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The Society of Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspectives launched in 2003 with its first conference held at Concordia University Chicago, in River Forest, Illinois. An earlier edition of this book, composed of chapters based on presentations from that conference, was published in 2004. In 2018 a decision was made to revise this book from the inaugural conference, updating some chapters and providing a new perspective on the ongoing work of the organization, now called the Children's Spirituality Summit. For example, given the advances in what we are learning from brain research, a chapter on this topic has been extensively updated. What this revised volume provides is a collection of chapters offering theological perspectives, social science research, and insights on ministry practice about the spiritual lives of children: how they relate to God, how this relationship grows, and what helps in promoting the spiritual formation and vitality of children in the home, church, and school This book offers twenty-three chapters by professors, graduate students, social science researchers, and ministry leaders from different denominational traditions addressing a wide range of issues in theory, research, and ministry practice with children. This second edition offers much to learn from, stimulate your thinking, and improve your practice.
Moved by the Spirit
To God be the glory! Moved by the Spirit is a passionate, Spirit-led devotional that touches the hearts and souls of all who read it. Inspired by medieval monastics, Symeon and Anselm, author Craig M. Prather's heavy use of free-thought, metaphor, and simile will compel the reader to dive further into prayer and meditation. This book is full of theological nuggets and truths and is a great tool for one who is looking to be inspired, convicted, or simply awestruck by the word of God.
Galatians
Galatians is one of the earliest of the Pauline letters and is therefore among the first documents written by Christians in the first century. Paul's letter to the Galatians deals with the first real controversy in the early church: the status of Jews and gentiles in this present age and the application of the Law of Moses to gentiles. Paul argues passionately that gentiles are not «converting» to Judaism and therefore should not be expected to keep the Law. Gentiles who accept Jesus as Savior are «free in Christ,» not under the bondage of the Law. Galatians also deals with an important pastoral issue in the early church as well. If gentiles are not «under the Law,» are they free to behave any way they like? Does Paul's gospel mean that gentiles can continue to live like pagans and still be right with God? For Paul, the believer's status as an adopted child of God enables them to serve God freely as dearly loved children. Galatians: Freedom through God's Grace is commentary for laypeople, Bible teachers, and pastors who want to grasp how the original readers of Galatians would have understood Paul's letter and how this important ancient letter speaks to Christians living in similar situations in the twenty-first century.
An Infinite God and a Father-Son God
In this last work, Kenan Osborne addresses the intersection between new scientific insights into the origin of the human species and the growing awareness of a multicultural and multi-religious world with our contemporary understanding of God. After a review of current presentations of Trinitarian theology, he analyzes in detail the biblical record for the names of God and develops a cogent description of the thinking about God in the first six centuries. Complementing his 2015 volume The Infinity of God and A Finite World, A Franciscan Approach, this present work challenges theologians and believers in two distinct ways: Do the terms «Father» and «Son» have any essential meaning for divinity? From a human standpoint, God is essentially neither a «Father» nor a «Son.» Nor do these two words have some exclusive meaning when they refer to divinity. What then do we mean when we talk about God? Second, in many theological textbooks, the term «infinite» is considered as an «attribute» of God. Infinity is in no way an attribute, even a divine attribute. It is rather an essential description of God, as the Franciscan philosophical theologian John Duns Scotus argues. And if this is so, can we really understand God, or are all our views and descriptions of an infinite God partial insights into a transcendent infinite God who embraces all human creatures from the beginning of homo sapiens sapiens to the present?
Sickness of the Night
You know that mysterious stranger at the bar? The one you can't help but keep sneaking looks at for reasons you can't really explain? For how mysterious they seem, you know that they can't possibly be that interesting. Every once in a while, as Bridget comes to find out, they are. Bridget had everything she wanted, and all at the young age of twenty-eight. At least, until she meets such a mysterious stranger at the bar one night, a man who seemingly has the power to disappear at will. All at once, she discovers that his past is just as mysterious as he is, having lived a life that spiraled from love to desolation and everywhere in between. But nothing can compare to the unbelievable secret he carries with him: he cannot escape the night. Entranced by this man who lives literally and figuratively in the darkness, she learns to question so many of the things left unthought about in life: the meaning of happiness, the strength of our desires, the weight of our hope, and what authentic love really means. But in doing so, she comes to question everything she has built around her.
