The hands that held him were not manicured, but callused and dirty. No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla. God came near, just for you.In God Came Near, Max reminds us that just because we want a calm life doesn't mean we'll have one. The minute you sink down in the easy chair of life, heaven pushes the remote and changes the channel:The financial aid office says "no."A doctor says "pregnant."The boss says "transfer."The test grade reads "F."The auto mechanic says "totaled."Despite the challenges we face on earth, the Bible gives us a chance to be eyewitnesses of Jesus' majesty. We can take on our problems, we can have a fresh start tomorrow, and we can rest assured in the safety of God's embrace. Christ entered our world, and, as a result, we can enter his.God Came Near invites you to travel back in time and celebrate Christ the Son of God as he became man. When you catch a vision of this incredible moment, let it mark the beginning of a new perspective, a new life, and a new appreciation for Jesus. Because when you see the truth of his life, it will change yours forever.

    Although the tradition that traces its ancestry back to him did not flourish until nearly two hundred years after his death, today millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu claim him as their spiritual father.While others viewed Zen practice as a purification of the mind or a stage on the way to perfect enlightenment, Bodhidharma equated Zen with buddhahood and believed that it had a place in everyday life. Instead of telling his disciples to purify their minds, he pointed them to rock walls, to the movements of tigers and cranes, to a hollow reed floating across the Yangtze.This bilingual edition, the only volume of the great teacher's work currently available in English, presents four teachings in their entirety. "Outline of Practice" describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment, the "Bloodstream Sermon" exhorts students to seek the Buddha by seeing their own nature, the "Wake-up Sermon" defends his premise that the most essential method for reaching enlightenment is beholding the mind. The original Chinese text, presented on facing pages, is taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock edition.

    I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? With compelling honesty John Stott confronts this generation with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of the world -- a world now haunted by the memories of Auschwitz, the pain of oppression and the specter of nuclear war. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? Now from one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of our day comes theology at its readable best, a contemporary restatement of the meaning of the cross. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and the twentieth century. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. Destined to be a classic study of the center of our faith, Stott's work is the product of a uniquely gifted pastor, scholar and Christian statesman. His penetrating insight, charitable scholarship and pastoral warmth are guaranteed to feed both heart and mind.

    The Devotional Bible brings together words of encouragement and the gentle wisdom of Max Lucado with the timeless Word of God.Favorite inspirational writer Max Lucado has done more than revise and update the best-selling Inspirational Bible. Using the New Century Version, The Devotional Bible will be a staple for anyone who wants to draw closer to the heart of Christ.From the busy mom to the frustrated employee, The Devotional Bible is the perfect refuge for anyone that needs truth and encouragement to hold on to.

    A day-by-day guide for quiet reflection and prayer from the nation's most beloved spiritual leader.PS.: The number of pages represents the number of medidatitions (includes Feb 29th).

    Book by Ezra Taft Benson

    Josemaría’s rich interior life and extensive experience as a pastor. Aphoristic and perfect for meditation, Furrow was written in order to encourage and ease personal prayer. These 1000 points for spiritual reflection are directed toward the whole human person: body and soul, nature and grace. With the skillful hand of an experienced and holy priest, St. Josemaría interweaves the divine and human and helps you see how to bring them into harmony in your own life.

    Written almost entirely in Vimalananda's own words, it presents events from his life, tenets of his philosophy, and highlights from his spiritual practices. Designed partly to shock and partly to comfort, but wholly as an offering to his Beloved, Aghora is as clear a picture as possible of a man who was a riddle wrapped up in an enigma. Vimalananda insisted that this book be published only after his demise, that he might be spared pursuit by those whose curiosity might be inflamed by some of the sensational events described within. He believed in devoting his all to the pursuit of the direct perception of Reality, and advised others to be similarly dedicated to attaining personal experience of God. To readers he offered this warning: "Don't take anything I say as gospel truth. I am human, I make mistakes. Test on yourselves what I've told you. Try it out, experience it, and then you will know whether or not I'm telling you the truth."

    ‘In the Beginning . . .’ also serves as an excellent homiletic resource for priests and pastors.

    This in-depth analysis of the meaning of the virtues and their connection with the Beatitudes also summarizes a scriptural and theological wisdom on leading a holy life. Includes the accumulated wisdom of St. Paul, C.S. Lewis, and many others.

    His grasp of Scripture still causes the maturest believer to ponder, yet he brings a simplicity of thought to his preaching that even a child can understand and enjoy.The Cross explains how Christ's crucifixion works for our redemption, and why this even is the cornerstone of the Christian life.From one of this century's greatest preachers, excellent reading for ministers and anyone seeking a closer walk with Christ. Meditative, easily understandable, and biblically sound.

    In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty. Readers will embark on a dramatically different and joyful experience of their faithThe pursuit of pleasure is not optional. It is essential. Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering work, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist: Delight is our duty. Join him as he unveils stunning, life-impacting truths you saw in the Bible but never dared to believe.

    Teresa Benedicta of the Cross O.C.D.) 2d ed., revised (1996), translated by Freda Mary Oben, Ph.D. Eight essays on the theme of woman and her vocation, with index.  With reason Edith Stein has been called "the most significant German woman of this century." Her writings on woman are the fruit of both reflection and debate with other leaders of the Catholic feminist movement in German-speaking countries between the World Wars.      This second revised edition of Essays on Woman includes textual corrections, important new supplementary data, and previously unavailable material on the spirituality of the lay and religious woman. These essays crystallize long hours of experience teaching in the classroom and on the speaker's platform in the pursuit of fulfilling roles for women in all walks of life. Reviews      "Every page of these essays reveals a mind, never doctrinaire or ruffled, but rather serene, graceful, wide-ranging, fearless, and deeply dedicated to a search for truth." - Keith J. Egan, Horizons      "This newly revised edition…is a valuable text." - Review of Metaphysics      "One would hope that these essays will be read widely and carefully by both men and women." - The Thomist

    Campbell posits that the newly discovered laws of outer space are actually at work within human beings as well and that a new mythology is implicit in this realization. He examines the new mythology and other questions in these essays which he described as a broadly shared spiritual adventure.

