Biblical Studies
Showing 226–300 of 512 results
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Kingdom According To Luke And Acts
$38.00Add to cartThis substantial, reliable introduction examines the character and purpose of Luke and Acts and provides a thorough yet economical treatment of Luke’s social, historical, and literary context. Karl Allen Kuhn presents Luke’s narrative as a “kingdom story” that both announces the arrival of God’s reign in Jesus and narrates the ministry of the early church, revealing the character of the kingdom as dramatically at odds with the kingdom of Rome. He explores the techniques Luke employs to create his impressively crafted and rhetorically charged narrative, covering the background, literary features, plotting, and thematic emphases of Luke and Acts while also incorporating the freshest approaches.
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Leisure And Spirituality
$34.00Add to carthis addition to the award-winning Engaging Culture series explores the link between leisure and spirituality, offering a Christian perspective on leisure concepts and issues in contemporary society. Paul Heintzman, a respected scholar and experienced recreation practitioner, interacts with biblical, historical, and contemporary leisure studies sources to provide a comprehensive understanding of leisure. He also explains the importance of leisure for spiritual growth and development. This work will appeal to professors and students as well as practitioners in the recreation and leisure services field, youth and college pastors, and camp ministries.
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Linguistic Analysis Of The Greek New Testament
$44.00Add to cartIn this volume, a leading expert brings readers up to date on the latest advances in New Testament Greek linguistics. Stanley Porter brings together a number of different studies of the Greek of the New Testament under three headings: texts and tools for analysis, approaching analysis, and doing analysis. He deals with a variety of New Testament texts, including the Synoptic Gospels, John, and Paul. This volume distills a senior scholar’s expansive writings on various subjects, making it an essential book for scholars of New Testament Greek and a valuable supplemental textbook for New Testament Greek exegesis courses.
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Gospel On The Margins
$49.00Add to cartScholars of the Gospel of Mark usually discuss the merits of patristic references to the Gospel’s origin and Mark’s identity as the “interpreter” of Peter. But while the question of the Gospel’s historical origins draws attention, no one has asked why, despite virtually unanimous patristic association of the Gospel with Peter, one of the most prestigious apostolic founding figures in Christian memory, Mark’s Gospel was mostly neglected by those same writers. Not only is the text of Mark the least represented of the canonical Gospels in patristic citations, commentaries, and manuscripts, but the explicit comments about the Evangelist reveal ambivalence about Mark’s literary or theological value. Michael J. Kok surveys the second-century reception of Mark, from Papias of Hierapolis to Clement of Alexandria, and finds that the patristic writers were hesitant to embrace Mark because they perceived it to be too easily adapted to rival Christian factions. Kok describes the story of Mark’s Petrine origins as a second-century move to assert ownership of the Gospel on the part of the emerging Orthodox Church.
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Cleansed Lepers Cleansed Hearts
$49.00Add to cartIllnesses are perceived and understood differently across cultures and over time. Traditional interpretations of New Testament texts frame the affliction lepra (“leprosy”) as addressed either by ritual cleansing or miraculous healing. But as Pamela Shellberg shows, these interpretations are limited because they shift modern ideas of “leprosy” to a first-century context without regard for how the ancients themselves thought about lepra. Reading ancient medical texts, Shellberg describes how Luke might have perceived lepra and used the language of “clean” and “unclean” and demonstrates how Luke’s first-century understandings shaped his report of Peter’s dream in Acts 10 as a warrant for Gentile inclusion.
For Luke, “cleansing” was how the favor of God announced by Isaiah was extended to Gentiles, and the stories of Jesus’ cleansing of leprous bodies in the Gospel are the pattern for the divine cleansing of Gentile hearts in Acts. Shellberg illuminates Luke’s understanding of “cleansing” as one of his primary expressions of the means of God’s salvation and favor, breaking down and breaking through the distinctions between Jew and Gentile. Shellberg’s conclusions take up the value of Luke’s emphasis on the divine prerogative to declare things “clean” for discussions of inclusion and social distinction today.
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Dignity And Destiny
$41.99Add to cartMagisterial, up-to-date study of what the Bible really teaches about the image of God
Misunderstandings about what it means for humans to be created in God’s image have wreaked devastation throughout history – for example, slavery in the U.S., genocide in Nazi Germany, and the demeaning of women everywhere.
In Dignity and Destiny John Kilner explores anew what the Bible teaches about humanity being in God’s image. He discusses in detail all the biblical references to the image of God, interacts extensively with other work on the topic, and documents how misunderstandings of it have been so problematic. Locating Christ at the center of what God’s image means, Kilner charts a constructive way forward and reflects on the tremendously liberating impact that a sound understanding of the image of God can have in the world today.
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Paul Within Judaism
$44.00Add to cartIn these chapters, a group of renowned international scholars seek to describe Paul and his work from “within Judaism,” rather than on the assumption, still current after thirty years of the “New Perspective,” that in practice Paul left behind aspects of Jewish living after his discovery of Jesus as Christ (Messiah). After an introduction that surveys recent study of Paul and highlights the centrality of questions about Paul’s Judaism, chapters explore the implications of reading Paul’s instructions as aimed at Christ-following non-Jews, teaching them how to live in ways consistent with Judaism while remaining non-Jews. The contributors take different methodological points of departure: historical, ideological-critical, gender-critical, and empire-critical, and examine issues of terminology and of interfaith relations. Surprising common ground among the contributors presents a coherent alternative to the “New Perspective.” The volume concludes with a critical evaluation of the Paul within Judaism perspective by Terence L. Donaldson, a well-known voice representative of the best insights of the New Perspective.
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Healing In The Gospel Of Matthew
$39.00Add to cartContents:
Preface
1. Methodology
2. Matthew 8:1-4
3. Matthew 8:5-13
4. Matthew 8:14-15
5. Matthew 8:16-17
6. Matthew 8:18-27
7. Matthew 8:28-34
8. Matthew 9:1-8
9. Matthew 9:9-13
10. Matthew 9:14-17
11. Matthew 9:18-26
12. Matthew 9:27-31
13. Matthew 9:32-38
14. Conclusion
Bibliography
IndicesAdditional Info
Although healing constitutes both a major theme of biblical literature and a significant practice of biblical communities, healing themes and experiences are not always conspicuous in presentations of biblical theology. Walter T. Wilson adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the healing narratives in the Gospel of Matthew, combining the familiar methods of form, redaction, and narrative criticisms with insights culled from medical anthropology, feminist theory, disability studies, and ancient archaeology. His focus is the New Testament’s longest and most systematic account of healing, Matthew chapters 8 and 9, which he investigates by situating the text within a broad range of ancient healing traditions. The close exegetical readings of each healing narrative culminate in a final synthesis that pulls together what can be said about Matthew’s understanding of healing, how Matthew’s narratives of healing expose the distinctive priorities of the evangelist, and how these priorities relate to the theology of the Gospel as a whole. -
New Heaven And A New Earth (Reprinted)
$31.99Add to cartIn recent years, more and more Christians have come to appreciate the Bible’s teaching that the ultimate blessed hope for the believer is not an otherworldly heaven; instead, it is participation–through a resurrected soul and body–in a new heaven and a new earth brought into fullness under the transformation of God’s kingdom. Drawing on the full sweep of the biblical narrative, J. Richard Middleton unpacks key Old Testament and New Testament texts to make a case for the new earth as the appropriate Christian hope. He suggests its ethical and ecclesial implications, exploring the difference a holistic eschatology can make for living in a broken world.
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Your Gifts 10 Pack
$49.99Add to cartOnce you have accepted God’s greatest gift of Jesus Christ, unwrap the spiritual gifts He has given so you can grow and become the person you were meant to be! Your Gifts will guide you through a 20-minute survey to help you discover your gifts and how you can use them to fulfill God’s plan for your life. More than 5 million people around the world have discovered their spiritual gifts through taking the Your Gifts survey, enabling and quipping them to serve with effectiveness and fulfillment at home, work, and in their churches. What better time than now to understand how God desires to release you with passion and purpose as you begin to put these gifts into practice!
