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Visions Of Sugar Plums (Stephanie Plum #Between-the-numbers)
by Janet EvanovichIt's five days before Christmas and things are not looking merry for Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum. She hasn't got a tree. She hasn't bought any presents. The malls are jam-packed with staggering shoppers. There's not a twinkle light anywhere to be seen in her apartment. <p><p>And there's a strange man in her kitchen. <p><p>Sure, this has happened to Stephanie Plum before. Strangers, weirdos, felons, creeps, and lunatics are always finding their way to her front door. But this guy is different. This guy is mysterious, sexy-and he has his own agenda. His name is Diesel and he is a man on a mission. And Diesel is unlike anyone Stephanie has ever met before in her life. The question is, what does he want with her? Can he help her find a little old toy maker who has skipped out on his bail right before Christmas? Can he survive the Plum family holiday dinner? Can he get Stephanie a tree that doesn't look like it was grown next to a nuclear power plant? These questions and more are keeping Stephanie awake at night. Not to mention the fact that she needs to find a bunch of nasty elves, her sister Valerie has a Christmas "surprise" for the Plums, her niece Mary Alice doesn't believe in Santa anymore, and Grandma Mazur has a new stud muffin. So bring out the plastic reindeer, strap on your jingle bells, and get ready to celebrate the holidays-Jersey style. In Janet Evanovich's Visions of Sugar Plums, the world of Plum has never been merrier!
The Visions of the Children: The Apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Medjugorje
by Janice T. ConnellIn Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on June 25, 1981, five teenagers and a nine-year-old began telling others that they were seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary on a local mountain with the Infant Christ in her arms. The religious visions of the children continued daily. The Blessed Virgin Mary, who identified herself as the "Queen of Peace" on that day continues to bring messages for the entire world.Like Lourdes and Fatima before it, Medjugorje has become a holy pilgrimage site for Christian worshippers around the world. The Visions of the Children, Revised and Updated Edition features exclusive conversations with the six apparitioners who have been receiving, since June 1981, visions and messages of the Virgin Mary. After 25 years, three of the original visionaries continue to see the Blessed Mother daily. This revised and updated edition includes:-new information on the six visionaries who first saw Mary at Medjugorje-Messages from the Virgin Mary through June 2006-extraordinary secrets about the final chapter in the history of the world-A new, updated list of Marian Centers worldwide.This is a must have volume for anyone interested in the Blessed Virgin Mary, Marian apparitions, or Mejugorgje.
Visions of Unity: The Golden Paṇḍita Shakya Chokden's New Interpretation of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka
by Yaroslav KomarovskiThis landmark book discusses the thought of Tibetan Buddhist thinker Shakya Chokden (1428–1507) on the two major systems of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Influential and controversial in his own day, Shakya Chokden's thought fell out of favor over time and his writings were eventually repressed, becoming available again only in the 1970s. Yet, his startling interpretations of the core areas of Buddhist thought remain valuable and well worth consideration today. Yaroslav Komarovski has used the twenty-four volumes of Shakya Chokden's collected work to provide a systematic presentation of a central aspect of his thought: a reconciliation of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka. Providing a detailed analysis of the two systems' mutual refutations of each other, Shakya Chokden argues for their fundamental compatibility and shared vision.In analyzing Shakya Chokden's ideas, Komarovski explores some of the most important issues of both traditional and modern Buddhist scholarship, including contested approaches to the nature of reality, the relationship between philosophy and contemplative practice, inter- and intrasectarian Buddhist polemics, and the nature of consciousness and mental processes.
Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good
by Steven GarberForeword Review's 17th Annual INDIEFAB Book of the Year Finalist (Religion)12th Annual Outreach Resource of the Year (Culture)2015 Christianity Today Award of Merit (Christian Living)2014 Leadership Journal Best Books for Church Leaders (The Leader's Outer Life)2014 Book of the Year from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds BookstoreJonathan who learned he would rather build houses than study historyTodd and Maria who adopted creative schedules so they could parent better and practice medicine D.J. who helped Congress move into the Internet Age Robin who spends her life on behalf of urban justiceHans who makes hamburgers the way they are meant to be madeSusan who built a home business of hand-printing stationary using a letterpress Santiago who works with majority-world nations in need of capital George who has given years to teaching students to learn things that matter mostClaudius and Deirdre whose openhearted home has always been a place for peopleDan who loves Wyoming, the place, its people and its cows
Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good
by Steven GarberIs it possible to know the world and still love the world? Of all the questions we ask about our calling, this is the most difficult. From marriages to international relations, the more we know, the harder it is to love. We become cynics or stoics, protecting our hearts from the implications of what we know. But what if the vision of vocation can be recovered--allowing us to step into the wounds of the world and for love's sake take up our responsibility for the way the world turns out? For decades Steve Garber has come alongside a wide range of people as they seek to make sense of the world and their lives. With him we meet leaders from the Tiananmen Square protest who want a good reason to still care about China. We also meet with many ordinary people in ordinary places who long for their lives to matter: Jonathan who learned he would rather build houses than study history Todd and Maria who adopted creative schedules so they could parent better and practice medicine D.J. who helped Congress move into the Internet Age Robin who spends her life on behalf of urban justice Hans who makes hamburgers the way they are meant to be made Susan who built a home business of hand-printing stationary using a letterpress Santiago who works with majority-world nations in need of capital George who has given years to teaching students to learn things that matter most Claudius and Deirdre whose openhearted home has always been a place for people Dan who loves Wyoming, the place, its people and its cows Vocation is when we come to know the world in all its joy and pain and still love it. Vocation is following our calling to seek the welfare of the world we live in. And in helping the world to flourish, strangely, mysteriously, we find that we flourish too. Garber offers a book for everyone everywhere--for students, for parents, for those in the arts, in the academy, in public service, in the trades and in commerce--for all who want to discover the virtue of vocation.
Visions of Zion: Ethiopians and Rastafari in the Search for the Promised Land
by Erin C. MacLeodInreggae song after reggae song Bob Marley and other reggae singers speak of thePromised Land of Ethiopia. “Repatriation is a must!” they cry. The Rastafarihave been travelling to Ethiopia since the movement originated in Jamaica in1930s. They consider it the Promised Land, and repatriation is acornerstone of their faith. Though Ethiopians see Rastafari as immigrants, theRastafari see themselves as returning members of the Ethiopian diaspora.In Visions of Zion, Erin C. MacLeod offers the first in-depthinvestigation into how Ethiopians perceive Rastafari andRastafarians within Ethiopia and the role this unique immigrantcommunity plays within Ethiopian society.Rastafariare unusual among migrants, basing their movements on spiritual rather thaneconomic choices. This volume offers those who study the movement a broaderunderstanding of the implications of repatriation. Taking the Ethiopianperspective into account, it argues that migrant and diaspora identitiesare the products of negotiation, and it illuminates the implications of thisnegotiation for concepts of citizenship, as well as for our understandings ofpan-Africanism and south-south migration. Providing a rare look at migration to a non-Western country, this volumealso fills a gap in the broader immigration studies literature.
Visit the Sick: Ministering God’s Grace in Times of Illness (Practical Shepherding Series)
by Brian Croft Mark DeverHow Do You Care for the Sick? Here’s How. One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus is his compassionate care for the sick. Jesus brought healing and hope to individuals struggling with life-debilitating illnesses. Ministry to the sick should also be a mark of his followers, but in many churches today it is neglected or pushed to the periphery of ministry concerns. To counter our modern tendency to minimize or ignore sickness, pastor Brian Croft looks to paradigms of the past and examines historical models of care that honor God, obey the teachings of Scripture, and communicate loving care to those who are struggling with sickness and disease. Part of the Practical Shepherding series of resources, Visit the Sick provides pastors and ministry leaders with real-world help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. Visit the Sick gives pastors, church leaders, and caregivers the biblical, theological, pastoral, and practical tools they need to navigate through both the spiritual and physical care of the sick and dying.
A Visit to a Gñáni: Or Wise Man of the East (Routledge Revivals: The Collected Works of Edward Carpenter)
by Edward CarpenterOriginally published in 1911, this edition published in 1920, this text comprises of an excerpt from Carpenter’s Adam’s Peak to Elephanta, originally published in 1892, which details his travels in India and Ceylon. This excerpt in particular details his visit to a Gñáni, or religious wise man, and what he learned of their ancient wisdom-religion, which would be more recognisable as Hinduism to a modern reader. This title will be of interest to students of sociology, anthropology and religious studies.
