{"title":"Christianity Books","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"all-things-made-new-9780141983011","title":"All Things Made New","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Reformation which engulfed England and Europe in the sixteenth  century was one of the most highly-charged, bloody and transformative  periods in their history, and has remained one of the most contested. In  this dazzling book, Diarmaid MacCulloch explores a turbulent and  endlessly fascinating era. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''A masterly take on the Reformation ... absorbing and compelling, full of insights'' Linda Hogan, \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''One  of our very best public historians ... as this collection triumphantly  confirms, MacCulloch writes authoritatively and engagingly on a  remarkably diverse range of topics in the history of Christian culture''  Peter Marshall, \u003ci\u003eLiterary Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Written with elegance and sometimes donnish wit ... he wears his learning lightly'' Robert Tombs, \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''Dazzling ... prodigiously learned ... MacCulloch has a gift for explaining complicated things simply'' Jack Scarisbrick, \u003ci\u003eCatholic Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMacCulloch not only brings a lifetime's learning to bear on his subject, but writes with vigour, empathy and wit ... about identity and memory, about the importance of myths and why historians need to challenge them. -- Malcolm Gaskill * Financial Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAll Things Made New\u003c\/i\u003e is a serious book on a serious subject. It is written with elegance and sometimes donnish wit -- Robert Tombs * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eMacCulloch is ... able to write authoritatively and engagingly on a remarkably diverse range of topics in the history of Christian culture and thought. -- Peter Marshall * Literary Review *","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47832686494039,"sku":"9780141983011","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141983011.jpg?v=1710336732"},{"product_id":"dominion-9780349141206","title":"Dominion","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''If great books encourage you to look at the world in an entirely new way, then \u003ci\u003eDominion \u003c\/i\u003eis a very great book indeed . . . Written with terrific learning, enthusiasm and good humour, Holland''s book is not just supremely provocative, but often very funny'' \u003ci\u003eSunday Times \u003c\/i\u003eHistory Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChristianity is the most enduring and influential legacy of the ancient world, and its emergence the single most transformative development in Western history. Even the increasing number in the West today who have abandoned the faith of their forebears, and dismiss all religion as pointless superstition, remain recognisably its heirs. Seen close-up, the division between a sceptic and a believer may seem unbridgeable. Widen the focus, though, and Christianity''s enduring impact upon the West can be seen in the emergence of much that has traditionally been cast as its nemesis: in science, in secularism, and yes, even in atheism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat is why \u003ci\u003eDominion \u003c\/i\u003ewill place the story of how we came to be what we are, and how we think the way that we do, in the broadest historical context. Ranging in time from the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC to the on-going migration crisis in Europe today, and from Nebuchadnezzar to the Beatles, it will explore just what it was that made Christianity so revolutionary and disruptive; how completely it came to saturate the mind-set of Latin Christendom; and why, in a West that has become increasingly doubtful of religion''s claims, so many of its instincts remain irredeemably Christian. The aim is twofold: to make the reader appreciate just how novel and uncanny were Christian teachings when they first appeared in the world; and to make ourselves, and all that we take for granted, appear similarly strange in consequence. We stand at the end-point of an extraordinary transformation in the understanding of what it is to be human: one that can only be fully appreciated by tracing the arc of its parabola over millennia.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTerrific: bold, ambitious and passionate -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads\u003cbr\u003eTom Holland is fun to read, monstrously erudite, wickedly joyful, and ahead of the established consensus, on average, by four years, three months, and two days -- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of the Incerto (The Black Swan, Antifragile...)\u003cbr\u003eThis extraordinary book is vintage Tom Holland: history boldly and elegantly retold, with fascinating interconnections traced to create a narrative that cannot fail to stimulate, for it leads to a never-ending question -- Diarmaid MacCulloch\u003cbr\u003eHolland is an illuminating guide on a journey from Ancient Athens to 21st-century gay rights * History Revealed *\u003cbr\u003eSustained with all the breadth, originality and erudition that we have come to associate with Holland's writing * Spectator *\u003cbr\u003eFizzing with insights and challenges, this is one history book that is timely and important, as well as a feast of intellectual entertainment -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003eHolland is an exceptionally good storyteller with a marvellous eye for detail * The Economist *\u003cbr\u003eAn all-absorbing story * Literary Review *\u003cbr\u003eThis book has ruffled feathers . . . lyrical, vivid * Evening Standard *\u003cbr\u003eIt's not often that you come across a book that completely transforms your understanding of the world * Spectator *\u003cbr\u003eA rich and compelling history of Christendom . . . A masterpiece of scholarship and storytelling, \u003ci\u003eDominion\u003c\/i\u003e surpasses Holland's earlier books in its sweeping ambition and gripping presentation -- John Gray * New Statesman *\u003cbr\u003e[Holland encapsulates] so much, so intelligently and entertainingly, in a book that's fizzing with ideas -- Andrew Lycett * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003eI love the sweep of it * Sunday Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eTom Holland's stupendous new book . . . There isn't a page of this magnificent book that does not contain some\u003cbr\u003efascinating detail and the narrative is held together with a novelist's eye for character and theme\u003c\/p\u003e -- Tim Stanley * History Today *\u003cbr\u003eA brilliant meditation on how Christianity in its Latin and Protestant forms entirely changed the way humans conceive life and their relationship to each other -- Helen Thompson * New Statesman *\u003cbr\u003eAn absorbing survey of Christianity's subversive origins and enduring influence is filled with vivid portraits, gruesome deaths and moral debates . . . Holland has all the talents of an accomplished novelist: a gift for narrative, a lively sense of drama and a fine ear for the rhythm of a sentence -- Terry Eagleton * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eIf great books encourage you to look at the world in an entirely new way, then Dominion is \u003cb\u003ea very great \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ebook indeed\u003c\/b\u003e . . . \u003cb\u003eWritten with terrific learning, enthusiasm and \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003egood humour\u003c\/b\u003e, Holland's book is not just supremely provocative, but often very funny * Sunday Times *\u003cbr\u003eA bravura swing through centuries of Western European history . . . a cornucopia of characters and information: almost everyone would learn from it something they didn't know . . . the range and unobvious sweep of his narrative are most impressive * Times Literary Supplement *\u003cbr\u003eAn erudite and fascinating look at the enduring legacy of Christianity, which, as numbers of believers are dwindling * The Lady *\u003cbr\u003eThose who like their history with a dose of lessons about the present will be impressed by Tom Holland's ambitious \u003ci\u003eDominion\u003c\/i\u003e * Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eDefinitely my book of the year -- Bernard Cornwell","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47833060540759,"sku":"9780349141206","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780349141206.jpg?v=1710341414"},{"product_id":"god-9780762462322","title":"God","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFor anyone who has wondered, What have the greatest minds in human history thought of God?  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She is important. All credit to Chris Maunder for fighting so heroically, inch by passionate inch, to try and allow some extra room for her.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Nicola Barker, Spectator *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Refreshing… it is good to see Chris Maunder’s work as a potential for a meeting of minds between those starting from very different perspectives… There is a valuable discussion here on the role of symbolism and metaphor in the use of Scripture… Maunder’s penultimate chapter is headed “Mary and the Incarnation”, and for that section alone there would be justification for buying his book.'\u003c\/p\u003e * Catholic Herald *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Chris Maunder builds on his previous research to construct an historical, feminist image of Mary rooted in the New Testament and early Christian history that depicts Mary as a key figure in early Christianity… \u003cem\u003eMary, Founder of Christianity \u003c\/em\u003emanages to be both complex and approachable. Maunder moves from broader themes to more specific ones as he concludes. Additionally, the book is well structured as historical context leads to scriptural analysis leads to character-specific analysis… I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a feminist, historical depiction of Mary. Maunder’s structure, evidence, and writing style will appeal to scholars and lay readers alike.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Barbara F. Bradley, Religion *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Mother Mary’s contributions to the establishment of Christianity are brought to the fore in this provocative treatise by Maunder... Even those who disagree with Maunder’s unorthodox biblical readings will acknowledge the boldness and originality of what’s on offer.'\u003c\/p\u003e * Publishers Weekly *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Maunder answers the burning questions around Mary’s role in the Christian faith, using a scholar’s approach that gives the nonacademic reader an understanding of why the historical mother of Jesus is so important to the foundation of Christianity… Maunder offers plenty of resources in his footnotes, adding further interest for readers interested in studying Christian history.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Booklist *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A welcome addition to the recent resurgence of research on the Marys, and on the leadership of women in early Christianity. In particular, Maunder’s focus on Mary of Nazareth’s status within the family of Jesus is a plausible and culturally relevant approach to an important issue, presented in an accessible and intriguing way.’\u003c\/p\u003e -- Mary Ann Beavis, Professor Emerita, St Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘An excellent examination of the portrait of Mary, Jesus’ mother, according to the canonical gospel accounts.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Ally Kateusz, Wijngaards Institute of Catholic Research *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘The book offers the reader much… especially its outline of biblical criticism, which will be particularly useful to those called on to describe modern scholarship… [Maunder’s] case is well argued… His other theme – to explain, challenge and re-contextualise the patriarchy of the Christian tradition – is also handled with care… He writes that this is a book for “free thinkers in the Christian tradition” and its approach will resonate with many PCN members.’ \u003c\/p\u003e * Progressive Voices *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Chris Maunder undertakes an important but complicated task in this book. He wants to recover Mary for a world in which women have equal voice and in which a virgin bearing a child seems unbelievable. Like the search for the historical Jesus, Maunder’s search for the historical Mary begins with a framework for interpretation that distinguishes between an historical event and its metaphoric presentation in the gospels. In this reading framework, he finds Mary present before, throughout, and at the end of Jesus’ ministry. He argues for her significant presence in the early church in Jerusalem. In this way, Mary is imagined as a co-founder of Christianity. This is indeed a book for “free thinkers in the Christian tradition” who might find in a reconsideration of Mary an escape from the “delusion of male and hierarchical supremacy”.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Jo-Ann Badley, Dean of Theology and Associate Professor of New Testament, Ambrose University *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘The reader is given an attractive and rich theology of Mary in the New Testament… There is… some interesting and careful speculation towards the end of the book on the plethora of Maries at the cross and resurrection, in view of the later traditions of the leadership of the Jerusalem Christian community.’  \u003c\/p\u003e * Church Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Chris Maunder sets out to place Mary, mother of Jesus, front and centre in the founding story of Christianity… [Maunder] argues his case with fluency and energy. His research and references are thorough and densely presented.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Reaction *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Maunder opens up a new and wider window into a new perspective… Challenges to perceived modern theology are what makes this book full of interest. Maunder knows his stuff and presents a strong basis for many a full-bodied discussion.'\u003c\/p\u003e -- Transforming Ministry","brand":"Oneworld Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47836629729623,"sku":"9780861542642","price":17.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780861542642.jpg?v=1710379678"},{"product_id":"revered-wisdom-9781402770418","title":"Revered Wisdom","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOffers an abridged edition of William Paley's seminal work, \"A View of the Evidence of Christianity\", which was required reading at Cambridge University until the twentieth century.","brand":"Union Square \u0026 Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47836774170967,"sku":"9781402770418","price":8.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781402770418.jpg?v=1710382523"},{"product_id":"st-patrick-his-life-and-legend-9781904263494","title":"St Patrick: His Life and Legend","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat kind of a world was St Patrick born into? 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He proves it true that comedy and tragedy run side by side, and that some of the most unlikely people turn out to be saints and martyrs... Bracing and lively.’\u003c\/p\u003e * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Deserves a wide readership. It could be argued that it took allegiance to a higher power than secular Messiahs to support resistance to the most hateful regimes of the 20\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Century.’\u003c\/p\u003e * Church of England Newspaper *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5* \u003c\/strong\u003ereview: ‘a joyful and funny book, about some fascinating, brave and at times eccentric characters, who did what was right because it was right, regardless of the potential personal cost… I was left wanting to know more about all of them.’\u003c\/p\u003e -- Sorted\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘The history of Christianity during World War II is not pretty, as many leading Church figures collaborated with the Nazis and gave succour to anti-Semitism. A handful of religious people stood tall and met the challenge – the little-known men and women vividly described in these fascinating pages opposed both fascism and religious authority to fight the true good fight. If only there had been more like them!’\u003c\/p\u003e -- Matthew Cobb, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Resistance\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eA Field Guide to the English Clergy\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘A group biography of ecclesiastical nuttiness… All gloriously mad.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e, Books of the Year 2018\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity…Butler-Gallie knows whereof he writes, being a curate himself, and he has done a splendid job presenting a smorgasbord of most peculiar parsons.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eSebastian Shakespeare,\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘We have…always kept a special haven for oddballs in the Church of England, as Fergus Butler-Gallie demonstrates in this entertaining compendium…Their foibles cover all bases from absentmindedness to epic drunkenness…I'm glad I read this one. It's a lot of fun.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘Entertainingly erudite…But it is also a surprisingly profound work…For all its mischief, Butler-Gallie's work of lightly worn erudition is a paean to a great English institution, finely tuned to the temper of its representatives, good, bad and indifferent. We should treasure it more.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eLiterary Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘A humorous compendium of some of the oddball clergy who have served the Church over the centuries...These thumbnail portraits reveal a very broad church indeed.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew Statesman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘The Church of England has produced some real oddballs in its time, and this is an entertaining gallop through several centuries' worth of them…Butler-Gallie has done his homework, digging out some rare gems…This is the story not just of eccentrics, but also of a leisured age that is no more.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003eHarry Mount, \u003cem\u003eSpectator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘Wonderfully entertaining…A hilarious yet thoughtful reminder that the Christian faith wasn't always thought incompatible with a sense of humour or a healthy bolshiness.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘It may have the makings of a modern classic…Butler-Gallie chronicles not just Anglican follies, but also human weaknesses which we all share and with which we can perhaps sympathise.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Catholic Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘This is a ridiculously enjoyable book: funny, compassionate, and wonderfully well-written.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003eTom Holland\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e‘A delightful, sympathetic, humorous and earthed cocktail of quirky English clergy.' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ccite\u003eThe Rt Revd David Wilbourne\u003c\/cite\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oneworld Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47851258151255,"sku":"9781786078308","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781786078308.jpg?v=1710631330"},{"product_id":"do-i-stay-christian-a-guide-for-the-doubters-the-disappointed-and-the-disillusioned-9781529384611","title":"Do I Stay Christian?: A Guide for the Doubters,","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDubbed 'a heroic gate-crasher' by \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author Glennon Doyle, Brian McLaren explores reasons to leave or stay within the church and if so, how ...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDo I Stay Christian?\u003c\/i\u003e  addresses in public the powerful question that surprising numbers of  people - including pastors, priests and other religious leaders - are  asking in private. 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Thank you, Brian!'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFr Richard Rohr, OFM, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Universal Christ\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'be prepared to be deeply challenged and hugely encouraged' [Praise for FAITH AFTER DOUBT] * Christianity Magazine *\u003cbr\u003e'challenging, provocative, and, at times, uncomfortable read' [Praise for FAITH AFTER DOUBT] * Church Times *\u003cbr\u003eHe finds himself in a spacious place where Christianity can be much more concerned with being generous than being doctrinally correct... 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In this collection of prayers, much-loved comedian, broadcaster and radio host Frank Skinner has tried to retain the bare candour of the rehearsal-room improvisation - to show what faith feels like, from the inside - but infused it with all the production values required to make it a passable public entertainment. In it are his convictions, his questions, his fears, his doubts, his elations - all presented in an eavesdropper-friendly form. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHell, Judgement, atheism, money, faith and the X-Men all feature: it's a bit like reading the Bible, except you only get one side of the conversation, and all the jokes are left in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a fine, brave book, beautifully expressed. 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As if redemption were possible for all of us, as if the void that threatens to engulf us all could be filled by a personal relationship with Christ in the present. He is a compelling writer.' - Russell Brand\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e    \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInspired by a conversation with a barista who asked him why he became a priest, this is the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell's extended answer to that question - as well as the letter he'd like to write to a divided country that no longer sees the relevance or value of the Christian narrative. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArchbishop Stephen is a much-admired voice within the church, but in this book he writes for a more general audience, and those who might call themselves spiritual seekers - as well as anyone who is concerned about the life and unity of the UK. 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He is a compelling writer. * Russell Brand *\u003cbr\u003eA deeply thoughtful exposition of faith's transformative power, Dear England gave me hope, not only for the future of Christianity, but for a changed world too. * David Lammy MP *\u003cbr\u003eIn this gentle and accessible book, the Archbishop of York takes the reader by the hand to explore big questions of faith, meaning and belonging. In doing so he explores with clarity and insight the changes we face, refreshing both those of us for whom our faith has become perhaps jaded and tired, as well as those of no faith at all.  At the same time he invites us all to think again about our purpose and belief - and in so doing provides a route map for our increasingly uncertain future. * Dame Julia Unwin, Chair of Future of Civil Society *\u003cbr\u003eHere's a refreshing, candid, unabashed and, mercifully, jargon-free letter to all of us. 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Traditional values no longer hold, yet recent political swings show that modern ideals of tolerance have left many feeling rudderless and adrift. In this environment we see things fall apart in unexpected ways - toxic public discourse makes true societal progress almost unattainable, a more divisive society is fuelled by identity politics and extremism, and the rise of a victimhood mentality calls for 'safe spaces' but stifles debate. The influence of social media seems all-pervading and the breakdown of the family is only one result of the loss of social capital. Many fear what the future may hold.   Delivering a devastatingly insightful critique of our modern condition, and assessing its roots and causes from the ancient Greeks through the Reformation and Enlightenment to the present day, Sacks argues that there is no liberty without morality, and no freedom without responsibility.   If we care about the future of western civilisation, all of us must play our part in rebuilding our common moral foundation. Then we will discover afresh the life-transforming and counterintuitive truths that a nation is strong when it cares for the weak, and rich when it cares for the poor.   