Theology Books

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Book SynopsisThe first intellectual history of interreligious dialogue, a relatively new and significant dimension of human religiosityTrade Review“Significant and deeply researched...A must-read on interfaith dialogue”—Brian Cooper, Church of England Newspaper“Howard makes a convincing case for the need for genuine interfaith dialogue [and his] concluding chapter brings the story of interfaith dialogue up to date.”—Ed Kessler, Times Literary Supplement“Howard has written a scholarly, finely crafted, and fascinating book…He gracefully deals with micro details, the different disciplines related to this field (sociology, history, philosophy, theology, and cultural studies), and the bigger landscape - moving from one to the other seamlessly and sympathetically.”—Gavin D’Costa, Journal of Religious History"The Faith of Others addresses this gap by examining the roots of the wider interfaith movement. A welcome addition to literature on interfaith work."—Deanna Ferree Womack, Scottish Journal of TheologyCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2022“Thomas Albert Howard has the gift of writing history in a captivating way, with great erudition and mastery of sources. This is a truly impressive piece of scholarship.”—Catherine Cornille, Boston College"A wonderfully illuminating book that shows how faith has been a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division across time and place. Highly recommended."—Eboo Patel, author of Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise“In an era overwhelmed by conflict, rage and hate, the brilliant historian Thomas Albert Howard shows us another side of ourselves: our extraordinary interest in the faith of others. Interreligious dialogue has become our defining theological concern today and Howard skillfully analyzes both its pitfalls and its potential for great contributions to a safer, peaceful world order.”—Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College “In rich detail, Howard tells the history of interreligious conversations and initiatives, from the birth of Christianity to the present when, after 9/11, the number centers, journals, dialogues increased exponentially. Theologically astute, his critical assessment of it all is bracing but hopeful.”—James L. Heft, S.M., University of Southern California “Cleverly rooting historical turning points in key influential geographical centers, Thomas Albert Howard engagingly traces the essential junctures of the dynamic history of interreligious dialogue from its forerunning harbingers to the ‘booming heyday’ of the present.”—Hans Gustafson, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of The Heart (out of print for nearly 30 years) is the flagship volume in a series of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s works to be published by St. Augustine’s Press in collaboration with the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project. Founded in 2004, the Legacy Project exists in the first place to translate the many German writings of von Hildebrand into English.While many revere von Hildebrand as a religious author, few realize that he was a philosopher of great stature and importance. Those who knew von Hildebrand as philosopher held him in the highest esteem. Louis Bouyer, for example, once said that “von Hildebrand was the most important Catholic philosopher in Europe between the two world wars.” Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger expressed even greater esteem when he said: “I am personally convinced that, when, at some time in the future, the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time.”The Heart is an accessible yet important philosophical contribution to the understanding of the human person. In this work von Hildebrand is concerned with rehabilitating the affective life of the human person. He thinks that for too long philosophers have held it in suspicion and thought of it as embedded in the body and hence as being much inferior to intellect and will. In reality, he argues, the heart, the center of affectivity, has many different levels, including an eminently personal level; at this level affectivity is just as important a form of personal life as intellect and will. Von Hildebrand develops the idea that properly personal affectivity, far than tending away from an objective relation to being, is in fact one major way in which we transcend ourselves and give being its due. Von Hildebrand also developed the important idea that the heart “in many respects is more the real self of the person than his intellect or will.”At the same time, the author shows full realism about the possible deformities of affective life; he offers rich analyses of what he calls affective atrophy and affective hypertrophy. The second half of The Heart offers a remarkable analysis of the affectivity of the God-Man.

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Book SynopsisLooking at Jesus as a complete human being and philosopher, explores the most radical revolution in the history of philosophy--the differences Jesus made to metaphysics, epistemology, anthropology, and philosophical ethics and politics.

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Book Synopsis`No true understanding of the world is possible without an understanding of the elementary kingdoms.’ – Oskar Kürten A hidden gem for students of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual-scientific research, Symphonies of Creation offers a breathtaking overview of the physical and metaphysical development of the world and humanity. In describing the elementary kingdoms, Kürten elucidates the exalted spiritual realms out of which all creation has arisen. These are the formative forces that provide successive life-waves of being with the subtle and physical forms through which their evolution becomes possible. He traces the beginnings of creation – an unformed `thought seed’ in the elementary kingdoms that is elaborated by hierarchical beings at all levels, through the planes of the spiritual, soul and physical worlds – to the manifold and evolving aspects of the human being. What emerges is a picture of astonishing complexity and beauty in which all spiritual beings connected with the earth, from the highest to the lowest, work together in symphonic harmony. Rudolf Steiner spoke on many occasions and in different places of these elementary kingdoms and the multiple processes that take place within them. Kürten has sought out these references, meditated on their content and re-presents it here in an inwardly coherent synthesis. Even for those who have been studying anthroposophy for decades, this book can offer startlingly fresh insights. Symphonies of Creation is the life’s work of a man who, due to severe deafness, led a retiring existence. His inner work, however, was full of life – the results of which are presented in this inspiring study.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Paul King – I. The Elementary Kingdoms, 1. The elementary kingdoms as time periods and as realms of beings, 2. The Three Worlds and the Spirit World in particular, 2.1 F The Three Worlds, 2.2 The World of Spirits, 3. The elementary kingdoms as form-creating thought-seed beings and as the shaping forces of the kingdoms of nature, 4. The entrance of the elementary kingdoms into earth evolution and how they appear to clairvoyant vision, 5. The elementary kingdoms' formative forces as divine sacrifice, 6. The elementary kingdoms as the life kernels of the kingdoms of nature, Life Kernels, The life kernels' unfolding of being through group egos, Working-together of elementary kingdoms and the group egos, The elementary kingdoms and the states of matter, 7. Substances in the subtle `garments' of the life kernel, 7.1 The primordial substance and its forms of densification, 7.2 Substances as living beings, 8. The elementary kingdoms and the beings of the elemental world, 9. Influence of the elementary kingdoms on sleeping human beings, 10. The elementary kingdoms as hidden predisposition in the human members-of-being, 10.1 The relation of the elementary kingdoms to the lower human members-of-being and to the third hierarchy, 10.2 The future development of the higher members-of-being – 11. The Shaping of the Human Members-of-Being by the Elementary Kingdoms, 11.1 The Creation of the lower members-of-being, 11.2 Laying down the rudiments of the higher members of the human being, 12. The passage of the earth through the elementary kingdoms and the Stages of Form – II. The Elemental World – 1. The elemental world as the world of etheric forces, 2. Attributes of the elemental world, 3. The structuring of the ethers in the earth's physical Stage of Form – III. The Spiritual Organism of the earth-Planetary Spirit (a fragment) – Appendix, Overview of Stages of Evolution, Regions of the Spirit World – Bibliography – Further Reading

