Religion: general Books

Book SynopsisHow To Double and Triple Your Sales in Any Market.Understanding the psychology of selling is more important than the techniques and methods of selling. Mastering it is a promise of prosperity that sales trainer and professional speaker Brian Tracy has seen fulfilled again and again.In The Psychology of Selling, Tracy shows how salespeople can learn to control their thoughts, feelings, and actions to make themselves more effective. You''ll learn: The inner game of sales and selling. How to eliminate the fear of rejection. How to build unshakeable confidence. The psychology of why people buy and how to leverage it.  The Psychology of Selling quickly gives you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques that you can use right away to make more sales, faster and easier than ever before.More salespeople have become millionaires by listening to and applying these i

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Book Synopsis'The Seat of the Soul changed the way I see myself. It changed the way I view the world' OprahYou receive from the world what you give to the worldWe are constantly evolving within a changing climate and yet always seem to return to the same question: is there more to life?In his iconic bestseller, renowned spiritual teacher Gary Zukav reveals how to become the authority in your own life, how to change the way you see the world and how to interact with others.The Seat of the Soul is the ultimate path to connecting with your deepest spiritual self.Trade ReviewThe Seat of the Soul is a very important book to me * Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist *When Zukav's ideas stop challenging you, you will laugh with the wonderful laughter of the discoverer who has found a new continent * Maya Angelou *

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Book SynopsisWitchcraft, astrology, divination and every kind of popular magic flourished in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the belief that a blessed amulet could prevent the assaults of the Devil to the use of the same charms to recover stolen goods. At the same time the Protestant Reformation attempted to take the magic out of religion, and scientists were developing new explanations of the universe. Keith Thomas''s classic analysis of beliefs held on every level of English society begins with the collapse of the medieval Church and ends with the changing intellectual atmosphere around 1700, when science and rationalism began to challenge the older systems of belief.Trade ReviewMonumental ... with a living treasure on each page, and probably the book that, in my whole life, I've pressed on other people most energetically. (Selected people, of course. They have to care for history, and they need a sense of wonder and a sense of fun.) -- Hilary Mantel * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisOur Revision Workbooks help students develop vital skills throughout their course in preparation for the exam.

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Book SynopsisA new Pew Bible using the ESV translation, in British English, with a large typeface and lightweight design, with black coverThe ESV Anglicised Pew Bible is a new edition of the world's fastest-growing translation. Its durable hardcover format, high-quality Bible paper and clear typeface, combined with a lightweight format make it perfect for use in church.Includes:- British English text- Double-column, paragraph formatThis edition also includes 65 responsive readings reflecting major Biblical themes.Perfect for use by a congregation.Size:Trade Review‘This is a fine, fresh and faithful translation, combining both elegance and accuracy to bring us a version of the Bible that is anything but standard.’MARTYN PERCY, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford ‘Meticulous care and passionate research make the ESV a crisp, accurate and valuable translation’MAX LUCADO ‘The ESV satisfies the preaching memorizing, studying and reading needs of our church.’JOHN PIPER

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Book SynopsisExam board: OCRLevel: A-levelSubject: Religious StudiesFirst teaching: September 2016First exams: Summer 2018 Strengthen and refine the understanding and skills that your students require to excel in OCR A Level Religious Studies.Written by subject specialists with examining experience, this time-saving Workbook can be used flexibly for classwork or homework, throughout the course or for revision and exam practice.- Review knowledge with content summaries that will provide a concise overview of what students need to know for the exam- Develop exam skills with practice questions that check understanding and highlight common pitfalls- Build exam confidence as students work through the exam-style questions provided, giving them the chance to practise and perfect their technique- Save marking time and help students understand how to improve their responses by consulting the online answers supplied for all questions

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Book SynopsisOxford A Level Religious Studies for OCR is a brand new course developed by renowned authors Libby Ahluwalia and Robert Bowie for the 2016 OCR specification. This textbook has been endorsed by OCR and supports a deep engagement with philosophy, ethics and the study of Christianity using an approach accessible to all students.

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Book SynopsisStanding at the crossroads of psychology and religion, this catalyzing work applied the scientific method to a field abounding in abstract theory. William James believed that individual religious experiences, rather than the precepts of organized religions, were the backbone of the world''s religious life. His discussions of conversion, repentance, mysticism and saintliness, and his observations on actual, personal religious experiences - all support this thesis. In his introduction, Martin E. Marty discusses how James''s pluralistic view of religion led to his remarkable tolerance of extreme forms of religious behaviour, his challenging, highly original theories, and his welcome lack of pretension in all of his observations on the individual and the divine.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Martin E. Marty Suggestions for Further Reading A Note on the Text The Varieties of Religious Experience

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Trade Review'a book for intelligent students who want to expand what they know of belief and unbelief. Whether they are believers or not they will find after reading God Matters that they have sounder reasons for their position and a lot more questions.' -- Dr Graham English"Another inspirational book from team Vardy and my ‘A’ Level course on a plate... a breath of fresh air... a unique contribution to what has latterly been a very boring bookshelf... Enjoy, I certainly did!" -- Anne Needham"A must-read for Year 12 and 13 Philosophy of Religion students and their teachers, which will also be of great value for Undergraduate students..." -- Dr Paul Rout OFM"To provide breadth, depth, rigour and accessibility all in one introductory text is quite an achievement, but it is one that Peter and Charlotte Vardy have managed. It really is an excellent read!" -- Roger Meadowcroft"Once again Peter and Charlotte Vardy have done what so many teachers find so difficult - communicated complex philosophical and theological ideas with clarity, ease and a good deal of humour." -- Catrina Young"It certainly made me think and I recommend this book to those people that are seeking a better understanding of the mysteries of life". -- Diana Parsk"Exactly what I was hoping to find for my students to encourage and stimulate learning in this intellectually rigorous and demanding subject." -- Christien Bembridge"The Vardys are gifted communicators and many have benefited from their excellent conferences. Now they have transferred their high standard of scholarship into this book and, as ever, all ideas are presented with clarity and precision. In a sea of introductory books, this is a very welcome development... 'God Matters' will prove to be the 'go to' book for both the seasoned teacher and the enquiring young philosopher. " -- Tim MadeleyThis book is the embodiment of the authors; engaging and intellectually stimulating!" -- Gerard McNulty"A perfect springboard from which to launch an essential journey to contemplate truth." -- Janet Thomson"I loved this book. Not sure if a review can express how much I enjoyed it." -- Gerard McNulty'God Matters' is an excellent and thoroughly readable updated discussion of the arguments concerning the existence of God and the challenges to that belief. Abrahamic religious perspectives and relevant inputs from such authors as C.S.Lewis, Iris Murdoch and Dostoyevsky also enrich the debates. I would have really enjoyed reading such a work when I was an undergraduate and I'm sure it will be thoroughly appreciated by both sixth formers and undergraduate students of this subject area. Well done the Vardys once again! -- Dr Vaughan Salisbury

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Book SynopsisChristopher Hitchens's personally curated New York Times bestselling anthology of the most influential and important writings on atheism, including original pieces by Salman Rushdie and Ian McEwan

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Book Synopsis'Honest, revealing insight into the bestselling book of all time.'Bear Grylls'A stimulating and accessible survey of history's most influential book.'Tom Holland, historian and author of Dominion'Personal and profound; informative and practical. If you want to experience the Bible as a rich source of guidance and hope, this book is for you.'Simon Thomas, former Sky Sports and Blue Peter presenterWhen we make sense of the Bible, the Bible makes sense of us.The political, social and cultural upheaval of our times can leave us feeling bewildered and wondering where to turn for trustworthy guidance. As unlikely as it may seem, could the Bible provide ancient wisdom that helps us flourish today?Join Andrew Ollerton as he explores the storyline of Scripture, connecting six major biblical events with six definitive human needs: for meaning, freedom, peace, community, love and for an ultimate home. In short, digestible chapters, Andrew reveals how the Bible story makes sense of our human story.Discover for yourself a limitless source of guidance and hope in the face of so much uncertainty.Underpinned by a depth of scholarship, the book is non-technical in style, making it accessible for the widest possible readership - including Christians and seekers interested in the Bible. The book will also provide a model for Bible communicators and church leaders wishing to engage more deeply with the relevance of the Bible in our cultural moment.Contains discussion questions for small groups, as well as suggested Bible readings and reflection questions to accompany each chapter. The structure of the book makes it ideal for a home group study. This book was chosen for the National Big Church Read in January 2022.Trade Review'A stimulating and accessible survey of history's most influential book.' -- Tom Holland, historian and author of Dominion'Honest, revealing insight into the bestselling book of all time' -- Bear Grylls, adventurer and Chief ScoutAndrew Ollerton provides an accessible outline and explanation of key biblical moments... he describes and explains the main biblical narratives with a gentle humour and considerable skill. * Christianity *'The Bible is the most influential yet most frequently misunderstood book in all of history. As modern culture clashes over which story we should live by, Andrew Ollerton gives us a timely reminder of why the Bible has provided a narrative that has made sense of life for billions of people for thousands of years. In the process he sketches out a remarkably accessible roadmap for those who want to trace the big story that scripture tells. For the believer, seeker, sceptic or just-plain-confused, this is an essential guide to understanding how the Bible continues to speak to modern life today.' -- Justin Brierley, Unbelievable? show host, Premier Christian Radio'Andrew offers us not just keys to understanding the Bible but also skilfully makes sense of our own purpose within the beautiful narrative. The wildest most wonderful thing any generation whispers to the next is that we are written into God's story - this book celebrates and embraces this essential truth.' -- Rachel Gardner, Director of Youthscape and author of The Girl Deconstruction Project'The Bible is the bestselling book of all time. Andrew Ollerton's marvellous overview of the story of the Bible, anchored around six major themes, enables us to see why. Beautifully written and full of poignant illustrations, even if you know little or nothing about the Bible, this book will lead you into and through the great story of the Bible and invite you to reflect on its relevance to your life today. Be prepared to be surprised and excited, even amid the challenging times through which we are living.' -- Prof. Craig Bartholomew, author and Biblical scholar'Someone has said that the Bible is the bestselling, least read book of all time. I think there is some truth to that. Why is that the case? For many people the Bible is seen as a "spiritual book" with very little to do with practical daily living. What people need to know is the Bible, as Andrew Ollerton says, is a story that makes sense of life. For over 40 years now, I have been reading, studying and teaching the Bible and I can attest to you, from my own experience and the experiences of thousands of others, that there is no book in the world like the Bible. After reading, The Bible: A Story That Makes Sense of Life, I think you'll agree.' -- Brian Brodersen, Director, Creation Fest UK and Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel (California)'Andrew Ollerton has a gift of summing up in readable, insightful language the connection between the yearning of our hearts and our hope of encountering something that makes sense of it all. Communicating great depth in story-form, this book about the Bible immerses us into an account of life that makes sense and presents ideas for how we can find our way into that hope-fuelled life. Saturated with good news, it encourages us to grapple with the whole Bible as profoundly complex and as good and hopeful news for ourselves and others. Full of examples and stories, this book communicates in ordinary language some of the deepest truths of our lives. It's readable, but it's not overly simplified, instead, it provokes the reader to discover more and more of the nature of the Bible for themselves. This book will be great as a devotional resource or in a small study group of people hoping to encounter God again in our time.' -- Deidre Brower-Latz, Principal, Nazarene Theological College, University of Manchester'Practical, accessible and inspiring. This wonderful book highlights the relevance, power and necessity of the greatest book ever to the lives of all people.' -- Gavin Calver, CEO, Evangelical Alliance'In a market of too many books and too few of real calibre, Andrew Ollerton's The Bible: A Story That Makes Sense of Life stands out like a luminous gem. This is not simply yet another Christian book but an expertly written and user-friendly guide to the book of all books. The Bible is explored thematically using topics such as freedom, meaning and community, building a bridge between the world of the Bible and the one we inhabit. Andrew brings his gifts as a scholar and pastor to bear and has produced an amazing resource which is in-depth and illuminating but also practical and applied. I enthusiastically commend it.' -- Greg Downes, Director of Ministerial Training and Dean of the Wesley Centre, Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford'In recent years, many folk I've met have been surprised to discover how closely the Bible's story of reality matches the contours of their own lives. Andrew Ollerton's guided tour of the world's bestselling book will help both seasoned readers and those new to the Bible encounter the God who is able to meet our deep desires for meaning, freedom, peace, love, community and home.' -- Peter Dray, Head of Creative Evangelism, UCCF: The Christian Unions'The Bible is often misread or dismissed. In a remarkable achievement, Dr Ollerton not only opens up an accessible way to make sense of this complex, powerful book, but he also distils from it a lively, attractive account of Christian essentials, punctuated by vivid personal anecdotes.' -- Prof. David F. Ford, Emeritus Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge'Ollerton is a master communicator - and here he manages to make something so vast so relatable. Drawing on science and philosophy, bringing a fresh, straightforward perspective, this book shines a new light on the Bible. Relatable, warm, wise... A very human, accessible read that will open your eyes and cause you to open your Bible. This is a great book, about the Good Book, and whatever your opinion of the Bible, from sceptical to evangelical, Ollerton will enhance your understanding. Highly recommended.' -- Paul Kerensa, comedy writer and stand-up comedian'This is a masterpiece. Andrew Ollerton takes the complexities and intricacies of the Bible and arranges them in an accessible and engaging way for all to see, whatever your age or stage of faith. Punctuated with great stories, carefully chosen metaphors, humour and insight, The Bible: A Story That Makes Sense of Life takes you on a journey that masterfully pulls together the threads of the greatest story ever known. I wholeheartedly commend it.' -- Phil Knox, Evangelical Alliance'A really helpful guide for those wanting to understand the world's most influential book.' -- Elizabeth Oldfield, Director of Theos'This very well-written, widely researched work conveys Andrew's great love for the Bible and his desire that we might know its divine author and his great plan for our lives. This excellent resource will be a blessing to many.' -- Dave Smith, Senior Pastor, KingsGate Church (Peterborough)'For many of us, the Bible feels inaccessible or outdated. This book brings it to life in a way that makes sense. Andrew explores the world of the Bible and relates it brilliantly to our contemporary lives today. Personal and profound; informative and practical. If you want to experience the Bible as a rich source of guidance and hope, this book is for you.' -- Simon Thomas, former Sky Sports and Blue Peter presenter'With clear readable prose, full of contemporary touch points, Andrew Ollerton brings the Bible to life in ways that make it highly accessible and show its relevance to our daily lives. There is no skirting over the difficulties or controversies of the Bible. But Ollerton skilfully disarms our modern confusion by revealing, in striking and simple terms, what it meant to its original audience and how surprisingly up to date this ancient text really is. We discover that it's not just about making sense of the Bible, but experiencing the Bible making sense of us. Strongly recommended!' -- Paul Williams, CEO, British and Foreign Bible Society'This is an important and timely book. I can't recommend it more highly. Like the very best of tour guides, Andrew Ollerton leads us through the Bible's plotline in a highly informative, compelling, and entertaining way. This book will enhance your experience of the Bible, no matter who you are or where you're at on your journey. Scholarly but personal and accessible, Andrew challenges us not only to know the Great Story, but live it - surely the most important Bible translation of all.' -- Paul Woolley, CEO, London Institute for Contemporary Christianity'Every now and again, a book comes along which makes such overriding sense and joins up so many figurative dots that you can hardly put it down. Few people succeed in expounding and communicating the complex spiritual truths of the Bible with such clarity and ease as Andrew Ollerton. Without question this eminently readable, cogent, and most timely book will compel readers not only to read more of the Bible but draw them closer to the God who both inspired and breathed it into life.' -- Siân Wyn Rees, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Wales)'In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, discovering meaning, peace and purpose is more challenging than ever. But the story of our lives today is remarkably similar to the stories of previous generations, whose experience will add wisdom and direction to our own journey. In this compelling book Andrew unlocks the big themes of life by exploring the Bible with a rare combination of passion and expertise. If you want to understand the story of your life I can think of no better place to start than in the pages of this book.' -- Pete Wynter, Director of HTB Leadership College Londonhighly acclaimed book * Reform *

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Book Synopsis‘Ridiculously enjoyable’ Tom Holland A Book of the Year for The Times, Mail on Sunday and BBC History Magazine The ‘Mermaid of Morwenstow’ excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. ‘Mad Jack’ swapped his surplice for leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. And then there was the man who, like Noah’s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God’s creatures… In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. These portraits reveal the Anglican church in all its colourful madness.Trade Review‘One of the best Christmas books of the past few years... both hilarious and unusually elegant in conception and execution.’ * Marcus Berkmann, Spectator *‘Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity…Butler-Gallie 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‘Fabulously enjoyable compendium of the Anglican Church’s most eccentric ministers – who prove to be very eccentric indeed.’ -- Reader’s Digest‘Some of the most riotous misbehaviour in Church of England history is chronicled in this sprightly book.’ * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThis Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Religious Studies B Paper 1: Religion and Ethics - Christianity Student Book provides comprehensive coverage of the specification content. The book is made up of topics, each covering one specification point as a visually engaging double-page spread or more.

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Book SynopsisTo go beyond is to move into a higher state of consciousness, to a place of bliss, greater understanding, love, and deep connectedness, a realm where we finally find life''s meaning - experiences for which all spiritual seekers seek.Dr Rupert Sheldrake, writing as both a scientist and a spiritual explorer, looks at seven spiritual practices that are personally transformative and have scientifically measurable effects. He combines the latest scientific research with his extensive knowledge of mystical traditions around the world to show how we may tune into more-than-human realms of consciousness through psychedelics, such as ayahuasca, and by taking cannabis. He also shows how everyday activities can have mystical dimensions, including sports and learning from animals. He discusses traditional religious practices such as fasting, prayer, and the celebration of festivals and holy days.Why do these practices work? Are their effects all inside brains and essentially iTrade ReviewHis is a rare voice and a needed one in an apocalyptic time like ours that requires both grounding and expansion of human consciousness amid the turmoil that confronts us. The practices he espouses do not take us out of the world but put us back in. * Matthew Fox, author of Original Blessing *Sheldrake is a very engaging writer. * The Telegraph *nothing is more important in our melancholy era than a renewed vision of hope and promise that can see us through. The messages in Rupert Sheldrake's Ways To Go Beyond are wonderfully clear and inspiring... I regard this as one of the most important books of our generation. * Larry Dossey, MD *An affable erudite manual to show how life need not be boring and seem meaningless. * Jonathan Benthall, The Times Literary Supplement *Read the book just because it's funny, wise, full of whimsical weirdness, and drawn from a massive hinterland of knowledge and reflection. Read it because it'll give you lots of strange stories to tell, and because it'll make you ontologically queasy, make you wonder what you are and make you easier to live with. * Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast, Literary Review *Praise for Rupert Sheldrake * : *Sheldrake will be seen as a prophet. * The Sunday Times *Rupert Sheldrake does science, humanity and the world at large a considerable favour. * The Independent *Certainly we need to accept the limitations of much current dogma and keep our minds open as we reasonably can. Sheldrake may help us do so through this well-written, challenging and always interesting book. * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisWealth and abundance are our divine right, learn to embrace prosperity with #1 New York Times bestselling author Marianne Williamson - preorder her latest, The Mystic Jesus, picking up where A Return to Love left offIn The Law of Divine Compensation, the revered spiritual guide teaches how, with faith in God’s promise of love and abundance for all, we need never fear the future.There are two realms that we have the ability to inhabit: the physical realm and the spiritual realm. In the physical realm, we find ourselves stressed by debt, unemployment, health bills, and more. While these fears are real, we don’t have to find ourselves stuck there. Instead, we can enter the spiritual realm, where God has promised to make abundance and prosperity available to us all. We do not need to be worried; we do not need to be preoccupied with our current financial situation; we do not need to fear the future. We just need to have the right mindset, the right faith that the power of God can and will work with the universe to produce miracles in our lives. If we live our lives to the best of our abilities, God will work with the universe to help give us everything we need.Trade Review"Author, activist, and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson is often considered one of the defining voices for a new generation of spiritual seekers." -- Spirituality and Health magazine "Williamson may be the most renowned spiritual activist and author teaching spiritual principles based on A Course in Miracles. This latest book... addresses the ways we attract miracles or deflect them... with a focus on the particular attitudes that will pave the way to material abundance." -- Publishers Weekly "Williamson focuses on what defines meaningful work and how our jobs can be an extension of our spirituality. As she teaches ... the sense of endless possibility to reshape our lives unfolds." -- Huffington Post "The Law of Divine Compensation assures us that everything will be all right since the universe is set up to work for us. ... We are challenged to believe that miracles do happen and what is lacking can become abundant." -- Spirituality and Practice "Williamson's easy, caring writing style makes almost anything seem possible, and here it is used to best advantage." -- Booklist "If you have trouble allowing money to flow abundantly into your life, by all means, pick up a copy of Marianne Williamson's new book The Law of Divine Compensation. ... This wonderful book... will help you shift your perceptions around money, work, and wealth. -- Law of Attraction magazine In The Law of Divine Compensation, the New York Times bestselling author Marianne Williamson provides a unique perspective on our financial condition,... revealing a path to abundance by way of a powerful spiritual principle called the Law of Divine Compensation. -- Edge Magazine "Marianne conveys her principals in such a way that makes my brain simultaneously jolt to life with excitement and my soul sigh with deep, profound relief." -- Gaiam TV Blog

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Book SynopsisSam Harris is a neuroscientist and the author of the New York Times bestsellers The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. His writing has appeared in Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Times, Nature and in many other journals. He holds a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA. He is a co-founder of Project Reason.www.samharris.orgTrade ReviewI was one of those who had unthinkingly bought into the hectoring myth that science can say nothing about morals. To my surprise, The Moral Landscape has changed all that for me... As for religion, and the preposterous idea that we need God to be good, nobody wields a sharper bayonet than Sam Harris -- Richard DawkinsSam Harris breathes intellectual fire into an ancient debate. Reading this thrilling, audacious book, you feel the ground shifting beneath your feet. Reason has never had a more passionate advocate -- Ian McEwanA tremendously appealing vision, and one that no thinking person can afford to ignore -- Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of PsychologyReaders are bound to come away with previously firm convictions about the world challenged, and a vital new awareness about the nature and value of science and reason in our lives -- Lawrence M. Krauss, Professor at Arizona State UniversityThis is an inspiring book -- John Lloyd * The Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisBelievers from a variety of faith communities were asked to assess how the Covid pandemic has affected their faith. The anthology collects their responses to key questions, such as: How does your faith explain why such events occur? How has it affected your religious practices? What changes has it necessitated? What differences might we expect once the pandemic is over? What have we learned from it? Two exponents of each major religion and a number of minority faiths comment on these issues, combined with a concluding essay by the editors assessing the overall impact of the pandemic on religion worldwide. Faiths explored include Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Sikh Baha'i, Jain, African Traditional Religion, Zoroastrian, Unitarian, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science.Trade ReviewFor religions of all kinds, the imperative to remember is of great importance. As we tentatively move into a post-Covid society, it is easy to forget the impact the pandemic had on our understanding and practice of faith and spirituality. This remarkable collection of reflections from a very wide range of traditions should serve as a multi-faceted reminder to the deep religious and ethical issues which Covid created, uncovered and amplified. * Michael Ipgrave OBE, Bishop of Lichfield, UK *By sharing experiences of the Covid Pandemic, people of different countries and beliefs will be better prepared to act together in the event of future global threats to peace and prosperity. * Marcus Braybrooke, Former President of the World Congress of Faiths, UK *George D. Chryssides and Dan Cohn-Sherbok have assembled an informed collection of contributors who provide a comparative window into how adherents of a wide variety of religious traditions responded to the global pandemic. Readers will learn not only how differently the religions understood and responded to the traumatic events, but also how united the human species is in drawing upon religion in times of need. * John W. Morehead, Director, Evangelical Chapter of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy/Multifaith Matters, USA *A collection of insightful responses and reflections from a wide variety of religious voices that are valuable in themselves and, as Rowan Williams says in the foreword, “They suggest that the process of distilling what is to be learned from the pandemic will need spiritual insight, not just a superficial optimism about doing better next time." * David Steers, Editor of Faith and Freedom, UK *Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors Foreword, Rowan Williams, Former Archbishop of Canterbury Acknowledgements Table of Acronyms 1. Covid and Religion – Christopher Lewis, (Dean Emeritus, Christchurch Cathedral, Oxford, UK) 2. Pandemics and Jewish Responses – Oliver Leaman (University of Kentucky, USA) 3. Some Jewish Perspectives from the United States – David J. Zucker (Rabbi and Author, UK) 4. Covid, Communion and Christianity – Clare Amos (World Council of Churches, Switzerland) 5. We Can’t Forget: Conservative Protestants in the COVID-19 Pandemic – Camille Kaminski Lewis (Furman University, USA) 6. “What people's hands have earned”: Islamic perspectives on Covid – Usama Hasan (Al Quran Society, UK) 7. Glimpses into Islamic Perspectives and Practice – Farhana Mayer (University of Oxford, UK) 8. Turning to Medicine is Not Turning Away from God: Hindu Resilience in a Pandemic – Anantanand Rambachan (St Olaf College, Minnesota, USA) 9. Karma, Chanting, Love, and Zoom; Hindu Responses to a Pandemic – Shaunaka Rishi Das (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, UK) and Utsa Bose 10. The Buddha’s Prescription for the World: How People Used Buddhism to Cope with the Pandemic – Bogodá Seelawimala (Head of the London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain, UK) 11. Covid and Theravada Buddhism – Peter Harvey (University of Sunderland, UK) 12. Fostering Everyday Culture at Shinto Shrines under Covid – Taishi Kato (Shinto Priest, Hattori Tenjingu Shrine, Osaka, Japan) 13. The Significance of Matsuri festivals in Shinto during Epidemics – Koji Suga (Kokugakuin University, Japan) 14. Covid and Sewa: Practising Sikhi during a Global Pandemic – Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal (University of Southern California Riverside, USA) 15. Sikh Scriptemics during Pandemic – Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh (Colby College, USA) 16. Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: Building Resilience: Reflections of a Bahá’í – Wendi Momen (University of Derby, UK) 17. World-Embracing Vision Against World-Threatening Pandemic – George Merchant Ballentyne (Leicester Council of Faiths, UK) 18. Jains and Covid-19 – Vinod Kapashi (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 19. Jain Perceptions of the Pandemic – Kumarpal Desai 20. African Religion – Vibrant amid Covid-19 in Eswatini – Hebron L Ndlovu (University of Swaziland, Swaziland) 21. Opening our eyes: Covid-19 and Indigenous Funeral Processes in African Traditional Religion – Nokuzola Mndende (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa) 22. Zarathustra’s Wisdom: Accepting Natural Consequences – Jehangir Sarosh (The World Council of Religions for Peace) 23. Transforming Challenges into Progress: A Zoroastrian Perspective – Karishma Koka (University of Cambridge, UK) 24. Unitarians and global catastrophe: a pandemic, a war and a climate emergency – Feargus O’Connor (World Congress of Faiths, UK) 25. Unitarian Universalists Face Covid: Challenges, Surprises, and New Pathways – Jay Atkinson (Starr King School, USA) 26. When ‘No Resident Will Say: “I Am Sick”’ – The Global Religious Response of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the Covid-19 Pandemic – Jolene Chu (Archivist, World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, USA) 27. How one Jehovah’s Witness community negotiated the ride of the ‘pale horse’ – Gary Perkins (Independent Scholar, UK) 28. Practising my Christian Science Faith during the Covid-19 Pandemic – Shirley Paulson (Formerly Head of Ecumenical Affairs, Christian Science Church, USA) 29. Personal Experiences of the Christian Science Faith during Covid – Susan Searle, (Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia, Australia) 30. Covid and Theology – Dan Cohn-Sherbok 31. What Have We Learned? – George D. Chryssides Index

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces students to the so-called classics of the field from the 19th and 20th centuries, whilst challenging readers to apply a critical lens. Instead of representing scholars and their works as virtually timeless, each contributor provides sufficient background on the classic work in question so that readers not only understand its novelty and place in its own time, but are able to arrive at a critical understanding of whether its approach to studying religion continues to be useful to them today. Scholars discussed include Muller, Durkheim, Freud and Eliade. Fieldnotes in the Critical Study of Religion: Revisiting Classical Theorists therefore offers a novel way into writing both a history and ethnography of the discipline, helping readers to see how it has changed and inviting them to consider whatif anythingendures and thereby unites these diverse authors into a common field.Trade ReviewThis book represents the field’s historical richness and curiosities like no other. 13 modern scholars of religion are in conversation with a partner from the field’s past; the engagements are sometimes contrary, often celebratory, and always insightful. The volume is a model of how to read the founders and ancestors of the critical study of religion. * Willi Braun, Professor Emeritus of Religion, University of Alberta, Canada *This is a much-needed book. Those of us who teach theory and method courses face an annual dilemma: should we teach the classics in the field, and, if so, how best to do so? This book steers us ably through the shoals by offering approaches to these earlier works that both acknowledge their contribution but also dismantle their problematic, often colonialist, assumptions and approaches. * Adele Reinhartz, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Ottawa, Canada *We stand not on the shoulders of giants, but of people who asked many of the same questions that we do today. Fieldnotes in the Critical Study of Religion is a constructive reassessment of our scholarly forebears that shows us that even if their answers no longer satisfy, the issues they addressed are still topical. * David G. Robertson, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, The Open University, UK *Table of ContentsList of Contributors Preface: Taking Notes in the Field of Religious Studies: Critical Methods, Vaia Touna (The University of Alabama, USA) Introduction: Revisiting the Past…, Again, Aaron W. Hughes and Russell T. McCutcheon (The University of Alabama, USA) 1. Friedrich Max Muller, Brent Nongbri (MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Norway) 2. William James, Emily Clark (Gonzaga University, USA) 3. Edward B. Tylor, Mitsutoshi Horii (Shumei University, Japan) 4. Joseph Kitagawa, Christopher M. Jones(Washburn University, USA) 5. James Frazer, Krista Dalton(Kenyon College in Gambier, USA) 6. Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Edith Szanto (The University of Alabama, USA) 7. Sigmund Freud, Robyn Walsh (University of Miami, USA) 8. Gerardus van der Leeuw, Tenzan Eaghll (Mahidol University, Thailand) 9. Rudolf Otto, Martha Smith Roberts (Fullerton College, USA) 10. Carl Jung, Lauren Griffin 11. Bronislaw Malinowski, Brett Esaki(University of Arizona, USA) 12. Mircea Eliade, Joseph Winters (Duke University, USA) 13. Max Weber, Andrew Tobolowsky (College of William and Mary, USA) Afterword: Revisiting Classics and Plotting Futures for the Field of Religious Studies, Richard Newton (The University of Alabama, USA) Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHave you ever felt implicit pressure to ''go along'' with something you believe not to be true?Since Live Not by Lies was originally published in 2020 with a warning for America, many have seen in Europe and other Western nations an acceleration of ''soft totalitarianism'' in our societies. Whether it is the effects of cancel culture online because of progressive voices marginalising conservative opinions, or the unprecedented restrictions of civil liberties in response to Covid-19, people feel coerced to go along with the approved narrative on whatever topic, even if, secretly, we may believe the truth is somewhat different.Rod Dreher believe this represents a creeping ''soft'' totalitarianism, where ''safety'' is seen as paramount and technology is increasingly employed in its pursuit. As we sleepwalk through the erosion of our freedoms, we hasten the possibility of a corporate surveillance state that restricts our ability to make decisions about

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Book SynopsisDavis brings cultural and historical colour to the task of interpretation and adds a pastor’s heart for personal application. You will find a point of contact with the lives of Samuel, Saul, Jonathan and David as Davis answers the question ‘What does God seek when he looks on the heart?’ Davis presents simple exposition of the literary and theological character of the text in a bright and fascinating way.Trade ReviewA great feast of biblical truth made so digestible, garnished with so many apt illustrations. -- Alec Motyer ((1924–2016) Well known Bible expositor and commentary writer)presents historical and theological material in a way that can only excite the expositor. -- Warren Wiersbe ((1929 – 2019) Author and Conference Speaker)… readable and theologically reliable. This commentary is of value both as a book to be read and enjoyed and as a study book for preachers. It is excellent. -- Evangelical TimesEnthusiasm for these commentaries is absolutely right. No preacher should be without them. No thoughtful Christian can fail to be excited and edified by them. -- Evangelicals NowOne of the reasons I enjoy Davis’s exposition so much is that I feel confident that he has done his exegetical homework, and so is not just delivering blessed, unhistorical thoughts on the text. Yet at the same time, he applies the text so well. -- Simon Gathercole"A happy blend of exegetical and historical study on the one hand, and homiletical treatment and application on the other. Ideas pop out everywhere, even in the most unlikely places. New insights abound." -- Richard A. BodeyAn excellent, crisp, lively exposition. -- Bibliotheca Sacra JournalThe most practical expository work that this reviewer has ever encountered. -- Southwestern Journal of TheologyThis is the best expository commentary I have read in many years. It is comprehensive, up to date and easily read. -- Eric AlexanderThis is a superbly easy-to-read book. But the thing I liked best was the incisive application. It is not possible to read this book and feel unchallenged. -- The Messenger

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Book SynopsisThis handsome new edition of the authoritative English translation of the Aramaic (Syriac) Old and New Testaments--the language of Jesus--clarifies difficult passages and offers fresh insight on the Bible's message.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the PEN/Ackerley Prize 2013.At the tender age of fourteen, Richard Holloway left his home town of Alexandria, north of Glasgow, and travelled hundreds of miles to be educated and trained for the priesthood at an English monastery. By the age of twenty-five he had been ordained and was working in the slums of Glasgow. Through the forty years that followed, Richard touched the lives of many people as he rose to one of the highest positions in the Anglican Church. But behind his confident public faith lay a restless heart and an inquisitive mind. Poignant, wise and fiercely honest, Leaving Alexandria is a remarkable memoir of a life defined by faith but plagued by doubt.Trade ReviewLeaving Alexandria is many things. It is a compelling account of a journey through life, told with great frankness; it is a subtle reflection on what it means to live in an imperfect and puzzling world; and it is a highly readable insight into one of the most humane and engaged minds of our times. It is, quite simply, a wonderful book -- ALEXANDER McCALL SMITHLeaving Alexandria is a profound, personal investigation of the virtues and flaws of religion and the most stirring autobiography I have read in a great many years. It is also a meditation on the nature of one's own identity -- JOHN GRAY * * New Statesman * *At a time when the world has urgently needed wise and compassionate leadership, this poignant memoir, written with the integrity, intelligence and wit that we expect from Richard Holloway, lays bare the ludicrous and entirely unnecessary mess we have made of religion -- KAREN ARMSTRONGA beautifully written and often funny, emotional and intellectual self-exploration by one of the most extraordinary churchmen of our time -- BRYAN APPLEYARD * * Sunday Times * *Candid and deeply moving . . . Nobody could fail to be intensely moved by the final chapters of his memoir . . . a deeply lovable man; and what a wonderful book he has written -- MARY WARNOCK * * Observer * *Richard Holloway's memoir is endlessly vivid and fascinating. It's the record of a mind too large, too curious and far too generous to be confined within any single religious denomination. His account of how a passionate, intelligent boy grew out of a poor and deprived background without ever losing touch with the humane values it gave him, will be a delight and inspiration to believers, non-believers, and ex-believers alike -- PHILIP PULLMANThis is a portrait of a formerly devoted Christian who, by confessing his faults and doubts to us, becomes exemplary, an Everyman, and a guide to how we too might lose faith without sacrificing our souls -- ALAIN DE BOTTAIN * * The Times * *Leaving Alexandria gives a profound sense of the benefits, as well as the difficulties, that accrue from taking a zigzag path through life . . . it summarises an argument that a lot of people will find sympathetic, as well as compelling * * Guardian * *Captures the bewildering range of churches within the Church . . . Holloway certainly throws down the gauntlet - with a quiet, elegiac passion - to Christians who arm themselves in certainty . . . They should read this wide, erudite book as a matter of urgency * * Sunday Telegraph * *This is a deeply moving and disturbing biography. Holloway, is a confident author, assured when recreating both the past and the feelings that moments evoked . . . A writer capable of considerable brilliance, an intellectual who can provoke thought, a genuinely good man trying to be better * * Herald * *

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Book SynopsisPope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in December 1936, has been the Bishop of Rome and 266th Pope of the Catholic Church since 13th March 2013. He is also the author of The Name of God is Mercy and The Path to Change.

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Book SynopsisTimothy Radcliffe considers the strength of the Christian imagination in its ability inspire others. How can Christianity touch the imagination of our contemporaries when ever fewer people in the West identify as religious? Timothy Radcliffe argues we must show how everything we believe is an invitation to live fully. God says: I put before you life and death: choose life.Anyone who understands the beauty and messiness of human life--novelists, poets, filmmakers and so on--can be our allies, whether they believe or not. The challenge is not today''s secularism but its banality.We accompany the disciples as they struggle to understand this strange man who heals, casts out demons and offers endless forgiveness. In the face of death, he teaches them what it means to be alive in God. Then he embraces all that afflicts and crushes humanity. Finally, Radcliffe explores what it means for us to be alive spiritually, physically, sacramentally, justly and prayerfullTrade ReviewThis is a book that contains all the wonder, beauty, mess and agony of being alive today. * SLG Press *Table of ContentsIMAGINATION 1 Wingless and Three-Legged Chickens 2 Choose Life JOURNEYING 3 The Transcendent Adventure 4 A God for Our Aches and Pains 5 Initial Skirmishes 6 Growing Up 7 Skin and Forgiveness TEACHING 8 Teaching: The Dogmatic Imagination 9 Impossible Friendships 10 The Non-Violent Imagination 11 At Home 12 The Ecology of Faith 13 Affliction THE RISEN LIFE Introduction 14 The Spiritual Life: Fresh Air 15 The Bodily Life: Hallowing the Senses 16 The Sacramental versus the Technocratic Imagination 17 The Liturgical Imagination: God's Providence 18 The Life of Prayer: The Poetry of Hope Conclusion Notes Acknowledgements Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA new revised edition of the classic title on Zen and Christian living. Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit is a study of the intersection between Zen Buddhism and Christianity. Robert Kennedy explores how Zen can help us to live deeper lives and how we can return from a study of Zen to a more profound understanding of Christian living and practice. "What I looked for in Zen," says the author, "was not a new faith, but a new way of being Catholic that grew out of my own lived experience and would not be blown away by authority or by changing theological fashion." Kennedy is unique in being competent in both Catholic and Zen practice and who responds to people who are drawn to this form of prayer and life. This is a refreshingly simple but also most beautiful book.

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Book Synopsis‘Ridiculously enjoyable’ Tom Holland A Book of the Year for The Times, Mail on Sunday and BBC History Magazine The ‘Mermaid of Morwenstow’ excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. ‘Mad Jack’ swapped his surplice for leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. And then there was the man who, like Noah’s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God’s creatures… In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. These portraits reveal the Anglican church in all its colourful madness.Trade Review‘One of the best Christmas books of the past few years... both hilarious and unusually elegant in conception and execution.’ * Marcus Berkmann, Spectator *‘Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity…Butler-Gallie 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‘Fabulously enjoyable compendium of the Anglican Church’s most eccentric ministers – who prove to be very eccentric indeed.’ -- Reader’s Digest‘Some of the most riotous misbehaviour in Church of England history is chronicled in this sprightly book.’ * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe gospels and ancient historians agree: Jesus was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman imperial prefect in Jerusalem. To this day, Christians of all churches confess that Jesus died 'under Pontius Pilate'. But what exactly does that mean? Within decades of Jesus' death, Christians began suggesting that it was the Judaean authorities who had crucified Jesus--a notion later echoed in the Qur'an. In the third century, one philosopher raised the notion that, although Pilate had condemned Jesus, he'd done so justly; this idea survives in one of the main strands of modern New Testament criticism. So what is the truth of the matter? And what is the history of that truth? David Lloyd Dusenbury reveals Pilate's 'innocence' as not only a neglected theological question, but a recurring theme in the history of European political thought. He argues that Jesus' interrogation by Pilate, and Augustine of Hippo's North African sermon on that trial, led to the concept of secularity and the logic of tolerance emerging in early modern Europe. Without the Roman trial of Jesus, and the arguments over Pilate's innocence, the history of empire--from the first century to the twenty-first--would have been radically different.Trade Review‘David L. Dusenbury’s The Innocence of Pontius Pilate is a model of intelligent, accessible and persuasive scholarship.’'[The Innocence of Pontius Pilate] contributes to a very interesting history of our disputed and entangled conceptions of secular power and spiritual kingdom and the nature and location of political sovereignty.' -- Catholic Herald

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