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Dive into the transformative power of the early church with The Fire is Not Optional: Recovering the Baptism of Jesus and the Message of the Early Church. This compelling exploration of the Book of Acts unveils the raw, unfiltered sermons that turned the world upside down, revealing a gospel centered not on fear or condemnation, but on the radical grace and resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Author and Speaker, Bill Vanderbush, takes readers on a journey through the first sermons preached by the apostles, illuminating the simplicity and power of their message: Jesus is risen, and His ...

The story of the church is important for Christians to know, for it contains rich and uplifting stories of God’s dealings with His people. Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson takes the listener on a tour of the Christian history, featuring stories and songs to give believers a sense of their place in God’s kingdom and to encourage them in their walk.

In this modern classic, Frank Sheed, renowned Catholic author and lecturer, shows us how to know Christ as he actually lived among his people. Through the lens of the Gospel, Sheed shines a light on his relationships and interrogates how and why he was seen as he was, deepening our knowledge and strengthening our faith along the way.

In this fresh creative approach to theology, Elizabeth Johnson asks how we can understand cosmic redemption in a time of advancing ecological devastation. In effect, how can we extend the core Christian belief in salvation to include all created beings? Immediately this question runs into a formidable obstacle: the idea that Jesus's death on the cross was required as atonement for human sin-a theology laid out by the 11th-century theologian St. Anselm. 

The most theologically complex Gnostic gospel—finally made readable. The Gospel of Philip is one of the most challenging and misunderstood texts from early Christianity. Discovered among the Nag Hammadi library in 1945, it reflects a mature Gnostic Christian tradition concerned not with narrative storytelling, but with symbolic theology, sacramental practice, and spiritual transformation. Unlike other Nag Hammadi gospels such as the Gospel of Thomas, Philip preserves the only complete sacramental system to survive from Gnostic Christianity. Its dense Valentinian vocabulary and fragmentary...

A History of the Popes tells the story of the oldest living institution in the Western world—the papacy. From its origins in Saint Peter, Jesus' chief disciple, through Pope Benedict XVI today, the popes have been key players in virtually all of the great dramas of the western world in the last two thousand years. Acclaimed church historian John W. O'Malley's engaging narrative examines the 265 individuals who have claimed to be Peter's successors. Rather than describe each pope one by one, the book focuses on the popes that shaped pivotal moments in both church and world history.

“Scripture frequently sums up a man’s life in a single sentence.” – Charles Spurgeon Inspired by the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, Warren Wiersbe launched a personal study of the lives of prominent Bible characters. Interested in more than biographical facts, Wiersbe sought out the...

Martin Luther started a reformation movement that revolutionized Europe in the sixteenth century. His far-reaching reforms of theological understanding and church practices radically modified both church and society in Europe and beyond. Paulson's introduction to Luther's thought provides an engaging introduction to Luther's multifaceted self and the ideas that catapulted him to fame.

Five hundred years after Martin Luther and his Ninety-Five Theses ushered in the Reformation, best-selling author and controversial bishop and teacher John Shelby Spong delivers 12 forward-thinking theses to spark a new reformation to reinvigorate Christianity and ensure its future. Spong contends that there is mounting pressure among Christians for a radically new kind of Christianity - a faith deeply connected to the human experience instead of outdated dogma.

Theology matters! At last it can be understood easily, thanks to this “layman's language” approach to biblical belief. Authored by J. I. Packer, one of the premier theologians of Christianity, this summary of Christian teaching covers nearly 100 major Christian beliefs from a Reformed perspective. Brief, easy-to-understand chapters offer precise descriptions without sacrificing depth. Thoughtfully arranged and refreshingly readable, this is a book that belongs in the audio library of every Christian.

The Westminster Assembly is celebrated for its doctrinal standards and debates on church polity. But how often is the assembly noted for its extraordinary intervention in the pulpit ministry of the Church of England? Chad Van Dixhoorn recounts the Puritan quest for a reformation in preachers and preaching and how the Westminster Assembly fit into that movement. He examines the assembly’s reform efforts, tracing debates and exploring key documents about preaching in a way that highlights disagreements within the assembly’s ranks and showcases their collective plan for the church going forward.

Does salvation hinge on divine decree or human choice? Are we puppets in a predetermined script, or does grace invite everyone to respond? For centuries, these questions have fueled some of the most passionate debates in Christian history. Some insist that God selects only a chosen few, while others hold fast to the belief that anyone can accept His grace. If you’ve ever wrestled with these ideas—or want to understand why so many do—this book is for you. This is not just another theology book. It’s a clear, compelling guide to Arminianism, the often-misunderstood perspective that ...

In this classic of comparative religion, Manly Hall marshals his considerable familiarity with world religious traditions to argue that sound biblical interpretation requires cross-referencing all the great schools of ancient religion and considering them as one composite structure.

The acclaimed author of Culture Warlords investigates the rise of the Christian Right over the last half-century that lays out the grim vision evangelicals are enforcing on our democracy. "An investigative triumph and a warning." —David Corn, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Russian...

Herman Bavinck looms large as one of the nineteenth century's greatest Christian thinkers, contributing much to modern Reformed theology. Yet, despite his theological prowess, Bavinck was first and foremost concerned with being “a worthy follower of Jesus.” In this book, John Bolt―editor of the English edition of Bavinck’s four-volume masterpiece, Reformed Dogmatics―brings the great Dutch theologian’s life and work to bear on following Jesus in the twenty-first century, helping us see the direct connection between robust theology, practical holiness, and personal joy.

This book presents the life, thought, and work of Marcion in its historical, theological, ethical, and liturgical contexts. It distinguishes itself from its competitors by employing a new method: rigorously critiquing heresy reports by means of the testimony of Marcion's own scriptures. It devotes attention to the reliable reconstruction of those scriptures, arguing for the chronological priority of Marcion's Gospel over what is now known as canonical Luke.

In The Victory of Reason, Rodney Stark advances a revolutionary, controversial, and long overdue idea: that Christianity and its related institutions are, in fact, directly responsible for the most significant intellectual, political, scientific, and economic breakthroughs of the past millennium. In Stark's view, what has propelled the West is not the tension between secular and non-secular society, nor the pitting of science and the humanities against religious belief. Christian theology, Stark asserts, is the very font of reason.

When Father Gabriele Amorth died in 2016, he was the world's most famous exorcist, a legendary, miraculous chaser of demons. To the many he served, Father was a godsend, freeing them from years of demonic oppression; to others, he was just a crank an extremist priest who saw the Devil everywhere. In these never-before-published interviews, Father Amorth takes you into his private world, giving you a harrowing vision of his daily battles with the Devil. You'll encounter a solid Christian and a humble priest, one who jokes and takes life as God—or the Devil!—hands it to him.

On October 31, 1517, an unknown monk nailed a theological pamphlet to a church door in a small university town and set in motion a process that helped usher in the modern world. Within a few years, Luther's ideas had spread like wildfire. His attempts to reform Christianity by returning it to its biblical roots split the Western Church, divided Europe, and polarized people's beliefs.

Bestselling author Kevin DeYoung explores the history, meaning, and importance of the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is a fundamental text that Christians have memorized and recited in church services and personal prayers for centuries. Despite its deep roots, many believers today recite the creed as a routine, often without fully understanding its meaning and significance.