The Ghetto The Garden And The Gospel

In this fresh and biblical look at poverty in America, Joe Ader confronts us with a basic question: How did mankind start out in a garden that was perfect in every way and end up in the worldwide ghetto that we know as poverty? And how do we find our way out? To answer this question (and many more) the author takes us on a personal journey of discovery, introducing us to the residents of Middle Classburg, America and Povertyville, USA (which town do you call home?). Along the way, he challenges us to see poverty differently as he explains:¿How President Lyndon Johnson committed America to a War on Poverty at a time the United States Government had never defined "poverty"¿How an obscure government analyst named Mollie Orshansky became "The Mother Of Poverty" in America¿Why currently accepted definitions and explanations of poverty are fatally flawed¿Why poverty is about more than our economic status; it's about our relationship with God¿How the gospel brings us all out of the spiritual ghetto we all share while transforming our understanding of poverty and how to fight it¿How Jesus didn't come to make poor people into middle class people, but to make all people God's people¿How "The Iron Rule" needs to work alongside "The Golden Rule"¿How a handful of practical tools can help pastors, Christian workers and all of us better serve those struggling in the grip of generational poverty¿And these are just a few of the reasons why every Christian in America needs to read this book.

When God created man, He did so with the intention that man would live in perfect harmony with his Creator and with the rest of natural creation; however, man’s disobedience fractured the relationship and opened the door for pain, heartache, disaster, and even death to enter the world. God’s original intention has not changed—He still desires that His children enjoy the fullness of all He has to offer. The Garden and the Ghetto is a collection of stories that illustrate the continued effects of obedience and disobedience, as well as essays that teach us how to return to a garden existence with the One who made us. Just as disobedience pushed mankind out of the perfect environment Father created for him, obedience is the key to once again living in a spiritual place where the abundance of His blessings are real every day. The stories are based on the lives of men and women with whom we have shared victories and defeats at City of Refuge through the years. Some have decided to live in a pattern of “long obedience” and continue to thrive. Some are still in the process of deciding which way to go, and others chose their own way. The results of the decisions made by Russell, Roxy, Shawn, Vanessa, Harold, Greg, and Dennis are representative of all of humanity. Some choose to rely on the words and pictures of God; others choose to believe they can make their own way. The results speak for themselves

The primary focus of this book is our religious understanding of sex. It is the author's premise that the sexual attitudes of today were erroneously and maliciously set up by men whose ultimate aim was to control the sexual practices of the ancient Jews and the rights of women. Most controversial is our present view of homosexuality and how the Bible has thoroughly misshaped our ideas about homosexual love. The case is made that homosexuality is not a sin against God but rather a conspiracy conjured up by the machinations of the ancient Levitical priests."It's high-time someone came along with a voice that speaks the truth about our 'Western' brainwashing without trying to proselytize to a particular brand of religion. Someone that doesn't skirt the issues because of denominational ties. I cannot be excommunicated, defrocked, or untenured! Neither am I bound by the Masonic sword. I speak freely! ...Many preachers merely parrot the party-line to keep their congregation in a religious coma, extracting thousands and millions of dollars to feed their ostentatious lifestyle If you want to know the truth, here it is! Peep it and recognize!" -The Author

This collection of essays by biblical scholars is the first book-length treatment of the 2014 film Noah, directed by Darren Aronofsky. The film has proved to be of great interest to scholars working on the interface between the Bible and popular culture, not only because it was heralded as the first of a new generation of biblical blockbusters, but also because of its bold, provocative, and yet unusually nuanced approach to the interpretation and use of the Noah tradition, in both its biblical and extra-biblical forms. The book’s chapters, written by both well-established and up-and-coming scholars, engage with and analyze a broad range of issues raised by the film, including: its employment and interpretation of the ancient Noah traditions; its engagement with contemporary environmental themes and representation of non-human animals; its place within the history of cinematic depictions of the flood, status as an ‘epic’, and associated relationship to spectacle; the theological implications of its representation of a hidden and silent Creator and responses to perceived revelation; the controversies surrounding its reception among religious audiences, especially in the Muslim world; and the nature and implications of its convoluted racial and gender politics. Noah as Antihero will be of considerable interest to scholars conducting research in the areas of religion and film, contemporary hermeneutics, reception history, religion and popular culture, feminist criticism, and ecological ethics.

If you think the only logical response to bad Christianity is to leave Christianity completely, this book is for you. In an effort to help those who've been hurt by or turned off by negative religion, Martin Thielen explains that there is an alternative to abandoning religion: good religion. Thielen uses personal stories to illustrate the dangers of religion that is judgmental, anti-intellectual, and legalistic. While addressing the growth of the new atheism movement and the "Nones" (people that have no religious affiliation), this book argues that leaving religion is not practical, not helpful, and not necessary. Thielen provides counterparts to the characteristics of bad religion, explaining that good religion is grace-filled, promotes love and forgiveness, and is inclusive and hope-filled. Perfect for individual, group, or congregational study, a Leader's Guide and a Worship and Outreach Kit are also available to further the discussion and increase community involvement.

The Gospel of Barnabas versified and commented in the format of The Beloved and I.

Disinheriting the Jews is a scholarly work of great interest and significance for both Christians and Jews. Jeffery Siker shows how strongly the figure of Abraham has shaped our religious identities. He also uses the portrayals of Abraham by early Christians as a new means of understanding the dynamics involved in the church's separation and estrangement from Judaism. Siker argues that the separation was precipitated by historical contingencies more so than by Christian identity, and in so doing suggests self-corrections that could mend the rift between Christianity and Judaism.