5 comments about Contending for Our All: Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ in the Lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen (Piper, John, Swans Are Not Silent) (Piper, John, Swans Are Not Silent).

1. John Piper shows the solid and sober Christian Athanasius was:
   'He is surrounded by an atmosphere of truth. Not a single miracle of any kind is related to him. The saintly reputation of Athanasius rested on his life and character alone, without the aid of any reputation for miraculous power.'
   pg 41, quoted from Archibald Robertson.
   
   The fourth and final instalment of 'The Swans Are Not Silent' enters the deep fray of doctrine, and the struggle for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints, in the lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J Gresham Machen.
   Piper's emphasis is again on historical truth, and to commend others not to jettison the lessons learnt in the preservation of biblical truth. How it came to be defended before is not irrelevant, but definitive for our contemporary church.
   
   'The problem with modernity is that it has bred forces that are hostile to biblical faith and yet produced a world that believers readily embrace.' pg 131
   
   'When the preference for what is new combines with a naturalistic bias and a scepticism about finding abiding truth, the stage is set for the worst abuses of religious language and the worst manipulations of historic confessions.'
   pg 133
   
   'It makes very little difference how much or how little of the creeds the church the modernist preacher affirms, or how much or how little of the biblical teaching from which the creeds are derived. He might affirm every jot and tittle of the Westminster Confession, for example, and yet be separated by a great gulf from the Reformed faith. It is not that part is denied and the rest affirmed; but all is denied, because all is affirmed merely as useful or symbolic and not as true.' pg 134, Gresham Machen, quoted from What Is Faith? pg 34
   
   'This utilitarian view of history and language leads to evasive, vague language that enables the modernist to mislead people into thinking he is still orthodox.' pg 135
   
   'When you take away any norm of truth, you take away the only means of measuring movement from lesser to greater, or worse to better.' pg 136
   
   'As over against... (the pragmatist, modernist) attitude, we believers in historic Christianity maintain the objectivity of truth. Theology, we hold, is not an attempt to express in merely symbolic terms an inner experience, which must be expressed in different terms in subsequent generations; but it is a setting forth of those facts upon which experience is based.' pg 138, Gresham Machen, quoted from What Is Faith? pg 32
   
   'If we do not know history, we will be weak and poor in our efforts to be faithful today. Our hope for the church and the spread of the true gospel lies not ultimately in our strategies, but in God. And there is every hope that He will triumph.' pg 139



2. John Piper has given his life, I am convinced after reading this book, to the supremacy of God in all things through a spread of the pure gospel. In this insightful volume, which is part of the "Swans are Not Silent", Piper looks at the life of Athanasius, the beloved bishop, John Owen, the greatest mind of the puritans, and J. Gresham Machen, one the last great theologians of the old Princeton Theological Seminary.
   
   Each biographical sketch surrounds what was pivotal in the lives of these men. This volume is by no means a detail work, but it is nevertheless a powerful one. It is a primer for the reader to be engaged in the lives of older saints, who surrendered their all for the cause of Christ. Buy and Read!



3. The fourth book of Piper's The Swans Are Not Silent series on the lives of the great saints of the faith, Contending for Our All exposes the reader to the lives of three great warriors who battled for truth against great odds and in the face of great persecution. Athanasius, one of the early church fathers, became bishop of Alexandra in 328 and passed away in 373. He was almost single-handedly responsible for the battle against the heresy of Arius who claimed that Jesus, as the son of God, was a created being; not one with the Father from time and eternity. Athanasius fought this false doctrine and his teaching and influence resulted in the creeds from the Council of Nicaea as well as the Council of Constantinople shortly after his death.
   
   Piper next explores the life and teachings of Puritan pastor John Owen, a man tremendously influential in the lives of some of today's outstanding Christians leaders such as J.I. Packer and Sinclair Ferguson. Some, including Gordon-Conwell Seminary professor Roger Nicole, consider Owen to be the greatest theologian who has ever written in the English language - even greater than Jonathan Edwards. Owen's most outstanding works are The Death of Death in the Death of Christ and Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers. In addition to his writing Owen was a pastor, the Vice Chancellor at Oxford, and heavily involved in the affairs of Parliament. He also suffered the death of his eleven children during his lifetime. Owen is buried next to his contemporary John Bunyan in London.
   
