Theology (Exegetical Historical Practical etc.)
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God Reforms Hearts
$27.99Add to cartMust we be free to truly love?
Evil is a problem for all Christians. When responding to objections that both evil and God can exist, many resort to a free will defense, where God is not the creator of evil but of human freedom, by which evil is possible. This response is so pervasive that it is just as often assumed as it is defended. But is this answer biblically and philosophically defensible?
In God Reforms Hearts, Thaddeus J. Williams offers a friendly challenge to the central claim of the free will defense–that love is possible only with true (or libertarian) free will. Williams argues that much thinking on free will fails to carve out the necessary distinction between an autonomous will and an unforced will. Scripture presents a God who desires relationship and places moral requirements on his often–rebellious creatures, but does absolute free will follow? Moreover, God’s work of transforming the human heart is more thorough than libertarian freedom allows.
With clarity, precision, and charity, Williams judges the merits and shortcomings of the relational free will defense while offering a philosophically and biblically robust alternative that draws from theologians of the past to point a way forward.
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Wonderfully Made : A Protestant Theology Of The Body
$27.99Add to cartWhy do we have bodies?
When it comes to thinking about our bodies, confusion reigns. In our secular age, there has been a loss of the body’s goodness, purpose, and end. Many people, driven by shame and idolatry, abuse their body through self-harm or self-improvement. How can we renew our understanding and see our bodies the way God does?
In Wonderfully Made, John Kleinig forms a properly biblical theology of our bodies. Through his keen sensitivity to Scripture’s witness, Kleinig explains why bodies matter. While sin has corrupted our bodies and how we think of them, God’s creation is still good. Thus, our bodies are good gifts. The Son took on a body to redeem our bodies. Kleinig addresses issues like shame, chastity, desire, gender dysphoria, and more, by integrating them into the biblical vision of creation.
Readers of Wonderfully Made will not only be equipped to engage in current issues; they will gain a robust theology of the body and better appreciation of God’s very good creation.
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Call To Christian Formation
$24.00Add to cartThis book shows that theology is both integrally related to formation in Jesus Christ and shapes our understanding of the world. Christian formation is incomplete and impossible without theological formation, because Christ transforms our hearts and minds, attuning them to the reality of God. As the authors explore the deep connections between theology and the life of the Christian, they emphasize Christian formation as a defining feature of the church, arguing that theology must be integrally connected to the church’s traditions and practices.
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Basic Guide To Eastern Orthodox Theology
$27.99Add to cartEve Tibbs offers a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the beliefs and practices of the Eastern Orthodox Church for Western readers. Tibbs has devoted her career to translating the Orthodox faith to an evangelical audience and has over twenty years of experience teaching this material to students. Assuming no prior knowledge of Orthodox theology, this survey covers the basic ideas of Eastern Orthodox Christianity from its origins at Pentecost to the present day.
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Healing The Schism
$34.99Add to cartThe past and future of Jewish-Christian dialogue
The history of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity is storied and tragic. However, recent decades show promise as both parties reflect upon their self–definitions and mutual contingency, and consider possible ways forward.
In Healing the Schism, Jennifer M. Rosner maps the new Jewish–Christian encounter from its origins in the early twentieth–century pioneers to its current representatives. Rosner first traces the thought of Karl Barth and Franz Rosenzweig and brings them into conversation. Rosner then outlines the reassessments and developments of post–Holocaust theological architects that moved the dialogue forward and set the stage for today. She considers the recent work of Messianic Jewish theologian Mark Kinzer before considering future possibilities.
With clarity and rigor, Rosner offers a robust perspective of Judaism and Christianity that is post–supersessionist and theologically orthodox. Healing the Schism is essential reading for understanding the perils and promise of Messianic Jewish identity and Jewish–Christian theological conversation.
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In The Name Of Our Lord
$29.99Add to cartWho is a member of the church?
Christians divide on how one enters the church body. Matters are quickly complicated once other factors are considered, such as faith, instruction, baptism, first communion, and formal membership. Who should be baptized? What role does instruction play? And what is the best order of these things?
Jonathan D. Watson’s In the Name of Our Lord provides an explanatory typology and incisive analysis for thinking through these interrelated questions. Watson’s four–model framework accounts for the major historical varieties of relationship between baptism and catechesis as initiation into the church. With this framework in place, Watson then considers each model in relation to one another.
With a guide to navigating the terrain, readers can comprehend, compare, and contrast these different theological formulations. Readers will have a sophisticated but clear system for thinking through foundational matters that are important to every pastor and congregant.
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Hidden And Revealed
$34.99Add to cartA major contribution to ecumenical reflection on the doctrine of God.
The past century has seen renewed interest in the doctrine of God. While theological traditions disagree, their shared commitment to Nicene orthodoxy provides a common language for thinking and speaking about God. This dialogue has deepened our understanding of this shared way of thinking about God, but little has been done across ecumenical lines to explore God’s hiddenness in revelation.
In Hidden and Revealed, Dmytro Bintsarovskyi explores the hiddenness and revelation of God in two separate theological streams–Reformed and Orthodox. Bintsarovskyi shows that an understanding of both traditions reflects a deep structure of shared language, history, and commitments, while nevertheless reflecting real differences. With Herman Bavinck and John Meyendorff as his guides, Bintsarovskyi advances ecumenical dialogue on a doctrine central to our knowledge of God.
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Carl F H Henry On The Holy Spirit
$29.99Add to cartRecover evangelicalism’s foundations by returning to its architect.
