Best of
Religion

1948

The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine


A.W. Tozer - 1948
    Tozer, is not for a select few, but should be the experience of every follower of Christ. Here is a masterly study of the inner life by a heart thirsting after God. Here is a book for every child of God, pastor, missionary, and Christian. It deals with the deep things of God and the riches of His grace. In The Pursuit of God, Tozer sheds light on the path to a closer walk with God.

Leisure: The Basis of Culture


Josef Pieper - 1948
    Pieper shows that the Greeks understood and valued leisure, as did the medieval Europeans. He points out that religion can be born only in leisure - a leisure that allows time for the contemplation of the nature of God. Leisure has been, and always will be, the first foundation of any culture.He maintains that our bourgeois world of total labor has vanquished leisure, and issues a startling warning: Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for nonactivity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will destroy our culture - and ourselves.These astonishing essays contradict all our pragmatic and puritanical conceptions about labor and leisure; Josef Pieper demolishes the twentieth-century cult of "work" as he predicts its destructive consequences.

The Way of Man


Martin Buber - 1948
    In this short and remarkable book he presents the essential teachings of Hasidism, the mystical Jewish movement which swept through Eastern Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Told through stories of imagination and spirit, together with Buber's own unique insights, The Way of Man offers us a way of understanding ourselves and our place in a spiritual world. 'There is something', he suggests, 'that can only be found in one place. It is a great treasure, which may be called the fulfilment of existence. The place where this treasure can be found is the place on which one stands.' Challenging us to recognize our own potential and to reach our true goal, The Way of Man is a life-enhancing book.

The Presence of the Kingdom


Jacques Ellul - 1948
    This new edition of Ellul's seminal work, first published in 1948, brings back into print the volume considered "the necessary primer for all Ellul study." In "The Presence of the Kingdom," Ellul calls upon Christians to be a radical presence in the world, opposing its will to death with a revolutionary way of life that brings the transforming power of the gospel to bear upon all dimensions of individual as well as collective human existence.

The King and the Corpse: Tales of the Soul's Conquest of Evil


Heinrich Robert Zimmer - 1948
    Beginning with a tale from the Arabian Nights, this theme unfolds in legends from Irish paganism, medieval Christianity, the Arthurian cycle, and early Hinduism. In the retelling of these tales, Zimmer discloses the meanings within their seemingly unrelated symbols and suggests the philosophical wholeness of this assortment of myth.

Martin Luther's Christmas Book


Martin Luther - 1948
    This beautiful new gift edition of a classic collection combines all three. In thirty compelling Christmas excerpts from his sermons, Luther vividly portrays the human realism of the Nativity: Mary's distress at giving birth with no midwife or water; Joseph's misgivings; the Wise Men's perplexity; and Herod's cunning. Throughout, Luther suggests the question: If we had lived in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, would we have believed that this newborn baby was God in human form? And he reminds us that keeping Christmas is a year-around mission of caring for those in need. Nine elegant illustrations by Luther's contemporaries-including four by noted engraver Albrecht Durer-capture timeless scenes from the Christmas story. And two of Luther's beautiful Christmas carols are included on the final pages of the book.

The Mother of the Saviour: And Our Interior Life


Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange - 1948
    Not the author\'s personal opinions, but what the Church actually teaches. Says Mary is greater in grace than all Angels and Saints combined; is the mother of all men and of each individually. A great comprehensive, concise statement of all the Church teaches about Mary!! Impr. 290 pgs, PB

The Wisdom of Laotse


Lao Tzu - 1948
    Laozi de zhi hui=老子的智慧

Letters of the Scattered Brotherhood


Mary Strong - 1948
    Meditations on the central issues and needs of human existence--considered a twentieth-century spiritual classic.

