For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference

by Volf, Matthew Croasmun

Christianity Today 2020 Book Award (Award of Merit, Theology/Ethics)
Outreach 2020 Recommended Resource of the Year (Theology and Biblical Studies)

The question of what makes life worth living is more vital now than ever. In today's pluralistic, postsecular world, universal values are dismissed as mere matters of private opinion, and the question of what constitutes flourishing life--for ourselves, our neighbors, and the planet as a whole--is neglected in our universities, our churches, and our culture at large. Although we increasingly have technology to do almost anything, we have little sense of what is truly worth accomplishing.

In this provocative new contribution to public theology, world-renowned theologian Miroslav Volf (named "America's New Public Intellectual" by Scot McKnight on his Jesus Creed blog) and Matthew Croasmun explain that the intellectual tools needed to rescue us from our present malaise and meet our new cultural challenge are the tools of theology. A renewal of theology is crucial to help us articulate compelling visions of the good life, find our way through the maze of contested questions of value, and answer the fundamental question of what makes life worth living.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Audiobook, Education

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2019

Reviews

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is required reading on a syllabus for a course that I “inherited” from another professor, so I’ve been reading it at the same time as my students (and hoping that it really was worthwhile!). I’ve just finished it, and I think it’s absolutely fantastic—one of the best theology books I’ve read, and a book that many Christians should check out. (I mean, it’s a theology book that features a detail from a Makoto Fujimura painting on the cover, so it was almost certain I’d like it.)

Though the book is very useful for all Christians, the primary motivation for Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun to write it was a concern that theology has lost its way. In seeking to align itself with modernist “scientific” methodologies, theology has lost its distinctiveness and become confusing in the academy and to the general public. Jobs are scarce, and the public assumes that theology is outdated or lost in ivory-tower theorizing that doesn’t have anything to contribute to real life.

In response to this crisis, the authors propose that the purpose of theology is “to discern, articulate, and commend visions of and paths to flourishing life in light of the self-revelation of God in the life, death, resurrection, exaltation, and coming in glory of Jesus Christ, with this entire story, its lows and its highs, bearing witness to a truly flourishing life” (61). An important aspect of this statement is that it presents a positive vision of the path to “the good life.” Theologians today, under the influence of a “scientific” academic approach to all subjects, too often engage in “critiquiness”—knocking down, griping, pointing out flaws. And there’s a place for analysis and critique; but theology has to present a positive vision of flourishing life, or the discipline will become insular and unhelpful.

The authors clarify what “the flourishing life” is through a three-part framework: life led well; life going well; life feeling well. These three aspects of the good life influence one another as indicators of flourishing. Connecting this framework to what it looks like in real life brings a strong sense of “now and not yet” in how the authors explain the flourishing life. The final chapter focuses on Paul’s concept of the flourishing life, suggesting that Paul’s statement in Romans 14:17 (“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”) shows the ideal state of the three-part framework: life led well = righteousness (or love, as the authors explain); life going well = peace; life feeling well = joy. The authors emphasize that in this world, we ought to live in a state of striving toward a life that is loving/righteous, peaceful, and joyful—but because we live in conditions that are not entirely conducive to the perfect realization of this ideal, we experience the flourishing life in the presence of suffering and incompleteness. Our life on any given day might be full of joy, but even in the midst of that glimpse of the perfect flourishing life, we also mourn those who are not at all joyful. This isn’t because the joy is false or fleeting, but simply because we are still in the “not yet.”

This is such a brief and inadequate overview, and the book discusses a number of other topics (including whether religion is inherently violent; ways Christianity can claim universality and yet also peacefully coexist with other very different worldviews; and how the lives of theologians ought to strive to model the kind of flourishing life their theology articulates). It’s too much to summarize, but it’s all really good. For the Life of the World is a book I look forward to returning to regularly, and I’m also excited to read more by Miroslav Wolf.

[Graham Hoppstock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time will tell if the vision for theology Volf and Co set out to inaugurate will yield the fruit they intend within what will become their own dogmatics. Even so, it is unquestionable that this is an important manifesto for theology at large and stages a very intriguing prolegomenon to their first volume ‘The Home of God’. There is much to commend Volf and Croasmun and their manifesto should be engaged. At the end of it all, however, Volf and Croasmun are correct to root theology back in the realm of transformation and practice.

