Bible readings, selections and meditations Books

Book SynopsisAutumn is a liturgical resource book that covers the months of August, September and October. It includes prayers, responses, stories, poems, liturgies, songs, reflections, scripts and monologues for the Christian seasons of Transfiguration, Ordinary Time and Harvest, as well as Angels' and Saints' days, World Day of Communion, Creation Time and All Hallows' Eve. There are also poems for autumn, reflections on autumn leaves and fruits and autumn blessings. The material is written by Iona Community members, associates, friends and others.

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Book SynopsisWhat was Jesus of Nazareth really like? What effect did he have on those he met and befriended? How did he impart his teachings and perform his miracles? This book explores these questions through Joseph of Arimathea, one of the most enigmatic characters of the gospel.

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Book SynopsisDo you know the character of our God--do you know who God is? What does it mean to say that God is love, light, life, and spirit? In Who God Is, world-renowned New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III explores the nature and character of the God of the Bible by focusing specifically on the nouns used to describe who God is. This rich exploration has its foundation in a deep reading of the biblical text. Reflecting on these descriptions of God gives us a fresh understanding of the beauty and uniqueness of the character of our God.

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Book SynopsisA revolutionary new offering from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, renowned psychologist and author of the global bestseller 12 Rules for Life.In We Who Wrestle with God, Dr. Peterson guides us through the ancient, foundational stories of the Western world. In riveting detail, he analyzes the Biblical accounts of rebellion, sacrifice, suffering, and triumph that stabilize, inspire, and unite us culturally and psychologically. Adam and Eve and the eternal fall of mankind; the resentful and ultimately murderous war of Cain and Abel; the cataclysmic flood of Noah; the spectacular collapse of the Tower of Babel; Abraham’s terrible adventure; and the epic of Moses and the Israelites.  What could such stories possibly mean? What force wrote and assembled them over the long centuries? How did they bring our spirits and the world together, and point us in the same direction?  It is time for us to understand such things, scientifically and spiritually; to become conscious of the structure of our souls and our societies; and to see ourselves and others as if for the first time.   Join Elijah as he discovers the Voice of God in the dictates of his own conscience and Jonah confronting hell itself in the belly of the whale because he failed to listen and act. Set yourself straight in intent, aim, and purpose as you begin to more deeply understand the structure of your society and your soul. Journey with Dr. Peterson through the greatest stories ever told.  Dare to wrestle with God.

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Book SynopsisThom Shuman's first book was 2005's Jesse Tree and since then he has been a much-loved Wild Goose writer. Thom's voice is like no one else's. There's a vulnerability, gentleness and childlike wonder in his writing that folk deeply connect with, and that well fits the Advent and Christmas season. In This Season of Waiting contains scripture readings, Thom's poetic reflections, and candle-lighting prayers for Advent, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Thom lives in Columbus, Ohio with his family, and is a retired' pastor and an associate member of the Iona Community. His previous books include How Shall We Pray This Morning? For What Shall We Pray This Night?, Grace Will Walk Us Home, Christmas Eve in the Diner, The Soft Petals of Grace, and Gobsmacked. We light the candles of visionin this season of waiting,that we might see youin the refugees who have travelledso far to reach a new homethat we might notice youin the folk sleeping in carsbecause there is no roomfor them in our prosperitythat we might recognise youin the person who treats uswith patience and kindness this day,God in community, Holy and One.

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Book SynopsisWhat if you or someone you loved missed out on the Rapture? What happens to those who are left behind? Trusted and beloved Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah shares the help and hope people will need as they face unfolding events during the End Times.

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Book SynopsisLa NBLA es la palabra de Dios escrita en el lenguaje de tu corazón.¡Descubre por qué la Biblia es el libro más vendido en la historia del mundo! El Texto de la NBLA es la forma perfecta de explorar la mayor obra literaria jamás escrita. Millones de vidas han sido cambiadas y toda nuestra sociedad ha sido afectada por este asombroso libro. El texto de la Nueva Biblia de las Américas retiene de manera precisa el significado de los idiomas originales, al mismo tiempo que provee claridad y legibilidad únicas. Respetando el mismo vocabulario, la gramática y la estructura de los originales, la Nueva Biblia de las Américas es la traducción moderna más literal disponible en español latinoamericano.Características: Texto completo de la NBLA Exclusiva letra fácil de leer Comfort Print(R) 10+ Prefacio de la NBLA Notas contextuales a

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Book SynopsisThis New Testament edition of the Battlefield of the Mind Bible will offer peace through the power of Scripture, along with insights drawn from internationally renowned Bible teacher Joyce Meyer. Perfect as a gift for yourself or someone you love, the inspirations found within the New Testament will empower you to change your thoughts and life, and win the battle in your mind.

