Религиоведение
Различные книги в жанре РелигиоведениеTwelve Days of Silent Nights
From the author of A Daily Catholic Moment and My Year with the Saints for Kids comes a book about the most popular Christmas song in the world, the Nativity of Jesus Christ, and how to carry the beauty and wonder of the Bethlehem stable into our lives as a new year begins. Celano reflects on “Silent Night, Holy Night”—how it came to be, its continued importance, and its message of contemplation, hope, and love. The year 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the first major performances of the carol.
According to Your Mercy
Many have called the psalms a 'school of prayer' and indeed St. Augustine in his Confessions wrote that the psalms could be a stepping stone to deeper conversation with God. These ancient words from Scripture mirror our own thoughts and emotions—celebration and praise, suffering and lament, gratitude and asking for help—as relevant today as when they were first sung in the Temple. Fr. Martin Shannon brings deep teaching as well as the personal encounter of someone who has chanted and studied the Psalms for years. Each reflection is on one psalm, offering a meditation on its meaning and how it connects to our lives, followed by a word from one of the ancient church fathers and a prayer. There is a reflection for each of the forty-seven days from Ash Wednesday to Easter that reflect the various twists and turns on the Lenten journey. Readers will discover the power of the psalms to inspire their own Lenten journey towards Easter.
All Creation Waits
Twenty-five meditations paired with original woodcuts reflect on how wild animals adapt when darkness and cold descend. We hear as if for the first time the ancient wisdom of Advent: The dark is not an end but the way a new beginning comes.
God For Us Reader's Edition
Explore the meaning of Lent, its importance in spiritual formation, its significance in the preparation of Easter, and the holy season of Easter itself. Reflections from leading spiritual writers in North America reveal what one theologian has called the «bright sadness» of Lent – that it is not about becoming lost in feelings of brokenness, but about cleansing the palate so that we can taste life more fully. Lent and Easter reveal the God who is for us in all of life – for our liberation, for our healing, for our wholeness. Lent and Easter remind us that even in death there can be found resurrection.
God With Us
Christmas is the season most difficult to grasp and understand in all its spiritual richness. The sentimentality and commercialism that dominate the season tend to obscure the profound mystery at its heart: the Incarnation. <i>God with Us</i> provides the perfect way to slow down and reconnect with the liturgical and sacramental traditions that illuminate the meaning of Christmas and the Incarnation. In daily meditations for the complete seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, the contributors offer a tapestry of reflection, Scripture, prayer, and history. <i>God with Us</i>—which has sold more than 25,000 copies in its original, illustrated, $30 edition—will make anyone's journey to the stable in Bethlehem and the child in the manger unforgettable. This new «Reader's Edition» is designed to make the book more affordable, able to reach an even wider cross-section of readers.
Welcome to the Orthodox Church
There are other introductory books about Orthodoxy. This one comprehensively covers the history, theology, and practice without talking over your head. Mathewes- Green takes the original approach of bringing you into a typical church for a series of visits. That is how Christians learned the faith for most of history, by coming into a community and keeping their eyes and ears open. Designed primarily for newcomers to come to understand Orthodoxy and Orthodox Christians, this guide to the faith is also a non-threatening and accessible introduction to people already "in the pews.” Inviting rather than argumentative, this is a book Orthodox Christians will be giving to their friends.
