History of religion Books

Book SynopsisBy offering a provocative reinterpretation of liberalism and its relationship to the German anti-Catholic movement, this work demonstrates that in Germany, liberalism itself contributed to a culture of intolerance that would prove to be a serious liability in the 20th century. It is the winner of the 2004 John Gilmary Shea Prize.

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Book SynopsisThe Bible is full of ancient texts long predating the assembly of Judaism’s and Christianity’s sacred books. Why these texts, and how were they transformed on the journey from folk tale to holy writ? Konrad Schmid and Jens Schröter unearth the history, in the process overturning assumptions about the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.Trade ReviewA landmark…This is a rich book treating the historical traditions that lie within the texts, the oral traditions that transmitted them down the generations, the processes by which texts were formed and collected within scribal culture, and the way in which this gradually led to the formation of various canons…If you have time to read only one book on the Bible this year, make sure that it is this one. -- Katherine J. Dell * Church Times *Excellent…With a sure touch, the authors lead the reader through the geopolitical context of the Hebrew Bible and the setting and background of the New Testament, finding something to say about practically every book’s origins and development…The Bible is not a fixed entity, clearly delineated from all other writings, even though our culture tends to see it so. -- John Barton * The Tablet *Outlines how different forms of the Bible came into being. Their focus is historical and philological rather than theological or literary. Yet the story they tell is engrossing: that of an unstable world needing to attend to the values of God’s kingdom. They help a non-specialist reader appreciate the fascinating diversity of ways in which the Bible’s message was regularly reinterpreted in a changing political situation…Together, Schmid and Schröter…show that the history of the Bible is much less fixed than has been imagined. -- Constant J. Mews * Australian Book Review *The Making of the Bible is an impressive and up-to-date account of its subject matter, simultaneously comprehensive…and concise… The prose is accessible to non-specialists. And while biblical scholars will already know much on offer here, even they will be surprised by the occasional fact or theory. The book will be most useful as an introductory textbook in masters-level classes and as an entrée to the topic for outsiders to the guild. The sheer amount of information packed between the covers is an achievement in itself. -- Brad East * Interpretation *A remarkable deep dive into foundational books whose origins are often taken for granted. * Publishers Weekly *A richly detailed resource…packed with interesting information about the Bible and its use in the Jewish and Christian traditions. * Choice *With this exemplary account of both origins and canonization, Schmid and Schröter have given us a superb book on how the Bible came into being. The Making of the Bible is invaluable for anyone interested in Scripture and in the intertwined histories of Judaism and Christianity. -- John Barton, author of A History of the Bible: The Book and Its FaithsThe Making of the Bible will be a go-to for me. It does for the history of the Bible what I’ve sought to do for the Bible’s languages: to make this book real. -- Sarah Ruden, author of The Gospels: A New TranslationAn erudite history of ‘How We Got the Bible’ that addresses the key issues—historical backgrounds, oral traditions, ancient manuscripts, canon formation, and the books that were left out. Schmid and Schröter are expert guides along these rocky paths for all readers interested in the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible. -- Bart Ehrman, author of Heaven and Hell: A History of the AfterlifeThis impressive book tells the story of how the Bible was made. In the process of that telling, the authors unearth a second story of equal significance: how these different Bibles formed us, creating a world shaped by sacred scripture. Today, we're grappling with the consequences of both stories, which makes this book an essential guide for the future. -- Martin Puchner, author of The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and CivilizationThis comprehensive book on the Bible—the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament—by two world-renowned theologians is for students and teachers alike. It will be read with pleasure and benefit by everyone interested in the most important document of Western civilization. -- Thomas Römer, author of The Invention of God

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Book SynopsisClose readings of Fox’s Journal are put in dialogue with the voices of other early Friends and their critics to examine the fundamental erosion of the division between the human and the divine in early Quaker culture, and its consequences for understanding the history of the spiritual subject.Trade Review'The range of fresh perspectives about the nature of early Quaker discourse and culture that Hinds offers will be of great value to scholars of the period.'Stuart Masters, Quaker Studies, 16:2 (2012)'A consistently perceptive book ... a well-constructed, tautly argued, genuinely interdisciplinary study.'R. C. Richardson, Clio: A Journal of Literature, History and the Philosophy of History, 41:3'An insightful study of early Quaker culture ... Highly recommended.'M. Cole, CHOICE, May 2012'... raises important questions for future research ... This is an important book for its contents, but it is also to be highly commended for the depth of its research, how well it is written and its accessibility.'Religious Studies Review, 38:3 (2012)'a thoroughly enjoyable book, one that should be of use to scholars of Quakerism and of early modern religion and radicalism more generally.'K. J. Kesselring, The Seventeenth Century, 28:1 (2013) -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: seamless subjects1 ‘As the Light appeared, all appeared’: the Quaker culture of convincement2 ‘Let your lives preach’: the embodied rhetoric of the early Quakers3 ‘And The Lord’s Power Was Over All’: anxiety, confidence and masculinity in Fox’s journal4 A technology of presence: genre and temporality in Fox’s journal5 ‘Moved of the Lord’: the contingent itinerancy of early Friends6 The limits of the light: silence and slavery in Quaker narratives of journeys to America and Barbados Conclusion: singularity and doubleness Index

