Denominational Concerns
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Liturgical Sense : The Logic Of Rite
$21.95Add to cart* A premier Anglican liturgical theologian reviews the history of the liturgical movement
in North America and anticipates next steps in liturgical “sensibility”Louis Weil looks back on his work shaping the liturgical life of the Episcopal Church
through his involvement with the development of The 1979 Book of Common Prayer-
and looks forward to the future of the church and its liturgical life. Through stories and
first-person anecdotes, Weil does “narrative theology” as only he can.Although most points of reference are to the 1979 BCP, the book is aiming at a more
fundamental level-not just Episcopal or even Anglican liturgy, but liturgical rites as
such: how do they “do what they do”?-or NOT do when they are done badly! “Liturgical
Sense” is two dimensional: both the “common sense” of liturgical rites and also their
“aesthetic sense.”It is Dr. Weil’s contention that in American culture we have an inherent inability to “think
symbolically.” Dr. Weil seeks to encourage a return to “liturgical sense” across the church. -
Lay Servant Ministries Guide For Conference And District Committees
$10.00Add to cartThis guide provides information for conference and district directors of Lay Servant Ministries, including the responsibilities for conference and district directors, guidance for organizing Lay Servant Ministries, tools for administration, information on the Association of Conference Directors of Lay Servant Ministries (ACDLSM), and other helpful resources.
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John Knox For Armchair Theologians
$24.00Add to cartThis volume in the popular Armchair series presents a short and reader-friendly introduction to the tumultuous life and theology of the fiery reformer John Knox. As leader of the Scottish Reformation, Knox notably came into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, particularly Queen Mary. He was also an outspoken advocate for education and care for the poor, and is widely regarded as the founder of the Church of Scotland. Each chapter includes a description of Knox’s activities as well as a discussion of key texts that introduce Knox’s theological convictions. Expertly written by Suzanne McDonald, and featuring witty illustrations from Ron Hill, this book offers an intriguing introduction to the life and work of this major theological figure.
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God Of My Heart (Expanded)
$21.95Add to cartA convenient resource for youth leaders in any ministry setting, fully indexed by topic
and scripture and organized around the church year* Topics chosen by youth and prayers written by youth-their ideas, their language
* A great gift book for teen’s confirmation, birthday, graduation, etc.
Originally released in 1998, this 144-page collection of prayers for youth written by
Catholic high school students was a steady seller in its first 10 years. This new, expanded
version offers a fresh, contemporary design, an ecumenical format and approach, plus
additional prayers written by today’s high school teens and artwork contributed by
Episcopal youth from across the country. Other features include a four-page introduction
that suggests multiple ways to use the book, a one-page introduction for each season of
the church year, scripture index and topic index, plus more than 150 prayers. -
Anglican Women On Church And Mission
$27.95Add to cartPioneering work by women theologians and leaders in the Anglican Communion
addressing topics of ecclesiology and missiology* Sterling array of diverse and distinguished contributors from around the world
* New addition to Canterbury Studies in Anglicanism series
In the past several decades, the issues of women’s ordination and of homosexuality have
unleashed intense debates on the nature and mission of the Church, authority and the
future of the Anglican Communion. Amid such momentous debates, theological voices
of women in the Anglican Communion have not been clearly heard, until now.This book invites the reader to reconsider the theological basis of the Church and its
call to mission in the 21st century, paying special attention to the colonial legacy of the
Anglican Church and the shift of Christian demographics to the Global South. In addition
to essays by the volume editors, this 12-essay collection includes contributions by
Jane Shaw, Ellen Wondra and Beverley Haddad, among others. -
Celebrating The Rites Of Initiation
$30.95Add to cartCelebrating Series Celebrating the Rites of Initiation continues the standard of scholarship set by Patrick Malloy’s Celebrating the Eucharist, and offers similar aids around issues of baptism and confirmation. It is an ideal book for students and practicing clergy who seek to strengthen their knowledge-and parochial practice-of baptismal theology.
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Liturgy Explained : New Edition (Revised)
$11.95Add to cartThis completely new work replaces the best-selling but woefully outdated Morehouse classic by the same name. This fresh work explains the liturgy in all its aspects for the uninitiated and is written by a respected liturgics scholar in the Episcopal Church.
