Religious and spiritual figures Books

Book SynopsisThe Catechism of the Catholic Church was a document of outstanding importance which sold millions of copies worldwide.Many critics at the time of publication said the Catechism lacked sufficient coverage of the social teaching of the Catholic Church, teaching on justice, peace and human rights. To remedy this, the Vatican commissioned this remarkable new publication from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Burns & Oates are now its proud publishers.Throughout the course of her history, and particularly in the last hundred years, the Church has never failed, in the words of Pope Leo XIII, to speak the words that are hers with regard to questions concerning life in society. To maintain this tradition, Pope John Paul II has for his part published three great encyclicals that represent fundamental stages of Catholic thought in this area. Moreover, numerous Bishops in every part of the world have contributed to a deeper understanding of the Church''s social doctrine as have numerous scholars.This book also shows the value of Catholic social teaching as an instrument of evangelisation because it places the human person and society in relationship with the light of the Gospel. The principles of the Church''s social doctrine, which are based on the natural law, are then seen to be confirmed and strengthened in the faith of the Church by the Gospel of Christ.The Pope hopes that the present publication will help humanity in its quest for the common good.Table of ContentsGod's Plan and Love for Humanity; The Church's Mission and Social Doctrine; The Human Person and Human Rights; Principles of the Church's Doctrine; The Family-The Vital Cell of Society; Human Work; Economic Life; The Political Community; Economic Life. The Political Community; The International Community; Safeguarding the Environment; The Promotion of Peace; Social Doctrine and Ecclesial Action; For a Civilization of Love.

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Book SynopsisEckhart Tolle''s writings on the power of living in the moment fast became the most sought-after modern classic on spiritual enlightenment. Now, in this new life-transforming book, we are shown how to become our true selves by embracing silence and stillness. When we are no longer limited by our thinking mind, suffering and pain disappears and we are able to move towards a new understanding of our relationships, of nature, and of the profound wisdom that is to be found in stillness.Trade ReviewThe POWER OF NOW can transform your thinking. The result? More joy, right now. -- Oprah WinfreyThe POWER OF NOW can transform your thinking. The result? More joy, right now. -- Oprah WinfreyThe must-read bible du jour. * Red magazine *The must-read bible du jour. * Red magazine *This practical mystic's modern gospel offers transcendent truths that set us free. -- Dan MillmanThis practical mystic's modern gospel offers transcendent truths that set us free. -- Dan MillmanThe Power of Now can transform your thinking. The result? More joy, right now. * Oprah Winfrey *(FOR THE POWER OF NOW) 'This book is generating quite a buzz of excitement. It is quite simply one of the clearest and most accessible texts on becoming more present that we have ever seen.' * Kindred Spirit *The must-read bible du jour * Red Magazine *This practical mystic's modern gospel offers transcendent truths that set us free. * Dan Millman *

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Book SynopsisThe moment Jesus kneels with a towel and bowl to wash his disciples' feet. The point where he looks Peter in the eye and predicts betrayal. That intimate, urgent prayer to the Father for the disciples. That resolute strength before the Sanhedrin, before Pilate, before the crowd. The cross. The talk with Mary in the Garden. The walk with Peter at Galilee. The later chapters of the Gospel of John form what is for many the deepest and most moving accounts of all Scripture. They also form a detailed description of Jesus' final days and hours on earth, Jesus final instructions to his team as he prepares to hand on his ministry. Karl Martin mines this incredibly rich vein of Scripture to draw lessons for leadership, leadership in Jesus' way. Leadership in the way of Jesus is about humility, about investing your life in your team, about facing betrayal, about dying to self, about handing on, about succession. Ultimately, true leadership is not about seeing others serve your dream - it is about seeing others released into the dreams, the gifting and calling that the Lord has placed on their lives. It is about something beyond you. This deceptively profound, honest and practical book gives great insight for leaders - challenge for younger leaders, encouragement for mid-life leaders, and refreshment for the mature leaders - and what may be some of the most significant lessons of their leadership life.

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Book SynopsisLearn about the primal beliefs to the world''s great faiths in The Religions Book.Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Religions in this overview guide to the subject, brilliant for beginners looking to learn and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Religions Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Religions, with:- Each of the world''s five major faiths - Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism in its own, dedicated section- Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts- A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout- Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of undTrade ReviewFascinating material, well presented -- Jon Sutton * The Psychologist (Review of The Psychology Book) *

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Book SynopsisThe captivating story of the world's favorite saint is now retold for a modern audience by one of the great novelists of our time.Perhaps more than any other figure in Christian history since Jesus Christ, Saint Francis of Assisi has captured our imagination, for his is a story of extreme self-sacrifice, of love to God and man. How could this wealthy, handsome youth cast away all the advantages that were his by birth and choose instead a career of poverty and humility? How could he attract members of all strata of society to his mission? And how, when his order became established throughout Europe, could he renounce great personal power and humbly continue his life's work?Here is Francis, from his twelfth-century boyhood to his life as a missionary roaming the very boundaries of the known world. Here too are the men and women who followed himBernard de Quintavalle, the rich businessman; Peter Cathanii, the lawyer; Brother Giles, the farmer's son; La

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Book SynopsisGaur Gopal Das and his friend Harry discuss life's purpose, happiness, relationships, potential, work success, and giving back in Mumbai traffic. Das, a popular monk and life coach, shares his wisdom in his book "Life's Amazing Secrets," offering insights to help align with the desired life.

