Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved and well-known saints in the Catholic church. In this biography, G. K. Chesterton relays the unique and inspirational life of the humble saint. Starting life as a wealthy young man full of life and spirit, Francis soon joined the war between Assisi and Perugia and returned, ill and downtrodden. He ended up joining the papal forces and after witnessing a poor man begging for alms his spirit was renewed and he was inspired to start a new life of humble poverty. Though not yet officially part of the Catholic papacy, Francis soon amassed a following in Assisi and traveled to Rome to get approval from Pope Innocent III to form what is known today as the Franciscan Order. The Order devotes themselves to living in poverty yet giving generously to the needy. Today, Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals and ecology, having showed his love for all of God's creation early in his life. This new edition of the biography of Saint Francis will be an inspiration for all readers, secular and religious alike.

Das Buch rekonstruiert die Konzeption der Orthodoxen Kirche Siebenburgens uber die soziale Ordnung Rumaniens in der Zwischenkriegszeit. Der Autor fasst dieses regional gepragte Ordnungsdenken durch das Konzept der politischen Ethnotheologie zusammen. Dieser zufolge ware die nationale Gemeinschaft mit der orthodoxen Gemeinschaft identisch, daher sollte der nationale Staat zugleich auch orthodox sein. Die soziale Ordnung, die er schafft, sollte eine legale Kodifizierung der moralischen Ordnung sein, die die Orthodoxie der Nation eingepragt hat. Dieser Syllogismus erklart die Haltung der Kirche gegenuber der ethnisch-religioesen Alteritat und beleuchtet, warum sie die rechtsextremen politischen Bewegungen, die versprachen, den rumanischen Staat in einen christlichen Staat umzuwandeln, mit Sympathie betrachtete.

The new Church's Teachings series has been one of the most recognizable and useful sets of books in the Episcopal Church. With the launch of the Church's Teachings for a Changing World series, visionary Episcopal thinkers and leaders have teamed up to write a new set of books, grounded and thoughtful enough for seminarians and leaders, concise and accessible enough for newcomers, with a host of discussion resources that help readers to dig deep. What's really going on when Episcopalians gather for worship? Musician Dent Davidson and Bishop Jeff Lee bring decades of partnership to this lively conversation about the rituals that make faith real-gathering, bathing, welcoming, storytelling, feasting, and sending God's people. More than a treatise on the Book of Common Prayer, Gathered for God opens fresh ways of seeing what the Prayer Book makes possible.

The Anastenaria are Orthodox Christians in Northern Greece who observe a unique annual ritual cycle focused on two festivals, dedicated to Saint Constantine and Saint Helen. The festivals involve processions, music, dancing, animal sacrifices, and culminate in an electrifying fire-walking ritual. Carrying the sacred icons of the saints, participants dance over hot coals as the saint moves them. 'The Burning Saints' presents an analysis of these rituals and the psychology behind them. Based on long-term fieldwork, 'The Burning Saints' traces the historical development and sociocultural context of the Greek fire-walking rituals. As a cognitive ethnography, the book aims to identify the social, psychological and neurobiological factors which may be involved and to explore the role of emotional and physiological arousal in the performance of such ritual. A study of participation, experience and meaning, 'The Burning Saints' presents a highly original analysis of how mental processes can shape social and religious behaviour.

Paul's letter to the people at Philippi serves as a reminder that if we search for joy in possessions, places, or people, we will always come up short. True, lasting joy comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, living in harmony with His followers, and serving others in the name of Christ. The life lived by the Philippians is still attainable today. In her comprehensive approach, Joyce Meyer takes a deep dive into well-known and beloved verses, identifying key truths and incorporating room for personal reflection.

Joyce's Philippians provides a key study tool that will help you develop a stronger relationship with God. If you take time to examine His word, you'll see how much He loves you and how much He desires that you live a joyful, content life on earth!

The discovery and imparting of knowledge are the essential undertakings of any university. Such purposes determined John Carroll, SJ's modest and surprisingly ecumenical proposal to establish an academy on the banks of the Potomac for the education of the young in the early republic. What began earnestly in 1789 still continues today: the idea of Georgetown University as a Catholic university situated squarely in the American experience.

Beautifully designed with over 300 illustrations and photographs, "A History of Georgetown University" tells the remarkable story of the administrators, boards, faculty, students, and programs that have made Georgetown a leading institution of higher education. With a keen eye for detail, historian Robert Emmett Curran -- a member of the Georgetown community for over three decades -- explores the broader perspective of Georgetown's sense of identity and its place in American culture.

Volume One traces Georgetown's evolution during its first century, from its beginnings as an academy within the American Catholic community of the Revolutionary War era through its flowering as a college before the Civil War to its postbellum achievements as a university. Volume Two highlights the efforts of administrators and faculty over the next seventy-five years to make Georgetown an ascending and increasingly diverse institution with a range of graduate programs and professional schools. Volume Three examines Georgetown's remarkable rise to prominence as an internationally recognized research university -- both culturally engaged and cosmopolitan while remaining grounded in its Catholic and Jesuit character.

Each volume features numerous illustrations, photographs, and appendices that include student demographics, enrollments, and lists of board members.

In this ground-breaking book, Gerald Grace addresses the dilemmas facing Catholic education in an increasingly secular and consumer-driven culture. The book combines an original theoretical framework with research drawn from interviews with sixty Catholic secondary head teachers from deprived urban areas. Issues discussed include:
*Catholic meanings of academic success
*tensions between market values and Catholic values
*threats to the mission integrity of Catholic schools
*the spiritual, moral and social justice commitments of contemporary Catholic schools
This book will be equally useful to leaders of Catholic and other schools and to all those interested in values and leadership in schooling.

eBook available with sample pages: 020347127X

This book explains the concept of Islamic "da'wah," or missionary activity, as it has developed in contemporary Western contexts. Poston traces the transition from the early "external-institutional" missionary approach impracticable in modern Western society, to an "internal-personal" approach which aims at the conversion of individuals and seeks to influence society from the bottom upwards. Poston also combines the results of a questionnaire-survey with an analysis of published testimonies to identify significant traits that distinguish converts to Islam.

Reflecting Josemaria Escriva's belief that God can be found in professional and everyday settings, "The Way "blends passages from sacred Scripture with anecdotes drawn from Escriva's life and work, snatches of conversation, and selections from his personal letters. The direct, conversational writing style and its deeply felt humanity are among the book's main attractions and beautifully convey the belief that the human is not foreign to the divine and that the fully Christian spiritual attitude can be described as unity of life.
Since it was first published in 1939, more than four and a half million copies of "The Way "have been sold in forty-three different languages. This handsome paperback edition will take its place alongside such seminal works as John of the Cross's "Dark Night of the Soul," Thomas a Kempis's "Imitation of Christ, " and Teresa of Avila's "The Interior Castle."

Engaging Deconstructive Theology presents an evangelical approach for theological conversation with postmodern thinkers. Themes are considered from Derrida, Foucault, Mark C. Taylor, Rorty, and Cupitt, developing dialogue from an open-minded evangelical perspective. Ron Michener draws upon insights from radical postmodern thought and seeks to advance an apologetic approach to the Christian faith that acknowledges a mosaic of human sources including experience, literature, and the imagination.

Gain insight into the importance of advocacy for the disabled within various religious and secular organizations You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Romans 13:9) Through the years, religious organizations have worked to fulfill this biblical mandate. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections chronicles the progress of different ministries' advocacy for the disabled since 1950 as they worked toward fulfilling this mission. This enlightening history of several religious organizations' efforts charts the trends in advocacy while offering readers insight into ways to assist people with disabilities both within religious organizations and in society. Issues are explored by drawing upon numerous documents, communications, and in-depth reviews of the advocates' work. This book draws together in a single volume the stories of various religious organizations and their struggles to advocate for the disabled. Because of society's tendency to isolate and fear them, special needs individuals such as the mentally and physically disabled have long found it difficult to be accepted, understood, or to receive proper care. However, ministries strive to be advocates for all of their members and their needs, including education, treatment, and appropriate legislation. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections recounts the steps organizations have taken to focus on ending isolation and fear through inclusion and appropriate care of members with various disabilities. These historical accounts examine the depth, breadth, and on-going need for disability advocacy in religious organizations. Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections discusses the advocacy backgrounds of: the World Council of Churches the National Council of Churches National Catholic Partnership on Disability National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry American mainline Protestant denominationsthe American Baptist Convention, Disciples of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Christ the Christian Reformed Church American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) Religion and Spirituality Division Bethesda Lutheran homes and Services, Inc. the Christian Council on Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) Friendship Ministries Joni and Friends the Mennonite advocacy for persons with disabilities the Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability Disability Advocacy Among Religious Organizations: Histories and Reflections is valuable reading for clergy and laypeople in disability advocacy in religious organizations, educators, students, seminary students preparing for ministries, and religious historians.