    Best known in this country for her theological writing, Weil wrote on a great variety of subjects ranging from classical philosophy and poetry, to modern labor, to the language of political discourse. The present anthology offers a generous collection of her work, including essays never before translated into English and many that have long been out of print. It amply confirms Elizabeth Hardwick's words that Simone Weil was "one of the most brilliant and original minds of twentieth-century France" and "a woman of transcendent intellectual gifts and the widest learning." A longtime Weil scholar, Sian Miles has selected essays representative of the wide sweep of Weil's work and provides a superb introduction that places Weil's work in context of her life and times.

    This account of a real and honest personal quest is both engaging and convincing. Written from a deep well of wisdom derived from experience and careful observation, Making Sense Out of Suffering is a book for empty hearts, not full ones. Read it if you are hungry for insight into the mystery of suffering. A Servant Book.

    Newman compared the early history of the Church to the opening chords of a symphony when the subjects that will later be brought out one

    However, it is not just a teaching on the view but a presentation providing the student the means to realize it through meditation practice. The idea of a series of meditation practices on a particular aspect of the Buddha's teachings is that by beginning with one's first rather coarse commonsense understanding, one progresses through increasingly subtle and more refined stages until one arrives at complete and perfect understanding. Each stage in the process prepares the mind for the next in so far as each step is fully integrated into one's understanding through the meditation process.

    Asserting that all the tools necessary for self-discovery are inherent within us, he focuses primarily on reason, not as narrowly defined by modern philosophers, but as an openness to existence, a capacity to comprehend and affirm reality in all of its dimensions. Part of the so-called new religious revival, The Religious Sense avoids any sentimental or irrational reduction of the religious experience. It is a forthright and refreshing call to reassess our lives.

    In Heretics, Chesterton sets forth one of the most telling critiques of contemporary religious notions ever. The Blatchford Controversies are the spirited public debate which led to the writing of Heretics. Then in Orthodoxy, Chesterton accepts the challenge of his opponents and sets forth his own reasons for accepting the Christian Faith.

    This book will undoubtedly find its place among the classics of twentieth-century literature." --Grand Rapids PressThe inspirational writings of Henri Nouwen have touched millions of readers all over the world. Much beloved as a lecturer, spiritual guide, and especially as an author, he communicated a profound message of hope that finds great resonance in today's world.In his now classic work Lifesigns, he explores what he saw as three of the most vital aspects of his ministry. The first of these is the Gospel invitation to intimacy, which Nouwen describes as communion with God and relationship with others. The second is the call to fecundity, exhorting us to be open to a fruitful life of change and growth. And the third, the experience of ecstasy, extends the Gospel promise "that your joy may be full." Inspired by L'Arche, the worldwide network of communities where handicapped people and their assistants try to live together in the spirit of the Scriptures, Nouwen shows how these three elements offer the essential key to a life free from the domination of fear and filled instead with hope and love.

    to the fifth century A.D. Containing a fresh translation of the Greek papyri, as well as Coptic and Demotic texts, this new translation has been brought up to date and is now the most comprehensive collection of this literature, and the first ever in English.The Greek Magical Papyri in Transition is an invaluable resource for scholars in a wide variety of fields, from the history of religions to the classical languages and literatures, and it will fascinate those with a general interest in the occult and the history of magic."One of the major achievements of classical and related scholarship over the last decade."—Ioan P. Culianu, Journal for the Study of Judaism"The enormous value of this new volume lies in the fact that these texts will now be available to a much wider audience of readers, including historians or religion, anthropologists, and psychologists."—John G. Gager, Journal of Religion"[This book] shows care, skill and zest. . . . Any worker in the field will welcome this sterling performance."—Peter Parsons, Times Literary Supplement

    The Latin American liberation theologian's profound reading of the book of Job.

    English translation and notes by Joseph Rowe.One of the cache of codices and manuscripts discovered in Nag Hammadi, the Gospel of Thomas, unlike the canonical gospels, does not contain a narrative recording Christ's life and prophecies. Instead it is a collection of his teachings — what he actually said. These 114 logia, or sayings, were collected by Judas Didymus Thomas, whom some claim to be Jesus's closest disciple. No sooner was this gospel uncovered from the sands of Upper Egypt than scholars and theologians began to bury it anew in a host of conflicting interpretations and polemics. While some say it is a hodgepodge from the canonical gospels, for others it is the source text from which all the gospel writers drew their material and inspiration.In this new translation of the Gospel of Thomas, Jean-Yves Leloup shows that the Jesus recorded by the "infinitely skeptical and infinitely believing" Thomas has much in common with gnostics of non-dualistic schools. Like them, Jesus preaches the coming of a new man, the genesis of the man of knowledge. In this gospel, Jesus describes a journey from limited to unlimited consciousness. The Jesus of Thomas invites us to drink deeply from the well of knowledge that lies within, not so that we may become good Christians but so we may attain the self-knowledge that will make each of us, too, a Christ.

