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Showing 12721 - 12740 of 20201 items
This book explores significant representations of Shinto and Buddhist sacred space, spiritual symbols, and religious concepts that are embedded in…
the secular framework of Japanese films aimed at general audiences in Japan and globally. These cinematic masterpieces by directors Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Makoto Shinkai operate as expressions of and, potentially, catalysts for transcendence of various kinds, particularly during the Heisei era (1989-2019), when Japan experienced severe economic hardship and devastating natural disasters. The book’s approach to aesthetics and religion employs the multifaceted concepts of ma (structuring intervals; liminal space-time), kū (emptiness; sky), mono no aware (compassionate sensibility; resigned sadness), and musubi (generative interconnection), examining the dynamic, evolving nature of these ancient principles that are at once spiritual, aesthetic, and philosophical. Scholars and enthusiasts of Japanese cinema (live action and anime), religion and film, cinematic aesthetics, and of the relationship between East Asian religions and the arts will find fresh perspectives on these in this book, which moves beyond conventional notions of transcendental style and essentialized approaches to the multivalent richness of Japanese aesthetics.By Sam Storms. 2021
The Bible frequently speaks of Satan and demons, and there is no mistaking the teaching of Scripture on this one…
point: as there is a kingdom of God, so too is there a kingdom of Satan. And the two are embroiled in open conflict. Yet many Christians today are unaware of this battle and are woefully ill equipped to engage in the work of spiritual warfare. Or they believe Satan and the demonic are part of a worldview that has long since lost its usefulness and cogency. This is the 21st century, for heaven's sake.Sam Storms believes we cannot so easily dispense with the multitude of biblical assertions concerning the reality of Satan and his demonic hordes. The truth is that believers in Jesus are likely to encounter on a daily basis men and women of all ages who are sorely oppressed, tormented, and tempted by demonic powers. How do we respond to these people? Is there help we can offer them?The good news is that Jesus offers deliverance and freedom from the influence of the enemy, and the resultant joy, peace, and spiritual flourishing that comes through the victory of Jesus dying and rising again. Understanding Spiritual Warfare explains the biblical teaching on spiritual warfare and also shares numerous personal accounts of personal victories over the demonic, together with practical guidance on how you, too, can extinguish the "flaming darts" (Eph. 6:16) of the "cosmic powers" and "spiritual forces of evil" (Eph. 6:12) that so often bombard your life. Scattered throughout the pages of this book are real-life testimonies of men and women who have experienced deliverance from demonic oppression and now walk in the joy and freedom of inner spiritual healing, and in the case of some, physical healing as well.Understanding Spiritual Warfare is useful as a reference to address common questions about spiritual warfare, but it also serves as a training manual for a ministry of deliverance and inner healing. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of spiritual warfare today.By Everett Ferguson. 1981
These studies in early church history cover various aspects of the church life of early Christians. They focus on the…
second century.What did the second century Christian leaders say about faith, baptism, infant baptism, worship services, the Lord's Supper, prayer, singing, church organization, mercy and the role of women? New Testament texts bearing on the topic are listed at the beginning of each chapter. We are talking about the same community of people, the same church, as existed in the New Testament. Such writings have an important bearing on the interpretation of the Scriptures.By John MacArthur. 2020
What does it mean to be a Christian? What did Jesus mean when He said, "Follow me"? Based on his…
classic bestseller, The Gospel According to Jesus, pastor and author John MacArthur explores the gospel Jesus himself preached--the radical message his followers risked everything to live out. Only Jesus helps readers gain a thorough and proper understanding of the true way to salvation by examining questions like these:What does it mean to be saved?What is saving grace?Why do Christians call Jesus "Lord"?Why does the Cross matter?What does it mean to be born again?What did Jesus teach about eternal life?What do "sin" and "repentance" mean?What is the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation?Only Jesus is perfect for Christians who want a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ or seekers who want to know who Jesus is and what he taught. John MacArthur will guide you in discovering how Jesus' actual words and teachings call us to salvation and new life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Drastic changes will result in our hearts and lives when we truly answer Christ's call to discipleship.By John English. 1982
Originally published in 1982, at a time when the UK government was pursuing the policy of council house sales, this…
book explores the implications of selling council houses, criticises the housing management and policies of the 1970s and 80s and argues forcefully for the retention of the council housing sector.By Joshua Hall, Patrick Gray, Ruth Wallis Herndon, Javier Silvestre. 2022
