On Being Family

by Ray S. Anderson, Dennis B. Guernsey

In this book, Ray S. Anderson, a pastor theologian, and Dennis B. Guernsey, a family sociologist, explore the connections that produce the marvelous, complicated and often contorted human family. The central thesis of the book is that God has placed human persons in a created order for which the covenant love of God provides the fundamental paradigm for parenting, sexuality, and marriage, and the formation of family life. From the perspective of the church as the new family of God, the human family is liberated from its own failures and fears, and each person is affirmed as having a place in God's kingdom. Through Jesus Christ, to whom we are connected by grace, we are all brothers and sisters. We are family.

168 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1985

About the author

aka Ray Sherman Anderson

Ray S. Anderson (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) was senior professor of theology and ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he had taught since 1976. He was also a contributing editor to Journal of Psychology and Theology.

He wrote many books, including Judas and Jesus: Amazing Grace for the Wounded Soul (2004), The Soul of God: A Theological Memoir (2004), Spiritual Caregiving as Secular Sacrament: A Practical Theology for Professional Caregivers (2003), Dancing with Wolves While Feeding the Sheep (2002), The New Age of Soul: Spiritual Wisdom for a New Millennium (2001), The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis (2001), Living the Spiritually Balanced Life (1998) and The Soul of Ministry: Forming Leaders for God's People (1997). Anderson's articles and book reviews have been published in a wide array of scholarly and popular periodicals.

Reviews

[Isaac Gajendran · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few chapters of the book were easy to follow. However, I dived into the other chapters, it became harder to follow as it had many Academic quotes. The book is good for academicians but not for laypeople. Nevertheless, the book has highlighted family in the light of covenant partnership which is an interesting thought.