In the first full-length study of the circumcision of Jesus, Andrew S. Jacobs turns to an unexpected symbol—the stereotypical mark of the Jewish covenant on the body of the Christian savior—to explore how and why we think about difference and identity in early Christianity. Jacobs explores the subject of Christ's circumcision in texts dating from the first through seventh centuries of the Common Era. Using a diverse toolkit of approaches, including the psychoanalytic, postcolonial, and poststructuralist, he posits that while seeming to desire fixed borders and a clear distinction between self (Christian) and other (Jew, pagan, and heretic), early Christians consistently blurred and destabilized their own religious boundaries. He further argues that in this doubled approach to others, Christians mimicked the imperial discourse of the Roman Empire, which exerted its power through the management, not the erasure, of difference. For Jacobs, the circumcision of Christ vividly illustrates a deep-seated Christian duality: the fear of and longing for an other, at once reviled and internalized. From his earliest appearance in the Gospel of Luke to the full-blown Feast of the Divine Circumcision in the medieval period, Christ circumcised represents a new way of imagining Christians and their creation of a new religious culture.

Originally published in 1983, Leo Steinberg's classic work has changed the viewing habits of a generation. After centuries of repression and censorship, the sexual component in thousands of revered icons of Christ is restored to visibility. Steinberg's evidence resides in the imagery of the overtly sexed Christ, in Infancy and again after death. Steinberg argues that the artists regarded the deliberate exposure of Christ's genitalia as an affirmation of kinship with the human condition. Christ's lifelong virginity, understood as potency under check, and the first offer of blood in the circumcision, both required acknowledgment of the genital organ. More than exercises in realism, these unabashed images underscore the crucial theological import of the Incarnation. This revised and greatly expanded edition not only adduces new visual evidence, but deepens the theological argument and engages the controversy aroused by the book's first publication.

Establishing a biblical theology of circumcision, this NSBT volume by Karl Deenick shows that the concepts of righteousness and faith are central to both the New Testament understanding and the developing Old Testament understanding of circumcision. They are held together by the unfolding promise of a blameless "seed of Abraham," Jesus Christ, through whose sacrifice the promised righteousness will finally come.

Why aren't Jewish women circumcised? This improbable question, first advanced by anti-Jewish Christian polemicists, is the point of departure for this wide-ranging exploration of gender and Jewishness in Jewish thought. With a lively command of a wide range of Jewish sources—from the Bible and the Talmud to the legal and philosophical writings of the Middle Ages to Enlightenment thinkers and modern scholars—Shaye J. D. Cohen considers the varied responses to this provocative question and in the process provides the fullest cultural history of Jewish circumcision available.

How many times have you thought about your own baptism? If you are one of the many who have been brought up in a church that includes infants, you probably don't even remember the waters running down. In our hurried world, not many stop to question a sacrament performed so long ago. Yet biblically, the sign was meant to signify your personal relationship with the God of the universe. What could be more important than this? At present, we face the reality that the way baptism is practiced has no choice but to portray crucial elements of the cross-covenant. Does this arrangement merely offer us salvation, or does it signify our actual participation in the redemptive work of Christ? Down through the centuries, whole denominations have divided sharply over the issue, a situation that still remains with us. But for those caught under the waters, a burning question lingers-where in all of this do I stand with God? On a personal level, if you were unaware of the proceedings on that special day, one might be very surprised to learn how Old Testament circumcision answers this most important question. From its historical origins, spiritual realities, and harsh consequences, the practice of infant baptism must be revealed for what it is--and is not. This book serves as a powerful resource for both layman and clergy to take a much deeper glimpse into the nature of covenant relationships. Once inside, the reader will come to understand all that has happened to both the Church and the Gospel message ever since infant membership became a cultural norm. A comprehensive effort in returning jurisdiction over the baptismal waters back to the priesthood of Christ, this works will possess lasting value for anyone who wants to stand upright and true before the King.

