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The Overseer: A Thriller (The Firstborn)
by Conlan BrownIt took two thousand years to bring the Firstborn together. It will only take a moment...to tear them apart. The Firstborn--three ancient religious orders gifted with the ability to see past, present and future--have formed a shaky truce for the first time since the death of Christ. But dangerous forces, both human and otherwise, are rising to destroy them. Torn between the call to rescue three innocent teenage girls abducted into sexual slavery, preventing the racially motivated assassination of a prominent American politician, and dealing with the wild warnings of an elusive and mysterious prophet, all eyes turn to the Overseer and the struggle over who will control the fate of the Firstborn. Hannah Rice, John Temple, and Devin Bathurst return in this adrenaline-packed sequel to The Firstborn as they are hurled into a dark world of human trafficking, shadowy government agencies, assassination, and a race against time to save everything they believe in.
The Overshadowed Preacher: Mary, the Spirit, and the Labor of Proclamation
by Jerusha Matsen NealThe Overshadowed Preacher breaks open one of the most important, unexamined affirmations of preaching: the presence of the living Christ in the sermon. Jerusha Matsen Neal argues that Mary&’s conceiving, bearing, and naming of Jesus in Luke&’s nativity account is a potent description of this mystery. Mary&’s example calls preachers to leave behind the false shadows haunting Christian pulpits and be &“overshadowed&” by the Spirit of God. Neal asks gospel proclaimers to own both the limits and the promise of their humanness as God&’s Spirit-filled servants rather than disappear behind a &“pulpit prince&” ideal. It is a preacher&’s fully embodied witness, lived out through Spirit-filled acts of hospitality, dependence, and discernment, that bears the marks of a fully embodied Christ. This affirmation honors the particularity of preachers in a globally diverse context—challenging a status quo that has historically privileged masculinity and whiteness. It also offers hope to ordinary souls who find themselves daunted by the impossibility of the preaching task. Nothing, in the angel&’s words, is impossible with God.
The Owl Killers
by Karen MaitlandIn 1321, the English town of Ulewic teeters between survival and destruction, faith and doubt, God and demons. Against this intense backdrop, a group of women have formed a beguinage, a self-sustaining community of women. Led by the strong-willed Servant Martha, these women are committed to a code of celibacy and prayer, hard work and charity that is unsanctioned by the all-powerful church. Still, the villagers have come to rely on this remarkable group of women for their very lives. And seeking shelter among them now is the youngest daughter of Ulewic’s lord, a man who holds power over them all.But when a series of natural calamities strikes, the beguinage’s enemies make their move, stirring the superstitious villagers with dark rumors of unspeakable depravities and unleashing upon the defiant all-female community the full force of their vengeance in the terrifying form of the Owl Killers. Men cloaked in masks and secrecy, ruling with violence and intimidation—the Owl Killers draw battle lines. In this village ravaged by flood and disease, the women of the beguinage must draw upon their deepest strength if they are to overcome the raging storm of long-held secrets and shattering lies.
The Owner's Manual for Christians
by Charles SwindollIt's never too late. Whether you're a new Christian or you've walked the road for decades, it's never too late to find the critical truths that make life make sense. We often start out believing that common sense will be enough, that we're prepared for the road ahead with our good values and quick thinking. It doesn't take long to learn otherwise. A broken friendship. An obsessive career. Financial distress. Even empty success. We come back to God, searching for insight, for hope. And He provides. Nothing can replace studying the Bible. Best-selling author and pastor Charles Swindoll has spent decades studying its pages and teaching its precepts. But if sixty-six books seem overwhelming, The Owner's Manual for Christians is the perfect starting place: a biblical summary of the major truths that anchor the Christian life. From grace to freedom, these chapters walk the reader through the keys to a life well lived - drawn from the Creator of life itself. Life is often confusing, but it does not have to be impossible. Read The Owner's Manual for Christians and find hope for the road ahead.
The Ox-Herder and the Good Shepherd: Finding Christ on the Buddha's Path
by Addison Hodges HartIn the twelfth century, the Chinese Zen master Kakuan Shien produced the pictures, poems, and commentaries we know as the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures. They trace a universally recognizable path of contemplative spirituality, using the metaphor of a young ox-herder looking for his lost ox.According to Addison Hodges Hart, the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures and the teachings of Christ, the Good Shepherd who guides us to God, share a common vision. Both show us that authentic spiritual life must begin with an inner transformation of one's self, leading to an outward life that is natural and loving. In The Ox-Herder and the Good Shepherd Hart shares the story that these pictures tell, exploring how this ancient Buddhist parable can enrich and illumine the Christian way.Includes 10 color illustrations
The Oxford Book of Jewish Stories
by Ilan StavansA collection of Jewish short stories, translated into English. Contains short bios of the various authors.
