Denominational Concerns
Showing 51–100 of 523 results
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Still Christian : Following Jesus Out Of American Evangelicalism
$20.00Add to cartIn this provocative tell-all, David Gushee gives an insider’s look at the frictions and schisms of evangelical Christianity, based on his experiences that began with becoming a born- again Southern Baptist in 1978 to being kicked out of evangelicalism in 2014 for his stance on LGBT inclusion in the church. But Gushee’s religious pilgrimage proves even broader than that, as he leads his reader through his childhood experiences in Roman Catholicism, his difficult days at the liberal Union Seminary in New York, his encounters with the Christian Right, and more. In telling his story, Gushee speaks to the cultural divisions of a generation, as well as of today, and to those who have themselves been disillusioned by many battles within American Christianity. As he describes his own struggles to find the right path at different stages of his journey, he highlights the turning points and decisions that we all face. When do we compromise, and when we do we stand our ground? Is holding to moral conviction worth sacrificing friendship, jobs, and security? As he takes us through his sometimes-amusing, sometimes-heartbreaking, and always-stirring journey, Gushee shows us that we can retain our faith in Christ even when Christians disappoint us.
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5 Risks Prebyterians Must Take For Peace
$18.00Add to cartBelieving peacemaking to be an inherent part of discipleship, Presbyterians have taken many valiant stands for peace throughout our history. However, changing global realities, political and military actions, and new weapons of war have made the world less safe than ever. The church must reconsider how to be faithful peacemakers in this changing reality.
The Presbyterian Church recently spent six years reflecting on peacemaking. Building on past policy documents, people at all levels of the church studied and discussed what peacemaking policies needed to be modified given the world context today. The 2016 PC(USA) General Assembly affirmed five affirmations the church must make to fulfill its peacemaking calling. Those affirmations become risks when truly taken, because their message collides with the demands for continued sacrifice by the powers that be. In this timely resource, author Christian Iosso explains what the five risks are, how they differ from previous positions, and what taking each risk might look like today.
Ideal for individual or group study, this important resource includes questions for reflection and discussion.
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Presbyterian Experience In The United States
$35.00Add to cartThis book introduces readers to the Presbyterian movement in the United States as told by those who lived through and contributed to its history. William Yoo has drawn together essential documents from the colonial period to the present that illustrate and illumine U.S. Presbyterianism across diversities of race, ethnicity, geography, gender, age, and theological position. Readers will follow the church’s journey from modest origins as a Scots-Irish immigrant church to prominence on the national stage, from early revivals and tent meetings to large-scale theological debates, from defense of slavery and racial intolerance to the pursuit of social justice and racial reconciliation, and from retreat into theologically narrow enclaves to active engagement with national and international politics and culture. Yoo weaves together a coherent and compelling narrative using the voices of those who sought a faithfully Presbyterian witness to the gospel. Arranged both chronologically and thematically with historical maps and photos, this book provides a lively and accessible vista into the making and shaping of Presbyterianism in the United States.
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These Are Our Bodies Primary Participant Book (Student/Study Guide)
$11.95Add to cart* Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality * For use in congregational, home, and school settings This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: * We are Wonderfully Made * We are Complex * We are Changing * We are Knowledgeable * We are Equipped * We are Called * We are Growing Up
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What Is Christianity
$10.95Add to cart* Esteemed former leader of the Anglican Communion distills the essence of the Christian faith * Overview from a scholar and pastor With clarity and insight, the former Archbishop of Canterbury takes the reader to the heart of what Christianity means for those who practice it and the hope it offers to the world at large. A book for all who wonder what the Christian faith is all about, and what difference it really makes.
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How Then Shall We Live
$28.95Add to cartThe world constantly throws up new challenges about what it means to be Christian and to live a distinctively Christian lifestyle. The priest, broadcaster, writer and ethicist Samuel Wells considers some of the biggest contemporary political, social and moral challenges and grapples with them in the light of Christian hope and wisdom.
