Collection: Spirituality & Religion

Verse-by-Verse commentary on the book of Numbers.

The Book of Numbers tracks the progress of Israel over almost 40 years, from their departure from Mount Sinai to the threshold of the Promised Land. It's the story of how God made ancient Israel ready to receive His promises, and how God's people today can walk their pilgrimage and become true "Promised Land People."

David Guzik is widely known for his popular online, verse by verse commentary on the entire Bible, used by hundreds of thousands of pastors, teachers, and everyday Christians worldwide.

More information at enduringword.com

Fundamentally positive and health-centered in its outlook, the principled approach to leadership found in Seeds of Fire, Roots of Hope pulls from different theories and methods that can be used to correct negative misperceptions and to identify, model, and promote positive and productive behaviors in individuals, groups, or organizations. These insights are used by leaders to cultivate a sense of Spirit that guides evaluation and decision-making in an effort to improve outcomes.

"There is tremendous freedom in knowing that the solutions organizations and communities seek to their problems already reside within these entities. By grounding our work in Spirit, we experience hope, inspiration, and the healing energy of community. The more we apply these principles to our work, the more we experience a widening of our circle of influence and support. This upward spiral of positive energy is the essence of transformation and why so many leaders are planting Seeds of Fire and growing Roots of Hope."
- Jeff Linkenbach

Havamal, or the Ballad of the High One, is the major work of Norse wisdom literature. In one of the key poems in the Poetic Edda we find the counsel of Odin himself. Advice for wanderers, proverbial wisdom, love advice, accounts of Odin's quest after the runes and the mead of poetry, and various spells and incantations fill out this marvellous poem, at once archaic and down to earth. The present translation is in the original alliterative verse, and through it the Allfather's true voice comes howling out of the wind-tossed tree where he hung "for nights full nine".

Fleshing out this collection are selections of wisdom poetry from elsewhere in the Poetic Edda and from Völsunga Saga, as well as 150 ancient saws and proverbs from a wide cross-section of Norse sagas. This is the definitive anthology of the wisdom of the ancient Northmen.

Based on work originally published in 1650 and 1651, this book combines Jeremy Taylor's two most famous writings: *The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living* and *The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying.* These books are owner's manuals for the soul, describing for readers how to attain virtue, avoid vice, and live a proper Christian life. The book is divided into sections based on which virtue and which vice the reader needs help with. *On Dying* speaks to those who, before they are old and ill, have given some thought to dying and wish to ensure that they pass properly to Heaven. Devout Christians will find this book inspirational and instructional.

A preeminent translator of Chinese poetry and Buddhist texts explores the traditions of Chinese hermits in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution.

A fascinating slice of Chinese life for armchair travelers--with insights into the history of Taoism, Buddhism, and Zen in modern China.

In 1989, Bill Porter, having spent much of his life studying and translating Chinese religious and philosophical texts, began to wonder if the Buddhist hermit tradition still existed in China. At the time, it was believed that the Cultural Revolution had dealt a lethal blow to all religions in China, destroying countless temples and shrines, and forcibly returning thousands of monks and nuns to a lay life.

But when Porter travels to the Chungnan mountains--the historical refuge of ancient hermits--he discovers that the hermit tradition is very much alive, as dozens of monks and nuns continue to lead solitary lives in quiet contemplation of their faith deep in the mountains.

Part travelogue, part history, part sociology, and part religious study, this record of extraordinary journeys to an unknown China sheds light on a phenomenon unparalleled in the West. Porter's discovery is more than a revelation and uncovers the glimmer of hope for the future of religion in China.

Far from being solely an academic enterprise, the practice of theology can pique the interest of anyone who wonders about the meaning of life. This introduction to Christian theology - exploring its basic concepts, confessional content, and history - emphasizes the relevance of the key convictions of Christian faith to the challenges of today's world. Part I introduces the project of Christian theology and sketches the critical context that confronts Christian thought and practice today. Part II offers a survey of the key doctrinal themes of Christian theology, including revelation, the triune God, and the world as creation, identifying their biblical basis and the highlights of their historical development before giving a systematic evaluation of each theme. Part III provides an overview of Christian theology from the early church to the present. Thoroughly revised and updated, the second edition of An Introduction to Christian Theology includes a range of new visual and pedagogical features, including images, diagrams, tables, and more than eighty text boxes, which call attention to special emphases, observations, and applications to help deepen student engagement.

This classic, which has sold over 600,000 copies to date, offers a guide to astrological history, legend, and practice. This book is now fully revised, updated, and translated for the first time into Spanish. Its simple computer-accurate planetary tables allow anyone born between 1900 and 2100 to pinpoint quickly their sun and moon signs, discover their ascendants, and map out the exact positions of the planets at the time of their birth.

Black & white print.

Introduction to Sociology 3e aligns to the topics and objectives of many introductory sociology courses. It is arranged in a manner that provides foundational sociological theories and contexts, then progresses through various aspects of human and societal interactions. The new edition is focused on driving meaningful and memorable learning experiences related to critical thinking about society and culture. The text includes comprehensive coverage of core concepts, discussions and data relevant to a diverse audience, and features that draw learners into the discipline in powerful and personal ways. Overall, Introduction to Sociology 3e aims to center the course and discipline as crucial elements for understanding relationships, society, and civic engagement; the authors seek to lay the foundation for students to apply what they learn throughout their lives and careers.

A.W. Tozer once said, "It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply."

As a pastor, Dr. Connor Bales has tackled tough questions about suffering for years-

• How should Christ-followers respond to suffering?
• What if our calling is to suffer?
• How do we respond when our loved ones suffer?

But, it's his own experience as a father and fellow sufferer that has equipped him to pen this book. In Counted Worthy, Connor Bales shares the unique calling he and his wife, Mary, have been counted worthy of stewarding in raising two children with a rare genetic disorder. From the initial confusion and questions of "why"-to the practical exhaustion resulting from endless tests, treatments, and visits to the emergency room-to the emotional, physical and spiritual toll they've experienced as a family, Bales leaves nothing off the table.

But, standing tall above the brokenness, disappointment, and hurt, Counted Worthy illuminates a practical theology promising hope, supernatural comfort, and a closeness to God that Connor and Mary have experienced first-hand. Readers will grow close to the Bales family, but more importantly, they will draw closer to their Savior through their life's story.

The Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible is the single major work of reference on the gods, angels, demons, spirits and semi-divine heroes whose names occur in the biblical books. First published in 1995 and chosen by "Choice" as Best Reference Work of 1996, an extensively revised edition was published in 1998. Arranged in the order of the Latin alphabet, the more than four-hundred names are those found in the books of the Hebrew and the Greek Bible, Old and New Testament, including the Apocrypha. There are entries on divine names recognized as such by the biblical authors; divine names in theophoric toponyms and anthroponyms; secular terms which occur as divine names in neighbouring civilizations, conjectural divine names, at times based on textual emendation, proposed by modern scholarship; and humans who acquired a semi-divine status in tradition. A typical entry contains a discussion of the pertinent name, its meaning, the religio-historical background, relevant biblical passages and an up-to-date bibliography. Extensive indices and cross-references provide easy access to the rich information of the dictionary. The Dictionary of Deities and Demons is the fruit of a common effort of a group of more than a hundred international scholars from a variety of traditions.

First published in 1981 and long out of print, The Holy Angels has yet to be surpassed as a comprehensive and comprehensible account of the nature of the angels and their role in our salvation. In layperson's terms, Mother Alexandra presents the essence of everything the Church has to teach us about the angels, beginning with the Old Testament, continuing through the New Testament, and concluding with the Tradition of the Church as expressed in her theology, hymnography, and iconography. For those who long to become better acquainted with these holy servants of God and to understand their role in our lives, this book is a great place to start.

In this book, first published in 1991, the prolific and innovative British biblical scholar Margaret Barker sets out to explore the origins and the afterlife of traditions about the Temple in Judaism. Using evidence from the deutero-canonical and pseudepigraphic texts, Qumran and rabbinic material, as well as early Christian texts and liturgies, she advances a host of radical and suggestive theories, including the following: 1. Apocalyptic writing was the temple tradition. 2. Temple buildings were aligned to establish a solar calendar, thus explaining the astronomical texts incorporated in 1 Enoch 3. The temple symbolism of priest and sanctuary antedated the Eden stories of Genesis. 4. The temple buildings depicted heaven and earth separated by a veil of created matter. 5. The throne visions, the basis of the later Merkavah mysticism, originated as high priestly sanctuary experiences, first attested in Isaiah but originating in the royal cult when king figures passed beyond the temple veil from earth into heaven, from immortality to the resurrected state, and then returned.