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsTranslators’ Preface · Notes on the English Translation · Glossary Preface to the French Edition Note on Transliteration Note to the Reader (French Edition) Introduction to the French Edition Acknowledgments (French Edition) Important dates and milestones (1st/7th-4th/10th centuries) (Translated by O. Mir-Kasimov) PART ONE: Religion of the Divine Word Made Man Chapter I At the Beginnings of the History Chapter II - The Religion of the imam II-1. Some specific features of the Shi?i spirituality II-2. At the heart of the doctrine of the imam: the concept of walaya Chapter III - About some historical imams (Translated by O. Mir-Kasimov) Chapter IV - The Proof Beyond Time III-1. From the Origin of the World and its Development III-2. The End of Times (Eschatology) · The Collective Dimension · The Personal Dimension Chapter V - The Proof’s Dual Nature V-1. The Imam as a Religious Scholar V-2. The Imam as the Master of Initiation and as Thaumaturge V-3. The Imam as the Locus of God’s Manifestation Chapter VI – The Continuity of Prophecy VI-1. The Need for Discretion VI-2. Perpetual Communication between God and Mankind VI-3. ‘The Sealing of the Prophecy’ and its Meaning (Translated by M. De Cillis) PART TWO: The Mystical Nature of the Imam in The Book of the Proof Chapter I - Brief Remarks on Shi?i Holy Scriptures I-1. The Qur’an according to Shi?ism I-2. Shi?i Hadiths Chapter II - Al-Kulayni and the Book of the Proof II-1. The Historical Context in Several Important Cities II-2. A Quest for Knowledge in Iran and Iraq II.3 Al-Kulayni’s Works Chapter III - Excerpts from the Book of the Proof III-1. Some Remarks on Our Translation III-2. The Book of the Proof (Kitab al-?ujja): Translated and Commented Excerpts (Translated by O. Mir-Kasimov) Epilogue Return to History: Between Mystical Wisdom and Political Temptation 1. Legacy of the Antique Gnosis 2. Shi?is at the heart of the Abbasid Empire 3. Consolidation of the Jurist-Theologians’ Power 4. The State Religion in Iran 4.1. Rationalist Current and the Temptation of Political Power 4.2. Loyalty to the Origins (Translated by O. Mir-Kasimov) Appendices Table I: The Banu Hashim (major protagonists) and the Prophet’s Family Table II: The Banu ?Abd Shams (major protagonists) Table III: Genealogy of the major Imams and the main divisions in Shi?sm Bibliography and Abbreviations General Index Index of Qur’anic Citations

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

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

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Book SynopsisReveals the rewards of exploring the relationship between art and religion in the first millennium, and the problems of comparing the visual cultures of emergent and established religions of the period in Eurasia - Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the pagan religions of the Roman world.Table of Contents1. Introduction Jaś Elsner; Part I. The Imperial Context: 2. The Gandharan problem Robert Bracey; 3. Writing the art, archaeology and religion of the Roman Mediterranean Philippa Adrych and Dominic Dalglish; 4. Mystery cult and material culture in the Graeco-Roman world Philippa Adrych and Dominic Dalglish; 5. The Viennese invention of late antiquity: between politics and religion in the forms of late Roman art Jaś Elsner; 6. The rise of Byzantine art and archaeology in late Imperial Russia Maria Lidova; 7. Ferdinand Piper's Monumentale Theologie (1867) and Schleiermacher's legacy: the attempted foundation of a Protestant theology of art Stefanie Lenk; Part II. After Imperialism: Orientalism and its Resistances; 8. The road from decadence: agendas and personal histories in the rise of early Islamic art Nadia Ali; 9. Connecting art and Zoroastrianism in Sasanian studies Rachel Wood; 10. 'Hindu' art and the primordial Śiva Robert Bracey; Part III. Post-colonialist, Old Colonialist and Nationalist Fantasies: 11. Jewish art: before and after the Jewish state (1948) Jesse Lockard and Jaś Elsner; 12. Whose history is it anyway? Contests for India's past in the twentieth century Robert Bracey; 13. Acculturated natives who rebel: revivalist, Ottomanist and Pan-Arabist engagements with early Islamic art (1876–1930s) Nadia Ali; 14. Barbarians at the British Museum: Anglo-Saxon art, race and religion Katherine Cross.

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Book SynopsisThis volume investigates the settings of slaveholding and representations of slave experience in late antiquity. The essays, written by a diverse team of international scholars, scrutinize the ideological, moral, cultural, and symbolic aspects of slavery alongside the status and living conditions of late antique slaves.Table of ContentsI. Moral and Symbolic Values of Slavery: 1. Masters and slaves in early Christian discourse Peter J. J. Botha; 2. Slavery and religion in Late Antiquity: their relation to ascetism and justice in Christianity and Judaism Ilaria Ramelli; 3. (II) Legal freedom: Chris as liberator from satanic debt bondage in Greek literature of Late Antiquity Arkadiy Avdokhin; 4. Late Roman ideas of ethnicity and enslavement Maijastina Kahlos; II. Slavery, Cultural Discourses, and Identity: 5. Slavery in Euphemia and the Goth Chris L. De Wet; 6. What was Jewish slavery in Late Antiquity? Catherine Hezser; 7. Divining slavery in Late Ancient Egypt: doulology in the monastic works of Paul of Tamma and Shenoute Christine Luckritz Marquis; 8. Rural slavery in Late Roman Gaul: literary genres, theoretical frames and narratives Uiran Gebara da Silva; III. Slavery, Social History, and the Papyrological and Epigraphical Sources: 9. Slaves in the sixth century Palestine in the light of papyrological evidence Marja Vierros; 10. Child slaves in Roman Egypt: experiences from the papyri April Pudsey and Ville Vuolanto; 11. Late antique slavery in epigraphic evidence Mariana Bodnaruk; IV. Social and Religious Histories of Slavery on the Borders of the Empire and Beyond: 12. Slavery among the Visigoths Noel Lenski; 13. Sinner, slave, bishop, saint: the social and religious vicissitudes of St. Patrick Judith Evans Grubbs; 14. Slave boys in paradise? The Evidence of the Quary and its later exegetes Ilkka Lindstedt.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and innovative reconstruction of the emergence of early Muslim religion and polity in their historical, religious and ethnological contexts. Intended principally for scholars of late antiquity, Islamic studies and the history of religions, the book opens up many novel directions for future research.Trade Review'Aziz Al-Azmeh starts his excellent new book by modestly describing it as an extended essay in historical interpretation' … but in reality this is a truly massive analysis of the origins of early Islam that will challenge many contemporary assumptions … This intriguing and engaging book is a welcome addition to academia. Intended primarily for postgraduate scholars of Islam, religion and Late Antiquity, this monograph suggests many exciting new directions for future studies and empirical research.' Abdullah Drury, Islam and Christian–Muslim RelationsTable of Contents1. Late antiquity and Islam: historiography and history; 2. Gods, divine economies, and emperors; 3. Arabia and Arab ethnogenesis in late antiquity; 4. Preface to Allah; 5. Allah; 6. Paleo-Islam, 1: charismatic polity; 7. Paleo-Islam, 2: the Paleo-Muslim canon; 8. Retrospective and prospective: Islam in late antiquity and beyond.

