Download or read book Samson Hero or Fool written by Erik M.M. Eynikel and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2014-04-10 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Samson is a peculiar character. He is the most powerful of the Israelite judges and three whole chapters in the book of Judges are allocated to him. Yet he demonstrates many weaknesses, not least for the charms of women. In the international conference “Samson: Hero or Fool?” organised at the University of Nijmegen in April, 2008, the texts of Judges 16-18 were studied from different perspectives, investigating how the complex character of this (anti)hero lived on in various ways in the later traditions about him. The contributions discuss also the reception history of the Samson traditions in later Jewish, Christian and Islamic literature, as well as his representation in figurative and performing arts

Download or read book Lion s Honey written by David Grossman and published by Canongate Books. This book was released on 2009-08-06 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In exhilarating and lucid prose, Grossman gives us a provocative new take on the story of Samson: his battle with the lion, the three hundred burning foxes, the women he bedded, the one he loved and who betrayed him and the destruction of the temple. It reveals the journey of a lonely and tortured soul, whose search for a true home echoes our own private struggles.

Download or read book With written by Skye Jethani and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2011-08-22 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With explores the narrative of the Bible to show that we were created to be with God, and that restoring this connection is his mission. Instead of life over, under, from, or even for God, what leads us into freedom and restoration is life with God. Why are American Christians, who have more access to biblical teaching than any other people in history, failing to experience the freedom of the Christian life? Why are pastors, those closest to the work and ministry, burning out at an alarming rate? Why do many church members, who give large amounts of their time and wealth to Christ and his kingdom, secretly question the legitimacy of their efforts? And why are spiritual seekers dismissing the validity of the Christian message? Is it possible we’ve misunderstood the call of the Christian life? A life lived in rich communion with God cultivates faith, hope, and love in a way that transforms both us and the broken world we inhabit. In With, you’ll find: illustrations of concepts in the book to aid understanding; recommendations for how to practice communion with God, including three helpful practices; and a discussion guide for use when continuing the conversation with others in small groups. Endorsements: If we've grown weary of Christianity, if we find most any local church uninspiring, maybe the problem lies not in the Christian faith or these faithful bodies, but in our own disgruntled hearts. In With, Skye Jethani tenderly unmasks the clichéd posturing that too often masquerades as genuine communion with Christ. More importantly, he takes readers to the humble place they must occupy--in prayer, studying Scripture, with the Church--if faith, hope, and love are to truly mark our lives. -James H. Gilmore, author, The Experience Economy It doesn’t matter, as old theologians were rumored to argue, how many angels can dance on a pinhead. But it does matter which preposition governs your faith--over, after, against, for, from, under, with. Who knew what huge worlds turn on such tiny words? Who knew what theological riches were laced into the bones of grammar? Skye has done a great service to the church. In prose elegant and clear, with insights keen and deep, he shows how everything changes with just one word: With. It’s a book I want my whole church to read. -Mark Buchanan, author of Spiritual Rhythm Who knew that a preposition had so much influence? Skye's book will challenge the way that you think about God and faith, digging deep into our motivations and heart issues. You can't read this book and not see yourself and others differently! -Margaret Feinberg, author of Scouting the Divine and Hungry for God

Download or read book Samson written by James L. Crenshaw and published by Wipf & Stock Pub. This book was released on 2005-01-26 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Samson: A secret betrayed, a vow ignored' marks a new milestone in Samson studies. You will not likely find a more useful and informative study of one of the Bible's best known characters. 'Samson' is clear and straightforward, up-to-date, enjoyable and easily read. James Crenshaw combines literary skills with rich theological understanding and sound scholarship to present a balanced, perceptive analysis. This comprehensive new study carefully analyzes the many dimensions of this popular biblical character. James Crenshaw examines the text, employing the critic's tools with flawless proficiency. He explores: -the traditions behind the biblical account -literary form and motifs -stylistic features -unifying themes -the tragic dimension of the saga -the significance of Samson's and the Philistines' riddles Crenshaw offers a concise and thorough approach well-suited to the beginning student plus provocative new insights to challenge the Samson scholar. 'Samson' is an excellent resource for ministers, students of the Bible, and church study groups.

Download or read book Perfect Lives written by Polly Samson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2016-03-22 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an English seaside town, lovers and children, men and women weave in and out of each other's lives and stories. A mother is tormented by her daughter's tattoo; another only pretends to love her baby. A wife stalks her husband and his new lover; a broken egg through a mailbox tells a story that will not go away; the cat thinks he knows best. Threaded throughout are longings for love and poignant disappointments, surprising pleasures and temptations. Some will fall but some, like the small boy at the circus who sees his babysitter fly past on a trapeze wearing little more than a blue bra and spangles, will retain their feeling of awe. The stories in Perfect Lives are rueful, knowing, witty, poignant, bashful, bold. Polly Samson's genius is in the nuance.

