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Attaining the Way: A Guide to the Practice of Chan Buddhism
by Master Sheng YenThis is an inspiring guide to the practice of Chan (Chinese Zen) in the words of four great masters of that tradition. It includes teachings from contemporary masters Xuyun and Sheng Yen, and from Jiexian and Boshan of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Though the texts were written over a period of hundreds of years, they are all remarkably lucid and are perfect for beginners as well as more advanced practitioners today. All the main points of spiritual practice are covered: philosophical foundations, methods, approaches to problems and obstacles--all aimed at helping the student attain the way to enlightenment.
Attempt Great Things for God: Theological Education in Diaspora (Theological Education between the Times)
by Chloe T. SunCelebrating the contributions of the ethnic seminary in America While the narrative of decline haunts churches and seminaries in the United States, there is great hope to be found in the explosive growth of Christian populations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In light of this, much can be learned from points of intersection between the minority and majority worlds, such as Logos Evangelical Seminary, an ATS-accredited Chinese-language seminary in California—the first in the US. Chloe Sun makes the case here for why an ethnic seminary like Logos has much to teach us about the evolving possibilities for theological education in a society of cultural exchange, with many populations living in diaspora. Sun, a professor of Old Testament at Logos, has herself been formed by an array of cultural influences. She was raised by Chinese parents who were born in Vietnam, she grew up hearing multiple languages, and she has lived in three countries: China, Hong Kong, and the United States. With this unique background, she recognizes and extols the richness of pluralism, recognizing in it the work of God, akin to the diversity instantiated at the biblical Pentecost event. The title of this book comes from Logos&’s motto: &“Attempt great things for God; rescue millions of souls.&” In this spirit, Sun&’s vision is one of both humility and ambition, which begins by honoring the particularity of a person or group of people, and then moves outward to the universal, all-inclusive movement of the Holy Spirit.
Attempted Abduction
by Sommer SmithTheir only job is to keep a baby safe,no matter what… After the attempted abduction of a newborn baby girl from the NICU, US marshal Grayson Thorpe must move fast. He can't let a vicious criminal kingpin get to the child—even if she is the man&’s daughter. Now Grayson and pediatric nurse Lauren Beck are risking their lives for the tiny innocent. But will it be enough to withstand one of the country's most dangerous criminals?From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Attempted Mountain Abduction (Elite Protectors)
by Jessica R. Patch"A clean read that had my mind spinning and my pulse pounding." --Amazon reviewer on Cold Case TargetThe only way to escape hit men in pursuitis through the icy wilderness.Hired to protect a murdered tech mogul&’s daughter, undercover bodyguard Bridge Spencer never expects his ex-fiancée to blow his cover…while she&’s trying to kidnap the child. But before he and former CIA spy Wendy Dawson can figure out whose side they&’re on, they&’re attacked. Setting aside his heartbreak, Bridge has no choice but to team up with the woman who abruptly dumped him in a letter three years ago. Guarding the child from assailants who are after her father&’s top secret technology is priority one. But in the frigid Smoky Mountains, dangers are everywhere. The question is…which one is deadliest?From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.Elite ProtectorsBook 1: Attempted Mountain Abduction
Attend: Forty Soul Stretches Toward God
by Laura Davis WerezakA young Christian writer presents a practical guide for reconnecting with God and practicing the presence of God in our frantically busy world today. Our world is full of distractions that do not promote the health of individual souls. What can people do when they feel they have no time or ways to find God? In her new book ATTEND, Laura Davis Werezak reminds readers to encounter God through 40 brief everyday activities that they have been taking for granted, from opening a window to jotting down a dream. Modern life and technology increasingly render these activities obsolete, and readers who struggle to connect with God through "typical" devotions will discover depth in their everyday lives through each beautifully written exercise. Like the wisdom Brother Lawrence provided in his 17th century spiritual classic The Practice of the Presence of God, these daily reminders guide readers to appreciate God in our midst today.
Attending Krishna's Image: Chaitanya Vaishnava Murti-seva as Devotional Truth (Routledge Hindu Studies Series)
by Kenneth Russell ValpeyThere is a steady and growing scholarly, as well as popular interest in Hindu religion – especially devotional (bhakti) traditions as forms of spiritual practice and expressions of divine embodiment. Associated with this is the attention to sacred images and their worship. Attending Krishna's Image extends the discussion on Indian images and their worship, bringing historical and comparative dimensions and considering Krishna worship in the context of modernity, both in India and the West. It focuses on one specific worship tradition, the Chaitanya Vaishnava tradition of the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries, as it develops and sustains itself in two specific locales. By applying the comparative category of ‘religious truth’, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of a living religious tradition. It successfully demonstrates the understanding of devotion as a process of participation with divine embodiment in which worship of Krishna’s image is integral.
Attentive to God: Thinking Theologically in Ministry
by Ellen Blue Charles M. WoodHow the pastor reads a situation theologically will define the possibilities for ministry now and for the church's future.The pastor's theological lens affects every ministry task. This book introduces students to the importance of theological reflection. It tells them why theological reflection is crucial to who they are and what they do, and it shows them how they can acquire and strengthen their capacity for theological attentiveness. Central to Wood and Blue's approach is the conviction that pastoral character and pastoral practice are mutually formative. Also through the practice of ministry the pastor's identity is both continually discovered and continually worked on and worked out. All pastors must integrate who they believe themselves to be and who they believe God is to be effective leaders.
Atticus: A Novel
by Ron HansenAtticus, a Colorado rancher and oilman, gets word that his younger son Scott who has been living as an artist in Mexico for some time, has committed suicide. He goes to the Mexican village to bring back the body for burial, and while there hopes to learn more about the son with whom he's been out of contact. He's an intelligent and perceptive man, and in Scott's house and studio, and in conversations with his girlfriend, things don't seem quite right. He begins to think that Scott did not commit suicide but was murdered He's determined to find the murderer and bring him to justice.
Attila the Hun: Leader of the Barbarian Hordes
by Sean Stewart PriceChildren's biography of Attila the Hun, who led the Huns against the mighty Roman Empire, which had dominated Europe for centuries.
Attitude is Your Paintbrush: It Colors Every Situation
by James W. MooreJim Moore's warm, conversational style inspires readers to transform negative, pessimistic attitudes into positive, optimistic attitudes centered on the love and hope of Jesus Christ. The book includes a study guide designed for both group and individual use, features questions related to each chapter and presents several options for study based on varied numbers of weeks devoted to the study.
Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life
by M.J. Ryan&“Exquisitely reconnects us to the wonder and satisfaction which can be found in our daily lives.&” —Judy Ford, author of Wonderful Ways to Love a Child Gratitude is a simple, profound practice that can change your life. Research has confirmed its many emotional and physical benefits. Taking the time to notice and reflect upon good things opens our hearts, creates happiness, and restores us to a natural place where we notice what's right instead of wrong. Find happiness and joy with positive thinking. When you find ways to be grateful every day, you experience more joy in life. Author and personal success coach M. J. Ryan writes, &“Gratitude births only positive feelings—love, compassion, joy, and hope. As we focus on what we are thankful for, fear, anger, and bitterness simply melt away, seemingly without effort.&” Her book Attitudes of Gratitude teaches you how to reach this positive place. Inside, you&’ll discover: Proven strategies for practicing gratitude daily, enabling you to experience joy and positive feelings Tools for integrating gratitude meditation into your routine, paving the way for emotional healing and a serene state of mind Methods to maintain a grateful heart, providing a fresh perspective and heightening overall happiness The profound benefits of thankfulness, starting a transformative journey towards positivity and abundance &“I'm thankful to Mary Jane Ryan because her candid and story-filled book reminds me to return to my heart-the home of gratitude- and consequently, enhances my connection with all that is wonderful and wise around and within me.&” —Sue Patton Thoele, bestselling author of Woman's Book of Courage and Courage to be Yourself
Attract Families to Your Church and Keep Them Coming Back
by Linda Ranson JacobsTo grow and remain vital, churches need to attract families. But the cultural landscape has changed and any church may have two-parent families with children, blended families, boomerang families, adult children of divorce and their families or lack of families, single adults whose family is the church, grandparents parenting again, childless families, co-habitation families, and children with three legal parents.What ministries are helpful in attracting and keeping families active and engaged in the life and mission of the church?This book will help church pastors and leaders navigate the changing tides in ministry to become the kind of church that families want to attend, where the church’s dynamic faith invites families who may then bring their friends.This means reaching out to all kinds of families, some with needs that only a church family can fulfill.With practical helps and suggestions for ministries, worship, small groups, and even facilities, author and family expert Linda Ranson Jacobs will help you create a welcoming place for everyone.
Attributes of God
by Rose Publishing5 Ways Knowing God's Traits Will Improve Your Life PerspectiveHave you ever questioned God's goodness during tough seasons? It's easy to accept that God is loving when you receive a promotion and that he's merciful when someone forgives you.But, God's characteristics during troubling times can appear so abstract that applying his identity to our life circumstances can seem like a theological puzzle: we possess all the pieces but don't know how they fit together. How can God be good and my life remain troubled, uncertain, and instable?Let's face the truth. Logically knowing God's traits is not enough to change our perspectives. We need an overview that allows us to meditate on his traits and that suggests practical ways to apply his identity to our everyday lives. Rose Publishing's Attributes of God, a full color, 14-page pamphlet, explains 20 traits of God in an easy-to-reference chart. This easy-to-understand pamphlet explains each attribute, and provides probing questions and devotion-based activities to help you apply the insights to your personal walk. Experience the relief, joy, and hope that comes from deepening your understanding of God's identity with Rose publishing's Attributes of God. Knowing God's attributes will affect your--*Worship by deepening your understanding of God's praiseworthy attributes. *Life Perspective by enabling you to discover the hope that comes from realizing that his very nature meets your every need. *Relationship with God by fostering a more intimate awareness of His traits. *Relationship with Others by revealing the traits you can develop as you seek after him, such as patience, faithfulness, and love. *Identity by revealing to you your worth, as you focus on the astounding attributes of the God who loves you.
Attunement: Align with Your Source, Become Your Creator Self, and Manifest a Life You Love
by Marisa MorisIn this book, gifted clairvoyant and spiritual teacher Marisa Moris introduces you to the Creator Self, your highest state of individual consciousness and awareness from Source. Using a teaching she calls the Soul House, she takes you through the different layers of your soul to discover who you are on all levels. Through practical and easy visualizations, you will learn to use your quantum nature to cleanse your mind, body, and soul with Spirit. The clear connection you will acquire to your Spirit through the use of these tools will deepen your understanding of the extrasensory gifts you were born with and fine tune the gifts you have had your entire life. This book will change your life by bringing awareness to the fact that you are just that, awareness. It will walk you through changing your life in ways you never imagined!Throughout, Marisa shares personal stories from her spiritual awakening and the steps that have led her to her present abilities. She offers simple exercises and attunements to tap into these powerful energies, to become fully aligned and connected to your soul’s mission. These techniques include meditations, grounding exercises, energy clearings, visualizations, journaling prompts, and more. You’ll also receive powerful, loving channeled messages from Marisa’s guides.When you begin to align with Source and embody your Creator Self, the stresses and blocks in life no longer seem so difficult. The things you want will magically appear. The things you can’t get rid of just disappear.Get ready to meet your Creator Self. The journey you are about to go on will be so much fun!
Au risque de la conversion: L'expérience québécoise de la mission au XXe siècle (1945–1980) (Studies on the History of Quebec/Études d'histoire du Québec)
by Catherine FoisyIn this ambitious and pioneering work, Catherine Foisy puts the experiences of Quebec missionaries into perspective, describing the ways in which they interweave with the socio-ecclesiastical transformations peculiar to Quebec and with those of Catholicism in mission countries. This tapestry, extending to the four corners of the world, gives the reader a view of missionary work as a site of intercultural encounter and conversion, as revealed through the voices of its actors. These accounts offer an opportunity to gauge the extent to which twentieth-century missionary work provided fertile ground for the emergence, deployment, and transfer of socio-ecclesiastical innovations that would prove decisive for the future of global Christianity. On the strength of its multidisciplinary approach and transnational analysis, this book documents various aspects of the Quebec missionary experience as it successively prospered, reached a zenith, and went into decline. By revisiting Lionel Groulx’s 1962 work on the Quebec missionary experience from the standpoint of those who actually took part in it, this book gives readers a new vantage on a whole area of Quebec history even as it sheds light on a rich religious heritage, both tangible and intangible. Finally, this book is an opportunity for readers to reacquaint themselves with certain characteristics of societies within larger societies that enable them to foster the emergence of intercultural encounters and dialogue in a globalized context.
Auden and Christianity
by Arthur KirschOne of the twentieth century's most important poets, W. H. Auden stands as an eloquent example of an individual within whom thought and faith not only coexist but indeed nourish each other. This book is the first to explore in detail how Auden's religious faith helped him to come to terms with himself as an artist and as a man, despite his early disinterest in religion and his homosexuality. Auden and Christianity shows also how Auden's Anglican faith informs, and is often the explicit subject of, his poetry and prose. Arthur Kirsch, a leading Auden scholar, discusses the poet's boyhood religious experience and the works he wrote before emigrating to the United States as well as his formal return to the Anglican Communion at the beginning of World War II. Kirsch then focuses on Auden's criticism and on neglected and underestimated works of the poet's later years. Through insightful readings of Auden's writings and biography, Kirsch documents that Auden's faith and his religious doubt were the matrix of his work and life.
Auden's O: The Loss of One's Sovereignty in the Making of Nothing
by Andrew W. HassFinalist for the 2014 American Academy of Religion Book Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, in the Constructive-Reflective categoryIn this groundbreaking, interdisciplinary history of ideas, Andrew W. Hass explores the ascendency of the concept of nothing into late modernity. He argues that the rise of the reality of nothing in religion, philosophy, and literature has taken place only against the decline of the concept of One: a shift from a sovereign understanding of the One (unity, universality) toward the "figure of the O"—a cipher figure that, as nonentity, is nevertheless determinant of other realities. The figuring of this O culminates in a proliferation of literary expressions of nothingness, void, and absence from 1940 to 1960, but by century's end, this movement has shifted from linear progression to mutation, whereby religion, theology, philosophy, literature, and other critical modes of thought, such as feminism, merge into a shared, circular activity. The writer W. H. Auden lends his name to this O, his long poetic work The Sea and the Mirror an exemplary manifestation of its implications. Hass examines this work, along with that of a host of writers, philosophers, and theologians, to trace the revolutionary hermeneutics and creative space of the O, and to provide the reasoning of why nothing is now such a powerful force in the imagination of the twenty-first century, and of how it might move us through and beyond our turbulent times.
Audio, Video, and Media in the Ministry (Nelson's Tech Guides)
by Clarence Floyd RichmondIn a worship service, a great measure of responsibility rests on those who volunteer in the audio, video, and media ministries. When everything is going well, no one notices, but when the microphones don't work or the projected song lyrics aren't in sync, everyone does. A well-functioning audio, video, and media team can help the congregation enter into a deeper and more meaningful worship. Each area of AV ministry is included: sound, projection, lighting, audio, video, broadcast, and web. The book also provides tips and instructions on selecting equipment and the set-up, storage, operation, and maintenance of it. Other leadership topics such as trouble-shooting problems in rehearsal and during services as well as tips for working with ministry leaders, musicians, and fellow congregants are discussed. If you're a new volunteer to this ministry or just wanting a topical refresher, this handbook is the perfect guide for you.
Auf der Suche nach dem katholischen Arbeitermädchen vom Lande: Religion und Bildungserfolg im regionalen, historischen und internationalen Vergleich
by Marcel Helbig Thorsten SchneiderBeeinflussen Religionen und Religionsgemeinschaften - vermittelt über Lebensführung, Werthaltungen, Minderheitenstatus, gemeinschaftliche Aktivitäten und Ressourcen - den Bildungserfolg von Kindern in industrialisierten Gesellschaften? Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragen knüpfen die Autoren unter anderem an die in den Nachkriegsjahren in Westdeutschland geführten Diskussionen zum katholischen Bildungsdefizit und zur Kunstfigur des ,,katholischen Arbeitermädchens vom Lande" sowie an amerikanische Studien zur Bedeutung von Aktivitäten in Religionsgemeinschaften für die Generierung von Sozialkapital an. In dem Buch werden neue Analysen zu den 1960er Jahren in Westdeutschland, aktuelle Befunde zu Deutschland und Ergebnisse zu 19 europäischen Ländern präsentiert. Das Buch enthält somit eine umfassende Analyse zum Zusammenhang von Religion und Bildung und räumt dabei auch mit einigen Mythen dieser Forschungsrichtung auf.
