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Book SynopsisBart Ehrman, author of the highly popular books Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code, Lost Christianities, and the New York Times bestseller Misquoting Jesus, here takes readers on another engaging tour of the early Christian church, illuminating the lives of Jesus'' most intriguing followers: Simon Peter, the Apostle Paul, and Mary Magdalene. What does the Bible tell us about each of these key followers of Christ? What legends have sprung up about them in the centuries after their deaths? Was Paul bow-legged and bald? Was Peter crucified upside down? Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? In this lively work, Ehrman separates fact from fiction, presenting complicated historical issues in a clear and informative way and relating vivid anecdotes culled from the traditions of these three followers. He notes, for instance, that there is no evidence to suggest that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute (this legend can be traced to a sermon preached by Gregory the Great five centuries after her deatTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION; I. SIMON PETER; II. THE APOSTLE PAUL; III. MARY MAGDALENE

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Book SynopsisThe recent National Geographic special on the Gospel of Judas was a major media event, introducing to tens of millions of viewers one of the most important biblical discoveries of modern times. Now, a leading historian of the early church, Bart Ehrman, offers the first comprehensive account of the newly discovered Gospel of Judas, revealing what this legendary lost gospel contains and why it is so important for our understanding of Christianity. Ehrman, a featured commentator in the National Geographic special, describes how he first saw the Gospel of Judas - surprisingly, in a small room above a pizza parlor in a Swiss town near Lake Geneva - and he recounts the fascinating story of where and how this ancient papyrus document was discovered, how it moved around among antiquities dealers in Egypt, the United States, and Switzerland, and how it came to be restored and translated. More important, Ehrman gives the reader a complete and clear account of what the book teaches and he shows hTrade ReviewWell judged and informative. * Church Times *Bart Ehrman offers a sane and sensible introduction to a text that has been the subject of wild claims in the media...A clear account. * Rev David Blatherwick, Methodist Recorder *Rigorous and informed. * Edward Norman, Literary Review *Bart D Ehrman explains the status of this manuscript with cool-headed clarity. * Boyd Tonkin, The Independent *[A] splendid book. * Church of England Newspaper *Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter One: My Introduction to the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Two: Judas in Our Earliest Gospels ; Chapter Three: Judas in Later Gospel Traditions ; Chapter Four: Before the Discovery: Our Previous Knowledge of a Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Five: The Discovery of the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Six: The Gospel of Judas: An Overview ; Chapter Seven: The Gospel of Judas and Early Christian Gnosticism ; Chapter Eight: Jesus, Judas, and the Twelve in the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Nine: Who Was Judas Iscariot ; Chapter Ten: What Did Judas Betray and Why Did He Betray It? ; Chapter Eleven: The Gospel of Judas in Perspective ; Endnotes

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Book SynopsisIn this volume Richard Viladesau seeks to understand the beauty of the cross as it developed in both theology and art from their beginnings until the eve of the renaissance.Trade ReviewA fine book. * International Review of Biblical Studies *This is a fascinating investigation centred on the interplay of thought and feeling, of word and art, of understanding and emotion which lies at the heart of the Christian faith. * Contemporary Review *a unique and profitable contribution ... This book is a great resource for pastors, theologians, students, and all who desire a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the cross. * Jeremy R. Treat, Themelios *Table of ContentsCONCLUSION AND ANTICIPATION ; APPENDIX: WEBSITES FOR VIEWING ARTWORKS ; INDEX

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Book SynopsisNamed one of the top religion books of 2002 by USA Today , Philip Jenkins'' phenomenally successful The Next Christendom permanently changed the way people think about the future of Christianity. In that volume, Jenkins called the world''s attention to the little noticed fact that Christianity''s center of gravity was moving inexorably southward, to the point that Africa may soon be home to the world''s largest Christian populations. Now, in this brilliant sequel, Jenkins takes a much closer look at Christianity in the global South, revealing what it is like, and what it means for the future. The faith of the South, Jenkins finds, is first and foremost a biblical faith. Indeed, in the global South, many Christians identify powerfully with the world portrayed in the New Testament--an agricultural world very much like their own, marked by famine and plague, poverty and exile, until very recently a society of peasants, farmers, and small craftsmen. In the global South, as in the biblical Trade ReviewThis book by Jenkins... show[s] that Christians of the South are ripe for arriving at many new and vibrant readings of the Bible, * Howard Peskett, ANVIL *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS ; PREFACE ; 1. Shall the Fundamentalists Win? ; 2. Power in the Book ; 3. Old and New ; 4. Poor and Rich ; 5. Good and Evil ; 6. Persecution and Vindication ; 7. Women and Men ; 8. North and South ; APPENDIX 1: PSALM 91 ; APPENDIX 2: THE EPISTLE OF JAMES ; ABBREVIATIONS ; NOTES ; SCRIPTURE INDEX ; INDEX

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Book SynopsisAttention to embodiment and the religious significance of bodies is one of the most significant shifts in contemporary theology. In the midst of this, however, experiences of disability have received little attention. This book explores possibilities for theological engagement with disability, focusing on three primary alternatives: challenging existing theological models to engage with the disabled body, considering possibilities for a disability liberation theology, and exploring new theological options based on an understanding of the unsurprisingness of human limits.The overarching perspective of this book is that limits are an unavoidable aspect of being human, a fact we often seem to forget or deny. Yet not only do all humans experience limits, most of us also experience limits that take the form of disability at some point in our lives; in this way, disability is more normal than non-disability. If we take such experiences seriously and refuse to reduce them to mere instances of suffering, we discover insights that are lost when we take a perfect or generic body as our starting point for theological reflections. While possible applications of this insight are vast, this work focuses on two areas of particular interest: theological anthropology and metaphors for God. This project challenges theology to consider the undeniable diversity of human embodiment. It also enriches previous disability work by providing an alternative to the dominant medical and minority models, both of which fail to acknowledge the full diversity of disability experiences. Most notably, this project offers new images and possibilities for theological construction that attend appropriately and creatively to diversity in human embodiment.Trade ReviewCreamer's concise and engaging book entices the reader to follow her lead to a new understanding of disability and, in the process, reignites a fresh theological appreciation of the human body. * Theological Studies *Table of ContentsChapter One: Understanding Disability ; Chapter Two: Disability and Christianity ; Chapter Three: Theology and the Disabled Body ; Chapter Four: Liberation Theologies of Disability ; Chapter Five: Limits and Disability Theology ; Conclusion: Embodied Limits and Constructive Possibilities

