Newton’s friendship with Wilberforce is portrayed in the major motion picture Amazing Grace. Jonathan Aitken’s new biography John Newton explores all these facets of Newton’s life and character. It is the first biography to draw on Newton’s unpublished diaries and correspondence, providing fresh insight into the life of this complex and memorable Christian. The result is a fascinating, colorful, and historically significant portrait of John Newton, a self-described “great sinner” redeemed by a great Savior through amazing grace. “A new life of John Newton is a fitting celebration of the bicentennial both of Newton’s death and of the abolition of the slave trade, Wilberforce’s triumph in which Newton played a key role. Master biographer Jonathan Aitken is in fine form, sympathetic, insightful, scholarly, and vivid, and his book, like its subject, must be rated spectacular.” J. I. Packer, Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College “A riveting historical account of the life of this notorious eighteenth-century sinner who was dramatically saved by God’s grace. This book should be required reading for any person who loves history, loves the song, and is serious about following Christ.” The Honorable Jack Kemp, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; former U.S. Congressman “A rip-roaring adventure, a passionate romance, and an astonishing journey of faith all in one. I knew the story well, but this telling made a deep impression on me.” Os Guinness, author of The Call “Jonathan Aitken has written such an intimate account of one of the great saints of God that I can now say I have been mentored by John Newton!” Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida “Jonathan Aitken’s fast-paced, well-researched, and detailed book shows why Newton was such an important figure. This is a book to read, ponder, and read again.” Mark Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame “A fresh, insightful, and inspiring account of this great figure. With that rare skill of a superb biographer, Aitken brings Newton to life for a new generation of admirers.” Alister McGrath, Professor of Historical Theology, Oxford University “In careful and colorful detail, Aitken resurrects this nearly forgotten giant of the faith and establishes Newton in his rightful place as one who has altered the course of western history.” Robert Lupton, President, FCS Urban Ministries, Atlanta “Skilled biographer that he is, my friend Jonathan Aitken has brought to life one of eighteenth-century England’s most influential Christians. The story of amazing grace both in the life of Newton and in the song that has become the Christian national anthem.” Chuck Colson, founder, Prison Fellowship “Only God could take a vile slave trader and turn him into a useful instrument in abolishing the slave trade and igniting a gospel revival, the flames of which are burning still. The story of Newton’s life inspires all who seek to follow the path of Jesus today.” Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University; Executive Editor, Christianity Today “John Newton not only wrote one of the greatest hymns of all time—he lived one of the greatest stories of salvation.” Rodney Stark, Author of The Rise of Christianity “Even more amazing than Newton’s life with all its drama and color is the reminder of how completely revolutionary is God’s agenda to change the world his own way and through imperfect, broken people. Newton is just another entry to God’s long resumé of his amazing grace in changed lives.” James MacDonald, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Illinois “An informed, authoritative biography of the man who played a critical role in helping William Wilberforce abolish the slave trade. His life story is absolutely spell-binding. I could not put the book down.” Armand M. Nicholi Jr., M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; author of The Question of God “Jonathan Aitken has written a book that, enriched by fresh research into unpublished papers, will enhance his reputation as one of today’s foremost biographers.” Rev. Dr. Michael Green

    Far from distorting the truth about Jesus of Nazareth, insists Pope Benedict, the early disciples remained faithful to it, even at the cost of their lives. Beginning with the Twelve as the foundation of Jesus' re-establishment of the Holy People of God, Pope Benedict examines the story of the early followers of Christ. He draws on Scripture and early tradition to consider such important figures as Peter, Andrew, James and John, and even Judas Iscariot. Benedict moves beyond the original Twelve to discuss Paul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christianity who became one of Jesus' greatest disciples. Also considered are Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, the wife and husband team of Priscilla and Aquila, and such key women figures as Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Phoebe. Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church is a fascinating journey back to the origins of Christianity. It reveals how Jesus' earliest disciples faithfully conveyed the truth about the Jesus of history and how they laid the foundations for the Church, through whom people today can know the same Jesus.

    Gilles Emery, O.P., provides an explanation of the main questions in Thomas's treatise on the Trinity in his major work, the Summa Theologiae. Hispresentation clarifies the key ideas through which Thomas accounts for the nature of Trinitarian monotheism. Emery focuses on the personal relations of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, both in their eternal communion and in their creative and saving action. By highlighting the thought of one of thegreatest defenders of the doctrine of the Trinity, he enables people to grasp the classical Christian understanding of God.

    In Signs of the Spirit he articulates the substance of Edwards's arguments in a more understandable way. The point is not to dumb down Jonathan Edwards but to make his work accessible to a wider audience.This volume serves those both in and outside the academic realm as valuable preparation for, or as a companion guide to, a reading of Edwards's Religious Affections.

