The only narratives of Jesus’ birth locate the event in Bethlehem, but the adult Jesus is consistently associated with Nazareth. How do we reconcile these two indisputable facts? Some dismiss Bethlehem as a theologoumenon, a theological fabrication. Others insist on Bethlehem based on the census of Quirinius. In the present volume, N. Clayton Croy argues that both are wrong. Instead Jesus’ birthplace was determined by the scandalous nature of Mary’s pregnancy, with it being necessary for Mary and Joseph to escape the inevitable shame of an ill-timed conception and decamp to a less hostile environment. In this light, a Bethlehem-born Jesus who grew up in Nazareth should never have been considered problematic.

The T & T Clark Social Identity Commentary on the New Testament is a one-of-a-kind comprehensive Bible resource that highlights the way the NT seeks to form the social identity of the members of the earliest Christ-movement. By drawing on the interpretive resources of social-scientific theories-especially those related to the formation of identity-interpreters generate new questions that open fruitful identity-related avenues into the text. It provides helpful introductions to each NT book that focus on various social dimensions of the text as well as a commentary structure that illuminates the text as a work of social influence. The commentary offers methodologically informed discussions of difficult and disputed passages and highlights cultural contexts in theoretically informed ways-drawing on resources from social anthropology, historical sociology, or social identity theory. The innovative but careful scholarship of these writers, most of whom have published monographs on some aspect of social identity within the New Testament, brings to the fore often overlooked social and communal aspects inherent in the NT discourse. The net result is a more concrete articulation of some of the every-day lived experiences of members of the Christ-movement within the Roman Empire, while also offering further insight into the relationship between existing and new identities that produced diverse expressions of the Christ-movement during the first century. The SICNT shows that identity-formation is at the heart of the NT and it offers insights for leaders of faith communities addressing these issues in contemporary contexts.

In this highly readable introduction to the Gospels, Edward Adams demonstrates how the four canonical Gospels function separatelyâ€"as unique accounts of Jesus' lifeâ€"and as narrative renditions of a shared story: the Fourfold Gospel. Building on the premise that the Gospels are ancient biographies or "lives of Jesus," Adams examines parallel Gospel passages, highlighting the similarities and differences between them. He begins by approaching the four Gospels generally, then looks at each of them individually, and finally considers six key Gospel passages to further explore the unity and plurality of the Gospels in a more focused way. Adams's lucid prose helps to make this text ideal for beginning students of the Gospels.

Adapted into a single volume for daily devotional reading, "Butler's Saint for the Day" features the life of one saint or blessed for each day of the year. Originally published as the "New Concise Edition of Butler's," this revision puts much more emphasis on 20th century figures and reflects the late John Paul II's attention to holy men and women throughout the world, especially the Americas.

"This is indeed true: if the saints and blesseds collected here share one overarching characteristic it is to have put their love of God to work for their fellow men and women as they saw fit - through austerity of life, contemplative prayer, or myriad embodiments of what we would now call social work. They are holy examples to us because they lived and died for others, for us."--BOOK JACKET.

Multitudes around the globe are carrying heavy burdens of shame. Shame is an emotion that will keep you forever shackled to the past and prevent you from rising up to fulfill your God-given destiny. The purpose of this book is to shatter the shackles of shame that have bound you, your loved ones, or those to whom you minister.

This in-depth CD-ROM Biblical expository includes: Comprehensive word and topic searches, Internet connectivity which links you to on-line Precepts discussion groups, and Complete Bible in The New Living Translation and the traditional King James Version.