A Theology as Big as the City

Raymond J. Bakke, Raymond J Bakke

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN:
  9781514014639
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

"As we look at the world-class cities around our planet, we face five new urban realities: a crack cocaine epidemic, assault weapons, massive numbers of homeless children, HIV/AIDS and (in the U.S.) what Time magazine has called `the browning of America.' The needs of the urban population are greater than ever. . . . As our cities swell with immigrants, I'm reminded that Jesus was born in a borrowed barn in Asia and became an African refugee in Egypt, so the Christmas story is aboutan international migrant. Furthermore, a whole village full of baby boys died for Jesus before he had the opportunity to die for them on the cross. Surely this Jesus understands the pain of children who die for the sins of adults in our cities."How does God see the city? What does Scripture have to say about urban ministry? These are the questions Ray Bakke has systematically addressed, beginning with Genesis and continuing through to Revelation. Here is a biblical theology that will constantlysurprise and challenge as you get a glimpse of how big God's view of the city really is.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1 A Journey to the City
• 2 God’s Hands Are in the Mud
• 3 Can We Save a City like Sodom?
• 4 A Surprising Source of Urban Leaders: Moses & His Mother
• 5 Hope in the City: The Story of Ruth
• 6 The Individual & the Community: Do We Find a Theology of Place in the Bible?
• 7 Zion Songs & Urban Poets: The Need for Timeless Truth
• 8 What Cities Ought to Look Like: Isaiah’s Vision
• 9 Jeremiah’s Letter to Urban Families: (& Daniel’s Response)
• 10 Thinking Biblically About the Family: (with the Help of Ezekiel)
• 11 Major Themes in Minor Prophets
• 12 When All Else Fails, Send the Choir: Reflections on Chronicles
• 13 The Persian Partnership for the Rebuilding of Jerusalem
• 14 Models from the Migrant Streams: The Intertestamental Era
• 15 Skeletons in the Closet: The Other Women in the Family of Jesus
• 16 Jesus & the City: The Search for an Urban Jesus
• 17 The Church at the City Center: From Pentecost to Antioch (Acts 1–12)
• 18 When Truth & Love Collide: The Mission Trip with Paul, Barnabas & John Mark (Acts 13; 16:36-40)
• 19 With Paul on an Urban Journey: (Acts 15–19)
• 20 Two Letters, Two Urban Spiritualities: (Philippians & Colossians)
• 21 The Drama of New Testament Evangelism: The Story of Philemon
• 22 Ethnicity in the Church—Is It Still Okay to Be Jewish?: (Hebrews)
• 23 The Empire Strikes Back: The Downward Spiral from Romans 13 to Revelation 13
• 24 So Long, Babylon, I’ll Miss You: (Revelation 14–18)
• 25 The Urban Family Album
• 26 Reflections
• Notes
• About the Author
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• Copyright