Carriers of Faith

Lessons from Congregational Studies

Edited by Carl S. Dudley, Jackson W. Carroll, and James P. Wind

"The volume strikes me... as a cafeteria rich with food for thought.... [It] provides a wide range of examples of how congregational investigation can be fruitful for practical theologians, whether practicing in a local congregational or in an academic setting.... The volume will be particularly useful as a resource for seminary courses. The variety of resources in the volume also makes it potentially valuable as a centerpiece for conversation for ministerial associations and church professional gatherings." - David C. Hester, Associate Professor of Christian Education, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

This book is written to honor Robert Lynn, who contributed to both theological foundations and the practice of faith during his tenure as Senior Vice President for Religion of the Lilly Endowment. These essays, by seventeen authors of various denominational, professional, and personal backgrounds, describe different aspects of the role of congregations in transmitting faith. The authors seek to identify and understand key dimensions in the complex, modern process of the transmission of faith and consider strategies for enhancing, directing, and changing that process. Together, these authors experiment with new ways to look at congregations-as bearers of traditions, languages, symbol systems, worldviews, and action styles.