In it Bahá'u'lláh explains the underlying unity of the world's religions, describes the universality of the revelations humankind has received from the Prophets of God, explains their fundamental teachings, and elucidates allegorical passages from the New Testament and the Qur'an that have given rise to misunderstandings among religious leaders, practitioners, and the public. Written in the span of two days and two nights, The Book of Certitude is, in the words of its translator, Shoghi Effendi, the most important book written on the spiritual significance of the Baha'i Faith.

    His aim is to teach interested readers, those who believe in the existence of the spirit world, and people with a strong desire to communicate with the dead how to cultivate their sensitivity to the paranormal. It is a serious undertaking, and Kardec warns his reader to approach the subject with a scholarly mind and pure intentions. For those who are willing, there is a whole new world just waiting to be experienced. French scholar HIPPOLYTE LEON DENIZARD RIVAIL (1804-1869), aka Allan Kardec, was a longtime teacher of mathematics, astronomy, and other scientific disciplines before turning to the paranormal. He founded the Parisian Society of Psychologic Studies, and founded and edited the monthly magazine La Revue Spirite, Journal of Psychologic Studies. He is also the author of The Gospel as Explained by Spirits (1864).

    For de Caussade, living in the moment meant having a complete trust and faith in God, for God's will defined and guided all things. The practical advice contained in his guidebook for the faithful was originally a series of letters written for the Nuns of the Visitation of Nancy, meant to help them navigate the confusing and difficult work of spiritual enlightenment, and comes together here in two distinct parts, one for the theoretical foundations of abandoning oneself to the present moment and one with practical advice on how to live such a life. Though a departure from the standard Christian perspective, Abandonment to Divine Providence remains a deeply spiritual work with a message that many Christians may find freeing and inspiring.

    It seems as if men had lost their light. How otherwise can we explain the blindness which cannot see that the conflict of France and Austria has weakened the Catholic society of Europe, and has given to the Protestant politics of England and Prussia a most dangerous predominance? It will not be long before a European war will wear out and waste the powers of the Christian society including Protestant and Catholic alike, and will give a fatal predominance to the antichristian society, or revolution, which is every whore preparing for the last struggle, and for its supremacy. The Catholic society of Europe weakened, the Christian society will soon in turn give way. Then comes the scourge. The conviction I feel that a great retribution is impending over the anticatholic movement of England, France, and Italy is rendered all the more certain by the fact that the critical point in the whole conflict, the key of the whole and the last success to be gained is the dethronement of the Vicar of our Redeemer." Cardinal Henry Manning (1808-1892)