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Book SynopsisThe essential companion to the phenomenal bestseller THE POWER OF NOWTrade ReviewThe POWER OF NOW can transform your thinking. The result? More joy, right now. -- Oprah WinfreyThe POWER OF NOW can transform your thinking. The result? More joy, right now. -- Oprah WinfreyThe must-read bible du jour. * Red magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis life story of Milarepa--the important Tibetan religious leader who lived over 800 years ago--is part of a remarkable four-volume series on Tibetan Buddhism produced by the late W.Y. Evans-Wentz, all four of which are being published by Oxford in new editions. While there are many parochial differences among the several sects of Tibetan Buddhism, each holds the Great Yogi Milarepa in the highest reverence and esteem. For exemplified in Milarepa''s life, as we discover in these pages, are all of the teachings of the great yogis of India--including those of Gautama the Buddha, the greatest yogi known to history. Amid his detailed introductory and explanatory notes for this text, Evans-Wentz also reveals compelling similarities between the life and thought of Milarepa and those of Jesus, Gandhi, and saints...in ancient China, or India, or Babylonia, or Egypt, or Rome, or in our own epoch. In composing this translation from the original Tibetan, the late Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup, who wasTable of ContentsPART I: THE PATH OF DARKNESS; PART II: THE PATH OF LIGHT

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Book SynopsisIn this unique and important book, one of the world''s great spiritual leaders offers his practical wisdom and advice on how we can overcome everyday human problems and achieve lasting happiness.The Art of Happiness is a highly accessible guide for a western audience, combining the Dalai Lama''s eastern spiritual tradition with Dr Howard C. Cutler''s western perspective. Covering all key areas of human experience, they apply the principles of Tibetan Buddhism to everyday problems and reveal how one can find balance and complete spiritual and mental freedom.For the many who wish to understand more about the Dalai Lama''s approach to living, there has never been a book which brings his beliefs so vividly into the real world.

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Book SynopsisNamed a Sejong Book of 2021, Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA) 2020 Center for Biblical Studies Book Award (New Testament Runner-Up) "Utterly fresh and innovative, important both exegetically and ethically."--Paula Fredriksen, Review of Biblical Literature Although most people acknowledge that Jesus was a first-century Jew, interpreters of the Gospels often present him as opposed to Jewish law and customs--especially when considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure. Matthew Thiessen corrects this popular misconception by placing Jesus within the Judaism of his day. Thiessen demonstrates that the Gospel writers depict Jesus opposing ritual impurity itself, not the Jewish ritual purity system or the Jewish law. This fresh interpretation of significant passages from the Gospels shows that throughout his life, Jesus destroys forces of death and impurity while upholding the Jewish law.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Mapping Jesus's World2. Jesus in a World of Ritual Impurity3. Jesus and the Walking Dead4. Jesus and the Dead Womb5. Jesus and the Dead6. Jesus and Demonic Impurity7. Jesus, Healing, and the Sabbath LifeConclusionAppendix: Jesus and the Dietary LawsIndexes

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Book Synopsis''Gripping ... An exquisite conversation between two people who know each other, like each other, and have mutual respect for one another'' - Catholic TimesSince resigning from the papacy in 2013, the first Pope in over 700 years to do so, Pope Benedict has lived quietly in a convent in the Vatican gardens in Rome. He has devoted himself to a life of prayer and study and has vowed to remain silent, until now. So much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict's time in office in this book, written with bestselling German author Peter Seewald, he addresses the issues of his papacy and reveals how, at his late age, governing and reforming the Church was beyond him.Last Testament is also an autobiography, recalling Pope Benedict's childhood in Germany under Nazism, his early development as a priest, and eventually his appointment as Archbishop of Munich. After becoming Pope, his account deals with the controversies that rocked the Catholic world how he enraged MuslimTable of ContentsForeword: One Last Visit PART I: THE BELLS OF ROME 1 Quiet Days in the Mater Ecclesiae 2 The Resignation 3 'I do not abandon the cross' PART II: A LIFE IN SERVICE 4 Childhood and Parental Home 5 The War 6 Student, Curate, Lecturer 7 Theological Apprentice and Star Theologian 8 Vatican II: A Dream and a Trauma 9 Professor and Bishop 10 Prefect (Rome, 1982-2005) PART III: THE POPE OF JESUS CHRIST 11 Suddenly Pontifex 12 Aspects of the Pontificate 13 Journeys and Encounters 14 Shortcomings and Problems Conclusions Author's Notes Timeline

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Book SynopsisIn this companion to the revised trade book, author, speaker and leadership expert Ken Blanchard guides readers through the process of discovering how to lead like Jesus. Effective leadership-in all realms of your life-starts on the inside. Before you can hope to lead anyone else, you have to know who you are.

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Book SynopsisNeem Karoli Baba emphasized devotion through service. Sri Siddhi Ma played a crucial role in his mission. Jaya Prasada, initially a non-believer, found purpose and belief through their teachings and guidance. Prasada shares anecdotes of supernatural events and their spiritual journey with sensitivity and charm.

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Book SynopsisThis book brings the best of leadership theory and research together with biblical reflection and examples of leadership in action to offer a practical guide to Christian leaders. Combining expertise in leadership studies and biblical studies, Justin Irving and Mark Strauss explore how leadership models have moved from autocratic and paternalistic leader-centered models toward an increased focus on followers. The authors show how contemporary theories such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and servant leadership take an important step toward prioritizing and empowering followers who work with leaders to accomplish organizational goals. Irving and Strauss organize their book around "nine empowering practices," making it accessible to students, church leaders, and business leaders. Integrating solid research in leadership studies with biblical and theological reflection on the leadership ideas that are most compatible with Christian faith, this book is an important resource for all Christian students of leadership.Table of ContentsContents Foreword Introduction: A Fresh Look at Empowering Leadership Part 1: Beginning with Authentic and Purposeful Leaders 1. Modeling What Matters 2. Engaging in Honest Self-Evaluation 3. Fostering Collaboration Part 2: Understanding the Priority of People 4. Valuing and Appreciating 5. Creating a Place for Individuality 6. Understanding Relational Skills Part 3: Navigating toward Effectiveness 7. Communicating with Clarity 8. Providing Accountability 9. Supporting and Resourcing Indexes

