News and activities at Norma Marion Alloway Library, Trinity Western University

Category: Religious Studies (Page 36 of 41)

New Titles Tuesday, September 5

This past week these eight titles were added to the collection. Click on the link for more information. TWU login may be required.

Adam’s ancestors: race, religion, and the politics of human origins /David N. Livingstone.  Although the idea that all human beings are descended from Adam is a long-standing conviction in the West, another version of this narrative exists: human beings inhabited the Earth before, or alongside, Adam, and their descendants still occupy the planet. In this engaging and provocative work, David N. Livingstone traces the history of the idea of non-adamic humanity, and the debates surrounding it, from the Middle Ages to the present day. From a multidisciplinary perspective, Livingstone examines how this alternative idea has been used for cultural, religious, and political purposes. He reveals how what began as biblical criticism became a theological apologetic to reconcile religion with science—evolution in particular—and was later used to support arguments for white supremacy and segregation. From heresy to orthodoxy, from radicalism to conservatism, from humanitarianism to racism, Adam’s Ancestors tells an intriguing tale of twists and turns in the cultural politics surrounding the age-old question, “Where did we come from?”

The annotated Luther /General editors, Hans J. Hillerbrand, Kirsi I. Stjerna, Timothy J. Wengert.   The Annotated Luther series contains a number of the writings that defined the roots of reform set in motion by Martin Luther. Included are treatises, letters, and sermons. Each volume in The Annotated Luther series contains new introductions, annotations, illustrations, and notes to help shed light on Luther’s context and interpret his writings for today.

Caliphate: the history of an idea /Hugh Kennedy.  Caliphate is a grand and sweeping history of the caliphate since the death of the prophet Mohammed until the last official caliph in the 13th Century, and its modern incarnations under various Islamist groups today. In Caliphate, historian and Middle East expert Hugh Kennedy lifts the veil on the changing and contested position of the caliph and explores the fascinating succession of various leaders of the Islamic world since the death of the Prophet in 632 until the modern day. Kennedy begins in 7th century Medina, the Prophet Muhammad’s city in the Hejaz desert, in the hours following the prophet’s death. In the end, Kennedy delves into the modern fate of the caliphate, as the British manipulate the 19th Century caliphs to spur dissent against the Ottomans in the Arab provinces, and Islamist leaders call for the creation of a Muslim caliphate. We witness the emergence of another Abu Bakr as “caliph” in 2014, as Kennedy untangles the twisted and distorted Qur’anic history ISIS uses to justify its barbaric acts. An authoritative new account of the dynasties of leaders who shaped the Arab world, The Caliphate reveals the legacy of one of the most potent political ideas in modern history.

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels  /edited by Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown & Nicholas Perrin. The second edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels is a thoroughly reconstructed and revised version of the critically acclaimed 1992 first edition. There are revised understandings of historiography, orality, form criticism, empire and more. Here is a self-contained reference library of information and perspective essential to exploring Jesus and the Gospels. This volume bridges the gap between scholars and those pastors, teachers, students and interested readers who want thorough treatments of key topics in an accessible and summary format. Articles cover each Gospel, major themes in the Gospels, key episodes in the life of Jesus, significant background topics, as well as issues and methods of interpretation.

Hawaiian plant life: vegetation and flora /Robert Gustafson, Derral R. Herbst, and Philip W. Rundel.  Hawaiian Plant Life has been written with both the layperson and professional interested in Hawai‘i’s natural history and flora in mind. In addition to significant text describing landforms and vegetation, the evolution of Hawaiian flora, and the conservation of native species, the book includes almost 875 color photographs illustrating nearly two-thirds of native Hawaiian plant species as well as a concise description of each genus and species shown.

Hopkins’s poetics of speech sound: sprung rhythm, lettering, inscape /James I. Wimsatt.  Wimsatt’s erudite and original study draws from Hopkins’s diaries, letters, student essays, and correspondence with poet-friends and illuminates Hopkins’s theory that the sound of poetic language carries an emotional, not merely logical and grammatical, meaning. Wimsatt concentrates his study on Hopkins’s writings about ‘sprung rhythm,’‘lettering,’and ‘inscape,’– his coinages – and makes abundant reference to Hopkins’s verse, showing how it exemplifies his language theory. A well-researched and highly detailed book, Hopkins’s Poetics of Speech Sound asserts major significance for a relatively neglected aspect of this important poet’s writings.

