Religion

Certain questions are common to all of us as human beings. Why was I born? What??'s important in life? How do I know the right thing to do? What does it mean to "make a difference"? What??'s wrong with me ? why can???t I change? Such questions are so deeply human that they transcend time and place, religions and cultures.

In this inviting book Joan Chittister presents the insights of others from different cultures throughout history who have grappled with the same kinds of life questions that plague us here and now. Through stories and wisdom literature from major religious traditions ? Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam ? Chittister highlights practical, universal truths and deftly shows how each spiritual tradition brings a special gift to the art of living a meaningful, spiritually aware life.

A rich exploration of spirituality, Welcome to the Wisdom of the World addresses some of our most challenging issues ? ambition, security, romance, abandonment, failure, and more ? acknowledging the truth we can find in the wisdom of our human past and the connections we can make through our differences. This is a book for anyone who wants to grow spiritually and to become more fully human.

What's Wrong?: Applied Ethicists and Their Critics is a thorough and engaging introduction to applied ethics that covers virtually all of the issues in the field. Featuring more than ninety-five articles, it addresses standard topics--such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, world hunger, and animal rights--and also delves into cutting-edge areas like cloning, racial profiling, same-sex marriage, prostitution, and slave reparations. The volume includes seminal essays by prominent philosophers (Robert Nozick, James Rachels, Peter Singer, and Judith Jarvis Thomson) alongside work by newer voices in the field.
Employing a unique approach to teaching argumentation, editors David Boonin and Graham Oddie unify the wealth of material presented in this collection. Each chapter opens with a featured article that takes a strong stand on a particular issue; the essays that immediately follow offer objections and critical responses to the arguments put forth in the featured selection. This format helps students learn how to better engage in debates because it illustrates how philosophers argue with each other. In addition, a general introduction describes strategies for understanding and evaluating the different types of arguments contained in the readings, while detailed chapter introductions enable students to see precisely how the arguments presented in the various writings are related to one another. Discussion questions and suggestions for further reading are included for each chapter. Ideal for courses in introduction to ethics and applied ethics/contemporary moral problems, What's Wrong? can also be used in critical thinking courses that emphasize philosophical argumentation.

Those extraordinary little events in your life happen for a reason.
A coincidence-sometimes a silly little thing-changes the course of your day . . .
or even your life. Is it chance, or is God communicating with you?

When God Winks at You is packed with true stories demonstrating that God does communicate with us, making incredible things happen in our lives every single day. As you read the riveting accounts of everyday and famous people-including Tim Conway, Rudolph Giuliani, Billy Graham, and Don Knotts-you will begin to recognize the godwinks in your own life, both past and present. Through these tangible signposts from God, we receive personalized messages that reassure us, stop us from worrying, chart our path in life, and help us keep the faith.

When God winks, He is reaffirming that there is absolutely nothing about us that He does not know-our every hurt, our every desire.
And that to me is very comforting. -SQuire Rushnell

God Winks(R) is a registered trademark of SQuire Rushnell

Overly concerned about what people think of you? Welch uncovers the spiritual dimension of people-pleasing and points the way through a true knowledge of God, ourselves, and others.

Eight of today's most noted thinkers here examine the nature of evangelical Christianity and explore its ongoing role in contemporary culture. Produced in conjunction with the establishment of a new professorship in evangelical theological studies at Harvard University, these chapters discuss evangelicalism's shared religious features, its intellectual agenda, and the impact its deeply felt religious commitments have had on society. In the process, this volume provides a significance view of evangelicalism in its broadest outlines and suggests ways to cultivate and preserve its finest qualities.

One of the most profoundly influential and immortal parables ever recounted by the Savior is the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this story, the Messiah expounds upon what constitutes the nature of true religion, which consists in the willful extension of charity and mercy, in the performance of acts of love and in bringing the greatest good to others. The parable also proves that the performance of deeds of righteousness very often comes from the unlikeliest of characters, in strange, unexpected places to provide for us in ways that utterly transcend our narrow definitions or limited expectations. And no more than we should not discount any human being as unworthy of our services should we deny or underestimate that any other has the capacity to initiate or reciprocate such graces.
Though rich in interest as a story in itself, especially as an embodiment of profoundly precious lessons on the nature of love in action and at face value is both dramatic and practical in the obvious application of its meaning, there is a time honored interpretation taught by the ancient assembly and preserved throughout the Middle Ages that brilliantly encapsulates the plan of salvation in such a way that has lost its metaphorical meaning in modernity. The parable of the Good Samaritan testifies of the plan of salvation, the Savior's atoning love and our journey toward eternal life. It can not only be read as a story of a man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho but also about all who come down from the heavenly presence of the Father to live on earth. The story has a universal application for all of humanity that is as relevant and necessary today as it was when it was first declared. This meaning becomes more visible as it was formerly taught and understood by the early Church fathers, an interpretation the author resurrects and elucidates upon.

This indispensable collection of biblical information has illustrations of biblical sites as they exist today, masterworks of religious art, and information on virtually all of the characters in the Old and New Testaments.

Can relligion and politics mix? Many voices reply, "No way!" Yet in this provocative and timely book, Brendan Sweetman argues against this charge and the various sophisticated arguments that support it. As we witness the clash of religious and secular worldviews he claims that our pluralistic democratic society will be best served when the faith elements of secularism are acknowledged and the rational elements of religious arguments are allowed to inform the momentous debates taking place in the public square. In fact, Sweetman contends that "politics needs religion if it is to be truly democratic, concerned with fairness among worldviews, equality and a vigorous public discussion."

This 31-day devotional pairs Thomas Kinkade's nostalgic, light-infused art work with patriotic words by Calvin Miller to create an inspiring look at our American and Christian heritage.

Masterfully melding Scripture, tales of our ancestors, and anecdotes resonating with godly values, "With Wings Like Eagles" reminds us of the ways in which God has sustained our nation from its founding. Kinkade's original artwork accompanies each day's meditation and depicts a warm, evocative view of American life over the last century.

Whether you're one of the millions who cherish Thomas Kinkade's paintings, a fan of Calvin Miller, or a collector of American nostalgia, "With Wings Like Eagles" inspires gratitude for all of God's blessings upon our nation. Even more, it reminds us that the same God who watches over America, deeply loves each and every one of her people as well.

Angels play a far more important role in our lives than we realize. Our minds and emotions are shaped out of angelic substance. Our greatest music, art work, and literature has its roots in angelic inspiration. Angelic troops help us to give birth -- and to heal the sick. And yet, as a race, we remain almost totally ignorant of these divine beings, their purpose, and their role.

This is due to our own blindness. In this short book, authors Robert R. Leichtman, M.D. and Carl Japikse describe the truth about angels -- and how humans can learn to work with them. The authors shatter a lot of misconceptions about angels and their interactions with humans, then go on to outline the real basis for angelic-human interaction.