   Finally, Piper tells the story of the short, but controversial life of J. Gresham Machen, a man who stood at the turn of the century here in America and sounded the alarm regarding the liberalization of the church. As a professor at Princeton Seminary, Machen was in a key position to witness this cultural shift that he called "modernity" and that he defined not as a subset of Christianity but rather as a hostile competitor to the traditional and historical faith grounded in Scripture. Machen watched as Princeton Seminary "died," so he and several others left the once-great seminary to start Westminster Seminary. Machen was not only a New Testament scholar, but also one of the first cultural apologists whose influence shaped the life of the great Francis Schaeffer among others.
   
   This series by Piper is quite extraordinary giving the reader a glimpse into the lives, struggles, victories, personalities, and ministries of some of the great saints of the faith. I highly recommend these books to every Christian wanting to know more about the Christian faith and the men and women included in the "great cloud of witnesses."



4. This book gives a good introduction to these three men; Athanasius, Owen and Machen. It walks through their lives and a little on their theology. I guess I was hoping for a little more on their theology but since the book is less than 200 pages what can you expect? Very concise and easy to read and follow and like most of what Piper does, there is good application to what these men lived and believed. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to be introduced to these three vital men of Christendom.



5. This is the fourth book in Piper's series, "The Swans Are Not Silent," and follows his pattern of looking at three "swans" of church history through the lens of a central theme. The three presented here are Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen; the theme is the subtitle, Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ.
   
   I was immediately captivated by Piper's Introduction, so much so, that I read portions of it aloud to several people, prefaced by an excited "Listen to this!" His discussion of truth, controversy, and humility sets the tone for what is to come. Piper lays out the historical background for his treatment of Athanasius by discussing the nature of orthodox theology in the fourth century, particularly with regard to the doctrine of the Trinity and the heresy of Arianism. In the second half of this first chapter, he gives seven practical lessons we can learn from the life of Athanasius, and shows that old battles are still being fought, but with new terminology.
   
   John Owen is the only "swan" I had read previously. Piper begins his discussion of Owen by relating the impact Owen has had on men like J.I. Packer, Sinclair Ferguson, and on Piper himself. He gives a brief biography of Owen, including a short definition of Puritanism. He sees the heart of Owen's life and ministry as the mortification of sin and personal holiness: "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." I particularly loved Piper's comment about the relationship between private spirituality and public ministry:
   
   One great hindrance to holiness in the ministry of the Word is that we are prone to preach and write without pressing into the things we say and making them real to our own souls. Over the years words begin to come easy, and we find we can speak of mysteries without standing in awe; we can speak of purity without feeling pure; we can speak of zeal without spiritual passion; we can speak of God's holiness without trembling; we can speak of sin without sorrow; we can speak of heaven without eagerness. And the result is an increasing hardening of the spiritual life. (p. 109)
   
   Piper's final chapter is about J. Gresham Machen and his valiant battle against the Modernism of the early 20th century. After saying that it is not much different from the postmodernism of our day, Piper lists twelve lessons from Machen's life and work applicable to today, and is not shy about bringing up his flaws. In fact, the final section of the chapter is titled "Hope in God's Sovereignty Through Human Shortcomings," an encouragement to us all.
   
   The Conclusion is a gem. With a brief nod to another "sweet-singing twentieth-century swan," Francis Schaeffer, Piper reminds us that passionately standing for the truth is inextricably linked to love. He discusses several Scripture passages where this is taught. He then closes the book with "Our Prayer In a Time of Controversy." This brief prayer, combined with the Introduction and Conclusion, are, in my mind, reason enough to read Contending For Our All. This is not just a history lesson, but also a book for your spiritual benefit. - Pam Glass, Christian Book Previews.com

5 comments about Ruth, A Portrait: The story of Ruth Bell Graham.

1. I think this is Cornwell's best book, you can feel her love for Graham. Ruth Graham had an extraordinary life, her life in may ways is as interesting as her iconic husband. Her early live in China and how it enlightened her, it's interesting that such a forward thinking woman married the most famous evangelical. I found the information on her courtship with Billy fascinating, he really had to win her, she was beautiful and he know he had to be at the top of his game to get her. Ruth Graham was an amazing woman, though i was dismayed to see that she gave in and allowed herself to be buried in Charlotte instead of her chosen place Montreat, but ultimately she couldnt imagine not being next to Billy. Very good book on a singular American.