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Consider Leviathan : Narratives Of Nature And The Self In Job
$39.00Add to cartContents:
Prologue
1. Consider The Ostrich
2. Eco-Anthropologies Of Wisdom In The Hebrew Bible
3. Eco-Anthropologies In The Joban Dialogues
4. Eco-Anthropologies In The Joban God-Speech
5. Natural Theologies Of The Post-Exilic Self In Job
Epilogue: The New Nature And The New SelfAdditional Info
Theologians and philosophers are turning again to questions of the meaning, or non-meaning, of the natural world for human self-understanding. Brian R. Doak observes that the book of Job, more than any other book in the Bible, uses metaphors drawn from the natural world, especially of plants and animals, as raw material for thinking about human suffering. Doak argues that Job should be viewed as an anthropological “ground zero” for the traumatic definition of the post-exilic human self in ancient Israel. Furthermore, the battered shape of the Joban experience should provide a starting point for reconfiguring our thinking about “natural theology” as a category of intellectual history in the ancient world.Doak examines how the development of the human subject is portrayed in the biblical text in either radical continuity or discontinuity with plants and animals. Consider Leviathan explores the text at the intersection of anthropology, theology, and ecology, opening up new possibilities for charting the view of nature in the Hebrew Bible.
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Paul And The Politics Of Diaspora
$29.00Add to cartContents:
Introduction: Theorizing Diaspora
1. Negotiating Diaspora In Ancient Hellenistic Judaism
2. Paul, The Diaspora Jew
3. Paul And Others In Diaspora Space
4. Paul Among The Nations
5. Paul’s Travels As Transcultural Narrative
6. ConclusionAdditional Info
It is a commonplace today that Paul was a Jew of the Hellenistic Diaspora, but how does that observation help us to understand his thinking, his self-identification, and his practice? Ronald Charles applies the insights of contemporary diaspora studies to address much-debated questions about Paul’s identity as a diaspora Jew, his complicated relationship with a highly symbolized “homeland,” the motives of his daily work, and the ambivalence of his rhetoric.Charles argues for understanding a number of important aspects of Paul’s identity and work, including the ways his interactions with others were conditioned, by his diaspora space, his self-understanding, and his experience “among the nations.” Diaspora space is a key concept that allows Charles to show how Paul’s travels and the collection project in particular can be read as a transcultural narrative. Understanding the dynamics of diaspora also allows Charles to bring new light to the conflict at Antioch (Galatians 1-2), Paul’s relationships with the Gentiles in Galatia, and the fraught relationship with leaders in Jerusalem.
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Paul : Apostle And Fellow Traveler
$34.99Add to cartCovering the entire Pauline corpus the reader finds a man who was adept at persuasive arguments and providing theological answers to real and, often, thorny congregational issues. Readers have a keen understanding of Paul’s place in the early church, the relationship between church and synagogue, and the relationship between the teaching of Paul and that of Jesus. These discussions set Paul firmly within the church that existed before he joined, finding that he became an adherent to much that preceded him.
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Theodicy In Habakkuk
$39.99Add to cartThis extraordinary work explains how the writer of the book of Habakkuk resolves the issue of theodicy. Reading the book as a literary whole, Grace Ko uses a holistic, synchronic approach to investigate how its writer presents his case, and how he reaches the final resolution of his problem. Since theodicy is a common human issue raised during atrocity, Habakkuk’s experience becomes a source of hope and resolute faith for the believing community in the midst of severe adversity.
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Physically Disabled In Ancient Israel According To The Old Testament And An
$39.99Add to cartIn a unique way this study probes the linguistic, sociological, religious and theological issues associated with being physically disabled in the ancient Near East. By examining the law collections, societal conventions and religious obligations towards individuals who were physically disabled Fiorello gives us an understanding of the world a disabled person would enter. He explores the connection between the literal use of disability language and the metaphorical use of this language made in biblical prophetic literature as a prophetic critique of Israel’s dysfunctional relationship with God.
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Reading Philo : Handbook To Philo Of Alexandria
$48.99Add to cartA contemporary of both Jesus and the apostle Paul, Philo was a prolific Jewish theologian, philosopher, and politician — a fascinating, somewhat enigmatic figure — who lived his entire life in Alexandria, Egypt. His many books are important sources for our understanding of ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and the philosophical currents of that time
Reading Philo is an excellent introductory guide to Philo’s work and significance. The contributors — all well-known experts on Philo of Alexandria — discuss Philo in context, offer methodological considerations (how best to study Philo), and explore Philo’s ongoing relevance and value (why reading him is important). This practical volume will be an indispensable resource for anyone delving into Philo and his world.
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From Whom No Secrets Are Hid
$35.00Add to cartThe Psalms express the most elemental human emotions, representing situations in which people are most vulnerable, ecstatic, or driven to the extremities of life and faith. Many people may be familiar with a few Psalms, or sing them as part of worship. Here highly respected author Walter Brueggemann offers readers an additional use for the Psalms: as scripted prayers we perform to help us reveal ourselves to God.
Brueggemann explores the rich historical, literary, theological, and spiritual content of the Psalms while focusing on various themes such as praise, lament, violence, and wisdom. He skillfully describes Israel’s expression of faith as sung through the Psalms, situates the Psalmic liturgical tradition in its ancient context, and encourages contemporary readers to continue to perform them as part of their own worship experiences. Brueggemann’s masterful take on the Psalms as prayers will help readers to unveil their hopes and fears before God and, in turn, feel God’s grace unveiled to them.
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Halleys Bible Handbook Classic Edition (Expanded)
$34.99Add to cartMore than 80 years after its initial publication, Halley’s Bible Handbook remains a bestseller in its various editions, with millions of copies sold worldwide. This world-renowned Bible handbook has been consistently updated and revised to accurately provide even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness. Halley’s Bible Handbook makes the Bible’s wisdom and message accessible to people from all walks of life. Whether they’ve read the Bible many times or never before, readers will find insights that give them a firm grasp of God’s Word and an appreciation for the cultural, religious, and geographic settings in which the story of the Bible unfolds. Written for both mind and heart, this completely revised, updated, and expanded 25th edition retains Dr. Halley’s highly personal style.
It features:
*All-new maps, photographs, and illustrations
*Contemporary design
*Practical Bible reading programs
*Helpful tips for Bible study
*Fascinating archaeological information
*Easy-to-understand sections on how we got the Bible and on church history
*Improved indexes -
With The Clouds Of Heaven
$28.00Add to cartList Of Tables
Series Preface
Author’s Preface
Abbreviations1. Preliminaries
2. From Eden To The End: Daniel In The Old Testament Salvation History
3. The Literary Structure Of Daniel
4. Four Kingdoms; Then Everlasting Dominion: The History Of The Future
5. Seventy Weeks And Seventy Weeks Of Years: Daniel’s Prayer And Gabriel’s Revelation
6. The One Like A Son Of Man And Other Heavenly Beings In Daniel
7. Interpretations Of Daniel In Early Jewish Literature
8. Interpretations Of Daniel In The New Testament (except Revelation)
9. Interpretaitons Of Daniel In The Apocalypse
10. Typological Patterns: Daniel In Biblical TheologyBibliography
Index Of Authors
Index Of Scripture References
Index Of Ancient SourcesAdditional Info
“And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom.” (Daniel 7:13-14 ESV). Perceiving a hole in evangelical biblical theology that should be filled with a robust treatment of the book of Daniel, James Hamilton takes this chance to delve into the book’s rich contribution to the Bible’s unfolding redemptive-historical storyline. By setting Daniel in the broader context of biblical theology, this canonical study helps move us toward a clearer understanding of how we should live today in response to its message. First, he shows how the book’s literary structure contributes to its meaning, and then addresses key questions and issues, concluding by examining typological patterns. Hamilton argues that the four kingdoms prophesied by Daniel are both historical and symbolic-that the “one like a son of man” seen by Daniel is identified with and distinguished from the Ancient of Days in a way that would be mysterious until Jesus came as both the son of David and God incarnate. He elaborates that the interpretations of Daniel in early Jewish literature attest to strategies similar to those employed by New Testament authors and exposes that those authors provide a Spirit-inspired interpretation of Daniel that was learned from Jesus. He also highlights how the book of Revelation uses Daniel’s language, imitates his structure, points to the fulfillment of his prophecies and clarifies the meaning of his “seventieth week.” -
Pandoras Box Opened
$45.99Add to cartEminently informed assessment of a major modern method of biblical interpretation
For many, the historical-critical method has released a host of threats to Christian faith and confession. In Pandora’s Box Opened, however, Roy Harrisville argues that despite the evils brought upon biblical interpretation by the historical-critical method, there is still hope for it as a discipline.
