“Be Christian!” for Sunday, 12 February 2017 from Dr. Herb Prince

“Be Christian!” for Sunday, 12 February 2017 from Dr. Herb Prince

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly friendship continue; 2 but don’t forget to be friendly to outsiders; for in so doing, some people, without knowing it, have entertained angels. 3 Remember those in prison and being mistreated, as if you were in prison with them and undergoing their torture yourselves.

4 Marriage is honorable in every respect; and, in particular, sex within marriage is pure. But God will indeed punish fornicators and adulterers.

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, “I will never fail you or abandon you.”[Hebrews 13:5 Deuteronomy 31:6] 6 Therefore, we say with confidence,

“Adonai is my helper; I will not be afraid —

what can a human being do to me?”[Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6][Complete Jewish Bible]

Let mutual love continue (Hebrews 13:1).

[Christian practices] are things Christian people do together over time to address fundamental human needs in response to and in light of God’s active presence for the life of the world in Jesus Christ.[This definition is from Miroslav Volf and Dorothy Bass, “A Theological Understanding of Christian Practices,” Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life, eds. Volf and Bass (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002), 18. According to footnote 3 on page 18 “in Jesus Christ” would strengthen the definition so the three words are added here to the original definition.]

We must learn the practice of saying no to that which crowds God out and say yes to a way of life that makes space for God.[M. Shawn Copeland, “Saying Yes and Saying No,” Practicing Our Faith, edited by Dorothy C. Bass (Jossey-Bass, 1997), 60.]

Introduction

The question is fair: what does theology have to do with the way life is actually lived? Several books have been published recently asking this very question but in these instances the question is being raised by theologians themselves rather than critics. Practice and practices have taken on new life in the theological realm. A number of Christian thinkers have grown weary of the more technical and academic sides of Christian thinking to the detriment of practice itself. This has affected seminary curriculum and ministerial training in general since the 1970s.

One could well say that there has been a return to one of Friedrich Schleiermacher’s key ideas: Christian learning should result in informed practice. [Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834), the father of modern theology, divided the study of theology into three areas: philosophical, historical, and practical He was especially interested in the education of ministers so theology was to find its fulfillment in actual practice. The recent focus on “competency-based education” may be one means of fulfilling aspects of Schleiermacher’s goal. See “Startup Seminaries,” Christian Century (February 15, 2017), 27.]

For two lessons this class will examine and discuss Christian practices. With our co-teacher laid up for a while it was decided to do a couple of lessons under the rubric of “Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life.” In a sense the topic is not new. Every Sunday in one way or the other various beliefs and practices are encouraged, either by the teacher or by class members. After all, that is what Christianity is all about-- -loving God and serving the neighbor. Perhaps what will make this next Sunday or two different will be the intentionality of harping on gracing practices.

‘Gracing’ is used here as an adjective in support of Miroslav Volf’s definition of theology. Volf writes, “Theology is an enterprise whose object of study is God and God’s relation to the world and whose purpose is not simply to discover ‘knowledge’ but to serve a way of life.” [Miroslav Volf, “Theology for a Way of Life,” Practicing Theology, edited by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002), 247.] Gracing practices with the focus on gracing suggests a dynamic aspect that may not appear in the sometimes used “graced practices.” Where “graced” may imply past action, “gracing” connotes present, active participation. God is always actively involved in what we Christians are about in our practices of service to others.

Two chapters in the book of Hebrews will be used to illustrate Christian practices. If Hebrews 11 is the chapter on significant witnesses to faith, chapters 12 and 13 are the putting into practice of faith in a variety of contemporary forms. Various features of the concluding chapters will be selected but not necessarily in their scriptural order. Thus we begin by focusing on Hebrews 13:1-6.

Doing Philadelphia

Most people are aware that the city of Philadelphia is advertised as “the city of

brotherly-love.” Technically, the city could be more accurately advertised as “the city of sisterly-love.” This altered claim can easily be checked by examining I Peter 3:8 and other passages. “Love as brothers” in 3:8 (NIV) is one word in Greek and when transliterated into English is philadelphoi. The “oi” ending

indicates the term is a masculine plural noun so “brothers” is an apt translation. In today’s lesson from Hebrews 13:1, philadelphia (“mutual love” in the NRSV/”loving each other as brothers” in the NIV) appears in the Greek text with a

feminine plural ending (“ia“ and not “oi”). This feminine ending is actually the more familiar and common spelling, appearing in such places as Ro. 12:10; I Th. 4:9; I Pet. 1:22, etc. In fact, the only place where philadelphoi with its masculine ending is used in the Greek New Testament is I Peter 3:8. Thus if someone argues that Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is not a city of “brotherly-love,” he or she has spelling ammunition to back up the claim!

