OUR LORD revealed that the place on earth where He most delighted to be, after the Blessed Sacrament, was \"in the heart and soul of Gertrude, My beloved.\" Therefore, we do not wonder that among all the most remarkable women Saints of the Church, St. Gertrude is the one who carries the extraordinary title "The Great."
The Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great form one of the classics of Catholic writing. And although they would have to be classified as \"mystical literature, \" their message is clear and obvious, for this book states many of the secrets of Heaven in terms that all can understand.
Recorded here are St. Gertrude\'s many conversations with Our Lord, wherein He reveals His great desire to grant mercy to souls and to reward the least good act. In the course of their conversations, He reveals wonderful spiritual \"shortcuts\" that will help everyone in his or her spiritual life. Moreover, the Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great actually open a window onto Heaven, where we can see the specific ways in which prayer, good works and liturgical celebrations on earth have very definite effects in Heaven-among the Saints and Angels and even with God Himself.
The Revelations of St. Gertrude were authorized by Our Lord (pp.536-537) and they have been published in many editions, in various languages; they have inspired both clergy and laity for centuries. Surely the present generation of English-speaking Catholics will profit equally from this new edition of "The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great," who found such high favor with Our Lord that He chose to dwell in her heart in a special manner and to reveal to her many of the intimate secrets of His supernatural love for soul.

Conversation is the central spiritual exercise in philosophical and theological reflection on language and love. Groundbreaking in its interdisciplinary approach, Conversation, Friendship and Transformation invites readers to an exploration of theological reflection on conversation and friendship as transformative ways of knowing self, others and God. Contemporary contributions in the areas of rhetorical theory, friendship studies, and gender collaboration provide a fruitful lens through which conversation as discourse may be understood as a pathway for theological inquiry. Augustine's De doctrina christiana and Confessions manifest a foundational example of reflection on the nature of language and love in the context of basic questions of Christianity and culture. Two texts from the medieval tradition are brought forth to confirm and develop Augustine's contributions. The Letters of Heloise and Abelard have received substantial scholarly attention from the work of medievalists, historians and literary critics, but require more intentional theological reflection about the relation between the truths of the Christian faith and the collaborative participation of men and women. Thomas Aquinas' discussion of oratio in the Summa Theologiae is presented for the first time as a pivotal treatise in this profoundly influential text in the history of Western thought.

First published in 1931, Aulen's historical study of the doctrine of the Atonement continues to be essential reading for those studying theology. His survey of the three main Atonement theories 'Ransom Theory' 'Satisfaction' or 'Penal Substitution Theory' and the 'Moral Influence' theory as well as his own unique contribution to the debate means that this book has become an enduring classic.

Is contemporary art a friend or foe of Christianity? In "God in the Gallery" art historian, critic, and curator Daniel Siedell constructs a framework for interpreting modern art from a Christian worldview. He contends that art is not antithetical or hostile to Christianity but is in resonant dialogue with it. Siedell also examines the function of art criticism and the role of visual art in Christian worship and experience.

"Dan Siedell is an exceptionally thoughtful and articulate observer of the very difficult intersection of religious belief and contemporary art. The book is full of unexpected and promising confluences. Here a reader will find the principal secular theorists of modernism, but this book is also 'nourished by Nicene Christianity' and informed by a wonderful range of authors, from Florensky, Levinas, and Wyschogrod to Seerveld, Wolterstorff, Walford, and Dyrness. This is a tremendous book, a genuine effort at dialogue in an arena marked by the near-complete absence of open exchange."--James Elkins, E. C. Chadbourne Chair in the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

""God in the Gallery" is a seminal work of interpretation, a guide for skeptics and faithful alike, in which Siedell offers a most profound, encouraging survey of contemporary art. An Emmaus Road encounter for those traveling on the path of contemporary art, Siedell's careful and loving attention paid to known and unknown artists will surely open our eyes. A must read for all of us laboring in the art world and in the arts academia."--Makoto Fujimura, artist; founder/creative director, International Arts Movement

