suggestions as to how that particular section speaks to contemporary situations that we live in.
This indeed is a commentary where the reader gets what they need to preach and teach without having wade through mind-boggling details. Every reader would long for similar volumes from Hilber on other books of the Bible.