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Book SynopsisAfter purgatory was officially defined by the Catholic Church in the thirteenth century, its location became a topic of heated debate and philosophical speculation: Was purgatory located on the earth, or within it? Were its fires real or figurative? Diana Walsh Pasulka offers a groundbreaking historical exploration of spatial and material concepts of purgatory, beginning with scholastic theologians William of Auvergne and Thomas Aquinas, who wrote about the location of purgatory and questioned whether its torments were physical or solely spiritual. In the same period, writers of devotional literature located purgatory within the earth, near hell, and even in Ireland. In the early modern era, a counter-movement of theologians downplayed purgatory''s spatial dimensions, preferring to depict it in abstract terms--a view strengthened during the French Enlightenment, when references to purgatory as a terrestrial location or a place of real fire were ridiculed by anti-Catholic polemicists and discouraged by the Church. The debate surrounding purgatory''s materiality has never ended: even today members of post-millennial ''''purgatory apostolates'''' maintain that purgatory is an actual, physical place. Heaven Can Wait provides crucial insight into the theological problem of purgatory''s materiality (or lack thereof) over the past seven hundred years.Trade ReviewPurgatory is one of those key devotional topics that everyone in the Catholic world knows about, but almost no one knows how to talk about. Diana Walsh Pasulka knows how to talk about it: historically, sympathetically, and critically. What she gives us here is an eloquent history of purgatory that is sensitive to both the lived, often eccentric, religious and visionary experiences of the believers and the wider public debates and institutional politics that have defined and disciplined the official doctrine down through the centuries. It turns out that there is not one but many purgatories, and that these are even more interesting, and more eerie, than anyone imagined. * Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred *Purgatory is one of those powerful religious ideas that wont go away, even when Catholics refuse to believe in it or cant define it. Diana Pasulka presents a wonderfully clear, well-researched study that shows how purgatory mediates this world and the next, and has evolved from a medieval place to a modern process. The rigor of her historical, material, and ethnographic investigation is exemplary for the study of religion. * David Morgan, Professor & Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Duke University *Heaven Can Wait is a lively exploration of the history of purgatory in Catholic doctrine and devotion. Pasulka covers a wide range of purgatory lore, from traditional to modernist, elite to popular, edifying to merely curious. Her major concern is the fate of purgatory in American Catholicism, and to that end she uncovers little-known material about the purgatory apostolates (featuring devotion to the holy souls) that have played an important part in Catholic life. Pasulka proves that purgatory is alive and well, having survived -- with significant adaptations -- the successive convulsions of early modern and modern Catholic life. * Carol Zaleski, Professor of World Religions, Smith College *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Introduction: The Problem with Purgatory ; 1. When Purgatory Was a Place on Earth: The Purgatory Cave on the Red Lake in Ireland ; 2. Lough Derg: Moving Purgatory Off the Earth ; 3. Exile from Ireland: Bishop John England's Republican Apologetics of Purgatory ; 4. That Sensible Neighborhood to Hell: Providence and Materiality within the Periodical (1830-1920) ; 5. The Ghosts of Vatican II: Purgatory Apostolates and the Lexicon of the Supernatural ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis book explores a new model for the production, revision, and reception of Biblical texts as Scripture. Building on recent studies of the oralwritten interface in medieval, Greco-Roman and ancient Near Eastern contexts, David Carr argues that in ancient Israel Biblical texts and other texts emerged as a support for an educational process in which written and oral dimensions were integrally intertwined. The point was not incising and reading texts on parchment or papyrus. The point was to enculturate ancient Israelites -- particularly Israelite elites - by training them to memorize and recite a wide range of traditional literature that was seen as the cultural bedrock of the people: narrative, prophecy, prayer, and wisdom. Generally, mastery was exercised through remarkably exact recall and reproduction of the tradition - whether through oral performance or through production of written performances. Crises like exile, however, could prompt the creation of radically new versions of tTrade ReviewIn Writing on the Tablet of the Heart David Carr draws on a vast range of evidence to explore writing and the socialization of elites in the ancient Near East and the Hellenistic world. This impressive work contributes vitally to breaking down the distinction between literacy and orality which has often clouded discussions of cultural and administrative institutions in the ancient world, and reaches significant conclusions that will have an impact far beyond its core area of Biblical Studies. * John Baines, Professor of Egyptology, University of Oxford *David Carr's Writing on the Tablet of the Heart provides a fresh and highly readable account of the contexts and conditions which progressively shaped ancient Israel's textual heritage as scripture. Carr adroitly employs an impressively broad range of comparative and theoretical perspectives to argue for the centrality of an oral-written textual practice in the educational process of cultural formation and socialization in elite Israelite circles. While this book is must reading for students and scholars of the Hebrew Bible, both in its literary formation and social reception, Carr's reach extends to other cultural fields in which orality and textuality are performatively bound. * Steven D. Fraade, Mark Taper Professor of the History of Judaism, Yale University *David Carr has given us an extremely thorough study of the modes of textual transmission that has far-reaching implications for our study of the Pentateuch and the composition of biblical literature. Using a comparative and anthropological approach, Writing on the Tablet of the Heart breaks new ground in understanding the implications of orality and literacy in the formation of Scripture. This well-written and carefully researched book deserves to be a standard work for anyone interested in the Bible. * William Schniedewind, author of How the Bible Became a Book *[Carr] integrates so many good ideas together into a coherent synthesis that this will become a classic text worth quoting. His arguments are compelling. The author has brought old insights into a comprehensive synthesis and given us new perspectives, or "handles," by which to focus our attention on the greater picture of writing, literacy, scribes, and literary texts in the ancient world. * Catholic Biblical Quarterly *Exceptionally erudite and readable. Biblical scholars will need to seriously consider this well laid out challenge to the generally accepted theories of documentary sources. * Review of Biblical Literature *Table of ContentsPART ONE: EARLY EXAMPLES OF TEXTUALITY AND EDUCATION IN THE NEAR EAST AND MEDITERRANEAN ; PART TWO: TEXTUALITY AND EDUCATION IN THE EASTERN HELLENISTIC WORLD ; APPENDIX: THE RELATION OF THIS STUDY TO EARLIER RESEARCH

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Book SynopsisFrom creationism to The God Delusion, the public dialogue of science and religion either uses the early chapters of Genesis in a naïve and simplistic way or rejects their relevance to contemporary questions. This is reinforced by the myth that Darwin caused a rejection of a literalistic reading of Genesis 1 and from that point most Christian theology lost any confidence in these texts. The truth is far more complex. Jewish and Christian interpretation of the early chapters of Genesis had a long a fruitful history from the earliest times. In the 19th century, many more important issues were at stake than biblical literalism, and there were many different interpretations of how the discoveries of Darwin helped or hindered the reading of the biblical text. Today, theologians are returning to the importance of Genesis as a partner in dialogue with science, gender, and environmental care. As the distinguished authors of the papers in this volume show, far from Darwin burying these ancient tTrade ReviewIt's a strange world when science can be used to dismiss the Bible, or when the Bible can be used to reject science - strange because God's people have long affirmed that the world and the Bible comprise God's Two Books. The challenge, then, is how to read the pages of both faithfully and to discern in their coordinated witness the character and aims of God. For its willingness to take up this challenge, and to do so accessibly and sensibly, Reading Genesis after Darwin is a genuinely important book. In their sketches of how Genesis was read before, during, and after the days of Darwin, these authors demonstrate how people might take the natural sciences seriously and continue to turn to Genesis 1-3 as sacred scripture. * Joel B. Green, author of Body, Soul, and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible (2008). *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; CONTRIBUTORS; INTRODUCTION; STEPHEN C. BARTON AND DAVID WILKINSON; PART 1: ENGAGING AGAIN WITH THE SCRIPTURES; WALTER MOBERLY; FRANCIS WATSON; ANDREW LOUTH; RICHARD S. BRIGGS; PART 2: UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY; JOHN ROGERSON; JOHN HEDLEY BROOKE; DAVID BROWN; EXPLORING THE CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE; DAVID WILKINSON; DAVID CLOUGH; JEFF ASTLEY; STEPHEN C. BARTON; ELLEN F. DAVIS; MATHEW GUEST; INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS

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Book SynopsisSince the advent of the cinema, Jesus has frequently appeared in our movie houses and on our television screens. Indeed, it may well be that more people worldwide know about Jesus and his life story from the movies than from any other medium. Indeed, Jesus'' story has been adapted dozens of times throughout the history of commercial cinema, from the 1912 silent From the Manger to the Cross to Mel Gibson''s 2004 The Passion of the Christ. No doubt there are more to come. Drawing on a broad range of movies, biblical scholar Adele Reinhartz traces the way in which Jesus of Nazareth has become Jesus of Hollywood. She argues that Jesus films both reflect and influence cultural perceptions of Jesus and the other figures in his story. She focuses on the cinematic interpretation of Jesus'' relationships with the key people in his life: his family, his friends, and his foes. She examines how these films address theological issues, such as Jesus'' identity as both human and divine, political issTrade Reviewlucidly written... is clear and well structured... essential reading for those interested in the way text and screen relate. * Robert Ellis, The Journal of Theological Studies *Table of ContentsPreface ; The Genre: Jesus Movies as Biopics ; 1. From Holy Scripture to Silver Screen ; 2 ; The Subject: ; 3. Jesus of Nazareth ; 4. Mary ; 5. Joseph ; 6. God ; Jesus' Friends ; 7. Mary Magdalene ; 8. Judas ; Jesus' Foes ; 9. Satan ; 10. Pharisees ; 11. Caiaphas ; 12. Pilate ; The Hero: ; 13. Jesus of Hollywood

