Showing titles in Biblical Biography

In How to Read the Bible, Harvard professor James Kugel leads the listener chapter by chapter through the "quiet revolution" of recent biblical scholarship, showing time and again how radically the interpretations of today''s researchers differ from what people have always thought.

The Book of Judges narrates one of the most chaotic and morally dark eras of Israel's story. Into this time comes one of the most unlikely leaders of the biblical text—the prophet Deborah. Also a wife, mother, priest, and judge, Deborah responds to her call and transforms chaos into order by leading Israel in one of the most pivotal victories of her time. Join beloved scholar and professor Dr. Sandra L. Richter as she illustrates the era of the Judges by means of the archaeological record, historical geography, cultural context, and the hard facts of warfare in the ancient world.

Jack Miles's book is a provocative and revisionary look at the life of Jesus, in which many of the most well-worn truths about Christ are recontextualized and revisited. It does not look for the historical Jesus, but takes the Gospels as the sole source about his life.

The study of Paul and his letters can be exciting, challenging, and life-changing, but only if it is done well and only if listeners achieve more than a basic familiarity with the subject. This is exactly what Pauline experts Bruce W. Longenecker and Todd D. Still accomplish with Thinking Through Paul: Audio Lectures.

While the Christian tradition has subordinated John the Baptist to Jesus of Nazareth, John himself would likely have disagreed with that ranking. In this eye-opening new book John the Baptist in History and Theology, Joel Marcus makes a powerful case that John saw himself, not Jesus, as the proclaimer and initiator of the kingdom of God and his own ministry as the center of God's saving action in history.

The life of Joseph is one of the Bible’s most cherished stories. After a beloved son is betrayed by his resentful brothers, he must endure years of slavery, false accusations, and wrongful imprisonment. At every turn, Joseph’s faith is tested, culminating in a pivotal question: Will he save his brothers in their hour of need? In this dramatic telling, Dr. R.C. Sproul shows how Joseph foreshadows the greater Deliverer, Jesus Christ, and encourages Christians to trust in the sovereign God who works all things for our good.

I think there is real hope to be found, in the middle of our deepest traumas, in the good news about Jesus Christ. I also think that there is a place for us to find hope and community within the church. Because of these two beliefs, I truly think, distant though it may be, that we may even get to a place of peace within our souls and a place of forgiveness for those who hurt us so much.

Exploring the depths of Elijah's fascinating life as a prophet of God, Swindoll doesn't gloss over his human weaknesses; rather, he presents an honest picture of this ordinary man who God transformed into His personal spokesman to confront idolatry and evil in the ancient world. In Elijah, renowned Bible teacher Swindoll analyzes the impact of the Old Testament prophet. Elijah was uncompromisingly strong, yet self-controlled. Disciplined, yet forgiving. Audaciously courageous, yet kind. Heroic in the heat of battle, yet humble in the aftermath.

Are you ready to open your imagination to the possibility that God has a vision for your life that is greater? We all have honest moments when we're gripped by a desire to feel that what we're doing matters more. That who we are matters more. And according to one of the most shocking verses in the Bible, Jesus wants the very same thing for every one of us. If you're tired of being ordinary, it's time to dream bigger. If you're feeling overwhelmed about where to begin, it's time start smaller.

Great Lives: Joseph presents a fresh look at one of the most intriguing characters in the Old Testament and focuses on the virtue of forgiveness in the face of deceit and betrayal. From the jealous rage that prompts his brothers to sell him into slavery to his astounding rise to national power, Charles Swindoll follows Joseph through temptation, imprisonment, his ascension in Egyptian society, and the brothers who deceived him. Despite the incredible challenges he faced, Joseph stood firm, exemplifying what's possible when ordinary people maintain their connections with God.

Dreams. Opportunity. Favor. Power. Blessings. Purpose. Jealousy. Conflict. Betrayal. Temptation. Prison. Difficulty. All of this and much more is found in the story of Joseph. His is a representative life in so many ways—an example for us all. Follow the adventures of Joseph and you will see both the positive and negative experiences of life. Most importantly, you will discover the one secret to the blessing of God at every stage in life: “The Lord was with Joseph.” Through his blessings and burdens, we learn how to live consciously in the presence of God.

Life is full of twists and turns. Relationships falter, careers fizzle, health fades. We may be faced with choices we never wanted to make or have situations pushed upon us we'd never expected. Yet, in all of it, God is at our side - even when he feels far away. Drawing on her extensive research into women of the Old Testament, novelist Jill Eileen Smith turns her pen to the lessons in trusting God that we can learn today.

In this audio Bible study series, bestselling author Kathie Lee Gifford, Rabbi Jason Sobel, and Rod and Libby VanSolkema explore the story of God's creation, redemption, and provision through the stories of key figures in the Bible who encountered him. Each study will provide viewers with fascinating "behind the scenes" details and clips from oratorios featuring Kathie Lee Gifford and other well-known personalities that bring the story to life with contemporary orchestral arrangements, powerful narration, and touching visuals.

David Limbaugh has examined Jesus Christ's life, his divinity, and the prophecies that preceded him in the Old Testament. Now, the best-selling author picks up after the Gospels in a captivating study of Jesus Christ's legacy in the early church and the work of Saint Paul.

Mary Magdalene is one of the most influential symbols in the history of Christianity - yet, if you look in the Bible, you'll find only a handful of verses that speak of her. How did she become such a compelling saint in the face of such paltry evidence? In her effort to answer that question, Cynthia Bourgeault examines the Bible, church tradition, art, legend, and newly discovered texts to see what's there.

There is no period when the distant roar of history can be heard pounding on the pages of the past with greater fury than during the 10 savage centuries known as "the fourth thousand years". This was the age of the first-world empires, the days when Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome each displayed their passion for power. It was an age which demanded the resounding and inspired voices of many of God’s greatest spokesmen. The turbulent chaos of these centuries brought forth many mighty prophets of God—Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Lehi, and many others.

Common people... Story after story marked by scandal, stumble, and intrigue. Who are these people? They're the people of the Bible. And they're us. We find our stories in theirs. We find our hope where they found theirs. In the hands of an uncommon God. In the midst of them all...hovering over them all...is the hero of it all: God. In this gathering of inspiring stories from his numbers of best-selling books, master storyteller Max Lucado revisits some of his favorite biblical characters - all of whom were very human and imperfect, just like us.

Intended as a succinct introduction to Jesus' life, words, and enduring significance, Who Is Jesus? offers non-Christians and new Christians alike a compelling portrait of Jesus Christ. Ultimately this audiobook encourages listeners to consider carefully the history-shaping life and extraordinary teachings of the greatest man who ever lived.

Martin Luther entered a monastery as a youth and as a man shattered the structure of the medieval church, speaking out against the corrupt religious practices of the time. His demand that the authority for doctrine and practice be scriptures, rather than popes or councils, echoed around the world and ignited the great Reformation. Accused of heresy and threatened with excommunication and death, Luther maintained his bold stand and refused to recant. In his crusade to eliminate religious abuses, he did more than any other man to establish the Protestant faith.

The Bible reveals not just butterflies and broken hearts. In Scripture, we see God’s beautiful design for the partnership of marriage. We witness friendships that cross all boundaries. We watch as families navigate the many seasons of life. Our guiding example for them all is the deepest, most abiding, foundational love ever known: God’s unconditional love for His people. In The Love Stories of the Bible Speak, Shannon Bream draws lessons from the good, the bad, and the ugly of Biblical romances, friendships, and families.