The sacred in the Indian tradition is more an experience than a concept and goes much beyond the narrow confines of an organised temple or even a shrine. The gods of this tradition, as well as those who hold them sacred, are simple and unpretentious yet dignified and self-assured. Whether it is a tree that is held sacred or a naturally occurring stone that is reverred, a river that is the embodiment of divinity itself, an ancestor that is the embodiment of divinity itself, an ancestor that is worshipped, a fabric that is simply draped, a road side shrine on a busy street or a votive terracota horse that is lovingly made and offered, a narrative scroll that holds its audience spell-bound; here is religion at work that is as spontaneous as it is intense, charged with faith, fervor and commitment; now private and now shared, that forms an integral part of the lived lives of these common people, be they rural or urban, tribal or traditional. The rituals and practices for these deities are neither scripted nor canonized, but what they may lack in grandeur, erudition and ceremony, they more than make up in the faith and feeling that they generate. In a civilisation which has encountered majestic truths and erected grand temples, these sacred manifestations and expressions of the ordinary people tend to be sidelined or dismissed by scholars as well as the world at large, as minor or lesser gods worthy of curiosity but not of serious study, but it is important to remember that they have a beauty and presence of their own in the pluralistic Indian tradition.

"Beyond the Temples: Unraveling the Mysteries of Hindu Gods" beckons readers on a profound exploration of Hinduism, transcending the conventional narratives and inviting them into the heart of this ancient, diverse, and deeply spiritual tradition. With meticulous research and an engaging narrative, the book unravels the intricate tapestry of Hindu thought, navigating through the pantheon of deities to uncover the profound meanings behind rituals, symbols, and myths. Delving into the essence of karma, dharma, and moksha, it unveils the interconnectedness of divinity and humanity. More than a mere survey of gods and goddesses, this book illuminates the philosophical underpinnings, offering a scholarly yet accessible journey into the timeless wisdom that extends "beyond the temples." Whether you are a scholar, a spiritual seeker, or someone curious about the profound intricacies of Hinduism, this book promises to be a captivating guide through the rich tapestry of this ancient tradition.

After World War II, Americans constructed an unprecedented number of synagogues, churches, cathedrals, chapels, and other structures. The book is one of the first major studies of American religious architecture in the postwar period, and it reveals the diverse and complicated set of issues that emerged just as one of the nation's biggest building booms unfolded. Price argues that the resulting structures, as often mocked as loved, were physical embodiments of an important time in American religious history.

South Africa and Zimbabwe are home to the largest cluster of ancient stone ruins found to date on Earth. Adam's Calendar is at the centre of it all - the oldest functioning megalithic Sun Calendar found to date. Since 2007, more than 5 million circular stone structures have been identified by Michael Tellinger and a small group of independent researchers. These structures are not "stand-alone" stone circles - they are all connected to each other by channels of stone, and held in a large mesh of agricultural terraces that cover entire mountains and resembles a never-ending spider's web. The great mystery is that the original stone structures have no doors or entrances - indicating that they were not originally constructed as dwellings for people or animals. Additional research and the discovery of mysterious tools and artefacts, indicate that the builders had an advanced knowledge of Cymatics - study of sound - and knew how to use sound as a tool. Together with many ancient gold mines, all this activity has been dated with various scientific techniques to well over 100,000 years - and provides much support for the presence of the Sumerian Anunnaki on Earth - mining gold in Southern Africa. A place often referred to as the ABZU. Scholars have told us that the first civilization on Earth emerged in a land called Sumer some 6000 years ago. These archaeological findings in southern Africa suggest that the Sumerians inherited much of their knowledge from an earlier civilization that emerged many thousands of years before them in southern Africa, the cradle of humankind.

There are many investigations of the Old Testament priests and the New Testament’s appropriation of such imagery for Jesus Christ. There are also studies of Israel’s corporate priesthood and what this means for the priesthood of God’s new covenant people. In this NSBT volume, Andrew S. Malone traces these two distinct threads and their intersection through Scripture with an eye to the contemporary Christian relevance.

Margaret Barker believes that Christianity developed so quickly because it was a return to far older faith—far older than the Greek culture that is long-held to have influenced Christianity. Temple Theology explains that the preaching of the gospel and the early Christian faith grew out of the centuries' old Hebrew longing for God's original Temple.