Harrisville begins by describing the emergence and use of the historical-critical method. He then attends to the malaise that has come over the method, which he says still persists. Finally, Harrisville commends the historical-critical method, though shorn of its arrogance. He claims that the method and all its users comprise a “Pandora’s Box” that, when opened, releases “a myriad other pains,” but hope still remains.
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Christs Body In Corinth
$29.00Add to cartYung Suk Kim takes up the language of”body” that infuses 1 Corinthians, Paul’smost complicated letter, and the letterthat provides us the most information,and poses the sharpest questions, aboutsocial realities in the early church.Kim argues against the view that inspeaking of the church as Christ’sbody Paul seeks to emphasize unityand the social boundary. Against theconventional rhetoric of the “bodypolitic” in Greco-Roman philosophy,Kim argues that Paul seeks ratherto nourish the vitality of a diversecommunity and to criticize the ideologyof a powerful in-group in Corinth, amessage of particular importance forcontemporary global Christianity.
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Preparing His Own 1
$26.99Add to cartFour completely different Gospel writers present the SAME CHRIST with four unique points of view during more than 50 occasions when He was intimately Preparing His Own for life and ministry. All are influenced in their writing to the extent they are the product of their experiences and are writing from their deepest and most intimate memories of Jesus’ important moments with them as the Holy Spirit gave them inspiration.
Are we so different than they? Today’s believers come to the SAME CHRIST from their own unique perspectives in life. As Philip told Nathan, “Come and see.”
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Its Almost Here
$33.99Add to cartTHE WORD IS IN … Israel’s future is past.
The Christian New Testament Church is Israel. The Church is the fulfillment of Old Testament Judaism. There is no urgency or even necessity for the U.S. to become energy independent. Roman Emperor Nero was Revelation’s “Antichrist.” Islam’s ultimate goal is universal peace and justice. Since Christ’s resurrection and ascension the Church has been experiencing the “Millennium.” Rapture of the Saints is a figment of the imagination. God is too good to eternally condemn anyone. The entirety of humanity will ultimately be saved because the proclamation of the Gospel will finally overcome all the evil and corruption in creation. All will be well. Think good thoughts. Be happy.
The statements made in the paragraph above are either distortions of Biblical truth or whimsical nonsense, which this book on prophecy was written to expose to the 21st Century.
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Jesus Quest : The Danger From Within
$33.99Add to cartThis work examines the historical and philosophical strengths and/or weaknesses of current evangelical approaches espousing some forms of post-modernistic historiography and its resultant search for the “historical Jesus.” It demonstrates the marked undermining impact these efforts have had on the biblical text, especially the Gospels, as well inerrancy issues. It compares the Jesus Seminar’s approach with current evangelical practices of searching in terms of their evidential apologetic impact on the trustworthiness of the Gospels. A number of well-known, contemporary evangelical scholars are involved in the so-called “Third Quest” for the historical Jesus. This book raises serious questions about such an endeavor.
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Essential Bible Study Tools For Ministry
$49.99Add to cartThis up-to-date, highly selective bibliography is designed to acquaint students and ministers with major works, significant publishers and prominent scholars in biblical studies. It is the perfect guide for beginning a research project or building a ministerial library. References are included based on the following considerations: (1) usefulness for the theological interpretation of the Bible within the context of the faith of the church; (2) significance in the history of interpretation; and (3) representation of evangelical and especially evangelical Wesleyan scholarship.
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Abingdon Introduction To The Bible
$45.99Add to cartThis comprehensive introduction launches beginners into the world of biblical studies.The Bible has profoundly influenced the western world. Many of its characters and stories are well known and yet, oddly enough, wide swaths of the Bible are unknown and misunderstood. The laws and teaching contained within it have shaped contemporary thinking in ways many do not realize. Equally important, two of the world’s largest religions-Judaism and Christianity-consider the Hebrew Bible to be sacred and to contain enduring truths about beginnings and creation, life and death, the world, and what it means to be human.
This comprehensive introduction launches beginners into the world of biblical studies with clarity and precision. The authors give an overview of each book of the Bible with a brief discussion of relevant controversies and debates. Jewish and Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) views are compared and contrasted, while simultaneously illustrating the importance of the Bible for religion, western jurisprudence, ethics, and contemporary conceptions of the family, morality, and even politics. With illustrations and charts, this a text that is both student and teacher friendly.
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Figure Of Adam In Romans 5 And 1 Corinthians 15
$49.00Add to cartIntroduction
1. Status Questionis On The Adam Typology In Paul
2. The Figure Of Adam In Ancient Jewish Sources
3. The Figure Of Adam In 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; 45-29, And Romans 5:12-21
Conclusion
Bibliography
Additional Info
It is widely recognized that in some of his letters, Paul develops a Christology based on a comparison between Adam and Christ, and that this Christology has antecedents in Jewish interpretation of Genesis 1-4. But Paul was not concerned simply to develop themes found in scripture.Felipe Legarreta gives careful attention to patterns of exegesis in Second-Temple Judaism and identifies, for the first time, a number of motifs by which Jews drew ethical implications from the story of Adam and his expulsion from Eden. He then demonstrates that throughout the “Christological” passages in Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul is taking part in a wider Jewish exegetical and ethical discussion regarding life in the new creation.
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Saint Paul : Master Of The Spiritual Life In Christ
$29.95Add to cartIn Saint Paul, Elliott C. Maloney explores what the great saint says about the spiritual life, the “how to” in the day-to-day activities and concerns of Christians. How should people live in covenant relationship with God, committed to seeking God’s will in every aspect of their lives? Spirituality is a popular topic, but it is regarded as merely one part of life, some “higher level” of living when compared to ordinary living. Even Catholic scholarship, Maloney argues, notable as it is in Pauline exegesis and theology, seems to lack a feel for the overall kind of living that Paul wanted for his communities, not to mention how we might appropriate such wisdom for today. For Paul, all of a believer’s life is spiritual life. The alternative is a life “according to the flesh,” a self-centered life without God, a continual spiritual death. Based on over forty years of teaching and study of the Pauline letters, Maloney’s Saint Paul offers a rich vision of Christianity and the spiritual life “in Christ.”
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Nehemiah Effect : Ancient Wisdom From The Worlds First Agile Projects
$28.99Add to cartThe rapid convergence of technological and knowledge growth is resulting in disruptive change unlike any in human history. So why go back 2,500 years for a business leadership and project management model?
According to today’s experts, Nehemiah’s building the 4.5-mile wall around Jerusalem in 445 BC should have taken years with a huge labor force. But he accomplished it with 150 leaders and an enormous volunteer team in 52 days. His book is a roadmap on how to accomplish seemingly impossible goals using a Business Agile framework.
The Nehemiah Effect combines new mindsets, methodologies, and technologies with proven, ancient wisdom to deliver surprising results for today’s business leaders and project managers.
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Rejected Prophets : Jesus And His Witnesses In Luke-Acts
$34.00Add to cartAbbreviations
Introduction
1. The Role Of Prophets In Luke-Acts
2. Messiah And Savior
3. Trustworthy Prophets
4. “A Light For The Gentiles”
5. A Rejected Prophet
6. The Doom Of Jerusalem
7. Prophets Like Jesus
8. Rejected Prophets
9. “To The Ends Of The Earth”Conclusion
Index Of Names
Index Of Biblical ReferencesAdditional Info
Although several scholars have written about how Luke portrays Jesus and the apostles as prophets, no one has yet provided a comprehensive theory as to why Luke’s protagonists resemble the prophets.McWhirter shows that Luke uses these biblical prophets as precedents, seeking to legitimate the apostles’ teachings in the face of events, such as the destruction of Jerusalem and the deaths of Peter and Paul, which seem to contradict those teachings. In order to show that all this was part of God’s plan, Luke compares Jesus and his witnesses to Israel’s prophets who were rejected by their own people.