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Book SynopsisPositioned at the boundary of traditional biblical studies, legal history, and literary theory, Deuteronomy and the Hermeneutics of Legal Innovation shows how the legislation of Deuteronomy reflects the struggle of its authors to renew late seventh century Judean society. Seeking to defend their revolutionary vision during the neo-Assyrian crisis, the reformers turned to earlier laws, even when they disagreed with them, and revised them in such a way as to lend authority to their new understanding of God''s will. Passages that other scholars have long viewed as redundant, contradictory, or displaced actually reflect the attempt by Deuteronomy''s authors to sanction their new religious aims before the legacy of the past. Drawing on ancient Near Eastern law and informed by the rich insights of classical and medieval Jewish commentary, Levinson provides an extended study of three key passages in the legal corpus: the unprecedented requirement for the centralisation of worship, the law transforming the old Passover into a pilgrimage festival, and the unit replacing traditional village justice with a professional judiciary. He demonstrates the profound impact of centralisation upon the structure and arrangement of the legal corpus, while providing a theoretical analysis of religious change and cultural renewal in ancient Israel. The book''s conclusion shows how the techniques of authorship developed in Deuteronomy provided a model for later Israelite and post- biblical literature. Integrating the most recent European research on the redaction of Deuteronomy with current American and Israeli scholarship, Levinson argues that biblical interpretation must attend to both the diachronic and the synchronic dimensions of the text. His study, which provides a new perspective on intertextuality, the history of authorship, and techniques of legal innovation in the ancient world, will engage pentateuchal critics and historians of Israelite religion, while reaching out toward current issues in literary theory and Critical Legal Studies.Trade ReviewIn my judgment it provides a better model than any previously developed for understanding the motivation and interpretative techniques that lie behind Deuteronomy. * John Barton, Journal of Religion *Through his detailed examination of texts, Levinson documents a revolution in ancient Israel's religious life and social history. * The Journal of Theological Studies *Table of Contents1. Textual Revision and Cultural Transformation: The Hermeneutics of Legal Innovation in Deuteronomy ; 2. The Innovation of Cultic Centralizaion in Deuteronomy 12 ; 3. The Transformation of Passover and Unleavened Bread in Deuteronomy 16 ; 4. The Transformation of Justice in Light of Centralizaion ; 5. The Revisionary Hermeneutics of Deuteronomy ; Bibliography ; Author Index ; Subject Index ; Index of Scriptural and Other Sources

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Book SynopsisThese biblical meditations celebrate the major seasons and holy days of the Christian year. Barbara Brown Taylor explores perennial questions of faith, doubt, grace, anger, hope, fear, love, prayer and discipleship.

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Book SynopsisWomen were an integral part of Jesus’ life and ministry as described in all four Gospels, and they are integral to the life of the church wherever Christianity has spread. In whatever position they found themselves, whether queens or slaves, they lived for their Saviour and sought to bring others to Him. Her–Story brings together well–known names, such as Fanny Crosby and Joni Eareckson Tada to lesser known Christians from across the centuries, in 366 devotions. The recurring theme – their love for Jesus. Trade ReviewDiana Severance has written the most beautiful daily devotional book for women: Her-Story. She combines a collection of women throughout Christian history who have offered their lives, work, and personal sacrifice for Jesus Christ and His ministry. Beautifully-written, a reader (woman or man!) will daily read, worship, and learn about many Christians, both well-known and lesser known. I highly recommend Diana Severance's new book, published by Christian Focus. -- Denise George (Author, teacher, speaker www.denisegeorge.org)... Reminds us of the 'great cloud of witnesses' who have loved the Lord over the last two thousand years. But her specific focus is on the women who have followed Christ, a diverse collection spanning many generations, cultures, and lands. -- Carolyn McCulley (Conference Speaker and Author of Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World)What a gift to add to daily bible reading! Diana Lynn Severance has summarized a wealth of research on hundreds of edifying lives lived for Jesus without sentimentality and with deep effect ... This is a book to treasure and share with all. -- Kathy Manchester (Pastor's wife, Mother and Educator, North Sydney, Australia)Her-Story provides a daily walk with Christian women from the 1st century to our present day. But as the reader takes this journey, we are ultimately taught and reminded not so much about women, but rather about our great God. -- Jane Tooher (Ministry Department, Director of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre, Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia)Never have I read a daily devotional book that is a page-turner. This one is. Drawing on real life stories from New Testament times to now, the author sheds light on the convictions, commitments, struggles, joys, and yes sorrows of some 365 women who have trusted and served Christ. Read this for new insight into church history, fresh gratitude for God's glory in women's lives, and strong motivation to aspire to the levels of faith, love, sacrifice, and service on display in these fascinating vignettes. This gives not a sugary but rather a protein boost to pondering Scripture, to prayer, and to worship. -- Robert W. Yarbrough (Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri)This is a daily devotional of astonishing scope. What you have is 366 bite-size biographical sketches of 366 Christian women. Collectively this book gives an overview of church history from NT times to the present day, through the eyes and stories of female believers. It is a staggering accomplishment and would make the kind of gift one would return to again and again for reference and pleasure. If you like dipping into books, this one is well worth a dip. -- Ann Benton, Evangelicals NowHow fascinating to examine the lives of Christian sisters from antiquity! Their steps call and inspire today's women to leave footprints along the same trail. -- Mary A. Kassian (Author and Distinguished Professor of Women?s Studies, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)Women have been at the center of 21 centuries of church history, and now Diana Severance brings to this generation their stories, inspiring us with their unique testimonies. Arising from the stage of history with the inspiring legacy of personal faith, each woman leaps from the page to encourage and motivate all of us who read these daily devotionals penned by a church historian who knows our hearts and has tasted our trials. -- Dorothy K. Patterson (Professor of Theology in Women?s Studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Forth Worth, Texas)

