Product Description
Hidden Histories 2 invites readers to enhance their knowledge of history as an important source of spiritual strength for these times.It also examines more deeply what it means for the United Church of Christ to celebrate its "unity in diversity."It explores such areas as Lutheran and Reformed Cooperation; German Evangelical Protestants; Origins of the Christian Denomination in New England; Evangelical Pietism and Biblical Criticism; Women's Mission Structures and the American Board; Religious Journalism; Philip William Otterbein and the United Brethren; From German Reformed Roots to the Churches of God; The Congregational Training School for Women; and Chinese Congregationalism. ... Read more

Product Description
The Pharisee of Jesus' day placed obstacles between lost souls and salvation in much the same way that modern day Pharisees hinder today's salvation seekers from accepting Christ.Inside The Churches of Christ reveals those obstacles as they are manifested throughout modern day Churches of Christ. Author, Charles Simpson, reflects an unmistakable Pharisaical attitude toward other Christians, Christian traditions and Christian institutions typical of those he personally witnessed as a 50-year active member of the Churches of Christ.Dozens of quotes from Church of Christ practitioners from all over the USA validate the legalisms prevalent within this group.Church of Christ readers will come away with a new perspective on the actual theology of their own brethren and the potential impact of that theology on other believers.All Christian readers will have a better view of the non-denomination denomination and gain much insight into the Church of Christ claim of being Christ's "one true church". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Knows exactly what he is talking about
This is a great book.My review is a smart-alec one but true non-the less.You may not like it but stop me when I start lying.

I saw a reviewer gave this book one star then did exactly what I expect a Church of Christer to do:validate every point he made using Church of Christ speak.

I grew up in the Church of Christ.Thirty-something years I spent being brain washed by this bunch of Pharisees.Make no mistake about it- THE CHURCH OF CHRIST BELIEVES THAT THEY AND THEY ALONE ARE GOING TO HEAVEN AND NO ONE ELSE IS.If a Church of Christer tells you that is not true just stick around for the thirty minute explanation of why, in fact, they are the only ones going to heaven.A member of the mainstream (largest portion) of the Church of Christ believe the following:

1:They are NOT a denomination.Yet, if you don't attend a church with the denominational name "Church of Christ" on the sign out front you are going to hell IF FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THAT.

2:If you use a piano or any other instrument in church service (or have music at a wedding, or funeral if it's in their building- no joke) you are going to hell.

3:The church is a group of believers not the building... however... if there is a piano inside that building that is not the church then you are going to hell.

If any member of the Church of Christ tells you that the above things are not true then you can count on one of two things:They are not a member of the mainline church of Christ or they are lying to you.If they spout the excuse "he is talking about 'anti's' or some other split branch of the church of Christ" just grill them on instrumental music for a minute and you will find out what I am saying is true.To a member of the Church of Christ who denies this ask them a straight yes or no question:If I don't go to a church of Christ am I going to hell- and by Church of Christ I mean the non-denomination denomination that you attend?They will have to say "yes" because that is what they believe.

I could easily have written this book.Now I don't have to.If you have any family trapped by this cult or have been alienated by members of this group then please read this book to understand where they are coming from.I have attended many churches of Christ over the years until I finally escaped and I can tell you that with only minor variations that they are all largely just like the ones written about in this book.

So, are all members of the church of Christ nuts?No.There are many members who are good God-fearing people who want to worship God honestly and to the best of their ability.

If that is true then why are they members of this extreme right-wing group?Most grew up in and are trapped by families who will disown them if they leave so it's easier just to stay.To others, it is no more than a social club.Most of the church leadership (elders) fall into this category.In their heart of hearts the Bible is a bunch of stories and maybe there is a God, maybe not, but we can all agree on one thing- we are part of the Church of Christ, the only people getting "church right" and everyone else is crazy believing a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.So they all stand around, shake hands, and call each other "brother" like they are at the Mason lodge then go home and talk about how the world is going to hell because of all the "false prophets" (Baptist, Methodist, and the such) in the world.

