A Top Ten Book for Parish Ministry in 2017, Academy of Parish Clergy A Jesus Creed 2017 Book of the Year (Honorable Mention) From facing wild beasts in the arena to governing the Roman Empire, Christian women--as preachers and philosophers, martyrs and empresses, virgins and mothers--influenced the shape of the church in its formative centuries. This book provides in a single volume a nearly complete compendium of extant evidence about Christian women in the second through fifth centuries. It highlights the social and theological contributions they made to shaping early Christian beliefs and practices, integrating their influence into the history of the patristic church and showing how their achievements can be edifying for contemporary Christians.

In Righteous Gentiles: Religion, Identity, and Myth in John Hagee's Christians United for Israel, Sean Durbin offers a critical analysis of America's largest Pro-Israel organization, Christians United for Israel, along with its critics and collaborators. Although many observers focus on Christian Zionism's influence on American foreign policy, or whether or not Christian Zionism is 'truly' religious, Righteous Gentiles takes a different approach. Through his creative and critical analysis of Christian Zionists' rhetoric and mythmaking strategies, Durbin demonstrates how they represent their identities and political activities as authentically religious. At the same time, Durbin examines the role that Jews and the state of Israel play as vehicles or empty signifiers through which Christian Zionist truth claims are represented as manifestly real.

From a master chronicler of legal and financial misconduct, a magnificent investigation nine years in the making, this book traces the political intrigue and inner workings of the Catholic Church. Decidedly not about faith, belief in God, or religious doctrine, this book is about the church's accumulation of wealth and its byzantine entanglements with financial markets across the world. Told through 200 years of prelates, bishops, cardinals, and the Popes who oversee it all, Gerald Posner uncovers an eyebrow-raising account of money and power in perhaps the most influential organization in the history of the world. God's Bankershas it all: a rare expose and an astounding saga marked by poisoned business titans, murdered prosecutors, mysterious deaths of private investigators, and questionable suicides; a carnival of characters from Popes and cardinals, financiers and mobsters, kings and prime ministers; and a set of moral and political circumstances that clarify not only the church's aims and ambitions, but reflect the larger dilemmas of the world's more recent history. And Posner even looks to the future to surmise if Pope Frances can succeed where all his predecessors failed: to overcome the resistance to change in the Vatican's Machiavellian inner court and to rein in the excesses of its seemingly uncontrollable financial quagmire. Part thriller, part financial tell-all, this book shows with extraordinary precision how the Vatican has evolved from a foundation of faith to a corporation of extreme wealth and power.

There is a huge disconnect between the official account of church demise and the death of faith peddled in political and media circles, and the vitality of churches in every corner of the country. Why do the pundits ignore what is happening? Sean Oliver-Dee counters that the ongoing health of the church is being ignored because it contradicts three myths that the 'new establishment' wants to assert: that the gradual death of religion is a good excuse to ignore the views of Christians; that encouraging Christianity to die will benefit society; and that scientific progress will necessarily cause the death of faith. The growth of the church runs contrary to all three assertions. It's time to challenge the myths.

In 1934, during the Nazi regime in Germany, members of the Confessing Church issued the Declaration of Barmen, which reaffirmed their primary loyalty to the word of God. With their action, they established a legacy for future generations to follow in similar situations.This volume examines the historical, political, and theological context of the creation of the Barmen Declaration, as it constituted an act of theological and political resistance against tyranny, terror, and fascism. The work of the Barmen Declaration demonstrated clearly and powerfully the "this-worldly" ethical and political salience of religion and theology to empower witness, resistance, and solidarity. Containing contributions from an inclusive array of renowned scholars, the volume unfolds the lasting legacy and continued relevance of Barmen.

Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks -- Wayne Rice's original collection of stories, parables, and anecdotes -- was an instant bestseller. Youth workers clamored for more. And here they are! Wayne has assembled another 100 illustrations from his own files and from the files of youth ministry's best speakers -- Tony Campolo - Doug Fields - Laurie Polich - Miles McPherson Brennan Manning - Les Christie - Bill McNabb - Joel Lusz -- and many more! Here are all kinds of stories for all kinds of youth talks -- devotionals, Bible lessons, openers, humorous anecdotes, poignant narratives, fables, real-life stories. They're all indexed by topic, and they all work with teenagers. They're just the thing to give your youth talks that extra spark you're looking for. If you've used Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks (or used it up!), welcome to this all new collection. If this is your introduction to Hot Illustrations, you're in for a treat -- and your kids will love you for it!

Revelation does not stand alone in the Bible—rather, it’s a culmination of God’s words throughout the entire Old and New Testaments. This companion workbook to Revealing Revelation helps you examine the Bible’s final book through that lens, illuminating Revelation both as an individual letter and as a part of a greater whole.

