Living God's Justice


Book Description

"Integration is one of the goals of the spiritual journey. The vertical relationship with God that is nurtured in personal prayer and public worship needs to be integrated with our horizontal relationship with our sisters and brothers. A balanced spirituality is one of both/and not either/or. In other words, we are to be contemplatives in action. Contemplation is that loving attention as we gaze upon the mystery of God; action is reaching out to others who are in need." —from the Foreword, by Robert F. Morneau For Christians, prayer is never entirely a personal matter. Jesus taught us to pray in such a way that we are always mindful of the concerns of others, and of our relationships with others. Living God's Justice is a sourcebook of just such prayers—words that help us to orient ourselves toward others in a way that leads to right relationship with God and effective prayer. Drawing on the wisdom of the ages—from Saint Francis of Assisi to Pope John Paul II, Thomas á Kempis to Mother Teresa, Saint Augustine to Thea Bowman—this collection reminds us that we are all members of one body, one church and others depend upon our prayers as much as we depend upon theirs.




The Dangerous Act of Worship


Book Description

What's at stake in our worship? EVERYTHING. Worship is the dangerous act of waking up to God and God's purposes in the world. But something has gone wrong with our worship. Too often worship has become a place of safety and complacency, a narrowly private experience in which solitary individuals only express their personal adoration. Even when w...




Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice: An Urgent Appeal to Fellow Christians in a Time of Social Crisis


Book Description

Prepare yourself to defend the truth against the greatest worldview threat of our generation. In recent years, a set of ideas rooted in postmodernism and neo-Marxist critical theory have merged into a comprehensive worldview. Labeled "social justice" by its advocates, it has radically redefined the popular understanding of justice. It purports to value equality and diversity and to champion the cause of the oppressed. Yet far too many Christians have little knowledge of this ideology, and consequently, don't see the danger. Many evangelical leaders confuse ideological social justice with biblical justice. Of course, justice is a deeply biblical idea, but this new ideology is far from biblical. It is imperative that Christ-followers, tasked with blessing their nations, wake up to the danger, and carefully discern the difference between Biblical justice and its destructive counterfeit. This book aims to replace confusion with clarity by holding up the counterfeit worldview and the Biblical worldview side-by-side, showing how significantly they differ in their core presuppositions. It challenges Christians to not merely denounce the false worldview, but offer a better alternative-the incomparable Biblical worldview, which shapes cultures marked by genuine justice, mercy, forgiveness, social harmony, and human dignity.




Generous Justice


Book Description

Keller explores a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace.




The Justice Calling


Book Description

Christianity Today Book Award Winner Justice requires perseverance--a deep perseverance we can't muster on our own. The world's needs are staggering and even the most passion-driven reactions, strategies, and good intentions can falter. But we serve a God who never falters, who sees the needs, hears the cries, and gives strength--through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit--to his people. Offering a comprehensive biblical theology of justice drawn from the whole story of Scripture, this book invites us to know more intimately the God who loves justice and calls us to give our lives to seek the flourishing of others. The authors explore stories of injustice around the globe today and spur Christians to root their passion for justice in the persevering hope of Christ. They also offer practices that can further form us into people who join God's work of setting things right in the world. Now in paper with an added reader's guide.




Evangelical Theology


Book Description

Evangelical Theology is a systematic theology written from the perspective of a biblical scholar. Michael F. Bird contends that the center, unity, and boundary of the evangelical faith is the evangel (= gospel), as opposed to things like justification by faith or inerrancy. The evangel is the unifying thread in evangelical theology and the theological hermeneutic through which the various loci of theology need to be understood. Using the gospel as a theological leitmotif—an approach to Christian doctrine that begins with the gospel and sees each loci through the lens of the gospel—this text presents an authentically evangelical theology, as opposed to an ordinary systematic theology written by an evangelical theologian. According to the author, theology is the drama of gospelizing—performing and living out the gospel in the theatre of Christian life. The text features tables, sidebars, and questions for discussion. The end of every part includes a “What to Take Home” section that gives students a run-down on what they need to know. And since reading theology can often be dry and cerebral, the author applies his unique sense of humor in occasional “Comic Belief” sections so that students may enjoy their learning experience through some theological humor added for good measure.




