Church History

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History Of Luther Seminary
$48.33

Church historian and Luther faculty member Mark Granquist provides a new and comprehensive history of Luther Seminary just in time for the celebration of the institution’s 150th anniversary (1869-2019). Luther Seminary today is the product of the merger of number of seminaries over time. Granquist’s search of Luther’s past will provide an inside look at how Lutheran ministry was defined and formed. The path runs through the early university system, Orthodoxy, Pietism, and Rationalism, as well as the formation of Mission schools, and the beginnings of Lutheran theological education in North America. Granquist explores the confessional Norwegian Synod as well as the pietist Haugean tradition–the two bookends or twin traditions that would define and eventually become Luther Seminary. Chapters 4-6 explore each primary strand that formed the history of Luther. Chapter 7 focuses on unification and merger, concluding with the ELCA merger in 1988. The final chapter looks at more recent history, including internal unification, the challenges faced by the ELCA, and the major shifts in theological education in the early 21st century. Includes a gallery of photos chronicling Luther’s history.

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Piercing Heaven : Prayers Of The Puritans
$24.99

“That prayer is most likely to pierce heaven which first pierces one’s own heart.”

For the Puritans, prayer was neither casual nor dull. Their prayers were passionate affairs, from earnestly pleading for mercy to joyful praise. These rich expressions of deep Christian faith are a shining example of holy living.

The Puritan combination of warm piety and careful intellect have fueled a renaissance of interest in their movement. This combination is on display in Piercing Heaven, a collection of carefully selected prayers from leading Puritans. The language in these prayers has been slightly updated for a modern audience while still retaining the elevated tone of the Puritans. With prayers from Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Owen, and many more, each prayer reminds us that heartfelt prayer is central to the Christian life.

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Challenging The Spirit Of Modernity
$25.99

God’s word illumines the darkness of society.

Dutch politician and historian Groen van Prinsterer’s Unbelief and Revolution is a foundational work addressing the inherent tension between the church and secular society. Writing at the onset of modernity in Western culture, Groen saw with amazing clarity the dire implications of abandoning God’s created order for human life in society. Groen’s work served as an inspiration for many contemporary theologians, and he had a profound impact on Abraham Kuyper’s famous public theology.

In Challenging the Spirit of Modernity, Harry Van Dyke places this seminal work into historical context, revealing how this vital contribution still speaks into the fractured relationship between religion and society. A deeper understanding of the roots of modern secularism and Groen’s strong, faithful response to it gives us a better grasp of the same conflict today.

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Jesus Remembered : Christianity In The Making, Volume 1
$77.99

James Dunn is regarded worldwide as one of today’s foremost biblical scholars. Having written groundbreaking studies of the New Testament and a standard work on Paul’s theology, Dunn here turns his pen to the rise of Christianity itself. Jesus Remembered is the first installment in what will be a monumental three-volume history of the first 120 years of the faith.

Focusing on Jesus, this first volume has several distinct features. It garners the lessons to be learned from the “quest for the historical Jesus” and meets the hermeneutical challenges to a historical and theological assessment of the Jesus tradition. It provides a fresh perspective both on the impact made by Jesus and on the traditions about Jesus as oral tradition — hence the title “Jesus Remembered.” And it offers a fresh analysis of the details of that tradition, emphasizing its characteristic (rather than dissimilar) features. Noteworthy too are Dunn’s treatments of the source question (particularly Q and the noncanonical Gospels) and of Jesus the Jew in his Galilean context.

In his detailed analysis of the Baptist tradition, the kingdom motif, the call to and character of discipleship, what Jesus’ audiences thought of him, what he thought of himself, why he was crucified, and how and why belief in Jesus’ resurrection began, Dunn engages wholeheartedly in the contemporary debate, providing many important insights and offering a thoroughly convincing account of how Jesus was remembered from the first, and why.

Written with peerless scholarly acumen yet accessible to a wide range of readers, Dunn’s Jesus Remembered, together with its successor volumes, will be a sine qua non for all students of Christianity’s beginnings.

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Our Hands Are Stained With Blood Revised And Expanded Edition (Expanded)
$18.99

Every Christian must read this shocking account of the Church’s history.

The pages of church history are marked by countless horrors committed against the Jewish people.

From the first persecutions of the Jews in the fourth century to the horrors of the Holocaust, from Israel-bashing in today’s press to anti-Semitism spouted from the pulpit, this painful book tells the tragic story that every Christian must read.

In this pivotal work, Dr. Michael Brown reflects on the Church’s past atrocities and exposes the “skeletons in our closet.” He reveals how seemingly innocent lines of thought have lead to unspeakable cruelties, why well-meaning citizens so often fall into the trap of hate… and how you can bring an end to the cycle of violence.

This generation can make a difference. Now is time for change! Discover the important role you play in shaping the Church’s future, today.

