We live in an age when everyone is trying to live richer, fuller lives. We're told to buy this, try that, eat those, and say no to the rest, as if that's all we need to do to make our lives complete. Two thousand years ago, the church at Colossae faced similar challenges. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter outlining the only way we can live complete lives: Christ. What can we learn today from this ancient church? Called by many scholars the "most profound letter Paul ever wrote," Colossians warrants a careful, faithful study. In this short, but exciting letter, Paul makes the case for the supremacy of Christ in all things. Best selling author and teacher Warren Wiersbe calls your attention to Paul's essential thoughts on living a complete life—Christ alone—in this easy-to-use commentary on Colossians.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

In a world with a religion to meet every diverse mood, today's Christians are no different from those of ancient Colossae. Fighting Jewish legalism mixed with Eastern philosophies and Gnosticism, Paul called on the Colossian church to stop partaking in the misguided religious practices of their day and to find the one true faith. In his profound, scholarly letter, Paul warned the people of their heretical practices. His prevailing theme is the preeminence of Christ. Paul knew that if the Colossians grasped even a glimpse of the fullness of God, they would seize hold of their true identity and stop looking elsewhere for spiritual fulfillment. In this Bible study based on his original commentary on Colossians, seasoned pastor Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe challenges twenty-first-century believers in another age of "religious tolerance." Using Paul's response to heresy as one example, you will learn how to respond diplomatically yet boldly to the falsehood that aims to corrupt our faith today.

Place Christ on the highest throne overlooking every area of your life, and the knowledge of His preeminence will shield you from false teaching. Based on Dr. Wiersbe's original commentary on Colossians.

This issue of this literary journal, published by San Diego State University, features new work on the theme "Sacred/Shamanic" from Daniel Berrigan, Kachora and Ken Small, Kathleen B. Jones, Don Waters, Jilali el Koudia, Ella DeCastro Baron, Jonathan Baumbach, Arthur Saltzman, Alicita Rodriguez, Lyn Halper and many others.