Biography: religious and spiritual Books

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Book SynopsisFilmed over three years with the participation of 30 countries around the world, the documentary examines the world of yoga, modern and ancient, east and west and explores why millions today have turned their attention inwards, bucking the limitations of the material world in pursuit of self-realisation.Archival material from the life of Yogananda (who died in 1952) creates a spine for the narrative, but the film stretches the dimensions of a standard biography. The footage includes stylised interviews, metaphoric imagery and recreations, taking us from holy pilgrimages in India to Harvard''s Divinity School and its cutting-edge physics labs, from the Center for Science and Spirituality at the University of Pennsylvania to the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California. By evoking the journey of the soul as it pushes its way through the oppression of the human ego and delusion of the material world, the film creates an experiential immersion into the unseen realms. AWAKE is ultimately the s

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Book SynopsisRoger Garaudy was for many years at the centre of the French Communist Party but was eventually expelled for his liberal views. In the Seventies, he strove to bring Marxism and Christianity together, to include all humanity in a project to set all people free. What emerges from Garaudy’s project is a very modern Marxism, with its emphasis on the individual, its ecological politics, and in its insistence on religion as central to human emancipation. Although Garaudy himself became frustrated by the failure of Marxism and converted to Islam, eventually resulting in his work being discredited in the West, it is certainly possible that Garaudy’s project represents a good, perhaps even the best, starting point for Marxism in today’s world.Trade Review“Occasionally, certain studies throw a vivid light on the gloomy bookshelves of the history of ideas. Such is Julian Roche’s book. The author shares with the French philosopher, once the leading intellectual of the French Communist Party, the singular ambition of synthesizing Christian faith and Marxism. Roger Garaudy’s project, after he was expelled by what he called a Stalinist party, was indeed to insert transcendence (the actual love of God rather than the mere philosophical concept) in the revolutionary anti-capitalist project of accomplishing social justice on earth. Roche’s disappointment lies in what he considers as the betrayal of his project by Garaudy himself as he converted to Islam—thus opening the door to a subsequent drift into radical anti-Zionism that associated him with Holocaust denial. He takes up Garaudy’s project where the French philosopher would have abandoned it, and makes a valuable intellectual contribution to a project that is close to his heart: uniting faith in Christ and the aspiration for justice on earth. A thought-provoking and stimulating book."— Dr. Didier J.-F. Gauvin, author of Un intellectuel communiste illégitime: Roger GaraudyTable of ContentsChapter One: Why Roger Garaudy Still Matters Chapter Two: Did Others Take Garaudy Seriously? Chapter Three: Garaudy’s Project Chapter Four: The Role of Subjectivity in the Project Chapter Five: The Role of Transcendence in the Project Chapter Six: Garaudy’s Conversion to Islam Chapter Seven: The Project Revised Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn A War of Loves, David Bennett describes his unexpected journey from gay activism and a distrust of religion to becoming a follower of Jesus, a journey that included pivotal relationships, supernatural encounters with God, and ultimately a new reconciliation between his faith and his sexuality.Trade ReviewA refreshing and powerful book. This is one of the top books I will recommend to Christians who want to know how to better love their LGBTQI friends and also to seekers---whether gay or not---who are open to considering Jesus’ invitation. * Sean McDowell, professor, Biola University; speaker; author, Same-Sex Marriage *A timely, thoughtful, and often moving story which will be hugely helpful to a lot of people. David’s honesty and humanity shine through these pages, even as he handles difficult questions through the lens of his experience. This is a gift to the contemporary church. * Andrew Wilson, teaching pastor, King’s Church London *David Bennett’s book presents a particular lived Christian experience which deserves hearing. I am grateful to all who are contributing their learning, experience, study, and prayer to help us all to proclaim afresh the gospel of Jesus Christ. * Sentamu Eboracensis, Archbishop of York *David Bennett’s page-turning writing gripped me from beginning to end, and I feel sure that his perspective on what it means to give our sexuality to God is something that every Christian of our generation needs to consider. * Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, director, Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics *Here is a voice as countercultural as it is compelling, capable of engaging the whole Christian community, whether gay or straight, in a vital debate. I have no doubt that David Bennett’s story is going to become an essential part in a complex jigsaw for many. * Pete Greig, 24-7 Prayer International and Emmaus Rd, Guildford *I am particularly pleased to commend this book. It is an important contribution to the conversation. In a day when so often emotional story trumps thinking, David Bennett matches careful theological thinking with a truly compelling story. * Charlie Cleverly, rector, St. Aldates Oxford; member, General Synod of the Church of England *Many lesbian, gay, and bisexual people feel they cannot be true to both their sexuality and the Christian faith. David demonstrates that integrity and authenticity are possible for gay Christians, sharing beautiful insights about love, friendship, and following Jesus too. * Rev. Dr. Sean Doherty, Christian ethicist; author, The Only Way Is Ethics *One of the most significant books on one of the church’s most pressing subjects by one of today’s most inspiring young thought leaders. David Bennett is a prophetic witness, a truth teller, a tender pastor, and a faithful follower of Jesus. This generation needs to hear this man. * Rev. Simon Ponsonby, author; pastor of theology, St. Aldates Church, Oxford *Riveting, extraordinary---quite extraordinary! I really think I could give this book to any contact I have and they’ll be fascinated. I do wonder whether it will become a Christian classic of our time. * Rico Tice, All Souls Church London; author, Christianity Explored *This book is designed to make all of us think about our ultimate love and to work through how we should engage in a long debated area, whether inside of the church or outside of it. It is well worth the read. * Darrell L. Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary *This is an incredibly raw and authentic book! David paints a beautiful and compelling picture of what it looks like to desire Christ above all else. His affections for Jesus make me excited to be a Christian. * Preston Sprinkle, president, Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender *This is the searingly honest story of one romanced by God against all expectations. Bennett’s example of giving his whole self, including his sexual self, to the Christ who died for him is an act of Christian witness for our time. * Rev. Dr. Michael P. Jensen, rector, St. Mark’s Darling Point, Sydney; author, Martyrdom and Identity *Table of ContentsPart One: The Search 1. Coming Out 2. Psychics and Boyfriends 3. The LGBTQI Activist 4. The Gay World and Oxford Street 5. University and a Love Triangle 6. Worlds Clashing: Christmas Conflicts Part Two: The Encounter 7. Pub Prayers 8. The Film Festival 9. Prophecies and Coincidences 10. Torn 11. Marriage and Boyfriends 12. The Root of Bitterness Part Three: Sense and Sexuality: Wrestling with God 13. Living Under the Word: Did God Really Say? 14. Law Vs. Grace 15. Facing Facts 16. Idolatry or Celibacy? Resurrection Power and the Body 17. Romance in France Part Four: The New Identity 18. Acceptance and Affirmation 19. The Love of God: Eros and Agape 20. Broken Worship: From Orphan to Son 21. A Unique Sacrifice, a New Identity 22. Now but Not Yet: Suffering and Glory Conclusions 23. Worship: The Trinity and Image of God 24. What Now for the Church? A New Way 25. Intimacy and Beloved Friendship 26. Mutual Understanding: The Church and the Gay Community 27. Gift and Sacrifice: Homosexuality, Salvation, and Holiness

