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God And Sea Power: The Influence Of Religion On Alfred Thayer Mahan
by Suzanne GeisslerThis book focuses on the religious beliefs and writings of naval historian and theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan. Mahan was a devout Christian and an active Episcopal layman. His religious beliefs had a major influence on his theories of sea power, naval command, war, and politics. Some historians and biographers have completely ignored his these beliefs. Others have acknowledged them, but viewed them as irrelevant to Mahan’s thinking on naval matters. Some have acknowledged them as important, but viewed them as being a negative influence on Mahan. All these views are wrong. Mahan devoted a lifetime to studying and developing his views on religion and they were a major source of his thinking on his naval and political theories. And his religious writings also demonstrate that many of the negative stereotypes of him (such as imperialist, war-monger, racist, Social Darwinist) are inaccurate. There is a large body of material that has either been overlooked or only superficially studied that give us insight into Mahan’s religious life, thoughts, and writings. There is a large collection of correspondence to family and friends in which Mahan discuses his Christian faith. There is his diary, kept while he was a young officer on a three-year voyage aboard the USS Iroquois. This document, also frequently misunderstood, gives a dramatic account of his struggles to achieve a right relationship with God. Lastly, there is a significant corpus of his published writings on religious topics. Once he retired from the Navy Mahan began to publish extensively on theological topics in both the secular and religious press. These writings included letters to the editor, book reviews, articles, and a book, The Harvest Within: Thoughts on the Life of a Christian published in 1909. In addition to his writings he also gave a number of speeches to church groups. Copies of most of these speeches still exist. All this material gives us a very full picture of his faith, a fascinating combination of born-again evangelicalism and High Church Anglicanism. Mahan was also an active layman in the Episcopal Church and these activities are discussed as well. Mahan’s father, Dennis Hart Mahan, was a West Point professor of engineering and military science for many years, and was a notable military figure in his own right. Mahan’s uncle, Milo Mahan, was a noted church historian and professor at General Theological Seminary. Both these men had a strong influence on Alfred and their lives and careers are discussed as well.
God and Starbucks: An NBA Superstar's Journey Through Addiction and Recovery
by Vin Baker Joe LaydenVin Baker, an NBA all-star, Olympic gold medalist, and clean-cut preacher’s son, harbored a dark secret: a dependence on drugs and alcohol that began shortly after he turned pro. Eventually becoming a full-blown yet functional alcoholic, Vin convinced himself that he played better under the influence—until his addiction cost him his basketball career, his fortune, and his health. But Vin’s story isn’t a tragic fall from grace. It is an enthralling testimony of salvation. For Vin, hitting rock bottom was a difficult yet transformative experience that led him to renew his relationship with God and to embrace life. Howard Schultz of Starbucks and Calvin Butts of Abyssinian Baptist Church offered Vin a helping hand and led him to find more security and happiness in his ordinary working life than he did in all of his years in the glamorous world of professional basketball.God and Starbucks is a wise, unflinching look at addiction and at the necessity of taking charge and claiming one’s blessings. It is a powerful memoir about reaching the top and beginning again from the bottom—an inspiring personal tale of humility and grace that reminds us of what is truly important.
God Bless America: The Story of an Immigrant Named Irving Berlin (Hyperion Picture Book (eBook))
by Adah NuchiAn inspiring portrait of an immigrant and the gift he gave his new home.Persecuted as Jews, Izzy Baline and his family emigrated from Russia to New York, where he fell in love with his new country. He heard music everywhere and was full to bursting with his own. Izzy's thump-two-three, ting-a-ling, whee tunes soon brought him acclaim as the sought-after songwriter Irving Berlin. He ignited the imaginations of fellow countrymen and women with his Broadway and Hollywood numbers, crafting tunes that have become classics we still sing today.But when darker times came and the nation went to war, it was time for Irving to compose a new kind of song:A boom-rah-rah song.A big brass belter.A loud heart-melter.A song for America.And so "God Bless America" was born, the heart swelling standard that Americans have returned to again and again after its 1918 composition.This is the tale of how a former refugee gave America one of its most celebrated patriotic songs. With stirring, rhythmic text by Adah Nuchi and delightful, energetic art by Rob Polivka, readers will be ready to hum along to this exuberant picturebook.