The World of Silence


Max Picard - 1948
    A book that could be read (perhaps should be read) contemplatively rather than discursively, so that each sentence and word is allowed to work its way through the frantic motions of our brains into the quieter notions of our hearts, shaping a whole new and wonderful vision of the world. For it is all of creation, both visible and invisible, that Picard senses as emerging from the fertile womb of silence, about which adjectives like divine and holy and life-giving might properly be applied: 'it is a positive, a complete world unto itself.' Whether Picard is speaking of God or man, language or music, the world of nature or of human artifice, silence is the lingua franca which he develops in images both aural and (even more strikingly) visual: 'the branches of the trees are like dark lines that have followed the movements of the silence; the leaves thickly cover the branches as if the silence wanted to conceal itself. . .The forest is like a great reservoir of silence out of which the silence trickles in a thin, slow stream and fills the air with its brightness.' Picard's great prose poem, like the silence it depicts, 'does not fit into the world of profit and utility; it simply is. It seems to have no other purpose; it cannot be exploited.' Perhaps herein also lies our highest praise for this remarkable book.

The Big Fisherman


Lloyd C. Douglas - 1948
    Sheltering the King's well-guarded domain, a mile above and a dozen miles east of the Dead Sea, motionless masses of neighbourly white clouds hung suspended from a remote blue ceiling. There had been an unusually heavy snowfall in the winter, not only upon the King's land but throughout the country. It was going to be a prosperous season for everybody. Intertribal jangling and discontent would be reduced to a minimum.

The Church of Apostles and Martyrs, 30-397


Henri Daniel-Rops - 1948
    Complete in itself, this two-volume Image Books edition opens with an illuminating account of the origins of the Church to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, provides a magnificent study of St. Paul and describes the relations between the infant Church and the imperial Roman government including the persecutions under Nero, Domitian and the Antonines, presents a fascinating picture of Christian line and worship in the Catacombs. Included is a survey of early Christian literature and the crucial period of the third century, ending with the victory of the Cross under Constantine. The intellectual problems of the fourth century which gave rise to the first major heresies and the steps taken to define Catholic dogmas are fully explored. The author vividly re-creates the administrative, cultural and spiritual features of the Church in the closing years of that century when Theodosius the Great established Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. This is truly 'a vivid account of the most stirring period of the Church's history.'

Saint Peter the Apostle


William Thomas Walsh - 1948
    Seldom in all history has mere man been charged with such an awesome responsibility as was delegated to the Prince of Apostles when Our Lord uttered these words. And it is the story of this humble fisherman, so curiously neglected by modern authors, that William Thomas Walsh tells so brilliantly.Skillfully arranging all the scattered facts that the New Testament, tradition, and archaeological discoveries and patient historical research have revealed, he provides a vivid and dramatic record of the hot-headed, impetuous, devoted follow of Christ who thrice denied his Master and yet was chosen by Him to be the Keeper of the Keys and the head of His Church. Here is the long, painful, exciting journey travelled by the fisherman of Galilee as he is transformed from a figure of shifting sand to one of rock--Peter the Rock--martyred in Rome. It is a glowing and inspiring picture, full of warmth and color, which reproduces the early days of the Church, the great figures of early Christendom and above all the towering colossus who became the Vicar of Christ on earth, the first pope.

A Treasury of Jewish Folklore


Nathan Ausubel - 1948
    Selections from the richly varied lore of the Jewish people.

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

Transcendent Unity of Religions


Frithjof Schuon - 1948
    Schuon asserts that to transcend religious differences, we must explore the esoteric nature of the spiritual path back to the Divine Oneness at the heart of all religions.