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Book SynopsisSheds light on the surprisingly diverse and shared visions for realizing Israel as a democratic Jewish state. Building on Arthur Hertzberg's classic, The Zionist Idea, Gil Troy explores the backstories, dreams, and legacies of more than 170 passionate Jewish visionaries from the 1800s to today.Trade Review"The Zionist Ideas: Visions for the Jewish Homeland–Then, Now, Tomorrow . . . takes a comprehensive approach to unpacking the challenges modern Zionism faces, while simultaneously expanding on the virtues of Jewish self-determination."—Daniel J. Roth, Jerusalem Post"Troy has done an extraordinary job in explaining the Zionist ideas that co-exist within Jewish life. As the subtitle puts it, this book explains the Zionism of the past, the debates going on in the present, and the visions of the future that occupy the minds and hearts of Zionists. Like Hertzberg's original book, it explains and it inspires."—Jack Riemer, Jewish Advocate"Troy has delivered an anthology that will give us plenty to argue about for years to come."—Elliot Jager, Jerusalem Report"Even within our relatively small community, we too often speak to only those who agree with us. No one is better positioned to change this reality than Natan Sharansky, the universally beloved hero of the Jewish people, and Gil Troy, an academic respected equally in Israel and North America, and whose book The Zionist Ideas should be standard fare at every synagogue, JCC, and day school, and given as a gift to every b'nai mitzvah."—Eric Fingerhut, Times of Israel Blog"An excellent cross-section of Zionist thought, ideology and popular culture as well, and a worthy update of Hertzberg's masterpiece. . . . Troy's volume will help us make sense of an increasingly chaotic Zionist world."—Jerome A. Chanes, New York Jewish Week"Reading this is like being on a tour of Zionist thought that Troy is leading us through as he analyzes Zionism's evolution from its early ideology as a national movement to its development of its own."—Reviews by Amos Lassen"The Zionist Ideas is an important update and essential addition to every Jewish studies library. The wealth of ideas found between its pages gives the reader an extraordinary opportunity to explore how his or her own thinking can fit into the spectrum of Zionist thought. Troy's update has revitalized Hertzberg's groundbreaking work and opened a new opportunity for conversation about Zionism and the central place of Israel in Jewish life."—Jonathan Fass, Jewish Book Council"Building on Arthur Hertzberg's classic, The Zionist Idea, Troy explores the backstories, dreams, and legacies of more than 170 passionate Jewish visionaries from the 1800s to today."—Algemeiner"At its core, Troy's anthology is an invitation to readers to consider what it means to be a Zionist, especially in the 21st century."—Jay P. Lefkowitz, Commentary"Instead of replacing Hertzberg, Troy's book will sit neatly on the shelf next to the original. Together, they are the essential primary sources for understanding the complex foundations of Israel and its meaning in the 21st century. Students will be reaching for both of them for a long time to come."—nealgold.netTable of ContentsContents Foreword by Natan Sharansky Acknowledgments Introduction: How Zionism’s Six Traditional Schools of Thought Shape Today’s Conversation Part One. Pioneers: Founding the Jewish State 1. Pioneers: Political Zionism Peretz Smolenskin It Is Time to Plant (1875–77) Let Us Search Our Ways (1881) The Haskalah of Berlin (1883) Leon Pinsker Auto-Emancipation: An Appeal to His People by a Russian Jew (1882) Theodor Herzl The Jewish State (1896) From the Diaries of Theodor Herzl (1895) Third Letter to Baron Hirsch (1895) Max Nordau Zionism (1902) Muskeljudentum, Jewry of Muscle (1903) Jacob Klatzkin Boundaries: Judaism Is Nationalism (1914–21) Chaim Weizmann On the Report of the Palestine Commission (1937) Natan Alterman Shir Moledet (Song of the homeland) (1935) Magash HaKesef (The silver platter) (1947) Albert Einstein Palestine, Setting of Sacred History of the Jewish Race (with Erich Kahler) (1944) 2. Pioneers: Labor Zionism Moses Hess Rome and Jerusalem (1862) bilu bilu Manifesto (1882) Joseph Hayyim Brenner Self-Criticism (1914) Nahman Syrkin The Jewish Problem and the Socialist Jewish State (1898) Ber Borochov Our Platform (1906) Aaron David Gordon People and Labor (1911) Our Tasks Ahead (1920) Rachel Bluwstein My Country (1926) Berl Katzenelson Revolution and Tradition (1934) Rahel Yanait Ben-Zvi The Plough Woman (1931) 3. Pioneers: Revisionist Zionism The Union of Zionists-Revisionists Declaration of the Central Committee of the Union of Zionists-Revisionists (1925) Vladimir Jabotinsky The Fundamentals of the Betarian World Outlook (1934) Evidence Submitted to the Palestine Royal Commission (1937) The Iron Wall ([1923] 1937) Saul Tchernichovsky I Believe (1892) They Say There’s a Land (1923) The Irgun Proclamation of the Irgun Zvai Leumi (1939) Avraham (Yair) Stern Eighteen Principles of Rebirth (1940) Haim Hazaz The Sermon (1942) 4. Pioneers: Religious Zionism Yehudah Alkalai The Third Redemption (1843) Samuel Mohilever Message to the First Zionist Congress (1897) Isaac Jacob Reines A New Light on Zion (1902) Abraham Isaac Kook The Land of Israel (1910–30) The Rebirth of Israel (1910–30) Lights for Rebirth (1910–30) Moshe “Kalphon” HaCohen Mateh Moshe (Moses’s headquarters) (1920) Meir Bar-Ilan (Berlin) What Kind of Life Should We Create in Eretz Israel? (1922) 5. Pioneers: Cultural Zionism Eliezer Ben-Yehudah A Letter of Ben-Yehudah (1880) Introduction to The Complete Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Hebrew (1908) Ahad Ha’am (Asher Zvi Ginsberg) On Nationalism and Religion (1910) The Jewish State and the Jewish Problem (1897) Hayyim Nahman Bialik The City of Slaughter (1903) At the Inauguration of the Hebrew University (1925) Micah Joseph Berdichevski Wrecking and Building (1900–1903) In Two Directions (1900–1903) On Sanctity (1899) Martin Buber Hebrew Humanism (1942) An Open Letter to Mahatma Gandhi (1939) 6. Pioneers: Diaspora Zionism Solomon Schechter Zionism: A Statement (1906) Louis Dembitz Brandeis The Jewish Problem and How to Solve It (1915) Henrietta Szold Letter to Augusta Rosenwald (1915) Horace Mayer Kallen Zionism and Liberalism (1919) Stephen S. Wise Challenging Years (1949) Milton Steinberg The Creed of an American Zionist (1945) Part Two. Builders: Actualizing and Modernizing the Zionist Blueprints 7. Builders: Political Zionism Israel’s Declaration of Independence (1948) David Ben-Gurion The Imperatives of the Jewish Revolution (1944) Speech to Mapai Central Committee (1948) Am Segula: Memoirs (1970) The Law of Return (1950) Isaiah Berlin Jewish Slavery and Emancipation (1953) The Achievement of Zionism (1975) Abba Eban Statement to the Security Council (1967) Teddy Kollek Jerusalem (1977) Chaim Herzog Address to the United Nations General Assembly (1975) Albert Memmi The Liberation of the Jew (1966, 2013) Jews and Arabs (1975) Yonatan (Yoni) Netanyahu Letters from Yoni Netanyahu (1968, 1975) Elie Wiesel One Generation After (1970) A Jew Today (1975, 1978) Natan Sharanksy Fear No Evil (1988) Emmanuel Levinas Politics After (1979) Assimilation and New Culture (1980) Martin Peretz The God That Did Not Fail (1997) 8. Builders: Labor Zionism Golda Meir A Land of Our Own (1973) Address to the United Nations General Assembly (1958) Muki Tsur The Soldiers’ Chat (1967) Amos Oz The Meaning of Homeland (1967) Roy Belzer Garin HaGolan Anthology (1972) The Members of Kibbutz Ketura The Kibbutz Ketura Vision (1994) Yaakov Rotblit Shir LaShalom, A Song for Peace (1969) Leonard Fein Days of Awe (1982) Yitzhak Rabin Our Tremendous Energies from a State of Siege (1994) Shimon Peres Nobel Lecture (1994) Shulamit Aloni I Cannot Do It Any Other Way (1997) 9. Builders: Revisionist Zionism Uri Zvi Greenberg Those Living-Thanks to Them Say (1948) Israel without the Mount (1948–49) Geulah Cohen Memoirs of a Young Terrorist (1943–48) The Tehiya Party Platform (1988) Moshe Shamir For a Greater Israel (1967) The Green Space: Without Zionism, It’ll Never Happen (1991) Menachem Begin The Revolt (1951) Broadcast to the Nation (1948) Statement to the Knesset upon the Presentation of His Government (1977) Yitzhak Shalev We Shall Not Give Up Our Promised Borders (1963) Eliezer Schweid Israel as a Zionist State (1970) The Promise of the Promised Land (1988) Benjamin Netanyahu A Place among the Nations (1993) 10. Builders: Religious Zionism Ben-Zion Meir Chai Uziel Prayer for the State of Israel (1948) On Nationalism (ca. 1940–50) David Edan A Call for Aliyah (ca. 1950) Joseph Ber Soloveitchik Listen! My Beloved Knocks! (1956) Yeshayahu Leibowitz A Call for the Separation of Religion and State (1959) Zvi Yehuda Hakohen Kook On the 19th Anniversary of Israel’s Independence (1967) Abraham Joshua Heschel Israel: An Echo of Eternity (1969) Esther Jungreis Zionism: A Challenge to Man’s Faith (1977) Talma Alyagon-Roz Eretz Tzvi, The Land of Beauty (1976, 2014) Eliezer Berkovits On Jewish Sovereignty (1973) Gush Emunim Friends of Gush Emunim Newsletter (1978) David Hartman Auschwitz or Sinai (1982) The Third Jewish Commonwealth (1985) Commission on the Philosophy of Conservative Judaism Emet V’Emunah: Statement of Principles of Conservative Judaism (1988) Richard Hirsch Toward a Theology of Reform Zionism (2) Ovadia Yosef Oral Torah 14 (1979) 11. Builders: Cultural Zionism Haim Hefer There Were Times (1948) A. M. Klein The Second Scroll (1951) Leon Uris The Exodus Song / This Land Is Mine (1960) Shmuel Yosef Agnon Nobel Prize Speech (1966) Naomi Shemer Jerusalem of Gold (1967) Yehudah Amichai All the Generations before Me (1968) Tourists  (1980) Gershon Shaked No Other Place (1980, 1987) Letty Cottin Pogrebin Deborah, Golda, and Me (1991) Anne Roiphe Generation without Memory (1981) 12. Builders: Diaspora Zionism Arthur Hertzberg Impasse: A Movement in Search of a Program (1949) Some Reflections on Zionism Today (1977) Mordecai M. Kaplan A New Zionism (1954, 1959) Rose Halprin Speech to the Zionist General Council (1950) Jacob Blaustein Statements by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Mr. Jacob Blaustein on the Relationship between Israel and American Jews (1950, 1956) Simon Rawidowicz Babylon and Jerusalem (1957) Two That Are One (1949) Irving “Yitz” Greenberg Twenty Years Later: The Impact of Israel on American Jewry (1968) Yom Yerushalayim: Jerusalem Day (1988) Eugene Borowitz Twenty Years Later: The Impact of Israel on American Jewry (1968) Herman Wouk This Is My God (1969, 1974) Arnold Jacob Wolf Will Israel Become Zion? (1973) Breira National Platform (1977) Hillel Halkin Letters to an American Jewish Friend: The Case for Life in Israel (1977, 2013) Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin Nine Questions People Ask about Judaism (1975) Alex Singer Alex: Building a Life (1983, 1986, 1996) Blu Greenberg What Do American Jews Believe? A Symposium (1996) Part Three. Torchbearers: Reassessing, Redirecting, Reinvigorating 13. Torchbearers: Political Zionism Michael Oren Jews and the Challenge of Sovereignty (2006) Tal Becker Beyond Survival: Aspirational Zionism (2011) Michael Walzer The State of Righteousness: Liberal Zionists Speak Out (2012) Aharon Barak Address to the 34th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem (2002) Yael “Yuli” Tamir A Jewish and Democratic State (2) Ze’ev Maghen John Lennon and the Jews: A Philosophical Rampage (2010) Daniel Gordis The Promise of Israel (2012) Leon Wieseltier Brothers and Keepers: Black Jews and the Meaning of Zionism (1985) Irwin Cotler Speech to the United Jewish Communities General Assembly (2006) Gadi Taub In Defense of Zionism (2014) Bernard-Henri Lévy The Genius of Judaism (2017) Asa Kasher idf Code of Ethics (1994) 14. Torchbearers: Labor Zionism Anita Shapira The Abandoned Middle Road (2012) Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir My Contributions to Science and Society (2005) Ruth Gavison Statement of Principles, Gavison-Medan Covenant (2003) Einat Wilf Zionism: The Only Way Forward (2012) Chaim Gans The Zionism We Really Want (2013) David Grossman Speech at Rabin Square (2006) Nitzan Horowitz On the Steps of Boorishness (2013) Alon Tal Pollution in a Promised Land (2002, 2017) Peter Beinart The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment (2010) Ari Shavit Back to Liberal Zionism (2014) A Missed Funeral and the True Meaning of Zionism (2013) Stav Shaffir Knesset Speech (2015) 15. Torchbearers: Revisionist Zionism Yoram Hazony The End of Zionism? (1995) Israel’s Jewish State Law and the Future of the Middle East (2014) Shmuel Trigano There Is No “State of All Its Citizens” (2015, 2017) Israel Harel We Are Here to Stay (2001) Caroline Glick The Israeli Solution: A One-State Plan for Peace in the Middle East (2014) Ruth Wisse Jews and Power (2007) David Mamet Bigotry Pins Blame on Jews (2006, 2011) The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture (2011) Ze’ev B. “Benny” Begin The Essence of the State of Israel (2015, 2017) Reuven Rivlin Remarks of President Rivlin: Vision of the Four Tribes (2015) Ayelet Shaked Pathways to Governance (2016) 16. Torchbearers: Religious Zionism Daniel Polisar Is Iran the Only Model for a Jewish State? (1999) Benjamin Ish-Shalom Jewish Sovereignty: The Challenges of Meaning, Identity, and Responsibility (2014) Eliezer Sadan Religious Zionism: Taking Responsibility in the Worldly Life of the Nation (2008) Yaacov Medan Statement of Principles, Gavison-Medan Covenant (2003) Yehuda Amital Reishit Tzemichat Ge’ulatenu: What Kind of Redemption Does Israel Represent? (2005) Benjamin “Benny” Lau The Challenge of Halakhic Innovation (2010) Yedidia Z. Stern Ani Ma’amin, I Believe (2005) Leah Shakdiel The Reason You Are Here Is Because You Are a Jew! (2004) Arnold Eisen What Does It Mean to Be a Zionist in 2015? Speech to the 37th Zionist Congress: (2015) Conservative Judaism Today and Tomorrow (2015) David Ellenson Reform Zionism Today: A Consideration of First Principles (2014) 17. Torchbearers: Cultural Zionism Gil Troy Why I Am a Zionist (2008) Yair Lapid I Am a Zionist (2009) Micah Goodman From the Secular and the Holy (2018) Ronen Shoval Herzl’s Vision 2.0 (2013) A. B. Yehoshua The Basics of Zionism, Homeland, and Being a Total Jew (2017) Erez Biton Address at the President’s House on the Subject of Jerusalem (2016) Bernard Avishai The Hebrew Republic (2008) Saul Singer They Tried to Kill Us, We Won, Now We’re Changing the World (2011) Sharon Shalom A Meeting of Two Brothers Who Had Been Separated for Two Thousand Years (2017) Einat Ramon Zionism: A Jewish Feminist-Womanist Appreciation (2017) Adam Milstein Israeliness Is the Answer (2016, 2017) Rachel Sharansky Danziger A New Kind of Zionist Hero (2015, 2017) 18. Torchbearers: Diaspora Zionism Jonathan Sacks Will We Have Jewish Grandchildren? (1994) Alan Dershowitz The Vanishing American Jew (1997) Yossi Beilin His Brother’s Keeper: Israel and Diaspora Jewry in the Twenty-First Century (2) Scott Shay Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry (2007) Donniel Hartman Israel and World Jewry: The Need for a New Paradigm (2011) Yossi Klein Halevi A Jewish Centrist Manifesto (2015) Ellen Willis Is There Still a Jewish Question? I’m an Anti-Anti-Zionist (2003) Theodore Sasson The New American Zionism (2013) Central Conference of American Rabbis A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism (1999) The World Zionist Organization Jerusalem Program (1951) Jerusalem Program (2004) Source Acknowledgments Sources