 

 The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament /Craig S. Keener.  This unique commentary provides, in verse-by-verse format, the crucial cultural background you need for responsible–and richer–Bible study. It includes a glossary of cultural terms and important historical figures, maps and charts, up-to-date bibliographies, and introductory essays about cultural background information for each book of the New Testament. Based on ten years of in-depth study, this accessible and bestselling commentary is valuable for pastors in sermon preparation, for Sunday-school and other church teachers as they build lessons, for missionaries concerned not to import their own cultural biases into the Bible, for college and seminary students in classroom assignments, and for everyday Bible readers seeking to deepen and enhance their study of Scripture.

Systematic theology /Katherine Sonderegger.  This systematic theology begins from the treatise De Deo Uno and develops the dogma of the Trinity as an expression of divine unicity, on which will depend creation, Christology, and ecclesiology.

 

New Titles Tuesday, August 29

Here is a selection of the 13 items added to the collection in the past week. Click on a title for more information. TWU log in may be required.

The Cambridge companion to ancient ethics /edited by Christopher Bobonich. eBook Students and scholars of ancient philosophy will find this Companion to be a rich and invaluable guide to the themes and movements which characterised the discipline from the Pre-Socratics to the Neo-Platonists. Several chapters are dedicated to the central figures of Plato and Aristotle, and others explore the ethical thought of the Stoics, the Epicureans, the Skeptics, and Plotinus. Further chapters examine important themes that cut across these schools, including virtue and happiness, friendship, elitism, impartiality, and the relationship between ancient eudaimonism and modern morality. Written by leading scholars and drawing on cutting-edge research to illuminate the questions of ancient ethics, the book will provide students and specialists with an indispensable critical overview of the full range of ancient Greek ethics.

The Cambridge companion to religion and terrorism /edited by James Lewis. eBook Bringing varying approaches, from the theoretical to the empirical, to the topic, the Companion includes an array of subjects, such as radicalization, suicide bombing, and rational choice, as well as specific case studies. The result is a richly textured collection that prompts readers to critically consider the cluster of phenomena that we have come to refer to as ‘terrorism,’ and terrorism’s relationship with the similarly problematic set of phenomena that we call ‘religion.'”

The Cambridge companion to the problem of evil /edited by Chad Meister, Paul K. Moser. More than an introduction to the subject, it is a state-of-the-art contribution to the field which provides critical analyses of and creative insights on this longstanding problem. Fresh themes in the book include evil and the meaning of life, beauty and evil, evil and cosmic evolution, and anti-theodicy. Evil is discussed from the perspectives of the major monotheistic religions, agnosticism, and atheism.

The divine dance: the Trinity and your transformation /Richard Rohr, with Mike Morrell. Drawing from Scripture, theology, and the deepest insights of mystics, philosophers, and sages throughout history, the authors present a compelling alternative to aloof and fairytale versions of God: God as Community…as Friendship…as Dance.

John Hunt: [electronic resource] pioneer missionary and saint /by Joseph Nettleton. Hunt arrived in Fiji with his wife in 1839. His main task with Bible translation; he completed the New Testament and had begun the work on translating the Old Testament before his untimely death from dysentery. He was a person of deep religious feeling whose beauty of character and total devotion made a strong impact on the Fijians, even when they did not accept his faith. He respected the Fijian culture and learned to know it well, recognizing both its strengths and challenges. He worked to develop forms of worship that made use of Fijian cultural styles.

Let the earth hear His voice [videorecording] /International Congress on World Evangelization, Lausanne, Switzerland.  tells the story of the First Lausanne International Congress on World Evangelization, held in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1974.

Revelation /Peter S. Williamson. EBook Williamson interprets Revelation from within the living tradition of the Church for pastoral ministers, lay readers, and students alike and relates Scripture to Christian life today. Faithfully Catholic, and supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry.

