Biblical Genres

The Gospel According to Judas, by Benjamin Iscariot, sheds new light on the mystery of Judas (including his motives for the betrayal and what happened to him after the crucifixion) by retelling the story of Jesus through the eyes of Judas, using the canonical texts as its basic point of reference. Ostensibly written by Judas' son, Benjamin, and following the narrative style of the Gospels, this re-creation is provocative, compelling, and controversial.

Matthew was a tax collector in Roman-occupied Galilee. Despite his comfortable life, he was scorned and shunned by his fellow Judeans. To them, Matthew was a traitor who lined Rome’s coffers, and his own, at the expense of the people of Galilee.

In order to understand, appreciate, and faithfully preach the word of God, pastors must discern the literary nature of the Bible. Instead of just acknowledging the various genres of Scripture, pastors and teachers should allow these genres to influence how the text is approached and communicated. In The Beauty and Power of Biblical Exposition, they will learn how to both read and preach the Bible as a literary anthology.

Considerată capodopera lui Nikos Kazantzakis, maestru al prozei moderne şi una dintre cele mai neobosite conştiinţe ale timpului său, Ultima ispită a lui Hristos propune o monumentală reinterpretare ficţională a Evangheliilor. Romanul a fost ecranizat în 1988 de Martin Scorsese, avându-i în rolurile principale pe Willem Dafoe şi Harvey Keitel. Asemenea cărţii, pelicula a suscitat la rândul ei numeroase polemici.

To most, the term “Christian horror” probably seems like an oxymoron. Nevertheless, there are very good arguments to be made that “horror” is an eminently biblical genre and that Christian artists should be at the forefront of reclaiming it. In this work, novelist and freelance writer Mike Duran explores the Judeo-Christian roots of contemporary horror, the religious themes that frame much of the horror art, and how evangelical culture has come to distance itself from such a potentially rich and powerful medium.

Modern Genre Theory describes the current state of biblical genre theory (as well as the meaning of form criticism and why it needs to die). Scholar of biblical hermeneutics Andrew Judd then presents a better alternative of interpretation based on the best developments in secular literary theory, linguistics, and rhetorical studies.

The Titus Diary is the story behind the letters to the Thessalonian churches. Reading the letters of Paul is often dry, devoid of context and separated from the story which led to the letters being written. In this account of the apostle Paul's second missionary journey, told through the eyes of Titus, listeners accompany Paul as he travels throughout Asia Minor and Greece. They see his struggles, the persecution and the suffering which Paul and Silas endured to bring the gospel into Europe.

In the time of the Pharaoh, a tiny infant is rescued from the banks of the Red Sea. She is named Zipporah, "the little bird". Although she is a Cushite by birth, one of the black people of the lands to the south, she is taken in by Jethro, high priest and sage of the Midianites. Jethro adores his adopted daughter, and she is an honored member of his family. But the blackness of Zipporah's skin sets her apart and will decide her future.

God is a covenant making, covenant keeping God. From the dawn of prehistory, God’s dealings with mankind can be understood through the lens of covenant: A binding agreement of unending loyalty and faithfulness. His early covenants with mankind were one-sided, requiring very little from men in return. All of that changed with the birth of the nation of Israel, and her deliverance from slavery in Egypt through Moses. The Mosaic covenant, also known throughout the Bible as “the law”, encompassed the rest of the Old Testament books through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Despite multiple offers of marriage, Rebekah has yet to find the man she wants to spend her life with. Desperate for guidance, she turns to prayer—and her supplication is answered in a way she never imagines. While drawing water from a nearby well, Rebekah learns of a man seeking a wife. She’s certain this chance meeting is an answer to her prayers, and she agrees to marry a man she’s never even seen.

Joseph ben Joseph's family fractures after Jesus' crucifixion and his mother's choice to stay with his brother's followers, despite the looming threat of death. Joseph's older brother, claiming to have seen Jesus alive, insists on remaining in Jerusalem to join the disciples. But Joseph, not being the patriarch, is powerless to lead the family back to the safety of Nazareth.

Simon of Cyrene has long dreamed of celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. Yet the journey of a thousand miles seems impossible: Simon is crippled, and his beloved wife has been ravaged by a debilitating affliction. So when his sons arrange special passage to Jerusalem for Simon and his wife, the couple is overcome with joy and anticipation. It seems that an impossible dream is within reach...but their journey is fraught with unexpected perils, from deadly gales to dangerous thieves.

Stories of the miraculous abound in the Bible: the parting of the Red Sea. David and Goliath. Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Nebuchadnezzar’s Fiery Furnace. Jonah and the Whale. Many of us learned of them in Sunday School class, and might know them so well that we have subconsciously relegated them to the realm of myth and fairy tale. But have you ever considered what it might have been like to live through those incredible stories—without knowing how they end? These stories and more are brought to life in All Things Are Possible, told through the eyes of the main character.

Two thousand years ago, when the Romans came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciple Peter cut off the ear of an innocent man. Jesus rebuked Peter and quickly healed the servant's ear - and the Sword of Peter took on supernatural powers. Fast forward to modern day where a Biblical archaeology quest for the Sword of Peter is imperative to both Israel and to the Christian world.

After finding two ancient silver shekels in an old robe, Professor Sam Godfrey and Achava, guardian of Israel and its sacred artifacts, believe they've been chosen to find the rest of the coins. Sam and Achava follow the trail of the robe to a man who tells them they have 30 days to find the rest of the shekels. He warns that if they don't succeed in time, something catastrophic will happen.

Thousands of years ago, Moses was given the stone tablets with God's Commandments. They were kept in the Ark of the Covenant for a time, but they're no longer there. In modern day, Achava is a spiritual warrior. And a wife and a mother-to-be. Now, in their final mission from God, Achava and Sam must find and return the stone tablets of the Commandments of God into the Ark of the Covenant. It's their most dangerous mission ever - not only will Achava have to fight her greatest battle, but she must do it while carrying their child.

Thousands of years ago, a young warrior slew a Nephilim with a sling, some stones...and God's help. In modern day, Achava is the warrior. The avenger. And now, a wife. When Achava, supernatural guardian of Israel, marries Professor Sam Godfrey, she loses some powers. Becoming more human by the hour, Achava can no longer Soul Merge and must rely on her half-sister, Anthea, for such travels. Sam doubts Achava can battle evil without her supernatural abilities.

Thousands of years ago, just before God flooded the Earth, a man of faith took his family and many animals onto an ark he built in order to survive the coming deluge. Fast forward to modern day where Achava, spiritual guardian of Israel, leads the team on a time travel quest for Noah's ark. Achava is joined by Sam Godfrey, an archaeologist; Anthea, Achava's archrival half-sister; and the newest member of the team, Khassima, a royal dancer who is haunted by her past. Together, the intrepid team uses supernatural forces to travel back to the time of Noah.

One of the most common arguments against Christianity is that the God of the Old Testament seemed so drastically different than the God of the New Testament. In the Old, many claim He seemed cruel and capricious, while in the New, He suddenly became a God of love and tolerance. Yet Jesus said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father”, and the writer of Hebrews tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. If God hasn’t changed, how do we explain the apparent difference? The answer lies in a long-forgotten word: covenant.

Have you ever wondered what it was like for Eve to be the first woman, created as an adult but with the mind of a child? What must it have been like for Deborah to be the only female judge in Israel’s history? Ever considered how Esther felt about being chosen as queen in the ungodly kingdom of Persia - particularly when she’d have to share her husband with a harem? What must Mary and Martha have thought when their brother Lazarus had died, and it looked to them like Jesus was not coming?