Questioning Assumptions - LaBible€¦ · · 2011-05-30Questioning Assumptions ... Each chapter traces historical understandings of each issue through ... 5. J. L. Mackie: Evil

1fortresspress.com/examcopy

Questioning AssumptionsRethinking the Philosophy of ReligionTom ChristensonCapital University

“Nearly every author aspires to engage their audience—especially students—in conversation and dialogue. In Questioning Assumptions, Tom Christenson succeeds where so many others fall short.”

—David Ratke Lenoir–Rhyne University

Tom Christenson turns philosophy inside out in this remarkable new book. Starting with the ongoing public debate over God’s existence, he approaches traditional arguments in philosophy of religion and peels back their veneers to uncover the questionable assumptions underlying each. This brief, valuable book drives the reader to reconsider how to think about the most fundamental questions that surround the matter of faith and religious belief.

Tom ChrisTenson is Professor of

Philosophy and

Director of the

Center for Faith

and Learning at

Capital University in

Columbus, Ohio. Christenson has

over thirty years of college and

university teaching experience

and teaches courses in philosophy

of religion annually.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697532 pb 160pp $22LeveL: UndergraduateCourses: Philosophy of Religion, Theology

PhilosoPhy of Religion

An ideal supplemental text for philosophy of religion and theology courses

2 3fortresspress.com/examcopy fortresspress.com/examcopy

Philosophy of religionClassic and Contemporary ReadingsEdited and Introduced by Michael PalmerUniversity of Bristol

Comprehensive in its scope and organized by major themes, Michael Palmer’s anthology contains over sixty-five selections exploring the most enduring of questions. Topics include the concept of God, arguments for God’s existence, the problem of evil, miracles, morality, the afterlife, reli-gious language, reason and belief, and diverse views from the world’s reli-gions. Each chapter traces historical understandings of each issue through a range of philosophical perspectives and includes helpful study questions and suggested further readings. Additional materials for instructors and students are available at www.fortresspress.com/palmer.

miChAel PAlmer has taught at the

University of Bristol

and is the author

of several books

in philosophy of

religion, including

the best-selling Moral Problems

(1984). He is a recognized

authority on and editor of the

work of Paul Tillich.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697952 pb 624pp $55LeveL: UndergraduateCourses: Philosophy of Religion


The most important classic and contemporary readings on philosophy of religion in a new, student-friendly anthology

“This is a splendid collection on the philosophy of religion—comprehensive and balanced. I cannot think of a better introduction to the subject for students. Highly recommended!”

—Michael Ruse Florida State University

“Well packaged and amply supported with solid philosophical frames around all the key issues, Michael Palmer’s Philosophy of Religion provides for a thoroughly enlightening semester’s worth of musing on the ultimate questions that are the backbone of religion.”

—Daniel Kolak William Paterson

University of New Jersey


“Michael Palmer’s impressive anthology examines the philosophy of religion with admirable depth and clarity. The selection of authors, text, and subjects is skillfully done, and the explanatory notes could not be more illuminating. This text will certainly make an excellent foundation and resource for any study of the subject. Highly recommended!”

—John J. Ross New York University

“A well–organized, well–balanced, accessible collection.”

—Steven M. CahnThe City University of New York Graduate Center

CONTENTSHOw TO USE THiS BOOkChapter 1 • the attributes of God

1. Thomas Aquinas: The Omnipotence of God2. George Mavrodes: Some Puzzles Concerning Omnipotence3. J. N. Findlay: A Disproof of God’s Existence4. Charles Hartshorne: Omnipotence as a Theological Mistake5. Theodore M. Drange: Incompatible-Properties Arguments6. Richard R. La Croix: The Paradox of Eden

Chapter 2 • arGuments for God’s existenCe1. Anselm of Canterbury: The Ontological Argument2. Gaunilo of Marmoutier: On Behalf of the Fool3. Immanuel Kant: The Impossibility of an Ontological Proof4. Thomas Aquinas: The Five Ways5. F. C. Copleston: Aquinas’ Five Ways6. J. L. Mackie: Criticism of the Cosmological Argument7. William Paley: The Watch and the Watchmaker8. David Hume: The Argument from Analogy9. Richard Dawkins: Why There Is Almost Certainly No God10. Robert Hambourger: An Argument from Design11. Steven M. Cahn: The Irrelevance of Proofs for God’s Existence

Chapter 3 • the problem of evil1. Augustine of Hippo: Evil and the Privation of Good2. Gottfried Leibniz: The Best of all Possible Worlds3. David Hume: The Evidence of Evil4. Irenaeus: The Perfectibility of Man5. J. L. Mackie: Evil and Omnipotence6. Alvin Plantinga: The Free-Will Defense7. John Hick: An Irenaean Theodicy8. William Rowe: The Evidential Problem of Evil

Chapter 4 • the arGument from miraCles1. David Hume: Of Miracles2. J. L. Mackie: Hume’s Argument: Miracles and Testimony3. Alastair McKinnon: Miracle and Paradox4. Antony Flew: Hume’s Critique of the Miraculous5. Richard Swinburne: Miracles and Historical Evidence6. Richard Swinburne: How the Existence of God Explains Miracles7. R. F. Holland: The Contingency Definition of Miracles8. Paul Tillich: Revelation and Miracle

Chapter 5 • morality and God1. Plato: The Euthyphro Dilemma2. John Henry Newman: Conscience as the Voice of God3. Kai Nielsen: Ethics without God4. Robert Adams: Divine Commands and a Loving God5. A. C. Grayling: The Ethics of Divine Command

Chapter 6 • life after death1. Plato: The Theory of Immortality2. David Hume: Of the Immortality of the Soul3. Bertrand Russell: Do We Survive Death?4. John Hick: Immortality and the Resurrection Replica5. Peter van Inwagen: The Possibility of Resurrection6. Sigmund Freud: The Origin of Religious Ideas

Chapter 7 • reliGious lanGuaGe (1): forms of religious language

1. Moses Maimonides: The Negative Attributes of God2. John Stuart Mill: A Critique of Equivocal Predication3. Thomas Aquinas: The Doctrine of Analogy4. Paul Tillich: The Religious Symbol5. Ian Ramsey: Models of God6. R. B. Braithwaite: An Empiricist’s View of Religious Belief7. Mary Daly: Beyond God the Father

Chapter 8 • reliGious lanGuaGe (2): linguistic analysis and verification

1. A. J. Ayer: Critique of Theology2. Antony Flew, R. M. Hare, and Basil Mitchell: Theology and Falsification3. John Hick: Eschatological Verification4. Ludwig Wittgenstein: On Religious Belief5. D. Z. Phillips: Prayer and Verification

Chapter 9 • reason and belief1. W. K. Clifford: The Ethics of Belief2. William James: The Will to Believe3. Alvin Plantinga: Is Belief in God Properly Basic?4. William Alston: Is Religious Belief Rational?5. Michael Martin: Faith and Foundationalism6. Gary Gutting: Epistemological Egoism and Proper Basicality

Chapter 10 • the diversity of World reliGions1. Alvin Plantinga: A Defense of Religious Exclusivism2. Karl Rahner: Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions3. John Hick: Religious Pluralism4. Keith Ward: Religious Diversity5. Joseph Runzo: Pluralism versus Relativism

Glossaryindex


“Kaltner’s book offers a critical reading of the text of the Qur’an covering many of the common themes in Islam’s scripture and providing an in-depth analysis of each theme. The book is organized in an accessible format and is free of jargon—an asset for the modern western reader.”

