Best of
Church-History

2009

The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation


Michael Reeves - 2009
    But what motivated the Reformers? And what were they really like? The Unquenchable Flame, a lively, accessible, and fully informative introduction to the Reformation by Michael Reeves, brings to life the movement’s most colorful characters (Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, The Puritans, etc.), examines their ideas, and shows the profound and personal relevance of Reformation thinking for today. Also included are a lengthy Reformation timeline, a map of key places in the Reformation, further reading suggestions, and, in this U.S. edition, a new foreword by 9 Marks Ministries president Mark Dever.Michael Reeves is theological advisor for Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), a charity supporting evangelism in higher education throughout the United Kingdom. He was previously associate minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place and holds a doctorate in systematic theology from King’s College London.

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions


Paul Timothy McCain - 2009
    Nothing is more important than clearly confessing and bearing witness to the truths of God's Holy Word which reveal the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is what the Book of Concord is all about. This edition of the Lutheran Confessions will instruct, inspire and educate all who use it and help them learn what it means to be, and to remain, a genuinely confessing Lutheran Christian.

A Prayer To Our Father


Nehemia Gordon - 2009
    Their gripping adventure begins in the ancient city of Jerusalem and takes them to the very spot in Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray. Along the way they discover a Hebrew version of the Lord’s Prayer, preserved in secret by Jewish rabbis for over a thousand years. The richness of meaning that the Hebrew unlocks reveals a powerful message of spiritual growth for Jew and Christian alike. Join them on this provocative exploration of the Hebrew origins of the Lord's Prayer!"Both Jews and Christians could learn a great deal from this book... I highly recommend it!" Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, Congregation Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem"If you enjoy detective mysteries... this book is a veritable gold mine... as we discover hidden truths and marvel together with the authors..." Christine Darg, Exploits Ministry"I am so thankful to the Father for this book... I felt like I was on a spiritual journey with so many things confirmed and also revealed." James Thrash, NFL PlayerNehemia Gordon holds a Masters Degree in Biblical Studies and a Bachelors Degree in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Gordon has worked as a translator on the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. He has been invited to speak in synagogues and churches around the world and has led groups of pilgrims and visitors on tours of biblical sites. A native of Chicago, Nehemia has made his home in Jerusalem, Israel since 1993.Keith Johnson earned his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has spent nearly two decades in Christian ministry. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Johnson has served as pastor of Park Avenue Church in Minneapolis and as chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson was also chosen as one of only 40 chaplains from around the world to serve the athletes of the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta. Keith lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and sons.

Manuscript Revelations Books


Dean C. Jessee - 2009
    Revelations and Translations, Volume 1, features two manuscript books into which scores of Joseph Smith's revelations, dated from 1828 to 1834, were copied by early Church scribes. The revelations copied into these two books became the primary basis for the canonized books of Joseph Smith's revelations: the Book of Commandments, published in 1833, and the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (1835). These revelation books are some of the earliest documents relating to the Restoration and the work of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and they rank among the most important documents in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. In this oversized, full- color volume, the handwritten revelations will be reproduced on the left- hand pages, with the corresponding transcriptions (including annotations) on the right- hand pages. Many who have viewed the texts said they felt they were experiencing a rare "spiritual artifact." This landmark work will provide easy access to accurate and complete texts of these foundational documents.

