Customer Reviews (55)

Would be a great novel, amazingly it's non-fiction!
I think this book speaks to many generations.While younger than the subjects of the book, I went through a lot of searching similar to their journey.Their work in trying to "recapture" the Church of Acts is truly inspiring.Their joy at "discovering" the Orthodox Church is amazing.I have used the analogy of a paleontologist walking past a pet store and finding various dinosaurs for sale... realizing something they thought long-dead was very much alive in the modern day!Some of the twists of the story are truly gut-wrenching and disappointing, but the passion of some leaders to put The Church ahead of politics and borders is true testimony to the life and vitality of Orthodoxy.Highly recommended for those new to Orthodoxy, those seeking to learn about the Bride of Christ, and those who question the heart, life, and love of this pre-denominational church!

U.S. Christianity's best-kept secret
Mention "Orthodoxy" to the average American, and they're likely to give you a doubtful look and say, "That's Jewish, isn't it?"

Such is our ignorance about the oldest branch of Christianity. Peter E. Gillquist, later Father Peter Gillquist, tells of how he and other young members of the Campus Crusade for Christ went on a search for their own, personal, Christian Holy Grail. It began on U.S. college campuses in the 1960s, and culminated in the late 1980s with the reception of 17 Evangelical Orthodox Church parishes with 2,000 members into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in America.

Gillquist and his fellow seekers, a number of whom also became Orthodox clergy upon their conversions, did not make a hasty decision based on a "Paul on the Road to Damascus" vision or a sudden inspiration from a spell-binding preacher. They carefully studied and discussed the Bible, particularly the New Testament, from cover to cover; prayed for guidance; met repeatedly with various members of the clergy; and moved slowly but steadily from their roots (most of them, anyway) in mainline Protestantism, to the conclusion that the true, original, uncompromising Church of Jesus Christ was the Orthodox Church.

From forming their own Evangelical Orthodox Church, the seekers moved gradually but steadily toward a logical conclusion: They should meld their denomination into one of the established Orthodox archdioceses. After being rebuffed at the last minute when they expected to meet the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Orthodox former evangelicals finally turned to the Antiochian archdiocese, which welcomed them warmly and received them into its ranks.

Gillquist's sincerity about his and his colleagues' conversion is unmistakable, and the book tells one a good deal about what one religious writer has called "the best-kept secret in American Christianity: the Orthodox Church." The narrative moves along at a stately pace, much as one might expect that of a Divine Liturgy, in which everything has a time and place.

As a lifelong Protestant who has found his religion unsatisfying for years (I no longer attend services), I have been fascinated by, and drawn to, Eastern Orthodoxy for a long time. As such, I found this book illuminating and informative, a read well worth it, if you find religion and the search for same an interesting topic. I learned things about both Orthodoxy and the teachings of the New Testament that I never knew before, when reading this book. These Christian seekers' journey makes a great story.

Wonderful Introduction to the Orthodox Faith
Being an Evangelical who hasbecome tired of the games that are played in today's modern church Peter Gillquist's book came at the right time. There still is a Church out there that follows the teaching of the Apostles. This book is only the beginning for me for the study of the Orthodox faith.

Becoming Orthodox
In 1987, concluding a search which lasted more than a decade, some 2000 "evangelicals" joined Eastern Orthodoxy.Most of their leaders, ordained as deacons and priests, had earlier worked for Campus Crusade for Christ.Their journey forms the plot for Peter E. Gillquist's Becoming Orthodox:A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith(Brentwood, TN:Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, 1989).
In part one, Gillquist tells of the journey "from Arrowhead Springs to Antioch."In the 1960's, zealous young evangelicals charged like assault troops, determined to win America's colleges cam¬puses.They worked hard, relished the challenge, and elicited many "decisions for Christ."However, to their dismay, "Most of the decisions for Christ honestly did not stick."Admitting what they were doing was not work¬ing, some of them began searching for something deeper, something more permanent. More than a para¬church, they sensed the need for a church.So, in 1968, a number of them left Campus Crusade and began what they later would call "The Phantom Search for the Perfect Church" (21).Some of them established "house churches," and in time a loose coalition of "churches" were knit together on the basis of their leaders' personal ties.
Then the leaders began to meet and study and dis¬cuss what they should do with their fled¬gling move¬ment.They seriously studied not only the Bible:they scoured Church history.And they found, to their surprise, that the Early Church was rigorously Christocentricin its doctrine and thor¬oughly liturgical in its practice.Reading such sources as St Clement of Rome, St Ignatius of Antioch, St Justin Martyr and Hippolytus, they discovered how concerned ancient believers were with who Christ was rather than whatHe did for us.They also found a worship pattern and a sacramental emphasis quite foreign to most of them. In 1975, they formed the "New Covenant Apostolic Order," which in 1979 became the Evangelical Orthodox Church.They had concluded that for its first 1000 years the Church had maintained a doctrinal unity."The whole Church confessed one creed, the same in every place, and had weathered many attacks.The government of the Church was recognizably one everywhere.And this one Church was Orthodox" (p.51).Amazingly, of those who through study reached this conclusion, "none of us had ever to our knowledge been inside an Orthodox Church.Most of us did not know it existed.For that reason, I am chagrined to report that we decided to start it over again!" (p.58). So for a decade they studied and discussed and slowly discovered the ancient/enduring world of Eastern Orthodoxy. What they discovered was a deeply traditional, liturgical Church, committed to the apostolic succession of (male) clergy, rightly revering Mary as Christ's mother(Theotokos), using the sign of the cross, etc.--they found a Church which satisfied the one-time Campus Crusaders as the trueChurch of Jesus Christ.Concluding that Orthodoxy is the way, they next sought to affiliate with one of the existing Orthodox communions.This proved somewhat difficult to do!But in time the Americans were received into the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
Reading this book illustrates the limits of parachurch organizations like Campus Crusade.They have value--but they're limited and ultimately inadequate because they're not a church.Folks need Church!So this book reveals the hunger for Church!That Gillquist and his associates found Church in historic Orthodoxy shows, along with the other books reviewed in this issue, the need some thoughtful Americans have for ancient symbols, historic roots, efficacious sacraments, participatory liturgies.Parachurch efforts often dis¬sipate within a few years--or a few decades at best.Enthusiastic sectarian movements, and the denominations they spawn, usually begin to wither within three or four generations, for enthusiasm wanes with inter-gener¬ational transmission.So again and again we find, in Church history, people rediscovering the value of permanent things, common concrete things like rituals and liturgical years and prescribed celebrations

