Religious mission and Religious Conversion Books

Book SynopsisThis Confronting Jesus set pairs Rebecca McLaughlin's book with a companion study to help individuals and groups go deeper into the Gospels to learn more about the person and work of Christ.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Go and Do Likewise, Amy DiMarcangelo explores how the gospel compels Christians to extend God's mercy in their everyday lifedisplaying his compassion, justice, generosity, and love to those who need it most.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMillions of tourists visit Washington, D.C., every year, but for some the experience is about much more than sightseeing. Lauren Kerby's lively, engaging book takes readers onto tour buses and explores the world of Christian heritage tourism.Trade Review[An] excellent debut. . . . Thoughtfully documenting and reflecting upon the contours of a uniquely American subculture, this ethnographic study will appeal to anyone interested in the pull of American Christian nationalism.--Publishers Weekly, starred review Kerby's writing is clear and crisp, resulting in an exceptionally smooth read that is full of revealing insights. . . . Saving History is an enriching read with much to offer about the cultural reproduction of white Protestant fundamentalism and Christian nationalism.--Material Religion

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Kincraft Todne Thomas explores the internal dynamics of community life among black evangelicals, who are often overshadowed by white evangelicals and the common equation of the “Black Church” with an Afro-Protestant mainline. Drawing on fieldwork in an Afro-Caribbean and African American church association in Atlanta, Thomas locates black evangelicals at the center of their own religious story, presenting their determined spiritual relatedness as a form of insurgency. She outlines how church members cocreate themselves as spiritual kin through what she calls kincraft—the construction of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Kincraft, which Thomas traces back to the diasporic histories and migration experiences of church members, reflects black evangelicals'' understanding of Christian familial connection as transcending racial, ethnic, and denominational boundaries in ways that go beyond the patriarchal nuclear family. Church members also use their Trade Review"Kincraft illustrates how Black evangelicals in the United States, drawing on their own Afro-diasporic orientations and sacred imaginaries, have worked to create their own mechanisms of spiritual and relational belonging against the fixed racial and social positionalities reinscribed by White evangelical culture. Moreover, Thomas’ exploration of the spiritual and racial kinship endemic to kincraft can and should be read furthermore as an example of Africana religious agency." -- Darrius D. Hills * Reading Religion *"Kincraft is a rich, rewarding, intellectually challenging ethnographic study of a community of Afro-Caribbean churchgoers, in the Atlanta area, who were historically associated with the Plymouth Brethren. . . . Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty." -- P. Harvey * Choice *"Kincraft reorients the ways we think about how religion manifests in people’s daily lives at both institutional and interpersonal levels. Thomas’ work reminds scholars how important it is to account for both ethno-racial and denominational differences when analyzing religious groups and behaviors, and what is overlooked when we do not." -- Shaonta' E. Allen * Sociology of Religion *"One of the fascinating tensions Thomas conveys is between Black evangelicals’ theological reckoning with racial struggles and a commitment to prioritize 'Christian family' over 'worldly' concerns (p. 53). The ethnographic material is robustly presented, complemented by a revealing archival analysis of the founding evangelist’s ministry career. . . . [A] powerful testimony to how centrally racialization figures in the formation and lived expression of the varieties of US evangelicalism." -- James S. Bielo * American Anthropologist *"Some books serve notice to the academy that it needs to rethink its approaches. Todne Thomas’s Kincraft is such a book which will reshape the field of African American religious studies in profound ways." -- Mary Beth S. Mathews * Journal of Contemporary Religion *"Kincraft is an intimate, revealing portrayal of the inner workings of a biblical community. . . . [T]his is an intellectually stimulating, rigorous, and important work that reveals the deeper spirituality of a church tradition that has been largely overlooked in both Black church and white evangelical circles. Thomas has done an excellent job of bringing this tradition to the foreground and, in so doing, forcing a timely reconsideration of what we define and understand as the Black church and mainstream evangelicalism." -- William Ackah * Journal of Anthropological Research *"Kincraft is a refreshing inclusion as a source for studying US religious history and culture. . . . Thomas shows how Black religious actors have tapped into their religious tradition to create meaningful communities and a sense of belonging that is unmoved by the racism of the broader evangelical movement." -- Tejai Beulah Howard * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Part One. Contextualizing the Social Dimensions of a Black Evangelical Religious Movement 1. On "Godly Family" and "Family Roots": Creating Kinship Worlds 29 2. Moving against the Grain: The Evangelism of T. Michael Flowers in the Segregated US South 57 3. Black like Me? Or Christian like Me? Black Evangelicals, Ethnicity, and Church Family 83 Part Two. Scenes of Black Evangelical Spiritual Kinship in Practice 4. Bible Study, Fraternalism, and the Making of Interpretive Community 109 5. Churchwomen and the Incorporation of Church and Home 135 6. Black Evangelicals, "the Family," and Confessional Intimacy 167 Conclusion 199 Notes 213 Bibliography 229 Index 247

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Kincraft Todne Thomas explores the internal dynamics of community life among black evangelicals, who are often overshadowed by white evangelicals and the common equation of the “Black Church” with an Afro-Protestant mainline. Drawing on fieldwork in an Afro-Caribbean and African American church association in Atlanta, Thomas locates black evangelicals at the center of their own religious story, presenting their determined spiritual relatedness as a form of insurgency. She outlines how church members cocreate themselves as spiritual kin through what she calls kincraft—the construction of one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Kincraft, which Thomas traces back to the diasporic histories and migration experiences of church members, reflects black evangelicals'' understanding of Christian familial connection as transcending racial, ethnic, and denominational boundaries in ways that go beyond the patriarchal nuclear family. Church members also use their Trade Review"Kincraft illustrates how Black evangelicals in the United States, drawing on their own Afro-diasporic orientations and sacred imaginaries, have worked to create their own mechanisms of spiritual and relational belonging against the fixed racial and social positionalities reinscribed by White evangelical culture. Moreover, Thomas’ exploration of the spiritual and racial kinship endemic to kincraft can and should be read furthermore as an example of Africana religious agency." -- Darrius D. Hills * Reading Religion *"Kincraft is a rich, rewarding, intellectually challenging ethnographic study of a community of Afro-Caribbean churchgoers, in the Atlanta area, who were historically associated with the Plymouth Brethren. . . . Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty." -- P. Harvey * Choice *"Kincraft reorients the ways we think about how religion manifests in people’s daily lives at both institutional and interpersonal levels. Thomas’ work reminds scholars how important it is to account for both ethno-racial and denominational differences when analyzing religious groups and behaviors, and what is overlooked when we do not." -- Shaonta' E. Allen * Sociology of Religion *"One of the fascinating tensions Thomas conveys is between Black evangelicals’ theological reckoning with racial struggles and a commitment to prioritize 'Christian family' over 'worldly' concerns (p. 53). The ethnographic material is robustly presented, complemented by a revealing archival analysis of the founding evangelist’s ministry career. . . . [A] powerful testimony to how centrally racialization figures in the formation and lived expression of the varieties of US evangelicalism." -- James S. Bielo * American Anthropologist *"Some books serve notice to the academy that it needs to rethink its approaches. Todne Thomas’s Kincraft is such a book which will reshape the field of African American religious studies in profound ways." -- Mary Beth S. Mathews * Journal of Contemporary Religion *"Kincraft is an intimate, revealing portrayal of the inner workings of a biblical community. . . . [T]his is an intellectually stimulating, rigorous, and important work that reveals the deeper spirituality of a church tradition that has been largely overlooked in both Black church and white evangelical circles. Thomas has done an excellent job of bringing this tradition to the foreground and, in so doing, forcing a timely reconsideration of what we define and understand as the Black church and mainstream evangelicalism." -- William Ackah * Journal of Anthropological Research *"Kincraft is a refreshing inclusion as a source for studying US religious history and culture. . . . Thomas shows how Black religious actors have tapped into their religious tradition to create meaningful communities and a sense of belonging that is unmoved by the racism of the broader evangelical movement." -- Tejai Beulah Howard * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Part One. Contextualizing the Social Dimensions of a Black Evangelical Religious Movement 1. On "Godly Family" and "Family Roots": Creating Kinship Worlds 29 2. Moving against the Grain: The Evangelism of T. Michael Flowers in the Segregated US South 57 3. Black like Me? Or Christian like Me? Black Evangelicals, Ethnicity, and Church Family 83 Part Two. Scenes of Black Evangelical Spiritual Kinship in Practice 4. Bible Study, Fraternalism, and the Making of Interpretive Community 109 5. Churchwomen and the Incorporation of Church and Home 135 6. Black Evangelicals, "the Family," and Confessional Intimacy 167 Conclusion 199 Notes 213 Bibliography 229 Index 247