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Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year C 2
$42.00Add to cartBased on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 2 is an invaluable aid that provides liturgical pieces needed in preparing for worship each week. Written and compiled by a team of eleven ecumenical and seasoned liturgy writers under the creative leadership of Kimberly Bracken Long, this resource offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship and is meant to complement existing denominational resources. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
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Trust In God
$42.00Add to cartIn this accessible book, David Johnson examines the Christian spiritual life using the Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a guide. He demonstrates how the Book of Confessions can help us understand what it means to be a Christian and how one goes about living a Christian life. Johnson uses the rubrics of faith, love, and hope to ground our understanding of spirituality and help us develop disciplines for our spiritual lives. These disciplines include listening and speaking, worship and Sabbath, giving and stewardship, patience and planning, and reconciling. Three appendices give concrete guidelines for engaging in Bible reading and prayer-the two central spiritual disciplines of the Reformed tradition. Johnson’s helpful book invites laity and clergy to participate in the blessings and joys of a Reformed vision of the spiritual life.
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Presbyterians And American Culture
$37.00Add to cartThis book provides a history of Presbyterians in American culture from the early eighteenth to the late twentieth century. Johnson assesses both the theological and cultural development of American Presbyterianism, with particular focus on the mainline tradition that is expressed most prominently in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He explores how Presbyterian churches-and individuals rooted in those churches-influenced and were influenced by the values, attitudes, perspectives, beliefs, and ideals assumed by Americans in the course of American history. The book will serve as an important introduction to Presbyterian history that will interest historians, students, and church leaders alike.
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John Knox : Man Of Action
$36.00Add to cartA deeply researched, well-written and comprehensive biography which vividly brings its subject and the milieu of the Scottish Reformation to life–but, even more significantly, the author’s approach to Knox is uniquely different to the contemporary preconception of a ranting dogmatic misogynist. This man of action lived a dramatic life: he was a galley slave, an exile, and a man who lived at the very centre of one of the most volatile periods in Christian and Scottish history, keeping his integrity intact.
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Evangelicals On The Canterbury Trail (Revised)
$25.95Add to cartWhy do so many evangelicals flock to liturgical traditions today? Robert Webber first explored the question in this thoughtful and engaging classic in 1989; now evangelical scholar and pastor Lester Ruth updates the conversation. Much remains of Webber’s beloved original text, including his discussion of Anglicanism’s six great gifts: mystery and awe, Christ-centered worship, sacramental reality, historical identity, participation in catholic traditions and holistic spirituality. Ruth adds fresh stories from evangelicals who have followed Webber’s footsteps on the Canterbury trail, along with new essays that highlight the diversity of Anglican expressions today.
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Give Up Something Bad For Lent (Student/Study Guide)
$15.99Add to cartInvites readers to focus on, with God’s help, eliminating habits or attitudes that may be destructive in their lives, such as envy, self-pity, procrastination, gossip, resentment, or negative thinking.
Seven sessions, one for each Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday
Each session features a Scripture reference, a personal reading, questions for personal reflection or group study, and closing prayer -
Prayers At Nights Approaching
$21.95Add to cartSeekers and church members today are rediscovering the power of many of Christianity’s ancient traditions, such as Evening Prayer. For many years now, in England, they have turned to the writing of Jim Cotter. In fact, the New Zealand Prayer Book’s Evening Prayer section comes largely from Prayer at Night’s Approaching.
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Being United Methodist
$16.99Add to cartIn Being United Methodist, popular and beloved author J. Ellsworth Kalas uses his inimitable style to address a topic that sometimes is complicated even to those who have practiced it for years. Kalas explores questions such as:
Who are these people called Methodists?
Where have they come from, and where are they going?
Why do so few of them really know what it means to be Methodist?
What makes them tick, and in a forever changing world, what keeps them ticking? -
Wesley And The People Called Methodists (Revised)
$34.99Add to cartThis second edition of Richard P Heitzenrater’s grounbreaking survey of the Wesleyan movement is the story of the many people who contributed to the theology, organization, and mission of Methodism. This updated version addresses recent research from the past twenty years, including an extensive bibliography; and fleshes out such topics as the means of grace, Conference; “Large” Minutes; Charles Wesley; Welsey and America, ordination: prison ministry; apostolic church; music; children; Susanna and Samuel Wesley, the Christian library; itinerancy; connectionalsim; doctrinal standards; and John Wesley as historian, Oxford don, and preacher.
