Liturgical Subjects examines the history of the self in the Byzantine Empire, challenging narratives of Christian subjectivity that focus only on classical antiquity and the Western Middle Ages. As Derek Krueger demonstrates, Orthodox Christian interior life was profoundly shaped by patterns of worship introduced and disseminated by Byzantine clergy. Hymns, prayers, and sermons transmitted complex emotional responses to biblical stories, particularly during Lent. Religious services and religious art taught congregants who they were in relation to God and each other. Focusing on Christian practice in Constantinople from the sixth to eleventh centuries, Krueger charts the impact of the liturgical calendar, the eucharistic rite, hymns for vigils and festivals, and scenes from the life of Christ on the making of Christian selves. Exploring the verse of great Byzantine liturgical poets, including Romanos the Melodist, Andrew of Crete, Theodore the Stoudite, and Symeon the New Theologian, he demonstrates how their compositions offered templates for Christian self-regard and self-criticism, defining the Christian "I." Cantors, choirs, and congregations sang in the first person singular expressing guilt and repentence, while prayers and sermons defined the collective identity of the Christian community as sinners in need of salvation. By examining the way models of selfhood were formed, performed, and transmitted in the Byzantine Empire, Liturgical Subjects adds a vital dimension to the history of the self in Western culture.

The hunger for modern, relevant resources for the Christian seasons and celebrations is deep. Here is a book that will help to fill this need. Suitable for group worship or personal reflection, and with material for Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Mothering Sunday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week, it is a collection to accompany readers through Lent and Easter for many years. Eggs and Ashes includes a Lent discipline for those who care about the environment, liturgies, responses, prayers, poems, reflections, meditations, stories, stations of the cross, sermons, monologues and songs, with some all-age resources - written by Iona Community members, associates, friends and others. Ruth Burgess is the author of A Book of Blessings and Friends and Enemies, both published by Wild Goose Publications. Chris Polhill is a frequent contributor to Wild Goose books.

This text re-examines the great variety of liturgical practices in the first four centuries in the light of modern Jewish and Christian scholarship. This new edition takes account of the new research in the field that has taken place since the book was first published, with additional chapters on Minisrty and Ordination and The Effects of the Coming of Christendom in the Fourth Century.

Based on the overwhelming success of "The Greatest Gift," Ann Voskamp has expanded her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree so families can celebrate together. Each day, families can read the provided Scripture passage (in connection with the original book), engage with a specially written devotion to help children of all ages understand the Advent theme for the day, and participate in suggested activities to apply the theme.This special edition is beautifully illustrated. It can serve as a precious guide to help recapture the sacredness of the Advent season and to help the entire family understand and celebrate the epic pageantry of humankind from Adam to the Messiah.

What would you do for twenty-four hours if the only criteria were to pursue your deepest joy?

Dan Allender's lyrical book about the Sabbath expels the myriad myths about this "day of rest," starting with the one that paints the Sabbath as a day of forced quiet, spiritual exercises, and religious devotion and attendance. This, he says, is at odds with the ancient tradition of Sabbath as a day of delight for both body and soul. Instead, the only way we can make use of the Sabbath is to see God's original intent for the day with new eyes. In "Sabbath," Allender builds a case for delight by looking at this day as a festival that celebrates God's re-creative, redemptive love using four components:

Sensual glory and beautyRitualCommunal feastingPlayfulness

Now you can experience the delight of the Sabbath as you never have before--a day in which you receive and extend reconciliation, peace, abundance, and joy.

The Ancient Practices

There is a hunger in every human heart for connection, primitive and raw, to God. To satisfy it, many are beginning to explore traditional spiritual disciplines used for centuries . . . everything from fixed-hour prayer to fasting to sincere observance of the Sabbath. Compelling and readable, the Ancient Practices series is for every spiritual sojourner, for every Christian seeker who wants more.

In this thoughtful book, Freya Jaffke describes festival celebrations in relation to child development in the first seven years. She considers in detail the main festivals throughout the year: Easter, Whitsun, St John's, starting school, harvest, Michaelmas, lantern time, birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and carnival. Drawing on many examples, she shows how we can celebrate festivals with children at home and in kindergarten in a meaningful way. Every festival is prefaced with a deeper contemplation for adults, before considering preparations with children, followed by the actual organisation of the festival -- with games, craft activities and decorations, stories, songs, poems and the seasonal nature table.