Wise Counsel John Newton's Letters To John Ryland Jr


John Newton - 2009
    Newton himself seems to have some to the conclusion, albeit reluctantly, that letter-writing was his greatest gift. In a letter to a friend he confessed. 'I rather reckoned upon doing more good by some of my other works than by my "Letters", which I wrote without study, or any public design; but the Lord said, "You shall be most useful by them", and I learned to say, "Thy will be done! Use me as Thou pleasest, only make me useful." Indeed, he wrote to his close friend William Bull that if the letters were 'owned to comfort the afflicted, to quicken the careless, to confirm the wavering, I may rejoice in the honour He has done me', and not envy the greatest writers of the age.All but ten of the letters in the present volume have been brought out of undeserved obscurity by Dr. Grant Gordon, whose researches in libraries and archives, as well as in little-known nineteenth-century periodicals, have uncovered much material which is certainly calculated to comfort, quicken, and confirm. Of those already in print, one letter is in volume 1 of the Trust's six-volume edition of Newton's Works, and nine more are in volume 2. Three of the nine are also in the Trust's Letters of John Newton, edited by Josiah Bull. The rest should be new to almost all readers.The particular recipent of Newton's 'wise counsel' in this book was John Ryland, Jr. (1753-1825), Baptist pastor and educator, and close friend of Andrew Fuller, William Carey, and all the pioneers of the modern missionary movement. But in the background stand all the major figures of the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival. A list of Newton's friends and correspondents would, in fact, read like a 'who's who' of the Revival. And forming the wider background is a very eventful period of history, from the American Revolution to the French Revolutionary Wars, by way of the colonization of Australia, the first missions to Indian,and the abolition of the slave trade. Dr. Gordon has helpfully set the letters in the context of these events and provided useful background detail.The reader will discover afresh in these letters, not only mature and wise counsel, but a wholesome emphasis on true Christian experience, a great breadth of Christian sympathy, and a strong confidence in the power of the grace of God, for, as Newton said, 'Grace has long and strong arms!'

Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers


Donald Fairbairn - 2009
    Donald Fairbairn takes us back to those biblical roots and to the central convictions of the early church, showing us what we have tended to overlook, especially in our understanding of God as Trinity, the person of Christ and the nature of our salvation as sharing in the Son's relationship to the Father. This book will prove useful to beginning theology students as well as advanced theologians who want to get at the heart of the Christian gospel.

Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians & His Martyrdom


Polycarp - 2009
    Much can be learned from those who have looked death in the face and yet remained true to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Polycarp was such a man who learned from the great apostle John. Even under the threat of death, he remained true to his beloved bridegroom, Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, amen! Even today, some 2000 years later, we have his own words and are able to learn from his wisdom. May you be blessed as you read this book. Amen.

Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory


Susan Tassone - 2009
    This inspiring book shows how you can join the saints in this act of divine charity, thereby attaining spiritual gifts for acts done for the souls that cry out to us for relief. "Over the years, Susan Tassone has been tirelessly writing and teaching about this revered tradition of praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Her meticulous research and attention to both historical and spiritual detail has helped many to understand more deeply the value of this singular devotion and selfless way of prayer. She has brought a whole new dimension to this devotion, seeing it through the spiritual writings and traditions of saints throughout the centuries." -- Cardinal Ivan DiasNihil Obstat: Rev. Michael Heintz, Ph.DImprimatur: John M. D'Arcy, Bishop of of Fort Wayne-South BendBibliography: 133-134total pages of paperback in hand: 143

The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare


Jane G. Meyer - 2009
    From butter, to meat, to her father's sword, she gave when she was asked, her heart breaking for those in need. Eventually, Brigid grew to be abbess of a community of thousands, her love and care earning her a place as one of the two most beloved saints of Irish history and one of the great female saints of all Christendom.The lyrical text and Celtic-inspired illustrations make "The Life of Saint Brigid" an inspiring story of love and generosity for children of any age, particularly for those who admire the faith and culture of Ancient Ireland.Other Christian Orthodox childrens books: "Abbott and I" 9781888212259 "Alyosha's Apple" 9781888212082 "Baby Moses" 9781888212976 "Jonah's Journey to the Deep" 9781888212594"The Life of St. Patrick" 9781888212761"The Monk Who Grew Prayer" 9781888212662 "Moses' Flight From Egypt" 9781888212983

