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New eBook Titles
From the inception of the Christian faith, the interplay between Jesus' specific historical identity and his universal significance has presented a profound theological challenge. This tension leads followers of Christ to confront essential questions: Who is Jesus to those unaware of him? How do those unaware relate to those who do? As followers of Jesus, can we discover him in those who have not yet encountered him?
Contemporary discussions on Christian theology of religions have been significantly shaped by Alan Race's influential framework of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism. However, many scholars are beginning to recognize the inadequacy of this typology, and agreement on a more comprehensive alternative remains elusive.
In "The Unique and Universal Christ," Drew Collins introduces a compelling theological approach that reconciles the uniqueness of Jesus Christ with the universality of God's presence, using Hans Frei's fivefold typology of Christian theology as a guiding framework. By employing Frei's model, Collins delves into the various ecumenical movements of the twentieth century, examining their discourse on theological authority and Christianity's engagement with other faith traditions.
This fresh perspective invites us to reimagine the Christian faith as a journey of discovery amidst the rich diversity of our world. Instead of viewing the Christian theology of religions as a confrontational struggle—where the particularity of Jesus Christ's identity competes with an openness to divine presence—we can embrace it as an exciting exploration. This exploration not only hopes for encounters with the universal Christ but also celebrates the unique and transformative identity of Jesus himself.
"After Paul: The Apostle's Legacy in Early Christianity" examines how the thoughts and traditions of Paul were reinterpreted, reused, reframed, and reconstructed in the early centuries of Christianity. James W. Aageson argues that it's insufficient to focus solely on Paul or his legacy in the Greco-Roman world; instead, we should adopt a bifocal perspective. This perspective should consider how Paul transformed his thinking and how later figures transformed Paul and his ideas within the church. Discussing Paul's legacy encompasses more than just the reception of his texts, ideas, or theology. It also involves more than the interpretive techniques or mentions of Paul by early post-Paul writers. It refers to the broader influence of the apostle in the early church.
The questions Paul addressed, his inclination towards theological reflection and debate, and his approach to pastoral and ethical matters significantly shaped the future direction of the Christian movement. Aageson's investigation explores themes of memory and transformation, conflict and opposition, authority and control, legacy and empire, the relationship between the church and the Jews, issues of women and marriage, and church unity. This exploration highlights the interrelationships among key elements in Paul's thought, persona, and authority as they interacted with the evolving culture and social life of early Christianity.
The work is not intended to be a historical account of Pauline Christianity or an exhaustive exploration of all aspects of Paul's early legacy. Instead, Aageson aims to establish connections, identify patterns, and develop a theoretical framework for understanding Paul's legacy in early Christianity. The resulting picture reveals continuity and discontinuity between Paul and Pauline tradition, as the historical Paul transformed into a figure of memory and remembrance, constantly reframed. This investigation provides a new perspective on how the Christian tradition evolved into a resilient social body and religious movement that could thrive even after Paul's time.
Several individuals were raised from the dead in Scripture before the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, these accounts—such as the stories of the widow's son at Nain and Lazarus—foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate resurrection. However, modern scholars have posed significant challenges to this interpretation. Figures like Karl Barth and N. T. Wright argue that since these individuals eventually died again, their resurrections are irrelevant to contemporary resurrection theology.
In Refiguring Resurrection, Steven Edward Harris powerfully contests this dismissal. By engaging with modern literary and theological interpretations and the depth of premodern exegesis, Harris reveals that Scripture presents these earlier resurrections not merely as isolated events but as powerful signs or figures that prefigure Christ’s resurrection and humanity's future hope.
Moreover, Harris articulates a comprehensive eschatology that integrates these past resurrections with the four last things surrounding Christ’s return: the final resurrection, the last judgment, and the new creation. This fresh theological perspective illuminates vital discussions on inaugurated eschatology, the significance of figural reading of Scripture, the complexities of resurrection in analytic theology, the notion of believers "going to heaven" after death, and Paul's interpretations in narrative and apocalyptic contexts.
"Refiguring Resurrection" introduces a robust and integrated "figural eschatology" that has not been adequately defended for three centuries. Harris’s approach revitalizes our understanding of these earlier resurrections by aligning closely with Christian Scripture. It presents a more promising theological framework than the modern era, including the twentieth-century revival of eschatology.
Religious freedom, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a crucial worldwide issue. Many evangelicals have struggled to experience this rightfully yet gently advocated for its acceptance, especially to promote the gospel's spread. However, they have cons. Their commitment to religious freedom has not always extended to other faiths, and at times, they have supported discriminatory practices against different religious communities.
In "The Gospel and Religious Freedom," we delve into the intricate relationship between evangelicals and the concept of religious freedom, exploring its evolution from the eighteenth century to today. This volume features studies that trace the intellectual history of religious liberty, highlight the efforts of early twentieth-century American evangelicals who championed this right, and examine the recent political advocacy by American evangelicals both at home and around the world.
