"Consolidation and Expansion" studies the movements, controversies, and theologies of the four major precursors to the United Church of Christ: the Christians, the German Evangelicals, the Congregationalists, and the German Reformed tradition. Edited by Elizabeth C. Nordbeck and Lowell H. Zuck. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

The United Church of Christ has developed its distinctive theological identity since 1957, having drawn upon the four mainstream traditions and various hidden histories that came together at its birth. It has been profoundly shaped by movements for racial and social justice, the organizational thrust of old-line Protestantism, the changing role of women, new patterns of immigration, and ongoing ecumenical efforts to embody the unity of the Christian church. This seventh volume showcases the theological work of the United Church of Christ from 1957 to 2000 and invites its leaders and members to become more theologically self-conscious.

The Congregational-Christian Union, the history of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and the ecumenical passion of these traditions are developed in this sixth volume of the series.

Colonial and National Beginnings examines the Congregational and German Reformed traditions as they developed in Colonial America until the era of the Civil War. Edited by Elizabeth C. Nordbeck and Lowell H. Zuck. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

Ancient and Medieval Legacies overviews Christian movements from the first to the fifteenth centuries AD, highlighting theological and liturgical evolution from the time of the early Christians to the beginnings of the Reformation. Edited by Reinhard Ulrich. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

Powerful insights from ministers, theologians, activists, leaders, artists and liturgists who are shaping the future. "Christianity has been a source of the oppression of women, as well as a resource for unleashing women's full humanity. Feminist analysis and practice have recognized this. Feminist Christianity is reshaping religious institutions and religious life in more holistic, inclusive, and justice-focused ways." —from the Introduction Feminism has brought many changes to Christian religious practice. From inclusive language and imagery about the Divine to an increase in the number of women ministers, Christian worship will never be the same. Yet, even now, there is a lack of substantive structural change in many churches and complacency within denominations. The contributors to this book are the thought leaders who are shaping, and being shaped by, the emerging directions of feminist Christianity. They speak from across the denominational spectrum, and from the many diverse groups that make up the Christian community as it finds its place in a religiously pluralistic world. Taken together, their voices offer a starting point for building new models of religious life and worship. Topics covered include feminist: • Theological Visions • Scriptural Insights • Ethical Agendas • Liturgical and Artistic Frontiers • Ministerial Challenges