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Trade Review[Rorem's] breadth of scholarship, his devotion to and love of his subject material, his depth of insight and his clarity of expression all contribute towards making the reading of this book an inspiring and rewarding enterprise ... This book will be of great interest for students of medieval thought, for those interested in the development of Christian pedagogy and for all who have embarked on the spiritual quest. * Paul Rout, Theology *Table of ContentsFOREWORD BY BRIAN DAVIES; PREFACE; ABBREVIATIONS; APPENDIX: HUGH AND DIONYSIUS; THE COMMENTARY ON THE CELESTIAL HIERARCHY; BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisThe Philokalia (literally love of the beautiful) is, after the Bible, the most influential source of spiritual tradition within the Orthodox Church. First published in Greek in 1782 by St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain and St. Macarios of Corinth, the Philokalia includes works by thirty-six influential Orthodox authors such as Maximus the Confessor, Peter of Madascus, Symeon the New Theologian, and Gregory Palamas. Surprisingly, this important collection of theological and spiritual writings has received little scholarly attention. With the growing interest in Orthodox theology, the need for a substantive resource for Philokalic studies has become increasingly evident. The purpose of the present volume is to remedy that lack by providing an ecumenical collection of scholarly essays on the Philokalia that will introduce readers to its background, motifs, authors, and relevance for contemporary life and thought.Trade ReviewThis is a first-rate book, which has been very well prepared and researched by its various contributors and is beautifully produced. ... This is altogether a fascinating and outstanding volume, richly endowed with copious references. As such it should provide a sure springboard for further research into the provenance and influence of the ^ * Douglas Dales, Fairacres Chronicles *this is an erudite and essential introduction to the history, theology and spirituality contained winin the Philokalia ... and interesting and helpful introduction to a text that has shaped the Orthodox world immensely. From this volume we get a better understanding of a strand of spirituality that is firmly grounded in Scripture, tradition, and the Church, and it sparks interest in the original text and the world that it inhabits. * Deborah Casewell, The Expository Times *The essays are of a consistently high standard [and] the range of subjects is comprehensive. * Revd Dr John Binns, Church Times *Table of ContentsAbbreviations Used ; Foreword: Kallistos Ware ; Introduction: Brock Bingaman and Brad Nassif ; HISTORY ; Chapter One: St. Nikodimos and the Philokalia by Kallistos Ware ; Chapter Two: The Making of the Philokalia: A Tale of Monks and Manuscripts by John Anthony McGuckin ; Chapter Three: The Influence of the Philokalia in the Orthodox World by Andrew Louth ; Chapter Four: Conversing with the World by Commenting on the Fathers: Fr Dumitru Staniloae and the Romanian Edition of The Philokalia by Mihail Neamtu ; THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS ; Chapter Five: The Luminous Word: Scripture in the Philokalia by Douglas-Burton Christie ; Chapter Six: Concerning Those Who Imagine That They Are Justified by Works: The Gospel According to St. Mark - the Monk by Bradley Nassif ; Chapter Seven: The Theological World of the Philokalia by Rowan Williams ; Chapter Eight: Tradition and Creativity in the Construction and Reading of the Philokalia by J.L. Zecher ; Chapter Nine: Becoming a Spiritual World of God: ; The Theological Anthropology of Maximus the Confessor by Brock Bingaman ; Chapter Ten: The Ecclesiology of the Philokalia by Krastu Banev ; Chapter Eleven: Evagrius in the Philocalia of Sts Macarius and Nicodemus by Julia Konstantinovsky ; SPIRITUAL PRACTICES ; Chapter Twelve: The Place of the Jesus Prayer in the Philokalia by Mary B. Cunningham ; Chapter Thirteen: Uses and Abuses of Spiritual Authority in the Writings of St. Symeon the New Theologian by Hannah Hunt ; Chapter Fourteen: Hope for the Passible Self: The Use and Transformation of the Human Passions in the Fathers of the Philokalia by Paul M. Blowers ; Chapter Fifteen: Healing, Psychotherapy, and the Philokalia by Andrew Louth and Chris Cook ; Chapter Sixteen: The Philokalia and Regulative Virtue Epistemology: A Look at Maximus the Confessor by Frederick D. Aquino ; Chapter Seventeen: Women in the Philokalia? by Sr. Nonna Verna Harrison ; Chapter Eighteen: Solitude, Silence, and Stillness: Light from the Palestinian Desert by John Chryssavgis ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the first comprehensive study of the Greek word ''''diakonia,'''' from which the word ''''deacon'''' is derived. Diakonia and its cognates appear frequently throughout the New Testament, but its precise meaning has long been disputed. Today, it is usually translated ''''service'''' or ''''ministry.'''' As Collins shows, this understanding of diakonia has been important to the development of a modern consensus about the nature of Christian ministry. Based on the understanding that diakonia is ''''service'''' and that the diakonos (deacon) is a ''''servant,'''' nearly all Christian bodies today agree that the central idea of ministry is that of helping the needy, and that the ''''servant'''' church should be humbly devoted to helping the world, after the model of Jesus. Collins conducts an exhaustive study of diakonia in Christian and non-Christian sources from about 200 BCE to 200 CE. He finds that in all such sources the word is used to mean ''''messenger'''' or ''''emissary,''Trade Review'Now John N. Collins has challenged the nineteenth and early twentieth century definitions and has supplied us with a whole gamet of rich associations.' * Distinctive Diacarate *'A significant contribution to the field of New Testament studies that is both solid and illuminating. It will clear the deck for new examinations of how the church needs to understand and order its ministry if it wishes to take the New Testament sources seriously.' * John Koenig, General Theological Seminary *'Challenging and thought-provoking' * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *'Will be interesting for scholars of classical and early Christian writings who are concerned to trace the use of a particular word in a variety of contexts.' * Theological Book Review *'Collins results are doubly important: both a convincing reading of the range of meanings of these words and a clear warning against an overzealous and premature attempt to make lexical study relevant. One will learn much...from the general results and particular observations.' * Patristics *'A very full and thorough survey of texts drawn from pagan and rabbinic, as well as Christian literature that might throw light on what the early Christians really meant by diakonia and its derivatives....The author combines the virtue of detailed scholarship with a vision for the future....Students will be grateful for the author's solid and illuminating survey of the various meanings givenin New Testament times and just after to the term diakonia, and may be encouraged to apply these in the church today.'' * Theology *'This is a challenging book....Collins raises important questions about how we understand the diakon- words....Though it may alter some routinely accepted expositions of our time, Collins' scholarship could also enrich and expand current understandings and expectations of ministry.' * Lutheran Partners *Table of ContentsI. ASSUMPTIONS; CONCLUSION; II. NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES; III. FIRST CHRISTIAN WRITINGS; AFTERWORD; NOTES; APPENDIX I; APPENDIX II; APPENDIX III; ABBREVIATIONS; INDEX OF SOURCES; INDEX OF OTHER GREEK TERMS; INDEX OF AUTHORS

