Early Christians frequently used metaphors about slavery, calling themselves slaves of God and Christ and referring to their leaders as slave representatives of Christ. Most biblical scholars have insisted that this language would have been distasteful to potential converts in the Greco-Roman world, and they have wondered why early Christians such as Paul used the image of slavery to portray salvation. In this book Dale B. Martin addresses the issue by examining the social history and rhetorical and theological conventions of the times. The first half of the book draws on a variety of historical sources – inscriptions, novels, speeches, dream-handbooks, and agricultural manuals – to portray the complexity of slavery in the early Roman empire. Concentrating on middle-level, managerial slaves, Martin shows how slavery sometimes functioned as a means of upward social mobility and as a form of status-by-association for those slaves who were agents of members of the upper class. For this reason, say Martin, “slavery of Christ,” brought the Christian convert a degree of symbolic status and lent the Christian leader a certain kind of derived authority. The second half of the book traces the Greco-Roman use of political rhetoric that spoke about populist leaders as “enslaved” to their followers, especially to members of the lower class. This provides the context for Paul’s claim, in 1 Corinthians 9, that he has enslaved himself to “all” – that is, to those very people he is supposed to lead as an apostle. Martin thus interprets this statement to mean that Paul identifies himself with the interests of persons with lower status in the Corinthian church, calling on those with higher status to imitate his self-debasement in order to further the interests of those below them on the social scale.

Early Christians frequently used metaphors about slavery, calling themselves slaves of God and Christ and referring to their leaders as slave representatives of Christ. Most biblical scholars have insisted that this language would have been distasteful to potential converts in the Greco-Roman world, and they have wondered why early Christians such as Paul used the image of slavery to portray salvation. In this book, the author addresses the issue by examining the social history and rhetorical and theological conventions of the times.

This illuminating resource of information about America's black religious heritage conveys Henry's sense of mission and consecration as he ministered to the African Methodist Episcopal churches of Maryland and rural Pennsylvania. Because he spent his early life as a blacksmith, his descriptions of the slave community of the Antietam Ironworks are charged with understanding and authority. His account is an unparalleled primary source for the study of the slave's role in the social history of the iron industry. As Henry documents the harsh economics of life in a free black family, he reveals the changing nature of American slavery in the early nineteenth century as well as the growing hostility of European workers toward the skill of slaves.

In her latest work, H. Henrietta Stockel examines the collision of the ethnocentric Spanish missionaries and the Chiricahua Apaches, including the resulting identity theft through Christian baptism, and the even more destructive creation of a local slave trade. The new information provided in this study offers a sample of the total unknown number of baptized Chiricahua men, women, and children who were sold into slavery by Jesuits and Franciscans. Stockel provides the identity of the priests as well as the names of the purchasers, often identified as "Godfather." Stockel also explores Jesuit and Franciscan attempts to maintain their missions on New Spain's northern frontier during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She focuses on how international political and economic forces shaped the determination of the priests to mold the Apaches into Christians and tax-paying citizens of the Empire. Diseases, warfare, interpersonal relations, and an overwhelming number of surrendered Chiricahuas at the missions, along with reduced supplies from Mexico City, forced the missionaries to use every means to continue their efforts at conversion, including deporting the Apaches to Cuba and selling others to Christian families on the colonial frontier.

Man was called to dominion (Gen. 1:26-28), and to establish his reign over the world under God. By his fall, man introduced the reign of death into the world, and as long as he remains in the Fall, sin reigns in him unto death, both in time and eternity. Christ, however, by His grace and the gift of righteousness, enables man to reign in this world, and to reign through righteousness in time and eternity. Salvation means reigning. As formerly rebellious slaves, we are now established in kingship, and described as "more than conquerors" (Rom. 8:37) in Christ, because we are also kings. The full meaning of salvation cannot be understood apart from the fact of reigning. The multiple use of the word "reign" in Romans makes clear the centrality of reigning in the doctrine of redemption. To defer this fact to another world is a false separation into two alien realms - one (the material) surrendered to one god, and the other (spiritual) reserved for the other god. Neither is Biblical. St. Paul is emphatic: we "reign in life." The Biblical doctrine of salvation requires it.

