New Episcopalians may be nervous about opening the Bible; others simply don't know how to begin. An often-overlooked gift of the Episcopal Church is that the texts and doctrines of the Bible are embedded in its prayers, liturgies, and creeds. Making that knowledge explicit and placing it in context can open the way for further and more in-depth study.

This book is not published to tell us that there is sin and woe and misery in this world. We know it all too well. This book is not published to tell us that there is an irreconcilable controversy between darkness and light, sin and righteousness, wrong and right, death and life. In our heart of hearts we know it, and know that we are participators, actors, in the conflict. But to every one of us comes at times a longing to know more of the great controversy. How did the controversy begin?...

In the Lords recovery during the past five hundred years the churchs knowledge of the Lord and His truth has been continually progressing. This monumental and classical work by Brother Witness Lee builds upon and is a further development of all that the Lord has revealed to His church in the past centuries. It is filled with the revelation concerning the processed Triune God, the living Christ, the life-giving Spirit, the experience of life, and the definition and practice of the church. I...

'In another original, challenging and deeply learned book, Margaret Barker further consolidates her revolutionary rereading of the backround of the New Tesament. A welcome study, enlarging the mind and the imagination' Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of CanterburyAccording to Margaret Barker's groundbreaking theory, temple mysticism underpins much of the Bible. Rooted in the cult of the first temple in ancient Judaism, it helps us to understand the origins of Christi...

The poetic books of the Old Testament--Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon--are often called humankind's reach toward God. The other books of the Old Testament picture God's reach toward man through the redemptive story. Yet these five books reveal the very hear of men and women struggling with monumental issues such as suffering, sin, forgiveness, joy, worship, and the passionate love between a man and woman.C. Hassell Bullock, a noted Old Testament scholar, delve...

The Pentateuch--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy--are the vital first books in the Bible. understanding the scope, meaning, and events of these five books is integral to understanding the whole of Scripture that follows.Old Testament expert Herbert Wolf provides layreaders and scholars alike with a strong undergirding of understanding and knowledge in this introduction that reveals both the seriousness and excitement of the Pentateuch. Readers will find Adam, Abraha...

Many preachers ignore preaching from the Old Testament because they feel it is outdated in light of the New Testament and difficult to expound. On the other hand, some preachers will preach from the Old Testament frequently but fail to handle it correctly, turning it into moralistic rules or symbolic lessons for our spiritual life. In How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth, Christopher J. H. Wright proclaims that preachers must not ignore the Old Testament. It...

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t think he would. I thought he’d say, whoa, hold on, wait a minute. We made a deal, remember, the land, the blessing, the nation, the descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.”So begins James Goodman’s original and urgent encounter with one of the most compelling and resonant stories ever told—God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.A mere nineteen lines in the book of Genesis, ...

In the Lords recovery during the past five hundred years the churchs knowledge of the Lord and His truth has been continually progressing. This monumental and classical work by Brother Witness Lee builds upon and is a further development of all that the Lord has revealed to His church in the past centuries. It is filled with the revelation concerning the processed Triune God, the living Christ, the life-giving Spirit, the experience of life, and the definition and practice of the church. I...

He Was the Runt of the Family Kept With the Sheep But God saw something special in David when nobody else did, and called him to the throne. He was a shepherd. Military hero. Outlaw. King. Adulterer. Murderer. Penitent father. But most of all he was a man after God's own heart. David had an instinct for the divine. He poured out his passion for God in song. He danced before God. He wept before God. As a result, Scripture says more about him than about Christ. Artists have sculpted him. Lib...

You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Serve God.It isn't always easy to serve our God in a culture that is alternately ambivalent and hostile toward him, especially when we ourselves are so flawed. We're not the first ones to face this challenge. In fact, Elijah--one of the most important prophets in history--faced the same struggle. Although he was outnumbered, misunderstood, insecure, and often fearful, he found power in obedience and prayer--and you can, too. Discover...

The women of the Old Testament are brought to life afresh in this compelling and sensitive retelling of their stories in a feminist and Christian context.Williams both celebrates affirming texts and tackles the challenge of difficult ones. Her wide-ranging treatment of varied stories about very different women reveal the rich tapestry of interweaving texts about women contained in the Old Testament and the patriarchal agendas that shaped them."Whils...