Wrestling with questions of context is essential for how we understand mission, theology, and the embodiment of the Christian faith. Showcasing many German missiological works available in English for the first time, this longitudinal study tackles the history and dynamics of contextualization and sheds new light on the state of missiology today.
The Reformers of the sixteenth century found theological significance in Old Testament narratives such as Ruth's response to her mother-in-law Naomi. In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, N. Scott Amos guides readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on the Old Testament books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.
References to demons and the devil permeate the rhetoric of John Chrysostom, the "golden-tongued" early church preacher and theologian. Samantha Miller examines Chrysostom's theology and world, helping us understand the role of demons in his soteriology and exploring what it means to be human and to follow Christ in a world of temptation.
Christians and the religious Right have misused Scripture to consolidate power, stoke fears, and defend against enemies. Highlighting the stories of people on the frontlines, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove explores how religious culture wars have misrepresented Christianity at the expense of the poor, and how listening to marginalized communities can help us rediscover God's vision for faith in public life.
In first-century Ephesus, life is not easy for women. In this gripping novel, Holly Beers introduces us to the first-century setting where Paul first proclaimed the gospel. Illuminated by historical images and explanatory sidebars, this lively story not only shows us the rich tapestry of life in a Greco-Roman city, it also foregrounds the interior life of one woman—and the radical new freedom the gospel promised her.
How were holidays chosen and taught in biblical Israel, and what did they have to do with the creation narrative? Michael LeFebvre considers the calendars of the Pentateuch, arguing that dates were added to Old Testament narratives not as journalistic details but to teach sacred rhythms of labor and worship. LeFebvre then applies this insight to the creation week, finding that the days of creation also serve a liturgical purpose.
After the Berlin Wall fell, a group of Christian colleges in the U.S seized the opportunity to help build a faith-based university in Moscow. Told by the school's founder and president, this is the story of the rise and fall of the first accredited Christian liberal arts university in Russia's history, offering unique insight on Russia’s post-communist transition and the construction of a cultural-educational bridge between the two superpowers.
Is privilege real or imagined? Ken Wytsma, founder of the Justice Conference, unpacks what we need to know to be grounded in conversations about today's race-related issues. And he helps us come to a deeper understanding of both the origins of these issues and the reconciling role we are called to play as witnesses of the gospel.
The epistles of the New Testament provide insight into the realities of the life of the early church, guidance for those called to lead the church, and comfort in the face of theological questions. The Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century also found wisdom and guidance in these letters. In this RCS volume, Lee Gatiss and Bradley Green guide readers through a diversity of early modern commentary on the New Testament epistles.
The story of Methodism is much richer and more expansive than John Wesley's sermons and Charles Wesley's hymns. In this book, Methodist theologian Jeffrey W. Barbeau provides a brief and helpful introduction to the history of Methodism—from the time of the Wesleys, through developments in North America, to its diverse and global communion today—as well as its primary beliefs and practices.