The stories and contributions of the apostles provide an important entrée into church history. This comprehensive historical and literary introduction uncovers their lives and legacies, underscoring the apostles' impact on the growth of the early church. The author collects and distills the histories, legends, symbols, and iconography of the original twelve and locates figures such as Paul, Peter, and John in the broader context of the history of the apostles. He also explores the continuing story of the gospel mission and the twelve disciples beyond the New Testament.
This book is a definitive history of the lives and deaths of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. It details the lives of twelve Jewish men who walked the earth with the Son of God and who changed the course of world history. Using scholarly sources, modern translations of the ancient texts, and the often-ignored concept of local tradition, the author follows each of the Twelve Apostles from their calling by the Lord, to the most likely geographical locations of their evangelical missions, and to the locations of their deaths by martyrdom. As well as it can be known, the author goes one step further and tells the reader the fascinating stories of the far-flung postmortem journey's of each apostle's earthly remains and informs us of where their tombs can be visited today. Along with all of this, Dr. Orzeck shares with us his firsthand account of his adventures involved in visiting the locations mentioned in the book. He does so first and most importantly because of what he feels is a huge responsibility to get the story of these great men correct as humanly possible. With the possible exception of the late Pope John Paul II, to the best of his knowledge, he (and his wife and traveling partner) are the only persons ever to have been in the physical presence of all Twelve Apostles of Jesus since the first Pentecost, an honor he doesn't take lightly.
The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe written in the 16th century has long been the go-to source for studying the lives and martyrdom of the apostles. Whilst other scholars have written individual treatments on the more prominent apostles such as Peter, Paul, John, and James, there is little published information on the other apostles. In The Fate of the Apostles, Sean McDowell offers a comprehensive, reasoned, historical analysis of the fate of the twelve disciples of Jesus along with the apostles Paul, and James. McDowell assesses the evidence for each apostle’s martyrdom as well as determining its significance to the reliability of their testimony. The question of the fate of the apostles also gets to the heart of the reliability of the kerygma: did the apostles really believe Jesus appeared to them after his death, or did they fabricate the entire story? How reliable are the resurrection accounts? The willingness of the apostles to die for their faith is a popular argument in resurrection studies and McDowell offers insightful scholarly analysis of this argument to break new ground within the spheres of New Testament studies, Church History, and apologetics.
Acts is the sequel to Luke's gospel and tells the story of Jesus's followers during the 30 years after his death. It describes how the 12 apostles, formerly Jesus's disciples, spread the message of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean against a background of persecution. With an introduction by P.D. James
This bestselling glossy, full-color, quick-reference pamphlet is an excellent tool for teaching new and longtime believers about those who walked with Jesus and what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus today. Jesus called twelve ordinary men and turned their weaknesses into strengths, their faults into testimonies, and their doubts into faith. Who were these men who walked with Jesus? What can we learn from their lives? This bestselling glossy, full-color, quick-reference pamphlet is an excellent tool for teaching new and longtime believers about those who walked with Jesus and what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus today. Get Fresh Insights & a Simple Overview of the Twelve Disciples What do you know about the disciples who learned at Jesus’ feet? The Twelve Disciples pamphlet offers a close-up look at the twelve ordinary men whom Jesus trained to care for his church: Peter, James (son of Zebedee), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), John, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. This quick-reference pamphlet presents the life and ministry of Jesus’ twelve disciples in a convenient and easy-to-use, side-by-side comparison chart. The Twelve Disciples pamphlet takes believers inside this circle to learn more about these men as well as:Backgrounds and personalitiesKey events in their lives and lessons learnedStrengths and weaknessesPurposes and missionsEncounters with JesusAnd much more!Glossy and full-color, every pamphlet fact has a Scripture reference. Size: 8.5”x 5.5” unfolds to 33” long. Fits inside most Bible covers. Packed with Fascinating Facts and History What were the backgrounds of the disciples? What was their collective purpose and mission? Here are a few of the facts people will find