Hamilton / Heimbrock / Wyller “Born Again”: A Portrait and Analysis of the Doctrine of Regeneration within Evangelical Protestantism

1. Auflage 2017
ISBN: 978-3-647-60457-2
Verlag: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band 23, 348 Seiten

Reihe: Research in Contemporary Religion (RCR)

Stephen J. Hamilton attempts to create a “portrait” of “born-again” Christianity by providing a general introduction to the doctrine of regeneration, including its development in modernity, as well as short exegeses of relevant scriptural texts, followed by a close reading of four theologians – Philipp Jakob Spener, Jonathan Edwards, Friedrich D.E. Schleiermacher, and Charles G. Finney – who all associate the doctrine of regeneration with an experience of presence in the individual believer.In light of these analyses, he then traces a general theological structure of the “born-again” understanding of regeneration, including a catalogue of theological issues over which there is significant disagreement, in order to create a topography of “born-again” theologies. In the final section, he applies these results to contemporary conversion narratives of non-theologians. It is in such conversion narratives, the author argues, that theologians can discover an implicit, “lived” theology that reveals how doctrines are perceived and put into practice among Christians. Accordingly, this is to be understood as the result of the creative reciprocity between (often tacit) theological convictions and the experiences of the Christian life. The final chapter, as a coda to the entire work, offers some concluding reflections on the present cultural and political situation in the USA pertaining to “born-again” Christianity and argues against any oversimplifications of the relationship between “born-again” theologies, culture, and politics.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hamilton, Stephen J.

