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The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God
by Carl Sagan Ann DruyanCarl Sagan's prophetic vision of the tragic resurgence of fundamentalism and the hope-filled potential of the next great development in human spirituality <P> The late great astronomer and astrophysicist describes his personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, Sagan presents his views on a wide range of topics, including the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets, creationism and so-called intelligent design, and a new concept of science as "informed worship." Originally presented at the centennial celebration of the famous Gifford Lectures in Scotland in 1985 but never published, this book offers a unique encounter with one of the most remarkable minds of the twentieth century.
The Varieties of Transcendence: Pragmatism and the Theory of Religion (American Philosophy)
by Hans Joas Matthias Jung Magnus SchletteThe Varieties of Transcendence traces American pragmatist thought on religion and its relevance for theorizing religion today. The volume establishes pragmatist concepts of religious individualization as powerful alternatives to the more common secularization discourse. In stressing the importance of Josiah Royce’s work, it emphasizes religious individualism’s compatibility with community. At the same time, by covering all of the major classical pragmatist theories of religion, it shows their kinship and common focus on the interrelation between the challenges of contingency and the semiotic significance of transcendence.
The Vatican Connection: The True Story of a Billion-Dollar Conspiracy Between the Catholic Church and the Mafia
by Richard HammerWinner of the Edgar Award: The riveting account of an audacious fraud scheme that stretched from a Mafia hangout on the Lower East Side to the Vatican. With a round, open face and a penchant for tall tales, Matteo de Lorenzo resembled everyone&’s kindly uncle. But Uncle Marty, as he was known throughout the Genovese crime family, was one of the New York mob&’s top earners throughout the 1960s and &’70s, the mastermind of a billion-dollar trade in stolen and counterfeit securities. In the spring of 1972, de Lorenzo and his shrewd and ruthless business partner, Vincent Rizzo, traveled to Europe to discuss a plan to launder millions of dollars worth of phony securities. Shockingly, the plot involved Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, the scandal-plagued president of the Vatican Bank. Unbeknownst to de Lorenzo and Rizzo, however, the NYPD was already on the case—thanks to the crusading work of Det. Joseph Coffey. Coffey, the legendary New York policeman who investigated the Lufthansa heist and took the Son of Sam&’s confession, first learned of the scheme in a wiretap related to the attempted mob takeover of the Playboy Club in Manhattan. From those unlikely beginnings, Detective Coffey worked tirelessly to trace the fraudulent stocks and bonds around the world and deep into the corridors of power in Washington, DC, and Rome. Meticulously researched and relentlessly gripping, The Vatican Connection is a true story of corruption and deceit, packed with &“all the ingredients of a thriller&” (San Francisco Chronicle).
The Vatican Diaries
by John ThavisThe Vatican Diaries is an inside look at one of the world's most powerful and mysterious institutions, by John Thavis. 'A humane and realistic and (yes) humorous picture of a mortal institution. To an old Prot like me, it's a tour of alien terrain and a bridge to old and dear friends' Garrison KeillorFor thirty years John Thavis worked for the Catholic News Service in Rome and reported on the inner workings of the Vatican. The Vatican Diaries is his insightful and often very funny account of exactly what goes on in this unique and secretive institution. It's a place where cardinals fight private wars, scandals are constantly threatening to undermine papal authority, and reverence for the past comes up painfully against the considerations of modern life. He describes the politics surrounding the election of a new pope and the beatification of an old one, the angst of dealing with the international issue of sexual abuse, the intricacies of arranging a Papal visit to India, the conflicts involved in trying to build a car park over an ancient Roman burial site - and above all the unfathomable personality of the conservative Pope Benedict XVI, the first pope to resign for 600 years. At this extraordinary moment of crisis in the Church, Thavis's account of its inner workings is invaluable. 'One closes John Thavis' perceptive study reflecting on the Vatican's challenge: to persist in a secularizing world sometimes fascinated by the pomp and pageantry of St. Peter's-but often hostile or increasingly indifferent to the Church's determined mission to harmonize warring factions and bickering enemies, even if both are on the same Catholic side' New York Journal of BooksJohn Thavis recently retired as the prizewinning chief of the Rome bureau of Catholic News Service, where he had covered the Vatican since 1983. He is the past president of the International Association of Journalists Accredited to the Vatican, and in 2007 the Catholic Press Association awarded him the Saint Francis de Sales Award, the highest honour given by the Catholic press. He divides his time between Minnesota and Rome.