God Bless This Mess: Learning to Live and Love Through Life's Best (and Worst) Moments
by Hannah Brown“My life was a complete mess, and God bless all of it. Because it’s in the messes where we learn the most—as long as we slow down enough to realize what God is trying to show us.” <P><P>Suddenly in the spotlight, twenty-four-year-old Hannah Brown realized that she wasn’t sure what she wanted. After years of competing in beauty pageants, and then starring on The Bachelorette and Dancing with the Stars, she had become incredibly visible. There she was, in her early twenties, with millions around the world examining and weighing in on her every decision. She found herself wondering what it would mean to live on her terms. What it would mean to stop seeking approval from others and decide—for the first time—what it was she wanted from her own life. <P><P>An honest and earnest examination of her own mid-twenties, God Bless This Mess is a memoir that doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Hannah knows she doesn’t have all the answers. What she does have is the insight of someone who has spent critical years of her youth under public scrutiny. Thus what emerges is a quarter-life memoir that speaks to the set of difficulties young women face, and how to move through them with grace. <P><P>By pushing against her engrained need to seek approval, and learning how to think critically about her own goals and desires, Hannah inspires others to do the same—and to embrace the messiness that comes hand-in-hand with self-discovery (even if that sometimes means falling flat on your face).Using her time on The Bachelorette as a launching pad, Hannah doesn’t shy away from the most painful experiences of her life: moments when her faith was tested, when she feared it was lost, and the moments when she reclaimed it on national television. “And Jesus still loves me.” Fans will be inspired by the never-before-told stories: the ones about facing depression and anxiety during her pageant years, the ways in which therapy and journaling have proven to be a saving grace, and the previously private moments—both at home and on television—that have shaped the star’s outlook. <P><P>Honest and emotionally urgent, God Bless This Mess is a reminder that true growth doesn’t come without strife—and it’s through those dark, messy moments that self-acceptance and love can bloom.
God Calls Us to Do Hard Things: Lessons from the Alabama Wiregrass
by Katie BrittThrough her life story, rising Republican star Senator Katie Britt shares some candid advice for how to overcome personal challenges, appreciate blessed moments, make our lives more fulfilling, and keep an unshakeable faith in God, family and our country. With grit and grace, Katie Britt has tackled a lot that life&’s thrown at her. From working in her parent&’s hardware store, to finding her path at the University of Alabama and marrying the captain of the football team, to an extremely close call with a tornado that destroyed her house while she held her baby in her arms, to her upstart campaign for Senate, Britt has overcome setbacks, defied expectations and shocked the political establishment. So how did Britt become the youngest woman in the U.S. Senate? GOD CALLS US TO DO HARD THINGS offers the hard-earned lessons and common-sense advice that Britt gained from her experience – and it&’s the kind of stuff many young folks need to hear. Topics and themes include: Focusing us on what you can control Being unafraid to fail – while also taking criticism and tough love Breaking past the limits we place on ourselves Being a change agent – and not a title holder Sweating the small stuff of details and process Warm, humble and often lighthearted, GOD CALLS US TO DO HARD THINGS is about how a determined young woman decided to enter the arena and make her mark. At a moment when politics feel so toxic and broken, Katie Britt proves that there&’s still a way to listen to your heart, serve and inspire.
God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks About Life on Sapelo Island
by Cornelia Walker BaileyEqual parts cultural history and memoir, God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man recounts a traditional way of life--that of the Geechee Indians of Sapelo Island-- that is threatened by change, with stories that speak to our deepest notions of family, community, and a connection to one’s homeland. Cornelia Walker Bailey models herself after the African griot, the tribal storytellers who keep the history of their people. Bailey’s people are the Geechee, whose cultural identity has been largely preserved due to the relative isolation of Sapelo, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. In this rich account, Bailey captures the experience of growing up in an island community that counted the spirits of its departed among its members, relied on pride and ingenuity in the face of hardship, and taught her firsthand how best to reap the bounty of the marshes, woods and ocean that surrounded her. The power of this memoir to evoke the life of Sapelo Island is remarkable, and the history it preserves is invaluable.
