As we remove the value from the theology that drives
Church practice, so also do we remove the reason for people to engage in
Christian community through the Church. This work represents a
practical portion of Matthew Scraper's doctoral dissertation, which
explores the idea that perhaps the focus of Christian spiritual growth
and Christian salvation are one and the same once salvation is engaged
from a relational rather than a selfish/survivalist perspective. Such an
engagement has profound implications for the American Church, which is
seeking a way forward in the midst of unprecedented cultural shift. This
work attempts to explore the theology of spiritual maturity, with hope
that such a theology can prove to be substantive enough to become part
of the dialogue that seeks to return a sense of real theological and
practical value to the place of the American Church in the lives of
Christian people.
