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Books > Religion & Spirituality > General
It all began in June 2005 when Bobby Henderson wrote an open letter
to the Kansas School Board proposing a third alternative to the
teaching of evolution and intelligent design in schools. Bobby is a
prophet of sorts, the spiritual leader of a growing, world-wide
group of followers who worship the teachings of The Flying
Spaghetti Monster (FSM). The FSM appeared to Bobby as a giant ball
of spaghetti, with meatballs for eyes, and touched Bobby with "His
noodly appendage" - resulting in the revelation that the FSM is the
real creator of the universe. The FSM faithful look to Bobby as
their prophet and spiritual leader. Shortly after Bobby's
revelation a website (www.flyingspaghettimonster.org) came into
existence to promote the word. Then came the articles, which were
worldwide: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian
(UK), Die Welt (Germany), Surprise (Austria), and many others
chimed in to report the existence of the FSM. Bobby received
letters of support from academics and Kansas School Board members
alike - not to mention a couple million hits per day on the website
- and it was all-too-clear that there needed to be a book to lay
out FSM scripture, rites and observances, proofs, and answers to
the Big Questions. This is that book.
In Broken Planet, Dr Sharon Dirckx, scientist and apologist, offers
a measured and thoughtful case for how there could be a God of love
that allows natural disasters. The question of suffering is one of
the greatest hurdles to Christian faith. When believers respond to
the question of why there is suffering in the world, they often
turn to the free-will defence. This states that humans make choices
for good or ill that can bring about suffering in the lives of
others. However, that doesn't explain why children die of cancer,
or why the latest earthquakes, tsunamis or pandemics have been so
destructive. These seem to happen not because of our choices, but
in spite of them. So how do we make sense of these events? Dr.
Sharon Dirckx blends argument, science and first-person narrative
in this unique book, weaving answers to real questions with
compassion and empathy, while also acknowledging the element of
mystery we will always live with while on earth. Dr Dirckx
addresses topics such as: If God exists, why would he make a world
with earthquakes and tsunamis? Why is there so much suffering in a
natural disaster? Are natural disasters God's judgement? Is my
illness a punishment from God? What kind of God would allow natural
disasters and diseases? If you have ever struggled to reconcile the
idea of a loving God with all the pain in our world, this book will
encourage you that belief in such a God is not as unreasonable as
it may seem. In fact, it may be where God is revealed most
profoundly.
The volumes in this set, originally published between 1978 and
1992, draw together research by leading academics in the area of
the occult and provide a rigorous examination of related key
issues. The collection examines occultism from a broad range of
disciplines, from shamanism and the occult tarot, to the esoteric
and spiritualism. It includes volumes across the disciplines of
religion, covering new religious movements, spiritualism, ritual
and magic practices. The three books that comprise this set include
investigations into the evolution of occultism, as well as the
history and practices of the occult as a religious movement. This
collection brings back into print insightful and detailed books and
will be a must-have resource for academics and students, not only
of religion and anthropology, but also of history and psychology.
This book chronicles individual perspectives and specific
iterations of Muslim community, practice, and experience in the
Himalayan region to bring into scholarly conversation the presence
of varying Muslim cultures in the Himalaya. The Himalaya provide a
site of both geographic and cultural crossroads, where Muslim
community is simultaneously constituted at multiple social levels,
and to that end the essays in this book document a wide range of
local, national, and global interests while maintaining a focus on
individual perspectives, moments in time, and localized
experiences. It presents research that contributes to a broadly
conceived notion of the Himalaya that enriches readers'
understandings of both the region and concepts of Muslim community
and highlights the interconnections between multiple experiences of
Muslim community at local levels. Drawing attention to the
cultural, social, artistic, and political diversity of the Himalaya
beyond the better understood and frequently documented
religio-cultural expressions of the region, this book will be of
interest to academics in the fields of Anthropology, Geography,
History, Religious Atudies, Asian Studies, and Islamic Studies.
The first comprehensive book about Chillingham in
Northumberland-its unique wild cattle, its historic castle and
church, and the family associated with them since the twelfth
century. Julius Caesar admired the cattle's ancestors for their
brute strength, Sir Walter Scott immortalised them. They were
painted by Sir Edwin Landseer and Archibald Thorburn, and depicted
at their best by Thomas Bewick, the master engraver. Darwin studied
them and wrote about them in the 'Descent of Man'. The historian
Simon Schama described the Chillingham cattle as "the great,
perhaps the greatest icon of British natural history". The Castle's
history is chequered and the nobles who lived there even more so.
