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Books > Christianity > Christian theology
Why Trust the Bible? Don't believe everything you read. Everybody
knows that. So why trust the Bible? What can be known about its
historical reliability? Doing History Even more than other
religions, Christianity presents itself as history. At its heart,
Christianity claims that something extraordinary happened in the
course of time--something concrete, real, and historical. In the
Bible, the New Testament declares that a man named Jesus was born
to a virgin, claimed to be God, did miracles like walking on water
and raising people from the dead, was crucified on a Roman cross,
then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to reign as King
of the universe. Can we conclude confidently these things are true
without simply presupposing the Bible is "the Word of God"? One way
to find out is to approach the New Testament as a collection of
historical documents that speak for themselves. But are these
documents truly reliable, historically speaking? Answering that
involves a series of questions. Are Our Bible Translations
Accurate? Although translation from ancient languages is neither
easy nor simple, scholars have been working at it for centuries. It
really is possible for genuine, accurate, correct communication to
occur through translation. In the New Testament, there is only a
small percentage of content that has proven difficult in
translation. The best Bible translations acknowledge these places
with a footnote. Moreover, we can confidently say that not one
major doctrine of orthodox Christianity rests on any disputed or
uncertain passage. We know what the Bible says and what it means.
Were the Original Sources Accurately Copied? As with other ancient
books, the physical pieces of "paper" on which the original authors
first wrote the New Testament have been lost to history. But we
have thousands of other ancient writings (on papyrus, vellum, and
parchment) with original-language text copied from each book of the
Bible--about 5,400 distinct pieces when it comes to the New
Testament, many going back to the first three centuries. They allow
us to reconstruct with a huge degree of confidence what the
originals said. (By comparison, for Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars we
have at most ten readable copies, the earliest of which dates nine
hundred years after Caesar's time.) By comparing ancient copies of
New Testament content with each other, we find a remarkably stable
history of copy-making. For a few passages there's genuine doubt
about the original text, as reflected by a relatively large number
of variations. The vast majority of these variations are minor, not
affecting how we ultimately understand the Bible's meaning. Were
These Originals Truly the Best Sources? But were these the right
documents to be looking at in the first place? Were other "Gospels"
out there telling a different but equally reliable story about
Jesus? Actually, the only Christian books dated confidently to the
first century are the very ones that finally made up the New
Testament--most of them already recognized by Christians as
authoritative by first century's end. Not until about a hundred
years later did books start showing up that departed significantly
from New Testament teaching. Meanwhile, Christians had good,
plausible, historically meaningful reasons for explaining why the
books in our New Testament should be there while others shouldn't.
The earlier documents were recognized as reliable witnesses to
Jesus's life and teachings. Were the Original Authors Trustworthy?
In their narratives, New Testament authors included verifiable
details of real, historical facts. Close scrutiny makes clear that
these authors weren't writing fiction, or perpetrating some hoax,
or under any delusion. They obviously believed that what they wrote
really happened. Nor were their writings hopelessly confused,
contradictory, or filled with errors. Especially in modern
centuries, the Bible has been subjected to scorching and detailed
assault by skeptics, but every single alleged contradiction,
inconsistency, and error has been met with plausible resolutions
after patient study. Were the Original Authors Mistaken? So the
Bible is a reliable historical record of what these authors believe
happened. But did those things really happen? After all, the Bible
is filled with miracle stories that invite our natural skepticism.
These miracles appear essential to the Bible's message, and their
eyewitness accounts come across as far more plausible than miracles
found in ancient myths and legends. It's here that one miracle in
particular leaps out: the resurrection of Jesus. If biblical
writers were genuinely mistaken about that, it's unlikely they were
right about much else. If Jesus is still dead, he's assuredly not
the "Christ" the Bible speaks of. Here again, careful historical
analysis reveals that what happened at Jesus's tomb couldn't have
been his "near death," nor some hoax or deception or mass
hallucination involving his followers. Their confident insistence
that they found his tomb empty and saw the risen Jesus-- a belief
embraced even at cost of their lives--is explained by only one
possibility: Jesus was bodily, historically resurrected from the
dead. Reason to Believe Because of that resurrection, Christians
believe what Jesus said. And since Jesus himself endorsed the
entire Old Testament and authorized the entire New Testament,
Christians believe these writings are reliable and true. To
Christians, Jesus's resurrection means that anyone united to him by
faith will be resurrected just as he was. They believe God fully
accepted the sacrifice for sins Jesus offered on the cross as the
more-than-sufficient payment for our moral debt. They believe Jesus
now lives to guide his people on earth. The Next Question In the
end, deciding whether the Bible is reliable is just a means toward
a more important question: Is Jesus reliable? If you're not a
Christian, let this discussion challenge you to consider: Who
exactly is Jesus? Perhaps that question is best answered in
something the apostle John said about his New Testament writings:
"These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in
his name" (John 20:31).
