Coffeehouse Theology » (New Edition)

Ed Cyzewski obtained his MDiv from the Biblical Theological Seminary. During his studies there, he began to investigate the new things God is doing in the church, including Christianity’s interaction with postmodernism, and has been seeking ways to help the church thrive in a shifting culture. He blogs on theology at www.inamirrordimly.com and on writing at www.edcyz.com. He also serves as the chair of the Northshire Nonprofit Network.

Theology should breathe life and unity among God's people, but today’s culture creates a barrier of ignorance and misunderstanding in the study of God. This barrier threatens to split believers and keep seekers away from a relationship with God.

Ed Cyzewski seeks to build a method for theology that is rooted in a relationship with God and thrives on dialogue. Through stories and illustrations, you’ll gather the basic tools needed to study God.

Whether in a community, in a coffeehouse, or by e-mail, discussion and application of theology is essential. Joining the conversation is easy.

Publishers Weekly

Freelance theologian Cyzewski enters into the Emergent conversation from the conservative end of the evangelical spectrum. He urges readers to explore theology while reassuring them that they don't have to become postmodern philosophers: theology can be considered, as it were, in the coffeehouse. Arguing that "our local settings and cultural values-in other words, our context-influence how we read God's Word," Cyzewski approaches "contextual theology" by weaving together discussions of mission, culture, God, Scripture, tradition and the global church. Personal anecdotes of his own growth in faith are disarming in their honesty. While this accessible work is a useful introduction to aspects of Emergent theology, Cyzewski's summary of modernism and postmodernism is sometimes too sketchy to be useful; however, each chapter includes valuable suggestions for further reading. Gently nudging his fellow Christians to listen to diverse points of view, Cyzewski doesn't explain why he is committed to engaging in dialogue with some aspects of culture and not others (say, progressive theologians and secularists). This addition to books about emerging and missional forms of Christianity ends on a hopeful note for unity across denominations.
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Foreword 9 Acknowledgments 13 Introduction 17 Contextual Theology: Understanding Ourselves, Understanding God
1 Mission: Why the Church Needs Theology 29
2 Beyond Ourselves to a Coffeehouse Theology 41
3 Christianity and Culture 53
4 The Modern World: From The Two Towers to the Parking Lot 71
5 The Postmodern Age: Andy Griffith Meets The Real World 91
6 Theology and Culture: Moving from Who We Are to Who God Is 113
7 Contextual Theology with God at the Center 129
8 The Bible: Our Primary Source in the Postmodern World 141
9 The Tradition of the Church: Keeping Us Grounded 167
10 The Global Church: Keeping Us Informed 189
11 Our Love of God Unites Us in Theology 205 Notes 217 About the Author 233