From a renowned National Book Award–winning scholar, an extraordinary new account of the life of Jesus that explores the mystery of how a poor young man inspired a religion that reshaped the world.Early in her career, Elaine Pagels changed our understanding of the origins of Christianity with her work in The Gnostic Gospels. Now, in the culmination of a decades-long career, she explores the biggest subject of all, Jesus. In Miracles and Wonder she sets out to discover how a poor young Jewish man inspired a religion that shaped the world.The book reads like a historical mystery, with each chapter addressing a fascinating question and answering it based on the gospels Jesus's followers left behind. Why is Jesus said to have had a virgin birth? Why do we say he rose from the dead? Did his miracles really happen and what did they mean?The story Pagels tells is thrilling and tense. Not just does Jesus comes to life but his desperate, hunted followers do as well. We realize that some of the most compelling details of Jesus's life are the explanations his disciples created to paper over inconvenient facts. So Jesus wasn't illegitimate, his mother conceived by God; Jesus's body wasn't humiliatingly left to rot and tossed into a common grave—no, he rose from the dead and was seen whole by his followers; Jesus isn't a failed messiah, his kingdom is a metaphor: he lives in us. These necessary fabrications were the very details and promises that electrified their listeners and helped his followers' numbers grow.In Miracles and Wonder, Pagels does more than solve a historical mystery. She sheds light on Jesus's enduring power to inspire and attract. Read more

With more than 2 million copies sold, it's no secret that the NKJV Study Bible is a reliable guide for your journey into God's Word. This beautiful full-color Bible provides a complete resource for study, including thousands of notes, articles, extensive cross-references, and features contributed by top evangelical scholars. These multilayered study tools, combined with the accuracy and clarity of the New King James Version, make this Bible a perfect choice to help you understand and deeply engage with Scripture.Features include:Over 15,000 verse-by-verse study notesBible times and culture notesWord studies with Strong's numbersExtensive cross-reference systemIn-text maps and chartsBook introductions, outlines, and timelinesFull-length articles, a concordance, and color mapsClear and readable Thomas Nelson NKJV Comfort Print® Read more

Discover how true faith can leave a lasting legacy with a poignant and personal look into the lives of some of the Bible's most faithful women.Come and take a deeper look at women who were ordinary, common, and in some cases even ostracized and rejected by society, yet each was made extraordinary by her life-changing encounter with God.In Twelve Extraordinary Women, bestselling author and Bible teacher John MacArthur shows you that the God to whom they were so faithful is the same God who continues to mold and guide you today.As you meet these women in Scripture and get to know more about their lives and characters, they will challenge you, motivate you, encourage you, and inspire you with love for the God whom they trusted, served, and loved, teaching you that:Your personal struggles and temptations are the very same kinds of trials that all believers of all ages have confrontedEven in the midst of your trouble, God remains eternally faithfulThrough God, anyone can become extraordinary Some of the women you'll come to know include:Ruth (Ruth 1– 4)Anna (Luke 2:36–38)Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus (Luke 10:38–42)Mary Magdalene (Matthew 27:56–61)Sarah (Genesis 11–25)Hannah (1 Samuel 1–2)The Samaritan woman (John 4)Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1–2) From Eve to the Samaritan Woman, these twelve women each serve as reminders of both our frailty and our potential. Together, they all point us to Christ and His grace. Read more

We are at war. The primary battlefield is our mind. The Seed War of Genesis 3 is the longest standing, consecutive war in history. The impact cannot be underestimated but tragically, most people are oblivious because they have fallen prey to the mind control tactics of the Nephilim.Who are the Nephilim? What is their agenda? And how has the Nephilim Agenda impacted our daily lives? If Jesus won the Seed War, why are we still amid a supernatural battle of epic proportions?Journey with Dr. Sanger as she traverses time and space to discover how a biblical worldview explains the madness that has descended upon us. It’s time to remove the blindfolds and examine the myriads of ways the Nephilim Agenda has been strangling the lifeblood out of humanity. Together, we will untangle the web of lies, smash the warped philosophies corrupting our culture and establish the truth of God’s Word as our firm foundation.Generation Hoodwinked is a timely follow-up to The Roots of the Federal Reserve. Dr. Sanger connects the dots between the coup d’etat that took place on Mount Hermon and our current battle to preserve humanity. We are living in days that some have characterized as the “worst of times,” but as followers of Jesus, these are the best of times. We were BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!! Be equipped to use your weapons of warfare to set the captives free. By the final pages, may you be able to declare with confidence, “I AM NO LONGER ENSLAVED!” Read more

