Calvinist, Reformed and Presbyterian Churches Books

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA thorough analysis of John Calvin's thinking about the natural world is long overdue. Dave Young has done the scholarly world an immense service by his painstaking inquiry into Calvin's views about nature and our knowledge of it. Our understanding of science and theology during the period of the Reformation has been dramatically deepened and widened. A wonderful achievement. -- David N. Livingstone, Professor of Geography & Intellectual History, Queen's University, BelfastYoung effectively challenges pastors to overcome their being intimidated by science, and challenges seminaries to provide instructional tools that make that more feasible. -- Christopher B. Kaiser, Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Western Theological SeminaryThis book is comprehensive in terms of Calvin's thinking about creation, nature, and the world. It is indeed a groundbreaking contribution. * American Scientific Affiliation *This book on Calvin's view of the role of science is relevant for today's ongoing debates between science and Christianity. . . . Young's discussion on the principle of accomodation is a very helpful way to hold both the claims of Scripture and the current conclusions of science. * Christian Scholar's Review, Spring 2009 *Young gives a thorough analysis of Calvin's views about nature and its phenomena in relation to his theological thinking. . . . Young deserves full marks to the work he did in order to get a clear understanding of Calvin's view of the natural world. I hope this well written book will definitely wipe out all 'pseudo-scientific nonsense' about the French Reformer and the sciences. * Journal of Reformed Theology *A book-length study of John Calvin's views on nature and scripture is long overdue. Davis Young's meticulous, comprehensive research on this important topic is most welcome. Young rightly emphasizes Calvin's heavy use of sources such as Pliny and Aristotle, and his suggestion that Calvin may have supplemented these with various later bestiaries is reasonable. His conclusions about biblical hermeneutics and the principle of accommodation—which Calvin wielded deftly and frequently—will be very helpful to readers interested in modern issues related to the Bible and science. -- Edward B. Davis, Professor of the History of Science, Messiah CollegeTable of ContentsPart 1 Preface Chapter 2 Calvin on Science, the Arts, and Learning Chapter 3 Calvin on the Heavens Chapter 4 Calvin on Physics and the Atmosphere Chapter 5 Calvin on the Earth Chapter 6 Calvin on Living Things Chapter 7 Calvin on the Human Body, Medicine, and Origins Chapter 8 Calvin, the Natural World, and Scripture Chapter 9 Calvin and Contemporary Science Part 10 Index of Names and Subjects Part 11 Index of Scripture Text Commented on by Calvin

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Book SynopsisWestern culture has come to secularize the sacred, while at the same time sacralizing the secular. This book shows the debilitating effects that this paradox has had on the foundations of Christian worship with special reference to the changing worship patterns the Presbyterian Church in Australia.Trade ReviewIt is indeed a great attempt to argue that the epistemology of worship should be grounded not on the model of power and control, but on the model of love and connectedness. The role of theological education is to educate the sense of interconnections with God and nature, the sense of feelings, caring and love and love for humanity. These are the foundational issues needed to be addressed by modern educators. On the whole, the author has done a thorough research, both on the historical understanding of the liturgical minimization process and the discussion of the related theologies and educational theories underlying the issues. -- Peter Tze Ming Ng, China Victory Theological Seminary of Hong KongWell argued and rigorously presented outline of how the foundational elements present in the theological thought and liturgical expression of Calvin has been supplanted by a Zwinglian trend that has become the overarching force in Presbyterianism in New South Wales. This carefully orchestrated and politically engineered reshaping of the epistemology from primary virtues of love and connectedness to a technological, mechanical view based on power and control is forcefully documented. -- Prof. Most Rev. Roger Herft, Archbishop of Perth, AustraliaI was ordained as an Elder of the Presbyterian Church in 1985, after decades in the Methodist tradition, and have been deeply concerned by the progressive minimisation of the liturgical heritage of the Church described and analysed so brilliantly by the authors. I embraced the explicit symbolism and liturgy of my new Church from 1977, which deepened my spiritual understanding and was a defining moment in my Christian journey. I was impressed by the theological application of transformative subjugation and the notion of power and control. The authors insistence on the development of a specific Christian epistemology is critically important and a paradynamic shift which will impact on theological education for decades to come. The profound influence of Scottish Presbyterianism on the development of my own Sydney medical school, and of the current downgrading of the importance of many of their Christian traditions, hallmarks of the school, provide uncomfortable parallels to this narrative. I would commend this book wholeheartedly to anyone who values the legacy of the Church, and can think laterally to the implications for other disciplines facing similar challenges. -- Cojoint Professor Alan D. Hewson, Newcastle UniversityThis work is important because the writer indicates that there is little or no formal attention played to the subject of worship within the Australian Church and this is particularly the case in the Presbyterian tradition. This work therefore fills a gap in the historical literature. -- Professor Stewart Gill, University of QueenslandTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Socio-political Pattern in Early Presbyterianism in New South Wales Chapter 2 Defining the Practice of Worship in the Presbyterian Church Chapter 3 The Climax of Calvinist Liturgical Development in New South Wales Chapter 4 A Brief History of the Theological Aetiology of Liturgical Minimisation Chapter 5 Minimisation since 1977 in the Presbyterian Church of Australia Chapter 6 Towards an Epistemology of Worship Chapter 7 Towards a Reconstruction of Theological Education Conclusion Bibliography About the Authors

