Religious Writings

Discover a world of love, faith, and community. Follow the Lancaster County Amish as they navigate the challenges of balancing their beliefs with the allure of the wider world. When a young Amish man, Daniel Byler, returns to the community after serving time in prison, he finds an unlikely ally in Lydia Lapp, who sees his potential for change and growth. As Lydia's efforts to bridge the gap between the Amish and Englisch communities continue, she organizes a community event that brings together members from both worlds. Meanwhile, Hannah Fisher continues to grapple with her own struggles ...

Fergal Kane arrives in the seminary of Cloisters to begin his studies for the priesthood. There he learns of a sordid past which attracts him to a seldom used quarter of the ancient building. Obsession, Guilt and Deadly Consequences arise for the young man at the heart of this story. With Five Stars from Readers' Favorite, A Ghost for The Holy is another marvelous and haunting tale from award-winning author Robert E. Kearns. Now with a Five Star Editorial Review from Readers' Favorite

In the heart of Hopewell, Indiana, Caleb Hochstetler seeks a place to call home after a transient life since his parents’ passing. In search of temporary work, his journey takes an unexpected turn when he arrives at the Schrock farm. Drawn to Rebecca Schrock, the youngest of the Schrock daughters, Caleb inadvertently starts to feel a deeper connection, though his plans don't involve staying in one place for long. Rebecca, guarding her heart against inevitable departure, is hesitant to fall for Caleb's charm. She sees his dedication to her family but fears investing in a fleeting romance ...

Andrew Sullivan, “one of the most influential journalists of the last three decades” (The New York Times) and founding editor of The Daily Dish presents a collection of 60 his most iconic and powerful essays of social and political commentary from The New Republic, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, New York magazine, and more.

Featuring many of the beloved characters from Sylvia Price’s bestseller, The Christmas Arrival, as well as a new cast of characters, Amish Love Through the Seasons centers around a group of teenagers as they find friendship, love, and hope in the midst of trials. Tragedy strikes a small Amish community outside of Erie, Pennsylvania when Isaiah Fisher, a widower and father of three, is involved in a serious accident. When his family is left scrambling to pick up the pieces, the community unites to help the single father, but the hospital bills keep piling up. How will the family manage?...

In Reading the Old Testament Through Jewish Eyes, Rabbi Moffic explores the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, and highlights points of interest to Christians. He describes the role of the Torah in Jewish worship and practice and explores the key themes of each book guided by the wisdom of Jewish interpreters through the centuries. Join Rabbi Moffic in this study of the Torah and find rich new insights into the biblical story. Discover how the Torah can be a source of wisdom, truth, and transformation in your life.

In the heart of Hopewell, Indiana, Elijah Troyer shoulders the weight of single parenthood, tending to his three children since his wife's untimely passing. He's reluctant to accept help—until a teacher, Miriam Schrock, steps into his life. Miriam notices Elijah's son struggling at school and offers to tutor him, a suggestion met with initial resistance from Elijah. Reluctance turns to routine as Miriam's presence becomes a constant in the Troyer household. Despite Elijah's attempts to keep his distance, Miriam's kindness and patience start melting his reservations. Elijah wrestles with ...

This memoir is a tale of heartache and humor, of love and loss, of marriage and motherhood, and of learning to put one foot in front of the other by turning page after page. Ilana Kurshan takes us on a deeply accessible and personal guided tour of the Talmud, shedding new light on its stories and offering insights into its arguments - both for those already familiar with the text and for those who have never encountered it. For people of the book - both Jewish and non-Jewish - If All the Seas Were Ink is a celebration of learning how to fall in love once again.

Straight out of Joshua Tree, California, Desert Oracle is “The Voice of the Desert”: a field guide to the strange tales, singing sand dunes, sagebrush trails, artists and aliens, authors and oddballs, ghost towns and modern legends, musicians and mystics, scorpions and saguaros, out there in the sand. Desert Oracle is your companion at a roadside diner, around a campfire, in your tent or cabin (or high-rise apartment or suburban living room) as the wind and the coyotes howl outside at night.

In this volume, we see how Krishna saves his devotee from degradation. Beginning with the famous story of Ajamila, the brahmin who fell from an exalted position to become a ruthless robber and cheat, only to be miraculously redeemed at the very moment of death. Then we hear how Indra, king of the gods, insulted his guru and as a result was overpowered by the demonic races, led by Vritra, a supernatural colossus who had been conjured for the god’s destruction.

There are many editions of the writings of St. Francis, and many biographies about him, but here in one volume are both, plus the complete text of the late medieval work The Little Flowers, which did more to establish the legend of the man than any other work. This edition includes the complete Road to Assisi, Paul Sabatier's groundbreaking and foundational biography of the saint, first published in French in 1894; the complete Francis in His Own Words: The Essential Writings; and The Little Flowers, thus offering the best introduction to St. Francis yet available between two covers.

Following the success of several recent inspirational and practical books for would-be writers, Poemcrazy is a perfect guide for everyone who ever wanted to write a poem but was afraid to try. Writing workshop leader Susan Wooldridge shows how to think, use one's senses, and practice exercises that will make poems more likely to happen.

What happens when two women commit to serving the Catholic Church as nuns taking vows of chastity, but fall passionately in love? They defy the Church's rules against same-sex relationships and blaze a bold trail for a joyous life together at a time when LGBTQ people could be killed for being gay and same-sex marriage was decades in the future.

Daniel Berrigan was a Jesuit priest, poet, and peacemaker whose words and actions over 50 years have offered a powerful witness to the God of Life. Father Berrigan, along with his brother Philip, was one of the Catonsville Nine, arrested and imprisoned in 1968 for destroying draft files in a protest against the Vietnam War. But this was only one step along a journey of faith.

A satisfying compendium of profound subjects carefully and clearly elucidated by a master writer and teacher. These 47 discourses on the Jewish festivals give an overview of the primary concepts of Chabad Chasidus and address the dynamics of a Jew's relationship with G-d, community, and himself.

A young widow shouldering heavy burdens. A farmer ready to lend a hand. Iris Mast is grieving her late husband and overwhelmed by single-parenthood. To make matters worse, her mother is battling with early-onset dementia. Starved for options, Iris moves back home and assumes her mother’s role as the town’s herbalist. Iddo Yoder is a farmer who lives outside of Cardinal Hill. One day, he goes into the herbalist’s shop to buy a remedy for his father’s ailment. When he meets Iris, he is instantly drawn to her for he, too, lost a spouse as well as his son. How will Iris manage raising a...

“I didn’t think he’d do it. I really didn’t think he would. I thought he’d say, whoa, hold on, wait a minute. We made a deal, remember, the land, the blessing, the nation, the descendants as numerous as the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.” So begins James Goodman’s original and urgent encounter with one of the most compelling and resonant stories ever told - God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

The co-editors of Gnosis magazine explore the many esoteric traditions that Western culture has to offer. While terms from Eastern spiritual practices such as Zen, mantra, and karma have become part of our daily lexicon, the traditions of Western spirituality have been largely unexplored by people searching for non-mainstream routes to spiritual experience. But for those who identify with Western culture, Western religious traditions have their own wisdom teachings that are more suitable to their needs and expectations.

The Bible is the central book in Western culture, yet extraordinarily there is no proper history of it. This exceptional work, by one of the world's leading Biblical scholars, provides a full account of how the different parts of the Bible came to be written; how some writings which were regarded as holy became canonical and were included in the Bible, and others were not; what the relationship is of the different parts of the Bible to each other; and how, once it became a stable text, the Bible has been disseminated and interpreted around the world.

Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer, a devoted husband and father, and a devout Catholic, was executed in 1943 as a result of his refusal to serve in the Nazi army. Before taking this stand Jägerstätter consulted both his pastor and his local bishop, who instructed him to do his duty to the fatherland and to obey the law, an instruction that violated his conscience.