Leitourgia

The Dawn of Christianity  (Thomas Nelson, 2017) by Robert J. Hutchinson. Weaving Scripture, tradition, and archaeology together, Hutchinson creates a tapestry that shows how a ragtag group of fishermen, soldiers, and prostitutes—led by a rabbi—changed the world. There are four parts to this book: The Road to Jerusalem, starting with Jesus' call to the disciples and ending with his burial, Alive, the beginning of the Church, The Beginning of Persecution, tracing historical events in Acts, and The Expansion of the Jesus Movement, ending with the Jerusalem Council. The book, written in narrative style, chronicles the beginning of the church from the life of Christ to the end of the New Testament. The cultural context provided in vivid detail by Hutchinson allows us to step into the shoes of the early disciples and gain a fuller picture of what the Christ meant to them. Furthermore, the book features maps and pictures of archaeological finds to enter into the story. An appendix with ...

The NIV Faithlife Study Bible.  published by Zondervan, is a rich study Bible filled with colorful notes, maps, and commentaries highlighting key insights of Scripture. The appeal of this Bible lies in its full-color infographics and map. The Bible also includes introductions to each book of the Bible and scholarly articles covering major biblical divisions and themes. Overall, I highly recommend this study Bible for an introductory or intermediate-level library. The font size of the Faithlife Study Bible is standard and legible for most people. The verses are written in an appealing serif font, while the study notes are in a sans serif font, creating great harmony and distinction, increasing legibility. The study notes at the bottom feature word studies, geography information, and much more to unlock the full meanings of a text. The Bible uses an appealing color scheme that is unique yet not distracting to the eye. The NIV Faithlife Study Bible is a welcome addition to the mod...