Over 100,000 Copies Sold Worldwide!Understand Scripture on Its Own TermsWhat was clear to the original readers of Scripture is not always clear to us. Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example:When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty—that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry.Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himself."Western individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family.Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways.Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ. Read more

"Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ …" (Romans 16:9)"As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker in your service …" (2nd Corinthians 8:23)"Epaphroditus – my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier …" (Philippians 2:25)"… together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers …" (Philippians 4:3)"These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers …" (Colossians 4:11)"… and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker …" (1st Thessalonians 3:2)"To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker …" (Philemon 2)“The term sunergos (fellow worker, helper, co-worker) is used in the New Testament to describe individuals who work alongside others in the ministry of the Gospel. It emphasizes collaboration and partnership in the work of God. The word conveys a sense of unity and shared purpose among believers as they labor together for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.” - Berean Strong’s LexiconAs Paul took the Gospel into the Graeco-Roman world, who were the men and women who partnered with him? In Paul’s letters, their names are sometimes found within a verse or passage from which some biographical or historical information can be gleaned. In these places, Paul might disclose a co-worker’s role within his ongoing work, divulge the part they played in some internal controversy, or even eulogize their passing. When also found in the Book of Acts, additional clues are occasionally available that help one to further discern the “when, where, and how” of the co-worker’s involvement in Paul’s missionary endeavors.These men and women are First Century heroes of the Christian faith, often toiling in those cities where Paul’s work had begun, or where he desired to bring his teachings. Paul will sometimes be on the periphery as these stories are told, though it is he who directs the co-workers as they move from city to city, sometimes accompanying him, sometimes delivering his correspondence, and sometimes representing him to the congregations in his absence. From the New Testament writings, the co-workers appear as a colorful band, disparate in origins, but united towards a singular goal. Within this retinue, one finds the following:The first known European convert.A married couple who were refugees.A prophet.A Levite.A slaveowner.The first known Christian from Alexandria (Egypt).A married couple who were Christians prior to Paul.A man who Paul had circumcised.One who almost died - and one who did.Two who also worked with Peter.Two who are accredited with writing Gospels. And one who deserted the imprisoned Paul because "he was in love with this present world."Contending with Paul 3 will examine each of these characters, and many others, providing historical context, biographical information, and insights. These are figures who deserve to be known - and this is what the New Testament tells us about them. Read more

An Amazon.com #1 New Release in "Christian Education" & "Christian Bible History and Culture" (November 2024)#1 Best Seller in "Christian Theology - English Language" (Germany, February/March 2025)#2 Best Seller in "Christian History" (United States, December 2024)#2 Best Seller in "Theology" (Canada, April 2025)The Christian New Testament is best understood as a library. Housed upon its shelves are twenty-seven works, thirteen of which are letters that purport to be written by Paul. Yet, since the 1800s, scholars have adamantly disputed Paul's authorship of six of these. Why? What is found within the six Disputed Letters that raises such doubt?Hidden within these letters are statements such as the ones below which sound very unlike the Paul of the seven Undisputed Letters:* Women achieve salvation through childbirth: "Yet she will be saved through childbearing providing they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty." (1st Timothy 2:15)* Women are to be subjugated within the church: "I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent." (1st Timothy 2:12)* Slaves must obey their masters as they would obey Jesus: "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ..." (Ephesians 6:5)* Jesus' sufferings were insufficient for the Church, but Paul's are not: "I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church." (Colossians 1:24)And, if written by Paul, how does 1 Timothy 5:18 quote Luke 10:7 ("... for the laborer deserves to be paid."), and call it scripture, when Paul had been dead for decades prior to the Gospel of Luke being written?"Contending with Paul 2" examines the journeys of all thirteen of Paul's letters and the Book of Hebrews. Approaching these letters as historical documents, the author looks through the eyes of the scholars in order to understand all the ways in which the six Disputed Letters have raised their skepticism. Thus begins a detective story. In the end, what is uncovered will enrich the reader’s knowledge of all of Paul’s letters, and will provide much to consider regarding the six Disputed Letters and the power they continue to wield. Read more

