Religion Books

Book SynopsisTHE WAY OF MARY, MARYAM, BELOVED OF GOD is a weaving of strands from ancient sources, traditional stories, poetry, prayers of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and beyond (with full colour illustrations), to reveal, through the illuminated being and twelve life stations of Beloved Mary, the palpable Oneness of all Creation, our Oneness in Spirit.Trade Review"Revered across the family of Abraham and Sarah, adored as Miriam, Mary, Maryam, Madre Maria, there is no other single figure who so universally serves to lift up the weary heart of the world, blessing us with lovingkindness and infusing us with hope. With her signature blend of sublime wisdom and grounded scholarship, beloved Sufi teacher Camille Helminski offers a penetrating and life-giving transmission of Maryam as guide to the awakening of the soul, during a time when we need her most." ~ Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Wild Mercy ; "I have read numerous books on the Holy Mother in Her many guises: Kali, Chochma, Sarada Devi, Shechinah, Avalokiteshvara, and of course Mary, but none was as striking, profound, and potentially heart-transforming as Camille Helminski’s The Way of Mary. This book, steeped in wisdom, is a book to be savored. I cannot recommend it more highly." ~ Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature ; "What beautiful blessedness: the wise and gentle heart of Mary mirrored in the wise and gentle heart of Camille Helminski." ~ The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault, author of The Wisdom Jesus and The Meaning of Mary Magdalene ; "I would like to thank Camille Hanim for bringing us Hazreti Meryem’s fragrance full of patience, compassion, mercy, and knowing. Camille Hanim has done a great service to humanity by writing this book—the fact that she quotes from the Bible, the Quran and the Masnavi is very important in terms of realizing that all paths lead to the One. Even though the paths are different, the destination is the same." ~ Esin Celebi Bayru, 22nd generation granddaughter of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi; Vice President, International Mevlana Foundation ; "Camille Helminski’s The Way of Mary is a lovely and welcome addition to the deep dialogue of the spirit shared between Muslims and Christians. The Qur’an uses the exact same verb to talk about Mary being “chosen and purified” as that of the most common honorific for the Prophet Muhammad, Mustapha. Indeed, one could say that there is a close association between Mary and Muhammad, in that the former receives God’s Word (Jesus) into her pure womb, and the latter God’s Word (the Qur’an) into his luminous heart. Deeply rooted in the Qur’an and the Sufi tradition, The Way of Mary is a beautiful way of accessing the rich waters of life that are shared across our tradition, and is highly recommended to all spiritual seekers." ~ Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University; Founder, Illuminated Courses and Tours ; "This priceless book is a treasure trove of precious insights, heartfelt poetry, sacred verses and meticulous scholarship. These elements exquisitely woven into twelve chapters uniquely and profoundly enrich our mind, purify our heart and exalt our soul. Our beings feel deeply grateful to be graced and blessed by beauty and a rare taste of the sacred." ~ Imam Jamal Rahman, Interfaith Community SanctuaryTable of ContentsAuthor’s Preface | Introduction: Twelve Stars of Blessing | I. The Gift of the Conception of Mary to Anna, She Who Had Been Barren | II. Within the Sanctuary | III. Annunciation of the Word | IV. Magnifi cat, Mary’s Song of Praise | V. Birthing Jesus | VI. Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple: Forty Days of Love | VII. Journey to Egypt | VIII. Losing and Finding Jesus: Calling the Beloved | IX. Miracles of Nourishment and New Life | X. The Gathering to God: Death and Resurrection | XI. Teaching Journeys | XII. Tranquility of Spirit | Rose Prayers | Antiphon | Appendix I: Songs of Love | Appendix II: Extended Context Notes | Illustrations | Selected Bibliography | Index

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Book SynopsisDismantling the myths that divide Islam and the West, this cutting-edge work of critical thinking proposes new ways to reread Islamic and world histories. Extending from the front-page news coverage of our daily lives back into the deepest and most revelatory histories of the last two hundred years and earlier, Hamid Dabashi's The End of Two Illusions is a daring, provocative, and groundbreaking work that dismantles the most dangerous delusions manufactured between two vastly fetishized abstractions: Islam and the West. With this book, Dabashi shows how the civilizational divides imagined between these two cosmic binaries have defined their entanglementin ways that have nothing to do with the lived experiences of either Muslims or the diverse and changing communities scarcely held together by the myth of the West. Through detailed historical and contemporary analysis, The End of Two Illusions untangles the motivations that produced this global fiction. Dabashi demonstrates how the WTrade Review"Dabashi makes a compelling claim in the epistemic violence created by “The West and Islam” that fits suitably in the ongoing work of decolonial scholarship." * Reading Religion *"The precise and thoughtful interdisciplinary approach in The End of Two Illusions offers a vital contribution to perspectives on international relations, conflict, and dialogue. This text should be read by anyone involved or interested in understanding the reality of global political and cultural relationships in the twenty-first century." * Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments Introduction The Future of Two Illusions I · The Colonial Catalyst 1 Islam in the World 2 “The West” Groundwork for the Metaphysics of an Illusion 3 The West and the Rest Condition of Coloniality II · The Return of the Repressed 4 What’s in a Name? 5 The Monologue of Civilizations III · Where the Twain Have Met 6 Gendering the Difference From Metaphoric to Metamorphic 7 De-racing Civilizations 8 Nations beyond Borders Conclusion “The Inverted Consciousness of the World” Epilogue 2021: After Gaza and Afghanistan Notes Index

