Books published by Cascade Books

There has been a varied range of studies on Jesus. Though now it seems there is a pause and perhaps opening to new orientation, with the aim not simply to cover old ground or repeat past mistakes. This is a study of Jesus and Christian origins with a primary focus on the Gospels. There have been comprehensive and important contributions, like N. T. Wright's The New Testament and the People of God. At the same time, more defined studies have appeared. The purpose here is not to develop particular New Testament themes as such. Rather, in this volume the writers take up Gospel related topics in the context of the early church in order to illuminate specific baselines for New Testament interpretation and to discern directions toward a new paradigm. There is much to do. The need to take account of reception history and so of the ""external evidence"" for the New Testament documents; also eyewitness and oral tradition as embodied in the Gospel accounts. The genre of the Gospels with reference to biography or history has its own importance. The reception and ""authority"" of the Gospels in the early church marks another baseline. Jesus in his Jewish context and in relation to emerging Christianity is also a critical baseline for interpretation. ""Ben Wiebe and the authors in this volume set out a new methodological paradigm for constructing the Jesus of history and the origins of Christianity. They declare that both the four Gospels and early exterior sources are to be probed in this reconstruction. Their focus is on historical and psychological methods, which from their perspective can establish substantial historical authenticity. This work should be on the book list of all pertinent courses and is a must read for those interested in contemporary, international, cutting edge perspectives on these matters."" --Thomas H. Olbricht, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Religion, Pepperdine University ""Jesus and Christian Originspenetrates deeply into how New Testament studies are done . . . This book is both an introduction to how history and Jesus fit into the New Testament while at the same contributing to each topic discussed. A remarkable achievement!"" --Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary Ben Wiebe served for over twenty years in ministry and taught courses for McMaster University and Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario) over several years. From 1994 to 2015 he taught for short terms (fourteen times) in India at Union Biblical Seminary in Pune and at South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) in Bangalore. His writing includes the book, Messianic Ethics: Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the Church in Response; essays in journals, including Restoration Quarterly, Interpretation, Horizons for Biblical Theology, Indian Journal of Theology, Dharma Deepika and the Stone-Campbell Journal. He is married to Patti and they are the parents of three children and eight grandchildren. The Hamilton area in Ontario has been home for over three decades.

Hymns and the music the church sings are tangible means of expressing worship. And while worship is one of, if not the, central functions of the church along with mission, service, education, justice, and compassion, and occupies a prime focus of our churches, a renewed sense of awareness to our theological presuppositions and cultural cues must be maintained to ensure a proper focus in worship. Hymns and Hymnody: Historical and Theological Introductions is a 60-chapter, three-volume introductory textbook describing the most influential hymnists, liturgists, and musical movements of the church. This academically grounded resource evaluates both the historical and theological perspectives of the major hymnists and composers that have impacted the church over the course of twenty centuries. Volume 1 explores the early church and concludes with the Renaissance era hymnists. Volume 2 begins with the Reformation and extends to the eighteenth-century hymnists and liturgists. Volume 3 engages nineteenth century hymnists to the contemporary movements of the twenty-first century.Each chapter contains these five elements: historical background, theological perspectives communicated in their hymns/compositions, contribution to liturgy and worship, notable hymns, and bibliography. The mission of Hymns and Hymnody is (1) to provide biographical data on influential hymn writers for students and interested laypeople, and (2) to provide a theological analysis of what these composers have communicated in the theology of their hymns. We believe it is vital for those involved in leading the worship of the church to recognize that what they communicate is in fact theology. This latter aspect, we contend, is missing--yet important--in accessible formats for the current literature. ""A remarkable group of scholars provides a perceptive set of essays to orient students to the riches of Christian hymnody throughout the first twenty centuries of Christianity. What a remarkable testimony this is to the Spirit's work in and through composers and poets throughout the centuries.""--John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological SeminaryMark A. Lamport is a graduate professor in the United States and Europe. He is coeditor of Encyclopedia of Christianity and the Global South (2 vols., 2018); Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation (2 vols., 2017); Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States (5 vols., Selected ""Notable Books of 2016""); and Encyclopedia of Christian Education (3 vols., Winner, Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books, 2015).Benjamin K. Forrest is Professor of Christian Education and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Liberty University. He is author of Good Arguments (2017) and co-editor of A Legacy of Preaching (2 vols, 2018) and Biblical Worship: Theology unto the Glory of God (forthcoming). Vernon M. Whaley is Dean of the Liberty University School of Music. His publications include The Great Commission to Worship: Biblical Principles for Worship-Based Evangelism (2011); Worship through the Ages: How the Great Awakenings Shape Evangelical Worship (2012); Called to Worship: From the Dawn of Creation to the Final Amen (2013); and Exalt His Name: Understanding Music and Worship (2 vols, 2018/19).

Hymns and the music the church sings are tangible means of expressing worship. And while worship is one of, if not the, central functions of the church along with mission, service, education, justice, and compassion, and occupies a prime focus of our churches, a renewed sense of awareness to our theological presuppositions and cultural cues must be maintained to ensure a proper focus in worship. Hymns and Hymnody: Historical and Theological Introductions is a 60-chapter, three-volume introductory textbook describing the most influential hymnists, liturgists, and musical movements of the church. This academically grounded resource evaluates both the historical and theological perspectives of the major hymnists and composers that have impacted the church over the course of twenty centuries. Volume 1 explores the early church and concludes with the Renaissance era hymnists. Volume 2 begins with the Reformation and extends to the eighteenth-century hymnists and liturgists. Volume 3 engages nineteenth century hymnists to the contemporary movements of the twenty-first century.Each chapter contains these five elements: historical background, theological perspectives communicated in their hymns/compositions, contribution to liturgy and worship, notable hymns, and bibliography. The mission of Hymns and Hymnody is (1) to provide biographical data on influential hymn writers for students and interested laypeople, and (2) to provide a theological analysis of what these composers have communicated in the theology of their hymns. We believe it is vital for those involved in leading the worship of the church to recognize that what they communicate is in fact theology. This latter aspect, we contend, is missing--yet important--in accessible formats for the current literature. ""A remarkable group of scholars provides a perceptive set of essays to orient students to the riches of Christian hymnody throughout the first twenty centuries of Christianity. What a remarkable testimony this is to the Spirit's work in and through composers and poets throughout the centuries.""--John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological SeminaryMark A. Lamport is a graduate professor in the United States and Europe. He is coeditor of Encyclopedia of Christianity and the Global South (2 vols., 2018); Encyclopedia of Martin Luther and the Reformation (2 vols., 2017); Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States (5 vols., Selected ""Notable Books of 2016""); and Encyclopedia of Christian Education (3 vols., Winner, Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books, 2015).Benjamin K. Forrest is Professor of Christian Education and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Liberty University. He is author of Good Arguments (2017) and co-editor of A Legacy of Preaching (2 vols, 2018) and Biblical Worship: Theology unto the Glory of God (forthcoming).Vernon M. Whaley is Dean of the Liberty University School of Music. His publications include The Great Commission to Worship: Biblical Principles for Worship-Based Evangelism (2011); Worship through the Ages: How the Great Awakenings Shape Evangelical Worship (2012); Called to Worship: From the Dawn of Creation to the Final Amen (2013); and Exalt His Name: Understanding Music and Worship (2 vols, 2018/19).

