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Best Christian Fundamentalism

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. His Systematic Theology provides the core theology content for all my classes and most of the other undergraduate theology courses at the University. No other theology text combines readability, range of views, and the ever-essential quality of reinforcing our systematic theologies with scripture… Each chapter closes with application questions, special terms, additional bibliography, a cross-section of other systematic texts with page numbers, a passage for memory, and a hymn…all centered on the theology of that chapter.
Reviews
"arrived in great condition, completely satisfied with the purchase."
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Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith
How do we know the Bible is God’s Word? Abridged from Wayne Grudem’s award-winning Systematic Theology, Bible Doctrine covers the same essentials of the faith, giving you a firm grasp on seven key topics: The Doctrine of the Word of God The Doctrine of God The Doctrine of Man The Doctrine of Christ The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption The Doctrine of the Church The Doctrine of the Future Like Systematic Theology, this book is marked by its clarity, its strong scriptural emphasis, its thoroughness in scope and detail, and its treatment of such timely topics as spiritual warfare and the gifts of the Spirit. Bible Doctrine takes a highly commended upper-level textbook on systematic theology and makes it accessible to the average reader. Abridged from Wayne Grudem’s award-winning Systematic Theology, Bible Doctrine covers the same essentials of the faith, giving you a firm grasp on seven key topics: ? Like Systematic Theology, this book is marked by its clarity, its strong scriptural emphasis, its thoroughness in scope and detail, and its treatment of such timely topics as spiritual warfare and the gifts of the Spirit.
Reviews
"Fundamental explanations aligned with Scripture."
"I am not much of a reader but my pastor recommended it to really firm my foundations as a Christian and to answer some questions I had."
"Grudem supplies straight forward Biblical Knowledge of Christ and what He asks of us."
"This is a great guide to help Christians know what they believe and why they believe it."
"Excellent clear teaching concerning all the main doctrines of the Christian faith."
"Dig in and grow in your understanding of the EFCA Statement of Fatih and answer deep questions that you may not have had answered yet concering God and the Bible."
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The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice
Rebecca Musser grew up in fear, concealing her family's polygamous lifestyle from the "dangerous" outside world. Rebecca Musser speaks nationally on behalf of oppressed women and is the founder of Claim Red, a non-profit organization.
Reviews
"In my opinion, whether it's under the guise of religion or helter skelter--when you have a population of people who are both terrified of as well as essentially worship a singular leader, cut off from the rest of the world, indoctrinated from birth, driving out all those who dare to question, and most importantly creating a system of that greatly disadvantages and mentally stunts a portion of the population so that they are easier to control--that is in fact a cult. Eventually, during his trial--more evidence came to light that Jeffs was in fact a serial pedophile and abuser not to mention was a total con artist concerning his "religion". Enough tales of 12 year old brides, rape and systemic corruption emerged that I think eventually the media finally came around to the side of the prosecutors--but some still made the case that Jeffs and his members should have just been left alone. Rebecca starts with her traumatic childhood of her siblings and mother forced to live in a dark basement and abused by her father's first wife. She makes it clear that child abuse is not a necessary byproduct of bigamy--though she did see reoccurring jealousy leading to violence or passive forms of aggression repeatedly in in first/second/third/etc... wife relationships. It seems things honestly didn't reach the point of outright major law breaking (for the greater organization--certainly Rebecca and her siblings would have all been taken away and her parents put in jail if authorities were aware of the child abuse) until maybe the late 90s early 00s. He had taken over the "school" system and little by little chipped away at whatever real knowledge these kids had and replaced it with a systematic indoctrination of both the church, himself, "sexual purity"/total submission of women and how evil the rest of the "Gentile" world was. When his father (the revered yet lecherous Prophet who Rebecca was married off to at 19 and he 85) became sick, he took over the main religious not to mention purse strings of the cult. When his father died, Jeffs began a systematic purge of all those who opposed him as well as rewarding young and younger girls as wives to those who backed his rise to power. And many boys were also either raped or sent off to work in almost chain gain like conditions for various construction FLDS owned companies if they showed the slightest sign of mere hesitation or rebellion. Eventually, as the federal and state governments began to make a case against Jeffs and senior members of the church--they called upon Rebecca to help them. At great emotional and psychological harm to herself and her marriage, Rebecca slowly started helping the authorities build a case against these members. I would highly recommend this book to anyone simply curious about the history and insight into the world of the Jeffs era FLDS, as well as young girls."
"Audio version read by the author and the former FLDS wife to the FDLS "Prophet"--leader of the supposedly religious sect, which seems nothing more than a cult, with people following blindly. From her story you can surmise that the higher ranking FLDS men and the "Prophet" --the leader of the "cult" --that women and girls were nothing. Boys got the short stick too, because the FLDS leaders--men--picked the wives they wanted and married so many, I don't know how there were ever enough to go around to all the males. The Jessops--Willy Jessop particularly, but another clan of this sect's "church" leaders--procreated children with IQs of 25 or less, from limiting their gene pool to their own flawed genes. But the book gave a good overview of the FLDS lifestyle and the people good and bad who followed this warped "faith"."
"A secretive world where institutions write ,teach, and print fantastic fictional history's including angel's speaking to men in caves and on mountain tops. These are largely desert kingdoms where fantastic wealth: black gold, Texas tea, sand dollars, turn to greenbacks, rubles, riyals, instantly digitized and flashed into hiding across continents."
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Best Religious Fundamentalism

