A New York Times bestselling historian of early Christianity takes on two of the most gripping questions of human existence: where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from, and why do they endure? What happens when we die? A recent Pew Research poll showed that 72% of Americans believe in a literal heaven, 58% in a literal hell. Most people who hold these beliefs are Christian and assume they are the age-old teachings ...
These books cannot fail to be of interest to students of apocalyptic literature and of the origins of Christianity. It is with a view to help such that this book has been made available. Until the publication of this book, the Secrets of Enoch were previously known only in Russia. The Apocalypse of Baruch constitutes the last noble utterance of Judaism before it plunged into the dark and oppressive years following the destruction of Jerusalem ...
The Christian concept of heaven flourished for almost two millennia, but it has lost much of its power in the last hundred years. Indeed today even theologians tend to avoid the topic. But heaven has always been a central tenet of the Christian faith, writes Jeffrey Burton Russell. If there is no heaven, no resurrection of the dead, the entire Christian story makes no sense. In this stimulating book, Russell sets out to rehabilitate heaven ...
Wrapped around the astounding story of Kim Clement's personal life and call into the prophetic ministry are the secrets that everyone needs in order to hear God's voice with clarity and assurance. Kim remembers the first time he heart God's voice, when God called him to full-time ministry as he emerged from the waters of baptism. From that moment on, God began teaching him how to move in a prophetic gifting. In this book, you ...
Margaret Barker has been researching and writing about the Jerusalem temple for over twenty years. Many of her studies have remained unpublished. Here for the first time her work on the roots of Christian liturgy has been brought together. Whereas most scholarship has concentrated upon the synagogue, Margaret Barker's work on the Jerusalem temple contributes significantly to our understanding of the meaning and importance of many elements of Christian liturgy which have hitherto remained obscure ...
A nineteenth century French priest discovers something in his mountain village at the foot of The Pyrenees which enables him to amass and spend a fortune of millions of pounds. The tale seems to begin with buried treasure and then turns into an unprecedented historical detective story - a modern Grail quest leading back through cryptically coded parchments, secret societies, the Knights Templar, the Cathar heretics of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and a dynasty ...
An overview of Mithraism, the ancient Roman mystery religion popular in the Roman Legions • Provides a comprehensive history of Mithraism, including its influence on Christianity and Islam • Includes rituals, meditations, and teaching tales for readers who wish to follow the Mithraic path • Studies the evolution and divergence of the Eastern (Persian) and Western (Roman) forms of Mithraism The Mysteries of Mithras presents a revival of the magical practices and initiatory system of ...
Secrets the Jesuits don't want you to know Out of Europe, a voice is heard from the secular world that documents historically the same information told by ex-priests. The author exposes the Vatican's involvement in world politics, intrigues, and the fomenting of wars throughout history. It appears, beyond any doubt, that the Roman Catholic institution is not a Christian church and never was. The poor Roman Catholic people have been betrayed by her and are ...