Most of us think that theology is what you do if you haven't got a life. At best, we think it needs to be practical to be of any use. But theology is in fact all about life and how we live it as God's people. No matter how theology-phobic you feel, David Hoyle is here to help. Using the familiar pattern of the church year, he explores the core building blocks of Christian theology, and what each one means for how we live. He covers: - God as ruler and judge of all (Advent) - The incarnation (Christmas) - Forgiveness (Ash Wednesday) - Redemption (Good Friday) - Resurrection (Easter Day) - The Holy Spirit (Pentecost) - God as creator (Trinity) - The kingdom of heaven (All Saints) By working through the entire year, readers will explore all the core Christian beliefs found in the Apostle's Creed, making this an ideal guide for anyone wanting to better understand what they say in church.

Religionswissenschaft. Einfuhrung und Grundlagen untersucht, welche analytischen Fahigkeiten fur das Studium der als Religion bezeichneten Verhaltensweisen und Institutionen notwendig sind. Der wissenschaftlich grundlegende Akt des Klassifizierens und seine zentrale Bedeutung fur die Forschung werden dabei in den Blick genommen. Damit nimmt diese Einfuhrung im Vergleich zu vielen anderen Lehrwerken einen Perspektivwechsel vor. Ihr geht es darum, dem Religionswissenschaftler bei der Arbeit uber die Schulter zu schauen und nicht um einen klassischen UEberblick uber die Fachgeschichte oder das Beschreiben religioeser Details.

This thoughtful, fully accessible exploration of the creed, the list of beliefs central to the Christian faith, delves into its origins and illuminates the contemporary significance of why it still matters.
During services in Christian communities, the members of the congregation stand together to recite the creed, professing in unison the beliefs they share. For most Christians, the creed functions as a sort of "ABC" of what it means to be a Christian and to be part of a worldwide movement. Few people, however, know the source of this litany of beliefs, a topic that is further confused by the fact that there are two different versions: the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed.
In "The Creed," Luke Timothy Johnson, a New Testament scholar and Catholic theologian, clarifies the history of the creed, discussing its evolution from the first decades of the Christian Church to the present day. By connecting the deep theological conflicts of the early Church with the conflicts and questions facing Christians today, Johnson shows that faith is a dynamic process, not based on a static set of rules. Written in a clear, graceful style and appropriate for Christians of all denominations, "The Creed "is destined to become a classic of modern writings on spirituality.

The 40 Days of Community five-session devotional-part of the Living with Purpose small group Bible study by Rick Warren-is a dynamic individual or small group study that will help you learn how to fulfill God's five purposes for your life. By unpacking the biblical support for each of the five purposes (fellowship, spiritual growth, service, worship, and sharing the good News) you'll learn the ways it applies to you and your circle of influence, and how you can use this knowledge to benefit God's kingdom. Through it, Warren also explains how God planned for Christians to fulfill his purposes in community with each other in our church families, small groups, and in the world as a whole. Why did God plan it this way? Because we're better together! 40 Days of Community will deepen your understanding of how God uses community for your own good and growth, as well as help you cultivate deeper relationships with those around you. Learn to fulfill God's purposes ... discover how we are better together. This 40-day Devotional Journal is designed for use with the 40 Days of Community Participant's Guide and 40 Days of Community DVD. Sessions include: 1. We're Compelled to Love God's Family 2. We're Commissioned to Reach Out Together 3. We're Chosen to Fellowship Together 4. We're Connected to Grow Together 5. We're Called to Serve Together 6. We're Created to Worship Together

Whether you re a new or seasoned group leader, or whether your group is well-established or just getting started, the Making Your Small Group Work DVD and participant s guide (sold seperately) will lead you and your group together to a remarkable new closeness and effectiveness. Designed to foster healthy group interaction and facilitate maximum growth, this innovative approach equips both group leaders and members with essential skills and values for creating and sustaining truly life-changing small groups. Created by three group life experts, the two DVDs in this kit include: * Four sixty-minute sessions on the foundations of small groups that include teaching by the authors, creative segments, and activities and discussion time. * Thirteen five-minute coaching segments on topics such as active listening, personal sharing, giving and receiving feedback, prayer, calling out the best in others, and more. Formerly titled ReGroup."

In this six-session small group Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Doing the Right Thing, from Chuck Colson, Robert George, and an all-star panel examines how ethical and character issues relate to life at home, school, and the workplace. Doing the Right Thing explores the ethical and moral breakdown hitting culture from all sides. Through panel discussions, interviews, and live student questions it raises ethical issues in a non-condemning but challenging way, stimulating thought, discussion, and action. This Participant Guide encourages viewers to examine themselves and how ethical and character issues relate to their lives at home, school, and the workplace. As a result of this discussion and self-examination, participants will exhort each other and promote an ethic of virtue in their spheres of influence and in the culture at large. This examination of ethics consists of six sessions, each designed to last approximately one hour. Each session consists of thirty minutes of video and thirty minutes of discussion. Session topics include: How did we get into this mess? Is there truth, a moral law we all can know? If we know what is right, can we do it? What does it mean to be human? Ethics in the market place Ethics in public life Designed for use with the Doing the Right Thing Video Study (sold separately).