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Dangerous Sisters Of The Hebrew Bible
$26.00Add to cartFathers, sons, and mothers take center stage in the Bibles grand narratives, Amy Kalmanofsky observes. Sisters and sisterhood receive less attention in scholarship but, she argues, play an important role in narratives, revealing anxieties related to desire, agency, and solidarity among women playing out (and playing against) their roles in a patrilineal society. Most often, she shows, sisters are destabilizing figures in narratives about family crisis, where property, patrimony, and the resilience of community boundaries are at risk. Kalmanofsky demonstrates that the particular role of sisters had important narrative effects, revealing previously underappreciated dynamics in Israelite society.
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Jesus Unleashed : Lukes Gospel For Emerging Christians
$29.00Add to cartLuke’s narrative of Jesus was presented to Christians who had already heard and read stories of Jesus and the birth of this new movement, Christianity. Luke seemed to rewrite the story of Jesus similar to ancient epics of the history of a nation, a movement, and the tale of a hero. Jesus and the church emerged in occupied Judea, a nation that was not only oppressed but was in exile. Occupied Judea, however, struggled for power and honor and in turn, for marginalized people who needed God. Jesus, the epic hero, journeyed to earth and Jerusalem to free those on the margins of society. This epic story lives on today in a church that also has heard the story of Jesus, but has forgotten that the friend of sinners calls Christians to also reach those who are marginalized by our occupied culture. Luke invites Christians to emerge as a movement that seeks and saves those ostracized by our communities.
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Lost World Of Scripture
$32.00Add to cartWalton and Sandy summarize what we know of orality and oral tradition as well as the composition and transmission of texts in the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world, and how this shapes our understanding of the Old and New Testaments. The authors provide a helpful model for understanding the reliability of Scripture
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Question Of Canon
$30.00Add to cartPreface
Abbreviations
Introduction1. The Definition Of Canon: Must We Make A Sharp Distinction Between The Definitions Of Canon And Scripture?
2. The Origins Of Canon: Was There Really Nothing In Early Christianity That May Have Led To A Canon?
3. The Writing Of Canon: Were Early Christians Averse To Written Documents?
4. The Authors Of Canon: Were The New Testament Authors Unaware Of Their Own Authority?
5. The Date Of Canon: Were The New Testament Books First Regarded As Scripture At The End Of The Second Century?
Additional Info
Unlike many books on the New Testament canon, this book does not seek to explain Why these books and no others? It asks the question Why is there a NT at all? Was the notion of a canon of literature out of sync with the earliest Christian movement? Michael Kruger challenges commonly held views on the emergence of the NT canon. -
Born Of A Virgin
$38.99Add to cartThis book will appeal to those many Christians who struggle with the concept of the virgin birth. Andrew Lincoln’s Born of a Virgin? begins by discussing why the virgin birth is such a difficult and divisive topic for Christians. The book then deals with a whole range of literary, historical, and hermeneutical issues from a perspective that takes seriously creedal confessions and theological concerns.
As part of his exegetical investigation of the New Testament texts, Lincoln considers the literary genre and distinctive characteristics of the birth narratives as ancient biography. Further, he delineates how changes in our views of history and biology decisively affect any traditional understanding of the significance of an actual virgin birth, and he explores what that means for the authority of Scripture and creed, along with implications for Christology and for preaching and teaching from the birth narratives.
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Story Of Jesus In History And Faith
$32.00Add to cartMany books are available on the historical Jesus, but few address issues that are critically central to Christian faith–namely Jesus as resurrected Lord, Christ, and Son of God. This comprehensive introduction to the study of the historical Jesus takes both scholarship and Christian faith seriously.
Leading New Testament scholar Lee Martin McDonald brings together two critically important dimensions of the story of Jesus: what we can know about him in his historical context and what we can responsibly claim about his significance for faith today. McDonald examines the most important aspects of the story of Jesus from his birth to his resurrection and introduces key issues and approaches in the study of the historical Jesus. He also considers faith issues, taking account of theological perspectives that secular historiography cannot address. The book incorporates excerpts from primary sources and includes a map and tables.
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Paul And The Law
$28.00Add to cartList Of Tables
Series Preface
Author’s Preface
Abbreviations1. ‘Circumcision Is Nothing’: The Puzzle Of Paul And The Law
2. ‘Not Under The Law’: Explicit Repudiation Of The Law As Law-covenant
3. Not ‘walking According To The Law’: Implicit Repudiation Of The Law As Law-covenant
4. ‘Under The Law Of Christ’: Replacement Of The Law
5. ‘Witness To The Gospel’: Re-appropriation Of The Law As Prophecy
6. ‘Written For Our Instruction’: Re-appropriation Of The Law As Wisdom
7. ‘Keeping The Commandments Of God’: A Hermeneutical SolutionBibliography
Index Of Authors
Index Of Scripture ReferencesAdditional Info
Preaching’s Preacher’s Guide to the Best Bible Reference for 2014 (Pauline Studies)“For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God” (1 Cor 7:19). The apostle Paul’s relationship to the Law of Moses is notoriously complex and much studied. Difficulties begin with questions of definition (of the extent of Paul’s corpus and the meanings of “the law”) and are exacerbated by numerous problems of interpretation of the key texts. Major positions are entrenched, yet none of them seems to know what to do with all the pieces of the puzzle. Inextricably linked to Paul’s view of the law is his teaching concerning salvation history, Israel, the church, anthropology, ethics and eschatology. Understanding “Paul and the law” is critical to the study of the New Testament, because it touches on the perennial question of the relationship between the grace of God in the gift of salvation and the demand of God in the call for holy living. Misunderstanding can lead to distortions of one or both. This New Studies in Biblical Theology volume is something of a breakthrough, bringing neglected evidence to the discussion and asking different questions of the material, while also building on the work of others. Brian Rosner argues that Paul undertakes a polemical re-evaluation of the Law of Moses, which involves not only its repudiation as law-covenant and its replacement by other things, but also its wholehearted re-appropriation as prophecy (with reference to the gospel) and as wisdom (for Christian living).
Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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Israels Poetry Of Resistance
$32.00Add to cartNoting that Israel’s earliest responses to earth-shaking changes were cast in the powerfully expressive language of poetry, Hugh R. Page Jr. argues that the careful collection and preservation of these traditions-now found in every part of the Hebrew Bible-was an act of resistance, a communal no to the forces of despair and a yes to the creative power of the Spirit.
Further, Page argues, the power of these poems to craft and shape a future for a people who had suffered acute displacement and marginalization offers a rich spiritual repertoire for Africana peoples today, and for all who find themselves perennially outside the social or political mainstream. Here Page offers fresh translations and brief commentary on the Bible’s fifteen earliest poems, and explores the power and relevance of these poems, and the ancient mythic themes behind them, for contemporary life at the margins. -
New Meanings For Ancient Texts
$36.00Add to cartThis book is a supplement and sequel to To Each Its Own Meaning, edited by Steven L. McKenzie and Stephen R. Haynes, which introduced the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism and remains a widely used classroom textbook. This new volume explores recent developments in, and approaches to, biblical criticism since 1999. Leading contributors define and describe their approach for non-specialist readers, using examples from the Old and New Testament to help illustrate their discussion. Topics include cultural criticism, disability studies, queer criticism, postmodernism, ecological criticism, new historicism, popular culture, postcolonial criticism, and psychological criticism. Each section includes a list of key terms and definitions and suggestions for further reading.
Contributors: Timothy Beal, Warren Carter, Norman C. Habel, Gina Hens-Piazza, Nyasha Junior, D. Andrew Kille, Hugh S. Pyper, Linda S. Schearing, Jeremy Schipper, Ken Stone, and Valarie H. Ziegler.