Read more less

Book SynopsisIllustrates the hidden challenges embedded within the evangelical adoption movement. For over a decade, prominent leaders and organizations among American Evangelicals have spent a substantial amount of time and money in an effort to address what they believe to be the Orphan Crisis of the United States. Yet, despite an expansive commitment of resources, there is no reliable evidence that these efforts have been successful. Adoptions are declining across the board, and both foster parenting and foster-adoptions remain steady. Why have evangelical mobilization efforts been so ineffective? To answer this question, Samuel L. Perry draws on interviews with over 220 movement leaders and grassroots families, as well as national data on adoption and fostering, to show that the problem goes beyond orphan care. Perry argues that evangelical social engagement is fundamentally self-limiting and difficult to sustain because their subcultural commitments lock them into an approach that does not worTrade ReviewPerrys book is significant because it is one of the first to offer a clear window into evangelical activism from a rich sociological perspective. Perry is extraordinarily balanced in his analysis of both the strengths and weaknesses of evangelicals dominant approach to social engagement. * American Journal of Sociology *This books central tenet about the saliency of branding a church that is attractive to racially diverse professional millennials leads to interesting research questions about the effectiveness of such strategies in other Chicago churches and churches around the nation... this book serves as a useful guide for how churches may approach attracting new members in a period of increasing racial diversity and declining worship attendance. * The Review of Religious Research *Growing Gods Familyis about America as much as it is about evangelicals. Were do-gooders. We adopt orphans. We do other good things. And yet, our excessive individualism too often gets in the way. The result: we rush into rash ill-prepared activism. Growing Gods Family is marvelously well-researched and deeply disturbing. -- Robert Wuthnow,Princeton UniversityThis fascinating case study deftly captures the authentic spirit of so many American evangelical 'movements' for change, explaining with empathetic and fair but brutally honest criticism why and how religiously motivated people and activism can prove in the end to be ironically self-undermining and ineffective. A valuable contribution to our sociological understanding of American evangelicalism and religious movements and culture. -- Christian Smith,University of Notre DameGrowing Gods Familyis a strong, well-researched book, worthy of a wide academic and non-academic audience. * Sociology of Religion *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIllustrates the hidden challenges embedded within the evangelical adoption movement. For over a decade, prominent leaders and organizations among American Evangelicals have spent a substantial amount of time and money in an effort to address what they believe to be the Orphan Crisis of the United States. Yet, despite an expansive commitment of resources, there is no reliable evidence that these efforts have been successful. Adoptions are declining across the board, and both foster parenting and foster-adoptions remain steady. Why have evangelical mobilization efforts been so ineffective? To answer this question, Samuel L. Perry draws on interviews with over 220 movement leaders and grassroots families, as well as national data on adoption and fostering, to show that the problem goes beyond orphan care. Perry argues that evangelical social engagement is fundamentally self-limiting and difficult to sustain because their subcultural commitments lock them into an approach that does not worTrade Review"Perrys book is significant because it is one of the first to offer a clear window into evangelical activism from a rich sociological perspective. Perry is extraordinarily balanced in his analysis of both the strengths and weaknesses of evangelicals dominant approach to social engagement." * American Journal of Sociology *"This books central tenet about the saliency of branding a church that is attractive to racially diverse professional millennials leads to interesting research questions about the effectiveness of such strategies in other Chicago churches and churches around the nation... this book serves as a useful guide for how churches may approach attracting new members in a period of increasing racial diversity and declining worship attendance." * The Review of Religious Research *"Growing Gods Familyis about America as much as it is about evangelicals. Were do-gooders. We adopt orphans. We do other good things. And yet, our excessive individualism too often gets in the way. The result: we rush into rash ill-prepared activism. Growing Gods Family is marvelously well-researched and deeply disturbing." -- Robert Wuthnow,Princeton University"This fascinating case study deftly captures the authentic spirit of so many American evangelical 'movements' for change, explaining with empathetic and fair but brutally honest criticism why and how religiously motivated people and activism can prove in the end to be ironically self-undermining and ineffective. A valuable contribution to our sociological understanding of American evangelicalism and religious movements and culture." -- Christian Smith,University of Notre Dame"Growing Gods Familyis a strong, well-researched book, worthy of a wide academic and non-academic audience." * Sociology of Religion *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen sports ministry first emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, its founders imagined male celebrity athletes as powerful salespeople who could deliver a message of Christian strength: If athletes can endorse shaving cream, razor blades, and cigarettes, surely they can endorse the Lord, too, reasoned Fellowship of Christian Athletes founder Don McClanen. But combining evangelicalism and sport did much more than serve as an advertisement for religion: it gave athletes the opportunity to think about the embodied experiences of sport as a way to experience intimate connection with the divine. As sports ministry developed, it focused on individual religious experiences and downplayed celebrity sales power, opening the door for female Christian athletes to join and eventually dominate sports ministry. Today, women are the majority of participants in sports ministry in the United States. In Playing for God, Annie Blazer offers an exploration of the history and religious livesTrade ReviewPlaying for Godis a unique and interdisciplinary contribution that combines insights from a diversity of academic fields, notably religious studies, gender and 6 studies, cultural studies and American studies. * Religion and Gender *Playing for Godis a finely crafted sociology of evangelical sports ministry and Christian female athletes who participate in and help promote a particular strand of Christianity. * Sociology of Religion *[A]n excellent book which raises important issues about how contemporary sportswomen perceive themselves. * Verite Sport: International Sports Ministry *[T]he research illustrates that religion can be and is blended with and into any and all aspects of culture, with & unintended consequences for religion based on the undeniable agency of individual members. * Anthropology Review Database *[] [T]he book will generate much discussion around various issues: e.g., are fundamentalists even & evangelical, given that the heart of the gospel is kindness, love, and forgiveness? People and groups are not necessarily & evangelical, even though they may claim to be. The media need to be aware of this fact. Good notes and bibliography. * Choice *What an intimate and perceptive work of ethnographic scholarship! Playing for God takes you into the profound epistemology of athleticism. Blazer uses her conversations with Christian sportswomen to delve into the ways that all people, religious and not, understand themselves through their bodies. A first-rate exploration of the intersection between spiritual knowledge and the disciplining effects of sporting life. -- Kathryn Lofton,Yale UniversityTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Practicing Faith: Sports Ministry and Evangelicalism in America 1 Part I: Knowledge 1. Making the Save: Conversion and Witnessing 27 2. Transcendent Intimacy: The Embodied Pleasures of Sport 54 3. Spiritual Warfare and Christlikeness: Narratives of Bodies and Battlefields 78 Part II: Effects 4. Wearing Our Shorts a Little Longer: Testing the Boundaries of Evangelical Femininity 103 5. Challenging the Call: Sexual Desire and Sexual Deviance 129 6. Faith Off the Field: Negotiating Gender at Home 157 Conclusion: A Tale of Unintended Consequences 183 Notes 195 Index 223 About the Author 233

