Denominational Concerns
Showing 101–200 of 522 results
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Reconciliation Reconsidered : Advancing The Conversation On Race In Churche
$19.99Add to cartReconciliation Takes Time.
A broad racial divide mars Churches of Christ, and courageous leaders from across the United States have joined together to listen to one another. Rather than adopt a posture of resignation, they have met for honest, God-honoring conversation.
In Reconciliation Reconsidered, Tanya Brice pulls together the early fruit she has gleaned from this ongoing conversation about racial reconciliation. Learn about yourself in the context of community as you explore these key ideas:
Exercise truth-telling: it’s what is needed before any reconciliation can happen
Discover how race relations are not as simple as you think
Challenge your stereotypes
Understand the meaning of current events like the Ferguson shooting in fresh ways
Revisit Christ’s teachings with a careful eye toward discipleship and love of your neighborEach chapter concludes with discussion questions that can help you and others navigate this perplexing and difficult topic.
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Representing Christ : A Vision For The Priesthood Of All Believers
$28.00Add to cartThe priesthood of all believers is a core Protestant belief. But what does it actually mean? Uche Anizor and Hank Voss set the record straight in this concise treatment of a doctrine that lies at the center of church life and Christian spirituality. The authors look at the priesthood of all believers in terms of the biblical witness, the contribution of Martin Luther and the doctrine of the Trinity. They place this concept in the context of the canonical description of Israel and the church as a royal priesthood that responds to God in witness and service to the world. Representing Christ is much more than a piece of Reformation history. It shows that the priesthood of all believers is interwoven with the practical, spiritual and missional life of the church.
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Wesley And Anglicans
$30.00Add to cartWhy did the Wesleyan Methodists and the Anglican evangelicals divide during the middle third of the eighteenth century? Many would argue that the division between was based narrowly on theological matters, especially predestination and perfection. Danker suggests, however, that politics was a major factor throughout driving the Wesleyan Methodists and Anglican evangelicals apart. Methodism was perceived to be linked with the radical and seditious politics of the Cromwellian period. This was a charged claim in a post-Restoration England. Likewise he explores the political force of resurgent Tory influence under George III which exerted more pressure on evangelicals to prove their loyalty to the Establishment. These political realities made it hard for evangelicals in the Church of England to cooperate with Wesley and meant that all their theological debates were politically infected. Rich in detail, this book traces the personalities involved along with the relative importance of canon law (“regularity”), public criticism and episcopal censure, parochial boundaries, lay ordination and sacramental administration, and alternative theological visions related to the Church of England. Here is a book for all who seek deeper insight into a critical juncture in the development of evangelicalism and early Methodism.
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Massacre At Sand Creek
$22.99Add to cartSand Creek. An American tragedy occurred there that remains a symbol of the difference between what Americans believe themselves to be and the reality of what happened to Native peoples in the creation of the nation. Nearly 200 Cheyennes and Arapahos, camped under the protection of the United States government, were slain. The Sand Creek massacre seized national attention in the winter of 1864-1865 and generated a controversy that still excites heated debate more than 150 years later. At Sand Creek demoniac forces seemed unloosed so completely that humanity itself was the casualty. That was the charge that drew public attention to the Colorado frontier in 1865. That was the claim that spawned heated debate in Congress, two congressional hearings, and a military commission. Westerners vociferously and passionately denied the accusations. Reformers seized the charges as evidence of the failure of American Indian policy. Sand Creek launched a war that was not truly over for fifteen years. In the first year alone, it cost the United States government $50,000,000. Methodists have a special stake in this story. The governor whose polices led the Cheyennes and Arapahos to Sand Creek was a prominent Methodist layman. The commanding officer who ordered the attack on the Sand Creek village was a Methodist minister. Perhaps those were merely coincidences, but the question also remains of how the Methodist Episcopal Church itself responded to the massacre. Was it also somehow culpable in what happened? The Sand Creek massacre was tragedy in the truest sense, raw, visceral, brutal, but with hints of heroism and even nobility in its blood-red story. Coming to grips with what happened at Sand Creek involves hard questions and unsatisfactory answers not only about what happened but also about why. It stirs ancient questions about the best and worst in every person, questions older than history, questions as relevant as today’s headlines, questions we all must answer from within.
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Viral Multiplication In Hispanic Churches
$18.99Add to cartReverend Iosmar Alvarez created this book to teach church planting leaders how to plant new, healthy, vital, and vibrant churches with multiplication DNA. Using scripture-grounded values, principles, and the author’s own testimony, this book will help reach both new and diverse Hispanic/Latino people, as well as other cultures and contexts.
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Copious Fountain : A History Of Union Presbyterian Seminary 1812-2012
$70.00Add to cartA Copious Fountain tells the two-hundred-year-old story of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. From its first days at Hampden-Sydney College, Union Presbyterian Seminary has answered its call to equip educated ministers to serve the church. As the first institution of its kind in the South, Union Presbyterian Seminary created a standard for theological education across denominational affiliations.
This systematic history of Union Presbyterian Seminary gives cultural and historical context to the school through its bicentennial year. Combining research, photographs, and primary source documents, Sweetser’s book celebrates the enduring influence of Union Presbyterian Seminary in the church and beyond.
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Faith Rules : An Episcopal Manual
$19.95Add to cart* Modeled on Michael Pollan’s best-selling Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual * Written by a prominent church figure Ian Markham, Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary, introduces both the Christian faith and The Episcopal Church to the seeker and Episcopal laity in this indispensable manual. Each page in Faith Rules is Episcopal wisdom set in concise, straightforward language for anyone in the 21st century.
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History Of The Amish 3rd Edition
$14.99Add to cartThe Amish, one of America s most intriguingly private, unique, and often misunderstood religious communities, have survived for three hundred years! How has that happened?
While much has been written on the Amish, little has been revealed about their history. This book brings together in one volume a thorough history of the Amish people. From their beginnings in Europe through their settlement in North America, the Amish have struggled to maintain their beliefs and traditions in often hostile settings.
Now updated, the book gives an in-depth look at how the modern Amish church continues to grow and change. It covers recent developments in new Amish settlements, the community s conflict and negotiation with government, the Nickel Mines school shooting, and the media s constant fascination with this religious people, from reality TV shows to romance novels.
Authoritative, thorough, and interestingly written, A History of the Amish presents the deep and rich heritage of the Amish people with dozens of illustrations and updated statistics.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history–books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. -
Works Of John Wesley 27
$77.99Add to cartAlthough many of the letters of John Wesley are of value as literature-especially as crisp statements of his views or desires with little attempt at embellishment-their major importance is as a revelation of him as a man and of the people and events of his day, especially those linked with the Methodist movement. They furnish us, in fact, with a portrait through seventy years that is both more revealing in detail and fuller in coverage than any other source. The correspondence presented in this third of seven planned volumes of Wesley’s Letters illuminates critical developments in the Wesleyan movement in the period between 1756 and 1765, including very significant rifts between John Wesley and his brother Charles and between John Wesley and his wife Mary, Wesley’s attempts to deal with radical enthusiasts and separatists (such as Thomas Maxfield) within the Methodist movement, his relationship to Greek Orthodox leader Gerasimos (Erasmus) Avlonites, and Wesley’s activities related to the Seven Years War.
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Letters From Samaria
$22.95Add to cartLouie Crew Clay has been the leading voice in LGBTQ issues in the church over the past forty years; founder of Integrity;
* Well-loved, well-known Episcopalian
* Funny, sharp, sad, thoughtful, poignant, historic
* Afterword by Bishop Mary Glasspool, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los AngelesLetters from Samaria gathers together much of Louie (Crew) Clay’s best and most influential prose and poetry, written from 1974 until the present day, including an essay composed especially for the volume. Much of the material has not appeared since its original publication in newsletters and other ephemeral sources. It is crisply written and often surprising for its bravery, matter-of-fact self-disclosure, insight, and love. Louie played a pivotal role in transforming The Episcopal Church – and, indeed, Christianity – over the past 40 years. This collection provides a window into Louie Clay’s unlikely and at times shocking ministry throughout the years as history was unfolding.
