The Woodcarver is a collection of feature and cover articles written for national and international publications over the past two decades on matters of faith. These true stories illustrate how the Holy Spirit, acting through people and serendipitous events, changes lives in a powerful way. The collection takes its title from The Woodcarver-a true story of a chance encounter with a German woodcarver-an ex-Nazi who had been a prisoner of war in the American South. During his captivity, the whites treated him badly, but the blacks were kind to him. He developed a love for black people that contradicted the stereotypical attitude of the Nazis. The Woodcarver taught the author a valuable lesson about stereotypes and how the Woodcarvers love of the faith found expression in a piece of oak.

Incompatible with God's Design is the first comprehensive history of the Roman Catholic women's ordination movement in the United States. Mary Jeremy Daigler explores how the focus on ordination, and not merely "increased participation" in the life and ministries of the church, has come to describe a broad movement. Moving well beyond the role of such organizations as the Women's Ordination Conference, this study also addresses the role of international and local groups. In an effort to debunk a number of misperceptions about the movement, from its date of origin to its demographic profile, Daigler explores a vast array of topics. Starting with the movement's historical background from the early American period through the early twentieth century to Vatican II and afterward, she considers the role of women (especially Catholicism's more religious adherents) in the movement's evolution, the organization of the ordination movement in the United States, the role and response of clergy and Vatican teachings, the reality of international influences on the U.S. movement, and the full range of challenges-past and present-to the ordination movement. Incompatible with God's Design is compelling reading for any student of theology and women's studies, as well as those interested in staying abreast with the changing role of women within the U.S. Roman Catholic Church.

Becoming a Mensch is a "user's guide" to becoming a better person, taking readers through a process of personal growth by means of modern-day vignettes that draw upon the Talmud's ancient wisdom. By examining character traits such as "kindness and compassion," "self-mastery and self discipline," and "humility and flexibility," readers of any or no faith learn what it takes to become a "mensch" -- a decent and honorable human being. Readers are introduced to the greatest sages of the Talmudic era and many modern masters of ethical behavior. Becoming a Mensch is not only a guidebook for personal growth -- it is also a useful guide for parents who want to foster the ethical development of their children.

If the philosophers of the Enlightenment had hoped to establish, once and for all, that reason is the primary source of human orientation, twentieth century philosophy has demonstrated all too clearly that reason is far from having clear boundaries. In this respect, Immanuel Kant s contemporaries and critics, Johann Georg Hamann and Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, look surprisingly modern. Faith is now increasingly recognized as intrinsic to social identity and thus no more capable of taking a permanently subordinate role to reason whatever that may be than reason is capable of an existence free from social embodiment. This collection of thirteen essays focuses upon major philosophical and theological debates from the past three hundred years. Written by leading international scholars, this remarkable text takes the reader through major transitions in the modern understanding of faith and reason. It thus provides an invaluable guide to the history of modern philosophical theology whilst informing readers why the relationship between faith and reason remains an issue of major social and philosophical importance.

Incarnation has always been an important concept within Christian theology. For centuries theologians have wrestled with how best to conceptualize the vexing problem of what it means that Jesus the Christ is fully God and fully human. In this book, Adam Pryor explores how the incarnation has intersected corresponding issues well beyond the familiar question of how any one person might have two natures. Beginning by identifying four critical themes that have historically shaped the development of this doctrine, Pryor goes on to offer a constructive account of the incarnation. His account seeks out the continued meaning of this doctrine given the increasing complexity that characterizes our understanding of human bodies-bodies that can no longer be understood as the locus of distinct subjects separated from the world of objects with the skin as an impenetrable boundary between the two. Making use of contemporary phenomenologies of the flesh and the erotic, Pryor develops an understanding of the incarnation that seeks to go beyond classical issues presented by two natures christologies. Incarnation, in guises as various as Jesus the Christ, cyborg bodies, and sacramental practices, becomes a way that God is diffused into the world, transforming how we are to be-with one another.

The God Biographers presents a sweeping narrative of the Western image of God since antiquity, following the theme of how the "old" biography of God has been challenged by a "new" biography in the twenty-first century. The new biography has made its case in free will theism, process thought, evolutionary doctrines, relational theology, and "open theism" a story of people, ideas, and events that is brought up to the present in this engaging narrative. Readers will meet the God biographers in the old and new camps. On the one side are Job, Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Aquinas, and Calvin. On the other side is a group that includes the early Unitarian and Wesleyan thinkers, the process thinkers Alfred North Whitehead, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Charles Hartshorne, and finally a new breed of evangelical philosophers. This story looks closely at the cultural and scientific context of each age and how these shaped the images of God. In the twenty-first century, that image is being shaped by new human experiences and the findings of science. Today, the debate between the old biographers and the new is playing out in the forums of modern theology, courtrooms, and social movements. Larry Witham tells that panoramic story in an engaging narrative for specialists and general readers alike.