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Book SynopsisThis one year collection contains six classic, specially selected themes from Every Day with Jesus to encourage you in your Christian walk. Inside are 366 daily readings and prayers, along with suggestions for further study and discussion.Christian Conversion building a case for the importance of conversion, outlining what stops us being converted and exploring what true Christian conversion is.Authentic Apprenticeship unpacks a number of key themes concerning following Jesus, focusing on the character traits that we can develop.Fitter Healthier Stronger it is through discipline we are able to assent to God''s purposes for our lives.Building a more effective prayer life a broad range of questions lookingat what prayer is, why we don''t pray, objections to prayer, what does it mean to surrender to God, some practical steps to an effective prayer life.Being Real in the Psalms - Selwyn looks at the so-called uncomfortable psalms', those which express deep hurt and anguish.Guidance and the will of God how we can be people who know and obey God's will for ourselves.

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Book SynopsisDay by Day with Godis a collection of Bible reading notes specifically written for women by women. The entries for each day contain a suggested Bible reading, with the key verse written out in full, a helpful comment that engages heart and mind and a short reflection or prayer. Whatever your situation, you will be inspired and encouraged by these notes.

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Book SynopsisEmpire-critical and postcolonial readings of Revelation are now commonplace, but scholars have not yet put these views into conversation with Jewish trauma and cultural survival strategies. In this book, Sarah Emanuel positions Revelation within its ancient Jewish context. Proposing a new reading of Revelation, she demonstrates how the text''s author, a first century CE Jewish Christ-follower, used humor as a means of resisting Roman power. Emanuel uses multiple critical lenses, including humor, trauma, and postcolonial theory, together with historical-critical methods. These approaches enable a deeper understanding of the Jewishness of the early Christ-centered movement, and how Jews in antiquity related to their cultural and religious identity. Emanuel''s volume offers new insights and fills a gap in contemporary scholarship on Revelation and biblical scholarship more broadly.Trade Review'Meticulously researched and delightfully written, Sarah Emanuel's book offers an original, intriguing and entertaining interpretation of the book of Revelation. Emanuel deftly combines trauma, humor and postcolonial theories to uncover a Hellenistic Jewish book that deploys comic sarcasm and mockery of Rome as a Jewish survival tactic for a traumatized community. This is a must read for anyone who has puzzled over the meaning behind the strange beasts and violent burnings of Revelation.' Colleen M. Conway, Seton Hall University, New Jersey'Many people say Revelation 'resists' Roman domination, but Roasting Rome shows us how that work is done. Grounded in a rich set of case studies in the ancient world, including Jewish political resistance, Sarah Emanuel shows us how Revelation deploys humor as a weapon to subvert imperial pretensions. She also demonstrates how Revelation's biting humor comes with its own corrosive dangers, a timely lesson for modern readers.' Greg Carey, Lancaster Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania'… this book demonstrates a rich engagement with several bodies of theoretical literature. It offers excellent introductory discussions of postcolonial theory, trauma theory, humor theory, and dialogism for readers in biblical studies … generative and engaging readings of Revelation. Emanuel's monograph is well worth the attention of readers of Revelation, as well as anyone interested in postcolonial theory, trauma theory, and humor in biblical studies.' Olivia Stewart Lester, The Bible and Critical TheoryTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Backgrounds, backdrops, and other important starting points; 2. Survival of the humorist; 3. The comic truth; 4. The trick revealed; 5. I pledge allegiance to the lamb; Conclusion.

