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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Protestantism & Protestant Churches > Other Protestant & Nonconformist Churches
Natacha Tormey was born into the infamous religious cult known as
The Children of God. Abused, exploited, and brainwashed by 'The
Family', Natacha's childhood was stolen. Born to French hippy
parents attracted to the religious movement by the unusual mix of
evangelical Christianity, free love and rejection of the
mainstream, from an early age Natacha was brainwashed to believe
she had a special destiny - that she was part of an elite
children's army bestowed with superpowers that would one day save
the world from the Anti-Christ. Torn away from their parents,
Natacha and her siblings were beaten on a daily basis and forced to
sing and dance for entertainment in prisons and malls. Natacha
never expected to live to adulthood. At the age of 18 Natacha
escaped, but quickly found herself hurtling through a world she had
no understanding of. Alone, and grappling to come to terms with an
unbelievable sense of betrayal, she was stuck in a kind of limbo -
confused and unable to feel part of either way of life. Natacha is
one of the lucky ones; not all of her family survived the battle to
shed the shame and pain of their past. To date over 40 ex-Children
of God members of Natacha's generation have committed suicide. All
Natacha ever wanted was to feel normal, but escaping the cult was
only the beginning. Shocking, moving, but ultimately inspiring,
this is Natacha's full story; it is both a personal tale of trauma
and recovery, and an expose of the secret world of abuse hidden
behind commune walls.
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Angels All Around Us
(Hardcover)
Christopher Paul Carter; Illustrated by Skye Como Miller; Edited by Lily Herndon Weaks
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R581
Discovery Miles 5 810
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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What if there was a key that made every prayer more
effective--something that would bring all prayers into agreement
with the heart of God every single time? This type of praying does
exist, says bestselling author and prophetic leader James W. Goll,
and it's called prophetic intercession. It is the humble act of
holding the needs of people before God while leaning into God's
heart for them. There is nothing mystical or elite about this kind
of praying, and it's for the new Christian and the most seasoned
prayer warrior. All you need is to learn to lean into your heavenly
Father and pray what you see and hear in alignment with his heart,
empowered by the Holy Spirit. God wants you to align your heart
with his. He wants you to pray more effectively in these turbulent
times, and he wants you to help usher in the fullness of his
purposes on the earth. Are you ready?
The complex and sometimes contradictory articulation of ethnicity,
religion and gender informs this book on the cultural construction
of identity for Jamaican migrants in Britain. The author argues
that religion -- in this case Pentecostalism -- cannot be
understood simply as a means of spiritual compensation for the
economically disadvantaged. Rather, in the New Testament Church of
God, one of Britain's largest African Caribbean churches, the
cosmology of the church resolves the questions surrounding identity
as well as suffering. Religious participation is one way in which
African Caribbean people negotiate the terms of representation and
interaction in British society.
Today over forty million Latin Americans classify themselves as
Protestant, of which the overwhelming majority belong to some form
of Pentecostalism. The rapid dissemination of Pentecostal beliefs
has produced vibrant alternatives to traditional dominant culture
and changed relations within the family, locality, and workplace.
This volume introduces broad issues in the Pentecostal movement,
including gender relations, political power and organization, and
inter-Pentecostal and ecumenical relations. These themes are then
examined more specifically in the country case studies, which
address the historical foundations of the Pentecostal movement,
patterns of and explanation for its growth, and the consequences of
its expanding presence, including increased political influence.
D. Duane Cummins describes this book as ""an appreciative
biography""; Cummins' approach combines the warmth of personal
acquaintance with a lucid and well-researched account of
Teegarden's life. Kenneth Teegarden was born in Cushing, Oklahoma,
in 1921, ""a fourth-generation Oklahoman and a sixth-generation
Disciple,"" and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) never
lost its importance in his life. Teegarden served as general
minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ) for many years. He was a central figure in planning and
explaining the new ""design"" of the church through the Commission
for Brotherhood Restructure and was ""a powerful and constant
advocate of peace with justice,"" working toward the passage of
peace resolutions and encouraging racial integration in the battle
for civil rights. Kenneth Teegarden was minister in residence at
the Brite Divinity School after he resigned as general minister and
president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and he
continued to teach and mentor students, parishioners, friends, and
family until his death in 2002.
