Study Commentaries

The African American Guide to the Bible makes the case for the relevance of the Bible from the perspective of people of color. It presents a comprehensive biblical view of topics of interest to African Americans and clarifies racial issues for White people.

The gospel of John comes alive in N. T. Wright's updated, listener-friendly translation and insightful commentary. He guides the listener through the world of the New Testament, explaining the ideas and events that shaped the gospel writer's account of the life of Jesus. Breaking down the gospel of John into brief, easy-to-study segments, Wright shows how the message of this ancient book speaks powerfully to the spiritual longings of contemporary listeners. New Christians and longtime followers of Jesus alike will find inspiration and practical wisdom for their journey within this book.

Combined for great value! The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. Full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play. Hear "A little touch of Harry" whenever you want to! Examine and appreciate the powerful language of leadership in this guided history play, considered to be Shakespeare's greatest creative statement about war.

Marilynne Robinson has built a sterling reputation as a writer of sharp, subtly moving prose, not only as a major American novelist, but also as a rigorous thinker and incisive essayist. In When I Was a Child I Read Books she returns to and expands upon the themes which have preoccupied her work with renewed vigor.

Between 1927 and 1979, more than 8,000 people were involuntarily sterilized in five hospitals across the state of Virginia. From this plain and terrible fact springs Elizabeth Catte's Pure America, a sweeping, unsparing history of eugenics in Virginia, and by extension the United States.

Duffy engages with some of the central aspects of Western religion in the thousand years between the decline of pagan Rome and the rise of the Protestant Reformation. In the process, he opens windows on the vibrant and multifaceted beliefs and practices by which medieval people made sense of their world: the fear of death and the impact of devastating pandemic, holy war against Islam and the invention of the blood libel against the Jews, provision for the afterlife and the continuing power of the dead over the living, the meaning of pilgrimage and the evolution of Christian music.

“Do you want peace?” asks James Montgomery Boice. “Are you willing to receive it at the point where Jesus indicated it may truly be found?" This fourth volume on the Gospel of John calls us to the peace that can be found in Christ’s love. Nowhere in the entire Bible can we walk on more holy ground as we listen to Christ’s final discourses.

Andrew Sullivan, “one of the most influential journalists of the last three decades” (The New York Times) and founding editor of The Daily Dish presents a collection of 60 his most iconic and powerful essays of social and political commentary from The New Republic, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, New York magazine, and more.

«Si solo leemos una obra de Chesterton —debería avergonzarnos si así fuera— ha de ser Ortodoxia. Seguramente, nadie ha defendido la fe cristiana con argumentos tan sorprendentes y ejemplos tan deslumbrantes, como Chesterton lo hizo en Ortodoxia. Una obra maestra de retórica que (...) realmente constituye uno de los libros mejor escritos del siglo XX» (Dale Ahlquist, presidente y cofundador de la American Society Ches- terton ). Ortodoxia es el libro más importante de una personalidad excepcional.

All of the Trees in the Bible is the complete scholar's handbook for Biblical research and study of trees found in Scripture.

Marilynne Robinson has plumbed the human spirit in her renowned novels, including Lila and Gilead, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In this new essay collection she trains her incisive mind on our modern political climate and the mysteries of faith. Whether she is investigating how the work of great thinkers about America, like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Alexis de Tocqueville, inform our political consciousness or discussing how beauty informs and disciplines daily life, Robinson's peerless prose and boundless humanity are on full display.

A multitude of Biblical stories have been censored, mistranslated, ignored, and even banned by religious authorities due to their erotic, violent, or mysterious content. Here, Jonathan Kirsch recounts some of the most startling and explicit writings from the Old Testament.

Also: The Old Testament: An Introduction, Part 1 and Part 2

Genesis begins the Bible and is foundational to it. In recent years, it has become commonplace for both humanists and churchmen to sneer at anyone who takes Genesis 1-11 as historical. Yet, to believe in the myth of evolution is to accept trillions of miracles to account for our cosmos. Spontaneous generation, the development of something out of nothing, and the blind belief in the miraculous powers of chance require tremendous faith.

The book of Galatians stands as one of the most powerful texts in the New Testament, filled with timeless truths and profound revelations about freedom, faith, and the unshakable grace of God. Written by the Apostle Paul, this letter served as a bold correction to early Christians who were drifting back into legalistic practices. It reminds believers, both then and now, that true spiritual life is not found in mere adherence to religious rules but in a dynamic, grace-filled relationship with Jesus Christ. In Rooted in Grace, we will journey through Paul’s inspired words to explore the ...

Nick Neely chronicles his 650-mile trek on foot from San Diego to San Francisco, following the route of the first overland Spanish expedition into what was soon called Alta California. Led by Gaspar de Portolá in 1769, the expedition sketched a route that would become, in part, the famous El Camino Real. It laid the foundation for the Golden State we know today, a place that remains as mythical and captivating as any in the world.

The book of Revelation in the Bible is not meant to be a mystery. At least not to those who wish to know its meaning. It is not a fantasy, even though there are angels, scorpion men, creatures, demons being let loose and seven-headed beasts emerging from the sea. It is a message from Jesus to His followers. He wanted to reveal what was going to happen in the last days. But understanding it does require knowledge of the Bible- Old Testament and New. It is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to its readers. That blessing includes being informed because the events Revelation ...

Here is Thomas Jefferson's classic abridgment of the Bible, in which Jefferson sculpted the words and ideas of Christ into a resounding moral philosophy. On and off for 17 years (including his term in the White House), Jefferson cut and pasted the philosophy of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture, into one compact statement. He omitted any references to the virgin birth, miraculous healings, demonic possession, or supernatural events of any kind. His aim was to distinguish the moral philosophy of Christ from the religion that was later created around Christ.

Refugia (reh-FU-jee-ah) is a term describing places of shelter where life endures in times of crisis, such as a volcanic eruption, fire, or stressed climate. Ideally, these refugia endure, expand, and connect so that new life emerges. Debra Rienstra applies this concept to human culture and faith, asking: In this era of ecological devastation, how can Christians become people of refugia? How can we find and nurture these refugia in our human cultural systems and in our spiritual lives? Refugia Faith speaks to people securely within the faith as well as to those on the edge.

This unique Bible Study looks at selected Psalms. Numerous readings from the Scriptures are given to apply each Psalm to your spiritual life. All Psalms and Bible Readings are printed out in full for you. Discussions for each Psalm include comments, insights, and reflections. Let these Psalms guide you to a better understanding of our gracious God. They will speak to your deepest needs and strengthen your faith in Christ. The New Testament quotes the Psalms to show how Jesus is the promised Messiah. Christ is the Savior that God promised to the Old Testament saints. The Psalms point us to ...

A few years ago, Mark Adams made a strange discovery: Everything we know about the lost city of Atlantis comes from the work of one man, the Greek philosopher Plato. Then he made a second, stranger discovery: Amateur explorers are still actively searching for this sunken city all around the world, based entirely on the clues Plato left behind.