Beyond Tragedy: Essays on the Christian Interpretation of History


Reinhold Niebuhr - 1948
    

Witness to the Truth: Christ and His Interpreters


Edith Hamilton - 1948
    In chapters on the Gospels, on St. Paul, on Faith and on the Church, Miss Hamilton, endeavors to set forth the basic truth which makes Christ an unforgettable figure. She includes a chapter on Socrates because of her belief that in his life and teaching the Greek philosopher was closer to Christ than anyone else that ever lived. Orthodox Christians, whether Protestant or Catholic, will not follow Hamilton in many of her arguments. But it is not for such that she writes. Rather her appeal is to the wistful, seeking souls for whom Christ has become an ecclesiastical personage or a theological dogma.--Kirkus

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

Shepherd's Notes--Bonhoeffer's the Cost of Discipleship


Rodney Combs - 1948
    They are designed to be used along side the classic itself- either in individual study or in a study group. The faithful of all generations have found spiritual nourishment in the Scriptures and in the works of Christians of earlier generations. Martin Luther and John Calvin would not have become who they were apart from their reading Augustine. God used the writings of Martin Luther to move John Wesley from a religion of dead works to an experience at Aldersgate in which his "heart was strangely warmed." Shepherd's Notes will give pastors, laypersons, and students access to some of the treasures of Christian faith.

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

The Didache: The Epistle of Barnabas, the Epistles and the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, the Fragments of Papias, the Epistle to Diognetus


Anonymous - 1948
    The Epistle of Barnabas is a homily on the mistaken Judaistic conception of the Old Testament.The Epistles consist of a covering note and a letter, which is an exhortation to the Philippians on Christian life in general. The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp is the story of this bishop of Smyrna's death at the hand of the Roman authorities in Asia for the defense of the Christian faith.The Fragments of Papias. Papias, bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, was the author of five books, entitled Exegesis of the Lord's Gospel.The Epistle to Diognetus is an apology for Christianity, presented by an unknown writer to a pagan of high social or political rank.

Communism and the Conscience of the West


Fulton J. Sheen - 1948
    

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 7


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

Lover of Life: F. W. Boreham's Tribute to His Mentor


F.W. Boreham - 1948
    In Lover of Life the distinguished author Dr. F. W. Boreham draws back the curtain to pay tribute to one of his mentors, Joseph John Doke. This is a tantalizing sketch of a pastor, artist, author, who later in South Africa became a friend and freedom fighter with Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for the rights of minority races. Instead of a treatise on Effective Mentoring, F. W. Boreham in his inimitable way tells stories of how it worked for him and how pivotal such a relationship was in his own life and ministry. It would be good if seminary and denominational leaders put this book into the hands of every seminary student and pastor who are embarking on a new mentoring relationship. This short story about the friendship between J. J. Doke and Frank and Stella Boreham provides a wealth of insight and a hopeful vision of what a mentoring relationship might become (Dr. Geoff Pound). Please check out our other F. W. Boreham titles: "All the Blessings of Life: The Best Stories of F. W. Boreham" and "Second Thoughts."

Masterpieces of Religious Verse


James Dalton Morrison - 1948
    There are a total of 2,020 poems, falling into the following broad categories, but broken down into even more descriptive groups within the book:I. GodII. JesusIII. ManIV. The Christian LifeV. The Kingdom of GodVI. The Nation and the NationsVII. Death and Immortality

Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 8


Ellen G. White - 1948
    This staple of Adventist literature is being reintroduced in a beautiful new hardcover binding. The attractive forest green color and tasteful cover art will encourage the reader to revisit the wisdom found inside, and the handsome new set will dress up any home library.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass


Mateo Crawley-Boevey - 1948
    Mateo wrote this short work on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, making an effort to enlighten the mind and enkindle the heart, that is, to shine a bright light on the subject so that a deep and supernatural conviction will be generated in their mind concerning the mystery of our altars.In addition, he also aimed to kindle a burning love for Jesus Christ in the reader’s soul. There are books enough which give light without warmth, and so here he asks the Heart of Jesus to enliven his thoughts and his pen, that he may write with the fire of love.

