Other Nonconformist and Evangelical Churches Books

Book SynopsisEzra Taft Benson is perhaps the most controversial apostle-president in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For nearly fifty years he delivered impassioned sermons in Utah and elsewhere, mixing religion with ultraconservative right-wing political views and conspiracy theories. His teachings inspired Mormon extremists to stockpile weapons, predict the end of the world, and commit acts of violence against their government. The First Presidency rebuked him, his fellow apostles wanted him disciplined, and grassroots Mormons called for his removal from the Quorum of the Twelve. Yet Benson was beloved by millions of Latter-day Saints, who praised him for his stances against communism, socialism, and the welfare state, and admired his service as secretary of agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Using previously restricted documents from archives across the United States, Matthew L. Harris breaks new ground as the first to evaluate why Benson embraced a radical form of conservatism, and how under his leadership Mormons became the most reliable supporters of the Republican Party of any religious group in America.Trade Review“Ezra Taft Benson was one of the most significant and controversial figures in the twentieth-century Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thanks to Matt Harris’s outstanding book, we can now make better sense of Benson’s far-right political ideology and activism, substantial influence on the church, and consequential legacy. Deeply researched, hard-hitting but always fair, and written with a lively pace, Watchman on the Tower is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding modern Mormonism."- Patrick Q. Mason, Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, Utah State University;"In this well-researched and timely book, Matt Harris reveals that Ezra Taft Benson once chided professional historians for “inordinately” humanizing “the prophets of God.” Here it is Benson himself who is sensitively and carefully humanized, and thank goodness. Harris skillfully positions Benson’s firebrand politics and anti-communist rhetoric within the ethos of their time, and our understanding is the better for it."- Jana Riess, senior columnist for Religion News Service and author of The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church"This is a wonderfully engaging book and the first of its kind. It is not a general biography of Benson. Instead it is a very well researched study of how his far-right political views affected relationships with his political party, with his apostolic colleagues, and with the LDS Church membership."- Armand L. Mauss, professor emeritus of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University and author of All Abraham’s Children: Changing Mormon Conceptions of Race and Lineage;"Documenting Benson’s extended controversial foray in politics makes a major contribution to the history of the LDS Church during the 1960s, especially in view of later attempts to diminish Benson’s participation in such activities. This work is one of the best discussions of the subject now available"- Gary James Bergera, editor of Confessions of a Mormon Historian: The Diaries of Leonard J. Arrington, 1971 to 1997"The significance of Ezra Taft Benson has not been fully appreciated. This book will be of interest to Latter-day Saint scholars and students of twentieth-century religious and political history."- Robert Alan Goldberg, author of Enemies Within: The Culture of Conspiracy in Modern America

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Book SynopsisJohn W. Tweeddale is Vice President of Academics and Professor of Theology at Reformation Bible College, USA.Crawford Gribben is Professor of Early Modern British History at Queen's University Belfast, UK.Trade ReviewAt a time when John Owen is receiving increased attention as a historical figure and as a Reformed theologian, this Handbook, bringing together essays on aspects of Owen's thought and life and on selected writings, is a welcome atlas guiding those interested in Owen's historical context or as a contemporary resource. -- Kenneth P. Minkema, Yale University, USAJohn Owen was one of the major English thinkers of the seventeenth century. This volume, which assembles a remarkable team of contributors, offers state-of-the art research written in an accessible style. It will be an indispensable and easily-navigated source for anyone interested in theological, social and intellectual history. -- Anne Dunan-Page, Aix-Marseille University, FranceTable of ContentsAbbreviations 1. Introduction, Crawford Gribben (Queen’s University Belfast) and John W. Tweeddale (Reformation Bible College, USA) Part 1: Owen’s contexts 2. Owen’s life, Michael A. G. Haykin (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) 3. Owen as a theologian, Ryan M. McGraw (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, USA) 4. Owen’s intellectual context, Richard A. Muller (Calvin Theological Seminary, USA) 5. Owen and politics, Crawford Gribben (Queen’s University Belfast) 6. Owen the preacher, Martyn C. Cowan (Union Theological College, Northern Ireland) 7. Owen and education, Eric Newton (BJU Seminary, USA) 8. Owen and the Church of England, Lee Gatiss (Union School of Theology, UK) 9. Owen the polemicist, Paul C.-H. Lim (Vanderbilt University, USA) 10. Owen and scientific reform, Katherine Calloway (Baylor University, USA) 11. Owen and philosophy, Paul Helm Part 2: Owen’s writings 12. A display of Arminianisme (1643), Christopher Cleveland (Veritas Academy, USA) 13. Salus electorum, Sanguis Jesu: or, The death of death in the death of Christ (1648), Timothy Robert Baylor (University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK) 14. Of the mortification of sinne in believers (1656), Joel R. Beeke (Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, USA) 15. Exercitations on the epistle to the Hebrews (1668), John W. Tweeddale (Reformation Bible College, USA) 16. A discourse concerning the Holy Spirit (1674), Andrew M. Leslie (Moore Theological College, Australia) 17. The nature of apostasie (1676), Tim Cooper (University of Otago, New Zealand) 18. The doctrine of justification by faith (1677), Whitney Gamble-Smith (The Master’s University, USA) 19. Meditations and discourses on the glory of Christ (1684), Suzanne McDonald (Western Theological Seminary, USA) Part 3: Owen today 20. Retrieving Owen, Kelly M. Kapic (Covenant College, USA) Bibliography Contributors Owen’s Works Index Author and Subject Index

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Book SynopsisThis collection of interdisciplinary essays explores the prime concern of Mormon Studies the relationship between knowledge and spirituality and how that relationship has been defined and reinterpreted over time. Beginning with an examination of the international prospects for Mormonism at the turn of the century, the volume's overarching theme, from sociological, anthropological and theological approaches, is the examination of changing Mormon identities. The contributors review the expansion of Mormonism, the emotional and social contexts of its historic and contemporary manifestations, the distinction between Utah' Mormons and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and issues in Mormon feminism, concluding with a valuable review of the sources and documents available for studying Mormonism.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Scholars, Saints and Mormonism Douglas J. Davies Part I – Dimensions of Identity 1. Identity and Boundary Maintenance: International Prospects for Mormonism at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century Armand L. Mauss 2. Modernity, History and Latter-Day Saint Faith L. C. Midgley 3. The Book of Mormon Wars: A Non-Mormon Perspective Massimo Introvigne 4. Coffee, Tea and the Ultra-Protestant and Jewish Nature of the Boundaries of Mormonism Christie Davies 5. Latter-Day Saint Exceptionalism and Membership Growth James T. Duke 6. Neither Mormon Nor Protestant? The Reorganized Church and the Challenge of Identity Roger D. Launius Part II – The Expansion of Mormonism 7. Ethnic American Mormons: The Development of a Community Jessie L. Embry 8. Mormonism in Chile David Clark Knowlton 9. Mormonism in Black Africa E. Dale LeBaron 10. India: A Synopsis of Cultural Challenges Roger R. Keller Part III – Emotional and Social Life 11. Childhood in Early Nineteenth-Century Britain Reflected in Some Latter-Day Sources Malcolm R. Thorp 12. Guilt, Fear, Anxiety and Love: Disciplinary Councils Among Latter-Day Saints Today Melvyn Hammarberg 13. An Overview of Mormonism and Mental Health Daniel K. Judd 14. Commitment Making: Mate Selection Process Among Active Mormon American Couples Thomas B. Holman Part IV – Early Mormonism 15. Mormons and the Millennial World-View Grant Underwood 16. Magic and Mormon Religion Douglas J. Davies 17. ‘Companions and Forerunners’: English Romantics and the Restauration Gordon K. Thomas I Part V – Female Factors 18. Issues in Contemporary Mormon Feminism Lynn Matthews Anderson 19. ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve’: Latter-Day Saint Mothers’ Reaction To A Church Leader’s Instruction to Remain in the Home Bruce A. Chadwick and H. Dean Garrett Part VI – Mormon Scripture and Theology 20. Does the Book of Mormon Support ‘My Country Right or Wrong,’ Just War or Pacifism? Andrew Bolton 21. The Death/Rebirth Mytheme in the Book of Mormon Seth D. Kunin 22. Must God Be Incorporeal? David L. Paulsen Part VII – The Future of Mormon Studies 23. Mormon Studies: Progress and Prospects David J. Whittaker 24. Views of an International Religion Douglas J. Davies Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisPrevious studies of revival have tended to approach these remarkable moments in history from either a strictly local or a sweeping national perspective. In so doing they have dealt with either the detailed circumstances of a particular situation or the broader course of events. These approaches, however, have given the incorrect impression that religious awakening are uniform movements. As a result revivals have been misunderstood as homogeneous campaigns. This is the first study of the 1859 revival from a regional level in a comprehensive manner. It examines this movement, arguably the most significant and far-reaching awakening in modern times, as it appeared in the city of Aberdeen, the rural hinterland of north-east Scotland, and among the fishing villages and towns that stretch along the Moray Firth. It reveals how, far from being unvarying, the 1859 revival was richly diverse. It uncovers the important influence that local contexts brought to bear upon the timing and manifestation of this awakening. Above all, it has established the heterogeneous nature of simultaneous revival movements that appeared in the same vicinity.

