Religion Books

Book SynopsisMaps and guideposts are helpful when we undertake a journey. The ten Ox-Herding Pictures, the accompanying ancient poems, and a modern commentary by John Daido Loori, sketch the spiritual path encountered in Zen training, a path of exhaustive study of the self and the realization of the ultimate nature of reality. The Ox-Herding Pictures can be our companion on the Way of self-discovery, our compass and perspective when we need one. They are a bottomless source of mysterious wisdom to which we can return again and again for inspiration, and they translate easily into the gritty reality of spiritual practice that emerges from and grounds us in the inescapable relevance of our daily lives. The exquisite versions of the pictures found in the book are traditional Chinese nanga brush paintings by Gyokusei Jikihara Sensei, a modern Japanese master of calligraphy and a teacher in the Obaku School of Zen. The traditional verses accompanying them have been translated by John Daido Loori and Kazuaki Tanahashi, translator and editor of Enlightenment Unfolds: The Essential Teachings of Zen Master Dogen.

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Book SynopsisTo Be Human presents Krishnamurti''s radical vision of life in a new way. At the heart of this extraordinary collection are passages from the great teacher''s talks that amplify and clarify the nature of truth and those obstacles that often prevent us from seeing it. Most of these core teachings have not been available in print until now. Besides presenting the core of Krishnamurti''s message, the book alerts the reader to his innovative use of language, the ways in which he would use 'old words with new interpretations,' then gives practical examples, showing that we can clarify our understanding of life itself—and act on this new understanding. The splendid introduction by David Skitt discusses Krishnamurti''s philosophy as a guide to knowledge and experience, the roles knowledge and experience should play in our lives, and the times when it is best to cast them aside and 'look and act anew.' The book''s source notes will aid the inquisitive reader who wishes a deeper understanding of this great teacher''s message.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This striking ethnography sticks in one's mind: rooms full of silent meditators coordinating their body rhythms on a tacit channel, observing sensations over every inch of their bodies, and washing away pains not by seeking their causes but by detached attention. Pagis depicts meditation in a secular age, not as religion but as bodies among bodies giving each other space to repair the inroads of too much social self."--Randall Collins, University of Pennsylvania "Pagis' beautifully written, brilliantly argued ethnography of meditation makes three major contributions: it shows how some of our most private experiences are socially enabled; it demonstrates how our selves are not only linguistically but sensuously mediated; and it reveals how attention is not merely a faculty but a practice. All three have profound consequences for understanding the sociality of human beings."--Andreas Glaeser, University of Chicago "Pagis deftly draws readers into the world of contemporary vipasanna meditation, and in so doing shows us how fruitful--and important--sociological attention to the varied social practices that retool the relations of self and other, private and public, visible and invisible, can be. Inward is a beautifully rendered ethnography with important implications for the study of the body and self-making."--Courtney Bender, Columbia University

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Book SynopsisHere is the inimitable Zen Master Seung Sahn up close and personal?in selections from the correspondence that was one of his primary modes of teaching. Seung Sahn received hundreds of letters per month, each of which he answered personally, and some of the best of which are included here. His frank and funny style, familiar to readers of Dropping Ashes on the Buddha, is seen here in a most intimate form. The beloved Zen master not only answers questions on Zen teaching and practice, but applies an enlightened approach to problems with work, relationships, suffering, and the teacher-student relationship.

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Book SynopsisEvery spiritual practice, every exercise of consciousness, all meditation -- indeed, every moment of true awareness -- we do with the 'gentle will', even if we are unaware of it initially and cannot fully activate it yet. Through practice, however, the gentle will begins to shine, and we gradually gain the ability to access it in our ordinary, daily activities, allowing our lives to become infinitely richer, meaningful and creative.The gentle will is relaxed, receptive, expressive, creative, soft, light and playful. It is not rigid or cramped. We use the gentle will in artistic activities such as playing a musical instrument, writing a poem, or painting a picture. In today's world, however, life is governed by the principles of usefulness, utility, comfort, and efficiency -- the hard will of egoism. Georg Kühlewind writes in this book that the only hope he sees of avoiding global destruction is a change in human consciousness; the 'hard will' must become the 'gentle will'. To this end, he provides exercises through which we may transform the hard will into the gentle will.

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Book SynopsisLigon Duncan and Susan Hunt present a practical theology of women's ministry in the local church.

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Book SynopsisExamines God's Word to form a theology of forgiveness, helping readers move beyond the wounds of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships. A helpful resource for anyone who struggles to extend forgiveness.

