Books published by William B Eerdmans Publishing Co

After his church's community in Indianapolis lost nine young men to violence in a few short months, Mather came to see that the poor didn't need his help--he needed theirs. This is the story of how one church found abundance in a community of material poverty. Original.

When Anne Robertson asked a bunch of people on the street what came to mind when they heard the word Bible, she was met with a flood of mixed responses--words like wisdom, lies, faith, rules, ancient history, bigotry, poison, and many more.What she realized was that we all read the Bible through filtered lenses, according to our varied expectations of what the Bible is or should be. But, says Robertson, the Bible as a whole is primarily God's story--a story of relationship, community, and love.Robertson's New Vision for an Old Story gives readers the right lenses to see beyond the printed page to the God who encounters us in dynamic relationship and transforms our lives. The very nature and message of Scripture are rooted in incarnation. When we need to navigate community, truth, fear, and suffering, the Bible-- God's own story--can guide us through it all.

How can we make sense of violence in the Bible? Joshua commands the people of Israel to wipe out everyone in the promised land of Canaan, while Jesus commands God's people to love their enemies. How are we to interpret biblical passages on violence when it is sanctioned at one point and condemned at another?The Violence of the Biblical God by L. Daniel Hawk presents a new framework, solidly rooted in the authority of Scripture, for understanding the paradox of God's participation in violence. Hawk shows how the historical narrative of the Bible offers multiple canonical pictures for faithful Christian engagement with the violent systems of the world.

Caldecott Medalist Raschka breathes new life into the letters of Paul the Apostle, depicting Paul's sincerity and compassion, sadness and pain, giving readers a true sense of who Paul really was. Full color.

Children living in different parts of the world see very different things when they gaze out of their windows. But while their lives may seem different, there's something important that they all share. This beautiful book will spark readers' curiosity and imagination with its celebration of global diversity. Full color.

During the last two decades there has been a renaissance in the field of Christian philosophy. Unfortunately, most of this excellent work has not reached general readers. Reason for the Hope Within was produced specifically to make available the best of contemporary Christian philosophy in a clear, accessible--and highly relevant--manner. Fourteen of America''s rising Christian philosophers cover many of the traditional themes of Christian apologetics as well as topics of special relevance to today''s world: the problem of evilthe possibility of miraclesthe existence of heaven and hellEastern religionsReligion and scienceChristianity and ethics Reason for the Hope Within provides readers with the most up-to-date resources for thinking about and defending the Christian faith. Contributors: Douglas Blount Robin Collins J. A. Cover William C. Davis Scott A. Davison Daniel Howard-Snyder Frances Howard-Snyder Trenton Merricks Caleb Miller Michael J. Murray Timothy O''Connor John O''Leary-Hawthorn Thomas D. Senor W. Christopher Stewart

Founding not only a world religion but also an empire and a civilization, the prophet Muhammad was undoubtedly one of the most influential men in history. Amid the swirl of current judgments regarding Muslims and their religion, this book by Daniel Peterson offers a concise, objective, accessible biography of the first Muslim. Blending the texts of traditional sources into an engaging narrative, Peterson begins with the impoverished and orphaned childhood of Muhammad, highlighting his evident strength of will, character, and resourcefulness. Peterson then moves through the prophet''s life, detailing Muhammad''s visions and revelations and examining the beginning of a religion that continues to affect the entire world in dramatic ways. Respectful and readable, Muhammad, Prophet of God opens a clear window on the life and influence of the founder of Islam.

From the pen of award-winning author Cornelius Plantinga Jr. comes this book of flesh-and-blood Christian meditations with a theological spine.Building on the success of two earlier editions and now splendidly updated, Beyond Doubt unpacks the deep truths of the Christian faith by raising basic questions like these: What is God like?Why pray?Male and female -- how are we related?What is Jesus doing?What is the shape of the godly life?If the Lord is with us, why do we suffer?How do we face death? Plantinga addresses such questions through short, vivid meditations, each of which begins with a Bible verse and ends with a brief edifying prayer.Written in the graceful, polished prose that Plantinga is celebrated for, Beyond Doubt will help both new Christians and mature believers to grow in their faith.

