Paul famously challenges his readers in 1 Corinthians, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.” What does it mean to hope in Christ for the life to come? How can we intellectually defend such hope in the midst of secularist and materialist trends so prevalent in contemporary society? Even if we believe as Christians in eternal life, how do we find meaning in such hope when the injustices of the world and our own suffering often loom so large? Drawing primarily upon the witness of biblical revelation and its reception and formulation in the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, the essays in Hope & Death: Christian Responses answer contemporary questions related to how Christians might face suffering and death with hopeful minds and hearts. The essays recover Christian hope in three main parts: what hope reveals about God’s nature and his providence, how hope responds to and clarifies the meaning of human suffering, and the way in which all hope draws human beings to an end beyond this world. CONTRIBUTORS GUY MANSINI, OSB ANDREW D. SWAFFORD MATTHEW J. RAMAGE WILLIAM M. WRIGHT IV ROGER W. NUTT MICHAEL A. DAUPHINAIS JEFFREY M. WALKEY JOHN RZIHA ROMANUS CESSARIO, OP STEVEN A. LONG ADAM VAN WART TAYLOR PATRICK O’NEILL BRYAN KROMHOLTZ, OP

This mini book compares Job's response to death and dying with the famous five stage response originally stated by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

Religious Responses to Pandemics and Crises explores various dimensions of the interrelations between the individual, community, and religion. With their global scope, the contributions to this volume represent reflections on the rich and multifaceted spectrum of human responses in a variety of different religions and cultures to the current SARS-2-COVID-19 pandemic and similar crises in the past. The contributions are organized in three thematic parts focusing on strategies, rituals, and past and present responses to pandemics and crises. They reflect on the intersection of personal or communal responses and state-mandated policies relative to SARS-2-COVID-19 while outlining different strategies to cope with the pandemic crisis. Timely questions explored include: How do individuals connect with or disconnect from religious and spiritual communities during times of personal and collective crises, including pandemics? How do religious practices such as rituals bridge individuals and communities? How do religious texts from past and present highlight and represent crises and pandemics? Dynamic and multidisciplinary in its inquiry, this volume is an outstanding resource for scholars of religion, theology, anthropology, social sciences, ritual theory, sex and gender studies, and contemporary medical science.

"Where does poverty come from? What am I supposed to do about it?" These questions are driving a new generation of Christians to take action on behalf of the poor through social and political action, global partnerships, and financial generosity, as they desire to become the generation that ends poverty forever. But in pursuit of this goal, they risk losing sight of a fundamental reality: the root cause of poverty isn't found in material or external circumstances. The root cause of poverty is sin--and sin is not a problem we can solve. But Jesus can. In Awaiting a Savior, Aaron Armstrong reminds readers that even as we are responsible for pursuing biblical solutions to poverty, our hope for truly resolving it comes not from the good we do, but from the return of Christ, who will once and for all put an end to sin, suffering and death as he brings about the new creation.

Views from a range of disciplines, including bioethics, law, medicine and religion this book draws attention to the variety of questions to be addressed.

With all the messages that come our way through social media and in sophisticated gadgets, does the Christian message of love, hope and redemption still have an importance and relevance? What does it have to offer to enable us to meet the various challenges which beset present-day living? Today there is an even greater and more urgent need to focus on it. After all, the Christian message is not merely information because it is also about a way of life. Neither is it simply an exhortation since it also presents a definite goal. This book provides some philosophical considerations which underpin its central teaching. While aware of its richness and complexity, the essays concentrate on the Christian message insofar as it provides a vision for humanity and articulates a mission to implement it. The book serves to establish points of encounter, rather than points of departure, in order to contribute to the ongoing reflection by those who believe in that message, as well as to the debates with those who oppose it.

Reading the New Testament doesn't need to be a difficult journey through strange and bewildering territory. How to Read the New Testament Book by Book walks you through the Scriptures like an experienced tour guide, helping you understand each of its twenty-seven books. For each book of the New Testament, the authors start with a quick snapshot, then expand the view to help you better understand its message and how it fits into the grand narrative of the Bible. Written by two top evangelical scholars, this survey is designed to get you actually reading the Bible knowledgeably and understanding it accurately. In an engaging, conversational style, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart take you through every book of the Old Testament using their unique approach: Orienting Data - Concise info bytes that form a thumbnail of the book. Overview - A brief panorama that introduces key concepts and themes and important landmarks in the book. Specific Advice for Reading - Pointers for accurately understanding the details and message of the book in context with the circumstances surrounding its writing. A Walk Through - The actual section-by-section tour that helps you see both the larger landscape of the book and how its various parts work together to form the whole. How to Read the New Testament Book by Book can be used as a companion to How to Read the Old Testament Book by Book and How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. It also stands on its own as a reliable guide to reading and understanding the New Testament for yourself.

How does God respond to trauma in a world full of horrors? Beyond their physical and emotional toll, the horrors of this world raise difficult theological and existential questions. Where is God in the darkest moments of the human experience? Is there any hope for recovery from the trauma generated by these horrors? There are no easy answers to these questions. In God of All Comfort, Scott Harrower addresses these questions head on. Using the Gospel of Matthew as a backdrop, he argues for a Trinitarian approach to horrors, showing how God--in his triune nature--reveals himself to those who have experienced trauma. He explores the many ways God relates restoratively with humanity, showing how God's light shines through the darkness of trauma.

From the pages of a long-hidden manuscript written by a man filled with disappointment and anger, you will discover the truth about Mark Twain’s embittered battle with God! Evidence in his work that proves he wasn't an atheist Selections from his letters and popular works that reveal his confused faith Perspectives from Twain on God that echo modern criticism and doubts. Twain was a very popular and gifted speaker with a carefully cultivated image. Few knew he secretly wrote a manuscript complaining bitterly about the God of the Bible, citing hypocrisy and cruelties, like there would be no sex in heaven. Twain decided to have his book published 100 years after his death in the hope that society would then be open-minded enough to listen. Ray Comfort searches through volumes of Twain’s writings to develop a comprehensive answer to this profound writer of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and a man who suffered much. Discover Twain’s arguments with God and a powerful response that helps strengthen your faith and understanding of our loving Creator!