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Spirit Of Methodism
$25.99

“I felt my heart strangely warmed.

“That was how John Wesley described his transformational experience of God’s grace at Aldersgate Street on May 24, 1738, an event that some mark as the beginning of the Methodist Church. Yet the story of Methodism, while clearly shaped by John Wesley’s sermons and Charles Wesley’s hymns, is much richer and more expansive. In this book, Methodist theologian Jeffrey W. Barbeau provides a brief and helpful introduction to the history of Methodism–from the time of the Wesleys, through developments in North America, to its diverse and global communion today–as well as its primary beliefs and practices. With Barbeau’s guidance, both those who are already familiar with the Wesleyan tradition and those seeking to know more about this significant movement within the church’s history will find their hearts warmed to Methodism.

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Loving God And Neighbor With Samuel Pearce
$12.99

The love of God and neighbor is the heart of the Christian faith. Forgotten saint Samuel Pearce teaches us how to live a life faithful to the greatest commandment.

Pearce was a Baptist pastor known in eighteenth-century England for his moving preaching and strong, pious character. In his short life, he supported believers in his own parish as well as in the many cities where he preached and helped send missionaries. Yet his personal faith, founded on the “holy love” of God, formed his most compelling witness to the world. By getting to know Pearce’s story, readers will learn from his example what it looks like to love God and neighbor – in good times as well as challenging and seemingly mundane ones.

The Lived Theology series explores aspects of Christian doctrine through the eyes of the men and women who practiced it. Interweaving the contributions of notable individuals alongside their overshadowed contemporaries, we gain a much deeper understanding and appreciation of their work and the broad tapestry of Christian history. These books illuminate the vital contributions made by these figures throughout the history of the church.

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Engaging The World With Abraham Kuyper
$12.99

Christ declares “Mine!” over every square inch of creation.

In his well–known quote, Abraham Kuyper expressed the defining characteristic of his public theology: Jesus’ sovereignty extends over all things. He believed Christians should engage the whole world in all of its various spheres. But what does that comprehensive calling practically look like for us today?

In Engaging the World with Abraham Kuyper, Michael Wagenman explores the practical application of Kuyper’s public theology. Using Kuyper’s own life as an example, he shows us how the gospel can permeate all aspects of society: our identity, public discourse, education, the church, politics. Ultimately, this means engaging the world with perceptive truth that’s mindful of the dynamics at work in our time and place.

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Why Church : A Basic Introduction
$29.99

Is a church just something we create to serve our purposes or to maintain old traditions? Or is the church something more vital, more meaningful, and more powerful?

This can be hard to believe when we look at what happens in any one congregation or denomination. Certainly not all churches act like Jesus in the world, and in fact many churches in the West are dying. When it’s so easy to be confused, frustrated, or simply apathetic about the church, how should we understand its purpose today? In this appealing introduction to the nature of the local church, set in the context of Christian history and global diversity, historian and missionary Scott Sunquist brings us a portrait of the church in motion. Why Church? clarifies the two primary purposes of the church: worship and witness. Sunquist unpacks what the church is–and ought to be–using five movements of worship:
*come together
*stand to praise God
*kneel to confess
*sit to listen to the Word of God
*go out into the world

Packed with stories and insights from experiences in churches around the world, this book explores issues such as cultural contextualization, the meaning of conversion, worship in both personal and communal aspects, and how mission should combine telling the good news with being good news as a community. This primer on “what is church?” comes from Fuller Theological Seminary’s renowned church-planting program and is well suited to church leaders and their core teams to read together and share with new attenders as they catch the spirit of the dynamic gathering that is the local church.

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Greater Things : The Story Of New Wine So Far
$14.99

In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of New Wine, this book is a celebration of all the work of the New Wine family, from summer conferences to New Wine network churches, and both within the UK and across the world. With first-hand content from the Pytches and Coles who saw the New Wine story from the beginning, the book follows the journey of the movement from its origins, through its current work and focus, and ends with a brief look at New Wine’s dreams for the near future. Compiled of chapters from a number of people involved in New Wine, the book includes content from leaders and movements which have sprung out of New Wine, such as Soul Survivor’s Mike Pilavachi and worship leaders Matt Redman and Tim Hughes. These chapters provide an opportunity to hear the story directly from the people most involved in the movement: the challenges they’ve faced, the lessons they’ve learned, and the blessings they’ve seen over the years.

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Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture Set
$1,500.00

This unique thirty-volume series from general editor Thomas C. Oden–now in paperback for the first time–offers you the opportunity to study for yourself key writings of the early church fathers. Arranged canonically and employing the RSV, each volume allows the living voices of the church in its formative centuries to speak as they engage the sacred page of Scripture.