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Book Synopsis'a fiercely intelligent theologian and historian' - The Independent'Miranda gives us the confidence to sit and taste the Bible's profound and life-changing goodness.' - Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of YorkAs a vicar, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes is used to being asked to recommend a book on how and why to read the Bible. Filling the gap between popular Bible reading notes and more academic books, How to Eat Bread is the book she'd give to anyone wanting to explore the Bible as part of their faith. Its three main sections delve into the rich heritage of how Christians have read the Bible down the ages: From the Larder - ways that scripture itself uses other parts of scripture, or models and demonstrates different ways of reading Grandma's Recipe Book - historical methods of biblical interpretation Molecular Gastronomy - the insights and methods of modern theological hermeneuticsEncouraging readers to try out a variety of tried and tested ways of Bible reading, experiment with different ingredients and sample the results, How to Eat Bread is a refreshingly hands-on approach to understanding this ancient library of texts.'exhilarating and hands-on ... Miranda Threlfall-Holmes provides a fantastic guide' - Fergus Butler-GallieTrade Review'An encouraging book about reading scripture' * Church Times *a novel approach to reading the Bible and deepening faith * Life & Work *The psalmist says that God's word is sweeter than honey. Miranda Threlfall-Holmes writes for us as one who has tasted God's word, found it to be good and nourishing, and now wants us to eat as well. She invites us on a journey of discovery; the delights and challenges of the Bible as food for the journey of life. Lots of books tell us what the Bible is about. Few explain to us how to read it. But drawing on different traditions of reflective biblical reading, Miranda gives us the confidence to sit and taste its profound and life-changing goodness. * Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York *The Bible is a beautiful, inspired, ancient sacred text. It's full of God's wisdom and nourishment - but frankly it can also be confusing and indigestible without a guide. In How to Eat Bread Miranda guides us to read well, and through reading to live well, as we come to taste the wonderful food that God gives us through scripture. Highly recommended! * Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool *To me, the Bible is one of the most beautiful and dangerous texts in the world - beautiful because it points towards unimaginable glories, dangerous because it is so easily used as a weapon to judge, condemn, harm. We need wise companions like Miranda Threlfall-Holmes to help us find the Bible's beauty while refusing to weaponize it. There's really no book like How to Eat Bread - honest about the Bible's challenges, inspired by its wonders, informed about its scholarship and full of practical ideas for reading the Bible as you would eat good bread. * Brian D. McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt *For any Christian - or, we might argue, anyone wanting to have even a cursory understanding of how our globalised world got to think and be as it does and is - reading the Bible ought to be as natural as breathing or, as this exciting new book puts it, eating bread. All too often reading the Bible can seem - even to Christians - a scary or taxing task. In this exhilarating and hands-on book Miranda Threlfall-Holmes provides a fantastic guide to the many and varied ways that we can get real nourishment out of Scripture. The Church is in great need of ways to re-engage people with the joys and challenges that reading the Bible can bring and - whether it is for a set group or just the curious individual reader - this marvellous book is a fantastic starting point for that process to begin. * Fergus Butler-Gallie, author of A Field Guide to the English Clergy *Are you baffled by the Bible, stumped by the Scriptures? Try Miranda Threlfall-Holmes's new book for help. How to Eat Bread provides many different ways of tasting the Word of God. No need to read it all in one go. Just dip into it, alone or with a group. Miranda Threlfall-Holmes draws on her wide experience in parishes, as university chaplain and as mother, to suggest various ways of reading the Scriptures, suitable for different persons and for different times. Try them. You will not be disappointed. * Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald *Miranda Threlfall-Holmes writes with a freshness and an urgency that draw the reader into her subject matter in compelling ways. This volume discusses in accessible form Scripture's own methods of interpreting the story of God's engagement with creation, the Church's interpretations across history together with the ways in which modern hermeneutical scholarship discloses the inherited texts and their freshness for successive generations.Whether you are beginning this journey or are a seasoned campaigner, you will find something here to enrich your understanding and enjoyment of Scripture. * Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin *Miranda Threlfall-Holmes's latest book is a feast of delicious morsels. How To Eat Bread is an invitation to read the Bible as a staple of our spiritual life, and yet more: the book is infused with a passion that dares to wrestle with the Bible's trickier aspects as well as its sublime simplicity. In a book that will feed both individuals and groups, Threlfall-Holmes wears her learning lightly. By daring to knead scripture into the insights of tradition and reason, she has produced a 'recipe book' for anyone wanting to discover why the Bible is the greatest companion on the way to God. Taste, eat, and be fed! * Canon Rachel Mann, priest, scholar and author *Reading Revd Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes'S How to Eat Bread, I discovered the practical guide to reading the Bible I did not realise was missing in my life. Even with nearly 40 years' studying the Bible, she revealed to me new insights, techniques, and doorways for engaging the scriptures. * Peterson Toscano, LGBTQ human rights campaigner and creator of Transfigurations - Transgressing Gender in the Bible *How to Eat Bread is a terrific guide to many of the methods scholars and teachers use to access the deep meaning of the stories of the Bible. Short of just eating the pages of your Bible, Miranda's book offers almost all methods of consuming the richness of the Bible, the bearer of very good news for today. If you are hesitant to read your Bible on your own or wondering how preachers know what they say they know, How to Eat Bread lifts the veil. This is a great tool for study and devotional reading of the Bible. * Rev. Winne Varghese, Trinity Church Wall Street, New York *

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Book SynopsisIt's interesting to note that the original Greek word used here has a very strong sense of waterfowl flying backwards. So, what the writer is saying is that they went down like reversing ducks, and so, of course should we ' from Adrian Plass's popular spoof of an Anglican sermonReaders who seek a weighty theological treatise on the life of Christ will not find it in these pages. With a deft touch and down-to-earth humour, Adrian Plass offers a heartfelt response to the life and ministry of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of Mark.I have had a passion for Jesus for many years,' says Plass. In Jesus we meet a dynamic, hardworking, passionate member of the human race, a man, but a man who was also God. Stronger than all the powers of nature, he was nevertheless willing to become a servant so that people like you and I can be rescued from the worst of disasters.'Plass brings his own unique perspective to this meditation on Mark, which has been broken into ninety sections that can be read i