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Delighting In The Law Of The Lord
$30.00Add to cartOur culture has a few catch phrases: Be who you want to be; Do what makes you happy. We are told to do our own thing and follow our own rules, which often makes the Bible appear to be oppressively restrictive and hopelessly outdated, even to Christians! Responding to the misdirection of our society and misperceptions the church has of God’s law, Professor Jerram Barrs helps readers recognize the beauty in and purpose of God’s rules for living healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. From the Old Testament to the New, Barrs demonstrates how God’s commands to his people were intended to protect them from sin and direct them in godliness. Rejecting the idea that we can earn God’s favor through good works, Barrs nevertheless highlights how God’s commands should spur us to obedience and ultimately remind us of grace.
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Reading Romans In Pompeii
$44.00Add to cartPeter Oakes relies on demographic information and data from excavations in nearby Pompeii to paint a compelling portrait of daily life in a typical insula, or apartment complex, like the ones in which Paul’s audience in Rome likely lived. Imaginatively fleshing out profiles of the circumstances of actual residents of Pompeii, Oakes then uses these profiles to invite the reader into a new way to hear Paul’s letter to the Romans as the apostle’s contemporaries might have heard it. The result of this ground-breaking study is a fuller, richer appreciation of Paul’s most important letter.
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Covenant And Creation
$29.99Add to cartGod’s grace demonstrated in the biblical narrative through the lens of covenant.
This study analyses the different divine covenants of the Old Testament and argues that they are closely related. The successive covenants, from Noah to David, are seen to express the divine purpose for humanity from the creation onwards. William Dumbrell interacts extensively with attempts to explain the significance of concepts such as the gift of the land, victory, rest and the divine presence. This extraordinary book also throws light upon the Christian use of the Old Testament categories. This second, revised edition brings the subject right up to date.
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Paul And The Early Jewish Encounter With Deuteronomy
$40.00Add to cartThis study offers a fresh, thorough engagement with Paul’s use of Deuteronomy, paying full attention to the concrete realities of Paul’s exposure, in life and literature, to Torah. David Lincicum compares Paul’s handling of Deuteronomy to the treatment of Deuteronomy in other contemporary Jewish sources. He shows how this key book of Jewish Scripture was influential in Jewish life and liturgy and how it bears on Paul’s relationship to the Law.
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From Creation To The Cross
$29.99Add to cartMost Christians don’t quite know what to do with the first half of the Bible. Some are fascinated by the historical sweep of the Old Testament. Others are blessed by its poetry. Still others focus on its prophecies. But what are the heart and soul of the Old Testament? In From Creation to the Cross, Al Baylis is a guide who shares with us his love for, and profound understanding of, the Old Testament. He walks us through the Old Testament, pointing out along the way perspectives and insights that leave us with a new, personal understanding of these thirty-nine books — and more importantly, of the God of the Old Testament, who lovingly prepared the way before sending his Son. As Bruce Wilkinson puts it in the Foreword, ‘I could almost picture (Baylis) as a seasoned rabbi surrounded by a huddle of eager listeners. He doesn’t simply teach the Old Testament; it’s as if he personally reminisces through it.’ From Creation to the Cross is one of those rare books that speaks to a wide range of readers, from high school students to homemakers to college professors. This revised and expanded edition of On the Way to Jesus makes this unique and highly readable approach to the first half of the Bible available once again. It is ideally suited for use in Bible study groups.
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Abraham Our Father
$49.00Add to cart“Father Abraham had many sons . . .” So goes the chorus that the Shona people learned from European missionaries as part of the broader experience of colonization that they share with other African peoples. Urged to abandon their ancestors and embrace Christianity, the Shona instead engaged in a complex and ambiguous negotiation of ancestral myths, culture, and power.
Israel Kamudzandu explores this legacy, showing how the Shona found in the figure of Abraham himself a potent resource for cultural resistance, and makes intriguing comparisons with the ways the apostle Paul used the same figure in his interaction with the ancestry of Aeneas in imperial myths of the destiny of the Roman people. The result is a groundbreaking study that combines the best tradition-historical insights with postcolonial-critical acumen. Kamudzandu offers at last a model of multi-cultural Christianity forged in the experience of postcolonial Zimbabwe.
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Scripture And Tradition
$28.00Add to cartIn some of the church’s history, Scripture has been pitted against tradition and vice versa. Prominent New Testament scholar Edith Humphrey, who understands the issue from both Protestant and Catholic/Orthodox perspectives, revisits this perennial point of tension. She demonstrates that the Bible itself reveals the importance of tradition, exploring how the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles show Jesus and the apostles claiming the authority of tradition as God’s Word, both written and spoken. Arguing that Scripture and tradition are not in opposition but are necessarily and inextricably intertwined, Humphrey defends tradition as God’s gift to the church. She also works to dismantle rigid views of sola scriptura while holding a high view of Scripture’s authority.
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21st Century Revelation
$25.49Add to cartA current understanding of God’s plan for our time. Have you ever wondered what the end of the world looks like? Prophecy reveals the character and nature of God. Then God reveals prophecy. The Jewish calendar, Daniel’s seventy weeks, the life of Christ and Bible chronology explain what will happen and when. Beyond symbols and traditions, Daniel and John describe our recent history and current events. We are one hundred years into the End Times. The horses are on the run and the trumpets are sounding. Can you find the United States in the Bible? America’s rise and fall is described in over one hundred prophecy symbols, events and dates. World Wars and Iraq Wars prepare the world for the Tribulation. With three End Wars, God restores Israel, conquers all nations and establishes the eternal reign of Jesus Christ. We can clearly see God’s plan for our time. Israel is the destination but three Iraq Wars bring the world to the Tribulation. Wake up Laodicean church! Stop being distracted by the world’s system, know our time and encourage one another as we work together for the Kingdom. A current understanding will change your heart and life to impact your church, your community, your nation and the world. In 21st Century Revelation, God reveals: * Himself and His Word * Prophecy timing from beginning to end * Seven current End Time powers * Four horses on the run * Seven wars of the seven trumpets * Iraq War III changes everything * The United States in the Bible over one hundred times www.21stCenturyRevelation.com 1. Creation to Laodicea 2. America & the Rapture 3. Tribulation
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Pastoral Theology Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$30.00Add to cartThe SCM Studyguide Pastoral Theology designed to support undergraduate courses for the training of clergy and lay pastoral workers at an accessible introductory level. The book aims to develop pastoral wisdom and integrity through a critical integration of theology and the human sciences. Introducing key themes in theological anthropology and pastoral practice, it shapes a creative pastoral vision which is deeply rooted in a Christian vision of what it means to be human and what it takes to care. Working with case studies, the book will introduce broad frameworks of understanding of issues such as growth, loss, and sexuality, together with critical perspectives on important aspects of practice such as language, power and boundaries.The book provides an accessible overview of key concepts in pastoral theology, offering key entry points for further discussion and study. Each chapter includes discussion questions and/or reflective exercises at the end of each chapter together with a short bibliography. Throughout the text, key summaries of learning will be indicated by boxed Practice Points.
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Soundings In Cultural Criticism
$49.00Add to cart13 Chapters
Additional Info
A number of disciplines aligned under “cultural criticism” have changed the shape of contemporary biblical studies not only by offering new methods but by questioning old goals and proposing new ones. Soundings in Cultural Criticism offers a collection of succinct essays in these fields by some of the foremost scholars in New Testament studies. Questions of historical reconstruction, textual interpretation, and present cultural deployment are addressed in an ideal second textbook for New Testament courses. -
Appeal Of Exodus
$39.99Add to cartThis unique work undertakes to interpret the Book of Exodus as a whole in terms of its rhetorical aims. The focus is on the text understood as having a coherent rhetorical strategy. Krle proceeds by considering, Yahweh, Moses and Israel as ‘characters’ in the literary sense, and exploring how the text operates through them on its ‘implied readers’.
