Digital Commons Network^™

The Faithful Reader: Essays On Biblical Themes In Literature, Justin D. Lyons

Faculty Books

Through essays written by faculty and staff at Cedarville University, this book explores biblical themes such as love, mercy, sin, repentance, and hope in selected works of literature. The volume serves an expression and exploration of the Christian worldview as applied to reading works of fiction from various genres and time periods. It serves also as an example of the practice of biblical integration that Cedarville University strives for in every discipline.

No Free Lunch: Economics For A Fallen World (Third Edition, Revised), Jeffrey E. Haymond

Faculty Books

This open access introductory economics text is available for anyone interested in free market economics from an explicitly Christian worldview. This book is intended to be an engaging read, while not sacrificing technical accuracy or submission to biblical authority. Each chapter contains an introductory scriptural commentary and clearly defined objectives, as well as a “great economist” section at the end and concluding chapter questions. This text supports free market institutions because only free markets provide the outlet for the creativity of man made in God’s image while likewise providing the institutional constraints that minimize the harm that fallen man can …

Narratives In Conflict: Atonement In Hebrews And The Qur'an, Matthew A. Bennett

Faculty Books

Did Jesus die on the cross for our sins as the Gospels describe? Or, as Muslims often contend, was Jesus rescued to heaven in order to avoid the shameful crucifixion that would be unbefitting of a messenger of God? This debate has raged for generations and has caused no shortage of frustration among those seeking to explain the central teaching of the Christian faith to those influenced by the Qur’an. What this book aims to do is uncover four barriers to understanding the biblical teaching on atonement that likely exist in the minds of our Muslim friends prior to asking …

Did It Really Happen?: Apologetics And Biblical Interpretation According To Carl F. H. Henry, Jon Wood

Faculty Books

The Bible makes remarkable claims about people and events in world history. Creation, Adam and Eve, Israel’s escape from Egypt, the rise and fall of Israel’s kingdom, the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, the growth of the church—all points of interest by scholars for the historical veracity of the Scriptures. Yet, the Bible does not appear to present the acts of God in history for the purpose of vindicating historical accuracy of the text. The Bible is a story that reveals the living God through inspired writings that communicate the meaning of historical events. In …

A Commentary On The Book Of The Twelve: The Minor Prophets, Michael B. Shepherd

Faculty Books

The books of the twelve Minor Prophets are some of the least studied by Christians today, but they contain some of the great themes of Scripture, such as God's mercy and judgment, His covenant with Israel, the day of the Lord, and the coming of the Messiah. Arguing for a canonical unity that recognizes the Minor Prophets as one cohesive composition, Michael Shepherd explains the historical meaning of each verse of the twelve books and also provides guidance for application and preaching. Pastors, teachers, and serious students of Scripture will find a wealth of insights for understanding the Minor Prophets.

A Reader's Guide To The Major Writings Of Jonathan Edwards, Nathan A. Finn, Jeremy M. Kimble

Faculty Books

Jonathan Edwards—widely considered one the most important theologians in American history—has influenced generation after generation with his transcendent vision of our great and glorious God. But reading his writings for the first time can be a daunting task.

Here to be your trustworthy guides are some of the very best interpreters of Edwards, who walk you through his most important works with historical context, strategies for reading, and contemporary application—launching you into a lifetime of discovering Edwards’s God-centered vision of the Christian life for yourself.

40 Questions About Church Membership And Discipline, Jeremy M. Kimble

Faculty Books

Addresses forty of the most common and thorny questions about church life. Does church membership mean more than simply joining a social group? Does the church have a responsibility to discipline its members--and if so, what does that look like? Recognizing the many puzzling questions about the critical role of the church in the life of believers, Jeremy Kimble addresses forty key points. Each section considers questions of theology, ministry, and practicality, such as:

• Is there a New Testament precedent for membership?
• How does membership relate to baptism and communion?
• Who should become a member?
• How is discipline related to …

Textuality And The Bible, Michael B. Shepherd

Faculty Books

Textuality and the Bible represents a concerted effort to clarify the object of study in biblical scholarship and in the church by bringing together the disciplines of hermeneutics, compositional analysis, canon studies, and textual criticism. It ultimately seeks to issue a call for study of the Bible for its own sake.

Christ Or Chaos, Dan Dewitt

Faculty Books

Is Christianity irrational?

Atheists often say that it is. But does such a charge really stand up to close scrutiny? This book follows the story of Thomas, a junior in college, as he wrestles with the claims of those who think the Christian faith is nothing more than a collection of ancient myths with little connecting to reality.

