A vast array of scholars contributed to the large, developing complex of ideas and trends that now serves as the foundation of contemporary discussions on interpretation. In A Brief History of Old Testament Criticism, Mark Gignilliat brings representative figures—such as Baruch Spinoza, W.M.L. de Wette, Julius Wellhausen, Hermann Gunkel, and others—and their theories together to serve as windows into the critical trends of Old Testament interpretation in the modern period. This concise overview is ideal for classroom use. It lays a foundation and provides a working knowledge of the major critical interpreters of the Old Testament, their approaches to the Bible, and the philosophical background of their positions. Each chapter concludes with a section For Further Reading, directing students to additional resources on specific theologians and theories.

    Who their authors, the evangelists, were cannot now be determined; the Gospels themselves probably reached their final form between thirty-five and sixty-five years after Jesus' death. The essential "riddle of the New Testament" is the problem of deciding which portions of the Gospels refer authentically to the career and teaching of Jesus, and which, on the other hand, are subsequent additions or inventions by the evangelists.... Here Michael Grant looks at these Gospels with an historian's eye, treating them in exactly the same way as he would any other works of ancient literature capable of yielding historical information. The picture of Jesus which emerges is in some respects a new and unfamiliar one. There was no "gentle Jesus, meek and mild," says Dr. Grant--nor was Jesus a political revolutionary, as is often claimed. Jesus, although readily touched to compassion and anger by the sufferings he witnessed, ruthlessly subordinated his every act and thought to the success of his great mission. His admonishments to turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor, welcome sinners, and render unto Caesar did not so much indicate a love of peace or a sentimental affection for humanity, or a respect for the imperial government, as a desire to deal quickly with what he considered to be matters that were subordinate and secondary to the main issue, thus enabling his disciples to concentrate wholly on the dawning and imminent realization of the Kingdom of God. Jesus' mission to the Jews in Galilee, followed by his very brief ministry in Jerusalem, was a complete failure, as he evidently knew and admitted. But Michael Grant ends his book with an explanation of the strange course of events by which this failure was converted, after Jesus' death, into triumph.---------------------Michael Grant, author of St Paul & numerous earlier works on the ancient Mediterranean world, set out to write a secular historian's account of Jesus using "methods that make belief & unbelief irrelevant." Any such study is something of an imaginative reconstruction. This one comes across as very middle-of-the-road, skeptical of the sources & of the skeptics, touching base unobtrusively with recent literature & building a picture of background & event in the life of a man whose models were Hebrew prophets, rather wild Galilean holy men, & (to an extent) the Qumran community memorialized by the Dead Sea scrolls. His conviction that he was especially required to inaugurate a new era of obedience to God among fellow Jews ("the Kingdom") led inevitably to Roman execution. When Grant comes to account for the subsequent influence of this "most important person who ever lived," he points to resurrection talk in the air in those times & to Jesus' overwhelming personality. It doesn't sound much more convincing than the alternatives. But overall this is the best recent book of its kind, accessible to the general reader, with no traces of condescension or "biography under church bells."--Kirkus (edited)

    Fee's commentary on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, originally part of the Good News Commentary series, is revised and reset in an accessible but in-depth format for pastors, students, and laypeople. An introductory chapter deals with basic questions of authorship, background, and themes, then each section of Scripture is expounded, accompanied by notes on items in the text that need further clarification." Fee's commentary on 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus] . . . is ideal for students, pastors, and teachers. It is a model of clarity and organization and consistently reflects a judicious examination of exegetical issues. Indeed . . . I think it is one of the best available commentaries] on the pastoral epistles. Fee's skill in writing commentaries is as evident in this volume as it was in his magisterial volume on 1 Corinthians."" Thomas R. Schreiner, Bethel Theological Seminary

    For those who have longing for prayer and yet have never prayed, the author offers some specific suggestions about attitudes, beliefs, and dispositions that get in the way of our prayer without us even noticing. Bondi also shares some of what the founders of early monasticism had to say about prayer and Christian love that she has found especially helpful over the years.

