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Understanding the Old Testament Abridged 4th Edition

5 stars (Fleshes out the Bible) - No question the Old Testament is a great read, but face it, the original audience for this work is long dead and buried. Anderson's standard text on the world of the Old Testament is excellent in bringing the ancient world and the context for the collection that is the Old Testament to light. Reading the Bible without Anderson you get a story about some guy named Abram who took a walk one day and had some trouble with his new neighors. Reading it with Anderson, you get a deeper understanding of where Abraham came from, where he was headed, and how the belief of early Judahism developed through and in conflict with those of the neighboring Canaanites. The agrarian focused religion of the Canaanites get's it's own hearing as a people's attempt to make sense of the life around them. "Understanding the Old Testament" then provides this level of insight and background for all the other books of the Old Testament. How and why we now have the expression of the Jewish people's understanding of God gains more texuture and depth. 4 stars (Fascinating insights on ancient biblical events!) - An amazing, descriptive, objective, factual read about the beliefs, people and events that went on in ancient biblical times. Some great pictures too! I was captivated and fascinated! 3 stars (In depth survey following historico-critical methods) - Anderson uses easy to read sentences and aims his OT introduction at the lay person, but will be useful more to students and pastors because of the content. I was somewhat disappointed that he has nothing on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). R.K. Harrison's Intro to the OT is much more comprehensive, including discussion using both historico-critical methodology and conservative approaches, whereas Anderson assumes that the historico-critical method is the only way to go. Nevertheless, the information is readily accessible and easy to read, and illustrated well. ...
Prentice Hall :: Religion & General :: To 70 A D :: Religion - Biblical Studies :: Religion :: Old Testament Commentary :: O T :: O T :: Jews :: History of Biblical events :: History O :: Understanding the Old Testament (Abridged 4th Edition)

 

Losing Moses on the Freeway - The 10 Commandments in America

5 stars (Text: 5 Title: 0 Marketing: - 10) - I purchased my copy of this abominably titled book in Borders, in the "Christianity, Practical Living" section. I am not a Christian and sought it out solely because of my familiarity with Hedges' earlier work. This is not a "Christian" book, any more than Krzysztof Kieslowski's "The Decalogue" (its model) is a "Christian" television series. Kieslowski and his writing partner, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, a lawyer from whose experiences several of the episodes were taken, focused "The Decalogue" on the fictionalized lives of people entangled in ancient moral dilemmas in bleak 1980s Warsaw. Hedges takes the same tack with ten non-fictional vignettes from life in 21st century post-industrial America. I find Hedges' writing almost unbearably intense; his moral authority clearly hard won. Even when I disagree with him, I have nothing but respect for his courage in refusing to look away. Here is a man who has obviously been deeply affected by what he has witnessed and experienced in life and is determined to learn---and teach---from it. That the teachings are very, very old only makes this book all the more worth reading, absorbing and passing on---whether you are a Christian or not. 5 stars (Losing Moses, but finding a great book. ) - I would highly recommend Hedges' book on the Ten Commandments. It is far more than your typical study guide. Rather, it provides a deep understanding of the ripple effect that our moral and ethical lapses have on those around us. In a world that is consumed with the end justifying the means, Hedges addresses in this decalogue the means that all might do well to consider. 5 stars (A New Code of Ethics to Live By) - Many Americans want to reduce the Ten Commandments to an idol to be worshipped in a public place. This book lives up to the original intent of the Ten Commandments - a guide to meditation on what really makes an ethical life. Read Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters...
Free Press :: Religion & General :: United States :: U S - Contemporary Politics :: Ten commandments :: Philosophy :: Moral conditions :: Hedges :: Chris :: General :: Ethics & Mora :: Losing Moses on the Freeway - The 10 Commandments in America

 

