Shirley A. Mullen

Apologizing for God

Apologetics

“"Apologizing for God is a remarkable achievement on two counts. First, through drawing on the resources of his own academic and personal journey, McLeod-Harrison narrates into existence a hospitable and much needed space between the epistemological extremes of the modernism and postmodernism. Second, through a series of word studies--rich in literary allusion and philosophical exploration--he invites readers to encounter a God who is much more relevant than the valid conclusion of a sound argument. The book may surprise at points. It will not disappoint.”

Christian Higher Education

Discipleship & Christian Education

“In Christian Higher Education, David Dockery and Chris Morgan seek to restate for the postmodern and multicultural world of the twenty-first century the classic theological and historical foundations of the enterprise of Christian higher education. Drawing on the disciplinary expertise and practical experience of over twenty fellow scholars and teachers, this collection of essays explores the implications of the Scriptures, the creeds, and the church’s mission for the vocation of the evangelical teacher-scholar in the classroom, as well as within the academy, the church, and the world. Given the study questions and suggested readings at the end of each chapter, the balance of the theoretical background and practical application, and those core elements that apply to all evangelicals regardless of culture, gender, class, or ethnicity, this volume provides a valuable introduction for a class of new faculty or board members entering the world of evangelical higher education.”

If Jesus Is Lord

Theology

“In trademark fashion, Ron Sider once again invites Christians to consider what they say they believe. If Jesus Is Lord is a comprehensive examination of whether Jesus really meant that we should not kill. Focused on the life and teachings of Jesus, but ranging throughout Scripture, church history, and theological tradition, Sider systematically examines the arguments for and against pacifism. He concludes that nonviolent resistance, understood not as a passive alternative to just war theory but as a proactive and creative third way, is the best interpretation of biblical teaching on how to respond to violence in our world. Sider invites readers to imagine the powerful impact of Jesus’s teaching in a world where Christians truly practiced this third way, not as a response to an occasional moral dilemma in times of armed conflict but as a way of life. This book is for everyone. You will be a deeper, more creative pacifist or a more thoughtful and compassionate just war theorist after reading If Jesus Is Lord.”

Introducing World Religions

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Professor Farhadian has created a world religions text like no other. While setting up the conversation about world religions without fear and without apology from a Christian perspective, the author seeks to create a dialogue in which members of all religions would feel welcomed and fairly represented. The text is masterfully interdisciplinary, illustrating the pervasiveness of religion in human experience throughout history and the relevance of religion to every field of study. The lucid prose, wide-ranging illustrations, study helps, and use of sacred texts make the work inviting and useful for an introductory class in either an academic or church context. In addition, the book’s overall framing of the conversation as well as its comprehensiveness make it of value to someone long familiar with the field. This text is truly matched to the challenge of religion in the twenty-first-century global context.”

Liberal Arts for the Christian Life

Discipleship & Christian Education

“Liberal Arts for the Christian Life, written as a collection of reflections on the liberal arts by colleagues of Leland Ryken, certainly captures clearly the range, the richness, and the complexity of the connections between a liberal arts education and the Christian life. Even more compelling is the way the book represents the incarnational nature of a liberal arts education—a single professor embodying a vision of learning that entices thousands of students over several generations to follow in his footsteps, not by becoming more like him but by becoming more fully the unique individuals that God created them to be. This book is a ‘must read’ for Christian liberal arts educators and their students!”

Listening to Sexual Minorities

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“This is exactly the kind of book to serve as a catalyst for discussion in the Christian community, especially on college campuses. Its power comes in large part from its concreteness and its foundation in empirical experience, and it brings to life a category that many in the Christian community (and perhaps even in the LGB+ community) are not fully aware of: individuals who fully own their identity as Christians and their identity as sexual minorities. The students’ own stories draw attention to ways in which our policies and our theology—as currently articulated—are not rich enough to encompass reality. So, by beginning with lived experience rather than theology or policy, the book humanizes the issues and requires something of us that an abstract discussion does not. It is also a book that focuses on ministering to the needs of these students. By seriously reckoning with the pastoral dimension of these issues, readers may take greater courage to move beyond and enter into other dimensions of the situation. Finally, this book is an implicit call for more work to be done. From those who believe there is something of deep importance in the traditional Christian understanding of sexual ethics, more work needs to be done to explain that importance in terms that make sense within a broader conversation. I believe we owe this to those who are the subject of this book—and who are currently left alone to work out the painful tension they feel between two identities they truly own. I believe we owe this to those in the LGB+ community who want to understand why many conservative Christians seem willing to risk relationships and community for what appears to be an abstract doctrine. I believe we owe this as a matter of faithful witness to the gospel—in a culture that increasingly sees religious freedom as simply code or cover for bigotry.”

Re-Views by an Evangelical Biblical Critic

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“In this collection of review essays by world renowned New Testament scholar Robert H. Gundry, we are invited to a rich feast of reflection on the last quarter century of biblical scholarship. Each of the essays displays the qualities that have consistently marked Gundry’s work throughout his career as a scholar, professor, and colleague: ruthless honesty; fastidious attention to detail; exhaustive command of the relevant literature; and a complex blend of appreciation and incisive criticism.”

The Lost World of Genesis One

Science & Faith

“Professor Walton seeks to describe clearly and with ruthless honesty the nature and purpose of the biblical text in Genesis that is juxtaposed to the claims of modern science and scientism in the current debate over origins. His work will be welcomed by all those who seek to render to both the Scriptures and modern science the authority appropriate to each--while at the same time avoiding false or unnecessary stands on either side.”