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Reading Matthew : A Literary And Theological Commentary (Revised)
$34.25Add to cartEditor’s Preface
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Matthew 1:1-4:16:Introducing Jesus The Messiah, The Son Of God
Introduction
The Birth Of The Messiah
The Fulfillment Of God’s Promises (1:1-25)
From Judea Of David To The Galilee Of The Gentiles (2:1-23)
Getting Ready: God’s Son In The Wilderness (3:1-17)
God’s Son Who Fulfills All Righteousness (3:1-17)
God’s Son Who Vanquishes Satan (4:1-11)
Dispelling The Darkness In Galilee (4:12-16)Chapter 2. Matthew 4:17-16:20: Jesus’ Ministry To Israel
Part 1: Teaching, Healing, And Calling Lost Sheep, 4:17-11:1
Jesus’ Debut: Authority And Compassion (4:17-25)
Magisterial Teaching: A Charter For Discipleship (5:1-8:1)
A New Moses? (5:1-2)
Congratulations Are In Order (5:13-16)
Changing The World (5:13-16)
The Fulfillment Of The Law (5:17-19)
Restoring God’s Intention In The Law (5:20-48)
Acts Of Devotion: For Applause Or For God? (6:1-18)
What To Do About Money? (6:19-34)
Relating To Others (7:1-12)
Warning: Obedience Is Not Optional (7:13-7:27)
Restoring Life To Others (8:2-9:35)
Great Harvest And Great Dangers (9:36-10:42)
Part 2: Rejection And Confession, 11:1-16:20
Doubt, Indifference, And Dissent (11:2-12:45)
The Mysteries Of The Kingdom Revealed (12:46-13:58)
Power And Mercy For God’s People (14:1-36)
Bread For All (15:1-16:12)
Building The Church On Bedrock (16:13-20)Chapter 3. Matthew 16:21-28:20: Jesus’ Passion And Resurrection
Introduction
The Shadow Of Death And The Promise Of Glory (16:21-17:23)
Living Together As The Family Of God (17:24-18:35)
What’s In It For Us?
The Demands And Rewards Of The Kingdom (19:1-20:16)
Jerusalem Meets Its King (20:17-21:22)
Jesus Lord In The Temple (21:23-22:46)
False Teachers Lead Others To Ruin (23:1-39)
Judgment Is Coming (24:1-25:46)
The Life-Giving Death Of The Rejected Messiah (26:1-27:56)
The Victorious Breakthrough (27:57-28:20)Order This Book From Our Online Bookstore
Additional Info
Reading Matthew provides thorough guidance through Matthew’s story of Jesus. Garland’s commentary reveals the movement of the story’s plot while also highlighting the theology of Matthew. Reading Matthew is an essential book for studnets and ministers studying the first Gospel -
Reading John : A Literary And Theological Commentary On Fourth Gospel And J (Rev
$35.25Add to cartGeneral Editor’s Preface
Preface
Introduction
The Johannine Epistles
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Getting Oriented (2,3 John; 1 John 1:1-5)
Chapter 3. Walking In The Light (1 John 1:6-2:17,2:18-28)
Chapter 4. Discerning The Spirits (1 John 2:29-3:24a; 3:24b-4:6)
Chapter 5. Perfect Love And Proper Belief (1 John 7-12;4:13-16a;4:16b-5:4a;5:4b-12)
Chapter 6. Bases For Christian Confidence (1 John 5:13,14-21)
The Fourth Gospel
Chapter 7. Introduction
Chapter 8. A Revealing, Empowering Presence (John 1:1-18)
Chapter 9. Creator Of A New Community (John 1:19-2:12)
Chapter 10. Proponent Of A New Birth (John 2:13-3:21)
Chapter 11. The Object Of The Baptist’s Praise (John 3:22-4:3)
Chapter 12. The Savior Of The World (John 4:4-44,45-54)
Chapter 13. Dutiful Apprentice Of The Father (John 5:1-47)
Chapter 14. The Bread Of Life (John 6:2-71)
Chapter 15. Water Of Life/Light Of The World (John 7:1-9:41)
Chapter 16. The Door/The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-11:54)
Chapter 17. The One Whose Hour Has Come (John 11:55-12:50)
Chapter 18. Washer Of The Disciples’ Feet (John 13:1-35)
Chapter 19. The Way, The Truth, And The Life (John 13:31-14:31)
Chapter 20. The True Vine (John 15:1-16:33)
Chapter 21. The Intercessor (John 17:1-26)
Chapter 22. The Enthroned King (John 18-19)
Chapter 23. The Living Lord (John 20-21)Additional Info
Reading John concentrates on the literary and theological distinctives of the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles. New Testament scholar Charles Talbert’s unique commentary considers the entire scope of these works attributed to John, their literary settings and particularities, and their continuing theological importance to the Christian story. Thoughtful and engaging, Reading John is an essential book for students and ministers studying the New Testament and the Johannine writings. -
Reading Acts : A Literary And Theological Commentary On Acts Of The Apostle
$33.00Add to cartEditor’s Preface
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Acts: An Introduction
Chapter 2. Receiving And Preparing For Mission (Acts 1)
Watching And Waiting (Acts 1:1-14)
Replacing Judas (Acts 1:15-26)Chapter 3. Fulfilling The Mission: Phase One (Acts 2:1-12:25)
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47)
The Dual Witness (Acts 3:1-4:23)
Hostility Grows (Acts 4:24-5:42)
Martyrdom (Acts 6:1-8:4)
Philip’s Mission (Acts 8:4-40)
Paul’s Conversion (Acts 9:1-31)
Peter’s Witness In Judea (Acts 9:32-11:18)
Nothing Can Stop The Gospel (Acts 11:19-12:25)Chapter 4. Fulfilling The Mission: Phase Two (Acts 13:1-28:31)
Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:1-14:28)
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 13:1-14:28)
Paul In Philippi (Acts 16:6-40)
Paul In Thessalonica, Beroea, And Athens (Acts 17:1-34)
Paul In Corinth And Beyond (Acts 18:1-18,19-23)
In Ephesus (Acts 18:24-20:1)
To Jerusalem (Acts 20:1-21:26)
Witness In Jerusalem (Acts 21:26-23:10)
Declared Innocent By Rulers (Acts 23:11-26:32)
Declared Innocent By God (Acts 27:1-28:16)
Witness In Rome (Acts 28:16-31)Additional Info
Answers to the usual introductory questions do not yield sufficient harvest to enable an intelligent reading of Acts. The approach of Reading Acts is to ask how ancient Mediterranean auditors would have heard Acts when it was read in their presence. To be successful Talbert divides this approach into two parts–how Acts would have been heard in its precanonical context and in its canonical context. -
New Testament : Its Background Growth And Content
$34.99Add to cartThis text is a classic by one of America’s most widely respected New Testament scholars. It provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the New Testament. In a straightforward and understandable style–without distortion or oversimplification–Prof. Metzger closely examines the historical background and content of the New Testament and details the role of scribes and translators in handing the Scriptures down through the centuries. Utilizing the finest modern scholarship, Dr. Metzger looks at the people, societies, and events that produced the New Testament. Palestinian Judaism, Greco-Roman paganism, sources of our knowledge of Jesus Christ, essential aspects of Christ’s teaching, sources and chronology of the apostolic age, the work of Paul, the general letters, and the Book of Revelation are all clearly illuminated. The Second edition of this book added an appendix on the formation of the canon of the New Testament and the work of scribes. The third edition will represent a substantial update of the 1965 text based on the New Revised Standard Version. In addition to stylistic changes, the author updates the text regarding research on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi tractates. This edition adds a glossary, 30 graphics and photos, and is resized to a larger 6×9 page.
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Reading The Apostolic Fathers
$38.00Add to cartThe Apostolic Fathers are critically important texts for studying the first century of Christian history. Here a leading expert on the Apostolic Fathers offers an accessible, up-to-date introduction and companion to these diverse and fascinating materials. This work is easy to use and affordable yet offers a thorough overview for students and others approaching these writings for the first time. It explains the context and significance of each document and points to further reading. This new edition of a well-received text has been updated throughout and includes a new chapter on the fragments of Papias.