By the election year of 1844, Joseph Smith, the controversial
founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had
amassed a national following of some 25,000 believers. Nearly half
of them lived in the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, where Smith was not
only their religious leader but also the mayor and the
commander-in-chief of a militia of some 2,500 men. In less than
twenty years, Smith had helped transform the American religious
landscape and grown his own political power substantially. Yet the
standing of the Mormon people in American society remained
unstable. Unable to garner federal protection, and having failed to
win the support of former president Martin Van Buren or any of the
other candidates in the race, Smith decided to take matters into
his own hands, launching his own bid for the presidency. While many
scoffed at the notion that Smith could come anywhere close to the
White House, others regarded his run-and his religion-as a threat
to the stability of the young nation. Hounded by mobs throughout
the campaign, Smith was ultimately killed by one-the first
presidential candidate to be assassinated. Though Joseph Smith's
run for president is now best remembered-when it is remembered at
all-for its gruesome end, the renegade campaign was revolutionary.
Smith called for the total abolition of slavery, the closure of the
country's penitentiaries, and the reestablishment of a national
bank to stabilize the economy. But Smith's most important proposal
was for an expansion of protections for religious minorities. At a
time when the Bill of Rights did not apply to individual states,
Smith sought to empower the federal government to protect
minorities when states failed to do so. Spencer W. McBride tells
the story of Joseph Smith's quixotic but consequential run for the
White House and shows how his calls for religious freedom helped to
shape the American political system we know today.
This book is a pneumatological reflection on the use and abuse of
the Spirit in light of the abuse of religion within South African
Pentecostalism. Both emerging and well-established scholars of
South African Pentecostalism are brought together to reflect on
pneumatology from various approaches, which includes among others:
historical, biblical, migration, commercialisation of religion,
discernment of spirits and human flourishing. From a broader
understanding of the function of the Holy Spirit in different
streams of Pentecostalism, the argument is that this function has
changed with the emergence of the new Prophetic churches in South
Africa. This is a fascinating insight into one of the major
emerging worldwide religious movements. As such, it will be of
great interest to academics in Pentecostal Studies, Christian
Studies, Theology, and Religious Studies as well as African Studies
and the Sociology of Religion.
In popular culture and scholarship, a consistent trope about
Mormonism is that it features a propensity for violence, born of
the religion's theocratic impulses and the antinomian tendencies of
special revelation. Mormonism and Violence critically assesses the
relationship of Mormonism and violence through a close examination
of Mormon history and scripture, focusing on the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Element pays special attention to
violence in the Book of Mormon and the history of the movement,
from the 1830s to the present.
What you believe is a result of what you think. When believers
allow God's Word to renew their minds, they begin thinking the
right scriptural way to walk in victory.
Theology has a rich tradition across the African continent, and has
taken myriad directions since Christianity first arrived on its
shores. This handbook charts both historical developments and
contemporary issues in the formation and application of theologies
across the member countries of the African Union. Written by a
panel of expert international contributors, chapters firstly cover
the various methodologies needed to carry out such a survey.
Various theological movements and themes are then discussed, as
well as biblical and doctrinal issues pertinent to African
theology. Subjects addressed include: * Orality and theology *
Indigenous religions and theology * Patristics * Pentecostalism *
Liberation theology * Black theology * Social justice * Sexuality
and theology * Environmental theology * Christology * Eschatology *
The Hebrew Bible and the New Testament The Routledge Handbook of
African Theology is an authoritative and comprehensive survey of
the theological landscape of Africa. As such, it will be a hugely
useful volume to any scholar interested in African religious
dynamics, as well as academics of Theology or Biblical Studies in
an African context.
