AQUINAS AMONG THE PROTESTANTS This major new book provides an introduction to Thomas Aquinas's influence on Protestantism. The editors, both noted commentators on Aquinas, bring together a group of influential scholars to demonstrate the ways that Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed thinkers have analyzed and used Thomas through the centuries. Later chapters also explore how today's Protestants might appropriate the work of Aquinas to address a number of contemporary theological and philosophical issues. The authors set the record straight and disavow the widespread impression that Aquinas is an irrelevant figure for the history of Protestant thought. This assumption has dominated not only Protestant historiography but also Roman Catholic accounts of the Reformation and Protestant intellectual life. The book opens the possibility for contemporary reception, engagement, and critique and even intra-Protestant relations and includes: Information on the fruitful appropriation of Aquinas in Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed theologians over the centuries Important essays from leading scholars on the teachings of Aquinas New perspectives on Thomas Aquinas's position as a towering figure in the history of Christian thought Aquinas Among the Protestants is a ground-breaking and interdenominational work for students and scholars of Thomas Aquinas and theology more generally.

An innovative study of the ways in which theological themes related to earthly and heavenly 'treasures' and Bach's own apparent attentiveness to the spiritual values related to money intertwined in his sacred music. In Johann Sebastian Bach's Lutheran church setting, various biblical ideas were communicated through sermons and songs to encourage parishioners to emulate Christian doctrine in their own lives. Such narratives are based on an understanding that one's lifetime on earth is a temporal passageway to eternity after death, where souls are sent either to heaven or hell based on one's belief or unbelief. Throughout J. S. Bach's Material and Spiritual Treasures, Bach scholar Noelle M. Heber explores theological themes related to earthly and heavenly 'treasures' in Bach's sacred music through an examination of selected texts from Bach's personal theological library. The book's storyline is organised around biblical concepts that are accented in Lutheran thought and in Bach's church compositions, such as the poverty and treasure of Christ and parables that contrast material and spiritual riches. While focused primarily on the greater theological framework, Heber presents an updated survey of Bach's own financial situation and considers his apparent attentiveness to spiritual values related to money. This multifaceted study investigates intertwining biblical ideologies and practical everyday matters in a way that features both Bach's religious context and his humanity. This book will appeal to musicologists, theologians, musicians, students, and Bach enthusiasts.

In this groundbreaking study, the authors

make an unsettling claim: Anabaptist churches

of the Global South have more in common

with the church of the first three centuries

than they do with contemporary churches

in Europe and North America that claim the

Anabaptist name. With data from eighteen

thousand church members in ten countries,

they show how historical patterns of church

renewal are repeating themselves today in the

Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The study

does more than crunch statistics; it probes the

sources and nature of the renewal and growth.

And it pushes readers to ask what these trends

can teach the churches of the North in their

own quest for faithfulness and vitality.

Contingent Citizens features fourteen essays that track changes in the ways Americans have perceived the Latter-day Saints since the 1830s. From presidential politics, to political violence, to the definition of marriage, to the meaning of sexual equality-the editors and contributors place Mormons in larger American histories of territorial expansion, religious mission, Constitutional interpretation, and state formation. These essays also show that the political support of the Latter-day Saints has proven, at critical junctures, valuable to other political groups. The willingness of Americans to accept Latter-day Saints as full participants in the United States political system has ranged over time and been impelled by political expediency, granting Mormons in the United States an ambiguous status, contingent on changing political needs and perceptions. Contributors: Matthew C. Godfrey, Church History Library; Amy S. Greenberg, Penn State University; J. B. Haws, Brigham Young University; Adam Jortner, Auburn University; Matthew Mason, Brigham Young University; Patrick Q. Mason, Claremont Graduate University; Benjamin E. Park, Sam Houston State University; Thomas Richards, Jr., Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; Natalie Rose, Michigan State University; Stephen Eliot Smith, University of Otago; Rachel St. John, University of California Davis

This book is the first systematic attempt to describe a coherent and comprehensive Anglican understanding of Church. Rather than focusing on one school of thought, Dr Locke unites under one ecclesiological umbrella the seemingly disparate views that have shaped Anglican reflections on Church. He does so by exploring three central historical developments: (1) the influence of Protestantism; (2) the Anglican defence of episcopacy; and (3) the development of the Anglican practice of authority. Dr Locke demonstrates how the interaction of these three historical influences laid the foundations of an Anglican understanding of Church that continues to guide and shape Anglican identity. He shows how this understanding of Church has shaped recent Anglican ecumenical dialogues with Reformed, Lutheran, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Drawing on the principle that dialogue with those who are different can lead to greater self-understanding and self-realization, Dr Locke demonstrates that Anglican self-identity rests on firmer ecclesiological foundations than is sometimes supposed.