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Complete Guide To Godly Play 2 (Expanded)
$34.95Add to cart* Incorporates the latest in Godly Play(R) theory and practice. * Revised lessons throughout, plus one brand-new lesson. Godly Play(R) is an imaginative approach to working with children, an approach that supports, challenges, nourishes, and guides their spiritual quest. It is more akin to spiritual direction guidance than to what we generally think of as religious education. Revised and updated, The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 2 offers new concepts, new terminology, new illustrations, and a new structure that stem from more than 10 years of using Godly Play with children across the world. 30 to 40 percent of the text is new or revised, including a new lesson, revised Introduction, and a new full Appendix.
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Parish : An Anglican Theology Of Place
$31.00Add to cartThe Anglican parish is uniquely embedded in English culture and society, by virtue both of its antiquity and close allegiance with secular governance. Yet it remains an elusive and surprisingly overlooked theme, whose ‘place’, theologically, is far from certain. Whilst ecclesiastical history has long formed a pillar of academic training for ordained ministry, ecclesiastical geography has not contributing to the often uninformed assumptions about locality in contemporary church debate and mission strategy. At a time when its relevance and sustainability are being weighed in the balance and with plans progressing for the Church in Wales’ abandonment of parochial organisation, there is an urgent need for a clear analysis of the parish’s historical, geographical and sociological – as well as theological significance.?
“Parish” examines the distinctive form of social and communal life created by the Anglican parish: applying and advancing, the emerging discipline of place theology by filling a conspicuous gap in contemporary scholarship. Andrew Rumsey will help in forming a vision for the future of the English parish system, contribute towards the Church’s strategy for parochial ministry and also inform the broader national conversation about ‘localism’ and cultural identity.
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We Believe : Articles Of Faith For The Global Nazarene Family
$11.99Add to cartThere are sixteen Articles of Faith that represent the deeply held, nonnegotiable beliefs of the Church of the Nazarene. Understanding these doctrinal positions and translating them into everyday life can be a challenging and thought-provoking task. In We Believe, Frank Moore, general editor for the Church of the Nazarene together with Nazarene scholars, leaders, and theologians worldwide has compiled for the first time a cosmopolitan, relatable articulation of each Article of Faith. From what we believe about the Trinity to what we believe about the Bible, salvation, and end times, We Believe, complete with discussion questions at the end of each chapter, will help Nazarenes personalize our unique doctrine and own it for themselves.
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Wholly Citizens : God’s Two Realms And Christian Engagement With The World
$39.00Add to cartIntroduction
?1. The Legacy Of Luther
2. The Two Realms: Interpreters Of Luther, Faithful And Otherwise
3. Two Realms For Today: Suitable And Wholly Relevant
4. Applying The Teaching To The Church And Her Pastors
5. Applying The Teaching To The Individual Christian Believers
6. An Essay Grounded In The Two Realms: “Story Time In America”Bibliography
IndexAdditional Info
Wholly Citizens addresses the relation between the church and the world in light of the Reformation teaching of the two realms-especially as presented by Luther. Rather than exploring again the usual texts of Luther from the 1520’s, this book begins with a careful reading of Luther’s Commentary on Psalm 81 (1531), and then considers subsequent interpreters of Luther, both faithful and otherwise, and the dubious legacy they have left the church. The book argues that both the corporate church as well as individual believers are responsible for the world, and that each must speak directly about and to the world in meaningful ways. The final section of the book addresses the concrete situation facing believers in the early 21st century in light of faithful Reformation teaching about the two realms. Following this path leads to conclusions not entirely expected, including the forthright rejection of “a wall of separation” between church and state, and also a rebuke of the familiar clamor for the preservation of the rights of Christians and the church. Heedless of the status quo, Wholly Citizens offers an engaging and bracing picture of Christian life in today’s world-a picture framed in theological truth. -
If Your Enemy Hungers Feed Him
$25.99Add to cartThe world of the early twentieth century was dominated by nationalism and propaganda-an “us versus them” mentality. If Your Enemy Hungers Feed Him tells the story of how the gospel redirected a generation of Christians away from violence so that they could see the people of Japan in a new way.