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Book SynopsisApostolic networks link congregations together through personal relationships. They center around apostolic figures who have the ability to mobilize resources, make rapid decisions, and utilize charismatic gifts. Networks of churches organized in this way can respond to postmodernity and cultural innovation. This book takes the story of the emergence of apostolic networks in Britain from the visionary work of Arthur Wallis through the charismatic renewal into the full-fledged Restoration Movement of the 1980s. It covers the events of the 1990s, including the Toronto Blessing, and contains fresh information based upon interviews with leading players and new survey data as well as reanalysis of historical documents.

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Book SynopsisSind Menschen im Gottesdienst Kunden? Ist der Gottesdienst eine Dienstleistung? Eine große Mehrheit der Gottesdienstbesucher beantwortet diese Fragen mit Nein. Solche ökonomischen Kategorien widersprechen offenbar stark dem eigenen Selbstverständnis als Kirchgänger und dem Verständnis des Gottesdienstes als ein Geschehen, in dem theologisch gesehen vor allem Gott handelt. Eine Sache aber ist die Einschätzung und Beurteilung von Kundenvokabular und Dienstleistungsbegrifflichkeit eine andere Sache demgegenüber das tatsächliche Denken und Verhalten von Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern an Sonntagsgottesdiensten. Der Autor der vorliegenden Studie hat einen Fragebogen entwickelt, um vorher theoretisch erarbeitete Merkmale eines Kundenhabitus auch beim Kirchgang zu verifizieren. Dabei geht es um Wahlverhalten, Bedürfnis- und Nutzenorientierung sowie Ansprüche an Professionalität und Qualität. Es zeigt sich, dass auch bei häufigen Kirchgängern ein entsprechender Kundenhabitus deutlich erkennbar ist und zwischen gottesdienstlichen Stamm- und Laufkunden unterschieden werden kann. Der Studie liegt die Befragung von knapp 2000, der Kirche überwiegend nahestehende Personen zugrunde. Die empirischen Auswertungen werden in der Arbeit gerahmt durch eine kurze Geschichte des Kundenbegriffs, einen Überblick über seine theologische Bewertung im Zuge der Diskussion um das sog. Kirchenmanagement und praktisch-theologische Erwägungen zum Verhältnis von Auftrags- und Bedürfnisorientierung im Gottesdienst.

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Book Synopsisn terms of concept and layout, the teaching work follows the volume Competent Evangelical 5 from 2017 and 6 from 2018. An important core concern of the volume is to guide the pupils to learn independently with competent support from the teacher. There is increasing emphasis on knowledge of the most important operators and on the independent acquisition and transfer of knowledge. The five learning areas of the curriculum correspond to five interlinked chapters that can be combined in different ways; they are supplemented by a concluding method chapter, which allows you to independently look up and deepen the methodological knowledge you have acquired. 7.1 Faith becomes visible: We understand the central role of the Holy Spirit and learn how and where he works faith. Faith becomes visible to us and others in church construction from different eras and in different elements of worship. 7.2 Church begins: We learn how Pentecost marks the birth of the Church and how the first Christians lived their faith. With Paul we get to know one of the founders of Christianity and discover how the persecution of the first Christians came to an end with Emperor Constantine. 7.3 Muslims in our area: We learn the basics about Islam, the prophet and the five pillars and see how the everyday life of Muslims is determined by their religion. In comparison with Christianity, we discover similarities and differences - and how we deal well with different conflict issues. 7.4 Mirror, mirror on the wall: We think about how wishes are influenced by the media and role models, and discover the Christian faith and biblical visions as an important source of impulses for a life-friendly handling of our desires. We recognize that longings can lead to addiction and dependency on the one hand, but on the other hand can also motivate people to realize their visions of a better world. 7.5 Supporting each other: We perceive the need for help in our environment and think about the possibilities and limits of our help. We recognize the great importance of charity from biblical stories and can demonstrate its implementation in the helping actions of the Church in the past and today. 6. Methods: Operators / Digital presentation / Feedback / Group puzzle / Radio play / Pro and contra debate / Presentation / Thesis rally / Word collage / Selected methods from class 6. All chapters also refer to methods that were learned in the sixth year of school to activate spiral and networked learning at appropriate points. The lexicon, which also rounds off this volume, lists many new terms, but also already contains explanations in volume 5, insofar as it also plays a role in the texts of the 6th school year. Possible presentation topics, which are distributed over the chapters, are listed in a directory for better preselection.

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Book SynopsisIs Bethany Baptist Academy God's choice? Ask the fundamentalist Christians who teach there or whose children attend the academy, and their answer will be a yes as unequivocal as their claim that the Bible is God's inerrant, absolute word. Is this truth or arrogance? In God's Choice, Alan Peshkin offers readers the opportunity to consider this question in depth. Given the outsider's rare chance to observe such a school firsthand, Peshkin spent eighteen months studying Bethany's high schoolinterviewing students, parents, and educators, living in the home of Bethany Baptist Church members, and participating fully in the church's activities. From this intimate research he has fashioned a rich account of Christian schooling and an informed analysis of a clear alternative to public education.

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