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The Soul of Christianity
by Huston Smith"I have tried to describe a Christianity which is fully compatible with everything we now know, and to indicate why Christians feel privileged to give their lives to it."--Huston SmithIn his most personal and passionate book on the spiritual life, renowned author, scholar, and teacher of world religions Huston Smith turns to his own life-long religion, Christianity. With stories and personal anecdotes, Smith not only presents the basic beliefs and essential teachings of Christianity, but argues why religious belief matters in today's secular world.Though there is a wide variety of contemporary interpretations of Christianity--some of them conflicting--Smith cuts through these to describe Christianity's "Great Tradition," the common faith of the first millennium of believers, which is the trunk of the tree from which Christianity's many branches, twigs, and leaves have grown. This is not the exclusivist Christianity of strict fundamentalists, nor the liberal, watered-down Christianity practiced by many contemporary churchgoers. In exposing biblical literalism as unworkable as well as enumerating the mistakes of modern secularists, Smith presents the very soul of a real and substantive faith, one still relevant and worth believing in.Smith rails against the hijacked Christianity of politicians who exploit it for their own needs. He decries the exercise of business that widens the gap between rich and poor, and fears education has lost its sense of direction. For Smith, the media has become a business that sensationalizes news rather than broadening our understanding, and art and music have become commercial and shocking rather than enlightening. Smith reserves his harshest condemnation, however, for secular modernity, which has stemmed from the misreading of science--the mistake of assuming that "absence of evidence" of a scientific nature is "evidence of absence." These mistakes have all but banished faith in transcendence and the Divine from mainstream culture and pushed it to the margins.Though the situation is grave, these modern misapprehensions can be corrected, says Smith, by reexamining the great tradition of Christianity's first millennium and reaping the lessons it holds for us today. This fresh examination of the Christian worldview, its history, and its major branches provides the deepest, most authentic vision of Christianity--one that is both tolerant and substantial, traditional and relevant.
The Soul of Christianity
by Huston Smith"I have tried to describe a Christianity which is fully compatible with everything we now know, and to indicate why Christians feel privileged to give their lives to it." -Huston Smith In his most personal and passionate book on the spiritual life, renowned author, scholar, and teacher of world religions Huston Smith turns to his own life-long religion, Christianity. With stories and personal anecdotes, Smith not only presents the basic beliefs and essential teachings of Christianity, but argues why religious belief matters in today's secular world. Though there is a wide variety of contemporary interpretations of Christianity-some of them conflicting-Smith cuts through these to describe Christianity's "Great Tradition," the common faith of the first millennium of believers, which is the trunk of the tree from which Christianity's many branches, twigs, and leaves have grown. This is not the exclusivist Christianity of strict fundamentalists, nor the liberal, watered-down Christianity practiced by many contemporary churchgoers. In exposing biblical literalism as unworkable as well as enumerating the mistakes of modern secularists, Smith presents the very soul of a real and substantive faith, one still relevant and worth believing in. Smith rails against the hijacked Christianity of politicians who exploit it for their own needs. He decries the exercise of business that widens the gap between rich and poor, and fears education has lost its sense of direction. For Smith, the media has become a business that sensationalizes news rather than broadening our understanding, and art and music have become commercial and shocking rather than enlightening. Smith reserves his harshest condemnation, however, for secular modernity, which has stemmed from the misreading of science-the mistake of assuming that "absence of evidence" of a scientific nature is "evidence of absence." These mistakes have all but banished faith in transcendence and the Divine from mainstream culture and pushed it to the margins. Though the situation is grave, these modern misapprehensions can be corrected, says Smith, by reexamining the great tradition of Christianity's first millennium and reaping the lessons it holds for us today. This fresh examination of the Christian worldview, its history, and its major branches provides the deepest, most authentic vision of Christianity-one that is both tolerant and substantial, traditional and relevant.
