Call and Response: The Challenge of Christian Life

By Werner G. Jeanrond

This book offers some reflections upon the nature and purpose of Christian life in today's world. It does not attempt a comprehensive theological discussion of all aspects of the Christian Church. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826407900
• ISBN13: 9780826407900
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Continuum Intl Pub Group
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Responding...

Werner Jeanrond's book, 'Call and Response: The Challenge of Christian Life' is a little known work by a little known theologian. Often as is the case, it is this obscure work that has made a profound impact on my personal theological development.Back when I was discerning my call (or rather, trying to discern if I had a call) to ministry, there were many obstacles thrown up (some circumstantial, some deliberate) which caused me to reflect on the nature of what a call is. For starters, I tend to stay away from `call' language, as I believe everyone is called to something, and a call to ministry is not necessarily more important (and indeed, can often be less important) than a call to be a teacher or doctor or engineer, or the call to be a good parent or good neighbour, etc. Jeanrond helped me to put into words some of my doubts and frustrations with current practice in churches, and current language of vocation.He begins by identifying that Christianity (as indeed many religions) is in crisis. It is harder, he says, to reconcile the experiences of ancient forms of religious organisation or ancient ritualistic practices with the ordinary life as mature adults in today's society. However, this is not to say that society is anti-religious.'It would be wrong to diagnose a foundational hostility to religion in today's intellectual climate. What is, however, true is that the intellectual climate in the West harbours a fundamental suspicion of any form of dogmatism and institutionalism.'He gave me insight into the nature of ministry:'All too often priests and even theologians are considered to be a sort of professional Christian, paid to be Christian so as to assure that the non-paid Christians be saved.'In calling for a more cooperative form of organisation and ministerial outlook, one that embraces the call of all to be workers for justice and compassion, Jeanrond voices some of the same concerns as Bill Countryman in his book on the priesthood of all believers (see my review on that, too, posted 4/1/00). We are called by God to join in the work of creation and sustenance of justice and mercy.'The belief in God's concern for this world tends to promote more of an appreciation of a communal effort, both to protect this world from extinction and to make it better in response to God's call according to which all of us ought to become co-creators of his project.'Jeanrond calls for a radical shift in the way that communities view themselves, and to lessen the divisive characters, to spread the idea of authority out across ever-widening circles which hold each other in check and cooperation. So long as one group (i.e., the clergy) have authority over another (i.e., the laity) there will be a skewing of the radical equality we all share before God.Jeanrond echoes many theologians past and present when calling for continuing interpretation of the Gospel message.'The gospel must be interpreted anew in every generation and context. Such interpretation will alwa