In his trailblazing studies of the spirit in Jewish and Christian Antiquity, John R. (Jack) Levison shatters theological and exegetical taxonomies. Should the spirit be understood as breath or Spirit--or both? Is the spirit directed to creation or salvation--or both? Is the spirit a force or an angel--or both? Does the spirit inspire ecstasy or wisdom--or both? When Levison transfers the starting point of pneumatology from the New Testament to the Hebrew Bible, from Christianity to Judaism, questions swell, assumptions detonate, and expectations flourish. Consequently, Levison's studies are considered "impressive and provocative" (Review of Biblical Literature), "delightful, engaging" (Catholic Biblical Quarterly), "compelling, eloquent, sensitive" (Word and World), and "a remarkable read" (Themelios), with "profound ramifications for both Jewish and New Testament Studies" (Journal of Jewish Studies). Now, for the first time, selections of his breathtaking array of studies are available in three accessible volumes. This volume, in which you will discover some of the programmatic studies Levison published on the biblical literature of both testaments, reveals why Reading Religion: A Publication of the American Academy of Religion forecasts that "Levison will continue to be at the center of our most fruitful discussions of pneumatology."

In his trailblazing studies of the spirit in Jewish and Christian antiquity, John R. (Jack) Levison shatters theological and exegetical taxonomies. Should the spirit be understood as breath or Spirit—or both? Is the spirit directed to creation or salvation—or both? Is the spirit a force or an angel—or both? Does the spirit inspire ecstasy or wisdom—or both? When Levison transfers the starting point of pneumatology from the New Testament to the Hebrew Bible, from Christianity to Judaism, questions swell, assumptions detonate, and expectations flourish. Consequently, Levison’s studies are considered “impressive and provocative” (Review of Biblical Literature), “delightful, engaging” (Catholic Biblical Quarterly), “impressive” (Journal of Ancient Judaism) and “a significant shift in research on understandings of the spirit in Judaism” (Journal of Theological Studies), with “profound ramifications for both Jewish and New Testament Studies” (Journal of Jewish Studies). Now, for the first time, selections of his breathtaking array of studies are available in three accessible volumes. In this volume, you will encounter Levison’s unprecedented and probing studies of the spirit in early Judaism in the context of Greek and Roman thought, from Sirach to the Tosefta, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Philo of Alexandria, from Judith to Josephus. As they engage, readers will understand why Reading Religion: A Publication of the American Academy of Religion forecasts that “Levison will continue to be at the center of our most fruitful discussions of pneumatology.”

Brother Witness Lee traveled to Manila, Philippines, at the beginning of 1954. On January 24 he began a seven-day perfecting conference with five special fellowships concerning the subject of pursuing the Lord. After this, he initiated a service training that lasted for six months, with four meetings per week. On Wednesday mornings he gave a Bible study of the Old Testament, and on Wednesday evenings he gave a training on character, including matters such as being the proper person, handling affairs properly, and doing the proper work. On Friday mornings he gave a training on being a minister of God's word, and on Friday evenings he ministered on the proper way to meet. The number who attended these meetings varied between fifty-six and one hundred sixty. The study of the Old Testament and the training on character are included in volume 1 of the 1954 set, along with other messages given in the same time period. Brother Lee left Manila in July and traveled to Hong Kong, where he conducted ten meetings on life and twelve meetings on service, plus four gospel meetings, four young people's meetings, six fellowships on service, and six meetings for the full-time serving ones. These meetings were centered on the indwelling Christ and on the knowledge of spiritual service. They are included in volumes 1 and 2 of this set. Brother Lee left Hong Kong to return to Taiwan in the middle of August. At the end of August and the beginning of September, Brother Lee conducted a special conference in Taipei, Taiwan, that consisted of ten meetings on the subject of spiritual reality, with between one thousand six hundred and two thousand six hundred in attendance. These messages are included in the section entitled Spiritual Reality in volume 2 of this set. In the fall of 1954 Brother Lee began another extended training for serving ones like the one that he carried out in the fall of 1953. During this training he conducted a detailed study on Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus through Ezra. The messages given in this detailed study are included in volume 4 of this set. He also spoke further on the knowledge of life and the experience of life. These speakings and the speakings in the previous training in 1953 on the same subjects were combined to form the books The Knowledge of Life and The Experience of Life (see The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1953, vol. 3). During this training he also released messages published in Gospel Outlines, which are included in volume 3 of this set. The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1954, volume 1, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee on January 1 through August 12, 1954. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1954 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of this volume. The contents of this volume are divided into seven sections, as follows: 1. Two messages given in Manila, Philippines, on January 1 and 3. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Significance and Application of the Burnt Offering. 2. Eight messages given in Manila, Philippines, on January 24 through 31. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Living and Service of the Burnt Offering. 3. Twenty-four messages given in Manila, Philippines, in February through July. These messages are included in this volume under the title A Record of the Service Training in the Philippines. 4. Thirteen messages given in Manila, Philippines, on February 7 through July 11. These messages are included in this volume under the title Messages Given in the Lord's Day Meetings in Manila. 5. Six messages given in Manila, Philippines, in February and March. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Building Up of the Character of the Lord's Serving Ones. 6. Twenty-two messages given in Manila, Philippines, in March through June. These messages are included in this volume under the title A Record of a Bible Study on the Old Testament. 7. Eight messages given in Hong Kong on July 16 through August 12. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Spiritual Knowledge Needed for Serving in the Church.

