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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian theology > General
Today, hell is a front-burner topic, thanks to media attention
stirred by megapastors Rob Bell, Francis Chan, and others. But,
between the extremes of universal salvation and everlasting
torment, there shines a third view, known as annihilationism or
conditional immortality, claiming the most biblical support of all.
Now the man whose 500-page book, The Fire That Consumes, helped
ignite the scholarly debate thirty years ago brings this exciting
alternative viewpoint to the everyday reader in simple form. And
the story behind the book is now the subject of a feature film,
"Hell and Mr. Fudge," due to release
in theaters in 2012 (and starring Mackenzie Astin and Keri Lynn
Pratt; see www.hellandmrfudge.com).
Arianism has been called the "archetypal Christian heresy" - a
denial of the divine status of Christ. In his examination, now
augmented by new material, Rowan Williams argues that Arius himself
was a dedicated theological conservative whose concern was to
defend the free and personal character of the Christian God. His
"heresy" grew out of the attempt to unite traditional biblical
language with radical philosophical ideas and techiniques, and was,
from the start, involved with issues of authority in the church.
Thus, the crisis of the early 4th century was not only about the
doctrine of God, but also about the relations between emperors,
bishops and ascetical "charismatic" teachers in the church's
decision-making. Williams raises the wider questions of how heresy
is defined and how certain kinds of traditionalism transform
themselves into heresy. With a fresh conclusion, in which the
author reflects on how his views have changed or remained the same,
and a new introduction, this book is suitable reading for students
of patristics, doctrine and church history.
Joy Unspeakable focuses on the aspects of the Black church that
point beyond particular congregational gatherings toward a mystical
and communal spirituality not within the exclusive domain of any
denomination. This mystical aspect of the black church is deeply
implicated in the well-being of African American people but is not
the focus of their intentional reflection. Moreover, its traditions
are deeply ensconced within the historical memory of the wider
society and can be found in Coltrane's riffs, Malcolm's
exhortations, the social activism of the Black Lives Matter
Movement and the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama. The research
in this book-through oral histories, church records, and written
accounts--details not only ways in which contemplative experience
is built into African American collective worship but also the
legacy of African monasticism, a history of spiritual exemplars,
and unique meditative worship practices. A groundbreaking work in
its original edition, Joy Unspeakable now appears in a new, revised
edition to address the effects of this contemplative tradition on
activism and politics and to speak to a new generation of readers
and scholars.
Craig Keener carefully examines the New Testament Gospels and the
book of Acts to provide a fuller understanding of what the Holy
Spirit meant in the lives of early believers. Christianity did not
arise in a vacuum, but rather it appropriated, modified, and
utilized the Jewish understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit.
By understanding the world in which Christianity emerged, we can
better understand the earliest believers' experience of God's
empowering and purifying Spirit. This paperback edition contains a
new preface by the author.
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.
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