Here is a selection of recently added material
A discerning church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a theological method for the future /Gerard Whelan, SJ ; foreword by Robert M. Doran, SJ. Examines the thought of Bernard Lonergan and offers an assessment of the significance of Pope Francis and the church since the Second Vatican Council. It then explores major insights and issues such as ecclesial reform, globalization, and sexuality, that will impact the future of the church.
A little book for new Bible scholars: why and how to study the Bible /E. Randolph Richards & Joseph R. Dodson. Richards and Dodson encourage young students of the Bible to add substance to their zeal–the kind of substance that comes from the sweat and toil of hard study. Aimed at beginners, this concise overview offers a wealth of good advice, warns of potential pitfalls, and includes wisdom from a variety of other biblical scholars as well as stories from the authors’ own long experience in the guild. Full of warmth, humor, and an infectious love for Scripture, this book invites a new generation of young scholars to roll up their sleeves and dig into the complex, captivating world of the Bible.
After ten years: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and our times /with an introduction by Victoria J. Barnett. Penned by Bonhoeffer in 1942; After Ten Years is a succinct and sober reflection, and remains one of the best descriptions ever written about what happened to the German people under National Socialism. This volume presents this timely and unique essay in a fresh translation and a penetrating introduction and analysis of the importance of this essay — in Bonhoeffer’s time and now in our own.
Becoming C.S. Lewis: a biography of young Jack Lewis (1898-1918) /Harry Lee Poe. Lee Poe unfolds young Jack’s key relationships, hobbies, spiritual conflicts, decisions, desires, and dreams. Along the way, Poe points out where these themes reappear in Lewis’s later works— bringing to life the importance of his conversion and his surprising discovery of joy.
Beyond Mary or Martha: reclaiming ancient models of discipleship /Jennifer S. Wyant. Wyant examines the varied interpretations, debates, and the reception of the story of Mary and Martha of Bethany. Beginning with their first encounter with Jesus in Luke 10:38-42 and moving through the patristic, medieval, and modern periods, Wyant tracks how Mary and Martha both became paradigms of discipleship, revealing the inherent tension within Christianity between more contemplative works and acts of service. By placing ancient debates alongside more modern ones, she argues that contrary to the common discussions today among academic and the church circles gender is not the most important aspect of their story.
Bible nation: the United States of Hobby Lobby /Candida R. Moss and Joel S. Baden. Moss and Baden provide the first in-depth investigative account of the Green family’s –the billionaire owners of the Hobby Lobby chain of craft stores – efforts to place a Bible curriculum in public schools; their rapid acquisition of an unparalleled collection of biblical antiquities; their creation of a closely controlled group of scholars to study and promote the collection; and their construction of a Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Revealing how all these initiatives promote a very particular set of beliefs about the Bible, the book raises serious questions about the trade in biblical antiquities, the integrity of academic research, and the place of private belief in public life.
Breaking bread, breaking beats: churches and hip-hop : a basic guide to key issues /the CERCL Writing Collective. In this innovative project, ten individuals write as one voice to illuminate the ways that Hip-Hop and the Black Church agree, disagree, and inform each other on key topics. This book grows out of the popular religion and Hip-Hop course offered at Rice University by Dr. Anthony Pinn and Bernard ‘Bun B’ Freeman. Like the course, the book offers engaging insights into one of the most important musical genres and reflects on its broad cultural impact.
By the way: getting serious about following Jesus /Derek Vreeland. Vreeland reframes everything we’ve been told about Christianity and what it means to follow Jesus. We learn the ways of Jesus by practicing them, Vreeland says, and in By the Way, he introduces us to the ways of Jesus
Cinematic faith: a Christian perspective on movies and meaning /William D. Romanowski. An expert on American culture explores how Christians can most profitably and critically hear, read, and view popular culture through the lens of film.
Deep focus: film and theology in dialogue /Robert K. Johnston, Craig Detweiler, and Kutter Callaway. Three media experts guide the serious Christian moviegoer into a theological conversation with movies in this up-to-date, readable introduction to Christian theology and film.