DESCRIPTION > The coming-of-age stories in Thin Ice relate a range of experiences both good and bad, including happy memories and heartwarming recollections but also personal traumas, intergenerational and racial conflicts, the strictures of religious belief and practice, the joys and sorrows of young romance, and more. Above and beyond the stories of the more notable personalities -- Jim Harrison, Roger Wilkins, John Hockenberry, President Gerald Ford, Betty Ford, Al Green, Paul Schrader, William Brashler -- the book as a whole is chock-full of crisp, humorous, irreverent, and moving writing. Reinder Van Til and Gordon Olson have excerpted half of the pieces from previous publications, while they directly solicited the other half from active writers specifically for this book. The earliest stories go back to the 1830s and 1850s, and the most recent are a cluster of contemporary pieces that describe coming of age in the Grand Rapids of the 1960s through the 1980s. Together they paint a multifaceted, impressionistic portrait of a century and a half in the fair city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. All in all, Thin Ice is a nostalgic treasure for any Grand Rapidian and literary treasure for e v e r y one. Contributors Albert Baxter Charles E. Belknap A. J. Muste Arnold Gingrich David Cornel DeJong Gerald R. Ford Betty Ford Edward V. Gillis John Thompson Roger Wilkins Jim Harrison Glen Peterson Max Apple John Otterbacher Reinder Van Til Al Green Paul Schrader Robert VanderMolen William Brashler Sheri Venema Hank Meijer Charles Honey Tom Rademacher Levi Rickert John Hockenberry Laura Kasischke Kaye Longberg Bich Minh Nguyen

Is the Trinity complete in itself from all eternity, or is it constituted by the eternal decision of election? In this volume twelve eminent theologians address a crucial point of contention at the intersection of two key doctrines in the theology of Karl Barth -- Trinity and election -- engaging in a lively, constructive theological debate. Beginning with a retrospective look at the historical development of the ongoing debate, George Hunsinger, Bruce McCormack, Paul Molnar, and others offer their insightful contributions to the discussion through rigorous, critical treatment of select topics in Barth's theology. The book concludes with chapters by Nicholas Healy and Matthew Levering outlining Roman Catholic perspectives on the issues at stake and an essay by Paul Louis Metzger on the social and ethical implications of Barth's doctrine of the Trinity and election for a theology of culture in the world today. "What is at stake in this debate is not simply who will inherit the mantle of Karl Barth in the English-speaking world, but the being and glory of God as the one who is loving and free both in himself and for us." -- from introduction ContributorsMichael T. DempseyNicholas M. HealyKevin W. HectorChristopher HolmesGeorge HunsingerPaul Dafydd JonesMatthew LeveringBruce L. McCormackPaul Louis MetzgerPaul D. MolnarPaul T. NimmoAaron T. Smith

Splendid, monumental reference work, authoritative and lavishly illustrated More than 400 distinguished scholars, including archaeologists, art historians, historians, epigraphers, and theologians, have written the 1,455 entries in this monumental encyclopedia--the first comprehensive reference work of its kind. From Aachen to Zurzach, Paul Corby Finney's three-volume masterwork draws on archaeological and epigraphic evidence to offer readers a basic orientation to early Christian architecture, sculpture, painting, mosaic, and portable artifacts created roughly between AD 200 and 600 in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Clear, comprehensive, and richly illustrated, this work will be an essential resource for all those interested in late antique and early Christian art, archaeology, and history.

On October 1, 2000, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Katharine Drexel (1858-1955) to be a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Only the second American-born Catholic saint in history, Drexel founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891 and established more than sixty Blessed Sacrament missions and schools. In this biography Cheryl Hughes chronicles the remarkable life of St. Katharine Drexel, exploring what drove her to turn away from her family''s wealth and become a missionary nun who served some of the most underprivileged and marginalized people of her time. Through her inspiration and effort Mother Katharine improved the lives of untold numbers of Native Americans and African Americans, overcoming open hostility to her work from various quarters, including the Ku Klux Klan. Her saintly legacy lives on today.

For more than 70 years, "The Little Prince" has captured the imaginations of readers around the world. This lyrical picture book biography of its author is paired with whimsical yet profound illustrations, wonderfully capturing Saint-Exupry's personality. Full color.

Stanley Hauerwas is one of the most important and robustly creative theologians of our time, and his work is well known and much admired. But Nicholas Healy -- himself an admirer of Hauerwas''s thought -- believes that it has not yet been subjected to the kind of sustained critical analysis that is warranted by such a significant and influential Christian thinker. As someone interested in the broader systematic-theological implications of Hauerwas''s work, Healy fills that gap in Hauerwas: A (Very) Critical Introduction. After a general introduction to Hauerwas''s work, Healy examines three main areas of his thought: his method, his social theory, and his theology. According to Healy, Hauerwas''s overriding concern for ethics and church-based apologetics so dominates his thinking that he systematically distorts Christian doctrine. Healy illustrates what he sees as the deficiencies of Hauerwas''s theology and argues that it needs substantial revision.

The phrase hopeful politics has dominated our public discourse in connection with the inspiring rise of Nelson Mandela in South Africa and the remarkable election of Barack Obama as president of the United States. But what happens when that hope disappoints? Can it be salvaged? What is the relationship between faith, hope, and politics? In this book Allan Boesak meditates on what it really means to hope in light of present political realities and growing human pain. He argues that hope comes to life only when we truly face reality in the struggle for justice, dignity, and the life of the earth. Dare We Speak of Hope? is a critical, provocative, prophetic -- and, above all, hopeful -- book.