It is traditional to think we should praise Abraham for his willingness to sacrifice his son as proof of his love for God. But have we misread the point of the story? Is it possible that a careful reading of Genesis 22 could reveal that God was not pleased with Abraham's silent obedience? Widely respected biblical theologian, creative thinker, and public speaker J. Richard Middleton suggests we have misread and misapplied the story of the binding of Isaac and shows that God desires something other than silent obedience in difficult times. Middleton focuses on the ethical and theological problem of Abraham's silence and explores the rich biblical tradition of vigorous prayer, including the lament psalms, as a resource for faith. Middleton also examines the book of Job in terms of God validating Job's lament as "right speech," showing how the vocal Job provides an alternative to the silent Abraham. This book provides a fresh interpretation of Genesis 22 and reinforces the church's resurgent interest in lament as an appropriate response to God.
Is there a perfect being? Is everything in the universe a creation of God, the so-called Intelligent Designer? Is there a providential divinity watching over the human drama and occasionally revealing information to us supernaturally? Writing about God and religious issues can attract adverse reactions from people, and one can never be sure of the kind of reception that may ensue even if one's arguments appear to be nothing less than logical. I hope this book will imbue in you a realization that there are no logical arguments for the existence of God or any god, apart from wishy-washy propositions that say little or nothing, and that no empirical evidence has ever been offered in support. Arguments must be decided on the basis of their being factual or non-factual, persuasive or unpersuasive, logical or illogical. Reason is a far more reliable or effective tool than a mountain of faith, especially if faith means adhering blindly to one's religious teachings or dogma. Arguably, whether life is meaningful, whether there is a purpose to the universe, or whether there is a paradise waiting for us after we are buried or cremated are questions that will have to rest with each individual. Thus, if there are any truths to be found in this book, it is for you, the reader, to decide. Before he retired, Richard Woo was in international banking. Today he lives in Singapore, and is an avid reader on topics concerning science, politics, and religion. Publisher's website: http: //www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/GodOrAllahTruthOrBull.html
What is Catholic theology? In order to reach an answer, the authors use various definitions of theology to identify the principal elements of the discipline, elements that include the human person, faith, the scriptures, philosophy, morality and everyday human experience. The authors also provide examples from the history of theology to highlight the dynamic nature of Catholic theology and its evolution in a variety of cultural and historical settings."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
In this important study Hays argues against the mainstream that any attempt to account for the nature and method of Paul's theological language must first reckon with the centrality of narrative elements in his thought. Through an in-depth investigation of Galatians 3:1-4:11, Hays shows that the framework of Paul's thought is neither a system of doctrines nor his personal religious experience but the "sacred story" of Jesus Christ.
This superb collection of biblically sound sermons based on the Second Readings from Cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary covers every Sunday and major celebration of the church year. Five outstanding preachers from diverse denominations combine imaginative insights into the New Testament epistle texts with fresh, inspiring illustrations that enlighten the mind and warm the heart. By reliving the journey of Jesus through the prism of the early church's practical and moral concerns, these messages offer valuable lessons for Christian living in the modern world. This essential resource is useful for: * Fresh homiletical approaches to the lectionary texts * Preaching illustrations * Understanding scripture passages * Adult study and discussion groups * Personal devotions and Bible study Thoughtful, insightful, and sprinkled with good humor, these sermons from Rich Ferris will warm your heart and give you fresh ideas. Most importantly, they clearly communicate the good news of Christ! Brian Cowan Pastor, Barberton Evangelical Friends Church Barberton, Ohio William Carter's sermons are an eruption of ingenious images, powerful experiences, and inventive connections. The result of interplay between creativity and fidelity, they are a splash of wildflowers growing in rich and loamy soil. Thomas G. Long Bandy Professor of Preaching Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Which version of the Bible should I use? How much time should I spend in Bible study? Is reading the Bible the same as studying it? How do I read with understanding? The Bible is the best-selling book of all time, yet many people struggle to make sense of it-or even to pick it up at all. Bogged down by genealogies, and thees and thous, many well-meaning Christians can't quite make it beyond a quick glance at familiar verses. But with the right approach to Bible study, you'll discover that the very Book that once seemed intimidating and irrelevant is actually full of life-changing wisdom and powerful stories. In Wake Up Your Bible Study Richard Coffen explores aspects of Bible study that will transform your reading of Scripture. Sharing insights into the world of the Bible writers, Coffen reveals the ancient cultures and languages that help explain the meaning and significance of God's Word. With fascinating examples and findings, this book will revolutionize your understanding and application of the Holy Bible. Book jacket.