Download or read book Samson written by Shawn Hoffman and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “You are a man who has vowed to protect his family, even at the cost of your own life. So you have no other choice. . . . You must fight, Samson. You must.” The year is 1941, and Samson Abrams makes a life-or-death decision that lands him, and his entire family, in the notorious concentration camp Auschwitz. When Samson is recognized by Dr. Josef Mengele and Commandant Rudolf Höss as a former boxing champion, he is ordered box for their entertainment. A win means extra rations, but the penalty for losing is death in the gas chambers. One question haunts Samson as he and his family face one atrocity after another: Where is God in the face of such evil? An unexpected friendship between the Jewish Samson and the Polish Catholic priest Maximilian Kolbe challenges Samson to examine what little is left of his faith, but will it give him strength when he needs it most? Based on true stories, Samson: A Savior Will Rise blends Shawn Hoffman’s thorough research with a compelling narrative that provokes questions about faith, hope, and love.

Download or read book The Samson Story written by Shaul Bar and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2018-06-15 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Love, seduction, betrayal, violence, riddles, and myth all find their place in the biblical story of Samson. Samson is the last of the judges, with 20 percent of the book devoted to him--more than any other judge. From the beginning, Samson is unlike any other judge, which the author suggests when narrating Samson's birth. Samson is destined, even before his birth, to deliver Israel. He doesn't lead his people into battle, he acts alone; his battles are personal vendettas. Samson fights with a lion, defeats the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, captures foxes, sets Philistine fields on fire, and carries the Gates of Gaza on his shoulders. So what stands behind these stories? Was Samson a mythological hero like Hercules and Gilgamesh? Like other men in the Hebrew Bible, Samson can't resist foreign women. Time after time, he follows Philistine women who eventually betray him. Samson is defeated not by physical strength, but by the powers of seduction, making this story a tragedy. Who were these women and how did they defeat Samson? Readers of this volume will rediscover Samson and better understand his achievements and failures. This study will afford a provocative and useful insight into the character of Samson.

Download or read book Wandering in Darkness written by Eleonore Stump and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2012-09-13 with total page 688 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Only the most naïve or tendentious among us would deny the extent and intensity of suffering in the world. Can one hold, consistently with the common view of suffering in the world, that there is an omniscient, omnipotent, perfectly good God? This book argues that one can. Wandering in Darkness first presents the moral psychology and value theory within which one typical traditional theodicy, namely, that of Thomas Aquinas, is embedded. It explicates Aquinas's account of the good for human beings, including the nature of love and union among persons. Eleonore Stump also makes use of developments in neurobiology and developmental psychology to illuminate the nature of such union. Stump then turns to an examination of narratives. In a methodological section focused on epistemological issues, the book uses recent research involving autism spectrum disorder to argue that some philosophical problems are best considered in the context of narratives. Using the methodology argued for, the book gives detailed, innovative exegeses of the stories of Job, Samson, Abraham and Isaac, and Mary of Bethany. In the context of these stories and against the backdrop of Aquinas's other views, Stump presents Aquinas's own theodicy, and shows that Aquinas's theodicy gives a powerful explanation for God's allowing suffering. She concludes by arguing that this explanation constitutes a consistent and cogent defense for the problem of suffering.

Download or read book Perspective Criticism written by Gary Yamasaki and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The narrative material of the Bible often presents characters engaged in actions without providing explicit guidance as to how those actions are intended to be evaluated. For example, Gideon lays out a fleece in an attempt to discern God's will, but is this intended as a model to emulate, or is it intended as a picture of desperation resulting from a lack of faith? Perspective Criticism presents a new approach to solving such quandaries, finding an untapped source of evaluative guidance in the point-of-view crafting of biblical stories. Point of view has been the forgotten child in the study of biblical narratives. Now, this book gives this literary concept its due, untangling the array of storytelling devices involved in crafting point of view and demonstrating its power in shaping the very fabric of a story. Because the majority of the point-of-view devices found in biblical narratives are also used in cinematic storytelling, the book includes detailed descriptions of movie scenes utilizing these devices to provide pop-culture illustrations of the workings of point of view.