Bestselling Author and Missionary Rolland Baker Reveals the Heart
of True, Lasting Revival "There has been much talk in recent years
of revival," says bestselling author and missionary Rolland Baker,
"so much so that I wonder at times whether revival itself has
become the object of devotion." Too often believers seek out
revival, not the Reviver. When unchecked, they often pursue an
emotional or physical experience or focus on how many came to
Christ, rather than worship Jesus himself. Yet the heart of true,
lasting revival is Christ--of falling in love with him so deeply
that you can't help but tell others about him. And that, says
Baker, is what has fueled him, his wife, Heidi, and all of Iris
Ministries over the last thirty years. "This book is about
sustaining revival over decades," says Baker. "By that I mean it is
a book about falling in love and staying in love with the person of
Jesus Christ. Revival is about the Reviver, nothing more and
nothing less. My prayer is that you will fall in love with him with
all your heart as you read these pages, and that you will not be
able to resist giving that love away, wherever you place your
feet."
Research on Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity has increased
dramatically in recent decades, and a diverse array of disciplines
have begun to address a range of elements of these movements. Yet,
there exists very little understanding of Pentecostal theology, and
it is not uncommon to encounter stereotypes and misperceptions.
Addressing this gap in current research, The Routledge Handbook of
Pentecostal Theology is an exceptional reference source to the key
topics, challenges, and debates in this growing field of study and
is the first collection of its kind to offer a comprehensive
presentation and critical discussion of this subject. Comprising
over forty chapters written by a team of international
contributors, the Handbook is divided into five parts:
Contextualizing Pentecostal Theology Sources Theological Method
Doctrines and Practices Conversations and Challenges. These
sections take the reader through a comprehensive introduction to
what Pentecostals believe and how they practice their faith.
Looking at issues such as the core teachings of Pentecostalism
concerning Spirit baptism, divine healing, or eschatology; unique
practices, such as spiritual warfare and worship; and less
discussed issues, such as social justice and gender, each chapter
builds towards a nuanced and global picture of the theology of the
Pentecostal movement. The Routledge Handbook of Pentecostal
Theology is essential reading for students and researchers in
Pentecostal Studies, World Christianity, and Theology as well as
scholars working in contemporary Religious Studies.
HONOURING THE DECLARATION provides academic resources to help The
United Church of Canada and other Canadian denominations enact
their commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples and offers a framework for reconciliation between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Featuring essays
from scholars working from a range of disciplines, including
religious studies, Indigenous legal studies, Christian theology and
ethics, Biblical studies, Indigenous educational leadership within
the United Church, and social activism, the collection includes
both Indigenous and non-Indigenous voices, all of whom respond
meaningfully to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to
Action. The texts explore some of the challenges that accepting the
UN Declaration as a framework poses to the United Church and other
Canadian denominations, and provides academic reflection on how
these challenges can be met. These reflections include concrete
proposals for steps that Canadian denominations and their
seminaries need to take in light of their commitment to the
Declaration, a study of a past attempt of the United Church to be
in solidarity with Indigenous peoples, and discussions of ethical
concepts and theological doctrines that can empower and guide the
church in living out this commitment.
Hopeful Message for the Days Ahead from a Bestselling Author The
future of this planet has never looked bleaker . . . or brighter.
The darkest time in all of history, as well as the most brilliant
for the people of God, lies before us. Jesus' own words about the
wheat and the weeds warn us of this: "Let both grow together until
the harvest." In a hopeful, inspiring call to action, bestselling
author and pastor Don Finto challenges believers the world over to
become radical, God-empowering, miracle-working, people-rescuing
followers of Jesus as the final harvest nears. Delving into
Scripture, he shows how we can prepare for the exciting
possibilities of the days ahead, including how to press into the
light, shine more brightly in the deepening darkness, protect
ourselves during the ultimate Passover, watch for the signs of
Jesus' return, wrestle for victory, and more! Evil may be on the
rise. But even greater is God's army--and our best days lie ahead.
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