The Limits of a Divided Nation with Perspectives from the Bible

The Limits of a Divided Nation with Perspectives from the Bible PDF Author: Michael Ufok Udoekpo
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725256118
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 142

Get Book Here

Book Description
Michael Udoekpo’s work brilliantly and pastorally discusses the issues of conflict, friction, and disunity in the world—and in Nigeria in particular—from biblical, historical, and sociocultural perspectives. These issues, he stresses, are endemic in various fabrics of the Nigerian society, traceable to the family as the foundation of any given society. They are also found in religious, political, and media groups. Contributing factors, Udoekpo argues, are materialism, infidelity, relativism, and fundamentalism. Others are ethnocentrism, anthropocentricism, ignorance, bribery, and corruption with other forms of injustices. Drawing from the Bible, Udoekpo proposes prayer, proper education, truth-telling, restoration of family values, interreligious and cultural dialogue, ecumenism, enforcement of rule of law, faith, and absolute trust in God as antidotes to conflict, violence, friction, and disunity in our contemporary society.

The Limits of a Divided Nation with Perspectives from the Bible

The Limits of a Divided Nation with Perspectives from the Bible PDF Author: Michael Ufok Udoekpo
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725256118
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 142

Get Book Here

Book Description
Michael Udoekpo’s work brilliantly and pastorally discusses the issues of conflict, friction, and disunity in the world—and in Nigeria in particular—from biblical, historical, and sociocultural perspectives. These issues, he stresses, are endemic in various fabrics of the Nigerian society, traceable to the family as the foundation of any given society. They are also found in religious, political, and media groups. Contributing factors, Udoekpo argues, are materialism, infidelity, relativism, and fundamentalism. Others are ethnocentrism, anthropocentricism, ignorance, bribery, and corruption with other forms of injustices. Drawing from the Bible, Udoekpo proposes prayer, proper education, truth-telling, restoration of family values, interreligious and cultural dialogue, ecumenism, enforcement of rule of law, faith, and absolute trust in God as antidotes to conflict, violence, friction, and disunity in our contemporary society.

How the Nations Rage

How the Nations Rage PDF Author: Jonathan Leeman
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
ISBN: 1400207657
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Get Book Here

Book Description
How can the church move forward in unity amid such political strife and cultural contention? As Christians, we’ve felt pushed to the outskirts of national public life, yet even within our congregations we are divided about how to respond. Some want to strengthen the evangelical voting bloc. Others focus on social justice causes, and still others would abandon the public square altogether. What do we do when brothers and sisters in Christ sit next to each other in the pews but feel divided and angry? Is there a way forward? In How the Nations Rage, political theology scholar and pastor Jonathan Leeman challenges Christians from across the spectrum to hit the restart button by shifting our focus from redeeming the nation to living as a nation already redeemed rejecting the false allure of building heaven on earth while living faithfully as citizens of a heavenly kingdom letting Jesus’ teaching shape our public engagement as we love our neighbors and seek justice When we identify with Christ more than a political party or social grouping, we can return to the church’s unchanging political task: to become the salt and light Jesus calls us to be and offer the hope of his kingdom to the nations.

The Third Option

The Third Option PDF Author: Miles McPherson
Publisher: Howard Books
ISBN: 1501172204
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 272

Get Book Here

Book Description
Miles McPherson, founder of The Rock Church in San Diego, presents “a discussion about race that we desperately need...a must read” (Bishop T.D. Jakes, Senior Pastor, The Potter’s House) and argues that we must learn to see people not by the color of their skin, but as God sees them—humans created in the image of God. Pastor Miles McPherson, senior pastor of The Rock Church in San Diego, addresses racial division, a topic many have shied away from, for fear of asking the wrong question or saying the wrong thing. Some are oblivious to the impact racism has, while others pretend it doesn’t exist. Even the church has been affected by racial division, with Sunday now being the most segregated day of each week. Christians, who are called to love and honor their neighbors, have fallen into culture’s trap by siding with one group against another: us vs. them. Cops vs. protestors. Blacks vs. whites. Racists vs. the “woke.” The lure of choosing one option over another threatens God’s plan for unity among His people. Instead of going along with the culture, Pastor Miles directs us to choose the Third Option: honoring the priceless value of God’s image in every person we meet. He exposes common misconceptions that keep people from engaging with those of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and identifies the privileges and pitfalls that we all face. The Third Option challenges us to fully embrace God’s creativity and beauty, as expressed in the diversity of His people. By following the steps and praying the prayers outlined in his book, Pastor Miles teaches us how we can all become leaders in unifying our communities, our churches, and the nation.