This anthology honors the life and work of American economist John E. Murray, whose work on the evolution of the…
standard of living spanned multiple disciplines. Publishing extensively in the areas of the history of healthcare and health insurance, labor markets, religion, and family-related issues from education to orphanages, fertility, and marriage, Murray was much more than an economic historian and his influence can be felt across the wider scholarly community. Written by Murray’s academic collaborators, mentors, and mentees, this collection of essays covers topics such as the effect of the 1918 influenza pandemic on U.S. life insurance holdings, the relationship between rapid economic growth and type 2 diabetes, and the economics of the early church. This volume will be of use to scholars and students interested in economic history, cliometrics, labor economics, and American and European history, as well as the history of religion.By Joseph Antenucci Becherer, Henry Martin Luttikhuizen. 2022
No single figure has been more often featured in Western art than Jesus Christ. Sculptures, particularly—though they have received less…
notice than paintings—provide some of the most moving representations in their capacity to show Christ alongside us in three-dimensional space.In this &“catalog for an imagined exhibition,&” two prominent art historians—one from the Roman Catholic tradition, one from the Protestant tradition—offer a guided tour of fifty-two sculptures of Jesus Christ from throughout the Western world. The chronological scope of the selection ranges from the third century to the present, with the work of well-known sculptors featured alongside the work of less familiar artists who deserve more attention.Along with lush, high-resolution photographs, each piece is accompanied by an essay that places it in context and brings it to life, so readers can experience the sculpture almost as vividly as they would in person. Those interested in devotional as well as artistic significance will find inspiration in the striking representations of Christ in his many forms: healer, sage, sovereign, and savior, from his humble yet majestic birth to his harrowing death and miraculous resurrection.From a theological viewpoint, this book explores the junction between the philosophical existential idea of the authentic self and its…
cultural appropriation. The text builds on the theology of John Macquarrie and the narrative formation of identity to construct a theological definition of authentic selfhood. It then contrasts this definition with the common idea that authenticity, in the moral sense, can be used to justify any action. The author argues that this is not genuine authenticity. Instead, they consider that authenticity rests upon loyalty to something greater than oneself, and for Christians this is the character of the God in whose image they are created and are being formed. This book is illuminating reading for students and scholars of theological anthropology, pastroral theology, ethics and moral philosophy.By C. S. Lewis. 2022
A definitive collection of wisdom on every style of writing and a celebration of the transformative power of the written…
word from one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the modern age, C. S. Lewis, the beloved author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and other revered classics.Featuring over one hundred excerpts—some short and some essay length—drawn from his wide body of letters, books, and essays, On Writing (and Writers) brings together C. S. Lewis’s reflections on the power, importance, and joy of a life dedicated to writing.Writers and devoted readers will be enriched and inspired by Lewis’s commentary on a range of genres, including:On Good WritingOn Writing FictionOn Writing PoetryOn Writing for ChildrenOn Writing Science FictionOn Christian WritingOn Writing PersuasivelyOn Other WritersWise and practical, On Writing (and Writers) reveals Lewis’s thoughts on both mechanics and style, including choosing adjectives, the art of expression, how to connect with readers, and the core principles of clear, impactful writing.A window into the mind of one of the greatest public intellectuals of the twentieth century—a gifted writer whose influence and insights remain relevant six decades after his death—this engaging collection reveals not only why Lewis loved the written word, but what it means to “gladly teach” the art of writing, so that wise readers can “gladly learn.”By Anne Blue Wills. 2022
The fascinating life story, told critically but sympathetically, of a paragon of twentieth-century white Christian womanhood—and the wife of evangelist…
