Robert Saler

An Unpromising Hope

Theology

“Theologies of ‘hope’ have served to frame strong ethical imperatives toward activism for many decades now; however, in an increasingly broken world, we have long needed a more grittily realistic appraisal of how faith can coexist alongside work for justice. Not only does Thomas Gaulke’s book provide such an intensely searching and fearless appraisal of our prospects, but his unflinching realism exists—exuberantly—alongside a virtuoso demonstration of theological creativity and synthesis drawing on spatialized eschatologies, womanist ethics, and liberation narratives enshrined in both theology and popular culture. His book will be especially helpful for activists who are in need both of theological inspiration and of resilience in the absence of guarantees, and should marvelously disrupt theological conversations about hope, its limits, and its horizons in the years to come.”

Disagreeing Virtuously

Philosophy

“Vainio marshals the best insights of virtue theory, cognitive science, and religious studies to make the case that the practice of virtuous disagreement can enhance our shared humanity across worldviews. This text is simply the most clearly argued and intellectually generous treatment of this topic that I have encountered. It will be of crucial interest to scholars of religion and violence as well as anyone seeking insights into better ways of moving forward in our increasingly fragmented societies.”

Everyday Armageddons

Counseling, Grief & Mental Health

“Matthew Holmes and Thomas Gaulke have written an unsettling, gripping, and—ultimately—deeply humane book. Their book does not use theology as a panacea for suffering, but instead radically inserts—or, rather, recognizes—the divine in the most abject places of our human experience. Read it and be disturbed; read it and be strangely comforted.”

Like Stepping Into a Canoe

Church Leadership & Ministry

“In a previous era, pastors could afford to put off bold leadership moves in their congregations until several years into their calls. Today, though, things move more quickly. . . . For recent graduates who find this prospect both exciting and daunting, William Kincaid is a wise and humane guide. This book will inspire faithful courage for new pastors as well as those undergoing significant transition in their ministries at any stage.”

Myth, History, and the Resurrection in German Protestant Theology

Theology

“Hege is one of the most able guides of this theological period on the North American scene today, and in his hands readers are treated to even-handed and theologically subtle explorations into what these thinkers found to be at stake in this most core question of Christian faith: what is the historical veracity and contemporary importance of the resurrection narratives? This book will be very useful in both classroom and research settings, and should find wide readership among those interested in issues of biblical hermeneutics, Christian treatment of myth, and the interaction of tradition and modernity in Protestantism.”

Philosophy

Philosophy

“As all great teachers know, clear and accurate summary of major themes of a discipline for non-specialists can be a challenging exercise. In this immensely readable text, Paeth introduces a wide swath of philosophers and themes along with clear explication as to how their concerns intersect with those of Christian theology proper. In doing so, he and visual collaborator Joseph Novak render a great service to those seeking a reliable and visually exciting resource to put into the hands of those curious about the broader philosophical currents that flow into the Christian tradition of faith seeking understanding.”

Redeeming Flesh

Theology

“Exploring the popular meme concerning all things Zombie, Matthew Tan follows their shambling steps from the Enlightenment anxiety concerning death, to the attempt to gloss over death in this our hyper-consumerist and increasingly virtual world. He finds that haunting our world is a loss of the sense of the sacramental. If you want to know what it is the new Christian cultural critique is saying, this is the book for you." "In what is both an engaging and academic work of cultural critique, Matthew Tan traces out the way in which the modern anxiety over death plays itself out in popular memes such as the Zombie. Tan is part of new wave of Christian cultural critique--informed, critical, and orthodox--and his conclusion is that in a world that has lost the sense of the sacramental we end up in a consumer culture that feeds on itself and not on Christ." "Redeeming Flesh is both an entertaining and informative work that represents the new wave in Christian cultural critique. If you want to know what contemporary Christian commentators are saying in their engagement with hyper-consumer culture then this is an excellent place to begin. Tan is orthodox but not given to nostalgia, for he understands that if we are to bring the world back to its senses then we ought to look deeper into its popular culture." Robert Tilley, lecturer in Biblical Studies, The Catholic Institute of Sydney; author of Benedict XVI and the Search for Truth "Whereas people used to scare themselves with ghost stories about disembodied spirits, now Western culture fascinates itself with tales of soulless bodies. Tan's book masterfully blends analysis of how zombie fandom discloses uncomfortable truths about the roles of both body and soul in consumer culture with a daring theological agenda, in which the potential for Christian witness to reclaim its scandalously embodied nature shines forth. This book is theology of culture written at the very highest level.”

The Gospel of Mark and the Roman-Jewish War of 66–70 CE

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Carefully researched and clearly written, Kimondo’s book stands at the nexus of historiography, postcolonial theory, and rigorous textual analysis. Sober in its conclusions even as it is wide-ranging in its implications for the field, this book will be of deep interest to New Testament scholars as well as those seeking to learn from anti-imperial discourses of the past for the purposes of faithful resistance in the present. Highly recommended.”