Books published by publisher Wipf and Stock

Abigail Waldron always knew she wanted to be a mother. What she didn't realize was how difficult the journey to motherhood could be. After struggling with infertility and then experiencing a second-trimester miscarriage, she's left wrestling with questions about the God she's loved since her childhood, wondering, How could a good God permit such painful suffering? And, How can I keep trusting Him in the face of such great loss? Far as the Curse Is Found explores these questions over the course of a year in Abigail's life, as she continues her quest to grow her family while seeking God for answers. To help with this process, she interviews eleven other couples on similar journeys, couples who've also had their faith tested by experiences of reproductive loss. The stories in this book, characterized by tragedy and heartache, are difficult. Yet as Abigail engages with them, her sense of isolation is replaced with an awareness of the community that surrounds her. More importantly, she begins to see glimpses of a God who is mysteriously present in our darkest moments, a God who is always at work creating beauty from our brokenness. ""Far As The Curse Is Found is an ideal companion for any woman suffering the pain that women most dread: the loss of babies, the struggle of infertility. It reads like a novel; it comforts like a good friend who has been there. This is a truly worthy read about a woman's most personal and painful struggle."" --Paula Rinehart, Author ""With this book, Abigail gently offers the gift of camaraderie to moms like me who have grieved the loss of a preborn baby and fought the fear of miscarrying again. Her words are vulnerably honest, beautifully raw, and remind us all that we can trust the Author of our stories, even when certain chapters of our lives don't make sense."" --Ashleigh Slater, Author; Editor, Ungrind.org ""Waldron writes like she lives--with beauty, intentionality, and a hard-wrought longing to see the goodness of the God in the land of the living."" --Connally Gilliam, Author ""Waldron is a gifted storyteller. . . . Far As The Curse Is Found is a personal search for answers to why a loving God would allow such pain. I highly recommend this book."" --Kathy Wolf ""As I read the journeys of Abigail, her husband Chris, and the couples interviewed at times I was moved to tears. To see how they came to rest in Jesus in the midst of grief has given me a glimpse of afflictions I could never imagine, more compassion for those who suffer, and hope I will better mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice, and trust a faithful God."" --Mark Altrogge, Senior Pastor, Saving Grace Church, Indiana, PA Abigail Waldron holds an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from George Mason University. She has published articles for Ungrind, Karis! and (in)courage, websites for Christian women. She blogs at AbigailWaldron.com.

Description: This book is about a Black man's reading of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for the first time while in graduate school. The story captures his emotional experience with Twain's use of the racial epithet "nigger" more than 211 times throughout the book. The visceral response to hearing the word verbalized by whites with Twain's permission, regardless of irony or satire, is a central theme of this personal history/memoir. The situation is a seminar in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, where the Civil War is still being fought on many levels. The story is the complication of race as a topic of public discussion and the role the word nigger plays in postmodern society especially among Blacks and Hip-Hop music. The use of the word is a sign of evil both historically and culturally and cannot be flipped in a way that erases its history and meaning. It is also a reflection on language and culture. Endorsements: "Harris has written a courageous memoir that confronts the long debate over Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the use of the n-word. Marshaling critics from Hegel to bell hooks, and calling on a family history of resistance, Harris challenges his instructor and classmates, and in turn inspires his readers to redress the long history of American racism and white supremacy bound up with the epithet." --Mark Sanders, Professor of English, Emory University "Harris combines the passion and power of personal experience with a masterful display of historical and literary criticism, and the finished product is a book that goes beyond Twain's painfully derogatory stereotypes, racial epithets, and the persistent myths to expose race as the enduring and central dilemma of the American experience. In compelling terms, Harris helps us understand why our claims of 'a post-racial society' remain open to serious question and debate." --Lewis V. Baldwin, Professor of Religious Studies, Vanderbilt University "The Forbidden Word is an elegant, heartfelt rumination on America's crucible of race. Engaging, beautifully crafted, and analytically powerful, it masterfully employs Twain's Huck Finn as both a literal and figurative representation of the nation's never-ending racial drama. By blending the narrative voice of a memoirist and the sharp insights of a true scholar, Harris achieves a remarkable literary triumph." --Tim Wise, author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son About the Contributor(s): James Henry Harris, a philosophical theologian, social scientist, and culture critic, holds graduate degrees in Urban Studies, humanities (history and philosophy), English Literature, theology, ethics, and homiletics. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and United Theological Seminary. Author of many books including The Word Made Plain (2004), The Courage to Lead (2001), Preaching Liberation (1996), and Pastoral Theology (1991), he is professor of preaching and theology at Virginia Union University and pastor of Second Baptist Church, both in Richmond, VA.