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An engrossing account of a leader who, by converting despair into strength, gave an exiled people both political purpose and the means to attain it.”—Benjamin Balint, Wall Street JournalWinner of the 2020 Canadian Jewish Literary Award in the history category, sponsored by the Israel and Golda Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies“Derek Penslar, the most original scholar on the history of Zionism today, has written a masterful book, which may indeed become the definitive Herzl biography of our age.”—Michael Brenner, author of A Short History of the Jews“Theodor Herzl was the indispensable catalyst of the Zionist movement that began before him, developed independently of him, and prevailed on its own decades after his death. Penslar’s book unlocks this paradox, and in richly providing the historical context of his leadership, magnifies its achievement.”—Ruth R. Wisse, author of Jews and Power “Derek Penslar has found in Theodor Herzl an amazingly complex character and tells his story with deep insight and great fairness. This biography is innovative, carefully balanced, and engrossing.”—Tom Segev, author of A State at Any Cost: The Life of David Ben-Gurion“In his pitch-perfect biography for a new century, accomplished historian Derek Penslar portrays the psychic traits that allowed Theodor Herzl to be elevated by the longings of a fledgling Zionist movement, which he in turn elevated into a political cause that has redefined Jewish and world history down to our present. An elegant masterpiece.”—Samuel Moyn, Yale University

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Book SynopsisExplores the lives and stories of Aidan, Bede and Cuthbert. After an introduction which tells appropriately of David Adam's ordination in Durham Cathedral, this work contains four chapters on each of them.

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Book SynopsisA biography of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, combining rigorous research with keen insight into the life of the former leader of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain.Trade Review"Dr Pyman re-creates the life and times of Metropolitan Anthony as only an old friend could. We encounter one of the great Christian apologists of post-war Britain, someone for whom 'to live is Christ' - and a man Russian to the core, impossible to understand apart from the larger-than-life world of the Russian emigration and its complex relationship with the Soviet and post-Soviet 'motherland'." Elizabeth Theokritoff, co-editor, Cambridge Companion to Orthodox Christian Theology (2008) "Avril Pyman's life of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh provides readers with an amazing portrait of a complex and fascinating figure. Young Andrei Bloom, student, then physician, then monk, then priest, came to radiate a vision of Orthodoxy as universal Church that drew Western converts while also touching Russian émigré believers and some in Russia itself. Metropolitan Anthony could not have hoped for a finer biographer than Avril Pyman, whose superb scholarship is enriched by her lively narrative and personal insights." Joan Delaney Grossman, Professor Emerita of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of California at Berkeley, and co-editor of William James in Russian Culture (2003) "As vicar of Cambridge University Church I am vividly aware of the enormous influence of Metropolitan Anthony on generations of students - including myself - through his preaching which attracted huge congregations (more than any other preacher in his era). This biography shows how his influence as a preacher was rooted in his personal experience of Christ and his life of prayer. Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh helps us to enter into the same quality of experience that he shared with so many in his lifetime." John Binns, author of An Introduction to the Orthodox Christian Churches (2002) 'Avril Pyram . fills a considerable gap. Relying on the MASF archive, on published and unpublished sources as well as on accounts of persons who knew metropolitan anthony and her own recollections, the biographer explores the complex personality of this spiritual father of our days, his theoretical insights, his pastoral work, an his activity as an outstanding broadcaster and preacher' Adalberto Mainardi, Monastero di Bose, Theologishe Revue vol. 115 nr.1Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword Acknowledgements 1. From Prince to Pauper: Origins and Childhood, 1914-1922 2. Alienation and Revelation: Growing up in Exile, 1922-1929 3. Conflicting Vocations: The Formation of a Monk "in the World", 1928-1937 4. Surgeon in the French Army and Monk in the Surgery, 1937-1949 5. Priesthood, Move to London, Ministry in the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain, 1949-1957 6. Fame in a Divided World, 1957-1963 7. The International Arena, 1963-1974 8. The Consolidation of the Second Diocese of Sourozh, 1974-1989 9. Mission to Russia and New Problems in England, 1983-2003 10. Agony Endnotes Glossary of Proper Names Index of Proper Names