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Apocrypha
$28.99Add to cartUsing a thematic approach, David A. deSilva gives a brief introduction and summary of the largely unknown and unappreciated books of the Apocrypha. He also gives an overview to the social and cultural context of the world of the Apocrypha and early Christianity. From there, the book highlights the Apocrypha’s relevance and impact on Christian practices, spiritual formation, and on Early Church doctrine and theology.
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Life And Witness Of Peter
$38.00Add to cartPreface
1. Background Of Peter
2. Peter In The Gospels: Part One: From Call To Confession
3. Peter In The Gospels: Part Two: Transfiguration To Resurrection
4. Peter And The Early Church: The Book Of Acts
5. Peter In Paul’s Letters
6. 1 Peter: Encyclical To Exiles
7. Peter’s Christology
8. Christ & The Spirits, Christ And The Holy Spirit
9. Suffering For Jesus
10. The People Of God
11. 2 Peter: Introductory Questions
12. Theological Themes In 2 Peter
13. The Character And Destiny Of The False Teachers
14. Eschatology Of 2 Peter
15. The Rest Of The Story: Tradition
16. The Rest Of The Story: Legends About Peter
17. The Rest Of The Story: Peter’s LegacyAdditional Info
Who was Peter and what was his true stature in the early church? For Protestants at least, Peter seems caught between two caricatures: the rustic fisherman of Galilee and the author of two lesser New Testament letters. And in both cases he is overshadowed by Paul. Yet Peter plays a significant role in the Gospels and is an apostolic leader in Acts. And those who study his letters find them filled with theological insight. In The Life and Witness of Peter Larry Helyer seeks to reinstate this neglected and underestimated apostle to his rightful stature as an early Christian leader and faithful witness to Christ. Arguing for a more confident assessment of the apostle’s presence and contribution to the New Testament, Helyer pulls Peter out from the long shadow of Paul. What we find is a Peter whose firsthand witness stands behind much of Mark’s Gospel, a Peter whose striking portrait in Acts can be trusted as reliable, and a Peter whose letters glow with spiritual and theological intelligence. Along the way we are rewarded with a careful analysis of prominent theological themes in Peter’s letters. And we learn much about the traditions, legends and legacy of Peter in the post-apostolic era. -
Exemplary Life
$29.99Add to cartExemplary Life articulates the apostle Luke’s vision for life together in a local church using key passages from Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; and 5:12-16 (known as “summary narratives”) as the starting point of reference. Although Luke is rightly acclaimed as the church’s first historian, he was a powerful writer and theologian as well. He also planted churches with Paul and had definite convictions about what life together in the church should look like. Yet, Luke’s theology of church life is underemphasized in modern scholarship, downplayed by issues rising from the historical-critical method.However, when the summary narratives are studied through the lens of narrative and rhetorical criticism, Luke’s strategy is unmistakable. Those passages cast a vision for life together in an exemplary church, drawn from the historical circumstances of the church in Jerusalem. These narratives also serve as a starting point for studying church life throughout Acts. When the church planting movements in Samaria, Antioch, Ephesus, and Troas are examined, we find echoes of the narratives almost constantly. These amplify and drive home Luke’s message in the summary narratives.Taking this path, twenty distinct characteristics of exemplary church life emerge. From repentance and Scriptural authority to praying together and earning the respect of neighbors, each one is thoughtfully presented here by author Andy Chambers to reassert Luke’s voice in 21st century conversations about the faithful formation of New Testament churches.
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Mourner Mother Midwife
$30.00Add to cartTraditional understandings of God as deliverer depict God as a mighty liberator-warrior and wrathful avenger. Juliana Claassens explores alternative Old Testament metaphors that portray God as mourner, mother, and midwife-images that resist the violence and bloodshed associated with the dominant warrior imagery.
Claassens discusses how metaphors of God as life giver began to develop in the aftermath of the trauma of Israelite exile. She offers compelling examples of how this feminine imagery still has the power to inspire hope amidst violence in today’s world. She demonstrates that God’s delivering presence helps people of faith cope with trauma and suffering on many levels-individual, community, national, and global-while bringing forth new life out of death and destruction.
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I Am That I Am
$29.95Add to cartI AM THAT I AM, Tracing the Footprints of God is a book that you’ve always wanted to have in your library but could never find. I AM THAT I AM provides a biblically based, theologically sound narration of all eight covenants of God-presents main themes and summaries of over forty-five of Jesus’ timeless parables-describes over fifty supernatural miracles that God executed through the hands of Jesus-and traces over fifty divine names and titles reflecting different facets of God’s nature, character, and personality. The captivating pages offer commentaries by over seventy-five renowned bible scholars, includes full color archeological images of recent excavation findings of biblical events, and historical illustrations and map images showing relevance to contemporary locations-all uniquely woven into one convenient reader-friendly volume.
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Mouth Full Of Fire
$30.00Add to cartSeries Preface
Author’s Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction: An Exercise In Theological Interpretation
Biblical Theology Or Theological Interpretation?
Reading Jeremiah As A Theological Book
Can Biblical Studies Admit Theological Readings And Remain Intact?
Can Theology Made From Retold Narrative Still Be Called Theology?
From Theology To Doctrine1. Word And Words In Jeremiah
The Suitability Of Jeremiah As A Source For Word Theology
The Distinctive Shape Of Jeremiah’s Word Theology
First Elements Of A Word Theology2. Structuring Jeremiah As A Narrative About The Word Of God
Establishing The Structure Of Jeremiah
A Narrative About The Word Of God
Concluding Reflections3. Word And Speaker
The Word Of God Is The Speech Of God
The Shape Of Jeremianic Discourse
Jeremiah In His Times
Jeremiah’s Call And Commissioning
The Voice Of God In Jeremiah 2:1–6:30
The Voice Of The Prophet In Jeremiah 14–15
Concluding Reflections4. Word And Hearers
The Covenant Preaching Of Jeremiah And The Prophets
Jeremiah Against The Prophets
The Hearers’ Dilemma: Jeremiah Or Hananiah?
‘The People’ In Jeremiah’s Preaching
Concluding Reflections5. Word And Power
The Power Of The Word Of God To Transform
Overcoming The Failure Of The Word: Jeremiah 30–31
Judgment Realized, Hope Deferred: Jeremiah 35–44
New Life Out Of Death: Jeremiah 50–51
How Does The Word Of God Exert Its Power?6. Word And Permanence
Writing In Deuteronomy
Jeremiah And Writing Jeremiah 36
Two Modern Challenges To The ‘Jeremiah 36 Paradigm’ Of Enscripturation
From Oral To Written: Recovering A ‘prophetic Paradigm Of Inspiration’
Concluding Reflections7. From The Book Of Jeremiah To The Doctrine Of The Word Of God
Words And Spirit In Jeremiah
The Word, The Words And Jesus Christ: Jeremiah In Conversation With Karl Barth
Theologies Of The Words And Word Of God
Jeremiah’s Doctrine Of The Word Of God
People Of The WordBibliography Index Of Modern Authors
Index Of Scripture ReferencesAdditional Info
I am putting my words as a fire in your mouth; these people are tender and it will consume them. (Jeremiah 5:14) In the book of Jeremiah, the vocabulary of “word” and “words” is not only uniquely prevalent, but formulae marking divine speech also play an unprecedented role in giving the book’s final form its narrative and theological shape. Indeed, “the word of the Lord” is arguably the main character, and a theology that is both distinctive and powerful can be seen to emerge from the unfolding narrative. In this stimulating study, Andrew Shead examines Jeremiah’s use of word language; the prophet’s formation as an embodiment of the word of God; his covenant preaching and the crisis it precipitates concerning the recognition of true prophecy; and, in the “oracles of hope,” how the power of the word of God is finally made manifest. Shead then brings this reading of Jeremiah to bear on some issues in contemporary theology, including the problem of divine agency and the doctrine of Scripture, and concludes by engaging Jeremiah’s doctrine of the Word of God in conversation with Karl Barth. The prophet’s major contribution emerges from his careful differentiation of “word” and “words.” -
Hebrew Prophets And Their Social World
$28.00Add to cartVictor Matthews, a veteran teacher and expert on the world of ancient Israel, introduces students to the Hebrew prophets and their social world. Drawing on archaeology and ancient Near Eastern texts, Matthews examines the prophets chronologically, placing them and their message into historical context. He explores pertinent aspects of historical geography, economic conditions, and social forces that influenced a prophet’s life and message and explains why prophets served an integral purpose in the development of ancient Israelite religion. He also explores how prophets addressed their audience and employed rhetorical methods, images, and metaphors to communicate effectively. Logically organized, clearly written, and classroom friendly, this book meets the needs of beginning as well as advanced students. It is a substantially revised and expanded edition of the successful text Social World of the Hebrew Prophets.