One man's journey
I was hoping for more of a "how to guide" for protestants to enter the Orthodox church, but this is more of a questioning and exploration into the Orthodox church which most of us who are seeking to actually become Orthodox have largely already been through. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Ancient Christian Books in Egypt
Roger S. Bagnall in Early Christian Books in Egypt, has provided a work which disputes many of the assumptions and accepted norms of modern papyri scholarship. The author delivers evidence and unique contentions which suggest that:

- Many papyri are incorrectly assumed to be an early date
- Numerous ancient books have often been misunderstood
- Early Christian communities and their work have been incorrectly viewed.


This is a slender but provocative book for the scholar searching for new ideas on ancient documents and sources.
Letter to an Atheist Nation: Presupositional Apologetics Responds To: Letter to a Christian ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent resource for facilitators
This is an extremely useful, well written and well thought-out guide for facilitators of faith sharing or bible study groups.Very practical. ... Read more

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While many denominations claim to be growing, the largest group in American religious life is the disillusioned—people who have been involved in the church yet see few similarities between the church's life and the person of Jesus. In the midst of elaborate programming, professional worship teams, and political crusades, they ask, "Is this really what Jesus called us to do?"

Customer Reviews (22)

A brief word on this book, and 5 big stars
All I can say about this wonderful book, "If the Church Were Christian: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus", is that it makes more sense to me than anything I've ever read in my entire life. Applause and appreciation to Philip Gulley and his honesty. Amen!

It was okay.
I get the point or points that Phillip Gulley was trying to make.All too often in the religious community we end up worshipping the religion instead of worshipping God.I agree if the church were Christian, it would be a lot more concerned about doing the work of God instead trying to create labels, boxes, and traditions to try to organize who's in and who's outside of the club so-to-speak.The problem that I had with this book was that, though I agree with the premise, I don't think the author used examples from the bible nearly enough, if he used any at all, to make his point.He just kept going on and on about one personal experience and personal conversation to another to make his point.Some personal reference, of course, would have been fine, but if we are talking about all the ways that the church is not letting the life of Christ be its guide in its mission, then it didn't seem like the author was either, not with this book anyway.Good idea, but bad execution.

This is really sad!
I have read prior writings by Mr. Gulley, including his outstanding "Front Porch Tales" and thought this book would be a continuation on his light-hearted Christian take on life and people.How disappointed I am in him and his new book!I now wonder why he continues his ministry, since his current worldview is that Jesus is not the divine Son of God, but merely a good teacher whose teachings are what we should base our lives upon.His miracles?Nothing but the church's attempt to create a Messiah.His resurrection?Nothing but a "myth" to promote a fledging new church.His claim of being the "Son of God"?Never happened!Writer's inserted that centuries later to promote their agenda.

Further, now his worldview is that the Bible is not the inspired Word of God, but merely a book filled with "myths" (a term he continually uses) used by the church to "keep a brother down" (my words) so that the church can wield its power over its subjects.Besides, we're smarter now and should be able to figure these stories out now to explain them using science, just like we've proved that Global Warming is real!

Mr. Gulley, you are no preacher and your credentials should have been lifted long ago, as had been attempted according to your writings in this book.I would expect such Christian-bashing, God-denying blatherings coming from the secular lame-stream media, but you blind-sided me on this one.How sad a man and so-called preacher you have become!Your premise of the book is note-worthy, given that the church and its Christians have a great amount to improve upon, but your Christ-bashing is deplorable.Shame on you, Mr. Gulley!I would donate this trash to my local library, but I wouldn't want someone looking for some guidance to be misguided by this insane drivel.

Gives much to think about.
Very readable book, but poses some deep propositions to think about. This is a book that I will read more than once. If you are not afraid of questioning some of long-held Christian tenants, this book will give you much to think about.