I can assure you I am only using a mild bit of satire here.Maybe you are reading this and going "ha, ha, no way."If you are a former member of the church of Christ you are likely saying "Yep, right on the mark."If you are still trapped by the church of Christ you are saying, "You need to read your Bible young man." in spite of the fact I have read it through more times than you probably have but I didn't skip a bunch of verses like you did.

Now then... my "review" of the one star "review":

"Obviously the author has had some bad experiences,but I do not think he fully understands what the Churches of Christ believes and what the scripture says."

Despite the fact he spent 50 years in the church of Christ.I can see how he missed out.By the way "don't understand what the scriptures say" is right out of the CoC handbook.In laymen's terms it means "you don't understand how to interpret the scriptures like we do."


"The Church of Christ is not a denomination but the same Church you read about in the Bible that Christ built and died for."

This is how the church of Christ denomination explains they are not a denomination.It is such an absurd statement that I feel bad having to even point it out.Mind you that the church of Christ denomination didn't exist until the 1800's and that the Catholic (Universal) church put the cannon of the Bible together- THEY are denominations but not the church of Christ.Also, they are not a denomination but if you did everything- EVERYTHING exactly like they do on Sunday morning but the sign in front of your church doesn't say "The church of Christ meets here" then you, are in fact, going to hell.

"Many of these man made denominations don't really comprehend God's word nor follow it.The author should address the question whether there are Christians in the denominations and how they can be Christians and not follow the Bible but uninspired men's fleshly impluses."

See how they just said "we are the only one's going to heaven" without saying those words?Straight out of CoC handbook.


"This impluses can mean absolute spirtual death for those that chose to take that path.Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14 that wide is the gate and broad the path that leads to destruction and many there be that take that path, because straight is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.This statement sums up the flawed prospective that this book presents."

This is the verse they always use to prove that their small cult is going to heaven and every other church is going to hell because see- Jesus said so right there!Thanks for proving EXACTLY why people need to read this book and educate themselves on this dangerous group.

Gives a true picture from one who's been there
I got interested in the local Church of Christ church when they would say on their local tv show that they were the one true church and every other church was false. So I went to check them out & see if the self declared claims were true.Well a lot of their claims just did not hold up to the truth of the Bible. I tried to find out more information on this church denomination, but couldn't find any at the Bible book stores any where. But thanks to Amazon I bought this book & it is an eye opener. No one knows like a person who's been there.In a couple of hours of reading I can find out what it took Charles Simpson fifty years to learn. Church denominations aren't God's plan for our lives but when one denomination attacks all others as false and they're all going to hell, then that is much more worse.

Saved by Grace through Faith in Baptism unto Good Works
Obviously the author has had some bad experiences,but I do not think he fully understands what the Churches of Christ believes and what the scripture says.The Church of Christ is not a denomination but the same Church you read about in the Bible that Christ built and died for.Many of these man made denominations don't really comprehend God's word nor follow it.The author should address the question whether there are Christians in the denominations and how they can be Christians and not follow the Bible but uninspired men's fleshly impluses.This impluses can mean absolute spirtual death for those that chose to take that path.Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14 that wide is the gate and broad the path that leads to destruction and many there be that take that path, because straight is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.This statement sums up the flawed prospective that this book presents.

Specifically about some non-instrumental churches
Before reading this book, it's important to know that its author is referring specifically to some non-instrumental Churches of Christ, not to every church that is called a "Church of Christ"- there are many, and certainly they are not all alike.There are many that do not believe, teach, nor practice things that are mentioned here as being doctrines of the Church of Christ, notably forbidding the use of musical instruments in worship. The author has had some very sad experiences that have shaped his thinking, and that have influenced him to write a book like this.It may be hoped that those who read this book will go to their local church and decide for themselves whether it believes and teaches the same things he mentions, rather than prejudging it as a church full of pharisees. ... Read more