However to overemphasize a feminine or a masculine ending for “philadelphia” is to miss the mark, although it is tempting to score a social point or two. [It is worth mentioning that the historical preference for “brother” is undergoing re-examination, with more commentaries and lexicons listing both brother and sister as appropriate translations. Greek handbooks show no discernable theological differences between the two Greek endings.] More

significantly is the fact that the major occurrences of “philadelphia” or “philadelphoi” in ancient Greek literature appear in Christian sources. The term(s)

represents a distinctly Christian usage that is more than simply “friendship” (philos), the nearest Greek philosophical analogue, and carries different dimensions than the agape love found in the New Testament. For the Greeks, friendship represented the ideal relationship to be found amongst adults living in community. In his Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle defined friendship as

“reciprocated goodwill.” Children were thought to be too immature to realize true

friendship. Older people were judged to find friendship less often since they are “worse tempered and enjoy meeting people less.” For many Christians agape love primarily refers to God’s love and so agape sets the standard for human relations.

Noticeably absent in Hebrews is agape, as a major term. In fact, agape or a variation of it is only found in four instances:

1: 9– “...you have loved righteousness.... [quoting the Old Testament].

6: 10– “...love that you showed....”

10:24– “...provoke one another to love and good deeds....”

12: 6– “...the Lord disciplines those he loves....” [quoting the Old Testament].

Hebrews 13:1-6

1 Let mutual love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.  3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with

them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.  4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.  5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”

Hebrews is addressed to a community of Christians who are undergoing trials. The

book is meant as a means of encouragement (Heb 13:22). Having covered the better way of the new covenant and of its suffering Christ, the author closes with a series of concrete steps in keeping with the better way outlined earlier in the book.

In chapter 13 the term chosen to set the framework is not friendship, not agape, but

philadelphia. “Hebrews does not recommend a general love of humankind, but a love of the ‘brother and sister.’” [Harold Attridge, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Fortress Press, 1989), 385.] This gives more meaning to the theme of pursuing peace with all (12:14).

Women and men are given the same admonition in Hebrews 13:1–“Let mutual love continue.” “Mutuality” is not a typical subject, either in the Library of Congress index or in various ethical treatises. Mutuality suggests response and reciprocity. In many ethical discussions what matters is what is in the person. If I am to show Christian love, it is the love I have and what I do with that love that is said to be important.[Intriguing is the perspective of Martin Buber. Love is not what someone has or possesses but what” happens” between persons in a relationship.] If I give that love and it is not reciprocated, I may believe that “I did my Christian duty.” That is enough, but is it? Not hardly! A love for

one’s brothers and sisters is set forth in the text. Thus the question for today: How

does one do philadelphia?

A list of potential practices for doing philadelphia are recommended in Hebrews 13:2-6. Mutual love is not defined formally but shown by way of specific exhortations. The four-fold path includes:

-- to show,

-- to remember,

-- to honor,

-- to keep.

Practice 1: Show hospitality to strangers (Heb 13:2). Both Jews and Gentiles placed hospitality high on their list of virtues. This virtue was also important to the early Christian community, since leaders and others traveled from place to place.

Some unscrupulous people evidently took advantage of hospitality, leading the early church to look with suspicion upon anyone who stayed more than one day. [For instance, see the Didache 11:4-6: “Let every Apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord, but let him not stay more than one day, or if need be a second as well; but if he stay three days, he is a false prophet. And when an Apostle goes forth let him accept nothing but bread till he reach his night’s lodging; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet.” The Didache (i.e., teaching) is widely regarded as a manual of Church instruction and is dated either late first or early second century.]

The reference to angels in the verse is thought to be a reference to Abraham and his entertainment of three guests (Gen 18:1ff). The intent is to insure that hospitality is not overlooked even if some people take advantage of the situation.

Practice 2: Remember those in prison (Heb 13:3). Concern for prisoners repeats an

earlier theme (Heb 10:34f) with its mention of “reproaches and afflictions.”

Solidarity reigns, as the reader is to remember prisoners “as though you were in

prison with them,” even to the point of torture.

Practice 3: Honor marriage (Heb 13:4). The text provides an explicit affirmation of

the marriage bond, making clear that marriage is not disparaged in favor of some ascetical ideal. Here, three really is a crowd! Lust is incompatible with the sanctity of the Christian community. Those guilty of such immorality, whether fornication (a general designation covering sexual immorality) or adultery specifically, come under the judgment of God.

