Category: Christianity

By David Hugh Farmer

This is often excess of a dry hagiographical account of the lives of saints. This enjoyable and authoritative dictionary breathes existence into its matters and is as browsable because it is informative. significantly acclaimed in its many variations, the dictionary is now reissued into the rebranded best-selling Oxford Paperback Reference series.
The entries are concise money owed of the lives, cults, and inventive institutions of over 1,400 saints, from the well-known to the imprecise, the wealthy to the negative, and the tutorial to the uneducated. From all walks of existence and from all sessions of historical past, the extensive forms of personalities and achievements of the canonized are mirrored. that includes maps of pilgrimage points of interest in Europe and entirely up to date appendices, this continues to be the normal reference paperback in its field.
Recently-added saints contain the Martyrs of Korea, Vietnam, and the Spanish Civil conflict, Andrew of Crete, and Emily Rodat, a feminine hermit of the seventh century. There also are extra Scottish and Irish saints, and historic Welsh saints; extra ecu saints from all centuries, in addition to extra saints from jap Europe; extra lately canonized saints and feminine saints from the USA.

For approximately twenty years John W. Loftus was once a religious evangelical Christian, an ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and an ardent apologist for Christianity. With 3 degrees--in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion--he used to be adept at utilizing rational argumentation to protect the religion. yet through the years, doubts in regards to the credibility of key Christian tenets started to creep into his pondering. by means of the overdue Nineteen Nineties he skilled a full-blown trouble of religion.

In this sincere appraisal of his trip from believer to atheist, the writer rigorously explains the stories and the reasoning approach that led him to reject spiritual trust. the unique variation of this booklet was once released in 2006 and reissued in 2008. considering that point, Loftus has bought a great deal of serious suggestions from Christians and skeptics alike. during this revised and increased variation, the writer addresses criticisms of the unique, provides new argumentation and references, and refines his presentation. for each factor he succinctly summarizes a few of the issues of view and offers references for additional analyzing. In end, he describes the consequences of existence with no trust in God, a few releasing, a few sobering.

This frank critique of Christian trust from a former insider will curiosity freethinkers in addition to someone with doubts concerning the claims of faith.

By Timothy Keller

New York occasions bestselling writer of The Songs of Jesus Timothy Keller indicates how God calls every one folks to precise which means and function via our paintings and careers.

In a piece global that's more and more aggressive and insecure, humans usually have nagging questions: Why am I doing this paintings? Why is it so difficult? And is there whatever i will do approximately it?

Tim Keller, pastor of latest York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church and New York Times bestselling writer of The explanation for God in addition as The Skeptical Student within the Encounters with Jesus book sequence, etc, has taught and recommended scholars, younger pros, and senior leaders just about paintings and calling for greater than 20 years. Now he places his insights right into a publication for readers in all places, giving biblical views on such urgent questions as:

• what's the function of work?
• How am i able to locate that means and serve buyers in a cutthroat, bottom-line-oriented workplace?
• How am i able to use my talents in a vocation that has that means and purpose?
• am i able to remain real to my values and nonetheless enhance in my field?
• How do I make the tricky offerings that needs to be made during a winning profession?

With deep perception and sometimes astounding recommendation, Keller indicates readers that biblical knowledge is immensely appropriate to our questions about our paintings. in reality, the Christian view of work—that we paintings to serve others, now not ourselves—can give you the starting place of a thriving expert and balanced own existence. Keller exhibits how excellence, integrity, self-discipline, creativity, and keenness within the place of work may also help others or even be thought of acts of worship—not simply of self-interest.

By Robert Chazan

5 12th- and thirteenth-century polemicists from southern France and northern Spain are the 1st identified Jewish polemicists from western Christendom, who pointed out significant Christian demanding situations, in addition to acceptable responses for fellow Jews below ever-increasing non secular strain. This research means that the Jewish polemicists eventually tried to supply their fans a considerably contrasting portrait of Christian and Jewish society: the previous as strong yet irrational and morally debased; the latter as vulnerable, yet profoundly rational and morally increased.

By Daniel Boyarin