    This synthetic and meditative work is theological without being abstract or dry, and spiritual without being sentimental. The pierced heart of Christ must be the heart of theology and Christian life as well.Proceeding from the prayerful dialogue between the Incarnate Son and his Eternal Father, Joseph Ratzinger shows how one can approach the mystery of the Heart of Christ only through the imitation of this prayer. To know and understand Jesus we must participate in his prayer. The prayer of Christ must be the interior life of all who are joined to him in his Body, the Church. Using the Old and New Testaments and the Church Fathers, Ratzinger shows that the ecclesial community (the Church) was born from the pierced Heart of Christ on the Cross.

    Few authors inspire and encourage as he does, and never is this more apparent than in Devotions for a Deeper Life.  Devotions for a Deeper Life, excerpted from lesser known essays Chambers wrote in the early twentieth century, will instruct and encourage you with its accuracy and poignant reflections on the Christian life. This daily devotional dives into what it means to live out your faith in dynamic and compelling ways. More than 75 years have passed since the original publication, but the content remains relevant and deeply inspiring. Oswald Chambers created one of the most classic and influential books in church history when he penned My Utmost for His Highest. His insights and understanding of the nature of God challenge readers to examine their faith and grow in depth and maturity. Devotions for a Deeper Life brings this message to an entirely new generation of believers and will show, once again, the timeless beauty found in the truth of Scripture.

    Part 1 of a long and epic novel narrating in detail the life and teachings of Jesus Christ according to 20th century Catholic visionary Maria Valtorta.

    Then she met Dr. Rebecca Brown, who served her master, Jesus Christ, with equal commitment. Elaine, one of the top witches in the U.S., clashed with Dr. Brown, who stood against her alone. In the titanic life-and-death struggle that followed, Dr. Brown nearly lost her life. Elaine, finding a power and love greater than anything Satan could give her, left Satan and totally committed her life to Jesus Christ. This is an honest, in-depth account of Satan's activities today. You'll see how to:Recognize and combat the many satanists who regularly infiltrate and destroy Christian churches.Recognize and combat satanic attacks.Recognize those serving Satan, and bring them to Jesus Christ.

    The Laus apparitions, approved in 2008, were the first Marian apparitions approved by the Church in the 21st century.Let Mary's prophetic messages bring comfort and hope to your life in this thorough and compelling presentation of the extraordinary visits of the Mother of God to her children around the world.

    

    This new edition includes a revised text, new notes, and new bibliography. "The movement and meeting of God with us is indeed a speech-event in which new humanness is evoked among us. Being attentive to language means cultivating the candid imagination to bring our own experience to the Psalms and permitting it to be disciplined by the speech of the Psalms. And, conversely, it means letting the Psalms address us and having that language reshape our sensitivities and fill our minds with new pictures and images that may redirect our lives." --from Chapter 3 Endorsements: "I am so glad to see this second edition of Praying the Psalms. In it Walter Brueggemann reveals the ways in which the Psalms teach the mother tongue of biblical speech by inviting us to the risk of daring candor with God.The contemporary church in North America regularly suffers collective amnesia in the face of the languages of techno-speak, market share and sentimental clich� that shape the world we inhabit. Praying the Psalms offers a surprising antidote to this chronic forgetfulness. It invites us to recover our ancient memory and true identity by learning again to pray the Psalms. I know of no better book for introducing a congregation to the Psalms than this one." --Edwin Searcy, Pastor, University Hill Congregation, United Church of Canada, Vancouver, BC "'The Psalms just don't speak to me.' Anyone who has ever felt this way should read Brueggemann's book. . . . He shows how these ancient prayers can lead us from the disorientation of our chaotic lives into a reorientation of transformation. His treatment of both the post-Holocaust Christian use of these very Jewish prayers and the troublesome call for vengeance is most timely. This book shows how the Psalms can indeed speak to us." --Dianne Bergant, CSA author of Preaching the New Lectionary ". . . Brueggemann pushes me and other readers to recognize the full gamut of passions reflected in the Psalms: joy and exultation but also disappointment, sorrow, anger, resentment, even the desire for vengeance. . . . I am grateful to Brueggemann for making me more alert to what the Psalms are saying about our common human relation to God and more honest about my own feelings as I pray the Psalms every day as part of the Liturgy of the Hours." --Joseph A. Bracken, SJ coauthor of Self-Emptying Love in a Global Context "Few persons have so lived in and with the Psalms as Walter Brueggemann. Here he takes us into their depths, which are so clearly the depths of our human existence. The piety of the Psalms is strong medicine. Brueggemann bids us take it for the cure of our souls." --Patrick D. Miller author of Interpreting the Psalms and They Cried to the Lord About the Contributor(s): Walter Brueggemann is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He is the author of numerous works including Theology of the Old Testament, Inscribing the Text, Prophetic Imagination, and David's Truth.

    The bestselling Wee Sing line is now tailored for the most modern Wee Sing fans These eight classic Wee Sing titles are now in a great new package--a book and CD in a reusable blister

    Filled with a wide range of prayer from the rich tradition of the Church-including personal, family, and liturgical prayer and prayer for special occasions. The Catholic Prayer Book serves as a treasury of Catholic worship from ancient times up to the present day. LEATHERETTE EDITION ALSO AVAILABLE— CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS. A Servant Book.

    The engaging dragon and his wise parables will guide you, as they led George, on a spiritual quest as ancient as the Holy Grail.

    His own words are - "Now, what purpose can this chronicle serve? It will be a record to help people overcome problems that may come in the future by learning from the past. It will serve to make known how God himself has always been our guide. It will give my sons some entertainment to be able to read about their father’s adventures. Doubtless they will be read much more avidly when I have been called by God to render my account, when I am no longer among them.Should they come upon experiences related maybe with complacency or the appearance of vainglory, let them indulge me a little. A father delights in speaking of his exploits to his dear children. It is always to be hoped that the sons will draw from these adventures, small and great, some spiritual and temporal advantage.I have chosen to divide my account into ten-year periods, because each decade saw a notable development of our work.So, my dear children, when you read these memoirs after my death, remember that you had a loving father who left these memoirs as a pledge of fatherly affection before he abandoned this world. And remembering that, pray for the happy repose of my soul."

