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Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood
by Chine McDonald'Astute, smart, witty and brave. A radical, deeply thoughtful and essential intervention'Lucy Jones, author of Matrescence'A deeply valuable reflection on motherhood'Rowan WilliamsFor two thousand years, the Virgin Mary has been depicted throughout art, literature and culture as symbolising the perfect mother: chaste, beautiful, meek, mild and white. These supposed virtues and symbols have penetrated not just Christianity but wider popular culture; and contributed to harmful views about motherhood and what it is to be a woman.In this part-memoir, part social and theological commentary, Chine McDonald deconstructs the myth of perfect motherhood and shines a light on the dark side of parenting. From birth trauma to post-natal depression, from infertility to the mental load, the motherhood penalty and pressures on women to be and have it all - especially in the church - this book attempts to liberate motherhood from the chains in which it has been placed, reconstructing a more authentic, grace-filled way forward for the most important job in the world.Unmaking Mary will include a foreword written by Beth Allison Barr, author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood.
The Great Return
by Jamie FranklinThe decline in Secular Western morality can only be halted and reversed by a full return to Christianity.Many people have a sense that the Western World is in decline and that our society is fragmenting around us. Many people have an ominous sense that we are living at the end of a civilised age and are moving into something far less pleasant and humane. But fewer people understand why this is happening. In this new book, Jamie Franklin argues that the reason for this decline is because we have jettisoned the underlying belief system that gave birth to the Western world - and the Western mind - in the first place: Christianity. He argues that there is a logical and inevitable link between the decline of Christianity and the decline of the West. As our metaphysical commitment to Christianity declines, so does our commitment to the benefits that came to us from Christianity. Through captivating argument, he demonstrates how this plays out in the scientific realm, which has abandoned objectivity for dogmatism; in the ethical realm, which is eliminating humanity from its own formulations; and in the political scene, as it moves away from the democratic principle towards a neo-marxist influenced, nihilistic technocracy that threatens to eliminate human culture, distinctiveness and agency in the pursuit of a globalist utopia. In so doing, Franklin touches on contemporary political conversations that are exercising the public imagination such as abortion, euthanasia, transhumanism, and the rebirth of the totalitarian impulse in Western democracies. Only a revival of Christianity can reverse these trends. This book urges the Church to take seriously its own commitment to the metaphysical and ethical presuppositions of its own faith. But also acknowledges the great challenge that Christianity faces as it threatens to be overwhelmed by the rising tide of secular nihilism that may yet engulf the Western World.
Stories for Easter
by Enid BlytonA collection of short Easter stories perfect for children from the world's best-loved storyteller!Go on Easter adventures to imagine the biggest chocolate egg ever, discover a lamb who took a ride in a pram and help a rabbit on a very windy day. All these and more in this springtime collection of short stories from Enid Blyton. Perfect for children aged five and up!These traditional tales are ideal for younger children being read to and for newly confident readers to read alone. Each story stands alone and is the perfect length for reading at bedtime or in the classroom.Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors and her bumper short story collections are perfect for introducing her to the latest generation of readers.***Enid Blyton® and Enid Blyton's signature are registered trade marks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. No trade mark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trade mark and copyright owner.
Eliza the Easter Bunny Fairy (Rainbow Magic #81)
by Daisy MeadowsEliza the Easter Bunny Fairy is looking forward to helping the Easter bunny this spring. But mean Jack Frost has stolen Eliza's magical charms. Now springtime won't begin and the Easter bunny won't wake up in time to deliver the eggs. Can Rachel, Kirsty, Gracie and Khadijah help her get her charms back before Easter is ruined?This magical story is a fun Easter treat for Rainbow Magic fans this Spring.'These stories are magic; they turn children into readers!' ReadingZone.comIf you like Rainbow Magic, check out Daisy Meadows' new series, Pixie Magic!
