Аннотация

Music, like romance, is the language of the soul. Music allows us to express ourselves, and in so doing makes us feel alive. Jazz music, the only art form created by Americans, reminds us that the genius of America is improvisation; a good beat, a contagious rhythm, an emotional ballad, creative improvisation, jazz has it all. Jazz is the story of extraordinary human beings, black and white, male and female, children of privilege and children of despair, who were able to do what most of us only dream of doing: create art on the spot. Their stories are told in Blue Notes.
Blue Notes contains profiles of 365 jazz personalities, one for each day of the year. Each vignette tells a story, some heartwarming, others tragic, but all memorable. The daily entries also provide valuable information on jazz styles, jazz history, instruments and instrumentalists, and such related topics as jazz and religion, women in jazz, drug and alcohol abuse, and racism. These topics can be referenced through an extensive set of indexes. The book's appendix includes helpful background information, a concise overview of jazz music, and even a quiz on jazz biography.
While Blue Notes is written for jazz fans in general, experts will value its comprehensive nature. So whether you are curious about jazz or simply love and appreciate music, Blue Notes will provide daily moments of discovery and help you recognize what the rest of the world already has, a music so compelling that it can be said to define the human being in the twentieth century.

Аннотация

In 1989 Dr. Robert Vande Kappelle cycled solo cross-country. The 3,400-mile trip was the seed project for the Washington County (Pennsylvania) chapter of Habitat for Humanity. For forty-two days he went «Homeless for Habitat,» placing himself and his personal needs in the hands of strangers he met along the way. At the beginning he cycled across some of the most mountainous–and spectacular–terrain in America. After he crossed the Rockies, a nagging headwind arose, which only intensified with time. That, coupled with a deteriorating bicycle–along one of the most desolate stretches of the journey–produced spiritual testing of epic proportions.
He was tempted to compromise the integrity of the trek, then to quit the trek, and finally to curse his circumstances. He sensed he was climbing an invisible mountain, whose top could not be reached. After venting his anger and frustration, he discerned that tailwinds and flat terrain rarely evoke wisdom. Insight flows freely, however, from the watershed atop life's invisible mountains.
The Invisible Mountain narrates the account of that trek. The story examines the trek as adventure, spiritual odyssey, and as metaphor for the journey of life.
In the words of Millard Fuller, co-founder of Habitat for Humanity International and The Fuller Center for Housing: «Ride with [Bob Vande Kappelle] as you read. You will enjoy the trip and you will gain all sorts of insights . . . and perhaps most importantly, you will learn about yourself and grow spiritually as you experience vicariously the wonderful adventure of this 'journey of faith.'»

Аннотация

Mistakes, disappointments, suffering, and heartbreak can prevent us from growing physically, emotionally, even spiritually, or they can propel us to a new way of life. Building on the contributions of therapists, holistic healers, and spiritual mentors such as Richard Rohr, James Hollis, Elizabeth Lesser, Bill Plotkin, Ken Wilber, and Thich Nhat Hanh, Dark Splendor takes us on a journey into «depth» spirituality, exploring the two halves of life, noting how the perspectives and experiences of the first half of life either leave us frozen emotionally and spiritually, or serve as stepping stones to the vibrant maturity called «the second half of life.»
This «further journey» is not chronological, nor does one magically stumble upon it at midlife or in times of crisis, though these often serve as catalysts. The second journey is largely unknown today, even by people we consider deeply religious, since most individuals and institutions remain stymied in the preoccupations of the first half of life, establishing identity, creating boundary markers, and seeking security. The first-half-of-life task, while essential, is not the full journey. Furthermore, one cannot walk the second journey with first-journey tools. One needs a new toolkit. Dark Splendor provides the transformational tools that help transport us to the mystery and beauty of the second half of life.
The world is more magical, less predictable, more autonomous, less controllable, more varied, less simple, more infinite, less knowable, more wonderfully troubling then we could have imagined being able to tolerate when we were young. –James Hollis
God comes to you disguised as your life. –Paula D'Arcy

Аннотация

If the New Testament represents the crown jewels of Christianity, the Gospel of John is its «pearl of great price,» the most beloved, most read, most quoted, most distinctive, most memorable, most debated book in its canon.
Truth Revealed is ideal for individual and group study. It divides the Gospel of John into twelve units, providing helpful introductory features, summaries, learning objectives, and questions for each unit, and concludes by offering perspective on a specific topic that arises as one follows the narrative, always with an eye on the big picture, namely, guidance for daily living.
Few sayings attributed to Jesus are better known or more widely quoted than the words «You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free» (John 8:32). At his trial before Pilate, Jesus declared that his purpose in life was to witness to the truth. Pilate responds with the Gospel's most memorable question: «What is truth?» The answer is explored in Truth Revealed, a commentary that provides literary, theological, historical, and textual guidelines for understanding the message of this ancient work in a way that is accessible and applicable to twenty-first century readers.

Аннотация

Humans, seeking to understand the nature of reality, have learned to discern life's patterns and to respond to life's vicissitudes by acting wisely, doing what brings happiness and success. The Bible is a record of that journey. It represents the inspired attempt to become wise at the deepest level, living harmoniously with one's community, the earth, and the Creator. Through their inspirational teachings, the sages of the biblical wisdom tradition offer time-honored advice about some of life's most difficult concerns, including the problem of pain, the suffering of the innocent, the nature of evil, the justice of God, and the pervasiveness of death.
Wisdom Revealed, a survey of biblical wisdom literature, offers perspective on topics that arise as one follows the text, always with an eye on the big picture, namely, daily living. Those who read this literature will be exposed to a set of core values necessary for vital citizenship and effective leadership at all levels of life. They will also obtain time-honored advice about how to deal with life's uncertainties in a holistic and pragmatic manner, focusing on what it means to be human in the presence of God.

Аннотация

The current age marks the transition from modernity to postmodernity, a period as impactful to the Western sensibility as any previous era. The role of religion and the future of Christianity are at stake. At this time of transition, many thoughtful individuals find themselves at a quandary, having reached a «critical stage» in their spiritual journey. Prompted by academia, science, reason, culture, and their own experience, they feel compelled to choose between the beliefs they inherited as children and the claims of science, reason, pluralism, and secularism. Beyond Belief suggests that one need not take an either/or approach on these issues; there is a better way, one that embraces adventure and ambiguity, science and religion, reason and faith, evolution and creation, and finds ways to live creatively with realities for which there are no easy explanations.
Building on a paradigmatic journey of faith that involves three stages (precritical, critical, and postcritical understanding), Beyond Belief describes the quest for God and for authentic faith in the twenty-first century. The key point for this understanding is to replace belief with faith, acknowledging that belief in doctrines is not central, since they are themselves unprovable. This new theological perspective requires rethinking many of our cherished doctrines, including our understanding of God, Jesus, Scripture, prayer, miracles, and revelation.

Аннотация

Hope Revealed sets the record straight. Revelation is not as bizarre and vindictive as many have imagined. Its message is hopeful, not pessimistic, world-affirming, not world-denying, and thoroughly congruent with the biblical emphasis on love, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Revelation invites us to drink deeply from its metaphors of promise and warning, vision and blessing. While Revelation's method and theological conceptuality are relatively different from the rest of the New Testament, once they are appreciated in their own right, they contribute to make this book not only one of the finest literary works in the Christian canon, but also one of the greatest theological achievements of early Christianity.