"A Bridgepoint book."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 205-233) and index.

Paradigm thinking -- From a modern to a postmodern paradigm -- The return to classical Christianity -- Christ within the paradigms of history -- Christus Victor in the apostolic writings -- The theology of recapitulation -- Christ, the center -- Church within the paradigms of history -- Restoring the theology of the church -- Recovering our historical connection -- Worship within the paradigms of history -- Recovering the theology and order of worship -- Recovering symbolic communication -- Spirituality within the paradigms of history -- Classical spirituality -- Christian spirituality in a postmodern world -- Evangelism as process -- Education as wisdom -- The church in the world.

Paints a picture of the evangelical faith's future by showing how early church tradition provides the resources for answering today's postmodern generation. --From publisher's description.

In a world marked by relativism, individualism, pluralism, and the transition from a modern to a postmodern worldview, evangelical Christians must find ways to re-present the historic faith. In his provocative new work, Ancient-Future Faith, Robert E. Webber contends that present-day evangelicalism is a product of modernity. Allegiance to modernity, he argues, must be relinquished to free evangelicals to become more consistently historic. Empowerment to function in our changing culture will be found by adapting the classical tradition to our postmodern time. Webber demonstrates the implications in the key areas of church, worship, spirituality, evangelism, nurture, and mission. Webber writes, The fundamental concern of Ancient-Future Faith is to find points of contact between classical Christianity and postmodern thought. Classical Christianity was shaped in a pagan and relativistic society much like our own. Classical Christianity was not an accommodation to paganism but an alternative practice of life. Christians in a postmodern world will succeed, not by watering down the faith, but by being a counter cultural community that invites people to be shaped by the story of Israel and Jesus. A substantial appendix explores the development of authority in the early church, an important issue for evangelicals in a society that shares many features with the Roman world of early Christians. Students, professors, pastors, and laypeople concerned with the churchs effective response to a postmodern world will benefit from this paradigmatic volume. Informative tables and extensive bibliographies enhance the books educational value. - Amazon.