Religion Books

This guide is perfect to get you motivated to work these Disciplines. It is a great companion to the Celebration of Discipline book. It allows you to be an individual while growing with others.

This booklet is very helpful for ones first contact with the Celebration of Discipline book itself. This book requires 15 pages of reading a week to go along with the 15 pages out of Celebration of Discipline. This is good for group leaders or heavy-duty spiritual growth fans. The exercises makes the collective material a real spiritual work out.

I've used this study addition to help lead discussion in my book club. He writes tough questions that demand some thought and soul-searching. The study guide is also short and reads easily, which allows the discussion leader to prepare even with limited prep time. I recommend it for both personal and group use.

These vocabulary cards are a perfect companion to William Mounce's basic Greek grammar textbook. They are organized and numbered according to the chapters of that text, which is helpful in keeping up with the text. They are also organized according to their frequency of appearance in the New Testament, so you can begin with the most common words and go from there.

The quality of the cards is solid, so they haven't become too ragged after some significant use. I cannot imagine trying to learn Greek without the portable study tool of flash cards. I have felt like an elementary school student learning multiplication tables as I've whipped my little packets of flash cards out at every possible opportunity, but they were a tremendous tool. If you use Mounce's text, get these vocab cards, as well.

If you are taking Greek, these are a must buy. Best $14 you'll ever spend on Greek especially if you use Mounce's text book.

Actually, I would recommend making your own vocabulary cards rather than buying pre-printed ones. This is because making your own cards provides your brain with one more channel through which to assimilate the material. However, if you are new to language learning, cards such as these can be a helpful start.

William Mounce has certainly done a competent job with these cards, so you can use them with confidence. The verb cards include the principal parts of the verbs. Be sure to learn them! A thorough knowledge of these will greatly enhance your ability to read Greek with ease.

The entire study package of Basics of Biblical Greek which includes the textbook, the study guide, the vocabulary cards, the summary sheet, and the lecture CD's is a blessed fruit of a long, thoughtful, meticulous, and high-tech labor of one of the world's best New Testament Greek scholars. I have to admit I have not studied Greek from other professors, but after studying Mounce, I simply can not imagine a better way to teach students an introduction to Biblical Greek than the one Prof. Mounce implements in this study packet. The structure and methodology are so impressively organized that I believe, without trying to diminish the role of an instructor, one can study by himself or herself without taking the class at a seminary. From start to finish, Prof. Mounce designs the lessons with solid exegesis skills as the goal in mind. He wastes no time but immediately exposes students with translation exercises using real Scripture passages in the study guide, even early in the first few chapters when he barely starts with nouns.

The lessons are divided into three major parts; nouns, adjectives and verbs. Each chapter begins with exegetical insights related to the topic being taught in that particular chapter. He then moves on by explaining the English and Greek forms. The nouns and adjectives are not too bad. They are usually divided into three types of declensions. While the nouns usually take on one of the three declensions, the most common configuration of adjectives is either 3-1-3 or 2-1-2 where the first, second and third numbers indicate the declension type for masculine, feminine and neuter genders, respectively. There are some discussions on special-case nouns having slightly abnormal endings; pant and ent, for examples. Now verbs are considerably more challenging because they not only have more numerous categories and rules, but the biggest obstacles are the tense stems and when they form the real verbs through a combination of augments, tense-formatives, connecting vowels, and personal endings. The trouble can be illustrated by comparing it to having to memorize the English present, past and perfect tenses of irregular and regular verbs which the Greek version has six; present, future active, aorist active and passive, perfect active and passive, instead of three in English. And each of these six stems has different forms not only depending on the person and number, but also on the voices; active, middle, and passive. On top of these, there is another parameter, called aspect, where these verbs take on other forms, the indicative covered in the early chapters of the verbs, subjunctive, infinitive and imperative. Some are similar if not the same as the indicatives, which make them even harder to distinguish which one is which. Here Prof. Mounce reminds students to always watch for the contexts. Context is your best friend when it comes to translation. There is no easy way of getting around this issue completely except in my view, to get the Greek Morphology text, also by Mounce. At the end of some chapters, there is coverage on extended materials that deal with special cases, additional rules in translation, contraction and morphology.