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Meaning Of Protestant Theology
$36.00

This book offers a creative and illuminating discussion of Protestant theology. Veteran teacher Phillip Cary explains how Luther’s theology arose from the Christian tradition, particularly from the spirituality of Augustine. Luther departed from the Augustinian tradition and inaugurated distinctively Protestant theology when he identified the gospel that gives us Christ as its key concept. More than any other theologian, Luther succeeds in carrying out the Protestant intention of putting faith in the gospel of Christ alone. Cary also explores the consequences of Luther’s teachings as they unfold in the history of Protestantism.

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Look To The Rock
$27.50

This history celebrates the Catholic League, an ecumenical society founded in 1913 to promote the unity of Christians and to encourage the journey of all towards the visible unity of the whole Church.

It was founded by Anglicans who believed passionately that the future of their Church lay in the reunion of all Christians in a common Catholic and Apostolic faith in restored full communion with the Successor of Peter in the see of Rome. Today, its members include Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Free Church Christians who work together in pursuit of the League’s four objectives:
– The promotion of fellowship among those who profess the Catholic faith;
– The union of all Christians with the Apostolic See of Rome;
– The spread of the Catholic faith;
– The deepening of the spiritual life.

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Reformation And The Irrepressible Word Of God
$31.99

The Protestant Reformers were transformed by their encounters with Scripture. Bringing together the reflections of church historians and theologians delivered at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, these essays consider historical, hermeneutical, theological, and practical issues regarding the Bible, revealing that the irrepressible Word of God continues to transform hearts and minds.

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Balm In Gilead
$29.99

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Marilynne Robinson is one of the most eminent public intellectuals in America today, and her writing offers probing meditations on the Christian faith. Based on the 2018 Wheaton Theology Conference, this volume brings together the thoughts of leading theologians, historians, literary scholars, and church leaders who engaged in theological dialogue with Robinson’s work–and with the author herself.

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Putting Joy Into Practice
$16.99

Putting Joy into Practice: Seven Ways to Lift Your Spirit from the Early Church is an invitation to a life of joy. Phoebe Farag Mikhail explains what joy is and how to experience it through seven spiritual practices that cultivate our inner lives and connect us to our communities. These seven practices, which include giving thanks, hospitality, praise, and more, take us on a journey that leads to joy through the giving and receiving of sacrificial love. She describes her own experiences and struggles with joy and offers practical ways to implement these practices to increase joy in our own lives and in the lives of all those around us.

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Unimaginable : What Our World Would Be Like Without Christianity
$15.99

Is God dying? Some people think so–and more want it so. They say Christian beliefs and our way of life aren’t relevant anymore. But what critics, and even many churchgoers, don’t realize is the life-changing importance of Christianity.

Showing how the world would be a dark place without Christianity, Unimaginable guides you through the halls of history to see how Jesus’s teachings dramatically changed our world and continue to be the most powerful force for good today. Learn how Christianity has stood against slavery, racism, eugenics, and injustices toward women and children why freedom as a universal value and modern education and legal systems owe much to Christianityhow Christians throughout the ages have demonstrated the value of human life by sacrificially caring for the sick, marginalized, and dying how people of faith are extending God’s kingdom through charities, mental health initiatives, and other ways.

This provocative and enlightening book is sure to encourage believers and equip them to respond to doubters.

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Larger Hope : Universal Salvation From The Reformation To The Nineteenth Ce
$51.00

This book aims to uncover and explore the ideas of notable people in the story of Christian universalism from the time of the Reformation until the end of the nineteenth century. It is a story that is largely unknown in both the church and the academy, and the characters that populate it have for the most part passed into obscurity. With carefully located bore holes drilled to release the long-hidden theologies of key people and texts, the volume seeks to display and historically situate the roots, shapes, and diversity of Christian universalism. Here we discover a diverse and motley crew of mystics and scholars, social prophets and end-time sectarians, evangelicals and liberals, orthodox and heretics, Calvinists and Arminians, Puritans, Pietists, and a host of others. The story crisscrosses Continental Europe, Britain, and America, and its reverberations remain with us to this day.

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Christian Mission : A Concise, Global History
$26.99

A deeper understanding of the grand history of mission leads to a faithful expression of God’s mission today.

From the beginning, God’s mission has been carried out by people sent around the world. From Abraham to Jesus, the thread that weaves its way throughout Scripture is a God who sends his people across the world, proclaiming his kingdom. As the world has evolved, Christian mission continues to be a foundational tradition in the church.

In this one-volume textbook, Edward Smither weaves together a comprehensive history of Christian mission, from the apostles to the modern church. In each era, he focuses on the people sent by God to the ends of the earth, while also describing the cultural context they encountered. Smither highlights the continuity and development across thousands of years of global mission.