[Samantha Kaelin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I’ve read of Miroslav Volf, I’ve got two unread on my shelf, and looking forward to more. I’m not an academic, theologian, scholar, or even a pastor, but I love theology. If you’re a nerdy Christian like me, you might like this, too. For me the gold in this book is in the last 21 pages.

[Norman Falk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It's my second time reading it, and I will certainly return to it again in the future.

The book is about what Christian theology should be all about: articulating, discerning, and commending visions of the flourishing life.

One implication of this central claim might be somewhat surprising or challenging: "Christian theology shouldn’t be mainly about God because the mission of God isn’t mainly about God.." (p. 64) Some will feel nervous about how the relation of theology to God and the world is framed, but I think Volf and Croasmun are right. As they conclude on p. 185: "though we are theologians for God’s sake, we are not theologians for God’s benefit. God doesn’t need theology. If anyone needs it, human beings do".

[Makayla Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness, Miroslav Volf has a way with words

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Contends that for theology to make a difference it must address what it means for human beings to flourish in the world "in light of God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ."

Miroslav Volf grew up in Tito's Yugoslavia. Matthew Croasmun cut his teeth in ministry in planting a church. For both, a lived theology was vital, and remains so in their current work with the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Their contention in this book is that "the purpose of theology is to discern, articulate, and commend visions of flourishing life in light of God's self revelation in Jesus Christ" (p. 11). They argue for an emphasis of the flourishing life as a fundamental human quest. In so doing they propose a tri-partite definition of the flourishing life: life led well (agential), life going well (circumstantial), and life feeling as it should (affective). Furthermore, they argue that this is a quest that has been neglected in the universities, in the church, and in the theological world.

Addressing this last, they make the case that theology, at least as it is done in the West, is in a state of crisis. It is facing a shrinking job market and a shrinking audience. Most theological books mainly are read by other theologians, and purchased by seminary libraries. It is also in crisis because of how it has conceived of itself, either as a "science" engaged in description (e.g.. religious studies) or as advocacy (either for historic orthodoxy or progressive causes) rather than engaged in "descriptive work in service of a normative vision of human flourishing" (p. 56).

But why human flourishing? Isn't theology about God, or about God's redemptive work in Christ? The authors do not dismiss these ideas but show how a theology of human flourishing encompasses these concerns. Yes, theology is about a God who created a world as his home where his creatures flourish, and who is working to consummate that purpose even though the world has been marred by sin and oppression. Redemption is vital in this process not as an end, but rather because it crucially begins the process that leads to the consummation of that process of God restoring a world where humanity flourishes in God's home.

One of the challenges that a theology for the life of the world faces is that of universality. It is a vision for not only individuals but for the world. The authors admit this and that such a vision will be contest by other visions. However, they argue the perspective inherent in the Christian vision allows for peaceful coexistence, collaboration, and learning from those who advocate other visions. Finally, they argue for room for a variety of particularities, for a kind of bounded improvisation within a normative vision.

Perhaps the richest part of this work was a chapter co-written with Justin Crisp on the life of the theologian, arguing for a fundamental alignment between thought and life. This means the life of a pilgrim marked by prolepsis, a striving toward a goal not yet fully realized in one's life, and ecstasis in the sense that the life they lead is in and through another, Christ, rather than belonging to them. The example of Luther is commended in a life lived in the tension of a theology of glory and a theology of the cross. The chapter concludes in naming the intellectual dispositions of a theologian: a love of knowledge, God, and the world; a love for our interlocutors; courage; gratitude and humility; and firmness--with a soft touch.

The authors conclude with their own vision of a flourishing life--not a full-fledged theology--but the contours one might look for. They focus on Paul's statement about the kingdom in Romans 14:17: For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (NRSV). Harking back to their tripartite definition of human flourishing, they propose that righteousness (or love) characterizes the life well led; peace characterizes the life going well; and joy characterizes the life feeling as it should. This is the content of the life lived in an already/not yet kingdom--a life that calls and allows for improvisation. It is a life that affirms the created goodness of our life in the flesh, even while we long for the consummation of the resurrection and the new creation.

The authors address a concern I've long had that theology is for the world, and not meant to be confined to seminaries. I review many theological books that I hope people outside the seminary world will read. I believe good theology books help God's people flourish in his world, not because they contain a highfalutin version of "how to have your best life now" but because we desperately need to understand the story, the reality in which we live. Sadly, some, not all, of it is written primarily for other academics, even though the ideas are often important for the church and the world. I applaud the authors for naming this challenge and describing the attributes of those who pursue the noble work of doing theology "for the life of the world."

One concern I have about this work is that it doesn't address the vital need for a theology for the life of the world to be done by the theologians of the world. The discussion of the well-lived life is grounded in Western philosophy and has an individualistic feel even though the authors draw communal and societal implications. It would be intriguing to explore what Asian, African, Latino, and other theologians of color might contribute to an articulation of the contours of a theology of human flourishing.

The authors also talk about the tremendous cost of theological education in terms of graduate education and faculty salaries, wondering if it is worth it. The answer seems to be, "yes," if done for the world. But I wonder if this is possible given the structural factors that isolate the seminary both from the church and the rest of the academic world. Volf and Croasmun's work at Yale bridges a divide between seminary and academy. A growing movement advocating the importance of "pastor theologians" bridges the seminary-church divide. But how might the three come together to do what might be called "public theology" on the order of what figures like Paul Tillich and Reinhold Niebuhr engaged in during the 1950's?

The vision of flourishing life in God's home has the potential to take theology out of esoteric discussions to talk about ordinary life in the world--work, family, society, the physical environment and its care, concerns for justice, political life. It allows Christians to engage in public discussions about shared concerns for flourishing, and the distinctive contribution of that faith. Most of all, this work offers a searching challenge to all engaged in "academic theology" to consider toward what end they are working, and whether in the end their work addresses the fundamental human quest.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Scott Bielinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this a couple of years ago when it was published. I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down, though I had trouble articulating why I felt that way.

Two years later, I re-read it to feel, similarly, ambivalent. I agree with much of Volf and Croasmun's diagnosis of theology's problems today. And I agree with their central thesis: "Theology is in crisis because it has lost its nerve and forgotten it's purpose to help discern, articulate, and commend compelling visions of flourishing life in light of God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ" (34). Theology has something to say and a kind of life to commend.

I don't think, in the end, their account of the flourishing life is specific enough. This may have something to do with their relying on the notion of the flourishing life as a kind of improv. Nothing exceptionally wrong with that. Vanhoozer uses that to describe how christians "live out" doctrine in the church. But Vanhoozer's project is far more specific and filled out than theirs.

Moreover, there is very little wrestling with the present reality of sin in the Christian life. Which is odd because it's not as if they don't believe in sin. Very clear statements like this are regularly made: "We ought to see the world as malformed by sin, recognizing how the world is broken, especially how ungodly power has distorted the world and enthroned its distortions as 'natural,' . . ." (163). That's exactly right--but this book tends to depersonalize sin. It doesn't always take the next step into interrogating us about our sin. It rarely leads us to ask: "In what ways have I internalized the world's distortions? How have I made these sins my own?"

There's a lot of good in this book. I think the first half is better than the last half. Maybe in two more years I'll have finally come around!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had known this was a book deliberately written for professional theologians, I probably would have passed it by. But I'm glad I didn't. This is a book I will cherish and probably re-read. It's all good, but chapter 6, the last chapter, is really exceptional. There the authors lay out their vision for the flourishing life in this fallen world (a vision to which the previous 5 chapters had been leading all along). Much of this vision is based on their reading of the letters of Paul, and especially Romans 14:17. "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." I'll just leave it at that, but their unpacking of this verse alone is worth the price of the book. A profound and helpful book.

[Joseph McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. A must read for Christians who are convinced that their theology should not only clarify faith and belief, but actually lead to a real positive change in the world.

[Jake Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an encouraging and engaging book. Would recommend for anyone who loves theology and wants to be reminded about “Why theology?” In the first place.

[Krish Kandiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A challenging and exciting vision for theology.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

To many theology is a rather irrelevant and esoteric exercise with no real world application. As one who is trained as a theologian (historical theology), I would beg to differ. Despite my protests, I expect most would continue with prior assumptions. Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun have written a powerful response to those who suggest that theology has little to offer the modern world. In doing so, they recognize that the study of theology is a moment of deep crisis. Seminaries are in decline, making it more difficult for those trained in theology to get positions. Seminaries are in decline because the churches that relate to them are in decline. As a result we either long for a lost era of importance or settle in and teach classes and go about our business, but is this the way it should be?