Footprints of Faith: The Changemakers (Young Explorers)
by Nancy WalbankImagine if you could follow in the footprints of the saints when they were alive?Or walk around the places of the Bible stories? Imagine if you could hear from people who were there at the time?Look out for the golden footprints and maybe you can!In Footprints of Faith: The Changemakers - you'll encounter people whose choices made a big difference to those around them and sometimes changed the course of history.Join our adventurers and step into the stories:Saints: Joan of Arc (France) Franciss of Assisi (Italy)St Martin de Porres (Peru)St Josephine Bakhita (Sudan / Italy) St Hild (England) Bible Stories:'Blessed are the Poor'The Centurion's ServantThe Hole in the RoofThe Story of the Forgiving FatherPentecost
The Great Return
by Jamie FranklinThe decline in Secular Western morality can only be halted and reversed by a full return to Christianity.Many people have a sense that the Western World is in decline and that our society is fragmenting around us. Many people have an ominous sense that we are living at the end of a civilised age and are moving into something far less pleasant and humane. But fewer people understand why this is happening. In this new book, Jamie Franklin argues that the reason for this decline is because we have jettisoned the underlying belief system that gave birth to the Western world - and the Western mind - in the first place: Christianity. He argues that there is a logical and inevitable link between the decline of Christianity and the decline of the West. As our metaphysical commitment to Christianity declines, so does our commitment to the benefits that came to us from Christianity. Through captivating argument, he demonstrates how this plays out in the scientific realm, which has abandoned objectivity for dogmatism; in the ethical realm, which is eliminating humanity from its own formulations; and in the political scene, as it moves away from the democratic principle towards a neo-marxist influenced, nihilistic technocracy that threatens to eliminate human culture, distinctiveness and agency in the pursuit of a globalist utopia. In so doing, Franklin touches on contemporary political conversations that are exercising the public imagination such as abortion, euthanasia, transhumanism, and the rebirth of the totalitarian impulse in Western democracies. Only a revival of Christianity can reverse these trends. This book urges the Church to take seriously its own commitment to the metaphysical and ethical presuppositions of its own faith. But also acknowledges the great challenge that Christianity faces as it threatens to be overwhelmed by the rising tide of secular nihilism that may yet engulf the Western World.
Night Owls
by A. R. Vishny* National Jewish Book Award Winner * Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner *In this thrilling paranormal YA romance debut steeped in folklore, two estries—owl-shifting female vampires from Jewish tradition—face New York's monstrous underworld to save the girl one of them loves with help from the boy one of them fears before they are, all of them, lost forever.Clara loves rules. Rules are what have kept her and her sister, Molly, alive—or, rather, undead—for over a century. Work their historic movie theater by day. Shift into an owl under the cover of night. Feed on men in secret. And never fall in love.Molly is in love. And she’s tired of keeping her girlfriend, Anat, a secret. If Clara won’t agree to bend their rules a little, then she will bend them herself.Boaz is cursed. He can’t walk two city blocks without being cornered by something undead. At least at work at the theater, he gets to flirt with Clara, wishing she would like him back.When Anat vanishes and New York’s monstrous underworld emerges from the shadows, Clara suspects Boaz, their annoyingly cute box office attendant, might be behind it all.But if they are to find Anat, they will need to work together to face demons and the hungers they would sooner bury. Clara will have to break all her rules—of love, of life, and of death itself—before her rules break everyone she loves.In this stand-alone debut, A. R. Vishny interweaves mystery, romance, and lore to create an unputdownable story about those who have kept to the shadows for far too long.
Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop
by Joshua S. LevyFinn and Ezra’s bar mitzvah weekend takes on a Groundhog Day twist in this hilarious and magical middle grade novel from Joshua S. Levy. Winner of a National Jewish Book Award and a Sydney Taylor Honor Book!Finn and Ezra don’t have a lot in common—except, of course, that they’re trapped in a bar mitzvah time loop, reliving their celebrations in the same New Jersey hotel over and over and over again. Not ideal, particularly when both kids were ready for their bar mitzvahs to end the moment they began. Ezra comes from a big family—four siblings, all seeming to get more attention than him, even on his bar mitzvah weekend. Finn is an only child who’s tired of his parents’ constant focus, even worse on his bar mitzvah weekend. They just want to get past it, just want to grow up. And now they’re both stuck. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. No way out.Until Finn and Ezra meet and realize they’re not alone.Teaming up, they try everything they can think of to break the loop. But nothing works, and after every reset, the boys’ schemes become more desperate. As their frustrations build, the questions mount and real-life problems start to seep through the cracks. With all the time in the world, can Finn and Ezra ever figure out how to move forward?