    LawsonLooking to the past for outstanding Bible-based, Christ-centered, and life-changing preaching, Dr. Steven J. Lawson focuses on sixteenth-century Geneva, Switzerland. It was there that John Calvin ministered for decades as a faithful shepherd to a flock of believers.Here is an intimate portrait of Calvin the preacher-the core beliefs that determined his preaching style, the steps he took to prepare to preach, and the techniques he used in handling the Word of God, interpreting it, and applying it to his congregation. In the pulpit ministry of the great Reformer, Dr. Lawson finds inspiration and guidance for today’s church and calls on modern pastors to follow the Reformer’s example of strong expository preaching.“I heartily recommend this book by Steven Lawson as an impetus to the recovery of expository preaching. It is an especially good gift for pastors and seminary students.”—R.C. Sproul

    Edmund Hill (1990-1997) in clear contemporary English, showcase Augustine the brilliant speaker and engaging preacher of the Word. They have proven an indispensable resource for contemporary scholars, who laud Hills expert translation and extensive notes. But professors have clamored for an affordable one-volume anthology designed for undergraduate, graduate, and seminary classes. From the Bishops finest preaching, Fr. Doyle has selected sermons that represent a wide range of subjects, including God, Christ, sin, grace, conversion, martyrdom, sacraments, marriage, wealth, poverty, Christmas, Easter, and living the Christian life. Students and preachers alike will discover Augustine's message as well as his medium: his masterful interpretation of the Word of God and his creative use of Ciceronian rhetoric to engage the people of God. Fr. Doyle has provided a concise introduction to Augustine's preaching and a convenient table of themes for easy consultation.

    It examines Hebrew assemblies in the Old Testament, Christian assemblies in the NT, the changing nature of assemblies in Christian history, and the assembly in the Stone-Campbell heritage. It concludes with a theological argument about the nature and purpose of the assembly, and reflections on Christian assemblies today.Alexander Campbell taught that there were three ordinances in the Christian faith ... The Lord's Supper, Baptism and the Lord's Day. This series revisions those ordinances and helps us better understand our relationship to our Father God. The other two books of this series are: Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord's Supper by John Mark Hicks and Down in the River to Pray: Revisioning Baptism as God s Transforming Power by John Mark Hicks and Greg Taylor.

    Yet this tradition is arguably the most faithful representative of early Christianity in existence today and numbers roughly 250 million adherents worldwide. What's more, a steady stream of evangelical Christians has been entering the Orthodox Church in recent decades. Isn't it time we gained a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy?In Light from the Christian East, James Payton gives us just that. With a sympathetic eye and even hand, he ushers readers into the world of Orthodox Christianity--its history, theology and religious practices. In doing so, he clears away the confusion and misunderstandings that often prevent non-Orthodox Christians from fully appreciating the riches of this ancient tradition. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity.

    Thomas a Becket, "the holy blissful martyr," began as research for a historical novel. Becket's murder at the instigation of Henry II launched the famed pilgrimage to Canterbury and inspired countless works of literature. When his collaborator bowed out of the project, Benson reworked the material into a compelling non-fictional portrait of one of England's most popular and significant historical figures. This edition features an in-depth foreword by Benson scholar Michael D. Greaney

    Charlesworth This new edition of David Flusser's classic study of the historical Jesus, revised and updated by his student and colleague R. Steven Notley, will be welcomed everywhere by students and scholars of early Christianity and Judaism. Reflecting Flusser's mastery of ancient literary sources and modern archaeological discoveries, The Sage from Galilee offers a fresh, informed biographical portrait of Jesus in the context of Jewish faith and life in his day. Including a chronological table (330 BC – AD 70), and twenty-eight illustrations, The Sage from Galilee is the culmination of nearly six decades of study by one of the world's foremost Jewish authorities on the New Testament and early Christianity. Both Jewish and Christian readers will find challenge and new understanding in these pages.

    165, two men named Carpus and Papylus stood before the proconsul of Pergamum, charged with the crime of being Christians. Not even torture could make them deny Christ, so they were burned alive. Is my faithfulness as strong? In the fifth century, Melania the Younger and her husband, Pinian, distributed their enormous wealth to the poor and intentionally practiced the discipline of renunciation. Could living more simply deepen my trust in God? In the sixteen hundreds, Philipp Jakob Spener's love for the Word of God and his desire to help people apply the Bible to their life moved him to start "Colleges of Piety," or small groups. In what ways could commitment to community make me more like Christ? The history of the church has shaped what our faith and practice are like today. It's tempting to think that the way we do things now is best, but history also has much to teach us about what we've forgotten. In Water from a Deep Well, Gerald Sittser opens to us the rich history of spirituality, letting us gaze at the practices and stories of believers from the past who had the same thirst for God that we do today. As we see their deep faith through his vibrant narratives, we may discover that old ways can bring new life to our own spirituality.