The summary sheet consists of all important rules involving word formation, verb-ending charts, and all the forms of frequently used verbs. It serves as a handy guide for students when doing the translation so they don't have to flip through the pages of the textbook. Some flipping of pages is inevitable, though, because the last few pages of the textbook has the list of major lexicons.

There are two types of drills in the study guide. The first is chapter-by-chapter review where students are asked to parse ten words in a table having the forms that have been covered up to that chapter. Next, there is a warm-up translation section consisting of seven short phrases or sentences to be translated before the real translation exercise begins with twenty sentences; some are long ones. From my experience, I sometimes had a headache after completing the translation work due to the intensity it involves in figuring out not only what the words mean, but also their forms, and how to restructure the sentence in English format that both are understandable and make sense. The second type of drill is the exam-type where the test materials are combined every five chapters. The tasks include parsing, grammar rules, and translations usually from a New Testament passage.

As in any other languages, learning Greek requires extra memory power, but not brute-force memorization of every single word indiscriminately. Prof. Mounce always warns students only to memorize special-case words and rules such as endings and contractions, instead of every single word with all its garden variety of forms. Excellent advise.

Needless to say, I delightfully endorse Prof. Mounce as your virtual Greek instructor. If you decide to homeschool yourself, you can purchase the complete combo set at teknia dot com. I don't think Amazon sell the lecture CD set. But even if you are taking the class at the seminary, I don't see any harm for you to buy the combo set anyway, though you probably won't need the lecture CD's provided you have an excellent instructor.

I got an email from the fine folks at Amazon, encouraging me to review a recent purchase... it was Greek vocabulary cards... Well, the box is nice... sturdy construction... The cards are nice... tells you what chapter the word is from... The fonts are readable... Just an all around pleasure in what the author of the related text calls the "fog" of learning Greek...

There just has to be a special place of punishment for Alexander the Great for foisting all of this upon us...

So how about that... I just pioneered a review of a set of vocabulary cards. Who says you can't make history???

After I mentioned just a little bit about a couple of comments this book made about the third chapter in Genesis, I had three people wanting to borrow it. This is a serious study. I appreciate that much of the commentary relates to a direct literal study of the Hebrew (even though it has poetic interpretations in the same book). Well worth the money.

Ardent feminists will love this book. Moderate ones may think it goes too far in emphasizing the significance of women in the Torah. The commentaries and the literary entries are excellent and the format is easily accessible. I would not recommend reading this commentary alone, without a less egalitarian version at one's side. Comparisons are always valid. I especially like the non-gendered usage, which doesn't hammer the reader over the head but makes its point nicely.

I bought this for my wife, a theology major. She has been very excited about the book, finding it scholarly, well researched and a new approach to the Torah from women's point of view. There are many significant insights to be gained from this work.

Wow! This is such a beautiful commentary on Judaism's holiest text. I love the symphony of voices that flow through this book. Not only are comments meaningful and well written but the general oranization of the book is wonderful. I am man who loves Torah and all of the commentaries that it produces. This volume will sit proudly on my bookself next Rashi, Hirsch, Sforno, Ramban, etc. I am recommending this commentary to every Rabbi I know regardless of affiliation. Even if the price is a stretch for you, buy this book because you won't be sorry.

The Torah: A Women's Commentary is a compilation of the most recent Torah scholarship that also includes a woman's perspective. Introductory essays by Carol Meyers, Judith R. Baskin and Ellen Umansky are outstanding in orienting the reader to the world of Torah history and post biblical analysis. Alterative perspectives enrich this multi-dimential effort. This volume produced by the Women of Reform Judaism makes me proud to be a scholar and a Jew.