A Grief Observed

5 stars (Excellent!!) - Shipping was quick, everything was exactly as advertised! Two thumbs up, five stars, all of the above!!! 5 stars (Recorded Grief) - C.S. Lewis can almost be described as a contradiction. For much of his life, he was an agnostic, eventually coming to accept Christianity not through any miraculous transformation, but through rational thinking. He was a confirmed bachelor, but wound up marrying late in life, to the American divorcee Joy Davidman, his perfect counterpart in almost every manner. His life was awakened by Joy's presence, but their brief marriage (just nearly four years) was terminated when Joy died of cancer. C.S. Lewis kept track of his thoughts and ramblings after this event in a series of notebooks that became " A Grief Observed ". " A Grief Observed " is at times almost too personal. Lewis leaves nothing hidden, allowing readers access to his anger and his questioning of God. He claims that these are not all his thoughts, merely 'one in a hundred', that he has recorded as he tries to sort through his sorrow and grief. He likens his pain to various metaphors, including that of an amputee who still feels the pain of the lost limb - for Lewis, his lost wife who was part of him. He finds that it is always easy to offer comfort to those who have lost loved ones, to even pray for them, when they are not our loved ones. He questions God at every turn, eventually finding his way back to faith, seeing this challenge as a test of his faith and love. "God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box, and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize the fact was to knock it down." " A Grief Observed " is a short book, under one hundred pages, filled out with an afterword that is a brief biographical sketch on Lewis ...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Religion & Christian Life :: Lewis :: C S :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE GRIEF :: SUFFERING :: CONSOLATION :: Religious aspects :: Religion :: A Grief Observed

 

The Great Divorce

3 stars ( The Great Divorce ) - As C.S. Lewis' books go I think that this is not his best book by far. I would recommend reading some of his other works before this because if I had not of known of his amazing writing I would have forever considered him a terrible writer after reading this book. 5 stars (Truly Inspired!) - In this brilliant work of fiction, C.S. Lewis brings amazing clarity and light to universal truths that we can all identify with, but few of us ever fully grasp. I have gained a whole new perspective on a question that has, thus far, plagued my Christian walk: "Why is it that something that is so clear and painfully obvious to a Christian, is so extremely difficult to convince to an unbeliever?". As plainly as Truth stares us in the face, it's difficult to comprehend why others so easilly overlook it, while vituperating us "brain-washed" Christians. After reading this book, I am finally beginning to better understand the paradox. The truth is that, on some level, everyone sees the Truth. Many are just unwilling to let go of what they have come to embrace in this world. The meaning they have been able to build for themselves, and control on their terms, has become more presious to them than the Truth, and more desirable than true Joy. If their chosen lives were taken away from them, they would be miserable with Truth. One line from the story sums it all up. It comes directly after the most oft quoted phrase from the book ("...Thy will be done."): "All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell.". This is NOT to say that Evangelism should stop. By no means! We just need to learn when it's time to stop and move on to another. We can't make the choice for them. We are called to sow. Only God can tend the soil... OUTSTANDING book!!! 5 stars (I love this book so much I keep giving it away.) - This is one of my favorite books of all time. I've bought and read it many times over the past 30+ years. I do ...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Fiction & Religious :: FICTION GENERAL CLASSIC & ALLEGORY :: Religious - General :: Religion :: Good and evil :: General :: Fiction - Religiou :: The Great Divorce

 

Groups

4 stars (Good resource and guide) - This book is a good tool to use for small groups, fellowship studies, or sunday school class. I used it for my college sunday school class to place emphasis on embracing our Christian community. While John Ortberg does a good job at painting the picture for us, it is basically his "The Life You've Always Wanted" book re-done for small groups in a practical way. I enjoyed using this guide but had to restructure the questions and format to cater to a sunday school environment. I would recommend making sure you know your group, and understand their needs, and perhaps come up with additional questions to meet the needs of your group. ...
Zondervan :: Religion & General :: BIBLICAL STUDIES BIBLE STUDIES TOPICAL :: Spirituality - General :: Religion - Christian Living :: Religion :: Christianity - Christian Li :: Groups

 

The Problem of Pain

5 stars (A life altering book) - I first listened to this book in audio form on a long drive, so heard the entire text in one session. It really was an inspiring experience. I actually listened to it a second time on the return trip. Lewis' gift for verbalizing complex logical and moral issues amazed and inspired me. As one reviewer said, Lewis is the "ideal persuader for the ... good man who would like to be a Christian but finds his intellect getting in the way." His discussions are logical, yet human. A masterful book. 3 stars (Good stuff, except for the Arminian slant) - C.S. Lewis makes many insightful points, but his Arminian (vs. Calvinistic) views distort his presentation at times. For example, he suggests that it isn't God's "fault" that pain and suffering entered the world, i.e. God's sovereign will was thwarted by man. When of course Calvinists like myself argue that it's the Biblical view that our all powerful and sovereign God foreordains all things as the prophet Isaiah says. But overall, it was a worthwhile read. 5 stars (Thought Provoking Jack Lewis) - I'm a blogger. Blogging makes me read. It makes me turn off the television and read. This is very good. What I have been reading lately is C. S. Lewis. Particularly, I've been re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia. After reading through The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, I decided to shift gears and read one of Lewis's theological works before resuming the Chronicles. All I can say is, "Wow!" The Problem of Pain is not what I expected. I'm not sure what it was that I did expect. Perhaps something more along the line of a good evangelical book - you know, shallow, but with lots of Bible verses. Pain is exactly the opposite. Deep and with very little use of prooftexting. How the Church of the twenty-first century needs more minds like C. S. Lewis! We have been drowning in the fluff of "make-me-feel-good-like-Jabez-bless-me-bless-me" Christian publishing for years. It is ...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Religion & Christian Life :: CHRISTIAN LIVING PRACTICAL LIFE PERSONAL GROWTH :: Suffering :: Religious aspects :: Religion - Classic Works :: The Problem of Pain