    Using documentary evidence and archaeological records, Sommers reconstructs the lives of the early Christians in order to "introduce the treasures of early Christianity to a large number of modern readers".By studying how the early Christians believed and lived, we can learn many valuable lessons on what to avoid and what to strive for today. The Roman world had many facets that are strikingly similar to elements of modern life. Sommer's aim is to help the reader learn how to transform modern culture with the power of the Gospel as was first done in the centuries of the early Church.

    It draws together Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant scholars to introduce and explain the theory of deification as a biblically rooted, central theme in the Christian doctrine of salvation in diverse eras and traditions. The book addresses the origin, development, and function of deification from its precursors in ancient Greek philosophy to its nuanced use in contemporary theological thought. The revival of interest in deification, which has often been seen as heresy in the Protestant West, heralds a return to foundational understandings of salvation in the Christian church before divisions of East and West, Catholic and Protestant. Originally published in hardcover, this book is now available in paperback to a wider readership.

    But Thabiti Anyabwile contends that it is not the mistakes we must study; it is the people who have overcome them. So he presents three of the most influential African-American pastors in American history who can teach us what faithful ministry entails.Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833) reminds pastors that eternity must shape our ministry. Daniel A. Payne (1811-1893) stresses the importance of character and preparation to faithful shepherding. And Francis J. GrimkE (1850-1937) provides a vision for engaging the world with the gospel. While they are from the African-American tradition, they, like all true saints, belong to all Christians of every background and era. Distinctive for its use of rare and out-of-print messages, Anaybwile's work is valuable as a reference as well as a devotional resource.

    The text incorporates the latest research to complement the broad geographic scope covering nearly all significant Coptic sites throughout the country, from the ancient Coptic churches in Old Cairo to the churches in the monasteries of Wadi al-Natrun, the Red Sea, and Upper Egypt. Churches associated with the Holy Family's sojourn in Egypt, including Gabal al-Tayr and Dayr al-Muharraq, enrich the volume. Churches of all other Christian denominations in Egypt are also described and beautifully illustrated here. A number of Greek Orthodox churches, Evangelical Coptic, Catholic, Armenian, and Anglican churches are included. Introductory chapters on the history of Christianity in Egypt, the architecture of the Coptic Church, and Coptic wall paintings help readers to appreciate fully the great cultural, artistic, and architectural heritage of Egypt's Christians.

    After delivering the final proofs of his landmark study, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling to Knopf in July 2005, Bushman crisscrossed the country from coast to coast, delivering numerous addresses on Joseph Smith at scholarly conferences, academic symposia, and firesides. This startlingly candid memoir concludes eleven months later with an article written for Common-Place in August 2006. Bushman confesses to hope and humility, an unexpected numbness when he expected moments of triumph, and genuine apprehension as he awaits reviews. He frets at the polarization that dismissed the book as either too hard on Joseph Smith or too easy. He yields to a very human compulsion to check sales figures on amazon.com, but partway through the process stepped back with the recognition, "The book seems to be cutting its own path now, just as [I] hoped." For readers coming to grips with the ongoing puzzle of the Prophet and the troublesome dimensions of their own faith, Richard Bushman, a temple sealer and stake patriarch but also a prize-winning scholar, openly but not insistently presents himself as a believer. "I believe enough to take Joseph Smith seriously," he says. He draws comfort both from what he calls his "mantra" ("Today I will be a follower of Jesus Christ") and also from ongoing engagement with the intellectual challenges of explaining Joseph Smith.

    That is, unless it remembers its mission. With growing secularization, disorientation, and institutionalism, how can the church maintain its identity? How is the church to function considering it was founded on the belief that time is short--yet time keeps going on? George Knight tackles these and other tough questions in this shining collection of articles, speeches, and papers. Including the courageous speech "If I Were the Devil," presented at the 2000 General Conference session, this book is an insightful look at Adventism's mission, structure, and contemporary challenges. Not just for church administrators and academics--this is a call to duty to all church members, a call to become a church alive with passion and purpose. Let these pages reinvigorate you with fresh thoughts about the Adventist mission and how to accomplish it. Because the world doesn't need another social club. It needs to hear God's message.

    Basic translations of the texts are also provided so that readers can check their work. A list of words used 50+ times in the New Testament and the principal parts of several verbs is included.The Greek selections represent a variety of styles and levels of difficulty. The notes also vary, with very extensive notes provided in some cases. Passages that have played a major role in the history of Christian thought are included, as well as passages that contribute to matters of spirituality and pastoral care. Several passages are of more purely historical interest. The author includes an introduction to the writings of the early church to help orient readers to the writings of the Fathers in general and also give the rationale for the particular selections included in the book. Each selection also has a brief introduction discussing its historical setting and content. A brief bibliography is included for the particular selections included and for the Greek reference works cited. However, the book would also be of interest to those studying the Classics and could be used by anyone as a brief introduction to some samples of early Christian thought. This may be the only book available that provides such translation notes for selections from the Greek fathers.