Hang On to Your Hat
For readers of this review who thought Quakers were a staid, conservative lot who hung on to thetraditional beliefs that have characterized the organized church for generations, hang on to your hat. Philip Gulley is none of these! He is a flaming liberal in something of the mold of retired bishop John Shelby Spong and Prof. Marcus Borg.

To get the flavor of the book one needs only to note some chapter headings. For example "Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship". Gulley says that to be Christian is to live by the example of Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus, he says, would likely not be pleased with all the high praise and adulation that he receives in our Sunday morning services or in our hymns or praise songs. Gully describes in terse language why he does not believe in the virgin birth and how that belief contributed to the denigration of women.

Still another chapter, "Peace Would Be More Important Than Power" There are those who in every-day life take advantage of positions of power over others and abuse power in areas beyond their expertise. He is no longer surprised that "some of the most strident voices for military force emanate from Christian quarters." The church and the nation have become so closely allied that the prophetic voice of Christ's peace is no longer heard from many in the church.

One more: "This Life Would Be More Important Than the Afterlife." On this position Gulley echos Marcus Borg , who says that in a list of 10 of Christianity's worst contributions to religion would be the emphasis on the afterlife. Gulley insists that Christianity is about this life, the one we live on earth now! While Gulley does not wish to diminish the importance of hope, he realizes that for many people the importance of "getting to heaven" is an all consuming preoccupation, which focuses all efforts in working toward "saving our own skin" rather than caring for each other here on earth.

Philip Gulley, in writing "If the Church Were Christian", has uncovered the misdirected efforts of many of us and has pointed up how we might more accurately be called Christians by actually living out Christ's example rather than simply "believing". It's a great read, but do hang on to your hat!

Ernest G. Barr ... Read more

Product Description
This anthology of Christian literature gathers together writings drawn from 2000 years of Christian history. Assuming no prior knowledge of Christian theology or history, it offers students in one volume, a rich and diverse selection of material. The work offers substantial introductions to each text under discussion, along with study questions to assist interaction with texts. 'Study Panels' embedded in the text offer easy access to critical information about the writers and their texts.

The pieces included fall into three broad categories: works of literature specifically written to serve the needs of Christians - such as prayers, devotional works, and sermons; works of literature, such as stories and poems, which are not specific to the Christian faith, but which have been shaped or influenced by Christian ideas, values, images, and narratives; and works of literature which interact with Christian ideas, individuals, schools of thought, or institutions, such as novels by George Eliot and Thomas Hardy.

The anthology is primarily concerned with the Christian literature of the English language (including Old English and Middle English), although it also includes material relating to the patristic period originally written in Greek, Latin and Syriac, and medieval and Renaissance works in Latin. Substantial sections of writings are included, rather than brief excerpts, to allow readers to really enter the mind of the author represented. The material is divided into five chronological sections stretching from the patristic period to the modern period, and within each section authors are also arranged chronologically. Considerable care has been taken to ensure that the work avoids denominational bias. ... Read more

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The timeless message of the New Testament applies to people of every culture and generation. Yet there is great value in understanding the world in which that message was first revealed - its social manners, politics, religious customs, and culture. Exploring the New Testament World, written by classics and Bible scholar Dr. Albert A. Bell, Jr., illuminates the living context of the New Testament, immersing its readers in the intriguing world of Jesus and the early church.

An authority on ancient Greek and Roman language, culture, and history, Dr. Bell writes in a readable style that is accessible and enjoyable to any reader - an uncommon accomplishment among New Testament scholars today. Surveying Jewish factions of the era, the social and political structure of the Roman Empire, and the philosophies and religions that surrounded the early church, Dr. Bell helps his readers learn to think like first-century Jews, Greeks, and Romans, illuminating puzzling New Testament passages for clear understanding. Comprehensive Scripture and Subject Indexes make this volume even more useful as a "manners and customs" Bible companion.

This authoritative guide receives high praise from college professors and Sunday school teachers alike, proving its appeal to both popular and academic audiences. A "must-have" reference for every pastor and an indispensable resource to any Bible reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Unless Someone Guides Me
Albert Bell sees this book as beginning while he was yet in high school. At some point, he says, he made the connection that the authors he read in his Latin class"lived in the same world as the people who wrote the books I studied on Sunday." Now as an instructor at Hope college in Holland, MI, Bell asks the question of how we can believe something that we simply do not understand. Will we be like the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8.26-40 who asked, " How can I (understand) unless someone guides me?"

As an illustration of what he means, Bell says he once heard a minister tell the story of Paul's imprisonment in Rome. In his story, the minister told of clanking chains and a foul-smelling dungeon. But in ancient Rome, the law was that prisons were for holding people for trial and not for punishment. More accurately, Paul as under house arrest. He was chained during moves but even in Rome he was allowed to by himself in his own hired dwelling with a guard.

There are ten major sections to Bell's book ranging from the Judaic background of the NT to Roman law, religion, and philosophy to Greco-Roman society and morality to a section on time, distance, and travel. In the section on Roman Law, Bell covers Pliny the Younger, the powers of Roman governors, and so on. in the section on Greco-Roman religion Bell notes the story of Vespasian's healing of the blind man; such stories succeeded, says Bell, because "the popular mentality of the time accepted such things happening"

I heartily endorse the study of non-canonical writings in order to study the cultural milieu of a text. Time and again Bell guides the reader through the world in which the writers of the New Testament wrote.

