Monthly Archives: December 2019

Think Like a 1st Century Believer

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The New Testament in its World is your passageway from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A highly readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, it is the only such work form distinguished scholar and author N.T. (Tom) Wright. Bringing together decades of Wright’s groundbreaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume, it presents the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomenon located in the world of Second Temple Judaism, amid Greco-Roman politics and culture, and within early Christianity.

Call Number: 225.61 W947N

Political Theology

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A comprehensive reference resource informed by serious theological scholarship in the three Abrahamic traditions. The engaging and original contributions within this collection represent the epitome of contemporary scholarship in theology, religion, philosophy, history, law, and political science, from leading scholars in their area of specialization.

Comprised of five sections that illuminate the rise and relevance of political theology, this handbook begins with the birth of contemporary “political theology,” and is followed by discussions of historical resources and past examples of interaction between theology and politics from all three Abrahamic traditions. The third section surveys the leading figures and movements that have had an impact on the discipline of political theology in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries; and the contributors then build on previously discussed historical resources and methods to engage with contemporary issues and challenges, emphasizing interreligious dialogue, even while addressing concerns of relevance to a particular faith tradition. The volume concludes with three essays that look at the future of political theology from the perspective of each Abrahamic religion.

Call Number: 201.72 T111

The Wide Variety of Video Game Studies

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Video games are an interesting field of study in today’s academic world. For a while, they were thought of as mindless garbage (okay, to be honest, there are probably tons of people who still think this i.e. my grandparents), yet the recent developments of video games have garnered more attraction from all walks of life and scholarly research into these games. Andrew Ervin even sets out to understand the explosive popularity of video games. No longer are they simplistic ideas of trying to get a frog across a highway or a yellow circle earing up dots. Theses games have stories as compelling as books.

Now that these games are more accepted they allow scholars to analyze and explore how these games affect our understanding of the wider world. In Gaming the System, Gunkel explores how philosophical traditions, put forth by thinkers like Plato, Descartes, Kant, etc., can help us explore and conceptualize recent developments in video games, game studies, and virtual worlds. Surprisingly, these games cross disciplines as well. Serious Games in Physical Rehabilitation demonstrates how videogames can be a valuable tool in clinics and how clinicians can use them in physical rehabilitation for various pathologies. And The Rhetoric of Videogames as Embodied Practice offers a critical reassessment of embodiment and materiality in rhetorical considerations of videogames.

No longer are games thought of in a vacuum, if they ever were. Not only has the ivory tower of universities started to realize that video games are a worthwhile field of study, but this field is also one that is crossing into other subjects and areas of thought. It truly shows you can’t judge a book…or a game…by its cover.

Paideia Commentary Series on the New Testament

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This practical commentary on Revelation is conversant with contemporary scholarship, draws on ancient backgrounds, and attends to the theological nature of the text. Sigve Tonstad, an expert in the early Jewish context of the New Testament, offers a non-retributive reading of Revelation and addresses the issue of divine violence. Paideia commentaries explore how New Testament texts form Christian readers by attending to the ancient narrative and rhetorical strategies the text employs, showing how the text shapes moral habits, and making judicious use of photos and sidebars in a reader-friendly format.

Call Number: 228.077 T666R

Drawing from many parts of the broad Christian tradition, this commentary on First and Second Timothy and Titus helps readers gain a stronger understanding of early Christian ministry in the first two centuries. Paideia commentaries show how New Testament texts use ancient narrative and rhetorical strategies to form and shape the reader and provide a fresh reading of the biblical texts in light of ancient culture and modern issues. Students, pastors, and other readers will appreciate the historical, literary, and theological insight offered in this commentary.

Call Number: 227.8307 H981F

Mikeal Parsons, a leading scholar on Luke and Acts, examines the cultural context and theological meaning in Luke in this addition to the well-received Paideia series. This commentary, like each in the projected eighteen-volume series, proceeds by sense units rather than word-by-word or verse-by-verse. 