This book offers a creative and illuminating discussion of Protestant theology. Veteran teacher Phillip Cary explains how Luther's theology arose from the Christian tradition, particularly from the spirituality of Augustine. Luther departed from the Augustinian tradition and inaugurated distinctively Protestant theology when he identified the gospel that gives us Christ as its key concept. More than any other theologian, Luther succeeds in carrying out the Protestant intention of putting faith in the gospel of Christ alone. Cary also explores the consequences of Luther's teachings as they unfold in the history of Protestantism.

From the author of the acclaimed biography Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet, new perspectives on how Luther and others crafted his larger-than-life image Martin Luther was a controversial figure during his lifetime, eliciting strong emotions in friends and enemies alike, and his outsized persona has left an indelible mark on the world today. Living I Was Your Plague explores how Luther carefully crafted his own image and how he has been portrayed in his own times and ours, painting a unique portrait of the man who set in motion a revolution that sundered Western Christendom. Renowned Luther biographer Lyndal Roper examines how the painter Lucas Cranach produced images that made the reformer an instantly recognizable character whose biography became part of Lutheran devotional culture. She reveals what Luther's dreams have to say about his relationships and discusses how his masculinity was on the line in his devastatingly crude and often funny polemical attacks. Roper shows how Luther's hostility to the papacy was unshaken to the day he died, how his deep-rooted anti-Semitism infused his theology, and how his memorialization has given rise to a remarkable flood of kitsch, from "Here I Stand" socks to Playmobil Luther. Lavishly illustrated, Living I Was Your Plague is a splendid work of cultural history that sheds new light on the complex and enduring legacy of Luther and his image.

A panoramic history of Puritanism in England, Scotland, and New England This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a "perfect reformation" in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America.

In 1989, the first complete, restored text of revivalist Charles Finney s memoirs was published by Zondervan. Until then, all editions had reflected editorial liberties introduced in the first 19th-century publication, edited after Finney s death. The restored text---the culmination of over ten years of research by editors Garth Rosell and Richard Dupuis---brought to light Finney s entire memoirs in their original language. Longstanding omissions and inaccuracies were corrected. Comprehensive annotations supplied detailed, phrase-by-phrase and even word-by-word explanations. The 1989 edition was a scholar s and historian s delight. However, the average reader who simply wants to read what Finney wrote doesn t need the scholarly minutiae. This new edition provides the complete, restored text of Finney s memoirs with no unnecessary details to obstruct a straightforward read. In bold, untouched language, Finney s thoughts march across the page with fascinating clarity and cohesiveness. For students of revival or anyone interested in the life of one of America s foremost evangelists, here in his own words is Charles Finney: his life, his thoughts, his struggles and accomplishments, and his abiding love for God and enduring commitment to the gospel of Christ."

Jesus Christ was both the unique Son of God-the Messiah foretold in Scripture-and a man of his time and culture. Charts of the Gospels and the Life of Christ helps you to know him better by clearly organizing the facts that surrounded his life. Whether you're a student, pastor, teacher, or simply someone who wants to take your study of the Bible deeper, this book helps you to see Jesus from a variety of perspectives. Divided into four sections, notable topics include: A Harmonistic Overview of the Four Gospels Sections Found in All Four Gospels Old Testament Citations in the Gospels Roman Rulers of the Land Where Christ Lived Periods of the Life of Christ Christ's Parables in the Presence/Absence of His Enemies The Kingdom in the Teachings of Jesus and the Gospels ZondervanCharts are ready references for those who need the essential information at their fingertips. Accessible and highly useful, the books in this library offer clear organization and thorough summaries of issues, subjects, and topics that are key for Christian students and learners. The visuals and captions will cater to any teaching methodology, style, or program.

'Death doesn't wait till the ends of our lives to meet us and to make an end, ' says Walter Wangerin. 'Instead, we die a hundred times before we die; and all the little endings on the way are like a slowly growing echo of the final BANG ' Yet out of our many losses, our 'little deaths, ' comes a truer recognition of life. It is found in our relationships with ourselves, with our world, with others, and with our Creator. This is the dancing that can come out of mourning: the hope of restored relationships. Mourning into Dancing defines the stages of grief, names the many kinds of loss we suffer, shows how to help the grief-stricken, gives a new vision of Christ's sacrifice, and shows how a loving God shares our grief. We learn from this book that the way to dancing is through the valley of mourning--that grief is a poignant reminder of the fullness of life Christ obtained for us through his resurrection. In the words of writer and critic John Timmerman, Mourning into Dancing 'could well be the most important book you ever read

In a work that is as much about the present as the past, Brad Gregory identifies the unintended consequences of the Protestant Reformation""and traces the way it shaped the modern condition over the course of the following five centuries. A hyperpluralism of religious and secular beliefs, an absence of any substantive common good, the triumph of capitalism and its driver, consumerism all these, Gregory argues, were long-term effects of a movement that marked the end of more than a millennium during which Christianity provided a framework for shared intellectual, social, and moral life in the West.