Product Description
Few issues within the church are as controversial as baptism.By which method should it be administered? At what age? What if one changes denominations? Laurence H. Stookey sifts through the confusion and rhetoric to offer this practical, biblically sound guide to baptism.He examines the sacrament from historical, theological, and pastoral perspectives, and looks at how it has been alteredthrough the ages. Dr. Stookey also suggests possible reforms, practices that need restoring, and proper occasions for the service. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Baptism, broadly speaking...
Laurence Hull Stookey, in the epilogue to his book Baptism: Christ's Acts in the Church, gives a very personal interpretation to the meaning of baptism for him:
'Baptism has changed my perception of the future. The same God who claimed me before I could understand, through that very act gives me hope for a future that I cannot comprehend.'

Baptism is a powerful action, one that incorporates an individual into the community. Despite the near-universal acceptance of baptism as a fundamental Christian practice, there is still a great amount of confusion and theological disarray (a term Stookey uses, which reminds me of Joe Jones' frequent use as well) surrounding the meaning and actual ritual enactment.

Stookey warns against seeing baptism as a magical act. This is not something that should be seen as a transformative act that works independent of the intentions and meaning attached to it by the individuals and community participating. However, there is a fine line that is often crossed between the theory of baptism and the practice of baptism. 'Early in the third century, Tertullian ... stated this worthy assertion, which establishes that the ministry of baptism is not the exercise of some magical power, nor is it the prerogative of an elite group. All can share equally what they themselves have received equally. When it came to practice as distinct from principle, Tertullian was more restrained.'

The entire community is called to participate in the baptism of members; frequently (as in my own tradition) when a new member is being baptised, all other members present are called upon to renew their own baptismal vows. This can be particularly meaningful and important in a tradition that practices infant baptism, for many (or most) individuals will not be able to recall the actual experience of their own baptisms.

Stookey permits the practice of infant/child baptism, on the grounds that it is part of the community's action, and so long as the community accepts responsibility for those it baptises, children may be included. 'Baptism is for those committed to the Christian faith and community, and for their children. This presses upon the church the necessity of being what the church is intended to be: a family of Christ's people who disciple, nurture, and encourage one another in faith.'

Baptism is the mark of being part of a church as a community of covenant, in relationship with God and with each other. Stookey argues for adult commitment to the process of baptism, but that this commitment can extend to the education and incorporation of children into the community. Stookey also argues against rebaptism. If baptism is 'a ritual action [that] has the power to communicate and incorporate', the baptised person is already part of the community, and it becomes a matter for pastoral leadership to lead the person who might be seeking rebaptism into other forms of expression - baptismal renewal, confirmation, reaffirmation are possible means for this.

Baptism is not simply a physical action, but rather is a multi-sensory experience that reaches out of several emotional and mental levels. 'While the very existence of sacramental actions and things is testimony that words are not everything in communicating the faith, this by no means indicates that words are unimportant.'

The words help express the desires and intentional aspects of the action, while the physical aspects carry meanings that reach many levels conscious and subconscious. Thus, Stookey argues for an incorporation of those he refers to as 'retarded' and 'senile', both in baptism and in communion, for some of the many-layered meanings may be able to be understood by those in ways those more 'normal' might not comprehend.

Baptism is, finally, a great equaliser. Through baptism all are made part of the body of Christ, and part of the adopted family of God. 'Baptism also gives us a vision of a new social order. All of us come to baptism as sinners equally guilty before God, and all of us come away from baptism as those who have been made God's adopted sons and daughters through grace. Once we grasp this, any supposed superiority based on race, social class, gender, or nationality is exposed as a lie.'

We all become responsible to and for each other. As Stookey concludes, there is is no greater comfort on earth for him than that he is baptised, and part of the family of God, the body of Christ. This is perhaps the ultimate purpose of baptism.

