The Curse At The Confluence

"It is of small consolation to us that the white-man will ultimately be the arbiter of his own eventual ruin. But since there is nothing we can do to stop him, I have designed, and now propose, a curse. Like a disease, my curse has been engineered to do its damage over time. Its purpose is to disrupt and prevent lasting social harmony and prosperity by undermining the stability of their society and the productivity of their industries. It will cause great social unrest and upheaval. It will affect climate, making winters bitter and summers unbearably hot. Biting and stinging insects will feast on their flesh and rodents will infest their dwellings, spreading disease among them...Their children will die in the womb in great numbers, and at birth with great frequency. Their elderly will experience protracted years of agonizing suffering. Foreign species of plants, animals, and fish will invade, choke out, and dominate these waters and lands. In time, they will see their own populations dwindle and will be helpless to stem the tide that will make them the minority...This slow poison will permeate every aspect of their existence, and just as we are now powerless to stop them, they too will be powerless. One day they will learn what we have done to avenge ourselves, but only after the damage is complete. Then, my brothers, they will have no choice but to acknowledge the injustices they have inflicted upon us." Peter Sursile is stressed. By day he finds himself beset by the troublesome behavior of his petulant young fiancee, Eliza, and by the unrelenting pressure to write his PhD thesis, which is all that stands between him and the future he rightly deserves. But deciding on just the right topic has proven to be easier said than done. By night, a vivid recurring nightmare of a horrific train wreck, and a mortally injured woman in the wreckage who hauntingly repeats the phrase Peter...it's time has plagued his sleep for weeks. Yet even after an unnerving encounter with an ancient, white-maned Shaman, he remains stubbornly convinced that these and other strange happenings are merely stress-related. But something he hears during his run-in with the Shaman compels him to research a certain upstate New York town, and for his effort is seemingly rewarded with what appears to be the thesis topic he's been looking for. However, revelations surrounding the inspiration for his research lead him to Binghamton, NY where sudden unprecedented violence has brought the city to its knees. His journey exposes the true purpose of his nightmare, reveals the identity of the woman in the wreckage, and explains the nature of events which will likely destroy the city if left unchecked. But success is far less certain than the consequences should he fail to reveal a 19th century curse to its 21st century victims. The Curse At the Confluence is proud to be the first novel of its kind to be set primarily in the Binghamton, New York area."

The "magical power of the spoken word" is a topic that often comes up in a discussion of biblical blessings and curses. What is the source of social and linguistic power behind these blessings and curses? Many theologians would agree that God can and does bless, but does God also curse? If so, what does that mean to the biblical theology of the Old Testament and the Christian church? Anderson's The Blessing and the Curse applies speech act theory as one way to understand the performative function of blessings and curses. The concept of speech acts provides a method of recognizing the potent social power of language to accomplish certain ends, without drawing a hard line of distinction between word-magic and religion. Even though the chief concepts and practices of blessings and curses are deeply rooted in the broad cultural environment of the ancient Near East, tracing specific trajectories of Old Testament blessings and curses as theological themes conveys broad, inescapable implications for the biblical narrative and the Christian church.

Conversations about materiality have helped forge a common meeting ground for scholars seeking to integrate images, sites, texts and implements in their approach to religion in the ancient Mediterranean. The thirteen chapters in this volume explore the productivity of these approaches, with case studies from Israel, Athens, Rome, Sicily and North Africa. The results foreground the capacity of material approaches to cast light on the cultural creation of the sacred through the integration of rhetorical, material, and iconographic means. They open more nuanced pathways to the uses of text in the study of material evidence. They highlight the potential for material objects to bring political and ethnic boundaries into the sacred realm. And they emphasize the role of ongoing interpretation, debate, and multiple readings in the creation of the sacred, in both ancient contexts and scholarly discussion.

A witchy, witty, wickedly sexy romance about love, books, friendship and the unexpected connections that bind us together… Bookbinding (verb): the art of creating something magical out of fabric, leather and paper. As a lonely foster kid, Serafina Conte sought refuge in handmaking journals—and writing her wishes within their pages. Now, in the quirky new age store she shares with her two best friends, Sera’s intentions have paid off. Her journals are in the spotlight—and rumored to manifest great things. Whether it’s witchy skills, real magic or not, Sera’s finally ready to be the leading lady of her life story… Until her plot hits a twist. After the death of her mentor, Ford Sitwell, all the loneliness and insecurity of her past returns. The only balm is the box of antique books he left to her. But Ford’s suspicious brooding grandson, Wes, is ready to think the worst of her—and get his grandfather’s books back! The first part doesn’t bother her. The second? Forget it. Sera won’t give Wes the books so easily. But it’s clear he’s seeking something more, an emotional connection no book can replace. So she offers a deal—work in her store for six weeks, and in return, she’ll help him get closure by sharing memories of his late grandfather. Yes, Wes seems grumpy, but actually he’s hot…and maybe kind? Deep down? And when desire and vulnerability work their charms, Sera begins to wonder if the best stories aren’t the ones you intend, but the ones that take you where you least expected… From showing up to glowing up, these characters are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss these other fun titles from Afterglow Books: The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky The Devil in Blue Jeans by Stacey Kennedy Frenemy Fix-Up by Yahrah St. John The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman Fake Flame by Adele Buck Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham

God's grace demonstrated in the biblical narrative through the lens of covenant. This study analyses the different divine covenants of the Old Testament and argues that they are closely related. The successive covenants, from Noah to David, are seen to express the divine purpose for humanity from the creation onwards. William Dumbrell interacts extensively with attempts to explain the significance of concepts such as the gift of the land, victory, rest and the divine presence. This extraordinary book also throws light upon the Christian use of the Old Testament categories. This second, revised edition brings the subject right up to date.

Covenant Theology. From Noah to David, successive covenants are seen in the Old Testament as expressions of divine purpose. The argument for and against the close relation of these "terms of agreement" between humankind and God have, for the past fifty years, been at the heart of biblical studies. Old Testament scholar W. J. Dumbrell reaffirms one facet of this study--the theory of covenant--in Covenant and Creation. Where many have since tried to refute or seriously modify this covenant model, Dumbrell finds it at the core of Reformed doctrine.Covenant and Creation traces the background and content of each biblical covenant beginning with Noah and God after the flood, Abraham (the creation of Israel and its people), Mt. Sinai and Moses (the creation of the Law), and David (the creation of the monarchy). And what of the New Covenant? The effects of the Babylonian exile and the connecting themes in the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah are evaluated.The epilogue delves into theological implications of the postexilic period in Israel's history, and further developments by the major exilic prophets. Readers will find this a summary most helpful in understanding New Covenant theology that emerged in the early Christian era.

"C. Marvin Pate demonstrates from the undisputed Pauline writings that wherever Paul employs the theme of wisdom, he does so to reverse the Deuteronomic curses and blessings. In accomplishing this, Pate highlights Paul's doctrine of justification, which signals the end of the Mosaic Law"--Page 4 of cover.

Sati symbolizes ultimate loyalty and self-sacrifice. It often figures near the core of a Hindu identity that feels embattled in a modern world. Yet to those who deplore it, sati is a curse, a violation of every woman's womanhood.