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Description:The current popularity of contemplative prayer is not accidental. A twenty-first-century understanding of the human condition has made us suspicious of words and the understanding we craft out of words. Theology generally offers us words that purport to give us a more precise and certain understanding of God, but the mystic has always known that our relationship to God transcends words and the kind of understanding that words produce. The theology of the mystic has always been about understanding our communion with the mystery that is God in order to fall evermore deeply in love with the Divine. That is the ultimate purpose of contemplative prayer, and the purpose of this book is to offer a philosophy and theology of contemplative prayer in the twenty-first century.Endorsements:""Again, James Danaher shows us that the use of the mind and the search for God are not in competition, but in fact enrich and feed one another at very deep levels. How much we need this kind of integration in our culture--where so much religious talk seems divisive and compromised. Contemplative Prayer is not just about divine prayer but about the very quality of human faith and love.""-Richard Rohr, OFMauthor of Everything Belongs and The Naked Now""There is often a wide gulf in academia between the mind and the spirit. Many Christian academics start in the spirit but lose something of their spirituality in the development of their mind. Jim Danaher successfully bridges that gulf in this book on contemplative prayer. Jim''s insights into this marvelous discipline nourish both the mind and the spirit, bringing them together in Holy Communion with the Trinity.""-Ron WalbornDean, Alliance Theological SeminaryAbout the Contributor(s):James P. Danaher is Professor of Philosophy and Head of the Philosophy Department at Nyack College, Nyack, New York. He is the author of Jesus after Modernity: A Twenty-First-Century Critique of Our Modern Concept of Truth and the Truth of the Gospel (2011), Eyes That See, Ears ThatHear: Perceiving Jesus in a Postmodern Context (2006), Postmodern Christianity and the Reconstruction of the Christian Mind (2001), and over sixty articles that have appeared in a variety of philosophy and theology journals.

Description:Jesus taught that love for others is the path to God, that you can''t love God if you don''t love your neighbor. In An Evangelical Social Gospel?, Tim Suttle shows how the exaggerated individualism of American culture distorts the gospel and weakens the church. He reaches back a full century to the writings of the great Baptist pastor Walter Rauschenbusch and offers an imaginative vision for how evangelicals can once again impact the world. Bypassing the culture wars and liberal/conservative squabbling, Suttle offers a way in which the corporate nature of Christianity can be held alongside the evangelical belief in personal salvation. In so doing, Suttle provides valuable theological rationale for the moves many are making toward social justice and helps us rediscover why the nexus of personal and corporate faith is where we find the power to transform lives and cultures alike. His approach to corporate sin and salvation, the kingdom of God, and missional theology are deeply rooted in the life of a pastor, yet informed by a rich theological mind.Endorsements:""There is a dreadful pattern evident in church history where we continually overcompensate where our Christianity has become imbalanced. We exaggerate the truth that has been neglected, and we keep ending up with a lopsided faith . . . then we wind up with Jesus-lovers that forget justice and justice-lovers that forget Jesus. It is my hope that this book helps cure our bifurcated ''either/or'' mentality that keeps separating things that must be held together-loving God and loving people, the great commandment and the great commission, a God that is personal and a God that is social . . . may the pages of this book remind us that Jesus and Justice must kiss, and that loving God and loving people are like the blades of scissors-they''ve got to stick together.""-Shane Claiborneauthor of The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical""An Evangelical Social Gospel? is a joy to read because Suttle is so deadly serious about matters that matter. The book is filled with delightful surprises, not the least being the recovery of Walter Rauschenbusch to challenge the individualism of evangelical Christianity. But this book is more than critique, it is a wonderful imaginative attempt to develop a folk theology that is faithful to the gospel."" -Stanley Hauerwasauthor of Working with Words: On Learning to Speak Christian (Cascade Books) ""This is a down-to-earth account of how the thinking of a young Evangelical changed his understanding of the Gospel from a message that addressed individualistic sin management to a holistic Gospel that includes a strong emphasis on justice. He makes the teachings of Walter Rauschenbusch accessible to all readers, but undoubtedly this book will have a special appeal to youth who are going through the same growth process that marked the author''s life.""-Tony Campoloauthor of Red Letter Christians: A Citizen''s Guide to Faith and Politics""Tim Suttle''s first book, An Evangelical Social Gospel?, brings a message of balance and challenge needed by us all. This gifted new writer helps us rediscover one of our most-misunderstood old writers from a century ago. Highly recommended."" -Brian McLarenauthor of A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith ""Combining elements of history, theology, and autobiography, Tim Suttle has written a thought-provoking book that serves as a fresh assessment of Walter Rauschenbusch for the twenty-first-century church. In an age when many Christians use labels such as ''evangelical'' and ''liberal'' in an uncritical fashion, Suttle calls upon his audience to reflect on how a recovery of the past can lead to a fresh understanding of Christianity today. While written primarily with an evangelical audience in mind, Suttle''s study provides a welcome perspective not only on Walter Rauschenbusch and the social gospel, but on how Christianity in America might unfold over

Description:There is a lot of talk these days about how churches need to become more ""missional"" and ""Kingdom-focused""--but what about the families that make up our churches and often reflect the surrounding culture more than the Kingdom of God? Christian families know that God has a better purpose for marriage and family but often don''t have the slightest idea how to get there. And while many books on Christian marriage and family are inwardly focused on simply getting along ""better,"" this book addresses the cultural influences that have taken our focus away from God''s intended purpose for marriage and family and, through analysis and practical suggestions, recalls marriages and families to the purpose for which God intended them in the first place--namely, to serve God''s Kingdom as witnesses to a world desperately seeking deeper purpose and authenticity. Endorsements:""It would be quite wrong to describe what Trevecca Okholm says in Kingdom Family as new or groundbreaking--it just seems that way. She mines our Scriptures and tradition for wisdom on marriage and the family and presents a compelling picture that is so out of step with our conventional wisdom and patterns of living. While there is a prophetic and challenging message, the author delivers this without a sharp edge or accusation, but as an invitation to a better way of life--the way of the Kingdom.""--James C. WilhoitScripture Press Chair of Christian Education, Wheaton CollegeAuthor of Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered (2008)""As a seasoned minister of children and families for over twenty years, Trevecca Okholm has faithfully cultivated the practice of practical theology leading to a genuine transformation of the family and the church. Drawing on her wide reading and experience, Okholm invites the readers to re-envision--namely, reflect, remember, recommit, and rehearse--the life of God''s Kingdom intended for the families of God''s people in this world. A splendid and immensely practical work.""--S. Steve KangProfessor of Educational Ministries and Interdisciplinary Studies, Gordon-Conwell Theological SeminaryCoauthor of Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful (2009)About the Contributor(s):Trevecca Okholm has been a professional Christian educator for nearly twenty-five years and has served as Minister to Children and Families at St. Andrew''s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California. She is a Certified Christian Educator in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and received her MA in Educational Ministries from Wheaton Graduate School.

