History of religion Books

Book SynopsisHistories you can trust.The Oxford History of the Holy Land covers the 3,000 years which saw the rise of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - and relates the familiar stories of the sacred texts with the fruits of modern scholarship. Beginning with the origins of the people who became the Israel of the Bible, it follows the course of the ensuing millennia down to the time when the Ottoman Empire succumbed to British and French rule at the end of the First World War.Parts of the story, especially as known from the Bible, will be widely familiar. Less familiar are the ways in which modern research, both from archaeology and from other ancient sources, sometimes modify this story historically. Better understanding, however, enables us to appreciate crucial chapters in the story of the Holy Land, such as how and why Judaism developed in the way that it did from the earlier sovereign states of Israel and Judah and the historical circumstances in which Christianity emerged from its JewiTrade ReviewFor those interested in the Bible, history or spiritual pilgrimage, this is a captivating guide and will be a great asset to anyone who has travelled, or will travel, to the Holy Land. * Mark W. Scarlata, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *The Oxford History of the Holy Land is full of ... remarkable details. Thirteen fact-packed chapters, each by an expert in his or her field, take us on a tour from the earliest recorded history onwards. It is a remarkable, readable, and useful achievement, one that will illuminate a thousand sermons and provide much to think about for anyone interested in the subject. * William Whyte, Church Times *Three great world faiths have invested so many hopes and passions in one relatively small part of the eastern Mediterranean seaboard and its hinterland, that there are risks even in calling it by a single name. This collective study of the "God-trodden land" is a richly informative, reliable, and sane guide to its troubled history: one valuable contribution to crafting it a more peaceful present and future. * Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Avraham Faust: The Birth of Israel 2: Lester L. Grabbe: Iron Age: Tribes to Monarchy 3: André Lemaire: Israel and Judah: c. 931-587 BCE 4: H. G. M. Williamson: Babylonian Exile and Restoration: 587-325 BCE 5: John J. Collins: The Hellenistic and Roman Era 6: Konstantin Klein: A Christian Holy Land: 284-638 CE 7: Milka Levy-Rubin: The Coming of Islam 8: Carole Hillenbrand: The Holy Land in the Crusader and Ayyubid periods: 1099 - 1250 9: Nimrod Luz: The Holy Land from the Mamluk Sultanate to the Ottoman Empire: 1260-1799 10: Robert Fisk: From Napoleon to Allenby: the Holy Land and the wider Middle East 11: Robert G. Hoyland and Peter Walker: Pilgrimage 12: Richard S. Hess and Denys Pringle: Sacred Spaces and Holy Places 13: Adam Silverstein: Scripture and the Holy Land Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisMirabai, an iconic sixteenth-century Indian poet-saint, is renowned for her unwavering love of God, her disregard for social hierarchies and gendered notions of honor and shame, and her challenge to familial, feudal, and religious authorities. Defying attempts to constrain and even kill her, she could not be silenced. Though verifiable facts regarding her life are few, her fame spread across social, linguistic, and religious boundaries, and stories about her multiplied across the subcontinent and the centuries. In Mirabai, Nancy M. Martin traces the story of this immensely popular Indian saint from the earliest manuscript references to her through colonial and nationalist developments to scholarly and popular portrayals in the decades leading up to Indian independence. This book examines Mirabai''s place as both insider and outsider to the developing strands of devotional Hinduism and her role in contested terrain of debates around the education and independence of women and the craftiTrade ReviewThis book is valuable today for its knowledge and insights into the life of a Hindu woman poet as it demonstrates the power of devotion that transcends local contexts and inspires for diverse conversations. * Dr. Atola Longkumer, United Theological College *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Note on Transliteration and Dates Introduction: In Search of Mirabai Chapter 1: Embodying Devotion in a Woman's Body: Mirabai among the Saints Chapter 2: Participation and Transformation: Mira as Rapjut Renouncer, Varkari Devotee, and Pativrata of God Chapter 3: History, Heroism, and the Politics of Identity: Mirabai in Nineteenth-Century Colonial India Chapter 4: Weaver Woman and Lover Extraordinaire: Romance and Resistance in Rural Rajasthan Chapter 5: Mobilizing Mirabai, Mobilizing Women in the Struggle for Independence Chapter 6: Cultural Icon for a Nation in the Making Conclusion Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWritten by a leading expert on the Puritans, this brief, informative volume offers a wealth of background on this key religious movement. This book traces the shaping, triumph, and decline of the Puritan world, while also examining the role of religion in the shaping of American society and the role of the Puritan legacy in American history. Francis J. Bremer discusses the rise of Puritanism in the English Reformation, the struggle of the reformers to purge what they viewed as the corruptions of Roman Catholicism from the Elizabethan church, and the struggle with the Stuart monarchs that led to a brief Puritan triumph under Oliver Cromwell. It also examines the effort of Puritans who left England to establish a godly kingdom in America. Bremer examines puritan theology, views on family and community, their beliefs about the proper relationship between religion and public life, the limits of toleration, the balance between individual rights and one''s obligation to others, and the extent to which public character should be shaped by private religious belief.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review"A delightfully rich little volume...An engaging read, enlivened with primary quotes and illustrations, this overview of Puritan political history, beliefs, practices, and interpretation demonstrates the flexibility rather than the rigidness of this fascinating religious culture...Bremer's Short Introduction provides an elegant and accessible gateway into this world." --Christian History & Biography "...well-written and accessible survey...."--Jonathan W. Olson.

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Book SynopsisIn 1614 the shogunate prohibited Christianity amidst rumors of foreign plots to conquer Japan. But more than the fear of armed invasions, it was the ideological threat--or spiritual conquest--that the Edo shogunate feared the most. This book explores the encounter of Christianity and premodern Japan in the wider context of global and intellectual history. M. Antoni J. Ucerler examines how the Jesuit missionaries sought new ways to communicate their faith in an unfamiliar linguistic, cultural, and religious environment--and how they sought to re-invent Christianity in the context of samurai Japan. They developed an original moral casuistry or cases of conscience adapted to the specific dilemmas faced by Japanese Christians. This volume situates the European missionary enterprise in East Asia within multiple geopolitical contexts: Both Ming China and Warring States Japan resisted the presence of foreigners and their beliefs. In Japan, where the Jesuits were facing persecution in the midst of civil war, they debated whether they could intervene in military conflicts to protect local communities. Others advocated for the establishment of a Christian republic or civil protectorate. Based on little-known primary sources in various languages, The Samurai and the Cross explores the moral and political debates over religion, law, and reason of state that took place on both the European and the Japanese side.Trade ReviewThe monograph successfully resets the history of the Jesuit enterprise in Japan in its conflicts and challenges, leading to a significant reassessment of how their efforts, decisions, and strategies are understood...The Samurai and The Cross is an excellent guide for those interested in the intellectual work of Jesuits in Japan. * Rômulo da Silva Ehalt, Journal of Early Modern History 27 *Those who are taking their first steps into the Jesuits' history in early modern Japan will find The Samurai and the Cross a pleasure to read and most rewarding... In The Samurai and the Cross, a rich historical record replete with valuable references awaits the readers. One of the strengths of Ucerler's book lies in the care taken to provide in the endnotes bibliographical data not only on the primary sources discussed (especially frequent of the Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu (ARSI) collections), but also to include - where available - their critical editions or translations in several languages (in most cases Spanish or Portuguese). * Sophie Takahashi, Contemporary Japan *

