Seasons of Faith and Conscience

Seasons of Faith and Conscience challenges religious activists and the wider church with an answer to the question: What is the connection between faith and politics? ""Every act of worship,"" Kellermann says, ""every occasion where the sovereignty of the word of God is acknowledged, is always and everywhere expressly political."" In a profound biblical and theological reflection, Kellermann begins by investigating the political implications of worship and liturgy, both in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament. He goes on to review the history of ""confessional politics,"" those situations in which Christians have felt their historical situation to be so grave as to call into question the very identity of the church. Recent examples include the Confessing Church in Nazi Germany and the Kairos document from South Africa. Kellermann explores analogies in our own situation--the continuing arms buildup, the international debt system, and the ""war against the poor"" in the Third World. Seasons of Faith and Conscience concludes with a series of moving meditations on the key seasons and events of the liturgical calendar: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. ""Here is a book which reclaims the Christian faith in all of its stunning, radical beauty. . . . Of particular interest for pastors [are the] sermons at the end of the book in which he articulates, in a clear, evocative, and thoroughly applicable way, this theology of radical discipleship."" --William H. Willimon, Bishop in the United Methodist Church, currently serving in North Alabama ""A daring piece of expose and a powerful invitation . . . a nervy affirmation that, in a world of brutalizing power and uncaring technology, human sacramental action can matter decisively."" --Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary, Emeritus ""An important and thought-provoking book. Anyone concerned with the vital issues of faith and action will find ample material here for fruitful reflection."" --Shelley M. Douglass, Mary's House Catholic Worker ""Quietly, and at high personal cost, a few people have been exploring new liturgical forms for engaging the Powers That Be. This book is the fruit of that effort: a delight to read, a theological feast and practical guide, a challenge to action."" --Walter Wink, Auburn Theological Seminary, Emeritus Bill Wylie Kellermann is a United Methodist pastor who has served city parishes in Detroit, Michigan, and is currently director of Graduate Theological Urban Studies for the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education of Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City, he is also a frequent contributor to Sojourners and other publications, often on topics framed biblically by ""the principalities and powers.""