For LGBTQ Christians and their allies across denominations, those interested in the history of acceptance, fans of Louie Clay’s writing
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Arts Camp : A Creative Customizable Alternative To Vacation Bible School An
$34.95Add to cartLess packaged, more theologically and pedagogically appropriate, thoughtful, and community-based alternative toVacation Bible School
* A way for churches to conduct an artful exploration of faithArts Camp provides practical, concrete instruction that a church needs to plan, organize, staff, and conduct an annual five-day Arts Camp, including guidance on logistics, funding, finding art instructors (within both the local church and the broader community), ideas for structuring and scheduling the five days of camp, and a celebration on the Sunday following camp. Each chapter includes details on art projects, programming, music, drama, games, and resources.
For Episcopal and other mainline churches looking for alternatives to pre-packaged VBS programs, directors of Christian education and children’s ministry, camps and retreat centers
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Naked Anabaptist : The Bare Essentials Of A Radical Faith (Anniversary)
$14.99Add to cartPart I
1. Uncovering The Anabaptists
2. The Essence Of Anabaptism
Part II
3. Follow Jesus
4. Read Scripture Through Jesus
5. Thrive After Christendom
6. Reject Status, Wealth, And Force
7. Create Communities Of Discipleship And Mission
8. Seek Justice
9. Pursue Peace
Part III
10. The Original Anabaptists
11. Anabaptism Today
Resources On Anabaptism
Study Guide
Notes
The Author
Additional Info
5th Anniversay Edition
In churches and kitchens and neighborhood centers across the world, communities of Jesus-followers are crafting a vision of radical service, simple living, and commitment to peace. Many are finding a home in a Christian tradition almost five centuries old: Anabaptism.Who are the Anabaptists? What do they believe? Where did they come from? What makes them different from other Christians? And can you become an Anabaptist without leaving your own church?
Follow Stuart Murray as he peels back the layers to reveal the core convictions of Anabaptist Christianity, a way of following Jesus that challenges, disturbs, and inspires. Glimpse an alternative to nationalistic, materialistic, individualistic Christian faith. If you are seeking a community of authentic discipleship, heartfelt worship, sacrificial service, and radical peacemaking, consider this your invitation.
New Edition features:
– Voices and stories from North America and the global church.
-Updated and expanded definition and discussion of Christendom.
-Updated resource section.
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Trinity In The Stone Campbell Movement
$29.99Add to cartAn assessment of Trinitarian thought in the two-hundred-year-old Stone-Campbell Movement, including suggestions for ways in which the renewal of Trinitarian doctrine can revitalize the church’s life and mission.
Throughout its history the Stone-Campbell Movement has noticeably neglected Trinitarian doctrine, prohibiting a biblical understanding of God as Trinity from significantly impacting the movement’s churches. This book attempts to rectify this weakness in three ways. First, a focus on the Trinitarian positions of Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone sheds new light on the early shapers of the movement.
Second, the book lays out specific ways in which the movement would benefit by a biblically grounded Trinitarianism and the contributions of contemporary trinitarian theologians. And third, it presents a plan for the advancement of biblical Trinitarian doctrine among Stone-Campbell churches.
Significant contributions of this study include the most thorough examination to date of Trinitarian doctrine in Stone-Campbell thought, an original presentation of the historical theology that stands behind the Trinitarian positions of Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone, and a fresh proposal regarding the roots of Barton Stone’s quasi-Arianism.
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Peace Progress And The Professor
$39.99Add to cartPreface And Acknowledgments
1. Geography Of A Prairie Childhood
2. Becoming C.
3. The Democracy Of Learning
4. In The Service Of A Usable Past
5. How To Write The Mennonite Story
6. The Way Of Exile
7. The “Most Liberal Wing”
8. Forays Down A Winding Road
9. Diverging Readings Of Anabaptist History
10. Mennonite Intellectual In A Time Of Crisis
11. The Final Mennonite History
12. Epilogue
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Studies In Anabaptist And Mennonite History Series
The AuthorAdditional Info
What does it mean to be Mennonite in the modern world? And what is the witness of a peace church that is always at risk of splintering? C. Henry Smith-son of an Amish family, erudite historian, urbane bank president, and pioneer of Mennonite scholarship-sought answers to these questions in the middle of the 20th century, and his answers reverberate through the church to this day.In this engaging narrative biography, historian Perry Bush chronicles Smith’s childhood in an Illinois farming community, his youthful turn toward intellectual inquiry, and his confidence that Anabaptist faith and life offer gifts to the wider world. By recounting the story of one of the foremost Mennonite intellectuals, Bush surveys the storied terrain of 20th-century Mennonite identity in its selective borrowing from wider culture and its tentative embrace of progressive reforms and higher education, and growing conviction that Anabaptism served as a taproot of Western civilization. Bush argues that Smith’s body of historical writing furnished a new generation of Mennonites with both an understanding of their shared past and the tools to navigate an ever-shifting present.
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Peace Progress And The Professor
$29.99Add to cartPreface And Acknowledgments
1. Geography Of A Prairie Childhood
2. Becoming C.
3. The Democracy Of Learning
4. In The Service Of A Usable Past
5. How To Write The Mennonite Story
6. The Way Of Exile
7. The “Most Liberal Wing”
8. Forays Down A Winding Road
9. Diverging Readings Of Anabaptist History
10. Mennonite Intellectual In A Time Of Crisis
11. The Final Mennonite History
12. Epilogue
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Studies In Anabaptist And Mennonite History Series
The AuthorAdditional Info
What does it mean to be Mennonite in the modern world? And what is the witness of a peace church that is always at risk of splintering? C. Henry Smith-son of an Amish family, erudite historian, urbane bank president, and pioneer of Mennonite scholarship-sought answers to these questions in the middle of the 20th century, and his answers reverberate through the church to this day.In this engaging narrative biography, historian Perry Bush chronicles Smith’s childhood in an Illinois farming community, his youthful turn toward intellectual inquiry, and his confidence that Anabaptist faith and life offer gifts to the wider world. By recounting the story of one of the foremost Mennonite intellectuals, Bush surveys the storied terrain of 20th-century Mennonite identity in its selective borrowing from wider culture and its tentative embrace of progressive reforms and higher education, and growing conviction that Anabaptism served as a taproot of Western civilization. Bush argues that Smith’s body of historical writing furnished a new generation of Mennonites with both an understanding of their shared past and the tools to navigate an ever-shifting present.
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Meal Jesus Gave Us (Revised)
$16.00Add to cartIn this introductory volume, perfect for Protestant new member and confirmation classes, acclaimed theologian and writer N. T. Wright explains in clear and vivid style the background of the Last Supper, the ways in which Christians have interpreted this event over the centuries, and what it all means for us today. This revision includes questions for discussion or reflection after each chapter.
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Fully Engaged : Missional Church In An Anabaptist Voice
$18.99Add to cartMission happens when congregations fully align themselves with God’s purposes. As the missional church movement matures, Anabaptists bring a time-honored theological tradition, a contemporary spiritual vitality, and practical stories of witness to the conversation. How are churches and individuals living out Christ’s call to engage locally and globally? And how is it changing them in the process?
Featuring the voices of missional Mennonite leaders, Fully Engaged offers stories and analysis about how mission is taking shape in local congregations and contexts. A diverse chorus of Anabaptist pastors and laypeople explores the roots, tools, and applications of the missional movement. From nurturing church planting to creating a missional culture to preaching for missional engagement, Fully Engaged offers insights and ideas for churches looking for direction.