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Book SynopsisOne of the world''s leading scholars of religious trends shows how climate change has driven dramatic religious upheavals.Long before the current era of man-made climate change, the world has suffered repeated, severe climate-driven shocks. These shocks have resulted in famine, disease, violence, social upheaval, and mass migration. But these shocks were also religious events. Dramatic shifts in climate have often been understood in religious terms by the people who experienced them. They were described in the language of apocalypse, millennium, and Judgment. Often, too, the eras in which these shocks occurred have been marked by far-reaching changes in the nature of religion and spirituality. Those changes have varied widely - from growing religious fervor and commitment; to the stirring of mystical and apocalyptic expectations; to waves of religious scapegoating and persecution; or the spawning of new religious movements and revivals. In many cases, such responses have had lasting imTrade ReviewReading Climate, Catastrophe, and Faith can nevertheless be salutary. Jenkins is right in his premise that the book will seem innovative... * Willis Jenkins, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Jenkins's important study is sobering and summoning. Given the past responses to such crises,he leaves little room for optimism. Jenkins reasons by way of analogue from those earlier crises to our own. Given the hard work to be done, we may be grateful to Jenkins for his helpful articulation * Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary Decatur, Georgia, Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology *This work compels us to consider how climate change matters for religious development and, consequently, for international peace and security. It is a worthy read for those working to build a safer and more sustainable world. * Anum Farhan, Chatham House, UK, International Affairs *Philip Jenkins provides a fascinating look into the historical relationship between faith and climate change... The book is a poignant reminder of the role that faith leaders can play in the face of the disruptive impacts of today's climate crisis. * Mariana Vieira, International Affairs Summer reading list 2022 *This masterpiece of historical scholarship should help policy makers and others transcend temporal myopia. Of special interest to students of climate, history, society, religion, and politics, this book can change the way one thinks about such matters. * L. E. Sponsel, CHOICE *Jenkins's bold new argument may change the way we think about the history of religion, but more important, it could remind us that we can imagine a new and better way as we prepare for the consequences of this impending climate crisis. * Rt. Rev. Mark Van Koevering, The Living Church *So many books on climate change focus on science and policy. This one offers a refreshing, if sobering, break as it charts the effect that past periods of climate stress have had on the evolution of the world's great faiths. * Pilita Clark, Financial Times, Best Climate and Environment Books of 2021 *a remarkable overview of climate change and its consequences for religious movements in world history... It is an important book for scholars of religion as well as for those interested in the consequences of climate change. * Mary Evelyn Tucker, Times Literary Supplement *This timely and meticulously researched book makes an important contribution to the growing body of literature engaging religion and history with ecology and climate change. * Ruby Guyat, Times Higher Education *A hugely ambitious work, such as only a historian of Philip Jenkins's great learning would dare undertake... magisterial study, at once probing and panoramic... The timeliness of this volume hardly needs emphasising. * John Pridmore, Church Times *It is fascinating and thought-provoking approach to the climate change which the world now faces. * Revd Dr Paul Beasley-Murray, Church Matters *Table of ContentsNote on Usage Acknowledgments Chapter One: From Disaster To Belief Chapter Two: Forcing Climate Chapter Three: Ages of Gold Chapter Four: God's Anger and the Demons Within Chapter Five: After Darkness, Light Chapter Six: A Faded Sun and A Wider World Chapter Seven: Who Can Stand Before His Cold? Chapter Eight: Darkening Heavens and a New World Chapter Nine: A Warming World Conclusion

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking new collection, Christianity and Constitutionalism offers a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives on the relationship between Christian thought, history, and practice, and constitutional law and its related fields.Trade ReviewScholars of the American founding have long noted the influence of Reformed Protestant Christianity on the background assumptions of the framers—both about language and the nature of republican government—but this collection of essays provides more depth and insight on that topic than ever before. I highly recommend this book for both academics and general readers interested in the connections between Christianity and the Constitution. * Michael W. McConnell, Richard & Frances Mallery Professor, Stanford Law School; Director, Stanford Constitutional Law Center; Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution *The relationship between religious thought and constitutionalism is the focus of this book...the contribution it makes to an understanding of the important connections between religion, specifically Christianity, and constitutionalism, are worthy of attention. * Commonwealth Lawyers' Association and Contributors *Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Contributors Contents INTRODUCTION 1 INTRODUCTION: Christianity and Constitutionalism Nicholas Aroney and Ian Leigh Part I: The Historical Influence of Christianity 2 OLD TESTAMENT: Torah and Constitutionalism Jonathan Burnside 3 NEW TESTAMENT: "But our constitution is in heaven": New Testament sketches on the people of God between divine law and earthly rulers Dorothea H. Bertschmann 4 ANTIQUITY: Constantine and Constitutionalism Peter Leithart 5 PATRISTIC ERA: Augustine's Constitutionalism: Citizenship, Common Good, and Consent Mary Keys & Colleen Mitchell 6 MIDDLE AGES: Canon Law Constitutionalism? Richard Helmholz 7 REFORMATION: The Protestant Reformation of Constitutionalism John Witte Jr. 8 MODERNITY: Understanding Law and Constitutionalism in Modernity: The Critical Contribution of English Reformation Public Theology Joan Lockwood O'Donovan Part II: Christian Perspectives on Constitutionalism 9 SOVEREIGNTY: Dual, Plural and One Joel Harrison 10 RULE OF LAW: The Sacred Roots and Secular Shoots of the Supreme Law Li-ann Thio 11 DEMOCRACY: Self-Government and the Kingdom of Heaven Richard Ekins 12 SEPARATION OF POWERS: Biblical Foundations of the Separation of Powers and the Catalytical Judicial Role Carlos Bernal 13 RIGHTS: Christian Constitutional Rights? Julian Rivers 14 FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE: Freedom of Conscience Assessing the Christian Contribution Ian Leigh 15 FEDERALISM: A Legal, Political and Religious Archaeology Nicholas Aroney PART III: Christian Theology and Constitutionalism 16 REVELATION: Scripture and Covenant David VanDrunen 17 TRINITY: Against Leviathan: The Implications of Trinitarian Theology for Constitutionalism David McIlroy 18 JUSTICE: Justice the Constitution and the Purpose of the Political Community Jonathan Chaplin 19 CHRISTOLOGY: Christology and Constitutionalism Tracey Rowland 20 NATURAL LAW: Natural Law and Natural Right Revisited John Milbank 21 SUBSIDIARITY: Origins and Contemporary Aspects Iain T. Benson 22 ESCHATOLOGY: The Greater Operation of Liberty Douglas Farrow

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Book SynopsisThe vexed and sometimes shocking story of Martin Luther, one of the most important figures in modern European history, and his increasingly vitriolic attitudes towards the Jews - as well as the ominous legacy of Luther's anti-semitism for the future of Germany in the centuries to comeTrade ReviewThis is a learned, well-written, and carefully argued examination of Martin Luther's writings and the place of anti-Jewish motifs and arguments in many of these works. * Scott Ury, Tel Aviv University, Religious Studies Review *This book is a remarkable and timely volume that is the result of the confluence of a number of important lines of inquiry in epistemology, philosophy of religion and theology. . . this text provides helpful standalone essays that can accompany units on standard issues within the theology curriculum. . . the constructive systematician will find in many of these essays valuable guidance regarding how to go about constructive work in a manner that is epistemically responsible. . . This volume excels as such a cardinal text and will be a required resource for any wishing to make a future contribution to theological topics that touch in any way on epistemic issues. * International Journal of Systematic Theology *As this short, scholarly, and brilliantly-illuminating study shows, the line between anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism is both blurry and easily breached... No one is better able to make sense of Luthers views than Kaufmann, who has been working on the subject for the best part of 40 years. With a complete mastery of Luthers writings and the context in which he wrote, he uncovers the particular prompts that led Luther to sound so contradictory, while he also reveals the continuities in his thought. * William Whyte, Church Times *Scrupulously fair, crisply translated and surprisingly relevant. * Tom Moriarty, The Irish Times *Excellent * Peter Marshall, Tablet *An immaculately scrupulous and compelling study * Edward Pearce, Tribune *By showing the depth of Luther's anti-Judaism, and his commitment to early-modern anti-Semitism, Kaufmann hopes to break the reverence Protestants have for Luther, for this has retarded their efforts to come to terms with their relationship to the Jews after the Holocaust (151). Kaufmann does not hold Luther directly responsible for the Holocaust, but he insists that he was a factor in helping to make it possible. Hence, the only way forward is to accept 'that we can no more put our faith blindly in Luther's theology than responsible 21st century adults would voluntarily place themselves in the hands of a 16th-century surgeon' (11). * Reading Religion *Table of ContentsIntroduction: 'Luther's Jews' - an unavoidable topic 1: Neighbours yet strangers - Jews on the fringes of Luther's world 2: The Church's Enemies - Luther's early theological position on the Jews 3: The Jews' Friend? Luther's 'Reformation' of Attitudes towards the Jews 4: Hopes disappointed, expectations fulfilled: The late 1520s and the 1530s 5: The Final Battle for the Bible: Luther's Vicious Writings 6: Mixed Responses: The History of the Reception of Luther's Attitude to the Jews from the 16th to the 20th Century Conclusion: A Fallible Human Being Sources and bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisQuakerism began in England in the 1650s. George Fox, credited as leading the movement, had an experience of 1647 in which he felt he could hear Christ directly and inwardly without the mediation of text or minister. Convinced of the authenticity of this experience and its universal application, Fox preached a spirituality in which potentially all were ministers, all part of a priesthood of believers, a church levelled before the leadership of God. Quakers are a fascinating religious group both in their original ''peculiarity'' and in the variety of reinterpretations of the faith since. The way they have interacted with wider society is a basic but often unknown part of British and American history. This handbook charts their history and the history of their expression as a religious community. This volume provides an indispensable reference work for the study of Quakerism. It is global in its perspectives and interdisciplinary in its approach whilst offering the reader a clear narrativTrade Review[A] landmark achievement in its comprehensiveness and nuance. It demonstrates Quakerism to be a diverse and complex religion that is constantly changing and interacting with external pressures, and it shows Quaker Studies to be a cutting-edge and active field of scholarship. * Quaker Religious Thought *An indispensable resource for anyone interested in the academic study of Qakerism. Essential. * J. H. Sniegocki, Choice, *Table of ContentsI: HISTORY OF QUAKERISM; II: QUAKER THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY; III: QUAKER WITNESS; IV: QUAKER EXPRESSION

