Ethics & Public Policy Center Inc.,U.S. – förlag

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. The authors offer an insightful analysis of the symbiotic relationship between the popular entertainment industry and America's youth, suggest principles for evaluating popular art and entertainment, and propose strategies for rebuilding strong local cultures in the face of global media giants.

Psalms, with an Introduction to Cultic Poetry, is Volume XIV of The Forms of the Old Testament Literature, a series that aims to present a form-critical analysis of every book and each unit in the Hebrew Bible. Fundamentally exegetical, the FOTL volumes examine the structure, genre, setting, and intention of the biblical literature in question. They also study the history behind the form-critical discussion of the material, attempt to bring consistency to the terminology for the genres and formulas of the biblical literature, and expose the exegetical process so as to enable students and pastors to engage in their own analysis and interpretation of the Old Testament texts. Erhard Gerstenberger begins this volume with an examination of the nature of cultic poetry, its role in ancient Near Eastern religion, and more specifically its role in the religion of Israel. He goes on to survey the genres of cultic poetry, including lament, complaint, and thanksgiving. He then focuses on the book of Psalms as an example of cultic poetry, first analyzing the book as a whole and then working through Psalms 1-60 unit by unit, discussing structure, genre, setting, and intention.The work is enhanced by extensive bibliographies and a glossary of genres and formulas that offers clear, thorough definitions with examples.

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. The teaching of ethics and the transmission of values once performed an integrative function in the Christian college curriculum; however, they have gradually become relegated to a subspecialty status within the philosophy or religion department. Arguing that ethics is everybody's business, Arthur Holmes presents in this book a concise survey of moral education — its goals and methods — in the Christian college. Arising out of a three-year Christian College Consortium project, Shaping Character reflects the insights of a rich variety of experts, writers, and faculty members. Holmes first orients his readers to the present ethical climate, to theological dimensions and distinctive in ethics, and to moral development theory. He then poses three overall objectives of ethics education — forming the conscience, making moral decisions, and developing character — and fleshes out each objective with particular goals. Throughout the book Holmes makes suggestions about the role of faculty and staff, paying special attention to teaching methods and noting the context and dynamics of college life in general. The final chapter summarizes how the Bible functions in ethics. Shaping Character is meant for all Christian college teachers, professors, and administrators concerned about student values and the moral condition of our society. The book will serve as a valuable and practical guide for teaching ethics in every department.

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. There is no denying, writes Allen Verhey, that churches today are called to discern the shape and style of life "worth of the gospel of Christ" in the twentieth century. Even in the face of changing situations and new moral problems to address, the contemporary church stands self-consciously in a tradition of which the New testament is a normative part. In this major new study of New Testament ethics, Verhey examines first of all the ethic of Jesus, for it is there that the tradition begins. He then analyzes the different forms in which the early church handed down the memory of Jesus' words and deeds in the development of a moral tradition. Next he deals with that tradition as it came to canonical expression in the New Testament writings. In the last part of the book Verhey focuses on the use of the New Testament in the continuing moral tradition of the church, surveying proposals for the use of Scripture, identifying the critical methodological questions, and defending a "modest proposal" for the use of Scripture.

Apologia is about contemporary theological education — its current state and its future. While many current trends in seminaries and departments of theology bring important new insights to the study of religion, says Max Stackhouse, they also erode — sometimes unwittingly — the capacity to speak of God, truth, and justice with warranted confidence. Theology is thereby undermined in all arenas — not only in academia, but in the life of the church and society. This book not only exposes the frailties of several current ideologies, but also draws noted scholars from five continents and a seminary faculty into an interdisciplinary discussion of the most significant recent literature on theological education. The results are fresh proposals for the reconstructing of theological education on foundations that are contextually alert, globally concerned, and mission- oriented.Apologia is a ground-breaking work, a book that begins and ends in dialogue, and points toward the ways in which Christian theology will have to redefine itself if it is to actively shape, and not merely reflect, the context in which we live.

