The Seminal Gospel


Book Description

All that we know of Jesus and his original message is derived from a few ancient texts, among which the Gospel According to Mark is particularly fascinating and often perplexing. Mark, the shortest of the four Gospels of the New Testament, came first and planted the seeds of thought from which the Christian tradition has grown. We gain insight into the Gospel as we begin to let go of assumptions rooted in long familiarity. The Seminal Gospel is an exploration of Mark and an extended personal reflection on what his telling of the story of Jesus can mean to us today. It reproduces the King James Version of Mark’s text in forty chapters, providing commentary that is explanatory and insightful. It draws broadly on the author’s literary, historical, and theological interests.




Blessed


Book Description

Gospels -- Faith -- Wealth -- Health -- Victory -- American blessing -- Megachurch table -- Naming names.




The Gospel Code


Book Description

Ben Witherington III confronts the claims of The Da Vinci Code with the sure-footedness of a New Testament scholar, yet in the plain language that any interested reader can follow.




Church, Gospel, and Empire


Book Description

This book addresses the apparent dislocation of the church and theology from the socio-cultural mainstream and attempts to recover its counterpolitical voice. It argues that early in ecclesiastical history, the tradition's founding and constituent principles were betrayed by a complicity with the prevailing politics of sovereignty that has continued to this day. Following the contours of contemporary theologians who explain the dislocation in terms of a fall in early modernity, an initial subsumption of transcendence by sovereignty is proposed. The genealogy of this fall is then explored in four historical studies focusing on the theopolitical transformations of law, violence, and appeasement from their beginnings in the writings of Eusebius of Caesarea to their culmination in the commodification of life itself. The trajectory is traced through seminal soteriological developments such as the crusade theology of Pope Innocent III, the inversion of the corpus verum and the corpus mysticum, and the conjunction of sovereignty and capital in the mysterious currency of the Bank of England. The narrative culminates in the seemingly paradoxical concurrence of the politics of biopower and the so-called century of the Holy Spirit. Drawing on a radical substratum intimated in the case studies, the final section develops an innovative christological configuration of kenosis or what is termed 'kenarchy.' This provides a re-imagining of the divine distinct from its implication with imperial sovereignty, which could allow theology to make a more effective contemporary political intervention.




THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL


Book Description

The Everlasting Gospels are the Holy Words spoken directly from God's mouth. The voice of The Heavenly Father transcends from His High throne to all mankind to adhere to. The Word, which created the world in the beginning, is now to recreate, reconstruct, and reform the entire world and humanity according to The Father's Will as it is done in heaven. The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ and this Working Document is the only Constitution of the New World. The contents of this Everlasting Gospel is a testimony to the fulfilment of the promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that the Comforter will come to teach all things, lead people to the accurate knowledge of the truth and inform of things to come (John 16: 7-14), which has in truth materialised. The Will of Our Heavenly Father is done on earth as it is done in heaven. John 16: 7-14 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” His Coming was revealed to many prophets, both past, and present. Astrologers and scientists are aware of His Omnipotence, Omnipresence, and Omniscience. Some try to conceal or ignore the truth, while others are confused, disturbed, and without the capacity to comprehend. The purpose of this compilation is to reveal the Truth for the salvation of the entire world. The Holy Spirit is personified and His Everlasting Gospels, in this Divine Document, expatiates and shines greater light on many issues affecting our lives and environments physically, socially, and spiritually. The gospels provide answers to questions that have remained unanswered, challenge misconceived doctrines, corrects entrenched wrong believes, and reframes questions that were, hitherto, wrongly asked. The maxim which says that “a tree is known by its fruit' is germane to the Everlasting Gospel as the unparalleled wisdom in its contents affirm that God, the Quickening Spirit, is on earth directing all the affairs in the world, setting the captives free, and fulfilling His promises. God has answered the plea in the Lord's Prayer as nominated in the Holy Bible, i.e. " Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven". That Kingdom has come. It is the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, a Kingdom in reality and in practice with God Himself as the foundation and Head of the Monarchy. The government is theocratic and Love is the law. The Holy Spirit is warning everyone about the need to turn a new leaf and begin to love one another and all creation of God to escape the impending predicaments and calamities already befalling the world, and, especially, the final judgement of God. The Everlasting Gospel Volume 1 is a collection of some of the numerous Gospels and Bible Lectures delivered daily, and sometimes twice daily every day of the year, by the Holy Spirit personified in i Leader Olumba Olumba Obu over a period spanning over forty years. The Gospels are delivered in the Efik dialect and interpreted into other languages, including English, by human interpreters. Interpreting Efik to English is a challenging task as Efik is a complex language with a lot of nuances and contexts. The priority of the interpreters is to, as much as possible, provide the English equivalents of the gospels being delivered and not try to contextualize or second guess the meaning. The editors of this Divine Document place a high premium on the importance of truth as spoken directly from God, accordingly, deliberate and concerted efforts have been taken to avoid misinformation in the translation of the Gospels into the English language. It is, therefore, advisable to concentrate and reflect on the message rather than the grammar.The Everlasting Gospels are the Holy Words spoken directly from God's mouth. The voice of The Heavenly Father transcends from His High throne to all mankind to adhere to. The Word, which created the world in the beginning, is now to recreate, reconstruct, and reform the entire world and humanity according to The Father's Will as it is done in heaven. The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ and this Working Document is the only Constitution of the New World. The contents of this Everlasting Gospel is a testimony to the fulfilment of the promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that the Comforter will come to teach all things, lead people to the accurate knowledge of the truth and inform of things to come (John 16: 7-14), which has in truth materialised. The Will of Our Heavenly Father is done on earth as it is done in heaven. John 16: 7-14 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” His Coming was revealed to many prophets, both past, and present. Astrologers and scientists are aware of His Omnipotence, Omnipresence, and Omniscience. Some try to conceal or ignore the truth, while others are confused, disturbed, and without the capacity to comprehend. The purpose of this compilation is to reveal the Truth for the salvation of the entire world. The Holy Spirit is personified and His Everlasting Gospels, in this Divine Document, expatiates and shines greater light on many issues affecting our lives and environments physically, socially, and spiritually. The gospels provide answers to questions that have remained unanswered, challenge misconceived doctrines, corrects entrenched wrong believes, and reframes questions that were, hitherto, wrongly asked. The maxim which says that “a tree is known by its fruit' is germane to the Everlasting Gospel as the unparalleled wisdom in its contents affirm that God, the Quickening Spirit, is on earth directing all the affairs in the world, setting the captives free, and fulfilling His promises. God has answered the plea in the Lord's Prayer as nominated in the Holy Bible, i.e. " Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven". That Kingdom has come. It is the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, a Kingdom in reality and in practice with God Himself as the foundation and Head of the Monarchy. The government is theocratic and Love is the law. The Holy Spirit is warning everyone about the need to turn a new leaf and begin to love one another and all creation of God to escape the impending predicaments and calamities already befalling the world, and, especially, the final judgement of God. The Everlasting Gospel Volume 1 is a collection of some of the numerous Gospels and Bible Lectures delivered daily, and sometimes twice daily every day of the year, by the Holy Spirit personified in i Leader Olumba Olumba Obu over a period spanning over forty years. The Gospels are delivered in the Efik dialect and interpreted into other languages, including English, by human interpreters. Interpreting Efik to English is a challenging task as Efik is a complex language with a lot of nuances and contexts. The priority of the interpreters is to, as much as possible, provide the English equivalents of the gospels being delivered and not try to contextualize or second guess the meaning. The editors of this Divine Document place a high premium on the importance of truth as spoken directly from God, accordingly, deliberate and concerted efforts have been taken to avoid misinformation in the translation of the Gospels into the English language. It is, therefore, advisable to concentrate and reflect on the message rather than the grammar.




Understanding Judaism and the Jews in the Gospel of John


Book Description

Understanding Judaism and the Jews in the Gospel of John: Polemic, Tradition, and Johannine Self-Identity reopens the perennial question of the Fourth Gospel’s perplexing characterization of “the Jews.” According to the reigning paradigm, the Gospel of John witnesses to a community’s burgeoning sense of religious distinctiveness. Ethnically Jewish believers in Jesus had begun to forge a new identity in contrast to the Jews. Nathan Thiel assesses the weaknesses of the prevailing model, arguing that the fourth evangelist still saw himself as living and working within the Jewish tradition. Yet if the Gospel of John is the literary product of a self-consciously Jewish author, why would he speak so often and so critically of “the Jews”? Thiel considers the factors which have conditioned the evangelist’s choice of terminology: the Gospel’s setting, its intended audience, and, above all, John’s indebtedness to Scripture. As a first-century Jew well-versed in Israel’s sacred texts, the evangelist has modeled his story of Jesus after patterns familiar to him from the Scriptures—Scriptures in which Israelite authors consistently portray their ancestors as faithless despite God’s powerful work on their behalf. John is a relentless critic, but such cutting theological assessment had long been part of Israel’s counterintuitive way of telling its history.




The God of the Gospel of John


Book Description

While there are numerous studies of God in the Old Testament, the concept of God has largely been ignored as a subject of inquiry in contemporary New Testament theology. As this superb work by Marianne Meye Thompson shows, however, an understanding of the identity of God is central to the New Testament, particularly to the Gospel of John. Thompson here offers the first comprehensive study of the concept of God in John's Gospel. She shows that one must first grasp the importance of God to John before one can properly appreciate the Gospel's Christology and overarching message. By arguing that John is rightly understood to be a "theocentric" work, Thompson challenges the prevailing theory that John is primarily concerned with Christology. While Thompson uses traditional historical and exegetical approaches to the New Testament and ancient sources, her study is mainly theological in scope. She asks how John portrays God and how, after reading the Gospel, we ought to speak of the identity of God. Unlike many recent studies of John, this one does not try to reconstruct the history behind the text but, rather, tries to fully illumine the theological content of John's message. A seminal study with lasting implications for New Testament theology, The God of the Gospel of John will become a standard text for students of the New Testament.




Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States


Book Description

From the Founding Fathers through the present, Christianity has exercised powerful influence in the United States—from its role in shaping politics and social institutions to its hand in inspiring art and culture. The Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States outlines the myriad roles Christianity has played and continues to play. This masterful five-volume reference work includes biographies of major figures in the Christian church in the United States, influential religious documents and Supreme Court decisions, and information on theology and theologians, denominations, faith-based organizations, immigration, art—from decorative arts and film to music and literature—evangelism and crusades, the significant role of women, racial issues, civil religion, and more. The first volume opens with introductory essays that provide snapshots of Christianity in the U.S. from pre-colonial times to the present, as well as a statistical profile and a timeline of key dates and events. Entries are organized from A to Z. The final volume closes with essays exploring impressions of Christianity in the United States from other faiths and other parts of the world, as well as a select yet comprehensive bibliography. Appendices help readers locate entries by thematic section and author, and a comprehensive index further aids navigation.







Spiritual Leadership Today


Book Description

"If you are in a position of positive influence, if you exercise leadership in any way, your faith in God gives you a power—a hidden power—that will allow you to make an enduring difference in the lives of other people and organizations. But how does that power work?" So says Mel Lawrenz in this fresh look at leadership which offers practical and biblical guidance to believers who want to have a deep influence and who want to know: What is the proper use of authority and power? Where do good ideas come from? How can we deal with failure? What does God expect of us? Drawing from more than thirty years of experience in pastoral ministry, Lawrenz writes for Christians in any position of influence. This book provides a new baseline for 21st century Christian leadership, addressing issues such as: • building integrity • seizing opportunities • exploring new horizons • speaking into crises • receiving power • accepting authority • promoting truth • managing expectations • dealing with criticism Using real-life examples, key Scripture passages, and history, Lawrenz shows that when believers align their responsibility to lead with the teaching of Jesus and the work of God’s Spirit, their spiritual influence will have integrity and enduring effectiveness. "Lawrenz gives us hope that the leadership pendulum which has swung from 'over- spiritualized' to 'de-spiritualized' in recent generations may have finally come to rest where it always belonged—upon Jesus Christ." - Skye Jethani, Senior Editor, Leadership Journal, from the foreword "It is exciting to think about believers at every level of society rising to a new call to exercise powerful spiritual influence. In his newest book Mel Lawrenz has given us all a new baseline for leadership that is personal, wise, and spiritual. It spans the generations and reaches across cultures. Just think what will happen if believers in positions of influence tie into the wisdom and the power that comes from God in order to bring restoration in our broken world!” - Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church in Washington, D.C.