Reference Works (Dictionaries/Encyclopedias, Handbooks)
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Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics by Joel B. Green, Jacqueline Lapsley, Rebekah Miles, Allen Verhey, eds.This one-stop reference book on the vital relationship between Scripture and ethics offers needed orientation and perspective for students, pastors, and scholars. Written to respond to the movement among biblical scholars and ethicists to recover the Bible for moral formation, it is the best reference work available on the intersection of these two fields. The volume shows how Christian Scripture and Christian ethics are necessarily intertwined and offers up-to-date treatment of five hundred biblical, traditional, and contemporary topics, ranging from adultery, bioethics, and Colossians to vegetarianism, work, and Zephaniah. The stellar ecumenical list of contributors consists of more than two hundred leading scholars from the fields of biblical studies and ethics, including Darrell Bock, David Gushee, Amy Laura Hall, Daniel Harrington, Dennis Olson, Christine Pohl, Glen Stassen, and Max Stackhouse.
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Ethics by Robert L. BrawleyThe Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Ethics (OEBE) explores the intersection between biblical sources and ethical issues, both historical and modern, through extensive analytical and constructive treatments of a wide range of topics by leading biblical scholars and ethicists. Combiningtraditional theoretical frameworks, such as comparative religion, with more recent approaches (postmodern, queer and gender theory, etc.), the OEBE provides a landmark reference overview of everything from ethics in books of the Bible to modern movements and hot-button issues, such as capitalpunishment, bioethics, and abortion.The two-volume Encyclopedia contains over 180 entries ranging in length from 1,000 to 7,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides a thorough introduction to the topic that will be of use to scholars and students alike. Given its contemporaryresonance and detailed summary of current scholarship, the OEBE offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary starting point for research.
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies by Julia M. O'Brien, ed.As the first major encyclopedia of its kind, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies (OEBGS) is the go-to source for scholars and students undertaking original research in the field. Extending the work of nineteenth and twentieth century feminist scholarship and more recentqueer studies, the Encyclopedia seeks to advance the scholarly conversation by systematically exploring the ways in which gender is constructed in the diverse texts, cultures, and readers that constitute "the world of the Bible." With contributions from leading scholars in gender and biblicalstudies as well as contemporary gender theorists, classicists, archaeologists, and ancient historians, this comprehensive reference work reflects the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the field and traces both historical and modern conceptions of gender and sexuality in the Bible.The two-volume Encyclopedia contains more than 160 entries ranging in length from 1,000 to 10,000 words. Each entry includes bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, as well as a topical outline and index to aid in research. The OEBGS builds upon the pioneering work ofbiblically focused gender theorists to help guide and encourage further gendered discussions of the Bible.
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology by Daniel J. Treier; Walter A. Elwell, eds.This bestselling reference tool has been a trusted resource for more than 25 years with over 165,000 copies sold. Now thoroughly updated and substantially revised to meet the needs of today's students and classrooms, it offers cutting-edge overviews of key theological topics. Readable and reliable, this work features new articles on topics of contemporary relevance to world Christianity and freshened articles on enduring theological subjects, providing comprehensive A-Z coverage for today's theology students. The author base reflects the increasing diversity of evangelical scholars. Advisory editors include D. Jeffrey Bingham, Cheryl Bridges Johns, John G. Stackhouse Jr., Tite Ti nou, and Kevin J. Vanhoozer.
