- Table View
- List View
The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American
by Andrew L SeidelDo &“In God We Trust,&” the Declaration of Independence, and other historical &“evidence&” prove that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles? Are the Ten Commandments the basis for American law? A constitutional attorney dives into the debate about religion&’s role in America&’s founding. In today&’s contentious political climate, understanding religion&’s role in American government is more important than ever. Christian nationalists assert that our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and advocate an agenda based on this popular historical claim. But is this belief true? The Founding Myth answers the question once and for all. Andrew L. Seidel, a constitutional attorney at the Freedom from Religion Foundation, builds his case point by point, comparing the Ten Commandments to the Constitution and contrasting biblical doctrine with America&’s founding philosophy, showing that the Bible contradicts the Declaration of Independence&’s central tenets. Thoroughly researched, this persuasively argued and fascinating book proves that America was not built on the Bible and that Christian nationalism is, in fact, un-American.
Founding the Fathers: Early Church History and Protestant Professors in Nineteenth-Century America (Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion)
by Elizabeth A. ClarkThrough their teaching of early Christian history and theology, Elizabeth A. Clark contends, Princeton Theological Seminary, Harvard Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, and Union Theological Seminary functioned as America's closest equivalents to graduate schools in the humanities during the nineteenth century. These four Protestant institutions, founded to train clergy, later became the cradles for the nonsectarian study of religion at secular colleges and universities. Clark, one of the world's most eminent scholars of early Christianity, explores this development in Founding the Fathers: Early Church History and Protestant Professors in Nineteenth-Century America.Based on voluminous archival materials, the book charts how American theologians traveled to Europe to study in Germany and confronted intellectual currents that were invigorating but potentially threatening to their faith. The Union and Yale professors in particular struggled to tame German biblical and philosophical criticism to fit American evangelical convictions. German models that encouraged a positive view of early and medieval Christianity collided with Protestant assumptions that the church had declined grievously between the Apostolic and Reformation eras. Trying to reconcile these views, the Americans came to offer some counterbalance to traditional Protestant hostility both to contemporary Roman Catholicism and to those historical periods that had been perceived as Catholic, especially the patristic era.
Fountain of Salvation: Trinity and Soteriology
by Fred SandersA trinitarian exposition of Christian soteriology The relation of God and salvation is not primarily a problem to be solved. Rather, it is the blazing core of Christian doctrine, where the triune nature of God and the truth of the gospel come together. Accordingly, a healthy Christian theology must confess the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of salvation as closely related, mutually illuminating, and strictly ordered. When the two doctrines are left unconnected, both suffer. The doctrine of the Trinity begins to seem altogether irrelevant to salvation history and Christian experience, while soteriology meanwhile becomes naturalized, losing its transcendent reference. If they are connected too tightly, on the other hand, human salvation seems inherent to the divine reality itself. Deftly navigating this tension, Fountain of Salvation relates them by expounding the doctrine of eternal processions and temporal missions, ultimately showing how they inherently belong together. The theological vision expounded here by Fred Sanders is one in which the holy Trinity is the source of salvation in a direct and personal way, as the Father sends the Son and the Holy Spirit to enact an economy of revelation and redemption. Individual chapters show how this vision informs the doctrines of atonement, ecclesiology, Christology, and pneumatology—all while directly engaging with major modern interpreters of the doctrine of the Trinity. As Sanders affirms throughout this in-depth theological treatise, the triune God is the fountain from which all other doctrine flows—and no understanding of salvation is complete that does not begin there.
Four Birds of Noah's Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare
by Thomas DekkerA timeless, little-known literary classic to engage a new generation of readers As the Black Death ravaged London in 1608, in the midst of societal chaos and tragedy, playwright Thomas Dekker wrote Four Birds of Noah&’s Ark, a book containing fifty-six prayers for the people of London and all of England. The prayers in this book bear witness to Dekker&’s deep faith with a power and poignancy that few written prayers in English literature achieve. Bringing Dekker&’s devotional classic back into print for the first time since 1924, editor Robert Hudson has annotated the prayers and modernized their language without sacrificing their enchanting beauty and simplicity. Hudson&’s substantive and illuminating introduction is a gem in itself.
