Author: B. J. Oropeza
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725246473
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
In this three-volume set, Apostasy in the New Testament Communities, B. J. Oropeza offers the most thorough examination in recent times on the subject of apostasy in the New Testament. The study examines each book of the New Testament and identifies the emerging Christian community in danger, the nature of apostasy that threatens the congregations, and the consequences of defection. Oropeza compares the various perspectives of the New Testament communities on the subject of apostasy to arrive at the idea that the earliest followers of Christ did not all believe and teach alike on the issue. The first volume, In the Footsteps of Judas and Other Defectors, focuses on the Christ-communities of the Gospels, Acts, and Johannine Letters.
In the Footsteps of Judas and Other Defectors
Author: B. J. Oropeza
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725246473
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
In this three-volume set, Apostasy in the New Testament Communities, B. J. Oropeza offers the most thorough examination in recent times on the subject of apostasy in the New Testament. The study examines each book of the New Testament and identifies the emerging Christian community in danger, the nature of apostasy that threatens the congregations, and the consequences of defection. Oropeza compares the various perspectives of the New Testament communities on the subject of apostasy to arrive at the idea that the earliest followers of Christ did not all believe and teach alike on the issue. The first volume, In the Footsteps of Judas and Other Defectors, focuses on the Christ-communities of the Gospels, Acts, and Johannine Letters.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725246473
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
In this three-volume set, Apostasy in the New Testament Communities, B. J. Oropeza offers the most thorough examination in recent times on the subject of apostasy in the New Testament. The study examines each book of the New Testament and identifies the emerging Christian community in danger, the nature of apostasy that threatens the congregations, and the consequences of defection. Oropeza compares the various perspectives of the New Testament communities on the subject of apostasy to arrive at the idea that the earliest followers of Christ did not all believe and teach alike on the issue. The first volume, In the Footsteps of Judas and Other Defectors, focuses on the Christ-communities of the Gospels, Acts, and Johannine Letters.
To Aliens and Exiles
Author: Tim MacBride
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 153269685X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Over the space of a generation, Christianity in the Western world has gone from occupying a central place in the wider society to being eyed with increasing suspicion and, in some places, outright hostility. Although the church has always been a minority group, in the past decade or so it has become reawakened to that reality--and to the similarities it shares with the first followers of Jesus for whom the New Testament was written. In this book, Tim MacBride shows how New Testament texts functioned as rhetoric for the marginalized minority groups they addressed, encouraging hearers to resist the pressure to conform to the majority culture, yet in a way that remained attractively different to outsiders. He offers suggestions for how Christians today--and preachers in particular--can use and apply the New Testament's minority-group rhetoric to speak into our own increasingly marginalized experience. Such preaching needs to guard against either being shaped by culture or isolating preacher and hearers against culture. It must instead champion the call of New Testament authors to a middle way--a call for communities of "aliens and exiles" to engage with culture by living out an attractive difference.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 153269685X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Over the space of a generation, Christianity in the Western world has gone from occupying a central place in the wider society to being eyed with increasing suspicion and, in some places, outright hostility. Although the church has always been a minority group, in the past decade or so it has become reawakened to that reality--and to the similarities it shares with the first followers of Jesus for whom the New Testament was written. In this book, Tim MacBride shows how New Testament texts functioned as rhetoric for the marginalized minority groups they addressed, encouraging hearers to resist the pressure to conform to the majority culture, yet in a way that remained attractively different to outsiders. He offers suggestions for how Christians today--and preachers in particular--can use and apply the New Testament's minority-group rhetoric to speak into our own increasingly marginalized experience. Such preaching needs to guard against either being shaped by culture or isolating preacher and hearers against culture. It must instead champion the call of New Testament authors to a middle way--a call for communities of "aliens and exiles" to engage with culture by living out an attractive difference.