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Book SynopsisTracing the evolving nature of popular and official beliefs about the purported nature of the Jews from the 18th century onwards, Russia and the Jewish Question explores how perceptions of Jews in late Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union shaped the regimes' policies toward them. In so doing Robert Weinberg provides a fruitful lens through which to investigate the social, economic, political, and cultural developments of modern Russia. Here, Weinberg reveals that the Jewish Question' and, by extension anti-Semitism emerged at the end of the 18th century when the partitions of Poland made hundreds of thousands of Jews subjects of the Russian crown. He skillfully argues the phrase itself implies the singular nature of Jews as a group of people whose religion, culture, and occupational make-up prevent them from fitting into predominantly Christian societies. The book then expounds how other characteristics were associated with the group over time: in particular, debateTable of ContentsList of Illustations 1. Defining the Jewish Question in the Modern World 2. The Jewish Question in the Nineteenth Century 3. Pogroms, Politics, and Revolution 4. Communism and the Jewish Question 5. The Jewish Question in the Post-Soviet World Index

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Book SynopsisIt is often said that the devil has all the best tunes. He also has as many names as he has guises. Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Beelzebub (in Christian thought), Ha-Satan or the Adversary (in Jewish scripture) and Iblis or Shaitan (in Islamic tradition) has throughout the ages and across civilizations been a compelling and charismatic presence. For two thousand years the supposed reign of God has been challenged by the fiery malice of his opponent, as contending forces of good and evil have between them weighed human souls in the balance. In this rich and multi-textured biography, Philip C Almond explores the figure of the devil from the first centuries of the Christian era through the rise of classical demonology and witchcraft persecutions to the modern post-Enlightenment ''decline'' of Hell. The author shows that the Prince of Darkness, in all his incarnations, remains an irresistible subject in history, religion, art, literature and culture.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Prologue Chapter One: The ‘Birth’ of the Devil Angels and Demons, Sons and Lovers ‘The Book of the Watchers’ Angels, Arising and Falling The Birth of ‘Satan’ The Archdemon Belial Satan and Jesus The Fall of the Dragon Chapter Two: The Fall of the Devil The Fall of Man The Satanic Serpent Pride Cometh before a Fall Lucifer Descending The Battleground of History Chapter Three: Hell’s Angel Paying Off the Devil The Demonic Paradox The Harrowing of Hades In Hell, and in the Air Chapter Four: The Devil Rides Out A Pope Bewitched Cathars, Moderate and Extreme Angels and Demons The Demonisation of Magic Magic Defined, Damned, and Defended Conjuring Demons and Conversations with Angels Chapter Five: Devilish Bodies The Demonisation of Popular Magic Errors Not Cathartic but Satanic The Devil, Sex and Sexuality Embodied Demons Chapter Six: The Devil and the Witch Infanticide and Cannibalism Travels Sabbatical The Satanic Pact The Devil’s Mark Chapter Seven: A Very Possessing Devil The Possessed Body Possession, Medicine, and Sceptics Forensic Demonology Beyond the Borders of the Human Exorcising the Devil Chapter Eight: The Devil Defeated The Binding and Loosing of Satan The Antichrist Adso and the Antichrist The Future Binding of Satan Apocalypse Now Satan and the Fires of Hell Chapter Nine: The ‘Death’ of the Devil Satan and Superstition The Cessation of Miracles The Devil De-skilled The Devil Disembodied Bodies, Platonic and Demonic Disenchanting the World Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant new take'' Janina Ramirez, author of Femina''A masterpiece of the historian''s art'' Peter Brown, author of Augustine of HippoThe powerful and surprising story of the four remarkable women who changed Augustine''s life - and history - forever.While many know of St Augustine and the Confessions, few know of the women whose hopes and dreams shaped his early life: his mother, Monnica of Thagaste; his lover; his fiancée; and Justina, the troubled empress of ancient Rome. Drawing upon their depictions in the Confessions, historian Kate Cooper skilfully reconstructs their lives against the backdrop of the late Roman Empire to paint a vivid portrait of the turbulent society they and Augustine moved through. She shows how despite their often precarious position, these women tried in their different ways to influence the world around them and argues that Augustine did not end his engagement because he was Trade ReviewFascinating and well-written, Queens of a Fallen World raises vital questions about the role of women in the founding centuries of Christianity, piecing together a rich backdrop to Augustine's life that has rarely emerged before. Cooper convinces us that these women can be recovered, and that through his words and thoughts, their lives shaped the future of a fledgling religion. A brilliant new take -- Janina Ramirez, author of FEMINA: A NEW HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE AGES, THROUGH THE WOMEN WRITTEN OUT OF ITA masterpiece of the historian's art. With a rare balance of state-of-the-art erudition and felicitous hypotheses, Kate Cooper has brought the hidden women in Augustine's early life into the light. Governed throughout by a humane sense of the texture of a distant late Roman society, she captures women's voices which we would not otherwise have heard -- Peter Brown, author of AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO: A BIOGRAPHYWhat an invigorating book! Cooper asks a haunting question: how different would our world be had this man married either his concubine - who was the loyal mother of his child - or the young heiress he was betrothed to, instead of withdrawing from sexual relationships altogether? -- Sarah Ruden, translator of Augustine’s CONFESSIONSA marvelous achievement . . . Cooper sketches an evocative landscape of the late Roman world in Milan and North Africa . . . Above all, her's is a world of human beings suffering heartache and loneliness while trying to reconcile the pull of the heart with the lure of ambition -- Susanna Elm, Sidney H. Ehrman Professor of European History, University of California, BerkeleyAn enchanting tour de force of sensitive and probing historical writing . . . Cooper's enquiry into the influence of women on Augustine - whether empress, mother, lover, saint, or slave - enriches his legacy -- Adrienne Mayor, author of THE AMAZONS: LIVES AND LEGENDS OF WARRIOR WOMEN ACROSS THE ANCIENT WORLDA bold and imaginative venture into challenging territory. Cooper casts new light onto the women of the ancient world - and one of the founders of Western thought -- Sarah Gristwood, author of THE TUDORS IN LOVE: PASSION AND POLITICS IN THE AGE OF ENGLAND'S MOST FAMOUS DYNASTY

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Book SynopsisA beautiful King James Bible with book introductions, end-of-page cross references, and a concordance, yet it's designed to easily fit in your backpack or purse. This Bible also features Thomas Nelson’s clear and readable KJV Comfort Print.

