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Reading Revelation: A Thematic Approach (Foundations in New Testament Criticism)
by W Gordon CampbellThe Book of Revelation can be read in various ways. Where interpretation opts not to venture beyond Revelation or approach the book as a forecast of end-time events, it typically favours either going behind the text, in search of a socio-historical context of origin to which it might refer, or else standing in front of the text and investigating the book's reception history, or its present relevance and impact. Comparatively little interpretative work has been undertaken inside the text, exploring the mechanics of how Revelation 'works', still less how its complex parts might fit together into a meaningful whole. Gordon Campbell considers Revelation to be a coherent narrative composition that draws its hearer or reader into its text-world. In Reading Revelation: A Thematic Approach, Campbell gives an innovative account of Revelation's sophisticated thematic content. Mindful of Revelation's narrative verve, or its architecture en mouvement (as Jacques Ellul once put it), Campbell plots a series of thematic trajectories through the book. On this reading, parody and parallelism fundamentally shape the whole narrative. As a first-ever integrated account of Revelation's macro-themes, Reading Revelation makes an important contribution to Revelation scholarship. In its light, the book may justifiably be seen as the 'crowning achievement' of the Scriptures.
Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple Judaism
by John K. Goodrich Ben C. Blackwell Francis Watson Jason MastonReaders of Paul today are more than ever aware of the importance of interpreting Paul’s letters in their Jewish context. In Reading Romans in Context a team of Pauline scholars go beyond a general introduction that surveys historical events and theological themes and explore Paul’s letter to the Romans in light of Second Temple Jewish literature.In this non-technical collection of short essays, beginning and intermediate students are given a chance to see firsthand what makes Paul a distinctive thinker in relation to his Jewish contemporaries. Following the narrative progression of Romans, each chapter pairs a major unit of the letter with one or more thematically related Jewish text, introduces and explores the theological nuances of the comparative text, and shows how these ideas illuminate our understanding of the book of Romans.
Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul's Message and Mission
by Jackson W.What does it mean to “read Romans with Eastern eyes”? Combining research from Asian scholars with his many years of experience living and working in East Asia, Jackson directs our attention to Paul's letter to the Romans. He argues that some traditional East Asian cultural values are closer to those of the first-century biblical world than common Western cultural values. In addition, he adds his voice to the scholarship engaging the values of honor and shame in particular and their influence on biblical interpretation. As readers, we bring our own cultural fluencies and values to the text. Our biases and background influence what we observe—and what we overlook. This book helps us consider ways we sometimes miss valuable insights because of widespread cultural blind spots. In Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, Jackson demonstrates how paying attention to East Asian culture provides a helpful lens for interpreting Paul's most complex letter. When read this way, we see how honor and shame shape so much of Paul's message and mission.
Reading Romans with John Stott, vol. 1: 10 Weeks for Individuals or Groups (Reading the Bible with John Stott #Volume 1)
by Sandy Larsen Dale Larsen John StottThe Message of Romans
Reading Romans with John Stott, vol. 2: 8 Weeks for Individuals or Groups (Reading the Bible with John Stott #2)
by Sandy Larsen Dale Larsen John StottThe Message of Romans
Reading Sacred Scripture: Voices from the History of Biblical Interpretation
by Stephen Westerholm Martin WesterholmA rich display of the Christian tradition’s reading of Scripture Though well-known and oft-repeated, the advice to read the Bible “like any other book” fails to acknowledge that different books call for different kinds of reading. The voice of Scripture summons readers to hear and respond to its words as divine address. Not everyone chooses to read the Bible on those terms, but in Reading Sacred Scripture Stephen and Martin Westerholm (father and son) invite their readers to engage seriously with a dozen major Bible interpreters — ranging from the second century to the twentieth — who have been attentive to Scripture’s voice. After expertly setting forth pertinent background context in two initial chapters, the Westerholms devote a separate chapter to each interpreter, exploring how these key Christian thinkers each understood Scripture and how it should be read. Though differing widely in their approaches to the text and its interpretation, these twelve select interpreters all insisted that the Bible is like no other book and should be read accordingly.
