Christian Churches, denominations, groups Books

Book SynopsisSowing the Sacred traces the development of Mexican-American Pentecostalism among farmworkers from the 1910s to the 1960s, drawing on oral histories, photographs taken by farmworkers, and material from new archival collections to tell an intimate story of sacred-space making in a context of labor exploitation.Trade ReviewA terrific glimpse into previously untold histories, Sowing the Sacred is a beautiful, moving, and an important work of scholarship on the material and spiritual lives of ethnic Mexican farmworkers and church leaders in California. Please read this book. * Jacqueline M. Hidalgo, Professor of Latina/o/x Studies and Religion, Williams College *With a beautiful mix of photographs, oral histories, and archival research, Barba gracefully uncovers the tragic and resilient worlds of Mexican Pentecostal farmworkers as they labored in the fields, created sacred spaces, and lived dignified lives in the American West. Sowing the Sacred more than fills a significant gap in the literature on Latina/o religion and labor, it changes the field entirely. Simply put, this book is groundbreaking. * Felipe Hinojosa, author of Apostles of Change: Latino Radical Politics, Church Occupations, and the Fight to Save the Barrio *Sowing the Sacred impressively reframes the history of proletarian religion in California's harsh agribusiness. Lloyd Barba deftly demonstrates how subaltern Pentecostal farmworkers sacralized the very soil and water of their labor and fired the imaginations of key Chicano/a Movement leaders. * Daniel Ramírez, Associate Professor of American Religions, Claremont Graduate University *Sowing the Sacred successfully places the sacred stories and laboring bodies of Apostólicos front and center, offering the reader not just a window into the past, but entirely new sets of lenses through which to examine, uncover, and admire the fruit of a completely different kind of "labor" that left a permanent mark on U.S. and Mexican history. * Gaby Viesca, George Fox University *Sowing the Sacred: Mexican Pentecostal Farmworkers in California by Lloyd Daniel Barba is a beautifully told and rigorously researched history of a subaltern religious denomination in California's agricultural farmlands. * David Flores, Department of Ethnic Studies, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA, USA *Sowing the Sacred is more than a history of Mexican Pentecostal farmworkers in California. It is an excavation, unearthing a religious tradition that's been buried beneath social prejudice and scholarly neglect. * Christian Century *An important contribution Sowing the Sacred gives us is the way it adds to the historical texture of the United States' design of labor laws and practices regarding farmworkers and capitalistic production of the fields. * Yara González-Justiniano, Divinity School Vanderbilt University *Sowing the Sacred successfully places the sacred stories and laboring bodies of Apostólicos front and center, offering the reader not just a window into the past, but entirely new sets of lenses through which to examine, uncover, and admire the fruit of a completely different kind of "labor" that left a permanent mark on U.S. and Mexican history. * Gaby Viesca, The Perspectivas *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: The Sacralized Profane Chapter 1: Sacred Routes: Mapping the Church Chapter 2: Sacred Waters: Baptizing the Church Chapter 3: Sacred Fields: Building the Church Chapter 4: Sacred Talents: Maturing the Church Chapter 5: Sacred Nostalgia: Remembering the Church Conclusion: The Sacred Beyond the Profane Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSowing the Sacred traces the development of Pentecostalism among Mexican-American migrant laborers in California''s agricultural industry from the 1910s to the 1960s. At the time, Pentecostalism was often seen as a distasteful new sect rife with cultish and fanatical tendencies; U.S. growers thought of Mexicans as no more than a mere workforce not fit for citizenship; and industrial agriculture was celebrated for feeding American families while its exploitation of workers went largely ignored. Farmworkers were made out to be culturally vacuous and lacking creative genius, simple laborers caught in a vertiginous cycle of migrant work. This book argues that farmworkers from La Asamblea Apostólica de la Fe en Cristo Jesús carved out a robust socio-religious existence despite these conditions, and in doing so produced a vast record of cultural vibrancy. Examining racialized portrayals of Mexican workers and their religious lives through images created by farmworkers themselves, Sowing the

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Book SynopsisIn the mountains of beautiful, bucolic northern Utah, many Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are visited by spirits. Local folklore is filled with stories of uncanny encounters of all kinds, and Latter-day Saint scripture and prophetic teachings emphasize the reality and the importance of the spirit world. Spirit encounters are common in this community. People report visits from the benevolent spirits of kin offering aid and also from evil spirits who tempt and harass. Combining folklore research with ethnography, the book examines many types of spirit encounters and shows that such experiences must be understood as particularly Latter-day Saint phenomena.Spirit encounters take place within a larger cultural and religious framework that emphasizes the important relationships between living and non-living beings. For Mormons in northern Utah, spirit lore and experiences are interpreted and understood with reference to Latter-day Saint cosmology and particularly Mormon conceptions of the natur

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Book SynopsisDiakonia Studies closes the account on John N. Collinss 40 years of involvement in groundbreaking linguistic research and argumentation concerning the nature and functioning of Christian ministry. Dispute has swirled around the Greek term diakonia for 50 years. Once seen as enshrining the New Testament value of loving Christian servicewhat Jerome Murphy-O''Connor called one of the dogmas of New Testament scholarshipthe word was exposed by Dieter Georgi in 1964 as arguably meaning something quite different. In 1974 John N. Collins published his first paper on the issue, pointing to inadequacies in Georgi''s brief account. Then in 1990 Collins published his exhaustive semantic survey, Diakonia: Re-interpreting the Ancient Sources. His re-interpretation was variously hailed as devastating, provocative, unfashionable, and a scholarly avalanche whose conclusions are inescapable. Since then, the book has stood at the center of the Collins-Debate. Meanwhile Collins''s findings have been incorTrade ReviewIt is now over 20 years since the publication of Collins's seminal work, Diakonia: Reinterpreting the Ancient Sources. His approach in that book and subsequent publications is now essential reading for anyone intending to explore the subject. This most recent collection gathers together a range of articles (both published and unpublished), many of which have previously been hard to find, making it much easier to reflect on and respond to Collins's valuable contribution to the field. * Paula R. Gooder, Theologian in Residence, Bible Society *It is impossible to understand the present discussions about diakonia and the diaconate without taking into account the impact of John Collins. This book offers a unique introduction to Collinss influence on scholarly works, ecumenical dialogues and church practice, and his participation in the international debate. Some of his groundbreaking works have, for the first time, been collected in this booka book that gives a comprehensive view of John Collinss research and the consequences thereof. * Sven-Erik Brodd, Professor of Ecclesiology, University of Uppsala, Sweden *This book is the result of a lifelong study of diakonia and its cognates. Collins shines fresh light on the pivotal theme of church offices in early Christian communities: a theme that has far-reaching implications, challenging not only the idea of the deacon as a social worker but also the widespread consensus about ecclesiastical offices as humble and beneficent services. The author's meticulous reengagement with the semantics of diakonia sets the stage for a new approach to Christology and ecclesiology, releasing both from a false service paradigm. * Dr. Anni Hentschel, lecturer for New Testament studies at the Goethe Universitat Frankfurt *Table of ContentsTable of Contents ; Preface ; Studies in diakonia ; Diakonia from the nineteenth century to today ; 1. From diakonia to diaconia today: historical aspects of interpretation ; 2. Re-interpreting diakonia in Germany: Anni Hentschel's Diakonia im Neuen Testament ; 3. The problem with values carried by diakonia / diakonie in recent church documents ; Diakonia in the early church ; 4. How ancient Greeks thought of diakonia ; 5. Diakonia in the teaching of Jesus ; 6. The mediatorial role of Paul as minister / diakonos ; 7. Ministry as office ; 8. Ministry among gifts ; 9. Paul, delegate to Jerusalem ; 10. The diakonia of the Seven ; Towards ministry for the twenty-first century ; 11. Theology of ministry in the ywentieth century: ongoing problems or new orientations? ; 12. Ordained and other ministries: making a difference ; 13. Fitting lay ministries into a theology of ministry ; Part 1: A critique of an American consensus ; Part 2: Making a fit ; 14. Ties that bind: deacons today in the grip of yesteryear ; Selected Publications ; Sources of Studies ; Indices of Names, Biblical and Early Christian sources

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Book SynopsisSophronius' Synodical Letter was was read out at the Sixth Ecumenical Council in 680-1, and provided the only sustained rebuttal of the monoenergist doctrine. This is the first publication of the letter in annotated translation alongside the original Greek. Includes a comprehensive introduction and further documents on the monoenergist doctrine.Trade Review[an] excellent book * L.R. Wickham. The Journal of Theological Studies *Table of ContentsI: SOPHRONIUS AND HIS SYNODICAL LETTER ; TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS ; II: THE SYNODICAL LETTER ; III: A MONOENERGIST DOSSIER ; BIBLIOGRAPHY ; INDEXES

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Book SynopsisAugustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) was regarded by sixteenth century Europe as one of the most contested religious and philosophical authorities. He was cast as a characteristically Lutheran, Catholic, or Calvinist thinker, and even as the ideal Erasmian pastor. These wildly contrasting receptions raise crucial questions about the significance of Augustine''s thought in the Reformation period. They also show the complex relationship between religious change and the new intellectual culture of Renaissance humanism. Drawing on a variety of printed and manuscript sources, Arnoud Visser breaks new ground in three ways. He systematically grounds Augustine''s theological reception in the history of reading and the material culture of books and manuscripts. He does not confine his examination to particular confessional parties or specific geographic boundaries, but offers a cross-confessional account of Augustine''s appropriation in early modern Europe. Finally, he provides crucial insight into the nature of intellectual authority in the early modern period. Central in this study are the production, circulation and consumption of Augustine''s works. Visser examines the impact of the new art of print, the rise of humanist scholarship, and the emerging confessional divisions on Augustine''s reception. He shows how editors navigated a wealth of patristic information by using search tools and anthologies. He also explains how individual readers used their copies and how they applied their knowledge in public debates alongside other media of communication. Reading Augustine in the Reformation argues that the emerging confessional pressures did not restrict intellectual life, as has often been claimed, but promoted new scholarship.Trade ReviewVisser has produced a careful and thought-provoking study of the range of ways in which Augustines works were made available to and appropriated by theologians during the sixteenth century. * Charlotte Methuen, Journal of Theological Studies *Visser writes with admirable clarity and precision, skillfully alternating syntheses, analyses and many fascinating examples. In 136 pages, he covers an impressive amount of printed material which he has ordered usefully and imaginatively, each section providing an argument of its own towards his conclusions. This case study offers a model for further research in the field. * Monique Cuany, Bibliothèque d'Humanisme et Renaissance *Visser raises a host of generally fascinating ideas and comments on them in ways that are at once intriguing and important. ... Visser's work will undoubtedly leave its mark on all who study Reformation thought. For this it is deserving of enormous praise. ... In conclusion, Visser's study is very good. * Jon Balserak, The Sixteenth Century Journal *Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations ; List of Figures ; Introduction ; Part 1: Production ; Chapter 1. The Arrival of the Printing Press ; Chapter 2. Humanist Scholarship and Editorial Guidance ; Chapter 3. Augustine after Trent ; Part 2: Dissemination ; Chapter 4. How to Find the Right Argument: Bibliographies and Indexes ; Chapter 5. Customizing Authority: Anthologies and Epitomes ; Part 3: Consumption ; Chapter 6. How Readers Read Their Augustines ; Chapter 7. Patristics and Public Debate ; Epilogue ; Appendix: Opera omnia editions of Augustine 1500-1620 ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Mormon History Association Best International Book Award The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to contend with longstanding tensions surrounding gender and race. Yet women of color in the United States and across the Global South adopt and adapt the faith to their contexts, many sharing the high level of satisfaction expressed by Latter-day Saints in general. Caroline Kline explores the ways Latter-day Saint women of color in Mexico, Botswana, and the United States navigate gender norms, but also how their moral priorities and actions challenge Western feminist assumptions. Kline analyzes these traditional religious women through non-oppressive connectedness, a worldview that blends elements of female empowerment and liberation with a broader focus on fostering positive and productive relationships in different realms. Even as members of a patriarchal institution, the women feel a sense of liberation that empowers them to work against oppression and agTrade Review"Scrupulously researched. . . . Kline's conclusions are vitally important, not only for scholars who must now expand their sense of the variety of responses Mormon women have to Church teachings and policies, but also for missionaries, travelers, investigators, and leaders at all levels in this hierarchical, patriarchal, imperfect, Utah-based church." --Association of Mormon Letters“Reading Caroline Kline's Mormon Women at the Crossroads: Global Narratives and the Power of Connectedness has been an exercise of discovery, delight, and richly provoking insights. . . . I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone with a stake in the tradition. " --Juvenile Instructor"Mormon Women at the Crossroads blends personal stories with theological considerations of women’s roles in contemporary Mormonism." --Foreword Reviews"Yes! Mobilizing her powerful skills as a researcher and her lived understanding of Mormonism, Caroline Kline amplifies the voices of women from the global Mormon movement with a level of respect for complexity and nuance we just don’t get from official LDS venues. In so doing, she offers us all a model for Mormon Studies--and, more broadly, religious studies--of how to navigate the vast distances in geography, history, and perspective that one faith tradition can embrace. This is how we understand our fellow Saints: we listen and let them teach us. Thank you, Dr. Kline. This book should be taught in introductory religious studies courses nationwide, and I hope no Mormon Studies class in the country proceeds without this text on the syllabus."--Joanna Brooks, author of Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Christianity and the Problem of Racial Innocence

