If Is the Only Peacemaker explores the drama of Shakespeare through a cultural lens that can be shown to be central to the formation of this theatrical art: fourteenth- to sixteenth-century Catholic Humanism. Part I of this book traces this tradition through key figures in Medieval and Renaissance Humanism, including Dante, Chaucer, Erasmus, and Thomas More. The latter two, especially, convey Catholic Humanism to Shakespeare's England, and help to establish a rhetorical ideal: the union of...

Can art be a "bridge to religious experience," as John Paul II argued in his Letter to the Artists (1999)? In the twenty-first century, there is no more prolific, positive response to this question than the art of Michael D. O'Brien. O'Brien's sixteen novels have been translated into fourteen languages, and his paintings grace many Catholic churches in North America. In Living Logos, the first full overview of O'Brien's extraordinary career, Greg Maillet explores nine O'Brien novels and ex...

Although Tolkien's letters call Samwise Gamgee the "chief hero" of The Lord of the Rings, Sam is easily underestimated by both readers and critics. Recovering Consolation focuses attention on Sam's point of view throughout the long journey that is the novel. This book responds to Frodo's famous words at the Stairs of Cirith Ungol, imagining a child speaking to a parent: "I want to hear more about Sam, dad; why didn't they put in more of his talk, dad? That's what I like, it makes me laugh....

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From a renowned National Book Award–winning scholar, an extraordinary new account of the life of Jesus that explores the mystery of how a poor young man inspired a religion that reshaped the world.“This is a brilliant and necessary book. Sober, wise, respectful, and fearless." —Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America"Pagels’s story is for believers and non-believers alike.” —Tara Westover, author of Educated

In the first volume of The Lord of the Rings, the fate of the world rests in the hands of a quiet hobbit named Frodo Baggins, who inherits the One Ring—an object of unimaginable power forged by the Dark Lord Sauron. With enemies closing in, Frodo sets out from the peaceful Shire with a fellowship of allies: men, a wizard, an elf, a dwarf, and fellow hobbits. Their mission? To destroy the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. The Fellowship of the Ring is a sweeping tale of friendship, betrayal,...

Russell Shorto meticulously investigates Christian history and the Bible's New Testament to reveal the true, historical Jesus Christ.For roughly two thousand years, the world has known only the biblical depiction of Jesus: the virgin birth, miraculous life, and resurrection. Recently, scholars have pursued the historical Jesus Christ by poring through texts, examining ancient documents, and even holding votes. They make a fresh attempt to answer some of history's gr...

This revised and updated examination of how J.R.R.Tolkien came to write his original masterpiece The Hobbit includes his complete unpublished draft version of the story, together with notes and illustrations by Tolkien himself.The Hobbit was first published on 21 September 1937. Like its sequel, The Lord of the Rings, it is a story that ‘grew in the telling’, and many characters and plot threads in the published text are quite different f...

For many people, the Bible lies at the heart of their faith, an ageless source of inspiration and guidance. On the other side of the spectrum, trained biblical scholars study the Bible using a variety of modern historical and literary approaches. But there is a wide gap be-tween these two groups of readers, a gap that brings negative consequences for both. Without an awareness of historical context, ordinary readers easily slip into a literal interpretation, while scholars sometimes overlo...

The concluding volume of The History of Middle-earth series, which examines the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings.The Peoples of Middle-earth traces the evolution of the Appendices to The Lord of The Rings, which provide a comprehensive historical structure of the Second and Third Ages, including Calendars, Hobbit genealogies and the Westron language. The book concludes with two unique abandoned stories: The New Shadow, set in Gondor during the...

Is it possible to hold on to faith in an age of unbelief?Intellectual certainty has long been a cornerstone of the Christian faith. But in an age of secularism, skepticism, and cynicism, our worldviews have been shaken. Various solutions exist—some double down on certainty, while others deconstruct their faith until there is nothing left at all. But Brian Zahnd offers a third way: what is needed is not a demolition but instead a renovation of fait...

"If you are looking for one book to make sense of the problem of evil, this book is for you."Sean McDowellGrasping This Truth WillChange Your View of God ForeverIf God is good and all-powerful, why doesn't He put a stop to the evil in this world? Christians and non-Christians alike struggle with the concept of a loving God who allows widespread suffering in this life and never-ending punishment in hell. We wrestle with questions such ...

Derived from D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo’s widely adopted textbook, An Introduction to the New Testament, this digital short surveys key critical and interpretive issues in New Testament study. Attention is given to original manuscripts, interpretative traditions, biblical theology, historical criticism, postmodernism, linguistic and social-science approaches to the text, and more. Students of the New Testament will find A Quick Introduction to the New Testament