I think a point of interest is that Constantine was a Pagan his entire life and did not denounce Paganism until he was on his death bed. He mandated that Sunday be observed as The Sabbath (makes sense because it is a Pagan Sabbath, Sun Day reserved for worship of The Sun God) The Jews are the only ones observing the True Sabbath (Saturday). It was at this point Christianity took an interesting turn and Christians no longer worshipped as 1st century Christians but more like Pagans. They were basically forced to adopt many pagan rituals through the guise of Catholicism. I do not think this was an accident seeing as The Roman Empire was predominantly Pagan. They were having great difficulty in Controlling Christians and I believe candy coating Paganism in Christianity was a way to achieve total control. It is not religion that seeks to control the masses it's actually Pagans and they want you to believe it's Religion or better yet Christians. True Christians aren't war mongers. If you celebrate Easter(The worship of Ishtar) and Christmas (Saturnalia, The birth of the Sun God) you are practicing Pagan Traditions. Christ was born in the fall sometime between Sept and October. Christ was killed by The Roman Empire, therefore killed by Pagans not by The Jewish people. Although they would like you to believe that. I was raised Catholic however I do believe that many of the atrocities committed have not been by Christians they have been orchestrated by Pagans since the beginning of time. History will show you that. Just as I don't believe the Amish are a violent people.

To understand the history of western civilization it is imperative to understand the catholic church in particular, and christianity in general. For a basic understanding of these underpinnings of the western world, this book is a must. Whether you agree or not with Carroll on points, it is a thought provoking and well choreographed work. Being an anti-religionist, I approached this book with scepticism, but after just the first few lines I was taken in. Caroll is a thoughtful writer whose melodious use of words and language make this hefty book a treasure. I don't believe the book is available in an audible format, but it should be.

I found this book to be factual, brilliant and disturbing. Perhaps if the issues in this book could be openly addressed by all religions, as the author so desires, we could have love replace fear and its evil twin hatred as the dominant emotions in the world today.

A WELL DOCUMENTED HISTORICAL BOOK. ONCE YOU START READING IT IS VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN IT IS VERY WELL WRITTEN AND ENTERTAINING. THIS BOOK HAS CONFIRMED A LOT OF THE BELIEVES I HAD ABOUT THE ORIGINAL CHURCH FOUNDED BY THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE BUT SOMETIMES IT IS VERY HARD AS A CHRISTIAN TO READ ABOUT THE HORRORS COMMITED IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I WOULD ONLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO THOSE WHO ARE OPEN TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH AS DIFFICULT AS IT MAY BE TO ACCEPT IT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT RELIGIOUS AND PIOUS INDIVIDUALS MAY BE OFFENDED BY THE TRUTHS EXPOSED IN THIS WONDERFUL WORK.

This is the best book I've ever read. I was amazed to discover the actual origins of some church policies and the specifics of how anti-semitism arose in Western society. This isn't just another boring history book, it almost reads like a novel. It will enlighten you, and thereby, make you a beter person no matter what your religion.

This is my first year to use any of Mrs. Bauer's curriculum. I really like that each day is just a little bit (just enough)there isn't any overkill. There are 4 days of work for each week. The first and third days they do copy work. The second and fourth days they do narration. My favorite part is narration. You read a short selection to your child (it is already in the book) and they tell you a sentence about what they remember. This is also done - on a larger scale with her Language Lessons book. It is great too! My child loves to tell the story back to me in her own words. Then, I write them down for her. She loves to hear it read back. This teaches how to write a story without being held back by the physical process of writing it down. I wish I had this for my older child! I highly recommend it!

