The Dark Side of Christian History


Book Description

By denying evil we do harm. By denying darkness we obscure the light. Over a period of almost two millennia, the Christian Church has oppressed and brutalized millions of individuals in an attempt to control and contain spirituality. The Dark Side of Christian History reveals in painstaking detail the tragedies, sorrows and injustices inflicted upon humanity by the Church. This expose is a compelling and passionate cry for human dignity and spiritual freedom. Book jacket.




A History of Catholic Antisemitism


Book Description

Moving from the Catholic Church's pagan origins, through the Roman era, middle ages, and Reformation to the present, Robert Michael here provides a definitive history of Catholic antisemitism.




The Dark Side of the Purpose Driven Church


Book Description

Without doubt, the Purpose Driven Church has become a tremendous force in the world, but Noah Hutchings sees a dark side to this force. The Purpose Driven Church religion at best is a distortion of the gospel; at worst, a movement to unite all religions to produce a one-world church. - back cover




A People's History of Christianity


Book Description

For too long, the history of Christianity has been told as the triumph of orthodox doctrine imposed through power and hierarchy. In A People's History of Christianity, historian and religion expert Diana Butler Bass reveals an alternate history that includes a deep social ethic and far-reaching inclusivity: "the other side of the story" is not a modern phenomenon, but has always been practiced within the church. Butler Bass persuasively argues that corrective—even subversive—beliefs and practices have always been hallmarks of Christianity and are necessary to nourish communities of faith. In the same spirit as Howard Zinn's groundbreaking work The People's History of the United States, Butler Bass's A People's History of Christianity brings to life the movements, personalities, and spiritual disciplines that have always informed and ignited Christian worship and social activism. A People's History of Christianity authenticates the vital, emerging Christian movements of our time, providing the historical evidence that celebrates these movements as thoroughly Christian and faithful to the mission and message of Jesus.




Vicars of Christ


Book Description




The Dark Side of Catholicism


Book Description

The book you are about to read is a compilation from many sources. It is not an indictment of Catholics as individuals but on the role of the papacy down through the ages as she (mis)guided the faithful deliberately or unknowingly in the path of (un)righteousness. As one living in a predominantly Catholic country, most of my friends and acquaintances are Catholics and many of them are ignorant of the unbiblical practices being taught by the magisterium. The fear imposed upon the faithful regarding conversation with other groups of Christians and the reading of books written by them makes it almost impossible reach them. Behind the many traditional practices are untold stories of lies and deceits whose only purpose was to lead the faithful astray. Salvation is given to those who trust in the saving grace of God through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior when He died on the cross to save us from our sins. It is not by joining a church as Roman Catholic Church and other churches have taught. Many Catholics are not aware that they are being fed with beliefs and practices unsanctioned by God. Some of them are just plain heresy that could easily sway the undiscerning faithful as they follow unquestionably the teachings imposed on them. Many Catholics given an opportunity to hear the gospel preached by orthodox Protestants find new understanding and often turn away from the Catholic faith. The Bible contains everything necessary to save souls without going through rituals as imposed by the Church. The Church even goes on to add new doctrines that are contrary to the Bible. The faithful are taught other elaborate ways which they need to do to gain salvation contrary to the simple truth taught by Jesus. Most Catholics have no idea of how their religion has slowly developed from true orthodox Christianity based on the Bible into a religion that has some resemblance to the Bible teachings yet on closer study turns out to be quite different. This is because the Bible, especially the New Testament, had been deliberately distorted, extended, omitted, perverted, twisted and/or misinterpreted to make them mean whatever the Pope wants them to mean. She also refuses to accept and mend her ways in the light of a better understanding of the Bible. By proclaiming herself infallible, she puts herself into a bind that she cannot get out of. Now she is forced to continue the charade unmindful of the effects on the souls of the faithful. In all regions where she predominates, as she did during the Middle Ages, she is able to impose her will not only on her own faithful, but also on all others that refuse to adhere to her teachings. The Church is intolerant of anyone writing about her history and wrongdoings. History has shown that she will through great lengths to suppress anything that remotely resembles anything written against her. Even in tbis age of openness and free information, she finds it difficult to be enlightened to allow all views especially on the very important matter of individual salvation.




The Evil That Men Do


Book Description

This book considers the Church's past failings and fills a gap in our understanding of what it means to be a Christian in the twenty-first century.




Irrationality


Book Description

"What every leader needs to know about dignity and how to create a culture in which everyone thrives. This landmark book from an expert in dignity studies explores the essential but under-recognized role of dignity as part of good leadership. Extending the reach of her award-winning book Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict, Donna Hicks now contributes a specific, practical guide to achieving a culture of dignity. Most people know very little about dignity, the author has found, and when leaders fail to respect the dignity of others, conflict and distrust ensue. She highlights three components of leading with dignity: what one must know in order to honor dignity and avoid violating it; what one must do to lead with dignity; and how one can create a culture of dignity in any organization, whether corporate, religious, governmental, healthcare, or beyond. Brimming with key research findings, real-life case studies, and workable recommendations, this book fills an important gap in our understanding of how best to be together in a conflict-ridden world."--




Flourishing


Book Description

More than almost anything else, globalization and the great world religions are shaping our lives, affecting everything from the public policies of political leaders and the economic decisions of industry bosses and employees, to university curricula, all the way to the inner longings of our hearts. Integral to both globalization and religions are compelling, overlapping, and sometimes competing visions of what it means to live well. In this perceptive, deeply personal, and beautifully written book, a leading theologian sheds light on how religions and globalization have historically interacted and argues for what their relationship ought to be. Recounting how these twinned forces have intersected in his own life, he shows how world religions, despite their malfunctions, remain one of our most potent sources of moral motivation and contain within them profoundly evocative accounts of human flourishing. Globalization should be judged by how well it serves us for living out our authentic humanity as envisioned within these traditions. Through renewal and reform, religions might, in turn, shape globalization so that can be about more than bread alone.




The Jihad of Jesus


Book Description

We are caught up in the cycle of so-called "holy wars." In The Jihad of Jesus, Dave Andrews argues that while this inter-communal conflict is endemic, it is not inevitable. Depending on our understanding, our religions can be either a source of escalating conflict or a resource for overcoming inter-communal conflict; and for our religions to be a resource for overcoming conflict, we need to understand the heart of all true religion as open-hearted compassionate spirituality. In the light of an open-hearted compassionate spirituality, we can reclaim the word "jihad" from extremists who have (mis)appropriated it as a call to "holy war," and reframe it, in truly Qur'anic terms, as a "sacred nonviolent struggle for justice"; and we can reconsider Jesus, as he is in the Gospels, not as a poster boy for Christians fighting crusades against Muslims, but as "a strong-but-gentle Messianic figure" who can bring Christians and Muslims together. As this book shows, many Christians and Muslims have found Isa (Jesus) and the Bismillah (celebrating the mercy, grace, and compassion of God) as common ground upon which they can stand and work for the common good. The Jihad of Jesus is a handbook for reconciliation and action: a do-it-yourself guide for all Christians and Muslims who want to move beyond the "clash of civilizations," join the jihad of Jesus, and struggle for justice and peace nonviolently side by side.