The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community
by Curt ThompsonWe are people of desire. In The Soul of Desire, psychiatrist Curt Thompson suggests that underneath all our longings is the desire to be known—and what's more, that this fundamental yearning manifests itself in our deep need to make things of beauty, revealing who we are to others. Desire and beauty go hand in hand. But both our craving to be known and our ability to create beauty have been marred by trauma and shame, collapsing our imagination for what God has for us and blinding us to the possibility that beauty could ever emerge from our ashes. Drawing on his work in interpersonal neurobiology and clinical practice, Thompson presents a powerful picture of the capacity of the believing community to reshape our imaginations, hold our desires and griefs together, and invite us into the beauty of God’s presence. The Soul of Desire is a mature, creative work, weaving together neuroscience and spiritual formation to open up new horizons for thinking not only about the nature of the mind, but about what it means to be human.
The Soul of Judaism: Jews of African Descent in America (Religion, Race, and Ethnicity)
by Bruce D HaynesA study of the history of Black Jews in the United States and the counter-narratives they have put forward as they stake their claims to Jewishness.The Soul of Judaism offers the first exploration of the full diversity of Black Jews, including bi-racial Jews of both matrilineal and patrilineal descent; adoptees; black converts to Judaism; and Black Hebrews and Israelites, who trace their Jewish roots to Africa and challenge the dominant western paradigm of Jews as white and of European descent. Blending historical analysis and oral history, Haynes showcases the lives of Black Jews within the Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstruction and Reform movements, as well as the religious approaches that push the boundaries of the common forms of Judaism we know today. He illuminates how in the quest to claim whiteness, American Jews of European descent gained the freedom to express their identity fluidly while African Americans have continued to be seen as a fixed racial group. This book demonstrates that racial ascription has been shaping Jewish selfhood for centuries. Pushing us to reassess the boundaries between race and ethnicity, it offers insight into how Black Jewish individuals strive to assert their dual identities and find acceptance within their respective communities. Putting to rest the simplistic notion that Jews are white and that Black Jews are therefore a contradiction, the volume argues that we can no longer pigeonhole Black Hebrews and Israelites as exotic, militant, and nationalistic sects outside the boundaries of mainstream Jewish thought and community life. The volume spurs us to consider the significance of the growing population of self-identified Black Jews and its implications for the future of American Jewry.
The Soul of Kierkegaard: Selections from His Journals
by Alexander Dru Søren KierkegaardDenmark's foremost philosopher and religious writer, Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) maintained a journal throughout his adult life that amounted to more than 7,000 pages of alternative drafts of published works, biographical events, musings, and outpourings. A precursor of the Existential movement and a major influence on modern Protestant theology, Kierkegaard confided to his journal further reflections on the ideas developed in his philosophical and theological works, and on his tumultuous career as an author.
The Soul of Leadership
by Deepak ChopraLeadership is the most crucial choice one can make--it is the decision to step out of darkness into the light. Bestselling author and spiritual guide Deepak Chopra invites you to become the kind of leader most needed today: a leader with vision who can make that vision real. Chopra has been teaching leadership to CEOs and other top executives for eight years, and the path outlined in The Soul of Leadership applies to any business, but the same principles are relevant in every community and area of life, from family and home to school, place of worship, and neighborhood. "At the deepest level," Chopra writes, "a leader is the symbolic soul of a group." With clear, practical steps, you are led through the crucial skills outlined in the acronym L-E-A-D-E-R-S:L = Look and ListenE = Emotional BondingA = AwarenessD = DoingE = EmpowermentR = ResponsibilityS = Synchronicity After identifying your own soul profile and the core values you want to develop, you can use these seven skills to allow your potential for greatness to emerge. Only from the level of the soul, Chopra contends, are great leaders created. Once that connectionis made, you have unlimited access to the most vital qualities a leader can possess: creativity, intelligence, organizing power, and love. The Soul of Leadership aims to fill the most critical void in contemporary life, the void of enlightened leaders. "You can be such a leader," Chopra promises. "The path is open to you. The only requirement is that you learn to listen to your inner guide." In this unique handbook you are shown how to do just that, in words as practical as they are uplifting. The future is unfolding at this very minute, and the choice to lead it lies with each of us, here and now.From the Hardcover edition.
