E N T E RTA I N M E
Theologian delivers on latest book REVIEW: WHAT CAN LOVE HOPE FOR?
Bill Loader is widely-known, much-consulted, and greatly loved across the Uniting Church. He has had a fine career as a leading biblical scholar, teaching for decades at Murdoch University and publishing prolifically with prestigious international publishers.
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his academic career has sat alongside an active involvement in the Uniting Church, preaching in local Congregations, teaching regular sessions with lay leaders, and forming ministers and deacons for their ministries.
His website, with its scholarly yet accessible discussions of lectionary texts, attracts regular readership, not only from Uniting Church people, but from preachers right around the world.
filled way, to indicate how, in the midst of contentious discussions, people of faith are able to discern “what brings life and health.” In Chapter five, whose title also provides the title of the book, he concludes that we ought “to be a just and caring society that is inclusive and to care for the world and its future inhabitants” (p.46).
on these matters any more than it did on matters of women and divorce” (p.112). Such honesty about matters hermeneutical is to be commended. As is the case in each chapter, the reader is invited to give serious personal consideration to how biblical passages are to be brought into engagement with contemporary situations and considerations.
It’s no surprise that the But the book is not just about enduringly contentious issue marriage and sexuality. There of marriage and sexuality is is much more that is explored addressed (in chapter 10, in its pages. the longest chapter). Bill Out of this wealth of Loader has made many Chapter five (whose experience comes this slim contributions to title, as we have but rich offering: ten succinct the long-running noted, provides chapters (most only ten to discussions of the title for twelve pages long) on topics these matters: SUCH HONESTY the whole of key theological import: the leading A B O U T M AT T E R S book) begins significance of Jesus, the workshops HERMENEUTICAL with a further good news for the poor, how and producing IS TO BE observation to understand the cross, the resources COMMENDED about the place of other faiths, God’s pitched at a process of wrath and God’s justice, the popular level, interpretation: place of the Law, miracles undergirded “There is a 2,000and faith, God and love, and, especially by the year gap between of course, marriage and academic research and believers in today’s twentysexuality. All in 110 pages. writing undertaken during his first-century world and those five years as a professorial Each chapter ends with of the first century,” such that fellow with Australian a focused “question for “to engage the writings of the Research Council funding. reflection”, to encourage New Testament is to engage ongoing consideration in a cross-cultural encounter This chapter makes clear the of the topic at hand. The with all the respect and two key pillars of his wellbook itself ends with a opportunity for learning and considered views: one, that bonus afterword, setting Paul reflects the common first enrichment which that entails” out Bill’s personal journey (p.35). century belief that “all people “from fundamentalism to are heterosexual”, so anyone Starting with the fact that fundamentals”. The afterword identifying as homosexual New Testament texts expect concludes, “we all walk is “in an unnatural state a return of Jesus within the with some grit in our shoes of being as a result of sin” lifetime of those then alive, in religious and cultural (p.111); and two, that in the chapter canvasses the contexts where its awareness some circumstances “it is eschatological vision of the is possible even if, by and not appropriate, indeed it is kingdom, various parables large, its removal is not” irresponsible, to apply what of Jesus, the function of (p.130). Paul says” to contemporary the risen Jesus, and the Loader seeks to work with the situations (also p.111). resurrection body, leading irritants provided by this “grit” Thus, Loader affirms that to the conclusion that we, in a constructive and hopetoday, are to “reconfigure our “the Bible does not tell it all
approach to hope, retaining the central [first century] substance, but not their notions of timing and manner of its achievement” (p.45). In this way, Loader models the task of the interpreter, be they preacher, Bible study leader, scholar, or individual disciple. Immersion into the culture, customs, languages, perspectives of the ancient texts is as important as thoughtful, reflective consideration of what is heard and seen in the text, in the light of contemporary understandings, insights, and perspectives. (Somewhat like what paragraphs 5 and 11 of the UCA Basis of Union affirms.) There is much more to be said about this delightful book; but only one comment needs to be made here. This is a book worth buying, reading, studying (alone or with others), and engaging with wholeheartedly. JOHN SQUIRES PR ESBY TERY MINISTER (WELLB EING) FOR CANB ER R A R EGION PR ESBY TERY
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