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. While many people think that the role of the biblical prophets was foretelling the future, the biblical emphasis, says Walter Owenbsy, was clearly much more on their role as forthtellers of God's message in troubled times. Indeed, much of their message had to do with how economic realities of the day affected the lives of people and the nation. In our time as well, faith has something to say about such things. That does not mean posing as economists when we are not. But it does mean knowing enough about the way our economic system functions to be able to identify the moral issues at stake within it and to enter responsibly into the public debate about the economic choices that lie before us. Owensby has written this book to help Christians take part more confidently and effectively in the dialogue on ethics and economics. Economics for Prophets is an introduction to the subject (it assumes no previous exposure to economics studies or jargon) that takes a helpful three-step approach. It explains some of the basic concepts of our economic system, explores how these concepts function in the real world, and critiques both the concepts and their practical working out from a biblical-theological-ethical perspective. Understanding economics can help Christians function as prophets in the true biblical sense, says Owensby — as socially aware believers who emphasize not foretelling the future, but forthtelling God's message to the world.

Taking a look at today's Church and religious situation, Neuhaus argues that there is a necessary awkwardness about Christian ministry because we are ambassadors of a "disputed sovereignty". Neuhaus also discusses the minister as leader of worship and the art, discipline, and "absurd responsibility" of being a preacher.

From old Revelation to new takes an important step beyond the studies by Robert Carroll and Michael Fishbane in exploring inner-biblical exegesis. Simon De Vries attempts to solve the problem of ideology and technique in the expansion of prophetic prediction by schools of redactors. By analyzing those prophetic predictions that employ temporal expressions as introductory transitions - expressions such as "in that day," "behold, days are coming," and "at the end of days" - De Vries demonstrates how futuristic expectation was expanded and reshaped within the prophetic collection toward an eventual canonical form.

This collection of essays looks back at the contributions of theology to medical ethics in the past and sets an agenda for theological reflection on medical ethics in the future.

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. Long begins this volume with a discussion of the nature of historical literature and a survey of its important genres: list, report, story, and history. He then focuses on 1 Kings as an example of historical literature, first analyzing the book as a whole and then unit-by-unit. The work is enhanced by extensive bibliographies and a glossary of genres and formulas which offers clear, thorough definitions with examples.

They examine the U.S. military presence in the context of both the chief challenges facing freedom in the Philippines and the chief threat to world peace today) namely, the encroachment upon vulnerable third world nations of the Leninist institution, the people's republic.

In mid-1987 Taiwanese president Chiang Ching-kuo announced the end of martial law and the legalization of a political opposition. These two changes, in addition to the orderly elections held at the end of 1986, underscored the political development that has occurred in the Republic of China on Taiwan. John Copper argues that the country's economic success has obscuredóand sometimes been placed in false opposition toóits political progress. Despite the many internal difficulties it faces and the external threat from mainland China, says Copper, the Taiwanese government has handled challenges so well that it might serve as a model for other developing states. He traces the history of Taiwan through developments in governmental structure, the economic system, and political strategies. The 1986 elections, which demonstrated both basic confidence in the Taiwanese government as a whole and an openness to opposition candidates in some areas, showed an emerging if not yet fully operational democratic process. Like Japan, says Copper, Taiwan will probably continue to be dominated by one party, but it will also make further political changes conducive to social stability and economic growth.

Religion has held a unique place in Soviet society: it is the only officially tolerated form of divergent ideology. Successive constitutions since 1917 have guaranteed "freedom to perform religious rites." In this volume, eleven authors survey the history and current situation of religion. They look at the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian bodiesóProtestant, Catholic, and Orthodoxóand also at Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. They describe the laws and the government agencies used to repress and persecute religious believers, how various religious bodies have responded to repression, and the prospects for reform under the initiatives of Mikhail Gorbachev.

Despite charges that the National Council of Churches funneled money to Marxist-Leninist governments and insurgencies, there has been no sustained examination of the NCC's politics, social policy, and spending habits. In From Mainline to Sideline, journalist K.L. Billingsley documents a pattern of political partisanship by the NCC. He describes the lack of structural coherence, the gap between the church elites and the people in the pews, and the doctrinaire ideology that has resulted in a flawed moral witness by the NCC on issues as diverse as nuclear weapons, civil rights, South Africa, and Latin America.