Justo L. González Livres

"A meditation on the importance of the Lord's Prayer for contemporary Christian life, with insights drawn from the wisdom and experience of early Christians"--

Gonzalez explores how a Hispanic perspective illuminates the biblical text in ways that will be valuable not only for Latino readers but also for the church at large. Introducing five "paradigms" for Latino biblical interpretation, Gonzalez discusses theory and provides concrete examples of biblical texts that gain new meaning when read from a different perspective.

A concise history of the Bible: its creation, use, and interpretation What is the Bible? To answer this question we must understand the Bible's origins in the early church. In this book, celebrated church historian Justo González introduces the reader to some important features of the earliest Bibles--for instance, the Bible's original languages, its division into chapters and verses, and even its physical appearance in its first forms. González also explores the use of the Bible in the early church (such as in worship or in private reading) and the interpretation of the Bible throughout the ensuing centuries, giving readers a holistic sense of the Bible's emergence as the keystone of Christian life, from its beginnings to present times.

Ideas pertaining to economics and social order were central concerns of the early Christian church, yet modern theologians and scholars have paid little or no attention to these issues as important theological questions. This brilliant and thorough study is a history of the views that Christians held of the origin, significance and use of wealth. Justo Gonzalez examines early Christian ideas, beliefs and teachings about the use of money, property, communal sharing and the rights and obligations of rich and poor. Setting the Christian community in the political, social and economic contexts of the times, Gonzalez highlights the ideas of such prominent writers as Cyprian, Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysostom, and the Desert Fathers concerning wealth -- noting what traditional scholarship has overlooked. As the author points out, this book is not a social or economic history of Christianity during the first four centuries; it is a history of the views that Christians held on economic matters. This profound, enlightening and highly readable work of excellent scholarship is a major contribution to the study of the history of Christian thought. It clearly demonstrates that the issues of economics and social justice are central theological concerns, deeply rooted in Christian doctrine and Christian tradition.

Mentorship is explored through a biblical lens, emphasizing the importance of individuals who guide us in listening to God's voice. The work highlights the transformative role of mentors in spiritual growth and understanding, encouraging readers to seek out and become such figures in their communities.

This informative, interesting, and consistently readable narrative history brings alive the people, dramatic events and ideas that shaped the first fifteen centuries of the church's life and thought. Includes major events outside of Europe, such as the Spanish and Portuguese conquest of the New World. Historian Justo Gonzalez shows how various social, political, and economic movements affected Christianity's internal growth. Gonzalez skillfully weaves in relevant details from the lives of prominent figures from the apostles to John Wycliffe, tracing out core theological issues and developments as reflected in the lives and struggles of leading thinkers within the various traditions of the church. The history of the church, while showing all the characteristics of human history, is much more than the history of an institution or movement, Gonzalez stresses. It is a history of the deeds of the spirit in and through the men and women who have gone before in the faith. "The Story of Christianity" demonstrates at each point what new challenges and opportunities faced the church, and how Christians struggled with the various options open to them, thereby shaping the future direction of the church. This fascinating introduction to the panoramic history of Christianity is perfect for students and teachers of church history, pastors, and general readers

A revised edition of an accessible narrative history assesses crucial theological developments while offering insight into the social, political, and economic forces that influenced the Church's development, in a volume that includes coverage of such subjects as emerging Protestantism and the origins of modern movements.

In this accessible historical overview of Sunday, noted scholar Justo Gonz lez tells the story of how and why Christians have worshiped on Sunday from the earliest days of the church to the present. After discussing the views and practices relating to Sunday in the ancient church, Gonz lez turns to Constantine and how his policies affected Sunday observances. He then recounts the long process, beginning in the Middle Ages and culminating with Puritanism, whereby Christians came to think of and strictly observe Sunday as the Sabbath. Finally, Gonz lez looks at the current state of things, exploring especially how the explosive growth of the church in the Majority World has affected the observance of Sunday worldwide. Readers of this book will rediscover the joy and excitement of Sunday as early Christians celebrated it and will find fresh, inspiring perspectives on Sunday amid our current culture of indifference and even hostility to Christianity.

Few thinkers have been as influential as Augustine of Hippo, yet we easily forget he was a man of two cultures: African and Greco-Roman. Cuban American historian and theologian Justo González presents Augustine as a "mestizo" (mixed) theologian, using the perspective of his own Latino heritage to find in the bishop of Hippo a remarkable resource for the church today.