The first five books of the Bible illuminate the true nature of God as the Creator, exploring themes of divine authority, creation, and covenant. These texts provide foundational insights into God's character, His relationship with humanity, and the establishment of moral and ethical guidelines. Through narratives and laws, readers gain a deeper understanding of the divine plan and the significance of faith in the context of human existence.
Ancient Israel's Scriptures have exerted worldwide influence for more than two millennia. They explore human experience, including the human longing for the divine, through the powerful media of story, ritual, wisdom, and prophecy. This book retraces the Bible's exploration and shows how not only its conclusions but the steps taken to reach them still matter.
Exploring personal experiences, the narrative delves into themes of faith, love, and resilience amid life's challenges and victories. The author shares heartfelt reflections and encourages readers to hold onto their dreams while embracing the divine love of Jesus. Through poignant questions and insights, the work invites contemplation on the nature of God’s wisdom compared to human understanding. Ultimately, it aims to inspire and empower readers to navigate their own struggles with hope and faith.
Justice as Meaningful Involvement
Restorative justice approaches are examined in the context of environmental crimes, highlighting their potential advantages over traditional criminal justice methods. The book critiques the existing court processes in Australia and New Zealand, which often lack meaningful engagement from both offenders and victims, thereby diminishing their roles in the justice system. It advocates for restorative justice conferencing as a viable alternative, aiming to enhance visibility and interaction among all parties involved in environmental offenses.
Discover how studying the Bible can renew your church community. How do we teach the Bible in a way that makes a real difference in our students' lives and our communities? Too often, biblical introductions treat Scripture as a mere historical artifact. Mark W. Hamilton and Samjung Kang-Hamilton combine their decades of experience in theological and religious education to devise a new way to teach Scripture that brings out its life-giving qualities. The authors show how Scripture has four modes: story, ritual, prophecy, and wisdom. With an eye toward spiritual formation, the authors explore examples of each of the four genres within the Bible and show how they address real needs in the life of the church today. They also recommend how to incorporate contemporary tools like digital media alongside art, music, and other practices to draw wisdom from Scripture. Combining multicultural sensitivity with ecumenical spirit, this guidebook is ideal for educators and pastors seeking to renew their own Christian communities through biblical education.