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Users Guide To The Book Of Common Prayer
$20.99Add to cartChurch House Publishing
This short and timely book introduces and explains the Book of Common Prayer in a new way to a new audience, and in a style of language that is accessible and informative without being techincal or assuming prior knowledge. It is intended as a basic, beginners’ guide for those from a non-liturgical/non-traditional background, for whom the tradition of prayer represented in the Prayer Book may be alien.
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Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year C 1
$42.00Add to cartA new worship resource in the acclaimed Feasting on the Word series
The Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume One, is the first of six volumes (two for each lectionary year) in a new series for worship leaders and pastors. Based on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), this book is an invaluable aid that provides all liturgical pieces needed in preparing for worship each week. A team of eleven ecumenical and seasoned liturgy writers, under the creative leadership of Kimberly Bracken Long, offer a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive reading for all parts of worship. In addition, drawn from the lectionary each week are a question for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening so churches can include them in their bulletin for parishioners.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each book and easily enables planners to cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, or questions into worship bulletins.
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Caring Liturgies : The Pastoral Power Of Christian Liturgy
$24.00Add to cartCaregiving practices in churches often center around listening and giving counsel, making referrals, and creating support groups for specific needs. In Caring Liturgies, Susan Marie Smith proposes that Christian ritual is both a method and a means for helping people through liminal times of transition and uncertainty, even vulnerability and fear. It teaches readers to recognize the ritual needs of fellow Christians and thus create post-baptismal rites of passage and healing that might strengthen and support them in the fulfillment of their ministries.
The book extends the usefulness of denominational “occasional services” books and other resources by suggesting ways to build a rite around a central symbolic action, pointing out issues of ritual honesty and ethics, and identifying skills and attributes necessary to preparing and leading a rite. Numerous narrative examples help to flesh out the principles and illustrate the key argument: that rituals are necessary means to enable human growth and maturity, both through times of suffering and times of transition, and that ritual-making leaders are central to the ongoing health of the church.
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Water Of Baptism Water For Life
$12.95Add to cartThis illustrated activity book for ages 8-11 can be used in an educational or devotional setting at home, church, or school.
Water connects all physical and spiritual life. Besides being essential for life, water is the visible sign of Baptism, which calls us to serve others in the world. Having clean water for all God’s children is an act of justice, love, respect and a core value of what it means to be a Christian.
These activities tap into multiple learning levels and offer a variety of ways for children to interact with this core value of our faith, making a direct connection for young people between their faith and daily life. Activities also connect clean water and the Millennium Development Goals.
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Sustainable Presbyterian Future
$18.00Add to cartA timely exploration of the present state and possible future of the Presbyterian church.
“With some hope and openness we can review our current situation and imagine our future prospects.” from the preface
In this study of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louis Weeks examines the present state of the denomination and how congregations can grow in faith through the current time of transition in the church. He considers markers of Presbyterian identity, new ways of connecting and faith development, and defining qualities of the church. Recognizing that many congregations are changing in different ways, Weeks includes case studies of congregations and interviews with leaders of local congregations and denominational leaders to explore aspects of Presbyterian faith and life that are viable and necessary for the future.
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Works Of John Wesley 12
$77.99Add to cartThe first of three theological volumes, this volume is devoted to four of John Wesley’s foundational treatises on soteriology.
These treatises include, first, Wesley’s extract from the Homilies of the Church of England, which he published to convince his fellow Anglican clergy that the ‘evangelical’ emphasis on believers experiencing a conscious assurance of God’s pardoning love was consistent with this standard of Anglican doctrine. Next comes Wesley’s extract of Richard Baxter’s Aphorisms of Justification, aimed more at those who shared his evangelical emphasis, invoking this honored moderate Puritan to challenge antinomian conceptions of the doctrine of justification by faith. This is followed by Wesley’s abridgement of the Shorter Catechism issued by the Westminster Assembly in his Christian Library, where he affirms broad areas of agreement with this standard of Reformed doctrine-while quietly removing items with which he disagreed. The fourth item is Wesley’s extended response to the Dissenter John Taylor on the doctrine of original sin, which highlights differences within the broad ‘Arminian’ camp, with Wesley resisting a drift toward naively optimistic views of human nature that he discerned in Taylor.
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Company Of Voices (Revised)
$31.99Add to cartThis is vital reading for anyone who wishes to understand the nature of prayer. Down to earth and accessible, yet applauded for its scholarship, it is ‘truly exciting to read’ and full of help and sympathy for the Christian who finds prayer difficult. Truly breathtaking in its scope, this important study deserves its reputation as a contemporary spiritual classic.
