Bible Reference Closeouts

Features:

• Important events, biblical doctrines, and theological concepts are treated completely and concisely
• Bold-faced cross references point the reader easily to related articles
• Accessible to all, the articles are comprehensive but non-technical
• Explanations of all the proper names mentioned in the Old Testament, New Testament, and Apocrypha

James Hastings (1852–1922) was a distinguished scholar and pastor. He was founder and editor of the Expository Times and is also well known for editing the five-volume Dictionary of the Bible, as well as the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, the Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, and the Dictionary of the Apostolic Church.
     

ABAUD (early 12th century). An abbot who wrote a Treatise on the Breaking of the Body of Christ, during the Eucharistic controversies surrounding the doctrines of Berengar. He holds that, although the bread is the body of Christ, when the bread is broken each one of its parts contains the totality of that body.

ZWINGLI, ULRICH (1484-1531). The most important first-generation leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland and founder of the Reformed tradition in Protestantism. He was born of a middle-class family in Wildaus, Toggenburg, where his father and grandfather were magistrates of the people. His theological and political views were partly the result of his identification with the Swiss people, characterized by their independent spirit and their love for their country and its customs....

Written by almost sixty Latino scholars and edited by the renowned historian of doctrine Justo Gonzalez, The Westminster Dictionary of Theologians is global in scope, including theologians from around the world spanning the period from the early church to today. This monumental dictionary features entries on nearly thirteen hundred theologians, organized alphabetically, ranging in length from a paragraph to a full page, and including a list of each theologian's major works.

Justo L. Gonzalez is a prolific theological writer. Among his many works is Essential Theological Terms.
     

A diverse group of 900 scholars from 40 countries have contributed 7100 fresh new articles with 8400 entries including persons, places, things, theological concepts, and much more. These contributors were selected by the editorial board for their expertise in their field and for the quality of their scholarship in publication. Special care was taken to select authors who could provide a variety of perspectives from different theological traditions (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish), diverse theological trajectory (conservative and liberal), and from the social locations of gender, ethnicity, and race. With inclusivity comes a certain amount of exclusivity: the contributors are instructed to keep in mind a particular audience - the congregation. With every dictionary entry, authors seek to define their topics in such a way that the entries will be relevant and useful to pastors, rabbis,preachers, teachers, and students in preparing to serve the congregation in a variety of ways. Thus the dictionary tries to balance the best in contemporary scholarship with the perceived needs of the congregation. Theological content and thorough discussion of various interpretations is tailored for congregational use.

Topics are listed in alphabetical order from A-Z and evenly divided among the five volumes. The main entry (in bold) includes a pronunciation guide. Hebrew and Greek origins of the entry follow, with transliteration. Longer articles contain an introduction that summarizes the topic and include a helpful outline to guide the reader. Articles conclude with a short bibliography and cross references to related articles. In each definition, authors strive to incorporate as many biblical instances of the term as possible in the given amount of space, and to discuss the theological, social, or ecclesial implications of the topic, so that the definitions are practical aids to the tasks of preaching, teaching, and study of the Bible.
     

• The Middle East during Old Testament Times
• The Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Kingdoms and Persian Empire
• The Holy Land during the time of the Old Testament
• United Kingdom, Divided Kingdom compared with modern-day Israel and surrounding countries
• The Holy Land during the time of Jesus
• All of Paul’s Journeys (Roman Empire at AD

Jaroslav Pelikan was Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University and past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His many books include the five-volume The Christian Tradition, Jesus Through the Centuries, and Mary Through the Centuries. He has received the Thomas Jefferson Medal of the National Endowment for the Humanities and an honorary degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America as well as forty-one other honorary degrees.