Reading Samuel: A Literary And Theological Commentary
by Johanna W. H. Van Wijk-BosInterpreted masterfully by pre-eminent Old Testament scholar Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, the story of Samuel touches on a vast array of subjects that comprise the rich fabric of human life. As it happens, in this volume we view ancient Israel in the era of Samuel, Saul and David. From parental yearning for their young to spousal and sibling relationships, these accounts entail far more than simply a recounting of the central characters lives and circumstances. The reader gains an inside look at royal intrigue, military campaigns, occult practices and the significance of religious objects of veneration. The "Reading the Old Testament" series will feature 19 volumes of innovative insights by leading biblical scholars. This literary and theological commentary presents cutting-edge research in accessible language that is both coherent and comprehensive.
Reading Scripture as Wesleyans
by Joel B. GreenJohn Wesley boasted that he was a “man of one book,” but he was also a thoughtful student throughout his life and an author of many books. As breath gives life, John Wesley inhaled and exhaled the words of Scripture, shaping his thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and behavior. And like our eighteenth-century ancestor, the Bible is central to us for continued faith formation. In this invitation to Scripture, the general editor of the Wesley Study Bible and biblical scholar, Dr. Joel Green, summarizes Wesley’s understanding of key themes and topics of key books of the New Testament. Using brief excerpts from Wesley’s writings (in updated language), Dr. Green explains the importance of Wesley’s thinking as it directly applies to everyday life and faithful practice. Each chapter ends with questions suitable for private devotion or group settings, to help you apply your study to daily living.This book will be your trusted companion to the Wesley Study Bible as you love God with a warmed heart and serve God with active hands.
Reading Scripture as the Church: Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Hermeneutic of Discipleship (New Explorations in Theology)
by Derek W. TaylorThe Bible is meant to be read in the church, by the church, as the church. Although the practice of reading Scripture has often become separated from its ecclesial context, theologian Derek Taylor argues that it rightly belongs to the disciplines of the community of faith. He finds a leading example of this approach in the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who regarded the reading of Scripture as an inherently communal exercise of discipleship. In conversation with other theologians, including John Webster, Robert Jenson, and Stanley Hauerwas, Taylor contends that Bonhoeffer's approach to Scripture can engender the practices and habits of a faithful hermeneutical community. Today, as in Bonhoeffer's time, the church is called to take up and read.
Reading Scripture in Wesleyan Ways
by Frederick David Carr & Brady Alan BeardUnlock Wesleyan insights today.What is distinctive about how Christians in the Wesleyan tradition interpret the Bible? How can Wesleyans read Scripture in ways that are true to their theological heritage and that can also discern in its pages a guiding witness to a faithful Christian life amid contemporary challenges? Put simply, what is Wesleyan about Wesleyan biblical theology?Discover the essence of Wesleyan biblical interpretation—a reflection of history, theology, and practice—in the book Reading Scripture in Wesleyan Ways. Dive into the vibrant world of Wesleyan Christianity with scholars who explore the unique ways in which Wesleyans read and interpret the Bible. Gain insights from diverse perspectives as these experts showcase practical examples of Wesleyan biblical interpretation. Whether you’re a pastor, scholar, church leader, or student preparing for ministry, this collection is valuable for understanding and applying Wesleyan interpretations of Scripture. Delve deeper into how Wesleyans approach their primary source for moral and theological reflection in today’s challenging global landscape.Contributors: Diana Abernethy, Cheryl B. Anderson, Brady Alan Beard, Presian R. Burroughs, Frederick David Carr, Kristin Helms, Stephen Riley, Charles Rivera, Robert W. Wall, and Jennifer S. Wyant.
Reading Scripture to Hear God: Kevin Vanhoozer and Henri de Lubac on God's Use of Scripture in the Economy of Redemption
by Kevin StorerRecent theological discussions between Catholics and Evangelicals have generated a renewed appreciation for God's ongoing use of Scripture for self-mediation to the Church. Noting the significant influence of Henri de Lubac (one of the drafters of 'Dei Verbum' and proponent of a renewal of the Patristic and Medieval emphasis on a spiritual sense of Scripture), and Kevin Vanhoozer (the leading Evangelical proponent of a theological interpretation of Scripture), Kevin Storer seeks to draw Evangelical and Catholic theologians into dialogue about God's ongoing use of Scripture in the economy of redemption. Storer suggests that a number of traditional tensions between Catholics and Evangelicals, such as the literal or spiritual sense of Scripture, a sacramental or a covenantal model of God's self-mediation, and an emphasis on the authority of Scripture or the authority of the Church, can be eased by shifting greater focus upon God's ongoing use of creaturely realities for the building of the Church in union with Christ. This project seeks to enable Evangelicals to appropriate the insights of de Lubac's Catholic 'Ressourcement' project, while also encouraging Catholic theologians to appreciate Vanhoozer's Evangelical emphasis on God's use of the literal sense of Scripture to build the Church.
Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers
by Christopher A. HallMany Christians today long to become reacquainted with their ancient ancestors in the faith. They see a deeper worship and devotion in the prayers and hymns of the early church. And they believe that the writings of the early church can shed new light on their understanding of Scripture.But where and how do we begin? Our first encounter with the writings of the church fathers may seem like visiting a far country where the language, assumptions, concerns and conclusions are completely unfamiliar to us.In Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers Christopher Hall helps us through this cultural confusion, introducing us to the early church, its unique world, and the sights and sounds of Scripture that are highlighted for them. As Hall points out, the ancient fathers hear music in Scripture where we remain tone-deaf. Despite their occasional eccentricities, their is a hearing refined through long listening in song, worship, teaching, meditation and oral reading. And like true masters they challenge and correct our modern assumptions as they invite us to tune our ears to hear the divine melodies of the Bible. Reading Scriptue with the Church Fathers is an exceptional guide. Hall provides a warm, winsome, informative and indispensable introcution to who these leaders and scholars were, how they read and interpreted Scripture, and how we might read Scripture with them for all its worth.
Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers
by Christopher A. HallReading Scripture with the Church FathersReading Scriptue with the Church FathersNote: Because this ebook is file is large, please allow a little extra time to download after purchase.
Reading Shakespeare Reading Me
by Leonard BarkanA gripping, funny, joyful account of how the books you read shape your own life in surprising and profound ways.Bookworms know what scholars of literature are trained to forget: that when they devour a work of literary fiction, whatever else they may be doing, they are reading about themselves. Read Shakespeare, and you become Cleopatra, Hamlet, or Bottom. Or at the very least, you experience the plays as if you are in a small room alone with them, and they are speaking to your life, your sensibility.Drawing on fifty years as a Shakespearean, Leonard Barkan has produced a captivating book that asks us to reconsider what it means to read. Barkan violates the rule of distance he was taught and has always taught his students. He asks: Where does this brilliantly contrived fiction actually touch me? Where is Shakespeare in effect telling the story of my life?King Lear, for Barkan, raises unanswerable questions about what exactly a father does after planting the seed. Mothers from Gertrude to Lady Macbeth are reconsidered in the light of the author’s experience as a son of a former flapper. The sonnets and comedies are seen through the eyes of a gay man who nevertheless weeps with joy when all the heterosexual couples are united at the end. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is interpreted through the author’s joyous experience of performing the role of Bottom and finding his aesthetic faith in the pantheon of antiquity. And the exquisitely poetical history play Richard II intersects with, of all things, Ru Paul’s Drag Race.Full of engrossing stories, from family secrets to the world of the theater, and written with humor and genuine excitement about literary experiences worthy of our attention and our love, Reading Shakespeare Reading Me makes Shakespeare’s plays come alive in new ways.
Reading Spiritualities: Constructing and Representing the Sacred (Breaking Feminist Waves Ser.)
