Michael Parsons

On Eagles' Wings Michael Parsons

This is a volume of practical, scriptural, and contemporary essays exploring the idea of strength in weakness in the context of Christian life and ministry. Biblical scholars, theologians, and Christian ministry practitioners have thought about the biblical paradigm of strength in weakness within their own areas of expertise and interest. Biblical scholars encounter the idea of strength in weakness in both Old and New Testament passages that suggest human weakness and divine strength. The people of Israel, a community reliant on grace, exemplify this theme. Mark's portrayal of Jesus Christ indicates that it is in weakness that Christ saves. Paul's paradigm for ministry suggests the same. Theological chapters engage this teaching of strength in weakness as it surfaces in Luther's life, in Calvin's view of prayer, in Barth's theology, and ultimately in the divine dealing with the world. Pastoral theology demonstrates this theme's foundational significance for a suffering church in its mission to the world as well as the theme's importance for preaching the leading of God's people today. Drawing together scholars from fields of biblical studies, systematic theology, and pastoral theology, On Eagles' Wings questions an overemphasis on power in today's church. The authors propose various ways that ministry and mission may be best engaged with a biblical humility and with reliance on God's grace. ""This is a heart-warming, insightful, and deeply human collection of essays. Its contributors are diverse and international in flavor and context and bring to the important theme of 'strength in weakness' both a classical engagement with the text of Scripture and theology and a contemporary awareness of what living responses to that Scripture might look like today. Based on sound scholarly work and exegesis, this volume is winsomely and sometimes amusingly written. It is a book to be read in the high and the low times of the Christian life, especially by Christian leaders and workers who are expected in some greater measure than others to be incarnations of the faith of cross and resurrection. It exudes practical wisdom, realism, and devotion. It will not disappoint."" --Nigel G. Wright, Principal, Spurgeon's College, London Michael Parsons was most recently head of the Department of Christian Thought at Baptist Theological College of Western Australia. He is the author of Luther and Calvin on Old Testament Narratives (2004), Reformation Marriage (2005), and Calvin's Preaching on the Prophet Micah (2006). Parsons is also the editor of Text and Task: Scripture and Mission (2005). Parsons is currently a research supervisor for Spurgeon's College in London. David J. Cohen is Head of Biblical Studies and a lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the Baptist Theological College of Western Australia. He has written about the relevance of lament psalms for worship and pastoral care in Text and Task: Scripture and Mission (2005) and is currently examining the relationship between praying lament psalms and coping with stress.