La visita de los abuelos de Megan: Un espíritu guía, una tigresa fantasma y ¡una Madre de miedo! (La Serie Megan Psíquica #9)
by Owen JonesLa visita de los abuelos de Megan Un espíritu guía, una tigresa fantasma y ¡una Madre de miedo! Los abuelos de Megan llaman de la nada una noche para preguntar si pueden llegar durante el fin de semana. Megan y sus padres se sienten preocupados de que alguno de ellos pudiera estar enfermo, pero ese no es el caso, ellos simplemente tienen más tiempo disponible ahora que se han jubilado y quieren conocer mejor a Megan. El fin de semana les depara muchas sorpresas, pero la mejor para Megan es que sus abuelos son empáticos con relación a sus creencias e incluso, hasta pueden sentir la presencia de Grrr. La visitia de los abuelos de Megan es la novena noveleta en La Serie Megan, la cual tiene el tema general del desarrollo psíquico de Megan, una adolescente cuyo padre se ha vuelto más empático con ella, pero cuya madre sigue rechazando sus creencias acerca de los fantasmas, familiares y guías espirituales.
A Visita dos Avós de Megan: Um Guia Espiritual, Uma Tigresa Fantasma e Uma Mãe Assustadora! (A Série da Megan Psíquica #9)
by Owen JonesUm Guia Espiritual, Uma Tigresa Fantasma e Uma Mãe Assustadora! Megan recebe um apoio muito bem-vindo quando seus avósvêm para visitá-la do oeste do País de Gales Os avós de Megan telefonam uma noite do nada para perguntar se podem fazer uma visita durante o final de semana. Megan e seus pais se preocupam e temem que um deles esteja doente, mas não é o caso. Eles só têm mais tempo livre agora que estão aposentados e querem conhecer Megan melhor. O fim de semana traz muitas surpresas, mas a melhor delas para Megan é que seus avós compreendem suas crenças e podem até sentir a presença de Grrr. “A Visita dos Avós de Megan” é a nona parte da “Série Megan”, que tem como tema geral o desenvolvimento psíquico de Megan, uma adolescente cujo pai começou a tentar entender suas convicções enquanto sua mãe ainda é contra sua crença em fantasmas, espíritos amigos e Guias Espirituais.
Visitas desde el cielo: El encuentro revelador de un hombre con la muerte, el duelo y el consuelo desde el más allá.
by Pete DeisonUn trágico suicidio pudo haber terminado la vida terrenal de Harriet Deison, pero no terminó la historia de amor que tenia con su esposo, Pete. Su conexión continuó mediante los sueños que Pete ha tenido con Harriet desde su nuevo hogar en el cielo.Has escuchado muchos relatos de visitas al cielo, pero ¿qué hay de las visitas desde el cielo?El sábado 29 de diciembre de 2012, cuatro días después de Navidad, Harriet Deison desapareció repentinamente. Tenía una vida maravillosa con Pete, su mejor amigo y esposo de cuarenta y tres años, dos hijas hermosas y ocho nietos extraordinarios. Pero Harriet, quien había luchado con depresión clínica durante su vida adulta, se encontraba en una recaída. Ese día, la búsqueda frenética de Pete por encontrarla terminó con las palabras más desoladoras jamás escuchadas: «Señor Deison, su esposa está muerta».En un instante devastador, la esposa compasiva y amorosa, abuela y galardonada diseñadora floral había partido. Visitas desde el cielo es la bella historia de amor de un hombre y su esposa que rápidamente se convierte en un reflejo del amor de Dios por sus hijos.La narración de coincidencias extrañas, respuestas sorprendentes a las oraciones y docenas de sueños que Pete y otros han tenido de Harriet tras su muerte, ayudan a responder nuestras preguntas continuas y profundamente importantes: ¿es el cielo un lugar donde la vida continúa? ¿voy a disfrutarlo, o solo es un lugar lleno de nubes, puertas aperladas y eternos servicios eclesiásticos? ¿cómo son los habitantes del cielo? ¿saben lo que sucede en la tierra? Visitas desde el cielo responde a estas preguntas y más, presentando a los lectores con una imagen más clara de lo que es la vida de un creyente después de abandonar la tierra. También proporciona un manual de duelo para aquellos que quedan atrás.Basado profundamente en las Escrituras y en las obras clásicas de autores como C. S. Lewis, Jonathan Edwards y Dallas Willard, Pete Deison comparte verdades bíblicas y su increíble nueva perspectiva de la vida, la muerte y nuestro hogar celestial. Únete a Pete en su descubrimiento del consuelo inesperado en medio del dolor y de que las visitas desde el cielo no solo son posibles, sino que ocurren con más frecuencia de lo que pensamos.
