Cafés are a natural place to engage in conversations about God. Many of us don’t just swing by for a quick caffeine fix and then dash out. We like to sit down, relax, and read a book or engage in conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee with espresso brownies or cranberry-orange muffins. I’ve enjoyed many hearty discussions at coffee shops—exchanging stories, problems, and questio…
This articulate defense of religion in America makes the case for faith and shows its relationship to history and science. Refuting the cold reason of the atheists and the hatred of the fanatics with a vision of religion informed by faith, love, and understanding, Rabbi Wolpe follows in a literary tradition that stretches from Cardinal Newman to C.S. Lewis to Thomas Merton--all individuals of f…
This book is a series of essays on the topic of faith and reason. But there are many such essays, and many such books. What, if anything, makes this one significantly different? From near the beginning of Christianity there have been reflections on this topic. It could hardly have been otherwise, given that the culture with which Christianity first interacted, once it had emerged from Judaism, …
There are so many books on the subject of worship these days that I had better make clear right away what we are trying to accomplish in this volume. This is not a comprehensive theology of worship. Still less is it a sociological analysis of current trends or a minister’s manual chock full of “how to” instructions. We have not attempted detailed historical analyses of our respective trad…
The Christian doctrine of justification is of immense interest to historians and theologians, and continues to be of major importance in modern ecumenical discussions. The present work appeared in its first edition in 1986, and rapidly became the leading reference work on the subject. Its many acclaimed features include a detailed assessment of the semantic background of the concept in the anci…
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…
The book explores with particular insight Calvin's self-conscious view of himself as prophet and apostle for his age and his struggle to tame a sense of his own superiority, perceived by others as arrogance. Gordon looks at Calvin's character, his maturing vision of God and humanity, his personal tragedies and failures, his extensive relationships with others, and the context within which he wr…
Outline: The similarities and differences between the traditions founded by Shakyamuri, called the Buddha, and Jesus, called the Christ, fascinate both scholars and students of religion. Interest burgeons as encounters between Christians and Buddhists increase, and as the world becomes smaller through technology and travel. By exploring the two religious founders through the lives and views of …
Outline: This reader of 20th-century analyses of Christianity by representative non-Christians gives rare insight into how the Christian faith appears from the outside. Christianity through Non-Christian Eyes provides new perspectives for thinking with theological seriousness and historical sensitivity about the reality and challenges of religious pluralism, by showing the extent to which the p…
Outline: Islam and Christianity often appear at opposite and unabridgeable poles, both committed to world mission. Given the political tension violent acts that have surrounded these two major world religions, it is essential for both sides to understand the other's history, beliefs, traditions, and vision for the future. This invaluable resource from an expert in comparative religious studies …
Outline: New churches of hope - Throughout the course of his theological career, Jurgen Moltmann has been interested in the ecclesial and societal consequences of systematic theology and what each doctrine means for our life in this world. The Transformative Church explores these concerns in Moltmann's major texts and highlights themes relevant for a transformative ecclesiology. Patrick Oden co…
Outline: Challenges to religious liberty are increasingly common today as historical Christianity comes into conflict with a new, secular orthodoxy. In this thoroughly revised second edition of First Freedom, leading evangelical scholars present the biblical and historical foundations for religious freedom in America, and address pressing topics such as: - Religious freedom and the exclusivity…
Outline: This reader offers an overview of anthropological findings about religion that spans 100 years of work. Eighteen new readings are among the fifty-six selections in the Fourth Edition. The selections are organized into nine categories: The Origin and Development of Religion, The Function of Religion in Human Society, The Interpretation of Symbolism, The Analysis of Myth, The Symblic Ana…
Outline: In today's religiously pluralistic world, is it theologically and morally acceptable to maintain that one religion is uniquely true and that the others are at best incomplete or even false? Specifically, is Jesus Christ merely a savior, or is he the one and only Savior of humankind? At the heart of Dissonatnt Voices lies a strong, well-reasoned defense of Christian exclusivism, which h…
Outline: Inside the Community : Understanding Muslims through Their Traditions explores the Hadith, as collected by Abu' Abd Allah Muhammad Al-Bukhari. From the "ashes cure" for bleeding, to regulations on how to keep the fast, to an incredible scene of Moses chasing a boulder which had run away with his clothes, Parshall quotes and comments on the essence of this highly significant body of Mus…
Outline: Building bridges between Christianity and Islam. Muslims and Christians both worship one God. In fact. they have much in common. Although the history between Muslims and Christians has been strained at best, it doesn't have to be that way. There are many areas of common ground between the two faiths, providing ample opportunity to build relationships. Fouad Accad grew up in Lebanon and…
Outline: It is appropriate that the first volume in this new series of interreligious documents is on relations between Christians and Muslims. Together they comprise the world's most populous religious traditions. The many occasions of their good relations have often been eclipsed by memories of rivalry, war and confrontation; and today in Africa, Asia, Europe, and America Christians and Musli…
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: John Frame gives us an accessible introduction to "triperspectival" study - where theological issues are fruitfully viewed from multiple perspectives without compromise to their unity and truth.