Description:Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle discovered that by forming the faith of new Christians and leading them to the waters of baptism, they as a parish were renewed and revitalized for mission in the world. Faith Forming Faith describes the year-long process of faith mentoring that has become the center of this congregation''s ministry. Hoffman''s easy narrative style weaves together solid pastoral and theological insights with the practical, real-life stories of lives transformed by a vibrant new faith--the lives of newcomers and long-time members alike. This is a great primer for anyone wanting more than a pastor''s class, more than another curriculum. It is a book for pastors, parish leaders, or seminarians. But it''s also a great witness to a skeptical, questioning world outside the Church as well, showing that a life of faith can be lived in a secular, questioning culture.Endorsements:""This is the book for which many of us have been waiting. In our new, post-Christendom time the critical need for faith formation--catechesis--has now been understood and accepted. But how? How to do faith formation for adults, for seekers, for a new time? Paul Hoffman''s inspiring report on ''The WAY'' goes a long way toward answering not only the ''why'' and ''what,'' but also the crucial ''how'' question. Invaluable.""-Anthony B. RobinsonPresident, Congregational Leadership Northwest""Paul Hoffman joyously testifies to God''s reviving breath stirring a congregation and bringing new Christians to baptism when a faith community embraces the Adult Catechumenate as the focus of its ministry. Those skeptical that an ancient way of forming Christians can work today will meet people whose lives were truly transformed as they walked with God, surrounded by God''s people, on a journey of revelation, faith, and discovery that a congregation in Seattle simply calls ''The WAY.''""Craig A. SatterleeProfessor of HomileticsLutheran School of Theology at Chicago""Paul Hoffman has written a stunning book. The book describes one congregation''s bold embodiment of the ancient catechumenate--a pattern of apprenticeship forming people into faith in Jesus Christ. It offers pastors, seminarians, and congregational leaders sage council for beginning this baptismal pattern of ''font-forming-faith'' in their own communities, and in doing so sets out a gracious and vital proposal about the witness of faith in an increasingly secular society.""-Christian ScharenCodirector, Learning Pastoral Imagination ProjectAbout the Contributor(s):Paul E. Hoffman is Lead Pastor at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington. For the past fifteen years, along with other staff members and committed lay leaders, he has led The WAY at Phinney Ridge, a contemporary adaptation of the ancient ministry of the Adult Catechumenate.

About the Contributor(s):Paul S. Chung is Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of numberous books including of Reclaiming Mission as Constructive Theology (2012) and Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy (2013).

Description:The fair and equitable distribution of wealth and the cultivation of proper attitudes toward material goods and economic development concern all religious traditions alike. In so far as the dynamics of the world market or the global economic system transcend the competency and control of any particular religion, dialogue between religions, as well as between religionists and economists becomes both possible and necessary. This volume brings together religious thinkers from various traditions as well as economists to reflect on the possibilities and the challenges of such dialogue.Endorsements:""This book can''t be more relevant because of the subject and the perspective it gives. But more than that, the occasion of its publication is more than opportune, at a moment where economics is the great concern for the whole world and threatens everyday life all around the globe. The relevant contribution religions can bring to that is organized with competence and creativity by Catherine Cornille and Glen Willis. It is mandatory reading for those working with economics and also for those who work with religious social thought of any confession and tradition.""-Maria Clara Bingemer Professor of Systematic TheologyCatholic University of Riode Janeiro, Brazil""At last a book in which scholars of religion and economics reach beyond their respective disciplines to address structural, political, and personal ways to understand and surmount financial hardship at both local and national levels. This collection of essays leads the way for a multidisciplinary dialogue not only on questions of economic development but also on the dangers of free market theism and the value of interrogating the moral underpinnings of market realities.""-Andy RotmanSmith College""This probing study of the interaction between religion and economics is urgently needed. It makes a unique contribution. Not since the work of Max Weber has the question received the intellectual attention it clearly deserves in our world marked by deep inequalities between rich and poor. This book raises challenging questions and proposes stimulating solutions that will demand equally serious exploration in the years ahead.""-David Hollenbach, SJBoston CollegeAbout the Contributor(s):Catherine Cornille is Associate Professor of Comparative Theology at Boston College. She is author of The Im-Possibility of Interreligious Dialogue (2008), and editor of Song Divine: Christian Commentaries on the Bhagavadgita (2006), Criteria of Discernment in Interreligious Dialogue (Cascade Books, 2009), and Interreligious Hermeneutics (Cascade Books, 2010). She is managing editor of the series Christian Commentaries on Non-Christian Sacred Texts.Glenn Willis is a doctoral candidate in Comparative Theology at Boston College, working in the area of Buddhist-Christian dialogue.

Description:Hope Church--its clergy and its people--are quite a congregation, an unforgettable cast of saints and sinners. While serving a heavenly realm, they also have their feet plainly planted in the muck and mire of the real world. Here is an Easter story of ordinary folk caught in the gracious grasp of an extraordinary God. In this rollicking, hilarious, sometimes pathetic, fast-paced, and always entertaining journey through a month of Sundays at Hope Church, we meet a wild cast of characters in church people surprised to be the body of Christ. Sex, violence, greed, grunge, lust, and lies--all in church! Saints and sinners all, caught within the embrace of a God who refuses to make proper distinctions.Endorsements:""In Incorporation Will Willimon offers a fascinating fictional exposé of the underside of the American mega-church. Seasoned ministers in this corporate church world are opportunists intent on crowd-pleasing performances that advance their careers. When inevitable missteps expose their manipulative ways, like their counterparts in the corporate world of business, protecting the corporation becomes their prime concern. But reckless ambition leads to compromises that bring about a final tragic accounting. There is still God after all.""--Douglas Alan Walrathauthor of Displacing the Divine: The Minister in the Mirror of American Fiction""Imagine a contemporary variation on Trollope''s Barchester Towers, set in a small American town with a big church called Hope, where both clergy and parishioners are energetically engaged in those all too human emotions--ambition, greed, lust, jealousy, pride--and ungodly shenanigans--drunkenness, adultery, criminal malfeasance--that make the lives of sinners so often more entertaining than the lives of saints. Imagine a touch of madness and mystery and the chance for grace. Imagine the narrator of this novel has a keen sense of irony and humorous insight into his cast of characters. You don''t have to imagine the result. Just read Will Willimon''s irrepressible Incorporation.""--Michael Maloneauthor of The Four Corners of the Sky: A NovelAbout the Contributor(s):Will Willimon is one of the most popular writers on church, ministry, and religion in the United States today. His books have sold over a million copies. He has served as an editor, writer, pastor, and bishop. He currently teaches at Duke Divinity School.