The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought by Adrian Hastings, Alistair Mason, Hugh Pyper, eds.Embracing the viewpoints of Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox thinkers, of conservatives, liberals, radicals, and agnostics, Christianity today is anything but monolithic or univocal. In The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought, general editor Adrian Hastings has tried to capture a sense of the great diversity of opinion that swirls about under the heading of Christian thought. Indeed, the 260 contributors, who hail from twenty countries, represent as wide a range of perspectives as possible. Here is a comprehensive and authoritative (though not dogmatic) overview of the full spectrum of Christian thinking. Within its 600 alphabetically arranged entries, readers will find lengthy survey articles on the history of Christian thought, on national and regional traditions, and on various denominations, from Anglican to Unitarian. There is ample coverage of Eastern thought as well, examining the Christian tradition in China, Japan, India, and Africa. The contributors examine major theological topics such as resurrection, the Eucharist, and grace as well as controversial issues such as homosexuality and abortion. In addition, short entries illuminate symbols such as water and wine, and there are many profiles of leading theologians, of non-Christians who have deeply influenced Christian thinking, including Aristotle and Plato, and of literary figures such as Dante, Milton, and Tolstoy. Most articles end with a list of suggested readings and the book features a large number of cross-references. The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought is an indispensable guide to one of the central strands of Western culture. An essential volume for all Christians, it is a thoughtful gift for the holidays.
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Encountering God in Tyrannical Texts: Reflections on Paul, Women, and the Authority of Scripture by Frances Taylor GenchThe Bible includes any number of âeoetyrannical textsâe� that have proved to be profoundly oppressive in the lives of many people. Among them are Pauline texts that have circumscribed the lives and ministries of women throughout Christian history. What are people who honor Scripture to do with such texts, and what does it mean to speak of biblical authority in their presence? In Encountering God in Tyrannical Texts, Frances Taylor Gench provides strategies for engaging such texts with integritythat is, without dismissing them, whitewashing them, or acquiescing to themand as potential sources of edification for the church. Gench also facilitates reflection on the nature and authority of Scripture. Encountering God in Tyrannical Textsprovides access to feminist scholarship that can inform preaching and teaching of problematic Pauline texts and encourages public engagement with them.
ISBN: 0664259529
Publication Date: 2015-05-18
Women in Their Place: Reflections on Paul, Women, and the Authority of Scripture by Jorunn ØklandJorunn Okland provides an informed and illuminating examination of what Paul can tell us about divisions between sanctuary and other space, about men and women, and about ideas of private and public. Women in Their Place is an interdisciplinary, theoretically informed reading of Paul's utterances on women in 1 Corinthians 11-14 (the section of the letter dealing with ritual gatherings), in light of ancient gender models as expressed in temples, rituals, and literary texts. It examines 1 Corinthians 11-14 within a larger context of gender models and sanctuary spaces, establishing a distinction between private, public and sacred/sanctuary space and arguing that, in much of 1 Corinthians, Paul is concerned with the marking of firm boundaries around the sanctuary space established by rituals in the ekklesia, which would effectively engender church as male space. This is volume 269 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement series.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks Reflections on Paul, Women, and the Authority of Scripture
ISBN: 9780567084071
Publication Date: eBook 2005-02-15; print 2004; both copyright 2004
Women and Christian Origins by Ross Shepard Kraemer; Mary Rose D'Angelo, eds.This is a collection of previously unpublished essays on the role of women in the New Testament and in the early church. It begins by supplying the historical and social contexts of women's lives in the New Testament period. In the next sections, the authors address issues surrounding the representation of women in the Gospels and in the Pauline writings. Finally, they turn to a consideration of attitudes towards women in the early church, and the roles played by early Christian women.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BR195.W6 W63 1999
ISBN: 98005780
Publication Date: 1999-02-11
Women Preachers and Prophets Through Two Millennia of Christianity by Beverly Mayne Kienzle; Pamela J. Walker, eds.For nearly two millennia, despite repeated prohibitions, Christian women have preached. Some have preached in official settings; others have found alternative routes for expression. Prophecy, teaching, writing, and song have all filled a broad definition of preaching. This anthology, with essays by an international group of scholars from several disciplines, investigates the diverse voices of Christian women who claimed the authority to preach and prophesy. The contributors examine the centuries of arguments, grounded in Pauline injunctions, against women's public speech and the different ways women from the early years of the church through the twentieth century have nonetheless exercised religious leadership in their communities. Some of them based their authority solely on divine inspiration; others were authorized by independent-minded communities; a few were even recognized by the church hierarchy. With its lively accounts of women preachers and prophets in the Christian tradition, this exceptionally well-documented collection will interest scholars and general readers alike.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BV676 .W556 1998
ISBN: 0520209214
Publication Date: 1998-04-30
Women and Ordination in the Christian Churches: International Perspectives by Ian Jones; Kirsty Thorpe; Janet Wootton, eds.The growth of women's ordained ministry is one of the most remarkable and significant developments in the recent history of Christianity. This collection of essays brings together leading contributors from both academic and church contexts to explore Christian experiences of ordaining women in theological, sociological, historical and anthropological perspective. Key questions include: How have national, denominational and ecclesial cultures shaped the different ways in which women's ordination is debated and/or enacted? What differences have women's ordained ministry, and debates on women's ordination, made in various church contexts? What 'unfinished business' remains (in both congregational and wider ministry)? How have Christians variously conceived ordained ministry which includes both women and men? How do ordained women and men work together in practice? What have been the particular implications for female clergy? And for male clergy? What distinctive issues are raised by women's entry into senior ordained/leadership positions? How do episcopal and non-episcopal traditions differ in this?
