Religion Books

Book SynopsisThis stimulating book covers all area of the twelfth century Muslim philosopher's life from his transmission of Aristotelian thought to the Western world, to his conflict with the Ash'arite theologians.Trade Review‘A concise yet powerful representation of Averroes’ thought and Islamic philosophy in general.’ * Journal of Islamic Philosophy *

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Book SynopsisThoughtful and challenging, this book argues for a reassessment of the role historically played by Islam in Africa, and offers new hope for in creased mutual understanding between African people of different faiths. Drawing on a wealth of sources, from the colonial period to the most up-to-date scholarship, the author challenges the widely held perception th at, while Christianity oppressed and subjugated the African people, Islam fitted comfortably into the indigenous landscape. Instead, this penetrating account reveals Muslim settlers to be as guilty of enforcing slavery and conversion as those of their more maligned sister tradition. Only with an acknowledgement of the true roles of both faiths in African history, suggests Azumah, can the people of both traditions move themselves and their continent towards a new future of tolerance and self-awareness.Table of Contents1. A glance at Post-Colonial Assessment of the Western-Christian and Arab-Islamic Legacies in Tropical Africa; Definition of the Problem; A Critique of Prevailing Approaches and Perceptions; Methodology, Outline and Sources. 2. Indigenous Africa as a Cultivating Ground for Arab-Islam; Introduction; The Introduction of Islam to Tropical Africa; The Indigenous African Environment and Conversion to Islam; Conclusion. 3. Muslim Jihad and Black Africa; Introduction; Sunni Muslim Doctrine of JihadJihad - Theories and Campaigns in Africa; Interpreting the Jihad Tradition in Africa; Evaluating the Jihadists' Shari`a Rule; Conclusion. 4. Muslim Slavery and Black Africa; Introduction Slavery in Muslim Africa - Indigenous or Islamic Stimuli?; Classical Muslim Ideology of Enslavement; Muslim Slavery and the Slave Trade - The Arab-Oriental; Dimension; Muslim Slavery and the Slave Trade - The African Dimension; The Various Roles of Slaves in Muslim Lands; The Condition of Slaves in Muslim Lands - Theory versus Practice; Encountering the Encounters - Arab-Islamand Black African Experience; Introduction; Truth, Dialogue and Confessional Loyalty; The Need to Rethink Arab-Islam in Light of the African; Experience; The Arab Factor in Sunni Islamic Orthodoxy.

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Book SynopsisWithout Buddha I Could not be a Christian narrates how esteemed theologian, Paul F. Knitter, overcame a crisis of faith by looking to Buddhism for inspiration. From prayer to how Christianity views life after death, Knitter argues that a Buddhist standpoint can encourage a more person-centred conception of Christianity where individual religious experience comes first, and liturgy and tradition second. Moving and revolutionary, this edition comes with a new conclusion – ‘Jesus and Buddha Both Come First!’ ‘A compelling example of religious inquiry.’ New York Times ‘One of the finest contemporary books on the encounter between religions in the heart and soul of a single thoughtful person.’ Library JournalTrade Review"In this revealing retrospective, Knitter recounts very personally how his encounters with liberation theology and with other religions, especially Buddhism, challenged and transformed his Christian faith. This will be of interest to all who are concerned with religious diversity and social justice." -- Leo Lefebure, Professor of Theology, Georgetown University and author of The Buddha and the Christ"The dialogue between Christianity and Buddhism is one of the most important conversations of our time, and Paul Knitter's new book shows why. It offers much more than words: religion at its best transforms us, and herein we see its fruits. If you want to know how religions can help to revitalize each other, this is the place to start." -- David Loy, Besl Family Chair for Ethics/Religion and Society at Xavier University and author of Money Sex War Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution"A compelling example of religious inquiry." * New York Times, *"Knitter's rich book should be a source of fascination and guidance for seekers of all sorts. One of the finest contemporary books on the encounter between religions in the heart and soul of a single thoughtful person." * Library Review *"Radiates wisdom and warmth. Is it possible to become more fully Christian by taking most seriously the Buddhist path -- becoming Buddhist in order to live more fully the Christian life? Agree or not with Paul's answer, we can be most grateful to him for pressing the question and making so very clear the possibilities and risks along the way." -- Francis X. Clooney, Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsPreface: Am I Still a Christian? 1 Nirvana and God the Transcendent Other 2 Nirvana and God the Personal Other 3 Nirvana and God the Mysterious Other 4 Nirvana and Heaven 5 Jesus the Christ and Gautama the Buddha 6 Prayer and Meditation 7 Making Peace and Being Peace Conclusion: Promiscuity or Hybridity? Glossary Sources and Resources Index