    This autobiography is the story of his descent into madness and his attempts to find his way out again.

    Written by a biblical scholar who has devoted thirty years to the study of the second Gospel, this commentary aims primarily to interpret the Gosepl of Mark according to its theological intentions and purposes, especially as they relate to the life and ministry of Jesus and the call to faith and discipleship. Unique features of James Edwards's approach include clear descriptions of key terms used by Mark and revealing discussion of the Gospel's literary features, including Mark's use of the "sandwich" technique and of imagistic motifs and irony. Edwards also proposes a new paradigm for interpreting the difficult "Little Apocalypse" of chapter 13, and he argues for a new understanding of Mark's controversial ending.

    It is different in a number of ways, all of which commend this volume to wide use by pastors whose task it is to introduce the members of their inquirers classes to an Orthodox way of life which will touch their lives in a full and complete way (Fr. Stanley Harakas). Chapters include: What We Believe About the One Apostolic Church, the Nicene Creed, Jesus, the Holy Trinity, the Divine Liturgy, Salvation, the Church Fathers, the Church Year, Symbols, the Sacraments, the Saints and the Theotokos, Life After Death, the Bible, Icons, Prayers for the Dead, and Prayer. Recently translated in Korean and Romanian.

    Its portable size in no way compromises the readability of both text and critical apparatus, which retains a bold, clear font.

    Like murder.Esme Gardner isn’t a trend setter—or a trend follower, for that matter. She likes her comfortably messy apartment, insists on a reliable internet connection at all times, and has never baked a loaf of sourdough bread or knit a pair of mittens in her life. Esme is a potato chip loving artist who appreciates a good walk-in closet.When her new friend, Ethan MacKinnon, proposes that she join him to spend Christmas in a tiny house in the middle of nowhere so that they can make money blogging about their ‘tiny house experience,’ Esme is not the least bit interested. Unfortunately, she needs money, and the job pays well, so with a little push from her friend Charlotte, Esme heads out to the tiny house on Big Wolf Lake with Ethan—a man she barely knows.Pretending to be into minimalism isn’t easy, but their job is to demonstrate the joys of hygge—the Danish art of coziness—so Esme and Ethan press on and things are actually going pretty well . . . until they discover a body. Things take a turn for the worse when the pair realizes that they’re snowed in…with a murderer on the loose.Can they solve the crime and nab the killer in time for Christmas?

    In Reading Romans in Context a team of Pauline scholars go beyond a general introduction that surveys historical events and theological themes and explore Paul’s letter to the Romans in light of Second Temple Jewish literature.In this non-technical collection of short essays, beginning and intermediate students are given a chance to see firsthand what makes Paul a distinctive thinker in relation to his Jewish contemporaries. Following the narrative progression of Romans, each chapter pairs a major unit of the letter with one or more thematically related Jewish text, introduces and explores the theological nuances of the comparative text, and shows how these ideas illuminate our understanding of the book of Romans.

    What Pilate didn’t realize, however, was that real revolution was just getting started.Based on the epic NBC television series, A.D. The Bible Continues: The Revolution that Changed the World is a sweeping Biblical narrative that brings the political intrigue, religious persecution, and emotional turmoil of the Book of Acts to life in stunning, vibrant detail. Beginning with the crucifixion, NYT best-selling author and Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah chronicles the tumultuous struggles of Christ’s disciples following the Resurrection. From the brutal stoning of Stephen and Saul’s radical conversion, through the unyielding persecution of Peter and the relentless wrath of Pilate, Jeremiah paints a magnificent portrait of the political and religious upheaval that led to the formation of the early Church.Complete with helpful background information about the characters, culture, and traditions included in the television series, A.D. The Bible Continues: The Revolution That Changed the World is not only a riveting, action-packed read, it is also an illuminating exploration of one of the most significant chapters in world history.Get ready to watch history unfold. The revolution that changed the world has begun!