Revelation /J. Scott Duvall ; Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, general editors ; Kevin and Sherry Harney, associate editors ; Adam Barr, contributing author. eBook This concise, carefully organized commentary on Revelation for pastors presents biblical scholarship to inform authoritative expository preaching and teaching. Each chapter includes the big idea, key themes, sermon illustrations, and full-color images.

Revelation: a new translation with introduction and commentary /Craig R. Koester. eBook In this landmark commentary, Koester offers a comprehensive look at a powerful and controversial early Christian text, the book of Revelation. The author provides richly textured descriptions of the book’s setting and language, making extensive use of Greek and Latin inscriptions, classical texts, and ancient Jewish writings, including the Dead Sea Scrolls. Rather than viewing Revelation as world-negating, Koester focuses on its deep engagement with social, religious, and economic issues while addressing the book’s volatile history of interpretation. The result is a groundbreaking study that provides bold new insights and sets new directions for the continued appreciation of this text.

Smith of Demerara [electronic resource]martyr-teacher of the slaves /David Chamberlin ; with a preface by Sydney Olivier. John Smith [1790-1824] served with the London Missionary Society in British Guyana. In August 1823 a slave revolt broke out, and Smith, whose sympathies with the slaves were well known, was accused of aiding and assisting the rebellion. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. His sentence was remitted, but he died in prison before word reached the colony. Smith was the only missionary who could be said to have been martyred by the West Indian plantocracy.

Speaking our truth: a journey of reconciliation /Monique Gray Smith. Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of Survivors and listen to allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action.

 

New Titles Tuesday, August 15

Here is a sample of the 17 print and electronic resources added to the catalogue in the past week. Click on a title for more information. TWU login may be required.

LITERATURE

The Norton anthology of English literature. Volume C, The Restoration and the eighteenth century /Stephen Greenblatt, general editor ; M.H. Abrams, founding editor  emeritus ; [editors for volume C], Lawrence Lipking, James Noggle.  Firmly grounded by the hallmark strengths of all Norton Anthologies–thorough and helpful introductory matter, judicious annotation, complete texts wherever possible–The Norton Anthology of English Literature has been revitalized in this Eighth Edition through the collaboration between six new editors and six seasoned ones. Under the direction of Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor, the editors have reconsidered all aspects of the anthology to make it an even better teaching tool.

PSYCHOLOGY

On purpose: how we create the meaning of life /Paul Froese. Froese brings together data from large national and international surveys with interviews that illuminate the ways in which people from all walks of life grapple with their continuous search for reason, truth, sense, success, happiness, and-ultimately-transcendence. Froese argues that the desire to connect with something larger than oneself is a universal urge, manifested most directly, but far from solely, in religious communities. Written in vivid, accessible prose, On Purpose takes the reader on a journey through the complexities and consequences of life’s most important question.  Framing the book around six key questions, Froese refuses to collapse the meaning of life into a single authoritative answer, as self-help gurus do. Instead, he deconstructs each question to reveal the social pathways that guide people to distinctive answers.  Through lively, engaging storytelling that mixes data and analysis with literary and historical examples of the quest for purpose, Froese sheds new light on a timeless and all-too-human quandary.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Christian missions in Madagascar [electronic resource] /by E.O. McMahon ; with preface by the bishop of Madagascar. Archdeacon Edward Oliver McMahon [1860-1918] recalls the history of S.P.G. missionary work in Madagascar. There are numerous  contemporary photographs that depict various aspects of Malagasy life.

A concise exegetical grammar of New Testament Greek /J. Harold Greenlee.  This book has been designed to meet the needs of students who have completed a course in elementary New Testament Greek. Intended to be practical rather than exhaustive, this concise study aid provides a grasp of the principles of Greek grammar which are meaningful in exegesis.

 Griffith John [electronic resource]: the story of fifty years in China /by George Cousins. This is R. Wardlaw Thompson’s [1842-1916] detailed account of Griffith John’s fifty years of service in China with the London Missionary Society.