Ganesha's Great Race
by Sanjay Patel Emily HaynesThe sweets-loving elephant Ganesha and his mouse companion are back! And this time you'll meet Ganesha's family, too, as they race around the world in this adorable companion to the bestselling Ganesha's Sweet Tooth.From the creator of the Oscar-nominated Pixar short Sanjay's Super Team and Netflix's Ghee Happy!In Sanjay Patel's world, the bold, bright colors of India leap off the page and screen. Ganesha's Sweet Tooth introduced a fresh and funny picture book retelling of how Ganesha came to help write the epic poem of Hindu literature, the Mahabharata. Now Ganesha is back in a delightful new adventure!When his brother Kartikeya challenges him to a race around the world, Ganesha knows he cannot win with speed. He may not be as fast as Kartikeya, but clever Ganesha knows that every problem has more than one solution! A celebration of the dynamic bond between siblings and a loving tribute to family, Ganesha’s Great Race is the story of their most famous contest and will delight readers with a tale of muscles, mangoes, and the meaning of the world.DIVERSE CHILDRENS BOOKS: Featuring lovable characters and a light narrative, this book provides a fresh and accessible way for families who practice Hinduism to see themselves and celebrate, and for other children to learn about religions and cultures that are different from their own.NOTABLE CREATOR: Sanjay Patel produced a short based on his life, Sanjay's Super Team, with Pixar, as well as Netflix's Ghee Happy, a series featuring the Hindu gods as toddlers. His brand, Ghee Happy, has reached an eager audience with two books, museum exhibitions, and merchandise. He is also the author of the popular picture book Ramayana, a twenty-first-century retelling of a classic 2500-year-old story.VIBRANT & GIFTABLE: With dynamic illustrations, this story of family has a heartwarming message that makes a perfect gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or anytime you want to show appreciation for your family!CULTURAL PICTURE BOOKS: As educators focus on ways to incorporate religious literacy into their teaching, Patel's vibrant books offer an outstanding resource for introducing conversations about different cultures and faiths into the classroom through fun and relatable narratives.Perfect for:Parents, grandparents, teachers, and librariansReaders who love Hindu gods and goddesses, Indian mythology, and adventure talesEducational material for classroom or homeschool curriculumAnyone looking for children's literature featuring Indian mythologyGift giving for Diwali, birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, or any special occasionFans of Ganesha's Sweet Tooth, Pixar's Sanjay's Super Team, and Netflix's Ghee Happy
Moon Garden: A Guide to Creating an Evening Oasis
by Jarema OsofskyAn enchanting guide to creating a moon garden, plus soothing rituals to practice in your night-blooming oasis.Moon gardens are green spaces that come alive at night, with plants that reflect moonlight, attract nocturnal creatures, and release scent after sundown. Though beautiful during the day, they’re best experienced in the evenings—perfect for anyone who works nine-to-five and wants to unwind in their garden after a long day. In a luxe package with silver foil on the cover, this enchanting handbook shows green thumbs of all levels how to create their very own moon garden. Alongside lush botanical illustrations, readers will find horticultural tips and design how-tos for creating a rejuvenating space, as well as soothing rituals and calming meditations to practice in their garden, such as journaling and meditation. The planting and growing advice applies to all kinds of gardens—backyard, indoor, container—so urban dwellers can use the book as readily as those with more outdoor space.Paired with a trowel and watering can or crystals and herbs, Moon Garden makes a thoughtful gift for gardeners, houseplant lovers, and mind/body/spirit enthusiasts. At once practical and inspiring, and filled with stunning visuals, Moon Garden encourages readers to approach gardening as a grounding, spiritual practice that nourishes the self and the earth.FRESH APPROACH TO GARDENING: Featuring anyone-can-do-it gardening advice as well as lovely evening rituals, this trendy and affordably priced gift book makes gardening accessible to new and experienced gardeners alike. FOR ALL SIZES AND TYPES OF GARDENS: Moon Garden makes it easy to create a gorgeous garden no matter where you live. With helpful advice for creating a moon garden outside (in the ground, on a balcony or rooftop), indoors, or in a window box, this book is a must-have for houseplant lovers and green thumbs in urban areas, as well as gardeners with more space.AUTHORITATIVE AUTHOR: A Brooklyn-based millennial, Jarema Osofsky has been working in landscape and biophilic design for more than ten years. Her deep knowledge of the subject coupled with her trend-forward perspective ensures this book is a valuable resource filled with inspired, fresh ideas for your garden.EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF NATURE AND NIGHTTIME: Meditators, journalers, modern