"Tackles scripture from a broad-thinking, feminist perspective. . . . Smart and impressive."--Publishers Weekly One reason the Bible has endured for millennia is its ability to reach our common humanness and give uplifting insights about struggle, resilience, and hope. Intertwining academic knowledge and candid, personal, and sometimes humorous stories, Julie Faith Parker helps readers engage biblical texts with both mind and heart--to learn the Bible's stories, explore theological ideas, question common assumptions, develop interpretive skills, and grow in their own faith. The title chapter demonstrates how feminism interprets the Bible with fresh eyes and offers empowering insights, an approach used in the rest of the book. In each chapter, Parker reads biblical texts through a feminist lens. The book discusses both neglected and well-known Old Testament passages with one chapter on the New Testament. Parker's reflections show how vital our readings of the Bible can be as a source of strength, guidance, and joyful defiance. Additional features include questions for conversation or reflection and an overview of the entire Bible, summarizing each book in one line.

The swooning Victorian ladies and the 1950s housewives genuinely needed to be liberated. That much is indisputable. So, First-Wave feminists held rallies for women's suffrage. Second-Wave feminists marched for Prohibition, jobs, and abortion. Today, Third-Wave feminists stand firmly for nobody's quite sure what. But modern women--who use psychotherapeutic antidepressants at a rate never before seen in history--need liberating now more than ever. The truth is, feminists don't know what liberation is. They have led us into a very boring dead end. Eve in Exile sets aside all stereotypes of mid-century housewives, of China-doll femininity, of Victorians fainting, of women not allowed to think for themselves or talk to the men about anything interesting or important. It dismisses the pencil-skirted and stiletto-heeled executives of TV, the outspoken feminists freed from all that hinders them, the brave career women in charge of their own destinies. Once those fictionalized stereotypes are out of the way--whether they're things that make you gag or things you think look pretty fun--Christians can focus on real women. What did God make real women for?

Ten of the Bible’s best-known femmes fatales parade across the pages of this popular and unforgettable study with situations that sound oh-so-familiar. Women everywhere marvel at those “good girls” in Scripture–Sarah, Mary, Esther–but on most days, that’s not who they see when they look in the mirror. Most women (if they’re honest) see the selfishness of Sapphira or the deception of Delilah. They catch of glimpse of Jezebel’s take-charge pride or Eve’s disastrous disobedience. Like Bathsheba, Herodias, and the rest, today’s modern woman is surrounded by temptations, exhausted by the demands of daily living, and burdened by her own desires. So what’s a good girl to do? Learn from their lives, says beloved Bible study teacher and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, and choose a better path. Whether they were “Bad to the Bone,” “Bad for a Season, but Not Forever” or only “Bad for a Moment,” these infamous sisters show women how not to handle the challenges of life. With her trademark humor and encouragement, Higgs combines a contemporary retelling of the stories of these “other women” in Scripture with a solid, verse-by-verse study to teach us how to avoid their tragic mistakes and joyfully embrace grace. Let these Bad Girls show you why studying the Bible has never been more fun! Includes Discussion Questions and Study Guide

"Is God listening? "Can he be trusted?" In this book, Yancey tackles the questions caused by a God who doesn't always do what we think he's supposed to do.

Contrary to what many philosophers believe, Calvinism neither makes the problem of evil worse nor is it obviously refuted by the presence of evil and suffering in our world. Or so most of the authors in this book claim. While Calvinism has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years amongst theologians and laypersons, many philosophers have yet to follow suit. The reason seems fairly clear: Calvinism, many think, cannot handle the problem of evil with the same kind of plausibility as other more popular views of the nature of God and the nature of God's relationship with His creation. This book seeks to challenge that untested assumption. With clarity and rigor, this collection of essays seeks to fill a significant hole in the literature on the problem of evil.

Eve's Apple is the story of how one lady, Eve, contracted and spread the most fatal disease ever known to mankind as an act of her mind and will. The name of this disease is sin. This disease of sin is the root cause of all war, murder, stealing, lies, and every other known form of evil in the world. The result has been the death of every generation of mankind who has ever lived. "But wait a minute," you say. "I believe death is caused by old age or cancer, a heart attack, or some other physical problem or disease and not by some religious belief called sin." This is partly true. But what is the root cause of all known diseases? And if all known diseases result in death, isn't this just another way sin manifests itself? In addition to all these facts, I believe the story of Eve's apple defines the history of the human race. Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "There is no such thing as history, only biography." Well, if history is a collection of biographies, or stories, then this story of Eve's apple ranks among the most important of all. The story of Eve's apple began mankind's conflict with a good and evil in our world. This struggle by you and me and the rest of the human race has affected our world and history more than any other challenge in life. How mankind has chosen to struggle with this conflict has shaped the history of our world If the above reasons for Eve's importance to history and your life are not enough, may I suggest one more: contained in this story of Eve is the prophecy of God's answer to Eve's sin, which contains faith, hope, and love.

To many people, the Bible is a series of incongruous and confusing stories. It jumps from one person or place to the next leaving the reader scrambling to keep up and make sense of it all. That’s a tall task. Epic provides a big picture view of the Bible to explain how its individual pieces fit together. Is it really possible that the Bible’s collection of 66 books actually has a single storyline? Yes! The theme of that storyline is redemption, and Epic traces it from Genesis to Revelation. Discover in the opening chapters of the Bible why redemptionbecame humanity’s desperate need. Learn how God set this rescue effort into motion through promises He made to Abraham. Follow the unfolding of these promises through Old Testament history. Note the role of the prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi, in the overall drama. Witness Jesus Christ bringing redemption to a climax. Perfect for believers at any stage, small group leaders, and those discipling others, Epic will open your eyes to the way all the different parts of scripture contribute to a single story that can change your life.