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Restless Faith : Holding Evangelical Beliefs In A World Of Contested Labels
$27.50

One of the most influential evangelical voices in America chronicles what it has meant for him to spend the past half century as a “restless evangelical”–a way of maintaining his identity in an age when many claim the label “evangelical” has become so politicized that it is no longer viable. Richard Mouw candidly reflects on wrestling with traditional evangelical beliefs over the years and shows that although his mind has changed in some ways, his core beliefs have not. He contends that we should hold on to the legacy that has enriched evangelicalism in the past. The Christian life in its healthiest form, says Mouw, is always a matter of holding on to essentials while constantly moving on along paths that we can walk in faithfulness only by seeking the continuing guidance of the light of God’s Word. As Mouw affirms the essentials of the evangelical faith, he helps a new generation see the wisdom embodied in them.

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ReGrace : What The Shocking Beliefs Of The Great Christians Can Teach Us To
$22.50

The church is tired of seeing Christians act ungraciously toward one another when they disagree. Social media has added to the carnage. Christians routinely block each other on Facebook because of doctrinal disagreements. The world watches the blood-letting, and the Christian witness is tarnished.

But what if every Christian discovered that their favorite teacher in church history had blind spots and held to some false–and even shocking–views?

Bestselling author Frank Viola argues that this simple awareness will soften Christians when they interact with each other in the face of theological disagreements. In ReGrace, he uncovers some of the shocking beliefs held by faith giants like C.S. Lewis, Luther, Calvin, Moody, Spurgeon, Wesley, Graham, and Augustine–not to downgrade or dismiss them, but to show that even “the greats” in church history didn’t get everything right. Knowing that the heroes of our faith sometimes got it wrong will empower us to treat our fellow Christians with grace rather than disdain whenever we disagree over theology.

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Larger Hope : Universal Salvation From The Reformation To The Nineteenth Ce
$31.00

This book aims to uncover and explore the ideas of notable people in the story of Christian universalism from the time of the Reformation until the end of the nineteenth century. It is a story that is largely unknown in both the church and the academy, and the characters that populate it have for the most part passed into obscurity. With carefully located bore holes drilled to release the long-hidden theologies of key people and texts, the volume seeks to display and historically situate the roots, shapes, and diversity of Christian universalism. Here we discover a diverse and motley crew of mystics and scholars, social prophets and end-time sectarians, evangelicals and liberals, orthodox and heretics, Calvinists and Arminians, Puritans, Pietists, and a host of others. The story crisscrosses Continental Europe, Britain, and America, and its reverberations remain with us to this day.

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5 Events That Made Christianity
$14.99

With characteristic style, John Pritchard takes us on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as he unpacks the five great events that made Christianity – Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. We explore: “What happened?” “What did it mean?” “What does it mean for us?” Absorbing, immediate and full of stories, this volume offers deeply considered theology, brilliantly communicated to connect with life as we actually experience it.

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Lion Of Judah
$16.99

If Jesus is a Jew, why is there a wedge between Christianity and Judaism?

If Jews and Christians both believe in the same God, why is there such division? Why is history littered with deathly accounts of this division, from the early Jewish persecution of Christians to the Crusades’ slaughtering of Jews?

The Lion of Judah unpacks the roots of this division, showing how jealousy, theology, the law, and the integration of Gentile believers into what was once a predominantly Jewish early church contributed to the schism. It then goes on to reveal how Jesus magnificently fulfilled every word in the Bible. Readers will discover why the Lion of Judah is the rightful Lord and King of all people-Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, atheists, and the rest of creation.

This book will help Christians understand the history of Christianity and Judaism, get into greater alignment with God’s plan of redemption, be better equipped to share the gospel with Jewish people, and become more sensitive to and appreciative of their Hebraic heritage.

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Foxes Book Of Martyrs
$19.99

In 1563, John Foxe published an account of the life of Christian martyrs, beginning with Stephen, the first to die for the cause of Christ, and ending with the most recent martyrs of his day–Protestants killed during Bloody Mary’s reign. He knew that dangers lay in forgetting the martyrs–in being insensitive to their struggles. They faced torture and death in their fight of faith, willing to stand for their beliefs and the Word of God regardless of the price. The faithfulness of such historical figures as John Wycliffe, John Huss, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, and so many others has given us our rich Christian heritage. Their courage and dedication inspire us to live for Christ today.

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7 Books That Rocked The Church
$19.95

7 Books That Rocked the Church, by Daniel Crane, explores controversial books throughout history that the Christian church has famously disavowed–and asks the question why?

Engagingly written and thoughtfully researched, this book explores what the “fuss” was all about with books ranging in date from the second century after Christ to more contemporary authors. Books by Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, Galileo Galilei, and many others profoundly upset the church by calling into question foundational Christian doctrines or beliefs. Most of the books discussed here were banned at some time by Christian authorities.

