Best of
Religion

1968

Humanae Vitae: Of Human Life


Pope Paul VI - 1968
    Pope Paul VI saw clearly the problems inherent in the rising culture of death.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Eberhard Bethge - 1968
    As a theologically rooted opponent to National Socialism, and later as a member of the political resistance against Nazism, Bonhoeffer was recognized as a leader even by his enemies and was hanged by the Gestapo in 1945. His legacy has inspired many and has demonstrated his landmark life and works to be among the most important of the twentieth century and the most relevant for our times ahead.This celebrated biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eberhard BethgeBonhoeffer's friend, pupil, close associate and relative by marriagehas been fully reviewed, corrected, and clarified by leading Bonhoeffer scholar Victoria Barnett for this new edition of the classic and definitive work. With previous sections updated and expanded, and entirely new sections on Bonhoeffer's childhood never before seen in English, this edition is sure to be the most accurate and inspiring textual rendering of Bonhoeffer to date.

Introduction to Christianity


Benedict XVI - 1968
    As he states in the preface, since this book was first published over 30 years ago, many changes and significant events have occurred in the world, and in the Church. But even so, he says he is firmly convinced that his fundamental approach in this book is still very timely and crucial for the spiritual needs of modern man. That approach puts the question of God and the question about Christ in the very center, which leads to a narrative Christology and demonstrates that the place for faith is in the Church.Thus, this remarkable elucidation of the Apostle's Creed gives an excellent, modern interpretation of the foundations of Christianity. Ratzinger's profound treatment of Christianity's basic truths combines a spiritual outlook with a deep knowledge of Scripture and the history of theology.

Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers


Maxwell Staniforth - 1968
    They are a selection from a group known as the Apostolic Fathers, so-called because several of the authors were most likely disciples of the Apostles themselves. Like much of the New Testament, their writings take the form of letters, and for the most part deal with practical problems of the life of the early Church, as it struggled in the face of persecution to establish itself in the Roman world. They give us a picture of Christianity still drawing on the theology and traditions of its parent religion, Judaism.

The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin


Idries Shah - 1968
    He appears in psychology textbooks, illuminating the workings of the mind in a way no straightforward explanation can. In three definitive volumes (The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin, The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin and The Subtleties of the Inimitable Mulla Nasrudin) Idries Shah takes us to the very heart of this mysterious mentor, the Mulla Nasrudin. Skillful contemporary retellings of hundreds of collected stories and sayings bring the unmistakable--often backhanded--wisdom, wit and charm of the timeless jokester to life. The Mulla and his stories appear in literature and oral traditions from the Middle East to Greece, Russia, France--even China. Many nations claim Nasrudin as a native son, but nobody really knows who he was or where he came from. According to a legend dating from at least the 13th century, Nasrudin was snatched as a schoolboy from the clutches of the "Old Villain"--the crude system of thought that ensnares man--to carry through the ages the message of how to escape. He was chosen because he could make people laugh, and humor has a way of slipping through the cracks of the most rigid thinking habits. Acclaimed as humorous masterpieces, as collections of the finest jokes, as priceless gift books, and for hundreds "enchanted tales," this folklore figure's antics have also been divined as "mirroring the antics of the mind." The jokes are, as Idries Shah notes, "perfectly designed models for isolating and holding distortions of the mind which so often pass for reasonable behavior." Therefore they have a double use: when the jokes have been enjoyed, their psychological significance starts to sink in. In fact, for many centuries they have been studied in Sufi circles for their hidden wisdom. They are used as teaching exercises, in part to momentarily "freeze" situations in which states of mind can be recognized. The key to the philosophic significance of the Nasrudin jokes is given in Idries Shah's book The Sufis and a complete system of mystical training based upon them was described in the Hibbert Journal. In these delightful volumes, Shah not only gives the Mulla a proper vehicle for our times, he proves that the centuries-old stories and quips of Nasrudin are still some of the funniest jokes in the world.

A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C. S. Lewis


C.S. Lewis - 1968
    S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—wrote widely on all the main themes of Christian faith: God, Jesus, the Trinity, Scripture, sin, evil, nature, sex, the Christian life, prayer, faith, compassion, guilt, and forgiveness. A Mind Awake includes hundreds of short excerpts, curated from the full range of his works and organized them by theme.Useful as both a reference work and as a devotional resource, A Mind Awake contains hidden gems of wisdom that are provocative, whimsical, and insightful, and is an ideal introduction to this towering figure who has profoundly influenced modern Christianity.