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction to this Edition by Fr. Alfred Wierzbicki Author's Introduction Part I. Morality as the Field Proper to Ethics 1. The Problem of the Experience of Morality 2. Experience and understanding 3. From a Pre-scientific to a Philosophical Understanding 4. Understanding and Interpretation 5. The Debate about the Interpretation of Morality 6. The Interpretation of Morality as the Uncovering of its Aspects Part II. The Normativity of Ethics & the Responsibility of the Person 1. The Understanding of Morality and the Questions of Ethics 2. The World of Norms—Their Analogical Character 3. An Attempt at a Closer Determination of Moral Norms 4. Utilitarianism: Is it only a debate about the foundations of the norms of morality? 5. Utilitarianism & Teleology 6. Norms as Truths about Goodness 7. Norms and Exemplarism 8. Ethics—A Normative Science or a Practical One? Part III. The Natural Law & Personalist Norms 1. The Full Profile of Ethics 2. The Limits of a Practical Science 3. The Limits of a Normative Science

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Book SynopsisCollected here are two hundred of the most memorable quotations from the pen of the incomparable St. Augustine. Each quotation appears in Latin and English in a new clear and rhetorically correct translation by Silvano Borruso. The topics are grouped in broad categories, such as order, God, human life, truth and wisdom, reward and punishment, the Church, scripture, and virtues, and the book contains a careful, detailed subject index and quotable-line index, which together will allow the reader to find any quote desired.

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Book SynopsisBest-selling author Kevin DeYoung equips Christians to clearly define grace by looking at the Canons of Dort, exploring the historical context, theological implications, and practical applications of this important document in the Reformed tradition.

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Book SynopsisSpiritual disciplines are often viewed primarily as a means to draw us closer to God. While these practices do deepen and enrich our "vertical" relationship with God, Kyle David Bennett argues that they were originally designed to positively impact our "horizontal" relationships--with neighbors, strangers, enemies, friends, family, animals, and even the earth. Bennett explains that this "horizontal" dimension has often been overlooked or forgotten in contemporary discussions of the spiritual disciplines. This book offers an alternative way of understanding the classic spiritual disciplines that makes them relevant, doable, and meaningful for everyday Christians. Bennett shows how the disciplines are remedial practices that correct the malformed ways we do everyday things, such as think, eat, talk, own, work, and rest. Through personal anecdotes, engagement with Scripture, and vivid cultural references, he invites us to practice the spiritual disciplines wholesale and shows how changing the way we do basic human activities can bring healing, renewal, and transformation to our day-to-day lives and the world around us.Table of ContentsContentsForeword by James K. A. SmithIntroduction: Spiritual Heroin: How Not to Get Fixed1. Spiritual Disciplines and the Way of Love2. "What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive?": Simplicity and Renewed Owning3. Directions for Ruling the Mind: Meditation and Renewed Thinking4. This Is My Tummy, Which I Will Curb for You: Fasting and Feasting and Renewed Eating5. Time-Out for Adults: Solitude and Renewed Socializing6. Controlling the Chatterbox: Silence and Renewed Talking7. How to Make Friends and Empower People: Service and Renewed Working8. Work Hard, Consecrate Hard: Sabbath Keeping and Renewed Resting9. Who's Afraid of Love? Everyday Discipline for the Life of the WorldFurther ReadingIndex

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Book SynopsisWhen a Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Special Agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous assignment yet. Complicating matters is the arrival of investigative reporter Gabby Rowley, who's on a mission to discover the truth. Can they ignore the sparks between them and track down this elusive killer?

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Book SynopsisProvides an account of the life of the Catholic saint, a teaching on prayer, and tells the details of her many visions.

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Book SynopsisA Tibetan Buddhist master shares his commentary on Santideva''s Way of the Bodhisattva, illuminating the path to enlightenment and the meaning of true compassion What would be the practical implications of caring more about others than about yourself? This is the radical theme of this extraordinary set of instructions, a training manual composed in the fourteenth century by the Buddhist hermit Ngulchu Thogme, here explained in detail by one of the great Tibetan Buddhist masters of the twentieth century, Dilgo Khyentse. In the Mahayana tradition, those who have the courage to undertake the profound change of attitude required to develop true compassion are called bodhisattvas. Their great resolve—to consider others’ needs as paramount, and thus to attain enlightenment for the sake of all living creatures—carries them beyond the limits imposed by the illusions of “I” and “mine,” culminating in the direct realization of reality, transcending dualistic notions of self and other. This classic text presents ways that we can work with our own hearts and minds, starting wherever we find ourselves now, to unravel our small-minded preoccupations and discover our own potential for compassion, love, and wisdom. Many generations of Buddhist practitioners have been inspired by these teachings, and the great masters of all traditions have written numerous commentaries. Dilgo Khyentse’s commentary is probably his most extensive recorded teaching on Mahayana practice.

