Mutuality Matters: Family, Faith, and Just Love

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Review ------ An important collection of essays focused on the challenge facing Christians of the 21st century: re-conceiving Christian love, particularly within families and between s, as radically egalitarian. From philosophical and theological defenses of the place of equality in the practice of love to descriptions of concrete practices within families and congregations, these essays are a thoughtful contribution on the side of gender justice to the on-going family values debate. (Gloria H. Albrecht, University of Detroit Mercy) Like good wine and cheese, ert Anderson and his colleagues seem to get better with age. Sitting down to this feast of ideas, especially the appetizing concept of mutuality within marriage and family, allows the reader to nibble and sip with curiosity and delight. At the heart of this intellectual menu can be found Anderson's rich imagination, clinical experience and refreshing honesty. The critical ingredients of love, justice, forgiveness, respect, spirituality, and mutuality explored by contributing authors provide the recipe for a text that is not only mutually satisfying, but also one worth preserving. (Joseph Gillespie, O.P., Parochial Vicar at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, and supervisor in the American Association of Marriage and Family Th) Finally a book dealing with a major revolution in our country and the world! Old concepts of marriage have given way to more fluid bonds of equality, communication and trust. This book explores issues of the mutuality of love, justice and gender relations in the context of marriage, pastoral ministry and congregational life. Both clergy and family therapists will find this book's wide range of perspectives and timely exploration of infrequently discussed topics helpful in the ongoing dialogue about the changing shape of marriage and family in the 21st century. (William Hiebert, STM, executive director of Marriage and Family Counseling Service, Rock Island, IL and co-author of Pre- and Re-marital Counseling) This collection of essays is noteworthy for both this interdisciplinary and its richly ecumenical representation. (Family Therapy, Vol. 34, No. 3, 2007) This excellent pastoral collection is a tremendous resource for rebutting conservative arguments and alarms that pervade the media, and for moving mutuality from an academic value into mainstream Christian concerns by examining the experience of real familes. (Christine E. Gudorf, Florida International University) Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) About the Author ---------------- Edward Foley is Professor of Liturgy and Music at Catholic Theological Union and the founding director of the Ecumenical D.Min. Program. Among his many publications is Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals (1998), which he co-authored with ert Anderson. ert Anderson is an ordained Lutheran minister, professor emeritus of pastoral theology at Catholic Theological Union, and Canon of the Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Washington. He is the author of numerous books and articles, many of which are cited throughout this volume written in his honor. Bonnie Miller-McLemore is professor of pastoral theology and counseling at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) she is the mother of three boys. Her publications include Also a Mother: Work and Family as Theological Dilemma (1994), Feminist and Womanist Pastoral Theology (1999), and the co-authored From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family Debate (1997). Robert Schreiter is the Vatican II Professor of Theology at Catholic Theological Union and conjointly the professor of theology and culture at the University of Nijmegen. Among his many publications are Constructing Local Theologies (1985) and The Ministry of Reconciliation (1998). Read more ( javascript:void(0) )