"Daniel Siedell's passionate appreciationfor common grace is apparent on every page of "God in the Gallery," This is a book that should be widely read not only for its penetrating account of the contemporary art world but also for its larger understanding of Christ and culture."--John Wilson, editor, "Books & Culture"

Exam board: OCR Level: A-level Subject: Religious Studies First teaching: September 2016 First exams: Summer 2018 Strengthen and refine the understanding and skills that your students require to excel in OCR A Level Religious Studies. Written by subject specialists with examining experience, this time-saving Workbook can be used flexibly for classwork or homework, throughout the course or for revision and exam practice. - Review knowledge with content summaries that will provide a concise overview of what students need to know for the exam - Develop exam skills with practice questions that check understanding and highlight common pitfalls - Build exam confidence as students work through the exam-style questions provided, giving them the chance to practise and perfect their technique - Save marking time and help students understand how to improve their responses by consulting the online answers supplied for all questions

A prolific author and thinker, Stanley J. Grenz was a respected and influential figure, not only within evangelicalism but in the wider theological world. Amongst the many issues tackled by him it is perhaps his revisioning of evangelical theology in the light of the postmodern challenge that has caused the biggest stir in the theological world. Advocating a nonfoundationalist methodology, Grenz attempts to re-position evangelical theology in line with postmodern concerns. This work examines the main traits of postmodern thought that would seem to directly challenge how evangelical theology is traditionally done. An examination of the seminal influences on Grenz will be traced in order to understand more fully the position he takes. A rigorous critique and assessment of his theological methodology will follow with the conclusion that his work goes beyond evangelicalism. This will be the first book length treatment on Grenz's work on theological methodology and therefore will break new ground in this important area of study.

Because many modern Christians can offer a reasonable explanation of the meaning of Jesus' death on the cross, they find it hard to understand the confusion displayed by the disciples after the events in the last pages of the Gospels. But if Paul were alive today, he would find it inexplicable that we modern believers are not scandalized by the cross.
"Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross "introduces pastors, church leaders, students, and lay readers to the need for contextualized atonement theology, offering creative examples of how the cross can be proclaimed today in culturally relevant and transformative ways. It makes helpful suggestions on how this vision for a culturally relevant message might be developed. The impressive list of contributors includes writings from C. S. Lewis, Rowan Williams, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Brian McLaren, and many more who are actively working out just how to make this life-transforming proclamation.

The past two decades of market operation has generated welfare and economic growth in Western countries, but increasing income inequalities, depletion of the natural environment and the current financial crisis have led to an intense debate about the advantages and disadvantages of the free market. With this book, Professor Graafland makes a valuable contribution to the Christian debate about the market economy. In particular, it aims to clarify the links between ethical values, Christian belief and economics, as well as informing theologians and economists about recent economic insights into market operation.

The book investigates the effect of free market operation on welfare and well-being, calling into question why one would favour more market competition as a means of increasing happiness. As well as this, Professor Graafland examines how free market competition relates to principles of justice and looks at whether it enforces or crowds out Christian virtues like love, humility and temperance.

Books that systematically link biblical teaching about the economy to recent theoretical and empirical research in economics on free market operation are rare. Most Christian books on the market system are theologically oriented, lacking a sound basis in the extensive knowledge of the recent economic literature on market operation. This book confronts Christian ethical standards with current economic literature on the effects of market operation on welfare, happiness, human rights, inequality and virtues in order to develop a well-based and balanced view of the pros and cons of market operation. This book will be of interest to both undergraduate and postgraduate students of economics, philosophy and theology.

Can religion survive Darwinism? Do scientists entering the lab or heading for the field have to bracket, or reject outright, all religious commitments and convictions? Trenchantly laying out the evidence for natural selection and carefully following and underscoring the themes and theses of Genesis, L. E. Goodman traces the historical and conceptual backgrounds of todaya (TM)s evolution controversies, revealing the deep complementarities of religion and the life sciences. Solidly researched and replete with scientific case studies, vignettes from intellectual history, and thoughtful argument, Creation and Evolution forthrightly exposes the strengths and weaknesses of todaya (TM)s polarized battle camps. Religious and scientific fundamentalisms, Goodman shows, obscure the real biblical message and distort the deepest insights and richest findings of Darwinian science.