2. This is a great book if you want to learn about Ruth's life from the perspect of a close family friend, someone who knew her well. It's easy to read and very interesting. However, as I read the book, it felt like there was an important aspect missing: the faith of Ruth Graham. The author, who I don't believe is a Christian hereself, does an excellent job describing Ruth as an incredible person, wife, mother, and friend; but I perceive from her writing that the author never realized the value or importance of Ruth's relationship with God. I read this book hoping to find encouragement and insight from Ruth's walk with God. However, I was disappointed in that area. Although very accurate and full of wonderful details about the life of this great woman, the author thoroughly glorifies Ruth as a person (with no real credit to her faith) so much so that by the end of the book I felt that Ruth was described as almost superhuman, someone to look at on a pedestal rather than try to relate to and learn from.



3. I bought this because I'm a fan of Cornwell's other work, especially the earlier stuff. My expectations weren't very high, since most books about religious "greats" tend to be syrupy or on a witch-hunt.
   
   Instead, Cornwell brings in just enough of her personal experience with the Grahams to explain her adoring views of Ruth. But for the rest of the book, she manages to take herself out the story masterfully and give us a three-dimensional portrait of a strong, stubborn, soft-hearted woman's walk through life. Both of the Grahams are seen as normal, flawed, generous people with single-minded commitment to their lives' callings. The realistic presentation of both of the Grahams really highlights God's presence and action in their lives. I loved that Cornwall just trusted the facts to present a well-rounded picture, without inserting a lot of personal opinions. It's a perspective on Ruth that you won't find in a lot of simpering bios which show her as the ever-supportive, ever-submissive wife of an equally flawless evangelist. Here, you get to see her as a worthy match with a quick mind, a soft heart and sharp tongue.
   
   The most incredible chapter is the last one, where we see how Ruth's compassion and acceptance of wounded and lost people had such on effect on the author's life as well. Just a really great book. I'm officially gushing to everyone about it!



4. I don't enjoy reading the much and I'm also a slow reader in that I get lost in the content and descriptions. This is definitely not a Patricia Cornwell suspense novel. She was very close friends with the Grahams and begged Ruth to let her write the book for people to see the woman behind the man...Billy Graham. She did it so well that Ruth did not speak to Patricia for about 3 years after the book was published. Sometimes the truth hurts and sometimes it will set you free. It was an interesting, easy read for me. It was a book I kept picking up to want to read the next chapter...something that's very hard for me...something keeping my attention. I've loaned the book out to several friends and they have all enjoyed it. I read it about 3 months before Ruth died.



5. Ruth Bell Graham was ailing this week and died yesterday. I had meant for the longest time to read this book, but just never got around to it. I guess I just thought she was perfect, and perhaps the book might be about that, but I was so moved by her life ending that I just had to know more about her. I knew I was going to miss her presence in our lives and country. Yesterday was the impetus to start reading the book. Fascinating. Far from being just about "churchy" stuff and a woman who was seemingly "pefect", author Patricia Cornwell (who as a little girl befriended Ruth's parents Dr. and Mrs. Bell first and later Ruth who was already married to Billy Graham) covers so much ground about these fascinating, wonderful, decent, giving, generous, sacrifical, funny, Godly people. Ruth was born and raised in China and her parents took over the hospital run by legendary American author Pearl Buck's parents! Author Cornwell does such a masterful job, I felt I was standing in China at that time, with all of the turmoil, the attacks of the Japanese, and spunky Ruth -- who was open-minded and truly loved and cared for all different kinds of people at an early age (when she and her sister would get into physical skirmishes, the family's Chinese help would actually place bets about which sister would win!). And the hand of God was on them too, protecting them from the bombings of the Japanese war planes, as their train sat enveloped in fog. Ruth didn't make perfect grades at Wheaton College, in fact she actually did very poorly in some subjects, but was a superb human being and very funny. Also covered was the Bell family history in colonial America, as well as the Graham family,and their ties to Thomas Jefferson, Princeton University, and even the fact that Ann Arbor, Michigan, is named after one of the "Ann's" in their family. Ruth's and Billy's courtship wasn't entirely smooth and perfect either, as they learned to discern whether they were meant to be together or not, and struggled with that decision, but finally conceding their deep love for each other. And of course the hand of God in their lives, and their deep love and concern and ministry for others. I laughed and cried and pondered life's deep answers this family sought from and were given by God and have given others. Powerful book. I am so grateful author Patricia Cornwell never gave up her dogged pursuit to write Ruth's biography. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

2 comments about St. Francis and the Foolishness of God.

