LITMIR.BIZ

The only piece of erotic literature in the Bible, this book was regarded by earlier devotees as an allegory of God's love for his people. Taking the form of a poem, the song tells of two lovers praising each other's bodies. The text is introduced by A.S. Byatt

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In this collection, poet Sarah Law presents lucid, lyrical reflections on the much-loved saint, Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-97), whose life and writing has been an inspiration to so many people. For Sarah Law, there is something about Thérèse that catches at the heart, and her poems flow from that sense of friendship and tenderness with her subject. Many of the poems meditate on events, large and small, in Thérèse's brief but spiritually significant life. The first section explores her childhood, and the second, her nine precious years as a Carmelite nun; years of both sweetness and suffering. Several poems are inspired by well-known photographs of Thérèse, some of which are included in this volume. A final section considers Thérèse's legacy, as her ‘little way’ of confidence and love became known throughout the world. Each poem may be read as an individual reflection, and as part of the larger biographical sequence.

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It would seem that every culture on earth has a propensity towards controlling and authoritarian leadership – at its very core, the human condition has a desire for control and self-determination. In this book, Julyan Lidstone uses his decades of experience in western and central Asia and, most importantly, the authoritative teaching of the Bible, to shed light on issues of authoritarian leadership in honour-shame cultures.
Gifted young leaders are gathering new believers in Jesus all over the world but the prevailing culture of domineering leadership is the single greatest obstacle to the healthy growth and firm establishment of these new churches. Lidstone winsomely and accurately applies the servant leadership modelled by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul, as revealed by Scripture, as the cross-centred antidote to the pain, damage and disillusionment caused by leadership that does not reflect the Christlikeness of the kingdom of God.

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“Rejoice, readers, as you receive the generosity of Luci Shaw's 76 new grace-infused parable poems. Autobiography once more merges with theology as these poems illuminate in splendored natural detail how the seasons of creation parallel and explain the seasons of her life as a poet. Again and again, these poems shower us with glorious epiphanies from the natural world as it reflects God's generosity at work such as “spring's impossible news of green.” These poems confirm that in poetry as in faith “ripeness is all.” Like Wordsworth, Luci is celebrated for being a highly gifted landscape poet whose works are rich in imagery from the physical world—meadows filled with seeds, flowers, and also poems which are like «shoots» in Luci's writing life. Animals, too, great and small (beetles, cricket, and voles to bears and whales) play a major role in Luci's poetics of creation; God is likened to a great bear who leaves paw tracks for us to follow. In their deep faith and vibrant colors and designs, the poems in Generosity might be considered Luci's Book of Kells. We need to be like Luci's father who carried her poems in his briefcase to show his friends.” —Philip C. Kolin, Author, Reaching Forever: Poems; Distinguished Professor of English (Emeritus), University of Southern Mississippi

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In this companion to his previous book, The Bible in Early English Literature, David Fowler completes his stimulating and broad-ranging study of medieval English literature in the light of biblical tradition. As in the first volume, he both provides a broad general view of literary trends and closely examines representative works that illustrate these trends.The author begins by discussing medieval drama in England–with special attention to the Cornish drama– as revealed in the cycle plays that enacted the entire history of the world from Creation to Doomsday. He demonstrates how the drama grew out of the liturgy of the Church and developed into a parallel fashion with other kinds of vernacular literature in the later Middle Ages, and he offers a possible explanation of the origin of the morality play in England.This is followed by an examination of representative shorter medieval lyrics. Fowler shows that many of these lyrics were composed to memorialize particular �secular� and �religious� elements blended subtly and distinctively in Middle English lyrics, often with a complete harmony of sacred and sexual significance. A special section deals with Mary Magdalene in popular tradition, comparing her description in the Bible with her treatment in legend, drama, lyric poetry, and the ballad.The final three chapters focus on particular literary works which the author believes to be outstanding examples of poems composed in the biblical tradition. �The Parliament of Fowls� is selected as the best example of biblical influence in all of Chaucer. The work is seen as a Creation poem with its organizing principles derives from commentaries on the first chapter of Genesis–a new theory of the poem�s structure which the author feels resolves many of the difficulties previously encountered by scholars.Fowler than treats several works of the �Pearl� poet–�Cleanness,� �Patience,� �Saint Erkenwald,� and the �Pearl�–in their particular blend of humor, seriousness, and Christian serenity. In stark contrast, �Piers the Plowman,� the final work dealt with, reflects the agony of the turmoil of late fourteenth-century England. The emphasis is on the historical significance of the poem: the importance of the A text as an ideological influence on the leadership of the Peasants� Revolt in 1381, and the exschatological implications of the later versions (B and C texts). �It is my hope,� the author states, �that future studies of �Piers� will increasingly take history into account and likewise study the versions of the poem separately. Until we learn to walk from this text out into history, we run the risk of missing the important message that this profound and troubling poem offers to twentieth-century man.�This book will be of value both to scholars and students of medieval literature and religion and to general readers interested in the varied and intriguing ways that the Bible has influence vernacular literature.