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Book SynopsisFrom the simple and beautiful language of the prose tale, to the verbal fireworks of the dialogue between Job and his friends, to the haunting beauty of the poem on wisdom and the sublime poetics of the divine speeches, this book provides an intense encounter with the aesthetic resources of Hebrew verbal art. In this brilliant new study, Carol Newsom illuminates the relation between the aesthetic forms of the book and the claims made by its various characters. Her innovative approach makes possible a new understanding of the unity of the book of Job; she rejects the dismantling of the book by historical criticism and the flattening of the text that characterizes certain final form readings.Trade ReviewThis book offers an insightful reading of Job and conceptually advances the understanding of modes of expression of Iraelite religious thought. * Old Testament Abstracts *This approach results in a extraordinary reading of Job, both methodologically and substantively. Newsom does not pretend to resolve all the interpretive cruxes, but to put the conversation on a firm footing, and she succeeds admirably.... readers who engage Job under her guidance will find themselves grappling indirectly with its moral and even its pastoral implications. This is the kind of interpretation that gets to the heart of the matter and makes a real difference--criticism in the best sense of the word. * Anglican Theological Review *Carol Newsom's magnificent analysis of the book of Job from the perspective of modern hermeneutics, and propelled by the theme of the moral imagination, is destined to become a classic. Her deft handling of the interpretive tradition, her choice of guides--e.g., Mikhail Bakhtin, Wayne Booth, Emmanuel Levinas, Paul Ricoeur, Martha Nussbaum, Alasdair MacIntyre--and her engagement with the biblical text in all its complexity are a joy to behold. * James L. Crenshaw, Robert L. Flowers Professor of the Old Testament, Duke University *Carol Newsom's study of Job is an insightful and provocative reading of that most difficult of biblical books. By combining literary-critical and postmodern methodologies, she significantly advances our interpretation of the book of Job, solving many problems that earlier treatments have not. This is a major and substantial contribution, lucid in both argument and style. Future work on Job will have to begin where Newsom leaves off. * Michael D. Coogan, Editor, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, The Oxford History of the Biblical World, and The Oxford Companion to the Bible *Carol Newsom's new book raises the level of discourse on the discourse of the Book of Job to a higher plane. Rarely has such literary sophistication been applied to a Biblical text with such clarity and moment. We are led to read the different parts of Job and the different voices given expression within them in dialogue with each other, without privileging one over the other. Drawing (ever critically) on the work of Bakhtin and several other theorists and critics, Newsom makes a powerful argument for an active reading of Job that is intensely engaged both textually and morally. No serious reader of Job will pass over Newsom's book, and no reader of the book will ever be the same. Readers may well find it, as I did, a milestone in their education. A tour de force and a major contribution to Biblical interpretation. * Edward L. Greenstein, Professor of Bible, Tel Aviv University *Table of ContentsCONTENTS; ABBREVIATIONS; CONCLUSION; NOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisThe cross of Christ has proven to be no less of a stumbling block for Christians living in the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first, than it was in the first century, when the newly established community of friends and followers of Jesus Christ sought to define the foundation of their faith over against the critiques of their Jewish and Greek contemporaries. This book presents a theological reception of the contemporary feminist challenge to classical christology by means of an explicit feminist retrieval and reconstruction of a theology of the cross. Gudmundsdottir argues that a feminist theology of the cross serves a dual purpose in feminist christology: it discloses the patriarchal distortion of traditional christology, and can also reveal lost dimensions in the understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Although Gudmundsdottir argues that feminist critique is an indispensable element of contemporary christology, she also claims that there isTrade ReviewAn insightful, lucid, and compelling panoramic view of the theology of the cross! With perspicacity and rare acumen, Gudmundsdottir offers an accessible yet astute analysis and criticism of the abuses and reception of the uses of the cross in theology from a feminist perspective. For those interested in feminist theology and inquisitive about interpretations of the cross in feminism and theology in general, this book is a must! * Vitor Westhelle, author of The Scandalous God: The Use and Abuse of the Cross *Table of ContentsDEDICATION; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; INTRODUCTION; CHRIST, THE CROSS AND THE FEMINIST CRITIQUE; CONCLUSION: THE CROSS OF CHRIST AS A SYMBOL OF HOPE; BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Book SynopsisAn introduction to the principal forms and orders of Western liturgy during this period, explaining their nature and basic historical origin and presenting the contents and orders of principal services as well as additional and special forms of worship.Trade Review`It presents a clear and lucid introduction to the terminology, structure and content of the Wetern liturgies.' Ecclesiastical History`This is the kind of book that is difficult to put down once it has been started. John Harper writes in an easy style but it does not mask the great love and impeccable research which has gone into producing such an exciting book.' Magazine of the Guild of Church Musicians`Of particular value to the general reader who wishes to understand the context of the medieval and renaissance music that he hears as well as to those with a more practical interest in reconstructing services is The Forms and Orders of Western Liturgy from the Tenth to the Eighteenth Century ... I have nothing but admiration for Harper's skilful account, and those who enjoy early music but who have not had a Catholic or Anglican upbringing will benefit immensely from reading the opening chapters.' Early Music News'This book fulfils a basic need for all who are interested in the liturgy of the early Church, its nature and purpose. This is the kind of book which is difficult to put down once it has been started. John Harper writes in an easy style, but it does not mask the great love and impeccable research which has gone into producing such an exciting book. Oxford University Press has priced this book well within the reach of those who will wish to add it to their library. It is a must for all church musicians and - with the Christmas season to hand - what more useful gift could be found?' John Ewington'Professor Harper's book provides an exceptionally clear and comprehensive account of the sources and structures of virtually all the forms of service of the Western Church. It is an essential work of reference for all serious students of church music and liturgy.' Jill Pinnock, Theological Book Review, May 1992 (vol. 4 no. 3)'this is a useful book' Richard M. Nardone, Seton Hall University, The Catholic Historical Review, April 1993'a succinct and clearly organized introduction to the main forms of the Roman Latin rite and its Anglican offspring ... It will certainly prove a helpful volume for those trying to come to grips with ... a modern edition or facsimile of a medieval book ... Availability in paperback form places the results within reach of the readership for which the volume was designed, and I hope ample use will be made of it.' David Hiley, Universität Regensburg, Notes, June 1993'the additions to the current edition make the work even better than the original' Mark Bighley, CrossAccenta compendious work arisen out of practical experience that will doubtless serve well its intended purpose * Anthony Ward, SM, Ephemerides Liturgicae 106 (1992) *Table of ContentsPart I: Liturgy in the Western Church; Part II: Medieval Liturgy; Part III: After the Reformation; Part IV: Using Liturgical Sources; Appendices

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Book SynopsisThe text edited and translated here for the first time for over a century is the most complete and detailed account of the church of Durham down to the early twelfth century. It is also important in the study of historical writing after the Norman Conquest, especially as recent research has cast considerable light on the identity and activities of its author, Symeon of Durham.Trade ReviewSplendid edition with a full commentary. * Annual Bulletin of Historical Literature *Unlike its predecessors the new edition makes full use of the readings of all six manuscripts, and it provides an extremely detailed and helpful commentary in footnotes. It is in this elucidation of the contents, details of which can be found through the generous indexes, that the special merit of this fine contribution to the study of post-Conquest English historiography is to be sought. * Medium Ævum *This edition is a welcome culmination to the recent dramatic advances in our knowledge of Durham historiography to which Rollason himself has made a significant contribution. The text will hold its own, its historical commentary is helpful and exhaustive, the introduction brings Symeon and Durham historical writing into sharper focus. Studies of the Cronica monasterii Dunelmensis, of the De primo aduentu Saxonum, and of the Historia regum in time might give a fuller picture, but they are unlikely to affect the great value of this edition for which Rollason must to be warmly thanked. The history of the see of St Cuthbert from its start at Lindisfarne in the seventh century to the reestablishment of a monastic community in Durham is again firmly underpinned and clearly visible. Symeon and his team could not have wished for more. * Dr Patrick McGurk, Reviews in History *

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Book SynopsisGervase of Tilbury's Otia Imperialia was written in the early thirteenth century for his patron, the Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV. This is the first English translation of this major medieval text which is both learned and entertaining, full of scientific and theological speculation and a wealth of accounts of folklore and popular belief.Trade Reviewa massive work of fine scholarship * A. D. Carr, Folk Life *S.E. Banks and J.W. Binns, with their bilingual edition, broad introduction, and excellent commentary, have fulfilled a demand long put forward in scholarship. This new edition does justice to Gervais of Tilbury, one of the intellectuals who was most well-read, versatile and open to the world at the turn of the twelfth century; without a doubt it will facilitate further research on this unusual personality and his very interesting work. ... eminently readable ... As a guide to the world view of an educated and well-travelled man of affairs at the beginning of the thirteenth century, this is a fascinating piece ... Whether it cheered up the Emperor Otto is not recorded, but it should certainly prove highly entertaining for any modern medievalist. * Medium Aevum *Not only have the editors provided a wholly readable translation, but also the annotation is extremely full and helpful, including a wide-ranging modern bibliography. * English Historical Review *Post-Classical Latin is now the great lost literature of Europe. Editions like this one bring it back to life. * Tom Shippey, Times Literary Supplement *... a complete and reliable text and translation. * Tom Shippey, Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; List of Sigla ; Text and Translation ; Appendices ; Indexes

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Book SynopsisThis is the first edition of the life of St Modwenna, an obscure Irish saint whose bones supposedly came to rest in the West Midlands abbey of Burton. Abbot Geoffrey of Burton's account of her life sheds much light on the Latinity, religious attitudes, and historical consciousness of this Benedictine author.Trade ReviewRobert Bartlett's edition ... is clear, accurate and furnished with a splendidly lucid translation ... For his edition of these miracle stories, Bartlett deserves our thanks. For rescuing a little known but fascinating example of Anglo-Irish hagiography, he places us still further in his debt. * English Historical Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Vita sancte moduenne virginis/Life of the Virgin Saint Modwenna ; Indexes