    He addresses three major prophetic traditions: Jeremiah (the pathos of God), Ezekiel (the holiness of God), and 2 Isaiah (the newness of God). This literature is seen to contain the theological resources for handling both brokenness and surprise -- with freedom, courage, and imagination. Throughout, Brueggemann demonstrates how these resources offer vitality for ministry today.

    But he also brings a message of courage and comfort--a call to return to God with all our hearts and to fulfill God's purposes for us as His beloved children.

    . . both a challenge to easy living and a blueprint for breaking out of patterns of mediocrity. . . . One of the most helpful aspects of this book is Swindoll's ability to distinguish between striving for excellence and the modern-day philosophies of success." ?Today's Christian Woman"Living Above the Level of Mediocrity epitomizes what has lifted the author above the average. The book itself aims high and reaches its goal through keen thinking and hard work." ?Moody Monthly"Swindoll combines interesting, insightful Bible exposition with the storyteller's ability to make an anecdote live. Throughout the book he weaves briefs about the eagle, a bird he holds up as an example of the pursuit of excellence. He writes devotionally, giving you constant food for thought." ?Eternity

    This book includes four color icons, which can be removed for private contemplation or meditation.

    Wurmbrand languished for fourteen years in Communist prisons. Though beaten and starved, he never broke. Having passed through hell on earth, this courageous Romanian pastor emerged with a burning love for God and his fellow man.In this remarkable book, conceived while he was in solitary confinement, Wurmbrand demolishes the arguments for atheism as presented by the Soviet Academy of Science in its Atheist's Handbook. Throughout the Communist world, people who wanted to get ahead had to master The Atheist's Handbook. Its teachings were drilled into children at school. But Wurmbrand demonstrates that the atheist creed leaves more questions unanswered than it professes to settle. On the positive side, he marshals the testimony of artists, musicians, writers, philosophers, scientists, statesmen, and saints--all of whom bear eloquent witness to the reality of God. With the sparkling sense of humor that helped sustain him through unspeakable sufferings, Wurmbrand tells the story of God's love for us in language anyone can understand. Is there a God? Does He care about man? Can we trust what the Scriptures tell us about Him? Yes, says Rev. Richard Wurmbrand, in a ringing affirmation of faith that comes from the heart--and from the head.

    

    Leadership is influence, and no leader has had greater influence on the world than Jesus Christ. The lessons of His leadership style are practical, learnable skills that anyone can apply today.Michael Youssef, who has executive experience in worldwide ministries, has examined the leadership Jesus modeled and suggests Christlike qualities every leader needs. But he doesn't stop there. With Jesus as the standard, Dr. Youssef considers how to deal with the temptations and pressures leaders face, including ego, anger, loneliness, criticism, the use of power, and passing the torch to others.Men and women in search of excellence in developing their leadership abilities will find much to aid their quest in this close-up look at Jesus--the greatest leader who ever lived.

    Now Brennan Manning—in his honest, original, and winning way—shares from his own experiences to prompt you into the riches of spending time alone with God at rest in His presence.Souvenirs of Solitude is a genuine appeal for you to find rest in God as you develop a lifestyle of worship and surrender. Discover the peace that comes with a relationship with the Almighty.Includes an eight-day retreat guide that provides stimulating promptings for your own meditation during solitude.

    In it, Father Brown treats the Gospels, written thirty to sixty years after the life of Christ, as reflecting considerate theological and dramatic development and not simply as literal accounts of a historical event.

    Her exquisitely written volume covers the history, psychology and spirituality of ritual in general and Christian ritual in particular. Enlivened by pithy and insightful examples, many of them drawn from her own family life, Ms. Nelson penetrates to the heart of the meaning of ritual and ceremony in a fresh way. She manages to escape the trap of many writers on this subject--superficial piety--and makes relevant for the modern reader the importance of ritual for connecting us to the meaning and flow of life. I would not have thought in today's rationalistic age that the ceremonies of life could be made vital again as cogently and splendidly as has been don in this book. Sometimes even single sentences speak volumes: 'It is Advent, and we, a people, are pregnant.' This is a book to be read carefully, perhaps only a few pages a day. Reading the book can become a ritual, especially for Christian people to whom it is primarily addressed. Beautiful illustrations by the author add to the expressiveness of this carefully composed work. This book may prove to be a classic treatment of the meaning of ritual for this modern era. --John Sanford +

    The stated goal of this book is to promote a public discussion of Islam as a religion, particularly its claim that every bit of the Quran and the Hadis has a divine source. This claim is used at present to prevent a close examination of what the book contains and what message Islam has for mankind at large. This is the Third Revised and Enlarged Edition.

    More than forty popular Novenas carefully arranged for private prayer in accord with the Liturgical Year on the Feasts of Jesus, Mary, and favorite Saints.

    Schuon's insights on religion, prayer, the spiritual life, aesthetics and philosophy shine throughout this book.

    No two covers are exactly alike.Acclaimed as the most influential work on evolution written in the last hundred years, The Blind Watchmaker offers an inspiring and accessible introduction to one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time. A brilliant and controversial book which demonstrates that evolution by natural selection - the unconscious, automatic, blind yet essentially non-random process discovered by Darwin - is the only answer to the biggest question of all: why do we exist?