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Book SynopsisCan you really trust in hope? Does hope sometimes feel like a risk that isn''t worth taking? Bestselling author, journalist, and former atheist Lee Strobel proves that hope is real, the true Source of our hope, and why we can trust it. In The Case for Hope, Lee Strobel pairs his trademark investigative style with an uplifting message of the hope found in Jesus Christ. Strobel will walk you through why holding on to hope is so crucial, why we can trust in the hope of Jesus Christ, and how that hope can change our lives for the better.Strobel will take you on a journey to discover: how to find hope in a hopeless world the source of real hope the hope of a transformed life hope for today and beyond hope that transcends doubt the hope of heaven hope for every person With more than 14 million books sold, Lee Strobel has already helped millions delve deeper into their faith and examine more deeply the how and the why of what they believe. Whether as a gift of encouragement during a difficult season, a reminder of our true hope at Christmas or Easter, a baptism or new member gift at church, or as a self-purchase when you need a lift in your faith, The Case for Hope is sure to inspire and ignite hope in the hearts of all who pick up this book.

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Book SynopsisOver the course of 9 lessons featuring guided study, Bible passages, and discussion questions, this companion to the book Rediscover Church emphasizes the significance of face-to-face fellowship with the family of Christ.

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Book SynopsisA rich and rare approach to the mystical and the miraculous', the strange but real parts of a life that ?oat between earth and heaven, mud and glory Beautifully achieved with a subtle beauty, music and growing intensity that makes a fruitful vine of the whole. John F. DeaneSt Columba, or Columcille, and the island of Iona are the inspiration for James Harpur in this book of delicate lyric poems. Delving into the stories of the saint including visions of angels, struggles with Picts, and various miracles Harpur mingles his own poetic imagination with the spirit of Columba and the landscape of Iona: the result is poetry full of spiritual freedom and redolent of an age of wonder in which the natural world and the elements were perceived to be in harmony with the divine. James Harpur has published seven books of poetry and won a number of awards, including the Michael Hartnett Poetry Prize and the UK National Poetry Competition. He is a member of Aosdána, the Irish academy of the arts, and lives in the wilds of West Cork. www.jamesharpur.com

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Book SynopsisThis Reader brings together nearly 80 extracts from major works by Christians and Muslims that reflect their reciprocal knowledge and attitudes. It spans the period from the early 7th century, when Islam originated, to 1500. The general introduction provides a historical and geographical summary of Christian-Muslim encounters in the period and a short account of the religious, intellectual and social circumstances in which encounters took place and works were written. Topics from the Christian perspective include: condemnations of the Qur''an as a fake and Muhammad as a fraud, depictions of Islam as a sign of the final judgement, and proofs that it was a Christian heresy. On the Muslim side they include: demonstrations of the Bible as corrupt, proofs that Christian doctrines were illogical, comments on the inferior status of Christians, and accounts of Christian and Muslim scholars in collaboration together. Each of the six parts contains the following pedagogical features: -A sTrade ReviewMany of the themes that still feature in exchanges between Christians and Muslims date from the first centuries of encounter. This selection of texts, grouped according to the languages employed, many translated into English for the first time, makes it possible for readers to see how each side attempted to defend their own religion or to attack the other, during these centuries. Readers will be able to see which themes dominated, which developed or changed and which were dropped, and how context influenced perceptions and attitudes. * Clinton Bennett, Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies, the State University of New York at New Paltz, USA *A fascinating short journey in the history of Christian-Muslim encounters in pre-modern times. This anthology of texts provides a revealing window into how Muslims and Christians perceived each other from the beginning of Islam and throughout medieval times. It offers the reader a unique collection of translated texts from languages that include Arabic, Latin, Greek, Syriac and many others. * Umar Ryad, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium *The Bloomsbury Reader in Christian-Muslim Relations gives readers a chance to meet the history of Christian-Muslim encounters through the experiences and thoughts of those involved in them at first-hand. Helpful commentary from a diverse community of scholars adds vital context to the primary sources. The Reader will become one of the standard texts that teachers and students depend upon. * Charles Tieszen, SIS Adjunct Professor for Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim relations, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA *Table of ContentsGeneral Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK) 1. Muslim Arabic works Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK) 2. Christian Arabic works Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK) 3. Andalusian Arabic works Introduction, Juan Pedro Monferrer Sala (University of Cordoba, Spain) 4. Syriac, Persian and other Eastern language works Introduction, Thomas Carlson (Oklahoma State University, USA) 5. Greek works Introduction, Johannes Pahlitzsch (University of Mainz, Germany) 6. Latin and European vernacular works Introduction, Graham Barrett (University of Lincoln, UK) 7. Table of themes 8. List of contributors Index

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Book SynopsisConceived at the crossroads of Buddhism and indigenous earth-based practice, The Shamanic Bones of Zen explores the deep human traditions of transformation that are made possible by meditation, ceremony, ritual, dreams, and spiritual connection to one?s ancestry.In TheShamanic Bones of Zen, celebrated author and Buddhist teacher Zenju Earthlyn Manuel undertakes a rich exploration of the connections between contemporary Zen practice and shamanic, or indigenous, spirituality. Drawing on her personal journey with the black church, with African, Caribbean, and Native American ceremonial practices, and with Nichiren and Zen Buddhism, she builds a compelling case for discovering and cultivating the shamanic, or magical, elements in Buddhism?many of which have been marginalized by colonialist and modernist forces in the religion. Displaying reverence for the Zen tradition, creativity in expressing her own intuitive seeing, and profound gratitude for the guidance of spirit, Manuel models the path of a seeker unafraid to plumb the depths of her ancestry and face the totality of the present. The book conveys guidance for readers interested in Zen practice including ritual, preparing sanctuaries, engaging in chanting practices, and deepening embodiment with ceremony. "I often felt my ancestors at ease with my practice of Zen. I felt they had led me through other traditions to this practice of ritual andceremony,?writes Manuel.?Theancestors needed me to be still and breathe as they approached with what they had to offer my life.?