Prepare, Succeed, Advance, Second Edition
What if you had a guidebook that you could turn to at each stage of your academic journey to help you navigate through the process of getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and succeeding in the academic world? This book is precisely intended to fill that need. From theory to practice, you will find discussions and answers to the most pertinent and pressing questions that prospective and current doctoral students are faced with: How do I choose a program? How can I gain admission into an elite program? How do I choose a research topic?
Alongside the «big» questions about the process, there are also a host of smaller matters: How do I publish an article? What conferences are out there in my field? Where do I start looking for a job? How do I get teaching experience? How do I write a syllabus?
This guidebook tackles all of these questions and many more in three parts: Prepare focuses on getting into a PhD program; Succeed guides you through the doctoral program, especially the writing of the dissertation; and Advance treats issues that relate to success in the academic world such as conference participation, publishing, employment, and best practices in teaching.
PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION
"Gupta has kindly provided me a book version of an academic mentor. In a time when many professors are busy, Gupta walks the extra mile and makes himself present not only in person to those near him, but also in writing for those like me. I can't thank him enough!" –Natan B. de Carvalho, College Student
"Dr. Gupta's book offered indispensable advice for me as I applied for PhD programs, completed my thesis, and applied for (and secured) tenure-track jobs. I am grateful for his service to the guild!" –Madison N. Pierce, Assistant Professor in New Testament, TEDS
"Having started seminary about a year after the first edition appeared, I was able to use Gupta's abundance of clear-headed advice to build a path to doctoral study. I can see, as a student in a first-tier PhD program, that this journey would not have been possible had I not been able to learn the many unspoken rules Gupta outlines in this invaluable book." –Jonathan Groce, New Testament PhD student at Emory University
"This book should be required for anyone even slightly interested in biblical higher education. I've enjoyed it so much that I've bought it three times, having given it away to two students." –Ryan Lytton, Director of Academic Services and Adjunct Professor at Life Pacific University-Virginia
"This book has proven immensely helpful as I navigated the PhD application process. Providing useful benchmarks and invaluable suggestions, Gupta's sage advice prepared me for success." –Benjamin Castaneda, PhD student at the University of St. Andrews
"The world of academic biblical studies can be difficult to navigate, especially for ethnic minorities. This book has prepared me well by making an opaque process clear and straightforward. I recommend it to anyone considering this path." –Daniel K. Eng, PhD candidate, University of Cambridge
"I wanted to thank you for the invaluable guidance your book provided as I made decisions concerning my academic future. I have just completed my M.A. in Classical Studies at Villanova and was accepted into graduate programs at both Edinburgh and Oxford. Every step of the way your text provided clear and specific recommendations. It was a true blessing." –Ken Tully, Adjunct Faculty at Villanova
"Prepare, Succeed, Advance is a tremendously helpful reference tool. As an academic advisor, I will make this the first resource I recommend to colleagues who may not have the advantage of personal experience in a PhD program. As a student, I will regularly return to Gupta's work for counsel on the next stage of academic life. Doctoral students should rejoice at having such a sure guide to academic success and commend Gupta for his contribution." –Samuel Emadi, review in JETS 56/1 (2013) 139-141, (140-141)
"This guide is indispensable to anyone thinking about a PhD." –Abram K-J, «Should I get a PhD?» Words on the Word blog, July 9 2012
"Nijay Gupta's Prepare, Succeed, Advance: A Guidebook for Getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and Beyond is just that, a guidebook. It does not claim to provide a formula on how the entire process works. At the same time, it is more than that in the sense that Gupta's honesty, attention to detail, and measured optimism throughout the entire book give his voice a level of credibility and warmth that prospective students will find invaluable as they begin their own individual paths toward academia." –Michael Suh, PhD, Emory, review in RBL: October 2014
"Prepare, Succeed, Advance has so many helpful points that my highlighter almost gave out. If you have even the tiniest desire to pursue a PhD in Biblical Studies, get a few pencils, two highlighters, and a copy of this book. You won't be sorry." –Andrew Kelley, PhD, Edinburgh
"When I started to investigate what a PhD in Biblical Studies entailed I was lost. What do schools look for? What programs are better for what field? So many questions, and so little (quality) answers. When I found Dr. Gupta's book I found both a map and compass. His book laid out the road ahead–including avenues to avoid, and boulevards to explore in more detail. Following Dr. Gupta's candid advice I have received offers to study at a couple of UK PhD programs. I think I owe Dr. Gupta some money! Buy this book–you will not be disappointed!" –Joshua Morris