This is by far and away one of the best translations/interpretations out there. Not necessarily the most understandable for beginners. A lot of the imagery is culturally specific and can be difficult to understand without a background in taoism and other asian ideas. However, the different sections offer different levels of interpretation and understanding, which i find very helpful. With persistence and patience, the illumination is well worth the trouble. One of the best, easiest to explore and get to know the I Ching, is The I Ching Workbook, by R.L. Wing. There are some inconsistencies in the divination method, but if you can look past that, it is an excellent beginning text.

I dont think its necessary to say how complex and genius this philosophy is.

So I will just say, that if you are in doubt about which book you should get, this is the version to start with. Its the best translation/version i know of.

With introduction by Richard Wilhelm and a foreword by Jung! Great stuff!

Get it!

This is a very comprehensive book to be studied from front to back. If you are not familier with the I-Ching, I would strongly recommend that you start with the I-Ching for beginners, then move on to this book after you have a better understanding of what is going on and how the I-Ching works and the history.

Very good book to use I Ching Oracle.
Good texts and commentaries according to the translation of Richard Wilhelm.

A more technical book that gives a thorough history of the I Ching, how it was used in Ancient China and contains multiple interpretations for each of the 64 hexagrams. Moving lines are defined within the definition of each hexagram with more of the ancient poetics included and the readings are probably closer to the original texts of yesteryear. Definitions of the hexagrams are more detailed than other guides but still an invaluable resource for anyone working with the I Ching.

I coordinate a program for adults who want to become Catholic and this book has become an invaluable teaching tool. I have used it for years.

I have purchased this book over and over because when someone expresses interest in Catholicism I usually give them my copy. It is beautifully written and although it is not a new book, the information is still correct. One reason for that is that the author explains how practices evolved and as it is history, it does not become outdated.

Really great information for Catholics and Non-Catholics alike. Rich in history and easy to read. Pick this one up!

This is a handy and easy read organized into brief chapters dedicated to a particular distinctive of the Catholic faith. The organization of material is perfect for ready reference to a specific interest or to be read through in any order. Dr. Johnson organized the material into 4 parts under the headings, faith, worship, culture, and customs.

Each part is organized into brief chapters on focused topics. Part one on faith covers such topics as the formation of the canon of scripture, how the church makes laws, and how the church views other documents of the early church not included in the canon. Part two on worship provides material on topics such as the meaning of common symbols and order of the mass as well as background on the stations of the cross and the rosary prayer. Part three concerning culture delves into the pope and vocations in the church and provides background on apparitions and signs (Fatima, weeping images, etc). Part four on customs provides a wealth of information on the meaning of materials and symbols in worship including music, medals, sacramentals, incense, water, and even numbers.

Whether you are a Catholic who has wondered the significance of a given practice or a non-Catholic seeking to understand, you will find a treasure of information here. It is a fantastic introduction to many of the practices that have been wrongfully dismissed as mere superstition. The history and culture of the Catholic faith is rich with meaning and significance. It is an heritage Catholics too often neglect. This is not just a how-to of these practices but a well developed study in why we do them. All within a text that is easy and enjoyable to read. A great resource and part of that Catholic heritage to be cherished.

I was not impressed with this book. I felt that it put down other Christian denominations. I don't have a problem with the book explaining Catholic practice and beliefs, but I think the author should have been kinder to other Christians. I think he could have explained Catholic practice but left out the jabs at other Christians.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Although it is a small compilation of his other works, it gives you an idea of what de Mello's message is. I recommend this book first for anyone who hasn't read his works and then move on to "Awareness". De Mello wants us to be "awake" and get rid of all the nonsense we carry with us that doesn't allow us to live the lives of truly "free" spirits.

I am a DeMello fan - and it began with this book. It is a short (very small, very short) book, but it is packed with wisdom and "ah ha" moments. One brief chapter is enough for an evening to let the deep truths settle in one's mind...or more appropriately for this read...soul. It is spiritual without being religous. While DeMello quotes scripture, the explanation is so practical that you forget he is referencing the Bible. I have bought a number of these to pass out to people who are on the journey of discovering how to have a truly peaceful, meaningful life. I don't use this word much - awesome - it is an awesome, timeless read.

