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Messy Grace: How a Pastor with Gay Parents Learned to Love Others Without Sacrificing Conviction
by Caleb KaltenbachSometimes, grace gets messy. Caleb Kaltenbach was raised by LGBT parents, marched in gay pride parades as a youngster, and experienced firsthand the hatred and bitterness of some Christians toward his family. But then Caleb surprised everyone, including himself, by becoming a Christian…and a pastor. Very few issues in Christianity are as divisive as the acceptance of the LGBT community in the church. As a pastor and as a person with beloved family members living a gay lifestyle, Caleb had to face this issue with courage and grace. Messy Grace shows us that Jesus&’s command to &“love your neighbor as yourself&” doesn&’t have an exception clause for a gay &“neighbor&”—or for that matter, any other &“neighbor&” we might find it hard to relate to. Jesus was able to love these people and yet still hold on to his beliefs. So can you. Even when it&’s messy. &“Messy Grace is an important contribution to the conversation about sexual identity for churches and leaders. Caleb's story is surprising and unique, and he weaves it together compellingly. He states his views clearly, leaves room for disagreement, and champions love no matter where you are in this conversation.&”—Jud Wilhite, Sr. Pastor, Central Christian Church
Messy People - Women's Bible Study Leader Guide: Life Lessons from Imperfect Biblical Heroes (Messy People)
by Jennifer CowartGod can turn your messy life into a masterpiece.Every life gets messy at times. Sometimes these messes are literal, like a house that would be easier to condemn than to clean. But sometimes they are intangible messes such as illness, conflict, depression, abuse, bankruptcy, divorce, and job loss. And these messes can be painful, hurting our hearts and our homes. But as we see in the Bible, God loves to use messy people!In this six-week study, we will dig into the lives of biblical heroes who were messy people just like us but who were used by God in powerful ways. Together we will examine the stories of five wonderful but messy people and one messy parable character: Rahab, the Prodigal Son, Josiah, Mary, David, and Daniel. From their stories, we will learn how God can use broken people, restore damaged hearts and relationships, give us power to handle our critics, and help us deal with the hard moments of life. Along the way we’ll discover that we don’t have to just endure messy lives but can actually learn to thrive with God’s guidance and help. In the hands of God, our messes can become His masterpieces!The Leader Guide, to be used along with the study's workbook and DVD, contains six session plan outlines, complete with discussion points and questions, activities, prayers, and more—plus leader helps for facilitating a group.Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a Participant Workbook, and DVD with six 10-15 minute sessions.
Messy People - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook: Life Lessons from Imperfect Biblical Heroes (Messy People)
by Jennifer CowartGod can turn your messy life into a masterpiece.Every life gets messy at times. Sometimes these messes are literal, like a house that would be easier to condemn than to clean. But sometimes they are intangible messes such as illness, conflict, depression, abuse, bankruptcy, divorce, and job loss. And these messes can be painful, hurting our hearts and our homes. But as we see in the Bible, God loves to use messy people!In this six-week study, we will dig into the lives of biblical heroes who were messy people just like us but who were used by God in powerful ways. Together we will examine the stories of five wonderful but messy people and one messy parable character: Rahab, the Prodigal Son, Josiah, Mary, David, and Daniel. From their stories, we will learn how God can use broken people, restore damaged hearts and relationships, give us power to handle our critics, and help us deal with the hard moments of life. Along the way we’ll discover that we don’t have to just endure messy lives but can actually learn to thrive with God’s guidance and help. In the hands of God, our messes can become His masterpieces!The participant workbook, to be used along with the study's DVD, includes five days of lessons for each week, combining study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer.Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a Leader Guide, and DVD with six 10-15 minute sessions.
Messy Perfect
by Tanya BotejuPerfect for fans of Mason Deaver and Becky Albertalli, this tender, raucous novel follows a rule-following, perfectionist teen who starts an underground GSA club at her conservative Catholic high school, from the acclaimed author of Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens.Cassie Perera is a star student in St. Luke's junior class. But the new school year brings an unwelcome surprise—the return to St. Luke's of Cassie's former friend, Ben, who left a few years ago after a homophobic bullying incident Cassie knows she didn't do enough to prevent.Still harboring guilt from her inaction, Cassie decides, in her usual, overzealous way, to team up with the neighboring public school to found an underground Gender and Sexuality Alliance—as a complicated strategy for making things up to Ben. Secretly, Cassie is also tempted by the possibility of opening up about her own sexuality for the first time.As Cassie’s new friends urge her out of her comfort zone, she unlocks a kind of joy and freedom she’s never felt before—even as she struggles to balance these experiences with her typical tightrope of being the perfect daughter, student, and Catholic.Cassie’s perfectly curated life unravels into turmoil, but can she embrace the mess enough to piece together something new?