"For the Life of the World" is written as a manifesto by theologians who believe that theology should and can make a difference in the world. While theology is, at one level, about God, and theology is engaged in for the sake of God, it is not for God's benefit that we do this, as God does not need theology. Theology, done for God's sake, leads, in their estimation to the flourishing life. In other words, this is an extension of Volf's earlier work Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World. While this isn't a popularization of the earlier book, it is geared differently, in that the focus is on the value of Christian theology and not religion in general to a life that is good or lived well.

The authors begin in chapter 1 with the premise that "Christian theology has lost its way because it has neglected its purpose." That purpose is "to discern, articulate, and commend visions of flourishing life in the light of God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ" (p. 11). This God's primary concern, and thus it should be true of theologians. As laid out in chapter 1, the "human quest" is for the flourishing life, that is abundant life or the good life, a life that is worth living. Theology done right helps orient us toward that form of life as is understood in light of Jesus. This is something the church could engage in, but rarely does.

The question of the human quest leads in chapter 2 to "the crisis of theology." The crisis is related to the way in which theology is pursued, largely in academic contexts, where theologians essentially write for colleagues. By theology, Volf includes the broader theological faculty, including biblical studies, church history, ethics, ministerial arts, not just systematics. Part of the problem is the job market, which is shrinking, and thus those with positions must focus on keeping them, while those without jobs must focus on gaining credentials to get that job. As noted earlier, seminaries are shrinking, because the services of their students are finding it difficult to find work (shrinking churches). I understand all of this well, having trained for the academy, but have spent my life in the church (not that I'm complaining, but it wasn't my original intention). While all of this is an external crisis, there is the internal one, the loss of vision and forgotten purpose. The authors go into some detail as to the reasons for this, which I found compelling and worth looking at closely. In the end, they note the cost of being a theologian -- both in training and in actually engaging in the work. So why bother?

The remainder of the book is a response, an argument for why theology matters. Remember this is a manifesto. It is a call for the renewal of theology by rediscovering the purpose of theology, which is the flourishing life. They make a bold declaration, which will get pushback. That is, "Christian theology shouldn't be mainly about God because the mission of God isn't mainly about God" (p. 64). It's not primarily about redemption either, whether we mean forgiveness of sins or freedom from oppression. Those might be central to the quest, but they are not the goal. You might say that the goal is the realm or kingdom of God, that is, finding our home in God. As Augustine reminds us, we are restless until we rest in God. That would be the focus of theology.

If the work of theology is to understand and live into the life of flourishing, a life that is fully rooted in our relationship with God as revealed in Christ Jesus, that raises a problem. That problem, as outlined in chapter four is "The Challenge of Universality." If we affirm the premise that there is one God, who is revealed in the incarnation, then what of other faith traditions? It's not so much a matter here of exclusivism, as it is of inclusivism. What they note in this chapter is that universalisms are contested visions. With that as a starting point, they believe that it is possible to advocate for this vision while peacefully coexisting and working with those having different visions of the divine reality. They also understand that even within Christianity there is the matter of particularity. I found this to be an important chapter, that helps me think through how I as a committed Christian and follower of Jesus can engage with partners in life's work who come from other faith traditions. Central here is the recognition, as the authors note, that there can be no absoluteness in our claims. The particularities of our claims rules out such absolutes. Theology, therefore must, if it is to contribute to the quest for the flourishing life, take into consideration the pluralism of our realities.

Remembering that this is a manifesto for the renewal of theology by reengaging with its purpose (not simply as an academic institution), the authors remind us that theology needs to be connected to life. It is a way of living, that involves faith seeking understanding, but more than this. They put this task this way: execution of the central theological task requires a certain kind of affinity between the life the theologian seeks to articulate and the life of the prophet seeks to lead" (p. 118). They go into some detail as to what this means. Again, it relates to a flourishing life.

The final chapter offers a "vision of flourishing life." That vision is finding our home in Christ, who is the dwelling place of God, so that we might be part of the church which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. They speak of form and content. They do so in conversation with Paul. The focus here is on the "teleios," the perfect as it's often translated in 1 Corinthians 13. The kingdom is the form, while the content is defined in terms of love, peace, and joy, or in terms of the "life led well" (righteousness, which is love); the "life going well" (peace -- right relationships), and finally "life feeling as it should (joy). Peace and joy are not fully experienced in this life, but love is always to be pursued as the foundation of peace and joy. All are understood to be the gift of the Holy Spirit.

As a theologian, I find this manifesto to be compelling and encouraging. The crisis we find ourselves in won't end soon. The traditional centers of theology will continue to struggle, and yet if we will take hold of this vision we may reclaim its value. Theology in other words is more than a science or a means of study, it is a vision of flourishing. That is worth engaging in. The book is accessible though not easy to read. This is not popular religion, and so it will take committed effort, but it is more than worth the effort.

A word about the title, the authors acknowledge that they borrowed it from Orthodox Alexander Schmemann, because, in their words, "in our own way, we share both Schmemann's sacramental vision of the word as the site of communion with God and his opposition to either seeking refuge from the world in God alone or to employing God as tool to improve the world according to our own preset plan" (p. 190). That is a good summation of their vision.

[Richard Propes · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's no question I consider myself a fan, if you can actually be a fan of theologians, of "For the Life of the World" co-author Miroslav Volf, whose "Exclusion & Embrace" remains one of my top ten theological books of all-time and whose works have largely inspired my life and my ministry.

"For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference" is squarely targeted as a manifesto for all theologians and, indeed, I'd imagine its appeal to be primarily limited to theologians, advanced academic types, and just plain theological nerds.

I'm probably somewhere between the latter two.

I will confess, however, that I was somewhat hesitant to read this collection given the involvement of Matthew Croasmun, a Yale professor (alongside Volf) but also having planted a community-focused Vineyard church. Given my own negative experiences within the Vineyard,I couldn't help but have some mixed feelings as I began reading.

However, for the most part this collection is largely a hybrid of existing efforts by Volf, who'd also recently written on the topic of flourishing in "Flourishing: Why We Need Religion." If there's a disappointment in "For the Life of the World" it's that the book paints a more broad stroke theology than one that is more precise in its prescriptive methodology. It's not weak at all, far from it, but it's not particularly challenging theology to embrace and anyone familiar with liberation theologies is likely to have heard or read much of this type of material before.

If there's a bold stroke here it's in prescribing "theology as science" as part of the crisis of contemporary theology. I can picture many of my friends being offended by this proposal, though to be honest it's one in which I largely agree (though perhaps not to their extreme).

In short, I found the topic of flourishing to be a refreshing one and I appreciated the approach taken by Volf and Croasmun. I simply wished that, perhaps, the usual boldness with which Volf typically writes had been a little more present than it is here. However, I will embrace what is perhaps their core piece of theology presented here - that "love above all" remains central to flourishing.

I'm not quite willing to consider "For the Life of the World" a minor Volf work, though certainly it lacks the power and precision of books like "Exclusion & Embrace" and several others. However, at its very core it's still a book I appreciated and enjoyed and I had to smile as Volf and Croasmun end the book with yet another Moltmann reference that seems to always be somewhere within the foundation of Volf's writings.

If you're a follower of Volf or Croasmun, then this is still likely a "must read." However, this is definitely not likely to be a mass appeal book.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An academic work for theologians in academia to consider their craft and its relationship to the world.

The work is a collaboration between two theologians, one of whom is very prominent in the discipline. They explore how one can evaluate the value of a person who goes through the experience of getting a Ph.D in theology and then works in the field, and displays why it does not make good financial sense according to the metrics of the modern economy or valuation of knowledge resources. The authors exhort theologians to consider how they can provide substantive value, and they encourage them to find such value in focusing on what it means to embody flourishing life.

The rest of the work is consumed with the exploration of what the flourishing life in Christian theology looks like, rooted in what God has accomplished in Christ and in which His followers should participate. They exhort theologians to embody the life of the Christian themselves, pushing back against the modern distinction between the character of the teacher and the substance of what is taught. They find the flourishing life in Christ rooted in Paul's description of what the Kingdom ought to be like in Romans 14: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, and thoroughly exegete how this is so.