—Irfan A. Omar Marquette University, Milwaukee

“Accessible, timely, informative—a valuable introduction to Islam.”—Joan E. Cook

Georgetown University

“Kaltner wonderfully captures the Qur’an’s profound beauty, complex theology, intricate ritual practices, and intimate ordering of social relations for a contemporary audience by shrewdly exploring such diverse themes as creation, love, gender, and jihād. Within these presentations he touches upon common human questions, beliefs, and desires.”

—Kathryn Kueny Fordham University

WoRlD Religions

ConTenTsIllustrationsPrefaceIntroduction1. The Natural Environment 2. Family Matters 3. Gender and Sexuality 4. Muslim and Non-Muslim Relations 5. Jihād 6. Violence and War 7. Death and the Afterlife Glossary Index

Introduction | 5

the Qur’an, which has 286 verses. the opening chapter is generally held to be an introduction to the entire text of the Qur’an.

BasMaLaevery chapter in the Qur’an but one begins with the same phrase—“in

the name of god, the merciful one, the compassionate one.” this formula is sometimes referred to as the basmala, based on the arabic words that translate “in the name of god.” only in the case of al-fātiha is the basmala considered to be the first verse of the chapter. Everywhere else it func-tions as a superscription or introduction to the chapter. the basmala is missing only in chapter 9, and two main reasons have been proposed for its absence there. It might be that chapters 8 and 9 were originally one unit that was separated at a certain point. another explanation holds that chapter 9 is unsuitable to begin with the basmala because one of its main themes is the punishment that god will exact on idolaters and others who do not obey the divine will. the expression is also found in 27:30, where it is the introduction to a letter that King solomon sends to the Queen of sheba.

the MYsterY Letters a curious aspect of the Qur’an that has generated much discussion and

fascination among scholars and non-scholars alike is the presence of let-ters from the arabic language at the beginnings of twenty-nine chapters. In a few cases these are single letters, but most of the time they consist of groups of two or more. Muslim tradition has referred to this phenomenon as “the opening letters” or “the cut-off letters,” and various explanations have been put forward to account for them.

among other theories, it has been suggested that they are abbrevia-tions for the names of God or names of Qur’an chapters, division markers between chapters, symbols of numerical values, or secret mes-sages that are shortened words and phrases. none of these pro-posals has been met with wide-spread acceptance, and Muslims often adopt the position that the meaning of these letters is a secret known to God alone.

BIBLIcaL FIgures the references already made to abraham, Mary, solomon, and the

Queen of Sheba point to the fact that biblical figures are frequently cited

Examples of the mystery letters include n, y-s, a-l-m, and a-l-m-r. The twenty-nine chapters that begin with them are 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, and 68.

4 | InTroduCIng The Qur’an

the arabic term for a chapter is sūra, and the word for a verse is āya, which often has the meaning “sign.” each chapter has a name, and it is com-mon for Muslims to refer to chapters by their names, although it is not unusual for them to identify a chapter by its number. the titles are nor-mally taken from some word found in or associated with the chapter. It

might be a personal name, an unusual term, or a theme present in the chap-ter. examples of chapter titles in the Qur’an are “the cow” (chapter 2), “Women” (4), “The Table” (5),

“Abraham” (14), “Mary” (19), “The Spider” (29), “Divorce” (65), and “The Disaster” (101).

arrangeMent the organizing principle of the Qur’an is chapter length, with the lon-

gest ones coming first and the shortest found at the end. This is more of a general pattern than a hard-and-fast rule, as seen in the fact that the shortest chapter in the Qur’an is number 108, not 114. the only chapter that clearly violates this principle is the first one, known as al-fātiha (“the Opening”). It contains only 7 verses but precedes the longest chapter in

FIgure 2 The Ka`ba in the Great Mosque of Mecca.

Like the Bible, it is common practice to cite a Qur’an passage by identifying the

number of its chapter and verse(s).

introducing the Qur’anfor Today’s ReaderJohn Kaltnerrhodes College

John Kaltner’s new work offers a general introduction and orientation to the Qur’an. It surveys the origin, structure, contents, study, and use of Islam’s sacred text, offering students an ideal basis from which to discuss and analyze themes of interest: the natural environment, Muslim life, gender and sexuality, non-Muslims and the Other, jihād, war and peace, and life after death. Significant passages from the Qur’an are identified and analyzed, with a focus on how modern scholars understand them. Throughout the text are numerous photographs and textboxes to em-phasize important elements of the Qur’an, its history, and its relevance to contemporary life.

John KAlTneris Virginia Ballou

McGehee Professor

of Muslim-Christian

Relations at

Rhodes College

in Memphis,

Tennessee. Among his other

works is Islam: What Non-

Muslims Should Know (Fortress,

Facets, 2003).

Now AvAilAble 9780800696665 pb 256pp $25

LeveL: Undergraduate

Courses: Introduction to Islam, Introduction to the Qur’an, Introduction to World Religions

WoRlD Religions

A straightforward introduction to the Qur’an addressing the most pressing questions of today


“Mark Muesse’s introductory text is a concise and precise account of the Hindu tradition that is both straightforward and sophisticated in its presentation and analysis.”

—Arvind Sharma McGill University

“Of all the world’s religions, Hinduism’s diversity presents special challenges. Mark Muesse presents well this diversity in his treatment of specific texts, traditions, and practices. Properly focused on widely shared beliefs and practices, Muesse is also attentive to matters of contemporary controversy. This book should work well in courses and is a fine addition to introductory texts on Hinduism.”

—Anantanand Rambachan Saint Olaf College

WoRlD Religions

Intro

du

ction

—H

ind

uism

in Tim

e and

Space

7

ing remarkably similar features. The uniformity of these cities suggests a centralized authority and code enforcement, since many of the settle-ments were over fifty miles apart. The remains of buildings and the layout of the towns indicate the Indus dwellers prized order and organiza-tion. But aside from the urban consistency that indicates central administration, we know very little about the way Indus dwellers governed themselves or structured their society. We also know little about their economy except that vil-lage life focused on agriculture and cattle-herd-ing, and life in the larger cities centered on the production of arts and crafts. The discovery of Indus Valley artifacts as far away as Mesopota-mia and Central Asia suggests that trade played a significant role in the Harappan economy.

Although the archaeological data do not tell the complete story of this society, they do reveal enough for scholars to make informed judgments about its worldview and religious practices. We will consider the archaeological discoveries that appear to have religious import and attempt to comprehend what they tell us about the Indus culture and its possible impact on the development of Hinduism.

Purity and Pollution

One of the most obvious and intriguing fea-tures of the Indus cities is the evidence that points to an intense concern with cleanliness.

FIG. 1.1 In their heyday, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa may have each contained a population as large as 40,000-50,000, which was immense by ancient standards. Harappa appears to have been the capital, and accordingly the culture is sometimes referred to as the Harappan Civilization.

TH

E H

IND

U T

RA

DIT

ION

S

6

debate about the original inhabitants of the subcontinent.

The Indus Valley Civilization, so named because many of its settlements were situated along the Indus River, turned out to be one of the great cultures of the ancient world.1 What has come to light since the first excavations suggests that the Indus Valley Civilization was as impressive as ancient Egypt and Sumeria. While most Hindus today do not regard the Indus Valley Civilization as part of their sacred history, the evidence suggests that this culture contributed significantly to the grand complex known as “Hinduism.”

