Have you ever just wanted to sit down and read something about God or Jesus just to get closer to him to know him more intimately or to expand your understanding of his creation and plan for you? So you find a book that advertises just the subject matter you are interested in, then you open it and begin to read, but before long, you realize you have to run and get the dictionary. Then you may have to purchase a dictionary of theology, then maybe an encyclopedia of Christian apologetics just to understand what you are reading. When this happens, readers often give up on the book and never finish it and may never buy another one. It can get discouraging when confronted with terminology like infralapsarianism, hamartiology, and demythologization, and that doesn't include the hundreds of nontheological words rarely used in common communication today. Authors write this way to keep the book from becoming the size of an encyclopedia. However, I did buy all those books and persevered in study because of my great hunger for the deeper things of God. Now you can too because this book conveys these wonderful biblical thoughts and great theologians' writings into plain common language. The Doctrine of Salvation takes deep theological concepts and brings their understanding down to a street level as it were. This book describes on a practical level how these doctrines are to be applied to our lives and how we can relate them to others. I refrain from using thirteen-letter words, but if they are needed, I will use them and then immediately clarify their meaning so the reader will not lose their train of thought. Enjoy reading about the wonders of God again, in greater depth!

Have you ever just wanted to sit down and read something about God or Jesus just to get closer to him to know him more intimately or to expand your understanding of his creation and plan for you? So you find a book that advertises just the subject matter you are interested in, then you open it and begin to read, but before long, you realize you have to run and get the dictionary. Then you may have to purchase a dictionary of theology, then maybe an encyclopedia of Christian apologetics just to understand what you are reading. When this happens, readers often give up on the book and never finish it and may never buy another one. It can get discouraging when confronted with terminology like infralapsarianism, hamartiology, and demythologization, and that doesn't include the hundreds of nontheological words rarely used in common communication today. Authors write this way to keep the book from becoming the size of an encyclopedia. However, I did buy all those books and persevered in study because of my great hunger for the deeper things of God. Now you can too because this book conveys these wonderful biblical thoughts and great theologians' writings into plain common language. The Doctrine of Salvation takes deep theological concepts and brings their understanding down to a street level as it were. This book describes on a practical level how these doctrines are to be applied to our lives and how we can relate them to others. I refrain from using thirteen-letter words, but if they are needed, I will use them and then immediately clarify their meaning so the reader will not lose their train of thought. Enjoy reading about the wonders of God again, in greater depth!

The New Testament writings are the foundational documents of early Christianity. But to fully understand them we need a broad historical awareness of the wider social, economic, political and religious context that produced them. Exploring the transition from an oral to a written tradition, this fascinating primer depicts the growth of the early church amid the Roman and Hellenistic Empires. Focusing on the composition and content of the Synoptic Gospels – those of Matthew, Mark and Luke – W. R. Telford furnishes the reader with an appreciation of the methods contemporary scholars apply to the Gospels and also offers an assured, in-depth guide to the texts themselves. Broaching difficult questions about the differing accounts of Jesus’ life that the New Testament has left us, this is an invaluable starting point for anyone looking to understand the roots of Christianity.

Your guide to understanding seven of the world's most prominent religions If you're interested in learning about world religions, this book is the place to start. Packed with informative fact sheets and answers to common questions, this beginner's guide fills you in on the most important aspects of each religion. You'll learn about fascinating histories, rituals, and festivals as you grow to better understand the belief systems that offer meaning and purpose to billions of people around the globe. This beginner's guide to major world religions features: Seven world religions—Discover the basic tenets and practices of Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Shikhism. Digestible snapshots—Learn key dates, major sects, primary texts, the most recognizable symbols, and everyday practices at a glance. A Q&A format—By presenting facts through questions and answers, this book uses a conversational tone that makes information easier to understand and remember. Build your knowledge of world religions with this beginner's guide.

All too frequently, humans are involved only in seeing religion from either an academic or a proselytising point of view; we forget the human side, the faith and belief, the wonder that is the driving force behind religion. Launching Oneworld's series of "Beginner's Guides" - introductory titles with a twist - this study probes to the heart of religion, examining a range of issues with clarity and concision. From the origins of religious belief to the role of festivals and the life beyond this one, this incisive little volume draws on history, theology, philosophy and the words of great thinkers old and new to introduce the timeless truths behind our common spiritual quests.

A Beginner's History of Philosophy helps a reader shape a general notion of the leading philosophical ideas of the world. It starts with Greek and Roman philosophy, focusing on such prominent personalities as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, and others. Then the author goes into the political and historical background of the Middle Ages, pays attention to the primary schools of the period, and moves on to the eras of Renaissance and Enlightenment. Finally, a reader learns the main ideas of Berkley, Hume, Bacon, Locke, the imperatives of Kant, and the return to realism at the beginning of the 19th century.

Great Christian Thinkers is a concise, informative, amusing book, with everything one needs to know about the major theologians of the Christian Church over the past 2000 years. As a bonus, it gives a fascinating insight into the development of the Church and its theology. It answers the sort of questions that people who are not trained theologians might ask, in a way anybody can understand. Although some may say the Bible is so simple anyone can comprehend it, it is likewise so profound it challenges even the most brilliant minds. This book summarizes what some of the eminent intellects - conservative and liberal, alike - have thought about the Bible. Great Christian Thinkers can be used by a beginner or by an experienced theologian. It is both an invaluable aid for the student of theology and a helpful tool for the person in the pew. It will refresh the memory of the pastor working on a sermon. But most of all, it is an enlightening book that is informative . . . and fun. Includes introductions to over 70 theologians including: Richard BaxterAugustine of HippoDietrich BonhoefferFrancis of AssisiIgnatius of AntiochMartin Luther King, Jr.Teresa of AvilaJohn Wesley

Articles on Christian interpretation of librarianship, theory and practice of library science, bibliographic essays, reviews and human interest articles relating to books and libraries.

Includes Part 1A: Books and Part 1B: Pamphlets, Serials and Contributions to Periodicals

What is theology? It is nothing more, or less, than the study of God. All who pray are, in a sense, theologians. All who believe in Christ are called not only to sanctity, but to theology. "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Rom 12:2). Yet the field of theology, as taught in universities, can sometimes look like a distant abstraction, reserved for an intellectual elite. This cannot be not the case. To prove it, Cistercian Fathers Roch Kereszty and Denis Farkasfalvy of the University of Dallas, both veteran spiritual directors, bring us Theology in Practice: A Beginner's Guide to the Spiritual Life. Guiding readers from the first inklings of God's presence, to the fire of married love, to the miracle of the Eucharist, and even to the hour of death, this book completes the circuit between theological study and human experience. Never before has the Church believed as strongly as she does today that spirituality must, like leaven, penetrate and transform the ordinary, "average" walks of life. It ought not be limited to those who withdraw from the world. This unique work, written by two longtime friends and brothers in religious life, draws on the riches of the Cistercian founder Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—and with him the whole tradition of the Church Fathers—to communicate Christ's peace to hearts and minds.