How revolutionary one finds this work will depend on how much one is saturated in the ivory tower of academia vs. the lived experience of Christian ministry. As one who seeks to proclaim Jesus the Lord of lords and King of kings while remaining conversant in theology, I found much to agree with but not much that would be "earth shaking." It might be more so for those who have imbibed more of the spirit of the modern academy.

The work is also heavy with theological and academic jargon, which is understandable in light of its primary audience, but a hindrance for those not conversant with such terminology. But for its primary audience, according to its primary purpose, a powerful and important work.

**--galley received as part of early review program

[Jared Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book that accomplishes what it set out to do--which is to take a step toward a "theology of flourishing life."

The authors argue that the fundamental human question is, "What is the true, good, or flourishing life?" They point out that present-day Christian theologians have neglected this question, and this has contributed to a crisis in theology. As it stands today, theology and theologians are irrelevant to most Christians (both clergy and laity). If academic theologians began to concern themselves again with theology that actually made the world and the lives of real people better in practice, the crisis would come to an end. In the last chapter the authors sketch out a picture of the good life rooted in the Apostle Paul's description of the kingdom of God as "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit," which they correspond to life led well, life going well, and life feeling as it should.

There are some aspects of the book I don't care for. I'm not interested in the theological contributions of Marxists or radical Feminists. I think the authors think a little too highly of pluralism. However, they are explicitly opposed to relativism, and they quote Martin Luther more than any other theologian. There is certainly more good than bad in this book.

[Derek Kreider · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wholeheartedly agree with the premise of this book, and it's nice to see a resurgence of of Christians focusing on orthopraxy. Amazingly, conservative Christianity in trying to not be like the world and influenced by culture, quit social justice (i.e. practical theology) and instead embraced secular rationalism. The gospel became just about mind/belief. Volf is spot on with the assessment about our need to see the practicality of theology.

I think it's important for people to recognize that this isn't a consequentialist/utilitarian argument. Volf isn't saying that good theology is good because it works. Rather, we'd expect a God who is a benevolent father and wise creator to make a world, which, if lived in correctly, tends produce the result of flourishing. The end doesn't justify the means, but rather, God as an end determines the means we use, which in turn leads us to the end which is good.

I only gave this book three stars because I noticed my mind wandering off fairly frequently. There are very large gold nuggets in here - even whole veins of the stuff. But when there are plenty of times that language becomes cumbersome, repetitive, or just caused me to disengage.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not going to write up a full post on this. I listened to it on audio and the last time I wrote up a book of Volf's that I listened to on audio he complained about it not only directly but on twitter as well latter.

I have read four of his book and I continue to find him very helpful.

Part of the irony for me here is that the book talks about the need to make theology more accessible and useful out of the academy and then spends what I think was way too much time exploring that (which is likely not particularly interesting outside of the academy).

The main point is that Volf thinks that the focus of theology needs to be human flourishing, which I think makes a lot of sense. And the constructive part of the book at the end was very helpful and I wish was a bigger part of the book.

I would like to re-read the last half of the book again later in print when I find it on sale at some point.

[Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought and had this book signed by Miroslav Volf himself when he came to Singapore to give talks on public theology. Listening to his seminars turned into wanting to read his book, for which I am grateful for its dense content that enriches me in unprecedented ways, especially in my identity as a follower of Christ and “accidental theologian”.

A warning is given in the beginning, “Every sentence, even every clause, could have been a page, with equally long footnotes.” It sure takes time to read FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD, but as you delve into Volf and Croasmun’s manifesto for the Christian interpretation of the flourishing life, “The indwelling Spirit of Christ makes people able to see how the one truth of Christ looks and feels for diverse people at different stages of their lives who live in diverse settings so that they can live ‘in the truth’ (2 John 1).” (p. 109)

[Tracy]

This book has an important and valid point about how important it is to actually apply theology to one's life, and the goals of doing so must be the ones it gives. It is pretty academic, but also fascinating, so reading it as we did as a book club for people who are very well educated in theology and speak academics is the best way. I did enjoy most of it, but the end part was simply too esoteric for me. I think it's because I struggle to apply concepts to real life, whereas the others in my group were much better at it, so it was less useful for me. There were definitely some places where I wondered how you would apply the lessons on an everyday basis- and others where it was far more clear to me. I would think a theology expert would find this much easier to understand.