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Book SynopsisFrom his many births to his deathbed deeds, this authoritative biography unites the Buddha of history with the Buddha of legend in a bid to reveal the lasting spiritual relevance at the heart of the Buddhist tradition. Acclaimed scholar John Strong examines not only the historical texts, but also the supernatural accounts that surround this great religious figure, uncovering the roots of many Buddhist beliefs and practices. Accompanied by helpful charts and tables, and drawing on a vast array of primary sources, the text also features such key topics as: biographical accounts from all the Buddhist schools, an analysis of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the life of the Buddha as depicted by Buddhist art and rituals, and the relics of Siddhartha Gautama, and how they continue his story, even after his lifetime.Trade Review"Furnishes readers curious about the Buddha with a deep and broad introduction to his many lives." * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe first book to examine the controversial Qur’anic phrase which divides Christianity and Islam. According to the majority of modern Muslims and Christians, the Qur’an denies the crucifixion of Jesus, and with it, one of the most sacred beliefs of Christianity. However, it is only mentioned in one verse – "They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, rather, it only appeared so to them" – and contrary to popular belief, its translation has been the subject of fierce debate among muslims for centuries. This the first book devoted to the issue, delving deeply into largely ignored Arabic sources, which suggest the the origins of the conventional translation may lie within the Christian Church. Arranged along historical lines, and covering various Muslim schools of thought, from Sunni to Sufi, The Crucifixion and the Qur’an unravels the crucial dispute that separates the World’s two principal faiths.