Throughout his ministry, Jesus spoke frequently and unabashedly on the now-taboo subject of money. With nothing good to say to the rich, the New Testament--indeed the entire Bible--is far from positive towards the topic of personal wealth. And yet, we all seek material prosperity and comfort. How are Christians to square the words of their savior with the balances of their bank accounts, or more accurately, with their unquenchable desire for financial security? While the church has developed diverse responses to the problems of poverty, it is often silent on what seems almost as straightforward a biblical principle: that wealth, too, is a problem. By considering the particular context of the recent economic history of Ireland, this book explores how the parables of Jesus can be the key to unlocking what it might mean to follow Christ as wealthy people without diluting our dilemma or denying the tension. Through an engagement with contemporary economic and political thought, aided by the work of Karl Barth and William T. Cavanaugh, this book represents a unique and innovative intervention to a discussion that applies to every Christian in the Western world.""By drawing on the parables, Kevin Hargaden helps us see that in fact Jesus does have some quite straightforward judgments about wealth and its dangers. He combines that analysis with a stunning knowledge of recent economic understanding that gives him an insightful account of the recent crisis in the Irish economy. This is a book that has been begging to be written and now Kevin Hargaden has done it--no mean feat.""--Stanley Hauerwas, author of The Character of Virtue: Letters to a Godson""Kevin Hargaden has produced a timely, thoughtful, and provocative work of theological ethics. His critique of neoliberalism is highly original and persuasive. His analysis of the ways in which economic values are embedded in cultural practices is brilliant, allowing the reader to understand why neoliberalism persists, despite all of its woes. A deeply challenging but rewarding read.""--Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin""Hargaden''s study is as engaging as it is unsettling precisely because he invites us to consider the theological depth and scope of our ''money troubles''. Working creatively at the intersection of ethics, theology, and economics, Hargaden suggests how attending to the new world attested in Jesus'' parables can break open the seeming inevitability of our current economic regimes and animate a worshipful Christian freedom amidst wealth''s captivity.""--Philip G. Ziegler, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Aberdeen""We live in an age when it seems we can never have enough, for there is always more to desire and obtain. Kevin Hargaden''s book gives us a fantastic opportunity . . . to reflect anew on what wealth means for the people of God. Hargaden skillfully brings together contemporary Irish economic history, Karl Barth''s theology, and a beautiful articulation of worship as a way of creatively reimagining what it means to have enough.""--Jana M. Bennett, Professor of Moral Theology, University of Dayton, Ohio""Kevin Hargaden is an exciting and prophetic young Irish theological voice, crying out in contemporary idiom and from the heart of the Reformed tradition. His biblical and theological analysis of the problem of wealth is both erudite and provocative . . . which challenges us to resist the hegemony of neo-liberalism over our imaginations, and find sources of resistance in the parables of Jesus, theology, and worship.""--Gerry O''Hanlon, S.J., theologian, author, and former Provincial of the Irish JesuitsKevin Hargaden is the Social Theologian at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Dublin, Ireland. He is the editor of Beginnings: Interrogating Stanley Hauerwas (2017) and (with Brian Brock and Nick Watson) Theology, Disability and Sport: Social Justice Perspectives (2018).

The plot thickens--in novels and our lives--forcing us from the fairy tale into a bewildering, even heartbreaking narrative. We look at the god we''re holding, and find it too fragile, too brittle to meet reality. Cling tighter? Move on godless? In fact, rejecting a god image (or as C. S. Lewis puts it, allowing God to smash our limited god) opens space for deeper faith in the midst of painful life experience. In OMG, Mary Ellen Ashcroft invites readers to look over her shoulder as she traces her god growth, beginning with a capricious childhood god. The loving savior who embraced her when she was eighteen, followed her into strict fundamentalism, while the god she met in an Anglican seminary shocked her by caring more about poverty than a seven-day creation, but then called her to a South Africa tipping toward revolution. An interweaving of narrative theology and creative nonfiction, OMG invites readers to grow into deeper faith, retelling their stories in the light of the biblical one, dropping inadequate gods to grasp a mysterious, awesome one.""I came to OMG with enormous excitement. A longtime reader and admirer of Ashcroft''s work, I couldn''t wait to see what new insight, wisdom, wit, and witness Ashcroft had uncovered in her latest book. Still, even I was unprepared for the sheer linguistic beauty, intellectual rigor, and spiritually transformative power packed into this volume. OMG is both spiritual memoir and spiritual guide--and you could not find a wiser, funnier, fiercer, gentler guide. This book is electric, essential.""--Marya Hornbacher, New York Times Bestselling Author of Wasted, Madness, and Waiting: A Non-Believer''s Higher Power""God may be eternal and unchanging--but our personal versions of God are not, and should not be. This is the liberatory message of OMG. Mary Ellen Ashcroft traces her dynamic relationship with God as it evolves through her own experiences of change, loss, and complexity. This is a book for those who need to know that God is what they may not yet have discovered.""--Gail Griffin, Professor of English, emerita, Kalamazoo CollegeMary Ellen Ashcroft was an English professor at Bethel University and Kalamazoo College, and is now vicar of Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church in Grand Marais, MN. She has published a number of books, including Dogspell: The Gospel According to Dog, The Magdalene Gospel, and Spirited Women. She teaches a course using a narrative theology to invite people into Scripture, and is also an active wilderness guide and grandmother.

