Avenues Of Faith

The first thorough study of organized mainline churches in a major southern American city during the early 20th century

Death opens the gates to resurrection. The pathways to faith are diverse, but all carry components of death and renewal. In Avenues of Faith: Conversations with Jonathan Guilbault, Charles Taylor takes readers through a handful of books that played a crucial role in shaping his posture as a believer, a process that involved leaving the old behind and embracing the new. In a dynamic interview-style structure, Taylor answers questions from Jonathan Guilbault about how each book has informed his thought. The five sections of Avenues of Faith briefly introduce authors and their principal works before delving into the associated discussion. Taylor and Guilbault engage Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception, Friedrich Hölderlin's Poems, Charles Baudelaire's The Flowers of Evil, Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, and Brother Émile's Faithful to the Future: Listening to Yves Congar. By exploring themes such as faith, the church, freedom, language, philosophy, and more, this book engages both literary enthusiasts and spiritual seekers. Scholars of Taylor will recognize the philosopher's continuation of his reflections on modernity as he expresses his faith. Avenues of Faith gives readers unprecedented access to a world-renowned philosopher's reflections on the literary masterpieces that have shaped his life and scholarship and that continue to stand the test of time. --Jean-Philippe Pierron "Étvdes"

Gloria Sloan’s ABUNDANT Faith is a genuine inspiration. She exquisitely tells about her own faith-filled journey with divine gratitude. She structures her book with personal events, biblical references and insights that encourage the reader to reflect on their own journey through faith. A great book to read individually, with your spouse or as a book-club study guide designed in such a way to keep you energized with daily reflections and motivated with questions to explore.” —Carolyn Lepore, educator “ABUNDANT Faith is a book that will make you trust God more deeply and bring rich enlightenment and understanding of the journeys-of fellow pilgrims.” —Kenneth H. Hill, pastor, author, and educator in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Gloria knows all too well that suffering comes to everyone at the most unexpected times. In this beautifully written book you will clearly see how she wants us all to experience the miraculous healing balm that comes from having Abundant Faith. Whatever you’re going through right now, she will meet you there with her stories, deepen your faith through her experience so that you too can understand that Peace of God that surpasses all understanding.” —Kelly Bouchard, success strategist, motivational speaker and coach “Abundant Faith presents an inspiring conversation, especially for those of us who have cared for a sick child, relative, or friend. The byproduct of such a commitment is our own faith development and spiritual formation.” —James M. Harrison, executive minister, American Baptist Churches of the South

The significance of the Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom goes far beyond the borders of the Old Dominion. Its influence ultimately extended to the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the separation of church and state. In his latest book, Thomas Buckley tells the story of the statute, beginning with its background in the struggles of the colonial dissenters against an oppressive Church of England. When the Revolution forced the issue of religious liberty, Thomas Jefferson drafted his statute and James Madison guided its passage through the state legislature. Displacing an established church by instituting religious freedom, the Virginia statute provided the most substantial guarantees of religious liberty of any state in the new nation. The statute's implementation, however, proved to be problematic. Faced with a mandate for strict separation of church and state--and in an atmosphere of sweeping evangelical Christianity--Virginians clashed over numerous issues, including the legal ownership of church property, the incorporation of churches and religious groups, Sabbath observance, protection for religious groups, Bible reading in school, and divorce laws. Such debates pitted churches against one another and engaged Virginia’s legal system for a century and a half. Fascinating history in itself, the effort to implement Jefferson’s statute has even broader significance in its anticipation of the conflict that would occupy the whole country after the Supreme Court nationalized the religion clause of the First Amendment in the 1940s.

The main character of Coretta Scott King Award and Caldecott Honor winner Tar Beach returns in this imaginative exploration of words, with illustrations that echo artist Faith Ringgold's famous story quilts. Join Cassie, the main character from the picture book Tar Beach, as she takes readers on a tour of her home, neighborhood, and school, introducing dozens of new words and their meaning. Young readers will relish the beautifully designed spreads, each with its own quilt motif. A perfect storytime for kids of all ages, the bright, boldly colored pages will attract even the youngest lookers, while teaching vocabulary and important pre-reading skills to older children.

Contemporary artist Faith Ringgold has adapted the tradition of the American slave quilt to create a world in which African Americans and women dominate, where history is not only questioned but reinvented. 102 illustrations, 40 in color.