Teaching of Lord Caitanya


A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda - 1968
    His conversations with the great scholars, kings, and mystics of the day form the basis of “Teachings of Lord Caitanya,” which is is an easy-to-read single-volume summary of Lord Caitanya's teachings in the beautiful and poetic 9-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (ISBN: 0947259066).

Diagrams for Living


Emmet Fox - 1968
    " Fox has inspired millions of people over the past forty years through his simple, practical guidelines. In Diagrams for Living he presents valuable keys to living a more fulfilled life drawn from the eloquent spiritual wisdom of the Bible.If we read the Bible literally, cautions Fox, we miss the eternal power and personal relevance found in its symbols, allegories, and parables. "Whether you realize it or not," he writes, "you are on every page from Genesis to Revelation." Fox shows how to read dramatic biblical stories as symbolic diagrams for living that can "show you how to overcome difficulties and problems, and how to give expression to the deep aspirations that lie hidden in your soul." This power to reveal, inspire, and guide makes the Bible's teachings adaptable to everyone at every stage of spiritual development.Sensible, contemporary, and full of reassurance, Diagrams for Living offers sage counsel from a gifted teacher.

Asimov's Guide to the Bible: The Old and New Testaments


Isaac Asimov - 1968
    In doing so Asimov illuminates the Bible's many obscure and mysterious passages, producing a valuable text for anyone interested in religion and history.

The God Who Is There


Francis A. Schaeffer - 1968
    In Francis Schaeffer's remarkable analysis, we learn where the clashing ideas about God, science, history and art came from and where they are going. Now this completely retypeset edition includes a new introduction by James W. Sire that places Schaeffer's seminal work in the context of the intellectual turbulence of the early twenty-first century. More than ever, The God Who Is There demonstrates how historic Christianity can fearlessly confront the competing philosophies of the world. The God who has always been there continues to provide the anchor of truth and the power of love to meet the world's deepest problems.

Caravan of Dreams


Idries Shah - 1968
    Idries Shah builds up a complete picture of a single consciousness, relating mythology to reality, illuminating historical patterns, and presenting philosophical legends in this unique anthology. Its title is inspired from the couplet written by the Sufi mystic Bahaudin: 'Here we are, all of us: in a dream-caravan, A caravan, but a dream - a dream, but a caravan. And we know which are the dreams. Therein lies the hope.'

Gods Way of Peace


Horatius Bonar - 1968
    The multiplicity of organisations which have been formed in recent years to seek to deal with international and civil unrest, industrial strife, and conflicts within the home bear witness to this fact. And yet the situation appears to grow steadily worse. The reason lies in the fact taht men and women have failed as individuals first to make their peace with God, their Maker. From this alone will flow the much sought peace between man and man. Horatius Bonar's long life spanned most of the last century, and for well over fifty years he execised an active and powerful ministry in Scotland. Nowadays he is most remembered as a hymn-writer, but his tracts and books still prove their worth and enjoy a wide circulation.

The Way of the Sufi


Idries Shah - 1968
    Sufism, the mystical aspect of Islam, has had a dynamic and lasting effect on the literature of that religion. Its teachings, often elusive and subtle, aim at the perfecting and completing of the human mind. In contrast to certain other beliefs and philosophies, Sufism is continually evolving and progressing and is consequently always relevant to the contemporary world. "His work is as exciting as a good novel"--The Times Literary Supplement

Self-Study Bible Course, Updated Expanded Edition


Derek Prince - 1968
    In this Bible study course, you will find answers to questions such as, "How can I have victory over sin?" and "How can I receive answers to my prayers?" Even if you have never read the Bible before, you will find this systematic study guide easy to use and helpful. Or, if you have been a believer for many years, you will find a new ease in conversing with God, fellowshipping with Christians, receiving guidance, and witnessing and winning souls. Through this study, you will experience important changes in your life and discover an intimacy with God that you may have never known before.

Zen and the Birds of Appetite


Thomas Merton - 1968
    "There is no body to be found. The birds may come and circle for a while... but they soon go elsewhere. When they are gone, the 'nothing,' the 'no-body' that was there, suddenly appears. That is Zen. It was there all the time but the scavengers missed it, because it was not their kind of prey." This gets at the humor, paradox, and joy that one feels in Merton's discoveries of Zen during the last years of his life, a joy very much present in this collection of essays. Exploring the relationship between Christianity and Zen, especially through his dialogue with the great Zen teacher D.T. Suzuki, the book makes an excellent introduction to a comparative study of these two traditions, as well as giving the reader a strong taste of the mature Merton. Never does one feel him losing his own faith in these pages; rather one feels that faith getting deeply clarified and affirmed. Just as the body of "Zen" cannot be found by the scavengers, so too, Merton suggests, with the eternal truth of Christ.

