|
Books > Biography > Religious & spiritual
Choosing Joy, a deftly-woven mosaic of memories, tells John
Dempster's story, with particular focus on his life-long quest to
find a way of being which is at once joyful, life-affirming and
true to his own experience. There are honest descriptions of
spiritual trauma and the anxiety and depression which complicate
the author's quest for an inner homecoming. He describes with
forgiveness and at times wry humour the effects of the Christian
formation he received in childhood; he charts his engagement with
evangelicalism, Reformed Theology, the charismatic movement,
post-modernism, and most recently faith 'deconstruction' and
'reconstruction'. And he recalls moments of joy, grace and inner
wholeness when a Great Love beckons. John Dempster resolves to
'choose joy' - to live, regardless of his emotions, in the light of
a fundamental love and joy lying at the heart of all things. But
will this vision be strong enough to sustain him? This vivid,
unforgettable book is for people who have been wounded by their
traumatic experiences of church; for those with mental health
issues and their families; for those undergoing 'deconstruction' of
their previous Christian belief; for those struggling to free
themselves from the burden of other people's expectations and find
their authentic selves. 'Choosing Joy is a work of integrity and
courage, soul-stirring and faith-enhancing.' Steve Aisthorpe,
Author of The Invisible Church and Rewilding the Church
The Trappist monk Thomas Merton (1915-1968) is considered one of
the most influential Catholic writers of the 20th century. With
over 80 works translated into more than two dozen languages, the
need for a comprehensive reference on Merton's writing is more than
necessary. More Than Silence: A Bibliography of Thomas Merton is
not only one of the most comprehensive bibliographies on Merton but
is also the first bibliography on Merton in more than 20 years.
This bibliography features subdivided lists that classify Merton's
books into the following categories: prose works, poetry, letters,
edits (by other editors), Merton's translations, contributions to
books, visual arts, music selections, and selections and
composites. Additionally, Albert Romkema, avid book collector and
owner of one of the largest private collections of Merton's
published works, has contributed a special section on rare books.
The autobiography of Rabbi Jacob Emden (1697-1776), now available
for the first time in English translation. Translated directly from
the original manuscript with notes.
Khadija was the first believer, to whom the Prophet Muhammad often
turned for advice. At a time when strongmen quickly seized power
from any female Muslim ruler, Arwa of Yemen reigned alone for five
decades. In nineteenth-century Russia, Mukhlisa Bubi championed the
rights of women and girls, and became the first Muslim woman judge
in modern history. After the Gestapo took down a Resistance network
in Paris, British spy Noor Inayat Khan found herself the only
undercover radio operator left in that city. In this unique
history, Hossein Kamaly celebrates the lives and achievements of
twenty-one extraordinary women in the story of Islam, from the
formative days of the religion to the present.
In His Own Words
The Compelling Personal Story of the Spiritual Life of the Dalai
Lama
The world knows the public face of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
We have read about his near escape from Tibet after the Chinese
invasion, his Nobel Peace Prize, and his friendships with world
leaders, Hollywood actors, and scientists around the world. But
what are his inner, personal thoughts on his own spiritual life?
For the first time and in his own words, the Dalai Lama charts his
spiritual journey from his boyhood days in rural Tibet to his years
as a monk in the capital city of Dharamsala, to his life in exile
as a world leader and symbol of peace.
By any measure, Dorothy Day lived a fascinating life. She was a
journalist, activist, single mother, convert, Catholic laywoman,
and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. A lifelong radical
who took the gospels at their word, Dorothy Day lived among the
poor as one of them, challenging both church and state to build a
better world for all people. Steeped in prayer, the liturgy, and
the spiritual life, she was jailed repeatedly for protesting
poverty, injustice, and war. Through it all, she created a sense of
community and remained down-to-earth and humanly approachable. To
have known Dorothy Day was to have experienced not only her charm
and humanity, but the purposefulness of her life. In Dorothy Day:
Love in Action, Patrick Jordan-who knew her personally-conveys some
of the hallmarks of Day's fascinating life and the spirit her
adventure inspires. People of God is a series of inspiring
biographies for the general reader. Each volume offers a compelling
and honest narrative of the life of an important twentieth or
twenty-first century Catholic. Some living and some now deceased,
each of these women and men has known challenges and weaknesses
familiar to most of us but responded to them in ways that call us
to our own forms of heroism. Each offers a credible and concrete
witness of faith, hope, and love to people of our own day.
