Sirota delves deeply into the reasons church musicians do their jobs in the face of poor pay and limited opportunities for advancement, offering the reader a pastoral understanding without avoiding the challenging questions that every church musician must consider. She has an uncanny ability to name that which lies at the heart of the sacred artist's craft. Addressed directly and conversationally to the working musician in church or synagogue and those with whom they work, Sirota explores issues that are well-chosen for their understanding of "insider's information" and sensibilities to art, beauty, scripture, and pastoral care. Her personal reflection is balanced with probing questions from someone who's "been there" and is well-known to multi-denominational church musicians, as a gifted preacher and writer, a scholar, and a professional performing artist.

John Henry Newman (1801-90) was brought up in the Church of England in the Evangelical tradition. An Oxford graduate and Fellow of Oriel College, he was appointed Vicar of St Mary's Oxford in 1828; from 1839 onwards he began to have doubts about the claims of the Anglican Church for Catholicity and in 1845 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church. He was made a Cardinal in 1879. His influence on both the restoration of Roman Catholicism in England and the advance of Catholic ideas in the Church of England was profound.
This key volume covers the final twenty-three months of Newman's Anglican years from November 1843 to 6 October 1845. It begins with Francis Rivington's refusal to publish Lives of the English Saints because of their Roman Catholic bias, and Newman's withdrawal from the editorship after the first two volumes of the series is published by another publishing house. The whole country is watching his every move. Rumours are rife and rampant. He is accused of being in the pay of the Pope. He is also accused of being a Jesuit or about to become one. But the attacks which really hit home are those accusing him of being a liar, a sceptic, and a traitor.
In February 1845, the University of Oxford's Convocation deprives William George Ward of his BA and MA Oxford degrees; and the proposal to censure Newman's Tract 90 is vetoed by two University Proctors. Newman sets to work in earnest on his Essay on Development, the publication of which will be the signal of his intentions to become a Roman Catholic. It goes to the printers in the third week of September. From this point on, events move swiftly. It is only a matter of days before Newman is received into the Churchof Rome by Father Dominic Barberi at Littlemore on 9 October 1845.

In der Geografie, als einer Leitwissenschaft in Sachen "Landschaft", definiert man aktuell Stadtelandschaften als massstablich und raumlich ganz unterschiedliche Ebenen. Diese lassen sich auf einzelne Stadte, auf bestimmte Stadtregionen und selbst auf Metropolregionen oder die seit 1918 eingefuhrte Megalopolis projizieren. Historiker verstehen unter einer "Stadtelandschaft" meist ein Gebiet mittlerer Groessenordnung mit unterschiedlich starker Urbanisierung, wobei in der "Stadtlandschaft" Stadte und Markte, Burger und Handler im umschriebenen Raum zwangslaufig eine dominierende Rolle spielen. Der interterritoriale Vergleich fuhrt uns einerseits hinaus in die Welt der europaischen Urbanitat, andererseits liegt ein deutlicher Fokus auf den grossen wie kleinen Stadten Suddeutschlands. In Farbe und Ausfuhrlichkeit analysieren die Autoren dort die Stadtkultur vom Mittelalter bis zur Moderne. Politische, soziale und oekonomische Netzwerke werden ebenso behandelt wie spannende interstadtische Bezuge durch Reisende, Gelehrsamkeit, Schulen, Literatur oder Musik. Teildisziplinen wie die Historische Ortsnamenforschung runden das Bild ab.

From two expert scholars comes a comprehensive study of the dating of the Hebrew Bible The age of the Hebrew Bible is a topic that has sparked controversy and debate in recent years. The scarcity of clear evidence allows for the possibility of many views, though these are often clouded by theological and political biases. This impressive, broad-ranging book synthesizes recent linguistic, textual, and historical research to clarify the history of biblical literature, from its oldest texts and literary layers to its youngest. In clear, concise language, the authors provide a comprehensive overview that cuts across scholarly specialties to create a new standard for the historical study of the Bible. This much-needed work paves the path forward to dating the Hebrew Bible and understanding crucial aspects of its historical and contemporary significance.

In his fourth God's Generals volume, Roberts Liardon

chronicles God's great healing evangelists of the

twentieth century.

* Oral Roberts

* Lester Sumrall

* Charles & Frances Hunter

* George Jeffreys

* F. F. Bosworth

As you read about the lives of these ministry pioneers, your

faith for signs and miracles will grow as you anticipate

seeing God's mighty hand move in the church today.

