Too often, all oppressed people in America are lumped together under the moniker "people of color," as if each group's experience under the yoke of systemic racism has the same economic and social repercussions. But the American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) hold a unique claim to economic and reparative justice: for ADOS, after all, is the only group whose ancestors were forcibly brought to America, enslaved, built much of the wealth of the country, yet continue to be specifically excluded from the same social, political, and economic rights of other Americans. To that end, Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby lays out the first theology of the ADOS movement, turning the traditional lens of Black liberation theology from Moses leading escaped Hebrew slaves in Exodus to other biblical leaders like Solomon, Daniel, and Nehemiah. A Jew born in exile, Nehemiah landed a somewhat privileged position in the Persian king's court. After learning about his people’s dire situation in Jerusalem, Nehemiah wept and was moved to lead efforts to rebuild the wall around the city with money (reparations) obtained from the imperial government. In the stories of Nehemiah and other biblical leaders, Cosby finds inspiration on how to rebuild Black America including the necessity of government reparations for ADOS. Cosby calls all Americans to move from a place of relative nonengagement and detachment to a place of active support of ADOS’s efforts for justice and healing.

The purpose of the wilderness is about what God wants to do in our life. Ever since the fall recorded in Genesis, man has lost their identity, power and authority given to them by God. Without this power and authority, man will never be able to take dominion in this world. When our identity, power and authority have been restored, then He wants to prepare us for the work ahead. The reason why God brings us into the wilderness is to prepare each believer to be able to release their potential. Before we are able to be used by God mightily, He wants to change our character and filter out all the unnecessary things that we have learned in this world. It is a time where man has to learn how to be dependent upon God. This dependence starts in the wilderness where there is absolutely nothing. God wants all of us to put our total trust upon Him and that He will provide all the necessities that we need. God wants His people to experience the supernatural provision that He offers. This is especially true for people who desire to be future leaders in the Kingdom. This does not only refer to people in leadership but also people who live their life in the marketplace. People need to know and understand how God provides in their life and how He wants to use them in their field. In order for people to understand how God works, they need to be transformed through a season of testing. This season of testing is where God actually wants to build up our character. Our character needs to be changed to that of God. Without a character transformation, we will always reflect what we learn in the world. We need to get rid of everything that was attached to our life that doesnt reflect the characteristics of God. This is done in the wilderness because in the wilderness, since there is nothing, we cant help but rely on God. As we rely on God more, then the things that have been attached to our life will start to fall off. Everything that was attached has to come off. When everything comes off, then God will put His Words and traits upon our life. That is why character is so important. It reflects Gods traits. People never look at character as an important aspect in life. Character is often ignored or overlooked. However, to God, it is an important quality. When we are ultimately changed by God, then as we come out of our wilderness experience, we will come out with supernatural power to establish His Kingdom here on earth. Since we learn of His supernatural provision, we will also learn of His supernatural power.The whole process of the wilderness experience is receiving the anointing of God upon our life. With the anointing of God, we will be able to accomplish much. When the world says it takes talents and skill to accomplish much, to God it is all about the anointing. Our wilderness experience will release the anointing that is upon our life. The anointing is very crucial in a believers life. Just as Jesus was anointed to fulfill His purpose while on earth, we need to be anointed to fulfill the purpose of God in our life. This cant happen unless we are totally changed and dependent upon God. Everyone needs to go through their wilderness experience to receive the anointing of God.

“A funny yet surprisingly nuanced look at the legends and ideas of the self-help industry” (People, 3.5 stars), Promise Land explores the American devotion to self-improvement—even as the author attempts some deeply personal improvements of her own. Raised by a child psychologist who was himself the author of numerous self-help books, as an adult Jessica Lamb-Shapiro found herself both repelled and fascinated by the industry: did all of these books, tapes, weekend seminars, groups, posters, t-shirts, and trinkets really help anybody? Why do some people swear by the power of positive thinking, while others dismiss it as so many empty promises? Promise Land is an irreverent tour through the vast and strange reaches of the world of self-help. In the name of research, Jessica attempted to cure herself of phobias, followed The Rules to meet and date men, walked on hot coals, and even attended a self-help seminar for writers of self-help books. But the more she delved into the history and practice of self-help, the more she realized her interest was much more than academic. Forced into a confrontation with the silent grief that had haunted both her and her father since her mother’s death when she was a baby, she realized that sometimes thinking you know everything about a subject is a way of hiding from yourself the fact that you know nothing at all. “A jaunty, cannily written memoir” (Chicago Tribune), Promise Land is cultural history from “a witty and enjoyably self-aware writer…Jessica Lamb-Shapiro’s talent as a storyteller is undeniable” (The New York Times Book Review).

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR “A deeply reported, deeply personal history of Zionism and Israel that does something few books even attempt: It balances the strength and weakness, the idealism and the brutality, the hope and the horror, that has always been at Zionism’s heart.”—Ezra Klein, The New York Times Winner of the Natan Book Award, the National Jewish Book Award, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award Ari Shavit’s riveting work, now updated with new material, draws on historical documents, interviews, and private diaries and letters, as well as his own family’s story, to create a narrative larger than the sum of its parts: both personal and of profound historical dimension. As he examines the complexities and contradictions of the Israeli condition, Shavit asks difficult but important questions: Why did Israel come to be? How did it come to be? Can it survive? Culminating with an analysis of the issues and threats that Israel is facing, My Promised Land uses the defining events of the past to shed new light on the present. Shavit’s analysis of Israeli history provides a landmark portrait of a small, vibrant country living on the edge, whose identity and presence play a crucial role in today’s global political landscape.

"Explains how the American middle class ballooned at mid-century until it dominated the nation, showing who benefited and what brought the expansion to an end"--

Iconoclast David F. Noble traces the evolution and eclipse of the biblical mythology of the Promised Land, the foundational story of Western Culture. Part impassioned manifesto, part masterful survey of opposed philosophical and economic schools, Beyond the Promised Land brings into focus the twisted template of the Western imagination and its faith-based market economy. From the first recorded versions of ‘the promise’ saga in ancient Babylon, to the Zapatistas’ rejection of promises never kept, Noble explores the connections between Judeo-Christian belief and corporate globalization. Inspiration for activists and students alike.

This text has been a popular introduction to the Pentateuch for over fifteen years, offering a unique alternative to the critical approaches that focus on the composition of these books rather than the actual content. With this new edition, T. Desmond Alexander keeps the book fresh and relevant for contemporary students by updating the references and adding material that reflects recent pentateuchal research as well as the author's maturing judgments. The result is a revision that will prove valuable for many years to come.