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Tyndale Theological Seminary
Culture, Spirituality, and the Brethren

Culture, Spirituality, and the Brethren

Neil T. R. Dickson, and T. J. Marinello, Ph; eds - 2014

Troon, Scotland: BAHN

At various points the authors of this book’s chapters will be seen battling with the meanings of the three nouns that are used in the title, for each of the words has had problems with definition. “Culture is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language,” according to Raymond Williams. Among the modern definitions of the word Williams offers, the one that is most applicable to the chapters in this book is “a particular way of life, whether of a people, a period, a group, or humanity in general.” Traditionally, in Brethren usage, spirituality was seen as “a quality which grows in a believer” as” ‘tokens of the Holy Spirit’s residence” and therefore might be seen as being equivalent to “spiritual,” a synonym for holiness. “Brethren” has long been contested as a name by many of those people and churches that have theology and practices which would identify them as such. Nonetheless, this book treats culture and spirituality in a Brethren context.