Following the aftermath of World War II, brave women and men made the courageous decision to leave behind a comfortable life in the United States and embark on a new adventure. They faced incredible challenges of all shapes and sizes, especially as they encouraged fellow Christians to support their missionary efforts among their former national enemies. Learn more about
The earliest generation of missionaries, who first came to Japan in the 1890s
The ministry of Sarah Andrews and other single women who labored in Japan even during World War II
The unlikely friendships that formed between American and Japanese Christians
The impact of World War II on Japanese Americans living in the United States
The founding of Ibaraki Christian School
The growth of mission work in Tokyo and the surrounding area. -
From Conflict To Communion
$21.99Add to cartOver the last fifty years, Lutherans and Roman Catholics have engaged in profound theological dialogue leading to increasingly close ties between two church bodies that have historically been divided. From Conflict to Communion contains the report produced by the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity along with an accompanying study guide and liturgical material suitable for a joint Catholic-Lutheran worship service.
This book presents the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation as an opportunity for deeper communion between Roman Catholics and Lutherans and for celebration of their common witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Including a timely new introduction by William G. Rusch, this will be a valued re-source not only for Lutheran and Catholic theologians but also for people around the world who seek greater unity in the church.
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Theologies Of The American Revivalists
$35.00Add to cartAbbreviations
Introduction
1. Moderate Evangelical Revival Theology In The First Great Awakening
2. First Great Awakening Alternatives: The Revival Theologies Of Andrew Croswell And Jonathan Edwards
3. Revival Theology In The New Divinity Movement
4. Congregationalist And New School Presbyterian Revival Theology In The Second Great Awakening
5. Methodist Revival Theology In The Second Great Awakening
6. Revival Theologies Among Early American Baptists
7. The New Measures Revival Theology Of Charles Finney
8. Two Responses To Modern Revival Theology: Princeton Seminary And The Restoration MovementConclusion
Bibliography
General Index
Scripture IndexAdditional Info
For centuries, revivals-and the conversions they inspire-have played a significant role in American evangelicalism. Often unnoticed or unconsidered, however, are the particular theologies underlying these revivals and conversions to faith. With that in mind, church historian Robert Caldwell traces the fascinating story of American revival theologies from the First Great Awakening through the Second Great Awakening, from roughly 1740 to 1840. As he uncovers this aspect of American religious history, Caldwell offers a reconsideration of the theologies of figures such as George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Joseph Bellamy, Samuel Hopkins, and Charles Finney. His scope also includes movements, such as New Divinity theology, Taylorism, Baptist revival theology, Princeton theology, and the Restorationist movement. With this study, we gain fresh insight into what it meant to become a Christian during the age of America’s great awakenings. -
Writings Of John Wesley
$7.99Add to cartJohn Wesley was an eighteenth-century preacher, writer, and one of the founders of the Methodist movement. This book includes selections from Wesley’s journals, sermons, and books, giving a clear picture not only of Wesley but also of the spiritual vitality that ignited a movement and continues to transform lives today. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Evelyn Underhill
$7.99Add to cartEvelyn Underhill, a twentieth-century British spiritual writer and retreat leader, is widely known for her compelling exploration of the spiritual life. She offers profoundly simple advice on opening oneself to God. This book includes a sampling of her letters and her published retreat and radio talks. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Thomas A Kempis
$7.99Add to cartThe Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis is one of the most influential books, other than the Bible, on Christian spirituality. From the time of its appearance around 1420, it has been a best seller. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Thomas Kelly
$7.99Add to cartThomas Kelly was a twentieth-century Quaker and philosopher whom Richard Foster calls “a giant soul.” Kelly is best known for his Testament of Devotion. This book includes excerpts from Kelly’s other writings that have not been widely available until now. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Toyohiko Kagawa
$7.99Add to cartOften mentioned as a model of how to blend prayer, compassion, and social action, Toyohiko Kagawa, a Japanese Christian, worked in the time between World Wars I and II to establish settlement houses, labor unions, and peasant unions and carry on evangelistic campaigns. Excerpts in this book include autobiographical reflections and thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Julian Of Norwich
$7.99Add to cartRevealing insights from a lifetime of prayer, the writings of this late fourteenth-century nun and mystic offer some of the most moving discussions of God’s love in all of Christian literature. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Francis And Clare
$7.99Add to cartFrancis and Clare of Assisi, celebrated saints of thirteenth-century Italy, founded influential religious orders (the Franciscans and the Poor Clares) that carry on vital work to this day. This book includes biographical vignettes of Francis and Clare as well as prayers, letters, and other spiritually rich writings from their remarkable lives. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world.
