In Vigilant Faith: Passionate Agnosticism in a Secular World, Daniel Boscaljon takes up the contemporary challenges to faith by skepticism and secularism. He proposes a model of faith for believers and unbelievers alike—a passionate agnosticism—that is rooted in a skeptical consciousness. Skepticism and faith are structurally similar, he writes, in that they share an "unknowing" quality. The author argues that vigilance—the act of keeping watch, a spiritual practice in its own right—is as necessary a precondition for the structure of faith as it is for the structure of skepticism. A suspension in uncertainty and an openness to possibility require vigilance, he attests, if faith and skepticism are to avoid the often dogmatic tendencies of both theism and atheism to cling to their own brands of certainty and knowledge. Boscaljon has three aims: to expand the current, post-theistic definitions of God for greater relevance to human beings on an individual and existential level; to integrate skepticism into faith so that it will restore the importance of faith to current theology and recover it from anti-intellectual bias; and to conceptualize the vigilance of faith in such a way that can provide a vocabulary for distinguishing "good faith" from "bad faith." He offers a variety of cultural examples ranging from film to poetry to represent a life of faith and to show how its components come together in practice. As an alternative to the prevailing fundamentalisms in today's world, his book proposes a paradigmatic understanding of faith in which theism, atheism, and agnosticism refuse to differ.

Addresses the "Protestant dilemma" in ecclesiology: how to build lasting Christian community in a world of individualism and transience.

Corruption is alive and well in Nigeria—and it must be eliminated. Moreover, the Nigerian church can no longer watch it go unchecked. Though conscious of his limitations as a priest and theologian, the author takes an in-depth look at how corruption has taken hold of Nigeria and its people in this scholarly work. He challenges the church as a socio-moral actor and the civil authorities that govern Nigeria, arguing that the nation will collapse if corruption continues. He notes that even though the Nigerian people have lashed out against corruption, it has only gotten worse—either because morality has been relegated to the background or not enough has been done to inculcate morality into Nigeria’s politics. The author employs a holistic approach in examining issues such as: bishops and their vision of Nigeria vis-à-vis Nigerian politics; democracy and the power equation among the various arms of government; principal biases that characterize Nigerian politics; and class affiliation and its impact in Nigerian politics. Find out how corruption is ruining Nigeria, and discover how the church and government can work together to fix the problem in Nigerian Politics and Corruption.

In the turbulent years after the rise of the Berlin Wall, Germany stood dangerously divided between freedom and Communism. Dodging border patrols and guard posts, a silent few were able to cross the borders of the Iron Curtain to deliver needed supplies, always at the risk of their own lives. This is the past Faith Whitney knew. The daughter of an active smuggler of religious paraphernalia, Faith was raised on the danger that such a life brought with it, a danger that can rip lives apart, even that of a mother and daughter. Now grown and living in 1989 Germany, Faith continues to smuggle goods across the border, narrowly slipping by the East German Stasi each time. But her activities haven't gone unnoticed. The Stasi have recruited her to deliver a package to Moscow, a package that must be delivered within forty-eight hours . . . or Faith will be eliminated. Her payment: the long-desired location of her missing father. The danger mounts as Faith is secretly contacted by the beautiful and seductive Colonel Bogdanov of the KGB, who also wants the package at any cost. Barely surviving harsh interrogations, and unsure of whom to trust, Faith turns to her ex-fiancée, Naval Officer Max Summer, the only man with the know-how to get her and her delivery to Moscow in one piece. On the run, the more they discover about the package, the more they realize that delivering it will likely cost them their lives. Little do they both know that the package is part of a larger plan, one that could affect the result of the Cold War in ways no one ever imagined. Raelynn J. Hillhouse has constructed an engrossing novel of espionage, action, and heart-pounding danger. Told with knowledge and authenticity, Rift Zone takes you inside the workings of communist East Germany and the Soviet Union. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Meet Layla James, your typical smart and snarky chick-except for the whole succubus thing. After nearly a millennium on Earth, Layla's settled down in a boring life in Palm Springs, until a smoking-hot hunter comes to arrest her for murder. But Layla knows the rules-she'd never kill someone and incite the wrath of The Powers That Be. Elijah Daines is a hunter, maintaining the balance of good and evil in the mortal realm, his power stronger than any hunter she's ever encountered. Plus, he's a seriously sexy distraction. Too bad he's accused her of a crime she didn't commit. As the killer continues a murder spree that not only frames Layla but threatens to expose the existence of supernatural creatures to humans, Layla and Elijah team up to investigate. Hopefully, they can fight off their escalating attraction for each other long enough to exonerate her and stop the murder madness.