Rabbi Steinberg identifies seven strands that weave togetherto make up Judaism: God, morality, rite and custom, law, sacredliterature, institutions, and the people. A classic work directedto both the Jewish and the non-Jewish reader.

The I Ching is the most ancient and profound of the Chineseclassics, venerated for over three thousand years as an oracle offortune, a guide to success, and a dispensary of wisdom. This newtranslation, with commentary by Confucius, emphasizes applyingpractical wisdom in everyday affairs. Complete instructions forconsulting the I Ching are included.

In this revelatory exploration of one of our most revered icons,a critically acclaimed author and professor takes us back to earlyChristianity to ask how a box of handwritten scrolls became theBible, and forward to see how the multibillion-dollar business thathas brought us Biblezines and Manga Bibles is selling down theBible's sacred capital. Showing us how a single official text wascreated from the proliferation of different *s, Beal tracesits path as it became embraced as the word of God and Book ofbooks. Among his surprising insights: * Christianity thrived for centuries without any Bible--there wasno official canon of *ures, much less a book big enough tohold them all. Congregations used various collections of scrollsand codices. * There is no "original" Bible, no single source text behind thethousands of different Bibles on the market today. The farther wego back in the Bible's history, the more versions we find. * The idea of the Bible as the literal Word of God is relativelynew--only about a century

Here, Roshi Kapleau addresses how Westerners can adapt andpractice Zen.

While in the service of India’s Nizam of Hyderabad, MarmadukePickthall converted to Islam and, with the help of Muslimtheologians and linguists, produced this clear and lovingly preciseEnglish interpretation of the Holy Koran. His work is honored bybeliever and non-believer alike for its unique combination ofpiety, scholarly rigor in its translation and explanatory notes,and deep feeling for the poetic beauty and moral grandeur of itsArabic original.

Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifactsthat were created in the period and locale under study, thecontributors describe the cultural interactions among differentJews–from rabbis and scholars to non-elite groups, includingwomen–as well as between Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world.What they conclude is that although Jews have always had their ownautonomous traditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered thefixed product of either ancient ethnic or religious origins.Rather, it has shifted and assumed new forms in response to thecultural environment in which the Jews have lived. Mediterranean Origins , the first volume in Cultures ofthe Jews , describes the concept of the “People” or “Nation” ofIsrael that emerges in the Hebrew Bible and the culture of theIsraelites in relation to that of neighboring Canaanite groups. Italso discusses Jewish cultures in Babylonia, in Palestine duringthe Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods, and in Arabia during theformative ye

No religion in the modern world is as feared and misunderstoodas Islam. It haunts the popular imagination as an extreme faiththat promotes terrorism, authoritarian government, femaleoppression, and civil war. In a vital revision of this narrow viewof Islam and a distillation of years of thinking and writing aboutthe subject, Karen Armstrong’s short history demonstrates that theworld’s fastest-growing faith is a much more complex phenomenonthan its modern fundamentalist strain might suggest.

An examination of the influence of the Bible on Western artand literature and on the Western creative imagination in general.Frye persuasively presents the Bible as a unique text distinct fromall other epics and sacred writings. No one has set forth soclearly, so subtly, or with such cogent energy as Frye the literaryaspect of our biblical heritage (New York Times Book Review).Indices.

The late author Arysio Santos was a highly regardedclimatologist, geologist, and nuclear physicist. He was also ascholar of history, folklore, languages, and the occult. In thisgroundbreaking study of Atlantis, he draws on all thesedisciplines, as well as ancient maps, Plato’s dialogues, andfolkloric narratives, to provide the most compelling case yet ofthe disappearance of an entire civilization. Professor Santos demonstrates that Plato’s dating of Atlantis’sdisappearance in 11,600 BP (before present) precisely correspondsto the catastrophic end of the Pleistocene Ice Age, as well as ahistoric flood event of cataclysmic proportions. The rising of thesea level by nearly 500 feet, he argues, submerged continent-sizedlands—including Atlantis, which he connects with the biblicalGarden of Eden. Provocative chapters cover such topics as thecontinent’s appearance in ancient maps, Indonesia as the true siteof Eden, American interpretations of Atlantis, the four rivers ofparadise, and more, giv

The mythologies and cosmology of Amazonian shamanismmaterialize in fantastic color and style in this unique,large-format volume, representing the fruit of several years ofcollaboration between a Peruvian folk artist/shaman and a Colombiananthropologist/filmmaker.

A radical and powerful reappraisal of the impact ofConstantine’s adoption of Christianity on the later Roman world,and on the subsequent development both of Christianity and ofWestern civilization. When the Emperor Contstantine converted to Christianity in 368AD, he changed the course of European history in ways that continueto have repercussions to the present day. Adopting those aspects ofthe religion that suited his purposes, he turned Rome on a coursefrom the relatively open, tolerant and pluralistic civilization ofthe Hellenistic world, towards a culture that was based on the ruleof fixed authority, whether that of the Bible, or the writings ofPtolemy in astronomy and of Galen and Hippocrates in medicine. Onlya thousand years later, with the advent of the Renaissance and theemergence of modern science, did Europe begin to free itself fromthe effects of Constantine's decision, yet the effects of hisestablishment of Christianity as a state religion remain with us,in many respects, today. Bri

