Masculinity in the Bible, Politics in the Bible, Bible and politics, and Masculinity--Biblical teaching

This book looks at the Acts of the Apostles through two lenses that highlight the two topics of masculinity and politics. Acts is rich in relevant material, whether this be in the range of such characters as the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius, Peter and Paul, or in situations such as Timothy's circumcision and Paul's encounters with Roman rulers in different cities. Engaging Acts from these two distinct but related perspectives illuminates features of this book which are otherwise easily missed. These approaches provide fresh angles to see how men, masculinity, and imperial loyalty were understood, experienced, and constructed in the ancient world and in earliest Christianity. The essays present a range of topics: some engage with Acts as a whole as in Steve Walton's chapter on the way Luke-Acts perceives the Roman Empire, while others focus on particular sections, passages, and even certain figures, such as in an Christopher Stroup's analysis of the circumcision of Timothy. Together, the essays provide a tightly woven and deeply textured analysis of Acts. The dialogue form of essay and response will encourage readers to develop their own critiques of the points raised in the collection as a whole.

Bible and sociology and Bible and politics

“I believe that the Bible speaks not merely to personal, family, and church issues, but to national, community, and governmental issues if we would take the time to listen.” –James L. Garlow Conservative Christians admit that they do not speak out on political or cultural issues because they do not know how to support their beliefs from a biblical basis, according to a recent poll. Instead, they remain silent on critical issues like marriage, racism, and transgender issues because they feel uninformed and ill-equipped to defend their beliefs. New York Times bestselling author and pastor James L. Garlow offers the solution—a practical, biblical guide for the 21st century Christian. Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today's Tough Issues (ISBN: 978-1-62157-550-4; $14.99; June 2016) informs and prepares readers to tackle the important issues of the day and engage with those around them in a loving, Scripturally-based manner. In Well Versed, readers will learn Biblical responses to: Religion in the Public Square - Purpose of Government, the First Amendment, and Political Correctness Family and Life Issues - Marriage, School Choice, Abortion, Sexual Orientation, and Healthcare Economics - Capitalism vs. Socialism, Taxes, Debt, Welfare, and Minimum Wage Law and Society - Judiciary, Hate Crimes, Social Justice, and Racism Foreign Policy and World Issues - National Defense, Immigration, Israel, the Environment, Islam, and Terrorism Political Participation - Media and Civil Disobedience

Roman provinces--Religion and Bible and politics

The Final Days of Jesus is not only a book about religion, but also of Roman history. The events which took place during the Passover of 33 AD may have changed the course of the entire western world, but it is important to recognise that our understanding of them have been shaped by almost two thousand years of faith, studies and oral and written tradition. For the people of the time however, the significance of Jesus's final days remained largely unacknowledged. Mark Smith, a classical historian and an expert storyteller, vividly depicts the final days of Jesus, writing with a keen focus on historical fact: what really happened, and who was involved? Pontius Pilatus is typically considered to be one of the most justly hated men of Christian history, but was he really a despicable tyrant, or was he just a man with a lack of foresight, constrained in a difficult situation, trapped between the Roman law and higher political powers? Who were Annas and Caiaphas, High Priests of Jerusalem, and how did they become embroiled in the decision to crucify an obscure teacher from Nazareth? This book compellingly explores the role which politics played in the execution of the “King of the Jews”.

Bible and politics and Christianity and politics

It is not a secret that the political system in the United States is broken. Unfortunately, many Christians are ambivalent about, or worse yet, contributors to that dysfunction. Many know they should do something but don't know what to do or how to do it. Drawing on insights from history, theology, and culture, Worshiping Politics reframes the relationship between faith and politics as one of intentional formation instead of divisive decision-making. When we focus on how we are formed as people and the church in relationship to our various communities instead of what we think and believe in relation to culture and society, it changes the way we engage the world. Unlearning our faulty emphasis on the power of our own intellect and learning how to be formed in grace and love for the world through our everyday lives just might make a different kind of politics possible.

