Religion Books

Book SynopsisYou've read the myth of the Golden Fleece. Now find out how it really was for Jason and the Argonauts in this gripping reimagining of the famous Ancient Greek tale, and first book in the breathtaking Blades of Bronze series. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Neil Gaiman and Natalie Haynes. He has come to take what is yours... Iolkos, Greece, 1230 BC. King Pelias has grown paranoid, tormented by his murderous past and a prophecy of the man who will one day destroy him. When a stranger arrives to compete in the Games of Poseidon, Pelias is horrified, for this young man should never have grown to manhood. He is Jason, Pelias' nephew, who survived his uncle's assassins as a child. Now Jason wants his revenge – and the kingdom. But Pelias is cunning as well as powerful. He gives Jason an impossible challenge: to claim the throne, he must first steal the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason assembles a band of Greece's finest warriors. They are the Argonauts, named for their trusty ship. But even with these mighty allies, Jason will have to overcome the brutal challenges hurled his way. His mission and many lives depend on his wits – and his sword. PRAISE FOR THE BLADES OF BRONZE SERIES AND MARK KNOWLES 'A bold and thrilling voyage that plunges you deep into the world of ancient myth' Daisy Dunn 'Mark Knowles has taken the legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece, and stripped it down to its bare bones... A deeply researched historical epic, so brilliantly brought to life I could taste the salt air on my tongue... Epic battles, well-rounded characters sailing through a brilliantly described world' Adam Lofthouse 'What a spectacular triumph! Knowles has taken a reassuringly familiar legend and elevated it into a new, realistic and engrossing story' Sam Taw 'Knowles has combined historical realities with sure-footed imagination... brilliant' Dr Paul Millett '[Knowles] has teamed his love of learning classics and childhood love of sword-and-sandals epics to accomplish something remarkable' Boarding Schools' AssociationTrade ReviewA deeply researched historical epic, so brilliantly brought to life I could taste the salt air on my tongue... Epic battles, well rounded characters sailing through a brilliantly described world -- Adam Lofthouse, author of The Centurion's Son[Knowles] has teamed his love of learning classics and childhood love of sword-and-sandals epics to accomplish something remarkable * Boarding Schools' Association *What a spectacular triumph! Knowles has taken a reassuringly familiar legend and elevated it into a new, realistic and engrossing story. This glorious hero quest is packed with intrigue, adventure, mystery, and beautifully written skirmishes, raising the stakes higher and higher as the crew venture into darker and more treacherous lands. The characters are well drawn and compelling, each with their own flaws and motives woven into the plot. The tribal politics, subversion and battle scenes leave you hungry for more of this dazzling epic, so I hope it won't be too long until a sequel is released! -- Sam TawKnowles has combined historical realities with sure-footed imagination... Brilliant -- Dr Paul Millett, Cambridge University, on The Consul's Daughter

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

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Book SynopsisJames's letter is famous for its practical wisdom and its heart for gospel transformation reflected in action. James is like Proverbs in the New Testament - but written as a letter, reflecting the New Covenant of Christ. It advises believers facing cultural challenges in the diaspora how to approach practical issues like trials and suffering, the proper use of the tongue, and poverty and wealth from a worldview shaped by Christ. Stated simply, it teaches believers about living life in God's world by God's rules. In James Verse by Verse, the late Grant R. Osborne invites readers to delve into this uniquely structured, immensely practical book. James is all about what early Christians called "the Way" and, as such, holds a unique place in the New Testament. This commentary will help modern readers embrace James as a distinctively Christian letter, full of wisdom for everyday life.

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Book SynopsisThe Max Lucado Life Lessons series offers intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take readers deeper into God's Word.

