Short Studies

Best Gay Erotica 2015 is filled to the pause-resisting brim with fantastic tales of fire dancers and TV repairmen, of hunky painters and electricians and magicians, solo sex, duo sex, and sweat-soaked triple onslaughts. Heck, throw in an alien and a priest, and you'll soon see why this anthology is head and shoulders - not to mention certain other body parts - above the rest, and always with the highest literary quality that listeners have come to expect from this esteemed and steamy collection.

What comes to mind when you think of the word church? In this volume, Gregg R. Allison helps define the church and its mission by presenting an overview of the specific doctrines and practices of different churches and denominations. He lays a basic foundation for better understanding the common practices among local church communities (“mere ecclesiology”) and the ways that they diverge from one another (“more ecclesiology”).

There are the fabled urban myths of lesbians who fill up a U-Haul on the second date and lead sweetly romantic lives of cocoa and comfy slippers. Safe and sound. A lot of cozy and not much crazy. These are NOT those stories- these are wild women with dirty minds, untamed tongues, and even the occasional cuff or clamp. A lotta crazy and no cozy slippers to be seen. These Wild Girls tell stories of their own Wild Nights (and days,) memories too hot to keep undercover.

Returning to the city that inspired his first prize-winning book, Lost in the City, Jones has filled this new collection with people who call Washington, D.C., home. Yet it is not the city's power brokers that most concern him but rather its ordinary citizens.

What in the world is God doing? It's easy to wonder this. We are living in an unfolding story, and it's hard to hold on when difficult circumstances linger, or your deepest prayer hangs in the air, seemingly unanswered. Thankfully the Bible is filled with people who experienced the same thing. They had to learn to trust God's way and timing—and their stories give us insights to live that way too.

From 20-year veteran storyteller Pleasant DeSpain, known for reducing folktales to their essence, 20 "retellable" folktales from around the world. Folktales captivate generation after generation because they remind us that our forebears overcame seemingly insurmountable odds and we can, too! Folktale characters show us the best in ourselves; our sense of humor, our perseverance, our resilience that overcomes giant hurdles, and our innate sense of fair play.

In this very short introduction, Tim Bayne introduces the field of philosophy of religion and engages with some of the most burning questions philosophers discuss.

In the book of Genesis, God bestows a new name upon Abram - Abraham, a father of many nations. With this name and his covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual - if differentiated - veneration of the one God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament. This Very Short Introduction audiobook explores the intertwined histories of these monotheistic religions.

Bible Stores includes 33 of the best known stories from the Holy Bible, including Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham and Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, Ruth, David, Solomon, Elijah, Daniel, Jesus' birth, the Wise Men, Jesus in the temple, the Sermon on the Mount, the good shepherd, the betrayal of Jesus, and many more.

Baby boomers enjoyed the most benign period in human history: 50 years of relative peace, cheap energy, plentiful grain supply, and a warming climate due to the highest solar activity for 8,000 years. The party is over - prepare for the twilight of abundance.

In this book, Dr. Kurschner traces the key topics and passages providing compelling biblical evidence that the church will first encounter the Antichrist's great tribulation before Christ returns to rapture his people and judge the world. Jesus warns us, "Remember, I have told you ahead of time." (Matt. 24:25). And Paul cautions us, "Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day will not arrive until the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness [Antichrist] is revealed, the son of destruction" (2 Thess. 2:3).

Some people think of Jesus as a great prophet or a wise philosopher; others see him as an important religious leader or even a revolutionary. In this addition to the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series, Stephen Wellum challenges these claims as he argues for the divinity of Jesus according to Scripture and in line with creedal Christianity. In this brief introduction, we are invited to rejoice in the centrality of Christ―who as both God and man reconciles us to God.

Reframing your perspective can transform your life. We often face circumstances that we cannot change - a job we are forced to keep, a relationship that did not work out, a decision we cannot take back. The stress of life can overwhelm us, and we may not see past the obstacles in our path. In the face of unwanted challenges, we may despair over our lack of control and long for an easier way out. Laurie Short offers a simple but revolutionary idea: Change nothing that is around you yet still change everything about your life.

This Very Short Introduction audiobook offers a clear, accessible, and concise account of the apocryphal gospels - exploring their origins, their discovery, and discussing how the various texts have been interpreted both by the Church and beyond.

With faith, hope, and compassion, acclaimed religion scholar Timothy Beal shows us how to navigate the inevitabilities of the climate crisis and the very real—and very near—possibility of human extinction.

The Bible is a big book and reading it can seem a bit daunting, especially if you’re not sure where to start. It’s also a very important book. Is has had a huge impact on the world - socially, morally, politically - and even on the language we use. This book is structured around 12 phrases that come from the Bible and uses them to explain the whole story - from the first book (Genesis) to the last book (Revelation). If you want to find out what the Bible is all about, and why it has changed the world, this book is for you.

In this new edition, Steve Bruce discusses the continuing arguments for social egalitarianism, considering issues such as gay marriage, women in combat roles, and the 2010 Equality Act to debunk contemporary arguments against parity. As gender divisions are increasingly questioned, he looks ahead to the likely consequences of this for society.

If we want to know the truth about God, we need a sound approach to incorporating what the whole Bible teaches. In this concise introduction to systematic theology, theologian Graham A. Cole explores how we move from Scripture to doctrine in order to shape what we believe, what we value, and how we live. He shows us the importance of having the right method: rooted in the word of God, consistent with church history, in the context of a broken world, dependent on divine wisdom, and ultimately aiming at pure worship.

Hinduism is practiced by nearly 80 percent of India's population, and by some 70 million people outside India. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyzes the challenges facing it in the 21st century. She discusses key preoccupations of Hinduism such as the centrality of the Veda as religious texts, the role of Brahmins, gurus, and storytellers in the transmission of divine truths, and the cultural and moral importance of epics such as the Ramayana.

Despite the availability of "stuff", our lives are often not very fulfilling. As we pursue one shiny object after another we come to the realization that none of it is making us happy. And worse still, it estranges us from our true purpose in life. There must be another way. Alan Watts, in his book The Wisdom of Insecurity, proposes a solution. In this edition of Summary Shorts, we will analyze and summarize the ideas put forth in The Wisdom of Insecurity and learn how to truly experience life when consumerism fails us.