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Book SynopsisAltars are powerful symbols, but during the early modern period they became a religious battleground. Altars Restored examines a time when religious lives were fundamentally challenged. By looking at what happened physically in local churches, the book recaptures the experience of the ordinary parishioner in this period of religious change.Trade Review...a work of considerable importance to those interested in old churchs. * Jerome Bertram,Church Monuments, *...a work of immense learning and thorough research...a richly evidenced, innovative and stimulating book. * The Art Newspaper *An impressive work of scholarship, stimulating and readable. * Northern History *This book must become the definitive account of altars and altar policies in the post-Reformation era. * Graham Parry, University of York *A technical read, with a real sense of what things were like on the ground, and is a considerable achievement indeed * Kenneth Stevenson, Church Times *Fascinating reading * Leanda de Lisle, Catholic Herald *a richly textured study of religious change at both local and national level * Spartacus Review *This book is beautifully researched, with a wealth of detail from hitherto neglected sources ... a masterpiece, and essential reading for those concerned with both theological controversy and the worship of this period in the life of the Church of England. * Bryan D. Spinks, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *[an] excellent book ... a major contribution to Reformation studies, and a fantastic way in to the everyday dramas of this formative period * Lee Gatiss, Churchman *This is a superb piece of collaborative historical analysis ... Altars Restored will prove the touchstone for all future research on the subject. * John Craig, History *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. 'The Stripping of the Altars', 1547-1560 ; 2. The Edwardian Legacy, 1560-1604 ; 3. Avante-Garde Conformity and the English Church, c.1590-1625 ; 4. Propaganda Wars, 1624-1640 ; 5. The Turning of the Tables, 1625-1640 ; 6. The Beauty of Holiness, 1625-1640 ; 7. Repression and Revival, 1640-1660 ; 8. Altars Restored, 1660-c.1700 ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisCornwall is unique among English counties, though similar to other Celtic lands, in its religious history. Its churches, chapels, and place-names commemorated not only the major saints of Christendom, but also many minor ''Celtic'' ones, unique to single churches. This book breaks new ground by considering them all, comprehensively and in detail. The introduction explains how the cults came into existence, and how they shed light on early Christianity in the county. It follows their history up to the Reformation, and shows how popular devotion to the saints lingered even in the eighteenth century. The main part of the book provides a history of every known religious cult in Cornwall from the sixth century AD to the Reformation, with relevant information about its later history down to the present day. Every known site is identified (church, chapel, altar, image, holy well, or other outdoor feature), and every written source is discussed (saint''s Life, liturgical commemoration, and calTrade ReviewMeticulously researched and presented entries for each cult encompass all cults, whether or not associated with particular sites, and permit the reader to see in an impressively detailed way the history of references to a cult, from the earliest to modern times ... a considerable achievement as a source of reference for the history of Cornwall. * The Journal of Ecclesiastical History *The thoroughness and value of Orme's work can be seen by comparing his wonderfully full entries on St Neot and St Petroc with the comparable entries in D. H. Farmer's excellent Oxford Dictionary of the Saints. Orme not only offers us something like five or six times as much detail, but packs his entries with information which allows an almost complete mapping of the cults concerned ... this book is a model of its kind, illuminating a wide range of issues from the evolution of the parochial structure of the region to the eighteenth-century survival of healing wells, popular customs and local festivals. * History *Splendid, unpretentious, but deeply learned book ... he [Orme] has provided historians of Cornwall, and of medieval popular religion more generally, with a fascinating and indispensable research tool. * History *Rigourous textual-historical catalogue, using the best linguistic advice, and a model for one well-defined region that could now profitably be followed for any other part of Atlantic Britain and Ireland ... the entries read well, are concise and contain a mass of new or little-known material.The introduction could stand on its own as an unrivalled essay. All relevant libraries and concerned individuals should acquire The Saints fo Cornwall. * Charles Thomas, Times Literary Supplement *This book is a useful guide for those studying various facets of hagiography. It will be a helpful reference work that local historians, literary scholars, and a host of other interested students will consult for quite some time. * H-Net Book Review *The study tells us a very great deal about the invention of tradition at the parochial level and the universal desire of communities of whatever size, and of whatever historical period, to attach meaning to the salient features of their spiritual and physical environment * English Historical Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction : Early Cornish History ; Dictionary of Saints ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisGoscelin, monk of Saint-Bertin, who came to England in the early 1060s, was one of the most prolific hagiographers of the Anglo-Saxon saints. William of Malmesbury described him as ''second to none since Bede in the celebration of the English saints''. Part of his career was spent in wandering exile, and one of the places Goscelin stayed briefly was Ely, who twelfth-century house-history portrays him working late at night on verses commemorating Ely''s patroness, St Æthelfryth.By the late tenth century, the cult of Æthelfryth, the seventh-century virgin-queen whose two unconsummated marriages were recounted in Bede''s Historia Ecclesiastica, had been combined with that of her sister Seaxburh, and of another supposed sister, Wihtburh (whose relics were ''translated'' from East Dereham in Norfolk to Ely in 974). To this group were added Seaxburh''s daughter Eormenhild, and Eormenhild''s daughter Wærburh.A collection of the Lives of these female saints - some probably the work of GoscelinTrade ReviewThe Latin is splendidly translated by Love, whose English is a treat to read. She also provides informative notes, in which reference is made to earlier Anglo-Saxon and patristic sources; biblical quotations and allusions are likewise noted...informative and accessible. * Augustine Casiday, Sobornost *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Texts and Translations ; Appendices ; Index

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Book SynopsisWhen barbarians invaded the Roman Empire in the years around 400 AD, Christian monks hid in their cloisters - or so it is often assumed. Conrad Leyser shows is that monks in the early medieval West were, in fact, pioneers in the creation of a new language of moral authority. He describes the making of this tradition over two centuries from St Augustine to St Benedict and Gregory the Great.Trade ReviewBreaks new and important ground in the study of episcopal and monastic authority in late antiquity ... this is an important book for historians of late antiquity, church historians, ascetical theologians, historians of monasticism, and historians of Christian thought. In every respect, this is a superlative study by a scholar whose work is significant. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *A final virtue of Leyser's book is its careful awareness of the modern scholarly tradition * Journal of Theological Studies *The insights and intelligence of Leyser's discussions provide another testament both to Augustine's and Gregory's extensive influence in Late Antiquity and to their relevance for modern times * Journal of Theological Studies *Leyser's book deserves the attention (and praise) of specialists. It also rewards anyone interested in the development of authority in the Western Christian tradition * Theological Studies *

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Book SynopsisBede''s Ecclesiastical History of the English People was completed in 731 and still ranks among the most popular of history books. By the end of the eighth century, copies of it were to be found in many parts of England and on the Continent, some of which are still extant. If it were not for Bede''s History we should know little about the Anglo-Saxon invasion and the beginnings of Christianity in England, and such familiar names as Edwin and Oswald, Cuthbert and Chad, Hilda and Caedmon would be almost forgotten. First published in 1969, Colgrave and Mynors''s edition made use for the first time of the mid-eighth-century manuscript now in Leningrad, provided a survey of the extant manuscripts, and a new translation; it also brought up to date Plummer''s invaluable edition. This revised edition takes into account J.M. Wallace-Hadrill''s Bede''s Ecclesiastical History of the English People: A Historical Commentary (Oxford Medieval Texts, 1988), enabling the reader to use the two in conj

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Book SynopsisThe Epistolae Vagantes of Pope Gregory VIITrade ReviewA marvellous achievement. As a meticulous exposition of complex story, done with vast learning, control and lucidity, it is a tour de force. ... brilliant insights. * Henry Mayr-Harting, Christ Church, Oxford EHR Feb 01 *The whole of Cowdrey's book is written with what the Germans would call Innigkeit; it comes from the heart as well as from the head. That is one of its most admirable characteristics. * Henry Mayr-Harting, Christ Church, Oxford EHR Feb 01 *Cowdrey makes occasional brilliant use of the dark mention. * Henry Mayr-Harting, Christ Church, Oxford EHR Feb 01 *This book is a masterpiece of scholarship. It is written with passion for Gregory VII but also with a passion for truth. Anyone with a serious interest in Gregory VII will need to read it. It will be argued with by many, but admired by all. * Henry Mayr-Harting, Christ Church, Oxford EHR Feb 01 *This is 'great-man history' at its finest. Like the man hiself, Pope Gregory VII is a learned, fascinating, frustrating, and overwhelming book that will set both the standard and point of departure for all future debate. Cowdrey, indeed, has put us all in his debt. * Kathleen G. Cushing, Church History, March 00, Vol.69, No.1. *The importance of this book must not be underestimated. The careful attention to detail and the masterful command of the sources, especially Gregory's Register, set a high standard of historical research that has long characterized Cowdrey's work. * Kathleen G. Cushing, Church History, March 00, Vol.69, No.1. *resonating discussions that shed light on the social, political, intellectual, and religious 'revolutions' that characterize the transformation of eleventh-century Europe ... excellent discussion. * Kathleen G. Cushing, Church History, March 00, Vol.69, No.1. *

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Book Synopsis`I have little but praise for this study. The crisp insights of the conclusion are symptomatic of its lucidity and sophistication.'' British Journal of AestheticsTrade Review`Christian theologians owe Dr Janet Martin Soskice a great debt of gratitude for her fine book' Journal of Theological Studies`The book would be very useful ... to readers who are interested in metaphor as such quite apart from the possible implications for religious discourse.' The Modern Churchman`This is a scholarly and human book. It can heal any feeling of division between literature on the one hand and philosophy or theology on the other.' Philosophical Studies

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Book SynopsisThis is one of the first volumes to appear in a landmark new series, The Oxford History of the Laws of England. It traces the history of the reception and role of the canon law in England between 597 and 1649, examining both the establishment of ecclesiastical courts and the heads of jurisdiction within them. Legal practice is viewed against the background of the formal canon law.Table of ContentsI. The Anglo-Saxon Church ; II. From the Norman Conquest to the Establishment of Consistory Courts ; III. From the Thirteenth Century to the Accession of Elizabeth ; IV. From the Elizabethan Settlement to the Abolition of Episcopacy ; V. Civil Procedure and the Law of Proof ; VI. Monetary Obligations and Economic Regulation ; VII. Testamentary Law and Probate Jurisdiction ; VIII. Tithes and Spiritual Dues ; IX. Churches and the Clergy ; X. Marriage and Divorce ; XI. Defamation ; XII. The Criminal Law

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Book SynopsisThis book seeks to exorcize the spectre of the Enlightenment by drawing on H. G. Gadamer''s demonstration of `how little the traditions in which we stand are weakened'' by the legacy of the Enlightenment. It then applies these insights to theology where the importance of tradition and the unity between theology and spirituality are rediscovered.Trade Review`a Yeatsian reverie' Times Literary Supplement'Mr Louth writes like an angel' Theology`A most learned, well-written and provoking book, with some surprises for all' Expository Times'It deserves to be widely studied and discussed ... Louth has given us a programme to occupy our attention for some time.' John McIntyre, Religious Studies'The reader finds himself being drawn into a long and fascinating conversation in which poets meet philosophers, philosophers meet theologians, and theologians encounter historians and literary critics. Claudel, Goethe, T. S. Eliot, Gadamer, Polanyi, Marcel, Lossky, de Lubac, Torrance, to mention only some, all make their contribution.' PN Review'it remains an interesting and original attempt to grapple with the nature of theology ... This book needs to be read as an eloquent protest against the dryness of much modern theology and biblical interpretation' Peter Forster, St John's College, Durham, Anvil, Vol.8, No.1, 1991Table of ContentsDissociation of sensibility; the legacy of the enlightenment; science and mystery; tradition and the tacit; return to allegory; living the mystery.

