A Lover's Quarrel: A Theologian and His Beloved Church

by Joe R. Jones

Joe Jones, a retired and well-known systematic theologian, confesses he has a lover's quarrel with the church. In wide-ranging writings mostly dating since 2006, he forthrightly argues for a theologically sound understanding of the church. And he pursues a multi-faceted critique of the feckless ways in which actual churches--ministers and laity--balk and betray their rightful calling to witness in word and deed to God. He is especially critical of the practical ways in which congregations become no more than mirror images of their sociopolitical milieu, whether to the right or to the left. Hence the quarrel, trenchantly pursued in major essays, blogs, and spiritual reflections on his own past. But it remains crystal clear to Jones in his learned and profound confession that it is his beloved church with which he quarrels and about which he still has extravagant hopes. A Lover's Quarrel is a book appropriate for ministers and laity, students and professors, and learned skeptics.

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2014

Reviews

[Jake Doberenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of essays by Joe Jones is amazing. Jones balances historic theology and ministry practice. All of this is rooted in Jesus. Very encouraging and eye opening. It’s going to stretch your theology in many ways, but Jones isn’t one of those progressive theologians that just wants you to deconstruct until you have nothing left—Jones generally wants the church to get better.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Jones is a retired Disciples of Christ theologian. He is some what unique in that he has had an affinity for Karl Barth (an affinity I share as a Disciples pastor/theologian) and for John Howard Yoder. His theological work is rooted in Wittgenstein's concern for words/grammar, and he is troubled by the lack of theological sophistication among many in the church -- especially the clergy of his own denomination.

In this book, we find a collection of essays, blog posts, and sermons. Most have been written since the publication of an earlier collection was published in 2005 (On Being the Church of Jesus Christ in Tumultuous Times). The book is divided into four parts. Part one focuses on theological matters -- "Ecumenical Theologizing with Ecclesial Friends." I personally found this section to be the most provocative -- as he takes on the questions of what it means to live out a "radical orthodoxy." He talks about theological method, spiritual formation, salvation, discipleship, and the eucharist.

In part two, writing from a Yoder-influenced perspective, he tackles matters of politics from the perspective of a Gospel of hope. Yes, his politics is liberal, but his roots are in the gospel -- for the question is whether we are American first or Christian first.

In Part Three, he takes up a number of conversations -- beginning with the story of his life growing up in Oklahoma and on to his decision to pursue theology rather than law -- being the son of a respected judge. He takes us to Yale Divinity School and introduces us to H. Richard Niebuhr.

Finally, in Part four, we have before us a number of sermons preached for various occasions from his daughter's ordination to the funeral of a friend. In each of these pieces we are drawn into the biblical story and the need to draw close to the God witnessed to by this story.

What comes through these various pieces is that Jones is committed to the church and to the one who calls the church into existence. We hear a clarion call to consider the importance of the Trinity to the life of this church -- a call that is not always well received in a church that is doggedly non-creedal (at least of the traditional kind).

Being that this is a collection of various kinds of written materials, different pieces will speak differently to a person, but as with the Pauline epistles, these are occasional pieces that give witness to the gospel for our day.