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. His Systematic Theology provides the core theology content for all my classes and most of the other undergraduate theology courses at the University. No other theology text combines readability, range of views, and the ever-essential quality of reinforcing our systematic theologies with scripture… Each chapter closes with application questions, special terms, additional bibliography, a cross-section of other systematic texts with page numbers, a passage for memory, and a hymn…all centered on the theology of that chapter.
Reviews
"arrived in great condition, completely satisfied with the purchase."
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Best Christian Systematic Theology

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. His Systematic Theology provides the core theology content for all my classes and most of the other undergraduate theology courses at the University.
Reviews
"arrived in great condition, completely satisfied with the purchase."
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Best Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
This extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes readers inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities, where some 40,000 people still practice polygamy. --John Moe Using as a focal point the chilling story of offshoot Mormon fundamentalist brothers Dan and Ron Lafferty, who in 1984 brutally butchered their sister-in-law and 15-month-old niece in the name of a divine revelation, Krakauer explores what he sees as the nature of radical Mormon sects with Svengali-like leaders. Through interviews with family members and an unremorseful Dan Lafferty (who is currently serving a life sentence), Krakauer chronologically tracks what led to the double murder, from the brothers' theological misgivings about the Mormon church to starting their own fundamentalist sect that relies on their direct communications with God to guide their actions. According to Dan's chilling step-by-step account, when their new religion led to Ron's divorce and both men's excommunication from the Mormon church, the brothers followed divine revelations and sought to kill, starting with their sister-in-law, those who stood in the way of their new beliefs.
Reviews
"My book group discussed this book and we all agreed we learned more about the Mormon faith than we ever wanted to know."
"This time around I was stuck how regional some religions are."
"One of the most shocking accounts of the development of a major denomination I can imagine."
"It's so disturbing that such inappropriate, illegal and immoral behavior hides behind the guise of religion and is therefore ignored and allowed to continue."
"This is one of the best books I've ever read in my life."
"taking care of each other, protecting families, the visiting teachers (yawn), and so forth. I was also surprised to learn of the political machinations of the leaders when disguising aspects of Mormonism that they knew would repulse other Christians (and those of other faiths, as well, to be fair) and which would lead to military interference into their affairs. With Mormonism being powerful enough to have a man running for President (which was Joseph Smith's ambition, after all) there is a need for information on it. This book is likely to take it's place in the pantheon and fill the empty niche which was waiting for a modern interpretation of these beliefs."
"I was raised without any religious beliefs. Then as an adult I joined the main Mormon religion."
"This book is fine if you really like to have a detailed history lesson leading up to the main story."
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Best Christian Ecumenism