In Linus or Peter? The Question of Papal Infallibility, Geis argues that the Vatican I proclamation on papal infallibility is directly rendered uncertain, if not outright discredited and disproved, by three passages in Scripture (Mt. 18:18, Lk. 10:1-16, 1 Cor. 10:4). Lexical inquiry into other Scriptural passages dealing with the Scriptural terms "rock" and "cornerstone" solidify this claim. Scrutiny of Patristic sentiment adds to the evidence, as does dating Acts' record of Peter's missionary activities. History shows a tension between wayward papal conduct and dogmatic claims, as well as records of excommunicated popes. 18:18 argues, Geis claims, for the inerrancy of the Spirit's guidance witnessed in the practice and belief of the worldwide Christian community over the millennia. The Roman rite claim for a Divinely ordained Vicariate of authoritative pronouncements, having no Scriptural basis, emerges as an impediment to Christian unity, to Christ prayer "that they may be one" (Jn. 17:20-21).

"In the Rabbi's Garden" is a contemporary reflection on the midrashic responses to the story of Adam and Eve. It interprets the midrashim that touch on the basic aspects of the human condition: guilt, responsibility, God, death, and sexuality--all rooted in the primal experience of Eden.

Finding hope can sometimes feel like a daunting, almost impossible task. How refreshing to be able to experience glimpses of hope in the simplest of daily interactions with others-even animals. All Creatures challenges the reader to see beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary treasures hidden by our Creator in the least of his creations. This collection of twenty-five devotions focuses on learning to look for God's promises of hope regardless of your current circumstances.

Conflicts over the proper role of religion in schools-and particularly in public schools supported by tax monies-are frequently featured in news reports. For example, in the United States there currently are conflicts over the teaching of evolution, inserting the word God in the pledge of allegiance, conducting school holiday celebrations, posting the biblical Ten Commandments in schools, and praying at school functions. People who are interested in such controversies often-or, perhaps, usually-fail to understand the historical backgrounds to the conflicts and therefore do not recognize the very complex factors that affect why the controversies become so heated. To help readers gain a better understanding of such matters, this book focuses on the seven major types of conflicts that have become particularly confrontational during the first decade of the twenty-first century. The cases on which the chapters focus concern issues that currently are being hotly debated in America. Controversies are described in relation to their historical origins and the author shows how the history affects current understanding of the issues. Thomas does not take sides in the arguments; rather, he lays out the arguments, their historical and cultural contexts, and the groups that debate them and their goals. Anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the controversies surrounding religion in American schools will be happy to find here not just a review of the issues, but a deeper consideration of the causes, consequences, and future of the debates and the role of religion in our public schools.

Many scholars maintain that the Gospels should be dated later than they currently are. In Divinity of a Birth, Robert Geis reveals why this claim lacks foundation. Prophecy, the key to evidence of the Divine in human existence, is best demonstrated with a dating nearest to the time of the prophesied event. This work argues lexically for evidence of a Semitic substrate in much of the New Testament (NT) Gospels. This makes the timing of its composition an aid to the thesis that the Old Testament (OT) a source of NT prophecy was a Divine instrument, as the NT narratives of Christ make clear. The prophecies of the OT, therefore, support the claim of the divinity of Christ s birth. Geis carefully analyzes prophecies such as the virginity of Mary and argues for a stringent interpretation of Luke s claim to accuracy.

Have you been longing to learn more about spiritual disciplines but haven't known where to start? Through brief daily readings and simple ideas on spiritual practices, this book introduces the core disciplines of the Christian faith. Rather than being another burden to an already full schedule, these devotions provide an opportunity to develop holy habits that will lead you into the joyful, rich life God has created us for. Each month focuses on one of the twelve core disciplines of the Christian life. This will allow you to soak in the rich principles behind each practice in a brief daily format. Within each discipline, there are readings for five days a week (built-in grace ). Each session contains a Bible verse and a short teaching on the discipline. With the introduction to each discipline, there is an array of practical application ideas that you can incorporate into your week. By devoting just ten minutes a day to reading and practice, you can set yourself on a journey of lifetime riches. Make this the year you discover the disciplines. Also includes ideas for weekly family activities.