Ephesians /Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza. Schüssler Fiorenza examines the political understandings of ekklesia and household in Ephesians as well as the roles that such understandings have played in the formation of early Christian communities and that still shape such communities today. By paying close attention to the function of androcentric biblical language within Ephesians, Schüssler Fiorenza engages in a critical feminist emancipatory approach to biblical interpretation that calls for conscientization and change, that is, for the sake of wo/men’s salvation or wellbeing.
Everyday glory: the revelation of God in all of reality /Gerald R. McDermott. A widely-respected theologian recaptures a Christian vision of reality–that all the world is full of divine signs–and shows how and where meaning can be found outside the church and special revelation.
Exporting the rapture: John Nelson Darby and the Victorian conquest of North American Evangelicalism /Donald Akenson In Exporting the Rapture, Akenson documents how the complex ideological construction that has come to dominate modern evangelical thought was enshelled in an organizational system that made it exportable from the British Isles to North America–and around the world. Akenson emphasizes that, as strong a personality as John Nelson Darby was, the real story is that he became a vector for the transmission of a highly seductive ideological system from the old world to the new. Highlighting the brilliant influence of Darby, Exporting the Rapture documents for the first time how the complex construct of Dispensationalism was repackaged from its southern Irish roots into a system ideal for North American evangelicals.
Glimpsing resurrection: cancer, trauma, and ministry /Deanna A. Thompson. Thompson combines recent trauma research with compelling first-person narrative to provide insight into the traumatic dimensions of living with a serious illness. Her aim is to help those who are ill and those who care for and minister to them deepen their understanding of how best to offer support. Glimpsing Resurrection focuses less on the “why?” to help readers instead come to terms with the “how” of living with a serious disease. In particular, Thompson provides a framework and concrete suggestions for how to be a church where those who are undone by illness can be undone, as well as a place that can love and support them to hope.
God has no favourites: the New Testament on first century religions /Basil Scott. The New Testament does not conform neatly to any modern attempts to define the Christian approach to other religions, argues Basil Scott. He focuses his attention on the evidence presented by the New Testament itself, and especially on the attitude of its writers to the religions of their times.
Hidden treasures in the book of Job: how the oldest book in the Bible answers today’s scientific questions /Hugh Ross. Internationally-known astrophysicist and Christian apologist explores the book of Job through the lens of science, offering time-transcending, apologetic answers to present-day issues of science and faith.
Honor, shame, and the gospel: reframing our message and ministry /Christopher Flanders and Werner Mischke, editors ; [foreword by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen]. Linked with its ancient honor-shame cultural roots, the gospel, paradoxically, is ever new–offering fresh wisdom to Christian leaders and optimism to the church for our quest to expand Christ’s kingdom and serve the worldwide mission of God.
Jesus loves you and evolution is true: why youth ministry needs science /Sara Sybesma Tolsma and Jason Lief. Tolsma, an award-winning scientist, and Jason Lief, a leading practical theologian, argue that youth ministry needs science to help young people explore their relationship to God and engage their world faithfully.
Learning theology through the church’s worship: an introduction to Christian belief /Dennis Okholm. This book introduces students to theology with sustained attention to how Christian beliefs and the church’s worship interact, both historically and in practice. Okholm approaches the subject from the necessary intersection of theology and liturgy, showing that learning the church’s doctrine apart from its worship undermines both. The book flows as if the reader were participating in a service of worship.
Leaving faith behind: the journeys and perspectives of people who have chosen to leave Islam /edited by Fiyaz Mughal and Aliyah Saleem. Leaving Faith Behind gives voice to women and men who were born into Muslim families and communities, but who have made the decision to leave Islam or to dissent against some of the most significant aspects of Islamic doctrine.
Listening to sexual minorities: a study of faith and sexual identity on Christian college campuses /Mark A. Yarhouse, Janet B. Dean, Stephen P. Stratton, and Michael Lastoria. Yarhouse, Dean, Stratton, and Lastoria draw on their decades of experience to bring us a longitudinal study into what sexual minorities experience, hope for, and benefit from. Rich with both quantitative and qualitative data, here is an unprecedented opportunity to listen to sexual minorities in their own words.
