After more than a century of debate about the significance of imperial cults for the interpretation of Revelation, this is the first study to examine both the archaeological evidence and the Biblical text in depth. Friesen argues that a detailed analysis of imperial cults as they were practised in the first century CE in the region where John was active allows us to understand John's criticism of his society's dominant values. He demonstrates the importance of imperial cults for society at the time when Revelation was written, and shows the ways in which John refuted imperial cosmology.

What is utopia? Why are communes created? Where are they, and what do they promote? The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is a fascinating virtual catalogue of utopian societies and communes from past to present. From the Shakers to the Mormons to the Raelians and the Hutterites, the quest for a utopian lifestyle has been a human endeavor since the beginning of time. In this intriguing guide, North American utopian communities are explored by Friesen and Friesen with a view to a new social system for the twenty first century. The authors assert that the formation of a utopian society is both possible and feasible, and give examples of how to create one of our own. This is a smart, clever and unique reference for all of us who are curious to know more about utopian communities. MARKET 1: Religion; Sociology; Anthropology

Christianity Today Award of Merit Readers' Choice Awards Honorable Mention Best Books About the Church from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore "When . . . faith communities begin connecting together, in and for the neighborhood, they learn to depend on God for strength to love, forgive and show grace like never before. . . . The gospel becomes so much more tangible and compelling when the local church is actually a part of the community, connected to the struggles of the people, and even the land itself." Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight J. Friesen have seen-in cities, suburbs and small towns all over North America-how powerful the gospel can be when it takes root in the context of a place, at the intersection of geography, demography, economy and culture. This is not a new idea-the concept of a parish is as old as Paul's letters to the various communities of the ancient church. But in an age of dislocation and disengagement, the notion of a church that knows its place and gives itself to where it finds itself is like a breath of fresh air, like a sign of new life.

The biblical foundations of a Christian communal movement that has stood the test of five centuries. While in prison from 1540 to 1542, Riedemann wrote to the Lutheran ruler, Philip of Hesse, explaining the Hutterite goal of a renewed community and dispelling popular misconceptions. The Hutterites quickly accepted Riedemann’s confession as their own. Riedemann creatively weaves together a fresh reading of the Bible with the classical creeds, producing a powerful synthesis of Scripture and tradition on which to base Christian community. His dynamic vision of radical and communal discipleship still challenges believers toward greater faithfulness to the Lord and to each other. Riedemann’s confession gives theological grounding for the Hutterite understanding of economic communalism and offers practical examples of it. This confession continues to guide Hutterite communities today. This volume includes an English translation of the 1565 German edition of Confession of Our Religion, Teaching, and Faith, by the Brothers Who Are Known as the Hutterites along with a new history of Riedemann. It is the ninth volume in the Classics of the Radical Reformation, a series of Anabaptist and Free Church documents translated and annotated under the direction of the Institute of Mennonite Studies.

What is utopia? Why are communes created? Where are they, and what do they promote? The Palgrave Companion to North American Utopias is a fascinating catalog of utopian societies and communes from past to present. From the Shakers to the Mormons to the Raelians and the Hutterites, the quest for a utopian lifestyle has been a human endeavor since the beginning of time. In this intriguing guide, North American utopian communities are explored by John and Virginia Friesen with a view to a new social system for the twenty-first century. The authors assert that the formation of a utopian society is feasible, and give examples of how to create one. This is a smart, clever, and unique reference for all who are curious to know more about utopian communities.

After more than a century of debate about the significance of imperial cults for the interpretation of Revelation, this is the first study to examine both the archaeological evidence and the Biblical text in depth. Friesen argues that a detailed analysis of imperial cults as they were practiced in the first century CE in the region where John was active allows us to understand John's criticism of his society's dominant values. He demonstrates the importance of imperial cults for society at the time when Revelation was written, and shows the ways in which John refuted imperial cosmology through his use of vision, myth, and eschatological expectation.

This volume provides a review of recent research in Philippi related to archaeology, demography, religion, the New Testament and early Christianity. Careful reading of texts, inscriptions, coins and other archaeological materials allow the reader to examine how religious practice in Philippi changed as the city moved from being a Hellenistic polis to a Roman colony to a center for Christian worship and pilgrimage. The essays raise questions about traditional understandings of material culture in Philippi, and come to conclusions that reflect more complicated and diverse views of the city and its inhabitants.

Religion in Ephesos Reconsidered provides a detailed overview of the current state of research on the most important Ephesian projects offering evidence for religious activity during the Roman period. Ranging from huge temple complexes to hand-held figurines, this book surveys a broad scope of materials. Careful reading of texts and inscriptions is combined with cutting-edge archaeological and architectural analysis to illustrate how the ancient people of Ephesos worshipped both the traditional deities and the new gods that came into their purview. Overall, the volume questions traditional understandings of material culture in Ephesos, and demonstrates that the views of the city and its inhabitants on religion were more complex and diverse than has been previously assumed.