Judas Iscariot
Author: Richard Harvey
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532639554
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 359
Book Description
The name Judas Iscariot usually provokes a negative response as the disciple who betrayed his Lord to death. It is difficult to think of another person, dead for so long, who is so closely associated with betrayal. In recent times, some commentators have urged a rethink on Judas, arguing that he has been unfairly treated. This book will show that the traditional picture of Judas as a traitor best fits the biblical evidence. It also establishes two other points. Firstly, although Judas was a human being, he had the literary features of an idol. Secondly, the earliest gospel, Mark, clearly establishes his guilt and Matthew and Luke show how uniquely guilty Judas was.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532639554
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 359
Book Description
The name Judas Iscariot usually provokes a negative response as the disciple who betrayed his Lord to death. It is difficult to think of another person, dead for so long, who is so closely associated with betrayal. In recent times, some commentators have urged a rethink on Judas, arguing that he has been unfairly treated. This book will show that the traditional picture of Judas as a traitor best fits the biblical evidence. It also establishes two other points. Firstly, although Judas was a human being, he had the literary features of an idol. Secondly, the earliest gospel, Mark, clearly establishes his guilt and Matthew and Luke show how uniquely guilty Judas was.
Acts
Author: Craig S. Keener
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108475582
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 719
Book Description
Makes more widely available and accessible the research behind Keener's monumental, acclaimed, 4500-page commentary on Acts.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108475582
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 719
Book Description
Makes more widely available and accessible the research behind Keener's monumental, acclaimed, 4500-page commentary on Acts.
Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament
Author: Dongsu Kim
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1664265406
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 637
Book Description
Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament thoroughly examines all the New Testament texts relevant to the controversial questions of whether a genuine believer can apostatize and/or whether an apostate can be restored. The primary contribution of the book lies in the in-depth exegesis of the relevant New Testament Greek texts against the socio-historical circumstances of each faith community in the New Testament. The book inductively shows that the New Testament writers maintain a uniform perception on perseverance and apostasy based on Jesus’ words that bear upon the subject described in the Gospels. It also illuminates questions of the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, the role of the Holy Spirit for the believer’s perseverance, and the role of Satan for the apostates’ falling away. The book is a needed addition to earlier works on perseverance and apostasy. ENDORSEMENTS The debate over the issues of perseverance and apostasy will likely remain in the church until the coming of Christ. Many despair of ever coming to a definitive conclusion, often contending that the biblical evidence is inconsistent and beyond resolution. Don Kim’s near-exhaustive analysis of the relevant NT texts proves otherwise. He is thoroughly conversant with virtually all contributors to this subject and his meticulous contribution will surely prove to be the standard for future dialogue. Anyone who proposes to engage with this controversial matter cannot afford to overlook this remarkably helpful and insightful book. Dr. Sam Storms, Lead Pastor of Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City Enjoying God Ministries Don Kim has written an amazingly thorough and careful study on perseverance and apostasy in the New Testament. Scholars disagree on how to interpret these difficult passages, but Kim defends well his own understanding, and his important study will have to be reckoned with in future work on this controversial topic. Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Professor of Biblical Theology The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament is a well-executed and thorough examination of New Testament texts that bear upon or otherwise illuminate the difficult question of whether a true believer can apostatize. The author neither avoids difficult questions nor skirts challenging texts. Rather, he carefully works his way through each relevant New Testament text’s central exegetical questions, offering judicious insights and integrating those insights into a collective explanation. I found some of my own assumptions challenged while reading this book. I am happy to recommend it as a helpful addition to—and sometimes needed correction of—earlier works on perseverance. Dr. Kenneth Berding, Professor of New Testament Talbot School of Theology at Biola University Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament concentrates on the crucial questions of whether genuine believers in Jesus could apostatize and whether the NT presents a consistent picture on that very issue—by providing a careful exegetical treatment of numerous passages across the New Testament, beginning with the Synoptics and John’s Gospel, walking through Acts and the letters, and completing with the book of Revelation. One’s theological presuppositions will, of course, affect how he/she receives and responds to Kim’s case. It will also be unrealistic to expect even those agreeing passionately with Kim to concur on every detail in a tome of this magnitude. Yet, undoubtedly, Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament proves to be an essential reading for pastors and theological students who (should) wrestle with the issue of perseverance