Why We're Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love
This is the number-one question Catholics get asked and, sometimes, we ask ourselves. Ever since he became Catholic, Trent Horn has spent a lot of time answering these questions, trying to explain to friends, family, and total strangers the reasons for his Catholic faith Some didn t believe in God, or even in the existence of truth. Why We re Catholic must find a home on every Catholic s bookshelf; I promise you, it will gather no dust.
Reviews
"I read this book right after reading Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too) by Brandon Vogt. In some ways there is a number of similarities, and both speak specifically about the example of Saint Damien of Molokai. This was also the 10th book by Trent Horn that I have read this year. With each of his books that I read I am more impressed with his writing, his faith, his knowledge and his love of sharing these three things. Why We Believe There’s a Hell. 25.Why We Hope for Heaven. How to Become Catholic. How to Go to Confession. Common Catholic Prayers. Endnotes. Two sections in the book immediately struck a chord with me; first the section on Saint Damien or Molokai, of whom I have been reading about and researching for over a decade now. But let’s go back to the beginning, in the introduction Trent states: “I don’t look at people who’ve left the Catholic Church or who aren’t Catholic as potential “customers.” They’re just people. Instead, I’ve presented the reasons that made the biggest impact on me during my conversion to the Catholic faith.”. This book is designed to strengthen your faith, and help you be able to explain it and defend it. Throughout the book there are ‘side boxes’ pieces that explain deeper, or give examples of what is being talked about in that section of the book. Another great feature is that each chapter ends with three or more bullet points reinforcing what Catholics believe from the topic of that specific chapter. • Calvary Chapel, 1965: Chuck Smith. • Mormon church, 1830: Joseph Smith. • Disciples of Christ, 1809: Thomas Campbell. • Baptist church, 1609: John Smyth. • Presbyterian church, 1560: John Knox. • Calvinist church, 1536: John Calvin. • Lutheran church, 1517: Martin Luther. • Eastern Orthodox church, 1054: Eastern Patriarchs. • Catholic Church, 33: Jesus Christ. And at the end of the book is a mini prayer book of common prayers. I have read just shy of 200 books so far this year, of those 200, 105 were Catholic and this is one of the best out of all of that reading."
"It didn't really get at the reason as to "why" other than things a cradle Catholic like myself already knew."
"Great book to explain the Catholic faith."
"This is an Amazing book that explains the Catholic faith with clarity to everyone!"
"The great job explaining some of the misconceptions of the Catholic faith and clearing up some of the so-called rumors."
"As a cradle Catholic, it serves as a powerful reminder what this religion is all about."
"Great explanation of our faith."
"Im starting RCIA in august and this was a big help for me."
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Best Christian Pneumatology

Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit
A follow up to the profound message of Crazy Love , Pastor Francis Chan offers a compelling invitation to understand, embrace, and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives. It doesn’t make sense that Almighty God would have children characterized by fear and insecurity. Through solid scriptural support and compelling narrative, breakthrough author Francis Chan returns us to the Holy Spirit as the Bible describes Him.
Reviews
"If you long to read a book that will show you how to get more peace, joy, love, self control and the other fruit of the spirit, and the Bible is just not speaking to you as you know it could be---this book might just be the catalyst you need to show you how to live the life God wants you to experience."
"I found myslef in a life circumstance that really needed God and found that connection whilst reading this book."
"Last year when I learned that Pastor Chan was writing a book about the Holy Spirit, it did not get me very excited. That is pretty sad, however, earlier in the month I received a free audio version of this book from Christianaudio's website. The audio version of Forgotten God was a little less than four hours - almost the same length of Chan's popular first release, Crazy Love."
"I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about growing in their relationship with God or for anyone who wants to understand what life as a follower of Jesus Christ could/should look like."
"Jesus died to make it possible for us to receive Holy Spirit, and we can’t live the redeemed life apart from Him."
"I liked the way this was written l found it very enlightening and informative."
"A great study book for our Sunday school class."
"I have bought it in book form and given it to many people because of the powerful truths in this book."
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Best Christian Apologetics

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity
A revised foreword and introduction A substantially extended epilogue that shares how Nabeel told his friend David of his decision to follow Christ, how his parents found out, and much more Expert contributions from scholars and ministry leaders on each section of the book, contributions previously included only in the ebook edition An appendix with a topical table of contents (for teaching from Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus ) An appendix tackling the objection that Ahmadi Muslims are not true Muslims And a sneak peek prologue from Nabeel’s forthcoming new book, No God but One: Allah or Jesus ? Nabeel Qureshi is a speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
Reviews
"For myself, I was reliving the search I had pursued forty five years ago, when my embrace of existentialism had left me so empty and purposeless that I had to reconsider the claims of Christ, just in case they might be true. I found myself anticipating each next step in Nabeel's intellectual journey, as each critical aspect of the truth of Christianity was substantiated by his investigations. I even experienced to a degree Nabeel's family conflicts, though for me it was my mother's amazement and bitter disappointment with my choice after college of seminary instead of medical school."
"The dedication at the beginning of the book, read by the author himself, had me bawling like a baby. I was unaware of how much disagreement about doctrine that there is within different Muslim beliefs and Qureshi walks through them carefully and respectfully."
"I have to say that as a Christian, before reading this book, I had very little knowledge of the Muslim faith and how Muslim children are raised."
"Nabeel’s testimony, the description of his journey in life as a young Muslim and the crisis of faith he experienced all impacted me strongly."
"He pursues the documented evidence with the commitment that whatever he finds he will believe in the God that is truth - even if he finds that the teaching that was a part of his life since birth may or may not be truth."
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Best Christian Eschatology

