Organizations Books

I was skeptical about the 700 pages but I have been using it daily. As a new Episcopalian, this book explains the Book of Common Prayer as it is and how it got that way (history). I highly recommend it.

Though I am no longer a part of an Anglican jurisdiction, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer is a part of the modern liturgical landscape of the Western Church, and as a result, happening across this book necessitated a purchase.

While the "Oxford Commentary on the American Prayer Book" (published for the 1928 BCP) is a far superior work, this book is a worthy addition to that volume on the bookshelf of any liturgist.

Hatchett clues into the history of the entire Christian Church, the Latin Church before the reformation, the vast expanse that is Anglicanisim, and even into the modern liturgical movement - using each section of history to show the sources and aims of the 1979 BCP.

Whatever your opinion of the 79 Prayer Book, Hatchett's volume will provide you with a worthy source of information on the liturgy and practice of the 79 Edition of the BCP, and will serve any serious liturgist well.

Many people who study the Bible are familiar with the ways that commentaries work - some are line by line, some are passage by passage; some commentaries focus on particular elements (historical, linguistic, etc.) and others try to be general in approach. Marion Hatchett's book, 'Commentary on the American Prayer Book', is a general commentary that will seem at home to such readers as are familiar with biblical commentaries, only the subject is in this case the 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church USA.

There are several Books of Common Prayer, around the world, and through history. They all trace their development back to the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, whose formation began with the break with Rome during Henry VIII's reign, and continued until being more or less solidified in the 1662 version of the Book of Common Prayer. The American church, as with many provinces within and outside of the British Empire, found need to develop its own liturgies, owing much and holding true in many respects to the founding liturgy (which itself hearkens back to liturgies of the ancient and medieval church). Some of this history will be found in Hatchett's commentary, in the introduction, as well as scattered throughout the text and introduced as appropriate for the matter at hand.

This is a commentary on the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, the most recent full-scale revision of the BCP; however, it does not ignore its predecessors, and particularly highlights the 1928 BCP, both in terms of convergence and difference liturgically and theologically. There is a still a faithful core of Anglicans in America who use the 1928 BCP; this commentary is not specifically helpful for that text, but can give general guidance in some respects.

This commentary goes page by page and passage by passage. Nothing is too small or trivial - the commentary includes discussion of the title page, the certificate page, the table of contents, even the overall design format of the book. The most interesting sections will naturally be those commentaries on the liturgies most commonly performed - Eucharistic liturgies, Baptism, and various pastoral offices.

Hatchett's commentary on the section of the Psalter is a bit disappointing. He doesn't address the actual psalms at all - granted, this is not a theological or biblical commentary on the psalms, and such a book could fill volumes on its own. Still, it was disappointing to find this large section of the BCP addressed with only a few general pages of commentary.

Most sections are introduced with background information, historical/developmental in nature, prior to the actual commentaries. The commentary gives appropriate page numbers for the 1979 BCP. The overall structure of this text follows the table of contents of the 1979 BCP. For comparison/contrast purposes with other books from other provinces or times, the page numbers will not be useful, but the section headings will be sufficient to find the similar sections in other prayer books.

Hatchett does plead the case for some exclusions and decisions based on sheer length and size of the volume - weighing in at almost 700 pages as it is, it is already a formidable text. To prevent the need for it expanding to two volumes (and thus becoming prohibitive in cost), certain decisions were made, such as not including the text of the actual BCP. One assumes that the typical reader of this commentary will have her or his own BCP, just as the typical writer of a biblical commentary will assume the reader has a Bible. However, not all readers will have both the 1928 and 1979 books; I think there is a place in the church's publishing realm for a two-volume (or multi-volume) format of this text with the BCP texts integrated within the same pages.

While this text is a commentary on the Episcopal (official American version of Anglican) Book of Common Prayer, given the shared history of liturgical development shared by churches in the English-speaking world, worshipers of other denominations will find interesting and useful information contained herein also.

Anglicans rarely tire of discussing the liturgy, be they high, low, or broad church types. This book can sustain many a conversation, settling some questions, and raising others.

