Outline : How Modernity Creates Atheists - and what the Church must do about it. Millions of people in the West identify as atheists. Christians often respond to this reality with proofs of God's existence, as though rational arguments for atheism were the root cause of unbelief. In Bulwarks of Unbelief, Joseph Minich argues that a felt absence of God, as experienced by the modern individual, o…
Outline : Reading psalms in context The Psalter is a carefully edited work, skillfully arranged to communicate a theological message. The Promised Davidic King is a case study of how a single psalm shapes―and is shaped by―its context in the Psalter. Wyatt Aaron Graham argues that Psalm 108 plays a guiding role in Book V (Pss 107–150). Following Israel's return from exile in Psalm 107, Ps…
Outline : The Giver of Life provides a thorough and trustworthy guide to understanding the person and work of the Holy Spirit : God's Spirit unites believers to Christ, conforms them to his image, and equips them for witness and ministry. Author J. V. Fesko writes from a confessionally Reformed perspective in dialogue with the great creeds of the church.
Outline : Should Christians be embarrassed by the book of Revelation? The Revelation of John has long confused and disturbed readers. In The Apocalypse of John among Its Critics, leading experts in Revelation confront the book's difficulties. Each chapter wrestlers honestly with a question raised by the book's critics: Was John a misogynist? Does Revelation delight in violence? Can the book eve…
Outline : The fresh riches of biblical poetry for communities of faith A New Song brings together a diverse roster of Jewish and Christian scholars to explore biblical Hebrew poetic texts within the context - and for the benefit - of communities of faith. Edited by Stephen D. Campbell, Richard G. Rohlfing Jr., and Richard S. Briggs, A New Song includes nine essays on the hidden intricacies of …
Outline : The Lord Jesus Christ provides a fresh and robust guide to understanding Jesus and his work of salvation : Jesus is the divine Son of God, who has taken on human nature in the incarnation to lead his people in a new exodus. Author Brandon D. Crowe writes from a confessionally Reformed perspective in dialogue with the great creeds of the church.
Outline : Probing the mystery of Satan's messenger Paul's enigmatic "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians has baffled interpreters for centuries. Many offer suggestions as to the identity of Satan's messenger; others despair that the puzzle is unsolvable. In Paul's Thorn in the Flesh: New Clues for an Old Problem, Kenneth Berding reopens the case. He follows a trail of clues that includes anci…
Outline : Isaiah's Servant Songs reveal a true and better Adam. In Charged with the Glory of God, Caroline Batchelder provides a synchronic, theological, and canonical reading of Isaiah's four Servant Songs, offering fresh insights for understanding God's true image and its idolatrous counterfeits. Isaiah reveals a coherent message when it is read as a compositional unity in its Old Testament …
Outline : Make every moment with God count! Written for girls on the go, this 5-Minute, 180-day Faithgirlz devotional helps a busy girls slow down and take time to grow closer to God. Short, sweet devotions applicable to everyday life are paired with relevant Scripture and focus on the ups and downs of tween-hood-friendships, peer pressure, bullying, boys, and self-confidence-all while showing …
Outline: The Ezra-Nehemiah narratives report how the hand of YHWH directed several Persian kings, thousands of Hebrew exiles, and a few Hebrew leaders, including Ezra and Nehemiah, to commit their lives to the difficult task of restoration; restoring people to Judah, worship in Jerusalem, the temple, the wall around Jerusalem, and the people's spiritual commitment to the essential theological p…
Outline : Editor Brandon Smith and a stellar cast of theologians demonstrate that trinitarian theology derives directly from Scripture and should produce both right doctrine and right living. The Trinity in the Canon is an appeal for the church to incorporate the Trinity into our preaching, our liturgies and worship, and our interactions with those outside the church. Pastors, scholars, profess…
Outline : How should we read the book of Revelation? Interpreting Scripture faithfully is a challenge with regard to any text and for any reader of the Bible. But perhaps no text confronts and confuses readers as much as the book of Revelation. With its vivid imagery and rich prophetic language, John's Apocalypse provokes and stirs our imaginations. Some have viewed it primarily as a first-cent…
Outline : When we read Scripture, we enter the divine classroom for sanctifying instruction. In Taught by God, Brandon D. Smith contends that Scripture is not simply a collection of historical facts or moral rules; it is an encounter with the living God. Engaging with figures such as Origen, Justin, Hugh of St. Victor, Aquinas, and Luther, Smith illustrates how a premodern way of reading Script…
Outline: Presbyterianism has a rich, robust, resilient history. Since Presbyterianism began in Scotland in the early 1560s, its adherents have spread to Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. In some locales and ears, Presbyterians have flourished; in others, they have struggles. Today an estimated 35 million Presbyterians live in dozens of countries. Th…
Outline: This anthology invites Christians to find resources for faithful, creative thinking in the riches of the church's theological heritage and its worship traditions. Contributors include Robert Barron, Timothy George, Stanley Hauerwas, Alasdair MacIntyre, Mark Noll, and N.T. Wright, among others.