God, Forgive These Bastards: Stories From The Forgotten Life Of Georgia Tech Pitcher Henry Turner
by Rob MortonNot only is this a companion book to the jazz punk album of the same name by the Taxpayers, this is a remembrance of a life filled with contradictions -- cowardice and bravery, falsehoods and candidness, glory and failure -- told from the perspective of Henry Turner, a baseball hero turned psyche ward street minstrel. In the late 1970s, Henry Turner went from being a local hero and star pitcher of the Georgia Tech Wildcats to an abusive, alcoholic drifter. After spending his later years in homeless encampments and psych wards, Turner turned his demons to his advantage and became a kind, beloved street story-teller, a friend of the down-and-out, and a public transit angel. God, Forgive These Bastards explores the brief moments that can shape or lives and the power of forgiving even the most wretched actions with compassion and understanding.
God Gave Me You: A True Story of Love, Loss, and a Heaven-Sent Miracle
by Tricia Seaman Diane NicholsWhen a single mother with terminal cancer asked a nurse she’d met in the oncology ward to raise her son, neither could have imagined the miracles God had in store.God Gave Me You tells the true story of how these two incredible mothers met, the immediate bond they formed, and the ups and downs of joining families as one’s earthly life ebbed away. The miracle of these two families coming together demonstrates that family isn’t always blood—sometimes it’s made up of the people God gives you if you have a willing heart.Oncology nurse Tricia Seaman and her family had their hearts set on adopting a son. They were months into the grueling process when Tricia met a terminally ill cancer patient on her regular rounds. Curiously, the two shared the same name. Trish Somers was that patient—a single mom whose world revolved around her eight-year-old son, Wesley. As the young mother poured out her fears and emotions during her post-operative care, Tricia sensed theirs would be like no other nurse-patient relationship she had experienced in her career.When the cancer spread, it became clear Trish had only a short time left to live. That’s when the inconceivable happened: Trish asked her nurse—a woman who had been a complete stranger just days before—to raise her beloved son when she passed away.God Gave Me You will inspire you with a story of courage, trust, and faith that God’s plans are bigger and more amazing then we could hope for on our own. It’s a story you’ll turn to again and again when you’re looking for hope and a reason to believe in miracles.
God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies
by Costi W. HinnMillions desperate for hope and solutions are enticed by the promise of the prosperity gospel - that God will do whatever they need with just a little faith and a financial gift. All the while, prosperity preachers exploit the poor and the needy to stockpile their riches. What can followers of the true gospel do to combat the deception?Through a remarkable and fascinating journey, Costi Hinn went from a next-generation prosperity preacher to the first to abandon the family faith and share the true gospel. Nephew of the world-famous televangelist, Benny Hinn, Costi had a front-row seat to the inner workings and theology of the prosperity gospel. But as Costi's faith deepened, so did his questions about prosperity teaching. As the deceptions in his past were exposed, Costi came face to face with the hypocrisy and devastation caused by his belief system, and the overwhelming truth about the real Jesus Christ.This captivating look into the daily lives of one of the world's leading prosperity dynasties offers a thoughtful perspective on the perils of greed, the power of the true gospel, and hope for the future of the global church. Through real-life stories, Costi challenges and equips readers to be living lights pointing the way to the true gospel and the saving grace of Christ. God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel will bolster your faith and encourage your own journey toward the Truth.
God Grew Tired of Us: The Heartbreaking, Inspiring Story of a Lost Boy of Sudan
by John Bul DauA tale of suffering, tragedy, and sorrow redeemed by indomitable resolve and a stubborn refusal to despair, it is set in a Sudan shadowed by unrelenting war and ruthless violence, yet illuminated by faith, generosity, and steadfast commitment to the human spirit's finest instincts. It's also the eloquently plain-spoken self-portrait of a young man who has looked death in the face many times and come away with an inner strength as impressive as it is modest and a wisdom as inspiring as it is matter of fact. One of the uprooted youngsters known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, John Bul Dau was 12 years old when civil war ravaged his village and shattered its age-old society, a life of herding and agriculture marked by dignity, respect, and the simple virtues of Dinka tribal tradition. As tracer bullets split the night and mortar shells exploded around him, John fled into the darkness - the first terrified moments of a journey that would lead him thousands of miles into an exile that was to last many years. John's memoir of his Dinka childhood shows African life and values at their best, while his searing account of hardship, famine, and war also testifies to human resilience and kindness. In an era of cultural clashes, his often humorous stories of adapting to life in the United States offer proof that we can bridge our differences peacefully. John Bul Dau's quiet pride, true humility, deep seriousness, compassionate courage, and remarkable achievements will take every reader's breath away.