Whether you are facing objections to your faith for the first time, discussing your faith with unbelieving friends, or doubting your faith altogether, you might be surprised to discover that Christianity actually provides a more compelling explanation of what it means to …

As It Was In The Beginning: An Intertextual Analysis Of New Creation In Galatians, 2 Corinthians, And Ephesians, Mark D. Owens

Faculty Books

Paul's comments regarding the new creation in 2 Cor 5:17 and Gal 6:15 have tended to be understood somewhat myopically. Some argue the phrase "new creation" solely refers to the inward transformation believers have experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. Others argue this phrase should be understood cosmologically and linked with Isaiah's "new heavens and new earth" Still others advocate an ecclesiological interpretation of this phrase that views Paul referring to the new community formed around Jesus Christ. In As It Was in the Beginning, Mark Owens argues that the concept of "new creation" should be understood (like the gospel) …

Transformed Minds, Marc A. Clauson, Robert G. Parr, Mark Caleb Smith, Richard P. Tison, Thomas S. Mach

Faculty Books

In this brief collection of essays, professors who teach in the Department of History and Government at Cedarville University explore the biblical foundation for the academic disciplines unique to their Department. The Excerpt (above) contains the full text of the book.

10 Leadership Maneuvers: A General's Guide To Serving And Leading, Loren M. Reno

Faculty Books

The best leadership skills are Bible-based, and they work.

Three-star general Loren Reno practiced leadership at the highest levels in the US military. In 10 Leadership Maneuvers, Reno shares the skills that brought him success in small and large organizations, at junior and senior positions, in times of prosperity, and in times of challenge. In this personal and highly practical resource, Reno uses stories from his experience as a leader to illustrate the 10 maneuvers successful leaders use. More than a checklist or menu, these invaluable skills are useful for the aspiring leader and for those who want to …

Alexander The Great And Hernán Cortés: Ambiguous Legacies Of Leadership, Justin D. Lyons

Faculty Books

This is a biographical pairing of two of the greatest conquerors in human history, drawing its inspiration from Plutarch's Parallel Lives. Like Plutarch, the purpose of the pairing is not primarily historical. While Plutarch covers the history of each of the lives he chronicles, he also emphasizes questions of character and the larger lessons of politics to be derived from the deeds he recounts. The book provides a narrative account both of Alexander's conquest of the Persian Empire and Cortés's conquest of the Aztec Empire while reflecting on the larger questions that emerge from each. The campaign narratives are followed …

The Whole Story Of The Bible In 16 Verses, Christopher R. Bruno

Faculty Books

This book highlights 16 key Bible verses that stand as “turning points” in the biblical storyline—enabling us to see God’s incredible plan to redeem his people and glorify his name from Genesis to Revelation. Whether it’s exploring the creation of humanity, the establishment of the covenants, or the coming of the Messiah, this book will help Christians see how God’s Word tells a single story about his sovereignty, glory, and grace.

Cedarville University: Defining Legacies, Barbara L. Loach

Faculty Books

Cedarville University’s 125^th anniversary in 2012 provided an appropriate moment to look back and remember how God has led so many wonderful people to this place and how His hand has guided and kept us over all these years. As the university continues to grow and change, many individuals new to the campus—students, administrators, faculty and staff members alike—may not be aware of all the contributions of those who preceded them. In order to capture those lives before they are lost to history, Dr. Loach set out to record the stories behind some of the faces and names long …

Churches Partnering Together : Biblical Strategies For Fellowship, Evangelism, And Compassion, Christopher R. Bruno, Matthew Dirks

Faculty Books

Most churches in the United States have fewer than 75 members. Many of these congregations barely have enough money to pay their pastor’s salary, let alone launch a movement or host a conference. How can they hope to make an impact beyond their own walls?

In Churches Partnering Together, Chris Bruno and Matt Dirks show how all churches—big and small—can do more together than they can do apart. Looking to the New Testament for guidance, this practical book will help pastors, church leaders, and laypeople alike think creatively about gospel-driven church partnerships in their own communities and around the …

Toward A Canon-Conscious Reading Of The Bible: Exploring The History And Hermeneutics Of The Canon, Ched E. Spellman

Faculty Books

Two distinct questions about the canon of the Bible can be raised: (1) How did the biblical canon come to be?, and (2) What effect does that canon have on its readers? The former is a historical question about the formation of the biblical canon; the latter is a hermeneutical question about the function of the biblical canon. Though these questions have often been pursued in virtual isolation from one another, Spellman argues that there are considerable gains from observing the interconnections between the two lines of inquiry. On the historical question of the origin of the canon, Spellman asks, …

Jesus Or Nothing, Dan Dewitt

Faculty Books

It’s time to make a choice.

Many young adults are abandoning the Christian faith, convinced that it's an outdated and uneducated belief system. Dan DeWitt counters these misconceptions and challenges us to think carefully about the choice between Jesus and nothing by comparing the Christian worldview with the notion of a godless universe devoid of true goodness and ultimate significance.

This winsome book describes the rock-solid foundation for life that Christians enjoy in and through the gospel—offering an explanation for our existence, grace for our guilt, and meaning for our mortality.

The Idea Of An Essay: Reflecting On Rockwell, Contending For Cursive, And 22 Other Compositions, Isaac J. Mayeux

Faculty Books

No abstract provided.

