Download or read book Making and Breaking the Gods written by Troels Myrup Kristensen and published by Aarhus Universitetsforlag. This book was released on 2013-06-30 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The basic premise of the book at hand is that there is meaning to be 'excavated' (in both meanings of the word) from Christian responses to pagan sculpture in the period from the fourth to the sixth century. More than mindless acts of religious violence by fanatical mobs, these responses are revelatory of contemporary conceptions of images and the different ways in which the material manifestations of the pagan past could be negotiated in Late Antiquity. Statues were important to the social, political and religious life of cities across the Mediterranean, as well as part of a culture of representation that was intricately bound to bodily taxonomies and visual practices.
Download or read book Making and Breaking the Gods written by Troels Myrup Kristensen and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Drawing on both textual and archaeological sources, this book discusses how Christians in Late Antiquity negotiated the sculptural environment of cities and sanctuaries in a variety of ways, ranging from creative transformations to iconoclastic performances. Their responses to pagan sculpture present a rich window into the mechanisms through which society and culture changed under the influence of Christianity. The book thus demonstrates how Christian responses to pagan sculpture rhetorically continued an old tradition of discussing visual practices and the materiality of divine representations. Focusing in particular on the Egypt and the Near East, it furthermore argues that Christian responses encompass much more than mindless violence and need to be contextualised against other social and political developments, as well as local traditions of representation."--
Download or read book God The Failed Hypothesis written by Victor J. Stenger and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2010-08-05 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.
Download or read book Breaking Gods written by D. J. Molles and published by . This book was released on 2019-08-10 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Leave it to DJ Molles to change the genre with a breakneck action novel that had me turning the pages while thinking, why the hell didn't I write this!"--Nicholas Sansbury Smith, NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Hell Divers and Extinction Cycle series. In the beginning, the gods destroyed the world. Five hundred years later, things haven't gotten much better for humans. The demigods that were left behind to guard over humanity have been using them as fodder for an endless civil war between themselves, and the humans just go on dutifully slaughtering each other, battle after battle. It's not all bad, though. Perry McGown makes his living off those bloody, stinking battlefields. He works on a crew that reclaims all the spent shell casings. They reload them into new cartridges, and then sell them in towns. It's a good gig, it puts a few gold coins in Perry's pocket, and best of all, no one asks too many questions about his past. Which is ideal, because if anyone found out that he was a deserter from the war, he'd be executed for heresy. Then some bad blood between crewmembers leads to one man with his brains dashed in, and Perry heading for the hangman's noose. Through a flurry of gunfire and blood, Perry manages a narrow escape, but only with the help of the two people he likes least: A girl named Teran that asks far too many questions about his past; and an ex-legionnaire named Stuber, whose penchant for gleeful violence brings back bad memories for Perry. On the run and pursued by a ruthless demigod, Perry is forced to confront the demons of a past that he thought he'd left behind him--and learn truths about himself and his family that have been buried for decades. But the more Perry learns, the more dangerous his journey becomes. Because the truth about Perry could break the gods. "Breaking Gods is one of those books I couldn't put down. Molles filled the pages with gritty, intense action that drove the story to a satisfying conclusion and left me eager for more." - Jason Anspach, bestselling author of Galaxy's Edge.
Download or read book When God s Ways Make No Sense written by Dr. Larry Crabb and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2018-07-03 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It doesn't take too much living before we realize that life never goes quite the way we want it to. But when things get hard and we don't understand what God is doing, what is our first impulse? Is it to resist him and run away like Jonah? Or is it to trust him even while trembling in fear of suffering like Habakkuk? In this powerful exploration of God's often mysterious and counterintuitive ways, Dr. Larry Crabb challenges readers to seize the opportunities for growth and maturity that come our way when we experience troubles and failures. Rather than pushing back against adversity, he invites us to look closer at what God is doing in our lives when it feels like he is far from us. Unpacking the stories of two very different prophets, Crabb lights the way to a life of resting in the goodness of a God who is always working out his plan for our lives.
Download or read book Playing God written by Andy Crouch and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2013-09-06 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With Playing God, Andy Crouch opens the subject of power, elucidating its subtle activity in our relationships and institutions. He gives us much more than a warning against abuse, though. Turning the notion of "playing God" on its head, Crouch celebrates power as the gift by which we join in God's creative, redeeming work in the world.
