Using the writings of the founders and records of their conversations and activities, John Eidsmoe demonstrates the influence of Christianity on the... political convictions of the founding fathers.

Written by Joseph Ratzinger shortly before he became Pope Benedict XVI, Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures looks at the growing conflict of... cultures evident in the Western world. The West faces a deadly contradiction of its own making, he contends. Terrorism is on the rise. Technological advances of the West, employed by people who have cut themselves off from the moral wisdom of the past, threaten to abolish man (as C.S. Lewis put it)—whether through genetic manipulation or physical annihilation.In short, the West is at war—with itself. Its scientific outlook has brought material progress. The Enlightenment’s appeal to reason has achieved a measure of freedom. But contrary to what many people suppose, both of these accomplishments depend on Judeo-Christian foundations, including the moral worldview that created Western culture.More than anything else, argues Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, the important contributions of the West are threatened today by an exaggerated scientific outlook and by moral relativism—what Benedict XVI calls "the dictatorship of relativism"—in the name of freedom.Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures is no mere tirade against the moral decline of the West. Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI challenges the West to return to its roots by finding a place for God in modern culture. He argues that both Christian culture and the Enlightenment formed the West, and that both hold the keys to human life and freedom as well as to domination and destruction. Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI challenges non-believer and believer alike. "Both parties," he writes, "must reflect on their own selves and be ready to accept correction." He challenges secularized, unbelieving people to open themselves to God as the ground of true rationality and freedom. He calls on believers to "make God credible in this world by means of the enlightened faith they live." Topics include: • Reflections on the Cultures in Conflict Today • The Significance and Limits of Today’s Rationalistic Culture • The Permanent Significance of the Christian Faith • Why We Must Not Give Up the Fight • The Law of the Jungle, the Rule of Law • We Must Use Our Eyes! • Faith and Everyday Life • Can Agnosticism Be a Solution? • The Natural Knowledge of God • "Supernatural" Faith and Its Origins

In our post-Cold War, post-colonial, post-Christian world, Western culture is experiencing a dramatic shift. Correspondingly, says Myron Penner, recent... philosophy has taken a postmodern turn in which traditional concepts of reality, truth, language, and knowledge have been radically altered, if not discarded. Here James K.A. Smith, John Franke, Merold Westphal, Kevin Vanhoozer, Douglas Geivett, and R. Scott Smith respond to the question, "What perils and/or promises does the postmodern turn hold for the tasks of Christian thinkers?" Addressing topics such as the nature of rationality and biblical faith, the relationship of language to reality, and the impact of postmodern concerns on ethics, this book presents a variety of positions in vigorous dialogue with each other.

The rise of Christianity during the first four centuries of the common era was the pivotal development in Western history and profoundly influenced the... later direction of all world history. Yet, for all that has been written on early Christian history, the primary sources for this history are widely scattered, difficult to find, and generally unknown to lay persons and to historians not specially trained in the field.In Christianity and the Roman Empire Ralph Novak interweaves these primary sources with a narrative text and constructs a single continuous account of these crucial centuries. The primary sources are selected to emphasize the manner in which the government and the people of the Roman Empire perceived Christians socially and politically; the ways in which these perceptions influenced the treatment of Christians within the Roman Empire; and the manner in which Christians established their political and religious dominance of the Roman Empire after Constantine the Great came to power in the early fourth century CE. Ralph Martin Novak holds a Masters Degree in Roman History from the University of Chicago.For: Undergraduates; seminarians; general audiences>

The 100th Anniversary Edition of the Classic That Changed the American Church Forever Published at the beginning of the twentieth century,... Christianity and the Social Crisis is the epoch-making book that dramatically expanded the church’s vision of how it could transform the world. The 100th anniversary edition updates this classic with new essays by leading preachers and theologians.

From Socrates and the Sophists to Kant, from Augustine to Aquinas and the Reformers, Colin Brown traces the turbulent, often tension-filled, always... fascinating story of the thinkers, ideas and movements that have shaped our intellectual landscape. Is philosophy the "handmaiden of faith" or "the doctrine of demons"? Does it clarify the faith or undermine the very heart of Christian belief? Brown writes, "This book is about the changes in preconceptions, world views and paradigms that have affected the ways in which people have thought about religion in general and Christianity in particular in the Western world. . . . It is a historical sketch, written to help students--and anyone else who might be interested--to get a better grasp of the love-hate relationship between philosophy and faith that has gone on for close to two thousand years." Students, pastors and thoughtful Christians will benefit from this rich resource. The first in a three-volume work, Brown's easy-to-read, hard-to-put-down introduction to Christianity and Western thought focuses on developments from the ancient world to the Age of Enlightenment.

The new edition of this popular textbook by leading theologian, Alister E. McGrath, will be essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the... dynamics of the world’s largest religion. Fully revised to include greater coverage of the Catholic perspective, contemporary issues, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women, this is a truly comprehensive, lively, and jargon-free introduction to Christianity. Written for beginners to this subject, and assumes no knowledge of Christian beliefs or practices. Includes an introduction to biblical sources and discussion of the central figure of Jesus. Features comprehensive discussions of Christian theology, the history of Christianity from its origins to the present day, and Christianity in the modern world. Increases coverage of contemporary issues, the Catholic perspective, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women Contains accessible and student-friendly features, including numerous illustrations, suggestions for further reading, a glossary of Christian terms, and brief readings from illustrative Christian sources.