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Book SynopsisThe first volume in the new Short Studies in Systematic Theology series explores why theology is important and how to derive good theology from Scripture.

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Book SynopsisIs everything a Christian does ‘mission’, or does it only count when we speak about Jesus and share the gospel? Does mission include volunteering at the food bank, campaigning for justice and providing aid overseas? As the needs around us multiply and opposition to the gospel intensifies, this question ‘Is everything mission?’ becomes even more important for us to wrestle with. Tim Chester’s 2018 Keswick Convention lecture helps us unpack what mission is and the role that God wants you, your church, your mission agency, to play.

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Book SynopsisThe renowned scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author widely considered to be the heir to C. S. Lewis contemplates the central event at the heart of the Christian faith—Jesus’ crucifixion—arguing that the Protestant Reformation did not go far enough in transforming our understanding of its meaning.In The Day the Revolution Began, N. T. Wright once again challenges commonly held Christian beliefs as he did in his acclaimed Surprised by Hope. Demonstrating the rigorous intellect and breathtaking knowledge that have long defined his work, Wright argues that Jesus’ death on the cross was not only to absolve us of our sins; it was actually the beginning of a revolution commissioning the Christian faithful to a new vocation—a royal priesthood responsible for restoring and reconciling all of God’s creation. Wright argues that Jesus’ crucifixion must be understood within the much larger story of God’s pu

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Book SynopsisTucked away at the end of the Minor Prophets, the Books of Haggai and Zechariah offer messages of challenge and hope to residents of the small district of Yehud in the Persian Empire in the generations after the return from Babylonian exile. In this volume, Robert Foster focuses on the distinct theological message of each book. The Book of Haggai uses Israel''s foundational event - God''s salvation of Israel from Egypt - to exhort the people to finish building the Second Temple. The Book of Zechariah argues that the hopes the people had in the prophet Zechariah''s days did not come true because the people failed to keep God''s long-standing demand for justice, though hope still lies in the future because of God''s character. Each chapter in this book closes with a substantive reflection of the ethics of the major sections of the Books of Haggai and Zechariah and their implications for contemporary readers.Trade Review'Foster majors on these minor prophets, often ignored as a theological resource for contemporary communities of faith. His accessible interpretations arise from careful exegesis rooted in the texts' original contexts. But he never stops with exegesis, always engaging these texts for theological and especially ethical purposes as he provides provocative and relevant connections to the burning issues of our day.' Mark J. Boda, Ph.D. (Cantab.), Professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada'His book is an addition to a larger series of Old Testament Theology … has written a book that has potential for wide use in both church and academy. It is written in a manner that can be engaged by non specialists as well as professional Bible students. It is both informative and provoking of sustained reflection and ecclesiastical action.' Warner M. Bailey, Horizons in Biblical Theory'This is a very good book for clergy seeking to preach on these relatively unknown books in the OT …' Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, Journal for the Study of the Old TestamentTable of Contents1. Prophets to a remnant; 2. I am with you: The Book of Haggai; 3. Return to YHWH: the introduction to The Book of Zechariah; 4. YHWH has returned to you: Zechariah's vision; 5. Love truth and peace; 6. Victory for the house of Judah, salvation for the house of Joseph; 7. Woe to the worthless shepherd; 8. On that day; 9. The theology of the books of Haggai and Zechariah within the Old Testament.

