In recent Barth studies it has been argued that a key to understanding the theologian's opposition to natural theology is his rejection of substantialist ontology. While this is true to an extent, this book argues that it is a mistake to see Barth's 'actualistic ontology' as diametrically opposed to traditional substantialism. Probing into Barth's soteriological hamartiology in Church Dogmatics, III-IV, a largely neglected aspect of these volumes in recent debates on his understanding of being and act, it shows how his descriptions of sin, nature, and grace shed light on the precise manners in which his actualistic ontology operates on both a substance grammar of being and a process grammar of becoming, while rejecting the metaphysics underlying both grammars. Looking at issues such as original sin, universal salvation and human will, Barth is shown to be radically redefining the relationship between humans, their actions and the divine. This book argues that human 'nature' is the total determination of the human being 'from above' by God's grace in Christ, while the existential dimension of the human being is also totally determined 'from below' by the Adamic history of sin. This serves to demonstrate Barth's endeavours in eliminating the vestiges of natural theology within the Western tradition handed down from Augustine. By exploring these issues this book offers a fresh insight into Barth's relationship with his theological forbears. As such, it will be vital reading for any scholar of Barth studies, the problem of evil, and theological ontology.

Discover your spiritual gifts, personal style, and God-given passion for serving in the body of Christ Network, the leading course for discovering spiritual gifts and empowering people for ministry has been revised and updated. This material, developed in partnership with the Willow Creek Association, helps churches appropriately guide people to the place of ministry that best reflects who they are. Churches will see increased participation, greater effectiveness, more enthusiasm, and less burn-out in their congregation. Believers in their church will discover the spiritual gifts God has given them. They will have a better understanding of God's will for their lives because of gaining a better understanding of who God created them to be. This complete seminar in a box includes a leader's guide; a participant's guide; a DVD with drama vignettes; and a CD-ROM with a coach's guide, a user's guide, and a PowerPoint (R). Participants will be assessed on their personal style, spiritual passion, and gifts. Network works with any size group, from small groups of 4 to 12 to large groups of 15 to 150. The six Network sessions can be presented successfully in three flexible formats: three sessions of two hours each; six sessions of forty-five minutes each; or one- two- or three-day retreats.

The quest for an answer to the problem of suffering is universal. People often treat Scripture like a manual, looking for a single clear response that explains the presence of evil and suffering. Brian Han Gregg thinks we should take a different approach. The Bible does not have one but many responses to suffering. To pick out one theme is to hear the sopranos but miss the choir. We need to listen to the whole biblical narrative to appreciate its multifaceted handling of the problem. What Does the Bible Say About Suffering? explores twelve themes related to the issue of human suffering and reflects on what we can learn from the diversity of the biblical witness. Readable and informed by biblical scholarship, this book is a timely resource for students, small groups and anyone looking for a fresh approach to a topic of perennial interest.

Heaven or hell?Over a period of forty days, God gave Mary K. Baxter visions of hell and commissioned her to tell all to choose life. Here is an account of the place and beings of hell contrasted with the glories of heaven. It is a reminder of the need each of us has for the miracle of salvation.

It is well known that Henri de Lubac's groundbreaking and highly controversial work on nature and grace had important implications for the Church's relationship to culture and was intended to remove a philosophical obstacle hindering Catholicism's faithful engagement with the secular world. This book addresses a too-often neglected dimension of de Lubac's theological renewal by examining the centrality and indispensability of spiritual exegesis in his oeuvre and making explicit its social and political signi cance for the Church's worship and witness. In addition to exploring the historical and ecclesial context within which he worked, this book brings de Lubac into a critical engagement with the more recent theological movements of post-liberalism and radical orthodoxy in order to demonstrate the enduring signi cance of his theological vision. Bryan C. Hollon is Assistant Professor of Theology at Malone College in Canton, Ohio. "Hollon offers the best introduction to date on de Lubac's spiritual interpretation of Scripture. His bold recovery of Henri de Lubac's participatory hermeneutic offers an excellent contribution to the rapidly growing scholarship on the French Catholic theologian. The book argues for a hermeneutic that avoids the dual trap of isolating Jesus' biblical identity from the life of the Church (the post-liberal tendency) and of reducing Christology to ecclesiology (the fallacy of Radical Orthodoxy). Hollon convincingly argues that the Church's ontological participation in Christ is mediated through the practice of spiritual interpretation along the lines advocated by de Lubac. The result is both an incisive, sympathetic-critical engagement with contemporary hermeneutics and a superb introduction to one of the central concerns of de Lubac." - HANS BOERSMA, Author of 'Nouvelle theologie' and 'Sacramental Ontology'.