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Book SynopsisWalking through the Bible's teaching, Sam Storms helps believers find freedom, joy, and peace in knowing what God has done (and will never do) with their sin through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus.

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Book Synopsis'Suzuki's works on Zen Buddhism are among the best contributions to the knowledge of living Buddhism' Carl Jung Essays in Zen Buddhism was the first book to fully introduce Zen in the West. In it, Dr D.T. Suzuki outlines the origins of Zen as a unique Chinese interpretation of the Doctrine of Enlightenment with the aim of attaining Satori ('Sudden Enlightenment'). He describes how Satori can be achieved and the methods that can bring it about - but always stresses that Zen has to be a way of life that can cope with the demands and frustrations of everyday life. Exploring the history of Buddhism, the daily life of a Zen monk and the path to enlightenment, Essays in Zen Buddhism offers an understanding of Zen not as a religion but as a way of perceiving, acting and being. It is both a classic introduction to Zen and a foundation for living a fulfilled life. After reaching enlightenment at the age of 27, Dr Suzuki spent the next 65 years writing about Buddhism and teaching in universities in Europe and the US. Widely regarded as the twentieth century's leading authority on Buddhism, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.Trade ReviewSuzuki's works on Zen Buddhism are among the best contributions to the knowledge of living Buddhism. * Carl Jung *He speaks of what he has experienced... the essential quality of Zen. * Erich Fromm *Dr Suzuki writes with authority... he is a Buddhist... He is honoured in every temple in Japan for his knowledge of spiritual things. -- Christmas Humphreys