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Book SynopsisThis accessible volume offers a selection from the 32 volumes of Newman's letters to present a more personal depiction of John Henry Newman.Trade ReviewNo one, to my mind, has ever written a biography of Newman which quite captures him. This book does so, however, in all his paradoxical greatness. Thank you, Mgr Strange. * A.N. Wilson, The Tablet *Highly recommended * Church of England Newspaper *A fascinating glimpse into this extraordinary mind * Catholic Herald *There is much pleasure in this book; and the letters could just as easily be read one or a few at a time as chapter by chapter. It will be a valuable tool for anyone wishing to get to know Newman's character better in the company of a sensitive guide. * Serenhedd James, Church Times *informative and fascinating * Steve Craggs, Northern Echo *Roderick Strange has performed a great service to all who would study theology in our own climate and culture. At times the letters are tantalising and one would like to see both sides of the correspondence. Nonetheless, Strange clarifies much in his ample notes, and it is of the nature of a 'life through letters' that it must be a semi-autobiographical journey. This is an excellent addition to Newman studies. * Stephen Platten, Crucible *Newman lives again in every pafe of this remarkable collection. * Paul Deal, The New Criterion *Reading this book leads one to discover (or rediscover) a rich and fascinating personality, and creates a desire to plunge further into certain exchanges of letters or the development of certain themes and ideas. It cannot fail to appeal to a non-specialist readership desirous of knowing Newman better, and as well as being a source of delight to specialists to inspire them to read further in the 32 volumes of the Letters and Diaries * Keith Beaumont, Etudes newmaniennes *Great writers are not always great letter-writers: Charles Dickens was, George Eliot wasn't. John Henry Newman, one of the great Victorian prose writers, was also one of our great letter-writers, whose extant letters fill thirty-two daunting volumes, which Roderick Strange has now made accessible with this carefully chosen and excellently introduced selection. * Ian Ker *This admirable anthology will enable many to discover Newman as a correspondent who is a brilliant stylist, a sharp--and sometimes humorous--observer of humanity, and an incisive theological teacher, who still has much to say not only to Anglicans and Catholics but to many more today. * Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey Rowell *Those who delve into the life and thought of John Henry Newman are inevitably daunted by the sheer wealth of material available, including Newman's own voluminous writings. By means of a judicious selection of Newman's letters, set clearly against the background out of which they emerged, Roderick Strange succeeds in providing his readers with a comprehensive and nuanced portrait of the complex genius who was John Henry Newman. This work confirms Newman's own claim that "a man's life lies in his letters". * Terrence Merrigan *These wonderful letters help us to understand how friendship was at the heart of Newman's life. We see here practical active charity and, of course, his wonderful, sensitive master of the English language. * Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. *This admirable anthology will enable many to discover Newman as a correspondent who is a brilliant stylist, a sharp--and sometimes humorous--observer of humanity, and an incisive theological teacher, who still has much to say not only to Anglicans and Catholics but to many more today. * The Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey Rowell, Emeritus Fellow, Keble College, Oxford, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe 2001-2013 *the outstanding nature of the editor's achievement ... a volume which will long remain as an introduction, companion, and guide to Newman's writings. * Dermot Fenlon, The Furrow *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction A Chronology of John Henry Newman 1: Early Years (1801-33) 2: The Oxford Movement (1833-39) 3: Under Siege (1839-43) 4: From Oxford to Rome (1843-46) 5: Early Catholic Years (1846-51) 6: The Pressure of Crises (1852-58) 7: Dark Days (1859-63) 8: The Apologia and the Oxford Mission (1863-65) 9: Answering Pusey and Anticipating the Vatican Council (1865-69) 10: Vatican I and Answering Gladstone (1870-76) 11: Honorary Fellow of Trinity and Cardinal (1876-81) 12: Final Year (1881-90) Index of Correspondents

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Book SynopsisSince their discovery in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls have become an icon in popular culture that transcends their status as ancient Jewish manuscripts. Everyone has heard of the Scrolls, but amidst the conspiracies, the politics, and the sensational claims, it can be difficult to separate the myths from the reality. In this Very Short introductions, Timothy Lim discusses the cultural significance of the finds, and the religious, political and legal controversies during the seventy years of study since the discovery. He also looks at the contribution the Scrolls have made to our understanding of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, and the origins of early Christianity. Exploring the most recent scholarly discussions on the archaeology of Khirbet Qumran, and the study of the biblical texts, the canon, and the history of the Second Temple Period, he considers what the scrolls reveal about sectarianism in early Judaism. Was the archaeological site of Qumran a centre of monastic life, a fortress, a villa, or a pottery factory? Why were some of their biblical texts so different from the ones that we read today? Did they have ''a Bible''? Who were the Essenes and why did they think that humanity is to be divided between ''the sons of light'' and those in darkness? And, finally, do the Scrolls reflect the teachings of the earliest followers of Jesus? ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis very short introduction is an accessible book that arouses the interest of readers and teases their curiosity to learn more ... In his ability to synthesize and fascinate, Lim shows his almost thirty years of know-how in the study and teaching of the Dead Sea Scrolls. * Daniele Minisini, Review of Biblical Literature *A very helpful, personal, and enjoyable introduction. * Emanuel Tov, The Expository Times *Having read a number of books previously on this subject, I have a basic knowledge of the subject, but after reading Lim's book, I feel my knowledge has grown quite significantly ... A fascinating subject, treated with down-to-earth gusto, but with a reverence for the unique and astounding discovery it is. * Sandra Callard, On: Yorkshire Magazine *impressively broad-ranging and useful * Vulpes Libris *Marvellously concise and elegantly written, this book is a masterful introduction to the main issues relating to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Scrolls in a nutshell! * John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale a *...an excellent, brief, but thorough introduction... Lim provides an authoritative guide to the contents and significance of the scrolls as ancient documents of major religious importance. That would be enough to ask, but he also provides a fascinating account of how these documents have played a role in modern copyright law and have become a focus for polemically tinged religious conspiracy theories. What a story! * Carol A. Newsom, C. H. Candler Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, Emory University *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisWithin the field of Islamic Studies, scientific research of Muslim theology is a comparatively young discipline. Much progress has been achieved over the past decades with respect both to discoveries of new materials and to scholarly approaches to the field. The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Theology provides a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the current state of the field. It provides a variegated picture of the state of the art and at the same time suggests new directions for future research. Part One covers the various strands of Islamic theology during the formative and early middle periods, rational as well as scripturalist. To demonstrate the continuous interaction among the various theological strands and its repercussions (during the formative and early middle period and beyond), Part Two offers a number of case studies. These focus on specific theological issues that have developed through the dilemmatic and often polemical interactions between the different theological schools and thinkers. Part Three covers Islamic theology during the later middle and early modern periods. One of the characteristics of this period is the growing amalgamation of theology with philosophy (Peripatetic and Illuminationist) and mysticism. Part Four addresses the impact of political and social developments on theology through a number of case studies: the famous mi?na instituted by al-Ma''mun (r. 189/813-218/833) as well as the mihna to which Ibn ''Aqil (d. 769/1367) was subjected; the religious policy of the Almohads; as well as the shifting interpretations throughout history (particularly during Mamluk and Ottoman times) of the relation between Ash''arism and Maturidism that were often motivated by political motives. Part Five considers Islamic theological thought from the end of the early modern and during the modern period.Trade ReviewA collection of forty-one innovative articles, the volume widens the scope of scholarship to include geographical areas and theological topics that have remained explored... the Oxford Handbook of Islamic Theology is a go-to place for the latest scholarship on Islamic theologies that flourished in diverse Islamic lands, and for lucid expositions of a number of philosophical and theological difficulties that the mutakallimun sought to resolve. * Tariq Jaffer, Department of Religion, Amherst College *Given its scope and the uniformly high quality of the essays, this volume will be an excellent resource/textbook for those interested in Islamic theology and philosophy. Summing up: Highly recommended. * CHOICE *The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Theology is an impressive encyclopaedic work, accessible and yet comprehensive, on the latest and most authoritative research on Islamic theology. This is the place to start for any student or early researcher in Islamic theology, and certainly a work that I highly recommend. * Abdessamad Belhaj, MTA-SZTE Research Group for the Study of Religious Culture, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *Table of ContentsSabine Schmidkte: Introduction Part I: Islamic Theolog(ies) during the formative and the Early Middle Period 1: Alexander Treiger: Origins of Kal=am 2: Steven Judd: The Early Qadariyya 3: Cornelia Schöck: Jahm b. .Safw=an (d. 128/745-46) and the "Jahmiyya" and .Dir=ar b. Amr (d. 200/815) 4: Mohammed-Ali Amir-Moezzi: Early Sh=i"=i Theology 5: Sidney Griffith: Excursus I: Christian Theological Thought during the First "Abb=asid Century 6: Patricia Crone: Excursus II: Ungodly Cosmologies 7: Racha el-Omari: The Mu"tazilite movement (I): Origins 8: David Bennett: The Mu"tazilite movement (II): The Early Phase 9: Sabine Schmidtke: The Mu"tazilite movement (III): The Scholastic Phase 10: Hassan Ansari and Sabine Schmidtke: The Sh=i"=i Reception of Mu"tazilism (I): Zayd=is 11: Hassan Ansari and Sabine Schmidtke: The Sh=i"=i Reception of Mu"tazilism (II): Twelver Sh=i"ites 12: Harith Bin Ramli: The Predecessors of Ash;"arism: Ibn Kull=ab, al-Mu.h=asib=i, and al-Qal=anis=i 13: Jan Thiele: Ash"arism in the East and the West 14: Wilferd Madelung: Ib=a.diyya 15: Aron Zysow: Karr=amiyya 16: Binyamin Abrahamov: Scripturalist and Traditionalist Theology 17: Ulrich Rudolph: .Hanaf=i Theological Tradition and M=aturidism 18: Peter Adamson: Philosophical Theology 19: Daniel de Smet: Ism=a"=il=i Theology 20: Martin Nguyen: Sufi Theological Thought Part II: Intellectual Interactions of Islamic theology(ies)-Four Case Studies 21: Ulrich Rudolph: Occasionalism 22: Jan Thiele: Ab=u H=ashim al-Jubb=a"=i's (d. 321/933) Theory of the States (a.hw=al) and its Adaptation among Ash"arite Theologians 23: Ayman Shihadeh: Theories of Ethical Value in Kal=am: A New Interpretation 24: Khaled el-Rouayheb: Theology and Logic Part III: Islamic Theology(ies) During the Later Middle and Early Modern Period 25: Frank Griffel: Theology versus Philosophy: al-Ghaz=al=i's Tah=afut al-fal=asifa and Ibn al-Mal=a.him=i's Tu.hfat al-mutakallim=in fi l-radd "al=a l-fal=asifa 26: Reza Pourjavady and Sabine Schmidtke: Twelver Sh=i"ite Theology 27: Hassan Ansari, Sabine Schmidtke, and Jan Thiele: Zayd=i Theology in Yemen 28: Heidrun Eichner: Handbooks in the Tradition of Later Eastern Ash"arism 29: Delfina Serrano: Later Ash"arism in the Islamic West 30: Aaron Spevack: Egypt and the later Ash"arite School 31: Gregor Schwarb: Excursus III: The Coptic and Syriac Receptions of neo-Ash"arite Theology 32: M. Sait Ozervarli: Theology in the Ottoman Lands 33: Nathan Spannaus: Theology in Central Asia 34: Asad Q. Ahmed and Reza Pourjavady: Theology in the Indian Subcontinent 35: Jon Hoover: .Hanbal=i Theology Part IV: Political and Social History and its Impact on Theology: Four Case Studies 36: Nimrod Hurvitz: al-Ma"m=un (r. 189/813-218/833) and the Mi.hna 37: Livnat Holtzman: The Mi.hna of Ibn "Aq=il (d. 513/1119) and the Fitnat Ibn al-Qushayr=i 38: Maribel Fierro: The Religious Policy of the Almohads 39: Lutz Berger: Interpretations of Ash"arism and M=atur=idism among Mamluks and Ottomans Part V: Islamic Theological Thought from the end of the Early Modern Period through the Modern Period 40: Rotraud Wielandt: Main Trends of Islamic Theological Thought from the late 19th Century to Present Times 41: Johanna Pink: Striving for a New Exegesis of the Qur"=an