The author’s aim is to challenge Christians to respond critically but open-mindedly to books that oppose a Christian worldview. Readers of 7 Books That Rocked the Church will come away better equipped to answer the charge that the church is intolerant of competing ideas. They will also develop the ability to interact with new and possibly dangerous ideas that comport with Jesus’ admonition to be wise as serpents but gentle as doves. This book also includes discussion questions for further study.

1. Valentinus the Gnostic: Who Doesn’t Love a Conspiracy Theory? (Think The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown)

2. Galileo Galilei: A Scandal of Religion, Science, and Politics

3. Voltaire’s Candide, Enlightenment Rationalism, and the Church’s Thin Skin

4. Darwin’s Origin of Species: The Many Faces of Evolutionary Theory

5. Marx’s Communist Manifesto: The Red Bull of the Masses

6. Sigmund Freud’s Ego

7. Joseph Campbell: Christianity as an (Almost) Enlightened Myth (A book that strongly influenced George Lucas’s Star Wars films)

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Disputed Teaching Of Vatican 2
$43.99

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) radically shook up many centuries of tradition in the Roman Catholic Church. This book by Thomas Guarino, a noted expert on the sources and methods of Catholic doctrine, investigates whether Vatican II’s highly contested teachings on religious freedom, ecumenism, and the Virgin Mary represented a harmonious development of-or a rupture with-Catholic tradition.

Guarino’s careful explanations of such significant terms as continuity, discontinuity, analogy, reversal, reform, and development greatly enhance and clarify his discussion. No other book on Vatican II so clearly elucidates the essential theological principles for determining whether-and to what extent-a conciliar teaching is in continuity or discontinuity with antecedent tradition.

Readers from all faith traditions who care about the logic of continuity and change in Christian teaching will benefit from this masterful case study.

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Protestant Reformation Of The Church And The World
$55.00

From a distinguished assembly of twelve internationally acclaimed scholars comes this rich, interdisciplinary study that explores the Protestant Reformation and its resultant effects on the church as well as the world.

The Reformation extended from the church to revolutionize art, music, literature, architecture, and aesthetics and transformed economics, trade, and banking; these transformations shifted power away from the church to the state as they unleashed radical new campaigns for freedom, equality, democracy, and constitutional order.

Each contributor to this volume draws on distinctive methods and themes in an effort to understand the Reformation on its own complex terms, as well as to reconstruct its teachings and warnings for our day.

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Rapture And Revelation 3rd Edition
$11.95

The world is a mess. Something is desperately wrong in many families and common ground hides wherever common sense went. There’s an end to business as usual in this world and it’s here. Not the literal last day, but the last times. This book won’t tell you what to believe, but will challenge you to get real about why you believe what you do.

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Lost Discipline Of Conversation
$24.99

Recovering Spiritual Practices of the Past titles reach beyond commonly known spiritual formation practices in order to mine the wisdom of the past, bringing to light ways of thinking, living, and growing in Christ that the church today has largely overlooked.

In The Lost Discipline of Conversation, spiritual formation professor and author Joanne Jung walks readers through the Puritan practice of “conference,” or focused, spiritual conversations intended to promote ongoing transformation. An antidote to privatized faith, conference calls believers to biblical literacy and soul care in a context of transparency and accountability.

Useful for believers in any sphere or ministry or stage in life, conference is ultimately a tool for nurturing mutual, godly authenticity within community.

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Katharina And Martin Luther (Reprinted)
$16.99

Their revolutionary marriage was arguably one of the most scandalous and intriguing in history. Yet five centuries later, we still know little about Martin and Katharina Luther’s life as husband and wife. Until now. Against all odds, the unlikely union worked, over time blossoming into the most tender of love stories. This unique biography tells the riveting story of two extraordinary people and their extraordinary relationship, offering refreshing insights into Christian history and illuminating the Luthers’ profound impact on the institution of marriage, the effects of which still reverberate today. By the time they turn the last page, readers will have a deeper understanding of Luther as a husband and father and will come to love and admire Katharina, a woman who, in spite of her pivotal role, has been largely forgotten by history.

Together, this legendary couple experienced joy and grief, triumph and travail. This book brings their private lives and their love story into the spotlight and offers powerful insights into our own twenty-first-century understanding of marriage.

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Questions And Answers About The United Methodist Church (Revised)
$5.99

McAnally has revised Questions & Answers About the United Methodist Church to update statistics and information throughout the book, along with new frequently asked questions not in the current edition. This book is a useful guide that answers the most frequently asked questions about the beliefs, practices, and history of The United Methodist Church. The information is brief, and is presented in an easy question-and-answer format. It is great for those new to the United Methodist Church or those who want to know more. Revised to update statistics and information throughout the book. Also, updated with the answers to the current most commonly asked questions.

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Quest For The Historical Apostles
$41.17

This comprehensive historical and literary introduction to the lives of the apostles underscores their impact on the growth of the early church.

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Covenantal Priesthood : A Narrative Of Community For Baptist Churches
$66.65

This work in practical theology begins with an exploration of the psychosocial issues at play in Australian Baptist churches as communities. Many of those who attend such churches, and those like them in Britain and North America, often find a warm sense of welcome and belonging. What follows builds on this positive subjective experience through the lens of Christian community framed by the rich scriptural narrative of covenantal priesthood. Such corporate priesthood, as demonstrated by our early Baptist forebears, comes to joint expression in worship and sharing God’s blessing with his world, and affirms the mutual priestly service of covenanted church community.

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For The Gospels Sake
$48.99

Informed take on the amazing growth of a very unusual missionary organization

The two-sided mission organization comprising Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Summer Institute of Linguistics is a paradox that begs explanation. The scientific Summer Institute of Linguistics has worked in many countries around the world to translate the New Testament, develop unwritten languages, and educate indigenous communities. At the same time, Wycliffe Bible Translators has been one of the largest, fastest growing, and most controversial evangelical Christian movements during the last century.

In this wide-ranging study Boone Aldridge-a religious historian and twenty-year insider at WBT-SIL-looks back at the organization’s early years, from its inception in 1934 to the death of its visionary founder, William Cameron Townsend, in 1982. He situates the iconic institution within the evolving landscape of mid-twentieth-century evangelicalism, examines its complex and occasionally confusing strategies and policies, and investigates the factors that led, despite persistent criticism from many sides, to its remarkable rise to prominence.

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Church And Theology In The 19th Century
$64.00

The last volume of Baur’s church history, based on lectures delivered during the 1850s, covers the nineteenth century. They were edited and published by Eduard Zeller after Baur’s death. Since the lectures devote equal attention to theological and ecclesiastical matters, the title in English is Church and Theology in the Nineteenth Century. Baur provides critical analyses of the philosophers and theologians of the nineteenth century (Herder, Schiller, Goethe, Kant, Fichte, Schelling, Jacobi, Schleiermacher, Marheineke, Neander, Mohler, Hegel, Strauss, Feuerbach, and many others), as well as details about European Catholic and Protestant church history from 1800 to 1860. What he produces is a “”participant history,”” written by a scholar very much engaged in the issues of his time. Ferdinand Christian Baur was a professor of theology at the University of Tubingen from 1826 to 1860. He is known for his path-breaking studies in New Testament literature and historical theology. Recent translations of his work by Brown and Hodgson include History of Christian Dogma and Lectures on New Testament Theology.

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Faith In A Pluralist Age
$22.00

Most academics agree with Peter Berger that pluralism theory appears more accurate than secularization theory in accounting for the societal changes that accompany modernization. Yet Berger’s earlier book Many Altars of Modernity gives limited attention to the implications of the pluralist paradigm for religious discourse, in particular for evangelicals. According to Berger–who wrote the first chapter in this book–while pluralism leads to less certainty about faith and creates “”secular spaces,”” it also, more positively, clarifies the importance of trust in God, highlights the nature of religious institutions as voluntary associations rather than birth rights, and challenges Christians to know what they believe in. Subsequent chapters respond to the first. Four responses are theoretical (e.g., challenging the concept of secular spaces, exploring social constructionism) and four are contextual (e.g., describing anti-pluralist forces in India, challenging feminists to pluralism, examining women’s responses to pluralism, and exploring values in Brazil and China). The ideas are easily accessible to the lay reader and are intended to initiate a much-needed conversation about the implications of pluralist theory. We conclude that pluralism is challenging for Christian faith but, as Peter Berger says, in most ways it is “”good for you.””

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Christian Peace Experiment
$53.00

This book examines part of the development of the Bruderhof community, which emerged in Germany in 1920. Community members sought to model their life on the New Testament. This included sharing goods. The community became part of the Hutterite movement, with its origins in sixteenth-century Anabaptism. After the rise to power of the Nazi regime, the Bruderhof became a target and the community was forcibly dissolved. Members who escaped from Germany and travelled to England were welcomed as refugees from persecution and a community was established in the Cotswolds. In the period 1933 to 1942, when the Bruderhof’s witness was advancing in Britain, its members were in touch with many individuals and movements. This book covers the Bruderhof’s connections with (among others) the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Peace Pledge Union, the social work of Muriel and Doris Lester in East London, Jewish refugee groups, and artistic pioneers like Eric Gill. As significant numbers of British people joined the Bruderhof, its farming, publishing and arts and crafts activities extended considerably. But with the outbreak of the Second World War, German members came to be regarded with suspicion and British members became unpopular locally because they were pacifists. Although the Bruderhof was defended in Parliament, notably by Lady Astor, it seemed that German members would be interned as enemy aliens. The consequence was that by 1942 over 300 community members had left England. With Mennonite assistance, they began to forge a new life in South America. This book traces a remarkable Christian peace experiment being undertaken in a time of great political upheaval.

