Since the dawn of science, ideas about the relation between science and religion have always depended on what else is going on in a society. During the twentieth century, daily life changed dramatically. Technology revolutionized transportation, agriculture, communications, and housework. People came to rely on scientific predictability in their technology. Many wondered whether God's supposed actions were consistent with scientific knowledge. The twenty-first century is bringing new scientific research capabilities. They are revealing that scientific results are not totally predictable after all. Certain types of interaction lead to outcomes that are unpredictable, in principle. These in turn may lead to a whole new range of potential interactions. They do not rule out the reality of a dynamic God who can act in the world without breaking the known principles of science. God may in fact work with "the way things really are." Human experience of God may accurately reflect this reality. Interactive World, Interactive God illustrates such new understandings in religion and science by describing recent developments in a wide range of sciences, and providing theological commentary. The book is written for intelligent readers who may not be specialized in science but who are looking for ways to understand divine action in today's world.

A New York Times bestseller people can believe in—by "a pioneer of the new urban Christians" (Christianity Today) and the "C.S. Lewis for the 21st century" (Newsweek). Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. Using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and potent reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand their ground against the backlash to religion created by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics, he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.

Christians generally believe that in prayer they are free in their act to petition God. Christians also believe that they pray to a God that is sovereign and omniscient. Kyle DiRoberts maintains that explanation as to how one affirms these two truths is dependent upon one’s account of divine providence, which determines how motivated the person is to offer petitionary prayer in the divine-human relationship. The theories of providence and their understanding of petitionary prayer discussed in this book include: compatibilism, hard determinism, open theism, and middle knowledge. Each of the theories of divine providence discussed in this book share a desire to construct a view concerning petitionary prayer that would propel the Christian toward God in relationship and then lead the body of Christ to pray without ceasing. DiRoberts argues that middle knowledge is the preferred theory of providence as it relates to petitionary prayer, because for middle knowledge, God’s sovereignty includes both his omniscience and libertarian human freedom.

There are five chapters of this book. The first chapter is the overview of the whole book and how the research was going to be conducted. It also gives the summary of law and love in the books of Paul. The interaction between law and love in Pauline writing has been an interesting topic, where we have discovered that the law of God cannot be separated from his agape love, which has followed mankind from creation and eventually leads him to eternity. We discovered that the law of God reveals Gods character, and that is his love. The law of God and his love are one and cannot be separated from each other. God gives the law to prove to man that he loves him deeply and eternally. The death of Jesus on the cross was the final crown of the proof of how much we mean to God and the length He can go to redeem us. He gave his all for our redemption. The plan of salvation is the perfect revelation of law and love in Pauline writings. Chapter 1 and 2 looks at law and love and the theology and ethics of law and love. The plan of salvation is laid bare and how the Jews missed the mark of spreading the Word to the whole world by holding to God as a Jewish God alone. In chapter 3 we discover the difference between the ceremonial law and the Decalogue. The ceremonial laws were pointing toward the coming of Jesus, and so with his arrival, they came to an end because they were pointing to his coming. The Decalogue was there and it will continue till the end of time when Jesus will come the second time. Chapter 4 is all about love and what it means to God and how he could not compromise his Decalogue and the meaning of redemption. Chapter 5 is the blending of law and love in Pauline writings. Keeping the law is not a problem when you love God and you know that God loves you; its not difficult to keep the Decalogue because your love supercedes the law. When you love someone, its easy to follow or keep the law. Gods Decalogue is a mirror and love is the crown of our redemption. For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son to die for man because His law could not be changed. Love will lift us up, such that doing and keeping Gods law will not be a burden but a pleasure because through Christs death, we realize how important we are to God.

Astrophilosopy, Exotheology, and Cosmic Religion: Extraterrestrial Life in a Process Universe applies Alfred North Whitehead’s process philosophy and the associated process philosophies of Henri Bergson, Teilhard de Chardin, and others to the interdisciplinary layers of astrobiology, extraterrestrial life, and the impact of discovery. This collection, edited by Andrew M. Davis and Roland Faber, asks questions such as “How have process thinkers imagined universal creative evolution and its implications for philosophies, theologies, and religions beyond earth?” and “How might their claims as to the primacy of organism, temporality, novelty, value, and mind enrich current discussions and debates across disciplines?” As experts in their fields, the contributors are informed by, but not limited to, process conceptualities. The chapters not only advance recent discussions in astrobiology, cosmology, and evolution but also consider a constellation of philosophical topics, from shared extraterrestrial knowledge and values to the possibilities or limitations afforded by A.I. technology, the Fermi Paradox, the Drake Equation, and the increasing need to nurture the cosmic dimensions of theological and religious traditions.

