The Layperson’s Library


Book Description

In the spirit of Cyril Barber's classic work from the 1970s, The Minister's Library, and the author's 2017 book, The Pastor's Library, Robert Yost provides the same expert guidance now for a lay audience. Finally, laypersons who desire to study the Bible have an invaluable resource for the acquisition of research tools as well as general Christian reading. From general reference works such as Bible atlases and concordances, commentaries, devotional works, and theological studies to Christian biography and fiction, this book is a trustworthy guide through the multiplicity of books that just seem to keep rolling off the presses. Overwhelmed by the proliferation of Christian books on the shelves? This handy guide is the book for you!




Sanctuary in the Wilderness


Book Description

The effort to create a serious Hebrew literature in the United States in the years around World War I is one of the best kept secrets of American Jewish history. Hebrew had been revived as a modern literary language in nineteenth-century Russia and then taken to Palestine as part of the Zionist revolution. But the overwhelming majority of Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe settled in America, and a passionate kernel among them believed that Hebrew provided the vehicle for modernizing the Jewish people while maintaining their connection to Zion. These American Hebraists created schools, journals, newspapers, and, most of all, a high literary culture focused on producing poetry. Sanctuary in the Wilderness is a critical introduction to American Hebrew poetry, focusing on a dozen key poets. This secular poetry began with a preoccupation with the situation of the individual in a disenchanted world and then moved outward to engage American vistas and Jewish fate and hope in midcentury. American Hebrew poets hoped to be read in both Palestine and America, but were disappointed on both scores. Several moved to Israel and connected with the vital literary scene there, but most stayed and persisted in the cause of American Hebraism.




The Particulars of Rapture


Book Description

Avivah Zornberg grew up in a world of rabbinic tradition and scholarship and received a Ph.D. in English literature from Cambridge University. The Particulars of Rapture, the sequel to her award-winning study of the Book of Genesis, takes its title from a line by the American poet Wallace Stevens about the interdependence of opposite things, such as male and female, and conscious and unconscious. To her reading of the familiar story of the Israelites and their flight from slavery in Egypt, Avivah Zornberg has brought a vast range of classical Jewish interpretations and Midrashic sources, literary allusions, and ideas from philosophy and psychology. Her quest in this book, as she writes in the introduction, is "to find those who will hear with me a particular idiom of redemption," who will hear "within the particulars of rapture . . . what cannot be expressed." Zornberg's previous book, The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis, won the National Jewish Book Award for nonfiction in 1995 and has become a classic among readers of all religions. The Particulars of Rapture will enhance Zornberg's reputation as one of today's most original and compelling interpreters of the biblical and rabbinic traditions.




Leaves from the Garden of Eden


Book Description

In Leaves from the Garden of Eden, Howard Schwartz, a three-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award, has gathered together one hundred of the most astonishing and luminous stories from Jewish folk tradition.Just as Schwartz's award-winning book Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism collected the essential myths of Jewish tradition, Leaves from the Garden of Eden collects one hundred essential Jewish tales. As imaginative as the Arabian Nights, these stories invoke enchanted worlds, demonic realms, and mystical experiences. The four most popular types of Jewish tales are gathered here--fairy tales, folktales, supernatural tales, and mystical tales--taking readers on heavenly journeys, lifelong quests, and descents to the underworld. King David is still alive in the City of Luz, which the Angel of Death cannot enter, and somewhere deep in the forest a mysterious cottage contains the candle of your soul. In these stories, a bride who is not careful may end up marrying a demon, while the charm sewn into a dress may drive a pious woman to lascivious behavior. There is a dybbuk lurking in a well, a book that comes to life, and a world where Lilith, the Queen of Demons, seduces the unsuspecting. Here too are Jewish versions of many of the best-known tales, including "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel." Schwartz's retelling of one of these stories, "The Finger," inspired Tim Burton's film Corpse Bride.With its broad selection from written and oral sources, Leaves from the Garden of Eden is a landmark collection, representing the full range of Jewish folklore, from the Talmud to the present. It is a must-read for everyone who loves fiction and an ideal holiday gift.




What Happens When Women Walk in Faith


Book Description

What if the next big step God wants you to take is actually small? Stepping into the assignments the Lord has for us and pursuing the dreams He's placed in our hearts can feel overwhelming and exhilarating all at the same time. But walking in His will begins with our daily obedience to Him. Lysa TerKeurst knows what it means to walk by faith and encourages you to discover the deeply personal truths of God's Word for your calling. What Happens When Women Walk in Faith is filled with stories and Scripture that will help you apply practical, Biblical truths to your life and equip you to: Discover 5 phases of your faith walk and embrace the direction that the Lord is leading you. Identify one area where you can draw a line in the sand and take a step toward something new. Be prepared for God to use your small steps of faith to unleash His work and wonder in your life. No matter what God has called you to, you can take this first step!




