Cursed Blessings

Cursed Blessings explores the relationship between sexual nonconformity and religious radical dissent in the early modern Western European world. While many studies have been devoted to the process of the "hereticalization" of nonnormative sexual practices and its use in anti-heretical propaganda, this book is entirely devoted to understanding the meaning of unconventional sexual behaviors from the perspective of the dissenters. Divided into three parts, the first focuses on the Italian peninsula and explores alternative views on sexuality inspired by Renaissance currents of anti-clericalism, ancient Christian heresies, traditions of apocrypha of the New Testament, and Rabbinic literature. It also examines how embodied and gendered experiences influenced the dissenting views of religious women. The second part explores how reflections on Original Sin led to the questioning of Christian assumptions regarding sex and gender, highlighting the relationship between the criticism of sexual morality and disputes on free will, spirituality, and redemption. The third part examines how most of these threads were entwined into a more coherent philosophical framework in the writings of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century erudite libertines. This book is designed for academic readers, including graduate and undergraduate students. Given its intersectional approach, it will be of interest to researchers, teachers, and students in a wide array of fields, including religious, gender, and sexuality studies, as well as literature. This book also tackles issues that are relevant to present-day debates, such as the problematic relations between sexuality and religion and the ongoing polemics surrounding the complicated interactions between religion and politics.

My life began as most lives do, but somewhere along the line it was realized that there were things about my life that were not “normal.” I further began to realize that I had no real foundation, no actual link to the people around me, so I began searching myself, and the result of this search is what landed on paper. My only way of dealing with the lies, chaos, and abuse that filled my young existence, was to put my thoughts and feelings down on paper, knowing that if I told people what was going inside, they would not believe me. This is what happened in my head, in my life, in my world, from ages 15 to 29. This is the result of growing up surrounded by ignorance, loathing, and hatred, when all I ever wanted was love and understanding…

Life's trials and triumphs can seem accidental. One person may feel that life is a constant struggle in which pitfalls abound and someone seems out to get him. Another may feel that every day is a gift from God with special blessings just for her. That's because forces are at work in our lives: the blessings of a loving God or the curses of our spiritual adversary. This hugely popular classic work of Derek Prince helps readers recognize if there are curses at work in their lives and shows them how to get out from under those curses to live under God's blessings. This third edition of Blessing or Curse includes an extensive new study guide for small group or individual use.

This adult historical fiction is a seafaring adventure meant to entertain both the sailor and the landlubber. Having lost hearth and heart to the Stuart Uprising, CATE MACKENZIE, a fugitive war criminal, purchases passage on a ship bound for the West Indies. En route she is kidnapped-a case of mistaken identity-by CAPTAIN NATHANAEL BLACKTHORNE, the pirate captain. Accustomed to blood, musket and cannon, life aboard the pirate ship isn't the hell Cate expects. She is instantly drawn into Nathan's bloody rivalry against LORD BREASTON CRESWICKE-the man who forced Nathan into piracy-and COMMODORE ROGER HARTE, Creswicke's puppet. They are an "unholy alliance" of ambition and power, Nathan a rat terrier on their heels. The impending arrival of Creswicke's fiance is too much temptation. This is a story of two scarred people, blinded by their defenses. It's the story of trust, or rather, the lack of. It's the story of a loss of faith and disbelief that Providence might ever smile again.

Through this book, Men cursed the Lord has blessed", I would like to testify that Jesus Christ is the One and Only Saviour of mankind. In fact, I did not know him too well until this day when I found myself in the bondages and snares of death. I thus called upon him according to Jeremiah 33:3 and he instantly responded and delivered me from these chains that entwined me. Since then, my life has never been the same again. Indeed, Jesus Christ is our final defender. In him, nothing can harm us.

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The belief in curses is widespread in Africa, impacting the lived reality of both Christians and non-Christians alike. In this book, Godwin Adeboye provides practical, biblical, and contextual guidelines for addressing the African conception of cursing, and for ministering to the fear and confusion such cursing elicits. He argues that African evangelical theology must begin by understanding, and valuing, the unique experiences of African Christians if it is to offer relevant answers to the real dilemmas they face. To this end, Adeboye draws on African traditional beliefs, empirical research, and the teachings of popular African pastors to provide insight into the religious and cultural contexts of the contemporary African church. Against this backdrop, he explores biblical passages on cursing and utilizes the evangelical positions on biblical authority, the atonement, personal conversion, and active mission to evaluate cultural beliefs and bring them into alignment with the gospel. While this text is an excellent resource for students of theology, missiology, and biblical or cultural studies, it is also immensely practical and deeply pastoral. Ultimately, it is a book to empower believers to confront their fear of curses equipped with the truth of Scripture.

The Ark of the Endowment has remained hidden for millennia and those who know of its location have one task: protect the sacred contents or risk invoking divine judgment upon the world. Brent Venturi is a librarian in Palm Cove, Florida. At least that is his cover life. He is really the retired captain of the Phantom Squad, an elite military group, and he is the property of the United States Government. When the last guardian of the world's most important secret is dead, who can be trusted? Venturi must do his duty.