Among the array of christologies embodied within New Testament literature, the so-called "hymn" of Colossians 1: 15-20 offers a unique and invaluable contribution to contemporary theological and inter-religious discourse. This is because it conveys what is arguably the highest christological affirmation within the canon. Pizzuto contends that the hymn is a creative and faith-filled composition by the same deutero-Pauline author of the Colossians epistle itself and demonstrates that there is an inextricable relationship between the chiastic structure of Col 1: 15-20 and a proper understanding of its provenance, authorship and theology. Although the hymn echoes theological motifs consistent with Second Temple Judaism and loosely reflects a number of syncretistic influences, it is fundamentally the novelty of the "Christ-event," - the historical impact of Jesus of Nazareth - that has been most influential in determining the christological categories of Col 1: 15-20 and its larger epistolary framework. Pizzuto thus defends the overall integrity of the hymn against those who would assert that it reflects a pre-Christian or pre-Colossians origin. He concludes that Col 1: 15-20 represents something of a "leap" beyond Pauline christology into a new and unequivocal conviction of the cosmic implications of the Cross.

America today is faced with a great number of concerns. One of the larger ones is the role of religious thought and practices in our everyday lives. Issues such as abortion, Intelligent Design, and the moral and ethical impact of technology on its citizens weigh heavily on almost all of us. These issues predominate both the front pages and the op-ed pages of our newspapers. They fill the news media on both television and the net. They created heated arguments in almost every community in our world, often leading to open conflicts between friends and even family members. Religion and faith are in conflict within the hearts and minds of educated people exposed to more and more information. Science has marched directly into realms covered by faith, leading to great angst within people who try and balance their "Church" mind with the secular world. Nowhere is this conflict more apparent than in the issues generated in the reconciliation of theology and modern science. As cosmology crossed over into the sacred ground of the Creation with the discovery of the Big Bang, scientists themselves discovered that they had come face to face with the questions around the existence of God, the Creator, and his role in Creation. While most of the general population believes that scientists are atheists, and that the basic tenets of theology and science are antithetical, the opposite is actually closer to the truth. There is a ground where science and theology can, and must, share thoughts. Scientists like Einstein and Hawking speak of trying to "understand the mind of God" and make bold conjectures as to whether or not God had any choices in his design of the Universe. This book attempt to build a bridge from Science to Faith and back, and opens the mind of the Child. the Mind of Man and relates them both to the Mind of God.

Two familiar worldviews dominate Western philosophy: materialist atheism and the benevolent God of the Abrahamic faiths. Tim Mulgan defends a third way. Ananthropocentric purposivism claims that there is a cosmic purpose, but human beings are irrelevant to it. He argues that non-human-centred cosmic purpose can ground a distinctive human morality.

This series is designed for those who know biblical languages. It is written primarily for the pastor and Bible teacher, not for the scholar. That is, the aim is not to review and offer a critique of every possible interpretation that has ever been given to a passage, but to exegete each passage of Scripture succinctly in its grammatical and historical context. Each passage is interpreted in the light of its biblical setting, with a view to grammatical detail, literary context, flow of biblical argument, and historical setting. While the focus will not be on application, it is expected that the authors will offer suggestions as to the direction in which application can flow.

While scholars of antiquity have long spoken of didactic hymns, no single volume has defined or explored this phenomenon across cultural boundaries in antiquity. In this monograph Matthew E. Gordley provides a broad definition of didactic hymnody and examines how didactic hymns functioned at the intersection of historical circumstances and the needs of a given community to perceive itself and its place in the cosmos and to respond accordingly. Comparing the use of didactic hymnody in a variety of traditions, this study illuminates the multifaceted ways that ancient hymns and psalms contributed to processes of communal formation among the human audiences that participated in the praise either as hearers or active participants. The author finds that in Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian contexts, many hymns and prayers served a didactic role fostering the ongoing development of a sense of identity within particular communities.

America today is faced with a great number of concerns. One of the larger ones is the role of religious thought and practices in our everyday lives. Issues such as abortion, intelligent design, and the moral and ethical impact of technology on its citizens weigh heavily on almost all of us. Religion and faith are in conflict within the hearts and minds of educated people exposed to more and more information. Science has marched directly into realms covered by faith, leading to great angst within people who try and balance their Church mind with the secular world. Nowhere is this conflict more apparent than in the issues generated in the reconciliation of theology and modern science. Scientists themselves discovered that they had come face-to-face with the questions around the existence of God, the Creator, and his role in Creation. While most of the general population believes that scientists are atheists, and that the basic tenets of theology and science are antithetical, the opposite is actually closer to the truth. There is a ground where science and theology can, and must, share thoughts. This book attempts to build a bridge from science to faith and back and opens the mind of the child, the mind of man, and relates them both to the mind of God.