Showing titles in Biblical History & Culture

The most famous of all English Bibles, the King James Version, was the culmination of centuries of work by various translators, from John Wycliffe, the 14 century catalyst of English Bible translation, to the committee of scholars who collaborated on the King James translation. Wide as the Waters examines the life and work of Wycliffe and recounts the tribulations of his successors, including William Tyndale, who was martyred, Miles Coverdale, and others who came to bitter ends.

The First Book of Enoch (Ethiopian Enoch), or "The Book of Watchers," is a well-known Jewish composition from the Second Temple era. It’s a tale of a seer’s heavenly journey, fallen angels, giants, and visions of God’s throne, now in a new translation. But don’t read Enoch in the archaic language that mimics the most popular Bible of the bygone era. This new translation presents the ancient text in modern, easy-to-read English. The primary goal of this edition was to produce an English text of Enoch that is accessible to an average modern reader, intelligible, and aesthetically ...

Women were there. For centuries, discussions of early Christianity have focused on male leaders in the church. But there is ample evidence right in the New Testament that women were actively involved in ministry, at the frontier of the gospel mission, and as respected leaders. Nijay Gupta calls us to bring these women out of the shadows by shining light on their many inspiring contributions to the planting, growth, and health of the first Christian churches.

Embark on an extraordinary journey back in time to unearth the secrets of the earliest Christian texts with "The Nag Hammadi Library: A Beginner's Guide". This meticulously crafted guide unlocks the mysteries of ancient scriptures discovered in Egypt in 1945, offering a fascinating glimpse into a profound era of spiritual exploration. Discover the Hidden Wisdom: Delve into the Gnostic gospels, philosophical writings, and mystical scriptures that were hidden away for centuries. Uncover the teachings that challenged the very foundation of early Christian thought and learn why these texts were...

The Feasts of Israel, set by God, are not only commemorative in a historical context, but are also prophetic. The first three feasts in the first month point to the Messiah's First Coming; the last three feasts in the seventh month to his Second Coming. The middle feast highlights the Church, in more ways than is generally recognized. This briefing reveals the rich background of these feasts with many surprises for the Biblical believer and yet only scratches the surface.

Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories.

The Christian religion is the historical unfolding of God's covenantal involvement in this world, the culmination of which is God's coming into this world in the person of Jesus Christ. Far as the Curse Is Found is a retelling of the biblical story of God's unfolding covenant from creation to new creation

Guiding us through a rich tapestry of new discoveries and ancient scriptures, The Jewish Gospels makes the powerful case that our conventional understandings of Jesus and of the origins of Christianity are wrong. In Boyarin's scrupulously detailed account, the coming of the messiah was fully imagined in the ancient Jewish texts. Jesus, moreover, was embraced by many Jews as this person, and his core teachings were not at all a break from Jewish beliefs and teachings. Jesus and his followers, Boyarin reveals, were simply Jewish.

The easy accessibility of the Bible in most of the world's major languages can obscure a dramatic and sometimes unexpected story. In Know How We Got Our Bible, scholars Ryan Reeves and Charles Hill trace the history of the Bible from its beginnings to the present day, highlighting key figures...

As a boy, Jesus was a refugee, an outsider, an immigrant in Galilee in which he grew up, and affected by horrific atrocities by the occupying Roman overlords. All this and more is explored in this scholarly but highly accessible investigation into the world of Jesus, ranging from his birth to...

No matter your season of life as a woman, you long to be loved and appreciated. But perhaps most days you're left feeling unseen, unheard, or unknown. Though centuries apart from your life today, the women who knew Jesus faced similar fears and insecurities. Their names aren't etched onto the pages of Scripture, but they are etched into the heart of God. In this book, Paige Allen invites you to take a second look at the life-changing encounters of seven unnamed women who came face-to-face with Jesus in the Bible.

Historical Theology presents the key pillars of the contemporary church and the development of those doctrines as they evolved from the history of Christian thought. Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs in a strict chronological manner with the classic theological loci...

The Book of Enoch: A Complete Guide and Reference is the ultimate reference and guide to the book of 1 Enoch (The Ethiopic Book of Enoch). This guide and reference contains the author's notes and insights on the ancient text, as well as commentary, parallel Bible verses, references to 2 Enoch and 3 Enoch, history, prophecy, and the Calendar of Enoch. The author has included an amazing section on the application of the Calendar of Enoch to the prophecy of Daniel and "Daniel's Week of Years."

Has God abandoned Israel? Has the Church “replaced” Israel? What does the Bible say? As we watch the world events, it is clear that Israel is following her prophetic scenario, and a new chapter is about to be written - and there may be a big surprise on our near horizon!

Is God a sadistic torturer? Coldhearted judge? Genocidal maniac? Unfortunately, our popular caricatures often make him out to be. God has some skeletons in the closet. At least, that's what many of us fear. "How can a loving God send people to hell?" "Isn't it arrogant to believe Jesus is the only way to God?" "What is up with holy war in the Old Testament?" These are difficult questions that our family, our friends, our culture - even we ourselves - are asking.

Are you settling for half the story? Highlighting connections that have been hidden from non-Jewish eyes, Rabbi Jason Sobel will connect the dots between the Old and New Testament, helping you see the Bible with clarity as God intended. Most people—even people of faith—do not understand how...

The word that perhaps best characterizes the Puritans and Covenanters is faithfulness. Whether Edward Dering preaching boldly before a fuming Queen Elizabeth, Sandy Peden evading the king's men on horse, or Hugh Mackail undergoing the torture of "the Boot" and then execution for his faith, the Puritans' and Covenanters' courage and conviction shines as bright as ever today.

Refusing to practice a religion foreign to your conscience and belief is the very epitome of what it means to be Protestant. When a tyrannical power forbids a people from practicing according to their own religious belief and conscience, and they do so anyway, even if in secret, they are acting in Protest. James A. Wylie brings the principle that is Protestantism nearer in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ to its beginning. We learn in these pages that there were protesters long before the moniker became universally used following the 16th century.

The differences and discrepancies in the Gospels constitute the foremost objections to their reliability and the credibility of their message. Some have tried to resolve Gospels contradictions with strained harmonization efforts. Many others conclude that the Gospels are hopelessly contradictory...

Does God call women to serve as equal partners in marriage and as leaders in the church? The answer to this straightforward question is deeply contested. Into the fray, Lucy Peppiatt offers her work on interpretation of the Bible and Christian practice.