The Oxford Christmas Book for Children
by Roderick HuntStories about Christmas, tips on how to make Christmas decorations, how Christmas is celebrated traditionally.
The Oxford Companion to the Bible
by Michael D. Coogan Bruce M. MetzgerAn authoritative reference for key persons, places, events, concepts, institutions and realities of biblical times, this book also provides discussions on these topics by modern scholars.
The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion
by Simon Price Emily KearnsDrawn from the acclaimed Oxford Classical Dictionary, The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion offers a fully rounded guide to all aspects of religious life and thought in ancient Greece and Rome. Highly authoritative, this new book covers not only Greek mythologies and Roman festivals, but also devotes attention to topics such as Greek and Roman religious places, monuments, authors and texts, religious organization, imagery, divination, astrology, and magic. Unlike many other references on ancient Greece and Rome, the Dictionary also includes many entries on Judaism and Christianity in the classical world. The editors, area advisors for the third edition of the Oxford Classical Dictionary, have selected, revised, edited, and in some instances completely recast a large number of entries from the OCD to create this handy and accessible reference. The main text is supplemented by an important introductory essay providing overviews of mythology, religious pluralism in the ancient world, and the reception of myths from antiquity to the present. In addition to a helpful thematic index and extensive cross-references, the text is further supported by three maps and six genealogies. Backed by the authority and scholarly rigor of the renowned Oxford Classical Dictionary, The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion is a valuable A-Z reference and is as ideal a tool for students and teachers of ancient history as it is for all classics lovers.
The Oxford Dictionary of Islam
by John L. EspositoDesigned for general readers with little or no knowledge of Islam, this superb dictionary provides more than 2,000 vividly written, up-to-date, and authoritative entries on the religious, political, and social spheres of the modern Islamic world. Written under the editorship of the prominent scholar of Islam John L. Esposito, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam offers a wealth of information for anyone curious about this burgeoning and increasingly important world religion. Book jacket.
The Oxford Dictionary of Popes
by J. N. D. KellyThe book is a one-volume handbook in English containing systematic, concise accounts of all those who have been, or claimed to be, popes. It provide summary biographies not only of the officially recognized popes but also of those who have been classified, rightly or wrongly, as anti-popes. The list of pontiffs and, with minor discrepancies, the dating of their reigns are in general agreement with the 1984 edition of Annuario Pontificio.
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints
by David Hugh FarmerThis is far more than a dry hagiographical account of the lives of saints. This entertaining and authoritative dictionary breathes life into its subjects and is as browsable as it is informative. Critically acclaimed in its many editions, the dictionary is now reissued into the rebranded best-selling Oxford Paperback Reference series. The entries are concise accounts of the lives, cults, and artistic associations of over 1,400 saints, from the famous to the obscure, the rich to the poor, and the academic to the uneducated. From all walks of life and from all periods of history, the wide varieties of personalities and achievements of the canonized are reflected. Featuring maps of pilgrimage sights in Europe and fully updated appendices, this remains the standard reference paperback in its field. Recently-added saints include the Martyrs of Korea, Vietnam, and the Spanish Civil War, Andrew of Crete, and Emily Rodat, a female hermit of the 7th century. There are also more Scottish and Irish saints, and ancient Welsh saints; more European saints from all centuries, as well as more saints from Eastern Europe; more recently canonized saints and female saints from the USA.
The Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies
by James E. Kirby; William J. AbrahamThematically ordered, the handbook provides new insights into the founders, history, structures, and theology of Methodism, and into ongoing developments in the practice and experience of the contemporary movement. Key themes explored include worship forms, mission, ecumenism, and engagement with contemporary ethical and political debate.
The Oxford Handbook of Nineteenth-century Christian Thought
by Judith Wolfe Johannes Zachhuber Joel RasmussenThrough various realignments beginning in the Revolutionary era and continuing across the nineteenth century, Christianity not only endured as a vital intellectual tradition but also contributed importantly to a wide variety of significant conversations, movements, and social transformations across the diverse spheres of intellectual, cultural, and social history. The Oxford Handbook of Nineteenth-Century Christian Thought proposes new readings of the diverse sites and variegated role of the Christian intellectual tradition across what has come to be called 'the long nineteenth century'. It represents the first comprehensive examination of a picture emerging from the twin recognition of Christianity's abiding intellectual influence and its radical transformation and diversification under the influence of the forces of modernity. <P><P> Part one investigates changing paradigms that determine the evolving approaches to religious matters during the nineteenth century, providing readers with a sense of the fundamental changes at the time. Section two considers human nature and the nature of religion. It explores a range of categories rising to prominence in the course of the nineteenth century, and influencing the way religion in general, and Christianity in particular, were conceived. <P><P>Part three focuses on the intellectual, cultural, and social developments of the time, while part four looks at Christianity and the arts-a major area in which Christian ideas, stories, and images were used, adapted, and challenged during the nineteenth century. Christianity was radically pluralized in the nineteenth century, and the fifth section is dedicated to 'Christianity and Christianities'. <P><P>The chapters sketch the major churches and confessions during the period. The final part considers doctrinal themes registering the wealth and scope through broad narrative and individual example. This authoritative reference work offers an indispensable overview of a period whose forceful ideas continue to be present in contemporary theology.
