Denominational Concerns
Showing 451–500 of 737 results
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Cost Of Certainty
$17.95Add to cartThe Cost of Certainty explores a fundamental ambiguity in mainstream Christian teaching: although the church claims that God’s love is unconditional, he only accepts those who believe in Jesus Christ and have repented of their sins. This gospel of conditional love breeds anxiety and polarization.
Young shows how this demeans the true message of the gospels. He argues for the recovery of a spirituality of uncertainty and unconditional love as a basis for a renewal of contemporary Christian faith and practice.
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Scriptural Exposition Of The Baptist Catechism
$18.00Add to cartThe recent reprint of The Baptist Catechism has given families and study classes a helpful tool for memorizing the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Now, a hidden jewel, Benjamin Beddome’s ‘A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism,’ takes its place alongside the Catechism to give much needed assistance to the same families and classes. Beddome shows how the doctrines contained in the Catechism are founded upon Scripture, and explains them for all to understand.
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Dream Of God
$19.95Add to cartRe-awaken your sense of calling and your desire for truth.
A classic book by this contemporary prophet who has touched lives and transformed hearts with her books, preaching, teaching, and lay group work. Through adept storytelling and Bible study, she reawakens our sense of calling, reminding us of God’s dream for us: not merely to worship Jesus but to follow Him. -
Why Havent You Left
$26.95Add to cartAs a missionary in the Sudan, amid unrest and war following Sudanese independence, Nikkel wrote these quasi-public letters-missionary epistles-to his friends and supporters back home in the US. These letters present a vivid picture of daily struggle in a impoverished, war-torn, but lavishly beautiful country.
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Brush With God
$27.95Add to cartFor more than a thousand years, Eastern Christians have used their hands and hearts to create icons, proclaiming God’s reality in a visible?and breathtakingly beautiful?way. This ancient art is enjoying a renewed interest in the West, as people of faith create icons and use them to meditate on mysteries for which there are no words. A Brush With God is a guide to painting icons and using them in prayer. Written with warmth and energy, it describes the history of icons and examines why they?ve been a spiritual tool for so many centuries. Written from a uniquely Western perspective, the book guides artists?from novices to professionals?through the process of icon painting, using traditional techniques but employing contemporary materials. Included are eight full-color plates of the artist’s icons.
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Hearts To Heaven And Tempers Raise
$14.49Add to cartLike a favourite TV comedy series, Reg Frary returns with another collection of all-too believable stories about anarchy and revolt waiting to break out in the choirstalls. They may look angelic in their robes, and may (on rare occasions) even sound like angels, but it’s a dirty game keeping one step ahead of the vicar’s trendy ideas and the choir director’s aspirations to dictatorship. It all necessitates frequent councils of war down at the Dog and Duck after practice…
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Prayers From The Darkness
$20.95Add to cartThe “difficult psalms” shock us with their cries of pain, anger, and alienation. Lyn Fraser, following the lead of Walter Brueggemann, shows how to integrate these “psalms of disorientation” in Sunday morning worship, pastorla care, and any situation of extreme need.
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Users Guide To Morning And Evening Prayer
$15.95Add to cartThe only way you can really get to know God is through prayer,says author Christopher L. Webber, “and the Prayer Book sets out a pattern that has been used by saints and sinners for centuries.This guide will help readers, newcomers and longtime Episcopalians alike get started on the ancient way of praying found in the Daily Office of the Book of Common Prayer. A User’s Guide illuminates the theology, history, and practical concerns of worshipping God in Morning and Evening Prayer. With the complete text of these prayer services, in both Rite I and Rite II, along with running commentary, this book takes Episcopalians by the hand as they explore and pray the Daily Office.
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Labyrinth Year : Walking The Seasons Of The Church
$17.95Add to cartPerhaps nothing expresses the mystery of our search for the divine as well as the labyrinth. A circular pathway based on spirals found in nature, the labyrinth is a time-honored spiritual tool in faith traditions as varied as Native American, Jewish, and Celtic. As seekers walk to the center of the labyrinth, their minds quiet and turn to God. Walking out again, they bring into the world the spiritual gifts they?ve received. In A Labyrinth Year, Kautz guides readers on a labyrinth pilgrimage that winds through the seasons of the liturgical year with devotions (to be used while walking the labyrinth) based on the thoughts and emotions of biblical characters whose stories are recalled in the seasonal scripture readings. As readers explore the journeys of these people of faith, they connect with the deeper meaning of the stories and learn to live them out in their own experience.