 

Living Your Strengths- Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community

Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community...
Gallup Press :: Religion & General :: Spiritual :: Religion :: Inspirational - General :: Inspirational :: General :: Christianity - Pastoral Ministry :: Curt Liesveld :: Donald O :: Living Your Strengths- Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community

 

For Women Only - What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men

5 stars (An Answer to Our Prayer of S.O.S.) - My soon-to-be-husband and I try to live as closely to His will and word as we can, but even so, disagreements had been tearing us apart recently. Even as we approach the doorstep of marriage, we'd begun to have doubts because of the frequent misunderstandings. He heard a radio spot on a Christian station talking about the book and, in a desperate attempt to mend our relationship, he mentioned it to me. I was just as frustrated as he was, so I bought it the next day. I read the whole book in about 3 hours. It was an easy read and, for someone so anxious to make things better, I couldn't put it down. He was at work when I read it in its entirity, but last night was eye-opening and awe-inspiring. Ladies, I highly recommend making a list of questions to ask your significant other/husband while reading. So many things occurred to me, even things like, "Do you really see it this way?" or, "Is this really how you feel when I say/do ____?" We assume that men are all simpletons, and they play the role rather convincingly sometimes, but this book gives great insight. Because of simple changes in wording, I was able to understand quite a few things about him that I thought I knew (but didn't get) before. The conversation we had based on the questions I wrote ironed out SO many things that had been plaguing us for several MONTHS; we haven't been this happy since the few spark-filled days after we first met. Finally, I must add something I found very helpful from this book. For longer than I've known my husband-to-be, I've struggled with depression. He's often encouraged me (in a concerned way, not a degrading one) to do things like lose weight or be active or have a more active social/spiritual life. I took these things to be insults, which only deepened my hole of worthlessness and low self-esteem. When we talked about the sections of the book that cover things like why they look at other women and what it means f...
Multnomah :: Religion & General :: CHRISTIAN LIVING & PRACTICAL LIFE & WOMEN :: Religious aspects :: Religion - Christian Living :: Religion :: Psychology :: Men :: Man-woman re :: For Women Only - What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men

 

New Testament Story- An Introduction

New Testament Story: An Introduction...
Wadsworth Publishing :: Religion & General :: Religion - Commentaries & Reference :: Religion :: Reference :: Narration in the Bible :: N T :: N T :: Introductions :: General :: Bible :: Bible :: New Testament Story- An Introduction

 

The Art of Happiness- A Handbook for Living

3 stars (A critique of the Art of Happiness) - Happiness is not a goal that can be achieved through seeking. No search has ever realized happiness because the very activity of seeking confirms unhappiness. Therefore, whatever your state in the moment, it must be transcended in present happiness. If you find yourself seeking then you are not presently happy are you? This whole notion about the pursuit of happiness is completely false. You must give up the search and then you realize that you are already happy. So the Dalai Lama is recommending the traditional error of seeking and whatever else he recommends as useful practical advice is tainted by this initial premise. Funnily enough, when asked if he is happy, he says yes, so if he is happy, what need is there to seek? A better teaching would be to point out that everyone is already seeking; for money, power, sex, good food, whatever, and finding that the search is never satisfied. The point is not to channel that activity and search for spiritual satisfaction. The point is to understand that seeking is suffering. I say, "You cannot become happy. You can only be happy!" 1 stars (Did Not Recieve) - I never recieved the book. I had ordered two from Abebooks, one was no longer available after it was charged to my account, and the other one was also charged to my account but never arrived. I will not order books from Amazon again. 5 stars (Make peace with your emotions) - I enjoyed this book immensely and learned a great deal from it. The Dalai Lama's perspective on emotions and mindfulness is enlightening and full of wisdom. In the same purchase I bought another book I was referred to that is endorsed by The Dalai Lama called "The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book." It's really great for learning specifically about EQ and increasing your own. ...
Riverhead Hardcover :: Religion & General :: Religious life :: Religious aspects :: Religious Life (Buddhism) :: Religion :: Psychology :: Personal Growth - Happiness :: Happiness :: Doctri :: The Art of Happiness- A Handbook for Living