In these enchanting stories bears, lions, wallabies, cranes, eagles, wombats, caterpillars and many others come to life to illustrate key biblical teachings, such as resurrection, forgiveness, self- sacrifice and humility. After many years of urging by former students, parents and now-grown children who remember these stories, much-loved teacher and educator Rolph Mayer has produced this collection so that the stories might continue to be told and enjoyed. While the stories are for children, they are designed to be read to children by parents, teachers, pastors or older siblings. The Lion, the Bear and the Mulberry Tree also includes notes for storytellers that explain some of the imagery and biblical texts that lie behind the stories themselves and which will help the storyteller to discuss the stories with children. The stories have all been delightfully illustrated by young Adelaide artist Emily Bensted. The many drawings of Grumpy Wombat, Sad Donkey, Lion, Mouse, and Wallaby will help young readers and listeners imagine these delightful characters.

Ten-year-old Hannah Elizabeth, her parents, and her grandfather - a very special person - were like all Mennonites, like many others in the Indiana community in which they lived. Yet Hannah Elizabeth often felt caught between two worlds, and though she never doubted the teachings of her parents or the Bible, there were things that puzzled her, things she did not understand. Of course not all of Hannah Elizabeth's time was taken up with pondering unanswered questions. There was school, her new baby cousin, Christmas, an original play to put on, and many, many other events that made the year a wondrous one. But it was at her Grandfather's funeral that her questions were answered and her two worlds became one. Youngsters will love this warm, human story of a very real little girl and the beautiful illustrations by Paul Edward Kennedy.

The workplace can be very rewarding for the Christian worker. But let's face it--the workplace can also be the most challenging place to be ""salt and light"" as Jesus commands in Matt 5:13-16. It is daunting to consider that on average, we work 90,000 hours over the course of our working lives. Living Salty and Light-filled Lives in the Workplace gives Christian workers some practical ways to be ""salt and light"" in the workplace. It will help the Christian white- and blue-collar worker live salty and light-filled lives in the workplace. ""In December 1940, British church leaders looking ahead to post-war social reconstruction included among the necessary vital points 'that the sense of Divine vocation must be restored to a man's daily work.' Luke Bobo shows how that problem persists in our contemporary world and offers an experience-based, theologically informed, practically oriented approach to the Christian walk in the workplace."" --David Clyde Jones, Professor emeritus of Systematic Theology and Ethics, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO ""What does the Bible have to say about how we should do our work? A lot more than you probably think! In fact, Living Salty and Light-filled Lives in the Workplace presents why and the how to live out our faith based upon biblical principles. Drawing from Genesis and the Sermon on the Mount and many more Scriptures, Luke's practical writing will equip you to authentically live as a Christian in the workplace."" --Brandon Mann, Executive Director, BBT, St. Louis, MO Luke Bobo is Associate Professor and Department Chair for Christian Ministry Studies at Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO. He holds a PhD from the University of Missouri (St. Louis, MO); an MDiv from Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO); and BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) and University of Missouri (Columbia, MO), respectively. He is the author of several articles and book chapters and is a Biblical Business Training Curriculum Developer.

""God's got a plan for your life"" is an aphorism frequently heard by Christians. But how do you discover that plan? The Spirit Said Go is designed to help believers find God's will. Using Paul's journeys in Acts as examples, Wilson discusses twenty lessons on guidance drawn from these journeys. Using his firsthand experience traveling along these routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, he reads between the lines offering additional insights into Luke's account. He also provides important geographical and archaeological information to illustrate Paul's world among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans. Wilson then illustrates each lesson with autobiographical vignettes drawn from his own spiritual pilgrimage of over forty years as a follower of Jesus. Friends and colleagues also share stories of similar experiences of guidance. Each chapter ends with reflection questions that help the reader integrate the lesson into Christian living. The volume offers an inductive Bible study combined with practical, spiritual insights regarding how God guides his people then and now. ""Mark Wilson combines superb biblical and historical scholarship with intense personal warmth in this highly insightful book on God's guidance. It not only teaches us about the numerous and (often) surprising ways God guides us as believers, but inspires us towant to be guided by Christ. And all through a fascinating study of Paul's experience of guidance in Acts. One of the best books I've read on this subject!"" --M. Blaine Smith, author of Knowing God's Will: Finding Guidance for Personal Decisions ""Mark Wilson brings fascinating insights into the journeys of the Apostle Paul. Purchasing the book for just those would be worth it. But, he combines those insights with interesting and challenging views on how Paul heard from God illustrating each chapter with stories of how others have heard from God in a similar way. This book will encourage you, challenge you, and ask you to stop and listen to how God may be speaking to you."" --Jackson Crum, Lead Pastor, Park Community Church ""As a pastor of a local church I'm confronted regularly with urgent questions about the Christian life, but none more frequently than that of spiritual guidance: 'How can I know the will of God?' 'In what ways might I confidently expect God to guide me?' 'I don't want to miss God's perfect will for my life, so what should I do?' These are difficult but extremely important questions that all Christians face. Mark Wilson's The Spirit Said Go is a welcome contribution to the many books that attempt to provide biblical answers. It is rigorously biblical, pastorally sensitive, and eminently wise in the counsel given. Not everyone will agree with his perspective, but we should all give it close consideration."" --Sam Storms, Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church Mark Wilson is the founder and director of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya, Turkey. He currently has academic appointments at Stellenbosch University, the University of South Africa, Ridley College, and Regent University. He is the author of Biblical Turkey (2010) and Victory through the Lamb (2014).

