Religious Biographies

Shulem Deen was raised to believe that questions are dangerous. As a member of the Skverers, one of the most insular Hasidic sects in the US, he knows little about the outside world - only that it is to be shunned. His marriage at 18 is arranged, and several children soon follow.

When Augustine handed over the leadership of his church in AD 426, his successor was so overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy that he declared, “The swan is silent”, fearing the spiritual giant’s voice would be lost in time. But for 1,600 years Augustine has not been silent - and neither have the men who faithfully trumpeted the cause of Christ after him. Their lives have inspired every generation of believers and should compel us to a greater passion for God.

A queer minister, politician and staunch activist for LGBTQ rights, Cheri DiNovo went from living on the streets as a teenager to performing the first legalized same-sex marriage registered in Canada in 2001. From rights for queer parents to banning conversion therapy, her story will inspire people (queer or ally) to not only resist the system—but change it.

Is it possible to experience life in a whole new way? Nikki Hawkes explored every available avenue to make sense of her world, battling depression through her childhood and early adulthood. In her relentless pursuit of healing, she embraced all possibilities. However, it was the tragic death of a baby that unveiled the profound and ancient, earth-based practices of Shamanism to her.

Surviving the Dragon is the remarkable life story of Arjia Rinpoche, who was ordained as a reincarnate lama at the age of two and fled Tibet 46 years later. In his gripping memoir, Rinpoche relates the story of having been abandoned in his monastery as a young boy after witnessing the torture and arrest of his monastery family. In the years to come, Rinpoche survived under harsh Chinese rule, as he was forced into hard labor and endured continual public humiliation as part of Mao’s Communist "reeducation".

How does dharma wisdom show up in our lives every day? This collection of teachings by the beloved Insight Meditation teacher Larry Rosenberg offers clear, down-to-earth guidance on learning how to live a life informed by Buddhism—through questioning, reflective observation, and self-understanding. Rosenberg is known for presenting the essence of the Buddhism in a way that is unvarnished, utterly accessible, and that resonates with a wide audience.

Becoming Myself is a hope-filled book for anyone who wonders if her life will ever change—if she will ever change. In Stasi Eldredge’s most intimate book yet, she shares her own struggles with self-worth, weight, and her past as she shows listeners how God is faithfully unveiling who we truly are. Stasi urges you to lay down your past thoughts about yourself and receive God’s incredible dreams for you instead. We cannot heal ourselves. We cannot become ourselves by ourselves. But we are not by ourselves.

From the Swing Between Worlds, a realm of light where souls create the design for their lives, we see Mary Magdalene accept the challenges she will face as a visionary, healer, teacher and counterpart of Jesus Christ. As she looks into the future, she sees that in 2000 years the people will also remember their own light, their own divinity and choose to live in peace. Now is the time she has seen! Now is the time for Peace. From the Preface; Mary was not a harlot, powerless, following Christ.

In Biography of God, Pastor Skip Heitzig draws on his biblical knowledge and personal experience to tackle the universal questions: Is God real, and can he be truly known? Drawing on philosophy and science to unpack the Bible, Heitzig offers answers to these questions and more as he helps you explore what it means to be God's friend and how to know him intimately. As you begin to recognize and remove the limits you've placed on God and you get to know him personally - his nature, his character, and his plans - you will experience a richer faith.

Dans ce livre unique, qui propose des réflexions personnelles, spirituelles et historiques – dont certaines n'ont jamais été partagées auparavant –, Sa Sainteté le dalaï-lama raconte l'histoire de sa lutte contre la Chine pour sauver le Tibet et son peuple pendant plus de soixante-quinze ans. Le dalaï-lama a dû lutter contre la République populaire de Chine toute sa vie.

John Nelson Hyde (November 9, 1865 – February 17, 1912) was an American missionary who ministered in the Punjab region of Northern India. He was born in Illinois, the son of a Presbyterian minister. He grew up in a godly home and from a young age knew the call of God in his life. He attended McCormick Seminary in Chicago and at that time was lead to commit his life to foreign missions. He came to believe that God was calling him to India where he arrived in 1892.

St. Ignatius, first-century Bishop of Antioch, called the “God-bearer”, is one of the earliest witnesses to the truth of Christ and the nature of the Christian life. Tradition tells us that as a small child, Ignatius was singled out by Jesus himself as an example of the childlike faith all Christians must possess. In Bearing God, Father Andrew Damick recounts the life of this great pastor, martyr, and saint, and interprets for the modern listener five major themes in the pastoral letters he wrote.

In 1993, Andrew Brunson was asked to travel to Turkey, the largest unevangelized country in the world, to serve as a missionary. Though hesitant because of the daunting and dangerous task that lay ahead, Andrew and his wife, Norine, believed this was God's plan for them. What followed was a string of threats and attacks, but also successes in starting new churches in a place where many people had never met a Christian. As their work with refugees from Syria, gained attention and suspicion, Andrew and Norine acknowledged the threat but accepted the risk.

With no mission board to support or guide her, and less than 10 dollars in her pocket, Gladys Aylward left her home in England to answer God's call to take the message of the gospel to China. With the Sino-Japanese War waging around her, she struggled to bring the basics of life and the fullness of God to orphaned children. Time after time, God triumphed over impossible situations, and drew people to himself. Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman tells the story of one woman's determination to serve God at any cost.

Huldrych Zwingli war ein revolutionärer Denker, leidenschaftlicher Prediger und furchtloser Reformator, dessen Einfluss auf die protestantische Reformation tiefgreifend war, jedoch oft von seinen Zeitgenossen überschattet wurde. »Huldrych Zwingli« bietet eine detaillierte Erkundung von Zwinglis Leben und verfolgt seinen Aufstieg vom Kind in den Schweizer Alpen zum Anführer, der die religiöse und politische Landschaft Zürichs neu gestaltete.

Read by the author. Not only does God still speak to us apart from the Scriptures—we should expect Him to. This is the story of how Jack Deere learned to hear the voice of God in his life and how you can too. Now a modern classic, Jack wrote Surprised by the Voice of God over twenty-five years...

Millions of Christians know Tony Campolo as a popular speaker, best-selling author, parachurch leader, pastor, and counselor to a US president. But few know his personal faith journey—how throughout his life, existential encounters and unexplored ideas compelled him to continually reexamine and reform his theology.

The epic true story of one man’s documented journey from borderline atheism to the Kingdom of God. The Divine Intervention: UFO Chronicles for Christ reveals how the American Dream can suddenly turn into a nightmare when darkness and deception invade a life that seemed perfect on paper. Jason Ford was an ex–minor league baseball player turned finance professional, living by the ocean with his family. He had success, stability, and everything to be thankful for—until the shadows came.

The Life of Saint Macrina is a significant work of early Christian literature written by Bishop Gregory of Nyssa. In the form of a letter to the monk Olympus, Gregory describes the life and influence of his sister Macrina. Macrina – also known as "Macrina the Younger" – had helped to establish a monastery and convent in Pontus (in modern-day Turkey) in the fourth century AD. The story centres on Gregory’s final visit to Macrina and is written as testimony to her piety, sanctity, and holy influence.

In C. S. Lewis and the Catholic Church, Joseph Pearce delves into Lewis's life, writings, and spiritual influences to shed light on the matter. Although C. S. Lewis's conversion to Christianity was greatly influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien, a Catholic, and although Lewis embraced many distinctively Catholic teachings, such as purgatory and the sacrament of Confession, he never formally entered the Church.