Half the church

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compiled and edited by Carolyn DeArmond Blevins

For much of Christian history, the role of women in the life of the church both local and universal has been downplayed, overlooked, or simply denied. Such a state of affairs of course also denies the testimony of the church's Scriptures regarding the key role women played in Jesus' own ministry and that of the early church. It denies or deliberately overlooks the significant role of women in the life of the church throughout the church's history, down to and including the present day. In recent years such denial of the significant place of women in Christian history of course has been addressed. But nowhere is there available a more comprehensive bibliography than the present one compiled by Carolyn Blevins. The reach of Blevins's bibliography is wide, from the earliest church to present times, across every ethnic and national boundary, and throughout virtually every segment of the church, Catholic and Protestant and stripes in between or beyond. This is in many ways but a beginning place. Yet with the help of Blevins's good work, students, teachers, researchers, historians, and all other seekers after the significant place of women in Christian history, have indeed a place to make a good beginning.

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Ruth A. Tucker

"Spanning the course of church history from Bible times to the present day, Ruth Tucker's book tackles the issues of women's roles in a question-and-answer format." -- Publisher's description.

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W.M. Spellman

The influence of John Locke's thought in Europe and America rests largely on his articulation and defence of a liberal political philosophy, and in his formulation of a theory of knowledge where experience and environment provide the exclusive starting points in the educational process. Generally he continues to be associated with the eighteenth-century 'Age of Reason' or Enlightenment, where the malleability of human nature, together with the inherent dignity and freedom of the individual, were placed at the forefront of reform efforts on both sides of the Atlantic. This book argues that while Locke's concern for the enhancement of individual autonomy, religious toleration, and constitutional government was indeed fundamental to later generations, Locke himself viewed the improvement of the human condition in terms of its relationship to the ancient Christian story. In particular, Locke's larger integration 'project' was to assist his contemporaries in their efforts both to recognise and to secure the greatest happiness. Locke, in other words, was chiefly interested in life beyond the grave, in salvation, and his recommendations for the reform of politics, education and religion were all viewed by the author as instrumental to the chief business of humankind. Locke's universe was a God-directed one, where human's were set specific tasks and where reward was contingent upon behaviour in this life. Locke viewed himself as a defender of the historical faith, and his work was devoted to broadening the opportunities for individual salvation.

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G. E. M. Anscombe

Posthumously published work by Wittgenstein, in which he came to overthrow some number of his earlier ideas as published in the Tractatus.