Heimbrock, Hans-Günter

Wyller, Trygve

Knauss, Stefanie

Sander, Hans-Joachim

Pezzoli-Olgiati, Daria

Kreinath, Jens

Weitere Mitwirkende

Heimbrock, Hans-Günter

Wyller, Trygve

Knauss, Stefanie

Sander, Hans-Joachim

Pezzoli-Olgiati, Daria

Kreinath, Jens

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christliche Kirchen, Konfessionen, Denominationen Protestantismus, evangelische und protestantische Kirchen
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Systematische Theologie Geschichte der Theologie, Einzelne Theologen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Title Page;4
2;Copyright;5
3;Table of Contents;6
4;Body;14
5;Preface;14
6;1 Introduction;16
6.1;1.1 Field of Inquiry;16
6.1.1;1.1.1 Cultural overview;17
6.1.2;1.1.2 New birth, theologically understood;20
6.1.2.1;1.1.2.1 Being “born again” as an experience of presence;20
6.1.2.2;1.1.2.2 The tension between doctrine and experience;21
6.1.2.3;1.1.2.3 The threefold structure of the theological grammar of being “born again”;22
6.1.3;1.1.3 The state of research;23
6.1.4;1.1.4 The purpose of this study;27
6.1.4.1;1.1.4.1 Regeneration as a “theological phenomenon”;27
6.1.4.2;1.1.4.2 Presence and tacit knowledge;28
6.2;1.2 Method;31
6.3;1.3 Subjecs and Structure of this Study;34
7;Part I: The Theological Tradition of “Born-Again” Christianity;38
8;2 A Cultural, Exegetical, and Historical-Theological Overview of the Doctrine of Regeneration;40
8.1;2.1 Introduction;40
8.2;2.2 “Born again”, “new birth” and “rebirth”: a short clarification and background;40
8.2.1;2.2.1 New Testament sources;40
8.2.2;2.2.2 Old Testament sources;45
8.3;2.3 New birth and sacramental presence;47
8.3.1;2.3.1 Catholicism and Orthodoxy;47
8.3.2;2.3.2 Luther: Baptismal regeneration in Protestant theology;49
8.4;2.4 The separation of regeneration from baptism in Protestant theology;52
8.4.1;2.4.1 Anabaptist theology;52
8.4.2;2.4.2 Reformed Theology;57
8.4.3;2.4.3 The Dawn of Puritanism and Pietism;61
8.4.3.1;2.4.3.1 Puritanism: The doctrine of preparatory grace and the conversion narrative;61
8.4.3.2;2.4.3.2 German Pietism and proto-Pietism: the legacy of Johann Arndt;66
9;3 Baptismal Regeneration or Transformation of the Soul? The Tensions in Philipp Jakob Spener's Theology of Regeneration;71
9.1;3.1 Historical and Cultural Context: the Pia Desideria;71
9.2;3.2 Spener's Theology of New Birth: An Introduction and Short Summary;75
9.2.1;3.2.1 The three-fold event of regeneration;75
9.2.2;3.2.2 Spener's rejection of Predestination and espousal of baptismal regeneration;77
9.3;3.3 Spener's Threefold-division of New Birth: An Analysis;78
9.3.1;3.3.1 The “new being”;79
9.3.2;3.3.2 The “igniting” of faith;81
9.3.3;3.3.3 Justification;83
9.3.4;3.3.4 Being born again: “renewal” as the continuation of regeneration;84
9.4;3.4 Spener on Sacraments and Faith;86
9.4.1;3.4.1 The sacraments and the presence of faith;86
9.4.2;3.4.2 The presence of faith as the unity of baptismal and non-baptismal regeneration;88
9.4.3;3.4.3 Spener and Luther: baptism, new birth, and faith;90
9.5;3.5 Conclusion;94
9.5.1;3.5.1 Being born again as an experience of presence;94
9.5.2;3.5.2 Contrast to Puritanism and Anabaptism;96
9.5.3;3.5.3 Scripture and Ecclesiology;98
9.5.4;3.5.4 The tension between doctrine and experience;100
10;4 Jonathan Edwards: The Born Again Experience Under the Authority of Scripture;101
10.1;4.1 Edwards' Theological Background and Cultural Context;101
10.1.1;4.1.1 Introduction;101
10.1.2;4.1.2 Edwards' youth, conversion, and subsequent career;103
10.2;4.2 The Born Again Experience: Conversion;105
10.2.1;4.2.1 Introduction;105
10.2.2;4.2.2 “Born Again”;106
10.2.3;4.2.3 “A Divine and Supernatural Light”: regeneration as spiritual illumination;109
10.3;4.3 Guiding Theological Concepts in Edwards' Theology of Regeneration;113
10.3.1;4.3.1 Introduction;113
10.3.2;4.3.2 Light;113
10.3.3;4.3.3 “Sense”;117
10.3.4;4.3.4 Infusion;119
10.4;4.4 Experiences from the Revival Front;121
10.4.1;4.4.1 The beginnings of the Great Awakening;121
10.4.2;4.4.2 “Distinguishing marks”;125
10.4.2.1;4.4.2.1 “Negative signs”;126
10.4.2.2;4.4.2.2 “Positive evidences”;127
10.5;4.5 Conclusion;128
10.5.1;4.5.1 Phenomenology of religious experience and the certainty of regeneration;128
10.5.2;4.5.2 Free will and predestination;129
10.5.3;4.5.3 Preparationism and the importance of narrative;131
10.5.4;4.5.4 Church, community, and the sacraments;131
10.5.5;4.5.5 Revivalism;132
11;5 Schleiermacher on New Birth;134
11.1;5.1 Introduction;134
11.1.1;5.1.1 Modernity and subjectivity;134
