Drawing from the experience of a church on Chicago's south side, Released Outward addresses the situation of congregations that have turned inward and become isolated from the needs of the world around them. It addresses the question of how churches, addicted to their cultural and ecclesial traditions, are set free to engage the world with God's justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The journey outward is a spiritual one. Like all who are in bondage to false dependencies, congregations must co...

The beauty of the world and our experience of human empathy and compassion collide with our experience of bitter discord between individuals, severe societal divisions, brutal oppression, war, and profound estrangement from our environment. All manner of rational analysis and proposed solutions have not solved these elemental problems, the basis of which is spiritual. This book focuses on the spiritual nature of participation. It is about participation in a humanity rooted in Holy Mystery,...

We live in a time when many view the church as a relic of ancient traditions and cosmologies, often reactionary, mean-spirited, nationalist, and racist. They see those who call themselves Christians reacting in fear to the changes around them, rather than, like Jesus, boldly declaring and living out God's compassion and justice. Some, who view themselves as nonbelievers, point out, often with great clarity, the distance between so-called Christian witness and the teaching of Jesus. This bo...

In Lumbee Pipelines David Shane Lowry (Lumbee) examines the historical and modern paths, or “pipelines,” through which members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina maintain Lumbee national identity, community practices, and tribal sovereignty. Through extensive ethnographic research and contextualization, Lowry explores these pipelines: the programs and traditions through which the Lumbee people engineer the settler-colonial conditions that define life in North Carolina and the U...

This two-volume anthology conveniently contains useful academic tools for studying the combative arts. Each chapter will prove special to all interested in the intellectual side to the martial arts. Some chapters provide fine details for categorizing the variety of what we commonly refer to as "martial arts." Other chapters focus on the martial arts as living culture and social implications. The quality of instruction can either encourage negative traits such as violence or allow a practit...

Critically acclaimed and bestselling author Lois Lowry returns with MESSENGER; the eagerly anticipated companion to Gathering Blue and The Giver, winner of the Newbery Medal.

This book represents an international gathering of friends who happen to be highly qualified martial art scholars and practitioners. We have come together in celebration of the more than twenty years the Journal of Asian Martial Arts inspired scholarship in this field to higher academic standards while encouraging all aspects of responsible practice. Each article was written specifically for this banquet, with topics representing the rich variety found in the Asian martial traditi...

Miriam Margolyes leads a comedy spoof version of John Galsworthy's classic 'The Forsyte Saga' novelsFollow the uproarious antics of the Edwardian Fosdyke family as they work their way out of the mining pits of Lancashire to become rulers of a global tripe empire. An empire that the villainous Roger Ditchely will stop at nothing to try and bring down...A classic tale of struggle, power, personalities, and offal.Based on Bill Tidy's hugely popular Dai...

Dungeons Are Half the Game.You can’t control what players are going to do. That’s half the fun. But you can control where they do it. That’s a whole other half!The Kobold Guide to Dungeons gives both new and experienced Game Masters over 100 pages of insight and ideas into making dungeons great. In-depth essays from industry luminaries teach you to think outside your own boxes, and into a larger realm of challenge, discovery, and good old monster bashing.Practical e...

A Critical Companion to Steven Spielberg offers a comprehensive, detailed study of the works of Steven Spielberg. Spielberg's early productions stand as landmarks in contemporary cinema, and his involvement with film spans all cinematic genres. Today, Spielberg enjoys an immense and enduring popularity around the globe, and his productions have attracted (and continue to attract) both public and critical attention. This book investigates several distinct areas of Spielberg's works and addr...

Lois Lowry’s Gathering Blue continues the quartet beginning with the quintessential dystopian novel, The Giver, followed by Messenger and Son.Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can do. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain pr...

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A fascinating and eye-opening look at how American schools have helped build and reinforce an infrastructure of racial inequality . . . a must-read for every American parent and educator.”—Esquire“Though the argument of this book is bleak, it illuminates a path for a more just future that is nothing short of dazzling.”—Oprah Daily“This book will transform the way you see this country.”—Michelle Alexander, author of