LITMIR.BIZ

Does process theology have something to say about political and social issues and our response to them? In this short book, Bruce Epperly says that it has much to say, and can shape not just the ethics and policies of a better world, but also the way in which we debate and decide those policies. Process theology invites discussion and even guides us toward acceptable and positive compromises. No major political issue of the western world is excluded from this discussion. From immigration to criminal justice, from abortion to reproductive health, from the environment to economic development, process thinking can help guide examination, shaping, and implementation of solutions for a troubled world. This book is suitable for individual reading by anyone who wants to take a fresh look at policy from an open-minded, progressive point of view. It can also be helpful in group studies for those who want to study how to apply prophetic proclamation to daily living.

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Is it possible to think of God as beautiful? We tend to think of God with superlatives, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and infinity. By their very nature, these words tend to also make us see God as distant. It seems almost sacreligious to speak of God in the terms we might use for any other person. Very few would think to call God beautiful. In this book, theologian and pastor Patricia Adams Farmer looks at God in precisely those terms, inviting us to move beyond limiting ways we have of speaking of God. She sees God as both beautiful and the ongoing author of beauty. God invites us in living a vision, and that vision is not just “good” in some abstract sense. It is attractive. It draws us in. It is active. It challenges us. Learn to think about and experience God in a new way as you bring process and beauty together. The journey is worth it!

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How do our spiritual beliefs and practices link to our ethics and our care for the natural world around us? John B. Cobb, Jr. and Jay McDaniel join together to provide a view of life that is refreshing, challenging, and expansive. It could even be called all-encompassing. Rather than looking just at how human life can be preserved, with the world itself and the universe beyond as a sort of backdrop, they look at life and divinity in all things, and ask us to look for a way of life that affirms God’s presence everywhere. As a result of such an affirmation we may need to change not just our practices, but our very goals. We may need to allow our ambitions to be tempered by the needs of others, not just other human beings, but other living creatures, and all nature. If you would like to develop and consider a world where humanity fits with the web of all life, if you would like to find a way of living non-destructively, if you would like to find a God who suffers with you while working with you to heal and prevent suffering, this book is for you.

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How can we respond spiritually when a pandemic hits our nation? How can our faith help us to face our fears, going beyond panic and denial, to hopeful and courageous action? The Coronavirus is changing everything in our society. It can provoke isolation and self-interested individualism. It can also inspire kindness, generosity, patience, and compassion. Facing the pandemic with God as our companion will deepen our sense of agency as well as peace and move us from self-interest and nation-first to planetary loyalty. This text provides a theological, pastoral, and spiritual pathway to help you, your family, and congregation find your way through the wilderness of the Coronavirus pandemic.

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Christian apologetics suffers from a reputation for loud arguments, canned answers, and a fascination with technical details. Some Christians avoid apologetics because they are either concerned about offending people, or because they are afraid they will be unable to answer technical questions. These concerns and fears are unnecessary. Elgin Hushbeck, Jr., unapologetic Christian apologist points the way toward a Christian witness that is positive, and is possible for everyone. In fact, Hushbeck maintains, all Christians testify to their faith, simply by bearing the name «Christian» and living. By emphasizing listening, respect, and most importantly, a realization that the fruit of our endeavors are God's responsibility, he invites all of us to apologetics that is centered in our own testimony and in building genuine relationships. This is a short but powerful book. It will help you approach your witness without fear or worry. Anyone can read the book quickly. It won't give you all the answers, but it will reassure you that you don't need all the answers. Nobody else has all the answers either. But what you can do is pursue conversations and depend on relationships within the church to help you. «I don't know,» is a valid answer. This is a book for every Christian, but it will be especially helpful to those who teach in the church. Have a few copies on hand, and when people ask you how they can be a witness, hand them a copy. It's a short read, but it can change forever how each person carries out the gospel commission.

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At Easter, major magazines and blogs will publish articles claiming to tell us who Jesus was. Every few weeks we see a new book making similar claims. Is it possible to know? In Who Is Jesus?, Allan Bevere addresses this question from the point of view of a person of faith who takes seriously the gospels and early Christian tradition as documentation of events and of serious theological reflection on those events. According to Bevere, Christian theology was neither an invention, nor a set of random speculations unrelated to reality. Rather, they were the response of early Christianity to the experience of Jesus and the historical pictures as presented in the canonical gospels. From a discussion of the Old Testament record piecing together the puzzle of biblical messianic prophecy through illumination of the christological controversies of the first five centuries of Christian history, and then back to the four portraits of Jesus given to us in the canonical gospels, this book provides a clear description of how orthodox Christian scholarship can bring together the varied evidence in order to present a coherent theological picture of the Jesus of history. As Bevere contends, history and theology are not easily separated, but are two threads that create an interwoven tapestry in which events have meaning. This book is good for individual reading, or could easily provide readings and an outline for a small group study.

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Why should you care about the Jewish roots of Christianity? Jesus was Jewish. Most of the Bible was written by Jews and in Hebrew. Most of the early Christian leaders were Jews. Even Paul, called the Apostle to the Gentiles, would visit the synagogue first and preach there, and he wrote with great passion about his hope for his own people. Many modern Christians have forgotten about their Jewish roots. They may not formally rip pieces out of their Bibles, but much like the early Christian heretic Marcion, they act as though these portions of scripture no longer apply. They don't read them, study them, preach from them, or apply them. As a result, they often do not understand the New Testament correctly. Nancy Petrey has a passion both for the Jewish people and for calling Christians to understand their Jewish roots. In the pages of this short book, you'll get a taste of the way in which Christian history and belief has Jewish roots. You'll be blessed if you learn to recognize those roots.

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Not content to just say «no,» Kevin Brown sets about to give us a positive view of godly relationships. What does the Bible suggest about the way we should go about finding a partner? How should children and young people behave? What are the responsibilities of parents? Kevin Brown believes there are positive principles we can learn from scripture. He also believes these principles will lead us to greater joy, deeper love, and a closer relationship with God. This will, in turn, bring us into a closer relationship with one another. Who knew that purity could be this much fun?

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Have you ever seen a passage in the New Testament that was placed in brackets, or a footnote at the bottom of a page referring to “ancient authorities” or “manuscripts”? Most people scratch their heads and just keep reading, but these notes are very important. So is understanding why they’re even there. In this short introduction, Thomas W. Hudgins explains for the average reader the need for, criteria of, and some misconceptions associated with New Testament textual criticism.

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Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the Eucharist are some of the names used to signify what is arguably the center of our worship as Christians. "Although the Eucharist may stand at the center of Christian worship, there are a great variety of theologies and practices present within the Christian community. For some it is a mere memorial of Jesus' last supper with his disciples. For others it is the place where one not only encounters Jesus' spiritual presence, but consumes his true body and true blood under the signs of bread and wine. Although rooted in the practices of the early Christians, time has witnessed considerable evolution, and with evolution comes diversity of practice and belief," says author, Dr. Robert Cornwall. This newest addition to the Topical Line Drives series offers a rich but brief stimulus for us to converse about our differences in theology and practice. It is Dr. Cornwall's hope that such conversations will increase our joy in the experience of this sacrament given to us by Jesus Christ.

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