mystics, and nature appreciators will enjoy the soothing practices this book offers. Dusk provides time for reflection and relaxation, and where better to do that than in a beautiful, mystical green space? This book will help you make the most of your garden and those magical after-dark hours.BEAUTIFUL TO GIFT AND DISPLAY: In a luxe, contemporary package, Moon Garden makes a lovely gift alongside gardening products and self-care items, from watering cans, seed packets, and trowels to crystals, candles, and essential oils. As a self-purchase, it displays beautifully on a bedside or coffee table with a petite potted plant. Perfect for:Green thumbs and gardeners of all levelsUrban dwellers who want to greenify their apartment, terrace, or window boxNew homeowners interested in gardening or houseplant careMeditators, journalers, and mind/body/spirit enthusiastsAnyone seeking a gift for the gardener in their lifeCollectors of garden books, meditation guides, and divination tools such as How to Be a Moonflower, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden, Moon Bath, and Crystals: The Stone Deck
Ghee Happy Goddesses: A Little Board Book of Hindu Deities
by Sanjay PatelA vibrantly illustrated board book inspired by Sanjay Patel's animated Netflix show, Ghee Happy, featuring Hindu deities as toddlers!In the world of Sanjay Patel, creator of the Oscar-nominated Pixar short Sanjay's Super Team, the bold, bright colors of India leap off the page and screen. In his new children's book, drawn from Indian mythology, you'll meet the many faces (and arms) of the mighty Hindu goddesses!With dynamic illustrations and colorful tabs for each goddess, this eye-catching board book introduces the youngest readers to Hindu goddesses Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganga, Parvati, and Kali. Get them together, and anything is possible.INSPIRED BY THE NETFLIX SHOW: The same deities in this book are featured in Sanjay Patel's Netflix show, which stars the Hindu gods and goddesses as tiny toddlers in preschool!NOTABLE CREATOR: Patel produced a short based on his life, Sanjay's Super Team, with Pixar, and Netflix's Ghee Happy series. His brand, Ghee Happy, has reached an eager audience with books, museum exhibitions, and merchandise. He is also the author of the popular picture book Ramayana, a twenty-first century retelling of a classic 2500-year-old story.VIBRANT & GIFTABLE: Ghee Happy Goddesses and companion volume Ghee Happy Gods are perfect for baby showers and first birthdays, as families welcome their own little goddesses and gods to the world and introduce them to the Hindu deities.DIVERSE CHILDRENS BOOKS: Featuring lovable characters and a light narrative, this book provides a fresh and accessible way for families who practice Hinduism to see themselves and celebrate. It's also a wonderful resource for Hindu parents, caregivers, and educators to introduce young readers to their own religious beliefs and promote religious literacy for all.PERFECT FOR LITTLE HANDS: With sturdy tabs, rounded corners, and simple profiles, this book provides a fun approach to learning and identifying each Hindu deity.Perfect for:Parents and grandparents looking for entertaining board books for toddlersReaders who love Hindu goddess mythology and adventure talesEducational material for classroom or homeschool curriculumAnyone looking for children's literature featuring Indian mythologyGift giving for Diwali, baby shower, birthday, or any special occasionFans of Ganesha's Sweet Tooth, Pixar's Sanjay's Super Team, and Netflix's Ghee Happy
Hell: The People and Places
by Seymour Chwast Steven HellerA descent into discovering different versions of hell and its realms of torture around the world across literature, religions, culture, and folklore, gorgeously illustrated and accompanied by writing on the origins and details of each hell.Whether it's a real place, a human construct, an idea, or a superstition, hell is a grotesque demimonde in literature, cultures, religions, and folklore throughout the ages. There are many different hells to be found, each one distressing in its own way. But they all share the same essence: they are terrible places guarded by one or more evil spirits, where punishment is split into various levels of damnation.Those who wish to venture on this dangerous journey beyond the gates of the underworld will find their guide in two extraordinary authors and graphic designers: Steven Heller and Seymour Chwast. And like Dante in the footsteps of Virgil, they will be able to navigate their way through the burning (or icy!) dark realms that lurk in the heart of the human imagination—the Jewish Gehenna, the Sunni Jahannam, the Swahili hell, the Mayan myth of Xibalbá, and many others—as well as all the characters who have created hell, visited it, or been involved in more or less fortunate descents into it.Equally appealing to fans of the literary hellscape of Dante's Inferno, the bright utopia of The Good Place, and the dark humor of Edward Gorey, Hell offers a feast of chillingly hilarious graphic art and illuminating content that comprehensively plumbs the multiple depths of the underworld.