Bible and politics

Resisting the typical, dry methods of contemporary scholarship, this powerful examination revisits the biblical days of life-and-death conflict, struggles for power between popes and kings, and secret alliances of intellectuals united by a desire to pit worldly goals against the spiritual priorities of the church. This account looks beyond the pretense of neutrality and objectivity often found in secular study, and brings to light the appropriation of scripture by politically motivated interpreters. Questioning the techniques taken for granted at divinity schools worldwide, their origins are traced to the writings of Machiavelli and Marsilio of Padua, the political projects of Henry VIII, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke, and the quest for an empire of science on the part of Descartes and Spinoza. Intellectual and inspiring, an argument is made for bringing Christianity back to biblical literacy.

Bible and politics, Political science--New England--History--17th century, and Political science--Great Britain--History--17th century

Designed to contribute to a greater understanding of the religious foundations of seventeenth century political writing, this study offers a detailed exploration of the significance of the figure and story of Adam at that time. The book investigates seventeenth-century writings from England and New England-examining writings by Roger Williams and John Eliot, Gerrard Winstanley, John Milton, and John Locke-to explore the varying significance afforded to the Biblical figure of Adam in theories of the polity. In so doing, it counters over-simplified views of modern secular political thought breaking free from the confines of religion, by showing the diversity of political models and possibilities that Adamic theories supported. It provides contextual background for the appreciation of seventeenth-century culture and other cultural artefacts, and feeds into current scholarly interest in the relationship between religion and the public sphere, and in stories of origins and Creation.

Bible and politics

Politicians and pundits regularly invoke the Bible in social and political debates on a host of controversial social and political issues, including: abortion, stem-cell research, gay marriage, the death penalty, separation of church and state, family values, climate change, income distribution, teaching evolution in schools, taxation, school prayer, aid for the poor, and immigration. But is the Bible often used out of context in these major debates?This book includes essays by fourteen biblical scholars who examine the use of the Bible in political debates, uncovering the original historical contexts and meanings of the biblical verses that are commonly cited. The contributors take a non-confessional approach, rooted in non-partisan scholarship, to show how specific texts have at times been distorted in order to support particular views. At the same time, they show how the Bible can sometimes make for unsettling reading in the modern day. The key questions remain: What does the Bible really say? Should the Bible be used to form public policy?

Political science--Philosophy and Bible and politics

Die Frage nach dem Subjekt politischen Handelns bildet eines der aktuellen Themen politischer Philosophie, nachdem sich ‚klassische‘ Subjekttheorien einer grundlegenden Kritik unterzogen sahen. Im Mittelpunkt steht die doppelte Bedeutung des Subjekts als eines subiectum: Das Subjekt wird nicht als freie Setzung von Identität verstanden, sondern als eingebunden in vielfältige Unterwerfungsstrukturen gesehen. Der Aufsatzband geht von der These aus, dass grundlegende Elemente gegenwärtiger Subjekttheorien im Neuen Testament auf eigene Weise thematisiert werden. Zur Frage steht damit, wie spezifische Erfahrungen von Marginalisierung und Exklusion, von Ermächtigung und Gemeinschaft in neutestamentlichen Texten bearbeitet und Strategien der Subjektwerdung kommuniziert werden. Das geschieht keineswegs einheitlich, sondern in unterschiedlichen Interpretationsprozessen der Jesus-Christus-Geschichte. Vor diesem Hintergrund zeichnen sich lohnende Perspektiven auf gegenwärtige Theorien des politischen Subjekts ab, deren interdisziplinäre Reflexion einen Beitrag zum gegenwärtigen Diskurs des Politischen bildet.