 

Traveling Mercies - Some Thoughts on Faith

4 stars (Let Anne tell her story) - God rescued Anne from a horrible situation. And the thing that broke the ice, so to speak, was something that most church-goers like myself hardly think of as a missionary outreach: the simple act of singing songs of praise to God when we are gathered together. At that point in her life, Anne wasn't much interested in hearing preaching, but the music, and then the love, drew her in. God, in his sovereign will, chose to use a Christian congregation far outside of my "box" to reach Anne. And as the story goes on, we see that Anne also has her God in a pre-conceived box. But I, from my conservative point of view, have to be merciful, remembering what God has brought Anne, and me, out of. Every Christian is in recovery, from all the crap of our past whatever it was. And with God's help, we are growing, learning to love those who don't think like we do, and slowly realizing that God is beyond any of our human boxes: totally awesome, pure, wise, loving, forgiving, patient.... Anne Lamott, I, every Christian, are "traveling" on that road to greater faith, and we are in constant need of God's "mercies." 5 stars (A real conversion experience, in all its messiness) - Salvation and baptism are for people stained with sin, people who have been walking too long on the wrong path. It's amazing that Christians, who know this about salvation, fail so regularly at depicting what a conversion experience is like. Lamott tells a lot of stories and shares a host of ruminations in this book, but her account of her conversion experience is the highlight and is more than worth the price of the book. 5 stars (We're Only Human) - Anne Lamott style of writing and style of life make this collection of essays a delight to read. She's honest, humble, humorous and spiritual-all wrapped up in a nice package. Every person reading this book will identify with the life challenges, questions about faith and quirky happenings that Anne speaks about. She ...
Anchor :: Reading Group Guide :: Religion & General :: Women novelists :: American :: Women :: United States :: Religious :: Religion :: Mothers and sons :: Literary :: Christian b :: Traveling Mercies - Some Thoughts on Faith

 

Living Religions 5th Edition

3 stars (A good book; except...) - There is a rich amount of knowledge; I will keep this in my library. It is baptized in feminist views. That would be okay except it isn't supposed to be a platform for feminists; it is suppose to show the richness of the various religions. It is overly concerned with defending or proving the importance of women; this often takes up to much space pushing out writing that would be more informative of the actual heart of the religion (which would be better then the dispute over women which is such a small fraction of what religion is about. I would be just as unnerved if it focused on how important men where to religions.... it seems to miss the point; the point being the religion itself be it from/to men or women.) There is to much of it that comes across as feminist propaganda (can you be truly sympathetic to a religion if you take modern feminist propaganda to say Islam or past Christian monasteries where women were not allowed or where at least kept separate from the males?) The book is corrupted by (as written on the back of the book)"Increased coverage of the role of women in each tradition." What a waste of space! I could have been learning more about the religions. Your expecting a loving look into religion on the religions own terms... then why, I ask, is their a reading included dedicated to the idea of God as a female within the Christian Religion? It might as well be including excerpts from the writings of Martin Luther as representative of Catholicism; they are clearly not apart of the Religion except as fringes that are better understood as protesting what is taught in the religion itself. 4 stars (Recommended for religion survey courses) - This textbook not only looks at the history of different religions, but it also shows you the contemporary version/manifestation of each religion. As an instructor, I found this very easy for my students to understand and relate to. One of the strongest points of thi...
Prentice Hall :: Religion & General :: Religion - General :: Religion :: General :: Clergy :: Mary Pat Fisher :: :: Living Religions (5th Edition)

 

Knowledge of the Holy - Reissue

5 stars (A Must Read for Christians) - Tozer's premise for writing this book is that all of us, especially Christians who should know better, have too low a view of God. In our minds we tend to minimize His power and bring Him down to our level, rather than holding Him in reverence. Unfortunately, Tozer claims, this inhibits us Christians from being who we should be in Christ, and there has been a cyclical effect for the last 100 years. Tozer uses each chapter to describe an attribute of God and how it should be viewed, and uses the Bible and other sources to support it. Each chapter is short but very deep; take your time reading it and meditating on it. Our Sunday school class is currently doing a Bible study with this book as the source for our discussions, and using each chapter to point us back to Scripture. Both Christians and non-Christians will enjoy this book. 5 stars (Knowledge of the Holy.) - If you really want to take your view of God outside the established christian box, this book will give you food for thought. 4 stars (Knowledge of the Holy) - Another of Dr. A.W. Tozer's best-known works. This book is a brief overview of the attributes of God. No single attribute can be emphasized to the exclusion of any other. All are important and Dr. Tozer touches on all of them. A very readable and valuable resource to show Christians more about the awesome nature of our Heavenly Father. A very useful book for anyone who wants to know more about God. ...
HarperSanFrancisco :: Religion & General :: Theology :: Spirituality - General :: Inspirational - Gifts :: God :: Christianity - Theology - General :: Attributes :: A W Tozer :: :: Knowledge of the Holy - Reissue

