But through the transformative power of grace, he discovered the God who loved and accepted unconditionally, freeing him to ask the hard questions and delve into one of Christianity's greatest taboos: doubt. In Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I've Crossed, Jay voices the questions that Christians are thinking but won't ask as he chronicles his doubt about God, the Bible, heaven and hell, church, society, relationships, grace, and love. In the process he encourages all of us to welcome "the other", to read the Bible differently but better, to draw together in community, and to seek an unknown God of limitless grace. Brutally honest but full of grace, Jay invites everyone to cross the line, to dig deeper, and to discover a faith that is beyond belief.

    But very few people could say just how its seemingly disparate jumble of writings — stories, letters, poems, collections of laws, religious visions — got there. Filling this knowledge gap, How the Bible Was Built clearly tells the story of how the Bible came to be. Penned by Charles Merrill Smith in response to his teenage granddaughter’s questions, the manuscript was discovered after Smith’s death and has been reworked by his friend James Bennett for a wider audience. Free of theological or sectarian slant, this little volume provides a concise, factual overview of the Bible’s construction throughout history, outlining how its various books were written and collected and later canonized and translated. Written in an easy conversational style and enhanced by two helpful appendixes (of biblical terms and dates), How the Bible Was Built will give a more informed understanding of the Bible to people of virtually any reading level and any religious persuasion. Did you know?The word “Bible” comes from biblion, a Greek word meaning “papyrus scroll.”It took several thousand years to construct the Bible.The book we call Deuteronomy was discovered hidden away in a dark corner during the reconstruction of the temple under King Josiah.The Apocrypha contains some of the earliest “detective” stories on record.Church councils had many disagreements about which books ought to be authoritative (a book called the Shepherd of Hermas almost made the cut; the book of Revelation almost didn’t).A heretic helped form the canon.Debate over the canon didn’t really end until the Protestant Reformation and the use of the printing press.

    With prophetic relevance, New York Times bestselling author Preston Sprinkle tackles the controversy surrounding violence and grapples with surprising conclusions. Anyone who has struggled with the morality of violence will appreciate this convincing biblical guide.

    Why was I born? What??'s important in life? How do I know the right thing to do? What does it mean to "make a difference"? What??'s wrong with me ? why can???t I change? Such questions are so deeply human that they transcend time and place, religions and cultures.In this inviting book Joan Chittister presents the insights of others from different cultures throughout history who have grappled with the same kinds of life questions that plague us here and now. Through stories and wisdom literature from major religious traditions ? Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam ? Chittister highlights practical, universal truths and deftly shows how each spiritual tradition brings a special gift to the art of living a meaningful, spiritually aware life.A rich exploration of spirituality, Welcome to the Wisdom of the World addresses some of our most challenging issues ? ambition, security, romance, abandonment, failure, and more ? acknowledging the truth we can find in the wisdom of our human past and the connections we can make through our differences. This is a book for anyone who wants to grow spiritually and to become more fully human.

    His body twitched, and then lay still.The Lama nodded again to the acolyte, who touched flame to the third stick of incense. "Spirit now released from the suffering body," said the Lama, "pay attention before setting out on your journey; pay attention for I shall detail to you the steps you must take, and the path you must follow..."The fourth stick of incense was lit, and the smoke trailed upwards, as if it had been drawn in blue-gray chalk, straight as a pillar in the almost airless room...

    Three short years transformed Romero, archbishop of San Salvador, from a conservative defender of the status quo into one of the church's most outspoken voices of the oppressed. Though silenced by an assassin's bullet, his spirit and the challenge of his life lives on.

    But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA. As she lives and worships alongside these “ac­cidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand en­counters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are trans­formed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own. In a time when many have rightly become dis­illusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints dem­onstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike. Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.From the Hardcover edition.

    But a closer look at Dr. Seuss's stories reveals that many are inspirational as well as instructive. In this readily accessible resource, James Kemp finds parallels between the actions of cats in hats, Grinches, Snitches, Sneetches, and other Creachas and lessons found in Scripture.

    Over 160 large photographs show Hatha expert Sri Swami Satchidananda performing more than 80 postures, breathing practices, relaxation, cleansing and concentration techniques. Instructions are easy to follow and describe how the body and mind benefit from each pose. Practice routines for beginning, intermediate and advanced students are suggested.

    The Atheist knows that god did not make man. The opposite is true - man made god in the image and likeness of a man, in the form of a virile Greco-Roman male in his early prime. Man completed this effort over 2,300 years ago. With this creation came religion. We know that religion requires unconditional belief and complete submission, without thought. Any discipline based on belief in man’s written words - requires complete submission - without concern for facts; and a set of rules that knowingly and completely overlook self-determination - appears cult like, trivial, and not worthy of respect. Upon examining, the benefits of believing Atheists realize that any benefit or benefits derived from affiliation with religion are at their very best meaningless or insignificant. Atheists are aware of atrocities committed in the name of spiritual superiority. Atheists view these events as wasteful, shameful, and as always elusive of any perceived victory and devoid of any social redeeming qualities or values. Accepting this truth is imperative, as it is so easy to verify, too many lose contact with reality based on trivial religious beliefs and bizarre religious doctrine. Most of religion’s beliefs are products of the ninth thru fifteenth century - the Dark-Ages period of Western Europe. These products include very basic child-like stories intended for the most uneducated members of society including pseudo horror stories. The stories are about demons, evil spirits, devils, and the like. However, the target audience changed now religion is an exceedingly mainstream belief system and extremely profitable for its promoters. Religion’s impact on our society is shocking, almost mind boggling. The wild stories work even today. If you are a clever preacher, you can tell your followers you saw a man walk on water. Many will believe you. The answers to the so-called mysteries of faith never elude us as they are in any public library. Most are just too lazy, complacent, stupid, or fearful to conduct the required research to explore such topics. “He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors” Thomas Jefferson April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826 Truth is not in demand in this society. We stand in abject fear of learning the truth. In being honest with ourselves, we must admit and accept that of our own volition we constructed a high tech do-it-yourself version of the European Dark-Ages in this so-called 21st century. We refer to this, as fundamentalism. After a thousand years of mental conditioning, we must admit the churches trained us too well. Now these habits are difficult to break, but changing a habit is not impossible. Always remember... “After your death, you will be what you were before your birth” Arthur Schopenhauer February 22 1788 – September 21 1860

    As a journalist and then as a diplomat in Berlin, Tippett was enthralled by the promise of political solutions to divisive issues. When politics did not provide worthy answers, Tippett attended Yale Divinity School to pursue larger questions about what makes a meaningful life. In her quest for faith’s illumination of life’s complexities, passions, and frailties, she developed a compelling style of discourse—a “life of conversation”—that she now shares with millions of people every week. Tippett’s unique, in-depth conversations with theologians, scientists, ethicists, and seekers who share their experiences, combined with her engaging style, are revolutionizing the way many think and speak of faith in their families and communities and in the larger world. Speaking of Faith is the story of this conversational journey and what it yields. Tippett draws on her life experiences and her studies, as well as on conversations with Elie Wiesel, Karen Armstrong, Thich Nhat Hanh, and other renowned figures, to explore such complex subjects as justice, science, fundamentalism, evil, love, and mystery, all within the context of spirituality. In the tradition of Kathleen Norris and Anne Lamott, Krista Tippett here shares a life of conversation that anyone, secular or religious, will find thought provoking about what faith does— and can—mean to us today. BACKCOVER: Praise for Krista Tippett and her public radio program Speaking of Faith: “The brilliance of Krista Tippett’s idea is to trust people to use the first person singular, to commit themselves with passion and clarity as they enlarge our urgent national conversation.” —Martin Marty, Emeritus Professor of American Religious History, University of Chicago “Speaking of Faith isn’t just a good idea and a welcome concept for a muchneeded forum on religion, belief and spirituality in contemporary life—it already is that forum.” —Patricia Hampl, Poet, memoirist, and MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient

    It’s enough to frustrate the serious Bible student. What if you found out most of it is simply mistaken? What if you found out that the ancient Jewish writers were using Old Testament imagery of the past, not a crystal ball gaze into our modern future? What if you found out that everything that modern prophecy pundits are looking for--the Antichrist, The Beast, the Tribulation, the Rapture--was not what they told you it was, but something different? The Truth About Bible Prophecy Respected biblical author Brian Godawa draws from Evangelical theological scholarship and deconstructs the popular “Left Behind” interpretation to uncover a far more fascinating and far more Biblical view of End Times Bible prophecy. One that rescues the original ancient Jewish context of prophecies from being hostage to modern prophecy speculators. Don’t worry, what Godawa unveils is controversial, but it’s not new. It’s not his own personal theory. He’s not a cult leader with a bizarre vision from God. What he reveals has a long tradition of godly Bible scholarship behind it. It’s just not what you’ve been taught. And it’s rooted in interpreting the Bible through the Bible, NOT through newspaper exegesis. What Jesus Himself Said About the End of the Age Here are a few of the things you’ll be astounded to read about in this book: You’ll hear Godawa’s own personal journey in changing his understanding of the End Times. You’ll find out how hyperliteralism corrupts Bible Prophecy interpretation. Godawa focuses on Jesus’ own predictions about the End of the Age in Matthew 24. You’ll discover the dirty little secret behind the so-called Rapture. The truth about the Last Days. It’s not what they told you. Just what is the Great Tribulation and when did it happen? What the heck are those cosmic catastrophes in the heavens? The shocking truth about Antichrist and the Abomination of Desolation You’ll be amazed when you see how the coming of Christ on the clouds has been completely misunderstood by well-meaning but misinformed prophecy pundits. This is not newspaper exegesis, but intense Bible study. Guaranteed to inspire your love for God’s Word and His promises to His people.

    S. Lewis his thoughts on some of the most difficult questions of life? If you could, the result would be Dr. Alister McGrath’s provocative and perceptive book, If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis. Best-selling author, prominent academic, and sought-after speaker, Dr. McGrath sees C. S. Lewis as the perfect conversation companion for the persistent meaning-of-life questions everyone asks.What makes Lewis a good dialogue partner is that his mind traveled through a wide and varied terrain: from atheism of his early life to his conversion later in life; from his rational skepticism to his appreciation of value of human desires and imagination; from his role as a Christian apologist during World War II to his growth as a celebrated author of classic children’s literature. The questions Lewis pondered persist today: Does life have meaning? Does God exist? Can reason and imagination be reconciled? Why does God allow suffering?Let McGrath be your insightful guide to an intriguing conversation with Lewis about the ultimate questions.

    If the Church is to be an effective agent of compassion and justice, Robert Lupton notes, we must change our mission strategies. In this compelling book, Lupton asks the tough questions about service providing and community building to help ministries enhance their effectiveness. What are the dilemmas that caring people encounter to faithfully carry out the teachings of Scripture and become personally involved with "the least of these?" What are some possible alternatives to the ways we have traditionally attempted to care for the poor? How do people, programs and neighborhoods move towards reciprocal, interdependent relationships? To effect these types of changes will require new skill sets and resources, but the possibilities for good are great.

    Is the dream of equality Dr. King envisioned still alive today? Can our historic national hurts still be healed? How can we rise above the racial tension threatening the nation? The Dream King is the astonishing true story of two men whose lives are woven together by history and the hidden hand of God. It reveals an inspiring narrative that exposes systemic injustice and delivers new keys for understanding the nation’s past, present, and future. • Learn about the nation’s hidden history and the unknown heroes who overcame injustice. • Discover how your life is an important part of a much bigger story. • Be equipped to be a countercultural dreamer and change the world around you.