Ghee Happy Gods: A Little Board Book of Hindu Deities
by Sanjay PatelA vibrantly illustrated board book inspired by Sanjay Patel's animated Netflix show, Ghee Happy, featuring Hindu deities as toddlers!In the world of Sanjay Patel, creator of the Oscar-nominated Pixar short Sanjay's Super Team, the bold, bright colors of India leap off the page and screen. In his new children's book, drawn from Indian mythology, you'll meet the many faces (and arms) of the mighty Hindu gods!With dynamic illustrations and colorful tabs for each god, this eye-catching board book introduces the youngest readers to Hindu gods Ganesha, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Rama, and Krishna. Get them together, and anything is possible.INSPIRED BY THE NETFLIX SHOW: The same deities in this book are featured in Sanjay Patel's Netflix show, which stars the Hindu gods and goddesses as tiny toddlers in preschool!NOTABLE CREATOR: Patel produced a short based on his life, Sanjay's Super Team, with Pixar, and Netflix's Ghee Happy series. His brand, Ghee Happy, has reached an eager audience with books, museum exhibitions, and merchandise. He is also the author of the popular picture book Ramayana, a twenty-first century retelling of a classic 2500-year-old story.VIBRANT & GIFTABLE: Ghee Happy Gods and companion volume Ghee Happy Goddesses are perfect for baby showers and first birthdays, as families welcome their own little gods and goddesses to the world and introduce them to the Hindu deities.DIVERSE CHILDRENS BOOKS: Featuring lovable characters and a light narrative, this book provides a fresh and accessible way for families who practice Hinduism to see themselves and celebrate. It's also a wonderful resource for Hindu parents, caregivers, and educators to introduce young readers to their own religious beliefs and promote religious literacy for all.PERFECT FOR LITTLE HANDS: With sturdy tabs, rounded corners, and simple profiles, this book provides a fun approach to learning and identifying each Hindu deity.Perfect for:Parents and grandparents looking for entertaining board books for toddlersReaders who love Hindu mythology and adventure talesEducational material for classroom or homeschool curriculumAnyone looking for children's literature featuring Indian mythologyGift giving for Diwali, baby shower, birthday, or any special occasionFans of Ganesha's Sweet Tooth, Pixar's Sanjay's Super Team, and Netflix's Ghee Happy
Shira and Esther's Double Dream Debut
by Anna E. Jordan"This book is pure magic."—Maulik Pancholy, actor and Stonewall Honor-winning author The switcheroo fun of The Parent Trap meets the showbiz spirit of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in this timeless coming-of-age story about family, friendship, and following your dreams. When Shira and Esther first meet, they can hardly believe their eyes. It’s like looking in a mirror! But even though they may look identical, the two girls couldn’t be more different. Shira dreams of singing and dancing onstage, but her father, a stern and pious rabbi, thinks Shira should be reading prayers, not plays. Esther dreams of studying Torah, but her mother, a glamorous stage performer, wishes Esther would spend more time rehearsing and less time sneaking off to read books. Oy vey! If only the two could switch places . . .Would Shira shine in a big-time televised talent show? Would Esther’s bat mitzvah go off without a hitch? What’s a little deception, when it means your dreams might finally be within reach? One thing is certain: Shira and Esther are going to need more than a little chutzpah to pull this off. But if they do, their double dream debut is sure to be the performance of a lifetime. ★ "Adult readers may wish they were young again, so this could instantly become their favorite book." ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ "Readers will love this sparkling intergeneration ode to chutzpah and Jewish Joy."