While many ancient Jewish and Christian leaders voiced opposition to Greek and Roman theater, this volume demonstrates that by the time the public performance of classical drama ceased at the end of antiquity the ideals of Jews and Christians had already been shaped by it in profound and lasting ways. Readers are invited to explore how gods and heroes famous from Greek drama animated the imaginations of ancient individuals and communities as they articulated and reinvented their religious visions for a new era. In this study, Friesen demonstrates that Greek theater’s influence is evident within Jewish and Christian intellectual formulations, narrative constructions, and practices of ritual and liturgy. Through a series of interrelated case studies, the book examines how particular plays, through texts and performances, scenes, images, and heroic personae, retained appeal for Jewish and Christian communities across antiquity. The volume takes an interdisciplinary approach involving classical, Jewish, and Christian studies, and brings together these separate avenues of scholarship to produce fresh insights and a reevaluation of theatrical drama in relation to ancient Judaism and Christianity. Acting Gods, Playing Heroes, and the Interaction between Judaism, Christianity, and Greek Drama in the Early Common Era allows students and scholars of the diverse and evolving religious landscapes of antiquity to gain fresh perspectives on the interplay between the gods and heroes—both human and divine—of Greeks and Romans, Jews and Christians as they were staged in drama and depicted in literature.

Evangelicals and other conservative Christians of the twenty-first century face enormous challenges in the pluralistic public square, not least with Muslims and atheists. Contrary to biblical injunctions to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25b) and to love our neighbors as ourselves (e.g., Matt 22:37–40; Luke 10:25–37)—both of which involve not only behavioral but also important affective elements—we often harbor deep-seated antipathies toward atheists and adherents of other religions. While such feelings are at times justified and help us cope with conflict-related tragedies, they are also often baseless, misconstrued, and counterproductive, priming us to avoid religious others, support discriminatory policies against them, and even confront them in verbal or physical ways. The purpose of this volume is to offer an academically informed yet practically oriented collection of essays that challenges and encourages Christians to engage their religious neighbors in a much more loving, compassionate, hopeful, and courageous—indeed, orthopathic—manner, whether in the realm of politics, in debate and conference venues, on the mission field, or in their own homes, schools, churches, and neighborhoods. As such, a set of reflection and discussion questions is included to facilitate individual and/or group study.

The problem of God's action in the world is at the heart of debates today on the relationship between science and religion. By analysing the issue through the lens of analytic philosophy, Marek Slomka reveals how philosophy can successfully bridge science and theology to bring greater clarity to divine action. This book identifies essential aspects from various branches of theism, starting with traditional Thomistic approaches, through to their modified forms such as Molinism and contemporary varieties such as free-will theism and probabilistic theism. Analysing crucial elements of God's nature including omnipotence, omniscience, his relation to time and the tension between immanence and transcendence, Slomka reveals the difficulties in proposing a single conception of God through one theistic tradition. Instead of simplistically juxtaposing particular theistic trends, he highlights the value of pluralistic insights that also draw on important scientific theories, including Darwin's evolution, quantum mechanics and cosmology. By taking a renewed stance on theism that takes into account modern scientific knowledge, Slomka argues for a new presentation of the problem of God's action in the world.

Is it possible to believe that our life in this world is all there is and be Christian? Karl Peters says yes. We can think about God as the creativity of the world. About our life as beginning when we were hydrogen atoms, so that everything is family. About how the evils of sexism, racism, and speciesism (climate change) arose in human history. Peters says that Jesus is fully human. His mother, Mary, was raped by a Roman soldier. And he is savior by being an inspiring moral example of how we should live—loving God completely and our neighbor as ourselves. Through evolution we are related to everything else. Therefore, we should love as family all varieties of humans, other species, and the planet itself.

As humans charge up the steep slope of technological innovation, digital age media increasingly shapes our perception of everything--even spiritual matters. The next stage of spiritual development may be the product of a digital interface between our own image of the divine, virtual reality technology that produces real perceptions, and with devices that stimulate areas of the brain associated with spiritual experience. This book explores the influence of digital media on spirituality and the impact of the digital environment on our experience of the spiritual world. The author predicts a future in which digital technology and neuroscience will combine to create a new understanding of the divine. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.