Matthew


H.A. Ironside - 1948
    The young Harry Ironside knew the truth of his own statement all too well. He began leading a Sunday school class in Los Angeles at age eleven, but stopped when he realized his own need to know God more intimately. Converted at age thirteen, Ironside began to preach shortly thereafter and continued to pursue God's calling for the rest of his life. Ironside not only became a highly sought after preacher and classroom teacher, but his years of dedicated study also produced a series of highly regarded Bible commentaries. The Ironside Expository Commentary series offers concise outlines of the biblical text along with insightful and practical comments that bring out the essential truths of God's Word. This reprint of the Ironside commentaries presents the unabridged text in a newly typeset edition. A perfect resource for preaching and teaching from the English text of the Bible, these commentaries also provide the general reader with an excellent resource for personal study and spiritual growth.

The Book of Beliefs and Opinions


Saadia Gaon - 1948
    In 'The Book of Doctrines & Beliefs', Saadya sought to rescue believers from 'a sea of doubt & the waters of confusion' into which they had been cast by Christianity, Islam & other faiths. By employing philosophical--or kalamic--argumentation to examine & defend traditional Jewish beliefs, Saadya hoped to turn blind faith into conviction based on rational understanding.

The Glass of Vision: The Bampton Lectures of 1948


Austin Farrer - 1948
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The World In Which The Church Was Founded


Philip Hughes - 1948
    It is, from the beginning, a period of revolt - the revolts of thinkers and 'mystics', of princes and kings, of bishops and monks, of capitalist bourgeois and proletarian workers. It is the story of the Templars, of the 'Avignon captivity' and the Great Schism of the West, of the councils of Pisa and Contance and Basel, of the Renaissance and the rise of the Ottoman Turks. It is the story, too, of philosophers (Duns Scotus and Ockham), theologians (Gerson, Nicolas of Cusa, and Cajetan)m and humanists (More, Machiavelli, and Erasmus). Popes of the period include Boniface VIII, 'Benedict XIII', Nicholas V, and Pius II, as well as the notorious Borgia, della Rovere, and Medici pontiffs. And, in these 250 years which culminated in the Reformation, come Wicklif, John Hus, and Martin Luther - and Catherine of Sienna, Vincent Ferrer, and Antonius of Florence.

Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature


Henri Frankfort - 1948
    By examining the forms of kingship which evolved in the two countries, Frankfort discovered that beneath resemblances fostered by similar cultural growth and geographical location lay differences based partly upon the natural conditions under which each society developed. The river flood which annually renewed life in the Nile Valley gave Egyptians a cheerful confidence in the permanence of established things and faith in life after death. Their Mesopotamian contemporaries, however, viewed anxiously the harsh, hostile workings of nature. Frank's superb work, first published in 1948 and now supplemented with a preface by Samuel Noah Kramer, demonstrates how the Egyptian and Mesopotamian attitudes toward nature related to their concept of kingship. In both countries the people regarded the king as their mediator with the gods, but in Mesopotamia the king was only the foremost citizen, while in Egypt the ruler was a divine descendant of the gods and the earthly representative of the God Horus.

The Reappearance of the Christ


Alice A. Bailey - 1948
    This book presents the second coming of the Christ, as the world Teacher for the age of Aquarius, as an imminent event in the continuity of divine revelation. The Christ belongs to all mankind, and can be known and understood as the same great Identity in all the world religions.

Hasidism and Modern Man


Martin Buber - 1948
    Buber poetically interprets the central aspects of Hasidic life, offers a selection of sayings from Baal-Shem-Tov, and movingly recounts his personal path to Hasidism.

Dialogues in Limbo


George Santayana - 1948
    This fascinating text is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in philosophy and constitutes a must-read for fans of Santayana s work. The chapters of this book include: The Scent of Philosophies, Vivisection of a Mind, Normal Madness, Autologos, Lovers of Illusion, Self-Government, First Dialogue, Self-Government, Second Dialogue, The Philanthropist, Homesickness for the World, and The Secret of Aristotle . Jorge Agustin Nicolas Ruiz de Santayana y Borras, better known as George Santayana (1863 - 1952), was a philosopher, essayist, novelist, and poet. Many vintage texts such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this book now, in an affordable, high-quality, modern edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author."