Books published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

In his extremely thorough work on Isaiah, Robert Wilken brings to bear his considerable knowledge of early Christianity. Drawing on writings of the church fathers -- Eusebius of Caesarea, Ambrose, Jerome, Cyril of Alexandria, Theodoret of Cyrus, Bernard of Clairvaux, and nearly sixty others -- all of them masterfully translated, this work allows the complex words of Isaiah to come alive. Wilken's selection of ancient commentators clearly illuminates how Isaiah was used by the New Testament writers and understood by the early church fathers. Each chapter begins with a modern English translation of the septuagint, prepared by Moisés Silva. Editorial comments provide a foundation for understanding the excerpted commentaries and other writings that follow for each chapter. Isaiah: Interpreted by Early Christian and Medieval Commentators is ideal for devotional and spiritual reading and for a deeper understanding of the church's historical interpretation of this major prophet.

Many current Bible "intro" volumes focus more on theories about the biblical text than on the text itself. They lack the simplicity that has become increasingly crucial as basic biblical literacy has declined. Robert Kugler and Patrick Hartin seek to remedy that problem by turning readers back to the text at hand. Their Introduction to the Bible surveys the content of all the biblical books, section by section, focusing on the Bible's theological themes.

"This new essay might well be read before tackling the biblical passages, for here the air is cleared over traditional habits of thought which may obscure the witness of Scripture itself.. . .its gentle and straightforward style can do much to move the discussion along." -- Theology Today In this book, Jewett argues that on the basis of the Christian ideal of the partnership of the sees, women ought to share fully with men the privileges and responsibilities of church ministry. Paul K. Jewett (1919-1991) was professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He also wrote Man as Male and Female and God, Creation, and Revelation.

"The author provides a thorough case for supporting the traditional position in Qumran scholarship, that Qumran was an Essene scribal center in competition with the Jerusalem temple and that the surrounding caves were used regularly for scrolls storage"--

A timely resource treating addiction holistically as both a spiritual and a pathological conditionSubstance addictions present a unique set of challenges for pastoral care. In this book Sonia Waters weaves together personal stories, research, and theological reflection to offer helpful tools for ministers, counselors, chaplains, and anyone else called to care pastorally for those struggling with addiction.Waters uses the story of the Gerasene demoniac in Mark's Gospel to reframe addiction as a "soul-sickness" that arises from a legion of individual and social vulnerabilities. She includes pastoral reflections on oppression, the War on Drugs, trauma, guilt, discipleship, and identity. The final chapters focus on practical-care skills that address the challenges of recovery, especially ambivalence and resistance to change.

Is it sacrilegious to claim that ordinary people can do greater works than Jesus?"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these" (John 14:12). Taking these words of Jesus seriously, Outdoing Jesus shows how the seven actions of Jesus that the Gospel of John singles out as special "signs" challenge us to live into a greater future. When Jesus asserts that his followers "will do even greater things than these," he is calling for us to extend his miracles for the benefit of all of humanity. Only a master teacher wants students to do greater than their master!Doug Pagitt uses the works and teachings of Jesus as lenses through which we see what the kingdom of God would look like if it were "at hand." We see how developments in humanities, medicine, science, technology, philanthropy, structural design, and social justice are bringing about the agenda of God for the world; and how we can participate. Outdoing Jesus is not only insightful biblical theology but a robust call to dare great things in pursuit of human flourishing.

The story of a monk, a minstrel, and the music that brought them together In 1965 writer-activist-monk Thomas Merton fulfilled a twenty-four-year dream and went to live as a hermit beyond the walls of his Trappist monastery. Seven months later, after a secret romance with a woman half his age, he was in danger of losing it all. Yet on the very day that his abbot uncovered the affair, Merton found solace in an unlikely place--the songs of Bob Dylan, who, as fate would have it, was experiencing his own personal and creative crises during the summer of 1966. In this striking parallel biography of two countercultural icons, Robert Hudson plumbs the depths of Dylan's surprising influence on Merton's life and writing, recounts each man's interactions with the woman who linked them together--Joan Baez--and shows how each transcended his immediate troubles and went on to new heights of spiritual and artistic genius. Readers will discover here a riveting story of creativity and crisis, burnout and redemption, in the tumultuous era of 1960s America.

"Have faith. End hunger. Ending hunger is a moral imperative that does not stand alone. Hunger thrives on the racial, social, and economic inequalities that are eating away at the soul of our nation and pulling us apart. But ending hunger could now become the cause that brings us together across partisan lines to make our economy include everyone and work for everybody. The goal of ending hunger nationwide is not only noble but easily within reach. Taking up this goal could give us a corrective lens, a lens of hope for seeing ourselves and our country in a new way. It could also give us better vision for helping the world overcome extreme hunger and poverty. Our failure to speak and write to members of Congress about hunger consigns millions of people here and abroad to diminished lives and premature death, so it is a silence that kills. We can break that silence by urging the nation's leaders to help end hunger and humanize our economy. This book addresses all people of goodwill, including agnostics and atheists, but with a special word of concern for religious people--Christians in particular--who help through charity, but neglect to use the power of their citizenship against hunger"--

The Epistle to the Hebrews has been the subject of controversy and conjecture: its author is unknown, its occasion unstated, and its destination disputed. But these questions pale in comparison to the importance of the letter''s pervasive theme: the absolute supremacy of Christ--a supremacy which allows no challenge, whether from human or angelic beings. Hughes''s introduction includes an outline and synopsis of Hebrews and discusses theme, origin, authorship, and date. His verse-by-verse study of the text is accessible to specialist and nonspecialist readers alike. Technical points are dealt with in notes and excursuses.

"This books draws together significant considerations of evangelicalism from three of the historians who have contributed a great deal to putting the subject on the map, along with selected commentary from others who have benefited from, or sometimes questioned, their work"--

When asked at a press conference about the roots of his political philosophy, President Franklin Roosevelt responded, "I am a Christian and a Democrat." This volume tells the story of how the first informed the second, showing how FDR's upbringing formed him into a leader whose politics were fundamentally shaped by the social gospel.