The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities, and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church
by John ThavisThe revealing "New York Times" bestseller examines the reign of Pope Benedict, the papal conclave process, and the history of one of the worlds oldest and most mysterious institutions For more than twenty-five years John Thavis held one of the most fascinating journalistic jobs in the world: reporting on the inner workings of the Vatican. His daily exposure to the power, politics, and personalities in the seat of Roman Catholicism gave him a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on an institution that is far less monolithic and unified than it first appears. Thavis takes readers from a bell tower high above St. Peters to the depths of the basilica and the saints burial place, from the politicking surrounding the election of a new pope and the ever-growing sexual abuse scandals around the world to controversies about the Vaticans stand on contraception, and more. Perceptive, sharply written, and witty, "The Vatican Diaries" will appeal not only to Catholics (lapsed as well as devout) but to any readers interested in international diplomacy and the role of religion in an increasingly secularized world.
The Vatican Exposed
by Paul L. WilliamsOver 50 billion dollars in securities. Gold reserves that exceed those of industrialized nations. Real estate holdings that equal the total area of many countries. Opulent palaces containing the world's greatest art treasures. These are some of the riches of the Roman Catholic Church. Yet in 1929 the Vatican was destitute. Pope Pius XI, living in a damaged, leaky, pigeon-infested Lateran Palace, could hear rats scurrying through the walls, and he worried about how he would pay for even basic repairs to unclog the overburdened sewer lines and update the antiquated heating system. How did the Church manage in less than seventy-five years such an incredible reversal of fortune? The story here told by Church historian Paul L. Williams is intriguing, shocking, and outrageous.The turnaround began on February 11, 1929, with the signing of the Lateran Treaty between the Vatican and fascist leader Benito Mussolini. Through this deal Mussolini gained the support of the staunchly Catholic Italian populace, who at the time followed the lead of the Church. In return, the Church received, among other benefits, a payment of $90 million, sovereign status for the Vatican, tax-free property rights, and guaranteed salaries for all priests throughout the country from the Italian government. With the stroke of a pen the pope had solved the Vatican's budgetary woes practically overnight, yet he also put a great religious institution in league with some of the darkest forces of the 20th century.Based on his years of experience as a consultant for the FBI, Williams produces explosive and never-before published evidence of the Church's morally questionable financial dealings with sinister organizations over seven decades through today. He examines the means by which the Vatican accrued enormous wealth during the Great Depression by investing in Mussolini's government, the connection between Nazi gold and the Vatican Bank, the vast range of Church holdings in the postwar boom period, Paul VI's appointment of Mafia chieftain Michele Sindona as the Vatican banker, a billion-dollar counterfeit stock fraud uncovered by Interpol and the FBI, the "Ambrosiano Affair" called "the greatest financial scandal of the 20th Century" by the New York Times, the mysterious death of John Paul I, profits from an international drug ring operating out of Gdansk, Poland, and revelations about current dealings.For both Catholics and non-Catholics this troubling expose of corruption in one of the most revered religious institutions in the world will serve as an urgent call for reform.
The Vatican Plot
by Raúl Sánchez Quintana“The Vatican Plot” is an adventure of intrigue, betrayal, power and against it the whole struggle for good. Patrizia, a young woman who works at the Vatican Library, finds herself in the middle of a storm after subwaying her nose where she doesn't belong and must navigate to safety. The pope, the mafia, the national governments, the jihadists all have their hands in the mix trying to push and pull events in their favor, but not all can win or escape with their lives.
