Showing titles in Biblical History & Culture

There’s absolutely no doubt you would not have heard of the Bible. But where did it come from? And when did it first appear? Chances are that you will find these two questions a little trickier to answer. The truth is that the history of the Bible is not well-known and well-recorded, and yet it involves a rich list of stories and information that add even more clarity to this sacred book. But I decided to change that.

Each Christmas, adults and children alike delight at the story of the kings from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Christ. While this familiar tale is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, another little-known version later emerged that claimed to be the eyewitness account of the wise men. This ancient manuscript has lain hidden for centuries in the vaults of the Vatican Library, but through the determined persistence of a young scholar, Brent Landau, this astonishing discovery has been translated into English for the very first time as the Revelation of the Magi.

Three thousand years ago, in the Southwest Asian lands we now call Israel and Palestine, a group of people worshipped a complex pantheon of deities, led by a father god called El. El had 70 children, who were gods in their own right. One of them was a minor storm deity, known as Yahweh. Yahweh had a body, a wife, offspring and colleagues. He fought monsters and mortals. He gorged on food and wine, wrote books and took walks and naps. But he would become something far larger and far more abstract: the God of the great monotheistic religions.

This Very Short Introduction audiobook offers a clear, accessible, and concise account of the apocryphal gospels - exploring their origins, their discovery, and discussing how the various texts have been interpreted both by the Church and beyond.

In the midst of broken dreams and disappointments, each of us can find the God-given strength and courage to rise up once again and rebuild what was lost and destroyed. Like no other story, Nehemiah’s 900-mile journey back home to Jerusalem from a foreign land teaches us that hope is never lost. Through opposition and difficulty, Nehemiah became a Prisoner of Hope, a Rebuilder of a broken nation.

Ultimately, Hebrews? Africans? Or Does It Matter? offers a profound reflection on the spiritual importance of our history, our cultural identity, and the simply amazing power of embracing the richness of who we really are – not just as strong Black individuals, but collectively, as a strong Black people! If we only knew the power that we already have! The listener will see in this book why whether we are Hebrews or Africans really does matter! Now is the time…

Hoy en día, el dominio de la fe cristiana parece ser un hecho fácilmente aceptado. Sin embargo, en la época en que alcanzó su máximo esplendor, para la mayoría de los observadores externos, esta idea habría parecido muy improbable.

The greatest days of planet Earth are on the horizon. Contrary to popular belief, we actually have a bright future on planet Earth. Yes, there are plenty of challenges to tackle, no question. But history and the Bible tell a very different story. You may be surprised to learn how much the Earth has changed in the 2000 years since Jesus' birth — for the better!

So, you’ve probably heard that the Bible is “the white man’s religion”. Well, that’s not exactly true. It’s a blatantly false statement that has been embraced by uninformed people of all colors for far too long. The Bible is, in fact, an Afrocentric book and belief system, and I dare you to prove me wrong.

Is Christianity the White Man's Religion? affirms that ethnic diversity has played a powerful role in the formation of the Old and New Testaments and that the Bible is a book of justice, promoting equality for all people. Contrary to popular Eurocentric conceptions, biblical Christianity is not just for White Westerners. It's good news for all of us.

Who was Priscilla? Readers of the Bible may know her as the wife of Aquila, Paul's coworker, or someone who explained baptism to Apollos. Biblical references to Priscilla spark questions: Why is she mentioned before her husband? Does the mention of her instruction of Apollos mean that women taught in the church? What is her story?

In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes listeners on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation evolved into the canon of sacred writings for the Christian religion, and how they reflect a reinterpretation of the symbolic world and societal forces of first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish life.

Unlock the hidden chapters of early Christianity with "Marcionism: A Beginner's Guide." Dive into the intriguing world of Marcionism, a movement that challenged the foundations of faith and reshaped theological debates. Discover the Radical Teachings Explore Marcion's bold distinction between the Old and New Testaments. Understand his revolutionary belief in two distinct gods – the flawed creator and the benevolent savior. Learn how Marcion's theology sought to purify Christian doctrine and eliminate contradictions. Meet the Key Figures Get to know Marcion of Sinope, the enigmatic founder...

In this short study, Lumpkin masterfully navigates the complex narrative where rebellion serves a dual role: initially, it liberates the Israelites from slavery, but later, it incites divine wrath. This duality mirrors the fine line between defiance and perseverance, the quest for personal freedom, and acts of treachery. The core lesson lies in the application of our will and intention.

In Corona Crisis, professor Mark Hitchcock shares how the current coronavirus outbreak is related to the vivid, end-time biblical prophecies about plagues, pestilences, and pandemics. Jesus listed "pestilences in various places" as a sign of his coming (Luke 21:11). In the prophecy of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the fourth rider kills one-fourth of the earth with pestilence and the "wild beasts of the earth".

Did you know that Jesus made puns? Did you know that Paul never calls himself or the churches he writes to “Christian?” Did you know that we don’t know who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews, or if it’s even really a letter? James F. McGrath sheds light on these and many other surprising realities of Scripture in The A to Z of the New Testament. Cutting through common myths and misunderstandings of problematic bible passages, James F. McGrath opens up expert knowledge to laypeople in his friendly introduction to New Testament studies.

The most influential text in the world, the Bible is often confusing. In This Beautiful Book, Steve Green - founder of the Museum of the Bible - highlights life-changing themes woven through this mosaic, reveals a new way to engage Scripture as a whole, and inspires deep appreciation for the Bible’s connection to your life.

Ever since the Scopes Monkey Trial in the early twentieth century, American evangelicals have considered scientists public enemy #1. But this antipathy to modern science turned deadly during the COVID-19 crisis, when white evangelicals snubbed precautions and vaccines. Herself an evangelical Christian and a science educator, Janet Kellogg Ray explains how we got here and how to fix it.

Joseph Lumpkin's compelling short study on the Book of Leviticus delves into the essential role shared laws and beliefs play in maintaining societal cohesion. Just as a nation thrives on a unified language, culture, and legal system, so too does a religion rely on a common set of beliefs. These elements are intertwined, with religion shaping culture, culture influencing religion, and language reflecting both. Leviticus serves as a foundational blueprint, ensuring religious, legal, moral, and cultural unity for a fledgling nation—a theocracy led by Moses.

It’s not often that you come across a document of such religious and historical importance as The Septuagint Genesis – in fact its significance would be hard to overstate. But what is the Septuagint? Well, its name refers to the “seventy’ (actually 72) translators – six from each tribe of Israel – who translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, the primary language of Jews in Egypt at the time. This, the oldest and arguably most important translation, was the version of The Bible that Jesus himself would have read – and the one from which almost all the New Testament’s writers were quoting.