Description:Through the fascinating stories of pioneering ministers, this book reveals a unique picture of progressive changes occurring in the Christian tradition. Meeting challenges and overcoming obstacles, these twelve diverse ministers are changing the church as they take prophetic stands on gender, race, interfaith cooperation, ecology, sexual orientation, economic opportunity, and other social justice issues. Believing in the power of sacred symbolism to shape social reality and to provide a foundation for justice and freedom for all people, these ministers lead worship with inclusive language and imagery for humanity and divinity. They include multicultural female and male images of the Divine. Their stories affirm the connection between this expansive theology and an ethic of justice and equality in human relationships. In working from within to change the church, these ministers have risked censure by denominational authorities, loss of opportunities for promotion to larger congregations or to prestigious denominational positions, and even loss of their jobs. They have found creative ways to balance advocating for change and working to support the church, using their positions as ordained clergy to bring liberating change to the church and the wider culture.Endorsements:""I know of no other book like this. Jann Aldredge-Clanton not only convincingly shows why our language and imagery for God must include the feminine as well as the masculine, but she also shows how such inclusiveness can be introduced and implemented in our churches. And she does it through wonderful real-life stories.Wholeheartedly recommended.""-Letha Dawson ScanzoniEditor of Christian Feminism Todayco-author of All We''re Meant to Be: Biblical Feminism for Today""These are stories that need to be told, that have been waiting to be told, so that women and men embarking on this journey know that others have been there before them, have faced some of the same challenges and struggles, and have found ways to be both faithful and emancipating. But most of all, we need to know these stories so that women''s history in the church is not, once again, lost and forgotten and denied.""-Marjorie Procter-SmithPerkins School of Theologyauthor of The Church in Her House: A Feminist Emancipatory Prayer Book of Christian Communities""What does it mean to transform Christian language for prayer and liturgy to really include female symbols for the divine? This is the question Jann Aldredge-Clanton asked in writing this book. To answer this question she did interviews with twelve innovative ministers from seven denominations. These interviews give compelling testimony of the transformation that happens for religious communities when language for God is really affirmed in both genders.""-Rosemary Radford RuetherClaremont Graduate Universityauthor of Integrating Ecofeminism, Globalization, and World ReligionsAbout the Contributor(s):Jann Aldredge-Clanton, PhD, ordained minister and chaplain, is an adjunct professor at Perkins School of Theology and at Richland Community College in Dallas, Texas. She is the author of numerous books, including Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians (2006); Seeking Wisdom: Inclusive Blessings and Prayers for Public Occasions (2010); Praying with Christ-Sophia: Services for Healing and Renewal (2007); and God, a Word for Girls and Boys (2007).

About the Contributor(s):Gavin Hyman is Lecturer in the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion at the University of Lancaster, UK. He is author of The Predicament of Postmodern Theology (2001) and A Short History of Atheism (2010), and editor of New Directions in Philosophical Theology (2004).

Description:The scholarship on Martin Luther King Jr. has too often cast him in the image of the Southern black preacher and the American Gandhi, while ignoring or trivializing his global connections and significance. This groundbreaking work, written by scholars, religious leaders, and activists of different backgrounds, addresses this glaring pattern of neglect in King studies. King is treated here as both a global figure and a forerunner of much of what is currently associated with contemporary globalization theory and praxis. The contributors to this volume agree that King must be understood not only as a thinker, visionary, and social change agent in his own historical context, but also in terms of his meaning for the different generations who still appeal to him as an authority, inspiration, and model of exemplary service to humanity. The task of engaging King both in context and beyond context is fulfilled in remarkable ways in this volume, without doing essential violence to this phenomenal figure.

About the Contributor(s):Kevin Livingston is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto. He has served as a missionary in Mexico and as a pastor in congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Description:Christians are prone to so focus on the realities of Jesus'' divinity that we minimize or ignore the realities of his humanity. That he called himself the Son of Man more than any other title emphasizes that Jesus lived humanly in our fallen world, facing our temptations and living out the tensions of being human in the flow of life. He was just like us, human in a sinful world, yet he did not sin.So what can we learn from Jesus'' glorious life about the meaning of our own humanity, about the tensions of being human in a sinful world and the difference between being a sinner and being a finite, flesh-and-blood human being? With this book as a helpful and trustworthy guide, you will begin to see how we can learn from Jesus how to:ΓÇó live gracefully in our bodies, even our wounded and dying bodiesΓÇó live with integrity as finite human beings who are created to enjoy limitsΓÇó love our family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and enemiesΓÇó enjoy being alone without being lonelyΓÇó enjoy the good things of lifeΓÇó wear our scars with hope and dignityΓÇó learn to dieAs Dr. Russ shows, it is by truly encountering, understanding, and learning from Jesus'' humanity that we can become more fully and truly human.Endorsements:""This book is a little gem rich with quiet wisdom and deep insights, and is beautifully written. This is a book to read slowly and savor long.""--Os Guinness, author of A Free People''s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future""A book of uncommon power and insight. By providing incisive commentary on the gospel''s story of Jesus''s humanity, Russ opens wide a window into our own.""--Robert Walter Wall, Paul T. Walls Professor of Scripture and Wesleyan Studies, Seattle Pacific University""I don''t know when I have been more pleased with a book on Christian life than I am with this stunningly helpful examination of the humanity of Christ. . . . This is the kind of book that not only deserves, but needs, a wide readership.""--Luder G. Whitlock Jr., Former President, Reformed Theological Seminary""A marvelously surprising book. Surprising because it uncovers an obvious truth we have persistently managed to obscure or ignore. Marvelous because, like all truths, its discovery has the capacity to set us free, free to enjoy the limits of our finitude, and free to marvel, once again, at the full-orbed wonder of the Word-made-flesh. A tour de force.""--Stan D. Gaede, President, Christian College ConsortiumAbout the Contributor(s):Dan Russ is Academic Dean and faculty member at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He is also a Fellow of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture and a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum, where he has also served as a moderator, resource scholar, editor, and project director. He has previously published on biblical and classical literature as well as education.