This book is a beginner's guide to biblical Hebrew. It serves as a tool for ministers and ministers-in-training who want to become more effective preachers and instructors. The book's uniqueness is in its tool-based approach; it includes a list of abbreviations of Biblical Books and an appendix of the basics of Hebrew. The lesson in Hebrew is practical; the author first answers basic questions about biblical Hebrew and then takes the reader through a series of analyses that discuss learning the language - from words, to figures of speech, to Hebrew writing - both narrative and poetry, and finally, to broader issues of culture and communication. Using Biblical Hebrew in Ministry is an excellent and resourceful text for ministers, as well as Seminaries and Bible colleges that offer courses such as "Biblical Hebrew for English Speakers," "Using Biblical Resource Tools," Biblical Hebrew, and Hebrew exegesis.

Jerusalem as a theme of this collection of essays evokes multidimensional reflections and enters the ongoing discourse concerning this particular city and forms of its appearance in culture. The book is divided into four parts that reflect four questions relating to the Holy City. The first one concerns the meaning of Jerusalem in the Bible understood as the shared text for Jews and Christians. The second one addresses the issue of the understanding of Jerusalem in Jewish non-biblical tradition. The third one examines the pilgrims' accounts derived from different backgrounds and inherited narrations. The fourth question refers to cultural aspects that transcend the purely religious life.

How do faith-based organizations influence the work of transnational peacebuilding, development, and human rights advocacy? How is the political role of such organizations informed by their religious ideas and practices? This book investigates this set of questions by examining how three transnational faith-based organizations-Religions for Peace, the Taize Community, and International Justice Mission-conceptualize their own religious practices, values, and identities, and how those acts and ideas inform their political goals and strategies. The book demonstrates the political importance of prayer in the work of transnational faith-based organizations, specifically in areas of conflict resolution, post-conflict integration, agenda setting, and in constituting narratives about justice and reconciliation. It also evaluates the distinctive strategies that faith-based organizations employ to navigate religious difference. A central goal of the book is to propose a new way to study "religion" in international politics, by actively questioning and reflecting on what it means for an act, idea, or community to be "religious."

This book examines race, religion, and politics in the United States, illuminating their intersections and what they reveal about power and privilege. Drawing on both historic and recent examples, Stephanie Mitchem introduces readers to the ways race has been constructed in the United States, discusses how race and religion influence each other, and assesses how they shape political influence. Mitchem concludes with a chapter looking toward possibilities for increased rights and justice for all.

The conventional wisdom about mainline Protestantism maintains that it is a dying tradition, irrelevant to a postmodern society, unresponsive to change, and increasingly disconnected from its core faith tenets. In her provocative new book, historian and researcher Diana Butler Bass argues that there are signs that mainline Protestant churches are indeed changing, finding a new vitality intentionally grounded in Christian practices and laying the groundwork for a new type of congregation. The Practicing Congregation tracks these changes by looking at the overall history of American congregations, noting the cultural trends that have sparked change, and providing evidence of how mainline churches are reappropriating traditional Christian practices. The signs of life that Bass identifies lead the reader beyond the crumbling "liberal vs. conservative" dualities to a more nuanced and fluid understanding of the shape of contemporary ecclesiology and faithfulness. In so doing, she helps readers understand tradition in new ways and creates an alternative path through the culture wars that today arrest the energies of most denominations. Invigorated by stories from Bass s own experience, The Practicing Congregation provides a hopeful and exciting vision for the church. The imaginative "retraditioning" she identifies and celebrates will guide pastors and other leaders on this "pilgrimage of creating church" and convincingly counter the naysayers that long ago gave up on the viability of the mainline church."