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2013 Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize presented by the American Society of Church HistoryMississippi Praying examines the faith communities at ground-zero of the racial revolution that rocked America. This religious history of white Mississippians in the civil rights era shows how Mississippians' intense religious commitments played critical, rather than incidental, roles in their response to the movement for black equality. During the civil rights movement and since, it has perplexed many Americans that unabashedly Christian Mississippi could also unapologetically oppress its black population. Yet, as Carolyn Renée Dupont richly details, white southerners' evangelical religion gave them no conceptual tools for understanding segregation as a moral evil, and many believed that God had ordained the racial hierarchy. Challenging previous scholarship that depicts southern religious support for segregation as weak, Dupont shows how people of faith in Mississippi rejectedTrade Review"I am grateful to [the author] for further recovering the central role of religion in the civil rights era." * Patheos.com *"This is an inspired and sparkling religious history of the three major white denominationsSouth Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodistsin the state of Mississippi for the three decades of the Civil Rights movement...This is notsimply a tale about what happened in the struggle for black equality in Mississippi from 1945 to 1975. It is a mirror, reflecting what is still happening in segregated churches all over America, not just in Mississippi, not just in the South, but all over this great republic." * Baptist History & Heritage *"Carolyn Renee Duponts examination of Mississippi white evangelicals fervent support of segregation during the 1950s and 1960s offers historians a fresh interpretation of the confounding paradox of God-fearing whites condoning and even participating in massive resistance. [] This book successfully challenges the reader to think beyond a variety of biases inherent in discussion of literatures relationship with ethnic, regional, and national identities." * The Journal of Southern History *"Dupont's book is an essential companion to any study of the civil rights movement, not only for its treatment of how religion impacted the movements history but also for the way it exposes how easily oppression can be wrapped in a cloak of religiosity that blinds its adherents to injustice occurring all around them." * The Historian *"Gripping and detailed,Mississippi Prayingtells how the fight to maintain white supremacy was deeply embedded in all the states institutions, particularly its churches. Such a narrative challenges readers to understand how some forms of racism topple, while others yet persist." * Southern Spaces *"[...]Dupont has written an intriguing and impassioned book that should stimulate debate." * The American Historical Review *"By examining white Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian confrontations with the civil rights movement, Dupont (Eastern Kentucky Univ.) offers a compelling answer to the question of why the most religious state in the US was also its most racist." -- E.R. Crowther * CHOICE *"Dupont makes a valuable contribution to the scholarship on the intersection of race and religion by highlighting religion's centrality in the struggle for black equality. Mississippi Praying is must reading for scholars interested in religion, race, and African American studies." -- Walt Bower * Religious Research Association Review *"Duponts prose should be the envy of historians everywhere. Crisp, incisive, and thought-provoking, it moves the reader easily through nine chronological chapters. She draws on powerful examples to make her case, covering everything from Brown v. Board of Education, to the Southern Baptist Conventions conservative reconfiguration, and the splitting of Southern Presbyterians in the 1960s and 1970s." -- Marginalia"Provides a wealth of insight. . . . Dupont has offered the single best study documenting and analyzing the conflicted role of white southern Protestant churches, and their leaders, in reacting to the civil rights struggle. Her analysis is compelling, her writing forceful and fluid, and her research substantial and original." -- Paul Harvey,University of Colorado"Mississippi Praying helps us better understand how white southerners made sense of their Christian faith and their segregationist practices. Dupont shows how the evangelical faith of many white Mississippians, far from being a source of other worldly escape from the political realm, served as a bulwark in their fight to maintain white supremacy. It is a critical story for properly understanding both the southern civil rights struggle and the history of modern American Christianity." -- Joseph Crespino,Emory UniversityTable of ContentsContentsList of Illustrations ixAcknowledgments xiIntroduction: History, White Religion, and 1the Civil Rights Movement1 Segregation and the Religious Worlds of White Mississippians 152 Conversations about Race in the Post-War World 393 Responding to Brown: The Recalcitrant Parish 634 "A Strange and Serious Christian Heresy": Massive Resistance and the Religious Defense of Segregation 795 "Ask for the Old Paths": Mississippi's Southern Baptists and Segregation 1056 "Born of Conviction": The Travail of Mississippi Methodism 1277 The Jackson Church Visits: "A Good Quarter-Time Church with a Bird Dog and Shotgun" 1558 "Warped and Distorted Reflections": 181Mississippi and the North9 Race and the Restructuring of American Religion 199Conclusion: A Theology on the Wrong Side of History 231Notes 241Index 285About the Author 290

