Jesus Books - Page 6

On the Incarnation: De Incarnatione Verbi Dei (Popular Patristics Series)

St. Athanasius

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great introductory work to the early church fathers. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

First, the introduction by C. S. Lewis is alone worth the price of this short work. Lewis argues that these works by the early church fathers are far easier to read than the commentaries of the works of the fathers. He also argues that we need to read at least one out of three books out of our century. He doesn't use the phrase "chronological snobbery," but the argument is the same. We need to read perspectives of other cultures and ages to help keep ourselves from falling into the errors of the present age.

Second, the book is not terribly difficult to read. The book is short and well organized. Some of the passages take rereadings, but the arguments for the most part are fairly straight forward and accessible. Meditating on what God did through the incarnation, the reasons for the incarnation, and its impact on our lives and history as a whole can not be a bad thing.

Editorial Review:

"This is a good translation of a very great book.

"St Athanasius stood contra mundum for the Trinitarian doctrine 'whole and undefiled,' when it looked as if all the civilized world was slipping back from Christianity into the religion of Arius, into one of those 'sensible' synthetic religions which are so strongly recommended today and which then, as now, included among their devotees many highly cultivated clergymen. The glory of St Athanasius is that he did not move with the times; it is his reward that he now remains when those times, like all others, have passed away.

"When I first opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece, for only a mastermind could have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity"

- C. S. Lewis, from the Introduction

On the Incarnation is part of the POPULAR PATRISTIC SERIES.

Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date

John Major Jenkins, Terence McKenna

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The 'Zero Time' Is Upon Us 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Overall this book is pretty solid I think as far as the research.

The main point is that we are very close to the end of what people call "The Platonic Year". This is a 25,800 year period of time during which our solar system travels through the 12 signs of the zodiac.

On 12/21/12 a strange astronomical alignment will occur where our solar system will get lined up with the super massive black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The "black sun". I think I read somewhere else that an energy beam is emanating from the black sun and this beam will strike the earth on that date.

The author doesn't really say exactly what's supposed to happen on that date. Perhaps the change that occurs will be within all of us I don't know.

Another re-occuring point is the Mayan shamans' use of mind altering substances such as certain mushrooms. To avoid the upset stomach that these concoctions could cause they would sometimes inject the mixture directly into their intestines.

In appendix 6 he critiques some other books on this subject and compares them to his own research. He disagrees with others that the ancient Egyptians were more advanced that the Mayans. My own take is both cultures have a common source (Atlantis). The pyramid of Kukulcan compares very well to the other pyramids around the world. However the pyramids at Giza, especially when they were in their original condition, stand alone.

Nobody really knows how these pyramids were built by the way, much as traditional Egyptologists like to make us think they know.

He is correct that people in our modern world today may in some cases tend to underestimate the knowledge that these ancient cultures possessed.

Many people today have a feeling that something strange is going to happen soon. I do anyway. Perhaps a lot of people like to read those 'left behind' books because that's a Christian response to this feeling.

There are some truly tragic desecrations and destructions of culture and knowledge that stand out in human history. Here's my short list:

1) the Muslims destroying the surfaces of the pyramids at Giza in Egypt so they could use the limestone for their palaces for Mohammed

2) the burning of the library at Alexandria by the Christians

3) the Spanish burning all of the Mayan's ancient codex booklets and melting down all of the Aztec's priceless gold artifacts

So we see that no single religion or country had any monopoly on destroying knowledge and history.

Jeff Marzano

The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls: Unlocking the Secrets of the Past, Present, and Future

The Giza Power Plant : Technologies of Ancient Egypt

The Giza Death Star

Edgar Cayce's Egypt: Psychic Revelations on the Most Fascinating Civilization Ever Known

Edgar Cayce's Atlantis and Lemuria: The Lost Civilizations in the Light of Modern Discoveries

Lemuria & Atlantis: Studying the Past to Survive the Future

The Hunt for Zero Point: Inside the Classified World of Antigravity Technology

Initiation

Initiation in the Great Pyramid (Astara's Library of Mystical Classics)

Editorial Review:

While researching the 2012 end-date of the Maya Calendar, John Major Jenkins decoded the Maya's galactic cosmology. The Maya discovered that the periodic alignment of the Sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy is the formative influence on human evolution. These alignments also define a series of World Ages. The fourth age ends on December 21, 2012, when an epoch chapter in human history will come to an end. Maya Cosmogenisis 2012 reveals the Maya's insight into the cyclic nature of time, and prepares us for oue own cosmogenesis--the birth of a new world.

American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon

Stephen Prothero

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Jesus the Black Messiah; Jesus the Jew; Jesus the Hindu sage; Jesus the Haight-Asbury hippie: these Jesuses join the traditional figure of Jesus Christ in American Jesus, which was acclaimed upon publication in hardcover as an altogether fresh exploration of American history--and as the liveliest book about Jesus to appear in English in years.