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Common Prayer is one of the most influential books in history. First published in the reign of Edward VI, in 1549, it was a product of the English Reformation following the break with Rome. For nearly five centuries, it has formed the order of worship for established Christianity in England. More listeners have heard these prayers, it is said, than the soliloquies of Shakespeare. As British imperial ambitions spread, the Book of Common Prayer became the primary instrument (at least as much as the King James Bible) of English culture, firstly in Ireland in 1551. When the Puritans fled to America in 1620 it was to escape the discipline imposed by of the Book of Common Prayer, yet the book came to embody official religion in America before and after Independence, and is still in use. Today it is a global book: it was the first book printed in many languages, from north America to southern Africa, to the Indian sub-continent. In this Very Short Introduction Brian Cummings tells the fascinating history of the Book of Common Prayer, and explains why it is easily misunderstood. Designed in the 1540s as a radical Protestant answer to Catholic superstition, within a century (during the English Civil Wars) radical Christians regarded the Book of Common Prayer as itself superstitious and even (paradoxically) Papist. Changing in meaning and context over time, the Book of Common Prayer has acted as a cultural symbol, affecting the everyday conduct of life as much as the spiritual, and dividing conformity from non-conformity, in social terms as well as religious, from birth to marriage to death. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewCummings' work is a great gateway for anyone looking to start their adventure in the historical studies of The Book of Common Prayer. * Isaac Brown, Riverview, New Brunswick, Religious Studies Review *Insightful * Mary Laven, Times Literary Supplement *[Brian Cummings's] text is challenging, informative, and even swashbuckling, by turns ... His book is a must for all, but, take it slowly and savour it: a huge amount is packed into these 120 pages. * Stephen Platten, Church Times *The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction is an excellent summary of the origins of The Book of Common Prayer and its impact on history, from the Tudors to the present. Cummings's accessible prose makes for an enjoyable read that is not overburdened with technical or theological jargon. * Tanner J. Moore, Reading Religion *One of the foremost British scholars of Renaissance and Reformation literature, Brian Cummings has given us a vivid and multi-dimensional portrait of how one of the most influential books in the English language was constructed, reconstructed, and disseminated across several centuries, helping us see just how it played the role it did in shaping a common imagination as well as a common spirituality. * Rowan Williams, Master, Magdalene College, Cambridge *Table of Contents1: Ritual and the Reformation 2: The making of The Book of Common Prayer 3: Word, body and gesture 4: Politics and religion 5: Empire and prayer book 6: Modernity and the Book of Common Prayer References Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisAlister E. McGrath provides a fresh and engaging account of the origins, development, and abiding importance of Christian doctrine. The book explores why Christianity developed doctrines in the first place, and why doctrines continue to be vital to the present and future of Christian communities.Table of ContentsPreface 1: On the Origins of Christian Doctrine 2: Theorizing the Identity of Christ: On Early Christian Doctrinal Development 3: The Functions of Christian Doctrine 4: The Three Worlds of Christian Doctrine: Theoretical, Objective, and Subjective 5: Seeing the Face of God: On the Doctrine of the Incarnation 6: Doctrine: Ontological Disclosure and Coordinating Framework 7: The Doctrine of Salvation: Coherence, Comprehensiveness, and Theological Mapping Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisDeification in the Greek patristic tradition was the fulfilment of the destiny for which humanity was created - not merely salvation from sin but entry into the fullness of the divine life of the Trinity. This book, the first on the subject for over sixty years, traces the history of deification from its birth as a second-century metaphor with biblical roots to its maturity as a doctrine central to the spiritual life of the Byzantine Church. Drawing attention to the richness and diversity of the patristic approaches from Irenaeus to Maximus the Confessor, Norman Russell offers a full discussion of the background and context of the doctrine, at the same time highlighting its distinctively Christian character.Trade ReviewNorman Russell presents his subject with the assurance of a master... He displays not just understanding of the material, but also a clear awareness of the field of patristic studies... this is a masterpiece of what historical discussion of Christian doctrine should be: historically acute and theologically perceptive. * Andrew Louth, The Times Higher Education Supplement *The scope and precision of this book are beyond praise...the work is an admirable resource and could hardly be bettered. * Anthony Meredith, The Journal of Theological Studies *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Deification in the Graeco-Roman World ; 3. The Jewish Paradigm: From Ezekiel to the yored merkavah ; 4. The Earliest Christian Model: Participatory Union with Christ ; 5. The Alexandrian Tradition I: Christian Schools and Study-Circles ; 6. The Alexandrian Tradition II: The Imposition of Episcopal Control ; 7. The Cappadocian Approach: Divine Transcendence and the Ascent of the Soul ; 8. The Monastic Synthesis: The Achievement of Maximus the Confessor ; 9. Epilogue

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a full, contextual study of St Irenaeus of Lyons, the first great theologian of the Christian tradition. John Behr sets Irenaeus both within his own context of the second century, a fundamental period for the formation of Christian identity, elaborating the distinction between orthodoxy and heresy and expounding a comprehensive theological vision, and also within our own contemporary context, in which these issues are very much alive again. Against the commonly-held position that ''orthodoxy'' was established by excluding others, the ''heretics'', Behr argues that it was the self-chosen separation of the heretics that provided the occasion for those who remained together to clarify the lineaments of their faith in a church that was catholic by virtue of embracing different voices in a symphony of many voices and whose chief architect was Irenaeus, who, as befits his name, urged peace and toleration.The first chapter explores Irenaeus'' background in Asia Minor, as a disciple of Polycarp of Smyrna, his activity in Gaul, and his involvement with the Christian communities in Rome. The theological and institutional significance of his interventions is made clear by tracing the coalescence of the initially fractionated communities in Rome into a united body over the first two centuries.The second chapter provides a full examination of Irenaeus'' surviving writings, concentrating especially on the literary and rhetorical structure of his five books Against the Heresies, his ''refutation and overthrowal'' of his opponents in the first two books, and his establishing a framework for articulating orthodoxy.The final chapter explores the theological vision of Irenaeus itself, on its own terms rather than the categories of later dogmatic theology, grounded in an apostolic reading of Scripture and presenting a vibrant and vigorous account of the diachronic and synchronic economy or plan of God, seen through the work of Christ which reveals how the Hands of God have been at work from the beginning, fashioning the creature, made from mud and animated with a breath of life, into his own image and likeness, vivified by the Holy Spirit, to become a ''living human being, the glory of God''.Trade Review...In his usual lucid and succinct manner, B. organizes in a modest three chapters a volume that is profoundly researched and the product of mature thought about Irenaeus and his theological legacy. It thus admirably meets the series's goals to produce 'well-researched yet accessible books. * Theological Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Irenaeus of Lyons: Ambassador for Peace, Reconciliation, and Toleration ; Vienne and Lyons ; The Christian Communities at Rome ; Irenaeus and Florinus, Eleutherus and Victor ; Polycarp and Irenaeus ; The Chronology of Irenaeus Life and Writings ; 2. Against the Heresies ; Structure ; Refutation and Overthrowal (haer. 1-2) ; 3. The Glory of God (haer.3-5) ; The Concise Word ; The Arc of the Economy ; The Work of God ; The Symphony of Salvation ; Living Human Beings, The Martyrs ; Conclusion ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis selection of writings from the most important moments in the history of Christianity has become established as a classic reference work. This new edition brings the anthology up-to-date with a new section looking at issues facing the twenty-first century churches.Trade ReviewSome documents have over generations been recognised as key to understanding Christian history; those will be found in this collection, as they have been since long ago Henry Bettenson first conceived of the project. Now they are helpfully enriched with sources which might have astonished Bettenson, but which testify to the extraordinary variety of the communities which call themselves Christian. * Diarmaid Macculloch *Great overview of both history of Christianity and contemporary issues. * Annika Hvithamar, University of Copenhagen *This is a new and improved version of a popular and accessible old classic ... which brings together some of the most significant documents and texts in church history. ... the updated Bettenson and Maunder remains a very useful repository of a broad range of standard texts from across the centuries. * Lee Gatiss, Churchman *Table of ContentsI: THE EARLY CHURCH (TO THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON, 451); II: FROM THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON TO THE PRESENT

