Reaching for the New Jerusalem: A Biblical and Theological Framework for the City
Overview
Examine the biblical and theological meaning of the city of Jerusalem, and learn about our mission within it. This book starts with the premise that the garden is lost, and we are headed toward the city of God—the New Jerusalem. Meanwhile, we must adjust the earthly cities in which we dwell to conform to God’s city. In pursuit of this goal, various urban practitioners and theologians contributed to this resource, describing the biblical, systematic, and practical aspects of urban ministry.
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Key Features
- Provides biblical and theological context for urban ministry
- Presents practical wisdom for building the city of God
- Offers insights from a variety of urban ministers who have taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston
Contents
- “Foundations of New Jerusalem—By Way of a Preface,” Seong Hyun Park
- “Rebuilding the City of Enoch with the Blueprints of Christ: An Introduction,” by William David Spencer
- “What City Are We Creating?” by Aída Besançon Spencer
- “Blueprints for the Heart of the Rebuilder,” John Runyon
- “Ecclesiapolis: Two Millennia of Mutual Transformation between Church and City,” David A. Currie
- “Redeeming the City in the Margins,” by Mark G. Harden
- “Roadblocks to the New Jerusalem Facing Urban Youth and Communities,” by Dean Borgman
- “Living-System Ministry Ushers in the New Jerusalem,” by Douglas A. Hall with Judy Hall, Steve Daman, and Jeffrey Bass
- “Intercultural Unity, a Sign of the New Jerusalem: Overcoming Barriers and Getting Ready for Church Collaborations across Cultural Lines,” by Bianca Duemling
- “Challenges to Discipleship in the Context of Contemporary Consumer Culture,” by Teri Elliott-Hart
- “A Conceptual Framework for Counseling City People,” by Carlot D. Celestin
- “Under One Steeple: Biblical and Theological Foundations for Sharing Church Space,” Lorraine Cleaves Anderson
- “Building Shalom in the City: Education Provides a Bridge between the Church and the Secular Community,” by David Martinez
- “Epilogue: Participating in What God Is Doing,” by J. Anthony Lloyd
Praise for the Print Edition
The many authors of this book offer a fresh paradigm for our mission and ministry in the city—‘to rebuild our cities of Enoch on the blueprint plans of the New Jerusalem, the blueprints of Christ.’
—Eldin Villafañe, professor of Christian social ethics and founding director, Center for Urban Ministerial Education (CUME), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Written by a diverse cadre of urban theological specialists and practitioners, this compilation is timely, scholarly, relevant, probing, and enlightening. Like a spiritual laser, rays of hope and healing keep flashing through the pages of these articles written by men and women of solid biblical faith who every day work, research, teach, and ‘pray for the peace of the city’ as they point us to the ‘beautiful city of God.’
—Michael E. Haynes, pastor emeritus, Twelfth Baptist Church, Boston, MA
Product Details
- Title: Reaching for the New Jerusalem
- Editors: Seong Hyun Park, Aída Besançon Spencer, and William David Spencer
- Publisher: Wipf & Stock
- Series: The Urban Voice Series
- Publication Date: 2013
- Pages: 234
- Christian Group: Reformed
- Resource Type: Collected Essays
- Topic: Ministry Resources
About the Editors
Seong Hyun Park is the assistant dean of the Boston campus and assistant professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He coedits the Africanus Journal, the Africanus Monograph Series, and the Urban Voice Series.
Aída Besançon Spencer is professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and an extraordinary researcher for North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa. She has a PhD from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a ThM and MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is the author or coauthor of 13 books, including Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry and Paul’s Literary Style.
William David Spencer is the editor of Priscilla Papers, and a professor of theology and the arts at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Boston Center for Urban Ministerial Education. He has a ThD from Boston University School of Theology. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Dread Jesus and Creative Ways to Build Christian Community.