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Book SynopsisOn the 27th April 2015, Feby Herewila married Andrew Chan. 35 hours later Andrew was executed by firing squad. Part of the Bali Nine, Andrew had been in Kerobokan Prison for ten years for drug smuggling. Feby was Andrew's close supporter and confidante, a lay pastor who had met him in prison and had ministered alongside him for three years. Together, they shared a common vision and faith in a powerful God of love and restoration. Andrew's story made headlines, but now Feby tells her compelling story. After wrestling with grief and suffering, she shares how God's healing and faithfulness is enabling her to step into her new life and ministry. Content Benefits: As Feby Chan learns to rebuild her life, faith and purpose after her husband was executed by a firing squad in Indonesia, this inspiring and powerful story shows how God can bring hope out of tragedy and bring healing to even our deepest pain. - Tells the story of Andrew Chan from a different perspective - Shows the transforming power of God in people's lives - Encourages us to see that God's forgiveness is open to anyone, whatever they have done - Will encourage people going through difficult situations that Jesus can heal the pain in time and allow you to hope again - Looks at the real pain of losing a loved one - Honest look at when prayers are not answered in the way we hope - Inspiring story of one woman's faithfulness to God - Perfect gift to encourage someone in their faith - Ideal reading for anyone who loves to see God at work - Colour photos - an 8 page insert included