This unique new book records and celebrates the extraordinary
wisdom and genius of Frederick William Dwelly, the first Dean of
Liverpool. His creativity in the use of poetry, of music, of the
commissioning of art, and in the use of the Great Space of
Liverpool Cathedral set him apart from his peers and won huge
admiration from all quarters. Above all, his liturgy was always
centred around the value of the human being and he fostered worship
that was dignified, imaginative and relevant for the thousands of
people who attended services. Peter Kennerley's lively account of
the work of a true master of liturgy is set in the context of the
story of the cathedral itself, to create this highly readable,
beautifully illustrated and fascinating volume.
Amid political innovation and social transformation, Revolutionary
America was also fertile ground for religious upheaval, as
self-proclaimed visionaries and prophets established new religious
sects throughout the emerging nation. Among the most influential
and controversial of these figures was Jemima Wilkinson. Born in
1752 and raised in a Quaker household in Cumberland, Rhode Island,
Wilkinson began her ministry dramatically in 1776 when, in the
midst of an illness, she announced her own death and reincarnation
as the Public Universal Friend, a heaven-sent prophet who was
neither female nor male. In The Public Universal Friend, Paul B.
Moyer tells the story of Wilkinson and her remarkable church, the
Society of Universal Friends.Wilkinson's message was a simple one:
humankind stood on the brink of the Apocalypse, but salvation was
available to all who accepted God's grace and the authority of his
prophet: the Public Universal Friend. Wilkinson preached widely in
southern New England and Pennsylvania, attracted hundreds of
devoted followers, formed them into a religious sect, and, by the
late 1780s, had led her converts to the backcountry of the newly
formed United States, where they established a religious community
near present-day Penn Yan, New York. Even this remote spot did not
provide a safe haven for Wilkinson and her followers as they
awaited the Millennium. Disputes from within and without dogged the
sect, and many disciples drifted away or turned against the Friend.
After Wilkinson's "second" and final death in 1819, the Society
rapidly fell into decline and, by the mid-nineteenth century,
ceased to exist. The prophet's ministry spanned the American
Revolution and shaped the nation's religious landscape during the
unquiet interlude between the first and second Great Awakenings.The
life of the Public Universal Friend and the Friend's church offer
important insights about changes to religious life, gender, and
society during this formative period. The Public Universal Friend
is an elegantly written and comprehensive history of an important
and too little known figure in the spiritual landscape of early
America.
Ashraf `Ali Thanawi (1863-1943) was one of the most prominent
religious scholars in Islamic history. Author of over a thousand
books on different aspects of Islam, his work sought to defend the
Islamic scholarly tradition and to articulate its authority in an
age of momentous religious and political change. In this
authoritative biography, Muhammad Qasim Zaman offers a
comprehensive and highly accessible account of Thanawi's
multifaceted career and thought, whilst also providing a valuable
introduction to Islam in modern South Asia.
The astonishing adventure classic about life in Tibet just before
the Chinese Communist takeover is now repackaged for a new
generation of readers.
In this vivid memoir that has sold millions of copies worldwide,
Heinrich Harrer recounts his adventures as one of the first
Europeans ever to enter Tibet and encounter the Dalai Lama.
Oscar Romero: Prophet of Hope is a comprehensive account of the
martyred Archbishop of San Salvador's incredible journey of
holiness and courageous witness in the face of cruel state
oppression. Historian Roberto Morozzo Della Rocca draws directly on
previously unpublished documents - some of which were used as
evidence in the process leading to Romero's beatification in 2015 -
to write the most authoritative biography of Romero to date.
