Warring religions. Violence in the name of God. Clashing ideologies. Clearly, religious conflict has divided and polarized the modern world. No longer are discussions about religious intolerance limited to historians and theologians. One cannot turn on the television, listen to talk radio or surf the Internet without being bombarded by messages--many filled with bias and inaccuracies--about religious differences. Once viewed by world leaders as a harmless artifact of the past, religion has moved from the periphery of society to the center of the battlefield. Viewing Meister Eckhart Smashing through barriers of time and place, it focuses on key concepts by one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all time through the lens of a beloved Hindu classic. A unique and engaging look at the profound truths found in both the writings of Meister Eckhart and the Bhagavad Gita. Informative and clearly written, the book is a welcome addition to comparative mystical literature. masterfully navigates the contours of both the Eastern mystical tradition and Western philosophy. She is at home in the medieval mind and soul...(and) illustrates common elements found in these two distinctive works. Spirituality, Drew University

There has been a flurry of writing about teachers as inquirers and researchers as well as books about children as inquirers. This volume brings these two areas together -- teachers and students are inquiring at Ridgeway Elementary School. It demonstrates the importance of thought collectives as forums for student and teacher learning. The children in the primary classrooms in this book are working to understand the world around them and their place in it as literate individuals. Their teachers are studying themselves and the students. No other book describes the way this work affects children, teachers, and the ethos of the school in which the work occurs. In that sense, this book is groundbreaking in that it is an honest portrayal of the joys and sorrows, the successes and the stumbling blocks, the clear vision, and the obfuscating that teachers live as they enact a life of asking questions, being curious, wandering, and wondering.
Acknowledging and honoring the many faces of inquiry in schools, this book demonstrates the children's inquiry, their teachers' inquiry, and the place of that inquiry in schools. It lays out the ways in which inquiry is fundamental to teaching and learning in a democracy in which all of the members of the community have a voice in deciding curricular directions and ways of presenting learning. Teachers are presented as thinkers and learners, not merely as technicians enacting others' views of what is to be learned and when. Readers will find teachers dealing with the real issues of life in schools; they will see how teachers can use their existing situations as points of departure for their growth and their students' learning.

This first volume of Music in Black American Life collects research and analysis that originally appeared in the journals American Music and the Black Music Research Journal, and in the University of Illinois Press's acclaimed book series Music in American Life. In these selections, experts from a cross-section of disciplines engage with fundamental issues in ways that changed our perceptions of Black music. The topics includes the culturally and musically complex Black music-making of colonial America; string bands and other lesser-known genres practiced by Black artists; the jubilee industry and its audiences; and innovators in jazz, blues, and Black gospel. Eclectic and essential, Music in Black American Life, 1600-1945 offers specialists and students alike a gateway to the history and impact of Black music in the United States. Contributors: R. Reid Badger, Rae Linda Brown, Samuel A. Floyd Jr., Sandra Jean Graham, Jeffrey Magee, Robert M. Marovich, Harriet Ottenheimer, Eileen Southern, Katrina Dyonne Thompson, Stephen Wade, and Charles Wolfe

Who would have thought that the innocent jingle of a bell could change lives of so many? Not only were the Gentry children still grieving the loss of their father they were now learning to survive without the mother who had been their stability. As they stepped into uncharted waters Heather Gentry, as well as her brother and two sisters began to experience first hand the faith that had sustained their mother. Cody Jackson, the youngest member of the Matthews Gang walked his journey alone. Orphaned as a young boy Cody only knew one way - survive the best way he could. Watching the storm clouds raging over the Tennessee mountains Cody realized just how alone he really was. With a seeking and wounded heart Cody moved further west in hopes of finding the peace that for so long had eluded him. As he stumbles for answers his path crosses with an old preacher who gently takes Cody under his wing and into his heart. Through the love of Preacher John Davis, Cody begins his walk toward the cross and a different life than he's ever known. Book One.

The Heart of a Woman offers the first-ever biography of Florence B. Price, a composer whose career spanned both the Harlem and Chicago Renaissances, and the first African American woman to gain national recognition for her works.Price's twenty-five years in Chicago formed the core of a working life that saw her create three hundred works in diverse genres, including symphonies and orchestral suites, art songs, vocal and choral music, and arrangements of spirituals. Through interviews and a wealth of material from public and private archives, Rae Linda Brown illuminates Price's major works while exploring the considerable depth of her achievement. Brown also traces the life of the extremely private individual from her childhood in Little Rock through her time at the New England Conservatory, her extensive teaching, and her struggles with racism, poverty, and professional jealousies. In addition, Brown provides musicians and scholars with dozens of musical examples.

This first volume of Music in Black American Life collects research and analysis that originally appeared in the journals American Music and the Black Music Research Journal, and in the University of Illinois Press's acclaimed book series Music in American Life. In these selections, experts from a cross-section of disciplines engage with fundamental issues in ways that changed our perceptions of Black music. The topics includes the culturally and musically complex Black music-making of colonial America; string bands and other lesser-known genres practiced by Black artists; the jubilee industry and its audiences; and innovators in jazz, blues, and Black gospel. Eclectic and essential, Music in Black American Life, 1600-1945 offers specialists and students alike a gateway to the history and impact of Black music in the United States. Contributors: R. Reid Badger, Rae Linda Brown, Samuel A. Floyd Jr., Sandra Jean Graham, Jeffrey Magee, Robert M. Marovich, Harriet Ottenheimer, Eileen Southern, Katrina Dyonne Thompson, Stephen Wade, and Charles Wolfe

SHELTERED SHADOWS DURING STORMS OF WAR (Book Five in the Series) The Civil War rages, shaking the very foundation of a young nation. It divided states, counties, towns and families. As a young boy, Alex Bailey had witnessed firsthand the cruelty of slavery on the Bailey Plantation. Now, as an adult, Alex knew he had to do something. He and Mary had already taken Titus and his family under their protection, but still more needed to be done. They found they could help shelter those in need through being part of the Underground Railroad. Jonas Dixon continues to betray his country. However, now his main objective is revenge. Sutton Abbott and Mackenzie Whitman have been a thorn in his flesh for far too long. The execution of Jerry Mullins had shaken his operation only slightly. There was always someone wanting or needing more money and Jonas was eager to supply money for information. What Jonas doesn't know is that finally, Mac and Sutton are closing in on him. Jonas is not the only one who has someone on the inside. Sutton has his own man, Joel Horton, in a strategic place in Cedar Grove. As the men of Cedar Grove work together to stop Jonas Dixon, they must now deal with possibly losing one of their own.

After receiving an urgent wire, U.S. Marshal Mackenzie Whitman unexpectedly finds himself on his way back to Van Buren, Arkansas. With Sheriff Wes Tally out of commission for an unknown length of time, Mac must step in as the acting law enforcer. The only good thing about this assignment would be seeing Doctor Rena Tanner again. His stay in Van Buren the previous year had jolted Mac's life. Not only had he been shot and nearly killed by Outlaw Jack Matthews, but he had fallen in love with the beautiful doctor who had saved his life. Being back in Van Buren would give him the opportunity to pursue his feelings for Rena and to find out if she had feelings for him as well. What Mac did not intend on finding was Annie Evans, stabbed and left for dead outside of town. It was now his job to, not only keep her safe, but to find out who wanted her dead and why. During his investigation, however, he discovered that he too was being hunted by a killer.

The stage rumbled down the frozen road, shaking the lone passenger mercilessly within. With each turn of the wheel, it took the reflective young woman farther away from Van Buren...and Seth. Annie Evans had made a difficult decision - she was going home. Days later, as the ferry crossed the Mississippi River, Annie watched Arkansas fade as Tennessee became closer - Tennessee, home and war. She knew the danger of trying to get to Murfreesboro, but she also knew she had to try. Maybe she would be able to put what Rena had taught her to good use. With determination, Annie promised the Lord she would do what she could - not only to help the physically wounded but the spiritually wounded as well. Miles away, in a makeshift Confederate hospital, a young doctor worked with little rest and only one nurse. He needed help - desperately. Exhausted from hours of bending over wounded young men, Doctor Grady Horton once again asked God to send the help needed. Little did he know, as his eyes closed in sleep, that an Angel of Mercy was soon to arrive.

In the final installment of the Luna Family trilogy Sam prepares to make a decision that will affect the rest of her life, and that of her beloved daughter, Joey. However, tragedy strikes before her plan can be implemented. In dealing with circumstances beyond her control, Sam comes to love and respect someone she never thought she'd see again, and to hate someone she once loved. Will Sam's and Joey's psychic abilities help them overcome the obstacles to a happy future? Will Sam ever regain her memory of the week she lost, over five years earlier, a mystery that continues to haunt her? Find out as you follow Sam and her family and friends to the conclusion of the Luna Family trilogy.