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Book SynopsisThe Mormon tradition's emphasis on prophetic authority makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unique within America's religious culture. The religion that Joseph Smith created established a kingdom of God in a land distrustful of monarchy while positioning Smith as Christ's voice on earth, with the power to form cities, establish economies, and arrange governments.Michael Hubbard MacKay traces the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' claim to religious authority and sets it within the context of its times. Delving into the evolution of the concept of prophetic authority, MacKay shows how the Church emerged as a hierarchical democracy with power diffused among leaders Smith chose. At the same time, Smith's settled place atop the hierarchy granted him an authority that spared early Mormonism the internal conflict that doomed other religious movements. Though Smith faced challenges from other leaders, the nascent Church repeatedly turned to him to decide civic plansTrade Review"Michael MacKay utilizes a humble and penetrating method in his Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. It is in the details of early Mormon history that MacKay truly excels." --Mormon Studies Review"A welcome and overdue contribution to the short list of publications on authority in the Church. . . . MacKay does not disappoint. . . . MacKay has given us a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of authority both preceding and following the 1830 organization of the Church." --BYU Studies Quarterly​"MacKay's account of priesthood authority should come as a relief to Mormon historians who have struggled to make the restoration of priesthood orderly and consistent. . . . In telling this complex story, MacKay is respectful and admiring and, for his readers, always illuminating." --Journal of Arizona History​"MacKay's excellent command of the subject matter makes this a necessary resource." --Choice​"A unique blend of scholarship, research, and historical retelling that goes well beyond accounts . . . MacKay's reconstruction can easily sustain the fabric of faith." --Interpreter​"The existence of this text should be heralded as an important milestone." --Juvenile Instructor​”Was early Mormonism excessively democratic, representative of a newly disestablished society? Or deeply theocratic, echoing the skeptical backlash against those same liberating impulses? In this exhaustively researched and sophisticatedly argued book, Michael MacKay argues that it is not an 'either, or' but 'yes, and.' And in doing so, MacKay digs into some of founding—and foundational—paradoxes concerning religion in the early American republic.”—Benjamin E Park, author of American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in an Age of Revolutions, 1783–1833”In Prophetic Authority, MacKay gives us the most thorough and painstaking description of the slow blossoming of the Mormon priesthood hierarchy available, embedding the story in the raucous context of antebellum American democracy. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand either of those worlds better.”—Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction A Theory of Types Stories of the Fall Curses from God Reimagining the Exodus Divided Kingdoms Prophets and Prophecy “We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ” Last Things Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Douglas Hyde was for twenty years a dedicated Communist working for the cause on the London Daily Worker. In his late 30's he converted to Roman Catholicism and was soon quite disillusioned with the lower level of dedication among his fellow religionists than among his former comrades. In this book he shares with the Church how the Communists train their people in both dedication and leadership. This book is very important for any pastor or Christian leader to read." —Theology

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Book SynopsisSince the original publication of this title, the twelfth-century Calabrian Abbot Joachim of Fiore has been accorded an increasingly central position in the history of medieval thought and culture. In this classic work Marjorie Reeves shows the wide extent of Joachimist influence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries and demonstrates the continuity between medieval and Renaissance thought in the field of prophecy.Reeves pinpoints some of the most original aspects of Joachim''s theology of history and traces his reputation and influence through succeeding centuries. She also explains how his vision of a final age of the spirit in history became a powerful force in shaping expectations of the future in Western Europe. The book traces in detail the development of the three great images in which these expectations came to be focused: New Spiritual Men, Angelic Pope, and Last World Emperor. In addition, Reeves illuminates how the pervading influence of Joachim''s conceptsTrade Review“In a work of encyclopedic proportions, the fruit of thirty years of study and research, Reeves presents a survey of Joachimism from the early thirteenth century down to Renaissance and Reformation times, to the day when intelligent and educated men ceased to take prophecy seriously. . . . One would be hard put to pinpoint any important ‘prophet,’ writer, or interpreter of history within the five centuries studied who has been overlooked or slighted.” —The Catholic Historical Review“Reeve’s book is an impressive demonstration of her mastery of an enormous subject: nothing less than the content, spread, and transformations of Joachim of Flora’s ideas during five centuries. No longer can anyone relegate Joachim’s influence to the realm of esoteric. Reeves shows that he shaped the views not only of heretics and Franciscan Spirituals but also of solid middle-of-the-road friars: Franciscan, Dominican, and Augustinian . . . and even of Jesuits and Protestants. . . . [N]o student of Joachism will in future be able to neglect Reeve’s work: it is now an essential starting point for research about Joachim and his followers.” —Speculum“Reeves must be congratulated on her exploration of a complicated and difficult subject. Her book sheds light on a great many aspects of medieval and early modern history.” —The English Historical Review"In the present study . . . Reeves provides valuable insights and exhaustive research into the increasingly important, but highly controversial, figure of Joachim of Fiore (c. 1135-1202)." —Sixteenth Century Journal

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Book SynopsisThese letters offer invaluable insights into Robert Giroux 's publishing process that brought some of Thomas Merton's most important books to his readers.Trade Review"This volume provides Thomas Merton readers with a unique perspective on his development as a published author and a deepened appreciation of Robert Giroux's role in fostering that development. The book is both a lively and enjoyable read and a significant resource for students and scholars researching various aspects of Merton's prolific writing career. It will lead to new perspectives on and to a more nuanced understanding of the development of Merton's wide-ranging interests in monastic life and religious renewal, in social and political issues, in interreligious dialogue and literary criticism, and in numerous other fields." —Patrick F. O'Connell, editor of Thomas Merton: Selected Essays"The Letters of Robert Giroux and Thomas Merton is an important historic record of the emergence and development of one of the great spiritual writers of the twentieth century and of his long friendship and working relationship with one of the great editors of the time. In these letters, carefully and unobtrusively edited and annotated by Patrick Samway, S.J., we see the ups and downs of Merton’s literary affairs against the background of the rapid changes taking place both in the church and in the world during these years. With the advent of email and the demise of the art of letter writing, this book is a testament to a fast disappearing era and the immense value to be found in the literary and historical records contained in such exchanges." —Paul M. Pearson, director, Thomas Merton Center“Robert Giroux, a great editor and publisher, was also a great friend, and Thomas Merton's correspondence with him—steady, tight in focus, rich in detail, frankly affectionate—makes clear how fully editing and publishing, for Giroux, was an act of friendship. That is no surprise. The surprise is in seeing, through these letters, how deeply Merton's vast and various body of work was grounded in friendship—in the desire to share all that he had come to know with the people he loved.” —Paul Elie, author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own"Giroux and Fr. Merton first met when both were students at Columbia University in the late 1930s. This volume of their letters begins with one from Giroux dated March 8, 1948, as the manuscript of Fr. Merton’s autobiography, “The Seven Storey Mountain,” was being revised and prepared for publication. At this time, Giroux was Fr. Merton’s editor at Harcourt, Brace & Co., a major New York publishing house. This book would go on to become a mega-bestseller and make Fr. Merton one of the most influential Catholic authors of the 20th century. Later in life, he would express regret that his autobiography included a kind of naive piety and a romanticized portrayal of monastic life. Still, “The Seven Storey Mountain” remains a classic that has never been out of print. . . . Fr. Samway’s introduction, footnotes and epilogue enrich the book beautifully." —The Compass"The Letters of Robert Giroux and Thomas Merton as compiled and edited by the Jesuit scholar Patrick Samway is a must read for the legions of Thomas Merton enthusiasts whose lives have been touched by his writings. This extraordinary collection of correspondence will also prove to be of immense interest to anyone with an interest in the publishing process that Merton engaged in with the editorial assistance and under the influence of Robert Giroux." —The Midwest Book Review"Few people were as influential in Merton’s writing career as Robert Giroux, classmate at Columbia, editor at two publishing houses, critic, confidant, and friend. . . . This collected correspondence runs from 1948 until Merton’s death in 1968 and discusses the business connected with the 15 volumes Merton and Giroux worked on. . . . In these letters, readers find the (justifiable) laments concerning censors and religious superiors reluctant to allow publication, often over remarkably trivial concerns. And publishers demonstrated that they could be as contentious, arbitrary, and capricious as any monastic censor. Several exchanges about racism, war, and literature—Giroux was editor for T. S. Eliot, Jack Kerouac, Flannery O’Connor, and Robert Lowell, among many others—allow readers to listen in on the wisdom of two astute observers of mid-20th century society." —Choice"The letters reveal a lifelong friendship between Merton and Giroux. . . . This is an important contribution to Merton scholarship—a new primary text in the Merton oeuvre. However, it is also a testimony to the brilliance of Robert Giroux, who emerges here as one of Merton's most important interpreters, critics, and collaborators." —American Catholic Studies“In many ways, the book primarily serves as an important literary and historic record, and will be of great interest to students and scholars looking in detail at Merton’s writing career and undertaking research on Merton.” —Modern Believing“Most helpful, and [indispensible] to the success of this book, are Samway’s annotations. . . . Who will read this book? Scholars of both Merton and Giroux. Merton fans. I think both groups will be pleased.” —Cistercian Studies Quarterly“The extensive professional and personal correspondence between Giroux and Merton is here presented with extremely helpful footnotes, biographical introduction, epilogue, and index.” —Commonweal

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Book SynopsisLisa Kaaren Bailey''s Christianity''s Quiet Success: The Eusebius Gallicanus Sermon Collection and the Power of the Church in Late Antique Gaul is the first major study of the Eusebius Gallicanus collection of anonymous, multi-authored sermons from fifth- and sixth-century Gaul. Bailey sheds new light on these sermons, which were strikingly popular and influential from late antiquity to the High Middle Ages, as the large number of surviving manuscripts attests. They were used for centuries by clergy as a preaching guide and by monks and pious lay people as devotional reading. Bailey''s analysis demonstrates the extent to which these stylistically simple and straightforward sermons emphasize consensus, harmony, and mutuality as the central values of a congregation. Preachers encouraged tolerance among their congregants and promoted a model of leadership that placed themselves at the center of the community rather than above it. These sermons make clear the delicaTrade Review“This is a model study. With a deft survey of the evidence and an eye for telling detail, Lisa Bailey has substantially added to our understanding of preaching, modes of persuasion, and everyday religious practice in late antique Gaul. Sins and sinners, problems of faith, the troubling facts of injustice, the shared work of salvation—all are illuminated in this penetrating analysis.” —William E. Klingshirn, The Catholic University of America"A thorough study of the Eusebius Gallicanus collection was long due, in particular a study that is not focused only on the question of authorship. Lisa Bailey convincingly shows that the collection was made for the average Gallic preacher and that it can therefore provide a picture of late antique Christianity that significantly differs from the one we get through the sermons of figures like Augustine or Caesarius of Arles." —Eric Rebillard, Cornell University“This book . . . concerns an ancient collection of sermons called Eusebius Gallicanus. It consists of 76 sermons, written in southern France in the late fifth century, and probably collected into a homiliary in the sixth.” —American Benedictine Review“The Eusebius Gallicanus collection of sermons . . . has received comparatively little scholarly attention, being comprehensively overshadowed by the sermons of Caesarius of Aries. Bailey’s monograph . . . aims to show why this collection is worthy of wider consideration and how it brings important new insights to our understanding of the process of Christianization in late antique Gaul.” —Bryn Mawr Classical Review“Debates on authorship and historical context have hindered closer analysis of the sermons themselves and of the nature and purpose of the collection. Christianity’s Quiet Success is therefore all the more welcome. In this valuable book Bailey reassesses the importance of the Eusebius Gallicanus sermons and their contribution to the emergence of western Christendom.” —Journal of Theological Studies“Bailey reveals that it is a collection of texts that was pivotal in allowing the church to centralize its authority and impose uniformity in a social milieu that otherwise lacked such powerful totalizing discourse. Bailey can be credited for single-handedly bringing this sermon collection out from the depths of the footnote to the front page. Perhaps one of the greatest implications of this important study is that it makes it abundantly clear that an English translation of the sermon collection is vitally necessary.” —Religious Studies Review“Lisa Kaaren Bailey has written an important work. . . .In detailing distinct local pastoral strategies within the strategies advanced by episcopal authority, Bailey has revealed the need to reinterpret not only the role of the early Church in the community, but also the role of episcopal authority in managing these communities.” —Parergon“Bailey’s book convincingly argues that the largely anonymous, low-key sermons of [Eusebius Gallicanus’ sermon collection] are an indispensable counterpoint to the idea that the success of the Church in the West is due to the rise of powerful bishops. The ‘quiet success’ referred to in the title is the result of patient community building by ordinary pastors.” —Vigilae Christianae“Bailey . . . conducts an extensive examination of the text’s contents, thereby providing broader context and enabling greater accuracy for an understanding of preaching and receiving the Christian message in Gaul.” —Church History“Simply by providing an exposition of such an important, but hitherto almost ignored, collection of texts, Bailey has provided a service to scholarship. However, her analysis of the sermons and of what they imply about Gallic Christianity, both in secular and monastic settings, is extremely convincing throughout. Her work is a significant expansion of our knowledge of Christianity in late-antique Gaul.” —The Catholic Historical Review