The new edition of this popular textbook by leading theologian, Alister E. McGrath, will be essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the... dynamics of the world’s largest religion. Fully revised to include greater coverage of the Catholic perspective, contemporary issues, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women, this is a truly comprehensive, lively, and jargon-free introduction to Christianity. Written for beginners to this subject, and assumes no knowledge of Christian beliefs or practices. Includes an introduction to biblical sources and discussion of the central figure of Jesus. Features comprehensive discussions of Christian theology, the history of Christianity from its origins to the present day, and Christianity in the modern world. Increases coverage of contemporary issues, the Catholic perspective, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women Contains accessible and student-friendly features, including numerous illustrations, suggestions for further reading, a glossary of Christian terms, and brief readings from illustrative Christian sources.

<div><span style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt">This new introductory textbook locates... Christianity in its global context. It is structured by geographical region, covering Latin America, North America, Asia, Africa and Europe. This guide is designed to explore the varied expressions of Christianity worldwide. Clearly organized and comprehensive, it deals with four dimensions of Christianity in each context: history, churches and society, interreligious relations, distinctive worship and theology.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span> <br/><div> </div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">This is the perfect text for anyone who wants to understand the largest of faiths on the world stage.</span></div>>

Written by contributing scholars who are experts in specific facets of developing Christianity, this survey provides a well-rounded introduction... to the history of Christianity and is ideal for anyone interested in the impact of Christianity of world culture down through history. It shows how Christianity emerged from its original Jewish context and developed into a worldwide religion, offering perceptive studies on how its origins and development were influenced by the changing social and cultural contexts in which the founders and leaders of this tradition lived and thought. Provides detailed evidence of the influence of Greco-Roman and Jewish religious concepts and religious movements on the origins of Christianity, considers the structuring of the church conceptually and organizationally in Europe, and discusses Christianity's spread and growth in America and throughout the world. Looks at the profound impact of the culture of the later Roman and medieval world on the development of Christian doctrine and intellectual traditions and helps readers understand the reasons for the divisions between Catholic and Protestant traditions. For theologians.

At a time when Christianity is flourishing in the Southern Hempisphere but declining in much of the West, Linda Woodhead offers a bold new overview of... the world's largest religion, exploring the cultural and institutional dimensions of Christianity over two millennia. Christianity addresses topics that other books neglect, for example the competition for power between different forms of Christianity, the churches' uses of power, and their struggles with modernity. Woodhead also considers the recent charismatic explosion of Christianity in Latin America, Africa, and the Far East. She concludes by showing the ways in which those who previously had the least power in Christianity--women and non-Europeans--have become increaslingly central to its unfolding story. Up-to-date, authoritative, and filled with fresh insights, Christianity: A Very Short Introduction brings a vast and varied subject into sharp focus

Christianity has a deceptively simple core, but is an extremely diverse religion. Frankiel approaches that diversity by a historical study that traces... the contours of development and identifies some of the major different religious styles, worldviews, and directions within the religion. She then examines the characteristics of Christianity that endure over time those that make it distinct from other religions. This multidimensional approach provides a rich picture of Christianity by utilizing a variety of perspectives, bringing some material into view more than once to reinforce learning and provoke questions. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction II. The Historical Development of Christianity Organization and Development / The Church in the Later Empire / Eastern and Western Branches of the Church / The Western Middle Ages / European Religious Reformation / New Worlds / Modern Developments in Christianity III. Structures of the Christian Life The Christian Story / The Meaning of Salvation / Spiritual Knowledge: Creed and Doctrine in Christianity / The Drama of Transformation: From Baptism to Eucharist / The Church as Holy Community / The Life of the Church / Jesus as Model of the Christian's Personal Life IV. Dynamics of Christian Life The Pilgrimage to Compostela / The Route of the Pilgrim / The Meaning of the Pilgrimage / Lyman Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe / The World of Lyman Beecher / Harriet Beecher Stowe / American Protestantism in a New Generation Title of related interest also from Waveland Press: Ferguson, Christian Thought: An Introduction (ISBN 9781577661207).

You've prayed the sinner's prayer. You know that if you die tonight, you'll go to heaven. But Todd Hunter believes Christianity is a not merely a... secure death. Which means that eternal life--abundant life--begins on earth, as soon as we become a follower of Jesus. Drawing from his leadership and ministry experience as president of Alpha USA and from his own study and life experiences as an ordinary Christian, Hunter calls us to reframe our salvation and discipleship to focus on life, instead of just heaven and hell. God's intention, he says, is for us to become God's cooperative friends, seeking to live consistent lives of creative goodness for the sake of others. These pages lead us into this abundant way of living, offering Jesus came that we might have life--not just in heaven, but here on earth where he walked and lived among us. And your friends who are hurting, hopeless or hungry for something real need to see what difference life in Christ makes. This timely, biblical paradigm from Todd Hunter will inspire and equip you to live your days with intention, participating in God's work in the world today. It just might change the way you look at life forever.

What should Christians do to protect the Earth and its people?Amounts and patterns of consumption and production in the West have reached a level that... cannot be maintained. Lifestyles based on our present way of creating and using energy are no longer environmentally sustainable--and are threatening the health and well-being of both planet and people. Our activities and the policies that shape them need to change. In light of those realities, Spencer, White, and Vroblesky offer serious Christian engagement with the emerging issue of Sustainable Consumption and Production. They analyze the scientific, sociological, economic, and theological thinking that makes a Christian response to these trends imperative and distinctive. And they offer practical conclusions that explore and explain what can be done at the personal, community, national, and international levels to ensure that next generations will have the resources necessary for life.Firmly rooted in the good news of the Christian faith, this is, above all, a constructive and hopeful book that offers a realistic vision of what the future could and should look like.This book is endorsed by A Rocha: Christians in Conservation, The Jubliee Centre, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, and The Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies.