Church Theology

When was the last time you had an honest, heartfelt, yet kind and productive conversation with someone about depression, mental illness, substance abuse, pornography, premarital sex, racism, divorce, abortion, LGBT issues, or politics? If you're tired of avoiding tough conversations, Challenging Conversations is the book you've been waiting for. With straightforward answers to some of the most challenging moral issues disrupting the church, this book will help you build your confidence using three simple steps to becoming a conversant Christian.

Whether or not you are new to the Catholic Church, or struggling, or lapsed, or dynamically involved, this book will enlighten you with the essentials of the Faith that have been handed down to us by the apostles. 100 Things Every Catholic Should Know covers what it is we believe in the Creed, how grace configures us to Christ in the sacraments, how we worship in the liturgy, how we connect to God in prayer, how Mary and the saints fit in in all of this, and how we are part of Christ’s Mystical Body – the Church. Each of the 100 topics is easy to read and distilled into bite-sized ...

Robin Meyers, a rising star of liberal Christianity, restores the true mission of the faith that captures the heart of Jesus's concern for people over "right belief." Saving Jesus from the Church will resonate deeply with those who enjoy the works of John Shelby Spong, Marcus Borg, and John Dominic Crossan.

Who was among the last at the cross and the first at the empty tomb? Mary Magdalene. Her role in Jesus's ministry as told in all four Gospels was pivotal in many ways. Yet her story is often overlooked, confused, or scandalized by the church. In The Mary We Forgot, award-winning church historian and theologian Jennifer Powell McNutt unpacks Scripture and church history to reveal the real Mary Magdalene as a model of discipleship for all Christians today—women and men alike.

Prepare to step into the mind of one of Christianity’s most influential thinkers, Clement of Alexandria. This book is your gateway to understanding how one man’s genius shaped the course of Christian thought, merging the profound wisdom of classical philosophy with the emerging teachings of the early Church. Unlock the Secrets of Ancient Wisdom Clement wasn’t just a scholar; he was a visionary. By delving into this book, you’ll discover how he deftly wove together the threads of Greek philosophy and Christian doctrine, creating a rich tapestry that has endured for centuries. ...

Alexandria was famous for its many schools long before Christianity became established in the city. By far the largest school was the "Museum," founded by Ptolemy and destined to become the most renowned school in the East. Other celebrated institutions were the "Serapeum" and the "Sebastion." Each of these three schools possessed its own enormous library. St. Jerome records that St. Mark himself founded the Christian School of Alexandria . The Holy Spirit inspired him to establish the school in order to teach Christianity since this was the only way to provide the new religion a solid ...

What comes to mind when you think of the word church? In this volume, Gregg R. Allison helps define the church and its mission by presenting an overview of the specific doctrines and practices of different churches and denominations. He lays a basic foundation for better understanding the common practices among local church communities (“mere ecclesiology”) and the ways that they diverge from one another (“more ecclesiology”).

In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling au­thor Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls "a religious but not-so-spiritual life." Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people - a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA.

This incredible work is the book Chronicles of Repentance written by Rev. Fr. Yousef Asaad, in which he tells some of the amazing stories of repentance. The original work titled,“يوميات تائب” (yawmiyāt tāʾib) was released as three separate books in Arabic. Upon receiving permission from Fr. Asaad's family, the books were translated and combined in this volume. The three books contain short stories and meditations numbered sequentially. Fr. Youssef Asaad (1944 - 1993) was a very influential priest in Egypt during the late 20th century. He was ordained in 1967 and had labored...

In Thom Rainer's latest book, he sets out to discover how churches that were once healthy but had stagnated in growth have broken out to become great churches impacting lives and entire communities.

Brendan Roberts, author of five books and co-author of "Worth the Chase: Finding Love God's Way" challenges the reader to deepen their knowledge of history and deepen their understanding of their faith. Is the Catholic Church really hung up about sex? This book can give you insight into why America actually chose Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. Clinton endorsed abortion up to birth, including partial-birth abortion. Read the philosophy behind such a crazy notion. Also read why the Church is so pro-life and will stand up for the dignity of the helpless. You can discover in-depth the ...

Dear. Precious. Lovely. The Bible describes the church in extraordinary ways, even using beautiful poetry and metaphors. How does this compare to how Christians today describe the church? Unfortunately, many believers focus more on its mission, structure, or specific programs than on its inherent beauty. It's time to spark a renewed affection for the church. In The Loveliest Place, Dustin Benge urges Christians to see the holy assembly of God's redeemed people in all its eternal beauty.

Homosexuality is one of the most hotly debated topics in the evangelical church today. In Two Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church four contributors, two defending a traditional view and two defending an affirming view, address not only biblical and theological questions, but also the pressing pastoral questions for the church.

Does Revelation 8:10–11 describe an asteroid? Is the Wormwood star from Revelation 8 already headed toward Earth? Are NASA and high-level government officials aware of an asteroid that is on a collision course with our planet? Is that why President Trump sanctioned a colossal increase to planetary defense? Do the prophecies from ancient cultures and religions across the globe all point to a catastrophic planetary event that has scientists and politicians taking extreme preventative measures under the public radar?

Everything about our lives connects us with creation: our food and clothing, our transportation and recreation, the energy sources we use, and the waste we produce. We are connected to this world—and therefore to each other—through our homes, our workplaces, and even through the grounds of our churches. In Under the Francis Tree, the spirituality inspired by the “patron saint of ecology” St. Francis of Assisi meets modern church congregational life. In an age of ecological crisis, an ancient contemplative path helps us discover geographies of hope in the places we live and love ...

Early Christianity was subversive and dangerous - dangerous for Christians, and a threat to the keepers of the old order. Most of all Christianity was countercultural. But what about contemporary American Christianity? Is it the countercultural way of Jesus or merely a religious endorsement of Americanism? In his provocative audiobook, Postcards From Babylon, Brian Zahnd challenges the listener to see and embrace a daring Jesus-centered Christianity that can again turn the world upside down.

Christians have long differed with one another on both the meaning and the practice of water baptism. Using the classic Counterpoints forum of presentation-critique-response, this insightful book explores four prominent views of baptism held by different branches of Protestantism: Baptist, Christian Church/Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Reformed.

The story of the church is important for Christians to know, for it contains rich and uplifting stories of God’s dealings with His people. Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson takes the listener on a tour of the Christian history, featuring stories and songs to give believers a sense of their place in God’s kingdom and to encourage them in their walk.

It is woven into the fabric of modern evangelicalism. The subject of numerous books, conferences, and sermons every year, it’s promoted as essential for a vibrant relationship with Christ, and a measure of the maturity of your faith. What is it? Hearing God speak personally, outside of Scripture.

Where did God come from? How does God not have a beginning? Everything God uses the notion of unanswerable questions to reveal the "God is-ness" of God and how it shaped the reality in which we live. From this unique perspective, God's reason for our reality and His purpose for creation are explained. In Everything God, the reader is able to witness God's presence and control throughout mankind's history. Everything God provides insight into God's desire, what it reveals about God's divine purpose, and the nature of mankind. Everything God is a front row seat from which the reader witnesses...