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Book SynopsisEugene Peterson''s Spiritual Theology series provides a completely fresh evaluation of Christian Spirituality, past, present and future.The best-selling author of THE MESSAGE Bible, draws on the very latest scholarship and understanding of biblical revelation, and will represent the most thorough and significant work on contemporary Christian Spirituality by an evangelical author. Most writings in the field of spiritual theology represent mere dabblings. The more significant endeavours are impenetrably academic. Petrson''s masterwork, which has been years in the making, is designed for those who are comfortable with being stretched, as well as pastors, academics and lay leaders. CHRIST PLAYS IN TEN THOUSAND PLACES is Book One in a five-part series, and concentrates on ''clearing the playing field'', evaluating spirituality as it is understood today.Also available in the Spiritual Theology series: Eat This Book, The Jesus Way, The Word Made Flesh and Practise Resurrection.Trade ReviewThis rich book makes us alert to the way Christ is present in the world and in the Church. It helps us to deepen our appreciation of Christ and what he has done. * Alister McGrath *Eugene Peterson knows how to share Biblical and theological insights in ways that both inform and excite his readers, and in this work he excels even his own high standards. He will inspire readers who wish to express their spirituality in ways that connect with the realities of everyday experience as well as being true to the historic Christian faith. * John Drane *The author is to be thanked and congratulated for addressing two of the most fundamental problems that face Christianity today: first, that our talk about God (theology) has cut adrift from our experience of God (spirituality) and secondly, that spirituality itself has become so abstract that it fails to focus on the ordinary, everyday material conditions of our existence, which is the only place we can meet God.Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places is a book for all places, for all times, for all peoples and for all situations, however tragic and hopefless they may seem to be. * Gerard Hughes *

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Book SynopsisTrinitarian in its foundation, pneumatological in its impetus, and comprehensive in its scope, Third Article Theology (TAT) is both a method and a theology. As a method, TAT intentionally views reality through the lens of the Spirit. As a theology, the insights that arise from an approach that prioritizes pneumatology are deep and rich, offering a penetrating vision into today''s central and defining theological issues. This volume introduces the reader to the methodology of TAT and some of the many theological insights that have arisen from its utilization. Further, it provides the tools and techniques to invite and inform the reader to participate in the efficient and pastoral exercise of viewing reality from a pneumatological perspective, to catch a vision of the world as infused with the power, presence, and potential of the Spirit, and to lead their lives accordingly. Designed for classroom use, it includes several pedagogical features such

