In this provocateive book, a prominent theologian and a leading Christian editor speak to all Christians who have grown mistrustful of the church's involvement in religio-political power-plays and are seeking the way home. Robert E. Webber and Rodney Clapp examine the dilemma so many Christians face--what to do if you are an enthusiast for neither the New Right nor the Old Left but still take seriously the church's social and political responsibility. 'People of the Truth' offers a biblical solution to this perplexing question. The authors show how American Christians have come to depend on the nation, rather than the church, as their primary instrument of social change and communal influence. They call for teh church to move beyond the dead end of civil religion to affirm the authentic role of the worshiping community in effecting social change. The church should dare to lay down its life, the authors write, to give up its ill-begotten political leverage; to turn aside from success and stop counting heads (or dollars); to stand at the side of forgotten poor and oppressed; to be a sign and a witness of humanity's insufficiency and God's all-sufficiency. Drawing upon the works of many esteemed theologians and historians, the authors trace the growth of Christianity and offer a fresh apporach to the history of the church in the world. They reveal how the church's identity and vision have become confused, how they can be recovered, and how Christians--by living out their distinctive story as a worshiping community--can heal society's ills. 'People of the Truth' provides concrete examples of how the church, by realigning itself with its Christ-centered mandate, can effectively respond to such urgent problems as poverty, drug abuse, violence, pornography, AIDS, and the ever-present threat of nuclear war. Here is at once a summons and a guide for the church to become in fact what it has always been ideally: the only people charged with proclaiming this Christ . . . a people of the truth.

How did the universe begin? Can God's existence be proven? Do humans matter more than animals? For many years people have sent the scientist-turned-priest John Polkinghorne these and other questions about science and belief. In question-and-answer format, Polkinghorne and his collaborator Nicholas Beale offer their highly informed opinions about some of the most frequently asked of these questions. Readers can follow their own paths through the book, selecting questions that interest them and looking at the additional material if they choose. This unique book will help Christians clarify their beliefs regarding difficult issues and better face challenges--from within and from others--to their faith.

Since its founding by Jacques Waardenburg in 1971, Religion and Reason has been a leading forum for contributions on theories, theoretical issues and agendas related to the phenomenon and the study of religion. Topics include (among others) category formation, comparison, ethnophilosophy, hermeneutics, methodology, myth, phenomenology, philosophy of science, scientific atheism, structuralism, and theories of religion. From time to time the series publishes volumes that map the state of the art and the history of the discipline.

Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

If God does exist, why is there so much evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we suffer so many trials and tribulations in our lives? These difficult questions that nonbelievers often use to deny God's existence are addressed in this book with the biblical and religious references and answers. Proof and evidence of God's existence surround us everywhere we go if we simply open our eyes and our minds to the truth. The miracles and incredible balance in nature, the wonder of the human body, the intricate structure of our eyes and ears, cellular complexity, molecular genetics, DNA, the wonders of the Earth and our universe all point to intelligent design. It is beyond belief and comprehension that all of these things could have simply evolved from some freak accident of "nature." The watchmaker's analogy for intelligent design is a good one and is certainly applicable to the creationism versus the evolution and randomness arguments discussed in this book.Jesus performed many miracles that were seen by a multitude of people and recorded by eyewitnesses. But there are also records of modern-day medical miracles that non-Christian doctors cannot explain. Additionally, thousands of people have chosen to share their near-death experiences with a research foundation, and virtually all of them reported that they came back with a profound understanding of God's love. In an interesting 1982 blind prayer study conducted by the San Francisco Medical Center, data suggests that the intercessory prayer to the Judeo-Christian God had a beneficial therapeutic effect in patients who were admitted to a critical care unit.Although there are many biblical and religious documents that recorded events in Jesus's life, there are well over ten independent accounts from outside the biblical record that identify over sixty life events and beliefs about Jesus's life. Finally, we must look to human nature itself for evidence of the existence of God and his son, Jesus Christ. Many Christians, including Jesus, and all but one of his disciples were persecuted, horribly tortured, and died excruciating deaths because of their belief in God. Many people throughout history have been willing to die for what they truly believed in, but no one willingly dies for what they know to be a lie.Finally, how do you approach a nonbeliever and talk with them about faith? This is difficult for most people, as they feel that they must have some specialized training in order to do so. One does not need a special gift to evangelize. The mandate to be a witness applies to every follower of Christ. This book can help you be a true witness!

Imagine what our world might look like if Christians became known for remarkable love, as well as life-giving truth. The stakes are high and the need is great for Christians to represent Jesus to a watching world. And today, we have more influence than ever before--for better and for worse. We are among the first generations to have access to a global megaphone through social media. But it's not enough to speak truth louder to a noisy culture. To counter the reputation Christians have earned, our love must be just as loud. Ask evangelist Matt Brown, and he will tell you Christians today are facing a crisis of influence. In our rush to speak truth to today's tensions, cultural issues, and trending controversies, it becomes all too easy to focus on proving our points rather than extending God's grace. Conversely, when we seek only to love yet never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God's plan. Truth Plus Love invites you to rediscover the biblical framework for engaging culture as ambassadors of Christ. Through biblical insight, cultural analysis, and practical principles, Matt Brown outlines how to champion truth without compromise, how to love unconditionally, and ultimately, how to step into this great adventure of representing God to the world. It's hard, it's messy, and it's the unfinished project of a lifetime, yet here we find our great adventure: representing God to a watching world.