1. I finally bought it, and I'm more than glad I did. This book is not at all what I thought it would be about --- it is so much more. Initially, I thought it would be another book about the life of St. Francis which, of late, I've been quite taken with. This book, though, has more to do with how we can make our faith real --- how we can really respond --- in light of a needy world around us. This is just what the doctor ordered. I say this reluctantly, but reading a chapter is almost better than going to church. I close this book at night with the understanding that I've got to get out there and DO something; I feel like I CAN make some small difference in this world, and that means so much to me. I'm at that point where I WANT to change, WANT to make sacrifices, WANT to be conformed to what God wants me to be. I want desperately not to be an 'average' Christian who longs for the same dusty, lifeless, rusting things the world does. This book reminds me that Francis, in his life, was not afraid to give up personal comfort and familiarity. When he finally overcame the greatest personal obstacle for him --- learning to love the leper -- he was freed from within, freed from that nasty monster that can entangle so many of us. Reflecting on his unique experience, I am compelled to look at my own prejudices, those things about people that keep me from loving them completely. I can't remember the last time a church sermon so compelled me. I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to grow in ways far outside the box.



2. St. Francis and the Foolishness of God is not just about St. Francis, but about themes that touch all of our lives. There are reflection questions at the end of each section and an invitation to share stories. I recommend this book for personal and group reflection.

5 comments about Light And Fire of the Baal Shem Tov.

1. This is truly a special book. What comes through these pages are not just words and stories, but a real taste of the light and fire of the Baal Shem Tov. I read the book over the course of several weeks, and during that time the stories would come back to me at various times throughout each day like an opening in my chest. I had the sense that the book was a true vehicle for transmission. I was also touched by the effort of the author as I read the book. It is obvious that putting the book together was for him an act of service, and the author's feeling for the stories and teachings comes through clearly.



2. Beginning with his first book, "Jewish Spiritual Practices," Reb Yitzhak has written books that convey some of the deepest teachings of great Chassidic rebbes -- in this case the founder of Hasidism, the holy Baal Shem Tov himself. Written with loving care, humility and the utmost respect to the Besht, Reb Yitzhak has created not just another collection of stories of this charismatic Jewish leader, but rather a unique text -- somewhat approximating a scripture -- that uses isolated stories about the Besht to tell the overarching story of not only the Besht's life, but also his spiritual path, a teaching that has long eluded our generation. Indeed, in "The Life And Fire of the Baal Shem Tov," Buxbaum succeeds in bringing the Besht alive in the spiritual imaginations of his readers -- transporting them, as it were, into the lost world of Eastern European Jewry and setting them at the feet of this great Master. This is a holy book that belongs in the library of every Jew who hungers for spiritual sustenance.



3. A profound and moving book on many levels. Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov or 'Besht' was the founder of the Hassidic movement among Eastern European Jews in the 1700's, which survives to this day in Israel, the United States and elsewhere.
   
   The author says: "...I want it to be a book in which the Besht is alive", and: "the main goal is spiritual understanding." He succeeds in both, through the care in which he presents and orders stories about the Besht's life. One can also see how the spiritual approach of the Baal Shem Tov resonates back through two millennia to Hillel, and beyond, and forward two centuries, and beyond, to include the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlson, Yitzhak Buxbaum's own Rebbe.
   
   There is another side to this work, perhaps not intended. One can also read it as a lesson in how the spiritual, cultural and traditional intellectual resources of an oppressed people can be drawn upon for their emancipation and liberation -- here spiritual -- or can be turned in many directions, not all for liberation. Looked at from this side, this is a very contemporary book, and could interest readers from many different traditions including from the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America and perhaps Tibet, or others, who struggle with parallel issues.
   
   For Jews, and others, far from the world in this book, or who imagine ourselves to be so, there is nothing wrong with discovering how to turn a bowl of kasha or borscht into a holy meditation; or smoking a pipe (of tobacco) into an ascent; and perhaps being able to use these in turn to develop compassion or love of people.
   
   The Baal Shem Tov's natural successor, it would appear from the book, would have been his daughter Edel. I wonder how things would have changed if she had been accepted as such.
   
   [Written in honor of the memory of Aimee Cesaire: poet, philosopher, politician of Martinique and elsewhere; died April 17, 2008]



4. loved this book. gives you a great understanding of the life of the Baal Shem Tov and what his vision was.