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BV676 .W5455 2008
ISBN: 9780567031549
Publication Date: 2008-09-30
Two Views on Women in Ministry by James R Beck, ed.What does the Bible say about women's roles in the church? With pros and cons on either side of a heated, ongoing debate, no definitive conclusions have emerged. This book furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary views on women in ministry so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities. Each view--egalitarian (equal ministry opportunity for both genders) and complementarian (ministry roles differentiated by gender)--is represented by two contributors. This revised edition of the book brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors. The fair-minded, interactive Counterpoints forum allows you to compare and contrast the two different positions, and to form your own opinion concerning the practical and often deeply personal issue of women in ministry. The Counterpoints series provides a forum for comparison and critique of different views on issues important to Christians. Counterpoints books address two categories: Church Life and Bible and Theology. Complete your library with other books in the Counterpoints series.
Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry by Stanley J. Grenz; Denise Muir KjesboStudies of key biblical passages on women's roles in the church fill entire bookshelves, if not libraries. But in Women in the Church, Stanley Grenz and Denise Muir Kjesbo offer the first in-depth theological study of this issue--one of the most bitterly contested issues of our day. Carefully considering the biblical, historical and practical concerns surrounding women and the ordained ministry, this book will enlighten people on all sides of the issue. But Grenz and Kjesbo make no secret of their bold conclusion: 'Historical, biblical and theological considerations converge not only in allowing, but also in insisting, that women serve as full partners with men.' Thorough and irenic, Women in the Church bids to take an intense discussion to a new plane.
Call Number: Stamps Stacks BV676 .G74 1995
ISBN: 9780830818624
Publication Date: 1995-11-03
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A Modest Apostle: Thecla and the History of Women in the Early Church by Susan E. HylenScholars and mainline pastors tell a familiar narrative about the roles of women in the early church-that women held leadership roles and exercised some authority in the church, but, with the establishment of formal institutional roles, they were excluded from active leadership. Evidence of women's leadership is either described as "exceptional" or relegated to (so-called) heretical groups, who differed with proto-orthodox groups precisely over the issue of women's participation. For example, scholars often contrast the Acts of Paul and Thecla (ATh) with 1Timothy. They understand the two works to represent discrete communities with opposite responses to the question of women's leadership.In A Modest Apostle, Susan Hylen uses Thecla as a microcosm from which to challenge this larger narrative. In contrast to previous interpreters, Hylen reads 1Timothy and the ATh as texts that emerge out of and share a common cultural framework. In the Roman period, women were widely expected to exhibit gendered virtues like modesty, industry, and loyalty to family. However, women pursued these virtues in remarkably different ways, including active leadership in their communities. Reading against a cultural background in which multiple and conflicting norms already existed for women's behavior, Hylen shows that texts like the ATh and 1Timothy begin to look different. Like the culture, 1Timothy affirms women's leadership as deacons and widows while upholding standards of modesty in dress and speech. In the ATh, Thecla's virtue is first established by her modest behavior, which allows her to emerge as a virtuous leader. The text presents Thecla as one who fulfills culturally established norms, even as she pursues a bold new way of life.Hylen's approach points to a new way of understanding women in the early church, one that insists upon the acknowledgment of women's leadership as a historical reality without neglecting the effects of the culture's gender biases.