Download or read book Twelve Against the Gods written by William Bolitho and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2018-09-25 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An instant bestseller when first published in 1929—biographies of twelve bold individuals from history and what they did to separate themselves from the pack. In his trademark journalist style, author William Bolitho details the lives of twelve great adventurers—Alexander the Great, Casanova, Christopher Columbus, Mahomet, Lola Montez, Cagliostro (and Seraphina), Charles XII of Sweden, Napoleon I, Lucius Sergius Catiline, Napoleon III, Isadora Duncan, and Woodrow Wilson. Bolitho elucidates both the struggles and successes that made these figures so iconic, and demonstrates how they all battled convention and conformity to achieve enduring fame and notoriety. “We are born adventurers,” Bolitho writes, “and the love of adventures never leaves us till we are very old; old, timid men, in whose interest it is that adventure should quite die out. This is why all the poets are on one side, and all the laws on the other; for laws are made by, and usually for, old men.” Though his essays are nearly one hundred years old, they encompass the timeless values of perseverance, bravery, and strength of spirit that have proven to resonate with the pioneers and thought leaders of today. “It’s really quite good.” —Elon Musk “Twelve Against the Gods provides an interesting perspective on what drove and impeded this group of adventurers . . . A good read for anyone who’s interested in history or looking to find some motivation to switch things up and break the rules.” —Áine Cain, Business Insider “I think Twelve Against the Gods is also very appropriate for this day and age. We need adventurers, and there still are a lot of adventurers.” —China Ryall, daughter of William Bolitho
Download or read book Gameboard of the Gods written by Richelle Mead and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-06-04 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The truth is, when you banish the gods from the world, they eventually come back—with a vengeance. In the near future, Justin March lives in exile from the Republic of United North America. After failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, Justin is surprised when he is sent back with a peculiar assignment—to solve a string of ritualistic murders steeped in seemingly unexplainable phenomena. Justin’s return comes with an even bigger shock: His new partner and bodyguard, Mae Koskinen, is a prætorian, one of the Republic’s technologically enhanced supersoldiers. Mae’s inexplicable beauty and aristocratic upbringing attract Justin’s curiosity and desire, but her true nature holds more danger than anyone realizes. As their investigation unfolds, Justin and Mae find themselves in the crosshairs of mysterious enemies. Powers greater than they can imagine have started to assemble in the shadows, preparing to reclaim a world that has renounced religion and where humans are merely gamepieces on their board.
Download or read book Standing Strong written by Alli Worthington and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2020-09-29 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Let go of the guilt, shake off the shame, and fend off your fears. God made you to stand strong in any situation, and bestselling author Alli Worthington will show you how. We live in a culture that constantly tells you who you should be as a modern woman. You're told that you aren't enough and that you don't have what it takes to chase your dreams. But it doesn't have to be that way. For the woman who longs to break free from what holds her back, Standing Strong offers a no-nonsense, guilt-free guide to take back your life from self-doubt. In Standing Strong, Alli comes alongside you as you: Eliminate, once and for all, the lies that keep you from being who God made you to be Become an unbreakable woman who finds her strength from God for any adversity Gain strategies for tackling the obstacles of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity Find the confidence to say yes and amen to God's call on your life You can't break a woman who draws her strength from God. You're stronger than you think, and you're worth more than you could ever imagine. Let this book help you cement these realities in your life. Praise for Standing Strong: "The path to fulfilling our God-given purpose is filled with numerous twists, turns, and challenges. In Standing Strong, Alli shows us how to press through our fears, doubts, and self-imposed limitations in order to embark on the exhilarating faith-filled adventure we are each destined to live. This book is full of wisdom, grace, and honesty. I loved it and know you will too." --Christine Caine, Founder of A21 and Propel Women "If your life has been plagued by self-doubt, by feelings of never being enough, Alli has given us a road map to saying yes to who God says we are." --Sheila Walsh, Author of Praying Women and Praying Girls
Download or read book Breaking Free from Body Shame written by Jess Connolly and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2021-06-22 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You were made for more than a love/hate relationship with your body. It's one thing to know in your head that you were created in the image of God. Yet it's quite another to experience this belief in your body, against the cultural ideals of a woman's worth. And between the two lies a world of frustration, disappointment, and the shame of somehow feeling both too much and never enough in your body. Jess Connolly is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, and trusted Bible teacher who knows this inner conflict all too well, and this book details her journey--and yours--of setting out to discover how to break free from the broken beliefs we all hold about our bodies that hold us back from our fullest life. The truest thing about you is that you are made and loved by God. And the truest thing about Him is that He cannot make bad things. This book will help you believe it with your whole self, as Jess guides you through an eye-opening, empowering process of: Renaming what the world has labeled as less-than Resting in God's workmanship Experiencing restoration where there has been injury And becoming a change agent in partnering with God to bring revival to a generation of women Far from a superficial issue, self-image is a spiritual issue, because God has named your body good from the beginning. Whether your struggle is with eating and exercise habits, stress or trauma, infertility or injury, this book makes space for you to experience God meeting you in this tender place, and ring His freedom bell over your body in a whole new way.