What is known about the Indus Valley culture comes exclusively from archaeological evidence, since its cryptic script has never been completely deciphered. We do not even know what the citizens of this civilization called themselves. The archaeological data indicate that the Indus Valley culture was established around 3300 bce and flourished between 2600-1900 bce. Around 1900 bce, it entered a period

of decline and ultimately disappeared around 1400 bce. At its height, the Indus Valley Civi-lization covered most of present-day Pakistan, the westernmost part of present-day India, and parts of Afghanistan and Baluchestan, in an area estimated to be over 500,000 square miles. Over 1,500 Indus Valley sites throughout this region have been unearthed so far, and most have yet to be fully excavated. Several hundred of these sites are large enough to be classified as villages or towns. The largest and most impor-tant are cities known as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. These names are post-Indus Civiliza-tion designations that refer to towns built much later on the ruins of the ancient urban centers. In their heyday, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa may have each contained a population as large as 40,000-50,000, which was immense by an-cient standards. Harappa appears to have been the capital, and accordingly the culture is some-times referred to as the Harappan Civilization.

All of the Indus Valley municipalities were highly organized and carefully planned, display-

BOX 1.1 SYMBOLIZING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY

A tilak is a special marking frequently used to indicate religious identity in Hinduism. Many Hindus wear the

tilak for worship only, but some wear it every day. The basic function of the tilak is to symbolize the “third eye,”

the organ of spiritual insight. Particular markings may further symbolize the deity to whom one is especially

devoted. Devotees who apply horizontal stripes across the forehead using vibhuti, or sacred ashes, indicate

their allegiance to the god Shiva. They may also apply a dot made with sandalwood paste or kum-kum

(colored turmeric or saffron) to the center of the forehead. The tilak for Vaishnavites, those dedicated to the

worship of the god Vishnu, comprises two thin vertical lines connected at the bridge of the nose in a “U”

shape. Clay from a sacred river or sandalwood paste is used to make this design. Worshipers of Devi wear a

single red dot or a vertical line made of kum-kum. The tilak is principally a religious marking that should not

be confused with the bindi, a forehead emblem wore by women for ornamentation (see Chapter 7). Although

Hindus may principally identify with devotion to a specific deity, this identification does not preclude their

worship of other gods.

The hindu TraditionsA Concise introductionMark W. Muesserhodes College

Renowned lecturer Mark W. Muesse brings readers into an encounter with the world’s oldest living religious tradition, known as Hinduism. Muesse’s brief survey challenges the perception of Hinduism as one religious tradition, showing how wonderfully rich and diverse this ancient story truly is. With photographs and maps, chapter overviews, time-lines, summaries, key terms, study questions, suggested readings, and a glossary, Muesse’s work incorporates valuable pedagogy to enhance his engaging account of the many Hindu traditions. Additional resources for teachers and students are available at www.fortresspress.com/muesse.

mArK W. muesseis W. J. Willard

Professor of

Religious Studies

at Rhodes College

in Memphis,

Tennessee. He

directs the Asian Studies program

at Rhodes and has produced four

Teaching Company lecture series

on the world’s religions.

APRil 2011 9780800697907 pb 240pp $29

LeveL: College and Seminary

Courses: Introduction to Hinduism, Introduction to World Religions

WoRlD Religions

A brief, engaging survey showing the richness and diversity of Hindu traditions

ConTenTsIllustrations / TimelinePronouncing Hindu TermsIntroduction: What Is “Hinduism”?Part I. India’s Early Cultures

1. The Indus Valley Civilization2. The Noble Ones3. The World of the Vedas

Part II. Foundations4. Rebirth and Karma5. Dharma and Caste6. Men, Women, and the

Stages of LifePart III. Paths to Liberation

7. The Way of Action8. The Way of Knowledge9. Seeing God10. The Way of Devotion11. The Goddess and Her Devotees

Part IV. Modern Challenges12. The Modern Period

GlossaryBibliographyIndex


CONTENTSforeWord, John hiCkGeneral introduCtion

part 1. reliGion and ConfliCt: terror, War, and peaCe

Religion and Terror: A Post-9/11 Analysis Stephen HealeyReligion, Identity, and Violence Rabbi David RosenThe Bhagavadgītā and War: Some Early

Anticipations of the GandhianInterpretation of the Bhagavadgītā Arvind SharmaThe Violent Bear It Away: Christian Reflections

on Just War William R. O’NeillA Jain Perspective on Nonviolence and

Warfare Padmanabh S. JainiThe Approach of Muslim Turks to

Religious Terror Ramazan BicerThe Concept of Peace and Security in Islam Muhammad Hammad LakhviPerspectives on the Conflict in the Middle East Rabbi Dow Marmur, Seyyed Hossein Nasr,

Gregory Baum, Karen ArmstrongThe Golden Rule and World Peace Patricia A. KeefeWorld Religions and World Peace: Toward a

New Partnership Brian D. Lepard

part 2. reliGion and human riGhts: the Worth of persons

Introduction Religion and an Implicit Fundamental Human

Right James KellenbergerReligion and Human Rights Shirin EbadiWhat Gives a Person Worth?: A Zoroastrian

View Nikan H. KhatibiReligion, Violence, and Human Rights: A

Hindu Perspective Arvind SharmaConfucian Contributions to the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights:A Historical and Philosophical Perspective Sumner B. TwissA Baha’i Perspective on the Universal

Declaration of Human Rightsby the World’s Religions Brian D. LepardWorld’s Religions, Human Rights, and Same-

Sex Marriage Brent Hawkes, Janet Epp Buckingham,

Douglas Elliott, Margaret SomervilleReligion and Human Rights: A Historical and

Contemporary Assessment Krishna Kanth Tigiripalli, Lalitha Kumari

Kadarla

part 3. reliGion and Women: respeCtinG Gender

Introduction Women in World Religions: Discrimination,

Liberation, and Backlash Rosemary Radford RuetherWomen and Human Rights: The Status of

Women in the Smr\ti Texts of Hinduism Abha SinghWomen’s Interfaith Initiatives in the United

States after 9/11 Kathryn LohreTurning War Inside Out: New Perspectives for

the Nuclear Age Marcia Sichol

part 4. reliGion and the environment: sCienCe and ethiCs

Introduction Religion and Science Huston SmithIncarnation and the Environment Mary Ann BuckleyEco-Justice Ethics: A Brief Overview Dieter T. Hessel

part 5. reliGion and diversity: embraCinG pluralism

Introduction Pluralism as a Way of Dealing with Religious

Diversity Caitlin CrowleyOrientalist Feminism and Islamophobia/

Iranophobia Roksana BahramitashAlong a Path Less Traveled: A Plurality of

Religious Ultimates? Arvind SharmaReligion Is About How You Behave: The

Essential Virtue Is Compassion Karen ArmstrongReligious Tolerance and Peace-Building in a

World of Diversity Issa Kirarira

part 6. reliGion and transformation: interreliGious dialoGue

Introduction Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue Mihai Valentin VladimirescuInterreligious Dialogue Attentive to Western

Enlightenment Gregory BaumMovement and Institution: Necessary

Elements of Sustaining the Interfaith Vision

David A. LeslieBuddhism Meets Hinduism: Interaction and

Influence in India Arvind SharmaFundamentalism and Interfaith Dialogue Harvey Cox Jr.

part 7. reliGion and the tWenty-first Century: toWard a Global spirituality

Introduction Religion Is Central to Human Affairs: Part of

the Problem, Part of the Solution Didiji

The World’s religionsA Contemporary ReaderArvind Sharma, EditorMCgill University

This wide-ranging reader combines some of the most valuable contem-porary perspectives from leading writers, teachers, and thinkers, who together address critical challenges and opportunities for the world’s religions in a post-9/11 world. Edited by Arvind Sharma and organized by topic, the essays in this reader consider broad questions such as: What influence does religion have on contemporary life? Can religion destroy or preserve us? Could the world’s religions join together as a force for good?