All Things Anglican offers a lively and accessible introduction to Anglicanism for anyone wanting to know what makes it distinctive. Whether you are training for Anglican orders, are curious about another denomination or would like to join an Anglican Church, this guide will introduce you to the basics of Anglican identity and the ways of the Church of England. Sections include: - Why do they do things differently down the road? The breadth of Anglican church traditions; - Holy, Holy, Holy - understanding Anglican liturgy; - Reformed and Catholic? - a potted history; - We Believe - a guide to the Creeds; - An Anglican A-Z - a glossary of essential terms.

In this four-session small group Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Andy Stanley unpacks four questions that will help you make sound decisions with God's help. Throughout our lives, we're confronted with decisions we never anticipated having to make - relational, career, financial, parenting - the list goes on and on. The complicate matters further the timeframe for making a decision is often short and our options limited. But regardless, a decision needs to be made. So what do you do when it's your move and you aren't sure what to do? Follow Andy as he teaches how every decision and its outcome become a permanent part of your story, what to do when you feel the need to pause before taking action, and how to make more of this life by making sound decisions. This Participant Guide includes discussion questions, video overview, space for taking notes, and a helpful Leader's Guide. When used with the companion Your Move DVD (sold separately) it works as a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth. Sessions include: Really The Story of Your Life Pay Attention to the Tension Passing It On Designed for use with the Your Move Video Study (sold separately).

Publishers Weekly starred review One of the Top 100 Books and One of the 5 Best Books in Religion for 2019, Publishers Weekly Christianity Today 2020 Book Award Winner (Spiritual Formation) Outreach 2020 Resource of the Year (Spiritual Growth) Foreword INDIES 2019 Honorable Mention for Religion This is not a book about Saint Augustine. In a way, it's a book Augustine has written about each of us. Popular speaker and award-winning author James K. A. Smith has spent time on the road with Augustine, and he invites us to take this journey too, for this ancient African thinker knows far more about us than we might expect. Following Smith's successful You Are What You Love, this book shows how Augustine can be a pilgrim guide to a spirituality that meets the complicated world we live in. Augustine, says Smith, is the patron saint of restless hearts--a guide who has been there, asked our questions, and knows our frustrations and failed pursuits. Augustine spent a lifetime searching for his heart's true home and he can help us find our way. "What makes Augustine a guide worth considering," says Smith, "is that he knows where home is, where rest can be found, what peace feels like, even if it is sometimes ephemeral and elusive along the way." Addressing believers and skeptics alike, this book shows how Augustine's timeless wisdom speaks to the worries and struggles of contemporary life, covering topics such as ambition, sex, friendship, freedom, parenthood, and death. As Smith vividly and colorfully brings Augustine to life for 21st-century readers, he also offers a fresh articulation of Christianity that speaks to our deepest hungers, fears, and hopes.

Der vorliegende Band der Reihe New German-American Studies eroertert anhand der Lebensgeschichte des geburtigen Westfalen August Rauschenbusch und unter Anwendung gangiger Methoden der deutsch-amerikanischen und transatlantischen Geschichtsschreibung das Schicksal eines deutschen Amerikaauswanderers im 19. Jahrhundert. August Rauschenbusch migrierte 1846 als protestantischer Missionar nach Missouri und hatte spater eine angesehene Stellung als Professor und Ausbilder von Predigern an einem deutschsprachigen theologischen Seminar im Staat New York inne. Der Verfasser ruckt durch seine Untersuchung der Biographie eines deutschen Theologen und Einzelauswanderers in den USA heute vergessene oder bisher weitgehend vernachlassigte Forschungsfelder deutsch-amerikanischer Geschichte wieder ins Bewusstsein.

A Modern Manual for Sharing a Relevant, Vibrant, Enduring Faith

In the face of mounting obstacles, parents and educators find themselves increasingly challenged by the task of leading people toward lives of faith. Now Thomas Groome, a world-renowned authority on religious education, has created a contemporary, holistic approach to teaching Christian beliefs and values that offers real, effective solutions for today's parents and teachers. His guide to religious education--which aims to "bring life to Faith and Faith to life"--is a hopeful road map for reenergizing the faith community and family from the bottom up.

Better understand the original meaning of Scripture for a deeper study of God's Word. Bring the words of Scripture to life and discover the richness and significance of the original languages of the Word of God. The KJV Word Study Reference Bible includes in-text subheadings and 2,000 easy-to-use word studies with select Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words explained in every chapter from Genesis to Revelation. By looking into these ancient texts, we are able to read scripture as it was originally written and passed on from generation to generation. In addition, this Bible's Topic-by-Topic studies give a practical framework for understanding scripture, along with more helpful resources. Features include: Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note Book introductions provide a concise overview of the background and historical context of the book about to be read 2,000 word studies illuminating the biblical language 21 chain-linked topical studies for better theological understanding and application Study the Book provides helpful notes for reading each book of the Bible Word study indices by Strong's number, by English word, and by book help you find Greek and Hebrew word studies Extensive cross-references drawing connections between texts Concordance provides an alphabetical listing of important passages by key words Words of Christ in red quickly identify verses spoken by Jesus 16 full-color maps show the layout of Israel and other biblical locations for better context Ribbon markers make it easy to navigate and keep track of where you were reading Clear and readable 9.5-point KJV Comfort Print (R)