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Book SynopsisA fundamental part of understanding one's ancestors is knowing when they were born, how long they lived, and when they died. Here in The Genesis Genealogies lies that crucial core information about the forebears of Christianity.

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Book SynopsisCotton Mather (1663-1728) was America''s most famous pastor and scholar at the beginning of the eighteenth century. People today generally associate him with the infamous Salem witch trials, but that picture has mostly come down to us from one unreliable, antagonistic source.This biography by Rick Kennedy, based largely on new research by an international team of scholars, corrects misconceptions of Cotton Mather and focuses on the way he tried to promote, socially and intellectually, a biblical lifestyle. As older Puritan hopes in New England were giving way to a broader and shallower Protestantism, Mather led a populist, Bible-oriented movement that embraced the new century -- the beginning of a dynamic evangelical tradition that eventually became a major force in American culture.

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Book SynopsisComposed in 1809 in order to organize and direct a loosely assembled network of Scots-Irish Presbyterians on the Western Pennsylvania frontier, the Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington never quite achieved the immediate objectives that compelled its composition. Yet the document''s lofty vision of a unified Christian Church, restored to the peace and purity that the New Testament had preached and promised, has for generations fueled the imagination and fired the commitment of millions of Christians worldwidewith, often, quite contradictory results. Emerging from the work of an international online seminar, this truly monumental volume presents a definitive text with critical apparatus for a landmark document in the history of American religion and worldwide Christian ecumenism, along with eighteen insightful, incisive studies of the document''s historical provenance, its theological and ecclesiological significance, and its continuing influence.Trade Review...helpful resources for understanding and referencing the D&A. Any student of the movement will find the context and meaning of the document made more clear. Moreover, anyone interested in Christian unity will find Thomas Campbell's model given a modern consideration that is thought-provoking and challenging.... * Stone-Campbell Journal *The editors have assembled an impressive array of studies representing a variety of perspectives in order to assess the impact of Campbell's D&A on the elusive goal of Christian unity and its implications for the present. If not the final word on Campbell, it is unlikely we will see such a learned and comprehensive analysis of Campbell's works anytime soon. This work will serve as a basis for investigation into Campbell and the Disciples well into the future.... -- William Atto, University of Dallas * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *The most thorough study of the Declaration and Address available...Indispensable certainly for the study of Campbell, but also for the entire early period of the Stone-Campbell movement. * Encounter *No student of the Stone-Campbell Movement should ignore this book. It significantly advances our understanding of the Declaration and Address. Every student of ecumenism should read it because it studies one of the first and primary documents of ecumenical thought in American Christianity. While each essay contributes something valuable, several are particularly significant. . . . Within the framework of an already/not yet eschatology, we seek the present experience of unity and purity but with the confession that we have not yet fully experienced what God intends. Perhaps this volume will not only contribute to the self-understanding of the Stone-Campbell Movement, but it will also renew the impetus for the search for unity and purity in the church. -- John Mark Hicks * Restoration Quarterly *...a useful tool... * Australian Christian, vol. 105 (2002) *...enlightening and interesting...this text will bear great fruit for those who wish to understand the roots of the Stone-Campbell movement as a unity movement. * Lexington Theological Quarterly *...helpful resources for understanding and referencing the D&A. Any student of the movement will find the context and meaning of the document made more clear. Moreover, anyone interested in Christian unity will find Thomas Campbell's model given a modern consideration that is thought-provoking and challenging. * Stone-Campbell Journal *The editors have assembled an impressive array of studies representing a variety of perspectives in order to assess the impact of Campbell's D&A on the elusive goal of Christian unity and its implications for the present. If not the final word on Campbell, it is unlikely we will see such a learned and comprehensive analysis of Campbell's works anytime soon. This work will serve as a basis for investigation