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Book SynopsisDevotional Classics: Revised Edition is an updated and expanded edition of Renovaré's companion to the devotional life. Edited by Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, this version incorporates all six traditions, or "streams," that comprise a healthy and holistic life of Christian faith. The fifty-two selections in Devotional Classics have been organized to introduce the reader to the great Christian devotional writers over the course of one year, through an introduction and meditation by Foster, a related biblical passage, discussion questions, and individual and group exercises. Devotional Classics is indispensable for those looking for a deeper and more balanced spiritual life.

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Book SynopsisIn The Names of God, as in his previous study, Toward a Grammar of Biblical Poetics (OUP, 1992), Herbert Brichto continues to argue against the atomistic readings of the Hebrew Bible by the currently dominant schools of Biblical scholarship. He maintains, that despite the repetitions and self contradictions found in the Five Books of Moses, the Pentateuch possesses an aesthetic and ideological wholeness. Its harmonious blend of stories and structures inform one another as they give shape and meaning to the relationship and expectations between a benevolent God and recalcitrant humankind. In particular, Bichto focuses his poetic reading on the Book of Genesis. He uses the methods of contemporary literary criticism to examine one of the greatest inconsistencies within Genesis, the alternating use of Yahweh (the Lord) and Elohim (God) as names for the Deity. Often cited as the proof of multiple authorship, Brichto shows, instead, that this inconsistency serves as a device for a single auTrade Review"Like Brichto's other writings, this work is masterfully written with language that is unusually rich and daring."--Robert J. Ratner, Congregation Beth Ha Tephila

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Book SynopsisAbout seventy years after the death of Jesus, John of Patmos sent visionary messages to Christians in seven cities of western Asia Minor. These messages would eventually become part of the New Testament canon, as The Book of Revelation. What was John''s message? What was its literary form? Did he write to a persecuted minority or to Christians enjoying the social and material benefits of the Roman Empire? In search of answers to these penetrating questions, Thompson critically examines the language, literature, history, and social setting of the Book of the Apocalypse. Following a discussion of the importance of the genre apocalypse, he closely analyses the form and structure of the Revelation, its narrative and metaphoric unity, the world created through John''s visions, and the social conditions of the empire in which John wrote. He offers an unprecedented interpretation of the role of boundaries in Revelation, a reassessment of the reign of the Emperor Domitian, and a view of tribulTrade Review"Rich and complex....A genuine contribution to social historical studies of apocalypticism."--Journal of Religion"While he writes for specialists, he does so clearly and engagingly, taking care to define his terms in order to bring non-specialists on board."--Anglican Theological Review"Contains much useful material and should be read by all persons making a serious study of the book of Revelation."--Seminary Studies"Ancient historians and other New Testament students will appreciate the scholarly solidity of this monograph and a wider readership may be excited by its fresh style and a stimulating tour of themes like the Roman Empire under Domitian, the Jews in Asia Minor, and the nature of religion in relation to society."--Theological Book Review"A groundbreaking monograph....If Thompson's thesis is accepted among scholars, it will revolutionize the academic study of apocalyptic literature....A major piece of scholarly work."--Choice

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Book SynopsisWhile synthesizing well-established commentators as diverse as Bultmann and Brown, Brodie expands Johannine studies in two directions. First, by drawing on the techniques of contemporary literary studies, he shows that John''s Gospel, far from being poorly edited, is a carefully-wrought unity. Second, he shows that the final basis of this unity lies not in history or theology but, as ancient tradition suggested, in spirituality. Brodie also includes his own innovative translation of John. The result is a new type of commentary that is thoroughly contemporary in style, perspective, and method.Trade ReviewThis book marks an important development in the interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, for it appears to be the first full-scale commentary on John in English to adopt a sustained literary approach ... The result is a brilliant and perceptive account of John's material, full of rich insights for the enquiring reader, and must be warmly welcomed. * Journal of Theological Studies *

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Book SynopsisThis re-examination of "Genesis" 1-11 is based on a strongly positive evaluation of the "Septuagint" as a reliable witness to the original Hebrew. The author presents evidence and gives his analysis as the first step towards an eclectic critical edition of the books of the Hebrew Bible.Trade ReviewHendel lucidly and sharply discusses general principles of textual criticism, in dialogue with the specialists, and applies these principles to the establishing of an 'eclectic' critical text of Genesis 1-11. There are many delightful nuggets. In many ways the book is a model which students learning textual criticism could profitably work with. * R.W.L. Moberly, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol.51 No.1 *

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Book SynopsisPoetry has traditionally embodied religious imagination and reflected the deepest longings, joys, and tribulations of humanity. As the Bible''s best-known poetry, the Psalms have been a rich source of inspiration for meditation, song, and recitation for thousands of years.Uniting the lyrical songs of Israel with their literary legacy, The Poets'' Book of Psalms comprises renditions of the Psalms by twenty-five renowned poets from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. Poets include John Donne, Robert Burns, John Milton, Sir Philip Sidney, John Davies, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Mary Sidney Herbert, David Rosenberg, and Laurance Wieder. The result--a complete and lyrical Psalter for the modern reader--supplies a living language alternative to existing prose translations and pious paraphrases.The collection includes an introduction by the editor that describes the often surprising history and politics surrounding many of the poets lives and work. For easy cross-referenceTrade ReviewFor biblical scholars of a literary bent * Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Upon the Translation of the Psalms ; Book One ; Book Two ; Book Three ; Book Four ; Book Five ; The Book of Psalms, King James Version ; Index of First Lines ; Index of Poets

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Book SynopsisIn this study, Irene Backus examines the fate of the Apocalypse at the hands of early Protestants in three centres of the Reformation: Geneva, Zurich, and Wittenberg. To do so, Backus systematically investigates sources and methods on the most important reformed and Lutheran commentaries of the Apocalypse from 1528-1584.Trade ReviewThe work is executed with meticulous scholarship, as one would expect from Irena Backus, and is a very worthy companion to Richard Bauckham's Tudor Apocalypse. * Journal of Ecclesiastical History *A valuable work of reference ... Backus has made a great deal of intriguing and obscure information easily accessible. * Reformation *This is a thorough, detailed, and valuable analysis of a field which has until now received little attention. * Journal of Theological Studies *There is much value in this book in that it includes material that has far too long lain undisturbed some way off from the well-beaten track. * tbr (theological book review, Feed The Minds) *Masterful treatment of the subject. * Sixteenth Century Journal *

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Book SynopsisIn Saint Saul, Donald Harman Akenson offers a lively and provocative account of what we can learn about Jesus by reading the letters of Paul. As the only direct evidence of Jesus we have that were composed before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE forever altered the outlook of the Christian and Jewish faiths, Akenson claims that these letters are the most reliable source of information. He dismisses the traditional method of searching for facts about Jesus by looking for parallels among the four gospels because they were handed down to us as a unit by a later generation. Akenson painstakingly recreates the world of Christ, a time rich with ideas, prophets, factions, priests, savants, and god-drunk fanatics. He insistently stresses throughout the Jewishness of Jesus, referring to Jesus and Paul as Yeshua and Saul, as they were then known. Saul, although he did not know Yeshua personally, knew his most important followers, and wrote immediately after Yeshua''s death. Saul''s Trade ReviewFrom his double-take title through more than 300 zestful pages, Donald Akenson startles us with one fresh insight after another...Saint Saul is an engaging book for anyone willing to take on the current challenges in the quest for Jesus. * Christian Science Monitor *Saint Saul is a splendid book. In touch with the latest scholarship, elegantly written, original, and highly persuasive. The whole area of the early relations between Christianity and Judaism--i.e. in the first 3 or 4 centuries--is now in a state of complete turmoil and reconceptualization. It now seems clear that the borders between what we now think of as two religions were very blurred at that time, and that orthodox rabbinic Judaism was not at all the normative Judaism at the time of Jesus and thereafter. In all these cross-currents, this book by Akenson is a clearly presented argument that will surely advance and clarify the conversation. * Harvey Cox, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Divinity, Harvard University and Author of The Secular City and Fire From Heaven *Akenson is able to penetrate to the heart of things in a manner that one can only envy. He writes vigorous and arresting prose, and is not afraid to go into the corners and mix it up. * Terence L. Donaldson, Lord and Lady Coogan Professor of New Testament Studies, University of Toronto and Author of Paul and the Gentiles *Saint Saul is resoundingly fresh in its current contributions to literature and, once again, Akenson has written of thorny and difficult questions with rollicking good humour and grace that reaches the depths of seriousness without false solemnity. Saint Saul is a splendid book. * T.F. Rigelhof *

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Book SynopsisAfter more than a century of debate about the significance of imperial cults for the interpretation of Revelation, this is the first study to examine both the archaeological evidence and the Biblical text in depth. Friesen argues that a detailed analysis of imperial cults as they were practiced in the first century CE in the region where John was active allows us to understand John''s criticism of his society''s dominant values. He demonstrates the importance of imperial cults for society at the time when Revelation was written, and shows the ways in which John refuted imperial cosmology through his use of vision, myth, and eschatological expectation.Trade Review"This book will benefit students of early Christianity as well as students of Greco-Roman history. Certainly anyone seriously interested in the study of Revelation should not pass it by."--The Journal of Religion

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Book SynopsisThe first translation into a modern language of an important patristic text, Gregory of Nyssa's treatise on the inscriptions of the Psalms. The book shows Gregory's indebtedness to classical culture as well as to Christian tradition, and compares his early understanding of the stages of the spiritual life with that in his later treatises.Trade ReviewHandsomely produced and useful volume...Professor Heine has performed a useful service in makingmore readily available, for the first time in English, the contents of one of Gregory's less well known writings.It has never been translated into a modern language, nor been the subject of a monograph ... Thus Heine's book fills a real gap in the otherwise rich scholarship on Gregory of Nyssa ... We should be grateful to Heine for his valuable addition to the rich harvest of studies on Gregory of Nyssa. * Church History *

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Book SynopsisThis first full-scale account of Leviticus by a world-renowned anthropologist presents the biblical work as a literary masterpiece. Seen in an anthropological perspective Leviticus has a mystical structure which plots the book into three parts corresponding to the three parts of the desert tabernacle, which in turn corresponds to the parts of Mount Sinai. This completely new reading transforms the interpretation of the purity laws. The pig and other forbidden animals are not abhorrent, they command the same respect due to all God''s creatures. Boldly challenging several traditions of Bible criticism, Mary Douglas claims that Leviticus is not the narrow doctrine of a crabbed professional priesthood but a powerful intellectual statement about a religion which emphasizes God''s justice and compassion.Trade Reviewthe great anthropologist Mary Douglas's surprising rereading of a very old text,Leviticus as Literature makes a discarded classic zing with new life. * Valentine Cunningham, The Independent, 2000 *

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Book SynopsisThis important study provides the first English translation of both the surviving fragments of Origen''s Commentary on Ephesians and of the complete text of Jerome''s Commentary on Ephesians. The two translations are placed parallel to one another where they treat the same texts in Ephesians thus showing Jerome''s extensive dependence on Origen''s commentary. By using collateral texts from other works of Origen, Jerome, and Rufinus, the author is able to show Jerome''s dependence on Origen in numerous passages in his commentary where the Greek text of Origen''s commentary is lost. The translation is accompanied by Heine''s illuminating commentary and a substantial introduction sets the works in their historical context. The book makes a significant contribution not only to scholarship on Origen and Jerome, but also to the wider question of the interpretation of scripture in the early Christian centuries.Trade Review... intriguing and learned. * The Journal of Theological Studies *... lucid and accurate translation ... [Heine's] conjectures are always reasonable. * The Journal of Ecclesiastical History *

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Book SynopsisRecent research on the book of Isaiah has been dominated by discussions of its unity and authorship. Professor Williamson''s important study provides a major and highly original contribution to these key issues, and is based upon a more rigorous methodology than ever used before. Isaiah is usually regarded as the work of two authors - the so-called Isaiah of Jerusalem (Isaiah 1-39) and Deutero-Isaiah (the author of Isaiah 40-55). Professor Williamson argues that the author of Isaiah 40-55 was in fact strongly influenced by the work of the earlier writer. Secondly, he demonstrates that the earlier work was regarded as a book which had been sealed up until the time when judgement was past and the day of salvation had arrived, and that Deutero-Isaiah believed himself to be heralding the arrival of that day. Thirdly, and most provocatively, Professor Williamson argues that Deutero-Isaiah both included and edited a version of the earlier prophecies along with his own, intending from the staTrade ReviewReview from previous edition In this carefully argued monograph Williamson presents a fascinating theory and comes to daring conclusions ... He proceeds by a careful analysis of relevant texts and by detailed attention to the work of his scholarly predecessors to produce a work that is clear, convincing and challenging. It marks an important contribution to work on the book of Isaiah ... This is the kind of study that keeps one gripped by the argument and fascinated to see in which direction the author will move next; a rare treat in modern biblical studies. * Reviews in Religion and Theology *Very positive and forward-looking study ... there is a very clear statement of the problems here, a well argued and fair assessment of the methods and resources with which they need to be dealt with, and a positive attempt to mark out some useful steps forward. It will perform a great service if it draws fresh attention to the undoubted fact the the basic structure of the book of Isaiah poses many still unresolved questions. * Journal of Theological Studies *This monograph is a major contribution to the study of the composition of the Book of Isaiah, and will necessitate a reorientation of critical perspectives whether its thesis is accepted or rejected. It is written in a lucid and elegant style, and the necessary discussion of text-critical problems in a number of passages is conveniently relegated to an appendix. The scholarly world is deeply indebted to Williamson for such a stimulating contribution to an important debate. * A. Gelston, Journal of Semitic Studies *Williamson's economical hypothesis has the strength of its simplicity ... Much remains uncertain, but one of the admirable qualities of the work under review is its frank admission of the fact. * Journal of Biblical Literature *Table of Contents1. Recent Study of the Book Called Isaiah ; 2. Limitations, Presuppositions, and Method ; 3. Isaiah Chapter 6 ; 4. Further Examples of Isianic Influence ; 5. On Writing and Witnesses ; 6. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 2-12 ; 7. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 13-27 ; 8. Deutero-Isaiah and Isaiah 28-39 ; 9. Conclusions