    Containing several layers of text and given numerous levels of interpretation, it has captured continuous attention for well over two thousand years. It has been considered a book of fundamental principles by philosophers, politicians, mystics, alchemists, yogins, diviners, sorcerers, and more recently by scientists and mathematicians. This first part of the present volume is the text of the I Ching proper—the sixty-four hexagrams plus sayings on the hexagrams and their lines—with the commentary composed by Liu I-ming, a Taoist adept, in 1796. The second part is Liu I-ming's commentary on the two sections added to the I Ching by earlier commentators, believed to be members of the original Confucian school; these two sections are known as the Overall Images and the Mixed Hexagrams. In total, the book illuminates the Taoist inner teachings as practiced in the School of Complete Reality. Well versed in Buddhism and Confucianism as well as Taoism, Liu I-ming intended his work to be read as a guide to comprehensive self-realization while living an ordinary life in the world. In his attempt to lift the veil of mystery from the esoteric language of the I Ching , he employs the terminology of psychology, sociology, history, myth, and religion. This commentary on the I Ching stands as a major contribution to the elucidation of Chinese spiritual genius.

    Mandatory reading for anyone who wants to learn to be a good skeptic.In this widely acclaimed and highly controversial book, Paul Kurtz examines the reasons why people accept supernatural and paranormal belief systems in spite of substantial evidence to the contrary. According to the author, it is because there is within the human species a deeply rooted tendency toward magical thinking - the "transcendental temptation" - which undermines critical judgment and paves the way for willful beliefs. He explores in detail the three major monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - finding striking psychological and sociological parallels between these religions, the spiritualism of the 19th century, and the paranormal belief systems of today. There are sections on mysticism, belief in the afterlife, the existence of God, reincarnation, astrology, and ufology. Kurtz also explains the nature of skepticism as an antidote to belief in the transcendental.

    . . a reflection nourished by all kinds of dippings into the traditions of the Church as well as sources which are not Christian and these, too, come from a variety of ages and localities."

    In this second volume by Bob and Penny Lord, twenty additional miracles related to the practice of the Eucharist are cited for the edification and encouragement of today's believers who need miraculous intervention in their own situations.

    These discourses were presented in America with a Western audience in mind, and have been specially edited for this volume. The openness, simplicity, and depth of realization in his teachings have brought inspiration to many, and greater understanding of the wisdom Buddhism has to offer. The topics covered range from the most subtle psychology and metaphysics to everyday life and practice. Readers new to Buddhism will find lucid and profound explanations of the fundamental teachings; those already familiar with Buddhism will discover unexpected insights into the heart of the tradition.

    Schuon sets forth the essential principles of metaphysics, cosmology and eschatology and then goes on to consider traditional orthodoxy and many paradoxes of confessional theology. The final chapters deal with the domain of the soul, of our experience of trials and happiness.

    Hard back reference book.

    Here is the revised and updated version of Earth Magic, the author's personal book of magical practice, made available for today's Witches. Based on an indepth study of the many facets of Witchcraft, Earth Magic presents the religion as positive and life-affirming.The book is filled with how-to's of a practical nature, as is traditional in Witchcraft. It is intended to be a springboard, to unlock the reader's psychic Wiccan abilities and guide them into the creation of their own unique and personal work. Every technique is explained in detail, in keeping with Weinstein's proviso that one should never attempt to work any magic unless one understands it fully. The goal is to encourage true Witchcraft expertise and creativity.The information from the original edition is still available, as well as a treasure trove of new material, some of which has never been seen before. In this thoroughly revised edition, you will learn: -- How to set up psychic protection.-- How to work string and cord magic.-- Working with the phases of the Moon.-- Forming and working with your own coven.-- Visualization in a Witch's mode.-- Choices of Deity alignments from a wide realm of cultures.-- Not one, but two methods of Manifestation: Creation Manifestation and Affinity Manifestation.-- Creating rituals, creating Words of Power, composing one's own spells, use of talismans, candles, pendulums, Witch's Bottles, scrying, oracles, and much more.

    Soloveitchik.Discusses the conflict between philosophy and science, examines the growth of religious knowledge, and shows how the Halakha, Jewish religious law, can be used to formulate a new religious outlook.

    

    And for those Christians, The KJV Rainbow Study Bible -- Illustrated Reference Edition, offers more: -- Every verse of the entire Bible color-coded to one of 12 thematic headings-- Book Introductions and Outlines-- Concordance-- Back Maps with Index-- Bold Line "RM" System (Words of the Trinity are underlined)-- Center Column Cross-Reference System-- 75 In-Text Maps-- 16 In-Text Illustrations-- Sectional Headings-- 365 Popular Bible Quotations for Memorization and Meditation

    Now newly repackaged, this important book gathers the best of Niebuhr’s essays together in a single volume. Selected, edited, and introduced by Robert McAfee Brown—a student and friend of Niebuhr’s and himself a distinguished theologian—the works included here testify to the brilliant polemics, incisive analysis, and deep faith that characterized the whole of Niebuhr’s life.“This fine anthology makes available to a new generation the thought of one of the most penetrating and rewarding of twentieth-century minds. Reinhold Niebuhr remains the great illuminator of the dark conundrums of human nature, history and public policy.”—Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.“Sparkling gems. . . brought from the shadows of history into contemporary light. Beautifully selected and edited, they show that Niebuhr’s fiery polemics and gracious assurances still speak with power to us today.”—Roger L. Shinn“An extremely useful volume.”—David Brion Davis, New York Review of Books“This collection, which brings together Niebuhr’s most penetrating and enduring essays on theology and politics, should demonstrate for a new generation that his best thought transcends the immediate historical setting in which he wrote. . . . [Brown’s] introduction succinctly presents the central features of Niebuhr’s life and thought.”—Library Journal

    This book includes a short history of the Secular Franciscan Order, the Rule of the Secular Franciscan, Daily Prayers which includes prayers to various saints and for various purposes, prayers to Franciscan saints, meditations, liturgical prayers and offices, devotions, litanies, and a calendar of Franciscan saints.

