Best of
Religion

1953

The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita


Ashṭāvakra - 1953
    Composed by an anonymous master of the school of the great sage Shankara, it is a book of practical advice for seekers of wisdom as well as an ecstatic expression of the experience of enlightenment. In this simple, aphoristic version, the translator conveys the clarity and lyricism of the Sanskrit original with fluency and precision.

Life is Worth Living


Fulton J. Sheen - 1953
    This book contains the full-length scripts of forty-four of those top-rated programs that drew thousands of letters weekly to Sheen from his viewers in response to the advice and insights he gave on his shows.Bishop Sheen's writings, tapes and videos are as popular today as when he was alive. His timeless insights offered in this book give wise, personal and inspiring guidance on the problems affecting our lives in today's world. His talks cover an amazing variety of subjects, from the character of the Irish to the handling of teen-agers. He discusses education, Christianity, relativity, and world affairs. He speaks about love, conscience, fear, motherhood, work. He tells amusing anecdotes, recites poetry, and ponders the fate of the free world as well as America's destiny.Among his many best-selling books, none has greater universal appeal than Life Is Worth Living. It offers a stirring and challenging statement of Bishop Sheen's whole philosophy of life and living. It is a book for everyone - of immediate concern to all people seeking understanding, belief, and purpose in these troubled times.

Amazing Love: True Stories of the Power of Forgiveness


Corrie ten Boom - 1953
    Her story has been told in the movie The Hiding Place, and in this wonderful book she shares with us many more amazing encounters with people in camps and jails, with students and actresses, and with the sophisticated and the illiterate. We meet on these pages not Corrie, but Corrie's Christ.

Peace with God: The Secret of Happiness


Billy Graham - 1953
    Billy Graham asks God to help this book “find its way into the hands and hearts of a lost, confused, and searching world . . . men, women, and young people everywhere [who] thirst for peace with God.”In spite of a life drenched with responsibilities and rewards, are you thirsting? Searching for some nameless thing that is more important than anything in life? You are not alone. All mankind is seeking the answer to the confusion, the moral sickness, the spiritual emptiness that oppresses the world. All humanity is crying out for guidance, for comfort . . .for peace.Dr. Graham shares God’s gentle, reassuring promise of spiritual calm—of authentic personal peace—amidst a personal life wracked with too much stress, too many burdens, too great a heartache.“I know men who would write a check for a million dollars if they could find peace,” writes Dr. Graham. “Millions are searching for it. But we Christians have found it! It is ours now and forever. We have found the secret of life! . . .When your spouse dies or your children get sick or you lose your job, you can have a peace that you don’t understand. You may have tears at a graveside, but you can have an abiding peace, a quietness.“God’s peace can be in your heart—right now . . .Whatever the circumstances, whatever the call, whatever the duty, whatever the price, whatever the sacrifice—His strength will be your strength in your hour of need. “It’s all yours, and it’s free. You don’t have to work for it . . . . Do not put it off.”

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti


Maya Deren - 1953
    Foreword by Joseph Campbell This is the classic, intimate study, movingly written with the special insight of direct encounter, which was first published in 1953 by the fledgling Thames & Hudson firm in a series edited by Joseph Campbell. Maya Deren's Divine Horsemen is recognized throughout the world as a primary source book on the culture and spirituality of Haitian Voudoun. The work includes all the original photographs and illustrations, glossary, appendices and index. It includes the original Campbell foreword along with the foreword Campbell added to a later edition.

The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux


Black Elk - 1953
    Shortly before his death in August, 1950, when he was the "keeper of the sacred pipe," he said, "It is my prayer that, through our sacred pipe, and through this book in which I shall explain what our pipe really is, peace may come to those peoples who can understand, and understanding which must be of the heart and not of the head alone. Then they will realize that we Indians know the One true God, and that we pray to Him continually."Black Elk was the only qualified priest of the older Oglala Sioux still living when The Sacred Pipe was written. This is his book: he gave it orally to Joseph Epes Brown during the latter's eight month's residence on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where Black Elk lived. Beginning with the story of White Buffalo Cow Woman's first visit to the Sioux to give them the sacred pip~, Black Elk describes and discusses the details and meanings of the seven rites, which were disclosed, one by one, to the Sioux through visions. He takes the reader through the sun dance, the purification rite, the "keeping of the soul," and other rites, showing how the Sioux have come to terms with God and nature and their fellow men through a rare spirit of sacrifice and determination.The wakan Mysteries of the Siouan peoples have been a subject of interest and study by explorers and scholars from the period of earliest contact between whites and Indians in North America, but Black Elk's account is without doubt the most highly developed on this religion and cosmography. The Sacred Pipe, published as volume thirty-six in the Civilization of the American Indian Series, will be greeted enthusiastically by students of comparative religion, ethnologists, historians, philosophers, and everyone interested in American Indian life.

Meditations of the Heart


Howard Thurman - 1953
    Howard Thurman, the great spiritualist and mystic, was renowned for the quiet beauty of his reflections on humanity and our relationship with God. This collection of fifty-four of his most well-known meditations features his thoughts on prayer, community, and the joys and rituals of life. Within this collection are words that sustain, elevate, and inspire. Thurman addresses those moments of trial and uncertainty and offers a message of hope and endurance for people of all faiths.

The First 2,000 Years: From Adam To Abraham


W. Cleon Skousen - 1953
    329 pages with index, charts.

The Sign of Jonas


Thomas Merton - 1953
    Begun five years after he entered the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, The Sign of Jonas is an extraordinary view of Merton’s life in a Trappist monastery, and it serves also as a spiritual log recording the deep meaning and increasing sureness he felt in his vocation: the growth of a mind that finds in its contracted physical world new intellectual and spiritual dimensions.

The Ten Commandments


Emmet Fox - 1953
    The master key to life--a universal guide to all that matters in making life more satisfying.

The Flight of the Feathered Serpent


Armando Cosani - 1953
    His life changes inexplicably after he meets a mysterious man who leaves him a series of profound writings. One of the writings is a firsthand account of Judas’s life with Jesus and the events leading up to his betrayal. The writings also contain extraordinary insights into the lives of Judas, Jesus, and the Disciples, which seem to correlate with the recently discovered Gospel of Judas. Could these be the teachings of Judas Iscariot and his account of his relationship with Jesus? Could this be Judas’s attempt to clear his name in an effort to change the world’s perceptions and help humanity in its spiritual quest?

The Acts of the Apostles


William Barclay - 1953
    Barclay wrote both his gospel and Acts for the principal purpose of showing how the new faith that began so humbly in Palestine had expanded, Dr. Barclay discusses the plan in Acts, Luke's skill as a historian, the accuracy of his sources, and the honesty with which he used them.

God's Psychiatry: Healing for Your Troubled Heart


Charles L. Allen - 1953
    Readers will acquire confidence, banish fear and worry, root out hate and suspicion, bring out the best in themselves, and face life with enthusiasm and inward peace.

Splendor of the Church


Henri de Lubac - 1953
    It is also a classic work in the theology of the Church. Indeed, de Lubac's profound insights significantly contributed to Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, especially in its treatment on the Church as mystery and as the Sacrament of Christ.

Smoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments


Joy Davidman - 1953
    S. Lewis, the author's husband. Lewis writes, the flaw in us which Joy Davidman seems to me to expose with most certainty will be to some perhaps an unexpected one: the sin of fear . . . quite simply, cowardice.

Three Shall Be One


Francena H. Arnold - 1953
    Until Tony's controlling mother arrives. A compelling drama of the unexpected seems to seal off any return to their early married happiness, yet an astounding chain of events sets them on the path to restoration.

The Bible Story, Volume 1: The Book of Beginnings


Arthur S. Maxwell - 1953
    

Carmelite Spirituality in the Teresian Tradition


Paul-Marie de la Croix - 1953
    For centuries, in the spirit of Elijah and the ancient prophets, Carmelites have sought to encounter the living God and to teach others the ways of prayer. In sixteenth-century Spain, Saint Teresa of Avila brought renewed vitality to this religious family by inaugurating a reform movement that became known as the Discalced Carmelites, a new and fruitful branch on an ancient vine. This book was first publish in English in 1959 and provides a concise and inspiriing overview of Carmel's spiritual heritage from a Teresian perspective. Renowned Discalced Carmelite author Paul-Marie of the Cross identifies the principal texts, themes, figures and teaching of Carmel: Elijah and Mary, the Rule of St. Albert and the Book of the Institution of the First Monks, The Carmelite understanding of contemplation and the degrees of prayer, the message of Saints Teresa, John of the Cross, and Therese of Lisieux. This classic essay, long out of print, is here updated and reprinted for a new generation of seekers longing to slake their spiritual thirst at the fount of Carmel

