Eldin Villafane is the Ricardo Tanon Distinguished Professor of Hispanic Christianity, Ethics and Urban Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts. His other books include Seek the Peace of the City, The Liberating Spirit and Transforming the City, all published by Eerdmans.
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Reviews
Religious Studies Review "Villafane's prophetic book will speak to those committed to discipleship and theological education." Prism "Any reader, whether involved in formal theological education or not, can apply the principles promoted in this helpful text as we press for a holistic gospel in the 21st century." Ronald J. Sider -- president, Evangelicals for Social Action "Hardly anything is more urgent today than that the church heed the call to abandon cheap grace and embrace costly, biblical discipleship." Luis Cortes Jr. -- president, Esperanza USA "Eldin Villafane brings to the fore both his ministerial experience and his decades of reflection in a clear and concise manner, calling for the need to reform theological education." Dale T. Irvin -- New York Theological Seminary "Long a leading theorist of urban ministry, contextual theological education, and Latino/a theological ethics, Eldin Villafane is revealed in Beyond Cheap Grace to be above all a prophetic voice on behalf of the cruciform life, challenging various forms of cultural accommodation that distort and conceal the gospel in our era. Calling us to recover the radical meaning of discipleship, incarnation, and justice for spiritual renewal, this valuable work deserves a wide reading and even wider application." J. Alfred Smith Sr. -- senior pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church "Eldin Villafane calls us from the comfortable pew away from a self-centered prosperity and name-it-and-claim-it gospel to a servant ministry that embraces the poor and marginalized with righteousness and justice." Loida L. Martell-Otero -- Palmer Theological Seminary "Beyond Cheap Grace integrates theology and ethics through the lens of Christology and biblical scholarship to challenge traditional paradigms of theological education and method. Villafane seeks to prod Christian leaders and educators to create a new model of discipleship that lives up to the principles of the reign of God -- one that is welcoming to all, transformative, and above all incarnational. . . I hope that this book encourages all theological institutions to invite as many diverse voices as possible to join the conversation."