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Book SynopsisEastern Orthodox and Anglicans is a study of inter-Orthodox relations, the role of the Anglican Church, and the problems of Orthodox nationalism in modern age. Trade Review“This interesting and important new book offers the first dedicated scholarly investigation into major movements of ecumenical contact among Anglicans and Orthodox between the First World War and the Second World War. Bryn Geffert draws on substantial archival work in English and Russian to write what he calls ‘the story of efforts toward rapprochement by two churches and their ultimate failure to achieve formal unity of intercommunion.’ . . . Above all, this is a cautionary tale about the difficulties inherent in connections among churches with very positive intentions but no ability to speak with one voice.” —The Living Church“Geffert examines political entanglement and territorial aims as well as complex theological issues with clarity and precision. The conclusion contains insightful reflections on the ecumenical longue durée and relations among the principle Christian traditions during the Cold War and beyond.” —The Russian Review“This is a nostalgic book. It describes the time when Western Christians were encountering the Orthodox Church often for the first time, meeting refugees from Russia after the Communist Revolution and extending invitations for conferences and church celebrations to each other. This book describes these early encounters in the period between the wars . . . the encounter of Eastern and Western Christianity described in this book has been rich and creative, usually warm and friendly, and has contributed much to the life of the churches.” —Theology“This detailed study of Anglican-Orthodox relations in the early years of the ecumenical movement not only traces their development but also analyses the motives which impelled each side to seek closer relations. This illuminating study of the complex dynamics of inter- and intra-church relations is of contemporary relevance as well as of historical interest. Members of the International Commission for the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue who have not yet read it should certainly do so. . . .” —The Journal of Ecclesiastical History“The history of the contacts between Orthodoxy and Anglicanism for the last century-and-a-half is competently recounted in Geffert’s interdisciplinary account. The work is a model of bibliographical organization. . . . The narrative is engaging and clear, with an occasional Russian word in parentheses to convey the flavor of a pungent remark.” —Journal of Ecumenical Studies“Geffert is to be congratulated for the massive amount of research that has gone into this history of the ecumenical efforts toward rapprochement between Anglicans and Orthodox in the period of the 1920s and 1930s, especially in the years between World War I and World War II . . . the great strength of this book lies in its investigation of countless secondary sources. . . .” —Anglican Theological Review“The author is to be congratulated for the massive amount of research that has gone into this history of the ecumenical efforts towards rapprochement between Anglicans and Orthodox in the period of the 1920s and 1930s, especially in the years between the two great world wars.” —Anglican and Episcopal History“Geffert’s work superbly illustrates a moment when institutional alignment seemed possible, but failed. Despite the outcome, his book deserves close attention for the sources it probes and the era it depicts.” —Church History“[Geffert’s] meticulous study, based on archival and published sources, provides a thorough treatment of factors inclining interwar Orthodox and Anglicans to dialogue. Nevertheless, the myriad reasons given for the impossibility of Orthodox-Anglican church unity necessarily overwhelmed ambitions of closer east-west church ties.” —The Slavic Review“Geffert’s book will become required reading for anyone seeking to understand the complicated web of relationships with the Orthodox that developed between the wars. It is also a timely reminder to historians of the ecumenical movement that ‘nontheological factors’ in church divisions are not completely dead, not least where church appointments depend in some measure on the civil power.” —The Journal of Modern History

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Book SynopsisThe essays in this book honor and extend the work of Rowan A. Greer, Walter H. Gray Professor Emeritus of Anglican Studies at Yale University Divinity School, by exploring the connections between textual interpretation and the formation of religious identity. A diverse and prestigious group of biblical scholars, church historians, and theologians study the function that scripture plays in the creation and maintenance of faith communities and the ways that communal locations in turn shape the interpretation of scripture.The first part of the book examines specific examples of ancient biblical interpretation as a means of creating, maintaining, and challenging Christian identity in the pluralistic ancient world. Authors study acts of interpretation in the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Physiologus, Gnostic literature, the fifth-century mosaic of the Church of Hosios David in Thessaloniki, and in the works of Irenaeus, Origen, Augustine, John Chrysostom, and Porphyry oTrade Review"This book will be of interest for those concerned with patristic exegesis and the contemporary discussion of how that exegesis, and texts generally, are to be interpreted." —Journal of Ecclesiastical History“A stimulating engagement of postmodern hermeneutics and the field of patristics, Reading in Christian Communities assists theologians and historians in understanding the ways in which the interpretation of texts develops out of particular cultures and, in turn, influences those cultures.” —Journal of Early Christian Studies"...a very fitting tribute.... The scholarly authors of these essays are all colleagues, students, or friends of Greer, and the essays are intended as a tribute to him and a continuation of his work. Both with regard to the content of the essays and the reflections on the modern hermeneutical problem, this is a welcome addition to the ever growing literature on the subject." —The Heythrop Journal“...[A] substantial contribution to the post-modern theological conversation." —Perspectives in Religious Studies"In their focus on reading and exegesis as means to create communities these essays, each in their own way, contribute much to the 'contexts' they seek to illuminate, both the historical ones of early Christianity and late Antiquity as well as the modern, or perhaps post-modern, Christian contexts of their authors. The most striking among the many things that connects these essays is, however, at least for this reader, the sense of deep affection for Rowan Greer the person and teacher, which permeates all of them and which is perhaps the most precious contribution of all." —Journal of Ancient Christianity“This is a wide-ranging collection of essays providing a fitting tribute to the work of Rowan Greer. The combination of detailed studies and more general methodological discussion works well because there is good feed across from one to the other. The key theme is both theological and hermeneutical, focusing on interpretive communities and their vital role in reading scripture. The historical dimension of these studies illuminates the current situation. This is a timely work, as well as a fascinatingly varied collection.” —Frances Young, Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology, University of Birmingham“An unusually rich and nuanced set of essays celebrating and enacting the current renaissance and reconceptualization of the field of patristic biblical engagement that Rowan Greer has done so much to instigate. A must-read for those who wish to be a part of this vibrant conversation.” —Margaret M. Mitchell, Associate Professor of New Testament and Chair, Department of New Testament and Early Christian Literature, The University of Chicago

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Book SynopsisHigher education and university-based research rank among the main forces shaping our world. Focusing on knowledge rather than institutions, this work offers an insight into how higher learning took its present form and the direction in which it is headed.Trade Review“...Language, Religion, Knowledge is a book that deserves a wide audience among scholars of higher learning in America. It challenges a variety of assumptions about the past and present of the American university and seeks to create a discourse across academic disciplines about its future.” —History of Education Quarterly“Language, Religion, Knowledge: Past and Present is not a book for the faint-hearted or uninformed. But for those willing to consider the issues involved it is great fun — not by any means a quick read, but certainly an entertaining and thought-provoking one. The reaction is a desire both to applaud and argue, often at the same time.” —History: Reviews of New Books“As always, Turner’s prose is steady and genteel, and his own voice comes through in these essays with humor and wit. His introduction and the brief commentaries before each essay tie the book together nicely. Turner demonstrates that solid intellectual history contributes much to our understanding of the past and the present.” —ISIS“Anyone involved in intellectual pursuits will find Turner’s ideas a challenge.” —Catholic Library World“In this enlightening, two-century tour of American academia, readers learn about the university’s early life in America and its significance for scholars of all fields today.” —Science & Theology NewsTable of ContentsLanguage, knowledge, and religion in 19th-century America - the curious case of Andrews Norton; Charles Hodge in the intellectual weather of the 19th century; secularization and sacralization - some religious origins of the secular humanities curriculum, 1850-1900; the ""German model"" and the graduate school - the University of Michigan and the origin myth of the American university; how we forgot to do research; Catholicism and modern scholarship - a historical sketch; the evangelical intellectual revival; the Catholic university in modern academe - challenge and dilemma; Catholic intellectual traditions and contemporary scholarship.

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Book SynopsisThe history of Christianity has been marked by tension between ideas of sacred and secular, their shifting balance, and their conflict. In Christianity and the Secular, Robert A. Markus examines the place of the secular in Christianity, locating the origins of the concept in the New Testament and early Christianity and describing its emergence as a problem for Christianity following the recognition of Christianity as an established religion, then the officially enforced religion, of the Roman Empire.Markus focuses especially on the new conditions engendered by the Christianization of the Roman Empire. In the period between the apostolic age and Constantine, the problem of the relation between Christianity and secular society and culture was suppressed for the faithful; Christians saw themselves as sharply distinct in, if not separate from, the society of their non-Christian fellows. Markus argues that when the autonomy of the secular realm came under threat in the ChristianisTrade Review“The central argument of the book. . . is that the ‘Christian tradition has a legitimate place for the autonomy of the secular’, meaning that Christians need not subject all social, political, or cultural institutions to distinctly religious views.” —First Things"Christianity and the Secular. . . is a fascinating and informative survey of Christian history and the pervasive influence of Christianity on secular society." —Library Bookwatch"Markus explores the origins of the notion of the 'secular' and its place in Christian history until eclipse in the western Middle Ages." —New Testament Abstracts"Markus . . . has been preoccupied with the church's relation to the secular for forty years; his erudition has produced this compact, meaty, and insightful volume. This book will appeal to church historians, sociologists interested in religion, lay Christians interested in the relation of their faith to society, and theologians concerned with ecclesiology." —Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith“These lectures will not only assist the reader in dealing with the present situation regarding the secular and its relationship to religion, but will place the topic in context beyond the sociological/historical studies in which these arguments are usually framed. The role of Augustine here is extremely important, and students of Augustine will appreciate Markus' contribution here.” —Catholic Library World“Markus interweaves his discussion of late antiquity with current debates about the relationship of the Church and the world, showing vividly that the questions of culture and inculturation, of the right relationship with the world, of the secular, secularization and desecularization, with which the Church currently grapples, are not new. Markus's interpretation of Augustine will no doubt find detractors, but he shows persuasively that Augustine's thinking has much to contribute to current debates.” —Theology“Markus sees the clue to Augustine’s attitude to the secular in his persistent eschatologism. The City of God is neither the Church on earth, nor civil society, but is by contrast in the world to come, where the peace, knowledge, love, and praise of god will receive their ultimate satisfaction.” –—The Journal of Theological Studies"As a contribution to the post-9/11 debate on religions, cultures and societies, these lectures are as finely attuned to their moment as Robert Markus's classic 1970 study, Saeculum, which they update and extend. Christianity and the Secular challenges all who are concerned with the limits of the 'secular' to take better account of the shaping events and theories of the time in which the Roman Empire turned Christian. A beautifully measured book." —Mark Vessey, Canada Research Chair in Literature / Christianity and Culture, University of British Columbia"At a time when the proper boundaries between the sacred and the secular are contested as never before, Robert Markus offers a subtle and persuasive analysis of the roots of this distinction in early Christian theology, including especially but not only the writings of Augustine. He argues that the idea of a secular realm of this-worldly practices and concerns, legitimate and independent on its own terms, is Christian in origin and can be defended on theological grounds. At the same time, he also shows that this theological conception of a secular realm need not lead to 'thin' liberalism or to an excessively individualistic view of society. He thus takes issue with leading strands of patristic scholarship—including some tendencies in his own earlier work—as well as engaging with a number of theologians who have recently argued that the secular realm is at best a necessary evil. The resulting work is a historically grounded, theologically sophisticated defense of the proper autonomy of secular public life, its autonomy from religious control and its place as a legitimate sphere for Christian activity. This is a most timely work which will further confirm Prof. Markus' status as one of the foremost intellectual historians of our day." —Jean Porter, The John A. O'Brien Chair in Theology, University of Notre Dame