Heaven
What will heaven be like? In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it-a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it. Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live today. If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.
Reviews
"He writes that in our seminaries, churches, and families, we have given “little attention to the place where we will live forever with Christ and his people—the New Earth, in the new universe”. Selected Bibliography. Alcorn writes that most people do not find their joy in Christ and Heaven. He writes that many Christians who’ve gone to church all their adult lives (especially those under fifty) can’t recall having heard a single sermon on Heaven. Alcorn states that nearly every notion of Heaven he presents in this book was stimulated and reinforced by biblical texts. He also states that we should ask God’s help to remove the blinders of our preconceived ideas about Heaven so we can understand what Scripture actually teaches about it. Alcorn writes that when a believer dies, he or she enters into what is referred to in theology as the intermediate state. Rather, we will live with Christ and each other forever, not in the intermediate, or present, Heaven, but on the New Earth, where God will be at home with his people."
"It is critical that each reader enters this book with somewhat of a warning. There are many, many reviews that denounce this book and Randy and they all quit around midway through the book saying that he uses too much of his imagination and that they can't take him seriously etc. Seriously, no one is likely to quit reading C S Lewis because he used fantasy to paint portrayed biblical truth!"
"This is a very deep look into the aspects and reality of Heaven as defined and described in the Bible."
"This book is life changing."
"I liked the story in that it suggested that Heaven might tank place right here on this present Earth and that one might be with and remember your Neighbors, Friends and Family."
"I told God I need something that makes my hope greater than my fear and this book was where he brought me."
"This was recommended by a friend that received a PHD and studied the book of Revelation for 1 year."
"When God wants me to know what heaven is like, He will take me there."
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Best Christian Prophecy

The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America's Future
Before its end as a nation, there appeared in ancient Israel nine specific warnings and omens of national destruction – These same nine Harbingers are now manifesting in America with profound ramifications for America’s future and end-time prophecy. Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretell recent American events down to the exact days the 3,000-year-old mystery that revealed the exact date of the stock market collapse of 2008 the ancient prophecy that was proclaimed from the floor of the US Senate and then came true and more. Is it possible that there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future? Before its end as a nation, there appeared in ancient Israel nine specific warnings and omens of national destruction these same Nine Harbingers are now manifesting in America with profound ramifications for America's future and end-time prophecy. The Prophet has given him nine seals, each containing a message about America's future.
Reviews
"Not really crazy about the mystery novel approach but Rabbi Cahn, like Saul of Tarsus is uniquely qualified to delve into this topic."
"I like the way it was written; in story form but presenting facts."
"Interesting but sometimes slow paced."
"Easy to fact check."
"This was such an amazing book!"
"You totally feel every word that was spoken."
"This is a very informative book!"
"As I watch the world situation I can only agree with the author that the God who was in charge of the ancient world is still in charge today and all will be brought to judgement for what they have done."
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Best Christian Salvation Theory

The Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense
In this new twentieth anniversary edition, John Bevere shows you how to identify the traps ahead of you and escape the victim mentality. With declaration-style prayers and testimonials from people whose lives have been changed by his message, this book will inspire you to stay free from offense and its destructive power. His desire is to support the local church and resource leaders regardless of location, language, or financial position.
Reviews
"Before reading The Bait of Satan, I was sure when living a life in service to God, you would often be tested by the words and actions of those who had not yet found Christ. I believed as stated in Matthew 5: 10, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". I believed the offense I felt was evidence of my persecution, that as stated in 1 Peter, 3:14, I am blessed if I suffer for the sake of righteousness. I realized while reading this book I have to unlearn, by the grace of God, over a half century of self centered belief."
"I was pleasantly surprised that with this edition Bevere added a 30 day study guide that will aid in applying what was read to your personal life."
"An incredibly powerful book on the concept of offense and reconciliation."
"This book is great."
"This is a great tool to help set you free from the bondage of offense!"
"A great read!!!"
"I am only 1 chapter into this book, and my life, as well as my families lives are being changed already!"
"The book was thorough and we all learned so much."
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Best Christian Process Theology

