In a political atmosphere where, as author William Klassen characterizes it, "hope is in short supply... within and outside the church," the twin themes of "love of enemies" and "search for peace" hardly seem compatible. Klassen maintains, however, that the two are not only consistent but also have co-existed from ancient times to the present, due in large part to the Jesus movement. Illuminating old, familiar texts as well as other that have previously been ignored, Klassen shows how people can strive for peace by following both modern figures who have gone before them as well as long-neglected biblical resources.

Love of Enemies: The Way to Peace (Overtures to Biblical Theology)

Klassen, William

Religion & Spirituality

Fortress Press

This fascinating book sifts the evidence and startlingly concludes that in the earliest sources Judas was not a traitor. Klassen argues that Judas may have meant no harm in handing over Jesus to the religious authorities.

Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus?

This fascinating books sifts the evidence and startlingly concludes that in the earliest sources Judas was not a traitor. While the name Judas Iscariot evokes horror among many people, Klassen argues persuasively that Judas may have meant no harm in handing over Jesus to the religious authorities. The book traces the ways in which Judas is portrayed by the four writers of the gospels, showing how the picture was increasingly demonized as the later gospels were written. This is the most important study in English of Judas within the context of first-century Judaism. Klassen shows by rich reference to literature of both the ancient period and later times how the concept of Judas as traitor emerged.

During the sixteenth century's tumultuous years of religious reformation and revolution, Pilgram Marpeck consistently but discreetly stood up to the ruling powers, calling for freedom of religion and separation of church and state. Coming from a background of wealth and education, he engaged in the major theological struggles of the Anabaptists for an identity that was built on the Bible and had meaning for the world. This book includes Marpeck's Confession of 1532 and The Admonition of 1542, the longest and most detailed statement of the Anabaptists on baptism and the Lord's Supper. Also included are sixteen of his letters and the preface to his Explanation of the Testaments. This is the second volume in the Classics of the Radical Reformation, a series of Anabaptist and Free Church documents translated and annotated under the direction of the Institute of Mennonite Studies. 612 Pages.

The Writings of Pilgram Marpeck (Classics of the Radical Reformation, 2) (English and German Edition)

Christian Books & Bibles

Klaassen, Walter

Marbeck, Pilgram

Churches & Church Leadership

Herald Pr

Love of enemies, search for peace. In the current international political atmosphere where "hope is in short supply these days within and outside the church" (William Klassen), these twin themes hardly seem compatible. Klassen maintains, however, that the two are not only consistent but also have coexisted from ancient times to the present, due in large part to the Jesus movement. Examining the Hellenistic and Hebrew backgrounds of the two themes, Klassen illuminates old, familiar texts, as well as some that have been previously ignored. He shows how people today can strive for peace, both by following the examples of the twentieth-century figures before them and be returning, as "warriors of peace" to long-neglected biblical resources.

Love of Enemies: The Way to Peace

History

World

Wipf and Stock

One of the problems in interpreting the Bible has always been the question of how much freedom the interpreter is allowed to take with the text.In approaching this problem William Klassen decided that at no point in the history of the church was this question raised as urgently as in the sixteenth century. The recent discovery of a number of writings by Pilgram Marpeck, an outstanding leader among the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century, made him a logical point of departure for this study. Accordingly, the book begins with a brief description of Marpeck's life and writings, then moves on to an analysis of the two central concepts in his theology--the covenant and the Christian community.For Marpeck, the covenant is determined by Christ, and not by the Old Testament, and so the interpreter must take very seriously the way in which Jesus Christ has illuminated all of scripture. In addition, the interpreter works within a community, a community of people who have covenanted with each other to follow Christ. The covenant is taken very seriously within the community, requiring a different approach to holy scripture from that adopted by the individualist.After his analysis of Marpeck's theology, Klassen proceeds to examine the relationship of this sixteenth-century discussion to present hermeneutical debates. It is noted for example, that certain religious groups have had a great deal of difficulty coming to agreement on the relation of the old and the new covenants, and that in many seminaries today it is the major theological question. But the nature of the Christian community is also one which directly affects each congregation. Therefore the book addresses itself not only to the trained theologian, but to the congregation which seeks to take seriously its mandate to study the Bible.

Covenant and Community: The Life, Writings and Hermeneutics of Pilgram Marpeck

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Klassen, William. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Klassen, William

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Klassen, William. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Love of Enemies: The Way to Peace (Overtures to Biblical Theology)

Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus?

Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus?

The Writings of Pilgram Marpeck (Classics of the Radical Reformation, 2) (English and German Edition)

Love of Enemies: The Way to Peace

Covenant and Community: The Life, Writings and Hermeneutics of Pilgram Marpeck