Best of
Belief

2012

Rediscovering Life: Awaken to Reality


Anthony de Mello - 2012
    Since his death in 1987, his stature has only increased. His books, including Song of the Bird, Sadhana, and the international bestselling Awareness are considered by many to be some of the most influential spiritual teachings of the last 50 years.Now, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his passing, Image Books is proud to present what may very well prove to be the last published work of this beloved spiritual teacher. Based on a lecture given just months before his death, Rediscovering Life invites us to unlock the deeper meaning of our lives. By becoming aware of the circuitous and habitual nature of our limiting thoughts, we can find simple solutions that will release us from feelings of isolation, anger, sadness and depression. In short, De Mello offers us a new way to look at the world and God that will transform our lives.Rediscovering Life is a timeless and compassionate book that will awaken you to the beauty of human experience and increase your ability to see God in all things.

Beauty Will Save the World: Rediscovering the Allure and Mystery of Christianity


Brian Zahnd - 2012
    Now we live in a day when convenience and practicality have largely displaced beauty as a value. The church is no exception. Even salvation is commonly viewed in a scientific and mechanistic manner and presented as a plan, system, or formula. In Beauty Will Save the World, Brian Zahnd presents the argument that this loss of beauty as a principal value has been disastrous for Western culture, and especially for the church. The full message of the beauty of the gospel has been replaced by our desires to satisfy our material needs, to empirically prove our faith, and to establish political power in our world--the exact same things that Christ was tempted with and rejected in the wilderness. Zahnd shows that by following the teachings of the Beatitudes, the church can become a viable alternative to current-day political, commercial, and religious power and can actually achieve what these powers promise to provide but fail to deliver. Using stories from the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and from his own life, he teaches us to stay on the journey to discover the kingdom of God in a fuller, richer, more beautiful, way.

Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity


David L. Felten - 2012
    Tackling issues of faith and controversial subjects such as the church’s position on homosexuality, Living the Questions is the most comprehensive, indeed the only survey of progressive Christianity in existence today.

Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind


C. James Jensen - 2012
    The book does not require a leap of faith. The principles and techniques presented herein are both practical and well documented by modern science. The following is an eloquent description and summary of this book."There is a musical form termed "call and response" in which a distinct phrase is played by one musician and a second phrase forms a commentary on or a response to the first phrase. This mirrors a tradition characteristic of African and African American Christian worship in which the speaker makes a statement and the congregation responds with an affirmation, amplifying and clarifying the initial statement. This work by Murphy and Jensen is an exquisite example of call and response-Murphy asserts, Jensen elucidates. Their subject matter may have sometimes been dismissed as too far out or not based on verifiable scientific evidence, but in page after page the call is a clear, declaratory statement of conviction and the response is an offering of anecdotal evidence which becomes increasingly compelling as the chapters accumulate. If it is not enough to convince the skeptic, it is at least enough to shake the certainty and smugness of its critics. Read this and sing!"-Daniel K. Church, Ph.D., President, Bastyr University."

The Wakeful World: Animism, Mind and the Self in Nature


Emma Restall Orr - 2012
    In The Wakeful World, Emma Restall Orr argues that this is based on the misrepresentation, drawn in crayon, that each tree and stone has its own Christian-like immortal soul. Taking the reader on a philosophical adventure, Restall Orr explores the heritage of Western thought with precision, enthusiasm and sensitivity, considering how soul, spirit, mind and consciousness have been understood through millennia. Challenging the prevailing worldviews of materialism and dualism, she presents animism as a radically different, yet mature and coherent philosophy. Providing deep green ethics with a wholly rational metaphysical foundation, The Wakeful World is a compelling view of the nature of existence and the experience of reality, giving solid ground for the now necessary journey to a sustainable world. This original and lively book brings back animism - a most useful range of ideas which reductivists have somewhat wildly abandoned during the last century - into focus once more just when it is badly needed to cure current confusions about mind and body - Dr Mary Midgley, Moral Philosopher"

Bodhicaryavatara


Dalai Lama XIV - 2012
    For example, Santideva says in the Bodhicaryavatara, “Why should I seek nirvana?” Similarly Bhavaviveka states in his text called the Heart of Madhyamika; “Through insight into the unsatisfactory nature of existence I will be freed from attachment to existence. However through the power of compassion I distance myself from seeking nirvana”.- His Holiness the Dalai LamaA note from DharmaScribe:DharmaScribe receives about 30 cents from each download which are then used to continue our effort to spread the messages of Buddha.We started this initiative with strong motivation and belief that it will be of tremendous benefit to countless people seeking Buddhist wisdom. To reach the maximum potential and benefit of this initiative and support our effort, we ask for your support. However small or big, your support will make a huge difference. There are few ways you could help us.