Can religion survive Darwinism? Do scientists entering the lab or heading for the field have to bracket, or reject outright, all religious commitments and convictions? Trenchantly laying out the evidence for natural selection and carefully following and underscoring the themes and theses of Genesis, L. E. Goodman traces the historical and conceptual backgrounds of todaya (TM)s evolution controversies, revealing the deep complementarities of religion and the life sciences. Solidly researched and replete with scientific case studies, vignettes from intellectual history, and thoughtful argument, Creation and Evolution forthrightly exposes the strengths and weaknesses of todaya (TM)s polarized battle camps. Religious and scientific fundamentalisms, Goodman shows, obscure the real biblical message and distort the deepest insights and richest findings of Darwinian science.

In this intriguing dialogue, an established pagan and a respected Christian theologian engage in open, honest conversations about human spirituality and belief. Paganism is a rapidly expanding belief system, and this helpful exchange both introduces novices to its basic tenets and compares them to the beliefs and ideals behind Christianity. Such topics as the nature of spirituality, who or what is deity, how humans relate to the divine, the sacred feminine, gender, and sexuality are all addressed, along with specific debates involving the teachings and claims of Jesus. Offering a fair assessment and valuable insights into both faith systems, this is an engaging look at the state of belief in the modern world.

Christ declares, "Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me" ( John 15:4). A branch derives life from the vine by virtue of its union with the vine. Similarly, Christ is the vine, and we are the branches. There is a vital, organic union between us. We draw on Christ's life through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. We must, therefore, abide in Christ by cultivating close and constant communion with him. We must continually look "unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith" (Hebrews 12:2). The present work seeks to explain what this looking implies. It does so by turning to the writings of two largely forgotten Puritans and Baptists from the seventeenth century - Thomas Wilcox and Vavasor Powell. Together, they teach us that to abide in Christ is to behold him in his manifold roles and relations. As we do so, Christ becomes our all in all.

New Testament studies are witnessing many exciting developments, and Douglas Campbell's groundbreaking publications offer an important contribution to future discussions about Paul. Campbell tackles familiar problems relating to justification, 'old' and 'new' perspectives, and much more besides, in fresh and exciting ways. In doing so he sets down one profound challenge after another to all those involved in Pauline studies. As a consequence, his work demands extended and serious deliberation. This book seeks to facilitate academic engagement with Campbell's work in a unique way. It contains chapters summarizing key themes in his thinking, reflections from friendly critics that aim to challenge or extend his ideas, and his own response to these interlocutors. In this way, the book allows readers to be drawn into a vitally important conversation. It is academic theology in the making and constitutes a cutting edge in Pauline studies.

Is culture a theologically neutral concept? The contemporary experts on culture - anthropologists and sociologists - argue that it is. Theologians and missiologists would seem to agree, given the extent of their reliance on anthropological and sociological definitions of culture. Yet this appears a strange reliance given that presumed neutrality in the sciences is a consistently challenged assumption. It is stranger still given that so much theological energy has been expended on understanding and defining the human person in specifically theological as opposed to anthropological terms when culture is in some sense the expression of this personhood in corporate and material forms. This book argues that culture is not and has never been a theologically neutral concept; rather, it always expresses some theological posture and is therefore a term that naturally invites theological investigation. Going about this task is difficult, however, in the face of a long-term reliance on the social sciences that seems to have starved the contemporary theological community of resources for defining culture. However, rich subterranean veins for such a task do exist within the recent tradition, most notably in the writings of John Milbank, Karl Barth, and Kwame Bediako.

The Evangelical "Ressourcement" series is grounded in the belief that there is a wealth of theological, exegetical, and spiritual resources from the patristic era that is relevant for the Christian church today and into the future. Amid the current resurgence in interest in the early church, this series aims to help church thinkers and leaders reappropriate these ancient understandings of Christian belief and practice and apply them to ministry in the twenty-first century. "Reading the Old Testament with the Ancient Church" is the fourth volume in the series. The series editor is D. H. Williams.