ScriptureWalk Junior High


Book Description

The ScriptureWalk series is designed to engage Catholic youth in Bible study and reflection. Each of the eight 90-minute sessions in this ScriptureWalk manual contains Bible study and activities that build community, engage youth in discussion, and introduce creative forms of prayer. Each session includes a section called "Family Connection," which gives a short, family-based follow-up idea for the session. ScriptureWalk helps the Bible come alive for young people and is intended for use in youth group meetings, religious education programs, and retreats, and as a supplement to The Catholic Youth Bible�. ScriptureWalk Junior High: People of Promise includes sessions on what biblical figures teach us about spiritual growth, overcoming sin, promoting justice, facing persecution, and staying faithful.




Incantations and Anti-Witchcraft Texts from Ugarit


Book Description

Ugaritic literary and ritual studies have often neglected or even ignored the Akkadian material from the same archives, which can be used as a frame of reference for the Ugaritic texts. The aim of this work is to offer a comprehensive study of the consonantal (Ugaritic) as well as the syllabic (Akkadian) incantation and anti-witchcraft texts from Ras Shamra as a unified corpus. These texts, dealing with impending dangers (mainly snakebites) and witchcraft attacks, are placed in the context of Ancient Near Eastern magic literature. A discussion of general topics, including magic and religion, the Ugaritic gods of magic, and the definition of incantation, is followed by a new collation and translation of the Akkadian texts, as well as new photographic material for both series. The main focus of this book is the close reading of the consonantal texts in the context of the much larger and better analyzed corpus of Akkadian magic literature.




Horror Classics: 560+ Titles in One Edition


Book Description

Horror Classics: 560+ Titles in One Edition is an ambitious anthology that transcends the contours of fear, exploring the depths of the human psyche through a mosaic of horror narratives. This collection celebrates the eclectic dimensions of horror literature, spanning Gothic tales, supernatural stories, and psychological thrillers. By weaving together a tapestry of styles ranging from the eerie subtleties of Henry James to the cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft, this anthology underscores the diversity and richness of the genre. Significant works within the collection demonstrate the evolution of horror, charting a course from the foundational terror of Mary Shelley's influence to the nuanced dread of Algernon Blackwood. The anthology represents a comprehensive survey of horror's literary landscape, capturing the zeitgeist of multiple eras and offering a window into the myriad ways that fear manifests in literature. The authors and editors, hailing from diverse backgrounds and epochs, bring with them their unique historical, cultural, and literary perspectives. Collectively, they represent the multifaceted nature of horror writing, aligning with various movements from Romanticism to Modernism, and touching upon themes of imperialism, gender, and existentialism. Their stories offer a rich commentary on the societal fears and anxieties of their times, providing insight into the human condition. This collaborative effort illuminates the shared human experience of fear, binding the collection into a cohesive exploration of horror's thematic richness and depth. Horror Classics: 560+ Titles in One Edition is a seminal compilation that promises to enchant, educate, and provoke thought, appealing to both aficionados and newcomers of the horror genre. This anthology not only serves as a comprehensive guide through the eerie landscapes of terror and the macabre but also as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in confronting the unknown. Readers are invited to delve into this extensive collection, to unravel the complex tapestry of horror literature, and to engage in a dialogue with some of the most influential voices in the genre. It is a must-read for those seeking to grasp the full spectrum of horrors literary heritage and its evolution across centuries.




The Bible and the Land


Book Description

As the early church moved away from the original cultural setting of the Bible and found its home in the west, Christians lost touch with the ancient world of the Bible. Cultural habits, the particulars of landscape, even the biblical languages soon were unknown. And the cost was enormous: Christians began reading the Bible as foreigners and missing the original images and ideas that shaped a biblical worldview.This new book by New Testament scholar Gary Burge launches a multivolume series that explores how the culture of the biblical world is presupposed in story after story of the Bible. Using cultural anthropology, ancient literary sources, and a selective use of modern Middle Eastern culture, Burge reopens the ancient biblical story and urges us to look at them through new lenses. Here he explores primary motifs from the biblical landscape—geography, water, rock, bread, etc.—and applies them to vital stories from the Bible.