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The Modern Theologians Reader

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Title: The Modern Theologians Reader, 1st Edition
Series:
Published by: Wiley-Blackwell; 1st edition
Release Date: December 12, 2011
Contributors: Simeon Zahl, David F. Ford (Editor), Mike Higton (Editor)
Genre:
Pages: 472
ISBN13: 978-1405171106
ASIN: 1405171103

The Modern Theologians: An Introduction to Christian Theology Since 1918, 3rd Edition

This popular text has been updated to ensure that it continues to provide a current and comprehensive overview of the main Christian theologies of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

  • Each chapter is written by a leading theologian and gives a clear picture of a particular movement, topic or individual.
    New and updated treatments of topics covered in earlier editions, with over half the chapters new to this edition or revised by new authors.
  • New section singling out six classic theologians of the twentieth century.
  • Expanded treatment of the natural sciences, gender, Roman Catholic theology since Vatican II, and African, Asian and Evangelical theologies.
  • Completely new chapters on spirituality, pastoral theology, philosophical theology, postcolonial biblical interpretation, Pentecostal theology, Islam and Christian theology, Buddhism and Christian theology, and theology and film.
  • As in previous editions, the text opens with a full introduction to modern theology.
  • Epilogue discussing the present situation and prospects of Christian theology in the twenty-first century.

The Modern Theologians Reader

The Modern Theologians Reader is an outstanding selection of the key writings in modern theology, with each extract introduced and annotated to support student learning.

  • A unique stand-alone text which can also be used alongside the highly successful textbook, The Modern Theologians
  • Features introductory notes and annotations with each extract to help students understand the relevance and importance of the reading
  • Includes selections from major 20th-century theologians and theological movements, and texts on Christian theology's relation to science, globalization, and other faiths such as Buddhism and Judaism

 

Augustine – Confessions

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Title: Confessions
Series:
Published by: Oxford University Press
Release Date: February 15, 2009
Contributors: Saint Augustine (Author), Henry Chadwick (Translator)
Genre:
Pages: 311
ISBN13: 978-0199537822

In his own day the dominant personality of the Western Church, Augustine of Hippo today stands as perhaps the greatest thinker of Christian antiquity, and his Confessions is one of the great works of Western literature. In this intensely personal narrative, Augustine relates his rare ascent from a humble Algerian farm to the edge of the corridors of power at the imperial court in Milan, his struggle against the domination of his sexual nature, his renunciation of secular ambition and marriage, and the recovery of the faith his mother Monica had taught him during his childhood.

Now, Henry Chadwick, an eminent scholar of early Christianity, has given us the first new English translation in thirty years of this classic spiritual journey. Chadwick renders the details of Augustine's conversion in clear, modern English. We witness the future saint's fascination with astrology and with the Manichees, and then follow him through scepticism and disillusion with pagan myths until he finally reaches Christian faith. There are brilliant philosophical musings about Platonism and the nature of God, and touching portraits of Augustine's beloved mother, of St. Ambrose of Milan, and of other early Christians like Victorinus, who gave up a distinguished career as a rhetorician to adopt the orthodox faith. Augustine's concerns are often strikingly contemporary, yet his work contains many references and allusions that are easily understood only with background information about the ancient social and intellectual setting. To make The Confessions accessible to contemporary
readers, Chadwick provides the most complete and informative notes of any recent translation, and includes an introduction to establish the context.

The religious and philosophical value of The Confessions is unquestionable--now modern readers will have easier access to St. Augustine's deeply personal meditations. Chadwick's lucid translation and helpful introduction clear the way for a new experience of this classic.

Roman – The Twelve Caesars

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Title: The Twelve Caesars
Published by: Penguin Classics
Release Date: December 18, 2007
Contributors: Suetonius (Author), Robert Graves (Translator), James Rives (Revision and Introduction)
Genre:
Pages: 464
ISBN13: 978-0140455168

As private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, the scholar Suetonius had access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eyewitness accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in history. The Twelve Caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under Nero and the recovery that came with his successors. A masterpiece of observation, anecdote and detailed physical description, The Twelve Caesars presents us with a gallery of vividly drawn—and all too human—individuals.

