A provocative and contrarian religious history that charts the rise of Christianity from the point of view of traditional" religion from the religious scholar and critically acclaimed author of Augustine. Pagans explores the rise of Christianity from a surprising and unique viewpoint: that of the people who witnessed their ways of life destroyed by what seemed then a powerful religious cult. These "pagans" were actually pious Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Gauls who observed the traditions of their ancestors. To these devout polytheists, Christians who worshipped only one deity were immoral atheists who believed that a splash of water on the deathbed could erase a lifetime of sin. Religious scholar James J. O'Donnell takes us on a lively tour of the Ancient Roman world through the fourth century CE, when Romans of every nationality, social class, and religious preference found their world suddenly constrained by rulers who preferred a strange new god.
Ecco Press
|
9780061845352
|
Book
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis
By Mcgrath, Alister
What if you could ask C. 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.
Tyndale House Publishers
|
9781414383781
|
Hardcover
A Castle in Wartime
By Bailey, Catherine
"I was gripped by A Castle in Wartime--it contained more tension, more plot in fact--than any thriller."--Kate Atkinson, author of Big Sky and Case HistoriesAn enthralling story of one family's extraordinary courage and resistance amidst the horrors of war from the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Rooms.As war swept across Europe in 1940, the idyllic life of Fey von Hassell seemed a world away from the conflict. The daughter of Ulrich von Hassell, Hitler's Ambassador to Italy, her marriage to Italian aristocrat Detalmo Pirzio-Biroli brought with it a castle and an estate in the north of Italy. Beautiful and privileged, Fey and her two young sons lead a tranquil life undisturbed by the trauma and privations of war. But with Fascism approaching its zenith, Fey's peaceful existence is threatened when Ulrich and Detalmo take the brave and difficult decision to resist the Nazis.When German soldiers pour over the Italian border, Fey is suddenly marooned in the Nazi-occupied north and unable to communicate with her husband, who has joined the underground anti-Fascist movement in Rome. Before long, SS soldiers have taken up occupancy in the castle. As Fey struggles to maintain an air of warm welcome to her unwanted guests, the clandestine activities of both her father and husband become increasingly brazen and openly rebellious. Darkness descends when Ulrich's foiled plot to kill the Fuhrer brings the Gestapo to Fey's doorstep. It would be months before Detalmo learns that his wife had been arrested and his two young boys seized by the SS. Suffused with Catherine Bailey's signature atmospheric prose, A Castle in Wartime tells the unforgettable story of the extraordinary bravery and fortitude of one family who collectively and individually sacrificed everything to resist the Nazis from within. Bailey's unprecedented access to stunning first-hand family accounts, along with records from concentration camps and surviving SS files, make this a dazzling and compulsively readable book, opening a view on the cost and consequences of resistance.
Viking
|
9780525559290
|
Hardcover
The Heart of Unconditional Love
By Tulku, Thondup
A new, four-stage approach to the popular Buddhist practice known as loving-kindness meditation, with the aim of finding unconditional love in our own hearts, in our relationships, and in our perception of the world around us. The unconditional love that we all long for - in our own lives and in the world around us - can be awakened effectively with this unique approach to the Tibetan Buddhist practice of loving-kindness meditation. Tulku Thondup gives detailed guidance for meditation, prayers, and visualization in four simple stages that can be practiced in as little as thirty minutes a session. The four-stage format is a brand-new approach being presented for the first time in English, distilled from the author's lifelong study and practice of authentic, traditional teachings.
Shambhala
|
9781611802351
|
Print book
A History of Religion in 51/2 Objects
By Plate, S Brent
A leading scholar explores the importance of physical objects and sensory experience in the practice of religion. Humans are needy. We need things: objects, keepsakes, stuff, tokens, knickknacks, bits and pieces, junk, and treasure. We carry special objects in our pockets and purses, and place them on shelves in our homes and offices. As commonplace as these objects are, they can also be extraordinary, as they allow us to connect with the world beyond our skin. A History of Religion in 5 Objects takes a fresh and much-needed approach to the study of that contentious yet vital area of human culture: religion. Arguing that religion must be understood in the first instance as deriving from rudimentary human experiences, from lived, embodied practices, S.
