Climate disasters, tariff wars, extractive technologies, and deepening debts are plummeting American food producers into what is quickly becoming the most severe farm crisis of the last half-century. Yet we are largely unaware of the plight of those whose hands and hearts toil to sustain us. Agrarian and ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan--the "father of the local food movement"--offers a fresh, imaginative look at the parables of Jesus to bring us into a heart of compassion for those in the food economy hit by this unprecedented crisis. Offering palpable scenes from the Sea of Galilee and the fields, orchards, and feasting tables that surrounded it, Nabhan contrasts the profound ways Jesus interacted with those who were the workers of the field and the fishers of the sea with the events currently occurring in American farm country and fishing harbors. Tapping the work of Middle Eastern naturalists, environmental historians, archaeologists, and agro-ecologists, Jesus for Farmers and Fishers is sure to catalyze deeper conversations, moral appraisals, and faith-based social actions in each of our faith-land-water communities.

Invites a new generation of readers to apply ethical reasoning to social justice challenges, accessible to people of faith from a broad range of backgrounds Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus introduces readers to the parables of the New Testament while exploring how they relate to social justice, ethics, and key issues of modern society. Centering on themes of mercy, justice, and human dignity, this unique volume invites readers to reflect on the meaning of Jesus's parables both in their original setting and in the context of present-day moral and ethical challenges. The author discusses social justice concepts from various traditions to enable readers to engage with the ethical implications of the parables in a range of different contexts. Each chapter focuses on one parable or set of parables, such as the parable of the Good Samaritan and the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, and includes historical background information and an analysis and interpretation of the parable. Throughout the text, the author highlights the connections between Jesus's parables and racism, violence, poverty, the environment, our obligations to one another, and other timely social justice issues. Blends an accessible overview of the parables of Jesus with an introduction to social justice and ethics Explores New Testament parables as viewed through the lens of contemporary writers, ethicists, and activists Emphasizes the Jewish roots of the parables and the need to guard against anti-Jewish readings of the parables Highlights the ways that Jesus’s parables challenged his first-century listeners to see their world in new ways and recognize the dignity of every person Engages with seminal thinkers in contemporary social justice, such as James Cone, Howard Thurman, Emilie Townes, Bishop Michael Curry, and Pope Francis Includes study and discussion questions for personal and group use Requiring no prior knowledge of the subject, Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables is an ideal textbook for introductory courses on the Bible and New Testament, faith-based courses on ethics, and general Christian readers looking for an excellent resource for personal or congregational study.

Liturgies and worship resources on a range of subjects and concerns - globalisation, food, water, HIV/AIDS, the environment, interfaith dialogue, the arms trade, prisoners of conscience, 20th-century martyrs, homelessness, racism, gender, living in commun

"Explores in clear, nontechnical language the life, times and significance of that teacher, the one called simply Jesus in his own time, but who is now recognized by more than a third of the world's population as the Christ, the anointed one sent by God to bring fullness of life." [Back cover].

A baby is born to an unwed mother in a barn. The child grows up in an obscure mountain village until he emergesa man with a revolutionary message. His out-of-the-box thinking and non-conformist charisma infuriate the guardians of the status quo who determine to destroy him, along with his dangerous ideas. Love and hate; life and death stand their ground in the ultimate face-off. But who will have the last word? Fascinating characters and fast-moving action, laced with humor, trace the thread of the original Bible story, allowing the narrative to live afresh today. What others have said the story line of the Bible reduced to a gripping tale, told with wit and warmth. This is the spinal cord of the worlds oldest and most influential book (Charles Price) respectful yet readable, insightful and invigorating. (J. John) the drama, the wonder and the life changing impact of the Bible (Julie Sheldon) a book that simply tells the story and just the story! Its brilliant! (Jennifer Larcombe) exposes the emotion of each moment with subtle details that form a new picture in ones mind. (Richard Dodding) the essence of the Bibletrue to the text, true to the Spirit, eminently readable. (R. Paul Stevens)

How the great political thinkers have persistently warned against the dangers of economic inequality Economic inequality is one of the most daunting challenges of our time, with public debate often turning to questions of whether it is an inevitable outcome of economic systems and what, if anything, can be done about it. But why, exactly, should inequality worry us? The Greatest of All Plagues demonstrates that this underlying question has been a central preoccupation of some of the most eminent political thinkers of the Western intellectual tradition. David Lay Williams shares bold new perspectives on the writings and ideas of Plato, Jesus, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, and Karl Marx. He shows how they describe economic inequality as a source of political instability and a corrupter of character and soul, and how they view unchecked inequality as a threat to their most cherished values, such as justice, faith, civic harmony, peace, democracy, and freedom. Williams draws invaluable insights into the societal problems generated by what Plato called “the greatest of all plagues,” and examines the solutions employed through the centuries. An eye-opening work of intellectual history, The Greatest of All Plagues recovers a forgotten past for some of the most timeless books in the Western canon, revealing how economic inequality has been a paramount problem throughout the history of political thought.

John Wimber wasn't interested in religion -- he was interested in a relationship with Jesus and discovering how that impacted the way he lived his life and the people with whom he shared his life. He viewed community as a great opportunity to put into practice the teachings of Jesus and felt following Jesus wasn't a spectator sport. In Everyone Gets to Play, Wimber's writings and teachings on life together in Christ drives home the importance of one of his favorite sayings and shares some of his ideas on what that can look like. From taking risks to prayer to leading others, Wimber s skillfully penned words from his writings and teachings still resonate powerfully today.