World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age


C. Kavin Rowe - 2009
    Kavin Rowe argues that the time is long overdue for a sophisticated, critically constructive reappraisal. "A brilliant piece of work by a young scholar of considerable promise."--First Things"This well-written, well-argued book is a must read for New Testament scholars." -- Review of Biblical Literature "This sophisticated argument offers a comprehensive vision of Acts and deserves a wide readership." -- Religious Studies Review"There is so much happening in these pages that a slow and careful read will provoke sustained thoughts on a variety of subjects of ecclesial interest ranging from Christianity and culture to issues of tolerance and political theology." -- Themelios

The Commonitory of St. Vincent of Lerins (1846)


Vincent of Lerins - 2009
    Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Theological Highlights of Vatican II


Benedict XVI - 2009
    At the council Ratzinger worked on the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei verbum), the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen gentium), and the Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church (Ad gentes). Topics he treats in detail in the book include the debate on the liturgy schema, the early debate on divine revelation, the questions of Mariology and ecumenism, the decree on the bishops' office in the Church, religious liberty, the Church and the Jews, and the schemas on the missions and on priestly ministry and life. He gives special attention to the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church and to the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists


John H. Wigger - 2009
    Asbury single-handedly guided the creation of the American Methodist church, which became the largest Protestant denomination in nineteenth-century America, and laid the foundation of the Holiness and Pentecostal movements that flourish today. John Wigger has written the definitive biography of Asbury and, by extension, a revealing interpretation of the early years of the Methodist movement in America. Asbury emerges here as not merely an influential religious leader, but a fascinating character, who lived an extraordinary life. His cultural sensitivity was matched only by his ability to organize. His life of prayer and voluntary poverty were legendary, as was his generosity to the poor. He had a remarkable ability to connect with ordinary people, and he met with thousands of them as he crisscrossed the nation, riding more than one hundred and thirty thousand miles between his arrival in America in 1771 and his death in 1816. Indeed Wigger notes that Asbury was more recognized face-to-face than any other American of his day, including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

Welcome to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites


Aloysius Deeney - 2009
    Father Deeney not only explores Carmelite spirituality but also addresses the practical aspects of the Secular Order vocation, from discernment about candidates to the function of the community council and the roles and importance of new OCDS legislation and Constitutions.

New Testament History and Literature


Dale B. Martin - 2009
    Martin presents a historical study of the origins of Christianity by analyzing the literature of the earliest Christian movements. Focusing mainly on the New Testament, he also considers nonbiblical Christian writings of the era.Martin begins by making a powerful case for the study of the New Testament. He next sets the Greco-Roman world in historical context and explains the place of Judaism within it. In the discussion of each New Testament book that follows, the author addresses theological themes, then emphasizes the significance of the writings as ancient literature and as sources for historical study. Throughout the volume, Martin introduces various early Christian groups and highlights the surprising variations among their versions of Christianity.

Heroes


Iain H. Murray - 2009
    Tozer. Herein Iain Murray provides keen insight into several dear saints whom he has come to especially admire.

Sermons of George Whitefield


George Whitefield - 2009
    Those university years became the turning point of his life. Drawn into a group called the "Holy Club," he met John and Charles Wesley and was converted to Christ in 1735. Whitefield was ordained in 1736 when he completed his Oxford degree.

Concerning the True Care of Souls


Martin Bucer - 2009
    First time ever available in English, this basically served as the "reformation handbook of pastoral theology," for Calvin and others, setting out in a vivid and persuasive way, biblical principles for church life, ministry, and discipline.

The Westminster Directory of Public Worship


Sinclair B. Ferguson - 2009
    They were appointed by the British parliament to restructure the Church of England. Their recommendations were adopted in England and Scotland but later revoked in England. These documents form the basis of the Presbyterian system of church government and practice. Here it is discussed by Sinclair Ferguson and Mark Dever. They write with clarity making it palatable even to modern readers beset by busyness & multiple distractions.