11.1.2;5.1.2 Schleiermacher's early life and theology;136
11.2;5.2 Theological Background to Schleiermacher's Theology of Regeneration;138
11.2.1;5.2.1 Zinzendorf and Moravian theology;138
11.2.2;5.2.2 Schleiermacher's “God-consciousness”;141
11.3;5.3 New Birth;143
11.3.1;5.3.1 Introduction;143
11.3.2;5.3.2 Conversion;145
11.3.3;5.3.3 Justification;147
11.3.4;5.3.4 Sanctification: the continuance of regeneration;149
11.3.5;5.3.5 The Church as fellowship of the regenerate and locus of the Holy Spirit;151
11.4;5.4 Conclusion;152
11.4.1;5.4.1 Regeneration as an experience of presence;152
11.4.2;5.4.2 The universality of religion and the specificity of Christian regeneration;154
11.4.3;5.4.3 The importance of certainty;154
11.4.4;5.4.4 Scripture and doctrine;156
12;6 Charles Finney: New Birth as Decision;159
12.1;6.1 Introduction;159
12.1.1;6.1.1 Finney's conversion experience;159
12.1.2;6.1.2 Finney's theology;164
12.2;6.2 Finney on Regeneration;167
12.2.1;6.2.1 Introduction: activity vs. passivity, “moral” vs. “physical”;167
12.2.2;6.2.2 What regeneration is not;169
12.2.2.1;6.2.2.1 A feeling;169
12.2.2.2;6.2.2.2 A “taste”;170
12.2.2.3;6.2.2.3 The result of a necessary morphology of conversion;171
12.2.3;6.2.3 Regeneration as moral sensibility;172
12.2.4;6.2.4 Regeneration and sanctification as presence of the Holy Spirit;174
12.2.5;6.2.5 Holiness and social reform;175
12.2.6;6.2.6 Evangelism;176
12.3;6.3 Conclusion;178
12.3.1;6.3.1 Freedom of the will;178
12.3.2;6.3.2 “Moral” vs. “physical” change;179
12.3.3;6.3.3 The reformation of the role of narrative;180
12.3.4;6.3.4 The authority of scripture;182
12.3.5;6.3.5 Ecstasy and transcendence;183
12.4;6.4 Postscript: Finneyism and American Evangelicalism;183
13;Part II: Regeneration in Contemporary Evangelical Discourse in North America;188
14;7 New Birth as an Experience of Presence;190
14.1;7.1 The Three-fold Structure of New Birth;190
14.1.1;7.1.1 Presence of changed internal faculties;190
14.1.2;7.1.2 Presence of God;191
14.1.3;7.1.3 Change in divine status;192
14.2;7.2 Theological Criteria;193
14.2.1;7.2.1 Importance of the moment of regeneration;194
14.2.2;7.2.2 The role of free will;196
14.2.3;7.2.3 The conversion process;198
14.2.4;7.2.4 Relation to scripture and doctrine;199
14.2.5;7.2.5 Friendship and the church community;200
15;8 Charles Colson's “Born Again”;202
15.1;8.1 Introduction;202
15.2;8.2 The Story of Charles Colson;202
15.2.1;8.2.1 Early life and political involvement;202
15.2.2;8.2.2 Colson's conversion;204
15.3;8.3 Post-conversion;205
15.3.1;8.3.1 Brotherhood;205
15.3.2;8.3.2 Politics and the press;206
15.3.3;8.3.3 Trial and imprisonment;207
15.4;8.4 Theological Analysis of Colson's Conversion;210
15.4.1;8.4.1 Introduction;210
15.4.2;8.4.2 New birth as “decision for Christ”: a moment of free will;211
15.4.3;8.4.3 Mystical presence;212
15.4.4;8.4.4 New being;213
15.4.5;8.4.5 Community;214
15.4.6;8.4.6 Importance of narrative;214
16;9 Brian “Head” Welch;216
16.1;9.1 Introduction;216
16.2;9.2 The Story of Brian “Head” Welch;217
16.2.1;9.2.1 Early life;217
16.2.2;9.2.2 Korn and conversion;218
16.3;9.3 Conversion Experience;219
16.3.1;9.3.1 Conversion and aftermath;219
16.3.2;9.3.2 Additional experiences of divine presence;222
16.3.2.1;9.3.2.1 Baptism;222
16.3.2.2;9.3.2.2 Speaking in tongues;223
16.3.2.3;9.3.2.3 Forces of darkness;223
16.4;9.4 Theological Analysis of Welch's Testimony;224
16.4.1;9.4.1 Introduction;224
16.4.2;9.4.2 Presence of God;225
16.4.2.1;9.4.2.1 God's presence as the overcoming of false presence;225
16.4.2.2;9.4.2.2 Hearing God's voice;226
16.4.2.3;9.4.2.3 Prayer and ecstatic experience;227
16.4.3;9.4.3 A new “self”: a work in progress;228
16.4.4;9.4.4 Justification and Adoption;229
16.4.5;9.4.5 Decision;231
16.4.6;9.4.6 Scripture and doctrine;232
16.4.7;9.4.7 Friendship and ecclesiology;233
17;10 Christianity Today Testimonies;235
17.1;10.1 Introduction;235
17.2;10.2 “My Train Wreck Conversion,” by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield;237
17.2.1;10.2.1 Butterfield's narrative;237
17.2.2;10.2.2 Analysis of Butterfield's conversion;239
17.3;10.3 “The Atheist's Dilemma,” by Jordan Monge;242
17.3.1;10.3.1 Monge's narrative;242
17.3.2;10.3.2 Analysis of Monge's narrative;243
17.4;10.4 “Antidote Poison,” by Ravi Zacharias;246
17.4.1;10.4.1 Zacharias' narrative;246
17.4.2;10.4.2 Analysis of Zacharias' narrative;247
17.5;10.5 “Forgiving Iran,” by John Majid (as told by Kate Harris);249
17.5.1;10.5.1 Majid's narrative;249
17.5.2;10.5.2 Analysis of John Majid's narrative;251
