Denominational Concerns
Showing 151–200 of 970 resultsSorted by latest
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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 This new collection of essays and sermons-many previously unpublished- makes Forde’s powerful theological vision more widely available.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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Once And Future Wesleyan Movement
$20.99Add to cartJones argues that several unique factors remain available to The United Methodist Church today from the period of rapid growth between 1800 and 1840. Drawing on the image of Loren Mead’s Once and Future Church and Moises Naim’s analysis in The End of Power, Jones argues that a viable future for United Methodism is to recapture the dynamism of being a movement, with many of the characteristics of early 19th century Methodism coming to the fore. It will draw on three key works about Methodism in the first half of the 19th century: Nathan Hatch’s Democratization of American Christianity, John Wigger’s Taking Heaven by Storm, and Gregory Schneider’s The Way of the Cross Leads Home. The book talks about how the Wesleyan form of church contains important resources for the future of Christianity. It focuses on the United States and the first half is broadly applicable to all denominations in the Wesleyan tradition. The last half of the book discusses obstacles that are currently preventing the United Methodist Church from achieving its potential. It closes with a hopeful vision of what a renewed United Methodism might look like.
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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. -
Road To Growth
$24.00Add to cartChurch House Publishing
Based on his consultancy experience with churches and dioceses over the last three years and further research on the causes of church growth, Bob Jacksons new book shows how the Church at parish, diocesan and national level can overturn its old cycle of decline and begin a new cycle of growth. At its heart this book is about how local churches can thrive and grow in the early twenty-first century. Part 1 outlines the current context, offering a sharp analysis behind the reasons for church growth and decline. Part 2 describes churches which are already experiencing growth both in numerical and ministry strength. It looks at lessons learnt and what is at the heart of a resurgent, thriving Church. Parts 3 and 4 set out workable strategies and unpacks ways in which human and financial resources can be deployed to support and sustain the growth of the local church. This is not about glib, short-term solutions promising quick results. The goal of this book is to help transform fragile signs of hope for the Church into a solid road to growth.
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Open Door : The Anglican Centre In Rome 2003-2016
$14.49Add to cartSeeking to promote Christian unity in a divided world, The Anglican Centre in Rome provides a permanent Anglican Communion presence in Rome. Written to coincide with the 50th anniversary year of the centre, and offering an update to Frank Bliss’s volume ‘Anglicans in Rome’, ‘An Open Door’ tells the story of the past 10 years of the centre and looks to its future. The book includes an appendix with the significant milestones of the last ten years and a brief historical record of the centre’s 50 years. Archbishop Justin Welby and Cardinal Koch provide their own reflections in the introduction.
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Complete Contemporary Worship Handbook
$19.95Add to cartBrian Russell has dedicated his life and career to developing and maintaining contemporary worship in denominational settings. He writes from real experience with Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist and Catholic churches with real challenges and, thankfully, real success stories. Beyond Rory Noland’s terrific work called Heart of the Artist, there is a dramatic lack of books that inform the work of creating contemporary worship. The need for such a resource exists, and Brian was inspired to produce this book as a way of addressing that need.
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Unfinished Reformation : What Unites And Divides Catholics And Protestants
$16.99Add to cartFive hundred years ago, a Catholic monk nailed a list of grievances on the door of a church in Germany and launched a revolution in the history of Christianity. Today there continues to be a number of unresolved issues between the Protestant and Catholic churches, and many experience this ongoing division within their family and among friends and neighbors. Written in an accessible and informative style, Gregg Allison and Chris Castaldo provide a brief and clear guide to the key points of unity and divergence between Protestants and Catholics today. They write to encourage fruitful conversation about the key theological and sociological differences between the two largest branches of the Christian Church. From the revolutionary events 500 years ago that sparked the Reformation to today, Unfinished Reformation takes a nuanced and thoughtful look at doctrine, practice, and how Protestants and Catholics can have fruitful discussions about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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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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Perfectly Simple Triune God
$49.00Add to cartIntroduction
1. The Simple, Perfect, Triune God
2. Authorities For Thomas’s Traditional Answer
3. Aquinas’s Legacy Among The Reformers
4. The Theodicy Question: Process Theism
5. The Question Of Divine And Human Freedom: Open Theism
6. The Logical Question: Analytic Theology
7. The Cultural And Political Questions
8. The Metaphysical Question
9. Conclusion: A Retrieval Of The Traditional Answer Attending To Its CriticsAdditional Info
A particularly nettlesome question is around the relationship of the confession of God as a simple yet threefold being-the treatises of the one God and the Trinity. Although God as simple and Triune was widely accepted for over a millennium, simplicity has been widely critiqued and rejected by modern theology. The purported error is in conceiving God’s unity prior to the Triune persons, an error begun by Augustine and crystallized in Aquinas.The Perfectly Simple Triune God challenges this critique and reading of Aquinas as a misunderstanding of his doctrine of God. By refusing to begin theology with God’s oneness, who God is collapses into who God is for us, a loss of the biblical and dramatic character of God for us. D. Stephen Long posits that the two treatises were never independent, but inextricably related and entailing one another. Long provides a constructive rereading of Thomas Aquinas, tracing antecedents to Aquinas in the patristic tradition, and readings of him through to the Reformers, taking into account challenges to the classical tradition posed by modern and contemporary theology and philosophy to offer a robust articulation of divine Trinitarian agency for a contemporary age that adheres to broadly considered orthodox and ecumenical parameters.