    His letters to various churches scattered throughout the Roman Empire articulated, for the first time, the beliefs that make up the heart of Christian practice and faith. In this extraordinary biography, Bruce Chilton explains the changing images of Paul, from the early Church period when he was regarded as the premiere apostle who separated Christianity from Judaism to more recent liberal evaluations, which paint him as an antifeminist, homophobic figure more dedicated to doctrine than to spiritual freedom. By illuminating Paul’s thoughts and contributions within the context of his time, Chilton restores him to his place as the founding architect of the Church and one of the most important figures in Western history. Rabbi Paul is at once a compelling, highly readable biography and a window on how Jesus’ message was transformed into a religion embraced by millions around the world. Drawing on Paul’s own writings as well as historical and scholarly documents about his life and times, Chilton portrays an all-too-human saint who helped to create both the most beautiful and the most troublesome aspects of the Church. He shows that Paul sought to specify the correct approach to such central concerns as sexuality, obedience, faith, conscience, and spirit, to define religion as an institution, and to clarify the nature of the religious personality—issues that Christians still struggle with today.

    Sociologist Rodney Stark surveys the birth and growth of religions around the world—from the prehistoric era of primal beliefs; the history of the pyramids found in Iraq, Egypt, Mexico, and Cambodia; and the great "Axial Age" of Plato, Zoroaster, Confucius, and the Buddha, to the modern Christian missions and the global spread of Islam. He argues for a free-market theory of religion and for the controversial thesis that under the best, unimpeded conditions, the true, most authentic religions will survive and thrive. Among his many conclusions:Despite decades of faulty reports that early religions were crude muddles of superstition, it turns out that primitive humans had surprisingly sophisticated notions about God and Creation.The idea of "sin" appeared suddenly in the sixth century BCE and quickly reshaped religious ideas from Europe to China.Some major world religions seem to lack any plausible traces of divine inspiration.Ironically, some famous figures who attempted to found "Godless" religions ended up being worshiped as Gods.Most people believe in the existence of God (or Gods), and this has apparently been so throughout human history. Many modern biologists and psychologists reject these spiritual ideas, especially those about the existence of God, as delusional. They claim that religion is a primitive survival mechanism that should have been discarded as humans evolved beyond the stage where belief in God served any useful purpose—that in modern societies, faith is a misleading crutch and an impediment to reason. In Discovering God, award-winning sociologist Rodney Stark responds to this position, arguing that it is our capacity to understand God that has evolved—that humans now know much more about God than they did in ancient times.

    Following the huge success of Now Then Lad and You're Coming With Me Lad, Yorkshire bobby, Mike Pannett, returns with new crime fighting stories.

    Many of the difficulties however, are not in the classroom... In The (Un)official Teacher's Manual, Omar Akbar offers direct, humorous and accessible advice on how to deal with the daily issues faced by a teacher- none of which involve teaching! Includes guidance on: lesson observations, emails, promotions, avoiding meaningless extra work, meetings, parents, maintaining a work-life balance, dealing with workplace bullying, and much more. While Omar pulls no punches on the reality of working in a school, a positive streak is maintained throughout. A must read for any teacher or potential teacher. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Contents: Introduction: Why This Book Was Written 1. How to Get the Most from Observations, Learning Walks, and Book Scrutinies 2. The Don’ts of the School Email System 3. How to Get Promoted and Other Things to Consider 4. How and When to Say No and Yes 5. The Dos and Don’ts of Meetings 6. How to Get Parents on Your Side 7. Guidance for Trainee Teachers 8. Ensuring a Life-Work Balance 9. Bullying: the Problem and the Solution 10. How to Get the Teaching Job You Want 11. Maintaining Good Relationships 12. Why It’s All Worth It