Modern critical biblical scholarship often points out how the church's teachings about Jesus have become encrusted with tradition so that it is hard to see what the core documents--the New Testament--really say about him. Now, with the insight of 200 years of modern critical scholarship and assuming an audience that includes both the well-churched and the non-churched, how should the church present the story and identity of the central personality of their faith, Jesus of Nazareth? Many people will be surprised at the story they hear.

    

    Whose Land? Whose Promise? is Burge's personal exploration of his feelings about the crisis in the Middle East, put on paper to communicate with other Christians who share the same opinions he does and seek answers to the same questions he does; questions such as: How do I embrace my commitment to Judaism, a commitment to which I am bound by the Bible, when I sense in my deepest being that there is a profound injustice afoot in Israel? How do I celebrate the birth of this nation Israel when I also mourn the suffering of Arab Christians who are equally my brothers and sisters in Christ? How do I love those Palestinian Muslims who are deeply misunderstood by all parties in this conflict?

    Primarily, a dichotomy exists between naturalists who deny the supernatural and insist upon scientific explanations for all accounts, and mystics who attribute every unusual sighting to paranormal activity. The common thread is that both sides attempt to fit the unknown into their own paradigm.People everywhere are looking for honest answers. As believers, we have another mandate. We do not simply find an idea or train of thought that is suitable to our sensibilities. We neither shy away from the supernatural because it is unsettling nor condemn scientific explanations for their lack of spirituality. Rather, we search for truth.In Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men, the authors have initiated a search for truth to answers about UFO sightings and extraterrestrial life. Utilizing extensive scientific background and knowledge of the Scriptures, they approach questions like: -- Could life exist on other planets?-- If extraterrestrials exist, is it possible for them to travel to Earth?-- Should reports of alien contact and abductions be dismissed?When we have medical questions, we seek answers from qualified medical professionals. Likewise, when we have questions about UFO and extraterrestrial phenomena, we should seek answers from qualified sources. Authors Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark have training and experience in the appropriate disciplines. They augment scientific and historical analysis with truths from God's Word to provide a balanced look at a controversial subject.

    An overview of the important issues in dispensationalism.

    Man's longing for paradise.

    Herjourney takes her from St. Jean Pied de Port in France, across thePyrenees to Spain, then westward to the ancient spiritual destinationof Santiago de Compostela.Through back-home reflections based on journal entries and postcards sentto her grand daughter, Mary describes engaging encounters with pilgrimsof all ages and motivations, close-range observations of numerous animalson the trails, and the daily tasks of finding food and a bed each evening.Readers will gain keen insight into the physical day to day rigors facing awalking pilgrim, as Mary endured several falls on the trails, a serious footinjury, copious rain, mud and unseasonal cold and hot weather.Grandma’s On the Camino will inspire pilgrims and armchair readersof any age with Mary’s adventures and coping mechanisms, calmnessunder pressure, humorous outlook on life and truly spiritual approachto walking the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela. You willwalk as a pilgrim with Mary through every word in the book.

    Boyd tackles the Bible’s biggest dilemma. The Old Testament God of wrath and violence versus the New Testament God of love and peace—it’s a difference that has troubled Christians since the first century. Now, with the sensitivity of a pastor and the intellect of a theologian, Gregory A. Boyd proposes the “cruciform hermeneutic,” a way to read the Old Testament portraits of God through the lens of Jesus’ crucifixion.In Cross Vision, Boyd follows up on his epic and groundbreaking study, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. He shows how the death and resurrection of Jesus reframes the troubling violence of the Old Testament, how all of Scripture reveals God’s self-sacrificial love, and, most importantly, how we can follow Jesus’ example of peace.

    For Christians who are struggling to understand what it means to be pious and how to embrace the classic Christian practices of piety, Thank, Praise, Serve, and Obey shows that acts of piety are not simply rules to keep in order to be a "good" Christian, but how the new life in Christ is lived out in day-to-day life.

    Now, using this simple method you'll learn the best way to put this important discipline to use for maximum spiritual benefit.

    Yet in our medically advanced, technological age, many of us see death as a distant reality--something that happens only at the end of a long life or to other people.In The End of the Christian Life, Todd Billings urges Christians to resist that view. Instead, he calls us to embrace our mortality in our daily life and faith. This is the journey of genuine discipleship, Billings says: following the crucified and resurrected Lord in a world of distraction and false hopes.Drawing on his experience as a professor and father living with incurable cancer, Billings offers a personal yet deeply theological account of the gospel's expansive hope for small, mortal creatures. Artfully weaving rich theology with powerful narrative, Billings writes for church leaders and laypeople alike. Whether we are young or old, reeling from loss or clinging to our own prosperity, this book challenges us to walk a strange but wondrous path: in the midst of joy and lament, to receive mortal limits as a gift, an opportunity to give ourselves over to the Lord of life.

    It is not surprising that, as a Christian, von Balthasar finds the meaning of history in Christ, its Center and Lord. What may surprise--as it will surely stimulate--is the theological mastery with which von Balthasar traces the effects of Christ's lordship upon the daily life of the Christian. In this book we have one of the indispensable sources for understanding Balthasar's Catholic Christocentrism. Here we find elaboration of the striking statement that Jesus Christ is "the Idea made concrete, personal, historical: universale concretum et personale"--which, put otherwise, means that Christ is the universally valid in the here and now. Characteristic of Balthasar, the book inspires as much spiritually as it informs theologically.

    100% of author profits from this edition of the book will go to The Trussel Trust, a charity that supports 1,200 UK food banks and provides emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, people who need help more than ever at this time.

    Virtually a classic for this century, Major Bible Themes includes chapters on doctrines that merit particular attention in the contemporary religious scene, such as the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, and the second coming of Christ. Designed for group and individual study, for pastors, laymen, and students, Major Bible Themes is an indispensable tool, providing the biblical basis for fifty-two doctrines, complete with topical and Scripture indexes. Questions for discussion and review follow each chapter. Whether your purpose is to explore Bible doctrines as a new Christian, to erase confusion stemming from conflicting views in the contemporary church, or to establish a stronger basis for witnessing to your beliefs, Major Bible Themes is essential for study and reference.

    After all, Jesus "partied" with sinners; not in a boisterous unruly manner, but in the spirit of the Old Testament Jubilee in which people acquired a new lease on life. What was important then, and remains so now, is the celebratory attitude that should set Christians apart from the rest of the world. The Kingdom of God Is a Party is an attitude-changing, spirit-renewing examination of the feeling behind our faith. It shows why Christians should be the people who create celebrations wherever they are placed. Whether by words, deeds, or mere presence, Christians can turn life into a festive occasion that will attract the needy, lonely, sick, and oppressed into the arms of a loving Heavenly Father. Whether at church, work, school, or home, it's time for Christians to get into the party spirit!