Religion

A preeminent scientist -- and the world's most prominent atheist -- asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11.With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being.

In many ways, the church today has more consumers than committed participants. We see church merely as an event we attend or an organization we belong to, rather than as a calling that shapes our entire life. Many of us would be relieved if God had place dour sanctification in the hands of trained professionals, but that simply is not the biblical model. God’s plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow to maturity in Christ. Tripp explains how his work follows an "all of my people, all of the time" model.

The remarkable New York Times bestseller by the "C.S. Lewis for the 21st century" (Newsweek).A New York Times bestseller people can believe in-by a "pioneer of the new urban Christians" (Christian Today magazine). Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics and non-believers bring to religion. Using literature, philosophy, anthropology, pop culture, and intellectual reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one.

From its introduction by Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu to the epilogue by the Dalai Lama, Geography of Religion encourages new understanding of the world's great religions and of their evolution from ancient roots to vital roles in modern life. With a text as fascinating as it is authoritative; vivid photographs that evoke the reverence, rituals, and rewards of each spiritual tradition; and a rich variety of essays, sidebars, and maps, this magnificent book charts the many paths that guide us to God.

Stone the builder who erects a house that falls on its occupants. Sever the hands of the criminal who pilfers livestock or grain or another's garment. Whip the child who defies an elder. For such is the law and the law must be obeyed. For generations, these ironclad rules had governed the people. Nobody questioned whether it was right to humiliate a child or execute a murderer. An eye for an eye was the way of the world. But was there another way? When an antiquarian book is discovered in the disheveled study of an old Vermont farmhouse, the house's new owner has the volume translated.

Few sacred texts present their wisdom with the clarity of the Buddhist Dhammapada, or Path to Virtue. These ancient verses offer a compelling introduction to Buddhist thought, revealing the Four Truths—concerning the nature of the world and our lot in it—and the Eightfold Path to enlightenment, the means by which to overcome the essential suffering revealed by the Four Truths as the essence of life. Expressed with great beauty and translated with painstaking scholarship, this volume offers stimulating, challenging, and inspiring reading.

Sometimes hilarious and frequently profound, this collection of aphorisms includes observations and remarks from statesmen, writers, artists, philosophers, jurists, musicians, and celebrities--from the prophets of the Old Testament to Woody Allen. Quotes appear alphabetically by author.

The Artist's Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist's life. Still as vital today-or perhaps even more so-than it was when it was first published one decade ago, it is a powerfully provocative and inspiring work. In a new introduction to the book, Julia Cameron reflects upon the impact of The Artist's Way and describes the work she has done during the last decade and the new insights into the creative process that she has gained.

Provocative and personal writings on mythology, culture, and modern life by our century's foremost interpreter and teacher of myth. Gathered together here for the first time are twelve eclectic,far-ranging, and brilliant essays exploring myth in all its dimensions:its history; its influence on art, literature, and culture; and its role in everyday life.