Christian America and the Kingdom of God


Richard T. Hughes - 2009
    And yet, as Richard T. Hughes reveals in this powerful book, the biblical vision of the "kingdom of God" stands at odds with the values and actions of an American empire that sanctions war instead of peace, promotes dominance and oppression instead of reconciliation, and exalts wealth and power instead of justice for the poor and needy. With extensive analysis of both Christian scripture and American history from the founding of the republic to the present day, Christian America and the Kingdom of God illuminates the devastating irony of a "Christian America" that so often behaves in unchristian ways.

Grafted In: Israel, Gentiles, And The Mystery Of The Gospel


D. Thomas Lancaster - 2009
    He believed that the dividing wall separating Jew and Gentile had been removed, and to him this was the "mystery of the Gospel." From where does Paul derive his conclusions, and what does being "grafted in" mean? Grafted In is a book for Christians exploring their Hebrew Roots, for Gentiles in Messianic Judaism, and for Jewish believers seeking answers about Paul.

Calvin


Bruce Gordon - 2009
    For the rest of his days he lived out the implications of that transformation—as exile, inspired reformer, and ultimately the dominant figure of the Protestant Reformation. Calvin’s vision of the Christian religion has inspired many volumes of analysis, but this engaging biography examines a remarkable life. Bruce Gordon presents Calvin as a human being, a man at once brilliant, arrogant, charismatic, unforgiving, generous, and shrewd.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 wrote and taught. What emerges is a man who devoted himself to the Church, inspiring and transforming the lives of others, especially those who suffered persecution for their religious beliefs.

The Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies


William J. Abraham - 2009
    Building on the foundation laid by Frank Baker, Albert Outler, and other pioneers of the discipline, this handbook provides an overview of the best current scholarship in the field. The forty-two included essays are representative of the voices of a new generation of international scholars, summarising and expanding on topical research, and considering where their work may lead Methodist Studies in the future.Thematically ordered, the handbook provides new insights into the founders, history, structures, and theology of Methodism, and into ongoing developments in the practice and experience of the contemporary movement. Key themes explored include worship forms, mission, ecumenism, and engagement with contemporary ethical and political debate.

The Corporeal Imagination: Signifying the Holy in Late Ancient Christianity


Patricia Cox Miller - 2009
    In "The Corporeal Imagination," Patricia Cox Miller argues instead that ancient Christianity took a material turn between the fourth and seventh centuries. During this period, Miller contends, there occurred a major shift in the ways in which the human being was oriented in relation to the divine, a shift that reconfigured the relationship between materiality and meaning in a positive direction."The Corporeal Imagination" is a groundbreaking investigation into the theological poetics of material substance in late ancient Christian texts. From hagiographies to literary descriptions of sacred paintings to treatises on relics and theurgy, Miller examines a wide variety of ancient texts to reveal how Christian writers increasingly described the matter of the world as invested with divine power. By appealing to the reader's sensory imagination, Christian texts endowed phenomena like relics, saints' bodies in hagiography, and saints' presence in icons with a visual and tactile presence. The book draws on a variety of contemporary theoretical models to elucidate the significance of all these materials in ancient religious life and imagination.

John Bunyan: The Journey of a Pilgrim


Brian H. Cosby - 2009
    That's what he had wanted as a young man. He had left the security of his father's workshop to join the Parliamentary troops fighting against King Charles. There was no way he was going to settle for a boring life... but over time the thirst for excitement was replaced with a longing for something more. A friend takes him aside in the heat of battle and asks him if he has a faith - a real faith - a personal one. And for the first time John Bunyan hears about the only way to get to heaven, which is through the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. John knows he isn't good enough to get to heaven. But when he realizes that Jesus Christ is the only one who is good enough, the real excitement begins. Bunyan the Pilgrim's journey takes him through the Civil War and into other conflicts. A prison cell awaits him but so do opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. John Bunyan, the tinker soldier, became one of the world's favourite Christian writers - with his books being read by men as diverse as Charles Spurgeon and Vincent van Gogh.

The Christian Parthenon: Classicism and Pilgrimage in Byzantine Athens


Anthony Kaldellis - 2009
    Providing a wealth of new evidence, Professor Kaldellis argues that the Parthenon became a major site of Christian pilgrimage after its conversion into a church. Paradoxically, it was more important as a church than it had been as a temple: the Byzantine period was its true age of glory. He examines the idiosyncratic fusion of pagan and Christian culture that took place in Athens, where an attempt was made to replicate the classical past in Christian terms, affecting rhetoric, monuments, and miracles. He also re-evaluates the reception of ancient ruins in Byzantine Greece and presents for the first time a form of pilgrimage that was directed not toward icons, Holy Lands, or holy men but toward a monument embodying a permanent cultural tension and religious dialectic.

Lift High The Cross


John Gunstone - 2009
    Its influence was widespread in all areas of local, national and international church life, and the renowned Anglo Catholic Congress, which held a number of provincial gatherings, became a pioneering evangelistic and teaching agency that was effective in a number of areas: inner city mission, contemporary biblical scholarship, social reform, women's suffrage, liturgical creativity, sponsorship of the arts, innovative church architecture, religious life and spiritual direction, initiatives in Christian unity and more. This illustrated history, co-published with the Society of Faith, charts the achievements of those remarkable years and provides a valuable record for all students of church history.

The Ignatian Way


Charles J. Healey - 2009
    This book remedies this problem by compiling a more general guide to the basic aspects of Ignatian spirituality. Addressing everything from the life of St. Ignatius Loyola to his Spiritual Exercises to dealing with contemporary world issues in a Jesuit spirit, it offers a comprehensive yet conversational approach to Ignatian spirituality. Whether studying or teaching at a Jesuit school, seeking spiritual direction on a retreat, discerning a possible vocation to the Society of Jesus, or simply seeking more exposure to Ignatian spirituality, this book is an invaluable guide. +

Will the Theologians Please Sit Down


David W. Bercot - 2009
    To be sure, there are foundational doctrines that Christians have always considered essential to the faith. But somehow the things considered essential have grown from a few sentences to a long list of theological tenets, many of which were unknown to the early Christians. In the beginning, Christians understood that the essence of Christianity was an obedient love-faith relationship with Jesus Christ. This was not just any relationship, but a relationship that produced genuine kingdom fruit. But then something happened: Theologians took over the church. Once they took over, the emphasis soon changed from godly fruit to orthodox theology. Christianity became Doctrianity. In this provocative work, Bercot argues that it is time to let Jesus speak through the pages of the Gospels without filtering His teachings through the denials and mental gymnastics of the theologians. It is time for the children of the kingdom to stand up for Jesus and the gospel He preached and for the theologians to sit down.

Augustine through the Ages: An Encyclopedia


Allan Fitzgerald - 2009
    354-430), the greatest figure in the history of the Christian church.The product of more than 140 leading scholars throughout the world, this comprehensive encyclopedia contains over 400 articles that cover every aspect of Augustine's life and writings and trace his profound influence on the church and the development of Western thought through the past two millennia.Major articles examine in detail all of Augustine's nearly 120 extant writings, from his brief tractates to his prodigious theological works. For many readers, this volume is the only source for commentary on the numerous works by Augustine not available in English. Also discussed is Augustine's influence on other theologians, from contemporaries like Jerome and Ambrose to prominent figures throughout church history, such as Gregory the Great, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, and Harnack. Other major articles explore Augustine's life, the chaotic political events of his world, and the church's struggles with such heresies as Arianism, Donatism, Manicheism, and Pelagianism. Readers can also find what Augustine thought about philosophical problems (time, the ascent of the soul, the nature of truth), theological questions (guilt, original sin, free will, the Trinity), and cultural issues (church-state relations, Roman society). Indexes, cross-references, and up-to-date bibliographies enhance the volume's use as a research tool.Expert, reliable, and highly accessible, Augustine through the Ages will be the standard reference book for anyone interested in the man, his thought,and his immeasurable influence on our world.