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Book SynopsisFrom the beginning of his career, Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) was often in conflict with the spirit of his times. While during the First World War German poets and philosophers became intoxicated by the experience of community and transcendence, Barth fought against all attempts to locate the divine in culture or individual sentiment. This freed him for a deep worldly engagement: he was known as the red pastor, was the primary author of the founding document of the Confessing Church, the Barmen Theological Declaration, and after 1945 protested the rearmament of the Federal Republic of Germany. Christiane Tietz compellingly explores the interactions between Barth''s personal and political biography and his theology. Numerous newly-available documents offer insight into the lesser-known sides of Barth such as his long-term three-way relationship with his wife Nelly and his colleague Charlotte von Kirschbaum. This is an evocative portrait of a theologian who described himself as God''s cheerful partisan, who was honored as a prophet and a genial spirit, was feared as a critic, and shaped the theology of an entire century as no other thinker.Trade ReviewThis is a maginificent, engrossing lucid and comprehensive treatment of the most important theologian of the modern era. Tietz has given not only to Barth scholarship but also to the history of theology in the twentieth century a great gift. We are in her debt. She reminds us of Barth's abiding preoccupation with God, and specifically with Jesus Christ who is "the event God's grace, a new beginning between God and humanity that is grounded solely in God". She also helps us undertsand something of the conflicts that this preoccupation encouraged. * Christopher R. J. Holmes, Pro Ecclesia *Tietz's book presents us with a golden opportunity to get up to speed on the current understanding of Barth, both the man and his theology * James J Cassidy, New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church *Tietz's Barth biography is a book worthy of recommendation not only for professional Barth researchers, but for everyone (even non-theologians) interested in church history and in contemporary history. * Frank Jehle, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland, International Journal of Systematic Theology *Tietz's work fills a major scholarly lacuna and deserves wide readership among pastors, teachers, students, and lay believers. * J. Scott Jackson, The Living Church *... Tietz's primary achievement here is surely to map the intellectual development of Barth and to locate that contextually within the political circumstances that surrounded him. * Kevin Hargaden, Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, Studies in Christian Ethics *Tietz has written a readable and meticulously researched biography of Karl Barth (1886-1968). She integrates Barth's life and work, and a very ''human'' Karl Barth emerges. * D.K. McKim, CHOICE Connect, Vol. 59 No. 8 *Selected as a 2021 Book of the Year by Alan Billings, Church TimesTietz's book is outstanding: her chapter-length summary of Barth's monumental, multi-volume 'Church Dogmatics' (1932-67), theologically the cornerstone and pinnacle of his achievement, is among the best short treatments of it I have read. * Stephen J. Plant, Times Literary Supplement *Tietz provides a sound and useful orientation to Barth's life and work. * Michael Banner, The Tablet *Remarkable ... meticulously researched and thoroughly referenced... [it] will become a standard text for all engaging with Barth's theology for generations to come. * Natalie Watson, Church Times *Tietz uses an impressive array of primary sources such as letters to his friend Eduard Thurneysen to chart Barth's life. * Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper *Very readable and accessible... Tietz's biography is a good entry into [Barth's] life and thought. * Richard A. Kauffman, Christian Century *Karl Barth's life story is worth telling. Or, better still, worth reading. A new biography, Karl Barth: A Life in Conflict by Christiane Tietz, tells it well... It is a compelling read. * Neil Richardson, Methodist Recorder *Christiane Tietz compellingly explores the interactions between Barths personal and political biography and his theology... an evocative portrait of a theologian * , Englewood Review of Books *[Tietz] is a reliable guide to her academic grandfather and the biography functions as a sound, accessible introduction to Barth's thought. * R. R. Reno, First Things *Tietz successfully places Barth's heological writings within key events of his life and the wider world, providing a broader context that illuminates his thought far more than the typical summaries. The portrait that emerges across the decades of Barth's career is one of an irascible thinker who seems to enjoy having controversial opinions. * Best Books of 2021, Todd Brewer, Mockingbird *[The book] reads smoothly but with the kind of clarity that is symptomatic of the best kind of academic work. In other words, the book is highly readable yet very much built on a reliable foundation... Tietz's work is diligent and insightful. I suspect her book will become the standard biography of Karl Barth for some time. For students of Barth's theology, it is indispensable. * Stephen D. Morrison *Christiane Tietz has done exemplary well in composing a thoroughly broad and yet deep investigation...We further believe this biography will be the standard biography on Barth for many years to come. * Bradley M. Penner, Reviews in Religion and Theology *Tietz's work will be another standard biographical treatment of Barth for years to come and is thus highly recommended. * Ximian Xu, Journal of Reformed Theology *This book is a stunning achievement. That a biography of a theologian is so engrossing speaks not only to the kind of life that Barth led, but also to the skill and patience of the biographer. * Declan Kelly, Rezension Kelly Journal of Ecclesiastical History *The book takes an honourable place in introductory works on Barth. * Tim Gorringe, Modern Believing *Table of Contents1: "I Belong To Basel": 1886-1904 Guildmaster, Pastors and Scholars: Barth's Ancestors A Strict Love for Truth and Christian Discipline: His Parents "A Great Great Joy": Childhood and Youth 2: "This Obscure Desire toward a Better Understanding": 1904-1909 The Decision to Study Theology Student in Bern Wearing the Colors and Noncombative: In the Zofingia Association "Very Diligent and Quite Capable": Student in Berlin Once More in Bern and Then Tübingen Finally in Marburg His Work for Die Christliche Welt 3: "Stumbling Up the Steps to Calvin's Pulpit": 1909-1911 Vicar in Geneva Quite Demanding: The First Confirmation Instruction Theologian in the Congregation "In Such a Dreadfully Pious Environment" A Daughter from a Good Home: The Engagement to Nelly Hoffmann Farewell to Geneva 4: "The Red Pastor": Safenwil, 1911-1921 "This System of Employment Must Fall": Workers and Socialists A Theological Friendship: Eduard Thurneysen "The WorldWithout Gods": The First World War "An Open House": Family Life 5: "A Book for Those Who Were Also Concerned": The First Epistle to the Romans, 1919 Human Religion and the Divine Word "Like a Bomb on the Playground of the Theologians" "Without Windows to the Kingdom of Heaven": The Tambach Lecture 6: "To Always Work Somewhat Faster": Göttingen 1921-1925 From Swiss Pastor to German Professor "Unavoidable Nonsense of the Academic Business" "Almost Like a Buddy": Barth with His Students "Lively Combat": Emanuel Hirsch and Other Colleagues "Stranger from a Neutral Place": Karl Barth and the Germans 7: "Not a Stone Left Standing": The Second Version of the Epistle to the Romans, 1922 A Critical Turn The new version of the Epistle to the Romans Critics and Admirers What is Dialectical Theology? Dialectical Traveling Companions: Brunner, Bultmann, Gogarten Fifteen Questions and Sixteen Answers: The Controversy with Harnack 8: "The Need for Thinking Further": Münster 1925-1930 A Call and a Momentous Encounter Received with Joy, Departing in Discord In the Tunnel of the Semester Return to Bern? "The Church, the Church, the Church": Encounters with Catholicism Riding, House Music and Travel 9: A Troubled 'Ménage à Trois': Charlotte von Kirschbaum A Long-Guarded Secret "I Never Knew That There Could Be Something Like This" "A Certain Double Life" Three Under One Roof 10: "A Swissman in the Middle of Germany": Bonn 1930-1935 Working on Theology The Humanity of God First Conflicts with German Nationalists: the Case of Günther Dehn Now's the Time for the Social Democrat Party: 1933 Warnings to the Church and a Letter to Hitler 1933 as a Year of Crisis in the Barth Household The Theological Dimension of Barth's Relationship to Charlotte von Kirschbaum Attacks on the Swissman Against the "German greeting" The Break with his Dialectical Travelling Companions The Barmen Theological Declaration Suspension, Ban on Public Speaking, Dismissal 11: "We Who Can Still Speak": Basel 1935-1945 Life Goes On: Professor in Basel International Honors and Lack of Appreciation Battle for the Confessing Church Anti-Appeasement: The Call to the Czechs to Resist The Political Responsibility of a Christian Church Struggle and Refugee Aid Ecumenical Silence at the Onset of the War Family Intrigues and Grief A Call for Military Resistance, and Swiss Censorship A Friend of the Germans, Nonetheless 12: "In Political Respects a Dubious Will-o'-the-Wisp": Basel 1945-1962 War's End and the Declaration of Guilt Back to Bonn and, Once Again, State and Church Issues "God's Beloved Eastern Zone": Against Anti-Communism A Pacifist after All? Protest against Rearmament and Nuclear Weapons Yes to Ecumenism, but without the Catholics The Master with the Crumpled Tie The Discovery of Optimism in Prison Courage, Tempo, Purity, Peace: Confession to Mozart Children, Grandchildren, and the Rejection of His Desired Successor 13: "The White Whale": Church Dogmatics "A Conceptual Helix": Barth's Monumental Work The Threefold Form of the Word of God God's Three Modes of Being "God is" means "God loves" Whom God Elects What God Commands Why God Wants the Creation Nothingness and the Shadow Sides of Creation The Threefold Office of Christ and the Three Forms of Sin The Light Shines Where It Wishes The Baptism of Water and of the Spirit 14: "All Things Considered, A Little Tired": The Final Years, Basel 1962-1968 "Fantastic": A Calvinist in the United States "Rules for Older people in Relation to Younger" "As If Deeply Veiled": Charlotte von Kirschbaum Must Move Out "Separated Brothers": In Conversation with Rome A Late Friendship with Carl Zuckmayer The Uncompleted Mammoth Work At the End of His Life Journey Epilogue Chronology Bibliography Index of Names Index of Subjects