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Book SynopsisEugene McCarraher challenges the conventional view of capitalism as a force for disenchantment. From Puritan and evangelical valorizations of profit to the heavenly Fordist city, the mystically animated corporation, and the deification of the market, capitalism has hijacked our intrinsic longing for divinity, laying hold to our souls.Trade ReviewExtraordinary…Like MacIntyre, McCarraher both recognizes and detests capitalism’s spoliations of creation and disintegration of communities, and casts a fond, forlorn eye toward the possibility of restoring a rationality of genuine human life…A majestic achievement. It will enjoy a long posterity…It is a work of great moral and spiritual intelligence, and one that invites contemplation about things we can’t afford not to care about deeply. -- David Bentley Hart * Commonweal *[A] monumental labor of love…There have been marvelous studies of contemporary capitalism published in recent years…But this is an extraordinary work of intellectual history as well as a scholarly tour de force, a bracing polemic, and a work of Christian prophecy…It is beautifully written and a magnificent read…McCarraher challenges more than 200 years of post-Enlightenment assumptions about the way we live and work…This mammoth portrait of the religious longings at the heart of secular materialism carries a bleak message: 20th-century fantasies of the world as one global business have been realized…Refreshingly original and splendidly pulled off. * The Observer *McCarraher’s book is more brilliant, more capacious, and more entertaining, page by page, than his most ardent fans dared hope. The magnitude of his accomplishment—an account of American capitalism as a religion that begins in early modernity and extends to the present, an analysis that goes far beyond the loose versions of this argument we’ve seen before (Economists are like clergy! The Fed is like a church!) and rewrites American intellectual history as it does so—will stun even skeptical readers…It is a wonder, an enchantment on a world that has so forgotten itself as to think enchantments rare. -- Philip Christman * Christian Century *A monumental, scholarly but also readable survey of how the champions of capitalism, their acolytes and foot soldiers—over and over, and with conspicuous success—reframed traditional religious longings and beloved communities as goals that could be achieved through the pursuit of profit…As enthralling a work of intellectual history as you could hope to read. -- Michael Duggan * Catholic Herald *A beguiling 800-page tour de force…[A] sweeping history…The author claims, with considerable evidence, that capitalism, too, is a form of worship, that it is a religion of modernity…Scintillating. -- Donald Sassoon * Church Times *A genuine delight to read…[A] searing excoriation of economics as it is currently practiced…An extraordinary book…It is difficult to characterize this book as anything but a masterpiece for its synthesis of intellectual history, anticapitalist polemic, and Romantic imagination. There is a great deal to be gained from McCarraher’s arguments. -- Daniel Walden * Current Affairs *One of the most impressive books I’ve ever read…The depth and range of McCarraher’s scholarship are incredible…A must-read for anyone serious about the mesmerizing power of capitalism. -- Mark Dunbar * The Humanist *A vitally important book…It could have an impact similar to Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue…Certainly it is a book people concerned about the state of the world and moral theology should be aware of…McCarraher…explains how capitalism has become the religion of the modern world…This detailed account of the idolatries of our age deserves wide readership and detailed examination. -- Frank Litton * Irish Catholic *The Enchantments of Mammon is a beautiful, stirring achievement. In a bold new synthesis ranging from early modern Europe to the contemporary United States, McCarraher challenges the received wisdom regarding the meanings of modernity and rationality, allowing us to look at familiar concepts in fresh and fruitful ways. This is truly a game-changer—the history of capitalism will never look the same again. -- Jackson Lears, author of Rebirth of a NationWith this book McCarraher aspires to nothing less than a history of the soul under capitalism. Far from living in a secular, disenchanted world, he argues, ours is a world of ‘misenchantment,’ in which longings for communion are perverted into a religion of plunder and technological control. Capitalism emerges here not as a system of market exchange or class domination but as an affront to the divine creation of which we are a part. An astonishing work of history and criticism. -- Casey Nelson Blake, author of The Arts of DemocracyAn intellectually ambitious, analytically insightful, engagingly well written, and unfashionably radical yet timely study of the relationship among capitalism, religion, society, and culture in the United States. McCarraher argues that modern capitalism has not been a secularizing movement from enchantment to disenchantment, but rather an alternative, competing form of enchantment. He is sharply critical of the underlying assumptions and damaging consequences of modern capitalism with its emphasis on extractive efficiency and profit-making. A powerful, impressive work. -- Brad Gregory, author of The Unintended ReformationA tour de force. McCarraher argues that capitalism is a successor faith, rather than a successor to faith. The capitalist faith in this telling is a heretical, blaspheming Black Mass of perverse sacramentality that sanctions domination by pretending to the status of immutable, impersonal laws of nature. In the world of economic enchantment masquerading as hard-eyed realism, McCarraher urges us to keep open an imaginative window through which to glimpse alternatives. His magnificent intellectual history recovers many such opportunities and invites us to appraise them with fresh eyes. -- Bethany Moreton, author of To Serve God and Wal-MartSurveying the history of capitalism from seventeenth-century England to the mid-twentieth-century United States, McCarraher argues in this magisterial work that capitalism is a corruption of the sacramental nature of the world and our desire to flourish within it. The keenest insights and best hopes for a more humane world reside not within secular traditions but within the Romantic lineage of joy and participation. The Enchantments of Mammon is a towering achievement: an exquisitely crafted refusal of the metaphysics of the free market and reassurance that the conditions of human flourishing are well within our reach. -- Charles Marsh, author of Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer McCarraher savages the sacralized fantasy of perpetual economic growth—purportedly guided by the dictates of reason—promulgated on the Left (Neo-liberalism and Socialism) and the Right. Against this worship of accumulation are set the admirable but futile efforts of those who, over time, have agitated against the idolatry of lucre. Is it possible for us to turn our eyes away from this false God? -- Bill Marx * Arts Fuse *Excellent…Argues for a Romanticism-inflected socialism…monumental. -- John Ehrett * Between Two Kingdoms *A fascinating book…which asserts, among other things, that capitalism is the religion of modernity. -- Darrell Lackey * Divergence *A magnificent work of historical scholarship, a thorough account of the rise of capitalism in the modern age. And yet it is not an economics tome, or even really a history, but rather a treatise on religion and the values that pervade society. It is also full of moral insights, with stinging critiques of a worldview that reduces human experience to opportunities for exchange…Highly readable. * The Interim *A thoughtful, beautifully written book, tracing the ways in which the values of capitalism—greed, productivity, competition, selfishness—became confounded with notions of divinity, and of God’s plan for and involvement in the lives of the divinity’s alleged favorite creation…Helps explain the hegemony of capitalist ideas in societies where religion is important even when the material interests of the working class ought clearly to expose the depravity and, for the religiously-minded, the ungodliness, of capitalism as actually practiced. -- Alvin Finkel * Labour *Much needed and much welcomed…The time into which McCarraher’s work speaks is a time perhaps readied to hear something different. A world enchanted by McDonald’s and administered by McDonnell-Douglas has begun to lose its shine, especially when it culminates in carnival hucksters parading as political, business, and religious leaders. It is time for a new and yet old word, a Christian socialism that resists the lure of capitalist enchantment. -- D. Stephen Long and Tyler Womack * Modern Theology *[An] immense work of historical synthesis. -- Stuart Walton * Review 31 *A vigorous intellectual history that challenges conventional social-science assumptions about the modern world. -- Christopher Clark * Journal of Modern History *

