An essential guide for understanding early Christian doctrineThe history of Christian theology is often presented as a series of conflicts between orthodox believers and heretics. But such an approach can be reductive, especially if the conflicts are presented primarily as contests for power. J. Warren Smith's Early Christian Theology offers a more nuanced account of these theological disputes. Smith explains the development of Christian theology in terms ...

We have all had the experience of being at church and hearing the pastor say, "And now with the confidence of children we are bold to pray, 'Our Father . . .'" but before we know it we are saying "for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." In the very moment of intimacy when we are given the privilege of entering the presence of our heavenly Father, our minds have drifted off. We speak the words of the prayer, not from our hearts, but from the autopilot of memo...

Since Aristotle, the concept of the magnanimous or great-souled man was employed by philosophers of antiquity to describe individuals who attained the highest degree of virtue. Greatness of soul (magnitudo animi or magnanimitas) was part of the language of Classical and Hellenistic virtue theory central to the education of Ambrose and Augustine. Yet as bishops they were conscious of fundamental differences between Christian and pagan visions of virtue. Greatness of soul could not be approp...

From Nicaea to now: rediscovering how the Triune God shapes faithful ministry in a modern world.In this illuminating collection marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, distinguished scholars and ministry practitioners from Duke Divinity School explore how Trinitarian faith continues to transform Christian identity and practice. Moving beyond abstract formulations, this volume demonstrates the enduring power of Nicene confession to shape faithful wi...

This is a WW II Navy story with adult adventure. It has exciting action involving U-boat attacks, including the actions of their crews; and the hero’s crew repelling Nazi air attacks. They survive the sinking of one ship in the arctic and the bombing of the next ship. There is discreet sex and true romance plus the hero’s meteoric rise through the ranks. The hero marries in early 1945 and his bride takes on an endearing active role. There is wartime sailor language in that vernacular.&nbsp...

A series of Great earthquakes destroys all infrastructures in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico over a seven-minute period. The endless shaking and subsequent coastal tsunamis take millions of lives approaching an apocalypse. Within these stories one lives through the adventures of some of the survivors, their terror and the sad demise of others. These tales occur over wide areas on both sides of the Mexican border as seen on the ground, in the air, and just offshore. T...

In his writings and his career Gregory of Nyssa assumes many roles. He is a Christian Platonist, a spiritual guide for ascetics and those seeking the vision of God, as well as one of those who shaped the Trinitarian doctrine of God espoused at Constantinople in 381. But he is also a popular preacher and, paradoxically, someone unafraid of deeper speculations regarding the meaning of the Christian ideal. The translations in Part One illustrate these various concerns, but are not a sufficien...

This detailed history offers the most comprehensive account available of Tibetan nationalism, Sino-Tibetan relations, and the issue of Tibetan self-determination. Warren Smith explores Tibet's ethnic and national origins, the birth of the Tibetan state, the Buddhist state and its relations with China, Tibet's quest for independence, and the Chinese takeover of Tibet after 1950. Focusing especially on post-1950 Tibet under Chinese Communist rule, Smith analyzes Marxist-Leninist and Chinese ...

Tibet's Fate examines the issue of the political fate of Tibet. It is told by Tibetans themselves as well as by the author from his own experiences. The title is not meant to imply that the current fate of Tibet is an ultimate destiny, or even that Tibet’s fate is already decided. It is only meant in the sense that if Tibet’s fate is now determined, it has been determined not by the Tibetan people but by those of China. If it is to be determined by China, then Tibet’s fate is inde...

"This book isn't merely for debaters or even truth seekers. It is for all of us. A Mind of Your Own is a blueprint for authenticity and a sovereign mind."—from the Foreword by PETER BOGHOSSIAN, coauthor of How to Have Impossible ConversationsA Mind of Your Own reveals a simple but transformative truth: Logic is a skill, but most people have never been taught how to use it. This book is more than memorizing facts o...

This book offers a definitive account of the origins and events of the 2008 Tibetan uprising, which began with peaceful demonstrations by monks of Lhasa's great monasteries on the anniversary of the 1959 revolt. Noted expert Warren W. Smith Jr. argues that the uprising was a widespread response to the conditions of Chinese rule over Tibet, which revealed much about Tibetan nationalism and even more about Chinese nationalism. Interpreting the Tibetan uprising as an attempt to spoil the Beij...

70 Civil War Memoirs of Union Soldiers is a compelling anthology that captures the diverse experiences and voices of those who served in the Union Army. The collection encapsulates a wide range of literary styles, from the stark and harrowing narratives of battlefield confrontations to deeply reflective accounts of the personal and collective struggles of war. Intimately tied to the historical context of the Civil War, the anthology provides a panoramic view of the conflict, underscoring t...