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Encounters With Luther
$52.00Add to cartEncounters with Luther offers in one volume original primary research from an international and ecumenical pool of scholars. It examines Luther and Lutheran theological traditions along with their historical foundations and with a focus on relevant contemporary issues and ecumenical collegiality. Topics range from sacraments and marriage to violence and gender and sexuality to spiritual care, politics, and suffering. Chapters are based on the annual Luther Colloquy proceedings at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. The articles represent a diverse range of authors and methodologies that reward readers with relevant and genuinely contemporary and practical applications of Luther’s thought.
Contributors: B. A. Gerrish, Mary Jane Haemig, Douglass John Hall, Stanley Hauerwas, Kurt K. Hendel, Hans J. Hillerbrand, Eero Huovinen, Denis R. Janz, Peter D. S. Krey, Volker Leppin, Carter Lindberg, Anna Madsen, Mickey L. Mattox, Surekha Nelavala, Brooks Schramm, Kirsi I. Stjerna, Deanna A. Thompson, Vitor Westhelle, and John Witte Jr.
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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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Book Of Harmony
$30.00Add to cart1. Introduction To The Book Of Concord
2. Themes In The Early Lutheran Reformation
3. Luther’s Catechisms: A Lifetime Of Learning
4. The Augsburg Confession: Faith For A Grounded, Flexible Church
5. Personal Faith And Shared Mission In The Apology
6. Freedom And Service In The Smalcald Articles
7. A Model For Harmony: The Formula Of ConcordAdditional Info
The Reformation-era writings that make up the Lutheran Confessions remain lively resources for Christian ministry and mission today. Because each of the documents within the Book of Concord was written with a specific context and rhetorical purpose in mind, each has its own compelling story and objectives. Luther’s catechisms present the faith for daily life at the grass-roots level, with teaching elements that we might now view as typical of social media and multimedia. The Augsburg Confession and its Apology provide an adaptable foundation for preaching, teaching, church organization, and dialogue that is rooted in the promise of Christ, received through faith. Fifteen years after the Diet of Worms, the Smalcald Articles reveal yet another “Here I stand” moment for Luther. Finally, the Formula of Concord shows how the next generations of Lutherans used collaboration and consensus as they wrestled with important themes of faith and life. In summary, as these texts engage us with their stories, they invite us to consider what is most important about our journeys of faith and Christian witness in today’s twenty-first-century contexts. -
Everyday Disciples : Covenant Discipleship With Youth
$14.00Add to cartEveryday Disciples: Covenant Discipleship With Youth by Chris Wilterdink resources pastors, youth leaders, and youth groups with information and planning materials related to Covenant Discipleship and accountability practices. Covenant Discipleship encourages youth to connect with Christ and one another through mutual accountability. It also encourages a networked support structure for living in the world as Christ followers.
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Growing Everyday Disciples
$12.00Add to cartGrowing Everyday Disciples: Covenant Discipleship With Children is a formational resource by Melanie C. Gordon, Susan Groseclose, and Gayle Quay that equips adults who serve in ministry with children ages 8-11 to guide children towards a mature faith through everyday acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Covenant Discipleship helps connect children with Jesus Christ and one another through ongoing mutual accountability and support for living in the world as Christ followers. The resource offers leaders in ministry with children suggestions for forming covenants, exploring accountability, evaluations, and a choice of plans to organize, maintain, and evaluate Covenant Discipleship groups with children. This resource also provides a brief background on discipleship, covenants, and society meetings of the Methodist Movement, and can be used as preparation for confirmation.
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Disciples Making Discples
$17.00Add to cartDisciples Making Disciples: Guide for Covenant Discipleship Groups and Class Leaders, by Steven W. Manskar is for pastors, Covenant Discipleship group members, and class leaders. It provides information needed to organize the ministry, form groups, write a covenant, lead a meeting, support groups so they help the congregation live out its mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world. The book also describes the office of class leaders and how to introduce this powerful disciple-making office to the congregation.
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Pilgrim Church And Kingdom
$11.95Add to cartCourse 8: Church & Kingdom: What does it mean to live as a child of the kingdom of God and follow in the way of Christ each day as a member of his church? How does it affect our life at work as well as at home? How does it affect what we do with the gifts we have been given, especially those gifts of time and talents, passions, resources, and money? How is the Christian faith changing us and shaping us so that we become more like Jesus? The importance of prayer, living out our faith, celebrating Sabbath, and reflecting generosity is explored. We look at how faith in the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shapes and changes all our relationships
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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.
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Holy One In Our Midst
$49.00Add to cart1. The Flesh Of Christ And The Extra Calvinisticum
2. The Flesh Of Christ In Modern Theology
3. The Logos And The Flesh Of Christ
4. The Temple Of God And The Flesh Of Christ
5. (De)Limiting The Flesh Of Christ
6. Why One Ought To Embrace The Extra CalvinisticumAdditional Info
The Holy One in Our Midst: An Essay on the Flesh of Christ aims to defend the doctrine of the extra Calvinisticum-the doctrine that maintains the Son of God was not restricted to the flesh of Christ during the incarnation-by arguing that it is logically coherent, biblically warranted, catholically orthodox, and theologically useful. It shows that none of the standard objections are devastating to the extra, that the doctrine is rooted in the claims of Christian Scripture and not merely a remnant of perfect being philosophical theology, and that the doctrine plays an important role in contemporary theological discussion. In this way, James Gordon revives an important Catholic doctrine that has fallen out of favor in contemporary theology. Also, this project aims to integrate biblical, philosophical, and systematic theology by showing that the tools and methods of each distinct discipline can contribute to the goals and aims of the others. -
Faithful Improvisation : Theological Reflections On Church Leadership
$31.99Add to cartChurch House Publishing
Faithful and effective church leadership requires preparation in prayer, theological reflection and a wide range of pastoral, prophetic and practical skills in order to ensure that what the Church discerns as necessary the Church does.
Faithful Improvisation? is both a contribution to a current and sometimes vigorous debate on how the Church trains its leaders and also a practical and theological resource for discerning what the Spirit is saying and then acting upon it in local church contexts.
Part One includes the full text of the Senior Church Leadership report from the Faith and Order Commission.
Part Two offers reflections by Cally Hammond, Thomas Seville, Charlotte Methuen, Jeremy Morris and David Hilborn, on practices, models and theologies of leadership in different periods of church history which informed the FAOC report.
Part Three opens up a broader discussion about present and future leadership within the Church of England. Mike Higton sketches out a dialogue between Senior Church Leadership and Lord Green’s report, Talent Management for Future Leaders; Tim Harle offers a personal reflection from the perspective of the community of leadership practitioners; and Rachel Treweek concludes with an exploration of the essentially relational character of leadership.
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Church Meets World
$14.95Add to cartThe New Church’s Teaching series has been one of the most recognizable and useful sets of books in the Episcopal Church. With the launch of the Church’s Teachings for a Changing World series, visionary Episcopal thinkers and leaders have teamed up to revitalize the series with fresh voices and style, making it grounded and thoughtful enough for seminarians and leaders, yet concise and clear enough for newcomers.A leading thinker and vibrant presence at the intersection of church and world, Winnie Varghese explores the “what”, “how”, and “why” of Episcopal engagement with contemporary social issues. Like the master of the household in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 13:52) who “brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old,” Varghese leads readers to discover theological resources from generations past and how they help to guide our action around thorny issues like racial justice, gender and sexuality, economic disparity, definitions of “family,” the environment, and much more.
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Reconciliation Reconsidered : Advancing The Conversation On Race In Churche
$19.99Add to cartReconciliation Takes Time.