The Vatican Prophecies
by John Thavis"The process by which these supernatural events are authenticated is expertly told by John Thavis, one of the world's leading Vaticanologists. In fact, that a book on so secretive and complex a topic is so deeply researched, beautifully written, and artfully told is something of a small miracle itself."--James Martin, S.J., author of Jesus: A PilgrimageFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Vatican Diaries, a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how the Vatican investigates claims of miraculous eventsApocalyptic prophecies and miraculous apparitions are headline-grabbing events that often put the Catholic Church's concept of "rational faith" at odds with the passion of its more zealous followers. To some, these claims teeter on the edge of absurdity. Others see them as evidence of a private connection with God. For the Vatican, the issue is much more nuanced as each supposed miraculous event could have serious theological and political consequences. In response, the Vatican has developed a highly secretive and complex evaluation system to judge the authenticity of supernatural phenomena. Former journalist John Thavis uses his thirty years' experience covering the Vatican to shed light on this little-known process, revealing deep internal debates on the power of religious relics, private revelations, exorcisms, and more. Enlightening and accessible to Catholics and non-Catholics alike, the book illustrates the Church's struggle to balance the tension between traditional beliefs and contemporary skepticism. From the Hardcover edition.
The Vaticans Exorcists: Driving Out the Devil in the 21st Century
by Tracy WilkinsonJohn Paul II was the first pope since the early 1600s to view the devil and his minions not only as formidable foes, but as tangible, present forces which the Catholic church must battle on a daily basis. The priest charged with spearheading this mission is Father Gabriele Amorth and his Office of Exorcism. Revitalizing a long-dormant practice, Father Amorth has re-established exorcism as a common rite in the church with a series of seminars and training sessions during which priests from all over the world learn how to fight Satan here on Earth. The Rome bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, journalist Tracy Wilkinson has gained access to the Vatican's highest authorities, allowing her to cover this story from every angle, including "beneficiaries" and "victims" of exorcism alike, skeptical scientists and laity, devout believers, and even those priests within the church who question the revival of the practice. A riveting account of a provocative subject, this outstanding work of investigative journalism will enthrall readers from start to finish.
The Vedanta Kesari April 2021
by Swami MahamedhanandaThe Vedanta Kesari, meaning ‘Lion of Vedanta’, is a cultural and spiritual English monthly magazine published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Under the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda, a group of his disciples in Madras, started a magazine named Brahmavadin. This magazine stopped publication in May 1914 and in the same month, continuing its legacy, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai started the publication of The Vedanta Kesari. Now in its 108th year of publication, The Vedanta Kesari is one of India’s oldest cultural and spiritual English magazines in circulation. It has a monthly circulation of over 14,000 copies and a readership across India and also some foreign countries. The focus of the magazine is to promote a spiritual and harmonious outlook towards life. Renouncing selfish desires and serving others in a spirit of worshipfulness in the key-note of its philosophy. It contains articles on Indian spiritual traditions and scriptures, mainly focusing on Vedanta as expounded by Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, the illustrious disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Every December it publishes a Special Issue on a particular theme.
The Vedanta Kesari March 2021
by Swami MahamedhanandaThe Vedanta Kesari, meaning ‘Lion of Vedanta’, is a cultural and spiritual English monthly magazine published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Under the inspiration of Swami Vivekananda, a group of his disciples in Madras, started a magazine named Brahmavadin. This magazine stopped publication in May 1914 and in the same month, continuing its legacy, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai started the publication of The Vedanta Kesari. Now in its 108th year of publication, The Vedanta Kesari is one of India’s oldest cultural and spiritual English magazines in circulation. It has a monthly circulation of over 14,000 copies and a readership across India and also some foreign countries. The focus of the magazine is to promote a spiritual and harmonious outlook towards life. Renouncing selfish desires and serving others in a spirit of worshipfulness in the key-note of its philosophy. It contains articles on Indian spiritual traditions and scriptures, mainly focusing on Vedanta as expounded by Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, the illustrious disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Every December it publishes a Special Issue on a particular theme.