A Superb Introduction to Baptismal Theology and Liturgy
As a pastor, I sometimes have a difficult time explaining various aspects of baptism to my congregation. This is not usually because I am unaware of "the answer" but rather because I struggle for a way to explain things that is both accessible and understandable while doing justice to the importance of the rite and to those who lack the "theological" background to follow my arguments. Stookey's book is going to make that job a lot easier. In it, he explains the reasons for the centrality of the baptismal act and also discusses its development through history. In doing so he frequently points out that the reason a certain practice is rejected (or retained) can often be at odds with the original reason it was adopted (or rejected). He does all of this in clear prose that is easy to understand.

Another wonderful aspect of the book is its explanations of differences in denominational beliefs and practices and points out in marvelous ways just how similar we all are just under the surface. I especially enjoyed when he pointed out that certain aspects of Pentecostal affirmation share the highest of the high church theology with Roman Catholic confirmation.

This book is not written with any single denomination in mind although it does gravitate towards the mainline liturgical tradition (Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, etc.). Much reference is made to other traditions including non-liturgical ones as well. The underlying theme of all his discourse is to recover the centrality of the baptismal covenant, whatever the denomination. He suggests ways to do so and also includes descriptions of liturgies to accomplish that end. He does this fully realizing that not everything he proposes will go over well in every venue.

If I were to teach a class in sacramental theology, particularly one in baptismal theology, this would be a text of choice.

Beautiful, lucid, gentle--a gift to any believer
This lovely book has put an end to the believer vs. infant baptism debate for many by gently illustrating in a number of ways that baptism is Christ's act--not man's or woman's--and that acceptance of that gift is not one of the intellect, but one of faith.Stookey traces the history of baptism from its primitive streambed roots to primitive early church rituals to modern-day derivations, calling the reader into deeper questions and encounters with each century's development.At the end of the journey, I felt refreshed and confirmed in that faith which led me on the journey to begin with. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

On giants' shoulders
Eusebius was the Bishop of Caesarea from 314 to 340, having survived horrible waves of Christian persecutions, until the rise of Constantine. This 400 page translation by G. A. Williamson, was engaging not only in the words of Eusebius, but also in the footnotes of Williamson with his occasional jabs at the modern claims of Catholicism.

Eusebius references so many other works and commentaries and essays by the great early leaders of the church, which he had copies of in his possession, that he leaves me jealous for his luxury of time and resources. There is so much more that I want to read, stimulated by the extended quotes Eusebius makes of these great apologists and teachers of the young church.

Several things stuck out to me in this history.
It doesn't take long for screwed up people to screw up theology.
Some of the screw ups do it for money or sex or fame.
Some things never change.
Some bishops were great, some just were, some turned out to be screw ups.
There were so many brilliant teachers back then. I think we are in a time of poverty compared to these guys.
It's amazing how God preserved the church through the genocidal attacks it went through. Eusebius does not shy away from the cruelty invented by the Romans for the purpose of forcing Christians to recant, usually unsuccessfully.
God is always glorified.
Miracles and spiritual gifts came and went.
The church was serious about studying.
The church today stands on the shoulders of giants.

Original early history of the Christian Church
This book is truly unique since it offers the reader what many consider the earliest recorded history of the early Christian Church. Simply put there is no equivalent to Eusebius when it comes to early Church history. He lived in the 4th century and wrote 10 books describing the first three centuries of the Church after Christ's ascension into heaven.

The greatest value of this book is the insight it offers. I learned several interesting things such as how much doctrine was debated, how awful the persecution was for early believers, and how much the early Church fathers wrote. It is amazing to think all of the books that we do not have a copy of from this era.