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Book SynopsisHere are the inspirational life and teachings of Awa Kenzo (1880-1939), the Zen and kyudo (archery) master who gained wordwide renown after the publication of Eugen Herrigel''s cult classic Zen in the Art of Archery in 1953. Kenzo lived and taught at a pivotal time in Japan''s history, when martial arts were practiced primarily for self-cultivation, and his wise and penetrating instructions for practice (and life) - including aphorisms, poetry, instructional lists, and calligraphy - are infused with the spirit of Zen. Kenzo uses the metaphor of the bow and arrow to challenge the practioner to look deeply into his or her own true nature.

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Book SynopsisNow in Paperback! Explore with the Dalai Lama the common ground underlying the diverse traditions of Buddhism.Buddhism is practiced by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, from Tibetan caves to Tokyo temples to redwood retreats. To an outside viewer, it might be hard to see what they all have in common. In Buddhism, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and American Buddhist nun Thubten Chodron map out with clarity the convergences and the divergences between the two major strains of Buddhism—the Sanskrit traditions of Tibet and East Asia and the Pali traditions of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Especially deep consideration is given to the foundational Indian traditions and their respective treatment of such central tenets as      the four noble truths      the practice of meditation      the meaning of nirvana      enlightenment.  The authors seek harmony and greater understanding among Buddhist traditions worldwide, illuminating the rich benefits of respectful dialogue and the many ways that Buddhists of all stripes share a common heritage and common goals.

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Book SynopsisThe images released by Islamic State of militants smashing statues at ancient sites were a horrifying aspect of their advance across Northern Iraq and Syria during 2015-16. Their leaders justified this iconoclasm (destruction of images) by arguing that such actions were divinely decreed in Islam, a notion that has remained fixed in the public consciousness. The Image Debate: Figural Representation in Islam and Across the World is a collection of thirteen essays which examine the controversy surrounding the use of images in Islamic and other religious cultures and seek to redress some of the misunderstandings that have arisen. Written by leading academics from the United States, Australia, Turkey, Israel and the United Kingdom, the book has a foreword by Stefano Carboni, Director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, followed by an introduction by the editor Christiane Gruber, who sets the subject in context with a detailed examination of the debates over idols and the production of figural images in Islamic traditions. Twelve further articles are divided into three sections: the first deals with pre-modern Islam: Mika Natif looks at tensions between the Hadith prohibition on images and the praxis of image-making under the Umayyad dynasty and argues that the Umayyad rulers used imagery to establish their political and religious authority; Finbarr Barry Flood examines the practice of epigraphic erasure, i.e., the removal of names of rulers and patrons from historical inscriptions from the medieval Islamic world; and Oya Pancaroglu focuses on the figural conventions of an illustrated manuscript of Varqa and Gulshah, a medieval Persian romance composed in the masnavi (rhyming couplet) form by the 11th-century poet `Ayyuqi. The second section addresses the situation outside Islam: Alicia Walker surveys attitudes toward the production and veneration of religious images in Byzantium from the earliest years of the Christian Roman Empire (early 4th century) to the aftermath of the Iconoclast controversy (late 9th century); Steven Fine explores the history of Jewish engagement with `art' from Roman antiquity through the high middle ages through a detailed exploration of the 3rd-century Dura Europos synagogue and its wall paintings; Michael Shenkar examines evidence for the employment of figural images in the cultic practices of some of the major ancient Iranian cultural and political entities, offering a broad perspective on perceptions of images in ancient Iranian worship; and Robert DeCaroli delves into the question of why no image of the Buddha was made during the first five hundred years of Buddhism. The third section brings the reader back to Islamic lands with five articles examining aspects of the issue in the modern and contemporary periods: Yousuf Saaed investigates South Asian mass-produced images, especially posters that include illustrations of local Sufi shrines, portraits of saints and Shi`i iconography; James Bennett explores the visual depiction of Javanese shadow puppets (wayang kulit), including the sage Begawan Abiyasa, whose narratives convey key elements of Sufi mystical philosophy; Allen and Mary Roberts consider images of Cheikh Amadu Bamba, the founding Sufi saint of the Senegalese Mouride order; Rose Issa addresses how the term `Islamic' relates to contemporary art, how artists manage to create work in countries in constant turmoil and to what extent such works reflect their conceptual, aesthetic, and socio-political concerns; and finally Shiva Balaghi traces the use of the figure, along its symbolic shadows and silhouettes, in works by notable Iranian artists living in Iran and in diaspora.

