Resourcing Christians to connect faith and work
A list of recommended books.
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The Other Six Days
R. Paul Stevens Grand Rapids:Eerdmans/Regent, 1999 A study of vocation, work and ministry from a Biblical and theological perspective. Stevens covers a lot of ground in this book including Doing People Theology, Reinventing Laity and Clergy, Calling and Vocation, Doing the Lord’s Work, Ministry –Transcending Clericalism, Mission-A Peoople Sent by God, Resistance -Grappling with the Powers, and Living Theologically. It is not light reading, but it is worth the effort! A British edition has been published by Paternoster Press titled The
Abolition of the Laity.
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Gods Work & Our Work
Career & Life Planning
Market Place Ethics
Small group study
Resources for Churches
Ministry of the Laity
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The Laity in Ministry
edited by Peck G and J Hoffman Valley Forge;Judson,1984 A collection of articles by different authors dealing with issues that need addressing if ordinary Christians are to live their faith in the world everyday of the week more intentionally supported by the church. A compact collection of twelve articles collected under four headings: Establishing the Concept: bringing the ministry of the laity into focus, Ministry of the Laity in Action: cases that support the concept, Grappling with The Theological Issues, and Steps Toward the Future: putting the concept to work. |
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A Theology of the Laity
Kraemer,H. London:Lutterworth,1958. A classic introduction to the theological issues that make it difficult for the church to take the everyday ministry and mission of the laity in the world seriously. An older book, but still presenting a very relevant and clearly expressed challenge. We haven’t found a new version of this available for sale,
but it is often available in secondhand bookshops and certainly in most
theological libraries. Chapters deal with signs of the times, the
theological status of the laity in history, is a theology of the laity
possible?, prelude to a theology of the laity, a theology of the
laity, and postlude. It is well worth reading.
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Gods Work & Our Work
Career & Life Planning
Market Place Ethics
Small group study
Resources for Churches
Ministry of the Laity
More Books
The Empowering Church Crabtree,D Bethseda:Alban Institute,1996.
All God’s People are Ministers Patricia N. Page Minneapolis:
Augsburg, 1993
A concise exploration of the people of God in history, biblocal models
of ministry and foundations for engaging all God’s people in ministry.
The Layman in Christian History Stephen Neill and Hans-Ruedi
Weber London: SCM, 1963.
A sexist title but still a useful systematic historical study of the
role of the laity in Christian history with contributions from a variety
of scholars.
God’s Frozen People by Mark Gibbs and T.Ralph Morton London:Fontana,
1964.
Views the laity as the frozen assets of the church. Ministry must not
be viewed primarily as what Chsitians do on church premises, but in the
world. A bit dated, but still lots of good ideas. They also wrote a follow-up
book God’s Lively People from the same publisher in 1971.
The New Reformation by Greg Ogden Michigan:Zondervan, 1990.
A passionate plea for renewal of the church in a way that seriously
recognises the ministry of the laity and the equipping and role of church
leaders. Only touches on faith and work very lightly at the end.
A Letter from Christ to the World edited by Nicholas Apostola
Geneva:WCC, 1998.
Representatives of different parts of the World Council of Churches
explore developments in the role of the laity in the church over the last
two decades. Not as specific about faith and work issues as reports from
the WCC in the 1950’s.
Christifideles Laici by John Paul II Homebush, NSW:St.
Pauls Publications 1989.
A very important Catholic papal document on the vocation and mission
of the lay faithful in the church and in the world. (Available on-line
see Christifideles
Laici)
The Calling of the Laity compiled by Verna Dozier New York:Alban
Institute,1988.
An anthology of articles by a variety of different authors about lay
people living out their Christian calling in the world.
Evangelical Faith and Public Zeal edited by John Wolffe
London:SPCK, 1995.
Chapters by a variety of scholars describing the involvement of evangelicals
in different spheres of society in Britain 1780-1980. Contains some
fascinating observations about how these people sought to live out their
faith convictions in their work.
The Forgotten Factor Barnes, G. Melbourne:JBCE, 1991.
A very clear and concise attempt to track the story of lay people in
church history and argue for the importance of rediscovering “ the forgotten
factor”, the essential ministry of lay people in the church and in the
world today.
Updated: 30 August 2001