Rendering To God And Caesar: Critical Readings For American Government, Mark Caleb Smith, Jewerl Maxwell, Marc A. Clauson, Kevin F. Sims, David L. Rich, Andrew Travis

Faculty Books

To understand American government is, at minimum, to recognize religion's profound influence on our culture and, by extension, our politics." So state the editors of this outstanding collection of 55 readings that survey the function and purpose of American government from its founding to the present. Rendering to God and Caesar is mostly comprised of primary sources, including founding documents, Supreme Court cases, and momentous speeches. Grouped into six unifying sections with introductions that tie the individual works together and point to their significance, each article is introduced as well by brief comments to highlight specific features or issues.

Designed …

Recruitment, Selection & Retention Of Law Enforcement Officers, Patrick Oliver

Faculty Books

Inside this richly insightful guide, Patrick Oliver, Ph.D., four-time Chief of Police, and former Commissioner for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), shares his extensive expertise on attracting, evaluating, hiring and retaining the kinds of officers that make agencies great and communities strong.

That His Spirit May Be Saved: Church Discipline As A Means To Repentance And Perseverance, Jeremy M. Kimble

Faculty Books

No abstract provided.

Bruce Springsteen: American Poet And Prophet, Donald L. Deardorff Ii

Faculty Books

Like other major musical artists, Bruce Springsteen’s work has reflected, revealed, and reacted to modern American realities over the course of his forty-year career.

Since releasing his first record in 1973, Springsteen has sold more than a hundred million albums worldwide, played thousands of concerts, and won Grammy, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Academy awards. More importantly, however, he is one of the few twentieth-century singer-songwriters to serve as the voice of his generation, a defining artist whose works reflect the values, dreams, and concerns of many Americans. In Bruce Springsteen: American Poet and Prophet, Donald L. Deardorff II explores …

Job, Daniel J. Estes

Faculty Books

To craft informed sermons, pastors scour commentaries that often deal more with minutia than the main point. Or they turn to devotional commentaries, which may contain exegetical weaknesses. The Teach the Text Commentary Series bridges this gap by utilizing the best of biblical scholarship and providing the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. By keeping the discussion of each carefully selected preaching unit to six pages of focused commentary, the volumes in this series allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. The text and its meaning are made …

Particular Scandals: A Book Of Poems, Julie L. Moore

Faculty Books

Broad in scope--theological, ecological, and personal--and acutely particular in details--witnessed and lived--the affecting poems in Particular Scandals explore how one endures suffering, avoiding the clichés of both bitterness and transcendence. Thus, while Moore's poetry depicts the debilitating ruin illness wreaks, it also embraces the beauty and mystery in creation, in faith, even in tribulation itself. At the book's core is pure paradox and insightful integration, wedding Christmas--Christ's incarnation and eventual, willing sacrifice--to pain and grief. Thus, on the heels of Moore's multiple surgeries and amid her husband's serious heart problem--both while in their forties--come "flashes of hallelujah" and songs knit …

Wisdom Christology: How Jesus Becomes God's Wisdom For Us, Daniel J. Ebert

Faculty Books

The Explorations in Biblical Theology series addresses the need for quality literature that attracts believing readers to good theology and builds there up in their faith. Each title in the series combines solid content with accessibility and readability-a valuable addition to the library of any college student, thoughtful lay reader, seminarian, or pastor.

What is true wisdom? While contemporary culture locates it in self-absorption, the first-century apostles revealed how wisdom is located supremely in Jesus Christ. Daniel Ebert explains how Old Testament wisdom motifs are not only appropriated in New Testament Christology but also far surpassed in God's Son.

Worldview As Worship: The Dynamics Of A Transformative Christian Education, Eddie K. Baumann

Faculty Books

Worldview as Worship contends that the approach taken by most evangelical educators to the issue of worldview transformation has neglected to address two fundamental components of worldviews. First, that our initial worldviews are not philosophical systems but rather faith dispositions and that worldview transformation cannot simply present the biblical worldview as a more rational or logical system, but must address issues of the heart as well as the mind. Second, unlike philosophies that are individual, worldviews are communal and are learned and transformed within the context of community practice. Appealing to Paul's teaching in Romans 12:1-2, Worldview as Worship approaches …

When You Don't See His Plan: The Nadine Hennesey Story, Rebecca Baker, Nadine (Terrill) Hennesey

Faculty Books

How can you trust God when your world has been suddenly turned upside down? When You Don't See His Plan by Nadine Hennesey with Rebecca Baker tells the remarkable story of Nadine's struggle to overcome fear, renew her trust in God, and move forward in life after the unexpected death of her husband. Discover how you can move beyond devastating circumstances in your own life and follow God, even when you don't see His plan.

The Drama Of Ephesians, Timothy Gombis

Faculty Books

Ephesians has long been a favorite New Testament book among Christians. Its exalted language and soaring metaphors inspire devotion and worship. But too often the expositor's scrutiny has reduced this letter to a string of theological ideas and practical topics.

Timothy Gombis has rediscovered Ephesians as a deeply dramatic text that follows the narrative arc of the triumph of God in Christ. Here Paul invites the church to celebrate and participate in this divine victory over the powers of this present age. In Gombis's dramatic reading of Ephesians we are drawn into a theological and cultural engagement with this epochal …

Slipping Out Of Bloom, Julie L. Moore

Faculty Books

A book of poems written by author Julie L. Moore.