Divided Nation

Divided Nation PDF Author: Ken Ham
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group
ISBN: 1614587787
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Get Book Here

Book Description
Divided Nation: Cultures in Chaos & A Conflicted Church provides families and their churches biblical mandates to awaken and arise as influencers in today’s turbulent times. As Christian persecution increases, the Body of Christ needs to prepare to take a bold stand. Ken Ham, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter, sounds the call for Reformation bringing God’s people back to the authority of the Word of God beginning in Genesis. Can the church regain a position of influence among this generation of “truth seekers” who reject God and His Word? To combat today’s chaotic culture and the conflicted church, Ham addresses five specific issues: There is no neutral position There is no non-religious position There are ultimately only two religions Creation apologetics How to think foundationally to develop a truly Christian worldview Make a stand for the soul of this generation. Divided Nation shines an empowering light on the struggle of the church to retain young believers. Glean from it the issues that must be addressed and find clarity amid the chaos of the culturally conflicted church. “Divided Nation is an excellent call to Christians, pastors and thinkers alike to return to the supreme authority of God’s Word and the God of all truth.” Jack Hibbs – Calvary Chapel: Chino Hills, CA

Philemon in Perspective

Philemon in Perspective PDF Author: D. Francois Tolmie
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
ISBN: 3110221748
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 407

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book is dedicated entirely to the interpretation of Paul’s Letter to Philemon. The letter is approached from a wide variety of perspectives, thus yielding several new insights into its interpretation. In a first essay the tendencies in the research on the letter since 1980 are outlined. This is followed by essays devoted to the epistolary analysis and to a rhetorical-psychological interpretation of the letter; as well as an essay devoted to the rhetorical function of stylistic form in the letter. After this there are two essays devoted to situating the letter in its ancient context: one views the letter against the background of ancient legal and documentary sources and another one against the background of slavery in early Christianity. The next two essays focus on theological aspects, namely on the letter as ethical counterpart of Paul’s doctrine of justification and on the role that love plays in the letter. Three essays focus on ideological issues: the contextual interpretation of the letter in the US, a post-colonial reading of the letter and the letter’s legacy of hierarchy and obedience. The volume concludes with four essays on the way in which the letter was interpreted by the some of the Church Fathers: Origen, Jerome, Chrystostom, Augustine and Theodore of Mopsuestia.

Two Views on Women in Ministry

Two Views on Women in Ministry PDF Author: Zondervan,
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
ISBN: 0310864518
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 368

Get Book Here

Book Description
The role of women in positions of worship and church leadership is one of the most divisive and inconclusive biblical debates. Two Views on Women in Ministry furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary exegetical arguments so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities. Egalitarian - equal ministry opportunity for both genders (represented by Linda L. Belleville and Craig S. Keener) Complementarian - men and women fill distinctive ministry roles (represented by Craig L. Blomberg and Thomas R. Schreiner) This revised edition brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors. The fair-minded, interactive Counterpoints forum allows you to compare and contrast the two different positions and form your own opinion concerning the practical and often deeply personal subject of women in ministry. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Divided by Faith

Divided by Faith PDF Author: Michael O. Emerson
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780195147070
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 228

Get Book Here

Book Description
Through a nationwide survey, the authors of this study conclude that US Evangelicals may actually be preserving the racial chasm, not through active racism, but because their theology hinders their ability to recognise systematic injustice.

Politics - According to the Bible

Politics - According to the Bible PDF Author: Wayne A. Grudem
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310413583
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 626

Get Book Here

Book Description
Should Christians be involved in political issues? This comprehensive and readable book presents a political philosophy from the perspective that the Gospel pertains to all of life, including politics. Politics—According to the Bible is an in-depth analysis of conservative and liberal plans to do good for the nation, evaluated in light of the Bible and common sense. Evangelical Bible professor, and author of the bestselling book Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem unpacks and rejects five common views about Christian influence on politics: "compel religion," "exclude religion," "all government is demonic," "do evangelism, not politics," and "do politics, not evangelism." Instead, he defends a position of "significant Christian influence on government" and explains the Bible's teachings about the purpose of civil government and the characteristics of good or bad governments. Grudem provides a thoughtful analysis of over fifty specific and current political issues dealing with: The protection of life. Marriage, the family, and children. Economic issues and taxation. The environment. National defense Relationships to other nations. Freedom of speech and religion. Quotas. And special interests. Throughout this book, he makes frequent application to the current policies of the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States, but the principles discussed here are relevant for any nation.

