A richly detailed, profoundly engrossing story of how religion has influenced American foreign relations, told through the stories of the men and women—from presidents to preachers—who have plotted the country’s course in the world. Ever since John Winthrop argued that the Puritans’ new home would be “a city upon a hill,” Americans’ role in the world has been shaped by their belief that God has something special in mind for them. But this is a story that historians have mostly ignored. Now, in the first authoritative work on the subject, Andrew Preston explores the major strains of religious fervor—liberal and conservative, pacifist and militant, internationalist and isolationist—that framed American thinking on international issues from the earliest colonial wars to the twenty-first century. He arrives at some startling conclusions, among them: Abraham Lincoln’s use of religion in the Civil War became the model for subsequent wars of humanitarian intervention; nineteenth-century Protestant missionaries made up the first NGO to advance a global human rights agenda; religious liberty was the centerpiece of Franklin Roosevelt’s strategy to bring the United States into World War II. From George Washington to George W. Bush, from the Puritans to the present, from the colonial wars to the Cold War, religion has been one of America’s most powerful sources of ideas about the wider world. When, just days after 9/11, George W. Bush described America as “a prayerful nation, a nation that prays to an almighty God for protection and for peace,” or when Barack Obama spoke of balancing the “just war and the imperatives of a just peace” in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, they were echoing four hundred years of religious rhetoric. Preston traces this echo back to its source. Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith is an unprecedented achievement: no one has yet attempted such a bold synthesis of American history. It is also a remarkable work of balance and fair-mindedness about one of the most fraught subjects in America.

In Dressed To Kill, Rick explains with exacting detail the purpose and function of each piece of Roman armor. In the process, he describes the significance of our spiritual armor not only to withstand the onslaughts of the enemy and but also to overturn the tendencies of the carnal mind. Furthermore, Rick delivers a clear, scriptural...

More than two hundred years on, the Napoleonic Wars still fascinates, with fresh perspectives and new information continuing to develop our understanding of the era. Drawing on cutting-edge research presented at the British Commission for Military History's inaugural 'War and Peace in the Age of Napoleon' Conference, this volume presents a rich array of papers from both established and emerging experts of the period. Featuring the work of Edward Coss, Andrew Bamford, Jacqueline Reiter, Alistair Nichols, Vanya Bellinger, Gavin Daly, Silvia Gregorio-Sainz, and Hailey Stewart, The Sword and the Spirit examines some of the people, personalities, and policies that shaped the conflict. From assessments of Napoleon's mental state, to the actions of individuals such as Sir Home Popham and Carl von Clausewitz; from the siege of San Sebastian to the fields of Waterloo, this book considers the impacts that patronage, diplomacy, psychology, personal experiences, and the disobedience of established practices all had on the waging of war. In the process, it demonstrates the truth of Napoleon's remark that the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.

William Tyndale is the most important translator of the Bible into English in history. Though not the first (that would be John Wyclif), Tyndale's translation has had the most lasting impact. The King James Bible is actually largely a revision of Tyndale's translation. Joyce McPherson is an accomplished children's author (Durer, Calvin, Pascal, & Newton), and here she turns her attention to another key figure from the Reformation. She writes an engaging account of Tyndale's youth and education, and his determination to translate the Bible: As a young university graduate, he said, ." . . if God spare my life, I will make a boy that driveth the plough know more of the Scripture than [a priest] does." This is a great biography to read out loud to students from age 10 up. Independent reading level is 5th/6th grade. Tyndale was educated at Oxford, and spent considerable time with the White Horse Inn group of Reformers at Cambridge. He went to Germany to study Hebrew for a year under Luther in Wittenberg. When he returned, he single-handedly produced an English New Testament that turned England upside down and has stood the test of time. Forced to flee England by angry bishops (and Chancellor Thomas More), Tyndale was at work on an English Old Testament when he was betrayed, arrested, and eventually executed as a Protestant martyr. If you want to understand the course of the Reformation in England, then the story starts with Tyndale: student, scholar, translator, printer, smuggler, and witness to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joyce's retelling of his life is meticulously researched. She tells Tyndale's story in such an engaging fashion that young people will feel as though they've had a chance to sit down and hear the story of his life from someone who knew him."

We are called to "take up" the Sword of the Spirit, the mighty Word of God. We are to do so without hesitation and in great confidence in its power. This is done in prayer, declaration of God's promises and covenant, as well as praising in the face of certain death or destruction trusting God cares for us. Learning how to ask with right motives, to decree without wavering, and praising God with a thankful heart all stem from proper use of the Sword of the Spirit. We need to realize that how we speak to friends, family, coworkers, strangers and, enemies in everyday life is of vital importance if we truly desire to be of Kingdom value in this life. We are not called to swing widely the Sword of the Spirit when we have not studied the Word of God so as to show ourselves approved. We are not allowed to operate the Sword of the Spirit if we are not mature enough in Christ to do it with precision.

Live the Legend. Feel the Steel&break;&break;Steeped in lore and legend, swords evoke images of samurai swordsmen, knights in shining armor, the glint of hardened steel, the charge of mounted cavalry. Spirit of the Word is a stunning visual journey through the history of the simplest and greatest weapon ever devised. More than 300 detailed photos of swords throughout the centuries and from around the world Scenes from the ancient swordmaking capitals of Europe The magic of the Japanese sword, including a profile of Yoshindo Yoshihara, the world's greatest living swordsmith Swords on the Big Screen: a cinematic exploration of sword mythology &break;&break;For the historian, for the collector, for the edged weapon enthusiast, Spirit of the Sword is the perfect one-volume guide to the history and mystique of the world's long blades. From, fascinating information on the history of swords from around the world to helpful tips on collecting and displaying swords, you'll find in Spirit of the Sword.