Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View of Place for Today

Word Guild 2012 Canadian Christian Writing Award
Named a 2011 Book of the Year, Christianbook.com's Academic Blog
"There is large value in viewing the Scripture through one of its major themes. Bartholomew has done that wonderfully well. His book, which grows out of teaching on the subject 'place' would be a strong candidate as a text for this sort of course in college or seminary."--Elmer A. Martens, Bulletin for Biblical Research
Place is fundamental to human existence. However, we have lost the very human sense of place amid the time-space compression characteristic of postmodernity and globalization. Craig Bartholomew provides a biblical, theological, and philosophical grounding for place in our rootless culture and articulates a hopeful Christian vision of placemaking for today's world. He illuminates the importance of place throughout the biblical canon, in the Christian tradition, and in the contours of contemporary thought. Where Mortals Dwell will be of interest to professors and students in Bible, culture, environment, and practical theology courses as well as thoughtful laity and pastors interested in place and related environmental themes, including readers of Wendell Berry.
Contents
Introduction
Part I: Place in the Bible
1. The Theology of Place in Genesis 1-3
2. Outside Eden: Building Cities
3. The Nations, Abraham, and Journeying to the Land
4. Place, Law, and Ritual
5. Place in the Historical Books, the Prophets, and the Wisdom Literature
6. Place in the Gospels
7. Place in Paul
8. Place in the General Epistles
Part II: Place in the Western Philosophical and Christian Traditions
9. Place in the Western Philosophical Tradition
10. Place in the Christian Tradition: Introduction
11. Early Church Fathers
12. The Middle Ages, the Reformers, and the Protestant Tradition
13. The Modern Period
14. Contemporary Theologies of Place
Part III: A Christian View of Place for Today
15. Contours of a Christian View of Place
16. Placemaking and the City
17. Placemaking in Garden and Home
18. Placemaking and Various Facets of Life
Epilogue: Spirituality and/of Place