Books published by Regent College Publishing,US

Western society is in a crisis: all of us want to be free, but many do not know what true freedom is, much less how to achieve it. Even within the church differing views about the authority of Scripture and its role in Christian life and thought have left split some denominations and left others on the verge of schism. In Freedom & Authority, J.I. Packer shows the true nature of freedom and the only way to experience it. "True freedom," writes Packer, "is found where Jesus Christ is Lord in living personal fellowship. It is under the authority of a fully trusted Bible that Christ is most fully known and this God-given freedom most fully enjoyed. If therefore we have at heart the spiritual renewal for society, for churches, and for our own lives, we shall make much of the entire trustworthy--that is, the inerrancy--of Holy Scripture as the inspired and liberating Word of God." J. I. Packer is Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dr. Packer is author of many books, including Knowing God, A Grief Sanctified, and Keep in Step with the Spirit.

By surpassing most traditional commentaries, Lane's work unveils Hebrews as a sermon rendered by a concerned "preacher" to his Roman church, which is under persecution and dangerously close to rejecting the faith. As an exposition of encouragement and exhortation, Hebrews addresses the central concerns of our contemporary church as well: the felt absence of God, a climate of uncertainty and insecurity, the tension between secular conformity and spiritual maturity and the treat of societal perversion and materialism to a Christian commitment. Christians are called upon to express a faith that is rooted in the future and to continue this life of pilgrimage with a radical new view of reality, which is based on sure confidence in the intervention of God in daily life. Tracing the writer's development thought by thought, rather than verse by verse, careful attention is paid to the cultural and historical background. This work is useful as a study guide for groups and individuals, or for any reader who wishes a mature understanding of the book of Hebrews.

Just as the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament served as a book of advice to the Jewish people, so James, according to Earl F. Palmer, is a New Testament book of advice to Christians. And it contains a great wealth of instruction and admonition as relevant to Christians today as it was to its first-century audience.In The Book That James Wrote, Palmer offers a user-friendly guide to James that is ideal for pastors and parishioners, for personal or small-group study. In the opening chapters, Palmer interestingly sets the historical scene behind the book of James, discussing the book's authorship, date, and the political and religious atmosphere of the city of Jerusalem and its first church. He also examines the book of James itself, its structure, its major themes, and its remarkable similarity to the book of Proverbs. In the main body of the book Palmer first provides a verse-by-verse commentary on James before focusing more deeply on such pastoral-theological themes as the nature of God and the meaning of faith, wisdom, temptation, hope and patience. A study guide at the back of the book suggests further readings and questions for reflection.

"Luci Shaw is someone who knows the world-the oldest definition of a poet. Her animating intelligence descends into the concrete facts of our existence to discover the divine force that shapes the world and maintains its being. Her poetry recapitulates that intimate naming by which man defines himself-the first role God assigned to the human creature."Harold Fickett, author of The Holy Fool"Longtime readers of these poems will renew old acquaintances and pick up a sheaf of new friends besides. New readers will welcome her gifts of Word-crafted icons by which we behold the Glory, see the Holy."Eugene H. Peterson"Polishing the Petoskey Stone is a wonderful compilation of many of the richest of Luci Shaw's poems, both old and new. It's wonderful to see growth in her understanding of the joys and tragedies of life as they can be expressed in poetry. I sense a new, and perhaps harsher, view of reality which is always redeemed by the never failing love of God."Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in TimeLuci Shaw is the author of many books, including God in the Dark, Listen to the Green, and Writing the River. A speaker, teacher, poet, editor, and writer, she lives in Bellingham, Washington.

A Guide Through Narnia was one of the first in-depth studies of C.S. Lewis's seven Chronicles of Narnia. The focus and organization of this revised and expanded edition is on why Lewis wrote the books as fairy tales, the best "Form" for his ideas. It is written for both students and scholars who want to expand their understanding of these popular classics. Chapters include: -Seeing Pictures: How the books were written, chronological summaries, publication history -Selecting the Ideal Form: Why Lewis chose the fairy tale form, fairy tale elements and style -Seeing Man as Hero: Child heroes -Stealing Past Dragons: Characteristics of religious fantasy, allegory and "supposition," Christian elements -Stepping Through the Door: Themes and effects of fantasy -Dictionary of Names and Places Martha C. Sammons is Professor of English at Wright State University.

In 1999, Preaching Magazine ranked James S. Stewart as the best preacher of the twentieth century, commenting that his books on preaching ?have inspired tens of thousands of preachers to strive for greater effectiveness in their proclamation of God?s Word.? In A Faith to Proclaim, James Stewart focuses on the essential message of evangelism rather than sermon preparation or delivery technique. His pointers on proclaiming the essentials of the Christian faith should be read by all who want to be more effective communicators of the Christian message.James S. Stewart (1896-1990) was a gifted Scottish preacher who taught New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh (New College). He also served as Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland and as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He authored many books, including Heralds of God, The Strong Name, and A Man in Christ.

R.T. France believes that much of today's popular use of "kingdom" language runs the risk of distorting Jesus' words, and trivializing the depth and richness of his teaching. This book will help many Christians avoid that risk, while also providing helpful and persuasive answers to a range of questions thrown up by modern scholarship. What would "the Kingdom of God" have meant to Mark's first readers? Is "kingdom" the best translation? What did Jesus mean when he said the kingdom would come "with power"? And what are we to make of those passages which seem to predict the coming of the "Son of Man" within the lifetime of the first disciples?R. T. France has taught at London Bible College and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, from 1989 to 1995. He is the author of Matthew in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series, The Evidence for Jesus, The Living God, and Jesus and the Old Testament.

Just as a potter uses a "rib" to exert pressure and give shape to clay vessels spinning on a wheel, so God has used the practice of mentoring to shape leaders from the times of ancient Israel to the modern church. This book provides a theological and historical foundation for the practice, inviting the modern supervisor and seminarian to step into the church's rich heritage of mentors and mentees by offering selected vignettes of these relationships in the lives of such influential leaders as Gregory the Great, St. Augustine, John Newton and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. By tracing out the spiritual formation of some of the most influential leaders in church history, Brian Williams shows how certain patterns of mentoring relationships have been pivotal for the people of God in ages past. He then combines the wisdom of the classical discipline of spiritual direction with the tradespractice of apprenticeship to offer us a practical model for mentoring today. The book concludes with a number of tools, forms, and practical suggestions to help shape and guide this demanding but rewarding practice. The Potter's Rib will challenge experienced pastors and seminary students alike to take seriously the role of mentoring in becoming the pastors they are called to be.Brian A. Williams, a graduate of Regent College, is involved in local ministry in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Guilt, Anger & God: The Patterns of Our Discontents1-57383-262-6C. FitzSimons Allison164 pp. Drawing from what perceptive non-Christians such as Freud, D.H. Lawrence, Reich and Marcuse have said about the human condition, Allison examines four contemporary patterns of the discontents of modern humanity-Anger, Disesteem, Guilt and Death. Believing that Christianity has been hurt as much by its friends as by its enemies, with deep pastoral concern Allison addresses the anguish many Christians feel today. He then discusses the gospel and its timeless message to our discontents.Skeptics, both within and outside the Church who hunger for more than "bread alone" will find this book an occasion for delightful surprises."This is one of the most stimulating and evocative book I have read for some time. It is by no means the old psychological/theological witches' brew but really relates Christian doctrine to current and future questions about our human destiny."-David H. C. ReadDr. Allison is retired Bishop of South Carolina. His other books include The Rise of Moralism and Guilt, Love and Worship.