Four Birds of Noah's Ark: A Prayer Book from the Time of Shakespeare
by Thomas DekkerA timeless, little-known literary classic to engage a new generation of readers As the Black Death ravaged London in 1608, in the midst of societal chaos and tragedy, playwright Thomas Dekker wrote Four Birds of Noah&’s Ark, a book containing fifty-six prayers for the people of London and all of England. The prayers in this book bear witness to Dekker&’s deep faith with a power and poignancy that few written prayers in English literature achieve. Bringing Dekker&’s devotional classic back into print for the first time since 1924, editor Robert Hudson has annotated the prayers and modernized their language without sacrificing their enchanting beauty and simplicity. Hudson&’s substantive and illuminating introduction is a gem in itself.
Four Blood Moons: Something Is About To Change
by John HageeInspired by NASA projections and recorded history, Pastor John Hagee reveals direct connections between four upcoming blood-moon eclipses and what they portend for Israel and all of humankind. Hagee divides the book into three sections. In Section 1, he explains the importance of Israel; in Section 2, he discusses the current distressed state of the world, expounds on the Gospel message of salvation, and describes his view of the Rapture; and in section 3, he elucidates upon the Blood Moons of the past and present and shows their relationship to the Jewish Biblical feasts of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. Throughout the book, Hagee encourages his readers to attend fervently to the signs in the heavens and to become ready for the events of the future. For those readers interested in Biblical prophecy and in end-time discussions, they should read this book to learn about the current thinking that is espoused by some Christians and by some Messianic Jews and Gentiles.
Four Blood Moons: Something is About to Change
by John Hagee"...There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars...Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:25a, 28 It is rare that Scripture, science, and history align with each other, yet the last three series of Four Blood Moons have done exactly that. Are these the "signs" that God refers to in His Word? If they are, what do they mean? What is their prophetic significance?
The Four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance
by Josef PieperIn The Four Cardinal Virtues, Josef Pieper delivers a stimulating quartet of essays on the four cardinal virtues. He demonstrates the unsound overvaluation of moderation that has made contemporary morality a hollow convention and points out the true significance of the Christian virtues.
Four Cultures of the West
by John W. O'MalleyThe workings of Western intelligence in our day--whether in politics or the arts, in the humanities or the church--are as troubling as they are mysterious, leading to the questions: Where are we going? What in the world were we thinking? By exploring the history of four "cultures" so deeply embedded in Western history that we rarely see their instrumental role in politics, religion, education, and the arts, this timely book provides a broad framework for addressing these questions in a fresh way. The cultures considered here originated in the ancient world, took on Christian forms, and manifest themselves today in more secular ways. These are, as John W. O'Malley identifies them: the prophetic culture that proclaims the need for radical change in the structures of society (represented by, for example, Jeremiah, Martin Luther, and Martin Luther King, Jr.); the academic culture that seeks instead to understand those structures (Aristotle, Aquinas, the modern university); the humanistic culture that addresses fundamental human issues and works for the common good of society (Cicero, Erasmus, and Eleanor Roosevelt); and the culture of art and performance that celebrates the mystery of the human condition (Phidias, Michelangelo, Balanchine). By showing how these cultures, as modes of activity and discourse in which Western intelligence has manifested itself through the centuries and continues to do so, O'Malley produces an essay that especially through the history of Christianity brilliantly illuminates the larger history of the West.
The Four Desires: Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity, and Freedom
by Rod Stryker"Desire is here to stay. The challenge we all face, and which I intend to guide you through, is to learn how to take into account the full measure of who you are and use the positive force of all four of your soul's desires to lead you to your best life."--Rod StrykerAccording to ancient Yogic tradition, your soul has four distinct desires: * The desire for purpose, the drive to become who you are meant to be* The desire for the means (money, security, health) to prosper in this world* The desire for pleasures like intimacy, beauty, and love* The desire for spiritual fulfillment and lasting freedom Learning to honor these four desires is the key to happiness, and to a complete and balanced life. But how can you discern what will truly satisfy your desires? How can you increase your capacity to achieve them? What if your desires seem to conflict with one another? Is it really possible to live a spiritual life while also wanting material pleasures and success?For more than three decades, master teacher Rod Stryker has taught yoga in the context of its deepest philosophy. His course, called The Yoga of FulfillmentTM, has helped thousands recognize their soul's call to greatness and to achieve their dreams. Now, in this wise and richly practical book, he has distilled those broad teachings into a roadmap for becoming the person you were meant to be. It is filled with revealing true stories, provocative exercises, and practices for unlocking your inner guidance. And even if you've never done a yoga pose, you can follow this step-by-step process to: * discover your soul's unique purpose--the one you came into this world to fulfill.* recognize the goal(s) you need to focus on at any given time and enliven your capacity to reach them. * overcome self-defeating ideas and behavior.* recruit your deepest energies and strengthen your resolve to meet any challenge.* learn to live with joy at every stage of your growth. The Four Desires is nothing less than a complete path toward living your best life possible--a life that is rich in meaning and in means, a life that attracts and emanates happiness, a life that is your unique gift to yourself and the world.From the Hardcover edition.
