In this compelling study of the birth and infancy of Jesus, Robert Miller separates fact from fiction in the gospel narratives and relates them to stories about the miraculous births of Israelite heroes and of Greek and Roman sons of God. Born Divine analyzes the Christian claim that the birth and childhood of Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. The historical and theological dimensions of the virgin birth tradition are discussed with honesty and insight. This wide-ranging book also presents additional infancy gospels from the second century through the Middle Ages.
Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations.Chi Lin was the last unicorn on Earth before he sought a safe haven for himself and his maiden, Saucha¿a thirteen century Indian girl. Little did he realize that even though they were safe from death in the cartoon universe, they were not safe from the machinations of Agent Mimic on Earth.Gemini¿having barely escaped with his mind intact during his first adventure in Toonopolis¿returns to the Tooniverse with Jimbob the Talking Eggplant on a quest to find Chi Lin before Mimic can manipulate the unicorn into doing his bidding. Join Gemini on an all new adventure into both familiar and brand-new realms of Toonopolis where he makes more friends, visits old ones, and is reminded that things are not always what they seem to be in this strange and ever-changing world.
Infants have a lot to make sense of in the world: Why does the sun shine and night fall; why do some objects move in response to words, while others won’t budge; who is it that looks over them and cares for them? How the developing brain grapples with these and other questions leads children, across cultures, to naturally develop a belief in a divine power of remarkably consistent traits––a god that is a powerful creator, knowing, immortal, and good—explains noted developmental psychologist and anthropologist Justin L. Barrett in this enlightening and provocative book. In short, we are all born believers. Belief begins in the brain. Under the sway of powerful internal and external influences, children understand their environments by imagining at least one creative and intelligent agent, a grand creator and controller that brings order and purpose to the world. Further, these beliefs in unseen super beings help organize children’s intuitions about morality and surprising life events, making life meaningful. Summarizing scientific experiments conducted with children across the globe, Professor Barrett illustrates the ways human beings have come to develop complex belief systems about God’s omniscience, the afterlife, and the immortality of deities. He shows how the science of childhood religiosity reveals, across humanity, a “natural religion,” the organization of those beliefs that humans gravitate to organically, and how it underlies all of the world’s major religions, uniting them under one common source. For believers and nonbelievers alike, Barrett offers a compelling argument for the human instinct for religion, as he guides all parents in how to effectively encourage children in developing a healthy constellation of beliefs about the world around them.
Andy Konigsmark is more than an American Gladiator: he is a role model and the embodiment of what it means to stay focused on your dreams. He managed to overcome dyslexia, a bipolar disorder, and thrive as a true renaissance man. It is difficult to label Andy: he is a fitness model, an American Gladiator, and Ninja Warrior. He is a stand-up comedian, bartender, and a winner on the CBS Show Million Dollar Mile. Television audiences will recognize him for multiple performances, but his local community views him as their Presbyterian minister and bartender at the local watering hole. People told him he wouldn't become a comedian, he would never leave the Peach State, and did not possess the mental acumen to graduate high school. Despite these struggles, he continued to persevere. Much to his surprise, he received his Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Seminary in 2018. Based out of Angel Fire, New Mexico, Andy keeps pursuing his dreams and leads a blissful family life, while also embracing a new path: writing. In his free time, he loves to snowboard, mountain bike, and hike. He loves to laugh with Dodi, his wife, perform science experiments with his daughter, Emmi Claire, and smash superheroes with his son, Crew.
Meister Eckhart, a now-popular medieval German mystic, provides the contemporary person with a way of living that centers on nothing but God in everyday life. He insists that everyone—whatever they have done, whatever they believe—is one with God. Because of this, the good Meister sees no opposition between our spiritual and daily lives. We access oneness with God through letting go. Bliss and freedom flow from giving birth to this divine oneness right where we are. This book intends to help us live this everyday mysticism by prayer and letting go. Meister Eckhart invites all of us to realize our divine oneness in the midst of raising a family, commuting, doing our jobs, cooking, cleaning, and scheduling. Meister Eckhart preaches that God is one with every one of us in our everyday lives.
