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Our selection of books and associated reviews. Each cover is an affiliate link to Amazon for purchase.
Killing History: Jesus in the No-Spin Zone
Description Killing Jesus, the bestselling blockbuster by Bill O’Reilly, claims to be a purely historical account of the events in the life of Jesus leading up to his crucifixion. New Testament scholar Robert M. Price (a member of the Jesus Seminar) shows how unfounded this claim is in this critical review of O’Reilly’s work. In […]
God’s Gravediggers: Why No Deity Exists
Description Raymond Bradley is probably the most important atheist you’ve never heard of. 16 years before the release of Richard Dawkin’s The Selfish Gene, Professor Bradley was completing his Ph.D. regarding the theological problem of free will, setting off a long, esteemed and distinguished career. As a veteran professor of philosophy back in 1994–long before […]
The Bad Jesus: The Ethics of New Testament Ethics
Description Did Jesus ever do anything wrong? Judging by the vast majority of books on New Testament ethics, the answer is a resounding “No.” But since the historical Jesus was a human being, must he not have had flaws, like everyone else? According to Avalos, it shows that New Testament ethics is still primarily an […]
The Bible Against Itself: Why the Bible Seems to Contradict Itself
Description All books are written for or against some point of view, and the books of the Bible are no different. Bible book authors were often motivated to write because they wanted to challenge or correct those who had written before them. As Helms explains, The Bible is a war zone, and its authors are […]
What If I’m an Atheist?: A Teen’s Guide to Exploring a Life Without Religion
Description Can you have guidance without God? This thoughtful, one-of-a-kind guide offers answers to all of your questions about atheism and nonbelief. Have you ever wondered what religion and belief mean for your life? Maybe you believe in nothing at all. Does that mean you’re an atheist? What does atheism even mean? Regardless of the […]
God or Godless? One Atheist. One Christian. Twenty Controversial Questions
Description Perhaps the most persistent question in human history is whether or not there is a God. Intelligent people on both sides of the issue have argued, sometimes with deep rancor and bitterness, for generations. The issue can’t be decided by another apologetics book, but the conversation can continue and help each side understand the […]
50 Simple Questions for Every Christian
Description Written in a respectful and conversational style, this unique book is designed to promote constructive dialogue and foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. The author, a skeptic and journalist, asks basic questions about Christian belief. What is the born-again experience? Why would God want to sacrifice his only son for the world? Do […]
Doubting Jesus’ Resurrection: What Happened in the Black Box? (2nd Edition)
In this outline of what may have given rise to the beliefs and traditions in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 if Jesus did not rise from the dead, Kris D. Komarnitsky explains why using these verses to support the historical reliability of the Gospels is problematic.
Sword of Islam: Muslim Extremists from the Arab Conquests to the Attack on America
Undoubtedly timely and full of fascinating detail, Sword of Islam is a thorough, well-researched, and revealing account of global Islamic terrorism. A military historian, John F. Murphy Jr. traces the intricate interconnections among various terrorist cells, including Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda and its relationship with the Taliban of Afghanistan, the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, Islamic […]
The Historical Jesus Quest: Landmarks in the Search for the Jesus of History
The possibility of finding reliable information about the life of the historical Jesus has fascinated the imagination of generations of scholars from as early as the seventeenth century. Opinion on the issue has moved in waves, coming and going along with moods of pessimism and optimism. Until now, no one has brought together a comparison of the points of view of the most influential writers about the historical Jesus.
The Historical Jesus Quest brings together substantial extracts from the seminal works in Jesus studies over the last two centuries. The extracts are accompanied by brief introductions to each writer, helpful summaries of the central arguments of the works from which the extracts are taken, and incisive assessments of their continuing relevance to current debates. In one resource, this compendium provides the foundation upon which modern research is based and allows these great scholars—Spinoza, Troeltsch, D. F. Strauss, Wrede, Schweitzer, Kahler, Bultmann, Kasemann, and others—to speak in their own words. It is essential reading for all serious students of the Gospels and of the historical Jesus.
The Historical Jesus Quest brings together substantial extracts from the seminal works in Jesus studies over the last two centuries. The extracts are accompanied by brief introductions to each writer, helpful summaries of the central arguments of the works from which the extracts are taken, and incisive assessments of their continuing relevance to current debates. In one resource, this compendium provides the foundation upon which modern research is based and allows these great scholars—Spinoza, Troeltsch, D. F. Strauss, Wrede, Schweitzer, Kahler, Bultmann, Kasemann, and others—to speak in their own words. It is essential reading for all serious students of the Gospels and of the historical Jesus.
