Over the last 25 years, there has been much talk of the presumed "decline" in religious participation in America. In addition, from the 1960s on, surveys that mark the "influence" of religion in American life have shown a mixed response. Many suggest that religion is losing influence in the culture as a whole; others indicate that while organized religion may be experiencing challenges, spiritu…
This book argues from Scripture that godly fear is the opposite of being afraid of God or his punishment as if he were a tyrant. Instead, it is the intensity of the saints' love for, delight in, and enjoyment of all that God is.
THIS ENCYCLOPEDIA IS non-traditional in every way. Typically, an encyclopedia contains brief descriptive statements that define institutions, movements, and individuals. A large number of the entries may be biographical sketches. The articles are organized alphabetically and only accidentally do related subjects happen to follow one another. While meant to cover a comprehensive list of topics, …
In books of this sort some introductory word is typically said concerning the notion of "coherence" and its application to theism. Following this pattern, the question I wish to raise is whether it is rational to embrace theism even in the face of unanswerable arguments for the incoherence of theism. That is to say, if as the result of our inquiry we are forced to conclude that we are unable to…
This study shows how the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar sheds light on the controverted question of God's immutability, and succeeds in respecting both the transcendence and the immanence of God.
Hans Urs von Balthasar is widely recognised as one of the major theological figures of our time, and by now there exists an ample body of literature describing his life and works in general, as well as focusing on central and other specific areas of his thought.
Readers familiar with Frame’s analysis of historic doctrines and current questions will welcome this long-awaited second installment in the Theology of Lordship series. Here he examines the attributes, acts, and names of God in connection with a full spectrum of relevant theological, ethical, spiritual truths.
This is Volume V of nine in the Studies in Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion collection. The Series is meant to provide an opportunity for philosophical discussions of a limited length which pursue in some detail specific topics in ethics or the philosophy of religion, or topics which belong to both fields. A draft of this book was delivered as a lecture course at Oxford over the terms of 1…
In this examination of the questions posed by the problem of evil, John Feinberg addresses the intellectual and theological framework of theodicy. Beginning with a discussion of the logical problem of evil, he interacts with leading thinkers who have previously written on these themes.
The larger project of which this volume forms part is an attempt to craft a coherent doctrine of divine eternity and God's relationship to time. Central to this project is the integration of the concerns of theology with the concept of time in relativity theory. Unfortunately, theologians and philosophers of religion do not in general understand Einstein's theories, whereas physicists and philo…
Time and Eternity deals with difficult issues in modern physics and brings them into relation with traditional theological doctrines. Craig has done a great work, and it is marvelous that now the philosophy of religion is engaging with the philosophy of science to the great benefit of both.
God's providence over the world posed a traditional set of questions for the medieval philosopher-theologian. In the third part of his first principal part of The Universe of Creatures, William of Auvergne argues that God's providence over creation extends to all things, the lowest as well as the highest. He tackles problems, such as pain, suffering, and other evils and faces questions, such as…
How many times have you felt God is trying to speak to you and yet you feel like you're hearing nothing? Who hasn't asked, "God, can't you talk louder? I just want to know what to do!" The reality is that all of God's sheep, in every denomination, already hear God's voice--every day! Steve Shultz uncovers the many Scriptures "hidden in plain sight," as he likes to say. These clear, yet often fo…
Jacobus Arminius (aka Jacob Arminius, James Arminius, and his Dutch name Jacob Harmenszoon), was a Dutch theologian, best known as the founder of the anti-Calvinistic school in Reformed Protestant theology, thereby lending his name to a movement which resisted some of the tenets of Calvinism-known popularly as Arminianism. "Let scripture itself come forward, and perform the chief part in assert…
Jacobus Arminius (aka Jacob Arminius, James Arminius, and his Dutch name Jacob Harmenszoon), was a Dutch theologian, best known as the founder of the anti-Calvinistic school in Reformed Protestant theology, thereby lending his name to a movement which resisted some of the tenets of Calvinism-known popularly as Arminianism. "Concerning God, the primary object of theology, two things must be know…
It can no longer be assumed that most people--or even most Christians--have a basic understanding of the Bible. Many don't know the difference between the Old and New Testament, and even the more well-known biblical figures are often misunderstood. It is getting harder to talk about Jesus accurately and compellingly because listeners have no proper context with which to understand God's story o…
Throughout history, the church has recognized the importance of studying and understanding God’s attributes. As the Creator of all things, God is unique and cannot be compared to any of his creatures, so to know him, believers turn to the pages of Scripture. In The Attributes of God, renowned theologian Gerald Bray leads us on an exploration of God’s being, his essential attributes, his re…
The book explores the rationality of belief in God, as conceived in the Hebrew-Christian tradition. In Part, I, Plantinga examines a number of traditional arguments for God's existence and concludes that none successfully demonstrate God's existence. In Part II, he considers and rejects some major arguments against belief in God, including the problem of evil, the paradox of omnipotence, and ve…
Pastor Dane Ortlund Explores Jesus’s Heart to Reveal His Tender Love for Sinners and Sufferers Christians know that God loves them, but can easily feel that he is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. As a result, they focus a lot—and rightly so—on what Jesus has done to appease God’s wrath for sin. But how does Jesus Christ actually feel ab…
Outline: It's on nearly everyone's shelf, and the best-selling book of all time. And yet the Bible goes unread and unheeded by so many. Rather than seeking in its pages wisdom on how to live and revelation as to who God is, people look within themselves, mining their thoughts and feelings for "the voice of God" and maintaining all the while that their subjective revelations offer clearer insigh…
Outline: How can we make sense of Violence in the Bible? Joshua commands the people of Israel to wipe out everyone in the promised land of Canaan, while Jesus commands of God's people to love their enemies. How are we to interpret biblical passages on violence when it is sanctioned at one point and condemned at another? The Violence of the Biblical God by L. Daniel Hawk presents a new framework…
