Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us alongone of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time--thesearch for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertainsus with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel agreater appreciation for the present because we better understandour past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linearhistory. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantlybeing repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through theages, responding to its followers' practical concerns rather thanto mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism,Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another,gently challenging the secularist history of each of thesereligions. --Gail Hudson
Over the last decade there has been a resurgence of writing onthe Trinity, indicating a renewal of ideas and debate concerningthis key element of Christian theology. This introductionchallenges the standard account of a decline and revival inTrinitarian theology, taking into account recent, alternativereadings of the theological tradition by Lewis Ayres and MichelBarnes amongst other scholars. By clearly analysing the scope ofthese new approaches, the authors establish the importance of aconsidered understanding of the Trinity, resisting the notion ofseparating faith and reason and identifying theology's link tospirituality. Their account also eschews the easy stereotypes ofWestern Christianity's supposedly more Unitarian approach asopposed to the more Trinitarian view of the East. Offering anoverview of the main people and themes in Trinitarian theology pastand present, this book thus provides an accessible, comprehensiveguide for students and scholars alike.
Today people around the world are discovering the benefits ofTai-chi, an ancientChinese system of exercise based on calm,graceful movements that condition thebody from the inside out. Withbenefits like reduced stress and anxiety, plusimproved flexibilityand concentration, Tai-chi has become the ultimate form ofexercisefor relaxing and strengthening both body and spirit. Master Huang's Complete Tai-chi is the definitive introduction tothe CondensedForm of Wu-style Tai-chi, a form that has gainedenormous popularity as a healingexercise because it stresses thedevelopment of internal energy for self-healing.The 36 postures ofthis style are beautiful in their simplicity and completelysafe,regardless of one's age or physical condition. Included inthis book are a detailedguide to the 36 postures (with inore than250 illustrative photographs), a historicaloverview of Tai-chi, andtranslationg of classic works by Tai-chi masters. The demands of Tai-chi are small, but the rewards are great. Afew minute
Shamans are an integral part of communal religious traditions,professionals who make use of personal supernatural experiences,especially trance, as a resource for the wider community's physicaland spiritual well-being. This Introduction surveys research on thetopic of shamanism around the world, detailing the archaeology andearliest development of shamanic traditions as well as theirscientific 'discovery' in the context of eighteenth and nineteenthcentury colonization in Siberia, the Americas, and Asia. Itexplores the beliefs and rituals typical of shamanic traditions, aswell as the roles of shamans within their communities. It alsosurveys the variety of techniques used by shamans cross-culturally,including music, entheogens, material culture and verbalperformance. The final chapters examine attempts to suppress oreradicate shamanic traditions, the revitalization of shamanism inpostcolonial situations, and the development of new forms ofshamanism within new cultural and social contexts.