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Book SynopsisThis book places Augustine's theology in a new and illuminating context by considering what he has to say about beauty.Trade Review`a book packed with close reasoning based on wide knowledge of Augustine and his interpreters. The reader will find it hard work, but rewarding. As exegesis it is splendid, correcting previous studies in important ways' Expository Times`This is a handsome study of a fundamental theme ... an engaging and attractive study.' David Foster, The Downside Review, January 1993'Augustine's theological understanding of inwardness and his portrayal of the persuasive and educative power of true doctrine are themes that also have important aesthetic content. Following this important treatment it should no longer be possible to simply reiterate the established presentation of Augustinian aesthetics.' Lewis Ayres, Scottish Journal of Theology, 1993'Chapter 5, devoted to the Incarnation, is a most welcome addition to the classical studies of Augustine's Christology. The material covered is now new, but it is the masterly way in which the familiar is reorganised around the theme of beauty which makes this chapter so successful in illustrating Augustine's incarnate aesthetic. The author must be congratulated on her thorough knowledge of Augustine's works and secondary sources. This is no mean achievement. This finely researched and well written book will be a welcome volume on the shelves of the Augustinian scholar ... Dr Harrison shows how the familiar terrain can often reveal new beauty when approached from a fresh perspective.' Finbarr G. Clancy, The Month, May 1993`Carol Harrison has done us a great service by drawing together the aesthetic strands of Augustine's thought in a stimulating examination of original sources ... will provide a benchmark for scholars seeking to trace the role of aesthetics in the Patristic era.' British Journal of Aesthetics'Harrison explores the rich material perceptively, and argues persuasively that Augustine gives full weight to the experience of beauty ... This sane and balanced book brings a breath of frsh air to a subject which has too often been obscured by the prejudices or self-imposed methodological limitations of previous studies.' R.A. Markus, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 44, No. 2, Oct '93'The author skillfully takes the reader through the evolution in Augustine's thinking ... a comprehensive study on the nature of beauty as theorized by a Christian theologian who did not compartmentalize his thought and action ... This book is eminently fair to Augustine because it analyses his attitude towards beauty within the framework of his central teachings and deepest convictions. Both scholars and general readers can be enriched by it.' Mary T. Clark, RSCJ, New Blackfriars'Harrison has made a significant contribution here, due especially to her refusal to separate Augustine's philosophy from his theology.' Robert B Eno, The Catholic Historical Review, October 1993Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Early Thought; 2. Words: A Paradigm; 3. Creation; 4. Man; 5. Incarnation; 6. Faith, Hope, and Love; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisJerome was one of the very few early Christian scholars to know any Hebrew. This is an introduction, translation, and commentary of his questions on Genesis - showing a Christian working alongside Jews in an age very different from our own.Trade Reviewas accurate and as elegant as a real translation can be, and his ample notes do much to fulfil his professed desire to be of use to "students of Patristica and Judaica". The work will be particularly valuable to those who wish to know more of the relations in the fourth century between Christendom and Jewry... * Journal of Jewish Studies *CTR Hayward has now published the first English Translation of QHG. He has also provided us with a detailed commentary...I very much welcome his contribution, and hope that it will provide some incentive for others to look at Jerome's other commentaries from a similar vantage point. * The Journal of Theological Studies. *Innovative work. * Theology Digest. *The most important reaction to Hayward's book is to be grateful that he has translated such an important text and fortified his rendering with so much helpful material. The commentary is truly impressive, although he mentions in the Preface that much more could have been written. * James C Vanderkam, Journal of Semitic Studies, vol.42, no.1, 1997 *Hayward has translated it clearly, and provided a commentary showing exactly what renderings Jerome was contesting and where the traditions he was drawing on can be found. It is a mine of information on patristic and Jewish exegesis. * Roger Tomes, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 76 (1997) *Hayward's translation is clear and his extended commentary rivals Jerome in the reach of its learning ... Thanks to Hayward, we can fully appreciate Jerome's original and critical use of Jewish texts on Genesis. * Speculum - A Journal of Medieval Studies *

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Book SynopsisBegotten or Made?Trade ReviewThe debate sparked off by the Warnock Committee report on human fertilization should benefit from this unusual contribution by Professor O'Donovan. As befits the Regius Professor Moral and Pastoral Theology in the University of Oxford he approaches the topic at a high level of generality, in sharp contrast to the pragmatic and piecemeal procedure often favoured by practising scientists. He modestly claims to make no more than a contribution to the discussion, but his main argument, if accepted, would radically change the thrust of much current practice in this field. * Nature *

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Book SynopsisVerbal aspect is a significant element to be considered when interpreting a number of New Testament texts. This book surveys ways in which verbal aspect has been treated in the past century, and discusses what aspect is and how it functions in New Testament Greek. It provides a comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of the aspects of present, aorist, and perfect in New Testament Greek, and pulls together the results of research from a wide variety of linguistic studies. In his study Dr Fanning analyses the specific ways in which the aspects combine with linguistic and contextual features to produce various secondary meanings. He cites extensive sections of New Testament Greek as illustrative evidence, thus presenting a new approach which is a significant improvement on previous treatments and which will prove invaluable to interpreters of New Testament texts.Trade ReviewIt is obviously a work for specialists, clearly written, and could be followed by anyone interested in the grammatical details of the Greek New Testament. The wealth of excerpts make it a useful reference work in New Testament exegesis. * Robert Morgan, Linacre College, Oxford, Theological Book Review, Vol. 3, No.2, January 1991 *He has produced an outstanding account of aspect in New Testament Greek; those who agree with him are encouraged to refine his analysis; while those who desagree are challenged to produce an alternative that is as rich and insightful. * Bernard Comrie, University of Southern California *Dr Fanning has placed us in his debt with this masterly study... of what he prefers to call `verbal aspect'... F. exhibits exceptional thoroughness. The book is pleasing in both English and Greek type-founts, misprints are few, the bibliography is impressive, the indexes are good, and, happily, the footnotes are footnotes. * A.R. Birley, The Classical Review, vol XLI, no 2, 1991. *For his having revitalized New Testament grammatical study in one significant area we express our admiration and thanks. I suspect that once the general theme of the book has been understood, it will be used as a reference book by those who are attentive to aspect and tense in their reading of the Greek text. The index of Biblical passages will therefore be the main entrée to the rich discussions and descriptions preceding it. * J.K. Elliott, Novum Testamentum XXXIV, 1 (1992) *A comprehensive study of aspect based upon a large corpus of evidence and taking account of the extensive modern literature that has accumulated on the topic is highly welcome. A brief summary of this nature cannot do full justice to the rich collection of material and the comprehensive nature of the discussion found in this book. Particularly worthy of mention are the discussions of the lexical nature of certain verbs. * David Bain, University of Manchester *This book contains much to interest and instruct. Dr Fanning gives expert guidance through a maze of technical terms in at least four languages ... the argument and presentation are clear and systematic throughout the book, and the way is enlivened by stimulating comments on illustrative passages. * G.M. Styler, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 44, No. 1, April 1993 *invaluable to teachers of Greek NT ... This highly technical book belongs in reference libraries wherever Greek is taught. * Robert F. Hull, Jr. Emmanuel School of Religion, Johnson City, Religious Studies Review, Volume 19, Number 3 / July 1993 *Table of ContentsDefinition of verbal aspect; the meaning of the verbal aspects in New Testament Greek; the effect of inherent meaning and other elements on aspectual function; the aspects in the indicative mood; the aspects in commands and prohibitions; the aspects in other non-indicative forms of the verb.

