Engelska

Passionate Centrism is an important discussion of Positive Historical Judaism and the benefit of holding the center of Judaism-that is, the Conservative Movement. This book is an important resource for clergy and other congregational leaders and is an excellent product for lecture series.

From the turn of the fifth century to the beginning of the eighteenth, Christian writers were fascinated and troubled by the "Problem of Paganism," which this book identifies and examines for the first time. How could the wisdom and virtue of the great thinkers of antiquity be reconciled with the fact that they were pagans and, many thought, damned? Related questions were raised by encounters with contemporary pagans in northern Europe, Mongolia, and, later, America and China. Pagans and Philosophers explores how writers--philosophers and theologians, but also poets such as Dante, Chaucer, and Langland, and travelers such as Las Casas and Ricci--tackled the Problem of Paganism. Augustine and Boethius set its terms, while Peter Abelard and John of Salisbury were important early advocates of pagan wisdom and virtue. University theologians such as Aquinas, Scotus, Ockham, and Bradwardine, and later thinkers such as Ficino, Valla, More, Bayle, and Leibniz, explored the difficulty in depth. Meanwhile, Albert the Great inspired Boethius of Dacia and others to create a relativist conception of scientific knowledge that allowed Christian teachers to remain faithful Aristotelians. At the same time, early anthropologists such as John of Piano Carpini, John Mandeville, and Montaigne developed other sorts of relativism in response to the issue. A sweeping and original account of an important but neglected chapter in Western intellectual history, Pagans and Philosophers provides a new perspective on nothing less than the entire period between the classical and the modern world.

Dogs is multi-award-winning photographer Tim Flach's stunning follow-up to the critically acclaimed Equus. Here, Flach once again sets out to document fully the lives of animals whose history is powerfully linked to our own and to provide a unique perspective on one of our closest companions: this time, dogs. Using photographs of dogs both solitary and in groups, as well as in varied settings and locations, Flach uses his lens to present a inimitable and engaging portrait of the physical and spiritual lives of dogs (breeds and crossbreeds of all types) around the globe. Since the wolf first snuck into the caves of our ancestors to take warmth from the fire, dogs have been man's constant companion. Dogs delves deep into the psyche of this enduring bond to create an exquisite study of man's best friendA". From specimens on show at Crufts and Westminster to shelter dogs lovingly rescued by volunteers; from the grace and agility of racing greyhounds to adored domestic companions; from Afghan hounds to Hungarian komondors, the dogs featured in Dogs promise to deliver one of the most appealing, popular and exciting photographic tributes to dogs ever published.

Dr Naomichi Masaki highlights the liturgical thinking of Theodor Kliefoth (1810-1895) who served in Schwerin, Germany and found his liturgical ideal in the Reformation era. 1850 his liturgical thinking started to influence the Swedish Church. One consequence was that the culmination of the Lord's Supper's Preface no longer should be formulated "It is right and proper" but instead "He alone in worthy of thanks and praise". Rev Dr Masaki is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft Wayne, Indiana USA

While countless memoirs exist written by Zen students and teachers, few are as engaging and as tantalizing as Taisen Deshimaru's. Looking back at his early life, growing up in Japan, from the viewpoint of his status as a Zen teacher in Paris, the author reflects on his earliest misadventures¯from defacing a valuable painting of Bodhidharma as a child, to turning the "Zen stick" on a young monk during a retreat. Adventures abound with stories about alcohol and women, during his student years, and his activities during World War II in working for the arms industry in Malaysia, where he was sympathetic to the underground freedom movement. This first English-language translation of Taisen Deshimaru's autobiography will be prized for its clear and honest documentation of this great master's life. Many people all over the world have been influenced by Deshimaru's Zen teachings, especially his book on Zen and the martial arts. This memoir fills an important gap in our knowledge of his teacher, Kodo Sawaki's influence on the world of Zen. The story of how Deshimaru met Sawaki as a boy, even slept in the same room with him, and later received monastic ordination is the story of a lifelong friendship of two extraordinary characters in the history of modern Zen. Deshimaru's influence extends beyond Zen practitioners, though, especially in those interested in the martial arts, as he touches on his martial arts experience as a young man and offers a look into the master's early training. Additional interest extends to historians who recount the supposed "scandals" of Zen masters' participation in the war effort. Although Deshimaru's viewpoint is decidedly subjective, he was intimately acquainted with priests and generals alike, and approaches the difficult subject with a refreshing lack of judgmental disdain which counterbalances many other more lopsided works.

Tarot Deciphered is an in-depth voyage into the esoteric roots that underlie the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, the Thoth Tarot, and the myriad of decks that share their symbology. This card-by-card analysis reveals detailed insights drawn from the multi-layered traditions of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the magical order that most strongly influenced modern tarot. For each card, you will discover how astrology, mythology, alchemy, the elements, and Qabalah contribute to the card s overall meaning. Authors T. Susan Chang and M. M. Meleen, cohosts of the popular Fortune s Wheelhouse podcast, decipher the symbols and stories of tarot and provide a carefully researched synthesis of ideas designed to help you connect with the wisdom of the cards.

Eucharistic Body [Bok / Pocket]