Traditionally, university students have gained access to world religions by reading primary texts. Discovering World Religions at 24 Frames Per Second takes students beyond the written page, offering an exploration of the same religious traditions through the study of feature films. The many definitions of religion are examined along with its various components, including doctrine, myth, ethics, ritual, and symbol. Specific religious traditions, including Hinduism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, popular religion, and Shinto are examined. Biographical sketches of directors whose films tend to focus on a particular religious tradition are also included, such as Zhang Yimou, Hayao Miyazaki, Deepa Mehta, and Akira Kurosawa. Discovering World Religions at 24 Frames Per Second is unique in the area of religion and film studies in that it isn't just a collection of essays. Instead it provides the introductory student with the necessary background information on the various religions before looking at how their ideas can be understood not through texts but through the cinematic medium. To keep the conversation fresh, most of the films used in the book were made within the last decade. Furthermore, examples range from popular, mainstream fare, such as Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to lesser-known foreign films, such as The Wooden Man's Bride and The Great Yokai War. Several films with a "cult-like" following are also discussed, including Fight Club, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Jacob's Ladder. This book is also unique in that instead of drawing upon the Judeo-Christian tradition, it draws from Eastern traditions.

Men, we will never get anywhere in life without discipline, and doubly so in spiritual matters. None of us is inherently righteous, so Paul's instructions regarding spiritual discipline in 1 Timothy 4:7-8 take on personal urgency: "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." That word "train" comes from the Greek word from which we derive gymnasium. So, I invite you into God's Gym--to some pain and great gain! Discipline of Purity Sensuality is the biggest obstacle to godliness among Christian men. The fall of King David should not only instruct us but scare the sensuality right out of us! Fill yourself with God's Word--memorize passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Job 31:1, Proverbs 6:27, Ephesians 5:3-7, and 2 Timothy 2:22. Find someone who will help you keep your soul faithful to God. A pure mind is impossible if you mindlessly watch TV and movies or visit pornographic web sites (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Develop the divine awareness that sustained Joseph: "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9). Discipline of Relationships To be all God wants you to be, put some holy sweat into your relationships! If you're married, you need to live out Ephesians 5:25-31: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (v. 25). For those who are fathers, God provides a workout in one pungent sentence: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Relationships are not optional (Hebrews 10:25); they enable us to develop into what God wants us to be and most effectively learn and live God's truth. Discipline of Mind The potential of possessing the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) introduces the scandal of today's church--Christians who do not think Christianly, leaving our minds undisciplined. The Apostle Paul understood this well: "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). Each ingredient is a matter of personal choice. You can never have a Christian mind without reading the Scriptures regularly because you cannot be influenced by that which you do not know. Discipline of Devotion Reading God's Word is essential, but meditation internalizes the Word and responds, "I desire to do your will, O my God" (Psalm 40:8). Beyond instructions like Ephesians 6:18-20, there are two great reasons to pray. The more we expose our lives to the white-hot sun of Christ's righteous life, the more his image will be burned into our character. The second reason is that prayer bends our wills to God's will. Many men never have an effective devotional life because they never plan for it; they never expose their lives to his pure light. Discipline of Integrity We can hardly overstate the importance of integrity to a generation of believers so much like the world in ethical conduct. But integrity's benefits--character, a clear conscience, deep intimacy with God--argue its importance. We must let God's Word draw our lines of conduct. Our speech and actions must be intentionally true (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:15), backed by the courage to keep our word and stand up for our convictions (Psalm 15:4). An old saying sums it up: "Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny."(1) Discipline of Tongue "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless" (James 1:26). The true test of a man's spirituality is not his ability to speak, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue! Offered to God on the altar, the tongue has awesome power for good. There must be an ongoing prayerfulness and resolve to discipline ourselves: "Who keeps the tongue doth keep his soul."(2) Discipline of Work We meet God, the Creator, as a worker in Genesis 1:1-2:2. Since "God created man in his own image" (1:27), the way we work will reveal how much we allow the image of God to develop in us. There is no secular/sacred distinction; all honest work ought to be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We must recover the biblical truth that our vocation is a divine calling and thus be liberated to do it for the glory of God. Discipline of Perseverance Hebrews 12:1-3 presents a picture of perseverance in four commands. Divest! "Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely" (v. 1a). That includes besetting sin, and anything else that hinders. Run! "...with endurance the race that is set before us" (v. 1b). Each of us can finish our race (see also 2 Timothy 4:7). Focus! "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" (v. 2). There never was a millisecond that he did not trust the Father. Consider! Our life is to be spent considering how Jesus lived (v. 3). Discipline of Church You don't have to go to church to be a Christian; you don't have to go home to be married. But in both cases if you do not, you will have a very poor relationship! You will never attain your full spiritual manhood, nor will your family reach its spiritual maturity without commitment to the church. Find a good church, join it, and commit yourself to it wholeheartedly. Your participation should include financial support, but it should also include giving your time, talents, expertise, and creativity to the glory of God. Discipline of Giving How can we escape the power of materialism? By giving from a heart overflowing with God's grace, like the believers in Macedonia who "gave themselves first to the Lord" (2 Corinthians 8:5): this is where grace giving must begin. Giving disarms the power of money. Though giving should be regular, it should also be spontaneous and responsive to needs. And it should be joyous--"God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). And Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly man, remember, with Paul, what energizes us to live them out--"not I, but the grace of God that is with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Second Edition, (London: Oxford UP, 1959), p. 405. James S. Hewitt, ed., Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1988), p. 475.

