Embodied Cross: Intercontextual Reading of Theologia Crucis

The cross carries the polar memories of history. One memory is the terrible violence imposed on Jesus and the other is the memory of faith in the midst of the deepest abyss in human history. A theology of the cross contextualizes the dangerous combination of these memories in the present reality of life and death. A theology of the cross is thoroughly preoccupied with the agency of God but not in a way that deals with the systematic apologetics of the knowledge of God. It deals with the knowledge of God before it becomes knowledge. It is the matter of the living and dying of our life. This book explores theologians of the cross in a global flow and proposes an intercontextual perspective of theology. Mayimotos work continues with creative strength and powerful relevance the original contribution of Kazoh Kitamori in his book The Theology of the Pain of God . . . Mayimotos work provides not only a careful understanding of Luther but a provocative and intellectually acute retrieval of Luthers contributions for our present theological reflection from a Japanese perspective. --Jose D. Rodriguez Augustana Heritage Chair of Global Mission and World Christianity Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Arata Miyamotos Embodied Cross is the finest and most concrete example I know of for moving beyond prescriptions that Asian and other contextual theologies should move beyond the limits of Western theological categories. This is a profound book of constructive Christian theology that only a Japanese could have written and it enriches the entire world. --William R. Burrows Research Professor of Missiology New York Theological Seminary Center for World Christianity Embodied Cross proposes an intercontextual reading of the Theologia Crucis . . . This book is a must read for those who are interested in understanding a fresh and different meaning of the Christian narrative in intercultural setting grounded par excellence in East Asian theological imagination. --Paul S. Chung Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity Luther Seminary St. Paul Minnesota A fascinating example of intercontextual reading. Readers will be thrilled to see Luthers theology of the cross unfold into a creative interaction with modern Christian theologians and Buddhist philosophers from different contexts. Miyamoto deftly weaves the historically contingent event of Jesus Christ and the divine embrace of cosmic dukkha together into a Trinitarian expression of solidarity with human suffering that extends beyond the realm of Christianity. --Anri Morimoto Professor Department of Philosophy and Religion International Christian University Embodied Cross is a commendable work of carrying contextual theologies to an intercontextual challenge . . . This is a work that explores uncharted territories with insightfulness and a theological disposition to meet difference as difference in a third place. The book is a momentous contribution to studies of Lutheran theology in a global context. --Vitor Westhelle Professor of Systematic Theology Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Arata Miyamoto graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He is currently a pastor in the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hakata Church.