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Book SynopsisThe first English translation of Mipham Rinpoche''s commentary on the "wisdom" chapter of Shantideva''s classic text, in which Mipham explains Madhyamaka philosophy from the perspective of the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Shāntideva’s guide to the training of a Bodhisattva is one of the most important and beloved texts in the Tibetan tradition. The ninth chapter, however, dealing with Madhyamaka, the Middle Way, the most profound wisdom view of Mahayana Buddhism, has always posed unique challenges to readers. This commentary by the great scholar Mipham Rinpoche presents in quite straightforward terms Shāntideva’s exposition of emptiness, the essential foundation of all Buddhist doctrine, demonstrating that it is not only compatible with, but in fact crucial to, the correct understanding of other important Buddhist teachings such as karma, rebirth, and the practice of compassion. Mipham interprets Shāntideva according to the view of the Nyingma school, which in some respects was at variance with the religiously and politically dominant interpretation of the text in Tibet at that time. As a result, his commentary stirred up a furious debate. With the addition of a critique of Mipham Rinpoche’s view by a prominent scholar of the time, along with Mipham’s response, that debate is beautifully captured in this volume.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Eire provides an enthralling exploration of the life and influence of an important historical work." * Publishers Weekly *"[An] admirable book."---Lavinia Byrne, Church Times"Carlos Eire relates this story with commendable lightness of touch. In his hands there is nothing suspicious or frightening about Teresa’s interior life with angels and demons, and the reader is given a quasi-divine reassurance that it really doesn’t matter if those modern theoretical interpretations are too abstruse to be readily understood."---Stella Fletcher, Times Literary Supplement"This is an important . . . tribute to a great saint by an intelligent, erudite and humane author."---Alexander Jolliffe, Catholic Herald"The Vida is Teresa’s attempt to come to grips with her visionary experiences, mainly between 1554 and 1565, but within the context of an apologetic or forced confession so that the authorities could examine her writings for fraud, challenge to authority and orthodoxy. The challenge to readers then, and even more so now, is her unquestioning assumption and experience that ‘human beings can transcend the sensory material world and have intimate relations with the Creator of the universe.’" * Paradigm Explorer *"Carlos Eire has written an excellent introduction to The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila. Written in his clear, accessible and lively prose, Eire places the sixteenth-century Spanish nun’s life into each of the contexts a reader would need to engage her mystical writings."---Marc R. Forster, Journal of Ecclesiastical History

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Essential reading for this moment.”—David Brooks, New York Times “Sweeping and exhilarating.”—Publishers Weekly“[Gorski] charts one way to political reconciliation in these divisive times. . . . This is an important work, one that returns us to our national origins.”—Kirkus Reviews“A rich, detailed account of the history of efforts to define American religion.”—Sarah Posner, American Prospect“Writing as both a citizen and a scholar, Gorski wraps his passionate appeal for the common good in a thoroughly documented and convincing argument. A remarkable achievement.”—Choice“Indispensable reading for lay readers and specialists alike.”—Michael R. Whitenton, Reading Religion

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Book SynopsisColorful stories about and profound teachings of Patrul Rinpoche, one of the most impactful teachers and thinkers in the Tibetan tradition from the nineteenth century.The life and teachings of the wandering yogi Patrul Rinpoche—a highly revered Buddhist master and scholar of nineteenth-century Tibet—come alive in true stories gathered and translated by the French Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard over more than thirty years, based on the oral accounts of great contemporary teachers as well as written sources. Patrul’s life story reveals the nature of a highly realized being as he transmits the Dharma in everything he does, teaching both simple nomads and great lamas in ways that are often unconventional and even humorous, but always with uncompromising authenticity.

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Book SynopsisFrom the legendary cofounder of Tibet''s nineteenth-century nonsectarian movement, an encyclopedic survey of the practice of Chod, or severance, a tantric ritual based on the crucial Mahayana sutras to sever clinging to an ego and thereby achieve realization. The Treasury of Precious Instructions by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature, presenting essential teachings from the entire spectrum of practice lineages that existed in Tibet. In its eighteen volumes, Kongtrul brings together some of the most important texts on key topics of Buddhist thought and practice as well as authoring significant new sections of his own.In this, the fourteenth volume, Kongtrul compiles the teachings on Severance, or Chöd. It includes some of the tradition’s earliest source scriptures, such as the “grand poem” of Āryadeva, and numerous texts by the tradition’s renowned founder, Machik Labdrön. Kongtrul also brings together the most significant texts on the rites of initiation, empowerments for practice, and wide-ranging instructions and guides for the support of practitioners. Altogether, this quintessential guide to Severance offers vast resources for scholars and practitioners alike to better understand this unique and remarkable tradition—the way of severing the ego through the profound realization of emptiness and compassion.

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