Parables were used by Jesus to reveal to us the kingdom of God and to move us from being bystanders to active recipients of God's work of revelation. However, parables are constantly at risk of being buried as 'mummies of prose', as George MacDonaldputs it. We become so familiar with the language of Scripture that Jesus' parables no longer work on us in this revelatory and transforming way. George MacDonald, the Victorian poet and theologian, observed this very process at work in Victorian society. It was a culture saturated with Christian jargon but often devoid of a profound understanding of the gospel for its own time and culture. The language of Scripture no longer penetrated people's hearts, imaginations, and attitudes; it no longer transformed people's lives. MacDonald, called to be a pastor, turned a story and more specifically the 'parabolic' as a means of spiritual awakening. He created fictive worlds in which the language of Jesus would find a new home and regain its revelatory power for his particular Victorian audience.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the Bible, by the bestselling author of Beyond Belief. Through the bestselling books of Elaine Pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the Gnostic Gospels. As one of the world's foremost religion scholars, she has been a pioneer in interpreting these books and illuminating their place in the early history of Christianity. Her new book, however, tackles a text that is firmly, dramatically within the New Testament canon: The Book of Revelation, the surreal apocalyptic vision of the end of the world . . . or is it? In this startling and timely book, Pagels returns The Book of Revelation to its historical origin, written as its author John of Patmos took aim at the Roman Empire after what is now known as "the Jewish War," in 66 CE. Militant Jews in Jerusalem, fired with religious fervor, waged an all-out war against Rome's occupation of Judea and their defeat resulted in the desecration of Jerusalem and its Great Temple. Pagels persuasively interprets Revelation as a scathing attack on the decadence of Rome. Soon after, however, a new sect known as "Christians" seized on John's text as a weapon against heresy and infidels of all kinds-Jews, even Christians who dissented from their increasingly rigid doctrines and hierarchies. In a time when global religious violence surges, Revelations explores how often those in power throughout history have sought to force "God's enemies" to submit or be killed. It is sure to appeal to Pagels's committed readers and bring her a whole new audience who want to understand the roots of dissent, violence, and division in the world's religions, and to appreciate the lasting appeal of this extraordinary text.

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Gnostic Gospels has continued to grow in reputation and influence over the past two decades. It is now widely recognized as one of the most brilliant and accessible histories of early Christian spirituality published in our time. In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different view of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ from that of the New Testament. In this spellbinding book, renowned religious scholar Elaine Pagels elucidates the mysteries and meanings of these sacred texts both in the world of the first Christians and in the context of Christianity today. With insight and passion, Pagels explores a remarkable range of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of “Christianities” emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual search. Many others, like Buddhists and Hindus, sought enlightenment—and access to God—within. Such explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in masculine form, or feminine as well? Was martyrdom a necessary—or worthy—expression of faith? These early Christians dared to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed—and their explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his message. Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.

Revelations is a unique publishing event -- a visionary collaborative epic novel by today's bestselling and most respected dark fantasy authors. Decade by decade as the Millenium approaches, we take an unforgettable imaginative journey of terror and transcendence through a century that some see as Civilization's darkest -- our own. We end up with Barker's shattering 21st century climax: A dramatic revelation that is both a prophetic warning and a visionary answer for all humankind.

The Book of Revelation. The Apocalypse. Words that often call to mind bizarre creatures, strange seals, dreadful plagues, and a slew of other mystifying symbols.Most of us approach this last book of the Bible with forebodings rather than hope. To us John?s vision seems more like a nightmare.But the elderly apostle begins with a statement that doesn?t seem to fit the rest of the book: ?The revelation of Jesus Christ.? Apparently he intends to unveil something tremendously important about Jesus. Something life-changing. Something we can?t afford to miss.Larry Lichtenwalter explores a side of Revelation seldom portrayed: Christ?s passionate love for humanity. This recurring theme subtly appears in the imagery and symbolism throughout John?s vision. The slain Lamb. The divine protective sealing. The blood-bleached-white robes. The heart-wrenching prayer of the saints. Without Christ?s love, these scenes and symbols would mean nothing.Ultimately John?s vision reveals the extraordinary love of our Savior for His rebellious, undeserving children?and the incredible reasons we can love Him in return.

As a more economical alternative to the standard hardbound edition, this softbound version of Egermeier's Bible Story Book brings you all the same text, artwork and study guides (minus the expanded map section).