History of religion Books

Book SynopsisFor over a century, the Carmelite Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873-1897) has been revered as Catholicism''s foremost folk saint of modern times. Universally known as the Little Flower, she has been a source of consolation and uplift, an example of everyday sainthood by the Little Way. This book puts aside that piety and addresses the torment of doubt within the life and writing of a saint best known for the strength of her conviction. Nevin examines the dynamics of Christian doubt, and argues that it is integral to the journey toward selfless love which Therese was compelled to take. Thérèse''s metaphors for doubt were ''tunnel'', ''fog'', and ''vault'', each one suggesting darkness, dimness, and enclosure. What, Nevin asks, did doubt mean to her? What was its source and nature? What was its object? He gives close attention to her reading and interpretations of the Old and New Testaments as pathways through her inner wilderness. Her Carmel of spiritual sisterTrade ReviewThis book is a very fine historical study reflecting both a sophisticated close reading of texts and a mastery of the sources. The two volumes Nevin has given us are indispensable for anyone who wishes to engage the life and thought of this young woman who has been honored by the Catholic Church as a Doctor of the Church. * Church History *Table of ContentsPreface: Dwelling Upon Darkness ; Introduction ; Abbreviations ; I. Her Spanish Masters: Darkness within the Carmel ; II. Seeking Light from the Bible ; III. Bearing the Cross of Community ; IV. Her Spiritual Brothers Guide Her Down ; V. Final Charity: The Last Autobiography ; Conclusion: Out of the Darkness ; Appendix 1: The Text of Her Darkness ; Appendix 2: The Darkness of Teresa de Jesus ; Notes ; Selected Annotated Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisBefore invasion, Turtle Island--or North America--was home to vibrant cultures that shared long-standing philosophical precepts. The most important and wide-spread of these was the view of reality as a collaborative binary known as the Twinned Cosmos of Blood and Breath. This binary system was built on the belief that neither half of the cosmos can exist without its twin; both halves are, therefore, necessary and good. Western anthropologists typically shorthand the Twinned Cosmos as Sky and Earth, but this erroneously saddles it with Christian baggage and, worse, imposes a hierarchy that puts sky quite literally above earth. None of this Western ideology legitimately applies to traditional Indigenous American thought, which is about equal cooperation and the continual recreation of reality.Spirits of Blood, Spirits of Breath examines traditional historical concepts of spirituality among North American Indians both at and, to the extent it can be determined, before contact. In doing soTrade ReviewMann's book raises some interesting and valuable contributions about forms of balance that are central to many Native North American religious traditions. As someone whose area of expertise lies outside the field of Native American religious studies itself, she offers a unique way of analyzing primary source material. * Sarah Dees, Iowa State University, The Pomegranate *This latest work by Mann is a dense, in-depth look into different tribal beliefs and traditions that even some Natives may not know, especially intertribally, all strategically laced with a biting wit to drive home memorable points and object lessons. ... [the book] is very thought- provoking, so much so that at times one must stop to really consider what is being said. One must take time to stop and contemplate in this written form the enormity of the crimes against Native cultures and peoples. * Red Haircrow, Native American and Indigenous Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; List of Figures ; Introduction: Style, and Sources, and Methods-Oh, My! ; Chapter 1. "Grandfather God" and the Missionaries: "Totally Good for Nothing" ; Chapter 2. The Twinned Cosmos of Serpents and Thunderbirds ; Chapter 3. Sweats of the Living and the Dead ; Chapter 4. Visions and Dreams ; Chapter 5. Giants and Dwarfs ; Chapter 6. Afterlife, Resuscitation, and Reincarnation ; Chapter 7. The Harmony Way ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisA Taxonomy of Divine Birth Priestesshoods Divinity, Birth, and Virginity: The Greek Worldview Athena's Divine Birth Priestesshood Artemis's Divine Birth Priestesshood Hera's Divine Birth Priestesshood The Divine Birth Priestesshood at Dodona The Divine Birth Priestesshood at Delphi Is Virgin Birth Possible? and Other Outrageous QuestionsTrade Review'This book is bold, creative, and courageous, and makes a considerable contribution to feminist re-readings and reinterpretations of religious and mythological traditions from the Graeco-Roman world.' - Marvin Meyer, Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, Chapman University; author of The Gospel of Judas, The Gospels of Mary, The Gnostic Bible, and Ancient Christian Magic 'Thought provoking and superbly written, this is the only book to examine thoroughly and seriously the question of divine birth in ancient Greece. Imperative for classical scholars, the book provides stunning insights that should be a fascinating read for anyone who has even the slightest interest in spirituality, religion, feminism, or ancient history.'- Jorge N. Ferrer, coeditor of The Participatory Turn: Spirituality, Mysticism, Religious Studies 'Her insightful study of the priestesshoods of divine birth brings the subject into focus and suggests new scholarly perspectives.' - Charlene Spretnak, author of Lost Goddesses of Early Greece 'Rigoglioso argues that the divine birth priestesses engaged in mystical practices intended to allow them to give birth parthenogenetically (without a man). The evidence she brings together in support of this idea is impressive. I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the roles of women in ancient Greek religion.' - Carol P. Christ 'We can accept...that it is really "the first scholarly book to explore the theme of divine birth in ancient Greece in an in-depth and comprehensive fashion" and value its contribution to women studies and value its contribution to women studies and interpretation of Ancient Mythology generally.' -Ostrava Journal of English PhilologyTable of ContentsA Taxonomy of Divine Birth Priestesshoods Divinity, Birth, and Virginity: The Greek Worldview Athena's Divine Birth Priestesshood Artemis's Divine Birth Priestesshood Hera's Divine Birth Priestesshood The Divine Birth Priestesshood at Dodona The Divine Birth Priestesshood at Delphi Is Virgin Birth Possible? and Other Outrageous Questions