A broad racial divide mars Churches of Christ, and courageous leaders from across the United States have joined together to listen to one another. Rather than adopt a posture of resignation, they have met for honest, God-honoring conversation.
In Reconciliation Reconsidered, Tanya Brice pulls together the early fruit she has gleaned from this ongoing conversation about racial reconciliation. Learn about yourself in the context of community as you explore these key ideas:
Exercise truth-telling: it’s what is needed before any reconciliation can happen
Discover how race relations are not as simple as you think
Challenge your stereotypes
Understand the meaning of current events like the Ferguson shooting in fresh ways
Revisit Christ’s teachings with a careful eye toward discipleship and love of your neighborEach chapter concludes with discussion questions that can help you and others navigate this perplexing and difficult topic.
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Representing Christ : A Vision For The Priesthood Of All Believers
$28.99Add to cartThe priesthood of all believers is a core Protestant belief. But what does it actually mean? Uche Anizor and Hank Voss set the record straight in this concise treatment of a doctrine that lies at the center of church life and Christian spirituality. The authors look at the priesthood of all believers in terms of the biblical witness, the contribution of Martin Luther and the doctrine of the Trinity. They place this concept in the context of the canonical description of Israel and the church as a royal priesthood that responds to God in witness and service to the world. Representing Christ is much more than a piece of Reformation history. It shows that the priesthood of all believers is interwoven with the practical, spiritual and missional life of the church.
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Wesley And Anglicans
$30.99Add to cartWhy did the Wesleyan Methodists and the Anglican evangelicals divide during the middle third of the eighteenth century? Many would argue that the division between was based narrowly on theological matters, especially predestination and perfection. Danker suggests, however, that politics was a major factor throughout driving the Wesleyan Methodists and Anglican evangelicals apart. Methodism was perceived to be linked with the radical and seditious politics of the Cromwellian period. This was a charged claim in a post-Restoration England. Likewise he explores the political force of resurgent Tory influence under George III which exerted more pressure on evangelicals to prove their loyalty to the Establishment. These political realities made it hard for evangelicals in the Church of England to cooperate with Wesley and meant that all their theological debates were politically infected. Rich in detail, this book traces the personalities involved along with the relative importance of canon law (“regularity”), public criticism and episcopal censure, parochial boundaries, lay ordination and sacramental administration, and alternative theological visions related to the Church of England. Here is a book for all who seek deeper insight into a critical juncture in the development of evangelicalism and early Methodism.
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In Pursuit Of Faithfulness
$34.99Add to cartForeword
Introduction: Crossroads Of Faithfulness
1. Beginnings, Both Anabaptist And American
2. The John F. Funk Era
3. Coming Together, Coming Apart
4. Threats From Without And Within
5. Expanding The Boundaries
6. The End Of Isolationalism
7. The Priesthood Of All Believers
8. A New Look
9. Binding And Loosing
Epilogue: Relations At The Crossroads
Appendix A: Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Congregations
Appendix B: Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Moderators
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Studies In Anabaptist And Mennonite History Series
The AuthorAdditional Info
In 1841, four Amish Mennonite families left their homes in southwestern Pennsylvania and traveled in horse-drawn wagons to Elkhart County, Indiana. Their journey was distinctly American, as they joined a wave of white settlers searching for new and cheaper lands where they could live, work, and worship. It was also distinctly Anabaptist, as they sought to live out complicated commitments to Christ, nonviolence, and community. In this lively narrative, historian and journalist Rich Preheim investigates the heritage and innovations of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, an area conference of Mennonite Church USA, that have profoundly shaped Mennonite faith and practice since the nineteenth century. Standing at the crossroads of tradition and change, Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan wrestle to pursue faithfulness to Christ in the twenty-first century. -
Massacre At Sand Creek
$22.99Add to cartSand Creek. An American tragedy occurred there that remains a symbol of the difference between what Americans believe themselves to be and the reality of what happened to Native peoples in the creation of the nation. Nearly 200 Cheyennes and Arapahos, camped under the protection of the United States government, were slain. The Sand Creek massacre seized national attention in the winter of 1864-1865 and generated a controversy that still excites heated debate more than 150 years later. At Sand Creek demoniac forces seemed unloosed so completely that humanity itself was the casualty. That was the charge that drew public attention to the Colorado frontier in 1865. That was the claim that spawned heated debate in Congress, two congressional hearings, and a military commission. Westerners vociferously and passionately denied the accusations. Reformers seized the charges as evidence of the failure of American Indian policy. Sand Creek launched a war that was not truly over for fifteen years. In the first year alone, it cost the United States government $50,000,000. Methodists have a special stake in this story. The governor whose polices led the Cheyennes and Arapahos to Sand Creek was a prominent Methodist layman. The commanding officer who ordered the attack on the Sand Creek village was a Methodist minister. Perhaps those were merely coincidences, but the question also remains of how the Methodist Episcopal Church itself responded to the massacre. Was it also somehow culpable in what happened? The Sand Creek massacre was tragedy in the truest sense, raw, visceral, brutal, but with hints of heroism and even nobility in its blood-red story. Coming to grips with what happened at Sand Creek involves hard questions and unsatisfactory answers not only about what happened but also about why. It stirs ancient questions about the best and worst in every person, questions older than history, questions as relevant as today’s headlines, questions we all must answer from within.