Beacon Press
|
9780807033111
|
Print book
Luther's Fortress
By Jr., James Reston
In 1521, the Catholic Church declared war on Martin Luther. The German monk had already been excommunicated the year before, after nailing his Ninety-Five Theseswhich accused the Church of rampant corruptionto the door of a Saxon church. Now, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V called for Luther to be apprehended and punished as a notorious heretic. The edict was akin to a death sentence If Luther was caught, he would almost inevitably be burned at the stake, his fragile movement crushed, and the nascent Protestant Reformation strangled in its cradle.In Luthers Fortress, acclaimed historian James Reston, Jr. describes this crucial but little-known episode in Luthers life and reveals its pivotal role in Christian history. Realizing the danger to their leader, Luthers followers spirited him away to Wartburg Castle, deep in central Germany.
Basic Books; First Edition edition
|
9780465063932
|
Hardcover
The Friends of Jesus
By Kingsbury, Karen
America's favorite inspirational novelist and #1 New York Times bestselling author offers a richly told tale about six of Jesus' closest friends and companions, bringing biblical truths to life in this captivating continuation of her Life-Changing Bible Study series.In our everyday lives, friends are the people whom we spend the most time with, go through struggles with at times, and who know us best. Each of Jesus' friends - Peter, John, Matthew, Judas, Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus - traveled with Jesus and were part of His daily ministry, and each has a compelling story to tell. There were some who would question or doubt Him ... and one would even betray Him. Kingsbury brings these fascinating personalities to life in ways that will not only help bring you closer to the truths found in Scripture, but also to Christ.
Howard Books
|
9781476707396
|
Hardcover
Called
By Pemberton, Ryan J.
Called is the heart-breaking, humorous, and refreshingly honest account of one twenty-something's adventure of learning what it means to be called by God-an adventure that took him to England, C. S. Lewis's house, and back again--and why it was only in the reality of his worst nightmare that he learned what it means to be called.What is it like to be ''called'' by God for a particular purpose? What can you learn for your own life of faith from such a calling?Through a series of personal anecdotes, illuminating conversations, and candid reflections, Called brings you face-to-face not only with the world of C. S. Lewis, but also with the very real peaks and valleys of pursuing a calling. Seeking to reclaim the uniquely Christian sense of calling, Pemberton shows that God's call cannot be reduced to one's dreams, skills, or passions, vividly and powerfully illustrating how Christ turns ideas of failure and success on their head.
Leafwood Publishers
|
9780891123842
|
Print book
Here & Hereafter
By Henry, Tyler
Do you want to live more meaningfully, and in turn fulfill your life's potential? Do you want to have the capability to transform your life and make it infinitely better, by paying attention to what those who have lived and died have come to understand about the meaning of life itself?As one of the world's most accomplished mediums, Tyler Henry has had thousands of communications with those who've already gone through humanity's final frontier: physical death.The life lessons he's learned from those conversations have been truly transformative.In Here & Hereafter Tyler explains that by listening and learning from the departed, following their guidance, and paying attention to what they might have done differently, we can get more fulfillment and purpose from our own lives.
St. Martin's Essentials
|
9781250796776
|
Hardcover
Merton and Waugh
By Coady, Mary Frances
From 1948 to 1952 the lives of Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, and British novelist, Evelyn Waugh, were closely intertwined. During these years, Waugh became enthusiastic about American Catholicism, in particular, monasticism as seen through the eyes of the author of The Seven Storey Mountain. He agreed to edit Merton’s autobiography and the subsequent Waters of Siloe, for publication in Britain. In this close examination of their friendship, through their correspondence, we see Waugh’s coaching of a younger writer, and Waugh’s brief infatuation with America. Most of all, we witness Merton the writing student and spiritual master and Waugh the master of prose and conflicted penitent. And we see how the two men diverge as the Second Vatican Council takes hold of Catholicism and the solid spiritual ground beneath them gives way.