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Book Synopsis* Collects the work of a prominent writer and serving bishop on the history of Christian theology and spirituality. * Brings together Rowan Williamsa theological essays with studies of wider issues from a theological point of view. * Includes an introduction to his work by Bishop Williams. .Trade Review"I believe Rowan Williams is one of the most creative and profound theologians writing in the latter half of the twentieth century. There is extraordinary significance to bringing together many of these essays into one book which makes them available to a wider public." L. Gregory Jones, Duke University "A sustained and remarkably coherent essay on the daunting task of doing theology today. They again show him to be a theologian of immense erudition and maturity, and, perhaps more importantly, of fine sensitivity to the subterfuges of human frailty."Times Literary Supplement "It is certainly a thought-provoking book; and if it gets people thinking honestly and deeply about the problems it discusses, then I am sure its author will be satisfied." Church Times "Few contemporary theologians could offer such an exhilarating, authoritative and properly demanding exploration of what it means to do Christian theology. A companion volume on Christian ethics would be more than welcome." Nicholas Sagovsky, University of Newcastle. "Rowan Williams speaks out of a fund of learning and pastoral experience which has made him arguably the most distinguished theologian in the English-speaking world. In Williams' hands the language of finality and universal significance gains unexpected energy." The Way. "[On Christian Theology] exhibits a distinctive theological posture...having remarkable and deep internal coherence. His terms of engagement do not so much incite challenge and response as provoke fresh and more supple thinking of one's own. And that provocation is accompanied by the intense esthetic satisfaction of being drawn into the intellectual dance of so nimble and inventive a theological sensibility." David H. Kelsey, Yale Divinity School. "The range of these essays, the importance of the subjects they treat, and, of course, Williams's erudition all mean that these essays will need to be taken seriously. A wide range of readers will owe Williams a debt of gratitude for the scatter of characteristically brilliant insights in these essays." The Heythrop Journal "All in all, this is a valuable and stumulating book - one to which the reader will want to return." Studies in World ChristianityTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Preface. Prologue. 1. Defining the Enterprise. Theological Integrity. The Unity of Christian Truth. The Judgement of the World. The Discipline of Scripture. 2. The Act of God. On Being Creatures. Beginning with the Incarnation. The Finality of Christ. Word and Spirit. 3. The Grammar of God. Trinity and Revelation. Trinity and Ontology. Trinity and Pluralism. 4. Making Signs. Between the Cherubim: the Empty Tomb and the Empty Throne. The Nature of a Sacrament. Sacraments of the New Society. 5. Living the Mystery. Incarnation and the Renewal of Community. Interiority and Epiphany: a Reading in New Testament Ethics. Resurrection and Peace: More on New Testament Ethics. 'Nobody Knows Who I Am Till the Judgement Morning'. Index.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume, Charles Taliaferro and Jil Evans promote aesthetic personalism by examining three domains of aesthetics - the philosophy of beauty, aesthetic experience, and philosophy of art - through the lens of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, theistic Hinduism, and the all-seeing Compassionate Buddha. These religious traditions assume an inclusive, overarching God''s eye, or ideal point of view, that can create an emancipatory appreciation of beauty and goodness. This appreciation also recognizes the reality and value of the aesthetic experience of persons and deepens the experience of art works. The authors also explore and contrast the invisibility of persons and God. The belief that God or the sacred is invisible does not mean God or the sacred cannot be experienced through visual and other sensory or unique modes. Conversely, the assumption that human persons are thoroughly visible, or observable in all respects, ignores how racism and other forms of bias render persons invisible Trade Review'The theme of this book is unusual and important, and is impressive in its combination of art, philosophy, and religion. Readable, attractive, and interesting, it is an excellent contribution by major scholars to this series.' Keith Ward, University of Roehampton and Christ Church College, Oxford University'Rich, inventive and multi-layered, Is God Invisible brims with ideas and insights drawn from philosophy and several religious traditions. The comparison between the invisiblility and visibility of God in the world and our own visibility and invisibility to each other through our personal embodiment is highly suggestive. The subsequent discussion of the way works of art can reveal our values and minds, including aspects of a time or culture which, though evident to an all-seeing God, may be hidden to us, is interesting. In sum, a book which will repay study and reflection on many levels.' Anthony O'Hear, University of Buckingham'This engaging book reflects conversations between the authors - an artist and a philosopher - and with others who offer alternative proposals. A prodigious amount and quality of research establishes the authors' claim that a 'God's eye view,' the 'view from everywhere,' is central to five world religions and secular naturalism, establishing an intimate connection, 'an aesthetic personalism,' at the core of aesthetic and religious experience. Is God Invisible? demonstrates that thinking that God is not a visual object 'does not preclude the idea that God is manifested in visual and other modes of experience.' For the reader, the take-away is enriched and integrated experience that heals the Western tendency to distinguish and thus, in effect to separate religious and aesthetic experience.' Margaret Miles, Emerita Professor of the History of Christianity The Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley'What does it mean to describe God as invisible? How does this relate to God's transcendence? And in what sense, if any, can God be manifested in experience? Taliaferro and Evans offer an important, timely, and original contribution to these pressing questions, writing with erudition, enthusiasm, and depth, and engaging with a huge variety of thinkers and artists who have engaged with the relevant issues. Their approach is truly interdisciplinary, it cuts across the supposed distinction between analytic and continental philosophy, and it offers a compelling framework in terms of which to comprehend the relation between self and God. This remarkable book is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy of religion, theology, aesthetics, and the question of life's meaning.' Fiona Ellis, University of Roehampton'This book offers valuable conceptual resources to challenge the idea that secular worlds are (at least) equal in truth and value to religious worlds.' Clare Carlisle, Times Literary Supplement'This is an important and creative work which suggests fresh ways to think about how the invisible - whether human or divine persons - can be encountered through what is seen.' Harold A. Netland, Religious Studies Review'… the book is a worthwhile project and repays reading, it is both refreshing to have so many insights brought together and very worthwhile to consider the big picture the authors offer.' Mikołaj Sławkowski-Rode, The Philosophical QuarterlyTable of ContentsIntroduction: The View from Everywhere; 1. Aesthetic Personalism; 2. Is God Invisible?; 3. The Gates of Perception; 4. The Perception of Gates; 5. The Beautiful Gate; 6. Revealing and Concealing; 7. Public Perception of Religious and Art Objects; 8. A Personal Guide to the Aesthetic Experience of Works of Art; Epilogue.

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Book SynopsisThis illuminating and insightful book analyzes problems with the culture's underlying worldviews and suggests how Christians can offer solutions to current problems as a way to rebuild culture and faith.

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Book SynopsisKeep in Step with the Spirit by late theologian J. I. Packer is a helpful guide to the Holy Spirit that is both conversational in tone and comprehensive in scope, revealing who the Spirit is and howhe is active in the lives of believers.