Messy Spirituality: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People
by Mike YaconelliIf you feel like you are not spiritual enough, then, this book is for you!
Messy Spirituality: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People
by Mike YaconelliFind freedom from legalism's should's and discover the deep spirituality of being loved by the God who meets and transforms you in the midst of a messy and unpredictable life.Do you ever feel like you don't pray enough, read your Bible enough, share your faith enough, love God enough . . . and ultimately that you're not a very good Christian?Welcome to the club. Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who are convinced we just don't do Christianity right. Mike Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, unfinishedness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided . . . and gloriously liberating.In these pages, he challenges you to let go of the legalism that holds you back and embrace the grace freedom that God offers. He opens your eyes to the one-size-fits-all spirituality churches often want us to embrace and shares what it truly means to walk with God in a deep, intimate, life-changing way.Full of innovative ideas and concepts, Messy Spirituality is a classic that offers timeless wisdom for anyone ready to be free from the bonds of perfectionism.Spanish edition also available.
Messy Truth: How to Foster Community Without Sacrificing Conviction
by Caleb KaltenbachFrom the author of Messy Grace, a former pastor raised by gay parents, comes a compassionate playbook to help Christians, church staff, and ministry leaders create a culture of belonging without sacrificing theological convictions. What should we do? This is a question many Christians are asking as they face shifting societal norms, conflicting opinions, and often inaccurate scriptural interpretations regarding those who identify as LGBTQ+. Caleb Kaltenbach believes there&’s a more helpful question:What am I willing to do to keep and build influence with ______________? Caleb knows our love for others is best measured by the lengths we&’ll go to help them. He also recognizes that people find and follow Jesus better in community than in isolation. As a child raised by three activist gay parents, Caleb experienced firsthand the outrage of some Christians. That&’s why he is committed to creating a sense of belonging for all people. True community can happen only when Christians are intentional in infusing their attitudes, systems, and values with grace and truth. This hopeful, practical book offers tools for encouraging church involvement, strengthening personal relationships, increasing empathy, and engaging in pivotal conversations about grace and truth with our whole community. Fostering a culture of belonging is a messy process, but it holds a massive possibility for everyone involved: a growing relationship with Jesus.
Messy: God Likes It That Way
by A. J. SwobodaChristianity is messy. Unanswered prayers. Painful choices. Unresolved regrets. But there is good news: God works in the mess. He gets a kick out of these disturbing, disorderly moments because in these moments, we learn to trust Him. What if we all trusted Jesus? How would the world look different? How would we look different?Both annoyingly honest and refreshingly humorous, Messy reassures Christians that God can reveal Himself in their clutter. Author and pastor A.J. Swoboda offers biblical insight and vivid, personal stories to redefine faith from something that must be perfect to something that is imperfect, but can still give beauty, meaning, and purpose to a messy life. As entertaining as it is challenging, this book teaches Christians what it means to trust in each other, in grace, in hope, and in a Savior who defied the rules of death. Here's to finding joy in your chaos!
Mestizo Christianity: Theology From the Latino Perspective
by Arturo J. Banuelas'Mestizo Christianity' is the most comprehensive introduction to the work of the principle figures in U.S. Hispanic theology - Protestant as well as Catholic. Other anthologies exist, but 'Mestizo Christianity' provides the best and most representative writing by each of the fourteen first-generation" theologians in their areas of specialization. Since by every account the Latino/Hispanic church will continue to grow well into the twenty-first century, 'Mestizo Christianity' provides a grounding in an area of increasing theological and pastoral importance. Topics include affirming Hispanic culture and theological identity, methodology, popular religiosity, women's voices, social ethics, spirituality, and ecumenical perspectives. Also included is a brief biography of each featured author and a comprehensive bibliography of Hispanic theology, the only one of its kind. 'Mestizo Christianity' will be an indispensable resource for students, clergy, and pastoral agents.