Many New Testament Greek grammarians assert that the Greek attributive participle and the Greek relative clause are "equivalent." Michael E. Hayes disproves those assertions in An Analysis of the Attributive Participle and the Relative Clause in the Greek New Testament, thoroughly presenting the linguistic categories of restrictivity and nonrestrictivity and analyzing the restrictive/nonrestrictive nature of every attributive participle and relative clause. By employing the Accessibility Hierarchy, he focuses the central and critical analysis to the subject relative clause and the attributive participle. His analysis leads to the conclusion that with respect to the restrictive/nonrestrictive distinction these two constructions could in no way be described as "equivalent." The attributive participle is primarily utilized to restrict its antecedent except under certain prescribed circumstances, and when both constructions are grammatically and stylistically feasible, the relative clause is predominantly utilized to relate nonrestrictively to its antecedent. As a result, Hayes issues a call to clarity and correction for grammarians, exegetes, modern editors, and translators of the Greek New Testament.

In 1799 four missionaries - two English and two Dutch - arrived at the Cape, having been sent out by the London missionary society. This is their story.Although mission work by the Moravians had begun some time before, this meant the commencement of large-scale mission work in South Africa, and initiated what might be called the 'golden age' of missionary activity in South Africa. The Early Mission, 1799 1819 consists of 17 essays, some of them in Afrikaans, in which the noted writer and historian Karel Schoeman describes the life and work of a number of missionaries, mission assistants and artisans, 'native agents', catechists and lay helpers, including three women, who where involved in the establishment of the mission during the pioneer period. His subjects are mainly Dutch and indigenous mission workers in the service of the LMS and their work among the slave population of the Cape Colony and the inhabitants of the Orange River area beyond the northern frontier of the Colony."

In this volume, Harbin addresses two main ideas in relation to the larger issue of the origin and development of religion. First is the issue of historicity of key events in the founding of major religions. The author specifically addresses the exodus and the resurrection of Judaism and Christianity, respectively, as the historical foundations of those beliefs, and the lack of such historical events in 'all' other world religions. Secondly, Harbin explores the virtually universal observation of a 'primitive high God' present in various cultures throughout the world, suggesting an early monotheism. In the process of these explorations, the author repudiates the prevalent view that religion evolved from a primitive polytheism to the ' higher revealed' religions, and demonstrates instead that it evolved from an early monotheism into increasingly complex polytheisms. Contents: EARLY RELIGION; The Source; Polytheism Runs Rampant; THE SURVIVAL OF MONOTHEISM; The World's Old Organized Religion: Judaism; Hope Fulfilled: Christianity; THAT TRAGIC CENTURY; Avoiding Death by Dying; Under the Bohdi Tree: Buddhism; Mystics Galore: Other Eastern Religions; REVELATIONS OF ANGELS AND MEN; The Step Brother Resurgent: Islam; New Gods or Old?: Modern Religious Movements; The Right Road or a Rabbit Trail?

Recent studies on the development of early Christianity emphasize the fragmentation of the late ancient world while paying less attention to a distinctive feature of the Christianity of this time which is its inter-connectivity. Both local and trans-regional networks of interaction contributed to the expansion of Christianity in this age of fragmentation. This volume investigates a specific aspect of this inter-connectivity in the area of the Mediterranean by focusing on the formation and operation of episcopal networks. The rise of the bishop as a major figure of authority resulted in an increase in long-distance communication among church elites coming from different geographical areas and belonging to distinct ecclesiastical and theological traditions. Locally, the bishops in their roles as teachers, defenders of faith, patrons etc. were expected to interact with individuals of diverse social background who formed their congregations and with secular authorities. Consequently, this volume explores the nature and quality of various types of episcopal relationships in Late Antiquity attempting to understand how they were established, cultivated and put to use across cultural, linguistic, social and geographical boundaries.