Bill Wallace of China


Jesse C. Fletcher - 2009
    His story has inspired Christians throughout the world. Dr. Wallace was buried in an unmarked grave by the Communist Army to cover their crime. Chinese Christians later would risk their own lives to place a simple marker where he was laid to rest that read, To live is Christ. Rarely has a grave marker so accurately summarized a life. But then, rarely has a person's life so exemplified the principle expressed in Philippians 1:21, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Bill Wallace was an ordinary man who, in the providence of God, lived an extraordinary life. He was willing to forgo marriage and family; a prominent career; and a comfortable future in America for the sake of ministering to people in need. His service brought physical and spiritual healing to countless people. Dr. Wallace lived a life worth examining and emulating. His story will challenge you to a deeper dedication and clearer awareness of the will of God for your life.

A Memoir of Henry Martyn


John Sargent - 2009
    John Sargent's memoir of his friend was one of the most influential biographies in the history of Protestant missions.

Break the Holy Bread, Master: A Theology of Communion Bread


Sergei Sveshnikov - 2009
    From the Last Supper to the Great Schism, and from Christology to ecclesiology and Christian anthropology-the symbolism of bread has dominated Christian history and belief. What kind of bread did Christ offer to His disciples at the Last Supper? Why do Roman Catholics and the Orthodox disagree on how to bake bread? What is the significance of the symbolism of bread for Christian theology and praxis? This book addresses these and many other questions. Scholars and bakers, clergy and lay folk alike-all are invited to take a closer look at that which speaks of our unity-one loaf to represent one Body.

A Political History of Early Christianity


Allen Brent - 2009
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We Believe in One God


Gerald L. Bray - 2009
    This idea seems normal and natural to us, but it was a novelty in the ancient world. Neither Judaism nor any pagan religion or philosophy could claim to have a closely defined set of beliefs that everyone adhering to it was expected to profess publicly and defend against all comers. While this article on God the Father is the shortest and arguably oldest portion of the Creed, it fully sets forth the fundamental understanding of God as creator and originator of all that is. This commentary in its selection of texts from the early church highlights the common understanding of the One God in three Persons, elucidating the church's understanding of divine attributes and trinitarian relations.

The Bridge of History Over the Gulf of Time


Thomas Cooper - 2009
    In spite of hardships and difficulties, he educated himself, and at 23 was a schoolmaster. He became a leader and lecturer among the Chartists, and in 1842 was imprisoned in Stafford gaol for two years, where he wrote his Purgatory of Suicides. At the same time he adopted sceptical views, which he continued to hold until 1855, when he became a Christian, joined the Baptists, and was a preacher among them. In addition to his poems he wrote several novels. Amongst his other works are The Bridge of History Over the Gulf of Time (1871), The Life of Thomas Cooper Written by Himself (1872), Old-Fashioned Stories (1874) and Thoughts at Fourscore (1885).

The Early Christians: Their World Mission and Self-Discovery


Ben F. Meyer - 2009
    

Messages of the First Presidency Volume 3


James R. Clark - 2009
    James R. Clark has become one of the most unique and useful collections in Mormon literature. It contains all of the official statements of The First Presidency since its organization in 1833 to 1951. This massive and important work presents all of the known available statements of The First Presidency during the stated time of  history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interesting historical information about the circumstances under which theses statements were issued adds to the value of the book. Messages of The First Presidency, is a most important collection because it contains the official voice of the Church on subjects of particular interest to Latter-day Saints.

