Today, far too many leading Christians water down the robust teachings of our Faith. Ignoring Christ's clear example and constant demand that we boldly confront evils, they preach an amicable, nonconfrontational, feel-good gospel. Instead of teaching the faithful to edify and enjoin the wayward, they urge them to pacify and submit . . . with catastrophic results personally, for the Church, and for society at large. Now comes Fr. Dwight Longenecker with this potent book that shows how, by engaging in the lost art of spiritual warfare, good Christians can cure this trend and repair the extensive damage it has caused. Here, without fear or favor, Longenecker maps out the myriad places where evil lurks in our world, shines a light on its many faces, and details the countless clever tricks it uses to hide. He delineates ten sturdy principles that must motivate all Christian warriors who hope to expunge evil and stop it from returning. And finally, he explains in fascinating detail the art of immortal combat, showing how self-sacrifice and contemplation of the Cross can bring victory over any evil, no matter how hidden or how grave. Be forewarned: this book calls you to sanctity and is not for wimps. For sanctity is impossible apart from heroic virtue, and heroic virtue is impossible apart from spiritual warfare. As Fr. Longenecker puts it, “Find a saint, and you'll find a warrior.” These pages are a mighty guidebook for souls hungry to follow the way of the Christian warrior by taking up their crosses and following into immortal combat the King of the Universe, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

A complete overview of all aspects of combat, from the primitive to the cutting-edge, Immortal Combat uses Bruce Lee’s life and work as a martial artist to examine the crucial differences between the soldier and the warrior. It draws an analogy between the ambitions of the competitive, ego-driven martial sportsman, typified by the career of karate champion Joe Lewis, and the spiritual aims of the martial artist, personified by the life of Morehei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido. Bruce Lee represents the man torn between his ambitions and his art, who somehow has to reconcile the two. The book argues that the path of the martial artist is that of self-mastery and self-knowledge, while the ambition of the martial sportsman is to set himself above and apart from others. This thought-provoking read moves beyond the popular image of Bruce Lee as an action hero, placing his life and legacy in a deeper context.

Never before has humanity existed in a culture that rejects belief in a transcendent power. Previous cultures -- even when rent by bitter disagreements -- shared a common belief that a greater force stood above the material realm. But when one side acknowledges an ultimate source of truth while the other side denies it, debate is dead, and mutual understanding is impossible. So claims Fr. Dwight Longenecker in his most captivating book yet, Beheading Hydra. Longenecker shows how, like the mythical serpentine beast with myriad writhing and venomous heads, atheism manifests itself today through sixteen "isms" that cloak the actions of the antichrist, who seethes with pure hatred of God and His truth. Because any good battle plan calls for a thorough knowledge of the enemy, Fr. Longenecker boldly exposes the philosophies behind scientism, materialism, utilitarianism, sentimental humanitarianism, and more, explaining how they became the core assumptions of our culture and how they are, in turn, corrupting the politics and power structures of the world. Beheading Hydra brilliantly catalogs the alluring and seductive deceptions of each ism to help you see how they are corroding the very foundations of Western civilization and entrapping countless faithful Christians. Best of all, the book lays out a plan of action to behead the Hydra that calls for neither direct conflict nor even dialogue, but creative subversion. You'll discover what this means along with the powerful and practical actions you and your friends can take now. You'll also learn how to acquire the grace needed to see clearly the problem -- and the solutions. It is ordinary men and women who become extraordinary heroes in this battle against Satan, explains Fr. Longenecker. Only by the light of our lives will we defeat this darkness. Debate and dialogue are now pointless. Our lives are our only remaining argument.

A war that will end the world or save it . . . The prophesied war is raging. Luke's destiny is unstoppable, Sam's losses and powers are unravelling her mind, and Jake's family secrets put the whole world in peril. And that's before the darkest warlock of all time makes his first move on the chessboard. A move he's planned for centuries . . . A gripping new series about a collision of worlds, the power of destiny, and the darkness in us all.

These vampires don’t sparkle…they bite. Book 1 of the Blood of Eden trilogy by Julie Kagawa, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Fey, begins a thrilling dark fantasy series where vampires rule, humans are prey…and one girl will become what she hates most to save all she loves. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, where the vampires who killed her mother rule and she and her crew of outcasts must hide from the monsters at night. All that drives Allie is her hatred of vampires, who keep humans as prey. Until the night Allie herself dies…a becomes one of the monsters. When she hears of a mythical place called Eden that might have a cure for the blood disease that killed off most of civilization, Allie decides to seek it out. Hiding among a band of humans, she begins a journey that will have unforeseen consequences…to herself, to the boy she’s falling for who believes she’s human, and to the future of the world. Now Allie must decide what—and who—is worth dying for…again. “A fresh and imaginative thrill ride.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review Books in the Blood of Eden series: The Immortal Rules The Eternity Cure The Forever Song

The violence of combat sports left a mark on how fans and communities remembered athletes. As individual endeavors, combat sports have often produced more detailed, emotionally poignant, and deeply personal stories of triumph than those associated with team sports. Commemorative statues to combat athletes are therefore unique as historical markers and sites of memory. These statues tell remarkable stories of the athletes themselves, but also the people and communities that planned and built them, the cities and towns that memorialized them, the fans who followed them, and the evolution of memory and place in the decades that followed their inauguration. Edited by C. Nathan Hatton and David M. K. Sheinin, The Statues and Legacies of Combat Athletes in the Americas brings together an interdisciplinary team of scholars from across North America to interrogate the intimate and layered meanings attached to these monuments to the lives and legacies of combat athletes.

This collection of essays examines the many facets of violence in contemporary American culture, ranging across literature, film, philosophy, photojournalism and other media. It offers a consideration of why we are drawn to depictions of violence and why there is a market for violent entertainment.