by Dawn LlewellynThe phenomenon of 'sacred text' has undergone radical deconstruction in recent times, reflecting how religion has broken out of its traditional definitions and practices, and how current literary theories have influenced texts inside the religious domain and beyond. Reading Spiritualities presents both commentary and vivid examples of this evolution, engaging with a variety of reading practices that work with traditional texts and those that extend the notion of 'text' itself. The contributors draw on a range of textual sites such as an interview, Caribbean literature, drama and jazz, women's writings, emerging church blogs, Neopagan websites, the reading practices of Buddhist nuns, empirical studies on the reading experiences of Gujarati, Christian and post-Christian women, Chicana short stories, the mosque, cinema, modern art and literature. These examples open up understandings of where and how 'sacred texts' are emerging and being reassessed within contemporary religious and spiritual contexts; and make room for readings where the spiritual resides not only in the textual, but in other unexpected places. Reading Spiritualities includes contributions from Graham Holderness, Ursula King, Michael N. Jagessar, David Jasper, Anthony G. Reddie, Michèle Roberts, and Heather Walton to reflect and encourage the interdisciplinary study of sacred text in the broad arena of the arts and social sciences. It offers a unique and well-focused 'snapshot' of the textual constructions and representations of the sacred within the contemporary religious climate - accessible to the general reader, as well as more specialist interests of students and researchers working in the crossover fields of religious, theological, cultural and literary studies.
Reading The Bible With The Damned
by Bob EkbladExploring the challenges that both the churched and the unchurched have faced regarding giving and receiving the word of God, Bob Ekblad encourages us all to learn to read the Bible together as a whole. In this compelling book, he reflects on how Christians have often found it difficult to proclaim God's good news to every realm of society, while those who have needed it most have frequently deemed themselves unworthy due to social circumstances or sinfulness. In Reading the Bible with the Damned, Ekblad offers concrete advice on how to bridge this gap through a variety of insights ultimately leading to spiritual transformation. This book is full of examples of how Scripture changes lives for those who attend Bible studies and for those who lead them, offering practical suggestions on many passages from the Old and New Testaments.
Reading The New Testament as Christian Scripture: A Literary, Canonical, and Theological Survey (Reading Christian Scripture Ser.)
by Constantine R. Campbell Jonathan T. PenningtonThis survey textbook by two respected New Testament scholars is designed to meet the needs of contemporary evangelical undergraduates. The book effectively covers the New Testament books and major topics in the New Testament, assuming no prior academic study of the Bible. The authors pay attention to how the New Testament documents fit together as a canonical whole that supplements the Old Testament to make up the Christian Scriptures. They also show how the New Testament writings provide basic material for Christian doctrine, spirituality, and engagement with culture. Chapters can be assigned in any order, making this an ideal textbook for one-semester courses at evangelical schools. This is the first volume in a new series of survey textbooks that will cover the Old and New Testaments. The book features full-color illustrations that hold interest and aid learning and offers a full array of pedagogical aids: photographs, sidebars, maps, time lines, charts, glossary, and discussion questions. Additional resources for instructors and students are available through Textbook eSources.
Reading Theology Wisely: A Practical Introduction
by Kent Eilers&“Could reading theology turn you toward God in astonished worship? Could it enliven your reading of Scripture? Could it move you toward your true self in Christ? Could it turn you toward your neighbors in self-giving love? Could it unmask your prejudices? Could it dethrone your idols? Should we hope for anything less?&” In this illuminating introduction, Kent Eilers invites Christians of all backgrounds into the practice of reading theology. With a classroom-tested approach, Eilers shows how theology can form the imagination and enhance &“the human capacity for perceiving reality beyond the surface of things&”—allowing Christians to see and experience God in the everyday. He then guides readers through the essential facets of theology so that it can begin to feel familiar and accessible, even (and especially) to beginners with no prior experience. Written conversationally and illustrated beautifully with art by Chris Koelle, Reading Theology Wisely is welcoming and engaging in every respect. Eilers takes a well-rounded approach to his subject, utilizing Scripture and the wisdom of past thinkers as well as references to film and the arts—including a special emphasis on architecture as part of an ongoing metaphor of &“inhabiting texts&” as we do physical spaces. Each chapter ends with a prayer and questions for reflection and discussion, followed by a &“theology lab&” in which readers can put the content of the preceding chapter into practice.
