It is appropriate for us Latterday Saints to desire spiritual experiences, if we want them for the right reasons. The Prophet Joseph Smith demonstrated this when, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, he prayed: "let thy house be filled with a mighty rushing wind, with thy glory." Joseph specifically "asked" for a heavenly experience. Of course, his faith had waxed strong in the Lord; but then again, shouldn't ours?

So writes Andrew S. Weeks in "Spiritual Temples: Heavenly Experiences in the Houses of God," a thought-provoking, inspiring book that is also studiously and reverently researched. Weeks writes about the history of temple worship and its restoration in the latter days, which sparked a stream of heavenly manifestations given to prophets and other faithful saints, fulfilling the Lord's words that temples are "consecrated" for "obtaining revelations." Present-day temple building, the future of temple work, and worthiness are also discussed.

"I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice," the Lord promised, "if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house."

"Spiritual Temples" supports the premise that, whether through inspiration or direct manifestation, heavenly experiences are available to temple visitors today.

THIS 34 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Knights Templar, by A. Bothwell-Gosse. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766138631.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

THIS 34 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Knights Templar, by A. Bothwell-Gosse. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766138631.

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.

The Confraternity of Penitents is an international, private Catholic Association of the Faithful whose members are living, in their own homes, a modern adaptation of the rule for lay people, given by Saint Francis of Assisi to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance in 1221. Bishop Thomas Tobin, Bishop of the Diocese of Providence, stated, on 11 February 2009, "I wish to affirm my support of the Confraternity of Penitents (CFP), specifically its members' commendable efforts to live according to the First Rule of the Third Order of Saint Francis of 1221, as outlined in the CFP's own Constitutions." All the information needed for anyone to learn about the Confraternity of Penitents and its way of life is found in the Handbook of the Confraternity of Penitents. The Handbook contains: A copy of Bishop Tobin's letter The Rule of 1221 for the laity Modern Constitutions to the Rule of 1221 Directory of Governance Canon Law as it relates to the Confraternity Background information Question and Answer Section Inquiry Reflections Four years of Postulant and Novice Lessons Three lessons prior to pledging Lessons for On-Going Formation taken from writings of the saints Induction into formation ceremonies Pledging Ceremony Applications Reproducible Handouts and Brochures Articles on a life of penance (conversion) Confraternity Prayers and Psalms A Sample Day's Prayer from the Divine Office

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

What is the place of corporate worship in theological education? Certainly it is not unexpected to have ministry students attending seminary chapel, but what are the expectations for the students who attend chapel? Is it to form their liturgical sensibilities into conformity with a particular worship tradition or style? Or is it to provide a safe place to try things that one would be reluctant to experiment with in congregational worship? Although common worship for ministry students is almost a given in all theological schools, there are few common understandings about it goals and purposes.Common Worship in Theological Education is the first book to address the theological, pedagogical, and political issues involved in the planning and execution of seminary chapel. It offers voices from across the theological and ecumenical spectrum about chapel, as well as involving multiple disciplines in the conversation. This volume provides the first comprehensive survey of the worship issues at stake in seminary education today. The essays in this collection provide the foundation for a productive conversation within a seminary faculty or among colleagues within a theological discipline. This volume makes the case that the chapel ought to have a seat at the table when the education mission of a theological school is being discussed. So pull up a chair and prepare for a fascinating conversation.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

A Call to Worship, Collect, Prayer of Confession, and three suggested hymns based on each lectionary text (First Lesson, Second Lesson, and Gospel) are provided for every Sunday of the year in Cycle C. Additional non-lectionary days such as All Saints' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Fourth of July, World-Wide Communion Sunday, and Parent's Days are also included.
A scripture index makes this one of the most useful and necessary worship helps in any pastor's library.
"What an asset Imagine having a person on your staff doing weekly research on thematic materials for worship. What a time saver to be able to turn quickly to suggested Calls to Worship, Prayers and Hymns appropriate for the lectionary Sunday. Jim Wilson's book of resources is like having him on your staff Sharp, to the point, thematic, clear."
Richard B. Wilke, Bishop
Arkansas Conference
United Methodist Church
"I appreciate your thematic organization of the service, and the blending of worship elements: the call to worship collect, confession and hymns. My secretary will appreciate the consistency in space requirement of the various service elements. These worship aids are well written, thoughtfully organized and will help pastors with thematic organization."
Jack Singleton, Pastor
First Christian Church
Sherwood, Arkansas
James R. Wilson is a United Methodist minister in Desha, Arkansas. He is the author of "56 More Devotions On Short Notice" (Abingdon, 1994) and a contributing author of the meditations for the United Methodist Publishing House "Word Alive" bulletin cover series for 1994.

"A "Special Parish Mission"" involves two Pastors and their parishes as well as the Bishop. One parish prays for the other having the mission and vice-versa. The pastors swap parishes to put on the mission. Two Missions were put on in the Diocese of Cheyenne. The results were very good. Improvements at the suggestion of the Bishop and one of the pastor/preachers, as well as the observations of the author, have resulted in the Mission in this "final" form.

The Mission brings personal conversion to Jesus Christ, along with sacramental catechesis in a format which deepens the Faith and brings loyalty to the teachings of Christ and his Church, including John Paul II's "Theology of the Body" in understandable language designed for the consumption of our couples. Ongoing family formation is also addressed with a great innovative, yet easy to implement, solution, including our "prayer lives."