Four Eids and a Funeral
by Adiba Jaigirdar Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéEx-best friends, Tiwa and Said, must work together to save their Islamic Center from demolition, in this romantic story of rekindling and rebuilding by award-winning authors Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé & Adiba Jaigirdar! The town of New Crosshaven has it all—even its own infamous love story. These days, Said Hossain spends most of his time away at boarding school. But when his favorite hometown librarian, Ms. Barnes, dies, he must return to New Crosshaven for her funeral and for the summer. Too bad being home makes it a lot harder to avoid facing his ex–best friend, Tiwa Olatunji, or facing the daunting task of telling his Bangladeshi parents that he would rather be an artist than a doctor.Tiwa doesn’t understand what made Said start ignoring her, but it’s probably that fancy boarding school of his. Though he’s unexpectedly staying at home through the summer, she’s determined to take a page from him and pretend he doesn’t exist. Besides, she has more than enough going on anyway, between grieving her broken family and helping her mother throw the upcoming Eid celebration at the Islamic Center—a place that means so much to Tiwa.But when the Islamic Center accidentally catches fire, it turns out the mayor plans to demolish the center entirely. Things are still tense between the ex-friends, but Tiwa needs Said’s help if there’s any hope of changing the mayor’s mind, and on top of everything, Said needs a project to submit to art school (unbeknownst to anyone). Will all their efforts be enough to save the Islamic Center, save Eid, and maybe even save their relationship?
The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary
by Angeles ArrienA leading expert on native spirituality and shamanism reveals the four archetypal principles of the Native American medicine wheel and how they can lead us to a higher spirituality and a better world.
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
by Sayadaw U Silanada Ruth-Inge Heinze Larry RosenbergAn absolute essential of Buddhist thought and practice. In addition to practitioners of Insight meditation, those who engage in other meditation forms such as dzogchen, mahamudra, and zazen will find that The Four Foundation of Mindfulness provides new means of understanding how to approach and deepen their own practices. The entire Great Discourse is included here, coupled with a beautifully clear commentary from the great scholar-yogi, Venerable U Silananda.
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante Henepola GunaratanaIn simple and straightforward language, Bhante Gunaratana shares the Buddha's teachings on mindfulness and how we can use these principles to improve our daily lives, deepen our mindfulness, and move closer to our spiritual goals. Based on the classic Satipatthana Sutta, one of the most succinct yet rich explanations of meditation, Bhante's presentation is nonetheless thoroughly modern. The Satipatthana Sutta has become the basis of all mindfulness meditation, and Bhante unveils it to the reader in his trademark "plain English" style. Contemplating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness--mindfulness of the body, of feelings, of the mind, and of phenomena themselves--is recommended for all practitioners. Newcomers will find The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English lays a strong groundwork for mindfulness practice and gives them all they need to get started right away, and old hands will find rich subtleties and insights to help consolidate and clarify what they may have begun to see for themselves. People at every state of the spiritual path will benefit from reading this book.
The Four Gifts
by Joseph BradleyBy all rights, Father Joseph Bradley should be dead. If past usage of beer, marijuana, and cocaine didn't do the trick, then certainly heart failure should have. Instead, by the grace of God, he is alive, clean, sober, and a functioning Catholic priest with another man's heart beating in his chest. But it came at a huge cost. While Joe was in his late teens, his father died suddenly. The loss was devastating and Joe's emotional desolation found escapist bliss in a beer bottle and cocaine vial, and he pledged irrevocable devotion to both. The slide into the abyss was ugly, and Joe finally sought help because there was nowhere else to go--which led him to serve others as a Catholic priest. The day of Joe's ordination, an old friend came to the mass and announced for all to hear, "Well, now I can say I've seen a miracle." Joe functioned for fifteen years as a sober priest before his heart gave out from the same heart disease that killed his father. But another miracle came his way, and he was blessed with a new heart--a gracious gift from a family during the most painful moment of their lives. Joe has been granted the blessing of four gifts: faith, sobriety, a new heart, and a fulfilling ministry. As Father Joe says, "Gratitude inspired this book. I owe it to people who helped rescue me from alcohol and drugs, and I owe it to my heart donor for giving me yet another chance at life."