Morozzo tells the complete story of Oscar Arnulfo Romero y
Galdamez, from his humble roots in Ciudad Barros, El Salvador, to
his ordination in Rome and his eventual appointment as Archbishop
of San Salvador. It weaves a sensitive account of Romero's
character - both public and private - with a mature appraisal of
his theology and unfailing commitment to the poor, marginalised and
persecuted of Latin America. The final chapter describes Romero's
movements and words during the final months, weeks and days that
led to his martyrdom - assassinated while celebrating Mass the day
after publicly appealing to soldiers of El Salvador's Revolutionary
Government to refuse their orders to kill.
This authoritative biography draws on over 150,000 words of
specially collected oral history to reveal who Francis Schaeffer
was and how he became one of the foremost shapers of modern
evangelical Christianity.
On June 27, 1844, a mob stormed the jail in the dusty frontier town
of Carthage, Illinois. Clamorous and angry, they were hunting down
a man they saw as a grave threat to their otherwise quiet lives:
the founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. They wanted
blood.At thirty-nine years old, Smith had already lived an outsized
life. In addition to starting his own religion and creating his own
Golden Bible",the Book of Mormon,he had worked as a water-dowser
and treasure hunter. He'd led his people to Ohio, then Missouri,
then Illinois, where he founded a city larger than fledgling
Chicago. He was running for president. And, secretly, he had
married more than thirty women.In American Crucifixion , Alex Beam
tells how Smith went from charismatic leader to public enemy: How
his most seismic revelation,the doctrine of polygamy,created a rift
among his people how that schism turned to violence and how,
ultimately, Smith could not escape the consequences of his ambition
and pride.Mormonism is America's largest and most enduring native
religion, and the martyrdom" of Joseph Smith is one of its
transformational events. Smith's brutal assassination propelled the
Mormons to colonize the American West and claim their place in the
mainstream of American history. American Crucifixion is a gripping
story of scandal and violence, with deep roots in our national
identity.
From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series: a fast-moving, musically
astute portrait of Irving Berlin, arguably the greatest composer of
American popular music "An extensively researched, entertaining,
and nuanced account that contextualizes Berlin's story and
achievements within the scope of Jewish immigrant New York and
modern American popular culture."-Library Journal Irving Berlin
(1888-1989) has been called-by George Gershwin, among others-the
greatest songwriter of the golden age of the American popular song.
"Berlin has no place in American music," legendary composer Jerome
Kern wrote; "he is American music." In a career that spanned an
astonishing nine decades, Berlin wrote some fifteen hundred tunes,
including "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "God Bless America," and
"White Christmas." From ragtime to the rock era, Berlin's work has
endured in the very fiber of American national identity. Exploring
the interplay of Berlin's life with the life of New York City,
noted biographer James Kaplan offers a visceral narrative of Berlin
as self-made man and witty, wily, tough Jewish immigrant. This
fast-paced, musically opinionated biography uncovers Berlin's
unique brilliance as a composer of music and lyrics. Masterfully
written and psychologically penetrating, Kaplan's book underscores
Berlin's continued relevance in American popular culture. About
Jewish Lives: Jewish Lives is a prizewinning series of
interpretative biography designed to explore the many facets of
Jewish identity. Individual volumes illuminate the imprint of
Jewish figures upon literature, religion, philosophy, politics,
cultural and economic life, and the arts and sciences. Subjects are
paired with authors to elicit lively, deeply informed books that
explore the range and depth of the Jewish experience from antiquity
to the present. In 2014, the Jewish Book Council named Jewish Lives
the winner of its Jewish Book of the Year Award, the first series
ever to receive this award. More praise for Jewish Lives:
"Excellent." - New York times "Exemplary." - Wall St. Journal
"Distinguished." - New Yorker "Superb." - The Guardian
This collection of autobiographical and teaching stories from peace
activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is thought provoking and
inspiring. Collected here for the first time, these stories span
his life. There are stories from his childhood and the traditions
of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenage
novice, as a young teacher and writer in war torn Vietnam, and of
his travels around the world to teach mindfulness, make pilgrimages
to sacred sites and influence world leaders. The tradition of Zen
teaching stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like
the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story-telling to engage people's
interest so he can share important teachings, insights and life
lessons.
|
You may like...
Ongeskonde
Alwyn Uys
Paperback
R240
R206
Discovery Miles 2 060
|