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Earn Save Give Devotional Readings For Home
$7.99Add to cartJohn Wesley believed money was important as a way of expressing and living out Christian faith. To Wesley, the task was simple: earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. In this exciting stewardship program, pastor and author James A. Harnish presents Wesley’s concepts and beliefs in plain, useful language, suitable for individuals to grapple with and groups to discuss and act upon. This little companion piece, useful for all church members as they consider their pledge, contains 20 devotions and weekly activities on the topic of commitment. Perfect for enhancing personal or group study and reflection, the devotions and activities are organized to support the program structure and contain family activities.
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Finding Their Voices
$19.99Add to cartFinding Their Voices is more than a book of sermons. It seeks to honor a generation of women who stand at the headwaters of a stream of change in Churches of Christ in regards to women in ministry. It records history in the making and preserves the words spoken by 29 women from pulpits across the U.S. and Canada. It also recognizes the churches and institutions that welcomed these women and provided space for their voices to be heard.
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Our Only Comfort
$22.00Add to cartThis book is a collection of fifty-two devotions based on the Heidelberg Catechism, one of the foundational documents of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Former PC(USA) moderator Neal D. Presa begins each devotion with a few of the questions from the catechism, along with their Scripture references, and follows with a brief meditation on those questions. Presa’s reflections tie the catechism questions to daily life in contemporary America, helping readers find meaning and relevance for their own lives. Our Only Comfort is a helpful resource for those interested in learning more about their Reformed heritage and how they can apply it to their daily lives.
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In Search Of Promised Lands
$54.99Add to cartThe wide-ranging story of Mennonite migration, theological diversity, and interaction with other Christian streams is distilled in this engaging volume, which tracks the history of Ontario Mennonites.
Author Samuel J. Steiner writes that Ontario Mennonites and Amish are among the most diverse in the world-in their historical migrations and cultural roots, in their theological responses to the world around them, and in the various ways they have pursued their personal and communal salvation.
In Search of Promised Lands describes the emergence and evolution of today’s thirty-plus streams of Ontarians who have identified themselves as Mennonite or Amish from their arrival in Canada to the last decade. In Search of Promised Lands also considers how various Mennonite groups have adapted to or resisted evangelical fundamentalism and mainline Protestantism, and it identifies the nineteenth- and twentieth-century shifts toward personal salvation and away from submission to the church community.
Volume 48 in the Studies of Anabaptist and Mennonite History series.
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Journey With J.W.
$14.99Add to cartChildren will ride through United Methodist history with John Wesley and the early Methodists. Children will experience life in the times of John Wesley and the circuit riders. It’s a great learning experience that’s fun! Easy-to-follow directions for crafts, games, and music, Scripts for historical dramas and Bible stories, ideas for setting up interest centers, and ways to utilize the gifts and talents of the adults in your congregation area also included. Children will learn about the United Methodist heritage and how it has shaped who we are as people of faith, that God inspired John Wesley and other early leaders of our church to spread the good news about Jesus throughout the world, and that God continues to call us to tell the world about Jesus today!
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In Search Of Promised Lands
$69.99Add to cartThe wide-ranging story of Mennonite migration, theological diversity, and interaction with other Christian streams is distilled in this engaging volume, which tracks the history of Ontario Mennonites.
Author Samuel J. Steiner writes that Ontario Mennonites and Amish are among the most diverse in the world-in their historical migrations and cultural roots, in their theological responses to the world around them, and in the various ways they have pursued their personal and communal salvation.
In Search of Promised Lands describes the emergence and evolution of today’s thirty-plus streams of Ontarians who have identified themselves as Mennonite or Amish from their arrival in Canada to the last decade. In Search of Promised Lands also considers how various Mennonite groups have adapted to or resisted evangelical fundamentalism and mainline Protestantism, and it identifies the nineteenth- and twentieth-century shifts toward personal salvation and away from submission to the church community.
Volume 48 in the Studies of Anabaptist and Mennonite History series.
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Reclaiming Pietism : Retrieving An Evangelical Tradition
$24.99Add to cartThe historical movement known as Pietism emphasized the response of faith and inward transformation as crucial aspects of conversion to Christ. Unfortunately, Pietism today is often equated with a “holier-than-thou” spiritual attitude, religious legalism, or withdrawal from involvement in society.
In this book Roger Olson and Christian Collins Winn argue that classical, historical Pietism is an influential stream in evangelical Christianity and that it must be recovered as a resource for evangelical renewal. They challenge misconceptions of Pietism by describing the origins, development, and main themes of the historical movement and the spiritual-theological ethos stemming from it. The book also explores Pietism’s influence on contemporary Christian theologians and spiritual leaders such as Richard Foster and Stanley Grenz.
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God Gave The Growth
$34.95Add to cartThe Episcopal Church has recognized that planting new churches is a high priority through the Mission Enterprise Zones initiative, which provides grant funding for new worshiping communities, in partnership with dioceses. While there is significant literature and training available for church planters in evangelical contexts, very little is available for planters in the Episcopal/mainline context. This book addresses how to rise up and train leaders for the difficult task of planting new churches in the twenty-first century. It answers the essential questions, such as why should we plant churches, what models of church planting are most successful, what kinds of leaders are necessary, and what problems can be expected. Through the author’s personal experience and interviews with diocesan experts and leaders in mainline denominations, it provides strategies, approaches, and problem-solving techniques.
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Hazardous Saints Study Guide (Student/Study Guide)
$9.95Add to cartThis exciting new six-session DVD study invites small groups and individuals to explore the lives of six Christian saints” who risked all for the sake of the gospel. Like Jesus, each of the featured leaders were change agents in their times: the Subversive Bridge-Builder, Barnabas; the Lovable Rebel, Francis of Assisi; the Tightrope Walker, Thomas Cranmer; the Persevering Prophet, Sojourner Truth; the Idealistic Realist, Dorothy Day; and the People’s Voice, Oscar Romero. Each session concludes with three possible endings, one for adult study groups, one for individuals, and one for vestries and other gatherings of church leaders. Illustrative slides promote conversation starters and interaction. It also includes a bonus resource: A Simple Prayer Liturgy for Use by a Small Group. The program calls for one study guide per participant and one DVD for the individual or group, each sold separately.”
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Reconsidering Arminius : Beyond The Reformed And Wesleyan Divide
$45.99Add to cartThe theology of Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius has been misinterpreted and caricaturized in both Reformed and Wesleyan circles. By revisiting Arminius’ theology, the book hopes to be a constructive voice in the discourse between so-called Calvinists and Arminians. Traditionally, Arminius has been treated as a divisive figure in evangelical theology. Contributors: Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs Mark G. Bilby Oliver D. Crisp W. Stephen Gunter John Mark Hicks Mark H. Mann Thomas H. McCall Richard A. Muller Keith D. Stanglin E. Jerome Van Kuiken
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Rhythms Of Worship
$18.00Add to cartThere are many books written for liturgical experts, but not many for laypeople. This book bridges that gap. In clear, everyday language, Waschevski and Stevens describe why Protestants worship and help to equip worship planners and leaders for excellence in their tasks. The authors explore the different elements of the worship service and how each expresses our Christ-centered faith. They also describe the feasts and festivals of the liturgical year, helping the reader understand and appreciate these special times and seasons in worship. An additional chapter considers music and arts in worship. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite discussion in local congregations. This book will be a valuable resource for pastors, worship committees, members, and all others who engage in worship planning and leadership.
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Rite Place : Kids Do Church Adults Do Too
$27.95Add to cartReady-to-use liturgies with music, for all seasons of the church year
* Offers a practical guide for child-directed, inclusive worship
Grace Episcopal Church, Oak Park, Illinois has become a model for how to
engage all generations in an experiential and fully inclusive Eucharistic liturgy. The
Rite Place is a 30-minute service designed for young children and their households
in response to the congregation’s desire to offer welcoming worship for all ages.