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Book SynopsisThe KJV Compact Reference Bible offers the literary beauty of the King James Version in a hand-sized volume that features Thomas Nelson’s KJV Comfort Print, an exclusive font that was designed to be the easiest to read at any size.This edition is perfect for those who like to carry their Bibles with them throughout the day. With book introductions, extensive cross-references, a beautiful layout, and the words of Christ in red, this Bible packs a lot into a small package. Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note Bible book introductions provide an overview and context for each book Words of Christ in red quickly identify Jesus’ teachings and statements End-of-column cross-references help you find related passages quickly and easily Miracles and parables of Jesus calls out

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Book SynopsisExplore the Scriptures with insights from the “Prince of Expositors.”Few preachers in the nineteenth century rivaled Alexander Maclaren. Called the “Prince of Expositors,” Maclaren was considered one of the best preachers of his era, acclaimed for offering remarkable biblical insights in a poetic style.The Alexander Maclaren Study Bible invites you to learn from his powerful insights as you explore the Scriptures. Study notes drawn from his more than 1,500 published sermons illuminate every chapter of the Bible. Passage outlines based on his sermons guide you in systematic study of key texts. Short notes encourage you to apply the Bible to your life and see Christ’s relevance to all Scripture.Features include:                                                                        Book introductions exploring each book’s background and key themes with insights from Maclaren’s work 1,400 study notes that cover every chapter of the Bible 380 Christ Connection notes showing the relevance of Christ to all Scripture 380 Life Application notes to help you live out the Bible’s principles 209 Passage Outlines based on Maclaren’s sermon outlines 8 essays addressing major doctrines of Scripture, personal devotion to Christ, and how to properly apply the Bible to your life Comprehensive concordance and index of features Bottom of page study notes Center-column cross-references Line-matched, double-column typesetting Clear and readable 9-point NKJV Comfort Print®

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Book SynopsisExplore the Scriptures with insights from the “Prince of Expositors.”Few preachers in the nineteenth century rivaled Alexander Maclaren. Called the “Prince of Expositors,” Maclaren was considered one of the best preachers of his era, acclaimed for offering remarkable biblical insights in a poetic style.The Alexander Maclaren Study Bible invites you to learn from his powerful insights as you explore the Scriptures. Study notes drawn from his more than 1,500 published sermons illuminate every chapter of the Bible. Passage outlines based on his sermons guide you in systematic study of key texts. Short notes encourage you to apply the Bible to your life and see Christ’s relevance to all Scripture.Features include:                                                                        Book introductions exploring each book’s background and key themes with insights from Maclaren’s work 1,400 study notes that cover every chapter of the Bible 380 Christ Connection notes showing the relevance of Christ to all Scripture 380 Life Application notes to help you live out the Bible’s principles 209 Passage Outlines based on Maclaren’s sermon outlines 8 essays addressing major doctrines of Scripture, personal devotion to Christ, and how to properly apply the Bible to your life Comprehensive concordance and index of features Bottom of page study notes Center-column cross-references Line-matched, double-column typesetting Clear and readable 9-point NKJV Comfort Print®

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Book SynopsisThis elegant Bible edition of the RSV delivers this classic translation in a convenient portable size with essential study tools and traditional accents.The Revised Standard Version (RSV) in the Sovereign Collection reflects its place in the legacy and majesty of the King James Version Bible. This beautiful Bible contains design flourishes that pay tribute to the King James Bible produced in 1611, delivered in a convenient portable size with essential study tools.The Sovereign Collection continues Thomas Nelson''s long history and stewardship publishing Bibles, featuring elegant letter illustrations leading into each chapter. Drawing from the legacy of the trustworthy and timeless KJV, these editions use elegant drop cap illustrations leading into each chapter and more classic Bible details.Features include: Classic double column text for narrative books Single-column text for poetry b

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Book SynopsisThis elegant Bible edition of the RSV delivers this classic translation in a convenient portable size with essential study tools and traditional accents.The Revised Standard Version (RSV) in the Sovereign Collection reflects its place in the legacy and majesty of the King James Version Bible. This beautiful Bible contains design flourishes that pay tribute to the King James Bible produced in 1611, delivered in a convenient portable size with essential study tools.The Sovereign Collection continues Thomas Nelson''s long history and stewardship publishing Bibles, featuring elegant letter illustrations leading into each chapter. Drawing from the legacy of the trustworthy and timeless KJV, these editions use elegant drop cap illustrations leading into each chapter and more classic Bible details.Features include: Classic double column text for narrative books Single-column text for poe

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Book SynopsisThis elegant Bible edition of the RSV delivers this classic translation in a convenient portable size with essential study tools and traditional accents.The Revised Standard Version (RSV) in the Sovereign Collection reflects its place in the legacy and majesty of the King James Version Bible. This beautiful Bible contains design flourishes that pay tribute to the King James Bible produced in 1611, delivered in a convenient portable size with essential study tools.The Sovereign Collection continues Thomas Nelson''s long history and stewardship publishing Bibles, featuring elegant letter illustrations leading into each chapter. Drawing from the legacy of the trustworthy and timeless KJV, these editions use elegant drop cap illustrations leading into each chapter and more classic Bible details.Features include: Classic double column text for narrative books Single-column text for poe

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Book SynopsisThis book examines one of the most fundamental issues in twelfth-century English politics: justice. It demonstrates that during the foundational period for the common law, the question of judgement and judicial ethics was a topic of heated debate – a common problem with multiple different answers. How to be a judge, and how to judge well, was a concern shared by humble and high, keeping both kings and parish priests awake at night. Using theological texts, sermons, legal treatises and letter collections, the book explores how moralists attempted to provide guidance for uncertain judges. It argues that mercy was always the most difficult challenge for a judge, fitting uncomfortably within the law and of disputed value. Shining a new light on English legal history, Justice and mercy reveals the moral dilemmas created by the establishment of the common law.Trade Review‘Justice and Mercy is a remarkable book…the book resounds with the historiographic traditions and conflicts among the different schools of legal history and of intellectual history, both in Britain and on the continent. While the author is obviously well aware of them, she manages to avoid the pitfalls of adding to these ongoing conflicts.’Esther Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Medieval Review -- .Table of ContentsPrologue: the vanishing adulteress1 Introduction2 The problem with mercy: the schools3 The problem with mercy: the courts4 Twelfth-century models of justice and mercy5 Who should be merciful?6 Judgement in practice: the Church7 Histories of justice: the crown, persuasion and lordship8 Love your enemies? Popular mercy in a vengeance culture9 ConclusionBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisArguably the most significant theologian in Church history, Augustine is nonetheless a figure of dispute in protestant circles, distrusted for his views on ecclesiology, amongst other subjects. Yet his love for the Lord and articulation of the doctrine of grace ensure that his writings remain relevant and inspiring to many Christians today. For anyone looking to begin to understand this theological giant, Bradley Green’s biography offers a clear insight into Augustine’s life and beliefs. In the words of the patristic himself, ‘Take and Read’.Trade ReviewBrad tells the reader not only of the great man himself, but how to read his well-known books and to cherish them. The difficult issues are not shirked, covering everything between classical theism and donatism. The ideal start-up companion. -- Paul Helm (Emeritus Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion, King’s College, London)... a well-researched, thoughtful, and straightforward introductory guide to the main elements in Augustine’s mind and writings, from which any student of historical theology can profit. I will be urging my students to utilize it. -- Nick Needham (Lecturer in Church History, Highland Theological College, Dingwall, Scotland)This book is a valuable introduction to Augustine as a coherent and persuasive theologian. For those who want to know where he stood on the great themes of Christian truth, this is an excellent place to begin. -- Gerald Bray (Research Professor, Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama)