Arvind shArmA is Birks Chair

of Comparative

Religion at McGill

University. He

has published

over fifty books

and five hundred articles in the

fields of comparative religion,

Hinduism, Indian philosophy

and ethics, and the role of

women in religion.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697464

pb 392pp $35


Courses: Introduction to World Religions

A comprehensive, timely anthology of global religions’ most influential thinkers

“This volume brings together a set of readable and interesting essays on the impact of religion in the contemporary world. Rather than organizing these around religious traditions, the editor presents them as discussions of timely, lively topics—such as human rights, environmental and gender issues, and the troubling revival of religion in political violence, terrorism, and war, ending with essays on the possibilities of a global spirituality for the twenty-first century.”

—Mark Juergensmeyer Author of Global Rebellion: Religious Challenges to the Secular State

WoRlD ReligionsWoRlD Religions

Redefining Humanity and Civilization Nadine Sultana d’Osman HanReligion in an Age of Anxiety Seyyed Hossein NasrReligion and Media Satguru Bodhinatha VeylanswamiLessons from Hinduism for the World after

9/11 Ashok VohraThe Future of Mankind: The Bhagavadgītā

Doctrine T. N. Achuta RaoThis Magdalene Moment Joanna ManningCaoDai: A Way to Harmony Hum D. BuiThe Glory of the Divine Feminine Her Holiness Sai Maa Lakshmi DeviReligion, Fundamental Questions, and Human

Society Vinesh SaxenaBeyond Religion: A Holistic Spirituality Mabel Aranha

appendiCes: primary doCumentsNOTES Glossary index


WoRlD ReligionsWoRlD Religions

Charting the rise of the World’s Great religious Traditions

each emergence volume beautifully traces the formation of the world’s leading religious traditions. integrating pedagogic features—including introductions, study questions, textboxes, primary sources, photos, maps, readings, timelines, and glossaries—these valuable volumes are useful for a broad range of courses.


Courses: Introduction to World Religions, Introduction to Judaism, Introduction to Buddhism, Introduction to Christianity, History of Religions

The emergence of JudaismChristine Hayes

Now AvAilAble9780800697495 pb 200pp $28

“In just a few carefully crafted chapters, Christine Hayes manages astutely to convey something of the rich diversity of Judaism through the ages as well as drawing attention to key ideas, identifying its basic practices, and describing its major figures. With its multiple study resources this volume should quickly find its way onto basic reading lists for courses in the field.”

—George J. Brooke University of Manchester, England

“Marvelously clear and richly insightful, Christine Hayes offers a panoramic view of Jewish history, culture, and religion from its origins until the end of its classical, formative period. Hayes is a brilliant pedagogue and one of the world’s leading authorities on ancient Judaism. Her book is a splendid introduction to one of the world’s most important and influential religious traditions. It is perfect for undergraduates and educated non-specialists.”

—Richard Kalmin Jewish Theological Seminary, New York

ChrisTine hAyes is Professor of Religious Studies in Classical Judaica at Yale University.

The emergence of ChristianityCynthia White


“Cynthia White’s book covers an era that is intellectually challenging, historically complex, and often emotionally charged. It does so in a manner that is lucid and crisply written, making it accessible to students and lay readers and of value to scholars as well. Included alongside the excellent text are visually appealing illustrations, maps, charts and timelines, as well as biographies of central figures, significant passages from important primary texts, and thought-provoking study questions. It is a pleasure to recommend this valuable new book, which makes an important and original contribution to an oft-studied topic.”

—Beth Alpert Nakhai University of Arizona

Cynthia White explores the emergence of Christianity in Rome during the first four centuries of the Greco-Roman empire, from the first followers of Jesus Christ, to conflicts between Christians and Jewish kings under Roman occu-pation, to the torture of Christian followers, Diocletian’s reforms, and Con-stantine’s eventual conversion to monotheism, which cemented Christianity’s status as the official religion of Rome.

CynThiA WhiTe is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Arizona.

The emergence of BuddhismJacob N. Kinnard


“Kinnard’s book is a suitable place to begin a quest for understanding Buddhism. Written with great clarity, it is more than a concise narrative of the development and decline of Buddhism in India. It is also a kind of compendium, with brief biographies of key historical figures, a gallery of images and reliefs reflecting the trajectories of Indian Buddhist sculpture, a useful glossary, and a suggestive bibliography.”

—John C. Holt Bowdoin College

This brief survey text tells the story of Buddhism as it unfolds through the narrative of the Brahmanical cosmology from which Buddhism emerged, the stories and myths surrounding Buddha’s birth, Buddha’s path to enlighten-ment, and the eventual spread of his teachings throughout India and the world. Kinnard’s clear telling of the tale helps students understand complex concepts and vocabulary. Primary documents, illustrations, a glossary, and biographical sketches illuminate the extraordinary life and legacy of the man called Buddha.

JACoB n. KinnArd is Associate Professor of Comparative Religious Thought at Iliff School of Theology.


“This book stands out for its judicious use of recent scholarship to retell the story of early Christianity, from the first century to the fifth, and to do so in a format accessible to undergraduates.”

—Denis R. Janz Loyola University, New Orleans

“A solid, well-written, and beautifully illustrated introduction to the early history of Christianity. Recommended reading for general readers wanting to learn more about how the first generations of Christians survived, thrived, and resolved conflicts among themselves and with their opponents.”

—Robin Margaret Jensen Vanderbilt University Divinity School

WoRlD Religions

Christianityhow a Despised sect from a Minority Religion Came to Dominate the Roman empireJonathan Hilloxford University

This is the exciting account of how a new and diverse religious movement first struggled, then spread, then triumphed in the ancient world. Though often portrayed simply as movements to advance doctrine, this early period was actually marked by Christians battling each other and their neighbors over slavery, martyrdom and persecution, sex, charlatans, class and religious hatreds, cults of the dead, and political intrigue. Students will love to read this book and will learn the basics of early Christian history as they do.

JonAThAn hill graduated

in Philosophy and

Theology from

Oxford University.

He is the author

of the highly

acclaimed The

History of Christian Thought and

What Has Christianity Ever Done

for Us?

APRil 2011 9780800697778 pb 256pp $29.95LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: History of Christianity, History of Religion, Early/Ancient Christianity, Introduction to World Religions

WoRlD Religions

The fascinating history of the first 400 years in the development of Christianity, with lively writing and full-color illustration

JES

US

AN

D TH

E F

IRS

T CH

RIS

TIAN

S

27

which eventually smothered the original faith. But is there any truth to this? Who was Paul really?

We do not know when Paul was born, although it is often supposed that he was probably born at around the same time as Jesus. Fortunately we know some details about his early life from his own writings. According to his own account of who he was before he became a Christian, Paul was ‘circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless’ (Philippians 3:5–6). Paul deliberately emphasizes his Jewish credentials in that passage as part of the argument he is making, but it is still clear that he was not only a Jew but a very devout one – not only a Pharisee, but one who believed that he upheld the Law perfectly. ‘Paul’ was the Greek version of his name, which was ‘Saul’ in Hebrew. Acts 13:9 states that he was known by both names, although Luke’s habit of calling him ‘Saul’ before this point and ‘Paul’ afterwards creates the impression that Paul actually changed his name after he became a Christian. In fact it seems more reasonable to suppose that he used whichever form was more appropriate in the linguistic or cultural context in which he found himself. Finally, like all Jewish men of the time, Paul knew a trade and mentions in his letters that he supported himself by his own labour during his career as a missionary. According to Acts 18:3, that trade was tent-making.

