The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus


Marvin W. Meyer - 2005
    Marvin Meyer, premier scholar of Gnostic and other Christian literature outside the New Testament, presents every Gnostic Gospel and Jesus text with a brilliant overall introduction, introductions to each text, and notes that explain everything the reader needs to know to understand the text. He includes his latest translations of not only the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary, but other texts such as the Secret Book of John, which some scholars regard as the second part of the New Testament Gospel of John. The material is largely from the discovery at Nag Hammadi, freshly translated and introduced, but also includes texts found elsewhere. The texts, especially taken together, present an image of Jesus as the ultimate wisdom teacher, a kind of mysterious Jewish Zen master, who scandalized listeners by his radical egalitarianism (regarding women, slaves, the poor, the marginalized as of equal status, or more, with establishment male believers) and his insistence on living the message, spiritual experience, vs. outer observance only. For those wanting to learn more after reading The Da Vinci Code. This book provides the definitive next book for those looking for expert presentation of the alternative Gnostic stream of Christianity, in which there is no talk of crucifixion and Mary Magdalene is presented as the disciple that Jesus loved best. "Marv is one of the original secret gospels scholars who has done an enormous amount of work to bring these texts to light. All of his research on the Nag Hammadi texts is having an incredible impact on our knowledge of early Christian history--it is virtually redefining it." --Dr. Elaine Pagels, Princeton University

Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life


Johnnette S. Benkovic - 1998
    —from Chapter Eight What happens when women give their lives over to God? They become vessels of grace, bearers of healing, consolation, encouragement and strength to a troubled world. Far from being passive, the woman of grace will actively embrace God's will, actively seek out the suffering and lost, and actively bring God's healing love to others. If she accepts God's call to authentic womanhood, her role, in the words of a closing speech at Vatican Council II, becomes nothing less than to "aid humanity in not falling." Full of Grace will empower all women to fully embrace their God-given identity. This edition of Full of Grace is now correlated to The Women of Grace® Foundational Study Series. A Servant Book. "A beautiful woman-to-woman book on the way to holiness for Catholic women. A book for all ages."—Ronda De Sola Chervin, Ph.D., author and speaker "Johnnette Benkovic masterfully combines the teachings of Scripture and the Church with a down-to-earth program for the way to holiness, upholding the mission of Christian women in the world today."—Father George T. Montague, S.M., author of The Woman and the Way "Well-written, well-researched and filled with spiritual insight, this spiritual manual is a true aid to those who seek holiness."—Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D., author, The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church "A glowing account flowing out of a maternal heart that illuminates the glorious mission God has confided to women in the world and in the Church."—Alice von Hildebrand, Ph.D., author and speaker

Doubt: A History


Jennifer Michael Hecht - 2003
    This is an account of the world's greatest ‘intellectual virtuosos,' who are also humanity's greatest doubters and disbelievers, from the ancient Greek philosophers, Jesus, and the Eastern religions, to modern secular equivalents Marx, Freud and Darwin—and their attempts to reconcile the seeming meaninglessness of the universe with the human need for meaning,This remarkable book ranges from the early Greeks, Hebrew figures such as Job and Ecclesiastes, Eastern critical wisdom, Roman stoicism, Jesus as a man of doubt, Gnosticism and Christian mystics, medieval Islamic, Jewish and Christian skeptics, secularism, the rise of science, modern and contemporary critical thinkers such as Schopenhauer, Darwin, Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, the existentialists.

Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive


Kristen J. Sollee - 2017
    This innovative primer highlights sexual liberation as it traces the lineage of “witch feminism.” Juxtaposing scholarly research on the demonization of women and female sexuality that has continued since the witch hunts of the early modern era with pop occulture analyses and interviews with activists, artists, scholars, and practitioners of witchcraft, this book enriches our contemporary conversations about reproductive rights, sexual pleasure, queer identity, pornography, sex work, and more.Kristen J. Sollee is instructor at The New School and founding editrix of Slutist, an award-winning sex positive feminist website."

