Books by "Robert Bernard Anderson"
7 books found
Whether one approaches the Bible from a perspective of faith, culture or literature, the power of the writing, the human situations, language and genres that make up the Scriptures speak potently across the ages. From whatever angle, the texts have a revelatory power that shines a light on the human condition, our sense of purpose, place in the world, and even our destiny. Born out of the common reflection on the history of single nation with a sense of divine election, the Bible has spoken, and continues to speak to all people in various circumstances, in words of such power that seem divinely inspired. This volume provides an opportunity for studying those special areas of Scripture known as the Prophets and the Wisdom Books. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel spoke to Ancient Israel from the situation of their national story shaped by the Covenant with God, especially before, during and after the sorrow of their Exile in Babylon (587–38 BC). The Wisdom Books of the Bible reflect on the ontology of the human condition under any circumstance: how to live wisely and sensibly by looking at the world of nature and the human heart to discern the purpose of life. The approach adopted here, building on a fundamental understanding of the Old Testament, searches for deeper understanding of both approaches and genres. This study enables a thematic overview of the subject, a way into some of the critical issues endemic to grasping both traditions, and by implication, some of the fundamental approaches used in biblical scholarship. This study encourages reading the texts themselves, developing a sharper perception of language, imagery, genre and style. The book, thus, provides an overall picture of the literary types employed, locates the sacred books in a chronological and thematic context, exploring the texts through the specific passages provided, always looking to find the theological keyscritical to understanding these particular books and their enduring message across the ages. A particularly interesting aspect of this study is its collection of iconography, offering a cross-section of artistic responses to the power of the biblical discourse through the centuries. While Gustave Doré's famous etchings form the axis of the centrefolds, many other painters are included from different periods.
In a world where the "God hypothesis" is no longer necessary, today's Church may offer skeptical Seekers a Jesus Story that no longer connects with their lives. Nevertheless, their honest questions are to be valued and honored by the Church because they keep us honest and make us rethink the relevancy of our faith. Today's world is asking if there is any Reality to the Jesus about whom we speak, and if so, would he please stand up. It is my contention that faith in God does not depend upon proof of his existence as much as what that God's attitude is toward us. While the Good News proposed by Christian Faith is that God's attitude was definitively displayed in Jesus, I am suggesting that our Jesus Story must take the Apostle Paul's understanding of Reconciliation seriously. God, too, has to pay the price of Sin. He is part of the problem of our alienation and neither we, nor God, can escape its consequences. Therein lies the POWER, I believe, of the Jesus Story to hold the attention of today's Seeker. Jesus not only died for our sins, he died for God's Sin as well! Our Sin, was our disobedience. God's Sin was his Ignorance. It is Paul who, getting his message directly from the Risen Christ, sees this most clearly. Paul wants us to understand that God was in Christ's life and death reconciling the world to himself not just forgiving us. Unlike the Jesus Story told by today's Church, Paul sees God's Grace as much more amazing than mere payment for our peccadilloes.
In the ten years after President Clinton made good on his promise to "end welfare as we know it" by signing the reform act of 1996, the number of families on welfare dropped by over three million. This hotly contested legislation has fueled countless hyperbolic arguments from both sides of the political spectrum rather than a clearheaded examination of the actual results of the reform. Robert Cherry steps into the fray with a story that differs sharply from both conservative and liberal critiques. He portrays the women who left welfare as success stories rather than victims, and stresses the many positive lessons of the policy initiatives that accompanied the reform without downplaying the problems it created. The result is an eye-opening look at the ground-level repercussions of welfare policy changes, developments that have been overshadowed by partisan politics for too long.Anchored by solid economic research and policy background, Welfare Transformed comes alive with revealing interviews of key members of the Clinton Administration, directors and staff at welfare-to-work programs and community colleges, and - most importantly - welfare leavers themselves. Cherry carefully explains the factors (racial, social, economic, generational) that spurred and shaped the reform, and moves past partisan rhetoric in his review of its effects. Instead, he pays attention to concrete data and real people's experiences that combine to provide a full account of the legislation's aftermath. Armed with this new view, Cherry offers a range of strong suggestions for transforming successful welfare policies into universal family policies, from strengthening federal economic supports for working families to improving our community colleges. A refreshing take on a lightning-rod subject, this book is certain to foment heated discussions among all who read it.
Published here with a new chapter covering judgements from 1993 to 1995, Raw judicial power? is established as the definitive analysis of the powerful forces shaping the United States Supreme Court today. Robert J. McKeever analyses the approach of the Court to the most pressing contemporary social issues, such as capital punishment, abortion, race and affirmative action, gender equality and religion, sex and politics. He shows how social policy initiatives in the US have often come from the judicial rather than the legislative branch of government, leading to charges that the Supreme Court has been exercising 'raw judicial power'. He examines the policy decisions the Court has made, and argues that the Court has increasingly jettisoned traditional notions of constitutional interpretation in order to tackle the conflicts in contemporary American society. Students of American politics, constitutional law and social policy will all find this book invaluable.
When he left Hollywood in March 1941, Jimmy Stewart was America's boy next door movie star and a recent Academy Award winner. He left all that behind to join the United States Army Air Corps and fulfill his family mission to serve his country—only to face obstacle after obstacle from both Hollywood and Washington. Finally he made his way to the European Theater, where several near-death experiences and the loss of men under his command took away his youthful good looks. The war finally won, he returned home with millions of other veterans to face an uncertain future, suffering what we now know as PTSD. For the next half century, Stewart refused to discuss his combat experiences and took the story of his service to the grave. Mission presents the first in-depth look at Stewart's life as a Squadron Commander in the skies over Germany, from takeoff to landing and every key moment in between. Author Robert Matzen sifted through thousands of Air Force combat reports and the Stewart personnel files; interviewed surviving aviators who flew with Stewart; visited the James Stewart Papers at Brigham Young University; flew in the cockpits of the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator; and walked the earth of air bases in England used by Stewart in his combat missions of 1943-45. What emerges in Mission is the story of a Jimmy Stewart you never knew until now, a story more fantastic than any he brought to the screen.
The author examines the controversial issue of affirmative action, discussing how it really works in such areas as employment, voting rights, mortgage and insurance regulation, education, and minority set-asides