Taking a new approach to consideration of the sculpture created in France during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this book is concerned with its societal roles and the ways in which it was received. The author draws on an extensive range of texts by artists, critics, art theoreticians and other writers as well as on images, setting contemporary conceptions of the nature and purposes of sculpture and individual works into the contexts of the elite and popular cultures of the time. Among topics included are investigations of the employment of statuary for political and religious communication, pictorial representations of sculpture, the comparative roles of painting and sculpture, and the social status of various kinds of sculptors. Previous treatments have dealt with these productions primarily in terms of stylistic developments or of the accomplishments of individual sculptors. This study however approaches its subject thematically rather than chronologically or biographically, while nevertheless acknowledging developments and variations that occurred during the period.

An incisive look at how evangelical Christians shaped—and were shaped by—the American criminal justice system. America incarcerates on a massive scale. Despite recent reforms, the United States locks up large numbers of people—disproportionately poor and nonwhite—for long periods and offers little opportunity for restoration. Aaron Griffith reveals a key component in the origins of American mass incarceration: evangelical Christianity. Evangelicals in the postwar era made crime concern a major religious issue and found new platforms for shaping public life through punitive politics. Religious leaders like Billy Graham and David Wilkerson mobilized fears of lawbreaking and concern for offenders to sharpen appeals for Christian conversion, setting the stage for evangelicals who began advocating tough-on-crime politics in the 1960s. Building on religious campaigns for public safety earlier in the twentieth century, some preachers and politicians pushed for “law and order,” urging support for harsh sentences and expanded policing. Other evangelicals saw crime as a missionary opportunity, launching innovative ministries that reshaped the practice of religion in prisons. From the 1980s on, evangelicals were instrumental in popularizing criminal justice reform, making it a central cause in the compassionate conservative movement. At every stage in their work, evangelicals framed their efforts as colorblind, which only masked racial inequality in incarceration and delayed real change. Today evangelicals play an ambiguous role in reform, pressing for reduced imprisonment while backing law-and-order politicians. God’s Law and Order shows that we cannot understand the criminal justice system without accounting for evangelicalism’s impact on its historical development.

The Bench chronicles the life of a compulsive gambler that takes his addiction to depths most cannot imagine, only to discover that the horrors of addiction would be necessary for the amazing transformation that happened in his recovery. Author Joel Elston recounts his journey through addiction, depression, and eventual recovery and how an old bench on a beach plays a pivotal role over a twenty year span. This brutally honest account of his life is a roller coaster of emotion with an unforeseen twist that even the Author didnt see coming, will leave you speechless.

Our stories are all different. True. But hang around long enough and you'll discover our stories may be more alike than you realize. One minute you're enjoying a refreshing afternoon, sipping lemonade on the front porch. With a blink of an eye or perhaps something you've seen brewing in the distance, a catastrophic storm cloud has swept through your being, leaving you ravaged and stunned with the aftermath. The life-as-you-know-it has changed forever, despite your best efforts to avoid it. Unexpected and destructive circumstances launched Rebecca into a crisis of faith that didn't fit the neat package of life she unwittingly believed was her right. Suddenly, the faith she'd clung to as a little girl experienced a head-on collision with reality. She absolutely didn't know what to do.That's when God benched her . . . right next to Himself.Journey with Rebecca to the bench and discover all the treasures awaiting you. Uncover what you can gain when you've lost it all.

"Are we for them or against them?" In this wise, practical book on the refugee and immigrant crises around the world, Kent Annan explores how fear and misunderstanding can motivate our responses to people in need. Instead, he invites us into stories of welcome, laying out simple practices for a way forward across social and cultural divides.

Some things in life have no earthly explanation. Miracles are not reserved for the characters in the Old and New Testaments; they happen to everyday people. Series creators Don Jacobson and K-LOVE Radio have joined together to produce one of the most remarkable collections of modern-day miracles ever compiled. From angel appearances in hospital rooms to a mother saved from a would-be assailant in Hyde Park, from a young autistic girl becoming a beautiful ballerina overnight to a young backpacker who walked away from a terrorist attack, It’s a God Thing presents some of the most amazing stories of God’s hand on our lives. Be motivated as never before to look for and witness the incredible ways that God is interacting in your life and the lives of those around you. “With their new book, It’s a God Thing, I believe K-LOVE and my friend Don Jacobson will call friends of Jesus everywhere to look for His capers around the world! Do you know why God involves Himself in our lives? Because God is love and love does!” —Bob Goff, author of the New York Times bestseller Love Does “Every day we all are faced with stress, situations we can’t control and often the fear that we really are all alone. . . . These stories give us courage in times of peril and strengthen us when we feel helpless.”—TobyMac, top Christian artist and Grammy Award winner “In It’s a God Thing true servants of God share how their lives were transformed when their understanding became the Father’s. What a blessing to be a child of the King!” —Missy Robertson, star of Duck Dynasty “There is so much going on around us that we never see. Life is all about perspective, and when that lines up with the hand of God, it is remarkable to witness. This book and collection of stories from my friends at K-LOVE will inspire and encourage you greatly!” —Andy Andrews, New York Times best-selling author, The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift “Sometimes I’m guilty of looking so hard for God that I miss Him right in front of me. May we all be reminded through It’s a God Thing that some of the simplest moments in life can quite possibly be some of God’s greatest miracles.”—Bart Millard, lead singer of MercyMe “Nothing astonished people in the New Testament more than watching Jesus perform a miracle right before their eyes—and nothing inspires us today more than hearing He did it again! My good friend Don Jacobson, publisher of The Prayer of Jabez, has once again launched the perfect message for today—don’t miss it!”—Bruce Wilkinson, author, The Prayer of Jabez “There is nothing better than hearing others talk about the ways that God has intervened in their lives. Miracles happen every day all around the world. These stories are incredible.”—Robert D. Smith, author, 20,000 Days and Counting “God doesn’t need for us to be aware of the miracles He’s performing, but they’re happening every day! It’s a God Thing, a new book from K-LOVE, is a powerful vehicle to tell the story of a number of those miracles.”—Brandon Heath, 2008 New Artist of the Year Dove Award winner