Either/Or: The Gospel of Neopaganism - Paperback

by Carl E. Braaten (Editor), Robert W. Jenson (Editor)

Many mainline church members no longer understand what Christianity really is and why they themselves are Christians. Bible-centered doctrine is being adulterated, and the meaning of Christian living is being compromised by the pagan elements of modern culture. America is a new mission field where the gospel is in a life-and-death struggle with the "spirits of the age."

Seeking a return from pagan tendencies to biblical orthodoxy, the contributors to Either/Or argue that neopaganism in not merely an objective threat from outside the walls of the church, but has permeated the church's inner life under such guises as "pluralism," "multiculturalism," " feminism," and "hospitality." They address the crucial issues facing the church and explore the implications of these issues for preaching, worship, pastoral care, and evangelism.

Contributors:
Carl E. Braaten
Robert Jenson
J.A. DiNoia
Robert Wilkin
Kenneth Paul Wesche
L. Gregory Jones
James R. Crumley

Back Jacket

Christians have been slow to recognize the pagan elements in modern culture. Those who believe that America is a Christian nation are blind to the pagan forces that influence all aspects of life. The contributors to this volume hold that America is now a new mission field where the gospel is in a life-and-death struggle with 'the spirits of the age.'

Author Biography

Carl E. Braaten (1929-2023) was an American Lutheran theologian. He earned his doctoral degree from Harvard Divinity School, where he studied under Paul Tillich. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago for nearly thirty years. In addition to teaching, Braaten cofounded and edited the journal Dialog, cofounded the journal Pro Ecclesia, and cofounded the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. His many publications include Principles of Lutheran Theology; Mother Church: Ecclesiology and Ecumenism; Sin, Death, and the Devil; and The Strange New Word of the Gospel.

Robert W. Jenson (1930-2017) was a leading Lutheran and ecumenical theologian. He served as codirector of the Institute for Theological Inquiry and was cofounder and longtime associate director of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. Among his many significant books are A Religion against Itself, The Triune Identity, and the two-volume Systematic Theology.