None doubt the influence of Carl F. H. Henry, the theological architect of contemporary evangelicalism. Through his prolific writing and editorial role in Christianity Today, Henry is known for addressing contemporary theology, individual and social ethics, and cultural criticism. But he has been critiqued for an underdeveloped pneumatology.
In Carl F. H. Henry on The Holy Spirit, Jesse M. Payne argues that Henry cannot truly be understood apart from his mature pneumatology. The Spirit plays a vital role in three major areas of Henry’s theology: revelation, ecclesiology, and ethics. These seemingly disparate topics are tied together by his view of a Spirit–inspired Bible ordering a Spirit–enlivened body composed of Spirit–filled believers.
Readers will gain a more holistic view of Henry, the role of the Spirit in his life and thought, and early neo–evangelical theology.
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Federal Theology Of Jonathan Edwards
$29.99Add to cartThe Christ-centered exegesis of Jonathan EdwardsJonathan Edwards is remembered for his sermons and works of theology and philosophy–but he has been overlooked as an exegete.
Gilsun Ryu’s The Federal Theology of Jonathan Edwards explores how exegesis drove Edwards’s focus on the headship of Christ as second Adam–and likewise formed a foundation for his broader theological reasoning and writing, especially on Christ and the covenants. Edwards’s distinctive emphases on exegesis, redemptive history, and the harmony of Scripture distinguish him from his Reformed forebears. Ryu’s study will help readers appreciate Edwards’s contribution as an exegetically informed Reformed theologian.
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More Christlike Word
$24.99Add to cartThe Scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word Himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message–and our view of God. Tragically, this has caused multitudes of people unnecessary doubt, confusion, and pain in their encounters with the Scriptures.
Many people understand God as being truly loving and good. Yet, they struggle with depictions of God in Scripture as wrathful, violent, and genocidal. These “toxic texts” have caused some to set aside their Bibles as R-rated and unreliable. They have led others to completely reject their faith.
Author and theologian Bradley Jersak has wrestled deeply with such passages over many years. He has experienced the same questions, doubt, and pain. In A More Christlike Word, he offers a clarifying and freeing path forward, whether you consider yourself a believer, a doubter, or a skeptic, inviting you to a better and more ancient way to read the Scriptures. He calls this path the “Emmaus Way” because it focuses on Jesus Christ as the final Word on God. It demonstrates how all Scripture, by design, points to Jesus, revealing the true nature of the Father.
After deconstructing the modern biblicist/literalist approaches to Scripture interpretation that have failed us, Brad turns to the early church for a hermeneutic of prefigurement, treating the Bible as the grand narrative of redemption, told through a polyphony of voices and worldviews, culminating in the arrival of Christ as the eternal Word of God–what God has to say about himself.
The interpretive system of the church fathers and mothers who gathered the New Testament and preached the gospel from the Old Testament has largely been ignored or dismissed by both evangelical and liberal movements, the twin children of modernity. The patristics explain and model the apostles’ Christ-centered interpretation of the Scriptures. Brad applies their approach to “unwrath” sample passages from each genre of the Bible, showing how even the cringe-worthy texts have an important place in the christotelic saga of divine love.
Your journey on the Emmaus Way will open up to you the fullness of the Scriptures, and, most important, lead you to the God who deeply loves and welcomes you.
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God And The Art Of Happiness
$30.99Add to cartWestern Christians are generally skittish about happiness, observes Ellen Charry. They live in the hope of heaven but are somewhat nervous about experiencing too much joy this side of paradise. Charry’s God and the Art of Happiness questions this way of thinking, reviewing the history of the theological conversation about happiness and offering a constructive proposal for considering it anew.
After taking an introductory look at ancient Greek philosophy, Charry surveys the treatment of God and happiness throughout the history of Christian thought, from Saint Augustine through the eighteenth century. She then explores the biblical vision of happiness in the Pentateuch, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospel of John, clearly showing how the Bible encourages the happiness and flourishing that accompany obedience to the Creator. For those living in the beauty of holiness and divine love, she argues, this world is no “vale of tears” — and there need be no conflict between pleasure and piety, between goodness and happiness.
Rising from the ashes of deep personal pain and loss, this highly original theology of the Christian life offers comfort, encouragement, and healing for all who long to experience true happiness here and now.
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T F Torrance As Missional Theologian
$40.99Add to cartChrist has ascended. Yet his work continues.
Much has been made of a “missional” view of the church in recent theological literature, but largely overlooked in this discussion has been the contribution that T. F. Torrance, the late Church of Scotland minister and theologian, can make to this discussion. Addressing this lacuna, theologian and pastor Joseph Sherrard considers how Torrance’s theology can inform the church’s understanding of its ministry and mission–in particular, his appeal to the church’s participation in the ascended Christ’s threefold office as king, prophet, and priest. Through the ministry of the church, Christ is still at work.
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Changed Into His Likeness
$28.99Add to cartWhen it comes to the Christian life, what exactly can we expect with regard to personal transformation?
Gary Millar addresses this most basic question in this NSBT volume. After surveying some contemporary psychological approaches to the issue of change and discussions of biblical anthropology, he explores the nature of gospel-shaped change, exposing the dangers of both promising too much and expecting too little. The central part of his study focuses on “life in the middle”–between the change that is brought about when we become Christians and the final change in which we will be raised with Christ. Millar presents a case for reading the “character studies” of major Old Testament figures from Noah to Solomon as depicting a declension throughout their lives and their innate sinfulness and lack of change. This problem is resolved in the establishment of a new covenant, which promises both individual and corporate transformation in the power of the Spirit. This transformation is presented in the New Testament as a rich and complex process, which cannot be contained or adequately described by one set of images. Transformation is real, deep-rooted and far-reaching. In developing an integrated biblical theology of transformation, Millar draws on the contributions of key thinkers, including Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Edwards, Owen, Newton, James K. A. Smith and the Biblical Counselling movement. He concludes with a careful synthesis, charting a middle way between the errors of over-realized and under-realized eschatology. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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Handbook Of Reading Theological German
$44.99Add to cartThe Handbook of Reading Theological German helps students in biblical studies, church history, Jewish studies, and theology prepare for graduate research or for the comprehensive examination in German for doctoral students.