This message from Chuck Pierce and Robert Heidler likens our spiritual defense to that of the children of Israel while in battle. Within the ranks there were those who carried huge shields to protect the bulk of the army. And just as we fight spiritual battles today, there is a mighty shield we can carry to protect us. This shield of faith is one of the main ways we can resist our enemy's attacks. We are fully capable of resisting the enemy's attacks, but we must first be able to recognize how Satan fights. His main weapons are to create fear and doubt in us and to tempt us to become complainers and murmurers. If we succumb, our faith is weakened. The keys to increasing our faith are found in knowing the Word of God, which engenders praise, thankfulness, trust, and obedience.

After the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, theologians were faced with the dilemma of God creating through evolution. Suddenly, pain, suffering, untimely death and extinction appeared to be the very tools of creation, and not a result of the sin of humanity. Despite this paradigm shift, the question of non-human suffering has been largely overlooked within theodicy debates, overwhelmed by the extreme human suffering of the twentieth century. This book redresses this imbalance by offering a rigorous academic treatment of the questions surrounding God and the suffering of non-human animals. Combining theological, philosophical, and biblical perspectives, this book explores the relationship between God and Creation within Christian theology. First it dismantles the popular theological view that roots violence and suffering in the animal kingdom in the fall of humanity. Then, through an exploration of the nature of love, it affirms that there are multiple reasons to suggest that God and creation can both be "good", even with the presence of violence and suffering. This is an innovative exploration of an under-examined subject that encompasses issues of theology, science, morality and human-animal interactions. As such, it will be of keen interest to scholars and academics of religion and science, the philosophy of religion, theodicy, and biblical studies.

In Revitalizing Theological Epistemology Steven B. Sherman addresses questions about what evangelical theology ought to be doing in light of the changing cultural situation. He wonders if the Christian faith should continue to be presented and defended mainly according to Enlightenment principles when growing criticism of modern thought is affecting virtually every discipline, and if evangelicalism and its intellectual leaders ought to "wait it out" or whether they should "re-vision" their theology. This book is about contemporary evangelical approaches to the knowledge of God, considering - and suggesting - ways Christian philosophers and theologians envision and make use of theological knowledge in the postmodern context.

"The Road to Armageddon And Beyond," is a series of six sessions designed to help Christians understand biblical prophecy. Inspiring, encouraging, but most of all, highly informative. This series provides a wealth of solid Bible teaching on such topics as the Tribulation, the Rapture, the Antichrist, and the Second Coming. A must-see for every Christian concerned about the future.

Curriculum Participant's Guide includes 6 lessons: 1: Practical Advice for Perilous Times, 2: The Rapture, 3: The Tribulation, 4: The Antichrist, 5: Babylon, and 6: The Second Coming.

First published fifteen years ago, Ethica Thomistica is widely recognized as one of the finest introductions to St. Thomas's moral philosophy. Though the book has been out of print for several years, scholars and students still refer to it as the standard resource on Thomistic ethics. In this much-anticipated, revised edition, Ralph McInerny revisits the basics of Thomas's teachings and offers a brief, intelligible, and persuasive summary.

How Christianity's Unmatched Truth Answers the Deepest Longings of Every Human Heart To the popular objection Aren't all religions basically the same? pastor and author Jared Wilson answers with an enthusiastic No! Christianity is not merely one among many similar options. It is categorically different--and it's these differences that make it so compelling. In Unparalleled, Wilson holds up the teachings of the Bible to the clear light of day, revealing how Christianity rises above every other religion and philosophy of the world, and how its unmatched truth answers the deepest longings of every human heart. He provides an overview of Christianity's key claims showing how, from top to bottom, it is distinct from all other competing ideologies, religious and secular. Christians will come away with a fresh sense of the truth of their faith and nonbelievers will be compelled to consider the relevant claims of Christianity in a drastically new light.