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On This Spirit Walk
$16.99Add to cartOn This Spirit Walk is a resource for small group study within the local church. Setting this resource apart is the list of Native American United Methodist writers who contributed to this work. This diverse group includes a cross-section of tribes and nations, ages and life experiences. The inclusion of indigenous activist and human rights advocate Rev. Liberato Bautista provides a powerful depth of vision to these voices.
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People Of The Way
$23.95Add to cartThere is a renewed conversation about identity and mission in American Anglicanism today, based on the recognition that the church’s context in the U.S. has dramatically changed. The legacies of establishment, benefactor approaches to mission, and the ‘national church’ ideal are no longer adequate for the challenges and opportunities facing the 21st century church.
But if the Episcopal Church is no longer the Church of the Establishment and the benefactor model of church is dead, what is the heart of Episcopal mission and identity?
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Words For Worship
$12.99Add to cartChurch House Publishing
Words for Worship brings together the most cherished prayers in the Church of England’s liturgy, both in Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer. From modern collects to prayers that have been learned by heart over generations, here are the words that today create a common identity among Anglican worshippers.
Texts include the Lord’s Prayer, the Gloria, Sanctus, Prayers of Confession, the Creeds, the Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, Benedictus, the Agnus Dei, the Grace, and many more. Each prayer is accompanied by a short commentary on its history and meaning, opening it up for those new to Anglican worship and those seeking a deeper understanding of familiar words.
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Calling On The Spirit In Unsettling Times
$19.95Add to cartBased upon addresses given to Anglican audiences in North America and Australia, Bill Countryman directly confronts the challenges that face Anglicans and other Western Christians at a time of internal division and increasing indifference to religion on the part of educated elites. He regards these challenges as a work of the Holy Spirit, who is clearing the ground for a new era of building, and help readers start thinking about what kind of future the Spirit is leading us toward.
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Episcopal Etiquette And Ethics
$21.95Add to cartWhat is the appropriate attire for an Episcopal priest at the events associated with the service in the Book of Common Prayer, the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage? What does it mean to be an icon of Christ at a cocktail party? How does one live with sensitive confidential information from a parishioner? These questions might seem almost trivial yet are deeply serious. The Episcopal Church is a distinctive culture: effective ministry needs an understanding of the distinctive Episcopal culture. At one level, this is a book that introduces and explains the Episcopal faith to a potential priest who wants to be effective in this world. At another level, this book is a reflection on the meaning and nature of the holy mystery of priesthood. Drawing upon his rich parish experience in the Episcopal Church, Hawkins distils a wealth of practical experience and tips to enhance the training of seminarians and the ministries of established priests. Hawkins takes the reader through the pastoral offices with theological reflection and vignettes in order to encourage good priestly habits. Ideal reading for anyone wishing to serve the Episcopal Church in an ordained capacity.
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God Truly Worshipped
$40.00Add to cartArchbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) played a critical, formative role in the creation and development of the Church of England, from his sudden and dramatic appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532, through his granting of Henry VIII’s divorce from Queen Katharine, his emergence under Edward VI as a determined reformer in the mould of his European contemporaries, and to his memorable death under Mary Tudor in 1556. He is best remembered as the prime editor and creator of the two Books of Common Prayer of 1549 and 1552, and these indeed stand at the head of Anglican liturgical identity and tradition. Their influence and importance cannot be overstated. This book seeks to offer a survey of his growth and development as theologian and leader of the church through the lens of his written work: not only liturgy, but also homilies, correspondence and official doctrinal statements. This volume introduces Cranmer as a churchman, theologian and liturgist whose original contribution to Anglican spirituality in its earlie
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Conversations With Scripture The Gospel Of Matthew (Student/Study Guide)
$21.95Add to cartThis book invites readers to enter the narrative world and the historical context of Matthew’s gospel to encounter Jesus Christ in his mighty works and words. Focusing on particular social and theological issues, such as eschatology and Jewish-Christian conflict, it shows how Matthew used Jesus’ stories and teachings to instruct and sustain his racially-mixed church to meet the severe challenges posed by Pharisaic opposition. Roman suspicion and intramural tension.
It is worth noting that the church today faces similar challenges in its need to articulate its faith and identity, to bear strong witness and unity, and to carry out its missions to baptize and teach the world.