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Book SynopsisIsaac Watts(1674-1748) is one of the best-known hymn-Writers in history. He wrote over 700 hymns including the well-known "When I survey the Wondrous Cross", "O God, our help in ages past" and "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun" - hymns which are still sung to this day. Brought up in a non-conformist church and family, Isaac Watts knew what it was to be a pastor whilst also battling prolonged periods of illness. Leading a life, that like us all, was not without difficulty or controversy, he was able to write hymns of almost unparalleled depth and beauty, though they were often unappreciated by his own congregation. This fascinating study considers his life, writings and continuing influence on Christians today, in a way that will illuminate and inspire. Trade ReviewBeynon's own style is uniformly smooth and clear... a worthy and helpful introduction to an important 18th-century character and man of God. -- The Monthly Record- Free Church of Scotland Magazine (Magazine of the Free Church of Scotland)In this thoroughly enjoyable and stimulating book, Graham Beynon does an excellent job of showing just how relevant Watts and his thought are for today. We get to see how his beautiful hymnody flowed out of deep theological and pastoral convictions, and the result is both challenging and stirring. -- Michael Reeves (President and Professor of Theology, Union School of Theology, Bridgend, Wales)All of us have benefited from the ministry of the hymn writer, Isaac Watts His courage to promote a Biblical theology of hymnody united with his competency to produce hymns of musical excellence while singable for congregations, marked by excellence in style and Biblical faithfulness have provided a legacy which finds its fulfillment in the worship of the triune God of glory. But now, in this volume, Graham Beynon, allows us to meet Isaac Watts, himself, his redeemed life, saturated with the grace of God and absorbed with the glory of God. It will be hard to stop turning the pages. -- Harry L. Reeder III ((1948 – 2023) Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama)I can think of few men who have impacted my life and thought more than Isaac Watts. He is a model pastor, thinker and poet. In this engaging and thorough book, Graham Beynon presents a full and fascinating picture of Watts' legacy, from his hymns to his pastoral work to his logic. In an age of celebrity pastors, heavy on flash and low on substance, Watts presents an alternate vision: a rigorous mind at work for the glory of God and the good of the church. -- Mike Cosper (Pastor of Worship and Arts, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky)

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Book SynopsisIn The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad, leading Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan considers the ways in which the Prophet''s actions, words and teachings can guide us in the modern world. The life of the Prophet Muhammad, to whom the Angel Gabriel revealed the verses of the Quran, has provided inspiration to Muslims for hundreds of years. Interspersed with spiritual and philosophical meditations, this profound and stimulating biography shows how Muhammad''s message can be used to address some of today''s most controversial issues - from the treatment of the poor and the role of women to the interpretation of jihad and relations with other religions. It offers Muslims a new understanding of Muhammad''s life and introduces non-Muslims to the story of the Prophet and to the riches of Islam. ''Fascinating ... punctuated by spiritual reflections, it tells Muhammad''s life from orphaned childhood to his death, with Islam dominant acrossTrade ReviewCommunicates a sense of spiritual transcendence * Guardian *Draws lessons that are crucial for Muslims and non-Muslims alike * Financial Times *Draws lessons that are crucial for Muslims and non-Muslims alike * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisA guided tour of spiritual autobiography that grants readers new insights and appreciation of the genreThe genre of spiritual autobiography has flourished ever since Augustine essentially invented it in the fourth century. In Our Hearts Are Restless, Richard Lischer--himself the author of two spiritual memoirs--takes readers on a guided tour of the genre, examining the life writings of twenty-one figures from the expected (Thomas Merton) to the surprising (James Baldwin); from the sublime Julian of Norwich and Emily Dickinson to the outrageous Anne Lamott.Lischer is a perceptive reader and an engaging guide in the art and craft of spiritual writing. Our Hearts Are Restless shows readers how history''s most brilliant spiritual writers have sought and found a pattern of meaning in the face of tragedy, conflict, and the responsibilities of daily life.Trade ReviewLives--we learn to live by attending to lives. In our hunger for coherence we are tempted to simplify the lives of others as well as our lives. In this beautifully written book Richard Lischer's truthful account of lives, Christian and non-Christian lives, testifies to the complexity of what it means to live well. In this time when it is by no means clear what it means to live honesty as a Christian, Lischer's account of these lives gives us a way to go on. This is a book of wisdom that took a lifetime to write. * Stanley Hauerwas, author of Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir *Lischer has a storyteller's genius, a pastor's instinct for emotional authenticity, a preacher's eye for tracing gospel truth, a scholar's skill at critical inquiry, and a Christian understanding of love and suffering. As he opens up these faithful lives, he shows how true is John Donne's dictum: 'The art of salvation is but the art of memory.' * Ellen F. Davis, author of Opening Israel's Scriptures *A book holy and humane, reverential yet playful, absorbing but provocative, challenging and deeply affirming. After reading you feel wiser, more compassionate, more perceptive, more comfortable with your own struggles and shortcomings—but above all, eager to revisit your own yearnings and searchings, and recognise in them the loving patience of the Holy Spirit. Richard Lischer has shown us where treasure is to be found, and reignited our desire to find it. * Sam Wells, Author of Humbler Faith, Bigger God *This is an odd but oddly compelling book...Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, general readers. * Choice *There is much to ponder in this humane and challenging book. * Paradigm Explorer *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Artistry of the Soul Search and Surrender 1. Augustine: Restless Traveler 2. Augustine: Traveler's Rest 3. Thomas Merton: Journey Through Purgatory Revelations 4. Julian of Norwich: Seeing is Believing 5. Emily Dickinson: Camera Obscura How Goes the Battle? 6. John Bunyan: The Uncertainty Principle 7. Agnes Beaumont: Persecution and Defiance The Stripping of the Altar 8. Peter Abelard: Ruined 9. Heloise of Paris: What Will Survive of Us is Love 10. Etty Hillesum: The Radiance of a Yellow Star 11. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Last Lessons 12. C. S. Lewis: Surprised by Death 13. Reynolds Price: An Illness and a Healing Pilgrimages 14. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Little Way 15. Harriet Jacobs: Witness 16. Dorothy Day: A Life for the Poor 17. Kathleen Norris: A Revised Itinerary New Every Day 18. Anne Lamott: Adventures with Jesus 19. Heidi Neumark: A Ministry in the South Bronx Nomadic Faith 20. James Baldwin: Autobiography as Exorcism 21. Dennis Covington: A Snake Handler's Faith 22. Richard Rodriquez: The Long Way Home