Luther’s outlaw God. Volume 1, Hiddenness, evil, and predestination /Steven D. Paulson. In this first of three volumes addressing Luther’s outlaw God, Paulson considers the two monsters of theology, as Luther calls them: evil and predestination. Paulson argues that the distinction between God naked/clothed or unpreached/preached radiates out in all directions for Luther’s theology. Specifically, Paulson takes up the central question: What is God’s relation to the law? Luther’s answers will change the way you preach. Luther’s outlaw God. Volume 2, Hidden in the cross /Steven D. Paulson. Paulson uses several biblical figures (Ezekiel, Jonah, Moses, David, and more) to illustrate Luther’s understanding of law and gospel what this means for preaching. With remarkable depth and clarity, Paulson explores the question: Where do we find a gracious God? For Luther, it was not in the law, but only in the publicly executed and hated God, Jesus Christ, hidden in the cross.
Miracles: God’s presence and power in creation /Luke Timothy Johnson. Johnson reclaims Christian belief in miracles as integral to recovering a proper and strong sense of creation, recognizing the validity of personal experience and narrative and asserting the truth-telling quality of myth. His analysis includes:a description of the competing symbolic worldviews that have framed the discussion on miracles, including secular debates and theological imagination;interpretation of miracles consonant with the biblical construction of reality in the Old and New Testaments
Neighborhood church: transforming your congregation into a powerhouse for mission /Krin Van Tatenhove and Rob Mueller. Neighborhood Church acts as a resource to inspire churches to become a vibrant and engaging community partner with the families and neighborhoods living around them. Van Tatenhove and Mueller dare to have an audacious hope for local congregations not only as signs of Gods kingdom but as life-giving institutions that anchor their neighborhoods. Drawing on their combined sixty years of parish experience, wisdom from Asset-Based Community Development, and compelling case stories, Van Tatenhove and Mueller do more than just call us to incarnational ministry. They give practical, essential tools that lead to communal conversion, develop the DNA of listening, spur fruitful partnerships, promote integrated space, and sustain long-term visions. They believe these tools will spark true revival and unleash the power of incarnational ministry.
Quest for the historical apostles: tracing their lives and legacies /W. Brian Shelton. This comprehensive historical and literary introduction to the lives of the apostles underscores their impact on the growth of the early church.
Raised from obscurity: a narratival and theological study of the characterization of women in Luke-Acts /Greg Forbes and Scott D. Harrower.
Reconstructing the Gospel: finding freedom from slaveholder religion /Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove ; foreword by William J. Barber II. Wilson-Hartgrove traces his journey from the religion of the slaveholder to the Christianity of Christ, showing that when the gospel is reconstructed, freedom rings both for individuals and for society as a whole.
Scandinavian pietists: spiritual writings from 19th-century Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland /edited and with an introduction by Mark A. Granquist. Selected writings of the Pietist movement as it existed (exists) in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland
Speaking of God: an essential guide to Christian thought /Anthony G. Siegrist. Siegrist helps readers recover a basic language around Christian theology. In vivid and even humorous writing, Siegrist introduces us to scholars and pilgrims and traditions that disclose essential truths about God and Jesus Christ, as well as concepts like creation, sin, redemption, the church, and discipleship. By plumbing the works of theologians such as Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Antonia Gonzalez, and Kazoh Kitamori, Siegrist offers readers an introduction to Christian theology throughout the ages, emphasizing common threads of thought and practice across traditions.
Sustainable young adult ministry: making it work, making it last /Mark DeVries and Scott Pontier. Pontier and DeVries know firsthand the challenges of young adult ministry. In Sustainable Young Adult Ministry, they explore six common mistakes churches make in their efforts to reach this demographic–mistakes they themselves have made–and offer six paradoxes that upend our presuppositions and return us to a simpler, more biblical ministry model. Full of practical advice and complete with a wealth of additional resources, this book offers a fresh perspective on young adult ministry that is grounded in long ministry experience and in the timeless gospel of Jesus.