This stone slab from the sepulchre of a child, Amellus, depicts the apostles Peter

and Paul and dates from c. ad 313.

26

THE

CR

UC

IBLE

OF

CH

RIS

TIA

NIT

Y

Romans conquered it in 64 bc. The city quickly became one of the most important in the Roman empire, helped by a programme of major building works. ‘Golden Antioch’, as it was sometimes called, lay between Mount Silpius – where the city’s citadel was located – and the River Orontes, and consisted of four walled quarters which together made up the ‘Tetrapolis’ or ‘four cities’ of Antioch. The city had many parks and gardens, including a park dedicated to Daphne which contained a large temple to Apollo; another temple to Jupiter had recently been built on Mount Silpius. With a varied and cosmopolitan population of a couple of hundred thousand at the end of the first century ad, it was the third largest city in the empire, after Rome and Alexandria, and it was also a very important military base. There was a particularly thriving Jewish community here, and the city was relatively tolerant of new or unusual religious groups, so it is perhaps unsurprising that this is the first place where we hear of Christianity taking root outside Palestine itself.

According to Acts 11:26, Antioch was the first place where members of the church were called ‘Christians’. Antioch also played two further critical roles in the development of the early church. First, it was the scene of crucial conflicts over the relationship between Christianity to both Judaism and paganism. And second, it was one of the major bases of operations of the man who would become the first and most influential of the great Christian theologians, Paul of Tarsus.

PaulPaul is without doubt the most forceful and dominant personality of the New Testament outside the Gospels. Indeed, he looms so large that many people have regarded him as the true founder of Christianity. On this view, Paul hijacked the movement started by Jesus and changed its message, creating a new religion of his own

A Roman street of ruins in Pisidian Antioch, modern-day Turkey. Acts 13 tells how Paul and Barnabas visited the city on their first missionary journey.

• Lavishly illustrated with photos and maps throughout

• Additional vignettes offer details on key figures

• Balanced approach and clean, easy writing style

• Describes dozens of unusual insights about early Christianity that will surprise and engage the reader


introducing the old TestamentThird editionJohn DraneUniversity of aBerdeen, sCotland / fUller theologiCal seMinary

introducing the new Testament Third editionJohn DraneUniversity of aBerdeen, sCotland / fUller theologiCal seMinary

John Drane’s survey textbook provides an engaging general introduction to the persons, events, and cultural context of the Old Testament. Arranged histori-cally, Drane’s text takes readers through the books of the Old Testament with numerous special articles spelling out in greater detail both historical and inter-pretative controversies. Additional coverage centers on the meaning and impli-cations of the covenantal relationship between God and the Jewish people.

Rich, full-color interior design(s), now in paperback• Chapter openers guide readers to the overarching themes• Expanded table of contents accommodates use as textbook• New, extensive glossary for helpful reference

Additional materials for instructors and students are available at www.fortresspress.com/drane

Written for a broad audience, John Drane’s survey textbook provides a solid historical foundation for understanding the persons, events, and cultural con-text of the New Testament. Arranged historically, Drane’s text takes readers through the world of the first Christians, the life and teaching of Jesus, the origins and growth of the Early Church, the life, mission and letters of Paul, how the Gospels were composed, Revelation, and how the New Testament was formed and has been interpreted and used by later generations.

Rich, full-color interior design(s), now in paperback• Chapter openers guide readers to the overarching themes• Expanded table of contents accommodates use as textbook• New, extensive glossary for helpful reference

Additional materials for instructors and students are available at www.fortresspress.com/drane

BiBliCAl sTUDies BiBliCAl sTUDies

“The latest edition of John Drane’s Introducing the Old Testament confirms its position as a rich and reliable guide to the diverse books of the Old Testament. Drane brilliantly brings out both the Old Testament’s rootedness in ancient Israelite culture and also its power to speak beyond the bounds of time and place to all people interested in God’s work in creation and history.”

—Philip Esler Saint Mary’s University College, London

“In a world full of introductions to the New Testament, there is one that is the most user-friendly for college and beginning seminary students, as well as pastors and lay people. It is John Drane’s wonderful Introducing the New Testament, now in its third edition. Unlike some who have produced such introductions, John knows the field well, is not prone to radical or quirky theories and communicates on a level that anyone can understand.”

—Ben Witherington Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky

JUNe 2011 9780800698133 pb 386pp $45LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Introduction to the Bible, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

Now AvAilAble 9780800697501 pb 480pp $45LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Introduction to the Bible, Introduction to the New Testament

John drAne received

his PhD from

the University of

Manchester and

teaches Practical

Theology at the

University of

Aberdeen in Scotland. He is

also adjunct professor of New

Testament at Fuller Theological

Seminary, California, and is a

visiting professor at Morling

College, Sydney. He has

published widely in biblical

studies and theology.

A solid historical approach exploring the context, culture, and content of early Christianity

A rich and reliable introduction that engages the ancient texts and their interpretation

“John Drane know the New Testament field well, is not prone to radical or quirky theories, and communicates on a level anyone can understand.”

–Ben Witherington Asbury Theological Seminary

“Drane brilliantly brings out both the Old Testament rootedness in ancient Israelite culture and also its power to speak beyond the bounds of time and place.”

–Philip Esler Saint Mary’s University College


Anatomy of the new Testament sixth editionRobert A. Spivey, D. Moody Smith, and C. Clifton Blackflorida state / dUke University divinity sChool / perkins sChool of theology

The Peoples’ Companion to the BibleCurtiss Paul DeYoung, Wilda C. Gafney, Leticia Guardiola-Sáenz, George E. Tinker, and Frank Yamada, Editors

roBerT A. sPivey is

Professor Emeritus

at Florida State

University.

d. moody smiTh is

George Washington

Ivey Professor of

New Testament at

the Divinity School

at Duke University in

Durham, North

Carolina.

C. ClifTon BlACK is Otto

A. Piper Professor

of Biblical Theology

at Princeton

Theological

Seminary.

CurTiss PAul deyounG is Professor of Reconciliation

Studies at Bethel University.

WildA C. GAfney is Professor

of Hebrew and Old Testament at

Luther Theological Seminary at

Philadelphia.

leTiCiA GuArdiolA-sáenz is Assistant Professor of New

Testament at Seattle University.

GeorGe e. TinKer is Professor of Native American

Religions at Iliff School of

Theology.

frAnK m. yAmAdA is

Professor of Hebrew Bible and

Director of Asian Ministry Studies

at McCormick Theological

Seminary.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697709 pb 544pp $55LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Introduction to Bible, Introduction to New Testament

Now AvAilAble 9780800697020 pb 320pp $29LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Introduction to Bible, Introduction to Biblical Studies

The widely acclaimed introduction to the New Testament—systematic, critical, and reliable in scope and content

A unique resource with commentary that introduces students to social location as a key to understanding the Bible

“I know of no better introduction to the New Testament than Anatomy of the New Testament. For me the most significant contribution of the book is the close attention paid to the text of the New Testament itself. Even a professional rises from a reading of Anatomy enriched by new insights that inevitably flow from a sound interpretation of the text.”

