Серия "Topical Line Drives"

What if someone you thought you knew very well started behaving strangely? What would you do? Now suppose the person acting strange was — God? Jonah thought he knew God. In fact, he was a prophet. He knew he heard God’s voice. Life might have its difficulties, but no matter what happened, he could count on his God. Then one day God started saying things he couldn’t possibly mean.

Why do well-meaning, intelligent people disagree about the Bible? What should I do when people disagree? How can I use disagreement to help me understand the Bible more clearly? If I can't agree with someone on how to read the Bible, does it mean the end of fellowship? How many times have you had a conversation with someone that involved a disagreement over the Bible? And how many times have these conversations led to interruptions of friendships or even extended family disputes? Some of...

The book of James has gotten a bad rap amongst Christians, especially modern protestants. It's often considered not as theologically serious as the writings of Paul, nor as gracious as the gospels. For some it's too works-oriented, for others just a bit obscure. Some have even questioned whether it is truly a Christian book. Let's face it. You're much more likely to see a seminary course on Romans or Galatians than on James, or to hear a sermon, for that matter! Bruce...

You've been a lectionary preacher throughout your ministry. You like the discipline of dealing with the scripture of the week rather than just grabbing something that is easy for you to handle. You're willing to preach on the hard stuff. But what about the rest of scripture, those passages that never appear in the weekly readings from the Revised Common Lectionary? Are you and your congregation missing something that could be of great benefit? Dr. David Ackerman, who writes the...

All of humanity lives with the certainty of death. In this world we do not live forever. But what happens afterward? Is there something beyond the grave? How should we react to the loss of loved ones, whether through an untimely accident or old age? With one foot in the world of theological reflection and the other in the untidy nature of daily life and of spirituality in action, Dr. Bruce Epperly embraces hope while recognizing fear, adventure even in lives touched by regret, and confidence...

How can we respond spiritually when a pandemic hits our nation? How can our faith help us to face our fears, going beyond panic and denial, to hopeful and courageous action? The Coronavirus is changing everything in our society. It can provoke isolation and self-interested individualism. It can also inspire kindness, generosity, patience, and compassion. Facing the pandemic with God as our companion will deepen our sense of agency as well as peace and move us from self-interest and...

Christian apologetics suffers from a reputation for loud arguments, canned answers, and a fascination with technical details. Some Christians avoid apologetics because they are either concerned about offending people, or because they are afraid they will be unable to answer technical questions. These concerns and fears are unnecessary. Elgin Hushbeck, Jr., unapologetic Christian apologist points the way toward a Christian witness that is positive, and is possible for everyone. In fact,...

In Christianity: The Basics , Elgin Hushbeck presents the basic doctrines that have defined orthodox Christianity down through the ages, giving a basic defense for this core of the Christian Faith. He also addresses questions such as can we really know and understand what the Bible teaches; isn’t it all just a matter of interpretation; and what do we mean when we say someone is, or is not, a Christian? This is a serious study, but is written in language that anyone can understand. It is...

How do our spiritual beliefs and practices link to our ethics and our care for the natural world around us? John B. Cobb, Jr. and Jay McDaniel join together to provide a view of life that is refreshing, challenging, and expansive. It could even be called all-encompassing. Rather than looking just at how human life can be preserved, with the world itself and the universe beyond as a sort of backdrop, they look at life and divinity in all things, and ask us to look for a way of life that affirms...

Is it possible to think of God as beautiful? We tend to think of God with superlatives, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and infinity. By their very nature, these words tend to also make us see God as distant. It seems almost sacreligious to speak of God in the terms we might use for any other person. Very few would think to call God beautiful. In this book, theologian and pastor Patricia Adams Farmer looks at God in precisely those terms, inviting us to move beyond limiting ways we have of...

Climate Change has become a major topic of debate in today’s politics, with some advocating serious changes in policy in response to it, and others suggesting that scientists and politicians are misreading, misrepresenting, and misapplying the data. Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. is not afraid to challenge scientific orthodoxy, and in fact believes it is very important that we do so. In this little book, he gives an introduction to a number of problems that he and others see with the apparent consensus...

A pastor says, «If you think you understand the trinity, you've probably fallen into heresy.» An expert in biblical studies says, «The trinity is one of the best ways ever invented to say, 'We don't have a clue!'» Many people say the trinity is not found in the Bible, so what is it doing as a doctrine? This lively and challenging book asks you to think about the trinity, what it means, how it came to be, and what value it might have in Christian conversation today. If you...

A “chance” meeting with a thirsty little girl on a back street in Haiti and God’s plan is received by the author, forever changing his life and that of his family. “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup and of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” – Matthew 10:42 What “cup of water” is Jesus asking you to deliver? What is your mission in this world? Are you willing to obey? Will you spend your life fishing safely from...