5. I highly recommend this book. An intimate portrayal of the Baal Shem Tov's life. You will finish the book and want to start all over again. This book will inspire the reader to examine his/her own life and how he/she can make improvements. Words cannot fully describe the impact this book will have.

3 comments about Out From Under: The Impact of Homosexual Parenting.

1. This book is just beyond words to describe the horror I felt for those children. It's amazing they all didn't turn bad or crazy, or had anything crazy happen to them.



2. Two words: Irrefutable credibility. I can already hear the counterarguments: It would have been better had she grown up in a stable "gay marriage" environment, etc. (Yet her father's relationship WAS stable and monogamous during her later childhood.) However, the hypocrisy, the "I don't want my children to lead my risky lifestyle," would still exist. If anything, most who read this book will THANK GOD that their childhood was not like Dawn's. Thank you for your courage, Dawn!



3. Dawn has done a masterful job of describing a very difficult childhood without bitterness or revenge. In fact, she demonstrates complete forgiveness for all the abuse she endured. With a great deal of grace and discretion, she recounts growing up with a homosexual father and passive mother. Sharing a multitude of very disturbing experiences, it becomes evident that the gay lifestyle is far from nurturing to the children growing up in that environment. Her point is well made and holds great credibility. I highly recommend this book.

4 comments about On the Road with Francis of Assisi: A Timeless Journey Through Umbria and Tuscany, and Beyond.

1. This is an amazing book that takes you on a journey with Francis of Assisi and Clare. Unlike dry preachy spiritual books, spiritual books with a not so hidden agenda or dry historical discussions that you have to force yourself to finish reading, this book seems to have just the right balance between travelogue packed with action and spirituality that makes it a page turner. I actually reread some of the chapters and they were just as good the second time. The author is a skilled observer and has put in just enough history to fascinate rather than bore the reader. She refrains from telling you what to think or how to feel. At the same time she shares her emotions at certain points, but it is so honestly conveyed and well done that you just feel it is part of the journey. As a result, you actually go on the journey yourself as she leads you and you are allowed to draw your own conclusions. Also, the inclusion of both Francis and Clare work very well in telling the story so you are able to appreciate the profound impact that they have on one another. Their story unfolds in a very powerful way in this travel format. This book just works!
   
   Parts that you will recognize that are so well told:
   
   Francis denouncing his father
   Clare fleeing her family for the spiritual life
   Francis adventures in Rome with the Pope
   Francis and the wolf, and so much more.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone on a spiritual journey and especially to St. Francis and St. Clare fans.



2. A fascinating look into the life and wanderings of an interesting character in some of my personal favorite parts of Italy. Specialized reading for specialized interests. I have recently commissioned a painting representing one aspect of the life of Francis of Assisi, and this book added greatly to my own and the artist's understanding of the man.



3. Linda Bird Francke's book is a must! I am always looking for more stories on this saint as I am an avid St. Francis of Assisi fan. He captured my heart on my first visit to Assisi in 1999 with my talented artist/sculptor husband Mic Carlson. Mic had an exhibition of his bronze collection on the life of St. Francis at the Basilica of St. Francis in 2004. He was the first American artist to be invited. During our month long stay we became followers of St. Francis. What a marvelously wonderful honor and experience! Mic is now working on a St. Francis prayer and meditation sculpture garden depicting the life of this saint, as well as life size peace statues of St. Francis in Assisi and Grand Rapids. Walking in the footsteps of St. Francis brought his spirit right beside us. You can feel his presence in so many places. Since then I have written a children's book about this beloved saint.
   Tommy's New Shell exhibits the kindness Francis had for all creation. Mic and I are always searching for more history on St. Francis and Linda's book with all my highlighted pages will be tucked in my back pack on our next venture there in this fall. Linda went over and beyond the stories of Francis and even the places to visit. I felt every emotion she portrayed and cannot wait to experience new places she took me to. If you ever plan to visit the Umbrian or Tuscan areas in Italy, please read this book. You will not regret it. Not only does she tell the true story about this sweet vagabond and his followers, but she gives you the history of places and events that are confirmed in the many ancient frescoes all over Umbria and Tuscany. Linda will also take you to the hard to find caves and mountain top ledges where Francis spent his time with God. She also gives you the true feeling of living among the Italian residents in out of the way little villages. The cozy coffee shops, restaurants and inns with the locals are so vivid in my mind...these are the places where you really get the ambiance of true Italians. You can envision Francis as he walked along these same streets and offered his sweet spiritual messages to the people and even to the birds in the fields on his life long voyage. Linda didn't miss a beat in her journey of St. Francis, his followers and his Sister St. Clare. My next wish is that this book be made into a movie! I could not put this book down from the 1st page to the last! Thank you Linda Bird Francke! God Bless You!
   Susan Evangelista
   Author
   Grand Rapids, Michigan