Superman is the original superhero, an American icon, and arguably the most famous character in the world--and he's Jewish! Introduced in June 1938, the Man of Steel was created by two Jewish teens, Jerry Siegel, the son of immigrants from Eastern Europe, and Joe Shuster, an immigrant. They based their hero's origin story on Moses, his strength on Samson, his mission on the golem, and his nebbish secret identity on themselves. They made him a refugee fleeing catastrophe on the eve of World War II and sent him to tear Nazi tanks apart nearly two years before the US joined the war. In the following decades, Superman's mostly Jewish writers, artists, and editors continued to borrow Jewish motifs for their stories, basing Krypton's past on Genesis and Exodus, its society on Jewish culture, the trial of Lex Luthor on Adolf Eichmann's, and a future holiday celebrating Superman on Passover. A fascinating journey through comic book lore, American history, and Jewish tradition, this book examines the entirety of Superman's career from 1938 to date, and is sure to give readers a newfound appreciation for the Mensch of Steel!

In The True Message of Jesus Christ, Dr. Bilal Philips claims that Jesus Christ was merely a prophet of Allah who reaffirmed the central message that was later revealed to Muhammad. Dr. Philips argues that although Jesus claimed to be the Son of God in the Bible, modern translations of the Bible are corruptions of the original revelations given by Allah. Only the Qur’an, which downgrades Jesus’ status from the Son of God to a prophet, reflects God’s true, uncorrupted message. This Reply to The True Message of Jesus Christ demonstrates that Dr. Philips’ arguments are flawed and suffer from serious weaknesses on multiple levels. First, Dr. Philips’ claims are not historically grounded. Second, he misconstrues the text and meanings of the Bible. Third, he employs circular reasoning to support his assertions. Fourth, the claims Dr. Philips makes with respect to the corruption of the Bible conflict with even the teachings of the Qur’an on the divine inspiration of the Torah and other Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Some of Dr. Philips’ claims about the Bible are correct, though ultimately, they relate to minor or ancillary points, such as discrepancies in extant biblical manuscripts as to a king’s age when he began to rule. While such minor discrepancies exist, they should be expected in the copying and transmission of texts over thousands of years and they do not suggest deliberate falsification of the text for dogmatic purposes. Such discrepancies do not alter the overall message of the Bible—that “God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life” (John 3:16). The True Message of Jesus Christ fails to persuasively demonstrate that man has corrupted the Bible, that the Qur’an is God’s true and divinely inspired book and that Jesus’ true message is that He is merely a prophet of Allah, rather than God’s sacrificial lamb, offered “as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Ultimately, the book fails to defeat the hope given to all who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Every group within Christianity has its own opinions on what Christianity really is. But who's right (if anyone)? With the letter to the Colossians, we have an opportunity to find an answer. Paul compares Christianity to another worldview and argues that Christianity is better. This book uses that comparison in order to understand Paul's Christian worldview. In this book, you will also find answers to some very difficult questions. 1.What is God's ultimate purpose for humanity? 2.Do we just do things because God told us to? 3.Why does Paul tell wives to obey their husbands? 4.Why does Paul tell slaves to obey their masters? 5.Why does God care what we do at all? 6.Why does God command these particular actions? 7.Why would we want to follow God's commands anyway? 8.How does following God's commands actually make us better people? Christianity is the point at which God acted through Christ to fix what was wrong with creation and bring the whole story to a different conclusion. In this book, you will see the big picture of Christianity and how all the dots connect--from start to finish.

The new edition of this popular textbook by leading theologian, Alister E. McGrath, will be essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the dynamics of the world’s largest religion. Fully revised to include greater coverage of the Catholic perspective, contemporary issues, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women, this is a truly comprehensive, lively, and jargon-free introduction to Christianity. Written for beginners to this subject, and assumes no knowledge of Christian beliefs or practices. Includes an introduction to biblical sources and discussion of the central figure of Jesus. Features comprehensive discussions of Christian theology, the history of Christianity from its origins to the present day, and Christianity in the modern world. Increases coverage of contemporary issues, the Catholic perspective, non-Western Christianity, globalization and women Contains accessible and student-friendly features, including numerous illustrations, suggestions for further reading, a glossary of Christian terms, and brief readings from illustrative Christian sources.