Outline: Five hundred buildings by Frank Llyod Wright were built during the architect's extraordinary seventy-year career. But as difficult as it is to believe, one-fifth of them have been demolished, burned, or destroyed by neglect. Lost Wright tells the compelling story of these special buildings - how they came to be, what they looked like, and how they met their end. Each tale documents gen…
Outline: Nurture and strength from fifty-two Christian devotional classics for individual study and group use - from RENOVARE, a movement committed to spiritual renewal. These fifty-two selections have been organized to introduce readers through the course of one year to the great devotional writers. The readings have been edited by James Smith, and each is accompanied by an introduction and me…
Overview: This Fetschrift to Douglas J. Moo is unique in several ways. Since Doug has been a key proponent to the Old Perspective on Paul, the reader will be interested in reading the essay by N.T. Wright in which he reflects on the phrase "the righteousness of God" in Romans 3. And where else can you read an essay by James D.G. Dunn on "What's Good about the Old Perspective on Paul" and by S…
Outline: How do you feel about how you feel? Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don't always know what to do with how we feel. The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human - and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring …
Outline: Faithful Men "It's normal." "Everyone does it." "Nobody gets hurt." These are some commonly held beliefs about sexual fantasy and masturbation, but are they really true? Are sexual fantasies and masturbation harmless ways to dealing with sexual frustattion? Marriage and family counselor Winston T. Smith uses his counseling experience and biblical knowledge to show how these seemingly …
Outline: Personal Change. Prickly, defensive, nasty, volatile, withdrawn, miserable ... aren't these days when you fell surrounded by difficult people? How do you cope? You can try avoiding them, gossiping about them, or giving them a piece of your mind. But wait! Don't your reactions make you hard to love too? William P. Smith explains that learning how to deal with difficult people starts wi…
Outline : Personal Change Often, in our busy world, our lives feel like one long "to-do" list. It's easy to get so busy that we don't even notice how exhausted and anxious we are. Do you find yourself saying yes to activities you don't have time for? Have you ever said, "If I don't do it, who will?" An overloaded schedule and an inability to rest are signs of approaching "burnout." Instead of …
Outline : Parenting The kids are hungry, dinner is late, evervone's tired and on edge, and then it happens-you lose control and blow up at them again. Is losing control with our children inevitable in our busy world? Or is there a better way? Learn from William P. Smith a better way to relate to your children than with irritation, anger, and harsh words. Drawing on his counseling and parenting…
Outline: Singleness You know you're in love-you always want to be together, and you think about each other all the time-but does that mean you're ready to get married? How do you decide if your relationship is strong enough for marriage? William P. Smith gives you a series of questions based on biblical principles that you can use to assess your relationship's strengths and weaknesses. Answeri…
Outline : Relationship Resources for Singles Your last relationship didn't work out, and you got hurt and maybe you also hurt someone else. Now what? Perhaps you are thinking about starting over with someone new, but you're nervous and wondering if you are really ready for another relationship. William P. Smith tackles head on the issues you need to face as you think about starting a new rela…
Outline: Parenting. How do you blend two separate families into one house-hold? Family traditions, values, interests, and parenting styles are often so far apart that simple questions like, "Who takes out the trash?" or "Where shall we go for Christmas?" can quickly become flashpoints of conflict. Winston T. Smith provides a road map to the unique challenges that each member of a stepfamily f…
An exploration of the relationship between the rise and development of a mystical element in Islam, known as Sufism, and the mysticism that was already to be found within the Christian Church of the Near and Middle East.