A Cup of Comfort Women of the Bible Devotional: Daily Reflections Inspired by Scripture's Most Beloved Heroines


James Stuart Bell - 2009
    Now these inspirational reflections have been collected in one place with this devotional. This beautifully packaged volume features twelve poignant stories for each month and a year’s worth of daily reflections. You will relate to how other women deal with life in relation to biblical women through stories, such as: Betty, who finds the wisdom she needs from Martha when she feels too busy and overwhelmed with life to take the time to talk with Jesus Susan, who lost her husband to colon cancer, turns to the example of Elizabeth by sharing in the joy of others who recover from the same type of cancer, instead of harboring resentment Love, motherhood, sadness, joy, grief—everything is explored by these contributors. The power of these biblical women will inspire you to call upon God’s love, help, and grace whenever needed.

Earth: In the Beginning


Eric N. Skousen - 1996
    The author also examines the surprising and significant effects of the Fall on the earth itself.It was not until the original writings of Moses and Abraham were restored that modern students of the earth's creation story were in a position to begin assembling the illuminating facts that are resented in this book.For those who enjoy contemplating both the findings of science and the revelations of God, this will be an extremely stimulating and provocative study.Among the questions addressed and answered in this book are:Where did the earth's creation take place? Who participated?Did the creation take 6,000 years or millions of years?How did life begin on the earth? How did it develop?Where did the dinosaurs come from? Why were they here?Did human beings live on the earth before the arrival of Adam and Eve?What really happened in the Garden of Eden?Are there evidences of God's handiwork in the rock record of the earth?Are there answers to the unresolved questions of earth scientists in God's revealed record of the creation?Why did the Fall have such important astronomical and geological implications for the earth?And finally: What we hear in church about the creation doesn't always match wat we learn in school--or does it?

The Perennial Philosophy


Aldous Huxley - 1944
    The Perennial Philosophy includes selections from Meister Eckhart, Rumi, and Lao Tzu, as well as the Bhagavad Gita, Tibetan Book of the Dead, Diamond Sutra, and Upanishads, among many others.

The Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary


Susie Larson - 2008
    She has an unfulfilled desire to be someone who goes against the grain of the common for the sole purpose of living a life with conviction. The woman who reads this book is ready to believe in her deep value, ready to accept her high calling, and ready to make a difference in a world in need of her influence. Go ahead, swim against the stream to become The Uncommon Woman.

The Old Testament Made Easier Part 2: Selections from Exodus Through Proverbs


David J. Ridges - 2006
    Ridges brings the books of Exodus through Ruth to life with his well-known teaching skills. In addition, he provides some direction and helps for understanding 1 Samuel through Proverbs. In-the-verse notes provide a highly effective, unique teaching tool. Notes between the verses provide additional insights and teach principles and doctrines. Join the tens of thousands of readers who have experienced spiritual growth from reading and pondering the books in this series.

Bhagavad Gita


Barbara Stoler Miller - 1998
    One of the great classics of world literature, it has inspired such diverse thinkers as Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, and T.S. Eliot; most recently, it formed the core of Peter Brook's celebrated production of the "Mahabharata."

The Life of Buddha and Its Lessons


Henry Steel Olcott - 1912
    

The Emotionally Healthy Woman: Eight Things You Have to Quit to Change Your Life


Geri Scazzero - 2012
    She felt like a single parent raising her four young daughters alone. She finally told her husband, “I quit,” and left the thriving church he pastored, beginning a journey that transformed her and her marriage for the better.In The Emotionally Healthy Woman, Geri provides you a way out of an inauthentic, superficial spirituality to genuine freedom in Christ. This book is for every woman who thinks, “I can’t keep pretending everything is fine!”The journey to emotional health begins by quitting. Geri quit being afraid of what others think. She quit lying. She quit denying her anger and sadness. She quit living someone else’s life. When you quit those things that are damaging to your soul or the souls of others, you are freed up to choose other ways of being and relating that are rooted in love and lead to life.When you quit for the right reasons, at the right time, and in the right way, you’re on the path not only to emotional health, but also to the true purpose of your life. "QUITTING WILL SET YOU FREE!Not a typical message heard in the church today, especially among 'nice, Christian women," but one that has been needed for years! By refusing to cling to a shell of pretension, the true freedom of our new lives in Christ is realized, and Geri shows us how. A fast, informed read, this book breaks down the walls of the false ideals we cling to in and shows us that by quitting these idols, we re-discover God's love. I was supposed to read this book. I needed to read this book. Thank you, Geri."Kim de Blecourt, Short-term Adventure Specialist with Food for Orphans and author of "Until We All Come Home: A Harrowing Journey, a Mother's Courage, a Race to Freedom"