Visitation: Resources for the Care of Souls
by Arthur A. Just Jr. Scot A. KinnamanBecause we need God to keep coming to us, we need visitation. Members of the body of Christ need to go to one another and share the Word that opens our narrow hearts to all the blessings that come from the faith, hope, and love in Christ Jesus. Visitation serves that need and is an essential tool for comforting others in their difficult times.
The Visitation
by Frank PerettiThe sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has become a gateway for the supernatural--from sightings of angels and a weeping crucifix to a self-proclaimed prophet with an astounding message.The national media and the curious all flock to the little town--a great boon for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that has eternal consequences.
The Visitation
by Frank E. PerettiThe sleepy little town of Antioch has suddenly become a gateway for the supernatural-from sightings of angels and messianic images to a weeping crucifix. Then a self-proclaimed prophet mysteriously appears with an astounding message. The national media and the curious flock to the little town-a great boon for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that will forever alter his beliefs.
Visitations
by Corey EgbertInspired by true events, this haunting yet hopeful young adult graphic novel weaves together family dynamics, mental illness, and religion—perfect for fans of Hey, Kiddo.Corey’s mom has always made him feel safe. Especially after his parents’ divorce, and the dreaded visitations with his dad begin. But as Corey grows older, he can’t ignore his mother’s increasingly wild accusations. Her insistence that God has appointed Corey as his sister’s protector. Her declaration that Corey’s father is the devil.Soon, she whisks Corey and his sister away from their home and into the boiling Nevada desert. There, they struggle to survive with little food and the police on the trail. Meanwhile, under the night sky, Corey is visited by a flickering ghost, a girl who urges him to fight for a different world—one outside of his mother’s spoon-fed tales, one Corey must find before it’s too late.Drawing inspiration from his own upbringing in the Mormon church, Corey Egbert welcomes readers on an emotionally stirring, nuanced journey into the liminal spaces between imagination and memory, faith and truth.
Visiting the Art Museum: A Journey Toward Participation (Sociology of the Arts)
by Eleonora RedaelliVisiting the Art Museum: A Journey Toward Participation is a book about the visitor experience. It is written as a companion for visitors to and inside the art museum. The volume engages readers in transforming a common experience, the museum visit, into a sophisticated epistemological inquiry. The study of the visitor experience through an epistemological approach consists of the untangling of the academic disciplines that study and inform each step of this experience: urban studies, architecture, design, art history, art education, and nonprofit management. This journey follows a transformative bottom-up trajectory from experiential to epistemological, and, finally, reveals itself as empowering. The book unfolds as an edited volume, with chapters by different authors who are enthusiastic scholars in each discipline and addresses undergraduate students as citizens, master’s students as professionals, and scholars as teachers and researchers. Each reader will discover a kaleidoscopic world made of ideas, values, and possibilities for participation.
The Visitor
by Liam Matthew BrockeyIn an age when few people ventured beyond their place of birth, André Palmeiro left Portugal on a journey to the far side of the world. Bearing the title âeoeFather Visitor,âe#157; he was entrusted with the daunting task of inspecting Jesuit missions spanning from Mozambique to Japan. A global history in the guise of a biography, The Visitor tells the story of a theologian whose extraordinary travels bore witness to the fruitful contactâe"and violent collisionâe"of East and West in the early modern era. In India, Palmeiro was thrust into a controversy over the missionary tactics of Roberto Nobili, who insisted on dressing the part of an indigenous ascetic. Palmeiro walked across Southern India to inspect Nobiliâe(tm)s mission, recording fascinating observations along the way. As the highest-ranking Jesuit in India, he also coordinated missions to the Mughal Emperors and the Ethiopian Christians, as well as the first European explorations of the East African interior and the highlands of Tibet. Orders from Rome sent Palmeiro farther afield in 1626, to Macau, where he oversaw Jesuit affairs in East Asia. He played a crucial role in creating missions in Vietnam and seized the opportunity to visit the Chinese mission, trekking thousands of miles to Beijing as one of Chinaâe(tm)s first Western tourists. When the Tokugawa Shogunate brutally cracked down on Christians in Japanâe"where neither he nor any Westerner had power to interveneâe"Palmeiro died from anxiety over the possibility that the last Jesuits still alive would apostatize under torture.
