Religion Theory

Considered a cornerstone of modern Christian theology, Charles Spurgeon’s All of Grace is an exploration into the way Christians envision themselves. While many people see themselves as strong, Spurgeon argues that if humans were strong there would have been no need for Jesus to have sacrificed himself. The actions of Jesus were shrouded in a love of the weakness of humanity, and to Spurgeon that truth was being further shrouded by modern pride. The book itself was a call to Christianity to look at repentance as a gift and to accept its grace into their lives.

Why did Jesus die? Did Jesus die so that God could forgive us for our sins? Many believe so. The most ancient view of the atonement teaches that Jesus did not die to appease the wrath of God or gain forgiveness for human sin, but rather to defeat sin, death, and the devil, and reveal to us the unconditional love and grace of God.

We are living in an extraordinary time: a Time of Mercy. But what is mercy? What does it mean to be living in a Time of Mercy? How can we receive God’s Mercy? And how should we respond? In Doors of Mercy, authors Fr. Jeffrey Kirby and Brian Kennelly answer these important questions. They act as your tour guides on a whirlwind tour of salvation history, from Adam and Eve to the coming of the Savior, and into the present day with the beautiful story of St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy message and devotion.

Colleges, universities, and seminaries do more than just transfer knowledge to students. They sell themselves as "experiences" that transform young people in unique ways. The conservative evangelical Protestant network of higher education has been no different. In Fundamentalist U, Adam Laats shows that these colleges have always been more than just schools; they have been vital intellectual citadels in America's culture wars. These unique institutions have defined what it has meant to be an evangelical and have reshaped the landscape of American higher education.

Are you for Christ or are you against him? You know you are either one or the other, for he says so. We learn in Matthew 12:30 in the words of Jesus himself: He that is not with me is against me. Everyone is either with Jesus wholeheartedly, confessedly, and openly, or else they are against Jesus. Which are you? For Christ or against him?

The world is filled with mysteries, and even in the modern age, much of the planet remains unexplored. The depths of the oceans and the intricate and extensive cave systems that honeycomb some parts of the Earth are still largely unknown. Thus, it should come as no surprise that when it comes to this terra incognita, people have projected all sorts of ideas.

Many of us believe that in order to please God, we have to be perfect. It’s an easy lie to buy into. In a culture that emphasizes accomplishment and ever-higher goals, we feel driven to do more, achieve more, be more. And we get caught up in the unforgiving treadmill of self-imposed rules, believing that we should, we need to, we must. The result? Anger, frustration, and anxiety that keep us far away from the life of peace that Jesus promised.

In his new audiobook, Stop Mass Hysteria, number one New York Times best-selling author Michael Savage calls out the mass hysteria mongers and their methods and shows Americans that we must look to history to understand the present and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

Honestly, what is the real truth of salvation? What must we really do to obtain eternal life? In the book The Salvation Equation, Gabriel Ansley Erb answers these questions very clearly through a simple equation. The equation was born out of God’s message behind the Israelite’s story of bondage in Egypt, deliverance through Moses, and wilderness journey to a promised land, which is the anointed message Gabriel received from God on December 8, 2007.

As Israel increasingly becomes the center of global Jewish life, Jews everywhere are undergoing a process of Israelization. In this important breakthrough work, Yossi Shain takes us on a sweeping and surprising journey through the history of the Jewish people, from the destruction of the First Temple in the sixth century BCE up to the modern era. Over the course of this long history, Jews have moved from a life of Diaspora, which ultimately led to destruction, to a prosperous existence in a thriving, independent nation state.

For the first time in any modern language, a female scholar and translator reimagines The Art of War. Sun Tzu’s ancient book of strategy and psychology has as much to tell us today as when it was first written 2,500 years ago. In a world forever at odds, his rules for anticipating the motivations and strategies of our competitors never cease to inspire leaders of all kinds.

Do you find yourself doubting God and weary of religion? Are you tired of the confusing answers, the hypocrisy, and the feeling that God isn’t enough? If so, you’re not alone. Like many believers, author and pastor Zach Maldonado experienced the same disappointment with Christianity. He asked questions - about God, about Jesus, about himself - that he didn’t have answers for. Yet, despite all this, something sparked his passion for Jesus and compelled him to devote his life to sharing a simple message.

Is meditation an escape from - or a solution to - our psychological problems? Is the use of antidepressants counter to spiritual practice? Does a psychological approach to meditation reduce spirituality to "self-help"? What can Zen and psychoanalysis teach us about the problems of the mind and suffering?

Consciousness and Shamanism is the result of the author's Ayahuasca voyage in 2004 to Ecuador, where he was drinking the sacred brew in the presence of an experienced Shuar shaman. He puts up the hypothesis that when the traditional Ayahuasca brew is ingested, it is not, or not directly, the plant's DMT that causes the spiritual voyage as it is assumed in the overwhelming part of the literature on shamanism and entheogens. It is the shaman's super-consciousness impacting directly upon the consciousness of the shaman's client, the seeker of truth who comes to drink the brew.

In this audio Bible study, author and pastor Jay Kim guides small-group members through Paul's letter to the believers in Colossae, revealing what his words meant to his original readers . . . and how they apply to us today.

In her inimitable style of memoir and personal reflection, Nora Gallagher explores the beauty and mystery of this most fascinating of topics. Whether exploring the history of Christian communion, taking us inside the workings of a soup kitchen, or sharing times of joy and sadness with friends, she reminds us what it means to partake of, and be part of, the body of Christ.

What does God's grace mean to you? This question has often brought confusion and controversy to Christians everywhere. The team at World Prayr want you to understand just how amazing God's grace is. They want to dispel any confusion. They would like you to understand that you, too, can walk in God's grace, but only because it is God's grace that enables you. In fact it is all God's grace, all the way.

Despite numerous warnings from intelligence services, ISIS' rise to power has left countries around the world floundering for solutions. Today we face a threat that is more violent, more powerful, and financially stronger than ever before. In this audiobook journalist Benjamin Hall will provide insights by answering the basic questions we still don't have the answers to: Who are they? Where did they come from? How are they so successful so quickly? How can they be stopped?

How can you be sure that your profession of faith is more than just words? Seven Words You Never Want to Hear explores the mystery of salvation through the scriptures and personal stories. Author Denise Wilson invites you to take the challenge that the apostle Paul gave to the church at Corinth - examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. The gospel changes everything - beliefs, lifestyles, and priorities. Has it changed you? Don’t wait until death to find out if you got it right.

Tanto el psicoanálisis como la espiritualidad se adentran en un espacio sagrado: el interior del ser humano. Ambas son una forma de contemplación. Roberto Longhi comparte su experiencia psicoanalítica y señala sugerentes afinidades entre las sesiones de psicoanálisis y la meditación, y va integrando diversas polaridades: dos sujetos (yo y no-yo), dos mediaciones (palabra y silencio), dos estados (plenitud y vacío). Todo ello no lo hace de una forma sistemática, sino que va apareciendo, como las flores silvestres que uno va encontrando a medida que recorre un paisaje lleno de sutiles ondulaciones.