This book has three parts: the theology of intergenerational worship, including
pastoral issues and how a church might get started to implement such a model;
the use of music as an integral piece to worship as formation; and complete
liturgies for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday/
Good Friday, Easter, and the Season of Pentecost/Summer that are accessible for
other congregations to use in their own settings.For clergy, Christian educators, musicians, liturgists, Episcopal schools, chaplains,
children’s hospitals, seminaries, and faith formation organizations. -
Justice In Everyday Life
$10.00Add to cartJustice in Everyday Life, a Lay Servant Ministries advance course, takes an in-depth look at the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church-the church’s attempt to speak on contemporary issues with which it is confronted today. The book covers topics such as: natural world, social community, economic community, political community, Biblical foundations of the Social Principles, teaching the Social Principles. This book is not only for Lay Servants, but is for anyone interested in t studying the octal Principles in greater detail.
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Eyes To See
$18.95Add to cartWritten by a Protestant for a non-Orthodox readership
* Includes full-color images of eight icons
* Strong potential for group study
Eyes to See: The Redemptive Purpose of Icons offers the discovery of life-giving
spiritual insights found through learning to read the language of religious icons. Written
especially for those whose traditions have not included icons, this book introduces eight
icons written (painted) by the author. Historical notes, explanation of symbolism, related
scriptures for interpretation, and a reflection for each icon deepens understanding and
appreciation for the ancient holy images of the Church.
The book is eight chapters in length, each describing one of the eight full-color icon
plates in the insert.For individuals and study groups, plus those with interests in iconography.
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People Called Episcopalians (Revised)
$10.95Add to cartWhat are we as Episcopalians? This concise booklet explores five main areas of Episcopal life: identity, authority, spirituality, temperament, and polity. A great introduction to the Episcopal way of thinking in readable prose for any newcomer or seeker in the Episcopal Church who may wonder what makes Episcopalians different than Roman Catholics or other protestants.
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Luther On Faith And Love
$59.00Add to cartContents:
Introduction
1. Research On Faith And Love In Luther
2. Faith And Love In The Dimension Of Passive Righteousness And Holiness
3. Faith: Sole Means Of Grasping Christ
4. Faith And Love In The Dimension Of Active Righteousness And Holiness
5. Love: Means Of Authenticating Faith
Conclusion
Bibliography
IndexesAdditional Info
There has been a distinct tendency in modern scholarship to underestimate Luther’s teaching on love by overemphasizing his teaching on justification. Calling this tendency into question, this volume advances the thesis that Luther’s teaching on faith and love operates as the overriding thematic pair in the dynamics of Christ and the law-structurally and conceptually undergirding the 1535 Galatians commentary. The research situates itself in the landscape of Luther scholarship via a special attention to Finnish Luther scholars and scholarship.The project argues that in the discussion of proper righteousness and holiness, Luther’s redefined love emerges in harmony with faith. His views on Christian freedom, the Christ-given law of love, the twofold way of fulfilling the law, and his Christological premises demonstrate the logical rationale for reintroducing love. This love, designated as a fruit of faith, is incarnated in three major relations: love toward God, toward others, and toward self.
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Feasting On The Word Advent Companion
$34.00Add to cartThis new volume in the Feasting on the Word series provides an all-in-one pastor’s companion for Advent, including worship materials as well as sermon preparation tools. A complete order of service is provided for each of the four Sundays in Advent, plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hymn suggestions, sermon illustrations, and children’s sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the Advent season.
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My Faith My Life Leaders Guide (Revised)
$18.95Add to cartIn addition to a book for teens, My Faith, My Life is a curriculum. With this guide, leaders can create short, intermediate, and longer programs, including confirmation sequences of six, nine, or twelve-sessions, a retreat or similar short program, or a longer study that is integrated with other current programs over the entire academic year. Filled with prayers to begin and end each session, plus a variety of activities that tap into multiple learning styles and ways to interact with the congregation, this will be a primary go-to resource for any youth leader. New material includes how to select, train, and support mentors, as well as how leaders can strengthen their own spiritual life. With this Leader’s Guide, My Faith, My Life will continue as a trusted Confirmation curriculum for the Episcopal Church. Newly available in print and eBook editions Supports a foundational book for youth in the Episcopal Church Releases along with the revised edition of primary text
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Basic Baptist Beliefs
$14.99Add to cartThe purpose of this book is to meet a widely felt need for an up-to-date and concise source book on the principal teachings of the Bible from a Biblical perspective. It is not intended for scholars; rather it is to serve as a handy guidebook for laymen as well as beginning theology students, assisting them in grasping some of the foundational beliefs that distinguish Believers in Jesus Christ. Not only can theology be a captivating study, it is essential for Christians to know what they believe. Key Biblical doctrines are addressed that include: Builds a complete and solid biblical foundation for every Christ-follower. Thorough examination of biblical teaching about the existence of God, His revelation to us, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, sin, and redemption. The perfect first book for believers beginning to grapple with the great teachings of Scripture.
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Longing To Meet You Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThis resource is an English translation of the Korean evangelism study Longing to Meet you (published by Cokesbury for exclusive distribution to the UM Council on Korean-American Ministries).
The mission of The United Methodist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” In order to carry out this mission, The United Methodist Church has defined seven pathways of ministry: developing new churches, transforming existing congregations, ending racism through expanding racial and ethnic ministries, teaching the Wesleyan model of discipleship, strengthening clergy and lay leadership, reaching and transforming the lives of new generations, and eliminating poverty in community with the poor.The United Methodist Council on Korean Ministries/Korean Ministry Plan has a vision to strengthen small group ministries for the local church to fulfill the mission of The United Methodist Church. The Korean Ministry Plan partnered with the National Association of Korean United Methodists to develop training material for small group ministry leaders that incorporated both Wesleyan tradition and Korean spirituality. This material was developed with the purpose of leading churches to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and for individuals to realize their individual spiritual gifts so that they could serve the local church and community better. Thus, we United Methodists may be disciples of Jesus Christ who experience the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the world.
We welcome you into this journey of discipleship in small group ministry. We are genuinely looking forward to meeting you.
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Longing To Meet You Participant Book (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThis resource is an English translation of the Korean evangelism study Longing to Meet you (published by Cokesbury for exclusive distribution to the UM Council on Korean-American Ministries).
The mission of The United Methodist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” In order to carry out this mission, The United Methodist Church has defined seven pathways of ministry: developing new churches, transforming existing congregations, ending racism through expanding racial and ethnic ministries, teaching the Wesleyan model of discipleship, strengthening clergy and lay leadership, reaching and transforming the lives of new generations, and eliminating poverty in community with the poor.
The United Methodist Council on Korean Ministries/Korean Ministry Plan has a vision to strengthen small group ministries for the local church to fulfill the mission of The United Methodist Church. The Korean Ministry Plan partnered with the National Association of Korean United Methodists to develop training material for small group ministry leaders that incorporated both Wesleyan tradition and Korean spirituality. This material was developed with the purpose of leading churches to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and for individuals to realize their individual spiritual gifts so that they could serve the local church and community better. Thus, we United Methodists may be disciples of Jesus Christ who experience the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the world.
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Heart Strangely Warmed
$31.99Add to cartJohn and Charles Wesley generated a heritage that reaches well beyond the worldwide Methodist movement which they founded. This collection of their essential writings shows how they harnessed resources from across the breadth of Anglicanism (and beyond) to forge a distinctive, dynamic and influential approach to religious experience.
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Simplified Life : A Contemporary Hermits Experience Of Solitude And Silence
$32.00Add to cartToday, as increasing numbers of people try to make sense of their lives in the face of unexpected or unlooked for change, this direct and compelling memoir by someone who has voluntarily embraced a life of radical simplicity and solitude is a real message for our times.
What makes a young, Cambridge educated woman first join a religious order and then, if that were not demanding enough, seek a hermit vocation, literally on the edge of the world with only a simple hut as protection against Atlantic winds and storms? Here the author tells her story.
For more than forty years Sr Verena lived a solitary life at the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula, looking out across the sea to Bardsey, Wales’ island of saints, and has only recently – with increasing age – moved nearer human habitation in the parish where R S Thomas was priest. For her, this narrow straitened place became a mirror of the whole of creation and the material poverty of her life became a means to ‘having nothing yet possessing all things’ in the words of St Paul.