—Publishers Weekly, starred review FUNNY AND HEARTFELT FRIENDSHIP BOOK: Brimming with heart and humor, this unforgettable novel from a compelling new voice in young adult literature will make readers laugh, cry, and come back for more knishes. FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY: Themes of connection, unity, and the need for belonging will resonate with readers of all backgrounds. JEWISH COMING-OF-AGE: This book represents and celebrates many ways of being Jewish while also inviting non-Jewish readers to share in what makes the religion, culture, and community so wonderful.BRILLIANT EXTRAS: At the back of the book, a guide to Yiddish words and an author's note on the research and inspiration behind the story invites learning and discussion.Perfect for:Preteens and tweens looking for funny friendship booksParents, caregivers, educators, and librarians seeking Jewish children's booksJewish and bicultural readersReaders who enjoy young adult historical fiction booksReaders interested in theater, acting, music, and the artsHannukah gift, theater kid gift, or bat mitzvah gift for girls
Jingjiao: The Earliest Christian Church in China
by Glen L. ThompsonChristianity Today Award of Merit in History/Biography (2025)A balanced, accessible, and thorough history of Jingjiao, the first Christian church in China Many people assume that the first introduction of Christianity to the Chinese was part of nineteenth-century Western imperialism. In fact, Syriac-speaking Christians brought the gospel along the Silk Road into China in the seventh century. Glen L. Thompson introduces readers to the fascinating history of this early Eastern church, referred to as Jingjiao, or the &“Luminous Teaching.&” Thompson presents the history of the Persian church&’s mission to China with rigor and clarity. While Christianity remained a minority and &“foreign&” religion in the Middle Kingdom, it nonetheless attracted adherents among indigenous Chinese and received imperial approval during the Tang Dynasty. Though it was later suppressed alongside Buddhism, it resurfaced in China and Mongolia in the twelfth century. Thompson also discusses how the modern unearthing of Chinese Christian texts has stirred controversy over the meaning of Jingjiao to recent missionary efforts in China. In an accessible style, Thompson guides readers through primary sources as well as up-to-date scholarship. As the most recent and balanced survey on the topic available in English, Jingjiao will be an indispensable resource for students of global Christianity and missiology.
Emergence of Consciousness: Death of the Ego
by Zulma Reyo&“The truth is that you are constantly dying.&” In this remarkable work, leading spiritual educator Zulma Reyo explores the fundamental processes of death and rebirth to explain how we can learn to respond to death, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.In Emergence of Conciousness, spiritual educator Zulma Reyo draws on over four decades of experience exploring the profound themes of death and rebirth. This book is a culmination of her life's work, weaving together insights from diverse traditions, revered spiritual classics, and deep personal reflection.You will be guided through the essential processes of accepting and preparing for both physical death and the transformative journey of ego death while you are still alive. By embracing these thresholds, you will uncover profound lessons about your true self and the beauty of transformation.Emergence of Consciousness is not just about the end of life: it is a powerful invitation to go deeply within and prepare for a rebirth that redefines your existence. With patient wisdom, meditative practices, and practical exercises, this essential handbook illuminates the path to embracing your inevitable journey home—one that leads to a profound renewal of spirit and purpose.Prepare to explore the true extent of your being and emerge transformed, ready to live fully and authentically.