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In The Eye Of The Storm
$24.95Add to cartGene Robinson is bishop of the tiny, rural Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, but he’s at the center of a storm of controversy raging in the Episcopal Church and throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion involving homosexuality, the priesthood, and the future of the Communion. This book offers an honest, thoughtful portrait of Robinson, the faith that has informed his life, and the controversy that continues to rock his Church
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Viral Multiplication In Hispanic Churches
$18.99Add to cartReverend Iosmar Alvarez created this book to teach church planting leaders how to plant new, healthy, vital, and vibrant churches with multiplication DNA. Using scripture-grounded values, principles, and the author’s own testimony, this book will help reach both new and diverse Hispanic/Latino people, as well as other cultures and contexts.
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Copious Fountain : A History Of Union Presbyterian Seminary 1812-2012
$70.00Add to cartA Copious Fountain tells the two-hundred-year-old story of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. From its first days at Hampden-Sydney College, Union Presbyterian Seminary has answered its call to equip educated ministers to serve the church. As the first institution of its kind in the South, Union Presbyterian Seminary created a standard for theological education across denominational affiliations.
This systematic history of Union Presbyterian Seminary gives cultural and historical context to the school through its bicentennial year. Combining research, photographs, and primary source documents, Sweetser’s book celebrates the enduring influence of Union Presbyterian Seminary in the church and beyond.
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Faith Rules : An Episcopal Manual
$19.95Add to cart* Modeled on Michael Pollan’s best-selling Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual * Written by a prominent church figure Ian Markham, Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary, introduces both the Christian faith and The Episcopal Church to the seeker and Episcopal laity in this indispensable manual. Each page in Faith Rules is Episcopal wisdom set in concise, straightforward language for anyone in the 21st century.
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History Of The Amish 3rd Edition
$14.99Add to cartThe Amish, one of America s most intriguingly private, unique, and often misunderstood religious communities, have survived for three hundred years! How has that happened?
While much has been written on the Amish, little has been revealed about their history. This book brings together in one volume a thorough history of the Amish people. From their beginnings in Europe through their settlement in North America, the Amish have struggled to maintain their beliefs and traditions in often hostile settings.
Now updated, the book gives an in-depth look at how the modern Amish church continues to grow and change. It covers recent developments in new Amish settlements, the community s conflict and negotiation with government, the Nickel Mines school shooting, and the media s constant fascination with this religious people, from reality TV shows to romance novels.
Authoritative, thorough, and interestingly written, A History of the Amish presents the deep and rich heritage of the Amish people with dozens of illustrations and updated statistics.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history–books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. -
Works Of John Wesley 27
$77.99Add to cartAlthough many of the letters of John Wesley are of value as literature-especially as crisp statements of his views or desires with little attempt at embellishment-their major importance is as a revelation of him as a man and of the people and events of his day, especially those linked with the Methodist movement. They furnish us, in fact, with a portrait through seventy years that is both more revealing in detail and fuller in coverage than any other source. The correspondence presented in this third of seven planned volumes of Wesley’s Letters illuminates critical developments in the Wesleyan movement in the period between 1756 and 1765, including very significant rifts between John Wesley and his brother Charles and between John Wesley and his wife Mary, Wesley’s attempts to deal with radical enthusiasts and separatists (such as Thomas Maxfield) within the Methodist movement, his relationship to Greek Orthodox leader Gerasimos (Erasmus) Avlonites, and Wesley’s activities related to the Seven Years War.