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Book SynopsisTwo thousand years ago, Jesus Christ revealed the Father to humanity, not as an angry punisher of sinners, but as a merciful forgiver bent on reconciliation with His lost sons and daughters. Through Christ’s perfect sacrifice, the Father ensured that inside this reconciled relationship with Him, nothing we could ever do could separate us from His love. He made us unpunishable. Yet the body of Christ struggles to create a relational culture that accurately reflects the heart of the Father—a culture of mature love that drives away the fear of punishment (1 John 4:18) and leads people who sin on a journey of repentance, restoration, and reconciliation. In fact, the fear of punishment often seems to have the strongest hold at the leadership level in most churches. Many leaders live in isolation and performance, and often burn out or crash morally, because they believe that if they have any problems, they will be punished—a belief that is too often realized. At the same time, these leaders struggle to see how they can lead and protect people without using tools of punishment when people sin. Unpunishable is a call to all believers, but especially leaders, to end our dysfunctional love affair with the fear of punishment and build a relational culture that empowers people to walk in the light of freedom and love, own and clean up their messes, and mature into sons and daughters who look like the Father.

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Book SynopsisIn Leadership Pain, Samuel Chand---best-selling author recognized as 'the leader's leader'---provides a concrete, practical understanding of the pain we experience to help us interpret pain more accurately and learn the lessons God has in it for us.