    As in the Shia myth of the Hidden Imam, this modern-day Imam left his followers upholding his legacy and awaiting his return. Considered an outsider when he had arrived in Lebanon in 1959 from his native Iran, he gradually assumed the role of charismatic mullah, and was instrumental in transforming the Shia, a quiescent and downtrodden Islamic minority, into committed political activists.What sort of person was Musa al Sadr? What beliefs in the Shia doctrine did his life embody? Where did he fit into the tangle of Lebanon's warring factions? What was behind his disappearance? In this fascinating and compelling narrative, Fouad Ajami resurrects the Shia's neglected history, both distant and recent, and interweaves the life and work of Musa al Sadr with the larger strands of the Shia past.

    In seven essays that draw from metaphysics, phenomenology, literature, Christological theology, and Biblical exegesis, Marion sketches several prolegomena to a future fuller thinking and saying of love's paradoxical reasons, exploring evil, freedom, bedazzlement, and the loving gaze; crisis, absence, and knowing.

    Over a period of eight centuries he has exerted a profound influence on Islamic mysticism. In recent years a number of important studies have helped acquaint the Western reader with Ibn Arabi's metaphysics and this process is now greatly enhanced by the present volume in which Michael Chodkiewicz explores for the first time, the Master's 'hagiology' or teaching on sainthood. Founded on a careful analysis of the relevant texts, Chodkiewicz's work examines this essential aspect of Ibn Arabi's doctrine of sainthood, defining the nature and function of sainthood, while also specifying the criteria for a typology of saints based on the notion of prophetic inheritance.

    With a revised chapter previously unavailable in the two-volume edition.

    He has an ultra-pious mother, a brother who is more than just a little touched in the head, and a comfortable Lutheran girlfriend who knows she has been saved. This is a story about sin and salvation, written with raunchiness and reverence. It is an extraordinary landmark in Mormon fiction -- the first novel to consider the ubiquitous tension between religious guilt and sexual frustration.Set against the backdrop of southern Utah's canyon country, the protagonist manifests exuberance and innocence that is constrained only by strict moral education. The sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic posturing required of Frank in concealing his humanity behind a mask of forced righteousness makes for comic, painful, and moving scenarios.For instance, he punishes himself for lapses of self-denial by fasting and tying his hands to the bedpost. He comes to see dating as an evil indulgence in sensual fantasy and his work on the ranch as a tool of avarice. His attempt to exorcise this hypocrisy and the confusion about how to atone for it result in an epiphany that restores equilibrium to the world.

    Speaking to her own Missionaries of Charity, this great woman reveals to us what it means to live a life completely for Jesus. With words at once practical and profound, her insights into humility, prayer, love of God and neighbor, self-sacrifice, and obedience mirror the example of her life. May they inspire you to do small things with great love, as Mother Teresa often admonished us. This book contains the statutes for the Third Order of the Missionaries of Charity, which provides new service opportunities for religious and lay people alike.

    

    R. Gordon Wasson, an internationally known ethnomycologist who was one of the first to investigate how these mushrooms were venerated and employed by different native peoples, here joins with three other scholars to discuss the evidence for his discoveries about these fungi, which he has called entheogens, or "god generated within."

    

    The origins and development of the Divine Office are traced through both Eastern and Western branches of the Church, providing a wealth of historical and liturgical information.From the small beginnings of a few Christians in New Testament Jerusalem, the prayer of the Church spread, changing and evolving as it met and was assimilated by different cultures.This classic study is a major resource for the liturgical scholar.

    The Upanishads form the foundation of the Hindu religion and describe the ultimate objective of life - the liberation of the soul from the bondage of the phenomenal world. Swami Nikhilananda's clear and insightful writing combined with notes and explanation based on the commentary of Sankaracharya, the great eighth-century philosopher and mystic of India, will help the spiritual seeker delve into the meaning of these spiritual treasures. This first of four volumes also contains an introduction with a general outline of the metaphysics and philosophy of Hinduism.

    In the latter his speciality has been the province of speech and words, and the history and philosophy of meaning. His works on these subjects have long won enthusiastic recognition in university circles, but are now reaching a wider public. He has been described by C. S. Lewis as 'the wisest of my unofficial advisers' and T. S. Eliot wrote of his Saving the Appearances that it was 'one of the few books which made me proud to be director of the firm which published them.' He has always been interested in the relation between poetry, philosophy, science and religion, and at the Goethe Centenary he gave a Broadcast talk on the BBC on the third programme on Goethe's scientific writings. He has recently returned from the USA, where he has spent two years as a visiting professor of Philosophy and Letters at Drew University and of English Literature at Brandeis. He early encountered the work of Rudolf Steiiner and soon recognized the immense contribution that Steiner had made towards a true understanding of the world and of man. The essays in this volume are at once the fruit of his study of Steiner's work and a new approach to that work from the angle of English literature. They form perhaps the best introduction to Steiner's work for the English literary mind. Owen Barfield, who died in 1997 shortly after entering his hundredth year, was one of the seminal minds of the twentieth century, of whom C. S. Lewis wrote "he towers above us all." His books have won respect from many writers other than Lewis, among them T. S. Eliot, J. R. R. Tolkein, and Saul Bellows, and John Lukacs. He was born in North London in 1898 and received his B.A. with first-class honors from Wadham College, Oxford, in 1921. He also earned B.C.L., M.A., and B.Litt. degrees from Oxford and was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He served as a solicitor for twenty-eight years until his retirement from legal practice in 1959. Barfield was a visiting professor at Brandeis and Drew Universities, Hamilton College, the University of Missouri at Columbia, UCLA, SUNY-Stony Brook, and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. His books include seven others published by The Barfield Press: Romanticism Comes of Age, Worlds Apart: A Dialogue of the 1960s, Unancestral Voice, Speaker's Meaning, What Coleridge Thought, The Rediscovery of Meaning, and History, Guilt and Habit.

