Flourishing in Tensions

Embracing Radical Discipleship

Michael Bräutigam

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN:
  9781666735291
  9781666792225
• eBook ISBN:
  9781666792232
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Following Jesus Christ presents unique challenges to disciples today. In our current climate of relativism, materialism, and consumerism, Christians are increasingly perplexed as to who they are and what following after Christ means today. Drawing on the Protestant tradition (in particular, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, and Adolf Schlatter) and findings from psychology, this book offers a fresh integrative interpretation of Jesus's radical call into discipleship. This call is interpreted through a christological lens, as Jesus Christ in his role as Prophet calls us to self-denial, in his role as Priest invites us to cross-bearing, and as King demands us to follow him. Jesus's call to discipleship challenges disciples to embrace various tensions by faith and to grow and even flourish in and through them. By denying themselves, they find their true self; by taking up their cross, they find real life; and by following Christ, they find the great friend and befriend the world as the community of disciples. This book is for Christians who seek to mature in intentional self-reflection and discover practical ways of living out Christ's radical call into discipleship today.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Embracing Tensions
• Chapter 2: Understanding the Self
• Chapter 3: Embracing Newness
• Chapter 4: Practicing Self-Denial
• Chapter 5: Cross-Bearing and Christ’s Suffering
• Chapter 6: Sharing in Christ’s Sufferings
• Chapter 7: Taking Up the Cross
• Chapter 8: Following Personally
• Chapter 9: Following Together
• Chapter 10: Seeking the Friend’s Face
• Concluding Remarks
• Bibliography