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Book SynopsisTogether in one special volume, selections from the best of beloved, bestselling author C. S. Lewis's classic works for readers contemplating the grand miracle' of Jesus's resurrection.Preparing for Easter is a concise, handy companion for the faithful of all Christian traditions and the curious to help them deepen their knowledge and consideration of this holy season a time of reflection as we consider Jesus's sacrifice and his joyous rise from the dead.Carefully curated, each selection in Preparing for Easter draws on a major theme in Lewis's writings on the Christian life, as well as others that consider why we can have confident faith in what happened on the cross.Trade Review‘He has quite a unique power for making theology an attractive, exciting and fascinating quest’ Times Literary Supplement ‘I find I am constantly realising that I owe many of my most basic convictions about Christian faith to Lewis’s imagination’ Rowan Williams

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Book SynopsisThe full text of the classic King James Version with robust study notes and dozens of study resources in a convenient size to help you grow deeper in your faith. This edition is published in large KJV Comfort Print type, which was designed exclusively for Thomas Nelson to be the most readable at any size.Available for the first time in large Comfort Print, the beloved Foundation Study Bible is now more readable and helpful than ever! A rich resource for everyone longing to understand more of God''s Word, whether you''re a beginner or an experienced disciple, The Foundation Study Bible includes extensive study helps: verse-by-verse study and theological notes, full-color maps, a concordance, and cross-references. Featuring an easy-to-use layout that is concise and trustworthy, with straightforward and broad study notes that help you study God’s truth, the KJV Foundation Study Bible

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Book SynopsisNow in large print! Build a firm foundation for your faith with the NKJV Foundation Study Bible from Thomas Nelson. Designed for beginners or experienced students of Scripture, this trusted Bible is an accessible and edifying guide to study God’s Word.

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Book SynopsisThe full text of the trustworthy New King James Version with robust study notes and dozens of study resources in a convenient size to help you grow deeper in your faith.Available for the first time in large Comfort Print, the beloved Foundation Study Bible is now more readable and helpful than ever! A rich resource for everyone longing to understand more of God''s Word, whether you''re a beginner or an experienced disciple, The Foundation Study Bible includes extensive study helps: verse-by-verse study and theological notes, full-color maps, a concordance, and cross-references. Featuring an easy-to-use layout that is concise and trustworthy, with straightforward and broad study notes that help you study God’s truth, the NKJV Foundation Study Bible, Large Print Edition is a great choice for any Bible student or church leader.Intended for both beginning and experienced students of Scripture wh

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Book SynopsisPolytheistic Monasticism: Voices From Pagan Cloisters is an anthology of writings from the forefront of the first wave of experimental monastic spirituality in the modern polytheist-animist revival. In this groundbreaking anthology, contemplative practitioners tell their stories of exploring classic monastic disciplines such as eremitic life, asceticism, retreat, service, and simplicity.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the John Gilmary Shea Prize, American Catholic Historical Association""Winner of the Best First Book in the History of Religions, American Academy of Religion""Karin Vélez’s study of the cult of the Virgin of Loreto brilliantly encapsulates the current historiography of the Counter-Reformation. . . . Vélez’s prose is lyrical and her true gift is that of a storyteller."---Jan Machielsen, Times Literary Supplement"Vélez has written a well-researched, thoughtful book that will be a permanent contribution to the mythohistory of Loreto."---David D'Andrea, Journal of Early Modern History

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Book SynopsisMarcion is unanimously acknowledged to be one of the most important and most intriguing figures of the Early Church. In spite of this importance, there is no comprehensive up-to-date study on his life and thought. Thus, the desire to fill this gap within the academic world - which is inconvenient for both students and professors alike - has been the inspiration for writing this thesis. However, this work does not only aim at providing a complete study on Marcion for the twenty-first century, but also at ridding scholarship from several severe misconceptions regarding the arch-heretic. The main argument of Sebastian Moll's study is that previous scholarship has turned Marcion's exegesis of Scripture upside down. He did not find the inspiration for his doctrine in the teachings of the Apostle Paul, it is the Old Testament and its portrait of an inconsistent, vengeful and cruel God which forms the centre of his doctrine. Marcion does not understand the Old Testament in the light of the New, he interprets the New Testament in the light of the Old. This insight casts a new light on Marcion's place within the history of the Church, as the initiator of a fundamental crisis of the Old Testament in the second century. But not only did he have an enormous influence on Christian exegesis, he also stands at the beginning of the epochal fight between orthodoxy and heresy. As the first man to ever officially break with the Church for doctrinal reasons, and whose biography would become a stereotype for future heresiologists, Marcion can rightfully claim the title of 'arch-heretic'.