Reading Timothy and Titus with John Stott: 13 Weeks for Individuals or Groups (Reading the Bible with John Stott Series)
by John StottThe Message of Timothy & TitusThe Message of 2 Timothy
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
by Esau McCaulleyGrowing up in the American South, Esau McCaulley knew firsthand the ongoing struggle between despair and hope that marks the lives of some in the African American context. A key element in the fight for hope, he discovered, has long been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation that comes out of traditional Black churches. This ecclesial tradition is often disregarded or viewed with suspicion by much of the wider church and academy, but it has something vital to say. Reading While Black is a personal and scholarly testament to the power and hope of Black biblical interpretation. At a time in which some within the African American community are questioning the place of the Christian faith in the struggle for justice, New Testament scholar McCaulley argues that reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition is invaluable for connecting with a rich faith history and addressing the urgent issues of our times. He advocates for a model of interpretation that involves an ongoing conversation between the collective Black experience and the Bible, in which the particular questions coming out of Black communities are given pride of place and the Bible is given space to respond by affirming, challenging, and, at times, reshaping Black concerns. McCaulley demonstrates this model with studies on how Scripture speaks to topics often overlooked by white interpreters, such as ethnicity, political protest, policing, and slavery. Ultimately McCaulley calls the church to a dynamic theological engagement with Scripture, in which Christians of diverse backgrounds dialogue with their own social location as well as the cultures of others. Reading While Black moves the conversation forward.
Reading Your Life's Story: An Invitation to Spiritual Mentoring
by Keith R. AndersonSpiritual mentoring is a particular kind of friendship in which, according to Keith R. Anderson, "two or more people walk together in heightened awareness of the presence of yet Another"—the Holy Spirit. "Spiritual mentoring is not a complicated process that requires technical training and complex protocol," Anderson continues. "It is essential, authentic, and maybe even natural human speech that is focused, disciplined and nurtured by training for one of the hardest natural things we do: listening reflectively to another. It is sacred companionship as life is lived and story told. Available to almost all, it requires deliberate recruitment, preparation and practice." These pages unfold a vision for mentoring that invites us to read our own lives as narrative and to learn how to enter the narrative of another life. The book covers the scope of the mentoring relationship through various seasons, offering helpful and inspiring metaphors for mentoring. All are invited to enter the mentoring story.
Reading Your Male
by Mary FarrarThere is a growing crisis among our men and boys in the area of sexual temptation and sin: pornography use is skyrocketing and increasing numbers of men find themselves entangled in a web they can't seem to escape. Yet many men feel greatly misunderstood by their women, while just as many women feel mystified and powerless to help their men.--Mary Farrar, Reading Your MaleNow author Mary Farrar confirms that every woman--whether a wife, mother, or single woman--can play a powerful and pivotal role in the male sexual struggle by entering into her man's world, and: seeing through his eyes, thinking with his mind, feeling with his emotions, connecting with his soul.Reading Your Male de-mystifies inner male sexuality, exposes the enemy's tactics in taking down our men, and equips women to use their innate gifts in becoming a man's greatest ally in the fight for victory. Using biblical insight and up-to-date research, Farrar also tackles some of the most elusive questions women are asking today, such as: Why do men struggle so deeply in the area of sexuality? What are we to think about pornography and masturbation? Why does this generation of men appear to be so reticent? What does a man crave most from a woman? What is a woman's most powerful gift to her man? How can a woman draw out an emotionally unavailable man? What is a healthy view of strong femininity and beauty?
Reading and Writing During the Dissolution
by Mary C. ErlerIn the years from 1534, when Henry VIII became head of the English church, until the end of Mary Tudor's reign in 1558, the forms of English religious life evolved quickly and in complex ways. At the heart of these changes stood the country's professed religious men and women, whose institutional homes were closed between 1535 and 1540. Records of their reading and writing offer a remarkable view of these turbulent times. The responses to religious change of friars, anchorites, monks and nuns from London and the surrounding regions are shown through chronicles, devotional texts, and letters. What becomes apparent is the variety of positions that English religious men and women took up at the Reformation and the accommodations that had to be made, both spiritual and practical. Of particular interest are the extraordinary letters of Margaret Vernon, head of four nunneries and personal friend of Thomas Cromwell.
Reading and Writing Scripture in New Religious Movements
by Eugene V. GallagherNew religious movements both read the Bible in creative ways and produce their own texts that aspire to scriptural status. From the creation stories in Genesis and the Ten Commandments to the life of Jesus and the apocalypse, they develop their self-understandings through reading and writing scripture.