God Grew Tired of Us
by John Bul Dau Michael S. SweeneyPublished to coincide with the eponymous National Geographic Films/LBS production feature film, this memoir recounts the story of John Bul Dau, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan. The memoir describes how civil war forced him out of his village, leading to an odyssey through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States, where he eventually settled, began raising a family, and began two foundations geared towards helping Sudanese children impacted by war. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
The God Groove: A Blues Journey to Faith
by David RitzAs a ghostwriter, biographer, and lyricist, David Ritz has worked with some of the biggest names in music, such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Marvin Gaye. Now, in his inspiring memoir, he shares how writing for these legendary artists led him to faith. Over the last forty-five years, David Ritz has collaborated with some of the biggest stars in music. Working to give a voice to these iconic musicians, he found his own, and following the sacred pulse he calls &“The God Groove,&” he also found belief in Christ.In his moving memoir, he recalls growing up as a secular Jew in New York and Dallas, and finding himself drawn to the smoky jazz clubs and Pentecostal churches where the music touched something deep in his soul, unlike anything he&’d ever felt before. It was this love of music, coupled with an equal passion for words—both language that flowed across the page and language sung out loud—that led him, against all odds, to convince Ray Charles to hire him as a ghostwriter. Through this first project, David learned the art of capturing another&’s voice.As Marvin Gaye&’s biographer and cowriter of &“Sexual Healing,&” David learned about Marvin&’s father, a charismatic storefront preacher in an ultra-strict Christian sect, but he also saw the visceral love Marvin had for Jesus. David&’s conversations with Aretha Franklin, conducted during the two-year process of writing her memoir, yielded further insights into Christianity. Threaded throughout David&’s story are in-depth conversations with Willie Nelson, BB King, Janet Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, Buddy Guy, and Jessi Colter, all of whom shaped his thinking about faith.The God Groove is a moving, deeply personal, and inspiring memoir about the unlikely ways God works—if we listen to Him.
God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy
by Mike HuckabeeThe New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller from a presidential candidate for the 2016 election!In God, Guns, Grits and Gravy, Mike Huckabee asks, "Have I been taken to a different planet than the one on which I grew up?" The New York Times bestselling author explores today's fractious American culture, where divisions of class, race, politics, religion, gender, age, and other fault lines make polite conversation dicey, if not downright dangerous. As Huckabee notes, the differences of opinion between the "Bubble-villes" of the big power centers and the "Bubba-villes" where most people live are profound, provocative, and sometimes pretty funny. Where else but in Washington, D.C. could two presidential golf outings cost the American taxpayers $2.9 million in travel expenses? Government bailouts, politician pig-outs, and popular culture provocations from Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Honey Boo-Boo to the Duck Dynasty's Robertson family. Gun rights, gay marriage, the decline of patriotism, and the mainstream media's contempt for those who cherish a faith-based life. The trouble with Democrats, the even bigger trouble with Republicans, our national security complex, and how our Constitution is eroding under our noses. Reflections on our way of life as it once was, as it is, and as it might become...these subjects and many more are covered with Mike Huckabee's signature wit, insight, and honesty.
God, Guns & Rock'N'Roll
by Ted NugentRock and Roll legend Ted Nugent contends that a lot of what is wrong with this country could be remedied by a simple, but controversial concept: gun ownership.
God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time
by Desmond Tutu Douglas AbramsDesmond tutu is known the world over for freeing South Africa of Apartheid. He fought along with other South Africans to make their country a leader in the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1980's and into the new century. Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his works. In this short but powerful book, Tutu, who is also a prominent minister, tells of God's plan for everyone, and discusses God's love. He discusses how we should never lose hope and how we should treat the entire world as our family. He shows this love and world peace with many examples from his work in South Africa and his travels around the world.
