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Refounding the Church weaves together the basic dynamics of a lay incarnational spirituality, including synodality, a liberated theology, an informed conscience, local eucharistic magisteria, the sensus fidelium and a western theology of liberation. Making the case that only a radical refounding synodal Church can respond philosophically, theologically and practically to the signs of the times, this distinctive book makes an unapologetic work of apologetics in the traditional sense. The book is a work of a liberated theology, intended as a pathway to a postfoundational Church. Written to inform and liberate an educated laity and awaken a lay incarnational spirituality, it is not intended to appease hegemonic clericalism. This book is an important read for scholars of theology interested in Synodality and Church leadership.
List of contents
Part I. Refounding the Church: A Wake-Up Call.- Chapter 1. The West Awake.- Chapter 2. The Spiritual Crisis in Western Culture.- Chapter 3. The Church under the Southern Cross: An Australian Case Study.- Part II. Refounding Mission: History as Teacher.- Chapter 4. Mission Memory: The Aggiornamento Road.- Chapter 5. Mission Memory: Refounding People.- Chapter 6. Mission Memory: Five Refounding Events.- Part III. Refounding the Church: Entanglement Ecclesiology.- Chapter 7. Introducing Entanglement Ecclesiology.- Chapter 8. The Spirit of Entanglement.- Chapter 9. Integral Salvation: Liberation and Human Flourishing.
About the author
Anthony Maher was the 2024 Crawford-Miller (Oxford-Australia) Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford, Professor of Practical Theology and Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Canberra. He was the previous President of the Association of Practical Theology in Oceania and has also served as Academic Dean, theological consultant, and Director at various higher education institutions in the UK and Australia. Recent books include
Theology and the People of God
(2022);
Faith and the Political in the Post-Secular Age
(2017);
The Forgotten Jesuit of Catholic Modernism
(2017); and
Bridging the Divide between Faith, Theology and Life
(2015). His current research in post-secular, political theology includes his next book, ‘Refounding Australia’ (2026/7). Anthony is married to Lesley, they have four children and live in Sydney.
Summary
Refounding the Church weaves together the basic dynamics of a lay incarnational spirituality, including synodality, a liberated theology, an informed conscience, local eucharistic
magisteria
, the
sensus fidelium
and a western theology of liberation. Making the case that only a radical refounding synodal Church can respond philosophically, theologically and practically to the signs of the times, this distinctive book makes an unapologetic work of apologetics in the traditional sense. The book is a work of a liberated theology, intended as a pathway to a postfoundational Church. Written to inform and liberate an educated laity and awaken a lay incarnational spirituality, it is not intended to appease hegemonic clericalism. This book is an important read for scholars of theology interested in Synodality and Church leadership.