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Letters From Samaria
$22.95Add to cartLouie Crew Clay has been the leading voice in LGBTQ issues in the church over the past forty years; founder of Integrity;
* Well-loved, well-known Episcopalian
* Funny, sharp, sad, thoughtful, poignant, historic
* Afterword by Bishop Mary Glasspool, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los AngelesLetters from Samaria gathers together much of Louie (Crew) Clay’s best and most influential prose and poetry, written from 1974 until the present day, including an essay composed especially for the volume. Much of the material has not appeared since its original publication in newsletters and other ephemeral sources. It is crisply written and often surprising for its bravery, matter-of-fact self-disclosure, insight, and love. Louie played a pivotal role in transforming The Episcopal Church – and, indeed, Christianity – over the past 40 years. This collection provides a window into Louie Clay’s unlikely and at times shocking ministry throughout the years as history was unfolding.
For LGBTQ Christians and their allies across denominations, those interested in the history of acceptance, fans of Louie Clay’s writing
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Episcopal Story : Birth And Rebirth
$14.95Add to cartThe next generation of the classic New Church’s Teaching Series
* Accessible and engaging for newcomers and adult learners; appropriate content for church leaders and seminarians
* Interactive study questions and exercises and accompanied by online materialsThe New Church’s Teaching series has been one of the most recognizable and useful book series in The Episcopal Church. With the launch of the Church’s Teachings for a Changing World series, visionary Episcopal thinkers and leaders have teamed up to revitalize the classic resource with fresh new voices and style, concise, and clear enough for newcomers, yet grounded and thoughtful enough for seminarians and leaders.
In this second volume, seminary dean and popular blogger Thomas Ferguson traces the history of Christianity, with a special focus on the rise of the Anglican Communion and the birth and continual rebirth of The Episcopal Church. Explores how we got here and where we might be going.
For lay and ordained church leaders, Education for Ministry (EfM) groups, seminary students and faculty, newcomers, and adult formation groups
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Arts Camp : A Creative Customizable Alternative To Vacation Bible School An
$34.95Add to cartLess packaged, more theologically and pedagogically appropriate, thoughtful, and community-based alternative toVacation Bible School
* A way for churches to conduct an artful exploration of faithArts Camp provides practical, concrete instruction that a church needs to plan, organize, staff, and conduct an annual five-day Arts Camp, including guidance on logistics, funding, finding art instructors (within both the local church and the broader community), ideas for structuring and scheduling the five days of camp, and a celebration on the Sunday following camp. Each chapter includes details on art projects, programming, music, drama, games, and resources.
For Episcopal and other mainline churches looking for alternatives to pre-packaged VBS programs, directors of Christian education and children’s ministry, camps and retreat centers
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Naked Anabaptist : The Bare Essentials Of A Radical Faith (Anniversary)
$18.99Add to cartPart I
1. Uncovering The Anabaptists
2. The Essence Of Anabaptism
Part II
3. Follow Jesus
4. Read Scripture Through Jesus
5. Thrive After Christendom
6. Reject Status, Wealth, And Force
7. Create Communities Of Discipleship And Mission
8. Seek Justice
9. Pursue Peace
Part III
10. The Original Anabaptists
11. Anabaptism Today
Resources On Anabaptism
Study Guide
Notes
The Author
Additional Info
5th Anniversay Edition
In churches and kitchens and neighborhood centers across the world, communities of Jesus-followers are crafting a vision of radical service, simple living, and commitment to peace. Many are finding a home in a Christian tradition almost five centuries old: Anabaptism.Who are the Anabaptists? What do they believe? Where did they come from? What makes them different from other Christians? And can you become an Anabaptist without leaving your own church?
Follow Stuart Murray as he peels back the layers to reveal the core convictions of Anabaptist Christianity, a way of following Jesus that challenges, disturbs, and inspires. Glimpse an alternative to nationalistic, materialistic, individualistic Christian faith. If you are seeking a community of authentic discipleship, heartfelt worship, sacrificial service, and radical peacemaking, consider this your invitation.
New Edition features:
– Voices and stories from North America and the global church.
-Updated and expanded definition and discussion of Christendom.
-Updated resource section.
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Renewing The World
$15.99Add to cartBarton Stone, Thomas Campbell, and Alexander Campbell organized a nineteenth-century Christian renewal movement that later coalesced into three distinct church bodies in the United States: Churches of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.