Eve Tibbs offers a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the
beliefs and practices of the Eastern Orthodox Church for Western
readers. Tibbs has devoted her career to translating the Orthodox
faith to an evangelical audience and has over twenty years of
experience teaching this material to students. Assuming no prior
knowledge of Orthodox theology, this survey covers the basic ideas
of Eastern Orthodox Christianity from its origins at Pentecost to
the present day.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the best-attested facts
of history. But believing in the resurrection is one thing. Knowing
what it means is another. Although much has been written about the
apologetics of the resurrection, little has been written about its
theological meaning. This book reveals the hidden depths of the
theological significance and ongoing relevance of the resurrection
of Jesus Christ for our being, our salvation, Christian life,
ethics, and our future hope.
From professor, pastor, and producer of the documentary Bono and
Eugene Peterson: The Psalms, a devotional examination of the life
of faith as presented in the Psalter--one lived in joy, sorrow,
anger, doubt, fear, mortality, community, isolation, and above all
in the presence of God--in order to deepen discipleship and
worship. "A book you will want to read and read again." -- Eugene
Peterson Afterword by Bono. How can we find a more transparent,
resilient, and fearless life of faith? The book of Psalms has been
central to God's people for millennia, across all walks of life and
cultural contexts. In reading it, we discover that we are never
alone in our joys, sorrows, angers, doubts, praises, or
thanksgivings. In it, we learn about prayer and poetry, honesty and
community, justice and enemies, life and death, nations and
creation. Open and Unafraid shows us how to read the psalms in a
fresh, life-giving way, and so access the bottomless resources for
life that they provide. "David Taylor's take is 'open and unafraid'
alright. He really goes there, exposing himself before God in the
most beautiful way. He might have called the book Naked, because if
you don't find your own self feeling a little exposed here, it
might be time to take some armor off." -- Bono, from the Afterword
"A book that you will want to read and read again, and yet again,
in order to discover the wisdom of the Psalms that shows us how to
walk in the life-giving way of Jesus." -- Eugene Peterson, from the
Foreword "A winsome, accessible entry into the Book of
Psalms...Connects the poetry of the psalms to real-life wonders and
struggles." -- Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
"Taylor reads these biblical prayers with Dr. Seuss, rappers, and
other poets, along with theologians and the daily news....Guides
readers in tracing out patterns of holy speech that have the
potential for healing our hearts and our communities." -- Ellen F.
Davis, Duke Divinity School "I have always loved the psalms--for
their defiant devotion, their deep joy, and their brutal yet
beautiful honesty. And after reading this fantastic book about
them, I love them even more." -- Matt Redman, worship leader and
song writer "In these fraught and fearsome days, we need the psalms
more than ever. And we need more faithful artists and thinkers like
David Taylor to mine the infinite gifts the psalms offer across the
ages." -- Karen Swallow Prior, author of Fierce Convictions
The last decade has seen dramatic advances in artificial
intelligence and robotics technology, raising tough questions that
need to be addressed. The Robot Will See You Now considers how
Christians can respond to these issues - and flourish - in the
years ahead. Contributions from a number of international experts,
including editors John Wyatt and Stephen Williams, explore a range
of social and ethical issues raised by recent advances in AI and
robotics. Considering the role of artificial intelligence in areas
such as medicine, employment and security, the book looks at how AI
is perceived as well as its actual impact on human interactions and
relationships. Alongside are theological responses from an orthodox
Christian perspective. Looking at how artificial intelligence and
robotics may be considered in the light of Christian doctrine, The
Robot Will See You Now offers a measured, thoughtful view on how
Christians can understand and prepare for the challenges posted by
the development of AI. This is a book for anyone who is interested
in learning more about how AI and robots have advanced in recent
years, and anyone who has wondered how Christian teaching relates
to artificial intelligence. Whatever your level of technical
knowledge, The Robot Will See You Now will give you a thorough
understanding of AI and equip you to respond to the challenges it
poses with confidence and faith.
The Cross is the universal symbol of the Christian faith. But what
does the Cross mean? Why did Jesus have to die? In this magisterial
and best-selling book, John Stott explains the significance of
Christ's cross and answers objections commonly brought against
biblical teaching on the atonement. Stott will help you discover
how Jesus himself understood the cross, and how 'Christ in our
place' is at the heart of its meaning. Understand what the cross
achieved, and learn what it means to live under the cross. This
modern classic combines excellent biblical exposition, and a
characteristically thoughtful study of Christian belief, with a
searching call to the church to live under the cross.
