The tree of life is an iconic visual symbol at the edge of religious thought over the last several millennia. As a show of its significance, the tree bookends the Christian canon; yet scholarship has paid it minimal attention in the modern era. In The Tree of Life a team of scholars explore the origin, development, meaning, reception, and theology of this consequential yet obscure symbol. The fourteen essays trek from the origins of the tree in the texts and material culture of the ancient Near East, to its notable roles in biblical literature, to its expansion by early church fathers and Gnostics, to its rebirth in medieval art and culture, and to its place in modern theological thought.

Why do we suffer? What does it mean to love? How are spirit, death and life intermingled? What is Heaven? Who is Christ, and what does he ask of us? How literally is the Bible to be taken, and when? Must one believe in a literal 6-day creation or else be a 'bad' Christian? What is theosis, and is it my destiny? Spanning the history of the cosmos from its inception to its consummation, Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Life walks modern readers through the Bible, beginning with a history of how the Book came to be. This comprehensive account leaps from myth into archaeology and then documented history, spanning centuries and culminating in humanity's shattering face-to-face encounter with the Maker. Using tools ranging from cultural anthropology and geology to archaeology and hermeneutics, Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Life is at once faithful and skeptical, traditionalist and very modern, drawing the essential lessons out of the Biblical narrative to assemble the vast arc that ends at the neighborhood church on the corner today. Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Life seeks to define the chasm between the depths of the unknown and the limits of human understanding. Begin the journey now... Learn more and meet the author at www.facebook.com/treeofknowledge.treeoflife

When God created man, He placed him before two trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. In warning man to avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God indicated His desire for man to eat of the tree of life, signifying that man should receive God as his life supply. Witness Lee unveils in The Tree of Life that God is not looking for well-behaved Christians; He is looking for those who will experience and enjoy Christ as the reality of the tree of life.

What if the literary form of the Bible derived its pattern from the elementary process of creation? Is there an underlying symbolic form to the book? The Tree of Life is an analysis of this form and compares it to the operations of the intellect. These operations are the process by which we come to know what is. It also corresponds to the metaphysical elements, which are the core of our being. What becomes evident is that there is a form to human consciousness.

This Bible study is built around a symbol of life used throughout the Bible: The Tree. Trees provide a rich symbol of ongoing growth. Rather than reaching a peak and declining, we see their trunk expanding, their roots deepening, their leaves and fruit proliferating, and their branches spreading. The Tree of Life model is about thriving, not just surviving, and helping others do the same. There are three key components to living an abundant life:Connecting with the Source of Life, Discovering your own identity, places for growth, and opportunities for healing, and Growing in relationships with others.This Bible study is designed for use in small groups, with general discussions complemented by personal reflection. It facilitates drawing closer to God and building relationships with others.

This groundbreaking walk through Scripture by former physician and carpenter Dr. Matthew Sleeth makes the convincing case that trees reveal more about God and faith than you ever imagined. “Christians looking to reconnect to the natural world will relish Sleeth’s passionate call to Christian stewardship of the Earth.”—Publishers Weekly Fifteen years ago, Matthew Sleeth believed that science and logic held the answers to everything. But when tragedy struck, he opened the Bible for the first time and was surprised to find that God chose to tell the gospel story through a trail of trees. There’s a tree on the first page of Genesis, in the first psalm, on the first page of the New Testament, and on the last page of Revelation. The Bible’s wisdom is referred to as a tree of life. Every major biblical character and every major theological event has a tree marking the spot. A tree was the only thing that could kill Jesus—and the only thing Jesus ever harmed. Reforesting Faith is the rare book that builds bridges by connecting those who love the Creator with creation and those who love creation with the Creator. Join Dr. Sleeth as he explores the wonders of life, death, and rebirth through the trail of trees in Scripture. Once you discover the hidden language of trees, your walk through the woods—and through Scripture—will never be the same.