General Books

Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures

Raymond Arroyo

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Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Word is made fresh by the irrepressible Mother Angelica as she personally escorts you through the Scriptures, unearthing lessons for daily living--the perfect companion to the New York Times bestselling Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality.

The founder of the world's largest religious media empire shares her beloved wit and down-to-earth spirituality in MOTHER ANGELICA'S PRIVATE AND PITHY LESSONS FROM THE SCRIPTURES. Editor Raymond Arroyo draws on hundreds of never-before-released private lessons to present the renowned nun's definitive take on the Good Book. Angelica provides readers with guided meditations, probing personal questions, and reveals an often-overlooked practical spirituality. She doesn't just explain the stories, she relates them to our daily lives, helping even those who've never opened the Bible experience its power and life-altering lessons. The apostles Paul ("the little shrimp"), Peter ("that great bungler") and all the characters of the Scriptures are suddenly human again, complete with their foibles and triumphs. Here is the Greatest Story, newly told as only Mother Angelica can. The Bible and you will never be the same.

A portion of the royalties from this book goes to support the work of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery

Things Hidden: Scripture As Spirituality

Richard Rohr

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

richard releases the freshest breeze of resurrection air 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

with this book, once again richard
releases the freshest breeze of resurrection air
within the catholic tradition.

i entreat mr bunbury to read the book again,
but this time with easter-eyes
and thus enter the joy of being wrong
(to paraphrase james alison,
another one of the freshest, catholic voices).

rohr here gives us in simple language
(and without losing any of the depth)
an interpretation of the paradigmatic work of rene girard.
for this christianity as a whole is to be grateful.

but mostly the book continues richard's
efforts to expand on the venture that is
living one's life grafted upon the
life-abundant of resurrection-spirit.

Nothing To Be Afraid of in God 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

"The amazing wonder of biblical revelation that I hope to make clear in this book is that God is much different than we thought, and also much better than we feared," promises Richard Rohr in the first chapter of Things Hidden. The book is based on the author's earlier talks on great themes of scripture. Two key themes he stresses are "Divine, unmerited generosity" is offered unconditionally, and the Spirit promised by Jesus is available to all.

In the Bible, writes Rohr, any time God or an angel breaks into human life, the event is prefaced by "Do not be afraid." God's entering the scene was considered bad news. "Even today most feel that God's love and attention must be earned and then we deeply resent the process." The earliest Hebrews saw God as punitive and petty, demanding of blood sacrifices. By the time of Abraham the sacrificial instinct "matured a bit," Rohr tells us, and animals became the sacrifice of choice "to please this fearsome God." When we get to the Risen Jesus, there is nothing to be afraid of in God.

The author uses numerous examples to show the gradual enlightenment. Of the Adam and Eve story, he suggests that seeking knowledge may seem more like virtue than sin. However, it isn't knowledge that God is trying to keep us from, but "lust for certitude, explanation, resolution and answers." He sees Noah's Ark as an image of how God liberates us, embodying "the contradictions, the opposites, the tensions and the paradoxes of humanity." And in Mary, he finds God's total gift of grace. She asks how the angel's proposition will come about without wondering why she is chosen or protesting her unworthiness "It takes all of the Bible to work up to one perfect vessel that knows how to say an unquestioning yes to an utterly free gift."

The Bible for Dummies

Jeffrey C. Geoghegan, Michael M. Homan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Bible has been translated into more languages, sold more copies, and been read by more people than any other book in history, but when trying to understand the book as a whole, its difficult to know where to begin. The Bible For Dummies explains in plain English whats in the Bible, how its organized, who wrote it, and what its all about. This engaging guide includes easy-to-use maps, charts, and pictures to help you make sense of the Bible and important historical and cultural insights that bring the Bible to life. Writing from an interfaith perspective, the authors focus on the Bible not only as a holy book for people of faith but also as a cultural reference necessary for understanding works of art, literature, and public discourse. With fascinating background information, The Bible For Dummies is a[n interesting] one-stop guide to the worlds all-time bestseller.

Jeffrey Geoghegan, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Biblical Theology at Boston College. Michael Homan, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Xavier University, Louisiana. They are also coauthors of The Nine Commandments and Over and Under the Biblical Lands.