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Book SynopsisThe Holy Quran presents an irrefutable basis and belief system for the establishment of a stable and harmonious life in this world, and a triumphant return to Paradise in the Next. There are misunderstandings about the very source-springs of human well-being the belief in the spiritual realities of existence, the infinite love for the Holy Messenger, and the unity regarding the implementation of the divinely revealed programme for human society.Young people all over the world, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, are brought up and educated in an environment permeated by scientific materialism. It is modern learning which programmes their minds and causes them to reject anything they find incompatible with what they have been taught about man and life on the earth. This book will clarify the misunderstandings and confusions about Islamic spirituality on scientific grounds.Scientific orthodoxy refers to magnetic sensitivity in human beings, electromagnetic energies that permeate our atmosphere, the flow of positive and negative ions in the atmosphere affecting human brain activity, the function of the pineal gland and many other empirical sources of transcendent experience that are yet to be investigated. This magnetic energy basis of spiritual experience, which the scientific camp has been forced into revealing, has proved to be a welcome development of modern science from the point of view of Islamic spirituality.The younger generation of modern times will have their belief reconfirmed by the study of the scientific facts cited in this book. The scientific reality of Islamic spirituality is demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt.

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Book SynopsisA classic of spiritual literature - Mikhail Naimy, a contemporary of Kahlil Gibran, author of The Prophet, has woven legend, mysticism, philosophy and poetry into a powerful allegorical story that has touched the hearts of millions of readersTrade Review'Millions of people have tried to write books so that they can express the inexpressible, but they have utterly failed. I know only one book, The Book of Mirdad, which has not failed; and if you cannot get to the very essence of it, it will be your failure, not his.' Osho

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Book SynopsisUnderstand, confront, and walk in freedom from fear with renowned Bible teacher and New York Times bestselling author, Joyce Meyer.Fear will never entirely disappear from your life, but you can confront and overcome it! Courage isn't the absence of fear; it is moving forward in the presence of fear. Courageous people do what they believe in their hearts they should do, no matter how they feel or what doubts fill their minds. In DO IT AFRAID, Joyce Meyer explains that fear is everywhere and affects everyone. It rules many people, but it doesn't have to be that way. The first portion of this book will help you understand fear and recognize how it works in your life, and the second will help you confront fear. In the third section, you will learn about mindsets that will position you for freedom from some of the most common fears people face.Fear is the devil's favorite tool in the toolbox of schemes he uses to destroy God's good plan for you. He uses it to hold you back and prevent progress in every area of your life. That is why you must take ownership of your problems and open your heart to God. He will help bring light into darkness. If you can understand fear and how it operates, you can be free from it!

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Book SynopsisOne of Neville's Most Transformative Works With a Major Biography and TimelineWritten in 1944, Feeling Is the Secret resounds with the full power of Neville Goddard's mystical vision. With total persuasiveness, Nevillewriting at the peak of his abilitiesdemonstrates how the world without reflects your world within. What's more, the mystical visionary explains exactly how to use his system of mental creativity through the methods of prayer, sleep, and assumption. Feeling Is the Secret is one of the most revolutionary works of practical spirituality ever written. It promises a turning point in your life.In this beautifully designed deluxe edition you benefit not only from Neville's radical statement, but also from a comprehensive and enthralling analysis and biography of Neville, Chariot of Fire, by spiritual thinker Mitch Horowitz, who is considered the most powerful interpreter of Neville's ideas today. Mitch's comprehensive essay is a spiritual and historical journey in itself. This edition is rounded out with Mitch's timeline of Neville's life. Here is a resource book that you will turn to again and again.NEVILLE GODDARD (1905-1972) was one of the most remarkable mystical thinkers of the past century. In more than ten books and thousands of lectures, Neville expanded on one core principle: the human imagination is God. He was a compelling presence at metaphysical churches, spiritual centers and auditoriums. Neville was not widely known during his lifetime, but today his books and lectures have attained new popularity. His principles have influenced several major spiritual writers, including Carlos Castaneda and Joseph Murphy.

