Nature plays an important and often neglected role in Jewish apocalypses. Most Second Temple Jewish apocalypses (ca. 200 BC - AD 100) do not oppose the material world, but view nature as damaged by human and angelic sin. Rather than expecting God to destroy the world, many look forward to God's dramatic eschatological deliverance of nature from corruption. Although Romans 8:19-22 was not written in the genre of an apocalypse, it shares the basic apocalyptic world view. The Apostle Paul follows that stream of apocalyptic thought that looks forward to the transformation of creation by an eschatological divine act, the reversal of the damage caused by sin, and the perfection of nature to share glory with redeemed humanity. A comparison of nature in Jewish apocalypses and Romans 8:19-22 reveals important insights into the theology of early Judaism and its influence on early Christian thought.

Money is a fact of everyday life. We earn it, spend it and save it. We're tempted to worship it and to trust it to provide for our needs. Envy, misery, and destruction are found wherever money is worshiped. Why does this happen? Why has money become the way it is? And can money be moral? In Thank God for Bitcoin, we explore the ways in which the current monetary system is broken and what can be done to fix it. We explore money's creation, its corruption and its potential redemption. We look at how Bitcoin can redeem the ills of our corrupt monetary system and how the ongoing transition to sound money is a source of hope for a broken world.

Gregory Boyd seeks to defend his scripturally grounded trinitarian warfare theod-icy with rigorous philosophical reflection and insights from human experience and scientific discovery.

"Besides Jesus, no one has kept me from despair, or taken me deeper into the mysteries of the gospel, than the apostle Paul." —John Piper No one has had a greater impact on the world for eternal good than the apostle Paul—except Jesus himself. For John Piper, this impact is very personal. He does not just admire and trust Paul. He loves him. Piper gives us thirty glimpses into why his heart and mind respond this way. Can a Christian-killer really endure 195 lashes from a heart of love? Can a mystic who thinks he was caught up into heaven be a model of lucid rationality? Can an ethnocentric Jew write the most beautiful call to reconciliation? Can a person who lives with the unceasing anguish of empathy be always rejoicing? Can a man's description of the horrors of human sin be exceeded by his delight in human splendor? Can a man with a backbone of steel be as tender as a nursing mother? If we know this man—if we see what Piper sees—we too will love him. Paul's testimony is a matter of life and death. Piper invites you into his relationship with Paul in the hope that you will know life, forever.

with a Postcript coauthored by Michael W. Goheen In print for two decades and translated into eight languages, Albert Wolters's classic formulation of an integrated Christian worldview has been revised and expanded to reach new readers beyond the generation that has already benefited from this clear, concise proposal for transcending the false dichotomy between sacred and secular. Wolters begins by defining the nature and scope of a worldview, distinguishing it from philosophy and theology. He then outlines a Reformed analysis of the three basic categories in human history -- creation, fall, and redemption -- arguing that while the fall reaches into every corner of the world, Christians are called to participate in Christ's redemption of all creation. This Twentieth Anniversary edition features a new concluding chapter, coauthored with Michael Goheen, that helpfully places the discussion of worldview in a broader narrative and missional context.

Since the belief in a purely spiritual resurrection of Christ is prevalent in many cults, those involved in countering the rise and growth of cults would benefit greatly from reading this book. Dr. Walter Martin, author of 'The Kingdom of the Cults' Dr. Geisler's book is effectively designed as [an] antidote to the misery of turning Christ's factual resurrection into an event outside the bounds of ordinary history. Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, author of 'History and Christianity' Geisler demonstrates not only the danger in the theology of various cults but also the tendency to discount the bodily resurrection of the Lord, even among evangelicals. It is essential reading for every pastor and student. Dr. Paige Patterson, author of 'Song of Solomon' The proclamation that Jesus was raised in the same physical body in which he died is just as important today as it was in the first century. The book signals such a call to the importance of this doctrine. Dr. Gary Habermas, Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University

A thoughtful and provocative collection, in the vein of the intellectual spiritual classic The Weight of Glory, from N. T. Wright, the influential Bishop, Bible scholar, and bestselling author widely regarded as a modern C. S. Lewis. An unusual combination of scholar, churchman, and leader, N. T. Wright—hailed by Newsweek as “the world’s leading New Testament scholar”—is not only incredibly insightful, but conveys his knowledge in terms that excite and inspire Christian leaders worldwide, allowing them to see the Bible from a fresh viewpoint. In this challenging and stimulating collection of popular essays, sermons, and talks, Wright provide a series of case studies which explore how the Bible can be applied to some of the most pressing contemporary issues facing us, including: Why it is possible to love the Bible and affirm evolution Why women should be allowed to be ordained Where Christians today have lost focus, and why it is important for them to engage in politics—and why that involvement benefits everyone Why the Christian belief in heaven means we should be at the forefront of the environmental movement And much more Helpful, practical, and wise, Surprised by Scripture invites readers to examine their own hearts and minds and presents new models for understanding how to affirm the Bible in today’s world—as well as new ideas and renewed energy for deepening our faith and engaging with the world around us.

In a suffering world reeling from global pandemics and health disparities, it is high time to think theologically about the devastating experience of disease, and to address our God-inspired responsibility to understand its origins and engage in its management. In a fragmented world, we need a unifying and integrated perspective on people in communities embedded in a fractured ecology. In an academic world blind to the spiritual world and imbalanced toward technical solutions, the global church must articulate a contemporary metanarrative that is moral, practical, and deeply transformational. All Creation Groans brings together multiple perspectives for a compelling global-health approach to the pathologies of the world as a part of the missio Dei. The authors paint a unifying perspective on God's healing intentions in creation, redemption, and consummation, and the opposing nature-corrupting effects of the rebellion of created moral agents. It is a fresh call for the global church to engage in aligning with God's healing action for eternally sustainable global health.

What did the apostle Paul mean when he portrayed the creation as subjected to frustration and enslaved to destruction? What forms of frustration and destruction might he have seen throughout the Roman Empire? And how would he describe creation’s condition today? Creation’s Slavery and Liberation addresses these questions by tracing the story of creation as it appears in Paul’s own Scriptures (the Tanakh), Roman imperial propaganda, Paul’s letter to Rome, and U.S. industrial agriculture. This story reveals God to be the Creator who makes right (justifies) and makes alive through Jesus Christ and the Spirit. Because God liberates, justifies, and vivifies the entire creation and since—according to Paul—creation’s liberation is linked to humanity’s glorification, Paul expects Christians to pursue justice and nourish life. Burroughs encapsulates key justice-oriented and life-supporting practices in seven eco-ethical principles. To make these principles come alive, she describes the ways in which Roman imperial and American industrial regimes have caused injustice and destruction and, instead, proposes more regenerative approaches to growing, enjoying, and sharing our daily bread.