Meta humano: Libera tu potencial infinito
by Deepak Chopra¿Es posible ir más allá del día a día y experimentar el grado más alto de conciencia? Deepak Chopra nos da la certeza de que la conciencia superior es alcanzable aquí y ahora. El maestro y autor bestseller Deepak Chopra descubre los secretos para superar nuestras limitaciones y acceder a un campo de posibilidades infinitas. ¿Cómo lo conseguimos? Convirtiéndonos en metahumanos. Ser metahumanos significa vencer las construcciones de la mente que subyacen bajo la ansiedad, la atención y el ego, y entrar en un nuevo estado de conciencia en el que deliberadamente tenemos experiencias clave que pueden transformar la vida desde lo más profundo. No se trata sólo de mindfulness o meditación, sino de despertar: expandir nuestra conciencia hacia todo lo que pensamos, decimos y hacemos, con el fin de darle sentido a la vida. Para hacer posible esta práctica, Chopra culmina el libro con una guía de31 días para convertirnos en metahumanos. Una vez que despertamos -dice-, la vida se transforma porque la conciencia plena amanece en nuestras vidas. Sólo entonces se manifiesta nuestro potencial infinito. «En su nuevo y brillante libro, Deepak Chopra argumenta con éxito que la conciencia es la única creadora del ser, la mente, el cerebro, el cuerpo y el universo como lo conocemos. Después Deepak nos enseña que cuando comprendemos verdaderamente esta idea revolucionaria, serán removidos de forma efectiva los sistemas de pensamiento limitante y la negatividad que nos impiden alcanzar nuestro máximo potencial humano. ¡Sumamente recomendable!» -Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi, profesor de Neurología en la Escuela de Medicina de Harvard, y coautor de los bestsellers El yo sanador, Supercerebro y Supergenes «¡Metahumano es una poderosa llamada para despertar! Al fusionar brillantemente conocimientos científicos y holísticos, Deepak Chopra nos permite ir más allá de los constructos mentales ilusorios para atestiguar la realidad sin límites. ¡Sólo así podremos alcanzar nuestro potencial total!» -Dr. Lars Buttler, cofundador y ceo de la Artificial Intelligence Foundation «Al integrar descubrimientos recientes de neurociencia, endocrinología y psicología, Deepak Chopra demuestra en términos concretos cómo las restricciones reduccionistas y materialistas de la naturaleza humana son simplemente incorrectas y limitan seriamente a aquellos que las sostienen. Este libro es un parteaguas.» -Allan Leslie Combs, PhD, profesor de Estudios de la Conciencia en el Instituto de Estudios Integrales de California «En Metahumano, Deepak Chopra nos brinda una guía paso a paso para volver a imaginar la realidad del mundo en que vivimos, una realidad que no está limitada por las creencias y entendimiento que tenemos sobre el mundo material y físico, sino por lo ilimitado de nuestra intención y energía.» -Robert LoCascio, fundador y ceo de LivePerson
Meta-Religion: Religion and Power in World History
by James W. LaineWhereas many textbooks treat the subject of world religions in an apolitical way, as if each religion were a path for individuals seeking wisdom and not a discourse intimately connected with the exercise of power, James W. Laine treats religion and politics as halves of the same whole, tracing their relationship from the policies of Alexander the Great to the ideologies of modern Europe secularists, with stops in classical India, China, and the Islamic world. Meta-Religion is a groundbreaking text that brings power and politics to the fore of our understanding of world religions, placing religion at the center of world history. This synthetic approach is both transformative and enlightening as it presents a powerful model for thinking differently about what religion is and how it functions in the world. With images and maps to bring the narrative to life, Meta-Religion combines sophisticated scholarly critique with accessibility that students and scholar alike will appreciate.
Meta-Science of Tawhid: A Theory of Oneness
by Masudul Alam ChoudhuryThis book explores the methodological foundation of Islamic thought premised on the cardinal principle of Tawhid, meaning the Oneness of God as the universal law. The consequential methodological worldview arising from the monotheistic unity of knowledge is explained as the theory of consilience, meaning unity of knowledge as the primal ontological reality leading to its epistemological and phenomenological essentials of reasoning and thereby configuring reality. Masudul Alam Choudhury presents a non-mathematical exposition of the theory and applications of Meta-Science of Tawhid, and brings out the essential monotheistic methodological worldview of science.
Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression
by Steven Hollon Adrian WellsThis groundbreaking book explains the "whats" and "how-tos" of metacognitive therapy (MCT), an innovative form of cognitive-behavioral therapy with a growing empirical evidence base. MCT developer Adrian Wells shows that much psychological distress results from how a person responds to negative thoughts and beliefs-for example, by ruminating or worrying-rather than the content of those thoughts. He presents practical techniques and specific protocols for addressing metacognitive processes to effectively treat generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and major depression. Special features include reproducible treatment plans and assessment and case formulation tools, plus a wealth of illustrative case material.
Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential
by Deepak ChopraIs it possible to venture beyond daily living and experience heightened states of awareness? In his latest book, Deepak Chopra says that higher consciousness is available here and now. “Metahuman helps us harvest peak experiences so we can see our truth and mold the universe’s chaos into a form that brings light to the world.”—Dr. Mehmet Oz, Attending Physician, New York–Presbyterian, Columbia University New York Times bestselling author Deepak Chopra unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. How does one do this? By becoming metahuman. To be metahuman, however, isn’t science fiction and is certainly not about being a superhero. To be metahuman means to move past the limitation constructed by the mind and enter a new state of awareness where we have deliberate and concrete access to peak experiences that can transform people’s lives from the inside out. Humans do this naturally—to a point. For centuries the great artists, scientists, writers, and many so-called ordinary people have gone beyond the everyday physical world. But if we could channel these often bewildering experiences, what would happen? Chopra argues we would wake up to experiences that would blow open your body, mind, and soul. Metahuman invites the reader to walk the path here and now. Waking up, we learn, isn’t just about mindfulness or meditation. Waking up, to become metahuman, is to expand our consciousness in all that we think, say, and do. By going beyond, we liberate ourselves from old conditioning and all the mental constructs that underlie anxiety, tension, and ego-driven demands. Waking up allows life to make sense as never before. To make this as practical as possible, Chopra ends the book with a 31-day guide to becoming metahuman. Once you wake up, he writes, life becomes transformed, because pure consciousness—which is the field of all possibilities—dawns in your life. Only then does your infinite potential become your personal reality.Advance praise for Metahuman“Our world is preoccupied with material progress, yet too often we overlook the miracle of our very existence. In this remarkable book, Deepak Chopra reminds us not to be distracted by the idols of our age but to marvel at the deep truths of being. Metahuman is a handbook to becoming fully alive.”—Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, Professor, Harvard Kennedy School; author of Love Your Enemies
Metamodernism: The Future of Theory
by Jason Ananda Josephson Storm&“Not only an astute diagnosis of the confusions and contradictions of contemporary thought; it also offers compelling alternatives.&” —Rita Felski, author of Hooked: Art and Attachment For decades, scholars have been calling into question the universality of disciplinary objects and categories. The coherence of defined autonomous categories—such as religion, science, and art—has collapsed under the weight of postmodern critiques, calling into question the possibility of progress and even the value of knowledge. Jason Ānanda Josephson Storm aims to radicalize and move beyond these deconstructive projects to offer a path forward for the humanities and social sciences using a new model for theory he calls metamodernism.Metamodernism works through the postmodern critiques and uncovers the mechanisms that produce and maintain concepts and social categories. In so doing, Storm provides a new, radical account of society&’s ever-changing nature—what he calls a &“Process Social Ontology&”—and its materialization in temporary zones of stability or &“social kinds.&” Storm then formulates a fresh approach to philosophy of language by looking beyond the typical theorizing that focuses solely on human language production, showing us instead how our own sign-making is actually on a continuum with animal and plant communication. Storm also considers fundamental issues of the relationship between knowledge and value, promoting a turn toward humble, emancipatory knowledge that recognizes the existence of multiple modes of the real. Metamodernism is a revolutionary manifesto for research in the human sciences that offers a new way through postmodern skepticism to envision a more inclusive future of theory in which new forms of both progress and knowledge can be realized.
Metamorphoses of Religion and Spirituality in Central and Eastern Europe (Routledge Studies in Religion)
by Sławomir H. ZarębaThis book offers a range of contemporary sociological reflections on new manifestations of religion, religiosity, and spirituality in Central and Eastern Europe, a region that has seen significant social and political transformation. It explores the development of cultural and religious trends, including secularisation, new spiritualit,y and a resurgence of religiosity outside of traditional structures. The theoretical and empirical contributions by established and emerging scholars address topics including: the experiences and values of young people, the role and influence of media, the relationship between public and private religion, and the position of state and institutions. The book will be of particular interest to sociologists of religion and others focused on contemporary Central and Eastern European societies.
