Religion & Spirituality

Traditions of the Bible

A Guide to the Bible As It Was at the Start of the Common Era

James L. Kugel

From the creation and the tree of knowledge through the Exodus from Egypt and the journey to the promised land; James Kugel shows us how the earliest interpreters of the scriptures radically transformed the Bible.

Images of Nebuchadnezzar

The Emergence of a Legend

Ronald Herbert Sack

Images of Nebuchadnezzar attempts to probe the diversity of cultural attitudes reflected in the characterizations of this famous king through an examination of both the original cuneiform sources as well as the accounts of chronographers written in Greek, Roman, and medieval times. Included in this revised and expanded second edition are two new chapters that examine both Nebuchadnezzar's administrative policies and the impact that his death had on both contemporary and later cultures. Both the positive and negative images of the king are explored, with conclusions being developed as to what the authors of the various surviving accounts actually thought the king really was. In the process, the whole nature of historiography in the ancient world is analyzed, and a number of broad conclusions are developed. Anyone who has ever read Second Kings or the books of Daniel and Jeremiah of the Old Testament is familiar with the name of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon who conquered the kingdom of Judah and destroyed Solomon's temple. As the second member of the Chaldean dynasty of Mesopotamia (626-539 B.C.), he ruled for forty-three years (605-562 B.C.), during which time he also led military campaigns into Syria and Lebanon. He also organized a number of building projects that were to transform Babylon into one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Among his noteworthy achievements were the construction of massive fortification walls around Babylon, the refurbishing of Marduk's temple in the city, and the building of huge palaces that served as the king's residences. Tales of these legendary achievements, as well as those of his father, Nabopolassar (626-605 B.C.), also found their way into the narratives of a number of Greek, Roman, and medieval historians and chronographers many centuries later. Unfortunately, much of the record of Nebuchadnezzar's achievements that was written in his own time has not survived. Instead, only secondary accounts of his military campaigns or his construction projects in Babylon written in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, or Arabic are available for analysis. These stories vary greatly in content and emphasis and, in many cases, distort much of what we know from Nebuchadnezzar's own sources. The Hebrews, for example, described Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem in such a way as to consider it something that should never again be repeated. The Greeks, on the other hand, saw the building projects in Babylon as evidence of almost superhuman achievements, as monuments that were the result of efforts by a king who was almost godlike. Why, then, is there such diversity in the characterizations of Nebuchadnezzar? This book proposes answers to these questions.

The Violence of Love

Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero, Oscar Arnulfo Romero

The violence of love is a collection of extracts from Romero's homilies, letters, and articles. Each of these passages gives insight into the mind and heart of the man behind them. They show a man not afraid to expose his weakness, a man whose tremendous faith and hope call us to repentance and renewal. Originally addressed to the people of El Salvador, Romero's words speak to all people, passionately decrying injustice and violence, exhorting to peace and forgiveness, and inviting all to help build a new, just society. Chronologically arranged, the selections reflect Romero's own spiritual transformation and call us to experience a similar revolution of the heart. Romero was martyred for his insistence that following Christ cannot be relegated to the spiritual realm. He did not die in vain; the people of Central America say his spirit lives on in them. As their struggle for justice and dignity intensifies, his words take on a renewed urgency.

The Mandaeans

Ancient Texts and Modern People

Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley

The Mandaeans were a gnostic sect that arose in the Middle East around the same time as Christianity. This text examines the lives and religion of contemporary Mandaeans and provides an introduction to the religion, showing how its ancient texts inform the living religion, and vice versa.

The Prophetic Literature

Interpreting Biblical Texts Series

Marvin Alan Sweeney

Although the biblical books of the prophets are based upon the careers and experiences of some of the most talented and provocative individuals of their time, the books must be read first as literature. Each book displays its own unique organization, literary characteristics, and theological outlook in presenting the prophets. In the case of Jeremiah, for example, interpreters must even consider two distinctive forms of the book in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint. By guiding the reader through the literary structure and language of each of the prophetic books as well as the social roles of the individual prophets, this volume opens the reader to greater understanding and appreciation of the prophets of Israel and Judah.