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Writings Of John Cassian
$7.99Add to cartJohn Cassian was a monk from North Africa and a contemporary of Augustine. His writings on prayer and spiritual living continue to speak as powerfully and practically to today’s Christians as they did to his fourth-century audience. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Teresa Of Avila
$7.99Add to cartTeresa of Avila was a sixteenth-century Spanish nun, reformer, and celebrated spiritual writer. This book includes excerpts from her three most influential works. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Augustine
$7.99Add to cartAugustine was the fourth-century spiritual leader from North Africa who had a vast impact on the Christian church. His Confessions has been called one of Western civilization’s most influential books. This volume contains other important writings of Augustine. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Shared Understanding Of Church Leadership (Revised)
$12.99Add to cartHow does your church work with leadership issues? How do you make decisions about calling church leaders? Are your models of leadership consistent with Anabaptist Mennonite belief and practice? A Shared Understanding of Ministerial Leadership, a revision of an earlier book, A Mennonite Polity for Ministerial Leadership, provides a common understanding of how the church approaches leadership. It is an effort to build lasting relationships of respect and integrity between congregations, area conferences, and their credentialed leaders. For use by pastors and congregational leaders, this book can also be used for leadership training, churchwide discussion, and study in seminary courses.
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Writings Of William Law
$7.99Add to cartIn these selections from his book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, Law calls for total devotion to God. In response to the religious moderation of eighteenth-century England, he writes that the truly devout must live in utter conformity with the will of God. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of John Woolman
$7.99Add to cartWoolman’s journal reveals the development of a Christian soul seeking to know and do God’s will in all things. A devout Quaker, Woolman lived simply, in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed. He traveled through the American colonies in the mid-1700s, urging other Quakers to free their slaves and to stand with him against slavery. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of John Of The Cross
$7.99Add to cartJohn of the Cross, a sixteenth-century Carmelite monk (and contemporary of Teresa of Avila) used vivid metaphors and biblical stories to describe a process of detachment from earthly loves. He described this as the “dark night of the soul,” an experience that frees us to receive God’s blessings. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of The Desert Fathers And Mothers
$7.99Add to cartIn the third, fourth, and fifth centuries, thousands of men and women moved into the deserts of Egypt and Syria seeking a simple way of living. Their sayings about prayer, spiritual disciplines, and living in community spread throughout the Christian world and became the foundation of monasticism. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Writings Of Catherine Of Siena
$7.99Add to cartIn seeking to submit her will completely to God’s, Catherine of Siena practiced extreme self-sacrifice fueled by prayer so intense that she often lost awareness of the world around her. She expressed these experiences in letters and writings that address the turbulent times of the fourteenth-century Italy in which she lived. More than ever, people want to grow spiritually. Many want to explore the rich spiritual writings of influential leaders in the history of Christianity. But trying to read classics written centuries ago can be daunting. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics are designed to help by offering readable translations in an accessible format. Each book provides at least 14 excerpts that cover the range of the writer’s spiritual concerns. An insightful, expertly written introduction helps readers understand the writer and his or her world. The Upper Room Spiritual Classics will help both individuals and groups grow in their faith by seeing God through the eyes of remarkable spiritual leaders.