4. What a fabulous idea that Linda Francke had - combining an account of the life of the greatest Saint with a story of her own spiritual journey with a travel guide. A teacher in high school (a Jesuit) once told me that we don't all have to live like St. Francis, but we should all be willing to invite him into our busy live occasionally and allow him to ask us some tough questions. This book is a pleasant and thought-provoking way to do just that.

3 comments about All Cracked Up: Experiencing God in the Broken Places (Women of Faith).

1. I have gone to a women of faith conference,and i love this author.I was thoroughly prepared to enjoy it,and i did. Patsy really is a petite woman, but she is a dynamic speaker irl, and it translates to her book. I could just hear her voice in the pages.
   If you are contemplating going to a WOF conference, i recommend it. It truly is a life changing experience.



2. Patsy Clairemont's book is great. You can use it as a devotional and her outlook on life is so funny, yet she shows you God is in it all.



3. It's a funny yet serious book.....I have bought one and sent it to a friend. Mine I read then share with others, Pass Around the Good Feelings You Get From Reading Them. This was a great great book that I think any woman can relate too, and leaves you smiling.

4 comments about Hope's Wish: How One Girl's Dream Made Others Come True.

1. I just moved to Charlotte in May 208 with my husband and sons. Not a week after moving here, I got the call quick to go to Houston...my dad had developed a terrible life threatening infection from stage 3 colon cancer surgery and asked me to come...in case he didn't make it. Over that two weeks, I paced Barnes N Noble and picked up a few books...ironicallly on June 23...a VERY important date in this book. I picked this book for the title and picture...didn't know anything about it and certainly did not know that it was in my new hometown and part of my new church community. I finally read on July 31st as I was pining over my dad. It's AMAZING! I'm sharing it with everyone I know...I can't wait for the whole world to know about this little gal...and her very neat and courageous family. Not to mention, a reason to show why we fell in love with Charlotte when we looked for houses in March...the people here are beautiful...on the inside especially. You have to read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the "me, me" rat race of life that we forget about the "Big Picture" Mr. and Mrs. Stout and of course Hope Stout has taught me so much about the true meaning of life and the desires to help people, even though we may be faced with tragedy or serious illness. Never give up Hope and always strive to make the world a better place for those who are less fortunate then ourselves. Reading about a young girl going through so much pain and suffering and yet who still is thinking about how she can help other children in need and give up her gifts to help the other children is truly a amazing story of selfless love and sacrifice. This story of Hopes Wish truly has changed my life for the better and enabled me to put my heart and energy into volunteering my time and energy into helping those less fortunate. For that inspiration that this book and Hopes story has provided I owe the world to this wonderful family. Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Stout for sharing this story with us and may God Bless you and your family forever and ever. Hope's wish truly continues to keep on giving to the world and for that I am ever thankful.



3. I received my copy on April 7th, 2008, started reading it as soon as I opened it and never put it down until I was finished.
   I really wished I could give EVERYBODY a copy to read. I will be asking all my family to read this wonderful story of faith, family, love and the power of prayer.



4. Stuart and Shelby Stout have incredible faith in God and this story is proof thereof. It has times of laughter, times of tears, and shows how truly faithful some can be in God to bring you through trying times.
   The wish that Hope requested from Make-A-Wish was so incredible that the media in Charlotte, NC picked it up and ran with it! One little red-head with cancer raising $1 million for those less fortunate than her is truly inspirational. And not to mention it was done in less than 2 months!!
   The power of Hope's wish still lives on today through the friends and family of Shelby and Stuart. I am blessed that I was able to witness some of this journey with the Stouts.

5 comments about And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Veneration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety (Studies in Religion).

1. Professor Schimmel, a German scholar of Islam here presents what could be called a 'traditional view of Muhammad' by that I mean how Muhammad is understood by the vast majority of his followers (i.e. Muslims) how they base their lives on him and how they take inspiration from him.
   
