Books published by InterVarsity Press

a memory versea Bible studya reading"e;Anticipating the New Testament"e;a life application section

Through her friendships with both victims and offenders, Marcia Owen learned that being present was precisely the opposite of violence--it was love. In this book she and Samuel Wells offer deep insights into what it takes to overcome powerlessness, transcend fear and engage in radical acceptance in our dangerous world.

Logos Bookstores' 2014 Best Book in Christianity and Culture

What is the nature of reality?At the root of our society's deepest political and cultural divisions are the conflicting principles of four global worldviews. While each of us holds to some version of one of these worldviews, we are often unconscious of their differences as well as their underlying assumptions. Mary Poplin argues that the ultimate test of a worldview, philosophy or ideology is whether it corresponds with reality. Since different perspectives conflict with each other, how do we make sense of the differences? And if a worldview system accurately reflects reality, what implications does that have for our thinking and living?In this wide-ranging and perceptive study, Poplin examines four major worldviews: naturalism, humanism, pantheism and Judeo-Christian theism. She explores the fundamental assumptions of each, pressing for limitations. Ultimately she puts each perspective to the test, asking, what if this worldview is true? If reality is secular, that means something for how we orient our lives. But if reality is not best explained by secular perspectives, that would mean something quite different. Consider for yourself what is the fundamental substance of reality.

Voted one of Christianity Today's 1996 Books of the Year In recent years Jesus' time, place and social setting have received renewed scholarly attention. New research on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Jewish and Hellenistic texts has resulted in a surge of new images of Jesus and new ideas about his ministry. Dubbed the Third Quest for the historical Jesus, this recent effort is a transformation of the first quest, memorialized and chronicled by Albert Schweitzer, and the second quest, carried out in the 1950s and 1960s in the wake of extreme Bultmannian skepticism.The controversial works of John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg and Burton Mack, and the results of the Jesus Seminar have been thrust upon the public by publicists and media as the voices of learned consensus. Meanwhile, at the center of the scholarly investigation of Jesus, a less celebrated but certainly no less informed majority rejects many of the methods and conclusions of those who have captured the limelight.In The Jesus Quest Ben Witherington, a participant in the Quest, offers the first comprehensive determination and assessment of what scholars are really saying about Jesus. In addition to the views of Crossan, Borg and Mack, he presents and interacts with the work of important scholars such as Geza Vermes, E. P. Sanders, Gerd Theissen, Richard Horsley, John P. Meier, N. T. Wright and Elisabeth Schssler Fiorenza, as well as outlining his own understanding of Jesus as sage. Here is an indispensable survey and assessment of the most significant religious scholarly debate of the 1990s.Now with a lengthy new postscript, the paperback edition of this widely praised book updates you on the continuing saga of the Third Quest for the historical Jesus.

Mother Teresa's practice of silence compelled her to service.Dietrich Bonhoeffer's prayer life equipped his discipleship.Martin Luther King Jr.'s beloved community empowered his proclamation.Oscar Romero's discipline of submission prepared him to face martyrdom.

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 we gather corporately, we often close our eyes to those around us, focusing on God but ignoring our neighbor. But true biblical worship does not merely point us upward-it should turn us outward as well. In this prophetic wake-up call for the contemporary church, pastor Mark Labberton reconnects Christian worship with biblical justice. From beginning to end, worship must pursue justice and seek righteousness, translating into transformed lives that care for the poor and the oppressed. Labberton shows how to move beyond the comfort of safe worship to authentic worship that is awake to the needs of the world.

What kind of leader would you be if you were suddenly handed more power? What if you got that promotion you wanted or a headhunter called tomorrow offering you your dream job? Would your leadership be an example of servanthood and justice, or would you give in to the temptations that power always presents?In the time it took Samuel to pour oil on each of their heads, Saul and David both moved from unknown kids to kings of Israel. Their responses to that promotion had radically different outcomes. Saul made God sorry he had made him king. David brought joy to God as a man after his own heart. What about you? What would happen if God suddenly promoted you? A simple way to find out is to evaluate what your leadership looks like right now, and this book gives you the opportunity to do just that. Read about the intriguing similarities between Saul and David and the different choices they made that shaped their leadership. Then compare basic qualities of your leadership to each of theirs. You may be surprised at the qualities God values in a leader. Leadership development is a lifetime process. No matter your age or leadership experience, there is still time to grow into a leader that brings more joy to God's heart. Take the journey. It could have some wonderful rewards.