Outline: This book examines Christian ethnographic writing about the Jews in early modern Europe, offering a systematic historical analysis of this literary genre and arguing its importance for understanding both the period in general and Jewish-Christian relations in particular. The book focuses on nearly 80 texts from Western Europe (mostly German) that describe the customs and ceremonies of …
Outline: In recent decades, a "certainty trap" has sprung up within both Islam and Christianity, resulting in a world struggling with the fallout from extremist and violent interpretations of what "the word of God" might mean. The Certainty Trap asks whether Christians and Muslims - equally - can any longer afford the luxury of fundamentalism. Musk looks at the phenomenon of fundamentalism in C…
Outline: With all of the different religions, sects, denominations, and belief systems out there, it can be difficult to separate fact from mere opinion, especially if we are relying solely on online sources that often have an ideological or political slant. How can we truly understand if we cannot even be sure we are getting the facts straight? In this comprehensive resource, more than seventy…
Outline: Given the unique religious climate of the twenty-first century and the challenges to Christian mission it poses, Christianity Encountering World Religions proposes a new model for interacting with people of other faiths. The authors term this model "giftive mission," since it is based on the metaphor of free gift. They suggest that seeing mission activity as giving the greatest gift po…
Outline: What every Christian should know about Islam's sacred text? Who does the Qur'an teach Jesus is? What does the Qur'an say about salvation? How does the Qur'an describe Christians? A Christian Guide to the Qur'an will prepare Christians to understand the central messages of the Qur'an in simple terms, and illustrates how knowledge of Islam's sacred text can provide bridges to religious u…
Outline: Whether it's terrorists in the Middle East who claim inspiration from Islam and express their hatred for the West, or the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, or the violence done by the religious extremists in the United States, it seems religion too often leads to lethal results. Charles Kimball, the author of When Religion Becomes Evil, builds on his bestselling book …
Outline; Was Adam really a historical person, and can we trust the biblical story of human origins? Or is the story of Eden simply a metaphor, leaving scientists the job to correctly reconstruct the truth of how humanity began? Although the church currently faces these pressing questions - exacerbated as they are by scientific and philosophical developments of our age - we must not think that t…
Outline: Explaining The Trinity to Muslims. This book is a culturally relevant presentation of the truth of the Trinity to the Muslim mindset. Originally it was issued through a Turkish secular publishing house and had a countrywide repercussion, even in Islamic circles. It is a useful presentation for both Muslim and Christian readers, providing fundamental keys for understanding and explainin…
Outline: Asia is the birthplace of many great religions and spiritualities - spiritualities that draw wealth and meaning from the ancient past yet still address contemporary reality. Asian Christian Spirituality explores popular religious traditions in Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and India, emphasizing how these traditions foster a liberative Christian spirituality.…
Outline: Why has the twenty-first century been rocked by a new religious rebellion? From al Qaeda to Christian militias to insurgents in Iraq, a strident new religious activism has seized the imaginations of political rebels around the world. Building on his groundbreaking book, The New Cold War? Religious Nationalism Confronts the Secular State, Mark Juergensmeyer here provides an up-to-date r…
Outline: Millions of Muslims and Christians are neighbors and worship the same God. Yet they seldom witness to each other. In this book a Muslim and a Christian attempt to witness and listen. The issues they deal with are profound. The authors open up the basic questions of the human situation and confront similarities and differences in the Muslim and Christian responses. In recent years Musli…
Outline: Encountering the World of Islam guides you on a journey into the lives of Muslims around the world and in your neighborhood. Through this comprehensive collection, you will learn about Muhammad and the history of Islam, gain insight into today's conflicts, and dispel fears and myths. You will also discover the frustrations and desires of Muslims and learn how to pray for and befriend t…
Outline: Millions of Muslims have migrated to Europe and North America in the last fifty years. Their arrival has ignited fierce public debates on both series of the Atlantic about religious freedom and tolerance, terrorism and security, gender and race, and much more. How can Christians best respond to this situation? In this book theologians and ethicist Matthew Kaemingk offers a thought-prov…
Outline: Zoroaster, maupun mazhab-mazhab keagamaan lainnya yang muncul di Persia, memiliki pengaruh kuat terhadap tradisi agama Yahudi. Bahkan kelompok ini sering dibandingkan dengan kelompok Yahudi. Hal ini terbukti bahwa salah satu sekte Yahudi, yaitu Jemaah Asiniyyah, sangat terpengaruh kuat oleh ajaran Zoroaster, terutama dalam konsep-konsep dualisme. Sementara itu, kehidupan beragama masya…
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: Since its original publication, C.S. Song's classic Third-Eye Theology has been regarded as a landmark work in unearthing and exemplifying the possibilities of a new kind of Asian Christian theology - one that takes its point of departure from the cultures of Asia. This new edition has been revised and updated, and includes a new preface which provides an overview of current status and…
Outline: From New York Times bestselling author Nabeel Qureshi comes this personal, challenging, and respectful answer to the many questions surrounding jihad, the rise of ISIS, and Islamic terrorism. The mass shooting in San Bernardino was the most lethal terror attack on American soil since 9/11, and it came on the heels of a coordinated assault on Paris. There is no question that innocents h…
Overview: A long-awaited major statement by perminent analytic philosopher Alvin Plantinga, this book illuminates one of our society's biggest debates-the conflict between science and religion. Plantinga examines where this conflict is said to exist-looking at areas such as evolution, divine action in the world, and the scientific study of religion-and he considers claim by Daniel Dennett, Ric…
Outline: One of the most important thinkers of our time, Jacques Derrida continues to have a profound influence on postmodern thought and society. The author explains Derrida's complex philosophy with clarity and precision, showing not only what Derrida says about metaphysics, ethics, politics, and theology but also what assumptions and commitments underlie his positions. He then brings Derr…
Outline: In this book, based on lectures that the author was invited to deliver in Japan, the author traces the dominant contours of religion as perceived by the sociologist. His themes range from the study of sectarianism, on which he is one of the world's leading authorities, to the subtleties of the relationship between religion and culture in modern societies of the West and the East. Alt…