Michael F. Bird

This workbook accompanies The New Testament in Its World by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird. Following the textbook's structure, it offers assessment questions, exercises, and activities designed to support the students' learning experience. Reinforcing the teaching in the textbook, this workbook will not only help to enhance their understanding of the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of early Christianity, but also guide them to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.

Do you know the real story behind the New Testament? We all share a fascination for discovering ‘the rest of the story.’ We enjoy learning the behind-the-scenes facts about seemingly familiar events. In The New Testament You Never Knew, well-known Bible scholars N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird team up to take you on a tour of the explosive story behind the story of the New Testament. You will discover things you never knew about... The political upheaval of the day that made the nature of Jesus' coming so unexpected The underlying meanings behind Jesus' parables and miracles The Kingdom of God and why everything about it was so shocking The resurrection and why, despite repeated predictions, no one saw it coming The mission of the church and how it is more complex than we realize The transforming power of Jesus and how it can still turn the world upside down today Through reading the New Testament we continually discover that God indeed keeps his promises, but those promises don’t always look like what people expected. Especially when it comes to Jesus. So, come join the journey to discover why N. T. Wright calls the New Testament "one of the most explosive books ever written." The study guide (DVD/video streaming sold separately) includes teaching notes, discussion questions, Bible exploration, personal study and reflection materials, as well as interesting facts about the New Testament. Sessions include: The Books of the New Testament The World of Jesus and the Apostles The Life and Death of Jesus The Resurrection of Jesus The Ministry of the Apostle Paul The Early Christians and the Church The Mission of the Church The Creation of the New Testament Designed for use with The New Testament You Never Knew Video Study (9780310085287), sold separately.

Adoptionism--the idea that Jesus is portrayed in the Bible as a human figure who was adopted as God's son at his baptism or resurrection--has been commonly accepted in much recent scholarship as the earliest explanation of Jesus's divine status. In this book Michael Bird draws that view into question with a thorough examination of pre-Pauline materials, the Gospel of Mark, and patristic sources. Engaging critically with Bart Ehrman, James Dunn, and other scholars, Bird demonstrates that a full-fledged adoptionist Christology did not emerge until the late second century. As he delves into passages often used to support the idea of an early adoptionist Christology, including Romans 1:3-4 and portions of the speeches in Acts, Bird persuasively argues that early Christology was in fact incarnational, not adoptionist. He concludes by surveying and critiquing notable examples of adoptionism in modern theology.

Lively, well-informed portrait of the complex figure who was the apostle Paul Though Paul is often lauded as the first great Christian theologian and a champion for Gentile inclusion in the church, in his own time he was universally regarded as a strange and controversial person. In this book Pauline scholar Michael Bird explains why. An Anomalous Jew presents the figure of Paul in all his complexity with his blend of common and controversial Jewish beliefs and a faith in Christ that brought him into conflict with the socio-religious scene around him. Bird elucidates how the apostle Paul was variously perceived -- as a religious deviant by Jews, as a divisive figure by Jewish Christians, as a purveyor of dubious philosophy by Greeks, and as a dangerous troublemaker by the Romans. Readers of this book will better understand the truly anomalous shape of Paul's thinking and worldview.

Summarizes the basic tenets of the Christian faith using the Apostles' Creed as its entryway. The Apostles' Creed is a treasure trove of basic Christian beliefs and wisdom that helps ensure the integrity and orthodoxy of our faith. Sadly, modern churches have often hesitated to embrace the ancient creeds because of our "nothing but the Bible" tradition. What Christians Ought to Believe 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. Michael Bird deftly weaves together theological commentary, tips for application, and memorable illustrations. 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. What Christians Ought to Believe is 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.

In this book Michael Bird describes how the canonical Gospels originated from a process of oral tradition, literary composition, textual development, and reception in the early church with a view to showing what makes them among the most important writings in the New Testament. Bird explores how the Christian movement shaped the Gospels and, conversely, how these writings shaped the early church. He develops a distinctive evangelical and critical approach to the Gospels, deals with the Synoptic problem head-on, and explains the significance of the fourfold Gospel canon. The book includes a number of helpful excursuses on related topics. All in all, Bird's Gospel of the Lord clarifies the often-confusing debates over the origins of the Gospels and offers informed and soundly argued explanations that account for the content of the Gospels in the context of the wider Greco-Roman world.

Taking a stand over the gender-issue divide Author and New Testament scholar Michael Bird was formerly in favor of distinct gender roles in ministry, a viewpoint commonly called “complementarianism.” But inconsistencies in practice and careful biblical study convinced him to rethink his position. Originally published as a short ebook, Bourgeois Babes, Bossy Wives, and Bobby Haircuts offers an engaging, incisive perspective on biblical gender equality and the egalitarian view—a preference for allowing women to hold teaching and leadership positions in ministry. While Bird is now egalitarian, he nevertheless strikes a respectful tone toward those in his previous camp, seeking to craft a perspective that both values women and upholds biblical differences between the sexes. Humorous and hard-hitting, Bird will challenge readers on both sides of the gender-issue divide.