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Book SynopsisKevin Madigan studies the development and union of scholastic, apocalyptic and Franciscan interpretations of the Gospel of Matthew from 1150 to 1350. These interpretations are placed within the context of high-medieval religious life and attitudes of the papacy toward the Franciscan Order.Trade Review“It is... heartening to turn to this penetrating study of Peter John Olivi.... Madigan shows himself a very able scholar who works in the tradition of Beryl Smalley.... With Madigan’s help, there are new reasons to benefit from the unique exegesis expounded by this gifted Franciscan friar from the land of langue d’oc, who often enough said no to whatever he thought shortchanged the ideals of Jesus and Francis.”—Cistercian Studies". . . Kevin Madigan has taken a careful scholarly knowledge of a biblical commentary and worked it into a much bigger picture. He contextualizes Olivi's commentary in the history both of scriptural exegesis and of the mendicant-secular quarrels, especially over poverty, of the high Middle Ages. He employs his close reading to illuminate newly a much wider question, as all good scholarship should." —Speculum“Madigan ends by noting that Olivi’s distinctive exegetical traits—occasional controversialism and muted Joachism—had no future, for the Franciscan exegete who called the late-medieval tune, Nicholas of Lyra, had absolutely no use for them. Madigan’s book, however, will surely have a future because of its clarity and sovereign control of the material.” —The Catholic Historical Review“Eleven years ago Kevin Madigan wrote a good dissertation on Olivi's Matthew commentary. In subsequent years he broadened his investigation, placing his research in a richer, more complex historical context which gave it new meaning and importance. The result is a truly excellent book, one that places Olivi's commentary within a long, developing exegetical tradition—three, in fact—and makes good sense of it in the process. Madigan writes well, too, a rare gift in historians. “ —David Burr, Virginia Tech“Olivi and the Interpretation of Matthew in the High Middle Ages is an excellent contribution to the growing bibliography on the study of the Bible in the Middle Ages. Kevin Madigan reads the difficult Franciscan texts with skill and shows the complex ways in which exegesis and apocalypticism intersect. It is especially interesting to see the importance of these controversial texts in a larger medieval context.” —E. Ann Matter, University of Pennsylvania"...an important and needed contribution to the history of biblical interpretation." —The Sixteenth Century Journal“For specialists in medieval exegesis and spirituality, it is important for the access it provides to Olivi’s unedited and largely unstudied Matthew commentary and for the fascinating implications it teases out.” —Religious Studies Review“Olivi and the Interpretation of Matthew in the High Middle Ages is a wonderfully clear and original study of the primary forms of high medieval gospel exegesis.” —Amy Hollywood, Dartmouth College

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Book SynopsisKevin Madigan studies the development and union of scholastic, apocalyptic and Franciscan interpretations of the Gospel of Matthew from 1150 to 1350. These interpretations are placed within the context of high-medieval religious life and attitudes of the papacy toward the Franciscan Order.Trade Review“It is... heartening to turn to this penetrating study of Peter John Olivi.... Madigan shows himself a very able scholar who works in the tradition of Beryl Smalley.... With Madigan’s help, there are new reasons to benefit from the unique exegesis expounded by this gifted Franciscan friar from the land of langue d’oc, who often enough said no to whatever he thought shortchanged the ideals of Jesus and Francis.”—Cistercian Studies". . . Kevin Madigan has taken a careful scholarly knowledge of a biblical commentary and worked it into a much bigger picture. He contextualizes Olivi's commentary in the history both of scriptural exegesis and of the mendicant-secular quarrels, especially over poverty, of the high Middle Ages. He employs his close reading to illuminate newly a much wider question, as all good scholarship should." —Speculum“Madigan ends by noting that Olivi’s distinctive exegetical traits—occasional controversialism and muted Joachism—had no future, for the Franciscan exegete who called the late-medieval tune, Nicholas of Lyra, had absolutely no use for them. Madigan’s book, however, will surely have a future because of its clarity and sovereign control of the material.” —The Catholic Historical Review“Eleven years ago Kevin Madigan wrote a good dissertation on Olivi's Matthew commentary. In subsequent years he broadened his investigation, placing his research in a richer, more complex historical context which gave it new meaning and importance. The result is a truly excellent book, one that places Olivi's commentary within a long, developing exegetical tradition—three, in fact—and makes good sense of it in the process. Madigan writes well, too, a rare gift in historians. “ —David Burr, Virginia Tech“Olivi and the Interpretation of Matthew in the High Middle Ages is an excellent contribution to the growing bibliography on the study of the Bible in the Middle Ages. Kevin Madigan reads the difficult Franciscan texts with skill and shows the complex ways in which exegesis and apocalypticism intersect. It is especially interesting to see the importance of these controversial texts in a larger medieval context.” —E. Ann Matter, University of Pennsylvania"...an important and needed contribution to the history of biblical interpretation." —The Sixteenth Century Journal“For specialists in medieval exegesis and spirituality, it is important for the access it provides to Olivi’s unedited and largely unstudied Matthew commentary and for the fascinating implications it teases out.” —Religious Studies Review“Olivi and the Interpretation of Matthew in the High Middle Ages is a wonderfully clear and original study of the primary forms of high medieval gospel exegesis.” —Amy Hollywood, Dartmouth College

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Book SynopsisErich Przywara, S.J. (18891972), is one of the important Catholic intellectuals of the twentieth century. Yet, in the English-speaking world Przywara remains largely unknown. Few of his sixty books or six hundred articles have been translated. In this engaging new book, Thomas O'Meara offers a comprehensive study of the German Jesuit Erich Przywara and his philosophical theology. Przywara's scholarly contributions were remarkable. He was one of three theologians who introduced the writings of John Henry Cardinal Newman into Germany. From his position at the Jesuit journal in Munich, Stimmen der Zeit, he offered an open and broad Catholic perspective on the cultural, philosophical, and theological currents of his time. As one of the first Catholic intellectuals to employ the phenomenologies of Edmund Husserl and Max Scheler, he was also responsible for giving an influential, more theological interpretation of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola.Przywara wTrade Review“O’Meara masterfully situates Pryzwara in relation to the traditional and contemporary theological, philosophical, ecclesial, cultural, and social contexts within which he wrote.” —William P. Loewe, professor of religious studies, Catholic University of America"Overall, this is an important work—the first in English that informs us about the historical setting of Przywara and critiques not only Przywara's main philosophical and theological works, but also his secondary works and secondary interests that demonstrate Przywara's broad scope that includes poetry, music, spiritualities, and popular cultural movements." —The Catholic Historical Review“O’Meara clearly and effectively communicates the value of Przywara’s contributions, opening the way for further studies. This scholarly book effectively captures Przywara’s essence; highly recommended for theology and philosophy collections.” —Library Journal“A superb researched and deftly written volume that concentrates the life’s work of a remarkable thinker and devout Catholic, Erich Przywara, S.J.: His Theology And His Word is highly recommended for religious studies supplemental reading lists.” —Midwest Book Review“This study is important, then, for any account of the intellectual antecedents of both Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar, the two chief Germanophone Catholic writers of the last fifty years and surely the most influential theological figures in modern Catholicism generally. [A] useful resource for serious students of both the man and his ‘world’.” — Journal of Ecclesiastical History“. . .O’Meara. . . presents the life and achievement of the German Jesuit clearly and methodically. O’Meara’s helpful book goes beyond these truths to make a case for his subject as a genuine precursor of the Second Vatican Council.” —Religious Studies Review“O’Meara’s study of the German Jesuit Erich Przywara (1889-1972) compels one to conclude that he must be counted as a major influence on the development of Catholic theology between the First and Second Vatican Councils." —Theological Studies“The book provides us with much valuable information. . . ” —The Way“This fine volume. . . takes us through the life of a tremendous, albeit overlooked, influence on much of twentieth-century thought. Erich Przywara was an astute observer of culture, a musician, philosopher, theologian and priest, and he has long deserved such a fine tribute as O’Meara has here provided.” —American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly“Thomas O’Meara’s portrait of Erich Przywara’s (1889-1972) contribution to Catholic thought in Germany between the two world wars fills a significant lacuna in the English-speaking world. . . O’Meara gives a well-drawn, complex, and fascinating sketch of an analyst of the moment.” —The Thomist

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Book SynopsisSerbin examines the transformational role played by clergymen and seminarians in the Brazilian Church of the mid-nineteenth century as they left seminaries to establish greater contact with the people. This would form part of the early liberation theology movement.Trade Review“Serbin’s superb new study offers a comprehensive look at the church from the colonial period to the end of the military government in the 1980s. He takes the long view in order to demonstrate his central argument: that the ‘progressive’ Catholic Church of the twentieth century, with its political activism and social consciousness, did not emerge out of a void but rather developed out of patterns already set in the colonial period that shifted as they played out against the backdrop of a changing Brazil. . . . The book is a welcome addition to the field of Brazilian history and the history of the Catholic Church in Latin America.” —American Historical Review“This work stakes out entirely new terrain in the history and historiography of Catholicism and society in Brazil. . . . Uncompromising and yet compassionate in its judgments, this second major work on the Church since the author's Secret Dialogues (2000) draws ably and amply on hitherto untapped, century-old archives of key religious congregations charged with clerical training and of Brazil's national hierarchy that oversaw it . . . In uncovering these notable findings and ably setting them within the push and pull of world and national forces, Serbin reconfirms his standing as one of the leading historians of Brazil's past.” —The Americas“Serbin . . . see[s] the equally vast and variegated military, political and religious history of Brazil through a narrower lens of changing cultural ideals of the clergy and seminaries. He charts the rise of priest revolutionaries imbued with the ideals of the enlightenment.” —Horizons“Needs of the Heart provides a rich analysis of the historical development of the Catholic Church in Brazil. Much more than in institutional history, this work examines how, over the course of five centuries, priests navigated the divide between Europe and America as they participated in shaping a Brazilian nation as well as a distinctly Brazilian church.” —Hispanic American Historical Review“ . . . by focusing on priests, and connecting their experience to broader socio-political dynamics, Professor Serbin enriches the stories of liberation theology and of the role played by the Catholic church in promoting democracy and social justice . . . a significant contribution to scholarship on Latin America.” —Latin American Studies“The long and winding history of the Brazilian Catholic Church is thus revealed in Serbin’s analysis as the partial work-product of its primary foot soldiers—its clergy. As such, the book provides a critical complement to previous work which has focused with relative exclusivity on the policies and practices of church leadership, whether in Brazil or the Vatican.” —The Catholic Historical Review"In Needs of the Heart, Kenneth P. Serbin examines the rise and crisis of a model of priestly vocation that was not 'traditional' but rather a new discipline, institutionalized in the mid-nineteenth century. Its intimate, splendidly documented analysis of men's responses to that model can give us a constructive perspective on the coverups of sexual misconduct within the American clergy. Needs of the Heart is also an extraordinary history of the Sixties in Latin America. The countercultural and experimental movements within Brazil's seminaries, ranging from psychoanalysis to 'living alongside the people,' offer us a touchstone for judging the promise and contradictions in the post-1945 Christian quest for individual fulfillment and social justice." —Dain Borges, University of Chicago“Kenneth Serbin’s Needs of the Heart, extraordinary in its breadth, depth, and compelling analysis, unveils the triumphs and tragedies of Brazil’s priests and the seminaries that formed them. The current world-wide tensions and scandals engulfing the priesthood are reflected in this study—a study that needs to be replicated throughout the Catholic world.” —Donald Cozzens, John Carroll University, author of The Changing Face of the Priesthood"This innovative analysis places the formation of a Brazilian priesthood at the center of a preeminently historical examination of the Catholic Church in Latin America's largest country, giving us a new understanding of the forces within and without that have uniquely and universally explained the controversial efforts of seminarians, priests, and bishops to redefine clerical identity in a a national context lying “between Europe and America.” Serbin brings an impressive amount of fresh evidence to reveal Brazil's Catholic Church from the inside, and his reliance on the voices of seminarians, priests, and religious [brothers] for dissecting the post-Vatican II debate over a priestly vocation goes to the heart of the future of the church in a twenty-first century world. This superb study takes church history in a new direction, appropriately recasting a Europe-centered ecclesia within its largest field of Third-World congregants." —Linda Lewin, University of California, Berkeley

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Book SynopsisSince its retrieval by the Second Vatican Council, the idea of Christian families as domestic churches has slowly but steadily gained favor among Catholics. Striking a careful balance between academic theology and practical spirituality, Florence Caffrey Bourg provides a comprehensive analysis of the home and family as one of the most authentic and important locations of the faith community. Bourg draws on literature pertaining to domestic churches from the period of Vatican II to the present to explore the concept of domestic church in relation to the Catholic theological traditions of sacramentality, virtue, and the consistent ethic of life.Bourg examines the role of familiesas basic cells of society and churchin character education, formation of religious identity and vision, and creation of more just social structures. She provides a foundational treatment of Christian family life as a proper concern of systematic theology, especially ecclesiology. Her analysis leads her Trade Review"This thoughtful and at times very personal exploration of the Christian family as domestic church provides an excellent and accurate overview of recent developments in Roman Catholic teaching on this subject. The book also contributes significantly to an understanding of the household as a locus for evangelisation and training in the virtues. ...I applaud Bourg's constructive theological work on behalf of the family." —Studies in Christian Ethics"…a carefully researched and constructed paradigm for thinking about the role of the family within the Church. It offers a refreshing and needed vision regarding the centrality of families as tiny communities where we may discern God's presence and action in human lives." —Theological Studies“…wonderful…. This book will be a great resource for any family or small, faith-based group, or for a marriage course….” —Catholic Library World"...a most welcome contribution, attempting with great care and humility to offer some systematic reflections that are both enlightening and a stimulus to action. [T]he ecumenical significance of her work is compelling." —Theology Today"... a helpful contribution to theology of the family, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, practical theology, and lay spirituality. With discipline and creativity, she digs into traditional theological resources ... to articulate theological frameworks for living within the tensions of contemporary family life." —Journal of Religion"This is an important book.... Florence Caffrey Bourg has given us a start for building a theology of family that is thoughtful, practical, and action filled." —Catholic Books Review"Where Two or Three are Gathered is a much needed illustration of how Christians, and especially Catholics, can better understand their call to marriage and family in its ecclesial dimenson and thus more intentionally 'find God in every day life'. . . is a timely, important, and carefully written book that is original, persuasive, and viatl for te greater self-understanding of Christian families and the longed-for transformation of the world at the center of Catholic social thought." —Spiritus (Spring 2006)“Bourg relates today's restored interest in the concept of the family as 'domestic church' especially to the important interventions of bishop Pietro Fiordelli (1916-2004) or Parato, Italy, at several sessions of Vatican II where he relied on his pastoral experience in the Christian Family Movement as well as his familiarity with traditional teachings of John Chrysostom and Augustine of Hippo relating too the family. . . . Hopefully, this book will be widely read since it develops a theology and spirituality especially of the laity that is not abstract but deeply rooted in the everyday lives of the faithful.” —Journal for the Study of Marriage and Spirituality

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Book SynopsisSchism is the first ethnographic and historical study of Seventh-day Adventism in China.Scholars have been slow to consider Chinese Protestantism from a denominational standpoint. In Schism, the first monograph that documents the life of the Chinese Adventist denomination from the mid-1970s to the 2010s, Christie Chui-Shan Chow explores how Chinese Seventh-day Adventists have used schism as a tool to retain, revive, and recast their unique ecclesial identity in a religious habitat that resists diversity.Based on unpublished archival materials, fieldwork, oral history, and social media research, Chow demonstrates how Chinese Adventists adhere to their denominational character both by recasting the theologies and faith practices that they inherited from American missionaries in the early twentieth century and by engaging with local politics and culture. This book locates the Adventist movement in broader Chinese sociopolitical and religious contexts Trade Review“Christie Chui-Shan Chow’s research unlocks evidence of identity patterns that I have not encountered in any other author writing on comparable topics in contemporary China. Her book thus opens up new academic terrain, both within the study of Chinese Christianity and of contemporary China in general.” —Lars Laamann, author of Christian Heretics in Late Imperial China"Christie Chui-Shan Chow’s superb study of the Seventh-day Adventist church in China recasts our understanding of the post-denominational context of Chinese Christianity. Fine-grained case studies detail four major factions, two local church splits, and one example of collaboration beyond schism, as Chow explores how churches of this Protestant minority have negotiated state control and enforced unity through retrenchment and adaptation of their rites, organization, and theology." —Chloë Starr, author of Chinese Theology"This book has obvious appeal to anyone interested in global Adventism, but its real gift is the way it makes Christianity in China come alive. . . . For Adventists, like for so many other Christians, the pathway forward was never clear, and thus produced both intense conflict and enormous creativity. Chow suggests this may be one reason for Chinese Christianity’s vitality today." —Mission Studies"As the first monograph-length study of Seventh-day Adventism in China covering the (roughly) forty-year period from the mid-1970s to the 2010s, this book is a significant contribution to the field of Chinese Christianities." —International Bulletin of Mission Research"Schism: Seventh-day Adventism in Post-Denominational China is a riveting work on Chinese Protestantism that intentionally focuses on the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.... Schism is not only the first volume in the Liu Institute Series in Chinese Christianities by the University of Notre Dame Press, but it is also the first work that details the history of the Chinese Adventist denomination from the mid-1970s to the 2010s." —Social Sciences and MissionsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. China’s Adventist Century and Wenzhou 2. To Pray or Not to Pray? The First Schism 3. Come Out of “Babylon”: The Wilderness Schism 4. Hybrid Identity: The Wheatfield Schism 5. “Sisters, You Should Also Help!” The Case of Horizontal Dyke Village 6. Divide and Divide: The Case of Stone Ground Village 7. A Brief Coalition: The Case of South Pond Conclusion

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“This important collection reveals Patriarch Bartholomew’s consistent and unrelenting concern to connect the Christian faith and Christian moral values with the moral questions that lie behind political choices and challenge governments, churches, and individuals.” —Brian Daley, S.J., author of God Visible“Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is widely recognized as one of the most significant and influential religious leaders in our time. Those familiar with his writings and addresses will welcome this volume to the library of Patriarch Bartholomew’s wisdom, while those new to his thinking and ministry will find this book an excellent introduction to his work.” —Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M., author of All God’s Creatures"This important book is both a gift and a challenge to Christians of all traditions and backgrounds, as well as to others who share with us the stewardship of this planet Earth, 'our island home.' In these pages there is much of value for anyone who would dare to follow Jesus and his Way of Love for all of God's children and all of creation." —The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and author of Love is the Way"It is such a gracious filial duty to celebrate, with this publication, the stalwart figure and the eminently moral voice that His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew is in ecumenical relations, in international policy formulation, and in thinking about care for the earth, our common home. So beautifully do the words of Ben Sirach apply to him: 'a counsellor in his prudence, a seer of all things in prophecy, and a resolute prince of God's flock'! (Sirach 44:3–4)." —Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences"Archdeacon Chryssavgis has had a front-row seat to the remarkable leadership and ministry of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. In publishing this compilation of Bartholomew’s prophetic and courageous statements, Chryssavgis has done a great service for those who stand in awe of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s witness to the power of the gospel and his hope for Christian friendship and unity." —Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C., vice president for mission engagement and church affairs, University of Notre Dame"Global Initiatives of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is an invaluable resource for understanding the life and ministry of a most remarkable hierarch. Therefore, in a very real way, Chryssavgis prepares us for an informed reading of the joint (and hence truly ecumenical) groundbreaking documents that follow." —Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president emeritus of Fordham University"This book holds considerable, perhaps even immeasurable, riches. These are our prophets—prophets of unity, peace, freedom, sustainability, climate justice, and ultimately, prophets of hope—who refuse capitulation either to a false irenicism or to despair. An essential volume!" —Jennifer Newsome Martin, author of Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Critical Appropriation of Russian Religious Thought"There is much wisdom in this book for Christians of all traditions." —Christian Century ReviewTable of ContentsForeword Introduction Climate Change: An Ecumenical Imperative Joint Statements 1. On the Importance of Dialogue with Pope John Paul II in Rome (1995) 2. A Code of Environmental Ethics with Pope John Paul II in Venice and Rome (2002) 3. Dialogue of Charity with Pope John Paul II in Rome (2004) 4. Dialogue of Truth with Pope Benedict XVI in Istanbul (2006) 5. Anniversary of a Milestone with Pope Francis in Jerusalem (2014) 6. Confirmation of Common Witness with Pope Francis in Istanbul (2014) 7. Climate Change and Human Health with Archbishop Welby in Istanbul and Canterbury (2015) 8. Responding to the Refugee Crisis with Pope Francis and Archbishop Ieornymos in Lesvos (2016) 9. Standing up to Modern Slavery with Archbishop Welby in Istanbul (2017) 10. World Day of Prayer for Creation with Pope Francis in Rome and Istanbul (2017) 11. A Universal Appeal for a Global Challenge with Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby in Rome, Istanbul, and Canterbury (2021) Notes

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Book SynopsisThese letters offer invaluable insights into Robert Giroux 's publishing process that brought some of Thomas Merton's most important books to his readers.Trade Review"This volume provides Thomas Merton readers with a unique perspective on his development as a published author and a deepened appreciation of Robert Giroux's role in fostering that development. The book is both a lively and enjoyable read and a significant resource for students and scholars researching various aspects of Merton's prolific writing career. It will lead to new perspectives on and to a more nuanced understanding of the development of Merton's wide-ranging interests in monastic life and religious renewal, in social and political issues, in interreligious dialogue and literary criticism, and in numerous other fields." —Patrick F. O'Connell, editor of Thomas Merton: Selected Essays"The Letters of Robert Giroux and Thomas Merton is an important historic record of the emergence and development of one of the great spiritual writers of the twentieth century and of his long friendship and working relationship with one of the great editors of the time. In these letters, carefully and unobtrusively edited and annotated by Patrick Samway, S.J., we see the ups and downs of Merton’s literary affairs against the background of the rapid changes taking place both in the church and in the world during these years. With the advent of email and the demise of the art of letter writing, this book is a testament to a fast disappearing era and the immense value to be found in the literary and historical records contained in such exchanges." —Paul M. Pearson, director, Thomas Merton Center“Robert Giroux, a great editor and publisher, was also a great friend, and Thomas Merton's correspondence with him—steady, tight in focus, rich in detail, frankly affectionate—makes clear how fully editing and publishing, for Giroux, was an act of friendship. That is no surprise. The surprise is in seeing, through these letters, how deeply Merton's vast and various body of work was grounded in friendship—in the desire to share all that he had come to know with the people he loved.” —Paul Elie, author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own"Giroux and Fr. Merton first met when both were students at Columbia University in the late 1930s. This volume of their letters begins with one from Giroux dated March 8, 1948, as the manuscript of Fr. Merton’s autobiography, “The Seven Storey Mountain,” was being revised and prepared for publication. At this time, Giroux was Fr. Merton’s editor at Harcourt, Brace & Co., a major New York publishing house. This book would go on to become a mega-bestseller and make Fr. Merton one of the most influential Catholic authors of the 20th century. Later in life, he would express regret that his autobiography included a kind of naive piety and a romanticized portrayal of monastic life. Still, “The Seven Storey Mountain” remains a classic that has never been out of print. . . . Fr. Samway’s introduction, footnotes and epilogue enrich the book beautifully." —The Compass"The Letters of Robert Giroux and Thomas Merton as compiled and edited by the Jesuit scholar Patrick Samway is a must read for the legions of Thomas Merton enthusiasts whose lives have been touched by his writings. This extraordinary collection of correspondence will also prove to be of immense interest to anyone with an interest in the publishing process that Merton engaged in with the editorial assistance and under the influence of Robert Giroux." —The Midwest Book Review"Few people were as influential in Merton’s writing career as Robert Giroux, classmate at Columbia, editor at two publishing houses, critic, confidant, and friend. . . . This collected correspondence runs from 1948 until Merton’s death in 1968 and discusses the business connected with the 15 volumes Merton and Giroux worked on. . . . In these letters, readers find the (justifiable) laments concerning censors and religious superiors reluctant to allow publication, often over remarkably trivial concerns. And publishers demonstrated that they could be as contentious, arbitrary, and capricious as any monastic censor. Several exchanges about racism, war, and literature—Giroux was editor for T. S. Eliot, Jack Kerouac, Flannery O’Connor, and Robert Lowell, among many others—allow readers to listen in on the wisdom of two astute observers of mid-20th century society." —Choice"The letters reveal a lifelong friendship between Merton and Giroux. . . . This is an important contribution to Merton scholarship—a new primary text in the Merton oeuvre. However, it is also a testimony to the brilliance of Robert Giroux, who emerges here as one of Merton's most important interpreters, critics, and collaborators." —American Catholic Studies“In many ways, the book primarily serves as an important literary and historic record, and will be of great interest to students and scholars looking in detail at Merton’s writing career and undertaking research on Merton.” —Modern Believing“Most helpful, and [indispensible] to the success of this book, are Samway’s annotations. . . . Who will read this book? Scholars of both Merton and Giroux. Merton fans. I think both groups will be pleased.” —Cistercian Studies Quarterly“The extensive professional and personal correspondence between Giroux and Merton is here presented with extremely helpful footnotes, biographical introduction, epilogue, and index.” —Commonweal

