Is Anglicanism the buildings, the history, the prayers, the church government? Often we emphasize one aspect against others. In Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition, Gerald Bray argues that some theological trajectories are more faithful than others to the nature and history of the Church of England. Is the Anglican church a Protestant church with distinctive characteristics, or a Catholic Church no longer in communion with Rome?

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (ACCS) does what very few of today’s students of the Bible can do for themselves. The vast array of writings from the Church Fathers—including many that are available only in the ancient languages—have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the Church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating, and introducing it to today’s readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power, and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early Church.

While there is no substitute for personal, faithful, and careful Bible reading and prayer, the Bible’s vast size and diversity can make distilling its truth a daunting task. Thus most Christians benefit from supplemental resources to help learn and apply what Scripture teaches. Renowned theologian, Gerald Bray has produced just such a resource in his new biblical theology. Though packed with robust content, he writes about this volume: “the aim … is to reach those who would not normally find sys...

How the Church Fathers Read the Bible is an accessible introduction to help you read Scripture with the early church. With a clear and simple style, Gerald Bray explains the distinctives of early Christian interpretation and shows how the fathers interpreted key Bible passages from Genesis to Revelation. Their unique perspective is summed up in seven principles that can inspire our Bible reading today. With Bray as your guide, you can reclaim the rich insights of the fathers with reverence and discernment.

In Preaching the Word with John Chrysostom, through a combination of storytelling and theology, Gerald Bray reflects upon 1,500 year-old pastoral wisdom from one of church history's most prolific Christ-centered preachers. Chrysostom's eloquent preaching and influence on Christian teaching left a legacy that is still recognized today.

The ESV Church History Study Bible is designed to help believers in all seasons of life understand the Bible with notes from over 300 of church history’s most prominent figures. Edited by Stephen J. Nichols, Gerald Bray, and Keith A. Mathison, this Bible features 20,000+ study notes from historical figures including Athanasius of Alexandria, John Chrysostom, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon.

Because the Catholic Epistles focus on orthodox faith and morals, the Fathers drew on them as a means of defense against the rising challenge of heretics. This factor gave these letters a freshness and relevance to conditions in the fourth and fifth centuries that might otherwise seem surprising. Many of the Fathers unabashedly saw in them anticipatory attacks on Marcion and strong defenses against the Arians. They did so quite naturally because in their view truth was eternal and deviations from it had existed from the beginning. Above all, the Fathers found in the Catholic Epistles a manual for spiritual warfare, counsel for the faithful in the struggle between good and evil. In them was sound instruction in the ways of self-sacrifice, generosity and humility, through which evil could be defeated.

For the Reformers, these epistles were living, capsule versions of Paul’s letter to the Romans, briefs on the theological vision of the celebrated apostle. Probed and expounded in the commentaries and sermons found in this volume, these letters became the very breath in the lungs of the Reformation movements. The range of comment on Galatians and Ephesians here spans Latin, German, French, Dutch, and English authors from a variety of streams within the Protestant movement. Especially helpful in this volume is Gerald Bray’s editorial presentation of the development of tensions among the Reformers. The epistles of Galatians and Ephesians open up a treasure house of ancient wisdom, allowing these faithful Reformation witnesses to speak with eloquence and intellectual acumen to the church today.

This commentary offers a verse-by-verse theological interpretation of the First and Second epistles to Timothy and Titus. Bray reads the letters as authoritative scripture, moving beyond questions of whether they are pseudonymous, and of whether or not they are post-apostolic, instead looking closely at how they have been understood in the life of the Church.

In Athens and Jerusalem, Gerald Bray shows how history has been shaped by a myriad of attempts to relate philosophy and theology. Bray’s tour spans from the early church to the present, pointing out impacts on the church, academy, and society. Athens and Jerusalem offers a lively and accessible chronicle of the relationship between philosophy and theology and how we can think about both today.

What is theology? What is the nature of God? How should we think about the relationships among the persons of the Trinity? In a carefully reasoned style Gerald Bray distills the essence of these questions and introduces readers to a theological understanding of the personal, trinitarian existence of God. Engaging classical and contemporary theology along the way, Bray also leads us into conversation with the Eastern Orthodox tradition, where he finds valuable insights sadly neglected by evangel...

Understanding the Protestant Reformation: Precursors and Legacy (CH111) is presented by a team of respected Christian scholars: Jennifer Powell McNutt, Roger E. Olson, Frank A. James III, Gerald L. Bray, Chris Armstrong, and Frederick Cardoza. These scholars are well published in church history, theology, and Christian education, and their combined expertise facilitates students gaining clear insight into the Reformation. This course covers the precursors to the Protestant Reformation, the prominent Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin, and the Reformation’s impact on the reading of Scripture, the church, and Christian discipleship.