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Book SynopsisThis companion to The Universal Christ by bestselling author Richard Rohr offers 40 practical, inspiring Christian reflections on what it means to live 'in Christ'Trade ReviewRohr and Boland prove to be compassionate, encouraging mentors . . . Christians looking to deepen their spiritual practice will find rich material and wise guidance here. * Publishers Weekly on EVERY THING IS SACRED *Boland's responses, seasoned with a Jungian approach, are generously thoughtful, and may well prove helpful to those wanting to grasp the core of Rohr's theology and its consequences. His "reflective exercises" prompt the reader to dive deeper to unlearn destructive habits of the mind. * Mark Oakley, Church Times on EVERY THING IS SACRED *Rohr sees the Christ everywhere, and not just in people. He reminds us that the first incarnation of God is in Creation itself, and he tells us that "God loves things by becoming them." Just for that sentence, and there are so many more, I cannot put this book down. -- Bono, U2 on THE UNIVERSAL CHRISTHere Fr Richard helps us to see and hear Jesus of Nazareth in what he taught, what he did and who he is – the loving, liberating and life-giving expression and presence of God. In so doing he is helping Christianity to reclaim its soul anew. -- Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America on THE UNIVERSAL CHRISTFr Richard challenges us to search beneath the surface of our faith and see what is sacred in everyone and everything. Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book. -- Melinda Gates, author of The Moment of Lift on THE UNIVERSAL CHRISTRohr has a wonderful attention to detail and a profound capacity to unfold what it means to see the reality of Christ in Creation and in and through our human struggles. This is a remarkable book . . . Be aware also that [it] is not an entirely comfortable read - Rohr offers those who journey with him in this narrative some radical theological wisdom. -- Canon James Woodward, Principal of Sarum College on THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST

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Book SynopsisThe life and legacy of Xuanzang: a Buddhist seeker, philosopher, and intrepid traveler who became the world''s most famous pilgrim.In the fall of 629, Xuanzang (600–662), a twenty-nine-year-old Buddhist monk, left the capital of China to begin an epic pilgrimage across the country, through the deserts of Central Asia, and into India. His goal was to locate and study authentic Buddhist doctrine and practice, then bring the true teachings back to his homeland. Over the course of nearly seventeen years, he walked thousands of miles and visited hundreds of Buddhist monasteries and monuments. He studied with the leading teachers of his day and compiled a written account of his travels that remains a priceless record of premodern Indian history, religion, and culture. When Xuanzang finally returned to China in 645, he brought with him a treasure trove of new texts, relics, and icons. This transmission of Indian Buddhist teachings to China, made possible by Xuanzang’s unparalleled vision and erudition, was a landmark moment in the history of East Asian Buddhism. As with many great pre-modern religious figures, the legends surrounding Xuanzang’s life have taken on lives of their own. His story has been retold, reshaped, and repurposed by generations of monastics and laypeople. In this comprehensive and engaging account, Benjamin Brose charts a course between the earliest, most reliable accounts of Xuanzang’s biography and the fantastic legends that later developed, such as those in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Xuanzang remains one of the most consequential monks in the rich history of Buddhism in East Asia. This book is an indispensable introduction to his extraordinary life and enduring legacies.