Additionally, contributors discuss the evangelical defense of religious freedom in British territories during William Wilberforce's time, the perceived threats of Roman Catholicism to religious liberty, the evangelical initiative to limit Islamic laws in Nigeria, and the challenges faced by believers under Communist rule in Eastern Europe and China.
While evangelical Christians are undeniably passionate about evangelism, their responses to global challenges are diverse and multifaceted. This volume aims to illuminate the vital role of the evangelical movement in shaping the modern historical landscape of religious freedom.
The Cambodian Civil War and the genocide that followed in the late 1960s and 1970s inflicted profound trauma on Cambodia and its diaspora, with effects that still ripple through the community today. In her insightful book, Briana L. Wong shares the powerful narratives of Cambodian evangelicals, illustrating how their conversion journeys and testimonies to the Christian faith have enabled them to derive meaning and purpose from their painful histories.
Wong’s ethnographic fieldwork spans Cambodian communities in metropolitan centers like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Paris, and Phnom Penh, where she thoughtfully explores the complexities of religious identity within the transnational context of Cambodian evangelicalism. Despite the growth of the Christian community in recent years, these believers remain a small minority in a predominantly Buddhist diaspora.
Wong's analysis reveals why individuals are willing to jeopardize their social status, familial ties, and, at times, their safety to align themselves with Christianity. By contributing to conversations surrounding conversion, reverse mission, and the concept of multiple religious identities, this book stands out as a vital resource for students and scholars of world Christianity, missiology, and the history of Christianity. It is also essential reading for those engaged in Southeast Asian studies, secular sociology, and anthropology focused on religious phenomena.
This volume compellingly investigates the history of Oneness Pentecostalism in North America, thoroughly mapping its significant ideas, arguments, historical developments, and influential figures. It corrects enduring misinterpretations and highlights the critical roles that race and gender have played in shaping the movement's growth and direction.
Emerging from the transformative Azusa Street Revival (1906-1909), Oneness Pentecostalism sets itself apart by baptizing its followers in the name of Jesus Christ alone rather than invoking the traditional triadic formula of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Splintering from trinitarian Pentecostals, this movement experienced remarkable growth in the twentieth century, especially within ethnic minority communities, leading to a rich tapestry of theological, ethnic, and cultural expressions.
This book actively engages with the multicultural dimensions of the movement throughout the twentieth century. While many interpretations focus on a restorationist view, presenting Oneness Pentecostalism as static and unchanging, the contributors to this work reveal a much more dynamic reality. They argue that understanding the movement's history and theology requires a nuanced perspective rooted in the diverse North American contexts where Oneness Pentecostalism has flourished and evolved.
This groundbreaking and interdisciplinary volume offers diverse perspectives on a significant religious movement within the larger Pentecostal narrative. It is a vital resource for religious studies scholars and a profound reflection for practitioners of Oneness Pentecostalism, inviting a deeper understanding of its modern origins and vibrant impact.
Religion Online provides compelling insights into the role of religiosity in today’s digital age, thoroughly exploring how digital media intersects with faith communities and practices. Recent studies on Apple users, video gaming, virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, digital music, and the role of sports in religion highlight a crucial realization: media and religion, once viewed as distinct, are often intertwined. In this two-volume set, you will discover how believers embrace the Internet amid significant cultural transformations, including rising secularization, the trend toward autonomous worship, millennials’ passion for new media, and the growing influence of fundamentalism in the Global South.
Unlike other works presenting case studies, this book delves deep into integrating new media within the core of religious belief, behavior, and community dynamics. Each chapter thoughtfully examines digital media’s evolution, current landscape, and future implications on a broad spectrum of faith traditions, from mainstream Christianity to emerging spiritual movements. Moreover, the book investigates the global effects of digital media on beliefs and practices, underscoring the importance of cultural study, mainly through anthropology, in recognizing this technological era as pivotal as the Industrial Revolution itself. Embrace this opportunity to understand the profound relationship between faith and technology in our modern world.
The essays in the second edition of *Paul Unbound: Other Perspectives on the Apostle* serve as a vital resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students seeking to understand the complexities of Paul's engagement with the Roman Empire. This edition delves into topics such as the economy, his adversaries, ethnicity, the law, Judaism, women, and Greco-Roman rhetoric. Esteemed contributors—Warren Carter, Charles H. Cosgrove, A. Andrew Das, Steven J. Friesen, Mark D. Given, Deborah Krause, Mark D. Nanos, and Jerry L. Sumney—have not only expanded their original essays but also meticulously updated the bibliography to incorporate significant scholarship from the past decade. This comprehensive approach makes it an essential read for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of Paul’s multifaceted legacy.
This compelling book introduces the vibrant discipline of evangelical theology. In harmony with the global Lausanne Movement, the authors firmly position Scripture and mission as the field's foundational methodologies. Evangelical Theology explores essential themes such as atonement, conversion, justification, and sanctification. It delves into the latest advancements in trinitarian theology and pneumatology, making it a necessary read for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of evangelical thought.