Suffering Wisely and Well


Book Description

Why Suffering Exists: God's Purpose for Pain in the Life of Job and throughout Scripture Why does God allow suffering? The pain of suffering can be overwhelmingly mysterious, but the Bible does provide answers. Throughout Scripture, God allows trials in order to accomplish specific purposes in the lives of his people. When faced with suffering they experience spiritual growth; repentance from sin; or, as in the Old Testament story of Job, the chance to demonstrate devotion to God in the face of inexplicable agony. In Suffering Wisely and Well, Eric Ortlund explores different types of trials throughout Scripture, revealing the spiritual purpose for each and reassuring readers with God's promise of restoration. The majority of the book focuses on Job, one of the most well-known yet misunderstood stories of suffering. Ortlund thoughtfully analyzes the text chapter by chapter, including the doubt of Job's friends, God's response to Job's questions, and the meaning behind important imagery including references to Leviathan and Behemoth. Suffering Wisely and Well shows readers how to deepen their relationship with God during painful experiences in their own lives and how to comfort others who are hurting. Explores Lament and Redemption in Scripture: Helps readers understand how to interpret suffering from a Christian perspective Applicable: Each chapter ends with a "What Have We Learned?" summary Biblical Advice on Grief and Support: Teaches Christians how to avoid blame or legalism when addressing the suffering of others




Rich Wounds


Book Description

Profound reflections on the cross that help you to meditate on and marvel at the sacrificial love of Jesus. This book can be used as a devotional, especially during Lent and Easter. These profound reflections on the cross from David Mathis, author of The Christmas We Didn’t Expect, will help you to meditate on and marvel at Jesus’ life, sacrificial death, and spectacular resurrection-enabling you to treasure anew who Jesus is and what he has done. Many of us are so familiar with the Easter story that it becomes easy to miss subtle details and difficult to really enjoy its meaning. This book will help you to pause and marvel at Jesus, whose now-glorified wounds are a sign of his unfailing love and the decisive victory that he has won: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) This book can be used as a devotional. The chapters on Holy Week make it especially helpful during the Lent season and at Easter.




God Loves Justice


Book Description

What is social justice and is it even in the Bible?Christians seem to ask this question all the time, yet still are confused and divided over the answers they come up with. What would God say about social justice as we know it today? This book answers those questions and much more.God Loves Justice is a practical guide to understanding biblical social justice. As an introductory and user-friendly source, it explores biblical justice, using what God loves as its foundation. Fun, approachable, and conversational -- this guide is meant to help you better understand justice, righteousness, and the Bible overall.Some additional topics covered, include: *What righteousness and justice mean, according to the Bible *What justice and righteousness looked like in the lives of individuals in the Bible*How justice connects to love, grace, mercy, and compassion*Why it's challenging for Christians to see justice in the New Testament*How Jesus is the foundation of our justice and righteousness *How justice and righteousness are integrated into the Kingdom of God*How to practically express justice and righteousness through your lifeAnchored in biblical truth, this Christ-centered resource is tool for connecting your faith to justice and for knowing God's love.




What Does Justice Look Like and Why Does God Care about It?


Book Description

What does justice look like? And why does God care about it? Colin and Judith McCartney take us on a bold exploration of justice through the lens of scripture and the life of Jesus. Find out how Christians across the centuries have understood and lived God’s call to justice. Discover communal and individual practices for living a life of justice in our time and place. The Jesus Way: Small Books of Radical Faith delve into big questions about God’s work in the world. These concise, practical books are deeply rooted in Anabaptist theology. Crafted by a diverse community of internationally renowned scholars, pastors, and practitioners, The Jesus Way series helps readers deepen their faith in Christ and enliven their witness.