Bible and politics, Politics in the Bible, Political science--Philosophy, Christianity and politics, and Church and social problems

A variety of perspectives exist within the Christian community when it comes to political issues and political involvement. This comprehensive and readable book presents a political philosophy from the perspective that the Gospel pertains to all of life so Christians should be involved in political issues. In brief, this is an analysis of conservative and liberal plans to do good for the nation, evaluated in light of the Bible and common sense. In this ground-breaking book, recognized evangelical Bible professor Wayne Grudem rejects five mistaken views about Christian influence on politics: (1) “compel religion,” (2) “exclude religion,” (3) “all government is demonic,” (4) “do evangel-ism, not politics,” and (5) “do politics, not evangelism.” He proposes a better alternative: (6) “significant Christian influence on government.” Then he explains the Bible's teachings about the purpose of civil government and the characteristics of good or bad government. Does the Bible support some form of democracy? Should judges and the courts hold the ultimate power in a nation? With respect to specific political issues, Grudem argues that most people's political views depend on deep-seated assump-tions about several basic moral and even theological questions, such as whether God exists, whether absolute moral stan-dards can be known, whether there is good and evil in each person's heart, whether people should be accountable for their good and bad choices, whether property should belong to individuals or to society, and whether the purpose of the earth's resources is to bring benefit to mankind. After addressing these foundational questions, Grudem provides a thoughtful, carefully-reasoned analysis of over fifty specific issues dealing with the protection of life, marriage, the family and children, economic issues and taxation, the environment, national defense, relationships to other nations, freedom of speech and religion, quotas, and special interests. He makes frequent application to the current policies of the Democratic and Republi-can parties in the United States, but the principles discussed here are relevant for any nation.

Mythology--Political aspects, Myth in the Bible, and Bible and politics

A scholar of biblical studies and cultural theory develops a political myth for the Left based on foundational stories in the Bible s first six books, from Genesis through Joshua.

Christianity and politics and Bible and politics

Im Kontext der politischen Ideengeschichte ist die Bibel ein Machtdiskurs. Schon das Alte Testament hat kein eindeutiges Gottesbild und reflektiert über Macht. Dem allmächtigen Schöpfergott, auf den sich die Metaphysik beruft, steht der Bundesgott gegenüber, der um Anerkennung wirbt. Wie in Griechenland fordert die Rhetorik die Metaphysik heraus: Ohne die Anerkennung der Machtunterworfenen ist für die Bibel Macht in Wahrheit Ohnmacht. In der Kontroverse zwischen Paulus und der Petrustradition erreicht dieser Diskurs im Neuen Testament seinen Höhepunkt. Die Evangelien verstehen Macht aus der Perspektive von oben und sichern sie metaphysisch ab. Für Paulus ist die Botschaft vom Kreuz dagegen gleichbedeutend mit dem Ende aller Metaphysik. Macht kann sich nur rechtfertigen, wenn sie von unten legitimiert wird. Damit begründet Paulus in der Tradition des Alten Testaments das republikanische Denken radikal neu. Im Neuen Testament, so heißt es für gewöhnlich, setzen sich Christen mit ihrer Umwelt auseinander, um eine eigene Identität zu gewinnen. Paulus gilt dabei als der eigentliche Begründer des Christentums. Aber so einig, wie es scheint, waren sich die frühen Christen nicht. Sie rangen untereinander darum, wie ihre Welt zu verstehen sei. Der biblische Kanon harmonisiert Positionen, die nicht mit einander vereinbar sind. Ihre Unvereinbarkeit hatte erhebliche Bedeutung für das politische Selbstverständnis der westlichen Kultur.

Reformation--Scotland, Reformation--England, Bible and politics, Church and state--England, and Church and state--Scotland

Nach der Reformation wurde in England und Schottland mit der Bibel und ihren Texten Politik gemacht. Andreas Pecar führt vor, wie der politische Biblizismus sowohl zur Legitimitätssteigerung der Monarchie Verwendung fand, als auch von zahlreichen Kritikern dazu genutzt wurde, die Legitimität der Politik der Stuartkönige Jakob VI./I. und Karl I. in Frage zu stellen und damit den Ausbruch des englischen Bürgerkrieges zu begünstigen.