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Book SynopsisFor 50 years, Margaret Mead told Americans how cultures worked, and Americans listened. While serving as a curator at the American Museum of Natural History and as a professor of anthropology at Columbia University, she published dozens of books and hundreds of articles, scholarly and popular, on topics ranging from adolescence to atomic energy, Polynesian kinship networks to kindergarten, national morale to marijuana. At her death in 1978, she was the most famous anthropologist in the world and one of the best-known women in America. She had amply achieved her goal, as she described it to an interviewer in 1975, To have lived long enough to be of some use.As befits her prominence, Mead has had many biographers, but there is a curious hole at the center of these accounts: Mead''s faith. Margaret Mead: A Twentieth-Century Faith introduces a side of its subject that few people know. It re-narrates her life and reinterprets her work, highlighting religious concerns. Following Mead''s lead, it ranges across areas that are typically kept academically distinct: anthropology, gender studies, intellectual history, church history, and theology. It is a portrait of a mind at work, pursuing a unique vision of the good of the world.Trade ReviewWith a blend of evocative prose and careful research, Elesha Coffman presents a spiritual life of Margaret Mead finely attuned to reading for traces of Christianity as well as to revealing her more universalized—perhaps even anthropological—approach to "cherishing the life of the world" (206). * Pamela E. Klassen, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *both quotable and accessible * Ian Jones, Reading Religion *This sublime book reconciles the more widely known scholarly achievements of Margaret Mead with her deeply engaged Christian faith and worldview, and thus is an integral contribution to the biographical sources available. This accessibly written book, grounded in excellent scholarship, is an important contribution to the historiography of the twentieth-century Episcopal Church. * Sheryl A. Kujawa- Holbrook, Anglican and Episcopal History *Coffman's reconstruction of Margaret Mead's spiritual life is a commendable intervention in our popular understanding of Margaret Mead. Like her faith, Margaret Mead cannot be easily categorized, and readers will walk away from this biography not only with a reminder of Mead's complex identity, but also with a view into what kinds of existences were possible within liberal Protestantism. * Adrianne Francisco, US Intellectual History *Table of Contents1: Choosing Church 2: Student Marriage 3: Coming of Age 4: Bread and Wine 5: War Work 6: Building the World New 7: Back to Church 8: Margaret Mead Answers 9: Spiritual Significance 10: For the Joy of the Working Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe first modern biography of medieval French scholar and bishop William of Auvergne. Today, William of Auvergne (1180?1249) is remembered for his scholarship about the afterlife as well as the so-called Trial of the Talmud. But the medieval bishop of Paris also left behind nearly 600 sermons delivered to all manner of peoplefrom the royal court to the poorest in his care. In Fragments of a World, Lesley Smith uses these sermons to paint a vivid picture of this extraordinary cleric, his parishioners, and their bustling world. The first modern biography of the influential teacher, bishop, and theologian, Fragments of a World casts a new image of William of Auvergne for our timesdeeply attuned to both the spiritual and material needs of an ever-changing populace in the medieval city.Trade Review"Smith’s insightful discussion of these colorful sermons provides us not only with a valuable insight into a fascinating medieval mind, worthy of comparison with the better-known Robert Grosseteste, but also an engaging portrait of Paris and its inhabitants at a pivotal time in the city’s history." * Times Literary Supplement *"In this extraordinary book, Smith presents a biographical sketch, analysis, and description of the life and philosophical theology of William of Auvergne, 13th-century Bishop of Paris, canon of Notre Dame Cathedral, and academician at the University of Paris. Smith takes up the rather prolific and sometimes difficult themes primarily, but by no means exclusively, from William's sermons (some 600) and fits them within some 16 brief chapters, some examples of which include "Teachers and Teaching," "The Landed and Married," "Animals," "Food and Drink," "Death and Beyond," "Jews," "Home and Family," "Women," and "Poverty." The interested reader will come away with a treasure of philosophical theology and a whole new picture of the 13th-century medieval world. Smith produces outstanding scholarship tucked into an engaging literary style. Includes 37 pages of endnotes and an excellent bibliography. Essential." * Choice *“In this thoughtful and accessible study, the thirteenth-century theologian and bishop of Paris William of Auvergne comes alive through an especially close reading of his sermons. Smith has a light touch that complements her thorough mastery of the details of William’s worldview and the context within which he taught and provided pastoral care. Fragments of a World is a stunning achievement, one of the finest biographies of a medieval figure that I know and a sheer pleasure to read.” -- William Chester Jordan, Princeton University“This book is a vivid portrait of an attractive and original mind in the intellectual, cultural, and social landscape of early thirteenth-century Paris, based on hundreds of sermons to the laity and clergy as well as academic writings that have a much more individual tone and color than most of the works by the famous scholastic synthesizers. Fragments of a World is a distinguished addition to the genre of Southern’s study of Grosseteste or Clanchy’s of Peter Abelard. It will be enlightening for specialists and students but also deserves to reach a wider public: no prior knowledge is assumed and everything is explained in an most engaging and readable style.” -- David d’Avray, University College London“Fragments of a World draws renewed and deserved attention to William of Auvergne, who played a key role in medieval French history, but it does more than that. While Smith plumbs new evidence to reveal William’s perspective on the biggest moral and social questions of his time, she also presents a three-dimensional portrait of thirteenth-century Paris in a book that will be as interesting to those who never knew about William as it will be useful to specialists.” -- Lucy Pick, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Maps One Seeing in a Smoky Mirror Two Home and Family Three Teachers and Teaching Four Paris Five Bishop Six Language Seven Knowing Eight Jews Nine Women Ten The Weak Eleven Poverty Twelve The Landed and the Monied Thirteen Animals Fourteen Food and Drink Fifteen Death and Beyond Sixteen Face to Face List of Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive analysis of Zwingli's life and his role in the reformation, in Switzerland and beyondTrade Review'An exceedingly well planned volume, which, after an introductory essay on the Swiss people, takes the reader through every important aspect of Zwingli's career, including Marburg with all of its political and theological difficulties, and even manages to seize upon the appearance of Zwingli's Commentarius de vera et false religione (1525) to offer a descriptive review of Zwingli's theology in the course of some thirty pages. . . . A sound, eminently readable, even absorbing biography, that teaches us more about Zwingli, and does him greater justice, than any comparable volume I am aware of.' - Bart Thompson, in Church HistoryTable of ContentsAuthor's Foreword 9 Introduction: The Swiss Background 11 Part One: The Formative Years 1. Childhood and Education 21 2. Vicar of Glarus and Chaplain in Italy 30 3. Chaplain A Einsiedeln: The Call To Zürich 40 4. Beginnings at Zürich: the ­Great Plague 48 Part Two: The Reformer 5. Zwingli, the Biblical Preacher 57 6. Ways and Means: the Temporizer 63 7. Lent, 1522: the Dramatic Affair of the Sausages 67 8. Final Attempts at Conciliation: the Rupture 71 Part Three: The Protestant Revolution 9. Abandonment of Ancient Practices 83 10. End of Chapter and Cloisters 87 11. From Mass to Lord's Supper 92