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Becoming Anabaptist : The Origin And Significance Of 16th Century Anabaptis (Rep
$26.99Add to cart1. Introduction
2. Anabaptism In Switzerland
3. South German And Moravian Anabaptism
4. Anabaptism In The Low Countries
5. The Meaning Of AnabaptismAdditional Info
When Becoming Anabaptist appeared in 1987, it was the first major study to incorporate the new history of multiple beginnings and diverse history of Anabaptism into a synthesis of meanings for the contemporary church. J. Denny Weaver’s second edition will continue to be welcomed by scholars and by church leaders alike. -
Discovering Girard
$16.95Add to cart“Really wonderful; an elegantly written initiation into the mimetic theory. I am lucky to have interpreters who understand what I want to say and who can write so well.”
-Rene GirardThe work of Rene Girard is hugely influential in literature and cultural studies. But it is in understanding the relationship between religion and violence that his theory has created its greatest impact. Girard’s understanding of mimetic rivalry and conflict and of scapegoating is seen by many to be the key to a completely new understanding of Christianity.
Girard’s name evokes curiosity and-often-strong feelings among devotees and skeptics. Discovering Girard is the first book to present Girard’s work to a wider audience. It explains and appraises Girard’s mimetic theory, shows its impact on theology and other disciplines, and manages to convey the excitement that a discovery of Girard’s ideas often generates in readers.
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This Bread And This Cup Childs Book
$10.95Add to cart1. Companionship: Sharing A Meal
2. Storytelling: How The Gospel Stories Tell Our Story
3. These Holy Things: What We Use In The Eucharist
4. Praying Together: The Shape Of The Eucharist
5. Manner And Customs: The Body Language Of PrayerAdditional Info
With This Bread and This Cup, children will learn about the sacrament of Eucharist while they’re having fun! From a guided tour of the church to hands-on time with the elements of communion to unique activities that explore the eucharistic service from The Book of Common Prayer, children will thoroughly enjoy these experiences designed to help them to join more fully with their parish community and the larger communion of saints. The program includes with an interactive Communion Service just for them!This full-color, interactive guidebook for children offers: Individual and shared activities Prayers and reflections Explanations and definitions of terms Writing and drawing space for personalizing
This Bread, This Cup is a program for children and their families. The intended age is 6-9 but younger works too in the program. The Child’s Book assumes the child can read, or it is used with a parent who does the reading.
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This Bread And This Cup Leaders Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$28.95Add to cartWhether you have a small group or a larger one, whether you want to structure the program in 2 sessions or 5, whether the children in your group are all the same age or not, you’ll have all the tools you need to customize a Communion instruction program that’s just right for your parish with these rich, adaptable resources.This Leader’s Guide is a comprehensive resource for clergy and lay people offering:
Background information on theology, leader reflection, goals, overview and materials lists Ways to invite children to participate more fully in the eucharistic service Explanations of what we do and say at Eucharist Prayers, activities and scripture stories Reproducible handouts to send home
This Bread and This Cup is a program for children and their families. The intended age is 6-9 but younger works too in the program. The Child’s Book assumes the child can read, or it is used with a parent who does the reading.
This invaluable new resource brings greater understanding and meaning to a key aspect of Christian formation: Holy Communion. With solid information, including a brief history of children at the Eucharist, current theological perspectives and practices and flexible, user-friendly sessions, leaders will find that this program fits a wide variety of parish needs.
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Waiting For The Wonder
$17.95Add to cartImagine the hushed excitement and the vivid anticipation of a child on Christmas Eve. How much more intense that anticipation must have been for those who waited for the wonder of the very first Christmas. From the ancient prophets to the three kings, from the angel Gabriel to the stalwart Joseph, Katarina Katsarka Whitley imagines their astonishment and joy at the events unfolding around them.
In her inimitable style, Whitley places herself in the hearts and minds of the biblical characters-both real and imagined-who played a part in the Christmas narrative. She weaves stories, solidly based in Scripture, at once compelling and thought-provoking. The voices of her characters lead us closer to the Christ Child and deepen the meaning of the season of Advent for twenty-first century readers.
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This Holy Mystery
$14.00Add to cartIt’s Communion Sunday. The service is a little longer, and the sacrament is observed with gravity. You know it’s important, but the wonder is lost. What does it all mean, really?
According to the results of a survey, you’re not alone. United Methodists have a strong sense of the importance of Holy Communion, but they also lack a meaningful understanding of the theology behind it. Reclaim a richer sacramental life in your congregation through a group study of This Holy Mystery.
In 2004, the General Conference of The United Methodist Church adopted an official interpretative document on Holy Communion. (Go here to download a copy.) For the first time in our history, the denomination has an official, comprehensive statement of the practice and theology of the Lord’s Supper. Now, it’s time for congregations to help members understand the observance.
“We believe that study of this document will yield increased appreciation for the sacrament in the worship experience and enable United Methodist people to draw nourishment and strength for their ongoing journeys of faith,” writes Felton.
This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion is a study guide of the General Conference approved document. An all-in-one resource, this book is for both participants and leaders. It’s divided into seven sessions, providing commentary on the history, practice, and principles of Holy Communion in United Methodist congregations. It also points to implication of the sacrament for ministry and mission.
We come to the Table of the Lord seeking to have our spiritual needs met. The benefits include forgiveness, nourishment, healing, transformation, ministry and mission, and eternal life. Renew your appreciation for the divine grace made available through this sacrament.
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Century Of Holiness Theology
$29.99Add to cartAfter a century of study and debate, the doctrine of sanctification, formulated by John Wesley in the 18th century, has resulted in two contemporaneous and competing definitions of entire sanctification in the Nazarene denomination. Mark Quanstom examines the gradual change in understanding this doctrine by focusing on its history and development in a balanced and well-researched perspective.
“Quanstrom effectively follows the various understandings of holiness that have shaped and been shaped by the Church of the Nazarene. His engaging style and clear writing makes this work valuable to laymen, ministers, students, and scholars.”
-Dr. John C. Bowling
President, Olivet Nazarene University“This work is a welcome contribution to the contemporary conversation about Holiness theology. Quanstrom’s thoughtful and careful scholarship produces a balanced study of the historical development of the understanding of holiness. . . It calls us to an awareness of the dynamic character of this tradition and to an active engagement with the doctrine of Christian perfection that remains at the heart of who we are.”
-Dr. Carl M. Leth
Chairman Division of Religion and Philosophy, Olivet Nazarene University232 pages
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Quaker Spirituality : Selected Writings
$11.99Add to cartSimplicity in forms of worship, opposition to violence, and the importance of compassionate living and thoughtful listening are hallmarks of the spirituality of the Quakers. From their beginnings in seventeenth-century England to today, the Friends have attempted to live out their belief in the presence of God’s spirit within their hearts. This book features the writings of some of the most influential and inspirational Quaker thinkers — George Fox, John Woolman, Caroline Stephen, Thomas Kelly, and others — providing a vivid portrait of the beautiful, simple spirituality of the Quakers.
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Evangelizing Church : A Lutheran Contribution
$24.00Add to cartForeword, Mark S. Hanson
Preface, David L. Tiede
Project Team Members1.A Lutheran Confession
2.The Gift Is A Call
3.Addressing Captives In Babylon
4.For The Sake Of The World
5.Called Out Of Our Comfort Zone
6.Navigating Difficult Questions
7.After The Death Of Evangelism – The Resurrection Of An Evangelizing ChurchEpilogue: A Lutheran Contribution To An Evangelizing Church
Study Guide
Annotated Bibliography
Notes
Index Of Topics
Index Of NamesAdditional Info
In a series of engaging essays and responses, the book explores how evangelism has functioned within Lutheranism historically and articulates a Lutheran theological perspective on evangelism within the broader developments in mission theology over the past several decades. It further helps to show how evangelism from a Lutheran perspective may be differentiated from other theologies of evangelism that are part of the Christian movement in our day.The book moves from theory to practice as it relates this theology of evangelism to the life of congregations that are seeking to proclaim the gospel in the emerging postmodern context, provides congregations with perspectives on how to utilize this theology in shaping the practice of evangelism within their church life. A study guide to encourage group discussion and reflection is included.
Other contributors:
*Wyvetta Bullock
*Kelly Fryer
*Craig Nessan
*J. Paul Rajashekar -
Deeper Joy : Lay Women And Vocation In The 20th Century Episcopal Church
$35.95Add to cart“An ambitious and much-needed effort to gather the key episodes and stories that highlight the important roles and vocations of lay women in both the 20th century church and the larger society. “Deeper Joy” not only chronicles the often unappreicated and undervalued past, but also points to the future of vital leadership and service.” – The Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris
Throughout the 20th century lay women in the Episcopal Church, often acting in isolation and without institutional support, offered a powerful witness of leadership, vocation, and theological resilience. Deeper Joy studies groups of women with similar callings yet located in diverse settings throughout church and society such as schools, hospitals, and other civic institutions. The topics presented here reflect new historical perspectives and unexplored primary materials, including interviews that bear on all women’s ministries, hence addressing neglected and important aspects of life in the American church.
After an introductory chapter on women and vocation, five major sections will explore lay women’s vocations through the lenses of community life, education, mission, civic life, and working for change from within the Episcopal Church. Topics include Anglican sisterhoods, the Companions of the Holy Cross, the deaconess movement, women of the New Deal, women in foreign missions, the settlement house movement, and women in education. The views of African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are all represented. A concluding chapter addresses future directions for leadership and service.
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Chasing Down A Rumor
$14.99Add to cartAcknowledgments
Foreword
IntroductionPERSPECTIVES
1.Conceptual Tools
2.Fragments Of Fragments
3.A Bewildering Course Of EventsPROSPECTS
4.NumbersPOSSIBILITIES
5.Built To Last
6.Incidence Of Renewal
7.Style And Ability: A Way Forward
8.Toward The Next Rumor: Findings, Worries, StrategiesNotes
ReferenceAdditional Info
Bacher and Inskeep believe that mainline denominations serve as caretakers of the important American expressions of Christianity, and if they are weak or lost, society and the universal church will be the worse for it. They argue that a fundamentally American form of mainline denominationalism can and will endure, despite the rumor of its decline.The authors examine six “rumors” of the decline. Using historical trends and current statistical information, they analyze the current situation and point to vital lessons, potential problems, and key challenges. They also offer helpful strategies and provide examples of what denominations are doing that show potential.
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Manual For Eucharistic Ministers And Visitors
$15.95Add to cartThis revised edition of the classic Manual for Lay Eucharistic Ministers offers practical guidance on everything a eucharistic minister or eucharistic visitor does. (Eucharistic ministers help to administer the elements at the Eucharist, while eucharistic visitors bring those elements to members of the congregation who can’t be present). This guide, updated to include the new canons and procedures, also offers suggestions on how to prepare oneself spiritually to present the sacrament, what to do when visiting the sick or shut-in parishioner with the Eucharist, and how to prepare a sacred space in someone’s home or hospital room.
Appendices include rites, suggested prayers and guidelines, services for commissioning and sending forth Lay Eucharistic Ministers, and a bibliography. Beth Ely also traces the changing customs and canons of lay administration of communion from the early churches to the present, and discusses the riches and mystery of the Holy Eucharist through the centuries. -
Calling : A Song For The Baptized
$22.95Add to cartThe image of calling is vividly described through Westerhoff’s stories drawn from her life and work. Narratives of what it means to live as a Christian provide the variations on the baptismal themes of ministry, community, and responsibility in this “song for the baptized”.
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Beliefs : Mennonite Faith And Practice
$18.99Add to cartAsk any person randomly on the sidewalk what they know about the Mennonites and chances are their answer will include Mormons, black clothes and buggies, or general confusion. This short, engaging book gives a brief account of what Mennonites believe. From the beginnings of the Anabaptist (or Mennonite) movement in the 16th-century, to biblical interpretation, baptism, understandings of the church, ethics, and the complex question of denominationalism, John D. Roth provides a solid framework for on-going conversations about faithful discipleship in the Mennonite church today.
John Roth has written a wonderful introduction to Mennonite life and theology. With admirable candor he exposes the controverted and undecided aspects of Mennonite ecclesial practices and theology. This book will serve not only to introduce Mennonite life to Mennonites but to anyone wanting to know what makes Mennonites Mennonites.
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Always Open : Being An Anglican Today
$13.95Add to cartSeventy million assorted individuals comprise a church family that is renowned for its rich diversity. Christians of all shades of belief together make up the Anglican Communion, a fellowship of churches that extends around the world and includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. At its best, the spirit of openness that marks this fellowship is a sign of openness to the Holy Spirit. Few Anglicans would presume to have “arrived” spiritually, and the door is always open to all who are seeking God.
Whether you are a “cradle” Episcopalian or are exploring the denomination, Always Open is an excellent introduction to Anglican beliefs and practices. Down-to-earth and good humored, Always Open explains the essentials of the Anglican approach to authority, the Bible, social and moral questions, dialogue with people of other faiths, and much, much more.