Over the decades, countless people have beaten a path to her door seeking spiritual counsel and direction for their own busy lives and her account speaks directly to those who may be facing an enforced simplicity leading them into something profoundly positive and life giving.
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Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
$7.99Add to cartWhat beliefs set United Methodists apart from other denominations? How has Methodism changed since its beginning in the 18th century?
Living Our United Methodist Beliefs is the Leader’s Guide for a course that will help participants better understand United Methodist beliefs and history. It is ideal for a new members class or an adult confirmation class.
Use the Leader’s Guide with these companion components:
Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way by Kenneth L. Carder
A Brief History of The United Methodist ChurchIn this course participants will:
discover the relationship of doctrine to the missional movement of Methodism and its theological influence on the practical structure and disciplines of early Methodists
learn about the formation of Methodist denominations as an important part of the history of The United Methodist Church
explore the Wesleyan understanding of grace, the means of grace, and how practicing spiritual disciplines leads to holiness of heart and life. -
Spirit Of The Lord Is Upon Me
$23.95Add to cartTo release in anticipation of the 40th anniversary of the ordinations
* Gathers the bulk of Sue Hiatt’s writings, never before published
* Reflections from Sue’s peers and colleagues
As we approach the 40th anniversary of the irregular ordination of the group of women
who became known as the “Philadelphia Eleven,” Carter Heyward and Janine LeHane
gather the writings of Sue Hiatt, considered “bishop to the women” and leader of the
movement that led to that momentous occasion.
Quiet, introspective, passionate, strong-minded, Sue Hiatt’s road to Christian feminism
began as a teenager. These writings, alongside material by Carter Heyward and others
critical to the movement, are a vital source of study, reflection, and inspiration.AUDIENCE: For ordained women (and those who wish to be) across denominations,
church historians, and seminarians. -
Case For Character
$32.00Add to cartContents:
Introduction
1. Virtue Ethics And The Challenge Of Hauerwas
2. Contemporary Lutheran Voices
3. The Lutheran Confessions
4. The Search For A Paradigm-Some Lutheran Efforts
5. A Creedal Framework-A Proposal For The Reclamation Of Ethics Within Lutheranism
6. An Ethic For The Church-The Place Of Character FormationAdditional Info
Over the last several decades, perceptive observers of Western civilization have documented what virtually everyone has perceived: as the old foundations of society have toppled, morality and personal character have been set adrift and often vanished altogether. How can character be cultivated when it seems no one is willing or able to provide a definitive description of character to which humans should aspire?While the reasons for this are many and complicated, one of the more potent singular factors is actually theological, says Biermann. Contemporary Lutheranism, in particular, has struggled with the appropriate place of morality and character formation, as these pursuits often have been perceived as being at odds with the central Christian doctrine of justification.
A Case for Character explores this problem and argues that Christian doctrine, specifically as articulated within a Lutheran framework, is altogether capable of encouraging a robust pursuit of character formation while maintaining a faithful expression of justification by grace alone through faith alone.
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Why We Live In Community
$8.00Add to cartIn this time-honored manifesto, Arnold and Merton add their voices to the vital discussion of what real community is all about: love, joy, unity, and the great adventure of faith shared with others along the way. Neither writer describes (or prescribes) community here, but they do provide a vision to guide our search.”
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Bright Field : Meditations And Reflections For Ordinary Time
$31.99Add to cartCovering the liturgical year outside Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, this collection of reflections, readings, poems and prayers focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus the rich subject matter of the lectionary readings during Ordinary Time. This is a subtantial, original and varied resource for the longest liturgical season.
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Anglican Way : A Guidebook
$19.95Add to cartBorn of a passionate lifetime devotion, McKenzie’s illuminating guide will light the way for those new to Anglicanism and deepen the knowledge of longtime practitioners. His thorough exploration of the history, theology, distinctives, prayers, liturgies, and intricacies of the ancient tradition make this a practical and informative introduction to the Anglican way.
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How Great A Flame
$10.00Add to cartIn How Great a Flame, James C. Logan connects John Wesley’s passion to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ with the current realities of the church. As he shows how grace and the concepts of Wesley’s societies invited people into deeper relationships with God, Logan offers practical advice for healthy congregational ministries of outreach and evangelism. Each chapter also offers questions for reflection and small-group discussion.
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In Season And Out Of Season
$32.00Add to cartA wise and practical guide to preaching in the Anglican tradition, illustrated with examples, that will inspire confidence and hone skills. It explores key aspects of preaching including: the importance of Scripture, the use of story, preaching at rites of passage, preaching through the liturgical year, and engagement with the wider world.
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Peoples History Of Christianity One Volume Student Edition (Student/Study Guide)
$49.00Add to cartOn its release, the seven volume A People’s History of Christianity was lauded for its commitment to raising awareness of the ways in which ordinary Christians have lived throughout more than twenty centuries of Christian history. Now, the essential material from that important project is available for classroom use.
This one volume edition contains careful selections and abridgements of the original content and covers the entire scope of church history. It provides a valuable overview on such topics as birth and death, marriage and family life, baptism rites, food, power, heresy, and more. Students are both informed and inspired by seeing the importance of ordinary Christians in shaping Christianity across time.
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From The Reformation To The 21st Century Student Edition (Student/Study Guide)
$39.00Add to cartOn its release, the seven volume A People’s History of Christianity was lauded for its commitment to raising awareness of the ways in which ordinary Christians have lived throughout more than twenty centuries of Christian History. Now, the essential material from that important project is available for classroom use.
This volume contains careful selections and abridgements of the original content organized to fit ideally into a course in Christian history. It provides a valuable overview on such topics as birth and death, baptism rites, food, power, heresy, and more. Students are both informed and inspired by seeing the importance of ordinary Christians in shaping Christianity across time.
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From The Early Church To The Reformation Student Edition (Student/Study Guide)
$49.00Add to cartOn its release, the seven volume A People’s History of Christianity was lauded for its commitment to raising awareness of the ways in which ordinary Christians have lived throughout more than twenty centuries of Christian History. Now, the essential material from that important project is available for classroom use.
This volume contains careful selections and abridgements of the original content organized to fit ideally into a course in Christian history. It provides a valuable overview on such topics as birth and death, baptism rites, food, power, heresy, and more. Students are both informed and inspired by seeing the importance of ordinary Christians in shaping Christianity across time.
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United Methodist Deacon
$18.99Add to cartA Deacon Is Called And Sent
A Deacon Is Connectional
A Deacon Is Missional
A Deacon Is Examined And Equipped
The Meaning Of Ordination
A Deacon Is Appointed
Deacons Lead The Church
Epilogue: A Snapshot Of Deacons And Their MinistryAdditional Info
The United Methodist order of deacon represents the ever-evolving understanding of ordained ministry. But because of the continual changes, there is confusion about the call, roll, identity, and tasks of deacons. With vivid examples, this book gives a clear understanding of the order of deacon, beginning with a discussion of how its unique call sets apart persons for ordained ministry. -
Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year A 2
$42.00Add to cartBased on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2 provides liturgical pieces used in preparing for worship. Written and compiled by an ecumenical team of 11 seasoned liturgy writers, this resource offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship and is meant to complement existing denominational resources. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
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Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$12.00Add to cartThe Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course-Leader’s Guide is an introductory course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It can be used with adults and youth and is the foundational course for other leadership training courses.
This course covers the 3 three core categories of Lay Servant Ministries: Leading, Caring, and Communicating; it also emphasizes ministry in daily life and sharing faith stories. The plans in this Leader’s Guide are designed to be taught in 5 two-hour sessions. They can also be used over a weekend.
NOTE: This guide replaces the Lay Speaking Ministries Basic Course Leader’s Guide, DR551. If you have taught the Basic Course before, you will need to adjust your teaching plans to emphasize the core categories described above.
