Books published by Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S.

The Bible is the most widely read and translated book in the world, and its influence is immeasurable. Nonetheless, according to Gerd Ludemann, its use by Christians is highly selective. Ludemann asks, what about those parts of the Bible that contain God's command to exterminate entire peoples or those texts which demonize other faiths? He...

People today are searching for something to believe in. How can they choose between conflicting belief systems and find answers to their questions? In this book, Stanley Grenz presents the central tenets of Christian faith clearly and concisely, answering the most common questions and helping readers strengthen their understanding of...

One of the most reliable and helpful books on interpretive method is now available in a new and up-to-date edition. Firmly founded in the best scholarship, John Barton's Reading the Old Testament helps students to understand both the established methods of biblical study and the newer emerging...

In this study, Anne Jensen provides an exhaustive account of the many roles that women played in the early church (confessors, martyrs, prophetesses, and teachers) and their subsequent marginalization by the later church. This book is required reading for anyone interested in the history of the church and its impact on the lives of women...

This collection includes hymns to celebrate church anniversaries and events. Hymns are written in inclusive, contemporary language, set to singable melodies, and fully...

Modern literary criticism has virtually neglected to interpret contemporary narrative fiction, poetry, and drama from a distinctly religious perspective. In this book, Robert Detweiler, the premier scholar of theology-based literary criticism, redresses this lack by presenting a clear and comprehensive study of religious themes in contemporary...

In this book, T. H. L. Parker provides a succinct but comprehensive look at the range of John Calvin's theology. In particular, Parker provides a fresh interpretation of Calvin's magnum opus, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, giving the reader a sense of what this important reformer and theologian valued as a Christian and as a...

In this thought provoking book, Stephen Haynes takes a hard look at contemporary Christian theology as he explores the pervasive Christian "witness-people" myth that dominates much Christian thinking about the Jews in both Christian and Jewish minds. This myth, an ancient theological construct that has put Jews in the role of living symbols of...

In this book, Claus Westermann argues that Israel's early wisdom literature grew out of an oral tradition reflecting an agrarian setting. Dealing primarily with Proverbs 10-31, Westermann demonstrates how the wisdom literature evolved into a form of poetry that had greater universal appeal as the people of Israel became more urbanized. A...

In this series of messages based on Scripture, Robert McAfee Brown demonstrates the vital applications of the Bible for our own times. Brown first deals with the great words of faith such as love, grace, and reconciliation. Then he includes a number of chapters that shed modern light on various events in Jesus' life and beyond. For instance...

This book provides clergy, laity, and students with a thorough introduction to their faith as set forth in the Book of Confessions. Jack Rogers explains technical terms and places current issues in perspective by examining the meaning of the creeds, confessions, and declarations found in the Book of Confessions. He examines their role in...

Using a nontechnical presentation of recent research and a sometimes-whimsical treatment of contemporary artifacts, Robert Jewett shows how Paul engages and challenges American society in unexpected ways. He offers preliminary explorations of the relevance of Paul's letters to the American scene and exploits the resources of scientific biblical...

The Tapestry of Tragedy and Triumph. Bill Witherington shows that Paul's theology, arguments, practical advice, and social recommendations are ultimately grounded in stories from the Hebrew scriptures and from the life of Jesus and those who believed in him. Paul's thought, according to Witherington, was shaped by four interrelated narratives comprising a larger drama: Adam and Eve and a world gone wrong; the people of Israel in that world; the death and resurrection of Christ; and the movement to faith by Christians like Paul himself, which promises a world set right again. Thus to Paul, the story of Christ is the crucial turning point in the history of God and the world.

Based on twenty years of teaching experience, James White presents this reference book as a resource for students and scholars who are engaged in studying and teaching the forms and meaning of Christian worship. White utilizes original documents and classical statements related to worship and examines historically the application of liturgical...

The Gospel of John is one of the most beloved books in the Christian canon. Its stories and images have long captured the imaginations of Christians. Not only is it one of the most popular writings of the New Testament, but many aspects of its style and outlook are distinctive. In this clear, thorough, and accessible commentary on the Gospel of...

The prophetic message awakens the people of God and calls them back from their perverse ways. But the history of the investigation of prophecy shows that the understanding of these messages has changed profoundly over time. Claus Westermann provides indications of the astonishing differences in the conceptions of prophecy in the history of its...

Using twelve biblical passages, Louis B. Weeks helps adult study groups, Bible study groups, and individuals study the Bible as they reflect on who they are as Presbyterians. He explores the Presbyterian tradition, which has used the Bible as a guide, remaining faithful to both the Old and New...

In this book, John Barton offers a positive but critical evaluation of biblical authority. Among other topics, he discusses the canon, the value of the Bible as historical evidence, the Bible's witness to the faith, and the place of Scripture in worship. He shows Christians that critical reading of Scripture is a help rather than a hindrance to...

Drawing on personal experience, clinical knowledge, social research, and interviews, G. Wade Rowatt Jr. outlines the pressures that today's young people experience and offers principles and methods for responding. He focuses on five major areas of adolescent crises: family problems, sexual problems, substance abuse, school pressures, and...

How can an event that has taken place in the past have an effect upon the human experience of salvation in the present? In examining one of the essential questions of the Christian faith, Paul S. Fiddes explores the limits as well as the gains to be made in speaking about crucifixion as a historical event, and considers the relationship of the...

In the face of dramatic membership decline, John Leith calls on the church to say what no one else can say. Leith writes that too often sermons are moral exhortations which can be delivered more effectively at Rotary or Kiwanis clubs; or political and economic judgements on society presented with greater wisdom and passion at political...

In Spirituality and Liberation, foremost theologian Robert McAfee Brown confronts a dilemma that has plagued Christians for centuries: the separation between the spiritual and the temporal, between prayer and social involvement. After a searching examination of the two spheres, he outlines a new vision of Christian...

A simply written and practical guide on how to get up when you feel down. A professional psychotherapist explains the techniques he has developed in his private practice--techniques by which anyone can overcome...

This simply-written book offers practical techniques for relaxing feelings of worry and fear and taking problems in easy stride. We have worries and fears partly because we have been trained to be afraid. Under stressful conditions, this training takes over. In easy-to-understand terms, Paul Hauck explains the Rational Emotive Therapy (RET)...

The possibility of a nuclear holocaust has brought humankind into a radically new, unprecedented, and unanticipated religious situation. Gordon D. Kaufman offers a cogent and original analysis of this predicament, outlining specific proposals for reconceiving the central concerns and symbols of Christian faith. He begins with an account of a...

This best-selling book is an indispensable resource for starting a Bible study group. Employing successful field-tested methods, this practical handbook contains detailed information on how to begin a group, choose a leader, prepare lesson plans, build relationships within the group, and effectively engage in the study of...

Lent for Everyone: Luke, Year C provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Lenten season, from Ash Wednesday through the week after Easter. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation, brief reflection, and a prayer for each of the days of the season, helping readers ponder how the text...