World Theology

The Bible is filled with stories of God using ordinary people in extraordinary ways to change the world. Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, and others were just regular, imperfect people who chose to obey God's call - and what a difference that made! God is still in the business of transforming his followers into world changers, and that includes you.

In Twisted Unto Destruction, Donald J. Johnson (Convinced, Unprotected) shows how ditching the Church in favor of private Bible interpretation has also enabled some of the modern world’s worst crimes and vices. Once an Evangelical Protestant who took sola scriptura for granted, Johnson came to realize that setting ourselves up as little Magisteriums—whose opinions on the Bible’s meaning have to be as valid as anyone else’s—not only leads to endless splintering, but makes it possible to use Scripture to justify anything.

The figure of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) has become a clay puppet in modern American politics. Secular, radical, liberal, and evangelical interpreters variously shape and mold the martyr’s legacy to suit their own pet agendas. Stephen Haynes offers an incisive and clarifying perspective. A recognized Bonhoeffer expert, Haynes examines “populist” readings of Bonhoeffer, including the acclaimed biography by Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

In a shallow light-speed world, how can we really know and be known by another person? How do we make true friends? The Digital Age is all about change, but the need for true friendship never changes. We are designed for real engagement with others - for affirmation that goes beyond a simple "like" on social media, for connection over meals, for hope and excitement about the future. Above all, we need to be known and accepted for who we are.

Both inside and outside the church, people are asking the same question: Is this the end of the world? With a global pandemic that has killed millions; nations spending millions of dollars to update their nuclear weapons arsenals; and an increase in fire, floods, plagues, and other natural disasters, Christians and non-Christians alike are concluding that history appears to be drawing to a close. Yet Dr. Michael Youssef says now is not the time to fear.

With a foreword by James Martin, this classic manual on the Reformation by Martin Marty answers the question: Why is the Reformation relevant today? Most importantly, this audiobook is about how the Reformation impacts us devotionally as Christians of any denomination. Accessible for church groups or personal listening, this is not a historical narrative of Reformation events, but an explanation of the issues that led to Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses and their implications for the Church and the world.

Throughout much of the 19th century, both secular and Catholic leaders assumed that the Church and the modern world were locked in a battle to the death. The triumph of modernity would not only finish the Church as a consequential player in world history; it would also lead to the death of religious conviction. But today, the Catholic Church is far more vital and consequential than it was 150 years ago.

He had science and an Ivy League pedigree―why did he need God? Immersed in his physics studies at Cornell, Tom Rudelius never thought much about God until his brother, a new convert to Christianity, challenged him to explore faith. To placate his twin, he reluctantly began exploring the Bible and the life of Jesus. Seeking proof of God’s existence, he found himself in a world of uncertainty, faced with plenty of reasons for both faith and doubt. In Chasing Proof, Finding Faith, Tom, now a rising young theoretical physicist, traces his journey to unexpected faith.

Carpocrates, Marcellina, and Epiphanes is the definitive study of the early Christian theologian Carpocrates, his son Epiphanes, and the leader of the Carpocratian movement in Rome, Marcellina. It contains the first full-length study of and commentary on the fragments of Epiphanes, the earliest reports on Carpocrates and Marcellina, as well as the Epistle to Theodore (containing the so-called Secret Gospel of Mark). Listeners also encounter an up-to-date history of research on the Carpocratian movement, and three full profiles of all we can know from the earliest Carpocratian leaders.

Why do we buy what we buy, vote the way we vote, eat what we eat, and say what we say? Why do we have the friends we have, and work and play as we do? It's our choice? Yes, but there are forces, often unseen, that shape every decision we make and every action we take. These hidden, life-shaping values and ideas are not promoted through organized religions or rival philosophies but fostered by cultural habits, lifestyles and the institutional structures of society.

In this collection of original writing, 16 of the most revered teachers in religion and psychology celebrate their personal experiences with the divine. Their words will inspire and challenge you to improve the quality of your life, and in turn, of the world around you. You'll hear the highly-regarded actors Candace Barrett and Raye Birk read from the works of the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Sue Bender, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Wayne Dyer, Barbara De Angelis, Riane Eisler, Shakti Gawain, Brooke Medicine Eagle, Thich Nhat Hanh, Andrew Harvey, Harold Kushner, David Steindl-Rast, Marsha Sinetar, Huston Smith, and Marianne Williamson.

In this compelling audiobook, Scot McKnight shares his personal experience in the Church as well as his study of the Apostle Paul to answer this significant question: What is the Church supposed to be?

Tim Chester invites a new generation to experience the Christian life as John Stott envisioned it - not simply a theological puzzle to be solved, but the daily practice of humble service and compassion found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Building on years of research, writing, and cross-cultural ministry, renowned author and theologian David Wells calls our attention to that which defines God's greatness and gives shape to the Christian life: the holy-love of God. In God in the Whirlwind, Wells explores the depths of the paradox that God is both holy and loving, showing how his holy-love provides the foundation for our understanding of the cross, sanctification, the nature of worship, and our life of service in the world.

This substantive collection from noted scholar Serene Jones explores recent work in the field of trauma studies. Central to its overall theme is an investigation of how individual and collective violence affect one's capacity to remember, to act, and to love; how violence can challenge theological understandings of grace; and even how the traumatic experience of Jesus's death is remembered.

In The Everlasting Man, G. K. Chesterton paints the full panorama of human history in light of Christian tradition. Highly influential in C. S. Lewis' conversion from atheism to Christianity, this book continues to inspire new generations of listeners.

Profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, Iranian-born scholar Vali Nasr has become one of America's leading commentators on current events in the Middle East, admired and welcomed by both media and government for his "concise and coherent" analysis (Wall Street Journal). In this "smart, clear and timely" book (Washington Post), Nasr brilliantly dissects the political and theological antagonisms within Islam. He provides a unique and objective understanding of the 1,400-year bitter struggle between Shias and Sunnis, and sheds crucial light on its modern-day consequences—from the nuclear posturing of Iran's President Ahmadinejad to the recent U.S.-enabled shift toward Shia power in Iraq and Hezbollah's continued dominance in Lebanon.

Most Christians already believe they should be telling others about Jesus, but traditional methods are no longer as effective in today's post-Christian world. Thus, we may become frustrated, blame ourselves, or simply give up. Evangelism in a Skeptical World: Audio Lectures equips Christians with the principles and skills needed to tell the unbelievable news about Jesus to friends in a skeptical world.

A Defense of Calvinism is a classic text by Charles H. Spurgeon. This rendition is beautifully narrated by Bryan Nyman.

Deception has infiltrated every area of our society, from the daily headlines to the family dinner table. We were warned that this day would come - marking the generation that would witness the end of world as we know it. In this compelling, user-friendly guide, Pastor Matthew Hagee highlights how governments, technology, and world events are ushering in the terminal generation. You'll gain a greater understanding of the Master Architect's plan for humanity and his divine purpose for your life.