An author on the cutting edge of today's theology and science
discussions argues that creedal Christianity has much to contribute
to the ongoing conversation. This book contains an intellectual
history of theology's engagement with science during the modern
period, critiques current approaches, and makes a constructive
proposal for how a Christian theological vision of natural
knowledge can be better pursued. The author explains that it is
good both for religion and for science when Christians treat
theology as their first truth discourse. Foreword by David Bentley
Hart.
Southwestern Journal of Theology 2021 Book of the Year Award
(Honorable Mention, Applied Theology/Ethics) This book shows that
theology is both integrally related to formation in Jesus Christ
and shapes our understanding of the world. Christian formation is
incomplete and impossible without theological formation, because
Christ transforms our hearts and minds, attuning them to the
reality of God. As the authors explore the deep connections between
theology and the life of the Christian, they emphasize Christian
formation as a defining feature of the church, arguing that
theology must be integrally connected to the church's traditions
and practices.
Target Audience: Christian adults, college students, and readers of Jerry Bridges. Also church leaders and discipleship pastors.
Now available in softcover with a new, contemporary watercolor design that blends with Jerry Bridge’s most popular books. This new edition now includes the study guide (formerly available separately), combining that resource into this book.
What Ever Happened to Sin? Jerry Bridges helps us confront the sins we tolerate.
The Christian journey is a life of practiced godliness, but too often we overlook or minimize sins that, while corrosive and destructive to ourselves and those around us, are overshadowed by more flashy, headline-grabbing sins. This classic book from Jerry Bridges helps readers understand and commit to a life of holiness by examining patterns of behavior we often accept as normal, rather than as violations of God’s law.
A Word & Way 2022 Book of the Year Sojourners' 2022 Book
Roundup to Inspire Faith and Justice Christian nonviolence is not a
settled position but a vibrant and living tradition. This book
offers a concise introduction to diverse approaches to, proponents
of, and resources for this tradition. It explores the myriad
biblical, theological, and practical dimensions of Christian
nonviolence as represented by a variety of twentieth- and
twenty-first-century thinkers and movements, including previously
underrepresented voices. The authors invite readers to explore this
tradition and discover how they might live out the gospel in our
modern world.
We are living through a period of cultural climate change. We have
outsourced morality to the markets on the one hand, and the state
on the other. The markets have brought wealth to many, and the
state has done much to contain the worst excesses of inequality,
but neither is capable of bearing the moral weight of showing us
how to live. This has had a profound impact on society and the way
in which we interact with each other. Traditional values no longer
hold, yet recent political swings show that modern ideals of
tolerance have left many feeling rudderless and adrift. In this
environment we see things fall apart in unexpected ways - toxic
public discourse makes true societal progress almost unattainable,
a more divisive society is fuelled by identity politics and
extremism, and the rise of a victimhood mentality calls for 'safe
spaces' but stifles debate. The influence of social media seems
all-pervading and the breakdown of the family is only one result of
the loss of social capital. Many fear what the future may hold.
Delivering a devastatingly insightful critique of our modern
condition, and assessing its roots and causes from the ancient
Greeks through the Reformation and Enlightenment to the present
day, Sacks argues that there is no liberty without morality, and no
freedom without responsibility. If we care about the future of
western civilisation, all of us must play our part in rebuilding
our common moral foundation. Then we will discover afresh the
life-transforming and counterintuitive truths that a nation is
strong when it cares for the weak, and rich when it cares for the
poor. Here is an inspiring vision of a world in which we can all
find our place, and face the future without fear.
Saint Thomas Aquinas's masterwork, the Summa theologiae, can be
daunting to beginners. This volume by an expert on Aquinas's
theology offers an ideal introduction. It presents key selections
from the Summa along with accessible commentary designed to provide
background, explain key concepts, and walk readers through
Aquinas's arguments. Previously published as Holy Teaching, this
new edition has been fully revised and includes a substantial
amount of new material. The book draws from the entire Summa and
incorporates selections that focus on moral theology, providing a
fuller picture of Aquinas's thought.
An Award-Winning Challenge to Popular Ideas of the Kingdom
According to Scot McKnight, "kingdom" is the biblical term most
misused by Christians today. It has taken on meanings that are
completely at odds with what the Bible says and has become a
buzzword for both social justice and redemption. In Kingdom
Conspiracy, McKnight offers a sizzling biblical corrective and a
fiercely radical vision for the role of the local church in the
kingdom of God. Now in paper. Praise for Kingdom Conspiracy 2015
Outreach Resources of the Year Award Winner One of Leadership
Journal's Best Books for Church Leaders in 2014 "This is a
must-read for church leaders today."--Publishers Weekly "A timely
resource for the missional church to reexamine some basic
assumptions that impact church practice in the everyday."--Outreach
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