Description:One passage, two verses, four words.As a writer and an adjunct professor of psychology, Amy Hollingsworth is on her way to becoming an ""expert"" on creativity. But just days before delivering her first professional seminar on the topic, she has an unsettling dream. The dream awakens her to the fact that she has missed a crucial element in understanding what true creativity is. Trying to unravel the dream, she soon discovers its contents reflected in a single passage of ancient literature. In this passage she sees for the first time creativity''s core, its spiritual roots, and as its meaning unfolds through months of spiritual reflection and study, it confirms the very scientific theories she''s been teaching all along. In fact, she discovers the underpinnings of the whole body of creativity research tucked into four small words penned centuries ago, kernels of truth that explode with a new depth of meaning. As she digs deeper, she uncovers for the reader God''s blueprint for cultivating the creative spirit in everyday life, through a practical outworking of her spiritual findings. In the end, both writer and reader come away with a new understanding of their own creative abilities--and a profound sense of what''s truly holy about holy curiosity.Endorsements:""So sensitive, intelligent, and gutsy.""-Thomas Moore, New York Times best-selling author of Care of the Soul ""Amy brings her uniquely lyrical style to the subject of creativity, its origins, and its purpose in our lives. This book is personal, practical, and poetic all in one, and will be a welcome addition to your shelf.""-Daniel H. Pink, New York Times best-selling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind ""You know that best afternoon ever, with the rain outside, and the comfy chair inside, and the good book -a glorious, quiet revelation of a book-and the family dog sleeping at your feet? This is that book. You''ll have to bring your own dog.""-Sean Herriott, host of national Catholic radio program Morning Air™ on Relevant Radio®""With wit and grace, Amy Hollingsworth invites her readers to listen to their lives. She is bold to embrace the possibility that the Wisdom with whom God framed Creation is the very Wisdom who yearns to create through each of us. Amy draws thread from spools ancient and modern, mythic and scientific, experiential and theoretical and weaves a seamless story that calls us all to hear and respond to the whispers of Wisdom."" -Jim Street, writer and pastor of North River Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia ""I found Amy''s book to be a fascinating mix as she examines the deeper essence of creativity. Her personal journey, insights from both the scientific and biblical realms, and the practical delineation of how to assure creativity''s existence in a driven, specialized world provide a portal to understanding that everything is relevant and that creativity is our inherent nature. Amy''s blueprint for how to live the creative lives we are all meant to live is clear, awakening, profound and practical.""-Carla Hannaford, PhD, Neurophysiologist and author of Playing in the Unified Field: Raising and Becoming Conscious, Creative Human Beings ""Amy is one of my revered people: such a warm, good heart infused with profound spiritual insight and tremendous sensitivity to others. These qualities uniquely position her to offer a nuanced, affecting, practical, and truly exceptional work on creativity in Holy Curiosity. Thank you, Amy.""-Danny Fisher, writer and Professor of Religious Studies at University of the West, Coordinator of the Buddhist Chaplaincy ProgramAbout the Contributor(s):Amy Hollingsworth is the author of The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers: Spiritual Insights from the World''s Most Beloved Neighbor (2005), based on her nine-year friendship with television''s Fred Rogers; and Gi

Description:Cosmic Commons explores terrestrial-extraterrestrial intelligent life Contact. It uses a thought experiment to consider the ecological-economic-ethical-ecclesial impacts of Contact, analyzing incidents around the world described by credible witnesses (two of whom are interviewed for the book), including Roswell and the Hudson River Valley. It discusses government and academic efforts to use ridicule and coercion to suppress Contact investigations, supports a scientific method to research ETI reports in a field that should excite scientists, and calls on academics to publicly disclose their Contact experiences. It traces Earth ecological and economic injustices to the European Enlightenment and the Discovery Doctrine by which European nations rationalized invasion of distant continents, genocide, and seizure of the territories and natural goods of native peoples. It advocates a change in humans'' Earth conduct to avoid replicating in space the policies and practices that wrought economic injustice and ecological devastation on Earth, provides an innovative cosmosociological praxis ethics theory and practice toward that end, and develops a Cosmic Charter, based on UN documents, to guide humankind in space and in ETI encounters. Permeated by a profound sense of the sacred, Cosmic Commons explores a positive relationship between religion and science as humankind ventures into space.

Description:Genesis ""was a political document of the state, and its major function was to exalt David and his monarchy, not only with his own people but also among the other states of that world. The scribes of the monarchy used many sources for this work, and certainly the literary criticism of the past has helped us to isolate many of these sources. However, the view presented here is quite different from the older criticism in that the sources that were used in this work must date from before the exile. This is obvious, if the sources were used by the scribes of the Davidic monarchy. None of this can be said with dogmatic zest, but we can at this point discuss some reasons why it seems possible to see Genesis in this way.""--from the IntroductionEndorsements:""Loren Fisher applies what is perhaps the single most valuable method of biblical interpretation to the book of Genesis, the principle of ''multiple voices.'' Instead of forcing agreement between clearly distinct units and genres, he allows the differences to speak, and then brings them together to function as a royal epic of leadership and nationhood.""-Baruch A. LevineSkirball Professor Emeritus of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern StudiesNew York University""Loren Fisher has produced an elegant and eminently readable translation of the book of Genesis, with helpful literary and comparative notes throughout. The author does an exceptionally fine job of situating Genesis within the world of ancient Near Eastern literature. Both the casual reader and the advanced scholar of the Bible will gain many insights from this well-conceived project.""-Gary RendsburgDepartment of Jewish StudiesRutgers UniversityAbout the Contributor(s):Loren R. Fisher retired as Professor of Hebrew Bible at the School of Theology at Claremont and as Professor of Semitic Languages and Literature at the Claremont Graduate University. He is the author of The Many Voices of Job, Tales from Ancient Egypt, The Jerusalem Academy, and the editor of Ras Shamra Parallels, vols. 1 and 2,