    Written in a question-and-answer format, this book of instruction is to be used by young children or other laypeople as a guide in daily devotions and as a study of Holy Scripture. Every Christian, no matter how young, ought to have a complete understanding of the true teachings of the Bible. This catechism, taken from the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, is meant to fill the role of teaching especially the young about Christian belief. This wonderful guide will introduce young children to the historic Reformed faith.

    As you read this book, you will learn how the Lord used some people to plant the seeds of church reform long before October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther published his ninety-five theses. Luther's story is well-known;we trust you will find it interesting and instructive to read about him and about forty others (John Knox, Peter Martyr Vermigli, Zacharias Ursinus, Willem Teellinck, etc.) who contributed to the Reformation - some well known and others not so - most of whom are Reformation heroes.To provide a more full picture of the many sided Reformation, chapters are also included on the Anabaptist and Counter Reformation movements. The book concludes with a brief summary of the influence of the Reformation in different areas of life.

    A Collection of Biographical Sketches of Pioneers and Rescuers of the Willie, Martin, Hodgett, Hunt Companies 1856

    * Wesley--best-selling classics author * Ray Comfort's commentary--highly personal and deeply revealing * Biography, photos, footnoted text.

    But who were they really, these strong-minded Adventist pioneers. None of them were perfect - but all of them did their best, by God's grace, to spread the message of Jesus' soon return and the good news of the seventh-day Sabbath. These are their stories. "You will se your Lord a-coming".

    What images did these Christians use to express their faith openly? Were they the first believers to part with Mosaic law by creating “graven images”? What Jewish and pagan sources, if any, did they look to for inspiration? When did they begin to depict the life of Jesus? This beautifully illustrated book takes up such questions, revealing the story of how Christian art began through insights from recent discoveries.Leading experts explore topics ranging from Jewish art in the Greco-Roman period and the influence of Constantine, to the development of church decoration and the meaning of illustrated Bibles. Throughout we see the distinctive pictorial selection of Early Christians, who at first depicted Old Testament figures—Abraham and Isaac, Jonah, and Daniel—and did not invent new images until over a century later. The special meanings attached to old images and new ones like the fish, anchor, and Good Shepherd all come to life in these pages.The essays are complemented by extensive new archaeological research on a range of more than one hundred objects, drawn from major museums of America and Europe. Frescoes, marble sculpture and sarcophagi, silver vessels and reliquaries, carved ivories, decorated crosses, and illuminated Bibles are illustrated in new color photographs, allowing the reader an unprecedented encounter with Early Christian art.

    Drobner brings patristics scholarship up-to-date in this traditional introduction. His work is sufficiently broad to be a useful summary of early Christian history and the expansive strokes of doctrinal debate and development and provides a clear presentation of early Christian thought. Drobner introduces new materials throughout this recently updated edition of his handbook. A general map and several timetables add to the clarity of the volume.

    Specifically, it deals with Turretin's exposition of the twofold covenant of God, that is the covenant of nature and the covenant of grace. In treating this subject, Beach has a twofold objective: first, to contribute to an understanding of Turretin's theology, and second, to offer an evaluation regarding the validity of certain trajectories of scholarship pertaining to federal theology in general.

    There is no question that liturgy has been vastly improved today because we have had better contact with its sources. We understand from them how and why people prayed at different times in history, which ceremonies carried over, which were abandoned, and perhaps which should have been abandoned but were not. The field of liturgical history has been extremely helpful in our recent revisions of the rites of Christian initiation. Gerard Austin, O'PRice School for Pastoral MinistryThis reissue of J.D.C. Fisher's classic work introduces the reader to primary sources that led the author to the theory of disintegration of the primitive rite of initiation. Published by Liturgy Training Publications.

    On the individual level, Christ-followers within Islam have traditionally been encouraged by Christians to break away from their Muslim communities. Chandler boldly explores how these two major religions--which share much common heritage--can not only co-exist, but also enrich each other.

    

    This fourth book in the Seventh-day Adventists Believe series is a comprehensive treatment of all twenty-eight fundamental beliefs of our church.

