A collection of fishing stories that connect us to life’s deeper watersExperienced storyteller Roger W. Thompson cast his first line when he was a child, as a way to connect with his troubled father. Time after time in the decades since, he’s returned to tying and tossing flies in order to grieve loss, build friendships, and eventually, to connect with his own children. From sepia-toned memories in the Eastern Sierra Nevada to humorous misadventures along New Engla...

The book of Isaiah remains one of the most significant works of the Old Testament, dealing with actual responses to a series of political changes and crises--those responses being both of the people of God and also of the dominant great empires of that age. Above all, here are prophetical reactions to the great political changes of the day. Further, here are changes in the way the historical faith of Israel is to be lived out in new ages for the people of Israel's life in both the religiou...

Contrary to what we might imagine from its title, the Epistle to the Hebrews is immersed in Hellenistic thought. Its author demonstrates an acquaintance with Greco-Roman rhetoric, and often supports his arguments with the assumptions of Hellenistic philosophy. While he shares the apocalyptic worldview of other Jews in this period, he recasts it with the language of Middle Platonism.

Because commentaries are increasingly complex, preachers face the challenge of mastering the results of critical scholarship and merging the horizons between exegesis and a living word for the congregation. In this volume, Thompson offers a guide for preachers, using the results of current scholarship on Hebrews and 1 Peter to enrich the preaching task. He demonstrates that these ancient letters, which speak to believers whose faith has made them aliens and exiles in their own land, offer ...

Spirituality is a major concern in the modern world, although its meaning is not easy to pin down. In Scripture, it concerns human life lived out in relationship with God. In this book Michael Thompson explores aspects of Old Testament spirituality. He considers the spiritual life through what the Hebrew Bible says about creation and covenant, deliverance and judgment, worship, living in community, inhabiting an ever-changing world, with questions about suffering, yet also with ethical con...

While the commentaries and articles on 2 Corinthians focus on the world behind the text, giving attention to the identity of Paul's opposition and questions about the letter's composition, few scholars have bridged the gap between the exegesis of 2 Corinthians and the sermon. The issue of what constitutes legitimate ministry, the focus of 2 Corinthians, is a pressing issue today for churches as they face an identity crisis. Paul confronts opponents who judge him by secular standards of min...

The book of Isaiah is one of the most significant works of the Old Testament, especially for Christian readers. Its oracles have shaped the cultural imaginations of countless generations, inspiring preachers, artists, musicians, and politicians. This biblical book offers prophetic reflections on and responses to the actions of monarchs and nations during a series of political changes and crises in Israel. With a focus on seeking to understand the text in its ancient context, this commentar...

An explosive story of blunders and courage in the battle that might have brought victory in Europe in 1944."I believe my book could be described as an attempt at an heroic history of a very long and important battle, which is truly a series of battles. All the events 'depicted' in it happened, and if I have erred it has been on the side of understatement, for heroism often is beyond the ordinary use of prose, and if one feels unable to express it beyond a doubt it is better to let i...

In "The Footprints of the Jesuits," Richard W. Thompson intricately weaves a narrative that explores the multifaceted influence of Jesuit missionaries across various continents. Through meticulous research and a storytelling style that blends historical analysis with compelling anecdotal evidence, Thompson provides an insightful examination of the Jesuits' role in cultural exchange, educational advancements, and the spread of Christianity during the turbulent periods of the Renaissance and...

In "The Footprints of the Jesuits," Richard W. Thompson embarks on a profound examination of the Jesuit order'Äôs enduring impact on education, culture, and spirituality from their inception in the 16th century to contemporary society. Thompson blends rigorous historical analysis with narrative storytelling, providing an intricate tapestry that highlights the mission, methodologies, and intellectual contributions of the Jesuits. The book's literary style is both accessible and engaging, ma...

Believers in an increasingly secular world face the challenge of responding to the cultural changes that have taken place in the past generation, as Christians become a "cognitive minority," especially in the West. Some attempt to restore the Christian culture of the past with political activism, and others accommodate to the cultural changes. Christians in a post-Christian world can learn much from believers who lived in the pre-Christian period. The New Testament demonstrates that, in a ...

A remarkable, personal glimpse of Black student life at Indiana University in the early 1960s."From his father's dream of Lester becoming a doctor, this memoir serves as an inspiration for any young medical student to capture their dream. Certain to become a noted source, Lucky Medicine gives us a ground-breaking looking into a midwestern, African American youngster's unlikely journey to become a doctor." —Booker...