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Book SynopsisInvisible Divides explores why believing is not the same as belonging – and how we ensure church is a place for everyone, including people of different social classes.Trade ReviewI'm a Black woman familiar with navigating difficult conversations about inclusivity, so I wasn't expecting to learn anything new about the great cultural divide in UK churches. But here enters humility as I found myself frantically highlighting pages of this book which digs into deep seated issues with the UK Church. Many church majorities may say "Why should I?" when it comes to broadening our way of doing things but we cannot refuse to change because it doesn't suit us. This book perhaps speaks more to white middle-classes than other middle-class or upper-class ethnic group, simply because there is a prevailing tendency in Britain to generally treat ethnic minority groups as "other", regardless of economic status. But this is a really helpful handbook for every church, and one which will help ensure that I personally am aligning my ministry - whatever that looks like - to that of Christ and no other. -- Tola Doll Fisher * editor at WomanAlive *"Invisible Divides is a much needed read for all of us, whatever our experiences of the class system. In this accessible and engaging book, Natalie Williams and Paul Brown shine a light on the unspoken assumptions that shape so much of the culture of church life in Britain. Their winsome blend of humour, theological reflection, anecdote and practical wisdom make this prophetic book a 'must buy' for anyone who cares about the church and its mission today." -- Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing Author * Speaker, Theologian *This is an urgent, essential read. I found myself by turns exposed and affirmed in its authentic and deeply personal pages. Articulate, practical and inspirational, Natalie and Paul have hit a bulls-eye in bringing these invisible divides into view, but they’ve also served up a magnificent vision of the dream of God’s heart: a kingdom and family on earth unlike any other. -- Akhtar Shah * Director of The Foundry & Dreams Lab *Invisible Divides is a book for this time. I found myself nodding in agreement at so many points, shocked at some observations and recognising echoes of how the church can ‘other’ working class people, often unwittingly. Natalie and Paul speak powerfully and honestly about the challenges in the church, and what we can do to correct some of our mistakes. -- Rosie Hopley * Founder and former CEO of Beloved *In Invisible Divides, Natalie Williams & Paul Brown have written a powerful book that can transform church life across the UK and beyond. Their writing comes from a place of deep conviction & personal experience and sheds much light on a crucial area of weakness…our inability to reach & serve many neglected communities across the UK. But this book isn’t just a practical manual of "do’s and don’ts"…rather it’s a prophetic cry from the heart of the Father that as the church, we’d be a place of welcome, a place of meeting, a place of community, a place of hope FOR EVERYONE. Perhaps only then, will we have the courage to call on the Lord with ONE HEART, and ONE VOICE: "Come, Lord Jesus!" Please take the time to let the Lord minister to you through this book. -- Fergus Scarfe * UK Regional Director, GOD TV *"I have worked with Natalie and Paul for twenty years, witnessing first-hand all the ways in which they have learned to cross divides that other people don't even see. I encourage you to read this book and to learn from their enormous store of wisdom. You will be inspired by their infectious passion and equipped by their practical know-how to cross those invisible divides too." -- Phil Moore * author of the Straight to the Heart series of Bible commentaries *"I’m honoured to call Natalie and Paul good friends of mine and therefore know they live and experience everything they’ve written in this book. I found reading it very helpful as I’m from another nation and find the whole class system way of life quite a challenge at times. I don’t always know what to do or what’s expected of me. Reading this has given me a number of ‘aha’ moments which will help me as I work among different cultures in this nation. I highly recommend it to you." -- Angela Kemm * Senior Leader, City Church Cambridge & Relational Mission *Here we have two courageous and compelling authors, Natalie and Paul, who have started a really important conversation about a notable divide we find in the UK church. The class divide. I believe this is prophetically timely as so many strata’s of engrained injustice are rightly being societally challenged at present, something Jesus the radical revolutionary epitomised. This excellent book allows us to enter into this acknowledgment. This is a gift to the church at large. -- Tarn Bright * CEO HomeforGood, Author, Speaker, Advocate *If I were to cut myself in half, like a stick of rock, to reveal my greatest passions, you'd see the words; discipleship and prayer. Having read Invisible Divides, I was reminded again of the prophetic challenge of the church to recognise the many ways we need to develop community. As we emerge from our current challenges, there is a need for the church to have a honest conversation in these areas. This book is a must read especially for leaders looking to be stirred to the many challenges of how we serve, prophetically in community. New ways need to be found. The words contained in this book prompted me to pray and ask questions for my own area of ministry and I would invite readers to do the same. This book spoke powerful and simply to many areas and I'll be coming back to this text again and again. This is needed for such a time as this. -- Adam May * UK Director, Neighbourhood Prayer Network *This book is a wonderful gift to the UK church. Invisible Divides helpfully articulates the experiences of the working class whilst humbly challenging the prevailing middle class culture to which the church default. Natalie and Paul are a megaphone to the voices of those often overlooked and misunderstood. I truly believe that if we listen and apply what is written here our churches will more beautifully reflect the church Jesus longs to return for. This book is Proverbs 31:8 in action! -- Sam Ward * Director of Ministry, The Message Trust *The gap between the rich and the poor and the middle and working classes has been growing for years and, make no mistake, Covid has only served to speed this up. This book is perfectly timed to speak into the very real issues the church faces today in serving, supporting and attracting people across all walks of life and empowering them to live out their faith in the setting they are placed. Not only are the real life stories extremely relatable, they also paint the picture of what life and church feels like to so many people in the UK who don’t fit in with our more middle class representation of church and it offers extremely thoughtful and insightful commentary and advice on what we can do about it. This book provokes thought and action and needs to be read at every church wanting to transform communities and the lives of people around them. -- Paula Stringer * UK CEO, Christians Against Poverty *The marginalising and ‘othering’ of people who are different is now often seen in relation to issues of race, gender and sexuality. The intense focus on these issues has obscured the issue of how class continues to separate and alienate people from each other. Invisible Divides shines a light into the culture gap that alienates many working class people from their local church. Using personal experiences, Paul Brown and Natalie Williams show how they negotiated these issues in their journeys to Christian leadership. They remind us that the radical gospel of Jesus is not some spiritualised version of middle-class values. They challenge Christians to be more self-aware of their assumptions, deepen their understanding and create a church which authentically reaches and inspires people from working class backgrounds." -- Jon Kuhrt * gracetruth.blog, Government Rough Sleeping Advisor *Inspiringly honest, challengingly thought provoking and at times painfully relatable. Invisible Divides is a refreshing reminder for all who read it that equality is a conscious decision we must choose to make on a daily basis if we hope to eradicate the social divides of classicism. -- Claud Jackson * author and trainee-vicar *

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Book SynopsisJohn McGinley's accessible, inspiring, and visionary manifesto for the future of the Church in the Western world, demonstrates how ordained and lay leaders at all levels can navigate these changing times with a focus, not on the decline, but the rebirth of the Church.Trade ReviewI love this book! It has made me praise God, weep and pray with new passion. It will give you fresh thinking, but also impart fresh hope, fresh faith and fresh courage. Jesus intended his Church to work with him - rewriting the history of individuals, communities and nations. But in the West the Church has become increasingly irrelevant. The burning question is, "How can we become what God originally intended us to be?" Scripture, church history, the current worldwide work of God and John's long experience of church leadership contain vital answers. Everyone has a part to play. Here's your chance to fully play yours. -- Revd Canon John Coles, former leader of New Wine EnglandAs the age of Christendom closes, John McGinley doesn't believe that further decline and cultural irrelevance are inevitable. Instead, he anticipates a new reformation, urging followers of Jesus and church leaders to recover a fresh vision of church. Laced with helpful quotes, all eight chapters of The Church of Tomorrow describe a key mark of the future Church, with each ending with a powerful "personal response". This is a timely and prophetic book, and should be read by all concerned not just that God's future Church has a mission, but also that God's future mission has a Church. -- Revd Dr Matthew Porter, author and vicar of St Michael le Belfrey Church, YorkThis vital book is a clarion call in a time where we as individual followers of Jesus and the Church as a whole have a choice to make. It is hard to ignore the case John so powerfully makes to get ourselves ready for the pivotal season we are entering. Not only will this book sharpen your mind and stir your heart, it gives space for prayerful reflection and hugely practical steps to help us put what God is saying to us into action. Thank you, John! -- Sarah Belcher, leader of Kingdom Embassy ChurchAre you ready for change? We have entered a new era and how we "do" church needs a radical overhaul if we are to see the nations transformed by the power of God. John writes in a way that equips the Church to "be" the Church through understanding the shifts that are happening and then challenging us to respond in a faithfilled, uncompromising way. I believe if we can take this to heart and get to our knees, we could be part of seeing a great global harvest in our lifetime. -- Anne Calver, author and overseer of Unleashed ChurchThere was a deep ache in my heart as I read The Church of Tomorrow, but it was a pain accompanied by a louder song of hope. The ache was a profound longing for the renewal we are desperate to see, but this book is far from a lament of the current situation. It is bursting with crystal clarity, inspirational hope, biblical wisdom and evocative storytelling, leaving me with no doubt that not only is change possible, but here is the encouragement we need to get there. John is the real deal. The Church of Tomorrow is soaked in the wisdom, lived-out experience and prophetic imagination of its author. I pray that it leads to explosive growth and creativity in the Church and many coming to faith in Jesus. -- Phil Knox, author and head of mission to young adults at the Evangelical AllianceThis is a book I wish I had written! John has done a superb job in bringing together biblical, historical, ecclesial and prophetic insights and voices to help us glimpse something of the heart and power of the Church of tomorrow. From the unshakeable startingpoint confession and framework for our lives that "Jesus is Lord", to wonderful revelations about discipleship and the Church as a self-propagating, Spirit-led, planting community, John paints a hope-filled but challenging picture of this Church. The Church as a creative minority, no longer at the centre of culture, but on the margins of it is poised to have its greatest impact for 500 years. Read on and be inspired. Let's be the Church of tomorrow! -- Dr Nic Harding, author, director of the Kairos Connexion and Together for the Harvest, and founding pastor of Frontline ChurchReading The Church of Tomorrow filled me with fresh vision and hope for the future of the bride of Christ. Drawing on teaching from Scripture, lessons from history and a prophetic sense of what the Spirit is saying to the Western Church today, John McGinley presents a compelling diagnosis of the Church's current condition and gives an insightful, creative, much-needed prescription for renewed life and energy for the body of Christ. -- Becky Harcourt, part of the leadership team of All Saints Woodford Wells and New WineJohn describes this book as an invitation to hold the plumb line of Scripture, the Church in revival in history and the rapidly growing Church around the world up against the Church that you and I belong to in the West and to note the differences. And if that sounds as though it could only generate a troubling conclusion, then don't worry: yes, this book is honest and real, but it's also a hope-filled and inspiring read. This book is shot through with prayer and testimony. It will stretch your mind, warm your heart and feed your soul. -- Revd Canon John Dunnett, director of Strategy and Operations, The Church of England Evangelical CouncilThese truly are significant times of reforming both in and outside the Church. I am so encouraged by what John has written in The Church of Tomorrow. The message is prophetic, practical and filled with promise for a better future. The reader will understand "why" we must change but is also given the "how". I highly recommend this book. -- Steve Uppal, senior leader, All Nations ChurchI was on my knees in repentance and prayer within 15 minutes of reading this book. It is dynamite. John's ability to express how we have lost our way as the people of God and the years of displacement from truth and demonstrations of the power of God struck me deeply. Yet, pages later, tears wiped, hope had arisen. Hope for the emergence and wildness of a vastly improved Church, hope for our moving in God-given momentum...Let this book transform you; come to it with your heart open to the possibilities of what you could be if God wrestled you into the heart of his will. -- Emma Stark, director of Global Prophetic AllianceA masterful manifesto for missional church, simply identifying the "Signs of the Times" and exploring both the biblical means and methods already pointing to the breakthroughs we need. A must-read for anyone in church, lay and ordained, who recognizes the current challenges of moving into recently uncharted landscapes and is looking for a compass. John combines incisive honesty in analysing the radical challenges of our changed context with a disarming combination of loving sensitivity and merciful understanding. John has a proven track record of outstanding missional leadership in both Hinkley and multicultural Leicester. He brings all this experience to bear on the kingdom needs of our very challenging contexts. A must-read for lay and ordained leaders across the board. The best toolkit for this to become the "Church of Today"! -- Bob and Mary Hopkins, leaders of Anglican Church Planting InitiativesThe Church of Tomorrow is a prophetic acclamation, calling the body of Christ to dream again! John perfectly addresses the defaults and traditions that have kept our churches stuck in the twentyfirst century, inviting us into God's heart for a "new thing". John provides fresh revelation and practical insight into the cultural infrastructure needed to steward a new move of God in our churches, like multiplication and creativity. Those reading this book will experience fresh hope, faith and imagination for their church communities as the Holy Spirit reveals what's possible for the Church. -- Revd Wole Agbaje, senior pastor, Imprint ChurchIn this book, John sets out a big vision of what church could and should look like. He challenges us about our priorities and our procedures. He encourages us with reminders of all the ways in which God is at work in our world. And perhaps most importantly he asks us big questions about what we might need to do in the present in order that we can step forward into the Church of tomorrow. -- Revd Kate Wharton, vicar of St Bartholomew’s Church, Roby, Liverpool