Billy Graham.Ruth Bell Graham&’s legacy is closely associated with that of her husband, whose career placed her in the public eye throughout her life. But, while it&’s true that her identity was significantly shaped by her role in supporting Billy Graham&’s ministry, Ruth carried a strong sense of her own agency and was widely influential in her own right, especially in the image she projected of conservative evangelical womanhood—defined by a faith that was deep, private, and nonpolitical. Beginning prior to Ruth and Billy&’s meeting at Wheaton College, Anne Blue Wills chronicles the many formative experiences of Ruth&’s life—especially the first decade of her childhood living in a community of American medical missionaries in China. Throughout the biography, Wills focuses not on Ruth&’s role in Billy&’s life, but on her own interests, ambitions, and fears—as a devoted mother of five, as the fastidious manager of a household, as a devout and well-read Christian, and as a beloved writer and poet. Dealing honestly with a life of contradictory responsibilities that Ruth Bell Graham herself called &“an odd kind of cross to bear,&” Wills draws from nearly a decade of original research and presents a nuanced portrait of Graham apart from the reverential awe of her admirers and the oversimplified caricatures put forth by her detractors. In telling Graham&’s story, Wills indirectly tells the story of millions of women who emulated Graham as a role model—women who spurned second-wave feminism and willingly submitted to patriarchy while maintaining an undeniable sense of independence and strength of conviction.By John Shelby Spong. 2018
Five hundred years after Martin Luther and his Ninety-Five Theses ushered in the Reformation, bestselling author and controversial bishop and…
teacher John Shelby Spong delivers twelve forward-thinking theses to spark a new reformation to reinvigorate Christianity and ensure its future.At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Christianity was in crisis—a state of conflict that gave birth to the Reformation in 1517. Enduring for more than 200 years, Luther’s movement was then followed by a "revolutionary time of human knowledge." Yet these advances in our thinking had little impact on Christians’ adherence to doctrine—which has led the faith to a critical point once again.Bible scholar and Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong contends that there is mounting pressure among Christians for a radically new kind of Christianity—a faith deeply connected to the human experience instead of outdated dogma. To keep Christianity vital, he urges modern Christians to update their faith in light of these advances in our knowledge, and to challenge the rigid and problematic Church teachings that emerged with the Reformation. There is a disconnect, he argues, between the language of traditional worship and the language of the twenty-first century. Bridging this divide requires us to rethink and reformulate our basic understanding of God.With its revolutionary resistance to the authority of the Church in the sixteenth century, Spong sees in Luther’s movement a model for today’s discontented Christians. In fact, the questions they raise resonate with those contemplated by our ancestors. Does the idea of God still have meaning? Can we still follow historic creeds with integrity? Are not such claims as an infallible Pope or an inerrant Bible ridiculous in today’s world? In Unbelievable, Spong outlines twelve "theses" to help today’s believers more deeply contemplate and reshape their faith. As an educator, clergyman, and writer who has devoted his life to his faith, Spong has enlightened Christians and challenged them to explore their beliefs in new and meaningful ways. In this, his final book, he continues that rigorous tradition, once again offering a revisionist approach that strengthens Christianity and secures its relevance for generations to come.By Clara K. Welch, Michelle J. Morris, Timothy Merrill. 2022
Study the Bible daily for a closer relationship with God.Daily Bible Study is a great companion to the quarterly Adult…
Bible Studies or as a stand-alone study for those wanting to study the bible daily. It is presented in quarterly segments. Bible-based and Christ-focused, it coordinates with the lesson themes of Adult Bible Studies. Each daily reading includes a one-page Bible study for each day of the quarter, along with introductory reflection questions and commentary on the daily Scripture passage, life application, and a concluding prayer.Additional information about Daily Bible Study, Winter 2022-2023 Theme: Power and LoveThis winter, Daily Bible Study presents a series of readings supporting the theme “Power and Love.” Readings come from the Old and New Testament texts. These daily readings, which prepare us for the 13 lessons in Adult Bible Studies, are written by Michelle Morris, Tim Merrill, and Clara Welch.Unit 1Power and VulnerabilityGod’s incarnation was into a poor family, from a village of no consequence, vulnerable to the whims and machinations of the mighty Roman Empire. While some readers can relate to this poverty and obscurity, most are citizens of a great world power. Some people know from experience that power can be abused, even against a government’s own citizens, but others have known only the protection and benefits of that power. These readings invite us to hear the Nativity accounts from the vantage point of the victims of empire.Scriptures: Judges 9:1-15; Matthew 1:1-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Matthew 2:13-15Spiritual Practice: Acts of MercyUnit 2Power and BelongingThe readings in this unit follow the trajectory of biblical imagery for faith development from adoption through baptism and infancy in faith, into youthful excitement and exuberance, and then to a mature faith that struggles, challenges, and questions. They move us to examine our faith and encourage us to plant ourselves firmly on the path toward maturity.Scriptures: Galatians 3:23—4:7; Luke 15:11-32; John 17:1-24 and Ephesians 4:14; Colossians 3:12-17; Matthew 22:1-14Spiritual Practice: Rule of LifeUnit 3The Power of LoveOne of the distinct traits of biblical theology is the emphasis on God’s hesed (lovingkindness) and Jesus’ selfless love. While the Bible uses different words for different kinds of love—agápe, philía, and éros—the lines are actually blurred between agápe and philia. The greater emphasis is on relationships. While we should enact our love without thoughts of personal gain, the ultimategoal of loving our enemies is becoming their friend. These readings encourage us toward that end.Scriptures: 1 John 4:7-21 and Ruth 4; 1 Kings 3:16-28; 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7, 20; Matthew 16:21-28Spiritual Practice: Spiritual FriendshipBy Sue Mink. 2022
