Christian Wisdom - David F. Ford

What is Christian wisdom for living in the twenty-first century? Where is it to be found? How can it be learnt? In the midst of diverse religions and worldviews and the demands and complexities of our world, David Ford explores a Christian way of uniting love of wisdom with wisdom in love. Core elements are the 'discernment of cries', the love of God for God's sake, interpretation of scripture, and the shaping of desire in faith. Case studies deal with inter-faith wisdom among Jews, Christians and Muslims, universities as centres of wisdom as well as knowledge and know-how and the challenge of learning disabilities. Throughout, there is an attempt to do justice to the premodern, modern and postmodern while grappling with scripture, tradition and the cries of the world today. Ford opens up the rich resources of Christianity in engaging with the issues and urgencies of contemporary life.

David F. Ford is Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. He is author of Self and Salvation: Being Transformed (1999) and co-editor with Ben Quash and Janet Martin Soskice of Fields of Faith: Theology and Religious Studies for the Twenty-First Century (2005).

'The wisdom tradition in theology has made a comeback, and Ford's book is delightful to read, resplendent with wisdom ancient and new.' The Christian Century

'...deeply original book ... this is theology at its most hospitable ... this book is the fruit of many rich conversations.
The tone of generous inclusive dialogue is maintained throughout. It is an invitation to a praxis.' Church Times

'... this book seems to be both profoundly original and generative. More than simply a study of the Wisdom theme in Christian theology, it is actually a tremendously important essay in the theological method, a proposal for what it might mean for church to 'do theology'. ... Let's hope that it's picked up by all the various courses, across the denominations, which train clergy, and from there makes its way into life of the Church.'
Theology

'... by his own admission, Ford is not attempting to be theologically comprehensive as much as to encourage a wide and encompassing search of 'the heights and depths of our fragile existence, always learning and discerning, and never past being surprised.' Christian Wisdom will no doubt inspire many others to go and do likewise ...' Anvil

'This book is deeply theological, profoundly spiritual, and imaginatively engaged with some important issues that confront thinking people in our time.' Journal of Reformed Theology