In his recent book How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher From Galilee historian Bart Ehrman explores a claim that resides at the heart of the Christian faith— that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, God. According to Ehrman, though, this is not what the earliest disciples believed, nor what Jesus claimed about himself. The first response book to this latest challenge to Christianity from Ehrman, How God Became Jesus features the work of five internationally recognized biblical scholars. While subjecting his claims to critical scrutiny, they offer a better, historically informed account of why the Galilean preacher from Nazareth came to be hailed as “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Namely, they contend, the exalted place of Jesus in belief and worship is clearly evident in the earliest Christian sources, shortly following his death, and was not simply the invention of the church centuries later.

The inerrancy of the Bible--the belief that the Bible is without error--is often a contentious topic among mainstream Christianity. Like other titles in the Counterpoints collection, this volume gives those interested in theology the tools they need to draw informed conclusions on debated issues by showcasing the range of positions in a way that helps readers understand the perspectives--especially where and why they diverge. Each essay in Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy considers:The present context, viability, and relevance for the contemporary evangelical Christian witness. Whether and to what extent Scripture teaches its own inerrancy. The position's assumed or implied understandings of the nature of Scripture, God, and truth. Three difficult biblical texts: one that concerns intra-canonical contradictions, one that raises questions of theological plurality, and one that concerns historical authenticity. Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy serves not only as a single-volume resource for surveying the current debate, but also as a catalyst both for understanding and advancing the conversation further. Contributors include Al Mohler, Kevin Vanhoozer, Michael Bird, Peter Enns, and John Franke.

The Faith of Jesus Christ represents an attempt to grapple with one of the most perplexing problems in Pauline studies, namely that of the phrase pistis christou. Issues of considerable theological import hinge on how we interpret it (does it mean "faith in Christ" or "the faithfulness of Christ"?). The topic is now well rehearsed in contemporary scholarship and this volume sheds new light on the question by presenting rigorous exegetical studies from both sides of the debate. It also brings creative new proposals to bear on the problem, and orients the discussion in the wider spectrum of historical, biblical, and systematic theology. The Faith of Jesus Christ represents the most penetrating and comprehensive attempt to date to grapple with the significance of Jesus' faithfulness and obedience for Christian salvation and the extent to which it is represented in key biblical texts. Contributors University of Durham luminary James D. G. Dunn authors an erudite foreword; and editor Michael Bird introduces the problems and prospects for a New Testament conversation on the topic. Debbie Hunn, Stanley E. Porter, and Andrew W. Pitts contribute essays about the background of the pistis christou discussion. Douglas A. Campbell, R. Barry Matlock, Paul Foster, and Richard Bell clarify Pauline texts in contention. Mark A. Seifrid, Francis Watson, Preston M. Sprinkle, and Ardel B. Caneday explore Pauline exegesis, hermeneutics, and theology. The witness of the wider New Testament is covered by Peter G. Bolt, Willis H. Salier, Bruce A. Lowe, and David deSilva. Finally, Mark W. Elliott and Benjamin Myers offer historical and theological reflections from the church fathers, Karl Barth, and others.

Michael F. Bird suggests that if the Paul we claim to know looks and sounds a lot like us, it's probably a sign that we don't know him as well as we think. In this book Bird offers an animated and penetrating survey of Paul's life and teaching, including the principal issues and themes in Paul's theology.

The objective of "How Did Christianity Begin?" is to present two contrasting perspectives on the history of early Christianity. The contrast is evidently sharp as one co-author comes from a conservative Christian background (Michael Bird), whilst the other co-author (James Crossley) approaches the matter from a secular standpoint. The volume works sequentially through Christian origins and addresses various topics including the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, the Apostle Paul, the Gospels, and the early church. Each author in turn examines these subjects and lays out his historical arguments concerning their origin and meaning. The volume also includes short responses from two other scholars (Maurice Casey and Scot McKnight) to the arguments of Bird and Crossley so as to give an even handed and broad evaluation of the arguments and debates that unfold.

As Christians, we all know the apostle Paul, don't we? He is our theological master, our pastoral mentor, our spiritual advisor and our missionary hero. Yet just when we think we have him in our grasp, we find he slips through our fingers. At the point where we suppose we have finally understood him, Paul again confounds us and stirs our hearts and minds further. So how well do we really know him? If the Paul we claim to know looks and sounds a lot like us, then that is probably a good indication that we don't know him as well as we think we do. However, all is not lost. If we let Paul be Paul, letting him speak for himself in his language, on his terms and for his purposes, then we stand a chance of meeting him anew. Mike Bird offers a lively, accessible new survey of the apostle Paul's life and teaching. His aim is to get us excited about reading Paul's letters, preaching his gospel, and living the Christian life.