Description:Whatever religion may have meant to the boy when he was younger, in the teenage years it takes the form of a personal journey or quest. This journey is related to other aspects of his life and is integral to how he experiences himself and others. The title of this volume--Striking Out--has the connotation of the beginning of a journey that will take the boy in new directions, but it also suggests the baseball metaphor of a batter being called out on strikes. The first sense is positive; the second is negative. Together, they express the anticipatory and hopeful nature of the venture, but also the possibility that the undertaking may evoke feelings of fear, frustration, and failure. By focusing on real-life examples of teenage boys (both historical and contemporary), the book presents five typical manifestations of a boy''s vulnerabilities as he sets forth on the journey: the stumbler, the struggler, the straggler, the straddler, and the stranger. It explores the ways in which these vulnerabilities may contribute in positive ways to his personal growth and his religious maturity.Throughout this book Gordon W. Allport''s classic text The Individual and His Religion draws attention to the claim that a boy''s religious sentiment may play a decisive role in the integration of his personality despite its inevitable disparities and uncertainties, and the real-life examples are presented as evidence that this religious sentiment provides direction and clarity of vision as the boy looks toward the future. Endorsements:""This book is about the religious journeys of boys. It assumes, correctly, that there is (and should be) a congruity between a boy''s life and his religion. Just as a boy''s life changes, his religiosity changes. Capps writes about these changes by exploring common vulnerabilities that boys face as they strike out on their own journeys. Capps gives us all--and especially teenage boys--hope for the journey.""-Nathan CarlinThe University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Texas ""Capps takes us right to the heart of the religious journey of the adolescent male--a journey marked by stumbling, struggling, straggling, straddling, and being a stranger. He masterfully pulls together a number of strands to tell his story of striking out that is at once deeply perceptive, profoundly human, and richly spiritual . . . This is a simply brilliant exposition of the religious journey of teenage boys.""-Neil Pembroke,University of Queensland""Striking Out is a home run! All five of Capps''s personality types (the stumbler, the struggler, the straggler, the straddler, and the stranger) are in my youth group, so this is a particularly relevant book for me. Capps navigates the vulnerable adolescent journey masterfully, thoughtfully, and faithfully. All those invested in the spiritual journey of teenagers will discover great hope in Striking Out.""-Joshua StewartFirst Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth, Texas""Capps spoke to me personally as a man who had once been a young teenage boy with questions, emotions, and baggage striking out on my own spiritual journey. He speaks to me as a new father, as I imagine my son''s future, with all of his potential and struggles ahead, and my hope to help him keep his eyes on the ball each time he comes to the plate. Capps also speaks to me as a pastor and educator, as I realize the great need of this very specific population in our culture and nation. Striking out is a paradox with which we must each deal in one way or another.""-Grafton T. EliasonCalifornia University of PennsylvaniaAbout the Contributor(s):Donald Capps is Professor of Pastoral Psychology Emeritus and Adjunct Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is author of The Child''s Song, Agents of Hope, Fragile Connections, A Time to Laugh, Jesus the Village Psychiatrist, The Decades of Life, and Understanding Psychosis. He is also coauthor with Nathan Carlin of Living in Limbo: Life in the Midst of Uncerta

Description:Evidence of mainstream denominational decline virtually throws itself in our faces--growing religious pluralism in North America; the decline over the last half century in the salience, prestige, power, and vitality of Protestant denominational leadership; slippage in mainline membership and corresponding growth, vigor, visibility, and political prowess of conservative, evangelical, and fundamentalist bodies; patterns of congregational independence, including loosening of or removal of denominational identity, particularly in signage, and the related marginal loyalty of members; emergence of megachurches, with resources and the capacity to meet needs heretofore supplied by denominations (training, literature, expertise); growth within mainline denominations of caucuses and their alignment into broad progressive or conservative camps, often with connections to similar camps in other denominations; widespread suspicion of, indeed hostility towards, the centers and symbols of denominational identity--the regional and national headquarters; migration of individuals and families through various religious identities, sometimes out of classic Christianity altogether. Denominationalism looks doomed and is so proclaimed. It may be. However, viewing the sweep of Anglo-American history, this volume suggests how much denominations and denominationalism have changed, how resilient they have proved, how significant these structures of religious belonging have been in providing order and direction to American society, and how such enduring purposes find ever new structural/institutional expression.Endorsements:""This book has convinced me that denominational Christianity is not dying; it is once again adapting and transitioning into a new chapter in its fascinating history. Here is history from one of our most able church historians, who not only studied our history, but also helped make history in his church and seminary leadership, all in service to the future vitality of our church.""--Will Willimon, Duke Divinity School""Face the facts of denominational decline and discord. Spot the spires and spectacle of mega-churches on the rise, and chart the paths of spiritual seekers and pluralist pilgrims through faith in flux. Then find the underlying truth and overarching spirit of American grace, made flesh in denominational bodies and reborn through their living history. Nobody does this better than Russell Richey, and no place better than in this brilliant book.""--Steven M. Tipton, Emory University""Russell Richey has long been the master historian of the phenomenon of denominationalism. This is a collection of his essays stretching over a forty-year career. Each essay is a jewel, and together they make up a glittering necklace that allows the reader to glimpse the various facets of the denominational pattern.""--Robert Bruce Mullin, General Theological Seminary""In its historical scope, from English origins to contemporary challenges of denominationalism, and in its range of probing discussion, from the voluntary principle to ecclesial purpose of denominations old and new, Richey''s work is an essential reference and stimulus to teaching and scholarship in American religious studies.""--Thomas Edward Frank, Wake Forest UniversityAbout the Contributor(s):Russell E. Richey, Dean Emeritus of Candler School of Theology and William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Church History Emeritus, is author or editor of twenty books, including Denominationalism (1977, 2010) and Reimagining Denominationalism (1994, 2010).

About the Contributor(s):Associate Professor Mark R. Lindsay is Director of Research at MCD University of Divinity. He is the author of two earlier books on Karl Barth--Covenanted Solidarity: The Theological Basis of Karl Barth''s Opposition to Nazi Antisemitism and the Holocaust (2001), and Barth, Israel and Jesus (2007)--as well as numerous chapters and articles on Barth, Bonhoeffer, and post-Holocaust theology.

Description:In an era of seemingly endless war, and similarly endless debates about the nature of marriage, Through with Kings and Armies offers a fresh look at what both war and marriage might mean for Christians. This is a love story: the tale of a sixty-three-year marriage grounded in the love of Jesus Christ and shaped by the conviction that his disciples must witness publicly to their faith in him. As a Presbyterian ministerial student in 1941, George Edwards renounced a draft deferment to register as a conscientious objector, serving at home and abroad for five years. Jean, his childhood friend, turned against war when the Battle of the Bulge left her a widow at twenty-three. After George and Jean fell in love overnight at the end of the war, their pacifist beliefs became the foundation for their life together. A pastor and biblical scholar yoked to a Christian educator, their gifts complemented each other as they organized communities of witnesses against war and racial violence, while raising three children and remaining active in the church that rarely supported their witness.Endorsements:""A masterful study of the personal lives and peace activities of an extraordinary couple. Everyone concerned about peace should read this book. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, it opens wide windows on the complexities of living faithfully today.""--E. Glenn Hinson, Senior Professor of Church History, Baptist Seminary of Kentucky""This gracefully written book recounts the inspiring lives of George and Jean Edwards, itself a most worthy achievement. Yet Through with Kings and Armies does much more. It illuminates the true meaning of discipleship and shows that the Christian tradition of nonviolence remains alive and vibrant.""--Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of International Relations and History, Boston University""Rhonda Lee''s narrative of the life and contagious witness of George and Jean Edwards is wonderful, and it will call you, as it does me, to more consistent and impactful witness. Rhonda Lee tells the story with great human interest, and she gets it right.""--Glen Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological SeminaryAbout the Contributor(s):Rhonda Mawhood Lee is a priest, independent scholar, and spiritual director. She currently serves as associate rector of St. Philip''s Episcopal Church in Durham, North Carolina.

