Learning to Walk in the Dark


Barbara Brown Taylor - 2014
    Doesn’t God work in the nighttime as well? In Learning to Walk in the Dark, Taylor asks us to put aside our fears and anxieties and to explore all that God has to teach us “in the dark.” She argues that we need to move away from our “solar spirituality” and ease our way into appreciating “lunar spirituality” (since, like the moon, our experience of the light waxes and wanes). Through darkness we find courage, we understand the world in new ways, and we feel God’s presence around us, guiding us through things seen and unseen. Often, it is while we are in the dark that we grow the most.With her characteristic charm and literary wisdom, Taylor is our guide through a spirituality of the nighttime, teaching us how to find our footing in times of uncertainty and giving us strength and hope to face all of life’s challenging moments.

Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine


Alan Lightman - 2018
    Even as a teenager, experimenting in his own laboratory, he was impressed by the logic and materiality of the universe, which is governed by a small number of disembodied forces and laws. Those laws decree that all things in the world are material and impermanent. But one summer evening, while looking at the stars from a small boat at sea, Lightman was overcome by the overwhelming sensation that he was merging with something larger than himself--a grand and eternal unity, a hint of something absolute and immaterial. Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine is the result of these seemingly contradictory impulses, written as an extended meditation on an island in Maine, where Lightman and his wife spend their summers. Framing the dialogue between religion and science as a contrast between absolutes and relatives, Lightman explores our human quest for truth and meaning and the different methods of religion and science in that quest. Along the way, he draws from sources ranging from St. Augustine's conception of absolute truth to Einstein's relativity, from a belief in the divine and eternal nature of stars to their discovered materiality and mortality, from the unity of the once indivisible atom to the multiplicity of subatomic particles and the recent notion of multiple universes. What emerges is not only an understanding of the encounter between science and religion but also a profound exploration of the complexity of human existence.

The First 2,000 Years: From Adam To Abraham


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

There Is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind


Antony Flew - 2007
    His famous paper, Theology and Falsification, was first presented at a meeting of the Oxford Socratic Club chaired by C. S. Lewis and went on to become the most widely reprinted philosophical publication of the last five decades. Flew earned his fame by arguing that one should presuppose atheism until evidence of a God surfaces. He now believes that such evidence exists, and There Is a God chronicles his journey from staunch atheism to believer.For the first time, this book will present a detailed and fascinating account of Flew's riveting decision to revoke his previous beliefs and argue for the existence of God. Ever since Flew's announcement, there has been great debate among atheists and believers alike about what exactly this "conversion" means. There Is a God will finally put this debate to rest.This is a story of a brilliant mind and reasoned thinker, and where his lifelong intellectual pursuit eventually led him: belief in God as designer.

Of Pigs, Pearls, and Prodigals: A Fresh Look At the Parables of Jesus


John Bytheway - 2010
    I can see families doing a different parable each week for Family Home Evening, for example." -The Association for Mormon LettersListen to an interview with John Bytheway from The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat.MormonTimes.com article about Of Pigs, Pearls, and Prodigals by Trent Toone (Click Here)Enlighten your study of the New Testament!Bestselling author John Bytheway's fascination with the parables of Jesus Christ grew deeper after his first visit to the Holy Land, where he "beheld in high definition the backdrop for the life and teachings of the Savior." In this insightful volume, he discusses what he has learned about more than thirty parables, sharing cultural background and other information about them and offering ideas for how we can apply them today. Throughout, visual images clarify and enrich the discussion.Beginners and seasoned students alike will enjoy this lively and practical treatment of the Savior's parables.ContentsIntroductionThe Parable of the House Built upon a RockMatthew 7:24-27The Parable of the Sower (of Four Kinds of Soil)Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23The Parable of the Wheat and the TaresMatthew 12:24-30, 36-43The Parable of the Mustard SeedMatthew 13:31-32The Parable of the LeavenMatthew 13:33The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great PriceMatthew 13:44-46The Parable of the Gospel NetMatthew 13:47-40The Parable of the HouseholderMatthew 13:51-52The Parable of the Unmerciful ServantMatthew 18:23-35The Parable of the Laborers in the VineyardMatthew 20:1-16The Parable of the Two SonsMatthew 21:28-31The Parable of the Wicked HusbandmenMatthew 21:33-46The Parable of the Royal Marriage FeastMatthew 22:1-14The Parable of the Ten VirginsMatthew 25:1-13The Parable of the TalentsMatthew 25:14-30The Parable of the Sheep and the GoatsMatthew 25:31-46The Parable of the Seed Growing SecretlyMark 4:26-29The Parable of the Two DebtorsLuke 7:36-50The Parable of the Good SamaritanLuke 10:25-37The Parable of the Foolish Rich ManLuke 12:16-21The Parable of the Barren Fig TreeLuke 13:6-9The Parable of the Chief SeatsLuke 14:7-11The Parable of the Great SupperLuke 14:16-24The Parables of the uncompleted Tower and the King's WarfareLuke 14:28-33The Parable of the Lost SheepLuke 15:3-7The Parable of the Lost CoinLuke 15:8-10The Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) SonLuke 15:11-32The Parable of the Unjust StewardLuke 16:1-8The Parable of the Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31The Parable of the Unjust Judge (or Importunate Widow)Luke 18:1-8The Parable of the Pharisee and the PublicanLuke 18:9-14The Parable of the PoundsLuke 19:12-27ConclusionSources CitedIndex

Reasonable Faith


William Lane Craig - 1984
    The average Christian does not realize that there is an intellectual war going on in the universities and in the professional journals and scholarly societies. Christianity is being attacked from all sides as irrational or outmoded, and millions of students, our future generation of leaders have absorbed this viewpoint. This is a war which we cannot afford to lose.... "In addition to serving, like the rest of theology in general, as an expression of our loving God with all our minds, apologetics specifically serves to show to unbelievers the truth of the Christian faith, to confirm that faith to believers, and to reveal and explore the connections between Christian doctrine and other truths.... Apologetics... is a theoretical discipline that tries to answer the question, What rational defense can be given for the Christian faith?"This book by respected philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig has been thoroughly revised and updated to equip believers in the successful proclamation of biblical truth claims. The author gives careful attention to crucial questions and concerns, including: How Do I Know Christianity Is True?, The Absurdity of Life Without God, The Existence of God, The Problem of Miracles, and The Resurrection of Jesus.An invaluable scholarly resource for all committed defenders of the Christian faith.