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Focus : The Real Challenges That Face The United Methodists Church
$14.99Add to cartFew would argue that many challenges face The United Methodist Church. But what are the core issues and concerns, the ones that must be addressed if the church is to follow God’s leading into the future? Laying aside what can be merely tweaked or adjusted, what must the UMC “reset” about itself? Lovett Weems, one of the most highly-respected interpreters of contemporary United Methodism, suggests that we start with the following:
– What will happen now that the increased giving that United Methodists have enjoyed (despite declining membership numbers) has reached a plateau and begun to decline?
– Why, with 34,000 congregations and $6.5 billion in annual giving, can’t United Methodists add a net increase of even 1 new disciple of Jesus Christ in a given year?
– Why are United Methodist clergy less concerned with reaching young adults than are laity? Why are laity unwilling to make the changes to worship and budgets required to attract these same young adults?
– If the percentage of married couples with young children has declined by half since the 1950s, why is that still the group we focus on reaching?
– Why are so many mid-sized churches on their way to becoming small-membership congregations?With insight, conviction, and calm resolve, Lovett Weems challenges United Methodists not only to ask these hard questions, but to face up to the difficult decisions they require of us as we continue to seek God’s will for our lives together.
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Beauty Of Holiness
$40.00Add to cartThe Beauty of Holiness: The Caroline Divines and Their Writings offers an expansive and detailed portrait of the continued maturation of Anglican theology and devotion in the central half of the seventeenth century. The Caroline Divines have long been hailed as the patrons of an Anglican golden age. Their emphasis upon liturgical renewal and development, like their emphases upon learning and piety, have had a pervasive influence on the Anglican ethos that extends down to our own day. aaThe Beauty of Holiness includes selections from key figures such as Lancelot Andrewes, John Cosin, and Jeremy Taylor, but also expands the canon of Caroline divinity to include lay writings, some of which were published posthumously. Traditional topics such as sacramental theology and private devotion are complimented by readings on poetry as a spiritual discipline, natural theology, and the importance of family prayers. Chapters survey diverse facets of Anglican orthodoxy such as liturgical practice, the cult of King Charles the Martyr,
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Friends Of The Law
$41.99Add to cartCharges of forgery, heresy, legalism, and immorality turn on the question of whether Martin Luther taught a third use of the Law for the Christian life. For the past sixty years, well-meaning scholars believed they settled the question-with dire consequences.
Friends of the Law sets forth a completely new body of evidence that shows how little Luther’s teaching was understood. This new book looks at the doctrine of the Law and invites a new consensus that could change the way Christians view the Reformation and even their daily walk with God.
Contains
*data tables
*translations of passages not available in English
*appendices
*bibliography on Law and Gospel -
Widening The Circle
$14.99Add to cartForeword
Introduction
First Wave (1950s And ’60s)
Second Wave (1970s And ’80s)
Third Wave (1990s To Present)Additional Info
In the last half-century, a growing number of North Americans have been smitten with an Anabaptist-Mennonite vision of church and mission. Often coming from outside the Mennonite mainstream, they’ve formed communities with others of like mind and sought to live out their radical faith. But in the process, they often bump up against the institutional church that has housed the radical vision for generations. The stories and reflections offered in Widening the Circle explore that creative tension. The result is a rich showcase of Jesus-centered discipleship-windows into what the future church can look like.Contributing authors are Vincent Harding, Rosemarie Freeney Harding, Rachel Elizabeth Harding, Sally Schreiner Youngquist, Celina Varela, Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Hedy Sawadsky, AndrA(C) Gingerich Stoner, Peter Sprunger-Froese, Mary Sprunger-Froese, Dawn Longenecker, Tim Nafziger, James Nelson Gingerich, Sarah Thompson, Bert Newton, Mark Van Steenwyk, Andrea Ferich, Seth McCoy, Jamie Arpin-Ricci, Anton Flores-Maisonet, Calenthia S. Dowdy, Jesce Walz.
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Methodist Doctrine : The Essentials (Revised)
$23.99Add to cartIn this concise, accessible book, Dr. Ted Campbell provides a brief summary of the major doctrines shared in the Wesley family of denominations. Writing in concise and straightforward language, Campbell organizes the material into systematic categories: doctrine of revelation, doctrine of God, doctrine of Christ, doctrine of the Spirit, doctrine of humanity, doctrine of “the way of salvation” (conversion/justification/sanctification), doctrine of the church and means of grace, and doctrine of thing to come. He also supplies substantial buy simplified updated references in the margins of the book that allow for easy identification of his sources.