God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning
by Meghan O'GieblynA strikingly original exploration of what it might mean to be authentically human in the age of artificial intelligence, from the author of the critically-acclaimed Interior States. • "At times personal, at times philosophical, with a bracing mixture of openness and skepticism, it speaks thoughtfully and articulately to the most crucial issues awaiting our future." —Phillip Lopate &“[A] truly fantastic book.&”—Ezra Klein For most of human history the world was a magical and enchanted place ruled by forces beyond our understanding. The rise of science and Descartes's division of mind from world made materialism our ruling paradigm, in the process asking whether our own consciousness—i.e., souls—might be illusions. Now the inexorable rise of technology, with artificial intelligences that surpass our comprehension and control, and the spread of digital metaphors for self-understanding, the core questions of existence—identity, knowledge, the very nature and purpose of life itself—urgently require rethinking.Meghan O'Gieblyn tackles this challenge with philosophical rigor, intellectual reach, essayistic verve, refreshing originality, and an ironic sense of contradiction. She draws deeply and sometimes humorously from her own personal experience as a formerly religious believer still haunted by questions of faith, and she serves as the best possible guide to navigating the territory we are all entering.
The God I Love: A Lifetime Of Walking With Jesus
by Joni Eareckson TadaA little girl on a big horse, cantering across a spring-green pasture. . . wide-eyed children gathered 'round a beach fire, listening to a father's stories of the high seas. . . an expansive, you-can-see-forever view from the top of Pike's Peak. . . Another view from a Stryker frame, where an active young woman learns she will never walk again. . . Heading down a church aisle to marry the man she loves. . . looking into the eyes of a child in a wheelchair, and seeing the family God has prepared for a loving heart. . . sitting by the pool of Bethesda, reflecting on the miracle of healing God has performed in her heart. . . "The God I Love" brings to life these and many other moments. It offers an eternal perspective from a woman in a wheelchair who affirms that the God she knows and loves is the Center, the Peacemaker, the Passport to adventure, the joy ride, and the Answer to her deepest longings. Raised in an active, adventurous family, Joni Eareckson Tada worked hard and played hard to keep up with her older sisters and athletic father--until one day a diving accident left her a quadriplegic. But the tragedy that could have ended her life was in reality the beginning of an amazing, constantly unfolding story of grace that has touched the lives of millions worldwide and brought Joni unexpected joy and fulfillment. In this book, Joni unveils the God whom she has found to be faithful through over thirty years as a paralytic. This is not the story of a woman who has all the answers or who is very different from you. Joni struggles with the same fears, questions, and heartaches we all have in common. But as the weeks and months turn into years, and the years into decades, she meets her Savior at every turn. In this book, you'll discover that He is there for you as well, no matter what your circumstance or situation may be. Written with beauty, feeling, and amazing honesty, "The God I Love" captures the heart and soul of one woman's powerful, deeply personal journey of hope.
God, If You're Not Up There, I'm F*cked: Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live, and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem
by Darrell HammondAs seen in Netflix's "Cracked Up: The Darrell Hammond Story", this groundbreaking memoir is a raw look inside the troubled life and mind of an American comic genius.By turns poignant and hilarious, Hammond takes readers from the set of Saturday Night Live, where he was the show’s longest-tenured cast member, to the drug-ridden streets of Harlem and into the twisting corridors of his own unflaggingly humorous consciousness. Mingling behind-the-scenes stories from television’s best-loved comedy series with a dark look inside a world-class funnyman, God If You’re Not Up There, I’m F*cked is a book sure to resonate with anyone who shares a talent for performance, a love of comedy, or a desire to know how an artist can climb from the deepest despair to the very top of his profession.