In this book, Matthew Levering unites eschatologically charged biblical Christology with metaphysical and dogmatic Thomistic Christology, by highlighting the typological Christologies shared by Scripture, the Church Fathers, and Aquinas. Like the Church Fathers, Aquinas often reflected upon Jesus in typological terms (especially in his biblical commentaries), just as the New Testament does. Showing the connections between New Testament, Patristic, and Aquinas' own typological portraits of Jesus, Levering reveals how the eschatological Jesus of biblical scholarship can be integrated with Thomistic Christology. His study produces a fully contemporary Thomistic Christology that unites ressourcement and Thomistic modes of theological inquiry, thereby bridging two schools of contemporary theology that too often are imagined as rivals. Levering's book reflects and augments the current resurgence of Thomistic Christology as an ecumenical project of relevance to all Christians.

2018 Clifford G. Christians Ethics Research Award This informed theology of communication and media analyzes how we consume new media and technologies and discusses the impact on our social and religious lives. Combining expertise in religion online, theology, and technology, the authors synthesize scholarly work on religion and the internet for a nonspecialist audience. They show that both media studies and theology offer important resources for helping Christians engage in a thoughtful and faith-based critical evaluation of the effect of new media technologies on society, our lives, and the church.

Close the Door to the Enemy and Open the Door to God Learn how to rid your home of destructive objects and spiritual darkness to create a fortress of love and light for your family. Too many Christians are completely unaware of how the enemy has gained access to their homes through what they own. This practical, easy-to-read book shows you how to pray through your home and property in order to lock out evil and experience a richer spiritual life. With Protecting Your Home from Spiritual Darkness, you are just ten steps away from bringing freedom and security in Christ to your home! Includes the following sections and more: "A Step-by-Step Guide to Praying through Your Home"; "Understanding Spiritual Darkness"; "How to Protect Your Children"; "Learning to Overthrow Generational Curses."

Years ago, novelist Charles Martin cracked open his Bible and began wrestling with a few fundamental questions. He asked, “What if every single word of Scripture is absolutely true and I can trust it? How do I respond? Something in me should change, but what? How?” This book is the result of that exploration.

With the depth, sensitivity, and emotion that has made his novels beloved to millions, Charles ignites our imaginations as to what the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to us today. Charles asks, “What if dead and crucified Jesus came back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit and is alive today? Right now. What if that same Jesus, the One who walked out of the tomb shining like the sun, holding the keys of death and hades, is alive in me. I write fiction for a living, and that’s either the craziest thing I’ve ever heard or it’s the most important word ever spoken.

You and I have a King who did the unthinkable.” And the answers that his writer’s imagination illuminate for us will change the way that we think about the gospel and the way that we live because of it.

'A powerful defence of Christian orthodoxy, opening up its expansive, generous and life-giving vision.' ALISTER McGRATH 'Learned and wise, this is a book that achieves what even many Christians may find a startling feat: a demonstration that orthodoxy is far more radical & interesting a concept than heresy.' TOM HOLLAND 'Generous orthodoxy' is a liberating outlook that encourages the Church to embrace different traditions of belief, worship and prayer within a broad framework of Christian faith. But is it really possible to be both generous and orthodox? In Navigating a World of Grace, Graham Tomlin offers his own invigorating vision of a generous orthodoxy that is rooted in the creeds' description of a God who is, by nature, the essence of generous grace. Looking at the history of the church, he explores how orthodoxy can enrich and enhance our perception of the world. Rather than restricting us, it liberates us to be generous in our expressions of faith. This tantalizingly different theology, that brings together the best from every tradition, shows why orthodoxy is so important to the Christian faith - and how it can bring us together as a revitalized, unified and visionary Church. Accessible and insightful, Navigating a World of Grace acts as a companion volume to The Bond of Peace but can also be read by itself as an exploration and celebration how Christians of all denominations can show generosity and grace in embracing different traditions of worship while remaining united by a single orthodoxy of faith. Ideal reading for anyone wanting to understand the meaning of generous orthodoxy better or how we can engage with different parts of the church with grace, this is an encouraging and inspiring vision for the future of the church. Navigating a World of Grace challenges us to see that adopting an attitude of generosity towards other Christians and those outside the Christian faith is part of orthodoxy, and will result in a deeper, fuller experience of God than we can possibly imagine.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! 2 Peter 3:18 See Your Savior Through New Eyes No human has changed the world more than Jesus, as demonstrated by the many great statements written about him through the ages. In It's All About Jesus, bestselling author Randy Alcorn has compiled some of the most powerful and inspiring words ever said about the Son of God-words that will inspire, instruct, and encourage you to love, trust, and follow him. You'll find yourself spiritually enriched as you read these profound and heartfelt observations about Jesus' character, life, names, and more by well-known Bible scholars, teachers, and writers such as Augustine, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Joni Eareckson Tada, Francis Chan, and Trillia Newbell. It's All About Jesus will... give you a richer appreciation for who Jesus is and what he has done for you help you discover what it means to seek Jesus above all else increase your motivation to know Christ more intimately Grow closer than ever to the Savior as you reflect on these insights that are all about Jesus.

