In a series of ruminations, Edward G. Simmons brings a lifetime’s experiences, along with biblical and historical insights, to the ethical problems faced by Christians living under the impact of President Trump. Teaching values and respect for truth to college students and Christians of all varieties, he sometimes lectures on the Bible and sometimes writes sermons full of conviction. His combination of history, science, and biblical information is stimulating, encouraging, and often provocative for young and mature readers.

Dangerous spiritual vacuum is created by the godless philosophies and life styles in all the cultures. Modernity’s rationalism and anti-supernaturalism created a world without God. Postmodernity’s relativism and subjectivism created a world without values and morality. The false philosophical methodology of anti-supernaturalism aimed at attacking the Biblical truth back-fired and landed the nations open to the supernaturalism of the devil. This is obvious through the growing alternative spiritualities. The best and the safest philosophy and truth is introduced and proved in this book.

Albert Schweitzer's leading philosophical idea was "reverence for life": good consists in maintaining and perfecting life, evil in destroying and obstructing life. For Schweitzer, all life is sacred, and ethics deals with human attitudes and behavior toward all living beings. Unlike most other moral philosophers, Schweitzer argues that knowledge of human nature does not lead to any unique moral theory. For that reason, he bases his ethics on much broader foundations, articulated in his philosophy of civilization and philosophy of religion. His central idea is that the material element of our civilization has become far more important than its spiritual counterpart. Even organized religion has put itself in the service of politics and economics, thereby losing its vitality and moral authority. Schweitzer's ethics of reverence for life, argues Predrag Cicovacki, offers a viable alternative at a time when traditional ethical theories are found inadequate. Collecting fifteen of Schweitzer's most effective essays, this volume serves as a compelling introduction to this remarkable thinker.

Collected here in a single volume are the most important philosophical writings of Albert Schweitzer, one of the greatest thinkers and humanitarians of our time. Carefully chosen from among his many written works, the selections in this anthology illuminate and amplify Dr. Schweitzer’s cardinal principle of belief—a reverence for life. Among the important and revealing works included are “Pilgrimage to Humanity,” which outlines his philosophy of culture, the early influences in his life, and his ideal of world peace; “The Light Within Us,” one of the twentieth century’s most significant and beautiful statements of one man’s faith in his fellow man; and “Reverence for Life,” which states, with great clarity and conviction, the essence of Schweitzer’s wisdom. Because of his legendary fame as a medical missionary, other equally important and outstanding aspects of Schweitzer’s life are not as well known. Readers of this book will realize that Albert Schweitzer was a truly creative thinker, whose concern with the problems of the human spirit and whose methods of expressing this concern have raised him to the stature of one of the world’s foremost philosophers.

This “little gem of a book” shares the Nobel laureate’s profound insights on ethics, ecology, human rights, and more (Jane Goodall). The theologian and humanitarian Albert Schweitzer dedicated his life to the betterment of mankind. In 1952, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his philosophy of Reverence for Life—and for the many ways he put that philosophy into action. This volume gathers together his thoughts on this profound and deeply influential concept. Based on a fundamental respect and compassion for all living things, Schweitzer’s philosophy sought to reconcile the conflicting drives of egoism and altruism. He applied this ethical perspective to a host of topics, from war and peace to arts, animal rights, and forming a global community. Reverence for Life draws on Schweitzer’s diverse writings across decades, including excerpts from previously unpublished letters to John F. Kennedy, Norman Cousins, Bertrand Russell, and others. A foreword by former US Ambassador, Roger Gamble, an introduction by the editor, Harold E. Robles, and a brief biographical sketch of Schweitzer’s life round out this essential volume.