Coauthored by Katharina Hirt, a native German speaker and professional linguist, and Christopher Ryan, a native English speaker and doctoral student in biblical studies, this collaboration draws on the latest developments in linguistics to present a cutting-edge teaching methodology for graduate students learning to read German for research.
Attuned to the specific needs of English speakers learning German, this handbook is well suited for independent study or for use in the classroom. Providing abundant exercises and readings, Hirt and Ryan’s work provides an excellent entry point for students required to learn theological German.
The Handbook of Reading Theological German provides:
*An introduction to German grammar
*Guided readings from the works of six German theologians
*Further, advanced readings with minimal guidance from the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Jewish studies, and church history or theology, so that students can focus on literature from their chosen field of study -
Contours Of The Kuyperian Tradition
$35.99Add to cartAbraham Kuyper was, by any standard, one of the most extraordinary figures in modern Christian history. He was a Dutch Reformed minister, a gifted theologian, a prolific journalist, the leader of a political party, the cofounder of the Free University of Amsterdam (where he was professor of theology), a member of the Dutch Parliament, and eventually prime minister of the Netherlands.
Kuyper’s remarkable legacy lives on today in the tradition of Dutch Calvinism that he developed. As his writings become more widely available, this tradition continues to find new adherents attracted by his comprehensive vision of Christian faith. But what defines the Kuyperian tradition?
Renowned South African theologian and philosopher Craig Bartholomew has written the first systematic introduction to this tradition. Drawing on Kuyper’s entire corpus, Bartholomew has identified the key themes and ideas that define this tradition, including worldview, sphere sovereignty, creation and redemption, the public square, and mission. He also goes beyond Kuyper to show how later thinkers developed these ideas. They include, among others, Herman Bavinck, J. H. Bavinck, Gerrit C. Berkouwer, and Herman Dooyeweerd.
Widely known but little read, Kuyper is now receiving the global recognition that his fertile and influential thought deserves. Contours of the Kuyperian Tradition is an indispensable guide to one of the most significant schools of thought in the modern age.
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In The Fullness Of Time
$28.99Add to cartCutting-edge reflections on a variety of biblical and theological subjects
Over the course of his distinguished career Richard Bauckham has made pioneering contributions to diverse areas of scholarship ranging from ethics and contemporary issues to hermeneutical problems and theology, often drawing together disciplines and fields of research all too commonly kept separate from one another.
In this volume some of the most eminent figures in modern biblical and theological scholarship present essays honoring Bauckham. Addressing a variety of subjects related to Christology, creation, and eschatology, the contributors develop elements of Bauckham’s biblical and theological work further, present fresh research of their own to complement his work, and raise critical questions.
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Ichabod Toward Home
$20.99Add to cartIn today’s confused and confusing world, it is good to be shown once more that God is never absent. That is the heartening message of Ichabod toward Home. In this volume one of our most respected biblical scholars explores the nature of God’s glory, using the engaging story of the ark of the covenant to illuminate the meaning of God’s presence, not only for the ancient Israelites but for the whole world.
Offering a unique entry into Old Testament theology, Walter Brueggemann examines 1 Samuel 4-6, the biblical text in which the ark of God is captured by the Philistines, seen to be a dangerous threat, and finally returned to Israel. In looking anew at what this story reveals about God’s glory, or kabod, from which the name “Ichabod” derives, Brueggemann builds a powerful new theology of God’s sovereignty.
Additionally, Brueggemann demonstrates that this ancient story of the ark has profound relevance today. The three-day story of the ark’s capture, detention, and return is transposed, first, into the three-day Christian story of Easter and, second, into the three days of the modern consumer weekend. In a provocative contemporary application of Old Testament theology, Brueggemann shows that the Ark narrative, in its rendering of God’s glory, strongly contradicts the dominant narrative of our own culture, with its strident emphasis on self-indulgence, narcissism, and self-sufficiency.
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Paradox Of Sonship
$30.99Add to cartWhat does the epistle to the Hebrews mean when it calls Jesus “Son”?
Is “Son” a title that denotes his eternal existence as one person of the Trinity? Or is it a title Jesus receives upon his installation on heaven’s throne after his resurrection and ascension? In this Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture (SCDS) volume, which promotes fresh understandings of Christian belief through creative, faithful readings of the canonical text, pastor and New Testament scholar R. B. Jamieson probes the complexity of the Christology presented in the epistle to the Hebrews. Exploring the paradox of this key term, Jamieson argues that, according to Hebrews, “Son” names both who Jesus is eternally and what he becomes at the climax of his incarnate, saving mission. Jesus is, in short, the eternal Son who became the messianic Son for us and for our salvation. This volume thereby offers a case study showing how the church’s core convictions about Christ lead us not away from the text, but deeper into it.
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Chosen By God (Revised)
$18.99Add to cartChosen by God by Dr. R. C. Sproul is a contemporary classic on predestination, a doctrine that isn’t just for Calvinists. It is a doctrine for all biblical Christians. In this updated and expanded edition of Chosen by God, Sproul shows that the doctrine of predestination doesn’t create a whimsical or spiteful picture of God, but rather paints a portrait of a loving God who provides redemption for radically corrupt humans.