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Book SynopsisJesus of Nazareth sparked a massive revolution. A lot of people miss that fact. They are so used to the long-haired, blue-eyed, white-robed storybook Jesus that they imagine he was about as tame and domesticated as many of his churches today. But he wasn’t. Jesus was a radical, dangerous revolutionary who made big waves and powerful enemies. He was not killed for preaching pithy parables, but because he claimed to be King. God inspired the Bible for a reason. He wants you read it and let it change your life. If you are willing to take this challenge seriously, then you will love Phil Moore’s devotional commentaries. Their bite-sized chapters are punchy and relevant, yet crammed with fascinating scholarship. Welcome to a new way of reading the Bible. Welcome to the Straight to the Heart series.Trade Review"Phil Moore has served us magnificently." - Terry Virgo "Most commentaries are dull. These are alive. Most commentaries are for scholars. These are for you!" - Michael Green "Think of these books as the Bible's message distilled for everyone." - Adrian WarnockTable of ContentsCONTENTSAbout the Straight to the Heart Series 11Introduction: The Revolution Has Begun 13 PROLOGUE: THE COMING OF THE KINGDOMOne of Us (1:1–17) 18Holy Joe (1:18–25) 22Unreasonable Response (2:1–23) 26Israel’s Messiah (2:15) 30Unconditional Surrender (3:1–12) 34Three-Dimensional Jesus (3:11–12) 39Unhurried Faith (3:13–17) 43Predictable Foe (4:1–11) 47Follow Me (4:17–25) 51 ACT ONE: KINGDOM LIFESTYLEKingdom Character (5:1–16) 56Kingdom Obedience (5:17–48) 60Kingdom Intimacy (6:1–18) 64Kingdom Priorities (6:19–34) 68Kingdom Vigilance (7:1–5) 72Kingdom Decision (7:13–27) 76Slumdog Millionaires (8:1 – 9:38) 80Deliverance from Rome (8:5–13) 84Authority (8:16–17) 88Son of Man (9:1–8) 93Friend of Sinners (9:10–13) 98Faith (9:18–31) 102 ACT TWO: KINGDOM MISSIONLittle Christs (10:1–42) 108Gehenna (10:28) 112Tyre, Sidon and Sodom (11:20–24) 116My Yoke is Easy (11:25–30) 121Sabbath (12:1–14) 125The Sign of Jonah (12:38–42) 129 ACT THREE: KINGDOM MESSAGEKingdom Secrets (13:1–52) 134Why Does God Allow Suffering? (13:24–30, 36–43) 138Mincemeat (14:13–36) 143The God Who Offends (15:1–20) 147When God Is Silent (15:21–28) 151Yeast (16:1–20) 155The Master-Questioner (16:13–16) 159Jesus is Not a Carpenter (16:13 – 17:13) 164Why Doesn’t God Heal? (17:14–21) 168 ACT FOUR: KINGDOM COMMUNITYWarning-Beacons (18:1–35) 174Kingdom Forgiveness (18:21–35) 178Back to the Beginning (19:1–12) 182Possible with God (19:13–30) 186Ambition (20:20–28) 190Ransom (20:28) 194The King Enters the Capital (21:1–17) 198Blessing and Cursing (21:18–22) 202Israel’s Ultimatum (21:23 – 22:46) 206The Greatest Commandment (22:34–40) 210ACT FIVE: KINGDOM JUDGMENTHypocrisy (23:1–39) 216The King Comes Twice (24:1–51) 220Parables of Judgment (25:1–46) 224Worship Leader (26:1–16) 228Bread and Wine (26:17–30) 232The Only Way (26:36–54) 236The Revolution on Trial (26:57–68; 27:11–31) 240Remorse and Repentance (26:69 – 27:10) 244Perspective (27:46) 249The Curtain (27:51) 253EPILOGUE: THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOMAlive (28:1–15) 258The Great Commission (28:16–20) 262Conclusion: The Revolution Has Begun 267

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Book SynopsisMany chaplains were not permitted to go near the Front in the First World War - others insisted on doing so, like Kenneth Best in the Gallipoli Campaign. Best had no military training before the war but he felt that he could only fulfil his pastoral role by getting close to the front line and working with the troops under fire. Best was attached to the 42nd East Lancastrians - the first Territorial Army Division to serve overseas in the conflict, so arguably the least experienced in the ways of war. In his diary we follow his progress through his initial training in Egypt and on to his arrival in Gallipoli in May 1915. Gallipoli has become notorious, even by the standards of the First World War. After a naval campaign to open up a supply route to Russia through Turkey failed, some 480,000 Allied troops were drawn into a land invasion in which hundreds of thousands were injured or killed. In his diary, Best records his efforts to encourage frightened men before they go over the top, to comfort the wounded and, when the fighting stops, to bury the dead. His empathy for the troops is matched by a forthright disgust for their leaders, few of whom share his insight into the horrific realities of trench warfare.