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Book SynopsisThis introduction presents Martin Luther as historians now see him. Instead of singling him out as a modern hero, the book emphasizes the context in which Luther worked, the colleagues who supported him, and the opponents who adamantly opposed his agenda for change. Scott H. Hendrix explains the religious reformation and Luther''s importance, without ignoring the political and cultural forces that led the reformation down paths Luther could neither foresee nor influence. This Very Short Introduction pays tribute to Luther''s genius, but also recognizes the self-righteous attitude that alienated contemporaries, offering a unique explanation for that behaviour.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA useful new book. * Scott Hendrix, The Daily Telegraph *This is a great addition to OUP's 'Very Short Introductions' series of books, which manages to pack a huge amount of fascinating and useful material into just over a hundred small pages. ... The author is clearly aware of a vast amount of scholarly discussion and secondary literature on Luther and has an enviable ability to summarise and critique it in short compass, and he does a good job of helping us appreciate the historical distance between us and Luther. * Lee Gatiss, Churchman *Table of ContentsForeword ; 1. Luther and the reformation ; 2. Becoming a reformer ; 3. The labours of reform ; 4. Luther's Bible ; 5. The new Christianity ; 6. The political reformation ; 7. From monk to family man ; 8. Angels and demons ; Afterword ; Chronology ; Glossary ; Further reading

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Book SynopsisThe life and works of Augustine of Hippo (354-430) have shaped the development of the Christian Church, sparking controversy and influencing the ideas of theologians through subsequent centuries. His words are still frequently quoted in devotions throughout the global Church today. His key themes retain a striking contemporary relevance - what is the place of the Church in the world? What is the relation between nature and grace?Augustine''s intellectual development is recounted with clarity and warmth in this newly rediscovered biography of Augustine, as interpreted by the acclaimed church historian, the late Professor Henry Chadwick. Augustine''s intellectual journey from schoolboy and student to Bishop and champion of Western Christendom in a period of intense political upheaval, is narrated in Chadwick''s characteristically rigorous yet sympathetic style.With a foreword by Peter Brown reflecting on Chadwick''s distinctive approach to Augustine.Trade Reviewa skilfully and colourfully woven narrative of Augustine's life and times. * Margaret Lane. The Journal of Theological Studies *This book is not just a delight, it's a treasure... a book you can't miss. * Ranald Macauley, Evangelicals Now *Table of ContentsForeword ; 1. A Personal Quest ; 2. Cassiciacum and death of Monnica at Ostia ; 3. Back to Thagaste ; 4. Discovering the Church ; 5. Bishop ; 6. North African Christianity ; 7. Christian Culture ; 8. Divided Christians ; 9. Discerning the Trinity ; 10. Two cities ; 11. Freedom and Grace ; Selected Reading

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Book SynopsisVon Harnack's landmark 'farewell gift' to students of 1 Clement.Trade ReviewMany of Harnack's analyses and insights into 1 Clement retain their value in today's marketplace of historical inquiry. Cerone's adept translation has done a great service to Anglophone scholarship, by converting this wealth into usable currency. Critical readers will discover a worthy return on investment. Paul Hartog, Professor of Theology, Faith Baptist Theological Seminary Jacob Cerone's edition of Adolf von Harnack's seminal study of 1 Clement is an outstanding premiere to what promises to be an impressive series, Classic Studies on the Apostolic Fathers. From the characteristically erudite introduction to Harnack's essay by Prof. Larry Welborn, to the smooth translation of Harnack's influential 'farewell gift' to his church history students, to the four still-valuable articles on 1 Clement by Harnack appended to the essay, this volume shines with insight. For anyone interested in 1 Clement - which should be any student of early Christianity - this is a must-have volume. David J. Downs, author of Alms: Charity, Reward, and Atonement in Early Christianity This fine little volume provides a clear and lucid rendering of a classic German study not widely known and only rarely used by English readers of 1 Clement. The vibrant contemporary style and careful sensitivity to von Harnack's original emphasis is admirable. Cerone's careful work is much appreciated, and serious students of the Apostolic Fathers do well to have this publication available for their own research. Clayton N. Jefford, Professor of Scripture, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of TheologyTable of ContentsSeries Foreword: Classic Studies on the Apostolic Fathers Preface: Adolf von Harnack and 1 Clement, by Jacob N. Cerone Acknowledgments, by Jacob N. Cerone Foreword: Harnack's Testament, by Larry Welborn Preface Introduction 1. The Transmission of the Letter The Letter 2. The Author 3. Characteristics of the Letter and Its Religious Content 4. The Sources of Clementine-Roman Christianity 1. The Old Testament 2. Christ and the Christian 3. The Rational-Moralistic Idealism of the Age and Its Literary and Aesthetic Forms Excursus: The Political Stance 5. The Struggle in Corinth over the Ecclesiastical Officials and the Order of the Office Section I Section II Section III Excursus: Is the Attitude of the Letter Specifically Roman? 6. Problems That Have not yet Been Conclusively Investigated Posed by 1 Clement, Which Can Also Be Addressed in Seminars 7. A Look at the Development of Church History, Which the Letter Grants and That Should Be Studied 8. Concluding Word Notes Appendix I: The Recently Discovered Latin Translation of 1 Clement Appendix II: New Studies on the Recently Discovered Latin Translation of 1 Clement Appendix III: The First Letter of Clement: A Study to Determine the Character of the Oldest Form of Gentile Christianity Appendix IV: The Epithet "Servant of God" Used of Jesus and Its History in the Ancient Church Bibliography Index to 1 Clement by Harnack Index of Authors Index of Subjects Index of Ancient Sources

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Book SynopsisNathan Söderblom (1866-1931), was not only a profoundly influential figure in Swedish church history, but also one of the great pioneers of the modern ecumenical movement. Elected Archbishop of Uppsala, the head of the Lutheran church in Sweden, in 1914, he was a ceaseless advocate for peace during the first world war. His collaboration with George Bell laid the foundations for intercommunion between the Church of Sweden and the Church of England. Finally, in the year before he died, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.Despite this, until this landmark biography he was largely neglected by historians, the subject of only a few partial studies. In Nathan Söderblom: His Life and Work, Bengt Sundkler corrects this, with new analysis of Söderblom''s meticulously preserved correspondence and interviews with his family, friends and former students. The resulting image is of a man deeply committed to his leadership of ecumenical projects, most significantly his movement of ''Life and Work'',Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword 1. The Student 2. Pastor and Scholar 3. Professor and Pastor 4. Swedish Archbishop 5. The Archbishop and the War 6. Finding the Way 7. Uppsala and Catholicity 8. His Stockholm Conference 9. Great European Some Important Dates Index