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Book SynopsisThe Commentaries of Pius II (1405-1464), the only autobiography ever written by a pope, was composed in elegant humanistic Latin modeled on Caesar and Cicero. This edition contains a fresh Latin text based on the last manuscript written in Pius's lifetime and an updated and corrected version of the 1937 translation.Trade ReviewAeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, the Sienese humanist who became Pope Pius II, describes the election that brought him to the papal throne in a cold, mordant key that anticipates the Italian styles of Machiavelli and Guicciardini...For all his severity, Pius had a delightful way of describing cities and countryside. He could mock himself charmingly, as when he described his stay among the barbarian inhabitants of the British borders, who had never seen wine or white bread, and whose eager young women he refused to sleep with, as he stayed up all night for fear of bandits "among the heifers and nanny goats, who kept him from sleeping a wink by stealthily pulling the straw from his pallet." Pius's Commentaries, presented in a most elegant and informative way by Margaret Meserve and Marcello Simonetta, may well be the most entertaining work in the whole [I Tatti Renaissance Library] series. -- Anthony T. Grafton * New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisEarl Creps is known for his work in connecting the younger generation of postmoderns with their Boomer predecessors. The author of Off-Road Disciplines, Creps, in this new book, takes up the topic of how older church leaders can learn from younger leaders who are more conversant with culture, technology, and social context. In addition to making the benefits of what he calls reverse mentoring apparent, he also makes it accessible by offering practical steps to implement this discipline at both personal and organizational levels, particularly in communication, evangelism, and leadership. Creps'' new book is a topic of interest both inside and outside the church as older leaders realize that they''re not getting it when it comes to technologies (iPod, IM, blogging) or cultural issues such as the fact that younger people see the world in an entirely different way. Creps has been personally involved in reverse mentoring for several years and has spoken and written on the subjectTrade Review"Full of timely examples that can help keep ministry fresh and relevant." – The Living Church (January 2009) "I enjoyed reading Earl Creps’ Off Road Disciplines, but I was enthralled by Reverse Mentoring….Through these extremely personal and detailed stories Creps gives the reader a window into the emerging world with all of its new language, technology, music, and quirkiness." –Easum-BandyTable of ContentsAbout Leadership Network. Introduction: It Takes a Child to Raise a Village. Part One: Facing Reality. Chapter 1 Identity: “I Am Not Cool”. Chapter 2 Culture: “I Don’t Get It”. Chapter 3 Ministry: “I Am Not Relevant”. Part Two: Cultivating Spirituality. Chapter 4 Vision: Seeing Beyond Ourselves. Chapter 5 Wisdom: Knowing Beyond Our Information. Chapter 6 Relationship: Befriending Beyond Our Peers. Part Three: Experiencing Practicality. Chapter 7 Evangelism: Learning from Outsiders. Chapter 8 Communication: Learning from Listeners. Chapter 9 Leadership: Learning from Followers. Part Four: Developing Reciprocity. Chapter 10 Protégés: Developing R-Mentoring Relationships. Chapter 11 Processes: Embedding R-Mentoring in Organizations. Chapter 12 Interview: Joel and Rachel Mentor Earl and Janet. Epilogue I Was So Much Older Then; I’m Younger Than That Now. Notes. Acknowledgments. About the Author. Index.

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Book SynopsisChange the Way You Think about LeadershipAt the age of thirty-three, Dr. Albert Mohler became the youngest president in the 164-year history of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was the driving force behind the school''s transformation into a thriving institution with an international reputation characterized by a passionate conviction for truth. In the process he became one of the most important and prominent Christian voices in contemporary culture.What will it take to transform your leadership? Effective leaders need more than administrative skills and vision. They need to be able to change the hearts and minds of those they lead. Leadership like this requires passionate beliefs that can stand up to pressure from without and within. In this updated edition Dr. Mohler has added a new introduction and conclusion based on an additional 10 years of leadership. He has also completely rewritten the chapter

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Book SynopsisAn exciting, wide-ranging exploration of the power and diversity of female figures of worship in world cultures and belief systems, from the ancient world to today. ---------- âWritten in plain and accessible language, without losing academic rigor... Crerar, who, like a contemporary Virgil, introduces us to sublime and terrifying entities, guiding us all the way through the complex and fascinating meanings of femininity and faith.â â MarÃa Pinal Villanueva, The Journal of Folklore Research Reviews âAn excellent catalogueâ â Waldemar Januszczak, The Sunday Times âA lucidly argued and richly illustrated catalogueâ â Marina Warner, The Guardian ---------- Divine women â in many guises â have featured in every world faith from deep history until the present day, inspiring people and cultures across the world. In a cross-cultural and global approach, this book discusses Eve alongside Inanna, Radha and Aphrodite in the context of sex and desire, while in the chapter on evil, witches Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Forces of nature 2. Passion and desire 3. Evil 4. Justice and defence 5. Compassion and salvation Conclusion Notes and bibliography Acknowledgements and credits Index

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Book SynopsisOf all the men who have served the Catholic Church as pope, who were the ten most influential?Trade Review“Enlightening”—Mary Carroll, Booklist -- Mary Carroll * Booklist *“Not only is Duffy an elegant stylist; he is the best qualified person in the English-speaking world to write on [this] subject. You will not, therefore, be disappointed in these 10 sketches.”—John W. O’Malley, America -- John W. O’Malley * America *"First presented as radio broadcasts, these 10 insightful profiles from a world-class historian are well worth your time."—Dan Connors, Catholic Digest -- Dan Connors * Catholic Digest *"[Duffy's] introduction and very selective bibliography are worth the book’s price, and his essays are simply brilliant. Academic libraries should obtain this to prove to dubious students that scholarly writing need not be dry or obfuscating, and parish libraries will appreciate the book’sbrevity and delightful style. Most highly recommended."—Daniel Boice, Catholic Library World -- Daniel Boice * Catholic Library World *"[P]erceptive and persuasive . . . Duffy offers brief, lucid narratives and convincing interpretations of the considerable significance of each of the ten popes included."—W.L. Pitts Jr., Choice -- W.L. Pitts Jr. * Choice *

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Book SynopsisAt one point in her life, author and co-founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Kathy Keller sought pastoral ordination. Yet she came to adopt the view that men and women have different roles in marriage and ministry, and that fulfilling such roles pleases God and leads to greater personal fulfillment.In this unapologetic but nuanced piece, Keller presents a caring and careful case for biblical gender differences and the complementarian view of women in ministry. At the same time, she encourages women to teach and lead in the church in ways that may startle some complementarians. Readers on both sides of this hot-button topic will be challenged by her ministry-tested and thoroughly Scriptural perspective.

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Book SynopsisChurches have split and denominations have formed over the issue of church government. While many Christians can explain their church''s form of rule or defend it because of its tried and true traditions, few people understand their church''s administrative customs from a biblical perspective.Who Runs the Church? explores questions such as: What model for governing the church does the Bible provide, and is such a model given for practical or spiritual reasons? Is there room for different methods within Christianity? Or is there a right way of doing church? And, finally, how (and by whom) should the church be governed?Four predominant approaches to church government are presented by respected proponents: Episcopalianism - represented by Peter Toon Presbyterianism - represented by L. Roy Taylor Single-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Paige Patterson Plural-Elder Congregationalism - represented by Samue

