Readers will gain even more appreciation for their Bible when they see how God directed its development, from the original authors through today’s translations. How Did We Get the Bible? provides an easy-to-read historical overview, covering the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the writers, the preservation of the documents, the compilation of the canon, and the efforts to bring the Bible to people in their own language. This fascinating story, populated by intriguing characters, will encourage readers with God’s faithfulness—to His own Word, and to those of us who read it. It’s a fantastic, value-priced resource for individuals and ministries!
Sharon Moughtin-Mumby considers the often unrecognised impact of different approaches to metaphor on readings of the prophtic sexual and marital metaphorical language. She outlines a practical and consciously simplified approach to metaphor, placing strong emphasis on the influence of literary context on metaphorical meaning. Drawing on this approach, she read Hosea 4-14, Jeremiah 2:1-4:4, Isaiah, Ezekiel 16 and 23, and Hosea 1-3 with fresh eyes. Her lucid new readings reveal the way in which scholarship has repeatedly stifled the prophetic metaphorical language by reading it within the 'default contexts' of 'the marriage metaphor' and 'cultic prostitution', which for so many years have been simply assumed. Readers are encouraged instead to read these diverse metaphors and similes within their distinctive literary contexts in which they have the potential to rise vividly to life, provoking the question: how are we to respond to these disquieting, powerful texts in the midst of the Hebrew Bible?
To some, the concept of having faith in a higher power or a set of religious beliefs is nonsensical. Indeed, many view religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as unfounded and unreasonable. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek argue, however, that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. With conviction and clear thinking, Geisler and Turek guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They move into an examination of the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus. The final section of the book deals with a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.
This comprehensive classic textbook represents the most recent approaches to the biblical world by surveying Palestine's social, political, economic, religious and ecological changes from Palaeolithic to Roman eras. Designed for beginners with little knowledge of the ancient world, and with copious illustrations and charts, it explains how and why academic study of the past is undertaken, as well as the differences between historical and theological scholarship and the differences between ancient and modern genres of history writing. Classroom tested chapters emphasize the authenticity of the Bible as a product of an ancient culture, and the many problems with the biblical narrative as a historical source. Neither "maximalist" nor "minimalist'" it is sufficiently general to avoid confusion and to allow the assignment of supplementary readings such as biblical narratives and ancient Near Eastern texts. This new edition has been fully revised, incorporating new graphics and English translations of Near Eastern inscriptions. New material on the religiously diverse environment of Ancient Israel taking into account the latest archaeological discussions brings this book right up to date.
Jefferson regarded Jesus as a moral guide rather than a divinity. In his unique interpretation of the Bible, he highlights Christ's ethical teachings, discarding the scriptures' supernatural elements, to reflect the deist view of religion.
A magical story about a gifted but vulnerable girl who is both saved and damned by an angel who falls in love with her music and claims it as his own in a Faustian pact. With Mary in his thrall, he ruthlessly kills those who threaten his plan to bring Mary to Carnegie Hall where her talent will be hailed supreme. Sunday Express, March 2017: 'Catch the Moon, Mary is one of my six favourite books' - Amanda Redman, actress/director/arts patron/head of ATS, New Tricks, The Good Karma Hospital, Sexy Beast 'Beyond beautiful' - Simon Egerton, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist 'Original and scintillating, tantalising and thought-provoking. A novel about the transformative powers of music and beauty' - Hazel Philips OAM, Gold Logie winner, author of Black River, Bright Star 'Weaves a singular spell mesmerising the reader on several levels like a fugue. Wendy Waters and her characters believe deeply in the power of music, which pours lyrically from her sentences' - Joshua Rosenblum, composer, conductor, music critic 'A rare and ingenious glimpse into the real and the surreal. Waters interfaces these twin realities with ease and dexterity, reminding us of the profound yet often neglected depth of imagination. A brave and unique journey' - Gerry Taylor-Wood, international lecturer on Esoteric Sciences and author of The Journey to the Sacred Well
The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.
Jesus called this ordinary man for an extraordinary purpose. Simon the fisherman would become Peter the Rock. This outspoken Galilean would lead Christ’s church, stand strong in the face of persecution, and even refuse to waver when faced with death. Unshakable Faith is an eight-session Bible study that explores the life and teachings of the Apostle Peter. Participants will be eye witnesses to Peter’s spiritual growth as God strengthens and matures his fragile faith. They will discover eight key "faith traits" God developed in Peter as he followed Christ and learned from Him. Participants will walk with Peter as he walked with Jesus. They will learn what Peter learned. Then they’ll be challenged to apply it to their own lives. Study participants will not only gain a solid knowledge of Peter’s life and teaching, they will also build a foundation on which God can grow an unshakable faith that will weather every storm they encounter.
A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.
A brief rebuttal to several points of Biblical theology by this well known debater is the subject of this booklet which is one of the authors most popular books.