—Francis J. Moloney Catholic University of America

“Anatomy has always provided undergraduates with a strong mix of background information, textual annotation, and exegesis. The new edition continues that tradition, and will bring the best of current academic study of the New Testament to a new generation.”

—James R. MuellerUniversity of Florida

“Anatomy of the New Testament is the first place I turn for broadly informed, sane, and scrupulously considered information.”

—Reynolds Price,Duke University

“The Peoples’ Companion will help prepare students for life in a pluralistic and diverse world and will challenge teachers to think differently about their own pedagogical aims in the biblical studies classroom.”

—Julia Lambert Fogg California Lutheran University

Highlighting the role of social location in biblical studies, The Peoples’ Companion to the Bible enables students to see how social location has figured in the ways particular peoples have understood the biblical text and helps students formulate their own social location as a key to understanding the Bible and its import for them. The groundbreaking articles from The Peoples’ Bible are all here along with new essays de-signed for the classroom, including a Bible Reader’s Self-Inventory and an essay on understanding the biblical theme of “the people of God” in a multicultural world.

BiBliCAl sTUDies BiBliCAl sTUDies


BiBliCAl sTUDies

The Africana BibleReading israel’s scriptures from Africa and the African DiasporaHugh R. Page Jr., General EditorUniversity of notre daMe

The hebrew ProphetsAn introductionJack R. LundbomlUtheran theologiCal seMinary, hong kong

The Africana Bible opens a critical window onto the world of interpreta-tion on the African continent and in the multiple diasporas of African peoples, including the African-American experience, with attention to Africana histories, literatures, cultures, and backgrounds for understand-ing biblical literature. The Africana Bible features a critical commentary on every book of the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha, and the Pseudepigrapha that are authoritative for many in African and African-diasporan com-munities worldwide. It highlights issues of concern to the global Black community—such as globalization and the colonial legacy—and the dis-tinctive norms of interpretation in African and African Diasporan settings.

huGh r. PAGe Jr. is Walter

Associate Professor

of Theology and

Dean of First Year

of Studies at the

University of Notre

Dame. “A very useful summary of the Hebrew Bible’s books of the prophets in a clear, reader-friendly form. It is a practical introduction to the prophets and an invitation to delve ever further into their history and their words.”

—Richard Elliott Friedman University of Georgia

Noting that the legacy of the prophets remains a powerful element in con-temporary society, Jack R. Lundbom introduces students to the contours of prophetic speech in ancient Israel. He surveys the elements of each prophet’s message, describes the characteristics of prophetic rhetoric and symbolic behavior, and discusses the problem of authenticity: How did individuals make the claim to speak as prophets, and how did their audi-ences recognize their claims?

JACK r. lundBom is

Visiting Professor

of Old Testament

at the Lutheran

Theological

Seminary, Hong

Kong, and the

author of the three-volume

commentary Jeremiah and

Jeremiah: A Study in Ancient

Hebrew Rhetoric.

Now AvAilAble 9780800621254 hc 512pp $39LeveL: Upper-Level Undergraduate, Seminary, and GraduateCourses: Introduction to the Bible, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament

Now AvAilAble 9780800697372 pb 240pp $24LeveL: Upper-Level Undergraduate, Seminary, and GraduateCourses: Introduction to the Hebrew Prophets, Introduction to the Old Testament

BiBliCAl sTUDies

The landmark volume gathering multicultural and interdisciplinary perspectives on every book in the Hebrew Bible

A thorough introductory overview of the entire canon of Hebrew prophets describing both their commonalities and their distinguishing characteristics


BiBliCAl sTUDies BiBliCAl sTUDiesdisruptive Grace Reflections on god, scripture, and the ChurchWalter BrueggemannEdited and Introduced by Carolyn J. Sharp

Now AvAilAble 9780800697945 hc 320pp $35

These chapters gather Brueggemann’s recent addresses and essays, never published be-fore, drawn from all three parts of the Hebrew Bible—Torah, prophets, and writings—and addressing the role of the Hebrew canon in the life of the church.

WAlTer BrueGGemAnn is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia.

The People’s Jesus Trajectories in early ChristianityRobin Scroggs Foreword by Alexandra Brown


The eminent biblical scholar explores the settings in life that sparked the primary christo-logical themes and traces their trajectories through the literature that made up the New Testament.

roBin sCroGGs was Edward Robinson Professor of Biblical Theology, Union Theological Seminary, New York.

The Colonized Apostle Paul through Postcolonial eyes PAUL IN CRITICAL CONTExTS SERIES

Christopher D. Stanley, EditorMAy 2011 9780800664589 hc 304pp $35

This latest addition to the Paul in Critical Contexts series includes essays introducing post-colonial criticism and applying its insights both to Paul’s context in the Roman world and to the reevaluation of contemporary interpretation.

ChrisToPher d. sTAnley is Professor of Theology and teaches courses in Biblical Studies and religion and culture at St. Bonaventure University.

The invention of the Biblical scholar A Critical ManifestoStephen D. Moore and Yvonne Sherwood

APRil 2011 9780800697747 pb 120pp $18

Scholars and students of biblical interpretation will benefit richly from this incisive reflec-tion on where their discipline came from and where it might be going.

sTePhen d. moore is Professor of New Testament at the Theological School at Drew University.

yvonne sherWood is Senior Lecturer in Bible and Judaism at the University of Glasgow.

The reliability of the new TestamentBart D. ehrman and Daniel B. Wallace in DialogueRobert B. Stewart, Editornew orleans Baptist theologiCal seMinary

This volume highlights points of agreement and disagreement between two leading scholars on the subject of the textual reliability of the New Testament—Bart D. Ehrman and Daniel B. Wallace. This conversation between Ehrman and Wallace allows the reader to see how each presents his position in light of the other’s. Contributions follow from an interdisciplinary team featuring specialists in biblical studies, philosophy, and theology. The textual reliability of the New Testament is logically prior to its interpretation and thus important for the Christian religion. This book provides interested readers a fair case for both sides and allows them to decide for themselves: What does it mean for a text to be textually reliable? How reliable is the New Testament? How reliable is reliable enough?

roBerT B. sTeWArT is

Associate Professor

of Philosophy

and Theology

at New Orleans

Baptist Theological

Seminary, where

he holds the Greer Heard Chair

of Faith and Culture and directs

the annual Greer-Heard Point-

Counterpoint Forum.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697730 pb 224pp $22LeveL: Upper-Level Undergraduate, Seminary, and GraduateCourses: Introduction to the Bible, Introduction to the New Testament, Hermeneutics, His-tory and Interpretation of the Bible

A balanced and engaging introduction to a controversial issue in biblical interpretation, featuring Daniel B. Wallace and Bart D. Ehrman


Christians and WarA Brief history of the Church’s Practices and TeachingsFACETS SERIES

A. James ReimerUniversity of waterloo

Now AvAilAble9780800638191 pb 208pp $9.99

Religion has often been blatantly invoked to support and oppose war and violence of all kinds, including terrorism and ethnic cleansing. Christians are deeply divided over whether and when such violence is justifiable. Reimer of-fers a fair presentation of these controversial standpoints, especially the three classical Christian attitudes toward war: crusading or holy war, just war, and pacifism. His thoughtful survey of Christian teachings and practices on issues of war, violence, and the state takes readers from classical Greco-Roman times to the present.