    Catherine of Bologna, much venerated in her own city, has been little known outside of her native region but interest in her is now increasing. The outline of her life is clear and her own work, The Seven Spiritual Weapons, tells a good deal about her inner experiences and early years in the cloister. The introduction to this translation situates her life in the history of Ferrara and Bologna and studies how the external history of the community impinged on Catherine's own religious experience and how it was interwoven with her successful struggle against depression.

    The inspiring life-story of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein.

    160 full-color illustrations.Show More Show Less

    Hall is true both to the reality of suffering and to the affirmation that God creates, sustains, and redeems.Creative is his view that certain aspects of what we call suffering -- loneliness, experience of limits, temptation, anxiety -- are necessary parts of God's good creation. These he distinguishes from suffering after the fall, the tragic dimension of life.Unique is his structure:creation-suffering as becomingthe fall--suffering as a burdenredemption--conquest from within.Professor Hall succeeds in moving the reader beyond the customary way of stating the problem: How can undeserved suffering coexist with a just and almighty God? He also evaluates five popular, leading thinkers on suffering: Harold Kushner, C.S. Lewis, Diogenes Allen, George Buttrick, and Leslie Weatherhead.

    Eckhart the teacher is represented by the Commentary on Exodus and by selections from six other commentaries, including the Commentary on Wisdom 7:14, the Commentary on Ecclesiasticus 24:29, and the Commentary on John 14:8.Eckhart's ministry as a preacher was an equally important part of the man, and thus his sermons, from both the Latin and the Middle High German manuscripts, are included. What emerges is a comprehensive picture of the works of this great speculative theologian. Together with Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, Commentaries and Treatises, this work form the most extensive corpus of Eckhart's writings in English.

    Al Seckel has rescued many of Bertrand Russell's best essays on religion, free thought, and nationalism from their resting places in obscure pamphlets, hard-to-find books, and out-of print periodicals to form a superb compilation.

    In a conversational style, he describes the various levels of enthusiasm, the patterns that emerge, and problems that occur when people are at different stages of study and understanding. Formerly titled School of Kabbalah.

    Why is it that, after attaining many of our goals, we are left with a sense that something vital is missing? In his deeply inspiring bestseller, Rabbi Kushner shows us how to live as human beings are meant to. He guides us to a heightened sense of joy, purpose, and meaning, and helps us to redirect our energies toward goals that will bring us lasting happiness and true fulfillment.

    The series constitutes the most complete historical study ever made of the figure that has been called the second most famous personage in Christianity.In his first three volumes Jeffrey Burton Russell brought the history of Christian diabology to the end of the Middle Ages, showing the development of a degree of consensus, even in detail, on the concept of the Devil. Mephistopheles continues the story from the Reformation to the present, tracing the fragmentation of the tradition. Using examples from theology, philosophy, art, literature, and popular culture, he describes the great changes effected in our idea of the Devil by the intellectual and cultural developments of modem times.Emphasizing key figures and movements, Russell covers the apogee of the witch craze in the Renaissance and Reformation, the effects of the Enlightenment's rationalist philosophy, the Romantic image of Satan, and the cynical or satirical literary treatments of the Devil in the late nineteenth century. He concludes that although today the Devil may seem an outworn metaphor, the very real horrors of the twentieth century suggest the continuing need for some vital symbol of radical evil.A work of great insight and learning, Mephistopheles deepens our understanding of the ways in which people in Western societies have dealt with the problem of evil.

    Includes also a scholarly Introduction, an exhaustive Bibliography and a careful Index.

    A perfect gift for children ages 5-8. Parents will want to read the story of their child's patron saint and celebrate their feast day. Older children will be enthralled by the holy men and women who fed the poor, cared for the needy, and loved God. Teachers will share the saints' stories and pray with their students to these holy people. This is how children grow in their faith. Hardcover.

    Explains literary forms used in Scripture -- myth, gospel, parable, allegory, letter, and others -- and shows how this knowledge is important in interpreting the Bible.

    A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, in the American state of Kentucky, Merton was an acclaimed Catholic spiritual writer, poet, author and social activist. Merton wrote over 60 books, scores of essays and reviews, and is the ongoing subject of many biographies. Merton was also a proponent of inter-religious dialogue, engaging in spiritual dialogues with the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and D. T. Suzuki. His life and career were suddenly cut short at age 53, when he was electrocuted stepping out of his bath.

    

    Steiner gives an account of the activity of these groups working behind the scenes in the 19th century and points out their effects even in our time.

    Heard day and night, on the street, in taxis, in shops, in mosques, and in homes, the sound of recitation is far more than the pervasive background music of daily life in the Arab world. It is the core of religious devotion, the sanctioning spirit of much cultural and social life, and a valued art form in its own right. Participation in recitation, as reciter or listener, is itself an act of worship, for the sound is basic to a Muslim's sense of religion and invokes a set of meanings transcending the particular occasion. For the most part, Westerners have approached the Qur'an much as scriptural scholars have studied the Bible, as a collection of written texts. The Art of Reciting the Qur'an aims at redirecting that focus toward a deeper understanding of the Qur'an as a fundamentally oral phenomenon. Focusing on the Egyptian context, and examining Muslim attitudes toward the Qur'an, the institutions that regulate its recitation, and performer-audience expectations and interaction. Kristina Nelson, a trained Arabist and musicologist, casts new light on the significance of Qur'anic recitation within the world of Islam today. This new edition of a landmark study, with a new postscript, will be welcomed by all scholars and students of the modern Middle East, as well as by ethnomusicologists, anthropologists, linguists, folklorists, and religious scholars. ''This is an important book--a book of cultural translation in the best sense of the word: it translates meaning.'' --Regula Burckhardt Qureshi, Ethnomusicology ''Quite simply, the book changes the way one understands the Qur'an, and it changes the way one listens.'' --Philip D. Schuyler, MESA Bulletin