Visits from Heaven: One Man's Eye-Opening Encounter with Death, Grief, and Comfort from the Other Side
by Pete DeisonA tragic suicide may have ended the earthly life of Harriet Deison, but it didn't end the love story she shared with her husband, Pete. Their connection continued through Pete's vivid dreams of Harriet sent from her new home in heaven. Pete and Harriet Deison were enjoying a full life of being parents, grandparents, and partners in ministry when deep depression spiraled Harriet into a darkness that caused her to take her own life. Suddenly thrust into unimaginable grief, Pete, a Presbyterian minister, turns to his roots as a student and educator in an attempt to make sense of it all. Visits from Heaven is the love story of a man and his wife of forty-three years, which quietly becomes the story of God's love for his children. The narrative of strange coincidences, amazing answers to prayer, and dozens of dreams by Pete and others affirms that there is a continued existence of a loved one that can be experienced here on earth. Is heaven a place where real life continues, or is it all clouds, pearly gates, and long church services? Visits from Heaven answers those questions, giving readers a clearer picture of what life is like for a believer after he or she leaves earth. It's also a wake-up call for those who secretly think heaven is a dry and boring place. Deeply grounded in the Scriptures and in the classic works of writers such as C.S. Lewis, Sheldon Vanauken, John Claypool, Randy Alcorn, and N.T. Wright, Deison shares biblical truths about the reality of our continued existence and the nature of our heavenly home. Visits from Heaven gently leads grieving people on an effective and insightful journey through the grief and recovery process.
Visits from the Afterlife
by Sylvia Browne Lindsay HarrisonIn Visits from the Afterlife, Browne journeys even deeper into The Other Side, detailing stirring true encounters, describing visitations with ghosts, in-transition spirits, and other troubled souls seeking peace and closure. She travels to locations as diverse as haunted homes and ships possessed by otherworldly forces. Through these spiritual visits, she explains the reasons behind many of the world's most bizarre and mysterious hauntings, and she shares her own personal, face-to-face experiences with these inexplicable phenomena. From surprising revelations about the spirit world to moving reunions with those who have moved on, Visits from the Afterlife once again illustrates spirits' profound and eternal influence on our earthly lives. .
Visual Aggression: Images of Martyrdom in Late Medieval Germany
by Assaf PinkusWhy does a society seek out images of violence? What can the consumption of violent imagery teach us about the history of violence and the ways in which it has been represented and understood? Assaf Pinkus considers these questions within the context of what he calls galleries of violence, the torment imagery that flourished in German-speaking regions during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Exploring these images and the visceral bodily responses that they produced in their viewers, Pinkus argues that the new visual discourse on violence was a watershed in premodern conceptualizations of selfhood.Images of martyrdom in late medieval Germany reveal a strikingly brutal parade of passion: severed heads, split skulls, mutilated organs, extracted fingernails and teeth, and myriad other torments. Stripped from their devotional context and presented simply as brutal acts, these portrayals assailed viewers’ bodies and minds so violently that they amounted to what Pinkus describes as "visual aggressions." Addressing contemporary discourses on violence and cruelty, the aesthetics of violence, and the eroticism of the tortured body, Pinkus ties these galleries of violence to larger cultural concerns about the ethics of violence and bodily integrity in the conceptualization of early modern personhood.Innovative and convincing, this study heralds a fundamental shift in the scholarly conversation about premodern violence, moving from a focus on the imitatio Christi and the liturgy of punishment to the notion of violence as a moral problem in an ethical system. Scholars of medieval and early modern art, history, and literature will welcome and engage with Pinkus’s research for years to come.
Visual Aggression: Images of Martyrdom in Late Medieval Germany
by Assaf PinkusWhy does a society seek out images of violence? What can the consumption of violent imagery teach us about the history of violence and the ways in which it has been represented and understood? Assaf Pinkus considers these questions within the context of what he calls galleries of violence, the torment imagery that flourished in German-speaking regions during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Exploring these images and the visceral bodily responses that they produced in their viewers, Pinkus argues that the new visual discourse on violence was a watershed in premodern conceptualizations of selfhood.Images of martyrdom in late medieval Germany reveal a strikingly brutal parade of passion: severed heads, split skulls, mutilated organs, extracted fingernails and teeth, and myriad other torments. Stripped from their devotional context and presented simply as brutal acts, these portrayals assailed viewers’ bodies and minds so violently that they amounted to what Pinkus describes as “visual aggressions.” Addressing contemporary discourses on violence and cruelty, the aesthetics of violence, and the eroticism of the tortured body, Pinkus ties these galleries of violence to larger cultural concerns about the ethics of violence and bodily integrity in the conceptualization of early modern personhood.Innovative and convincing, this study heralds a fundamental shift in the scholarly conversation about premodern violence, moving from a focus on the imitatio Christi and the liturgy of punishment to the notion of violence as a moral problem in an ethical system. Scholars of medieval and early modern art, history, and literature will welcome and engage with Pinkus’s research for years to come.
