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Books > Biography > Religious & spiritual
Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-84) was one of the most powerful and
controversial figures in nineteenth-century Bengal. A religious
leader and social reformer, his universalist interpretation of
Hinduism found mass appeal in India, and generated considerable
interest in Britain. His ideas on British imperial rule, religion
and spirituality, global history, universalism and modernity were
all influential, and his visit to England made him a celebrity.
Many Britons regarded him as a prophet of world-historical
significance. Keshab was the subject of extreme adulation and
vehement criticism. Accounts tell of large crowds prostrating
themselves before him, believing him to be an avatar. Yet he died
with relatively few followers, his reputation in both India and
Britain largely ruined. As a representative of India, Keshab became
emblematic of broad concerns regarding Hinduism and Christianity,
science and faith, India and the British Empire. This innovative
study explores the transnational historical forces that shaped
Keshab's life and work. It offers an alternative religious history
of empire, characterised by intercultural dialogue and religious
syncretism. A fascinating and often tragic portrait of Keshab's
experience of the imperial world, and the ways in which he carried
meaning for his contemporaries.
This unique biography reveals how C. S. Lewis's adolescent years
shaped his later writing-tracing themes such as his delight in
literature, his key relationships, his suffering and struggles, and
his intense pursuit of joy. Volume 1 of a new trilogy.
Therese of Lisieux died on 30 September 1897. Nine months later,
the now classic Story of a Soul appeared and proved an immediate
success. However, when historians had access fifty years later to
manuscripts written by Therese they were surprised to discover
enormous differences between these texts and the published version
of Story of a Soul. Jean-Francois Six has written this new book
with two purposes. First, he recalls the history of how Mother
Agnes, Prioress of the Carmelite convent and sister of Therese
altered and completed Therese's text so that it became a travesty
of the original. Secondly he re-establishes the truth of the last
months of Therese's life, her authentic spiritual message, and her
contribution to the history of mysticism. Here is a key study and a
crucial work of rehabilitation.
After leading a very conventional life, a middle-aged Val told God
she was available to be used by him. Moving to an inner-city
church, God opened her eyes and heart to what was happening in
Bristol, and so began a remarkable rollercoaster ride of love,
compassion, burnout, determination, honesty, victories and defeats.
Founding the charity One25, Val worked with the female sex workers
of Bristol, offering a listening ear, acceptance, support and a
safe place to stay that has changed many lives. Val's incredible
story shows that it is never too late for God to work in your life
and will encourage you to have the faith to step out and do what
God has called you to do. Content Benefits: This inspiring
biography encourages you not to be pigeon holed by your life so far
- God can break into your life and do great things through you too!
* Demonstrates how God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary
things through them * Reveals how God loves those that society
ignores * Shows sex workers not as fallen women but women of
dignity and strength * Helps you understand issues around sex
working, addiction and homelessness * Includes a photo insert *
Perfect for anyone who loves to hear stories of God at work *
Suitable for readers who love testimonies and faith-inspiring
stories * Ideal for anyone interested in social action * An
inspirational gift idea for any occasion
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Charles Mulli
(Paperback)
Janet Benge, Geoff Benge
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R361
R309
Discovery Miles 3 090
Save R52 (14%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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This historical investigation into the real John the Baptist brings
to light one of the most influential figures in Christianity and
western civilization, who is also a revered figure in Islam and
other religions. Two thousand years later his life and example are
still an influence for millions. John the Baptist's importance is
such that he appears in all four Gospels, together with the
writings of Josephus, and is inextricably linked to the life of
Jesus. John was a friend, inspiration and forerunner for Jesus -
and a respected figure in his own lifetime - yet the historical
facts of his life are unknown to most. Josephine Wilkinson
assembles the evidence to show us the man whose views led him to be
sentenced to death and beheaded by Herod. Based on the ancient
sources, the author gets as close as it is possible to get to a
biography of John, including an account of his relationship with
Jesus.
Other than what is contained in her singular work, Showings of
Divine Love, we know almost nothing of the personal life of Julian.
We do, however, know something about her background, as a recluse,
or anchoress, and the social, cultural, and political life of
late-fourteenth-century England. Although nothing of it is
mentioned in her Showings, the times in which Julian lived were
fraught with political, social, and economic upheavals in both
Church and state. There are, indeed, many parallels to the present
age. This, in part, helps to explain why Julian speaks so loudly to
today after six hundred years of silence. On the thirteenth of May,
1373, Julian received a series of sixteen visions centered on the
person and sufferings of Jesus and on the Trinity. A short time
later, she wrote an account of them in twenty-five chapters (known
as the "Short Text"). Twenty years later, after much prayer and
reflection, she wrote another account consisting of eighty-six
chapters (called the "Long Text"). During this important interim,
Julian the visionary became Julian the theologian. Julian's visions
correspond to the classic understanding of such phenomena. Some
visions were spiritual locutions. In this experience, God spoke
directly to her heart in such a way as to communicate with
absolute, unquestioned clarity the desired message. Actual words
were probably not used but the visionary was left with no doubt as
to the authenticity or the meaning of the message. Other visions
were visual or experienced as coming through the corporeal senses.