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

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Book SynopsisThis book provides information from Church history concerning the recognition of the canonical status of the several books of the New Testament. Canonization was a long and gradual process of sifting among scores of gospels, epistles, and other books that enjoyed local and temporary authority - some of which have only recently come to light among the discoveries of Nag Hammadi. After discussing the external pressures that led to the fixing of the limits of the canon, the author gives sustained attention to Patristic evidence that bears on the development of the canon not only in the West but also among the Eastern Churches, including the Syrian, Armenian, Georgian, Coptic, and Ethiopian. Besides considering differences as to the sequence of the books in the New Testament, Dr Metzger takes up such questions as which form of text is to be regarded as canonical; whether the canon is open or closed; to what extent a canon should be sought within the canon; and whether the canon is a collecTrade ReviewMetzger's opinions throughout are judicious and moderate... The richly detailed factual information carefully organized here, and the bibliographical footnotes will make this a volume of continuing benefit and lasting value. * Journal of Theological Studies *this book is of great value, not only as a careful survey of the issues historically but also as a contribution to the current scene. * American Historical Review *this volume, along with [Metzger's] earlier books on the text and early versions, is destined to become the standard in this field. * Restoration Quarterly *

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Book SynopsisSpinoza''s Theologico-Political Treatise is simultaneously a work of philosophy and a piece of practical politics. It defends religious pluralism, a republican form of political organisation, and the freedom to philosophise, with a determination that is extremely rare in seventeenth-century thought. But it is also a fierce and polemical intervention in a series of Dutch disputes over issues about which Spinoza and his opponents cared very deeply. Susan James makes the arguments of the Treatise accessible, and their motivations plain, by setting them in their historical and philosophical context. She identifies the interlocking theological, hermeneutic, historical, philosophical, and political positions to which Spinoza was responding, shows who he aimed to discredit, and reveals what he intended to achieve. The immediate goal of the Treatise is, she establishes, a local one. Spinoza is trying to persuade his fellow citizens that it is vital to uphold and foster conditions in which theyTrade ReviewSusan James's book on Spinozaâs Theological-Political Treatise is a magnificent work of historical and contextually focused philosophical scholarship. Anyone interested in Spinoza, the Dutch Republic, or early modern philosophy would profit by reading it. James richly situates Spinozaâs Treatise in its proper context and thereby illuminates Spinozaâs thought in a profound way. The Spinoza that emerges here is not the abstract metaphysician of the Ethics, but a savvy political thinker addressing the particulars of his time and place. In all, this book should fundamentally alter the way we think of this great text and, more broadly, the issues it addresses. * Journal of the History of Philosophy *Though countless scholars have written about the Theologico-Political Treatise, none have covered it so clearly and comprehensively. This is a valuable book on an important text. It is that rare thing: an impressive work of research and philosophical thinking which can also function as a guide for students and a resource for scholars. It should be the first book consulted by anyone who seeks to understand what Spinoza is arguing for, and why he argues for it, in his most puzzling text. * Beth Lord, The Philosophical Quarterly *a magnificent work of historical and contextually focused philosophical scholarship. * Eugene Marshall, Journal of the History of Philosophy *Table of ContentsPART I. REVELATION; PART 2. DEMYSTIFYING THE BIBLE; PART 3. MEETING THE DEMANDS OF A RELIGIOUS LIFE; PART 4. THE POLITICS OF TRUE RELIGION

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Book SynopsisThe Early Text of the New Testament aims to examine and assess from our earliest extant sources the most primitive state of the New Testament text now known. What sort of changes did scribes make to the text? What is the quality of the text now at our disposal? What can we learn about the nature of textual transmission in the earliest centuries? In addition to exploring the textual and scribal culture of early Christianity, this volume explores the textual evidence for all the sections of the New Testament. It also examines the evidence from the earliest translations of New Testament writings and the citations or allusions to New Testament texts in other early Christian writers.Trade ReviewThis expansive yet detailed treatment of data and sources consists of 21 expert contributions divided into three parts. ... The most obvious strengths of this volume are its conceptual and structural clarity, the breadth and depth of its treatment, and the diversity of approaches taken in presenting and analyzing the manuscript evidence for each book or corpus. The expertise of the contributors taken together with the concise, dense and meticulously referenced treatments of each category of evidence make it the go-to source for anyone interested in this facet of early Christianity or this period of New Testament textual history. * William L. Kelly, The Expository Times *Table of ContentsI. THE TEXTUAL AND SCRIBAL CULTURE OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY; II. THE MANUSCRIPT TRADITION; III. EARLY CITATION/USE OF NEW TESTAMENT WRITINGS

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of John Donne presents scholars with the history of Donne studies and provides tools to orient scholarship in this field in the twenty-first century and beyond. Though profoundly historical in its orientation, the Handbook is not a summary of existing knowledge but a resource that reveals patterns of literary and historical attention and the new directions that these patterns enable or obstruct. Part I -- Research resources in Donne Studies and why they they matter -- emphasizes the heuristic and practical orientation of the Handbook, examining prevailing assumptions and reviewing the specialized scholarly tools available. This section provides a brief evaluation and description of the scholarly strengths, shortcomings, and significance of each resource, focusing on a balanced evaluation of the opportunities and the hazards each offers. Part II- - Donne''s genres -- begins with an introduction that explores the significance and differentiation of the numerous genreTrade Reviewa fine resource. * Freyja Cox Jensen, Cercles *It is hard to think of a compilation of fifty original essays containing more concentrated scholarship than these do. * Robert Fraser, Times Literary Supplement *this collection of articles offers an introduction to the field of Donne studies that would be difficult to equal elsewhere. * Ruth Mills Robbins, Comitatus *it is impossible to over-praise the ingenuity of Shami, Flynn, and Hester's organizational plan ... The end result is, mirabile dictu, as deft and accessible a compendium of the best of current scholarly thinking about Donne as one could hope to find assembled between two covers. It proves as extraordinary a record of Donne scholarship at what is possibly the peak of its most vital era ... I'm delighted by how firm a purchase of Donne this Handbook allows. * Raymond-Jean Frontain, Spenser Review *Table of ContentsLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS; NOTE TO READERS; GENERAL INTRODUCTION; PART 1: RESEARCH RESOURCES IN DONNE STUDIES AND WHY THEY MATTER; PART 2: DONNE'S GENRES; PART 3: BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXTS; PART 4: PROBLEMS OF LITERARY INTERPRETATION THAT HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY AND GENERALLY IMPORTANT IN DONNE STUDIES; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisJohn Henry Newman (1801-1890) has always inspired devotion. Newman has made disciples as leader of the Catholic revival in the Church of England, an inspiration to fellow converts to Roman Catholicism, a nationally admired preacher and prose-writer, and an internationally recognized saint of the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, he has also provoked criticism. The church authorities, both Anglican and Catholic, were often troubled by his words and deeds, and scholars have disputed his arguments and his honesty. Written by a range of international experts, The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman shows how Newman remains important to the fields of education, history, literature, philosophy, and theology. Divided into four parts, part one grounds Newman''s works in the places, cultures, and networks of relationships in which he lived. Part two looks at the thinkers who shaped his own thought, while the third part engages critically and appreciatively with themes in his writings. Part four eTrade ReviewThis important book indeed tells us an awful lot about the influential and complex contributions of a man who arguably changed the history of the modern Anglican and Roman communions. * Robert M. Andrews, Anglican and Episcopal History *Aquino and King are to be congratulated on having resisted the urge to mould the work into any particular overarching narrative; in their own words, 'the volume reflects a broad range of perspectives and methodological assumptions to move all towards deeper understanding' ... This volume amply reaffirms that in the sheer diversity of the strands of his scholarship, writing, and thought, John Henry Newman remains a man for all seasons. * Journal of Theological Studies *Newman remains a controversial figure, but this volume provides a humane and balanced account of his legacy, not only as a theologian who has made a significant contribution to both the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, but also as a philosopher, as an educationalist, and as a literary figure. These essays bear patient study, and they will certainly stimulate further research on John Henry Newman in the years to come * William Lamb, Newman Studies Journal *The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman gathers together some of the most distinguished writers on Newman, as well as some younger scholars, and the balance refuses any single, partisan perspective. the Handbook's scholarly contribution is both original and significant . . . while it does indeed remain to be seen what our current period might take from Newman, we may at least say with grateful confidence that The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman will shape and inform his reputation for many years to come. * The Journal of British Catholic History *Gathers together some of the most distinguished writers on Newman, as well as some younger scholars, and the balance refuses any single, partisan perspective ... the Handbook's scholarly contribution is both original and significant ... The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman will shape and inform his reputation for many years to come. * Michael D. Hurley, British Catholic History *The 26 chapters in the Handbook demonstrate that Newman's contribution in the fields of education, history, literature, philosophy, and theology is certainly compelling ... OUP keeps delivering these scholarly books by many hands to the highest of standards. With 600 pages, and large pages at that, it is worth every penny. * Dr Michael Wheeler, Church Times *The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman is exceptionally valuable for the understanding of its subject and also one of the finest volumes in the Oxford Handbooks series that I have yet encountered. It is almost uniformly excellent. * Paul Avis, Durham University and University of Exeter *The Oxford Handbook of John Henry Newman is exceptionally valuable for the understanding of its subject and also one of the finest volumes in the Oxford Handbooks series that I have yet encountered. * Paul Avis, Honorary Professor, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University and Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Theology and Religion, University of Exeter *Table of ContentsList of contributors Abbreviations Frederick D. Aquino and Benjamin J. King: Introduction Part I. Context for his Writings 1: Peter B. Nockles: The Oxford Movement 2: Keith Beaumont: The Oratory 3: Colin Barr: Ireland 4: Ann Margaret Schellenberg Richardson: Brothers 5: Joshua King: Print Culture Part II. Influences on Newman 6: Benjamin J. King: The Church Fathers 7: Jane Garnett: Joseph Butler 8: Frederick D. Aquino: The British Naturalist Tradition 9: Gareth Atkins: Evangelicals 10: Geertjan Zuijdwegt: Richard Whately Part III. Themes of his Writings a) Theological 11: Eamon Duffy: The Anglican Parish Sermons 12: Charles Hefling: Justification: The Doctrine, The Lectures, and Tract 90 13: Benjamin J. King: Sensus Fidelium 14: C. Michael Shea: Doctrinal Development 15: William J. Abraham: Revelation 16: C. Michael Shea: Ecclesiology: The Polycentric Church 17: Ryan J. Marr: Infallibility 18: Mark D. Chapman: Ecumenism, Mariology, and the Papacy b) Philosophical and Literary 19: Frederick D. Aquino: Epistemology 20: Colin Barr and Simon Skinner: Political and Social Thought 21: M. Katherine Tillman: Philosophy of Education 22: Geertjan Zuijdwegt and Terrence Merrigan: Conscience 23: Jan Marten Ivo Klaver: The Apologia 24: Mary C. Frank: The Literary Stylist Part IV. Ongoing Significance 25: Mark McInroy: Catholic Theological Receptions 26: Geoffrey Rowell: Anglican Theological Receptions 27: John Sullivan: The University 28: Kenneth Parker: Historiography 29: Stephen Prickett: Literary Legacy