Here is an inspiring vision of a world in which we can all find our place, and face the future without fear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAwarded Book of the Year 2020 in the National Jewish Book Awards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLady Elaine Sacks commented: 'I know my late husband was very proud of \u003ci\u003eMorality\u003c\/i\u003e and would have been most honoured by this recognition from the Jewish Book Council. Though he had won many previous Jewish Book Awards, none of his books had been named as the Book of the Year. This shows the particular relevance of \u003ci\u003eMorality\u003c\/i\u003e in today's increasingly complex world. In the book, he aimed to show society a way forward, and one which prioritises the \"We\" over the \"I\" - something he passionately believed in throughout his life. Though he is much missed by our family and so many others, I am delighted the book has been recognised in this way.'\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis last book, Morality, while written before the spread of coronavirus, is highly relevant to today's situation. He would not have been silent were he still with us, and his voice is sadly missed. * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eJonathan Sacks is one of the great moral thinkers of our time.  His latest book, \u003ci\u003eMorality\u003c\/i\u003e, applies his powerful approach to the unprecedented challenges of our time - social, political, economic, and above all, cultural.  May his words be heeded throughout the land. -- Robert D. 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He is a fine exegete of the Hebrew Scriptures, and his belief in the common good is profound. * Reform *\u003cbr\u003eThe strength of Morality does not reside in Jonathan Sacks's discussion of political and philosophical theorists, but in those passages in which he speaks to us as rabbi and community leader. * TLS *\u003cbr\u003e'Sacks argues convincingly that this pursuit of the common good has been disappearing from the West, and has left us impoverished and damaged.' * Jewish Renaissance *\u003cbr\u003eThe inheritor of a tradition with a long historical memory of loss, exile, death and mourning, Sacks has things to say that speak more directly to our present condition than anything in recent liberal thinking. * New Statesman *\u003cbr\u003e'Let Us Dream thus joins a growing body of Covid-era literature calling for a communitarian reset of liberal values and institutions... \u003ci\u003eMorality \u003c\/i\u003eby the late Jonathan Sacks have all traversed similar territory. The collective pro noun is back in fashion.' * Observer *\u003cbr\u003eAnd so this last book reads like a summation of his life's work - a propitiously timed gift and a starting point for discussion. * The Washington Post *","brand":"John Murray Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47851804950871,"sku":"9781473617339","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781473617339.jpg?v=1710645263"},{"product_id":"the-historical-jesus-9780060616298","title":"The Historical Jesus","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe comes as yet unknown into a hamlet of Lower Galilee. He is watched by the cold, hard eyes of peasants living long enough at a subsistence level to know exactly where the line is drawn between poverty and destitution. He looks like a beggar yet his eyes lack the proper cringe, his voice the proper whine, his walk the proper shuffle. He speaks about the rule of God and they listen as much from curiosity as anything else. They know all about rule and power, about kingdom and empire, but they know it in terms of tax and debt, malnutrition and sickness, agrarian oppression and demonic possession. What, they really want to know, can this kingdom of God do for a lame child, a blind parent, a demented soul screaming its tortured isolation among the graves that mark the edges of the village? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e –– from The Gospel of Jesus, overture to \u003cem\u003eThe Historical Jesus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e  \u003cem\u003e     The Historical Jesus\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the true Jesus––who he was, what he did, what he said. 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Huxley has used all his ingenuity to explain this extraordinary character * New Statesman *","brand":"Vintage Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732241428823,"sku":"9780099477822","price":9.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780099477822.jpg?v=1719996103"},{"product_id":"the-popes-9780099565871","title":"The Popes","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn Julius Norwich expertly examines the history of the oldest continuing institution in the world, tracing the papal line down the centuries from St Peter to the present\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOf the 280-odd holders of the supreme office, some have unquestionably been saints; others have wallowed in unspeakable immorality. One was said to have been a woman, her sex being revealed only when she improvidently gave birth to a baby during a papal procession. Almost as shocking was Formosus whose murdered corpse was exhumed, clothed in pontifical vestments, propped up on a throne and subjected to trial. From the glories of Byzantium to the decay of Rome, from the Albigensian Heresy to controversy within the Church today, \u003ci\u003eThe Popes\u003c\/i\u003e is superbly written, witty and revealing. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCharming and learned...The prose is elegant, the witticisms are plentiful, and the volume''s enthusiasm is addictive.' Jonathan Wright, \u003ci\u003eBBC History Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The stories are glorious...stuffed with monsters, absurdities, wonders and politics... the parade is endlessly interesting\" Scotsman \"Norwich certainly has an eye for the tiny detail that illuminates a whole character\" Mail on Sunday \"A highly readable book\" Sunday Times \"One of the most bizarre and enjoyable history books I've ever read\" Daily Express \"[John Julius Norwich] approaches his vast canvas with broad brush strokes, dashing off profile after profile with aplomb, flashes of wit and a formidable accumulation of detail\" Financial Times","brand":"Vintage Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732301001047,"sku":"9780099565871","price":15.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"the-historical-figure-of-jesus-9780140144994","title":"The Historical Figure of Jesus","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA biography of the historical figure of Jesus. The book studies the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, distinguishing the certain from the improbable, and assessing the historical and religious context of Christ''s time. The spread of Christianity is also discussed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Historical Figure of Jesus - E.P. Sanders       Map of Palestine in the Time of Jesus\u003cbr\u003eList of Abbreviations\u003cbr\u003eChronological Table\u003cbr\u003ePreface\u003cbr\u003e1. Introduction\u003cbr\u003e2. An Outline of Jesus' Life\u003cbr\u003e3. Political Setting\u003cbr\u003e4. Judaism as a Religion\u003cbr\u003e5. External Sources\u003cbr\u003e6. The Problems of the Primary Sources\u003cbr\u003e7. Two Contexts\u003cbr\u003e8. The Setting and Method of Jesus' Ministry\u003cbr\u003e9. The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry\u003cbr\u003e10. Miracles\u003cbr\u003e11. The Coming of the Kingdom\u003cbr\u003e12. The Kingdom: Israel, Gentiles and Individuals\u003cbr\u003e13. The Kingdom: Reversal of Values and Ethical Perfectionism\u003cbr\u003e14. Contention and Opposition in Galilee\u003cbr\u003e15. Jesus' View of His Role in God's Plan\u003cbr\u003e16. Jesus' Last Week\u003cbr\u003e17. Epilogue: The Resurrection\u003cbr\u003eAppendix I: Chronology\u003cbr\u003eAppendix II: Jesus' Disciples\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eIndex of Passages\u003cbr\u003eIndex of Names and Subjects","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732346155351,"sku":"9780140144994","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140144994.jpg?v=1719996504"},{"product_id":"the-penguin-history-of-the-church-9780140231991","title":"The Penguin History of the Church","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eExamines the beginning of the Christian movement during the first centureis AD, and the explosive force of its expansion throughout the Roman world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePart 1 From Jerusalem to Rome: the Jewish background; the earliest church; the Gentile Church; encounter with the Roman empire. 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Part 13 The controversy about Origen and the tragedy of John Chrysostom. Part 14 The problem of the person of Christ: Diodore, Theodore, and Apollinaris; Cyril and Nestorius; the \"Monophysite\" council of Ephesus and reaction at Chalcedon; the search for reconciliation; the doctrine of one will. Part 15 The development of Latin Christian thought: Jerome and the beginnings of maturity; the conversion of Augustine; the Donatist schism and the problem of coercion; \"The City of God\" and the Pelagian controversy; the holy trinity. Part 16 The papacy. Part 17 The Church and the Barbarians. Part 18 Worship and art: liturgy; daily offices; early Church music; Christian art.","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732349923671,"sku":"9780140231991","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140231991.jpg?v=1719996518"},{"product_id":"macculloch-d-reformation-9780140285345","title":"Macculloch D Reformation","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''A masterpiece ... In its field it is the best book ever'' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eWinner of the Wolfson Prize for history, \u003ci\u003eReformation: Europe''s House Divided 1490-1700\u003c\/i\u003e charts a seismic shift in European culture that marked the beginning of the modern world.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  At a time when men and women were prepared to kill - and be killed - for their faith, the Reformation tore the western world apart. Acclaimed as the definitive account of these epochal events, Diarmaid MacCulloch''s history brilliantly re-creates the religious battles of priests, monarchs, scholars and politicians, from the zealous Martin Luther nailing his Theses to the door of a Wittenburg church to the radical Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order; from Thomas Cranmer, martyred for his reforms, to the ambitious Philip II, unwavering in his campaign against Europe''s ''heretics''.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  Weaving together the many strands of Reformation and Counter-Reformation, ranging widely across Europe and even to the new world, MacCulloch also reveals as never before how these upheavals affected everyday lives - overturning ideas of love, sex, death and the supernatural, and shaping the modern age.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  ''Magisterial and eloquent''\u003cbr\u003e  David Starkey\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  ''A triumph of human sympathy''\u003cbr\u003e  Blair Worden, \u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  ''From politics to witchcraft, from the liturgy to sex; the sweep of European history covered here is breathtakingly panoramic. This is a model work of history''\u003cbr\u003e  Noel Malcolm, \u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e Books of the Year\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  ''Monumental ... \u003ci\u003eReformation \u003c\/i\u003eis set to become a landmark''\u003cbr\u003e  Lisa Jardine, \u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cb\u003eDiarmaid MacCulloch \u003c\/b\u003eis Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University. His \u003ci\u003eThomas Cranmer \u003c\/i\u003ewon the Whitbread Biography Prize, the James Tait Black Prize and the Duff Cooper Prize. 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Here Kemp recounts in vivid, unembarrassed detail the madness that followed the birth of the first of her fourteen children, the failure of her brewery business, her dramatic call to the spiritual life, her visions and uncontrollable tears, the struggle to convert her husband to a vow of chastity and her pilgrimages to Europe and the Holy Land. Margery Kempe could not read or write, and dictated her remarkable story late in life. It remains an extraordinary record of human faith and a portrait of a medieval woman of unforgettable character and courage.