    At the age of sixteen Billy Graham came to Christ during a Christian revival meeting and it wasn't long before he felt the call to preach.With the help of his wife Ruth and many other friends and colleagues Billy Graham set out to preach to the world. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was founded and since that day Billy has preached to over 80 million people in more than 185 countries. Millions more have been reached through television, video, film and webcasts. He has founded newspapers; film companies, magazines and radio ministries.Communism and Apartheid, Segregation and Terrorism - Billy Graham has faced up to all Christianity's major opponents of the twentieth century. From playing the bail money to get Martin Luther King out of jail to addressing the memorial service in Washington after the colapse of the World Trade centre, Billy Graham has been there for people with practical help and a message of hope that is timeless.Billy Graham: "Yes Sir, take me to the cross, I can find my way from home from there"

    Hillerbrand details the events and ideas of the sixteenth century and contends that the Protestant Reformation must be seen as an interplay of religious, political, and economic forces in which religion played a major role. Hillerbrand tells the fascinating story of the ways in which theological disagreements divided the centuries-old Christian church and the roles that leading characters such as Luther, Zwingli, Anabaptists, and Calvin played in establishing new churches, even as Roman Catholicism continued to develop in its own ways. The book covers all significant aspects of this period and interprets these important events in their own context while reflecting on the consequences of the Reformation for later periods and for today.

    Calvin's original teachings were periodically challenged by major crises - the French Wars of Religion, Dutch Revolt, the English Civil War, American colonization, and American Revolution. In each such crisis moment, a major Calvinist figure emerged - Theodore Beza, Johannes Althusius, John Milton, John Winthrop, John Adams, and others - who modernized Calvin's teachings and translated them into dramatic new legal and political reforms. This rendered early modern Calvinism one of the driving engines of Western constitutionalism. A number of basic Western laws on religious and political rights, social and confessional pluralism, federalism and constitutionalism, and more owe a great deal to this religious movement. This book is essential reading for scholars and students of history, law, religion, politics, ethics, human rights, and the Protestant Reformation.

    They retreated to the desert to do battle against demons and against their own worst desires. They had no intention of being famous; yet ironically their Sayings have inspired millions of imitators over the centuries. This guide is meant to accompany a reading of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, in hopes that readers with lives quite different than those third- and fourth-century dwellers of the Egyptian desert might nevertheless come to imitate their lives of poverty, chastity, and obedience; and more importantly, that readers might grow more imaginative and passionate in their following of the same Lord. Endorsements: ""Contrary to the Protestant caricature, the Egyptian monks of the fourth century went to the desert not to escape reality, but to confront it. They fled the disorienting distractions of city life so that in the quiet of their cells and their chapels they might overcome the self-will of sin and reorient their thoughts, affections, and actions wholly toward God. Jason Byassee's An Introduction to the Desert Fathers is an excellent companion to all who seek to glean wisdom from the monks' encounters with the realities of God and of their sin. By drawing together the world of fourth-century monasticism with our consumerist culture of the twenty-first century, Byassee helps us discern the call of the desert today."" --J. Warren Smith, Assistant Professor of Historical Theology, Duke Divinity School ""In this beautiful, informative, probing, and wise introduction to the spirituality of the desert, Byassee both immerses us in, and invites us to embrace, an older, sometimes alien, way of inhabiting our relationship with the triune God."" --Lauren F. Winner, author of Girl Meets God and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity Jason Byassee has established himself as the master of explaining complex subjects and helping us understand why they matter. He has done it again with the Desert Fathers. --James C. Howell, pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina ""Making the desert accessible might seem a paradoxical goal. Nevertheless, just as the sick and not the healthy need doctors, so do we affluent and self-indulgent moderns need the desert fathers. Jason Byassee is the perfect guide--an intrepid all-terrain interpreter in the heart of the desert. He always knows what we are thinking and never forgets that the severity of the fathers is disconcerting to us. Yet he thinks with these ancient monks as well--with their profundity and difficulty--and never lets us get away with dismissing a single saying cavalierly. If you have ever struggled with self-control, lust, materialism, prayer, humility, obedience, patience, or any of the other vices and virtues addressed in these chapters, An Introduction to the Desert Fathers is for you."" --Timothy Larsen, McManis Professor of Christian Thought, Wheaton College ""Jason Byassee's Introduction to the Desert Fathers is presented in a spirit of humility that befits the subject. He offers simple yet rich engagements with the Sayings that use humor, insight, and life experience to prompt readers to reflect with the same tools. Readers who are looking for a place to begin their interaction with the often paradoxical teachings of the desert fathers would do well to begin here."" --Amy Frykholm, Special Correspondent, Christian Century About the Contributor(s): Jason Byassee received his Ph.D. in theology from Duke University and is currently Assistant Editor at The Christian Century, where he has won numerous awards for excellence in journalism. He is author of two forthcoming volumes: Praise Seeking Understanding (Eerdmans) and An Introduction to the Desert Fathers (Cascade Books). He has been invited to teach courses on Augustine to undergraduates, seminarians, and graduate students at Garrett-Evangelical Theological"

    In Luther's Liturgical Music Robin Leaver comprehensively explores these connections. Replete with tables, figures, and musical examples, this volume is the most extensive study on Luther and music ever published. Leaver's work makes a formidable contribution to Reformation studies, but worship leaders, musicians, and others will also find it an invaluable, very readable resource.