Outline : What is evangelical theology today? In response to increasing evangelical fragmentation, Kevin Vanhoozer and Daniel Treier offer a clarion call to reconceive to reconceive evangelical theology theologically by reflecting on the God of the gospel as mirrored in Scripture. Such "mere" evangelical theology will be an exercise in Christian wisdom for the purpose of building up the fellows…
Outline: Modern theologians have focused on the doctrine of divine impossibility, exploring the significance of God's emotional experience and most especially the question of divine suffering. Professor Rob Lister speaks into the issue, outlining the history of the doctrine in the views of influential figures such as Augustine, Aquinas, and Luther, while carefully examining modernity's growing …
Outline : William Placher looks at "classical" Christian theology (Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, Martin Luther) and contrasts it with the Christian discourse about God that evolved in the seventeenth century. In particular, he deals with the notion of transcendence that gained prominence in this era and its impact on modern theology and modern thinking today. He persuasively argues that useful l…
Outline: Rarely does a book amass the accolades given this one: "excellent," "profound," "masterful," "first-rate," "down-to-earth," "solid," "incisive," "illuminating," "both scholarly and devotional," "remarkable," "warm," "unprecedented," "fascinating," "crisp," "pastoral, lucid and biblical," "well-written," "a vigorous book," "a landmark." That is how reviewers have described John M. Frame…
Outline: Whether on the printed page, the television screen or the digital app, we live in a world saturated with images. Some images help shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us in positive ways, while others lead us astray and distort our relationships. Christians confess that human beings have been created in the image of God, yet we chose to rebel against that God and s…
Outline: The subject of Christ and Culture has occupied the church since its inception. Some emphasize the reality of redemption and the imperative of cultural transformation; others critize this approach because of the transient nature of this current life and the specific function of "kingdom" activity. This project focuses on the two competing compositions rooted in the Reformed tradition; n…
Outline: Theodicy attempts to resolve how a good God and an evil world can coexist. The neo-atheist side of this debate has dominated twenty-first-century bestseller lists with books like The God Delusion, God Is Not Great, and The End of Faith. Their popularity illuminates a changing mental environment in which people are asking harder questions about divine goodness. Suprisingly, these books …
Outline: Nearly sixteen centuries ago, the city of Rome was sacked by German barbarian Alaric and his Goths - a blow to the very heart of the glorious empire. Rome had dominated civilization for over a thousand years, yet now this symbol of culture, commerce, and order was brought to her knees, and her citizens stripped of their homes, their belongings, and often, their very lines. In the wake …
Outline: - Is there a God? - What is the evidence for belief in such a being? - What is God like? - Or, is God a figment of human inspiration? - How do we know that such a being might not exist? - Should belief or disbelief in God's existence make a difference in our opinions and moral choices, in the way we see ourselves and relate to those around us? These are fundamental questions, and…
Outline: How can we Christians make sure we are presenting the good news of Christ truly, and in a way that the Lord's claims are understood? How do we steer clear of ideas that Convery something other than God's truth? Culture clings to the message and the messenger; tradition and the "old way" don't go away; and our own innate short-comings work against us. The result: "a distorted message, …
Outline: In this clear and provocative account of the epistemology of religious experience, William P. Alston argues that the perception of God - his term for direct experiential awareness of God - makes a major contribution to the grounds of religious belief. Surveying the variety of reported direct experiences of God, Alston demonstrates that a person can be justified in holding certain belie…
Outline: How are God and creatures related? How can one reconcile the sovereignty and power of God with creatures? capacity to act freely? Kathryn Tanner's important and original work seeks an answer in the features and limits of traditional Christian discourse. Her search for a unique kernal or regulative dimension of the Christian doctrine of God-world relations leads her to identify in the t…
Outline: Contours of Christian Theology is a series of concise introductory textbooks focused on the main themes of Christian theology. The authors introduce the perennial questions and their time-tested solutions while moving forward to explore contemporary issues and rework evangelical formulations of the faith. The word providence seems to have dropped out of our everyday Christian vocabu…
Outline: The word providence seems to have dropped our of our everyday Christian vocabulary. But questions about God's activity in our world - his provide-ence for us and his creation - are as alive as ever before. Providence is the point at which theologians and the broader Christian community find their intense conversations. Questions about God's activity in the world today, his guidance…
Outline: The author, a leader in the New Atheism movement and best-selling author, is one of the foremost proponents of a gene-centered approach to evolutionary science. Not only does he claim that materialism offers a satisfying purpose for life, but he has trenchantly critized those who accept the existence of a supernatural creator. The author has had a great impact on perceptions of scienc…
Outline: In this volume, the author examines the character and purpose of Luke and Acts and introduces Luke's social, historical, and literary context. He presents Luke's narrative as a "kingdom story" that both announces the arrival of God's reign in Jesus and describes the ministry of the early church, revealing the character of the kingdom as dramatically at odds with the Kingdom of Rome. …
Outline: In this book, the author offers a new perspective on the evidence of God that centers on a morally robust version of theism that is cognitively resilient. The resulting evidence for God is not speculative, abstract, or casual. Rather, it is morally and existentially challenging to humans, as they themselves responsively ad willingly become evidence of God's reality in receiving and …
Outline: There has been a remarkable resurgence of interest in the Trinity over the last fifty yearsd is among both laypeople and theologians. But if God is Father, Son, and Spirit, what does it meaning for us to be made in God's image? And what does the rich, fascinating doctrine of the Trinity have to do with our everyday lives? In this book, the author addresses these questions, asserting…