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Book SynopsisMany people have wondered where Mother Teresa found the motivation and the strength to give herself so totally to loving the poorest of the poor. This little book provides us with an answer. Collected here are Mother Teresa's favourite prayers; many written by herself, others which she and the Sisters of Charity used on a daily basis. Together they provide an intimate and rare portrait of a modern day saint for whom work and prayer were inseparable. Her days began and ended with prayer, and every activity was rooted in attentive listening to God. Mother Teresa's Prayer Book is therefore the ideal daily spiritual companion for all who are seeking to know and do God's will.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Rex’s nuanced account of Luther’s theology, steeped in deep learning and wry humour, demands attention."---Susannah Monta, Times Literary Supplement"Richard Rex's new book, The Making of Martin Luther, is brilliant in exposing the hair-raising character of his theology."---Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator"Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining. . . . This is a book that teaches. Its value lies in presenting briefly and pointedly what is distinctive about Luther’s theological development rather than repeating the partisan caricatures of his thought and role produced by later generations of both his detractors and his followers."---Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion"A quick read packed with lots of good information, The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you’re a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist." * Manhattan Book Review *"Rex’s brilliantly written biography of Luther goes from the cradle not to the grave but to the immediate aftermath of the Diet of Worms. The thread he sees as giving spiritual and intellectual unity to this period of Luther’s life is the quest for certainty. . . . Considering Rex’s own passionate Roman Catholicism, this is a remarkably sympathetic portrait of the Reformer, and it is possibly the best concise study of Luther’s early reforming career that I have read."---Carl R. Trueman, First Things"Reading this book was a rewarding experience."---Susan C. Karant-Nunn, Journal of Ecclesiastical History"[Rex] puts forward a history of Martin Luther’s progress to intransigent reformer so excellent that both admirers and critics of Luther’s achievement must agree this is the best-researched, acutely observed, deeply pondered, and objectively reported account of his shattering of the Medieval Church as an uncontested European-wide phenomenon."---Patrick Madigan, Heythrop Journal"The quincentenary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses producecl a flurry of excellent books ín 2017 and Richard Rex's The Making of Martin Luther is another such example. The Making is not in any way a traditional biography. The major accomplishment here is that Rex offers readers a fascinating, concise, and provocative overview of arguably Luther's most important years from his penning the 95 Theses (1517) to his Ore the Bondage of the Witt (1525)."---Christopher Petrakos, Anglican and Episcopal History

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Book SynopsisMarco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI's resignation and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and the Catholic laity.Trade ReviewA profound analysis of the Argentinean pope given by one of the most important experts on the Vatican in the world. -- Santiago Zabala, ICREA/Pompeu Fabra University Politi's coverage of Pope Francis, his internal opposition and vision for a changing church, belongs in every newsroom for the adroit treatment of how ferocious Vatican politics can be. This book will attract general readers, nuns, bishops, professors, students, cardinals, diplomats, politicians, and even their hatchetmen seeking insight on a pope who has captured the world's imagination -- Jason Berry, author of Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church Politi is one of the world's most accomplished Vatican observers, and in many ways Francis is the pope he has been waiting his whole life to cover. This is Politi at his tea-leaf-reading best, which is very, very good. -- John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of the Boston Globe and Crux Marco Politi is a writer for our times, with his insight, access, and wisdom about an intriguing pontiff. Few people can dig up the nuggets and jewels about such important papal matters, and what Politi knows and serves up to his readers cannot be missed. Pope Francis Among the Wolves is surely another of Politi's 'must-reads.' -- Christiane Amanpour CNN, Chief international Correspondent Journalist and Vatican insider Politi draws upon a vast wealth of sources... This book is well translated and accessible to a wide audience of Francis's admirers and opponents, both inside and outside of the Catholic Church. Library Journal Politi certainly delivers on the subtitle's promise of a look inside the byzantine halls of the institutional Catholic Church. Publishers Weekly All Francis-watchers will want to-should-read Politi. Booklist [Pope Francis Among the Wolves] sheds light on the pope's revolution within church institutions. -- Elizabeth Webb AmericaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Translator's Note 1. The Smell of the Sheep 2. Francis's Fear 3. The Coup d'Etat of Benedict XVI 4. The Secrets of an Anti-Italian Conclave 5. The End of the Imperial Church 6. The Face of a Parish Priest 7. Walking with Unbelievers 8. The Hidden Women Priests 9. Death in Front of the Vatican 10. The Self-Critique of a Pope 11. The Program of the Revolution 12. St. Peter Had No Bank Account 13. The Enemies of Francis 14. The War of the Cardinals 15. The Italian Knot 16. A Resignable Papacy Notes Index

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Book SynopsisA lot has been written about Shirdi Sai Baba, the Master of the Age. Here is a book that explains his teachings and lessons in a rational and sagacious manner. Spiritual philosophies are explained logically and in a simple language. The author also introduces the concept of Sai-ism in the book. This book contains thoughts and messages from the author which have been published in magazines like The Heritage of Shri Shirdi Sai and Others. These articles, in quintessence, are based on the spiritual precepts of Baba, which are further elucidated from a devotee''s perspective. Some of the articles related to different concepts of religion and spiritualism for proper appreciation of the divine role of Sadguru Shri Sai Baba. Each concept is explained in a elucidative and lucid style for the easy understanding of the readers. The excellent clarity and presentation of the thoughts indicate the author''s immense popularity as a guru, guide, speaker and a leader of the global Sai movement. A must-read for all those who want to understand Shirdi Sai Baba.

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Book SynopsisJohn Adair is the world's leading authority on leadership and leadership development. Over a million managers worldwide have taken part in the Action-Centred Leadership programmes he pioneered. John was also the only British national serviceman to serve in the Arab Legion, where he became adjutant of a Bedouin regiment. He is the author of over 50 books, many of which are published by Kogan Page, including the leadership classics, Not Bosses But Leaders and How to Grow Leaders.Trade Review"Integrity, courage, practicality, and other virtues are the focus, and makes 'The Leadership of Muhammad' a certainly intriguing read. The Midwest Book Review, October 2010" * The Midwest Book Review *"Authoritative and wise." * Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Management, University of Southern California *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: In the black tents of Bani Sa’d; Chapter - 02: The shepherd; Chapter - 03: Caravan leader; Chapter - 04: Dwellers of the desert; Chapter - 05: Muhammad ‘the Trustworthy One’; Chapter - 06: Sharing in hardship; Chapter - 07: Humility; Chapter - 08: From past to present

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive history of all 266 popes from Peter to Francis, with beautiful fine-art images.