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Christ Present In Faith
$29.00Add to cart1.The Basis For Justifying Faith
2.Faith Formed By Christ
3.The Law And Participation In The “divine Life”
4.Christ And The Believer As One Person
5.”Through Faith One Becomes God”
6.The Presence Of Christ And Sanctification
7.”Simultaneously Righteous And A Sinner”
8.The Christian Struggle
9.The Sighing Of The Spirit
10.Realistic Symbolism And The Union With Christ
11.The Present Christ And The Objective Basis For HolinessAdditional Info
Mannermaa’s revisionist work on justification in Luther’s theology – a notable contribution from one of the most influential Finnish scholars of Luther studies – is now available in English. His book opens up new interpretive questions for historical theology with striking implications for ecumenism, ethics, and spirituality.He writes, “the idea of the divine life in Christ which is present in faith lies at the very center of the theology of the Reformer.” He argues that later Lutheran interpretation of this teaching has portrayed justification as more mechanical and forensic than Luther did, underestimated the extent to which God’s righteousness is also ours, and obscured the radical personal transformation that Luther attributed to justification.
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She Who Prays
$30.95Add to cartShe Who Prays: A Woman’s Interfaith Prayer Book offers women a new way to pray. Drawing on feminine images of God – and on the language and experience of women – it helps women tap into their own rich and unique spirituality. Readers will find a wealth of prayers from a variety of traditions – early Christian, Native American, and others. With a liturgical calendar honoring the lives of women of all faiths, along with rituals for group celebrations such as weddings and the welcoming of a child, She Who Prays will help women speak to God in their own voices.
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Gift Of Grace
$32.00Add to cartThis landmark volume assesses the prospects and promise of Lutheran theology at the opening of a new millennium. From four continents thirty noted and respected contributors not only gauge how such classic themes as grace, the cross, and justification wear today. They also look to key issues of ecumenism, social justice, global religious life, and the impact of contemporary science on Christian belief.
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Book Of Common Prayer Enlarged Edition
$30.00Add to cartThe 1662 Book of Common Prayer is the old and well-loved prayer book of the Anglican Church and is used daily in churches and homes throughout the world. Its phrases and vocabulary are widely admired and have made a major contribution to the English language.
The Enlarged Edition has slightly larger text than the Standard Edition, with matching page numbers, so the books can be used at the same time. Choose from hardcover, black French Morocco leather or brown goatskin leather. -
Season For The Spirit
$27.95Add to cartExperience forty days of self-discovery through theological reflections and prayers. While it aims to assist a daily practice of personal prayer, it is also widely used by groups who pledge to meet regularly so that members can share their thoughts, reactions, and spiritual experiences.
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Dear Diotrephes : Whats Our Position
$21.99Add to cartThese letters were written to various friends, critics, and inquisitors who were trying to learn our position on the prevailing issues in the Church of Christ. Asking for help was enough to uncover other issues. Everyone felt compelled to “take a stand” on every issue. I was searching for help due to my failing eyesight and a concern for my wife and six children. When I asked whether James 5:14 had really “passed away,” as they said, where could I go for help? I learned that hardly any of them believed the Bible. They just said they did. I was told that there were 27 branches of us. The introduction of the healing question doubled the number, so we had 54. The Holy Spirit question caused further division, so we had 108 sects. Speaking in tongues, professional clergy, and fellowship issues made 216 socioreligious sects. Voila! How is that for growth?
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Truth In All Its Glory
$29.99Add to cartThis guided tour of the Reformed faith highlights the glory of God’s truth and grace. William Edgar takes us first to the historical roots of the Reformed tradition and then leads us through its major doctrines, including God, the trinity, revelation, creation, the fall, redemption, and the church. He gives special attention to the doctrines of salvation and makes suggestions for further understanding and application of a Reformed worldview to our age. An introduction to Reformed theology, Truth in All Its Glory can be used formally, for example, in a study group or membership class, or less formally, by friends who hope to introduce friends to the Reformed faith.
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Beginning Again : Benedictine Wisdom For Living With Illness
$21.95Add to cartA practical resource for those who know little about St. Benedict and his Rule of Life, with exercises to help readers discover how to live with God at the center of their lives and illnesses. Useful for those living with illness, and for the clergy, counselors, and spiritual directors who care for them.