For over two thousand years, civilization has failed to live up to the expectations expounded by the Christian religion. The last century alone saw two world wars, a cold war, and numerous other politically and racially motivated conflicts. Where was Christianity amidst all that turmoil? It was also believed that the end of colonial rule in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean would usher in an era of peace and prosperity, but the result has been decades of civil war, genocide, and corruption in those regions. Author S.N. Duru theorizes that the cause of this leap-frogging from crisis to crisis is that society has allowed culture to take precedence over faith and reason. When Culture Overrules God and Reason addresses the issues that form the foundation of Duru's theory, and provides a workable resolution for the nations of the world. It is an impassioned call to action to correct civilization's current state of being....

Your path to purpose begins with people. Relationships. We know that we need them, but busy schedules, financial pursuits, and self-serving agendas often distract us from the people God has placed in our lives. Overcoming a childhood that lacked true relationships, CEO David Hoffman successfully broke the rules of a transaction-based world by founding a real estate company focused on meeting people where they are. In Relationships over Rules, David shares his journey and seven principles you can adopt to build authentic relationships that will help you ● welcome opportunities for growth and service, ● reach your potential regardless of your past, ● live with perspective and gratitude, and ● fulfill the great plans God has for you. Guided by true stories and application exercises, watch your life transform as you pour yourself into those around you. You can achieve lasting success when you put relationships first.

"Every leader in America needs to read this book! It's by far the best summary of what's at stake." —Rick Warren The Supreme Court has issued a decision, but that doesn't end the debate. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, Americans face momentous debates about the nature of marriage and religious liberty. Because the Court has redefined marriage in all 50 states, we have to energetically protect our freedom to live according to conscience and faith as we work to rebuild a strong marriage culture. In the first book to respond to the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage, Ryan Anderson draws on the best philosophy and social science to explain what marriage is, why it matters for public policy, and the consequences of its legal redefinition. Attacks on religious liberty--predicated on the bogus equation of opposition to same-sex marriage with racism--have already begun, and modest efforts in Indiana and other states to protect believers' rights have met with hysterics from media and corporate elites. Anderson tells the stories of innocent citizens who have been coerced and penalized by the government and offers a strategy to protect the natural right of religious liberty. Anderson reports on the latest research on same-sex parenting, filling it out with the testimony of children raised by gays and lesbians. He closes with a comprehensive roadmap on how to rebuild a culture of marriage, with work to be done by everyone. The nation's leading defender of marriage in the media and on university campuses, Ryan Anderson has produced the must-read manual on where to go from here. There are reasonable and compelling arguments for the truth about marriage, but too many of our neighbors haven't heard them. Truth is never on "the wrong side of history," but we have to make the case. We will decide which side of history we are on.

Grief is a universal emotion expressed in response to numerous forms of loss or bereavement. Expressing grief has been subject to varying degrees of religious and social constraint in different periods of history and in different cultures and traditions. This collection of 12 essays by both established and newer scholars explores the question of grief expression in a wide variety of writers and genres in the period from Shakespeare to Milton. Contributors examine lyric poems and plays as well as prose works such as sermons, diaries, and medical treatises to disclose the challenges faced by writers of both sexes in dealing with the trauma of loss. The roots of grief expression in personal experience or collective loss, or as described in scientific speculation or literary forms, demonstrate both the complexity and the centrality of this subject in the social and literary history of the period. Actors debate the topic of sorrow, poets wrestle with decorum and sincerity, women diarists confide their private feelings, clerics admonish the grieving with the consolations of faith, and writers discover the limitations of language and articulation in seeking to express sorrow. In the aftermath of deconstructive analyses of literature, there has been a discernible turn toward rediscovering the emotional textures of literature. The subject of grief is a good example of this trend, and this collection is one of the first efforts to address this theme in relation to a specific period of literary history.

A comprehensive verse-by-verse commentary for lay Bible students, fully highlighted by articles, maps, charts, and illustrations-all in one volume. Clear and Comprehensive: Annotations by leading evangelical scholars don't dodge tough issues; alternative views are presented fairly, but commentators make their positions clear. Attractively Designed: Graphics appeal to the sound-bite generation and others who aren't traditional commentary readers. Interesting and Revealing: Hundreds of feature articles that provide additional information or new perspectives on a topic related to Bible background. Visually Appealing: Maps, drawings, and photos illuminate the commentary and visualize important information.