This book, written by a Jesuit priest, has a definite eastern flavor. As such, it appeal to both Christians and non-Christians in its philosophy. It is filled with short reading that are perfect for focusing one's day and remind us that we are really as happy as we choose to be. Good for people in recovery.

This is only a small volume, but it needs to be read with thought and introspection. I recommend it highly. DeMello causes us to think about fairly common events and helps us to see them in a different light. I liked this little book so much that I have purchased several additional copies to share with friends and family.

Anthony De Mello wrote a handy little book that has been one of my favorites for several years. Although I can not do justice to this great mystic, I will share just a little of his brilliance.

The book is a collection of meditations that helped me adjust to life as it is, not as I thought is was. De Mello presents thirty one short reflections concerning our common struggles: anxieties, resentments, fears, relationships with enemies, suffering, and praying.
The meditations are written in a clear conversational style that is filled with graphic questions for the reader to ponder. For me, I read only one meditation at a time, then spend several minutes considering the questions. Occasionally I need to stop and meditate after a single paragraph.

What follows is just a few of De Mello's thoughts.
According to Anthony, when I find myself angry or upset about another person, instead of asking "what is wrong with him", I need to ask "what does this irritation tell me about myself." To bring peace I must think about myself, ask what barriers exist in me that prevent peace.

The Way of Love discusses a common belief that if all our wants and desires are fulfilled we will be happy. Happiness can not be defined in a way that it applies to everyone. Happiness is very subjective. If an object I fancy breaks and cannot be replaced, I am unhappy. If a person I love is ill, dies, or is very aloof towards me, I am miserable. Happiness can only be attained by releasing myself from my attachments to earthly possessions and people.

DeMello suggests that people and situations that cause us pain also give us growth. Pleasant encounters may give us temporary pleasure, but hurtful ones cause us to change and improve. He says we might select a painful situation in our history, remember which emotions we felt, and analyze those feelings to reveal what they tells us about ourselves. Were we really hurt, or were our standards and values challenged? If we had not been programmed by society to be upset in such experiences, would our pain be so great?
The Way to Love is worth having. If you get a copy, carry it with you and read it during those times you are idle. You may enjoy having it with you.

This is a very good resource for parenting and any relationship. Very good & worthwhile, easy to impliment, gives you hope & change!

When I read this book, it was like someone peeking into our lives. We are Grandparents raising a teen-ager for the past 4 years who has turned 16, is over 6 ft tall,wears size 13 shoes, and sees himself as an adult who should be in charge of his own life as well as ours. Having raised 7 children 2 generations ago we thought we could handle this assignment. Today's children are another issue.In reading Dr Townsend's book we found grandpa, grandma, and the teen described exactly in the book. Unfortunately under the title "This is what not to do". A wonderful book from front to back with a goldmine of useful suggestions and ideas.A must read for those blessed by a teen.

Boundaries with Teens has been very helpful for us. We were given the book but since we both have so little time to read, we purchased the book on CD and listen to it in the car. The advice is solid and from a man who actually raised teens. Save me from the eggheads who think they can tell you how to raise kids when they have never had any themselves!

The author clarifies the teenager experience in a way that removes a lot of the stress and worry from our perceptions of it. Teenagers do make sense and there is a clear and reasonable way to help them navigate their way through the culture and their emotions.

The book first underlines the importance of boundaries. It then goes on to explain that parents need to have healthy boundaries in order to pass on boundaries to their teens. It ends with specific ways of enforcing boundaries with your teens. The emphasis of the book is to use love and limits to create an internally-integrated adult out of a teen; in other words, the teens internally adopt the boundaries you show them so they have their own independent structure.

I am currently going back through the book to take notes. The book has a lot of information to digest and since the information is so practical I want to make sure I won't forget it when I have the opportunity to apply it. I think it is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. If/when the author writes a workbook for this book, I will definitely buy it.

