This book, a revision of the author's dissertation, describes the grounds on which knowledge about God is possible according to the Gospel of John. In response to modern questions and doubts about the possibility of religious knowledge, John's answers are identified and illuminated using standard historical method. A major part of this investigation is spent showing that, for readers of all persuasions, it is clear that certain parts of John's Gospel were never intended as either fiction or metaphor. From these parts, the basis on which John thinks that people can have religious knowledge is inferred and described.

The Spirit Says offers a stunning collection of articles by an influential assemblage of scholars, all of whom lend considerable insight to the relationship between inspiration and interpretation. They address this otherwise intractable question with deft and occasionally daring readings of a variety of texts from the ancient world, including—but not limited to—the scriptures of early Judaism and Christianity. The thrust of this book can be summed up not so much in one question as in four: o What is the role of revelation in the interpretation of Scripture? o What might it look like for an author to be inspired? o What motivates a claim to the inspired interpretation of Scripture? o Who is inspired to interpret Scripture? More often than not, these questions are submerged in this volume under the tame rubrics of exegesis and hermeneutics, but they rise in swells and surges too to the surface, not just occasionally but often. Combining an assortment of prominent voices, this book does not merely offer signposts along the way. It charts a pioneering path toward a model of interpretation that is at once intellectually robust and unmistakably inspired.

Did Christ atone for the sins of humanity on the cross? Does God desire all people to be saved and direct his grace toward all people for that purpose? There are some Christians following a deterministic paradigm who believe this is not true. They believe God has predestined some people for heaven and many, or even most, for hell. The rising tide of Calvinism and its "TULIP" theology needs to be respectfully answered. Grace for All: The Arminian Dynamics of Salvation features a distinguished international panel of scholars to examine this controversy. These writers address issues such as election, free will, grace, and assurance. They make compelling scriptural arguments for the universality of God's grace, contending that Christ atoned for the sins of all people and that God sincerely offers forgiveness for all through Christ. This book strives to uncover the biblical position on salvation. We hope the reader will enjoy this stimulating series of articles on the Arminian perspective and that it will spur further writing and discussion. Grace for All: The Arminian Dynamics of Salvation is an updated and revised version of Grace Unlimited, a 1975 collection of scholarly articles assembled by the late Clark H. Pinnock of McMaster Divinity College.

Johannine Writings and Apocalyptic provides a wide-ranging and thorough annotated bibliography for John's Gospel, the Johannine letters, Revelation, and apocalyptic writings pertinent to these books. More inclusive than many other bibliographies, this volume provides reference to over 1300 individual entries, often including references to multiple works with a given description. Annotations are designed to provide guidance to a wide range of readers, from students wishing to gain entry to the subject to graduate students engaging in research to professors needing ready access to useful materials. The volume is topically organized and indexed for easy access.

A deep study on the doctrine of eternal security Does one moment of faith secure a person's eternal destiny with God--even if that person later stops following and trusting in Jesus? Or does a person have to keep on trusting and following Jesus to remain in a saving relationship with God? Now expanded with new chapters and research, this landmark book continues to offer one of the most penetrating studies on the controversial doctrine of eternal security, perseverance, and apostasy in the New Testament. Calling into question the popular "once saved, always saved" belief, internationally respected pastor and scholar Dr. Robert Shank reveals that the question we should be asking is not, "Is the believer secure?" but rather, "What does it mean to be a believer?" Straightforward, thorough, and grounded in biblical understanding, this book warns Christians about dangers that could potentially lead a believer to become an unbeliever (falling away from faith) and share in the unbeliever's eternal condemnation.

In the spirit of Ludolph of Saxony (c. 1295–1378) and Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), The Fourfold Gospel invites the reader into the mystery of God’s redemption in Jesus Christ. All the parallel passages in the Gospels are glossed together, along with the unique material, using a medieval interpretive approach called the Quadriga or the acronym PaRDeS in Hebrew. Meditating on the literal, canonical, moral, and theological senses of Scripture offers a scaffolding for the spiritual formation of the reader. This volume focuses on the summoning and purgative stage of discipleship—the Sermon on the Mount—as well as participating in Christ’s healing of creation.