James B. Rives has sensitively updated Robert Graves's now classic translation, reinstating Latin terms and updating vocabulary while retaining the liveliness of the original. This edition contains a new chronology, further reading, glossaries, maps, notes and an introduction discussing Suetonius' life and works.

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus was probably born in AD69—the famous "year of the four Emperors." From the letters of Suetonius’ close friend Pliny the Younger we learn that he practiced briefly at the bar, avoided political life, and became chief secretary to the Emperor Hadrian (AD117-38). Suetonius seems to have lived to a good age and probably died around the year AD140.

James Rives teaches in the area of Classical Studies at Stanford University. He is currently serving as Review Editor for Phoenix, Journal of the Classical Association of Canada.

J.R.R. Tolkien – The Fellowship of the Ring

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Title: The Fellowship of the Ring
Series:
Published by: HarperCollins; Illustrated edition
Release Date: June 25, 2020
Contributors: J.R.R. Tolkien
Genre:
Pages: 407
ISBN13: 978-0008376123

Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power — the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring — the ring that rules them all — which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as the Ring is entrusted to his care. He must leave his home and make a perilous journey across the realms of Middle-earth to the Crack of Doom, deep inside the territories of the Dark Lord. There he must destroy the Ring forever and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

TAN – The Life of St. Francis of Assisi

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Title: The Life of St. Francis of Assisi
Series:
Published by: Tan Classics
Release Date: April 1, 2010
Contributors: St. Bonaventure St. Bonaventure (Author)
Genre:
Pages: 184
ISBN13: 978-0895551511

"Francis, go and build up My house, which thou seest, is falling into ruin." To fulfill this command of Our Lord, St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) began by restoring physical churches and continued by building up the spiritual Church in souls. Francis' humility, purity, and true joy inspired many to conversion and a deeper faith.

Never ordained a priest, St. Francis nonetheless was a preacher and a miracle-worker of the first order - curing, prophesying, casting out devils, turning water into wine, and raising people frmo the dead.

The Life of St Francis of Assisi by St Bonaventure conveys a picture of the Saint that renders an indelible impression of a man totally transformed by God.

St. Bonaventure was born, with the given name of John, to Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria Ritella in 1221 at Bagnoregio, Italy. His life was so pure that it was said that he seemed not to have inherited Original Sin. According to legend, he received the name of Bonaventure (bona ventura, good fortune) at a very young age from St. Francis of Assisi and was cured of an illness through the saint's intercession. In 1243 he became a Franciscan (considered the Order's second founder) and later earned the position of Master of Theology with St. Thomas Aquinas at Paris in 1257. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Gregory X and later presided at the Council of Lyons in 1274, where he died suddenly. He was canonized by Pope Sixtus IV in 1484 and is known as the Seraphic Doctor of the Church.

St. Bonaventure also wrote the Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Breviloquium, De Septem Itineribus Aeternitatis, Itinerarium Mentis ad Deum, De Reductione Artium ad Theologiam, and Soliloquium. His feast day is celebrated on the 15th of July.

Moody – Holiness (Abridged)

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Title: Holiness (Abridged): Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots
Series:
Published by: Moody Classics
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Contributors: J. C. Ryle (Author), John MacArthur (Foreword)
Genre:
Pages: 288
ISBN13: 978-0802454553

Back Cover

Most hope to go to heaven when they die; but few, it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if they got there. A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within.

J.C. Ryle gets right to the point: "Are we holy? Shall we see the Lord? That question can never be out of season."
Beginning with the "exceeding sinfulness of sin." Ryle moves through justification and sanctification toward holiness, expounding on its attributes and its manifestation in the hearts and lives of men and women. From there, he goes on to the implications of being holy - the fight, the cost, the reward - all the while focusing on the One who alone is truly holy - the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Convicting yet comforting, Ryle's words challenge us to forgo bland satisfaction and strive for holiness.