George MacDonald wrote fairy tales for both children and adults to demonstrate the essential role of the imagination in apprehending spiritual truths. He explained: "". . . undefined, yet vivid visions of something beyond, something which eye has not seen nor ear heard, have far more influence than any logical sequences whereby the same things may be demonstrated to the intellect."" Rolland Hein undertakes to show how MacDonald''s tales contain such visions, helping readers to experience for themselves glimpses of ""something beyond"" and catch exciting insights into eternal truths.""Readers of George MacDonald may experience delight and perplexity in about equal proportions. Rolland Hein has performed a great service, enhancing our delight and reducing our perplexity. Dr. Hein summarizes the narratives of MacDonald''s most well-known fantasy stories and offers perceptive interpretive commentary. This is the one book you will need to best understand and enjoy the riches of MacDonald''s vivid and spiritually-infused imagination.""--David C. Downing, the Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College""Rolland Hein is that rare thing--a great teacher-scholar whose writing and interpretation are as lucid, generous, and vastly encouraging as the author he helps readers to love more fully by understanding more completely. He thoroughly explores MacDonald''s fairy tales, which deeply satisfy the spiritual hunger of readers by offering glimpses of Reality that can be shaped only by the imagination.""--Jill Pelaez Baumgartner, Wheaton College, author of What Cannot Be Fixed""There is a place inside your consciousness that you traveled to as a child while reading fairy tales--a place where your fledgling soul found its wings as you pondered the truth of imaginative experience. Rolland Hein understands the importance of pondering in this place--not just for children but for adults. His masterful guide, Doors In, invites you in to explore George MacDonald''s nineteenth century fairy tales designed, in fact, specifically for adults.""--Jo-Anne Cappeluti, California State University, Fullerton Rolland Hein is Emeritus Professor of English at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of The Harmony Within: The Spiritual Vision of George MacDonald, George MacDonald: Victorian Mythmaker, Through the Year with George MacDonald, Christian Mythmakers, and Growing with My Garden.

Several years before his death, Augustine of Hippo reviewed his published works, commenting on his purpose in writing each, and correcting, from his present perspective, the mistakes he noticed. Inspired by Augustine''s Retractationes, Miles''s Recollections and Reconsiderations undertakes a similar project, a critical review of almost fifty years of her publications. Rereading and rethinking in chronological order effectively bonds life and thought into a corpus, a body of work with consistent values and interests. Such a review would be an illuminating project for any longtime scholar/student--both rewarding and humbling, an exercise in self-knowledge. Informed by a lifetime of studying Christian traditions, Miles concludes by describing both endemic problems with Christianity, and what she sees is its essence and beauty.""This is no mere intellectual memoir. St. Augustine writes, ''I feed you with what nourishes me.'' Miles embodies precisely this, and we are all nourished by our reading of her generous book. Unflinchingly honest, Miles teaches us that scholarship is more a way of life than a career. She teaches us that scholarly skills help us form life skills, and that the solitude of the scholar is perfected in dialogue. Among scholars she is the last of a breed.""--Martin Laird, OSA, Villanova UniversityMargaret R. Miles is Emerita Professor of Historical Theology at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California. She is most recently the author of The Long Goodbye: Dementia Diaries (2017).

The Other Journal is a space for Christian interdisciplinary reflection at the intersection of theology and culture. TOJ tackles the cultural crises of our time with verve and slant, advancing a progressive, provocative, and charitable response in sync with the peacefully contrarian Christ.In this issue, we address the theme of environment by visiting the ""barren moonscapes"" of Appalachia, the tobacco fields of Kentucky, an air-conditioned office in the Bronx, and urban Midwestern streets that are ""blighted with trash."" We read the foreign language of animal footprints in the sandy soil at the base of Mount Hood. And in all this, we seek to envision a kingdom of God that encompasses each fruit, flower, and herb. Our environment issue features writing by Karen Brummund, Daniel Castillo, Samuel F. Chamelin, Ruthanne SooHee Crapo, Mary DeJong, Michael J. Iafrate, Glen A. Mazis, Brett McCracken, Kris Pint, Dave Pritchett, Meaghan Ritchey, Remco Roes, Leah D. Schade, Paul J. Schutz, and Catherine Wright; interviews by Jonathan Hiskes and Jessina Leonard with Norman Wirzba and Aaron Canipe, respectively; poetry by Maryann Corbett, Kris Pint, Daniel Tobin, and Jeanne Murray Walker; an art installation by Sara Bomans, Tom Lambeens, and Remco Roes; and photography by Karen Brummund, Aaron Canipe, Mary DeJong, Rob Jefferson, Remco Roes, and Kristof Vrancken.

The trailers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens made a strong impression on fans. Many were excited by what they saw as a return to the spirit of George Lucas's 1977 creation. Others--including several white supremacy groups--were upset and offended by key differences, most notably the shift away from a blond, blue-eyed, male protagonist. When the film was finally released, reactions similarly seemed to hinge on whether or not The Force Awakens renewed the ""mythic"" aspects of the original trilogy in ways that fans approved of. The Myth Awakens examines the religious implications of this phenomenon, considering the ways in which myth can function to reinforce ""traditional"" social and political values. In their analyses the authors of this book reflect on fan responses in relation to various elements of (and changes to) the Star Wars canon--including toys, video games, and novels, as well as several of the films. They do so using a variety of critical tools, drawing from studies of gender, race, psychology, politics, authority, music, ritual, and memory.""Ken Derry's introduction sets the tone for this book. He argues that we ought to take study of popular culture, in this case the Star Wars saga, seriously, because it opens up areas of discussion and interest that are ignored by theology and film. At the same time that we take popular culture seriously, Derry also suggests we take ourselves less seriously. The serious study of religion, myth, and film can actually be fun. You will have fun reading the essays in this book.""--William L. Blizek, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Founding Editor, Journal of Religion & Film""'Crazy thing is . . . it's true. The Force. The Jedi . . . All of it . . . It's all true."" So says Han Solo in The Force Awakens. This excellent collection helps us to better understand the Star Wars universe, but also gives us insight into the study of religion in our own universe.""--Amir Hussain, Loyola Marymount University, Los AngelesKen Derry is Associate Professor of Religion, Teaching Stream, at the University of Toronto. His published essays have considered the relationship between religion and violence in a range of written and visual creative works, including John Woo's The Killer, contemporary Indigenous literature, The Wizard of Oz, and the Netflix series Luke Cage. He is very fond of Patton Oswalt's routine about the awfulness of the Star Wars prequels.John C. Lyden is Liberal Arts Core Director and Professor of Liberal Arts at Grand View University. He is the author of Film as Religion (2003) and editor of the Routledge Companion to Religion and Film (2009). He saw the original Star Wars film so many times when it first came out that he memorized most of the dialogue, and can still plausibly impersonate most of the voices.

We human beings are mortal. Our lives in this world inevitably terminate in death. This reality, however, need not cause us to despair, since Jesus Christ has gone before us into the far country of death, giving us hope that this defining feature of our earthly lives is not the end, but instead is an entrance into Christ''s presence and a path to the fullness of the Spirit''s new creation in which God will be all in all. Christian Dying: Witnesses from the Tradition is a collection of essays containing reflections from Christian authors--whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant--on the meaning and appropriation of Christian hope in the face of death in conversation with a number of great voices from the Christian tradition. CONTRIBUTORS: Michel Rene Barnes, John C. Cavadini, Marc Cortez, Brian E. Daley, S.J., Paul L. Gavrilyuk, Matthew Levering, David Luy, Mark McIntosh, Gilbert Meilaender, Cyril O''Regan, Marcus Plested, Brent Waters.""Our deaths are closer than we are used to admitting. By showing us how palpably close death was for the great theologians of the Christian tradition, the first-rank authors of this remarkable volume offer the rich and untapped resources of the Christian tradition to beings who must learn that they too will pass away like the flowers of the field.""--Brian Brock, University of Aberdeen, King''s College, UKGeorge Kalantzis is Professor of Theology and Director of The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies at Wheaton College. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Caesar and the Lamb: Early Christian Attitudes on War and Military Service.Matthew Levering holds the James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology at Mundelein Seminary. Among his many books are Dying and the Virtues and On Christian Dying: Classic and Contemporary Texts.