First-rate study of New Testament background
This is a masterful study of the Graeco-Roman culture of the first century AD which underlies the New Testament.Bell examines a wide variety of topics, from dress to how meals were eaten, from child-rearing to the treatment of slaves, and discusses the dominant philosophical and religious movements of the day.Knowing such things enables a reader of the New Testament to delve more deeply into the meaning of the text and to dig out new levels of understanding. ... Read more

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Church History
Another view of the church of the middle ages in comparing what was important to the author in comparison to other authors. They are all selective so reading more than auther enhances ones overview. ... Read more

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Written between the mid-fourth and late sixth centuries to commemorate and glorify the achievements of early Christian saints, these six biographies depict men who devoted themselves to solitude, poverty and prayer. Athanasius records Antony's extreme seclusion in the Egyptian desert, despite temptation by the devil and visits from his followers. Jerome also shows those who fled persecution or withdrew from society to pursue lives of chastity and asceticism in his accounts of Paul of Thebes, Hilarion and Malchus. In his Life of Martin, Sulpicius Severus describes the achievements of a man who combined the roles of monk, bishop and missionary, while Gregory the Great tells of Benedict, whose Rule became the template for monastic life. Full of vivid incidents and astonishing miracles, these Lives have provided inspiration as models for centuries of Christian worship. ... Read more

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Monastic Saints
This book is a translation of the biographies of six early monastic saints of Christianity. The particular lives - Antony, Paul of Thebes, Hilarion, Malchus, Martin of Tours and Benedict - are chosen as representatives of particular monastic styles from the early hermits to the monastic community, as generally envisioned today. The choice is also driven by the fact that the lives were written in Latin, which is the interest of Latin scholar and translator, Carolinne White.

In her introduction, she discusses the issues of proper translation, the types of monasticism, the milieu of their lives, and the styles of the authors, the likes of Sts. Athanasius and Jerome, Sulpicius Severus and Gregory the Great. To put things in context, she also provides a brief introduction to each biography.

For the Christian, however, the value of the book is the witness to the lives themselves. They are inspirational, if not almost unbelievable; so far are God's work through them so different than our own modern experience and subconsciously accepted empiricism. These are struggles with visible demons, not only seen by them, but also seen or felt by those around them. These are struggles with pagans and with heretics who mean to torture and kill them. These are struggles with the envious, who want a prophetic relationship with God without making the sacrifice. And these are struggles with good Christians, who fall and are helped by them.
... Read more

Product Description
In this booklet, Kay Gray offers helpful advice for Emmaus spiritual directors, covering such topics as the role of spiritual directors, the qualifications for selection, and responsibilities before, during, and after the weekend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great Book on Spirituality
This book by Dr. E. Glenn Hinson is a must for church leaders seeking to develop a spiritual life.It is especially good for those of us not coming from a Catholic background.Dr. Hinson is keenly aware of how Protestants look upon spiritual formation, and he gives a good discussion of this in his book.He does a great job of weaving Thomas Merton and Douglas Steer into chapter after chapter.This book deserves our attention if we are interested in developing a strong spiritual life.As Dr. Hinson writes, "The spiritual formation of Christian leaders has been a matter of prime importance throughout the history of Christianity, but it has not always received the kind of conscious consideration it is getting today."Having been a student of Dr. Hinson a number of years ago, I am happy to recommend an excellent book for your reading and consideration.It is a book you will read more than once.

Recipe against spiritual burnout !
Many Christian Leaders, lay or ordained, professional or volunteer, want to enrich their Spiritual Lives, but do not know how.They read books and attend seminars, but are still hungering for a complete answer to theirquestions, whether formulated or still lingering at the unconscious level. E. Glenn Hinson's new book " Spiritual Preparation for ChristianLeadership" seems to have satisfied this void.In his usual simple butvery profound style, Hinson faces Christian Leadership's main problemsquarely in the eye: a problem of leadership burnout, a spiritualexhaustion due to a very stressful vocation, and extremely highexpectations imposed on them as well as by them.His miracle remedy: Beattentive to God, develop a relationship with God, and learn to know God,not just about God.An encompassing view of Church History teaches us howthe Church has previously dealt with this issue.Hinson then goes on tothe issue of misuse, under-use and over-use of time and the need forcollectedness in order to maintain a balance of experiential, intellectual,social, and institutional elements.Hinson insists on the dire need to besustained spiritually because "by not paying enough attention to self-care,you may become a casualty of wounds self-inflicted from your dedication". The first step towards the sustenance of spiritual life is made by beingaccountable of its progress.He explains the many rewards of keeping ajournal.He devotes three chapters to the sustenance of the spiritual lifeper se.One explains the sustenance through `spiritual reading, listeningand seeing'.Grace, he explains, is much more than the traditionalProtestant view of unmerited favor.It is "God's gift of Godself, God'spresence, the Holy Spirit" which first can be found in the Scriptures butalso in various Spiritual classics, which he lists.Grace can also befound through the mediums using `seeing' such as art, architecture andcontemporary movies, or in mediums using `touching, tasting and smelling'. Another sustaining option is retreats of which he describes the variouspossibilities, as well as a retreat plan he himself practices.The lastoffered sustenance method is through spiritual friendship, or the sharingof one's journey.His concluding chapter states that what the world andthe church need most are Saints: Those `persons whose lives have beenirradiated by Grace'. Merton once stated that books could "speak to uslike God, like men or like the noise of the city we live in".This book isabout Grace, the one that leads you home!

Recipe against spiritual burnout !
Many Christian Leaders, lay or ordained, professional or volunteer, want to enrich their Spiritual Lives, but do not know how.They read books and attend seminars, but are still hungering for a complete answer to theirquestions, whether formulated or still lingering at the unconscious level. E. Glenn Hinson's new book " Spiritual Preparation for ChristianLeadership" seems to have satisfied this void.In his usual simple butvery profound style, Hinson faces Christian Leadership's main problemsquarely in the eye: a problem of leadership burnout, a spiritualexhaustion due to a very stressful vocation, and extremely highexpectations imposed on them as well as by them.His miracle remedy: Beattentive to God, develop a relationship with God, and learn to know God,not just about God.An encompassing view of Church History teaches us howthe Church has previously dealt with this issue.Hinson then goes on tothe issue of misuse, under-use and over-use of time and the need forcollectedness in order to maintain a balance of experiential, intellectual,social, and institutional elements.Hinson insists on the dire need to besustained spiritually because "by not paying enough attention to self-care,you may become a casualty of wounds self-inflicted from your dedication". The first step towards the sustenance of spiritual life is made by beingaccountable of its progress.He explains the many rewards of keeping ajournal.He devotes three chapters to the sustenance of the spiritual lifeper se.One explains the sustenance through `spiritual reading, listeningand seeing'.Grace, he explains, is much more than the traditionalProtestant view of unmerited favor.It is "God's gift of Godself, God'spresence, the Holy Spirit" which first can be found in the Scriptures butalso in various Spiritual classics, which he lists.Grace can also befound through the mediums using `seeing' such as art, architecture andcontemporary movies, or in mediums using `touching, tasting and smelling'. Another sustaining option is retreats of which he describes the variouspossibilities, as well as a retreat plan he himself practices.The lastoffered sustenance method is through spiritual friendship, or the sharingof one's journey.His concluding chapter states that what the world andthe church need most are Saints: Those `persons whose lives have beenirradiated by Grace'. Merton once stated that books could "speak to uslike God, like men or like the noise of the city we live in".This book isabout Grace, the one that leads you home!

The Best Basic Text
This book offers very practical formational teaching in Christian spirituality. Hinson approaches spiritual formation from the very best sense of classic Christian praxis and the academe. His passion and energycommunicate throughout the narrative. I'd call it "cutting edge"but Hinson stays within the great and forgotten traditions of the churchuniversal.

Perhaps most telling is the way in which Hinson illustratesspiritual practices by writing of his own experience. For example, inwriting about keeping a spiritual journal Hinson excerpts from his journaltwo very different responses as they illumine his spiritual journey: thefirst entry concerns the horror and revulsion experienced in a visit toAuschwitz and the questions concerning suffering and God; the second entryconcerns an ecumenical gathering in Jerusalem. Throughout the book, Hinsonweaves praxis and theory, offering the best kind of spiritualteaching.

His work is gentle. His teaching is kind. This book is atreasure for any who would lead the church.

Bridging the Gaps of Spirituality
Glenn Hinson cuts through the partisan fights concerningtheological "correctness" and other battles over doctrineand examines what needs to be at the core of church leadership: spirituality. He invites readers to open their lives to God and to the new directions that God offers. Instead of the effort to control God that so many in the church seem to have, Hinson reminds readers that life in God's community is one filled with surprises.

Hinson's book bridges a gap between a popular piety and a more academic perspective. His scholarship is evident. His own devotional life is recorded in the book by way of example. His work may not be popular because of his decidedly liberal stance concerning sexuality and yet, Hinson's book deserves a wide reading within the church. ... Read more

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In the 1980s there was a wave of introducing western thoughts in the academia of Mainland China. The significance of this movement is regarded by some Chinese scholars as another Enlightenment since the May 4th movement, 1919. In this movement there was a small group of Chinese scholars who thought that subtle interaction between Christian thought and western culture and academic should be noticed.The aim of this book is at reporting this academic movement, which is still active and dynamic today. This book includes 22 essays written by authors from Mainland China and overseas, who may be intra or extra ecclesia. But all of them are prominent in their respective geographical and academic area.This is the first book introducing to the English-speaking world the origin and development of 'Sino-Chirstian Studies' and 'Sino-Christian Theology' systematically. ... Read more

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An in-depth look at Christian theology through Hispanic eyes. It weaves the doctrinal formulations of the early church on creation, the Trinity, and Christology into contemporary theological reflection on the Hispanic struggle for liberation.

This volume offers a major theological statement from a respected theologian and author.  Richly insightful and unique, Manana is one of the few major theological works from a Protestant representative of the Hispanic tradition.  Justo L. Gonzalez offers theological reflections based upon unique insights born of his minority status as a Hispanic American.

