Refractions of the Scriptural is a transdisciplinary collection of essays that seeks to construct a new field of scholarly inquiry with scriptures as a fraught category, analytical wedge, and site for excavation and problematization. The book focuses on the ways in which individual and social bodies manipulate—and are manipulated by— the politics and power encoded in language and formalized canonical knowledge. Scriptures, in this sense, function as complex phenomena that are instrumental to social conservatism as well as social critique and social change. The essays in this volume, written by established and up-and-coming scholars across a wide range of disciplines, seek to locate, engage, and interpret the ways in which the scriptural shapes and reshapes people and the dynamics of identity formation. The chapters are organized around four domains or types of inquiry: the cognitive, the conscientized, the inscriptive, and the formative. It will be of interest to scholars of religion, as well as those interested more broadly in critical social and historical studies.

This volume of thirty articles covering a wide range of subjects related to Old Testament study is written by colleagues, friends and students of A. Graeme Auld to honour the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday.

“We fell in love with Jesus. Then we had to decide what to do with God.” In Transcending Mysteries: Who Is God, and What Does He Want from Us? Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens take readers on a journey to answer the question: is the God of the Old Testament the same God we relate to and worship today? As the most definitive written revelation of who God is, Scripture has always been vital to the stories of the Christian faith. The Old Testament has proved especially tough for those who have been persuaded by the gracious gospel of Jesus but also desire to surrender to a God they don’t fully comprehend. We adore the Son of God, but what about God the Father? Using Old Testament stories Andrew and Ginny help Christ-followers reconcile a New Testament Redeemer with an Old Testament God and understand what God really wants from His people. They dialog back and forth as they share their own stories of struggle and surrender. Their comments are separated by speaker identifiers that are used throughout. Features include: Old Testament stories that are completed in Jesus' message Dialog between Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens Music lyrics from Andrew and Ginny that illustrate biblical truths Thought-provoking questions for reflection or study

God invites us to judge and to help correct wrongs from a place of understanding. Sometimes we pre-judge a person based on our own biases and superficial experiences. We stifle dialog before the conversation even begins. If all we know is our own faith, and we never put it side-by-side with what others believe, our spiritual growth and commitments can be easily stunted. By truly listening and learning from those with different beliefs, we can broaden and deepen our kingdom commitments. It is possible to stand up for Jesus, to articulate our faith clearly as witnesses, and to defend our faith effectively, while at the same time not being perceived as judgmental. Christians need to be faithful witnesses to God who are willing to listen to people with drastically different stories. In those exchanges, when we suspend judgment and truly listen, we will find truth and beauty and goodness in some of the most unexpected places. We will also find that, if we truly listen, we may be given a chance to speak. Features include: Help for interfaith and intercultural dialog Thought-provoking questions for spiritual conversation or reflection

Embark on a profound journey through the depths of human emotion and spirituality in the updated anniversary edition of Refractions by renowned artist Makoto Fujimura. This timeless collection of reflective essays invites you to explore themes of grief, loss, tragedy, and disruption through the eyes of an artist’s soul. Originally conceived in the shadow of the fallen twin towers of the World Trade Center, near where Fujimura’s New York art studio stood, this anniversary edition includes new essays unpacking the author’s further insights into his concepts of culture care and a theology of making. Refractions carries the weight of history and the urgency of the moment, illuminating beauty, healing, and hope. A gift for any artist or supporter of the arts, Refractions connects faith, art, and life, offering insight into healing with the wisdom and perspective of a leading contemporary artist and follower of Jesus, making beauty from ashes, and the gospel as a message as breathtaking and intricate as the lives it touches. In a world marred by violence and despair, Fujimura guides you toward a deep understanding of life’s intricate tapestry, where beauty emerges from unexpected places, and healing finds its roots in the goodness of God and human resilience.

A repackaged edition of the revered author’s moving theological work in which he considers the most poetic portions from Scripture and what they tell us about God, the Bible, and faith. In this wise and enlightening book, C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—examines the Psalms. As Lewis divines the meaning behind these timeless poetic verses, he makes clear their significance in our daily lives, and reminds us of their power to illuminate moments of grace.

Pope John Paul II has called the Rosary "a true doorway to the depths of the Heart of Christ, ocean of joy and light, of suffering and glory." Author Tim Gray celebrates this life-changing truth as he uncovers the deep scriptural roots of the five Luminous Mysteries'the Baptism in the Jordan, the Wedding of Cana, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, and the Institution of the Eucharist. In his foreword to The Luminous Mysteries, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis writes: "Tim Gray is an outstanding teacher of the Catholic faith, as he has demonstrated by his other writings and his presentations given to a variety of audiences. His love of Christ is transparent in his writing and inspires the reader to love Christ more fully and ardently. The Luminous Mysteries: Biblical Reflections on the Life of Christ is a most worthy tool for growth in the knowledge of Christ and growth in Christ's likeness." This book also includes five meditations from the Church Fathers on the Luminous events!