Works of Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Works of Martin Luther is a classic collection of the writings of the religious leader. No historical study of current issues--politics or social science or theology--can far proceed without bringing the student face to face with the principles asserted by the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century and its great leader, Martin Luther Martin Luther was the author of substantial body of written works at the service of the Reformation. All his life Luther published theological writings. His commitment also induced him to write political and polemical texts. According to Yves Congar, a Dominican, “Luther was one the greatest religious geniuses in History… who redesigned Christianity entirely.”

The Liturgical Homilies of Narsai

J. Armitage Robinson

Overview The early church leaders were prolific in their writing and historical documentation. While some of this work has been canonized, much has been forgotten. The Text and Studies: Contributions to Biblical and Patristic Literature collection resurrects these documents in a renewed and focused study, attempting to glean the wisdom and insight of the ancients. These volumes dig deep into apocryphal literature with critical analyses, close readings, and examinations of the original manuscripts.

The Jefferson Bible

Thomas Jefferson, Wyatt North

The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was a book constructed by Thomas Jefferson in the latter years of his life by cutting and pasting numerous sections from various Bibles as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's composition excluded sections of the New Testament containing supernatural aspects as well as perceived misinterpretations he believed had been added by the Four Evangelists. In 1895, the Smithsonian Institution under the leadership of librarian Cyrus Adler purchased the original Jefferson Bible from Jefferson's great-granddaughter Carolina Randolph for $400. A conservation effort commencing in 2009, in partnership with the museum's Political History department, allowed for a public unveiling in an exhibit open from November 11, 2011, through May 28, 2012, at the National Museum of American History.

The Poetic Edda

Carolyne Larrington

This collection of Norse-Icelandic mythological and heroic poetry contains the greater narratives of the creation of the world and the coming of Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods.

Printing, Propaganda, and Martin Luther

Mark U. Edwards

"One of the most important works ever written on the reception of Luther through print."--Thomas Brady, University of California, Berkeley "One of the most important works ever written on the reception of Luther through print."--Thomas Brady, University of California, Berkeley

The Four Noble Truths

The Foundation of Buddhist Thought

Geshe Tashi Tsering

The first step toward a solid foundation in Buddhist thought! The Foundation of Buddhist Thought series is an excellent introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. These unique books, based on the curriculum of a popular course of the same name, were developed by Geshe Tashi Tsering, a Tibetan scholar renowned for his ability to render Buddhist teachings accessible and relevant to everyday life. Geshe Tashi Tsering's Foundation of Buddhist Thought courses are systematic introductions to Buddhist philosophy and practice. With this series of books drawn from his highly successful courses, his insights can now be enjoyed by a wide audience of both specialists and newcomers to the Buddhist tradition. Geshe Tashi's presentations combine rigor and comprehensiveness with lucidity and accessibility, never divorced from the basic humanity and warmth of his personality. In Geshe Tashi, we encounter the new generation of Tibetan monk-scholars teaching in the West who are following in the eminent footsteps of Geshe Wangyal and Geshe Sopa. This volume, the first of six, provides a complete presentation the Buddha's seminal Four Noble Truths, which summarize the fundamentals of the Buddhist worldview. Indeed, they are an essential framework for understanding all of the other teachings of the Buddha.

Angelomorphic Christology

Antecedents and Early Evidence

Charles A. Gieschen

This study shows that angel traditions from the Hebrew Bible and Jewish literature had a significant impact on the origins and early development of Christology to the point that an Angelomorphic Christology is discernable already in New Testament documents.

Think And Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill

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Abraham

The First Historical Biography

David Rosenberg

Provides a history of Abraham, revealing that the original story embedded in the Bible is actually the oldest historical biography, and takes readers on Abraham's journey through the Middle East.

The Individual and the Cosmos in Renaissance Philosophy

Ernst Cassirer

This provocative volume, one of the most important interpretive works on the philosophical thought of the Renaissance, has long been regarded as a classic in its field. Ernst Cassirer here examines the changes brewing in the early stages of the Renaissance, tracing the interdependence of philosophy, language, art, and science; the newfound recognition of individual consciousness; and the great thinkers of the period—from da Vinci and Galileo to Pico della Mirandola and Giordano Bruno. The Individual and the Cosmos in Renaissance Philosophy discusses the importance of fifteenth-century philosopher Nicholas Cusanus, the concepts of freedom and necessity, and the subject-object problem in Renaissance thought. “This fluent translation of a scholarly and penetrating original leaves little impression of an attempt to show that a ‘spirit of the age’ or ‘spiritual essence of the time’ unifies and expresses itself in all aspects of society or culture.”—Philosophy

The Oxford Dictionary of Saints

David Hugh Farmer

Fully updated and revised with over 100 new saints, the fifth edition of this well-respected and enjoyed dictionary features concise accounts of the lives, cults, and artistic associations of over 1,400 saints, from the famous to the obscure. This edition includes a new appendix on pilgrimage sights in Europe.

