The author of the bestselling Discovery in Comics series, including on Science and Philosophy, tackles a very sensitive subject. Dealing with religion often means walking on eggshells - that is what comic artist Margreet de Heer finds out when creating this book! She presents the five major world religions and modern spirituality in a colourful, personal, yet serious manner. She explores religious history and practices with tact and an open mind, but can't prevent a few eggs from breaking. This book in comics is fun and informative for both believers and non-believers.

A humorous yet substantive introduction to the world's religions and their concepts Explaining the five major religions and modern spirituality in clear, colorful chapters, this illustrated primer is a great way to introduce a complex topic. In her easily accessible style, Margreet de Heer explores religious history and practices in an unbiased way and with a dash of humor, and makes it approachable for those with little knowledge of the subject. It offers a fresh look from different perspectives on the phenomenon of religion; the backgrounds and history of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism; and makes the point that religion is something that should unite us, not drive us apart.

"Account of how comic book heroes have helped their creators and fans alike explore and express a wealth of paranormal experiences ignored by mainstream science. Delving deeply into the work of major figures in the field - from Jack Kirby's cosmic superhero sagas and Philip K. Dick's futuristic head-trips to Alan Moore's sex magic and Whitley Strieber's communion with visitors - Kripal shows how creators turned to science fiction to convey the reality of the inexplicable and the paranormal they experienced in their lives. Expanded consciousness found its language in the metaphors of sci-fi - incredible powers, unprecedented mutations, time-loops and vast intergalactic intelligences - and the deeper influences of mythology and religion that these in turn drew from ; the wildly creative work that followed caught the imaginations of millions. Moving deftly from Cold War science and Fredric Wertham's anticomics crusade to gnostic revelation and alien abduction, Kripal spins out a hidden history of American culture, rich with mythical themes and shot through with an awareness that there are other realities far beyond our everyday understanding."--Jacket.

Pulitzer-prize nominee and English professor Garrett explores the deeper side of comic books--and the motion pictures they inspire--for the lessons they can teach readers about faith, justice, and redemption.

This illustrated primer on philosophy is a great way to be introduced to a complex topic. In her easily accessible style, Margreet de Heer visualizes the history of Western philosophy and makes it approachable for those with little knowledge of the subject. The book explains the thoughts of philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, and Nietzsche, and ponders questions such as What is thinking? What is reality? Is there free will? and Why are these ideas still important? A perfect introduction to exploring philosophical concepts, this humorous yet substantive graphic account strips the subject of unnecessary complexity.

Comic books have increasingly become a vehicle for serious social commentary and, specifically, for innovative religious thought. Practitioners of both traditional religions and new religious movements have begun to employ comics as a missionary tool, while humanists and religious progressives use comics' unique fusion of text and image to criticize traditional theologies and to offer alternatives. Addressing the increasing fervor with which the public has come to view comics as an art form and Americans' fraught but passionate relationship with religion, Graven Images explores with real insight the roles of religion in comic books and graphic novels. In essays by scholars and comics creators, Graven Images observes the frequency with which religious material—in devout, educational, satirical, or critical contexts—occurs in both independent and mainstream comics. Contributors identify the unique advantages of the comics medium for religious messages; analyze how comics communicate such messages; place the religious messages contained in comic books in appropriate cultural, social, and historical frameworks; and articulate the significance of the innovative theologies being developed in comics.

Journey back in time to a decade before Captain Kirk and the Enterprise set out on their five-year mission, when the United Federation of Planets is locked in conflict with the mysterious Klingon Empire. But just who are these formidable foes? Delve into the shocking world of the Klingons in a story you can only find in this miniseries, which ties directly into the show.

The major religions of the world are a mystery to many high school teens. Now you can help them unlock the doors of these traditions with our new text, World Religions: A Voyage of Discovery. The book is an introductory survey that helps eleventh and twelfth graders understand the people, dimensions, and religious principles of the world's major religions. The textbook includes a chapter on each of eleven major world religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and others. The text offers the Catholic perspective on interreligious dialogue, an overview of basic questions that religions address, and Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of religion. A glossary and word pronunciations in each chapter help students learn unfamiliar terms. In addition, the second edition of this text incorporates the following new features: a new chapter on modern trends in religion; new, more detailed maps; a new section on the Aztec religion of Mesoamerica; a sidebar in each chapter offering examples of the seven dimensions of religion; and review questions at the end of each chapter.

The cult-hit, Manning Award-nominated miniseries gets collected with bonus content! When the Biblical apocalypse starts, charming bastard Bram Carlson is raptured into Heaven in a "clerical error." After heÍs sent back to Earth, Bram decides to cash in the end of the world for all itÍs worth! But can his anxious roommate Ben save his friend from himself„and the mounting forces of Armageddon? Check out the book the OnionÍs AVClub called ñhilariousî and IGN called ñan amazing series!î

In this mind-bending exploration of traditional Christianity, firebrand Peter Rollins turns the tables on conventional wisdom, offering a fresh perspective focused on a life filled with love. Peter Rollins knows one magic trick—now, make sure you watch closely. It has three parts: the Pledge, the Turn, and the Prestige. In Divine Magician, each part comes into play as he explores a radical view of interacting with the world in love. Rollins argues that the Christian event, reenacted in the Eucharist, is indeed a type of magic trick, one that is echoed in the great vanishing acts performed by magicians throughout the ages. In this trick, a divine object is presented to us (the Pledge), disappears (the Turn), and then returns (the Prestige). But just as the returned object in a classic vanishing act is not really the same object—but another that looks the same—so this book argues that the return of God is not simply the return of what was initially presented, but rather a radical way of interacting with the world. In an effort to unearth the power of Christianity, Rollins uses this framework to explain the mystery of faith that has been lost on the church. In the same vein as Rob Bell’s bestseller Love Wins, this book pushes the boundaries of theology, presenting a stirring vision at the forefront of re-imagined modern Christianity. As a dynamic speaker as he is in writing, Rollins examines traditional religious notions from a revolutionary and refreshingly original perspective. At the heart of his message is a life lived through profound love. Just perhaps, says Rollins, the radical message found in Christianity might be one that the church can show allegiance to.