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

What are the most important texts for modern Christians to read in order to arrive at responsible decisions regarding the ethics of human sexual behavior? How should those texts be translated for today's reader? How should the Bible be used in this enterprise? Contributors to this book, all notable biblical scholars, confront these questions as...

David Switzer helps parents understand their reaction to and feelings about discovering that their child is gay or lesbian. He explores recent research on homosexuality, emphasizes the need for reconciliation, and deals with common parental responses to the child's...

William Placher looks at "classical" Christian theology (Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, Martin Luther) and contrasts it with the Christian discourse about God that evolved in the seventeenth century. In particular, he deals with the notion of transcendence that gained prominence in this era and its impact on modern theology and modern thinking...

What is it about a garden that has such strong attraction for so many of us? In this beautifully illustrated book, Sara Covin Juengst answers this question as she explores the way the metaphor of the garden is used in the Bible. She looks at how the various garden images are used to convey ideas of God's providential care, our responsibility to...

Within the liturgy, congregations pledge to accept, love, forgive, and nurture the newly baptized member. The church, however, often lives out this covenant selectively, forcing its gay and lesbian members into silence, alienation, and doubt. We Were Baptized Too challenges the church to take seriously its understanding of baptism and communion...

Best-selling Christian educator Ginny Ward Holderness and Robert S. Hay give us a comprehensive guide and workbook that involves youth in their own ministry programs and encourages them to become the church leaders of the future. According to Ward and Hay, the key to effective youth ministry is shared leadership between youth and adult leaders...

Jesus as depicted in the Fourth Gospel is remarkably dissimilar to the Jesus found in the Synoptic Gospels. In this book, Ben Witherington III places the Gospel of John within its proper literary, historical, social, and theological contexts, especially those dealing with the wisdom traditions of Hellenistic Judaism. What emerges is a...

In The Theology of the First Christians, Walter Schmithals offers a comprehensive history of the development of religious thought from the preaching of Jesus to the formation of the New Testament canon. This well-researched volume will be of great interest to New Testament scholars and...

Mainline Protestant churches have been seriously impacted by the conflict in belief systems embodied in the opposing worldviews of conservatives and liberals. In this book, Jack Rogers contends that for mainline churches to remain relevant in today's world, they must make an active effort to claim the center--an authentic and balanced Christian...

At the roots of African American Christian life is a powerful force of soul, a dynamic spirituality that provides joy and hope. This African American spirituality empowers a celebration of life that transforms culture. The dynamic experience of African American churches establishes a new kind of freedom that sets an example for all other...

Reformed Protestantism has undergone drastic changes throughout its history in America. Although it has become less prominent in American society, Douglas Ottati reminds us that this Christian movement is still a dynamic and important witness to our world. This book is an important contribution to promoting, deepening, and extending the...

According to this well-known author, today's readers find much that is familiar in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, including the message of God's faithfulness in the face of prejudice, sexism, and patriarchy.Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each...

In this book, Marion Soards looks at what the Bible actually says--and does not say--about homosexuality as he attempts to discover how the church should deal with this diverse issue. Soards reflects on the meaning of the biblical text and subsequent Christian history as he struggles with the issue of how Christians should respond to and...

In this book, the authors discuss how increasing intimacy in marriage allows both partners to approach issues of communication, power, anger, and faith more creatively and effectively. With exercises tested by dozens of couples in marriage and family therapy and a clear discussion of contemporary perspectives on marriage, this book is an...

Feminist and womanist theology has reoriented an entire way of understanding our relationships to one another, to creation, and to God. Feminist social theory has reshaped education, psychotherapy, leadership, decision-making, collaborative work, and family life. Little has been done, however, to bring these fields together to enrich the...

In this ground-breaking book, pastoral counselor Andrew Lester demonstrates that pastoral theology (as well as social and behavioral sciences) has neglected to address effectively the predominant cause of human suffering: a lack of hope, a sense of futurelessness. Lester not only looks at the reasons why addressing the ideas of hope and despair...

Originally written to be read aloud in church and to offer comfort and hope to those struggling to be faithful in troubling times, Revelation sparks great interest with its mysterious symbols of numbers and beasts. Here, two foremost historians offer readers a highly accessible commentary perfect for Bible study leaders.Books in the Westminster...

In Part Two of his commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, John Bracke provides a powerful interpretation of the prophet's message to a nation refusing to repent and obey God and points beyond exile and suffering to God's restoration of the people and renewal of the covenant.Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their...

The prophet Jeremiah declared the word of the Lord at a critical time in the history of ancient Israel. In the first volume of a two-part commentary on Jeremiah, John Bracke provides a powerful interpretation of the prophet's message to a nation that refused to listen to the call to repent and to renew covenant living in obedience to God's...

Family life since World War II has undergone dramatic changes. Cultural shifts emphasizing personal needs and fulfillment have transformed traditional understandings of marriage and divorce, gender equality, and sexual behavior, resulting in a marked increase in single-parent homes, dual-income couples, divorce, and blended families. In this...

This book, originally published in 1927, has proven to be one of the most important and influential books in the field of ethics in the twentieth century. It remains a pertinent, original, and insightful work--a landmark statement of modern casuistry.The Library of Theological Ethics series focuses on what it means to think theologically and...

The place of gay men and women in the community of faith has become one of the most divisive debates in the church today. Writer and activist Richard Cleaver takes a fresh approach to this issue by examining the struggles of gay men and lesbians in the church through the lens of liberation theology. He offers a "gay" reading of scripture, but...

Can believers talk about God and to God in a way that is not exclusively male and is biblically responsible? Johanna van Wijk-Bos asks this question as she examines alternatives to the dominant male language associated with God in the Bible. Focusing primarily on the Hebrew Bible, van Wijk-Bos mines a rich source of God-imagery. Along the way...

Daniel Patte argues here that when male European-American scholars interpret the Bible to produce a universally legitimate reading, they silence the Bible itself. Their reading practices exclude feminist, African American, and other so-called "minority" readings, as well as the interpretations of conservative and liberal laity. He further...

This book is about enduring and surviving the most painful of all losses: the death of one's child. This is the story of a journey from grief to healing. But more, it is a story of faith and love told so that others may find comfort and understanding when faced with this most devastating...

Old Testament scholar Terence Fretheim identifies the theology in the dramatic accounts of the books of Kings, which chronicles the reigns of more than forty kings over a period of nearly four hundred years. Interspersing theological reflections throughout, Fretheim trace's God's words of judgement and promise for Israel--and for us--accross...

Theological ideas and biblical injunctions have frequently been employed to legitimate the physical abuse of children. Some theological ideas are inherently abusive because they create fear in a child's mind, causing a child to feel alone, odd, and of little worth. Donald Capps exposes the abuses that theology and the Bible have inflicted on...

Mark, often eclipsed by the other Synoptic Gospels, is now considered by many biblical scholars to be the earliest written gospel. This conclusion would place Mark closest to the historical Jesus. In his book, Douglas Hare examines Mark for modern Christians who are in search of the Jesus portrayed in these earliest known writings. What emerges...

Contributors to this book--historians, biblical specialists, theologians, ethicists, and scholars of comparative religions--examine the relationship between religious tradition and manhood. The essays cover a broad range of topics--from the dynamics of power in shaping masculine identity, to the role religion plays in shaping masculine...

This is the first book-length attempt to examine the attitude of the ancient rabbis towards some of the most significant feminine figures in the Old Testament. It traces the biblical stories, examines their objectives and methods, and discusses how these original intentions were altered--sometimes beyond recognition--when the women discussed in...