Anytime, Anywhere


John H. Groberg - 2006
    Kimball called John H. Groberg to serve as a full-time General Authority. Stunned, the only question the newly called Elder Groberg could think to ask was, “Does this mean we will have to leave Idaho Falls?” President Kimball hugged him and said tenderly, “I know exactly how you feel. It is good to love your hometown and your roots, but yes, this will mean moving anytime, anywhere in the whole world, for the rest of your life.” Filled with Elder Groberg’s trademark inspirational stories, this book takes us from Mongolia to Argentina. Fascinating insights into the lives of Saints across the globe, all from a firsthand perspective, testify of the reality of miracles in our day. Few of us will be called upon to serve as General Authorities, but anyone who has made gospel covenants has made the same promise to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. Learn how God’s children throughout the world are blessed as they—and we—keep the covenants we have made to serve anytime, anywhere!

By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri


Charles M. Larson - 1992
    A survey of the controversy surrounding Mormon founder Joseph Smith's claim that he translated the Book of Abraham from an ancient Egyptian papyrus.

Why Religion?: A Personal Story


Elaine Pagels - 2018
    Here she interweaves a personal story with the work that she loves, illuminating how, for better and worse, religious traditions have shaped how we understand ourselves; how we relate to one another; and, most importantly, how to get through the most difficult challenges we face.Drawing upon the perspectives of neurologists, anthropologists, and historians, as well as her own research, Pagels opens unexpected ways of understanding persistent religious aspects of our culture.A provocative and deeply moving account from one of the most compelling religious thinkers at work today, Why Religion? explores the spiritual dimension of human experience.

Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball


Edward L. Kimball - 2005
    Kimball, from 1973 to 1985, spanned years of remarkable growth and dramatic developments in the Church. In that time, Church membership grew from 3.2 million to 5.9 million, the number of full-time missionaries serving grew from 17,000 to nearly 40,000 and temples in operation increased from 15 to 36. This book focuses exclusively on President Kimball's ministry as Church President, describing such landmark events as the revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy males, the publication of new editions of the LDS scriptures, and the reorganization of the quorum of the Seventy. The accompanying CD-ROM (created by BYU Studies) contains a wealth of additional information, including a longer version of the biography, photos not included in the book, some audio clips of President Kimball (including a sample before the surgery on his throat), as well as copies of other books written by or about President Kimball.

Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution


Kenneth R. Miller - 1999
    Focusing on the ground-breaking and often controversial science of Charles Darwin, the author seeks to bridge the gulf between science and religion on the subject of human evolution.

Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-Day Saints


Richard Neitzel Holzapfel - 2006
    Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament is richly illustrated with hundreds of images, including original artwork, artifacts, maps, and timelines. Uncover the origins of the books of the New Testament and learn how stories of Christ's life and teachings were preserved after His death. Explore the relationships between Greek, Roman, and Jewish culture that explain much about how the gospel was shared and recorded. Examine scriptural issues that have been debated by scholars throughout the ages. Nearly 300 topics provide valuable context to understanding New Testament times, from the role of women and families, to portraits of key personalities, to controversial legends that have persisted to our day. This unique resource is sure to enrich New Testament studies as never before!

Christ in Every Hour


Anthony Sweat - 2016
    

Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition


Wendell Berry - 2000
    Winner, Washington Post Book World"I am tempted to say he understands [Consilience] better than Wilson himself…A new emancipation proclamation in which he speaks again and again about how to defy the tyranny of scientific materialism" ---Colin C. Campbell, Christian Science Monitor"Berry takes a wrecking ball to E. O. Wilson's Consilience, reducing its smug assumptions regarding the fusion of science, art, and religion to so much rubble. --Kirkus ReviewsIn Life Is a Miracle, the devotion of science to the quantitative and reductionist world is measured against the mysterious, qualitative suggestions of religion and art. Berry sees life as the collision of these separate forces, but without all three in the mix we are left at sea in the world.

That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon’s Perspective on Faith & Family


Tom Christofferson - 2017
    "Some of my gay friends—as well as some of the LDS friends—are a little surprised that I think it's possible to be a gay Mormon."In That We May Be One, Tom Christofferson shares perspectives gained from his life's journey as a gay man who left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then returned to it. After having asked to be excommunicated from the faith he was raised in, Tom spent two decades in a loving relationship with a committed partner. But gradually, the love of family, friends, and strangers and the Spirit of the Lord worked on him until he found himself one night sitting in his car in front of the bishop's house...This book is about the lessons Tom, his family, and his fellow Saints learned while trying to love as God loves. It is about the scope and strength of this circle of love and about how learning the truth of our relationship with God draws us to Him. For anyone who has wondered how to keep moving forward in the face of difficult decisions and feelings of ambiguity; for anyone who needs to better understand the redeeming power of our Savior, Jesus Christ; for anyone who seeks to love more fully; this book offers reassurance and testimony of God's love for all of His children.