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Book SynopsisA clear introduction to the major works of Kierkegaard that highlights the Lutheran framework of Kierkegaard's thought, and combines exposition of the philosophical, theological, and historical context of his works with an engaging critical dialogue that brings Kierkegaard into debate with twenty-first-century thought.Trade ReviewWith her very engaging style, and commitment to honest and= open dialogue with subject and reader alike, Hampson is never dull. * John Saxbee, Church Times *Placed in his Lutheran context (instead of air-lifted up into 'philosophy') the Dane is beguiling once more. * Oxford Today *This book is not only a fitting tribute to Kierkegaard and an absorbing and stimulating introduction to his work, but, in its breadth on learning and wisdom, reflects the spirit of the man himself. * Susan Halstead, Curator of Czech, Slovak, and Lusatian Studies at the British Library *Readers searching for a general introduction to some of the Lutheran aspects of Kierkegaard's most celebrated writings will find a welcome companion with Daphne Hampson. * Church of England Newspaper *Functioning on different levels, this book will have a broad appeal to many different kinds of reader. Hampson wonderfully orchestrates a critical dialogue with Kierkegaard in a way that provides ample demonstration of the importance of his thought today. This highly readable work represents a valuable contribution to Kierkegaard studies. * Jon Stewart, Associate Research Professor, Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre, Copenhagen *A marvel of scholarship. Hampson is one of the few interpreters of Kierkegaard able to take account of both the philosophical and theological backdrop of Kierkegaards thought. Clear, comprehensive, and elegantly written, one of the book's most important merits is the success Hampson enjoys in locating Kierkegaard within his own Lutheran tradition. * Gordon Marino, Professor of philosophy; Director, Hong Kierkegaard Library, St Olaf's College *A delightful powerful new book on Kierkegaard. Acknowledging his radical conservatism, insisting against Kierkegaard on the need for collective responses to social injustice, Hampson nonetheless writes in a spirit of critical friendship. Combining a forthright accessible style with real scholarship and familiarity with Kierkegaard's personal, intellectual and spiritual struggles, she brings him vividly to life for our time. * David Wood, Professor of philosophy, Vanderbilt University *Setting Kierkegaard in his intellectual context, this book guides readers through the key texts, identifying and debating the questions they provoke. Hampson has inspired many students to engage with this most demanding of writers. Her book will both attract new readers and serve as a stimulating refresher to those familiar with Kierkegaard's writings. * George Pattison, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity, Oxford University *Hampson writes accessibly when situating and contrasting Kierkgaard amid the flux of the history of ideas. * Joshua Furnal, Church of England Newspaper *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Why Read Kierkegaard? ; 1. Kierkegaard's Intellectual Context ; 2. Fear and Trembling ; 3. Philosophical Fragments ; 4. The Concept Angst ; 5. Love's Deeds ; 6. Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments ; 7. The Sickness unto Death ; 8. Practice in Christianity ; 9. The Point of View for Kierkegaard's Work as an Author

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions includes authoritative yet accessible studies on a wide variety of topics dealing comparatively with Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as with the interactions between the adherents of these religions throughout history. The comparative study of the Abrahamic Religions has been undertaken for many centuries. More often than not, these studies reflected a polemical rather than an ecumenical approach to the topic. Since the nineteenth century, the comparative study of the Abrahamic Religions has not been pursued either intensively or systematically, and it is only recently that the comparative study of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam has received more serious attention. This volume contributes to the emergence and development of the comparative study of the Abrahamic religions, a discipline which is now in its formative stages. This Handbook includes both critical and supportive perspectives on the very concept of the Abrahamic reliTrade ReviewThose interested in interfaith movements and the relationship between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism will find much to benefit in reading The Oxford Handbook of The Abrahamic Religions * Jamin Hübner, Reading Religion *The Handbook is a useful tool for students and scholars alike that gives a comprehensive insight into the current state of research as well as the desiderata in the field of Abrahamic studies. * Dennis Halft, Trier University, Medieval Encounters *a valuable resource for any library whose readers wish to engage in serious study of the relationship between the three faiths. * Tom Wilson, Anvil *Table of ContentsPreface List of Contributors Part I: The Concept of the Abrahamic Religions 1: Reuven Firestone: Abraham and Authenticity 2: Adam Silverstein: Abrahamic Experiments in History 3: Guy G. Stroumsa: Three Rings or Three Impostors? The Comparative Approach to the Abrahamic Religions and its Origins 4: Mark Silk: The Abrahamic Religions as a Modern Concept 5: Rémi Brague: Philosophical Perspectives 6: Gil Anidjar: Yet Another Abraham Part II: Communities 7: Richard Bulliet: Islamo-Christian Civilization 8: David Abulafia: The Abrahamic Religions in the Mediterranean 9: Uriel Simonsohn: Justice 10: John Tolan: Jews and Muslims in Christian Law and History 11: Dorothea Weltecke: Beyond Exclusivism in the Middle Ages: On the Three Rings, the Three Impostors, and the Discourse of Multiplicity Part III: Scripture and Hermeneutics 12: Nicolai Sinai: Historical-Critical Readings of the Abrahamic Scriptures 13: Carol Bakhos: Interpreters of Scripture 14: David Powers: The Finality of Prophecy 15: Lutz Greisiger: Apocalypticism, Millenarianism, and Messianism 16: Yuri Stoyanov: Religious Dualism and the Abrahamic Religions Part IV: Religious Thought 17: Peter E. Pormann: The Abrahamic Religions and the Classical Tradition 18: Sidney Griffith: Confessing Monotheism in Arabic (at-Tawḥīd): The One God of Abraham and His Apologists 19: Carlos Fraenkel: Philosophy and Theology 20: William E. Carroll: Science and Creation: The Mediaeval Heritage 21: Moshe Idel: Mysticism in the Abrahamic Religions 22: Anthony Black: Political Thought Part V: Rituals and Ethics 23: Prayer: Clemens Leonhard and Martin Lüstraeten 24: Moshe Blidstein: Purity and Defilement 25: David Freidenreich: Dietary Law 26: Harvey E. Goldberg: Life-Cycle Rites of Passage 27: Yousef Meri: The Cult of Saints and Pilgrimage 28: David Nirenberg: Religions of Love: Judaism, Christianity, Islam 29: Malise Ruthven: Religion and Politics in the Age of Fundamentalisms Part VI: Epilogues 30: Peter Ochs: Jewish and other Abrahamic Philosophic Arguments for Abrahamic Studies 31: David F. Ford: Christian Perspectives: Settings, Theology, Practices, and Challenges 32: Tariq Ramadan: Islamic Perspectives

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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