A History of Preachingbrings together narrative history and primary sources to provide the most comprehensive guide available to the story of the church's ministry of proclamation. Bringing together an impressive array of familiar and lesser-known figures, Edwards paints a detailed, compelling picture of what it has meant to preach the gospel. Pastors, scholars, and students of homiletics will find here many opportunities to enrich their understanding and practice of preaching. Volume 1, appearing in the print edition, contains Edwards's magisterial retelling of the story of Christian preaching's development from its Hellenistic and Jewish roots in the New Testament, through the late-twentieth century's discontent with outdated forms and emphasis on new modes of preaching such as narrative. Along the way the author introduces us to the complexities and contributions of preachers, both with whom we are already acquainted, and to whom we will be introduced here for the first time. Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Bernard, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards, Rauschenbusch, Barth; all of their distinctive contributions receive careful attention. Yet lesser-known figures and developments also appear, from the ninth-century reform of preaching championed by Hrabanus Maurus, to the reference books developed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the mendicant orders to assist their members' preaching, to Howell Harris and Daniel Rowlands, preachers of the eighteenth-century Welsh revival, to Helen Kenyon, speaking as a layperson at the 1950 Yale Beecher lectures about the view of preaching from the pew. Volume 2, contained on the enclosed CD-ROM, contains primary source material on preaching drawn from the entire scope of the church's twenty centuries. The author has written an introduction to each selection, placing it in its historical context and pointing to its particular contribution. Each chapter in Volume 2 is geared to its companion chapter in Volume 1's narrative history. Ecumenical in scope, fair-minded in presentation, appreciative of the contributions that all the branches of the church have made to the story of what it means to develop, deliver, and listen to a sermon, A History of Preachingwill be the definitive resource for anyone who wishes to preach or to understand preaching's role in living out the gospel. "...'This work is expected to be the standard text on preaching for the next 30 years,' says Ann K. Riggs, who staffs the NCC's Faith and Order Commission. Author Edwards, former professor of preaching at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, is co-moderator of the commission, which studies church-uniting and church-dividing issues. 'A History of Preaching is ecumenical in scope and will be relevant in all our churches; we all participate in this field,' says Riggs...." from EcuLink, Number 65, Winter 2004-2005 published by the National Council of Churches

Central to current understandings of medieval history is the concept of political ritual, encompassing events from coronations to funerals, entries into cities, civic games, banquets, hunting, acts of submission or commendation, and more. ''Ritual?'' asks Philippe Buc. In The Dangers of Ritual he boldly argues that the concept shouldn't be so central after all. Modern-day scholars, gently seduced by twentieth-century theories of ritual, often misinterpret medieval documents that ostensibly describe such events, in part because they fail to appreciate the intentions behind them. The book begins with four case studies whose arrangement--backward from texts on tenth-century kingship to fourth-century representations of Christian martyrdom--allows for the line of development to be peeled back layer by layer. It then turns to an analysis of the formation of the intellectual traditions that contemporary historians have employed to interpret medieval documents. Tracing the emergence of the concept of ritual from the Reformation to the mid-twentieth century, Buc highlights the continuities yet also the profound transformations between the early medieval understandings and our own, social-scientific models. Medieval historians will find this book an indispensable resource for its insights into methodological issues crucial to their discipline. As Buc demonstrates, only rigorous attention to the contexts within which authors worked can allow us to reconstruct from medieval documents how ''rituals'' might have functioned. Ultimately, he argues, too swift an application of contemporary models to highly complex textual artifacts blinds us to the specificities of early medieval European political culture.

The Greatest Books of Spiritual Wisdom is a seminal collection that brings together the works of some of the most influential thinkers in the realm of spiritual and philosophical discourse. This anthology spans centuries, cultures, and ideologies, showcasing a rich variety of literary styles and theological perspectives. From the introspective reflections of St. Teresa of Ávila to the rigorous arguments of John Stuart Mill, and the mystic insights of Gregory of Nyssa, the collection is a testimony to the diverse ways humanity has sought to understand and articulate spiritual experiences. The selected works invite readers to explore fundamental questions of existence, morality, and faith, making it a pivotal contribution to spiritual literature. The contributors to this anthology represent a pantheon of influential figures whose thoughts have shaped religious, philosophical, and ethical landscapes across the world. Spanning ancient to modern times, these authors include philosophers, theologians, clergy, and lay thinkers affiliated with a wide array of religious and philosophical movements. By bringing together such disparate voices, the collection offers a unique cross-cultural and interdenominational dialogue that enriches our understanding of spirituality and its role in human life. Their collective wisdom underscores the perpetual quest for meaning, transcending the boundaries of time and place. The Greatest Books of Spiritual Wisdom is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the profound questions of life, faith, and existence. It offers readers the rare opportunity to engage with the minds of some of history's greatest spiritual leaders and philosophers within a single volume. This anthology is not just a compilation of texts; it is an invitation to a journey across ages and ideologies, encouraging deep reflection and personal growth. For scholars, seekers, and reflective readers alike, this collection is a beacon of light, illuminating the diverse pathways of spiritual inquiry and awakening.