I really think that every Christian should read some of this book to get a sense of how difficult it was to practice the Christian faith in ancient Roman civilization. The list of those who gave their life for Christ is very long, and the persecution lasted for centuries. We truly are blessed to live in a time, and country in which we can worship freely.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in early Christian history. Hopefully it will open your eyes (like it did mine) to what life was like for the first Christians. A word of warning about Eusebius' writing - some of it is pretty dry and factual, but there are plenty of golden nuggest sprinkled throughout the text. ... Read more

Product Description

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jimmy Breslin has established himself as one of America's most distinctively Catholic voices. We have also come to know Breslin as the cocky guy from Queens, New York, who speaks insolently to powerful people and institutions, his words always tinged with a healthy amount of unsentimental outer-borough humor. Now, with a mix of sadness and anger, Breslin turns his sights on the Roman Catholic Church. After a lifetime of attending mass every Sunday, Breslin has severed his ties to the church he once loved, and, in this important book, filled with a fury generated by a sense of betrayal, he explains why.

When the church sex scandals emerged relentlessly in recent years, and when it became apparent that these scandals had been covered up by the church hierarchy, Breslin found it impossible to reconcile his faith with this new reality. Ever the reporter, he visited many victims of molestation by priests and found lives in emotional chaos. He questioned the bishops and found an ossified clergy that has a sense of privilege and entitlement. Thus disillusioned with his church, though not with his faith, he writes about the loss of moral authority yet uses his trademark mordant humor to good effect.

Breslin's righteous anger is put to use. Imagining a renewed church, along with practical solutions such as married priests and female priests, The Church That Forgot Christ also reminds us that Christ wore sandals, not gold vestments and rings, and that ultimately what the Catholic Church needs most is a healthy dose of Christianity. In that sense, Breslin has written a dark book that is full of hope and possibility. It is a book that only Jimmy Breslin could have written. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Angry Jimmy
I have been a reader of Jimmy Breslin for as long as I can remember.There has always been an angry edge to his writting (he hates dogs).

His anger is not hidden in this book; in fact, it gets in the way of the important story.

If you are Catholic and can deal with Jimmy's emotional outburst you should or should I say must read this book.

The clergy will be forced to hand over the church to the laity in the future but by that time it will be financially and morally bankrupt.When this happens you can't say that Jimmy Breslin didn't warn you.

To The Point
Breslin cuts right to the chase with this one. He backs up all his claims with facts. Exposes how the RC church hierarcy is a big political machine from Rome right on down to some parishes in NYC and Long Island. A lot of it has to do with corruption and greed. Yet he begins by telling us about the way he was brought up and all that the church meant to him as a youth and a young man. He gives credit where it is due to a pastor at a church in a poverty stricken parish in Brooklyn. Well done. He is careful to remain a Christian through all this, just not a practicing Catholic anymore.

No going back
The priest-pedophile scandal, whose exposure just celebrated its 5th birthday, is an issue that many in the Catholic hierarchy would rather forget. Let's put it behind us, they seem to say, and get back to yelling about abortion and gay marriage.

But writer Jimmy Breslin will not let the cardinal and bishops off the hook so easily. His book is a rambling -- but not incoherent -- narrative of his travels among the Church's walking wounded. Most striking is his ability to recall the time when the Church was an all-enveloping presence that gave shape and purpose to entire communities. His tour of his neighborhoods, blighted and without Church presence, severs as a yardstick of how much has been lost. His reminiscences of the days when his aunt could rely on the rosary to keep her loved ones safe is poignant. Enduring the absence of one's husband for 5 years during WWII is not a feat for the weak.

But that world is gone. Breslin rages at the pedophiles but also at the bishops and cardinals who allowed them to float from parish to parish, leaving a wake of damaged lives, drug abuse and suicide. Meanwhile, bishops happily evict elderly nuns from the convents, converting them into multi-million dollar mansions for themselves. And they cry "Abortion! Abortion! Abortion!" to distract the faithful from their autocratic and wasteful ways.

Breslin, a self-evident devout Catholic, is not always right, but he is always real. He is upset that the Church got rid of the rule against eating meat on Friday, less because of the rule than at the arrogance of priests who can just change the rules and expect everyone to follow along. His real target is the arrogance and spiritual destitution of the many who rule the Church, whose miserliness to the Church's people is highlighted by a few of the institution's real heros. That a bona fide Roman Catholic like Breslin could contemplate a Church that a) does not need priests to celebrate Mass, b) could ordain (and not just find personal pleasure with) women and c) should change its teachings about homosexuality and contraception, is stunning.