Socrates was born in Athens in 469 B.C.E. Although he wrote nothing of any significance and had no students in anything like the ordinary sense of that term, he became one of the most influential philosophers in western civilization. During his own lifetime, his philosophical activities, which were carried on in public settings and private homes, together with his idiosyncratic demeanor, gained…
God is Infinite, but language finite; thus speech would seem to condemn him to finitude. In speaking of God, would the theologian violate divine transcendence by reducing God to immanence, or choose, rather, to remain silent? At stake in this argument is a core problem of the conditions of divine revelation. How, in terms of language and the limitations of human understanding, can transcendence…
By championing the ideals of independence, evangelism, and conservatism, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown into the largest Protestant denomination in the country. The Convention's mass democratic form of church government, its influential annual meetings, and its sheer size have made it a barometer for Southern political and cultural shift. Its most recent shift has been starboar…
Which are the major theologies in vogue in our time? And how are they to be evaluated by evangelicals who want to be on the cutting edge of the Christian faith, but remain faithful to the authority of Scripture? A Handbook of Contemporary Theology answers both of these questions in detail. David L. Smith provides an extensive overview of the current traditional and nontraditional theologies…
Discover more than 85 of the most important ideas, movements, and events that have defined feminism and feminist thought throughout history with this original, graphic-led book. Using the Big Ideas series' trademark combination of authoritative, accessible text and bold graphics, this book traces feminism and the feminist movement from its origins, through the suffragette movement of the 19t…
In this multi-faceted volume, Christian and other religiously committed theorists find themselves at an uneasy point in history--between premodernity, modernity, and postmodernity--where disciplines and methods, cultural and linguistic traditions, and religious commitments tangle and cross. Here, leading theorists explore the state of the art of the contemporary hermeneutical terrain. As they a…
Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel. The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human—and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our g…
Outline: "Nowhere in the whole realm of literature will you find such a Marvel, such a Wonder, such a Nonesuch of a book ..." concludes the preface to Kate Douglas Wiggin's 1909 edition of The Arabian Nights. Her elegant translation of ten classic tales for children and adults includes such favorites as the adventures of Aladdin and his lamp, Ali Baba and the forty thieves, Prince Agib, and S…
Outline: This one volume presents a comprehensive overview of Christian education in today's churches and provides a step-by-step plan for establishing and maintaining an effective teaching ministry: - Build from a powerful foundation - Presenting God as the ultimate teacher of all mankind and Jesus as the master teacher, The Teaching Ministry of the Church explores the roles of the Holy Spiri…
Outline: The New American Commentary is for those who have been seeking a commentary that honors the Scriptures, represents the finest in contemporary evangelical scholarship, and lends itself to the practical work of preaching and teaching. This series serves as a minister's friend and a student's guide. The New American Commentary assumes the inerrancy of Scripture, focuses on the intrinsic t…
Outline: "Yang penting hanyalah percaya kepada Kristus, dan itu nyata dalam kasih kita kepada orang lain." Galatia 5:6b (BIS). Dalam buku ketiga dari Seri Pemuridan, James Bryan Smith membantu kita untuk mengetahui bagaimana kita hidup dalam relasi dengan orang lain sebagai murid-murid Yesus. "Murid Yesus bukanlah pelaku kebaikan paruh-waktu," tulisnya. " Murid Yesus hidup dalam hubungan yang k…
Outline : SERI PEMURIDAN. "Saya belum pernah bertemu seseorang yang memiliki tujuan untuk merusak hidupnya. Kita semua ingin bahagia dan menginginkannya terjadi sepanjang masa." James Bryan Smith membuka The Good and Beautiful Life dengan mengatakan bahwa masalah yang sering muncul dalam kehidupan orang percaya terjadi karena kita telah membawa gagasan palsu mengenai kebahagiaan dan kesuksesan …
Outline : "Tuhan ingin saya berusaha lebih keras." "Tuhan memberkati saya ketika saya baik dan menghukum saya ketika saya jahat." "Tuhan marah dengan saya." Kita semua memiliki pemikiran dalam diri kita tentang Tuhan dan bagaimana Dia bekerja dalam hidup kita. Sebagian bisa benar—tetapi banyak yang tidak tepat. James Bryan Smith meyakini pemikiran-pemikiran tersebut menentukan tidak hanya sia…
Outline: Beneath your shroud lies a resurrected life. The life of Lazarus is one of the most profound stories in the Bible. The chronicle of an ordinary man who found himself at the center of an extraordinary miracles. A divine moment that fully revealed Christ's power through a resurrection that preceded His very own. Yet the story of Lazarus also holds a powerful parallel for us today. It tel…
Outline : ALLAH MEMANGGIL ANDA. ALLAH PERTAMA-TAMA MEMANGGIL KITA KEPADA DIRI-NYA, untuk mengenal dan mengikuti-Nya, tetapi Ia juga memanggil kita kepada tujuan hidup yang spesifik, yakni alasan keberadaan kita. Panggilan kedua atau “vokasi” ini memiliki implikasi bukan hanya atas pekerjaan atau kehidupan kita, tetapi melibatkan juga talenta, kelemahan, dan komunitas kita, dan apa yang kita…
Outline : Cerita apa yang diberitahukan pada Anda tentang Injil? Tentang Allah? Tentang kehidupan Kristen? Tentang Yesus? Tentang diri Anda sendiri? Jawaban Anda terhadap pertanyaan-pertanyaan di atas akan menentukan jalan hidup Anda. Jawaban tersebut menunjukkan kemampuan Anda untuk memercayai, mengasihi, berharap – bahkan kemampuan Anda untuk bersukacita. Setiap cerita yang diizinkan untuk …
Outline : DUNIA BISA TERASA SANGAT GELAP TETAPI, ADA JALAN YANG DIPENUHI SUKACITA. Kita diajarkan, "Pastikan terlebih dahulu dirimu sendiri aman" dan "Orang baik tidak akan berhasil." Tetapi, jalan itu membuat kita merasa sendiri dan cemas, bahkan bisa membawa kita ke dalam kehancuran. Ini bukanlah perjalanan yang menakjubkan. Ada sebuah jalan untuk ditempuh di dalam Kerajaan Allah yang tidak…