To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World


James Davison Hunter - 2010
    But why have efforts to change the world by Christians so often failed or gone tragically awry? And how might Christians in the 21st century live in ways that have integrity with their traditions and are more truly transformative? In To Change the World, James Davison Hunter offers persuasive—and provocative—answers to these questions.Hunter begins with a penetrating appraisal of the most popular models of world-changing among Christians today, highlighting the ways they are inherently flawed and therefore incapable of generating the change to which they aspire. Because change implies power, all Christian eventually embrace strategies of political engagement. Hunter offers a trenchant critique of the political theologies of the Christian Right and Left and the Neo-Anabaptists, taking on many respected leaders, from Charles Colson to Jim Wallis and Stanley Hauerwas. Hunter argues that all too often these political theologies worsen the very problems they are designed to solve. What is really needed is a different paradigm of Christian engagement with the world, one that Hunter calls "faithful presence"—an ideal of Christian practice that is not only individual but institutional; a model that plays out not only in all relationships but in our work and all spheres of social life. He offers real-life examples, large and small, of what can be accomplished through the practice of "faithful presence." Such practices will be more fruitful, Hunter argues, more exemplary, and more deeply transfiguring than any more overtly ambitious attempts can ever be.Written with keen insight, deep faith, and profound historical grasp, To Change the World will forever change the way Christians view and talk about their role in the modern world.

Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain


Sathnam Sanghera - 2021
    In prose that is, at once, both clear-eyed and full of acerbic wit, Sanghera shows how our past is everywhere: from how we live to how we think, from the foundation of the NHS to the nature of our racism, from our distrust of intellectuals in public life to the exceptionalism that imbued the campaign for Brexit and the government's early response to the Covid crisis. And yet empire is a subject, weirdly hidden from view.The British Empire ran for centuries and covered vast swathes of the world. It is, as Sanghera reveals, fundamental to understanding Britain. However, even among those who celebrate the empire there seems to be a desire not to look at it too closely - not to include the subject in our school history books, not to emphasize it too much in our favourite museums.At a time of great division, when we are arguing about what it means to be British, Sanghera's book urges us to address this bewildering contradiction. For, it is only by stepping back and seeing where we really come from, that we can begin to understand who we are, and what unites us.

The Non-Prophet's Guide™ to the End Times: Bible Prophecy for Everyone


Todd Hampson - 2018
     But God's Word says, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near" (Revelation 1:3). Prepare to be blessed in an entertaining and meaningful way! The Non-Prophet's Guide to the End Times combines engaging illustrations with down-to-earth explanations to help you navigate the ins and outs of Bible prophecy. There's no better time to grasp God's plans for the future—and for you—than this very moment.

Christian Pipe-Smoking: An Introduction to Holy Incense


Uriesou Brito - 2014
    All four of these good things are guaranteed to happen if you but promise to go onto your porch tomorrow with your pad or other device, light your pipe, and Tolle Lege.

Daniel's 70 Week's: Profiles in Prophecy


Chuck Missler - 2000
    Do you know the Most Amazing Passage in the entire Bible?In this study of Daniel's 70 Weeks, you will discover this amazing prophecy in the Old Testament predicted the very day that Jesus presented Himself as the Meschiach Nagid, the Messiah the King, to Jerusalem.The Seventy Week Prophecy of Daniel 9 includes the most incredible validation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, which He held them accountable to have known.In a confidential briefing to His disciples, Jesus also highlights this passage as the key to understanding all other prophecies concerning His return.It is essential to understanding the Book of Revelation and other related passage

The Lost Boy


Aher Arop Bol - 2009
    It is the 1980s and they are fleeing the civil war in Sudan. This remarkable account tracks Bol’s boyhood through one camp after another, through good times and bad, until he begins a vast journey through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe which finally ends in South Africa some ten years later. By the time Bol reaches Pretoria, he is in his early twenties, and for the first time finds himself without a purpose. Hoping to lift his spirits, he starts studying English at a school for refugees. He recounts his life experiences to a teacher, who suggests he writes it all down. The result is this book.

In God We Doubt: Confessions of a Failed Atheist


John Humphrys - 2007
    But John Humphrys is proud to count himself among the agnostic ranks. In this candid memoir he charts the history of his spiritual life, from his Christian childhood through the years in which he prayed every day of his life until his growing doubts finally began to overwhelm his faith. In 2006, he challenged the leaders of three of the world’s biggest religions to prove to him that God does exist, all to no avail. Enthusiastic and honest, this intriguing study shows that while doubt is not the easiest option, if is often the only possible one for the millions who can find no easy answers to the most profound questions.

The Color of Grace


Bethany Haley Williams - 2014
    Meet Denis. Denis was abducted at the age of ten after being forced to watch members of the LRA murder his father and grandparents. His younger siblings were left behind, and his mother was instructed to "raise them well... for one day we'll return to take them too." Denis is one of thousands of innocent boys and girls who have had their innocence stolen and are forced to do the unthinkable on a daily basis. But their horrific experiences are just the beginning. The real story is what happens "after." Once the children escape or are rescued, they have to find a way to live again. This is where Bethany Haley comes in. Faced with her own failures and rocky journey toward healing, Bethany founded Exile International--a foundation that uses art and expression therapy to help with the healing process. Once these children learn to face their pasts, they are given hope for a future and a vision for making a difference in their country as peace-makers. Featuring a foreword by Katie Davis, author of the bestseller "Kisses from Katie," this riveting narrative shows us that no matter what hardships we have endured, there is always a way to healing and a positive future.