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Book SynopsisBrett Edward Whalen is Associate Professor of Medieval History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisExplores the search for religious meaning during World War I and the wide range of spiritual responses that emerged across boundaries. Examines how religious experience and battle experience were intertwined. Trade Review“Drawing on a wide array of sources to illuminate the soldiers' perspective on faith and morals at the service of warring states, Joseph F. Byrnes’s insightful book explicates the inexplicable—that is, the confluence of God-talk and nation-talk among theologians, clergy, the faithful, and the irreligious during a major challenge to Western civilization itself.”—James Smith Allen,author of A Civil Society: The Public Space of Freemason Women in France, 1744-1944

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Book SynopsisThis text re-examines the great variety of liturgical practices in the first four centuries in the light of modern Jewish and Christian scholarship.Trade Review"Bradshaw's fertile mind has brought to birth a refreshing account of tantalising terrain, and we shall be in his debt for many years to come." Church Times, 24 July 1992(about the first edition) * "For those concerned with early Christian worship this book will be indispensible. Easy to use, and a pleasure to read, it should become a basic textbook in its field." The Evangelical Quarterly, autumn 1993

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Book SynopsisIt is equally true that the Reformation was inspired and defined by the Bible and that the Bible was reshaped by the intellectual, political and cultural forces of the Reformation. This work explores the level of influence each had upon the other.