Incest, adultery, witchcraft, torture, kingmakers and traitors, a
cricketer and a cowboy are all part of its history, resulting in
its modern reputation for cruel and benign ghosts still regularly
seen in the castle. Founded around 1184, the country church, in its
simplicity hides a fifteenth-century tomb described as "one of the
finest such monuments in the country outside a cathedral". Edited
by Dr Paul G. Bahn and Vera Mutimer, with a foreword by HRH Prince
Charles, the Prince of Wales.
Author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Learning to
Pray on one of the most intriguing events in the New Testament.
“this remarkable testimony demonstrates the power of a single
Gospel story. This is soul-nourishing and highly
recommended.”—Ben Witherington III, author of A Week in the
Life of Corinth One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders
and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to
(Almost) Everything and Learning to Pray examines one of the most
intriguing events in the New Testament—the story of Jesus raising
Lazarus from the dead—and explains its significance for us today.
In this wise and thoughtful book, Father James Martin, SJ, analyzes
the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection and asks us to consider
what Jesus means when he calls Lazarus—and each of us—to
“come forth.” Taking us through the Gospel story verse by
verse, he offers deep reflection on the lessons it holds about
love, family, sadness, frustration, fear, anger, freedom, and joy.
Come Forth combines compelling analysis of the biblical text,
insights about the historical setting of the story, meditations on
Lazarus in art and the larger culture, as well as stories of
Martin’s personal experiences. As he explores these strands
in-depth, Martin offers us a deeper understanding of this miracle
and its essential message—letting go of the limiting beliefs that
prevent us from experiencing God in all His glory. “All of us
have things that we need to ‘let die’ in order to follow God
more freely, to love more deeply, and to become the people whom God
desires us to be,” Martin writes. As this wise and profound book
reveals, we need only to open ourselves to the transformative story
of Lazarus and trust that God can use it to free us to experience
new life—and come closer to Him.
Offers a comprehensive view of the emerging fields of
secular-scientific mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Teaching and
Learning (MBTL) for professionals for use in a range of educational
and clinical settings, including preK-12, higher education, adult
and community education, social work, workplace education,
medicine, psychology, and counselling. Provides intellectual depth,
including addressing key critiques, while offering constructive
support to practitioners and professionals in the full spectrum of
skills and competencies required of secular-scientific mindfulness
specialists, including an up-to-date competency framework. Presents
a multi-disciplinary approach to secular-scientific mindfulness and
its practices, with implications for teacher preparation and
continuing education for a range of professions. These
multi-disciplinary perspectives provide a fulsome view of
mindfulness as it is unfolding in modern contexts, including the
continuing dialogue with traditional Buddhist and classical Western
philosophical sources; empirical perspectives from psychology and
cognitive science, and practice-oriented scholarship from
education, medicine, and social work.
Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing Enhancement (MBWE) integrates
Mindfulness and Wellbeing to realize human flourishing and the
attainment of happiness. This 9-session program, conducted over 8
weeks, enhances wellbeing, happiness and quality of life through
self-understanding and self-awareness. The first part of the book
is devoted to presenting mindfulness, wellbeing, the happiness
paradigm and the curriculum of the Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing
Enhancement (MBWE) program. It presents the foundations of
mindfulness-based programs, and how mindfulness intersects with
wellbeing. The authors argue, with the support of evidence, that
mindfulness is well placed to promote human flourishing rather than
limiting its relevance to stress reduction and preventing
depression relapse. Several chapters are devoted to presenting the
MBWE program comprehensively with weekly agendas, homework,
handouts, facilitation guides and practice scripts. The second part
of the book presents the evidence base of mindfulness, cultural
adaptations for different populations, the therapeutic
effectiveness of group learning inherent in Mindfulness-Based
Programs and the often-untold history of mindfulness. The authors
present the often-neglected Asian roots of Mindfulness and justify
how secular Mindfulness, as taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is influenced
by multiple wisdom traditions as opposed to it being a solely
Buddhist practice. This book serves as a hands-on resource for
trained mindfulness teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists,
psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers, practitioners,
educators, coaches, and consultants. It is also suitable for anyone
who is interested in the appreciation of mindfulness and human
flourishing.
Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics Series edited by Tom
Butler-Bowdon, this collectible, hard-back edition of The Prophet
provides an accessible and insightful introduction to this timeless
spiritual work The Prophet is an inspirational book of 26 poetry
fables written in English by Lebanese-American poet and writer
Kahlil Gibran. One of the most translated books in history,
Gibran's famous work has been translated into over 100 different
languages since its first publication in 1923. The book provides
timeless spiritual wisdom on universally-shared aspects of life,
such as giving, buying and selling, beauty and friendship, eating
and drinking, crime and punishment and spirituality and religion.
The book follows Almustafa, a man who has waited for twelve years
for a ship to take him from the island of Orphalese back to his
home. He has come to know the people on the island, who consider
him a wise and insightful man. On the day Almustafa's ship finally
arrives, he feels a deep sadness. The local elders ask him not to
leave. Almustafa speaks of his philosophy of life and the truths he
has discovered to the gathered crowd. His words have an almost
magical quality to them. As he prepares to board his ship, it
becomes clear that Almustafa's words do not refer to his journey
home, but rather to the world he came from before he was born. The
Prophet is a metaphor for the mystery of life and an exploration of
the human condition. Inspirational and extremely readable for
modern audiences, this classic text teaches us: We should be glad
of the experience of coming into the world The separation you feel
from other people is not real True marriage gives both people space
to develop their individuality Enjoying your work is expressing
your love for whoever benefits from it Sorrow makes space for more
joy in another season of life Featuring an insightful introduction
from the editor, The Prophet: The Spirituality Classic is a
must-read book for anyone interested in exploring the undeniable
truths of life we all share.
Anthropology--the study of man--is unlike every other study because
humans are its subject. And because we are its subject we cannot
manage the philosophic and emotional distance necessary to see
clearly. Unable to stand apart from ourselves to comprehend our own
truth, we are compelled to assume things about ourselves that we
cannot prove. In a word, anthropology begins in faith. Lloyd
Sandelands approaches the anthropological quest for God by
comparing the faiths of modern social science and of the Christian
church. Sandelands describes the social scientific faith
articulated by Hume, Kant, Rousseau, Schopenhauer among others, as
an imagined state of nature that sees the individual as solitary,
self-sufficient, and contented. By contrast, the Christian faith
unites us as male and female persons in one flesh before God. The
challenge in the author's view is to decide which faith to build
our lives upon. Sandelands poses questions about the basic terms of
human study--what is a person, and what is society?--and how do the
different metaphysics of science and Church lead to different
anthropologies? A worthwhile anthropology must address the
questions of what constitutes human freedom, desire, and the nature
of the good. Comparing the answers given by science and by the
church, he finds that the one paradoxically denies freedom, denies
want, and denies the good, while the other affirms freedom, affirms
want, and affirms the good. Between these two anthropologies he
finds there is but one true study of man. A companion to
Sandelands' Man and Nature in God, his most recent book, An
Anthropological Defense of God attempts to establish that an
anthropology in God succeeds where an anthropology in science
fails. Such success is measured not only by its ideas and findings
about man, but even more by its wisdom in teaching us how to live.
Britain's pagan past, with its mysterious monuments, atmospheric
sites, enigmatic artifacts, bloodthirsty legends, and cryptic
inscriptions, is both enthralling and perplexing to a resident of
the twenty-first century. In this ambitious and thoroughly
up-to-date book, Ronald Hutton reveals the long development, rapid
suppression, and enduring cultural significance of paganism, from
the Paleolithic Era to the coming of Christianity. He draws on an
array of recently discovered evidence and shows how new findings
have radically transformed understandings of belief and ritual in
Britain before the arrival of organized religion. Setting forth a
chronological narrative, Hutton along the way makes side visits to
explore specific locations of ancient pagan activity. He includes
the well-known sacred sites-Stonehenge, Avebury, Seahenge, Maiden
Castle, Anglesey-as well as more obscure locations across the
mainland and coastal islands. In tireless pursuit of the elusive
"why" of pagan behavior, Hutton astonishes with the breadth of his
understanding of Britain's deep past and inspires with the
originality of his insights.
The Prayers of the Faithful conclude the Liturgy of the Word. They
have a variety of functions, including the opportunity to revisit
the principal themes of the readings and the preaching. These
particular Prayers of the Faithful provide an opportunity to
summarise those themes in a prayer format that alerts the people to
what they have heard, reinforcing the teaching, and connecting its
message with their lives as disciples of Jesus. The format of the
prayers is simple. The first and second prayers relate to the first
and second readings of the mass and the third and fourth prayers
reflect some teaching from the gospel of the day. The author
includes "sense lines" indicating a slight pause at the end of each
line, helping the congregation understand the meaning of the
prayer. Highlights: -entirely based on the Bible readings
-consistency of style and format -ecumenical in tone and emphasis
-inclusive language sensitive -Complements the liturgical seasons
Are Islam and Christianity essentially the same? Should we seek to
overcome divisions by seeing Muslims and Christians as part of one
family of Abrahamic faith? Andy Bannister shares his journey from
the multicultural streets of inner-city London to being a Christian
with a PhD in Qur'anic Studies. Along the way, he came to
understand that far from being the same, Islam and Christianity are
profoundly different. Get to the heart of what the world's two
largest religions say about life's biggest questions-and discover
the uniqueness of Christianity's answer to the question of who God
really is.
The KJV Paragraph-style Large Print Thinline Bible features the
timeless beauty of the trustworthy King James Version Bible. While
the traditional design of the King James text starts each verse on
its own line, this edition improves the reading experience and
comprehension by keeping the writers' thoughts together in
paragraph format. And with Thomas Nelson's exclusive KJV Comfort
Print (R), you'll enjoy typography designed to be exceptionally
easy-to-read and honoring the legacy of the King James Version. In
1611 the King James Bible was published and authorized by the
monarch of England and Scotland. Today, more than 400 years since
its initial publication, the KJV is considered one of the most
influential and beautiful works of the English language and
continues to be the favorite translation for millions of Christians
worldwide. Features include: Clear and readable 10-point KJV
Comfort Print Line-matched double column text Bible book
introductions Words of Christ in red Over 22,000 translator notes
Over 43,000 cross-referenced passages Concordance One-year Bible
Reading Plan The Parables of Jesus Christ chart The Miracles of
Jesus Christ chart 8 pages of full-color maps 2 satin ribbons
Originally published in 1995, The Early Writings of Harold W. Clark
and Frank Lewis Marsh is the eighth volume in the Creationism in
Twentieth Century America series, reissued in 2019. The book is a
collection of original writings by the prominent creationist Harold
W. Clark, and the biologist, educator and young Earth creationist
Frank Lewis Marsh. Although both were significant figures in the
anti-evolutionist movement of the early 20th century, unlike other
members of the movement, both Marsh and Clarke were trained
scientists studying under eminent evolutionists of the time. Both
writers struggled to reconcile new scientific understandings of
geology, botany and palaeontology, supported by Darwin’s theory
of evolution, with their own creationist beliefs in genesis and
flood theory. Both scientists as such began to develop their own
theories of evolution that remained in line with creationist
beliefs. This compact and unique collection includes the writings
of Marsh and Clark from this period, featuring some of their
well-known works on the subject including ‘Back to Creation’
and ‘Fundamental Biology’. This volume of original sources will
be of interest to academics of religion, natural history and
historians of the 19th century.
What one can know depends on one’s evidence. Good scientific
theories are supported by evidence. Our experiences provide us with
evidence. Any sort of inquiry involves the seeking of evidence. It
is irrational to believe contrary to your evidence. For these
reasons and more, evidence is one of the most fundamental notions
in the field of epistemology and is emerging as a crucial topic
across academic disciplines. The Routledge Handbook of the
Philosophy of Evidence is an outstanding reference source to the
key topics, problems and debates in this exciting subject and is
first major volume of its kind. Comprising forty chapters by an
international team of contributors the Handbook is divided into six
clear parts: The Nature of Evidence Evidence and Probability The
Social Epistemology of Evidence Sources of Evidence Evidence and
Justification Evidence in the Disciplines. The Routledge Handbook
of the Philosophy of Evidence is essential reading for students and
researchers in philosophy of science and epistemology, and will
also be of interest to those in related disciplines across the
Humanities and Social Sciences such as law, religion, and history.
Mithras explores the history and practices of Mithraism, examining
literary and material evidence for Mithras and the reception of his
mysteries today. It offers the latest research on the figure of
Mithras and provides a comprehensive overview of Mithraism.
The stories and contributions of the apostles provide an important
entree into church history. This comprehensive historical and
literary introduction uncovers their lives and legacies,
underscoring the apostles' impact on the growth of the early
church. The author collects and distills the histories, legends,
symbols, and iconography of the original twelve and locates figures
such as Paul, Peter, and John in the broader context of the history
of the apostles. He also explores the continuing story of the
gospel mission and the twelve disciples beyond the New Testament.
The politicization of religion is a central feature of the modern
world, pointing to the continued relevance of the secularization
debate: does modernization result in the decline of the social and
political significance of religion or rather in a reaffirmation of
religious values? This book examines the emergence of different
patterns of secularization. It identifies the circumstances under
which religion may remain or cease to be politically active and
legitimate in societies where secularization has been initially
inhibited given a strong identification with the nation. Arguing
that in such societies the Church draws its power not only from its
relationship with the state but also its relationship with the
nation, this book identifies two patterns of secularization: (a)
co-optation, and (b) confrontation. The redefinition of the Church,
state and nation nexus is likely to result in secularization if (a)
the church obstructs the modernisation process (church and state),
and (b) if external threat perceptions decline (church and nation).
The simultaneous presence of these constraints serves to redefine
the role of religion in the formation of national identity.
Comparing Greece and the Republic of Ireland as two cultural
defence cases with a strong variation in the political and social
salience of religion, this book explains Ireland's current
secularization drive in terms of the fluidity of Irish national
identity and the rigidity of the Irish Catholic Church
(confrontation). It contrasts this with the Greek case where the
Church's resilience is linked to institutional flexibility on the
one hand and a reliance on an ethnic/religious national identity on
the other (co-optation). In conceptualizing the contemporary role
of religion in the Republic of Ireland and Greece, this book draws
a number of generalizable conclusions about the political role of
religion in cultural defence cases.
William A Graham, a leading international scholar in the field of
Islamic Studies, gathers together his selected writings under three
sections: 1.History and Interpretation of Islamic Religion; 2.The
Qur'an as Scripture, and 3. Scripture in the History of Religion.
Each section opens with a new introduction by Graham, and a
bibliography of his works is included. Graham's work in Islamic
studies focuses largely on the analysis and interpretation of the
religious dimensions of ritual action, scriptural piety, textual
authority/revelation, tradition, and major concepts, such as grace
and transcendence. His work in the comparative history of religion
has focused in particular on the 'problem' of scripture as a
cross-cultural religious phenomenon that is more complex than
simply 'sacred text'. This invaluable resource will be of primary
interest to students of the Islamic tradition, especially as
regards Qur'anic piety, Muslim 'ritual' practice, and fundamental
structures of Islamic thought, and to students of the comparative
history of religion, especially as regards the phenomenon of
'scripture' and its analogs.
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Revelations
(Paperback)
Xavier Reyes-Ayral
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R970
R804
Discovery Miles 8 040
Save R166 (17%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy offers mental health
professionals of all disciplines and orientations the most
comprehensive and rigorous introduction to the art of integrating
contemplative psychology, ethics, and practices, including
mindfulness, compassion, and embodiment techniques. It brings
together clinicians, scholars, and thought leaders of unprecedented
caliber, featuring some of the most eminent pioneers in the rapidly
growing field of contemplative psychotherapy. The new edition
offers an expanded array of effective contemplative interventions,
contemplative psychotherapies, and contemplative approaches to
clinical practice. New chapters discuss how contemplative work can
effect positive psychosocial change at personal, interpersonal, and
collective levels to address racial, gender, and other forms of
systemic oppression. The new edition also explores the
cross-cultural nuances in the integration of Buddhist psychology
and healing practices by Western researchers and clinicians and
includes the voices of leading Tibetan doctors. Advances in
Contemplative Psychotherapy offers a profound and synoptic overview
of one of psychotherapy's most intriguing and promising fields.
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