Help Overcoming Painful Experiences (H.O.P.E.) is a Bible-based, 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Our mission is to provide a safe place to work through the emotional issues that hinder us from fully embracing God, others and life with enthusiasm. Our vision is to help people of all ages overcome their emotional pain and go on to experience a life transformation through our care, support, encouragement and the hope in Jesus Christ. Ultimately, our purpose is to set people free from their emotional bondage so they can live the fulfilled, victorious life God intended and designed them to live.

To accomplish our mission, vision and purpose, we developed a small group based, three level model of transformation. During our program (which consists of two books, Doorway to H.O.P.E. and Names of H.O.P.E.), our members are paired with a Spiritual and Emotional Coach (SPEe. "The Spiritual and Emotional Coach's Guide" was written to prepare and empower our SPECs for service by providing them with the information and tools necessary to have a life changing impact in this crucial role.

A look inside the Lebanon Soup Kitchen reveals the miracles God works in the lives of the servers and the served. They find new meaning in life and faith in humanity by volunteering to help, or by accepting a free meal. Material boundaries disappear in the compassion for physical, emotional and spiritual needs. People come searching for acceptance of who they are and validation of their value as a human. As they share their stories, tears are shed in both heart-breaking and joy-filled accounts. It is in the bare human needs where God works in the smallest detail to bring a light of hope. A town of 13,000 reaches out three nights a week to serve restaurant-style baked chicken, Mexican casserole or German meatloaf in a safe, friendly atmosphere. Volunteers, the homeless, the working poor and the disabled come together for more than a meal, more than take-home food and more than hand-me-down clothes; the real thing they find is connection with a caring community.

As the face of North America becomes more diverse, so should the face of today\u2019s church. This book helps churches minister to and evangelize people from other cultures, countries, and religious backgrounds. It informs readers about the changes in our cultural landscape, then encourages and challenges the church to embrace the resulting opportunities to minister to people of all cultures. The authors consider the Bible\u2019s examples and teaching as it relates to diversity, introduce several American and Canadian churches modeling diversity, and help church leaders overcome resistance to change. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter are appropriate for individual or group use by pastors or concerned laypeople.

At lasts, a book that attempts to understand and overcome the difficulties that block communication with Muslims with guidelines for sharing faith in dialogue rather than monologue. It faces squarely the thorny questions of the Cross, the Son of God, The Gospel of Barnabas, and Intermarriage with Muslims, plus many others. This book shares the common ground needed to overcome the communications barrier with Muslims.

A discussion of the church sponsoring arrangement, centralized power and control, orphan homes and the Herald of Truth. The author has done an excellent job showing that many of the arrangements used by brethren in the churches of Christ to spread the gospel or care for the needy are unscriptural.

This book is about the subtle abusive behavior of churches and false pastors. It describes the inside jobs that are being done to all levels of parishioners year after year. It is the sad but true story of my journey as a new Christian leading up to ministerial positions. It also describes how was able to overcome the deepest level of spiritual abuse. My hurt turned into a passion to see others healed and helped through their abuse. This book also reaches out to abusers via amnesty. It reaches out to all church goers. It's a book of love, encouragement, and a book of hope to believers all over the world.

The most vital question confronting the church in America at the turn of the century is whether it can, in the face of modern society, remember who it is, what it is called to do, and, especially, whose it is. In this volume Ronald Vallet explores the biblical basis for stewardship, with major emphasis on God's promises and commands, to help congregations become the households of God that he intends them to be. Vallet also deals with fantasies and fears about money in the congregation, the central role that authentic worship plays in focusing congregations on God, the proper roles of pastors and laity, and the prevailing concepts and practices of modern culture that can entangle today's churches.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "American Fascists" and the NBCC finalist for "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" comes this timely and compelling work about new atheists: those who attack religion to advance the worst of global capitalism, intolerance and imperial projects.
Chris Hedges, who graduated from seminary at Harvard Divinity School, has long been a courageous voice in a world where there are too few. He observes that there are two radical, polarized and dangerous sides to the debate on faith and religion in America: the fundamentalists who see religious faith as their prerogative, and the new atheists who brand all religious belief as irrational and dangerous. Both sides use faith to promote a radical agenda, while the religious majority, those with a commitment to tolerance and compassion as well as to their faith, are caught in the middle.
The new atheists, led by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, do not make moral arguments about religion. Rather, they have created a new form of fundamentalism that attempts to permeate society with ideas about our own moral superiority and the omnipotence of human reason.
"I Don't Believe in Atheists" critiques the radical mindset that rages against religion and faith. Hedges identifies the pillars of the new atheist belief system, revealing that the stringent rules and rigid traditions in place are as strict as those of any religious practice.
Hedges claims that those who have placed blind faith in the morally neutral disciplines of reason and science create idols in their own image -- a sin for either side of the spectrum. He makes an impassioned, intelligent case against religious and secular fundamentalism, which seeks to divide the world into those worthy of moral and intellectual consideration and those who should be condemned, silenced and eradicated. Hedges shatters the new atheists' assault against religion in America, and in doing so, makes way for new, moderate voices to join the debate. This is a book that must be read to understand the state of the battle about faith.

Understanding the way the Bible was impacted by human culture as it was produced is crucial if we are to understand God's message for us today. Human culture impacted the Scriptures over the centuries they were being produced. Different cultural contexts are present within the Scriptures, and contemporary global cultures impact the way Scripture is interpreted and applied today around the world. If we fail to understand the significance of human culture in the production, presentation and interpretation of God's Word, we run the risk of confused and irrelevant interpretations that are not central to a vital biblical faith that is culturally appropriate for contemporary believers in God's global community of faith.