How do children deal with the breakdown of the world they live in? And will Nestor Tark's compassion for them destroy his own family's happiness? In the Sevolite Empire, your quality of life is determined by your genetic make-up, so it's tempting to twist the rules forbidding genetic engineering in your favor - even if the punishment for getting caught is death for all your descendants. On the planet Monitum, the Ald'erda children are left orphaned and forced to flee their homes when their father's ambition throws the entire planet into chaos - right after Nestor decides to move in. Blessed with special genetic gifts, the children are branded as criminals. Olivia, the oldest, struggles to keep her family together as she leads the hunted refugees like herself. Voltan, the youngest, teeters on the brink of insanity as his modified mind can't stop looking for answers. Their brother, Pleo, gives into rage and seeks revenge for his family, but his plans might not be all his own. These young sparrows need Nestor's help to survive, but at what cost to his own wife and child? And beyond mere survival, can any of them find a place for themselves in a society that despises them as catalysts of chaos?

Twice Neokoros is a case study of the Cult of the Sebastoi that was established in the city of Ephesus by the province of Asia during the late first century C.E. Epigraphic and numismatic data indicate that the Cult of the Sebastoi was dedicated in 89/90 to the Flavian imperial family. The architecture, sculpture, municipal titles, and urban setting of the cult all reflect Asian religious traditions. The image of Ephesus was significantly altered by the use of these traditions in the institutions related to the Cult of the Sebastoi. Within the context of the history of provincial cults in the Roman Empire, the Cult of the Sebastoi became a turning point in the rhetoric of social order. Thus, the Cult of the Sebastoi served as a prototypical manifestation of socio-religious developments during the late first and early second century in the Eastern Mediterranean.

How do children deal with the breakdown of the world they live in? And will Nestor Tark's compassion for them destroy his own family's happiness? In the Sevolite Empire, your quality of life is determined by your genetic make-up, so it's tempting to twist the rules forbidding genetic engineering in your favor - even if the punishment for getting caught is death for all your descendants. On the planet Monitum, the Ald'erda children are left orphaned and forced to flee their homes when their father's ambition throws the entire planet into chaos - right after Nestor decides to move in. Blessed with special genetic gifts, the children are branded as criminals. Olivia, the oldest, struggles to keep her family together as she leads the hunted refugees like herself. Voltan, the youngest, teeters on the brink of insanity as his modified mind can't stop looking for answers. Their brother, Pleo, gives into rage and seeks revenge for his family, but his plans might not be all his own. These young sparrows need Nestor's help to survive, but at what cost to his own wife and child? And beyond mere survival, can any of them find a place for themselves in a society that despises them as catalysts of chaos?

Who could benefit from reading a book like this?
Every adult could benefit from reading a book like this.
This bucket system for living is designed for the adult who is not able to say no to people and challenges that come their way in life. They do not say no, neither do they know when to say no.
Maybe you will identify with one of the following types of people.
Do you take good care of yourself and do you make good choices for you?
Do you say yes to requests, even though it is not a good choice for you?
Do you have a tough time making decisions? Or, defer decisions to someone else?
Do you operate in life by "winging it"? Or by "flying by the seat of your pants"?
Do you lack direction and purpose?
Did you have a difficult childhood and are you still being affected by it?
Have you been in an unhealthy relationship for years and feel like there is nothing of you left? Maybe you need some healing.
Did something happen to you around the years of your late teens and early twenties, which caused you to not develop your identity? Examples of life events which may have side tracked you could include a car accident or physical injury, sexual abuse, a loss of a friend or family member by death, addiction to drugs or alcohol, depression and poor self esteem.
Do you know how to think well and communicate to others what is important to you and what you believe?
Do you take things personally?
Do you worry what others think?
Do you struggle emotionally?
Then this bucket system is for you.
Every teenager could benefit from reading this book too. Developing our identity occurs in our late teen years and early twenties. Thisinformation on a bucket system for living would make these transition years much smoother.
The purpose of It's OK To Say No: A Bucket System For Living is to help you develop a system for living that you can use everyday, to help you make good choices for yourself. Once you have developed your system, you can use it for years to come; helping you to make good choices, to see clearly what is good for you and what is not and most importantly, to say no to what is not good for you and yes to what is good for you.
The benefits of having your own personal bucket system is that you will not struggle emotionally as much, you will think better, you will not take things personally, nor worry what others think. You will begin to think of your self differently and your self-esteem will grow and flourish.
For those readers who feel lost and maybe feel broken from experiencing significant trauma or damage in their lives, then this bucket system will assist you in rebuilding and healing. Imagine the wonderful gift of feeling whole once more. Once you have your bucket system for living, it will be easier to see who you are and to feel good about yourself again. To help one person to experience wholeness again, this book would be worth it.
Finally, maybe you are the reader that never established your own identity and have been winging it through life. With your bucket system for living you can begin to live a meaningful and purposeful life; life won't just be something that happens to you, life will become what you make it become for yourself.
Give this book a try. You will be glad you did.