A non-fictional account explaining why the author believes Moses was a prince of Thebes called Ramose. Born c.1500 BC, Prince Ramose was heir to Pharaoh Thutmose III, being his ""Great Army Commander"" - both roles ascribed to Moses by Hebrew tradition. Moreover, Ramose & Moses both led victorious military campaigns against Ethiopia (Cush), then married the king's daughter, becoming Egypt's Viceroy there. A short time later, Prince Ramose was mysteriously struck out of Egyptian records, while the Bible hints Moses was cast into exile. Exploring some of the more esoteric aspects of the prophet's life, this book finds threads firmly connecting him to Egypt's 18th Dynasty 3500 years ago... The book uncovers the Hermetic star knowledge (Astrology) which Moses gleaned from the White Brotherhood, a secretive Egyptian mystery school who met in the halls of Karnak. This knowledge was cryptically infused into the early Biblical scriptures, revealing the Israelite ancestors were once devoted Astrologers.
More than any other book, the Bible offers an amazing collection of fascinating characters ranging from the holiest of the holy to some of the most depraved scoundrels imaginable. Many are mentioned only in passing, yet history and archaeology can often fill in the blanks and flesh them out as exciting human beings. For this reason we have in many cases been able to tell much more about them than the Bible alone reveals." -- Richard R. Losch (from the preface) A comprehensive gathering of persons found in the Bible, including the Apocrypha, All the People in the Bible really delivers on its title: literally all of the Bible's characters appear in this fascinating reference work. From the first article on Aaron to the final entry on Zophar, Richard Losch details each person in a lively narrative style. The bulk of the book consists of Losch's A–Z articles covering the familiar and the not-so-familiar figures in Scripture. Names of people who are found only in genealogies or who had no significant effect on history are included solely in the alphabetical listing starting on page 452. That listing, “All the People in the Bible and Apocrypha,” includes pronunciations, brief identifications, and biblical references. Persons covered in greater detail in the main part of the book are identified in bold print. Losch's intriguing look at all the people in the Bible is anything but a dry reference work. This is a book to dip into and enjoy over and over.
It is the story of the blood of Jesus through the entire Bible. It is about why Jesus had to be crucified, shed His blood and be raised from the dead, and what it all means to you. The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread explains in easy-to-understand, reader-friendly language, the central story of the Bible. It makes the complexities of the Bible simple. It connects Bible stories and shows how the Old Testament and New Testament fit together, telling in one complete story, the wonderful promise God has made to mankind. Dr. Richard Booker has years of study and experience, in preparation of this incredible book. Thousands have come to a clearer understanding of God and the Bible by reading The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread. If you want to understand the Bible, you have to read this book first!
This is a definitive account of Fruitlands, one of history's most unsuccessful, but most significant, utopian experiments. It was established in Massachusetts in 1843 by Bronson Alcott (whose ten year old daughter Louisa May, future author of Little Women, was among the members) and an Englishman called Charles Lane, under the watchful gaze of Emerson, Thoreau, and other New England intellectuals. Alcott and Lane developed their own version of the doctrine known as Transcendentalism, hoping to transform society and redeem the environment through a strict regime of veganism and celibacy. But physical suffering and emotional conflict, particularly between Lane and Alcott's wife, Abigail, made the community unsustainable. Drawing on the letters and diaries of those involved, the author explores the relationship between the complex philosophical beliefs held by Alcott, Lane, and their fellow idealists and their day to day lives. The result is a vivid and often very funny narrative of their travails, demonstrating the dilemmas and conflicts inherent to any utopian experiment and shedding light on a fascinating period of American history.
A Glimpse of the Christian seeks to clarify the true identity and nature of Christians to a world that has become hazy on this subject. In this study, author Richard J. Dick Hill crafts a clear, simple, and easy-to-understand guide to life and ministries of Christians in todays world. Christians are spiritual people connected to Jesus by the supernatural ministry of Gods Spirit. Eleven chapters offer varied glimpses into elements of the Christians life, including possessions, giftedness, security, works, education, and accountability. Each chapter draws upon wisdom from the Scriptures, illustrations from daily life, and insights from Hills own experiences to explain the chapters topic and to provide a fresh perspective from which you may catch a clear glimpse of the Christians life. Hill also provides an appendix that sketches out a method for memorizing key passages from the Bible. Whether you have recently come to faith in Christ and wonder how God may shape your life in the coming years, or you have journeyed to the point in your Christian discipleship where you seek an unobstructed view of your calling as a Christian, A Glimpse of the Christian provides a no-nonsense, plain-spoken, and faithful explanation of the character and mission God grants to people who follow Jesus Christ.
