Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.

Privilege the Text! spans the conceptual gap between biblical text and life application by providing a rigorous theological hermeneutic for preaching. Kuruvilla describes the theological entity that is the intermediary between ancient text and modern audience, and defines its crucial function in determining valid application. Based on this hermeneutic, he submits a new mode of reading Scripture for preaching: a Christiconic interpretation of the biblical text, a hermeneutically robust way to understand the depiction of the Second Person of the Trinity in Scripture. In addition, Kuruvilla’s work provides a substantive theology of spiritual formation through preaching: what it means to obey God, the Christian’s responsibility to undertake “faith-full” obedience to divine demand, and the incentives for such obedience—all integral to understanding the sermonic movement from text to application. Privilege the Text! promises to be useful not only for preachers, and students and teachers of homiletics, but for all who are interested in the exposition of Scripture that culminates in application for the glory of God.

The Privilege of Love: Camaldolese Benedictine Spirituality is a collection of essays by Camaldolese monks, nuns, and oblates. After an introduction by Michael Downey and an overview chapter on Camaldolese Benedictine history and spirituality, three chapters center on the Benedictine aspects of spirituality, such as liturgy, lectio divina, and Word/Wisdom of God. The book focuses on Camaldolese sources, eremitical/cenobitical dialectic, and solitude, followed by chapters on Camaldolese ecumenical and interreligious involvement, as well as oblate spirituality. The concluding chapter comments on Camaldolese Benedictine spirituality in a post-Vatican II context.

A hope-filled expository guide to an epistle written to Christians in a society like ours. A must-read for Christians under cultural pressure. The book of 1 Peter could have been written for our times-a time of antagonism toward biblical ethics, and the marginalization of biblical Christians. Into that culture-our culture-Peter speaks of hope and offers joy as he points believers home to heaven. Juan Sanchez brings his experience of ministry in the US and Latin America, and his pastoral wisdom and insight, to this wonderful epistle-an epistle that every Christian needs to treasure today.

These study guides, part of a 16-volume set from noted Bible scholar John MacArthur, take readers on a journey through biblical texts to discover what lies beneath the surface, focusing on meaning and context, and then reflecting on the explored passage or concept. With probing questions that guide the reader toward application, as well as ample space for journaling, The MacArthur Bible Studies are an invaluable tool for Bible Students of all ages.

A Gentle Invitation into the Challenging Topic of Privilege The notion that some might have it better than others, for no good reason, offends our sensibilities. Yet, until we talk about privilege, we’ll never fully understand it or find our way forward. Amy Julia Becker welcomes us into her life, from the charm of her privileged southern childhood to her adult experience in the northeast, and the denials she has faced as the mother of a child with special needs. She shows how a life behind a white picket fence can restrict even as it protects, and how it can prevent us from loving our neighbors well. White Picket Fences invites us to respond to privilege with generosity, humility, and hope. It opens us to questions we are afraid to ask, so that we can walk further from fear and closer to love, in all its fragile and mysterious possibilities.

“Scripture frequently sums up a man’s life in a single sentence.” – Charles Spurgeon Inspired by the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, Warren Wiersbe launched a personal study of the lives of prominent Bible characters. Interested in more than biographical facts, Wiersbe sought out the themes of each person’s life as reflected in the pages of Scripture. How does the Bible summarize this person’s life? What is the key to understanding his or her character? How do I see my own life reflected in the life of this person? The Defining Verse takes you into the lives of sixty-three Biblical men and women who encountered an extraordinary God. For each, Wiersbe identifies a Scripture verse that sums up that individual’s life and then reflects on the lessons to be learned, both positive and negative. Now including a personal study for personal self-reflection, you will not only be challenged by these examples, you will be stimulated to consider what your “life sentence” will be. Previously released under the title Life Sentences.

A quirky, brilliant novel starring Chauncey Gardiner, an enigmatic man who rises from nowhere to become a media phenomenon—“a fabulous creature of our age” (Newsweek). One of the most beloved novels by the New York Times–bestselling and National Book Award–winning author of The Painted Bird and Pinball, Being There is the story of a mysterious man who finds himself at the center of Wall Street and Washington power—including his role as a policy adviser to the president—despite the fact that no one is quite sure where he comes from, or what he is actually talking about. Nevertheless, Chauncey “Chance” Gardiner is celebrated by the media, and hailed as a visionary, in this satirical masterpiece that became an award-winning film starring Peter Sellers. As wise and timely as ever, Being There is “a tantalizing knuckleball of a book delivered with perfectly timed satirical hops and metaphysical flutters” (Time).

We may think we control our own destinies, but who we are, how we think, what we feel, and how we act are shaped by multiple, intersecting identities that have different amounts of power and value in our society. Being Unequal explores how identity categories associated with race, class, gender, and sexuality help shape inequality. This concise and accessible book asks: How is identity experienced? How does identity help reproduce inequality? How does identity help resist inequality? What is the relationship between micro and macro inequality—in other words, how do our personal experiences shape larger social forces? Being Unequal argues that identities matter because they are a critical part of a complex social process in which everyday interactions contribute to larger systems of structural inequality. By recognizing the links between identity and inequality, Being Unequal also highlights the power of collective action to resist and oppose domination and exploitation. Filled with engaging real-world examples ranging from the social construction of momentary high school cliques to the emergence of momentous social movements, Being Unequal is a powerful introduction to social identities and the ways they shape our world.

Women historically have been denigrated as lower than men or viewed as privileged. Dr. Alice von Hildebrand characterizes the difference between such views as based on whether man's vision is secularistic or steeped in the supernatural. She shows that feminism's attempts to gain equality with men by imitation of men is unnatural, foolish, destructive, and self-defeating. The Blessed Mother's role in the Incarnation points to the true privilege of being a woman. Both virginity and maternity meet in Mary who exhibits the feminine gifts of purity, receptivity to God's word, and life-giving nurturance at their highest. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alice von Hildebrand received a master's degree and doctorate in philosophy from Fordham University in New York. She taught at the Hunter College of the City in New York, the Catechetical Institute in Arlington, Virginia, the Thomas More College in Rome, Italy, Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, and Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She lectures in Canada, South America, Western Europe and the United States, and is the author of several books including Greek Culture: The Adventure of the Human Spirit, A Philosophy of Religion, By Love Refined, By Grief Refined, and Soul of a Lion. She co-authored several books with her husband, Dietrich von Hildebrand, including The Art of Living, Morality and Situation Ethics, and Graven Images.