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Book SynopsisThe doctrinal and structural revolution currently underway in the Roman Catholic Church is alarming for several reasons, not least because of the arbitrary nature of its imposition and the absence of resistance it has encountered. The reluctance of many to challenge the authority of the pope, tied to the increasing personal veneration by the faithful of each successive incumbent of the Holy See, is arguably a symptom of unresolved unclarity surrounding the nature of authority in the Church dating back to the First Vatican Council.In Infallibility, Integrity and Obedience, John Rist unflinchingly exposes the developments that have bred this crisis of understanding - and the resulting rejection of tradition in the papal agenda - over the past hundred and fifty years. Reserving particular attention for the Roman Catholic dilemmas, political and theological, of the 1930s, the mid-twentieth-century debates on reproductive technology, and the advent of ''celebrity autocracy'', he shows how aTrade Review{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Verdana;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\hyphpar0\sl288\slmult1\qj\cf1\f0\fs20 'In this invigorating study of the modern papacy, Professor John Rist identifies the conjoining of four elements, which have caused serious damage to the Church: the creeping authority of the Pope stemming from uncertainty surrounding Vatican I; the servility and silence of the bishops in response; a revolutionary aspect on the part of the Jesuit order; and the unthinking obedience of a poorly instructed laity. Rist argues persuasively that the authentic truth of Vatican I, that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to the successors of St Peter to safeguard the Deposit of Faith, must be restored before things become beyond repair on the human level. Chief among his proposals is that the nineteenth century misuse of the term \lquote infallibility\rquote should be strictly curtailed to its primary meaning, that the Church and the pope must always cling to basic Catholic dogma, and a hierarchy of truths must be recognized.' - John Beaumont, author of The House with a Hundred Gates.\par \pard\sa240\cf0 'One need not necessarily agree with all of Dr. Rist\rquote s account of recent Church history or his proposed solutions to the current crisis in the Church, but one must recognize that he has clearly exposed the root of an important cause of this crisis. He unquestionably documents a dangerous growth of an exaggeration of papal authority and irrational obedience to the papal will. Although these exaggerations can appear welcome when exercised by faithful popes with good intentions, he shows how they can be repurposed to deconstruct the Church and her doctrine. This may be one of the most important books written to wake Catholics up to this danger.' - Brian M. McCall, Orpha and Maurice Merrill Chair in Law, University of Oklahoma\par \pard\hyphpar0\sl288\slmult1\qj\cf1\par \pard\cf0\par } I'm old enough to remember, quite vividly as a child, Pope Pius XII. I pray for him, along with every pope of my lifetime, every day. That includes Pope Francis-wholeheartedly. And yet, while a book like John Rist's is diminished by its flaws, it's not entirely unfair about our current moment. One can't help but wonder if somewhere a young Erasmus has the draft of a new Exclusus in his drawer. The original was withering. We should hope that the Church in our day will have a kinder legacy. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is the archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia In Public Discourse, October 9, 2023. Rist opens his book with a very through discussion of the debate leading up to the formal proclamation of papal infallibility Vatican I. He explains the ardent desire of Pope Pius IX for unambiguous support of his primacy-which he inelegantly expressed by saying: "I am the Church! I am the tradition!" Rist also explores the argument advanced by opponents of the initiative, such as Ignaz von Dollinger, whose implacable hostility toward the claim of papal infallibility eventually led to his excommunication. Phill Lawler in Catholic Culture, 01/2024.Table of ContentsPreface 1. Toward the Syllabus of Errors 2. From The Syllabus of Errors to Pastor Aeternus (1870) 3. Leo XIII: Top- Down Pastor 4. Saint Pius X and the Modernist Dragon 5. The 1930s: Fascists, Nazis, 'New Theologians', Condoms 6. The End of an Era? Pius XII as Past and Future 7. Who Changed What at Vatican II? 8. The Pope, the 'Pill' and the ' Woman Problem' 9. Celebrity Autocracy: John Paul II 10. Joseph Ratzinger: Poacher Turned Gamekeeper? 11. Perón Meets Ignatius: The Choice Against Tradition 12. Modest Conclusions, Less Modest Suggestions Very Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisT.F. Torrance''s Conflict and Agreement in the Church gathers together his most influential essays and articles on topics relating to ecumenism. Himself involved heavily in the ecumenical movement, he wrote that ''ours must be the task of learning together again how to confess, like the early Church, faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and God in all its breadth and length and height and depth, and therefore in the overflowing love of God.'' Out of this conviction grew a comprehensive doctrine of the Church ''in which our differences are lost sight of because they are destroyed from behind by a masterful faith in the Saviour of men.''In this first volume, Torrance presents a set of essays engaging theologically with different denominations, along with responses to particular problems facing the ecumenical project. In particular, writing after the third world conference on faith and order, he addresses the hopes and barriers it raised to closer ecumenical relations. Throughout, Torrance''sTrade Review'The book is one that demands the closest attention from any theologian who interests himself in the field of Faith and Order, and since this field now coincides with the major doctrines of the faith, it is not too much to say that no one who is interested in the proper formulation of these doctrines in our time can afford to neglect it. For the non-specialist. . . the theology becomes lucid if one is prepared to give oneself to it with the attention and concentration it demands and deserves, and then it becomes plain that something of the highest importance is being said.' - William Nicholls, in TheologyTable of ContentsPreface 7 Introduction 11 Part 1 Discussions with Churches 1 With Anglicans (a) The Apostles And The Ministry of The Church 23 (b) The Apostolic Ministry 34 (c) Catholicity 48 (d) The Fulness of Christ 57 (e) Prob­lems of Reunion 69 2 With Presbyterians (a) What is The Reformed Church? 76 (b) Our Witness Through Doctrine 89 3 Presbyterian -­ Anglican Relations (a) What is The Church? 104 (b) Intercommunion and the ­Union of the Church 122 (c) A New Approach 134 4 With Romans (a) The Prob­lem of Discussion With Rome 146 (b) The New Mariological Dogma 156 (c) Romans and Reform 163 Part 2 Prob­lems of Faith and Order 1 Amsterdam -­ The Nature and Mission of the Church 195 2. Lund 226 Where do we go from Lund? 3 The Atonement and the Oneness of the Church 238 4 ­Towards Evanston 263 Our Oneness in Christ and our Disunity as Churches 5 The Hope of Israel 284 Israel and the Incarnation 6 Christ the Hope of the World 304 Christ the First and the Last Index of Biblical References 317 Names Subjects

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Book SynopsisT.F. Torrance''s Conflict and Agreement in the Church gathers together his most influential essays and articles on topics relating to ecumenism. Himself involved heavily in the ecumenical movement, he wrote that ''ours must be the task of learning together again how to confess, like the early Church, faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and God in all its breadth and length and height and depth, and therefore in the overflowing love of God.'' Out of this conviction grew a comprehensive doctrine of the Church ''in which our differences are lost sight of because they are destroyed from behind by a masterful faith in the Saviour of men.''In this second volume, Torrance''s thought on inter-denominational cooperation in light of the Church''s mission is presented. He begins by suggesting that ''the lines of conflict and agreement in the Church coincide less and less with the frontiers of the historic communions''. This opens the door for greater union between those communion, but also exposes s

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Book SynopsisA new and accessible version of Irenaeus' classic work, focusing on the great theologian's exposition of the Christian faith.Trade ReviewHis [Irenaeus] most important writings 'Against Heresies' was a powerful refutation of Gnostic thought. This book presents an anthology (condensation) of this work.' Anthony Dupont, Tijdschrift voor Theologie, 52:2. 2012 '...A book by book distillation of Irenaeus' main writing...' Vigiliae Christianae 66, (2012). "...a phenomenal example of theology written in the trenches." Charles Meeks, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Volume 20, Issue 3, July 2013Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction Book 1 Exposing Heresy: The Views of the Gnostics Book 2 Exposing Heresy: Disunity among the Gnostics Book 3 The Christian Faith, as Drawn from the Apostles' Teachings Book 4 The Christian Faith, as Drawn from the Words Spoken by Christ Book 5 The Christian Faith, as Drawn from Further Teaching of Christ and the Apostles Bibliography Subject Index Scripture Index