The VeggieTales Bible, NIrV
by ZondervanGrow with the Bible VeggieTales-style! Join Bob, Larry, and all the rest of the VeggieTales characters as they explore the most amazing book of all time. Filled with fun features, children will learn more about God and how he wants us to live. Features in The VeggieTales Bible include: Veggie Stories—8 full-color, best-loved Bible stories as told in the VeggieTales videos, including Dave and the Giant Pickle; Rack, Shack and Benny; and Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen. Book introductions give important information about each book of the Bible. "Veggie Values” teach lessons from the Bible like God made you special, God loves you very much, don’t be afraid, be kind to others, forgive one another, and many more. “Remember This” highlights 100 key verses of Scripture to remember. A dictionary helps kids better understand key Bible words and concepts. This Bible contains the complete text of the New International Reader's Version (NIrV): the steppingstone to the NIV, the world’s most popular modern English translation.
The Veil
by Diane NobleA shroud of secrecy cloaks a new nineteenth-century sect known simply as the Saints. But that veil is about to be drawn away. Amidst the majestic beauty of 1857 Utah, the members of one secluded religious group claim to want nothing more than to practice their beliefs without persecution. Yet among them are many who engage in secret vows and brutal acts of atonement...all in the name of God.But one young woman, Hannah McClary, dares to question the truth behind the shroud. Soon Hannah and the young man she loves-Lucas Knight, who has been trained from childhood to kill on behalf of the Church-find themselves fighting for their very lives.As a group of unwary pioneer families marches into Utah toward a tragic confrontation with the Saints at a place called Mountain Meadows, Hannah and Lucas are thrust into the most difficult conflict of all-a battle for truth and justice-even as they are learning for the first time about unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness....From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Veil
by K. T. RicheyMisha Holloway was born with a special gift. She has the ability to see the past, the present, and the future. When she enters the ministry, her gift becomes more apparent, and fearful church members don't understand. She is cast out of the church and begins a journey of self-discovery to find out who she is as a minister and a woman.Bernard Taylor is a man with a personal struggle. On the outside, he is one of the biggest gospel artists in the country. Inwardly, he is in a desperate struggle, trying to hold on to his faith while still ministering to others. But something keeps luring him back to Atlanta.Being led by the voice in her spirit, Misha's journey takes her to unimaginable places, where she brings hope to others--until an unexpected pregnancy stops her in her tracks. When Bernard and Misha cross paths, can these single ministers help each other survive the obstacles they face, or will they give up and turn their backs on all they believe in?
The Veil: An Invitation to the Unseen Realm
by Blake K. HealyFor as long as he can remember, Blake K. Healy has seen angels and demons. He sees them as clearly as he would see you if you were standing right in front of him. He sees angels dancing in worship services and whispering words of encouragement in people&’s ears. He also sees demons latching on to people and perpetuating addiction and bitterness in their hearts.The Veil chronicles how Blake matured in this gifting, while overcoming the fear and confusion of what he saw, how he learned to use his gift of seeing for God&’s glory, and how to teach others to do the same. This new and updated version of The Veil also includes a brief guide on how to begin growing in the gift of seeing in the spirit yourself, as well as an appendix of scriptural references to the spirit realm and angels, along with Blake&’s commentary on these passages.