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times paperback bestseller and Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month*Featuring a brand new chapter!*''Never have the joys of exploring the churches and cathedrals of this country been so vividly conveyed as they are in this engaging and elegiac book.'' - New Statesman **BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**''A delicious treat'' - Financial Times **TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**''A charming odyssey'' - The Times''A wonderful book; thoughtful and challenging'' - Daily Telegraph *****''A beautiful book'' - Gabriel Byrne ''Beautiful and brilliant. I loved it'' - Fergus Butler-Gallie From the author of A Tomb With a View - Scottish Non-Fiction book of the Year Churches are all around us. Their steeples remain landmarks in our towns, villages and cities, even as their influeTrade ReviewWhat makes Steeple Chasing so compelling - and it is a wonderful book; thoughtful and challenging - ... is Ross's essential kindness, his unfailing empathy with the people he meets on his pilgrimage. * Daily Telegraph *A charming odyssey . . . in this lyrical love letter to churches Ross reminds us there is something worth saving and people who will make the effort. * The Times *His book is a delicious treat, and one that both believers and sceptics will enjoy. * Financial Times *Reading a book is another reciprocal act: if it's good, it stays with you. Ross's readers will have his words humming through them for a long time. * Spectator *Lovely, lyrical, whimsical, elegiac ... Ross has a gift for making you feel you're there with him, just as awed as he is. * Times Literary Supplement *Ross has always had a quiet charm, and it is perhaps displayed best in this book. . . it is properly interested in humanity, especially in its complexity. * The Scotsman *Steeple Chasing is, as you might expect from Ross, itself a beautiful object, full of delicacy and deliberation in the writing. . .a fascinating, beautifully written book full of both the strange and the terrible, but also full of grace and love. * The Herald *Beautifully observed and evocatively written. * Country Life *Never less than fascinating. * Books From Scotland *

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Julian Baggini explores the arguments for atheism, and dispels some common myths, explaining how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. This new edition discusses the recent flowering of 'New Atheism' and considers the position of atheism in society today.Table of Contents1: What is Atheism? 2: The case for atheism 3: Atheist ethics 4: Meaning and purpose 5: Atheism in history 6: Beyond the Atheism 7: Conclusion Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisIn When Words Matter Most, Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser encourage and guide women to discover that they can make a difference in the lives of those they love who are worried, weary, wayward, and weeping.

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Book SynopsisIn this installment in the New Testament Theology series, trusted scholar Thomas Schreiner walks readers step-by-step through the book of Revelation, considering its themes, symbolic imagery, and historical context.

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**A TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR SELECTION**As heard on The Tim Ferriss Show!'Captivating'TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT'The book Shukman was born to write'NATALIE GOLDBERG, author of WRITING DOWN THE BONES'A wonderful and generous book'DAVID HINTON, author of THE WILDS OF POETRY***One Blade of Grass is award-winning novelist and poet Henry Shukman's account of his journey through the world of Zen Buddhism. Raised in a rationalist household in Oxford during the spiritual heyday of the Sixties and Seventies, an unexpected spiritual awakening would prompt a lifelong quest to integrate the experience into his life, leading him eventually to Zen Buddhism. As Shukman gets to grips with meditative practice and struggles with anxiety, depression and the chronic eczema he had had since childhoods, he discovers in surprising ways the emotional, spiritual and even physical healing that he has been searching for all along.By turns humorous and moving, this beautifully written memoir demystifies Zen training, casting its profound insights in simple, lucid language, and takes the reader on a journey of their own, into the hidden treasures of life that contemplative practice can reveal to any of us.

