Competing worldviews cast their impact on the church and the Christian confession. What does it mean to be a Christian in an age that threatens cultural dissolution? Related questions press on a calm consideration of the meaning of the Christian life. Who is Jesus Christ of whose salvific work the Christian confession depends? Why did Jesus Christ come into the world? What is to be said of the human condition following the Adamic fall, which, as John Milton says, "brought death into the world and all our woe"? What is the Christian's highest good, the grounds on which it has life-determining relevance, and what are its existential implications? In this closely reasoned and biblically informed examination of those questions, Douglas Vickers concludes that the Christian's highest good exists in "fellowship with the Father." The practical and everyday significance of that fellowship is addressed at length, and the meaning and prospect of each Christian's eternal life is shown to be grounded in a vital and indissoluble union with Christ.

In this major revision and expansion of the classic 20th Century Theology (1992), coauthored with Stanley J. Grenz, Roger Olson tells the full story of modern theology from Descartes to Caputo, from the Kantian revolution to postmodernism, now recast in terms of how theologians have accommodated or rejected modernity.

There are certain books of the Bible that just seem to stand out and the Gospel of John is surely one such book. It is frequently the first book of the Bible we encourage non-Christians to read in the hope that its message will lead them to faith in Christ. After all, that is the purpose of the book. See John 20:31.For Christians, the Gospel of John is a source of much truth about our Lord and the Gospel. But it is much more than that. It is an opportunity for us to follow Him as we read, and to identify with the disciples as their knowledge of Him continues to expand. It is our opportunity to get to know the heart of the Savior, and to fellowship with Him through His Word. If men of old found their hearts set on fire as they listened to Him teach in person (Luke 24:32), so we will find our hearts warmed as we seek to listen to Him through this Gospel.I challenge you to join me in making the Gospel of John the subject of your study. May God use it to help you see and serve Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Skin-lightening is currently one of the most common forms of potentially harmful body modification practices in the world and African women are among some of the most widely represented users of skin-lightening products. The overall objective of this book is to provide up-to-date evidence-based recommendations for reducing the global burden of cosmetic skin bleaching and preventing injuries related to skin bleaching in sub-Saharan Africa and Africans in diaspora. The book aims to: offer an appraisal of all relevant literature on cosmetic bleaching practices to-date, focusing on any key developments; identify and address important medical, public health issues as well as historical, genetic, psychosocial, cultural, behavioural, socioeconomic, political, institutional and environmental determinants; provide guideline recommendations that would help attenuate the burden and possibly eliminate the injuries related to skin bleaching; discuss potential developments and future directions.

Augustine of Hippo is a key figure in the history of Christianity and has had a profound impact on the course of western moral and political thought. Katherine Chambers here explores a neglected topic in Augustinian studies by offering a systematic account of the meaning that Augustine gave to the notions of virtue, vice and sin. Countering the view that he broke with classical eudaimonism, she demonstrates that Augustine's moral thought builds on the dominant approach to ethics in classical 'pagan' antiquity. A critical appraisal of this tradition reveals that Augustine remained faithful to the eudaimonist approach to ethics. Chambers also refutes the view that Augustine was a political pessimist or realist, showing that it is based upon a misunderstanding of Augustine's ideas about the virtue of justice. Providing a coherent account of key features in Augustine's ethics, her study invites a new and fresh evaluation of his influence on western moral and political thought.

From the Introduction: Political problems have come to be the most fateful social problems. Three decades ago it seemed that economic problems were primary and Christian writers about society were generally preoccupied with them. Even then economic problems led to questions concerning the role of the state in economic life, which remains one of the most urgent of the political problems. Today, while there is not doubt about the significance of the interaction between economics and politics on many levels, it seems that the greater threats to man come from the conflict of political ideologies, from political instability within various countries and regions, and from the danger of nuclear war. There are issues of economic justice and well-being involved in all of these threats, but we can no longer assume that all political ideas and forces and decisions are merely reflections of what happens in economic life.

MATTHEW BIBLE COMMENTARY After nearly 40 years of full-time ministry, Brother Swaggart published his first commentary on the book of Genesis that was later described as “the most helpful Bible commentary ever published.” It would take nearly 20 years to complete the entire commentary series—from Genesis to Revelation. True to Pentecostal theology, the Jimmy Swaggart Commentary collection leads its readers chapter by chapter to a better understanding of the Bible. Rather than providing notes on every Bible verse, these commentaries focus on the salient verses of each chapter to offer the reader a condensed synopsis of what the Holy Spirit intended. Where most relevant, cultural and historical references are also included, along with explanations of the allegories, types, and symbolisms used in the Bible to add depth and dimension for students of the Holy Scriptures. Yet, what seems to separate this work from all other commentaries are the biblical applications made to present day circumstances facing every believer. Printed on high-quality paper and bound with a beautiful hardback cover, this unique reference will be cherished by anyone who loves to study the Word of God.