We choose God because he has opened our eyes to see his beauty; we love him because he first loved us. There is mystery in God’s ways, but not contradiction. -
What On Earth Is Heaven
$14.99Add to cartLife-affirming and uplifting, this book will fire your imagination as to how you can be a part of bringing heaven to the world around you.
What happens to us when we die? Will heaven be a place of fluffy clouds, angels and cherubs playing harps? Is the Christian faith just about securing a place in heaven when we die? In What on Earth is Heaven? James Paul explores the radical truth of what the Bible says about heaven and the afterlife, and its relevance for your life here and now on earth. Unpacking the biblical story of the separation and reunion of heaven and earth, he shows that heaven isn’t a place somewhere ‘out there’ but a dimension of reality – the dimension where God’s will is done. The Good News isn’t that we get to escape to heaven, but that God invites us to be a part of his plan to bringing the kingdom of heaven to our square inch of the earth. Insightful and accessible, What on Earth is Heaven? is a book for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of the Bible’s teaching on heaven, or anyone who has wondered about the true meaning of finding heaven on earth. Life-affirming and uplifting, this book will fire your imagination as to how you can be a part of bringing heaven to the world around you.
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Theological Dictionary Of The Old Testament Volume 10
$78.99Add to cartThis multivolume work is still proving to be as fundamental to Old Testament studies as its companion set, the Kittel-Friedrich Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, has been to New Testament studies.
Beginning with ‘abh (‘ab), “father,” and continuing through the alphabet, the TDOT volumes present in-depth discussions of the key Hebrew and Aramaic words in the Old Testament. Leading scholars of various religious traditions (including Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, and Jewish) and from many parts of the world (Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States) have been carefully selected for each article by editors Botterweck, Ringgren, and Fabry and their consultants, George W. Anderson, Henri Cazelles, David Noel Freedman, Shemaryahu Talmon, and Gerhard Wallis.
The intention of the writers is to concentrate on meaning, starting from the more general, everyday senses and building to an understanding of theologically significant concepts. To avoid artificially restricting the focus of the articles, TDOT considers under each keyword the larger groups of words that are related linguistically or semantically. The lexical work includes detailed surveys of a word’s occurrences, not only in biblical material but also in other ancient Near Eastern writings. Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Ethiopic, Ugaritic, and Northwest Semitic sources are surveyed, among others, as well as the Qumran texts and the Septuagint; and in cultures where no cognate word exists, the authors often consider cognate ideas.
TDOT’s emphasis, though, is on Hebrew terminology and on biblical usage. The contributors employ philology as well as form-critical and traditio-historical methods, with the aim of understanding the religious statements in the Old Testament. Extensive bibliographical information adds to the value of this reference work.
This English edition attempts to serve the needs of Old Testament students without the linguistic background of more advanced scholars; it does so, however, without sacrificing the needs of the latter. Ancient scripts (Hebrew, Greek, etc.) are regularly transliterated in a readable way, and meanings of foreign words are given in many cases where the meanings might be obvious to advanced scholars. Where the Hebrew text versification differs from that of English Bibles, the English verse appears in parentheses. Such features
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5 Views On The Exodus
$24.99Add to cartFive Views on the Exodus looks at competing views on the historicity, chronology, and theological implications of the exodus. The biblical account of the Israelite exodus from Egypt is one of the most enduring narratives ever told and is a foundational event for several world religions. It resonates across cultures with its timeless themes of redemption and deliverance. It is also the only explanation the Bible gives for Israel’s origin.
Despite its unique legacy, many scholars regard the exodus as fictitious or a cultural memory that may not be a historical event. Even among those who believe the exodus happened, there is no consensus regarding its date. Five Views on the Exodus brings together experts in the fields of biblical studies, Egyptology, and archaeology to discuss and debate the most vexing questions about the exodus. Each offers their own view and offer constructive responses to other leading views on the exodus.
The five views presented here include:
*Early Date: The Exodus Took Place in the Fifteenth Century BC (Scott Stripling)
*Late Date: A Historical Exodus in the Thirteenth Century BC (James K. Hoffmeier)
*A Hyksos Levite Led Exodus in the Time of Ramesses II (Peter Feinman)
*Alternative Late Date: The Exodus Took Place in the Twelfth Century BC (Gary A. Rendsburg)
*The Exodus as Cultural Memory: A Transformation of Historical Events (Ronald Hendel) -
Always Reforming : Reflections On Martin Luther And Biblical Studies
$29.99Add to cartLuther challenges the academy to speak beyond itself.Whatever the theological malady, Martin Luther prescribed the same remedy: the word of God. For Luther, the Word was central to the Christian life. As a lover, translator, and interpreter of Scripture, Luther believed the Bible was too important to be left to academics. God’s word has always been and must always be for God’s people. What, then, can biblical studies learn from Luther?
In Always Reforming, leading Lutheran, Reformed, and Baptist scholars explore Martin Luther as an interpreter of Scripture. The contributors elucidate central themes of Luther’s approach to Scripture, place him within contemporary dialogue, and suggest how he might reform biblical studies.By retrieving Luther’s voice for the conversations of today, the contributors embody a spirit that is always reforming.
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16th Century Mission
$29.99Add to cartDid the Reformers lack a vision for missions?
In Sixteenth-Century Mission, a diverse cast of contributors explores the wide-reaching practice and theology of mission during this era. Rather than a century bereft of cross-cultural outreach, we find both Reformers and Roman Catholics preaching the gospel and establishing the church in all the world. This overlooked yet rich history reveals themes and insights relevant to the practice of mission today.