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Book SynopsisWhen strange signs appeared in the sky over Québec in 1660, people grew worried about the arrival of evil forces. Barbe Hallay, a teenaged servant, started to act as if possessed, and a miller accused of using dark arts to torment her was executed. Mairi Cowan explores this case of demonic infestation to understand the everyday experiences and deep anxieties of people in New France.Trade Review“This outstanding account of how colonization, demonology, martyrology, and hagiography became intertwined in New France is both fascinating and instructive, providing a textured view of the beliefs and life conditions of Europeans and Indigenous people. In skilfully presenting arresting or amusing material without fanfare, Mairi Cowan takes readers on an emotional as well as an intellectual journey. Most historians cannot achieve this. The Possession of Barbe Hallay is a refreshing and engaging read.” Sarah Ferber, University of Wollongong and author of Demonic Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern France“The Possession of Barbe Hallay is structured around five concise chapters, which mirror the stages of the subject’s life. Only a small portion of this woman’s fifty-year life was affected by demonic possession, which is presented here with integrity, reverence, and page-turning vigour.” Literary Review of Canada

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Book SynopsisIn Chronos, a leading French historian ranges from Western antiquity to the Anthropocene, pinpointing the crucial turning points in our relationship to time. François Hartog considers the genealogy of Western temporalities, examining the order of times and the divisions of time into epochs.Trade ReviewWith characteristic elegance, wit, and erudition, Hartog, the master thinker of historical time, offers a panoramic view of the past to show how a temporal order (re)fashioned by Christianity endures to this day and shapes our crisis-ridden sense of the present. This is a longue-durée perspective on the Anthropocene that only someone with Hartog's learning and brilliance could have provided. An indispensable guide to the present. -- Dipesh Chakrabarty, author of Provincializing Europe: Postcolonial Thought and Historical DifferenceChronos is a magisterial book, breathtaking in scope and precision. I cannot think of another historian who could have written this book in this way. François Hartog uniquely possesses the intellectual expertise and range to lead the reader through a sweeping history of the concept of time in the “West,” beginning with the Greeks in antiquity and ending with our current periodization of the Anthropocene. It is an important work on one of the most pressing topics of our day. -- Ethan Kleinberg, author of Haunting History: For a Deconstructive Approach to the PastThis book, masterfully translated by S. R. Gilbert, will undoubtedly become a classic. A Christian “revolution in time” led from Greek Chronos, to Augustine’s self, to modern change, and to the Anthropocene. Beautifully written, this is a book for everyone who wants to know why our time is what it is. -- Nitzan Lebovic, Apter Chair of Holocaust Studies and Ethical Values, Lehigh UniversityIn this brilliant, original, and profound book, François Hartog takes further his critical analyses of the sources and legacies of modern Western assumptions about time. He brings to light their urgent relevance to us today as we face challenges such as climate change, the Anthropocene, and potential global geopolitical catastrophe. -- Sir Geoffrey Lloyd, University of CambridgeMagisterial yet accessible, Chronos can make the rare claim to encompass all of recorded time in a relatively slim [book]. * New York Sun *Hartog's book offers necessary elucidation of how Westerners’ relationships with time brought us to this current moment. * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute *For those seeking insight into past conceptions of time or questioning how we arrived at our current presentist temporality, Chronos serves as a clear and concise starting point. * H-Sci-Med-Tech, H-Net Reviews *Hartog is a superbly gifted writer who wears his learning lightly and without recourse to jargon, and translator S .R. Gilbert has served his author’s conversational style well in rendering it into eloquent English. . . . An enjoyable tour and a welcome synthesis of current thought on the human experience of temporality. * The Philosopher *Table of ContentsTo Readers of the English EditionPreface: The Undeducible PresentIntroduction: From the Greeks to the Christians1. The Christian Regime of Historicity: Chronos Between Kairos and Krisis2. The Christian Order of Time and Its Spread3. Negotiating with Chronos4. Dissonance and Fissures5. In the Thrall of Chronos6. Chronos Destituted, Chronos RestoredConclusion: The Anthropocene and HistoryNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisFrom St Fillan of Munster, patron saint of the mentally ill, who read by the light of his miraculously glowing arm, to Santa Lucia, who tore out her eyes to dismiss the lascivious attentions of her would-be husband, here are nearly two hundred classic stories of the saints of Christian legend.Richard Coles, former half of 80s pop duo The Communards, now a Church of England priest and presenter of Radio 4's Saturday Live, has collected these wonderful tales from around the world. Despite their bizarre, colourful and sometimes grotesque stories, many of these saints are still celebrated and prayed to today.Every page illustrated by cartoonist Ted Harrison, giving the book a saintly Horrible Histories feel.

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Book SynopsisFollowing the mass conversions sweeping Britain after the publication of Lives of the Improbable Saints, Dr Harrison and I thought it wise and expedient to retell yet more stories of the great cloud of witnesses' preserved in Christian tradition these two thousand years.' Richard ColesMartyrs and miracle-workers, monks, mystics and murderers; each of these legendary saints respectfully introduced by Richard Coles and affectionately illustrated by Ted Harrison can, however improbable, prompt us to reflect on faith and devotion today.From St Edith of Wilton, who beat up the Devil, to St Eutychius of Phrygia, who fell asleep and dropped from a window ledge while listening to a sermon of the Apostle Paul, only to be raised from the dead, here are 180 more astonishing stories of the saints of Christian legend.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe book is scrupulously documented allowing the reader to follow up with further information on any given aspect of this topic. Highly recommended for all adult and secondary school Judaica collections * AJL Reviews *At a time when questions of Jewish "(dis)loyalty" are once again appearing in the headlines, this timely volume offers directions to begin untangling the historial roots and trajectories of the dynamics of trust -- Noam Sienna * Church History *Table of ContentsIntroduction: On the Word of a Jew, or Trusting Jewish History / Nina Caputo and Mitchell B. Hart Section One: To Swear an Oath1. Oaths, Vows, and Trust in the Bible / Robert S. Kawashima 2. "And in most of their business transactions they rely on this": Some Reflections on Jews and Oaths in the Commercial Arena in Medieval Europe / Ephraim Shoham-Steiner3. The Oath of a Jew in the Thirteenth Century English Legal Context / Joshua Curk 4. What is an Infidel?: Jewish Oaths and Jewish History in the Making of English Trust and Tolerance / Mitchell B. Hart 5. Trusting Adolphe Crémieux: Jews and Republicans in Nineteenth-Century France / Lisa Leff Section Two: The Business of Trust 6. "A kind of republic and neutral nation:" Commerce, Credit, and Conspiracy in Early Modern Europe / Joshua Teplitsky7. Jewish Peddlers and Non-Jewish Customers in the New World: Between Profit and Trust / Hasia Diner 8. Belonging and Trustworthiness: Jewish Businessmen in the Public Rhetoric around the "Trustworthy Businessman" in Post-World War I Germany / Stefanie Fischer Section Three: Intimacy of Trust 9. The Voice of a Jew? Petrus Alfonsi's Dialogi contra judaeos and the Question of True Conversion / Nina Caputo 10. A Return to Credibility? The Rehabilitation of Repentant Apostates in Medieval Ashkenaz / Rachel Furst 11. The Jewish Physician as Respondent, Confidant, and Proxy: The Case of Marcus Herz and Immanuel Kant / Robert Leventhal Section Four: The Politics of Trust 12. Perspectives from the Periphery: The East India Company's Jewish Sepoys, Anglo-Jewry, and the Image of "the Jew" / Mitch Numark 13. Between Honor and Authenticity: Zionism as Theodor Herzl's Life-Project / Derek Jonathan Penslar 14. The Most Trusted Jew in America: Jon Stewart's Earnestness / Shaina Hammerman

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Book SynopsisFusing philosophy and theology, this work assigns both Judaism and Christianity distinct but equally important roles in the spiritual structure of the world, and finds in both biblical religions approaches toward a comprehension of reality.Trade Review“Franz Rosenzweig’s The Start of Redemption is one of the few lasting books of our century, a work whose originality transcends the disciplinary limits of philosophy and religion and which must be read by anyone whose concern with the meaning of daily life is urgent and abiding.” —Maurice Natanson, Yale University