The Oxford Handbook of Sacramental Theology
by Hans Boersma Matthew LeveringAs a multi-faceted introduction to sacramental theology, the purposes of this Handbook are threefold: historical, ecumenical, and missional. The forty-four chapters are organized into the following parts five parts: Sacramental Roots in Scripture, Patristic Sacramental Theology, Medieval Sacramental Theology, From the Reformation through Today, and Philosophical and Theological Issues in Sacramental Doctrine. <p><p> Contributors to this Handbook explain the diverse ways that believers have construed the sacraments, both in inspired Scripture and in the history of the Church's practice. In Scripture and the early Church, Orthodox, Protestants, and Catholics all find evidence that the first Christian communities celebrated and taught about the sacraments in a manner that Orthodox, Protestants, and Catholics today affirm as the foundation of their own faith and practice. Thus, for those who want to understand what has been taught about the sacraments in Scripture and across the generations by the major thinkers of the various Christian traditions, this Handbook provides an introduction. As the divisions in Christian sacramental understanding and practice are certainly evident in this Handbook, it is not thereby without ecumenical and missional value. This book evidences that the story of the Christian sacraments is, despite divisions in interpretation and practice, one of tremendous hope.
The Oxford History Of Anglicanism: Reformation And Identity C. 1520-1662 (Oxford History Of Anglicanism)
by Anthony MiltonThe Oxford history of Anglicanism" is a major new and unprecedented international study of the identity and historical influence of one of the world's largest versions of Christianity. This global study of Anglicanism from the sixteenth century looks at how was Anglican identity constructed and contested at various periods since the sixteenth century; and what was its historical influence during the past six centuries. It explores not just the ecclesiastical and theological aspects of global Anglicanism, but also the political, social, economic, and cultural influences of this form of Christianity that has been historically significant in western culture, and a burgeoning force in non-western societies today. The chapters are written by international exports in their various historical fields which includes the most recent research in their areas, as well as original research. The series forms an invaluable reference for both scholars and interested non-specialists. Volume one of The Oxford History of Anglicanism examines a period when the nature of 'Anglicanism' was still heavily contested. Rather than merely tracing the emergence of trends that we associate with later Anglicanism, the contributors instead discuss the fluid and contested nature of the Church of England's religious identity in these years, and the different claims to what should count as 'Anglican' orthodoxy. After the introduction and narrative chapters explain the historical background, individual chapters then analyse different understandings of the early church and church history; variant readings of the meaning of the royal supremacy, the role of bishops and canon law, and cathedrals; the very diverse experiences of religion in parishes, styles of worship and piety, church decoration, and Bible usage; and the competing claims to 'Anglican' orthodoxy of puritanism, 'avant-garde conformity' and Laudianism.
The Oxford History of Christian Worship
by Geoffrey Wainwright Karen B. Westerfield TuckerThe 2,000-year history of Christian worship and its varied manifestations in the contemporary world are explored by scholars of religion and history. They emphasize corporate worship, predominantly celebrated in cathedrals, parishes, and other congregational settings, though they do give some attention to monastic communities. The presentation are largely descriptive, considering concrete performances and liturgical texts within a particular cultural context. The arrangement is chronological, with geographical detours when necessary to keep moving in the same approximate direction. Entry-specific bibliographies list secondary sources that are likely to be accessible and available to non-specialists. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The Oxford History of the Biblical World
by Michael D. CooganComprehensive history surrounding the text of the Bible.
The Oxford Movement
by Peter B. Nockles Stewart J. BrownThe Oxford Movement transformed the nineteenth-century Church of England with a renewed conception of itself as a spiritual body. Initiated in the early 1830s by members of the University of Oxford, it was a response to threats to the established church posed by British Dissenters, Irish Catholics, Whig and Radical politicians, and the predominant evangelical ethos - what Newman called 'the religion of the day'. The Tractarians believed they were not simply addressing difficulties within their national Church, but recovering universal principles of the Christian faith. To what extent were their beliefs and ideals communicated globally? Was missionary activity the product of the movement's distinctive principles? Did their understanding of the Church promote, or inhibit, closer relations among the churches of the global Anglican Communion? This volume addresses these questions and more with a series of case studies involving Europe and the English-speaking world during the first century of the Movement.