Our nation's changing images of Jesus, Stephen Prothero contends, are a kind of looking class into the national character. Even as most Christian believers cleave to a traditional faith, other people give Jesus a leading role as folk hero, pitchman, and countercultural icon. And so it has been since the nation's founding--from Thomas Jefferson, who took scissors to his New Testament to sort out true from false Jesus material; to the Jews, Buddhists and Muslims who fit Jesus into their own traditions; to the people who adapt Jesus for stage and screen and the Holy Land theme park. American Jesus is "a lively, illuminating and accessible survey that takes us into unexpected corners of our shared religious heritage" (Dan Cryer, Newsday).

True Devotion to Mary

Louis De Monfort, Frederick Faber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A masterpiece written by the Holy Spirit Himself 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This is, in my opinion, the greatest single book ever written on the Blessed Virgin. It is, in reality, like a compendium of all that the Holy Catholic Church had taught on devotion to the Blessed Virgin up to that moment, although nothing has really been added since then. In 215 pages it explains everything you need to know about TRUE devotion to the Blessed Virgin - it even explains false devotions, such as hypocritical devotees etc - and the crucial importance, by the will of God, of Mary in salvation history. You can clearly get the impression when reading this magnificent book that the author was not really the one who physically wrote down the words, St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, but in reality the Holy Ghost himself acting through this servant of God. This book is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to better his/her spiritual life. Needless to say, I think everyone should read this book - sinners and saints alike. For sinners, as a way to escape from spiritual ruin, and for saints, as a way to reach perfection which otherwise is very difficult to reach without a deep devotion to Our Lady. This book definitely has the power to change the life of the one who reads it. As St Alphonsus de Liguori stated, "Only God knows the good that can be done on a soul by reading a good book" and this book certainly falls in this category.

Editorial Review:

Considered the greatest single book on Mary ever written, this classic shows the way to Jesus through Mary. It sums up the entire Christian life and provides the key both to sanctity and to salvation. Beloved by countless souls; makes lasting devotees. St. Louis De Montfort prophesied that True Devotion to Mary would be the way of life of the great Saints of the latter times. This devotion is destined to change the world!

If Jesus came to my house

Joan Gale Thomas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

If Jesus Came To My House 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had the old version of this precious children's book from my childhood. I love the new, colorful illustrations. The products arrived quickly and in perfect condition! Thank you!

Best Children's Christian Book Ever... 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book really shows what Christianity is all about. I read it to my 3 year old everyday. It is relatable for a 3 year old and he loves it!!!

Great lessons taught 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Joan G. Thomas
HarperCollins (2008)
ISBN 9780060839420
Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (9/08)

In "If Jesus Came to My House," a young boy imagines Jesus coming to his house in the form of a young boy that is about the same age. The boy shares with him the best of everything that he has and treats him kindly and graciously. In the last part of the book, the boy says that he knows that Jesus will never come to his house in the way that he imagined, but he knows that he can go to church and pray and talk with him there. He can also treat others in the manner that he imagined treating Jesus.

Max: "Is that Jesus?"
Cayden: "The boy is pretending that Jesus is that other boy. He is thinking what he would do if Jesus came to his house. I don't think it is really Jesus though, Max. He is pretending."

Cayden: "He is being very nice to him by giving him his things."

Cayden: "He drinks tea? I don't think kids drink tea."
Max: "Me tea!"
Cayden: "No Max, we are too little to have tea."

Cayden: "That is a cool hiding spot in the wall!"
Max: "Good hide spot!"

Cayden: "That boy is real nice to share all of his things! I share sometimes too."

Cayden: "It is good to be nice to other people like the boy is in the book. He gave that lady flowers and shared his toys."

Parent's comments:

"If Jesus Came to My House" by Joan G. Thomas is a wonderful, wholesome book that teaches some important life lessons. The story was very interesting to my children and they could relate a lot to what the boy was doing, except for the tea drinking part. The illustrations were simple, yet complemented the story well. I really loved the messages conveyed and think that this book would make a wonderful Christening gift for any child.

Editorial Review:

If Jesus came to your house, would he be your age and height? How would you treat him? Would you give him your nicest toys and let him have the longest turn on your rocking horse?

In this simple, touching story, a young boy realizes that he can treat others according to the lessons he would learn if Jesus really did come to his house.

The Imitation of Christ

Thomas a Kempis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 72 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The treasure 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Why claim trinkets when you can read one of the best devotionals on the market. I use it to keep my daily life in check, to remember to have the right focus and to live what I believe. This is the top of the charts for a "Christian" work. Brother A'Kempis was a great instructor and a wise disciple. So much of todays mediocre fluff is twisted by society, self centeredness and lazy Christianity where the thinking is done for those who don't see the value in meditation and self examination. Next to the Bible, this is my favorite work.

