Translated selections of writings on ethics by Arius Didymus, Cicero, Crates, Demetrius of Phalerum, Dio Chrysostom, Diogenes, Diogenes Laertius, Epictetus, Epicurus, Hierocles, Horace, Isocrates, Julian, Lucian of Samosata, Maximus of Tyre, Melissa, Musonius Rufus, Pliny the Younger, Plutarch, Seneca, Sextus Empiricus, and Theano, and from the Gnomologium Vaticanum, Oxyrhynchus Papyrus, and Pythagorean Sentences.

Making use of letters--both formal and personal--that have been preserved through the ages, Stanley Stowers analyzes the cultural setting within which Christianity arose. The Library of Early Christianity is a series of eight outstanding books exploring the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts in which the New Testament developed.

The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage

Recent scholarship has challenged post-Reformation ideas about the early Christian doctrines of salvation. This ground-breaking book draws together the conclusions of recent scholarship into a compelling and clear view of the early Christian paradigm of salvation. It presents the case that the early Christians focussed not on Christ's death on the cross or 'saving faith', but on moral transformation. They saw Jesus as God's appointed teacher, prophet, and leader, who died as a martyr in order to teach them a new way of life. Their paradigm of salvation centred upon this way of life taught by Jesus, and on following faithfully his example and teachings. Part 1: 'How the Gospels present Jesus' explores the way in which the early Christians understood the teaching of Jesus. It highlights five themes of Jesus' message: economics and wealth, moral purity, social equality, the temple system, and physical and spiritual affliction. It shows why people viewed Jesus as a divinely appointed teacher, prophet, and leader, and saw his death as a martyrdom for his cause and movement. Part 2: 'Doctrines of the early Christians' presents the key early Christian doctrines of salvation and shows why several post-Reformation doctrines conflict with their views. It shows that the early Christians believed God's final judgment is made on the basis of character and conduct. They believed that by following Jesus and transforming their lives morally, they would obtain positive judgment and resurrection. This part shows how the early Christians' ideas of faith, justification, forgiveness and grace all fit into this paradigm. Part 3: 'The importance of Jesus' looks at why the early Christians considered Jesus so significant; they focussed on the moral transformation he brought to their lives. This part highlights what they believed Jesus achieved for them, and how they used sacrificial language to explain these beliefs. It explores the evidence for viewing Jesus' death as a martyrdom, and for seeing his resurrection as equally important. Part 4: 'Ideas throughout history' shows that Christians held this paradigm of salvation for several centuries. It outlines the key changes that occurred from the 4th century through to the Reformation, which moved tradition away from the early Christian ideas. Finally, it offers a critique of modern post-Reformation doctrines of salvation.

A collection of essays by three giants of twentieth-cenutry theology: Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Heinz Schurmann. Balthasar's and Schurmann's essays were written for the International Theological Commission. Schurmann examines how the New Testament's teaching provides enduring moral norms for Christian conduct. Balthasar presents nine basic principles of the Christian moral life. Ratzinger, who originally wrote this essay as a series of articles forÊL'Osservatore Romano, addresses the relationship between faith and morality, and the place of the Church's teaching authority with regard to moral issues.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

This book is the rhetorical approach to 1 Thessalonians, particularly on funeral orations. Though many scholars have interpreted 1 Thessalonians in light of a thematic perspective, mirror reading, and epistolary approach, the author asserts that Paul employs elements of epideictic funerary oratory to persuade his audience. Encountering the growing persecution, sufferings, and even death of members, the believers of Thessalonica needed encouragement. As a rhetorical strategist, Paul needed effective methods to answer these problems, which he did so with Greco-Roman funeral orations. Moreover, this book delves into the funerary language with the paradoxical concepts Paul uses to illustrate topoi and the purpose of funeral oration in 1 Thessalonians. Consequently, this book proves these ideas by showing how funeral orations shed light on the whole of 1 Thessalonians in the exordium (1 Thess 1:2–3), the narratio (1:4—3:10), the consolation and exhortation (4:1—5:15), and peroratio with prayer (5:16–28).

Examines the effects of European expansion on the language, social structure, economy, religion, and self-image of Navajo, Yaqui, Papago, and other native American communities

Ralph del Colle was born in New York City on October 3, 1954 and was raised in Mineola, Long Island. He attended Xavier High School in Chelsea and received a BA in History and Literature of Religions from New York University, and MDiv, MPhil, and PhD degrees from Union Theological Seminary. Ralph taught for 17 years in the Marquette University Theology Department; prior to that he taught at Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida and at St. Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire. Ralph's lively Christian faith and interest in church unity led to his participation in ecumenical dialogues. He served as a representative to the International Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue for the Pontifical Council on Christian Unity for 12 years and also served on the Catholic-Reformed Dialogue and Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue, both for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was invited by the Pontifical Council to serve as a representative to the World Council of Churches Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1998. In 2002-2003, he served as the President of the Society for Pentecostal Studies and in 2003 Ralph received the Archbishop's Vatican II Award. Ralph's scholarly work, especially his work on the Holy Spirit, made significant contributions to the field of Systematic Theology. Ralph died in July of 2012, slightly more than four weeks after he was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer. He was fifty-seven.