    According to Kelly M. Kapic, Owen is being rediscovered by a variety of people today, including theologians, evangelical ministers, and laypeople interested in classic forms of spirituality. With this diverse audience in mind, Kapic focuses on the concept of communion with God in Owens thought, covering key areas such as anthropology, Christology, trinitarian studies, and the Lord's Supper.

    Protestants, from the beginning of their existence, claimed to be “reformers” of the Catholic Church; that is, they felt themselves to be hearkening back to the more pure doctrines of the early Church and the Church fathers, rather than overturning historic Catholic doctrine.I shall contend in this book, by means of massive documentation, that the “historical case” for Catholicism becomes stronger as the accumulation of patristic evidence piles up. Catholics need not fear patristic data any more than they need fear the Bible, as both (with all due respect to our esteemed non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters) firmly support our theology and doctrine.

    The essays in this collection focus on the ways in which books were produced, used, treasured, and conceptualized in the early Christian centuries (AD 100--600). During this crucial period, just after the New Testament writings were composed, Christianity grew from the religion of a tiny minority in the eastern Roman Empire to the religion of the empire itself, and beyond. To no small extent, this success was based on the power of its books.Written by experts in the field, the essays in this volume examine the early Christian book from a wide range of disciplines: religion, art history, history, Near Eastern studies, and classics. Topics include theories of the book, book production and use, books as sacred objects, and problems of gender, authorship, and authority.By examining Christian books from multiple perspectives, this book invites readers into the entire "bookish" world of early Christianity: a world of writing and reading practices, of copying and exchanging texts, of persuading and debating with books, and of representing holiness and power through codices of the law, the scriptures, and the lives of the saints. Essays cover a wide geographical range and discuss texts written all across the Mediterranean world--in Greek, Latin, Coptic, Syriac, and Hebrew. All ancient texts are translated into English, some for the first time. Intended for general readers, students, and scholars alike--anyone with a serious interest in early Christianity--this work brings together exciting currents of new research. It also opens up fresh questions and lines of inquiry in the study of this perennially important and fascinating subject.An introduction by Philip Rousseau provides a valuable overview, followed by essays written by Daniel Boyarin, Catherine Burris, Catherine Chin, Gillian Clark, Catherine Conybeare, Kim Haines-Eitzen, Caroline Humfress, Chrysi Kotsifou, John Lowden, Claudia Rapp, Daniel Sarefield, and Mark Vessey. A comprehensive consolidated bibliography and index complete the work.ABOUT THE EDITORS:William E. Klingshirn is professor of Greek and Latin at the Catholic University of America. Linda Safran is associate professor of Fine Art at the University of Toronto.PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:"[T]his book as a whole will be important and pleasant reading for anyone seriously interested in Late Antiquity, while individual articles will be useful teaching resources." -- Ian H. Henderson, Bryn Mawr Classical Review"Essays are written by formidable experts representing various disciplines. Art historian John Lowden provides insights on the luxury book through a meticulous study of treasured book covers, particularly those made of precious gems and metals. Catherine Burris approaches the Syriac Book of Women from the religious standpoint of Old Testament meeting New Testament, and aptly identifies the numerous subtleties inherent in aligning these texts. Historian Claudia Rapp's brilliant use of sources contextualizes for readers "holy texts, holy men and holy scribes," evoking the society and mind-set that enabled Christianity to flourish. The essays, illustrations, extensive bibliography, and authors' notes all are valuable in understanding the many facets of the book in the early centuries (100-600 CE). Summing up: Recommended." -- L. Doumato, Choice"[Readers will] be left with a satisfying sense of having gained an insight into a wide range of stimulating topics. . . . This collection is provocative in its ideas, full of fascinating details, and on the whole very readable. The book is beautifully produced, with seventeen illustrations, and finishes with a comprehensive bibliography and a general index." -- C. White, Journal of Theological Studies"It is an auspicious beginn

    

