First Religion

John W. O'Malley gives us the most comprehensive account ever written of the Society of Jesus in its founding years, one that heightens and transforms our understanding of the Jesuits in history and today. Following the Society from 1540 through 1565, O'Malley shows how this sense of mission evolved. He looks at everything—the Jesuits' teaching, their preaching, their casuistry, their work with orphans and prostitutes, their attitudes toward Jews and "New Christians," and their relationship to the Reformation.

Lorsque Bowman s'était couché dans son caisson cryogénique, c'était dans l'espoir d'en être extirpé quelques mois plus tard, une fois un antidote trouvé au poison circulant dans ses veines. Ce n'était pas pour se réveiller en plein milieu d'un désert de sable, entouré de nomades hommes-lézards! Le Terrien doit une nouvelle fois redécouvrir la planète Eden, qui sert désormais de nouveau berceau aux derniers représentants de l'espèce humaine. Mais pendant son coma artificiel, de nombreux événements ont eu lieu, de multiples repères ont été chamboulés.

In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses 11 problems, in two categories. In the Life-Study of 1 Corinthians, Witness Lee helps us see that Christ is the unique factor to solve the first six problems, and that the church is the unique factor to solve the final five problems.

The First and Second Books of Adam and Eve make up an apocryphal story, written in a midrash style, detailing the time from the planting of the Garden of Eden and creation of Adam to the time of Enoch. For those interested in angels and demons and the dialogue and tactics of Satan in his quest to destroy mankind, this book will be of special value. For serious students of religion and religious history, this book is a must-have.

Muhammad's was a life of almost unparalleled historical importance, yet for all the iconic power of his name, the intensely dramatic story of the prophet of Islam is not well known. In The First Muslim, Lesley Hazleton brings him vibrantly to life. Drawing on early eyewitness sources and on history, politics, religion, and psychology, she renders him as a man in full, in all his complexity and vitality. Hazleton's account follows the arc of Muhammad's rise from powerlessness to power, from anonymity to renown.

From the Encyclopedia Britannica: 1 John - The First Letter of John was apparently addressed to a group of churches where “false prophets", denounced as antichrist, denied the incarnation of Jesus and caused a secession so substantial that the orthodox remnant was sadly depleted. The faithful were deeply disturbed that the heresy found favour among pagans, and they apparently felt inferior because those who had left their midst claimed to have profound mystical experiences. The heretics asserted that they possessed perfection, were “born of God”, and were without sin.

Only man bears His Image. History's Original Tragedy—The First Deception—began with Eve's neglect of this truth. By her willingness to engage in dialogue with a "Nonhuman Intelligence" (a fallen angel feigning benevolence and assuming the disguise of an incarnate rational creature), the Fall of Man was precipitated. Today, the Last Deception is arising in the same manner.

For nearly 20 years, First You Have to Row a Little Boat has enchanted and endeared sailors and non-sailors alike, but foremost, anyone who seeks large truths in small things. This audio edition will find a place in the hearts of a whole new generation. Includes a foreword from New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Zaslow.

Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

In this book, Justin Martyr boldly defends the Christian faith before the Roman government. He addresses the core beliefs of the early church and refutes the lies spread abroad about them. A truly inspirational piece of literature that should not disappoint the hungry soul looking for pure doctrine and teaching. He truly was a man of God that held great understanding of godly virtue and wisdom. May you be abundantly blessed as you partake in this book!

For decades Meditation: The First and Last Freedom has been the essential guide to meditation and Osho meditation techniques. Developed specifically for a contemporary audience, this foundational guide shows that meditation need not be a specific “spiritual discipline” that is set apart from the real world. Rather, in essence, it is simply the art of becoming aware of what is going on inside and around us and developing the capacity to respond creatively to whatever comes our way.

What does spirituality mean to you? Can your spirituality help depression? How does spirituality affect your health? Are spirituality and religion the same? When does someone's spirituality become toxic? Which spirituality is right for me? Where is it exactly that money and spirituality mix? Why is spirituality important? These are all good questions, and our creator—the source, the all—has heard our questions. This book, if you can listen and hear what it is truly saying, will answer all of your questions. I'm so excited for this journey we all must take back home. Where's home?

In this electrifying social and intellectual history, Paula Fredriksen answers the question of how Jewish missionaries ended up inaugurating a movement that would grow into the gentile church by reconstructing the life of the earliest Jerusalem community. As her account arcs from this group’s hopeful celebration of Passover with Jesus, through their bitter controversies that fragmented the movement’s midcentury missions, to the city’s fiery end in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, she brings this vibrant apostolic community to life.

From the creative minds of the scholarly group behind the groundbreaking Jesus Seminar comes this provocative and eye-opening look at the roots of Christianity that offers a thoughtful reconsideration of the first two centuries of the Jesus movement, transforming our understanding of the religion and its early dissemination.

Drawing on the wisdom of Pope Francis and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Austen Ivereigh has written a captivating spiritual guide for our turbulent age. Designed as an eight-day Ignatian retreat, First Belong to God serves as a roadmap to deeper discipleship. It does this by focusing on the three foundational forms of belonging: to God, to creation, and to others. Whether you’re embarking on a solitary spiritual expedition or a journey with like-minded individuals, First Belong to God offers the next best thing to a personal retreat with Pope Francis.

Packed with 52 topical chapters—ideal for listening daily or weekly—and presented with refreshing clarity, Devoted to Jesus is designed to help both new and mature believers grow together. This is a journey you’ll first want to experience yourself and then utilize to invest into others.

Of the many recent books on the historical Jesus, none has explored what the latest biblical scholarship means for personal faith. Now, in Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg addresses the yearnings of those who want a fully contemporary faith that welcomes rather than oppresses our critical intelligence and openness to the best of historical scholarship. Borg shows how a rigorous examination of historical findings can lead to a new faith in Christ, one that is critical and, at the same time, sustaining.

Now what? Now that you are a Christian, it becomes a most important question: What kind of a Christian are you going to be? Are you going to be one modeled after people’s opinions, or will you follow after the Bible standard? Will you be a Christian, as defined by scripture? This helpful audiobook provides practical, biblical guidance and encouragement for new Christians.

In The First Christmas, two of today's top Jesus scholars, Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan, join forces to show how history has biased our reading of the nativity story as it appears in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Borg and Crossan help us to see this well-known narrative afresh by answering the question, "What do these stories mean?" in the context of both the first century and the 21st century. They successfully show that the Christmas story, read in its original context, is far richer and more challenging than people imagine.

The first Christians were weird. Just how weird is often lost on today's believers. Within Roman society, the earliest Christians stood out for the oddness of their beliefs and practices. They believed unusual things, worshiped God in strange ways, and lived a unique lifestyle. They practiced a whole new way of thinking about and doing religion that would have been seen as bizarre and dangerous when compared to Roman religion and most other religions of the ancient world.