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Book SynopsisA sequence of sparkling essays by one of our leading public theologians, exploring and defending the enduring role of Christianity in Western thought, politics and culture.Trade ReviewAll readers, whatever their religious, non-religious or political persuasions, should read this. * Sughra Ahmed, Chair, Islamic Society of Britain *Surrounded by complex issues, it is hard to understand what’s going on, what the important thinkers are saying, and what a thinking Christian might make of it all. Nick Spencer carves out a clear path through this jungle, helping us to see how we got here in the first place and how we might move forward in faith and wisdom. * N. T. Wright, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, University of St Andrews *This is a much needed book. Spencer shows persuasively that we cannot understand our political, economic or social culture without taking into account the key role Christianity has played in shaping Western values. Balanced and never claiming too much, it offers an essential corrective to contemporary narratives that try to write Christianity out of the script. * Richard Harries, House of Lords *An informative and interesting read. * Pobl Dewi *moves along an excellent pace, deservedly a Church Times bestseller * Progressive Voices *a collection of insightful and challenging essays * Reader Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis colourful travelogue takes the reader on a journey into some of the foundational stories and enigmatic places that have shaped Britain's sacred landscape.Trade Review‘Nick Mayhew-Smith takes us on a journey through labyrinths of ancient texts into lost worlds of living and believing. This book is an invitation to encounter the God of all creation in the raw and naked majesty of nature, and to recognize in that encounter an ancient and forgotten faith calling to us from the depths of our wounded planet.’ * Professor Tina Beattie, Digby Stuart Centre for Religion, Society and Human Flourishing, University of Roehampton *‘The author of Britain’s Holiest Places has done us all a favour in this new book. Mayhew-Smith invites us to celebrate the riches of our spiritual heritage. He does so, uninhibitedly, nakedly! Prepare for full immersion into chilly realities around the Celtic soul. Expect to come out quickened to the marrow.’ * Professor Alastair McIntosh, author of Soil and Soul and Poacher’s Pilgrimage *‘I want to thank Nick for writing this book. I am with him every step of the way as we feel together the enormous power of the planet, channelled through one man’s drive to understand the connection between people, nature and God. And I also want to thank him for doing so with such humility and humour, for making me laugh and marvel in equal measure. It is a wonderful book.’ * Mary Colwell, television producer and author of Curlew Moon *

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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 SynopsisThe later medieval English church is invariably viewed through the lens of the Reformation that transformed it. But in this bold and provocative book historian George Bernard examines it on its own terms, revealing a church with vibrant faith and great energy, but also with weaknesses that reforming bishops worked to overcome. Bernard emphasizes royal control over the church. He examines the challenges facing bishops and clergy, and assesses the depth of lay knowledge and understanding of the teachings of the church, highlighting the practice of pilgrimage. He reconsiders anti-clerical sentiment and the extent and significance of heresy. He shows that the Reformation was not inevitable: the late medieval church was much too full of vitality. But Bernard also argues that alongside that vitality, and often closely linked to it, were vulnerabilities that made the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries possible. The result is a thought-provoking study of a church and societTrade Review"Superbly researched and coherently argued."—Peter Marshall, Literary Review -- Peter Marshall * Literary Review *"Bernard has again achieved what he does best: making us go back to an old problem and start thinking afresh."—Lucy Wooding, Times Higher Education -- Lucy Wooding * Times Higher Education *"England experienced one of the most muddled Reformations in Western Europe and that’s what makes studying it so fascinating and so infuriating. Even the most basic questions remain open: why, when and how quickly did England become a Protestant nation? Bernard has done as much as any historian to bring us closer to nuanced answers and in his latest book he is on particularly fine form."—Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald -- Jonathan Wright * Catholic Herald *

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking account of the Secret Gospel of Mark, one of the most hotly debated documents in Christian historyTrade Review“A brilliant and compelling book. Systematically, thoughtfully, boldly, The Secret Gospel of Mark sets aside generations of speculation and innuendo. It is difficult to imagine a more expertly researched or more accessible account of this scholarly puzzle.”—Robyn Walsh, University of Miami“In their reexamination of one of the most controversial textual discoveries of the past few generations, Smith and Landau offer a compelling new theory for the text’s origin, as well as a fascinating study of manuscript transmission, libraries, and scholarly culture.”—Rebecca Stephens Falcasantos, Amherst College“Written with the verve, pace, and accuracy of a true-crime story, The Secret Gospel of Mark proposes a new, powerfully persuasive interpretation of this mysterious text—now maybe misplaced, quarantined, or destroyed.”—John Dominic Crossan, DePaul University“Smith and Landau’s Secret Gospel of Mark expertly tackles one of the great modern controversies in biblical studies, along with perhaps the most controversial biblical scholar of the last hundred years. Smith and Landau dive deep into the life and work of Morton Smith and the question of whether he discovered an alternative history of the Gospel of Mark, bringing to light exciting new information and charting a responsible and compelling course through the debate.”—Cavan Concannon, University of Southern California

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Book SynopsisA holistic, eye-opening history of one of the most significant turning points in Christianity, The Reformation as Renewal demonstrates that the Reformation was at its core a renewal of evangelical catholicity.In the sixteenth century Rome charged the Reformers with novelty, as if they were heretics departing from the catholic (universal) church. But the Reformers believed they were more catholic than Rome. Distinguishing themselves from Radicals, the Reformers were convinced they were retrieving the faith of the church fathers and the best of the medieval Scholastics. The Reformers saw themselves as faithful stewards of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church preserved across history, and they insisted on a restoration of true worship in their own day.By listening to the Reformers'' own voices, The Reformation as Renewal helps readers explore:The Reformation''s roots in patristic and medieval thought and its response

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1953, The Birth of Christianity analyses the development of Christian doctrine and the establishment of the Church.The book traces the history of the formation of the Church as a new religious society and considers its development both in the realm of thought as well as on a social level, in both emotional life and moral action. It explores how the Christian faith first found expression in society through a variety of forms that were gradually assimilated into one system of doctrine, and examines both how Christian theology and dogma were formed, and how the Church developed its constitution. The Birth of Christianity will appeal to those with an interest in the history of religion, the history of Christianity, theology, and the philosophy of religion. Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part One: The Creation of a New Object of Religious Devotion; 1: The Birth of the Belief in the Resurrection of Jesus; 2: The Birth of the Faith in the Resurrection; Part Two: The Failure of Christianity to Develop in the Framework of Judaism; 1: The Church at Jerusalem up to A.D. 44; 2: The Church in Jerusalem after A.D. 44; 3: Apostolic Christianity after A.D. 44; Part Three: The Development of Christianity within the Framework of Hellenism. The Beginnings of Christian Doctrine; 1: Stephen and the Hellenists of Jerusalem; 2: The Church at Antioch; 3: The Apostle Paul and Paulinism; Part Four: The Stabilisation of Christianity and the Formation of its Doctrine; 1: Towards Stabilisation; 2: The Conflict Between Jewish and Gentile Christianity; 3: Deuteropaulinism; 4: The Epistle to the Hebrews; 5: The Johanne Theology; 6: Christianity as an Ethical Religion in the Epistle of James and the Didache; 7: The Pre-Catholicism of Clement of Rome; 8: Heresies; 9: Towards Early Catholicism; Part Five: The Reactions Provoked by the Preaching of the Gospel; 1: The Problem; 2: The Reactions of Palestinian Judaism to the Preaching of the Gospel; 3: The Reactions of the Jews in the Diaspora and the First Interventions of Rome Prompted by Them; 4: Christianity and the Roman Empire; 5: How Christianity Reacted to Persecution; Appendix

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Book SynopsisA leading Catholic intellectual explains why the teachings of the Second Vatican Council are essential to the Church's future—and the world'sThe Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) was the most important Catholic event in the past five hundred years. Yet sixty years after its opening on October 11, 1962, its meaning remains sharply contested and its promise unfulfilled.In To Sanctify the World, George Weigel explains the necessity of Vatican II and explores the continuing relevance of its teaching in a world seeking a deeper experience of freedom than personal willfulness. The Council’s texts are also a critical resource for the Catholic Church as it lives out its original, Christ-centered evangelical purpose.Written with insight and verve, To Sanctify the World recovers the true meaning of Vatican II as the template for a Catholicism that can propose a path toward genuine human dignity and social solidarity.