Next to their Experiencing God classic, Spiritual Leadership is one of Henry and Richard Blackaby's most highly regarded and best-selling books to date, encouraging business and church leaders alike to follow God's biblical design for success. In fact, the Barna Group reports that pastors list it among today's most influential writings on the topic of how God develops, guides, and empowers spiritual leaders. In this new trade paper edition of Spiritual Leadership, the Blackabys update their notes on the key points regarding a leader’s challenges, character qualities, influence, decision making techniques, and more, all the while focusing on how leaders discover and promote God's vision for their organization and move people on to His agenda. There are also new chapters on leading change and leading teams.
The Bible was written within collectivist cultures, and it's easy for Westerners to misinterpret—or miss—important elements. Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, this essential guidebook explores the deep social structures of the ancient Mediterranean, stripping away individualist assumptions and helping us read the Bible better.
The extreme value of what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished while on earth is based on His true identity. He asked His disciples the piercing question: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” His identity continues to be questioned today. The non-Christian community and church members alike struggle to know. Either Jesus Christ is God revealed in human flesh or He is not! This is the very issue that divides the entire human race. Evil powers continue to mount a steady assault upon the character of Christ. To disgrace His character is to destroy the effect of His work on the cross.
This book covers the development of the presidential office within the context of constitutional interpretations of presidential power and socio-political and economic developments, as well as foreign affairs events, from 1789-2015. It provides details on the men who have held the office, and biographies of vice presidents, unsuccessful candidates for the office, and noteworthy Supreme Court and other appointees. TheHistorical Dictionary of the U.S. Presidency contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on the development of the institution of the presidency, and details the personalities, domestic and foreign policy governing contexts, elections, party dynamics and significant events that have shaped the office from the Founding to the present day. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the U.S. Presidency.
Paul s letter to believers in Jesus at Rome has always been very highly regarded within the Christian church, playing a central role in the formulation and proclamation of Christian doctrine. Yet despite its status in the church and its importance for Christian thought, life, and proclamation, Romans is not a simple writing -- it is one of the most difficult New Testament letters to analyze and interpret. In this commentary prominent New Testament scholar Richard Longenecker offers a clear analysis of Romans that builds on the work of past commentators while still being informed by significant studies and insights of interpreters today. His analysis is critical, exegetical, and constructive, but pastoral in its application. Longenecker also sets a course for the future that will promote a better understanding of this most famous of Paul s letters and a more relevant contextualization of its message.
Richard Bauckham explores the historical and literary contexts of the Epistle of James, discussing the significance of James as the brother of Jesus and leader of the early Jerusalem church. He gives special attention to the aphorisms which encapsulate James' wisdom, and to the way that James' teaching closely resembles that of Jesus.
This is the first comprehensive study in the English language of the commentaries of Didymus the Blind, who was revered as the foremost Christian scholar of the fourth century and an influential spiritual director of ascetics. The writings of Didymus were censored and destroyed due to his posthumous condemnation for heresy. This study recovers the uncensored voice of Didymus through the commentaries among the Tura papyri, a massive set of documents discovered in an Egyptian quarry in 1941. This neglected corpus offers an unprecedented glimpse into the internal workings of a Christian philosophical academy in the most vibrant and tumultuous cultural center of late antiquity. By exploring the social context of Christian instruction in the competitive environment of fourth-century Alexandria, Richard A. Layton elucidates the political implications of biblical interpretation. Through detailed analysis of the commentaries on Psalms, Job, and Genesis, the author charts a profound tectonic shift in moral imagination as classical ethical vocabulary becomes indissolubly bound to biblical narrative. Attending to the complex interactions of political competition and intellectual inquiry, this study makes a unique contribution to the cultural history of late antiquity.
Rhythms: Sermons for a Community of Faith and Learning is a collection of selected sermons and responsive readings written by Mercer University's Dean of the Chapel and delivered at the university's weekly gathering of worship and praise. The first sermon, Rhythms, was the first sermon Wilson preached as Dean of the Chapel and won first prize in the HarperCollins Best Sermons competition of 1991.