Read more less

Book SynopsisBehind the scenes at a creationist theme park with a mission to convert visitors through entertainment Opened to the public in July 2016, Ark Encounter is a creationist theme park in Kentucky. The park features an all-timber re-creation of Noah's ark, built full scale to creationist specifications drawn from the text of Genesis, as well as exhibits that imagine the Bible's account of life before the flood. More than merely religious spectacle, Ark Encounter offers important insights about the relationship between religion and entertainment, religious publicity and creativity, and fundamentalist Christian claims to the public sphere. James S. Bielo examines these themes, drawing on his unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the Ark Encounter creative team during the initial design of the park. This unique anthropological perspective shows creationists outside church contexts, and reveals their extraordinary effort to materialize a controversial worldview for the general public. TakinTrade Review"A much needed contribution to studies of American fundamentalist Christianity, and to the anthropology of fundamentalism. At the same time, [the book] gives a good insight into the place of Christianity in our contemporary Western society, its relation to popular culture and commerce, and the power of 'religious entertainment.'" * Reading Religion *"Ark Encounter is a useful contribution to the literature in anthropology, religious studies, and material religion, and situates itself within a deep literature in Fundamentalist studies. Bielo’s clear and concise writing style and structure, combined with his thoughtful analysis and discussion, produced a strong text that would be useful for scholars studying the anthropology of religion and is particularly useful for students because of his radical transparency in his research processes." * Material Religions *"Essentially this book is about the three-way relationship of the Ark, the designers, and the visitors. Within this triangle, acceptance of creationism is formed. This is such a valuable book partly because it focuses first on the corner of the triangle too often neglected in discussions of museums and visitor attractions: the designers … he describes four other promised creationist theme parks that will “teach creationists to be proud of creationism, and . . . demand that noncreationist audiences take notice." * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *"Ark Encounter is a wonderful book. Written in a straightforward and lively manner accessible to undergraduates, it is also theoretically rich enough to make it compelling reading for scholars of religion, public culture, museums, and American studies. Because each chapter deals with a discrete aspect of Ark Encounter’s project and engages different bodies of literature, it is ideal for classroom use." * American Ethnologist *"This book will interest researchers of contemporary religious culture, politics of science, and cultural production and circulation. In addition, it provides thought-provoking reading for anyone interested in the social and cultural context of Ark Encounter and biblical attractions like it." * Sociology of Religion *"The book may have appeal in many fields, including anthropology, religion, and tourism." * Choice *"Ark Encounter represents a further development of Bielo’s work of exploring the social life of scriptures, that is—how scriptures are made to perform actively in the world. Bielo has been on the forefront of this exciting development within the larger field of the anthropology of Christianity. In this latest addition to the field, Ark Encounter expands the social life of scripture to include materialization." * American Studies *"Here, as in his study of Bible study culture in Words Upon the Word, Bielo demonstrates a remarkable ability to invite his readers into a communitys processes of religious negotiation and navigation. In his hands, we discover the Ark Encounter as a story of many fascinating encounters between fundamentalism, creationism, biblical consumerism, and religious entertainment." -- Timothy Beal, Case Western Reserve University and author of The Book of Revelation: A Biography"Through his ethnographic work, Bielo makes a convincing case that the aesthetics, technologies, and professional standards of the modern entertainment industry play a big part in producing material that creationists hope to be seen as legitimate in the public sphere... a pleasure to read." -- Jonathan P. Hill * Review of Religious Research *"This thorough study of a creationist theme park explores the ramifications of intertwining religion and entertainment and provides an analysis that has fascinating implications for understanding not only conservative Christianity but also the entertainment-saturated society around it. This compelling and readable ethnography shows that creationism must stake its bid for cultural authority in terms of the largely unquestioned values and techniques of our culture of entertainment." -- Peter Stromberg, University of Tulsa"Bielo has made a valuable contribution to several subfields of anthropology. As a well‐organized, insightful book that addresses a topic that interests many students, draws on innovative fieldwork with a design team, and engages and builds on the work of a wide range of anthropologists, Ark Encounter would be an excellent addition to reading lists for courses on the anthropology of public culture, the anthropology of religion, and visual anthropology, and it will inspire further research on the ongoing evolution of fundamentalist public culture." * Visual Anthropology Review *"Complicates the religion versus science view of creationism by introducing entertainment, production of history, and taste and aesthetic judgment as analytic tools. This allows for a rich, nuanced understanding of creationist cultural products." * American Journal of Sociology *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBehind the scenes at a creationist theme park with a mission to convert visitors through entertainment Opened to the public in July 2016, Ark Encounter is a creationist theme park in Kentucky. The park features an all-timber re-creation of Noah's ark, built full scale to creationist specifications drawn from the text of Genesis, as well as exhibits that imagine the Bible's account of life before the flood. More than merely religious spectacle, Ark Encounter offers important insights about the relationship between religion and entertainment, religious publicity and creativity, and fundamentalist Christian claims to the public sphere. James S. Bielo examines these themes, drawing on his unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the Ark Encounter creative team during the initial design of the park. This unique anthropological perspective shows creationists outside church contexts, and reveals their extraordinary effort to materialize a controversial worldview for the general public. TakinTrade ReviewA much needed contribution to studies of American fundamentalist Christianity, and to the anthropology of fundamentalism. At the same time, [the book] gives a good insight into the place of Christianity in our contemporary Western society, its relation to popular culture and commerce, and the power of 'religious entertainment.' * Reading Religion *Ark Encounter is a useful contribution to the literature in anthropology, religious studies, and material religion, and situates itself within a deep literature in Fundamentalist studies. Bielo’s clear and concise writing style and structure, combined with his thoughtful analysis and discussion, produced a strong text that would be useful for scholars studying the anthropology of religion and is particularly useful for students because of his radical transparency in his research processes. * Material Religions *Essentially this book is about the three-way relationship of the Ark, the designers, and the visitors. Within this triangle, acceptance of creationism is formed. This is such a valuable book partly because it focuses first on the corner of the triangle too often neglected in discussions of museums and visitor attractions: the designers … he describes four other promised creationist theme parks that will “teach creationists to be proud of creationism, and . . . demand that noncreationist audiences take notice. * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Ark Encounter is a wonderful book. Written in a straightforward and lively manner accessible to undergraduates, it is also theoretically rich enough to make it compelling reading for scholars of religion, public culture, museums, and American studies. Because each chapter deals with a discrete aspect of Ark Encounter’s project and engages different bodies of literature, it is ideal for classroom use. * American Ethnologist *This book will interest researchers of contemporary religious culture, politics of science, and cultural production and circulation. In addition, it provides thought-provoking reading for anyone interested in the social and cultural context of Ark Encounter and biblical attractions like it. * Sociology of Religion *The book may have appeal in many fields, including anthropology, religion, and tourism. * Choice *Ark Encounter represents a further development of Bielo’s work of exploring the social life of scriptures, that is—how scriptures are made to perform actively in the world. Bielo has been on the forefront of this exciting development within the larger field of the anthropology of Christianity. In this latest addition to the field, Ark Encounter expands the social life of scripture to include materialization. * American Studies *Here, as in his study of Bible study culture in Words Upon the Word, Bielo demonstrates a remarkable ability to invite his readers into a communitys processes of religious negotiation and navigation. In his hands, we discover the Ark Encounter as a story of many fascinating encounters between fundamentalism, creationism, biblical consumerism, and religious entertainment. -- Timothy Beal, Case Western Reserve University and author of The Book of Revelation: A BiographyThrough his ethnographic work, Bielo makes a convincing case that the aesthetics, technologies, and professional standards of the modern entertainment industry play a big part in producing material that creationists hope to be seen as legitimate in the public sphere... a pleasure to read. -- Jonathan P. Hill * Review of Religious Research *This thorough study of a creationist theme park explores the ramifications of intertwining religion and entertainment and provides an analysis that has fascinating implications for understanding not only conservative Christianity but also the entertainment-saturated society around it. This compelling and readable ethnography shows that creationism must stake its bid for cultural authority in terms of the largely unquestioned values and techniques of our culture of entertainment. -- Peter Stromberg, University of TulsaBielo has made a valuable contribution to several subfields of anthropology. As a well‐organized, insightful book that addresses a topic that interests many students, draws on innovative fieldwork with a design team, and engages and builds on the work of a wide range of anthropologists, Ark Encounter would be an excellent addition to reading lists for courses on the anthropology of public culture, the anthropology of religion, and visual anthropology, and it will inspire further research on the ongoing evolution of fundamentalist public culture. * Visual Anthropology Review *Complicates the religion versus science view of creationism by introducing entertainment, production of history, and taste and aesthetic judgment as analytic tools. This allows for a rich, nuanced understanding of creationist cultural products. * American Journal of Sociology *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow music makes worship and how worship makes music in Evangelical churches Music is a nearly universal feature of congregational worship in American churches. Congregational singing is so ingrained in the experience of being at church that it is often misunderstood to be synonymous with worship. For those who assume responsibility for making music for congregational use, the relationship between music and worship is both promising and perilous promise in the power of musical style and collective singing to facilitate worship, peril in the possibility that the experience of the music might eclipse the worship it was written to facilitate. As a result, those committed to making music for worship are constantly reminded of the paradox that they are writing songs for people who wish to express themselves, as directly as possible, to God. This book shines a new light on how people who make music for worship also make worship from music. Based on interviews withTrade ReviewShout to the Lord is a remarkable book, beautifully written and analytically careful. Music is the heart of evangelical experience, so the book helps to explain that religion. But the book does more. It explains the way music can become prayer, and why it moves us. -- TM Luhrmann,author of When God Talks BackSongs and music are used in worship to help congregants reach an individual experience of God. But, as Ari Kelman shows, that individual experience only comes about because of the work of songwriters, marketers, and music producers who mediate individual religious experience. Shout to the Lordis a study of that work. Drawing on ethnography, interviews and participation in church services Kelman explores how worship music is produced, performed and experienced in U.S. evangelical churches. In doing so he masterfully draws out a series of fundamental tensions between entertainment and worship, technical skill and spirit, commerce and faith, and the danger troubling Christian musicians that they might & sing well but worship poorly. -- Brian Larkin,author of Signal and Noise: Media, Infrastructure & Urban Culture in NigeriaThis is a fascinating book. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and dozens of interviews with songwriters, worship leaders, and record producers, Kelman reveals the immense cultural work that goes into producing evangelical Christian worship music. He is a sensitive guide, treating his subjects sympathetically while remaining keenly attuned to the tensions that underlie their work. He is at his best in explaining how his subjects understand the essential role that music plays in worship even as they disavow its necessity. -- Isaac Weiner,author of Religion Out Loud: Religious Sound, Public Space, and American PluralismIn Shout to the Lord, Kelman meticulously elucidates for his academic readership the internal logics that undergird American evangelical cultural production. Because the study reflects the author’s generosity and responsibility toward his interlocutors, evangelical musical practitioners will find their histories and perspectives presented with patient nuance. This monograph on evangelical worship music, read in careful conjunction with the extant and burgeoning literature in Christian congregational music studies, promises to be an especially productive read for students and researchers of American religion, Christian liturgy, and popular music. -- Reading ReligionAn insightful and well-researched examination of the creation of worship music in American evangelicalism and the worship music culture it has birthed. Kelman’s work is not just an analysis of religious and sociological scholarship—it is an experiment in understanding where he immersed himself into various corporate worship settings that span several years. * Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow music makes worship and how worship makes music in Evangelical churches Music is a nearly universal feature of congregational worship in American churches. Congregational singing is so ingrained in the experience of being at church that it is often misunderstood to be synonymous with worship. For those who assume responsibility for making music for congregational use, the relationship between music and worship is both promising and perilous promise in the power of musical style and collective singing to facilitate worship, peril in the possibility that the experience of the music might eclipse the worship it was written to facilitate. As a result, those committed to making music for worship are constantly reminded of the paradox that they are writing songs for people who wish to express themselves, as directly as possible, to God. This book shines a new light on how people who make music for worship also make worship from music. Based on interviews withTrade ReviewShout to the Lord is a remarkable book, beautifully written and analytically careful. Music is the heart of evangelical experience, so the book helps to explain that religion. But the book does more. It explains the way music can become prayer, and why it moves us. -- TM Luhrmann,author of When God Talks BackSongs and music are used in worship to help congregants reach an individual experience of God. But, as Ari Kelman shows, that individual experience only comes about because of the work of songwriters, marketers, and music producers who mediate individual religious experience. Shout to the Lordis a study of that work. Drawing on ethnography, interviews and participation in church services Kelman explores how worship music is produced, performed and experienced in U.S. evangelical churches. In doing so he masterfully draws out a series of fundamental tensions between entertainment and worship, technical skill and spirit, commerce and faith, and the danger troubling Christian musicians that they might & sing well but worship poorly. -- Brian Larkin,author of Signal and Noise: Media, Infrastructure & Urban Culture in NigeriaThis is a fascinating book. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and dozens of interviews with songwriters, worship leaders, and record producers, Kelman reveals the immense cultural work that goes into producing evangelical Christian worship music. He is a sensitive guide, treating his subjects sympathetically while remaining keenly attuned to the tensions that underlie their work. He is at his best in explaining how his subjects understand the essential role that music plays in worship even as they disavow its necessity. -- Isaac Weiner,author of Religion Out Loud: Religious Sound, Public Space, and American PluralismIn Shout to the Lord, Kelman meticulously elucidates for his academic readership the internal logics that undergird American evangelical cultural production. Because the study reflects the author’s generosity and responsibility toward his interlocutors, evangelical musical practitioners will find their histories and perspectives presented with patient nuance. This monograph on evangelical worship music, read in careful conjunction with the extant and burgeoning literature in Christian congregational music studies, promises to be an especially productive read for students and researchers of American religion, Christian liturgy, and popular music. -- Reading ReligionAn insightful and well-researched examination of the creation of worship music in American evangelicalism and the worship music culture it has birthed. Kelman’s work is not just an analysis of religious and sociological scholarship—it is an experiment in understanding where he immersed himself into various corporate worship settings that span several years. * Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies *

Read more less

Book Synopsis2015 Smith/Wynkoop Book Award presented by the Wesleyan Theological Society2014 Choice Outstanding Academic TitleDuring the Progessive Era, a period of unprecedented ingenuity, women evangelists built the old time religion with brick and mortar, uniforms and automobiles, fresh converts and devoted protégés. Across America, entrepreneurial women founded churches, denominations, religious training schools, rescue homes, rescue missions, and evangelistic organizations. Until now, these intrepid women have gone largely unnoticed, though their collective yet unchoreographed decision to build institutions in the service of evangelism marked a seismic shift in American Christianity. In this ground-breaking study, Priscilla Pope-Levison dusts off the unpublished letters, diaries, sermons, and yearbooks of these pioneers to share their personal tribulations and public achievements. The effect is staggering. With an uncanny eye for essential details and a knack for historical nuance, Pope-LevisoTrade Review"I really enjoyed this book. It is well organized, well written, and full of interesting detailsa sign, no doubt, of many hours of research. . . . Scholars of American Christianity, the Progressive Era, the holiness movements, and American women's history (religious or otherwise) would all benefit from Pope-Levison's work in Building the Old Time Religion." -- Paul Putz * Religion in American History blog *"Pope-Levison, professor of theology at Seattle Pacific University, has been fascinated with the history of Christian women for decades. The theologian, author, and ordained United Methodist minister shares her discoveries unearthed over the last 20 years through painstaking research in Building the Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era.Building the Old Timefeatures in-depth accounts of the lives, accomplishments, and controversies of influential Christian leaders such as Amanda Berry Smith, Evangeline Booth, Helen Sunday, Aimee Semple McPherson, Jennie Fowler Willing, Martha Lee, Anna Prosser, Minnie Draper, and numerous others." -- Nicola Menzie * The Christian Post *"Priscilla Pope-Levisons (Seattle Pacific University) new book Building The Old Time Religion: Women Evangelists in the Progressive Era is the most significant contribution to the collective memory of women evangelists in the United States since Janette Hasseys 1986 No Time for Silence. There are so few books that focus on the contributions of women evangelists who were both amazingly gifted preachers and gifted institution builders. Pope-Levisons achievement is that she is able to create a compelling narrative focused not on a single woman, but on many womens contributions to ministry during this important time in American history. Building The Old Time Religion is an effortless read; so captivating that it might be easy to overlook the amount of painstaking archival research put into this book project . . . . Pope-Levison draws attention to the fact that it wasnt just one woman who was breaking down barriers and opening doors for women to preach; it was countless women, upon whose shoulders we all stand." -- Christy Mesaros-Winckles,Free Methodist Historical Society"Priscilla Pope-Levisons lively account takes our understanding of gender and American religion to the next level, demonstrating the permanent impact of women on the institutional shape of twentieth-century Christianity. She introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters, high-profile female evangelists and lesser-known toilers who founded schools, hospitals, and even denominations on a shoe-string. The women Pope-Levison brings to life are a colorfuland essentialpiece of the larger story of religion in the United States." -- Margaret Bendroth,Executive Director, Congregational Library"Argues that historians have ignored the significant number of independent religious organizations founded by evangelical and Catholic women in the progressive era. This institution-building by progressive-era women was fundamental to reshaping American Christianity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as it moved from 'itinerant to institutional revivalism.' A great strength of this work is to bring to the fore stories that are either not as well known as they need to be, or not known at all, a testament to the huge amount of archival research done by the author. This will be a significant contribution to American religious history." -- Paul Harvey,University of Colorado"Readers without detailed knowledge of the US political, social, and ecclesiological context will need to hold on tightly, but will be richly repaid through the sheer accessibility of the stories and, through them, the clearly presented context." * Wesley Methodist Studies *""Brings to life a series of fascinating, charismatic, and innovative women religious leaders. Priscilla Pope-Levisons careful research, engaging narrative, and smart arguments make this an invaluable study for scholars in the fields of religion, gender, and the progressive era, as well as for general readers interested in the ways in which women have transformed American religious life. " -- Matthew Avery Sutton,author of Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America"In her book, Pope-Levison explores the role of women evangelists as institution builders of evangelic enterprises, churches and denominations, religious training schools and benevolence ministries...Pope-Levinson utilizes an ecumenical approach in exploring religious institutions built by women during the Progressive Era." * Pneuma *"This deeply engaging book will interest audiences ranging from general readers (particularly those with an interest in women and Christianity, or Christianity during the Progressive Era) to students and scholars. It will be valuable in undergraduate or graduate classrooms." * Choice *"This study suggests scholars can better understand woman as institution builders in American religion, even women as varied as Phoebe Palmer and Mother Angelica." * The Journal of American History *"[Pope-Levisons] rich and detailed history of these religious institutions has brought to life an understudied set of female evangelists who had a significant influence on American religious history by building lasting but sometimes forgotten religious organizations." * The Historian *"Readers without detailed knowledge of the US political, social, and ecclesiological context will need to hold on tightly, but will be richly repaid through the sheer accessibility of the stories, through them, the clearly presented context." * Wesley and Methodist Studies *"Pope-Levison builds on work by Margaret Lamberts Bendroth, Matthew Avery Sutton, and Catherine A. Brekus to create further understanding of the ways female evangelists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries pushed back against patriarchal norms to create spaces for themselves. Pope-Levision adds to previous scholarship by arguing that these women also pushedforward, founding churches, religious training institutes, and denominations." * Register of the Kentucky Historical Society *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Converted, Called, Commissioned: A Phalanx of Institution Builders 1. Tents, Autos, Gospel Grenades: Evangelistic Organizations 2. Mothers, Saints, Bishops: Churches and Denominations 3. Biblical, Practical, Vocational: Religious Training Schools 4. Soap, Soup, Salvation: Rescue Homes and Rescue Missions Conclusion Appendix: Evangelists and Institutions Notes BibliographyIndex of Names and Subjects Index of Scripture ReferencesAbout the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen sports ministry first emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, its founders imagined male celebrity athletes as powerful salespeople who could deliver a message of Christian strength: If athletes can endorse shaving cream, razor blades, and cigarettes, surely they can endorse the Lord, too, reasoned Fellowship of Christian Athletes founder Don McClanen. But combining evangelicalism and sport did much more than serve as an advertisement for religion: it gave athletes the opportunity to think about the embodied experiences of sport as a way to experience intimate connection with the divine. As sports ministry developed, it focused on individual religious experiences and downplayed celebrity sales power, opening the door for female Christian athletes to join and eventually dominate sports ministry. Today, women are the majority of participants in sports ministry in the United States. In Playing for God, Annie Blazer offers an exploration of the history and religious livesTrade ReviewPlaying for Godis a unique and interdisciplinary contribution that combines insights from a diversity of academic fields, notably religious studies, gender and 6 studies, cultural studies and American studies. * Religion and Gender *Playing for Godis a finely crafted sociology of evangelical sports ministry and Christian female athletes who participate in and help promote a particular strand of Christianity. * Sociology of Religion *[A]n excellent book which raises important issues about how contemporary sportswomen perceive themselves. * Verite Sport: International Sports Ministry *[T]he research illustrates that religion can be and is blended with and into any and all aspects of culture, with & unintended consequences for religion based on the undeniable agency of individual members. * Anthropology Review Database *[] [T]he book will generate much discussion around various issues: e.g., are fundamentalists even & evangelical, given that the heart of the gospel is kindness, love, and forgiveness? People and groups are not necessarily & evangelical, even though they may claim to be. The media need to be aware of this fact. Good notes and bibliography. * Choice *What an intimate and perceptive work of ethnographic scholarship! Playing for God takes you into the profound epistemology of athleticism. Blazer uses her conversations with Christian sportswomen to delve into the ways that all people, religious and not, understand themselves through their bodies. A first-rate exploration of the intersection between spiritual knowledge and the disciplining effects of sporting life. -- Kathryn Lofton,Yale UniversityTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Practicing Faith: Sports Ministry and Evangelicalism in America 1 Part I: Knowledge 1. Making the Save: Conversion and Witnessing 27 2. Transcendent Intimacy: The Embodied Pleasures of Sport 54 3. Spiritual Warfare and Christlikeness: Narratives of Bodies and Battlefields 78 Part II: Effects 4. Wearing Our Shorts a Little Longer: Testing the Boundaries of Evangelical Femininity 103 5. Challenging the Call: Sexual Desire and Sexual Deviance 129 6. Faith Off the Field: Negotiating Gender at Home 157 Conclusion: A Tale of Unintended Consequences 183 Notes 195 Index 223 About the Author 233

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf there is one question that haunts Indian Christians, it is ‘What does it mean to be Indian and Christian?’ This matter of identity presents a unique challenge. This book offers a unique path forward by studying the rise and character of Indian-initiated churches, Christian movements founded by Indians to address Indian issues.Table of Contents Editor's Preface Introduction 1 The Origins of Indian-Initiated Churches 2 Revivals and the Reframing of Indian Christianity 3 The Indian Pentecostal Church of God and The Independence Movement 4 The Bakht Singh Assemblies and the Independence Movement 5 Bhakti Devotion and the Rise of the India Bible Mission 6 Yesu Darbar: Spiritual Power and Popular Hinduism 7 New Life Fellowship: Re-forming the Church in Urban India Conclusion: Christianity Made in India