Preaching Magazine Year's Best Book for PreachersWhere is the cross in the parable of the prodigal son?For centuries, Muslims have called attention to the father's forgiveness in this parable in order to question the need for a Mediator between humanity and God. In The Cross and the Prodigal, Kenneth E. Bailey--New Testament scholar and long-time missionary to the Middle East--undertakes to answer this question.Drawing on his extensive knowledge of both the New Testament and Middle Eastern culture, Bailey presents an interpretation of this parable from a Middle Eastern perspective and, in doing so, powerfully demonstrates its essentially Christian message. Here Bailey highlights the underlying tensions between law and love, servanthood and sonship, honor and forgiveness that grant this story such timeless spiritual and theological power. Read more

Strange but True Bible FactsDid you know:that King David swore like a sailor?that the Book of Ecclesiastes encourages drinking, especially beer?that mandrakes were the biblical equivalent of Viagra®?that the law of Moses prescribes bikini waxing?that Joseph's "coat of many colors" might have actually been a dress?that Eve might have been created, not from Adam's rib, but from something a little lower down?Discover all this, and more, in The Uncensored Bible. Read more

Top International Best Seller Rankings since publication (see international reviews at bottom of page):#1 in "Biographies of Judaism" (United Kingdom, June 2024 & Feb./March 2025)#1 in "Theology and Philosophy of Religion - English Language" (Italy, March 2025)#1 in "Historical Jesus" (Canada, April 2025)#2 in "Christian History" (United States, August 2024)#2 in "Christian Theology - English Language" (Germany, February 2025)#4 in "Christian History" (Australia, Feb./March 2025)Using a blend of history, theology, biography, and literary criticism, Contending with Paul focuses primarily on the first two generations of the Christian movement. It is the first generation who would initially debate how the message of Jesus should be presented to the Gentile world (non-Jews) and what would be expected of those Gentiles who desired to follow Jesus. It is the second generation of believers who began to write in a new literary genre that Christians call “gospels.” The Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark, and the Gospel of Luke, are the earliest three to have survived, and it is through these writings that the debates of the first generation get carried forward by the second. Though all three gospels were written after the death of Paul, it is asserted by the author that each gospel writer contended with his continuing influence in some way, though each from their own distinctive vantage point.Paul’s influence may be underestimated if one only counts his 13 extant works in the New Testament. For the benefit of using a round number, it can be estimated that Paul ministered for 30 years. Also, for the sake of a round number, the churches and individuals to whom he corresponded may be estimated to be 20. Supposing he wrote to each of these entities twice a year, Paul’s total ministerial correspondence would rise from his 13 extant works to an output of 1,200. Paul would likely have been a dynamic figure in person as well. He is portrayed as a vigorous traveler and a gifted debater. Herein lies the influence. Not only is it credible that this influence would have been felt by the gospel writers, it may have been impossible for them to completely insulate themselves from it.Paul’s base of power had been outside of Judea, in many of the larger Greek speaking cities of the Graeco-Roman world, and this is where his influence resided. It is here where Paul founded his churches, and it is here where his letters would have been received, preserved, and compiled. It is from this matrix that a Gentile believer would compose the first gospel, Mark, around 70 CE, some six years after Paul’s death. Matthew writes his gospel sometime after 80 CE, partially in rebuttal of Mark’s pro-Paul and anti-Mosaic Law themes. Several years after Matthew, Luke pens his two-volume work, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles (Luke-Acts). As the author details, Luke takes issue with his predecessors on several theological fronts.The author’s goal is for you to understand the figures of this era better: Peter, the chief Apostle; James, the brother of Jesus; Paul, the new believer; and the writers that have come to be known to history as Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This book expounds on the fascinating interactions between these figures, and how these interactions shaped much of the anthology we now call the New Testament.Even today Christian groups can find themselves breaking apart into ideological camps. As with the Early Church, conflicts may be argued in person, resolved by committee, or debated through literary composition. Therefore, nothing within this book should be astonishing, for they are not so different from us. Read more