--------------------------------------

J.C. Ryle’s Holiness has imparted a standing challenge to Christians for 130 years. In this new, slimmed-down series of excerpts from Ryle’s masterwork, we aim to present his original message to a whole new generation. Holiness, Ryle argued, was not simply a matter of believing and feeling, but of doing.

JOHN CHARLES RYLE (1816-1900) was born in Cheshire County, England. He attended Eton and then went on to Oxford, finishing his Oxford studies in 1837. In 1841 Ryle was ordained as a minister in the Anglican Church, and in 1880 he was named the first Bishop of Liverpool. Throughout his ministry he became known and beloved as a defender of the evangelical reformed faith.

Integrative Theology, Volume 3

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Title: Integrative Theology, Volume 3: Spirit-Given Life: God's People, Present and Future
Series:
Published by: Zondervan Academic
Release Date: August 25, 2014
Contributors: Gordon R. Lewis (Author), Bruce A. Demarest (Author)
Genre:
Pages: 576
ISBN13: 978-0310521099

Integrative Theology is designed to help students in a pluralistic world utilize a standard method of fruitful research.

Each chapter on a major doctrine: (1) states a classic issue of ultimate concern; (2) surveys alternative past and present answers; and (3) tests those proposals by their congruence with information on the subject progressively revealed from Genesis to Revelation. Then the chapter (4) formulates a doctrinal conclusion that consistently fits the many lines of biblical data; (5) defends that conviction respectfully; and finally (6) explores the conclusion's relevance to a person's spiritual birth, growth and service to others, all for the glory of God. In short, Integrative Theology masterfully integrates the disciplines of historical, biblical, systematic, apologetic, and practical theology.

About the Author
Gordon R. Lewis (Ph.D., Syracuse University) was senior professor of systematic theology and Christian philosophy at Denver Seminary. He was the past president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society and the Evangelical Theological Society, and is the author of seven books and many articles.

Dr. Bruce Demarest is professor of theology and spiritual formation at Denver Seminary.

Mapping Apologetics: Comparing Contemporary Approaches

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Title: Mapping Apologetics: Comparing Contemporary Approaches
Series:
Published by: IVP Academic
Release Date: February 11, 2015
Contributors: Brian K. Morley (Author)
Genre:
Pages: 384
ISBN13: 978-0830840670

Everyone believes something. But how and why do people believe? What counts as evidence? How much can be assumed or believed by faith alone? When it comes to religious faith, the questions become at once more difficult and more important. Over the centuries, Christians have offered different approaches to explaining or defending the Christian faith, a discipline known as apologetics. But it has not always been clear how different apologetic methods work, or what each approach has to offer. In this comprehensive survey, Brian Morley provides an overview of Christian apologetic approaches and how they differ. He explores the historical and philosophical underpinnings of key figures and major schools of thought, from the presuppositionalism of Cornelius Van Til to the evidentialism of Gary Habermas. Moving beyond theory, Morley also covers apologetic application, demonstrating how each view works out in practical terms. This guide covers the complexities of apologetics in a way that is accessible to the nonspecialist. Even-handed and respectful of each apologist and their contribution, this book provides the reader with a formidable array of defenses for the faith.

Review

"In his book Mapping Apologetics, Brian Morley aims to give us a remarkably readable survey of the most influential apologetic approaches current and has remarkably achieved that aim. His analysis lays bare the main lines of each representative apologist's thought. Methods are both described and critiqued. But Brian bends over backwards in his attempt to be fair and accurate with each one. His evaluations are both to the point and irenic. The book strives to keep the technical jargon to a minimum and largely succeeds. When technical language is necessary, the terms are carefully explained both in the text and at the end of each chapter. The book will serve well undergraduate and graduate students seeking to understand diverse apologetic approaches extant today."
-- Paul R. Thorsell, professor of theological studies, Cedarville University

"Dr. Morley is a careful scholar who does assiduous research and painstaking analysis. His long teaching experience of apologetics shines through in this much-needed volume in a day when the diverse approaches to defending the Christian faith are often misunderstood and misrepresented. Morley has conscientiously checked the primary sources and, when possible, he has directly confirmed the accuracy of his accounts by consulting with the apologists whose views he describes. This volume will prove to be an invaluable resource for teachers, students and all Christians who want to enhance their understanding of recent developments in the field of apologetics."
-- Mark M. Hanna, professor of philosophy, Veritas Seminary, and author of Biblical Christianity: Truth or Delusion?

"Mapping Apologetics provides the most complete and best analysis to date of my overall apologetic approach."
-- John Warwick Montgomery, distinguished research professor of philosophy, Concordia University, Wisconsin; director of the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights, Strasbourg, France

"Brian Morley shows mastery of the details of my approach, including the qualifications and nuances."
-- John Frame, professor of systematic theology and philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary

"Throughout the book, Morley's tone is fair, professional, and objective. While he does not hesitate to point out the methods' respective weaknesses, neither does he take sides in the debate. This results in a very evenhanded treatment that apologists of all stripes will find helpful. I am delighted to recommend this book to all Christians with a serious interest in and facility with apologetics and philosophy."
-- David Gunn, Baptist Bulletin, March/April 2016

"If you are new to apologetics, Mapping Apologetics will help you understand the many ways Christians are defending the faith around the world today. . . . If you have been involved in apologetics for many years, Mapping Apologetics will help you dive deeper into your particular apologetic methodology. Dr. Morley does a great job pointing to many books and other references that will help you understand how to use your gifts in even greater ways to reach people for Christ and bring glory to God. If you are interested in Christian apologetics, Mapping Apologetics is definitely a must-have book for your library."
-- Mark McGee, Faith Self Defense, April 21, 2015

"If you are interested in Christian apologetics, Mapping Apologetics is definitely a must-have book for your library."
-- Mark McGee, The Christian Apologetics Alliance, April 26, 2015

"In the volume Mapping Apologetics, Brian Morley treats the reader to an overview and examination of several very useful apologetic methods for defending the Christian faith. At several points, what impressed me were the careful nuances that Brian made time and again when he could have settled simply for repeating other commonly stated reports, but which would have been quite inaccurate. His careful avoidance of such common pitfalls helped to produce some of my appreciation for his treatment."
-- Gary R. Habermas, distinguished research professor and chair, department of philosophy, Liberty University and Baptist Theological Seminary

"Many works on Christian apologetics make the mistake of disconnecting arguments for the Christian faith from the specific assumptions, perspectives and theology of the person advancing those arguments. As an antidote to this disconnection, Brian Morley discusses a helpful range of Christian apologetic perspectives and uncovers how and why each perspective shapes their arguments as they do. Not only do we learn about various important Christian apologists―a worthwhile task in its own right!―we see powerful and tangible examples of how the roots of our theology connect to and feed the various branches of our apologetic arguments. Anyone who considers themselves a Christian apologist should read and benefit from Morley's important volume."
-- Jim Beilby, professor of systematic and philosophical theology, Bethel University, author, Thinking About Christian Apologetics

"Brian Morley has produced a remarkable volume on Christian apologetics that begins with an insightful schema of the foundational tenets of ten distinct approaches to apologetics, followed by chapters detailing the principles and primary proponents of a good number of them. As if this were not enough, Morley treats us in the beginning to a rich chapter on the history of apologetics, beginning in the first century and concluding in the present, as well as an introduction to apologetics in the Bible revealing that the call for us to 'be always ready' existed from the very beginning when God first created apologetics."
-- Mary Poplin, professor, Claremont Graduate University, author of Is Reality Secular?