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Holy Scriptures
$19.99Add to cartThe ancient stories, poems, prophecies, and customs of the Bible have been interpreted in so many different ways for so many different contexts, times, and purposes. How can we find a stable meaning for any passage? Is biblical interpretation solely dependent on the beliefs and values of the interpreter?
Stephen G. Green addresses these questions and offers a responsible approach to studying the Bible. Exploring worldviews, the value-shaping function of words, and the role of the reader, the author skillfully points the way to bridging the gap between the historical context of the Bible and the present-day context of the reader. He introduces readers to the methods and tools needed to successfully understand and embody the transforming message of Scripture.
The Wesleyan Theology Series aims to discuss Christian doctrines in easy to understand language that states clearly what Christians believe and why. Each volume is written by an author with a particular expertise who also has the ability to simplify and clarify complex issues. This 13-book series is written specifically for the theologically curious layperson, student, or pastor.
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Simply Trinity : The Unmanipulated Father, Son, And Spirit
$24.99Add to cartWhat if the Trinity we’ve been taught is not the Trinity of the Bible? In this groundbreaking book, Matthew Barrett reveals a shocking discovery: we have manipulated the Trinity, recreating the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our own image.
With clarity and creativity, Barrett mines the Scriptures as well as the creeds and confessions of the faith to help you rediscover the beauty, simplicity, and majesty of our Triune God. You will be surprised to learn that what you believe about the Trinity has untold consequences for salvation and the Christian life. To truly know God, you must meet the One who is simply Trinity.
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Marriage Scripture And The Church
$29.99Add to cartThis book takes a distinctive approach to the same-sex-union debate by framing the issue as a matter of marriage. Darrin Snyder Belousek demonstrates that the interpretation of Scripture affects whether the church should revise its doctrine of marriage for the sake of sanctioning same-sex union. Engaging charitably yet critically with opposing viewpoints, he delves deeply into what marriage is, what it is for, and what it means as presented in the biblical narrative and theological tradition, articulating a biblical-traditional theology of marriage for the contemporary church. Afterword by Wesley Hill.
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What Is Gods Mission In The World And How Do We Join It
$12.99Add to cartWhat does God’s mission look like? Who is supposed to carry it out–and how?
Juan F. Martinez and Jamie Pitts lead us on an inquiry into God’s mission in the world: what it is, what it is not, and who is invited to be part of it. If Jesus is truly God’s mission incarnate, we need to look at what Jesus did and how he did it. Martinez helps readers understand what mission means, why Christians in the past have made missteps, and how we can learn from Christian communities that are spreading the good news of Jesus today. Doing mission in the way of Jesus may look different from what many assume, but it is a call that the church cannot afford to miss.
The Jesus Way: Small Books of Radical Faith delve into big questions about God’s work in the world. These concise, practical books are deeply rooted in Anabaptist theology. Crafted by a diverse community of internationally renowned scholars, pastors, and practitioners, The Jesus Way series helps readers deepen their faith in Christ and enliven their witness.
*Accessible Jesus-centered theology from an Anabaptist perspective
*Designed for use by individual readers, small groups, and Christian education classes
*Glossary of terms and discussion and reflection questions in each volume -
Introduction To Ecclesiology (Revised)
$35.99Add to cartWhat is the church? Why are there so many different expressions of church throughout time and space, and what ties them all together?
Ecclesiology–the doctrine of the church–has risen to the center of theological interest in recent decades. In this text, theologian Veli-Matti Karkkainen provides a wide-ranging survey of the rich field of ecclesiology in the midst of rapid developments and new horizons. Drawing on Karkkainen’s international experience and comprehensive research on the church, this revised and expanded edition is thoroughly updated to incorporate recent literature and trends. This unique primer not only orients readers to biblical, historical, and contemporary ecclesiologies but also highlights contextual and global perspectives and includes an entirely new section on interfaith comparative theology. An Introduction to Ecclesiology surveys.
*major theological traditions, including Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Reformed, and Pentecostal
*ecclesiological insights from Latin American, Africa, and Asia
*distinct perspectives from women, African Americans, and recent trends in the United States
*key elements of the church such as mission, governance, worship, and sacraments
*interreligious comparison with Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Buddhist communities
As the church today encounters challenges and opportunities related to rapid growth in the Majority World, new congregational forms, ecumenical movements, interfaith relations, and more, Christians need a robust ecclesiology that makes room for both unity and diversity. In An Introduction to Ecclesiology students, pastors, and laypeople will find an essential resource for understanding how the church can live out its calling as Christ’s community on earth.
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Does God Exist
$35.99Add to cartDoes God exist?
Throughout the history of philosophical and theological reflection, this fundamental question has prompted a range of responses. In one incisive volume, philosopher W. David Beck offers a narrative of pre-Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic arguments for God’s existence. Here, readers will encounter both classical and contemporary arguments, including cosmological, teleological, moral, and ontological arguments along with commentary from the author. Explore the history of answers to an essential question and add your own reflections to this ongoing conversation.
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Postmortem Opportunity : A Biblical And Theological Assessment Of Salvation
$40.99Add to cartOne of Jesus’ most basic commands to his disciples was to tell the world about the good news of his life, death, and resurrection.
From the earliest days of the church, Christians have embraced this calling. But for those Christians who emphasize the need for an active response to the gospel in order to be saved, this raises some difficult questions: What about those who did not hear the gospel before death? Or what about those who heard an incorrect or incomplete version of the gospel? Or what about those who were too young or who were otherwise unable to respond? In light of these challenging questions, theologian James Beilby offers a careful consideration of the possibility for salvation after death. After examining the biblical evidence and assessing the theological implications, he argues that there is indeed hope for faith–even beyond death.
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Path Of Faith
$24.99Add to cartThe closely related biblical themes of covenant and law have often been debated.
Yet they are among the most important topics in Scripture–theologically and practically. They address how God graciously relates to us and how we ought to live on a daily basis. In this ESBT volume, Brandon Crowe builds on previous books in the series as he considers covenant and law throughout both Old and New Testaments. The Path of Faith lays out key principles such as the obligation of people to obey their Creator, how Jesus’ perfect obedience to God’s law opens the way to eternal life, and what the law means for us today as we continue walking by faith. The Path of Faith reveals the unity of the biblical witness and the consistent call for God’s people to show him covenant loyalty, all while recognizing the unique saving work of Christ on our behalf. Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT), edited by Benjamin L. Gladd, explore the central or “essential” themes of the Bible’s grand storyline. Taking cues from Genesis 1-3, authors explore the presence of these themes throughout the entire sweep of redemption history. Written for students, church leaders, and laypeople, the ESBT offers an introduction to biblical theology.
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Theology Is For Preaching
$29.99Add to cartIs it right to “just preach the text”?
Why do we preach and do theology? How do we relate them? And how do they relate to God’s word?
Theology Is for Preaching helps preachers with theology and theologians with preaching. Though diverse in contexts and disciplines, the contributors share a commitment to equipping the saints to “rightly handle the word of truth.” Through essays on foundations, methods, employing theology for preaching, and preaching for theology, this volume will equip preachers and theologians to engage deeply with the text of the Bible and communicate its meaning with clarity.
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3 Treatises By Luther
$12.95Add to cartLuther was not just a firebrand who riled up the establishment and accidentally started a religious movement.
In these three treatises, we get a full picture of what Luther stood for and what he stood against.
In his An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility , he explains the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers and calls upon German princes to reform the church, since the Papacy refused to do so.
Then in The Babylonian Captivity of the Church he attacks the sacramental system of the Roman Catholic church and explains that the Lord’s Supper is not a sacrifice made to God, but an offering of the promise to the people. He calls for them to feed the people the bread and wine again.
Finally, in his inspiring On the Freedom of the Christian , Luther proclaims the heart of the Reformation: the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Because God has saved us once and for all from our sins and no works can increase our salvation, we are free to love both God and our neighbor, not from a spirit of fear, but out of gratitude for everything God has done for us.
Read these works and be inspired.
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Theological Ethics : The Moral Life Of The Gospel In Contemporary Context
$34.99Add to cartBe Prepared to Think Theologically through Today’s Most Pressing Ethical and Moral Issues
In Theological Ethics theologian, pastor, and ethicist W. Ross Hastings gives pastors, ministry leaders, and students a guide designed to equip them to think deeply and theologically about the moral formation of persons in our communities, about ethical inquiry and action, and about the tone and content of our engagement in the public square. The book presents a biblical perspective and a gospel-centered framework for thinking about complex contemporary issues in ways are life-giving and that will lead readers into greater flourishing as human persons in community.
This book is distinctive in presenting:
*A framework for theological ethics that is robustly theological and Trinitarian. Ethics isolated from the gospel and theology becomes bad news, but when it is informed by and empowered by participation in the triune God of grace, it is part of the good news of the gospel.
*An approach to theology and theological ethics that makes the Word of God the ultimate authority and it is therefore grounded in the biblical narrative and texts.
*An understanding that theological ethics are inherently missional. The church as the image of the triune God makes it the home of ethics, but in light of its missional identity, it will reverberate outwards to engage the world in ways that are humble and not power-mongering, that are gospel-based and shalom-evoking.
Theological Ethics is for those who lead churches or ministries (or someday will) and who urgently need deep theological grounding as they daily encounter ethical and moral issues where they need to provide a gracious, truthful, and gospel-directed response.
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Priority Of Christ
$37.00Add to cartA Major Statement on Christology from Bishop Robert Barron
For a long time, Christians have tried to bridge the divide between Christianity and secular liberalism with philosophy and theology. Bishop Robert Barron shows that the answer to this debate–and the way to move forward–lies in Jesus. Barron transcends the usual liberal/conservative or Protestant/Catholic divides with a postliberal Catholicism that brings the focus back on Jesus as revealed in the New Testament narratives.
Barron’s classical Catholic postliberalism will be of interest to a broad audience including not only the academic community but also preachers and general readers interested in entering the dialogue between Catholicism and postliberalism. The hardcover edition includes a new preface by the author.
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What Did The Cross Accomplish
$28.00Add to cartIn this book, readers will enjoy a fascinating and cordial discussion between N. T. Wright and Simon Gathercole on the meaning and nature of the doctrine of atonement. These two highly respected scholars discuss in clear and understandable language the meanings of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Their discussion explores various theories of atonement and looks closely at the Old Testament to discover Paul’s meaning of his words that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.
Wright presents his case first, then Gathercole responds with a contrary point of view. Their discussion confronts questions including: What exactly is this “scandal of the cross”? What role does the notion of sacrifice, as understood in its ancient context, play in the atonement of Christ? Is the atonement a “victory”? How so? Was Christ a “substitute,” taking humankind’s place on the cross and suffering the death and judgment that sinners deserve? How does the death of Christ on the cross rescue or liberate sinners from death? Does the cross achieve benefits for only humans, or do those benefits extend to the entirety of creation? This book is a succinct conversation in which all these questions receive attention, with nuanced differences between the two interlocutors. This conversation along with Robert Stewart’s introductory framework make this book an excellent primer to the study of the atonement, and readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the meanings of the cross.