Description:""If I could only have been there . . ."" Did you ever wish you could have been among those who actually encountered Jesus in person; mingled, perhaps, with those throngs beside the lake; feasted among the five thousand in a Galilean meadow; crowded along the village street as the carpenter from Nazareth passed by? This month of daily meditations seeks to accomplish just that; to place readers in the ways that Jesus walked; to assist those who pray or meditate their way across this thirty-day selection to experience the many moments of Jesus''s ministry as narrated in the gospels, through the eyes and minds, the hearts and emotions of folk-ordinary folk for the most part- whose lives were touched and transformed as Jesus walked their way. For Lent, or Advent, or for any season of spiritual renewal, Faces by the Wayside can set you once again in the presence of the Master.Endorsements:""Insightful and eloquent writer J. Barrie Shepherd has engaged us for years with poignant meditations and poetry. Faces by the Wayside, written from the perspective of ancient pilgrims, speaks to all of us who are seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ, and joins Shepherd''s other works, Faces at the Manger and Faces at the Cross, to form a trilogy of imaginative meditations.""--John BuchananEditor/Publisher, The Christian Century""Faces by the Wayside by Barrie Shepherd is a winsomely crafted insightful look into the souls of people who actually encountered Jesus. Shepherd seamlessly weaves the opportunity for the reader to experience a like encounter. We are enabled to ""see and hear and hope for the Life Abundant that Jesus offers."" We must, of course, confess . . . how we reacted when we saw these Faces . . . a very challenging experience!""--Ann WeemsAuthor, From Advent''s Alleluia to Easter''s Morning Light""Barrie Shepherd is our most poetic of preachers. It is a joy to walk alongside Barrie and Jesus for these roadside encounters. A fresh, beautiful presentation of the gospels awaits us here.""--William H. WillimonBishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist ChurchAuthor, Sighing for Eden and What''s Right with the Church""J. Barrie Shepherd''s depth of insight have encouraged people and his wisdom has helped them to grow in their own faith. The four hundred people that I teach find his books spiritually helpful as well as enjoyable.""--Jane HowingtonReid Memorial Presbyterian Church (USA)About the Contributor(s):J. Barrie Shepherd has written extensively in the area of religious studies, is the author of fourteen books and over six hundred published poems. Shepherd has preached and lectured at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, and other universities and colleges and many of the major seminaries, as well as in distinguished pulpits across the USA and Canada, the UK, Europe and Africa.

Description:It seems that much of American Christianity has lost sight of the goal of growing to maturity in Christ. This loss of vision has had serious consequences for the quality of our witness and ministry. In Aiming at Maturity, Steven W. Rankin seeks to bring back into focus key qualities of spiritual maturity and summarizes important biblical passages to show the scriptural foundations that call for spiritual maturity. Rankin also addresses certain tendencies in popular Christian culture to reduce doctrinal truths to sound bites with the laudable but counterproductive goal to make doctrine memorable, therefore applicable. Thinking more expansively about certain key doctrines related to the work of Christ and the impact of grace contributes to growth toward maturity in a way that popular descriptions of these doctrines do not. Finally, Rankin also challenges readers to consider the important role of emotions in developing Christlike dispositions, which contribute toward producing the fruit of a mature Christian life. By looking at relevant modern research, Aiming at Maturity shows the inherent connection between thoughts and feelings that draw us closer to the actual biblical description of the heart. Endorsements:""Stephen Rankin has given Christians a strong call to grow up, a challenge overdue in a culture that idolizes youth and stereotypes people over the age of thirty. Drawing from popular culture, his work as chaplain and college professor, and from theology, Rankin offers a robust definition of Christian maturity and invites readers to step up.""--Elaine Heath, Perkins School of Theology""Individual believers and local church leaders will find this book unique in laying the groundwork for discipleship growth plans. As a pastor I have been using Rankin''s ''trajectory of Christian maturity'' for years to identify the essence of a mature follower of Christ, and to design ministries that will provide substantive fruit, not simply more activities. Rankin calls the church to be serious in developing mature disciples."" --Pastor Bruce E. BaxterLead Pastor, Wesley United Methodist Church, Springfield, MissouriAbout the Contributor(s):Stephen W. Rankin is Chaplain and Minister to the University at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. A contributor to academic and popular periodicals, Aiming at Maturity is his first book.

Description:What does it mean to be created in the image of God? How can the existence of evil be explained if we believe in a good and loving God? What is the precise meaning of the notion of original sin? How can God transfer the guilt of humanity to one innocent individual, or should we rather dispense with the notion of penal satisfaction? The first part of Created in the Image of God grapples in a concise manner with these and other elusive and controversial theological and anthropological issues. The second part proceeds to address societal issues that relate to dignity, equality, and freedom. How can human dignity and the dignity of the environment be reconciled? Are the values of freedom and equality natural enemies? When does theology become a tool of oppression? How should we evaluate neo-liberalist economic theory after the greatest recession since the Depression? This book cautiously attempts to provide some answers that might help modern society to re-invent itself in a tumultuous age.Endorsements:""After decades in which quandaries dominated the field of ethical deliberation in an often depressing way, there is now a growing interest in the anthropological dimension of morality. Nico Vorster offers an attractive contribution to this approach by combining the discussion of theological themes like man as the image of God, and sin, with perspectives on values such as dignity, freedom, and equality. This is promising!""--Gerrit de KruijfProtestant Theological University, The Netherlands""In this timely and thorough-going study, Nico Vorster probes some of the core doctrines of Reformed theology-especially the relationship between God and humanity as established by the imago Dei, thwarted by sin, and restored by atonement. He not only comes up with some creative proposals for relating these classical doctrines to the contemporary scientific worldview, but also convincingly shows how the resulting theological anthropology is able to deal constructively with some of the most pressing ethical challenges of our time. This book is a must-read for everyone with an interest in Reformed theology as a living tradition of ongoing relevance.""--Gysbert van den BrinkVU University, Amsterdam""Nico Vorster draws deeply from the rich wells of scripture, reformed theology, and ethics as he reworks perennial topics in ways that are open to new understandings from the natural and social sciences and are creatively relevant to pressing issues of our time. This would be an excellent textbook for courses in theology, ethics, or theological ethics.""-Douglas J. SchuurmanSt. Olaf CollegeAbout the Contributor(s):Nico Vorster is Extraordinary Professor of Systematic Theology at the Theological Faculty of the Northwest University in South Africa. He is the author of Restoring Human Dignity in South Africa (2007).