Session topics include
Ministry of the Baptized
priesthood of all believers
spiritual gifts
the need for a response to God’s call
the role of laity in ministryLeading
servant leadership
important roles in leadership
what it means to be a spiritual leader
Christian conferencingCaring
biblical basis for caring ministry
acts of compassion and justice
caring for creationCommunication
guidelines for respectful communication
listening skills
sharing faith storiesInto the World
understanding leaders’ role in fulfilling the Great Commission
importance of continued study and spiritual growth
role of hospitality
Appreciative Inquiry and Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAppendixes include two letters to participants (depending on whether the course is taught in 5 sessions or over a weekend), a sample format for Christian conferencing, evaluation forms for communication session, and resources (scripture, song, and meditation) for each session.
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Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participants Book (Student/Study Guide)
$12.00Add to cart“God calls you to a life of servanthood as a disciple of Jesus Christ. . Lay Servant Ministries is the first step for many laypersons toward their faith journey as they strive for a closer relationship with the Lord,” the authors write in the introduction.
The Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course is a foundational course designed to equip new church leaders and renew current leaders in The United Methodist Church. It explores
personal spiritual gifts
servant leadership
each leader’s role in developing future leaders
the importance of consistent spiritual practices
the core ministries of Leading, Caring, and Communicating
and much more.The Basic Course can be used for both adults and youth. Consisting of five two-hour sessions, it may serve as a short-term study for small groups, Sunday school classes, and new member classes.
NOTE: This book replaces the Lay Speaking Ministries Basic Course, DR551.
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Shepherds Of The Empire
$49.00Add to cartThe late nineteenth century was a time of rapid industrialization, mass politicization, and modern philosophy. The resulting political and cultural upheaval confronted the German Protestant church with deep questions of identity.
On the one side sat an educated academic guild whose explorations of history, philology, and emerging social scientific disciplines gave rise to serious questions about the Christian faith and its meaning for today.
On the other sat parish clergy faced with the complexities of daily life and leadership in common communities. For these parish clergy the pressure was great to support and bolster people not only in their life as Christians, but in their life as Germans.
Shepherds of the Empire engages timeless questions of identity and faith through the time-bound work of four key thinkers who attempted, and ultimately failed, to carve a middle way for the German parish clergy in that environment.
The volume focuses on the life and work of Adolf Stoecker (1835-1909), Martin Kahler (1835-1912), Adolf Schlatter (1852-1938), and Christoph Blumhardt (1842-1919).
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Leading Worship : Learning And Leading
$10.00Add to cartThis advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries focuses on the ministry of the Lay Servant who either regularly or occasionally leads a group, class, organization, or the congregation in worship. The course is grounded in the classic patterns of Christian worship and the practices of leading worship. Participants will come to understand more about Christian worship in order to lead worship with more confidence. They will practice leading worship in a variety of formats throughout the course.
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Against The Church
$15.00Add to cartPastor Doug Wilson takes a hammer to some of our very favorite graven images, and (surprise, surprise) we’ve set up display cases for most of them in our churches: Liturgy, Tradition, Systematics, infant Baptism, and that crafty old Baal Doctrine.
Alongside a critique of philosophical assumptions about human nature, dualism, and grace, Wilson stresses the unavoidable and absolute necessity of individual hearts being born again. He concludes by laying out the case for the church. This isn’t contradictory, though — the only way to be effectually for the church is to master the case against it. After all, God Himself is the ultimate iconoclast.
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Liturgical Spirituality : Anglican Reflections On The Churchs Prayer
$29.95Add to cartOf particular interest to scholars and practitioners across the Anglican Communion
with contributions from a wide breadth of scholarsLiturgical Spirituality is a collection of Anglican reflections on the spirituality of the liturgy,
inviting readers into the Church’s patterns of prayer, seasons of the year, and sacramental
action. With contributions from all over the world, from the North Atlantic to Australia,
the collection helps develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary Anglican
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Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology
$23.00Add to cartPreface
By Way Of Introduction: Who Are The Eastern Orthodox?
1. Thinking And Doing, Being And Praying: Where Do We Start?
2. Who Is God? The Doctrine Of The Holy Trinity
3. The Doctrine Of Creation
4. Who Is Christ?
5. Sin, Death And Repentance
6. Being Human–Being In The Image Of God
7. Icons And Sacraments: The Place Of Matter In The Divine Economy
8. Time And The Liturgy
9. Where Are We Going? The Last Things And Eternal Life
Guide To Further ReadingAdditional Info
With an estimated 250 million adherents, the Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian body in the world. This absorbing account of the essential elements of Eastern Orthodox thought deals with the Trinity, Christ, sin, humanity, and creation as well as praying, icons, the sacraments and liturgy. -
Feasting On The Word Year A 2
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Year A 1
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this new lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Year C 2
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Year C 4
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Year B 4
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Year B 1
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year A 1
$42.00Add to cartBased on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 1 is an invaluable aid that provides liturgical pieces needed in preparing for worship each week. Written and compiled by a team of eleven ecumenical and seasoned liturgy writers under the creative leadership of Kimberly Bracken Long, this resource offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship and is meant to complement existing denominational resources. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. A CD-ROM is also included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
Liturgy Writers include:
Kimberly L. Clayton, Director of Contextual Education, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
David Gambrell, Associate for Worship in the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louisville, Kentucky; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Daniel M. Geslin, Pastor, Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ, Denver, Colorado; United Church of Christ
Kimberly Bracken Long, Assistant Professor of Worship, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
L. Edward Phillips, Associate Professor of Worship and Liturgical Theology, Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, Georgia; United Methodist Church
Melinda Quivik, Liturgical Scholar, Houghton, Michigan; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Carol L. Wade, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington, Kentucky; Episcopal Church -
Living Tradition : Critical Recovery And Reconstruction Of Wesleyan Heritag
$45.99Add to cartWhat our Wesleyan legacy means for today’s living.This book engages in a critical recovery and reconstruction of the Wesleyan theological legacy in relation to current theological concepts and Christian practices with the intent to present opportunities for future directions. The contributors address urgent questions from the contexts in which people now live, particularly questions regarding social holiness and Christian practices. To that end, the authors focus on historical figures (John Wesley, Susanna Wesley, Harry Hoosier and Richard Allen); historical developments (such as the ways in which African Americans appropriated Methodism); and theological themes (such as holistic healing, work and vocation, and prophetic grace). The purpose is not to provide a comprehensive historical and theological coverage of the tradition, but to exemplify approaches to historical recovery and reconstruction that follow appropriately the mentorship of John Wesley and the living tradition that has emerged from his witness. Contributors: W. Stephen Gunter, Richard P. Heitzenrater, Diane Leclerc, William B. McClain, Randy L. Maddox, Rebekah L. Miles, Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore, Amy G. Oden, and Elaine A. Robinson.
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Feasting On The Word Year C 1
$50.00Add to cartNow Available in Paperback!With this lectionary commentary series, Westminster John Knox offers the most extensive resource for preaching on the market today. Now complete, the twelve volumes of the series cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints’ Day.
For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays-one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.
The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume contains an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.
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Wesley And The People Called Methodists (Reprinted)
$45.99Add to cartThis second edition of Richard P. Heitzenrater’s groundbreaking survey of the Wesleyan movement is the story of the many people who contributed to the theology, organization, and mission of Methodism. This updated version addresses recent research from the past twenty years; includes an extensive bibliography; and fleshes out such topics as the means of grace; Conference: “Large” Minutes: Charles Wesley: Wesley and America; ordination; prison ministry; apostolic church; music; children; Susanna and Samuel Wesley; the Christian library; itinerancy; connectionalism; doctrinal standards; and John Wesley as historian, Oxford don, and preacher.
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Here I Stand
$22.99Add to cartThe Reformation of the sixteenth century was a vast and complicated movement. It involved kings and peasants, cardinals and country priests, monks and merchants. It spread from one end of Europe to the other, and manifested itself in widely differing forms. Yet in spite of its diverse and complex character, to start to understand the Reformation you need know only one name: Martin Luther. Roland Bainton’s Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther remains the definitive introduction to the great Reformer and is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand this towering historical figure.