Theology, Political Theory, and Pluralism

Theology, Political Theory, and Pluralism PDF Author: Kristen Deede Johnson
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 113946115X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 13

Get Book Here

Book Description
How can we live together in the midst of our differences? This is one of the most pressing questions of our time. Tolerance has been the bedrock of political liberalism, while proponents of agonistic political thought and radical democracy have sought an answer that allows a deeper celebration of difference. Kristen Deede Johnson describes the move from tolerance to difference, and the accompanying move from epistemology to ontology, within political theory. Building on this 'ontological turn', in search of a theological answer to the question, she puts Augustine into conversation with recent political theorists and theologians. This theological option enables the Church to envision a way to engage with contemporary political society without losing its own embodied story and practices. It contributes to our broader political imagination by offering a picture of rich engagement between the many different particularities that constitute a pluralist society.

God Can't

God Can't PDF Author: Thomas Jay Oord
Publisher: SacraSage Press
ISBN: 1948609134
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 139

Get Book Here

Book Description
Hurting people ask heart-felt questions about God and suffering. Some "answers" they receive appeal to mystery: “God’s ways are not our ways”. Some answers say God allows evil for a greater purpose. Some say evil is God's punishment. The usual answers fail. They don't support the truth that God loves everyone all the time. God Can't gives a believable answer to why a good and powerful God doesn't prevent evil. Author Thomas Jay Oord says God’s love is inherently uncontrolling. God loves everyone and everything, so God can't control anyone or anything. This means God cannot prevent evil singlehandedly. God can’t stop evildoers, whether human, animal, organism, or inanimate objects and forces. In God Can't, Oord gives a plausible reason why some are healed, but many others are not. God always works to heal everyone, but sometimes our bodies, organisms, or other creatures do not cooperate with God's healing work. Or the conditions of creation are not right for the healing God wants to do. Some people think God causes or allows suffering to teach us lessons or build our character. God Can't disagrees. Oord says God squeezes good from the evil God didn’t want in the first place. God uses pain and suffering without willing or even allowing it. Most people think God can overcome evil singlehandedly. In God Can't, Oord says God needs cooperation for love to reign now and later. This leads to a better view of the afterlife called “relentless love.” It rejects traditional ideas of heaven, hell, and annihilation. Relentless love holds to the possibility all creatures and all creation will respond to God’s love. God Can't is written in understandable language. As a world-renown theologian, Thomas Jay Oord brings credibility to the book’s radical ideas. He explains these ideas through true stories, illustrations, and scripture. God Can't is for those who want answers to tragedy, abuse, and other evils that make sense! What They're Saying... “If conventional notions of God make less and less sense to you, you’ll find Thomas Jay Oord’s new book a breath of fresh air. Simply put, “God Can’t” presents an understanding of God that thoughtful, ethical people can believe in.” -- Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration "I did not want this book to end. I wish Dr. Oord had written it 100 years ago, or 1000 years ago... To find your understanding of life and your love for God renewed, read this book." -- Dr. Karen Strand Winslow, Ph.D., Biblical and Jewish Studies Professor of Bible, Azusa Pacific University "As a clinical psychologist working with people in trauma, I owe Thomas Jay Oord an enormous debt of gratitude for recasting the so-called problem of evil in terms that are conceptually satisfying, theologically consistent, and pastorally liberating.” -- Dr Roger Bretherton- Principal Lecturer at the University of Lincoln (UK), Chair of the British Association of Christians in Psychology “Victims of trauma sometimes hear theological responses that imply their suffering is somehow “God’s will." A more careful theological reflection on the nature of the power of a God who is love can help. Oord gives us a clear and compelling alternative in this profoundly insightful and admirably concrete and accessible book.” -- Dr. Anna Case-Winters, Professor of Theology at McCormick Theological Seminary “I know of no book that speaks to suffering with the depth of theological sophistication and psychological sensitivity as God Can’t. This book is a rare combination of depth and accessibility, truly written for the wounded. I recommend it to my students, parishioners, and therapy clients.” -- Dr. Brad D. Strawn, Professor of the Integration of Psychology and Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary