Directories

Selected "Textbooks"
by Pete Hammond

Much work needs to be done to recover the view of the church-in-the-world, the ministry-of-the-baptized, the priesthood of all believers and the biblical understanding of work. This is a starter list of quality books that are rooted in research-based, theological studies and/or historical work that lend themselves to careful study. I have selected these from amid the steady flow of popular level works on these themes in the past twenty years. I have not even begun to list the variety of books devoted to the many arenas of ethics or economics. (I have identified the vocation of each author (in parenthesis) for context.)

 

Theological	Historical
Application of Faith in the World	Other Sources

Theological:
Classical theological studies have not invested much in key areas that address this theme. But now some work is being done in areas like ecclesiology, creation, ministry of all believers, stewardship in all of life, wealth & poverty, Christ's Lordship of all of life, biblical foundations etc. These books contribute to this need:

Banks, Robert, (Professor), God The Worker: Journeys Into The Mind, Heart and Imagination of God, Judson Press, 1994, pb, 292 pages

.... Redeeming The Routines: Bringing Theology To All Of Life, Bridgeport/Victor, 1993, pb, 196 pages

Bernbaum, John & Simon Steer (Educators), Why Work? Careers and Employment in Biblical Perspective, Baker Book House, 1986, pb, 102 pages

Congar, Yves O.P. (Roman Catholic Theologian) Called to Life, Crossroad, 1987, hb, 148 pages.

.... Lay People in the Church, Geoffrey Chapman & Westminister Press, 1985, pb, 498 pages

Foley, Gerald K. (RC priest and journalist), Empowering The Laity, Sheed & Ward, 1986, pb, 199 pages

Hardy, Lee (Professor of philosophy), The Fabric of This World, William B. Eerdmans, 1990, pb, 213 pages

Kraemer, Hendrick (Professor), A Theology of the Laity, Westminister Press, 1958, hb, 191 pages

McCarthy, Timothy, The Postconciliar Christian: The Meaning of the Priesthood of the Laity, P.J. Kennedy and Sons, 1967,

Osborne, Kenan B. OFM (Professor of theology), Ministry: Lay Ministry in the Roman Catholic Church, Paulist, 1993, pb, 722 pages

.... Priesthood: A History of the Ordained Ministry in the Roman Catholic Church, Paulist, 1988, pb, 388 pages

Peck, George and John S. Hoffman, editors (Educators), The Laity in Ministry: The Whole People of God for the Whole World, Judson, 1984, pb, 176 pages

Sherman, Doug & William Hendricks (Entrepreneurs), Your Work Matters to God, NavPress, 1987, hb, 286 pages

Sire, James W. (Professor of English, Author), The Universe next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalogue, InterVarsity, 1976 & 1997, pb, 237 pages

Stott, John R. W. (Pastor), The Contemporary Christian, InterVarsity, 1992, pb, 432 pages

.... One People: Laymen and Clergy in God's Church, InterVarsity Press, 1970, pb, 94 pages

Volf, Miroslav (Professor of theology), Work in the Spirit: Toward A Theology of Work, Oxford University Press, 1991, hb, 252 pages

Whitehead, James D. and Evelyn Eaton Whitehead (pastoral theologian & psychologist), The Emerging Laity: Returning Leadership to the Community of Faith, Doubleday, 1985, hb, 217 pages

Historical:
The study of the history of the Christian faith tends toward a focus on the church as institution and the professional servants within it. This is a rich area but it neglects the calling and vastly important work of believers in all of society. But new work is beginning here. To develop a strong Marketplace/Ministry in Daily Life posture, one must study the lives and impact of the believers when they are scattered into the systems not owned by them or a religious organization. These volumes begin that journey.

Faivre, Alexander (History professor), The Emergence of the Laity in the Early Church, Paulist Press, 1984, 1990, pb, 242 pages

Hammack, Mary L., A Dictionary of Women in Church History, Moody Press, 1984, hb, 167 pages

Hatch, Nathan, editor (Professor of history), The Professions in American History, University of Notre Dame Press, 1988, hb, 220 pages

Lean, Garth (British journalist), God's Politician: William Wilburforce's Struggle, Helmers & Howard, 1987, pb, 197 pages

Lunden, Rolf (Professor of American Studies), Business and Religion in the American 1920s, Greenwood Press, 1988, hb, 204 pages.