The Velikovsky Heresies: Worlds in Collision and Ancient Catastrophes Revisited
by Laird ScrantonA reexamination of Immanuel Velikovsky’s controversial Venus theories in light of new astronomical and archaeological findings • Provides new evidence from recent space probe missions to support Velikovsky’s theories on the formation of Venus • Presents recently translated ancient texts from China, Korea, and Japan that uphold the cometlike descriptions of Venus cited by Velikovsky • Examines evidence of major geomagnetic events in 1500 BCE and 750 BCE that correspond with close passes of the comet Venus and its impact with Mars • Offers scientific explanations for many disputed aspects of Velikovsky’s theories, such as how Venus could have transformed from a comet into an orbiting planet Surrounded by controversy even before its publication in 1950, Immanuel Velikovsky’s Worlds in Collision introduced the provocative theory that Venus began as a brilliant comet ejected by Jupiter around 1600 BCE, wreaking chaos on Mars and Earth as it roamed through our solar system prior to settling into its current orbit. Immediately dismissed without any investigation and subject to vicious attacks, Velikovsky’s theory is now poised for reexamination in light of recent astronomical and archaeological findings. Exploring the key points of Velikovsky’s theories, Laird Scranton presents evidence from recent space probe missions to show that Venus still exhibits cometlike properties, such as its atmospheric composition, and could be a young planet. Reviewing the widespread cometlike descriptions of Venus from 1500 BCE to 750 BCE as well as Velikovsky’s observation that no records of Venus exist prior to 1600 BCE, Scranton reveals recently translated ancient texts from China, Korea, and Japan that further uphold Velikovsky’s theories. Examining evidence of major geomagnetic and climate-change events around 1500 BCE and 750 BCE, corresponding with close passes of the comet Venus and its impact with Mars, the author offers scientific explanations for many disputed aspects of Velikovsky’s theories, such as how Venus transformed from a comet into an orbiting planet. By updating this unresolved controversy with new scientific evidence, Scranton helps us to understand how it was that Worlds in Collision was the one book found open on Albert Einstein’s desk at the time of his death.
The Velvet Hours
by Alyson RichmanFrom the international bestselling author of The Lost Wife and The Garden of Letters, comes a story--inspired by true events--of two women pursuing freedom and independence in Paris during WWII.As Paris teeters on the edge of the German occupation, a young French woman closes the door to her late grandmother's treasure-filled apartment, unsure if she'll ever return. An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian cultivated a life of art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre. With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with her granddaughter Solange Beaugiron, using her prized possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. As Marthe's tale unfolds, like velvet itself, stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide Solange on her own path. Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother's legacy behind to save all that she loved.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Velvet Shadow (Heirs of Cahira O'Connor #No. 3)
by Angela Elwell HuntTHE HEIRS OF CAHIRA O’CONNOR SERIES - BOOK THREE It is said that as Cahira, daughter of the great Irish king Rory O’Connor, lay dying of a wound from a Norman blade, she lifted her hand toward heaven and beseeched God that others would follow…breaking forth from the courses to which they are bound to restore right in this murderous world… To Kathleen O’Connor, Cahira’s story was nothing more than a legend–until research divulged that the talewastrue. Stunned, Kathleen realizes she herself bears Cahira’...
The Velveteen Rabbit: Or, How Toys Become Real
by Margery WilliamsLittles ones can now cherish this classic, beloved story of how one special toy becomes real in a new board book edition of The Velveteen Rabbit. Just as the boy loves the Velveteen Rabbit so much that the toy becomes real, young readers will treasure this adorable, abridged board book edition of the beloved classic by Margery Williams. Follow a beloved toy who goes from comforting his boy in sickness to being cast out into the world cold and alone to finally being turned into a real rabbit in this timeless children's story. The work of best-selling illustrator Don Daily brings this vivid retelling of the enduring classic, The Velveteen Rabbit, to life.
The Venture of Islam, Volume 1: The Classical Age of Islam
by Marshall G. S. HodgsonIn this study, Hodgson traces and interprets the historical development of Islamic civilization from before the birth of Muhammad to the middle of the twentieth century.