"Ron Heine has written this book for a wide variety of readers: pastors, New Testament and patristics scholars, and general lay readers. This is a very helpful introduction to the ways the ancient Christian writers viewed the Scriptures. Heine comes to the subject with a significant grasp of both primary sources and contemporary scholarship. The argument is illuminating and inspiring." --Thomas C. Oden, general editor, "Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture"

"Heine's overview of the uses of and attitudes toward Jewish Scripture in the ancient church is offered as a corrective to a very common neglect of and lack of appreciation for this topic among lay and leadership audiences in evangelical churches. His lucid prose is eminently readable and his concise summaries include a wide array of authors from Christian late antiquity. This handy volume seems well designed for its audience, who will benefit greatly from Heine's scholarship on this topic." --Michael A. Williams, University of Washington

"This book fills a gap in the history of biblical interpretation. The work is comprehensive inscope, yet it provides carefully crafted, succinct treatments of major patristic writers that reflect close, informed reading of the primary sources. Only someone who has lived with these patristic authors and pored over their writings could produce such a lively, sympathetic treatment. Both specialist and nonspecialist readers will benefit from this richly detailed exposition." --Carl R. Holladay, Candler School of Theology

"Ronald Heine brings together two contemporary interests: renewed attention to the Old Testament as Christian Scripture and rediscovery of the church fathers. He offers the reading of the Old Testament with the church fathers as guidance for the contemporary church's use of the whole Bible. The early church's example is a call to do more than understand the text; it is a call to live in and to mold life by the text. I recommend this excellent book to a wide readership." --Everett Ferguson, Abilene Christian University

This book shows that there is help for oppressed, tormented, and compulsive people, and that the solution is as old as the ministry of Jesus Christ. Find answers to such questions as: Why has modern medicine and science failed to cure millions of emotionally disturbed people? Why are increasing numbers of individuals developing mental disorders? Is it possible that there is another explanation for the voices people hear, or for the compulsions that they experience? Could it be that the real solution lies within the spirit of man? From over 30 years of counseling and ministering deliverance, in the United States and abroad, Bill Banks highlights the common root causes of emotional and mental torment, and walks the reader through steps to be set free. Read numerous case studies of people who have been delivered from their torments and fears, including testimonies of over 60 spirits: Suicide, Fear of Starvation, Colic, Smoking, Marijuana & Drugs, Crippling, Ulcers, Anger, Murderous Rage, Abuse of Women, Gluttony, Harlotry, Incest, Occult, Homosexuality, Pornography, Sleeplessness, Sterility, and more. New Edition Includes a section on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

A collection of the most important articles and essays by Bishop Ian Ramsay, a leading philosopher of religion, exploring his approach to philosophy and theology and the relationship between them. Divided into three parts - 'Contemporary Philosophy', 'The Meaning of God Talk', and 'The Logic of Faith' - this volume contains Ian Ramsey's thoughts on philosophy, metaphysics and ontology, the meaning and understanding of the gospels, and the justification of faith. An extensive appendix includes the author's answers to the contemporary subjects of freedom and immortality, Christian education and the intellectual crisis, and they are complemented by a selected bibliography.

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of AD 381 was a key statement in the context of the theological controversies and confessional atmosphere of the fourth century church. Alexander Irving explores Christian belief about God, creation and redemption as it is expressed in the Creed, and thereby contributes to the ongoing task of the church's self-examination of its talk about God. * Sets out the importance of our tradition and the intrinsic relationship between the thought of the church today and the thought of the church across time. * Grounds the Creed in its historical and theological context. * Connects the theology of the Creed to some areas of contemporary theological inquiry. The Creed sets out the basic parameters of Christian belief. While the specifics of what is believed within those parameters are not determined, there is an internal logic to the Creed's presentation of the Christian faith. The contrast between God's internal and external relations is the theological motif that gives particular shape to the Creed, which expresses an expansive vision of the generosity of God, with his relation to creation grounded in his being as love.