A comprehensive Bible study plan and spiritual practices to deepen your relationship with GodHundreds of thousands of people each week…
have transformative encounters with God through Adult Bible Studies—Bible-based, Christ-focused Sunday school lessons and midweek Bible studies endorsed by the Curriculum Resources Committee of The United Methodist Church.Each week’s Student Book lesson lists background Scripture, features key verses, provides reliable and relevant biblical explanation and application, and more in a readable font size that is accessible to everyone. Included to help students go deeper into the lessons are :A comprehensive Bible study plan with more flexibility in terms of Scripture selection and topics.Observation of the church seasons, including Advent and Lent.Suggestions for developing spiritual practices (prayer, confession, worship, mindfulness, solitude, community, hospitality, neighboring, service, and celebration).No printed Scripture text allowing you to choose your own Bible translation.Additional information about Adult Bible Studies, Winter 2022-2023 Theme: Power and LoveThis winter, our Bible lessons follow the theme “Power and Love.” The lessons first challenge us to try to understand Scripture, particularly the Nativity accounts, from the position of vulnerability and powerlessness. They then move to a closer look at what it means to belong to the family of God and culminate in a series of lessons on love and how it informs and changes our relationships. The writer of the student book is Sue Mink.Unit 1Power and VulnerabilityGod’s incarnation was into a poor family from a village of no consequence, vulnerable to the whims and machinations of the mighty Roman Empire. While some people reading this Bible study can relate to the poverty and obscurity, most will read it as citizens of a great world power. Some people know from experience that power can be abused even against a government’s own citizens, but others have known only the protection and benefits of that power. These lessons invite us to read the Nativity stories from the vantage point of the victims of empire.Scriptures: Judges 9:1-15; Matthew 1:1-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Matthew 2:13-15Spiritual Practice: Acts of MercyUnit 2Power and BelongingThe lessons in this unit follow the trajectory of biblical imagery for faith development from adoption through baptism and infancy in faith, into youthful excitement and exuberance, and then to a mature faith that struggles, challenges, and questions.Scriptures: Galatians 3:23—4:7; Luke 15:11-32; John 17:1-24 and Ephesians 4:14; Colossians 3:12-17; Matthew 22:1-14Spiritual Practice: Rule of LifeUnit 3The Power of LoveOne of the distinct traits of biblical theology is the emphasis on God’s hesed (“lovingkindness”) and Jesus’ selfless love. In theearly twentieth century, a great deal of ink was spilled trying to distinguish agápe love by which we become channels of God’slove from philía, friendship in which reciprocity is important, and éros, a passionate sort of love. Recent scholarship finds that Greek and biblical thought blurs the lines of agápe and philía and finds a greater emphasis on relationships. While we should enact our love without thoughts of personal gain, the ultimate goal of loving our enemies is becoming their friend.Scriptures: 1 John 4:7-21 and Ruth 4; 1 Kings 3:16-28; 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7, 20; Matthew 16:21-28Spiritual Practice: Spiritual FriendshipOther Adult Bible Study components, sold separately, include:Teacher/Commentary KitThe Kit includes a Teacher Book and a Concise Commentary that are both supplementary and complementary to the Adult Bible Studies student bookThe Teacher Book provides small-group leaders, teachers, and facilitators with additional biblical background and exposition and suggestions for guiding group discussion. Printed with a larger font for ease of reading. Included to help leaders prepare and lead each week: As A comprehensiveBy Oliver O'Donovan. 2017
Oliver O'Donovan's Ethics as Theology project began with Self, World, and Time, an "induction" into Christian ethics as ordered reflection on…
moral thinking within the life of faith. Volume 2, Finding and Seeking, shifted the focus to the movement of moral thought from a first consciousness of agency to the time that determines the moment of decision. In this third and final volume of his magnum opus, O'Donovan turns his attention to the forward horizon with which moral thinking must engage. Moral experience, he argues, is necessarily two-directional, looking both back at responsibility and forward at aims. The Pauline triad of theological virtues (faith, love, and hope) describes a form of responsibility, and its climax in the sovereignty of love opens the way to a definitive teleology.Entering into Rest offers O'Donovan's mature reflections on questions that have engaged him throughout his career and provides a synoptic view of many of his main themes.By Alexander Maitland. 2022
