LITMIR.BIZ

The End of the Unrepentant stands as the most thorough exegetical analysis of the biblical teachings about the fate of the unrepentant ever written. Following up the author's acclaimed monograph, After the Thousand Years: Resurrection and Judgment in Revelation 20, this study makes use of the nexus of the Isaiah Apocalypse (Isa 24-27) and Revelation 20 as a paradigm or interpretive lens through which to understand the teachings of the Psalms, the Prophets, Jesus, and the NT about resurrection, judgment, and the divergent futures of the faithful and the unrepentant. The question of whether «hell» is everlasting has been a topic of interest for many decades now among evangelicals, and the controversy has only intensified in recent years. Many Christians feel uneasy about the idea of everlasting torment, but their belief in the authority of Scripture leaves them feeling that this doctrine is inescapable. The End of the Unrepentant is written for them. It mounts a unique, positive exegetical argument for annihilationism–an argument so thoroughly founded on the prophetic words of Jesus, Isaiah, and John that it shifts the exegetical burden of proof to those who would wish, for theological reasons, to affirm everlasting torment.

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Oral and Manuscript Culture in the Bible is the fruit of Professor Loubser's confrontation with how Scripture is read, understood, and used in the Third World situation, which is closer than modern European societies to the social dynamics of the original milieu in which the texts were produced.

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"'Of course, let us have peace,' we cry, 'but at the same time let us have normalcy, let us lose nothing, let our lives stand intact, let us know neither prison nor ill repute nor disruption of ties . . .' There is no peace because there are no peacemakers. There are no makers of peace because the making of peace is at least as costly as the making of war–at least as exigent, at least as disruptive, at least as liable to bring disgrace and prison and death in its wake." Daniel Berrigan, No Bars to Manhood
More than sixty-five peacemakers have contributed oral narratives to this compelling history of those who say no to war making in the strongest way possible: by engaging in civil disobedience and paying the consequences in jail or prison. Crossing the Line gives voice to often neglected social history and provides provocative stories of actions, trials, and imprisonment.
This fascinating volume serves as an excellent supplement to conventional histories. Almost all the storytellers here are people of faith or are inspired by those who live by faith. Many work at conventional careers; some do full-time peacemaking by living in Catholic Worker houses or in the Jonah House community; several are priests and nuns who minister worldwide. Also featured are three resisters prominent in War Resisters League history.
From World War II conscientious objectors to contemporary activists, these narrators have refused to be helpless in the face of a violent world, and have said with their bodies that they do not accept the status quo of permanent war and war preparation. In short, the voices illustrate hope at a time when it seems in short supply.

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In 1958, American historian of religion Morton Smith made an astounding discovery in the Mar Saba monastery in Jerusalem. Copied into the back of a seventeenth-century book was a lost letter attributed to Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215 CE) that contained excerpts from a longer version of the Gospel of Mark written by Mark himself and circulating in Alexandria, Egypt. More than fifty years after its discovery, the origins of this Secret Gospel of Mark remain contentious. Some consider it an authentic witness to an early form of Mark, perhaps even predating canonical Mark. Some claim it is a medieval or premodern forgery created by a monastic scribe. And others argue it is a forgery created by Morton Smith himself. All these positions are addressed in the papers contained in this volume. Nine North American scholars, internationally recognized for their contributions to the study of Secret Mark, met at York University in Toronto, Canada, in April 2011 to examine recent developments in scholarship on the gospel and the letter in which it is found. Their results represent a substantial step forward in determining the origins of this mysterious and controversial text.
List of Contributors: Scott G. Brown Tony Burke Stephen C. Carlson Bruce Chilton Craig A. Evans Paul Foster Charles W. Hedrick Peter Jeffery Allan J. Pantuck Marvin Meyer Hershel Shanks

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When Jesus offers his body as a promise to his disciples, he initiates a liturgical framework that is driven by irony and betrayal. Through these deconstructive elements, however, the promise invites the disciples into an intimate space where they anticipate the fulfillment of what is to come. This anticipatory energy provides the common thread between Donne and Dickinson, who draw specifically on the unstable story that unfolds during the Last Supper in order to develop a liturgical poetics.
By tracing the implications of the body as a textual presence, Liturgical Liaisons opens into new readings of Donne and Dickinson in a way that enriches how these figures are understood as poets. The result is a risky and rewarding understanding of how these two figures challenged accepted theological norms of their day.

