In a sense, Oceania can be considered a microcosm of World Christianity. Within this region are many of the same observable trends on the global level that impact Christian life, faith, and witness. The geography of Oceania--the "liquid continent"--is unique. Christianity arrived in Australia and New Zealand in the late eighteenth century via British colonial powers. Indigenous Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islanders, and Māori peoples were dispossessed of land, property, rights, and dignity. Christianity grew by migration and conversion (not always voluntary), and over time became tightly intertwined with culture. In the twentieth century, rapid secularization moved Christianity into the private sphere, and by 2020 Christian affiliation had dropped from 97 percent to 57 percent. However, the history of Christianity in the Pacific Islands--Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia--is quite different. Christianity arrived via Protestant and Catholic missionaries between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries and grew substantially in the twentieth century largely due to indigenous Christian efforts. Islanders brought Christianity to neighboring islands, indigenous theologies developed, and churches gradually separated from their Western mission founders. One of the great "success stories" of World Christianity is Papua New Guinea, which grew from just 4 percent Christian in 1900 to 95 percent in 2020. However, growth is never the entire story. Violence against women is endemic in Papua New Guinea and is often combined with accusations of witchcraft. An estimated 59 percent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime (and 48 percent in the last year). As Christianity continues its shift to the global South, it becomes increasingly critical to heed the experiences, perspectives, and theologies of Christians, particularly women, in the Pacific Islands.

God created you in His image and endowed you with unique talents, attributes, and giftings specific to His call on your life. In this book, Marilyn Hickey will show you how to walk in the confidence of your God-given identity by studying the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah. See how the 12 gates of Jerusalem’s wall represent different areas of your identity and learn when they should be open and when they should be closed. Discover how the children of Israel shrugged off the nay-sayers to fulfill their destinies and how you can do the same thing in your life. Rebuild: Restoring Your God-Given Identity also looks at other biblical greats (and some not-so-greats) like Joshua, Gideon, David, Samson, Abraham and Sarah, Eli, Hannah, Samuel, Elijah, Peter, Barnabas, and Mark. God has given you the potential for a wonderfully unique and healthy identity so that you can live out His kingdom purpose for your life with boldness and confidence. Discover the principles of restoring the walls of your identity through the help of our Savior and find success by allowing Him to rebuild the broken places in your life!

"Restoring Sexual Identity" offers answers to the most commonly asked questions from both homosexuals desiring change and friends and relatives of women struggling with same-sex attraction. Is lesbianism an inherited predisposition or is it developed in childhood? Does becoming a Christian eliminate all desire for members of the same sex? What support is available for women who struggle with lesbianism? Can a woman be a lesbian and a Christian at the same time? How does childhood sexual abuse relate to the development of lesbianism? These and other important questions are answered as the author draws from her own experience and that of many other former lesbians who participated in an extensive survey on same-sex attraction.

“In this book, Chris says, ‘Your yes is what the Lord is patiently waiting for.’ I’m so thankful that Chris said yes when given the instruction to write this book, and I believe you, too, will be grateful for the YES as you read and receive revelation on the subject of restoring true identity ... I encourage you to read this book; to hear the heartbeat of the Father on its pages; and in the end, allow Jesus to restore true identity in your very own life.” — Dean Sikes, Founder, YouMatter Dean Sikes Ministries “In Restoring True Identity, Chris Brooks blends his transparent journey with powerful revelation and scriptural application to write a profound testimony of hope for those in the body of Christ who need encouragement and strength ... This book will bring you hope!” — Kevin Wallace, Senior Pastor, Redemption to the Nations, Chattanooga, Tennessee Chris’s work in RESTORING TRUE IDENTITY is a blend of personal testimony and Biblical definitions that highlight the Christian experience. It’s relaxed but at the same time cuts into Christian purpose precisely... I highly recommend this work because there is excitement, setbacks, challenges, and victories x-rayed through the Word of God. — Michael Lindon Restoring True Identity asks you to consider the questions: Do you struggle with doubt? Is deeper faith something you desire? What does it look like to be the church? Are you struggling with the shame of denying Jesus? Do you desperately need to feel the fresh wind of the spirit? What does it mean to be a disciple? Insightful and spiritually empowering, this guide will help you add fuel to the fire in your pursuit of Jesus.

Hough argues that the monotony of the modern landscape is a reflection of society's indifference to the diversity inherent in ecological systems and in human communities. He uses world-wide case studies to show how built areas work and how designers can maintain the identities of different places.

Breakdowns in civil societies can be catalyzed by factors ranging from war and genocide to natural disaster, disease and economic downturns. Restoring Civil Societies examines social processes related to civic engagement in the wake of these societal ruptures. The authors show how crises in civil society can be both pervasive and localized, broad-based and limited to defined social sub-groups. Whatever their scale, Restoring Civil Societies identifies models that analyze the social psychology of crises in order to devise ways of re-activating civic engagement and safeguarding civil society. Focusing on these positive interventions, the authors identify a number of key strategies, ranging from the simplicity and directness of bystander interventions to the volunteer armies mobilized in the wake of natural disasters. They include collective action organized to redress systemic inequalities, and the vital healing role played by truth commissions in Rwanda and elsewhere. Restoring Civil Societies fills the gap between basic research on social issues and translation into social policies and programs-an area which, in light of current economic and social unrest, is more important now than ever.

Slavery, capitalism, and colonialism were understood as racially justified through false olfactory perceptions of African bodies throughout the Atlantic World.