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Who Was Jesus And What Does It Mean To Follow Him
$12.99Add to cartWho was Jesus? And what does it mean to follow him?
Nancy Elizabeth Bedford helps us consider the identity and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. Learn about the incarnation, how Christians have understood Jesus to be both human and divine, and what his radical teachings and ministry can mean for us today. Find out how Christians through the centuries have understood who Jesus is and explore communal and individual practices for following him.
The Jesus Way: Small Books of Radical Faith delve into big questions about God’s work in the world. These concise, practical books are deeply rooted in Anabaptist theology. Crafted by a diverse community of internationally renowned scholars, pastors, and practitioners, The Jesus Way series helps readers deepen their faith in Christ and enliven their witness.
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Business And Economics
$49.99Add to cartKuyper on the Positive Potential of Business
In his vast treasury of writings, Abraham Kuyper addressed nearly every sphere of society, including politics, science, and the arts. But his views on business and economics are often overlooked because he rarely engaged with that sphere directly. Still, his doctrine of common grace has great significance for showing how Christ is at work in the workplace.
In this anthology of essays, speeches, and reflections, we see Kuyper’s attempts to think positively and creatively about the calling and potential of business. Included are his ideas about economic freedom, the eternal value of earthly work, stewardship and philanthropy, economic globalization, the workings of God’s grace in business, and the social function of money.
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Everlasting Man
$12.95Add to cartIn The Everlasting Man, a humorous defense of Christianity which inspired C.S. Lewis, Chesterton shows that once man is reduced to animal, history becomes utterly meaningless.
What truly gives man his dignity is the fact that he is so different from the beasts. What makes Christianity so different is that it tells of the story of the true man, the final man, the everlasting man, who came down in history and transformed it.
“This sketch of the human story began in a cave; the cave which popular science associates with the cave-man and in which practical discovery has really found archaic drawings of animals.
The second half of human history, which was like a new creation of the world, also begins in a cave . . . It was here that a homeless couple had crept underground with the cattle when the doors of the crowded caravanserai had been shut in their faces.
And it was here beneath the very feet of the passers-by, in a cellar under the very floor of the world, that Jesus Christ was born.” ~ From The Everlasting Man
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3 Views On Christianity And Science
$18.99Add to cartWhen it comes to relating Christianity to modern Western culture, perhaps no topic is more controversial than the relationship between Christianity and science. Outside the church, the myth of an age-old conflict between science and Christianity is nearly ubiquitous in popular culture and can poison the well before a fruitful dialogue can begin. Within the church, opposing viewpoints on the relation between Christianity and science often lead to division and rancor.
Three Views on Christianity and Science addresses both types of conflict. Featuring leading evangelical representatives, it presents three primary options for the compatibility of Christianity and science and models constructive dialogue on the surrounding controversial issues.
The highlighted contributors and their views are:
Michael Ruse, Independence View–When functioning correctly, science and Christian theology operate independently of each other, seeking answers to different questions through different means.
Alister McGrath, Dialogue View–Though the natural sciences and Christian philosophy and theology function differently, they can and should inform each other.
Bruce L. Gordon, Constrained Integration View–Science, philosophy, and theology all contribute to our understanding of reality. Their interactions constrain each other and together present an optimally coherent and integrated picture of reality.By engaging with the viewpoints of the contributors, readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the compatibility of science and Christianity, as well as of the positions of those who disagree with them. Scholars, students, pastors, and interested laypeople will be able to make use of this material in research, assignments, sermons and lessons, evangelism, and apologetics.
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Essential Karl Barth
$40.00Add to cartKarl Barth is one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. His work is considered essential reading for nearly every student of theology. Reading Barth’s theology poses a challenge, however, because of the sheer size of his corpus, the complexity of his claims, and the distance between his context and the context of his readers. In this accessible introduction, a respected scholar in Barthian studies offers a one-stop resource on Barth’s thought, providing a selection of his most important writings, critical commentary, and detailed introductory and concluding chapters.
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Sin And Grace
$38.99Add to cartTony Lane surveys a wide range of doctrines relating to our experience of God’s gracious salvation. He begins with our need as sinful and fallen people, moves on to consider what is involved in becoming a Christian – majoring on justification (being put right with God) – and concludes with sanctification (living the Christian life). As well as expounding various aspects of these doctrines, Lane introduces their historical roots in classical expositions. Lane warns that these doctrines are in danger of being lost by significant sectors of evangelicalism, and he explains them clearly. He encourages readers to hold firmly to an evangelical soteriology, having a greater understanding of it and a stronger conviction of its truth, with experience of its application to Christian discipleship.
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Moral Man And Immoral Society
$44.00Add to cartNiebuhr argues that using moral persuasion and shaming to affect the behavior of such collectives as corporations and nation states is fruitless, as these groups will inevitably seek to promote only their self-interest. He calls for a realistic assessment of group behavior and enumerates how individual morality can mitigate social immorality.
One of the theological classics of the twentieth century, Niebuhr’s Moral Man and Immoral Society argues that using moral persuasion and shaming to affect the behavior of such collectives as corporations and nation states is fruitless, as these groups will inevitably seek to promote only their self-interest. He calls for a realistic assessment of group behavior and enumerates how individual morality can mitigate social immorality.
This edition includes a foreword by Cornel West that explores the continued interest in Niebuhr’s thought and its contemporary relevance.