into Campbell and the Disciples well into the future. -- William Atto, University of Dallas * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIn his 25-page introduction covering the life of John Calvin (1509–64), Picken (Historical Dictionary of Shinto) presents Calvinism as a strain of Christianity that has influenced society, civil government, and areas such as finance and continues to change and thrive. Thus, entries deal with aspects of Calvinistic thought before, during, and after its founder’s lifetime. As a former Church of Scotland minister who taught in Japan, Picken includes possibly more entries on Scottish theologians and Calvinism in Japan than another writer would, but the entries are interesting nonetheless. The volume features a chronology, a substantial bibliography, and cross-references. VERDICT Many Protestant denominations carry the philosophical genes of Calvinism, and there is no other related dictionary currently available, making this a worthy resource. Highly recommended for public library and academic collections with focuses on religion or European history. * Library Journal *For all of its existence, Scarecrow’s Historical Dictionary series has provided a place for information on remarkably narrow and specific topics to find a home. Each of the volumes, with the standard features of a chronology, introductory essay, alphabetical entries, bibliography, and index, offers the individual authors the format and space to fully cover the topic while remaining within the template, which lets researchers know what they can expect. The three new additions to the Religions, Philosophies, and Movements subset cover Calvinism, new religious movements, and the Friends (Quakers). As reference books, the volumes on Calvinism and the Friends have a similar style and purpose. Each is intended to provide information on an established religion. The biographical entries cover church leaders and historical figures. The entries on philosophical and doctrinal matters serve to define the basic tenets of the faith and in some cases can be used as comparative points. For example, comparing the entries on Baptism and Sin in these two volumes can show basic differences between the two churches....The three books have authors, rather than editors, and all of them have has appropriate credentials for their subjects. The bibliographies are thematically arranged. These volumes are essential purchases for theological libraries and should be strongly considered by academic and public libraries where there is a subject interest. * Booklist *Like all introductory dictionaries on aspects of intellectual history, Picken’s volume compresses a great deal of information about Calvinism into a handy space and is necessarily selective in its choice of topics. But for general readers, students, and those new to Calvinism, this book is a good start....Scholars will most appreciate the very well-organized 43-page concluding bibliography, an excellent springboard for further study. * American Reference Books Annual *Table of ContentsEditor’s Foreword Jon Woronoff Preface Acronyms and Abbreviations Chronology Introduction The Dictionary Bibliography About the Author

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Book SynopsisIf the economic Trinity is the immanent Trinity, as Karl Rahner said, then what difference does it make for how we read the Bible? This book takes up the discussion that has dominated the last several decades of Trinitarian theology that of Rahner's Rule and brings it into dialogue with the longer history of the doctrine, particularly with the history of interpretation of scripture. The history of Trinitarianism is the history of complex interpretive moves, a long conversation in which the Christian church has sought to learn how to ask the right questions of scripture. Surveying recent theological projects and learning from their successes and failures, The Image of the Immanent Trinity argues that the eternally perfect fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit is truly present for our salvation in Christ who, as the image of the invisible God, secures God's presence in the economy of salvation as the image of the immanent Trinity.

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Book SynopsisExamines the progressive drives by religious groups to contest standard conceptions of modernity and forge a heavenly kingdom on the Korean peninsula to relieve people from fierce ruptures in their everyday lives. The results of this study will reconfigure the debates on colonial modernity, the origins of faith-based socialactivism in Korea, and the role of religion in a modern world.

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Book SynopsisA summary of the views of Chief Justice Rehnquist and a treatise on the future of church/state relations in America.

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Book SynopsisIncludes a state-by-state survey of direct or indirect aid for parochial and other non-public schools. This work also discusses the controversy in American education on church and state.