Faith in Color: An Adult Coloring Book
With illustrations ranging from simple to complex, color enthusiasts will love being able to kindle their inspiration quickly or get lost for hours in a single image. This coloring book features inspiring Scripture quotes such as "I am with you always" and "all things are possible if you believe," and is perfect for Bible Study or personal worship for colorists of all ages! My only Hope is in you My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness But perfect love casts out fear With God all things are possible Pray continually Create in me a pure heart The Lord is my strength and my song He counts the stars and calls them all by name Set your mind on things above When I am afraid I will trust in you Mightier than the waves of the sea is his love for you I am with you always.
Reviews
"Each image is made up of a Bible verse or Psalm, including its biblical reference and each verse is imbedded within an artistic, geometric design, pattern , or wrapped and surrounded in flowers, the art style is whimsical with a hand drawn look that lends itself well to markers, but any color medium will work. This is an inspirational book that adds a little faith to our daily coloring, it would also make a wonderful uplifting gift for someone special you know going through a hard time. g. Those who Trust in the Lord will find new strength. h. Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. k. The Lord my God lights up my darkness. l. When I am Afraid I will trust in you. But perfect love casts out fear. p. With God all things are possible. q. Pray continually. r. Create in me a pure heart. s. The Lord is my strength and my song. t. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. u. Set your mind on things above. v. When I am afraid I will trust in you. w. Mightier than the waves of the sea is his love for you. x. I am with you always. y. Fearfully wonderfully made. z."
"The verses are not all exact quotes from Scripture, but are still faith filled. The Bible verse noted is correct for the exact quote."
"Cant get enough.. Its very relaxing and very inspirational."
"I find the verses to be very relaxing and help to remind me of my faith as I color."
"This coloring book was one out of four that I had purchased, so this review is about Faith in Color and how it compares to the other three highly rated coloring books I had purchased. Compared to another one I bought where I could color, frame and keep it or give it away that was not the case with this coloring book. Some of the letters on the pages are missing the “holes” for “e” “B”, etc… so either you make them yourself while coloring or just color in a solid letter. Overall, this coloring book does force you to be creative and gives you hours of coloring."
"Like the Bible verse on each page & flower or other designs on each page."
"My sister is just starting into dementia and I gave her this book."
"I love to color to take my mind off of the stressors of life."
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Best Christian Liberation Theology

Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible through Palestinian Eyes
A Palestinian Christian theologian shows how the reality of empire shapes the context of the biblical story, and the ongoing experience of Middle East conflict. "Both an accessible introduction to the subject and an eloquent reminder for those more familiar with the subject this book deserves. a wide audience." "Simultaneously a revisionist reading of the Bible and a journey of self-discovery by a courageous Bethlehemite {Raheb's] (re)reading of the mission of Jesus in the light of the current predicament of Palestine will make believers and non-believers alike question their deeply held assumptions .
Reviews
"Dr. Raheb writes in practical terms of the role of faith in action in forming an new future for not only Palestine, but the Middle East. But it is not only faith, as Dr Raheb points out, but informed faith."
"The author, a Palestininan Prostestant pastor living in Bethlehem, traces the plight of people living in the area through the ages."
"In the Epilogue to his book, Faith in the Face of Empire, author Mitri Raheb refers us to Jeremiah 32: Jeremiah is in prison, the city destroyed, the temple burned, and yet Jeremiah is asked to buy his cousin’s field."
"In this book aimed at a general rather than an academic audience, Dr. Mitri Raheb valiantly takes on a number of complex problematic notions including sacred historiography, constructions of race and ethnicity in light of empire, and the failures of liberal ideology. On one hand, any one of these topics are too complex for a short book on Palestine, but on the other, all must be included in some way for the average Westerner to begin to grasp the situation from a Palestinian perspective. If I had to identify a central thesis of the book, it would be that the modern Israeli political movement has almost always been read as narrative counterpart to the ancient Israelite struggling to be liberated in the land of the Canaanites. Except for a couple of spots, I would say the book does an adequate, even-handed job of outlining many of the problems in Israel/Palestine today and even presciently provides some background for the current conflict between Hamas and the Israeli government. In modern Israel, Americans (maybe subconsciously) see their own history playing out before their eyes: Jews as an exceptional people with a sort of vague manifest destiny of “settling” “vacant” land, ordered to subdue violent “savages” with technology (rifle versus bow and arrow; now Iron Dome versus Molitov cocktail), and to create a system of isolated, non-contiguous reservations for control of indigenous people, and devise an array of new treaties and proposals that will never be followed—everything headed toward a future that is ideologically portrayed as inevitable. Of course Egypt brings with it a number of other problems when reading modern Palestinians as Israelites, including some complicity in the establishing structures of empire (e.g., Gn. In a parallel line of thinking, I bristled when I read Raheb referring over and over to Israeli “settlements,” knowing all the symbolism that this image will evoke in the mind of his American readers."
"Not only did that visit change my life, it began a search which I still hope will conclude with the longed for resolution that generations of Palestinian Christians have hoped and prayer for. Dr. Mitri Raheb who has often stated “I’m hopeful but not optimistic” has provided both a biblical and historical context for prayer, support, and action."
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Best Christian Theological Anthropology

Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self
Dissolve the distractions of ego to find our authentic selves in God In his bestselling book Falling Upward, Richard Rohr talked about ego (or the False Self) and how it gets in the way of spiritual maturity. Shows how to navigate spiritually difficult terrain with clear vision and tools to uncover our True Selves Written by Father Richard Rohr, the bestselling author of Falling Upward Examines the fundamental issues of who we are and helps us on our path of spiritual maturity. Q&A with Robert Rohr, author of Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self. When I use the term False Self, I mean that it is the self we manufacture and adopt to find our identity in the world—our jobs, our occupations, our religion, our culture, our sources of status. How do the concepts of True Self and False Self relate to the questions you explored in Falling Upward ? If you don’t find or recover your True Self, you remain in the first half of life forever, as many people do. Your True Self is the only part of you that really has access to the big questions, things like love, suffering, death, God. But once you make contact with your True Self, there's a natural correspondence between who you are and who God is. When you discover your True Self, it's very easy to recognize the presence of God. It’s not some kind of magical transaction that takes place between you and God, but the death of the passing self, the one you have created for yourself. In other words, once you have experienced the little losses and failings or falling upwards, you know at a deep level that you’ve been there before and none of it is going to kill you. If you don't learn how to die early, ahead of time, you spend your life avoiding all failure, humiliation, loss, and you're not ready for the last death. It may be necessary, but if you are living in that world, that revolving hall of mirrors, you so get enchanted with these reflections of what everybody thinks you are or wants you to be that you forget or you never discover who you really are before you did anything right or anything wrong, before you had your name, your reputation, your education, your family, your culture. The metaphor immortal diamond came from a poem by the Jesuit Englishman, Gerard Manley Hopkins. The last lines of this beautiful poem say, “I am all at once what Christ is, since he was what I am, and/ This Jack, joke, poor potsherd, patch, matchwood, immortal diamond,/ Is immortal diamond.” When I first wanted to clarify this notion of True Self/False Self, I immediately said that's going to be the, the metaphor. I think it names what I'm talking about, something that's strong, true, clear, but hidden within us.
Reviews
"Also, this book arrived in top condition with fast shipping--thank you to the seller!"
"To observe both the False Self & the True Self in the way Richard Rohr describes is like a ton of bricks being removed from my shoulders."
"An important reading for anyone looking to move out the foibles of the lower self as well as the strictures of culture, especially pertaining to the Christian church, toward an expansive view of a higher self in loving relationship with God."
"Spiritual gift for the heart."
"Another of Richard Rohr's wonderfully insightful and inspired books."
"I have just started reading it and I am finding much to ponder and many spiritual insights."
"A culmination of Rohr's work on seeing past the dualism into which western religious thought has descended. A delightful trip into the true beauty of spiritual life."
"Great book."
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Best Christian Angelology & Demonology

The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim (With Extensive Commentary on the Three Books of Enoch, the Fallen Angels, the Calendar of Enoch, and Daniel’s Prophecy)
A Volume Containing. The First Book of Enoch (The Ethiopic Book of Enoch). The Second Book of Enoch (The Slavonic Secrets of Enoch). The Third Book of Enoch (The Hebrew Book of Enoch). The Book of Fallen Angels, The Watchers, and the Origins of Evil: With Expanded Commentary on Enoch, Angels, Prophecies and Calendars in the Sacred Texts -. The Books of Enoch: A Complete Volume Containing - 1 Enoch (The Ethiopic Book of Enoch), 2 Enoch (The Slavonic Secrets of Enoch), 3 Enoch (The Hebrew Book of Enoch). Now Lumpkin has completed his work on The Third Book of Enoch. Dr. Lumpkin has appeared on Radio, Television, and Internet shows as a guest speaker on subjects of Fallen Angels, Church History, Religion, Theology, The Sacred Feminine, and the Axial Age.
Reviews
"My mother use to tell me to read the Book of Enoch all the time but I never listened to her. She was well read, overly intelligent to the point where no one really could talk to her about the BIble or the history except Cardinals which really didn't talk about the Book of Enoch but knew of it."
"The book of Enoch will not take you away from the bible but actually confirms it I dont know why they ever took it out of the bible it explains alot of questions people might have on Giants and the nephilim angels and stuff."
"Received quickly with no issues."
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Best Christology

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A lucid, intelligent page-turner” ( Los Angeles Times ) that challenges long-held assumptions about Jesus, from the host of Believer Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most enigmatic figures by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived. He explores the reasons the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. A vivid, persuasive portrait.” — Salon “This tough-minded, deeply political book does full justice to the real Jesus, and honors him in the process.” — San Francisco Chronicle “A special and revealing work, one that believer and skeptic alike will find surprising, engaging, and original.” —Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power “Compulsively readable . Q. Yours is one of the few popular biographies of Jesus of Nazareth that does not rely on the gospels as your primary source of information for uncovering Jesus’ life. A. I certainly rely on the gospels to provide a narrative outline to my biography of Jesus of Nazareth, but my primary source in recreating Jesus’ life are historical writings about first century Palestine, like the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, as well as Roman documents of the time. In other words, the gospels tell us about Jesus the Christ, not Jesus the man. The gospels are of course extremely useful in revealing how the early Christians viewed Jesus. To get to the bottom of that mystery, which is what I try to do in the book, one must sift through the gospel stories to analyze their claims about Jesus in light of the historical facts we know about the time and world in which Jesus lived. But the more I read the Bible – especially in college, where I began my formal study of the New Testament – the more I uncovered a wide chasm between the Jesus of history and the Jesus I learned about in church. But the irony is that once I detached my academic study of Jesus from my faith in Christ, I became an even more fervent follower of Jesus of Nazareth. So in a way, this book is my attempt to spread the good news of Jesus the man with the same passion that I once applied to spreading the good news of Jesus the Christ. The key to understanding who Jesus was and what Jesus meant lies in understanding the times in which he lived.
Reviews
"There's nothing in this book that would surprise a person (like myself) who has read pretty much all of the accessible scholarship on Jesus published in the last 30 or so years. 2) Aslan takes the position that Jesus was a zealot for God and God's Temple, but (and this is repeated several times in the book) he was not a member of the Zealot Party, which wouldn't arise until over 30 years after Jesus' death. 3) Aslan doesn't stop with the death of Jesus, and, as someone writing history, not hagiography, he carefully notes that he can't pass judgment on whether Jesus' resurrection occurred, because it is not a historical event but an event of faith. (For example, Luke 16:19 points out that the rich man in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus wore purple and fine linen and all four gospels are agreed that Jesus was buried in linen.). Moreover, if Aslan was pushing Islam, you'd think that he'd make a point of saying, "Well, Islam considers Jesus a prophet," but he doesn't."
"I read this book primarily because some of the negative reviews were so hysterical in their fear that I was curious what the big deal is. His job as an academic is to present a thesis, develop it based on both evidence and his theories of meaning and then let the reading community judge it."
"Once I began reading it, I could not put this book down."
"If you've gone to seminary, you are probably aware of everything in this book."
"Well written and provides the reader with a great background on the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth."
"An interesting book apparently well researched by a religion scholar."
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Best Mysticism Christian Theology

The Naked Now: Learning To See As the Mystics See
For Christians seeking a way of thinking outside of strict dualities, this guide explores methods for letting go of division and living in the present. Franciscan priest and spirituality author Rohr ( Everything Belongs ) again brings his energy to the reclamation of the Christian mystical tradition. The somewhat theoretical re-reading of Catholic Christian tradition is brought down to earth by a series of appendixes that contain practices for those who want to know what to do; attaining insight is not self-evident nor is it easy.
Reviews
"As an aside, our obsession on the first half of life is growing stronger -- we care about courtship, career choice, finding a mate, establishing ourselves, and this is the subject that too many 60 year old people worry at, fantasize over, concentrate on, well past the day that they should let this half of their lives go... and think about the second half. This author outlines how this half of life can be about joy, about falling upward in a spiritual sense, about the second half of life being about opening yourself."
"Such a shame to see so many people, who could actually make a positive impact on our deeply divided society, are just so angry and unhappy with things and simply unable to show the least bit of comapssion and understanding toward others."
"A life changing message, my awareness of which influenced me to "retire" last week and be open to a more personal work."
"Loved the book."
"Got off to an interesting theological start, but over the course of the book the author, who writes extremely well, seems to loose the initial train of thought and thus much of the book seems not to be what it attempts to be."
"Oh wow, I can't even begin how much my heart and head hurt and ache as I move through this work."
"We are never there and as life unfolds we need to be even more willing to let go, become more "empty" so we can find more of God."
"If you are in or aproaching second half of life Father Rohr will get you thinking."
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Best Ethics in Christian Theology