Visual Alchemy: A Witch's Guide to Sigils, Art & Magic (Sigil Witchery)
by Laura Tempest ZakroffDiscover the Power Where Art and Magic MeetA follow-up to the bestseller Sigil Witchery, Visual Alchemy takes a deeper look at the extraordinary connection between art and magic. Laura Tempest Zakroff expands on her signature sigil witchery method, an accessible and intuitive approach to crafting effective sigils. She covers numerous topics, including how to connect to the artist within, draw inspiration to you, and easily incorporate art into your ritual practice. Visual Alchemy presents art magic in two parts: create and collaborate. You'll start with techniques for optimizing your creativity, such as crafting a personal symbolic language and solving problems with design concepts. You'll then explore magic that connects you with others, from sharing sigils to making public art. Featuring more than fifty shared magic sigils, this book empowers you to put aside fear and unleash the full potential of your imagination.
Visual Arts in the Worshiping Church (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies)
by Lisa DeBoerAlthough numerous studies have examined biblical and theological rationales for using the visual arts in worship, this book by Lisa J. DeBoer fills in a piece of the picture missing so far — the social dimensions of both our churches and the various art worlds represented in our congregations. The first part of the book looks at Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism in turn — including case studies of specific congregations — showing how each tradition&’s use of the visual arts reveals an underlying ecclesiology. DeBoer then focuses on six themes that emerge when Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant uses of the visual arts are examined together — the arts as expressions of the church&’s local and universal character, the meanings attributed to particular styles of art for the church, the role of the arts in enculturating the gospel, and more. DeBoer&’s Visual Arts in the Worshiping Church will focus and deepen the thinking of pastors, worship leaders, artists, students, and laypeople regarding what the arts might do in the midst of their congregations.
Visual Arts in the Worshiping Church (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies)
by Nicholas Wolterstorff Lisa DeBoerAlthough numerous studies have examined biblical and theological rationales for using the visual arts in worship, this book by Lisa J. DeBoer fills in a piece of the picture missing so far — the social dimensions of both our churches and the various art worlds represented in our congregations. The first part of the book looks at Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism in turn — including case studies of specific congregations — showing how each tradition’s use of the visual arts reveals an underlying ecclesiology. DeBoer then focuses on six themes that emerge when Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant uses of the visual arts are examined together — the arts as expressions of the church’s local and universal character, the meanings attributed to particular styles of art for the church, the role of the arts in enculturating the gospel, and more. DeBoer’s Visual Arts in the Worshiping Church will focus and deepen the thinking of pastors, worship leaders, artists, students, and laypeople regarding what the arts might do in the midst of their congregations.
Visual Culture in the Modern Middle East: Rhetoric Of The Image
by Christiane Gruber Sune HaugbolleA collection of essays examining the role and power of images from a wide variety of media in today’s Middle Eastern societies.This timely book examines the power and role of the image in modern Middle Eastern societies. The essays explore the role and function of image making to highlight the ways in which the images “speak” and what visual languages mean for the construction of Islamic subjectivities, the distribution of power, and the formation of identity and belonging. Visual Culture in the Modern Middle East addresses aspects of the visual in the Islamic world, including the presentation of Islam on television; on the internet and other digital media; in banners, posters, murals, and graffiti; and in the satirical press, cartoons, and children’s books.“This volume takes a new approach to the subject . . . and will be an important contribution to our knowledge in this area. . . . It is comprehensive and well-structured with fascinating material and analysis.” —Peter Chelkowski, New York University“An innovative volume analyzing and instantiating the visual culture of a variety of Muslim societies [which] constitutes a substantially new object of study in the regional literature and one that creates productive links with history, anthropology, political science, art history, media studies, and urban studies, as well as area studies and Islamic studies.” —Walter Armbrust, University of Oxford