The theme of divine speech appears at the opening of the Hebrews (1.1-2) and recurs throughout the book, often in contexts suggesting connections to other areas of scholarly interest (christology, soteriology, cosmology, and the writer's understanding of the nature of his discourse). Griffiths begins with a consideration of the genre and structure of Hebrews (offering a new structural outline), concluding that Hebrews constitutes the earliest extant complete Christian sermon and consists of a series of Scriptural expositions. Griffiths then turns to consider Hebrews' theology of divine speech through an exegetical analysis of eight key passages (with particular attention to the writer's use of the terms logos and rhema), and finds that, for the writer, God's speech is the means by which the place of divine rest is accessed, and is supremely expressed in the person of his Son. Griffiths concludes that the writer presents his sermon as communicating the divine word and effecting an encounter between his hearers and the God who speaks. Analysis of the exegetical data shows that Hebrews presents God's word, which finds full expression in the incarnate Christ, as the central means by which salvation is made available and the place of divine rest is accessed. The study finds that the terms logos and rhema are used with a high degree of consistency to signify forms of divine speech, logos usually signifying verbal revelation (and three times specifically identifying the author's own discourse) and rhema typically signifying non-verbal revelation in the cosmos. The investigation leads to the ultimate conclusion that the author believes that, through his discourse, he himself communicates that divine word and effects an encounter between his hearers and the God who speaks.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781472453983, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative 4.0 license. Experiences of hearing the voice of God (or angels, demons, or other spiritual beings) have generally been understood either as religious experiences or else as a feature of mental illness. Some critics of traditional religious faith have dismissed the visions and voices attributed to biblical characters and saints as evidence of mental disorder. However, it is now known that many ordinary people, with no other evidence of mental disorder, also hear voices and that these voices not infrequently include spiritual or religious content. Psychological and interdisciplinary research has shed a revealing light on these experiences in recent years, so that we now know much more about the phenomenon of "hearing voices" than ever before. The present work considers biblical, historical, and scientific accounts of spiritual and mystical experiences of voice hearing in the Christian tradition in order to explore how some voices may be understood theologically as revelatory. It is proposed that in the incarnation, Christian faith finds both an understanding of what it is to be fully human (a theological anthropology), and God’s perfect self-disclosure (revelation). Within such an understanding, revelatory voices represent a key point of interpersonal encounter between human beings and God.

This new edition of Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem is one of the most important resources for helping you understand Scripture and grow as a Christian. The most widely used resource of the last 25 years in its area, Systematic Theology has been thoroughly revised and expanded for the first time while retaining the features that have made it the standard in its field: clear explanations, an emphasis on each doctrine's scriptural basis, and practical applications to daily life. With nearly 250 pages of new content and revisions, this new edition now includes the following distinctive features: Updated analysis of recent controversies within evangelical theology, including the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity, the role of women in the church, miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, and contemporary worship music. New discussion and critiques of recent theological controversies situated outside of traditional evangelical theology, such as open theism, the "new perspective on Paul," Molinism (or "middle knowledge"), "Free Grace" theology, and the preterist view of Christ's second coming. Completely revised chapter on the clarity of Scripture. Completely revised chapter on creation and evolution, including a longer critique of theistic evolution and an extensive discussion on the age of the earth. New discussion of how biblical inerrancy applies to some specific "problem verses" in the Gospels. Additional material explaining evangelical Protestant differences with Roman Catholicism, Protestant liberalism, and Mormonism. Completely updated bibliographies. All Scripture quotations updated from RSV to ESV. Updated section on contemporary worship music. Numerous other updates and corrections. Part of the brilliance of Systematic Theology has been its simplicity and ease of use. Each chapter follows the same structure: discussion of the doctrine being considered, an explanation of that doctrine's biblical support and possible objections, followed by personal application and key terms to know for personal growth. Chapters also include a Scripture memory passage, references to other literature on the topic, and suggested hymns and worship songs. If you think theology is hard to understand or boring, then this new edition of Systematic Theology will change your mind.

This extract from the Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible provides Clements' introduction to and concise commentary on Proverbs. The Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible presents, in nontechnical language, the best of modern scholarship on each book of the Bible, including the Apocrypha. Reader-friendly commentary complements succinct summaries of each section of the text and will be valuable to scholars, students, and general readers. Rather than attempt a verse-by-verse analysis, these volumes work from larger sense units, highlighting the place of each passage within the overarching biblical story. Commentators focus on the genre of each text—parable, prophetic oracle, legal code, and so on—interpreting within the historical and literary context. The volumes also address major issues within each biblical book—including the range of possible interpretations—and refer readers to the best resources for further discussions.

The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage