This substantive and useful commentary on the book of Numbers is both critically engaged and sensitive to the theological contributions of the text. It is grounded in rigorous scholarship but useful for those who preach and teach. This is the second volume in a new series on the Pentateuch, which complements other Baker Commentary on the Old Testament series: Historical Books, Wisdom and Psalms, and Prophets. Each series volume covers one book of the Pentateuch, addressing important issues and problems that flow from the text and exploring the contemporary relevance of the Pentateuch. The series editor is Bill T. Arnold, the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary.

The first complete, modern translation of one of the most important Byzantine works of Marian doctrine and devotion. John Geometres (ca. 935–ca. 1000) was one of the most highly esteemed poets and authors in Byzantium; yet his most important text, the Life of the Virgin Mary, remains largely unknown today. This literary and rhetorical masterpiece stands as a work of outstanding theological sophistication, animated by deeply felt devotion to the Mother of God. Geometres’s distinctive and idiosyncratic narrative offers a comprehensive biography, from Mary’s ancestry to her death and beyond, with special emphasis on her direction of Christ’s female disciples, her active participation in the passion and resurrection, and her leadership of the nascent Church. The Life has been rightly considered a critical missing piece in a larger puzzle connecting early Marian writings with later works. Based on a completely new edition of the Byzantine Greek text, this is the first complete translation of Life of the Virgin Mary into a modern language.

Cheryl Meier remembers her teenage years-the questions, the concerns, the hurts, the joys and the revelations. A teenager when she wrote these devotionals, Cheryl takes a straightforward approach to the issues facing teens today-speaking openly and honestly about topics from hypocrisy to peer pressure, schoolwork to music, and first loves to broken relationships.

Young adults today want authentic answers to their soul-deep questions about God. They want meaningful ways to communicate those answers to others. Most of all, they want to know that they are living a life that matters. In A Good and True Story, philosopher, apologist, and international speaker Paul Gould leads readers on an engaging journey through eleven clues that suggest Christianity is not only true but satisfies our deepest longings. This creative foray into the foundations of Christian truth explores the universe, morality, happiness, pain, beauty, and more for readers looking for culturally informed apologetics. Ideal for college-age and twentysomething readers, small group leaders, and anyone interested in the intersection of faith, philosophy, and culture, A Good and True Story reminds readers that their search for identity and purpose is a gift from a loving and purposeful God.

Over the course of an extraordinary year, Zev Chafets--former New York "Daily News" columnist and onetime director of the Israeli government press office--traveled the world to explore the improbable confluence of Jews and evangelicals. He spent quality time with Jerry Falwell, visited Jewish cadets at West Point, attended the world's biggest Christian retail show, embarked on a road trip with the rabbi with the largest gentile following since Jesus, journeyed to the Holy Land with a band of repentant Christian pilgrims, and broke bread with George W. Bush and five hundred fellow Jewish Republicans.

"A Match Made in Heaven" is the penetrating, engaging, and often hilarious narrative of Chafets's determined quest to get to the root of a very serious question: Why do evangelicals support Israel so strongly? Equal parts history, comedy, travelogue, and political tract, it is a smart and adventurous odyssey along a rapidly changing religious and political border.

From faithful apostle and seductress to feminist icon, Mary Magdalene's many complex roles in Christian history have fascinated us for 2000 years. Illustrated in full colour, this visual history reveals how images and presentations have created a Mary who is often far different from the real woman, the first witness of the Resurrection in the gospels, or even from her appearances in the works of the Church Fathers. Beginning with the earliest sources, uncover who the real Mary was, and what she meant in her own time, before embarking on a fast-paced tour of Magdalene's depictions in great works of art, forgotten masterpieces and contemporary visual culture. Considering relics, statuary, paintings, sculpture and recent works for stage and screen, discover how Mary Magdalene has been seen across time as a witness, a sinner, a penitent, a contemplative, a preacher and a patroness. Above all her complex roles, Mary has emerged as a powerful feminist icon, the closest person to Jesus himself, with a visual history as rich and varied as the roles she has fulfilled in numerous contexts of faith and worship for two millennia.

This beautiful book chronicles the fascinating history of sainthood and the lives of over 300 saints. A concise introduction outlines the religious and social history of Christian saints from stigmata and martyrdom to feast days and patron saints. Then, the illustrated encyclopedia outlines the work of each saint, listed in chronological order, from the Apostles and early medieval martyrs, through to 21st-century saints. Well-known saints such as St Francis of Assisi and St Teresa of Avila sit alongside 1st-century martyrs and African saints of the 19th century. Special themed pages explore subjects such as Celtic Saints, the Holy Family, and Saints in Art. Illustrated with over 500 images, this expert guide will inform every reader interested in learning more about Christianity and the lives of the saints.

From a renowned historian who writes with "maximum vividness" ("The New Yorker") comes the most authoritative, readable single-volume history of the brutal struggle for the holy land

Nine hundred years ago, a vast Christian army, summoned to holy war by the Pope, rampaged through the Muslim world of the eastern Mediterranean, seizing possession of Jerusalem, a city revered by both faiths. Over the two hundred years that followed, Islam and Christianity fought for dominion of the Holy Land, clashing in a succession of chillingly brutal wars: the Crusades. Here for the first time is the story of that epic struggle told from the perspective of both Christians and Muslims. A vivid and fast-paced narrative history, it exposes the full horror, passion, and barbaric grandeur of the Crusading era, revealing how these holy wars reshaped the medieval world and why they continue to influence events today.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam all impose obligations and constraints upon the rightful use of wealth and earthly resources. All three of these religions have well-researched views on the acceptability of practices such as usury but the principles and practices of other, non-interest, financial instruments are less well known. This book examines each of these three major world faiths, considering their teachings, social precepts and economic frameworks, which are set out as a guide for the financial dealings and economic behaviour for their adherents. Religion and Finance explores the histories, denominational compositions and fundamental beliefs of each of the three religions and examines a host of key issues surrounding their relationship to finance. Consideration is given to the development of the generally disfavoured practices such as usury, and the various instruments of sales-based debt, partnerships and equity-based financial practices allowed by these religions are examined, alongside a discussion of their socio-economic teachings and traditions. This well-written, well-constructed, analysis of the financial thought of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with its insightful analysis of key financial instruments and economic practices, will be an invaluable book for anyone who is interested in, or studying, the three major Abrahamic religions and their financial practices and philosophies.

Of the approximately 200,000 Huguenots whose consciences compelled them to leave France during the 17th and 18th centuries, some 10,000 chose to settle in the most unlikely refuge of Ireland. The story of why and how these most ardent of Protestant believers found themselves in this most fervently Catholic of islands is explored in this book. It also attempts to reveal precisely who these Huguenots were, what they contributed to and received from their adopted land, and why Huguenot ancestry is so respected and prized even among devout Irish Catholics. The true chronicle of Ireland's Huguenots is, in opposition to the narrow misrepresentations of the past, one of extraordinary richness and variety, as befits an ethnic group whose influence permeated into every nook of Irish life and society.

Find hope to press on . . .

Hope to endure . . .

Hope to stay focused . . .

Hope to see dreams fulfilled . . .

Hope is more than mere wishful thinking. Hope is a vital necessity of life―a gift that God wants to give to you. And in a world that regularly writes dreams off as foolish and drains the hope from the heart with dark pessimism, "Hope Again" is a voice crying in the wilderness . . . a word of enthusiasm for life in the midst of any difficult situation you are in.

Combining the New Testament teachings of Peter and the insights of one of the most popular authors of our day, "Hope Again" is an encouraging, enlivening, and refreshing look at why we can dare to hope no matter who we are, no matter what we face.

As Charles Swindoll says, "If you want to smile through your tears, if you want to rejoice through times of suffering, just keep reminding yourself that what you're going through isn't the end of the story, it's simply the rough journey that leads to the right destination."

A single life is a life worth living--and it's worth living well God has a great life all planned out for you. What you may not realize if you're single is that you're already living it. Right now. Today. Your God-designed life doesn't start when you say "I do" or when you get engaged or even when you meet "the one." It's been happening as long as you've been alive--even if you're still single and wish you weren't. Hannah Schermerhorn knows exactly what it's like. She was months away from getting married when her wedding was called off. She absolutely loathed being single again, but in the following years, God taught her many hard lessons that transformed her bitterness to authentic joy. Drawing from the diverse experiences of single people in the Bible, Hannah debunks common myths and misunderstandings about singleness, including the pervasive feeling that a person can't really begin their life until they're married. If you are lonely, hopeless, or impatient, let Hannah be your guide through the internal battles and external pressures you're facing. God has a special purpose for singleness, whether it lasts for only a season or your whole life. Let Hannah help you discover God's best for you in your single life.

The Holy Web offers entree to the world revealed by contemporary science and the difference the new models of our life on earth make to understanding Christianity. The author shows how the church's mission is to become and to nurture a dynamic "web of relationships" in which all humanity can find itself part of a wondrous whole. Wessels offers a profound reading of biblical categories. He shows convincingly that the new universe story made popular by Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme is not only open to religious interpretation but that the biblical symbols of creation, redemption, sin, grace, life and death, God-Christ-Spirit, faith, hope and love reveal the meaning of the universe to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Cathedrals and abbeys are the most beautiful and iconic buildings of the British Isles, and have formed the bedrock of our nation for centuries. This absorbing collection of amazing and extraordinary facts opens the doors of these fascinating structures to reveal their rich historical and architectural heritage. From stories of English Popes, martyred archbishops and renegade bishops to iconoclastic kings, power-hungry nobles and architectural dynasties, as well as the role of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, we explore how the people and religion in Britain have shaped these buildings over the last 2,000 years. Also read about the architectural heritage of British cathedrals, from troublesome spires, stained glass wonders and buy-a-brick campaigns to abbeys in the sea, fortified castle-cathedrals and mass graves. Along with tales of famous memorials and artefacts, fascinating folklore and architectural feats, these intriguing and diverse facts will provide something for every enthusiast to dip into and relish.

Street Smarts by Gregory Koukl helps Christians better engage in productive conversations with those who challenge their convictions on a variety of issues. A follow-up to Koukl's best-selling Tactics, this book focuses on revealing the fundamental flaws in common, current challenges to Christian beliefs and values. It then provides individual strategies to exploit those shortcomings by offering model questions and sample dialogues to help guide believers in genial, yet persuasive, conversations. Koukl begins by explaining the important difference in evangelism between a harvest approach (reaping) and a gardening approach (sowing). He then provides an overview of the tactical game plan he uses to have fruitful "gardening" conversations with those who are not yet Christians. Subsequent chapters tackle specific areas of challenge that Christians frequently face in discussions "on the street," as it were--in those conversations with friends, family, or critics that believers often avoid because they feel out of their element, vulnerable, or exposed. With the specific challenges he addresses, Koukl shows precisely how and why each falters. instructing the reader in a lucid, well-organized, and easy-to-follow fashion. He then provides a specific set of questions--the same questions Koukl uses in his own encounters--that are embedded in sample mini-dialogues the Christian can use to exploit those flaws in an amicable, yet incisive, way. Some questions are used to get the discussion moving forward in a disarming fashion. Others are aimed more directly at the flaws or liabilities of the typical challenges people raise. Questions encourage challengers to think more carefully about their objections or consider problems with their own views that they may not have considered or even have been aware of. Street Smarts equips Christians to handle tough challenges in a straightforward and user-friendly way. It provides the practical tools they need to keep them in the driver's seat of otherwise difficult and discomfiting conversations. It enables them to stand up for Christ in a safe, genial, yet effective way.

Explores the book of Lamentations and its meaning for faith and ministry today. The five poems that comprise Lamentations tell of the community's pain in the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction.

When your dreams get derailed, the culprit can usually be found hiding in your emotional life. It is a pattern of attitudes, habits, or relationships that won't allow you to move forward, no matter how much you tell yourself you want to.

Negative felings and unhealthy beliefs may have slowed you down and locked you up for years, getting in the way of your best intentions. You may need help breaking free from: Shame-because it locks you into your past Procrastination-because you are afraid to try Depression-because you have not grieved your sorrows Unhealthy Relationships-because they distract you from your unique purpose in life

These restrictive emotional traps needlessly deprive you of intimacy, trust, friendships, good feelings, rest, and peace of mind. By challenging them, and the self-destructive behaviors that may accompany them, you can learn to live life in a totally new way.

If there are situations, circumstances, or perhaps relationships in your life that you have been struggling to overcome, trying to work through, or doing your best to work around, throw your head back and declare to the universe, "Until Today!"

Whatever has been going on in your mind, your life, or your heart can stop -- right now, if that is truly what you desire. However, you must be willing to "do a new thing." You must spend a little time, each day, in devotion to the truth about yourself and your life. You must make a conscious approach to what you think, what you feel, and what you do. Devotion will clear up misconceptions that may have obscured your vision until today!

Bestselling author Iyanla Vanzant presents a new book of devotions for anyone on the path to spiritual empowerment. These daily devotions will create powerful changes in the circumstances of your life that have held you back and will place you on the road to personal strength and peace of mind.

This collection brings together primary sources on the British textile industry across the long nineteenth-century, a subject that is both global and multidisciplinary. This set provides an extensive range of resources on the calico printing industry, textile warehousing and shipping, and textile waste and recycling.