For contemporary Western readers, it can be easy to miss or misread cultural nuances in the New Testament. To hear the text correctly we must be attuned to its original context. As David deSilva demonstrates, keys to interpretation are found in paying attention to four essential cultural themes: honor and shame, patronage and reciprocity, kinship and family, and purity and pollution.Through our understanding of honor and shame in the Mediterranean world, we gain new appreciation for how early Christians sustained commitment to a distinctive Christian identity and practice. By examining the protocols of patronage and reciprocity, we grasp more firmly the connections between God’s grace and our response. In exploring kinship and household relations, we grasp more fully the ethos of the early Christian communities as a new family brought together by God. And by investigating the notions of purity and pollution along with their associated practices, we realize how the ancient map of society and the world was revised by the power of the gospel.This new edition is thoroughly revised and expanded with up-to-date scholarship. A milestone work in the study of New Testament cultural backgrounds, Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity offers a deeper appreciation of the New Testament, the gospel, and Christian discipleship. Read more

This anthology presents a broad range of primary sources and expert commentary that contextualize the historical Jesus in his world.This landmark volume places the gospel narratives in their full literary, social, and archaeological context. More than twenty-five internationally recognized experts offer new translations and descriptions of texts that shed new light on the Jesus of history, including pagan prayers and private inscriptions, miracle tales and martyrdoms, parables and fables, divorce decrees and imperial propaganda.The translated materials—from Christian, Coptic, and Jewish as well as Greek, Roman, and Egyptian texts—extend beyond single phrases to encompass the full context, thus allowing readers to locate Jesus in a broader cultural setting than is usually made available. This book demonstrates that only by knowing the world in which Jesus lived and taught can we fully understand him, his message, and the spread of the Gospel.Gathering material that was previously available only in disparate sources, this formidable book provides innovative insight into matters no less grand than first-century Jewish and Gentile life, the composition of the Gospels, and Jesus himself. Read more

Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award FinalistA Comprehensive Look at Women Who Built the Early ChurchWomen were there. For centuries, discussions of early Christianity have focused on male leaders in the church. But there is ample evidence right in the New Testament that women were actively involved in ministry, at the frontier of the gospel mission, and as respected leaders.Nijay Gupta calls us to bring these women out of the shadows by shining light on their many inspiring contributions to the planting, growth, and health of the first Christian churches. He sets the context by exploring the lives of first-century women and addressing common misconceptions, then focuses on the women leaders of the early churches as revealed in Paul’s writings. We discover the major roles of people such as:Phoebe, Paul’s trusted coworkerPrisca, strategic leader and expert teacherJunia, courageous apostleNympha, representative of countless lesser-known figuresWhen we understand the world in which Jesus and his followers lived and what the New Testament actually attests about women in the churches, it becomes clear that women were active participants and trusted leaders all along. They were welcomed by Paul and other apostles, were equipped and trained for ministry leadership, instructed others, traveled long distances, were imprisoned—and once in a while became heroes and giants.The New Testament writers tell their stories. It's time for the church to retell them, again and again. Read more