Gospel Ideals


David O. McKay - 1953
    McKay served in the leading councils of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from his call to be an apostle in 1906 until his death, in 1970, after serving some nineteen years as president, prophet, seer, and revelator of the Church. From the wisdom of this inspirational leader came pleas to every individual to prepare for the second coming of the Savior, to be a missionary for the gospel of Jesus Christ, to delight in serving the Lord, to be worthy of and relish the blessings of faith, to be strengthened by keeping the commandments, to grow spiritually through study of the scriptures, to be in the world and yet not of the world.Never less than the best example of all that he taught, this beloved prophet revealed his compassionate spirit in the often-quoted line, "I believe that there is in every human soul something good calling for something better."Gospel Ideals is a compilation of some of the most inspirational and thought-provoking words of this great prophet-leader and has become a classic in Mormon literature since its first printing on President McKay's eightieth birthday anniversary in 1953.

Church Dogmatics 4.1 The Doctrine of Reconciliation


Karl Barth - 1953
    Barth s theology found its expression mainly through his closely reasoned fourteen-part magnum opus, Die Kirchliche Dogmatik. Having taken over 30 years to write, the Church Dogmatics is regarded as one of the most important theological works of all time, and represents the pinnacle of Barth s achievement as a theologian. T&T Clark International is now proud to be publishing the only complete English translation of the Church Dogmatics in paperback.

Society and Sanity


Frank Sheed - 1953
    

The Collected Works, Vol 2


John of the Cross - 1953
    The Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ, the Liv

Spiritual Childhood: The Spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux


Vernon Johnson - 1953
    Thérèse of Lisieux, now a Doctor of the Church, summarized her spirituality in these simple but profound words, "My Little Way is all love." Her complete and unshakable trust in the love of God our Father was the foundation of her spiritual life, a childlike relationship with our Creator that raised her to the heights of sanctity in only 24 years of life. Thérèse's spirituality, her Little Way of Spiritual Childhood, is one that can be imitated and practiced by all souls, no matter what their state in life. Her spirituality has been recognized by the Church as a special gift from God for ordinary people everywhere to reach heroic sanctity. Msgr. Vernon Johnson, a famous convert and apostle of St.Thérèse, presents in this book the most clear, practical and yet profound explanation of this "little way", a way to perfection that changed his life and the lives of countless others. Johnson summarizes the spiritual approach of St. Thérèse in these three words: Love, Humility, Confidence.

Born Of The People


Luis Taruc - 1953
    

My Christmas Book


F.W. Boreham - 1953
    "His name is on all our lips, his books are on all our shelves, and his illustrations are in all our sermons," said one British preacher.

Vivekananda: The Yogas and Other Works


Swami Hikhilananda - 1953
    His message of the unity of humankind and harmony of religions was embraced by the public and press of the time as representing the essence of the Parliament. The Swami wished to create a bridge between the East and the West by bringing to America the gift of India's ancient spirituality, in exchange for the scientific and industrial outlook of the West. After four years of traveling and teaching in America and Europe, the Swami returned to India, where he is revered as a "Patriot Saint." The government of India has declared his birthday a national holiday. In 1976 on the occasion of the American Bicentennial, Swami Vivekananda was honored by the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery as one who came to America from abroad during the past 200 years and made a significant impact on its spiritual development.Upon his return to India, Swami Vivekananda founded The Ramakrishna Order of India in the name of his teacher, Sri Ramakrishna, who is regarded as the Prophet of Harmony of Religions. The Order is the pre-eminent religious organization of modern India. More than 1000 monks of the Order serve throughout the world. While in the West the work is mainly in the form of conducting worship, teaching, writing and lecturing, in India the Order is widely known for its vastcharitable activities -- running hospitals and schools, rural uplift, and extensive relief work in times of emergency. The Swamis of the Order work tirelessly in the spirit of "Service of God in Man," regarding the service of all people as a veritable form of worship.The Centers of the Order in America, often referred to by such names as Ramakrishna or Vivekananda Centers, or Vedanta Societies, were first organized by Swami Vivekananda for the propagation of the Swami's teachings. Today there are Centers in many of America's major cities, including New York, Boston, Providence, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Hollywood. Because of their belief in the underlying truth of all religions, the Centers of the Ramakrishna Order are at the forefront of the Interfaith Movement. Publisher's comments written by Swami Adiswarananda.

A Life of Jesus


Melva Purkis - 1953
    A devotional study of the life of Jesus

A History of Christianity


Kenneth Scott Latourette - 1953
    The geographical scope of the work is global, and it gives attention to the history of Christian theology as well as other aspects. Latourette was Titus Street Prof. of Ecclesiastical History at Yale.

The First Christians: The Acts of the Apostles for Children


Marigold Hunt - 1953
    Luke’s account of the dangerous early days of the Church. Focusing on the deeds and experiences of Sts. Peter, Paul, Luke, and Barnabas, author Hunt shows children that the Catholic Church which today seems so ancient and established was born in turbulent times, when merely professing belief in Christ could get you killed — and not by rowdies and brigands, but by public officials carrying out their sworn duty. Time and again, the apostles wind up in jail (some for years), and time and again God frees them by miracles of one sort or another. With Christian hope and great good cheer, they take up again the task with which Christ charged them just before He ascended into Heaven: 'Go forth and teach all nations.' By foot, on horseback, and on frail craft tossed in stormy seas, they do just that, preaching and teaching their way across much of the known world, winning converts and establishing churches in Palestine, Crete, Cyprus, Malta, Phoenicia, the lands that are now Turkey, and even in Rome itself, the pagan capital of the anti-Christian Empire. Along the way, the apostles heal the sick, cast out devils, and work other miracles. They face down mobs, evade murder plots, and defend themselves in courts in city after city. In the midst of it all, Peter — whose authority as the first Pope was accepted by all of the apostles — settles disputes that arise among the Christians and between the new Churches. All this and more is told in The First Christians, the thrilling — and true — saga of the lives and works of the first apostles of Jesus.

Manners and Customs of Bible Lands


Fred H. Wight - 1953
    Wight (Author) 336 pagesPublisher: Moody Press; 1ST edition (December 1953)

The Singer Not the Song


Audrey Erskine Lindop - 1953
    Basically Malo – the Bad One – runs a protection racket in that if the villagers don’t pay him ‘tax’, nasty things are going to happen to them. Malo has an affinity with cats and he has the same habit of playing with his victims.Father Keogh, a young priest from Ireland, is chosen for the difficult position. Just about the first thing he has to do is get Father Gomez out of the village alive as Gomez believes Malo will kill him.The whole book becomes a fight for the lives and souls of the villagers as Malo is determined to keep his evil hold on them and tries to humiliate the priest. Father Keogh struggles against Malo for the good of the people who are all terrified of the bandit gang.

Early Christian Fathers (Library of Christian Classics)


Cyril Charles Richardson - 1953
    Through these works--each written prior to the end of the sixteenth century--contemporary readers are able to engage the ideas that have shaped Christian theology and the church through the centuries.

Bread in the Wilderness


Thomas Merton - 1953
    They are bread, miraculously provided by Christ, to feed those who have followed Him into the wilderness." Merton's goal in this moving book is to help the reader enter into the Psalms: "The secret is placed in the hands of each Christian. It only needs to be discovered and fulfilled in our own lives." The new ND Classic edition of Bread in the Wilderness faithfully reproduces the beautiful, large-format original 1953 New Directions books, created by the celebrated designer Alvin Lustig and lavishly illustrated throughout with photographs of a remarkable medieval crucifix at Perpignan, France.

We Knew Mary Baker Eddy-Third Series


Christian Science Publishing Society - 1953
    This volume contains accounts of Mrs. Eddy's healing work as well as reminiscences of her instruction and demonstrations regarding the establishment of her church.

Keep a True Lent


Charles Fillmore - 1953
    All books in the Unity Classic Library series feature hardcover binding with gold engraving, colorful endpapers, library nameplate page, author photograph, and biography. The series makes a beautiful display on a library shelf, and each book is a respected addition to any metaphysical collection.This book includes forty-seven powerful, thought-provoking lessons and affirmations for the Lenten season as well as a collection of classic Fillmore writings.

The Greatest Faith Ever Known: The Story of the Men Who First Spread the Religion of Jesus and of the Momentous


Fulton Oursler - 1953
    Faithfully based on the scriptures of the Acts and the Epistles, this saga of kings and jailers, of far voyages and shipwreck, of strange miracles and escapes and ultimate martyrdom, has inspired and touched generations of readers. It is a story that is timeless."A magnificent book and the most inspiring reading that has come my way for a long time."--A.J. Cronin"A lucid, deeply moving account of the first century of the Christian era. Fulton Oursler has re-created the life of the early Church with noble simplicity and profound understanding."--Laurence J. McGinley, S.J., Past President of Fordham University"Multitudes of people will rejoice in this book... [the] story is told with wonderful and convincing simplicity."--Chicago Tribune