Theology

In Speaking of Sin, Barbara Brown Taylor brings her fresh perspective to words that often cause us discomfort and have widely fallen into neglect: sin, damnation, repentance, penance, and salvation. In recovering this lost language in our worship and individual lives, she shows how we can take part in the divine work of redemption.

"Straw for the Bricks" explores theological reflection as a tool for ministerial training and development. The book offers a new resource for theological conversation and breaks new ground in exploring how a model of conversation can be used to lay a foundation for learning for both academic curriculum and personal formation.

According to Margaret Barker, temple mysticism underpins much of the Bible. Rooted in the cult of the first temple in ancient Judaism, it helps us to understand the origins of Christianity. Barker first examines biblical texts: Isaiah, the prophet whom Jesus quoted more than any other in Scripture, and John, and then non-biblical texts.

For a long time, scholarship has been seeking the origins of Christian worship in the synagogue. This book traces the roots of Christian worship back to the Jewish temple. It covers baptism, in theology and practice, the Eucharist, with emphasis on the symbolism of the elements, the significance of music and hymns, and festivals and pilgrimage.

In this text, Margaret Barker puts recent archaeological discoveries in context by explaining the theological background. It sheds light on Old Testament theology, Christian and Jewish liturgy and Jesus' own relationship to the Temple.