Why I Trust the Bible: Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have about the Bible
by William D. MounceA Clear Guide to Help Readers Understand Why They Can Trust the BibleWe are often told we can no longer assume that the Bible is trustworthy. From social media memes to popular scholarship, so many attacks have been launched on the believability of Scripture that many have serious questions about the Bible, such as:Did Jesus actually live?Did the biblical writers invent their message?How can we trust the gospels since they were written so long after Jesus lived?How can we believe a Bible that is full of internal contradictions with itself and external contradictions with science?Aren't the biblical manuscripts we have just copies of copies that are so corrupted they don't represent what the original authors wrote?Why should we believe the books that are in the Bible, since many good ones were left out, like the Gospel of Thomas?Why trust the Bible when there are so many contradictory translations of it?If you find yourself unable to answer questions such as these, but wanting to, Why I Trust the Bible by eminent Bible scholar and translator William Mounce is for you. These questions and more are discussed and answered in a reasoned, definitive, and winsome way.The truth is that the Bible is better attested and more defensible today than it ever has been. Questions about the Bible are perhaps the most significant challenge confronting Christian faith today, but they can be answered well and in a way which will lead to a deeper appreciation for the truth and ongoing relevance of the Bible.
The Bible as Literature: A New Introduction
by Luke FerretterThis book introduces the Bible as one of the greatest works of world literature. Luke Ferretter provides a comprehensive history of the field, alongside detailed readings of the texts of the Bible and the most influential theories in the area.The Bible as Literature: A New Introduction is divided into groups of texts in the Bible by genre – the Pentateuch; the histories; the poetry; the Wisdom literature; prophecy; the Gospels; the letters; and apocalyptic writing – reflecting the majority of courses. Organized into three sections, each chapter begins with a clear introduction to current theories around who wrote and edited each Biblical book. Ferretter then offers detailed and original literary criticism of that book, encouraging readers to pursue similar literary criticism of the Bible themselves. The final section in each chapter discusses a text related to each Biblical book. These texts include visual, musical, poetic, fictional, philosophical, theological, and psychological works. Throughout the guidebook, there are also useful text boxes and discussion questions, which contextualize examples and enrich students’ understanding. This engaging and accessible introduction reveals the Bible’s significance both as literature and for literary study in light of current Biblical scholarship. It is essential reading for students and scholars of literature, Biblical studies, and cultural studies.
Religion in the Media Age (Media, Religion and Culture)
by Stewart M. HooverLooking at the everyday interaction of religion and media in our cultural lives, Hoover’s book is a fascinating assessment of the state of modern religion. This revised second edition now looks at the digital age, "new media" and the significant role of social media on religion today. While the sheer volume and variety of information traveling through global media changes modes of religious thought and commitment, the human desire for spirituality also invigorates popular culture itself, recreating commodities – film blockbusters, world sport, politics, and popular music – as contexts for religious meanings.Drawing on research into household media consumption, Hoover charts the way in which media and religion have continued to intermingle and collide in the cultural experience of media audiences. This second edition of Religion in the Media Age is essential reading for everyone interested in how today's mass media relates to contemporary religious and spiritual life.
Antisemitism in Football: International Perspectives (Critical Research in Football)
by Emma PoultonThis book investigates the nature and prevalence of expressions of antisemitism within the context of football in Europe and beyond, as well as attempts to challenge and combat this problematic phenomenon. Drawing on empirical research, the book presents a series of case studies of countries in which both football and antisemitism have been prominent, including England, Italy, Germany, Holland, Poland, Argentina and Hungary. Each chapter explains the historical context of why antisemitism prevails in their country and their country’s football culture; considers those football clubs with a ‘Jewish’ heritage and identity (which tend to be the catalyst for antisemitic abuse); and critically examines the measures being taken in that country to tackle antisemitism in football by organisations including governing bodies, campaign groups, supporter groups and football clubs themselves. No other book has looked as deeply into this highly topical issue which continues to blight contemporary football. Antisemitism in Football is important reading for anybody with an interest in football, fan cultures, the sociology of sport, Jewish studies, antisemitism and other forms of racism and discrimination in society.