    T. Shedd has been hailed as one of America's most important dogmatic theologians. Yet, until now there has been no systematic study of his work. In this volume two central themes in his theology are explored with particular emphasis upon the philosophical issues Shedd's work raises and his significance as a dialogue partner for contemporary theologians. ""This book is no mere exercise in intellectual archaeology, for Crisp admirably draws out the implications of Shedd's thought for the contemporary debate on the crucial subjects of sin and salvation. Crisp represents Shedd's positions accurately and sympathetically, even when Crisp himself would develop the argument differently. I highly recommend this fine piece of philosophical theology (or, if one prefers, theological philosophy) and can only hope that it will stimulate renewed interest in Shedd--not only as an eminent theologian of great historical import, but as one who will now speak to the present generation."" --Alan W. Gomes, Talbot School of Theology ""Oliver Crisp convincingly shows that William G. T. Shedd was a reformed theologian whose dogmatics has a philosophical dimension which merits serious attention. In doing so he reveals the same intellectual qualities in evidence in his books on Jonathan Edwards and on Christology: philosophical clarity and rigour, theological sensitivity, and excellent judgement."" --Paul Helm, King's College, London ""Shedd possessed one of the greatest dogmatic minds of post-Reformation Protestantism, and this book will do much to commend him to a new readership. Written with Crisp's characteristic acumen and sense of the scope and material cohesion of Christian doctrine, it will be read with great profit by students of historical and systematic theology."" --John Webster, King's College, London Oliver D. Crisp is a lecturer in theology at the University of Bristol, UK. He is the author of Divinity and Humanity: The Incarnation Reconsidered (2007), Jonathan Edwards and the Metaphysics of Sin (2005), and coeditor (with Paul Helm) of Jonathan Edwards: Philosophical Theologian (2003). He has a PhD from the University of London.

    Although the author emphasizes the Byzantine and Maronite Churches, he takes into account all the ritual Churches. Written with Roman (Latin) Catholic readers in mind, this book answers questions on the differences and similarities between the eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches that believers may have wondered about or never had the opportunity to ask, e.g., Why do Eastern Catholic babies get to go to communion?; Are the saints in the East different from those in the West? This information-packed overview book paves the way for readers to address Pope John Paul II's directive in Orientale Lumen with regard to learning about the East. +

     The History of Dogmas is the history not so much of doctrines in themselves, but of the Church's successive definitions in regard to them. Still the two inquiries cannot in practice be separated, because what evokes the definitions is the action of the human mind on the doctrines of revelation, of its attempts to fathom their meaning more profoundly and to fix it more precisely, and of the oscillations and aberrations of thought which have been incident to this endeavor. Or, as Tixeront states the case: “Between the teaching of Jesus Christ or St. Paul and those of the Council of Nicaea or the Council of Trent, there is certainly no verbal resemblance, but there is equivalence and fundamental identity. . . . How then was the transition made from the Gospel and from St. Paul to the formulas of Nicaea and the Creed of Pius IV.? What course did Christian thought traverse in the evolution which brought it thus from the primordial elements of its doctrine to the blossoming forth of its theology. . . . These are the questions to which the History of Dogmas must respond.” Paraphrasing reviews of the work at the time of its publication in the early 20th century, “Tixeront is familiar with the entire range of the pertinent literature, early and recent. He goes back to the original sources, and sifts the latest speculations. Being a Catholic and a priest, he brings of course to his task the instincts of faith which unerringly discern the true teaching of the Church. On the other hand, being an expert critic and an accomplished historian, he is able to segregate the human and the traditional developments from the original divine germ and content, to point out the genuine providential evolution of doctrine in the midst of the manifold gropings and wanderings of the human mind. His work therefore, while solidly religious, is no less scientific and historical.” PLEASE NOTE that the bracketed letter “[G]" found in the text of this kindle edition represents words/phrases in Greek that were not digitally transcribed from the original text. Generally, the meaning of such Greek words/phrases can be easily discerned from the accompanying English text, and, therefore, their substitution with “[G]” does not significantly affect, diminish, or halt the flow of the English narrative. However, in those specific places in the text where the English meaning may not be so clearly discernible, the effort was made to insert the corresponding Greek words/phrases together with their approximate English translation in brackets.Excerpt from History of Dogmas, Vol. 1: The Antenicene TheologyThere are some, perhaps, who would prefer to see the texts quoted exclusively from Migne's Greek and Latin Patrology, with the indication of the page and column, where they are to be found. Such a constraint I did not think it wise to impose on myself. For, in the first place, however useful and valu able Migne's editions are, they are not always faultless nor even sufficiently complete. Secondly, there are instances in which the works I referred to are divided into rather short sections, and then, the indication of the pages was thought superfluous. Still, such an indication is sometimes really use ful or even necessary, and when that is so, it will be given.

    The first is a political assessment through a prism of international conflicts and international relations. The second perspective is regional, covering not only to Europe and the Americas, but Christianity in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific Rim and Australasia. The third is institutional and looks at traditions and their relationships with other faiths and with wider cultures. An epilogue evaluates the future and prospects for Christianity in the new millennium.