A. JAmes reimer was Professor of Religious Studies at Conrad Grebel College, University of Waterloo, and also Professor of Historical Theology at Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto.

slavery as moral Problemin the early Church and TodayFACETS SERIES

Jennifer A. GlancyLe Moyne College

Now AvAilAble9780800696702 pb 96pp $9.99

The fact that some early Christians were slaves does not present a moral problem for Christians today. The fact that some early Christians were slave-holders does. Jennifer Glancy tackles questions that continue to haunt con-temporary men and women, inside and outside of the churches: Why didn’t Jesus speak out forcefully against slavery? Why didn’t the early church see slavery as fundamentally incompatible with the gospel? Were there any bright moments when some Christians in fact drew that conclusion, and why don’t we know more about them? Why didn’t Christianity have more of an impact on slaveholding in the Roman Empire? And what lessons can we learn as we face moral catastrophes in our own day?

Jennifer GlAnCy teaches New Testament at Le Moyne College and is the author of Slavery in the New Testament (Fortress Press, 2006).

eThiCs eThiCs

Green Christianityfive Ways to a sustainable futureMark I. WallaceswarthMore College

“In this provocative book, written for a general audience, Mark Wallace challenges his readers to go to the limit of ecological Christianity. His creative interweaving of practical encounters with the natural world serves to base this book on everyday lived experience.”

—Celia Deane-DrummondUniversity of Chester, United Kingdom

The environmental crisis is a crisis not of the head but of the heart, Wal-lace argues. The problem is not that we do not know how to stop climate change but rather that we lack the inner strength to redirect our culture and economy toward a sustainable future. Only a bold and courageous faith can support a long-term commitment to change.

mArK i. WAllACe is Associate Professor

of Religion at

Swarthmore

College in

Swarthmore,

Pennsylvania.

Now AvAilAble 9780800664619 pb 200pp $25LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Religious Ethics, Christian Ethics, Biblical Ethics

A survey of promising directions and a call for readers to discover meaning and purpose through a spiritually charged commitment to saving the Earth


shoppingMichelle A. Gonzalez


Shopping asks us to choose our values and weigh the good in everyday terms. It also brings us instantly into contact with the myriad relationships and labor of people all over the world who have grown, harvested, or crafted the food, clothes, and other items with which we sustain and adorn our lives. How do Christian justice and solidarity play a role in how we value and spend our money? Can shopping be a Christian act? Can it be a sinful one?

miChelle A. GonzAlez is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Miami.

eating and drinkingElizabeth T. Groppe

SPRiNG 2011 9780800698096 pb 128pp $15.00

The practices of eating and drinking have for millennia been seen as religiously significant. Today, phenomena of anorexia and bulimia, weight control and obesity, and world hunger call us to revisit this rich source of religious reflection. Elizabeth Groppe’s work is an affirmation that our eating practices shape who we are as persons and our relationships with each other and God. She discusses how food figures in our present cultural and global con-text, how it has been understood in Christian history and theology, and how it might creatively feed our spiritual lives today.

elizABeTh T. GroPPe is Associate Professor of Theology at xavier University, Cincinnati.

Playing James H. Evans Jr.

Now AvAilAble 9780800697266 pb 128pp $15.00

Playing often connotes frivolity. But James Evans, in this insightful reflection, offers another view: Playing lies at the heart of Christian faith. Through a close examina-tion of African American literature and experience, and a re-examination of basic doctrinal affirmations, Evans recovers play as a subversive and even revolutionary activity, a practice of faith that gives life in the midst of structures and authorities that suffocate. In this light, Jesus becomes the political, cultural, and religious player who redeems by changing the game so that it no longer excludes but instead gives life.

JAmes h. evAns Jr. is Robert K. Davies Professor of Systematic Theology at Colgate-Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

Working Darby Kathleen Ray

SPRiNG 2011 9780800698102 pb 128pp $15.00

Working. We spend most of our waking hours doing it but rarely consider its theological meanings or impli-cations. Is work a punishment or curse, an avenue to human flourishing or something else? Is there a distinc-tively Christian approach to working? Darby Ray lifts up key insights from Christian scripture and tradition and considers their implications for today’s complex, global-ized world of work. Working is an informative, acces-sible, and theologically compelling exploration of what is arguably the defining activity of our time.

dArBy KAThleen rAy is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Millsaps Faith and Work Initiative at Millsaps College, Jackson, Mississippi.

eThiCs / Theology eThiCs / Theology

C M PA S S

Christian Explorations of Daily Living

C M PA S S

Christian Explorations of Daily Living


The sacrifice of JesusUnderstanding Atonement Biblicallyfacets seriesChristian A. EberhartUniversity of waterloo

JUNe 20119780800697389 pb 96pp $9.99

The “sacrifice” of Jesus is one of the most central doctrines in Christianity and one of the most controversial, especially in contemporary debate. The impli-cations of a violent parent and the necessity of innocent suffering are pro-foundly troubling to many people. Are they nevertheless necessary elements of Christian theology? Christian A. Eberhart makes a decisive contribution to these debates by carefully and clearly examining the Old Testament meta-phors of sacrifice and atonement and the ways these metaphors were taken over by early Christians to speak of the significance of Christ.

ChrisTiAn A. eBerhArT is Associate Professor of New Testament Studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, and editor of the journal Consensus.

Contemporary ChristologiesA fortress introductionDon Schweitzer


“Surveys succeed when they illuminate the character of a given historical epoch and inspire readers to explore the original works they examine. Most surveys, in my experience, fail on both counts. They fail spectacularly when they function as substitutes for their own primary sources. Professor Schweitzer’s book seems to me an exception. His generalizations about the post-War period in Christological thought are well worth contemplating. And his brief, interesting introductions to the thinkers whom he has chosen to study ought certainly to send his readers to the originals.”

—Douglas John Hall, McGill University

don sChWeiTzer is McDougald Professor of Theology at Saint Andrew’s College, Saskatoon. He is coeditor of Intersecting Voices: Critical Theologies in a Land of Diversity (2004) and past president of the Canadian Theological Society.

Theology Theology

issues in Contemporary Christian ThoughtA fortress introductionDuane OlsonMCkendree University

“To write a broadly accessible book covering all the bases of systematic theology and attending to the problems of the Enlightenment takes more than good intentions—it takes deep insight and a strong aversion to jargon and non-essentials. Olson shows healthy doses of both in this welcome addition to a valuable series.”

—Derek R. Nelson Thiel College

Duane Olson’s new textbook uniquely focuses on the central points at is-sue in contemporary Christian reflection. Olson’s clear and concise over-view unfolds the questions bequeathed by modernity and shows how the radical reframing of the current period actually builds on the diversity of the lingering concerns of the Enlightenment. Olson discusses the range of contemporary opinions, their rationales, and what’s at stake. His text includes reflection and research questions, suggestions for further reading, and a glossary.

duAne olson is Associate

Professor of

Religion at

McKendree

University in

Lebanon, Illinois. He

serves on the board

of the North American Paul Tillich

Society.

APRil 2011 9780800696658 pb 208pp $25LeveL: College and SeminaryCourses: Introduction to Chris-tian Thought, Introduction to Theology, Introduction to Con-temporary Religious Thought

An account of modern Christianity that shows with clarity the fault lines and tensions found in Christian theology today


Theology Theology

“This is a fine introduction to the major areas in Roman Catholic systematic theology produced by a first-rate team of scholars. It should be widely used in colleges and theological schools.”

—Gerald O’Collins, S.J.Gregorian University

“This fine collection brings together recent Roman Catholic and ecumenical discussion on major theological themes. It is a contemporary and collaborative summa, valuable for students and teachers alike.”