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Book of Magery KempeIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuggested Chronology of the Life of Margery Kempe\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Book of Margery Kempe\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732364243287,"sku":"9780140432510","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140432510.jpg?v=1719996568"},{"product_id":"selected-writings-9780140433432","title":"Selected Writings","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eComposed during a critical time in the evolution of European intellectual life, the works of Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1327) are some of the most powerful medieval attempts to achieve a synthesis between ancient Greek thought and the Christian faith. Writing with great rhetorical brilliance, Eckhart combines the neoplatonic concept of oneness - the idea that the ultimate principle of the universe is single and undivided - with his Christian belief in the Trinity, and considers the struggle to describe a perfect God through the imperfect medium of language. Fusing philosophy and religion with vivid originality and metaphysical passion, these works have intrigued and inspired philosophers and theologians from Hegel to Heidegger and beyond.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe talks of instruction; the book of divine consolation; on the noble man; selected German sermons; selected Latin sermons.","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732365128023,"sku":"9780140433432","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140433432.jpg?v=1719996569"},{"product_id":"apologia-pro-vita-sua-9780140433746","title":"Apologia Pro Vita Sua","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn Henry Newman, one of the towering figures of the early Victorian Church of England, caused shock and outrage in equal measure when he announced his espousal of Roman Catholicism in 1845. 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The works gathered here provide a first-hand, personal introduction to this remarkable character: a man who turned away from the Spanish nobility to create the revolutionary Jesuit Order, inspired by the desire to help people follow Christ. His \u003ci\u003eReminiscences\u003c\/i\u003e describe his early life, his religious conversion following near-paralysis in battle, and his spiritual and physical ordeals as he struggled to assist those in need, including plague, persecution and imprisonment.\u003ci\u003e The Spiritual Exercises\u003c\/i\u003e offer guidelines to those seeking the will of God, and the \u003ci\u003eSpiritual Diary \u003c\/i\u003eshows Ignatius in daily mystical contact with God during a personal struggle. The Letters collected here provide an insight into Ignatius' ceaseless campaign to assist those seeking enlightenment and to dire\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePreface\u003cbr\u003eChronology\u003cbr\u003eGlossary\u003cbr\u003eBibliography\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReminiscences (Autobiography)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e1. Loyola\u003cbr\u003e2. To Manresa via Montserrat\u003cbr\u003e3. The Pilgrimage to Jerusalem\u003cbr\u003e4. Studies and Conflicts in Spain\u003cbr\u003e5. Paris\u003cbr\u003e6. Interlude at Home\u003cbr\u003e7. Italy\u003cbr\u003eEpilogue by Gonçalves da Câmara\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Spiritual Diary\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003ePros and Cons in an election on poverty\u003cbr\u003eThe Spiritual Diary:\u003cbr\u003ePart I\u003cbr\u003ePart II\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSelect Letters\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e1 [1]* Advice to a good woman (Inés Pascual 1524)\u003cbr\u003e2 [3] Dealings with brother and nephew (1532)\u003cbr\u003e3 [4] Comfort among calamities (Isabel Roser 1532)\u003cbr\u003e4 [7] Steps in discernment (Teresa Rejadell 1536)\u003cbr\u003e5 [8] Prayer made easy (Teresa Rejadell 1536)\u003cbr\u003e6 [10] In praise of \u003ci\u003eThe Spiritual Exercises\u003c\/i\u003e (Fr Miona 1536)\u003cbr\u003e7 [11] Blueprint for a religious order (Mgr Carafa 1536)\u003cbr\u003e8 [XII, app.] Early years in Italy (1536-37)\u003cbr\u003e9 [17] Thanks for support (Mgr Contarini 1538)\u003cbr\u003e10 [18] Roman trials and tribulations (1538)\u003cbr\u003e11 [52] Benighted obedience (Fr Viola 1542)\u003cbr\u003e12 [79] Vocation doubts ofa young man (1544)\u003cbr\u003e13 [101] Borgia's early steps (1545)\u003cbr\u003e14 [123] Conduct at Trent (1546)\u003cbr\u003e15 [149] Refusing episcopal dignities (1546)\u003cbr\u003e16 [169] Ideals for newcomers (Coimbra 1547)\u003cbr\u003e17 [182] Need for structures of government (Gandia 1547)\u003cbr\u003e18 [186] Experience of poverty (Padua 1547)\u003cbr\u003e19 [234] En route to the \u003ci\u003eConstitutions\u003c\/i\u003e (Louvain 1547)\u003cbr\u003e20 [243] Defining obedience as an ideal (Coimbra 1548)\u003cbr\u003e21 [466] Developments in the spiritual life (Borgia 1548)\u003cbr\u003e22 [790] Dealing with a radical crisis (Borgia 1549)\u003cbr\u003e23 [XII, app.] On prophecies and revelations (Gandia 1549)\u003cbr\u003e24 [XII, app.] Spreading God's word in a German university (1549)\u003cbr\u003e25 [958] Placating a parent over a son's vocation (1549)\u003cbr\u003e26 [1554] Letter of resignation (1551)\u003cbr\u003e27 [1587] Consoling a sister on her brother's death (1551)\u003cbr\u003e28 [2652] Refusing a Cardinal's hat (Borgia 1552)\u003cbr\u003e29 [3107] Students experiencing poverty (1552)\u003cbr\u003e30 [3220] Agreeing to be royal confessors (1553)\u003cbr\u003e31 [3304] The final word on obedience (1553)\u003cbr\u003e32 [3305] The last call to Francis Xavier (Japan 1553)\u003cbr\u003e33 [4184] Criteria in the choice of parish work (1554)\u003cbr\u003e34 [5256] Financial worries (1555)\u003cbr\u003e35 [5400] Norms for dealing with Superiors (1555)\u003cbr\u003e36 [5471] The Society and the Inquisition (1555)\u003cbr\u003e37 [XII, app.] Catechizing the sign of the cross\u003cbr\u003e38 [6087] Consoling the mother of a student (1556)\u003cbr\u003e39 [6454] Norms for food in Louvain (1556)\u003cbr\u003e40 [6677] Reacting to obstacles in Zaragoza (1556)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Spiritual Exercises\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003eAnnotations\u003cbr\u003eFirst Week:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePrinciple and Foundation\u003cbr\u003eParticular Daily Examen\u003cbr\u003eGeneral Examen\u003cbr\u003eFirst-Fourth Exercise: on sins\u003cbr\u003eFifth Exercise: on hell\u003cbr\u003eAdditions\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eSecond Week:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe call of the king\u003cbr\u003eFirst Day:\u003cbr\u003eFirst Contemplation: on the Incarnation\u003cbr\u003eSecond Contemplation: on the Nativity\u003cbr\u003eFifth Contemplation: use of the senses\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eFourth Day:\u003cbr\u003eMeditation on Two Standards\u003cbr\u003eMeditation on three classes of persons\u003cbr\u003eThree kinds of humility\u003cbr\u003eElections\u003cbr\u003ePreambles\u003cbr\u003eThree Times, and Two Ways in the Third Time\u003cbr\u003eFor amendment and reform of one's personal life\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThird Week:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRules as regards eating\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFourth Week:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNotes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditional Material:\u003cbr\u003eContemplation for attaining loveThree Ways of praying\u003cbr\u003eThe Mysteries of the life of Christ Our Lord\u003cbr\u003eRules to understand movements in the soul: First Week; Second Week\u003cbr\u003eRules for alms-giving\u003cbr\u003eNotes for the understanding of scruples\u003cbr\u003eRules for a true attitude of mind within the Church\u003cbr\u003eAppendix: Text of Prayers mentioned in \u003ci\u003eThe Spiritual Exercises\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003cbr\u003e*Numbers in square brackets are those of the letters in the MHSI edition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732365521239,"sku":"9780140433852","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140433852.jpg?v=1719996571"},{"product_id":"selected-writings-9780140436044","title":"Selected Writings","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBenedictine nun, poet and musician, Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was one of the most remarkable figures of the Middle Ages. She undertook preaching tours throughout the German empire at the age of sixty, and was consulted not only by her religious contemporaries but also by kings and emperors, yet it is largely for her apocalyptic and mystical writings that she is remembered. This volume includes selections from her three visionary works, her treatises on medicine and the natural world, her devotional songs, and fascinating letters to prominent figures of her time. Dealing with such eternal subjects as the relationship between humans and nature, and men and women, Hildegard''s works show her to be a wide-ranging thinker who created such fresh, startling images and ideas that her writings have been compared to Dante and Blake.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSelected Writings - Hildegard of Bingen - Translated by Mark Atherton       Introduction:\u003cbr\u003eI. Life and Career\u003cbr\u003eII. Hildegard in Her Time\u003cbr\u003eIII. Hildegard's Writings\u003cbr\u003eFurther Reading\u003cbr\u003eSelect Discography\u003cbr\u003eChronology\u003cbr\u003eTranslator's Note\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnow the Ways\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Letter to Bernard of Clairvaux\u003cbr\u003e2. The Action of the Will (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e3. Redemption (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e4. Letter to Odo of Soissons\u003cbr\u003e5. The Trinity (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e6. Letter to Pope Eugenius III\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eStruggles for Independence\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. Songs for Saint Disibod\u003cbr\u003e8. Letter to Hartwig of Bremen\u003cbr\u003e9. Song for Saint Ursula\u003cbr\u003e10. The Trials of the Soul (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e11. Songs for Saint Rupert\u003cbr\u003e12. The Departure of Richardis of Strade\u003cbr\u003e13. The First Version of \u003ci\u003eThe Play of the Virtues\u003c\/i\u003e (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cb\u003eThe Sibyl of the Rhine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e14. Three Political Letters\u003cbr\u003e15. Songs for the Dedication of a Church\u003cbr\u003e16. Teachings on the Church (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e17. Letter to Elisabeth of Schönau\u003cbr\u003e18. Gertrud of Stahleck\u003cbr\u003e19. Letter to the Abbess of Bamberg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn Praise of Creation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e20. The Cosmic Egg (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e21. The Cosmos (from \u003ci\u003eCauses and Cures\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e22. Gemstones (from \u003ci\u003ePhysica\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e23. Songs from \u003ci\u003eSymphonia\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e24. Two Christmas Homilies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAllegories of Justice and Love\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e25. The Iron Mountain (from \u003ci\u003eScivias\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e26. The Man Looking East and South (from \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Life's Merits\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e27. The Seven Vices and Virtues (from \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Life's Merits\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e28. The Voice from Heaven (from \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Life's Merits\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e29. The Unknown Language\u003cbr\u003e30. Allegorical Letters\u003cbr\u003e31. A Vision of Love (from \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Divine Works\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHildegard's Life and Influence\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e32. Queries and Requests: Selected Letters to Hildegard\u003cbr\u003e33. From \u003ci\u003eThe Life of Hildegard\u003c\/i\u003e, Book 2, by Theoderich of Echternach\u003cbr\u003e34. Gebeno of Eberbach: The \u003ci\u003ePentachronon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e35. From the Canonization Protocol\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eGlossary","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732367716695,"sku":"9780140436044","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140436044.jpg?v=1719996580"},{"product_id":"selected-writings-xxxviii-penguin-classics-9780140436327","title":"Selected Writings xxxviii Penguin Classics","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn his reflections on Christianity, Saint Thomas Aquinas forged a unique synthesis of ancient philosophy and medieval theology.  