Resurrecting Excellence

Christians are of two minds about excellence. We commend excellent teaching, seek out excellent health care, and celebrate excellence in the arts. When a Christian life of congregation is described as excellent, however, we are suspicious that achievement, ambition or success may get the best of us. Cultural standards of excellence may turn out to be Christian stumbling blocks. "Resurrecting Excellence" urges Christians to reclaim their distinctive understanding and emphasis on excellence: an unselfish ambition for the gospel. The life death and resurrection of Jesus are both the basis and the goal of our summons to excellence. Drawing on ancient traditions as well as contemporary voices, the authors -- a divinity school dean and a parish pastor -- offer both a theology of excellence and compelling portraits of pastors, lay leader, congregations, and judicatories who embody "a more excellent way."Excellence in Christian ministry requires the capacity for measuring life by the complexities of judgment and grace as well as budgets and buildings. "Resurrecting Excellence" commends this beautiful and challenging task to all with a heart and mind for the excellence of God.

L. Gregory Jones is dean and professor of theology at Duke University Divinity School.