As bestselling author Amir Tsarfati and prophecy teacher Rick Yohn guide you through this inductive Bible study, you’ll encounter an exciting overview of God’s perfect plan for the future and thoughtful questions that encourage you to dive deeper into Scripture. You’ll gain…

• in-depth explorations of all 22 chapters in Revelation
• enlightening examinations of other passages from Scripture that bring context to and enhance your understanding of Revelation’s teachings
• essential habits you can bring into your study of any other book of the Bible

Your understanding of God’s Word will expand as you engage with this careful study of Jesus’ love letter to His church. The Revealing Revelation Workbook will give you a clearer picture of the fascinating, enigmatic final book of the Bible.

Die Marktfahigkeit der Volkskirche, ihre Steigerung, Kritik und theologische Legitimitat sind Gegenstand kirchlicher Diskurse seit den fruhen 90er Jahren. Die vorliegende Studie behandelt nicht die Themen dieser mit hoher Intensitat gefuhrten Debatten, sondern die Art ihrer Diskursivierung und fragt, wie Plausibilitat und Akzeptanz hergestellt werden. Michel Foucaults Konzept von Subjekt und Macht und dessen aktuelle Reformulierung in den Gouvernementalitatsstudien bilden Basis und Rahmen der Analyse, die die Veranderungsprozesse der Kirche als Generierung eines "unternehmerischen Selbst" rekonstruiert. Dabei bilden Debatten, wie sie im Deutschen Pfarrerblatt gefuhrt wurden, Internetprasentationen von Gemeinden und Kirchenkreisen und Techniken der Selbst- und Fremdfuhrung die Grundlage der Untersuchung. Erkennbar wird, wie sich eine an oekonomischer Rationalitat orientierte "Regierung des Selbst" bei Person und Organisation auf eine kirchlich spezifische und eigensinnige Weise durchsetzt und dabei widerspruchliche Effekte erzeugt. Den zeitgenoessischen kirchlichen Diskursen wird in wissenschaftlicher Selbstaufklarung auf diese Weise ein fokussierter Spiegel vorgehalten.

How should Christians live in an age of empire? As the city of Ephesus prepares for a religious festival in honor of the emperor Domitian, a Christian landowner feels increasing pressure from the city's leaders to participate. Can he perform his civic duties and remain faithful to his Lord? Or has the time come for a costly choice? In this historical novel, biblical scholar David deSilva brings to life such compelling struggles faced by the early Christians. Their insistence on the absolute lordship of their own singular deity brought them into conflict not only with the myriad religious cults of the day, but with all the crushing power of the empire itself. Meticulously researched and supplemented by historical images and explanatory sidebars, A Week in the Life of Ephesus poses anew the timeless question of Christianity and empire. Here is a vividly imaginative portrait of the Roman empire in all its beauty and might-and hanging over it, the looming sky of apocalypse.

When Paul III was elected in 1534, hopes arose across Christendom that this pope would at last reform and reunite the Church. During his fifteen-year reign, though, Paul's engagement with reform was complex and contentious. A work of cultural history, this book explores how cultural narratives of honour and tradition, including how honour played out in politics, significantly constrained Pope Paul and his chosen reformers in framing strategies for change. Indeed, the reformers' programme would have undermined the culture of honour and weakened Rome's capacity to ward off current threats of invasion. The study makes a provocative case that Paul called the Council of Trent to contain reform rather than promote it. Nevertheless, Paul and the Council did sow seeds of reform that eventually became central to the Counter-Reformation. This book thus sheds new light on a pope whose relationship to reform has long been regarded as an enigma.

"He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world . . ." Among the traditional tenets of the Christian faith is the belief that God chooses or elects people for salvation. For some Christians, such an affirmation is an indication of God's sovereign and perfect will. For others, such a notion is troubling for it seems to downplay the significance of human agency and choice. Throughout the church's history, Christians have sought to understand the meaning of relevant biblical texts and debated this theological conundrum. With care and insight, theologian Mark Lindsay surveys the development of the Christian doctrine of election. After exploring Scripture on this theme, he turns to the various articulations of this doctrine from the early church fathers, including Augustine, and medieval theologians such as Aquinas, to John Calvin's view, the subsequent debate between Calvinists and Arminians, Karl Barth's modern reconception of the doctrine, and reflections on election in the shadow of the Holocaust. On this journey through the Bible and church history, readers will discover how Christians have understood the affirmation that God has chosen.

In an initial evaluation of the source material contained in RPG IV (cf. Neuerscheinungen 1995/II, p. 60) the editors analyze 4028 regesta from German-speaking areas recorded by the Penitentiary during the pontificate of Pius II. (1458-1464). This is the first time the registers of the supreme Papal tribunal on penance and dispensations have been examined in this way and it provides an entirely new perspective on the religious situation in the mid 15th century.

The Reformation was a time of tremendous upheaval, renewal, and vitality in the life of the church. The challenge to maintain and develop faithful Christian belief and practice in the midst of great disruption was reflected in the theology of the sixteenth century. In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic's Reformation Commentary on Scripture, theologian and church historian Gerald L. Bray immerses readers in the world of Reformation theology. He introduces the range of theological debates as Catholics and Protestants from a diversity of traditions-Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Anabaptist-disputed the essentials of the faith, from the authority of Scripture and the nature of salvation to the definition of the church, the efficacy of the sacraments, and the place of good works in the Christian life. Readers will find that understanding how the Reformers engaged in the theological discipline can aid us in doing theology today.