God In My Corner
by George ForemanEveryone needs a second chance, even if your name is George Foreman."My second chance arrived unexpectedly in a Puerto Rican dressing room after a heavyweight boxing match. What happened to me in that room is so incredibly bizarre, it's unlikely you've ever before read anything like it. Simply stated, I died and went to the other side. The experience impacted me so profoundly that three decades later I can't go a single day without thinking about it."A childhood in grinding poverty. Two heavyweight boxing championships - twenty years apart. A life-changing encounter with God. A new life devoted to ministy. An inspiring comeback and then astounding success as an entrepreneur and trusted product pitchman.For the first time, George Foreman tells the whole story of his remarkable life. With the frankness, warmth, and humor you expect from Foreman, he shares the faith journey that has shaped his life, offering many life lessons along the way.What are the secrets to George Foreman's inspiring success?Why is he always smiling?Why did he name all five of his sons George?There is no one quiet like George Foreman. God in My Corner explains why. More importantly, it will open your eyes to the reality that God is there in your corner, just as He's been there for George all these years.
God in the Foxhole: Inspiring True Stories of Miracles on the Battlefield
by Charles W. SasserFrom veteran military writer Charles Sasser comes a collection of inspiring personal accounts of American soldiers whose faith has guided them through the hardships of war.From the battlefields of the American Civil War through World Wars I and II, from Korea and Vietnam to the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers of all faiths have struggled for understanding and called on a higher power when faced with the realities of combat. God in the Foxhole is a stunning collection of true personal accounts from generations of American soldiers whose faith, in the words of author Charles W. Sasser, "has been born, reborn, tested, sustained, verified, or transformed under fire."A renowned master of combat journalism and a former Green Beret, Sasser has gathered an immensely moving collection of war stories like no other—stories of spirituality, conversion, and miracles from the battlefield. Be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or atheist, churched since childhood or touched by the divine for the first time, here are the riveting experiences of army privates, bomber pilots, navy lieutenants, marines, prisoners of war, medics, nurses, chaplains, and others who, under desperate circumstances and with every reason to fear for their lives, found unknown strength, courage, and heroism through their remarkable faith. These inspiring accounts transcend the explainable to become stunning portraits of survival and belief: the angelic vision that brought inner peace to an exhausted helicopter door gunner in Vietnam; the makeshift full-immersion baptisms of eleven soldiers on Palm Sunday in Iraq, 2004; two enemies—a Nazi priest and an American G.I.—who served Communion Mass in a Belgian sanctuary in 1944; the prescient letter from a Civil War army major to his beloved wife, one week before his death at Bull Run; the 21st-century toddler with a jaw-dropping spiritual connection to a war hero of Iwo Jima, and dozens more.A war chronicle like no other, God in the Foxhole affirms, for military buffs and readers from all walks of life, the power of faith in the face of adversity.
God in the Rainforest: A Tale of Martyrdom and Redemption in Amazonian Ecuador
by Kathryn T. LongIn January of 1956, five young evangelical missionaries were speared to death by a band of the Waorani people in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Two years later, two missionary women--the widow of one of the slain men and the sister of another--with the help of a Wao woman were able to establish peaceful relations with the same people who had killed their loved ones. The highly publicized deaths of the five men and the subsequent efforts to Christianize the Waorani quickly became the defining missionary narrative for American evangelicals during the second half of the twentieth century. God in the Rainforest traces the formation of this story and shows how Protestant missionary work among the Waorani came to be one of the missions most celebrated by Evangelicals and most severely criticized by anthropologists and others who accused missionaries of destroying the indigenous culture. Kathryn T. Long offers a study of the complexities of world Christianity at the ground level for indigenous peoples and for missionaries, anthropologists, environmentalists, and other outsiders. For the first time, Long brings together these competing actors and agendas to reveal one example of an indigenous people caught in the cross-hairs of globalization.
God Is a Black Woman
by Christena ClevelandIn this timely, much-needed book, theologian, social psychologist, and activist Christena Cleveland recounts her personal journey to dismantle the cultural “whitemalegod” and uncover the Sacred Black Feminine, introducing a Black Female God who imbues us with hope, healing, and liberating presence.For years, Christena Cleveland spoke about racial reconciliation to congregations, justice organizations, and colleges. But she increasingly felt she could no longer trust in the God she’d been implicitly taught to worship—a white male God who preferentially empowered white men despite his claim to love all people. A God who clearly did not relate to, advocate for, or affirm a Black woman like Christena. Her crisis of faith sent her on an intellectual and spiritual journey through history and across France, on a 400-mile walking pilgrimage to the ancient shrines of Black Madonnas to find healing in the Sacred Black Feminine. God Is a Black Woman is the chronicle of her liberating transformation and a critique of a society shaped by white patriarchal Christianity and culture. Christena reveals how America’s collective idea of God as a white man has perpetuated hurt, hopelessness, and racial and gender oppression. Integrating her powerful personal story, womanist ideology, as well as theological, historical, and social science research, she invites us to take seriously the truth that God is not white nor male and gives us a new and hopeful path for connecting with the divine and honoring the sacredness of all Black people.