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Book SynopsisThe authoritative account of the sectarian division that for centuries has shaped events in the Middle East and the Islamic world. In 632, soon after the prophet Muhammad died, a struggle broke out among his followers as to who would succeed him. The majority argued that the new leader of Islam should be elected by the community''s elite. Others believed only members of Muhammad''s family could lead. This dispute over who should guide Muslims, the appointed Caliph or the bloodline Imam, marks the origin of the Sunni-Shii split in Islam. Toby Matthiesen explores this hugely significant division from its origins to the present day. Moving chronologically, his book sheds light on the many ways that it has shaped the Islamic world, outlining how over the centuries Sunnism and Shiism became Islams two main branches, particularly after the Muslim Empires embraced sectarian identity. It reveals how colonial rule institutionalised divisions between Sunnism and Shiism both on the Indian subcontTrade ReviewAmbitious...undoubtedly an admirable study...an accessible introduction to the historical context that underpins the modern Middle East * Tariq Mir, BBC History Magazine *a remarkable, ambitious and successful survey of Sunni-Shii relations that will be the definitive single-volume study of the subject for years to come. * Eamonn Gearon, Times Literary Supplement *clearly written, nuanced and meticulously documented * Malise Ruthven, Literary Review *a truly ambitious book in its historical and geographic scope...This book should be read by any expert who deals in the Middle East * Francis Ghiles, Esglobal *A useful correction to religious pigeonholes about Muslims, and to the easy-going prejudice that sectarian differences can never make things right with the Islamic world. * Michiel Leezenberg, NRC Handelsblad *Matthiesen's masterful survey of Sunni-Shiite relations in history is firmly grounded in the primary sources and ranges more widely geographically than is common in other works on the subject, including South Asia. The author avoids the glib truisms that have come to dominate discussion of this subject, while giving us thought-provoking, contextual insights into one of the key flash points within Islamic civilization. * Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History and Director, Program in Arab and Muslim American Studies, University of Michigan *Ambitious in its historical as well as geographical scope, this is the first truly global account of the intimate and sometimes also violent relationship of Sunni and Shia in the making and remaking of Islam. * Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford *Table of ContentsPrologue: From Karbala to Damascus PART I THE FORMATION OF SUNNISM AND SHIISM, 632-1500 Chapter 1 After the Prophet Chapter 2 Sunni Reassertion and the Crusades Chapter 3 Polemics and Confessional Ambiguity PART II THE SHAPING OF MUSLIM EMPIRES, 1500-1800 Chapter 4 The Age of Confessionalisation Chapter 5 Muslim Dynasties on the Indian Subcontinent Chapter 6 Reform and Reinvention in the 18th Century PART III EMPIRE AND THE STATE, 1800-1979 Chapter 7 British India and Orientalism Chapter 8 Ottoman Reorganisation and European Intervention Chapter 9 The Mandates Chapter 10 The Muslim Response PART IV REVOLUTION AND RIVALRY, 1979- Chapter 11 The Religion of Martyrdom Chapter 12 Export and Containment of Revolution Chapter 13 Regime Change Chapter 14 The Arab Uprisings Conclusion: Every Place is Karbala BIBLIOGRAPHY ENDNOTES

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Book SynopsisThis collection of essays brings together two sets of articles and book chapters by Mariam Abou Zahab, the extraordinary late scholar of Islam in South Asia. The first part of the volume examines Shia–Sunni relations in Pakistan, while the second concerns violent Islamism in the country, covering both the Talibanisation of the Pashtun belt and the jihadi dimension of South Asian Salafism. Throughout these texts, Abou Zahab explores the many reasons why Pakistan has been the crucible of political Islam. She offers a historical view of this development, factoring in the impact of colonialism and conflict, including the Soviet-Afghan War and the post-9/11 Western military operations in Afghanistan. While making clear the major importance of these external influences, from Saudi Arabia and Iran to the US, she also places Pakistan's political Islam in the context of local cultures, mobilising her anthropological erudition without ever indulging in culturalism. Finally, she emphasises the sociological determinants of sectarianism, Talibanism and jihadism, as well as the political economy of these ideologies. Abou Zahab's knowledge is exhaustive, but in these papers she offers an elegant synthesis in which each word matters. This volume is indispensable for understanding the present dynamics of Pakistan.Trade Review‘[This book] gives those seeking a deeper understanding of Pakistan a valuable resource.’ -- Survival'This book flows from real knowledge. Blessed with considerable linguistic skills, the insights of political science, sociology and Islamic studies, plus the understanding of a believing Muslim, Zahab offers unrivalled insights into social and religious change in Pakistan.' -- Francis Robinson, Professor of the History of South Asia, Royal Holloway, University of London'Mariam Abou Zahab’s work is an event itself, presenting Pakistan beyond the binaries of conservative and liberal, Sunni and Shii, modernist and Sufi. Her truly kaleidoscopic analysis shows the many colours of Islam in Pakistan, interrogating our understanding of Islamism and sectarianism.' -- Sajjad Rizvi, Associate Professor of Islamic Intellectual History and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter'The depth and breadth of Mariam Abou Zahab’s knowledge and understanding about Pakistan is truly stunning. This dedicated, gifted social scientist deftly answers why things have happened and how they are interconnected with questions of identity and meaning.' -- Anita M. Weiss, Professor of International Studies, University of Oregon; author of Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan: Local Actions, Local Voices'By far the most sophisticated and well-informed scholar of sectarian and militant Islam in Pakistan, Mariam Abou Zahab was also a remarkable personality. This collection brings together her work on Pakistan for the first time, which still remains as relevant as it was when first written and indeed unsurpassed by new scholarship. Its publication represents an event of the first order for the study of Pakistan.' -- Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History and Director of the Asian Studies Centre, University of Oxford

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Book SynopsisAccessible and practical teachings on both the life of Tilopa, who founded the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and one of his most important texts on the practice of Mahamudra.Most traditions of Mahamudra meditation can be traced back to the mahasiddha Tilopa and his Ganges Mahamudra, a “song of realization” that he sang to his disciple Naropa on the banks of the Ganges River more than a thousand years ago. In this book, Khenchen Thrangu, a beloved Mahamudra teacher, tells the extraordinary story of Tilopa’s life and explains its profound lessons. He follows this story with a limpid and practical verse-by-verse commentary on the Ganges Mahamudra, explaining its precious instructions for realizing Mahamudra, the nature of one’s mind. Throughout, Thrangu Rinpoche speaks plainly and directly to Westerners eager to receive the essence of Mahamudra instructions from an accomplished teacher.

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Book SynopsisA fresh translation of the Septuagint. The Lexham English Septuagint (LES) is a new translation of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament writings used during New Testament times and in the early church. Beautifully typeset in a comfortable, single-column format, the LES provides a literal, readable, and transparent English edition of the Septuagint for modern readers. Retaining the familiar forms of personal names and places, the LES gives readers the ability to read it alongside their favored English Bible. Translated directly from Swete's edition of the Septuagint, the LES maintains the meaning of the original text, making the Septuagint accessible to readers today.