Before the Protestant Reformation, Western Christianity was an institutionalized worldview laden with expectations of security for earthly societies and hopes of eternal salvation for individuals. The Reformation s protagonists sought to advance the realization of this vision, not disrupt it. But a complex web of rejections, retentions, and transformations of medieval Christianity gradually replaced the religious fabric that bound societies together in the West. Today, what we are left with are fragments: intellectual disagreements that splinter into ever finer fractals of specialized discourse; a notion that modern science as the source of all truth necessarily undermines religious belief; a pervasive resort to a therapeutic vision of religion; a set of smuggled moral values with which we try to fertilize a sterile liberalism; and the institutionalized assumption that only secular universities can pursue knowledge.

"The Unintended Reformation" asks what propelled the West into this trajectory of pluralism and polarization, and finds answers deep in our medieval Christian past.

Reforms and processes of change have become an increasingly pervasive characteristic of European Protestant churches in the last fifteen to twenty years. Driven by perceptions of crises, such as declining membership rates, dwindling finances, decreasing participation in church rituals, and less support of traditional church doctrine, but also changes of governance of religion more generally, many churches feel compelled to explore new forms of operations, activities, and organisational structures. What is the inner dynamic and nature of these processes? This book explores this question by applying perspectives from organisational studies and bringing them into dialogue with ecclesiological categories, seeking to provide a richer understanding of the field of processes of change in churches. Among the questions asked are: What are the implications - organisationally and ecclesiologically - of viewing reform as a church practice, and how does this relate to much more comprehensive waves of public sector reforms? How is church leadership configured and exercised, how is democratic leadership related to the authority of ordained ministry, and how does leadership take on new forms in the context of churches? And how do churches incorporate organisational practices of planned change and renewal, such as social entrepreneurship?

With contributions from eminent theologians from different countries, confessions, disciplines and interests, this volume celebrates the immense breadth and influence of T.F. Torrance. Contributors include R. E. Clements, Matthew Black, R. S. Barbour, Alasdair Heron, Dietrich Ritschl, Robert W. Jenson, D.M. MacKinnon, Allan D. Galloway, Jurgen Moltmann, Noel Dermot O'Donoghue, Stanley L. Jaki, Thomas A. Langford, J. Houston, Enda McDonagh, John McIntyre, Eberhard Jungel, Richard W. A. McKinney, S. W. Sykes, John Heywood Thomas, Lesslie Newbigin.

This Bible published in the classic King James Version includes center-column references and large print type allowing for an easy Bible reading experience. This edition is published in large KJV Comfort Print type, which was designed exclusively for Thomas Nelson to be the most readable at any size. With this KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible, you won't have to sacrifice study features for readability. Center-column references, book introductions, a concordance, and full-color maps make this Bible the go-to edition you'll look forward to reading. As part of the Verse Art Cover Collection, this edition is branded with an inspiring verse to encourage you as you read the truths and promises within its pages. Features include: Presentation page is a special place to record a memory or note Bible book introductions provide a concise overview of the background and historical context of the book about to be read Center-column references allow you to find related passages quickly and easily Reading plan guiding you through the entire Bible in a year Miracles and parables of Jesus call out important events during Jesus' earthly ministry Concordance for looking up a word's occurrences throughout the Bible Full-color maps show the layout of Israel and other biblical locations for better context 2 satin ribbon markers help keep track of where you were reading Easy-to-read large 11-point KJV Comfort Print (R)

This Bible published in the classic King James Version includes center-column references and large print type allowing for an easy Bible reading experience. This edition is published in large KJV Comfort Print type, which was designed exclusively for Thomas Nelson to be the most readable at any size. With this KJV Large Print Center-Column Reference Bible, you won't have to sacrifice study features for readability. Center-column references, book introductions, a concordance, and full-color maps make this Bible the go-to edition you'll look forward to reading. As part of the Verse Art Cover Collection, this edition is branded with an inspiring verse to encourage you as you read the truths and promises within its pages. Features include: Presentation page is a special place to record a memory or note Bible book introductions provide a concise overview of the background and historical context of the book about to be read Center-column references allow you to find related passages quickly and easily Reading plan guiding you through the entire Bible in a year Miracles and parables of Jesus call out important events during Jesus' earthly ministry Concordance for looking up a word's occurrences throughout the Bible Full-color maps show the layout of Israel and other biblical locations for better context 2 satin ribbon markers help keep track of where you were reading Easy-to-read large 11-point KJV Comfort Print (R)