Read more less

Book SynopsisCome Now, Let Us Argue It Out provides a look into a community that challenges common narratives about what it means to be LGBTQ and Christian in the contemporary United States. Based on his participant-observation fieldwork with a faith-based organization called the Reformation Project, Jon Burrow-Branine provides an ethnography of how some LGBTQ and LGBTQ-supportive Christians negotiate identity and difference and work to create change in evangelicalism.Come Now, Let Us Argue It Out tells the story of how this activism can be understood as a community of counter-conduct. Drawing on a concept proposed by the philosopher and historian Michel Foucault, Burrow-Branine documents everyday moments of agency and resistance that have the potential to form new politics, ethics, and ways of being as individuals in this community navigate the exclusionary politics of mainstream evangelical institutions, culture, and theology. More broadly, Burrow-Branine conTrade Review“Come Now, Let Us Argue It Out is an extremely important and timely work. The book not only sheds light on the strategies and tactics of a major LGBTQ Christian organization, the Reformation Project, but also provides compelling insights into the intersections of religion, gender, sexuality, and social activism more generally. This is a phenomenal book that deserves a wide readership.”—Jonathan Coley, author of Gay on God’s Campus: Mobilizing for LGBT Equality at Christian Colleges and Universities“This is a topic of tremendous importance, pointing to massive changes afoot in evangelical America. Many younger Christians in particular are keeping their faith in God but losing faith in churches that are hostile to their LGBTQ friends and loved ones. . . . This is a fascinating contribution to American studies, sociology, anthropology, and religion studies.”—Dawne Moon, author of God, Sex, and Politics: Homosexuality and Everyday TheologiesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Grace-Filled Conversations and Public Things 2. The Problem of Scripture 3. The Sexual Self and Spiritual Health 4. Transgender Figures and Trans Inclusion 5. Academies of Racial Justice Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCome Now, Let Us Argue It Out provides a look into a community that challenges common narratives about what it means to be LGBTQ and Christian in the contemporary United States. Based on his participant-observation fieldwork with a faith-based organization called the Reformation Project, Jon Burrow-Branine provides an ethnography of how some LGBTQ and LGBTQ-supportive Christians negotiate identity and difference and work to create change in evangelicalism.Come Now, Let Us Argue It Out tells the story of how this activism can be understood as a community of counter-conduct. Drawing on a concept proposed by the philosopher and historian Michel Foucault, Burrow-Branine documents everyday moments of agency and resistance that have the potential to form new politics, ethics, and ways of being as individuals in this community navigate the exclusionary politics of mainstream evangelical institutions, culture, and theology. More broadly, Burrow-Branine conTrade Review“Come Now, Let Us Argue It Out is an extremely important and timely work. The book not only sheds light on the strategies and tactics of a major LGBTQ Christian organization, the Reformation Project, but also provides compelling insights into the intersections of religion, gender, sexuality, and social activism more generally. This is a phenomenal book that deserves a wide readership.”—Jonathan Coley, author of Gay on God’s Campus: Mobilizing for LGBT Equality at Christian Colleges and Universities“This is a topic of tremendous importance, pointing to massive changes afoot in evangelical America. Many younger Christians in particular are keeping their faith in God but losing faith in churches that are hostile to their LGBTQ friends and loved ones. . . . This is a fascinating contribution to American studies, sociology, anthropology, and religion studies.”—Dawne Moon, author of God, Sex, and Politics: Homosexuality and Everyday TheologiesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Grace-Filled Conversations and Public Things 2. The Problem of Scripture 3. The Sexual Self and Spiritual Health 4. Transgender Figures and Trans Inclusion 5. Academies of Racial Justice Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisLesslie Newbigin, one of the twentieth century's most important church leaders, offered insights on the church in a pluralistic world that are arguably more relevant now than when first written. This volume presents his ecclesiology to a new generation. Michael Goheen clearly articulates Newbigin's missionary understanding of the church and places it in the context of Newbigin's core theological convictions. Suitable for students as well as church leaders, this book offers readers a better understanding of the mission of the church in the world today. Foreword by N. T. Wright.Table of ContentsContentsForeword N. T. WrightIntroduction1. The Biblical Story as Universal History2. The Good News of the Kingdom and the Missionary Church3. The Missionary Church and Its Vocation in the World4. The Missionary Church and Its Life Together5. A Missionary Encounter with Culture6. A Missionary Encounter with Western Culture7. Lesslie Newbigin's Legacy for TodayIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisBringing Pentecostal theology into the Bible and mission conversation, Amos Yong identifies the role of the divine spirit in God's mission to redeem the world. As he works through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, Yong emphasizes the global missiological imperative: "People of all nations reaching out to people of all nations." Sidebars include voices from around the globe who help the author put the biblical text into conversation with twenty-first-century questions, offering the church a fresh understanding of its mission and how to pursue it in the decades to come.Table of ContentsContentsSeries PrefaceIntroduction: On the Pneumatological and Missiological Interpretation of ScripturePart 1: Divine Wind and the Old Testament: Ruahic Witness across Ancient Israel1. Torah and the Missio Spiritus: The Winds of Creational Mission2. The Spirits of Ancient Israel: Ambiguity in Mission3. The Postexilic Ruah: Rewriting and Renewing Mission4. The Breath of the (Writing) Prophets: Centripetal and Centrifugal WitnessPart 2: Divine Breath and the Christian Scriptures: Pneumatic Witness after Pentecost5. The Witness of the Evangelistic Spirit: Gospel Mission6. Pauline Testimony in the Spirit: Apostolic Mission7. The Witness of the Eternal Spirit: Catholic Mission8. Johannine Paraclete and Eschatological Spirit: Mission for and against the WorldConcluding Late Modern "Prescript": Missio Spiritus--Triune Witness in a Post-Mission WorldIndexes

Read more less

Book SynopsisA leading scholar offers an up-to-date articulation of the theological grounding of the missionary endeavor. Lalsangkima (Kima) Pachuau argues that theology of mission deals with God's work in and for the world, which is centered on salvation in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pachuau brings a global perspective to mission theology, explains how theology of mission is related to theology as a discipline, and recognizes recent critiques of "missions," offering a compelling response rooted in the very nature of God.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: A Theological Viewpoint on Christian Missions1. The Triune God in Mission2. God's Mission of Salvation (1): Biblical Images and Christological Motifs of Salvation3. God's Mission of Salvation (2): Dimensions and Scope of Salvation4. The Living Church in God's Mission5. Fully God and Fully Human: Theology and Culture in the Mission of GodConclusion: A Summary of a Theology of MissionIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Gospel Coalition 2022 Award of Distinction (Missions & The Global Church) A leading expert in the field of Christian missions encourages the church to recover the apostolic imagination that fueled the multiplication of disciples in the first century. J. D. Payne examines the contemporary practice of Western missions and advocates a more central place for Scripture in defining missionary language, identity, purpose, function, and strategy. He shows that an apostolic understanding of the church's disciple-making commission requires rethinking every aspect of missionary engagement. The book includes end-of-chapter discussion questions and action steps to help pastors and church leaders develop an apostolic imagination.Table of ContentsContentsIntroductionPart 1: Foundations1. What Is the Apostolic Imagination?2. Challenges to the Imagination3. Apostolic Identity in the New Testament4. Apostolic Function in the New TestamentPart 2: Reimagining Contemporary Missions5. Reimagining Language6. Reimagining Identity7. Reimagining Priority8. Reimagining Function9. Reimagining Location10. Reimagining Strategy11. Reimagining the WestConclusion: A Word to PastorsIndexes

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Piper's bestselling book on missions draws on key biblical texts to demonstrate that worship is the ultimate goal of the church and that proper worship fuels missionary outreach. Piper offers a biblical defense of God's supremacy in all things, providing readers with a sound theological foundation for missions. This 30th anniversary edition of a contemporary classic, now in paperback, incorporates insights from the author's refined thinking over the past 10 years. Used extensively as a textbook for missions courses and a resource for ministries, Let the Nations Be Glad! provides a passionate plea for God-centeredness in the whole enterprise of world evangelization and explores the role of prayer and spiritual warfare. The book is essential reading for those involved in or preparing for missions work. It also offers enlightenment for students, pastors, youth workers, campus ministers, and all who want to connect their labors to God's global purposes.Table of ContentsContentsPart 1: Making God Supreme in Missions: The Purpose, the Power, and the Price1. The Supremacy of God in Missions through Worship2. The Supremacy of God in Missions through Prayer3. The Supremacy of God in Missions through SufferingPart 2: Making God Supreme in Missions: The Necessity and Nature of the Task4. The Supremacy of Christ as the Conscious Focus of All Saving Faith5. The Supremacy of God among "All the Nations"Part 3: Making God Supreme in Missions: The Practical Outworking of Compassion and Worship6. A Passion for God's Supremacy and Compassion for Man's Soul: Jonathan Edwards on the Unity of Motives for World Missions7. The Inner Simplicity and Outer Freedom of Worldwide WorshipPart 4: Making God Supreme in Missions: Global Shifts and Wartime Living8. Exulting in Global, Not Gospel, ShiftingConclusionAfterword: The Supremacy of God in Going and Sending by Tom StellerIndexes