The subject of this volume is that of the establishment and embedding in the Tuscan countryside, and especially round Florence, of the new forms of piety propagated above all by the Mendicant orders. The volume brings together Professor de La Ronciere's major articles on this topic, both detailed research studies and syntheses. Against the background of existing religious attitudes, he aims to describe the many new forms of pastoral activity and structures that were instituted, and to provide a picture of what the religious side of their life really meant to these communities. The final articles extend this analysis to include the city of Florence itself, examining the role of the confraternities there and the religious views of its merchants, its socio-economic elite. Ce volume a pour sujet l'etablissement et l'enracinement de nouvelles formes de piete propagees surtout par les ordres mendiants en pays toscan et, plus particulierement, aux alentours de Florence. Le volume rassemble les articles les plus importants du professeur de La Ronciere sur ce sujet; A la fois etudes de recherches detaillees et de synthese. C'est sur cet arriere-plan d'attitudes religieuses en existence, qu'il tente de decrire les nombreuses formes nouvelles d'activites et de structures pastorales qui furent instaurees dans ces communautes et ce que signifiait pour elles le cAte religieux de leurs vies. Les derniers articles etendent cette analyse A la ville de Florence elle-mAme, en y examinant le rAle des confreries et le point de vue religieux de l'elite socio-economique qu'etaient ses marchands.

The modern chasm between "secular" work and "sacred" worship has had a devastating impact on Western Christianity. Drawing on years of research, ministry, and leadership experience, Kaemingk and Willson explain why Sunday morning worship and Monday morning work desperately need to inform and impact one another. Together they engage in a rich biblical, theological, and historical exploration of the deep and life-giving connections between labor and liturgy. In so doing, Kaemingk and Willson offer new ways in which Christian communities can live seamless lives of work and worship.

A fresh perspective on how liturgy can support social justice work Proclaim! is an exploration of Episcopal liturgy from a black, queer, millennial perspective, with an eye toward proclamation and justice. Part memoir, part history, part biblical studies, and part practical theology, Proclaim! suggests that the politics of our liturgical tradition is the ground from which we can engage in the justice work that our world needs. Each chapter explores theology, a biblical story, and the real-world practice of evangelism and mission. The liturgy can serve as the theological well from which we might draw wisdom to engage the issues of justice, equity, and compassion in the world today. The question is not whether or not to engage politics; rather, the question is: whose politics are being reflected? Furthermore, what shape might our lives take if we took our worship of God seriously? People who are curious about what justice looks like in the Church or who are seeking new resources to sustain their work will be affirmed in Halley's book.

A must-read for anyone who has ever asked God, "Why me?" It's easy to trust God when things are going our way and the world makes sense. But when suffering strikes--especially seemingly senseless suffering--we are filled with doubt and stunned by events spiraling beyond our control. In the midst of suffering, we often question the very foundation of our faith--our belief in the God who says he loves us. Since our trust and obedience rest on God's character, the questions that life's tragedies force us to face are difficult, even frightening: Who is God? Can he really be trusted? What are his purposes in the face of suffering? If he can stop suffering, why doesn't he? Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman who has lived in a wheelchair for more than thirty years, and Steve Estes, a pastor and one of Joni's closest friends, explore the answers. When God Weeps is not so much a book about suffering as it is about God. It tackles tough questions about heaven and hell, horrors and hardships, and why God allows suffering in this life. Through a panoramic overview of what the Bible says about suffering, the authors make clear who God is, why he permits so much heartache and pain, and how it is we can trust him. With both a practical edge and heartfelt warmth, When God Weeps offers dependence on his love and mercy in spite of our doubts, fears, longings, and questions.

A.W. Tozer maintained that a theologian's message must be 'both timeless and timely', a sentiment borne out in the fact that his writing on worship still acts as an urgent warning today. Tozer is primarily concerned with the loss of the concept of 'majesty' from the popular mind and more importantly from the thinking of the church. He sees the church as having surrendered her once lofty concept of God - not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge. With this comes a further loss of religious awe and a sense of the divine presence, of an appropriate spirit of worship and of our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Tozer addresses this problem, to go back to the causes of the decline and to understand and correct the errors that have given rise to our devotional poverty. 'It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate,' he tells us. What is needed is a restoration of our knowledge of the holy.