The Cost of Discipleship
"Cheap grace," Bonhoeffer wrote, "is the grace we bestow on ourselves...grace without discipleship....Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the girl which must be asked for, the door at which a man must know....It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life." The Cost of Discipleship , first published in German in 1937, was Bonhoeffer's answer to the questions, "What did Jesus mean to say to us?
Reviews
"Bonhoeffer presents a completely different view of discipleship that anyone who really believes in the power of faith should consider and absorb."
"This book is a reminder of who God is and who we are called to be, in relation to our response of the great commission... just as Jesus explains in Luke 21:12-19."
"I got this to listen as I read along with the book, which I also bought."
"This is an excellent book full of the principles of being a disciple of Yeshua."
"Awesome book that gives an insight into walking with God."
"It's difficult, not just to take in (although you may sometimes need to read a paragraph two or three times to really comprehend its meaning), but to accept, because it's hard to imagine who can really live up to what Bonhoeffer shows us Christ is really asking of us."
"My book group chose this for a summer read."
"Being authentically christian is not always easy or lacking in peril."
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Best Creationism

Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design
Named one of the top books of 2009 by the Times Literary Supplement (London), this controversial and compelling book from Dr. Stephen C. Meyer presents a convincing new case for intelligent design (ID), based on revolutionary discoveries in science and DNA. the powerful case Meyer presents cannot be ignored in any honest debate. Whether you believe intelligent design is true or false, Signature in the Cell is a must-read book.” (Dr. Scott Turner, professor, environmental and forest biology, State University of New York, and author of The Tinkerer’s Accomplice).
Reviews
"The Signature in the cell was the first book that I have read that explains in no uncertain terms why the genetic code would be impossible for nature to create by randomly combining primordial molecules. Although it doesn't talk about God or any form of religion or spiritual world, it is difficult to avoid the obvious conclusion that something outside of our material universe had something to do with the very first reproducing organism as well as multiple steps along the way to the evolution of the human species. He simply draws the conclusion that an intelligent designer is the simplest, and for all practical purposes, the only explanation for the rise of life from a lifeless world.). It stands upon infinitely firmer ground than the Multiverse which is modern cosmology's latest mathematical/theological attempt to explain the anthropomorphic nature of our world of matter."
"My religion also teaches me that this intelligent being wants mankind to study and learn all they can about this world through physical science, geopolitical science, mathematics, etc. The studies of Dr. Meyer and the many scientists who have worked to understand molecular biology, physics, geology, mathematics and information theory, as presented in this and other books, serve only to attest to what I already knew to be true: that there is an intelligent mind behind all that exists in the physical and spiritual worlds."
"The presentation gets tedious after while because the author tries too hard to court the scientific community."
"A very interesting book with a detailed and good description of DNA, RNA and cell function."
"I think anyone that is adamant against intelligent design will be genuinely stumped by this book and will have to reconsider their views."
"very intense need to understand biology quite a bit."
"An exhaustive review of all the possible ways to explain the appearance of DNA, the origin of life."
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Best Gnosticism

The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume
The compilation of ancient manuscripts that constitute The Nag Hammadi Scriptures is a discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about the early Christian church, ancient Judaism, and Greco-Roman religions. This is the most complete, up-to-date, one-volume, English-language edition of the renowned library of fourth-century Gnostic manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945, which rivaled the Dead Sea Scrolls find in significance.
Reviews
"I realize that there are other approaches to translation - but this is the one that I feel best serves both the original author and the reader. It is clear from the introduction - and on every following page - that Dr. Meyer's primary commitment was to making the Nag Hammadi library palatable to modern readers - rather than presenting the text accurately. This is demonstrated throughout - and, to give credit, and least Dr. Meyer and the other translators make no excuses for their choices. Putting in something that isn't there, based on a sense of the "spirit" of a text is, by definition compromising accuracy. To give credit - again - where deserved - many notes to mention that the translators have changed the clear meaning of the text. But, too often, the notes are simply Dr. Meyer's digressions on other similar mythologies which may or may not have any relevance to the text. But, since it was published before Gnosticism became hip - and profitable - the original translation demonstrates a clear and consistent commitment to the text."
"Perhaps it is the lesser quality paper they use to keep costs down that prevents the use of darker ink. Note about the content: This book will revise your beliefs on everything you thought you knew."
"enjoyed what I have read so far."
"it should be enough to say it is an interesting read."
"Enthralling and fascinating reading."
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