Read more less

Book SynopsisBorn into a sharecropping family in New Hebron, Mississippi, in 1930, and only receiving a third-grade education, John M. Perkins has been a pioneering prophetic African American voice for reconciliation and social justice to America's white evangelical churches. Often an unwelcome voice and always a passionate, provocative clarion, Perkins persisted for forty years in bringing about the formation of the Christian Community Development Association--a large network of evangelical churches and community organizations working in America's poorest communities--and inspired the emerging generation of young evangelicals concerned with releasing the Church from its cultural captivity and oppressive materialism.John M. Perkins has received surprisingly little attention from historians of modern American religious history and theologians. Mobilizing for the Common Good is an exploration of the theological significance of John M. Perkins. With contributions from theologians, historians, and activists, this book contends that Perkins ushered in a paradigm shift in twentieth-century evangelical theology that continues to influence Christian community development projects and social justice activists today.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisShare your faith and keep your friends. You want your non--believing friends to be brothers and sisters in Christ. But how do you talk about Jesus without driving them away? When do you talk? When do you stay quiet? In How Do We Talk with Skeptics?, Sam Chan shows you how to walk the tightrope by offering ten wise tips to keep the balance right. Listen well. Speak persuasively. Learn hospitality. Gently reveal the holes in your friend's worldview. Gain wisdom on when to speak and when to listen. With Chan's help, you can keep your friends while being a faithful witness for Christ. The Questions for Restless Minds series applies God's word to today's issues. Each short book faces tough questions honestly and clearly, so you can think wisely, act with conviction, and become more like Christ.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Father delights in his Son. This is the starting point of mission, its very core. 'Mission' means 'sending', but for centuries this was only used to describe what God did, sending his Son and his Spirit into the world. World mission exists because the Father wants people to delight in his Son, and the Son wants people to delight in the Father. Tim Chester introduces us to a cascade of love, flowing from the Father to the Son through the Spirit. And that love overflows and, through us, keeps on flowing to our Christian community, and beyond us to a very needy world. Mission matters. This book is for ordinary individuals willing to step out and become part of the most amazing, exciting venture in the history of the world, understanding its rich biblical context. This title is brought to you by Keswick Ministries as part of their wide range of resources.Trade ReviewI will be recommending this book very widely indeed. -- Eddie Arthur * Former Executive Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators *If you want to fire up your church with a vision for global mission, this is your book! It should carry a spiritual health warning. -- David Coffey OBE * Past President of the Baptist World Alliance *Many are telling us that the day of global mission is over: the needs 'at home' are so overwhelming, and the dangers so great, that God cannot want us to go as he did in the past. But God does care, and he still wants us to care with his compassion for a world of need. I am sure this book will provoke many people to respond to the challenge, as they realize that there are still thousands waiting to be introduced to the Saviour who alone saves and cares. -- Helen Roseveare * Veteran missionary doctor, trainer, conference speaker and teacher, and author of several life-changing books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSoon after Jesus began his public ministry, he called his first `disciples’. He would teach and train them and then, after his death and resurrection, commission and empower them to go to the `nations’ to make more `followers’ of himself. The risen Jesus is still calling and sending disciples today. If we heed his call the result can be just as transformative and as exciting as it was for the first disciples. While there are no explicit occurrences of the term `disciple’ outside the Gospels and Acts, with only two further biblical references to `followers’ of Jesus, it is Peter Morden’s conviction that we need the whole Bible if we are going to be whole-life disciples. He reflects on Scripture and asks the primary question, `How do we live as committed disciples of Jesus today?’ He explores the foundations, the resources and the practice of discipleship, from a range of Old and New Testament texts. The result is a well-rounded and satisfying picture of Christian discipleship, one that is wonderfully attractive as well as deeply challenging.Trade Review"The vision of discipleship in these pages is God-centred, holistic, missional and rooted in Peter Morden’s rich grasp of evangelical sources. What emerges is not discipleship as an optional extra, or as a heroic exception, but discipleship for everyone. Despite our failings, we are already on the discipling road; and Peter provides here a steady guide for this tough and glorious journey.", Mark Powley, Principal, St Hild College, Yorkshire

Read more less

Book SynopsisToday the language of mission is in disarray. Where do the language and idea of 'mission' come from? Do they truly have precedence in the early centuries of the church? Michael Stroope investigates these questions and shows how the language of mission is a modern phenomenon that shaped a 'grand narrative' of mission. He then offers a way forward.Trade ReviewAll the main churches of the UK have 'mission' high on the list of their priorities at the moment -- mostly in the sense of 'missional church' or 'evangelization'. So Michael W. Stroope's findings that 'mission' is a late usage -- unsupported by the Bible and premodern Christian literature -- will certainly provoke. Nevertheless, when so much is invested in mission, this in-depth and insightful interrogation of the discourse and rhetoric is essential reading for scholars and practitioners alike. * Kirsteen Kim, Professor of Theology and Wolrd Christianity, Leeds Trinity University, UK *Above everything else, it is a well argued, well thought through and well written piece of iconoclasm . . . if you’ve read Bosch, Wright’s Mission of God, Bevans and Schroeder or any other serious missiology book, then you must read this one, too. * Kouyanet *I think this is a brilliant book. It is meticulously researched, cogently argued, and utterly convincing. It should become a standard textbook in mission courses, though those courses will probably now need be called something different! It must surely take its place as one of the seminal arguments in the rehabilitation of a truer form of gospel living as the church emerges out of modernity. * Mike Pickett *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy tracing the origins of mission right back to God's character, and then seeing how it unfolds throughout the storyline of the Bible, we begin to understand how important it is to him. As we see his heart for mission and the nations, we are challenged to discover God's plan for us too. Will this change our priorities as individuals and churches? Dare we see our place in God's plan and own the task of reaching the unreached? This practical, thought-provoking and accessible resource is the latest in the popular IVP/Keswick Ministries series of study guides.Table of ContentsContents 1 The Father's love 2 The Son's name 3 The Spirit's power 4 The Bible's story 5 The church's task 6 The cultural challenge 7 The global mandate Summary and leaders' notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisMissional ethics is concerned with the way in which the believing community’s behaviour is in and of itself a witness to the wisdom and goodness of God. The debate surrounding the relationship between word and deed, or evangelism and social action, remains a significant issue within evangelical missiology. Martin Salter seeks to address one aspect of that debate, namely the missional significance of ethics, by conducting detailed exegesis of key biblical texts. He argues that biblical ethics is neither entirely separate from, nor merely preparatory for mission, but is an integral part of the church’s mission. Missional ethics is a theme which arises from the biblical texts and is not imposed upon them. The church as both organism and institution embody a missional ethic which includes worship, justice, and charity. Word and deed belong together as an integral whole. Salter’s valuable study concludes by offering a definition of missional ethics.Trade ReviewMartin Salter's Mission in Action makes an important contribution to the exciting developments in how we as church read the Bible in the light of God's mission. As the discussion around missional readings of the Bible continues to emerge, books such as this are essential for pushing the conversation deeper and in new ways. This thoughtful study will certainly stimulate the mind but, taken to heart, its message will also inspire the local church to action. * Tim Davy, Research Fellow, Redcliffe College, UK, and Co-director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Mission *There has been much discussion in recent years about being missional – about missional church, missional identity, missional living. In Mission in Action Martin Salter provides a rich exploration of this theme by examining key biblical texts. The result is not only a robust exegetical foundation for missional ethics, but also a sharper definition of the missional task of God’s people. Plus en route Mission in Action brims with exegetical insights. I warmly commend it to anyone interested in the theological underpinnings of missional church. * Dr Tim Chester, Crosslands faculty member *‘There is no biblical mission without biblical ethics.’ That is a mantra I have repeated for many years in many countries. I am delighted to welcome Martin Salter’s book, which expands and demonstrates my conviction from a wide swathe of the biblical canon itself. It should go without saying (for individuals and communities who profess Jesus as Lord) that God’s people must live in ways that reflect God’s character and obey God’s commands if they are to participate with any effectiveness in God’s mission. But sometimes what goes without saying needs to be said - emphatically and clearly and with comprehensive biblical support.That is what this book does with persuasive thoroughness. * Christopher J. H. Wright, Langham Partnership; author of The Mission of God *

