Religion

The bestselling book that has revolutionized the lives of millions of men, revised and expanded.

The bestselling book that has transformed the lives of millions of women, revised and expanded.

With over 2 million readers around the world, The MacArthur Study Bible is one of the most comprehensive and reliable study Bibles ever created. In this fully redesigned second edition, the updated study notes and expanded selection of maps and charts ensure that the meanings, themes, teachings, people, and places of Scripture are even more clear.

In A Meditation on I Am, spiritual teacher Rupert Spira offers beautiful and contemplative prose poetry to help readers reach an experiential understanding of their own essential being.

Dante's masterpiece of literature is well matched by the peerless art of Gustave Dore. Dante and his guides, Virgil and Beatrice, journey through the cantos in an allegory of the passage of the soul through the Afterlife, with the subtle engraving of Dore's illustrations perfectly complementing the movement from darkness through to light.

A guide to meditation and mindfulness written by Buddhist monk Gelong Thubten.

In a follow-up to the bestselling The Wisdom of Sundays comes a beautifully designed book of inspiring reflections about finding your calling and pursuing a life purpose.

Popular YouTubers Cole and Savannah LaBrant share their inspiring love story, highlighting the redemptive, surprising nature of God at work in our lives, and how He graciously steps in and turns our messes into something beautiful.

The Latest Scientific Discoveries Point to an Intentional Creator Most of us remember the basics from science classes about how Earth came to be the only known planet that sustains complex life. But what most people don't know is that the more thoroughly researchers investigate the history of our planet, the more astonishing the story of our existence becomes. The number and complexity of the astronomical, geological, chemical, and biological features recognized as essential to human existence have expanded explosively within the past decade. An understanding of what is required to make possible a large human population and advanced civilizations has raised profound questions about life, our purpose, and our destiny. Are we really just the result of innumerable coincidences? Or is there a more reasonable explanation?This fascinating book helps nonscientists understand the countless miracles that undergird the exquisitely fine-tuned planet we call home--as if Someone had us in mind all along.

Easwaran's best-selling translation of the ancient wisdom texts called the Upanishads is reliable, readable, and profound.In the Upanishads, illumined sages share flashes of insight, the results of their investigation into consciousness itself. In extraordinary visions, they have direct experience of a transcendent Reality which is the essence, or Self, of each created being. They teach that each of us, each Self, is eternal, deathless, one with the power that created the universe. Easwaran's translation of the principal Upanishads and five others includes an overview of the cultural and historical setting, with chapter introductions, notes, and a Sanskrit glossary. But it is Easwaran's understanding of the wisdom of the Upanishads that makes this edition truly outstanding. Each sage, each Upanishad, appeals in a different way to the reader's head and heart. In the end, Easwaran writes, "e;The Upanishads are part of India's precious legacy, not just to Hinduism but to humanity, and in that spirit they are offered here."e;

Much of the Old Testament seems strange to contemporary readers. However, as we begin to understand how ancient people viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stands within its ancient context as it also speaks against it. John Walton provides here a thoughtful introduction to the conceptual world of the ancient Near East.Walton surveys the literature of the ancient Near East and introduces the reader to a variety of beliefs about God, religion, and the world. In helpful sidebars, he provides examples of how such studies can bring insight to the interpretation of specific Old Testament passages. Students and pastors who want to deepen their understanding of the Old Testament will find this a helpful and instructive study.

This book is a three-part journey into the rabbit hole we call the nature of reality. Its ultimate destination is a plausible, living validation of transcendence. Each of its three parts is like a turn of a spiral, exploring recurring ideas through the prisms of religious myth, truth and belief, respectively. With each turn, the book seeks to convey a more nuanced and complete understanding of the many facets of transcendence. Part I puts forward the controversial notion that many religious myths are actually true; and not just allegorically so. Part II argues that our own inner storytelling plays a surprising role in creating the seeming concreteness of things and the tangibility of history. Part III suggests, in the form of a myth, how deeply ingrained belief systems create the world we live in. The three themes, myth, truth and belief, flow into and interpenetrate each other throughout the book.

Thich Nhat Hanh is the subject of the upcoming major documentary Walk With Me narrated by Benedict CumberbatchDespite all of our best intentions, communication is still a challenge for most of us. How do we say what we mean in a way that the other person can really hear? How can we learn to listen with compassion and understanding? Why do people communicate so differently and how can we reach across our differences to strengthen our relationships? Using examples from his own experience working with couples, families, workplace colleagues, and international conflicts, celebrated spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh reveals five steps to truly mindful communication. By focusing on concrete and accessible practices, The Art of Communicating provides the key to communicating with yourself, loved ones, colleagues and new acquaintances more effectively, with kindness and mindfulness. There is a saying in Vietnamese, It doesn t cost anything to have loving speech. We only need to choose our words carefully, and we can make other people happy. To use words mindfully, with loving kindness, is to practice generosity. We can make many people happy just by practicing loving speech. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Most accounts of spiritual enlightenment end at the moment of illumination. But what happens after that? What is life like after the ecstasy? How do we live our understanding with a full heart? In this unique mix of practical and spiritual wisdom Jack Kornfield, author of the bestselling A PATH WITH HEART and one of the most respected Buddhist meditation teachers in the West, sets out to answer these crucial questions. Drawing on discussions with abbots, lamas and Western meditation masters, Kornfield describes with refreshing honesty their different experiences of the moment of enlightenment and what life lessons they - and we - can learn from these - as each of us seeks to fulfil the true path of compassion on earth.

SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERNUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom one of our greatest voices in modern philosophy, author of The Course of Love, The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel and The School of Life'A serious and optimistic set of practical ideas that could improve and alter the way we live' Jeanette Winterson, The Times'A beautiful, inspiring book... offering a glimpse of a more enlightened path' Sunday Telegraph'Smart, stimulating, sensitive. A timely and perceptive appreciation of how much wisdom is embodied in religious traditions and how we godless moderns might learn from it' Financial Times'There isn't a page in this book that doesn't contain a striking idea or a stimulating parallel' Mail on SundayAlain de Botton takes us one step further than Dawkins or Hitchens ventured - into a world of ideas beyond the God debate...All of us, whether religious, agnostic or atheist, are searching for meaning. And in this wise and life-affirming book, non-believer Alain de Botton both rejects the supernatural claims of the major religions and points out just how many good ideas they sometimes have about how we should live.And he suggests that non-believers can learn and steal from them.Picking and choosing from the thousands of years of advice assembled by the world's great religions, Alain de Botton presents a range of fascinating ideas and practical insights on art, community, love, friendship, work, life and death. He shows how they can be of use to us all, irrespective of whether we do or don't believe.

'Burning ice, biting flame; that is how life began'The extraordinary Scandinavian myth cycle is one of the most enduring, exciting, dramatic and compelling of the world's great stories. The Penguin Book of the Norse Myths compellingly retells these stories for the modern reader, taking us from the creation of the world through the building of Asgard's Wall to the final end in Ragnarok. You'll discover how Thor got his hammer and how Odin lost his eye, the terrible price of binding the wolf Fenrir and why Loki the trickster can never be trusted. The Norse myths are as thrilling to read as they are of vast cultural and historical importance. In this gripping book Kevin Crossley-Holland brings alive the passion, cruelty and heroism of these unforgettable stories.

The Rings of Saturn begins as the record of a journey on foot through coastal East Anglia. From Lowestoft to Bungay, Sebald's own story becomes the conductor of evocations of people and cultures past and present: of Chateaubriand, Thomas Browne, Swinburne and Conrad, of fishing fleets, skulls and silkworms. The result is a rich meditation on the past via a melancholy trip along the Suffolk coast, and an intricately patterned and haunting book on the transience of all things human. Sebald is the Joyce of the 21st Century The Times

An innovative and accessible guide to the world's religionsThe Religions Book clearly explains the key concepts behind the earliest religious beliefs right up to the world's newest faiths, getting to the heart of what it means to believe. Principles of the five main world religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - as well as ancient and primal belief systems are explored in this informative tome. All the big ideas are simply explained with jargon-free descriptions, step-by-step diagrams, and witty illustrations that encapsulate every aspect of religious thinking. Examine major historical developments and ideas with a universal timeline, providing a global perspective on the origins and major events that have contributed to the growth and spread of religion and spirituality. Along with the teaching highlights of pre-eminent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Paul, and Al-Ghazali, you'll also find a handy reference section featuring a glossary of religious terms and a roadmap to all the branches of the major faiths and the points of doctrine or tradition on which they differ. Modern alternative religions and spiritual beliefs from around the world are also explored, putting into context the political and social climates from which they emerged. The Religions Book provides compelling, accessible information perfect for students of religious study or anyone interested in the ideas of ancient and present day faiths and religious philosophies.

Discover the Joy of Giving--and the Rewards of ReceivingThis book will transform your life for the better, bringing you guaranteed financial results. But it will do more than that. It will change every area of your life: marriage, family, health, and relationships. For when God changes your heart from selfishness to generosity, every part of your life journey is affected.If all believers followed the practical guidance of The Blessed Life, every church could be built, every nation would have an abundance of missionaries--and all would reap the benefits of having a generous heart. With humor, passion, and clarity, Robert Morris presents the secrets of living a blessed life both financially and spiritually.

For centuries people have been tormented by one question above all - 'If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?' And what of the suffering of animals, who neither deserve pain nor can be improved by it?The greatest Christian thinker of our time sets out to disentangle this knotty issue. With his signature wealth of compassion and insight, C.S. Lewis offers answers to these crucial questions and shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungry for a true understanding of human nature.