Since, after serving many years in Roman Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran Church of America congregations, I have just taken a position in an Episcopalian congregation, I was casting about for a meaty but accessible reference about worship. Hatchett has done a great job. Any serious church worker or congregant needs this book at hand for constant, lucid and easy reference. At almost 700 pages one will certainly not want to read it in one sitting but the style and importance of the book will invite periodic forays into the text and ideas it contains.

I can't really add too much to the previous review. Just suffice it to say that this is a treasure of a book for those who want to know the history of, and the whys and wherefores of the BCP of the Episcopal Church USA. Without reservation this is a 5-star book!

This book is a product of the author's in-depth knowledge of the Intentional Communities Movement. Her intimate experience with successful ecovillage communities makes available key strategies and factors in community building. My only critique of this book is that the most important and useful chapter which should probably be first (choosing who to live with), is placed at the end. Incidently this chapter helped me take an honest look at myself and some of the issues i was carying at the time and made me aware i need to resolve them in order to be a more desireable community member.

Note: Even for those who aren't interested in living in "intentional communities," there's great guidance in this book that is relevant to forming a nonpfrofit housing community.

Christian candidly explains the many ways that a group of people choosing to live as interdependent residents, whether of just one house or several houses on commonly held land, both complicates and facilitates adjusting to the inevitable quirky expectations, needs and requirements of different, even if simpatico, individuals. Although Creating a Life Together is intended for those who want to start something more like a modern-day commune, some of which qualify as ecovillages, the points and principles in this book are relevant to sharing one residence or living in separate dwellings but making a commitment to share co-owned land with multiple homes. Either way, you're sharing your day-to-day lives as an extended family bonded by choice, not by blood.

Only 10% succeed

Christian's guidance and opinions are based on many years of living in intentional communities and serving as editor of Communities magazine. She starts with describing what the 10% of communities that succeed have and in common and what tends to make the other 90% fail, over before they truly get started.

Then she explains how and where to start and what steps to take in what order - and that is not jumping right into looking for the ideal land or property, despite how tempting that is when you're full of dreams and enthusiasm. Before you even get to that stage - or at least before you make an offer on any kind of property - you'll need to learn a lot about zoning, financing, housing and land trusts perhaps, and certainly what kind of legal entity will work best for what your group has in mind and exactly what each of you have in mind, from contributions of money, time and labor to what's acceptable and what's not in day-to-day living. You'll need to decide going in what happens when someone wants out, so you can protect everyone, both legally and emotionally.

First 6 crucial steps

She calls these six elements "crucial" to address in the formative stages:

Identify your community vision and create vision documents.
Choose a fair, participatory decision-making process appropriate for your group. If you choose consensus, get trained in it.
Make clear agreements - in writing. This includes choosing an appropriate legal entity for owning land [or a dwelling] together.
Learn good communication and group process skills. Make clear communication and resolving conflicts a priority.
In choosing cofounders and new members, select for emotional maturity.
Learn the head skills and heart skills you need to know.
Not a dream for dilettantes

Christian also offers fair warning that if you have a burning desire to start a new intentional community, you'll need that kind of passion and more: "It takes enormous amounts of time to pull off a project of this magnitude. Even if you meet weekly, you'll still need people to work on various committees that work and/or meet between scheduled meetings - gathering information, calling officials, crunching the numbers, drafting proposals, and so on - for at least a year, or even two years or longer, " she says. "The larger your group and/or the smaller your assets, the longer it'll take."

As a cofounder of an aspiring ecovillage I've found this book to be uniquely invaluable to forming a community. Since November 06, a group of us have been using this book to guide us along the path towards making our dreams of a creating a community come true. At each step along the way, the advice that Diana dispenses in this guide have served as discussion tools, as examples and as warnings on how not to proceed. She offers up numerous examples of success stories and of failures. There are many books on life in cohousing, or general overviews of the community concepts, but as far as I know, this is the only one to tackle the nuts and bolts issues of creating a community from scratch. This book is absolutely essential reading to anybody interested in forming a community or cohousing project. [...]

The title's a little misleading. This book is more of a guide through the legal and financial pitfalls involved with creating and sustaining an intentional community. But as such it is unsurpassed. I've also met the author during my permaculture course and found her to be very insightful, intelligent, yet humble and open to new ideas. Even if you're not trying to form your own commune, this book is packed with useful information.

As a longtime member of an intentional community I've made good use of this book in introducing people to the promises and conflicts that surround the concept. Although it's aimed more at founders than at people joining established communities, it provides enough background (and interesting stories, to boot!) for explorers to develop a certain familiarity with the issues that will serve them well as they seek their own special place.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

I felt this book was a valuable source of information. I needed a brief account on the necessary components on being a successful and effective team leader. This book led me from step to step on how to go about learning how to be a successful team manager. It included the basic know-how of team leadership, like being prepared and posing crucial questions to the team. However, it also went in-depth into the necessary skills needed in order to manage a goal-oriented group. I felt that this book not only acknowledged how to plan for a discussion, but it also looked at the real truth that can come up in group discussion. It analyzed the ins and outs of a group dynamic and even suggested ways of combating difficulties that arise in the process. The authors, Donald Hackett and Charles L. Martin, have a style of writing that is efficient, easy to grasp, and sensible. They were able to provide a step by step analysis on what it takes to be a valuable facilitator, but also the things that come up that leaders need to deal with carefully. Their topic ranges from the basic start of what a facilitator is to what skills a team leader needs. Then they consistently maintain this vision of how an effective leader can lead the group to a successful completion of the task. I enjoyed reading this book, because it not only opened my eyes to how I see leaders perform in groups I have been involved in, but I also know now how to be a successful facilitator in groups that I may choose to lead in the future. I can know use these suggestions and techniques to really drive a team into successful task completion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought about leading a team in group discussion. The authors' simple, to the point style of writing, including examples and suggestions, made for a delightful read. I enjoyed reading this book as much I enjoyed learning from it as well.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

This excellent book provides a simple overview of the skills and tools needed when getting a group to work on a problem. Nothing is covered in depth, however I did not think that was the purpose. This books starts a learning process which people can take further if needed. The sytle is light and it has been written to maintain the readers interest. It adequately covers concepts, communication (questioning, body language, etc) and some simple tools with easy to understand examples. Most impressive was the straight forward treatment of writing a process map to identify and deal with problems.

Do you remember the most recent time you needed help making an important decision, and wished you could have gotten some really good advice? Perhaps you tried hearing the "little voice" of intuition, but weren't sure whether you were hearing the best advice for you to follow... or perhaps you couldn't hear anything at all.

Not to worry! Susan Shumsky's wonderful book, DIVINE REVELATION, describes how to find deeply meaningful answers to all your questions -- as well as how you can follow nine steps of discernment to ensure that the voice of intuition you hear is a true message from Spirit. She lists eleven safeguards to ensure you receive divine messages, as well as signals for healing and "yes" and "no" responses, and fourteen steps for receiving clear answers. Shumsky also describes how to word your questions for Spirit, so you will gain maximal benefit from the answers you receive.

The basic premise of Shumsky's book is that we can receive information and inspiration simply by asking for it, so she provides mediations and prayers to help get us started. Shumsky recommends that healing prayers be utilized often, since they are essential for clearing out negative habits, thoughts, feelings, and psychic ties to others before we attempt to clearly receive spiritual messages.

Whether you have never before received messages from Spirit or are quite adept at it, DIVINE REVELATION is jam-packed with wonderful ideas to help you receive information more clearly than ever before. There is a tremendous emphasis on self-knowledge in this book, so those who are willing and eager to look more deeply at themselves will likely enjoy it the most.

For the first time in my 15 years of reading metaphysical books, one has come along and describes the dangers of getting involved with expanding and opening your mind if you don't know what you're doing AND shows you how to deal with them, protect yourself, and PROPERLY receive higher, spiritual guidance. I had some very negative experiences with "astral entities" as they're called in the book, almost prompting me to abandon my spirituality altogether. But, after reading the chapters on protection, healing, and becoming "spiritually street-smart", I am now confident that I can contact the divine at will and know it will be safe, loving, and comforting. Thank you, Susan Shumsky, for finally bringing to light a safe and workable method for connecting to God on a regular basis for the benefit of your own life and all life.

I just read the above review of DIVINE REVELATION by Publishers Weekly, and I must say that whoever wrote this review is very prejudiced and close-minded. The scathing comments about the author are completely inaccurate. Obviously the reviewer did not even bother to read the author's biography in the back of the book.