Discover delicious recipes and a health resource you'll use for years as you seek to live a healthy life and follow in Jesus' footsteps.Jesus cared about the health of people. After all, many of his healing miracles are a testimony to that fact. In What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook, renowned physician and New Your Times bestselling author, Dr. Don Colbert presents a delicious combination of fascinating biblical insights, the latest in medical research, and simple yet satisfying recipes that will feed your body and soul. Join Dr. Colbert, a board-certified family practice doctor for more than 25 years and a board-certified practitioner through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine as he shares:90+ simple yet healthy recipes that anyone can makeKey takeaways at the end of each chapter that provide answers to frequently asked questionsInformation about anxiety, autoimmune disorders, cancer, diabetes, fatigue, food allergies, inflammation, insomnia, Lyme disease, memory loss, migraines, thyroid disease, and weight lossHelpful advice to help you choose organic options and eat cleanTips on freezing foods, baking pan suggestions based on cups/servings, and easy ingredient substitution suggestions If you want to live a healthier lifestyle that aligns with your faith, let the What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook be your guide along the way. With life-changing information designed to improve every aspect of your well-being, this isn't just a cookbook--it's a resource you'll turn to time and time again. Read more

ECPA Top Shelf Book Cover Award Long before the words of the Bible were written, God's communication through the spoken word rang out loud and clear. Jesus in particular commissioned representatives to speak on his behalf even during the time of his earthly ministry. And yet today we are a reading culture. It is easy for modern Christians to take for granted that the Bible was handed down in written form, but the way we receive God's message is far different from how the original hearers would have heard it. These differences not only shape the way that we hear God's message to his people, but they put us at risk of misunderstanding his revelation.In Hear Ye the Word of the Lord, biblical scholar D. Brent Sandy explores how oral communication shaped the ways that biblical writers received God's message—and even more importantly, how the ancient and modern faithful receive it through hearing. Filled with helpful biblical insights related to oral communication and constructive ways for modern readers to become better hearers and performers of Scripture, Hear Ye the Word of the Lord provides a constructive way forward for readers interested in exploring how we can better hear God's Word. Read more

Preaching magazine Year's Best Book for PreachersOne of humanity's most basic and common practices—eating meals—was transformed by Jesus into an occasion of divine encounter. In sharing food and drink with his companions, he invited them to share in the grace of God. He revealed his redemptive mission while eating with sinners, repentant and unrepentant alike.Jesus' "table fellowship" with sinners in the Gospels has been widely agreed to be historically reliable. However, this consensus has recently been challenged, for example, by the claim that the meals in which Jesus participated took the form of Greco-Roman symposia—or that the "sinners" involved were the most flagrantly wicked within Israel's society, not merely the ritually impure or those who did not satisfy strict Pharisaic standards of holiness.In this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume, Craig L. Blomberg engages with the debate and opens up the significance of the topic. He surveys meals in the Old Testament and the intertestamental period, examines all the Gospel texts relevant to Jesus' eating with sinners, and concludes with contemporary applications.Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead. Read more

Preaching's Preacher's Guide to the Best Bible ReferenceAn Expansive Old Testament Resource You Can TrustHow can we account for the "Book of the Law" suddenly being discovered during Josiah's renovation of the temple (2 Chron 34:14)? We know from Egypt and Mesopotamia that it was common to seal important documents--including theological documents--in the masonry or foundations of a palace or temple in order to inform a future king who might undertake restoration of the building.What might the psalmist have had in mind when praising God for removing our transgressions "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps 103:12)? In an Egyptian hymn to Amun-Re, the deity is praised for his judgment of the guilty. As a result of the god's discernment the guilty are assigned to the east and the righteous to the west.What is meant by God "weighing the heart" (Prov 21:2)? In Egyptian religious tradition we find the notion of the dead being judged before the gods. As the soul is examined, the dead person's heart is weighed in a scale against a feather symbolizing Truth. If the answers are correct and the heart does not outweigh the feather, the soul may enter the realm of everlasting life.The narratives, genealogies, laws, poetry, proverbs and prophecies of the Old Testament are deeply rooted in history. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists have greatly advanced our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. When we illuminate the stories of Abraham or David, the imagery of the Psalms or Proverbs, or the prophecies of Isaiah or Jeremiah with this backlight of culture and history, these texts spring to new life. The unique commentary joins The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament in providing historical, social and cultural background for each passage of the Old Testament. From Genesis through Malachi, this single volume gathers and condenses an abundance of specialized knowledge--making it available and accessible to ordinary readers of the Old Testament. Expert scholars John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas have included along with the fruits of their research and collaborationa glossary of historical terms, ancient peoples, texts and inscriptionsmaps and charts of important historical resourcesexpanded explanations of significant background issuesintroductory essays on each book of the Old TestamentThe IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament will enrich your experience of the Old Testament--and your teaching and preaching from Scripture--in a way that no other commentary can do. Read more