and apostasy and the relevant biblical texts to form their own conclusions. This well-written book will serve its readers effectively by sharpening or challenging their views, if not both. Dr. John Lee, Associate Professor of New Testament Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary This substantial study by Dongsu Kim is a decisive demonstration of the historic doctrine of the perseverance of the saints taught and defended by the Reformed tradition. “Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament” provides a thoroughly biblical and hermeneutically and canonically sensitive study. Kim’s exposition is scholarly, rigorous and articulate. He argues persuasively that the various biblical writers’ engagements with apostasy are consonant with the Scriptures’ declarations of divine sovereign grace in salvation. “Perseverance and apostasy in the New Testament” is an extensive arsenal of biblical and theological insights that will be of value for exegetes and theologians alike. Dr. Peter A. Lillback, president, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia The Reformed doctrine of perseverance of the saints has recently been tremendously challenged and egregiously distorted. For example, the New Perspective on Paul has seriously rejected the traditional wisdom, advocating revisions not only of the doctrine of perseverance but also justification. In response to these criticisms, challenges and distortions, this book provides a most comprehensive and compelling antidote with profoundly detailed and meticulous exegetical engagements with the New Testament texts. Dr. Kim did an excellent job in presenting a powerful and persuasive case for God’s gracious and faithful preservation of true believers in Christ. This is a masterpiece and must read for anyone interested in Scripture’s teachings about the ideas of perseverance and apostasy. Dr. Sung Wook Chung, Professor of Christian Theology Denver Seminary Kim asks whether New Testament authors maintain a consistent theology of perseverance and apostasy or not. Is it conceivable that divinely inspired authors contradict each other with different theologies of perseverance and apostasy? Or must we admit they contradict each other and deny plenary verbal inspiration of Scripture? Kim is fully aware that no scholar asks these questions without theological presuppositions which predetermine his answers. He himself enters this hermeneutical circle with his own working definitions of perseverance and apostasy. He challenges himself and his readers allow the New Testament itself to revise and refine our theological presuppositions and working definitions. Kim is also aware of the error of selective evidence. To avoid it, he chooses passages from the entire New Testament that he deems critical to understanding the subject of perseverance and apostasy. Kim’s book is new essential reading for everybody who wants to formulate a comprehensive New Testament theology of perseverance and apostasy. Dr. Andrew D. Parlee, Professor of Systematic Theology Greater Europe Mission, Thirdmill Seminary
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1664265406
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 637
Book Description
Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament thoroughly examines all the New Testament texts relevant to the controversial questions of whether a genuine believer can apostatize and/or whether an apostate can be restored. The primary contribution of the book lies in the in-depth exegesis of the relevant New Testament Greek texts against the socio-historical circumstances of each faith community in the New Testament. The book inductively shows that the New Testament writers maintain a uniform perception on perseverance and apostasy based on Jesus’ words that bear upon the subject described in the Gospels. It also illuminates questions of the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, the role of the Holy Spirit for the believer’s perseverance, and the role of Satan for the apostates’ falling away. The book is a needed addition to earlier works on perseverance and apostasy. ENDORSEMENTS The debate over the issues of perseverance and apostasy will likely remain in the church until the coming of Christ. Many despair of ever coming to a definitive conclusion, often contending that the biblical evidence is inconsistent and beyond resolution. Don Kim’s near-exhaustive analysis of the relevant NT texts proves otherwise. He is thoroughly conversant with virtually all contributors to this subject and his meticulous contribution will surely prove to be the standard for future dialogue. Anyone who proposes to engage with this controversial matter cannot afford to overlook this remarkably helpful and insightful book. Dr. Sam Storms, Lead Pastor of Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City Enjoying God Ministries Don Kim has written an amazingly thorough and careful study on perseverance and apostasy in the New Testament. Scholars disagree on how to interpret these difficult passages, but Kim defends well his own understanding, and his important study will have to be reckoned with in future work on this controversial topic. Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Professor of Biblical Theology The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament is a well-executed and thorough examination of New Testament texts that bear upon or otherwise illuminate the difficult question of whether a true believer can apostatize. The author neither avoids difficult questions nor skirts challenging texts. Rather, he carefully works his way through each relevant New Testament text’s central exegetical questions, offering judicious insights and integrating those insights into a collective explanation. I found some of my own assumptions challenged while reading this book. I am happy to recommend it as a helpful addition to—and sometimes needed correction of—earlier works on perseverance. Dr. Kenneth Berding, Professor of New Testament Talbot School of Theology at Biola University Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament concentrates on the crucial questions of whether genuine believers in Jesus could apostatize and whether the NT presents a consistent picture on that very issue—by providing a careful exegetical treatment of numerous passages across the New Testament, beginning with the Synoptics and John’s Gospel, walking through Acts and the letters, and completing with the book of Revelation. One’s theological presuppositions will, of course, affect how he/she receives and responds to Kim’s case. It will also be unrealistic to expect even those agreeing passionately with Kim to concur on every detail in a tome of this magnitude. Yet, undoubtedly, Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament proves to be an essential reading for pastors and theological students who (should) wrestle with the issue of perseverance and apostasy and the relevant biblical texts to form their own conclusions. This well-written book will serve its readers effectively by sharpening or challenging their views, if not both. Dr. John Lee, Associate Professor of New Testament Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary This substantial study by Dongsu Kim is a decisive demonstration of the historic doctrine of the perseverance of the saints taught and defended by the Reformed tradition. “Perseverance and Apostasy in the New Testament” provides a thoroughly biblical and hermeneutically and canonically sensitive study. Kim’s exposition is scholarly, rigorous and articulate. He argues persuasively that the various biblical writers’ engagements with apostasy are consonant with the Scriptures’ declarations of divine sovereign grace in salvation. “Perseverance and apostasy in the New Testament” is an extensive arsenal of biblical and theological insights that will be of value for exegetes and theologians alike. Dr. Peter A. Lillback, president, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia The Reformed doctrine of perseverance of the saints has recently been tremendously challenged and egregiously distorted. For example, the New Perspective on Paul has seriously rejected the traditional wisdom, advocating revisions not only of the doctrine of perseverance but also justification. In response to these criticisms, challenges and distortions, this book provides a most comprehensive and compelling antidote with profoundly detailed and meticulous exegetical engagements with the New Testament texts. Dr. Kim did an excellent job in presenting a powerful and persuasive case for God’s gracious and faithful preservation of true believers in Christ. This is a masterpiece and must read for anyone interested in Scripture’s teachings about the ideas of perseverance and apostasy. Dr. Sung Wook Chung, Professor of Christian Theology Denver Seminary Kim asks whether New Testament authors maintain a consistent theology of perseverance and apostasy or not. Is it conceivable that divinely inspired authors contradict each other with different theologies of perseverance and apostasy? Or must we admit they contradict each other and deny plenary verbal inspiration of Scripture? Kim is fully aware that no scholar asks these questions without theological presuppositions which predetermine his answers. He himself enters this hermeneutical circle with his own working definitions of perseverance and apostasy. He challenges himself and his readers allow the New Testament itself to revise and refine our theological presuppositions and working definitions. Kim is also aware of the error of selective evidence. To avoid it, he chooses passages from the entire New Testament that he deems critical to understanding the subject of perseverance and apostasy. Kim’s book is new essential reading for everybody who wants to formulate a comprehensive New Testament theology of perseverance and apostasy. Dr. Andrew D. Parlee, Professor of Systematic Theology Greater Europe Mission, Thirdmill Seminary
Peter
Author: Robert H. Gundry
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725240564
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 140
Book Description
A STUNNING, PROVOCATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON THE DISCIPLE PETER AS DEPICTED BY MATTHEW "In this highly controversial work on Peter, Robert Gundry's intellectual gifts and remarkable powers of analysis are displayed to an even higher degree than in his previous publications. . . One need not agree with Gundry's conclusions to acknowledge that the penetrating exegesis presented here and the nature of the argumentation as a whole demand serious reflection and engagement. Those who pay close attention to this brief but unusually weighty book will not be able to read Matthew in quite the same way that they did before." --MOISES SILVA author of Biblical Words and Their Meaning "Peter, long thought to be 'prince of the apostles' and one of the heroes of the Gospel of Matthew, is shown here to be neither. This extraordinarily closely argued volume by Robert Gundry offers a compelling case that Matthew constructs the figure of Peter as a failed disciple and an apostate. . . A courageous book that will require scholars to reassess how the Peter of Matthew came to be, in Gundry's words, 'airbrushed' and turned into a model of disciple and central figure in ecclesiastical memory." --JOHN S. KLOPPENBORG University of Toronto "If Bob Gundry is known for anything, it is for his dogged pursuit of the meaning of Scripture. Here he once again provides fresh, penetrating analysis--in the present case, leading to an unsettling conclusion. Provocative, as he can often be, Gundry is never boring but always instructive and well worth a careful reading." --DONALD A. HAGNER Fuller Theological Seminary
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725240564
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 140
Book Description