The Pace Of A Hen
by Josephine Moffett Benton“CERTAIN AUTHORS,” says Pascal, “speaking of their works, say ‘My Book.’ They would do better to say ‘Our Book’ because there is in them generally more of other people’s than their own.”Truly, this book is not my book but our book. It is the book of my friends, my family, my favorite writers. It is a book which grew out of the Pendle Hill pamphlet Martha and Mary, which in its turn grew out of the pooled wisdom of a group of women who sat and talked one sunny autumn afternoon about a woman’s relationship to her home and her family, to her work and her spiritual life. We came to see that it was not a matter of choice between the roles of Martha and Mary, but a recognition of the diverse facets of almost every woman’s nature.The reconciliation of a woman’s many selves is a slow process. Richard Cabot taught my generation in his book What Men Live By that the integrated person, the one who faces reality, is never an extremist but one who keeps his equilibrium. The ever-increasing demands on a modern woman’s time and energy, her wide interests, her own high standards of performance, pull her in many directions. Her scattered life does indeed resemble the pace of a hen. For her the golden mean is achieved only as she is able to find her way between work and play, between home and community, between solitude and society, between the wisdom of the serpent and the gentleness of the dove. But in time, with some years given mainly to the nurture of the family, some years to this field of service or that avocation, these seeming fragments can fit together to make a shining pattern of wholeness.
The Pacific Islands in China’s Grand Strategy
by Jian YangThis book looks at Chinese policy towards the South Pacific in the context of China's grand strategy. Analysts are divided on the implications of China's deepening involvement in the region and the study of Chinese involvement in the South Pacific is a part of the great debate on the rise of China.
The Pacific Rim Collection: Thunder in the Morning Calm, Fire of the Raging Dragon, Storming the Black Ice (Pacific Rim Series)
by Don BrownBestselling author and former US Navy JAG Officer Don Brown’s Pacific Rim series now available in one volume! Thunder in the Morning Calm Sixty years after his grandfather disappeared in Korea, a young naval intelligence officer seeks the truth behind rumors that American POWs are still being held there. Risking his life, fortune, and freedom, he leads a daring mission into the dangerous dictatorship of North Korea—all for the love of his country and a grandfather he never knew. Fire of the Raging Dragon In Fire of the Raging Dragon—the second book in best-selling author Don Brown’s Pacific Rim Series—Stephanie Surber is stationed on board a submarine tender in the South China Sea when a naval war breaks out. After a gruesome discovery escalates America’s involvement, Stephanie’s father, US President Douglas Surber, must choose to take a stand against evil . . . or save the life of his daughter. Storming the Black Ice When British geologists discover the world's largest oil reserves under the desolate, icy tundra of Antarctica, Britain and Chile form a top-secret alliance for control of petroleum resources that will rival the economic power of OPEC.
The Pagan Book of Days: A Guide to the Festivals, Traditions and Sacred Days of the Year
by Nigel PennickThe Pagan Tradition is grounded in mystical and numinous elements existing between matter and spirit. The world over it is called something like "the old religion," or "the elder faith," acknowledging its senior status among religions. It places emphasis on the links between people, their land, and the natural cycles of the seasons.
The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over
by Starhawk M. Macha NightMareAn accessible guide to rituals and resources for honoring death in the circle of life.Birth, growth, death, and rebirth are a cycle that forms the underlying order of the universe. This is the core of Pagan belief—and the heart of this unique resource guide to death and the process of dying. Filled with encouragement, strength, and inspiration, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying is an invaluable source of both spiritual counsel and very practical tools and techniques for:Honoring and caring for a dying personGrieving a beloved relative, partner, or friendPlanning a funeral or memorial serviceDistributing personal possessions and making room in the home for a loved one’s memoryUnderstanding and mourning specific types of death, including miscarriage and terminal illnessProviding instructions for one’s own deathAnd much moreBestselling author Starhawk and other Pagan writers have combined practical rituals with prayers, chants, blessings, meditations, essays, and insightful personal stories to offer a new understanding of death and a powerful new approach to the various stages of dying and grieving.A beautifully crafted and deeply spiritual guidebook, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying teaches that death, like birth, is a doorway—another stage in the cycle of life. It will enhance the spiritual beliefs of readers of any faith and help each of us learn to welcome the change and renewal that awaits us on the other side of life.“Far more than another how-to ritual book. I found the reflections to be very moving. Rituals are easily accessible and well-grounded in the core Pagan understanding of the cycle of Birth/Death/Rebirth. . . . I recommend it for Pagans and others who might be facing dying or grieving.” —SageWoman
The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over
by Starhawk M. Macha Nightmare The Reclaiming CollectiveRituals and resources for honoring death in the circle of life, that forms the underlying order of the universe, the core of the Pagan belief system.