Books published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers

This book is a collection of nearly 175 documentsfrom saints, emperors, philosophers, satirists, inscriptions, graffiti, and other interesting typesthat sheds light on the complex fabric of religious belief as it changed from a variety of non-Judeo-Christian movements to Christian in late antiquity. These texts illuminate and bring to life the bizarre and the banal of the social world of the Roman Empire, the world in which Christianity ultimately gained preeminence.This treasury of texts leads the reader through the matrix of beliefs among which Christianity grew. It includes both Christian and non-Christian sources, avoiding a common but obscuring division between the two. The material is presented as one single flow that satisfies natural curiosity and whets the reader's appetite for more. Brief explanatory introductions to the documents are included.

Here is a convenient introduction to the unique aspects of interpreting the one-third of the Hebrew Bible that is in poetic form. Numerous are the occasions when a failure to distinguish poetry from prose in the Old Testament has resulted in flawed interpretation. Robert Lowth's Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews (1753, 1787), marked a turning point of major proportions by focusing on the importance of parallelism of lines. But new studies of the past decade now require significant adjustments to Lowth's analyses. Interpreting Hebrew Poetry offers an authoritative introduction to this discussion of parallelism, meter and rhythm, and poetic style. It also provides by way of example a poetic analysis of Deuteronomy 32, Isaiah 5:1-7, and Psalm 1.

New Testament scholar Marius Reiser demonstrates that the theme of judgment lies close to the heart of Jesus' teachings. Reiser shows that the certainty of the coming of judgment is the presupposition of the ultimate coming of the reign of God.

Marsha Hewitt tests the insights - and oversights - of the so-called Frankfurt School, particularly of Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, and Herbert Marcuse. In their dark diagnoses of late modernity, their critique of instrumental reason and domination, and their unwavering utopian espousal of justice and freedom, Hewitt shows, feminist theologians may find allies in their own project. Hewitt also shows how critical themes emerge in the work of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Mary Daly, and Rosemary Radford Ruether and how their work provides a starting point for a feminist critical theory of religion. Indeed, she argues, feminist theology may itself be the vehicle for critical correction to the Frankfurt School, for reassessing the transformative potential of Christianity, and for delivering on critical theory's emancipatory potential.

With typical wit and jargon-free clarity: Stephen D. Moore guides us through the maze of concepts and projects that constitute the multidisciplinary phenomenon of post-structuralism. Moore centers on two lengthy exegetical examples - a Derridean reading of John and his interpreters and a Foucauldian reading of Paul and his. The book also deals with deconstruction's relationship to Theology and its relationship to biblical scholarship old and new - historical critical, narrative critical, and feminist. All who want to know what the fuss is about will owe Moore a debt of gratitude for this book.

"This book makes an important, indeed a groundbreaking, contribution to Markan studies. Not only does it address a lacuna in these studies, but it does so by means of an innovative methodology... that permits a satisfying integration of the Jewish background of Mark's Gospel with its Greco-Roman background while retaining a sensitivity to the literary dimensions of the text as well as an interest in its reader. Robbins has accomplished a remarkable feat... Markan studies are certain to benefit greatly from this work." -Jouette M. Bassler> "Robbins proposes a challenging alternative to current approaches to the study of Mark by demonstrating that its literary qualities are inseparable from ancient social conventions in which Greco-Roman traditions are no less relevant than those of the Old Testament and early Judaism. This book is a major contribution to Markan scholarship as well as an incisive critique of some of the self-imposed limitations of contemporary New Testament research." -David E. Aune> "In this important contribution of Markan studies, Robbins demonstrates that contemporary approaches to the New Testament can lead to genuinely new and fruitful insights." -Richard I. Pervo> "This volume breaks new ground in Markan study in the areas of historical background, genre, structure, plot, and theology... It contains more fresh ideas than most books of its size." -Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Catholic Biblical Quarterly

The emphasis on pastoral freedom is nearly spentand found wanting. Many caregivers today are seeking to balance such freedom with a sense of God's transcendence and communal order, which entail personal and ritual formation.In Underwood's resulting spirituality, the soul of pastoral care is prayer. The substance is Scripture, studied in both liturgical and personal settings. The evangelical principle is reconciliation. Baptism lays the foundation for pastoral care by providing the paradigm for all transformations. Eucharist constitutes the eschatological horizon for pastoral care as ministry in the human encounter of God's presence.This winsomely written book stands at the forefront of a broad movement among scholars and clergy in nonliturgical traditions that aims at retrieving explicitly religious resourcesthe means of grace. The result is a rare, truly ecumenical contribution to pastoral care, which deepens practice by providing a vision and a spirituality.

What does it mean in a pastoral relationship when a careseeker evokes specific images of God or begins to speak of angels, demons or near-death experiences? Armistead offers practical psychological and theological guidance on these questions for counselors. Using case studies, she shows how to discover and discern the unconcious weavings of images, feelings and ideation that combine to produce God-language and images of God, "what is most holy to the self".

"This amazing book takes into account all of the leading premises of the modern concept of biocultural evolution and builds a bridge to religious theory. Its value lies in its ability to pose the major questions and sketch proposals for dealing with them. To my knowledge it is the first work to make such an attempt."--Solomon H. KatzUniversity of Pennsylvania "Hefner's book is a major breakthrough in doing constructive theology. His view of human beings as created co-creators is filled with balanced insight regarding how humans are united with the rest of creation, while having a special place because of their brains and culture."--Karl E. PetersCoeditor, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science

A unique anthology. Barbara MacHaffie has collected into one volume 74 of the most important Christian documents and passages by and about women. Ranging from Genesis to now, these primary sources put the reader directly in touch with the most significant and influential events, personalities and issues of women's religious history. Often lamentably and sometimes gloriously, these voices-ancient and modern, female and male, Roman Catholic and Protestant, feminist and patriarchal-bear decisively on women's identities today.

The common stereotype is that the Reformers separated public and private morality and were indifferent to the ethical import of social structures and institutions. Beyond Charity calls this understanding into question by providing an analysis of the historical situation and translations of primary documents. The medieval point of view, formed by piety of achievement, idealized poverty -- either as voluntary renunciation or as almsgiving. In either case the material effects on actual poverty were slight, and the religious endorsement of poverty precluded urban efforts to address this growing problem. The Reformers impelled by their theology, developed and passed new legislative structures for addressing social welfare needs. The key to their undertakings was the conviction that social ethics is the continuation of community worship. In the first half, this book sets forth the medieval context, details Luther's critique of the profit economy of his day, and analyzes the actual social welfare programs that issued from his theology. The second half provides translations of selected legislative programs from the church orders of the Reformation.

Through deft use of available data and texts, Wagner brings the enigmatic second century to life. Selecting five fateful challenges--issues of Creation, human nature, Jesus' identities, roles of the church, and Christians in society--he shows what was at stake for emerging Christianity and how its five key players responded. Map; glossary; bibliography.

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza charts a new and provocative course in the interpretation of the book of Revelation. She recognizes not only the ideological distortions but also the sociopolitical location of the Apocalypse. In this way she opens to the reader the world of vision of this powerful New Testament book. This book has three major sections: (1) an introduction that centers on social location and rhetorical analysis; (2) the commentary; and (3) a theo-ethical rhetorical reading of the visionary world of the book of Revelation under the headings of empire, tribulation, resistance, and competing voices