—Anne E. Carr University of Chicago Divinity School

“As close to authoritative as anything could be.”—Theological Book Review

“For Protestants as well as Roman Catholics, these volumes are state-of-the-art systematic theology. Here for the first time the disciplinary barriers that have divided the confessions are broken through, not only in biblical or historical studies but in dogmatics itself. Perhaps only in America could this happen. Now we can profit from each other in our own work more than ever before.”

—George A. Lindbeck Yale University

“Credit Fiorenza and Galvin for envisioning and carrying out a project which should be a boon to theological students, professional theologians, and the educated lay reader in introducing and reviewing important options in Roman Catholic theological thinking.”

—Dennis Bielfedlt Lutheran Quarterly

systematic TheologyRoman Catholic PerspectivesFrancis Schüssler Fiorenza and John P. Galvin, Editorsharvard divinity sChool / CatholiC University of aMeriCa

Unique among contemporary resources, the landmark Systematic Theology and its distinguished contributors present the major loci of Roman Catholic theology in light of contemporary developments—especially the sea-change since Vatican II thought, the best new historical studies of traditional doctrines and Scripture, and the diverse creative impulses that come from recent philosophy and hermeneutics, culture and praxis, and ecumenical contacts.

This new volume combines and updates both previous volumes, incorporates into the framework nearly twenty years of fresh thought and bibliography in each area, and adds revisions to key articles to take account of a diverse, fluid, and postmodern situation.

frAnCis sChüssler fiorenzA is Charles

Chauncey Stillman

Professor of Roman

Catholic Theological

Studies at Harvard

Divinity School.

John P. GAlvin is Professor

of Theology at the

Catholic University

of America,

Washington, D.C.

MAy 2011 9780800662912 pb 752pp $49LeveL: Upper-Level Undergraduate, Seminary, and GraduateCourses: Christian Theology, Roman Catholic Theology, Systematic Theology

The magisterial and authoritative introduction to Roman Catholic thought, now thoroughly updated for a new millennium

ConTenTs1. Systematic Theology—Francis Schüssler Fiorenza2. Faith and Revelation—Avery Dulles3. God and Trinity—David Tracy, Anthony Godzieba4. Creation—Anne M. Clifford5. Jesus Christ—John P. Galvin6. Church—Michael A. Fahey

7. Sin and Grace—Roger Haight8. Saints and Mary—Elizabeth A. Johnson9. Sacraments—David N. Power10. Eschatology—Jeanine Hill Fletcher


devil’s inkBlog from the Basement officeJeffrey C. Pughelon University

APRil 20119780800698140 pb 208pp $11.95

“What if Satan kept a blog? Blogging is a new form of communication, after all, and evil has always been keen on using new means of propaganda to accom-plish its purposes.“Of course, evil is elusive—difficult to discern and more difficult to define… If we can imagine intentionality behind all the evil in the world—not hard to do—then the image of Satan blogging to his minions and to all interested parties about the contemporary ways and means of evil is not much of a stretch at all.”

—From the Preface

The Theological and the Political on the Weight of the WorldMark Lewis TaylorprinCeton theologiCal seMinary


Taylor argues that the decline of political discourse, the justification of torture and preemptive war, mass incarceration, the misuse of religion to justify atrocity, and most especially the sheer weight of suffering in the world—all these developments urge us to reconceive theology itself.

mArK leWis TAylor is Princeton Seminary’s Maxwell M. Upson Professor of Theology and Culture.

liberating lutheran Theology freedom for Justice and solidarity in a global Context studies in lutheran history and Theology seriesPaul Chung, Ulrich Duchrow, and Craig L. NessanlUther seMinary / University of heidelBerg / wartBUrg theologiCal seMinary

JUNe 2011 9780800697785 hc 256pp $33

Spanning the continents, three internationally respected theologians demonstrate how the thought and legacy of Martin Luther can serve in an ecumenical and interfaith context as a resource for a radical critique of global economics and culture.

Theology hisToRy of ChRisTiAniTy

divine ComplexityThe Rise of Creedal ChristianityPaul R. Hinlickyroanoke College


“Throughout his career, Paul Hinlicky has shown a talent for finding new angles on much-treated topics. He has done it again.”

—Robert W. JensonCofounder of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology

Power, Politics, and the missouri synodA Conflict That Changed American ChristianityJames C. BurkeeConCordia University wisConsin

Now AvAilAble9780800697921 hc 288pp $29.00

Power, Politics, and the Missouri Synod follows the rise of a conservative movement that seized control of a theologically conservative but socially and politically moderate church denomination (the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod) and drove “moderates” from the church in the 1970s. The schism re-shaped the landscape of American Lutheranism and fostered the polarization that characterizes today’s Lutheran churches. But Burkee’s story is about more than Lutheranism. The remaking of this one Lutheran denomination reflects a broader movement toward theological and political conservatism in American churches—a movement that culminated in the formation of the “Religious

Jeffrey Pugh writes not about our personal relationship with sin but about the forces and ideas to which humans give their lives, with great material effect on the world. He explores how evil embeds itself structurally in human life and how that can bring us misery and frustration.

Paul Hinlicky reads the history of the early church as a genuine, centuries-long theological struggle to make sense of the confession of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Protesting a recent parting of the ways between systematic theology and the history of early Christianity, Hinlicky relies on the insights of historical criticism to argue in this historical survey for the coherence of doc-trinal development in the early church. This book is written with the student of early Christianity and the development of doctrine in mind.

PAul r. hinliCKy is Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion at Roanoke College and Guest Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Comenius University in Slovakia.

Right.”

JAmes C. BurKee is Associate Professor of History at Concordia University Wisconsin, where he teaches modern American political and religious history.

PAul ChunG is Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota. ulriCh duChroW is Professor of Theology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. CrAiG l. nessAn is Professor of Contextual Theology and Academic Dean at Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

Jeffrey C. PuGh is Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at Elon University, North Carolina.

32 fortresspress.com/examcopy

MinisTRyThe Journey and Promise of African American Preaching Kenyatta R. Gilbert

APRil 2011 9780800696276 pb 160pp $20

Gilbert’s work helps African American churches reclaim the prophetic, priestly, and sage dimensions of African American preaching.

KenyATTA r. GilBerT is Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Howard University School of Divinity, Washington, D.C.

disrupting homelessness Alternative Christian ApproachesPRISMS SERIES

Laura Stivers

APRil 2011 9780800697976 pb 176 pp $18

Stivers unmasks the futile assumptions of our present approaches to homelessness and suggests ways in which Christians and Christian communities can create a prophetic social movement to end poverty and homelessness.

lAurA sTivers is Associate Professor of Ethics and the Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department at Dominican University of California.

domestic violence What every Pastor needs to Know second editionAl Miles


Al Miles addresses the issues related to inadequate pastoral response to this pervasive problem. This thoroughly updated edition includes questions for discussion, a list of additional resources, complete updating of all statistical data, and contact information for state coalitions working to end domestic violence.

Al miles is Coordinator of the Hospital Ministry Department at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.

Becoming an Anti-racist Church Journeying toward WholenessPRISMS SERIES

Joseph Barndt


This practical and important volume extends the insights of Barndt’s earlier, more general work to address the race situation in the churches and to equip people there to be agents for change in and beyond their church communities.

JosePh BArndT has been a parish pastor, anti-racism trainer, and organizer for more than thirty years, much of it with Crossroads Ministry.

Documents

Questioning Assumptions - LaBible€¦ · · 2011-05-30Questioning Assumptions ... Each chapter traces historical understandings of each issue through ... 5. J. L. Mackie: Evil