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Book SynopsisThe Sufi brotherhoods are not religious orders, but religious communities within the general community of Islam. Their members neither live in monasteries nor take vows of celibacy and poverty. They are Muslims who marry, earn their living and seek wealth and positions of influence in their societies. But they entrust their salvation and well-being in this world to the spiritual guardianship of their brotherhoods' founders and the redemptive efficacy of the mystical rites they set for them. Their form of Islamic religious communalism has become, since the eighteenth century, a dominant aspect of religious life in most Muslim lands, while the brotherhoods' supreme heads and the shaykhs of their important branches often command much social and political power.However, the religious factors that account for the appearance of Sufi religious communalism and for the appeal it has had to Muslims living in countries as far apart as Egypt, India, Indonesia and Senegal remain largely unexplained, and this is the principal theme of Abun-Nasr's new book." Muslim Communities of Grace" reconstructs the development of the Sufi tradition, guided by insights from original Sufi sources, intended primarily to explain the emergence of the Sufi brotherhoods' form of Islamic communalism and its perennial appeal. The final two chapters discuss the clash between Salafi and Sufi ideals in the twentieth century, which led Sufi shaykhs to find themselves in the incongruous position of being promoted by secular modernising national leaders in order to counteract the hostility of Salafis and, from the 1970s, of Islamists too. Abun-Nasr concludes by examining the disarray wrought on traditional Muslim societies by secular modernisers, the uncertainties thus created only serving to broaden the appeal to ordinary Muslims of the Sufi brotherhoods' religious communalism. The latter's fraternal religious solidarity offers Muslims at the local level help in facing the problems of daily life.Trade Review'Presents an overview of the development of Sufism from its earliest beginnings followingthe death of the Prophet until the present day.The author traces this history from what he callsthe Sufi tradition of piety, practised largely byisolated individuals, through the appearance ofa variety of different forms of religious practice which eventually develop into increasinglystructured religious brotherhoods with formalised sets of religious "rules" and hierarchies ofauthority.' * Professor Louis Brenner, SOAS *

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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 award-winning follow up to the bestselling My Seventh Monsoon. 'The Himalayan view from our back porch was normally breathtaking but that day I sat there and wondered. Ten years of civil war, a deteriorating health system, an economic crisis and a political stalemate. It was a background of hopelessness for the lives of our Nepali friends and the community that we lived in. In such a setting of pain and darkness, how could God reveal his nature? And how could he call me by name? I wasn't sure. I didn't think it was possible.' From within the uncertainty of Nepal's civil war, Naomi Reed continues the story of her family's desire to train Nepali physiotherapists and share God's love in word and action. Her honesty and genuine longing to see God's purposes and sovereignty make this unforgettable reading.

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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 SynopsisWorry is always with us, but, the lived experience of anxiety is often complex, embarrassing and hard to explain. Using clear, down-to-earth language, this book explores its characteristics, available treatments and effective self-help techniques.

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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 SynopsisPrayer is a vital part of the Christian life but people often struggle with actually getting on and doing it. This book offers 80 imaginative and creative ideas for setting up 'prayer stations', practical ways of praying that involve the senses - touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, and hearing, rather than simply reflecting, as we bring our hopes, fears, dreams and doubts to God. Developed from material tried and tested with small groups, the ideas here provide activities ranging from bubble prayers to clay pot prayers (via just about everything else in between), and have been designed to be used with grown-ups - of all ages!Trade ReviewAs a youth and children’s worker I am always looking out for ideas for creative ways to encourage people to pray, so I have seen many resource books on how to engage people in prayer. I came to this book wondering what could be said that has not already been said and what new ideas might be included. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. The book is divided into various sections looking at different areas of walking with God – walking with the Bible, walking in our world, walking as a church, walking together with God and our personal walk with God. Under each of these headings are a series of chapters looking at prayer for different people and different seasons. Each idea is then divided into a prayer focus, Bible reflection and personal reflection. There is also a section highlighting what materials you would need to have ready in order to make your prayer session interactive. Throughout the book are ideas using all our senses and having already used several of the ideas I can testify to the fact that they work well with different age groups. So I would highly recommend this book for people who lead prayers in their church, house groups, schools or in youth and children’s ministry. There is a wealth of different ideas here and for £8.99 it is excellent value for money. Sharon Prior is Co-founder and Chair of the Sophia Network.

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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 SynopsisThe good news about injustice is that God is against it. God is in the business of using the unlikely to accomplish justice and mercy. In this tenth-anniversary edition of Gary Haugen's challenging and encouraging book, he offers stories of courageous Christians who have stood up for justice in the face of human trafficking, forced prostitution, racial and religious persecution, and torture. This expanded edition brings up to date his work in calling for the body of Christ to act. Throughout, he provides concrete guidance on how ordinary Christians can rise up to seek justice throughout the world.

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