Religion England

In 1144 the mutilated body of William of Norwich, a young apprentice leatherworker, was found abandoned outside the city's walls. The boy bore disturbing signs of torture, and a story spread that it was a ritual murder, performed by Jews, in imitation of the Crucifixion as a mockery of Christianity. The outline of William's tale eventually gained currency far beyond Norwich, and the idea that Jews engaged in ritual murder became firmly rooted in the European imagination.

God is both everywhere and always near, yet we often miss him. In our ever-on, busy world, it requires intentionality to encounter God and learn to enjoy him. In Always Near, Robert J. Morgan provides 10 ways we can cultivate the blessings of God’s presence.

England is an ancient land steeped in history and tradition, filled with prehistoric ruins, majestic castles, and a countryside sculpted from millennia of human habitation. Thus, it is not surprising that many believe England is a land filled with ghosts. The Ghosts of London: A Collection of Ghost Stories from the British Capital offers a sampling of the many strange ghost stories and unexplained phenomena that make London such an intriguing place.

Do you have moments when you feel defeated, scared, or hopeless? Are you looking for a way to understand the work of the Holy Spirit and create a deeper relationship with Christ? Discover the power of the Holy Spirit in your life as bestselling author O. S. Hawkins leads listeners on a 40-day journey from Easter to Pentecost in The Apostles’ Code.

You will hear documented evidence that both Roman Catholics and Protestants were originally against Christmas, but why? Like most people, this is probably the first time you are learning that Christmas was outlawed in America and England in the 1650s, and upon discovering this, many would assume these were the actions of anti-Christian politicians that lasted only a few days, weeks, or months, but this is not the case.

A fresh look at stages of spiritual growth shows where you've become stuck and how to get unstuck to experience lasting, fulfilling transformation.

In the new film Courageous (from the makers of Fireproof), four police officers are confident and focused when it comes to facing danger on the job. But leading their families at home in a God-honoring way? That takes courage. Because it is important to take a faithful, fearless stand in so many areas of life, pastor and Courageous executive producer Michael Catt offers Courageous Living as a closer look at biblical themes and characters that inspired the greatly anticipated movie.

An excellent resource for both individuals and arts ministry teams, the book includes slice-of-church-life scenarios, group discussion questions, and personal action steps.

A simple surgery went horribly wrong. Steve Sjogren died on the operating table. He encountered a heavenly world where he felt infinite peace. And then he had to come back - back to a physical reality filled with pain and disability and an endless line of tests. The drama of dying suddenly paled in comparison to the trauma of living. Sjogren could not face this new existence with his same old comfortable understanding of God.

Turning to the Old Testament, John MacArthur presents the simple truth of God's word: his blessing has always had conditions. MacArthur calls the Nation to turn back to God by showing us how we can become a nation that is once again blessed by God.

In Detestable and Wicked Arts, Paul B. Moyer places early New England's battle against black magic in a transatlantic perspective. Moyer provides an accessible and comprehensive examination of witch prosecutions in the Puritan colonies that discusses how their English inhabitants understood the crime of witchcraft, why some people ran a greater risk of being accused of occult misdeeds, and how gender intersected with witch-hunting.

THE RIGHT OF SANCTUARY IN THE ENGLISH TRADITION takes the listener on a historical, criminal, and legal odyssey through the ancient practice of sanctuary, which was granted to fugitives fleeing from justice, by Catholic churches in England, during the Middle Ages. The book begins with a discussion of the origin of sanctuary, being rooted in the six Levitical cities of the Old Testament, and continuing through the Middle Ages and beyond.

London is one of the great cities of Europe, a center of commerce, art, and science for more almost 2,000 years. Visitors today are treated to world-class museums, pulsing nightlife, and fine dining. But one does not have to search far beyond this prosperous and modern façade to glimpse an older and more unusual London; in fact everywhere one looks, ancient traditions and old patterns emerge.

In the year 1700 a large number of the population of the English county of Yorkshire attended a place of worship on a regular basis. By 2011 the national census showed that 60% of people in Yorkshire still identified themselves as Christian but that only 6% regularly attended a place of worship. Sheila McGeown traces this dramatic decline in the fortunes of organised religion in the county over the last three hundred years and chronicles the decline and fall of the various faiths

Collins presents a 'mental diet' of 10 negative attitudes to lose during times of hardship that hinder character development, strain relationships with others, and diminish faith.

The Bishops’ Wars: The History of the Religious Conflicts that Engulfed Britain and Led to the First English Civil War examines one of the most tumultuous periods in England’s history. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Bishops’ Wars like never before.

The Church is very good at saying all the right things about racial equality. But the reality is that the institution has utterly failed to back up these good intentions with demonstrable efforts to reform. It is a long way from being a place of Black flourishing.

"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also." That was the startled cry, circa AD 50, from a hastily assembled mob in Thessalonica. These men who have turned the world upside down: their description of Paul and Silas. Holy vandals on the loose, anointed marauders running amok, men out ransacking Roman cities with the gospel. Above all, Your Church Is Too Safe is a biblical reflection and exhortation on why we should be like this.

Read a number of shorter, interesting pieces including one on Rowan Williams and meeting the Pope with Benedictine Camaldolese monks, and a short essay on Elvis Presley singing Gospels. Read also about Lewis Lapham, and even a book review on Christ's last words - all by Peter Menkin.

Just as a physically healthy person - at an ideal weight and with good blood pressure and cholesterol numbers - might not actually be fit enough to run a 5k, so churches can appear healthy - with no obvious issues, maintaining a healthy size - and yet not exhibit fitness. A fit church is one that is not satisfied with merely coasting along with no problems. A fit church is actively making disciples, maturing in faith, developing strong leaders, reaching out to the community, and more.