検索キーワード： 聖書の歴史・文化

Can we trust that a collection of 66 books written by many different authors over a time period that spans many centuries is really God' s message to us? Can we trust that the manuscripts we have today, based on scrolls copied by hand, are accurate? What about the translations? Can we have confidence in them? The answers have eternal consequences.

The early Church faced persecution. Some endured. Others denied Christ. What happened next—and what does it mean for us today? Early Church Witness — Book 9: The Lapsed is a Scripture-first, historically grounded examination of how early Christians dealt with believers who denied Christ under threat of imprisonment, torture, or death.

We live in a Genesis Three World. Even a quick look around reveals that things in this world are not as they should be. Violence, including war and mass shootings and self-inflicted harm such as suicide, occurs more than regularly. In the words of Paul, We know that the whole creation has been...

Do you want to unlock the wisdom of the Scriptures but find yourself overwhelmed every time you open the page? Reading the Bible shouldn’t feel like a confusing academic exercise. Many beginners struggle with archaic language and complex history, leaving them feeling deeply disconnected from their faith. You may have tried reading cover to cover only to get stuck in genealogies, wondering how these ancient words apply to modern life. It is frustrating to want a closer relationship with God but feel like a locked door stands between you and His living Word.

The Old Testament tells a story primarily written to, by, and about people of the land―the promised land and its neighboring territories. Those at home on the sea were almost always portrayed as enemies by those authors. But with the New Testament comes a startling shift of focus: The...

The Light Shines in The Darkness– JOHN 1:5. Life on earth is getting tougher, but there is good news. A larger picture exists that offers hope for everyone—regardless of our current circumstances, past failures, or life status. Amazingly, this larger perspective has been accurately revealed in the prophetic pages of an ancient book–the Bible. As you dive into The Light at the End, you will discover legitimate reasons why, in the midst of widespread skepticism and mistrust of religion, we can have full confidence that the Bible is trustworthy and accurate.

Refusing to practice a religion foreign to your conscience and belief is the very epitome of what it means to be Protestant. When a tyrannical power forbids a people from practicing according to their own religious belief and conscience, and they do so anyway, even if in secret, they are acting in Protest. James A. Wylie brings the principle that is Protestantism nearer in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ to its beginning.

The Book of Leviticus is often regarded as the most challenging terrain within the Biblical canon; it is a dense thicket of ritual protocols, dietary restrictions, and complex sacrificial systems that can feel profoundly alien to the modern listener. Yet, to bypass this book is to miss the very heartbeat of the Pentateuch and the foundational blueprint for a life lived in the presence of the Divine.

Satan's transformation from opaque functionary to chief antagonist is one of the most striking features of the development of Jewish theology in the Second Temple Period and beyond. Once no more than an "accuser" testing members of the human community, Satan, along with his demons, is presented by Jewish apocalyptic texts and the New Testament as a main source of evil in the world. In Satan and the Problem of Evil, noted scholar Archie Wright explores this dynamic in both its historical and theological trajectories.

Who wrote Great Expectations? That’s easy: Charles Dickens. Who’s the author of Beloved? Toni Morrison, of course. Now how about the Old Testament? You’d think for a book as widely known, studied, and distributed as the Bible, the question of authorship would have been sorted out by now. But the question is more complex (and fascinating) than it seems. Why? Because asking it is to challenge everything we might assume about the Bible’s identity as a book, about what “writing” and “authorship” really mean, and about how a written text could become sacred.

Is Christianity the White Man's Religion? affirms that ethnic diversity has played a powerful role in the formation of the Old and New Testaments and that the Bible is a book of justice, promoting equality for all people. Contrary to popular Eurocentric conceptions, biblical Christianity is not just for White Westerners. It's good news for all of us. 

God has a plan for your life. More often than not, it's a detour - one that can leave you feeling temporarily stalled and slowed down. Which nobody likes. But detours are necessary if any improvements are going to be made on the paths we travel. Or if any wreck is going to be cleaned up or a hazard avoided. Detours are designed for our own good, regardless of how we view or feel about them. Detours are a good thing that often feels bad. Tony knows a thing or two about detours.

Mary Magdalene is one of the most influential symbols in the history of Christianity - yet, if you look in the Bible, you'll find only a handful of verses that speak of her. How did she become such a compelling saint in the face of such paltry evidence? In her effort to answer that question, Cynthia Bourgeault examines the Bible, church tradition, art, legend, and newly discovered texts to see what's there.

As we all know, and as many of our well-established textbooks have argued for decades, the Inquisition was one of the most frightening and bloody chapters in Western history, Pope Pius XII was anti-Semitic and rightfully called "Hitler's Pope", the Dark Ages were a stunting of the progress of knowledge to be redeemed only by the secular spirit of the Enlightenment, and the religious Crusades were an early example of the rapacious Western thirst for riches and power. But what if these long-held beliefs were all wrong?

 Womanist Midrash is an in-depth and creative exploration of the well- and lesser-known women of the Hebrew Scriptures. Using her own translations, Gafney offers a midrashic interpretation of the biblical text that is rooted in the African American preaching tradition to tell the stories of a variety of female characters, many of whom are often overlooked and nameless. Gafney employs a solid understanding of womanist and feminist approaches to biblical interpretation and the sociohistorical culture of the ancient Near East.  

Combining research from Asian scholars with his many years of experience living and working in East Asia, Brad directs our attention to Paul's letter to the Romans. He argues that some traditional East Asian cultural values are closer to those of the first-century biblical world than common Western cultural values. In addition, he adds his voice to the scholarship engaging the values of honor and shame in particular and their influence on biblical interpretation.

 Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels draws listeners into a deeper understanding of ancient Israel and first-century Judaism to better understand Jesus' ministry. Instead of viewing the Gospels through 21st-century eyes, author Cyndi Parker introduces listeners to the larger context with the weight of the Old Testament behind them. 

Millions are getting lost in the evangelical maze: inerrancy, indifference to the environment, deterministic Calvinism, purity culture, racism, LGBTQ discrimination, male dominance, and Christian nationalism. They are now conscientious objectors, deconstructionists, perhaps even "none and done". As one of America's leading academics speaking to the issues of religion today, David Gushee offers a clear assessment and a new way forward for disillusioned post-evangelicals. 

Best-selling author and national radio host Dr. Andrew Farley is known to challenge legalistic and lifeless interpretations with his discerning take on controversial scriptures. In Twisted Scripture, Andrew skewers sacred cows and shatters destructive lies, bringing the undiluted truth about God's love and grace in a colorful and conversational look at the most controversial passages in the New Testament.

This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice. Dive into one of the richest and most ancient collections of sacred texts with The Ethiopian Bible. This incredible compilation brings together a wealth of spiritual knowledge, including books and writings that have shaped the faith and traditions of...