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Book SynopsisSee how the thread of orthodoxy runs throughout the history of the church even in the thousand years known as the Dark Ages. If you study church history closely, you will see that there is a continuous thread of faithful,glorifying theology that gives God due honour, that takes Scripture as the principal authority over life and faith, and that nourishes our wonder and worship. Despite its somewhat derogatory name, we can see that the light of the gospel was by no means extinguished in the millennium between 500 and 1500. Iain Wright and Yannick Imbert outline the story of this time through the lives of ten key figures of the Medieval Church:Leo the Great (400461)Boethius(476524)Alcuin(735804)Gottschalk(814868)Anselm of Canterbury (10331109)Bernard of Clairvaux (10901153)Peter Waldo(11401205)Bonaventure(12211274)John Wycliffe(13201384)Jan Hus(13721415)Chronicles 1,000Years of Orthodox Theology:see God's providence in the faithful teaching of truth throughout historyMeet Key Histori

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully designed, full-color textbook introduces the Roman background of the New Testament by immersing students in the life and culture of the thriving first-century towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which act as showpieces of the world into which the early Christian movement was spreading. Bruce Longenecker, a leading scholar of the ancient world of the New Testament, discusses first-century artifacts in relation to the life stories of people from the Roman world. The book includes discussion questions, maps, and 175 color photographs. Additional resources are available through Textbook eSources.Table of ContentsContents Looking Ahead: An Introduction Part 1: Protocols of Engagement 1. Human Meaning in Stone and Story 2. Fire in the Bones 3. Accessing the First-Century World Timeline of Events Part 2: Protocols of Popular Devotion 4. Deities and Temples 5. Sacrifice and Sin 6. Peace and Security 7. Genius and Emperor 8. Mysteries and Knowledge 9. Death and Life Part 3: Protocols of Social Prominence 10. Prominence and Character 11. Money and Influence 12. Literacies and Status 13. Combat and Courts 14. Business and Success Part 4: Protocols of Household Effectiveness 15. Household and Slaves 16. Family and Solidarity 17. Piety and Pragmatism 18. Powers and Protection 19. Banqueting and the Dead Looking Further: A Conclusion Appendix: Questions to Consider Glossary Indexes

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Book SynopsisA long-awaited illumination of the mystical movement that teaches 'Gnosis' - knowledge of God as opposed to unquestioning faithAcclaimed author Andrew Phillip Smith delves into the myths and practices of this ancient movement, exploring its early popularity, its subsequent decline under the weight of orthodoxy in the Church, and its present-day resurgence.Gnosticism has travelled a fascinating path, from the Manichaeans in Persia between the 3rd and 7th centuries, to the triumphs and tragedies of the Cathars in southern Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries, to, finally, today's Mandaeans in Iraq. However the revival of Gnosticism extends further than these sects, offering inspiration to a legion of literary figures, including Dan brown and Philip Pullman. Gnostcisim's emphasis on personal over organized religion, in keeping with the doctrine of the early Christian era during which it thrived, has found particular resonance with today's multicultural world.The Secret History of the Gnostics is not simply an authoritative account of one sect's practical beliefs and customs - it is, in effect, a manifesto, an appeal to those inspired by or drawn to the Gnostic faith not to forget its origins.

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Book SynopsisDifferent forms of religious worship and ritual are present throughout the development of human beings, from early stone-age ritual, nature religion and ancestor worship, to faiths from which Christianity and the Eucharist emerge.In this book, Bastiaan Baan traces the origins and metamorphosis of human religion in historical, theological and humanistic terms, examining its significance for human life on earth and in the spiritual world.Trade Review'This interesting book, which contains copies of many beautiful pictures, helped me to understand more about the importance of ritual and how I can connect to ritual acts.'-- Marjan Sikkel, Camphill Correspondence'This is a marvellous account by Christian Community priest, Bastiaan Baan, of religious ritual… It is very clear and enjoyable to read'-- Anthroposophical Society of Great Britain

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Book SynopsisIs 'newer' really 'better'? We often assume so, but if we do treat the past as inferior, we will ignore the legacy of history, and thus will find ourselves stranded on the tiny desert island of our own moment in time. In particular, this applies to Christian theology, which should be thought, and lived, corporately by the church down through the ages. The remedy to 'chronological snobbery' is, as C. S. Lewis put it, 'to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds'. Such is the motivation behind Michael Reeves' introduction to a selection of influential or significant Christian theologians. This accessible and informative volume covers the Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Owen, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Barth and Packer. Each chapter begins with a brief biography and some background, and then surveys each theologian's major work or works, gives a timeline for historical context, and ends with guidance for further reading. This book was previously available as two separate volumes (The Breeze of the Centuries and On Giants' Shoulders), but now repackaged together with a new chapter on J I Packer.