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Book SynopsisA riveting exploration of the brilliant, combative, and controversial “Father of the Nuclear Navy”Trade Review“Marc Wortman delivers a 17-gun salute to this short, profane spitfire who pulled a reluctant Navy into the atomic era. . . . Wortman opens a window into the life of an intellectual titan disdainful of nearly everything except scientific honesty, his adopted nation, and the power of the atom.”—Jonathan W. Jordan, Wall Street JournalAwarded the John Lyman Book Award honorable mention in the category of Naval and Maritime Biography and Autobiography, sponsored by the North American Society for Oceanic HistoryWinner of the 2023 Captain Richard Lukaszewicz Memorial Book Award, sponsored by the U.S. Military History Group“A superb and even-handed treatment of a complex, brilliant, and driven admiral who inspired both awe and loathing across the Navy he fundamentally reshaped. Rickover’s raw accomplishments in delivering nuclear power afloat changed the US Navy forever and remain seminal today.”—Admiral James Stavridis, former supreme commander, NATO, and author of 2034“Hyman Rickover is justifiably known as the ‘Father of the Nuclear Navy.’ Marc Wortman provides a lively, deeply informed, and revealing portrait of this remarkable man, warts and all.”—David Holloway, author of Stalin and the Bomb

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Book SynopsisAn intimate look at movie star Steve McQueen''s reckless life of fast cars, women, and drugs all the way up to his dramatic life-change and terminal cancer diagnosis.Join Greg Laurie as he takes a cross-country drive in his 1968 Highland Green Ford Mustang 390 GT through the canyons of Malibu, the alleys of Hollywood, the wide and open roads of the Midwest, and the streets of New York as he traces the woolly geography of actor Steve McQueen''s life, relationships, career, and spiritual journey. This iconic muscle car was the vehicle McQueen drove in his most raucous and enduring film, Bullitt. In the 1960s, McQueen was, according to box office receipts, the biggest movie star of his generation and one of the coolest men to ever walk the planet. Greg Laurie was a teen at the time and an ardent fan of The King of Cool, first mesmerized by McQueen in 1963''s The Great Escape. Like millions of cinema fans, Greg developed a

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Book SynopsisFrom detectives to Dante - the life of the creator of Lord Peter WimseyTable of ContentsContentsPreface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101. Looking Back: To the Beginning and Later on(1893–97, 1943) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152. Bluntisham and Salisbury: Schooling at Home andAway (1898–1912). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293. Somerville College, Oxford (1912–15). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504. Poetry, Publishing, and a Try at Teaching (1916–20). . . 705. An Accidental Birth and Complex Domesticity(1921–26). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 896. Guinness Was Good for Her (1922–29). . . . . . . . . . . . . 1077. Lord Peter Wimsey and Eric the Skull: Within theGolden Age of the Detection Club (1930–36). . . . . . . . 1208. From Page to Stage: Telling the Greatest Story(1936–51). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1349. A New Love: Rebooting Dante and The Divine Comedy(1944–57). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153Epilogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176Dorothy L. Sayers: A chronology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Appendix: Charles Williams’ review of The Nine Tailorsby Dorothy L. Sayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Select Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

