A Plain Account of Christian Faithfulness
Essays in Honor of David B. McEwan
Edited by Rob A. Fringer and Dean G. Smith
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
The title of this work--A Plain Account of Christian Faithfulness--is a play on John Wesley's famous book, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. It reflects the focus, character, and actions of David B. McEwan, for whom this book has been dedicated. The essays have been written by scholars from around the globe, each focusing on an aspect of faithfulness from a Wesleyan perspective, and covering the broad disciplines of Bible, theology, history, and pastoral theology. This book has something for everyone, and ultimately invites the reader into deeper Christian faith and faithfulness.
Rob A. Fringer is principal and senior lecturer in biblical studies and biblical language at Nazarene Theological College, Australia and New Zealand, and honorary research fellow in the school of historical and philosophical inquiry at the University of Queensland. He has written and edited numerous books including Paul’s Corporate Christophany (Pickwick).
Dean G. Smith is senior lecturer in theology and philosophy and dean of students at Nazarene Theological College, Australia and New Zealand, and director of the Australasian Centre for Wesleyan Research.
“David McEwan is recognized as one of the leading contemporary scholars in the study of John Wesley. I am very pleased to recommend this collection of biblical, historical, theological, and pastoral studies dedicated to him. They are a significant contribution to modern scholarship from a Wesleyan perspective. They speak to the importance in the modern world of faith seeking understanding and of understanding informed by faith.”
—Philip C. Almond, The University of Queensland
“The essays, like the man in whose honor they are written, often provide a challenge to the Wesleyan perspective that is their context, but their feisty faithfulness addresses pressing issues and offers some compelling directions for travel. This collection deserves a wide readership. . . . The rich range of themes, which start with biblical, theological, and historical studies, land ineluctably in the grounded present of practical theology, as they grapple with text and context.”
—Peter Rae, Nazarene Theological College
“Fringer has brought together an outstanding group of scholars in this festschrift. This volume includes a very rich set of essays that are both thoughtful and, at the same time, thought-provoking. The book takes you from the biblical, through the theological and practical applications of the faithful Christian life. The faithful life and ministry of David McEwan is honored through this fine work.”
—Carla Sunberg, Church of the Nazarene
“A Plain Account of Christian Faithfulness offers an intriguing array of essays dedicated to David B. McEwan, a Wesleyan academic and pastor worthy of this effort. The edited essays cover biblical, historical, systematic, and pastoral theological themes that collectively reflect David’s passion for faithfulness. The theologically diverse underpinnings prove reflective of primarily British and Australian contexts. Overall, a worthwhile reading of Wesleyan thought in context, honoring a scholar who practiced this same academic, pastoral discipline.”
—Dean G. Blevins, Nazarene Theological Seminary