A STUNNING, PROVOCATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON THE DISCIPLE PETER AS DEPICTED BY MATTHEW "In this highly controversial work on Peter, Robert Gundry's intellectual gifts and remarkable powers of analysis are displayed to an even higher degree than in his previous publications. . . One need not agree with Gundry's conclusions to acknowledge that the penetrating exegesis presented here and the nature of the argumentation as a whole demand serious reflection and engagement. Those who pay close attention to this brief but unusually weighty book will not be able to read Matthew in quite the same way that they did before." --MOISES SILVA author of Biblical Words and Their Meaning "Peter, long thought to be 'prince of the apostles' and one of the heroes of the Gospel of Matthew, is shown here to be neither. This extraordinarily closely argued volume by Robert Gundry offers a compelling case that Matthew constructs the figure of Peter as a failed disciple and an apostate. . . A courageous book that will require scholars to reassess how the Peter of Matthew came to be, in Gundry's words, 'airbrushed' and turned into a model of disciple and central figure in ecclesiastical memory." --JOHN S. KLOPPENBORG University of Toronto "If Bob Gundry is known for anything, it is for his dogged pursuit of the meaning of Scripture. Here he once again provides fresh, penetrating analysis--in the present case, leading to an unsettling conclusion. Provocative, as he can often be, Gundry is never boring but always instructive and well worth a careful reading." --DONALD A. HAGNER Fuller Theological Seminary
1 Corinthians
Author: B. J. Oropeza
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532636962
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 373
Book Description
This compact commentary on 1 Corinthians is both readable and full of insights that will engage students, ministers, and scholars alike. The Apostle Paul writes to a relatively new church in which members are failing to maintain solidarity with other members. They struggle to find their unique place in Roman society as Gentile followers of Jewish leaders that proclaim Christ as Lord. Their many problems include competition over leadership and social prestige, sexual impropriety, household conflicts, idol foods, table fellowship, protocols on gender and the use of spiritual gifts, and confusion about death, immortality, and Christ's return. Oropeza addresses Paul's response to these and other issues as he engages ancient biblical, Jewish, and Greco-Roman sources along with recent scholarship. This is a must-read for those who want to understand the Corinthian situation and Paul's response in a new way.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532636962
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 373
Book Description
This compact commentary on 1 Corinthians is both readable and full of insights that will engage students, ministers, and scholars alike. The Apostle Paul writes to a relatively new church in which members are failing to maintain solidarity with other members. They struggle to find their unique place in Roman society as Gentile followers of Jewish leaders that proclaim Christ as Lord. Their many problems include competition over leadership and social prestige, sexual impropriety, household conflicts, idol foods, table fellowship, protocols on gender and the use of spiritual gifts, and confusion about death, immortality, and Christ's return. Oropeza addresses Paul's response to these and other issues as he engages ancient biblical, Jewish, and Greco-Roman sources along with recent scholarship. This is a must-read for those who want to understand the Corinthian situation and Paul's response in a new way.
Jesus and Paul
Author: B. J. Oropeza
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567629538
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
A new generation on scholars examine many of the themes explored by the outstanding scholar James D. G. Dunn. >
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567629538
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
A new generation on scholars examine many of the themes explored by the outstanding scholar James D. G. Dunn. >
They Who Endure to the End
Author: Everett Berry
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498239684
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Is it possible for a true believer in Christ to apostatize? If so, how? Also, how can professing believers know if they are truly born again? What assurance can they have that they will never renounce their faith? These questions have been asked for centuries as Christians have wrestled with what Scripture says about these matters. The search for answers has instilled strong disagreements among Christian traditions. In this book, we navigate the terrain of this debate by examining the pertinent biblical data, surveying the history of major views that have been advocated by various denominations, and offering a synthesis of all this material in the hopes that readers can see how Scripture assures believers of their security in Christ.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1498239684
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Is it possible for a true believer in Christ to apostatize? If so, how? Also, how can professing believers know if they are truly born again? What assurance can they have that they will never renounce their faith? These questions have been asked for centuries as Christians have wrestled with what Scripture says about these matters. The search for answers has instilled strong disagreements among Christian traditions. In this book, we navigate the terrain of this debate by examining the pertinent biblical data, surveying the history of major views that have been advocated by various denominations, and offering a synthesis of all this material in the hopes that readers can see how Scripture assures believers of their security in Christ.
The Fourfold Gospel, Volume 2
Author: John DelHousaye
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532683693
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 549
Book Description
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.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532683693
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 549
Book Description
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.