God Is a Grunt: And More Good News for GIs
by Logan M IsaacThis eye-opening book invites readers of all political and denominational stripes into a more meaningful conversation and community with soldiers and veterans. If Jesus is God, then God is a grunt—the humble, hardy folk placed at the bottom of the social hierarchy who are relied on to accomplish the dirtiest, most difficult (and most thankless) work. This is good news for millions of Christian soldiers and veterans in the U.S. because they have had to make an impossible choice, with no perceivable middle ground, between patriot and pacifist. In his new book, God Is a Grunt, Logan Isaac offers an opportunity for GIs, veterans, and those close to them to read Christian traditions as a soldier would—by and through the lived experiences of military service. This well-researched, meditative guide for Christians who have served their country delves deep into the Bible, while Isaac shares his own beliefs and thoughts on the life-altering experiences of battle. He attempts to fill the void most Christians in the military feel by providing theological resources to discern a better way of discipleship for GIs, affirming the nuance and complexity of armed service and the gifts GIs extend to Christians around the world.
God is Dead: SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2022
by Andy McGrath•SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2022••A SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES AND THE GUARDIAN•The remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke, written by William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath.They called him God. For his grace on a bicycle, for his divine talent, for his heavenly looks. Frank Vandenbroucke had it all, and in the late Nineties he raced with dazzling speed and lived even faster.The Belgian won several of cycling's most illustrious races, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Nice and Ghent-Wevelgem. He was a mix of poise and panache who enthralled a generation of cycling fans. Off the bike, he only had one enemy - himself. Vandenbroucke dabbled in nocturnal party sessions mixing sleeping pills and alcohol and regularly fell out with team managers. By 1999 his team had suspended him and this proved to be the start of a long, eventful fall from grace. Depression, a drug ban, addiction, car crashes, divorce and countless court appearances subsumed his life. He threatened his wife with a gun. He tried to commit suicide twice. And when police found performance-enhancing drugs at his house, Vandenbroucke said they were for his dog.It seemed he had finally learned from his mistakes. Then, on 12 October 2009, aged just 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal.Guided by exclusive contributions from his family, friends and team-mates, William Hill award-winning author Andy McGrath lays bare Vandenbroucke's chaotic, complicated life and times. God is Dead is the remarkable biography of this mercurial cycling prodigy.
God Is in the Crowd: Twenty-First-Century Judaism
by Tal KeinanA bold proposal for discovering relevance in Judaism and ensuring its survival, from a pioneering social activist, business leader, and fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force.God Is in the Crowd is an original and provocative blueprint for Judaism in the twenty-first century. Presented through the lens of Tal Keinan's unusual personal story, it a sobering analysis of the threat to Jewish continuity. As the Jewish people has become concentrated in just two hubs--America and Israel--it has lost the subtle code of governance that endowed Judaism with dynamism and relevance in the age of Diaspora. This code, as Keinan explains, is derived from Francis Galton's "wisdom of crowds," in which a group's collective intelligence, memory, and even spirituality can be dramatically different from, and often stronger than, that of any individual member's. He argues that without this code, this ancient people--and the civilization that it spawned--will soon be extinct. Finally, Keinan puts forward a bold and original plan to rewrite the Jewish code, proposing a new model for Judaism and for community in general.Keinan was born to a secular Jewish family in Florida. His interest in Judaism was ignited by a Christian minister at his New England prep school and led him down the unlikely path to enlistment in the Israel Air Force. Using his own dramatic experiences as a backdrop, and applying lessons from his life as a business leader and social activist, Keinan takes the reader on a riveting adventure, weaving between past, present, and future, and fusing narrative with theory to demonstrate Judaism's value to humanity and chart its path into the future.