Jesus and the Trojan War


Book Description

Jesus and the Trojan War looks at ways in which stories are presented and understood; and how story-tellers - and their listeners - may wittingly or unwittingly confuse fact with fiction. This book explores the parallels between four stories (the Trojan war, Moses, King Arthur, and Jesus), and the way their sources relate to their histories and contemporary relevance.




The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark


Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, Dennis R. MacDonald offers an entirely new view of the New Testament gospel of Mark. The author of the earliest gospel was not writing history, nor was he merely recording tradition, MacDonald argues. Close reading and careful analysis show that Mark borrowed extensively from the Odyssey and the Iliad and that he wanted his readers to recognise the Homeric antecedents in Mark's story of Jesus. Mark was composing a prose anti-epic, MacDonald says, presenting Jesus as a suffering hero modeled after but far superior to traditional Greek heroes. Much like Odysseus, Mark's Jesus sails the seas with uncomprehending companions, encounters preternatural opponents, and suffers many things before confronting rivals who have made his house a den of thieves. In his death and burial, Jesus emulates Hector, although unlike Hector Jesus leaves his tomb empty. Mark's minor characters, too, recall Homeric predecessors: Bartimaeus emulates Tiresias; Joseph of Arimathea, Priam; and the women at the tomb, Helen, Hecuba, and Andromache. And, entire episodes in Mark mirror Homeric episodes, including stilling the sea, walking on water, feeding the multitudes, the Triumphal E




Trojan Horse in the City of God


Book Description

Uncover the philosophical and theological roots of the issues that rock the Church today; come to understand why Catholics get so heated about them. This acclaimed 1967 work has become an international classic because of its ability to go beyond the liberal/conservative impasse to the heart of the Catholic crisis.




Helen of Troy


Book Description

Helen of Troy engages with the ancient origins of the persistent anxiety about female beauty, focusing on this key figure from ancient Greek culture in a way that both extends our understanding of that culture and provides a useful perspective for reconsidering aspects of our own.







The Trojan Horse of Tithing


Book Description

The Trojan Horse Of Tithing is a plea to Christian leaders, written from a Charismatic/Pentecostal perspective. Jonathan Brenneman exposes the inherent problems with common tithe teachings, highlighting serious issues with even so-called "grace tithing." He demonstrates how deception starts subtly and documents the growing acceptance in mainstream Christianity of even overt teachings of salvation by tithing. Millions of people today now believe they will never even enter heaven without their tithes. No matter how much we try to dress tithe teachings up as grace, they continue to be the root of serious problems.The arguments contained here against the modern tithe tradition are thorough, compelling, and overwhelming. The gospel is worth giving not only our money, but even our lives to promote. However, modern tithe traditions have no place in this because they are not based on truth and misrepresent the way God relates to people. Rather than helping to advance, the gospel, they distort it. God is calling his church to get rid of the leaven and return to a powerful and pure gospel message!The Trojan Horse of Tithing is one of the most comprehensive overviews of multiple arguments against tithing. Few books make such a compelling case as to why tithing is incompatible with the gospel, or deal so thoroughly with less logical but emotionally powerful objections such as "but tithing works!" We include: -What could have possibly convinced strong proponents of tithing such as Derek Prince to change their minds?-Documentation and evidence of the extent of literal "salvation by tithing" doctrine in today's churches, and demonstration that this is the logical implication of even many of the most common so-called "grace tithing" teachings.-Dozens of serious logical problems with all of the common pro-tithing arguments.-A historical study on Melchizedeck and the related terms "El Elyon," "Zedek," "Salem," "Heaven," and "Earth."-11 commandments of God that churches regularly break for their tithe tradition.-9 serious problems with using Malachi as support for Christian tithing.-The history of tithing.-Contrast between the Babylonian tithe and the Jewish tithe. Which is our modern tithe tradition based on?-How the modern tithe tradition violates the statutes and the basic principles of the Jewish tithe.-What tithing and witchcraft have in common.-How tithing undermines Spirit-led giving.-How people are stepping into supernatural giving and supernatural provision without the tithe.-The historical and cultural context of ministerial support in scripture.-Why some of the world's most successful church planters see tithing as a hindrance to church multiplication.-How tithe teachings promote a poverty spirit.-A prophetic dream for the church.




Black Ships Before Troy


Book Description

For Greek myth fans, those who can’t get enough of the D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, and readers who have aged out of Rick Riordan, this classroom staple and mythology classic is perfect for learning about the ancient myths! As the gods and goddesses of Olympus scheme, the ancient world is thrown into turmoil when Helen, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece, is stolen away by her Trojan love. Inflamed by jealousy, the Greek king seeks lethal vengeance and sends his black war ships to descend on the city of Troy. In the siege that follows, history’s greatest heroes, from Ajax to Achilles to Odysseus, are forged in combat, and the brutal costs of passion, pride, and revenge must be paid. In the end, the whims of the gods, the cunning of the warriors, and a great wooden horse will decide who emerges victorious. Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time and Rosemary Sutcliff's retelling of the classic saga embodies all of the astonishing drama, romance, and intrigue of ancient Greece. Don’t miss The Wanderings of Odysseus, the companion to Black Ships Before Troy, and follow Odysseus on his adventure home. This book has been selected as a Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar (Grades 6-8, Stories) in Appendix B.




The Odyssey of Love


Book Description

Tolle Lege, take up and read! These words from St. Augustine perfectly describe the human condition. Reading is the universal pilgrimage of the soul. In reading we journey to find ourselves and to save ourselves. The ultimate journey is reading the Great Books. In the Great Books we find the struggle of the human soul, its aspirations, desires, and failures. Through reading, we find faces and souls familiar to us even if they lived a thousand years ago. The unread life is not worth living, and in reading we may well discover what life is truly about and prepare ourselves for the pilgrimage of life.




The Iliad


Book Description




Pilgrim Theology


Book Description

Pilgrim Theology is a map for Christians seeking to better understand the core beliefs of their faith. Even though it's the study of God, theology has a reputation for being dry, abstract, and irrelevant for daily living. But theology is a matter of life and death. It affects the way you think, the decisions you make, the way you relate to God and the world. Reformed theologian and professor Michael Horton wrote Pilgrim Theology as a more accessible companion to his award-winning systematic theology The Christian Faith: widely praised for its thorough treatment of the biblical and historical foundations of Christian doctrine. In Pilgrim Theology, his focus is in putting the study of theology into the daily drama of discipleship. Each chapter will orient you toward a clear understanding about: Who God is. What our relationship is to him. And what our faith in Jesus Christ means in our daily walk as well as in the context of the narrative of Scripture and the community of the church. Through accessible chapters on individual doctrines, as well as frequent "Key Distinction" boxes that succinctly explain the differences between important themes, you'll gain an understanding of doctrines that may have sounded like technical seminary terms to you before: justification, sanctification, glorification, union with Christ, and others. You have a working theology already—an existing understanding of God. It's the goal of Pilgrim Theology to help you examine that understanding more closely and have it challenged and strengthened.