Pagans
By O'donnell, James J.
A provocative and contrarian religious history that charts the rise of Christianity from the point of view of traditional" religion from the religious scholar and critically acclaimed author of Augustine. Pagans explores the rise of Christianity from a surprising and unique viewpoint: that of the people who witnessed their ways of life destroyed by what seemed then a powerful religious cult. These "pagans" were actually pious Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Gauls who observed the traditions of their ancestors. To these devout polytheists, Christians who worshipped only one deity were immoral atheists who believed that a splash of water on the deathbed could erase a lifetime of sin. Religious scholar James J. O'Donnell takes us on a lively tour of the Ancient Roman world through the fourth century CE, when Romans of every nationality, social class, and religious preference found their world suddenly constrained by rulers who preferred a strange new god.
If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis
By Mcgrath, Alister
What if you could ask C. 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.
A Castle in Wartime
By Bailey, Catherine
"I was gripped by A Castle in Wartime--it contained more tension, more plot in fact--than any thriller."--Kate Atkinson, author of Big Sky and Case HistoriesAn enthralling story of one family's extraordinary courage and resistance amidst the horrors of war from the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Rooms.As war swept across Europe in 1940, the idyllic life of Fey von Hassell seemed a world away from the conflict. The daughter of Ulrich von Hassell, Hitler's Ambassador to Italy, her marriage to Italian aristocrat Detalmo Pirzio-Biroli brought with it a castle and an estate in the north of Italy. Beautiful and privileged, Fey and her two young sons lead a tranquil life undisturbed by the trauma and privations of war. But with Fascism approaching its zenith, Fey's peaceful existence is threatened when Ulrich and Detalmo take the brave and difficult decision to resist the Nazis.When German soldiers pour over the Italian border, Fey is suddenly marooned in the Nazi-occupied north and unable to communicate with her husband, who has joined the underground anti-Fascist movement in Rome. Before long, SS soldiers have taken up occupancy in the castle. As Fey struggles to maintain an air of warm welcome to her unwanted guests, the clandestine activities of both her father and husband become increasingly brazen and openly rebellious. Darkness descends when Ulrich's foiled plot to kill the Fuhrer brings the Gestapo to Fey's doorstep. It would be months before Detalmo learns that his wife had been arrested and his two young boys seized by the SS. Suffused with Catherine Bailey's signature atmospheric prose, A Castle in Wartime tells the unforgettable story of the extraordinary bravery and fortitude of one family who collectively and individually sacrificed everything to resist the Nazis from within. Bailey's unprecedented access to stunning first-hand family accounts, along with records from concentration camps and surviving SS files, make this a dazzling and compulsively readable book, opening a view on the cost and consequences of resistance.
The Heart of Unconditional Love
By Tulku, Thondup
A new, four-stage approach to the popular Buddhist practice known as loving-kindness meditation, with the aim of finding unconditional love in our own hearts, in our relationships, and in our perception of the world around us. The unconditional love that we all long for - in our own lives and in the world around us - can be awakened effectively with this unique approach to the Tibetan Buddhist practice of loving-kindness meditation. Tulku Thondup gives detailed guidance for meditation, prayers, and visualization in four simple stages that can be practiced in as little as thirty minutes a session. The four-stage format is a brand-new approach being presented for the first time in English, distilled from the author's lifelong study and practice of authentic, traditional teachings.