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Are the gospels found within the New Testament superior to others? Has the church unfairly chosen Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John while leaving out many others? Are there truly lost Christianities that would enrich our understanding of Jesus? Would modern-day seekers as well as followers of Jesus be better served by including gospels outside of the New Testament in their understanding of Jesus?
Jesus Tried and True answers these questions by examining the date, source, and reception of the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and then comparing this data with the other gospels. It assesses this information by looking within these gospels and also evaluating early church history, examining the writings of early church writers such as Papias, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Eusebius. It then compares these findings with the date, source, and reception of the non-canonical gospels that have received the most attention lately such as the Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Philip, and Gospel of Peter. There is also a brief survey of thirteen of the most important non-canonical gospels. The survey provides an opinion on the dependence of these upon the gospels within the New Testament. Jesus Tried and True affirms the superiority of the New Testament gospels. It concludes by addressing whether non-canonical gospels are «lost Christianities» and also whether the designation «apocryphal» is appropriate for other gospels.

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Much of the emerging Protestantism of the sixteenth century produced a Reformation in conscious opposition to formal philosophy. Nevertheless, sectors of the Reformation produced a spiritualizing form of Platonism in the drive for correct devotion. Out of an understandable fear of idolatry or displacement of the uniquely redemptive place of Christ, Christian piety moved away from the senses and the material world–freshly uncovered in the Reformation.
This volume argues, however, that in the quest for restoring «true religion,» sectors of the Protestant tradition impugned too severely the material components of prior Christian devotion.
Larry Harwood argues that a similar spiritualizing tendency can be found in other Christian traditions, but that its applicability to the particulars of the Christian religion is nevertheless questionable. Moreover, in that quest of a spiritualizing Protestant «true religion,» the Christian God could shade toward the conceptual god of the philosophers, with devotees construed as rationalist philosophers. Part of the paradoxical result was to propel the Protestant devotee toward a denuded worship for material worshipers of the Christian God who became flesh.

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The Apostle Paul leaves no stone, teaching, or truth untouched as he continues developing a pathway for each of us built upon the foundation of the Triune God. He has carefully and prayer-fully utilized the words in this magnificent letter to clearly, concisely, and forcefully relate the truths revealed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Paul, in this illuminating sixth chapter of Ephesians, weaves together enlightening commands and counsel that will enhance the lives of people Walking With Jesus. He tells the believers what to do and what not to do in simple, straightforward language. He succinctly describes Christlike conduct, before expounding upon the lifestyles of those who will have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God and Christ. These tough words make one stop and think. At least, they should. The Apostle continues Walking With Jesus by urging Christ's followers to walk wisely and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. After building this part of God's pathway, Paul focuses our attention on the two most important relationships in one's life: (i) marriage; and (ii) Christ and His church. The truths presented by the Apostle provide Christ's companions, as the walk together, with an increasing faith plus joy, knowledge, love, strength, and wisdom. May we ask for nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.

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How can we work toward mutual understanding in our increasingly diverse and interconnected world? Pastoral theologian Melinda McGarrah Sharp approaches this multifaceted, interdisciplinary question by beginning with moments of intercultural misunderstanding. Using misunderstanding stories from her experience working with the Peace Corps in Suriname, Dr. McGarrah Sharp argues that we must recognize the limits of our own cultural perspectives in order to have meaningful intercultural encounters that are more mutually empowering and hopeful. Bringing together resources from pastoral theology, ethnography, and postcolonial studies, she provides a valuable resource for investigating the complexity of providing care and fostering communities of belonging across cultural differences. McGarrah Sharp illustrates a process of moving from disconnection to regard for diverse others as neighbors who share a common yearning for hopeful and meaningful connection. Leaders in faith communities, practitioners of care, and scholars will all be able to use this resource to better understand the conflicts, tensions, and uncertainties of our postcolonial twenty-first-century world. An included discussion guide facilitates classroom study, small group discussion, and personal reflection.

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Most commentaries on Acts are written by Western scholars for a Western audience. This book comes out of more than forty years of teaching in the Majority World. It is aimed at the new breed of emerging missionaries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The apostles in Acts faced a hostile world. Yet in that context, the Holy Spirit gave them incredible courage. The scenes of Peter, Stephen, and Paul facing angry mobs and the fury of the Jewish Sanhedrin are being played out in India, China, and Eritrea today. Acts teaches us how to have a «courageous witness in a hostile world.» Further, this work addresses the powerful forces that assault the worldwide church–particularly the racism that splits the church all over the world. Acts: Courageous Witness in a Hostile World will thrill you as you see how God's Spirit overcomes every obstacle and keeps the church on track, even when we think all is lost. Read this book for yourself and become courageous.

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