Dealing with a time when "Christians" were moving towards separation from the movement's Jewish origins, this inaugural volume of A People's History of Christianity tells "the people's story" by gathering together evidence from the New Testament texts, archaeology, and other contemporary sources. Of particular interest to the distinguished group of scholar-contributors are the often overlooked aspects of the earliest "Christian" consciousness: How, for example, did they manage to negotiate allegiances to two social groups? How did they deal with crucial issues of wealth and poverty? What about the participation of slaves and women in these communities? How did living in the shadow of the Roman Empire color their religious experience and economic values?
The statutory duty of public service ombudsmen (PSO) is to investigate claims of injustice caused by maladministration in the provision of public services. This book examines the modern role of the ombudsman within the overall emerging system of administrative justice and makes recommendations as to how PSO should optimize their potential within the wider administrative justice context. Recent developments are discussed and long standing questions that have yet to be adequately resolved in the ombudsman community are re-evaluated given broader changes in the administrative justice sector. The work balances theory and empirical research conducted in a number of common law countries. Although there has been much debate within the ombudsman community in recent years aimed at developing and improving the practice of ombudsmanry, this work represents a significant advance on current academic understanding of the discipline.
Revision of the author's thesis (Ph.D.--University of Cambridge, 2001) presented under the title: The figure of Joab and the fate of "justice and righteousness" during David's reign: rereading the so-called "court history" according to 2 Samuel 8:15-20:26.
The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship. Overview of Commentary Organization Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology. Each section of the commentary includes: Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope. Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English. Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation. Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here. Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research. Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues. General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.
God is alive and personal, but he is also spirit. So having a relationship with God is different than having a relationship with any other person. This study will help you discover how you can grow and nurture your relationship with the living God. You'll learn how to study the Bible as you examine and discuss topics such as Encountering God, Knowing God, Being Sure We Know God, Learning about God, Conversing with God, Worshiping God, Following God. Each chapter has three main sections: Group Study (materials for a sixty- to ninety-minute small-group Bible study); Study Resources (notes and comments for use in both group and personal study); Personal Study (a series of reflection questions for use by group members on their own during the week). Extra help is available at the end of the book in the sections The Art of Leadership (tips on how to lead a small group) and Small Group Leader's Guide (notes on each session). The goal of PILGRIMAGE GUIDES is to understand what it means for us to meet and know Jesus. Through an examination of the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and worship, we experience what it means to be a spiritual pilgrim--walking in a new way with God. And we look at how this new way changes the way we view others and live our lives in Christ. PILGRIMAGE GUIDES: Learning to Love God Learning to Love Ourselves Learning to Love Others
Paul of Tarsus, the Pharisee who tried to destroy the church of God, experienced a conversion to faith in Jesus Christ that was to turn his life upside down and lead to his becoming one of the greatest missionaries and theologians of all time. His theology is highly controversial and has both inspired and appalled his listeners. Richard Bell presents the major themes in Paul’s theology and also asks what he got right, what he got wrong, and what in his theology needs reinterpreting for the twenty-first century. The book thereby shows the ongoing relevance of Paul’s thought for today. To accompany this volume, a website of music designed to add an experiential dimension in discovering Paul’s message for the world can be found at richardhbell.co.uk.
Filled with wit, insight, and inspiration, this anthology includes sermons for every Sunday and major celebration throughout the Christian year based on the First Readings from Cycle C of the Revised Common Lectionary. Three outstanding preachers from diverse denominational backgrounds interpret texts from the Old Testament and Acts in fresh ways that proclaim the good news for the twenty-first century. Their powerful messages remind us that the Hebrew scriptures are much more than just ancient history and explore what they mean for us today. Proclaiming timeless themes of justice and righteousness, as well as God's faithful covenant and enduring forgiveness, these imaginative homilies call us to lead better, more God-centered lives. This is an essential resource that's useful for: - Fresh homiletical approaches to the lectionary texts - Preaching illustrations - A clearer understanding of scripture passages - Adult study and discussion groups - Personal devotions and Bible study on each Sunday's texts The illustrations in these sermons, taken from both classical and common sources, as well as personal experiences, are worth the price of the book. I'll buy any book of sermons that gives me one or two good illustrations that are fresh and believable. Charles Reeb is a master at illustrating his points. John K. Bergland Former Professor of Preaching and Associate Dean Duke Divinity School Former editor, Abingdon Preaching Annual
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