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Book SynopsisOne of Scotland’s most popular theologians traces the theological debates and disagreements of the eighteenth century The eighteenth century saw many changes within the Scottish church. The Kirk was divided by the Patronage Act of 1712 into Moderates (men favoured by the landed gentry) and Evangelicals (men favoured by the people). The Marrow Controversy highlighted theological strife within the Church. Ebenezer Erskine’s Protest against patronage led to the first major rift in the Church of Scotland with the Secession of 1733. Through all these, Donald Macleod is our reliable guide. Drawing attention to the major characters of the period and gives a faithful account of the theological discussions, including the social, economic, ethnic, and personal factors involved. He also subjects these discussions to theological evaluation. A fascinating look at a crucial period for anyone with an interest in theological history.Trade ReviewWhat you are thus holding is not only the mature assessment of a crucial era in Scottish church history and theology by one of Scotland’s most important contemporary theologians but his last word. -- Ligon Duncan (Chancellor and CEO, Reformed Theological Seminary)Anyone interested in the rich and consequential history of the Scottish church will benefit immensely from this well–written, deeply learned, carefully judicious, and engrossing work. It is superb from start to finish. Surely, this series of volumes is destined to become a standard work in the field of Scottish ecclesiastical history and theology. -- Kevin DeYoung (Senior Pastor, Christ Covenant Church, Matthews, North Carolina)This is Scottish Church history and theology as only the late Donald Macleod could tell it. In these to–be–treasured pages his unmatched knowledge of Scotland’s pastor–theologians combines with an obvious love for both them and their theology. -- Sinclair B. Ferguson (Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi)Professor Macleod … has a practical purpose, to expound the teaching of the eighteenth century about the experience of grace so as to give insight into the same experience in the twenty–first century. -- David Bebbington (Professor of History, University of Stirling, Stirling)

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Book SynopsisOutreach 2022 Resource of the Year (Apologetics) 2021 Book Award Winner, The Gospel Coalition (Evangelism & Apologetics) Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics & Evangelism) Southwestern Journal of Theology 2021 Book Award (Honorable Mention, Christian Worldview/Apologetics) It has never been more important to articulate the wonder and enchantment of the Christian message. Yet the traditional approaches of apologetics are often outmoded in an age of profound disenchantment and distraction, unable to meet this pressing need. This winsome apologetics book for a new generation makes the case that Christianity offers a compelling explanatory framework for making sense of our world. Pastor and writer Gavin Ortlund believes it is essential to appeal not only to the mind but also to the heart and the imagination as we articulate the beauty of the gospel. Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't reimagines four classical theistic arguments--cosmological, teleological, moral, and Christological--making a cumulative case for God as the best framework for understanding the storied nature of reality. The book suggests that Christian theism can explain such things as the elegance of math, the beauty of music, and the value of love. It is suitable for use in classes yet accessibly written, making it a perfect resource for churches and small groups.Table of ContentsContentsPrefaceIntroduction: Beauty, Story, and Probability in the Question of God1. The Cause of the World: Why Something Is More Plausible (and Much More Interesting) Than Nothing2. The Meaning of the World: Why Things like Music, Math, and Love Make More Sense If There Is a God3. The Conflict of the World: Why Good and Evil Shape the Plot of Every Story You've Ever Heard4. The Hope of the World: Why Easter Means Happiness beyond Your Wildest DreamsConclusion: Moving Forward with ProbabilitiesIndexes

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Book SynopsisBestselling author John Piper explores fifty things that Jesus accomplished through his death on the cross.

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Book SynopsisWhat is the best framework for reading the Bible? The question of how to relate the Old and New Testaments is as old as the Bible itself. While most Protestants are unified on the foundations, there are major disagreements on particular issues. Who should be baptized? Is the Christian obligated to obey the Law of Moses? Does the church supplant Israel? Who are the proper recipients of God's promises to Israel? In Discontinuity to Continuity, Benjamin Merkle brings light to the debates between dispensational and covenantal theological systems. Merkle identifies how Christians have attempted to relate the Testaments, placing viewpoints along a spectrum of discontinuity to continuity. Each system's concerns are sympathetically summarized and critically evaluated. Through his careful exposition of these frameworks, Merkle helps the reader understand the key issues in the debate. Providing more light than heat, Merkle's book will help all readers better appreciate other perspectives and articulate their own.

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Book SynopsisLearn the Key Teachings of the Bible that Every Christian Should Know. Now Revised and Updated. Over 300,000 Copies Sold! Not every Christian needs to go to seminary, but there are key teachings of the Bible that every Christian should know. Whether you're a relatively new believer in Jesus or a mature Christian looking for a better understanding of basics of the faith, Christian Beliefs is for you. This simple and clear guide to twenty basic Christian beliefs condenses respected pastor's Wayne Grudem's award-winning book Systematic Theology, prized by pastors and teachers everywhere. He and his son, pastor Elliot Grudem, have created a reader-friendly guide for everyday Christians. Each brief chapter concludes with questions for personal review or group discussion. In this revised and updated edition of Christian Beliefs, you will learn about: The Bible and its authority for our lives The characteristics of God The importance of prayer Angels and the reality of spiritual warfare What it means that we are created in the image of God What God has done for us in Christ The purpose of the church What will happen when Christ returns The biblical understanding of heaven And much more Christian Beliefs is the ideal book for every Christian who wants a solid foundation for understanding the most basic and essential teachings of the Bible.