An initial introduction to the study of Christian theology is both exciting and invigorating for students of its discipline. One can become enameled in the classic perspectives of theology without any consideration of a possible alternative. Defining Salvation in the Context of Black Theology is an exit from the classic conviction that trumpets the doctrine of soteriology attributing its substance to the posture of eternity while ignoring the importance of salvation in the existential. Careful not to reject the question of eternal life, but examining the nuances of the term "salvation" empowers this work to present the like manner essential that having salvation is just as much about "now" than it is in the here after.

Discover the Chronicles of Mary Magdalene as you've never seen them before. In "Mary's Salvation," the first installment of an epic saga, Mary Magdalene reveals secret scrolls that become the cornerstone of the first Christian assemblies. This hidden knowledge turns more than just water into wine; it transforms human consciousness. Can you imagine a world prior to the teachings of Jesus and Mary? This book promises a unique window into that divine transformation. Ever wondered what was so captivating about the teachings of Jesus and Mary Magdalene that they sparked a spiritual revolution? "Mary's Salvation" offers more than just stories; it provides an intimate look at divine strategies, existential battles, and a celestial plan that was millennia in the making. This isn't your average Sunday school story; this is a gripping tale filled with suspense, divine interventions, and earth-shattering revelations. Jesus' crucifixion didn't just end in death; it ushered in a new era for mankind. The real story, however, is in the scrolls penned by Mary Magdalene, explaining how His sacrifice altered our very understanding of spirituality, morality, and human potential. This perspective-shattering revelation can only be found in "Mary's Salvation" a book that promises to shake the very foundations of your belief system. ""Mary's Salvation" is a profound journey into the Chronicles of Mary Magdalene, revealing secret scrolls that became foundational to early Christian assemblies. This narrative offers an unparalleled glimpse into the transformative teachings of Jesus and Mary, showcasing how they sparked a spiritual revolution and reshaped human consciousness. Delve into a world of divine strategies, existential battles, and a celestial plan millennia in the making. This book transcends conventional narratives, offering a gripping tale filled with suspense, divine interventions, and earth-shattering revelations that challenge the very foundations of belief systems.Mary's Salvation" is a profound journey into the Chronicles of Mary Magdalene, revealing secret scrolls that became foundational to early Christian assemblies. This narrative offers an unparalleled glimpse into the transformative teachings of Jesus and Mary, showcasing how they sparked a spiritual revolution and reshaped human consciousness. Delve into a world of divine strategies, existential battles, and a celestial plan millennia in the making. This book transcends conventional narratives, offering a gripping tale filled with suspense, divine interventions, and earth-shattering revelations that challenge the very foundations of belief systems.Are you ready to challenge what you thought you knew?

This book offers a completely original, groundbreaking interpretation of one of the most difficult passages in the Bible. For too long, a closed circle of voices has dominated the discussion about the meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11-15. Ministry leaders have continued to struggle with inadequate solutions to the problems posed by the text, and women, especially those called to ministerial service, have suffered from missteps in its interpretation. Kenneth Waters uncovers what he argues is a long-hidden key to understanding the comments about women, salvation, and childbearing in this controversial passage. He maintains that although it was a truth known to the original hearers of this letter, it has been hidden from later generations of readers.

This book offers a completely original, groundbreaking interpretation of one of the most difficult passages in the Bible. For too long, a closed circle of voices has dominated the discussion about the meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11–15. Ministry leaders have continued to struggle with inadequate solutions to the problems posed by the text, and women, especially those called to ministerial service, have suffered from missteps in its interpretation. Kenneth Waters uncovers what he argues is a long-hidden key to understanding the comments about women, salvation, and childbearing in this controversial passage. He maintains that although it was a truth known to the original hearers of this letter, it has been hidden from later generations of readers.

Salvation in the New Testament offers an analysis of the soteriological perspectives and language of the different books of the New Testament. Special attention is given to the imagery used in expressing soteriological ideas. Salvation deals with becoming part of the people of God. In Salvation in the New Testament special attention is given to the nature and power of the salvific language used in the New Testament to express the dynamics of salvation. Individual articles on the different books of the New Testament highlight the diverse perspectives offered in these documents. The emphasis especially falls on the different images and metaphors which were used to express the event and moment of salvation, rather than on the results (ethics or behaviour) of salvation. An overview of the different perspectives on soteriology in the New Testament offers the opportunity to compare similarities and differences in concepts and expressions. It also illustrates the dynamic interaction between historical situations and salvific language and expression.