Outline: Recognizing that faithful theological study is an integrative task, uniquely combines biblical and systematic theology in dialogue with historical theology and with application to church and life. The series addresses classic doctrines of systematic theology and other relevant topics, pairing careful scholarship with the practical understanding that theology finds its focus within the …
Outline : Written for students of worship and church history, Worship in the Early Church serves as a valuable guide to the historical developments that brought about Christian worship as we know it today. While other histories of Christian worship exist, Gonzalez and Gonzales focus on the formative period between the first and fifth centuries CE, when so many of the understandings and patterns…
Outline: A reassessment of the quests of the historical Jesus that promises to become the definitive history. Jesus of Nazareth ranks among the most important figures in history, yet contemporary scholarship finds little common agreement about his identity. It is accepted generally that there were three quests for the historical Jesus. The first was characterized by Albert Schweitzer and came t…
Outline: A reassessment of the quests of the historical Jesus that promises to become the definitive history. Jesus of Nazareth ranks among the most important figures in history, yet contemporary scholarship finds little common agreement about his identity. It is accepted generally that there were three quests for the historical Jesus. The first was characterized by Albert Schweitzer and came t…
Outline : A major study of John Calvin's conception of the church that traces his evolving thought throughout the course of his life and writings. In this fresh and original monograph on the ecclesiology of John Calvin, Tadataka Maruyama sifts exhaustively through the corpus of Calvin’s writings—in both Latin and French—to crystalize the French reformer’s conception of the Christian ch…
Outline : Nicholas Elder challenges misconceptions about ancient media practices - particularly as they relate to the composition and circulation of the gospels. Contextualizing the gospels in ancient Greco-Roman media practices. New Testament scholars have often relied on outdated assumptions for understanding the composition and circulation of the gospels. This scholarship has spread myth…
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 : What if the loving relationships of the Trinity are the ultimate, objective source for living morally? Adam Lloyd Johnson injects a fresh yet eternal reality into the thriving debate over the basis of moral absolutes. While postmodernism's moral relativism once temporarily disrupted the footing of classic moral theories like natural law and divine command, many nontheistic philosophe…
Outline: Daniel is a book of exile and expectation. In a foreign land, God's people face confusion, uncertainty, and even death. Where is God? What is his plan? What is the future of us? The book's familiar stories and unsettling visions answer these questions with a simple but stunning truth: the God of Israel is sovereign king of a world-encompassing eternal kingdom. He is king of all kings, …
Outline: Give[s] readers a deeper appreciation for the spiritual power and contemporary relevance of the Psalms.
Outline: Critical race theory has become a lightning rod in contemporary American politics and evangelical Christianity. This irenic book offers a critical but constructive and sympathetic introduction written from a perspective rooted in Scripture and Christian theology.
Outline : Petrus van Mastricht’s 'Theoretical-Practical Theology' presents one of the most comprehensive methods of treating Christian doctrine. In it, Mastricht treats every theological topic according to a four-part approach: exegetical, dogmatic, elenctic, and practical. As a body of divinity, it combines a rigorous, scholastic treatment of doctrine with the pastoral aim of preparing peopl…
Outline : Petrus van Mastricht's Theoretical-Practical Theology presents one of the most comprehensive methods of treating Christian doctrine. In it, Mastricht treats every theological topic according to a four-part approach: exegetical, dogmatic, elenctic, and practical. As a body of divinity, it combines a rigorous, scholastic treatment of doctrine with the pastoral aim of preparing people to…
Outline: What do the attributes of truth reveal about God and his word? Skeptics and moral relativists may debate universal truth, but Christians know that its characteristics - including omnipresence, everlastingness, and unchangeability - reflect the existence of the one true God. In fact, the concept of truth informs and confirms every area of systematic theology. In Truth, Theology, and Per…
Outline: This commentary on Haggai and Malachi by Mignon Jacobs offers a rich and insightful interpretation of the ancient text while drawing out themes that are especially relevant to contemporary concerns, such as honoring or dishonoring God, the responsibilities of leaders, questioning God, and hearing the prophetic word in challenging times.