These resulted from the direct action of God on the imagination.
Still others were spiritual visions, not easily expressed and
usually concerned with the deeper mysteries of God, such as the
Trinity. Many of Julian's visions were combinations of all three
types. This book is not a translation or a paraphrase of Julian's
Showings of Divine Love. Rather, it is a commentary intended to
provide information, reflections, and some further theological
understanding that may enhance the modern Christian's reading of
Julian's book. It may be read independently, prior to reading
Julian's book, or together with it, chapter by chapter.
Popular podcaster and self-proclaimed control freak Tara Sun shows
how "having everything under control" is overrated--not to mention
downright dangerous--and reveals the surprising, lifegiving
alternative: only radical surrender to God brings the peace and
fulfillment we yearn for. Today's culture is peddling a seductive
promise, a message that bombards social media feeds and dominates
bestseller lists: you can control your circumstances and achieve
any goal through positive thinking, organization, and sheer force
of will. But anyone who's tried to white-knuckle their way to
self-fulfillment has discovered what lies on the other side of this
supposedly empowering message: frustration, disappointment, and
exhaustion. Tara knows what it's like to be obsessed with
control--all under the guise of the supposed virtues of being
self-sufficient, organized, and high achieving. When a battle with
severe chronic illness demolished her illusions of control, Tara
embarked on a journey of discovering the antidote to the burdensome
and ultimately empty myth of control: surrender to the God who
cares for us and has an infinitely better blueprint for a life
filled with joy, peace, and meaning. Readers will identify how the
false promises of control and self-sufficiency have warped their
view of themselves, their hopes, and their purpose; learn to trust
God--in the big events and the small details of their lives;
discover practical steps and strategies for letting go of control
and moving forward in faith, even in the face of setbacks and
disappointments; and be inspired by examples from Tara's life and
from the Bible of the strength and purpose that comes through a
lifestyle of surrender. For all those who are exhausted from trying
to control their lives and disappointed by their unreached plans,
Surrender Your Story is a welcome lifeline that opens readers' eyes
to the beauty of a life surrendered to the Master Planner.
This book illuminates important issues faced by Orthodox Judaism in
the modern era by relating the life and times of Rabbi Yudel
Rosenberg (1859-1935). In presenting Yudel Rosenberg's rabbinic
activities, this book aims to show that Jewish Orthodoxy could
serve as an agent of modernity no less than its opponents. Yudel
Rosenberg's considerable literary output will demonstrate that the
line between "secular" and "traditional" literature was not always
sharp and distinct. Rabbi Rosenberg's kabbalistic works will shed
light on the revival of kabbala study in the twentieth century.
Yudel Rosenberg's career in Canada will serve as a counter-example
to the often-expressed idea that Hasidism exercised no significant
influence on the development of American Judaism at the turn of the
twentieth century.
With sound historical scholarship and penetrating insight, Roland
Bainton examines Luther's widespread influence. He re-creates the
spiritual setting of the sixteenth century, showing Luther's place
within it and influence upon it. Richly illustrated with more than
100 woodcuts and engravings from Luther's own time, Here I Stand
dramatically brings to life Martin Luther, the great Reformer. A
specialist in Reformation history, Roland H. Bainton was for
forty-two years Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History at
Yale, and he continued his writing well into his twenty years of
retirement. Bainton wore his scholarship lightly and had a lively,
readable style. His most popular book was Here I Stand: A Life of
Martin Luther (1950), which sold more than a million copies.
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Therese
(Paperback)
Dorothy Day; Foreword by Robert Ellsberg
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R456
R378
Discovery Miles 3 780
Save R78 (17%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Now back in print, this short biography of St. Therese of Lisieux
by Dorothy Day expresses the surprising yet profound connection
between Day - the founder of the Catholic Worker movement who was
praised by Pope Francis for her passion for justice and dedication
to her faith - and the beloved saint best known for her Little Way.
Whether you are called to the active life like Day or a more hidden
existence like Therese, you will discover that these paths have
much in common and can lead you to a love that has the power to
transform you in ways that are unexpected and consequential.
Written originally for nonbelievers or those unaware of Therese,
the book reflects how Day came to appreciate Therese's Little Way,
not as an abstract concept, but as a spirituality that she had
already been living. Day's life, like Therese's, was filled with
all the humble, self-effacing jobs that were a part of this work.
She found in Therese a kindred spirit, one who saw these simple
hidden tasks as the way to heaven.
George Whitefield proclaimed the Christian message to more people
in history than anyone else, before or since, who spoke with an
unaided voice. A preacher of revival almost from his childhood,
when he prophesied his own destiny, he had a profound impact on the
social, religious and political life of both Britain and America.
He crossed the Atlantic thirteen times, and merged as a celebrity
figure, whose message captivated both rich and poor alike.
