A modern-day Confessions of Saint Augustine, The Seven StoreyMountain is one of the most influential religious works of thetwentieth century. This edition contains an introduction byMerton's editor, Robert Giroux, and a note to the reader bybiographer William H. Shannon. It tells of the growing restlessnessof a brilliant and passionate young man whose search for peace andfaith leads him, at the age of twenty-six, to take vows in one ofthe most demanding Catholic orders--the Trappist monks. At theAbbey of Gethsemani, "the four walls of my new freedom," ThomasMerton struggles to withdraw from the world, but only after he hasfully immersed himself in it. The Seven Storey Mountain has been afavorite of readers ranging from Graham Greene to Claire BoothLuce, Eldridge Cleaver, and Frank McCourt. And, in the half-centurysince its original publication, this timeless spiritual tome hasbeen published in over twenty languages and has touched millions oflives.

From The Message comes an entirely new way to experience God's Word. The Message with Its Translator is a special annotated edition that features commentary from Eugene Peterson, one of today's most influential pastors and teachers. Filled with a wealth of insights, this study Bible enriches the text with notes from Peterson's own studies and sermons. Peterson's personal style will engage readers as he guides them through Scripture and encourages contemplative study. Features * Presented in the beloved Message translation * Companion commentary from one of today's most valued pastors * A personalized approach to studying Scripture * Notes and insights from Peterson's own sermons and studies * A fresh approach to studying God's Word

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.

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

David Mamet's interest in anti-Semitism is not limited to themodern face of an ancient hatred but encompasses as well the waysin which many Jews have internalized that hatred. Using themetaphor of the Wicked Son at the Passover seder (the child whoasks, "What does this story mean to you?") Mamet confronts what hesees as an insidious predilection among some Jews to excludethemselves from the equation and to seek truth and meaninganywhere--in other religions, political movements, mindlessentertainment--but in Judaism itself. He also explores the ways inwhich the Jewish tradition has long been and still remains theWicked Son in the eyes of the world. Written with the searinghonesty and verbal brilliance that is the hallmark of Mamet's work,The Wicked Son is a powerfully thought-provoking look at one of themost destructive and tenacious forces in contemporary life.

A history so funny, so true, so scary, it's bound to becalled a conspiracy. "Meticulous in its research, forensic in itsreasoning, robust in its argument, and often hilarious in itsdebunking, Voodoo Histories is a highly entertaining rumblewith the century's major conspiracy theorists and their theories"(John Lahr). From Pearl Harbor to 9/11 to the assassination of JFKto the Birthers, Aaronvitch probes and explores the majorconspiracy theories (and theorists) of our time. In doing so, heexamines why people believe these conspiracies and makes anargument for a true skepticism.

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,

Salonica, located in northern Greece, was long a fascinatingcrossroads metropolis of different religions and ethnicities, whereEgyptian merchants, Spanish Jews, Orthodox Greeks, Sufi dervishes,and Albanian brigands all rubbed shoulders. Tensions sometimesflared, but tolerance largely prevailed until the twentieth centurywhen the Greek army marched in, Muslims were forced out, and theNazis deported and killed the Jews. As the acclaimed historian MarkMazower follows the city’s inhabitants through plague, invasion,famine, and the disastrous twentieth century, he resurrects afascinating and vanished world.

A journey through the ecclesiastical year with Christianitysmost eloquent and inspiring spokesman. A potent anthology (LosAngeles Times). Edited and with a Preface by Walter Hooper.

A landmark new translation of the sacred text of Islam- in anelegant deluxe edition Literally "the recitation," The Qur'an is considered within theMuslim faith to be the infallible word of God. Tarif Khalidi, theforemost scholar of Islamic history and faith, provides a freshEnglish translation that captures the startling, exquisite poetryof one of the world's most beloved religious texts. Retaining thestructure and rhythms of the original Arabic, Khalidi enlivens theancient teachings and prophetic narratives central to the Muslimfaith and solidifies The Qur'an as a work of spiritual authorityand breathtaking beauty.

In this meticulously researched, unflinching, and reasonedstudy, National Book Award finalist David I. Kertzer presentsshocking revelations about the role played by the Vatican in thedevelopment of modern anti-Semitism. Working in long-sealed Vaticanarchives, Kertzer unearths startling evidence to undermine theChurch’s argument that it played no direct role in the spread ofmodern anti-Semitism. In doing so, he challenges the Vatican’srecent official statement on the subject, We Remember. Kertzer tells an unsettling story that has stirred up controversyaround the world and sheds a much-needed light on the past.

Scattered over much of the world throughout most of theirhistory, are the Jews one people or many? How do they resemble andhow do they differ from Jews in other places and times? What havetheir relationships been to the cultures of their neighbors? Toaddress these and similar questions, some of the finest scholars ofour day have contributed their insights to Cultures of the Jews, awinner of the National Jewish Book Award upon its hardcoverpublication in 2002. Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifacts thatwere created in the period and locale under study, the contributorsdescribe the cultural interactions among different Jews–from rabbisand scholars to non-elite groups, including women–as well asbetween Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world. What theyconclude is that although Jews have always had their own autonomoustraditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered the fixed productof either ancient ethnic or religious origins. Rather, it hasshifted and assumed new forms

This edition combines the renowned ScofieldRG notes and reference system with the New International Version, one of the most popular modern Bible translations. But that's not all: The fruit of Dr. C. I. Scofield's decades of reflection upon the Word of God have been augmented (not revised) to make the ideas underlying the Scofield Study Bible's annotations clearer to modern readers. An abundance of factual information is presented in topical articles, charts, and lists that add depth and richness to study time. Enhanced book introductions, accurate in-text maps, authoritative full color maps, and page bottom notes broaden the context of the reader's understanding. Everything about this edition has been designed to encourage serious Bible study. First-time students and seasoned believers alike will find this volume to be a trustworthy guide to the panorama of God's plan of salvation.

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

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

Different styles of martial arts offer contradictoryinformation, philosophies, and techniques for the body in combat. Apractitioner of Judo might advocate grappling, reasoning that mostfights converge into close range after a short time, when anadvocate of Tae Kwon Do would argue that one should strive tomaintain one's distance in an encounter that would allow one to usethe legs, the most powerful weapon on the human body. As a lifelong student and teacher of multiple styles of martialarts, Steven Pearlman has sought to distill from these disciplinesnot a fusion of techniques, but rather a compilation of fundamentalprinciples that can guide the individual martial artist to theideal action. Through his exploration of a set of basic principlesthat range from the physical (spinal alignment, the triangularguard, breathing) to the spiritual (the void, the body-mind, thecharacter), Pearlman arrives at a system open to all martialartists without bastardizing the techniques of the originaldisciplines.

Like no other resource, The Holman Illustrated Bible takes you there. Using over 1,000 color graphics, maps, photographs, reconstructions, and charts to enliven the Bible world, this special Bible edition enlightens readers to the contextual details of every major character and moment. In addition, helpful introductions list the author, date, original audience, and purpose of each book; give a key text and term; show Christ in each book; and place each book in the overall story of Scripture.

Holman Bible Publishers is pleased to offer its first student Bible featuring the popular Holman Christian Standard Bible translation, combining biblical accuracy with modern readability like never before. A visually driven product for a visually driven culture, The Holman Student Bible enhances the study of God's Word with colorful page designs, explanatory sidebars, engaging study questions, and many other reading helps that are especially relevant to the development of true faith among this new generation.

Many standard histories of Christianity chronicle theReformation as a single, momentous period in the history of theChurch. According to those accounts, a number of competing groupsof reformers challenged a monolithic and corrupt Roman Catholicismover issues ranging from authority and the role of the priests tothe interpretation of the Eucharist and the use of the Bible inchurch. In this wide-ranging, richly layered and captivating studyof the Reformation, MacCulloch challenges traditionalinterpretations, arguing instead that there were many reformations.Arranging his history in chronological fashion, MacCulloch providesin-depth studies of reform movements in central, northern andsouthern Europe and examines the influences that politics andgeography had on such groups. He challenges common assumptionsabout the relationships between Catholic priests and laity, arguingthat in some cases Protestantism actually took away religiousauthority from laypeople rather than putting it in their hands. Inaddition, h

Here the well-received augmentation of the ScofieldRG study notes and reference system is combined with a modern version of the Bible. The New American Standard Bible is celebrated for accurately communicating the meaning of the original texts to today's readers. It is an excellent guide for those seeking a contemporary English translation with a high degree of fidelity to the Hebrew and Greek of the Bible. The NASB translation is accompanied by a wealth of features that clarify the ideas underlying the Scofield's annotations for modern readers. An abundance of factual information is presented in topical articles, charts, and lists that add depth and richness to study time. In addition, there are enhanced book introductions, accurate in-text maps, authoritative full color maps, and page bottom notes.