Historical Theology

Although Christian believers agreed with one another that the Bible was authoritative and that it should be interpreted through commonsense principles, there was rampant disagreement about what Scripture taught about slavery. Furthermore, most Americans continued to believe that God ruled over the affairs of people and nations, but they were radically divided in their interpretations of what God was doing in and through the war.

The figure of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) has become a clay puppet in modern American politics. Secular, radical, liberal, and evangelical interpreters variously shape and mold the martyr’s legacy to suit their own pet agendas. Stephen Haynes offers an incisive and clarifying perspective. A recognized Bonhoeffer expert, Haynes examines “populist” readings of Bonhoeffer, including the acclaimed biography by Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

Often misrepresented as a fruitless human attempt to comprehend God, natural theology has in fact been a significant part of Christian theology throughout history. It has shaped the Christian doctrine of God and provided a starting point for evangelizing non-Christians. In an age when theologians and missionaries alike are in need of stronger doctrinal foundations, it is a doctrine as vital as ever. In this guide, David Haines first outlines the biblical basis for natural theology.

In this first volume of his magisterial study of the foundations of Mormon thought and practice, Terryl L. Givens offers a sweeping account of Mormon belief from its founding to the present day. Situating the relatively new movement in the context of the Christian tradition, he reveals that Mormonism continues to change and grow.

The new novel in the Jesus Chronicles, the bestselling series from the authors of the Left Behind novels. Levi was studying to be a priest, but when an unspeakable tragedy befalls his family, he turns his back on his faith and decides to pursue riches and luxury instead. He becomes a tax...

"Tethered to the cross" is how the renowned 19th-century English Baptist Minister Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) described the task of ministry and his approach to preaching. Tracing the development of Spurgeon's thought and his approach to biblical hermeneutics throughout his ministry, theologian and historian Thomas Breimaier argues that Spurgeon viewed the entire Bible through the lens of the cross of Christ.

In this culmination of his highly acclaimed Cultural Liturgies project, James K. A. Smith examines politics through the lens of liturgy. What if, he asks, citizens are not only thinkers or believers but also lovers? Smith explores how our analysis of political institutions would look different if we viewed them as incubators of love-shaping practices—not merely governing us but forming what we love.

Two hundred and fifty years later, Jonathan Edwards, America’s consummate pastor-theologian, continues to capture the attention of Christians around the world. Yet Edwards left us over 1,200 sermons and thousands of pages of other publications, not to mention the literal thousands of books that have been written about Edwards since he died. The Essential Jonathan Edwards serves as a perfect introduction to Edwards’s life and thought. It explores Edwards day-to-day life, and his views on beauty, true Christianity, heaven and hell, and the good life.

Taiwo briefly describes the eight Biblical Covenants and their relationship with one another; the Abrahamic Covenant, Noahic Covenant, Covenant of Grace, Davidic Covenant, New Covenant, Mosaic Covenant, and the Covenant of Redemption. Furthermore, he compares and contrasts the Old and New Covenants, brings out the better Covenant, and justifies his position. Finally, he describes the Blood of Jesus, its applications and implications in the Christian Faith.

Gregory the Great (bishop of Rome from 590 to 604) is one of the most significant figures in the history of Christianity. His theological works framed medieval Christian attitudes toward mysticism, exegesis, and the role of the saints in the life of the church. The scale of Gregory's administrative activity in both the ecclesial and civic affairs of Rome also helped to make possible the formation of the medieval papacy.

The Christian life includes many demands, but perhaps none are as challenging or as misunderstood as the biblical command to "be holy" (Leviticus 11:44 and 1 Peter 1:16) or to "be perfect" (Matthew 5:48). How should we understand these charges? In this volume, three scholars from the Wesleyan tradition offer a collective treatment of the theme of holiness that includes: exegesis of key biblical passages, a survey across church history, and theological reflections on the relationship between entire sanctification and other doctrines.

Das Wort "evangelikal" wird oft unzureichend definiert und ist mit manchem Ballast beladen. So stellen sich einige sogar die Frage, ob sie diese Bezeichnung nicht ganz aufgeben sollten. Michael Reeves argumentiert anhand der Bibel und der Kirchengeschichte, dass es nicht notwendig ist, das Wort zu verwerfen. Christen müssen jedoch zu den Wurzeln des Begriffs – zum euangélion, dem Evangelium – zurückkehren und verstehen, was er tatsächlich bedeutet.

Do you ever wonder if Jesus really claimed to be God? Maybe you've heard people say, "Jesus never said he was God," or you've been asked, "Why believe Jesus is divine if he never claimed it?" These challenges aren't just from non-Christians―they show up in church, too. Even if you're not coming from a place of skepticism, you might still question how well church teachings about Jesus match up with what he actually said. So, did the historical Jesus really claim to be divine?

What happens to us after we die? For the first 500 years after Christ, most Christians believed that God would ultimately redeem all of his creation. Hell was real, but it didn't last forever. Its purpose was to restore, not just to punish. Then beliefs changed. For the past 1,500 years we’ve been told that most of the billions of people who have lived on this earth will remain separated from the love and mercy of God for all eternity.

Carpocrates, Marcellina, and Epiphanes is the definitive study of the early Christian theologian Carpocrates, his son Epiphanes, and the leader of the Carpocratian movement in Rome, Marcellina. It contains the first full-length study of and commentary on the fragments of Epiphanes, the earliest reports on Carpocrates and Marcellina, as well as the Epistle to Theodore (containing the so-called Secret Gospel of Mark). Listeners also encounter an up-to-date history of research on the Carpocratian movement, and three full profiles of all we can know from the earliest Carpocratian leaders.

During its 2000 year history, the Christian faith has been influenced and passed down by faithful women. The women whose stories are in this audiobook were martyrs and nuns, mystics and scholars, writers and reformers, preachers and missionaries, abolitionists and evangelists. These women are examples to us of faith, perseverance, forgiveness, fortitude, truth, and righteousness.

A groundbreaking account of the Secret Gospel of Mark, one of the most hotly debated documents in Christian history.

The number of Christian denominations and churches is staggering. This book covers many main issues dividing churches from what began in the first century. It is embarrassing that Christians cannot come together until the final days, though efforts to reduce needless gaps is the subject of this work. Determine where you agree and become a force for reconciliation rather than division. While fun and exciting debates unfold, find the walls that should be demolished.

Despite the commonly held assumption that the Bible says little about the mother of Jesus, there are many indications that Mary preceded and inspired her son in fostering the emergence of a new faith community. Setting aside presuppositions, Chris Maunder returns to the New Testament to answer the question: "Who was Mary?" He re-examines the virgin conception of Jesus, Mary's contribution to Jesus' ministry, and her central role in the events of the crucifixion and the resurrection. In so doing, Maunder casts a thought-provoking new light on Mary and the women who stood alongside her.

Most Christians are familiar with the opening words of Genesis: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” But push beyond those iconic words, and sometimes the details get a little hazy. And strange. God walked around in a garden? Eve was made from Adam’s rib? A talking serpent? And what the in the world were the “Nephilim”? In The Characters of Creation, Daniel Darling re-introduces listeners to the story they thought they knew.