The Four Gifts of the King: A Novel
by R. Scott RodinThe leadership coach, theological visionary, and author of The Steward Leader delivers a thrilling novel of salvation and hope that speaks to the soul. When Sam Roberts learns he is dying, he is faced with a decision that will determine his legacy and alter forever the destinies of his four adult children. With his lifelong friend Walter at his side, Sam writes his last words to his children. His legacy would come not through money or power, but through a parable. Sam takes his children and readers alike on the breathtaking adventure of Steward of Aiden Glenn and his quest to find the King and learn the purpose for his life. The Four Gifts of the King is a saga of truth and deception, of trust and love, of courage and victory, and of faith. At its heart is the importance of family and coming home to the values that shape adults from children. It calls readers to consider their own legacy. It&’s a parable that changed the lives of Sam&’s children forever, as it changes the lives of all who read it.
The Four Global Truths
by Darrin DrdaWith the planet increasingly threatened with catastrophe and perhaps even collapse, many seekers are looking to past, proven models to create meaningful change in their lives. One such model is Buddhism's Four Noble Truths: the reality of suffering, the root cause of suffering, the end of suffering, and the path to the end of suffering. This fresh, timely book taps and modifies that ancient wisdom to address the pressing environmental and spiritual crises facing us. In The Four Global Truths, author Darrin Drda contends that as global temperatures rise and natural systems decline, humanity is forced to confront the destructiveness of unfettered material progress and mechanistic thinking. He posits a more enlightened worldview that honors the interdependence of all forms of life and aspects of reality, a concept increasingly see as a practical and compassionate approach to averting disaster. Writing in a warm, open style recalling that of Eckhart Tolle in The New Earth, Drda integrates elements of Western philosophy, transpersonal psychology, deep ecology, modern cosmology, and quantum physics to get at the heart of worldwide ecological suffering. In the process he encourages a responsible and joyful--and ultimately healing--participation in this critical moment in life.About the Imprint: EVOLVER EDITIONS promotes a new counterculture that recognizes humanity's visionary potential and takes tangible, pragmatic steps to realize it. EVOLVER EDITIONS explores the dynamics of personal, collective, and global change from a wide range of perspectives. EVOLVER EDITIONS is an imprint of North Atlantic Books and is produced in collaboration with Evolver, LLC.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Four Gods Figurines as Tomb Guardians: Their Function, Circulation, and Disappearance in Tang China (618–907 AD)
by Lok Man YangThis book employs a biographical approach to comprehensively study a set of Tang era-tomb guardian figurines, known as the Four Gods (Sishen), comprising a pair of warriors (Dangkuang and Dangye) and a pair of hybrid beasts (Zuming and Dizhou). These objects were exclusively used by officials until 841 AD and were mainly found in capitals then. They disappeared in the 9th century AD. The book is divided into three sections. Part one focuses on their symbolism through names, images, burial contexts, associated ritual regulations, and the interplay of all of these, revealing their dual significance – apotropaic and political, tied to ritual propriety, nuo exorcism, yin-yang divination, and more. Part two explores their connection to other supernatural tomb figurines in the early and middle Tang periods, challenging previous theories and highlighting regional standardization. Additionally, this part delves into the Four Gods’ regulated production, government oversight, and role in funerary processions. Part three examines their disappearance due to shifting views on the afterlife and diminishing national power. It also explores changes in the usage of related tomb objects after the Tang era, focusing on protective functions and spatial concepts.
The Four Gospels and the Revelation: Newly Translated from the Greek
by Richmond LattimorePoet and translator of Greek classics Richard Lattimore applies his skills to the four gospels and the Revelation.
Four Gospels, One Jesus?: A Symbolic Reading
by Richard A. BurridgeIn this modern classic Richard Burridge offers an engaging introduction to the New Testament Gospels. Using the ancient visual symbols for the Gospels — human face, lion, ox, and eagle — Burridge presents a clear interpretation of each Gospel author's portrait of Jesus.This new edition contains updated suggestions for further reading and a substantial new Afterword in which Burridge reflects personally on his book's genesis, development, and positive reception over the years. Four Gospels, One Jesus? in this third edition will continue to be appreciated by teachers, students, pastors, and other readers wanting to understand Jesus more fully.
