In The Magnificent Defeat, Frederick Buechner examines what it means to follow Christ, the lessons of Christmas and Easter, the miracles of grace, and "the magnificent defeat" of the human soul of God.

Believers in Jesus, as we read in the Scriptures, are "all children of the light, and children of the day," and are privileged to "walk in the light, as God is the light," God Himself being "their everlasting light, and their God their glory." Thus "walking in the light," they "have fellowship one with another;" and more than this, "with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." Abiding in this light and in this fellowship, their "joy is full," "out of weakness they are made strong," in all conditions of existence they find perfect content, and are "more than conquerors through Him that hath loved us," and "having all sufficiency for all things, are abundantly furnished for every good work." If all this is not true of any believer, it is because he is living below his revealed privileges, and is thus living because he does not "know the things which are freely given us of God." It contradicts every true idea of Christian character, to suppose that a true believer in Christ will "walk in darkness," knowing that he may "walk in the light;" will remain weak, knowing that he may be girded with "everlasting strength;" and will continue "carnal, sold under sin," knowing that he may enjoy "the glorious liberty of the sons of God." The specific and exclusive object of the following treatise is to make known to all who would know and understand their privileges as "the sons of God" and "believers in Jesus," the forms of divine knowledge above referred to. To the prayerful examination of all who are "walking in the light," or are inquiring after the light, the work is commended, with the fervent desire and prayer of the author, that "their joy may be full." ASA MAHAN (1799-1889) was America's foremost Christian educator, reformer, philosopher, and pastor. He was founding president of two colleges and one university, where he was able to inspire numerous reforms, publish authoritative philosophical texts, and promote powerful revivals like his close associate Charles Finney. He led the way on all important fronts while being severely persecuted. He introduced the new curriculum later adopted by Harvard, was the first to instruct and grant liberal college degrees to white and colored women, advised Lincoln during the Civil War, and among many other remarkable achievements, was a father to the early evangelical and holiness movements.

The Reverend Clarence Larkin was one of the most widely influential thinkers on end-times prophecies of the early twentieth century, and his writings remain vital to appreciating the apocalyptic Christian thought that today enjoys widespread popularity. This 1919 book serves as a study guide for the Book of Revelation, the Bible's prophetic final chapter. Larkin explains the concepts of the Beast and the False Prophet, the Seven Seals and the Seven Trumpets, and the importance of the Book of Daniel in understanding the Rapture. Charts and illustrations depict the "Pale Horse Rider," "Daniel's Four Wild Beasts," "Egyptian Plagues Compared," and more. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Larkin's The Spirit World, Rightly Dividing the Word, and The Second Coming of Christ. American Baptist pastor and author CLARENCE LARKIN (1850-1924) was born in Pennsylvania, and later set up his ministry there. He wrote extensively and popularly on a wide range of Biblical and theological matters.

The perfect gift for high school graduates, also available on the iPhone as an eBook.

This book is a continuation of the magickal series presented by the same author in The Divine Plan, Book of Clouds,

Opens up the traditional Jewish prayer book as a spiritual resource....This groundbreaking new series involves us in a personal dialogue with God, history and tradition, through the heritage of prayer. "The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul." Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, commentaries from many of today's most respected Jewish scholars from all movements of Judaism examine Shabbat at home from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives. My People s Prayer Book is a momentous multi-volume series that opens up the traditional Jewish prayer book (the Siddur) as a spiritual resource. Commentaries by respected teachers from all perspectives of the Jewish world provide the spiritual messages that make up the Siddur. Sometimes awe-striking, sometimes surprising, but always deeply spiritual, My People s Prayer Book is a gateway to the riches that the heritage of prayer offers us in our worship, and in our lives. The seventh volume celebrates Shabbat as a central family ritual, tracing the development of this loosely structured liturgy from early prayer books that draw on the classical rabbinic era, through medieval Jewish practice and the influence of Lurianic mysticism. Pausing to explore the key moments that mark this sacred time Erev Shabbat with Kiddush, Kiddusha Rabbah, and Motsa ei Shabbat with Havdalah Shabbat at Home captures the joy of this holy day s prayers, blessings, and z mirot (table songs), emphasizing the renewal of home liturgy in Jewish life and reinforcing the importance of Shabbat in the Jewish conception of time. Vol. 7 Shabbat at Home features the traditional Hebrew text with a new translation that lets people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions explain what to look for in the prayers, and how to truly use the commentaries to find meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine Shabbat at Home from the viewpoints of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as a myriad of other perspectives. Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of Shabbat at Home. My People s Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to create their own connection to 3,000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God. Each volume of My People s Prayer Book provides a new translation of the authentic Hebrew text, with diverse and exciting commentaries to the traditional liturgy, written by many of today s most respected scholars and teachers from all perspectives of the Jewish world. This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today s world, and makes its power accessible to all."

The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul.

This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today s world, and makes its power accessible to all.

Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, commentaries from many of today's most respected Jewish scholars from all movements of Judaism examine "Birkhot Hashachar" from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives.

This fifth volume in the series examines the complexities of personal and public prayer in Birkhot Hashachar, the blessings and readings surrounding each act of awakening. The Morning Blessings begin the daily service by establishing our right to stand before God in all our imperfect humanity. Vol. 5 helps us to understand how this collection of short prayers and a call to study recognizes each new day: we awaken as individuals but quickly affirm our role in the covenant with God.

"Vol. 5 Birkhot Hashachar (Morning Blessings) "features the traditional Hebrew text with a new translation that lets people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions explain what to look for in the prayer service, and how to truly "use" the commentaries to find meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine Birkhot Hashachar from the viewpoints of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as a myriad of other perspectives.

Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of "Birkhot Hashachar. My People s Prayer Book" enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to create their own connection to 3,000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God.

In medieval Ashkenaz piyyut commentary was a popular genre that consisted of 'open texts' that continued to be edited by almost each copyist. Although some early commentators can be identified, it is mainly compilers that are responsible for the transmitted form of text. Based on an ample corpus of Ashkenazic commentaries the study provides a taxonomy of commentary elements, including linguistic explanations, treatment of hypotexts, and medieval elements, and describes their use by different commentators and compilers. It also analyses the main techniques of compilation and the various ways they were employed by compilers. Different types of commentaries are described that target diverse audiences by using varied sets of commentary elements and compilatory techniques. Several commentaries are edited to illustrate the different commentary types.