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Book SynopsisA pastoral guide to dealing wisely with domestic abuse in the local church. This book is intended to equip pastors, church leaders and church members to respond with the heart of God to situations of domestic abuse that occur in their local church. Prioritising the safety of the victim at all times, Jeremy Pierre and Greg Wilson seek to help you be the kind of church leader, church member, friend, parent, sibling, or neighbor who responds wisely. We want the church to be a new normal for those grown accustomed to abuse. A home that doesn’t hurt those inside, but instead welcomes them into the tender care of the Lord. Split into three sections, When Home Hurts begins with an overview to provide a framework for understanding abuse and the people caught up in it, before moving on to advice on how to help in the short and long terms. This very practical, pastoral book acknowledges the reality and the horror of domestic abuse, but also the reality and power of God to heal. It will be a helpful guide to anyone who suspects abuse within their church family but is unsure how to help without making things worse. The five appendices at the end of the book offer helpful answers to difficult questions as well as additional resources. Section 1 – How to Understand Abuse Understanding Your Role as Agent of God’s Love Understanding Abuse Dynamics Discerning Abuse Dynamics Section 2 – How to Help in the Short Term Caring for the Victim Confronting the Abuser Considering Collateral Damage Section 3 – How to Help in the Long Term Helping the Move from Victim to Overcomer Helping the Move from Abuser to Servant Leading Your Church to Respond with Wisdom and Compassion Appendix A – FAQs in the Initial Stages Appendix B – FAQs on Separation, Divorce, and Reunification After Abuse Appendix C – The Authority of Scripture and Abuse Research Appendix D – Resources Appendix E – Care Advocate Role DescriptionTrade ReviewWhen Home Hurts is the theologically rich, field tested approach to domestic abuse intervention that the Church needs today. -- Chris Moles ( Author of ‘The Heart of Domestic Abuse: Gospel Solutions for Men Who Use Violence and Control in the Home’)An accessible and practical handbook for the church and her people. When Home Hurts is written with care, attention to even the most minute detail, and a dedication to seeing the whole body built up and flourishing. A needed work for these times -- Lore Ferguson Wilbert (Author of ‘Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry’)This helpful resource will alleviate the concern and stress that will come in these difficult situations by helping define what your roles are and what they are not, giving you a plan and procedures to follow, and identifying key sources of support. I cannot recommend it higher. -- Curtis W. Solomon (Executive Director, The Biblical Counseling Coalition)An excellent treatment of one of the most challenging topics facing the church today. Pierre and Wilson have tackled abuse in a way that is both practical and theologically robust. -- Stephen Viars (Senior Pastor, Faith Church, Lafayette, Indiana)When Home Hurts is packed with clarifying biblical insights and concrete action steps for church leaders who encounter Domestic Abuse. Tremendous wisdom and experience have gone into the shepherding plans and assessment tools found in this book. This makes it an essential and invaluable guide that every church should have at the ready. -- Darby Strickland (Author of ‘Is it Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims’ & Faculty member, CCEF )Comprehensive in its scope and compassionate in its approach, I have no doubt that we will be returning to this resource time and time again to offer competent, biblical, gracious counsel to the abused. -- Jonathan D. Holmes (Executive Director, Fieldstone Counseling, & author, ‘Counsel for Couples: A Biblical and Practical Guide for Marriage Counselling’)Written by wise and experienced church leaders, for church leaders, this book takes an extremely practical approach rooted in very clear and thoughtful theological categories. I am thrilled that this book finally exists! -- Alasdair Groves (Executive Director of CCEF)Pastors will love the theological nuance and practical ways the authors lay out how to have tough conversations with victims, abusers and congregants. Counselors will appreciate the prioritizing of safety planning and trauma work with victims as well as the fresh insights of how to handle the passive resistance of the abuser. -- Leslie Vernick (International speaker, relationship coach and author of ‘The Emotionally Destructive Relationship’ and ‘The Emotionally Destructive Marriage’)There is a great need for more Christian resources on abuse which understand that safety is the primary concern when a victim has the courage to confide their experience of abuse. That is why I am grateful for When Home Hurts. -- Brad Hambrick (Pastor of Counseling, The Summit Church, Durham, North Carolina)Few experiences of suffering appear more overwhelming and complex than domestic abuse. This book will equip you with relevant truths of the gospel so that you can respond with strength, peace, and simplicity. -- John Henderson (Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)

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Book SynopsisHow to Heal the Sick, Cast Out Demons, Raise the Dead--and More!The Bible says that if you belong to Jesus, you have the power to:· heal the sick· cast out demons · bring deliverance to those trapped in spiritual darkness· prophesy in his name· call forth creative miracles· receive supernatural words of wisdom and knowledge· even raise the deadSo why do so many Christians live powerless lives? Why do they operate with so little faith?Having gone through his own journey from doubt to belief, Chicagoland pastor Robby Dawkins now ministers and speaks internationally, and where he goes, miracles happen. In these pages he shares incredible stories of God using ordinary people to do the impossible. And he shows that, when you begin to have faith in the power of God, take him at his Word, and understand his love for you, you will see his power released in healings, financia

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2016 Best First Book in the History of Religions, American Academy of Religion One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2016 "Anyone interested in exploring the intricacies and complexities of Islam as a religion, philosophical system and social text should study the new bookWhat Is Islam?... [A] perfect antidote to our present discourse."--Hussein Ibish, New York Times "One can't but be impressed by the grandeur of Ahmed's vision."--Malise Ruthven, London Review of Books "This is an enduring and timely work well worth the effort for those interested in discerning the essence of Islam beyond the seeming paradoxes of its own representations."--Publisher's Weekly "A bold new conceptualisation of Islam that reflects its contradictions and rich diversity."--Bookseller Buyer's Guide "[A] major new study ... a strange and brilliant work, encyclopedic in vision and tautly argued in the manner of a logical proof, yet pervaded by the urgency of a political manifesto."--The Nation "We can be grateful ... that Ahmed managed to complete this extraordinary work. Scholars from east and west will be under his influence for years to come."--Sameer Rahim, Prospect "In this monumental work, the late Shahab Ahmed sought new answers to important questions: How does one understand what Islam is? How does one study it meaningfully? ... This volume will be central to the study of Islam and of religion more broadly for the foreseeable future."--Choice "Remarkable."--Damian Howard, The TabletTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Preface xiii Part One Questions What Is Islam? 3 Chapter 1 Six Questions about Islam 5 Part Two Conceptualizations Chapter 2 Islam as Law, islams-not-Islam, Islamic and Islamicate, Religion and Culture, Culture and Civilization 113 Chapter 3 Religion and Secular, Sacred and Profane, Theocentric and Anthropocentric, Total Social Fact, Family Resemblance 176 Chapter 4 Culture, Meaning, Symbol System, Core and Nucleus, Whatever-Muslims-Say-It-Is, Discursive Tradition, Orthodoxy, Process 246 Part Three Re-Conceptualizations Chapter 5 Hermeneutical Engagement, Pre-Text, Text, and Con-Text, Meaning-Making for the Self, Spatiality of Revelation, Hierarchy, Exteriority-Interiority, Public and Private, Language and Vocabulary, Ambivalence and Ambiguity, Metaphor and Paradox 301 Chapter 6: Applications and Implications: Coherent Contradiction, Exploration, Diffusion, Form and Meaning, Modern 405 The Importance of Being Islamic 542 Works Cited 547 Index 593

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Book SynopsisExplores the history of witches and witchcraft in Hollywood films, starting with early depictions where the witch is ignored or demonized to more contemporary depictions where the witch is respected as an archetypal expression of unfettered womanhood and femininity.

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Book SynopsisShunryu Suzuki’s extraordinary gift for conveying traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language is well known to the countless readers of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. In Zen Is Right Here, his teachings are brought to life powerfully and directly through stories told about him by his students. These living encounters with Zen are poignant, direct, humorous, paradoxical, and enlightening; and their setting in real-life contexts makes them wonderfully accessible. Like the Buddha himself, Suzuki Roshi gave profound teachings that were skilfully expressed for each moment, person, and situation he encountered. He emphasized that while the ungraspable essence of Buddhism is constant, the expression of that essence is always changing. Each of the stories presented here is an example of this versatile and timeless quality, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right here, right now, in this very moment.