"Given the burgeoning field of Christian apologetics in our day, Morley's book is an important, timely work. This insightful, thorough guide allows us to stand back and review in significant detail the unique emphases and intellectual contributions of recent influential apologists."
-- Paul Copan, professor and Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Florida

"Dr. Brian Morley has provided us with an excellent survey of the major approaches to Christian apologetics. Mapping Apologetics is well-informed, even-handed, charitable and insightful. It will be a very helpful resource for anyone seeking to think through the important question of how Christians should contend for the faith 'once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3)."
-- James N. Anderson, associate professor of theology and philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, founder, www.vantil.info

"Brian Morley's excellent work is an important guide to the Christian apologetic task offering both strategic analysis for the expert and a handbook for anyone interested in defending the faith."
-- Calvin A. Pincombe, Encounter: Journal for Pentecostal Ministry, Fall 2015, Vol. 12

SBC – Exploring Raspberry Pi

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Title: Exploring Raspberry Pi: Interfacing to the Real World with Embedded Linux
Published by: Wiley
Release Date: June 13, 2016
Contributors: Derek Molloy (Author)
Genre:
Pages: 720
ISBN13: 978-1119188681

Exploring Raspberry Pi is the innovators guide to bringing Raspberry Pi to life. This book favors engineering principles over a 'recipe' approach to give you the skills you need to design and build your own projects. You'll understand the fundamental principles in a way that transfers to any type of electronics, electronic modules, or external peripherals, using a "learning by doing" approach that caters to both beginners and experts. The book begins with basic Linux and programming skills, and helps you stock your inventory with common parts and supplies. Next, you'll learn how to make parts work together to achieve the goals of your project, no matter what type of components you use. The companion website provides a full repository that structures all of the code and scripts, along with links to video tutorials and supplementary content that takes you deeper into your project.

The Raspberry Pi's most famous feature is its adaptability. It can be used for thousands of electronic applications, and using the Linux OS expands the functionality even more. This book helps you get the most from your Raspberry Pi, but it also gives you the fundamental engineering skills you need to incorporate any electronics into any project.

Develop the Linux and programming skills you need to build basic applications
Build your inventory of parts so you can always "make it work"
Understand interfacing, controlling, and communicating with almost any component
Explore advanced applications with video, audio, real-world interactions, and more

From the Inside Flap
"Exploring Raspberry Pi is THE book to go to if you are interested in learning about the impressive physical computing capabilities of the Raspberry Pi platform. Derek Molloy imparts the electronics, programming, and embedded Linux skills that are vital to today's innovators in building the next generation of Internet of Things applications.".
— Eben Upton, Co-creator of the Raspberry Pi

BUILD THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO INNOVATE

Economical and versatile, the Raspberry Pi can be adapted for thousands of applications. Open up all its possibilities by applying engineering principles along with Linux programming techniques, and develop the skills you need to design and build an endless array of projects.

Exploring Raspberry Pi first covers the basics of the hardware platform, recommended accessories, software, embedded Linux systems, and Linux programming techniques. Then it takes you deeper into interfacing, controlling, and communicating, with detailed information about Raspberry Pi GPIOs, buses, UART devices, and USB peripherals. You will learn to configure a cross-compilation environment in order to build large-scale software applications, as well as how to combine hardware and software to enable the Raspberry Pi to interact effectively with its physical environment. Finally, you'll discover how to use the Raspberry Pi for advanced interfacing and interaction applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT); wireless communication and control; rich user interfaces; images, video, and audio; and Linux kernel programming.

Instead of recipes for a few specific projects, Exploring Raspberry Pi arms you with the skills needed to build the projects that exist in your imagination. You'll learn to:

Develop essential Linux and programming skills
Build Internet of Things (IoT) applications
Master interfacing, controlling, and communication
Design applications that interact with the physical environment
Utilize the Arduino platform as a service processor
Build wireless communication applications
Write and install a custom Linux loadable kernel module
Apply the Raspberry Pi 3 and Raspberry Pi Zero to your projects
Visit the companion website at www.exploringrpi.com

From the Back Cover
"Exploring Raspberry Pi is THE book to go to if you are interested in learning about the impressive physical computing capabilities of the Raspberry Pi platform. Derek Molloy imparts the electronics, programming, and embedded Linux skills that are vital to today's innovators in building the next generation of Internet of Things applications.".
— Eben Upton, Co-creator of the Raspberry Pi

BUILD THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO INNOVATE

Economical and versatile, the Raspberry Pi can be adapted for thousands of applications. Open up all its possibilities by applying engineering principles along with Linux programming techniques, and develop the skills you need to design and build an endless array of projects.