John Wesley distinguished between essential doctrines on which agreement or consensus is critical and opinions about theology or church practices on which disagreement must be allowed. Though today few people join churches based on doctrinal commitments, once a person has joined a church it becomes important to know the teachings of that church’s tradition. In Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials, Ted Campbell outlines historical doctrinal consensus in American Episcopal Methodist Churches in a comparative and ecumenical dialogue with the doctrinal inheritance of other major families of Christian tradition. In this way, the book shows both what Methodist churches historically teach in common with ecumenical Christianity and what is distinctive about the Methodist tradition in its various contemporary forms.
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Reading Scripture With The Reformers
$18.99Add to cartPreface
1. Why Read The Reformers?
2. Ad Fontes!
3. The Erasmian Moment
4. Whose Bible? Which Translation?
5. Doctor Martinus
6. Lutheran Ways
7. Along The Rhine
8. Preach The Word
ConclusionAdditional Info
In Reading Scripture with the Reformers, Timothy George takes readers through the exciting events of the sixteenth century, showing how this dynamic period was instigated by a fresh return to the Scriptures. George immerses us in the world of the Reformation, its continuities with the ancient and medieval church, and its dramatic upheavals and controversies. Most of all, he uncovers the significant way that the Bible shaped the minds and hearts of the reformers. This book shows how the key figures of the Reformation read and interpreted Scripture, and how their thought was shaped by what they read. We are invited to see what the church today can learn from the fathers of the Reformation, and how these figures offer a model of reading, praying and living out the Scriptures. -
Welcome To The Christian Faith
$20.95Add to cartImportant new addition to the strong-selling “Welcome To” series
Well known author is already part of the series
A foundational volume for seekers in formation programs and a “refresher” study volume for individuals and congregational study groups.We live in a world increasingly separated from the Christian tradition and the basic understanding of the faith that previous ages might have taken for granted. The voices of faith seem increasingly strident and off-putting to many. There is a need for a calmer, basic introduction to faith that recognizes the value of doubt and the questions raised in a secular society.
A systematic introduction to Christianity for newcomers needs to begin with a discussion of faith itself, which this new book does. It then moves on to a discussion of such Christian basics as God, Trinity, Church, sin, atonement, prayer, and Christian living.
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Child By Child
$17.95Add to cartA how-to-guide to integrate children and youth with special needs into church programs and activities, including worship.
Includes how to train volunteers and staff for hands-on work with children and youth who have special needs.
Provides a theological grounding for the inclusion of people with learning differences and disabilities in the life of a congregation.
Integrating children and teens with learning differences into church programs is a growing priority for nearly all congregations, large and small, yet many feel ill-equipped to “manage” those with special needs in their classrooms, programs and worship.
This new guidebook for churches is designed to help integrate children and teens with learning differences – and their families – into the fabric of everyday church life. A useable on-the-ground resource for church leaders with specific suggestions, samples, and processes for adapting curricula, training volunteers, and supporting parents and caregivers, this guide is grounded in theological principles for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of a congregation. It begins by focusing on human relationships instead of programs. Expanding the church’s awareness and understanding of inclusion is done with respect and achieved by extending the gospel of welcome to all. An extensive annotated bibliography of support materials is included.
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What Episcopalians Believe
$19.95Add to cartThe most recent and accessible introduction to Episcopalian beliefs
Episcopalian identity tends to focus on history and worship, and sometimes on ethics – but “cradle” and new Episcopalians – plus seekers – will benefit from having a brief, accessible summary of the Christian faith as seen through an Episcopalian lens.
There are two underlying convictions behind the book: FIRST, that ecumenism is at the heart of the Episcopal faith. Episcopalians are well placed to offer themselves as a place of convergance between Roman Catholics and Protestants, and even between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox. SECONDLY, in the current conflicts both within the Episcopal Church and between the Episcopal Church and some of its Anglican Communion partners, there is no fundamental difference in doctrine. The book is an attempt to portray what all parties have in common.
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Conversations With Scripture The Book Of Judges (Student/Study Guide)
$21.95Add to cartA fresh, accessible approach to the religious and spiritual significance of the story of Judges – not as a series of heroic stories but as a cautionary tale about convenant, sin, and society.
The newest entry in the only Bible study series written from a uniquely Anglican perspective
Designed for adult formation programs in parish group settings or for use by individuals
Study and reflection questions included
Sunday School curriculum or an irredeemably violent book? Throughout its history, Judges has both entertained and appalled readers – some read it as a series of simple stories about faithfulness and some as a brutal and bloodthirsty book. Heller explores how Judges can shape our understanding of our world, our relationships, and can provide a path to a deeper appreciation of the ways of God among people. Far from seeing the book as either simplistic or cruel, Heller allows this odd text to speak to us anew about God, sin, relationships, and justice.
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Present Tense : A Mennonite Spirituality
$16.95Add to cartEver wonder what Mennonite spirituality is or if there is such a thing? Gordon Houser explores the heart of Mennonite spirituality and how Mennonite spiritual practices may succeed or fall short. In his Foreword, Richard Rohr insightfully places Present Tense in the context of his view of Mennonites then concludes, “That’s the way I see it, anyway. But read this inspiring book, and you will know how Gordon Houser sees it-which is much better.” Valerie Weaver-Zercher, Contributing Editor to Sojourners, believes that “Houser’s gentle, forthright, and theologically astute voice has nothing to prove. His many years as an ‘insider’-a church journalist-and ‘outsider’-one who did not grow up Mennonite-render these reflections on Mennonite spirituality into a unique alloy of intimacy and objectivity.” John D. Roth, Professor of History, Goshen College, sees here, “Wise, gentle and grace-filled reflections on spirituality from a Mennonite perspective. I recommend it highly!” And David Augsburger, Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling, School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, concludes that “Houser has looked at the practices valued highly in his Mennonite community-patient following, peaceful reconciling, political integrity, playful relating, prayerful thinking, perfect imperfection and celebrating the present-and allowed them to be a mirror of his own life in the Spirit and as a member of ‘the community of the Spirit.’ The book is a great read, except for when it starts reading you back and nudging to practice things left unpracticed.”
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All Things Necessary
$28.95Add to cartA very successful music leader resource that has served the church well for nearly 20 years – now completely updated, revised and retitled.
Formerly A Guide to the Practice of Church Music by Marion J. HatchettA Guide to the Practice of Church Music was first published by Church Hymnal Corporation in 1989. It was an essential resource for church musicians using The Hymnal 1982. It also became part of the core materials for the Leadership Program for Musicians, which began in the Episcopal Church (along with the ELCA) in 1991.
In keeping with the original work, this new book – developed by career church musician Marti Rideout – provides comprehensive information about the resources available to the Episcopal church musician; promotes a contemporary philosophy of music in the church; captures the specific intent of music in the Episcopal Church, and supplies detailed instruction for planning music for liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Occasional Services.
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Seasons Of Grace (Revised)
$23.99Add to cartAnn Lewin draws on her extensive experience as a retreat leader and writer to provide a feast of spiritual nourishment for the entire Christian year. Her minimalist style is intentional, allowing space for people to encounter God and respond in their own way. Her aim is to encourage readers to explore afresh the riches of God’s love and to find fresh ways of expressing that love. Seasons of Grace is arranged in three parts: Advent to Candlemas, Lent to Pentecost, and Ordinary time,and offers seasonal liturgies, prayers for special occasions, imaginative ideas for worship, themed reflections, programme ideas for workshops and retreats and practical suggestions for enriching one’s own spiritual life. Ann’s characteristic poems and prayers throughout are a delight. First published in 2005 under the title Words by the Way by Inspire (MPH), this new edition contains added new material.