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Book SynopsisThe Devil of the New Testament is actually one of God's ministers, assigned to rule the world and monitor the conduct of human beings, but at the hands of the Church Fathers he became the personification of evil. Kelly shows how this portrayal developed and persists to the present day.Trade Review'[Kelly's] interpretation is accepted by many biblical scholars. The theory provides an explanation for the presence of evil and suffering, without denying the existence or omniscience of God. … The professor makes the case for Satan as more a 'functionary of the divine court' than 'an enemy of God as well as of Man, a convicted cosmic outlaw'.' The Times'Kelly's stunningly bold attempt at rehabilitation makes the late Lord Longford's efforts to convince the British public that Moors murderer Myra Hindley was a reformed character look positively timid.' Daily Mail'Kelly shows himself to be a masterful teacher. … [He] illustrates nicely a sound approach in historical theology.' Professor Daniel J. Harrington, S. J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts'… enough here to stimulate and entertain. … astute and deftly written …' Literary Review'In this succinct study, he adopts the role of Satan's unofficial spin doctor. The result is entertaining as well as rigourous. … What could have been a crawling survey is in fact a lively and sane account that does much to rehabilitate Satan's reputation. Kelly's conclusions will surprise many…Kelly displays impressive control of his material attuned to nuances in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.' The Times Literary SupplementTable of ContentsList of illustrations; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. Hebrew Backgrounds: 1. The Old Testament; 2. Apocryphal works and the Dead Sea Scrolls; Part II. The New Testament: Satan Comes Into His Own: 3. St Paul, the first Christian writer; 4. The four Gospels; 5. Later Epistles; 6. The apocalypse of John the Divine; 7. Putting the New Testament together: a composite portrait of Satan in canonical order; Part III. Satan and Adam: 8. Satan's original sin: felling Adam; Part IV. The Rise of the Fallen Lucifer: 9. Lucifer and the new biography of Satan; 10. Satan and the human race; 11. Theorizing Satan; 12. Satan in literature and art; Part V. Satan in the Modern World: 13. Temptation and possession; 14. Doubts and affirmations; Summary and conclusion; Index of passages; General index.

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Book SynopsisAdam and Eve were not the first man and woman on Earth, but they were certainly the first of a kind. When the Israelites made their exodus from Egypt, their spiritual leader was not Moses, but Miriam - a queen and high priestess of the pharaonic succession. Joseph, the father of Jesus, was not a humble carpenter, but a trained alchemical metallurgist of the highest order. These and other contentious facts are disclosed for the first time in this remarkable study of the original kings - the early Pendragons, the unique royal ancestors of King David and Jesus.Drawing on files and hitherto secret archives of the ancient Dragon Sovereignity, Genesis of the Grail Kings tells the ultimate story of earthly kingship from its early Mesopotamian foundation. It reveals why the Messianic bloodline was so important, and explains in detail the true heritage of the Holy Grail. The author draws comparisons throughout between the biblical scripture and the historical documents from which Trade Review'A truly groundbreaking piece of work. The complicated and vast material is handled superbly...absolutely mindblowing!' * Science of Thought *'Epic in its scope and implications. A controversial work, but one whose time has surely come' * Nexus *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Helsinki-based researcher of early Jewish and Christian movements, Shkul presents a slightly revised version of her December 2007 Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Sheffield. She examines how the epistle deliberately shapes emerging Christianness by providing ideological and social paradigms for the community of Christ-followers. Part of that, she explains, is positioning the group in a Jewish symbolic universe, which is reconfigured to make room for Jesus Christ and his non-Israelite followers, and modelling the group after Israel as God's people. Among her topics are a theoretical framework for exploring social remembering and communal legitimation, the communal functions of remembering Christ, and a theoretical framework for exploring communal social orientation." -Eithne O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc."This volume examines how the letter to the Ephesians engages in social entrepreneurship, that is, the deliberate shaping of emerging Christianness by providing ideological and social paradigms for the community of Christ-followers. After a 42-page introduction, it develops a theoretical framework for exploring social remembering and communal legitimation, and presents readings of Ephesians 2 ('remembering Christ' and its communal functions) and Ephesians 3 (remembering Paul and communal legitimation). Then it provides a theoretical framework for exploring communal social orientation, and presents a reading of Ephesians 4-6 (prototypes and antitypes--paradigms for social orientation). Shkul concludes that Ephesians responded to its diverse cultural matrix by self-enhancing discourse and compelling imagination which invented traditions of Jesus' messiahship and non-Israelite election and led its readers to imagine blessedness and God's favor." -New Testament Abstracts, Vol. 54Shkul's work is a fine example of the usefulness of social-scientific perspectives and tools for NT study. -- Journal for the Study of The New Testament, Volume 33 Number 5Shkul's work provides an astute, although highly dense, look at Ephesians best suited for readers with a great deal of familiarity with social scientific theories as well as the particularities of Ephesians. -- Religious Studies ReviewMentioned in the Church TimesTable of ContentsPART ONE: CONSTRUCTING IDENTITY Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION PART TWO: LEGITIMATING IDENTITY Chapter 2 - THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR EXPLORING SOCIAL REMEMBERING AND COMMUNAL LEGITIMATION Chapter 3 - READING EPHESIANS 2: REMEMBERING CHRIST & ITS COMMUNAL FUNCTIONS Chapter 4 - READING EPHESIANS 3: REMEMBERING PAUL & COMMUNAL LEGITIMATION PART THREE: POSITIONING IDENTITY Chapter 5 - THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR EXPLORING COMMUNAL SOCIAL ORIENTATION Chapter 6 - READING EPHESIANS 4-6 PROTOTYPES AND ANTITYPES: PARADIGMS FOR SOCIAL ORIENTATION Chapter 7 - CONCLUSIONS

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Book SynopsisThe only atlas of the Reformations available today.Trade Review“An invaluable resource for students of the Reformation era.” -- Alister E. McGrath, University of Oxford“The beautifully produced maps of this atlas – along with informative time lines, well-chosen illustrations, and clear, accessible prose – make this book an excellent contribution to 500th anniversary commemorations of the Reformation. All who are concerned about the fate of Christianity today will benefit from this illuminating window into the crises, the renewal, and the worldwide effects of the Reformation era.” -- Mark A. Noll, University of Notre Dame"Not only the `when’ but also the `where’ of past events brings our history into meaningful focus. This volume provides a running overview of the cauldrons of our heritage in the years leading to the Reformation, the sixteenth century itself, and elements of its impact on the seventeenth century, alongside clearly detailed maps. These maps make concrete the spaces in which the epoch-making unfolding of the Reformation took place. Scholars and beginners alike will gain a clearer understanding by placing the places of the Reformation into their geographical and chronological frameworks. A valuable tool for teaching and learning, formal and informal." -- Robert Kolb, Emeritus, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when politicians believe they are governing in God's name and with His approval?Trade Review"The Christian Church - particularly the Protestant bit of it - is particularly adept at bifurcation. This was never more evident than in the seventeenth century. Whittock leads us through the luxuriant undergrowth of politico-religious fragmentation and rival sincerities. His book well deserves to be set alongside Christopher Hill's classic The World Turned Upside Down." - Derek Wilson, historian and authorTable of ContentsContentsAcknowledgements ixTimeline of key events xIntroduction xv1. Roots of Radicalization 12. “The World Turned Upside Down!” 173. North of the Border: A Very Scottish Godly Rule 324. A Godly War? 495. Hunting Down the Enemies of God 656. The “Rule of the Saints” in Ireland 797. Social and Political Justice for the Common Man?The Levellers 958. A Very English Kind of Communism: The Diggers 1119. “God’s People Must Be a Bloody People!”The Fifth Monarchy Men 12310. Not Very Quiet Quakers! 13911. Cromwell and the Rule of God 15512. The End of the “Good Old Cause” 17013. A New Jerusalem in the New World? 18514. The Legacy of the Godly in Britain 20215. The Legacy of the Godly in North America 215Notes 227About the author 243Glossary 245

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Book SynopsisThis comprehensive introduction to the basic methods and current state of historical-critical Qur anic scholarship covers all of the field s major questions, giving readers the tools needed to work with and understand this vital but complex text.

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Book SynopsisEd Silvoso weaves together the solid biblical basis and practical outworking of how to reach entire cities for Christ. He presents a working model for reaching each city through his own personal battle scars and triumphant victories. Every believer will be challenged and equipped for leading seekers into the kingdom of God.

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