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Book SynopsisExplains why Jews did or did not convert to Protestantism. This book humanizes various stories, sets them in the context of Berlin's evolving society, and connects them to the broad sweep of European history.Trade Review"The social and cultural history of Jews in 20th-century Germany is currently one of the hottest areas of academic inquiry and Deborah Hertz is one of its stars. This is confirmed by the lively clarity of her account of conversion and assimiliation in Berlin, How Jews Became Germans."—The Jewish Chronicle * The Jewish Chronicle *"In this very readable book, Hertz continues her probing into Jewish-Christian relationships, particularly in the 18th and early 19th centuries. She describes how Jews at that time might have converted to Christianity for reasons of romance or career, and she tracks the many fascinating twists and turns to this story. For example, Lutheran pietists trained some of their members in Yiddish and rabbinic traditions in order to disrupt synagogue services and engage rabbis in debates for the purpose of Christianizing their congregations. Jews who did convert-famously, siblings Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn-were looked upon unfavorably by their fellow Jews and were never truly accepted in Christian circles either. Berlin is the focal point for this narrative, and Hertz's sketching of this grimy, backward city in the aforementioned centuries is not pleasant. Although the account winds down in the 1830s, 20th-century happenings—namely, the Holocaust—undergird much of the book. . . . Highly recommended for all libraries."—Library Journal * Library Journal *"There is no book more exciting to read than one by an author who believes he or she was born to write it. In such books every line becomes a paragraph, every paragraph a chapter, and the book itself a never-ending story. Deborah Hertz's How Jews Became Germans is such a book. . . . Her deep and sympathetic scrutiny of this unique emotional and controversial transition in the lives of her subjects illumines the human realities in new and moving ways."—Steven Ozment, The Weekly Standard * The Weekly Standard *"An intriguing book. . . . Hertz's book deserves highest praise for its ability to weave individuals' painful personal decisions into the broader fabric of the history of Berlin, the German states, and Central Europe. Because of this approach, this book will interest scholars not only in Jewish studies but also in other fields, including German and Central European history. . . . Hertz has produced a valuable examination of Berlin's vibrant Jewish life and presents readers with another contribution to the ongoing debate about the complicated issues of Jewish conversion and assimilation. Certainly, this study will continue to attract scholarly attention for many years to come."—Barry Jackisch, H-Net Reviews -- Barry Jackisch * H-Net Reviews *"Recommended."—Choice * Choice *"[This] is a major book and will be required reading for anyone interested in the history of German Jewry, for intellectual historians, and for historians of religion in modern Germany. Compellingly written, it is also a pleasure to read and should be as accessible to the lay reader as it is essential to the professional historian. Masterfully, Hertz manages to move with ease between the numerous individual life stories she reconstructs and broader trends in Prussian political, cultural, and religious life in the period under study. The result is a subtle, dynamic study that is truly without peer in the field of German-Jewish Studies."—Jonathan Hess, H-Net Reviews -- Jonathan Hess * H-Net Reviews *"[An] accomplished and memorable study."--Samuel Moyn, Journal of Central European History -- Samuel Moyn * Journal of Central European History *“Deborah Hertz offers an impressive description of the cultural atmosphere and intellectual exchange of converted Jews in Berlin in the Biedermeier age.”—Ulrich Wyrwa, German History -- Ulrich Wyrwa * German History *

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Book SynopsisIslam as a religion is central to the lives of over a billion people, but its outer expression as a distinctive civilization has been undergoing a monumental crisis. This book explores how Islamic civilization began to unravel under colonial rule, as its institutions, laws, and economies were often replaced by inadequate modern equivalents.Trade Review"'with intimate knowledge of both Islam and the West, and his unflinching honesty... Mr Allawi calmly and methodically deconstructs an Islamic revival which has failed to live up to its promises.' The Economist 'a challenging and ambitious effort... thoughtful, pertinent and informative... I have no hesitation in recommending The Crisis of Islamic Civilisation to others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.' Muhammad Khan, Muslim News 'This is an intelligent, erudite work on the travails of Islamic civilisation as it has encountered the expansion of Western power... Allawi's work is a searing indictment of Islamic societies but not of Islam itself... his expositions of the ideas of Muslim thinkers are exemplary in their lucidity... I learnt a lot from this book.' Literary Review"