Give Me This Mountain


Helen Roseveare - 1966
    Helen Roseveare, well-known missionary doctor and author. She worked in the north-eastern province of the Belgian Congo with the Heart of Africa Mission in the 1950's and 60's. Physical dangers and her personal ambition in the Congo often almost sank her, but her faith and hard work brought her through. Her story is one of bright mountains, conquered after experiencing the dark valleys and learning to give the glory to God.

Cry, the Beloved Country: A Novel of South Africa: (A Study)


Edward Callan - 1991
    

God Is Holy


R.C. Sproul - 2014
    R.C. Sproul explains who God is and why His unveiled presence is so terrifying. Against God's pure and perfect righteousness, we see the depth of our sin and our inability to stand before His judgement. Yet the holy God is also a God of grace. He has provided a way for us to find peace with Him and boldly approach His throne. But there is only one way. Will you take it?

Sex, Lies & Stellenbosch


Eva Mazza - 2019
    Written as fiction to protect the innocent, the book exposes the explosive dark truths of the Winelands' elite. All is revealed through the eyes of stay at home mom, 49-year-old Jen, who is the wife of John, a renowned wine farmer and businessman. Jen, like many of her privileged friends, lives a charmed life provided by her husband, in exchange for conjugal sex and obligatory wifely gratitude. When Jen stumbles upon her playboy husband in a compromising position with his sexy employee, things fall apart. Jen is forced to choose between leaving her marriage, jeopardising her standing and stability in the community or turning a blind eye to his infidelity. The book follows Jen's passage to self-discovery and self-fulfillment, while other characters' perspectives move the story forward as each is privy to (and eventually reveals) at least one 'truth' or 'lie' which Jen must face. Jen's exposition of her husband's infidelity inadvertently mirrors the underbelly of the patriarchal and often duplicitous community of the seemingly perfect Stellenbosch. Led by prominent wine farmers, international businessmen and renowned academics, business and private interests, even if ethically compromised, are staunchly guarded. The unfolding chapters irreverently explore both the emotional growth of the protagonist, Jen, as well as the moral ambiguities of the other players in the book. Characters like Lee, John's childhood friend and unknown ally to Jen, and marriage wrecker, Patty, blur lines between right and wrong and what is decent and moral. The alluring opulence of the rich and privileged setting of the famed Cape Winelands is complemented by the very real, often funny and indeed relatable crises that Jen is forced to confront. Sex,Lies & Stellenbosch is a page turner - sexy, fast-paced and entertaining.

Dance, Stand, Run: The God-Inspired Moves of a Woman on Holy Ground


Jess Connelly - 2017
    But it's not cheap—true grace compels us to change. That’s where holiness comes in.Beloved writer, speaker, and bestselling coauthor of Wild and Free Jess Connolly will be the first to admit that not long ago, like many women, she grasped grace but she had forgotten holiness. Dance, Stand, Run charts her discovery that holiness was never meant to be a shaming reminder of what we “should” be doing, but rather a profound privilege of becoming more like Christ. That’s when we start to change the world, rather than being changed by it.Dance, Stand, Run is an invitation to the daughters of God to step into the movements of abundant life: dancing in grace, standing firm in holiness, and running on mission. Through story and study, Jess casts a fresh vision for how to live into your identity as a holy daughter of God, how to break free of cheap grace and empty rule-keeping, and finally, how to live out your holy influence with confidence before a watching world. Spoiler alert: it’s a beautiful thing.For anyone longing to take their place in what God is doing in the world, Dance, Stand, Run will rally your strength, refresh your purpose, and energize your faith in a God who calls us to be like Him.

Nelson's Dream


J.M. Newsome - 2008
    At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. Nelson Mbizi returns to his home in southern Africa after studying in Britain. When he tries to help a family of orphans he meets Viki, a South African TV presenter. The story of Nelson and Viki's relationship is told against a background of HIV/AIDS and government corruption on the one hand, and great good humour and wonderful music on the other. Contains a paperback and 3 Audio CDs with complete text recordings from the book.

Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion


Alain de Botton - 2011
    Religion for Atheists suggests that rather than mocking religions, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from them – because they're packed with good ideas on how we might live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, Alain (a non-believer himself) proposes that we should look to religions for insights into, among other concerns, how to:- build a sense of community- make our relationships last- overcome feelings of envy and inadequacy- escape the twenty-four hour media- go travelling- get more out of art, architecture and music- and create new businesses designed to address our emotional needs.For too long non-believers have faced a stark choice between either swallowing lots of peculiar doctrines or doing away with a range of consoling and beautiful rituals and ideas. At last, in Religion for Atheists, Alain has fashioned a far more interesting and truly helpful alternative.