ISBN: 9780190243821
Publication Date: 2015-09-11
Icons of Christ: A Biblical and Systematic Theology for Women's Ordination by William G. WittThe pastoral office is one of the most critical in Christianity. Historically, however, Christians have not been able to agree on the precise nature and limits of that office. A specific area of contention has been the role of women in pastoral leadership. In recent decades, three broad types of arguments have been raised against women's ordination: nontheological (primarily cultural or political), Protestant, and Catholic. Reflecting their divergent understandings of the purpose of ordination, Protestant opponents of women's ordination tend to focus on issues of pastoral authority, while Catholic opponents highlight sacramental integrity. These positions are new developments and new theological stances, and thus no one in the current discussion can claim to be defending the church's historic position. Icons of Christ addresses these voices of opposition, making a biblical and theological case for the ordination of women to the ministerial office of Word and Sacrament. William Witt argues that not only those in favor of, but also those opposed to, women's ordination should embrace new theological positions in response to cultural changes of the modern era. Witt mounts a positive ecumenical argument for the ordination of women that touches on issues such as theological hermeneutics, relationships between men and women, Christology and discipleship, and the role of ordained clergy in leading the church in worship, among others. Uniquely, Icons of Christ treats both Protestant and Catholic theological concerns at length, undertaking a robust engagement with biblical exegesis and biblical, historical, systematic, and liturgical theology. The book's theological approach is critically orthodox, evangelical, and catholic. Witt offers the church an ecumenical vision of ordination to the presbyterate as an office of Word and Sacrament that justifiably is open to both men and women. Most critically Witt reminds us that, as all people are image-bearers of the divine, so men and women both are called to serve as icons of Christ in service of the gospel.
ISBN: 9781481313186
Publication Date: 2020-11-01
Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women by Lucy Peppiatt; Scot McKnight (Foreword by)Does God call women to serve as equal partners in marriage and as leaders in the church? The answer to this straightforward question is deeply contested. Into the fray, Lucy Peppiatt offers her work on interpretation of the Bible and Christian practice. With careful exegetical work, Peppiatt considers relevant passages in Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, and 1 Corinthians. There she finds a story of God releasing women alongside men into all forms of ministry, leadership, work, and service on the basis of character and gifting, rather than biological sex. Those who see the overturning of male-dominated hierarchy in the Scriptures, she argues, are truly rediscovering an ancient message--a message distorted by those who assumed that a patriarchal world, which they sometimes saw reflected in the Bible, was the one God had ordained.
ISBN: 9780830852710
Publication Date: 2019-08-06
The Methodist Defense of Women in Ministry by Paul W. Chilcote; Mimi Haddad (Foreword by)John Wesley promoted the ministry of women in early Methodism. Amazing women like Phoebe Palmer, Catherine Booth, and Frances Willard--founding figures in the holiness movement, the Salvation Army, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union--claimed biblical precedent for their groundbreaking ministries. They withstood the onslaught of criticism and hostility from those who thought they had stepped out of their proper sphere. Methodists have championed the cause of women and developed biblical, spiritual, and practical arguments for their ministry for two and a half centuries. More than fifty documents from the history of Methodism chronicle the tortuous journey leading to biblical equality in this family of churches. At a time when the ministry of women is under serious attack in a number of quarters, yet again, we all have much to learn from the witness of Wesleyan Christians who argued for women's ministry. This story illustrates how faithful women, when they knew they had the Lord's approval, stood "like the beaten anvil to the stroke." Courage. Defiance. Perseverance. Faithfulness. These qualities define the Methodist defense of women in ministry.