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Book Synopsis‘A hugely enjoyable, eccentric account of clerical heroism in the face of evil.’ Observer ‘Comedy and tragedy run side by side… Bracing and lively.’ The Times ‘An admiring study of priests and ministers who have put their lives on the line.’ BBC History Magazine Who says you can't fight fascism in a cassock? Wherever fascism has taken root, it has met with resistance. From taking a bullet for a frightened schoolgirl in Alabama to saving Greek Jews from extermination by way of fake IDs, each of the fifteen hard-drinking, chain-smoking clerics featured in this book were willing to risk their lives for what they believed.Trade Review‘Fascinating…full of stories you may not know but which need to be heard’ -- Spectator, BOOKS OF THE YEAR‘This winter’s best title is Fergus Butler-Gallie’s work on wartime heroics by the clergy.’ -- Patrick Kidd, The Times‘A timely and uplifting book… An hugely enjoyable if slightly eccentric account of clerical heroism in the face of evil… [Butler-Gallie] achieves an inspiring effect through the sheer cumulative impact of so many brave decisions.’ -- Julian Coman, Observer‘… this book is a gripping story of bravery, derring-do and cunning in the face of Fascism… vividly told tales of 15 people who became caught up in the struggles against Fascism in Europe in the 1930s’ * Tablet *’15 short, engaging essays… The reverend is a good writer with a light touch, and a natural storyteller.’ -- New Statesman‘… it is refreshing to read an unashamedly admiring study of priests and ministers who have put their lives on the line… readable and moving.' -- BBC History Magazine‘Here the Reverend Butler-Gallie wittily profiles 15 “loose cannons” who stood up against fascism’. -- Strong Words‘Butler-Gallie serves them and their stories well with background information, a fluent narrative style, and a fine eye for the quirky and telling personal or historical detail.’ -- Church Times'As entertaining as it is erudite, this enthralling anthology presents a cornucopia of quirky, courageous Fascist-fighting clerics.' -- LoveReading‘A field guide to 20th-century priests, monks and nuns from all over the world who were prepared to die for their faith and to die saving others... 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.’ * The Times *‘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 20th Century.’ * Church of England Newspaper *5* review: ‘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.’ -- Sorted‘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!’ -- Matthew Cobb, author of The ResistancePraise for A Field Guide to the English Clergy: ‘A group biography of ecclesiastical nuttiness… All gloriously mad.' The Times, Books of the Year 2018 ‘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.' Sebastian Shakespeare, Daily Mail ‘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.' The Times ‘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.' Literary Review ‘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.' New Statesman ‘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.' Harry Mount, Spectator ‘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.' Sunday Times ‘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.' The Catholic Herald ‘This is a ridiculously enjoyable book: funny, compassionate, and wonderfully well-written.' Tom Holland ‘A delightful, sympathetic, humorous and earthed cocktail of quirky English clergy.' The Rt Revd David Wilbourne

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Book SynopsisThe Jewish Menorah is one of the world’s most sacred artefacts, a man-size lampstand with seven arms, made from a single block of gold, that is an iconic symbol for the Jewish people. King Solomon placed it in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Jerusalem, but by the 5th century AD, all trace of it had disappeared from the official record, and it was assumed lost. Two historical researchers, Corjan Mol and Christopher Morford, now reveal the astounding secret of what happened to the Menorah. Through their meticulous research as well as a jaw-dropping stroke of luck, Mol and Morford discovered that the Menorah was dug up from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the time of the Crusades by the Knights Templar and smuggled to France with the help of the French King Louis IX. From there it was taken to Portugal, to end up in North America after interventions by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The secret was hidden in plain sight in both France and North America, on a scale so big that it took 800 years for it to be discovered.

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Book SynopsisChristianity, in its Catholic, Protestant and Nonconformist forms, has played an enormous role in the history of Wales and in the defining and shaping of Welsh identity over the past two thousand years. Biblical place names, an urban and rural landscape littered with churches, chapels, crosses and sacred sites, a bardic and literary tradition deeply imbued with Christian themes in both the Welsh and English languages, and the songs sung by tens of thousands of rugby supporters at the national stadium in Cardiff, all hint at a Christian presence that was once universal. Yet for many in contemporary Wales, the story of the development of Christianity in their country remains little known. While the history of Christianity in Wales has been a subject of perennial interest for Welsh historians, much of their work has been highly specialised and not always accessible to a general audience. Standing on the shoulders of some of Wales’s finest historians, this is the first single-volume history of Welsh Christianity from its origins in Roman Britain to the present day. Drawing on the expertise of four leading historians of the Welsh Christian tradition, this volume is specifically designed for the general reader, and those beginning their exploration of Wales’s Christian past.Table of ContentsForeword Rowan Williams Preface David Ceri Jones Chapter 1. Roman Beginnings, c.AD 1–c.AD 400 Barry J. Lewis Chapter 2. The Age of Conversion, c.400-c.600 Barry J. Lewis Chapter 3. The Definition of Christian Wales, c.600-c.800 Barry J. Lewis Chapter 4. Vikings to Normans, c.800-c.1070 Barry J. Lewis Chapter 5. The Age of Definition and Hierarchy, c.1066-c.1200 Madeleine Gray Chapter 6. Conquest and Apocalypse, c.1200-c.1420 Madeleine Gray Chapter 7. Y Ganrif Aur: Christianity in Late Medieval Wales, c.1420-c.1530 Madeleine Gray Chapter 8. Reformation Wales, 1530-1603 David Ceri Jones Chapter 9. Securing a Protestant Wales, 1603-1760 David Ceri Jones Chapter 10. Building a Nonconformist nation, 1760-1890 D. Densil Morgan Chapter 11. Adapting to a Secular Wales, 1890-2020 D. Densil Morgan & David Ceri Jones A Guide to Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisHenry Beeching (18591919), Dean of Norwich, was a popular preacher, celebrated man of letters and journalist. This is the first full-length biography of this popular poet, professor of English, and a much loved priest.

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Book SynopsisThe Story of the Church gives an accessible and concise survey of the history of the Christian church, from the first century to the twenty-first. Here is an epic tale of high hopes and great disappointments, of bitter persecution and heroic loyalty. The Story of the Church is an established classic, widely appreciated by several generations of readers. It addresses the central question of why Christianity has spread around the world so successfully, and offers a distinctly evangelical perspective. Its clear structure pinpoints significant people, places, movements and events. This new edition has been completely revised and updated by Allan Harman.