This is Imitating Christ? 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I found nothing at all about this book to be inspiring. The one sentence that speaks to this most, for me, is....

"It is better to lead a hidden life and care about one's salvation than to neglect it and work miracles. The religious who rarely goes out, avoids being seen and is unwilling to see others, is the one who is worthy of praise."

How is that Imitating Christ? Jesus didn't close himself off from people...he identified with everybody....especially sinners!

I didn't realize how "Catholic" this book would be even though I was aware that he was a Monk.

Imitating Christ has nothing to do with the Catholic Church, Saints, the Pope, etc. Christ came to set people free FROM empty religion, dogma and stale tradition. He didn't intend for us to be enslaved by a new religion. That isn't the freedom of Christ. Christianity is a relationship, NOT a religion.

Editorial Review:

The secret of the amazing influence and converting power of this little book is the secret of the lives of all the Saints--their nearness to God, and the reflection of His love in their lives and writings. Thomas's theme is the love, mercy, and holiness of God: with vivid clarity he shows man's complete dependence on, and need for, God.

Hitlers Cross

Erwin W. Lutzer

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Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Six million Jews dead The monstrosity of Adolph Hitler's 'Third Reich' remains a stunning chapter in the pages of history. Although the power by which he hypnotized an entire nation is legendary, one question in particular begs an answer: Where was the church of Christ? Seduced by the Satanic majesty of The Fuhrer, church leaders throughout German allowed the Swastika a prominent place alongside the Christian cross in their sanctuaries. Nationalistic pride replaced the call of God to purity, and with few exceptions the German church looked away while Adolph Hitler implemented his 'Final Solution' to his Jewish problem. How did this happen? In Hitler's Cross, Erwin W. Lutzer examines the lessons that may be learned from studying the deception of the church: the dangers of confusing church and state how the church lost its focus the role of God in human tragedy the parameters of Satan's freedom the truth behind Hitler's hatred of the Jews the faithfulness of God to His people who suffer for Him comparisons between Hitler's rise and the coming reign of the Antichrist America's hidden cross--her dangerous trends. Hitler's Cross is the story of a nation whose church forgot its primary call and discovered its failure too late.

The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold

Acharya S

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Total reviews: 249 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Controversial and explosive, The Christ Conspiracy marshals an enormous amount of startling evidence that the religion of Christianity and Jesus Christ were created by members of various secret societies, mystery schools and religions in order to unify the Roman Empire under one state religion! This powerful book maintains that these groups drew upon a multitude of myths and rituals that already existed long before the Christian era and reworked them into the story the Christian religion presents today-known to most Westerners as the Bible. Author Acharya makes the case that there was no actual person named Jesus, but that several characters were rolled into one mythic being inspired by the deities Mithras, Heracles/Hercules, Dionysus and many others of the Roman Empire. She demonstrates that the story of Jesus, as portrayed in the Gospels, is nearly identical in detail to those of the earlier savior-gods Krishna and Horus, and concludes that Jesus was certainly neither original nor unique, nor was he the divine revelation. Rather, he represents the very ancient body of knowledge derived from celestial observation and natural forces. A book that will initiate heated debate and inner struggle, it is intelligently written and referenced. The only book of its kind, it is destined for controversy.

The Prisoner in the Third Cell (Inspirational)

Gene Edwards

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Prisoner in the Third Cell 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a very thought provoking book, especailly if you focus on each of the characters in the beginning of the book and then follow their lives, where their choices lead and what causes ended up with them in prison.
But when you get to the prisoner in the 3rd cell there is such revelation and the light really goes off--
I would recommend this book to every one to read, it is just awesome.

A must read for any Christian 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A great work of fiction, this dramatic story give us a look at John the Baptist, imprisoned by Herod and awaiting death, as he struggles to understand a Lord who did not live up to his expectations.

It gives a whole new perspective on what faith means. John's struggle to understand the whys of his situation echoes our own. When it turns to Jesus' POV and how He wanted to reveal things to John, it's one of those "wow" moments that give you some understanding of God's ways.

It's a book of comfort and an eye-opening look at what this thing called faith is all about. A book all Christians should read. It adds foundation the great words of Charles Spurgeon: "When you can't trace God's hand, trust His heart."

Editorial Review:

Imprisoned by Herod, John the Baptist struggles to understand a Lord who did not meet his expectations--a dramatic account offering insight into the ways of God.

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The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (Plus)

Marcus J. Borg, N Wright

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

For those who want their mind blown about Jesus 4 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

The book is presented by two acclaimed authors who both graduated from Oxford, but have differing views. Marcus Borg is a liberal in his theological thinking and N.T. Wright is rather conservative in his views. Both square off in a dual fashion to address critical issues related to the historical Jesus in eight parts.

The first section deals with how we have come to know about Jesus. Both use the New Testament, especially the Gospels, and other historical documents to come to their conclusions about who Jesus is. Interestingly enough, they both draw from the same material but come to extremely different conclusions about who Jesus was. Borg thinks of Jesus in terms of pre and post Easter. The pre-Easter Jesus as a person who was a "mystic" and the post-Easter Jesus, the Messiah, the one we talk about in Church tradition. Wright thinks of Jesus as someone who knew He was the messiah and that Jesus was the person and the divinity in one. Borg does not place a lot of historical value to the Gospels pointing out that the Gospels are embellished while Wright would say that they indicate pretty closely to what happened.

Next Wright and Borg spend time discussing what Jesus did and taught. Wright presents Jesus as a prophet who was there to usher in God's kingdom and made a call to the early Judeans to abandon their current view and join him. Wright believes that Jesus knew who He was in terms of the Messiah and that Jesus knew His role in God's plan while Borg's discusses Jesus as a Jewish mystic, healer and exorcist.

Moving on, the authors deal with the death of Jesus and what it meant. Borg presents two important issues regarding the death of Jesus. First Borg indicates that Jesus did not see himself as the way to God, or that He did not know that salvation was going to be made possible through His death and second Borg believes that Jesus died as a martyr because He stood up against the current structure of the time. Wright paints a picture where as Jesus death was planned by Jesus and He was very aware of His role in salvation. Wright points out that Jesus knew that only through great suffering could salvation be bought for all and Jesus knew this. Wright does note that while Jesus prepared His own death, he did it unwillingly. Jesus did not want to die, but He knew that it was His duty to do so for us.

Next we find something that the writers can agree on, that the resurrection of Jesus is a central key to Christianity. Both agree that without resurrection there would be no Christian movement. Both agree that something happened after the death of Jesus that caused the disciples to continue to teach of Jesus, and at this point the agreements end. Wright believes in the resurrected Christ. He believes that Jesus did rise from the dead. Borg presents a risen Jesus of almost myth, an apparition if you will. He indicates that the disciples and even other believes have had Jesus experiences that have lead to the forward movement of Christianity.

After the resurrection, we then need to address a fundamental question, which in my opinion should not even be a question. Was Jesus God? Borg indicates that Jesus did not see Himself as divine and that after Easter, Jesus becomes one with God. Wright agrees in some respect with Borg in that he does not think that Jesus thought He was God. Instead, Jesus thought He was the anointed one of God called to fulfill the God's promises to Israel.

The discussion then turns to Jesus and His birth. Wright indicates that Jesus' birth has gotten far more press than it should have. Wright believes that the focal point of Christianity is the death and resurrection. Wright does not believe that Mary's virginity is of large consequence to the person of Jesus, but he does believe that she was a virgin at the time of Jesus' birth. Borg claims that the birth is not historically factual. He points to differences in the stories as presented by Luke and Matthew as reasoning for the story to be more embellishment than truth. These two writers use this story as an example of imagery more than history.

Next is the discussion of the return of Christ. Borg believes that the end time theology has come from the church as a whole and not from Jesus. Borg also says that he does not believe that a physical Jesus will return to this Earth. Wright contends that end times discussion have come from Jewish tradition and transformed into beliefs of something that is not as impending as we sometimes believe. He believes that in the end there will come a time when heaven is shown to us and that Jesus will be a living being that we can see and touch, the dead will rise and we will all share in Jesus' new world for us.

Finally, Borg and Wright discuss the implications of their versions of Jesus and what that means for the Christian life. Wright focuses his attention on worship and missions as the centerpieces of the Christian way. Borg calls for a life for Christians that is full of God, a life where each and every moment is an experience with a God who is accessible to us all. Borg writes that he thinks Jesus is the epitome of what it is like to have a life that is full of God.

I believe that the authors have come to their beliefs based on the ways they view the sources of evidence regarding Jesus. Borg is very literal about the sources of Jesus and looks at the historical value of the written words about Jesus. He tries to eliminate any such embellishment or literary device that could have been used to mask the true evidence of the historical Jesus. Wright on the other hand, leaves open that embellishments and literary devices can have historical value and could have happened they way they were written. I believe that given these filters the authors use to aid them in their research, this is why we have two acclaimed authors who studied under the same New Testament professor at Oxford with very different thinking.

This is a good book to get you thinking about who Jesus is, but it can be difficult to read if you have not had some study in New Testament background. It is generally not a good read for the lay person.

Editorial Review:

Was Jesus born of a virgin? Did he know he was the Messiah? Was he bodily resurrected from the dead? Did he intentionally die to redeem humankind? Was Jesus God? Two leading Jesus scholars with widely divergent views go right to the heart of these questions and others, presenting the opposing visions of Jesus that shape our faith today.