Whitefield heralded a new kind of revival that was both spiritually
powerful and entertaining at the same time. He was also a man of
contradictions. He loved the Anglican liturgy but would happily
break canon law. He was a devoted Puritan yet he was also able to
befriend those with more liberal morals, Above all, Whitefield was
a driven man, and his overwhelming passion was to preach New Birth
in Christ - the theme he was to speak on over a thousand times. He
valued education, opposed slavery, cared for orphan children and
changed the course of both British and American history.
First full-length study of the life and career of John Henry
Williams, one of the most fascinating figures of the
eighteenth-century church. John Henry Williams was the vicar of
Wellesbourne in south Warwickshire from 1778 until his death some
fifty years later. A dedicated pastor, displaying an `enlightened
and liberal' outlook, his career illuminates the Church of
England's condition in the period, and also a clergyman's place in
local society. However, he was not merely a country parson. A
`political clergyman', Williams engaged fervently in both
provincial and national political debate, denouncing the war with
revolutionary France between 1793 and 1802, and published a series
of forceful sermons condemning the struggle on Christian
principles. To opponents, he appeared insidious and blinkered, but
to admirers he was 'a sound divine, and not a less sound
politician'. This book, the first to examine Williams' career in
full, is a detailed, vivid, and sometimes moving, study of a man
who occupies an honorable and significant position in the Church of
England's history and in the history of British peace campaigning.
Dr COLIN HAYDON teaches in the Department of History at the
University of Winchester.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Augustus Strong emerged as
one of the most influential church leaders and theologians in
America. But, as Grant Wacker reveals in this masterful study,
Strong also proved to be as tragic a figure as he was influential.
Strong was forced to choose between conceptual worlds that were, to
him, equally incompatible and compelling. Strong wrestled with how
the critical study of history, exemplified in the method commonly
called "historicism" (or "historical consciousness"), can be
reconciled with the many ahistorical assumptions embedded in the
claims of traditional Christianity. Is the notion of human
sinfulness, for example, simply an artifact of time and place? Or
does it carry an underlying truth that endures, independent of the
biblical context and interpretation of classic Christian thinkers?
Strong acquired a historical awareness considered rare among
conservative scholars. Despite cultivating this historical
sensibility, he struggled with its implications. In the end, Wacker
writes, Strong "clung to the conviction that the faith once
delivered unto the fathers somehow stands above the vicissitudes of
history, even as he became increasingly conscious that all things
human are fragile creations of time and place." This edition,
complete with a new preface, reveals why Strong remains relevant
today. Strong, though a man of his time, illustrates the perennial
conflict created by competing interests of theology and history, a
conflict that still torments those who seek to be faithful to the
obligations of both the church and academy.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Augustus Strong emerged as
one of the most influential church leaders and theologians in
America. But, as Grant Wacker reveals in this masterful study,
Strong also proved to be as tragic a figure as he was influential.
Strong was forced to choose between conceptual worlds that were, to
him, equally incompatible and compelling. Strong wrestled with how
the critical study of history, exemplified in the method commonly
called "historicism" (or "historical consciousness"), can be
reconciled with the many ahistorical assumptions embedded in the
claims of traditional Christianity. Is the notion of human
sinfulness, for example, simply an artifact of time and place? Or
does it carry an underlying truth that endures, independent of the
biblical context and interpretation of classic Christian thinkers?
Strong acquired a historical awareness considered rare among
conservative scholars. Despite cultivating this historical
sensibility, he struggled with its implications. In the end, Wacker
writes, Strong "clung to the conviction that the faith once
delivered unto the fathers somehow stands above the vicissitudes of
history, even as he became increasingly conscious that all things
human are fragile creations of time and place." This edition,
complete with a new preface, reveals why Strong remains relevant
today. Strong, though a man of his time, illustrates the perennial
conflict created by competing interests of theology and history, a
conflict that still torments those who seek to be faithful to the
obligations of both the church and academy.
This is a reprint of the 1891 edition of John Doyle Lee's
autobiography and story of Brigham Young and the earliest days of
Mormonism, which was written after Lee's conviction for the 1857
attack on an Arkansas immigrant wagon train camped at Mountain
Meadows, Utah, and originally published in 1877. Lee was the only
member of the Church of Latter Day Saints to be sentenced for
participation in the killing of more than 120 men, women, and
children bound for California.In this writing, Lee described his
early Church missions among 'gentiles,' his work with Joseph Smith
and Brigham Young, and the persecutions endured by Church leaders
and followers that compelled them to move West. Bitter over his
conviction, Lee blamed Church leaders for the Mountain Meadows
murders, calling Brigham Young 'the greatest criminal of the
nineteenth century.'This reissue includes the original publisher's
preface and an introduction by John D. Lee's attorney, W. W.
Bishop. Of interest to readers of social and religious history, the
book also provides an account of Lee's arrest and execution,
transcripts of his trial, and the names of others involved in the
Mountain Meadows massacre.
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