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Book SynopsisNow available in English for the first time, Augustine''s Commentary on Galatians is his only complete, formal commentary on any book of the Bible and offers unique insights into his understanding of Paul and of his own task as a biblical interpreter. Yet it is one of his least known works today - and this despite its importance in the past for such major figures as Aquinas, Luther, Erasmus, and Newman. The present volume seeks to remedy this situation by providing not only an English translation with facing Latin text, but also a comprehensive introduction and copious notes. Since Galatians happens to be the only biblical book commented upon by all the ancient Latin commentators - including Jerome, Pelagius, Ambrosiaster, and Marius Victorinus, as well as Augustine - it provides a basis for comparing them and for identifying Augustine''s special concerns and emphases. Augustine''s Commentary also has crucial links to other works he wrote at the time, especially his monastic rule and DTrade ReviewThis first translation of Augustine's only complete biblical commentary into Enlgish is of great value, as much for those concerned with the intersection of biblical pastoral theology as for the student of Augustine. * European Journal of Theology *Table of ContentsI. INTRODUCTION ; 1. Date of Composition ; 2. Augustine in Relation to the Other Latin Commentators on Paul in Late Antiquity ; 3. The Purpose of Augustine's Commentary ; 4. Augutine as a Reader of Galatians ; 5. Conclusions ; II. AUGUSTINE'S COMMENTARY ON THE LETTER TO GALATIANS: TEXT, TRANSLATION, AND NOTES

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Book SynopsisShows how in lectio divina we can truly meet the one who speaks, the living Word, God himself, who calls us to live rich Christian lives, even if the Word's work in us remains mysterious.Trade ReviewEnzo Bianchi is known to many as prior of the ecumenical Bose monastic community in Italy. Lectio Divina is his plea for Christians to feed on the Bible prayerfully and intelligently, avoiding both academic detachment and literalist credulity, and willing to enlist the fruits of biblical criticism in approaching scripture as a sacrament of God's presence. It is towards the end of this short book that Bianchi focuses on the specific discipline of lectio divina, with its four-fold sequence of lectio (engaging the otherness of the Bible) meditatio bringing ourselves into relationship with scripture), oratio (offering what is taking place to God), and contemplatio (dwelling joyfully in God's presence), having spent time outlining the foundation of this method in patterns of interpretation found within the Bible itself, in Origen, and in medieval hermeneutics. Such prayerful Bible study will often be undertaken individually, but it is a strenght of Bose's approach that he sees the defining context for encountering the Bible to be liturgical and communal: 'In liturgy-especially eucharistic liturgy- there is a resurrection of Scripture as Word' - though Protestant sensibilities may bristle a little to be told that 'all of this takes place under a presiding guarantor' Lectio Divina reads well in translation from the Italian but remains very much a Roman Catholic book, written in response to that Church's 'long estrangement from the Bible' and the neglect of Bible-reading in 'the daily lives of lay Catholics', unhelped by 'priests lacking training in reading Scripture'. Patristic authorities and official RC documents are frequently cited, but there is a notable absence of wider reference. The combination of patient explanation, close reference to post-Vatican II documentation, and a gentle assertiveness bring something of the air of the novitiate lecture-room. Readers belonging to Churches of the Reformation may feel that Bose is making a case for something that they have known about for some time, and that the helpful structure of lectio divina may not be quite as distinctive as it seems. The author offers many striking insights from his tradition into how, in reading scripture, we 'will know that we have read well if we feel that the text is reading us', though non-RC readers may feel that for much of the book they are overhearing a neighbouring family's conversation. -- Revd Philip Welsh * Church Times *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 1992 National Jewish Book Award, this provides insights into Freud's feelings toward his own Judaism. Yerushalmi analyzes Freud's intentions in writing "Moses and Monotheism", presenting the work as Freud's psychoanalytic history of the Jews, Jewdaism and the Jewish psyche.

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Book SynopsisOf all the books of the Bible, few are as fascinating or as intimidating as Revelation. Four grim horsemen, the Antichrist, the ten-horned beast, the ultimate battle at Armageddon, the mark of the beast. It''s no wonder that these images have griped the imagination of so many--and have been variously interpreted as symbolizing everything from Hitler and Gorbachev to credit cards and the Internet. Is the book of Revelation a blueprint for the future? A book of powerful symbolic imagery with warnings for the church? Is it essentially an imaginative depiction of historical events in the first century? Four Views on the Book of Revelation explores four interpretations of the book of the Apocalypse: Preterist – a historical interpretation, arguing that most of John’s prophecies occurred in the first century, soon after his writing of them. Idealist – a spiritual or symbolic interpretation, arguing that th

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Book SynopsisSix-session small group studies to build true community within the church and among the world Parables: Jesus, the wisest man who ever lived, had much to say about God, the human heart, the future, life, anger, love, and everything that mattered. Digging into the treasure trove of the wisdom and truth hidden in his parables will stretch minds, feed souls, pierce hearts, and shape his followers into true disciples.

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