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.
Taking a high view of Scripture as the inspired, authoritative Word of God, esteemed seminary professor Merrill offers this thoroughly in-depth theology of the Old Testament after decades of study.
"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.
Jesus has mandated his church to actively engage in transforming society on earth--"Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." But when societal issues and problems loom large, it can seem an impossible task. Offering solid teachings on apostles and prophets, spiritual warfare, the church in the workplace, and much more, C. Peter Wagner shows readers just how kingdom action can change the world. With a sense of mission and urgency, Wagner explores the biblical roots of dominion theology, the views of great Christian thinkers through the ages, the ways Christians are working it out in their lives and on the job, and what each part can do when brought together through the operational power of the Holy Spirit.
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.
In this edition of this classic study of postmillennialism, you will sense anew the powerful message of Psalm 72 that Christ "shall have dominion from sea to sea" (Psa 72:8). You will learn that God's word boldly promises that "the whole earth will be filled with his glory" (72:19) so that "all nations will call him blessed" (72:17) - before Christ returns. Many evangelicals today are concerned about those being Left Behind on this Late Great Planet Earth as it collapses into absolute chaos. But the postmillennialist optimistically believes regarding Christ that He Shall Have Dominion throughout the earth. In this book you will find the whole biblical rationale for the postmillennial hope, from its incipient beginning in Genesis to its glorious conclusion in Revelation. Your faith will be re-invigorated as you begin to recognize that "the gospel is the power of God unto salvation" (Rom 1:16) and that our Lord Jesus really meant it when he commanded us to "go and make disciples of all the nations" (Matt 28:19).
Brett Whalen explores the compelling belief that Christendom would spread to every corner of the earth before the end of time. During the High Middle Ages—an era of crusade, mission, and European expansion—the Western followers of Rome imagined the future conversion of Jews, Muslims, pagans, and Eastern Christians into one fold of God’s people, assembled under the authority of the Roman Church. Starting with the eleventh-century papal reform, Whalen shows how theological readings of history, prophecies, and apocalyptic scenarios enabled medieval churchmen to project the authority of Rome over the world. Looking to Byzantium, the Islamic world, and beyond, Western Christians claimed their special place in the divine plan for salvation, whether they were battling for Jerusalem or preaching to unbelievers. For those who knew how to read the signs, history pointed toward the triumph and spread of Roman Christianity. Yet this dream of Christendom raised troublesome questions about the problem of sin within the body of the faithful. By the late thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, radical apocalyptic thinkers numbered among the papacy’s most outspoken critics, who associated present-day ecclesiastical institutions with the evil of Antichrist—a subversive reading of the future. For such critics, the conversion of the world would happen only after the purgation of the Roman Church and a time of suffering for the true followers of God. This engaging and beautifully written book offers an important window onto Western religious views in the past that continue to haunt modern times.
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.
Back by popular demand, Take Dominion records the first two decades of Bob’s faith-filled adventures that will build your faith and encourage you to rise up in the power of the Spirit and in the name of the Lord Jesus “take dominion” for His glory. God has given His people dominion over this planet and He expects us to win others to Jesus and work to see His goodness and righteousness established on earth! To this end Jesus asked us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Bob Weiner believes that God has mandated us not only to bring salvation to the lost but to change the world for the better.Jesus commissioned His followers to “make disciples of all nations, teaching all nations to observe His teachings. In Take Dominion, Bob calls upon Christians to exercise the dominion Christ gave every believer. Through compelling personal anecdotes Bob testifies to the reality of God’s power and the extent of His rule over the earth today. God equips every believer with unlimited resources for sharing and fulfilling Jesus’ vision of life and liberty for the world.
Sweet Revenge? When two senseless killings hit close to home, columnist Clarence Abernathy seeks revenge for the murders—and, ultimately, answers to his own struggles regarding race and faith. After being dragged into the world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict, Clarence is encouraged by fellow columnist Jake Woods to forge an unlikely partnership with a redneck homicide detective. Soon the two find themselves facing dark forces, while unseen eyes watch from above. This re-release of Randy Alcorn’s powerful bestseller spins off from Deadline and offers a fascinating glimpse inside heaven. Can One Man’s Search for Justice Stand Up to the Forces of Evil Threatening to Destroy Him? A shocking murder drags black newspaper columnist Clarence Abernathy into the disorienting world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict. In a desperate hunt for answers to the violence (and to his own struggles with race and faith), Clarence forges an unlikely partnership with redneck detective Ollie Chandler. Despite their differences, Clarence and Ollie soon find themselves sharing the same mission: victory over the forces of darkness vying for dominion. Filled with insight—and with characters so real you’ll never forget them—Dominion is a dramatic story of spiritual searching, racial reconciliation, and hope. I don’t know when I have read a novel that affected me so profoundly. Randy Alcorn has combined a superb mystery/detective story with a lesson in racial relations in America, gang dynamics and symbols, Christian values, and spiritual warfare. —Dave Kirby, Troy (Alabama) Broadcasting Corporation Even better than its predecessor…Alcorn’s writing remains top-notch. —Sean Taylor, CBA Marketplace READER’S GUIDE INCLUDED Story Behind the Book Randy Alcorn thoroughly researched his characters, spending time in the inner city with homicide and gang detectives to better create the scenes for this bestselling novel. He set the story in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, and the main character, Clarence Abernathy, is a black journalist whose unforgettable father played baseball in the old Negro Leagues. Randy has received many letters from readers who assume he is African American due to his accurate portrayals of racial issues.