Exploring Raspberry Pi first covers the basics of the hardware platform, recommended accessories, software, embedded Linux systems, and Linux programming techniques. Then it takes you deeper into interfacing, controlling, and communicating, with detailed information about Raspberry Pi GPIOs, buses, UART devices, and USB peripherals. You will learn to configure a cross-compilation environment in order to build large-scale software applications, as well as how to combine hardware and software to enable the Raspberry Pi to interact effectively with its physical environment. Finally, you'll discover how to use the Raspberry Pi for advanced interfacing and interaction applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT); wireless communication and control; rich user interfaces; images, video, and audio; and Linux kernel programming.

Instead of recipes for a few specific projects, Exploring Raspberry Pi arms you with the skills needed to build the projects that exist in your imagination. You'll learn to:

Develop essential Linux and programming skills
Build Internet of Things (IoT) applications
Master interfacing, controlling, and communication
Design applications that interact with the physical environment
Utilize the Arduino platform as a service processor
Build wireless communication applications
Write and install a custom Linux loadable kernel module
Apply the Raspberry Pi 3 and Raspberry Pi Zero to your projects
Visit the companion website at www.exploringrpi.com

About the Author
DR. DEREK MOLLOY is a senior lecturer at the School of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Dublin City University, Ireland. He is also the author of the hugely popular book on the BeagleBone platform titled Exploring BeagleBone, also published by Wiley. His popular YouTube video series has introduced millions of people to embedded Linux and digital electronics topics. He has received several awards for teaching and learning, including the 2012 Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) national award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. The same year, he was also awarded the Dublin City University President's Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

The Imitation of Christ

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Title: The Imitation of Christ
Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: January 11, 2014
Contributors: Thomas à Kempis (Author), Aloysius Croft (Translator), Harold Bolton (Translator)
Genre:
Pages: 440
ISBN13: 978-1494975258

he Imitation of Christ (Latin: De Imitatione Christi) by Thomas à Kempis is a Christian devotional book. It was first composed in Latin ca.1418-1427. It is a handbook for spiritual life arising from the Devotio Moderna movement, where Kempis was a member.

The Imitation is perhaps the most widely read devotional work next to the Bible, and is regarded as a devotional and religious classic. Apart from the Bible, no book has been translated into more languages than the Imitation of Christ. The text is divided into four books, which provide detailed spiritual instructions: "Helpful Counsels of the Spiritual Life", "Directives for the Interior Life", "On Interior Consolation" and "On the Blessed Sacrament".

The approach taken in the Imitation is characterized by its emphasis on the interior life and withdrawal from the world, as opposed to an active imitation of Christ by other friars. The book places a high level of emphasis on the devotion to the Eucharist as key element of spiritual life.

Criticisms:
Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote, "It rejects and eliminates every speculative element not only of scholasticism but also of mysticism, and yet, at the same time, it abstracts from the colourful multiplicity of the Bible and – since it is written for those who have turned from the world – disregards the world, in all its richness, as a field for Christian activity…In place of the openhearted readiness of a Catherine of Siena, a subdued and melancholy resignation runs through the book…there is an excess of warnings about the world, the illusions of egoism, the dangers of speculation and of the active apostolate. In this way, even the idea of the imitation of Christ does not become the dominant perspective. There is no mention of the mediation of the God-man, of access through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, to the Father. The mystery of the Church, therefore, does not come into view either. The individual is unaware that his love of God can only be fulfilled if it expands into love of neighbor and into the apostolate. All [that] remains is a flight from the world, a world that has not been brought home in Christ."