Mead, Loren B. (Consultant), The Once and Future Church, Alban, 1991, pb, 92 pages

Nash, Laura L. (Professor of ethics), Believers in Business, Nelson, 1994, hb, 302 pages

Neill, Stephen C. & Hans Rudi-Weber, The Layman in Christian History, Westminister Press, 1963, hb, 408 pages (This is the only textbook-type history that focuses on non-professional religious history. It is out of print.)

Redekop, Calvin, Stephen C. Ainlay & Robert Siemens (Two professors, writer), Mennonite Entrepreneurs, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995, hb, 291 pages

Richards, Lawrence O. & Gilbert Martin (writer & pastor), Lay Ministry: Empowering the People of God, Zondervan, 1981, pb, 332 pages

Ryken, Leland (English professor), Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were, Academie/Zondervan, 1986, pb, 281 pages

Shaffer, Thomas L. (Commercial Law professor), Faith and the Professions, Brigham Young University, 1987, hb, 337 pages

Westerkamp, Marilyn J. (History professor), Triumph of the Laity: Scots-Irish Piety and the Great Awakening 1625-1760, Oxford University press, hb, 266 pages

Williams, H C N, The Latter Glory: The Story of Coventry Cathedral, Whitehorn Press Limited, magazine format, 72 pages

Williams, Oliver F. And John W. Houck (Professors of theology and management), Full Value: Cases in Christian Business Ethics, Harper & Row, 1966, pb, 236 pages

Application of Faith in the World:
There is a constant flow of books on a variety of dimensions of this vision. Some are very poor, but they are a symptom of exploration, struggle and discovery throughout the Christian church. Some are triggered by a wave of spiritual curiosity in the western culture which is often fed by new-age interests and response. I have collected over one thousand volumes in this MP/MDL area. Here are a few that I deem foundational, thoughtful and somewhat scholarly in the realm of practicing faith in the world's systems.

Ammerman, Nancy Tatom and Wade Clark Roof, Editors (Professors of religion), Work, Family, and Religion in Contemporary Society, Routledge, 1995, pb, 367 pages

Hammond, Pete and William B. Hendricks, Editors, (Consultants), The Word In Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, 1996, hb, 2455 pages (This is the first and only study Bible that focuses on faith being practiced in the public arenas of work, government, economics, urban contexts and ethnicity. It is a major change from the doctrinal and personal piety tradition of study Bible genre.)

Holmes, Arthur F. (Professor), Contours of a Worldview, William B. Eerdman's, 1983, pb, 240 pages

Smedes, Lewis B. (Professor), Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People, Wm. B. Eerdman's, 1983, pb, 282 pages

Stackhouse, Max L., Dennis P. McCann, Shirley J. Roels and Preston N. Williams, editors, (Professors all), On Moral Business: Classical and Contemporary Resources for Ethics in Economic Life, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995, pb, 979 pages

Webber, Robert E. (Professor of theology), The Church in the World, Zondervan, 1986, pb, 333 pages

Other Sources:
There are a few publishing houses that have released several volumes in the field. Of particular note are ACTA, Augsburg-Fortress, Jossey-Bass, InterVarsity, Wm. B. Eerdmans and several university-based publishers. Some other helps include:

Doohan, Leonard (Professor of religion), The Laity: A Bibliography, Michael Glazier, 1987, pb. 159 pages.

Hammond, Pete (Consultant), Marketplace Annotated Bibliography, unpublished, 1990, photocopy, 87 pages

Harper, Howard, A Study of Laymen's Training Centers (Europe), study paper, 1966, 82 pages

Vesper Society, Changing Patterns in Christian Lay Witness in Society, Evangelische Akademie Bad Boll, photocopy, 112 pages

Weiser, Carol L., editor, (Church executive), Working: Making A Difference in the World, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1995, notebook, about 100 pages. (This is the best collection of helps for congregations so far.)