Discover new dimensions of insight with a behind-the-scenes tour of the ancient worldYou’ve heard many Bible stories hundreds of times, but how many details are you missing? Sometimes a little context is all you need to discover the rich meaning behind even the most familiar stories of Scripture. That’s what the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible provides. Every page of this NIV Bible is packed with expert insight into the customs, culture, and literature of biblical times. These fascinating explanations will serve to clarify your study of the Scriptures, reinforcing your confidence and bringing difficult passages of Scripture into sharp focus.The Bible was originally written to an ancient people removed from us by thousands of years and thousands of miles. The Scriptures include subtle culturally based nuances, undertones, and references to ancient events, literature and customs that were intuitively understood by those who first heard the texts read. For us to truly understand the Scriptures as they did, we need a window into their world and language.The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, with notes from Dr. John H. Walton (Wheaton College) in the Old Testament and Dr. Craig S. Keener (Asbury Theological Seminary) in the New Testament, brings the ancient world of Scripture to life for modern readers. Features:Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV)2017 ECPA Bible of the Year RecipientTargeted book introductions explain the context in which each book of the Bible was writtenInsightful and informative verse-by-verse study notes reveal new dimensions of insight to even the most familiar passagesKey Old Testament (Hebrew) and New Testament terms are explained and expanded upon in two helpful reference featuresOver 300 in-depth articles on key contextual topics375 full-color photos, illustrations, and images from around the worldDozens of charts, maps, and diagrams in vivid colorWords of Jesus in redCross references, a concordance, indexes and other helps for Bible study Read more

Have We Misunderstood the Ten Commandments? Have you ever wondered what the Old Testament—especially the Old Testament law—has to do with your Christian life? You are not alone. Some Christian leaders believe we should cast off the Old Testament now that we have the New. Carmen Joy Imes disagrees.In this warm, accessible volume, Imes takes readers back to Sinai, the ancient mountain where Israel met their God, and explains the meaning of events there. She argues that we've misunderstood the command about "taking the Lord's name in vain." Instead, Imes says that this command is about "bearing God's name," a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture. The story of Israel turns out to be our story too, and you'll discover why Sinai still matters as you follow Jesus today.Bearing God's Name offers:An opportunity for readers to revisit the story of Israel as they trudge through the wilderness from a grueling past to a promising future,An appendix with resources from The Bible Project, andDiscussion questions for individual reflection or group conversation. Read more

The gospel of Jesus Christ is always situated within a particular cultural context. But how should Christians approach the complex relationship between our faith and our surrounding culture?Should we simply retreat from culture? Should we embrace our cultural practices and mindset? How important is it for us to be engaged in our culture? And how might we do that with discernment and faithfulness? William Edgar offers a rich biblical theology in light of our contemporary culture that contends that Christians should—indeed, must—be engaged in the surrounding culture. By exploring what Scripture has to say about the role of culture and by gleaning insights from a variety of theologians of culture—including Abraham Kuyper, T. S. Eliot, H. Richard Niebuhr, and C. S. Lewis—Edgar contends that cultural engagement is a fundamental aspect of human existence. He does not shy away from those passages that emphasize the distinction between Christians and the world. Yet he finds, shining through the biblical witness, evidence that supports a robust defense of the cultural mandate to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it," (Genesis 1:28). With clarity and wisdom, Edgar argues that we are most faithful to our calling as God's creatures when we participate in creating culture. Read more