at a glance in The Twelve Disciples:Each of the disciples were from the Galilee region except for JudasThe disciples were Jesus’ main focus of instructionJesus knew their strengths and their weaknessesJesus trusted them to carry God’s message of redemption to the ends of the earthSee Characteristics and Key Events in the Lives of the Twelve Disciples This bestselling pamphlet reveals the personalities and characteristics of the disciples. For example, Peter was impulsive and courageous whereas John was vengeful and bold. Each disciple had unique and personal encounters with Jesus that speak to the roles of disciples today.Peter was called to be a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19)James was with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46)Andrew told Jesus about the boy with five loaves of bread and two fish (John 20:19-25)Thomas affirmed that Jesus was Lord and God (John 21:2-7)Bonus Features of the Twelve Disciples Pamphlet In addition to this concise overview of the twelve disciples, this quick-reference pamphlet also contains:A chart of the 39 other followers of Jesus mentioned by name in the New Testament: Cleopas, Joanna, Judas (brother of Jesus), Mary Magdalene, and dozens of othersA list of 10 ways Jesus and his disciples demonstrated discipleshipTeachers will appreciate the thoroughness of this easy-to-use resource. Students will gain a new insight into the men whose lives and faiths were shaped by walking with Jesus. Pastors or discipleship leaders may want to purchase one of these pamphlets for each church member.
Dive into the epic saga of faith, courage, and transformation that spans centuries—the story of the Christian Church. In this captivating narrative, Jesse Lyman Hurlbut weaves together the threads of history, theology, and human endeavor to illuminate the remarkable journey of Christianity. From the humble beginnings of a small band of disciples in Jerusalem to the global movement that shapes cultures and hearts today, The Story of the Christian Church unfolds with vivid detail. Hurlbut invites you to witness the struggles, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shaped the Church’s destiny.
Who were the Apostles really? What happened to them after the end of the Gospel story? You'll be surprised by the wealth of detail Ruffin has dug up for each apostle - even Judas Iscariot.
Do you think that Jesus only surrounded himself with men? Think again. Inspired by their popular Channel 4 documentary Jesus' Female Disciples, historians Helen Bond and Joan Taylor explore the way in which Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary, Martha and a whole host of other women - named and unnamed - have been remembered by posterity, noting how many were silenced, tamed or slurred by innuendo - though occasionally they get to slay dragons. Women Remembered looks at the representation of these women in art, and the way they have been remembered in inscriptions and archaeology. And of course they dig into the biblical texts, exposing misogyny and offering alternative and unexpected ways of appreciating these women as disciples, apostles, teachers, messengers and church-founders. At a time when both the church and society more widely are still grappling with the full inclusion and equality of women, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the historical and cultural origins of Christianity.
Charting the rise and development of Christianity, Carter Lindberg has succeeded in writing a concise and compelling history of the world’s largest religion. He spans over 2,000 years of colorful incident to give an authoritative history of Christianity for both the general reader and the beginning student. Ranges from the missionary journeys of the apostles to the tele-evangelism of the twenty-first century. Demonstrates how the Christian community received and forged its identity from its development of the Bible to the present day. Covers topics fundamental to understanding the course of Western Christianity, including the growth of the papacy, heresy and schism, reformation and counter-reformation. Includes an introduction to the historiography of Christianity, a note on the problems of periodization, an appendix on theological terms, and a useful bibliography. An authoritative yet succinct history, written to appeal to a general audience as well as students of the history of Christianity. Written by internationally regarded theologian, Carter Lindberg, who is the author of numerous titles on theology and Church history.
"Over ten years in the making, The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement offers for the first time a sweeping historical and theological treatment of this complex, vibrant global communion. Written by more than 300 contributors, this major reference work contains over 700 original articles covering all of the significant individuals, events, places, and theological tenets that have shaped the Movement. Much more than simply a historical dictionary, this volume also constitutes an interpretive work reflecting historical consensus among Stone-Campbell scholars, even as it attempts to present a fair, representative picture of the rich heritage that is the Stone-Campbell Movement."--BOOK JACKET.