For centuries Lent has been a time when Christians stop and take stock of their lives. It is a time for revisiting the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. It is a time of focusing on our sinfulness and the need to repent, as well as a season in which we focus on putting aside our luxuries and making sure that others have what they need. All of these themes, and more, are explored in this collection of Anglican readings that begin with Ash Wednesday and end on the Saturday of Easter Week.

These readings are arranged in a regular sequence through each week of Lent. Sunday readings focus on God s love, Mondays on the need for discipline, Tuesdays on fasting, Wednesdays on prayer, Thursdays on sin, Fridays on the cross, and Saturdays on baptism.

A Time to Turn draws on the best sermons, books, poems, and hymns of Anglican writers throughout the centuries, with a reading for each day, followed by the brief suggestion for focusing the reader's meditations. Writers include Christina Rossetti, John Donne, Philips Brooks, John Keble, Thomas Traherne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and many others. Brief biographies are included, along with a bibliography for those who would like to read more from a given writer. "

The story of one young man's remarkable journey from corporate America to the Society of Jesus. James Martin leads you from his Catholic childhood through his success and ultimate dissatisfaction with the business world, to his novitiate and profession of vows as a Jesuit.

This collection of short essays, sermons, lectures, reviews, analyses, and poems is offered as a means to provoke thought, inspire imagination, and encourage conversation about the future of the church. Church renewal awaits a renewed synergy of theology, homily, and energy. Together, thought, word, and deed offer us much as we face an unforeseen future. There is much for which to be thankful, and much to be excited about as the church moves forward into the twenty-first century. A healthy future of stimulated learning, excellent leadership, and lay ministry_thought, word, and deed _may be coming toward us.

This book is the third in a trilogy of books on introductory psychology. It emphasizes the application of psychological principles for the improvement of individual and group behaviors. The two principles of greatest relevance are the Law of Effect and the Principle of Human Agency. The universally-accepted Law of Effect states that rewarded behaviors tend to be repeated, whereas unrewarded or punished behaviors are not likely to be repeated. The controversial Principle of Human Agency states that individuals can make voluntary choices of behaviors that may, or may not, be successful in achieving their goals in life. If this second principle is true, the behaviors of individuals are not totally determined by the personal heredity of the individuals or by their environmental rewards or punishments. Applied Psychology for Servant Religion discusses problem solving, interpretation of test results, and ways to improve individual and social behaviors.

School textbooks in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab and Muslim worlds are filled with anti-Western and anti-Israel propaganda. Most readers will be shocked to discover that history and geography textbooks widely used in America's elementary and secondary classrooms contain some of the very same inaccuracies about Jews, Judaism, and Israel. Did you know that "there is no record of any important Jewish contribution to the sciences?" (World Civilizations, Thomson Wadsworth). Or that "Christianity was started by a young Palestinian named Jesus?" (The World, Scott Foresman/Pearson). Supplemental materials and other classroom influences are even worse. The Trouble with Textbooks exposes the poor scholarship and untruths in textbooks about Jews and Israel. The problems uncovered in this ground-breaking analysis are instructive, and illustrate the need for reform in the way textbooks are developed, written, marketed, and distributed. Substitute another area how we teach American history, Western civilization, or comparative religion and we have another, equally intriguing case study. The Trouble with Textbooks shows what can go terribly wrong in discussing religion, geography, culture, or history and in this case all of them. The Trouble with Textbooks tells a cautionary tale for all readers, whatever their background, of how textbooks that Americans depend on to infuse young people with the values for good citizenship and to help acculturate students into the multicultural salad that is American life, instead disparage some groups and teach historical distortions. With millions of young people using these textbooks each year, the denigration of some should be a concern for all."

In this book, Lewis Sperry Chafer instructs the aspiring preacher on the authentic principles of evangelism: that salvation, and proper communication of Christ's message, are of utmost importance. Chafer begins by noting the emergence of preachers who behave and speak contrary to the wishes of Jesus Christ. It is these 'False Forces' that moved the author to spell out precisely what is and is not true evangelic preaching. The identification of falsehoods in the messages delivered, and improper emphases which distract from the ever-present, ever-beneficent God, led Lewis Sperry Chafer to pen this book. Lewis Sperry Chafer spent a lifetime in evangelical preaching and writing in service of the Lord. Although remembered mainly for his scholarly work upon Biblical theology, he was also praised for his easygoing and relaxed demeanor. His leadership at the Dallas Theological Seminary was characterized by this competent, just and thoroughly Christian personality.