Customer Reviews (4)

The Greek God of Escapism
In chapter ten of Manana, Gonzalez makes a direct attack against the "Hellenization of God" or the "Constantinization of God," which in effect is a static characterization of God.. He affirms again that the God of Scripture is a living God. Along with the use of the Greek notion of being, Christian theologians have allegorized the Scriptures so as to "dishistoricized the Bible" and make themselves "exponents of the theology of the status quo" (139). Gonzalez goes on to make attacks against gnosticism and docetism, both of which devalue the body and earthly existence.

The gnostic view of salvation "consists of being able to flee this material world, usually by means of a secret knowledge"; for the docetists, "our suffering and death, as well as all the injustice and evil that exist in this world are not important. Our bodies are prisons holding our souls in the material world and clouding our visions of spiritual realities" (141). They both offer "salvation out of this world, without having to confront its present evil" (143). Too often this is the preaching and teaching religionists hear: forget about this life and think about the one to come. The Lordship of Jesus, however, consists in his being for-otherness. God is, for Gonzalez, being-for-otherness. That is his glory and that of Jesus (153).

The concluding chapter 11 of Manana concerns itself with Christian spirituality, which Gonzalez believes, cannot be spoken of apart from the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:17, we are told that the Spirit is poured out on all flesh." Man is not above nature but a part of it. As part of created reality it is the nature of man to sin; the "Spirit is the power that intervenes to make things become what they are not" (160). That Spirit exists in community, in love of neighbor, in acts of sharing possessions, in reaching out to others, practicing the love of God's reign, rather than the rule of the powerful which is for profit and profit primarily and foremost. Gonzalez concludes his exposition with this thought. "One's investment in the present order makes it very difficult to live in expectation of a different order" (163).

I find no fault in Justo L. Gonzalez's Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Though brief in its 167 pages of text, it is powerful, informative, and insightful, a work deserving of a greater audience and broader dissemination. His narration is such that it is an easy read. All can profit from his wisdom and scholarship. I have found a few minor flaws in how the book was constructed. In that the book is densely pack with unfamiliar names and concepts, footnotes rather than endnotes would have facilitated a quicker read, than having continually to flip to the back of the book. I also have problems with books without an index. In future editions, such a courtesy would make it easy for quick references and cross referencing of concepts and names.

Because of the nature of the subject, Christian history and theology, Gonzalez was not able to go into extraordinary detail on all the social, historical, political, and philosophical aspects of the material he presents in Manana. This, of course, is not a real flaw. Manana is best seen as an introduction to Hispanic theology. Because of his easy narration and clarity, one will thus be encouraged to read and explore his many other works, including Faith and Wealth (1990), Christian Thought Revisited: Three Types of Theology (1999), and his three-volume A History of Christian Thought (1987). I would consider myself blessed, if I had any or all of his books on my library shelf.

A brilliant and insightful book
In Manana, Justo Gonzalez does what few academicsachieve, he provides stellar scholarship while at the same time writing with poetic conviction.This book, written from the heart and speaking to the heart, charts notonly the history and evolution of Hispanic Christianity in the U.S., but avaluable roadmap for a community's future.Thoughtful and intelligentreaders will be mesmerized by his apt use of language, experience andtradition in this multifaceted look at our growing community and thechallenges we face into the Manana of this new millenium.

I did not enjoy this book
Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective, was not useful. I come from a Hispanic Backround and was completely confused.

A very accessible introductory book on liberation theology
This book is the most concise study of Latin American religion/liberation theology that I have found.It is extremely accessible, even to someone who has no background in theological study.Justo explains the perspectiveof an oppressed people with love and dignity. I highly recommend this foranyone who has an interest in oppression and the role of the dominantculture. ... Read more

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Traditional views of puritan social thought have done a great injustice to the intellectual history of the sixteenth century. They have presented puritans as creators of a disciplined, progressive, ultimately revolutionary theory of social order. The origins of modern society and politics are laid at the feet of zealous English protestants whose only intellectual debts are owed to Calvinist theology and the Bible. Professor Todd demonstrates that this view is fundamentally ahistorical. She places puritanism back in its own historical milieu, showing puritans as the heirs of a complex intellectual legacy, derived no less from the Renaissance than from the Reformation. The focus is on puritan social thought as part of a sixteenth-century intellectual consensus. This study traces the continuity of Christian humanism in the social thought of English protestants. ... Read more

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Conveniently compiled published documents accurately reflect Christian Science beliefs and practices. The book contains basic facts about Christian Science, emphasizing its theology, and topics range from perspectives on the Bible to the practice of spiritual healing. ... Read more

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While the most standard treatments of John Wesley's theology focus their attention on his distinctive "way of salvation", they fail to provide a thorough examination of Wesley's "means of grace." This book offers the first detailed discussion of the means of grace as the liturgical, communal, and devotional context within which growth in the Christian life actually occurred. Knight shows how the means of grace together form an interrelated pattern that enables a growing relationship with God. ... Read more