Explorers and travellers have always been attracted by the lure of the unknown. By traversing and mapping our planet, they…
have played a vital role in mankind's development. For almost two hundred years, the Royal Geographical Society has recognised their achievements by awarding its prestigious gold medals to those who have contributed most to our knowledge of the world.Taking us on a journey across mountains and deserts, oceans and seas, Exploring the World tells the stories of more than eighty of these extraordinary men and women. Some, such as David Livingstone, Scott of the Antarctic and Jacques-Yves Cousteau, are well known; whilst others, such as William Chandless and Ney Elias, are today less familiar. Some dreamed of being the first to sight a lake or a river; others sighted some of the world's greatest natural features by chance. Some were naturalists, anthropologists or mountaineers; others went in search of explorers who had vanished without trace, or had been shipwrecked or marooned.Filled with epic tales of endurance and perseverance, Exploring the World celebrates a group of exceptional individuals possessed of indomitable courage, boundless determination and adventurous spirit. It portrays a variety of fascinating lives driven by curiosity, wanderlust and the pursuit of knowledge - and, in doing so, provides a unique overview of two centuries of exploration.By Anonymous. 2012
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad…
quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.Welcome to the Pirate Republic-the early-eighteenth-century home to some of the great pirate captains, including Blackbeard, "Black Sam" Bellamy, and…
Charles Vane. Along with their fellow pirates-former sailors, indentured servants, and runaway slaves-this "Flying Gang" established a crude but distinctive democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which servants were free, blacks could be equal citizens, and leaders were chosen or deposed by a vote.For a brief, glorious period the Pirate Republic was enormously successful. It cut off trade routes, sacked slave ships, and severed Europe from its New World empires. Imperial authorities and wealthy shipowners denounced its residents as the enemies of mankind, but common people saw them as heroes. Colin Woodard tells the dramatic untold story of the Pirate Republic that shook the very foundations of the British and Spanish Empires and fanned the democratic sentiments that would one day drive the American Revolution.By Veli-Matti Karkkainen. 2017
The culmination of Kärkkäinen's multivolume magnum opus This fifth and final volume of Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen's ambitious five-volume systematic theology develops…
a constructive Christian eschatology and ecclesiology in dialogue with the Christian tradition, with contemporary theology in all its global and contextual diversity, and with other major living faiths—Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. In Part One of the book Kärkkäinen discusses eschatology in the contexts of world faiths and natural sciences, including physical, cosmological, and neuroscientific theories. In Part Two, on ecclesiology, he adopts a deeply ecumenical approach. His proposal for greater Christian unity includes the various dimensions of the church's missional existence and a robust dialogical witness to other faith communities.By Samuel Wells, Ben Quash. 2017
Introducing Christian Ethics 2e, now thoroughly revised and updated, offers an unparalleled introduction to the study of Christian Ethics, mapping…
and exploring all the major ethical approaches, and offering thoughtful insights into the complex moral challenges facing people today. This highly successful text has been thoughtfully updated, based on considerable feedback, to include increased material on Catholic perspectives, further case studies and the augmented use of introductions and summaries Uniquely redefines the field of Christian ethics along three strands: universal (ethics for anyone), subversive (ethics for the excluded), and ecclesial (ethics for the church) Encompasses Christian ethics in its entirety, offering students a substantial overview by re-mapping the field and exploring the differences in various ethical approaches Provides a successful balance between description, analysis, and critique Structured so that it can be used alongside a companion volume, Christian Ethics: An Introductory Reader, which further illustrates and amplifies the diversity of material and arguments explored hereBy Dr David Jeremiah. 2022
In a world that seems to be spinning out of control, we need hope more than ever. What if the…
life sustaining hope you need is found within the pages of the Bible?Join New York Times bestselling author and trusted Bible teacher, Dr. David Jeremiah's as he unpacks the scriptures to reveal that the problems we are facing is to be expected, and in fact will increase as we draw closer to the End Times. But even more importantly we should not worry since Jesus has overcome the world. And because of this there is hope for this life, but more importantly for the next.Learn how:The Bible has already laid the foundation on how we can live victoriously, even in difficult timesJesus not only calls Christians to a higher standard, but equips us with the tools and strength we need to confidently follow him dailyAnd explore the gospels more closely to find the comfort you need to trust God is in control and that his plan is still working to completionGrow your faith, by going deeper, with Dr. David Jeremiah.