"Plenty of books deal with Christian theology in weighty and abstruse ways, but few apply the theology so wholly to the everyday lived realities of life, and in such easily accessible prose, as does Welcome to the Orthodox Church. Take warning, though: if you do read this thoughtful, passionate book, you run the risk of having to take the claims of Orthodox Christianity very seriously indeed." —Philip Jenkins, Baylor University
"How do you introduce (Eastern) Orthodoxy? Frederica suggests we treat it as a large, and muchloved, family house. She takes us round it, showing us all the rooms and what goes on in them. . . . There is lots of information, and she deals directly with problems to be encountered. This is a wonderful book." —The Very Revd Archpriest Andrew Louth, Durham University, author of Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology
"With exhilarating clarity, Frederica Mathewes-Green introduces the profound mystery at the heart of the Orthodox Christian faith, which is also our common inheritance: it is a way of life to be encountered and performed; it is not reducible to a range of propositions to be considered. With great charm and with characteristic wit and humor, she prepares the way for those who arrive at an Orthodox church for services, letting them know what to expect, what to watch for, how to lean in—letting them know how best to open their hearts to this worship that is both ancient and ever new." —Scott Cairns
"In her own warm and engaging way, Frederica takes you on a journey into a strange and exotic world for those unfamiliar with it but a spiritual refuge and oasis for those who have embraced it. This just may be the Church you have been looking for and didn’t even know it existed." —John Maddex, CEO Ancient Faith Ministries
"Beautifully written and carefully explained with a heart for the non- Orthodox. As an evangelical, who grew up in the Greek Orthodox Church, until being shipped off to boarding school in England, I found myself longing to revisit the liturgy and traditions of my youth!" —Emmanuel Kampouris, Former Chairman & CEO of American Standard Companies, Founder of www.biblemesh.com
"This excellent book is most valuable because it is more like a friend than a book. It's the voice you hope to hear beside you in church, murmuring explanations and encouragement as you make your journey. I highly recommend it." – Rev. Dr. Christopher Metropulos, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Network, MyOCN.net
The Complete Cloud of Unknowing
Central to the Christian mystical tradition is the inspired work of the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing. Rich with insights and perceptions of the obscurity and “unknowability” of God, this work reveals God as being on an entirely different plane of existence from human beings—so different that time-bound human language is inadequate to describe God exhaustively or accurately. Intellect and emotion both fail in seeking God, who can only be encountered by rejecting all common earthly means in a “cloud of forgetting” and the discovery of Godself in the dark “cloud of unknowing” that can be pierced only with a “lance of longing love.” Now, we finally have a translation that captures all of this beauty and complexity, without minimizing the nuances, all of which are explained with extensive introductions and accompanying notes.
"If I could keep with me only two books and a journal, this book would be one of the books. As far as I’m concerned it’s the most important book (and among the most influential) on Christian prayer in the last two millennia. I'm delighted to endorse this fine new translation and commentary.”—The Rev. Dr. Chris Neufeld-Erdman, University Presbyterian Church, Fresno, CA , author of Beyond Chaos: Living the Christian Family in a World Like Ours and Returning to the Center: Living Prayer in a Distracting World
"The Complete Cloud of Unknowing includes two classics of medieval Christian contemplative spirituality – essential reading for anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God through the practice of silent prayer. They are rich texts, full of nuanced wisdom that often gets lost in modern translations. Father John-Julian has captured the beauty, humor and literary elegance of the original versions, but also has supplemented his translation with detailed notes that convey the subtle spiritual insight that makes these works required reading. I'm excited about this book – it's a title I will recommend both to beginners and to longstanding students of The Cloud.” —Carl McColman, author of Answering the Contemplative Call and The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader
The Season of the Nativity
Sybil MacBeth writes that Advent and Epiphany are the often-neglected parentheses around Christmas. And they deserve more attention and better publicity. This Season of the Nativity sets the stage the liturgical year, our yearlong journey through Scripture and salvation history. Sybil MacBeth’s memoir, front-porch theology, and pages of practices and activities invite individuals and families to enjoy this season in a way that has more peace and more Christ and less chaos and guilt. She offers simple tools for busy people – perhaps to reclaim a joyful and yes, serious nativity season for the first time. Sybil MacBeth is a dancer, a doodler, and a former community college mathematics professor. Her books include Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God, Praying in Color: Kids’ Edition, and Praying in Color–Portable Edition. Learn more about Sybil and her work at prayingincolor.com.