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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 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 SynopsisFirst published in 1923, The Prophet is a collection of twenty-six poetic fables that centre around the prophet Al Mustafa, who, boarding a boat in the city of Orphalese, where he has lived for many years, prepares to sail home. On the voyage Al Mustafa is approached by a group of travellers, with whom he discusses deep topics - love, friendship, passion, pain, religion - and The Prophet becomes a manual and spiritual guide. This edition features the original illustrations prepared by the author, as well as an introduction by Dr Daniele Nunziata, which introduces the great work for a new generation.Trade Review'I have loved many books over the years, but the one I would never be parted from and read again and again is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.' (Lesley Pearse, The Independent)

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[O’Malley’s] oeuvre now forms a satisfyingly coherent whole…As authoritative as it is accessible. -- Stella Fletcher * Times Literary Supplement *An eminent scholar of modern Catholicism…O’Malley…invit[es] us to see Catholicism’s recent history as profoundly shaped by and against the imposing legacy of Pius IX. * Wall Street Journal *With Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church, John O’Malley, S.J., the worldwide dean of church historians, has completed his trinity of works on church councils… O’Malley completes his masterclass in church history and ecclesiology of the last 500 years, telling us as much about the church now as then. -- Christopher Bellitto * America *The best available [work] in English on Vatican I…O’Malley’s account of the debate over infallibility is masterful…The descriptions of the council’s setting and procedure convey a feel for what the bishops experienced there. -- William L. Portier * Commonweal *O’Malley offers a comprehensive and gripping narrative of Vatican I…In his eminently accessible volume, O’Malley repeats the success of his earlier histories of Vatican II and Trent…[He] weaves together the doctrinal issues with the personalities of the principal historical characters in the drama of controversy and conflict…[This] belongs to a long and productive career of exposing a wide readership to the fascinatingly complex history of the Church. -- Hilmar M. Pabel * The Tablet *O’Malley gives an accessible, even-handed overview of the council with a minimum of interpretive gloss. He excels in describing the ways in which the council initiated deep changes that still affect the everyday lives of Catholics. -- Russell Hittinger * First Things *Much needed and very informative…O’Malley’s book shows the many ways in which the church we know is still very much shaped by the First…Vatican Council. Put differently, the modern church is still, in certain ways, the work of reactionaries. * National Catholic Reporter *A gripping good read…With characteristic economy and clarity, O’Malley tells the story of Vatican I and the making of the ultramontane church—and, most importantly, why it matters. -- Mary Dunn * Harvard Theological Review *Provides an elegant historical narrative. -- John Cornwell * Times Higher Education *A fascinating and dispassionate glimpse into a pivotal and dramatic period of Catholic Church history. -- James Wetherbee * Library Journal *[A] judicious work of scholarship, carefully researched and elegantly narrated. -- Thomas Albert Howard * Patheos *A concise and accessible overview of the Council and the history that led to it…O’Malley does an excellent job of narrating the dynamics at play as the Church picked up the pieces from the devastation of the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. -- Jared Staudt * Denver Catholic *To be the premier historian of the modern ecumenical councils would seem an odd bit of praise, but John O’Malley, S.J., is exactly that and with characteristic grace. His history of Vatican I is a marvelous bookend to his field-shaping history of Vatican II and possesses the lucidity, insight, and erudition we associate with one of the world’s leading historians of Catholicism. It immediately becomes the standard history. -- John McGreevy, University of Notre DameThis excellent book fills a critical need for an up-to-date and comprehensive account of the events, the personalities, and the elaboration of the doctrine at the First Vatican Council. O’Malley draws from the best and most recent historical sources published in multiple languages to weave together masterfully the complex convergence of social, political, intellectual, and ecclesial movements that contribute to a culture of ultramontanism, the horizon against which one must understand both the event of the council and its teaching. -- Catherine Clifford, Saint Paul UniversityO’Malley is not new to writing re-assessments of pivotal events of modern Roman Catholic history. One can think of his important volumes on What Happened at Vatican II and Trent: What Happened at the Council, which have proven to be trend-setting in their interpretation of present-day Roman Catholicism. In this new book on Vatican I it is as if he has completed the trilogy on the three modern councils…O’Malley’s strength lies in the comprehensiveness of his historical reconstruction. -- Leonardo De Chirico * Evangelical Focus *

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Book SynopsisThe death of Pope John Paul II and consequent election of Pope Benedict XVI has shed light on a political process that the world has not been privy to for almost twenty-six years. People from around the world gathered in St. Peter''s Square, wondering who the next Vatican leader would be and how the election process really worked, while everyone from international news correspondents to local priests added their own opinions to the debate. With Heirs of the Fisherman, former Vatican insider John-Peter Pham presents us with a highly accurate portrait of the modern Vatican, --the only account to reveal the striking changes to papal succession procedures made by John Paul II. Blending political and ecclesiastical history, Pham goes beyond a mere description of the complex rituals--including a rare insight into the dramatic shifts inside the College of Cardinals, whose 100 members now hail from 50 nations around the globe. He takes us into the secret conclave, where the electors were kept Trade Reviewa rich mine of information on papal elections, including the election of Benedict XVI * William Gibson, Archives *an extraordinary book... This well-presented, attractive [book], much more than a coffee table addition the drawing room, is to be welcomed and enjoyed * John Greehalgh, Catholic Herald21.07.2006 *

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Book SynopsisA timeless collection of prayers, quotes, poems and speeches for every occasion. Complete with a brief introduction to each piece and its author, this book features words and prayers from 300BC to the present day. It provides a great source of inspiration when planning a speech or ceremonial occasion or can be used for personal devotions.

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Book SynopsisA beautiful book of illustrated Bible stories, retold by the world's best-loved cleric.Nobel prizewinner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, re-tells over fifty of his favourite Bible stories for an audience of young readers.From classics such as the stories of Noah and the calming of the storm, to less-known stories such as Naboth's Vineyard or Ruth, the Archbishop makes these time-honoured stories come to life in his own inimitable voice.The book has a truly international flavour, with illustrators from around the world contributing their interpretations of the stories. The result is a glorious, and great value, package that will inspire a generation of children and their carers.Trade ReviewShortlisted for the Christian Library Book Award 2011 ‘Accessible and heartwarming…The Children of God Storybook Bible will draw in everyone who hears it’ – The Times

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