Outline : The Prophetic Books of the Bible are full of symbolic speeches, dramatic metaphors, and lengthy allegories―a unique blend of literary styles that can make them hard to comprehend. How can we know if we are reading them the way God intended them to be read? In this accessible guide, leading Old Testament scholar Peter Gentry identifies seven common characteristics of prophetic litera…
Outline : An important study about judgment and hope at a critical moment of Israel's history - one that still resonates today. Ezekiel was an ordinary person, called "mortal" by God more often than his own name. Yet because of the radical times, Ezekiel reacted in a radical way through his unusual lifestyle and his sharp theological diagnosis. His important message about judgment and hope came…
Outline : “All these essays illustrate, in one way or another, how I have sought to carry out scholarly work as an aspect of discipleship—as a process of faith seeking exegetical clarity.” Richard Hays has been a giant in the field of New Testament studies since the 1989 publication of his Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul. His most significant essays of the past twenty-five ye…
Outline: Is your view of church biblical? Even Christians can hold misconceptions that are damaging to our individual and collective faith - and unfortunately, many do. So how do we recapture a vibrant, God-honoring view of this essential institution and our place in it? In The Local Church, Edward W. Klink III defines what the church is, why it exists, and how it functions, helping readers und…
Outline : In Confessing and Believing, Trevor Hart takes readers on a guided tour of the Apostles' Creed, one of the most ancient, universally recognized, and important statements of faith ever penned by the Christian Church. The Creeds' lasting value is not owed simply to its age--it has identifiable roots in the earliest baptismal ceremonies of the earliest Christians--but because, as Hart's …
Outline : Every Sunday, there's a battle for your heart. You understand the importance of attending church, but you probably find your attention being pulled away from Sunday services by distractions of schedule, work, family, finances, or other competing priorities. With so much going on in your life, how will you prepare your heart and mind to offer God the worship he deserves? Christians und…
Outlline : The Beatitudes are among the most influential teachings in human history. For two millennia, they have appeared in poetry and politics, and in the thought of mystics and activists, as Christians and others have reflected on their meaning and shaped their lives according to the Beatitudes’ wisdom. But what does it mean to be hungry, or meek, or pure in heart? Is poverty a material c…
Outline : Jesus and the Manuscripts introduces readers to the diversity and complexity of the ancient literature that records the words and deeds of Jesus (or at least purports to record them). This diverse literature includes the familiar Gospels of the New Testament, the much less familiar literature of the rabbis and of the Qur’an, and the extracanonical narratives and brief snippets of ma…
Outline : Theology of ministry seems to be in vogue these days. There is a growing awareness that questions about the legitimacy, content and structure of church ministry need to be thought through to enable churches to meet their missional challenges. Moreover, these challenges are not only limited to some churches or denominations. There is a growing awareness that the search for an appropria…
Outline: Jesus according to Scripture shows that a coherent portrait of Jesus emerges from the Gospels when they are taken seriously as historical documents. The second edition has been substantially revised and updated and includes three new chapters.
Outline : 'Twas the season of Lent, when for forty whole days. God's people were trying to think of new ways. To be more like Jesus - to love, care, and give - In hopes that they'd choose the right way to live. Begin a Lenten tradition, exploring the life, words, and works of Jesus, with this beautiful picture book. 'Twas the Season of Lent takes readers on a 40-day journey, following Jesus as …
Outline : Baptized in the water, Held in God's great care, One family joined together, Young and old, everywhere. Baptized in the water, Like Jesus long ago. God's Holy Spirit dances, As waters gently flow. Come celebrate the holy and special gift of baptism - when we become part of God's great family through water and the Holy Spirit.
Outline: 'Twas the season of Advent, when all through the earth, People were pausing to ponder Christ's birth. Begin a new Advent tradition with this beautiful celebration of the season. Stories from the Old and New Testaments highlight the promise of Christ's birth while the heartwarming reflections and prayers help each family member prepare for his great coming. Spend precious time with your…
Outline : Everything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story―the axis upon which the biblical story turns. But it would be a mistake to think we could sum up the significance of the crucifixion in a tidy sentence or two. That kind of thinking only insulates…
Outline: What is the chief end of man? In fifty-two simple devotions on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, three pastors teach us how Reformed theology affects our daily lives. Great for individual and family use for all who desire to "glorify and enjoy God forever."
Outline : A values-based, shame-free, pleasure-positive discussion of Christian sexual ethics in response to a range of pressing issues in the digital age - including online pornography, dating apps, sexting, virtual-reality hookups, and sex robots.
