Bad Shepherds

Bad Shepherds
Author: Rod Bennett
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Total Pages: 118
Release: 2018-11-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1622827155

Shocked to find corruption widespread in the ranks of their shepherds today, too many good Catholics are tempted to leave the Church, unaware that ever since the days when Jesus' own treasurer, Judas Iscariot, had his hand in the till, the Good Shepherd and His faithful followers have regularly been betrayed by bad shepherds. In these eye-opening pages, Church historian Rod Bennett introduces a number of those bad shepherds, including Bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia, who regularly sold out the Church to the Roman emperor; Pope Stephen VII, who so hated his late predecessor that he had him dug up, put on trial, and flung into the Tiber; Benedict IX, who bought and sold the papacy (twice!); and Pope John XII, whose debauchery rivaled that of the corrupt emperor Caligula. Those were very bad shepherds indeed, but while they did the Devil's work, good Catholics not only survived — they thrived. They outlasted their bad shepherds, preserved in their ranks the Faith of our fathers, and served in each instance as the foundation for a cleansing of the House of God and a vigorous renewal of the Faith. These enlightening pages demonstrate that it can happen again!

Jacob & the Prodigal

Jacob & the Prodigal
Author: Kenneth E. Bailey
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2011-06-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830868852

Drawing on a lifetime of study in both Middle Eastern culture and the Gospels, Kenneth E. Bailey compares the Old Testament saga of Jacob and the New Testament parable of the prodigal son, offering a fresh view of how Jesus interpreted Israel's past, his present, and their future.

Scouting the Divine

Scouting the Divine
Author: Margaret Feinberg
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2009-10-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310564026

Join beloved Bible teacher Margaret Feinberg as you learn how to move from simply reading Scripture to entering stories that can be touched, tasted, smelled, and savored. The Bible is full of clever plots and compelling stories, laced with historic insights and literary beauty. But despite its richness and depth, many of us struggle to close the gap between the ancient world and our own. What does it mean to know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd when the only place you've encountered sheep is at a petting zoo? How can you understand the promise of a land overflowing with honey when you buy yours in a bear-shaped bottle? Can you truly grasp the urgency of Jesus' invitation to abide in the vine when you shop for grapes at a local grocery store? In Scouting the Divine, Margaret invites you to accompany her on the adventure of a lifetime across the nation to herd sheep in Oregon, harvest fields with a Nebraska farmer, prune vines in California, and explore hives with a veteran beekeeper in Colorado. Along the way, you'll explore how ancient livelihoods illuminate meaningful truths that apply to life today. With Margaret's trademark humor and vulnerability, you'll: Learn the secret of how to live like you have a shepherd Unlock the sweetest promises of God Discover the gift of divine timing Scouting the Divine will revolutionize the way you understand the Bible--and leave you wonderstruck by the magnificence of God.

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd
Author: Kenneth E. Bailey
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2014-11-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830896988

Kenneth Bailey, with his celebrated insights into Middle Eastern culture, traces the theme of the good shepherd from its origins in Psalm 23 through the prophets and into the New Testament, observing how it changed, developed and was applied by the biblical writers over a thousand-year span.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel
Author: Ronald Ernest Clements
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Total Pages: 228
Release: 1996-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780664252724

The book of Ezekiel was written during a tumultuous time in Israel's history. It begins with Ezekiel's warning of Jerusalem's fall and his at the time unbelievable prediction of the destruction of the temple. Ezekiel also covers the period up through the Babylonian exile. Although much in the book of Ezekiel focuses on the consequences of Israel's rebellion against God that led to the destruction of Jerusalem, even more deals with the hope of Israel's rebirth with divine assistance. In this book, Old Testament scholar Ronald Clements explains the world and worldview of Ezekiel. What emerges is a vision of hope and rebirth for all who seek God's love and guidance.

The Ministry of the Shepherd and the Church in Africa

The Ministry of the Shepherd and the Church in Africa
Author:
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 431
Release: 2017-01-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1532012470

With over two million church leaders working in the more than ten million parishes, congregations, seminaries, and houses of religious formation around the world, it is important that all the people of God of every church have selfless church leaders who reflect the mind of Christ. But how can church leaders learn to be true shepherds like Jesus, whose selfless sacrifice of his life for his people set the standard for the pastoral ministry? The Ministry of the Shepherd and the Church in Africa draws on a wide range of Old and New Testament texts to develop the biblical theology of the shepherd Ministry which encourages right shepherding and evangelization in the world of self-serving leadership styles. Focusing especially on the example of pastoral ministry in Africa, author and priest, Cletus Chukwudi Imo explores some of the underlying attitudes of the pastor and the laity, and challenges church leaders to adopt a role as shepherds and servantsnot as self-serving mastersso that they can lead, guide, and teach their congregations as Christ would. Because it can be easy for church leaders to get wrapped up in the sociocultural, political, and economic concerns of their parishes, it is important for these church leaders to shed an undue focus on these concerns instead of shepherd their flocks. By modeling their lives and leadership on the ideals of Jesus, church leadersincluding priests, religious, lecturers, seminarians, and even lay-Christian parents alikecan become true servants and shepherds, honoring the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd

Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd

Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd
Author: Young S. Chae
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
Total Pages: 470
Release: 2006
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9783161488764

Young S. Chae analyzes the puzzling association of the Son of David with Jesus' healing ministry in the First Gospel. This, along with the Gospel's rich shepherd/sheep images and the theme of the restoration of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, finds a significant clue in the picture of Jesus as the eschatological Davidic Shepherd according to the pattern of the Davidic Shepherd tradition in the Old Testament and Second Temple Judaism. As Matthew communicates the identity and mission of Jesus, he is conversant with this tradition, particularly Ezekiel 34 and 37 as well as Micah 2-5 and Zechariah 9-14. The story of the First Gospel is the story of the return of YHWH as the eschatological Shepherd for the lost sheep of Israel and also that of the one Davidic Shepherd-Appointee as the eschatological Teacher-Prince in the midst of his one eschatological flock.