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These original essays offer thought-provoking perspectives on the complex evolution of the papacy in the last 500 years, from the pope as an Italian Renaissance prince to the pope as a universal pastor concerned with the well-being and salvation of human beings everywhere on earth. Structured by detailed studies of some of the most significant popes in this evolution, this volume explores how papal policies and actions were received as the popes sought to respond to the political, cultural, and social circumstances of their time. Included are essays examining pontificates from that of Julius II, warrior as well as patron of the arts, to the era of the French Revolution and Napoleon, to Paul VI's pleas for peace during the Cold War, and to John Paul II's itinerant, prophetic, and hierarchical model of a pastoral papacy in the age of television and the internet.

This book is a history of religious life in the Ancient Near East from the beginnings of agriculture to Alexander the Great's invasion in the 300s BCE. Daniel C. Snell traces key developments in the history, daily life, and religious beliefs of the people of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, and Iran. His research investigates the influence of those ideas on the West, with particular emphasis on how religious ideas from this historical and cultural milieu persist to influence the way modern cultures and religions view the world. Designed to be accessible to students and readers with no prior knowledge of the period, the book uses fictional vignettes to add interest to its material, which is based on careful study of archeological remains and preserved texts. The book will provide a thoughtful summary of the Ancient Near East and includes a comprehensive bibliography to guide readers in further study of related topics.

These original essays offer thought-provoking perspectives on the complex evolution of the papacy in the last 500 years, from the pope as an Italian Renaissance prince to the pope as a universal pastor concerned with the well-being and salvation of human beings everywhere on earth. Structured by detailed studies of some of the most significant popes in this evolution, this volume explores how papal policies and actions were received as the popes sought to respond to the political, cultural, and social circumstances of their time. Included are essays examining pontificates from that of Julius II, warrior as well as patron of the arts, to the era of the French Revolution and Napoleon, to Paul VI's pleas for peace during the Cold War, and to John Paul II's itinerant, prophetic, and hierarchical model of a pastoral papacy in the age of television and the internet.

This fascinating new book reflects the results of the turmoil and change in the religions of America since Leo Rosten first wrote about them. The first section consists of nineteen articles by distinguished men, each one a recognized authority on the creed for which he speaks, setting forth the clear and candid stories of our own faiths and those of our neighbors. All religions are covered, from the major established groups to the "charismatic" cults. There are also chapters about the agnostic, the non-churchgoer and what he believes, and the scientist. A multitude of questions are raised and answered, such as: What percent of ministers profess they no longer believe in God In which leading church can homosexuals be married How many priests condone birth control devices Abortions Which faiths feel what way about intermarriage Divorce Have churches that participated in social activism in the 1960s gained or lost in their membership and their finances Have the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches significantly changed their 400-year-old schism Part Two is the Almanac, a massive compendium that is more complete and far-ranging than any other existing one, with the statistics, public opinion polls, basic documents, sociological rsums and psychological analyses of the role, conflicts, influences and trends that characterize religion in the United States today. These basic authoritative facts and figures are accompanied by the author's own essays and comments on material that is rarely subjected to critical examination. There is also a Glossary of religious terminology. Those familiar with Leo Rosten's A Guide to the Religions of America (1955) and his Religions in America (1963) need not be told of the extraordinary reception both volumes received from the reviewers and the public. They were acclaimed by theologians of all faiths. Each book sold hundreds of thousands of copies. But this new Religions of America renders those two volumes entirely out of date. There is no other book even remotely comparable to it.

Linke narrative nonfiction from the best-selling author of The FamilyNo one explores the b

The phone rang, and a voice in Spanish said, "I'm Carlos. In excavations in Rome, they have found a new Gospel, in Latin, on clay tablets. The tablets went directly into the Vatican. However, I have a copy from a friend within the Vatican-we'd like to have it in English. He said, "I have a Spanish translation. If I post you the transcript, could you translate it" I said I could. I'm simply an Australian journalist, who worked for United Press. Carlos said, "I only ask your word that you will not photocopy the Spanish version, and when you finish, you'll hand it back to me, together with a copy of your own version." Leaving me hanging out on a limb, in thin air but when I read it, I could see that it was authentic. When I finished, we met. I asked him for his phone number, and he told me they'd call me if needed. A week later, he rang, and said, "That's beautifully written, what you've done." I never heard from him again.

A magisterial, colorful narrative illuminating the central tragedy of the nineteenth century: that God (or man's faith in him) died, but the need to worship remained as a torment to those who thought they had buried Him. By the end of the nineteenth century, almost all the great writers, artists, and intellectuals had abandoned Christianity, and many abandoned belief in God altogether. This was partly the result of scientific discovery, particularly the work of Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species. (No reader here will soon forget the venomous Oxford debate between Thomas Huxley, brilliant defender of Darwin, and Bishop Wilberforce in 1860.) But as Wilson demonstrates in such fascinatingly diverse lives as those of Gibbon, Kant, Marx, Carlyle, George Eliot, and Sigmund Freud, the doubt about religion had many sources. By 1900, the Church of England, so vastly rich, so politically and socially powerful, could be pronounced spiritually empty, however full its pews might be on a Sunday. Echoes of the "Death of God" could be found practically everywhere: in the revolutionary politics of Garibaldi and Lenin; in the poetry of Tennyson and the novels of Hardy; in the work of Freud, connecting this "death" to our deepest wishes; and in the decline of hierarchical (male) authority and the first stirrings of feminism. Wilson's exquisitely detailed argument reveals the growth of a new imaginative

George Fox, the founder of Quakerism, was born in 1642 at a time of great political turmoil when unorthodox religious ideas were met with intolerance and brutality. Rejecting his puritan background, Fox toured England, Europe and America, as a dissenting preacher. His unusual and uncompromising views led to frequent clashes with the church and the courts. Persecuted, beaten and frequently imprisoned for blasphemy, Fox was fearless in questioning the need for clergy and emphasising the accessibility of God to all. Compiled by John Nickalls from accounts dictated by Fox himself, this 1952 edition is an intimate depiction of the life and trials of a radical religious reformer who conquered depression, doubt and physical infirmity to advance the Quaker movement. It is an inspiring portrayal of the foundation and early struggles of the Religious Society of Friends and a personal account of the turbulent social and religious climate of the period.

The Reverend Henry Venn (1725-1797) was an Anglican clergyman who became a central figure in the English evangelical revival movement of the late eighteenth century. This book, containing a substantial selection of his letters and a biography written by his son John, was edited for publication in London in 1834 by his grandson Henry (who himself became an influential clergyman and missionary). The elder Henry Venn, after studying at Cambridge and being ordained priest, had ministered in parishes including Clapham, Huddersfield and Yelling. He was famous for his preaching, which attracted large congregations, and was remembered especially for his work among the urban and rural poor. He also published several books, including The Whole Duty of Man (1763), which reveal the development of his theological views over the course of his life. They are listed in the bibliography of this volume.

The Gates of Hades Prevaileth Not encompasses an exhaustive examination of Church Councils, Church Fathers, and heresies (e.g. Monophysites, Nestorius, Arius, Pelagius, Sabellius, et al.) defeated by the early Church. Realms of discourse include: *Christological & Trinitarian Theology *Sacred Scripture *Church Development *Baptism & Restoration of the Lapsed *And much more This work possesses a unique ability to synthesize wide-ranging topics into a comprehensible whole - what has ordinarily required volumes of books has within the Gates of Hades been condensed into a single tome that presents a concise portrait of the early Church without sacrificing thorough treatment of such a voluminous field. Discrete, easy to navigate sections are supported by a comprehensive digest, making coverage of Church history in the Gates of Hades Prevaileth Not a joy to read and lenient to assimilate.