{"title":"Michael F. Bird","description":"\u003cp\u003eMichael F. Bird explores profound questions of faith and scripture, offering insightful perspectives that bridge historical context with modern Christian thought. His works engage carefully with the Bible, encouraging readers to deepen their understanding of religious freedom, belief, and the cultural world of the New Testament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlending scholarly rigour with accessible writing, Bird’s books provide thoughtful reflections on spirituality and Christian doctrine. They are suited to those seeking to enrich their faith journey and explore the intersections of religion and contemporary life.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"what-christians-ought-to-believe-second-edition-by-michael-f-bird-9780310165705","title":"What Christians Ought to Believe, Second Edition","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Apostles' Creed is a treasure trove of basic Christian beliefs and wisdom that helps ensure the integrity and orthodoxy of our faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSadly, modern churches have often hesitated to embrace the ancient creeds because of our \"nothing but the Bible\" tradition. In\u003cem\u003eWhat Christians Ought to Believe, Second Edition\u003c\/em\u003eMichael Bird will open your eyes to the possibilities of the Apostles' Creed as a way to explore and understand the essential teachings of the Christian faith. This updated edition enhances the explanations to provide even more thorough expositions and illustrations of the basic tenets of Christian faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBringing together theological commentary, tips for application, and memorable illustrations,\u003cem\u003eWhat Christians Ought to Believe, Second Edition\u003c\/em\u003esummarizes the basic tenets of the Christian faith using the Apostles' Creed as its entryway. After first emphasizing the importance of creeds for the formation of the Christian faith, each chapter, following the Creed's outline, introduces the Father, the Son, and the Spirit and the Church. An appendix includes the Apostles' Creed in the original Latin and Greek, as well as the Nicene Creed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat Christians Ought to Believe, Second Edition\u003c\/em\u003eis ideally suited for both the classroom and the church setting to teach beginning students and laypersons the basics of what Christians ought to affirm if they are to be called Christians.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47073343144172,"sku":"9780310165705","price":60.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11311633482298.jpg?v=1765154488"},{"product_id":"religious-freedom-in-a-secular-age-by-michael-f-bird-9780310538882","title":"Religious Freedom in a Secular Age","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiscover how to responsibly defend religious freedom for all without compromising your personal beliefs. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReligious freedom is a bitterly contested issue that spills over into political, public, and online spheres. It's an issue that's becoming ever more heated, and neither of the global political polarities is interested in protecting it. While the political left is openly hostile toward traditional religion, the political right seeks to weaponize it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow can we ensure that \"religious freedom\" is truly about freedom of one's religion rather than serving an ethno-nationalist agenda\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eReligious Freedom in a Secular Age\u003c\/em\u003e, Michael Bird (New Testament scholar and author of \u003cem\u003eEvangelical Theology\u003c\/em\u003e) has four main goals:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo explain the true nature of secularism and help us to see it as one of the best ways of promoting liberty and mutual respect in a multifaith world.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo dismantle the arguments for limiting religious freedom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo outline a biblical strategy for maintaining a Christian witness in a post-Christian society.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo encourage Christians to participate in a new age of apologetics by being prepared to defend not only their own believes but also the freedom of all faiths.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile Bird does address the recent political administrations in the US, his focus is global. Bird—who lives in Melbourne, Australia—freely admits to his anxiety of the militant secularism surrounding him, but he also strongly critiques the marriage of national and religious identities that has gained ground in countries like Hungary and Poland.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe fact is that religion has a lot to contribute to the common good. \u003cem\u003eReligious Freedom in a Secular Age\u003c\/em\u003e will challenge readers of all backgrounds and beliefs not only to make room for peaceable difference, but also to find common ground on the values of justice, mercy, and equality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47362965111020,"sku":"9780310538882","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15043403482298.jpg?v=1772907835"},{"product_id":"seven-things-i-wish-christians-knew-about-the-bible-by-michael-f-bird-9780310538851","title":"Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnswers to the most common questions and misconceptions about the Bible\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible\u003c\/em\u003e is a short and readable introduction to the Bible—its origins, interpretation, truthfulness, and authority.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBible scholar, prolific author, and Anglican minister Michael Bird helps Christians understand seven important \"things\" about this unique book:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003col\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ehow the Bible was put together;\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ewhat \"inspiration\" means;\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ehow the Bible is true;\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ewhy the Bible needs to be rooted in history;\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ewhy literal interpretation is not always the best interpretation;\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ehow the Bible gives us knowledge, faith, love, and hope; and\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ehow Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeven Things\u003c\/em\u003e presents a clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible's inspiration, canonization, significance, and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling. It is a must-read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47371446157548,"sku":"9780310538851","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15043093482298.jpg?v=1773223904"},{"product_id":"the-new-testament-in-its-world-by-michael-f-bird-9780281082711","title":"The New Testament in its World","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe New Testament in its World\u003c\/em\u003e acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWright, along with prominent New Testament scholar Michael Bird, explores the history, literature, and theology of the New Testament with an emphasis on its relevance for Christians today. Beginning with an overview of how to read the New Testament, the authors then survey its historical background to orient readers to the world of Jesus and the early church. This is followed by an in-depth study of Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom of God through his life, ministry, death, and resurrection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe next section explores the life and theology of Paul, who continues to unfold the significance of Jesus' life and ministry, and applies these to the issues faced by the early churches. Wright and Bird survey all of Paul's letters, providing a compact commentary on each, while explaining contemporary scholarly discussions on Paul and his teachings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey then turn to the gospels, written after Paul's letters, followed by the general epistles and Revelation, explaining the background, critical issues, important teachings, and contemporary applications for each.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is followed by a description of how the New Testament came to be, guiding the reader through issues of textual criticism and canonization. A concluding section brings all of the previous threads together to encourage readers to consider how their personal story fits into the larger story of God's redemption narrated in the New Testament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStudents of the New Testament will not only be equipped with all of the technical information needed to understand the New Testament today but will see it as one cohesive story in which they are invited to play a vital role through their own lives and circumstances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47599931588844,"sku":"9780281082711","price":98.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780281082711-the-new-testament-in-its-world.jpg?v=1777984331"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/michael-f-bird.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}