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Book SynopsisA Case for Mixed-Audience with Reference to the Warning Passages in the Book of Hebrews discusses the nature of the warnings in Hebrews and how these warnings relate to the theological question of the eternal security of believers. The main argument is that these warnings are intended to target a particular segment of the author's community, about whose appropriation of and subsequent attitude toward the Christian message he was deeply concerned. That is to say, while the book of Hebrews is addressed as a message of encouragement to the community as a whole, its warnings are aimed at a certain element in the community whose salvation is threatened by a possible dangerous course of action. The book implies that while the author is persuaded that the majority in the community are genuine believers, there are some about whose salvation he doubts; hence the case for a mixed-audience. What is threatened, therefore, is not a salvation already possessed, but the salvation of those in dTrade Review«I recommend this book because of its careful, biblically sound treatment of an important theological and ministerial issue. In respectful but straightforward fashion C. Adrian Thomas discusses some of the misunderstandings that arise from biblical warnings addressed to Christian communities in the book of Hebrews and elsewhere in the New Testament. His diligent study of the key passages and their history of interpretation over the centuries provides a cogent and wide-ranging evaluation of competing viewpoints. In the process he sets the exegesis and theology of these warnings on a more solid footing.« (Buist M. Fanning, Department Chair and Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary)

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Book SynopsisAs the vigorous debate over the New Perspective on Paul will only be decided by means of careful consideration of the relevant Scripture passages, Romans 4 and the New Perspective on Paul makes a significant contribution to the discussion. Interpretations by scholars promoting the New Perspective approach are reviewed in detail and contrasted with those of scholars who are critical toward this method. A detailed analysis of the context and exegesis of Romans 4 completes the work. By suggesting a more nuanced exegesis of Romans 4, this book is able to offer a careful critique of the New Perspective while still noting the positive aspects of the latter approach.Trade Review«In Romans 4:4 Paul compares a ‘righteousness’ that might be attained through ‘the works of the law’ with the ‘wages’ that one earns through labour. The passage thus represents a difficulty for the New Perspective interpretation of Paul, in which ‘works of the law’ is understood instead as a reference to boundary markers and covenant membership. In this thorough and perceptive investigation, Gerhard H. Visscher draws attention to the weaknesses in various New Perspective readings of this verse and thus adds his voice to those that call for a new appreciation of old perspectives. This study is a helpful contribution to an ongoing debate.» (Terence L. Donaldson, Lord and Lady Coggan Professor of New Testament Studies, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto) «No passage in the Pauline corpus is more crucial to a proper assessment of the ‘New Perspective on Paul’ than Romans 4. In his review of recent scholarship on the chapter, Gerhard H. Visscher makes an important addition to the current debate. But his careful exegesis makes its own original contribution as well, highlighting aspects of Paul’s argument that are significant though commonly overlooked.» (Stephen Westerholm, Professor of Biblical Studies, Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University)

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Book SynopsisThis lively book not only unpacks the history of Christianity, but also explains how church history is created and organized. Different from traditional church history textbooks, the book: Has a global emphasis, rather than an exclusively Euro-American one; Explains the discipline of church history in addition to the content; Is readable, engaging, and inviting to new students; Makes church history accessible rather than stressing obscure dates and names. Conceptually, this book is revolutionary. The story of Christianity is never complete: it only expands. By allowing fresh players into the story, broadening our perspective to include women, the working class, heretics, and priests outside mainstream orthodoxy, we become open to new ways of understanding. And these new perspectives enhance our comprehension of the endlessly surprising story of Christianity''s past.Trade Review«lt is admirable that a rather young and at the same time competent scholar is bald enough to write the whole history of Christianity anew. Such a book is needed in the academic educational field of theology and religious studies.» (Aila Lauha, Theologische Revue 4/2015)

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Book SynopsisThe question of how to interpret scripture and whether there is a distinctively Anglican approach to doing so is one of the leading theological questions in the Anglican Communion. An Anglican Hermeneutic of the Transfiguration analyzes major Anglican interpretations of the Transfiguration from the eighth century to the present and suggests that Anglicans do in fact have a distinctive hermeneutical approach to this event. Moreover, this approach may point to larger trends in the interpretation of Scripture overall, but especially the Gospels. With respect to the Transfiguration, Anglicans interpret the event within the biblical context, assume its basic historic character, and juxtapose high Christology with the human limitations of Jesus' self-understanding. Furthermore, Anglicans draw pastoral implications for the lives of Jesus and the disciples from the Transfiguration and assert that the glory manifested on the mountain supports a partially realized eschatology. Finally, An