Aufwachsen im Migrationskontext ((Re-)konstruktionen - Internationale und Globale Studien)
by Banu ÇıtlakDie Bedingungen des Aufwachsens im Migrationskontext sind in Deutschland sowohl in Wissenschaft als auch in der Praxis durch eine ethnozentrische Außensicht geprägt. Daher ist die Bewertung familiärer Verbundenheit, sozialer Mobilität, sozialräumlicher Realität und muslimischer Religiosität kritisch zu hinterfragen. Der Band untersucht die familiäre Verbundenheit als begründete Reaktion auf die Lebenswirklichkeit von Migrationsfamilien, die soziale Mobilität vom „Bildungsaufstieg“ isoliert und ihr die transnational aufgespannte familiäre Anerkennungsstruktur entgegenhält. Enttarnt wird die sozialräumliche Segregation als konstruierte Wirklichkeit. Dieser Konstruktion setzt die Autorin durch ein „Doing-Plural-Communities“ ein Konzept der gelebten Diversität entgegen.
Auguste Comte: Thinker and Lover (Routledge Revivals)
by Jane M. StyleFirst published in 1928, Auguste Comte is a biography of the famous French philosopher Auguste Comte, the founder of the doctrine of positivism. In this book, the author traces Comte’s journey from his birth till his death. The final chapter ‘After Days’ provides a commentary on the changes the society underwent over a course of seventy years after Comte’s death. The author draws upon the works of Auguste Comte published during the period 1829–1927 to give an extensive and well researched account of the philosopher’s life and work.
Augustine Deformed
by John M. RistAugustine established a moral framework that dominated Western culture for more than a thousand years. His partly flawed presentation of some of its key concepts (love, will and freedom), however, prompted subsequent thinkers to attempt to repair this framework, and their efforts often aggravated the very problems they intended to solve. Over time, dissatisfaction with an imperfect Augustinian theology gave way to increasingly secular and eventually impersonal moral systems. This volume traces the distortion of Augustine's thought from the twelfth century to the present and examines its consequent reconstructions. John M. Rist argues that modern philosophies should be recognized as offering no compelling answers to questions about the human condition and as leading inevitably to conventionalism or nihilism. In order to avoid this end, he proposes a return to an updated Augustinian Christianity. Essential reading for anyone interested in Augustine and his influence, Augustine Deformed revitalizes his original conception of love, will and freedom.
Augustine Of Hippo: A Life
by Henry ChadwickAugustine (354-430) had a profound impact on the development of the Christian Church, sparking controversy and influencing the ideas of theologians for over fifteen centuries. His words are still frequently quoted in devotions today and his key themes retain a striking contemporary relevance--what is the place of the Church in the world? What is the relation between nature and grace? In Augustine of Hippo, the late Henry Chadwick--a renowned authority on Augustine--describes with clarity and warmth the intellectual development of this key Father of the Church. In his characteristically rigorous yet sympathetic style, Chadwick traces Augustine's intellectual journey from schoolboy and student to Bishop and champion of Christendom in a period of intense political upheaval, providing valuable insight into the progression of Augustine's ideas. With a foreword reflecting on Chadwick's distinctive approach to Augustine by Peter Brown, and a further reading list on Augustine compiled by Gillian Clark, this volume is both an essential assessment of Augustine and a final tribute to one of the great church historians of the twentieth century.
Augustine and Contemporary Social Issues (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by Paul L. AllenThis book focuses on applying the thought of Saint Augustine to address a number of persistent 21st-century socio-political issues. Drawing together Augustinian ideas such as concupiscence, virtue, vice, habit, and sin through social and textual analysis, it provides fresh Augustinian perspectives on new—yet somehow familiar—quandaries. The volume addresses the themes of fallenness, politics, race, and desire. It includes contributions from theology, philosophy, and political science. Each chapter examines Augustine’s perspective for deepening our understanding of human nature and demonstrates the contemporary relevance of his thought.
Augustine and Frontiers of Pluralism (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by Boleslaw Z. Kabala, Thomas P. Harmon, and Ashleen Menchaca-BagnuloThis book focuses on St. Augustine as a worthwhile resource for thinking through the challenges and prospects of pluralism. The contributors speak to several dimensions of this organizing concept, understanding of which is advanced by engagement with Augustine. The volume brings together scholars from different disciplines, faith traditions, and political commitments, all of whom have deemed it worthwhile to return to Augustine to learn about a signature theme of common life in the twenty-first century. The chapters address a variety of topics including civic engagement, feminism, Black religious thought, domination, liberalism, and time. In an age of pluralism, the hope is to access the insights of the thinker who struggled with a plurality of desires, motivations, and political-theological imaginations, and to benefit from his thoughts. The book will be of particular interest to scholars of theology, philosophy, and political science.