Call Number: 226.407 23

An Intriguing Combination

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This book formulates a new theological approach to the study of religion in gaming. Video games have become one of the most important cultural artefacts of modern society, both as mediators of cultural, social, and religious values and in terms of commercial success. This has led to a significant increase in the critical analysis of this relatively new medium, but theology as an academic discipline is noticeably behind the other humanities on this subject. Each chapter introduces case studies from video games connected to a specific theme i.e. theomorphism and christophorism. In contrast to many studies which focus on online multiplayer games, the examples considered are largely single-player games with distinct narratives and ‘end of game’ moments. The book concludes by synthesizing these themes into a new theology of video games.

Call Number: 794.8 B743G

Whatever happened to ageing gracefully?

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Integrating Christian spirituality and contemporary psychology, this book presents aging as a positive opportunity for development, even amidst the many challenges that come with it. This view opposes a negative cultural stereotype of aging as only a time of decline. The work explores how faith can contribute to optimal aging by providing a Christian perspective on such topics as: loss and diminishment, loneliness and suffering, death and dying. It also reflects on many of the issues that confront older people, such as dealing with past regrets and unhealed wounds, learning how to forgive, maintaining a sense of self-worth by contributing to others and sustaining hope and gratitude in the face of decline. This book s reach is ecumenical and intended for baby-boomers who are seeking a spirituality of aging that can sustain them in this important stage of life.

Call Number: 248.85 A887A

What is Game Writing?

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“An actual serious question. For many years, even decades, it was virtually an oxymoron. Games. Writing. Some game companies dabble with writers, others used people drafted from their development team who may have seemed to have a “flair” for writing, or story, or dialogue. But a few games’ success and critical acclaim showed that a game that used a professional writer could not only elevate the story, not to mention the dialogue but also lead to something even more important. Nothing less than the integration of gameplay and story into a new narrative entity. And not just a new narrative entity, but a new art form. Writers have come along to not only write the games but to build interactive experiences in a dramatic and exciting way” (Costello, xx).

This insightful, revised book explores the challenging and evolving world of the games writer. Especially useful reading for novice game writers, its chapters cover a broad range of topics including contracts, NDAs, creative collaboration, narrative design, editing, adaptations, and environmental storytelling. Packed with practical samples, case studies, and exercises, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the world of games writing.

Call Number: 794.8 S942V 2017

Practices in Procedural and Dynamic Game Content

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This book offers a compendium of best practices in game dynamics. It covers a wide range of dynamic game elements ranging from player behaviour over artificial intelligence to procedural content generation. Such dynamics make virtual worlds more lively and realistic and they also create the potential for moments of amazement and surprise. The book draws upon interdisciplinary approaches; researchers and practitioners from Game Studies, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology and other disciplines will find this book to be an exceptional resource of both creative inspiration and hands-on process knowledge.

Call Number: 794.81 G192

An Inclusive, Beloved Community

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The international community is recognizing that people of African descent represent a distinct group whose human rights must be promoted and protected. Authentic Christianity requires the loving inclusion of all God’s creation. An inclusive, beloved community is a community free from racism. United Against Racism is a call to an authentic Christianity, a religion that strives to become God’s inclusive, beloved community. It summons Christians to pray, think, and act to end racism. This resource aims to support churches, communions, and those who endeavour to share the journey of the Christian faith in the pursuit of an unfinished agenda to embody a more excellent way of racial equity.

Call Number: 277.3083089 U581N

“Partition”

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“you’re kashmiri until they burn your home. take your orchards. stake a different flag. until no one remembers the road that brings you back. you’re indian until they draw a border through punjab. until the british captains spit paki as they sip your chai, add so much foam you can’t taste home. you’re seraiki until your mouth fills with english. you’re pakistani until your classmates ask what that is. then you’re indian again. or some kind of spanish. you speak a language until you don’t. until you only recognize it between your auntie’s lips. your father was fluent in four languages. you’re illiterate in the tongues of your father. your grandfather wrote persian poetry on glasses. maybe. you can’t remember. you made it up. someone lied. you’re a daughter until they bury your mother. until you’re not invited to your father’s funeral. you’re a virgin until you get too drunk. you’re muslim until you’re not a virgin. you’re pakistani until they start throwing acid. you’re muslim until it’s too dangerous. you’re safe until you’re alone. you’re american until the towers fall. until there’s a border on your back.”

Call Number: 816.21 A818I