The Kingdom Among Us: The Gospel According to Dallas Willard

Available in hardcover (Amazon, ChristianBook.com) and eBook (Kindle).

This book is the product of Michael Stewart Robb’s PhD dissertation at the University of Aberdeen. After 10 years of researching Dallas Willard’s books and audio recordings, Robb presents a comprehensive overview of Willard’s multifaceted theological vision that combined rhetorical skill; knowledge of philosophy, psychology, and Scripture; and a gospel of spiritual living.

While The Kingdom Among Us is intended for more academic than general readership, it does not require a PhD to understand. The book summarizes key areas of Willard’s thought, such as the importance of preaching the gospel that Jesus himself preached. It will help scholars, theologians, and philosophers alike make sense of Dallas’s dual careers as philosopher and theologian and see how the study of philosophy influenced his Christian teaching.

Michael Stewart Robb is a theologian, writer, and Director of Sanctus: A European Institute for Theology and Spirituality in Munich, Germany. He has a PhD in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen. Mike is also the author of Something to Say: A Comprehensive Bibliography of Dallas Willard, available exclusively through the Sanctus Institute.

Reviews

This book is a striking work of original theology, effortlessly synthesizing philosophical phenomenology, spirituality, and doctrinal theology. Although it is more readable than most contemporary academic theology, it is simultaneously more profound and more intellectually challenging. It teaches readers what Jesus means by ‘the kingdom of God.’ It was a wonderful experience to hear anew the voice of Dallas Willard in this book, but also a great experience to discover a new, young, and vibrant theologian--the author.

Francesca Murphy, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Notre Dame

The Kingdom Among Us explores theological foundations of Dallas Willard’s wide-ranging work. A reliable and engaging guide to one of the most influential ‘spiritual’ writers of the late twentieth century.

Miroslav Volf, Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology, Yale Divinity School

Dallas Willard was one of the most important and influential Christian philosophers of our time. The beauty of Willard’s work is not only revealed in his intellectual acuity, but also in his deep love for Jesus and his desire to help people come to know Jesus more fully. In this book, Michael Stewart Robb sets out to capture something of the power, beauty, and Christ-centeredness of Willard’s work and to offer it as a gift both to those who know Willard’s work well and to those who may be beginning to move into the rhythm of his words. In providing a deep and thoughtful outline and interpretation of Willard’s thinking, Robb takes us on a journey that touches and moves both the head and the heart. This is a fascinating book that deserves to be read widely.

John Swinton, Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care, University of Aberdeen

Robb has rigorously and sympathetically entered Willard’s mind and heart. Scholars will find Robb’s book interesting and thorough. Lay readers will discover a helpful roadmap into the depths of Willard’s thoughts on God and a host of related issues and concerns. Highly recommended.

Christopher Hall, Distinguished Professor of Theology Emeritus, Eastern University

I pastored one of those early churches where Dallas Willard taught Sunday school. I mean, when I taught, folks might come, but when Dallas taught, they brought their tape recorders! Me too. It was astonishing. It didn’t matter which passage Dallas was teaching from--he always ended up presenting us with a rich biblical Weltanschauung, as the Germans like to say. I marveled to see parishioners studying fifteen, maybe twenty hours to prepare for the next Willard Sunday school class. These were life-transforming sessions. And now with The Kingdom Among Us Michael Stewart Robb gives us insight into the theological foundation of the Willard corpus. I’m delighted.

Richard J. Foster, author of "Celebration of Discipline" and "Sanctuary of the Soul"

Dallas Willard is more often quoted than grasped; Willard is read but his overall thought is rarely mined to its depths. Robb has gone to these depths to unveil the logic of Willard’s approach to Scripture, revealing Willard’s long-standing interest in discipleship and life in the kingdom. For anyone looking to understand Willard’s thought, this is a necessary and important contribution.

Kyle Strobel, Associate Professor of Spiritual Theology, Biola University

Michael Stewart Robb may be the leading theologian on the planet when it comes to understanding the ideas of Dallas Willard.

Fortress Press, 2022, 532 pp, ISBN‎ 150648073X

Contents

Introduction
  1. The Odd Duck of Twentieth-Century Theology
Part I: In Search of Biblical Ontology
  1. The First Listeners' Eye View
  2. The Ontological Approach to the Bible
  3. Theology and the Objectivity of Faith
Part II: The First Stage
  1. What the Jews Knew
  2. Jesus's Popularity, Explained
Part III: The Second Stage
  1. What Else the Jews Knew (or Could Have)
  2. The (Lost) Gospel of Jesus the Teacher
  3. The (Only) Gospel That Makes Disciples
Part IV: The Third Stage
  1. What a Few Jews Knew
  2. The King and Soteriological Déjà Vu
  3. Cur Deus Homo?
Conclusion
  1. The Odd Duck for Twenty-First Century Theology

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