Download or read book Machines for Making Gods written by Jon Bialecki and published by Fordham University Press. This book was released on 2022-03-01 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mormon faith may seem so different from aspirations to transcend the human through technological means that it is hard to imagine how these two concerns could even exist alongside one another, let alone serve together as the joint impetus for a social movement. Machines for Making Gods investigates the tensions between science and religion through which an imaginative group of young Mormons and ex-Mormons have found new ways of understanding the world. The Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) believes that God intended humanity to achieve Mormonism’s promise of theosis through imminent technological advances. Drawing on a nineteenth-century Mormon tradition of religious speculation to reimagine Mormon eschatological hopes as near-future technological possibilities, they envision such current and possible advances as cryonic preservation, computer simulation, and quantum archeology as paving the way for the resurrection of the dead, the creation of worlds without end, and promise of undergoing theosis—of becoming a god. Addressing the role of speculation in the anthropology of religion, Machines for Making Gods undoes debates about secular transhumanism’s relation to religion by highlighting the differences an explicitly religious transhumanism makes. Charting the conflicts and resonances between secular transhumanism and Mormonism, Bialecki shows how religious speculation has opened up imaginative horizons to give birth to new forms of Mormonism, including a particular progressive branch of the faith and even such formations as queer polygamy. The book also reveals how the MTA’s speculative account of God and technology together has helped to forestall some of the social pressure that comes with apostasy in much of the Mormon Intermountain West. A fascinating ethnography of a group with much to say about crucial junctures of modern culture, Machines for Making Gods illustrates how the scientific imagination can be better understood when viewed through anthropological accounts of myth.
Download or read book Hindu Gods in an American Landscape written by E. Allen Richardson and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-12-04 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In India, Hindu images have been cast for millennia through the lost wax process and brought to life by priests--becoming not merely venerated icons but actual embodiments of gods. Second and third generation Hindu Americans have increasingly adopted a more worldly perspective toward religious objects, viewing them as symbolic rather than actual presences of the deity. The author traces the origins of this important shift, and examines Western attitudes regarding sacred objects, as well as the complex layering of traditional and modern Hindu attitudes in a globalized world.
Download or read book God versus Gods written by Reuven Chaim Klein and published by Mosaica Press. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Breaking Free written by Beth Moore and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2007-04 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you want to know God and really believe Him? Do you want to find satisfaction in God, experience His peace, and enjoy His presence? Do you want to make the freedom Christ promised a reality in your daily life?
Download or read book Accidental Gods written by Anna Della Subin and published by Metropolitan Books. This book was released on 2021-12-07 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE, THE IRISH TIMES AND THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT A provocative history of men who were worshipped as gods that illuminates the connection between power and religion and the role of divinity in a secular age Ever since 1492, when Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New World and was hailed as a heavenly being, the accidental god has haunted the modern age. From Haile Selassie, acclaimed as the Living God in Jamaica, to Britain’s Prince Philip, who became the unlikely center of a new religion on a South Pacific island, men made divine—always men—have appeared on every continent. And because these deifications always emerge at moments of turbulence—civil wars, imperial conquest, revolutions—they have much to teach us. In a revelatory history spanning five centuries, a cast of surprising deities helps to shed light on the thorny questions of how our modern concept of “religion” was invented; why religion and politics are perpetually entangled in our supposedly secular age; and how the power to call someone divine has been used and abused by both oppressors and the oppressed. From nationalist uprisings in India to Nigerien spirit possession cults, Anna Della Subin explores how deification has been a means of defiance for colonized peoples. Conversely, we see how Columbus, Cortés, and other white explorers amplified stories of their godhood to justify their dominion over native peoples, setting into motion the currents of racism and exclusion that have plagued the New World ever since they touched its shores. At once deeply learned and delightfully antic, Accidental Gods offers an unusual keyhole through which to observe the creation of our modern world. It is that rare thing: a lyrical, entertaining work of ideas, one that marks the debut of a remarkable literary career.
Download or read book The Insanity of God written by Nik Ripken and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2013 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An amazing story of a missionary couple's journey into the toughest places on earth is combined with stories about remarkable people of faith they encountered to challenge and inspire those curious about the sufficiency of God.
Download or read book Stealing from God written by Frank Turek and published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2014 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you think atheists have reason, evidence, and science on their side, think again! Award-winning author Dr. Frank Turek (I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist) will show you how atheists steal reason, evidence, science, and other arguments from God in trying to make their case for atheism. If that sounds contradictory, it's because it is! Atheists can't make their case without appealing to realities only theism can explain. In an engaging and memorable way,Stealing from God exposes these intellectual crimes atheists are committing and then provides four powerful reasons for why Christianity is true.