"This gorgeous book is going to remain at my reading chair, dog-eared and bookmarked, all through the Yuletide season. It will also be under the tree of just about everyone on my gift list. We will all have more interesting winters, and greater intimacy with Jesus, because of it." —Lauren F. Winner, author of Still and Mudhouse Sabbath
“This beautifully designed book caters to those of us for whom waiting for Christmas is the very best part about the holidays. With activities like Advent calendars, games, doodles, carols, and my personal favorite—"flaunting the color purple”—Sybil MacBeth helps us see the Nativity as an entire season stretching from Advent through Epiphany, each day an opportunity for Technicolor grace.” —Jana Riess, author of Flunking Sainthood and Flunking Sainthood Every Day
If you think you’re already familiar with Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, think again! After reading this book, you’ll never see those seasons in the same way. With humor, spiritual wisdom, and innovative activity suggestions, the author makes you open your eyes in wonder.” —Linda Douty, spiritual director and author of 5 books, including Rhythms of Growth: 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul
“With heart-open honesty, Sybil MacBeth opens the door to a new exploration of the three-part Nativity Season. With personal and family-friendly practices and her appealing approach, Sybil invites both seasoned Christians and curious seekers to prepare in Advent, nestle into Christmas, and wonder anew in Epiphany. Extremist? Not really, but perhaps the leader of a new awakening. —Connie Denninger is a retreat leader, teacher of prayer and spiritual disciplines, and advocate of the Arts in Christian Practice
Sybil MacBeth’s genius is for getting the grand themes – like prayer and yearning and waiting and birth and joy – into real life. She starts with scripture and tradition and solid theology and ends up right on the kitchen table or living room (where children and adults alike are actually enjoying one another). As an on-the-ground parish priest, I want this book in every home of every parishioner. That’s because I know they want what I want – not to dread the approach of Christmas and feel inadequate in its wake – but to truly experience God’s great activity before, during and after in a way that’s full of pleasure and meaning. This book lines out the very concrete path from the wish to the reality. —Rev Carleton Bakkum, Episcopal Priest and Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown, VA. – also an artist
The “Season of the Nativity” by Sybil MacBeth is an invitation into spiritual growth through frameworks and forms – by sharing with the reader some familiar and many new ways to prepare for and celebrate Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Her book is an incarnational feast of ideas – both thoughtful and fun, challenging at times and delightful as well. You will want your own copy as well as several to share with your friends. —The Reverend Canon Meredith Hunt, Episcopal Priest, Diocese of Western Michigan
As Luther translated Scripture in the language of the people, Sybil Macbeth’s Seasons of the Nativity translates the Church’s ancient Incarnation liturgy into the every day lives of God’s children of every age. If you adopt any of Sybil MacBeth’s suggestions for observing the Church’s liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany–watch out! You may find yourself holding the ChristChild in a whole new way–that may change your life and the lives of those around you! Whether its Praying in Color or her latest work, Seasons of the Nativity, Sybil MacBeth makes the mysterious things of God (prayer) and the Church (liturgy) accessible to everyone. In her book, Seasons of the Nativity, Sybil MacBeth moves liturgy into action as she provides meaning-full ways to anticipate and expect, welcome and receive, enjoy and cherish the gift of Jesus in the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. The Rev. Dr. John R. Denninger, Bishop/President Southeastern District Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Joy to the World
Few people know that “Joy to the World” – the world’s most popular Christmas song – wasn’t written for Christmas at all. Isaac Watts wrote it in imitation of Psalm 98. That psalm has nothing to say about the coming of the Messiah as a child; it is instead about the Messiah who comes in glory, and righteousness, and victory over evil, to judge the world and comfort the faithful. In other words, Isaac Watts meant “Joy to the World” as a spiritual reflection on Christ’s soon-to-be, expected, triumphant return to earth. This book explores this theme with selected readings from elsewhere in the writings of Watts, as a way of preparing our hearts for Christmas morning.
Echoes of the Word
“Abba, give me a word!” So young monks and visitors to desert monasteries would address an elder at the beginning of the 4th century. These seekers believed that a word originating outside oneself would descend into the heart and give direction to one’s inner life. Enzo Bianchi has tried to let himself be guided by this tradition in Words of Spirituality and Hope. These “words” are not listed alphabetically or by theme. They are arranged to take you on a journey. Through the use of allusions and cross-references, one term evokes another, explains it in part, and sets aside some elements of its definition to be taken up further on. At the heart of the book is the conviction that life has meaning: it is not our task to invent or determine that meaning but simply to discover it – present and active – in and around us.