Outline : The Bible attractively displays the all-surpassing excellence of the good news of Jesus, The love of God compels this gospel to be heard, and Washer details its essential content, showing how it has remained the same throughout history and how the same gospel of Jesus Christ has preeminence in revelation, salvation, sanctification, study, proclamation, and our glory. While our human t…
Outline : Learning how to live in today's new social and cultural environment will require examination, trial and error, and adaptation over time. But there are ways to live with integrity and follow Christ today, even in a negative world. Since a peak in church attendance in the mid-20th century, Christianity has been on a trajectory of decline in the United States. Once positive toward Christ…
Outline : This volume brings together an ecumenical team of scholars to provide a historical overview of how worship developed in three major Christian traditions: Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant - including Reformation traditions, evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism. The first book in the series, Theological Foundations of Worship, presented key theological concepts related to …
Outline : What are progressive Christians progressing toward, and what are they leaving behind? In Against Liberal Theology, professor and theologian Roger E. Olson warns progressive and mainline Christians against passively accepting the ideas of liberal theology without thinking through the consequences. He examines the basic beliefs of the Christian faith, the main ideas of liberal theology,…
Outline : GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL. This truth has been especially precious to Christians in times past, and for good reason. When it comes to knowing and serving God, the significance of this doctrine is hard to overstate. Yet do we truly understand what God’s sovereignty means and how it ought to impact our lives? In this accessible little book, noted theologians discuss God’s sovereignt…
Outline : Developing from Girolama Zanchi's exegetical labors through Ephesians, Spiritual Marriage draws readers into the rich theological of doctrine of union with Christ. Following the lead of the apostle Paul, Zanchi demonstrates how our earthly marriages fulfill their truest purpose by drawing our attention toward the spiritual marriage between Christ and His Church. By paying attention to…
Outline : Francis Robers, like other Puritans, believed Christians can and should have a deep assurance of their salvation. He was also convinced that 1 John contains more marks of being a true believer than any other book in the Bible, making it "a rich treasury for Christian assurance," In Believer's Evidences for Eternal Life, Robers curates this precious repository of comfort and exhibits i…
Outline : Biblical theology is the study of the whole Bible on its own terms. Invitation to Biblical Theology provides a thorough overview of the discipline that is accessible for those new to the topic but substantial enough for advanced study. Authors Jeremy Kimble and Ched Spellman guide readers through their insightful approach to the shape of Scripture, built on the framework of the canon,…
Outline : The story of Joseph is prominent in the book of Genesis and yet is rarely mentioned in the rest of Scripture. How then do we understand Joseph's significance in redemptive history? When Christians have addressed this question, the conversation invariably turns toward typology : is Joseph a type of the Messiah? Messianic interpretations of the Joseph narrative have often lacked method…
Outline : How did the apostles understand the Old Testament? Although relatively few in number, the New Testament's explicit summaries of the Old Testament story of Israel give readers direct access into the way the earliest Christians told this story―that is to say, into the way they did biblical theology. This stimulating New Studies in Biblical Theology volume examines the passages in the…
Outline : In a world defined by division, what would it mean to see people the way Jesus sees them? As a pastor, Terry Christ is committed to building deep relationships with people whose experiences are different from his own - people whom much of society rejects. Why? Because those relationships are where we see Jesus at work. Drawing fresh insights from the story of Jesus and the Samaritan w…
Outline : The authors of the New Testament regularly quote and allude to Old Testament passages that point to the presence, person, and work of Jesus. Jesus himself claimed that Moses wrote about him (John 5:46). And on the road to Emmaus, Jesus instructed the disciples from "Moses and all the prophets" regarding himself (Luke 24:27). Though Christians affirm that the Old Testament bears witnes…
Outline : The Old Testament is rife with controversial passages and events that raise questions about its continued significance for today. Often our solutions have tended toward the extremes--ignore problem passages and pretend they don't matter or obsess over them and treat them as though they are the only thing that matters. Now Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman confronts pressing quest…
Outline : Flavel explores the glory of Christ becoming a man "to qualify and prepare Him for a full discharge of His mediatorship, in the office of our Prophet, Priest, and King." "Salvation," says Flavel, "is revealed by Christ as a Prophet, procured by Him as a Priest, applied by Him as a King. In vain it is revealed, if not purchased; in vain revealed and purchased, if not applied." Flavel…
Outline : In 'Contending for the Faith', Joel Beeke and William Boekestein help children understand the struggle for reformation in England and how the Westminster Assembly sought to further the Reformation in that land. In this book, children will learn about the five documents that became key standards of Presbyterianism: the Form of Church Government, the Directory of Public Worship, the Con…
Outline : We're being formed by our devices. Today's digital technologies are designed to captivate our attention and encroach on our boundaries, shaping how we relate to time and space, to ourselves and others, even to God. Our natural longing for relationship makes us vulnerable to the "industrializing" effects of social media. While we enjoy the benefits of digital tech, many of us feel trou…