The mystic von Speyr continues her reflections on the Gospel of John, concentrating here on the discourses of Jesus in chapters 6-12. The various other events included by Saint John in these chapters are seen primarily by him as the occasion for new confrontations between Jesus and his disputants. These reflections present the moment in which the limited, self-satisfied standpoint of Christ's hearers must let itself be burst open into the unlimited, loving standpoint of the Lord. Some of the controversial discourses in this section of John's Gospel which von Speyr comments on include: The Multiplication of the Loaves; The Bread of Life; The Adulteress; The Man Born Blind; The Raising of Lazarus; The Good Shepherd, and The Entry into Jerusalem. The combination of the Scripture verses and von Speyr's moving meditations provide rich nourishment for prayer and spiritual reading. This series is particularly important because the spirituality of Saint John, the Apostle of Divine Love, was the central source of von Speyr's own spiritual life. Adrienne von Speyr was a contemporary Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor and author of some 70 books on spirituality and theology. She entered the Church under the direction of one the greatest theologians and spiritual writers of the 20th century, Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar, who became her spiritual director and confessor for the last 30 years of her life. Her writings, recognized as a major contribution to the great mystical writings of the Church, are being translated and published by Ignatius Press. Among her most important works are Book of All Saints, Confession, The World of Prayer, Handmaid of the Lord, and The Passion from Within.

A thought-provoking presentation of hashkafah concepts, ethical values, and related mussar insights, derived from the words of Chazal, Rishonim, and Acharonim. Includes charts and tables.

"Confined to a wheelchair after a paralyzing injury, an Afghanistan War veteran endures a hardscrabble existence in his sister's ramshackle Mississippi home before spontaneously regaining his ability to walk, an apparent miracle that subjects him to scientific and religious debates and exposes his most private secrets."--

Have you ever wondered what you are supposed to be doing for God? Are you certain that you are doing everything God has commanded you to do? Are you making a difference for the Kingdom of God? Are you actively engaging with God in the battle against the enemy? Do you know what your Spiritual Gifts are? Are you longing for practical training on how to use your Spiritual gifts? Are you willing to get out of the pew and meet the needs of the countless people looking for what God through you can give to them? This book is Holy Spirit inspired direction for Believers in Christ Jesus who want to fulfill their destiny. It will awaken, equip and empower the Believer in Christ to work for Him inside the church and outside in the world. You will understand who Jesus is in you and who you are because of Him. The Word of God tells us that there will be a restoration of all things before the end comes (Acts 3:20, 21). I believe part of that restoration is that each true Believer will understand what they are called to do, what their role is in the Kingdom of God and will fulfill their destiny. It is time for Believers in Christ Jesus to move in the Word and in His power. Fulfill your destiny! Use this book as a study guide to help you march to the battle with confidence. Be an Overcomer! The Father will say, "Well done my good and faithful servant". Cindy Bruce is a saved, Holy Spirit filled believer in Jesus Christ. Cindy started in ministry as a music evangelist. Cindy is the President of Matthews Ministries. In 2007, the Holy Spirit made it clear to Cindy that she was to write this book. Fulfill Your Destiny: Spiritual Gifts As Tools For Believers is Cindy's first book.

Historically, segregation and social isolation have been recurring responses to people considered defective or deficient in some way. And it is in the midst of such a society that special educator J. David Smith wrote this book, which presents critical historical and contemporary issues in mental retardation. Told through gripping vignettes and interwoven with the story of the life of John Lovelace, a man labeled mentally retarded as a child then institutionalized and sterilized, this gripping text will make all readers reconsider not only our social policies and practices, but also our personal actions, in relation to people with mental retardation. Topics covered here include an examination of ways people have been misidentified as having disabilities, then needlessly warehoused in institutions. Coupled with the tragic story of John Lovelace, this book is one that will be long remembered by its readers, and will ideally spur them to action. This book offers new directions for the field of mental retardation, including conceptual and terminology changes regarding intellectual disabilities, and new thinking about the people whose lives have been altered by the term and the concept. Insights from parents, friends, teachers, and varied special education experts are included, as is the strong view of author Smith, who befriended Lovelace. He was often ignored, regularly avoided and treated as less than a person, as invisible, explains Smith. And Lovelace is the metaphorical island to which each chapter here returns, a vivid example of the denial of freedom and dignity to people who bear an intellectually inferior label. In the end, we see how society can promote values that inspire and challenge us to create humane and just treatment for all, or we can just look the other way when facing disturbing human needs.

This first volume explores the specific roles of metaphysical and religious beliefs in explanation and theory construction in the natural sciences. It surveys modes of interaction between religion and science, paying attention to the sensitivities required for their historiography.