This book examines many of the strange events and actions in Acts in the context of the Hellenistic world and from that perspective. These events and actions include the ascension of Jesus, direction by the Spirit, visions, angelophanies, prison escapes and resuscitations of the dead. Many of these events are either avoided in scholarship or are investigated with an agenda other than to understand them for themselves. The book constructs an ancient audience to be one that has a close familiarity with the Septuagint and with other Greek and Latin writings. The culturally-strange events are then interpreted through the lens of these texts.
This book examines many of the strange events and actions in Acts in the context of the Hellenistic world and from that perspective. These events and actions include the ascension of Jesus, direction by the Spirit, visions, angelophanies, prison escapes and resuscitations of the dead. Many of these events are either avoided in scholarship or are investigated with an agenda other than to understand them for themselves. The book constructs an ancient audience to be one that has a close familiarity with the Septuagint and with other Greek and Latin writings. The culturally-strange events are then interpreted through the lens of these texts.
A monumental, genre-defying novel that David Mitchell calls "Michel Faber’s second masterpiece," The Book of Strange New Things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. It begins with Peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, Bea. Peter becomes immersed in the mysteries of an astonishing new environment, overseen by an enigmatic corporation known only as USIC. His work introduces him to a seemingly friendly native population struggling with a dangerous illness and hungry for Peter’s teachings—his Bible is their “book of strange new things.” But Peter is rattled when Bea’s letters from home become increasingly desperate: typhoons and earthquakes are devastating whole countries, and governments are crumbling. Bea’s faith, once the guiding light of their lives, begins to falter. Suddenly, a separation measured by an otherworldly distance, and defined both by one newly discovered world and another in a state of collapse, is threatened by an ever-widening gulf that is much less quantifiable. While Peter is reconciling the needs of his congregation with the desires of his strange employer, Bea is struggling for survival. Their trials lay bare a profound meditation on faith, love tested beyond endurance, and our responsibility to those closest to us. Marked by the same bravura storytelling and precise language that made The Crimson Petal and the White such an international success, The Book of Strange New Things is extraordinary, mesmerizing, and replete with emotional complexity and genuine pathos.
"Strange snow falls on two young Vietnam veterans as they reunite for a fishing trip to make good on a long lost promise to an old friend. Megs shows up at his buddy David's house only to encounter David's shy, plain sister Martha. Megs's larger-than-life nature coaxes Martha out of her shell and into his heart. His mere presence, however, brings up painful memories of Vietnam for David, whose method of coping so far has been to drink too much and talk as little as possible." --www.doollee.com. This play was made into a 1989 movie entitled "Jacknife."
The 'anti-group' is a major conceptual addition to the theory and practice of group psychotherapy. It comprises the negative, disruptive elements, which threaten to undermine and even destroy the group, but when contained, have the potential to mobilise the group's creative processes. Understanding the 'anti-group' gives therapists new perspectives on the nature of relationships and alternative strategies for managing destructive behaviour.
Sir Charles Cartwright should have known better than to allow thirteen guests to sit down for dinner. For at the end of the evening one of them is dead—choked by a cocktail that contained no trace of poison. Predictable, says Hercule Poirot, the great detective. But entirely unpredictable is that he can find absolutely no motive for murder.…
What’s that Scripture mean? Ever asked yourself this question when you’re reading through the Bible? We all have. Whether we’ve been saved a long time or are just beginning to follow Christ, there are portions of Scripture that go over our heads. They’re puzzling. Odd. Complicated. Strange. What’s baptism on behalf of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:29) Wasn’t it rude for Jesus to call a woman a dog? (Mark 7:27) If Jesus is eternal, why is he called the firstborn? (Colossians 1:15) How can we do greater works than Christ? (John 14:12) Scriptures like these are not preached from the pulpit as commonly as our favorite texts. You rarely hear about them in your small group Bible study. And it’s definitely not easy to explain what they mean. Think of it like this: if the Bible were an apple orchard, the Scriptures we’re most familiar with are like the luscious Honeycrisp. They’re our favorites. Like, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and “Love never fails.” But strange Scriptures are more like an unripe Granny Smith. There’s juice in it, all right, but if you want meaning and life application, you have to do a whole lot more squeezing. That’s where Strange Scriptures comes in. Within each short study, author Chris Palmer has aimed to represent scholarship, Greek exegesis, and life application to bring forth a full-bodied study to nourish your soul.
For a brief period in the late Elizabethan Era an innovative company of players dominated the London stage. A fellowship of dedicated thespians, Lord Strange’s Men established their reputation by concentrating on “modern matter” performed in a spectacular style, exploring new modes of impersonation, and deliberately courting controversy. Supported by their equally controversial patron, theater connoisseur and potential claimant to the English throne Ferdinando Stanley, the company included Edward Alleyn, considered the greatest actor of the age, as well as George Bryan, Thomas Pope, Augustine Phillips, William Kemp, and John Hemings, who later joined William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Though their theatrical reign was relatively short lived, Lord Strange’s Men helped to define the dramaturgy of the period, performing the plays of Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, and others with their own distinctive flourish. Lawrence Manley and Sally-Beth MacLean offer the first complete account of the troupe and its enormous influence on Elizabethan theater. Seamlessly blending theater history and literary criticism, the authors paint a lively portrait of a unique community of performing artists, their intellectual ambitions and theatrical innovations, their business practices, and their fearless engagements with the politics and religion of their time.