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Book SynopsisSpirituality & Practice “Best Books of 2021” Award WinnerIn this new collection of quotes from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and stories from his students, the presence, wisdom, and humor of a great Zen teacher come alive once more.The teachings of Shunryu Suzuki have served for innumerable people as the gateway to Zen practice and meditation. In Zen Is Right Now, devoted student and biographer David Chadwick sheds new light on Suzuki’s presence and teachings through selected quotes from his lectures and a variety of stories told by his students. Complementary to another collection about Suzuki, Zen Is Right Here, this book offers a joyful bounty of anecdotes and insights, revealing a playful and deeply wise teacher who delighted in paradox and laughed often. Each of the stories and quotes presented here is an example of the versatile and timeless quality evident in Suzuki’s teaching, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right now, in this very moment.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on over fifty years of research and data collected by field-school students, Hawkins argues that two factors - cultural collapse and systematic social and economic exclusion - explain the recent religious transformation of Maya Guatemala and the style and emotional intensity through which that transformation is expressed.

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Book SynopsisThe book "The Scientific Muslim" challenges negative perceptions of science in Islam, emphasizing the Qur'an's emphasis on scientific knowledge. It criticizes Muslims for blindly following without understanding, urging them to use logic and reason in interpreting the Qur'an.

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Book SynopsisHis Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama tells the story of his life with stunning illustrations by world-renowned artist Rima Fujita.One of the most revered spiritual figures of our time—His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama—tells the story of his life in this intimate, timeless, and approachable book. Featuring luminous illustrations from world-renowned artist Rima Fujita and some never-before-shared details, it’s the perfect way to explore the life of the Dalai Lama. This simple yet powerful text combined with stunning artwork will captivate readers of all ages—and will take you on a mystical journey you won’t soon forget. 

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Book SynopsisThe Name of God is Mercy, Pope Francis' exploration on the universal theme of mercy, is a spiritual inspiration to both followers of Christianity and non-Christians around the world.Drawing on his own experience as a priest and shepherd, Pope Francis discusses mercy, a subject of central importance in his religious teaching and testimony, and in addition sums up other ideas – reconciliation, the closeness of God – that comprise the heart of his papacy. Written in conversation with Vatican expert and La Stampa journalist Andrea Tornielli, The Name of God is Mercy is directed at everyone, inside or outside of the Catholic Church, seeking meaning in life, a road to peace and reconciliation, or the healing of physical or spiritual wounds.Trade ReviewPope Francis's chatty tone, his repeated references to episodes in his own life and his clear, down-to-earth language, so rarely found in papal pronouncements, make The Name of God Is Mercy a pleasure to read. * The Guardian *Francis offers the most vivid glimpse yet of this thinking on the struggles facing the Church in the 21st Century * Sunday Telegraph *This gift for teaching - along with his inclusive vision of the world, and his warm, embracing manner - have been hallmarks of the pope's whirlwind tenure thus far in the Vatican, and they also inform his new book, The Name of God Is Mercy * The New York Times *What makes his book most moving is the way in which this man, without disrespecting his own privacy or offering false bromides of modesty (what Douthat derides as "ostentatious humility"), opens the sacred space of his conscience to explain how he came to center his ministry, and now his papacy, around mercy. * The New Yorker *Francis speaks succinctly-and with refreshing forthrightness. . . . He emphasizes moral sincerity over dogma, an understanding of the complexities of the world and individual experience over rigid doctrine. . . . The pope has an easy conversational style that moves effortlessly between folksy sayings and erudite allusions, between common-sense logic and impassioned philosophical insights -- Michiko Kakutani, The New York TimesAs he has done throughout his papacy, Pope Francis shows in this book a compelling way to present God's love anew to a skeptical world without denying the ancient teachings of faith. But now he is challenging the entire Church to trek a new way forward -- TimeFrancis enjoys sharing personal stories of God's grace and mercy in the lives of parishioners from his native Argentina, people he has known and who have recognized themselves as sinners -- The Washington PostPowerful . . . Francis's book signals a plea for a change of attitude on the part of the faithful and their pastors. . . . Bishops and priests will talk and quarrel over the text for months, even years to come. And that, perhaps, is what Francis intends -- Financial Times

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