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Generous Ecclesiology : Church World And The Kingdom Of God
$35.99Add to cartGenerous Ecclesiology seeks to present a positive theological contribution to Anglican ecclesiology and missiology. It aims to do this by responding to issues raised by For the Parish and mission-shaped church in particular. This is because the editors are aware that the debate generated by these publications risks becoming polarised – with the dangers of either traditional practices/missionary innovation not being taken seriously. The book would respond to a theological need within the church; and open up a generous space for future reflection and practice. It would be rooted in the Anglican tradition and its imaginative response to context.
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Effective Practice Of Ministry
$25.00Add to cartFew people have made a larger contribution to the ongoing life and health of Churches of Christ around the world than Charles Siburt. During his twenty-four years at Abilene Christian University, Siburt oversaw some fifty DMin theses- a capstone experience designed to recount best practices in congregational life.
Rooted in Dr. Siburt’s conviction that good theology makes a difference in the lives of people, The Effective Practice of Ministry is a collection of thirteen of those research projects, covering the most critical topics facing churches today: spiritual formation, leadership development, catechesis, preaching, and missional initiatives in the larger community.
In honor of Dr. Siburt, this anthology is meant to inspire and encourage effective, embodied praxis in the ministry of the church.
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Liturgical Sense : The Logic Of Rite
$21.95Add to cart* A premier Anglican liturgical theologian reviews the history of the liturgical movement
in North America and anticipates next steps in liturgical “sensibility”Louis Weil looks back on his work shaping the liturgical life of the Episcopal Church
through his involvement with the development of The 1979 Book of Common Prayer-
and looks forward to the future of the church and its liturgical life. Through stories and
first-person anecdotes, Weil does “narrative theology” as only he can.Although most points of reference are to the 1979 BCP, the book is aiming at a more
fundamental level-not just Episcopal or even Anglican liturgy, but liturgical rites as
such: how do they “do what they do”?-or NOT do when they are done badly! “Liturgical
Sense” is two dimensional: both the “common sense” of liturgical rites and also their
“aesthetic sense.”It is Dr. Weil’s contention that in American culture we have an inherent inability to “think
symbolically.” Dr. Weil seeks to encourage a return to “liturgical sense” across the church. -
Feasting On The Word Worship Companion Year C 2
$42.00Add to cartBased on the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year C, Volume 2 is an invaluable aid that provides liturgical pieces needed in preparing for worship each week. Written and compiled by a team of eleven ecumenical and seasoned liturgy writers under the creative leadership of Kimberly Bracken Long, this resource offers a multitude of poetic prayers and responsive readings for all parts of worship and is meant to complement existing denominational resources. In addition, the weekly entries include questions for reflection and household prayers for morning and evening that are drawn from the lectionary, allowing churches to include them in their bulletin for parishioners to use throughout the week.
During times of the year when two different tracks of Old Testament texts are offered by the RCL, this resource offers an entire set of materials for each track. Also, a CD-ROM is included with each volume that enables planners to easily cut and paste relevant readings, prayers, and questions into worship bulletins.
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For A Church To Come
$21.99Add to cartTaking a cue from one of the most (in)famous postmodern thinkers, Friedrich Nietzsche, the essays in this book put forth “experiments” in thought rather than arguments for fixed conclusions. Blum brings John Howard Yoder to the same table with Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida, and provides a provocative glimpse of what the resulting conversation might look like.
As Anne Lamott and others have recently insisted, faith is not the opposite of doubt, but of certainty. Blum’s essays explore some of our commonly held ways of talking about knowledge, meaning, commitment, and action. He suggests that some postmodern theoretical work, often dismissed or assumed to be anti-Christian, is well worth bringing into contemporary Anabaptist-Mennonite conversations about discipleship and corporate life.
Part of the Polyglossia series, this book is intended for conversation among academics, ministers, and laypersons regarding knowledge, beliefs, and practices of the Christian faith.
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Trust In God
$20.00Add to cartIn this accessible book, David Johnson examines the Christian spiritual life using the Book of Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a guide. He demonstrates how the Book of Confessions can help us understand what it means to be a Christian and how one goes about living a Christian life. Johnson uses the rubrics of faith, love, and hope to ground our understanding of spirituality and help us develop disciplines for our spiritual lives. These disciplines include listening and speaking, worship and Sabbath, giving and stewardship, patience and planning, and reconciling. Three appendices give concrete guidelines for engaging in Bible reading and prayer-the two central spiritual disciplines of the Reformed tradition. Johnson’s helpful book invites laity and clergy to participate in the blessings and joys of a Reformed vision of the spiritual life.
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Give Up Something Bad For Lent (Student/Study Guide)
$13.99Add to cartInvites readers to focus on, with God’s help, eliminating habits or attitudes that may be destructive in their lives, such as envy, self-pity, procrastination, gossip, resentment, or negative thinking.
Seven sessions, one for each Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday
Each session features a Scripture reference, a personal reading, questions for personal reflection or group study, and closing prayer -
Prayers At Nights Approaching
$21.95Add to cartSeekers and church members today are rediscovering the power of many of Christianity’s ancient traditions, such as Evening Prayer. For many years now, in England, they have turned to the writing of Jim Cotter. In fact, the New Zealand Prayer Book’s Evening Prayer section comes largely from Prayer at Night’s Approaching.
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Being United Methodist
$16.99Add to cartIn Being United Methodist, popular and beloved author J. Ellsworth Kalas uses his inimitable style to address a topic that sometimes is complicated even to those who have practiced it for years. Kalas explores questions such as:
Who are these people called Methodists?
Where have they come from, and where are they going?
Why do so few of them really know what it means to be Methodist?
What makes them tick, and in a forever changing world, what keeps them ticking? -
Wesley And The People Called Methodists (Revised)
$34.99Add to cartThis second edition of Richard P Heitzenrater’s grounbreaking survey of the Wesleyan movement is the story of the many people who contributed to the theology, organization, and mission of Methodism. This updated version addresses recent research from the past twenty years, including an extensive bibliography; and fleshes out such topics as the means of grace, Conference; “Large” Minutes; Charles Wesley; Welsey and America, ordination: prison ministry; apostolic church; music; children; Susanna and Samuel Wesley, the Christian library; itinerancy; connectionalsim; doctrinal standards; and John Wesley as historian, Oxford don, and preacher.
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Users Guide To The Book Of Common Prayer
$20.99Add to cartChurch House Publishing
This short and timely book introduces and explains the Book of Common Prayer in a new way to a new audience, and in a style of language that is accessible and informative without being techincal or assuming prior knowledge. It is intended as a basic, beginners’ guide for those from a non-liturgical/non-traditional background, for whom the tradition of prayer represented in the Prayer Book may be alien.
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Sustainable Presbyterian Future
$18.00Add to cartA timely exploration of the present state and possible future of the Presbyterian church.
“With some hope and openness we can review our current situation and imagine our future prospects.” from the preface
In this study of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louis Weeks examines the present state of the denomination and how congregations can grow in faith through the current time of transition in the church. He considers markers of Presbyterian identity, new ways of connecting and faith development, and defining qualities of the church. Recognizing that many congregations are changing in different ways, Weeks includes case studies of congregations and interviews with leaders of local congregations and denominational leaders to explore aspects of Presbyterian faith and life that are viable and necessary for the future.
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Works Of John Wesley 12
$77.99Add to cartThe first of three theological volumes, this volume is devoted to four of John Wesley’s foundational treatises on soteriology.