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvangelicalism is now so divided that some would question whether the word is even worth using. Is there real common ground which can hold us together? This heartfelt appeal from John Stott shows that there is. Distilling decades of reflection on Christian discipleship he shows the Trinitarian heart of evangelical faith: the gracious initiative of God the Father, in revealing himself to us; of Jesus Christ, in redeeming us through his cross and resurrection; and of the indwelling Holy Spirit in transforming us. The threefold emphasis of evangelical faith is upon the Word of God, the once-for-all work of Christ, and the active, continuing work of the Spirit. Directing us away from our differences, he reminds us of the glorious work of Father, Son and Spirit which unites us all.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHave you ever felt the call of God to go into all the world? David and Rosemary Harley did, and through simple obedience to that call they were able to have a worldwide impact on the spread of the Gospel. Together in Mission tells their story of leaving the UK to become full-time missionaries in Africa, and via several unexpected events helping to run All Nations College and latterly lead OMF International. Their story is in many ways a remarkable one, but the heart of this book is to inspire anyone and everyone to answer the call of God on their lives and see where it might lead them. It also highlights the continued need for the global Church to work together for the sake of the gospel.Table of ContentsContentsForeword...................................................................................6Preface.......................................................................................9List of Abbreviations.................................................................12Chapter 1 • Called to Mission...................................................13Chapter 2 • Together in Mission...............................................26Chapter 3 • On the Roof of Africa............................................40Chapter 4 • Tales of the Unexpected.........................................54Chapter 5 • Good News for Jewish People................................70Chapter 6 • To All Nations.......................................................84Chapter 7 • College Principal....................................................103Chapter 8 • Encouraging Mission Training Globally ..............117Chapter 9 • Singapore and World Mission................................132Chapter 10 • General Director of OMF International..............145Chapter 11 • Re-tyred...............................................................162Chapter 12 • Model for Mission................................................174Endnotes...................................................................................189Bibliography..............................................................................191

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive study of the role of gender in British Protestant missionary expansion into China and India during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This is the first comprehensive study of the role of gender in British Protestant missionary expansion into China and India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Focusing on the experiences of wives and daughters, female missionaries, educators and medical staff associated with the London Missionary Society, the China Inland Mission and the various Scottish Presbyterian Mission Societies, it compares and contrasts gender relations within different British Protestant missions in cross-cultural settings. Drawing on extensive published and archival materials, this study examines how gender, race, class, nationality and theology shaped the polity of Protestant missions and Christian interaction with native peoples. Rather than providing a romantic portrayal of fulfilled professional freedom, this work argues that women's labor in Christian missions, as in the secular British Empire and domestic society, remained under-valued both in terms of remuneration and administrative advancement, until well into the twentieth century. Rich in details and full of insights, this work not only presents the first comparative treatment of gender relations in British Christian missionary movements, but also contributes to an understanding of the importance of gender more broadly in the high imperial age. RHONDA A. SEMPLE is Assistant Professor ofHistory at the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada.Trade ReviewThis carefully researched study makes a unique and valuable context to mission studies. * MISSIOLOGY *A mine of information about many other issues besides those of the changing roles of women missionaries. * JOURNAL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *Informative for anyone interested in the Victorian age and in women's studies. * ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES *A worthwhile and original contribution. * AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW *An extensively researched and carefully argued book [that] helps to expand the boundaries of British social history even as it raises some fundamental questions. * VICTORIAN STUDIES *Copious archival research makes this a valuable addition to scholarship on late-Victorian and Edwardian missionary enterprises. * EHR *

Read more less

Book SynopsisC19 diary, correspondence and sermons cast light on the Evangelical movement and its relationship with the Church of England. Between the end of the eighteenth century and the end of the nineteenth evangelicalism came to exercise a profound influence over British religious and social life - an influence unmatched by even the Oxford movement. The four texts published here provide different perspectives on the relationship between evangelicalism and the Church during that time, illustrating the diversity of the tradition. Hannah More's correspondence during the Blagdon controversyilluminates the struggles of Evangelicals at the end of the eighteenth century, as she attempted to establish schools for poor children. The charges of Bishops Ryder and Ryle in 1816 and 1881 respectively reveal the views of Evangelicals who, at either end of the nineteenth century, had a forum for expressing their views from the pinnacle of the church establishment. The major text, the undergraduate diary of Francis Chavasse [1865-8], also written by a future bishop, provides a fascinating insight into the mind of a young Evangelical at Oxford, struggling with his conscience and his calling. Each text is presented with an introduction and notes. Contributors ANDREW ATHERSTONE, MARK SMITH, ANNE STOTT, MARTIN WELLINGS. MARK SMITH teaches at King's College, London; STEPHEN TAYLOR is Reader in Eighteenth Century History, University of Reading.Trade ReviewA useful collection of texts for anyone teaching an advanced course on either evangelicalism in general or on the 19th century Church of England. * REVUE D'HISTOIRE ECCLESIASTIQUE *The documents have been well chosen...they are also intrinsically significant. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW, February 2006 * . *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn important contribution to the understanding of twentieth-century Anglicanism and evangelicalism This volume makes a considerable contribution to the understanding of twentieth-century Anglicanism and evangelicalism. It includes an expansive introduction which both engages with recent scholarship and challenges existing narratives. The book locates the diverse Anglican evangelical movement in the broader fields of the history of English Christianity and evangelical globalisation. Contributors argue that evangelicals often engaged constructively with the wider Church of England, long before the 1967 Keele Congress, and displayed a greater internal party unity than has previously been supposed. Other significant themes include the rise of various 'neo-evangelicalisms', charismaticism, lay leadership, changing conceptions of national identity, and the importance of generational shifts. The volume also provides an analysis of major organisations, conferences and networks, including the Keswick Convention, Islington Conference and Nationwide Festival of Light. ANDREW ATHERSTONE is tutor in history and doctrine, and Latimer research fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. JOHN MAIDEN is lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the Open University. He is author of National Religion and the Prayer Book Controversy, 1927-1928 (The Boydell Press, 2009).Trade ReviewThis excellent collaborative volume.does much to redress previous neglect of 20th-century Anglican Evangelicalism by historians. * CHURCH TIMES *To understand Welby and Wright (and much else about contemporary Anglicanism) you need to read this book. This volume is a collection by leading historians which digs deep into the subject matter. There is a strong case for arguing that Anglicans are especially ignorant of our recent history. This book is a serious help in remedying that deficiency. -- David Goodhew * The Living Church *Table of ContentsAnglican Evangelicalism in the Twentieth Century: Identities and Contexts - Andrew Atherstone and John Maiden The Islington Conference - David W Bebbington The Anglican Evangelical Group Movement - Martin Wellings The Keswick Convention and Anglican Evangelical Tensions in the Early Twentieth Century - Ian Randall The Cheltenham and Oxford Conference of Evangelical Churchmen - Andrew Atherstone Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic Relations, 1928-1983 - John Maiden Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Evangelicals in the Church of England - Peter Webster Anglican Evangelicals and Anti-Permissiveness: The Nationwide Festival of Light, 1971-1983 - Matthew Grimley Evangelical Parish Ministry in the Twentieth Century - Mark Smith Evangelical Resurgence in the Church in Wales in the Mid-Twentieth Century - David Ceri Jones What Anglican Evangelicals in England Learned from the World, 1945-2000 - Alister Chapman Appendix 1: The Islington Conference Appendix 2: The Cheltenham and Oxford Conference of Evangelical Churchmen

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur evangelistic attempts can seem quite odd to a watching world. Most people today are not the slightest bit interested in hearing about Jesus. They tell us they are quite happy as they are, thank you very much. This book explains why such people think like this - and provides practical guidance on how we can reach them. It demonstrates ways in which we can help people to want to find out about Jesus, how we can then share the relevance of the gospel with them, how we can answer their difficult questions and, ultimately, how we can lead them in their first steps of faith in Christ. Evangelism is difficult. It always will be. But Nick's thoughtful and imaginative approach, irrepressible humour and infectious enthusiasm will certainly help to make it slightly less difficult.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume provides a comprehensive, thematic survey of the leading traits of worldwide evangelicalism between the 1850s and the 1890s. The discussion covers such topics as commonalities across denominational diversity; expression of faith in spirituality, worship, mission and social involvement; the legacy of the Enlightenment and the influence of Romanticism; and theological trends. The book argues that the movement was marked by a strong sense of global unity. It surveys a range of the era's best-known figures, including Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Dwight L. Moody, Ira D. Sankey, Lord Shaftesbury, David Livingstone, George Müller, Andrew Murray, James Hudson Taylor, and William and Catherine Booth.

Read more less