The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

Take in the full history of the Bible with a detailed account that focuses on its major empires, events and personalities. Written by a religious scholar who has taught at high school, college and adult levels, this historical exploration is organized around the major civilizations and epochs of the ancient world, beginning with Sumer and ending with Rome. Author Bruce W. Gore provides a thorough overview of major empires, such as the Assyrians or Babylonians, as well as more modest civilizations, such as the Phoenicians or Hittites. Learn how Cyrus the Persian, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and others changed the course of Christianity. In the course of historical exploration, this account also examines questions that may have puzzled readers of the Bible in the past: * Who was Sennacherib? * To which Assyrian king did Jonah preach, and did this make any difference in history? * What did the eight night visions of Zechariah mean in light of the rule of Darius the Persian? Study the Bible with an eye on its ancient setting and develop an understanding of its key people, places and civilizations with Historical and Chronological Context of the Bible.

Is the Christian message of Jesus Christ and his resurrection true? Using ten lines of historical evidence, Dr. Craig defends the probability that Jesus was resurrected following his crucifixion. He examines the origin of the Christian movement, and more provocative subjects, such as the Shroud of Turin, parapsychological phenomena and hallucinations.

This reissue of a 20th century classic emphasizes an understanding of God's revelation that takes seriously both the Bible itself and modern ideas about the nature of history. Includes a new Foreword by Ottati, which sets Niebuhr's work in the context of his other writings and explores the significance of this book.

The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul, discerning the thoughts of the heart. So proclaims te Epistle to the Hebrews. Yet for many persons the biblical Word of God is less a sharp sword than a crutch, supporting rather than piercing them. Interpreted as they have "always" heard it, scripture tells them exactly what they want to hear. Modern critical investigation of the Bible can change that radically, for now Christians and the churches are being told that the biblical authors did not always mean what they were thought to have meant when read through the spectacles of later interests. Because of its approach, some Protestants and Catholics believe the new biblical criticism is impious. Raymond Brown, a Catholic priest who is Auburn Professor of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, argues strongly to the contrary. Critically interpreted, the Bible is all the more critical to Christians and the Church. The challenge of the scriptures is unleashed, "piercing to the division of soul, discerning the thoughts of the heart." - Back cover.

Accessible to students of all religious backgrounds, this survey text covers every book in the canon and explains the historical and literary problems posed by the biblical texts. Comprehensive yet concise, groundbreaking in scholarship, and rich in pedagogical tools, this is an ideal textbook for one-semester courses on the Bible. Features “Questions for review and reflection”, full colour illustrations (including maps, time lines, charts and photos), “What to expect”, and “At a glance” sections, as well as sections presenting certain issues in more depth.

The Book of Revelation is a work of profound theology. But its literary form makes it impenetrable to many modern readers and open to all kinds of misinterpretations. Richard Bauckham explains how the book's imagery conveyed meaning in its original context and how the book's theology is inseparable from its literary structure and composition. Revelation is seen to offer not an esoteric and encoded forecast of historical events but rather a theocentric vision of the coming of God's universal kingdom, contextualised in the late first-century world dominated by Roman power and ideology. It calls on Christians to confront the political idolatries of the time and to participate in God's purpose of gathering all the nations into his kingdom. Once Revelation is properly grounded in its original context it is seen to transcend that context and speak to the contemporary church. This study concludes by highlighting Revelation's continuing relevance for today.

"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