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Book SynopsisHow Mike Endicott has developed a remarkable healing ministry despite his increasing blindnessTrade Review`A brilliantly lively communicator of the gospel, Mike never speaks without bringing something exciting and fresh to our understanding. I happily acknowledge my own debt to him as a teacher, colleague and friend. Mike is a wonderfully gifted expositor of what Christian healing means.’ -- Archbishop Rowan WilliamsTable of ContentsContentsAcknowledgments 9Introduction 111. Miracles in the Morning 152. Rock Racing 333. Demolition 454. Into The Well 675. Thinking the Unthinkable 916. Echoes of Jesus 1057. Fields White Unto Harvest 1258. Crossing My Own Personal Jordan 1419. The Woman and the Dragon 16110. Back to Eden 18111. An Army of Ordinary People 199Appendix: The Gifts of Calvary 211Home Base Headquarters 223

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Book SynopsisMillions worldwide have turned to the readings of Edgar Cayce for advice on health and spiritual growth. Hailed as the father of holistic medicine as well as the catalyst for the New Age movement, his works have been translated into dozens of languages, and he has received outpourings of acclaim from individuals, doctors, and spiritual leaders around the globe. As predicted by his own psychic readings, the Cayce material has changed the thought of humankind. Drawing from his experience as Cayce''s longtime associate, Dr. Harmon Bro has written a firsthand account in this full-length biography of the gifted psychic. His intimate prose tells the story of an enigmatic Kentucky farm boy with no formal education who became the soft-spoken seer who inspired so many and left a legacy of more than 14,000 documented readings behind. It is also the story of a man who worked laboriously to help others-even at the cost of his own health and eventually his life.

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Book SynopsisAt the end of the nineteenth century, Augustus Strong emerged as one of the most influential church leaders and theologians in America. But, as Grant Wacker reveals in this masterful study, Strong also proved to be as tragic a figure as he was influential.Trade Review"A powerful piece of historical writing that commands the attention of evangelical historians." Steven R. Pointer, Fides Et Historia"An important historical corrective...Strongs story is told here as an intellectual biography in a Lovejoyan mode...The material is so interesting that we want more." James D. Bratt, Journal of the American Academy of Religion"In this lucid analysis and commentary Wacker sheds light on one of the basic problems that has vexed American religion for the past century...This solid, instructive book moves beyond its specific setting to point up issues which thoughtful personshistorians, theologians, and interested nonspecialists alikestill try to resolve." Henry Warner Bowden, Church History

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Book SynopsisAt the end of the nineteenth century, Augustus Strong emerged as one of the most influential church leaders and theologians in America. But, as Grant Wacker reveals in this masterful study, Strong also proved to be as tragic a figure as he was influential.Trade Review"A powerful piece of historical writing that commands the attention of evangelical historians." Steven R. Pointer, Fides Et Historia"An important historical corrective...Strongs story is told here as an intellectual biography in a Lovejoyan mode...The material is so interesting that we want more." James D. Bratt, Journal of the American Academy of Religion"In this lucid analysis and commentary Wacker sheds light on one of the basic problems that has vexed American religion for the past century...This solid, instructive book moves beyond its specific setting to point up issues which thoughtful personshistorians, theologians, and interested nonspecialists alikestill try to resolve." Henry Warner Bowden, Church History

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Book SynopsisThis book describes the wartime experiences of Reverend David Railton, MC, who was a chaplain on the Western Front during WWI. As a chaplain, Railton supported soldiers in their worst moments, he buried the fallen, comforted the wounded, wrote to the families of the missing and killed, and helped the survivors to remember and mark the loss of their comrades so that they were able to move on and do their job. He was present at many battles, and received the Military Cross for rescuing an officer and two men under heavy fire on the Somme.It was Railton’s idea to bring home the body of a fallen comrade, whose identity was unknown, from the battlefields of Belgium and France to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Although suffering from what was obviously Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after the war he carried out his duties as the vicar of Margate and took on many philanthropic works on behalf of the poor, especially supporting ex-servicemen who came home and had to deal with the aftermath of a terrible war and crippling unemployment.The story of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has been told several times, including the part played by the Reverend David Railton, M.C. However, this book – based on hundreds of Railton's original letters, notes, and writings – is the first book to tell the story of the man himself and his flag, which he used as an altar cloth and shroud throughout the war, was consecrated a year after the burial of the Unknown Warrior, and now hangs in Westminster Abbey.Trade ReviewRailton's is a story worth telling and Richard's narrative of wartime events and peacetime social conditions is clear and effective. * Stand to! *The Flag is a memoir full of hope and inspiration. It offers up a lesson to us all. It's a must-read and, once and for all, ensures the life and times of Padré Railton will never be forgotten. BRITAIN AT WAR BOOK OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER 2018 * Britain at War Magazine *The book explains how Railton was moved to create a symbol which every family in the country could identify. That symbol lies inside Westminster Abbey in the shape of the Unknown Soldier. […] Such a legacy is monumental and a fitting tribute to the work of the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department during the war. * Gun Mart *We have waited nearly a century for Reverend David Railton's story, and this book does this humble and decent man a great service. It is an extraordinary story. * Guards Magazine *...a worthwhile biography and one well worth reading. * Long Long Trail *The book is an attractive addition to the mass of literature about the First World War and about the tasks and frequent heroism of the chaplains. * Church Times *This is a well-researched book...The style of writing brings home something of what it was to be an army chaplain amid the battles in France and Flanders. * Methodist Recorder *Table of ContentsPrologue – 1: Sleepless Nights – 2: Early Days in France – 3: Vimy Ridge – 4: The Graveyards – 5: Military Cross – 6: Winter of Death – 7: Private Blakemore – 8: The Quiet Sector – 9: Back to Blighty – 10: It’s Now or Never – 11: The Unknown Warrior – 12: Hanging the Flag – 13: Going Home

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