"The Church That Forgot Christ" is not a detailed, organized account of the Church's recent scandals. Neither does it offer a solution for the Church's many ills. What it does, and expertly, is to express the anguish of ordinary Catholics who are sick and tired of being pushed around by men who are interested only in themselves, and whose egoism has expressed itself in insularity, sexual predation, intellectual dishonesty and an absence of love.

An Important Read for All Faithful Catholics
"The Church That Forgot Christ" is a sad book. Jimmy Breslin, prodded by friends and colleagues to investigate the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, takes up the cross and investigates abuse situations that are brought to his attention. With each new finding, Breslin's tone becomes angrier and angrier. His anger drips from each page.

Breslin goes into depth on how the priests gained the confidence of their victims and their families. He also provides details on how these priests were "treated" by higher level clergy once their activities became known.Breslin clearly shows there was a conspiracy in avoiding the truth.

Breslin found that the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic Clergy (he also includes the story of a horny nun) was not just a crime of individual predators but also a crime of the Catholic hierarchy. Breslin implicates Cardinals, Bishops, and Monsignors by their avoidance of dealing with these situations in an appropriate and timely manner...hence "THE CHURCH" that forgot Christ.

As a contrast to the wayward Church, Breslin weaves the story of a Brooklyn priest, Fr. John Powis, throughout the book. Powis, who stays the priestly course, takes his vows seriously and faithfully does Christ's work. His life and work shows a shepherd responsibly protecting and caring for the flock entrusted to his care.

These predators and those who protected them represent the failure of clericalism. As Rev. Thomas Doyle, canon lawyer at the Vatican embassy in Washington, D.C., wrote "The delusion is that the clergy are above the rest, deserving unquestioned privilege and stature, the keepers of our salvation, the guarantors of favor with the Lord. But the deadliest symptom is the unbridled addiction to power."

Catholics will be torn by what Breslin has uncovered. Breslin's book may serve as another wake up call to the laity. Transparency by the hierarchy and involvement of responsible laity is desperately needed. As Gary Wills wrote in "Why I am Catholic" - throughout Church history, it was not the hierarchy that saved the church in tough times, but some unknown lay person or priest who rose up to save the church. Who will it be this time?

Jimmy Breslin renewed my faith
A recovering Catholic, I have long disagreed with the politics of the pope and his bishops. The one who chastsed John Kerry for his stand for women, was the same power that harbored priests who has abusd the kids. This is part of what Breslin writes about so well.

The book was written after he faced a dreadful theat to his life.
His book I Want to Thank My brain for remembering me is grand.
Most of those who have such a thret become more devout-- some craven. But Jimmy has courage. He does not recant his stand on the church.

Today we read of a bishop, Thomas Gumbleton who speaks out of his own experience as a kid-- abused by a priest.


Tom Diederich ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic!
The LDS Hymnal I purchased was as described with an affordable price and arrived quickly.Thank you for this pleasant experience! ... Read more

Product Description
8 volume set ... Read more

Product Description
Edward Male's The Ancient Fathers on the Office and Work of the Priesthood in the Church of Christ appeared in 1891. Drawing upon the works of numerous patristic authorities as well as Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter de Blois, Male synthesized their theological reflection and endeavored to present "the unanimous sentiments of the Church Catholic on its important subject" (from the Translator's Preface). Book I, On the Office and Character of the Priesthood, contains sections "On the Excellence and Holiness of the Priestly Office" and "The Virtues Proper to the Clerical Order, Separately Considered." Book II, On the Pastoral Care, contains sections "On the Burden of the Pastoral Charge," "On the Duties of Pastors Towards God and Towards Man," and "On the Duty of the Pastor Towards Himself." The work closes with a Conclusion and Prayer, and contains an Appendix of short biographies of the authorities cited. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Older LDS HYMN Book
This is a great book to sing from if you are a religious person and enjoy music that is calm and soothing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An intro to Tillard
This book provides a good introduction to Tillard's
work. It was written in response to some questions about
the sources for Tillard's larger work _Church of Churches_,
but the English translation of that book was rather
sloppy. This translation, however, is very good, and
a good introduction to the work of J.-M.-R. Tillard.