Reflections on searching and longing on the journey through life In his 13 years as Vicar, David Adam welcomed over 1 million people to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. These pilgrims reflected every mood and attitude to life. Some radiated a presence, others were too busy to stop. Many were collectors of holy places as some would collect stamps! Some were awestruck at what was around them, others closeted themselves in and never saw the Island. All had something to teach. As David Adam tells their stories, he reveals the inner searching and longing common to us all, and helps us reflect on how we personally are dealing with our journey through life.

Over 1,200 years old, 500 miles long, and rich with tradition, history, and inspiration: Embark on the trip of a lifetime with Moon Camino de Santiago. Inside you'll find: * Strategic trekking advice for walking the Camino, including where to start to get the Compostela certificate and excursions to gateway cities like Santiago, Leon, and Pamplona * Unique ideas for enriching your experience: Admire folkloric art and Romanesque churches, stroll through the stone archways and winding alleys of medieval cities, and soak up mountain views as you cross over the Pyrenees and descend into green valleys. See the archaeological site where Europe's oldest humans were uncovered and breathe in the salty ocean air as you finish your journey at the shores of the Atlantic * Savor the local flavors: Enjoy authentic jamon serrano, tapas, and Galician wine, or grab cheese and freshly baked bread for a picnic lunch * The best detours, festivals, and villages along the way: Linger in Estella, witness the running of the bulls in Pamplona, visit the monastery in Najera, or sip wine in Cacabelos * Essential planning information on when to go, how to get there, where to eat, and where to stay, from pilgrim dorms to private hotels, plus tips on hazards, precautions, and gear * Expert advice from Beebe Bahrami, who has walked the Camino more than 20 times, including valuable history and context of the pilgrimage and the sacred sites, landscape, culture, and local etiquette * Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout, plus a handy fold-out map of the entire route * Helpful resources on Covid and walking the Camino * Handy tools and background information including Spanish and French phrasebooks, visa information, volunteer opportunities, and tips for seniors, women traveling alone, religious and secular travelers, and LGBTQ travelers Start your transformative journey with Moon Camino de Santiago's expert insight, unique suggestions, and practical advice. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell-and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

John Paul II was the first pope since the early 1600s to view the evil and his minions not only as formidable foes, but as tangible forces which the Catholic church must battle on a daily basis. The priest charged with spearheading this mission is Father Gabriele Amorth and his Office of Exorcism. Revitalising a long-dormant practice, Father Amorth has re-established exorcism as a common rite in the church with a series of seminars and training sessions during which priests from all over the world learn how to fight Satan here on Earth. Tracy Wilkinson gained access to the Vatican's highest authorities,allowing her to cover this story from every angle - both beneficiaries and victims of exorcism, sceptical scientists, devout believers and even those priests within the church who question the revival of the practice.

The invitation to worship God is the highest privilege of human beings - a privilege squandered by sinful rebellion, but also gloriously restored to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Biblical worship is a response to God's revelation of himself, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which finds expression in every aspect of human life and experience. At the same time, there is a great deal of music and song in the Bible. Music is a wonderful gift of God in creation, and there is every reason to embrace its riches and harness its power responsibly for the glory of God and the blessing of his people. However, Christians have often been divided over the theology and practice of worship, with differing views about spiritual gifts, the place of liturgy, priorities attached to various functions of the church, the weight given to congregational and 'whole-life' worship, and the role and style of music. While many of these areas are touched on in John Risbridger's excellent exposition, his intention is not to court controversy, but simply to allow Scripture to speak, in the hope of establishing as much common ground as possible. He follows a loosely trinitarian structure, in which the main sections explore the connection between worship and the purpose of the Father, the supremacy of the Son and life of the Holy Spirit. Each section concludes with two chapters on the Psalms, in which we hear a variety of 'voices', and learn to join their distinctive song.

The rhythms of the earth can be seen in, for example, the daily cycle of day and night, or in the changing seasons. Rudolf Steiner spoke about how Christian festivals such as Easter, Whitsun and Christmas fitted not just into these patterns, but also into larger cosmic rhythms and, on a smaller scale, human rhythms. In this concise, readable book Charles Kovacs explores the structure of our calendar year and looks in detail at the background to each Christian festival, including lesser-known ones such as St John's Tide and Michaelmas. This book is based on lectures Charles Kovacs originally gave at the Rudolf Steiner School in Edinburgh. Kovacs strove to develop in the children a love and understanding of the seasons in the cycle of the year; parents were keen to be involved too, and asked Kovacs to give a series of lectures on the subject to deepen their own understanding.