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Based on a national telephone survey and more than 300 personal interviews with evangelicals and other churchgoing Protestants, this study provides a detailed analysis of the commitments, beliefs, concerns, and practices of this thriving group. The book is sure to provoke lively debate over the state of religious practice in contemporary America.Amazon.com Review
American Evangelicalism: Embattled and Thriving bysociologist Christian Smith tells a very different story aboutevangelicals from the one most people believe. Most of us know thatevangelical churches are growing fast.Many pundits have suggestedthat evangelicalism is thriving because it's an easy way out ofdealing with the complexities of the modern world--it's a place whereeveryone is pretty much the same: not too well educated, not tooupwardly mobile, and more or less frightened of the amorality that'ssupposedly flourishing in contemporary America. Yet Christian Smith'sstudy, based on thousands of interviews and extensive polling, arguesthat evangelicalism is growing "very much because of and not in spiteof its confrontation with modern pluralism." He disproves thedemographic caricature of evangelicals that's been drawn byconventional wisdom, showing evangelicals to be better educated thanmost of those calling themselves religious liberals, and establishingthat their moral concerns are mostly exercised on behalf ofothers--most evangelicals don't believe they or their families arereally threatened by modern life. Therefore, Smith's study proposesthat American evangelicals have created a subculture characterized by"both high tension and high integration into mainstream societysimultaneously." And as a result, "Contemporary pluralism creates asituation in which evangelicals can perpetually maintain but neverresolve their struggle with the non-evangelical world." It's afascinating idea, and one that should prompt readers to wonder whetherevangelicals actually enjoy playing a divinized version of devil'sadvocate in contemporary American life. --Michael Joseph Gross ... Read more

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Wonderful!

The product arrived just as described and within a reasonable amount of time. I would recommend that others buy from you. Thanks!

A Book to Disabuse Stereotypes
Chris Smith's book challenges the stereotypes that many people hold about Christians, particularly evangelical Protestants. I was, frankly, surprised by the sheer ambivalence of evangelicals that Dr. Smith interviewed; these people are clearly not the tyrannical demagogues that many believe them to be! Journalists, academics, people who are truly committed to tolerance and open-mindedness, and serious religious thinkers should read it--period--just to have a deeper understanding of a vast segment of the American population. Dr. Smith presents an information-packed, refreshingly nuanced picture of American evangelicals. It is a book that deserves attention, particularly for those who are interested in religious anthropological questions, but also for those who are serious about having their stereotypes challenged. Mine were.

"A myth-busters book"
This was a myth-busters book, at least for me. I thought American individualism, and the emphasis on personal choice, undermined the strength of churches. After all, if people don't like what their getting, they canjust hop over to another church. Smith says no: because people in modernAmerica choose their communities, they tend to be more committed tothem.

I thought corporate and bureaucratic, mass culture, which trainspeople to be distant and driven, undermined their ability to be incommunity. Not so, says Smith. It only makes people more hungry forpersonalized, intimate, community like the church.

I thought, a la DeanKelly's classic _Why Conservative Churches Are Growing_, thatevangelicalism thrived because it gave people an alternative world to livein. No way, says Smith:

"American evangelicalism ... is strong notbecause it is shielded against, but because it is--or at least perceivesitself to be--embattled with forces that seem to oppose or threaten it.Indeed, evangelicalism ... thrives on distinction, engagement, conflict andthreat. Without these, evangelicalism would lose its identity and purposeand grow languid and aimless. Thus ... the evangelical's movement'svitality is not a product of its protected isolation from, but of itsvigorous engagement with pluralistic modernity."

As in thebeginning, Smith argues, mainliners are engaged in society but do not seethemselves as distinct from it, and fundamentalists know they're distinct,but they never meaningfully engage culture. Evangelicals thrive in the inbetween place: embattled AND thriving.

Smith offers many more insights onevangelicalism today. (One more I though fascinating: in abandoning itsstrictures on card playing and going to movies evangelicalism hasn't beenco-opted by culture, as some critics argue. Instead, new evangelicalboundaries have been drawn that help define the "real"evangelical--listening to Christian rock, not observing Halloween, and thelike).

There's enough to argue with, as well. Smith, for example, doesn'tthink the dominant evangelical social strategy (changed lives will changesociety) is very effective. I agree that many people are called to do morethan change individual lives. But I'm not sure a sociologist can measurethe impact of this strategy one way or another. And anecdotes to thecontrary abound: the preacher who converted Billy Graham made a huge impacton American culture.

Quibbles aside, Smith is to be credited with gettingthis historian to do something I steadfastly avoid: commit sociology. Ifyou want to get fresh insights into modern evangelicalism, you may want todo the same.