I originally did a search for a book on teen behavior. I didn't realized that this book was in the religous section, otherwise I would not have purchased it, as I am not religous. The author uses a lot of quotes from the Bible and overuses the word "God". I got 3/4 of the way through the book and decided I had had enough of the religous references.
Overall, the author did a good job using examples of poor behavior, good behavior, and how to deal with the poor behavior.
I would recommend the book for religous people but not to those who prefer non-religous based books.

I think this book should have been printed in the sixties. Drugs and the paranormal just don't mix.. what is real what is not? Unless your an old hippe from that time I think this book should be over looked.

Halfway through the book and continue to get more fascinated with the content. Truly a paradigm-shifting concept.

Loved the Anunnaki and Sumerian comparative to Hebrew, and contemporary myth.
It would seem that the human race may be monitored, and manipulated by a race of extraterrestrial, or interdimentional beings who have been controlling things since the dawn of man, or longer.
If you visit inner space you'll enjoy and learn from this book

After reading Strassman's DMT The Spirit Molecule I was very excited for this book to come out. I expected him to go deeper into his theories about what it means for humans to naturally produce DMT in our brains, among phenomenons possibly related to the chemical, but instead he only reiterated what was in his previous publication. It seemed like the entire book was a sophmoric introduction to the psychedelic experience rather than a progression of new ideas in reference to the experience. The one chapter that had anything to say about psilocybe mushrooms simply copy and pasted reports from the popular drug information site Erowid. I was looking for insight and new possibilities, not trip reports and introductions to already well known entheogens. I felt led on by this book and was incredibly disappointed at the entire lack of any new material whatsoever. Unfortunately, the only positive comment I can give about this book is that it contained some fascinating artwork, but it seems necessary to note that was not the main purpose of this book at all. All in all, if you're new to the psychedelic scene entirely, this is a good introduction, but for most this volume will provide no more than a sense of regret at wasting your money on it. If you really feel the need to get this, I suggest flipping through it in a bookstore first before commiting to it because otherwise you will almost surely be disappointed.

"This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do

Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go..."

-David Bowie, "Space Oddity"

I remember hearing this song on some mushrooms. All of the sudden I got a glimpse of something that was golden, bright, pure...I had a realization that this thing I called "me"...this body and everything in it was all
MADE UP. It was/is/and will always be complete and total BS...you can read that as, Belief Systems. But the Real Me was changeless, forever, eternal.

This book blows my mind. And that's good. Minds are for the soul purpose of being blown. I mean, if you're not thinking of at least temn impossible things before breakfast, you're just kind of existing. But the purpose of life is to be shaken, stirred, and moved and this book will definitely move you. It confirms a lot of the experiences I had during my psychedelic phase and yet made me even clearer on why I stopped.

I stopped experimenting with psychedelics after hearing a rather brilliant quote from Alan Watts. I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said, "When a scientist sees something through a microscope, he immediately goes to work on what was seen. He doesn't keep his eye glued to the microscope. So, if you have a vision on psychedelics, go to work on that vision...don't keep trying to have another one..."

And that really woke me up. I was given visions that to this day still delight me just by thinking about them. I am grateful for my experiences and my inner excursions. The final frontier is not space, but mind. We all need to be psychonauts and explore the interior realms. We are all so much. This book made me laugh, smile, and think. Some of it was a little crazy, but some of it was truly moving.

"Once in awhile you get shown the light,
In the strangest of places if you look for it right."

-the Grateful Dead, "Scarlett Begonias"


Look for the Light within yourself. You'll be amazed at what you'll find.

"Hold your breath
Make a wish
Count to three


Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of
Pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly
Wish to be..."

-Willy Wonka, "Pure Imagination"


:)


Your life is whatever you can imagine it to be.

Peace & Blessings,
john, 'the Light Coach'