The kingdom of God and the atonement are two of the most important themes in all of Scripture. Tragically, theologians have often either set the two at odds or focused on one to the complete neglect of the other. In The Crucified King, Jeremy Treat demonstrates that Scripture presents a mutually enriching relationship between the kingdom and atonement that draws significantly from the story of Israel and culminates in the crucifixion of Christ the king. As Israel’s messiah, he holds together the kingdom and the cross by bringing God’s reign on earth through his atoning death. The kingdom is the ultimate goal of the cross, and the cross is the means by which the kingdom comes. Jesus’ death is not the failure of his messianic ministry, nor simply the prelude to his royal glory, but is the apex of his kingdom mission. The cross is the throne from which he rules and establishes his kingdom. Using a holistic approach that brings together the insights of biblical and systematic theology, this book demonstrates not only that the kingdom and the cross are inseparable, but how they are integrated in Scripture and theology.

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ are central events in our salvation. Yet few Christians have a good grasp of the first-century historical and religious context in which the Crucifixion took place, nor of its true significance for the people of that time-and hence for our time as well. Biblical scholar and attorney Dr. Jeannie Constantinou puts modern readers in the center of the events of Christ's Passion, bringing the best of modern scholarship to bear while keeping her interpretation faithful in every particular to the Orthodox Tradition.

A landmark in the conversation about race and religion in America. "They put him to death by hanging him on a tree." Acts 10:39 The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and "black death," the cross symbolizes divine power and "black life" God overcoming the power of sin and death. For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era. In a work that spans social history, theology, and cultural studies, Cone explores the message of the spirituals and the power of the blues; the passion and of Emmet Till and the engaged vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he invokes the spirits of Billie Holliday and Langston Hughes, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ida B. Well, and the witness of black artists, writers, preachers, and fighters for justice. And he remembers the victims, especially the 5,000 who perished during the lynching period. Through their witness he contemplates the greatest challenge of any Christian theology to explain how life can be made meaningful in the face of death and injustice.

FIND WHAT MATTERS MOST. BUILD YOUR LIFE AROUND IT. In an age of distraction, everyone is looking for something that gives purpose and perspective on life. Jesus says it's the kingdom of God. But the kingdom is not just another religious idea. Rather, God's loving reign brings clarity and coherence to all of life - identity, work, play, relationships, justice, character - in a way that is profound and practical. Seek First brings theology to the streets, giving a vision for the kingdom that will truly change your life. "Treat presents the message of the kingdom in a way that gives us a grander vision for life, whether in the workplace or on the basketball court." - CHRIS BROUSSARD, NBA analyst and sports broadcaster "Few books do as good a job as this one in showing us how giving up everything for Christ and his kingdom is the pathway to our greatest gain. Seek First is a gem!" - SCOTT SAULS, author and senior pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church "With insight and passion Treat reveals why we ought to reorient our lives and reprioritize our loves . . . practical and powerful." - MARIELLE WAKIM, editor, Los Angeles magazine "A prophetic and urgent note to the generations . . . a clearly written and much-needed book!" - KEVIN J. VANHOOZER, professor, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

How could the life, let alone the death, of one man 2,000 years ago be the salvation of the human race? Donald Macleod explains the centrality of the atonement in Christian faith and experience, using seven key words to describe what happened on the cross: substitution, expiation, propitiation, reconciliation, satisfaction, redemption and victory.

What the Person and Work of Jesus Really Means Christians, rightly called "people of the cross," look to Jesus's death and resurrection as the central points of his earthly mission. But in order to understand more fully the person and work of Christ, it's important for believers to fix their minds on his entire ministry—his life, death, resurrection, and ongoing ministry today—and not solely on his work on the cross. In Man of Sorrows, King of Glory, Jonty Rhodes uses the traditional roles of Jesus as prophet, priest, and king (often referred to as his "threefold office") to show how his whole life—in humiliation on earth and now exaltation in glory— is lived for us. As believers explore Jesus's life, death, resurrection, and ascension, they will develop a holistic portrait of the Messiah and a deeper appreciation for God's plan to reclaim sinners.

Serving a Crucified King speaks to a growing crisis within the contemporary church, one of misplaced allegiance and misguided discipleship. If Jesus Christ is who we claim him to be, then we must ask ourselves: Are we truly conducting our lives and constructing our communities in light of that astonishing reality? But, as long as the contemporary church continues to act in a manner so seemingly at odds with the mission and message of Jesus, it remains in a state of emergency. Albeit a serious charge, solving this crisis is of the utmost importance if we are to live once again in faithful obedience to Jesus Christ as king. The magnitude of the problem necessitates the establishment of a movement of kingdom citizens devoted to the cruciform reign of Christ and committed to a wholesale transformation in thinking and practice within the church. To this end, Serving a Crucified King is a clarion call back to the real work of being a disciple of Jesus in our society. Expect to have your thinking challenged, your heart moved, and your action re-oriented.