The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence


Steven Runciman - 1968
    The Great Church, as the Greeks called the Orthodox Patriarchate, was the spiritual centre of the Byzantine world. The Church's survival during the four centuries of Turkish rule which followed the fall of Constantinople bore witness to its strenght and to the unquenchable vitality of Hellenism. Sir Steven Runciman's history of the Great Church in this period is written with scholarship, sympathy and style.

Here and Hereafter


Ruth Montgomery - 1968
    Explores the validity of the doctrines of Kharma and rebirth through firsthand accounts of psychic reincarnation by several prominent Americans.

A History of Christian Thought: From its Judaic and Hellenistic Origins to Existentialism


Paul Tillich - 1968
    Previously published in two separate volumes entitled A history of Christian thought and Perspectives on 19th and 20th century Protestant theology.

Jesus Christ (Amar Chitra Katha)


Anant Pai - 1968
    This book is another witness to the general truth that the life of Christ is a restatement of the permanent values of human living, the brotherhood of man and the need for charity and right action in society. 'Christ-like' is today the work to describe a noble-hearted, gentle and selfless person. This book is the story of Christ who is regarded as the embodiment of the best qualities in human nature - a man who lived 2000 years ago. The life and career of Christ are the best documented events in ancient history; in fact history divides itself into epochs - one before Christ and one after him. This book gives you in pictures, the story of Christ drawn from four contemporary life sketches called the Gospels, written by his disciples. The Gospels are an important section of the Christian scriptures or the Bible. They are the main source of the teachings of Christ contained in the narrative. They present wise sayings and practical instructions, episodes describing with compassion the human situation, or exposing wickedness and evil, giving profound lessons on charity and love. The Son of Man, as Jesus Christ was called, serenely goes through the crowded pages of the Gospels, preaching, healing, comforting, helping, loving, not seeking any power or advantage for himself. His enemies set themselves up against him and ultimately succeeded in having him condemned to death on a cross. As he had foretold, he rose again after his death, thus proving that he was the Son of God. His followers passed on their faith in Jesus to others, and thus the Christian Church spread. Whether one is a Christian or not, one cannot fail to be drawn to this man who spoke of goodness with wisdom and power and brought comfort and peace to men of goodwill.

Legends of Our Time


Elie Wiesel - 1968
    In Legends of Our Time, he shares with us some of their stories.   On a Tel Aviv bus, Wiesel encounters a notorious Auschwitz barracks chief who forces him to confront past demons that he thought had long since been laid to rest. While traveling through Spain, he is approached by a young Catholic man holding an ancient family document in an unfamiliar language; written in Hebrew in 1492 by the man’s Marrano ancestor, it proudly proclaims to future generations the family’s Jewish origins. Twenty years after being deported from Sighet, Wiesel returns to discover that the only thing missing are the towns 10,000 Jews and the collective memory of their ever having existed. In a Moscow synagogue in the fall on 1967, Wiesel finds a sanctuary filled with young Jews who have miraculously educated themselves in their history and ancient language, who sing Hebrew songs in the street as KGB agents take down names. And from a rabbi in Auschwitz who fasted on Yom Kippur, Wiesel leans that there is more than one way to confront a God who seems to have abandoned His people.

Faith and Violence: Christian Teaching and Christian Practice


Thomas Merton - 1968
    “Although it comes from a man who has chosen a life of silence and contemplation, this is an impassioned book, showing that the cloister may be a retreat from but not necessarily an escape from the world, if one is genuinely committed to the Christian faith. Merton’s chief concern is not with the haphazard violence of oppressed individuals that is expressed in riots but with what he calls ‘white-collar violence, the systematically organized bureaucratic and technological destruction of man.' . . . His thinking is radical, but unless one is committed to the belief that the status quo is the will of God, what he proposes deserves serious consideration.” —Pulpit Digest

Introduction to Bhagavad-Gita


A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda - 1968
    Yet remarkably, the setting for this classic of spiritual literature is an ancient Indian battlefield. At the last moment, the great warrior Arjuna begins to wonder about the real meaning of his life. In the Bhagavadgita, Lord Krsna brings His disciple from perplexity to spiritual enlightenment. Bhagavad-gita As It Is is the largest-selling, most widely used edition of the Gita in the world.

The Cotton Patch Version of Paul's Epistles


Clarence Jordan - 1968
    The Cotton Patch Version is a very colloquial, southern translation.

Islam


Fazlur Rahman - 1968
    From Mohammed to the late twentieth century, Rahman traces the development of Islam as a religion and, more importantly, as an intellectual tradition, offering both an easily understood introduction to the faith and an impassioned argument for its future direction.

The Character of Jesus


Charles Edward Jefferson - 1968
    This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Jesus Christs


A.J. Langguth - 1968
    Jesus Christs is a collection of vignettes sharing a common character, but in a non-linear fashion. One's idea of "history" or "time" is shoved off-center. Jesus is no longer an isolated figure in history but instead expands into an archetype. He is a recurring character throughout time who shows up in different scenarios or time frames ranging from the era of ancient Judea to Nazi Germany to a radio station in the twentieth century. He is seen as a prisoner, a priest, a teenager, a schoolboy, a talk-show host and, of course, the prophet.

The Carta Bible Atlas


Yohanan Aharoni - 1968
    This fourth edition of the best-selling The Macmillan Bible Atlas brings the latest findings of biblical, historical, and archaeological research to its sweeping cartographic portrayal of biblical history.- settlement and mass migrations of populations- skirmishes, battles, and conquests described in the Bible- economic developments, trade routes, and natural resources- the movements of biblical characters within the Holy Land, its districts and cities- archaeological excavations in the Holy Land from the Stone Age, the Chalcolithic period, and the Israelite and Second Temple periods- the journeys of the Apostles and the growth of the Church in the first and second centuries A.D.In addition, valuable appendices, a detailed comparative chronology of early civilizations, a key to the maps according to the books of the Bible, and a new index to persons make this work the most comprehensive Bible Atlas available.

Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality


R. Gordon Wasson - 1968
    Mr. Wasson has aroused considerable attention in learned circles and beyond by advancing and documenting the thesis that Soma was a hallucinogenic mushroom - none other than the Amanita muscaria, the fly-agaric that until recent times was the center of shamanic rites among the Siberian and Uralic tribesmen. In his presentation he throws fascinating light on the role of mushrooms in religious ritual. A section on the post-Vedic history of Soma is contributed by the Sanskrit scholar Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty.This edition faithfully reproduces the text and all but two of the many color and black-and-white illustrations of the original, lavishly printed, deluxe edition.

The Porter of Saint Bonaventure's:


James Patrick Derum - 1968
    His fame really spread while he served in Detroit. He counseled men and women, fed and clothed the sick and hungry, he healed the sick, and he seemed to have the gift of prophesy. A remarkable man whose life on party would seem to have been a failure.

Arcana Clestia. the Heavenly Arcana Contained in the Holy Scriptures or Word of the Lord Unfolded Beginning with the Book of Genesis


Emanuel Swedenborg - 1968
    This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library’s preservation reformatting program.

New Testament


William Barclay - 1968
    It is here in the words of Holy Scripture, the inspiration behind Barclay's widely read Daily Study Bible series, that his brilliant skills as a scholar and communicator reach their zenith.Barclay's aim in this translation is twofold: to make the New Testament intelligible for those who are not scholars, and to make a translation that does not need a commentary to explain it. The enduring success of Barclay's translation suggests that both aims have been fully realized.

A General Introduction to the Bible


Norman L. Geisler - 1968
    An updated version of the popular original, it satisfies the exacting demands placed on any good Bible introduction: Excellent scholarship and clear writing.

When He Is Come


A.W. Tozer - 1968
    AW Tozer at his best.

The Non-Violent Cross: A Theology of Revolution and Peace


James W. Douglass - 1968
    

Orthodoxy


Paul Evdokimov - 1968
    The appearance in 1965 of Orthodoxy, a masterpiece of synthesis, was a landmark in religious publishing and earned for its author a doctorate of theology from the Institut Saint-Serge in Paris. Paul Evdokimov here circumvents all scholastic theology on the one hand, and the traditional approach of the dogmatic theologians on the other, to develop an original synthesis of Orthodox theological thinking.

God, Man and the Universe


Hyrum L. Andrus - 1968
    EXCELLENT insight to the teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young on a lot of doctrinal subjects such as Light and The Priesthood

The Wisdom of Albert Schweitzer


Albert Schweitzer - 1968
    The Wisdom of Albert Schweitzer explores this core philosophy, which inspired one of the world’s great humanitarians. While traveling in Africa, Schweitzer recognized that all living creatures have a will to live and believed that through a “reverence for life” mankind had an ethical imperative to aid in the welfare of all living things, including the environment. His words have remained an inspiration for generations of humanitarians and environmentalists.

Spirit in the World


Karl Rahner - 1968
    One of Rahner's classic studies, this volume employs the German Jesuit theologian's deep understanding of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas to explore the relationship between the spirit and matter, metaphysical and concrete realities.

The Need and the Blessing of Prayer


Karl Rahner - 1968
    He has been called the voice of Vatican II, and is acknowledged as the rare theologian whose writings speak to the ordinary" Christian.In The Need and the Blessing of Prayer , Father Rahner views the human person as essentially one called to prayer. He also highlights prayer as the act of human existence, the great religious act. By encouraging people to "pray in the everyday" - to pray regardless of the desire or mood of the moment - Rahner's theology of the prayer of everyday life challenges us to surrender ourselves to God so that God dwells at the very center of our lives.The eight chapters of The Need and the Blessing of Prayer were originally sermons that Rahner gave during Lent 1946 at St. Michal's Church in Munich, Germany. This work has been reprinted often throughout its thirty-year history, testifying to its enduring message. For as Father Rahner wrote in the first edition, "If we are not supposed to cease praying, then perhaps one shouldn't cease speaking about prayer."Chapters are "Opening Our Hearts," "The Helper-Spirit," "The Prayer of Love," "Prayer in the Everyday," "The Prayer of Need," "Prayers of Consecration, "The Prayer of Guilt," and "Prayers of Decision."

A gift of love;: Poems from the heart of Helen Steiner Rice


Helen Steiner Rice - 1968
    

God and the Fascists: The Vatican Alliance with Mussolini, Franco, Hitler, and Pavelic


Karlheinz Deschner - 1968
    Anticipating that their regimes would eliminate a common enemy--namely Marxist-Leninist communism--two popes essentially collaborated with Hitler, Mussolini, and the fascist dictators in Spain (Franco) and Croatia (Pavelić).     This is the damning indictment of this well-researched polemic, which for almost five decades in Germany has sparked controversy, outrage, and furious debate. Now it is available in English for the first time.      Many will dismiss Deschner--who himself was raised and educated in a pious Catholic tradition--as someone who is obsessed with exposing the failings of the church of his upbringing. But he has marshaled so many facts and presented them with such painstaking care that his accusations cannot easily be ignored.      The sheer weight of the evidence that he has brought together in this book raises a host of questions about a powerful institution that continues to exercise political influence to this day.

Last Words of Saints and Sinners: 700 Final Quotes from the Famous, the Infamous, and the Inspiring Figures of History


Herbert Lockyer - 1968
    They reveal the fears, hopes, courage, and legacies of both the famous and not-so-famous. This collection of seven hundred quotes includes the last words of commoners, atheists, poets, and politicians along with noted Christians and martyrs. Excellent for casual reading and as a ready reference source for the pastor or public speaker.

The Quantity of a Hazelnut


Fae Malania - 1968
    Like the hazelnut, this book is a reminder of God's love. And like a hazelnut, it can unlock a world.--Lauren F. Winner, author of Girl Meets God and Mudbath Sabbath The resurrection of a good book is always cause for celebration. The Quantity of a Hazelnut is a very good book indeed, neither extremely loud nor incredibly close but quietly unforgettable.--John Wilson, Editor, Books & Culture With beautiful language and a winning confessional style, Malania offers a spiritual vision that is steeped in traditional Catholicism while open to truth in diverse places.--Jana Reiss, author of What Would Buffy Do? The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide As in Julian of Norwich's hazelnut story, the touchstones of Fae Melania's spirituality are ordinary, humble things. Christian life happens in the ordinary--when we do the dishes, when we garden, when we tuck our children into bed, even when we argue with our spouses. Fae Malania recognized this truth half a century ago. In these pages, you'll read about her kitchen epiphanies, and the spiritual insights that come to her while reading the newspaper. "To begin with, never mind pleasure," writes Fae Malania in her account of one woman's discovery of faith, "Search out joy." In this newly revived classic, the image of a hazelnut calls up Julian of Norwich and her vision of a God who holds the smallest thing in being, a hazelnut or a sparrow, by the sheer force of love. Whether reflecting on a pigeon crossing East 36th Street to the ironies of trying to live simply, from Scarlatti on the car radio to the secret life of insects, Malania's voice is unique and her vision clear.

Jaina Sutras: Part I & II (Forgotten Books)


Hermann Jacobi - 1968
    The first volume contains The Akaranga Sutra and The Kalpa Sutra, and the second volume contains The Uttaradhyayana Sutra and The Sutrakritanga Sutra.