Practice 4: Keep from the love of money (Heb 13:5-6). Practices 3 and 4 are commonly linked in early Christian literature. The “love of money” as a term appears more frequently as one moves toward the end of the first century and into the second century. As people with higher incomes were won to the Christian way, this particular admonition became more common. The writer to the Hebrews

then adds: “be content with what you have.” This is based on the writer’s confidence that God “will never leave you or forsake you.” Trust in the presence of the One who gifts the recipients of the document is enough. The writer then concludes,

So we can say with confidence,

‘The Lord is my helper;

I will not be afraid.

What can anyone do to me?’[Christian Praxis]

Noted earlier was a definition. Christian practices are “things Christian people do

together over time to address fundamental human needs in response to and in the light of God’s active presence for the life of the world in Jesus Christ.” [Craig Dykstra and Dorothy C. Bass, “A Theological Understanding of Christian Practices,” in Practicing Theology, ed. Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002), 18. Unless noted otherwise, the remaining paragraphs are indebted to these same authors with material drawn from pages 22-29.] The value of the definition is that it brings together belief and action, theology and practice, rather than treating them independently of each other. Christian practices then are

constituent elements in a way of life termed “Christian.” According to Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass, by participating in such practices Christians are taking part in God’s work of creation and new creation in a four-fold manner:

1. Christian practices address fundamental human needs and conditions.

2. Christian practices are activities imbued with the knowledge of God and creation.

3. Christian practices are social and historical activities people engage in together over time.

4. Christian practices share in the mysterious drama of fall, redemption and grace.

Therefore, as constituent elements, Christian practices are deeply intertwined with one another. According to Dykstra and Bass, several examples of integration can be mentioned:

When practicing hospitality, one is drawn into forgiving those once considered alien, and into perceiving one’s own forgiveness as well; in keeping sabbath, one honors the body, reorders the economics of the household, and grows in capacity to participate in the practice of saying yes

and saying no. Other connections emerge as well: we begin to understand that the family table, the table provided for the destitute, the table of holy communion, and the eschatological table where all people will feast in the fullness of God are not isolated from one another, but are part of a coherent

whole constituted by the encompassing, unifying reality of God’s active presence for the life of the world.

We may not be “Philadelphia lawyers” and thus knowledgeable in the most minute aspects of the legal profession but we do not need to be. The book of Hebrews is an articulation of a perspective on life, written for the sake of guiding us fully into what the book of Acts termed ‘the Way.’ In some respects, the author of Hebrews is telling the readers who they can really be by following practices that exemplify what God is pleased for God’s children to do. It has been said that [9]

The church exists today as resident aliens, an adventurous colony in a society of unbelief.... To speak of the church as a colony is to speak of the colony not as a place, a fortified position be it theological or geographic.

The colony is a people on the move. . . breathlessly trying to keep up with Jesus.

How does one breathlessly keep up with Jesus? One way is through philadelphia practices!

-------
Be Christian! for Sunday, 19 February 2017 Part 2

Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke God’s message to you. Reflect on the results of their way of life, and imitate their trust — 8 Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.

9 Do not be carried away by various strange teachings; for what is good is for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods. People who have made these the focus of their lives have not benefited thereby.

10 We have an altar from which those who serve in the Tent are not permitted to eat. 11 For the cohen hagadol brings the blood of animals into the Holiest Place as a sin offering, but their bodies are burned outside the camp.[Hebrews 13:11 Leviticus 16:27] 12 So too Yeshua suffered death outside the gate, in order to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Therefore, let us go out to him who is outside the camp and share his disgrace. 14 For we have no permanent city here; on the contrary, we seek the one to come. 15 Through him, therefore, let us offer God a sacrifice of praise continually.[Hebrews 13:15 Leviticus 7:12; 22:29; Psalms 50:14, 23; 107:22; 116:17; 2 Chronicles 29:31] For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge his name.

16 But don’t forget doing good and sharing with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your lives, as people who will have to render an account. So make it a task of joy for them, not one of groaning; for that is of no advantage to you.

[Complwtw Jewish Bible]

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith (Hebrew 13:7).

We must learn the practice of saying no to that which crowds God out and yes to a way of life that makes space for God (Copeland, 60).

