It would be a lie to say that the path to confirmation is easy; it isn’t without struggle. But, “with God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Annette’s journey to her confirmation as the First Lady of the church is filled with the highs and lows, prayer and infidelity, triumphs and missteps. But with love, commitment and an utmost dedication to God, she is rewarded each step of the way by Him. Ultimately, she transforms into a shining example for First Ladies of today and tomorrow. Annette Sessions wants Christian women to know that they have the inner strength to become an upstanding woman of faith.

Katharina von Bora. Defiant and determined, refusing to be intimidated. . . In many ways, it was this astonishing woman (not even her husband, Martin Luther, could stop her) who set the tone of the Reformation movement. In this compelling historical account of a woman who was an indispensable figure of the German Reformation—who was by turns vilified, satirized, idolized, and fictionalized by contemporaries and commentators—you can make her acquaintance and discover how Katharina's voice and personality still echoes among modern women, wives, and mothers who have struggled to be heard while carving out a career of their own. Author and teacher Ruth Tucker beckons you to visit Katie Luther in her sixteenth-century village life: What was it like to be married to the man behind the religious upheaval? How did she deal with the celebrations and heartaches, housing, diet, fashion, childbirth, and child-rearing of daily life in Wittenberg? What role did she play in pushing gender boundaries and shaping the young egalitarianism of the movement? Though very little is known today about Katharina. Though her primary vocation was not even related to ministry, she was by any measure the First Lady of the Reformation, and she still has much to say to Western women and men of today.

What does the Bible say about periods? The average woman has 500 periods in her lifetime. And whether yours are mildly annoying, utterly debilitating or emotionally complicated, most of us have at one time or another asked: Why?! This warm, light-hearted, real, honest and at times surprising book gives a biblical perspective on menstruation, as well as a whole lot more. Beginning with periods, Rachel Jones takes readers on an adventure in theology, weaving together wide-ranging reflections on the nature of our bodies, the passing of time, the purpose of pain, and the meaning of life. One thing is for sure: you’ve never read a Christian book quite like this one. Whether you’re in need of hope and help, or are just downright curious, you’ll be refreshed and encouraged by this book. As Rachel puts it, “Whoever you are, my aim is that you reach the end of this book celebrating who God has made you, how God has saved you, and the fact that he speaks liberating and positive truth into all of life’s experiences (even periods)”.

The role of women in positions of worship and church leadership is one of the most divisive and inconclusive biblical debates. Two Views on Women in Ministry furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary exegetical arguments so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities. Egalitarian - equal ministry opportunity for both genders (represented by Linda L. Belleville and Craig S. Keener) Complementarian - men and women fill distinctive ministry roles (represented by Craig L. Blomberg and Thomas R. Schreiner) This revised edition brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors. The fair-minded, interactive Counterpoints forum allows you to compare and contrast the two different positions and form your own opinion concerning the practical and often deeply personal subject of women in ministry. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

“Women of the Word will help all who read it to find their way deeper into the Word of God without having to be seminary educated, a genius, or even an especially good student.” —Kathy Keller We all know it’s important to study God’s Word. But sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. What’s more, a lack of time, emotionally driven approaches, and past frustrations can erode our resolve to keep growing in our knowledge of Scripture. How can we, as Christian women, keep our focus and sustain our passion when reading the Bible? With over 250,000 copies sold, Women of the Word has helped countless women with a clear and concise plan they can use every time they open their Bible. Featuring the same content as the first edition, and now with added study questions at the end of each chapter, this book equips you to engage God’s Word in a way that trains your mind and transforms your heart.

What if the most steadfast faith you'll ever encounter comes from a Black grandmother? The church mothers who raised Yolanda Pierce, dean of Howard University School of Divinity, were busily focused on her survival. In a world hostile to Black women's bodies and spirits, they had to be. Born on a former cotton plantation and having fled the terrors of the South, Pierce's grandmother raised her in the faith inherited from those who were enslaved. Now, in the pages of In My Grandmother's House, Pierce reckons with that tradition, building an everyday womanist theology rooted in liberating scriptures, experiences in the Black church, and truths from Black women's lives. Pierce tells stories that center the experiences of those living on the underside of history, teasing out the tensions of race, spirituality, trauma, freedom, resistance, and memory. A grandmother's theology carries wisdom strong enough for future generations. The Divine has been showing up at the kitchen tables of Black women for a long time. It's time to get to know that God.

"Magisterial. . . . A learned, brilliant and enjoyable study."—Géza Vermès, Times Literary Supplement In this exciting book, Paula Fredriksen explains the variety of New Testament images of Jesus by exploring the ways that the new Christian communities interpreted his mission and message in light of the delay of the Kingdom he had preached. This edition includes an introduction reviews the most recent scholarship on Jesus and its implications for both history and theology. "Brilliant and lucidly written, full of original and fascinating insights."—Reginald H. Fuller, Journal of the American Academy of Religion "This is a first-rate work of a first-rate historian."—James D. Tabor, Journal of Religion "Fredriksen confronts her documents—principally the writings of the New Testament—as an archaeologist would an especially rich complex site. With great care she distinguishes the literary images from historical fact. As she does so, she explains the images of Jesus in terms of the strategies and purposes of the writers Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."—Thomas D’Evelyn, Christian Science Monitor

This fully updated Sixth Edition of Religion in Sociological Perspective introduces students to the basic theories and methods in the field, and shows them how to apply these analytic tools to new groups they encounter. Authors Keith A Roberts and David Yamane explore three interdependent subsystems of religion—meaning, structure, and belonging—and their connections to the larger social structure. While they cover the major theoretical paradigms of the field and employ various middle-range theories to explore specific processes, they use the open systems model as a single unifying framework to integrate the theories and enhance student understanding.

New York Times Bestseller. With just the right mixture of humor and insight, compassion and incredulity, A Year of Biblical Womanhood is an exercise in scriptural exploration and spiritual contemplation. What does God truly expect of women, and is there really a prescription for biblical womanhood? Come along with Evans as she looks for answers in the rich heritage of biblical heroines, models of grace, and all-around women of valor. What is "biblical womanhood" . . . really? Strong-willed and independent, Rachel Held Evans couldn't sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment--a year of biblical womanhood. Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decides to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible's instructions for women as literally as possible for a year. Pursuing a different virtue each month, Evans learns the hard way that her quest for biblical womanhood requires more than a "gentle and quiet spirit" (1 Peter 3:4). It means growing out her hair, making her own clothes, covering her head, obeying her husband, rising before dawn, abstaining from gossip, remaining silent in church, and even camping out in the front yard during her period. See what happens when a thoroughly modern woman starts referring to her husband as "master" and "praises him at the city gate" with a homemade sign. Learn the insights she receives from an ongoing correspondence with an Orthodox Jewish woman, and find out what she discovers from her exchanges with a polygamist wife. Join her as she wrestles with difficult passages of scripture that portray misogyny and violence against women.