This thesis presented to the University of Munich uses early theological, legal and political writings by Hugo Grotius to determine his political position and the argumentative strategies he deployed in the Arminianic controversy and the political conflicts at the beginning of the 17th century. Particular value is attached to a reading of Grotiusa (TM) statements in the context of contemporary politics. As a Christian humanist, he moderated the various points at issue and appealed to the warring factions to exercise tolerance and seek reconciliation.

Die Studie untersucht vergleichend die BenediktinerklAster in SA1/4ditalien und Sizilien vom 11. bis 13. Jahrhundert. Dabei berA1/4cksichtigt der Autor besonders die Geschichte der von den Normannen gegrA1/4ndeten Abtei SS. TrinitA di Venosa (bei Melfi, Provinz Potenza) mit der Edition von Urkunden und Chronikfragmenten.

La lectura de esta interesante obra le proporcionara todo el material que necesita para saber como realizar en cualquier lugar del mundo lo mismo que el Espiritu Santo ha logrado en Seul a traves del autor."

In these firsthand accounts of the early church, the spirit of Pentecost burns with prophetic force through the fog enveloping the modern church. A clear and vibrant faith lives on in these writings, providing a guide for Christians today. Its stark simplicity and revolutionary fervor will stun those lulled by conventional Christianity. The Early Christians is a topically arranged collection of primary sources. It includes extra-biblical sayings of Jesus and excerpts from Origen, Tertullian, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Justin, Irenaeus, Hermas, Ignatius, and others. Equally revealing material from pagan contemporaries - critics, detractors, and persecutors - is included as well.

Thomas Green examines the Scottish Reformation from a new perspective - the legal system and lawyers. For the leading lawyers of the day, the Scottish Reformation presented a constitutional and jurisdictional crisis of the first order. In the face of such a challenge moderate judges, lawyers and officers of state sought to restore order in a time of revolution by retaining much of the medieval legacy of Catholic law and order in Scotland. Green covers the Wars of the Congregation, the Reformation Parliament, the legitimacy of the Scottish government from 1558 to 1561, the courts of the early Church of Scotland and the legal significance of Mary Stewart's personal reign. He also considers neglected aspects of the Reformation, including the roles of the Court of Session and of the Court of the Commissaries of Edinburgh.

Mexico, December 9, 1531. Ten years after the Spaniards conquered this land, on a hill on the outskirts of the capital, something inconceivable happens to Juan Diego, a native of the area. At dawn a heavenly figure comes to meet him, revealing herself as "Mary, mother of all men." To confirm the first vision, the Lady not only entrusts him with several messages. But, also, in the final vision, leaves her portrait mysteriously present on his tilma. It is the portrait of a young woman looking downward. She is clothed in a dress figured with roses and a mantle spangled with stars.

With over forty years combined global church-planting experience, Craig Ott and Gene Wilson are well qualified to write a comprehensive, up-to-date guide for cross-cultural church planting. Combining substantive biblical principles and missiological understanding with practical insights, this book walks readers through the various models and development phases of church planting. Advocating methods that lead to church multiplication, the authors emphasize the role of the missionary church planter. They offer helpful reflection on current trends and provide best practices gathered from research and empirical findings around the globe. The book takes up a number of special issues not addressed in most church planting books, such as use of short-term teams, partnerships, and wise use of resources. Full of case studies and real examples from around the world, this practical text will benefit students, church planters, missionaries, and missional church readers.

Contains fascinating facts:

-From the life of Jesus to the Gutenberg Bible
- From Augustine to the Reformation
- From the spread of Christianity to the spread of Islam
- From the King James Version Bible to the Dead Sea Scrolls Available as a wall chart or a pamphlet. Wall chart size: 19" x 26." Pamphlet has 14 panels and fits inside a Bible cover 81/2" x 51/2" Pamphlet unfolds to 38 inches long! Pamphlets come shrinkwrapped in packages of 10, so please order pamphlets in multiples of 10 (10, 20, 30, etc.).

Does God exist? What is the nature of evil, and where does it come from? Are humans free? Responsible? Immortal? Does it matter? Saints, Heretics and Atheists offers a historical introduction to fundamental questions in the philosophy of religion. Ranging from ancient times to the twentieth century, it is divided into twenty-five succinct, chronological chapters. Individual chapters discuss philosophies from history's greatest thinkers including Plato, Augustine, al-Ghazali, Aquinas, Margarite Porte, Spinoza, Hume, Mary Shepherd, and Nietzche. The book closes with an exploration of William James's defense of the right to believe, possible limitations of that right, and the nature of philosophical progress. Based on lectures from a popular course taught in the Program for General Education at Harvard University for over a decade, Saints, Heretics, and Atheists invites readers along for a journey that is unique in its sweeping historical approach to the philosophy of religion and the balance it strikes between traditional, non-traditional, and atheistic standpoints with respect to religion in the western tradition.