    Volume One contains commentaries on Psalms 4-13, 44-50, and Volume Two contains commentaries on Psalms 109-150 (with the exception of the long Ps 119). While St. John Chrysostom may have commented on all 150 psalms in the Psalter, commentary has survived on only fifty-eight. In these volumes, Robert Charles Hill has prepared an excellent translation of the commentary - in Volume One Psalms 4-13, 44-50, and in Volume Two Psalms 109-150 (with the exception of the long Ps 119) - all appearing for the first time in English. In this work, probably composed while he was still in Antioch, Chrysostom's brilliance as an exegete of the "literal school" of Antioch shines forth, even as he works with the metaphorical language and imagery of the psalms. As Hill writes, "it is fascinating to watch Chrysostom . . . coming to grips with this lyrical material, achieving some sense of comfort, and eventually devising - for the first time? - his own hermeneutical principles for coping with such texts." The extensive Introduction in Volume One covers basic issues on the commentary, including its origins, its relationship to Chrysostom's other exegetical work, his attitude to Scripture, and the theology, spirituality and other moral accents of the commentary. Comment on Chrysostom's text is also given in endnotes, and indexes are provided in each volume.

    Written in 1561, it became a confession of Protestant believers in the Netherlands in the face of persecution from the Roman Catholic government. Despite its importance, there has been no comprehensive study on the history and background of this confession in English, until now. This newest volume in the Texts and Studies in Reformation and Post-Reformation Thought series examines the confession's early history, author, revisions, authority, and its relationship to Calvin and Beza. It is a valuable contribution to the field of Reformation studies.

    Here, Lombard logically arranged all of the major topics of the Christian faith. His Book of Sentences received the largest number of commentaries among all works of Christian literature except for Scripture itself. Now, notable Lombard scholar Philipp W. Rosemann examines this text as a guiding thread to studying Christian thought throughout the later Middle Ages and into early modern times.This is the second title in a series called Rethinking the Middle Ages, which is committed to re-examining the Middle Ages, its themes, institutions, people, and events with short studies that will provoke discussion among students and medievalists, and invite them to think about the middle ages in new and unusual ways. The series editor, Paul Edward Dutton, invites suggestions and submissions.

    Each location is addressed separately and includes such cities as Capernaum, Nazareth, and Jerusalem. Full color photos bring to life the ancient world of the Bible few will ever be able to visit in person. With every page, the reader will gain greater insight into the history, geography, and unique features of these historic places. A must-have reference book for those interested in the study of the New Testament and the life of Christ.

    With over two hundred in-depth articles, theDictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters introduces readers to the principal players in that history: their historical and intellectual contexts, their primary works, their interpretive principles and their broader historical significance. In addition, six major essays offer an overview of the history of biblical interpretation from the second century to the present. This one-volume reference by Donald K. McKim, a revised and vastly expanded edition of IVP Academic's Historical Handbook of Major Biblical Interpreters, will serve as an invaluable tool for any serious student of the Bible and the history of biblical interpretation.

    Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

    Slowly, however, the wealthy began to build parts of their houses that were private and where private activities, such as reading, could be enjoyed. This was a new development and differed from the solitude of the hermit and the silence of the monk. Diana Webb traces what this meant for men and women growing sense of individuality in this highly original book.

    In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

    Hopkins was also a founder and leading spokesman of the New Divinity Movement, a major religious movement in New England congregationalism from 1740 to 1800. The author here combines biographical detail with a balanced and scholarly assessment of the historical and theological significance of this influential Calvinist thinker. ""An excellent analysis not only of Hopkins himself but of the Calvinist school he profoundly influenced."" --Edwin S. Gaustad, University of California, Riverside, Emeritus ""Writing with clarity, originality, and vigor, Joseph Conforti has filled a long-felt need with this fine study. . . . Conforti not only brings to life the most important of Jonathan Edwards's pupils, but also he puts Hopkins's long and controversial career into focus. . . . He matches his impeccable scholarship with a very readable, lucid style. I hope this study reaches the wide audience it deserves."" --William G. McLoughlin, Brown University Joseph A. Conforti, a graduate of Brown University, is presently Professor of American and New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of History and English at Rhode Island College. Conforti has published several articles on the New Divinity Movement and is the author of five books on New England.

    Patrick's relevance for the 21st century through hisConfessio and Letter to Coroticus andthe beautiful discourse of Pope JohnPaul II given in Drogheda. With fullerappreciation, pray with St. Patrick in anewly composed Novena based onearly Irish source.

    What is most outstanding, and probably the principal reason why his influence continues, is what can only be described as his personal holiness. Those he stayed with paid tribute to the influence of peace and calm that remained even when he had left; his very presence in the pulpit had a deep effect upon many in the congregation. McCheyne was one of Scotlands most godly ministers of all time.