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Book SynopsisA fresh examination of the Baptist movement, showing its growth and development to be more complex than hitherto assumed. This book challenges the orthodoxy that seventeenth-century Baptists were divided from the first into two separate denominations, 'Particular' and 'General', defined by their differing attitudes to predestination and the atonement, showing how the position was in fact much more complicated. It describes how from the foundation of the 'Generals' in 1609 there were always two tendencies, one clericalist and pacifist, influenced by the Dutch Mennonites, and one reflecting the English traditions of erastianism and local lay predominance in religion. It re-analyses the confessional struggle during and after the civil war, showing how Independent and erastian sentiment in Parliament increasingly combined to baulk Presbyterian ambition; during and partly because of this process (which they also influenced), the Baptists evolved into three recognisable tendencies. Amongst General Baptists there was a politically radical current, but also a more passive tendency which was starting to gain ground. In 1647-9 most but by no means all Particular Baptist leaders were hostile to the Levellers. The book looks at the nature of religious convictionin the New Model Army, reassessing the role and influence of Baptists in it. In the late 40s, many Baptists, soldiers and civilians, rejected formal ordinances altogether. STEPHEN WRIGHT received his Ph.D. from the Universityof London. He has been visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire and the University of North London.Trade ReviewIn addition to a detailed analysis of some of the key documents for early Baptist history, the book contains in both the text and the appendices a wealth of biographical information on members of individual congregations. * AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW *This substantial new study of early English Baptists is full of fresh insights and perspectives. * JOURNAL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *Exhaustive, detailed and persuasive. * SOUTHWESTERN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY *The best, most reliable, history of the early Baptists. * PATRICK COLLINSON, ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Sets a high standard for meticulous scholarship that advances new and persuasive theories for a foundational time period in Baptist history. [...] Stephen Wright's work is exhaustive, detailed, and persuasive. * BAPTIST THEOLOGY, SW BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY *This important book deserves to be read widely and its results incorporated into the way the story of early Baptists is told. * THE EXPOSITORY TIMES *A well documented historical reassessment of the place these believers held in the early Stuart era. [...] [This] work will hopefully lead to further studies of the early English Baptists. * RENAISSANCE QUARTERLY *Offers an in-depth reading of the primary and secondary sources of English Baptist origins and provides several provocative revisions to standard treatments of the era. * BAPTIST HISTORY & HERITAGE *Demonstrate[s] the rich diversity characteristic of Baptist belief in the period and the complex inter-relationships between different leaders, congregations, and groupings.it thus offers an important contribution to a fuller understanding of the English Revolution. * JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS HISTORY *Wright's volume is very much to be welcomed moving as it does beyond the traditional debates. * REVIEWS IN HISTORY *A significant contribution to our understanding about how Baptists developed in the 1640s and why they belonged to differing factions. [...] For anyone seriously interested in looking at Baptists beginnings in seventeenth-century England, Dr Wright has set down a challenge which cannot be ignored. * BAPTIST QUARTERLY *A most impressive and well-argued work. * BAPTIST UNION OF SCOTLAND NEWS *This erudite work must be read by those interested in the origins of the Baptist traditions. * CONGREGATIONAL HISTORY CIRCLE MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisThe essay that forms the core of this book is an attempt to understand the developments that have occurred in Orthodox Jewry in America in the last seventy years, and to analyse their implications. The prime change is what is often described as ‘the swing to the right’, a marked increase in ritual stringency, a rupture in patterns of behaviour that has had major consequences not only for Jewish society but also for the nature of Jewish spirituality. For Haym Soloveitchik, the key feature at the root of this change is that, as a result of migration to the ‘New Worlds’ of England, the US, and Israel and acculturation to its new surroundings, American Jewry—indeed, much of the Jewish world— had to reconstruct religious practice from normative texts: observance could no longer be transmitted mimetically, on the basis of practices observed in home and street. In consequence, behaviour once governed by habit is now governed by rule. This new edition allows the author to deal with criticisms raised since the essay, long established as a classic in the field, was originally published, and enables readers to gain a fuller perspective on a topic central to today’s Jewish world and its development.Trade Review'One of the most influential essays in the past thirty years [...] As an account of the development of what we know as right-wing Orthodoxy, Soloveitchik’s is compact and cogent. And some of his insights perhaps apply beyond observant Orthodoxy.'Simon Rocker, The Jewish Chronicle'Rereading “Rupture” in light of Dr. Soloveitchik’s clarifications affords us the opportunity to consider anew how its brilliant descriptions can help us understand our present and develop prescriptions for our future.'Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, Jewish Press‘Few scholarly works have managed to meaningfully penetrate both the academy and the Orthodox Jewish community like Haym Soloveitchik’s Rupture and Reconstruction. Republished—as an expanded monograph—for the first time in over 25 years, Soloveitchik puts forward a compelling thesis on the development of Orthodox Jewish practice in America over the past 70 years.’ Yaakov Taubes, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsPreface Rupture and Reconstruction Clarifications Afterword

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Book SynopsisA study of the imagery of Welsh saints in medieval and 19th/20th-century stained glass, sculpture and painting. Overview and analysis, followed by sections on about 40 individual saints. An authoritative introduction to the stories of the saints, highly illustrated and full-colour throughout, with about 500 photographs.

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Book SynopsisSuccinct, inspiring biography of a bridge-building Jewish leader, supplemented by 25 black-and-white photographsOn March 21, 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights organizers led 8,000 protesters on a 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery. They invited a distinguished group of national religious figures to join them in the front lines. One of these was Abraham Joshua Heschel—a gifted Jewish scholar, teacher, and speaker, whose recent book, The Prophets (1962)—a detailed study of the ancient biblical champions of justice and mercy—was a source of great inspiration to Dr. King and others.As Heschel walked arm-in-arm with his colleagues, he was easy to spot in the crowd: He was a short, stocky man with flowing white hair, a bushy beard, who wore a dark yarmulke (Jewish head covering). Like the prophets of old, Heschel believed that standing up for others—particularly the most vulnerable members of society—is a sacred obligation. He later wrote, the religious person must seek to hold God and humankind “in one thought at one time,” suffering “harm done to others,” making “compassion” one’s “greatest passion.”Heschel first learned these essential values as a child in Eastern Europe. This little book is his story.