The doctrine of the Trinity poses a series of problems for feminist theology. At a basic level, the androcentric nature of trinitarian language serves to promote the male as more fully in the image of God and as the archetype of humanity, pushing women to the margins of personhood. It is no surprise then that feminist scholarship on this doctrine has often focused on what's wrong with the Trinity, setting out the problems raised by the use of traditional androcentric trinitarian language. This book brings together a discussion of feminist theological methodology with a critical exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity. Focussing on what's right with the Trinity as opposed to what's wrong with the Trinity, it considers the usefulness of this doctrine for feminist theology today. It replaces a stress on trinitarian language with an emphasis on trinitarian thought, exploring how we might effectively think rather than speak God in light of feminist concerns. In particular, it asks how a trinitarian understanding of God might support, and be supported by, key values which underpin a feminist way of doing theology, specifically values which underpin the methodological use of women's experience in feminist theology. The central argument is that thinking God as Trinity need not serve to reinforce patriarchal values and ideals but may in fact promote the subjectivity and personhood of women.

A Mighty Weapon of Spiritual Warfare

You know that "there's power in the blood," just like the old hymn says--but are you actually experiencing that power in your daily life? Join H. A. Maxwell Whyte in this revealing exploration of the blessings to be found in Christ's blood. As you delve deep into this newly revised and expanded version of Whyte's classic best-seller, you will find out how to]]

* Experience God's complete forgiveness

* Become spiritually empowered, equipped, and energized

* Break the terrifying grip of fear and torment

* Create an atmosphere for miracles

* Defeat oppression, addictions, and sickness

Astounding results can take place in your life once you learn the value of this vital, yet little wielded, weapon in the believer's arsenal and how God wants us to use it in coping with life's difficult situations. Discover the wonder-working power of the blood for yourself!

The cross is central to understanding Christian theology. But is it possible that our postmodern setting requires a new model of understanding the cross?
Hans Boersma's "Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross" proposes an understanding of the atonement that is sensitive both to the Christian tradition and to the postmodern critiques of that tradition. His fresh approach draws on the rich resources of the Christian tradition in its portrayal of God's hospitality in Jesus Christ.

In this exciting edited collection, Tom Greggs challenges us to think afresh about evangelical theology: where it is today, and where it is headed. Bringing together an outstanding group of young theologians to engage critically and constructively with traditional evangelical theology, the book seeks to open up the field and encourage good practice in its study.

New Perspectives in Evangelical Theology addresses some of the major themes within evangelical theology including election, the Holy Spirit, eschatology, and sanctification. It examines the Bible and the Church, and has chapters on worship and the sacraments. The final section investigates the interaction of evangelicalism and society, considering politics, sex and the body, and other faiths such as Judaism and Islam. Framed by a foreword from David F. Ford and a postscript from Richard B. Hays, the book is an invaluable collection of new thinking.

From 2006 to 2011 researchers at Heythrop College and the Oxford Centre for ecclesiology and Practical Theology (OxCEPT, Ripon College Cuddesdon) worked on a theological and action research project: "Action Research - Church and Society (ARCS). 2010 saw the publication of Talking About God in Practice: Theological Action research and Practical Theology (SCM), which presented in an accessible way the work of ARCS and its developing methodology. This turned out to be a landmark study in the praxis of Anglican and Catholic ecclesiology in the UK, showing how theology in these differing contexts interacted with the way in which clergy and congregations lived out their religious convictions. This book is a direct follow up to that significant work, authored by one of the original researchers, providing a systematic analysis of the impact of the "theological action research" methodology and its implications for a contemporary ecclesiology. The book presents an ecclesiology generated from church practice, drawing on scholarship in the field as well as the results of the theological action research undertaken. It achieves this by including real scenarios alongside the academic discourse. This combination allows the author to tease out the complex relationship between the theory and the reality of church. Addressing the need for a more developed theological and methodological account of the ARCS project, this is a book that will be of interest to scholars interested not only Western lived religion, but ecclesiology and theology more generally too.

Precocious and sometimes marginalized Klaus Bockmuehl's insights regarding the Spirit's agency in Christian Ethics, and therefore in our daily Christian experiences, have renewed import, now. This is an exceptional book, it introduces us for the first time to a much-neglected thinker. It also equips us with an understanding of how the Church can live ethically in power, through its relationship with the Father. In both respects it has much to offer its reader and the wider contemporary church.