The author of the runaway bestseller How the Irish SavedCivilization has done it again. In The Gifts of the Jews ThomasCahill takes us on another enchanting journey into history, onceagain recreating a time when the actions of a small band of peoplehad repercussions that are still felt today. The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical change that madewestern civilization possible. Within the matrix of ancientreligions and philosophies, life was seen as part of an endlesscycle of birth and death; time was like a wheel, spinningceaselessly. Yet somehow, the ancient Jews began to see timedifferently. For them, time had a beginning and an end; it was anarrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future.From this insight came a new conception of men and women asindividuals with unique destinies--a conception that would informthe Declaration of Independence--and our hopeful belief in progressand the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As ThomasCahill narrates this momentous shift,

Colorstrology is a fascinating blend of astrology, numerology,and color theory that offers exciting new insights about our livesand relationships. Written by renowned astrologer Michele Bernhardtwith the artists at Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color,the system features 366 "birthday colors" that illustrate who weare and how we behave. For example, people born on January 29 (like Oprah Winfrey) sharethe color Keepsake Lilac; they are "ambitious" and "tender" and"born to make a difference . . . it is not uncommon to find [them]in front of an audience." People born on May 11 (like Salvador Dal) share the color Green Tea. They "have a vivid imagination and cansee new ideas and concepts more readily than others." Using Colorstrology, you'll quickly understand how to enhanceyour best personality traits with your birthday color. Thisfull-color book features detailed profiles of everyone you knowplus 366 perforated swatches so you can take your birthday colorwherever you go. PANTONE

After-death communications, or "ADCs, " occur when someone iscontacted spontaneously and directly by a deceasedfamily member or friend, without the help of any medium. Theauthors' research shows that these spiritual experiences offerhope, love, and comfort for thousands of people. Included are morethan 350 first-hand accounts of those whose lives have been changedand even protected by messages or signs from the deceased.

Available in paperback for the very first time, here'severything you need to make your own astrological readings of yourmost precious relationships Why do you feel you've known someone for years when you've justmet? Why are you attracted to someone who seems like your completeopposite? Why do you and your loved one argue the way you argue? How can you make your relationships last in spite of yourdifferences? The answers to these questions can be found within your birthchart and that of your loved one. Linda Goodman's RelationshipSigns is the first astrology book to provide a totallyindividual, detailed analysis of how compatible you and yourpartner really are. Whether you are familiar with astrology or acomplete novice, this comprehensive reference shows youstep-by-step how to find the keys to harmony and the areas ofpotential trouble--all you need is each person's birth date andtime. Individually tailored to you and your loved one, here is yourguide to the relationships

This classic book grew out of the fascination that Germanjournalist, Werner Keller, developed when he began to learn thatthe work of archaeologists and historians corroborated Biblicalaccounts which he had hitherto dismissed as mere "pious tales.

For centuries, the strange and beautiful tarot cards have beenan endless source of mystery and fascination. One of theforemost authorities in the field reveals the intricacies of thisancient art. With detailed explanations, Eden Gray offers explicitadvice about the three different methods of reading the cards, andusing the tarot for divination and meditation. Both beginningstudents and advanced devotee will find in this book new insightsinto the ancient lore of the tarot.

Warriors of God is the rich and engaging account of the ThirdCrusade (1187-1192), a conflict that would shape world history forcenturies and which can still be felt in the Middle East andthroughout the world today. Acclaimed writer James Reston, Jr.,offers a gripping narrative of the epic battle that left Jerusalemin Muslim hands until the twentieth century, bringing an objectiveperspective to the gallantry, greed, and religious fervor thatfueled the bloody clash between Christians and Muslims. As he recounts this rousing story, Reston brings to life the twolegendary figures who led their armies against each other. Heoffers compelling portraits of Saladin, the wise and highlycultured leader who created a united empire, and Richard theLionheart, the romantic personification of chivalry who emergeshere in his full complexity and contradictions. From its rivetingscenes of blood-soaked battles to its pageant of fascinating,larger-than-life characters, Warriors of God is essential history,history that

In this provocative must-read, the preeminent scientist—andworld’s most prominent atheist—Richard Dawkins asserts theirrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion hasinflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. The God Delusionmakes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong, butpotentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight on theadvantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the leastof which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe’s wondersthan any faith could ever muster. With rigor and wit, Dawkinseviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates thesupreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religionfuels war, foments bigotry, and abuses children, buttressing hispoints with historical and contemporary evidence. This is a bookthat challenges all of us to test our beliefs, no matter whatbeliefs we hold.

In this gripping narrative history, Lesley Hazleton tells thetragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the Sunniand Shia branches of Islam, a rift that dominates the news now morethan ever. Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would takecontrol of the new Islamic nation had begun, beginning a successioncrisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue,and passionate faith. Soon Islam was embroiled in civil war,pitting its founder's controversial wife Aisha against hisson-in-law Ali, and shattering Muhammad’s ideal of unity. Combining meticulous research with compelling storytelling, Afterthe Prophet explores the volatile intersection of religion andpolitics, psychology and culture, and history and current events.It is an indispensable guide to the depth and power of theShia–Sunni split.