Contents
Introduction
1. Historical Geography
2. Defining and Describing the Prophet
3. Premonarchic Prophetic Activity
4. Early Monarchic Prophets
5. Elijah and Elisha
6. Major and Minor Prophets
7. The Book of Amos
8. The Book of Hosea
9. The Book of Isaiah
10. The Book of Micah
11. Prophetic Voices of the Late Seventh Century
12. The Book of Jeremiah
13. The Book of Ezekiel
14. Postexilic Prophecy
15. The Hellenistic Period and the Book of Daniel
16. Final Thoughts
Glossary
Indexes -
Reading The Gospels Wisely (Reprinted)
$28.00Add to cartThis textbook on how to read the Gospels well can stand on its own as a guide to reading this New Testament genre as Scripture. It is also ideally suited to serve as a supplemental text to more conventional textbooks that discuss each Gospel systematically. Most textbooks tend to introduce students to historical-critical concerns but may be less adequate for showing how the Gospel narratives, read as Scripture within the canonical framework of the entire New Testament and the whole Bible, yield material for theological reflection and moral edification.
Pennington neither dismisses nor duplicates the results of current historical-critical work on the Gospels as historical sources. Rather, he offers critically aware and hermeneutically intelligent instruction in reading the Gospels in order to hear their witness to Christ in a way that supports Christian application and proclamation.
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Thomas And The Gospels
$42.99Add to cartThe Gospel of Thomas — found in 1945 — has been described as “without question the most significant Christian book discovered in modern times.” Often Thomas is seen as a special independent witness to the earliest phase of Christianity and as evidence for the now-popular view that this earliest phase was a dynamic time of great variety and diversity.
In contrast, Mark Goodacre makes the case that, instead of being an early, independent source, Thomas actually draws on the Synoptic Gospels as source material — not to provide a clear narrative, but to assemble an enigmatic collection of mysterious, pithy sayings to unnerve and affect the reader. Goodacre supports his argument with illuminating analyses and careful comparisons of Thomas with Matthew and Luke.
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Apocalypticism In The Bible And Its World
$47.00Add to cartApocalypticism is not a specialized or peripheral topic in biblical studies. It represents the central, characteristic transformation of Hebrew thought in the period of the Second Temple. It therefore constituted the worldview of Jesus, Paul, and the earliest Christians, and it is the context in which the New Testament books were written. In this volume, Frederick Murphy defines apocalypticism while discussing its origins, where it comes into play in the Hebrew Bible, and how it relates to Jesus and the New Testament.
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For Whom Did Christ Die
$39.99Add to cartThis unique work undertakes to interpret the Book of Exodus as a whole in terms of its rhetorical aims. The focus is on the text understood as having a coherent rhetorical strategy. Krle proceeds by considering, Yahweh, Moses and Israel as ‘characters’ in the literary sense, and exploring how the text operates through them on its ‘implied readers’.
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Reading The New Testament For The First Time
$25.99Add to cartThe purpose of this book is to introduce the New Testament to those who have never read it. Ronald Allen offers a truly elementary guide to the New Testament’s world, its story, and its message. Reading the New Testament for the First Time walks readers through the New Testament, covering key topics like these:
*how to find one’s way around the New Testament
*how and when the New Testament was written
*important characters like Jesus, Paul, and the twelve disciples
*big ideas found in the New Testament such as love, righteousness, and the realm of God
*how to apply the New Testament to our lives today
*and much more! -
Introduction To The Old Testament (Revised)
$50.00Add to cartIn this updated edition of the popular textbook, Walter Brueggemann and Tod Linafelt introduce the reader to the broad theological scope of the Old Testament, treating some of the most important issues and methods in contemporary biblical interpretation. This clearly written textbook focuses on the literature of the Old Testament as it grew out of religious, political, and ideological contexts over many centuries in Israel’s history. Covering every book in the Old Testament (arranged in canonical order), the authors demonstrate the development of theological concepts in biblical writings from the Torah through post-exilic Judaism. This introduction invites readers to engage in the construction of meaning as they venture into these timeless texts.
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Beyond Suffering Study Guide With CD (Student/Study Guide)
$40.00Add to cartCreated by the Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability, Beyond Suffering is a comprehensive course that gives an overview of the theological and practical underpinnings of the disability ministry movement. It will equip you to think critically, compassionately and clearly about the complex issues that impact people with disabilities and their families and to confidently bring them the love of Christ.
Soft cover, 291 pages. Includes CD-ROM.
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God Who Makes Himself Known
$28.00Add to cartSeries Preface
Author’s Preface1. Introduction
2. The Name Of The Redeemer (Exodus 1:1-15:21)
3. Training In The Wilderness (Exodus 15:22-18)
4. The Law And The Mission Of God (Exodus 19-24)
5. The Tabernacle Instructions (Exodus 25-31)
6. The Golden Calf (Exodus 32-34)
7. The Tabernacle Construction (Exodus 35-40)
8. ConclusionBibliography
Index Of Authors
Index Of Scripture ReferencesAdditional Info
The Lord’s commitment to make himself known throughout the nations is the overarching missionary theme of the Bible and the central theological concern of Exodus.Countering scholarly tendencies to fragment the text over theological difficulties, Ross Blackburn contends that Exodus should be read as a unified whole, and that an appreciation of its missionary theme in its canonical context is of great help in dealing with the difficulties that the book poses. For example, how is Exodus 6:3 best understood? Is there a tension between law and gospel, or mercy and judgment? How should we understand the painstaking detail of the tabernacle chapters?
From a careful examination of Exodus, Blackburn demonstrates that
*the Lord humbled Pharaoh so the world would know that only God can save
*the Lord gave Israel the law so that its people might display his goodness to the nations, living in a state of order and blessing
*the Lord dealt with Israel’s idolatry severely, yet mercifully, for his goodness cannot be known if his glory is compromisedIn the end, Exodus not only sheds important light on the church’s mission, but also reveals what kind of God the Lord is, one who pursues his glory and our good, ultimately realizing both as he makes himself known in Christ Jesus.
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Hearing The Old Testament
$42.99Add to cartIn Hearing the Old Testament world-class scholars discuss how contemporary Christians can better hear and appropriate God’s address in the Old Testament. This volume is part of a growing interest in theological interpretation of the Old Testament.
Editors Craig G. Bartholomew and David J. H. Beldman offer a coherent and carefully planned volume, a truly dialogical collaboration full of up-to-date research and innovative ideas. While sharing a desire to integrate their Old Testament scholarship with their love for God – and, thus, a commitment to listening for God’s voice within the text – the contributors display a variety of methods and interpretations as they apply a Trinitarian hermeneutic to the text. The breadth, expertise, and care evidenced here make this book an ideal choice for upper-level undergraduate and seminary courses.
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Words Of Christ
$25.99Add to cartIn Words of Christ Michel Henry, an important French philosopher, asks how Christ can be both human and divine. Also, how can we as humans experience Christ’s humanity and divinity through his words? Are we able to recognize certain experiences or words as divine? How do divine words differ from human words? Henry approaches these questions from the angle of material phenomenology – the study of reality as we experience it. Startling possibilities – and further questions – emerge as Henry systematically explores these enigmas. For example, do divine phenomena possess their own kind of phenomenality, and do we have access to this other realm? Henry’s perspective on Christ’s words – here translated into English for the first time – is highly original and interdisciplinary in nature, in keeping with other volumes of the Interventions series. This was Henry’s last published work before his death in 2002.