The bedrock of Christianity: the unalterable facts of Jesus’ death and resurrection /Justin W. Bass ; foreword by Darrell L. Bock. The author writes that there lies a bedrock of truths about Jesus’s life and ministry that are held by virtually all scholars of religion. Through an examination of each of these key facts, readers will encounter the unalterable truths upon which everyone can agree. Useful for both Christians and non-Christians alike, this study demonstrates what we can really know about the historical truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
The body keeps the score: brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma /Bessel A. van der Kolk, M.D. Outlines an approach to healing, explaining how traumatic stress affects brain processes and how to use innovative treatments to reactivate the mind’s abilities to trust, engage others, and experience pleasure.
The genealogical Adam and Eve: the surprising science of universal ancestry /S. Joshua Swamidass. Swamidass explains how it’s possible for Adam and Eve to be rightly identified as the ancestors of everyone, opening up new possibilities for understanding Adam and Eve consistent both with current scientific consensus and with traditional readings of Scripture.
The infancy narratives of Jesus /Stephen J. Binz ; with Little Rock Scripture Study staff. A Bible study exploring the stories of the conception and birth of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
The joy of religious pluralism: a personal journey /Peter C. Phan. A spirited affirmation of the methods of Asian Theology, which differ in many respects from the assumptions and categories of traditional European theology, though rooted in the gospel and the deposit of faith. Apart from his introduction to Asian theology, Phan addresses the specific topic of religious pluralism (a source not simply of challenge to Christian self-understanding and mission, but a potential source of “joy”). An appendix includes his correspondence with church authorities following notification from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith identifying errors and ambiguities in his book, Being Religious Interreligiously: Asian Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue.
The passion and resurrection narratives of Jesus /Stephen J. Binz with Little Rock Scripture Study staff. A Bible study exploring the passion and resurrection accounts in each of the four gospels.
The victory of the cross: salvation in Eastern orthodoxy /James R. Payton Jr. Payton, a Western Christian with a sympathetic ear for Eastern Orthodoxy, explores the Orthodox doctrine of salvation. Payton helps Christians of all traditions listen to Orthodox brothers and sisters so that together we might rejoice, ‘Where, O death, is your victory?’
Theology in the democracy of the dead: a dialogue with the living tradition /Matt Jenson. Engages in critical exposition and dialogue with key figures in the history of the Christian tradition, offering a lucid, synthetic account of their theology with a view to ongoing systematic theological issues.
Theologygrams: theology explained in diagrams /Richard Wyld. Theologygrams is a brilliant introduction to theology presented in the form of easy-to-understand diagrams. Rich Wyld presents 100 original diagrams – in full colour – for the non-specialist reader. Some diagrams come with a small piece of descriptive text to help explain the theological concept. Clever, cheeky and genuinely instructive, Theologygrams will be loved by non-academics, plus students and tutors in-the-know!
Through fire and water: an overview of Mennonite history /Harry Loewen and Steven M. Nolt ; revised by Steven M. Nolt. This engaging text uses stories of men and women, peasants and pastors, heroes and rascals, to trace the radical Reformation from sixteenth-century Europe to today’s global Anabaptist family. Written in an accessible and nonacademic style, this revised edition updates the story and incorporates new historical research and discoveries.
Transformative leadership in action: allyship, advocacy & activism /edited by Jacklyn A. Bruce, Katherine E. McKee. Transformative Leadership in Action: challenges the reader to do the necessary self-work required of a 21st century leader, while also providing the road map to developing the skills necessary to take on increasing public leadership roles to support causes related to justice and equity.
Transubstantiation: theology, history, and Christian unity /Brett Salkeld. This thorough study examines the doctrine of transubstantiation from historical, theological, and ecumenical vantage points. As Salkeld corrects false understandings of the theology of transubstantiation, he shows that Luther and Calvin were much closer to the medieval Catholic tradition than is often acknowledged.