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] very informative, exciting, and stimulating book about the resistance of the Church of Norway to Nazism during the German occupation 1940-1945….It is an important contribution." -- Torleiv Austad * Lutheran Quarterly *"Hassing’s book is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Norwegian Church during the Nazi occupation. One of the few books on this topic available in English, this book speaks to larger issues concerning the relationship between church and state, religious ethics, and resistance and should be of interest to a wide range of scholars of religious history, political history, the history of World War II and Norwegian history." -- Anna M. Peterson * Journal of Church and State *"Hassing’s volume is an important contribution to the literature. . . . This book is a “must” for the library of anyone interested in the Lutheran Church, national politics during the Nazi era, twentieth-century Norwegian history, and church resistance in the face of adversity." -- Brenda L. Gaydosh * Historian, The *"Hassing weaves a compelling story. His account of the struggle that was waged to prevent the establishment of a youth organization modeled after the Hitler Youth is particularly striking." -- Patrick Bernhard * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Map of the Church of Norway’s dioceses in 1940 Part One | Preludes 1. German Prelude 5 2. Norwegian Preludes Part Two | Invasion, Accommodation, Collaboration 3. Weserubung 4. Forging a Front Part Three | Resistance 5. In Defense of a Just State 6. The NS Church System 7. Against Nazification 8. In Defense of the Church 9. The Resignation of the Bishops 10. In Defense of the Young 11. Easter 1942 Part Four | Contesting NS Legitimacy 12. Negotiations? 13. The Autonomous Church 14. The NS Church Part Five | Final Protests 15. In Defense of Jews 16. Against Compulsory Labor Service Part Six | Holding Out 17. Between the Times Part Seven | Liberation 18. The Reckoning Epilogue: Legacies Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary story of the Popish Plot and how it shaped the political and religious future of BritainTrade Review“Offers a timely warning. When readers look back at this world of cruel, arbitrary justice, paranoia and sectarianism, they should be wary of indulging in the ‘condescension of posterity.’ . . . As Stater points out, believing in conspiracy theories is a part of human nature. Times change, human nature does not.”—Paul Lay, The Times“Oddly, perhaps, historians often present the Popish Plot with a kind of textbookish colorlessness. Mr. Stater’s achievement is to restore the plot’s fascination and to capture—after more than three centuries—the dread and incredulity felt by those who experienced it. . . . His accounts have the compulsively fascinating quality of a true-crime podcast.”—Jeffrey Collins, Wall Street Journal“A fascinating, entertaining study in its own right—thoroughly researched, full of colourful sketches of the leading characters, brilliant at recreating the feverish atmosphere of the times and wise in its assessment of the long-term consequences for English politics.”—Tony Barber, Financial Times“Victor Stater’s rollicking, imperious prose is both well-told history and a thought-provoking study of a world similar to our own.”—Madoc Cairns, Times Literary Supplement“Stater tells this grim tale with a historian’s command of sources and a thriller writer’s control of narrative. He skilfully weaves the story of the plot into the fabric of England’s religious history, as well as its party-political future. His prose is crisp and his judgement sound. . . . Hoax is deeply rooted in the politics and prejudices of the seventeenth century, but it fires a warning shot across the bow of our own time.”—Jessie Childs, Catholic Herald“Gripping. . . . Reading Hoax one is constantly reminded how vulnerable even powerful institutions are to the determinedly dishonest—perhaps particularly to those who justify their dishonesty to themselves as being for a greater cause—and how readily rationality recedes before the irrational when deep-rooted beliefs are brought into play. Might Hoax, as well as being a first-rate piece of history, help alert us to any latter-day Oates and Shaftesburys among us now?”—Mathew Lyons, The Tablet“A rip-roaring narrative account of the Oates conspiracy. . . . Victor Stater’s lively new book on the so-called ‘Popish Plot’ does a wonderful job of telling this story. . . . Stater is particularly good on the big set pieces—the courtroom drama, the executions, the street pageantry—culling dialogue from trial transcripts and setting the scene with enviable brio.”—Joseph Hone, History Today“Hoax is meant to be a rollicking read, and indeed provides a richly descriptive narrative of one of the darkest chapters in English history.”—Andrea McKenzie, British Catholic History“An extraordinary story of vicious lies manipulated by desperate politicians into a frenzy of disinformation. Stater tells it with verve and a magnificently tight narrative control. It led to more than thirty innocent Catholics being tortured to death. Few conspiracy stories have been quite so lethal.”—John Morrill FBA, Selwyn College, Cambridge“A fascinating study. As well as describing the progress of the ‘plot,’ and the investigation into it, blow by blow, Stater gives us a many-sided picture of seventeenth-century London. For anyone with an interest in seventeenth-century history—this book is unmissable. Let Hoax be a lesson to us!”—Liza Picard, author of Elizabeth’s London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“[A] worthwhile book. . . . [McGuckin] knows how to address a non-Orthodox audience, presenting in a relatively short book most of what needs to be known about two millennia of Christian history.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch, New York Review of Books“McGuckin is consistently energetic and constructively provoking in his narrative . . . [and] offers some first-rate treatments of theology and the ethos of Orthodox worship.”—Rowan Williams, Times Literary Supplement“A triumph. . . . A book that will be read and pondered for decades to come.”—Andrew Louth, Los Angeles Review of Books“A clear, historically and theologically rooted portrait of what the Church is for Orthodox Christianity and how it differs from Western Christians’ expectations.”—John Singleton, Methodist Recorder“As the author of this stimulating and well-written book comments, many histories of the Christian Church produced in the West . . . tell the story often without so much as a nod towards the Eastern Church. This book seeks to remedy the situation by providing not only a history of the Eastern Orthodox Church but also an introduction to its rich traditions of worship, spirituality and theology.”—Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper“An engaging, sophisticated yet accessible, account of the Orthodox Church—its self-understanding, theology, sacramental life, and history—from the time of the New Testament through its long pilgrimage in the East and more recently into the West. One of the best introductions available.”—John Behr, author of The Mystery of Christ“This is a rich, fascinating history, from the beginning of Christianity to Patristics and contemporary Orthodoxy, by an outstanding scholar. It includes inspiring intellectual and mystical figures, importantly not only men, but also women, like Elisabeth Behr-Sigel.”—Ilaria L. E. Ramelli, Durham University“This clear, lively and erudite book, comprehensive in its brevity, is an honest and ultimately hopeful account of the living tradition of faith from the apostolic times to our day—a true salvation history.”—The Rev’d Canon John McLuckie“This book has the potential to become one of the most important introductions to the Eastern Christian world.”—George E. Demacopoulos, author of Colonizing Christianity: Greek and Latin Religious Identity in the Era of the Fourth Crusade“John McGuckin, one of today’s most astute and prolific exponents of Eastern Orthodoxy, leads us into the deepest historical and theological roots of the Orthodox tradition. With fresh insight, McGuckin orients non-Orthodox readers to the internal life and practices of Orthodox churches and imaginatively projects the unique vocation of Orthodoxy in a postmodern world.”—Paul M. Blowers, Milligan University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An impressive work in its scope and erudition, this will be a major contribution to the study of biblical literature and the history of the Hebrew language.”—William M. Schniedewind, author of A Social History of Hebrew“Dating biblical texts, which has become contentious recently, is finally defended cogently and coherently, with a careful and even-handed tone. This book is a major methodological contribution, which should be required reading for any biblical philologist.”—Na’ama Pat-El, University of Texas at Austin“In this full-scale and comprehensive treatment, two experts of the Hebrew Bible demonstrate conclusively the validity of applying historical linguistics to the relative dating of Biblical Hebrew texts. This book has long been a desideratum.”—Steven E. Fassberg, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem“An engaging, nuanced, and candid inquiry into Biblical Hebrew ‘chronolects’ and an array of other issues surrounding biblical textual criticism and history. This is an important book.”—W. Randall Garr, University of California, Santa Barbara

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Book SynopsisA major new biography of Huldrych Zwingli—the warrior preacher who shaped the early ReformationTrade Review“Uncovers and examines the complexities of Zwingli’s life and legacy. . . . Gordon is sensitive to the challenges of explaining Zwingli’s sixteenth-century world to modern readers.”—Amy Nelson Burnett, Times Literary Supplement“Gordon’s engagingly readable new life aims to give the half-remembered Zwingli his due. It is appropriately empathetic, but never hagiographical. . . . Gordon succeeds wonderfully in locating Zwingli within a network of personal and theological relationships, and within the culture and values of the world he inhabited.”—Peter Marshall, Literary Review“Gordon . . . keeps an admirably balanced and encompassing perspective on the man who, when we consider the great figures of the Reformation, seems fated to remain in the second tier.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch, London Review of Books“Zwingli shaped the reformed tradition just as much as the better-known Calvin, and yet we know so much less about him. The first of the Reformers to marry, he famously died on the battlefield—as Luther gloated, a man of God slain by the sword. This powerful biography brings Zwingli to life. It sets him amongst his contemporaries, placing us alongside the dilemmas he faced. Gordon shows us a remarkable man and a Reformation driven by friendships, yet riven by hatreds.”—Lyndal Roper, author of Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet“Gordon’s absorbing portrait of Huldrych Zwingli successfully removes the varnish of centuries to reveal the contrasting colours of the often-ignored Swiss Reformer. God’s Armed Prophet, he fought his opponents and found the arguments for religious changes whose radicality would indelibly mark the Protestant Reformation, with lessons for our own age.”—Mark Greengrass, author of Christendom Destroyed“This brilliant biography makes Zwingli come alive, and sets his life in the larger context of the Protestant Reformation with verve, highlighting his larger significance while never losing sight of the details that make him unique. A masterful blend of narrative and analysis, based on painstaking research, especially in Zwingli’s correspondence, this biography breaks new ground expanding and deepening our understanding of one of the most significant figures in early modern history.”—Carlos Eire, author of Reformations“Many of us have waited a long time for a new biography of Zwingli and this book by Bruce Gordon has made it well worth the wait. It is both a sensitive and informative telling of his life and work but it is more than that. It is full of details that enliven the story and bring out the humanity and commitments of the Swiss Reformer. His importance for the reformation can no longer play second fiddle to Calvin.”—Scott H. Hendrix, author of Martin Luther