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Book SynopsisThis new and dynamic approach to the perennially fascinating subject of miracles adopts a strictly anthropological and phenomenological approach. Allowing the miracles to speak for themselves, Ian Richard Netton examines these phenomena in the Islamic and Christian traditions through the lens of narration.

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Book SynopsisFollows the human person's journey to union with God in the theologies of Saint Bonaventure and Saint Thomas Aquinas. The book argues that these seminal thinkers of the 13th Century emphasize scriptural notions of divine rewards as ordering principles for the graced movement of human viators to eternal life.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume of The Treasury of Precious Instructions, Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye compiles teachings and practices by and about the renowned Indian Buddhist masters known as mahāsiddhas, recognized in all eight practice lineages of Tibetan Buddhism.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 while also authoring significant new sections of his own. This volume presents a selection of teachings and practices centered on the mahāsiddhas, Indian masters of tantric Buddhism, some of whom were of vital importance in transmitting the Vajrayāna teachings to Tibet. The mahāsiddha Mitrayogin, whose work forms the majority of this volume, visited Tibet in the late twelfth century. His ritual texts and instructions are translated from Tibetan, including sādhanas, empowerments, guru yogas, authorization rituals for protector deities, and detailed compositions on Mahāmudra practice, or resting in the nature of mind.In addition to instructions given by mahāsiddhas, this volume includes ritual practices to visualize them and transmit their blessings, including a devotional text composed by Jamgön Kongtrul himself. This translation, which may be engaged as a practice manual, preserves ancient teachings significant to the literature and history of world religions.

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Book SynopsisThe Kentigern Way is a guide to a pilgrimage route in one of the most majestic landscapes in the UK, that of the Lake District, which is rich in beauty, nature and history. More than this, it provides an historical backdrop to St Kentigern and the region, cutting through myths and assumptions to examine the reality of emerging 6th-century Christianity in Britannia'. Kentigern is also known as St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow, although his influence goes far beyond that city. This book also discusses what pilgrimage is (and how it differs from tourism) and provides suggestions on how to enrich the pilgrimage experience through guided reflections and prayers. Although the pilgrimage is rooted in Christian sacred sites, it is made accessible to people of all faiths and none who seek spiritual depth in the experience. You don't have to be a Christian to follow this pilgrimage route, nor will this book try to make you one. Includes a look at the feminine in contemporary Christianity and a special section on the importance of Kentigern's often-ignored mother, Teneu. Historians will enjoy the honest assessment of Kentigern's life and some revealing asides about the reality of Celtic culture. Walkers will find an enthralling travel guide and a beautiful, manageable route. Contemplatives will be encouraged by the emphasis on listening and stillness. And I challenge anyone not to be inspired and intrigued by the thoughtfulness and love that have gone into researching and producing this unusual and compelling work. JamesNewcome, BishopofCarlisle

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A brilliant overview of how the legacy of the Roman empire continued to shape the Mediterranean world."---Rowan Williams, New Humanist"Herrin’s Christendom is an obvious candidate for the Princeton Classics series. Here one can savour the clarity and originality of her account of such dauntingly named theological upheavals as the Monothelite controversy (over the psychology of Christ’s divinity versus his humanity) of the seventh century, or the struggles over the use of icons in Christian worship that came close to ripping the Byzantine empire apart in the eighth and ninth."---Diarmaid MacCulloch, Times Literary Supplement ​​​​​​​"It will no longer be possible to hop from pagan antiquity to Carolingian Europe as if nothing had happened in between. Judith Herrin has laid her sheet of paper over the map of that 'dark' age and rubbed and rubbed until the rich web of connections and cracks has shown through."---Marina Warner, The Independent"An ambitious, learned, lucid, and instructive book."---Alexander Murray, Times Literary Supplement"Herrin's scholarship is unerring, her scope is wide and her style fluent. . . . The treatment of the so-called iconoclastic controversy, the dispute over the veneration of images in Christian worship which convulsed the Byzantine world in the eighth century, is sparkling. . . . Debate about where modern Europe came from . . . will be enriched by this civilized and accomplished book." * The Economist *"Herrin follows some magnificent themes with the lucid dispassion of a good detective."---Thomas D'Evelyn, Christian Science Monitor"It is [the] binding together of distant past and immediate present which makes Judith Herrin's scholarship so exciting: she can convince the reader that the roots of Western distinctiveness really do lead all the way to forgotten episcopal meetings in small towns in Asia Minor in the fourth century."---Michael Ignatieff, The Observer"A learned, challenging, and gracefully written interpretation of the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages."---Robert L. Wilken, Commonweal"A serious and powerful book. . . . A grand synthesis on a scale few people would dare now to attempt, ranging across diverse societies with considerable assurance."---Christopher J. Wickham, International History Review

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Book SynopsisA practical and actionable guide to the six perfections, a backbone of the Buddhist path, by an internationally beloved teacher.The six perfections are the actions of the bodhisattvas—holy beings who have transcended selfless concerns. But they’re also skills we can and should develop right now, in our messy, ordinary lives. In this clear, comprehensive guide to the backbone of Mahayana Buddhist practice, Lama Zopa Rinpoche walks us through each of the six perfections: - charity - morality - patience - perseverance - concentration - wisdom As he carefully describes each perfection, he not only reveals the depth of its meaning and how it intertwines with each other perfection, but he also explains how to practice it fully in our everyday lives—offering concrete ways for us to be more generous, more patient, more wise. With the guidance he gives us, we can progress in our practice of the perfections until we, like the bodhisattvas, learn to cherish others above ourselves.