This book contains Book of Her Foundations and Minor Works. Includes general and biblical index. In 1573, while staying in Salamanca to assist her nuns in the task of establishing one of her seventeen monasteries, Teresa began composing the story of their foundation. The Book of Her Foundations comprises the major portion of Volume Three. This book not only tells the story of the establishment of her monasteries but, characteristic of Teresa, digresses into counsels on prayer, love, melancholy, virtuous living and dying, plus other teachings of the Mother Foundress. This book also has an excellent introduction, chronology, and map of Teresa's foundations and journeys. Five of her brief works, including her poetry, complete ICS Publications' third volume of her Collected Works. Includes general and biblical index.

"The Book of Her Life" is the spiritual autobiography of a Counter Reformation mystic and monastic reformer of sixteenth century Spain. Introduction by Jodi Bilinkoff.

This book contains Book of Her Life, Spiritual Testimonies, and Soliloquies.Includes general and biblical index.This is the second edition of Volume One of The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, first woman doctor of the church. The translators have taken full advantage of all that recent scholarship has contributed to a better understanding of Teresa and her writings. This volume includes her first major work, The Book of Her Life, and two of her shorter works, the Spiritual Testimonies and the Soliloquies. Clear and contemporary, this rendering captures Teresa's spirit while remaining faithful to her thought. Includes general and biblical index.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1975-1976, volume 1, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from February 18 through August 31, 1975. During 1975 and 1976 Brother Lee spoke two hundred fifty seven messages that were published in Life-study of Genesis, Life-study of Matthew, Life-study of Mark, Life-study of John, Life-study of Romans, Life-study of Hebrews, and Life-study of Revelation. These Life-study messages are not included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee. From the beginning of the year until the end of March, Brother Lee ministered in Anaheim, California. Messages that he gave up to February 11 are published in The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1973-1974, volume 2. From the end of March through the first week in April, Brother Lee was in Washington, D.C., where he gave the life-study training on the Gospel of John. From there he went to New York City and remained there until the middle of April. He then returned to Anaheim and ministered there until the end of May. At the end of May and on the first day of June, he held a conference in Chicago, Illinois, after which he was in Anaheim until the end of the third week in June. He then traveled to Spokane and Seattle, Washington, and returned to Anaheim and ministered there until July 3. From July 4 through 6 he held a conference in Berkeley, California. He then ministered in Anaheim until August 4, after which he traveled to Taipei, Taiwan, and conducted conferences and trainings there until September 11. The contents of this volume are divided into fourteen sections, as follows: 1. Three messages given in Anaheim, California, on February 18 and 25 and March 4, 1975. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Fellowship with the Young People. 2. One message given in Anaheim, California, on March 2, 1975. It is included in this volume under the title Fellowship concerning Baptism. 3. Two messages given in Anaheim, California, on March 11 and 18, 1975. These messages were originally published together under the title A Word for the Sisters and later published as separate booklets entitled The Serving Sisters in the Church Life and The Loving Mothers in the Church Life. They are included in this volume under the title A Word for the Sisters. 4. Nine messages given in New York City on April 8 through 13, 1975. They were previously published in a book entitled The Seven Mysteries in the First Epistle of John. 5. One message given in New York City on April 11, 1975. It is included in this volume under the title The Crucial Function of the Sisters in the Church Life. 6. One message given in Anaheim, California, on May 11, 1975. It is included in this volume under the title Brother Lee's Personal Testimony concerning Calling on the Name of the Lord. 7. One message given in Anaheim, California, on May 18, 1975. It is included in this volume under the title Fellowship concerning the Preparation of Meeting Halls. 8. Five messages given in Chicago, Illinois, on May 30 through June 1, 1975. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Flesh and the Spirit. 9. Four messages given in Spokane, Washington, on June 21 and 22, 1975. They were previously published in a book entitled The Building of the Church. 10. Eleven messages given in Seattle, Washington, and Berkeley and Anaheim, California, on June 23 through July 13, 1975. They were previously published in a book entitled The Testimony of Jesus. 11. One message given in Berkeley, California, on July 5, 1975. The edited message was divided into two chapters, which are published in this volume under the title The Truth concerning the Triune God and Crucial Points of Truth and Practice. 12. Six messages given in Anaheim, California, on July 23 and 24, 1975. One of the edited messages was divided into two chapters, and the seven resulting chapters are included in this volume under the title Fellowship with Elders. 13. Five messages given in Chinese in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 19 through 23, 1975. They were previously published in Chinese and English in a book entitled Living in the Spirit. 14. Four messages given in Chinese in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 26 through 31, 1975. They were previously published in Chinese and English in a book entitled Living with the Lord.