Description:Johannine Literature offers some of the most beautiful, majestic, and profound theology contained within the entire biblical text. Within its works can be found the highest Christology, the capstone of eschatology, and the heartbreaking struggles of a community committed to Christ. However, it does not always get the attention it deserves in New Testament studies. This book seeks to remedy that by drawing together some of the most respected biblical scholars to bring their expertise to bear on various aspects of Johannine studies that are contained within the Gospel, Epistles, and the Apocalypse. These contributions have been collected as a Festschrift in honor and celebration of the career of Benny C. Aker, a preeminent scholar, teacher, and mentor.

Description:Was Jonathan Edwards always--or ever--the stalwart and unquestioning Reformed theologian that he is often portrayed as being? In what ways did his own conversion fail to meet the standards of his Puritan ancestors? And how did this affect his understanding of the divine being and of the nature of justification? Becoming Divine investigates the early theological career of Edwards, finding him deep in a crisis of faith that drove him into an obsessive lifelong search for answers. Instead of a fear of God-which he had been taught to understand as proof of his conversion-he experienced a ""surprising, amazing joy."" Suddenly he saw the divine being in everything and felt himself transported into a heavenly world, becoming one with the divine family. What he developed, as he sought to make sense of this unexpected joy, is a theology that is both ancient and early modern-a theology of divine participation rooted in the incarnation of Christ. Endorsements:""Withrow''s fascinating look at Edwards'' incarnationalism is must reading for Edwards scholars. By tying Edwards'' Spirit-Christology to his doctrine of the Spirit''s role in binding believers to Christ, helping them understand the Scriptures, and thereby helping them participate in the very life of God, he has developed a reading of Edwards that will generate fresh thinking about this quasi-mystical sage and his variations on such crucial theological themes for years to come.""-Douglas A. SweeneyTrinity Evangelical Divinity School""In Becoming Divine, Brandon Withrow has provided a masterful explication of Edwards''s understanding of the intricate relationship between what the Bible is and what conversion does, between ''Biblicism'' and ''union with Christ.'' Withrow places Edwards''s work carefully and accurately within the broader historical/theological tradition of hermeneutics and spirituality and shows how Edwards''s theology is ''a Protestant candidate for continuing interests in ecumenical dialogue between Western and Eastern Christians.'' For all of these reasons, I enthusiastically recommend this book.""-Samuel T. Logan, Jr.The World Reformed Fellowship""Beneath these pages is a truckload of careful spadework which informs Withrow''s thoughtful analysis of many of the literary influences on Jonathan Edwards'' ''spiritual reading'' of Scripture. One result is a better understanding of Edwards'' view of the sublime doctrine historically termed ''deification'' . . . Readers will find much in Withrow''s knowledge of the life, times, and thought of Edwards to enlarge their own understanding of the same.""-Don WhitneyThe Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryAbout the Contributor(s):Brandon G. Withrow is Assistant Professor of History of Christianity and Religious Studies and Director of the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program at Winebrenner Theological Seminary. He is the author of Katherine Parr: A Guided Tour of the Life and Thought of a Reformation Queen (2009).

Description:If Schillebeeckx had been Asian, how would he have responded to the phenomenon of religious pluralism? This book attempts to answer that question, beginning with a dialogue with the Vatican Declaration Dominus Iesus and discerning how Schillebeeckx''s methodology has been applied in Asian theology. Employing the hermeneutical-critical method, Schillebeeckx asserts that the Word of God did not come "down to us, as it were, vertically in a purely divine statement"--it must be interpreted! In today''s context of so many religions, so many cultures, and so many poor, God''s Word invites the church to be a "sacrament of dialogue." Through dialogue the church will be "challenged by other religions and challenge them in return." Christianity will then be "put in its place, as well as given the place which is its due."Endorsements:"A frank and articulate commentary on Dominus Iesus, this volume offers reflections on the respectful and authentic relationship between the Catholic Church and other religious traditions. . . . What is intriguing is not only that it deals with the greatest theological conundrum of our time, but also explores how Western and Asian theologies can be bridged, mindful of the aspirations of the wronged of this world."--Bahar DavaryAssociate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San DiegoAuthor of Women and the Qur''an"Combining the theology of Schillebeeckx and the experience of religious diversity of the Asian churches, Chia takes on the ''600-pound gorilla'' that stalks all Catholic conversations about interreligious dialogue: the tensions between official Vatican pronouncements such as Dominus Iesus and the views of communities and theologians. Chia''s final proposal for an ''Asian theology of dialogue'' opens a way forward."--Paul F. KnitterPaul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture, Union Theological SeminaryAuthor of Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian"Edmund Chia puts us all, especially Asian theologians, in his debt with this scholarly analysis of the thought of one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the twentieth century. Chia brilliantly succeeds in extending Schillebeeckx''s insights into the challenging field of cultural and interreligious dialogue. In this way he builds a bridge between Western and Asian theologies, long kept apart, or worse, with the former dominating the latter. Chia''s work is proof that Asian theology has come of age."--Peter C. PhanEllacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Georgetown UniversityAuthor of Being Religious InterreligiouslyAbout the Contributor(s):Edmund Chia is a Malaysian who served from 1996 to 2004 as Executive Secretary of Interreligious Dialogue for the Federation of Asian Bishops'' Conferences. He then joined Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he last served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Doctrinal Studies Department. Since 2011 he has been on the faculty of the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. He holds an MA in human development, an MA in religion from the United States, and a PhD in intercultural theology from the Netherlands. Fr. Schillebeeckx witnessed his doctoral defense.

About the Contributor(s):John Timmerman is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is the author of twenty-four books, many of them for the Christian audience.

