This major work examines the subject of Temple and Worship in biblical Israel, ranging from their ancient Near Eastern and archaeological background, through the Old Testament and Late Second Temple Judaism, and up to the New Testament. It is the product of an international team of twenty-three noted scholars. Special attention is paid to such subjects as the ideology of temples and the evidence for high places in Israel and the Canaanite world; the architecture and symbolism of Solomon's Temple; the attitude of various parts of the Old Testament to the Temple and cult, including that of several prophets; the light shed on Temple worship by the Psalms; the role and fate of the Ark of the Covenant; and the Day of Atonement. It also examines attitudes to the Temple in the Septuagint, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, first-century Judaism, and the New Testament. This important work is the product of an impressive array of twenty-three noted scholars. The contributors include John Barton, H.G.M. Williamson, John Day, Susan Gillingham, John Jarick, C.T.R. Hayward, Michael Knibb, George Brooke, Martin Goodman, Christopher Rowland and Larry Kreitzer.

Who was Jesus? Historical sources portray a person who was complex, multi-layered, and often contradictory to the tidy portrait that much of modern Christianity paints him as. Even the gospel accounts render him as both judge and healer, teacher and temple, servant and savior. A Doubter's Guide to Jesus is a persuasive and often challenging investigation into the historical figure found in the earliest sources. These sources, which include references both direct and indirect—from Roman, Jewish, and Christian accounts—offer us more than simple evidence that Jesus existed; they begin to form a picture that is both deeply credible and profoundly counterintuitive. Each chapter explores the evidence for a different aspect of the most influential figure in human history, exploring: His words and their impact. The scandal of his social life. His preference for the poor and lowly. The meaning of his death and influence of his promises. The goal is not to turn Jesus into something neater, more systematic and digestible; but to see him more clearly as someone who stretches our imaginations, confronts our beliefs, and challenges our lifestyles. After two millennia of spiritual devotion and more than two centuries of modern critical research, we still cannot fit Jesus into a box—and this is as challenging as it is deeply compelling.

This book gives readers a fresh understanding of the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus. It helps to narrow the gap between 'the historical Jesus' and 'the Christ of faith'.

How can I prepare to receive my endowment? What covenants will I make in the temple? How will I know if I’m ready? Temple scholar Alonzo Gaskill answers these questions and more in this long-awaited book. With thoughtful answers to your most burning questions while staying rooted in the scriptures and the words of prophets, this is an ideal resource to prepare Saints of all ages to attend the temple.

On a summer day in 1828, Book of Mormon scribe and witness Martin Harris was emptying drawers, upending furniture, and ripping apart mattresses as he desperately looked for a stack of papers he had sworn to God to protect. Those pages containing the only copy of the first three months of the Joseph Smith's translation of the golden plates were forever lost, and the detailed stories they held forgotten over the ensuing years--until now. In this highly anticipated work, author Don Bradley presents over a decade of historical and scriptural research to not only tell the story of the lost pages but to reconstruct many of the detailed stories written on them. Questions explored and answered include: Was the lost manuscript actually 116 pages? How did Mormon's abridgment of this period differ from the accounts in Nephi's small plates? Where did the brass plates and Laban's sword come from? How did Lehi's family and their descendants live the Law of Moses without the temple and Aaronic priesthood? How did the Liahona operate? Why is Joseph of Egypt emphasized so much in the Book of Mormon? How were the first Nephites similar to the very last? What message did God write on the temple wall for Aminadi to translate? How did the Jaredite interpreters come into the hands of the Nephite kings? Why was King Benjamin so beloved by his people? Despite the likely demise of those pages to the sands of time, the answers to these questions and many more are now available for the first time in nearly two centuries in The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon's Missing Stories.

Scripture tells us that the words of Jesus made people uncomfortable, confused, angry, repentant, worshipful, and riotous. Today, we read the words of Christ in a steady, even tone and find ourselves wondering if maybe we're missing something. Could it be that we've lost the emotional power of Jesus's words simply because we're too familiar with them? With incredible insight into the surprising and unsettling aspects of Jesus's parables and life, Matt Mikalatos reimagines familiar stories and parables in a modern-day setting, bringing alive for the contemporary reader all the controversy and conflict inherent in the originals. These emotional, sometimes humorous, and jaw-dropping retellings include the stories of the prodigal son, the good Samaritan, the lost coin, the feeding of the 5,000, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and more, asking provocative questions like What would be the modern equivalent of Jesus letting a "sinful woman" wash his feet? Who would be the hero of "The Good Samaritan"? How would Jesus tell the parable of the lost sheep in a city like Portland?

This fascinating, fast-moving overview of contemporary events shows why the Temple is significant in Bible prophecy and how, more than ever, Israel is ready to rebuild.

"Together" is a tale of one United Methodist Church that embraces a mission to "Love ALL people into relationship with Jesus Christ" and how they had to learn to accept the "ALL people" that Christ sent them to love.

\ Tending the Temple Product Description Best-selling Catholic author and speaker Kevin Vost ("Fit for Eternal Life and Memorize the Faith") takes the daily devotional to the next level: the fitness level! Together with popular author and fitness devotee Shane Kapler ("The God Who Is Love") and fitness expert and best-selling author Peggy Bowes ("The Rosary Workout"), Vost explores the ways in which a daily devotional can feed both the soul and the body. "Tending the Temple" is written with a daily spiritual meditation upon the life of a saint whose influence then becomes the foundation for a unique exercise for that day. The winning team of Vost, Kapler, and Bowes has created a truly distinctive way to begin each day in a faith-filled way and is sure to become a favorite for every person anxious to live out his or her faith both spiritually and physically. The glossary and health terms included as references are invaluable, and show the determination of Vost, Kapler, and Bowes to help the reader combine health of body with health of spirit. As they so passionately-and with wit and candor-remind the reader: It is never too late to care for your body the way God intended! "Tending the Temple "is a great place to see how body and spirit can work together for the ultimate in fulfillment: living as God planned-whole and holy. Product Review "Since all human beings are a union of body and spirit, care of the physical and spiritual have tandem importance. "Tending the Temple "is a surprisingly practical and engaging resource for those who have as their goal the edification of the entire person. It presents an excellent opportunity to use any day of the calendar year as an opportunity to start fresh on a plan for truth-centered self improvement. Readers will be pleasantly surprised at how sensible a healthful spiritual and physical routine can fit into the context of the Church's liturgical cycle." Matt Swaim, Producer, The Son Rise Morning Show on EWTN, author of The Eucharist and the Rosary and Prayer in the Digital Age