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Book SynopsisA unique and unforgettable Easter egg-shaped board book with multiple layered pages for little hands, featuring sweet illustrations of a cuddly, baby lamb and simple rhyming text that celebrates Jesus’ resurrection. A perfect Easter basket gift. Thank you, God, for making usAnd sending us your Son.Thank you, God, for who you areAnd loving everyone.An Easter Prayer: Is the ideal size for Easter baskets and gift-giving Easily fits into small hands and even a travel bag for reading on the go Gently instills the reason for celebrating Easter Is part of a collection of books with Happy Easter and Spring Is Here

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Book SynopsisThe rare book that really might change your life. It has certainly changed mine.' John Green, Author ofThe Fault in Our StarsCasper ter Kuile, a Harvard Divinity School fellow and cohost of the popularHarry Potter and the Sacred Textpodcast, explores how we can nourish our souls by transforming common, everyday practices?yoga, reading, walking the dog?into sacred rituals that can heal our crisis of social isolation and struggle to find purpose.After half a decade of research and hundreds of conversations with people around the country, I am convinced we are in the midst of a paradigm shift. That what used to hold us in community no longer works, and that the spiritual offerings of yesteryear no longer help us thrive.Casper ter KuileWhat do Soul Cycle, gratitude journals, and tech breaks have in common? For ter Kuile they offer rituals that create the foundation for our modern spiritual lives.We are in crisis today. Our modern technological society has left too many of us?no matter ourTrade Review‘The Power of Ritual is essential reading for anyone interested in how to find meaning in our strange, new world. Bursting with wisdom and compassion, this is the rare book that really might change your life. It has certainly changed mine.’ – John Green, Author of The Fault in Our Stars ‘Casper ter Kuile continues to have his pulse on this generation's search for meaning. Building on the incredible work of How We Gather, The Power of Ritual offers a radical proposition: we decide what's sacred.’- Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering ‘Casper ter Kuile's book is genuinely wise and utterly useful: it offers you the opportunity to remake your life in small but vital ways that will leave you happier, calmer, and more able to do the work that must be done on this planet. A classic the day it is published!’ – Bill McKibben, author of Radio Free Vermont ‘If you are passionate about community building or simply seeking what feels good in life and how to get more of it…consider this book your new bible.’ – Cleo Wade, Author of Heart Talk and Where to Begin ‘Human beings are made to experience the transcendent, for worship and, though this might surprise many people, for ritual as well. Casper ter Kuile invites our increasingly secular world to discover the sacred in the midst of the everyday and turn our days into rituals of joy, praise and gratitude.’ – James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage ‘As we reimagine our relationships, with self, one another and nature, The Power of Ritual provides deep insight into traditions both new and old. Brilliant.’ – Elizabeth Cutler, Co-Founder of Soul Cycle ‘The Power of Ritual has a startling message: feeling better isn’t about adding new things, but rather about seeing what we have through new eyes.’ Evan Sharp, Co-Founder of Pinterest ‘A thoughtful debut. Those who are beginning to explore spirituality will find many rich ideas.’ – Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisIn a time of social distancing and isolation, a meditation on the beauty of solitudeTrade Review“The Art of Solitude is a marvel. Carefully constructed and entirely original, it sings with a haunting melody of wistful contemplation. Reading it is a true joy.”—Mark Epstein, author of Thoughts without a Thinker“Forty years in the making, The Art of Solitude could not have come at a better time or from anyone else. Beautifully written, Batchelor’s wisdom shines through on every page, leading the reader on an engaging and illuminating journey into the very needed solitude about which he writes.”—Judson Brewer, author of The Craving Mind“With his long experience of Buddhism, meditation, and teaching it is hard to think of anyone better equipped to write about the art of solitude than Stephen Batchelor.”—Tim Parks“In this exquisite contemplation on solitude that is intimate, brave, and wise, Batchelor brings us to the vast center of his life and realization.”—Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center“Batchelor's graceful writing guides us to the innermost recesses of solitude, illuminating it as a practice, way of life, and inescapable dimension of being human.”—Evan Thompson, author of Why I Am Not a Buddhist and Waking, Dreaming, Being

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Book SynopsisEven during his lifetime, Ralph Waldo Emerson was called the Sage of Concord, a fitting title for this leader of the American Transcendentalist movement. Everything that Emerson said and wrote directly addressed the conduct of life, and in his view, spiritual truth and understanding were the essence of religion. Unsurprisingly, he sought to rescue spirituality from decay, eschewing dry preaching and rote rituals.Unitarian minister Barry Andrews has spent years studying Emerson, finding wisdom and guidance in his teachings and practices, and witnessing how the spiritual lives of others are enriched when they grasp the many meanings in his work. In American Sage, Andrews explores Emerson's writings, including his journals and letters, and makes them accessible to today's spiritual seekers. Written in everyday language and based on scholarship grounded in historical detail, this enlightening book considers the nineteenth-century religious and intellectual crosscurrents that shaped Emerson's worldview to reveal how his spiritual teachings remain timeless and modern, universal and uniquely American.

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Book SynopsisTheESV Student Study Bible,adapted from theESV Study Bible,contains12,000+ study notes,book introductions and timelines, 80+ maps and illustrations, 120character profiles,900 "Did You Know?" facts,10 topical articles, and more.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis book explores three schools of fascinating, talented, and gifted scholars whose philosophies assimilated the Jewish and secular cultures of their respective homelands: they include halakhists from Rabbi Ettlinger to Rabbi Eliezer Berkowitz; Jewish philosophers from Isaac Bernays to Yeshayau Leibowitz; and biblical commentators such as Samuel David Luzzatto and Rabbi Umberto Cassuto.Running like a thread through their philosophies is the attempt to reconcile the Jewish belief in revelation with Western culture, Western philosophy, and the conclusions of scientific research. Among these attempts is Luzzatto's "dual truth" approach.The Dual Truth is the sequel to the Ephraim Chamiel's previous book The Middle Way, which focused on the challenges faced by members of the "Middle Trend" in nineteenth-century Jewish thought.Table of ContentsVolume ITranslator’s NoteForeword to the English EditionIntroductionChapter One:Samson Raphael Hirsch: The Neo-Orthodox, Neo-Romantic Educator, and his Approach of Neo-Fundamentalist IdenticalityChapter Two:Interpretations of Hirsch’s Thought from the Right and the LeftChapter Three:“Heavenly Reward”—Samuel David Luzzatto’s Doctrine of Divine Providence—between Revelation and PhilosophyChapter Four:Development of Halakhah: Luzzatto’s Evolving ViewsChapter Five:The Peshat is One, Because the Truth is One: Luzzatto between Interpretation and ThoughtChapter Six:Luzzatto and Maimonides: “Accept Truth from Whoever Speaks It”Chapter Seven:Luzzatto on Theosophical Kabbalah: Harmful Invention with Worthy IntentionsChapter Eight:Between Reason and Revelation: The Encounter between Rabbi Tsvi Hirsch Chajes and Nahman KrochmalVolume IIChapter Nine:Hirsch’s Influence on Religious Jewish Philosophy in the Twentieth CenturyChapter Ten:Hirsch’s Influence on Rabbi David Tsvi Hoffmann’s Commentary on the PentateuchChapter Eleven:Hirsch’s Influence on Twentieth-Century Halakhic DecisorsChapter Twelve:The Influence of German Neo-Orthodoxy on the Young Rav KookChapter Thirteen:Luzzatto’s Influence on Umberto Cassuto’s Method of Biblical InterpretationChapter Fourteen:Tolerance, Pluralism, and Postmodernism—A Dialectic of Opposites in Jewish Thought in the Modern Era

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed teaching pastor Daniel Grothe speaks to the sense of loneliness that many feel in today''s age of hypermobility and noncommittal wandering, reminding us of the ancient vow of stability and teaching us how we can lead a richer life of friendship, community, and purpose.Unlike previous generations that had to stay put, many people today have unprecedented access to a lifestyle of mobility. We can explore and bounce from place to place, never settling down or making anywhere home. And while it feels freeing to be able to try something new whenever we want--whether it''s a new job, a new city, a new group of friends, or even a new church--somewhere along the way, we discover we''re missing something. We may be paying our bills and have a roof over our heads, but we''re lonely and unfulfilled, disconnected and unsatisfied. What''s that all about? What is the missing piece?In The Power of Place, pastor Daniel Grothe speaks to the human ach

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Book SynopsisKodo Sawaki Roshi [1880 - 1965] was commonly referred to as ''Homeless Kodo'' due to his nomadic lifestyle. In the tradition of Soto Zen, which emphasizes zazen (sitting meditation practice) above the use of texts and koans, he is one of the most influential teachers of the twentieth century. In this book, hundreds of pith sayings taken from his wide-ranging teachings have been carefully compiled and grouped according to subject by one of his closest students.The reader is easily struck by Sawaki''s sincerity, depth and directness. What comes across so immediately is his uncompromising dedication to zazen and his determination to transmit an authentic practice. This he does by pointing out, with biting accuracy, the many pitfalls we ''ordinary humans'' stumble into. His teaching is at the same time both completely faithful to the Buddhist ancestors and absolutely relevant to our many modern predicaments. Are you worried about your career? Fighting with your spouse? Concerned about money? Complaining about how busy you are? Homeless Kodo has a piece of advice for you.Kodo Sawaki Roshi also has an appeal to those who are decidedly irreligious, in his irreverence and criticism of hollow traditions. He ruthlessly challenges political and societal conformity, consistently referring his readers back to the essence tenets of zen.Very few of his works have been translated into European languages. Of all his books, perhaps it is this one, To You, which best captures his contribution to the tradition.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Students of ancient Christianity and general readers will find here a lucid translation and a helpful guide to the study of an important source for early Christian history." * Church History and Religious Culture *"This outstanding version will soon become standard in courses, for it is in every way superior to its competition." * Review of Biblical Literature *"Schott's translation was a bold undertaking; it has generated a monumental achievement. It certainly deserves to become the next generation's standard English version of Eusebius' History." * Studies in Late Antiquity *"A singular achievement in Eusebian studies. . . . This volume will become the standard translation." * Journal of Classics Teaching *"This new translation offers contemporary readers an accessible text with insights into the cultural and social influences that shaped Eusebius’ story of Christianity." * Reading Religion *"A remarkable work of scholarship. . . . Schott’s translation has certainly become the first I turn to." * Ancient Jew Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Abbreviations General Introduction the ecclesiastical history Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 Book 6 Book 7 Book 8 Book 9 Book 10Appendix A. Maps Appendix B. Eusebius’s Bishop Lists and Chronology Glossary Selected Bibliography Index Nominum (Index of Names) Index Locorum (Eusebius’s Sources)

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