Art Religion

Given the stiff competition in today's attention economy, many pastors feel pressured to make their sermons strikingly original. But Austin Carty, a longtime pastor and award-winning writer, has a different perspective: nothing we do or say is ever truly new. The power of a sermon is found not in novelty, but in the mandate it gives preachers to collect their thoughts every week and put them down in a succinct, coherent fashion.

Well into the 21st century, our species continues to participate in beliefs and customs that seem more suited to the Bronze Age than the Information Age, some of which involve poisonous snakes, holy smoke, urine bubbles, crystals, tarot cards, aliens, costumed virgins, and, of course, an offering plate. Join Seth Andrews for a random romp across the planet and a humorous look at some of humanity's Sacred Cows.

Let's be honest - nobody has more fun than atheists. Don’t believe it? Well, consider this: For nonbelievers, every day you’re alive is a day to celebrate! And no one celebrates life to the fullest like Penn Jillette - the larger, louder half of legendary magic duo Penn & Teller - whose spectacularly witty and sharply observant essays in Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday! will entertain zealots and skeptics alike.

In these extended talks, Ram Dass speaks at length about truth and divine love as direct experience rather than belief. He examines how the search for meaning often becomes entangled with ego, identity, and fear, and how those same obstacles can become the doorway to awakening when met with awareness. Love, in these reflections, is not sentiment or morality, but a state of being that arises when resistance softens.

Three decades ago, renowned literary expert Robert Alter radically expanded the horizons of biblical scholarship by recasting the Bible as not only a human creation but a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. In The Art of Biblical Poetry, his companion to the seminal The Art of Biblical Narrative, Alter takes his analysis beyond narrative craft to investigate the use of Hebrew poetry in the Bible.

By early 1943, it had become increasingly clear the Allies would win the Second World War. Christian intellectuals on both sides of the Atlantic thought the soon-to-be-victorious nations were not culturally or morally prepared for their success. These Christian intellectuals - Jacques Maritain, T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, W. H. Auden, and Simone Weil, among others - sought both to articulate a sober and reflective critique of their own culture and to outline a plan for the moral and spiritual regeneration of their countries in the post-war world.

Those who enjoy J. R. R. Tolkien—even those new to his classic stories—will love A Hobbit Devotional, featuring 60 humorous, challenging, and encouraging devotionals. The Hobbit has fascinated readers for more than 70 years. Now, this tale of humble folk who overcome fear, discouragement, and despair through steadfastness, courage, and hope forms the basis of a brand-new devotional book.

The forces of persuasion are all around us. What you might often consider a free choice is quite often the result of persuasion from one or any number of forces. Persuasion influences people to make decisions about what they buy, where they live, who they vote for, and who they love. Persuasion can change our views, change our acts, change our personality, and change our world.

In The Book of Air, award-winning astrologer Steven Forrest continues his investigation of the four elements which began with The Book of Fire and The Book of Earth. In this third volume of the series, he focuses on what seems to be a very simple idea: the fine art of truly paying attention.

In Japanese gardens, composition follows from placement of the first stone; all elements and plantings become interconnected. These eight essays on Kyoto gardens similarly begin with keen description and build into richly meditative excursions into art, Buddhism, nature, and science. Landscape architect Marc Keane shows how Japanese gardens are both a microcosm of the natural universe and a clear expression of our humanity, mirroring how we think, worship, and organize our lives and communities.

The Wisdom of Buddhist Psychology and the Heart of Buddha’s Teachings audiobook is not just another audiobook to share some information about Buddha and Buddhism. This audiobook is actually an opportunity for every listener to reach a deeper aspect of life, through this tunnel of Buddhism teachings. It will be an interesting ride that will make you wonder about different dimensions of life. When you finish, you will be able to understand the aspect of suffering, its causes, and its end.

You are a Scorpio. You are the change agent and healer of the zodiac. The signs of the zodiac can give us great insight into our day-to-day living as well as the many talents and qualities we possess. But in an increasingly unpredictable world, how can we make sense of them? And what do they mean? This insightful and introductory guide delves deep into your star sign, revealing unique traits and meanings which you didn't know. Along the way, you will discover how your sign defies your compatibility, how to improve your health and what your gifts are.

Dennis and Barbara Rainey have spent decades helping families find biblical help to strengthen and transform family relationships. In this audiobook, Dennis and Barbara offer trusted advice on how to establish Christian values in your home.

Herbs have been used for medicine, magic, and ritual for centuries. The ancient arts of herbal alchemy and herbal magick combine the healing and energizing effects of herbs (roots, leaves, flowers, resins, and essential oils) with the cycles of the natural world - the astrological movement of the stars and planets, and the cycles of the earth's seasons. In this easy-to-use compendium of herbs and their energy associations, master herbalist and magick practitioner Karen Harrison offers formulas anyone can use to obtain courage, creativity, lasting health, prosperity, and more.

The average American watches five hours of TV every day. Collectively, we spend roughly $30 billion on movies each year. Simply put, we're entertainment junkies. But can we learn something from our insatiable addiction to stories? Mike Cosper thinks so. From horror flicks to rom-coms, the tales we tell and the myths we weave inevitably echo the narrative underlying all of history: the story of humanity's tragic sin and God's triumphant salvation.

Millions of people around the world know Chuck Norris as the star of more than 20 motion pictures, including Delta Force, Missing in Action, and Return of the Dragon. Millions more know him as a martial arts expert, the only man in the Western Hemisphere to hold an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master in Tae Kwon Do. And then there are others who know him from his eight seasons on CBS's longest running series, Walker, Texas Ranger.

Every artist has been given an invitation to co-create with the Creator of the Universe. As we cooperate with him, though the power of the Holy Spirit, we can reveal, reflect, and release his image, nature and presence into the world through our creative expression. It's simply mind-blowing and yet, that's his invitation to us. Art, like any other created means, is a vehicle for the presence of God to move in and through. It functions almost as a stealth language by which God can commune with us as kingdom artists.

Devenez un maître de l'art du bonheur avec le livre unique de Chris Prentiss ! Vivre zen, c'est entreprendre chaque action avec une concentration, un calme et une simplicité qui apportent l'illumination de l'esprit et, à travers cette expérience, le bonheur et la sérénité. La science, comme la spiritualité, nous apprend que notre esprit, nos pensées, nos sentiments ont un effet déterminant sur notre corps, jusqu'au cœur de nos cellules.

Many bemoan the decay of culture. But we all have a responsibility to care for culture, to nurture it in ways that help people thrive. In Culture Care artist Makoto Fujimura issues a call to cultural stewardship, in which we become generative and feed our culture's soul with beauty, creativity, and generosity. We serve others as cultural custodians of the future. This is a book for artists, but artists come in many forms.

Chesterton's Gateway was made for the person who has always loved Chesterton quotes, but has never been able to finish - or perhaps even start - a Chesterton book. This is because there really is no really good "first" Chesterton book. They are all hard the first time around. Chesterton was an essayist, and it is through his essays he is best discovered. Ethan Nicolle has put together this assortment of essays, a list he often gives to people who ask him where to start with Chesterton. Included are chapter introductions to help with context.