Description:Much of the emerging Protestantism of the sixteenth century produced a Reformation in conscious opposition to formal philosophy. Nevertheless, sectors of the Reformation produced a spiritualizing form of Platonism in the drive for correct devotion. Out of an understandable fear of idolatry or displacement of the uniquely redemptive place of Christ, Christian piety moved away from the senses and the material world--freshly uncovered in the Reformation.This volume argues, however, that in the quest for restoring ""true religion,"" sectors of the Protestant tradition impugned too severely the material components of prior Christian devotion.Larry Harwood argues that a similar spiritualizing tendency can be found in other Christian traditions, but that its applicability to the particulars of the Christian religion is nevertheless questionable. Moreover, in that quest of a spiritualizing Protestant ""true religion,"" the Christian God could shade toward the conceptual god of the philosophers, with devotees construed as rationalist philosophers. Part of the paradoxical result was to propel the Protestant devotee toward a denuded worship for material worshipers of the Christian God who became flesh.About the Contributor(s):Larry D. Harwood is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Viterbo University in Wisconsin and has authored numerous articles and a few short stories. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Lisbon in Portugal in 2008 and is presently at work on a book on Bertrand Russell and religion.

Description:"". . . that you may become partakers in the divine nature"" 2 Peter 1:4""The theme of deification intimately touches on human identity and the actualization of humanity''s ultimate purpose. It is predominantly an anthropological and soteriological expression of Christian theology. At the same time, it testifies to the identity of a Christian God, divine universal design, and God''s economy, where the trinitarian and christological apprehension receives the central place. Theosis, both on an individual and cosmic scale, is not exiguous in its eschatological perspective, either. The testimony of theosis is testimony to the inexplicable mystery of divine intimacy. Deification penetrates all spheres of human existence, and can be seen as an answer to most pending ultimate questions. It is essentially practical in its manifestation and uplifting in its content, but nevertheless, always evasive and arcane in its comprehension.""From the IntroductionThis book contains biblical and historical-theological essays that offer innovative approaches to the issue of theosis. The interconnections between the theology of deification and the doctrines of the Trinity, Christology, anthropology, protology, hamartiology, soteriology, and eschatology are made manifest in these fascinating new studies. It is aimed both at those who are already students of theosis and at those who are looking for an introductory text. It also contains a comprehensive and up-to-date bibliography for those seeking further resources on the theme.Endorsements:""Theosis is back, and it is here to stay--no longer as the focus solely of one stream of the Christian tradition, but as a fully biblical and ecumenical account of salvation. Vladimir Kharlamov, with his colleagues, offers us another volume of significant essays on theosis/deification in the Christian tradition, from the evangelists to contemporary Baptists. They add to the burgeoning literature on the central reality of Christian faith: transformative participation in the very life of the Triune God.""--Michael J. GormanThe Ecumenical Institute of Theology, St. Mary''s Seminary & University, Baltimore, MD""Vladimir Kharlamov has successfully gathered a lively collection of studies covering foundational aspects of the ancient concept of theosis. The chapters range from the teachings of Jesus and the Fathers, to contemporary attempts to appropriate the notion today (its relevance to the Reformed tradition, its importance to Christian ecology). The book is an exciting example of the energy that still exists in putting the ancient tradition in discussion with the pressing concerns of the world.""--V.Revd. Dr. John A. McGuckinNielsen Professor of Ancient & Byzantine Christian HistoryUnion Theological Seminary, New York""Vladimir Kharlamov has assembled a rich and remarkable volume that will offer profound gifts to the church''s theological reflection. Whether one is already a student of the doctrine of theosis or is seeking an introduction to its riches, s/he will do well to take this volume and read it carefully."" --Philip E. ThompsonProfessor of Systematic Theology and Christian HeritageSioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, South Dakota""A well-researched,  carefully edited, and welcomed volume on the amazing, engaging, enduring, bold, and bewildering notions of deifying grace in Scripture, historical theology, ecumenical discussion, and contemporary reflection.Vladimir Kharlamov, as editor, expertly navigates students of Scripture and seasoned scholars through the complexities of theosis, from East to West, from historical to contemporary contexts, and succeeds in connecting esoteric ideas, Eastern Orthodox spirituality, and Baptist theologies in one volume.""Michael J. Christensen, Ph.D, co-editor of Partakers of the Divine Nature: Deification in the Christian Traditions, and Affiliate Associate Professor of Theology at Drew University.About the Contributor(s):Vladimir Khar

About the Contributor(s):Craig Keen is Professor of Systematic Theology at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. He is the author of The Transgression of the Integrity of God: Essays and Addresses (2012).

Description:This book of conversations between Margaret R. Miles and Hiroko Sakomura compares the experiences of two women who grew up in different societies, with different educations, different professions, and different religious orientations. Reflecting on the different ways in which Japanese and American societies inhibited and enabled them, these two women share their struggles, difficulties, and achievements. All of this is set in the context of one of the most radical social movements in the history of the world, as women are gaining increments of equality with men in designing and administering the institutions of public life with opportunities, dangers, and rewards. This is a moment in which a critical mass of women "want it all now," in the best sense of the phrase, seeking to preserve and reinterpret traditional values while exercising their capabilities and skills both in the home and in public life. This book is the memoir of two women''s painful and joyful experiences in "getting here from there."Endorsements:"Getting Here from There affords the reader a rare opportunity to listen in on a dialogue between two women who took risks in daily life and with ideas, and who invented themselves as highly accomplished professionals. Across differences of culture, age, and vocation, Miles and Sakomura create a common ground for exploring shared values and life concerns. Their wisdom, erudition, and straight-up common sense are a profound inspiration to all of us to seek the lives we envision."-Deborah J. HaynesUniversity of Colorado-Boulder "Margaret R. Miles and Hiroko Sakomura draw out the best in one another despite their significant differences. Their lives as professor and producer, American and Japanese, Christian and Buddhist are rich sources of well-distilled wisdom. Their shared commitments to families and selves, to work and pleasure, to substance and style, make them ideal discussion partners. How fortuitous that they found one another and how lucky for readers that they chose to share their conversations widely."-Mary E. HuntWomen''s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)About the Contributor(s):Margaret R. Miles is Emerita Professor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She taught at Harvard Divinity School for eighteen years and is the author of numerous books, including a memoir: Augustine and the Fundamentalist''s Daughter (2011). Hiroko Sakomura has produced many exhibitions worldwide, including The Vision and Craft of Sinjo Ito (2008); Wisdom and Compassion (1997); Audrey Hepburn (1998); Noh at the Met (1993); and Salvatore Ferragamo (1998).