Description: The prophets exhort us to defend the poor; but we lionize the rich. They assure us that chariots and missiles cannot save us; yet we seek refuge under their cold shadow. They urge us to forgo idolatry; but we compulsively fetishize the work of our hands. Above all, the prophetic Word warns us that the way to liberation in a world locked down by the spiral of violence, the way to redemption in a world of enslaving addictions, the way to genuine transformation in a world of deadened conscience and numbing conformity, is the way of nonviolent, sacrificial, creative love. But neither polite religion nor society is remotely interested in this--which is why Jesus had to "translate" and "midwife" the prophetic insights for his companions in their historical moment. Dan has done the same for us in ours. As this reading of Exodus attests, he has a keen eye for both text and context, and exegetes both with his life. Thus does he help us shed our denial, connect the dots, and move from our pews to the streets. --from the foreword by Ched Myers Endorsements: "Dan Berrigan has given us a prophetic interpretation of the story of a people's liberation from slavery, contagious violence, and the shocking actions of an ambiguous god. Berrigan has lived out a nonviolent exodus from our own pharaohs. His vision parts the waters of empires past and present. This prophet, like Isaiah, sees a divinely given way from the divisive exodus of our spiritual ancestors to the hope of a promised land for everyone." --James Douglass, Catholic Worker, Founder of Mary's House and Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action "The retrieval of the prophetic in Christian faith and practice is an underlying theme of the renewal and revisioning in today's grassroots Catholicism. Perhaps the prophetic voice of our time is that of Daniel Berrigan, SJ, whose insightful writing and courageous vision has now become the blending of activism and mystic wisdom. Berrigan on Exodus--a profound journey back to the very roots of our tradition and a clarion call to let ourselves be freed and chosen for God's work today." --Robert A. Ludwig, Director of the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago "In this lyrical, powerful, and dangerous reading of the second book of Moses, Daniel Berrigan does more than explicate or comment upon the text. Instead, he invites us to fulfill the text through our own questions, reverence and, as Berrigan says, indignation. To read Exodus is to truly participate in the mystery of Scripture. A beautiful, challenging, and invigorating work by one of our most fearless and tenacious contemporary prophets." --Karin Holsinger Sherman, author of A Question of Being: The Integration of Resistance and Contemplation in James Douglass's Theology of Nonviolence About the Contributor(s): Daniel Berrigan is an internationally known voice for peace and disarmament. A Jesuit priest, an award-winning poet, and the author of over fifty books, he has spoken for peace, justice, and nuclear disarmament for nearly fifty years. He spent several years in prison for his part in the 1968 Catonsville Nine antiwar action and later acted with the Plowshares Eight. Nominated many times for the Nobel Peace Prize, he lives and works in New York City.

When Indians burn her home, kill her parents, and take her young brother captive, Kate Stewart has no one to turn to but Uncle Josh, a circuit rider in the back country of Pennsylvania. Her uncle takes Kate to the Moravian town of Bethlehem, where he thinks she will be safe during the fall of 1775. While staying in Bethlehem, Kate tries to understand the Moravians' love of peace and their friendship with all people, friends and enemies alike. But her hatred of Indians grows as she watches the endless stream of frightened refugees come to the town for shelter from Delaware and Shawnee raids in the French and Indian War. Word reaches Bethlehem that the Indians plan to attack the town on Christmas Eve. Kate wonders at the peace-loving Moravians, who calmly go about their work and continue their plans for the Christmas surprise for the children. During that fateful Christmas Eve Kate discovers that true strength lies in peace with all people and in trusting God.