A journey that takes the hero, Christian, through the varied landscapes that constitute life and through the events that happen to human beings is the plot of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Readers who have read and loved Louisa May Alcott's Little Women would recall the many references to this 17th century work of religious fiction.
The Pilgrim's Progress is based on several values based in the teachings of Christianity. The importance of using the Bible as a guiding principle in life, of traveling not just geographically but also spiritually, the emphasis on community living and of the companionship of fellow people and many other themes.
The s...
The Bible was first translated into English some time in the 7th century by an unnamed monk known to us as the Venerable Bede. This was the Old English version and the work of translation from Vulgate Latin into Middle English was taken up again in the 14th century by the famous religious dissenter John Wycliffe. Modern translations date from the 16th century onwards and these were sourced from Greek and Hebrew versions as well as Latin.
Most translations are made by a large group of scholars and a committee is set up to review and modify the work as required. This is to avoid any individual biases and assist in cross-checking references and come to a consensus on the closest...
The Imitation of Christ is widely considered one of the greatest manuals of devotion in Christianity. The life of Christ is presented as the highest study possible to a mortal, as Jesus’ teachings far excel all the teachings of the saints. The book gives counsel to read the scriptures, statements about the uses of adversity, advice for submission to authority, warnings against temptation and how to resist it, reflections about death and the judgment, meditations upon the oblation of Christ, and admonitions to flee the vanities of the world.
A recording of a Dutch translation of this work is also available (Thomas a Kempis was Dutch but wrote in Latin of course).
The Koran (Qur’an) is regarded by Muslims as the word of God (Allah) as revealed to the prophet Muhammad. It is divided into 114 chapters (surahs), arranged roughly by length. This version, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, is a widely used English translation of the Koran by a Muslim Englishman. Many Muslims, however, including Pickthall, believe that true translations of the Koran from the original Arabic are impossible, and see translations into other languages only as useful interpretations.
A book on the all importance of humility, how Jesus was humble, and how we also can become humble. Murray wrote “Without humility, there can be no true abiding in God’s presence or experience of His favor and the power of His spirit. Without it there can be no abiding faith or love or joy or strength.”
One of the world’s most valued scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu scripture which is a part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. Undeniably, it is also one of the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy. The scripture offers a guide on how to achieve a self-sufficient life and clarification of Indian theology. Written in the form of a poetic dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, the piece is comprised of 700 verses. It depicts the relationship between man and God, a divine purpose, and the omnipresence of God that serves to reward good.
The literary piece takes place on the eve of a great battle which promises to be violent and with definite casualti...
The Practice of the Presence of God is a collection of letters and transcriptions of conversations, compiled by a disciple of Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite monk and head cook in his monastery’s kitchens. He quickly gained an international reputation as a mystic and spiritual counselor. The Practice of the Presence records his last words of advice to his friends and disciples, as he suffered from an unnamed illness which would eventually take his life.
(Description written by Kirsten Ferreri).
Julian of Norwich (c. November 8, 1342 – c. 1416) is considered to be one of the greatest English mystics. Little is known of her life aside from her writings. Even her name is uncertain, the name “Julian” coming from the Church of St Julian in Norwich, where she occupied a cell adjoining the church as an anchoress.
At the age of thirty, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions. (They ended by the time she overcame her illness on May 13, 1373). These visions would twenty years later be the source of her major work, called Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love (circa 1393). This is believed to be the first book wri...
Γράφοντας αυτό το γράμμα ο Παύλος αποδεικνύει το βαθύ ενδιαφέρον του για την εκκλησία, καθώς προσεύχεται για αυτούς να πληρωθούν με την γνώση του θελήματος του Θεού . Τους προτρέπει να μη εμμένουν τόσο στις αισθήσεις , σε πράγματα δηλαδή που προορίζονται να φθαρούν και σχετίζονται με εντάλματα και ανθρώπινες διδασκαλίες.
Να φρονούν και να σκέφτονται όχι τα επίγεια αλλά τα επουράνια τους τονίζει.
Δείχνει το μέγεθος της θυσίας , τη διάθεση του Παύλου να πάσχει και έτσι να αναπληροί τα παθήματα που θα υπέφερε ο Χριστός, εάν ήταν εδώ στη γη. για χάρη της εκκλησίας .
Δίνει έμφαση στο γεγονός ότι όλη η σοφία και η πνευματική κατανόηση μπορούν να βρεθούν στο Κύριο Ιησού Χρισ...