The Soul of Medicine: Spiritual Perspectives and Clinical Practice
by John R. Peteet Michael N. D’AmbraTo what extent should spiritual information be part of a patient’s medical assessment? How should physicians respond when patients refuse life-saving care on religious grounds? Should doctors pray with their patients? Questions such as these raise deeper ones about the goals of medicine and the nature of healing. In a set of engaging and candid essays, The Soul of Medicine explores the role and influence of spirituality in clinical practice, professionalism, and medical education.The contributors to this volume approach this topic from their own spiritual perspectives—Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, New Age / Eclectic, secular, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Scientist. Their thought-provoking essays provide rich insights not only into the needs of patients with various world views but also into how spirituality influences the practice of medicine.When their own spiritual issues arise in medical practice, physicians rely on their professionalism, ethics, and education. To better understand how various world views are incorporated into clinical work, doctors must ask themselves—as these contributors have—a series of important questions: What insights about life and healing does your faith provide? How does your faith challenge or reinforce contemporary medicine? How do you assess and address spirituality in clinical practice? How do your own beliefs influence your interactions with patients?The Soul of Medicine encourages medical students and practitioners to recognize the spiritual dimensions of medicine, to consider how these dimensions inform their own education and practice, and to be compassionate about their patients’—and their own—religious beliefs.
The Soul of Prince Caspian
by Gene VeithThrough best-selling books and now blockbuster motion pictures, C. S. Lewis's masterpiece "The Chronicles of Narnia" has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of children and adults. When Lewis wrote this acclaimed series more than half a century ago, many considered it a mere children's allegory and missed the rich spiritual meaning of the Christian faith that Lewis was clearly communicating.In The Soul of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Gene Veith revealed the mysteries and meanings of the first Narnia book. And now with the motion picture release of the second in the series, Veith returns to dig deeply into the biblical message behind this beloved story.In The Soul of Prince Caspian, Veith reveals how Lewis takes on the modern mindset that has literally forgotten Christ--just as Narnia has forgotten Aslan. As Veith unlocks the story of Prince Caspian, you'll discover how Lewis's other writings add depth and clarity to his message. And you'll see that, while Prince Caspian may be about the fantastic land of Narnia, it's also about your world.
The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of Ecstatic Poems
by Coleman BarksThe Soul of Rumi collects the poetry of the thirteenth century Persian mystic that explores the divine from the teachings of Sufism.Rumi’s masterpieces have inspired countless people throughout the centuries, and Coleman Barks’s exquisite renderings are widely considered the definitive versions. His translations capture the inward exploration and intensity that characterize Rumi’s poetry, making this unique voice of mysticism and desire contemporary while remaining true to the original poems. In this volume readers will encounter the essence of Sufism’s insights into the experience of divine love, wisdom, and the nature of both humanity and God.Rumi’s voice leaps off these pages with a rapturous power, expressing our deepest yearning for the transcendent connection with the source of the divine: there are passionate outbursts about the torment of longing for the beloved and the sweet delight that comes from union; stories of sexual adventures and of loss; poems of love and fury, sadness and joy; and quiet truths about the beauty and variety of human emotion. For Rumi, soul and body and emotion are not separate but are rather part of the great mystery of mortal life, a riddle whose solution is love. Above all else, Rumi’s poetry exposes us to the delight that comes from being fully alive, urging us always to put aside our fears and take the risk of discovering our core self.Barks’s fresh, original translations magnificently convey Rumi’s insights into the human heart and its longings with his signature passion and daring, focusing on the ecstatic experience of the inseparability of human and divine love.
The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy (Turning Point Christian Worldview #16)
by Nancy Pearcey Charles Thaxton Marvin OlaskyThis Turning Point book surveys the development of science and its historic and present relationship to Christianity, and re-introduces believers to their rich intellectual heritage.
