A "marvelous" (Economist) account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination. Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion-an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus-was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history. Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." --Genesis 1:24-26 In this crucial passage from the Old Testament, God grants mankind power over animals. But with this privilege comes the grave responsibility to respect life, to treat animals with simple dignity and compassion. Somewhere along the way, something has gone wrong. In Dominion, we witness the annual convention of Safari Club International, an organization whose wealthier members will pay up to $20,000 to hunt an elephant, a lion or another animal, either abroad or in American "safari ranches," where the animals are fenced in pens. We attend the annual International Whaling Commission conference, where the skewed politics of the whaling industry come to light, and the focus is on developing more lethal, but not more merciful, methods of harvesting "living marine resources." And we visit a gargantuan American "factory farm," where animals are treated as mere product and raised in conditions of mass confinement, bred for passivity and bulk, inseminated and fed with machines, kept in tightly confined stalls for the entirety of their lives, and slaughtered in a way that maximizes profits and minimizes decency. Throughout Dominion, Scully counters the hypocritical arguments that attempt to excuse animal abuse: from those who argue that the Bible's message permits mankind to use animals as it pleases, to the hunter's argument that through hunting animal populations are controlled, to the popular and "scientifically proven" notions that animals cannot feel pain, experience no emotions, and are not conscious of their own lives. The result is eye opening, painful and infuriating, insightful and rewarding. Dominion is a plea for human benevolence and mercy, a scathing attack on those who would dismiss animal activists as mere sentimentalists, and a demand for reform from the government down to the individual. Matthew Scully has created a groundbreaking work, a book of lasting power and importance for all of us.
Taking a literary approach to the Old Testament in this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume, Stephen G. Dempster traces the story of Israel through its family lines and locales—and reflects on its meaning for New Testament revelation.
Find Your Purpose and Live It! This Book Will Show You How. . . Without knowing your life's purpose you'll eventually end up in despair. You can escape this predicament and live as God designed you to by learning the Bible's foundational truths of a meaningful life . . . and applying them faithfully. Discover: The connection between the first chapter of the Bible and your purpose today Why Jesus is the hope of the world-and your life What it means to be "spiritual" and "free" How to find your calling and live it out The indispensable requirement for true success How God uses the trials you face The importance of people in fulfilling your life's purpose How to get God's vision for your life-and keep it From the Foreword, by R.C. Sproul, Jr.: David, who has been gifted with the spirit of Barnabas, encourages us to not lose sight of the forest for the trees, nor the trees for the forest. He encourages us to see the forest in the trees, and the trees in the forest. He gives practical counsel on how we can and should understand our abiding call to fulfill the Dominion Mandate. He provides wisdom by which we can not only work with purpose, but with integrity, and passion for the glory of Jesus Christ. --R.C. Sproul, Jr., Teaching Fellow at Ligonier Ministries Endorsements: The Gospel is the good news that in Christ Jesus, God is reconciling all things to Himself, that He is ever restoring every broken thing, and that He is dispensing grace and peace as far as the curse is found. The Dominion Mandate is simply the call to graciously manifest this glorious good news in every area of life. In this helpful new book, David Bostrom powerfully echoes that call for a whole new generation of believers. I gratefully recommend it. --George Grant, Pastor, Parish Presbyterian Church I fear that the declaration "Jesus is Lord" has become nothing more than a mere platitude to many modern Christians. David Bostrom attacks this problem by forcing us to face the practical implications of this glorious reality. What does the fact that Jesus is Lord mean for you? How are you submitting to His Lordship in your life? How will you honor His Lordship in the future? David confronts us with questions essential to living lives that glorify the Lord Jesus-and that makes Get Dominion vital reading for every Christian. --Pastor Steve Wilkins,Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church David Bostrom's new book gives extremely practical suggestions for day to day living to apply the biblical command to take dominion in all areas of life. First, he gives knowledge, then understanding, and finishes with wisdom for all ages and walks of life. It is well rounded and well balanced. I wish someone had given me a book like this when I was beginning to walk with God. In one book David has distilled down values and beliefs and practical suggestions that I want my children to have for their lives. It will shorten your learning curve by 15-20 years. --Todd Robinson, M.D., Robinson Family Clinic David Bostrom's book, Get Dominion, is a must read for every Christian! His practical no nonsense approach to discovering your God given destiny is both challenging and inspirational. Don't underestimate your worth to Christ's Kingdom, read this book and start living the life you've dreamed of today! --Jay and Laura Laffoon, Celebrate Your Marriage
