Ancient Religion

This fourth book in Dando-Collins’ definitive history of Rome’s legions tells the story of Rome’s 3rd Gallica Legion, which put Vespasian on the throne and saved the life of the Christian apostle Paul. Named for their leader, Mark Antony, these common Roman soldiers, through their gallantry on the battlefield, reshaped the Roman Empire and aided the spread of Christianity throughout Europe.

Seeing the biblical prophets in context makes all the difference in understanding their messages. In The Prophets of Israel, Old Testament scholar and longtime field archaeologist James K. Hoffmeier explores the biblical prophets through their ancient settings. These features vividly illustrate the biblical narratives and the prophets' concerns, helping listeners better comprehend each text's message and make informed theological applications.

Though it’s often too subtle to see, much of modern Christianity has fallen prey to the ancient Gnostic heresy which taught that the material world has no lasting spiritual value. Rediscovering the Goodness of Creation diagnoses the problem, takes us through its history, and helps us discover “the purposefulness of the material world, the goodness of the human body, and the eschatological hope of a transformed universe.”

The Essene Teacher of Righteousness was Apollonius of Tyana, who, in the year AD 325 at the Council of Nicea, was replaced by a fictitious messiah called Jesus Christ: the greatest fraud in history. Here, Raymond Bernard, PhD, has discovered several sources that supposedly tell the true stories about Jesus and his family as members of the Essene Jewish sect. The story of his life is commingled with tales of his alleged traveling to India and Japan. Jesus appears to be a person whose life and story were developed by the Essenes.

The holy grail. The Knights Templar. The Gnostics and ancient mysteries of Greece. Discover the connection between them all with this phenomenal book written by 32nd-degree Freemason and celebrated author John Michael Greer. This book is a must-listen for seekers of the holy grail and those who want to learn about the inner workings of occult Freemasonry.

Surprised by Christ combines an engrossing memoir of one man's life in historic times and situations from the Six-Day War to the Civil Rights Movement to the Jesus Movement in Berkeley with an examination of the distinctives of Orthodox theology that make the Orthodox Church the true home not only for Christian Jews, but for all who seek to know God as fully as he may be known.

Africa may have given rise to the first human beings, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world’s first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world.

Are you a new Orthodox Christian, confused about what you need to do to grow in your faith? Or perhaps you've been Orthodox for some time but could use a refresher course in basic spirituality. Popular podcaster Fr. Evan Armatas explains the fundamentals of the three-legged stool of Orthdoox practice - prayer, almsgiving, and fasting - in terms that everyone can understand and implement. Let Fr. Evan help you establish your life in Christ on a firm footing.

In November 2017, an international team of more than 30 scientists published the results of their two-year-long Great Pyramid research project in the journal Nature. Using an advanced imaging technique known as muon radiography, three groups working independently from each other discovered a massive, previously unknown space within the Great Pyramid of Giza. Mainstream Egyptologists suggest that the “Big Void” is simply a stress-relieving device for the Grand Gallery. But, as Scott Creighton reveals, ancient Coptic Egyptian texts describe exactly what the Big Void is.

The Ancient Origins of Modern Holidays draws from the Bible and Jewish sources on what has always been defined as paganism and idolatry. In this book, we learn which holiday practices are forbidden and which ones are not. The Dead Sea Scrolls record the origins of the festivals celebrated on the equinoxes and solstices and reveal why they are important for Christians today. Using these sources, Christians can easily draw the line on practices and celebrations. We learn how to nullify paganism and take back what God gave us, so we can be obedient to His commands.

No end of books these days offer us techniques for self-improvement. Taking a different tack, Robin Phillips shows that God meets us where we are, in the pain and heartache of the present moment. Instead of looking for a way to escape from hardship, we can cultivate an attitude of gratitude, peace, and self-acceptance that will transform our experience of suffering.

Some call it the zest, the gusto, or the extra edge in life. The ancient Indian spiritual tradition Vedanta calls it prana, or life force. We can call it vital force. In modern life, we have forgotten the golden key - the higher our energy, the better our performance in everything we do. Energy naturally impacts mind-set and moves us toward greater happiness, success, and self-awareness. This book gives you back your power with simple tools to take hold of the limitless energy of life itself - more swiftly and easily than you ever thought possible.

The Shinto religion is a mystery to many. There is no real founder, there are many gods and deities that are worshipped, and something about spiritualism and spirits in nature (that most people can’t quite put their finger on). Today, many of those confusions will be cleared up, as you will explore the Shinto faith and all its most important rituals, gods and goddesses, symbolism, etc. A long list of divine beings and their purpose and tasks will be revealed, some background stories about the most famous ones, and the history and legends of Japan’s gigantic mountain: Mount Fuji.

During the first half of the 1st millennium CE, an empire arose in Persia that extended its power and influence to Mesopotamia in the east, Arabia in the south, the Caucasus Mountains in the north, and as far east as India. This empire, known alternatively as the Sasanian Empire or Sassanid Empire, was the last of three great dynasties in Persia - the Achaemenid and the Parthian being the first two dynasties - before the rise of Islam.

Mary Magdalene is one of the most talked about figures in modern Christianity, a woman who mainstream media and modern sensibilities can hold with more conviction. The media, press, movie industry, and airport literature have been obsessed with this redhead for more than 100 years, a fascination that reached its climax in the first decade of this century and does not seem likely to end anytime soon. Mary Magdalene is frequently depicted as young and attractive, liberated and intelligent, a symbol of a freer spirituality, and not controlled by a male-dominated church. In the minds of many, she embodies opposition to a system dominated by old men in white cassocks, the "sacred feminine."

This book reveals the ancient Egyptian roots of Christianity, both historically and spiritually. This expanded version of the book consists of three parts. The first part demonstrates that the major biblical ancestors of the biblical Jesus are all ancient Egyptian prominent characters. The second part demonstrates that the accounts of the “historical Jesus” are based entirely on the life and death of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Twt/Tut-Ankh-Amen. The third part demonstrates that the “Jesus of Faith” and the Christian tenets are all Egyptian in origin.

A celestial entity sets out on an extraordinary quest to breathe life into a barren planet, weaving the foundations of existence itself. But as creation takes shape, unforeseen challenges arise, testing the limits of its power and purpose. "What a great fiction book about the cosmos! From the very first page, the story immerses you in the fascinating life of the cosmic builder, whose ability to create planetary life for the first time is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The vivid descriptions and imaginative storytelling by the author immediately draw you into this cosmic realm, making you ...

Like a trusted map, Healing Work orients listeners with practical strategies and insights they need to navigate healing’s successes and setbacks with wisdom and confidence. While recognizing that deep emotional pain can defy easy answers, Healing Work shows that true and total healing is possible for us, no matter how severe our wounds. With the techniques in this book, we can acquire the skills that enable us to finally let go of the pain and fear that hold us captive.

The Fathers have something important to teach the modern Church about evangelization. Among Mike Aquilina's many works about the Church Fathers, this is his most complete and compelling overview of the Fathers' amazing achievements.

In this book, I have the great honor of introducing you to a number of women about whom I have not previously written, as well as sharing with you additional stories with several of them. Each new story can be applied to help us move into harmony and a state of grace with the world around us...and the articles are designed to make the wisdom of the Sisterhood of the Shield more accessible in our daily lives.