   The professor goes through various traditional religious prayer manuals popular amongst Muslims such as the Mevlid of Sulayman Celebi, the Burda, the Dala'il al-Khayrat and others explaining how they are read by Muslims, the times of year that they are read (such as special occasions like the Prophets birthday etc) and the reasons why they inspire such devotion amongst Muslims to their prophet.
   
   One negative point is that this book (as most of the professors) is largely based upon writings from the Indian subcontinent and Turkey. Practically nothing is included about for example, West Africa or the Sub Sahara which ignores the strong Sufi traditions of the Tijani, Qadiri and Darqarwi orders and their vast body of devotional literature.
   
   The most important aspect of this book I feel is that it gives us in the west a greater understanding of the reasons behind the great attachment that Muslims have to the founder of their religion and also how they actually interpret and practice their religion something I feel that we would not be able to take from for example the various Saudi/Gulf publications that have flooded the market in recent years which tell us an awful lot about what Muslims believe but not how that belief is actually put into practice in the context of the world around them.
   
   Highly recommended book. I would also strongly recommend Mystical dimensions in Islam from the same author.



2. item was delivered promptly and in good condition..I was very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this user to anyone!



3. Annemarie Schimmel's work is well known to the world of religion,and this book is no exception. This book gets into the details of the Life of the Prophet Muhammed and the love and respect the followers of ISLAM have for their Prophet. Obvisouly this book was not a biography of the Prophet Muhammad but it gives enough information, so one can understand the Importance of Prophet Muhammad in th eislamic world



4. Annemarie Schimmel has studied Islam for years, writing many important books particularly on the subject of Islamic spirituality. The aim of this book is to explore the love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Islamic society. With samples of poetry and prose in praise of the Prophet, it captures some of the affection Muslims have for the man they revere as the "Mercy to Mankind." Although some biographical details appear, the book is not a biography per se. Instead the book represents a historical analysis of Prophet Muhammad's unique place in the life of his followers.



5. HI MY NAME IS MICHAEL i WANT TO BY THIS BOOK BUT PLEASE GIVE ME A REPORT ABOUT THIS BOOK michaelwsaad@yahoo.com

5 comments about A Third Testament: A Modern Pilgrim Explores the Spiritual Wanderings of Augustine, Blake, Pascal, Tolstoy, Bonhoeffer, Kierkegaard, and Dostoevsky.

1. This is an excellent read, especially for those not familiar with the writings of the people discussed. It is a kind of survey, an easy way to be exposed to a wide range of beliefs on spirituality. However, keep in mind that "spiritual wandings" is only one aspect of each person; there is much more than that to each. If one reads the writings of all these people, one will realize that there is much more to each, and some are very complex. For example, you would have to read a lot by Tolstoy to begin to really understand what his thoughts were, which covered many aspects of life and thought beyond spirituality. I suggest you read the book, then buy others on someone you especially like. Perhaps read a bit about them (the internet is a good source) before reading a bit by them.



2. The writers reviewed here in this work are great men of faith and explorers of truth. If you want to become mildly acquainted with these men, this is an ok start--but little more than an expanded wikipedia biography. These writers are worthy enough to be looked at directly, not through this sort of heavy filter. Go buy their books, not this one.



3. That's the value of this classic. It gives you a sophisticated introduction to several great thinkers and prophets who searched for God. Muggeridge was, as others have noted, himself a prophet of the madness of his century and the twenty-first century. Here we have the sort of sensitive and perceptive introduction to great thinkers that induces us to read their original works. For a detailed review, see my blog above for Oct. 3, 2006. (Note: the older hardcover edition I read did not include Dostoevsky.)



4. Muggeridge gives almost an insiders view of what shaped the lives of these great men of the faith. Its almost like he was there witnessing their lives and tagged along with them in their "good times and bad times".



5. Honestly, I didn't finish this book. I didn't even get very far. It sounds wonderful, a book about some of the greatest Christian minds. It reads like a 4th-graders research paper. Muggeridge inserts so much of his own thoughts and experiences its almost like we're reading his biography. His bios of these brilliant men are muddled, not described chronologically or in any other apparent order. If you want a VERY basic overview of these men, maybe this book is for you. If you actually have the intelligence to read anything written by any of them - this book is far beneath you.