Preoccupied with the relationship between faith and reason, he was influenced both by Aristotle's rational world view and by the powerful belief that wisdom and truth can ultimately only be reached through divine revelation. Thomas's writings, which contain highly influential statements of fundamental Christian doctrine, as well as observations on topics as diverse as political science, anti-Semitism and heresy, demonstrate the great range of his intellect and place him firmly among the greatest medieval philosophers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"There are readers of Aquinas's works, but Penguin's surpasses all by its sheer size, the very representative choice of texts, the excellent translations, and scholarly, informative introductions.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eAlbert E. Gunn\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSelected Writings - Thomas Aquinas       Introduction\u003cbr\u003eChronology\u003cbr\u003eA Note on the Texts\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart One: Student (1245-56)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. The Inaugural Sermons (1256)\u003cbr\u003e2. On the Principles of Nature (1252-6)\u003cbr\u003e3. On Being and Essence (1252-6)\u003cbr\u003e4. The Nature of Theology. Commentary on \u003ci\u003eSentences\u003c\/i\u003e I, Prologue (1252-4)\u003cbr\u003e5. The Work of the Six Days of Creation. Commentary on \u003ci\u003eSentences\u003c\/i\u003e 2.2, d. 12 (1252-4)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart Two: Master at Paris (1256-9)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e6. Theology, Faith and Reason. On Boethius \u003ci\u003eOn the Trinity\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-2 (1257)\u003cbr\u003e7. How are Things Good? Exposition of \u003ci\u003eOn the Hebdomads\u003c\/i\u003e of Boethius (1257)\u003cbr\u003e8. The Meanings of Truth. \u003ci\u003eDisputed Question on Truth\u003c\/i\u003e, I (1256-9)\u003cbr\u003e9. On the Teacher. \u003ci\u003eDisputed Question on Truth\u003c\/i\u003e, II (1256-9)\u003cbr\u003e10. On Conscience. \u003ci\u003eDisputed Question on Truth\u003c\/i\u003e, 17 (1256-9)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart Three: Italy (1259-68)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e11. Proof of God's Existence. \u003ci\u003eSumma contra Gentiles\u003c\/i\u003e, I, 9-14 (1259)\u003cbr\u003e12. The Human Good. \u003ci\u003eSumma contra Gentiles\u003c\/i\u003e, 3 (1259-65)\u003cbr\u003e13. On the Divine Simplicity. \u003ci\u003eDisputed Question of the Power of God\u003c\/i\u003e, 7 (1265-6)\u003cbr\u003e14. On Goodness and the Goodness of God. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1, 5-6 (1268)\u003cbr\u003e15. On Creation. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1, 44 (1268)\u003cbr\u003e16. On Angelic Knowledge. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1, 54-8 (1268)\u003cbr\u003e17. Definitions of Soul. On Aristotle's \u003ci\u003eDe anima\u003c\/i\u003e, 2, 1-3 (1268)\u003cbr\u003e18. Platonism and Neoplatonism. Preface to Exposition of \u003ci\u003eOn the Divine Names\u003c\/i\u003e (1265-8)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart Four: Paris (1269-72)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e19. The Range of Natural Philosophy. Expositions of \u003ci\u003ePhysics\u003c\/i\u003e, 1, 1, Preface to \u003ci\u003eOn the Heavens\u003c\/i\u003e, Preface to \u003ci\u003eOn Sense and the Sensed Object\u003c\/i\u003e (1269)\u003cbr\u003e20. How Words Mean. Exposition of \u003ci\u003eOn Interpretation\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-5 (1270-71)\u003cbr\u003e21. On the Ultimate End. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-2, 1-5 (1271)\u003cbr\u003e22. On Human Choice. \u003ci\u003eDisputed Question on Evil\u003c\/i\u003e, 6 (1266-72)\u003cbr\u003e23. What Makes Actions Good or Bad? \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-2, 18-20 (1271)\u003cbr\u003e24. On Law and Natural Law. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-2, 90-94 (1271)\u003cbr\u003e25. The Virtues. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-2, 55-7 (1271-2)\u003cbr\u003e26. The Active and Contemplative Lives. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 2-2, 179-81 (1271-2)\u003cbr\u003e27. On the Eternity of the World (1271)\u003cbr\u003e28. The Love of Wisdom. Exposition of \u003ci\u003eMetaphysics\u003c\/i\u003e, Preface and 1, 1-3 (1271)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart Five: Naples (1272-4)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e29. The Logic of the Incarnation. \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 3, 16 (1273)\u003cbr\u003e30. What is a Sacrament? \u003ci\u003eSumma theologiae\u003c\/i\u003e, 3, 6 (1273)\u003cbr\u003e31. The Exposition of the \u003ci\u003eBook of Causes\u003c\/i\u003e, 1-5 (1272)\u003cbr\u003e32. Exposition of Paul's Epistle to Philemon (1273)\u003cbr\u003e33. Exposition of the Angelic Salutation (Ave Maria) (1273)\u003cbr\u003eGlossary","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732368142679,"sku":"9780140436327","price":15.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140436327.jpg?v=1719996581"},{"product_id":"the-life-of-saint-teresa-of-avila-by-herself-classics-s-penguin-classics-9780140440737","title":"The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by Herself","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBorn in the Castilian town of Avila in 1515, Teresa entered the Carmelite convent of the Incarnation when she was twenty-one. Tormented by illness, doubts and self-recrimination, she gradually came to recognize the power of prayer and contemplation—her spiritual enlightenment was intensified by many visions and mystical experiences, including the piercing of her heart by a spear of divine love. She went on to found seventeen Carmelite monasteries throughout Spain. Teresa always denied her own saintliness, however, saying in a letter: There is no suggestion of that nonsense about my supposed sanctity. This frank account is one of the great stories of a religious life and a literary masterpiece—after Don Quixote, it is Spain's most widely read prose classic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by Herself - Translated with an Introduction by J. M. Cohen       Introduction\u003cbr\u003e[The Saint's Prepatory Note]\u003cbr\u003e1. How the Lord began to rouse her soul in childhood to a love of virtue, and what a help it is in this respect to have good parents\u003cp\u003e2. How she came gradually to lose these virtues, and of the importance of associating in childhood with good people*3. How good company reawakened her desires, and how God began to shed some light for her on the illusions under which she laboured*4. How the Lord helped her to force herself to take the habit, and of the many illnesses which His Majesty began to send her*5. She continues to speak of the great infirmities that she suffered, of the patience which the Lord gave her, and of how she derived good out of evil, as will be seen from one incident which happened in the town where she went to be cured*6. Of her great debts to the Lord for making her resigned to her great trials, of how she took St. Joseph, the glorious, as her mediator and advocate, and of the great profit that she derived from this *7. How she began to lose the graces the Lord had given her, and of the evil life she began to lead. A description of the dangers arising from the lack of strict enclosure in convents*8. Of the great profit that she derived from not entirely abandoning prayer, for fear that she might lose her soul. She describes the excellence of prayer as a help towards winning back what is lost, and exhorts everyone to practise it. She tells what great gains it brings and how very beneficial it is even for those who may later give it up, to devote some time to anything as good*9. Of the means by which God began to rouse her soul, to give it light in its great darkness, and to strengthen her virtues, so that she should not offend Him*10. She begins to explain the favours which God gave her in prayer, telling the extent to which we can help ourselves, and how important it is that we shall understand the favours God is granting us. She begs those to whom this book is to be sent to keep the rest of it secret, since they have ordered her to describe in detail the favours that she has received from God*11. She explains why we cannot attain the perfect love of God in a short time, beginning with a comparison which sets out the four stages of prayer. Here she says something about the first, which is very profitable for beginners and for those who receive no consolations in prayer*12. More about the first state. She tells how far we can, with God's help, progress by ourselves, and speaks of the danger of seeking supernatural and extraordinary experiences until the Lord bestows them on us*13. She continues to speak of this first stage, and gives advice concerning certain temptations that the devil sends at times. This chapter is very useful*14. She begins to explain the second stage of prayer, in which the Lord already grants the soul more special consolations. These she describes in order to show that they are supernatural, and this is a most noteworthy chapter*15. Continuing the same subject, she gives certain advice on behaviour during the prayer of quiet. She tells how there are as many souls that advance to this stage, but few who pass beyond it. The matters touched upon here are most essential and profitable*16. She treats of the third stage of prayer, and continues to explain things of a very lofty nature, telling what the soul that has come so far can do, and what are the effects of such great favours from the Lord. This is a subject most likely to uplift the spirit in God's praise, and to give great comfort to those who have come so far*17. She continues to explain the third stage of prayer, and completes her account of its effects. She tells of the hindrances caused in this state  by the imagination and the memory*18. She treats of the fourth stage of prayer, and begins an excellent explanation of the great dignity to which the Lord raises the soul in this state. This is meant to spur those who practise prayer to make efforts to reach this exalted state, which it is possible to attain on earth, though not through our merits, but only by the goodness of God. This chapter must be read with great care, since the argument is most subtle, and contains some most noteworthy observations*19. Continuing the same subjecct, she begins to describe the effects upon the soul of this stage of prayer. She earnestly exhorts those who have attained it not to turn back, even if they should afterwards fall, nor ever to give up prayer. She describes the harm that they would suffer if they did so. All this is most noteworthy and will be of great comfort to the weak and to sinners*20. She treats of the difference between union and rapture, and explains what a rapture is. She also says something about the good that a soul derives from being, by the Lord's goodness, brought to it. She speaks of its effects*21. She continues and concludes her account of this last stage of prayer, telling what the soul who has reached it feels when it returns to live in the world. She describes the light God throws on the world's deceits. All of this is good doctrine*22. She shows how safe a path it is for contemplatives not to raise their spirits to lofty things, and how the approach to the most exalted contemplation must be by way of Christ's humanity. She tells of an incident in which she was herself deceived. This is a very profitable chapter*23. She returns to the history of her life, and tells how she began to strive for greater perfection. This is profitable matter for those who have to direct souls engaged in the practice of prayer, and teaches them how to deal with beginners. She tells of the profit that she derived from this knowledge*24. She continues the same subject and tells how her soul went on improving, once she had begun to obey; also how little use it was for her to resist God's favours, since His Majesty went on giving them to her in more liberal measure*25. She treats of the means and manner whereby these words that God speaks to the soul are perceived without being actually heard, and of some possible descriptions in regard to them. She tells how false locutions are to be distinguished from