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Book SynopsisA fresh look at Acts of the Apostles and its depiction of Jewish identity within the larger Roman era When considering Jewish identity in Acts of the Apostles, scholars have often emphasized Jewish and Christian religious difference, an emphasis that masks the intersections of civic, ethnic, and religious identifications in antiquity. Christopher Stroup's innovative work explores the depiction of Jewish and Christian identity by analyzing ethnicity within a broader material and epigraphic context. Examining Acts through a new lens, he shows that the text presents Jews and Jewish identity in multiple, complex ways, rather than as a simple foil for Christianity. Stroup convincingly argues that when the modern distinctions among ethnic, religious, and civic identities are suspended, the innovative ethnic rhetoric of the author of Acts comes into focus. The author of Acts leverages the power of gods, ancestry, and physical space to legitimate Christian identity as a type of Jewish idenTrade Review“If ancient gods and humans formed family groups, what did it mean for non-Jews to make an exclusive commitment to the god of Israel? Reading Acts with this question in mind, Christopher Stroup creatively explores how Luke reconfigured ethnicity, identity and divinity within the matrix of the early imperial city.”—Paula Fredriksen, author of When Christians Were Jews “Stroup combines archaeology and theory to push well beyond previous discussions of the identity of both Jews and followers of Jesus in Acts. This is the new required discussion partner on these issues!”—Lawrence M. Wills, author of Not God's People“Ingeniously conceived and brilliantly argued, this book is a major step forward in our understanding of Acts and how being a follower of Jesus was a way of being both a real Jew and distinct from other Jews in the Roman World.”—Guy MacLean Rogers, Wellesley College “A welcome intervention, this bold and engaging volume demands a new approach to Acts and Christian origins. This is a necessary book, valuable for anyone interested in the interpretation of Acts, the rise of Christianity, and discursive constructions of human difference.”—Jennifer Knust, Duke University “This insightful volume convincingly challenges the common notion that ‘Jew’ is an ethnic category, while ‘Christian’ is its nonethnic opposite. In this masterful demonstration of interdisciplinary scholarship, Stroup provides a fresh and provocative reading of one of the earliest Christian attempts at rhetorical identity formation, the Acts of the Apostles.”—Michal Beth Dinkler, author of Literary Theory and the New Testament

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Book SynopsisNow in paperback, this corrected text is based on the earliest sources and represents the most accurate and readable edition of the Book of Mormon ever publishedTrade Review"The product of over two decades of painstaking labor by Royal Skousen—a Brigham Young University professor of linguistics and English language, a Mormon and an occasional spelling-bee judge—this Yale edition aims to take us back to the text Smith envisioned as he translated, according to the faithful, from golden plates that he unearthed in upstate New York."—Stephen Prothero, Wall Street Journal "A work of unique aesthetic and scholarly value, and an essential resource for scholarly approaches to the Book of Mormon."—Seth Perry, Journal of Ecclesiastical History "Readers would do better to hear the Book of Mormon for what it is – a long, mostly sad story, told aloud. Royal Skousen has spent more than twenty years trying to get at that story told aloud, and it is hard to imagine coming closer than his 'earliest text.'"—Seth Perry, Journal of Ecclesiastical History “…a commentary on the text of the Book of Mormon that will forever change the way Latter-day Saints approach modern scripture. Two hundred years from now… students of the Book of Mormon will still be poring over Skousen’s work. What he has accomplished is nothing short of phenomenal.”—Grant Hardy, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Listed as one of the "Christmas gifts for your demanding scholar" in 2009, Mormon Times Selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2010 in the Religion category "Royal Skousen has single-handedly brought the textual analysis of the Book of Mormon to a professional level on par with the finest classical and biblical scholarship. This volume is the culmination of his labors, and it is the most textually significant edition since Joseph Smith’s work was first published in 1830. It takes us back to the original manuscript (as best we can reconstruct it) and sometimes beyond, to the very words that were first spoken by Joseph Smith to his scribes."—Grant Hardy, from the Introduction

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Book SynopsisEngaging Theology is an introductory theology textbook that grounds a treatment of standard systematic topics in the wider context of life and practice and shows the relevance of each doctrine to the church.Trade Review“Ben Blackwell and Randy Hatchett have put together an eminently readable introduction to Christian theology for students. It contains a good balance of Bible, church history, and theological description, is ever mindful of contemporary application, and explains strange topics with simplicity and clarity. A valuable resource for anyone beginning theological studies.” * Rev. Dr. Michael F. Bird, academic dean and lecturer in theology, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia *“Engaging Theology brings together Christian history, biography, spirituality, and the development of doctrine in a narrative at once coherent and comprehensive. It is inviting, accessible, irenic. I welcome this new book and recommend it highly!” * Timothy George, research professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, and general editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series *“Engaging Theology is an excellent resource for the classroom. Blackwell and Hatchett ably summarize the fundamentals of the Christian faith, demonstrating the biblical warrant, historical development, dogmatic location, and cultural implications each of the major doctrines. While readers will inevitably quibble with certain modes of argument or specific theological conclusions, the authors’ judicious approach, ecumenical awareness, and charitable spirit are just as important for the classroom as the clarity of their doctrinal summaries.” * Matthew Y. Emerson, Dickinson Associate Professor of Religion, Oklahoma Baptist University *“Introductory theology textbooks are a dime a dozen. What separates Engaging Theology from the rest of the pack is that it is genuinely engaging in multiple ways: it engages the reader with lively prose and common-sense language, engages the Christian tradition in faithful and informed ways, engages the contemporary world beyond theology, and engages practice as it speaks into ministry, vocation, and praxis. Theology is on the move, and Blackwell and Hatchet realize this and help readers navigate the terrain in responsible and informative ways. This is the sort of introductory text students are now looking for and need.” * Myk Habets, head of school of theology, Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand, and professor of theology *“Professors Blackwell and Hatchett have provided us with a thoughtful volume to introduce students to many of the wide-ranging topics, themes, and issues in the field of systematic the- ology. In these pages, readers will find helpful biographical portraits of significant Christian thinkers, interaction with various religious traditions, and insightful applications focused on spiritual formation and the life of the church. Though some readers will ponder the inclusion or exclusion of some topics or some of the authors’ conclusions, they will nevertheless be encouraged and helped by the authors’ commitments to Trinitarian orthodoxy, to the importance of key aspects of the Christian tradition, and to genuine theological engagement.” * David S. Dockery, chancellor and professor of Christianity and culture, Trinity International University *“The Christian pilgrimage involves pursuing knowledge of Christian theology---either intentionally or unintentionally. R. L. Hatchett and Ben Blackwell in Engaging Theology have provided a rich reading resource for beginning that part of the journey, either in the university or in a local church. Engaging Theology is an excellent primer for communities that need a theology book that is Trinitarian in structure; comprehensive, ecumenical, and nondogmatic in spirit; emphasizes the narrative nature of theological development; and interacts with the broader church and other religious traditions.” * Berten A. Waggoner, former national director of Vineyard USA *“This is the theology textbook that I wish I had been reading during my undergraduate and seminary theological education. It engages the Bible but is not simply the homogenized biblical- theological approach that I encountered. This work understands hermeneutics and presents theological method, yet it is practical. It points to the boundaries of orthodoxy and to questions that may be open. It understands that theology develops through history (and without quoting J. H. Newman). It opens the student up to dialogue with a variety of Christian perspectives and with other major religions, yet there is a firm core commitment. It is clearly Protestant, even Evangelical, but it is open to Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and other perspectives as well. I heartily recommend its use as a teaching text or as a work to learn how to present Christian theology clearly and how to dialogue without slipping into a relativistic approach.” * Rev. Peter H. Davids, New Testament editor, Word Biblical Commentary *“With historical breadth, doctrinal clarity, and pastoral acumen, Blackwell and Hatchett invite students into the study of Christian theology with a text that is comprehensive without being daunting. Written with the student in mind, their book provides a confessional and welcoming approach to the study of theology. This is a book for those who love Jesus but might be skeptical as to why we need clarity about who God is and what God has done.” * Myles Werntz, associate professor of Christian ethics and practical theology, T. B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics, Logsdon School of Theology *

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Book SynopsisExperience the fullness of life that Jesus promises by learning how to engage with the present--even in the increasing busyness of work and family life.Do you ever wonder how long can you keep: grinding out eighty-hour work weeks? putting your marriage on the backburner? treating your employees like cogs in a machine? pushing your life aside before you realize your time is all up? At the heart of this collaborative project is the belief that the pain we experience is the result of absence--living disconnected from our authentic selves and lacking deep, meaningful relationships with others and with God.Daniel Montgomery, the founding pastor of Sojourn Community Church; Kenny Silva, a PhD candidate at Trinity International University; and Eboni Webb, who holds a doctorate of Clinical Psychology, pooled their efforts and expertise to focus on the problem of modern absence and the pain it causes us an

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Book SynopsisExplore Christian life in every corner of the world.Christianity is now a majority-global South religion, with more believers living in Africa, Asia, and Latin America than in Europe and North America. However, most Americans have little exposure to Christians around the world.In addition, the United States is still the country that sends the most international missionaries. While many American churches support missionaries overseas, they may not understand the beliefs, practices, histories, and challenges Christians experience abroad.Global Christianity is an accessible quick-reference guide to the global church. Filled with at-a-glance maps and charts, it puts relevant and up-to-date information into the hands of churches, mission organizations, and individuals. Useful for prayer, missions, outreach, and study of the global church, this is the new standard resource on the world''s largest religion.Understand Christianity withinTrade Review'Dr. Gina Zurlo's Global Christianity is a comprehensive, essential, and valuable book in the study of World Christianity. She covers four major Christian traditions and provides trends, declines, growth, and vital information about these traditions around the globe. Each country covered includes maps, graphs, statistics, facts, culture, comparative charts, and other pertinent data. This book is accessible and a rich resource for students, churches and anyone interested in global Christianity. I highly recommend it.' * Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion *'From Pentecost onward, Christianity is a global faith. We hold to the same Christ, but a Christian in Afghanistan is in a far different context from one in Alabama or Australia. This book is a thorough, accessible guide to understanding the way Christians live, believe, and worship, country by country and region by region.' * Russell Moore, Public Theologian at Christianity Today, Director of Christianity Today's Public Theology Project *'Global Christianity brings the world to our doorstep. It opens up the panorama of Christianity, country by country. Using simple language, the latest statistics, and clear charts and maps, this book reveals Christianity--the world's largest religion--at my fingertips. It works! I looked up unfamiliar countries and within minutes could surmise the status and scope of Christianity in that country and continent across various traditions. This long-awaited volume is for everyone to grasp Jesus' magnificent Gospel spreading in the nations!' * Mary Ho, International Executive Leader, All Nations *'In a day when 'global Christianity' is frequently spoken of as a monolithic unit, Dr. Zurlo in Global Christianity, brings out a beautiful and variegated overview of the church in every country of the world. She highlights not just the four major Christian traditions, but the distinctive voices of thousands of Christian movements all across the globe. This is an invaluable resource and an indispensable guide for anyone who really wants to have a better understanding of the surprisingly diverse expressions and faces of Christianity in the 21st century.' * Timothy C. Tennent, PhD, President and Professor of World Christianity at Asbury Theological Seminary *'Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Global Christianity by Zurlo distills information from the 1000 plus page tome, World Christian Encyclopedia, to demonstrate how the universal faith is lived in various localities, in all its beautiful diversity. A go-to-resource - there's plentiful wisdom here beyond demographic statistics, interpretation of trends and a sample of persecution, as Zurlo offers information that can be tools for decision-making and prayer. Unbeknownst to most, the last century has witnessed a tectonic shift in global Christianity, and this one-stop publication is for all who are interested in the state of the largest religion in the world. Highly recommended for the pastor discerning her church's role in global Christianity, the ecumenical bureaucrat traversing the globe for advocacy and kingdom advance and the student and scholar who needs a quick reference for their scholarship.' * Revd Dr. Casely Baiden Essamuah, Secretary, Global Christian Forum *

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