Following In The Footsteps Of Christ

In spite of its enormous historical significance and increased contemporary interest, this is the first general introduction to the spirituality of the Anabaptist tradition. Anabaptist spirituality has been described as "both Catholic and Protestant," a sixteenth-century ascetic lay reform movement inspired both by currents of pre-Reformation devotion to Christ and the Reformation call to return to Scripture. Because of their insistence on adult baptism Anabaptists -- often illiterate artisans and peasants with no formal theological education -- met widespread persecution. Arnold Snyder's sympathetic study draws on court records to give an intimate glimpse into their beliefs, practices, and spirituality. As well as inspiring such groups as the Mennonites, the Amish and various groups of Brethren and Baptists, Anabaptist ideas have profoundly influenced individuals and movements throughout the churches into modern times. Book jacket.

Publisher description: The moral life, say the authors, is a living out of one's biblical faith. But too often, time has made the people of the Bible seem remote. Here is an invitation into a deeper experience of biblical characters, to understand that they were subject to the same wide range of positive and negative emotions as we experience today. Despite their fear or anger, these characters were willing to listen to God and ultimately became models of faith and trust. The reflections here help their voices cross the centuries and be heard by us with undiminished clarity, directness, and power. Juxtaposing Old and New Testament characters in a unique way, the book includes stories of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, David, Ruth, Mary, the prodigal son, Jesus, the beloved disciple, and more. All of them reveal the demands of discipleship and conversion and help readers recognize God's way of acting in their own lives. Short, simple vignettes allow for quick reading and handy personal use.

This publication offers a guide for reading Sunday Gospels and meditating Homilies every week for the Liturgical Cycle C. A close familiarity with the words of the Gospels brings us into consonance with Jesus, inspires in us his love for the world, builds up enthusiasm for his project of the Kingdom of God, and infuses his Spirit in us. Without our scarcely noticing it, we become Christians. This personal meditation on the words of Jesus transforms us more than all the explanations, sermons, and exhortations which reach us from the outside. People change from within.

Featuring the latest archaeological and historical discoveries, this guide illustrates the people and events that shaped the life of Jesus, from his birth in Bethlehem to his death in Jerusalem.

Hans Memling's Scenes from the Passion of Christ leads the viewer on a long and arduous journey in the space of just under a metre. The panel presents a 'continuous narrative' on a grand scale, offering roughly two-dozen individual episodes from the last week of Christ's life. These scenes are represented in a single contiguous cityscape and the surrounding countryside, and viewers would have followed the narrative recounted across the panel, following the action from station to station along painted roads and pathways, through gateways and portals and implied passageways as pedestrians in their imaginations. This study considers the intersections between narrative art and a range of devotional practices current in the late Middle Ages and early modern period. This body of practices stood in a symbiotic relationship with the visual imagery, informing viewers' interaction with images, which in turn affected their understanding of these other practices. In other words, these images must be understood as part of a broader tradition of ritual and symbolic life. As such, the study offers a valuable re-evaluation of Memling and his art within the religious practice of his times, while opening up some of his most ingenious and idiosyncratic works that are little known by non-specialists.

This classic presents people seeking to change their community by pledging themselves to experiment for a whole year with the question, 'What would Jesus do?'

Travel with Adam Hamilton as he retraces the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Once again, Hamilton approaches his subject matter with thoughtfulness and wisdom, just as he did with Jesus’ crucifixion in 24 Hours That Changed the World and with Jesus’ birth in The Journey. Read The Way on your own or, for a more in-depth study, enjoy it with a small group or part of a 40-day church-wide emphasis during Lent and Easter or anytime of the year. Using historical information, archaeological data, and stories of the faith, Hamilton follows in the footsteps of Jesus from his baptism to the temptations to the heart of his ministry, including the people he loved, the parables he taught, the enemies he made, and the healing he brought. This 40-day focus will help you and your group grow deeper in their faith, learn more about the life of Christ, spend time daily reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, and invite families, through the children’s and youth studies, to grow together in their faith. Additional resources include a DVD, devotional, youth and children editions, and a worship download to help with sermon planning. Lent, Lenten, Lenten Resource, Lenten Resources, Lent Study, Lent Studies, Easter, Easter Study, Easter Studies