[Neil White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a manifesto designed to suggest a direction for reorienting theological work around visions of a flourishing life in light of God's self revelation in Jesus Christ. It does a good job of suggesting an interesting question and making a case for why the topic is a critical and often neglected one in academic theological reflection. It's work in answering its own manifesto is very preliminary and suggestive and points to work that both Volf and Croasmun have done in other places but I was hoping for a fuller vision of what a flourishing life and the reorientation of theological work could look like.

[Roman Purshaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miroslav Volf's work is a must-read for anyone who's engaged in any sort of theological analysis and reflection. Although the language of the book is predominately academic and targeted towards theologians, I would still encourage those with no formal theological education to study its content, at least the last chapter, where the flourishing way of life is described. Personally, one of the highlights of the book is Volf's exploration of proleptic and ecstatic aspects of a theologian's life: we are to strive to live out the Kingdom values, yet we must acknowledge our insufficiency to live without the outside source of such life, namely the Spirit of God.

[Mark Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volf and Croasmun argue that the work of theology should not be about the increase of knowledge, but about sharing a vision of flourishing with the world for the sake of the world. This is an important and necessary message, and they unfold it with great nuance and precision. But the book is much more dense and demanding than its slim size and semi-popular imprint (Brazos rather than Baker Academic) would lead one to expect. I'm fine with working for an author's message, but this book would have benefited from more clarity and less jargon. Having said that, I heartily commend the authors' message.

[Shane Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reads: 15

Rating: 4 stars

Man, this book is so good but also leaves much to be desired. As to be expected, Volf's (and Croasmun) work is stimulating and illustrative of deep thinking that is willing to engage the world with Scripture. At times the authors remain too much in the abstract. But the most disappointing fact is the authors fail to circle back to the initial discussion of doing theology within academia—this is what I was waiting for the entire book! Anyways, it's a great read for what it is but I was expecting a clearer and more concrete "vision" for human flourishing.

[Read for the Higher Education seminar with Dr Pennington at SBTS]

[Joshua Reinders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very rich and bursting with meaning, but also extremely dense and complex. The message itself is fairly simple: the flourishing Christian life is marked by love, peace, and joy, enriching the world as God's home. It is all laid out, though, in academic theological language and I found parts of it difficult to grasp. Generally speaking though, I think it's fair to say that this book is intended more for the academy than for the church.

[Erin Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

They spend most of the book explaining why theology should be about a what makes a flourishing life. Then the last chapter on what is a flourishing life. Wish the last part was expounded upon more and the first part consolidated more. Still they make a very valid critique and correction to modern day theology making it much more applicable to every Christian.

[Laura Kisthardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for Systematic Theology taught by Prof. Volf, Spring 2020 at Yale Divinity School. I enjoyed this introduction to Volf's theology of a flourishing life. My only concern is whether it places Christianity as the only path toward flourishing life. I didn't feel like that was regularly enough addressed.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise presentation of what theology should be today.
Rather than another academic discipline contributing incremental increases to knowledge about a specific area, it should offer a grand sweeping vision of what flourishing life should be in light of what God has revealed.
Moreover, theologians do not only dispense knowledge, but are called to live out and embody the truths they propose.

[Jenny Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rich, productive, and earnest in a way that I found almost disarming. The question of how to live the flourishing life in Christ as antidote to a kind of blase, naive, superficial “nice-ification” of the gospel is a live one, particularly in the construction of community along modes of effect and affect.

[Lana Wilson Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was wordy - in that the author made his points and then strained to defend them. This brief book could have been much shorter.
I also disagree with his main conclusion, that theology should be done for man’s purpose and flourishing and not for God. Yes, God does not need us to study him for his benefit, but we need to study God because He created us as His image bearers and to glorify him. Yes, our flourishing will result from knowing God more fully and deeply, but that should not be our end goal. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever! We will never mine the lengths, depths, heights and breadths of God. And in knowing him, we will love him more fully and want others to know this love. That should be our goal in Theology.

[Timothy Koller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be referencing this book regularly and returning to it often, as well. This should be required reading for anyone teaching in theological education, and I'm thankful the provost of my school required faculty to read it. This will inform aspects of my teaching for years and years to come.