The Interruption Of Eternity

This volume is based upon papers read during the innovative section "Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion" organized at the 17th International Congress of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) in Mexico City, August 5-12, 1995. The section was created in order to fill a long-standing hiatus in the academic study of religions: whereas phenomena such as gnosticism and hermetism in antiquity, and even the occult sciences of that period, have long been recognized as subjects worthy of serious investigation, the history of similar and related phenomena in more recent periods has hardly received the same measure of scholarly attention and recognition. The present volume is devoted to the academic emancipation of these areas as constituting a legitimate domain of research, which may be referred to by the generic label "western esotericism". Preceded by an introductory essay on the birth of this new discipline in the study of religion, the volume provides a sample of current research in the field and devotes special attention to some central methodological questions.

Most men do not know how to treat their wives, especially when these women fail to play the roles divinely stipulated for them. In this book, you will discover how a husband can help his wife overcome the negative traits in her character while correcting the wrong foundations that may have been laid down in their union.

"Being crazy" is generally a negative characterization today, yet many celebrated artists, leaders, and successful individuals have achieved greatness despite suffering from mental illness. This book explores the many different representations of mental illness that exist—and sometimes persist—in both traditional and new media across eras. Mental health professionals and advocates typically point a finger at pop culture for sensationalizing and stigmatizing mental illness, perpetuating stereotypes, and capitalizing on the increased anxiety that invariably follows mass shootings at schools, military bases, or workplaces; on public transportation; or at large public gatherings. While drugs or street gangs were once most often blamed for public violence, the upswing of psychotic perpetrators casts a harsher light on mental illness and commands media's attention. What aspects of popular culture could play a role in mental health across the nation? How accurate and influential are the various media representations of mental illness? Or are there unsung positive portrayals of mental illness? This standout work on the intersections of pop culture and mental illness brings informed perspectives and necessary context to the myriad topics within these important, timely, and controversial issues. Divided into five sections, the book covers movies; television; popular literature, encompassing novels, poetry, and memoirs; the visual arts, such as fine art, video games, comics, and graphic novels; and popular music, addressing lyrics and musicians' lives. Some of the essays reference multiple media, such as a filmic adaptation of a memoir or a video game adaptation of a story or characters that were originally in comics. With roughly 20 percent of U.S. citizens taking psychotropic prescriptions or carrying a psychiatric diagnosis, this timely topic is relevant to far more individuals than many people would admit.

What is phenomenology? That is precisely the question this book seeks to answer. In an age of information overload, complex topics must be simplified to make them accessible to a wider audience. Phenomenology: A Basic Introduction in the Light of Jesus Christ not only presents the basic building blocks of phenomenology, it also gives body to voice by putting abstract ideas in contact with the Word made flesh, Jesus of Nazareth. In five manageable chapters, Donald Wallenfang introduces major themes such as the natural attitude, givenness, interpretation, paradox, and ethics. Each subject is considered in how it applies to daily life and relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Several biblical scenes are tapped to harvest their sweet nectars of meaning through phenomenology. At its limit, philosophy gives way to the revelatory rationality of theology as expressed by Jesus the phenomenologist.

The Light of Discovery is a Festschrift honoring Dr. Edwin Yamauchi and it focuses on the Mediterranean world. The collection is ambitious in terms of time (from ancient Egypt to Late Antiquity) and wide-ranging in topic (from astrology and Gnosticism to the Van Kampen Collection of manuscripts in Orlando). Yamauchi is Professor of History at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio where he has taught since 1969. He received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University in 1964 working under Cyrus Gordon. He teaches in the areas of ancient history, biblical archaeology, and early church history. He has authored and edited seventeen books including Greece and Babylon, Persia and the Bible, The Archaeology of New Testament Cities in Western Asia Minor, Harper's World of the New Testament, Gnostic Ethics and Mandaean Origins, and Pre-Christian Gnosticism. A coedited work, Peoples of the Old Testament World, received a prize from the Biblical Archaeological Society. He has recently edited Africa and Africans in Antiquity. His writings have been translated into a dozen languages.

'Vital'...pertaining to life; essential; of critical importance. 'Contemporary'...of the present time; belonging to the same time or period. 'Issues'...a point or matter, the decision of which is of special or public importance. How does the Christian faith affect our understanding of vital contemporary issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and the AIDS crisis? How can we evaluate the moral conflicts of our era from the perspective of biblical truth, and what does the Bible say about social issues, modern-day claims to miraculous gifts, and the tragedy of suicide? 'Vital Contemporary Issues: Examining Current Questions and Controversies' draws upon the insights and studies of numerous evangelical scholars and writers to address crucial moral and social concerns. Some of the chapters included in this volume are: Biblical Absolutes and Moral Conflicts by Norman L. Geisler Euthanasia: A Biblical Approach by J. Kerby Anderson The Church and the AIDS Crisis by Timothy D. Howell Evangelical Pluralism: A Singular Problem by W. Gary Phillips Christian readers, church leaders, and pastors alike will appreciate the insight and guidance of 'Vital Contemporary Issues'.

An ECPA 2003 Gold Medallion Finalist! The story of Christian theology has often been divisive and disjointed. Providing this companion volume to his earlier work The Story of Christian Theology, Roger E. Olson thematically traces the contours of Christian belief down through the ages, revealing a pattern of both unity and diversity. He finds a consensus of teaching that is both unitive and able to incorporate a faithful diversity when not forced into the molds of false either-or alternatives. The mosaic that emerges from Olson's work displays a mediating evangelical theology that is nonspeculative and irenic in spirit and tone. Specifically written with the nonspecialist in mind, Olson has masterfully sketched out the contours of Christian faith with simplicity while avoiding oversimplification.