The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves
by Curt ThompsonThe Gospel Coalition Top Books of 2015 in Faith and WorkHearts Minds Bookstore's Best Books of 2015, Applied Theology, Basic Christian Living, Whole Life DiscipleshipWe're all infected with a spiritual disease. Its name is shame.Whether we realize it or not, shame affects every aspect of our personal lives and vocational endeavors. It seeks to destroy our identity in Christ, replacing it with a damaged version of ourselves that results in unhealed pain and brokenness. But God is telling a different story for your life.Psychiatrist Curt Thompson unpacks the soul of shame, revealing its ubiquitous nature and neurobiological roots. He also provides the theological and practical tools necessary to dismantle shame, based on years of researching its damaging effects and counseling people to overcome those wounds.Thompson's expertise and compassion will help you identify your own pains and struggles and find freedom from the lifelong negative messages that bind you. Rewrite the story of your life and embrace healing and wholeness as you discover and defeat shame's insidious agenda.
The Soul of the Child
by Michael GurianWith The Wonder of Girls and The Wonder of Boys, bestselling author Michael Gurian presented his groundbreaking views of parenting. Now, with the same breadth of vision and depth of commitment, he combines accessible analysis of cutting-edge science with the study of spiritual texts to explore the divine side of childhood, and to put forth a practical design for the care of our children's souls. A revolutionary vision for parents and educators alike -- indeed, for all who love children -- The Soul of the Child is a deft blend of inspiring stories, common sense, and scientific observations that demonstrates what the soul is and how it works. This insightful and groundbreaking book urges its readers to become aware of our children's divine inheritance, and learn how to nurture that divinity. Sensible and informed, it shows how to protect childhood from the complexities of our age, and provides, as no book ever has, the means for bestowing upon our children the gifts of compassion, security, discipline, humility, and enlightenment. The Soul of the Child is a passionate and practical book that puts forth a finely wrought argument for greater attention to the spiritual side of childhood, to the very life of the human soul. And it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Soul of the Indian: An Interpretation (The\reincarnation Library)
by Charles A. EastmanThe Soul of the Indian is Charles A. Eastman&’s exploration and documentation of religion as he experienced it during the late nineteenth century. A Dakota physician and writer who sought to bring understanding between Native and non-Native Americans, Eastman (1858–1939) became one of the best-known Native Americans of his time and a significant intellectual figure whose clarity of vision endures today. In a straightforward manner Eastman emphasizes the universal quality and personal appeal of his Dakota religious heritage. First published in 1911, The Soul of the Indian draws on his childhood teaching and ancestral ideals to counter the research written by outsiders who treated the Dakotas&’ ancient worldviews chiefly as a matter of curiosity. Eastman writes with deep respect for his ancestors and their culture and history, including a profound reverence for the environment, animals, and plants. Though written more than a century ago, Eastman could be speaking to our own time with its spiritual confusion and environmental degradation. The new introduction by Brenda J. Child grounds this important book in contemporary studies.
The Soul of the Matter: A Novel
by Bruce BuffA scientist's claim that he's found the secrets of the universe's origin encoded in DNA sparks a race against time to uncover the truth in this fast-paced thriller of science and faith, power and murder, loss and redemption.Dan Lawson, a former government cyber-intelligence analyst, is surprised to be contacted by his estranged friend Stephen Bishop, a renowned geneticist. Stephen says that he's discovered amazing information within DNA, including evidence of a creator, and needs Dan's help to protect his findings. Dan is skeptical and wonders whether he is being manipulated, or if the recent illness of Stephen's only child, Ava, has caused his childhood friend to fall back on religion for answers to questions best left to science. Spurred by his desire for proof that life has meaning, however, Dan puts aside his doubts and agrees to help. When an experiment goes terribly awry, Dan realizes he must get to the bottom of Stephen's discoveries. With the help of Trish Alighieri, a pediatric oncologist trying to save Ava's life, Dan desperately searches for answers--including whether the human soul can survive science's conquest of nature.