Four Gospels, One Jesus
by Richard A. BurridgeIn this very readable book Richard Burridge depicts Jesus through the four Gospel authors' distinctive portraits of him. Without bogging down readers with technical terminology, Burridge brings to bear his research comparing the Gospels with classical biographies and offers a clear interpretation of each Gospel author's portrait. In a particularly striking move, he draws on the traditional symbols of the Gospels - the human face, lion, ox, and eagle - to represent each book's unique picture of Jesus.
Four Hasidic Masters and Their Struggle Against Melancholy
by Elie Wiesel Theodore M. HesburghFriendship and concern revolves around Hasidism that is against solitude. The concept is to live, share happiness and distress with others.
The Four Horsemen: The Conversation That Sparked an Atheist Revolution
by Christopher Hitchens Richard Dawkins Sam Harris Daniel DennettIn 2007, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett filmed a landmark discussion about modern atheism. The video went viral. Now in print for the first time, the transcript of their conversation is illuminated by new essays from three of the original participants and an introduction by Stephen Fry. At the dawn of the new atheist movement, the thinkers who became known as “the four horsemen,” the heralds of religion's unraveling—Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett—sat down together over cocktails. What followed was a rigorous, pathbreaking, and enthralling exchange, which has been viewed millions of times since it was first posted on YouTube. This is intellectual inquiry at its best: exhilarating, funny, and unpredictable, sincere and probing, reminding us just how varied and colorful the threads of modern atheism are. Here is the transcript of that conversation, in print for the first time, augmented by material from the living participants: Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett. These new essays, introduced by Stephen Fry, mark the evolution of their thinking and highlight particularly resonant aspects of this epic exchange. Each man contends with the most fundamental questions of human existence while challenging the others to articulate their own stance on God and religion, cultural criticism, spirituality, debate with people of faith, and the components of a truly ethical life.Advance praise for The Four Horsemen “The full, electrifying transcript of the one and only conversation between the quartet of luminaries dubbed the ‘four horsemen’ of the New Atheism, which took place in Washington, D.C., in 2007. Among the vast range of ideas and questions they discuss: Is it ever possible to win a war of ideas? Is spirituality the preserve of the religious? And, are there any truths you would rather not know?”—The Bookseller (UK) (starred review) “If thinking were a sport, these four would be national superstars—and reading The Four Horsemen feels like having a front-row seat at the all-star game. This is more than a book about atheism and religion—it’s a lesson in how to use our intellect to cut through the haze of delusion and misconception inherent in any human society.”—Tim Urban, writer of Wait But Why?
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
by Mark HitchcockThe image of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8 is one of the most vivid and powerful in all the writings of the prophets. Their presence speaks of a coming day of horror - the first four judgments of the tribulation. White, red, black, and pale, they will wreak destruction around the world. Prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock takes an in-depth look at the horsemen and shows how today's events point toward the prophecy about them. Signs all around us indicate that the four horsemen of the Apocalypse may be ready to mount up and gallop across the earth. T H U N D E R I N G H O O F B E AT S B R I N G WA R , FAMI N E , A N D P L A G U E The image of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8 is one of the most vivid and powerful in all the writings of the prophets. Their presence speaks of a coming day of horror-the first four judgments of the Tribulation. White, red, black, and pale, they will wreak destruction around the world. Prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock takes an in-depth look at the horsemen and shows how today's events point toward the prophecy about them. Signs all around us indicate that the four horsemen of the Apocalypse may be ready to mount up and gallop across the earth. "Mark Hitchcock packs a wealth of information on biblical prophecy into an excellent 'quick read. ' I highly recommend Mark as a faithful guide to understanding current events in light of God's wonderful plan of prophecy. "-TIM LAHAYE, author, educator, minister Story Behind the Book The four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8 is one of the most vivid, powerful visions in all of the Scriptures. The apostle John saw a vision of four horses (white, red, black, and pale) galloping across the world in the end times, leaving unbelievable destruction in their wake. The chilling imagery of that vision has gripped believers for over two thousand years. The purpose of the book is to take an in-depth look at these four mysterious horsemen and show how their approach seems to be developing before our eyes, signaling the advent of that terrible seven years known as the Great Tribulation. The four horsemen are symbolic of great movements that will mark the onset of that climactic era in history.