Download or read book The David Story A Translation with Commentary of 1 and 2 Samuel written by Robert Alter and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2009-10-21 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A masterpiece of contemporary Bible translation and commentary."—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books of 1999 Acclaimed for its masterful new translation and insightful commentary, The David Story is a fresh, vivid rendition of one of the great works in Western literature. Robert Alter's brilliant translation gives us David, the beautiful, musical hero who slays Goliath and, through his struggles with Saul, advances to the kingship of Israel. But this David is also fully human: an ambitious, calculating man who navigates his life's course with a flawed moral vision. The consequences for him, his family, and his nation are tragic and bloody. Historical personage and full-blooded imagining, David is the creation of a literary artist comparable to the Shakespeare of the history plays.

Download or read book Waiting for Josiah written by Philippe Guillaume and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2004-04-21 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A historico-critical study of the whole of the Book of Judges, based on the latest developments in the history and archaeology of Israel. A six stages scenario is presented for the growth of Judges: from a Retterbuch in Assyrian Bethel, Jerusalem under Kings Manasseh and Josiah, Babylonian Mizpah and its fight with Persian Jerusalem until the insertion of the book in the Historical Books, each editorial stage is set into a precise historical context. Richter's Retterbuch is confirmed (excepted for the date), Noth's Deuteronomistic History is discarded while a new proposal for the canonization of the Former Prophets is offered.

Download or read book Gospel Centered Kids Ministry written by Brian Dembowczyk and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2018-10-15 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Jesus interacting with the Emmaus disciples after his resurrection provides an outline for what a gospel-centered kids ministry looks like: gospel-centered teaching that points to Jesus in every session, gospel-centered transformation that positions the gospel to change a child's heart and then his or her behavior, and gospel-centered mission where kids join in on the big story of Jesus that continues to unfold. Seven out of ten kids will walk away from church after they turn eighteen. About five will return when they have families of their own. But two will never return. Clearly, something isn’t connecting with our kids. As kids ministry leaders, we need to take a hard look at what we are missing in our kids ministries and provide kids the one thing that will satisfy them and keep them connected to the church—the gospel. Gospel-Centered Kids Ministry also addresses how to communicate with and encourage gospel-centered leaders and parents as part of your ministry.

Download or read book Becoming a Woman of Wisdom written by Joyce Rogers and published by Crossway Books. This book was released on 2001 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your phone is always ringing; your neighbors are silently pleading; your church is beckoning; and your community and school are begging you to respond to their needs. You want to minister to and influence those around you. But what can you do? What should you do? Everything is calling, but are you called to everything? Within God's plan for women is the secret to the wise use of your time, talents, spiritual gifts, and influence--and thus to true fulfillment. Joyce Rogers shares that secret through a study of the written Word of God, which points to Jesus--the Living Word--as the supreme example of equality of worth and submission to divine authority. Through it you'll see how God desires you to influence others and seek His wisdom to achieve a well-prioritized and balanced life. Whether you're married or single, these words will encourage you with reflections on God's wisdom and authority, and will challenge you to follow in the footsteps of your Savior.

Download or read book Judging the Judges written by Mary L. Conway and published by Eisenbrauns. This book was released on 2019-11-08 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book of Judges is full of characters of ambivalent moral integrity and acts of dubious propriety, such as Jael's murder of Sisera and the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter. And yet the terse narrative and the reticent narrator frequently leave the ethical character of these actions in doubt. In order to avoid reading contemporary worldviews and ethics into this ancient text, Mary L. Conway applies a blend of narrative and functional linguistic theories to her analysis of the stories of the six major judges in an effort to more accurately identify the unifying ideological stance of the book. Using an interdisciplinary approach that employs the concepts of narrative perspective alongside appraisal theory, Conway evaluates the judges within their historical context in order to determine whether their actions are normative or aberrant. The lexicogrammatical and ideational evidence produced by this methodology reveals contrasts and trajectories within and across the narratives that, Conway argues, give insight into the character and actions of the Israelites and YHWH and the relationship between the Israelite people and their God. In this trailblazing study, Conway models a new approach to biblical interpretation that lays bare the ethics of the book of Judges. This study will be of interest to biblical studies scholars, in particular Old Testament scholars, as well as seminary students and pastors.

Download or read book Interpreting SAMSON AGONISTES written by Joseph Anthony Wittreich and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-14 with total page 429 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joseph Wittreich reveals Samson to be an intensely political work that reflects the heroic ambitions and failings of the Puritan Revolution and the tragic ambiguities of the era. He sees in the work not the purveyance of Medieval and early Renaissance typological associations but an interrogation of them and a consequent movement away from them. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Download or read book Old Testament Narratives written by Edward Chauncey Baldwin and published by . This book was released on 1910 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Samson written by James L. Crenshaw and published by Mercer University Press. This book was released on 1978 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: