Religion Books

Book SynopsisThe growing tensions and occasional clashes between believers in the two main strands of Islam have been major concerns. Upheavals within the Shia sphere of influence had altered the relationship: the Iranian revolution of 1979 changed the politics of Iranian Shiism, and impacted on Shia communities regionally, while the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq initiated a new phase of tension in Sunni-Shia relations. The spectre of a sectarian war in Iraq, a diplomatic and military offensive against the Lebanese Hezbollah and a potentially nuclear armed Iran (along with Tehran's support for Hamas) prompted King Abdallah II of Jordan to warn of an emerging 'Shia crescent'. However, away from such grand geopolitical gestures, Sunni-Shia relations are being rearticulated through an array of local, regional and global connections. This book presents wide-ranging and up-to-date research that sheds light on the political, sociological and ideological processes that are affecting the dynamics within, as well as the relationships between, the Shia and Sunni worlds. Among the themes discussed are the ideological and doctrinal evolutions that are taking place, the contextualisation of the main protagonists' political practices, transnational networks, and the role of intellectuals, religious scholars and the media in shaping and informing this dynamic relationship.Trade Review'At a time when the conflict in Iraq, and the more recent uprisings in Syria, Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, have prompted a resurgence of essentialist generalisations on the Sunni-Shia divide, this collection of brilliant contributions by leading scholars from various disciplines is a welcome reminder of the complexity of the sectarian question in Islam which does not simply derive from textual and interpretative divergences, but is also socially constructed and politically instrumentalised.' -- Stephane Lacroix, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po, Paris, and author of Awakening Islam: The Politics of Religious Dissent in Contemporary Saudi Arabia'Too often the Sunni-Shia "divide" in Islam is spoken of in deeply reductionist or ahistorical terms. Marechal and Zemni's collection, however, sets a new standard by carefully situating contemporary sectarianism in relation to the simultaneous push and pull of local and transnational factors. A must-read for anyone seeking to understanding Sunni-Shia dynamics in the wake of the Arab Uprisings.' -- Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, author of Global Political Islam

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Book SynopsisChristianity Today 2021 Award of Merit (The Church/Pastoral Leadership) Diary of a Pastor's Soul tells the story of a fictionalized pastor, embarking on his final year before retirement, who reflects on the experiences and relationships that have formed his vocation and shaped his soul over a lifetime of pastoral ministry. Drawing on his own experiences, seasoned pastor Craig Barnes invites readers to embrace the life lessons of a pastor who has been formed by his failures and his fleeting moments of glory, but most of all by discovering the holy in the routine but often quirky duties of being a parish pastor. Through 52 weekly thematic entries, Barnes presents spirituality in narrative form through a collection of interwoven stories about learning to love others with curiosity, amazement, vulnerability, and most of all gratitude for the grace found in flawed lives. Barnes's fictionalized diary approach creatively shows how the pastoral vocation forms mind, heart, and soul, helping pastors make sense of their own calling. With unvarnished honesty, this book eloquently illustrates a lifetime of ministry, revealing how "the Holy haunts the landscape of life."Table of ContentsContentsPrologue by the DiaristJulyWeek One: Writing the Faith in StoneWeek Two: A Faithfully Anonymous PastorWeek Three: The Pastor's Wife and the MustangWeek Four: Pastoral Care as Déjà VuAugustWeek One: Saying "I Love You"Week Two: A Sunday with the New York TimesWeek Three: In-Laws and the Priest ThingWeek Four: The Blessing of Old FaithSeptemberWeek One: Pastor, Not FriendWeek Two: Beth, Our New Financial PlannerWeek Three: Letting Go of Mac the CustodianWeek Four: Pastoral Lessons from My SheepdogOctoberWeek One: Falling from IllusionsWeek Two: The Pastor's HomeWeek Three: The Grace of Being OrdinaryWeek Four: The StudyWeek Five: "It Hurt My Feelings"NovemberWeek One: The Sin I Can't ForgiveWeek Two: Finding Gravitas When You're YoungWeek Three: The Pastor on the Doctor's TableWeek Four: The Pastor's PastorWeek Five: Humility to the EndDecemberWeek One: Our Faith and My FaithWeek Two: Frantically Preparing for the Prince of PeaceWeek Three: A Young Pastor in Deep WatersWeek Four: A Wedding for the NonbelieverChristmas Eve: Being Joseph in the PageantJanuaryWeek One: The Long, Gray Days of MinistryWeek Two: The Obituary WriterWeek Three: The Pastoral Search CommitteeWeek Four Announcing the Retirement 000Week Five: Listening to a FriendFebruaryWeek One: Making Sense of a Pastor's CancerWeek Two: A Wintry Funeral for Young TeddyWeek Three: The Blessed Church LadyWeek Four: Taking the Heat for GodMarchWeek One: The Weary PartisanWeek Two: I Was Done with WordsWeek Three: The Redemption of Early MistakesWeek Four: The Loss of Saturday NightsWeek Five: Call Finds a WayAprilWeek One: Struggling to Say "Behold"Week Two: The Real Problem with Being VisibleWeek Three: Hard Lessons on FlannelgraphWeek Four: Finally Loving EasterMayWeek One: The Beloved Horse's AssWeek Two: Getting It Wrong with Race and GenderWeek Three: The Adored Director of MusicWeek Four: You're Dead RightWeek Five: Dad, Not PastorJuneWeek One: Seeking the HolyWeek Two: When I Can No Longer Blame WorkWeek Three: Still Holding Back Part of MeWeek Four: The Last SurpriseEpilogue

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Book SynopsisWe all know the feeling. That nervous, jittery, tense feeling that tells you that something bad is just ahead. Anxiety can be overwhelming. But the Bible has plenty to say to people who are anxious. This book will help us to take our eyes off our circumstances and fix them on God. Trade ReviewIn this little book, Ed Welch provides big biblical solutions that get to the heart of the matter and that last. It rejoices my heart to think of all the students that will have their lives transformed by the truths in these pages. -- David Murray (Senior Pastor, First Byron CRC, Byron Center, Michigan and author of ‘The StoryChanger’ and ‘Jesus on Every Page’)Our risk–averse society with its prophecies of doom is a breeding–ground for anxiety, not least among children and teens. Ed Welch here offers young people a means to understand the roots of their own fears and discover how to live every day with genuine hope. -- Ann Benton (Author and family conference speaker, Guildford, England)Ed Welch is one of the church’s foremost counselors, and this book will help you not only understand your own heart, but the hearts of those you love. Dr. Welch’s books have been immensely helpful to me, and this book is no exception. -- J. D. Greear (Pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh–Durham, North Carolina)This is a book about you, about something you face every day. Reading this will help you identify and deal with the core of your anxieties, and it gives answers that are not bandaids or simplistic. This book is perfect for teens trying to understand where their anxiety comes from, but be careful parents, it might have more to say to you than you realize! -- Alasdair Groves (Executive Director of CCEF)

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Book Synopsis'... you received the Spirit of adoption' (Romans 8:15) The relationship between God and his people is understood in various ways by the biblical writers, and it is arguably the apostle Paul who uses the richest vocabulary. Unique to Paul's writings is the term huiothesia, the process or act of being 'adopted as son(s)'. It occurs five times in three of his letters, where it functions as a key theological metaphor. Trevor Burke argues that huiothesia has been misunderstood, misrepresented, or neglected through scholarly preoccupation with its cultural background. He redresses the balance in this comprehensive study, which discusses metaphor theory; explores the background to huiothesia; considers the roles of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; examines the moral implications of adoption, and its relationship with honour; and concludes with the consequences for Christian believers as they live in the tension between the 'now' and the 'not yet' of their adoption into God's new family.

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Book SynopsisThis short, accessible, but theologically substantive volume unfolds the significance of the Ten Commandments for the Christian life. Gilbert Meilaender, one of today's leading Christian ethicists, places the commandments in the larger context of the biblical history of redemption and invites readers to wrestle with how human loves should relate to the first commandment: to love God above all else. As he approaches the Decalogue from this perspective, Meilaender helps Christians learn what it means to say, "Thy will be done."Table of ContentsContents1. The Law of Christ2. The Marriage Bond3. The Family Bond4. The Life Bond5. The Possessions Bond6. The Speech Bond7. The Great and First CommandmentIndex

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Book SynopsisAll too often, the Christian understanding of salvation has been one-dimensional, reducing all that God has done for us to a single conception or idea. Tom Greggs, one of today's leading theologians, offers a brief, accessibly written, but theologically substantive treatment of the doctrine of salvation. Drawing on the broad tradition of the church and the Christian faith in explaining the Christian understandings of salvation, Greggs challenges the contemporary church to be captured afresh by the immeasurable height, depth, and breadth of God's saving actions.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. The Breadth of the Cross Salvation in Christ, Not in Models of Christ's Atonement So What Do Theologies of the Atonement Do? The Range of Images in Scripture The Breadth of Models or Interpretations of Salvation The Breadth of the Human Jesus's Passion Conclusion2. The Breadth of Salvation in the Society of God A Vertical and Horizontal Fall Christocentric Horizontal Reconciliation "To Your Advantage That I Go Away": The Breadth of the Spirit's Work of Salvation Salvation through Loving the Given Other Conclusion3. The Breadth of Grace for the World The Keys of the Kingdom The Complexity of New Testament Judgment Imagery At Once Justified and Sinners The Place of the Assurance of Faith in a Fallen World Conclusion4. The Breadth of Repentance Turning to Christ Turning Helplessly Turning to Outcasts ConclusionConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisThe recounting of the story of revival on the Scottish Isle of Lewis in the late 1940s. It is a fascinating blend of history, biography and testimony. It includes the eye-witness accounts from Duncan Campbell and Mary Peckham.Trade Review"This will become for those burdened for revival a primary and powerful resource for understanding God's ways in sending 'times of refreshing' for His people." -- Rev. Dr. Ted S. Rendall, Chancellor Emeritus, Prairie Bible Institute and author of Fire in the ChurchHere you can read Duncan Campbell's own reports, along with eyewitness records of those amazing days, and a description of the characteristics of the revival. ...the desperate state of our society and the church which bears the name of Christ should drive us to pray with the Psalmist, "Will You not revive us again, O Lord?" -- Rev. Peter Grainger, Charlotte Baptist Chapel, Edinburgh (Formerly Pastor, Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh)This is the best and most definitive study of the movement of the Spirit of God in the Hebrides during the middle of the twentieth century. There are people who sit and hear us year after year. They are loyal, orthodox, moral people but they lack vitality, discipleship, courage in witness-bearing, prayerfulness - they are rarely present in Prayer Meetings. One longs for a spark, a new insight that takes them over the edge into assurance and holy zeal. Reading the testimonies in the closing chapters of the book describing the radical transformation of the lives of ordinary church goers, gives hope for new life in those who faithfully hear us, but do little more. In matters of the Holy Spirit, never assume anything. -- Geoff Thomas (Conference Speaker and author, Aberystwyth, Wales)I cannot recall any book on revival that I have read that has given me greater pleasure, held my attention more, and incited my longing for a new visitation from God more than this one. -- Rev. Brian Edwards, Author.This is an awe-inspiring book. It must be, because it contains the testimonies of people converted in a time of revival. -- Evangelical Times"...provides ringing affirmation that God is still on His throne and delights to make bare His mighty arm in revival when His people get serious with Him." -- Rev Richard Owen Roberts, Author of Scotland saw His GloryThis eye witness account of the revival in the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides from 1949-1952 is stirring stuff. Well worth reading just to catch the atmosphere of an island overwhelmed by the invasion of the Spirit of God. You will be deeply stirred by reading it and provoked to cry out to God to 'rend the heavens and come down' once again. -- Terry Virgo

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Book SynopsisThe texts of the Order of Mass newly illustrated in an attractive, modern and child-friendly style. Liturgical texts are interspersed with devotional texts and explanations of the various parts of the Mass which encourage conscious and active participation on the part of the child.The illustrations are carefully commissioned to reflect not only the events happening in the church during Mass but their theological and personal significance for the child.It will be an invaluable tool to help children engage with what is happening, encouraging them to pray and explaining the roots of the Order of Mass and the prayers it contains to them. (For First communion children aged 8 and above).A perfect First Communion gift. Beautifully modern and colourful illustrations. A great tool for teaching children what is happening at Mass and why it is happening.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD! You can choose hope in the midst of chaos. The visionary behind the million-strong IF:Gathering challenges you to exercise your God-given power to shift negative thinking patterns and take back control of your thoughts and emotions. “A must-have resource for anyone looking to get control of their thoughts.”—Lysa TerKeurst, #1 New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 MinistriesCHRISTIAN BOOK AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITANAre your thoughts holding you captive? I’ll never be good enough. Other people have better lives than I do. God couldn’t really love me. Jennie Allen knows what it’s like to swirl in a spiral of destructive thoughts, but she also knows we don’t have to stay stuck in toxic thinking patterns.   As she discovered in her own life, God built a way for us to escape that downward spiral. Freedom comes when we refuse to be victims to our thoughts and realize we have already been equipped with power from God to fight and win the war for our minds.   In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts. Our enemy is determined to get in our heads to make us feel helpless, overwhelmed, and incapable of making a difference for the kingdom of God. But when we submit our minds to Christ, the promises and goodness of God flood our lives in remarkable ways.   It starts in your head. And from there, the possibilities are endless.

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Book SynopsisDon Collett, an experienced Old Testament scholar, offers an account of Old Testament interpretation that capitalizes on recent research in figural exegesis. Collett examines the tension between figural and literal modes of exegesis as they developed in Christian thought, introduces ongoing debates and discussions concerning figural readings of Scripture, and offers theological readings of several significant Old Testament passages. This book will work well as a primer on figural exegesis for seminarians or as a capstone seminary text that ties together themes from courses in Bible, exegesis, and theology.Table of ContentsContents Introduction A World Well Lost: The Eclipse of Old Testament Consciousness Part 1: Frameworks 1. Biblical Models for Figural Reading 2. Figural Reading and Scripture's Literal Sense Part 2: Exegesis 3. Figural Reading, Metaphor, and Theological Exegesis Part 3: Assessment 4. Figural Reading and Modernity 5. Epilogue Indexes

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Book SynopsisIn her captivating, trademark weave of theology and memoir, Sarah Bessey tells us the story of the car crash that changed her body and how it ultimately changed her life. The road of healing led to Rome where she met the Pope (it's complicated) and encountered the Holy Spirit in the last place she expected. Insightful, profound, and unexpected, Miracles and Other Reasonable Things is a wild, spirit-filled story of what it means to live with both grief and faith, suffering and joy, as we wrestle with God.

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Book SynopsisThe time has come to reveal more of Rumi than the inaccurate portrayal of a new age guru. With careful selections from his work and accompanying commentaries this book will bring readers closer to his poetry's true, traditional meaning. -- "Everyone has, in their view, become my close friend / but they have not sought out the secrets within me." - RumiTable of ContentsTAKEN FROM DRAFT MANUSCRIPT KEY THEMES 129 The nafs is something base 169 Journey of the spirit, not the body 171 Fire of anger > Hell 180 The Masnavi must be heeded with discrimination, being not just stories 202 Weeping over sins is better than prayers 203 Allah is the true Friend 204 Travelling helps you to grow 206 Real knowledge and love of Allah 209 Good manners: not to complain 213 Why Allah does not always answer or prayers right away 214 Malice is forbidden in Islam 220 Barrier of jealousy 220 Doing the work is part of trust 224 Look for spiritual friends 227 The Sufi is provided for by Allah 234 This world is tiny but seems great to the spiritually dead 235 You need spiritual vision 236 Your true homeland is the Next World 238 Your sustenance is in the Hands of Allah 239 Allah decides everything, but you must still work 241 Do not blame destiny; blame yourself 242 Don’t look back – look ahead 245 If you are with everyone you are alone; if you are with Allah you are with all 245 Drown in the sea of love 246 Love the Immortal, not the mortal 249 The repentance of Adam 251 Our apparent emotions, ?? joy and sorrow 253 The sun of Ma‘rifa never sets 254 Love the Essence, not the form 255 Love brings life and purity 261 Love is beyond need and greed 264 Love makes and breaks us again and again 266 Ikhla?: Allah Himself is the Reward 268 Allah’s lovers, like Him, take no sleep or food 269 To lovers humiliation and glory are alike 271 Being at prayer 24/7 274 ‘You need annihilation, not grammar’ 275 Ikhlas: ask Him only – seek water from sea, not dry riverbed 277 Seeing one’s own faults 280 Think well of others 281 Ma‘rifa: seeing Allah everywhere 286 Ask, that you may be given 287 Escape attachment to secondary causes 288 Our troubles come to save us from worse 290 Dhikr Allah brings tranquillity 290 The Light of Allah protects and helps 292 Silence of the Sea 294 Bring your heart to Allah 295 Repentance and weeping 296 Muraqaba and veiling the faults of others

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Book SynopsisIn this book Mohammad Akram reviews the life and legacy of Abu Hanifa, and surveys the evolution of the Hanafi school in different regions of the Islamic world. His argument is based on the traditional sources and faithfully reports both history and legend about the man. However, the main focus of the book is the approach, and pattern of reasoning that distinguish Abu Hanifah's fiqh.Trade Review"The author has successfully delivered his promise to understand as to 'why' and 'how' Abu Hanifa came to deserve the title 'Al-Imam al-A'zam'; it now remains the duty of the scholars to imbibe Abu Hanifa's teachings in trying to understand the Qur'an and Sunna holistically in both letter and spirit." Dr M Mansur Ali - Cardiff UniversityTable of ContentsPreface1. Introduction: background to the first development of the law2. His life3. His fiqh4. His works and his students5. His achievement and legacy6. Sources and Further readingIndex

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Book SynopsisRabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the charismatic leader of the Chabad Hasidic movement and its designated Messiah. Yet when he died in 1994, the messianic fervor he inspired did not subside. Through traditional means and digital technologies, a group of radical Hasidim, the Meshichistim, still keep the Rebbe palpably close—engaging in ongoing dialogue, participating in specific rituals, and developing an ever-expanding visual culture of portraits and videos. With Us More Than Ever focuses on this group to explore how religious practice can sustain the belief that a messianic figure is both present and accessible. Yoram Bilu documents a unique religious experience that is distinctly modern. The rallying point of the Meshichistim—that the Rebbe is "with us more than ever"—is sustained through an elaborate system that creates the sense of his constant and pervasive presence in the lives of his followers. The virtual Rebbe that emerges is multiple, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized, the epicenter of a truly messianic movement in the twenty-first century. Combining ethnographic fieldwork and cognitive science with nuanced analysis, Bilu documents the birth and development of a new religious faith, describing the emergence of new spiritual horizons, a process common to various religious movements old and new.Trade Review"In this fascinating study, Yoram Bilu, Israel's foremost scholar of Jewish popular religion, has succeeded in penetrating the world of Chabad's messianic subculture. He offers a brilliant analysis of how these Hasidim use visual media, apparitions, and letters to their deceased leader to create an 'apotheosis' of the Rebbe." -- David Biale * University of California, Davis *"This ethnographic exploration of the religious imagination in Chabad demonstrates that there is no one better equipped than Yoram Bilu to provide a theoretically sophisticated and phenomenologically sensitive account of the movement's messianic devotion to its deceased yet ever-present Rebbe." -- Thomas J. Csordas * University of California, San Diego *"With Us More than Ever is an important book for readers interested in Chabad, Hasidism, and contemporary Judaism. Its focus on the 'messianic ecology' yields a nuanced and dispassionate image of the acute messianism of the Meshichists—a community, or, perhaps, a state of mind, that has been discussed, criticized, and ridiculed, but hardly ever researched either quantitatively or qualitatively." -- Wojciech Tworek * Association for Jewish Studies Review *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: Introduction chapter abstractThe messianic surge that swept Chabad in the late 20th century has not subsided following the death in 1994 of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the last president of Chabad and the designated Messiah in the eyes of most Hasidim. Since then, the movement has been able to maintain its popularity and dominance despite the catastrophic loss. Focusing on the Meshichistim ("messianists"), the radical Hasidim who deny the Rebbe's death, the introduction documents the means they employ to fill the void of the Rebbe's "occlusion." The book makes use of a media-studies approach to examine how these means fill the critical role of making the absent Rebbe present. The data are based on interviews with Meshichists, participant observations in their gatherings, and meticulous perusal of messianic publications, primarily periodicals. The discussion includes a description of the charged interrelationships that developed between the author and the Hasidim during fieldwork. 1Chabad and the Messianic Idea chapter abstractThe chapter follows the vicissitudes of the messianic idea in Chabad from the movement's inception to the stormy years of the seventh and last leader, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. As shaped by its founder, Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Chabad was less prone to messianic tension than were other Hasidic sects. The fifth admor, Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber, resorted to messianic discourse in the late 19th century in order to battle the lure of secular ideologies such as communism and Zionism. His son and successor, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, viewed the horrors of the Holocaust as messianic tribulations. But it was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson who generated acute messianic turbulence by advancing to his Hasidim the notion of imminent redemption. The Rebbe's messianic vision, kept alive by the Hasidim after his departure, forms the background for the means and practices that constitute the messianic ecology in contemporary Chabad. 2Meshichist Sociology chapter abstractThe chapter presents the major sociological features of the Meshichists. The Meshichists are more prevalent in the movement's periphery. Of Chabad's two main centers, they are more strongly represented in Israel than in the U.S. and more among the younger Hasidim in either place. –. In accord with the enthusiasm and high commitment typically displayed by religious immigrants and converts anywhere, new Chabadniks, coming from secular or other religious backgrounds, are overrepresented among the Meshichists. As a result of their outreach activities, Chabadniks anywhere tend to be more socially and politically involved in the wider society than are other ultraorthodox Jews, and the Meshichists all the more so. One indication of their assimilation into Israeli society is their use of military language in articulating their ideas and activities. 3Writing to the Rebbe: The Holy Letters Oracle chapter abstractThis chapter discusses the bibliomantic device the Hasidim developed to continue the dialogue with the absent Rebbe. The technique is based on inserting a petition randomly into one of the thirty-two volumes of the Rebbe's collected letters. Even though these letters were written to other people at other times, the petitioners maintain that the answers they receive are germane to their own pleas. The veridicality of the answers is redoubled when they play out in the real world. Following the miraculous stories associated with the Holy Letters Oracle, the chapter discusses its growing popularity and accounts for its success. The popularity and success of the technique seem to confirm the assertion of the Meshichistim that despite his occlusion, the invisible Rebbe is more accessible than ever. 4Sensing the Rebbe: Traces and Practices of Embodiment chapter abstractHow do the Hasidim perceive the absent Rebbe as close and involved? This chapter discusses a broad range of signs or "traces" of the Rebbe, such as the Rebbe's abode, his armchair, the dollar bills he distributed for charity, and the water from his ritual bath, which the Hasidim are adamant to keep intact and, where possible, to replicate. Primarily in Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, but also in Chabad Houses all over the world and in the Meshichists' homes, these artifacts serve as focal points for ritual practices that involve the Rebbe as an active participant. The traces and practices interweave to produce a "messianic ecology" that actualizes the Rebbe among his followers. In the religion-media paradigm, these traces and practices are conductors of his presence. 5Seeing the Rebbe I: Chabad's Visual Culture chapter abstractChapter Five is devoted to Chabad's visual culture as evidenced by the widespread use of still photographs and film footage of the Rebbe, which bolster his visual salience to an unprecedented extent in Judaism. The elaborate cult that has been developing around the Rebbe's images borders on iconophilia. The pictures serve as focal points for this wide-ranging visual cult. They are used as amulets, thwarting threats and curing maladies; as magnets drawing and attaching passersby to the Rebbe; and as icons triggering the elaborate ritual encounters between the Rebbe and his devotees. The chapter discusses the Rebbe's iconic picture, in which he is shown waving his hand in encouragement, and how it has taken on a life on its own. 6Seeing the Rebbe II: Dream and Waking Apparitions chapter abstractChapter Six maps the Rebbe's apparitions in dreams and then moves to reports of apparitions in normal waking states. The author proposes a psychocultural model to account for these apparitions, deeming them evidence of contextual accomplishment rather than psychopathological deficit. Two distinct clusters of apparition experiences emerge, one associated with ritual and the other with mundane settings. In comparison to Christian visionary experiences, the Rebbe's apparitions are hyper-realistic, literal reinforcements of the claim that the Rebbe is alive. While this claim is audacious ontologically, it limits the epistemological horizons of the messianic imaginary and detracts from its significance as a "taste" of the redemption. 7Schneersoncentrism: The Rebbe Steers the World chapter abstractFor the Meshichistim, the invisible Rebbe is the center of the world. Chapter Seven conveys this conviction through the notion of "Schneersoncentrism," the belief that the Rebbe steers the world and navigates its events. It discusses two broad domains where the Rebbe's imprint on the world is indelible, according to the Hasidim: natural disasters, which the Rebbe is able to stop, and manmade political upheavals, which the Rebbe can rectify. According to his followers, the Rebbe's fingerprints are evident in key historical moments such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Exodus of its Jews, and the American victory in the second Gulf War. 8The Apotheosis of the Rebbe chapter abstractChapter Eight deals with the sensitive issue of the Rebbe's deification, a corollary of his centrality in the universe. While the Chabad mainstream argues that attempts to deify the Rebbe are limited to the movement's lunatic fringes, it shows that activists in the Meshichist camp are not hostile to these attempts and, under special circumstances, are even willing to give them a voice. The mystical doctrine of the tzadik in Hasidism, which views him as part of the divine system of emanations, and the messianic shturem in Chabad today help attenuate the deep-seated resistance in Judaism to glorifying a human being. 9"To Make Many More Menachem Mendels": Creation and Procreation in Messianic Chabad chapter abstractChapter Nine illustrates the divine role accorded to the Rebbe in the fantasy lives of some of his followers by zooming in on his alleged role in one domain of human misery: infertility and birth problems. Drawing on a small sample of dreaming and waking apparitions, the chapter shows how the childless Rebbe "reproduces" himself by providing childless couples with children in his image. In these reports the Rebbe appears as a creator no less than as a progenitor. 10Holy Place and Holy Time in Meshichist Chabad chapter abstractChapter Ten discusses the spatial and temporal dimensions of holiness in the messianic religion. For the Meshichists, who ordinarily refrain from frequenting the Rebbe's sanctuary in Old Montefiori Cemetery in Queens, the most sacred site is the Rebbe's abode on 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, dubbed "770." Viewed as the house of the Messiah and a wing of the future third Temple, 770 is the Meshichist hub, where the life routine with the Rebbe is kept intact. Replicas of 770 have been built in scores of places across the globe. The Meshichist emphasize two dates in Chabad's ritual calendar: Yod-Aleph (11) Nissan, the Rebbe's birthday, and Gimel Tammuz, the date of the Rabbi's disappearance, euphemistically called the Day of Redemption. 11The Omnipresence of Absence: Messianism in the Technological Age chapter abstractChapter Eleven discusses the present-absent virtual Rebbe, maintained in part by the magic of technology. In analyzing the properties of his virtuality, it is suggested that the Rebbe is multiple (reproduced), close and palpable, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized. The fact that the virtual Rebbe can be directly accessed and equally shared by all Hasidim poses a potential threat to Chabad's hierarchical structure and cohesion. 12Meshichists, Christians, Sabbateans, and Popular Culture Heroes chapter abstractThe dynamic common to past and present messianic movements is the focus of Chapter Twelve. It considers the struggles of Chabad's messianism in light of the Christian and Sabbatean precedents. It also poses a speculative comparison between the cult of the Rebbe that emerges from Chabad's visual culture and the adoration of charismatic entertainment and political celebrities in global popular culture. 13From Tzadik to Messiah: Comparing Chabad and Bratslav chapter abstractChapter Twelve proposes a systematic comparison of Chabad and Bratslav Hasidism. Both of these Hasidic movements lack the defining feature of a classic Hasidic sect, a serving tzadik-admor, yet they are enjoying unprecedented success. Can the flourishing of these two movements be attributed to the messianic expectations they both nurture? In support of this supposition, the chapter seeks to decipher the enigma of the growing popularity of these two "anomalous" Hasidic sects by dwelling on their propensity for border-crossing in various domains. Conclusion chapter abstractThe messianic surge that swept Chabad in the late 20th century has created the opportunity for studying the religious imagination at large, and as a subject in its own right. Messianic movements expand the boundaries of proper religious conduct and bring to the fore modes of action and experience the religious establishment shuns as extreme or subversive. The media and the practices that Meshichists employ to make the absent Rebbe present were born in this fertile, enabling ecology. More daring and pronounced than ordinary institutionalized religious beliefs and rites, they differ only in degree. The conclusion discusses the unprecedented extent to which the Rebbe-cum-Messiah is glorified, the boundless energy his elevated status generates in his followers, and their capacity to cope with the disappointment of his occlusion by sustaining a virtual Rebbe that is palpable and close.

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Book Synopsis"Over the years, Thomas Moore has taught us how to discover the holiness concealed in the ordinary." - Harold Kushner In his latest book, Thomas Moore finds striking new meaning in the rich stories and imagery of the Gospels, recasting Jesus not as a teacher of morals and beliefs but as a spiritual visionary with a radical vision for humanity. This highly original take on the Gospels offers a fresh, new way of imagining human life and society. It presents Jesus not as the founder of a religion but as a world reformer offering a spiritual path to everyone, from every background. It offers a personal spirituality fit for the 21st century, where the individual bears responsibility for meaning and for a creative, convivial way of life. "The sincerity, intelligence and style - so beautifully clean - of Tom Moore's 'Care of the Soul' truly moved me. The book's got strength and class and soul, and I suspect may last longer than psychology itself." - James HillmanTrade ReviewThe sincerity, intelligence and style - so beautifully clean - of Tom Moore's 'Care of the Soul' truly moved me. The book's got strength and class and soul, and I suspect may last longer than psychology itself. James Hillman Over the years, Thomas Moore has taught us how to discover the holiness concealed in the ordinary. Harold Kushner

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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 SynopsisThe world has embraced the idea that gender is something that can be decided by individuals. As Christians encounter colleagues, friends and family members who identify as a gender other than the one they were born, we need to be informed and equipped with knowledge about what the issues are, what different terms mean and what the Bible has to say about these things. While we walk the line between loving our neighbour and not buying into the world’s lies, Sharon James helps us in this informative and practical guide.Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable book, both for the range of material covered and its sharp insights into the dominant pathologies of our time. … a book from which all parents, pastors, and the Christian public in general will greatly benefit. -- Carl R. Trueman (Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies, Grove City College, Pennsylvania)Compassion demands that we grasp the argument of this powerful yet uncomfortable book. This book will help congregations to have clarity where they might be feeling perplexed and it will also help us as we seek to minster in love to those who have been impacted. -- Greg Strain (Senior Pastor, Spicer Street Church, St Albans, England)A powerful, eye–opening, gracious, and ultimately alarming book that will quickly give readers a deeper understanding of the deceptiveness of the modern ‘gender identity’ movement that is rapidly capturing our media, our laws, our schools, and our children – and even our very freedom to speak the foundational truth that God created the human race with two ‘very good’ genders, male and female, and they cannot be changed. -- Wayne Grudem (Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Arizona)This book will prove to be an invaluable resource to Christian parents seeking wisdom in navigating this transgender moment. -- Ryan T. Anderson (Author of ‘When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment’)Though short, it is packed with all the information and background you will need to help you understand what is going on in our culture. Clearly written, well– informed, contemporary and biblical. Personally I would recommend that every Christian have a copy, and every church several. Superb! -- David Robertson (Well–known pastor and apologist)A challenging, confusing and complex topic is handled in an accessible, respectful and compassionate way, which will leave the reader with greater confidence in the truth that we have all been created male or female. -- Philippa Taylor (Head of Public Policy at Christian Medical Fellowship & Consultant on Bioethics)

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Book SynopsisA significant examination of exorcism and deliverance from a range of disciplines focuses on an important but often neglected area of the church's mission to the world. The diversity of essays makes sure that every facet is presented to encourage the reader thoroughly to consider this aspect of the church's approach to evil in our society. Since Jesus of Nazareth made exorcism a cornerstone of his own ministry, the Church has seen itself as engaged in a battle against the demonic. Exorcism has continued to play a role throughout Christian history in this conflict, although it has received different emphases in different times and places, and has been practiced in a range of different ways. Exorcism and Deliverance aims to shed new light on the phenomena of possession and exorcism by looking at them from a range of disciplinary perspectives.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Susan Rankin has for decades reflected on the relations between the visible signs on the page and musical sound. This book boldly steps in a new direction in several fields of study: palaeography, history of the book, history of liturgy, music history, art history, and the broad history of the eighth and ninth centuries.” —Calvin M. Bower, translator of Fundamentals of MusicTable of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Music Examples List of Tables Note on Musical Examples Note on Manuscript Citations Preface Abbreviations Introduction Making Chant Books Part I. Reforming and Regulating 1. Musical Persuasion 2. Musical Eloquence 3. The Provision and Ownership of Chant Books Part II. Displaying Pronuntiatio 4. Making Instructions Visible 5. The Delivery of Festal Readings and Prayers 6. Singing the Psalms Part III. Making Chant Books 7. Books for Priests and Books for Singers 8. Purple, Gold, Silver and Ivory 9. New Directions 10. Fulfillment and Transformation Appendix. Feasts with chants included in the second sacramentary in Paris BnF lat. 9430 and Tours 184 Bibliography Index of Manuscripts General Index

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Book SynopsisOn Easter, 2014, Britain's best-loved vicar, the Rev. Richard Coles, led a pilgrimage to all the major historic sites of the Holy Land: from Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee in the North, via Jericho and the Jordan River, to Bethlehem and, finally, Jerusalem. All of the pilgrims in his care were practising Christians, except one: the writer Kevin Jackson, a diffident and sympathetic atheist intrigued by the chance to take part in this modern-day version of an ancient act of piety, and to learn some more about his old friend, the media clergyman. Coles to Jerusalem is Kevin Jackson's light-hearted diary of that pilgrimage, and a close-up portrait of Richard Coles both as priest and as man. As the journey proceeds, Coles reminisces at length about his past life as a rock star and radical gay agitator, his new life as a spiritual leader and a popular broadcaster on BBC radio and television, and the strange, unpredictable path that led him from self-destructive debauchery to faith and vocation. With a lively supporting cast of fellow pilgrims, Coles to Jerusalem ranges among the magnificence of ancient monuments and the banalities of the guided tour, the grim political background of contemporary Israel and the comedy of a group of idiosyncratic English folk abroad, the intensity of worship and the lightness of banter. It will be irresistible to all admirers of Richard Coles, who has contributed a foreword; and a revelation to those who have never encountered his wisdom and warmth.

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Book SynopsisWho is Jesus? Is he the blonde-haired, blue-eyed saviour of bad religious art? Or is he just another 'good thing', alongside Buddha and crystals? Or is he a fiction - the product of a bunch of first-century deluded fanatics? Bill Donahue has met the real-life dynamic Jesus who even in the twenty-first century can captivate us and transform our lives. And we can encounter him too. In forty short sections, ideal for daily reading, Donahue introduces us to Jesus as provocative teacher, sacred friend, truthful revealer, extreme forgiver, authentic leader, compassionate healer, relentless lover and supreme conqueror. With guidelines for Bible reading and prayer you will find that you too experience the living, breathing, Son of God

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Book SynopsisIn 1917 Annie Besant (1847-1933), a white Englishwoman, was elected president of the Indian National Congress, the body which, under the guidance of Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), would later lead India to independence. Besant - in her earlier career an active atheist and a socialist journalist - was from 1907 till her death the president of the Theosophical Society, an international spiritual movement whose headquarters' location in Madras symbolized its belief in India as the world's spiritual heart. This book deals with the contribution of the Theosophical Society to the rise of Indian nationalism and seeks to restore it to its proper place in the history of ideas, both with regard to its spiritual doctrine and the sources on which it drew, as well as its role in giving rise to the New Age movement of the 20th century. The book is the first to show how 19th century Orientalist study dramatically affected the rise of the Theosophical ideology, and specifically demonstrate the impact of the work of the Anglo-German scholar, Friedrich Max Muller (1833-1900) on Mme Blavatsky (1831-1891), the founder of the Theosophical Society.Table of ContentsChapter 1: In the Footsteps of the Orientalists Chapter 2: Friedrich Max Muller Chapter 3: The Theosophical Society Chapter 4: The Theosophical Doctrine Chapter 5: The Sources of the Theosophical Doctrine Chapter 6. Annie Besant - Her Pre-Theosophical Career Chapter 7. The Struggle Over the Leadership of the Theosophical Society Chapter 8. The Struggle for the Leadership of the Indian National Congress Chapter 9. Krishnamurti - Theosophy and the World Teacher Postscript

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Book Synopsis'It tells of terrible journeys, of men masked against the sun (riding through ethereal regions with their feet frozen), of welcoming fog-girt monasteries lit by butter lamps at the journey's end' New Statesman The Way of the White Clouds is the remarkable narrative of a pilgrimage which could not be made today. Lama Anagarika Govinda was among the last to journey through Tibet before its invasion by the Chinese. His unique account is not only a spectacular and gloriously poetic story of exploration and discovery, it is also invaluable for its sensitive and clearly presented interpretation of the Tibetan tradition.'Why is it that the fate of Tibet has found such a deep echo in the world? There can only be one answer: Tibet has become the symbol of all that present-day humanity is longing for' Lama Anagarika GovindaTrade ReviewA hypnotic picture of the Tibet which has vanished * New Statesman *A vivid and moving portrait of a country that has bewitched travellers for centuries...a profound and compelling portrait * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisBiographical Introduction by William S. Barker. Bunyan wrote extensively on topical theological and practical matters, issues that faced the church in his time, which face us still. The Intercession of Christ is one of these works. In it Bunyan traces the nature of Jesus' intercession, who it should affect, the benefits it gives us and how effective that intercession is. Bunyan is also keen to show the interferences of the doctrine on such subjects as backsliding, how Christ's intervention is affected when we continue to sin, and there sins of God's people worse than the sins of others.

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Book Synopsis John Owen insisted on the importance of the Christian dealing effectively with their sinful tendencies and attitudes. He believed that God, through his Word and Spirit, had provided the guidelines and the power for this to be achieved. In this book, John Owen effectively dismisses various excuses for not engaging in self–scrutiny and yet avoids the current trend of self–absorption. In so doing he provides principles to help believers live lives of holiness. Trade Review"I owe more to John Owen than to any other theologian, ancient or modern, and I owe more to this little book than to anything else he wrote." -- J. I. Packer ((1926–2020), Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, Canada)

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Book SynopsisAn insightful biblical and conversational response from Dr. Tony Evans and his four children---Chrystal Evans Hurst, Priscilla Shirer, Anthony Evans, and Jonathan Evans---on how God uses the hard things of this life to draw us into a deeper faith in Him.

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Book SynopsisIf you're easily distracted when praying, you're not alone. In fact, if you struggle to pray in the first place, that's not unusual either. Tim Chester tells us how we can be great pray-ers. And he admits that that's a really bold claim. 'The secret of great praying has nothing to do with human effort or skill,' he explains. 'Lots of people would like to think that it does because they want to make prayer an achievement.' But the secret of great praying is ... Knowing three things about God: * That God the Father loves to hear us pray * That God the Son makes every prayer pleasing to God * That God the Holy Spirit helps us as we pray Tim looks at: why prayer is easy (how we pray), why prayer is difficult (why we pray) and the arguments and priorities of prayer (what we pray). Prayer is a child asking her father for help. And that's not beyond any one of us.

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Book SynopsisIn this user’s guide to Psychedelic Buddhism, Lama Mike Crowley presents techniques for Buddhists who wish to incorporate psychedelics into their practice as well as for psychonauts who are interested in the maps of inner space provided by Buddhism. The author details how psychedelics have led to spontaneous awakening experiences, such as “Indra’s net” and universal voidness, that were once thought to be available only to advanced meditators. He explores the use of psychedelics, such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, in a Buddhist context, sharing the kind of spiritual experiences and benefits that can be gained with each. The author also looks at the use of psychedelics encoded in Vedic and Buddhist scriptures, particularly in the Vajrayāna tradition, from the Middle Ages until the present day. Presenting an informed summary of Buddhism for psychonauts, the author explores the key beliefs of Buddhism, the life of the Buddha, and the practices followed in various yānas, or paths. He describes meditation techniques, with special attention being given to the generation of the Four Positive Attitudes: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, each being taken from their personal to their universal forms. He looks at Buddhism symbols, ceremonies, deities, and initiations, as well as psychic powers in Buddhist tradition, and how these ideas and practices can be used in the exploration of the inner realms of consciousness. Providing a complete guide to integrating psychedelics into Buddhist practice, this book reveals how the ancient Buddhist teachers discovered their universal maps of consciousness and how you can use their wisdom to guide your journey.Trade Review“When it comes to the intersection of psychedelics and Buddhism, Lama Mike Crowley is like a living encyclopedia, ever-ready with mythological interweavings and historical facts that serve to ground the wisdom he has to share. Adorned with awe-inspiring visionary art, Psychedelic Buddhism lays out an ethical path for the modern Buddhist curious about the integration of psychedelic substances as tools to enhance and deepen spiritual practice.” * Jasmine Virdi, M.Sc., writer, educator, poet, and activist *“Lama Mike Crowley comes fully out of the psychedelic Buddhist closet with Psychedelic Buddhism. This book shows how psychedelic experience can be applied to Buddhist practice for those who already practice Buddhism and how psychedelic users who are interested in Buddhism can familiarize themselves with a wealth of Buddhist traditions, symbols, and ceremonies such as meditation, chanting, visualizations, and even dream yoga. Though a Lama in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, Mike provides his readers with a solid Buddhist education by making ample references to all the various permutations of Buddhism from the early, ‘basic’ Buddhism of Hinayana to the later developments of Mahayana and ultimately to Vajrayana Buddhism. Mike skillfully covers a wide range of Buddhist topics and practices, and as such, the book serves as a well-informed introduction to Buddhism from an insider’s perspective. Additionally, Mike discusses various psychedelics and how they could experientially contribute to Buddhist practice, and he offers guidance and suggestions for creating opportunities for the practicing of psychedelic Buddhism from meditation to picnicking with friends, including how to avoid unnecessary intrusion by curious onlookers. Pour yourself a nice cup of amr. ita, get your bottom properly positioned on that meditation cushion, and let Lama Mike Crowley show you a very different side of Buddhism and Buddhist practice that harkens back to the days when amr. ita and soma were much more than colored and flavored water. Let your bodhicitta flower like a visionary lotus of a thousand psychedelic petals. You just might discover that you’ve always been just what you’ve been looking for in the vast nondual emptiness of the dharmakaya.” * Martin W. Ball, Ph.D., author, visionary artist, and host of The Entheogenic Evolution podcast *Table of ContentsPREFACE What Is a Psychedelic? An Email to My Seven-Year-Old Granddaughter Merging Psychedelics and Buddhism A Note about This BookINTRODUCTION The Lineage of Psychedelic Buddhism PART 1 PSYCHEDELICS FOR BUDDHISTS FOREWORD TO PART 1A Return to Nothingness Dr. Ben Sessa 1 Prerequisites 2 Psychedelic Drugs to Enhance Your Buddhist Practice 3 Where and with Whom to Trip4 Managing Experiences5 A Few Last Words on Psychedelics for Buddhists PART 2 BUDDHISM FOR PSYCHONAUTSFOREWORD TO PART 2The Shared History of Buddhism and Psychedelics in the West by Gwyllm Llwydd 6 A Brief History of Buddhism7 Buddhist Beliefs 8 Symbols in Buddhism 9 So . . . What Is a Buddhist?10 A Few Last Words for Psychonauts Who Want to Explore Buddhism PART 3 BECOMING A PSYCHEDELIC BUDDHIST 11 Foundations 12 Vows Taken by Buddhists13 Traditional Practices14 Sitting Meditation Practice 15 Group Meditation Practice 16 Daily Practices 17 The Four Positive Attitudes 18 Yoga of the Dream Path 19 Psychic Powers and Magic 20 Tales of Psi-chedelics21 Poems for Contemplation 22 A Final Wish APPENDICES RESOURCES FOR THE READER APPENDIX 1 Suggested Ceremonies APPENDIX 2 The Formal Refuge Ceremony for Becoming a Buddhist APPENDIX 3 Refuge Formulas APPENDIX 4Bodhisattva Vows APPENDIX 5 Dedications of MeritAPPENDIX 6 Buddhist Festivals Further ReadingGlossary Index

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Book SynopsisIn easy to understand language, this text describes how anyone, of any age or background, may consecrate their heart to Jesus, through Mary, using the celebrated method of St Louis de Montfort. Progressing through four successive themes over 33 days, and by way of daily scripture, guidance from St Louis's writings, sayings from the saints, reflections, resolutions and prayer, we are led to personal conversion and consecration of our heart and will to those of Jesus through his mother Mary.

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Book SynopsisLiving with the Law explores the marital disputes of Jews in medieval Islamic Egypt (1000–1250), relating medieval gossip, marital woes, and the voices of men and women of a world long gone. Probing the rich documents of the Cairo Geniza, a unique repository of discarded paper discovered in a Cairo synagogue, the book recovers the life stories of Jewish women and men working through their marital problems at home, with their families, in the streets of old Cairo, and in Jewish and Muslim courts. Despite a voluminous literature on Jewish law, the everyday practice of Jewish courts has only recently begun to be investigated systematically. The experiences of those at a legal, social, and cultural disadvantage allow us to go beyond the image propagated by legal institutions and offer a view “from below” of Jewish communal life and Jewish law as it was lived. Examining the interactions between gender and law in medieval Jewish communities under Islamic rule, Oded Zinger considers how women experienced Jewish courts and the pressure they faced to relinquish their monetary rights. The tactics with which women countered this pressure—ranging from exploiting family ties to appealing to Muslim courts—expose the complex relationship between individual agency, gendered expectations, and communal authority. Zinger concludes that, more than money, education, or lineage, it was the maintenance of a supportive network of social relations with men that protected women at different stages of their lives.

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Book SynopsisRitual baths aren’t just a way to bring about things you desire; they’re for connecting with the divine, creating a space for change and moving your energy toward new opportunities in life. Water is a natural healer, and by harnessing its properties you can let go of past experiences, transform your thoughts and cultivate positive attraction. Pair your ritual baths with botanical bundles, dried herbs and incense for the perfect energetic cleansing. Discover some of the easiest and most powerful ritual baths, such as: Crown of Success Bath for confidence, attracting abundance and good luck Passionflower Lovers Bath for reducing anxiety and soothing the nervous system Psychic Attack Head Bath for psychic self-defence and protection Communication Bath for better communication and stronger connections Waning Moon Bath for fully letting go and moving forward Creativity and Inspiration Bath for gaining perspective and feeling rejuvenated. Don’t be intimidated, beginner witches! Your own bath can be easily turned into a sacred space. Ally Sands shows you how to prepare, how often to practice and all of the steps needed to manifest your intentions. Water is the source of life itself— unleash its power.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on decades of personal and professional experience, Dr. Mark Epstein considers how his practice of psychotherapy and meditation can be used in tandem to lead his patients, and himself, to greater awareness and fulfillment.For much of his career, Dr. Mark Epstein kept his beliefs as a Buddhist separate from his work as a psychiatrist. But as he became more forthcoming with his patients about his personal spiritual leanings, he was surprised to find how many of them were eager to learn more. The divisions between the psychological, emotional, and the spiritual, he soon realized, were not as distinct as one might think.In The Zen of Therapy, Dr. Epstein reflects on a year’s worth of selected sessions with his patients and observes how, in a given hour, his Buddhist background influences his work. He emphasizes how Western therapy can be considered a two-person meditation, and how mindfulness, much like a good therapist, can

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Book SynopsisReincarnation -- by which human beings return to live on earth -- is a concept most often associated with eastern philosophies rather than Christianity. Yet in this challenging book, Rudolf Frieling makes the case for the integration of reincarnation into a Christian world view.He shows how an esoteric Christianity was brought to life again through the thinking of Rudolf Steiner, arguing that theology around the 'end of days' has shown how a gap exists between death and resurrection on the Last Day.Presenting the essence of Christianity, Frieling shows how it harmonises with reincarnation, and examines the relationship of reincarnation to the Bible.Trade Review'It is an encouraging and hopeful vision.'-- David Lorimer, Network Review

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Book SynopsisThe experience of 'hearing voices', once associated with lofty prophetic communications, has fallen low. Today, the experience is typically portrayed as an unambiguous harbinger of madness caused by a broken brain, an unbalanced mind, biology gone wild. Yet an alternative account, forged predominantly by people who hear voices themselves, argues that hearing voices is an understandable response to traumatic life-events. There is an urgent need to overcome the tensions between these two ways of understanding 'voice hearing'.Simon McCarthy-Jones considers neuroscience, genetics, religion, history, politics and not least the experiences of many voice hearers themselves. This enables him to challenge established and seemingly contradictory understandings and to create a joined-up explanation of voice hearing that is based on evidence rather than ideology.Trade ReviewAn engaging enquiry into the psychology and neuroscience of voice hearing that explores hallucinated voices in all their fascinating forms. -- Vaughan Bell, University College London, UKA remarkable book about voice hearing, which provides an accessible account of the science, but does not lose track of the meaning of the experience. It is compassionate, controversial and compelling! -- Chris Cook, Professor of Spirituality, Theology & Health at Durham University, UKWith rigorous science, penetrating analyses, colourful and enjoyable prose, and an astonishing breadth of knowledge - Simon McCarthy-Jones has delivered a book that will undeniably be appreciated by many. -- Frank Larøi, University of Bergen, Norway and University of Liège, BelgiumOn finishing this book my initial instinct was to re-read it in order to appreciate its insights for a second time. Can't You Hear Them? is not only a work of impressive scholarship but a compelling, beautifully-written story of human experience and endeavour. -- Dr Eleanor Longden, Psychosis Research Unit, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, UKA brilliant and thoughtful travel into the complex experience of hearing voices. Superbly written, with intelligence, but also a delightful sense of humour, this book will become an indispensable addition to the bookshelves of clinicians, scientists and people who hear voices. -- Renaud Jardri, MD, PhD, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lille, FranceClinicians should recommend this volume to their patients, scientists should recommend it to their students, and voice hearers should recommend it to others in the voice hearing community. I cannot think of a better accolade than to say few would fail to benefit from reading this volume, irrespective of whether the audience is seeking answers to the experiences one is having or seeking guidance on the underlying mechanisms of voice hearing per se. -- PsycCRITIQUES * American Psychological Association *This is a little gem of a book, and a must-have for anyone working with, living with, or curious about voices. -- Vanessa Beavan * Psychosis *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction. 1. Desperately Seeking Silence. 2. Context, Not Cortex. 3. Religion Weaponizes Medicine. 4. Manufacturing Meaning. 5. There's Still Steel in Sheffield. 6. A Candle in the Dark. 7. The Psychiatric Reformation. 8. Variety with Commonality. 9. Doublespeak. 10. Only God Knows. 11. Follow the Trauma. 12. Certified Organic. 13. Beyond Diagnosis. 14. Two Point Five Percent. 15. Where to Start with Causes. 16. Breast Pumps from Hell. 17. Hypervigilance Hallucinations. 18. What Have They Done To You, Poor Child?. 19. Can Child Abuse Cause Voice-Hearing?. 20. Voice-Hearing as Memories of Trauma. 21. What Encourages Voice-Hearing After Trauma?. 22. The Galaxy in Your Head. 23. Grey Matter Changes in the Voice-Hearing Brain. 24. Where Wilder's Things Roam. 25. What is the Brain Doing When Someone is Hearing Voices?. 26. White Matter Changes in the Voice-Hearing Brain. 27. Who May I say is Calling?. 28. Take into the Air My Quiet Breath. 29. Meet you in Malkovich. 30. Right is Might. 31. Speak, Memory. 32. TPJ. 33. Vigorously Resting. 34. A Tranquilliser by Any Other Name?. 35. Antipsychotics: Heart-Warming and Heart-Breaking. 36. Enter Synapse. 37. The Truths They Are A'changing. 38. The Untamed Prediction. 39. Neurodevelopmental Theories. 40. Are There Genes for Hallucinations?. 41. When the World Speaks, the Genome Listens. 42. Turning to Recovery. 43. The Long Talk to Freedom. 44. The Voice-Hearer's Stone. 45. The Master's Tools. 46. I Came a Stranger, I Depart a Stranger. 47. What Causes the Causes?. Conclusions. References

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Book SynopsisHospice chaplains have traditionally played a unique part in palliative care, providing human compassion and support to help ease life's final chapter. This book thoughtfully tackles the question at the heart of modern hospice chaplaincy: do chaplains have a distinctive role in an increasingly secular society?A comprehensive look at why and how this work needs to be done, each chapter will be a rich resource for hospice chaplains and anyone working within a hospice multi-disciplinary team. Taking the form of reflections by chaplains and other professionals, they examine the tension between sacred and secular space, explore how spiritual care works in a changing society, and look at what voice a chaplain has within the hospice team.Essential reading for chaplains, this insightful book reflects on the important work undertaken by hospice chaplaincies and explains why they continue to be a vital resource for end-of-life care.Trade ReviewThis book explores the chaplain's unique role and the privilege of being involved in the lives of those who approach death. Varied contributors helpfully probe the inner life of the chaplain and her relationships with staff and volunteers. It explores the changing role of the hospice chaplain, but has great relevance for all involved in End of Life care. I wholeheartedly commend it to all who have an interest in healthcare chaplaincy. -- Revd Mark Burleigh, Head of Chaplaincy & Bereavement Services, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and President, College of Health Care ChaplainsChallenged by the exigencies of health economies and the demands of secularists, chaplaincy is in transition. The diverse voices brought together by Murphy and Whorton speak to that transition with harmony and clarity about the 'traditional' values that shape chaplaincy identity and care, and that determine the distinctive contribution chaplains make to multi-professional team working. -- Revd Dr Steve Nolan, Princess Alice Hospice, Esher, and The University of WinchesterFifty years after Dame Cicely Saunders founded the first modern hospice in 1967, this book is a timely and fitting tribute to her legacy. It consists of a series of reflections by chaplains and allied professionals, and is packed with inspiration, experience, and good practice. -- Revd Ann Fulton, Spiritual Care Co-ordinator for St Margaret's Hospice, Somerset * Church Times *Anyone who is involved in hospice work, or anyone working with people who are ill and lost, will find much in this book which is of value. -- The Revd John Lampard * Methodist Recorder *Table of ContentsForeword by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff. Introduction. Part One: Locating the Work of Palliative Care Chaplaincy. 1. Then and Now. The Most Reverend Dr Richard Clarke, The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and Judy Davies, Methodist Minister and Chaplain at Sue Ryder - Duchess of Kent Hospice, Reading, UK. 2. What Kind of Place is a Hospice? Karen Murphy, President of the Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains (AHPCC), UK and Julian Abel, Weston Area Health Trust and Vice President of Public Health Palliative Care International, and Chair of the UK Branch. 3. Many Faiths, No Faith. Abbas Khalifa, Imam, Healthcare Chaplain, UK, The Revd Stig Graham, Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplain, UK, Kathryn Morrison, Bank Chaplain, LOROS Hospice, Leicester, UK, Martin T. Hill, St. Giles Hospice, Lichfield, UK and Simon O' Donoghue, The Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network, UK. 4. The Contribution of Volunteers. Karen Murphy. Part Two: Reflecting Theologically. 5. A Good Death? Revd Canon Dr Margaret Whipp, Oxford University Hospital, UK and Jonathan Wittenberg, Rabbi, New North London Synagogue, UK. 6. Towards a Theology of Palliative Care Chaplaincy. Revd Canon Helen Newman, Spiritual Care Lead Chaplain, LOROS Hospice, Leicester, UK and Revd Dr Jonathan H. Pye, Chair of the Bristol District of the Methodist Church, Hon. Research Fellow, Centre for Ethics in Medicine, Research Associate, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol. Part Three: Who Are We? 7. Our Unique Role. Margery Collin, Chaplain, Strathcarron Hospice, Stirlingshire, UK and Jacki Thomas, PhD, Retired Hospice Chaplain. 8. Do We Have a Voice? Revd Caroline McAfee, Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Lead, Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast, UK, David Buck, Spiritual Care Co-Ordinator, Sue Ryder - Wheatfields Hospice, Leeds, UK and Ruth White, CEO, Rowans Hospice, UK. 9. Mirror, Mirror. Jessica Rose, Senior Accredited Member, Association of Pastoral Supervisors and Educators, Member of the Institute of Pastoral Supervision and Reflective Practice and Andy Edmeads, Anglican Priest and Chaplain to Children And Young Adults Hospice, UK. 10. Holding the Tension. Lousie Adey Huish, Chaplain, Myton Hospice, Warwick, UK and Gary Windon, Chaplain, Nightingale House Hospice, Wrexham, UK. 11. Our Place in the Shadows. Margaret Jill Brown, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, Member of Severnside Institute for Psychotherapy, Founding Patron of The Harbour, UK and Bob Whorton, Chaplain, Sit Michael Sobell House, UK. 12. Our Own Nourishment. The Revd Matthew Hagan, M.Phil, Southern Area Hospice, Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, President, Northern Ireland Healthcare Chaplains Association, UK and Dawn M. Allan, Spiritual Care Lead Chaplain, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland, UK. 13. A Creative Resource. The Revd Sally Bedborough, Chaplain, Weldmar Hospicecare, Dorset, UK, Liza Waller, Chaplain, Hospice in the Weald, Kent, UK and Nell Mellerick, Creative Artist and Hospice Day Service Manager, UK. 14. Looking to the Future. Ewan Kelly, Visiting Professor, Research Co-Ordinator, European Research Institute for Chaplains, Academic Centre for Practical Theology, University of Leuven, Belgium. Appendices.

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Book SynopsisWho is this ascended Jesus? He is King, Priest and man and is still at work. Ultimately he is humanity in the presence of God. Here we discover how we are a part of the Ascension. With the Spirit’s enlightening we can begin to understand the Ascension. Tim Chester introduces us to this important doctrine.Trade Review"Glorious and unexpected truths are here constantly laid bare for our wonder and our joy." -- Jonathan Stephen (Principal, Wales Evangelical School of Theology, Bridgend, Wales)"Chester and Woodrow have given us a gift that will lift our eyes from this temporal horizon to the steppes of eternal joys of our High Priest in heaven." -- Eric C. Redmond (Executive Pastoral Assistant and Bible Professor in Residence New Canaan Baptist Church, Washington, DC Council Member, The Gospel Coalition)"The writers show us the Bible's answers to these questions and many more. If you have ever wondered why the ascension is critical to being a disciple of Jesus or why it wasn't just a bad strategy by God that removed the main evidence for Christianity, you will find plenty of help here." -- Marcus Honeysett (Director of Living Leadership and author, Kent, England)"With the publication of Chester and Woodrow's The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God, I'm grateful to be able to point others to an accessible and inspiring study of this central Christian doctrine. In reading this book, Christians will find their minds sharpened and hearts warmed. Delightfully, the book ends with an Ascension hymn. Theology leads to doxology." -- Robert L. Plummer (Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky )

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Book SynopsisWhat if you woke up one morning knowing that it was your last day on earth? That’s what happened to the thief on the cross, who died a few feet from Jesus. Heaven, How I Got Here is his story, told in his own words, as he looks back from Heaven on the day that changed his eternity, and the faith that can change yours.Trade ReviewHow I wish that every skeptic and every believer would read this book! -- Erwin Lutzer (Senior Pastor, Moody Church, Chicago, Illinois)Here is a gripping account of God's amazing grace that comes alive as recounted from this unusual and really helpful perspective. -- Alistair Begg (Senior Pastor, Parkside Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio)I've never read anything like this! This compelling first-person account from a heavenly perspective helped me understand and appreciate what Jesus endured on the cross and why he did it. -- Collin Hansen (Editor–in–Chief, The Gospel Coalition; author, ‘Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation’)...brilliant idea beautifully executed...combines pastoral wisdom and narrative skill to help us get inside the heart and mind of the thief on the cross, crucified next to the Christ on Calvary. -- Justin Taylor (Executive vice president for book publishing, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois)Colin S. Smith brings the thief on the cross to life in the 96- page novella Heaven, How I Got Here. He writes imaginatively from the thief's perspective while dealing respectfully with the biblical account. For instance, he doesn't invent words to put in Jesus mind or mouth. Instead, as we follow the thief through his last day on earth- from eating his breakfast, to carrying his cross, to finally breathing his last- Smith shares poignant reflections on law, justice, faith, and forgiveness. Through it all, he continually brings our attention back to Christ's work on the cross and His offer of salvation to all who believe.Christians looking for a book to savor on the beach, share with graduates, or challenge unbelieving friends will want to take note. -- WORLD Magazine...fuses together profound theology, historical veracity and gospel integrity with a vivid and dramatic writing style which is compelling on every page. This book is genre defying. -- David MeredithThis book takes the story of the thief on the cross and tells it from his point of view. He describes his last day on earth. In a lively, clear and readable way huge doctrines of scripture are explained: sin, repentance, faith, redemption, justification, substitutionary atonement, propitiation, heaven and hell. All are wonderfully unpacked from the point of view of a man who starts the day in the kingdom of darkness and ends it in the kingdom of light.This book would be great, and different, to give to an interested non-Christian. But it makes an inspiring and stimulating read for any believer also, enabling the redeemed to ponder anew the glory and the shame of the cross.Short on words; long on truth. -- Evangelicals NowHere is a short book to read and give away to a non-Christian friend or acquaintance. Written in the first person, it tells the story of Good Friday from the perspective of the crucified criminal who ask the Lord Jesus to remember him. With a biblically informed imagination, Colin Smith recounts the way this guilty crucified criminal went from condemned cell, via the agony of crucifixion, to the joy of heaven with the Lord Jesus. He imagines the criminal looking back on that last day from the perspective of the eternal security of heaven. He speaks as an eyewitness of the sufferings of Jesus; one who heard His words spoken from the cross. What unfolds is a story of amazing grace. Here was a man with nothing to commend him; with no time to turn over a new leaf; with no record of a new start. He simply turned to the Lord Jesus and asked for mercy. What a demonstration of the truth that whoever comes to Jesus will never be driven away! This is a book to buy, read and give away. I know of one believer who on reading this book ordered ten and quickly found opportunities to give them away to others, including to his barber. Here in Enfield we have bought a pile and are urging folk to read it before Easter with a view to then passing it on to a friend. Go for it! -- Jonathan PrimeSomewhere in the midst of these pages you discover that you're not simply in the cast; you are center stage, eyeball to eyeball with God himself. And what happens when that realization hits has power to change your life forever. -- Christopher CastaldoColin Smith takes a fresh approach to a sometimes troubling topic. Instead of describing heavenly details like the people you'll meet, the things you'll do, or the appearance of the Holy Spirit, Smith writes from the heavenly vantage point of the person closest to Jesus as he died on the cross: the thief at his side who would come to believe... I was gripped by the thief's play-by-play of the passion story as it unfolded, and how he came to see the gospel implications of Jesus's actions toward those around-toward his executors, toward his mother, and toward the thief himself. Heaven, How I Got Here oozes gospel truth.Its accessible format makes it easy to give away and even read in one sitting. Pastors would be wise to have a few on hand to give to seekers, those struggling with assurance, and those needing a deeper and more personal look at the good news.If you are looking to deepen your understanding of God's cross-shaped love and to share it with others, I can't help but warmly commend Heaven, How I Got Here. -- The Gospel Coalition

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