An Exceptional Dialogue, 1925–1948: Nikolai Berdyaev and Jacques Maritain
by Bernard HubertIn 1924 the Russian Orthodox philosopher in exile Nikolai Berdyaev ended up in the environs of Paris, where he met and befriended the French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain. Coming from different faiths and disparate cultures, they shared a common desire to assert the essential dignity and rights of the human person in an era torn apart by extremism and conflict. They embarked on a joint endeavour to promote ecumenical dialogue and philosophical conversation in interwar Europe. Their collaboration was instrumental in developing a philosophy of Christian personalism and seminal in the emergence of existentialism.Newly translated into English, An Exceptional Dialogue, 1925–1948 reproduces the two thinkers’ correspondence, along with Bernard Hubert’s original introductory essay, his notes to the French edition, and a new introduction by Ana Siljak. An intimate and remarkable portrait emerges. The two men met and corresponded often during their two decades of friendship, their homes became spaces for conversations on religion and philosophy, and together they contributed to the development of a Christian humanism and personalism that inspired such disparate figures as Hannah Arendt and Martin Luther King Jr and that influenced Maritain’s work on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.An Exceptional Dialogue, 1925–1948 reveals the connectedness between Russian and European thought, explores the contributions of French-Russian personalism to the history of human dignity, and provides insight into a strain of philosophy often ignored in contemporary scholarship.
The Widow's Mate (Father Dowling Mysteries)
by Ralph McInernyA collision between the past and present dislodges some hard and hidden truths that Father Dowling must uncover if he's going to catch a killer in Ralph McInerny's The Widow's Mate, an absorbing and suspenseful mystery that is sure to please Father Dowling's many fans.Father Dowling is a dedicated parish priest who happens to have a knack for unraveling the mysteries of the real world as well as those of heaven, but the latest puzzle to catch his attention---the disappearance of Wallace Flanagan---doesn't seem to be a mystery so much as a dirty little secret. By all appearances, Flanagan, the heir to a lucrative concrete business, skipped town with his mistress more than ten years ago, although no one talks about that out of respect for his abandoned wife. But appearances go right out the window when his mangled---and recently live---body is found wedged into one of his father's cement mixers.If Flanagan's unexpected return and immediate death aren't enough to shake a few skeletons from their closets, childhood friends and lifelong enemies have started trickling home to Fox River, Illinouis, a town outside of Chicago. All of them had a stake in his disappearance, but which one would murder a man who was already all but dead? And would kill again to keep a dead man's secrets?
Jews & Money: The Story of a Stereotype
by Abraham H. FoxmanIn the wake of Bernie Madoff's ruinous investment schemes, Abe Foxman takes a cultural and political look at the many variations throughout history of the assumptions made about Jews and money. These include Jews as greedy global capitalists; Jews as wealthy secret communists; Jews as cheapskates; and Jews controlling the media with their money to unduly influence society. Foxman makes the case that these stereotypes have permeated cultures globally and argues that these beliefs are rooted in deep-seated and pervasive anti-Semitism. As with all forms of bigotry, society at large needs to respond to the persistence of stereotypes by educating the young, denouncing hate speech, and by encouraging Jews, like all groups, to express pride in their ethnic and religious heritage.
Shlepping the Exile: A Novel
by Michael WexSvelte and supple as unleavened bread, Shlepping the Exile rends the shmaltz from Jewish fiction and replaces it with a pound of real flesh. It's the story of Yoine Levkes, a hassidic boy of the Canadian prairies, his refugee parents, and the Jewish community of Coalbanks, Alberta in the late 1950s. Confronted with dying people, an ailing culture, the perils of near-orphanhood and the allures of Sabina Mandelbroit, whose family doesn't keep the Sabbath, Yoine can no longer tell whether he's a human being or a loot-bag of conflicting traditions. He's too religious to be 'normal,' too 'normal' not to realize this, and too much of a kid to be able to make any sense of it. Shlepping the Exile is Michael Wex's inside portrait of orthodox, post-Holocaust Judaism in a place that it never expected to be.
Jesus Was a Liberal: Reclaiming Christianity for All
by Scotty McLennanFor the millions of people who identify as liberal Christians. In McLennan's bold call to reclaim ownership of Christianity, he advocates a sense of religion based not on doctrinal readings of scripture but on the humanity behind Christ's teachings. He addresses such topics as intelligent design, abortion, same sex marriage, war. torture and much, much more. As he says in the Preface, "We liberal Christians know in our hearts that there is much more to life than seems to meet the rational eye of atheists; yet we find it hard to support supernatural claims about religion that fly in the face of scientific evidence."