Gone to Hell: True Crimes of America's Clergy


Randall Radic - 2009
    It’s a dark and windy Easter in Toledo, Ohio when Sister Margaret is found murdered in the chapel, the victim of a Satanic ritual. Twenty years later her murderer is revealed to be the parish priest Father Gerald. Monsignor Skehan and Father Guinan embezzled 8.1 million dollars from their affluent Palm Beach, Florida, church, Guinan fleeing to Ireland and leaving Skehan to face the music. Father Fink of Texas crashed his car into a restaurant while driving drunk, injuring ten people. The civil lawsuits that ensued featured innovative – and shady – defense tactics. Radic dramatically retells these stories and many others, drawing on his personal trials as a pastor convicted of embezzlement, forgery, and fraud.

Finding the Historical Christ


Paul Barnett - 2009
    In this book Barnett seeks to establish that the two figures are, in fact, one and the same.  The culmination of Barnett’s After Jesus trilogy, Finding the Historical Christ carefully examines the ancient sources pertaining to Jesus, including writings by historians hostile to the Christian movement (Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny), the summarized “biographies” of Jesus in the book of Acts, and especially the four canonical Gospels. Based on compelling historical evidence, Barnett maintains that Jesus of Nazareth regarded himself as the prophesied Christ, as did his disciples before Jesus died and rose again. This is the only way to explain the phenomenon of the early church worshiping Jesus.

Sophronius of Jerusalem and Seventh-Century Heresy: The Synodical Letter and Other Documents


Sophronius of Jerusalem - 2009
    Poet, hagiographer, dogmatician, homilist, and liturgist, he was a widely-travelled monastic who had close ties with the see of Rome and an unrivalled knowledge of the workings of the anti-Chalcedonian churches, revealed in his Synodical Letter. Sophronius despatched this epistle to other church leaders when at an advanced age he became patriarch of Jerusalem in AD 634. The letter was read out at the Sixth Ecumenical Council in 680-1, and provided the only sustained rebuttal of the monoenergist doctrine which was used by eastern emperors and church leaders alike as a political strategy to unite Christians in the early Byzantine empire. Pauline Allen provides the first complete annotated translation of the Synodical Letter into a modern language. A comprehensive introduction situates the work in the context of the aftermath of the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). It is accompanied by a dossier of translated documents by other writers of the time which illustrate the progress of the debate and its political and ecclesiastical repercussions in the first half of the seventh century.

Rembrandt's Faith: Church and Temple in the Dutch Golden Age


Shelley Karen Perlove - 2009
    Rembrandt weighed in on important religious issues of his day and was a close student of the Bible, using traditional approaches based on Saint Paul to employ typology between the Old and New Testaments. He also shared the Dutch propensity to draw analogies between the biblical tales of the "chosen people" and Dutch society, including commentary on righteous leadership under God's covenant. Rembrandt's close reading of the Bible and biblical commentary by Calvin and other theologians was greatly abetted by the publication, in 1637, of the Dutch States Bible translation with notes. He also avidly studied seventeenth-century reconstructions of the Jerusalem Temple and frequently located his biblical narratives in re-creations of these spaces. Rembrandt's Faith raises essential questions about the complex relationships among Rembrandt's art, religion, and the theological debates of his time.

Christianity And Western Thought: Journey To Postmodernity In The Twentieth Century V. 3


Steve Wilkens - 2009
    

The Amazing Works of John Newton


John Newton - 2009
    His hymns and letters are filled with great theology and pastoral doctrine, and his sermons reach into the depths of the Scriptures and apply them to his hearers in such a manner that anyone taking them to heart and applying them will experience the deepest kind of Christian life. Everything John Newton wrote came out of the depths of his personal spiritual journey from a slaver to a saint. It is a journey that shows any sinner there is hope in Jesus Christ, and teaches every Christian that God never stops working, watching over, protecting, never stops picking up those who fall, and never stops cleansing and sanctifying His children in Christ. This new addition to the Pure Gold Classics includes a CD of excerpts from the book including an inspiring rendition of Amazing Grace. Other additions to this classic are selected Olney hymns, selected sermons from Newton s series based on Handel s Messiah, John Newton s spiritual journey in his own words and a definitive biography.

