Erasmus yearned to make the Bible an effective instrument of reform in society, church, and everyday life. To this end, he composed the Paraphrases, in which the words of Holy Scripture provide the core of a text vastly expanded to embrace the reforming 'philosophy of Christ.' Matthew was Erasmus's first paraphrased Gospel and was thus the great theologian's first opportunity to set out a full portrait of the life of Jesus.In this Paraphrase, the wonderfu...

LOST BOYSynopsisIt was supposed to be quick, in and out. A put the tim down type of lick, that’s all. But it all went so very wrong…fast. Jabari had this crazy passion for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and making a helluva lot of wrong decisions. His homeboy paid a price for it with his life and Jabari ends up with two bodies on his hands.He needs to obtain money back that was stolen from a slick, ghetto, sheisty District Attorney, then...

Over 3 million copies sold! Essential reading for Catholics of all walks of life.Here it is: the first new Catechism of the Catholic Church in more than 400 years, a complete summary of what Catholics around the world commonly believe.The Catechism draws on the Bible, the Mass, the Sacraments, Church tradition and teaching, and the lives of saints. It comes with a complete index, footnotes and cross-references for a fuller understanding of...

Writing to a Roman layman and enquiring Christian named Lawrence in AD 421, Augustine intended The Handbook: A Guide on Faith, Hope, and Love as a guide for catechesis and spiritual development. In this strikingly concise book, he breaks down Christian life to its most basic elements–faith, hope, and love–and by examining these central commitments he provides one of the most accessible and direct introductions to Christianity and to his thought.The Handbook

New York Times–bestselling author Garry Wills provides a provocative analysis of the theological and historical basis for the priesthoodIn a riveting and provocative tour de force from the author of What Jesus Meant, Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Wills poses the challenging question: Why did the priesthood develop in a religion that began without it and, indeed, was opposed to it? Why Priests? argues brilliantly and persuasively fo...

Ancient Christians invoked sin to account for an astonishing range of things, from the death of God's son to the politics of the Roman Empire that worshipped him. In this book, award-winning historian of religion Paula Fredriksen tells the surprising story of early Christian concepts of sin, exploring the ways that sin came to shape ideas about God no less than about humanity.Long before Christianity, of course, cultures had articulated the idea that human wrongdoing violated relat...

Revised Edition with amendments following the publication of the Editio Typica, containing extended subject index and the Reader's Guide to Themes.The first edition of the new Catechism went out across the world in many language versions. This gave the local Churches the chance to study it in depth. Through their bishops and teachers they responded with comments on texts that needed refinement. The present edition was developed in the light of these commen...

In times of conflict, the Bible is often used as a club to beat those whose opinions differ from one's own. We recoil from such usage, yet the Bible actually represents many diverse and conflicting points of view. It is like a library, full of books that speak to all sides of every question.Like Christians today, the communities and individuals who wrote the biblical texts often strongly disagree with each other. Ruth and Ezra, Isaiah and Ezekiel, Micah and Joel, Deuteronomy and Da...

"Important both historically and theologically. Readers will not be able to see the New Testament in the same way again." —Marcus Borg, author of The Heart of Christianity" A New New Testament does what some of us never dreamed possible: it opens the treasure chest of early Christian writings, restoring a carefully select few of them to their rightful place in the broad conversation about who Jesus was, what he did and taught, and what all...

This Very Short Introduction to Christian ethics introduces the topic by examining its sources and historical basis. D. Stephen Long presents a discussion of the relationship between Christian ethics, modern, and postmodern ethics, and explores practical issues including sex, money, and power. Long recognises the inherent difficulties in bringing together 'Christian' and 'ethics' but argues that this is an important task for both the Christian faith and for ethics. Arguing that Ch...

Combines a serious examination of the state of today's church and a powerful solution: reclaiming the gospel of grace found in the confessional truths of the Reformation.Though the Christian church has achieved a worldly sort of success-big numbers, big budgets, big outreaches-these are not good days for evangelicalism. Attendance is down, and it is increasingly difficult to distinguish so-called "believers" from their non-Christian neighbors-all because the gospel of grace has bee...

An image rich, passage-by-passage commentary that integrates relevant historical and cultural insights, providing a deeper dimension of perspective to the words of the New Testament.Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into new focus. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. With the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, you'll...