Leading contemporary Episcopal theologians, both established figures andemerging voices, reflect on the vocation of theology from their unique perspectives.
The Episcopal Church has a deep, rich, diverse, and sophisticated theological heritage going back for centuries. However, for various reasons many members of the Church are unaware of this heritage in its complex fullness, and are likewise unfamiliar with those Episcopalians whose professional vocation it is to study, teach, and write about the doctrines of the Christian faith. This book introduces 15 of these contemporary scholars by inviting them to share how they became a theologian, how they understand the ongoing theological enterprise, and their personal vision for the vital place of theology in the life and mission of the Episcopal Church.
The outstanding contributors are a mix of academics, thought leaders and PhD students from prestigious institutions around the country including: Scott MacDougall, Anthony Baker, James Farwell, Jason Fout, Francisco Garcia, Olufemi Gonsalves, Thomas Holtzen, Kelli Joyce, Maxine King, Robert MacSwain, Joy Ann McDougall, Kara Slade, Katherine Sonderegger, Kathryn Tanner, and Sameer Yadav. Foreword by Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and afterword by Matthew Ichihashi Potts.
About the Author :
Robert MacSwain is Associate Professor of Theology at the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.), the University of Edinburgh (M.Th.), and the University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.), as well as a postgraduate diploma in Anglican studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. He is a priest of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd and has authored and edited ten books, including Solved by Sacrifice: Austin Farrer, Fideism, and the Evidence of Faith, Essays Anglican and Analytic: Explorations in Critical Catholicism, and Saints as Divine Evidence: The Hagiological Argument for the Existence of God. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee.
Kelli Joyce is a candidate for the Ph.D. in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds graduate degrees from Yale University (M.Div.) and the University of Durham (M.A.), and her research focuses on the development, reception, and rhetorical uses of the baptismal theology of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. She has previously served as a parish priest in the Diocese of Arizona and as a member of General Convention’s Task Force on Communion Across Difference. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe was elected presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church in June 2024 and took office on Nov. 1 for a nine-year term. In this role, he serves as the church’s chief pastor and CEO. Known for his expertise in organizational learning and adaptive change, Rowe is committed to strengthening support for local ministry and mission.
He was ordained bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania in 2007 after serving as rector of St. John’s in Franklin, Pennsylvania, for seven years. From 2014 to 2018, he served as bishop provisional of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, and from 2019 to 2024, he led a partnership between the Episcopal Dioceses of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York.
Rowe holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Grove City College, a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from Gannon University. He has served as a leader of many civic and churchwide organizations and governance bodies, and as parliamentarian for the House of Bishops.
Review :
"This is a timely collection of thoughtful essays by Episcopal theologians that should spark a robust and creative conversation on theological formation in The Episcopal Church. The essays in this volume are not detached academic exercises; rather, they are grounded in pastoral realities and in the moral and social challenges faced by local communities and their people. The rich diversity of personal narratives and theological themes explored in this volume is striking. What results is a theological vision that is as diverse as the number of contributors yet deeply rooted in Anglican spirituality. This collection itself reflects the characteristic nature of Anglican theological tradition lived out by these theologians in the contemporary time. This is a must read for bishops, church leaders and really anyone who is concerned with theological formation in The Episcopal Church."
"Drawing together seasoned voices as well as exciting younger scholars, this book offers both hope and challenge to Episcopalians—hope in the quality, faithfulness, and distinctiveness of contemporary theology done by Episcopalians, and challenge to The Episcopal Church’s neglect of this fundamental discourse of the faith. It is essential reading for understanding theology today in The Episcopal Church."
“In gathering this gem of an essay collection, Rob MacSwain and Kelli Joyce offer a wonderful gift to The Episcopal Church. Wisdom, Knowledge, and Faith weaves together many strands of profound theological reflection from scholar-practitioners who separately and collectively herald a promising new chapter in the development of an Episcopal theological identity. Where this volume’s contributions begin to lay such a foundation, more should surely follow! Take and read.”
“I’ve frequently lamented the state of theology in The Episcopal Church, but this volume was a balm to my soul and an occasion to lift up my head in hopeful gratitude. The winsome, personal essays gathered here showcase the broad diversity and creative fidelity of Episcopal theologians and their approaches to the task. Each of these theologians—from well-established senior scholars to graduate students still cutting their teeth—writes with a sense that theology is a discipline that personally and existentially implicates its practitioners in God’s gift of Godself in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. May their tribe increase.”
"As Anglicanism rapidly reorganizes—both ecclesially and theologically—the authors present catalytic essays that helpfully frame theological reflection as a practice of wisdom, knowledge, and faith. These themes are negotiated through critical and creative reflections on tradition, community, social location, liturgy, identity, and vocation. This compendium gathers many of the leading lights of theology within The Episcopal Church. I cannot imagine a more important contribution for leaders and emerging leaders in the Episcopal Church to read, mark, and learn from as we make our way."