Winner of a 2013 Leadership Journal Book Award ("Our Very Short List" in "The Leader's Outer Life" category) Despite Jesus' prayer that all Christians "be one," divisions have been epidemic in the body of Christ from the beginning to the present. We cluster in theological groups, gender groups, age groups, ethnic groups, educational and economic groups. We criticize freely those who disagree with us, don't look like us, don't act like us and don't even like what we like. Though we may think we know why this happens, Christena Cleveland says we probably don't. In this eye-opening book, learn the hidden reasons behind conflict and divisions. Learn: Why I think all my friends are unique but those in other groups are all the same Why little differences often become big sources of conflict Why categorizing others is often automatic and helpful but can also have sinister side effects Why we are so often victims of groupthink and how we can avoid it Why women think men are judging them more negatively than men actually are, and vice versa Why choices of language can actually affect unity With a personal touch and the trained eye of a social psychologist, Cleveland brings to bear the latest studies and research on the unseen dynamics at work that tend to separate us from others. Learn why Christians who have a heart for unity have such a hard time actually uniting. The author provides real insight for ministry leaders who have attempted to build bridges across boundaries. Here are the tools we need to understand how we can overcome the hidden forces that divide us.

Carlos captures the core values in the Kingdom, bringing clarity to the identity of the church and her calling. This book is filled with practical wisdom that will draw people into connection with God's heart and purpose, so they may be equipped to more effectively partner with what He is doing on the earth in this generation. -MIKE BICKLE Founder and director, International House of Prayer (IHOP-KC) LIVE FULFILLED AND EMPOWERED AS GOD MADE YOU TO BE In the midst of deep compromise and moral confusion, the sleeping church is being awakened by the Holy Spirit to understand her true identity and the authority that's been entrusted to her. Carlos tells the story of God's encounter with him, radically quickening his heart and transforming his life and ministry in a single confrontation, 4:00 A.M. one morning. During the encounter, the Lord revealed to him certain prophetic core values that would help both the individual believer and the corporate Body of Christ to walk in clarity of identity and fullness of destiny. Encountered by God reveals profound, yet simple truths that will help you: Know and enjoy God personally and intimately. Surrender your life more wholeheartedly to God's purposes. Yield to the Spirit's anointing and power to manifest the Kingdom of God. Be aware of the signs pointing to Jesus' second coming. Understand how to partner with God in prayer, releasing hope and justice to the nations. Carlos is the founder and co-director of the Orlando House of Prayer in Central Florida. OHOP is a ministry, focusing on night-and-day prayer in the spirit of the Tabernacle of David. He is also the founder of the Forerunner Messenger Alliance, a ministry training school that licenses and ordains ministers to walk in the spirit and power of the forerunner anointing. For more information on both OHOP and FMA, visit the ministry websites at: www.OrlandoHop.org & www.ForerunnerMessengerAlliance.org

Exactly 450 years after the solemn closure of the Council of Trent on 4 December 1563, scholars from diverse regional, disciplinary and confessional backgrounds convened in Leuven to reflect upon the impact of this Council, not only in Europe but also beyond. Their conclusions are to be found in these three impressive volumes. Bridging different generations of scholarship, the authors reassess in a first volume Tridentine views on the Bible, theology and liturgy, as well as their reception by Protestants, deconstructing many myths surviving in scholarship and society alike. They also deal with the mechanisms 'Rome' developed to hold a grip on the Council's implementation. The second volume analyzes the changes in local ecclesiastical life, initiated by bishops, orders and congregations, and the political strife and confessionalisation accompanying this reform process. The third and final volume examines the afterlife of Trent in arts and music, as well as in the global impact of Trent through missions.

illiams, Rev. Alvin Dighton, D. D., was born Oct. 13, 1825, graduated at Hamilton College, New York, in 1849. He has been superintendent of schools for Lawrence, Mass., and for West Virginia; president of the Northwestern and West Virginia Colleges; principal of Nebraska State Normal School, and member of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. He was editor/publisher of the Freewill Baptist Quarterly, and is the author of "The Rhode Island Freewill Baptist Pulpit," "The Support of the Ministry," "Memorials of the Free Communion Baptists."

God uses an old motor home to teach a man about the grace of God and the blessings that God conveys upon his children. It is a true inspirational tale that proves once again God can use anything or anyone to get his message of love across. For God truly does work in mysterious ways

Of Charts Ancient and Medieval Church History provides a powerful visual tool for understanding the historical foundations on which contemporary Christianity rests. From geography, to theology, to doctrines both orthodox and heretical, to key figures and movements across the centuries, the broad, comprehensive scope of early church history comes across simply, clearly, and with impact. Divided into two sections---Ancient and Medieval---this book covers the first 1,500 years of church history with nearly 160 charts, diagrams, and maps grouped under numerous subdivisions. A sampler of subdivisions and specific charts includes: * Introductions: Church History in a Nutshell * Prominent Cities * The Setting of the Church * The Life of Jesus Christ * The Age of the Earliest Church Fathers * The Age of the Apologists * Essential Components of Gnosticism * The Creed of Chalcedon * Pelagius and Augustine Compared * The Rise of Episcopacy and Papacy in the Church * The Emergence of the Roman Catholic Church * The Rise of the Islamic Faith * The Division of the Church: West and East * The Crusades * Scholasticism * The Church of the Eve of the Reformation The PowerPoint CD-ROM supplied with this book gives instructors an ideal tool for classroom and group presentations. Charts of Ancient and Medieval Church History will help Christians not only develop a firm grasp on the rich legacy of their faith but understand how it influences the church today and their own lives as believers.

Das Buch untersucht in unterschiedlichen raumlichen Kontexten den Zusammenhang von Religion und Politik vom 7. Jahrhundert bis in die jungste Vergangenheit. Aus historischer, theologisch-systematischer und literaturwissenschaftlicher Perspektive werden die Verflechtung der Religion mit Macht und Gewalt sowie der Umgang mit religioeser Pluralitat in der Vergangenheit vor Augen gefuhrt. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit finden die Weltreligionen Christentum und Islam. Die AutorInnen analysieren die Wurzeln aktueller Problemlagen und die vielfaltige politische Instrumentalisierung des Religioesen sowie die Grundkonstellationen im historischen Wandel.

The establishment of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a pioneering international event. Never had any country sought to move forward from despotism to democracy both by exposing the atrocities committed in the past and achieving reconciliation with its former oppressors. At the center of this unprecedented attempt at healing a nation has been Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whom President Nelson Mandela named as Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. With the final report of the Commission just published, Archbishop Tutu offers his reflections on the profound wisdom he has gained by helping usher South Africa through this painful experience.

In No Future Without Forgiveness, Tutu argues that true reconciliation cannot be achieved by denying the past.  But nor is it easy to reconcile when a nation "looks the beast in the eye." Rather than repeat platitudes about forgiveness, he presents a bold spirituality that recognizes the horrors people can inflict upon one another, and yet retains a sense of idealism about reconciliation. With a clarity of pitch born out of decades of experience, Tutu shows readers how to move forward with honesty and compassion to build a newer and more humane world.

As diverse as they are many, the works of John Owen range from theological topics to sociopolitical issues. Introduction to John Owen captures the vision of the Christian life that Owen wished for his readers to have.

Das im 19. Jahrhundert im heutigen Iran entstandene Baha'itum ist nach seinem Selbstverstandnis und religionswissenschaftlicher Einordnung eine Weltreligion. Als dezidierte Rechtsreligion verfugt es uber ein Offenbarungsrecht, dessen Kern ein Rechtssetzungsrecht bildet - ermachtigt wird eine demokratisch zu bestellende Koerperschaft, die das Offenbarungsrecht anwendbar machen und erganzen soll. Die Arbeit unternimmt es, die theologischen Grundlagen dieses Baha'i-Rechts aufzuarbeiten. Sie untersucht den in der Baha'i-Schrift dokumentierten theologischen Zusammenhang, auf den dieses Recht seinen Inhalt, seine Anspruche und Funktionen zuruckfuhrt. Im Rahmen der Darstellung von vier rechtstheologischen Dimensionen weist sie das Baha'i-Recht als ius divinum aus.

Contrary to charges of religious "dogma," Christian actors in international politics often wrestle with the lack of a clear path in determining what to do and how to act, especially in situations of violence and when encountering otherness. Lynch argues that it is crucial to recognise the ethical precarity of decision-making and acting. This book contextualizes and examines ethical struggles and justifications that key figures and movements gave during the early modern period of missionary activity in the Americas; in the interwar debates about how to act vis-a-vis fascism, economic oppression and colonialism in a "secular" world; in liberation theology's debates about the use of violence against oppression and bloodshed; and in contemporary Christian humanitarian negotiations of religious pluralism and challenges to the assumptions of western Christianity. Lynch explores how the wrestling with God that took place in each of these periods reveals ethical tensions that continue to impact both Christianity and international relations.