In the process of challenging and dismantling life-limiting (even life-threatening) beliefs and attitudes which lead to violence of all sorts, people of faith also have an opportunity to identify and reconstruct life-giving beliefs and attitudes that ground and fuel a life of flourishing.

Constructive theology is a useful term for this work of positive identification and reconstruction.

As a liberative theologian, I am interested in helping individual and communties discern and build theologies which feed on themes of liberation and healing in the scriptures and in the life of Jesus. Not only did Jesus do the necessary work of calling out harmful attitudes, beliefs, and practices, he pointed to timeless truths from his own tradition which called for a recognition of the God of liberation, healing, justice-making, abundance and wholeness.

This is the true work of the gospel.

It was the heart of Jesus’ gospel then, and it remains the heart of Jesus’ gospel today.