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Dr. Christopher Toote has produced a compilation of Bible study lessons that is a resource of accurate, clear, contextual, practical, and applicable outlines. There is fluidity, flow, and coherence from the introduction to the conclusion. Transitional ideas and thoughts move seamlessly. The topics are thought-provoking, thematic and contemporary without losing the Biblical originality and intent.<br><br>It is evident that Dr. Toote methodically and meticulously studies the context from the historical, geographical, socio-cultural, political, and theocratic perspectives. He approaches each topic by exploring the original language, identifying and studying key words carefully, understanding and referring to surrounding passages and chapters to get a good, comprehensive, accurate grip of context and meaning. Dr. Toote strongly supports a genuine, unbiased, exegetical approach to Bible study. This approach encourages hard work, diligence, scholasticism, exegesis, and understanding. It gives the diligent student the ability to detect erroneous teachings and materials, even in commentaries, publications, and reputable theological literature.<br><br>&quot;50 Powerful Bible Study Outlines&quot;, Vol. 1 is primarily expositional and exegetical in form. However, several lessons are more thematic and systematic in structure and composition. The topics cover a wide spectrum: Evangelism, Faith, Family, Followship, Ministry, Pentecost, Power, Prayer, Relationship, Reformation, Salvation, Success, Warfare, Word, and Worship.<br><br>As you study these Bible lessons, you will not only learn about God and the things of God – you will encounter God. You will experience God. There will be a transformational process that will happen in the life of the Bible student. Digging into the well of God&#39;s Word, you will draw bucket loads of precious treasures that have eternal value. The investment in these treasures will yield priceless dividends.<br><br>Rev. Dr. Elliott H. Johnson, Sr.<br>Heyward & Johnson, LLC, President/CEO<br>Evangelical Training Association, VP of Strategic Development<br>Howard University School of Divinity, Board of Directors<br>

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In The Irrational Atheist Vox Day, writer, columnist and software designer, challenges three authors, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, on their own ground&#8212;reason itself. Day argues persuasively that Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens employ false assertions and faulty reasoning throughout their works. From the assertion that religion drives wars to the analysis showing blue states are more moral than red states, Day, in this rigorously documented work, dissects the false conclusions and shows exactly why they are wrong. The Irrational Atheist does not argue from a religious or Biblical perspective&#8212;its arguments are purely based on hard factual data and careful reasoning.

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You name the hell…there is a way out. After decades of pastoral counseling, Johann Christoph Arnold still marvels at our capacity to make life miserable for ourselves and one another. This book, his tenth, maps out a sure way out of life’s hells and toward a happy, meaningful life. In contrast to the makeovers and quick fixes hawked by popular culture, Escape Routes offers a tougher prescription. Using real-life stories as travel guides, Arnold exposes the root causes of loneliness, frustration, alienation, and despair and shows how anyone, regardless of their age, income bracket, or social status, can find freedom and new life. The choices he presents are clear: «to be selfish or selfless, to forgive or to hate, to burn with lust or with love.» No matter what your problems, or who you are, this book will help you on your way, provided you’re ready to take its medicine.,br> Arnold writes: “Call it life, call it hell: there’s not a person I’ve met who hasn’t been lonely, discouraged, depressed, or guilt-ridden at one time or another, if not sick, burned-out, or at sea in a relationship. Sometimes I know this because they have told me about their problems; sometimes I can tell just by looking in their eyes. That’s what got me started on this book—the fact that all of us have known some form of hell in our lives, and that insofar as any of us find freedom, confidence, companionship, and community, we will also know happiness.”

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If you don’t have the time to read all the novels of George MacDonald, the great Scottish storyteller who inspired C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, Mark Twain, W. H. Auden, and J. R. R. Tolkien, this anthology is a great place to start. These selections from MacDonald’s novels, fairy tales, and sermons reveal the profound and hopeful Christian vision that infuses his fantasy worlds and other fiction. Newcomers will find in these pages a rich, accessible sampling. George MacDonald enthusiasts will be pleased to find some of the writer’s most compelling stories and wisdom in one volume. Drawn from books including Sir Gibbie, The Princess and the Goblin, Lilith, and At the Back of the North Wind, the selections are followed by reflections from G. K. Chesterton and C. S. Lewis and accompanied by classic illustrations of Maurice Sendak (print edition only).

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How did earliest Christians receive and understand the teaching of Jesus and the apostles? These writings, among the earliest used in training new disciples, show a clear, vibrant, practical faith concerned with all aspects of discipleship in daily life—vocation, morality, family life, social justice, the sacraments, prophesy, citizenship, and leadership. For the most part, these writings have remained buried in academia, analyzed by scholars but seldom used for building up the church community. Now, at a time when Christians of every persuasion are seeking clarity by returning to the roots of their faith, these simple, direct teachings shed light on what it means to be a follower of Christ in any time or place. The Didache, an anonymous work composed in the late first century AD, was lost for centuries before being rediscovered in 1873. The Shepherd was written by a former slave named Hermas in the second century AD or possibly even earlier.

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