Ancient Religion

Father Thomas Hopko draws on the wisdom of the Orthodox Christian Church and the Holy Scriptures to help us understand same-sex attraction, with both compassion and clarity. Combining theological and pastoral insights, this small gem will aid pastors, those who experience same-sex desires, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the nature of our identity and our sexuality. This book is in reality a primer on how to overcome the passions through the traditional Christian ascetic struggle, which, of course, applies to everyone.

Richard Carrier, Ph.D., philosopher, historian, blogger, has published a number of papers in the field of ancient history and biblical studies. He has also written several books and chapters on diverse subjects, and has been blogging and speaking since 2006. He is known the world over for all the above. But here, together for the first time, are all of Dr. Carrier's peer reviewed academic journal articles in history through the year 2013, collected with his best magazine articles, research papers, and blog posts on the same subjects.

The Origins of Shintoism is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history and culture of Japan, as well as for those interested in the development and evolution of religions around the world.

Belief and Cult argues that belief isn't uniquely Christian but was central to ancient Roman religion. Drawing on cognitive theory, Jacob Mackey shows that despite having nothing to do with salvation or faith, belief underlay every aspect of Roman religious practices—emotions, individual and collective cult action, ritual norms, social reality, and social power. In doing so, he also offers a thorough argument for the importance of belief to other non-Christian religions.

As the Enlightenment movement was gathering strength in the early 18th century, various challenges to established religious faith were launched. In response, a number of celebrated commentators produced defences of religion and morality, and among these was Alexander Pope, who was inspired to write "some pieces on Human Life and Manners." The result was a collection of poems in rhyming couplets, designated "Epistles", which were published in instalments.

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to connect with the spirit of your ancestors? Do you wish to experience the euphoric feeling of having psychic gifts? Do you ever question the very reason of your existence and wish to understand its true meaning? If you’re curious to unlock the answers to the above questions, then you have found the key!

Traditionally, the Orthodox Church has appointed forty days of rest and seclusion after childbirth for mothers to recover from the rigors of birth and get to know their new babies. In the modern world, it can be difficult to understand how to use this time to the fullest in the way it was intended. The authors of A Sacred Beginning—a therapist and a pediatrician who are both mothers themselves—come to the rescue with a resource that addresses the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of a mother's recovery from birth and embarkation on her new life.

Between 50 and 90 CE, the various writings that comprise the New Testament were written, including the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of Paul, and other letters to more general communities of the early Church. But what is recognized as the 26 books of the New Testament today, in literally hundreds of English translations, actually took several more centuries to be determined as "canonical" by the Church.

Lifelong meditation teacher Eric Harrison intimately understands the benefits of mindfulness, from improved focus and better judgment to relaxation and inner peace. He’s helped 10s of thousands of students to achieve these goals by rooting his practice in the Buddha’s original text on how to meditate and live mindfully: The Satipatthana Sutta. Brain Training with the Buddha offers a secular perspective on this ancient wisdom that requires no familiarity with Buddhism itself - only openness to the Buddha’s original teachings.

What causes faith to transform from an intellectual knowing about God to a passionate love story with God? Scott MacLellan asked this question as his daughter battled cancer and he looked for purpose in his family’s suffering. He couldn’t believe that God was uninterested, but he also rejected trite reassurances. He finally found a satisfying answer in the three-step passage—based on the writings of Solomon—that Christian mystics identified as a path through pain to true spiritual devotion. In The Ancient Ladder, Scott helps us apply the wisdom of past centuries to our challenges today.

Within the chapters of this little volume are to be found some of the most priceless gems belonging to the deepest phases of the Christian religion.

The very popular prayer book for Orthodox youth Hear Me has now been revised to include more prayers, answer more questions, and tackle additional difficult subject matter with which our young people are constantly faced. The mission of Hear Me remains the same: to inspire young people to pray, to challenge Orthodox high schoolers and young adults in their walk with Christ, to offer encouragement, help answer questions, give direction, and ultimately be an added guide in finding one’s own path toward theosis.

In Everywhere Present, popular blogger and podcaster Fr. Stephen Freeman makes a compelling case for becoming aware of God's living and active presence in every moment of our lives here and now. Learning to practice your Christian faith in a one-storey universe will change your life and make possible the living, intimate relationship with God you've always dreamed of.

Exploring the diverse and dynamic ancestral veneration rites of the ancient Mesoamericans as well as those practiced in contemporary curanderismo, Erika Buenaflor shows how we can draw from these traditions to reconnect with our ancestors, deepen our healing journeys, and shape our lives. She explains how ancestors contain sacred energy that can continue in their direct physical heirs, be reborn in the landscape at sacred sites, or manifest in other beings that inhabit the same lands.

Whether you are seeking spiritual enlightenment, philosophical insights, or practical guidance, this edition of The Kybalion will be your timeless companion on this journey. Embrace ancient wisdom and let it transform your understanding of reality and yourself. Now, ask yourself, are you ready?

In western post-Christian society, humans are thought of less like precious image bearers and more like commodities. The canary in the coal mine of this ideological shift is often women and children, which manifests itself in the seemingly built-in disdain towards motherhood and children for their lack of production of economically valuable goods. However, the risk of this utilitarian approach to human life is not just outside the church, but within those spaces as well.

This book presents the doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture of the church. Many prophecies are explored with biblical passages and terms explained from the scripture itself. Evidence is presented that proves the first century church believed the end times would begin with the return of Israel to her ancient homeland. More than 50 prophecies have been fulfilled since Israel became a state; several more are yet to be fulfilled.

Finding Jesus explores six major artifacts, including the Shroud of Turin, the True Cross, and John the Baptist, that give us the most direct evidence about the life and world of Jesus. The book and attendant CNN series provide a dramatic way to retell "the greatest story ever told" while introducing a broad audience to the history, the latest controversies, and newest forensic science involved in sorting out facts from the fiction of would-be forgers and deceivers. The book and the show draw on experts from all over the world. Beyond the faithful, the book will also appeal to the skeptical and to curious readers of history and archaeology, while it takes viewers of the primetime TV series deeper into the story.

There is a growing movement among young Christians returning to historic, creedal, and liturgical reflections of Christianity. Filled with stories illustrating the joy young adults have found in these ancient expressions of Christianity, Winfield Bevins introduces practices and principles that help the church engage our postmodern world.

The Tao of Wisdom is the book for anyone who is interested in the Tao Te Ching and wants to understand it more deeply. With this book, Derek Lin brings you inspirational stories that reveal the profound meaning of key passages and central concepts in the Tao. The wise words of Lao Tzu come into clear focus like never before!