--Mark Galli, editor, Christian History ... Read more

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How do you introduce a very young child to God and to the church? This book is full of heartwarming pictures in full color. With care, sensitivity and beauty, Marrocco shows new parents how to heighten their child's awareness of the God around us. Ideal for the parents of small children, this is an excellent gift for parents at the birth of a child or at baptism. ... Read more

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An introduction to different kinds of material from various Celtic areas, with examples from the earliest times to the present day. Many of the pieces are presented as translations on Celtic Christianity drawing on creative and life-affirming qualities. ... Read more

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Collects medieval verse/prose & contemporary poetry
Separating fact from fable when it comes to the Celtic Church's independence or submission to Catholicism has long been a British fascination. Welsh, English and Scots reformers popularized their revisions as reversions to earlier, supposedly autonomous, manifestations of an insular church that did not bow the knee to Rome. Davies & Bowie seek to correct antiquarian, New Age, or theological exaggerations which also have followed suit. They show in their introduction how the Celtic spiritual teachings differed-- and where they matched dominant Catholicism. They carefully, if briefly, remind readers too of the historical and social difficulties in defining a distinct Celtic identity. This concept "based on a mythologized reading of the past" would not have been understood by the ancients, although as the editors also note, "it has its own exigencies, and should not be dismissed too lightly" for those who chose this interpretation in centuries nearer our own. (4)

They also, as this combines medieval prose and poetry with contemporary verse, illustrate how poets express the physicality, nature-based connections, imaginative creativity, communal roots, and Trinitarian fluidity of Celtic-centered qualities that many Christians, or perhaps post-Christians, now seek to renew and revive. Many of the medieval entries can be found, in expanded form, in Davies' 1999 "Celtic Spirituality" anthology published in 1999 by Paulist Press. These two collections by Davies may be confused (not to mention a 1996 compendium by Davies from the medieval Welsh tradition!) The difference lies in the 1995 edition's subtitle of "modern sources"-- adding oral traditions gathered in from Scots Gaelic as "Carmina Gadelica" by Alexander Carmichael and from Irish as "Religious Songs of Connacht" by Douglas Hyde. Then, contemporary poetry from Celtic writers this past century brings the collection closer to the present.

It's an accessible anthology addressed more than the Paulist Press successor to the common reader, and I recommend it as an entry point. Bibliographies and sources used are both helpful, and I particularly value the translations of Welsh-language poet Euros Bowen.

His "Changing Government" stands out. "The government of the skies/ we have sent to hell,/ and so the throne of the sun is empty,/ there is a death mask on its face/ in a museum." (184) The whole poem's worthy of transcription. He ends "Tap Root": "There is no resurrection where there is no earth." (187) You might expect to have found instead the better-known vicar R.S. Thomas, but Davies & Bowen wisely try to welcome writers less-anthologized, and as deserving of attention.

As Irish-language representative (in translation), Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill's certainly expected, and her feminism's necessary. As Davies & Bowie in their introduction caution, the tendency by moderns to amplify the matriarchal Celtic presence does clash with the patriarchal norm practiced even by the Celts, one that deepened under the penitential and apocalyptic emphases instituted by the Church that harbor less appeal for seekers from our own time. Today's poets do tend to favor the feminine and the natural, regardless of the author's male or female identification. Medieval entries, by contrast, feature the need for renunciation, repentance, and asceticism.

Speaking of nature, Seán Ó Riordáin might have been entered as a second Gaelic counterpart to Bowen, equally meriting exposure. His existential attitude might, however, unsettle many. Mary O'Malley or Caitlín Maude may also be sought out by readers looking into spirituality expressed by Irish poets. A mismatch between the flesh and the spirit, and a longing to reconnect what's been sundered, enters many inclusions. Brendan Kennelly's "Sculpted from Darkness" watches worshippers returning from midnight Mass over a bridge; "House" considers the fragile body and the aging dwelling elegantly juxtaposed.

Ruth Bidwell observes in "Standing Stone" a Welsh parallel to Kennelly's mass-goers: "A mindless ritual is not empty. When the dark mind fails, faith lives in the supplication of hands, on prayer-wheel, rosary, stone." (198) For another rural poet, the simple lines of Anjela Duval translated from Breton recall a 20c Emily Dickinson, if she'd had four years of grade school and worked her life alone on a remote farm. In their diction, capitalization, and imagery, there are eloquent comparisons to the Belle of Amherst. In a poem that could in theme if not in tone stand alongside R.S. Thomas, Duval laments "The Song of the Foreigner," one that ravishes the trees, despoils the land, and erases the language. It ends: "And soon...if we don't pay attention/ On the great organ/ Of their dark and sad forests/ --Fertilised with the ashes of our trees--/ The Atlantic Wind/ Will play while singing/...The Requiem of our Country." (228)

A rich introduction to Celtic Christian prose and poetry.
The editors have assembled, organized and introduced a rich collection of the prose and poetry of Christians from Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.Although many of the works are translated from modern or ancientBreton, Irish, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic and from Latin, all flow withgrace and feeling.The works from over a thousand years ago provideprofound insights on the issues we face today and on how we can address ourlocal problems through the love of all creation.The modern works areintensely personal but all have the ability to touch readersfar from theCeltic homelands. A wonderful introductin to Celtic, Christian or CelticChristian literature and an excellent springboard for wider studies.Readers unfamiliar with the geography and history of the Celtic lands mightwish to read with a map in hand and balance the anothological approach withthe works of J.Phillip Newell, David Adam, John O'Donohue, Edward Sellner,Thomas Cahill and Peter Berreesford Ellis. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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A Fine Textbook
This book is a short, concise, and artfully prepared introduction to Christian theological anthropology. It's worth reading, honestly. ... Read more