Practicing the Kingdom: Essays on Hospitality, Community

In this review of Practicing the Kingdom: Essays on Hospitality, Community, and Friendship, the collection is recommended primarily for pastors, theology students, and lay leaders who want practical, theologically informed reflection on Christian communal life. The essays honor Christine D. Pohl by returning to practices she reclaimed for the church, and the strongest reason to buy is the book's consistent focus on lived theology that connects scripture, liturgy, and concrete practices of hospitality rather than abstract theory alone.

Key Features

• Essays in honor of Christine D. Pohl: Brings together contributors who reflect on Pohl's influence and extend her work on hospitality and community in contemporary ministry contexts.
• Multidisciplinary approach: Includes biblical, systematic, and moral theology that helps readers see how scripture and practice intersect across disciplines.
• Focus on lived theology: Multiple essays write from years of practice and engagement, offering concrete formation for churches seeking to recover hospitable practices.
• Missional and liturgical emphasis: Writers connect communal practices to worship and mission, giving tools for congregational application.
• Topics beyond hospitality: Essays also address community, friendship, and the role of the academy, so readers gain a broad view of Christian formation.

Who It's For

This collection is best for pastors, ministers of hospitality, seminary students, and thoughtful laypeople who want theological depth paired with practical reflection on community life. Those involved in formation ministries or small-group leadership will find essays that translate ideas into liturgical and missional practice.

Readers seeking a how-to manual with step-by-step programs should look elsewhere; this book is reflective and essay-driven rather than a workbook. Also, those outside Christian contexts may appreciate the scholarship but should expect a distinctly Christian theological frame throughout.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Rich theological grounding that links scriptural insight to practical communal practices.
• Varied perspectives that highlight hospitality, friendship, and community from multiple disciplinary angles.
• Several essays exemplify "lived theology," offering reflections rooted in years of ministry experience.

Cons

• The essay format means readers must assemble practical application themselves rather than find uniform, prescriptive steps.

Specifications

Title	Practicing the Kingdom: Essays on Hospitality, Community, and Friendship
Honoree	Christine D. Pohl
Editors/Contributors	Justin Bronson Barringer, Maria Russell Kenney, David P Gushee
Scope	Biblical, systematic, and moral theology; liturgical and missional reflection
Primary themes	Hospitality, community, friendship, lived theology
Intended audience	Pastors, students, ministry leaders, lay theologians

Our Verdict

Practicing the Kingdom is a thoughtful, theologically grounded tribute that functions as a practical resource for those wanting to recover communal practices of the church. Its strength is in essays that model lived theology, making it good value for ministers and students who will synthesize the insights into local practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this volume focus only on hospitality?
Answer. Hospitality is central, but the essays also explore community, friendship, liturgy, and the relationship of the academy to church practice.

Is this a practical manual for churches?
Answer. It is essay-driven and reflective; several contributions offer practical examples, but it is not a step-by-step workbook.

Who contributed to this collection?
Answer. The volume is edited and compiled in honor of Christine D. Pohl with contributions curated by editors and scholars including Justin Bronson Barringer, Maria Russell Kenney, and David P Gushee.