Metanoia: A Memoir of a Body, Born Again
by Anna McGahanPerhaps we have done to our bodies what we have so long done to God?We have demanded they conform to the image we find the most desirable.We have treated them as rubbish bins, weapons and punching bags.We have muted their wills until their voices have fallen silent.At 23, Anna McGahan was wrestling with the rest of the world for ownership of her femininity, sexuality and physicality. As a young actor thrust into the spotlight as a poster girl for sexual liberation – intent on exploring the next relationship, the lowest weight and the wildest high – her path pointed her to chaos, starvation and isolation.Until – unexpectedly – she met God.In this memoir, Anna shares the story of reconciling with her body, mapping its journey from another product in a marketplace, to a vessel of inherent power and worth.Metanoia is the cry of a body broken and resurrected, the song of a bird set free.
Metanoia: Rhetoric, Authenticity, and the Transformation of the Self
by Adam EllwangerWestern culture is in a moment when wholly new kinds of personal transformations are possible, but authentic transformation requires both personal testimony and public recognition. In this book, Adam Ellwanger takes a distinctly rhetorical approach to analyzing how the personal and the public relate to an individual’s transformation and develops a new vocabulary that enables a critical assessment of the concept of authenticity. The concept of metanoia is central to this project. Charting the history of metanoia from its original use in the classical tradition to its adoption by early Christians as a term for religious conversion, Ellwanger shows that metanoia involves a change within a person that results in a truer version of him- or herself—a change in character or ethos. He then applies this theory to our contemporary moment, finding that metanoia provides unique insight into modern forms of self-transformation. Drawing on ancient and medieval sources, including Thucydides, Plato, Paul the Apostle, and Augustine, as well as contemporary discourses of self-transformation, such as the public testimonies of Caitlyn Jenner and Rachel Dolezal, Ellwanger elucidates the role of language in signifying and authenticating identity. Timely and original, Ellwanger’s study formulates a transhistorical theory of personal transformation that will be of interest to scholars working in social theory, philosophy, rhetoric, and the history of Christianity.
Metanoia: Rhetoric, Authenticity, and the Transformation of the Self (G - Reference, Information And Interdisciplinary Subjects Ser.)
by Adam EllwangerWestern culture is in a moment when wholly new kinds of personal transformations are possible, but authentic transformation requires both personal testimony and public recognition. In this book, Adam Ellwanger takes a distinctly rhetorical approach to analyzing how the personal and the public relate to an individual’s transformation and develops a new vocabulary that enables a critical assessment of the concept of authenticity. The concept of metanoia is central to this project. Charting the history of metanoia from its original use in the classical tradition to its adoption by early Christians as a term for religious conversion, Ellwanger shows that metanoia involves a change within a person that results in a truer version of him- or herself—a change in character or ethos. He then applies this theory to our contemporary moment, finding that metanoia provides unique insight into modern forms of self-transformation. Drawing on ancient and medieval sources, including Thucydides, Plato, Paul the Apostle, and Augustine, as well as contemporary discourses of self-transformation, such as the public testimonies of Caitlyn Jenner and Rachel Dolezal, Ellwanger elucidates the role of language in signifying and authenticating identity. Timely and original, Ellwanger’s study formulates a transhistorical theory of personal transformation that will be of interest to scholars working in social theory, philosophy, rhetoric, and the history of Christianity.
Metaphor and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Thought: Moses ibn Ezra, Judah Halevi, Moses Maimonides, and Shem Tov ibn Falaquera
by Dianna Lynn Roberts-ZaudererThis book reveals how Moses ibn Ezra, Judah Halevi, Moses Maimonides, and Shem Tov ibn Falaquera understood metaphor and imagination, and their role in the way human beings describe God. It demonstrates how these medieval Jewish thinkers engaged with Arabic-Aristotelian psychology, specifically with regard to imagination and its role in cognition. Dianna Lynn Roberts-Zauderer reconstructs the process by which metaphoric language is taken up by the imagination and the role of imagination in rational thought. If imagination is a necessary component of thinking, how is Maimonides’ idea of pure intellectual thought possible? An examination of select passages in the Guide, in both Judeo-Arabic and translation, shows how Maimonides’ attitude towards imagination develops, and how translations contribute to a bifurcation of reason and imagination that does not acknowledge the nuances of the original text. Finally, the author shows how Falaquera’s poetics forges a new direction for thinking about imagination.
Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The Doctrinal History of Nirvana
by Soonil HwangSoonil Hwang studies the doctrinal development of nirvana in the Pali Nikaaya and subsequent tradition and compares it with the Chinese aagama and its traditional interpretation. He clarifies early doctrinal developments of Nirvana and traces the word and related terms back to their original metaphorical contexts, elucidating diverse interpretations and doctrinal and philosophical developments in the abhidharma exegeses and treatises of Southern and Northern Buddhist schools. The book finally examines which school, if any, kept the original meaning and reference of Nirvana.
Metaphor and Meaning: Thinking Through Early China with Sarah Allan (SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture)
by Constance A. Cook; Christopher J. Foster; Susan BladerIn Metaphor and Meaning, scholars from China, the United States, and Europe draw on Sarah Allan's groundbreaking application of conceptual metaphor theory to the study of early Chinese philosophy and material culture. Conceptual metaphor theory treats metaphors not just as linguistic expressions but as fundamental structures of thought that define one's conceptual system and perception of reality. To understand another culture's worldview, then, hinges upon identifying the right metaphors, through which it then becomes possible to navigate between shared and unshared experiences. The contributors pursue lines of argument that complement, enhance, or challenge Allan's prior investigations into these root metaphors of early Chinese philosophy, whether by explicitly engaging with conceptual metaphor theory or, more indirectly, by addressing meaning construction in a broader sense. Like Allan's interpretative works, Metaphor and Meaning interrogates both transmitted traditions and newly unearthed archaeological finds to understand how people in early China thought about the cosmos, society, and themselves.
Metaphor, Narrative, and Theology in the Synoptic Gospels: The Gospel in Parable
by John R. DonahueProfessor Donahue here argues that the parables of Jesus offer a Gospel in miniature, while at the same time giving shape, direction, and meaning to the Gospels in which they appear. To study the parables of the Gospels is to study the gospel in parable. After surveying recent discussions of parable, metaphor, and narrative, Donahue examines and interprets the parables of Mark, Matthew, and Luke as texts in the context of the theology of each of these Gospels. Finally, he outlines what The Gospel in Parable looks like and offers suggestions for the proclamation of parables today.
Metaphor, Ritual, and Order in John 12-13: Judas and the Prince (Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism)
by Todd E. KlutzThis book offers new interpretative insight into the Gospel of John, applying a combination of critical discourse analysis, conceptual metaphor theory, and anthropological theories of ritual. Specifically it explores the meaning of the statement “Now the ruler of this world will be driven out” in John 12:31 and defends a widely overlooked alternative reading. The author proposes a prophecy-fulfilment scheme whereby this predictive utterance by Jesus’ is subsequently implied as fulfilled in the departure of the satanically-possessed Judas’ from the circle of Jesus’ disciples at the Last Supper in John 13:30. Addressing several major strands relating to purity, exorcism, and group identity, the analysis provides an important entry-point for a fresh examination of the Fourth Gospel as a whole. The book represents a significant contribution to Johannine scholarship and to New Testament studies and will be of interest to scholars of religion, theology and biblical studies.
Metaphysical Africa: Truth and Blackness in the Ansaru Allah Community (Africana Religions #4)
by Michael Muhammad KnightThe Ansaru Allah Community, also known as the Nubian Islamic Hebrews (AAC/NIH) and later the Nuwaubians, is a deeply significant and controversial African American Muslim movement. Founded in Brooklyn in the 1960s, it spread through the prolific production and dissemination of literature and lecture tapes and became famous for continuously reinventing its belief system. In this book, Michael Muhammad Knight studies the development of AAC/NIH discourse over a period of thirty years, tracing a surprising consistency behind a facade of serial reinvention.It is popularly believed that the AAC/NIH community abandoned Islam for Black Israelite religion, UFO religion, and Egyptosophy. However, Knight sees coherence in AAC/NIH media, explaining how, in reality, the community taught that the Prophet Muhammad was a Hebrew who adhered to Israelite law; Muhammad’s heavenly ascension took place on a spaceship; and Abraham enlisted the help of a pharaonic regime to genetically engineer pigs as food for white people. Against narratives that treat the AAC/NIH community as a postmodernist deconstruction of religious categories, Knight demonstrates that AAC/NIH discourse is most productively framed within a broader African American metaphysical history in which boundaries between traditions remain quite permeable.Unexpected and engrossing, Metaphysical Africa brings to light points of intersection between communities and traditions often regarded as separate and distinct. In doing so, it helps move the field of religious studies beyond conventional categories of "orthodoxy" and "heterodoxy," challenging assumptions that inform not only the study of this particular religious community but also the field at large.