Tells the diverse story of four congregations in New York City as they navigated the social and political changes of the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. In the fifty years after the Constitution was signed in 1787, New York City grew from a port town of 30,000 to a metropolis of over half a million residents. This rapid development transformed a once tightknit community and its religious experience. Including four churches belonging in various forms to the Church of England, that in some form still thrive today. Rapid urban and social change connected these believers in unity in the late colonial era. As the city grew larger, more impersonal, and socially divided, churches reformed around race and class-based neighborhoods. In Four Steeples over the City Streets, Kyle T. Bulthuis examines the intertwining of these four famous institutions-Trinity Episcopal, John Street Methodist, Mother Zion African Methodist, and St. Philip's (African) Episcopal-to uncover the lived experience of these historical subjects, and just how religious experience and social change connected in the dynamic setting of early Republic New York. Drawing on a wide range of sources including congregational records and the unique histories of some of the churches leaders, Four Steeples over the City Streets reveals how these city churches responded to these transformations from colonial times to the mid-nineteenth century. Bulthuis also adds new dynamics to the stories of well-known New Yorkers such as John Jay, James Harper, and Sojourner Truth. More importantly, Four Steeples over the City Streets connects issues of race, class, and gender, urban studies, and religious experience, revealing how the city shaped these churches, and how their respective religious traditions shaped the way they reacted to the city. This book is a critical addition to the study and history of African American activism and life in the ever-changing metropolis of New York City.

Whether you serve as a vocalist, instrumentalist, technician, dancer, actor, or in some other role, you know what a blessing it is to serve on your church's worship team. But you also know that some days you're more technically prepared than you are spiritually prepared for the ministry of leading others in worship. In the midst of rehearsals, setup, and myriad distractions, not to mention the busyness of daily life, it's easy to miss the forest for the trees. How can you and your fellow team members be prepared to worship in spirit and truth as well as lead others in worship with integrity? With thirty years of experience in worship leading, Rory Noland knows the issues-in both the private life of the worship team member and the public ministry of a worship team. In this readable book, he offers practical insights on how to * Grow as a private worshiper * Encounter the character of God during worship * Respond to the character of God during worship * Be transformed by the character of God * Learn from ancient worship leaders ... and more. So relevant you'll think the author was eavesdropping on your last church service, The Worshiping Artist is ideal to read either by yourself or as a team.

Contemporary worship music shapes the way evangelical Christians understand worship itself. Author Monique M. Ingalls argues that participatory worship music performances have brought into being new religious social constellations, or "modes of congregating". Through exploration of five of these modes-concert, conference, church, public, and networked congregations-Singing the Congregation reinvigorates the analytic categories of "congregation" and "congregational music." Drawing from theoretical models in ethnomusicology and congregational studies, Singing the Congregation reconceives the congregation as a fluid, contingent social constellation that is actively performed into being through communal practice-in this case, the musically-structured participatory activity known as "worship." "Congregational music-making" is thereby recast as a practice capable of weaving together a religious community both inside and outside local institutional churches. Congregational music-making is not only a means of expressing local concerns and constituting the local religious community; it is also a powerful way to identify with far-flung individuals, institutions, and networks that comprise this global religious community. The interactions among the congregations reveal widespread conflicts over religious authority, carrying far-ranging implications for how evangelicals position themselves relative to other groups in North America and beyond.

Worship leader Neil Bennetts and theologian Simon Ponsonby share a concern that modern worship is growing self-indulgent: more about performance, less about an encounter with the divine.

They believe that this is a real and worrying trend in modern worship. To correct it, they explore the Bible's teaching on worship, addressing four key concerns: Worship as entertainment; worship which lacks wonder and awe; worship as irrelevant to mission; and worship which gratifies the worshipper rather than honoring the Almighty.

The authors each contribute six chapters, tackling worship and holiness; worship with passion; worship and the danger of idolatry. How, they ask, can we rediscover the mystery of an encounter with God, in corporate worship? How can leaders open themselves and their congregations to the heart of God, releasing his presence and power? How should we craft the unique dynamic of a people gathered to sing to God?