God is the Creator of all things. As Creator, he is unique and cannot be compared to any of his creatures. Throughout history, the church has recognized the importance of studying and understanding God’s attributes. In this addition to the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series, theologian Gerald Bray examines the attributes of God, presenting their biblical foundations, systematic-theological structure, and practical relevance for the church today. Bray separates the attributes into two categories: God’s relational attributes (which focus on how he interacts with his creation) and his essential attributes (which describe his essence and relation to time). As Christians better understand the attributes of God they will see, delight in, and apply what Scripture reveals concerning who God is and what he is like.

The Reformation was a time of tremendous upheaval, renewal, and vitality in the life of the church. The challenge to maintain and develop faithful Christian belief and practice in the midst of great disruption was reflected in the theology of the sixteenth century. In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic’s Reformation Commentary on Scripture, theologian and church historian Gerald L. Bray immerses readers in the world of Reformation theology. He introduces the range of theological debates as Catholics and Protestants from a diversity of traditions—Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Anabaptist—disputed the essentials of the faith, from the authority of Scripture and the nature of salvation to the definition of the church, the efficacy of the sacraments, and the place of good works in the Christian life.

La Suite de Predicación II es una herramienta versátil que proporciona múltiples recursos para ayudar al pastor en todos los aspectos de la predicación. Su contenido incluye una amplia gama de recursos inspiradores y prácticos que abarcan desde ejemplos históricos de predicación de grandes maestros como Juan Crisóstomo, hasta herramientas prácticas como ejemplos de personajes bíblicos y citas para el púlpito, y también ilustraciones de la historia de la iglesia. La suite se enfoca en proporcionar recursos que abordan todos los aspectos del llamado a la predicación, desde la preparación del predicador hasta la elaboración y entrega del sermón. Ofrece una amplia variedad de títulos que incluyen tanto instrucción como guías prácticas, y abarca tanto obras modernas como clásicas.

From the earliest days of the Christian church, there has been the tendency to distill those essential aspects of Christian teaching into succinct creeds. These creeds, in turn, are unpacked to reveal much about the Christian understanding of the nature of God, salvation, and the church. As the seminal Ancient Christian Commentary on Sacred Scripture series did for Scripture, so this series does for the classic articulation of Christian doctrine—the Nicene Creed. Following the outline set forth in that ancient creed, these volumes bring together copious amounts of commentary from the early church fathers on each statement and phrase.

Never before has there been so much scholarly effort devoted to the study of the Bible. And yet, ironically, the church is in perilous danger of forgetting its rich inheritance of biblical interpretation. With this textbook, Gerald Bray sounds the call to draw biblical interpretation back to the heart of the church. Evangelical in perspective but ecumenical in both its historical breadth and its vision of the future, Bray's work is a comprehensive guide to biblical interpretation, past and present. Bray begins by introducing basic concepts in biblical interpretation that have remained constant through the ages: divine revelation, the nature of the canon, the relation of the biblical text to the life of Christian churches, and the tensions inherent in the act of biblical interpretation. He follows this introduction with three main sections, each covering an epoch of development within the history of biblical interpretation.

Reflecting on the Word: Video Devotionals (Year C) consists of forty-three video devotionals from top biblical and theological scholars. The passages are keyed to seasons of the church year, allowing you to work through the reflections in sequence or in any order you prefer. Each segment includes a Scripture passage read aloud followed by a reflection. Questions at the end of each reflection allow you to respond to the material.

Renowned evangelical theologian Gerald Bray provides a clear and coherent account of the church in biblical, historical, and theological perspective. He tells the story of the church in its many manifestations through time, starting with its appearance in the New Testament, moving through centuries of persecution and triumph, and discussing how and why the ancient church broke up at the Reformation. Along the way, Bray looks at the four classic marks of the church—its oneness, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity—and illustrates how each of these marks has been understood by different Christian traditions. The book concludes with a look at the ecumenical climate of today and suggests ways that the four characteristics of the church can and should be manifested in our present global context.

In this groundbreaking resource, professor Gerald Bray traces the history of Christian theology from the early church to the modern era. Structured to parallel the order in which orthodoxy gradually matured in response to challenges from both inside and outside the church, this volume outlines how Christians have struggled to understand, confess, and worship the triune God through the centuries.