An introduction to Romans: a Christian missionary letter: a formational and theological interpretation /R. Jeffrey Hiatt.  This work is intended to be an introduction for students and lay persons interested in a scholarly informed, but easily accessible, biblical study for personal or small group Christian formation.

Jottings from Japan [electronic resource] /by Susan Ballard. This is a collection of Susan Ballard’s [1863-1909] articles previously published in missionary news magazines. It is illustrated for the most part with her own photographs.

The light of the morning [electronic resource]: the story of the C.E.Z.M.S. work in the Kien-Ning prefecture of the Fuh-Kien province, China … With seventeen illustrations and two maps. /by Mary E. Darley ; with an introduction by John Rigg. This is the fascinating account of the Zenana mission work of Mary Elizabeth Darley [c.1870-1934]. She served in China with the Church of England Zenana Mission Society and was supported by the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Dublin University Fuh-Kien Mission.

On the threshold of three closed lands [electronic resource]: the Guild outpost in the western Himalyas /by Rev. J.A. Graham ; with introduction by Sir Charles A. Elliott. This is an account of the Eastern Himalayan Mission of the Church of Scotland written in 1897. It was located near the borders of three countries which foreign missionaries were not allowed to enter – China, Bhutan and Nepal.

The rise of network Christianity: how independent leaders are changing the religious landscape /Brad Christerson and Richard Flory.  Drawing on in-depth interviews with leaders and participants, The Rise of Network Christianity explains the social forces behind the fastest growing form of Christianity in the U.S., which Christerson and Flory have labeled “Independent Network Christianity” (INC). They argue that large-scale social changes since the 1970s, including globalization and the digital revolution have given competitive advantages to religious groups organized by networks rather than traditionally organized congregations and denominations. Network forms of church governance allow for experimentation with controversial supernatural practices, innovative finances and marketing, and a highly participatory, unorthodox, and experiential faith, which is attractive in today’s unstable religious marketplace. As more religious groups imitate this type of governance, religious belief and practice will become more experimental, more oriented around practice than belief, more shaped by the individual religious “consumer” and authority will become more highly concentrated in the hands of individuals rather than institutions.

 Social engagement: the challenge of the social in missiological education /George William Wiseman. Papers highlighting missiology’s growing engagement with social issues. With a pedagogical emphasis in mind, our collection of papers begins and ends with the plenary papers presented by David Fenrick, from Northwestern College, and Al Tizon, from Palmer Theological Seminary. Both papers concentrate on service-learning or “engaged” scholarship as they explore new ways to move beyond the classroom to train missioners as scholar-practitioners. David presented a vital (even path-breaking) model for experience-based education; Al described the challenges of creating an entire graduate program rooting classroom instruction in social advocacy and activism. Both are instructive as we envision new curricula and new programs for effectively training the next generation of missioners and missiologists. In between these plenaries, twelve other papers were presented in workshops. Several of these also touch on pedagogical issues related to engaged scholarship and service-learning. Others explore theoretical, historical and social-cultural issues in missiological perspective.

The story of the South Seas [electronic resource] /by George Cousins. The work of the London Missionary Society in the Pacific Ocean through its “Missionary Ships” is truly inspiring. In this heavily illustrated book George Cousins (editorial Assistant and Assistant Foreign Secretary of the London Missionary Society) draws on a number of sources to retell the story.

 They kept the lower lights burning: the story of the Seaman’s Bethel at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and its chaplains /George William Wiseman.

 THEATRE

True and false: heresy and common sense for the actor /David Mamet.  One of our most brilliantly iconoclastic playwrights takes on the art of profession of acting with these words: invent nothing, deny nothing, speak up, stand up, stay out of school.  David Mamet takes a jackhammer to the idols of contemporary acting, while revealing the true heroism and nobility of the craft. He shows actors how to undertake auditions and rehearsals, deal with agents and directors, engage audiences, and stay faithful to the script, while rejecting the temptations that seduce so many of their colleagues. Bracing in its clarity, exhilarating in its common sense, True and False is as shocking as it is practical, as witty as it is instructive, and as irreverent as it is inspiring.

 

 

 

New Titles Tuesday, July 11

Here are the 8 items which were added to the collection in the past week. Click on a title for more information; TWU login may be required.

Addressing tipping points for a precarious future /edited by Tim O’Riordan and Tim Lenton.

This book places tipping points in their scientific, economic, governmental, creative, and spiritual contexts. It seeks to offer a comprehensive set of interpretations on the meaning and application of tipping points. Its contribution focuses on the various characterisations and metaphors of tipping points, on the scope for anticipating their onset, the capacity for societal resilience in the face of their impending arrival, and for better ways of communicating and preparing societies, economies, and governments for accommodating them, and hence to turn them into responses which buffer and better human well-being.

 The dog who dared to dream /Sun-mi Hwang ; translated by Chi-Young Kim ; illustrations by Nomoco.

The Dog Who Dared to Dream is a wise tale of the relationship between dog and man, as well as a celebration of a life lived with courage. Translated into English for the first time, it is a classic from Sun-mi Hwang, an international bestselling author.

 

Dr. Baedeker [electronic resource]: and His apostolic work in Russia/R.S. Latimer ; with introductory notes by Princess Nathalie Lieven and Rt. Hon. Lord Radstock.

Friedrich Wilhelm Baedeker [1823-1906] was converted through the evangelistic work of Lord Radstock in 1866. His main ministry was in the Russian Empire and other Eastern European countries. In St. Petersburg he was one of God’s instruments in the revival among the Russian nobility. His initial intention was to reach the millions of German Russians, but his evangelistic vision expanded to include all the nationalities of the vast empire. His most extensive ministry was among prisoners, whom he visited even in the remote locations of Siberia and Sachalin. He combined is evangelistic work with assistance to the needy, also looking after those who were imprisoned for their faith and working for religious freedom.

Growth, employment, and poverty in Latin America /edited by Gillermo Cruces, Gary S. Fields, David Jaume and Mariana Viollaz.

This book examines the links between economic growth, changing employment conditions, and the reduction of poverty in Latin America in the 2000s. It is an in-depth study of the multi-pronged growth-employment-poverty nexus based on a large number of labour market indicators (twelve employment and earnings indicators and four poverty and inequality indicators) for a large number of Latin American countries (sixteen of them).

Knowing the triune God: the work of the Spirit in the practices of the church /edited by James J. Buckley and David S. Yeago.

This important book shows that a true and complete understanding of God’s triune nature is inseparable from participation in the practices of the Christian community. Written by a diverse group of respected Catholic and evangelical scholars, these engaging chapters explore such Christian practices as the use of the Bible, the sacraments, prayer, and hospitality, showing how participation in these communal activities gives rise to knowledge of God.

 A long obedience in the same direction: discipleship in an instant society /Eugene H. Peterson.

Peterson’s time-tested prescription for discipleship remains the same–a long obedience in the same direction.Tucked away in the Hebrew Psalter, Peterson discovered “an old dog-eared songbook,” the Songs of Ascents that were sung by pilgrims on their way up to worship in Jerusalem. In these songs (Psalms 120-134) Peterson finds encouragement for modern pilgrims as we learn to grow in worship, service, joy, work, happiness, humility, community and blessing. This 20th anniversary edition features these Psalms in Peterson’s widely acclaimed paraphrase, The Message. He also includes an epilogue in which he reflects on the themes of this book and his ministry during the twenty years since its original publication.

Old Testament theology: volumes I & II /Gerhard von Rad ; translated by D.M.G. Stalker.

A work of commanding range and penetration, this skillful translation has made von Rad ‘s book accessible to a greatly enlarged circle of readers. This, the most distinctive of modern Old Testament Theologies, has already exercised and will continue to exercise a profound influence on the study of the Old Testament’

 Revival preaching: with 12 lessons from the preaching of Jonathan Edwards during the First Great Awakening /Ernie Klassen.

Using the backdrop of Jonathan Edwards’s powerful preaching ministry, we are invited into a rich theological journey flavored with real life experiences. Looking at the intersection of revival, preaching, and Edwards, Ernie Klassen provides “lessons” that religious leaders can take from Edwards’ experiences and writings.

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