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Trade Review"Christopher Black has delivered the book that historians of early modern Europe have all been waiting for. Focusing on key aspects of the Inquisition's history, and illustrated with vivid case histories, it is a pleasure to read and will certainly live on as a significant contribution to a range of fields for many years to come." - David Gentilcore, University of Leicester"Impressively comprehensive and up-to-date, this book is sure to become the fundamental point of reference for Anglophone readers interested in the Roman Inquisition during the period of its most important activity." - Simon Ditchfield, University of York "A revealing picture of this famous and often infamous institution and its organization, procedures, and personnel. With a deft hand Black effectively melds traditional institutional history, religious history and the new social and cultural history to rethink the impact of the Italian Inquisition. The result is an important synthesis which is both path-breaking and very readable." - Guido Ruggiero, University of Miami

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Book SynopsisCultural Christians in the Early Church considers the challenge of culture to the earliest converts to Christianity, as they struggled to live on mission in the Greco-Roman cultural milieu of the Roman Empire, and argues that cultural Christians were the rule, rather than the exception, in the early church.Trade Review'After reading this book I will be more careful when I invoke the so-called 'countercultural' nature of the ancient church when criticizing the cultural captivity of American evangelicals. Nadya Williams is a model for how to think about the relationship between the past and the present.' * John Fea, professor of American history, Messiah University *'Cultural Christians in the Early Church offers the reader the chance to peer into ancient Christianity in a unique way. Reading this book, one has the sensation of peeking through the window of a church, while simultaneously seeing part of one's own reflection in the glass, as if partially mapped onto the people on the inside. Instead of offering a romanticized view of an ideal early church that only later fell into compromise, and instead of perpetuating a narrative about an emerging hierarchical church wedding itself to power and stamping out diversity, Nadya Williams introduces a series of captivating stories and vivid scenarios that help us see the past and the present in conversation. And it is a conversation important to any person of faith today, regardless of their prior knowledge of early Christian history.' * David E. Wilhite, professor of theology, George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University *'Greed, lust, selfishness, prejudice, Christian nationalism--we wrestle with all these issues in the twenty-first-century church. But we moderns are not alone. In this poignant and perceptive work of historical and cultural analysis, Williams shows that such vices have plagued Christian communities from the beginning. She hopes that these ancients can put up a mirror for us to see our own blind spots and vices in their stories. But it's not all bad news. The early church had those few but powerful witnesses to the authentic, countercultural, and transformative way of Jesus. Williams creatively uses early Christian history to illuminate the narrow road of faithful discipleship.' * Nijay K. Gupta, professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary *'In Cultural Christians in the Early Church, Dr. Nadya Williams turns to the first five centuries of Christianity to remind contemporary evangelical Christians that the well-known modern phenomenon of the 'cultural Christian' has its roots in the very origins of Christianity. Though the most vivid stories about Christians of this period focus on persecution, martyrdom, and the radical rejection of the Roman secular world, our ancient texts provide abundant evidence that these 'countercultural Christians' were not the norm. Indeed, as Williams demonstrates, there is another history of early Christianity to be told, one which highlights the extent to which most early Christians struggled to reject the values and social obligations of the secular Roman world. For Williams, it is in these struggles that modern readers can see the gap between Christian teaching and the everyday practices of many early Christians. Drawing on ancient evidence ranging from first to fifth centuries AD, and from Rome and North Africa to the Greek East, Williams makes a strong case for understanding that early Christians shared many of the same struggles that contemporary Christians face as they attempt to live in the secular world while holding fast to their faith.' * Dr. Jennifer Ebbeler, associate professor of classics at the University of Texas at Austin, author of Disciplining Christians *'In this convincing and convicting book, Williams demonstrates that while Christianity ultimately transformed Roman society, early Christ followers struggled to resist the surrounding culture as much as believers do today. The author combines vivid stories of 'cultural Christians' in the early church with expert analysis of the social, cultural, and historical context that shaped their worldview. The result is a nuanced account of the early church and the sinners who filled it. Williams calls on contemporary Christians to stop idealizing people in the past and challenges us to renew our efforts to resist sin in all its forms, from the familiar vice of avarice to the more insidious idolatry of Christian nationalism.' * Meghan DiLuzio, associate professor of classics, Baylor University *'Nadya Williams has written a fascinating account of how Christians have, since ancient times, faced the temptation to imitate resident cultures rather than adopt an authentic Christian life. Whether it is about food, sex, money, or politics, Christians have, from the Tiber to Tallahassee, faced the temptation to give themselves over to worldly vices rather than holy habits. An excellent example of how understanding the struggle of Christianity and culture in antiquity can help us to understand our own cultural struggles in the present. Thoroughly recommended!' * Rev. Dr. Michael F. Bird, academic dean, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia *'Nadya Williams's thesis is unsettling and irrefutable. There was never an idyllic period in church history, when believers consistently shared goods, stayed true to the gospel, and joyfully gave their lives in martyrdom. Even the much romanticized 'early church' (from AD 100 to 400) was sometimes tainted by compromise, apostasy, and mere going-through-the-motions. Nominal or cultural Christianity, in other words, is not just a problem in modern Sydney or Atlanta. It was present among the persecuted Christians of second-century Bithynia, the rapidly growing church of third-century Carthage, and even the famous desert fathers of fourth-century Egypt. Cultural Christians in the Early Church is not a work of 'presentism,' judging our ancestors by the values of today. In some ways, it is the reverse. By shining a gospel light on ancient Christians, Williams succeeds in providing a scorching critique of aspects of contemporary Christianity. This book is not for the fainthearted, but it is highly recommended.' * John Dickson, Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor at Wheaton College, host of Undeceptions, and author of Bullies and Saints *'Once upon a time, early Christians were stereotyped as sturdy white-robed heroes, who seemed little less than angels walking the earth. In her very readable (and thoroughly researched) book, Nadya Williams performs the amazing feat of presenting those ancient believers as real human beings, with highly recognizable virtues and flaws, living in environments not that different from what we know today. Indeed, as she shows, those Christians often acted very much like their modern counterparts and faced many of the same dilemmas in their everyday lives. Her book is a major achievement of imaginative inquiry.' * Philip Jenkins, author of A Storm of Images, distinguished professor of history, Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University *'Punchy and provocative, Williams's book offers an approachable, entertaining read on a serious theme. Her rich selection of historical examples and illuminating contextualization of early Christianity in its Greco-Roman context build to a point that could hardly be more timely, however much Christians then and now may disagree on what constitutes 'cultural Christianity.' Early Christianity was never an Eden, immune to the perennial problem of human sin. We should idealize neither the early church nor ourselves.' * Han-luen Kantzer Komline, professor of church history and theology at Western Theological Seminary, Humboldt Fellow at University of Tübingen *

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Book SynopsisA great Christian classic, this book describes the heroism and martyrdom of countless believers. It has been an unparalleled volume since its 16th-century origin.

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Book SynopsisFire blazes from heaven, and a stone altar erupts in flame. So begins a spiritual awakening, the kindling of a revival fire still burning today. Beginning with Elijah and God''s tremendous one-day revival of Israel, Wesley Duewel tells stories of revivals spanning the globe from America to China to Africa, all brought by obedience and heartfelt prayer. He illustrates how God has used revival fire through the centuries to revive the church and reveal the glorious presence of the Holy Spirit.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisPart storybook, part textbook, part historical overview, Parade of Faith presents the history of Christianity in riveting fashion. Ruth Tucker adopts the metaphor of a parade, journey, or pilgrimage to explore the history of Christianity, which began as the Messiah marched out of the pages of the Old Testament and will end one day when “the saints go marching in” to the New Jerusalem. The book is divided into two chronological groupings: first, the advent of Christianity until the German and Swiss Reformations; second, the Anabaptist movement and Catholic Reformation until the present-day worldwide expansion of the church. Yet, ultimately the topic matter is not movements, dates, or a stream of facts, but instead people—people who still have stories to tell other Christians. And with a little help from clues to their own contexts, they can still speak clearly today. This book is laid out systematically to showcase the biographies of such prominent figures within th

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Book SynopsisDating Paul's letters is of vital importance for understanding the development of his thought, and dating Paul's letters means dating the main events of his life. This is a very difficult task, provoking much argument among scholars; Dr Jewett's book represents a real advance in solving the problem, above all because of the method which it adopts.