THE LECTURES ON FAITH

ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

JOSEPH SMITH, JR.

THE LECTURES ON FAITH BY JOSEPH SMITH, JR. Key features of this book: Unabridged original content This book is comprised of 5 lectures on Faith Available in multiple formats: - Paperback - Hard cover - eBook - Large print paperback - Large print hard cover Proper paragraph formatting with Indented first lines, 1.25 Line Spacing and Justified Paragraphs Properly formatted for aesthetics and ease of reading. Custom Table of Contents and Design elements for each chapter The Copyright page has been placed at the end of the book, as to not impede the content and flow of the book. Original publication: 1835 This book makes a wonderful addition to any Latter-day Saint library At Latter-day Strengths we have taken the time and care into formatting this book to make it the best possible reading experience. We specialize in publishing classic books for Latter-day Saints and have been publishing books since 2014. We now have over 500 book listings available for purchase. Enjoy!

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

David Hume

In the posthumously published Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, the Enlightenment philosopher David Hume attacked many of the traditional arguments for the existence of God, expressing the belief that religion is founded on ignorance and irrational fears. Though calm and courteous in tone - at times even tactfully ambiguous - the conversations between Hume's vividly realized fictional figures form perhaps the most searching case ever mounted against orthodox Christian theological thinking and the 'deism' of the time, which pointed to the wonders of creation as conclusive evidence of God's Design. Hume's characters debate these issues with extraordinary passion, lucidity and humour, in one of the most compelling philosophical works ever written.

The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom

John Hardon

The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom is a Catholic library in miniature, a one-volume microcosm of what the Church's great minds have thought and said since the apostolic age. Indeed, in The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, noted theologian Fr. John A. Hardon has compiled the works of thirty-three of the greatest Catholic thinkers and writers, representing every period of the Church's passage through time, from the beginnings of Christianity to the present day. Here are men and women, bishops and priests, religious and the laity "whose native talents were elevated by the supernatural light that God reserves for those who are most submissive to His will." Included in this extraordinary and fascinating anthology are the works of the early saints, such as Gregory, Basil, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Patrick, Bernard Francis, and Thomas Aquinas. Here, too, are the writings of the great reformers Ignatius, Catherine of Siena, and Teresa of Avila; the mystic John of the Cross; the practical wisdom of Francis de Sales, Louis de Montfort, and Peter Julian Eymard; and the modern-day reflections of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Francis Thompson, Therese of Lisieux, G.K. Chesterton, and Fulton J. Sheen. The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom is a comprehensive anthology of the outstanding Catholic literature from the first century to modern times. Mystics and martyrs, philosophers and theologians, poets and prose writers are quoted at length and in depth. They are truly representative of the spirit and substance of Catholicism in its paradox of phenomenal stability and versatility over the centuries. Fr. Hardon has selected those writings which are representative of the thought and philosophy of each contributor, and has carefully chosen excerpts which are not always the most familiar. Thus, his volume provides not only a fresh collection of the best of Catholic wisdom, but also a uniquely comprehensive work which offers enlightenment and faith for generations of readers. John A. Hardon, S.J., holds a master's degree in philosophy from Loyola University and a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He is the author of The Catholic Catechism and many other books. Fr. Hardon is also a founder of the Catholic Home Study Institute, a correspondence school which operates under pontifical approval.

Mother of Bliss

Ānandamayī Mā (1896-1982)

Lisa Lassell Hallstrom

1. Introduction. 2. The Life Story of Anandamayi Ma. 3. Woman. 4. Saint. 5. Guru. 6. Avatara and Divine Mother. 7. Anandamayi Ma and Gender. Bibliography. Index.