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Defenders Of The Faith
$11.99

This title, released in association with Essential Christian, will accompany a set of seminars for Spring Harvest 2018 under the overall theme of ‘Only the Brave’. The church has been under attack from its inception, but certain struggles seemed to threaten its very existence. In this inspiring book, Dr Matthew Knell celebrates some of these key figures who have kept the church alive in the midst of great adversity, exploring three major periods of persecution from the early church to the present day. This fascinating journey begins with Irenaeus of Lyon, who battled courageously against the theological threat of Gnosticism, followed by Basil of Caesarea, who defended the church from attacks on its spirituality. The book concludes with the modern Chinese church, many members of which have been attacked and even martyred for their faith. Using the examples of these defenders and many others, Dr Knell inspires readers to stand firm in the face of adversity as the global church continues to experience persecution.

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Christian Peace Experiment
$33.00

This book examines part of the development of the Bruderhof community, which emerged in Germany in 1920. Community members sought to model their life on the New Testament. This included sharing goods. The community became part of the Hutterite movement, with its origins in sixteenth-century Anabaptism. After the rise to power of the Nazi regime, the Bruderhof became a target and the community was forcibly dissolved. Members who escaped from Germany and travelled to England were welcomed as refugees from persecution and a community was established in the Cotswolds. In the period 1933 to 1942, when the Bruderhof’s witness was advancing in Britain, its members were in touch with many individuals and movements. This book covers the Bruderhof’s connections with (among others) the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Peace Pledge Union, the social work of Muriel and Doris Lester in East London, Jewish refugee groups, and artistic pioneers like Eric Gill. As significant numbers of British people joined the Bruderhof, its farming, publishing and arts and crafts activities extended considerably. But with the outbreak of the Second World War, German members came to be regarded with suspicion and British members became unpopular locally because they were pacifists. Although the Bruderhof was defended in Parliament, notably by Lady Astor, it seemed that German members would be interned as enemy aliens. The consequence was that by 1942 over 300 community members had left England. With Mennonite assistance, they began to forge a new life in South America. This book traces a remarkable Christian peace experiment being undertaken in a time of great political upheaval.

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Tried By Fire
$19.99

A major narrative history of Christianity’s first thousand years by acclaimed educator and #1 New York Times bestselling author William J. Bennett. Now in trade paper.

Full of larger-than-life characters, stunning acts of bravery, and heart-rending sacrifice, Tried by Fire narrates the rise and expansion of Christianity from an obscure regional sect to the established faith of the world’s greatest empire with influence extending from India to Ireland, Scandinavia to Ethiopia, and all points in between. William J. Bennett explores the riveting lives of saints and sinners, paupers and kings, merchants and monks who together-and against all odds-changed the world forever. To tell their story, Bennett follows them through the controversies and trials of their time. Challenged by official persecution, heresy, and schism, they held steadfast to the truth of Christ. Strengthened by poets, preachers, and theologians, they advanced in devotion and love. In this moving and accessible narrative, Tried by Fire speaks across centuries to offer insight into the people and events that shaped the faith that continues to shape our lives today.

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Christianity At The Crossroads
$33.99

Christianity in the twenty-first century is a global phenomenon. But in the second century, its future was not at all certain.

Initially Christianity possessed little social or cultural influence and found itself fighting for its life. While apostolic tradition was emerging as a “rule of faith,” factions contested the nature of the gospel, and pagan philosophers found its claims scandalous. And while its pathway was tenuous, Christianity was forming structures of leadership and worship, and a core of apostolic texts was emerging as authoritative. But it was the challenges, obstacles, and transitions faced by Christians in the second century that, in many ways, would determine the future of the church for the next two millennia. It was a time when Christianity stood at a crossroads.

Michael Kruger’s introductory survey examines how Christianity took root in the second century, how it battled to stay true to the vision of the apostles, and how it developed in ways that would shape both the church and Western culture over the next two thousand years. Christianity at the Crossroads provides an accessible and informative look at the complex and foundational issues faced by an infant church still trying to determine its identity. The church’s response to the issues of heresy and orthodoxy, the development of the canon, and the transmission of the Christian Scriptures not only determined its survival, but determined the kind of church it would be for generations to come.