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Book SynopsisIntroduced by Russell Moore. How do we respond to the sheer wonder of the incarnation of God’s Son? Mary responded to the announcement of the birth of the Saviour with a song of praise. Her words were deep and with feeling – truly an experience which had affected her inner being. Yes, she was confused at first but she was willing to submit to God. She praises God for His character and for keeping His promises even when circumstances seemed to contradict that with the long wait over centuries for the Messiah. In this delightful book, co–published with Bryntirion Press, Martyn Lloyd–Jones meditates on Mary’s Song of Praise and applies it to our lives. He looks at our response to God and how God deals with us. We find that the new birth is all of God and nothing of ourselves.Trade Review"If we will listen to her, and sing with her, we can grow to see the offspring of the woman in all his might and all his fragility, in his justice and in his mercy. This book will drive you to that Virgin's Song-and beyond it, to the gospel, in ways you don't expect by walking you through the tension between Bethlehem and Armageddon. In the end, I decided not to take a break from Revelation for Christmas. And it was the Magnificat that changed my mind, for many of the reasons the great Lloyd-Jones lays out with such clarity in this book. The Mother of our Lord set the tone when she sang of God's mercy to his people, of his faithfulness to his covenant promises." -- Russell D. Moore (President, The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission)

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Book SynopsisPersonal reflections on Judaism and warTrade ReviewThe author's goal in this deeply personal and thought provoking book is to challenge conventional perspectives on peace and war and reconcile the bellicosity found in religion with its messages of peace. And yet, as personal as this book is, A Prophetic Peace makes its greatest impact when Isaacs culls through fascinating rabbinic and philosophical material by Ludwig Wittgenstein, Jacques Derrida, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Martin Buber, among others. * www.jewishbookcouncil.org *[S]tress[es] the importance of the historical prophets to Jewish sensibility.43.1 Autumn 2013 * JOURNAL OF PALESTINE STUDIES *[T]his is un-put-down-able, real philosophy for the real world, with some parting anecdotes that show that you can lead an extremist to dialogue even if you can't make him agree! If you're interested in philosophy, read it; if you're interested in religion, read it; and if you're interested in peace, read it. * Ebor *While Isaacs writes mostly for an Israeli audience, his details, insights, and scholarly analysis would also interest non-Jews that want to learn more about Judaism, Rabbinic philosophy, and the internal struggle of a Zionist who longs for peace. * middleeastexperience.com *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPreface – Lebanon II1 – Politics, Anti-Politics and Religion2 - Irenic Scholarship3 – Theological Disarmament4 - Deconstruction and the Prophetic Voice5 – Prophetic Peace6 – The Rabbinic Voice7 – A Prayer for Peace8 – Peace EducationAfterword – Beating SoftlyNotes BibliographyIndex

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

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisA study of George Campbell. It argues that while Campbell's scholarly and scientific interests made him as much a man of the Enlightenment as his contemporaries Voltaire and Hume, he used the critical tools of the Enlightenment to defend a sincere and orthodox Christian faith.

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Book SynopsisFrancisco Suarez was one of the most important philosophers and theologians of Early Modern Scholasticism. Although Suarez spent most of his academic career as a professor of theology, he is better known today for his Metaphysical Disputations. This volume contains a facing-page English translation of Metaphysical Disputations III & IV.

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Book SynopsisIn 1998, a Mexican American woman named Estela Ruiz began seeing visions of the Virgin Mary in south Phoenix. Based on ten years of participant observation and in-depth interviews, this book traces the spiritual transformation of Ruiz, the development of the community that has sprung up around her, and the international expansion of their message.Trade ReviewThis wonderfully written study, one of the most comprehensive and insightful books about modern Marian apparitions in North America, takes the story from the Virgin's first appearance to a feminist professional woman distressed by family burdens, through the widening sphere of the apparitions' impact on family and community, to the cult's ultimate role as a national and international vehicle for Catholic evangelizing, especially among Hispanics. * CHOICE, highly recommended *This is a respectful, sensitive, clearly written book in which the author seeks to resolve the alien ethnographer's dilemma by & writing like a relative. The reader's reward is a rich sense of the circumstances and struggles of at least some Mexican Americans in South Phoenix to make a good life in the contemporary United States that balances faith and family with education, material strivings, professional growth, discrimination, and personal suffering in ways that begin to bridge the conceptual divide between official and popular religion. * American Ethnologist *A thorough ethnography that sweeps the reader into the world of Marian visionary Estela Ruiz, her family and followers, and the evangelizing ministries they have created in South Phoenix. . . . Fascinating. -- Timothy Matovina,Director, Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, University of Notre DameThis book stands as an intimate portrait of the visionary; 'a woman torn between the individualism she enjoyed in the & Anglo world and her familial commitments in her Mexican-American home * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *A compelling account of Marian devotion as ‘lived religion’ * Sociology of Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments' IntroductionFe(Faith), Familia (Family), and Communidad (Community): Mexican American Devotion to the Virgin Mary Estela Ruiz and the Virgin of the Americas: An Intimate Relationship From the Devil to Mary: The Ruiz Family Narratives Battling Satan: The Blessed Mother's Messages of Healing, Hope, and Urgency "On Fire for Mary and Jesus!": Becoming New Men and Women in Mary's Ministries Catholic Evangelization: Fighting "Fire with Fire" Corporate Evangelizers:A Family's "Vision" for South Phoenix Hope and Healing: The Dialectics of Faith and Place Conclusion: Grassroots Catholicism Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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