The doctrine of hell is one of the most mysterious and controversial of all Christian doctrines. The exact nature of the punishment for those who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ is debated. In this course, four leading scholars present the distinct features and biblical basis of their particular view: R. Albert Mohler Jr.—An Eternal Conscious Torment Perspective Joel Willitts—An Annihilationist or Conditional Immortality Perspective Ralph Martin—A Roman Catholic Perspective Robin A. Parry—A Universalist Perspective Each speaker explores the nature of divine punishment of sin and examines with how hell is described throughout Scripture. They answer questions about God’s presence in hell, Jesus’s descension to hell after his crucifixion, and the idea of purgatory. In addition to the four positions listed above, Gerald L. Bray begins the course with a summary of how the early church wrestled with the idea of hell. This...

Discover the world of sixteenth-century interpretation of Revelation Known as one of the most enigmatic books of the Bible, Revelation has sparked centuries of diverse theological debate, capturing the imaginations of Reformers navigating a time of immense upheaval. This volume, part of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series, invites readers to engage with the perspectives of key Reformation-era theologians, offering a window into their reflections on prophecy, eschatology, and profound hopes for moral renewal. Guided by Rodney Petersen and Gerald Bray, this masterfully curated commentary guides readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on the book of Revelation, including voices across theological traditions—Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Radical, and Catholic. Much of the material—including commentaries, sermons, treatises, and confessions—appears for the first time in English, providing pastors, scholars, and students with fresh perspectives on the text. Through…

The Lexham Press Church Fathers Bundle includes 12 volumes focused on the study of the Early Church. Featuring works on Augustine, John Chrysostom, and much more, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Church Fathers.

This Ancient Christian Commentary on Romans collects the best and most representative of patristic commentary and homily on Romans, and it brings to the public some valuable material that has previously been unavailable in English translation. Outstanding among these commentators is “Ambrosiaster,” the name given to the unknown Latin commentator of the late fourth century, whose enduring worth is evident to all who read him. The extensive commentary by Origen, largely inaccessible to modern readers, is frequently and extensively presented here as well. These commentators are joined by great figures such as John Chrysostom of Constantinople, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine of Hippo, Theodoret of Cyrus, and several lesser commentators, such as Diodore of Tarsus and Didymus the Blind of Alexandria. This commentary on Romans provides a rare opportunity to encounter the familiar Pauline exposition of the righteousness of God as it echoes in the great Christian minds and communities ...

Gerald Bray’s comprehensive overview demonstrates the remarkable creativity and resilience of Christianity in Britain and Ireland. Through the ages, it has adapted to the challenges of presenting the gospel of Christ to different generations in a variety of circumstances. As a result, it is at once a recognizable offshoot of the universal church and a world of its own. It has also profoundly affected the notable spread of Christianity worldwide in recent times.

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are one of the three historic ‘formularies’ of the Church of England. Along with the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal they gave the church its distinctive identity at the time of the Reformation, an identity which has had a formative influence on worldwide Anglicanism. Many parts of the Anglican Communion some have returned to these sources to satisfy a genuine hunger for both Anglican tradition and sound Christian doctrine; this book seeks to contribute to this dialogue. Although the Articles have had a checkered history, the intention of The Faith We Confess: An Exposition of the 39 Articles is to take them as they now stand and interpret what they mean for us today. Historical circumstances cannot be avoided completely and are mentioned as necessary, but the main emphasis throughout this text is theological. Author Gerald Bray explores this question: “what do the Articles say about what Anglicans believe and how should they be understood...

The Short Studies in Systematic Theology series aims to equip readers to understand, teach, love, and apply what God has revealed in Scripture about a variety of topics. Each volume introduces a major doctrine, develops it from Scripture, and brings it to bear on the Christian life. These accessible volumes draw from both the Christian tradition and contemporary theology, and are perfect for introducing laypeople, pastors, students, and teachers to what God has revealed in his written word.

Unlike other books on the topic, Bray’s volume is not organized primarily by time period or distinct doctrinal categories. Rather, it puts theology first and history second, following a Trinitarian pattern that begins with God the Father, moves on to God the Son, and ends with God the Holy Spirit. This unique approach offers readers a more holistic understanding of the development of theology, paralleling the order in which the church wrestled through challenging theological issues and controversies related to God, man, and salvation.

“We believe in one God, the Father.” The opening clause of the Nicene Creed can be summed up in a single word—monotheism. In the early centuries of the church, this striking doctrine stood starkly against a cultural background of multiple deities and spiritual powers. While it clearly builds on its Jewish heritage, calling God “Father” anticipates the Father-Son relationship in the Godhead that early Christians knew and robustly upheld. The first article of the Nicene Creed also presupposes tha...

What is the Christian life? The Theologians on the Christian Life series digs into the lives and legacies of four major Christian leaders and theologians, critically analyzing how they lived the theology they preached. This tour of Christian example leads the reader down the challenging paths tread by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Francis A. Schaeffer, B. B. Warfield, and John Wesley. Discover the living insights of key theologians whose thoughts and actions have still guide the Christian world today.