A gripping story of how an entire family, deeply enmeshed in Mormonism for thirty years, found their way out and found faith in Jesus Christ. For thirty years, Lynn Wilder, once a tenured faculty member at Brigham Young University, and her family lived in, loved, and promoted the Mormon Church. Then their son Micah, serving his Mormon mission in Florida, had a revelation: God knew him personally. God loved him. And the Mormon Church did not offer the true gospel. Micah's conversion to Christ put the family in a tailspin. They wondered, Have we believed the wrong thing for decades? If we leave Mormonism, what does this mean for our safety, jobs, and relationships? Is Christianity all that different from Mormonism anyway? As Lynn tells her story of abandoning the deception of Mormonism to receive God's grace, she gives a rare look into Mormon culture, what it means to grow up Mormon, and why the contrasts between Mormonism and Christianity make all the difference in the world. Whether you are in the Mormon Church, are curious about Mormonism, or simply are looking for a gripping story, Unveiling Grace will strengthen your faith in the true God who loves you no matter what.

Faith and Revolution in the Life of Eduardo Mondlane. This work is a significant contribution to the narrative of Christianity in southern Africa within the framework of the struggle for liberation from colonial rule. By focusing on the story of a Protestant political and ecumenical leader, Eduardo Mondlane, of note within a dominantly Roman Catholic country, Faris explores the role of the churches and missions, especially the Swiss Mission, in the struggle for African Independence.

konfi live. Mein Begleiter ist ein Wegbegleiter fur die KonfirmandInnen zur personlichen Gestaltung mit Platz fur Fotos und personliche Eintragungen. Zudem sind hier die grundlegenden Texte fur die Konfizeit vom Vaterunser bis zum Glaubensbekenntnis zu finden. Weitere Texte und Bilder geben Impulse zu lebensweltlichen oder religiosen Themen. Dank der ubersichtlichen Anordnung kann in der Gruppe rasch darauf zugegriffen werden. Die Konfirmandenzeit hat sich verandert: weg von Unterricht hin zu Raum fur Begegnung und Erfahrung weg von der Ein-Mann (Frau)-Show hin zu Projekten, Gruppen, Aktionen im Team weg von einmal wochentlich, zwei Jahre, hin zu einer Vielzahl unterschiedlichster Formen und Formate konfi live wird den neuen Anforderungen gerecht: konfi live stellt Konzepte sowohl fur einjahrige als auch zweijahrige Kurse bereit konfi live bietet prazise Vorschlage zur Vorbereitung durch Pfarrer/in und Team konfi live ist als fertige Einheit verwendbar, kann aber auch flexibel eingesetzt und mit eigenen Materialien kombiniert werden konfi live setzt sich bewusst ab von Schule und Unterricht und bietet den Rahmen zum eigenstandigen Ausprobieren konfi live ist live in dem Sinn, dass die Konfis Glauben mit allen Sinnen ganzheitlich erleben, befragen und anprobieren konfi live stellt konkrete Umsetzungsvorschlage fur die Einbindung von Konfirmanden mit Handicaps und unterschiedlichen Leistungsniveaus zur Verfugung und erleichtert so den Umgang mit stark gemischten Gruppen konfi live verzichtet auf ein klassisches Arbeitsbuch. Stattdessen bekommen die KonfirmandInnen einen Wegbegleiter an die Hand, der ganz personlich gestaltet werden kann

Who are the Popes and how does the Roman Catholic Church define their role? What about the present day Popes? What is the ecumenical significance of the Papacy and what are its prospects in the global world? These and other questions are tackled as Leonardo De Chirico explores the Biblical, historical, and theological fabric of the Papacy.

How the billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to make America a "Bible nation" Like many evangelical Christians, the Green family of Oklahoma City believes that America was founded as a Christian nation, based on a "biblical worldview." But the Greens are far from typical evangelicals in other ways. The billionaire owners of Hobby Lobby, a huge nationwide chain of craft stores, the Greens came to national attention in 2014 after successfully suing the federal government over their religious objections to provisions of the Affordable Care Act. What is less widely known is that the Greens are now America's biggest financial supporters of Christian causes--and they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in an ambitious effort to increase the Bible's influence on American society. In Bible Nation, Candida Moss and Joel Baden provide the first in-depth investigative account of the Greens' sweeping Bible projects and the many questions they raise. Bible Nation tells the story of the Greens' rapid acquisition of an unparalleled collection of biblical antiquities; their creation of a closely controlled group of scholars to study and promote their collection; their efforts to place a Bible curriculum in public schools; and their construction of a $500 million Museum of the Bible near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Bible Nation reveals how these seemingly disparate initiatives promote a very particular set of beliefs about the Bible--and raise serious ethical questions about the trade in biblical antiquities, the integrity of academic research, and more. Bible Nation is an important and timely account of how a vast private fortune is being used to promote personal faith in the public sphere--and why it should matter to everyone.