Introduction

Owen Chadwick, a British church historian, relates a story about Luis de Leon. It seems that de Leon became critical of the Latin Vulgate (the Bible of the Medieva[l] period), claiming it contained errors. One day the authorities came and took him from his lecture room. He was imprisoned for five years. Upon his release he re-assumed his teaching position. Reportedly, back in class his opening words were:

“As I was saying...” (Chadwick, 301). Well, as I was saying last Sunday, it was decided to pursue two lessons on the thirteenth chapter 1 of Hebrews. Last week attention focused on Hebrews 13:1-6. This morning we turn to verses 7-17.

Shirley Guthrie, formerly Professor of Christian Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia, has an interesting table of contents in his book for Presbyterian laity. Chapter titles are posed in question form and paired. The second chapter in each case responds to what the previous chapter poses as an issue. Consider these examples: the opening chapter is entitled “Who Is A

Theologian?” followed by “Who Says So?” The chapter on creation is titled:

“What Are We Doing Here?” followed by a discussion on evil, “Why Doesn’t God Do Something About It?” The chapter on human existence is headed by “Who Are We?” followed by one on sin, “Why Don’t You Just Be Yourself?” Another chapter asks the question: “Are You A Christian?” followed by “Living or Dead?”

The text from Hebrews fits well with Shirley Guthrie’s last pair: “Are You A Christian?” and its sequel “Living Or Dead?” These two titles frame responsibilities associated with leadership, as in this morning’s text from. Hebrews 13:7-17.

Exhortation to Faithful Living

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.  8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them.  10 We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat.  11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to

sanctify the people by his own blood. 

13 Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured.  14 For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.  17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls and will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not

with sighing—for that would be harmful to you.

The references to “leaders” (hegoumenon) in Hebrews 13 (vv. 7, 17, 24) do not mean just ordained minister or those on a ministerial staff although they could be included. The term translated “leaders” is a broad term covering all who are involved in some form of church leadership. The term is general enough in the New Testament era to cover politics and the military (Lk 22:26; Acts 15:22; Sir

17:17; I Macc.9:30). Today this leadership term could include laity since leaders are identified in the text only by function–“those who spoke the word of God to

you.” These leaders exist to serve, both in terms of evangelism (Are you a Christian?) and in terms of assisting people to develop in their understanding and walk in the Christian way (Are you living or dead?).

The recipients of Hebrews are admonished to “remember your leaders,” to “obey your leaders and submit to them.” Why would such admonitions be given?

Moreover, given the presence of these admonitions in the text, how should we take

them today? Their presence in the text implies that not only leaders have responsibilities toward us who are laity but we have responsibilities toward them.

If the exhortations in Hebrews 13:1-6, as suggested last week, are ways of exercising what the Greek terms philadelphia (i.e., mutual love), then Hebrews 13:7-17 can be said to be also. For the two main verbs–“remember” (13:7) and “obey” (13:17)–follow the earlier emphases on “show,” “remember,” “honor,” and “keep,” in verses 1-6. With that context in mind, it becomes possible to view verses 7-17 as additional Christian practices. Yes, this sounds like philadelphia.

However the message in Hebrews 13:7-17 seems to be put together in an odd way:

The biblical text is interesting in its own right. Looked at in its entirety (vv. 7-17),

the author begins with a reference to leaders (v.7), shifts to other topics with references to Jesus, food, altar, blood, sacrifice, camp and the like (vv.8-16), and then returns to leadership (v.17). This is hardly the most logical portion of the entire book, or so it first seems. Perhaps clarity would appear if we assume that verses 8-16 are a commentary and an exposition of verse 7: “ Remember your

leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” 

“Remember” is a reference to past leaders who spoke the word of God and are now worthy exemplars to be imitated. They served faithfully for a time. In effect, these

leaders of the past offer to the hearers a continuation of the roll call of faith they

heard earlier in chapter 11. These leaders not only ‘spoke the word of God’ but enacted it through their faithful way of life from day to day. Now in contrast to former leaders who are no longer on the scene, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.” While they may not be present the source of the leaders’ faith remains. Former leaders passed on, Christ remains. The recipients

show their faithfulness to Christ and past leadership by not giving in to new teachings or practices, food regulations being one example of what to avoid. The old covenant and its sacrificial altar has passed, the true altar is the suffering Christ. Three admonitions then follow:

1. to bear the abuse he suffered,

2. to offer continually sacrifices of praise to God, and

3. to do good and to share what one has.

The bottom line: past leadership was faithful. Let us remember and do likewise.