true. This is a most profitable chapter for any who may have reached this stage of prayer, because the explanation is very clear and contains much teaching *26. She continues with the same subject, relating and describing certain events which rid her of her fears, and convinced her that the spirit which spoke to her was a good one*27. She describes another way in which the Lord teaches the soul and, without speech, makes His will known to it in a wondrous manner. She also speaks of a vision and of a great favour, which was not imaginary, that the Lord granted her. This is a most noteworthy chapter*28. She tells of the great favours that the Lord bestowed on her, and of His first appearance to her. She defines an imaginary vision, and speaks of the great effects and signs produced by one that is from God. This is a most profitable and noteworthy chapter*29. She continues, and describes some great favours which the Lord showed her, relating also what the Lord said to her, to reassure her and enable her to answer those who argued against her*30. She returns to the story o her life, and tells how the Lord greatly relieved her trials by bringing her a visit from that holy man, Friar Peter of Alcantara of the Order of the glorious St. Francis. She speaks of the great temptations and inner trials which she sometimes suffered*31. She speaks of certain outward temptations and appearances of the devil, and of the torments which she suffered from him, and also offers some excellent counsel to persons travelling the way of perfection*32. She tells how it pleased God to carry her in the spirit to a place in hell that she had deserved for her sins. She describes a tithe of what was shown her there, and begins to tell of the ways and means by which the convent of St. Joseph was founded on its present site*33. She continues her account of the foundation of the glorious St. Joseph's, telling how she was commanded to let it drop, how for a time she gave it up, and how she suffered various trials in the course of which she was comforted by the Lord*34. She tells how at this time she had to leave the town. She gives the reasons and tells of her superior's command that she should go and comfort a very great lady who was in serious distress. She begins to describe what happened to her there, and to tell how the Lord in His mercy made her the instrument whereby His Majesty roused a very important person to serve him in earnest, also to say how she afterwards found help and protection from Him. This is a very noteworthy chapter*35. She continues the story of the foundation of this house of our glorious father, St. Joseph, and of the way in which the Lord ordained that holy poverty should be observed there. She gives her reasons for leaving the lady with whom she was living, and describes several other things that happened to her*36. She continues with the previous subject, and describes ho the foundation of this convent of the glorious St. Joseph was concluded. She speaks of the great opposition and many persecutions which the nuns had to endure after taking the habit, of the great trials and temptations which she herself underwent, and of how the Lord delivered her victoriously from them all, to His own praise and glory*37. She describes the effects that remained with her after the Lord had granted her a favour, and gives much sound teaching as well. She speaks of the efforts that we must make to attain one more degree of glory, and of the high value we must set on it, allowing no trial to deprive us of a blessing that is eternal*38. She describes certain great favours that the Lord bestowed on her, by graciously revealing to her some of the secrets of heaven, and by vouchsafing her further great visions and revelations. She speaks of the effects which these had upon her and of the great benefit that they did to her soul*39. She continues with the same subject, and recounts the great mercies which the Lord has shown her. She tells of His promises to help those persons for whom she might pray, and some outstanding instances in which his Majesty has favoured her in this way*40. She continues her account of the great favours that God granted her, from some of which excellent lessons can be obtained. For instruction, as she says, after obedience and the recording of such favours as will be of profit to souls, has been her principal motive in writing. With this chapter the account of her life comes to an end. May it be for the glory of the Lord. Amen\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732370403671,"sku":"9780140440737","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140440737.jpg?v=1719996592"},{"product_id":"ecclesiastical-history-of-the-english-people-9780140445657","title":"Ecclesiastical History of the English People","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'With God's help, I, Bede ... have assembled these facts about the history of the Church in Britain ... from the traditions of our forebears, and from my own personal knowledge'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten in AD 731, Bede's \u003ci\u003eEcclesiastical History of the English People\u003c\/i\u003e is the first account of Anglo-Saxon England ever written, and remains our single most valuable source for this period. It begins with Julius Caesar's invasion in the first century BC and goes on to tell of the kings and bishops, monks and nuns who helped to develop government and convert the people to Christianity during these crucial formative years. Relating the deeds of great men and women but also describing landscape, customs and ordinary lives, this is a rich, vivid portrait of an emerging church and nation by the 'Father of English History'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLeo Sherley-Price's translation from the Latin brings us an accurate and readable version of Bede's History. This edition includes \u003ci\u003eBede's Letter to Eg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook one: the situation of Britain and Ireland - their earliest inhabitants; on Gaius Julius Caesar, the first Roman to reach Britain; Claudius - the second Roman to reach Britain - annexes the Isles of Orkney to the Roman Empire - under his direction Vespasian subdues the Isle of Wight; Lucius - a British king - writes to Pope Eleutherus and asks to be made a Christian; Severus divides Roman Britain from the rest by an earth work; the reign of Diocletian - his persecution of the Christian Church; the martyrdom of Saint Alban and his companions - who shed their life-blood for Christ at this time; the Church in Britain enjoys peace from the end of this persecution until the time of the Arian heresy; during the reign of Gratian - Maximus is created Emperor in Britain and returns to Gaul with a large army; during the reign of Arcadius - the Briton Pelagius presumptuously belittles the grace of God; during the reign of Honorius - Gratian and Constantine set up as despots in Britain - the former is killed shortly afterwards in Britain - the latter in Gaul; the Britons - harassed by the Irish and Picts - seek help from the Romans - who come and build a second wall across the island - notwithstanding, these enemies again break in and reduce the Britons to worse straits; during the reign of Theodosius the Younger - Palladius is sent to the Christians among the Irish - the Britons make an unsuccessful appeal to the Consul Aetius; the Britons made desperate by famine drive the Barbarians out of their land - there soon follows an abundance of corn - luxury - plague - and doom on the nation. (Part contents)\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732375613783,"sku":"9780140445657","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140445657.jpg?v=1719996611"},{"product_id":"revelations-of-divine-love-9780140446739","title":"Revelations of Divine Love","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the first woman authors, Julian of Norwich produced in \u003ci\u003eRevelations of Divine Love\u003c\/i\u003e a remarkable work of revelatory insight, that stands alongside \u003ci\u003eThe Cloud of Unknowing\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePiers Plowman\u003c\/i\u003e as a classic of Medieval religious literature. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from Middle English by Elizabeth Spearing, with an introduction and notes by A.C. Spearing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter fervently praying for a greater understanding of Christ''s passion, Julian of Norwich, a fourteenth-century anchorite and mystic, experienced a series of divine revelations. Through these ''showings'', Christ''s sufferings were revealed to her with extraordinary intensity, but she also received assurance of God''s unwavering love for man and his infinite capacity for forgiveness. Written in a vigorous English vernacular, the \u003ci\u003eRevelations \u003c\/i\u003eare one of the most original works of medieval mysticism and have had a lasting influence on Christian thought.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis edition of the \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRevelations of Divine Love       Introduction\u003cbr\u003eFurther Reading\u003cbr\u003eTranslator's Note\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRevelations of Divine Love\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShort Text\u003cbr\u003eLong Text\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003eAppendix I: List of Showings\u003cbr\u003eAppendix II: Original Texts of the \u003ci\u003eRevelations\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAppendix III: Margery Kempe's Meeting with Julian\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732376727895,"sku":"9780140446739","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140446739.jpg?v=1719996616"},{"product_id":"the-age-of-bede-revised-edition-penguin-classics-9780140447279","title":"The Age of Bede Revised Edition Penguin Classics","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis selection of writings from the sixth and seventh century AD provides a powerful insight into the early history of the Christian Church in England and Ireland. 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With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Age of Bede       Introduction\u003cbr\u003eBede: Life of Cuthbet\u003cbr\u003eEddius Stephanus: Life of Wilfrid\u003cbr\u003eBede: Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow\u003cbr\u003eThe Anonymous History of Abbot Ceolfrith\u003cbr\u003eThe Voyage of St. Brendan\u003cbr\u003eFurther Reading\u003cbr\u003eMap of the British Isles\u003cbr\u003eMap of Western Europe\u003cbr\u003eIndex","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732377055575,"sku":"9780140447279","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780140447279.jpg?v=1719996616"},{"product_id":"city-of-god-penguin-classics-s-9780140448948","title":"City of God Penguin Classics S","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSt Augustine, bishop of Hippo, was one of the central figures in the history of Christianity, and \u003ci\u003eCity of God\u003c\/i\u003e is one of his greatest theological works. Written as an eloquent defence of the faith at a time when the Roman Empire was on the brink of collapse, it examines the ancient pagan religions of Rome, the arguments of the Greek philosophers and the revelations of the Bible. Pointing the way forward to a citizenship that transcends the best political experiences of the world and offers citizenship that will last for eternity, \u003ci\u003eCity of God\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the most influential documents in the development of Christianity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. 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From 1957 to 1991 he taught in at the Universities of Newcastle and Oxford. Professor Vermes is the author of The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (1997) and The Changing Faces of Jesus (2000). He lives in Oxford.","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732386591063,"sku":"9780141003603","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141003603.jpg?v=1719996656"},{"product_id":"confessions-of-a-sinner-9780141018836","title":"Confessions of a Sinner","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThroughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. 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With great personal conviction, the medieval monk Thomas à Kempis demonstrates the individual’s reliance on God and on the words of Christ, and the futility of life without faith. Thomas spent some seventy years of his life in the reclusive environment of monasteries, yet in this astonishing work he demonstrates an encompassing understanding of human nature, and his writing speaks to readers of every age and every nationality. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. 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They are also much funnier. -- Diarmaid MacCulloch\u003cbr\u003eReading is my life, but only about once a decade do I find a book that seems to tilt the world, so afterwards it appears different. -- Fiammetta Rocco * The Economist '1843' *\u003cbr\u003eDe Hamel's book, scholarly but unfailingly readable, is the beginning of wisdom in all things scribal and scriptural - Ian Thomson, The Observer * Ian Thomson, The Observer *","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732497543511,"sku":"9780141977492","price":14.24,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780141977492.jpg?v=1719997144"},{"product_id":"the-kingdom-9780141981154","title":"The Kingdom","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''This is a brilliant, shocking book ... also witty, painfully self-critical and humane ...  it is a work of great literature'' Tim Whitmarsh,\u003ci\u003e Guardian\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e     \u003cbr\u003e''\u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e, already a huge bestseller in France, is thrilling, magnificent and strange'' Bryan Appleyard, \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sensational international bestseller from one of France''s most fêted writers - an epic novel telling the story of Christianity as it has never been told before, and one man''s crisis of faith.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eCorinth, ancient Greece, two thousand years ago. 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Carrère is a vivid guide and a knowledgeable one -- Catherine Nixey * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA novelised memoir that vividly captures the drama of the Christian experience... A celebration of religious imagination - Catholic, French, Judaic, Hellenic - \u003ci\u003eThe Kingdom\u003c\/i\u003e has been a runaway bestseller in France. 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Originally produced for the Church of England in the sixteenth century by Thomas Cranmer, who was burned at the stake upon the accession to the throne of the ardently Catholic Queen Mary, it contains the entire liturgy as first presented in English-as well as some of the oldest phrases to be used by modern English speakers. H ere are daily prayers, scripture readings, psalm recitals, and the services marking such religious milestones as baptism, confirmation, and marriage, all from the 1662 edition, whose influence can be seen in the work of some of the greatest writers in English literature, from Donne and Swift to Austen and the Brontës. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis beautiful deluxe edition includes a new introduction by \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e''s book critic James Wood, discussing how \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Common Prayer\u003c\/i\u003e has influenced the English language and lite\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“One of the great, abiding works of English literature . . . The acute poetry, balanced sonorities, heavy order, and direct intimacy of its prose have achieved permanence, and many of its phrases and sentences are as famous as lines from Shakespeare or the King James Bible.” —\u003cb\u003eJames Wood,\u003c\/b\u003e from the Introduction\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732521005399,"sku":"9780143106562","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780143106562.jpg?v=1719997246"},{"product_id":"the-new-oxford-annotated-bible-9780190276041","title":"The New Oxford Annotated Bible","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor over 50 years students, professors, clergy, and general readers have relied on The New Oxford Annotated Bible as an unparalleled authority in Study Bibles. This fifth edition of the Annotated remains the best way to study and understand the Bible at home or in the classroom. This thoroughly revised and substantially updated edition contains the best scholarship informed by recent discoveries and anchored in the solid Study Bible tradition. Introductions and extensive annotations for each book by acknowledged experts in the field provide context and guidance.  Introductory essays on major groups of biblical writings - Pentateuch, Prophets, Gospels, and other sections - give readers an overview that guides more intensive study. General essays on history, translation matters, different canons in use today, and issues of daily life in biblical times inform the reader of important aspects of biblical study. Maps and diagrams within the text contextualize where events took place and how to understand them. Color maps give readers the geographical orientation they need for understanding historical accounts throughout the Bible. Timelines, parallel texts, weights and measures, calendars, and other helpful tables help navigate the biblical world. An extensive glossary of technical terms demystifies the language of biblical scholarship. An index to the study materials eases the way to the quick location of information.The New Oxford Annotated Bible, with seventeen new essays and introductions and others--as well as annotations--fully revised, offers the reader flexibility for any learning style. Beginning with a specific passage or a significant concept, finding information for meditation, sermon preparation, or academic study is straightforward and intuitive.A volume that users will want to keep for continued reference, The New Oxford Annotated Bible continues the Oxford University Press tradition of providing excellence in scholarship for the general reader. Generations of users attest to its status as the best one-volume Bible reference tool for any home, library, or classroom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction to the Pentateuch: Marc Z. Brettler Introductions and Annotations Genesis: David Carr Exodus: Carol Meyers Leviticus: Jeffrey Stackert Numbers: Thomas B. Dozeman Deuteronomy: Bernard M. Levinson  Introduction to the Historical Books: Marc Z. Brettler Introductions and Annotations Joshua: K. Lawson Younger, Jr. Judges: Gregory Mobley Ruth: Yair Zakovitch 1, 2 Samuel: Steven L. McKenzie 1, 2 Kings: Thomas Römer 1, 2 Chronicles: Gary N. Knoppers Ezra, Nehemiah: Tamara Cohn Eskenazi Esther: Mary Joan Winn Leith  Introduction to the Poetical and Wisdom Books: Marc Z. Brettler Introductions and Annotations Job: David J. A. Clines Psalms: Richard J. Clifford Proverbs: Christine Roy Yoder Ecclesiastes: Davis Hankins and Brennan W. Breed Song of Solomon: J. Cheryl Exum  Introduction to the Prophetic Books: Julia M. O'Brien Isaiah: Marvin A. Sweeney Jeremiah: Louis Stulman Lamentations: Adele Berlin Ezekiel: Stephen L. Cook Daniel: Amy C. Merrill Willis Hosea, Amos, Micah: Gregory Mobley Joel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: David L. Petersen Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah: Julia M. O'Brien Jonah: Yair Zakovitch  Introduction to the Apocryphal\/Deuterocanonical Books: Carol A. Newsom Introductions and Annotations Tobit: Amy-Jill Levine Judith: Lawrence M. Wills Esther (Greek): Mary Joan Winn Leith Wisdom of Solomon: Michael Kolarcik Sirach: Benjamin G. Wright Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah: Matthew Goff Add Daniel (Azariah, Song of Three, Susanna, Bel): Amy C. Merrill Willis 1 Maccabees: John R. Bartlett 2 Maccabees: Daniel R. Schwartz 1 Esdras: Tamara Cohn Eskenazi Prayer of Manasseh: David Lambert Psalm 151: Judith H. Newman 3 Maccabees: John J. Collins 2 Esdras: Theodore A. Bergren 4 Maccabees: David A. de Silva  Introduction to the Gospels: Pheme Perkins Introductions and Annotations Matthew: J. R. C. Cousland Mark: Suzanne Watts Henderson Luke: Marion L. Soards John: Colleen Conway Acts: Christopher R. Matthews  Introduction to Letters\/Epistles in the New Testament: Pheme Perkins Introductions and Annotations Romans: Ann Jervis 1 Corinthians: Laurence L. Welborn 2 Corinthians: Alexandra R. Brown Galatians: Emma Wasserman Ephesians, Colossians: Jennifer K. Berenson Philippians: Carolyn Osiek 1,2 Thessalonians: Richard S. Ascough The Pastoral Epistles, 1,2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon: Margaret M. Mitchell Hebrews: David A. de Silva James: Timothy B. Cargal 1 Peter: M. Eugene Boring 2 Peter, Jude: Terrance Callan 1,2,3 John: Pheme Perkins Revelation: Jean-Pierre Ruiz  General Essays, Tables, Glossary, Index  General Essays The Canons of the Bible: Marc Z. Brettler and Pheme Perkins Textual Criticism: Michael D. Coogan and Pheme Perkins The Languages of the Bible: Sidnie White Crawford Translation of the Bible into English: Michael D. Coogan and Pheme Perkins  Interpretation The Hebrew Bible's Interpretation of Itself: Marc Z. Brettler The New Testament Interprets the Jewish Scriptures: Pheme Perkins Jewish Interpretation in the Premodern Era: Marc Z. Brettler Christian Interpretation in the Premodern Era: Carol A. Newsom The Interpretation of the Bible: From the Nineteenth to the Mid-Twentieth Centuries: Michael D. Coogan Contemporary Methods in Biblical Study: Carol A. Newsom The Geography of the Bible: Michael D. Coogan  Cultural Contexts The Ancient Near East: Michael D. Coogan The Persian and Hellenistic Periods: Carol A. Newsom The Roman Period: Pheme Perkins Tables Timeline Chronological Table of Rulers Weights and Measures Time [includes Calendar] Parallel Texts [now including parallels from the Gospel of John]  Translations of Ancient Texts Glossary Index to the Study Materials","brand":"Oxford University Press Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732535718231,"sku":"9780190276041","price":52.2,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780190276041.jpg?v=1719997324"},{"product_id":"the-new-oxford-annotated-apocrypha-9780190276126","title":"The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor decades students, professors, clergy, and general readers have relied on The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha as an unparalleled authority on the Apocrypha. This fifth edition remains the best way to study and understand the material at home or in the classroom. This thoroughly revised and substantially updated edition contains the best scholarship informed by recent discoveries and anchored in the solid Study Bible tradition. Introductions and extensive annotations for each book by acknowledged experts in the field provide context and guidance.  Introductory essay on the Apocrypha gives readers an overview that guides more intensive study. Maps and diagrams within the text contextualize where events took place and how to understand them. A timeline, calendar, and essay on the Persian and Hellenistic Periods help to contextualize the books.A volume that users will want to keep for continued reference, The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha continues the Oxford University Press tradition of providing excellence in scholarship for the general reader. Generations of users attest to its status as the best one-volume Bible reference tool for any home, library, or classroom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction to the Apocryphal\/Deuterocanonical Books: Carol A. Newsom Introductions and Annotations Tobit: Amy-Jill Levine Judith: Lawrence M. Wills Esther (Greek): Mary Joan Winn Leith Wisdom of Solomon: Michael Kolarcik Sirach: Benjamin G. Wright Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah: Matthew Goff Add Daniel (Azariah, Song of Three, Susanna, Bel): Amy C. Merrill Willis 1 Maccabees: John R. Bartlett 2 Maccabees: Daniel R. Schwartz 1 Esdras: Tamara Cohn Eskenazi Prayer of Manasseh: David Lambert Psalm 151: Judith H. Newman 3 Maccabees: John J. Collins 2 Esdras: Theodore A. Bergren 4 Maccabees: David A. de Silva","brand":"Oxford University Press Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732535816535,"sku":"9780190276126","price":19.94,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"a-most-peculiar-book-9780190651732","title":"A Most Peculiar Book","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a book that has consistently topped the best-seller lists since the invention of the modern printing press, the Bible remains wildly misunderstood. Inconsistencies and unexplained impossibilities are often set aside, with readers picking and choosing aphorisms and slogans at will. Such a pick-and-choose mentality is concerning, given the fact that the Bible remains influential in people's private lives and in public policy and discourse. Kristin Swenson's newbook seeks to remind readers of the oddities and complications in the Bible, suggesting that those uncomfortable spots can offer remarkable opportunity for spiritual growth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKristin Swenson sets out to complexify the Bible for her readers and, in a certain sense, she is successful. We are treated to something like a catalogue of the Bible's oddities, idiosyncrasies, and contradictions, all written in a readable, accessible style * Rory J. Balfour, Durham University, Durham, UK, Journal of Reformed Theology *\u003cbr\u003ethere is much good and well-informed discussion on particular texts or topics that would serve its intended readers well * KEITH BEECH-GRÜNEBERG, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament *\u003cbr\u003ea remarkable piece of work ... Do read this book, generously and openmindedly. You will not regret it. * Nicholas King SJ, The Way *\u003cbr\u003eWriting in an engaging style and with a palpable love of Scripture... Swenson offers a helpful guide especially to both those who reject the Bible as nonsense and those who insist on literalist interpretation. * A.J. Levine, CHOICE *\u003cbr\u003eKristin Swenson's latest book on the Book tackles the complex and surprising dimensions of the Bible and offers readers a way of understanding the Bible they may not have considered. * Nick Mattiske, Journey *\u003cbr\u003eRather than dismiss the Bible as an outlandish or irrelevant relic of antiquity, Swenson leans into the messiness full throttle. Making ample room for discomfort, wonder, and weirdness, A Most Peculiar Book guides readers through a Bible that will feel, to many, brand new. * Church Times *\u003cbr\u003eAlongside the many controversial issues and complexities that the Bible poses, Swenson has herein brought everything to within a very fine appreciation of transparent proposal and the most utmost of appeal. * David Marx Book Reviews *\u003cbr\u003eRigorous [and] stimulating... Both religious and secular readers will benefit from Swenson's illuminating analysis of the Bible's contradictions and oddities.