A History of Religion in 51/2 Objects
By Plate, S Brent
A leading scholar explores the importance of physical objects and sensory experience in the practice of religion. Humans are needy. We need things: objects, keepsakes, stuff, tokens, knickknacks, bits and pieces, junk, and treasure. We carry special objects in our pockets and purses, and place them on shelves in our homes and offices. As commonplace as these objects are, they can also be extraordinary, as they allow us to connect with the world beyond our skin. A History of Religion in 5 Objects takes a fresh and much-needed approach to the study of that contentious yet vital area of human culture: religion. Arguing that religion must be understood in the first instance as deriving from rudimentary human experiences, from lived, embodied practices, S.
Luther's Fortress
By Jr., James Reston
In 1521, the Catholic Church declared war on Martin Luther. The German monk had already been excommunicated the year before, after nailing his Ninety-Five Theseswhich accused the Church of rampant corruptionto the door of a Saxon church. Now, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V called for Luther to be apprehended and punished as a notorious heretic. The edict was akin to a death sentence If Luther was caught, he would almost inevitably be burned at the stake, his fragile movement crushed, and the nascent Protestant Reformation strangled in its cradle.In Luthers Fortress, acclaimed historian James Reston, Jr. describes this crucial but little-known episode in Luthers life and reveals its pivotal role in Christian history. Realizing the danger to their leader, Luthers followers spirited him away to Wartburg Castle, deep in central Germany.
The Friends of Jesus
By Kingsbury, Karen
America's favorite inspirational novelist and #1 New York Times bestselling author offers a richly told tale about six of Jesus' closest friends and companions, bringing biblical truths to life in this captivating continuation of her Life-Changing Bible Study series.In our everyday lives, friends are the people whom we spend the most time with, go through struggles with at times, and who know us best. Each of Jesus' friends - Peter, John, Matthew, Judas, Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus - traveled with Jesus and were part of His daily ministry, and each has a compelling story to tell. There were some who would question or doubt Him ... and one would even betray Him. Kingsbury brings these fascinating personalities to life in ways that will not only help bring you closer to the truths found in Scripture, but also to Christ.
Called
By Pemberton, Ryan J.
Called is the heart-breaking, humorous, and refreshingly honest account of one twenty-something's adventure of learning what it means to be called by God-an adventure that took him to England, C. S. Lewis's house, and back again--and why it was only in the reality of his worst nightmare that he learned what it means to be called.What is it like to be ''called'' by God for a particular purpose? What can you learn for your own life of faith from such a calling?Through a series of personal anecdotes, illuminating conversations, and candid reflections, Called brings you face-to-face not only with the world of C. S. Lewis, but also with the very real peaks and valleys of pursuing a calling. Seeking to reclaim the uniquely Christian sense of calling, Pemberton shows that God's call cannot be reduced to one's dreams, skills, or passions, vividly and powerfully illustrating how Christ turns ideas of failure and success on their head.
Here & Hereafter
By Henry, Tyler
Do you want to live more meaningfully, and in turn fulfill your life's potential? Do you want to have the capability to transform your life and make it infinitely better, by paying attention to what those who have lived and died have come to understand about the meaning of life itself?As one of the world's most accomplished mediums, Tyler Henry has had thousands of communications with those who've already gone through humanity's final frontier: physical death.The life lessons he's learned from those conversations have been truly transformative.In Here & Hereafter Tyler explains that by listening and learning from the departed, following their guidance, and paying attention to what they might have done differently, we can get more fulfillment and purpose from our own lives.
Merton and Waugh
By Coady, Mary Frances
From 1948 to 1952 the lives of Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, and British novelist, Evelyn Waugh, were closely intertwined. During these years, Waugh became enthusiastic about American Catholicism, in particular, monasticism as seen through the eyes of the author of The Seven Storey Mountain. He agreed to edit Merton’s autobiography and the subsequent Waters of Siloe, for publication in Britain. In this close examination of their friendship, through their correspondence, we see Waugh’s coaching of a younger writer, and Waugh’s brief infatuation with America. Most of all, we witness Merton the writing student and spiritual master and Waugh the master of prose and conflicted penitent. And we see how the two men diverge as the Second Vatican Council takes hold of Catholicism and the solid spiritual ground beneath them gives way.