>

In recent decades economic dislocation, immigration, new architecture, and other forces have transformed the physical, social, and even religious landscape of large cities. There gleaming skyscrapers tower over struggling ghettos, abandoned businesses mar upscale shopping areas, and tall-steeple churches sometimes languish where storefront mosques thrive. Exploring the religious significance of this new urban landscape, a group of theologians, members of the Workgroup on Constructive Christian Theology, traveled to select cities and found an exciting, vibrant, and multivoiced religious spirit at work. In these essays five leading American theologians delve deeply into the contemporary spiritual geographies of five cities, capturing, through a mix of personal and historical narrative, political analysis, and theological rumination, a sense of this new sacred space and the spirit aborning there.

Including details about chanting's history and traditions as well as new scientific findings about the many medical benefits of humming and vibration, this guide to vocal meditation provides readers with easy instructions, breathing techniques, and tips on how to create unique, personal chants. Rep

Drawing on philosophical reflection, spiritual and religious values, and somatic practice, Spirit and the Obligation of Social Flesh offers guidance for moving amidst the affective dynamics that animate the streets of the global cities now amassing around our planet. Here theology turns decidedly secular. In urban medieval Europe, seculars were uncloistered persons who carried their spiritual passion and sense of an obligated life into daily circumambulations of the city. Seculars lived in the city, on behalf of the city, but—contrary to the new profit economy of the time—with a different locus of value: spirit. Betcher argues that for seculars today the possibility of a devoted life, the practice of felicity in history, still remains. Spirit now names a necessary “prosthesis,” a locus for regenerating the elemental commons of our interdependent flesh and thus for cultivating spacious and fearless empathy, forbearance, and generosity. Her theological poetics, though based in Christianity, are frequently in conversation with other religions resident in our postcolonial cities.

Today's church suffers a crisis of confidence as a result of pluralism, globalism, and postmodernity. Seasoned New Testament scholar Graham Twelftree's historical exploration of Luke's view of the church contributes to the current conversation about what the church is and should do. Twelftree draws together various strands in Luke's Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to show Luke's profound influence on the church and explain Luke's thought regarding the church's origin, nature, purpose, and mission. A final chapter proposes Lukan conclusions to such debated questions as the relationship between church and salvation; the relationship between the Spirit, water baptism, and glossolalia in Christian initiation; the question of infant baptism; the character of worship; the interplay of Scripture and experience; church structure and leadership; and the nature of Christian mission.

The inspirational wisdom Oprah Winfrey shares in her monthly O., The Oprah Magazine column updated, curated, and collected for the first time in a beautiful keepsake book. As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the highest-rated program of its kind, launched her own television network, become the nation's only African-American billionaire, and been awarded both an honorary degree by Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From all her experiences, she has gleaned life lessons—which, for fourteen years, she's shared in O, The Oprah Magazine's widely popular "What I Know For Sure" column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation. Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful cloth bound book with a ribbon marker, packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme—joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power—these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women—while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and frequently humorous, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of truth that readers will turn to again and again.

"This book is the text for course CG-0477 in the subject area Personal Life in the Christian Growth Study Plan."

Yuan was born with an incurable illness that left him blind at a young age and crippled a few years later, rendering everything below his head useless. Deemed hopeless and irredeemable, his parents quickly gave up on him, and the world ignored him. In this dark and still world, his younger sister became his sole reason for living. Watch as this young man reaches for the apex as a genius in Cultivation Online, the newest VRMMORPG, becoming a legendary figure in both worlds. --------------------- Disclaimer: The MC is extremely overpowered and talented but also naive/innocent at first due to his illness. If you cannot wait for character developments and dislike OP MCs, this is not your cup of tea. Furthermore, the 'Earth' in this novel is not the same Earth we are currently living on so do not use our common sense for this novel. This is pure fantasy, after all. --------------------- My other novels: Dual Cultivation/ Inferior Cultivation System

Exploring the Spirit of Maine is a unique travel guide and reference book for those seeking either traditional or non-traditional options for spiritual and/or inner development. Author Karen Batignani reveals Maine's rich and varied religious history along with contemporary spiritual offerings: an ashram in Industry, a yoga retreat in Island Falls, Franciscan Friars in Kennebunk, two schools for shamanism and one that ordains high priestesses are just a few of the surprises Batignani found while mapping the spiritual landscape of Maine. In her travels, she discovered non-mainstream religions, Eastern traditions, spiritual communities, schools, retreats, and sacred architecture. The result is a selection of 45 interesting offerings that are covered in enough depth to satisfy the spiritually curious and enable those who are seeking spiritual community to fit right in. Batignani includes contact information for each entry, along with a summary list of recommended readings.