The Lost Book of Enoch

Joseph B. Lumpkin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

the lost book of enoch 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Very comprehensive Biblical doctrines are critical to understanding. The order of the book makes for easy reading.
I feel endebted to the author for his labors.
Delighted,
Jimmy Black.

Very Infomative 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I ordered this book after reading a novel and found it very informative and easy to read and understand.

The Lost Book of Enoch 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very interesting. I purchased The Lost Book of Enoch on the recommendation of a Theologian who said that although books like Enoch are not cannonical they do contain truth. Enoch is referenced in the 14th verse of the New Testament book of Jude. I Found other passages of interest in Enoch such as the names of seven Angels. I believe that Gabriel and Michael are the only Angels mentioned by name in the Bible.

Editorial Review:

Quoted in the book of Jude, cited by Jesus, and used to form our view of angels and demons, this book connects the dots of doctrine and prophecy in the scriptures. It goes into more detail about the "Sons of God (Angels) that left their positions in heaven to marry human women", having children that became giants and introducing violence, sorcery, and evil spirits into the world.

Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community (Re:Lit)

Tim Chester, Steve Timmis

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Christianity -> Theology -> Ecclesiology

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Two pastors outline and apply a pair of overarching biblical principles that call the current body of Christ to a deep restructuring of its life and mission.

“Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter,” write pastors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. “It’s an identity that is ours in Christ. An identity that shapes the whole of life so that life and mission become ‘total church.’” With that as their premise, they emphasize two overarching principles to govern the practice of church and mission: being gospel-centered and being community-centered. When these principles take precedence, say the authors, the truth of the Word is upheld, the mission of the gospel is carried out, and the priority of relationships is practiced in radical ways. The church becomes not just another commitment to juggle but a 24/7 lifestyle where programs, big events, and teaching from one person take a backseat to sharing lives, reaching out, and learning about God together.

In Total Church, Chester and Timmis first outline the biblical case for making gospel and community central and then apply this dual focus to evangelism, social involvement, church planting, world missions, discipleship, pastoral care, spirituality, theology, apologetics, youth and children’s work. As this insightful book calls the body of Christ to rethink its perspective and practice of church, it charts a middle path between the emerging church movement and conservative evangelicalism that all believers will find helpful.

Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament

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Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Readers of the New Testament often encounter quotes or allusions to Old Testament stories and prophecies that are unfamiliar or obscure. In order to fully understand the teachings of Jesus and his followers, it is important to understand the large body of Scripture that preceded and informed their thinking. Leading evangelical scholars G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson have brought together a distinguished team to provide readers with a comprehensive commentary on Old Testament quotations, allusions, and echoes that appear from Matthew through Revelation. College and seminary students, pastors, scholars, and interested lay readers will want to add this unique commentary to their reference libraries. Contributors Craig L. Blomberg (Denver Seminary) on Matthew Rikk E. Watts (Regent College) on Mark David W. Pao (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and Eckhard J. Schnabel (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) on Luke Andreas J. Köstenberger (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) on John I. Howard Marshall (University of Aberdeen) on Acts Mark A. Seifrid (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) on Romans Roy E. Ciampa (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) and Brian S. Rosner (Moore Theological College) on 1 Corinthians Peter Balla (Károli Gáspár Reformed University, Budapest) on 2 Corinthians Moisés Silva (author of Philippians in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) on Galatians and Philippians Frank S. Thielman (Beeson Divinity School) on Ephesians G. K. Beale (Wheaton College Graduate School) on Colossians Jeffrey A. D. Weima (Calvin Theological Seminary) on 1 and 2 Thessalonians Philip H. Towner (United Bible Societies) on 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus George H. Guthrie (Union University) on Hebrews D. A. Carson (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) on the General Epistles G. K. Beale (Wheaton College Graduate School) and Sean M. McDonough (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) on Revelation

Reading the Bible Again For the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally

Marcus J. Borg

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Total reviews: 75 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Reading the Bible Again for the First Time is Marcus Borg's follow-up to Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. Like his earlier book, this one is written for lay people whose faith has been frustrated by their misapprehension that fundamentalism's claim to be the one true faith is valid. Borg, a professor of religion at Oregon State University, describes an alternative to fundamentalists' so-called "literal" readings of scripture. (He believes that such "literal-factual" readings do not live up to that description, and that the limitations of such readings have alienated many people who would otherwise remain part of the church.) Borg calls his alternative "historical-metaphorical" reading, a way of "taking the Bible seriously without taking it literally." Reading the Bible begins with a history of recent conflicts regarding biblical interpretation. Borg navigates the minefields of his subject with sensitivity and precision, explaining, for example, the important distinction between evangelical and fundamentalist readings of the Bible. He then offers historical-metaphorical readings of some key texts from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Throughout, Borg writes with calm assurance and respect for those who would disagree with him. Reading the Bible is a credible guide to the project it names. It is a faithful exercise of reason, undertaken to help Christians hear more clearly the many voices recorded in the Bible. --Michael Joseph Gross

The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative

Christopher J. H. Wright

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Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Most Christians would agree that the Bible provides a basis for mission. But Christopher Wright boldly maintains that mission is bigger than that there is in fact a missional basis for the Bible! The entire Bible is generated by and is all about God's mission.

Beginning with the Old Testament and the groundwork it lays for understanding who God is, what he has called his people to be and do, and how the nations fit into God's mission, Wright gives us a new hermeneutical perspective on Scripture. This new perspective provides a solid and expansive basis for holistic mission. Wright emphasizes throughout a holistic mission as the proper shape of Christian mission. God's mission is to reclaim the world and that includes the created order and God's people have a designated role to play in that mission.

Market/Audience

• Students and professors of missions
• Missionaries
• Pastors and missionaries
• Seminary students and professors

Endorsements

"This book should be a required text for theologians and exegetes, pastors and students, missionaries and Christians in general." Eckhard J. Schnabel, author of Early Christian Mission, and professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"This marvelous book is all I hoped and expected, and more. . . .We are so fortunate to have the mature fruit of a lifetime's reflection on the missional nature of the Bible by this outstanding teacher, scholar and missionary theologian." John Goldingay, author of Old Testament Theology, and professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

Features and Benefits

• Offers a groundbreaking missional hermeneutical perspective on Scripture.
• Expands our understanding of mission to include the Old Testament.
• Gives numerous new insights into familiar biblical texts.
• Provides a solid and expansive basis for holistic mission.

The Bible: A Biography (Books That Changed the World)

Karen Armstrong

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Editorial Review:

As the single work at the heart of Christianity, the world’s largest organized religion, the Bible is the spiritual guide for one out of every three people in the world. It is also the world’s most widely distributed book and its best-selling, with an estimated six billion copies sold in the last two hundred years. But the Bible is a complex work with a complicated and obscure history. Its contents have changed over the centuries, it has been transformed by translation and, through interpretation, has developed manifold meanings to various religions, denominations, and sects.

In this seminal account, acclaimed historian Karen Armstrong discusses the conception, gestation, life, and afterlife of history’s most powerful book. Armstrong analyzes the social and political situation in which oral history turned into written scripture, how this all-pervasive scripture was collected into one work, and how it became accepted as Christianity’s sacred text, and how its interpretation changed over time. Armstrong’s history of the Bible is a brilliant, captivating book, crucial in an age of declining faith and rising fundamentalism.

The Bible: A Biography (Books That Changed the World)

Karen Armstrong

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

As the work at the heart of Christianity, the Bible is the spiritual guide for one out of every three people in the world. It is also the world’s most widely distributed book, translated into over two thousand languages, and the world’s best selling book, year after year. But the Bible is a complex work with a complicated and obscure history. Made up of sixty-six “books” written by various authors and divided into two testaments, its contents have changed over the centuries. The Bible has been transformed by translation and, through interpretation, has developed manifold meanings to various religions, denominations, and sects. In this seminal account, acclaimed historian Karen Armstrong discusses the conception, gestation, and life of history’s most powerful book. Armstrong analyzes the social and political situation in which oral history turned into written scripture, how this all-pervasive scripture was collected into one work, and how it became accepted as Christianity’s sacred text. She explores how scripture came to be read for information, and how, in the nineteenth century, historical criticism of the Bible caused greater fear than Darwinism. This is a brilliant, captivating book, crucial in an age of declining faith and rising fundamentalism.