I read DIVINE REVELATION a few years ago, and I still use this simple, practical way to communicate with God directly. This book completely transformed my life. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to lead a more spiritual life and have direct contact and experiences of God.

One of the most important features of this book are the nine tests that helped me to tell the difference between the true voice of God and other voices in my mind. I have found the author's nine-test program is unparalleled among metaphysical authors.

The affirmations and prayers for spiritual healing are extremely useful for getting back to center whenever I feel "off." I use these every day, and they have been a life saver for me.

I made a guided meditation tape using the instructions in the book, and I found it really helped me get the experience much more deeply.

I rate this as one of the top five spiritual self-help books that I have ever read.

Although I do not necessarily agree with everything the author presents in her book, I love it. After more than 20 years on a spiritual journey myself, I found the writing to resonate with me at this time. In my perception, she offers a cross of guided hynosis/meditation incorporated with the idea of still meditation; waiting to hear what spirit has to say. After all my seeking that is what I have come to find...we all have a connection with Spirit and we spend so much time seeking outside of ourselves. If we allow ourselves to be still enough we can make a connection, where life will never be the same. She also writes beautifully, it is evident that her experience with Spirit shows through her writing.

So often in my life, I have had that nagging feeling in my "gut" that I should, or should not do something. Too often I did not listen to that little voice (or as some call it "intuition") and later I had to live with bad decisions.

DIVINE REVELATION was a revelation of sorts for me, confirming that we are provided with spirit guides, certainly the guidance of our most supreme master, God; each who help us with every day decisions, if only we will listen.

DIVINE REVELATION was also "divine" for me and has helped me to finer tune-in that which each of us are surely blessed; that little inner guidance system that ensures that we will succeed or be saved from anquish. I now listen carefully!

Thank you Susan Shumsky for your eye-opening little book. I only wish it had been around to help me with many of my wrong decisions in the past thirty-plus years. My future is now much brighter.

I recommend this book to all who believe that we do not go through life alone!

This is the best work in theosis published in recent times. A must-have for any serious scholar or student.

"I say,'You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;" Psalm 82:6

"Those who partake of the divine nature do so through the promises of Christ who is God. Although the expression is different from Paul's, the content is not: participation in Christ wins incorruption and immortality." N. Russell



Deification in Essense:
Among the Eastern Church Fathers deification is expressed as filial adoption through baptism, and it is iterated that Abba Kyrillos VI (Coptic Patriarch, 1959-71) identified 'the light of baptism,' spotting any non baptized who reported for Eucharistic communion! His mystical company of the Desert Fathers taught that attaining likeness to God comes through Theo-gnosis (knowing God) and kenosis (self emptying). Catholic Mystics describe it as the ascent of the soul to God, the participation of the soul in the divine attributes of immortality. In Summa, it is the transformation of human nature by divine grace.
Although the first mention of deification as a concept was in Irenaeus' infamous exchange formula (God became man that man might become god), it was in Alexandria that the doctrine of deification was fully elaborated and extensively utilized in the defense of its Orthodoxy. Since J. Gross wrote his most comprehensive study of deification, "La divinisation du chrétien d'apres les Peres Grecs," in 1938, discussions of deification often suffer from insufficient historical context and from an obscurity about what deification precisely means and what process does it involve. This attitude has been recently amended by the outstanding Patristic scholar who wrote books about the Desert Fathers, Theophilus and Cyril.