In recent years, the disciplines of biblical studies and systematic theology have grown apart and largely lost the means of effective communication with one another. Unfortunately, this relational disconnect affects more than just these particular fields of study; it impacts the life of the church as a whole. The first St. Andrews Conference on Scripture and Theology brought leading biblical scholars and systematic theologians together in conversation, seeking to bridge the gap between them. Due to its profound influence on the development of Christian theology, John's Gospel is an ideal base for rekindling fruitful dialogue. The essays here -- taken from the inaugural conference -- consider this Gospel from many angles, addressing a number of key issues that arise from a theological discussion of this text: John's dualism in our pluralist context, historicity and testimony, the treatment of Judaism, Christology, and more. “This is the beginning of a conversation that can only be enriched by variety and experimentation. . . . It is a signpost . . . pointing towards a not-too-distant future when interdisciplinary conversation and collaboration between these two natural partners will become, no longer occasional and surprising, but a normal and essential element in the flourishing of both.” -- Richard Bauckham (from the introduction) Contributors: Paul N. Anderson Stephen C. Barton Richard Bauckham D. Jeffrey Bingham C. Stephen Evans Terry Griffith Martin Hengel Kasper Bro Larsen Tord Larsson Judith Lieu Andrew T. Lincoln Jürgen Moltmann Carl Mosser Stephen Motyer Murray Rae Anastasia Scrutton Marianne Meye Thompson Sigve K. Tonstad Alan J. Torrance Miroslav Volf Rowan Williams

Steven Cassedy takes aim at two of the most enduring myths of modern criticism: that it is secular, and that it is new and autonomous. He argues that though modern criticism is often forbiddingly scientific and technical, the modern critic remains something of a mystic. Every school of modern criticism—from structuralism to postmodern criticism—rests on a faith in an "Eden," an irreducible essence, a myth, like the common myth that there is an intrinsic distinction between "poetic" language and "ordinary" language. The modern critic attempts to abandon all mystical faith; this is the "flight from Eden." But it is always in vain. It is traditionally assumed that modern literary criticism and theory came from France, and relatively recently. In fact, according to Cassedy, the entire modern critical consciousness was already formed by the early twentieth century in the minds of writers who were primarily neither professional critics nor philosophers, but poets. Some were French (Mallarmé, and Valéry); others were not (Rilke, Bely, and the Russian avant-garde poet Velimir Khlebnikov). In them we find the same Edenic faith, the same effort to abandon it, and the same failure of that effort. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1990.

“My theological work was always only a superstructure placed upon the experiences and sufferings of my life . . .” —Helmut Thielicke Thielicke’s story is one of extraordinary circumstances. Especially as a young man, living through Germany’s darkest hour, he was time and again put on the brink of death by fatal sickness, Nazi oppression, and war. These experiences left an indelible mark on his worldview. In this thoroughly researched study, Fabian F. Grassl takes a fresh and original look at Thielicke’s turbulent life through the specific lens of suffering and death. He paints an intimate portrait of a boundary rider whose theology uniquely developed in the face of death. As a result, new light is cast on one of the outstanding theologians, ethicists, and preachers of the twentieth century. The reader is invited to explore a world of thought decidedly shaped by the “eschatological existence” of an intriguing personality; a flawed human being like the rest of us yet endowed with a fascinating theological prowess, taking his stand amongst Germany’s major historical upheavals of the last centenary.

The idea of writing plays a central role in John. Apart from the many references to scriptural texts, John emphasizes the role of writing in the inscription on the cross and in its own production. Petterson's From Tomb to Text examines what this means for the understanding of the Johannine Jesus in two interrelated ways. First Petterson takes these claims to revelation through writing seriously, noting the immense effort expended by biblical scholars in order to dismiss them and to produce a canonically palatable John. With few exceptions, Johannine studies have consistently attempted to domesticate or tame John's book through reference to, and in harmony with, an externalized historical reality or with a synoptic pattern. Second, the study suggests alternative ways of understanding John once this synoptic compulsion has been dissolved. Petterson argues that John's Jesus is unacceptable to the project for the recovery of 'Early Christianity' as imagined in Johannine research over the last 70 years or so. Instead, she shows how John produces itself as the vehicle of Jesus' revelation in place of a body. This takes place through its use of writing, its characteristic use of verbs and syntax, and its mode of revelation. The book thus situates John in a context that does not begin with, and thus attempts to be, unconstrained by fixed categories of Christ, gnosticism, Eucharist, body and flesh, and shows how such readings curtail the fullness of the text in favour of a more familiar earthly Jesus. Petterson concludes by outlining ways in which John can be read if these containment strategies are disregarded.