What is less known is that from these humble origins, the Stone-Campbell Movement has grown globally, now with churches in more than 199 countries. This book tells the story from the movement’s beginnings all the way to its international expansion into Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Complete with a study guide and personal reflection questions, this book is ideal for longtime members, new members, and those unfamiliar with the Stone-Campbell heritage.
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Trinity In The Stone Campbell Movement
$29.99Add to cartAn assessment of Trinitarian thought in the two-hundred-year-old Stone-Campbell Movement, including suggestions for ways in which the renewal of Trinitarian doctrine can revitalize the church’s life and mission.
Throughout its history the Stone-Campbell Movement has noticeably neglected Trinitarian doctrine, prohibiting a biblical understanding of God as Trinity from significantly impacting the movement’s churches. This book attempts to rectify this weakness in three ways. First, a focus on the Trinitarian positions of Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone sheds new light on the early shapers of the movement.
Second, the book lays out specific ways in which the movement would benefit by a biblically grounded Trinitarianism and the contributions of contemporary trinitarian theologians. And third, it presents a plan for the advancement of biblical Trinitarian doctrine among Stone-Campbell churches.
Significant contributions of this study include the most thorough examination to date of Trinitarian doctrine in Stone-Campbell thought, an original presentation of the historical theology that stands behind the Trinitarian positions of Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone, and a fresh proposal regarding the roots of Barton Stone’s quasi-Arianism.
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Peace Progress And The Professor
$39.99Add to cartPreface And Acknowledgments
1. Geography Of A Prairie Childhood
2. Becoming C.
3. The Democracy Of Learning
4. In The Service Of A Usable Past
5. How To Write The Mennonite Story
6. The Way Of Exile
7. The “Most Liberal Wing”
8. Forays Down A Winding Road
9. Diverging Readings Of Anabaptist History
10. Mennonite Intellectual In A Time Of Crisis
11. The Final Mennonite History
12. Epilogue
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Studies In Anabaptist And Mennonite History Series
The AuthorAdditional Info
What does it mean to be Mennonite in the modern world? And what is the witness of a peace church that is always at risk of splintering? C. Henry Smith-son of an Amish family, erudite historian, urbane bank president, and pioneer of Mennonite scholarship-sought answers to these questions in the middle of the 20th century, and his answers reverberate through the church to this day.In this engaging narrative biography, historian Perry Bush chronicles Smith’s childhood in an Illinois farming community, his youthful turn toward intellectual inquiry, and his confidence that Anabaptist faith and life offer gifts to the wider world. By recounting the story of one of the foremost Mennonite intellectuals, Bush surveys the storied terrain of 20th-century Mennonite identity in its selective borrowing from wider culture and its tentative embrace of progressive reforms and higher education, and growing conviction that Anabaptism served as a taproot of Western civilization. Bush argues that Smith’s body of historical writing furnished a new generation of Mennonites with both an understanding of their shared past and the tools to navigate an ever-shifting present.
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Peace Progress And The Professor
$29.99Add to cartPreface And Acknowledgments
1. Geography Of A Prairie Childhood
2. Becoming C.
3. The Democracy Of Learning
4. In The Service Of A Usable Past
5. How To Write The Mennonite Story
6. The Way Of Exile
7. The “Most Liberal Wing”
8. Forays Down A Winding Road
9. Diverging Readings Of Anabaptist History
10. Mennonite Intellectual In A Time Of Crisis
11. The Final Mennonite History
12. Epilogue
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Studies In Anabaptist And Mennonite History Series
The AuthorAdditional Info
What does it mean to be Mennonite in the modern world? And what is the witness of a peace church that is always at risk of splintering? C. Henry Smith-son of an Amish family, erudite historian, urbane bank president, and pioneer of Mennonite scholarship-sought answers to these questions in the middle of the 20th century, and his answers reverberate through the church to this day.In this engaging narrative biography, historian Perry Bush chronicles Smith’s childhood in an Illinois farming community, his youthful turn toward intellectual inquiry, and his confidence that Anabaptist faith and life offer gifts to the wider world. By recounting the story of one of the foremost Mennonite intellectuals, Bush surveys the storied terrain of 20th-century Mennonite identity in its selective borrowing from wider culture and its tentative embrace of progressive reforms and higher education, and growing conviction that Anabaptism served as a taproot of Western civilization. Bush argues that Smith’s body of historical writing furnished a new generation of Mennonites with both an understanding of their shared past and the tools to navigate an ever-shifting present.