The 'Soul' of the Primitive
by Lucien Lévy-BruhlThe object of this book, first published in 1928, is a study of the ways in which those who were once called ‘primitives’ conceive of their own individuality. The author inquires into the notions they possess of their life-principle, their soul, and their personality, often encountering that many peoples only had ‘pre-notions’ of such concepts.
The Soul of the Rose
by Ruth TrippyAfter the tragic death of her closest friend, 20-year-old Celia Thatcher is sent to work in the bookstore of family friends. Hoping the new surroundings in Massachusetts will help her regain a happy outlook on life, Celia catches the eye of not one, but two men: the elite, but unkempt Bostonian-turned-hermit, Edward Lyons, who is clearly trying to run from his past and from God, and Charles Harrod, a charming Harvard law student who promotes a religious belief Celia has never before considered. With both men vying for her attention, Celia's world is again turned upside down when one of her beaus is accused of murder. Suddenly realizing where her heart lies, Celia is now challenged with a choice bigger than man: should she follow her heart or her God?
The Soul of the Rose
by Ruth TrippyAfter the tragic death of her closest friend, 20-year-old Celia Thatcher is sent to work in the bookstore of family friends. Hoping the new surroundings in Massachusetts will help her regain a happy outlook on life, Celia catches the eye of not one, but two men: the elite, but unkempt Bostonian-turned-hermit, Edward Lyons, who is clearly trying to run from his past and from God, and Charles Harrod, a charming Harvard law student who promotes a religious belief Celia has never before considered. With both men vying for her attention, Celia's world is again turned upside down when one of her beaus is accused of murder. Suddenly realizing where her heart lies, Celia is now challenged with a choice bigger than man: should she follow her heart or her God?
Soul of the Samurai
by Thomas ClearyIn Soul of the Samurai respected author and translator Thomas Cleary reveals the true essence of Bushido or Zen warrior teachings according to 17th-century Japanese sword master Yagyu Munenori and his Zen teacher Takuan Soho.This book contains the first English translations of their seminal writings on Bushido. Cleary not only provides clear and readable translations but comprehensive notes introducing the social, political, and organizational principles that defined Samurai culture-their loyalty to family, their sense of service and duty, and their political strategies for dealing with allies and enemies.These writings introduce the reader to the authentic world of Zen culture and the secrets behind the Samurai's success-being "in the moment" and freeing the mind from all distractions, allowing you to react instantaneously and instinctively without thinking. In these classic works we learn that Zen mental control and meditational training were as important to the Samurai as swordsmanship and fighting skills.The three works of Zen Bushido translated in Soul of the Samurai are:The Book of the Sword by Yagyu Munenori, The Inscrutable Subtlety of Immovable Wisdom by Takuan Soho, and The Peerless Sword by Takuan Soho.
The Soul Of The Text: An Anthology Of Jewish Literature
by Great Books Foundation StaffPublished in partnership with the AVI CHAI Foundation, this volume includes excerpts from the Bible, medieval biblical commentaries, and other writings concerning the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel. Each selection is followed by interpretive questions for discussion, which will deepen your engagement with these texts and foster the exchange of ideas among participants in your group.
The Soul of the World: A Transformative Fable That Touches the Heart and Mind
by Frédéric LenoirWhat mysterious force impelled seven sages to find one another in a forgotten monastery in Tibet? Sensing the imminence of a worldwide catastrophe, these figures come to teach two young adolescents, Tenzin and Natina, the fundamental keys to wisdom.Each figure represents one of the major spiritual traditions: There is a Tibetan lama, an American Christian, an Indian mystic, an Israeli kabbalist, a Dutch philosopher, an African Sufi guru, a Mongolian shaman, and a Chinese Taoist master. Together they willfully forget what divides their respective cultures and religions in order to teach a philosophical and spiritual message founded on humanism. Their message is simple and universal, removed from any dogmatism, and addresses the fundamental question of how to lead a good life. Armed with this wisdom when the dreaded cataclysm occurs and black dust engulfs the world in darkness for forty days and forty nights, Tensin and Natina, the only survivors, are left to lead the way toward a better future.