The deterioration of our natural environment under the impact of a rampant technological society is one of the major crises of our time. For many analysts, a primary cause of this crisis is the influence on Western culture of the Judaeo-Christian concept of the human being as having dominion over the rest of creation. In this book, Douglas John Hall does not attempt to exonerate historical Christianity from that charge. But, he argues, confession alone is not enough. The crisis of nature forces us to rethink our whole understanding of the relation between humanity and nature - an understanding that is based on the concept that human beings are created in the image of God ('imago Dei'). Hall carefully examines the biblical, historical, and theological meanings of this term, which, more than any other biblical expression, became Christianity's symbolic way of designating the essence of the human. Hall argues that the image of God is not an endowment - it is not something that human beings have; rather, it is a quality that pertains to our relationship with God. We should think of 'imago' as a verb, not a noun, he says. The human vocation within the created order is to image the Creator. When this is applied in a consistent and serious way, the idea of human dominion over all of nature must be radically reinterpreted. Taking the Lordship of Jesus as an authentic model for understanding our human relation to the natural order means that dominion is expressed not as mastery but as service - sacrificial service of the others with and for whom one is responsible. Thus the concept of dominion as stewardship eschews any idea of ownership or superiority in relation to nature, yet assumes a special accountability for its welfare. A provocative and original work, Hall's book retains the biblical centrality of 'homo sapiens' while at the same time raising both nature and God to a new kind of prominence in the dialogue that is life.
When governments collapse, human philosophies fail and your life is crashing down around you, Rediscovering the Kingdom will become your guide through the treacherous storms of the 21st century. All of the past ideologies have failed—humanism, communism, totalitarianism, fascism, socialism and even democracy. This is a philosophy, an ideology that will not fail, for it was bore in the heart of God Himself. As Dr. Munroe unveils the reality and the power of the Kingdom of God, you will be challenged to the core of your religious soul as you discover realities that few have seen, let alone talked about. Rediscovering the Kingdom will defy almost every concept you have about religion as it shifts the focus away from religion towards the ultimate issue—the Kingdom of God. In this book you will discover: • The keys that make the Kingdom function in your life. • Why religion cannot solve your problems. • Why governments and world leaders continue to fail us. • Why religion can never fulfill your deepest desire. • Why power is the pursuit of all mankind. • The present and future reality of the Kingdom among us. • The original message and purpose of Jesus.
For centuries Christians believed that God granted humanity dominion over the animal kingdom, meaning that we had a moral right to kill, manage, and eat animals including wildlife. Recently, however, environmental and animal rights activists have assaulted this traditional perspective. They argue that dominion as expressed in meat eating and hunting has resulted in species extinction and environmental degradation. Christian Animal Rights (CAR) activists suggest that the church must reevaluate its traditional beliefs in light of the fact that God's original creation was free of human on animal violence. God, they argue, did not want man's dominion to be expressed through trapping, killing, and eating of animals. These violent activities only came about after the Fall, as God condescended to our hardness of heart. CAR activists point to Christ's sacrificial work of reconciliation as a model for modern Christian behavior: as Christ sacrificed for us, we should avoid eating meat and hunting as ways we can participate in Christ's non-violent work of reconciling creation to himself. In this book, Stephen Vantassel investigates the biblical, ethical, and scientific arguments employed by the CAR movement concerning human-wildlife relations. In this regard, the book engages in practical theology by addressing several important questions: How should Christians treat our wildlife neighbors? Has the Church been wrong in its understanding of human dominion? Does God want Christians to avoid hunting, trapping, fishing, and adopt a vegetarian lifestyle? This book provides answers to these questions by detailing a theology the author calls, "Shepherdism."
Gregory Boyd seeks to defend his scripturally grounded trinitarian warfare theod-icy with rigorous philosophical reflection and insights from human experience and scientific discovery.
