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.

Max Weber's best-known and most controversial work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, first published in 1904, remains to this day a powerful and fascinating read. Weber's highly accessible style is just one of many reasons for his continuing popularity. The book contends that the Protestant ethic made possible and encouraged the development of capitalism in the West.

In this sweeping narrative that takes us from the Stone Age tothe Information Age, Robert Wright unveils an astonishingdiscovery: there is a hidden pattern that the great monotheisticfaiths have followed as they have evolved. Through the prisms ofarcheology, theology, and evolutionary psychology, Wright'sfindings overturn basic assumptions about Judaism, Christianity,and Islam, and are sure to cause controversy. He explains whyspirituality has a role today, and why science, contrary toconventional wisdom, affirms the validity of the religious quest.And this previously unrecognized evolutionary logic points nottoward continued religious extremism, but future harmony. Nearly a decade in the making, THE EVOLUTION OF GOD is abreathtaking re-examination of the past, and a visionary lookforward.

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.

For many years, Parker Palmer has worked on behalf of teachers and others who choose their vocations for reasons of the heart but may lose heart because of the troubled, sometimes toxic systems in which they work. Hundreds of thousands of readers have benefited from his approach in The Courage to Teach , which takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with themselves, their students, their colleagues, and their vocations, and reclaiming their passion for one of the most challenging and important of human endeavors.This book builds on a simple premise: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique but is rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher. Good teaching takes myriad forms but good teachers share one trait: they are authentically present in the classroom, in community with their students and their subject. They possess 'a capacity for connectedness' and are able to weave a complex web of connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students, helping their student

In this provocative yet persuasive book, now in paperback, EricH. Cline uses the tools of his trade to examine some of the mostpuzzling mysteries from the Hebrew Bible and, in the process, tonarrate the history of ancient Israel. Combining academic with anaccessible style that has made him a favorite with readers andstudents alike, he lays out each mystery, evaluates all availableevidence—from established fact to arguable assumption tofar-fetched leap of faith—and proposes an explanation thatreconciles Scripture, science, and history. Numerous amateur archaeologists have sought some trace of Noah’sArk to meet only with failure. But, though no serious scholar wouldundertake such a literal search, many agree that the Flood was nomyth but the cultural memory of a real, catastrophic inundation,retold and reshaped over countless generations. Likewise, someexperts suggest that ’s storied victory at Jericho is thedistant echo of an earthquake instead of Israel’s sacred trumpets—afascinating, geological

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.

In Carroll's provocative reading of the deep past, the Bible'sbrutality responded to the violence that threatened Jerusalem fromthe start. Centuries later, the mounting European fixation on aheavenly Jerusalem sparked both anti-Semitism and racist colonialcontempt. The holy wars of the Knights Templar burned apocalypticmayhem into the Western mind. Carroll's brilliant and original leapis to show how, as Christopher Columbus carried his own Jerusalemcentric worldview to the West, America too was powerfully shaped bythe dream of the City on a Hill - from Governor Winthrop to AbrahamLincoln to Woodrow Wilson to Ronald Reagan. The nuclearbrinksmanship of the 1973 Yom Kippur War helps prove his point:religion and violence fuel each other, with Jerusalem the groundzero of the heat.

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.

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.

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

Way of the Peaceful Warrior is based on the story ofDan Millman, a world champion athlete, who journeys into realms ofromance and magic, light and darkness, body, mind, and spirit.Guided by a powerful old warrior named Socrates and tempted by anelusive, playful woman named Joy, Dan is led toward a finalconfrontation that will deliver or destroy him. Readers join Dan ashe learns to live as a peaceful warrior. This internationalbestseller conveys piercing truths and humorous wisdom, speakingdirectly to the universal quest for happiness.

Karl Barth was, without doubt, one of the most significant religious thinkers of modern times. His radical affirmation of the revealed truth of Christianity changed the course of Christian theology in the twentieth century and is a source of inspiration for countless believers.

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.

From distinguished moral philosopher Martha Nussbaum, this isa historical and conceptual study of the American tradition ofreligious freedom. In one of greatest triumphs of the colonial andRevolutionary periods, the founders of the future United Statesovercame religious intolerance in favour of a constitutional orderdedicated to fair treatment for people's deeply held conscientiousbeliefs. It granted equal liberty of conscience to all and took afirm stand against religious establishment. This respect forreligious difference, argues Martha Nussbaum, is the basis fordemocracy in America. Yet today there signs that this legacy ismisunderstood. The prominence of a particular type of Christianityin America's public life suggests the unequal worth of citizens whohold different religious beliefs or no beliefs. Other people,meanwhile, seek to curtail the influence of religion in public lifein a way that is itself unbalanced and unfair. Such partisanefforts, argues Nussbaum, violate the spirit of the AmericanCo

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.

From ancient Palestine through Europe and Asia, to America andmodern Israel, Max I. Dimont shows how the saga of the Jews isinterwoven with the story of virtually every nation on earth.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.