The Soul of the World
by Roger ScrutonA compelling defense of the sacred from acclaimed philosopher Roger ScrutonIn The Soul of the World, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton defends the experience of the sacred against today's fashionable forms of atheism. He argues that our personal relationships, moral intuitions, and aesthetic judgments hint at a transcendent dimension that cannot be understood through the lens of science alone. To be fully alive—and to understand what we are—is to acknowledge the reality of sacred things. Rather than an argument for the existence of God, or a defense of the truth of religion, the book is an extended reflection on why a sense of the sacred is essential to human life—and what the final loss of the sacred would mean. In short, the book addresses the most important question of modernity: what is left of our aspirations after science has delivered its verdict about what we are?Drawing on art, architecture, music, and literature, Scruton suggests that the highest forms of human experience and expression tell the story of our religious need, and of our quest for the being who might answer it, and that this search for the sacred endows the world with a soul. Evolution cannot explain our conception of the sacred; neuroscience is irrelevant to our interpersonal relationships, which provide a model for our posture toward God; and scientific understanding has nothing to say about the experience of beauty, which provides a God’s-eye perspective on reality.Ultimately, a world without the sacred would be a completely different world—one in which we humans are not truly at home. Yet despite the shrinking place for the sacred in today’s world, Scruton says, the paths to transcendence remain open.
The Soul of Theological Anthropology: A Cartesian Exploration (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by Joshua R. FarrisRecent research in the philosophy of religion, anthropology, and philosophy of mind has prompted the need for a more integrated, comprehensive, and systematic theology of human nature. This project constructively develops a theological accounting of human persons by drawing from a Cartesian (as a term of art) model of anthropology, which is motivated by a long tradition. As was common among patristics, medievals, and Reformed Scholastics, Farris draws from philosophical resources to articulate Christian doctrine as he approaches theological anthropology. Exploring a substance dualism model, the author highlights relevant theological texts and passages of Scripture, arguing that this model accounts for doctrinal essentials concerning theological anthropology. While Farris is not explicitly interested in thorough critique of materialist ontology, he notes some of the significant problems associated with it. Rather, the present project is an attempt to revitalize the resources found in Cartesianism by responding to some common worries associated with it.
The Soul of Wine: Savoring the Goodness of God
by Gisela H. Kreglinger★ Publishers Weekly starred review
Soul on Fire: A Transformational Journey From Priest To Shaman
by Peter CalhounSoul on Fire is a magical collection of stories describing the awakening of spiritual powers of an Episcopal priest turned shaman—powers that have usually been ascribed to Eastern masters of traditional shamans. It is about the quest for "lost knowledge" and the powers that Christ himself once promised.Within these pages we learn about the "Path of Return" to our wondrous Earth as a means by which we can reclaim our original soul powers. Soul on Fire is an inspirational guide and must-read for long-time seekers and those just beginning their journey alike. It may just be in a genre of its own. At a time when old modalities no longer seem to be working for many people, the stories in this book reveal a different way of thinking, feeling, and being. You won’t be able to read this book and still perceive the world in the same way.
Soul Over Matter: Ancient and Modern Wisdom and Practical Techniques to Create Unlimited Abundance
by Zhi Gang Sha William Gladstone Marilyn Tam Adam MarkelCombine Eastern and Western wisdom, mix in proven techniques from Adam Markel the CEO of New Peaks and proven techniques from legendary soul healer Dr. and Master Sha, and you get Soul Over Matter. Designed for readers at every level of economic experience, this book can increase their financial abundance. Soul Over Matter is destined to be the Think And Grow Rich of the 21st century. In addition to practical wisdom and easy-to-implement, proven techniques, the book includes specific financial blessing calligraphies, which allow readers to focus on their financial challenges and conquer them. There are universal laws for creating wealth, and Soul Over Matter explains these laws in simple language.Soul Over Matter is the first financial advice book to focus on the importance of soul in creating wealth. Other books such as Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich have hinted at the importance of connecting to universal laws to create financial abundance. Soul Over Matter is the first book to give specific techniques to do so.