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Servant Of The Lord And His Servant People
$27.99Add to cartIt is often recognized that the title “servant” is applied to key figures throughout the Bible, culminating in Jesus Christ.
In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume Matthew Harmon carefully traces this theme from Genesis to Revelation with the intention of seeing how earlier servants point forward to the ultimate Servant. While this servant theme certainly is significant in its own right throughout redemptive history, it also plays a supporting role, enhancing and enriching other themes such as son, prophet, and king. Harmon shows how the title “servant” not only gives us a clearer understanding of Jesus Christ but also has profound implications for our lives as Christians. When we grasp what it means to be servants of Christ, our love for him and our obedience to him deepen. Understanding that the ultimate Servant Jesus Christ indwells his people to empower them to serve others in love has the potential to transform how we interact with fellow believers and the world around us. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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3rd Person Of The Trinity
$34.99Add to cartRecent decades have witnessed increased attention on the Holy Spirit, recognizing it as a critical component in Christian thought. While the volume of publications on the Spirit indicate that scholarly discussion about the Spirit is both creative and lively, it does sometimes appear to be diffused across the spectrum of contemporary theological thought. Nowhere does this scattering seem more prevalent when discussion of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit occurs in outlying areas of doctrine and practice rather than within its native context–the doctrine of God.
The 2020 Los Angeles Theology Conference examined pneumatology as a core component of the doctrine of the Trinity, offering constructive proposals for understanding the doctrine of the Holy Spirit with theological and historical depth, ecumenical scope, and analytic clarity. This book represents the proceedings of the conference.
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Makers By Nature
$28.00Add to cartAn Artist’s Look at Theology, Art, and Philosophy
Dear Tom,
Thanks for writing again-and for this unusually philosophical response to my letter! In response: my theology of art is my theology. Period. I think of God as the Artist and all human artists as eternal apprentices. Consequently, all my thinking about God involves the centrality of beauty and the act of making. As I’ve said many times, we were made by a Maker to be makers. . . .
BruceIn a series of fictional letters, respected artist and educator Bruce Herman passes on wisdom to a younger generation. He explores a wide array of practical, philosophical, and theological issues, such as:
*What is art versus craft? What is good art?
*What is the calling of an artist? Of a Christian artist?
*What do you do when you’re stuck in your creative process?
*How should Christians relate to the contemporary art scene?
*What is beauty, and how is it relevant in our world?Full of personal stories and behind-the-scene looks at Herman’s own artistic process, Makers by Nature also features full-color artwork by Herman and several of his former students. Artists and art lovers will find insight, wonder, and encouragement to consider the Maker’s invitation to creativity, however it takes shape.
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Approaching Philosophy Of Religion
$22.99Add to cartThe book opens with an engaging history of the subject, mapping the major landmarks and outlining the main issues of current debate. The rest of the book falls into three parts:
Part 1: Approaches. Descriptions of the main approaches developed by scholars to study the subject, with lively case histories and working examples showing the approaches in action, and assessing their lasting value.
Part 2: Concepts and Issues. Brief introductions to their origins and evolution, highlighting their significance in the work of major thinkers.
Part 3 Key Terms. Concise explanations of all the words and phrases that readers need to know in order to fully grasp the subject.
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Father Of Lights
$34.00Add to cartEvery good giving and every perfect gift is from on high, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17). This verse conveys a powerful image of God as the source and referent of all beauty. This book demonstrates how the experience of beauty is related to our inherent longing for the God who is reflected in such moments. Richly informed by Junius Johnson’s expertise on Bonaventure and von Balthasar, the book offers a robust, full-orbed theology of beauty, showing how it has functioned as a theological concept from biblical times to the present day.
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Majority World Theology
$70.99Add to cartMore Christians live in the Majority World than in Europe and North America. Yet most theological literature does not reflect the rising tide of Christian reflection coming from these regions. Bringing together theological resources from past and present, East and West, this work engages conversations with leading global scholars on theology, faith, and mission for the enrichment of the entire church.
At this moment in history, more Christians live in the Majority World than in Europe and North America. Yet most theological literature does not reflect the rising tide of Christian reflection coming from these regions. If we take seriously the Spirit’s movement around the globe, we must consider how the rich textures of Christianity in the Majority World can enliven, inform, and challenge all who are invested in the ongoing work of theology. As Christians have done throughout history, Majority World theologians today are seeking to faithfully interpret and apply Christianity in their own contexts. Their work and dialogue with one another is crucial for the mutual enrichment of theology, faith, and mission for the entire church. Majority World Theology offers an unprecedented opportunity to enter such conversations on the core Christian doctrines with leading scholars from around the globe. Seeking to bring together the strongest theological resources from past and present, East and West, the volume editors have assembled a diverse team of contributors to develop insights informed by the questions of worldwide geographic and cultural contexts. This book features:
*a comprehensive overview of systematic theology with sections on the Trinity, Christology, pneumatology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology
*contributors including Amos Yong, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Victor I. Ezigbo, Wonsuk Ma, Aida Besanon Spencer, Randy S. Woodley, Munther Isaac, and Veli-Matti Karkkainen
*explorations of how Scripture, tradition, and culture fit together to guide the church’s theological reflection
*scholars demonstrating how to read the Bible and think theologically in light of contextual resources and concerns
*inside views on what doing theology looks like in contributors’ cultures and what developments they hope for in the future
When we learn what it means for Jesus to be Lord in diverse places and cultures, we grasp the gospel more fully and are more able to see the blind spots of our own local versions of Christianity. Majority World Theology pr