Creeds of Christendom, Vol 1: The History of the Creeds


Philip Schaff - 2009
    In Volume I, Schaff introduces the creeds by providing general information regarding their origin, value, authority, and classification. First, Schaff presents the Ecumenical Creeds, which contain the most basic doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation. These fundamental creeds are the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Creed of Chalcedon, and the Athanasian Creed. Next, Schaff considers the Greek and Roman Creeds, which differ significantly from Protestantism and from each other. Schaff then explores the Evangelical Protestant Creeds, which emerged around the time of the Reformation and are divided into two camps, Reformed and Lutheran. Schaff concludes by giving some attention to the Creeds of Modern Evangelical Denominations. Through Creeds of Christendom, Schaff aims to bring understanding to those who adhere to different creeds. Schaff wisely reminds us that despite varying Christian denominations, Christ always remains at the center of the creeds.Emmalon DavisCCEL Staff WriterThis edition features an artistic cover, a new promotional introduction, an index of scripture references, links for scripture references to the appropriate passages, and a hierarchical table of contents which makes it possible to navigate to any part of the book with a minimum of page turns.

History Of The Missions Of The American Board Of Commissioners For Foreign Missions To The Oriental Churches, Volume I.


Rufus Anderson - 2009
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910


Brian Stanley - 2009
    Brian Stanley here presents his careful research revealing the compelling story of this turbulent, influential gathering in Edinburgh. This book is both an account of the conference itself and an examination of the Protestant missionary movement as it neared the apex of its size and influence.The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910 is an erudite and engaging summation of, in Stanley's own words, "the many-sided legacy of the Edinburgh conference, not simply for the history of the ecumenical movement but also for Christian missions and the wider field of Christian discourse on questions of race and culture."

Worship in the Early Church: Volume 1: An Anthology of Historical Sources


Lawrence J. Johnson - 2009
    Johnson is the former executive secretary of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and the former editor/director of The Pastoral Press. He has written several books on the liturgy and its music, including The Mystery of Faith: A Study of the Structural Elements of the Order of the Mass.

Alexander Campbell: Adventurer in Freedom: A Literary Biography, Volume Three


Eva Jean Wrather - 2009
    Shortly before Wrather’s death, the manuscript totaled 800,000 words or 3,254 pages.Historian D. Duane Cummins worked with her until her death and then afterwards to craft a three-volume work comprising Campbell’s lifetime of theological doctrine and literary writing.Volume three of this work bears Cummins’ organization and structure, along with some of his own research, preserving as much as possible Wrather’s inimitable writing style. This is a joint project of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society and Texas Christian Univerisity Press.

It Is Not Lawful for Me to Fight: Early Christian Attitudes Toward War, Violence, and the State


Jean-Michel Hornus - 2009
    With these words Saint Martin of Tours left the Roman army in AD 356. In so doing, he-who ironically in later centuries was named patron saint of numerous garrison chapels-was acting in accordance with the teaching and discipline of the pre-Constantinian church.The Early Church, as Dr. Hornus demonstrates in this historical and theological study, consistently maintained the stance of enemy loving and nonviolence. It forbade believers to take life, and was deeply suspicious of the military profession. Only in the course of the fourth century, in the context of general ethical decline and cultural accommodation, did anti-militarism cease to be the church's official position. Dr. Hornus concludes his study by reflecting upon the relevance of the thought and action of the early Christians for our own violent age.

Messages of the First Presidency Volume 5


James R. Clark - 2009
    James R. Clark has become one of the most unique and useful collections in Mormon literature. It contains all of the official statements of The First Presidency since its organization in 1833 to 1951. This massive and important work presents all of the known available statements of The First Presidency during the stated time of  history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interesting historical information about the circumstances under which theses statements were issued adds to the value of the book. Messages of The First Presidency, is a most important collection because it contains the official voice of the Church on subjects of particular interest to Latter-day Saints.