. Did Jesus ever have sex? . Was Jesus ever wrong? . Do people have to choose to follow Jesus to go to heaven? Ever get the feeling that you can't ask those kinds of questions at church? But if we can't ask the tough, keep-you-awake-at-night questions within our faith communities, then what good are those communities? Listen in as more than a dozen contributors-whose ranks include a lawyer, a recovering achiever/lapsed vegetarian, ministers (ordained and not ordained), and more-discuss the questions your Sunday school teachers were afraid to answer. Also look for Banned Questions about the Bible, available at www.chalicepress.com, and e-mail your own "banned" questions to [email protected] for future books. Banned Questions series editor Christian Piatt is a managing editor for PULP, an independent alt-monthly publication for southern Colorado; a musician, spoken word artist, and cofounder of Milagro Christian Church in Pueblo, Colorado; cocreator and coeditor of the WTF? (Where's the Faith?) book series; contributor to theooze.com and Red Letter Christians blog; and author of the upcoming Pregmancy: A Dad, a Little Dude, and a Due Date.

This STUDY GUIDE is a companion resource to Wayne Grudem's Christian Beliefs, revised edition. Not every Christian needs to go to seminary, but there are certain 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, the Christian Beliefs Study Guide can help you reflect on and deeply internalize the core teachings of Christianity, when used in conjunction with Christian Beliefs, revised edition (sold separately). This STUDY GUIDE will help you think through important topics like: 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 happens when Christ returns The biblical understanding of heaven And much more Chapter by chapter, this STUDY GUIDE will lead you to examine and reflect on Christian Beliefs, revised edition (sold separately), by providing: Summary: A short summary of the chapter to help remind readers what they read. Key terms: Definitions of important terminology introduced in the chapter. Key quotes: Selection of one or two key quotes from the chapter. Central Scripture Passage: An important biblical passage related to the chapter for reflection or memorization. Content Questions: Questions that reflect on the theological content of the chapter. Practical Application Questions: Questions that help tie the theological content of the chapter to real-life situations. For Further Reading: Lists where to find more information on theological topics in Systematic Theology, second edition, by Wayne Grudem so readers know where to go for a deeper dive into specific subjects they want to know more about. The Christian Beliefs Study Guide is the ideal resource for every Christian who wants a solid foundation for understanding the most basic and essential teachings of the Bible.

God's Word tells us we must "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15). This updated classic from Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell will give you the tools you need to do just that. The modern apologetics classic that started it all is now completely revised and updated-because the truth of the Bible doesn't change, but its critics do. With the original Evidence That Demands a Verdict, bestselling author Josh McDowell gave Christian readers the answers they needed to defend their faith against the harshest critics and sceptics. Since that time, Evidence has remained a trusted resource for believers young and old. Bringing historical documentation and the best modern scholarship to bear on the trustworthiness of the Bible and its teachings, this extensive volume has encouraged and strengthened millions. Now, with his son Sean McDowell, Josh McDowell has updated and expanded this classic resource for a new generation. This is a book that invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn't shy away from the tough questions.

This fresh study from an internationally respected scholar of the Reformation and post-Reformation eras shows how the Reformers and their successors analyzed and reconciled the concepts of divine sovereignty and human freedom. Richard Muller argues that traditional Reformed theology supported a robust theory of an omnipotent divine will and human free choice and drew on a tradition of Western theological and philosophical discussion. The book provides historical perspective on a topic of current interest and debate and offers a corrective to recent discussions.

In this book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, author Sabine Dramm examines the twentieth century's best-known German pastor and theologian. This is a book about Bonhoeffer's vibrant Christian faith and his profound yet very practical theological thinking. Although Dietrich Bonhoeffer's passionate life and dramatic death are familiar territory, this book examines his life and the death he accepted in resistance to Hitler in the context of his faith and thought, as found in his own writings. Dramm explores Bonhoeffer's sermons, letters, articles, and books. She offers her readers an outstanding introduction to the breadth of his writing and the depth of his theological thinking, and traces how Bonhoeffer's beliefs and understandings led him to active resistance to the Nazi regime: to the establishment of alternative church groups, to espionage, and ultimately to conspiracy to overthrow the government by assassinating Hitler.

More than twenty-five years have passed since the publication in 1979 of "Brothers and Sisters to Us," the U.S. Bishops' statement against racism, and during this time white Catholic theologians have remained relatively silent on this topic. In this hard-hitting study, prominent Roman Catholic theologians address white priviletge and the way it contributes to racism. They maintain that systems of white privilege are a significant factor in maintaining evil systems of racism in our country and that most white theologians and ethicists remain ignorant of their negative impact.

The wellspring of Thomas Hardy and Religion is the recognition that Thomas Hardys two late great novels, Tess of the dUrbervilles and Jude the Obscure, are dominated, respectively, by two religious traditions of nineteenth-century Anglicanism: Evangelicalism and Anglo-Catholicism. Placing those movements in their historical context alongside other Victorian religious traditions, the author explores the development of Hardys religious beliefs and ideas up till the 1880s. Evangelicalism in Tess is discussed through an analysis of the principal characters, Angel Clare and his father, Parson Clare, Alec dUrberville and Tess herself, leading to a consideration of why this form of Christianity looms so large in that novel. Not unexpectedly, the reasons for this are linked to Hardys personal and intellectual biography, especially his religious upbringing and experience of and involvement in these religious traditions. This applies to both novels. The sources of Jude the Obscure in Hardys life and thought, and their links to Anglo-Catholicism, are revealed in the context of the influence of that tradition on the narrative and characters, in particular Judes sense of vocation, the importance of the university town of Christminster and issues associated with marriage, divorce and sexuality. Throughout his analysis of both novels the author demonstrates how Hardy lambasts the way in which these religious traditions and the conventional Victorian morality they bolstered undermine human flourishing. Thomas Hardy and Religion concludes by considering the place these two novels have in the continuing trajectory of Hardys theological ideas, underlining the critical importance of understanding his religious concerns and reflecting on the way in which his critique of religion is important to people of faith.

The biblical psalms are perhaps the most commented-upon texts in human history. They are at once deeply alluring and deeply troubling. In this addition to the acclaimed Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible, a highly respected scholar offers a theological reading of Psalms 1-50, exploring the various voices in the poems to discern the conversation they engage about God, suffering, and hope as well as ways of community belonging. The commentary examines the context of the psalms as worship--tending to both their original setting and their subsequent Jewish and Christian appropriation--and explores the psychological dynamics facing the speaker. Foreword by William P. Brown.

What "don't" Christians believe? Is Jesus really divine? Is Jesus really human? Can God suffer? Can people be saved by their own efforts?
The early church puzzled over these questions, ruling in some beliefs and ruling out others. "Heresies and How to Avoid Them" explains the principal ancient heresies and shows why contemporary Christians still need to know about them. These famous detours in Christian believing seemed plausible and attractive to many people in the past, and most can still be found in modern-day guises. By learning what it is that Christians don't believe--and why--believers today can gain a deeper, truer understanding of their faith.

These three volumes that cover topics from A-Z are an inspiration to Christians young and old giving them a mini Bible study on each of the subjects. It is a must for the bookshelf to be used when particular questions arise for discussion and learning. A wonderful collection of Biblical teachings that all should have to hand.

These three volumes that cover topics from A-Z are an inspiration to Christians young and old giving them a mini Bible study on each of the subjects. It is a must for the bookshelf to be used when particular questions arise for discussion and learning. A wonderful collection of Biblical teachings that all should have to hand.