USF Theology professor publishes book
November 6, 2018
In her recently published book, The Significance of Singleness: A Theological Vision for the Future of the Church, Dr. Christina Hitchcock, Professor of Theology, challenges assumptions about “the problem” of singleness and offers a contemporary theology of singleness relevant to all members of the church.
Today at 10 a.m. Dr. Hitchcock will speak about her book in USF’s chapel service in the Salsbury Science Center’s Zbornik Hall. In addition, she will host a book signing at 2:30 p.m. in Cougar Central, which is located in the McDonald Center. Both events are open to the public.
The subject of Dr. Hitchcock’s book became particularly important to her when she began to think about singleness and celibacy as theologically significant—similar to the way the church thinks about marriage.
“I hope that by recapturing the theological significance of singleness, we can find ways to speak a genuinely new word to both ourselves and the culture around us,” Dr. Hitchcock said.
According to Dr. Hitchcock, the message of her book is very timely for a culture grappling with identity issues, specifically as they relate to sex and sexual relationships.
An important takeaway from Dr. Hitchcock’s book is that it is meant for the church as a whole, not just for single Christians.
“I certainly hope that any single Christian who reads it will feel encouraged and strengthened by it, but the book is really for the church,” Dr. Hitchcock said. “I hope the book can help draw our attention back to the patterns of thought characteristic of God’s Kingdom—patterns that emphasize God’s future and God’s community.”