This title provides an upper-level introduction to the doctrine of justification which triggered the Reformation and is still high up on the agenda in Ecumenical dialogue. The core of the book is an historical survey of the doctrine of justification as it has developed within the Western church - a somewhat simplified version of McGrath's Justitia Dei, but with a more outspoken assessment of the various moves that are taken at various stages in the discussion. Attention will is paid to the context or prevailing world view in which such a doctrine is deemed significant. Although the focus is on a number of principal theologians there are some reference to their peers or followers. Only at the end the Pauline texts are examined. The conclusion considers what part a doctrine of justification can have within a modern worldview in which the concept of divine judgement has generally been marginalised. Continuum's Guides for the Perplexed are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.

This title presents theology of biblical interpretation, treating both topics in light of their relationship to the triune God and the economy of redemption. "Trinity, Revelation, and Reading (TRR)" is a theological introduction to the Bible and biblical interpretation. The overarching thesis is that neither the Bible nor biblical hermeneutics can be understood or practiced properly apart from an appreciation of their relationship to the triune God and his gracious economy of redemption. Scott Swain treats the role of the Word in the saving economy of the triune God, the role and status of Scripture as the Word of God, the nature of biblical reading as a covenantal enterprise, as well as a host of other related topics. These topics are addressed by way of a constructive appropriation, or ressourcement, of many of the themes of patristic theology and early Protestant divinity (esp. Reformed Orthodoxy), while building upon the work of important contemporary theologians as well (e.g., Karl Barth, John Webster, Kevin Vanhoozer). The ultimate goal of this study is that readers will appreciate better the ways in which biblical interpretation is an aspect of their covenantal engagement with the triune God.

This precious book contains all the sermons, articles and book reviews on this vital subject by one of the most brilliant theologians America has ever produced. Sinclair Ferguson, author and pastor, said, "I commend these pages, as one who has continually been helped by their contents. It is a treasure to be enjoyed again and again." Joel Beeke added, ""These sermons, articles, and book reviews, collected from Warfield's writings, show the genuine stamp of Reformed experiential piety that rested on the great 19th-century Princeton theologians. The sermons on the leading and sealing of the Spirit are themselves worth the price of the book. Would you like guidance in learning how to live more closely to Christ, how to walk more by faith through the Spirit, and how to wrestle at the throne of grace? Read this book prayerfully, both for clarity of mind and warmth of soul with regard to the person and ministry of the blessed Spirit. Let Warfield be your spiritual mentor in the great things of God."

The Protestant Church in China is growing very fast. However, the role of the Church in society is still fragile and marginal. The Church needs a strong ethical and structural development. This study analyses the theological, ethical and ecclesiological heritage of the Reformation and it shows how this can build the foundation for the future of the Church in China. Four models serve as orientation: the Reformers Luther and Calvin and the theologians Bonhoeffer and Barth in the 20th century, with their vision of Christian faith and a humane society. The critical analysis of the missionary heritage since the 19th century shows its contribution for the acceptance of the tradition of the Reformation for the growing Church in China. The author combines this theological and ethical perspective with the inculturation in the strong ethical tradition of the Chinese culture. He proposes the encounter between the spirituality of the Western culture and that of the traditional culture of China through the relationship with Confucianism. The book also offers elements for the dialogue around modern values such as human rights and civil society. In this dialogue, Chinese Protestantism can play more and more an important role.

Traditionally known as le Refuge, the Huguenot diaspora is one of the most important dispersions of a religious minority in early modern Europe. This migration led to the exodus of nearly two hundred thousand Protestants out of France in 1685 at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Memory and Identity offers a comparative perspective on this event and its repercussions by an international group of historians. This collection is the first look at the Huguenot diaspora in a broad Atlantic context rather than as a narrowly European or Colonial American phenomenon and sheds new light on the Protestant experience both in and outside of France. The volume explains why some Huguenots chose to emigrate instead of being assimilated by the dominant Catholic group, while others recanted their faith and remained in France. Revealing how minority status at home affected the creation of refugee communities outside France, scholars trace the Huguenots' eventual integration into different host societies. Comparing Huguenot diasporic experiences on both sides of the Atlantic, essays focus on Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, British North America, the French Caribbean, New France, and Dutch South Africa. Finally, several essays study the long-term impact of the Revocation and of le Refuge in examining nineteenth-century Huguenot memory in France and in the diaspora and the maintenance of a Huguenot identity.

As the vigorous debate over the New Perspective on Paul will only be decided by means of careful consideration of the relevant Scripture passages, Romans 4 and the New Perspective on Paul makes a significant contribution to the discussion. Interpretations by scholars promoting the New Perspective approach are reviewed in detail and contrasted with those of scholars who are critical toward this method. A detailed analysis of the context and exegesis of Romans 4 completes the work. By suggesting a more nuanced exegesis of Romans 4, this book is able to offer a careful critique of the New Perspective while still noting the positive aspects of the latter approach.

John Calvin (1509-1564) was one of the main Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century. His thought spread worldwide, and today he is still looked to for theological insights and as a guide to Christian faith by millions of people. In this book, one of the world's leading Calvin scholars, Willem van 't Spijker, provides a compact guide to Calvin's life and the main elements of his thought. Van 't Spijker bases this work on the best contemporary scholarship. By tracing Calvin's influence, he shows both the development of Calvin's thought and the ways in which it was important in his time and later. This book will be an excellent introduction to Calvin's life and thought for both beginning students and those already acquainted with Calvin's work.

Este libro del Dr. Salatiel P. Lopez nos introduce en el pensamiento de Juan Calvino de una forma profunda y amena; dandonos a entender que Calvino, al igual que el resto de nosotros, "somos afectados por fuerzas y circunstancias historicas que influyen sobre nuestro desarrollo personal, intelectual y espiritual de manera significativa. Ademas de aquellas caracteristicas individuales que nos distinguen de las otras personas, y ademas de aquellos factores providenciales singulares en que Dios opera de manera especifica en nuestras vidas, recibimos el impacto y la influencia de factores, circunstancias y personajes de la epoca en que vivimos, y que contribuyen a moldear nuestra existencia, nuestro caracter y nuestra manera de pensar." This book by Dr. Salatiel P. Lopez introduces us to the thought of Juan Calvino in a deep and enjoyable manner. It makes the reader understand that all of us, like Calvin, "are affected by forces and historical circumstances that influence our personal, intellectual and spiritual development in a meaningful way. In addition to those individual characteristics that distinguish us from other people, and in addition to those singular providential factors that God works in a specific way in our lives, we receive the impact and influence of factors, circumstances and people of the era in which we live. And these elements contribute to mold our existence, our character, and our way of thinking."

Based on the correspondence of missionaries in the field, this book offers valuable insight unto understanding Protestant attitudes toward the American Indians in the nineteenth century. By focusing upon the work of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S., the book portrays a major Protestant denomination's evangelical program to take the Indian from heathenism to gospel light. From its founding in 1837 the board sent over 450 missionaries to at least nineteen diverse and widely separated Indian tribes, with a goal of uplifting them into the Protestant tradition of Christian civilization. These zealous men and women sent back thousands of detailed and often highly personal letters from the Indian field, and this book is based primarily upon that store of correspondence. Seeking to fill the need for critical case studies of individual missionary organizations, this book depicts the missionaries as cultural revolutionaries in the deepest human sense. Moved by a nearly absolute ethnocentrism, they denounced almost every aspect of tribal culture. Among the Indians they found virtually nothing worth incorporating into the codes of Christian civilization. Yet these missionaries resisted racial explanations for what they saw as Indian failings and retained a conviction that individual tribal members were both eligible for eternal salvation and capable of attaining citizenship in the United States. In this book the author places the work of the Board of Foreign Missions in a historical context and presents the goals, methods, backgrounds and motivations of the missionaries. He also examines the cluster of ideas which constituted the Presbyterian definition for Christian civilization.

Este libro es un intento de articular el contenido de una cosmovisin bblica y su significado para nuestras vidas a medida que buscamos ser obedientes a las Escrituras. Las ideas que componen esta cosmovisin provienen de una larga tradicin de reflexin cristiana sobre las Escrituras y sobre una perspectiva global acerca del mundo. Son parte de una tradicin arraigada en las Escrituras mismas. Ha tenido como sus representantes ms prominentes a los padres de la iglesia Ireneo y Agustn, y a los reformadores Tyndale y Calvino. A esta cosmovisin de formacin escritural se le conoce a veces como "reformacional" porque alude a la Reforma protestante, la que descubri con frescura la enseanza bblica concerniente a la profundidad y al alcance del pecado y de la redencin. El deseo de vivir slo por medio de la Escritura, en vez de hacerlo colocndola al lado de la tradicin, es el sello de los reformadores. Seguimos sus pasos al hacer este nfasis y al desear una continua reforma, al desear ser re-formados por las Escrituras continuamente (ver Hch. 17:11, Ro. 12:2), en vez de vivir segn tradiciones que no han sido examinadas.

R. Tudur Jones's history of Welsh Congregationalism, which has long been recognized as the standard and authoritative work in this field, is made available to English readers in this translation. Written in an accessible style, this scholarly work describes a key aspect of Welsh and Welsh-English history, showing how Wales's religious history is intertwined with the emergence of a national identity. Over four centuries of religious and social history, events, characters, and thought are examined, focusing on ways in which the Congregationalist movement impacted and strengthened the literary traditions and political consciousness of the Welsh people.

When the Reverend Mark Allison Matthews died in February 1940, thousands of mourners gathered at a Seattle church to pay their final respects. The Southern-born Presbyterian came to Seattle in 1902. He quickly established himself as a city leader and began building a congregation that was eventually among the nation's largest, with nearly 10,000 members. Throughout his career, he advocated Social Christianity, a blend of progressive reform and Christian values, as a blueprint for building a morally righteous community.

In telling Matthews's story, Dale Soden presents Matthews's multiple facets: a Southern-born, fundamentalist proponent of the Social Gospel; a national leader during the tumultuous years of schism within the American Presbyterian church; a social reformer who established day-care centers, kindergartens, night classes, and soup kitchens; a colorful figure who engaged in highly public and heated disputes with elected officials. Much of the controversy that surrounded Matthews centered on the proper relationship between church and state -- an issue that is still hotly debated.

In this classic work of American religious history, Robert Middlekauff traces the evolution of Puritan thought and theology in America from its origins in New England through the early eighteenth century. He focuses on three generations of intellectual ministers - Richard, Increase, and Cotton Mather - in order to challenge the traditional telling of the secularization of Puritanism, a story of faith transformed by reason, science, and business. Delving into the Mathers' private papers and unpublished writings as well as their sermons and published works, Middlekauff describes a Puritan theory of religious experience that is more creative, complex, and uncompromising than traditional accounts have allowed. At the same time, he portrays changing ideas and patterns of behavior that reveal much about the first hundred years of American life.

The Puritan author, Morgan Llwyd, is an important figure of seventeenth-century Wales. This scholarly work deals specifically with the theological credo underlying Llwyd's work, and makes a cogent case for his standpoint that, although Llwyd used original ways to express Calvinist doctrine, he was very much an orthodox Calvinist. This is a detailed study of Llwyd's system of thought, and the author succeeds in illuminating complex aspects of Llwyd's work.