Item Type: Book Chapters

Commentary on New International Version. Includes extensive introductory material, including theological relevance.

Argues for limited usefulness of Psalm 132 in theological reconstructions of ancient Israel.

Having brought together an international collection of patristic scholars and ethicists at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, editors Leemans, Matz and Verstraeten present in this collection peer reviewed essays written and presented at the 2007 Expert Seminary on Reading Patristic Social Ethics.

This compendium is a collection of select patristic writings that address issues of social justice, issues of concern for both the ancient and modern world, including: slavery, abuse, health and usury, to name a few. Each chapter includes a written explanation of the importance of the issue during the time of the patristics, and explains how they worked with issues of social justice within their sermons and theologies. Further, each chapter includes an annotated bibliography of both primary and secondary source material on each topic. Finally, each chapter concludes with select translated passages on each topic.

In many recent progressive theo-ethical discussions of the erotic, freedom has become the preeminent theme in articulations of sexual relationships. In this essay I submit that when considering the creator God in relation to the erotic, something is missing if only freedom is emphasized. The God of love, who creates all things, not only loves freely but faithfully as well.

Augustine‘s anti-Manichean writings indicate a growing appreciation for the history of Israel as a witness to the one God. In particular, his exegetical response in the massive Contra Faustum demonstrates how a more serious engagement with the history of Israel shaped his theology.

Acknowledging the growing religious pluralism in the Americas, LaHurd discusses the worth of interfaith dialogue, strategies for conducting such dialogue effectively, and ways the Bible can serve witness and dialogue with religious others.

The chapter presents an introduction to the history of Islam, the religion’s basic beliefs and practices, and Islam’s encounter with Christianity and modernity.

LaHurd reflects on the implications of Paul’s sacramental theology in 1 Corinthians 11 for current day ecumenical relations and for joint mission as the spiritual body of Christ.

Taking account of the religious perspectives of contemporary Arab Christian women and LaHurd’s own observations of women’s lives in Yemen, this chapter reinterprets Luke 15 in dialogue with other feminist and anthropological readings and finds new insights into women’s roles and informal power as displayed in the parables of lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son.