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Book SynopsisTimbuktu Unbound: Islamic Texts, Textual Traditions and Heritage in West Africa is a cutting edge collection offering a reconsideration of manuscripts in Muslim West Africa. The contributors give voice to the dynamic ways in which textuality operates through technological innovations, ongoing habituated practices, and how the workings of power and authority within these communities inform these texts and their roles. To that end this book explores a number of interrelated themes: the social value of texts as objects; personal libraries as forms of investment/legacy; social practices involved in the exchange, movement and gifting of certain kinds of manuscripts; hierarchies and evaluative treatments of manuscripts, and quasi-market forces. The recent destruction and subsequent salvage operations to protect the Timbuktu manuscript libraries has highlighted their role as the quintessential exemplar of manuscript heritage in newly historicized Africa. Yet these events also underscore the prevalent narrative about Muslim West African cultural heritage - embodied in the form of manuscripts, archives and documents - as under dramatic and existential threat. This volume seeks to diverge from this dominant salvific starting point of heritage discourse - namely, that such objects are things of intrinsic value to be saved - in order to examine the more nuanced activities of diverse actors engaged in the study, preservation, acquisition, movement and, in some cases, destruction and disposal of the wide range of materials that constitutes the textual heritage of these societies.Table of ContentsTimbuktu Unbound: Islamic Texts, Textual Traditions and Heritage in West Africa.Colonialism and Book Culture: The Resistance of the Muslim Scholarly Communities in Northern Nigeria.A Treasure in Disarray: Reflections on the Institute of African Studies Arabic Manuscripts Collections.Efficacious Texts: Unraveling Nineteenth-Century Islamic Talismans in Asante (Ghana).Building Family and Community Ties Through Manuscripts.Flecks of Timbuktu on the Skin: Excavating the Unbound Aspects of a Manuscript Collection.

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Book SynopsisRevealing the origins of today’s spirituality in the Gnostic tradition.Trade ReviewA paradigm shift in our understanding of religion, breaking new ground in scholarship on Gnosticism. -- Birger A. Pearson, author of Ancient Gnosticism: Traditions and LiteratureAnyone interested in New Age spirituality in all its diversity and fullness will savor the pages of DeConick's latest masterpiece. Her portraits of ancient 'Gnostic' movements are provocative and compelling; finding connections between these ancient worldviews and our own through popular culture and movies is a stroke of absolute genius. -- Nicola Denzey Lewis, author of Introduction to Gnosticism: Hidden Voices, Ancient WorldsDeConick has produced a fascinating, provocative, and readable interpretation of the Gnostic and Gnosticism. She emphasizes the transgressive nature of Gnostic spirituality, which confronted typical ancient spiritualities that made human beings subservient to the gods. Her book is a brave new salvo in the ongoing Gnostic Wars. -- Brent Landau, author of Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to BethlehemScholarship on the histories of Gnosticism, esotericism, and mysticism has long glowed at the radioactive core of the comparative study of religion. April D. DeConick's work shines in this lineage. She demonstrates in rich detail how a new spiritual orientation that looks to a transcendent hidden God and engages in a radical criticism of ecclesial religion was first articulated in the ancient period and then resonated through the centuries to the present day, where it can best be seen in contemporary popular culture, film, and New Age thought, revelation, and experience. Enter the Gnostic New Age. -- Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of The Serpent's Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of ReligionDeConick offers a valuable corrective to the recent reluctance of many scholars to use the term Gnosticism. For her, Gnosticism is not so much an identifiable religion as it is a form of late-antique spirituality, an attempt to consciously realize that the essential human self is nothing less than the supreme divinity's very own life essence lying dormant and unrecognized within the core human self, waiting to be awakened and reunite with its divine source. DeConick illustrates this spirituality as analogous to various modern New Age movements reflected in contemporary literature and cinema. -- John D. Turner, coauthor of Plato's Parmenides and Its Heritage, vol. 1: History and Interpretation from the Old Academy to Later Platonism and GnosticismDeConick has forcefully and elegantly thrown herself into the current scholarly debate on the Gnostics. In a book that is both rich in historical detail and passionate for deeper understanding, she argues not only that Gnostic spirituality provided a transformative and liberating experience for ancient devotees but also, even more, that it can challenge and subvert the views of religious questers of the present, illuminating the modern search for spiritual truth. -- Bart Ehrman, author of Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the SaviorA readable and engaging overview of ancient Gnostic beliefs and practices (in all their wild diversity) and a clear, meaningful guide for making sense of the often-chaotic source materials. . . . [The Gnostic New Age] is sure to become a reference point for scholarly debate. * Choice *DeConick’s work is carefully researched, convincingly argued, and refreshingly accessible. * Reading Religion *The indisputable merit of DeConick’s approach is that it allows us to grasp shifts that have been taking place in the articulations of gnosticism over long periods of time. -- Fryderyk Kwiatkowski * Gnosis: Journal of Gnostic Studies *In this engaging and provacative book, April D. DeConick enters the continuing discussion of how to define and interpret Gnosticism. -- David Brakke * Journal of Religion *The author has performed a great service by showing the historical and continuing role of transgressive spirituality based on personal experience and representing a massive Gnostic awakening in our time. * Paradigm Explorer *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. The Matrix of Ancient Spirituality2. The Gnostic True Man3. Superpowers and Monsters4. Paul and Gnostic Dogma5. John and the Dark Cosmos6. Gnostic Altered States7. Hell Walks and Star Treks8. Spiritual Avatars9. The Pi of Politics10. Pleasantville Religions11. Gnosticism Out on a LimbBibliographyEnglish Translation of Gnostic SourcesFilmographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bougdaeva produces a lively, readable text that mimics the compactness and rapidity of the Kalmyk line." * Journal of Folklore Research Reviews *Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations Introduction JANGAR Prologue Cycle 1. How Shaman Golden Heart Joined Jangar’s Khanate Cycle 2. How Scarlet Lion Khongor Got Married Cycle 3. How Scarlet Lion Khongor Fought with Mighty Hero Jilgan Khan Cycle 4. How Scarlet Lion Khongor Defeated Khan Iron Head Mangna Cycle 5. How Alya Monkhlya Stole Great Khan Jangar’s Eighteen Thousand Golden Palominos Cycle 6. How Mingian, the Finest Man in the Universe, Stole Ten Thousand Pintos from Turk Khan Cycle 7. How Mingian, the Finest Man in the Universe, Captured Mighty Kurmen Khan Cycle 8. How Serious Sanal Defeated the Country of Half-Human Giants Cycle 9. How Savar Heavy Arm Defeated Kilgan Khan Cycle 10. How Three Sons Captured Mighty Badmin Ulan Glossary

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