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Book SynopsisThe traditional critique of Arianism is that its errors arise from an over-intellectual approach to Christianity, that it failed because it lacked a gospel of salvation. Questions about that traditional view have been raised here and there in recent years. This book challenges it head on

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Book SynopsisApologetic literature emerges from minority groups seeking to come to terms with the larger cultures within which they live. Its authors are not entirely at home in either their own groups or the larger society, and their position is one with which many Christians today can sympathize. This book looks at the first Christian apologists of all.

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Book SynopsisA much needed reissue of this ever popular resource and textbook.

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Book SynopsisThere never was a Golden Age when the church was whole, perfect, pure-virginal. The faith was not purer, the Christians were not braver, the church was not one and undivided: In the light of this, Dr Wilken concludes that Christianity should forgo its preoccupation with the past and become a much more forward- looking movement.

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Book SynopsisThis learned study may claim to be the most comprehensive and detailed survey ever to have been published of the evidence of the use of crucifixion in the Graeco-Roman world and the way in which it was regarded by the people of the time.

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Book SynopsisA stimulating look at the rise of the cult of the saints, weaving it within its social and cultural context. A beautifully written book' (Catholic Herald).

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1986 and reissued in 1999 in response to continued demand. Shows what kind of sources are available for reconstructing what happened in and around Palestine between the twelfth and the fourth centuries BC and how they can be used.

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Book SynopsisA popular textbook on the history of Israel during Old Testament times, taking into account recent studies and archaeological discoveries.

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Book SynopsisDid the Vatican suppress the publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Do they radically call in question the Christian understanding of Jesus? Two distinguished scholars examine these issues and more, producing a highly readable and reliable account of the present state of research on the Scrolls and their implications for Christianity.

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Book Synopsis'This is far more than an account of social conditions at the time of Jesus. It seeks to paint in some of the historical, intellectual and cultural background against which the books of the New Testament must be read if they are to be fully understood... essential reading for anyone who wishes to study the New Testament seriously' (Theology).

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Book SynopsisIn his Preface, Professor Maurice Wiles writes: 'Augustine has been well served by his recent commentators... But Origen has remained a much more shadowy figure, largely unknown except to the specialist scholar. Joseph Trigg's book should go a long way to remedy that state of affairs.

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Book SynopsisAll pilgrimages should be stopped.'' This blunt assertion by Martin Luther, echoed unanimously by the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformers, is the pivot of Professor Davies''s fascinating and original study. Why were pilgrimages condemned? To answer the question he gathers together material to illustrate the nature of pilgrimages and the motives behind them, extending from patristic times to the Middle Ages. Then he studies the effects of the condemnation on the flourishing pilgrimage trade. During the nineteenth century, the Holy Land again attracted visitors, even among Protestants; here is another change which needs to be explained. Pilgrimages may have been resurrected in our day, but there has been little examination in depth of the criticisms previously levelled against them among Protestants. A substantial chapter attempts to fill this gap, at the same time supplying a modern theology of pilgrimage. The book ends with a review of the devotional aspects of modern pilgrimages, a

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Book SynopsisFinal volume of the Vermes trilogy (which includes Jesus the Jew and Jesus and the World of Judaism). A reading of the synoptic gospels primarily addressed to those interested in ancient religions, culture and Judaism.

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Book SynopsisProf. Scholder's book is a major contribution to our understanding of Christianity under the Nazi regime, in some ways going beyond his definitive history of the German churches under the Third Reich. The volume paints a vivid picture of the problems of living under any kind of totalitarian regime, with a wealth of evidence and insights.

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Book SynopsisA classic work of ecclesiastical history, exercising original and independent judgement. Volume II also available.

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