‘Obey and submit’ (v. 17) then refer to the present. The grace of God is still at work in the lives and efforts of those now in positions of leadership. The reference to “keeping watch” can be taken as being faithful, of being in conformity with the

traditional injunction to be ever watchful (cf. Mk 13:33; Lk 21:36; Eph 6:18).

Moreover, leaders stand under judgment, the judgment of accountability for those they serve, “which are anchored in the heavenly realm (6:19), renewed by faith (10:39), and encouraged by the example of Christ (12:3)” (Attridge (402). The lives of leaders are made easier by obeying and submitting “with joy and not by sighing [“groaning”] –for that would be harmful” (13:17), not for leadership but for the recipients of Hebrews!

What the responsibilities are for the leaders toward those they serve are not addressed here in Hebrews. However the context is in line with what is expressed from a different New Testament writer where congregational leaders are in mind, in I Peter 5:2-5:

2 to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly.  3 Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock.  4 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Hebrews 13:7-17 and I Peter 5:2-5 show philadelphia at work for server and those

served.

Revelatory ‘Manners’

Several weeks ago Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964) was quoted. She was an American writer and essayist. An important voice in American literature, she wrote

several novels and numerous short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries. Her description of her task is interesting (see Brinkmeyer, 172):

My task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel,-- it is above all to make you see. That-- and no more, and it is everything.

It is above all to make the reader see, she says. “That-- and no more, and it is said to be everything.” Why is that important to her? O’Connor writes, “It is the business of fiction to embody mystery through manners, and mystery is a great embarrassment to the modern mind” (O’Connor, 104). She goes on to say,

The mystery . . . is the mystery of our position on earth, and the manners are those conventions which . . . reveal that central mystery (124).

The last portion of O‘Connor’s quotation-- ‘conventions which reveal that central mystery’--fits nicely with where we ended in the last lesson,’ We were discussing

the importance and place of practices we encounter from day-to-day, from phone

solicitations to attitudes we express in living out our Christian life. O’Connor’s

‘manners’ are broad enough to encompass what is called ‘practices.’ By extension do our practices reveal the central mystery which is Christ? What do we see and more importantly what do others see in what we do?

It is quite a stretch to go from O’Connor to the author of Hebrews in one breath.

And yet, her references to mystery, manners, conventions, and central mystery are intriguing. Is there not a broad affinity between her quotation and what we find in the exhortations by the preacher in Hebrews? The vocabulary may differ but in both cases questions that all of us face make their appearance. The Hebrews writer wonders, too (Hebrews 2:6-8):

What are human beings that you [O God] are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, subjecting all things under their feet

The same logic follows when it comes to ‘Christian practices.’ What Christians do

stands in well and perhaps even deepens O’Connor’s notion of ‘manners.’ Manners are the ways in way things are done. There are acceptable ways and there are unacceptable avenues for doing something. Pastors, employers, parents and (say) marriage partners, to name a few, attempt to get others to do what is needed all the time. The Hebrews writer does it as well. Christian practices are those conventions (activities) which reference the central mystery! And who is the central mystery?

We do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9).

The writer of Hebrews had confidence in church leaders. “Remember,” “obey,” “submit” are the recommended practices when considering how leadership is to be viewed. They stand with the imperatives mentioned earlier in the chapter: show, honor, keep (13:2-6). Are these exhortations the type we need to hear? Does this mean an automatic OK response whenever a church leader says something? It is interesting that the admonitions given in the text are not without a context. The appeals are not for blind acceptance. By remembering leadership, the text adds:

“As you contemplate the outcome of their conduct, imitate their fidelity” (Attridge). Whatever verses 8-16 may fully mean, and there are differences of opinion amongst commentaries, this much is clear: proper leadership is faithful to the Gospel, faithful to the heritage, and faithful to those served.

-------

Resources

1. Harry W. Attridge, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Hermeneia (Fortress Press, 1989).
2. Robert Brinkmeyer, Jr., The Art and Vision of Flannery O’Connor (Louisiana University Press, 1989).
3. Owen Chadwick, The Penguin History of the Church, vol. 3: The Reformation (Penguin Books, 1990).
4. M. Shawn Copeland, “Saying Yes and Saying No,” Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People, ed. Dorothy C. Bass (Jossey-Bass Publications, 1997).
5. Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass, “A Theological Understanding of Christian Practices,” Practicing Theology: Beliefs and Practices in Christian Life, eds., Miroslav Volf and Dorothy C. Bass (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002).
6. Shirley Guthrie, Christian Doctrine (John Knox Press, 1977).
7. Flannery O’Connor, Mystery and Manners (Farrar, Straus & Gilroux, 1961).

-------