Vision of War
Originally published: 1915 Genre: Poetry Subject: World War, 1914-1918 — Poetry
Physics and Psychics : The Search for a World Beyond the Senses
Editorial Reviews From Book News, Inc. , June 1, 1990 Stenger (physics, U. of Hawaii) critically examines theories of a transcendentreality in terms of what is currently known about matter at its most fundamentallevel. He offers a convincing rebuttal to those who attempt to link physicsto mystical truths.Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or
A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes
Was there a beginning of time? Will there be an end? In this landmark volume, Professor Hawking shares his blazing intellect with nonscientists everywhere, guiding us to confront the supreme questions of the nature of time and the universe. Hawking, who has earned an international reputation as the most brilliant theoretical physicist since Einstein, shares […]
A Second Anthology of Atheism and Rationalism
As the influence of religion increasingly insinuates itself into society, aided by media messages touting the personal and social advantages of Christian-defined moral virtues, the need to express well-developed criticism of religious propaganda and to support clearly-stated secular ideals assumes a new urgency. Freethinkers, atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and rationalists will rejoice to discover that Dr. […]
An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding
David Hume’s aim in writing An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding (1748) was to introduce his philosophy to a European culture in which many educated people read original works of philosophy. He gives an elegant and accessible presentation of strikingly original and challenging views about the limited powers of human understanding, the attractions of scepticism, the […]
Atheism: A Reader
Atheism: A Reader is a unique anthology that presents for the first time a comprehensive selection of writings on atheism, agnosticism, and skepticism by some of the world’s most celebrated thinkers, past and present. Arranged thematically, the essays in this valuable collection cover many of the significant areas in which atheists have questioned religious orthodoxy. […]
Bare-faced Messiah: the true story of L. Ron Hubbard
The classic account of the life of L Ron Hubbard and the extraordinary true story of how the Church of Scientology began.
Beyond the Fall of Night
Premier science fiction writers Arthur C. Clarke and Gregory Benford team up to tell a riveting and moving story – continuing a journey begun by Clarke with his classic novella Against the Fall of Night. Diaspar is the last living city on Earth. Timid and untried, the only humans in existence have stagnated there for […]
Can We Be Good Without God: Biology, Behavior, and the Need to Believe
Recent neurological studies have shown that there are regions of the brain that seem predisposed to create beliefs. Are we hardwired to believe? And if so, why do beliefs sometimes inspire major contributions to society, while on other occasions they precipitate horrendous acts of destruction? In this provocative and stimulating study of the connection between […]
Coming Of Age In The Milky Way
Twelve years in the making and impeccably researched, Coming of Age in the Milky Way chronicles the awakening of the human species to the vastness of our cosmos and shows how each time the model of the universe has been altered, tremors have rumbled through such realms as theology and politics. Winner of the 1988 […]
Cultural Software: A Theory of Ideology
Cultural Software offers a new theory about how ideologies and beliefs grow, spread, and develop– a theory of cultural evolution, which explains both shared understandings and disagreement and diversity within cultures. Cultural evolution occurs through transmission and spread of cultural information and know-how– or “cultural software “– in human minds. Individuals embody cultural software: they […]
Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason
Description Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason is a well-written autobiography told with humor and heart by an “average” person. It is the story lived by many thousands of people in America and around the World every day–a story that could very well be your story of doubt and loss of religious faith. The […]
Does God Exist: The Craig-Flew Debate
This book presents the most recent debates by leading contemporary philosophers of enduring themes and issues concerning the question of God’s existence. William Craig and Antony Flew met on the 50th anniversary of the famous Copleston/Russell debate to discuss the question of God’s existence in a public debate. The core of this book contains the […]
Eternal Lovecraft : The Persistence of HPL in Popular Culture
Return to Arkham and behold the Old Gods in all their horrific darkness. Eighteen authors take a stab at interpreting the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft, master of a compelling style and setting so unique it has spawned a name — Lovecraftian — describing the unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that made him […]
Facing Death: Epicurus And His Critics
The ancient philosophical school of Epicureanism tried to argue that death is “nothing to us.” Were they right? James Warren provides a comprehensive study and articulation of the interlocking arguments against the fear of death found not only in the writings of Epicurus himself, but also in Lucretius’ poem “De rerum natura” and in Philodemus’ […]
Foundation
In Foundation, Isaac Asimov draws a compelling portrait of the Foundation’s embryonic development and rise to peripheral power – domination of kingdoms on the outskirts of the Galaxy. Foundation begins a new chapter in the story of man’s future life. The Old Empire was crumbling into ancient barbarism throughout the million worlds of the galaxy. […]
God and the Burden of Proof
In debating the existence of God, a fundamental question is who — if anyone — should bear the burden of proof. In God and the Burden of Proof, Keith Parsons explains why theists (but not nontheists) bear the burden of proof. Along the way, he manages to provide a nontechnical response to two of the […]
Gospel Time Bomb
Despite the fact that this book was written back in 1984, The Gospel Time Bomb retains its relevance to American Christianity today. Researcher and anti-cult activist Lowell Streiker examines manipulative sect leaders, faith healers, exorcists, deliverance ministers, doomsday prophets, and their potential threats to Christianity and to America as a whole. Christian-friendly, thoughtful, and politically […]
How Do You Know It’s True?
Superstition still requires that many buildings have no floor numbered thirteen. More than 25% of Americans say they believe in astrology. Knocking on wood is an almost universal habit. Are these harmless notions – or dangerous delusions? Unfortunately, “fairy-tale thinking” is still the greatest enemy of progress, and education often bypasses the teaching of cognitive […]
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced
Description “I’m a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say ‘yes’ to everything. Today I have decided to say ‘no.'” Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her […]