A Brief Catechism for Adults is a little masterpiece designed for convert instructions. It was actually compiled from the notes of many Catholic priests who originally used the instructions from the first edition of the book with tens of thousands of converts. Thus, it represents the fruit of many minds. For years, it was practically the standard catechism in the U.S. and Canada for instructing people in the Catholic faith. Packed with facts and written in short, clear question-and-answer format, accompanied by brief Scripture quotes, the book is concise and to the point and shows exactly what one must believe and do in order to be saved. Using ordinary language to explain theological truths, it stresses what is required to form a correct Catholic conscience. This book gives special emphasis to marriage-since most people either save or lose their souls as married persons-showing the duties people have as spouses and parents. It includes also a list of common mortal sins, the interior design of a Catholic church, how to pray the Rosary, popular saints' names for Baptism and Confirmation, familiar Catholic prayers, and practical points on common questions that arise in an unbelieving world. A Brief Catechism for Adults is an incredible one-volume handbook on how to be a good Catholic that is at once perfect for inquirers, but also excellent for adult cradle Catholics. All Catholics need to know what is in this little book; whereas unfortunately, likely ninety-nine percent today do not For simplicity, readability, interest and completion, there is no book of its kind that comes close to A Brief Catechism for Adults.

"The unpleasant task of exposing shoddy scholarship can rarely have been taken in hand with so much gentleness and grace as it is in Professor Woodbridge's response to The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible. A nasty job nicely done. In The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible two young professors tried to show that the best theology before the Reformation and the best Reformed theology since affirms the infallibility of Scripture in matters of faith and conduct but allows it to be incorrect on matters of historical and scientific detail. Professor Woodbridge's learned review makes it impossible to doubt that this paradoxical opinion is wrong. With courtesy and restraint Professor Woodbridge administers a series of knock-out blows to the confidently voiced claim that factual inerrancy is no authentic element in the historic Christian view of Scripture. Professor Woodbridge brings scholarly integrity and a great weight of learning to the business of setting straight the record, confused by others, as to how Christians through the centuries have regarded the Bible. His monograph is a model of careful analysis and cool, corrective controversy. It advances understanding of the history of thought about Scripture in a way that the more pretentious essay that called it forth quite failed to do." --James I. Packer

Dynamic New Teaching from Bestselling Author Ed Silvoso It's no secret that the church today has lost its influence in culture. But why? With the technology, affluence, and knowledge we have today, why are we less effective than the first-century church--which didn't have social media, fancy buildings, professional pastors, or even religious freedom? What are we missing? In these vital, eye-opening pages, bestselling author Ed Silvoso digs into Scripture, unearthing Jesus' true design for his church--his Ekklesia. He shows how the early church was a radical, countercultural force of people who transformed the hostile, pagan places in which they lived. Here Dr. Silvoso shows how we, in the midst of social, economic, political, and moral chaos, can once again become the revolutionary, transformational, life-giving Ekklesia Jesus called us to be.