Showing titles in Biblical History & Culture

A major new work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest sacred documents of Judaism, which reveals their surprising connections to early Christianity. “A luminous treatment of a fascinating subject! Highly recommended!”—Scott Hahn, author of The Fourth Cup From award-winning scholar John...

Have you ever seen the Bible used to hurt someone—or has it been used to harm you? Have you sometimes gotten the feeling that people were misapplying verses but been unable to explain how? Do you wish you could better understand what may look like contradictions in the text? If so, you're not alone. But thankfully, better ways to read and understand the Bible are within your grasp. That's because this user-friendly introduction to biblical interpretation teaches how you can interpret Scripture, both for yourself and for those you love.

4 Baruch is one of the most intriguing books in the Ethiopian Bible—and one of the most controversial texts excluded from the traditional Jeremiah narrative. In this immersive narration by Christopher Glyn, you'll hear the entire book read aloud that follows the storyline from Jerusalem to Babylon and back again.

La Didachè est un petit livre qui fut écrit en langue grecque, sans doute en Syrie, vers la fin du premier siècle ou au début du deuxième siècle de notre ère. Son principal intérêt réside dans le tableau qu'elle nous trace des institutions chrétiennes. Elle nous apporte des renseignements souvent uniques sur la pratique des premières communautés, sur le baptême, les jeûnes, les temps de la prière, l'eucharistie, le ministère de la parole, la hiérarchie, la pénitence.

The recent rise in Christian nationalism and religious violence demands new approaches to scriptural interpretation that are rooted in nonviolence and moral seriousness. In The Accessorized Bible, David Dault explores the ethical implications of how we use scripture as an accessory, whether as an accessory to our fashion choices or as an accessory to our crimes and violence against one another.

How does the Jesus of the New Testament compare to the Jesus we think we know so well? Join bestselling author Philip Yancey as he conducts an enlightening biblical and historical investigation into the real Jesus. From the manger in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem, Philip Yancey presents a...

Challenging the dominant narrative about the history of the Qur'an and the emergence of Islam in a predominantly pagan context, Gabriel Said Reynolds presents the Qur'an as a text born within a largely Christian culture.

La Bible est au cœur de la foi chrétienne. Ceci soulève inévitablement la question suivante : pourquoi devrions-nous croire la Bible ? Ce petit livre, qui s'adresse autant aux non-chrétiens qu'aux chrétiens, nous aide à comprendre pourquoi la Parole de Dieu est fiable en explorant les différents arguments historiques et théologiques qui ont conduit des millions de chrétiens à croire ce que la Bible dit, de la Genèse à l'Apocalypse.

How do you introduce something so groundbreaking and new, yet also so ancient that it deals with the very first moments of Creation? Most people know about the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, and many have studied a bit of quantum theory. However, one thing has been missing that has to do with the divine language of Eden and the reset back to Eden and beyond.

Everyone wants to belong. But what does belonging—to God, ourselves, and each other—look like in the context of living within an empire and its ideologies? In Liturgies for Resisting Empire, Cuban American writer Kat Armas explores this question both for the New Testament church and for us today. Armas gives listeners a sense of hope and belonging in their daily lives—belonging to ourselves, God, each other, and the earth—in ways that resist the lies of empire. Each chapter begins with a brief liturgy.

No matter your season of life as a woman, you long to be loved and appreciated. But perhaps most days you're left feeling unseen, unheard, or unknown. Though centuries apart from your life today, the women who knew Jesus faced similar fears and insecurities. Their names aren't etched onto the pages of Scripture, but they are etched into the heart of God. In this book, Paige Allen invites you to take a second look at the life-changing encounters of seven unnamed women who came face-to-face with Jesus in the Bible.

Some Christians think Paul's reference to "saved through childbearing" in 1 Timothy 2:15 means that women are slated primarily for delivering and raising children. Alternate readings, however, sometimes fail to build on the best historical and textual evidence. Sandra Glahn thinks that we have misunderstood Paul by misunderstanding the context to which he wrote. A key to reading and applying 1 Timothy, Glahn argues, lies in getting to know a mysterious figure who haunts the letter: the goddess Artemis.

The Christian religion is the historical unfolding of God's covenantal involvement in this world, the culmination of which is God's coming into this world in the person of Jesus Christ. Far as the Curse Is Found is a retelling of the biblical story of God's unfolding covenant from creation to new creation

Does God call women to serve as equal partners in marriage and as leaders in the church? The answer to this straightforward question is deeply contested. Into the fray, Lucy Peppiatt offers her work on interpretation of the Bible and Christian practice.

The “modern Jesus” of progressives—supposedly friendlier and more accepting than the Savior we know from the Gospels—is gaining popularity and acceptance among self-identified Christians. But they don’t realize that progressive Christianity rejects the biblical revelation of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Hijacking Jesus addresses perennial questions about the nature of Christ and his teaching, testing the historical and theological accuracy of progressive Christians.

Christians often wonder whether it is worth their time to read and study the seemingly odd narratives about God’s instructions for the tabernacle in the second half of the book of Exodus. The answer, according to Daniel R. Hyde, is an emphatic yes. In God in Our Midst: The Tabernacle and Our Relationship with God, Rev. Hyde shows that the tabernacle narratives have much to teach us about God Himself, about sin, about redemption in Christ, and about how we are to live for God today.

Die kleine Kassia lebt mit ihrem Bruder Abiel, ihrer Schwester Baara und ihren Eltern in Israel. Das ganze Land befindet sich in einem Umbruch, denn der König Ahab führt eine neue Religion ein. Baal und Aschera heißen die neuen Götter, von denen Ahab Glück und Wohlstand für sein Land erwartet. Doch dann bleibt Jahr für Jahr der Regen aus und die Menschen leiden Hunger.

Hundreds of women studied and interpreted the Bible between the years 100-2000 CE, but their stories have remained largely untold. In this book, Schroeder and Taylor introduce listeners to the notable contributions of female commentators through the centuries. They unearth fascinating accounts of Jewish and Christian women from diverse communities—rabbinic experts, nuns, mothers, mystics, preachers, teachers, suffragists, and household managers—who interpreted Scripture through their writings.

What does the Bible say about sexuality? How have traditions of biblical interpretation influenced our understanding of sex and gender? What the Bible Says About Sex answers that and many other questions. Not shy, it analyzes why the Church claimed dominion over marriage, while the female body remained a source of potential evil. It wrestles with how sexuality is used to reinforce notions of honor, and how it can be used to manipulate others. It looks brazenly at the pornographic and the erotic passages of the Bible, and how traditions of interpretation veiled them.

God's faithfulness to Israel is an incredible affirmation of His unconditional goodness, and as we discover His heart for His chosen people, we better understand His heart for us. Israel's story begins with God's promise to make Abraham a great nation, and to this day, His hand continues to guide and protect the Jewish people. Israel Always is a sweeping journey through Israel's prolific history, its modern-day influence, and its promised future, highlighting the continuous throughline of God's provision for His people.