J. Todd Billings ist ein Professor für reformierte Theologie, dessen Werk theologisches Denken mit gelebter menschlicher Erfahrung verbindet. Seine Schriften befassen sich mit tiefgreifenden Fragen des Glaubens, des Lebens und der göttlichen Vorsehung, insbesondere im Lichte persönlicher Herausforderungen wie Krankheit. Billings ermutigt die Leser, die Grenzen der Sterblichkeit anzunehmen und authentische Nachfolge im täglichen Leben zu finden. Seine Prosa bietet theologische Reflexionen, die sowohl zugänglich als auch durchdringend sind.
Artfully weaving rich theology and a powerful narrative, a theologian and cancer patient invites you to discover how the surprising, countercultural path of embracing your mortal limits can enliven true Christian hope in a death-denying age.
At the age of thirty-nine, Christian theologian Todd Billings was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer. In the wake of that diagnosis, he began grappling with the hard theological questions we face in the midst of crisis: Why me? Why now? Where is God in all of this? This eloquently written book shares Billings's journey, struggle, and reflections on providence, lament, and life in Christ in light of his illness, moving beyond pat answers toward hope in God's promises. Theologically robust yet eminently practical, it engages the open questions, areas of mystery, and times of disorientation in the Christian life. Billings offers concrete examples through autobiography, cultural commentary, and stories from others, showing how our human stories of joy and grief can be incorporated into the larger biblical story of God's saving work in Christ.
Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Foreword, by Gerald L. Sittser -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Introduction: A Wager -- Part 1: Functional Theologies and Desiring the Word -- 1. Salvation, the Supper, and the Drama of the Triune God -- 2. Embodied Perception and Delight in Christ -- Part 2: A Catholic and Reformed Theology of the Supper -- 3. Reformed Doctrine and the Promise of the Supper -- 4. Does God Really Act through the Sacraments? -- Part 3: The Supper and the Gospel in Remembrance, Communion, and Hope -- 5. Remembrance in Union with Christ -- 6. Communion in Union with Christ -- 7. Hope in Union with Christ -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index of Names -- Index of Subjects