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Peoples Book : The Reformation And The Bible
$29.00Add to cartIntroduction: “That Most Precious Jewel”Jennifer Powell McNutt And David Lauber
Part One: Access And Readership
1. Teaching The Church: Protestant Latin Bibles And Their ReadersBruce Gordon
2. Scripture, The Priesthood Of All Believers, And Applications Of 1 Corinthians 14G. Sujin Pak 3. Learning To Read Scripture For Ourselves: The Guidance Of Erasmus, Luther, And CalvinRandall Zachman
4. The Reformation And Vernacular Culture: Wales As A Case StudyD. Densil MorganPart Two: Transmission And Worship
5. The Reformation As Media EventRead Mercer Schuchardt
6. The Interplay Of Catechesis And Liturgy In The Sixteenth Century: Examples From The Lutheran And Reformed TraditionsJohn D. Witvliet
7. Word And Sacrament: The Gordian Knot Of Reformation WorshipJennifer Powell McNuttPart Three: Protestant-Catholic Dialogue
8. John Calvin On The Council Of TrentMichael Horton
9. The Bible And The Italian ReformationChristopher Castaldo
10. Reading The Reformers After NewmanCarl TruemanPart Four: The PeopleA?s Book Yesterday And Today
11. From The Spirit To Sovereign To Sapiential Reason: A Brief History Of Sola ScripturaPaul C. H. Lim
12. Perspicacity And The People’?s Book Mark LabbertonList Of Contributors
Additional Info
Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses caught Europe by storm and initiated the Reformation, which fundamentally transformed both the church and society. Yet by Luther’s own estimation, his translation of the Bible into German was his crowning achievement. The Bible played an absolutely vital role in the lives, theology, and practice of the Protestant Reformers. In addition, the proliferation and diffusion of vernacular Bibles-grounded in the original languages, enabled by advancements in printing, and lauded by the theological principles of sola Scriptura and the priesthood of all believers-contributed to an ever-widening circle of Bible readers and listeners among the people they served. This collection of essays from the 2016 Wheaton Theology Conference-the 25th anniversary of the conference-brings together the reflections of church historians and theologians on the nature of the Bible as “the people’s book.” With care and insight, they explore the complex role of the Bible in the Reformation by considering matters of access, readership, and authority, as well as the Bible’s place in the worship context, issues of theological interpretation, and the role of Scripture in creating both division and unity within Christianity. On the 500th anniversary of this significant event in the life of the church, these essays point not only to the crucial role of the Bible during the Reformation era but also its ongoing importance as “the people’s book” today. -
Disruption Of Evangelicalism
$40.00Add to cart12 Chapters
Additional Info
The Disruption of Evangelicalism is the first comprehensive account of the evangelical tradition across the English-speaking world from the end of the nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. It offers fresh perspectives on conversionism and the life of faith, biblical and theological perspectives, social engagement, and mission. Tracing these trajectories through a period of great turbulence in world history, we see the deepening of an evangelical diversity. And as events unfold, we notice the spectrum of evangelicalism fragments in varied and often competing strands. Dividing the era into two phases-before 1914 and after 1918-draws out the impact of the Great War of 1914-18 as evangelicals renegotiated their identity in the modern world. By accenting his account with the careers of selected key figures, Geoffrey Treloar illustrates the very different responses of evangelicals to the demands of a critical and transitional period. The Disruption of Evangelicalism sets out a case that deserves the attention of both professional and arm-chair historians. -
Theology Of The Lutheran Way
$39.00Add to cartRather than asking if theology is theoretical or practical-a question that reveals a fundamental lack of understanding about the nature of theology in general-it is better to ask “What exactly is theology?” It is this question that Oswald Bayer attempts to answer in Theology the Lutheran Way, clearing up misconceptions about the essence of theology. Along with Luther himself, Bayer claims that theology, rather than being something that we do, is really what God does.
Based primarily on the third section of Bayer’s original German work of the same title, this book evaluates certain approaches to theology that have been influential, from Schleiermacher’s understanding of theology to debates with Kant, Hegel, and Bultmann. It also includes a substantial section on Luther from the original in order to clarify the Lutheran tradition
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Role Of Justification In Contemporary Theology
$34.00Add to cartIn this significant book Mark C. Mattes critically evaluates the role of justification in the theologies of five leading Protestant thinkers-Eberhard Jungel, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Jurgen Moltmann, Robert W. Jenson, and Oswald Bayer — pointing out their respective strengths and weaknesses and showing how each matches up with Luther’s own views. Offering both an excellent review of recent trends in Christian theology and a powerful analysis of these trends, Mattes points readers to the various ways in which the doctrine of justification has been applied today. Despite the greatness of their thought, Jungel, Pannenberg, and Moltmann each accommodate the doctrine of justification to goals aligned with secular modernity. Both Jenson and Bayer, on the other hand, construe the doctrine of justification in a nonaccommodating way, thus challenging the secularity of the modern academy. In the end, Mattes argues that Bayer’s position is to be preferred as closest to Luther’s own, and he shows why it offers the greatest potential for confronting current attempts at self-justification before God.
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Pastoral Luther : Essays On Martin Luthers Practical Theology
$49.00Add to cartSixteen church historians here examine Martin Luther in an uncommon way-not as Reformer or theologian but as pastor. Luther’s work as parish pastor commanded much of his time and energy in Wittenberg.
After first introducing the pastoral Luther, including his theology of the cross, these chapters discuss Luther’s preaching and use of language (including humor), investigate his teaching ministry in depth, especially in light of the catechism, and explore his views on such things as the role of women, the Virgin Mary, and music. The book finally probes Luther’s sentiments on monasticism and secular authority.
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Early Luther : Stages In A Reformation Reorientation
$34.00Add to cartThe development of Martin Luther’s thought has commanded much scholarly attention because of the Reformation and its remarkable effects on the history of Christianity in the West. But much of that scholarship has been so enthralled by certain later debates that it has practically ignored and even distorted the context in and against which Luther’s thought developed. In The Early Luther Berndt Hamm, armed with expertise both in late-medieval intellectual life and in Luther, presents new perspectives that leave old debates behind.
A master Luther scholar, Hamm provides fresh insights into the development of Luther’s theology from his entry into the monastery through his early lectures on the Bible to his writing of the 95 Theses in 1517 and The Freedom of a Christian in 1520. Rather than looking for a single breakthrough, Hamm carefully outlines a series of significant shifts in Luther’s late-medieval theological worldview over the course of his early career. The result is a more accurate, nuanced portrait of Reformation giant Martin Luther.
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Captivation Of The Will
$29.00Add to cartThe Captivation of the Will provocatively revisits a perennial topic of controversy: human free will. Highly esteemed Lutheran thinker Gerhard O. Forde cuts to the heart of the subject by reexamining the famous debate on the will between Luther and Erasmus. Following a substantial introduction by James A. Nestingen that brings to life the historical background of the debate, Forde thoroughly explores Luther’s “Bondage of the Will” and the dispute between Erasmus and Luther that it reflects. In the process of exposing this debate’s enduring significance for Christians, Forde highlights its central arguments about Scripture, God, the will, and salvation in Christ. Luther recognized that the only solution for humans bound by sin is the forgiveness that comes from Christ alone. Convinced that this insight represents the heart of the Christian gospel, Forde concludes with ten sermons that proclaim the message of salvation through Christ alone while elegantly relating theological inquiry to everyday life.
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Preaching From Home
$39.00Add to cartThis volume by Gracia Grindal introduces English-speaking readers to several significant yet unsung Lutheran women hymn writers from the sixteenth century to the present. After a brief introductory discussion of Elisabeth Cruciger, the first woman hymn writer of the Reformation, Grindal provides fascinating profiles of these talented Scandinavian women who “preached from home”: Dorothe Engelbretsdatter, Birgitte Hertz Boye, Berthe Canutte Aarflot, Lina Sandell, Britt G. Hallqvist, and Lisbeth Smedegaard Andersen.
Grindal not only gives a biographical account of each woman-her life, her piety, her times-but also offers sparkling new English translations of each writer’s key hymns. In the last chapter Grindal recounts her own inspiring journey as a Lutheran woman hymn writer. Her Preaching from Home will open the door to a world previously unknown to most North Americans.
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Living By Faith
$29.00Add to cart“Living by faith” is much more than a general Christian precept; it is the fundamental posture of believers in a world rife with suffering and injustice. In this penetrating reflection on the meaning of “justification,” Oswald Bayer shows how this key religious term provides a comprehensive horizon for discussing every aspect of Christian theology, from creation to the end times.
Inspired by and interacting with Martin Luther, the great Christian thinker who grappled most intensely with the concept of justification, Bayer explores anew the full range of traditional dogmatics (sin, redemption, eschatology, and others), placing otherwise complex theological terms squarely within their proper milieu-everyday life. In the course of his discussion, Bayer touches on such deep questions as the hidden nature of God, the hope for universal justice, the problem of evil, and-one of the book’s most engaging motifs-Job’s daring lawsuit with God.
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Harvesting Martin Luthers Reflections
$39.00Add to cartAs profound as Martin Luther’s ideas are, this giant of church history was concerned above all with practical instruction for daily Christian living. Harvesting Martin Luther’s Reflections highlights this concern of Luther, mining his thought in key areas of doctrine, ethics, and church practice. Gathering noteworthy contributions by well-known Luther scholars from Europe and the Americas, this book ranges broadly over theological questions about baptism and righteousness, ethical issues like poverty and greed, and pastoral concerns like worship and spirituality. There are even rare discussions of Luther’s perspective on marriage and on Islam. As a result, Harvesting Martin Luther’s Reflections is both a state-of-the-art discussion of Lutheran themes and an excellent introduction for newcomers to Luther’s work.
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More Radical Gospel
$39.00Add to cartGerhard O. Forde has stood at the forefront of Lutheran thought for most of his career. This new collection of essays and sermons-many previously unpublished- makes Forde’s powerful theological vision more widely available.
The book aptly captures Forde’s deep Lutheran commitment. Here he argues that the most important task of theology is to serve the proclamation of the gospel as discerned on the basis of the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone. For Forde, the doctrine of justification is not one topic among other theological topics; rather, it is the criterion that guides “all theology and ministry. Throughout the book Forde applies this truth to issues of eschatology, authority, atonement, and ecumenism. Also included are seven insightful sermons that model the Lutheran approach to proclamation.
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Brief Introduction To Martin Luther
$28.00Add to cartIn the sixteenth century, Martin Luther started a reformation movement that revolutionized Europe and the history of the Christian faith. His far-reaching reforms of theological understanding and church practices dramatically changed both church and society in Europe and beyond. In honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Steven Paulson provides an engaging, concise introduction to Martin Luther’s life and the major themes in his theology.
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Living Flame Of Love
$14.99Add to cartSt John of the Cross was a Carmelite friar and mystic who lived in Spain in the second half of the sixteenth century. He helped Teresa of Avila with her reform of the Carmelite Order and was imprisoned for political reasons.He wrote this beautiful poem on the love between the soul and God while in prison in Toledo. The work consists of the poem and a prose commentary on it. “Justly celebrated as a milestone in Spanish literature as well as a spiritual classic.’ (Baroness Cox, from the Introduction)
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Formula For Parish Practice
$39.00Add to cartThis book combines a rich description of the (Lutheran) Formula of Concord (1577) with experiences in today’s Lutheran parishes to demonstrate how confessional texts may still come to life in modern Christian congregations. Timothy Wengert takes the Formula of Concord, traditionally used as ammunition in doctrinal disagreements, back to its historical home, the local congregation, giving pastors, students, and theologians a glimpse into the original debates over each article.
The most up-to-date English commentary on the Formula of Concord, A Formula for Parish Practice provides helpful, concise descriptions of key theological debates and a unique weaving of historical and textual commentary with modern Lutheran experience. Covering the entire Formula of Concord the book includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter.
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Beating The Boundaries
$21.95Add to cartUsing the image of the traditional practice of “beating the bounds” of the parish, this book contrasts the desire to mark boundaries with God’s call to explore boundaries in order to open them. Building on visits to nine Episcopal and Church of England congregations, Spicer explores how they are opening the boundaries between inherited expressions of church and the unique contexts in which they find themselves. He argues that to beat the boundaries around their current expressions of church, congregations should (1) name a missional identity common to both their past expressions of congregational life and the church they hear God calling them to become; (2) identify whom they’re seeking to reach in the community and how they intend to do so; (3) identify what sort of new church expression God is calling them to create; (4) empower a missional leader and plan for governance issues their work may raise; and (5) collaboratively identify how to define success and how to understand what might be seen as failure in terms of common church metrics.
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Parish Handbook
$35.99Add to cartA parish church gathers people together from across the community and is a site of resistance against the increasingly atomized and segregated society in which we live. The social and political revolution at the heart of parish life is people learning to relate to each other in the name of Christ.
Making clear that it is ordinary living which is at the heart of parish life, Bob Mayo provides an important and accessible resource for all involved in church leadership. Drawing on a wealth of experience and research, the handbook brings together sociological observation and theological insight to shape sound practical theological reflection. It will appeal to ordinands as much as practicing incumbents. -
Formed By Love
$14.95Add to cartIn volume five, Scott Bader-Saye, Academic Dean and Professor of Christian Ethics and Moral Theology at Seminary of the Southwest, examines the moral life through the lens of the Episcopal Church and its traditions. Beginning with an introduction to ethics in a changing world, Bader-Saye helps the reader move past the idea that we either accept cultural change as a whole or reject it whole, suggesting that we need to make discriminating judgments about where to affirm change and where to resist it. Part I looks at distinctive aspects of the Episcopal ethos, noting that “ethics” comes from “ethos,” and so has to do with habits and enculturation of a particular people. Topics include creation, incarnation, holiness, sacrament, scripture, and “via media.” Part II looks at big moral questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What are good and evil? What are right and wrong? Part III examines how an Episcopal approach might shape a typical day by examining Morning Prayer and Compline as moral formation, in between discussing work, eating, and playing. Each part begins by analyzing cultural assumptions, asking what should be affirmed and what resisted about contemporary context, setting the stage for discussion in subsequent chapters.
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Among The Early Evangelicals
$22.99Add to cart1. Introduction
2. Looking Back: The Rise Of Transatlantic Evangelicalism In The Eighteenth Century
3. Evangelicalism Rapid Growth In The 1790s
4. Thomas Campbell In Ireland
5. Alexander Campbell’s Early Formation In Scotland
6. The Campbells’ Evangelical Society In The U.S.: The Christian Association Of Washington (1809-1812)
7. The Baptist And Anti-Missionary Years (1812-1830)
8. The Campbells, Their Origins, And The Impact Of Transatlantic EvangelicalismAdditional Info
Though many of its early leaders were immigrants, most histories of the Stone-Campbell Movement have focused on the unique, American-only message of the Movement. Typically, the story tells the efforts of Christians seeking to restore New Testament Christianity or to promote unity and cooperation among believers.Among the Early Evangelicals charts a new path showing convincingly that the earliest leaders of this Movement cannot be understood apart from a robust evangelical and missionary culture that traces its roots back to the eighteenth century. Leaders, including such luminaries as Thomas and Alexander Campbell, borrowed freely from the outlook, strategies, and methodologies of this transatlantic culture. More than simple Christians with a unique message shaped by frontier democratization, the adherents in the Stone-Campbell Movement were active participants in a broadly networked, uniquely evangelical enterprise.
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Pilgrim The Eucharist
$11.95Add to cartCourse 6: The Eucharist: How do Christians know and worship God? The six sessions of Course 6 reveal reasons why the Eucharist is celebrated as a memorial of Christ’s saving passion and stands at the very heart of Christian worship. Session 1 looks at worship as communion with God. Session 2 explores the Eucharist as the pattern of all Christian worship. Session 3 looks at the intimacy we have with God in Holy Communion and how we are transformed by the encounter. Sessions 4 – 6 look at worship as a sign and foretaste of heaven, shaping our whole life, and how the whole of life is sacramental.
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Break Away Amish
$28.99Add to cart21 Chapters
Additional Info
“I am the grandson of Bishop Sam Mullet, who was arrested for the Amish beard-cutting attacks. This is my story.”Beard-cutting attacks on Amish people in the middle of the night. Five incidents. Nine victims. How could members of a Christian tradition known for peace and forgiveness enact such violence? What could make members of one Amish group turn against other Amish? In Breakaway Amish, Johnny Mast tells in riveting detail how his Amish community became increasingly isolated from other Amish people, and how the wishes and edicts of his grandfather, Bishop Sam Mullet, overtook daily life in the group. Over time, members became convinced that cutting their own hair was a sign of repentance and remorse. When that conviction led them to cut off the beards of those outside their community, however, it was more than a strange religious ritual. It was a crime.
Here is an eyewitness account of the disturbing events at Bergholz, an Amish community gone awry. Yet redemption dwells even here, in the bravery and conviction of one who chose to break free.