True inclusion: creating communities of radical embrace /Brandan Robertson. Robertson shares how to move your church from mere welcome to radical embrace. Pointing to a clear biblical imperative for radical inclusivity in the sanctuary and in the public square, Robertson presents a paradigm-shifting vision of community, ‘where nothing is simple, nothing is easy, but everything is beautiful.’ Learn practical, step-by-step approaches to becoming deeply, robustly, and richly inclusive of all people regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and socioeconomic status.
Unraptured: how end times theology gets it wrong /Zack Hunt ; foreword by Rachel Held Evans. Part memoir, part tour of the apocalypse, and part call to action, Unraptured traces how the church’s focus on escaping to heaven has it mired in decay. Unraptured uses the signs of the times to help readers reorient their understanding of the gospel around loving and caring for “the least of these.”
Violence, terror, genocide, and war in the Holy Books and the decades ahead: new psychological and sociological insights on how the Old Testamant, the New Testament, and the Qur’an might influence violence /Timothy Philip Swartz-Barcott. This book goes beyond other books in a number of ways. In order to be as objective and as empirical as possible, it is based on four years of research that uses systematic content analysis to examine every verse in widely available versions of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Qur’an. It reports the numbers of verses in each holy book—and their corresponding chapters—which portray or refer to acts of physical violence against humans, including acts of interpersonal violence, terror, genocide, battles, and wars. More importantly, this book examines the qualities of the violent acts that are portrayed. It should appeal to people who are not very familiar with all three books but may want to learn more about them, as well as to people who are somewhat hostile or suspicious about these books, including atheists and agnostics. Other important audiences include priests, rabbis, and imams, as well as teachers and students of divinity schools and at universities and colleges that offer courses in psychology, political science, and sociology of behavior, collective behavior, terrorism, interpersonal violence, warfare, and religion.
Water my soul: ninety meditations from an old order Mennonite /Darla Weaver. Weaver writes out of her own struggles with Christian discipleship so that others will know Old Order Mennonites are human too and often long to walk closer to God. She bares her heart in these 90 devotionals drawn from her home-centered life in western Ohio’s hills.
Where was the biblical Red Sea?: examining the ancient evidence /Barry J. Beitzel Beitzel challenges popular alternatives thinking and defends the traditional location: that the biblical Red Sea refers to a body of water lying between the eastern Nile Delta and Sinai. Beitzel rigorously reexamines the data–both typical and overlooked–ranging from biblical and classical sources to ancient and medieval maps. His comprehensive analysis answers objections to the traditional view and exposes the inadequacies of popular alternatives. Where Was the Biblical Red Sea? is a foundational reference work for any discussion of the Exodus event.
Why church?: a basic introduction /Scott W. Sunquist. In this introduction to the nature of the local church, historian and missionary Sunquist brings us a portrait of the church in motion, clarifying the two primary purposes of the church: worship and witness.
Why churches need to talk about sexuality: lessons learned from hard conversations about sex, gender, identity, and the Bible /Mark Wingfield. Wingfield describes how the congregation he serves undertook a study of how churches respond to the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members. Why Churches Need to Talk about Sexuality is for congregational leaders and others who want to understand the debates about human sexuality and who desire to follow a process to discuss the topic and make decisions about how congregations and individuals will respond to these issues.
Women in God’s mission: accepting the invitation to serve and lead /Mary T. Lederleitner. Christianity Today 2020 Book of the Year Award. Mission researcher Lederleitner interviewed and surveyed ninety-five respected women in mission leadership from thirty countries to gather their insights, expertise, and best practices. She unveils how women serve in distinctive ways and identifies key traits of faithful connected leaders.
You found me: new research on how unchurched nones, millennials, and irreligious are surprisingly open to Christian faith /Rick Richardson ; foreword by Ed Stetzer. Richardson unveils the findings of the Billy Graham Center Institute’s groundbreaking studies on the unchurched. A study of 2000 unchurched people across the country reveals that the unchurched are still remarkably open to faith conversations and the church. In this book you will also find best practices from further research into the top ten percent of churches that most effectively reach the unchurched.
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