The Venture of Islam, Volume 2: The Expansion of Islam in the Middle Periods
by Marshall G. HodgsonThe Venture of Islam has been honored as a magisterial work of the mind since its publication in early 1975. In this three-volume study, illustrated with charts and maps, Hodgson traces and interprets the historical development of Islamic civilization from before the birth of Muhammad to the middle of the twentieth century. This work grew out of the famous course on Islamic civilization that Hodgson created and taught for many years at the University of Chicago. In the second work of this three-volume set, Hodgson investigates the establishment of an international Islamic civilization through about 1500. This includes a theoretical discussion of cultural patterning in the Islamic world and the Occident. "This is a nonpareil work, not only because of its command of its subject but also because it demonstrates how, ideally, history should be written."--The New Yorker
The Venture of Islam, Volume 3: The Gunpowder Empires and Modern Times
by Marshall G. S. HodgsonThe Venture of Islam has been honored as a magisterial work of the mind since its publication in early 1975. In this three-volume study, illustrated with charts and maps, Hodgson traces and interprets the historical development of Islamic civilization from before the birth of Muhammad to the middle of the twentieth century. This work grew out of the famous course on Islamic civilization that Hodgson created and taught for many years at the University of Chicago. In this concluding volume ofThe Venture of Islam, Hodgson describes the second flowering of Islam: the Safavi, Timuri, and Ottoman empires. The final part of the volume analyzes the widespread Islamic heritage in today's world. "This is a nonpareil work, not only because of its command of its subject but also because it demonstrates how, ideally, history should be written. "--The New Yorker
The Venus Blueprint
by Richard MerrickIn 2010, Richard Merrick took a family trip to Scotland's Rosslyn chapel--the enigmatic fifteenth-century temple made famous by Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Little did he know he was about to embark upon an intellectual and personal journey that would lead to the discovery of a real-life lost symbol--one that reveals the connection between the world's most sacred temples and opens up a treasure trove of lost science and ancient secrets. The symbol he discovers--the Venus Blueprint--is based on that planet's orbital pattern, which takes the shape of a five-pointed star when seen from Earth. As Merrick digs deeper, he realizes the Venus Blueprint was an integral part of the design template of some of the most significant religious architecture around the world--including St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the Roman Pantheon, the Greek Parthenon, the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Great Pyramid of Giza, as well as many buildings designed by the secretive Freemason society. Upon further examination, Merrick is astounded to discover that temples designed using the Venus Blueprint are endowed with extraordinary acoustics that, when supplied with the right tones and frequencies, are capable of harmonizing with Earth's resonant frequencies and evoking altered states of consciousness. He then proposes a fascinating idea: Could it be that the ancients used these harmonics to enhance entheogenically induced visions--to commune with the divine and liberate the gods within? Supported by an impressive array of historical research and scientific analysis, The Venus Blueprint offers compelling evidence of an ancient lost culture that was both spiritually and scientifically advanced.
The Veracity of Torah: Essays in Jewish Spirituality
by Tal SesslerEight decades ago, the Jewish people underwent genocide in Europe. This apocalyptic event, was followed almost immediately by astonishing Jewish political and theological resurrection and renewal. This unique book ponders the tumultuous vicissitudes of th
The Verbal Icon: Studies in the Meaning of Poetry
by W. K. Wimsatt Monroe C. BeardsleyThe sixteen essays in this volume form a series of related focuses upon various levels and areas of literary criticism. W. K. Wimsatt's assumption is that practice and theory of both the past and the present are integrally related-that there is a continuity in the materials of criticism-that a person who studies poetry today has a critical concern, not merely a historical interest, in what Aristotle or Plato said about poetry. He regards the great perennial problems of criticism as arising not by the whim of a tolerantly pluralist choice, but from the nature of language and reality. With profound learning and insight, Wimsatt treats almost the whole range of literary criticism. The first group of essays deals with fallacies he believes are involved in prevalent approaches to the literary object. The next two groups face the responsibilities of the critic who defends literature as a form of knowledge; they treat various problems of structure and style. The last group undertakes to examine the relation of literature to other arts, the relation of evaluative criticism to historical studies, and the relation of literature not only to morals, but more broadly to the whole complex of the Christian religious tradition.