When thousands of young men in the North and South marched off to fight in the Civil War, another army of men accompanied them to care for these soldiers' spiritual needs. In God's Presence explores how these two cohorts of men, Northern and Southern and mostly Christian, navigated the challenges of the Civil War on battlefields and in military camps, hospitals, and prisons. In wartime, military clergy-chaplains and missionaries-initially attempted to replicate the idyllic world of the antebellum church. Instead they found themselves constructing a new religious world-one in which static spaces customarily invested with religious meaning, such as houses and churches, gave way to dynamic sacred spaces defined by clergy to suit changing wartime circumstances. At the same time, the religious beliefs that soldiers brought from home differed from the religious practices that allowed them to endure during wartime. With reference to Civil War soldiers' diaries, letters, and memoirs, this book asks how clergy shaped these practices; how they might have differed from camp to battlefield, hospital, or prison; and how this experience affected postbellum religious belief and practice. Religion and war have always been at the center of the human condition, with warfare often leading to heightened religiosity. The Civil War cannot be fully explained without understanding religion's role in the conflict. In God's Presence advances this understanding by offering critical insight into the course and consequences of America's epochal fratricidal war.

God created men and women to be different, but that doesn't limit what each
can and should do to serve him.

In Mark 12:30 Jesus answers a question asked by the teachers of the day. They
wanted to know which commandment was the greatest, the most important. He said,
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength" (NIV).

What does that really mean in how we approach and assume our daily roles? What
does loving the Lord with your all actually look like? What does that mean for us as
women-and men-desiring to follow God and serve him? In a day when our church
culture has limited the terms of Jesus' command to the perceived strengths of each
gender, a woman trying to love the Lord beyond her heart and soul, with her strength
and mind, can be thought of as crossing some line or unspoken boundary. But that is
not what Scripture says.

Kat Armstrong-Bible study teacher, ministry leader, pastor's wife, and mom-offers her
thoughts on this important subject in an effort to help women find their answers to the
question, "What am I doing here?" Perhaps more clearly, "Why am I allowing
limitations on my pursuit of Jesus' calling?"-not just as single, career-driven women or
as wives and moms but as Christ followers focused on living their lives to love and
serve God as their first and highest calling.

No More Holding Back opens the doors to this important conversation with a personal
challenge Kat faced while attending seminary. From there, she unpacks the four areas
of how to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The goal is for the
entire body of Christ, as his image bearers, to flourish and work toward the common
good of our homes, communities, and the world around us.

In 2008, the authors wrote Steps toward Vatican III which explored developments occurring in the Catholic Church including its teachings on social justice, interreligious dialogue, and Small Christian Communities. This update of Steps explores how Pope Francis has developed such themes in original ways in his encyclicals and in his use of synodal consultations. For example, in his Encyclical Laudato Si, the pope seeks to lead us into the mysteries of the universe, of creatures, and the harmony of creation. It helps us reflect on the universal communion of nature. Calling for a global ecological policy and a cooperative approach, the pope warns us that unless we respect nature, the entire planet and humanity will face drastic consequences. In his meetings with economists and entrepreneurs, the pope has proposed a pact for renewing the economy to counteract the asocial aspects of modern business practices. He has discussed some of the most complex problems in today's world--from safeguarding the environment to courageously committing oneself to rethink the economic paradigms of our time. Young people, in particular, have responded with enthusiasm to Pope Francis' initiatives. The book notes how some "traditional" Catholics have opposed the pope, but it argues that, in fact, the pope is more traditional than his critics for he insists on going back to Jesus' own teachings. The new ongoing crises such as the breakdown and rise of new ideologies, terrorism, massive advances in the sciences and in technology, as well as fundamental shifts in gender relations are further factors considered in the book. Indeed, the world is now radically different from the world of the early 1960's when Vatican II Council was held. Due to these many radical changes, the book suggests the need for a Vatican III which would consolidate the Church's global outreach on every continent.

Esther's Ultimate Secret "On that night . . ."--Esther 6:1 Have you ever had a "that night" or a "that day"? A point in time before which things were going wrong, but after which things began to go right? What are the ingredients for a "that night"? What is mixed into the recipe? Understanding what goes into creating that moment of divine favor was Esther's ultimate secret. She learned how to find favor with the king. Favor is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Success is what happens when preparation meets potential. Many success stories begin with the phrase, "That night..." or "That day ..." These stories often begin with fear but end with favor. Esther's pattern of preparation teaches us how to create that moment. Finding Favor With the King is critical to your future with your King. This book lays out the steps for you to prepare for your moment in His presence.

The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Archaeology brings together expert work by leading scholars of the archaeology of Early Christianity and the Roman world in the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. The thirty-four contributions to this volume survey Christian material culture and ground the history, culture, and society of the first seven centuries of Christianity in archaeological method, theory, and research. The essays emphasize the link between archaeological fieldwork, methods, and regional and national traditions in constructing our knowledge of the Early Church and Christian communities within the context of the ancient Mediterranean, Near East, and Europe. Three sweeping introductory essays provide historical perspectives on the archaeology of the Early Christian world. These are followed by a series of topical treatments that focus on monuments and environments ranging from Christian churches to catacombs, martyria, and baths, as well as classes of objects of religious significance such as ceramics, lamps, and icons. Finally, the volume locates the archaeology of the Early Christian world in fifteen regional studies stretching from Britain to Persia, highlighting the unique historical contexts that have shaped scholarly discussion across time and space. The thorough, carefully-researched essays offer the most intensive, state-of-the-art treatment of recent research into the archaeology of Early Christianity available.

If you've been part of a church, you have probably suffered a "church hurt"--or know someone who has. Maybe the pastor had an affair or the congregation fought over money or the leaders were disguising gossip as "prayer." Stephen Mansfield knows how it feels. Though he is now a "New York Times" bestselling author, he was a pastor for more than 20 years, and he loved it--until he learned how much a church can hurt. Yet he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he ought to be with God and his people. If you're ready to choose the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with brotherly love, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of this mess--if you're willing to start "Healing Your Church Hurt." Previously published as "ReChurch."

Eusebius's groundbreaking History of the Church, remains the single most important source for the history of the first three centuries of Christianity and stands among the classics of Western literature. His iconic story of the church's origins, endurance of persecution, and ultimate triumph-with its cast of martyrs, heretics, bishops, and emperors-has profoundly shaped the understanding of Christianity's past and provided a model for all later ecclesiastical histories. This new translation, which includes detailed essays and notes, comes from one of the leading scholars of Eusebius's work and offers rich context for the linguistic, cultural, social, and political background of this seminal text. Accessible for new readers and thought-provoking for specialists, this is the essential text for anyone interested in the history of Christianity.