René Girard wrote, "Neither does Jesus propose an ascetic rule of life in the sense of Thomas a Kempis and his celebrated Imitation of Christ, as admirable as that work may be."

Friedrich Nietzsche stated that this was "one of those books which I cannot hold in my hand without a physiological reaction: it exudes a perfume of the Eternal-Feminine which is strictly for Frenchmen - or Wagnerians."

About the Author:
Thomas à Kempis, C.R.S.A. (Thomas van Kempen or Thomas Hemerken or Haemerken, litt. "small hammer"; c. 1380 - 25 July 1471) was a German canon regular of the late medieval period and the most probable author of The Imitation of Christ, which is one of the best known Christian books on devotion. His name means "Thomas of Kempen", his hometown, and in German he is known as Thomas von Kempen. He also is known by various spellings of his family name: Thomas Haemerkken; Thomas Hammerlein; Thomas Hemerken and Thomas Hämerken.

Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings

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Title: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings
Series:
Published by: IVP Academic
Release Date: June 6, 2008
Contributors: Tremper Longman III, Peter Enns
Genre:
Pages: 991
ISBN13: 978-0830817832

The Old Testament books of wisdom and poetry carry themselves differently from those of the Pentateuch, the histories or the prophets. The divine voice does not peal from Sinai, there are no narratives carried along by prophetic interpretation nor are oracles declaimed by a prophet. Here Scripture often speaks in the words of human response to God and God's world. The hymns, laments and thanksgivings of Israel, the dirge of Lamentations, the questionings of Qohelet, the love poetry of the Song of Songs, the bold drama of Job and the proverbial wisdom of Israel all offer their textures to this great body of biblical literature. Then too there are the finely crafted stories of Ruth and Esther that narrate the silent providence of God in the course of Israelite and Jewish lives. This third Old Testament volume in InterVarsity Press's celebrated "Black Dictionary" series offers nearly 150 articles covering all the important aspects of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth and Esther. Over ninety contributors, many of them experts in this literature, have contributed to the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry Writings. This volume maintains the quality of scholarship that students, scholars and pastors have come to expect from this series. Coverage of each biblical book includes an introduction to the book itself as well as separate articles on its ancient Near Eastern background and its history of interpretation. Additional articles amply explore the literary dimensions of Hebrew poetry and prose, including acrostic, ellipsis, inclusio, intertextuality, parallelism and rhyme. And there are well-rounded treatments of Israelite wisdom and wisdom literature, including wisdom poems, sources and theology. In addition, a wide range of interpretive approaches is canvassed in articles on hermeneutics, feminist interpretation, form criticism, historical criticism, rhetorical criticism and social-scientific approaches. The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry Writings is sure to command shelf space within arm's reach of any student, teacher or preacher working in this portion of biblical literature. Tremper Longman III and Peter E. Enns edit this collection of 148 articles by 90 contributors on Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth and Esther.

Owen – The Mortification of Sin

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Title: The Mortification of Sin - Unabridged
Series:
Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Contributors: John Owen
Genre:
Pages: 118
ISBN13: 978-1491282625

"The Mortification of Sin" was written by John Owen, one of the best known of the Puritans. In "The Mortification of Sin," John Owen insisted on the importance of the Christian dealing effectively with their sinful tendencies and attitudes. He believed that God, through his Word and Spirit, had provided the guidelines and the power for this to be achieved. In "The Mortification of Sin," John Owen effectively dismisses various excuses for not engaging in self-scrutiny and yet avoids the current trend of self-absorption. In so doing he provides principles to help believers live lives of holiness. As with all of Owen's writings, "The Mortification of Sin" continues to be widely read and greatly appreciated to this day.

Known as the "theologian's theologian," JOHN OWEN (1616–1683) was vice chancellor of Oxford University and served as advisor and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Among the most learned and active of the Puritans in seventeenth-century Europe, he was an erudite and accomplished theologian both in doctrine and practical theology.