"It's really quite good." - Elon Musk

Twelve Against the Gods was an instant bestseller when it first published in 1929. In his trademark journalist style, author William Bolitho details the lives of twelve great adventurers--Alexander the Great, Casanova, Christopher Columbus, Mahomet, Lola Montez, Cagliostro (and Seraphina), Charles XII of Sweden, Napoleon I, Lucius Sergius Catiline, Napoleon III, Isadora Duncan, and Woodrow Wilson. Bolitho shines light on both the struggles and successes that made these figures so iconic, and demonstrates how they all battled convention and conformity to achieve enduring fame and notoriety.

"We are born adventurers," Bolitho writes, "and the love of adventures never leaves us till we are very old; old, timid men, in whose interest it is that adventure should quite die out. This is why all the poets are on one side, and all the laws on the other; for laws are made by, and usually for, old men." Though his essays are nearly one hundred years old, they encompass the timeless values of perseverance, bravery, and strength of spirit that have proven to resonate with the pioneers and thought leaders of today.

The legendary Dolly Parton shares her heartfelt hopes and dreams for everyone.

Expanding on the popular commencement speech Dolly Parton gave at the University of Tennessee, Dream More is a deeper and richer exploration of the personal philosophy she has forged over the course of her astonishing career as a singer, songwriter, performer, and philanthropist.

Dolly elaborates on the four great hopes she wants us all to embrace: Dream more, Learn more, Care more, and Be more. She offers examples from her own life, from her childhood in the hills of eastern Tennessee to her life as the iconic performer she is today.

From one of the legends of our time, Dream More is an honest, funny, and uplifting anthem for all who want to take charge of their lives and forge a future on their own terms.

This first-of-its-kind book of 111 oracle card spreads is separated into common topics--general, love, career, spiritual, and astrology--and offers readers creative, magical ways to work with their intuition and their favorite oracle deck to find guidance and inner wisdom.

Practical, insightful, and magic-infused spreads for oracle card deck readers at any point in their journey with divination: from seasoned pros to newbie readers learning to read using their first deck.

The book is not connected to a particular deck, but like books of tarot spreads, it is something any oracle reader can use: from the seeker who has just purchased their first deck to someone who has a collection of decks piled up to their ceiling.

Some examples include: the Attraction Spread, which helps the reader sort through what energies they are attracting both consciously and subconsciously; the Spirit Guide Spread, which calls in messages from the reader's guides; and the Mercury Retrograde Spread, which encourages the reader to reflect on the challenges and opportunities in this unsettled period.

Unlock the secrets of the Eleusinian Mysteries: A deep exploration of secret rites, psychedelic sacraments, and spiritual revelations that captivated ancient Greek society for nearly two millennia.

Uncover the evocative history of The Road to Eleusis. Once held in hushed whispers, the Eleusinian Mysteries were a series of secret rituals and initiations in honor of the goddesses Demeter and Persephone. They stood as an enigmatic cornerstone of ancient Greek spirituality, capturing imaginations and fevered intrigue for close to two millennia. But beneath the veils of tradition and ceremony lay a potent secret.

First unveiled in this book's controversial 1978 release, a groundbreaking trio--a mycologist, chemist, and historian--proposed a radical theory: the sacred potion imbibed during these clandestine rites was infused with a potent, psychoactive entheogen. This was not just a challenge to conventional interpretations: it was a revolutionary reframe of the role that naturally occurring psychedelic drugs have played in spiritual rituals and rites since time immemorial.

The Road to Eleusis goes beyond dissecting ancient rites: it charts how the authors reshaped our modern understanding of entheogens' role in spiritual ceremony, revealing facets of the Mysteries previously thought lost to history. The authors share intriguing new insights on experiential religious practices, perspectives on the healing potential of psychedelics, and how--and why--the secrets of the Mysteries were deliberately concealed. The book's revelations reach beyond the scholarly into legal, social, and spiritual realms--all while recasting everything we thought we knew about the rites and rituals of Hellenic cults and expanding our understanding of foundational tenets of Western philosophical and spiritual thought.

This 30th-anniversary edition brings with it an enlightening preface by religious luminary Huston Smith and a renewed exploration of the chemical findings by Peter Webster. It powerfully argues for a reimagining of Western religious history and the transformative magic of entheogens.