\" * Publishers Weekly, Starred Review   *\u003cbr\u003eDo you think you know the Bible? Wait till you read Kristin Swenson's new book. What if you don't know the Bible at all? Even better. A Most Peculiar Book is a deeply informed, completely accessible, and endlessly fascinating explanation of what scholars know about the Bible and lay people, as a rule, do not. Read this book and prepare to learn! * Bart D. Ehrman, author of Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife *\u003cbr\u003eOne can only truly love and respect the Bible if one is willing to embrace its complexities, problems, messiness, and just plain weirdness. Whether you are looking to deepen your relationship with sacred scripture or are coming to the Bible for the first time, Kristin Swenson will help you appreciate — even love — the Bible as it is. * Peter Enns, author of The Bible Tells Me So and How the Bible Actually Works *\u003cbr\u003eA stimulating and challenging book, which questions all simplistic 'Bible-believing' theories about the authority of Scripture by showing how complex and contradictory it often is. Kristin Swenson tackles the problems head on while still making good her claim to love the Bible. * John Barton, author of A History of the Bible: The Story of the World's Most Influential Book *\u003cbr\u003eThis book explores what is weird, difficult, and disconcerting both about and in the Bible, seeking to show how those qualities can enrich one's relationship, religious or not, to the text...Swenson, formerly professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University and now a full-time writer, observes that the Bible demands interaction and even argument, and therefore in this book she has shared questions that both make her love the Bible and make that love complicated. * New Testament Abstracts *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments  Introduction   Chapter 1 - A Problematic Book  Chapter 2 - God  Chapter 3 - Angels, Demons, and a Talking Ass  Chapter 4 - Good People Behaving Badly  Chapter 5 - Impossibilities, Normalized  Chapter 6 - Misconception, Misapprehensions  Chapter 7 - And General Befuddlements  Chapter 8 - Arguments Behind Closed Doors  Chapter 9 - Biblical (Im)morality  Chapter 10 - But in the Original...  Chapter 11 - The Perennial Bestseller  Chapter 12 - Ten Commandments for [Best Word Here] the Bible  In Conclusion, Sola Scriputra  Notes  Index","brand":"Oxford University Press Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732541288791,"sku":"9780190651732","price":21.14,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780190651732.jpg?v=1719997347"},{"product_id":"the-insurmountable-darkness-of-love-mysticism-loss-and-the-common-life-9780190885168","title":"The Insurmountable Darkness of Love Mysticism","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe range of mystical interlocutors and C.'s deft weaving of mystical voices with artists, intellectuals, and others engaged with ongoing struggles for justice make this work a fruitful read. It is a welcome addition for theologians who are seeking ways to bring the wisdom of the mystics to bear on the existential, political, and spiritual challenges of our time. * Amy Maxey, Theological Studies *\u003cbr\u003eSeekers and contemplatives from other traditions, or no tradition, will find in The Insurmountable Darkness of Love a deep and attractive point of access to the riches of contemplative Christianity. * Fr. Isaac Slater, Abbey of the Genesee, Cistercian Studies Quarterly *\u003cbr\u003eIntimacy and absence have rarely been explored in tandem with the care and attention manifest in The Insurmountable Darkness of Love, a book as valuable for the extraordinary range of voices it collects as for its conviction that loss and desolation are experiences from which we have much to learn. In the many sites, texts and personal memories it explores, Douglas Christie's book invites us to recognize and reflect on our own heterotopias, and what we might then offer the world, by dwelling in these spaces of otherness. * Constance Furey, Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University - Bloomington *\u003cbr\u003eIn his powerful, original and important new work, Douglas Christie explores the intersection of personal loss, atrocity, and apophatic mystical texts, suggesting how a contemplative ethos can discover in the isolating experience of personal and social trauma the ground of a renewed and deepened solidarity. Seekers and contemplatives from other traditions, or no tradition, will find in The Insurmountable Darkness of Love a deep and attractive point of access to the riches of contemplative Christianity. * Cistercician Studies Quarterly *\u003cbr\u003eI have been pursuing the love 'born of and nurtured by darkness' all of my life. In The Insurmountable Darkness of Love, Douglas Christie invites readers to embark on a journey of 'silent attention' awakening, shedding, and finally the embrace of what cannot be known. So, how do you write about something that cannot be captured in words? Christie uses vulnerability, life stories and memories as well as excellent scholarship. The end result is breathtaking! * Barbara A. Holmes, author of Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church *\u003cbr\u003eWith all the tumult, chaos and uncertainty in our world, we need a spiritual compass to navigate the pain and suffering that is part and parcel of being soulfully alive today. As our most poetic and compassionate scholar of contemplative practice, Douglas Christie guides us on a most profound journey into the darkness that underlies many mystical experiences, one that is ultimately redemptive. At no time in human history have we needed a prophetic voice like Christie's as we do now. * Gary Paul Nabhan, Ecumenical Franciscan Brother and author of Jesus for Farmers and Fishers *\u003cbr\u003eMaybe the key word in all the world's religions is emptiness. But it takes a Laozi or a Thomas Merton to map it. Or generous and wise Douglas Christie. I cannot think of a book with more heart or with such tenderness for our 'apocalyptic psyche.' His lyrical, learned, gentle book holds us to the 'blank, unnamed, empty, unknown,' where 'Love itself is a desert.' * Lynda Sexson, author of Ordinarily Sacred and Margaret of the Imperfections *\u003cbr\u003eDouglas Christie's The Insurmountable Darkness of Love is a moving exploration of apophatic experience and language in the contemporary retrieval of contemplation. The book daringly combines several different genres * personal accounts of loss and gain; meditations on the natural world and its role in spirituality; and reflections on the significance of major apophatic thinkers and poets. This is a book to be pondered, even savored.Bernard McGinn, Naomi Shenstone Donnelley Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology and of the History of Christianity, The University of Chicago *\u003cbr\u003eThe Insurmountable Darkness of Love is remarkable not just for its depth of insight and its mining of the rich veins of the contemplative tradition, but also for its piercing honesty. It probes the loves, the losses, the tender frailties of us all and reflects the author's unflinching conviction regarding the power of darkness to heal, to reveal love that never allows anyone to be lost. Readers will be grateful to be in Christie's debt for the gift of this book, for all the beauty, insight, trust, and hope it bestows. * Martin Laird, O.S.A., Professor of Early Christian Studies, Villanova University *\u003cbr\u003eDouglas Christie's meditations on the terrible beauty of darkness, silence, and the limits to human understanding draw from the deepest sources of the Christian mystical tradition. We modern pilgrims, who so often have no idea where we are or where we are going, thirst for such wisdom, but we need a guide and interpreter. Christie is that sure guide, showing us how even wrenching loss can take us to a place of rest and reflection, preparing us for the next stage of the journey. * Columba Stewart, O.S.B., Professor of Theology, Saint John's University *","brand":"Oxford University Press Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732547416407,"sku":"9780190885168","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780190885168.jpg?v=1719997371"},{"product_id":"augustine-martyrdom-and-classical-rhetoric-9780190914141","title":"Augustine Martyrdom and Classical Rhetoric","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEarly Christian martyr accounts were less about recounting history than about constructing theology. As such, many historians of late antique Christianity call them rhetorical. But what does this mean for early Christian theology of martyrdom? And what rhetorical techniques are actually being used for such theological construction? To answer these questions, Adam Ployd looks to Augustine of Hippo. He places Augustine''s martyr theology within its classical rhetorical context, drawing upon the theoretical foundations of Cicero, Quintilian, and others. Ployd investigates all of Augustine''s major controversies as well as his work as a bishop and preacher cultivating a particular vision of the Christian life. Ployd uncovers the rich rhetorical roots of Augustine''s martyr theology, roots that delve beyond ornamentation and into the depths of inventio and the techniques of rhetorical argumentation. What emerges from this investigation is a vision of Augustine''s martyr discourse that is co\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUsing an extensive literature and suggesting a re-visitation of the work of Saint Augustine, one of the most important Christian writers of all time, Adam Ployd's book entitled Augustine, Martyrdom and Classical Rhetoric,...succeeds not only as a work of theological research useful for scholars which suggests a new way of understanding his ideas, his influences and how he came to develop the preceding tradition of the Church, how he sought continuity with it, but is also useful reading for any reader aiming to find out more about the history of Christianity in its earliest centuries, to understand why martyrdom was so important for it and even created a specific rhetoric in the discourse, and how Saint Augustine managed to use this aspect of the life of the Church and to develop an original way of thinking based on it. * Iuliu-Marius Morariu, The Recensiones *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgements Introduction  Chapter 1: The Context of the Martyrs  Chapter 2: The Example of the Martyrs  Chapter 3: The Time of the Martyrs  Chapter 4: The Court of the Martyrs  Chapter 5: The Rhetoric of the Martyrs  Conclusion Bibliography","brand":"Oxford University Press Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48732548563287,"sku":"9780190914141","price":999.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]}],"url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/collections\/christianity.oembed?page=389","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}