These treatises include, first, Wesley’s extract from the Homilies of the Church of England, which he published to convince his fellow Anglican clergy that the ‘evangelical’ emphasis on believers experiencing a conscious assurance of God’s pardoning love was consistent with this standard of Anglican doctrine. Next comes Wesley’s extract of Richard Baxter’s Aphorisms of Justification, aimed more at those who shared his evangelical emphasis, invoking this honored moderate Puritan to challenge antinomian conceptions of the doctrine of justification by faith. This is followed by Wesley’s abridgement of the Shorter Catechism issued by the Westminster Assembly in his Christian Library, where he affirms broad areas of agreement with this standard of Reformed doctrine-while quietly removing items with which he disagreed. The fourth item is Wesley’s extended response to the Dissenter John Taylor on the doctrine of original sin, which highlights differences within the broad ‘Arminian’ camp, with Wesley resisting a drift toward naively optimistic views of human nature that he discerned in Taylor.
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Words For Worship
$12.99Add to cartChurch House Publishing
Words for Worship brings together the most cherished prayers in the Church of England’s liturgy, both in Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer. From modern collects to prayers that have been learned by heart over generations, here are the words that today create a common identity among Anglican worshippers.
Texts include the Lord’s Prayer, the Gloria, Sanctus, Prayers of Confession, the Creeds, the Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, Benedictus, the Agnus Dei, the Grace, and many more. Each prayer is accompanied by a short commentary on its history and meaning, opening it up for those new to Anglican worship and those seeking a deeper understanding of familiar words.
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God Truly Worshipped
$40.00Add to cartArchbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) played a critical, formative role in the creation and development of the Church of England, from his sudden and dramatic appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1532, through his granting of Henry VIII’s divorce from Queen Katharine, his emergence under Edward VI as a determined reformer in the mould of his European contemporaries, and to his memorable death under Mary Tudor in 1556. He is best remembered as the prime editor and creator of the two Books of Common Prayer of 1549 and 1552, and these indeed stand at the head of Anglican liturgical identity and tradition. Their influence and importance cannot be overstated. This book seeks to offer a survey of his growth and development as theologian and leader of the church through the lens of his written work: not only liturgy, but also homilies, correspondence and official doctrinal statements. This volume introduces Cranmer as a churchman, theologian and liturgist whose original contribution to Anglican spirituality in its earlie
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Focus : The Real Challenges That Face The United Methodists Church
$14.99Add to cartFew would argue that many challenges face The United Methodist Church. But what are the core issues and concerns, the ones that must be addressed if the church is to follow God’s leading into the future? Laying aside what can be merely tweaked or adjusted, what must the UMC “reset” about itself? Lovett Weems, one of the most highly-respected interpreters of contemporary United Methodism, suggests that we start with the following:
– What will happen now that the increased giving that United Methodists have enjoyed (despite declining membership numbers) has reached a plateau and begun to decline?
– Why, with 34,000 congregations and $6.5 billion in annual giving, can’t United Methodists add a net increase of even 1 new disciple of Jesus Christ in a given year?
– Why are United Methodist clergy less concerned with reaching young adults than are laity? Why are laity unwilling to make the changes to worship and budgets required to attract these same young adults?
– If the percentage of married couples with young children has declined by half since the 1950s, why is that still the group we focus on reaching?
– Why are so many mid-sized churches on their way to becoming small-membership congregations?With insight, conviction, and calm resolve, Lovett Weems challenges United Methodists not only to ask these hard questions, but to face up to the difficult decisions they require of us as we continue to seek God’s will for our lives together.
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Beauty Of Holiness
$40.00Add to cartThe Beauty of Holiness: The Caroline Divines and Their Writings offers an expansive and detailed portrait of the continued maturation of Anglican theology and devotion in the central half of the seventeenth century. The Caroline Divines have long been hailed as the patrons of an Anglican golden age. Their emphasis upon liturgical renewal and development, like their emphases upon learning and piety, have had a pervasive influence on the Anglican ethos that extends down to our own day. aaThe Beauty of Holiness includes selections from key figures such as Lancelot Andrewes, John Cosin, and Jeremy Taylor, but also expands the canon of Caroline divinity to include lay writings, some of which were published posthumously. Traditional topics such as sacramental theology and private devotion are complimented by readings on poetry as a spiritual discipline, natural theology, and the importance of family prayers. Chapters survey diverse facets of Anglican orthodoxy such as liturgical practice, the cult of King Charles the Martyr,
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Friends Of The Law
$41.99Add to cartCharges of forgery, heresy, legalism, and immorality turn on the question of whether Martin Luther taught a third use of the Law for the Christian life. For the past sixty years, well-meaning scholars believed they settled the question-with dire consequences.
Friends of the Law sets forth a completely new body of evidence that shows how little Luther’s teaching was understood. This new book looks at the doctrine of the Law and invites a new consensus that could change the way Christians view the Reformation and even their daily walk with God.
Contains
*data tables
*translations of passages not available in English
*appendices
*bibliography on Law and Gospel -
Welcome To The Christian Faith
$20.95Add to cartImportant new addition to the strong-selling “Welcome To” series
Well known author is already part of the series
A foundational volume for seekers in formation programs and a “refresher” study volume for individuals and congregational study groups.We live in a world increasingly separated from the Christian tradition and the basic understanding of the faith that previous ages might have taken for granted. The voices of faith seem increasingly strident and off-putting to many. There is a need for a calmer, basic introduction to faith that recognizes the value of doubt and the questions raised in a secular society.
A systematic introduction to Christianity for newcomers needs to begin with a discussion of faith itself, which this new book does. It then moves on to a discussion of such Christian basics as God, Trinity, Church, sin, atonement, prayer, and Christian living.
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Child By Child
$17.95Add to cartA how-to-guide to integrate children and youth with special needs into church programs and activities, including worship.
Includes how to train volunteers and staff for hands-on work with children and youth who have special needs.
Provides a theological grounding for the inclusion of people with learning differences and disabilities in the life of a congregation.
Integrating children and teens with learning differences into church programs is a growing priority for nearly all congregations, large and small, yet many feel ill-equipped to “manage” those with special needs in their classrooms, programs and worship.
This new guidebook for churches is designed to help integrate children and teens with learning differences – and their families – into the fabric of everyday church life. A useable on-the-ground resource for church leaders with specific suggestions, samples, and processes for adapting curricula, training volunteers, and supporting parents and caregivers, this guide is grounded in theological principles for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of a congregation. It begins by focusing on human relationships instead of programs. Expanding the church’s awareness and understanding of inclusion is done with respect and achieved by extending the gospel of welcome to all. An extensive annotated bibliography of support materials is included.
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What Episcopalians Believe
$19.95Add to cartThe most recent and accessible introduction to Episcopalian beliefs
Episcopalian identity tends to focus on history and worship, and sometimes on ethics – but “cradle” and new Episcopalians – plus seekers – will benefit from having a brief, accessible summary of the Christian faith as seen through an Episcopalian lens.
There are two underlying convictions behind the book: FIRST, that ecumenism is at the heart of the Episcopal faith. Episcopalians are well placed to offer themselves as a place of convergance between Roman Catholics and Protestants, and even between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox. SECONDLY, in the current conflicts both within the Episcopal Church and between the Episcopal Church and some of its Anglican Communion partners, there is no fundamental difference in doctrine. The book is an attempt to portray what all parties have in common.
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Conversations With Scripture The Book Of Judges (Student/Study Guide)
$21.95Add to cartA fresh, accessible approach to the religious and spiritual significance of the story of Judges – not as a series of heroic stories but as a cautionary tale about convenant, sin, and society.
The newest entry in the only Bible study series written from a uniquely Anglican perspective
Designed for adult formation programs in parish group settings or for use by individuals
Study and reflection questions included
Sunday School curriculum or an irredeemably violent book? Throughout its history, Judges has both entertained and appalled readers – some read it as a series of simple stories about faithfulness and some as a brutal and bloodthirsty book. Heller explores how Judges can shape our understanding of our world, our relationships, and can provide a path to a deeper appreciation of the ways of God among people. Far from seeing the book as either simplistic or cruel, Heller allows this odd text to speak to us anew about God, sin, relationships, and justice.