Paul S. Fiddes

The authors explore the idea of church covenants, what editor/author Fiddes calls "the fourth strand of the Reformation," among the early Anabaptist and their influence on covenanting in the early Baptist churches. One, a vertical covenant upwards to and through Christ; two, a horizontal covenant between church members, "walking together," and aiding each other in morality and sanctification. It's an interesting book, short, and strengthens the shady ties between the first English Baptists and the ideas of the Anabaptists.… (mehr)

I first became aware of Paul Fiddes several years ago. I was doing a class in Baptist theology and doctrine and Fiddes's Tracks and Traces was one of the texts. While I ultimately didn't land in the Baptist camp, I appreciated that Fiddes approach was more sacramental then most other Baptist theologians we read. Fiddes is a British Baptist at Regent's Park College at Oxford.

Participating in God grounds ministry practice in the Trinity. Fiddes unfolds the implications that at the center of Christian belief is God in relationship--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For Christians, our way of naming God thus describes the relationship with in the Godhead. The mutuality and distinctions within God has implications for pastoral ministry (as pastors strive to remain open to relationship within appropriate bounds). Fiddes shows how our doctrine of the Trinity underpins our community practice and our understanding of authority.

Fiddes brings Trinitarian doctrine to bear on Intercessory Prayer, theodicy, the practice of forgiveness, the threat of death, the practice of spiritual gifts, and living sacramentally.

I don't agree with Fiddes everywhere. I think he moves to close, for my comfort, to process theology, but he is a good dialogue partner and he interacts well with Barth, Zizioulas, Gunton, Moltmann.… (mehr)