17.6;10.6 “The Golden Fish,” by Erich Metaxas;254
17.6.1;10.6.1 Metaxas' narrative;254
17.6.2;10.6.2 Analysis of Metaxas' narrative;256
17.7;10.7 “My Crash Course on Jesus,” by Casey Cease;258
17.7.1;10.7.1 Cease's narrative;258
17.7.2;10.7.2 Analysis of Cease's narrative;259
17.8;10.8 “Forgiving the Man Who Murdered Mom,” by Everett L. Worthington, Jr.;262
17.8.1;10.8.1 Worthington's narrative;262
17.8.2;10.8.2 Analysis of Worthington's narrative;264
17.9;10.9 “Saved by U2 and an Audible Voice,” by Travis Reed;267
17.9.1;10.9.1 Reed's narrative;267
17.9.2;10.9.2 Analysis of Reed's narrative;268
17.10;10.10 “Fox News' Highly Reluctant Jesus Follower,” by Kirsten Powers;271
17.10.1;10.10.1 Powers' narrative;271
17.10.2;10.10.2 Analysis of Powers' narrative;273
17.11;10.11 “How I Escaped the Mormon Temple,” by Lynn Wilder;276
17.11.1;10.11.1 Wilder's narrative;276
17.11.2;10.11.2 Analysis of Wilder's narrative;278
17.12;10.12 “Christ Called Me Off the Minaret,” by Nabeel Qureshi;282
17.12.1;10.12.1 Qureshi's narrative;282
17.12.2;10.12.2 Analysis of Qureshi's narrative;284
17.13;10.13 “Pro Football Was My God,” by Derwin Gray;287
17.13.1;10.13.1 Gray's narrative;287
17.13.2;10.13.2 Analysis of Gray's narrative;289
18;11 Summary Analysis of Christianity Today “Testimonies”;292
18.1;11.1 Presence of God;292
18.1.1;11.1.1 Metaphor and descriptive language;292
18.1.2;11.1.2 Illuminiation;293
18.1.3;11.1.3 Visions and dreams;294
18.1.4;11.1.4 Gifts of the Spirit and ecstatic experience;294
18.1.5;11.1.5 The rationalist exception;295
18.2;11.2 Presence of Changed State;296
18.2.1;11.2.1 Language of the new being;296
18.2.2;11.2.2 Overcoming substance abuse;296
18.2.3;11.2.3 From negative to positive attitude;296
18.2.4;11.2.4 Freedom to moral obedience;297
18.2.5;11.2.5 The exception;297
18.3;11.3 Change in Divine Status;298
18.3.1;11.3.1 Atonement and forgiveness of sins through Christ's crucifixion;298
18.3.2;11.3.2 Eternal life;299
18.3.3;11.3.3 Adoption;299
18.3.4;11.3.4 The exception;299
18.4;11.4 Importance of Moment of Regeneration;300
18.4.1;11.4.1 Moment as dramatic and/or central event in narrative;300
18.4.2;11.4.2 Identification of extended period;300
18.4.3;11.4.3 Exceptions;301
18.5;11.5 The Role of Free Will;301
18.5.1;11.5.1 “Decision”;301
18.5.2;11.5.2 Rejection of language of “decision”;302
18.5.3;11.5.3 Ambiguity;302
18.6;11.6 Patterns of Conversion;303
18.6.1;11.6.1 Journey;303
18.6.2;11.6.2 Crisis;304
18.6.3;11.6.3 Other, mixed forms;304
18.6.4;11.6.4 False conversions;304
18.7;11.7 The Bible and Doctrine;305
18.7.1;11.7.1 The Bible as book;305
18.7.2;11.7.2 Biblical passages;306
18.7.3;11.7.3 Implicit biblical and doctrinal literacy;307
18.8;11.8 Friendship and the Church Community;307
18.8.1;11.8.1 Friendship;307
18.8.2;11.8.2 Worship attendance;308
18.8.3;11.8.3 Bible study groups;308
18.8.4;11.8.4 Criticism of the church as institution;309
19;Part III: Concluding Analysis;310
20;12 Summary and Final Theological Reflections;312
20.1;12.1 Overview;312
20.2;12.2 Presence and Tacit Knowledge;314
20.2.1;12.2.1 Mediation and the sacraments;314
20.2.2;12.2.2 Christianity as “knowing how” fostered in community;316
20.2.3;12.2.3 Mysticism and metaphor;317
20.3;12.3 Theological Reflections;318
21;13 Concluding Reflections on the Present Cultural and Political Situation in the USA;321
21.1;13.1 Introduction;321
21.2;13.2 Preliminary Observations;322
21.3;13.3 Regeneration as Personal Conversion: Trust in the Sanctified Self;324
21.3.1;13.3.1 Solidarity through the shared theological experience of transformation;324
21.3.2;13.3.2 Regeneration and sanctification as catalysts for moral purity: two views;326
21.4;13.4 The Bible as Authority;329
21.5;13.5 Conclusion;332
22;Works Cited;333
23;Index of Subjects;344
24;Index of Names;348

Über Autor(innen)

Knauss, Stefanie
Dr. Stefanie Knauss ist zur Zeit Assistant Professor für Theologie an der Villanova University (USA).

Heimbrock, Hans-Günter
Dr. päd. Hans-Günter Heimbrock ist Professor für Praktische Theologie am Fachbereich Evangelische Theologie der J. W. Goethe Universität Frankfurt a. M.

Sander, Hans-Joachim
Dr. Hans-Joachim Sander ist Professor für Dogmatik an der Universität Salzburg.

Pezzoli-Olgiati, Daria
Prof. Dr. Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati leitet das Zentrum für Religion, Wirtschaft und Politik (ZRWP) der Universitäten Basel, Lausanne, Luzern und Zürich.

Wyller, Trygve
Dr. theol. Trygve Wyller ist Professor für Praktische Theologie/Religionspädagogik an der Universität Oslo.