    The Swiss-German theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) was the most original and significant Reformed theologian of the twentieth century. Barth began the Church Dogmatics in 1932 and continued working on its thirteen volumes until the end of his life. Barth's writings continue to guide and instruct the preaching and teaching of pastors and academics worldwide. The English translation was prepared by a team of scholars and edited by G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance and published from 1936. A team of scholars at Princeton Theological Seminary have now provided the translation of Greek, Latin, Hebrew and French passages into English. The original is presented alongside the English translation. This makes the work more reader friendly and accessible to the growing number of students who do not have a working knowledge of the ancient languages. This new edition with translations is now available for the first time in individual volumes.>

    

    St. John Chrysostom's extant works outnumber those of any other Father of the East; in the West, only Augustine produced a larger corpus. Of Chrysostom's more than 600 exegetical homilies, however, only those on the New Testament have previously been translated into English.The Genesis homilies, his richest Old Testament series, reveal a theologian, pastor, and moralist struggling to explain some of the most challenging biblical material to his congregation in Antioch. He admonishes them to "apply yourself diligently to the reading of Sacred Scripture, not only when you come along here, but at home," encourages spiritual discourse, and frequently envisages them leaving church reminiscing on the day's sermon. While critical exegetical details go without mention and Chrysostom was limited to the Greek version of the Old Testament in his studies, his oratory has been judged golden and his theology profound. He was a preacher satisfied with commenting on Scripture with his moral purpose always to the fore.Chrysostom studied the Scriptures with Diodore of Tarsus, a distinguished exegete known from fragments of his commentaries on Genesis and Psalms, and a polemic style developed from his pastoral concern to protect his congregation from the dangerous influences of fourth-century Antioch. Most importantly, he shared the Antiochene school's insistence on the literal sense of Scripture and their unwillingness to engage in allegorical interpretation. As such, his Genesis homilies constitute a milestone in the history of biblical interpretation.This first of several volumes on Genesis contains homilies 1-17, delivered in Antioch before Chrysostom moved to Constantinople in 398. Robert C. Hill's thorough introduction highlights Chrysostom's significance as a scriptural commentator and provides the basis for an interesting comparison with modern commentators, such as Von Rad and Speiser.

    The Life Beyond shows how the Restoration changed despair to understanding, opening our eyes to the majesty of the plan of salvation. Included in this book are insights to the three degrees of glory, the spirit world, missionary work here and hereafter, and temple work. The authors also explore questions all of us have pondered: What do spirits know? What it is the purpose of ministering angels? How will those of less than normal mental powers be judged? Here is clear evidence of our eternal nature and our glorious potential in that life beyond mortality.

    Although Bach is most often remembered for his music, Jaroslav Pelikan here reminds us of the message of Bach's works and of his understanding and devotion to his vocation within the church. By relating Bach's work to the heritage of the Lutheran Reformation—musical as well as theological—Pelikan places Bach within the context of the theological currents of his time. Maintaining that the Reformation heritage provides the underlying thematic and religious inspiration for Bach's work, Pelikan delves into three main movements within Lutheran theology of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a framework for understanding Bach. He also demonstrates how Bach's sacred music complements and illustrates these theological trends. In the second portion of the book, Pelikan examines the theological motifs that are reflected in the texts Bach used and in the settings he provided for these texts. The author points to Bach's particular interest in the meaning of the cross, and to redemption and atonement through the death and resurrection of Christ. He notes the centrality of the "Passions" in Bach's lifework and their importance for the history of the doctrine of atonement. Bach Among the Theologians represents a unique inspirational complement to the many works that concentrate primarily on the composer's personal or secular life.

    This second edition, which is intended to reflect both changes in academia and in the world since 1987, includes almost all of the 2,750 original entries -- many heavily updated -- as well as approximately 600 entirely new articles. Preserving the best of Eliade's cross-cultural approach, while emphasizing religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture, this new edition is the definitive work in the field for the 21st century. An international team of scholars and contributors have reviewed, revised and added to every word of the classic work, making it relevant to the questions and interests of all researchers. The result is an essential purchase for libraries of all kinds.

    Woodhouse emphasizes Plethon's controversy with George Scholarios on the respective meritsof Plato and Aristotle and his important impact on the Italian humanists during the Council of Union at Ferrara and Florence in 1438-9. Though Plethon's ambition to create a new religion based on Neoplatonism was never realized, his ideas had a significant influence on the westernRenaissance.

    Less familiar is the Byzantine reaction that followed in the patriarchate of Gregory of Cyprus, when the settlement of 1274 was formally repudiated by imperial decree and the Council of Blachernae. Includes index.

    He provides fresh insights into such diverse issues as whether the goal of medicine is to forestall death, how moral relations in a family may be redefined in response to novel reproductive techniques, and whether there are limits to the duties of parents of children who are disabled." --Cynthia B. Cohen, Ph.D., J.D., The Hastings Center "A well-formed theological perspective that illuminates the moral life, particularly medical care and the care of children and the handicapped." --James S. Childress, University of Virginia

    "A writer who handles words with grace....Catherine Marshall invades fields where most religious leaders fear to tread"..........Nashville Tennessean