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On The Thirty-Nine Articles
$32.00Add to cartThe Thirty-Nine Articles, together with the Book of Common Prayer, form the foundation of Anglican theology. Yet there are very few extended treatments of them. Oliver O’Donovan relates the Articles to the exhilarating and troubled century in which they took shape. He also shows how the distinctive insights and values of a past age relate to the demands of today’s world. ‘What I propose in this case – is not to talk solely about the Articles, but to talk about God, mankind (sic!), and redemption, the central matters of the Christian faith, and to take the Tudor authors with me as companions in discussion. Two voices will be speaking – each raising the questions that Christian faith in his time forces upon him.’ Here is a new edition of his book on one of the key texts of Anglican identity by one of the UK’s leading theologians. The book has been out of print for some time and there have been repeated calls for a new edition with a new introduction which engages with more recent developments and offers the text to a new gen
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3rd Way Allegiance
$12.95Add to cartPart 1 – Our People
Part 2 – Our Politics
Part 3 – Our PraiseAdditional Info
In these passionate essays, Tripp York makes the case that both nations and the church require total allegiance and that Christians should choose Christ over state. Greg Boyd, Author, The Myth of a Christian Nation; and Pastor, Woodland Hills Church, says that “The quasi-Christian civic religion of America is like an immunization shot: people get just enough surrogate Christianity to keep them from getting the real thing! Third Way Allegiance is a powerful cure to this widespread diabolic affliction. I don’t know any work that so succinctly and effectively helps readers wake up to the way many values and practices of the American empire, and of the American church are opposed to the kingdom Jesus established. This well-written, provocative and insightful little book deserves to be–indeed, needs to be–in the hands of every American who is serious about following Jesus.” M. Therese Lysaught, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Theology, Marquette University, observes that “Drawing on a cloud of witnesses, Tripp York juxtaposes the politics and liturgies of Christianity with those of U.S. culture, challenging contemporary Christians to rethink the powers that truly hold their allegiances. Those who allow York’s vignette’s and questions to confront their assumptions cannot help but find their lives changed.” J. Nelson Kraybill, President Emeritus, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, warns: “Reader beware! This collection of essays may cause insomnia, bold new insight, heated debate, and exuberant bursts of radical discipleship. Tripp York agitates, stimulates, and occasionally pontificates. But if you take Jesus seriously, you’d better listen up. Here is a mother lode of rich ethical reflection, mined by a Christian scholar and teacher with a heart for the church. Third Way Allegiance is perfect as a small group study guide, an adult education elective, or a personal wake-up call to lived faith.” -
Liberating Lutheran Theology
$39.00Add to cartForeword Karen L. Bloomquist
IntroductionPart One. Latin America/North America/Europe
1. Liberation Theology And Latin American History
2. Liberation Theology’s Critique Of Luther’s Two-Kingdoms Doctrine
3. Christian Political Responsibility: Reappropriating Luther’s Two Kingdoms
4. Orthopraxis And Martyrdom: The Influence Of Latin American Liberation Theology On Systematic Theology In Europe And North AmericaPart Two. Asia/Europe/North America
5. God’s Mission And Emancipation: A Lutheran Theology Of Justification And Economic Justice
6. Dietrich Bonhoeffer And The Confessing Church: An Asian Minjung Theological Perspective
7. Emancipation And Inculturation In A Multicultural World: A Lutheran Contribution
8. Communio Sanctorum And Filial Piety: Ecclesiology For InculturationPart Three. Europe/North America/Asia
9. Property-Money Economies And Empires As Contexts For Biblical, Reformation, And Contemporary Ecumenical Theology
10. Ghandi: Overcoming Western Violence In Conversation With Martin Luther
11. Solidarity And Cooperation As Theological, Psychological, And Socioeconomic Response To Neoliberal DestructionPart Four. Conclusion
12. Expanding The Conversation: Facing The Challenge Of African And Asian PerspectivesAppendix A.
Transforming Theology And Life-Giving Civilization: The Changseong ConsultationAppendix B.
Linking Poverty, Wealth And Ecology In Africa: The Dar Es Salaam StatementAbbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
IndexAdditional Info
Spanning the continents, three internationally respected theologians demonstrate how the thought and legacy of Martin Luther can serve in an ecumenical and interfaith context as a resource for a radical critique of global economics and culture.Lutheran Christianity originated in its own era of economic and cultural crisis. One of the great misinterpretations of Martin Luther has considered his heritage as fundamentally reactionary, seeking to preserve the political status quo. Instead, set free by the biblical message of liberation, this book wields Luther’s theology to engage the reality of poverty, hunger, oppression, and ecological degradation caused by an imperial capitalism as the most urgent theological issues in the contemporary world. The volume demonstrates the liberating possibilities of theology done out of a biblical and Lutheran perspective for the economic and cultural crises facing the church in the present century.
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Strength For The Journey
$19.95Add to cartMeditative Practice
Ministry Practice
Media Practice
Mind Practice
Movement PracticeAdditional Info
Brief, accessible guide to a wide range of traditional and non-traditional spiritual practicesEndorsed by the CREDO Institute, Inc., an organization which advocates a holistic approach to health and wellness
This collection of 20 specific spiritual practices are grouped into categories and each entry is aimed at achieving mindfulness in simple activities.
Because there is no one-size-fits-all practice, each piece concludes with a brief discussion of the personality types that might be drawn to a given practice.
In addition, the foreword by Brian Taylor lays out the theological underpinnings of spiritual practice in general.