Excellent study on the origins of communion ecclesiology
Jean Marie Tillard wrote this book as a companion volume to the previously published 'Church of Churches'. It provides at the same time a resource which demonstrates the foundation of the so-called communion ecclesiology which is predominant in the post-conciliar Catholic Church in both the Scriptures and the Tradition, as well as being a response to his critics who accused him of being too innovative in his theology of the Church. In referring to the Tradition of the Fathers of the 'undivided' Church, that is the Church of the first Christian Millennium, of the traditions of West and East (both Antiochene and Alexandrian), Fr Tillard demonstrates that the roots of communion ecclesiology are found equally, if with different emphases, in the common Tradition. No only is the breadth of Tillard's reading phenomenal, as evidenced by the extensive footnotes, but also his pastoral and ecumenical awareness are evident in his demonstration of the openness of communion ecclesiology to dialogue with other Christians as well as being a basis for solidarity with the poor. This book is a key work for understanding the depths of communion ecclesiology, and should be read by anyone wanting to deepen their vision of the Church by reference to the Scriptures and to the Fathers. Despite its importance and scholarliness, this work is surprisingly easy to read and concise. ... Read more

Product Description
Though not an official Church statement Union in Christ is, nevertheless, a considered statement of faith and worthy of study and reflection by thoughtful Christians. Indeed, as such it stands in a long line of faith statements in the Reformed tradition... while not a statement of the whole Church, Union in Christ is a declaration of faith that has grown out of a significant gathering of Presbyterians. It is an important contribution to the Church's ongoing conversation about its faith and life. The commentary and study questions will be useful to the whole Church as it seeks to grow in faith, hope, and love." --from the introduction by Joseph Small, Director, Office of Theology and Worship, PCU.S.A. "This superb, beautifully written book is an explanation of the believer's union with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of union with Christ and Christ's life in us was central to the teaching of John Calvin about regeneration and justification, election and resurrection, for it is union with him and his union with us that links everything in the Christian life together. In and through him we become children of the heavenly Father, and share his life and love in the communion of the Holy Trinity. This is timely declaration for the Church today, for it puts proper evangelical and triniitarian belief back in the center of the Church's life, and union with Christ clothed with his Gospel to its place of power in the daily witness and of the Church."--The Very Rev. Professor Thomas F. Torrance ... Read more

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While congregational studies have expanded our understanding of American religion, little is known about the local practices of a single denomination at its smallest jurisdiction. This book explores how national denominational commitments are affecting the practices of local United Church of Christ congregations inside a single association in the Shenandoah Valley. Nationally, the UCC defines itself as a united and uniting church in its ecumenical work; as multiracial and multicultural in its diversity; as accessible to all in welcoming those with disabilities; as open and affirming for its LGBT members; and as a just peace church in its support of social justice. So, how fully have local congregations embraced these commitments? Might congregations be more attached to their older identities, particularly in areas where the church's predecessors were strongly rooted? Or are the national church's commitments being lived out at the grassroots level? The book measures congregational life in one of the UCC's oldest and smallest associations. Books on congregational studies either focus on a case study of a particular congregation, or large-scale surveys of U.S. congregations that explore aggregate data to explain their work. This book looks instead at a group of local congregations inside a small judicatory (the Shenandoah Association) of the United Church of Christ to explain religious life at the grassroots level. ... Read more

Product Description
Informational booklet about Mormon temples and doctrine of the Restored Church. Includes 20 color photos. ... Read more