 

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization

5 stars (Great book) - I'm not a scholar, and I'm not Catholic. But I found Dr. Woods' book an engaging, interesting read that sheds new light on the Middle Ages and Renaissance years. It's the kind of work that provides (at least for a non-History major) an epiphany a page. You can read it in a week, and come away with a much broadened understanding of the topics explained. 5 stars (Woods's Reviewers Prove His Point!) - 1) One reviewer comments that Woods writes of anti-Catholic prejudice in America without giving evidence. This is a matter of historical record: from individual events like the burning of the Ursuline Convent to movements like the KKK (founded against Blacks, Jews, and Catholics), the Eugenics movement (ostensibly to rid society of the so-called "feeble-minded," but pushed by uber-eugenicist Margaret Sanger against "Southern Europeans" - i.e., Italian Catholics) - to the Know-Nothing party to the entire "nativist" movement in the US to the vicious and ignorant response to John F. Kennedy's campaign (and I am only scratching the surface!) anti-Catholicism in the US is well documented and would fill volumes. The same reviewer wants "evidence" of the ignorance about the middle ages - well, open just about any popular book on history and there it is - a thousand year blank between the Greeks and the self-proclaimed Renaissance! Many, many textbooks and even historians are just as bad - they skip over the rich, thousand-year tapestry of the Middle Ages - which had universities that in some ways were even freer intellectally than our "political correct" thought police of today - with apparently no knowledge whatsoever of what an exciting and even radical time it was (do you think it was easy for St. Thomas Aquinas to introduce Aristotelian ideas?) The Church did not stifle debate - they were its source! The evidence won't fit in an Amazon review - or in an encyclopedia sized volume. The author shouldn't have to provide evidence for the self-evident! ...
Regnery Publishing Inc :: Religion- general :: Religion & General :: Spirituality - General :: Religion - Roman Catholic :: Religion :: Influence :: History :: Civilization :: Western :: Civiliz :: How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization

 

Jewish Literacy- The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion- Its People and Its His

5 stars (Christian point of view) - I found this book very informative. Don't let the size scare you, it's any easy read. Everything on the basics of Judaism is in this book. Everything from history to religion. It left me wanting to know more....Rabbi Joseph Telushkin also includes a wonderful,useful index and references some interesting further reading books. This book has become a permanent part of my library. Highly recommned! 3 stars (Orthodox Jewish Literacy ) - As a non-Jew interested in getting a better grasp of all of the traditions and beliefs of the Jewish faith I'm glad I read through this book first before buying it. It is written by an Orthodox rabbi and assumes an Orthodox, literalist approach on all topics, the ordination of women and homosexuality to cite just two of the more controversial issues. Now, this would be fine if the book were marketed as an Orthodox text but it is advertised as a comprehensive book of general Jewish wisdom for everyone. What is a Jew? by Morris Kertzer (5th edition) and updated four times since 1953 is a much more comprehensive and wide-ranging introductory book that covers the stance of each branch of Judaism to various issues organized in an easy question and answer format. It makes very clear all the differences between the different branches (Orthodox, Conservative and Reform) and how they approach various moral/ethical/social issues. Since (according to a recent poll) about 85% of Jews consider themselves either Reform or Conservative (not Orthodox) I think any general book on Judaism should include much more diverse viewpoints possible within a Jewish framework than this book allows for. Jewish Wisdom is well-written, nicely annotated and a great resource for the Orthodox though. It's really quite good for what it is but readers looking for a broader overview beyond the limits of an Orthodox angle will need to look elsewhere. 5 stars (Belongs on every Jewish Bookself) - The author has a gift for being a...
William Morrow :: Religion & General :: Religion :: Reference :: Judaism - Rituals & Practice :: Judaism - General :: Judaism :: Jews :: History :: Customs and practices :: Joseph Telush :: Jewish Literacy- The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion- Its People and Its His