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Unique And Universal Christ
$44.00

There are tremendous pressures on Christians in the contemporary world to conform to a libertarian vision of a multi-faith society where no one makes truth-claims about their faith. In such a situation Christians need to think afresh about the uniqueness and universality of Jesus Christ and what this might mean in today’s plural world. Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali shows how Jesus’ understanding of himself and his work bears on contemporary cultures and their values. He explores critical questions Christians must face: – What does the gospel affirm in contemporary cultures? – What does the gospel fulfil in contemporary cultures? – What does the gospel challenge in contemporary cultures? – How does our understanding of the crucified and risen Lord affect our view of the human condition? – How can we evaluate the different religious traditions of the world in the light of Christ? – How can we be welcoming and hospitable but also committed to that conversion and transformation of individuals and of human societies which has been revealed as God’s purpose in Christ? Christian claims of uniqueness have a direct bearing on what informs the social order. Consequently this book takes on the challenge of relativism in the contemporary social and political arena. ‘Drawing on unparalleled cross-cultural experiences and wide-ranging scholarship, Michael Nazir-Ali offers a powerful challenge to Christians tempted to dilute their faith in Christ to render it “”relevant.””

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Studies In Hellenistic Religions
$49.00

This selection of essays by Luther Martin brings together studies from throughout his career–both early as well as more recent–in the various areas of Graeco-Roman religions, including mystery cults, Judaism, Christianity, and Gnosticism. It is hoped that these studies, which represent spatial, communal, and cognitive approaches to the study of ancient religions might be of interest to those concerned with the structures and dynamics of religions past in general, as well as to scholars who might, with more recent historical research, confirm, evaluate, extend, or refute the hypotheses offered here, for that is the way scholars work and by which scholarship proceeds.

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Apostolic Fathers : A New Translation
$24.99

A fresh, modern translation of key works of the apostolic fathers. These translations by Rick Brannan are perfect for use by students, scholars, and everyday Christians interested in these treasures of the early church.

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Studies In Hellenistic Religions
$74.00

This selection of essays by Luther Martin brings together studies from throughout his career–both early as well as more recent–in the various areas of Graeco-Roman religions, including mystery cults, Judaism, Christianity, and Gnosticism. It is hoped that these studies, which represent spatial, communal, and cognitive approaches to the study of ancient religions might be of interest to those concerned with the structures and dynamics of religions past in general, as well as to scholars who might, with more recent historical research, confirm, evaluate, extend, or refute the hypotheses offered here, for that is the way scholars work and by which scholarship proceeds.

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Post Christendom 2nd Edition
$55.00

Western societies are experiencing a series of disorientating culture shifts. Uncertain where we are heading, observers use “”post”” words to signal that familiar landmarks are disappearing, but we cannot yet discern the shape of what is emerging. One of the most significant shifts, “”post-Christendom,”” raises many questions about the mission and role of the church in this strange new world. What does it mean to be one of many minorities in a culture that the church no longer dominates? How do followers of Jesus engage in mission from the margins? What do we bring with us as precious resources from the fading Christendom era, and what do we lay down as baggage that will weigh us down on our journey into post-Christendom? Post-Christendom identifies the challenges and opportunities of this unsettling but exciting time. Stuart Murray presents an overview of the formation and development of the Christendom system, examines the legacies this has left, and highlights the questions that the Christian community needs to consider in this period of cultural transition.

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Thinking With The Church
$28.00

Over the centuries, Baptists have labored to follow Christ in faithful devotion and service. More recently, they have occasionally partnered with fellow Christians from other traditions in these efforts while learning from each other along the way. In Thinking With the Church, Derek Hatch argues that Baptists need to follow the same pattern when it comes to their theological reflection, engaging the wisdom of all Christian pilgrims across time. This will require a new theological method–ressourcement–that embraces Baptists’ place within the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Such work will not abandon long-held Baptist convictions but offers resources for renewing Baptists’ theological vision as they participate in the fullness of the mystical body of Christ.

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Praying With The Senses
$133.33

Indiana University Press

How do people experience spirituality through what they see, hear, touch, and smell? Sonja Luehrmann and an international group of scholars assess how sensory experience shapes prayer and ritual practice among Eastern Orthodox Christians. Prayer, even when performed privately, is considered as a shared experience and act that links individuals and personal beliefs with a broader, institutional, or imagined faith community. It engages with material, visual, and aural culture including icons, relics, candles, pilgrimage, bells, and architectural spaces. Whether touching upon the use of icons in the age of digital and electronic media, the impact of Facebook on prayer in Ethiopia, or the implications of praying using recordings, amplifiers, and loudspeakers, these timely essays present a sophisticated overview of the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianities. Taken as a whole they reveal prayer as a dynamic phenomenon in the devotional and ritual lives of Eastern Orthodox believers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

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Thinking With The Church
$48.00

Over the centuries, Baptists have labored to follow Christ in faithful devotion and service. More recently, they have occasionally partnered with fellow Christians from other traditions in these efforts while learning from each other along the way. In Thinking With the Church, Derek Hatch argues that Baptists need to follow the same pattern when it comes to their theological reflection, engaging the wisdom of all Christian pilgrims across time. This will require a new theological method–ressourcement–that embraces Baptists’ place within the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Such work will not abandon long-held Baptist convictions but offers resources for renewing Baptists’ theological vision as they participate in the fullness of the mystical body of Christ.

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