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Book SynopsisThe Path of Humility: Caravaggio and Carlo Borromeo establishes a fundamental relationship between the Franciscan humility of Archbishop of Milan Carlo Borromeo and the Roman sacred works of Caravaggio. This is the first book to consider and focus entirely upon these two seemingly anomalous personalities of the Counter-Reformation. The import of Caravaggio's Lombard artistic heritage has long been seen as pivotal to the development of his sacred style, but it was not his only source of inspiration. This book seeks to enlarge the discourse surrounding Caravaggio's style by placing him firmly in the environment of Borromean Milan, a city whose urban fabric was transformed into a metaphorical Via Crucis. This book departs from the prevailing preoccupation the artist's experience in Rome as fundamental to his formulation of sacred style and toward his formative years in Borromeo's Milan, where humility reigned supreme. This book is intended for a broad, yet specialized readership Table of ContentsContents: Sacred Art before the Council of Trent – Carlo Borromeo’s Milan: Building Bridges to the Sacred via Word, Deed, and Image – Canon Reformulation in the Age of Counter-Reformation – Establishing His Name: Caravaggio in Rome, 1592-1599 – Caravaggio’s Public Roman Works – Caravaggio’s Patrons and the Cultivation of Humility – Scaling the Ladder to the Divine with Bare Feet.

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on Luther's very last lectures, which interpret the Joseph story in the final chapters of Genesis. Scholars have frequently neglected the later Luther and the Genesis Lectures, making this an important new contribution to the field. Luther's lectures are not a modern scientific commentary, but enarrations, as Kenneth Hagen calls them, filled with public proclamation, expanded narrative, and a performative sense of language. The author furthers Oswald Bayer's performative interpretation of Luther's theology with a more sophisticated linguistic philosophy, while continuing Bayer's theological direction. The book is an important new contribution to Luther studies and will be of interest to seminarians as well as to students of hermeneutics, homiletics, the relevance of the performative in proclamation, and philosophy of language. "Peter D. S. Krey offers a theologically expansive and polyvalent reading of Luther's lectures on the laTrade Review"Dr. Peter Krey takes the reader on an energetic ride, as he examines Luther’s reading of the Joseph Story through a variety of intriguing interpretive lenses. With his unique and empathetic approach, Krey has accumulated an original examination of a key section of Luther’s Genesis lectures. Luther is alive on these pages that lay out the complexity of his theological language in ways that resonate with both mind and heart." —Rev. Dr. Brooks Schramm and Rev. Dr. Kirsi Stjerna, Editors/Authors of Martin Luther, the Bible, and the Jewish PeopleTable of ContentsPreface – Introduction and Preliminary Information – The Literary Genre of Luther’s Expanded Joseph Narrative – Introductory Exploration of Luther’s Themes – Theology of the Cross I – Outside Resources – Empathy Has to Do with Suffering, e.g., That of Jacob – In Depth Theology: Dreams, Prophesies, and Visions – Words That Enter the Heart – The Trinity and Luther’s Language of Sending – Bibliography – Index of Names – Index of Subjects – Bible References.

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Book SynopsisExamines the connection between patriot discourse and long-standing debates - already central to the 1707 Act of Union - about the relationship among piety, moral philosophy, and political unionism.Trade ReviewThis thoroughly researched work is best suited for scholars of Enlightenment history and the American Revolution."" - Library Journal""Thoroughly researched. . . . [A] detailed investigation. Recommended."" - Choice""Readers interested in placing one of the Garden State's favorite sons in a transatlantic world of ideas will not find a better book about the only minister to sigh the Declaration of Independence."" - New Jersey Studies""Mailer does more than urge scholars to look at Witherspoon anew; he makes a compelling case for them to use Witherspoon's experience as a lens through which to more accurately gauge the interplay of religious conflict and Enlightenment philosophy in the founding of the United States."" - American Historical Review""A landmark in Scottish-American historiography."" - Eighteenth-Century Scotland

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