Neo-Pentecostalism
For centuries, Pentecostalism has played a significant role in oppressively shaping the life of formerly colonized people of Africa. Moreover, its theologies have perpetuated neocolonial policies developed through the lens of colonial legacies rooted in la mission civilizatrice (mission to civilize). However, since the 1980s, Neo-Pentecostalism is increasingly reshaping the Congolese Christendom. It sanctions the theologies of a prosperity gospel rooted in an uncritical reading of the Bible and self-theologizing informed by a lack of literal, contextual translation effects. This book argues that the prosperity gospel bankrupts its adherents–in this case, the vulnerable, impoverished sections of Sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly the Postcolonial Congo–and instead offers a balanced theological reflection that broadens Neo-Pentecostal studies with an African voice encouraging the rewriting and rereading of the story of redemptive mission. The research engages a paradigm shift within global missions and world Christianity, or the history of missions as the platform to negotiate literal, prophetic, and contextual translation and retransmission of the biblical gospel. It is critical to reclaim and reestablish a hermeneutic of mixed methodologies and construct a contextual and critical interpretation of the Bible in the Congo. To avoid the African assumption of cultural baggage, which affects how the Congolese interpret the Bible, the interpreter has to be neutral and experience the voice of Christ in the text instead of the voice of Congolese culture; they must be a prophetic voice to reconstruct the authentic meaning of the salvific story.
The Function of Exorcism Stories in Mark’s Gospel
This book investigates stories of Jesus' exorcisms in the Gospel of Mark. The story of Jesus' first public ministry in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28) and the Beelzebul controversy story (3:20-30) are examined to understand the other acts of exorcism that Jesus performed (5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-32). Both Mark 1:21-28 and 3:20-30 highlight Jesus as a teacher and as an eschatological exorcist. The latter stresses Jesus' own understanding of exorcism and relates his identity with that of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the first two exorcism stories in Mark's Gospel confirm Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God. The motif of discipleship, which is evident in both stories, contributes to delineating Jesus' christological identity as the Son of God, as indicated by the incipit of Mark's Gospel (Mark 1:1). Markan exorcism stories in Mark 5:1-20; 7:24-30; and 9:14-29 further develop the presentation of Jesus' exorcisms and other primary motifs. The motifs of authority, identity, and mission confirm the christological identity of Jesus within gentile territory, and are an important part of his mission to the gentiles. Jesus' specific mission in Mark 9:14-29 presents the exorcism that Jesus performed in the context of his role in both death and resurrection. In this way, Jesus as the bearer of the kingdom of God defeats the kingdom of Beelzebul.
The Jesus Quotient
As leaders, our capacity to hear is often muddied by an inability to acknowledge our own insufficiencies and emotions. Jesus knew his God-given purpose and emotional character so deeply that he was able to operate out of these foundations boldly and instinctively. Jesus's infallible Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ) allowed him to focus on a third concept called «Audience Quotient» (AQ): an individual's ability to focus consistently, completely, and effectively on others.
As a church, we are failing a twenty-first-century culture that is defined by an unprecedented interconnectedness and speed of information. We are witnessing a scramble to manipulate and manage information that demands renewed integrity, and yet the church is seen as hypocritical, judgmental, and irrelevant. If we are going to earn a voice, the future church cannot be about the components of church at all, but instead the individual souls within the church–pastors included. The better we ground ourselves in the truth of who we were created to be (IQ, EQ, and AQ), the better able we will be to love God fully and love those around us as we love ourselves. That, after all, is what Jesus commanded us to do.
Dysteleology
A common theological critique of intelligent design (ID) centers on the problem of dysteleology. This problem states that because there are clear examples of suboptimal design in biology, life is probably not the product of an engineer-like designer. If it were, then one could argue that the designer is less than fully competent. ID critic Francisco Ayala expresses this critique in the following question: «If functional design manifests an Intelligent Designer, why should not deficiencies indicate that the Designer is less than omniscient, or less than omnipotent?» This book provides a philosophical analysis of two approaches to answering this question, one offered by Ayala and the other offered by William Dembski, a leading ID theorist.