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Book SynopsisCollected together for the first time in one volume are the most important critical study of Pelagius to date and a selection of his letters.Trade ReviewA judicious survey of the literature surrounding Pelagius and the movement associated with his name. * CHURCH HISTORY *An important contribution to studies of Pelagius and the social and religious world of the late fourth and early fifth-century West. * THEOLOGICAL STUDIES *

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Book SynopsisTen fascinating bite–sized biographies of the Christians people expect you to know. While Christians have always prized the Bible as our ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, we also recognize that the Christian life is an intergenerational and communal activity. This collection of ten short biographies will introduce you to Christians from a variety of places and times, who all boldly preached the gospel, despite the risk to personal reputations and safety. How short–sighted it would be not to glean insights from our ancestors, whether that entails learning how to walk in their steps – or else avoiding their missteps. Written by Ian Maddock, Rachel Ciano and Stuart Colton, who all teach church history and edited by Ian Maddock. Each chapter has suggested further reading, and additional suggestions ‘for the adventurous’. Chapter Headings: 1. Athanasius: Against the World 2. Augustine: The Grace of God Defeated Me 3. Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding 4. Martin Luther: Here I Stand 5. Thomas Cranmer: Lord Jesus, Receive My Spirit 6. Richard Baxter: Keep These Hearts Above 7. John Wesley: A Brand Plucked from the Burning 8. Hudson Taylor: These I Must Bring Also 9. Spurgeon: Preaching, Prayer and Perseverance 10. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship This book is ideal for anyone wanting a biref, entertaing and illuminating overview of the lives and beliefs of these ten giants of Christian history.Trade Review… the lives, thinking and impact of ten of the most important ‘dead guys’ have been brought to life. Famous names become interesting characters and big ideas are explained simply and clearly in a way that shows why they are still important today. -- Clare Heath–Whyte (Speaker and author of several books, including ‘Everyone a Child Should Know’ and ‘First Wives’ Club’)I warmly commend this page–turner, not least as an appetizer which will encourage you to delve more deeply into various aspects of Church (including missionary) history across the centuries. May these sketches challenge, perhaps correct, yet also motivate you to emulate significant aspects of these examples of committed, costly Christian discipleship. -- Hector Morrison (Principal, Highland Theological College, Dingwall)Each snapshot combines a brief biographical presentation with important lessons for the church to learn about obedience, faith, holiness, perseverance, courage, and mission. If readers are not familiar with these ten towering figures from the past, this book will bring them alive for today! -- Gregg R. Allison (Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)… an excellent read to stir the passion for Church history and to encourage the development of a historical awareness for our faith. -- Leonardo De Chirico (Church planter in central Rome)This insightful collection of ten Christian leaders from different times and places reveal that knowing the past can be both liberating and illuminating. Maddock, Coulton, and Ciano ably demonstrate how earlier theologians, pastors, martyrs, and missionaries sought to live out the gospel and challenge contemporary readers to be faithful disciples of Jesus as well. This welcome introduction is well–researched, reflective, warm–hearted, and witty. -- Tom Schwanda (Associate professor Emeritus, Christian Formation and Ministry, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois)

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Book Synopsis60 four-page chapters exploring the passion, wisdom and struggle of the people of GodTrade Review“Phil Moore has served us magnificently.” -- Terry Virgo“Most commentaries are dull. These are alive. Most commentaries are for scholars. These are for you!” -- Michael Green“Fresh, solid, simple. Really good stuff.” -- R.T. Kendall“These notes are amazingly good … Phil’s insights are striking, original and fresh, going straight to the heart of the text and the reader!” -- Greg Haslam“Outstanding: biblical and passionate, clear and well-illustrated, simple and profound. God’s Word comes to life as you read them.” -- Andrew Wilson“Think of these books as the Bible’s message distilled for everyone.” -- Adrian WarnockTable of ContentsCONTENTSAbout the Straight to the Heart Series 9Introduction: Music to God’s Ears 11 BOOK I – PSALMS 1–41: SING ABOUT WHO GOD ISThe King of Kings (1:1–2:12) 16The Rejected One (3:1–5:12) 20The Forgiver (6:1–7:17) 25The Creator (8:1–9) 29The God Who Can Be Known (9:1–10:18) 33The Culture-Changer (11:1–15:5) 37The Messiah (16:1–11) 41The Promise-Keeper (17:1–19:14) 45The Victor (20:1–21:13) 50The Blood-Drenched Shepherd (22:1–23:6) 54The Indweller (24:1–28:9) 58The God Who Speaks (29:1–30:12) 63What to Sing on Sundays (31:1–33:22) 67Testimony (34:1–22) 72The Avenger (35:1–28) 76The Judge (36:1–37:40) 80The Healer (38:1–41:13) 84 BOOK II – PSALMS 42–72: SING WHEN TIMES ARE HARDWhen God Feels Distant (42:1–43:5) 90When God Seems to Fail (44:1–26) 94A Few Days (45:1–17) 99Reasons to Be Cheerful (46:1–49:20) 104What God Needs from You (50:1–51:19) 108Four Betrayals (52:1–55:23) 113Heat + Pressure = Jewels (56:1–60:12) 118Stripped (61:1–64:10) 123Summer Precedes Winter (65:1–68:35) 127Seven Dark Days (69:1–71:24) 131When the King Arrives (72:1–20) 135BOOK III – PSALMS 73–89: SING OUT HOW YOU REALLY FEELWhy Does God Allow Suffering? (73:1–28) 140Crisis Prayers (74:1–23) 145Get Ready (75:1–77:20) 149God-Centred Prayers (78:1–80:19) 153Lessons from a Barbecue (81:1–83:18) 158Fathers and Sons (84:1–12) 163Heman and His Friends (85:1–88:18) 167One-Hit Wonder (89:1–52) 171BOOK IV – PSALMS 90–106: SING ABOUT GOD’S PLANThe Living Faith of the Dead (90:1–91:16) 176Timeless (92:1–94:23) 180David Was Never King (95:1–99:9) 184The Right Entrance (100:1–101:8) 188God’s Plan Has Not Failed (102:1–28) 192Green and Blue Planet (103:1–104:35) 196Family History (105:1–106:48) 200BOOK V – PSALMS 107–150: SING YOUR RESPONSE TO GODUse Your Mouth (107:1–43) 206Blessings and Curses (108:1–109:31) 210Melchizedek (110:1–7) 214Why Melchizedek Matters (111:1–112:10) 218The Egyptian Hallel (113:1–118:29) 222The Longest Psalm (119:1–176) 226Up (120:1–124:8) 231Mindful of Conditions (125:1–129:8) 235Deeper and Higher (130:1–134:3) 239The Great Hallel (135:1–136:26) 243Babylon (137:1–138:8) 247The Song of Freedom (139:1–24) 251David’s Final Struggle (140:1–143:12) 255David’s Final Message (144:1–145:21) 259Body Language (146:1–150:6) 264Conclusion: Music to God’s Ears 268

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Book SynopsisFilled with spells, recipes, and crafts, this book helps you discover the magical rhythms of the natural world. Join Anna Franklin, bestselling author of The Hearth Witch's Compendium, as she shares time-honored recipes and step-by-step instructions for bringing enchantment and joy into your life.

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Book SynopsisA study of clerical reaction to the sizeable number of Catholics who outwardly conformed to Protestantism in late 16c England. An important and satisfying monograph... Many insights emerge from this rich and original study, whichwhets the appetite for more. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW [Diarmaid MacCulloch]`Church Papist' was a nickname, a term of abuse, for those English Catholics who outwardly conformed to the established Protestant Church and yet inwardly remained Roman Catholics. The more dramatic stance of recusancy has drawn historians' attention away from this sizeable, if statistically indefinable, proportion of Church of England congregations, but its existence and significance is here clearly revealed through contemporary records, challenging the sectarian model of post-Reformation Catholicism perpetuated by previous historians. Alexandra Walsham explores the aggressive reaction of counter-Reformation clergy to the compromising conduct of church papists and the threat theyposed to Catholicism's separatist image; alongside this she explains why parish priests simultaneously condoned qualified conformity. This scholarly and original study thus draws into focus contemporary clerical apprehensions andanxieties, as well as the tensions caused by the shifting theological temper ofthe late Elizabethan and early Stuart church.ALEXANDRA WALSHAM is Lecturer in History at the University of Exeter.Trade ReviewA short book on a big subject...fluent, well-structured, sensitive, wise and mature. I wish it had been twice as long. JOURNAL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORYAn important and satisfying monograph... Many insights emerge from this rich and original study, which whets the appetite for more. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW [Diarmaid MacCulloch]A distinguished and impressively scholarly book... Alexandra Walsham has succeeded admirably in her basic aim of putting church papists firmly on the religious map of early modern England. * HISTORY *Table of ContentsThe discovery of the church papist; the Reformation and the rediscovery of the church papist; "Reasons of Refusall"; "Comfortable Advertisements"; church papists; statute protestants.

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Book SynopsisDavid Foster is a Benedictine Monk of Downside Abbey and chaplain to Downside School. He has always been concerned to bring the riches of the monastic tradition to lay people as they struggle to live the Christian life in the modern world. Lectio Divina or the art of spiritual reading is an art which is all but lost outside monastic communities. But following St Benedict's opening command in his Rule to 'listen', attending to the word of God through the printed text is an art which needs to be rediscovered in a world in which we are surrounded by a cacophony of sound and noise. David Foster has written a masterly guide to this art.Trade Review'David Foster's book is a welcome aid in praying with scripture. Foster's book on Lectio Divina or 'godly reading' offers the reader a way of coming to terms with reading and praying the Bible. It is a handbook that offers a practical guide for grounding one's life on the Bible....Foster's gradual introduction to reading scriptuer is ideal for the beginner. The book should prove useful to seminarians and students of theology. Their inital encounter with scripture in the breviary and in study can be quite overwhelming. This book ought to allow one to appreciate and to be pastorally challenged by the Word of God. Finally, pastors may find this book useful as a basic text for instructing people on reading scripture.' The Furrow, Martin Whelan, October 2006Mentioned title in The Tablet, 2008.'intelligent, well-written spirituality in the Catholic tradition...It is a work that will help Christians of all traditions to use scripture to deepen their relationship with God' * Church of England Newspaper *Quotes from author about title, in The Tablet, 18 Feb 2006 -- Mary Blanche Ridge * Tablet, The *Table of ContentsIntroduction; How to read God; Difficulties; Place of study; Praying in response to the Word; Dawning of a God; Awareness in self-awareness; Turning to action.

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Book SynopsisAccessible Guide from Bestselling Author for Embracing the Prophetic CallingInternationally respected prophet and bestselling author James W. Goll offers a readable, practical approach to the prophetic gifting. Centered around a unique, hands-on 21-day guide, he helps believers develop the intimacy with God essential to hearing his voice clearly and correctly--and then proclaiming his words faithfully.Through illustrations from his own life and those of John, Daniel, and Ezekiel, Goll exposes common misconceptions, the successes and failures of gifted people throughout church history, and wisdom from the trenches of the prophetic. Devotional prayers and reflection questions follow each chapter. A must-have resource for those in prophetic ministry and all who work with them.

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Book SynopsisAttractive, black hardback journalling Bible with high-quality paper and extra-wide ruled margins for note taking and referencing. Includes contrasting endpapers, two ribbon markers, a presentation page and elastic strap closure. The New International Version is the world's most popular modern English Bible. It is renowned for its combination of reliability and readability and is ideal for personal reading, public teaching and group study.This Bible also features:- clear, readable 9pt text- easy-to-read layout- shortcuts to key stories, events and people of the Bible- basic reading plans- quick links to find inspiration and help from the Bible in different life situations.This edition uses British spelling, punctuation and grammar to allow the Bible to be read more naturally.Royalties from all sales of the NIV Bible help Biblica in their work of translating and distributing Bibles around the world.

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Book SynopsisMaking a case for the use of affect theory in religious studies, Donovan O. Schaefer challenges the notion that religion is inextricably linked to language and cognition, contending instead that religion is primarily driven by affect and that non-human animals have the capacity to practice religion.Trade Review"Religious Affects represents a challenge to decenter our anthropocentric presuppositions more broadly, and, by appealing to human animality, provides a provocative angle for imagining affect over and above the all-toohuman parameters that usually characterize religious studies.... [M]any scholars will find Schaefer’s animal religion and his strategies for affective readings of religious phenomena both theoretically exciting and critically useful." -- Abigail Kluchin * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *"Schaefer’s book is fascinating, mind-expanding, and entirely worth a read." -- Barbara J. King * Atlantic *"Religious Affects is an original and challenging argument for the discipline, especially to social-constructionist approaches, as it aims to radically reconfigure how we think about religion as a phenomenon grounded in feelings and emotions (affects) that humans share with the animal world." -- Matt Sheedy * Religious Studies Review *"For all its breadth in Religious Affects Schaefer develops a well-crafted argument and clarion call:the study of religion must include,at its very core, the study of affect.... Schaefer's project is timely in an urgent sense." -- Jonathan Russell * Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory *"Religious Affects offers a new way to use affect theory to understand religion that better accounts for its connections with politics, globalization, and power." -- Staci Poston Conner * Affectsphere *"Schaefer . . . is blazing a trail in religious studies." -- Jonathan Benthall * TLS *"Religious Affects is an important book, rendering helpful therapy for some of the myopic methodological tendencies that can afflict the field of religious studies." -- Jason N. Blum * Syndicate *"[Schaefer's] approach to reading affect theory through the lens of animality will enrich critical engagement with the concept of religion as a theoretical tool and as a word of power in the world." -- Pamela Klassen * Syndicate *"Religious Affects comfortably belongs on the bookshelves of those who work with affect theory or in critical animal studies. For religious scholars, or anyone interested in affect theory or critical animal studies, it serves as a concise and valuable introduction to these theories, providing explanations, histories, applications, and paving ways for future scholarship." -- Alexander Cox-Twardowski * Journal of Religion and Popular Culture *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. Species, Religious Studies, and the Affective Turn 1 1. Religion, Language, and Affect 19 2. Intransigence: Power, Embodiment, and the Two Types of Affect Theory 36 3. Teaching Religion, Emotion, and Global Cinema 60 4. Compulsion: Affect, Desire, and Materiality 92 5. Savages: Ideology, Primatology, and Islamophobia 120 6. Accident: Animalism, Evolution, and Affective Economies 147 7. A Theory of the Waterfall Dance: On Accident, Language, and Animal Religion 178 Conclusion. Under the Rose 206 Notes 219 Bibliography 261 Index 281

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Book SynopsisThis study attempts to survey the historiography, history and central interpretative problems surrounding the issue of investiture and the clashes between church and monarchy during the Middle Ages.Trade Review"The best introduction in English to the historiography, history, and central interpretive problems of the investiture controversy." * The Catholic Historical Review *"Blumenthal . . . not only clarifies the course of the investiture controversy as such but also sets it satisfyingly in its wider and longer context." * American Historical Review *

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Book SynopsisDo miracles still happen today? This book demonstrates that miraculous works of God, which have been part of the experience of the church around the world since Christianity began, continue into the present. Leading New Testament scholar Craig Keener addresses common questions about miracles and provides compelling reasons to believe in them today, including many accounts that offer evidence of verifiable miracles. This book gives an accessible and concise overview of one of Keener's most significant research topics. His earlier two-volume work on miracles stands as the definitive word on the topic, but its size and scope are daunting to many readers. This new book summarizes Keener's basic argument but contains substantial new material, including new accounts of the miraculous. It is suitable as a textbook but also accessible to church leaders and laypeople.Table of ContentsContentsPreface: Get Up and WalkIntroduction: Miracles Books, Old and NewPart 1: Perspectives on Miracles1. What Is a Miracle, Anyway?2. Why Do Some People Assume That Miracles Don't Happen?Worldviews3. Why Do Some People Assume That Miracles Don't Happen?David HumePart 2: Witnesses of Miracles4. Are There Many Witnesses of Miracles?5. Do Only Christians Report Christian Healings?6. Is Healing Just a New Thing?7. Baby PicsPart 3: Videos and Doctors' Reports8. Do Healings Ever Get Captured on Video?9. Medically Attested Catholic Cures10. A Few Vignettes of Brain Recovery11. Back from Virtual Brain Death12. More Medically Attested Twentieth-Century Cures13. Some Medically Attested Twenty-First-Century Cures14. Cancer Cures15. Doctors Cured of CancerPart 4: "The Blind Receive Their Sight, the Lame Walk, the Lepers Are Cleansed, the Deaf Hear" (Matt. 11:5//Luke 7:22)16. Do Blind People Still Receive Sight? Witnesses17. Do Blind People Still Receive Sight? Doctors18. Do Disabled People Still Walk? Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy19. Do Disabled People Still Walk? Marlene's Cerebral Palsy20. Do Disabled People Still Walk? Bryan's Spinal Injury21. Do Disabled People Still Walk? Vignettes22. Are Lepers Still Cleansed? Visible Healings23. Do Deaf People Still Hear?Part 5: "The Dead Are Raised" (Matt. 11:5//Luke 7:22)24. Are the Dead Still Raised? History25. Are the Dead Still Raised? Africa26. Are the Dead Still Raised? Asia27. Raised in the West? Cases in the News28. Raised in the West? Cases That Don't Make the News29. Doctors Who Witness Raisings30. Friends Who Used to Be Dead or Met Those Who Had Been31. Raised in Our FamilyPart 6: Nature Miracles32. Do Nature Miracles Still Happen?33. Do You Know Any Witnesses to Nature Miracles?Part 7: Kingdom Mysteries34. A Firsthand Witness?35. Why Don't We See More Miracles in the West?36. Spiritual Factors and Miracles37. When Healing Is Temporary38. When Miracles Don't Happen39. What Does the Bible Say about Non-healing?40. Closing Personal ThoughtsAppendix A: Did Prayer Make Things Worse?Appendix B: Some of Hume's Other ArgumentsAppendix C: False Signs

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Book Synopsis''This transformational book will help you calm your mind, remove negativity and find inner peace.'' Jay Shetty, author of Think Like a Monk''The perfect manual for the mind, bringing deep insight to today''s world and offering practical tools for transformation'' Gelong Thubten, author of A Monk''s Guide to Happiness _______________________________________________________________________________In this hectic, modern world, the practice of meditation is the greatest way to calm your mind and find peace.A collection of teachings from one of the world''s wisest minds, the lessons in this book have transformed the lives of people across the world and have never been more pertinent. In this book world-renowned meditation master, Lama Yeshe,shares how meditation enabled him to overcome the strains and pressures of modern life and find peace - and reveals how we can all do the same.He teaches us that our minds Trade ReviewThis transformational book will help you calm your mind, remove negativity and find inner peace. * Jay Shetty, bestselling author of THINK LIKE A MONK *The perfect manual for the mind, bringing deep insight to today's world and offering practical tools for transformation * Gelong Thubten, author of A MONK'S GUIDE TO HAPPINESS *Written with real simplicity and compassion. Read this book if you want to learn something practical to find lasting peace and stability, inside, rather than in the paraphernalia of modern life. * Desmond Biddulph, vice-president of the British Buddhist Society *A book to meet the need of the time. Lama Yeshe shares his extensive personal experience in a loving and devoted way that will inspire many to better understand the Buddhist teachings and find more peace in their lives. * Jillian Lavender, co-founder of the London Meditation Centre *'The perfect manual for the mind, bringing deep insight to today's world' * Gelong Thubten, author of A Monk’s Guide to Happiness *

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Book SynopsisThe first and only commentary on the Buddhist master Longchenpa''s essential text on Dzogchen by modern scholar and Nyingma master, Khangsar Khenpo Tenpa''i Wangchuk.Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363), also known as Longchenpa, is a great luminary of Tibetan Buddhism. Regarded as a master of Dzogchen, or Great Perfection, Longchenpa''s prolific writings have made him one of Tibet''s most renowned and precious teachers. In clear and elegant verse, Longchenpa''s Precious Treasury of the Fundamental Nature establishes the definitive view of the ultimate nature of mind according to the secret class of pith instructions of the Great Perfection. Aside from the auto-commentary composed by Longchenpa himself in the fourteenth century, the first and only commentary ever to have been written on this work was composed in the twentieth century by Khangsar Khenpo Tenpa''i Wangchuk, a teacher, scholar, and preserver of Buddhist monastic and scholarly culture in Tibet. This work marks the first step in translating the collected works of this modern Nyingma master. In this commentary, Khangsar Khenpo guides Dzogchen practitioners to experience and understand the phenomena of the outer world detected by the senses as well as the subjective mental and emotional states that apprehend them in order to bring the student to a recognition and stabilized experience of ultimate truth.

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Book SynopsisIt sounded implausible. God promised an old, childless man that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Yet Abraham chose to believe God, embarking on a transforming, lifelong journey of faith and obedience. As Jack Kuhatschek leads us through these nine studies on Abraham’s life, we will learn to be people who listen to, obey and trust God and the promises that he has made to us as well. With more than 130 titles, the LifeBuilder Bible Studies series delivers sound biblical content and raises thought-provoking questions. It provides a unique Bible study experience for individuals and groups.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe most innovative and influential French thinker of the contemporary era -- Sudhir Hazareesingh * Guardian *Nearly 35 years after his death, Foucault remains a vital reference point, and his History of Sexuality remains required reading ... The appearance of the fourth volume is itself the most significant event in the world of Foucault scholarship in 20 years ... Essential * Los Angeles Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“David Bentley Hart’s You Are Gods is simply brilliant. The book is a wonderful example of Hart’s incomparable skill as an essayist, delightful writer, and profound thinker, both philosophically and theologically.” —John Behr, author of John the Theologian and His Paschal Gospel“These outstanding essays are all absolutely first-rate and crucial for current theological discussions and the emergent, most creative directions. Hart successfully shows that the manualist revival is a pathology irrelevant to those directions.”—John Milbank, author of The Suspended Middle"You Are Gods is a challenging but rewarding theological text whose contents are confessedly radical, and whose end point is to advance the idea that nature and supernature are, in reality, one." —Foreword Reviews"The debate over whether it is grace or nature that directs human beings towards the beatific vision was one of the most contentious intra-Catholic theological disputes of the twentieth century. David Bentley Hart’s You Are Gods: On Nature and Supernature shows that the debate is alive and by no means merely academic and inconsequential—pantheism, tradition, orthodoxy, and heterodoxy are all very much at stake in the argument." —Public Discourse"As you might expect, if you have read even a single paragraph of Hart’s previous writing, the essays in this collection are erudite and trenchant, and full of surprises." —Church Times"[R]eaders would do well not to cheapen Hart’s work by allowing his verbal enthusiasms to be nothing more than an exciting (or aggravating) thrill ride. Instead, there’s probably something for most readers to gain by slowing down and trying to grok the basic judgment holding the whole thing up: All created realities, but especially spiritual realities, have their being and meaning in radical and total dependent relationship to God. This, for Hart, is the necessary shape of our contingence." —The Living Church"You Are Gods has much to recommend it. The author is highly effective in his attack on two-tier Thomism, and his argument that the Gospels are shot through with non-dualist imagery is sound. . . . David Bentley Hart brings to this elegantly written book his customary verve, theological acumen and ability to communicate difficult ideas." —The Way"Another masterful essay by an essential Christian thinker." —Mayéutica"Hart’s prose is flowing, profound and often entertaining... This book will not only be of considerable interest to his followers and to students of deification, but will also be of significance for those who are intrigued to see how the classical tradition can be interpreted in such a way as to eliminate divine aloofness and detachment." —Modern Believing"Eastern Orthodox theologian and author Hart presents metaphysical meditations on his idea that nature and the supernatural are a unified whole." —Publishers Weekly"One is invited to reflect upon the metaphysical implications of revelation which hearken to the deepest secret of our created and uncreated existence… Taken as a whole, You Are Gods is by turns bold, incisive, exasperating, ultimately a penetrating exposition of the manner in which the primal root of nature, time, and grace is the eschaton that alone bestows meaning and coherence to dynamisms of heart and mind summoned from the nothing as agapeic gift." —Eclectic Orthodoxy"In its more constructive and confessedly radical aspects, the book makes a vigorous case for the all-but-complete eradication of every qualitative, ontological, or logical distinction between the natural and the supernatural in the life of spiritual creatures. It advances a radically monistic vision of Christian metaphysics but does so wholly on the basis of credal orthodoxy." —Englewood Review of Books"You are Gods is a work that would be of great interest to the student of theology, and it is also one that opens up a number of important debates which are worth having, and it already appears to have stirred up the Thomist circles which Hart scrutinises." —VoegelinView"To say that David Bentley Hart possesses brilliant theological insight is a truism newly confirmed in this beautifully written collection of essays themed around the topic of nature and supernature. The book is an engaging read that should not be missed by anyone interested in contemporary theologies of grace."—The Heythrop JournalTable of Contents Introduction 1. Waking the Gods: Theosis as Reason’s Natural End 2. The Treasure of Delight: Nicholas of Cusa on Infinite Desire 3. That Judgment Whereby You Judge: Beauty and Discernment 4. Pia Fraus: Our Words and God’s Truth 5. Geist’s Kaleidoscope: Some Questions for Cyril O’Regan 6. The Chiasmus: The Created Supernatural and the Natural Divine

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Book SynopsisHarness the power of magical manifestation to live the life you desire Manifestation is about directing energy to achieve specific outcomesand pairing it with magic lends you additional power to fuel your intentions. Learn how to combine magic and manifestation to get what you want from your life, with The Witch''s Guide to Manifestation. It''s full of insight, instructions, and spells that help you tap into self-awareness and self-love to achieve your deepest desires, no matter how big or small. Demystify manifestationExplore what manifestation is, how to accomplish it, and how to use it alongside witchcraft to transform your life. Focus on self-discoveryDive deep into your own internal world, find your most magical self, and manifest the changes you want to see. Learn practical spellsDiscover how to construct an Elemental Power Charm, cast a Lady of the Lake Leadership Spell, and concoct a Witch''s Magic Manifestation Brewas well as how to customize spells and create your own. Take a magical approach to manifestation with this practical choice in witchcraft books.

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Book SynopsisThis accessibly written textbook has been a popular introduction to the Pentateuch for over twenty-five years. It identifies the major themes of the first five books of the Bible and offers an overview of their contents. Unlike some academic studies, it focuses on how the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy form a continuous story that provides an important foundation for understanding the whole Bible. This new edition has been substantially updated throughout to reflect the author's refined judgments and to address the future of pentateuchal studies.Table of ContentsContentsPart 1: The Main Themes of the Pentateuch1. An Overview of the Pentateuch2. God's Temple-City3. The Royal Lineage in Genesis4. The Blessing of the Nations5. Paradise Lost6. By Faith Abraham . . .7. Who Is the Lord?8. The Passover9. The Covenant at Sinai10. The Tabernacle11. Be Holy12. The Sacrificial System13. The Clean and the Unclean Foods14. Toward the Promised Land15. Murmurings16. Love and Loyalty17. Why Israel?18. The Pentateuch and the Biblical MetanarrativePart 2: Pentateuchal Criticism19. Introduction to Pentateuchal Criticism20. The Rise of the Documentary Hypothesis21. Going behind the Documents22. The Documentary Hypothesis under Threat23. Exodus 19:1-31:18--a Test Case24. The Future of Pentateuchal StudiesIndexes

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Book SynopsisAdam Kotsko makes the case for the continued relevance of Christian theology for contemporary intellectual life, demonstrating its vibrancy as a creative and constructive pursuit outside the church, rethinking its often rivalrous relationship with philosophy, and tracing the theological roots of modern models of governance and racial oppression.Table of ContentsPreface | xi Introduction: What Is Theology? | 1 PART I : THEOLOGY BEYOND THE LIMITS OF RELIGION ALONE Bonhoeffer on Continuity and Crisis: From Objective Spirit to Religionless Christianity | 27 Resurrection without Religion | 39 Toward a Materialist Theology: Slavoj Žižek on Thinking God beyond the Master Signifier | 50 PART II : THEOLOGY UNDER PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUE The Failed Divine Performative: Reading Judith Butler’s Critique of Theology with Anselm’s On the Fall of the Devil | 63 Translation, Hospitality, and Supersession: Lamin Sannehand Jacques Derrida on the Future of Christianity | 79 Agamben the Theologian | 94 PART III : THEOLOGY AND THE GENEALOGY OF THE MODERN WORLD The Problem of Evil and the Problem of Legitimacy | 109 Modernity’s Original Sin: Toward a Theological Genealogy of Race | 122 The Trinitarian Century: God, Governance, and Race | 143 Acknowledgments | 165 Notes | 167 Bibliography | 183 Index | 191

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Book SynopsisLion's Roar says, 'This book is a treasure of subtle revelation.'The view is the wisdom of being empty Meditation is luminosity without fixation Conduct is a continual flow free of attachment Fruition is nakedness bare of any stain This is the first stanza of Milarepa’s Ultimate View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruition: pith instructions originally sang to the great yogi Rechungpa, Milarepa’s disciple. These teachings are Milarepa’s direct offering to his disciple of his own profound realization, gained after many years of dedicated practice. Karl Brunnhölzl, acclaimed translator and senior teacher at the Nalandabodhi community of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, calls this hard-earned understanding “kungfu”: “Gong means ‘skillful work,’ ‘hard training,’ or ‘endeavor,’ and fu means ‘time spent...’ The term refers to Milarepa’s diligent and skillful training in the techniques to realize the nature of his mind and benefit countless sentient beings.”  Ultimate View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruition is a work of remarkable depth and clarity. In just five verses, Milarepa gives incisive instructions for progressing and for avoiding pitfalls in the stages of practice: - View: the basis or ground from which the proper meditation, conduct, and fruition of mahamudra can arise - Meditation: the training in or the familiarization with that view - Conduct: the natural outflow of having familiarized with the view in meditation - Fruition: the final outcome of having fully assimilated and realized the view, whose essence is not different from it Milarepa dedicates one verse to each stage, and Karl dedicates one chapter to each verse, weaving in wisdom from other Milarepa songs, comments by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyatso, and from Karl’s own insight. Readers can thus fully immerse themselves in each point of Milarepa’s extraordinary teaching.

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Book SynopsisManga Messengers is a biblically accurate retelling of the prophetsthe life of King David to the end of Malachi. These stories from the Bible are presented in the authentic Japanese Manga style. This 5th book of the series to release combines cutting-edge illustration with fast-paced storytelling to deliver biblical truths in a compelling package to an ever-changing, postmodern culture. Over 200,000 books sold in the series!

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Book SynopsisThe Baxters is now an original series on Prime Video, starring Roma Downey and Ted McGinley.A story of God's grace, redemption, and victory even in the most difficult times, from Karen Kingsbury, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of heart-tugging and emotional (Romantic Times) life-changing fiction, co-authored with Gary Smalley.A Deadly DiagnosisPlans are being made for a family reunion, and nearly all the Baxters have a reason to celebrate?except one. As the preparations get underway, a deadly diagnosis sends shockwaves through the family and threatens to tear them apart.A Heartbreaking SecretThe reality of what might lie ahead brings each of the Baxters to a place of faith and honesty. In the process, John and Elizabeth come to grips with a secret they haven't shared with anyone, a secret they rarely admit even to themselves. At the same time, a young man is making his rise in Holl

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Book SynopsisCorinth, a diverse, cosmopolitan city sitting at a strategic center of commerce for both Greece and the wider Roman Empire, was known for its decadence and wealth. In his commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians, Chuck Swindoll explores how Paul took the Corinthian church to task for taking on the character of the city instead of the character of Christ. As Chuck shows, the message of Paul to the Corinthians is greatly needed by the Church today.The 15-volume Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary series draws on Gold Medallion Awardwinner Chuck Swindoll's 50 years of experience studying and preaching God's Word. His deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries.Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before ea

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Book SynopsisRing in the holiday season with #1 New York Times bestselling author and Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen and find peace and cheer with this beautiful Christmas devotional.There's nothing like the joy that comes by sharing our love and what we have with loved ones and friends during the Christmas season. But it can also be a time of stress, worry, and disappointments for many reasons. It's easy to let our guard down and lose our peace and joy.The good news is that the true Christmas spirit is wrapped up in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. He doesn't just have peace; He is peace. He gives us peace that passes understanding. We can have peace when things around us aren't peaceful. When we stay in a position of peace, we aren't moved by what others are saying or doing or situations that aren't working out like we want. His peace inside us doesn't rise and fall with our circumstances.Let Peace for the Season bring you to the place of peace and unending hope. You'll have more passion, more contentment, and more joy than you ever imagined.

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Book SynopsisExplores ancient Jewish beliefs in life after death as well as contemporary spiritual experiences. Exploring afterlife theories from the ancient world as well as contemporary afterlife encounters, Carla Wills-Brandon, Ph.D., reveals references to Jewish mysticism and afterlife encounters in ancient Hebrew texts, including the Torah, the Talmud, the Zohar, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the writings of the early Kabbalists. She shows how these works describe not only the realms of heaven but also near-death experiences (NDEs), after-death contact, reincarnation, and deathbed visions of crossed-over loved ones. Drawing on her background in psychology and her experience as a licensed therapist, she explains how acknowledging an afterlife as well as spiritual encounters can help you find peace after loss, discover inner spiritual light, and heal from destructive emotional patterns and ancestral trauma, including intergenerational wounds such as those from the Holocaust. Sharing profound accounts of modern-day premonitions, spirit visitations, dream encounters with the dying, NDEs, and other psychic manifestations, the author shows how similar our contemporary mystical experiences are to those of our ancestors. Looking at the strong emotional resonances created by unresolved trauma, she explains how many survivors of World War II developed PTSD, which has been passed down from one generation to the next. She shows how believing in life after death and speaking about spiritual experiences can help heal emotional trauma and release difficult memories stuck psychically in our personal and ancestral past. Revealing how spiritual seekers can benefit not only from a belief in the afterlife but also from expressing their visions of the unseen, the author shows how knowing that physical death is not final fosters a healthier preparation for one’s own death and the deaths of those we cherish as well as a more fulfilling life.Trade Review“Profound, well-researched, and elegantly written. In this riveting narrative, Wills-Brandon shares stories of holocaust survivors, which must be told, and through these compelling stories she dispels the misconception that Judaism does not embrace the concept of an afterlife. Rather, Seven Heavens demonstrates how Judaism has actually chronicled near-death experiences and after-death communication for thousands of years. It is destined to become an authoritative classic in the realm of near-death-experience literature.” * Mark Anthony, ”The Psychic Lawyer” and author of The Afterlife Frequency, Evidence of Et *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword by Bruce Greyson, M.D. Preface: Why Seven Heavens? Introduction: Secrets We Keep ONEWhere to StartTWO The Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition THREE An Angel Named Damus FOURExperiencing Auschwitz with Nuinui FIVEWhere Was God? SIX The Effect of PTSD on Faith in the Jewish Community SEVEN Facing Our Ancestral Past to Heal Future Generations EIGHTWhat Is an NDE or Near-Death Experience? NINE Reincarnation in Judaism TEN Afterlife Experience as a Conduit to the Divine: Beyond Religious AbuseELEVEN We Are Not Alone . . . And It’s a Good Thing APPENDIX A Self-Awareness Inventory: Reviewing Your Own Life Book References Index

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Book SynopsisA volume of translated documents chronicling the conflict between Franciscan friars and Benedictine monks in medieval Bury St Edmunds and the subsequent Franciscan community at Babwell Between 1233 and 1263 Franciscan friars engaged in a fierce confrontation with one of the most powerful abbeys in western Christendom, St Edmunds Abbey. Bringing together the documents that describe the sometimes violent and destructive conflict, which was litigated in both the royal court and the papal curia, this volume traces the history of the Franciscan presence at Bury St Edmunds both before and after the friars established a permanent home at Babwell Fen outside the town's North Gate in 1265. The controversy created by the arrival of mendicant friars was one of the major religious events of thirteenth-century Europe; the events in Bury are the best evidenced in England, and among the most richly documented mendicant-monastic conflicts in Europe. The volume includes documents produced by the monks of St Edmunds, the royal chancery, the papal curia and the friars themselves, chronicling a mendicant community that continued to challenge and disrupt the authority of the Abbey over Bury St Edmunds.Table of ContentsPreface List of illustrations Abbreviations Introduction Editorial methods Documents Part I: The friars in the banleuca of St Edmund, 1233-1263 Part II: The friars at Babwell, 1265-1538 Appendix: Friars who spent time in Bury St Edmunds Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAs every parent from the beginning of time has discovered, kids don’ t come with a manual. Parenting is a learning journey from beginning to end, and like all learning journeys, it is full of lessons, challenges, questions, tests, mistakes, and messes. But what matters most on the journey of parenting is that we lock on to the right goal. One of the biggest reasons so many of us get scared, discouraged, frustrated, and overwhelmed as parents is that we think the goal of parenting is to be perfect parents who raise perfect children. This leads us to adopt fear-driven strategies that focus on avoiding and preventing mistakes and messes and using control and punishment to elicit desired behavior. In Imperfect Parenting, Brittney Serpell lays out the case for the true goal of parenting: a safe, loving, heart-to-heart connection with our kids. Pursuing the goal of connection is what sets us up to influence the hearts, minds, and behavior of our children as we guide them on their own learning journey to become healthy, confident, emotionally intelligent, and strong in character. Filled with relatable stories and real-life examples, solid biblical teaching, and tested parenting an

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A work distinguished by deep scholarship, clear exposition and comprehensive coverage. . . . A smooth narrative covering nearly five centuries of Jesuit history in just over 800 pages. . . . The Jesuits is the best single-authored book on the subject I have seen."---Ronnie Hsia, Times Literary Supplement"This is a magisterial book, massive in its compass, its erudition, and its attention to detail. The history of the Jesuit order has usually been written by one of the members of the Society of Jesus, and yet here is a book of amazing scholarship, written by an outsider and, arguably, all the better for that; for the author brings a freshness of outlook to his task."---Lavinia Byrne, Church Times""[A] comprehensive history. . . . A remarkably fair assessment of the complex history of the Jesuits."---Peter Davidson, Literary Review"A comprehensive and unbiased history of the Society of Jesus. . . . Friedrich doesn’t shy away from controversial topics (such as the Jesuits’ roles in colonization and American slavery), nor does he attempt to either apologize for or demonize the people who are his object of study." * Christian Century *"A fast-paced and richly researched history. . . . Friedrich’s sweeping chronicle has much to offer." * Publishers Weekly *"However scholarly this magnum opus is, it can be read and enjoyed by anyone interested in the topic. The translation from the German original, published in 2016, is exceptionally gratifying."---Cornelius Michael Buckley, S.J., Catholic World Report"Friedrich tells this story with an exceptional command of a wide variety of sources in several languages. He’s assisted by John Noel Dillon in a graceful and very readable English translation. The result is a book that will be of benefit not only to scholars, but also to general readers."---Timothy Walch, Catholic News Service"A fine accomplishment. . . . Friedrich writes in a clear and organized manner that makes for something of a ‘page turner’ experience; whereas some histories of the Jesuits sacrifice readability for density of detail, Friedrich achieves a good balance."---Doug Jones, Jesuit Post"[An] immensely readable history of the order that will appeal to an audience beyond the Catholic tradition."---Thomas Filbin, Arts Fuse

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Book SynopsisCritical Theory and Animal Liberation is the first collection to approach our relationship with other animals from the critical or left tradition in political and social thought. Breaking with past treatments that have framed the problem as one of animal rights, the authors instead depict the exploitation and killing of other animals as a political question of the first order. The contributions highlight connections between our everyday treatment of animals and other forms of social power, mass violence, and domination, from capitalism and patriarchy to genocide, fascism, and ecocide. Contributors include well-known writers in the field as well as scholars in other areas writing on animals for the first time. Among other things, the authors apply Freud's theory of repression to our relationship to the animal, debunk the Locavore movement, expose the sexism of the animal defense movement, and point the way toward a new transformative politics that would encompass the human and animal Trade ReviewThis book breaks new ground in both critical theory and the ethics debate surrounding the mistreatment and domination of animals by humans. An indispensable collection for anyone interested in these areas of social critique, these essays sketch a comprehensive alternative to the prevailing strands of neo-Marxist and liberal philosophies. -- David Ingram, Loyola University, ChicagoSanbonmatsu has done the field of animal studies a great service by bringing together this rewarding collection of critical interventions. Just as feminist and phenomenological thinking injected needed doses of existential and hermeneutic sensitivity into the first wave of predominantly analytic animal ethics, so Critical Theory and Animal Liberation now joins pragmatism in projecting ethico-political engagement and socio-economic guidance across the new wave of animal theory. -- Ralph R. Acampora, Hofstra UniversityThis is an engaging analysis of some of the key issues in animal/human liberation, which makes it clear how connected the oppression of animals is to the oppression of other humans. All of the authors wonder how we can be sensitive to human suffering yet blind to animal suffering. The truth is, we cannot, or must not any longer. This book fulfills a long-awaited mandate demanding a deep change of view. I commend it highly. -- Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of AnimalsContributors examine how our hidden, institutionalized violence to animals, epitomized by industrial farming and laboratory experimentation, coexists with spectacles of human-caused suffering, degradation and destruction of animals in “visible but not seen” forms, such as circuses and road kill....Critical Theory and Animal Liberation looks not only at the obviously hidden suffering of animals on industrial farms and in laboratories but at the plight of animals who suffer and die openly in front of our eyes through human causation. * Karen Davis, President, United Poultry Concerns *Critical Theory and Animal Liberation, edited by John Sanbonmatsu, knits together a wide range of intersectional and interdisciplinary voices from across the spectrum of Critical Animal Studies. Nuanced and multifaceted, this text succeeds in applying critical perspectives in political and social thought to the problem of our relationship with other animals..../Critical Theory and Animal Liberation/ is an invaluable text for scholars and students of a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. In particular, this book is a must-have for anyone studying or writing within the burgeoning field of Critical Animal Studies. Perhaps the most compelling achievement of this text is its instrumental role in opening up new debates around critical, 'left' classical and contemporary Marxist and posthumanist thought all while sidestepping the popular currents in apolitical, mainstream animal studies. In addition, this book offers a first ambitious step into an uncharted territory -- moving away from the liberal ethics on which most animal 'rights' theory has, since its inception, been built. * Journal for Critical Animal Studies *Due to its exercise of deepening the critique of oppression and its potential to inspire a vision of the social world made whole, Critical Theory and Animal Liberation is a highly recommended read. * Humanimalia *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part I. Commodity Fetishism and Structural Violence Chapter 1: Procrustean Solutions to Animal Identity and Welfare Problems Karen Davis Chapter 2: Road Kill: Commodity Fetishism and Structural Violence Dennis Soron Chapter 3: Corporate Power, Ecological Crisis, and Animal Rights Carl Boggs Part II. Animals, Marxism, and the Frankfurt School Chapter 4: Humanism = Speciesism?: Marx on Humans and Animals Ted Benton Chapter 5: Reflections on the Prospects for a Non-Speciesist Marxism Renzo Llorente Chapter 6: Thinking With: Animals in Schopenhauer, Horkheimer, and Adorno Christina Gerhardt Chapter 7: Animal is to Kantianism as Jew Is to Fascism: Adorno's Bestiary Eduardo Mendieta Part III. Speciesism and Ideologies of Domination Chapter 8: Dialectic of Anthropocentrism Aaron Bell Chapter 9: Animal Repression: Speciesism as Pathology Zipporah Weisberg Chapter 10: Neuroscience (a Poem) Susan Benston Chapter 11: Everyday Rituals of the Master Race: Fascism, Stratification, and the Fluidity of "Animal" Domination Victoria Johnson Part IV. Problems in Praxis Chapter 12: Constructing Extremists, Rejecting Compassion: Ideological Attacks on Animal Advocacy from Right and Left John Sorenson Chapter 13: "Green" Eggs and Ham? The Myth of Sustainable Meat and the Danger of the Local Vasile Stanescu Chapter 14: After MacKinnon: Sexual Inequality in the Animal Movement Carol Adams Chapter 15: Sympathy and Interspecies Care: Toward a Unified Theory of Eco- and Animal Liberation Josephine Donovan Note Index About the Editor and Contributors

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Book SynopsisA practical companion to the much-acclaimed Transforming Conflict through Insight, Practising Insight Mediation is a book about how insight mediators do their work and why they do it that way. In the book, Cheryl A. Picard, co-founder of insight mediation, explains how the theory of cognition presented in Bernard Lonergan’s Insight can be used as the basis for a learning-centred approach to conflict resolution in which the parties involved improve their self-understandings and discover new and less threating patterns of interaction with each other through efforts to better their conflict relations.Practising Insight Mediation features a wide range of valuable resources for any conflict practitioner, including in-depth descriptions of insight communication skills and strategies, a transcribed example mediation, sample documents, and a mediator’s self-assessment tool. The essential handbook for those interested in learning about aTable of ContentsCHAPTER 1: The Practice of Insight Mediation: An Introduction CHAPTER 2: Insight Mediation: Helping Parties in Conflict Learn about Themselves in Relation to Others CHAPTER 3: Interaction and Insight: The Learning Theory Underlying Insight Mediation Practice CHAPTER 4: Facilitating Change Through Learning: Conducting the Mediation Session CHAPTER 5: Ensuring Appropriate Participation and Follow-Up: Before and After Insight Mediation CHAPTER 6: Facilitating the Dialogue: Insight Mediation Skills and Strategies CHAPTER 7: The Insight Approach to Conflict: Recent Achievements & Future Hopes

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Book SynopsisWritten by a prominent biblical counselor with three decades of experience, this practical book aimed at everyday Christians will equip readers with the tools they need to wisely walk alongside one another in the midst of life's struggles.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOne of the most popular devotionals since the 1800s, here is a redesigned collection of Scripture verses centered on a theme for each of two daily readings, now in hardcover or TruTone formats.

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