Propelled by a desire for the sacred, spiritual seekers of the Middle Ages were masters of pilgrimage, dedicated to their journeys of religious devotion. Their epic voyages took them across continents and treacherous mountain passages, and were undertaken with a keen awareness of the possible perils of the journey. Still, by faith, they went on pilgrimage in hopes of tracing the steps of Jesus in the holy city of Jerusalem. In 3000 Miles to Jesus Lisa Deam invites us to embrace the adventure of spiritual pilgrimage in our everyday lives. Bringing alive the rich stories of medieval pilgrims, she offers an intimate look at these quests for the sacred, helping us draw rich application for our walks of faith today. To take this road, we won't have to give up flushing toilets, warm beds, or cell phones. But we are invited to travel the rugged terrain of faith: journeying in risk and adventure through unfamiliar territory, across the unknown seas of the spiritual life, meeting life's difficult passages of loss, accompanied by the temptation to turn back even as we march on. In meeting challenges in the wise company of the ancient pilgrims, we learn hope and resolve as we walk a wild and wonderful way to a city that shimmers beyond a horizon we cannot yet see. We are headed for the Jerusalem of our hearts. When we understand the risks taken and the courage and conviction driving the medieval pilgrim, a bigger picture of a lifelong journey of faith comes into view. We are opened up to the sacred world before us in new and unexpected ways.

“David”—a name mentioned nearly a thousand times in the Bible! Shepherd boy, musician, singer-songwriter, prophet and king (and part-time priest!), husband and father, and a God-gifted genius at close, hand-to-hand combat. An extraordinary man. This close reading of the life of David—all the way from where teenage David is first introduced (1 Sam 16) to his death (1 Kgs 2)—gives an opportunity to see the wonderful, the awful, and the (shockingly) ugly elements of his life. There are some difficult texts and difficult lessons. Significant matters arise, such as the nature of prayer, the importance of forgiveness, abuse, the nature of leadership, death and enemies, understanding patriarchy in biblical texts, spiritual gifts, and evil spirits. Readers will discover that these texts speak loudly and clearly to the issues of our day. Beginning with the Former Prophets (1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings) for the narrator’s point of view, this book also examines the Psalms to give an understanding of what was happening for David on the inside. Undertaken as a devotional exercise, the aim of these studies is always that of seeing Jesus more clearly and living more securely in the shadow of his wing.

Katherine of Alexandria was a major object of devotion within medieval Europe, ranking second only to the Virgin Mary in the canon of female saints. Yet despite her undoubted importance, relatively little is known about the significance and function of her cult within the German-speaking territories that stood at the heart of Europe. Anne Simon's study adds a welcome new interdisciplinary perspective to the study of Saint Katherine and the wider ecclesiastical landscape of a medieval Europe poised on the edge of religious change. Taking as a case study the wealthy and politically influential merchant city of Nuremberg, this book draws on a wide variety of textual and visual sources to explore interrelated themes: the shaping of urban space through the cult of Saint Katherine; her role in the moulding and advertising patrician identity and alliances through cultural patronage; and patrician use of the saint to showcase the city's political, economic, cultural and religious importance at the heart of the Holy Roman Empire. Further , the book reveals the construction of exemplarity in Saint Katherine's legend and miracles and their resonance within the context of the city and the Dominican Convent of Saint Katherine, whose nuns came from the same status-aware, confident patrician elite that so loyally supported successive Emperors. Filling a significant gap in current research, the work has much to offer scholars of medieval history, hagiography, art history, German studies, cultural and urban studies. Hence it not only expands our understanding of Saint Katherine's importance in German-speaking territories, but also adds to the picture of her cult in its European perspective.