Deification, Divinization, and Theosis:
Why did the terms, Deification, Divinization, and Theosis, based on the biblical expression 'partakers of the divine nature' present such difficulty, for most Protestants and Catholics? Why is the Eastern Orthodox doctrine of Theosis presently engaging the Coptic Orthodox Church, theologians and Clergy in a hot debate? Even when this Church, whose Alexandrine fathers Origen, Athanasius* and Cyril** respectively have initiated, developed and utilized it to defend Orthodoxy against heresies starting with Arianism, all the way to Nestorianism? While Athanasius declares, "The Word became flesh in order, both, to offer this sacrifice and that we, participating in His Spirit, might be deified," Cyril made it the over-riding motif of his Christological defense against the Diophysites. The Alexandrine Church doctrine that by the incarnation, human nature is deified and become participant in the divine nature was Cyril's favorite theme, that he iterated over forty times. Why was Divinization avoided by Apophatic mystics and Diophysite Theologians?
Russell compellingly distinguishes two of the Divinization opponents, "two kinds of writers: those who distinguished in an apophatic way between the essence of God and his operations or energies, and those who employed a Logos-anthropos Christology, which did not depend upon the concept of participation. It is noteworthy that writers of the Antiochene school do not quote '2 Peter 1:4'." Conversely, adds Russell, "the text was used by those who operated with a Logos-sarx Christology (Alexandrine Fathers) and with a doctrine (deriving ultimately from Origen) of a dynamic participation in God. Such a doctrine presupposed a theology which was personalist rather than essentialist, and an understanding of 'nature' which included the attributes of the living God."

Partakers of Divine Nature:
The above verse, quoted from 2 Peter 1:4, was altogether problematic. Used initially by Origen, whose initiatives formed the Alexandrian school, then by Athanasius few times, and later by Cyril repeatedly, but never used again until Maximus the Confessor, quoted only twice. Russell furthers his great book themes, expounding the history of Eastern Church Theology, asking himself, "Why was 2 Peter 1:4 popular with Cyril but not with Maximus (a student of Origen)?
Once he had embarked on his controversy with Nestorius, Cyril needed an alternative way of speaking about deification. Following in the tradition of Origen and Athanasius, he had such an alternative way to hand in the expression 'partakers of the divine nature'. His Christology is one in which the participation of the assumed humanity in the divinity of the Logos, is a key concept. He compares it with the participation of the faithful in Christ; 'corporeally' through the Eucharistic communion, and spiritually through kenotic life. Maximus, with a Capadocian / Dionysian (ps-Areopagite) background, did not participate in the 'Divine Partaking' tradition. While, his Neo-Chalcedonian Christology, revised, was still based on the concept of duality of natures, but in reciprocal communion, had no real appeal for the Petrine text. On the contrary, Cyril's anthropology is analogous to his Christology. Man attains the divinely graced life, not by participation in God as much as by synergy, a mutual reactive relationship between the Lord through Christ and those of the faithful.

Norman Russell on Divinization:
Norman Russell, wrote recently, in an enlightening essay entitled, 'Partakers of the Divine Nature' in the Byzantine Tradition, explaining and defending the Alexandrine based Biblical theology from Origen's First Principles, comparing to Maximus the confessor. He explains, "Among the Greek (speaking) Fathers deification is expressed variously as filial adoption through baptism, as the attaining of likeness to God through gnosis and dispassion, as the ascent of the soul to God, as the participation of the soul in the divine attributes of immortality and incorruption, as the transformation of human nature by divine action, as the eschatological glorification of both soul and body, and as union with God through participation in the divine energies. In Byzantine writers the emphasis falls on the Pauline aspect of filial adoption and incorporation into Christ, the sacraments becoming all-important as the means by which divine life is communicated to the believer."

In Appreciation:
In my long career as a Catechist and Commentator, it is my first time to be urged to write a review of a theology book without the book being at hand. In a telecom with the Nottingham Patristic, and Cambridge 'Coptic Orthodox' theologian, I proposed this great unbiased scholarly work as a reference for both debating Coptic parties on the subject. Dr. George Bebawi, then praised the Oxford scholar, associating him with the eminent Syriac scholar Dr. Sebastian Brock, and evaluated the book as a 'Doctorate Thesis', carefully reviewed for the benefit of intellectual Christians. His colleague Dr. Andrew Louth, has rightly wrote, "Norman Russell presents his subject with the assurance of a master ... He displays not just understanding of the material, but also a clear awareness of the field of patristic studies ... this is a masterpiece of what historical discussion of Christian doctrine should be: historically acute and theologically perceptive."

A Qualified Review:
"Norman Russell has given us a rigorous account of the historical development of the doctrine of deification and its technical terminology, and at the same time he has offered us clear conceptual categories for distinguishing different approaches to deification in the Christian tradition. The stated subject of this book is "Christian deification from its birth as a metaphor to its maturity as a spiritual doctrine" Daniel Keating

* On the Incarnation (De Incarnatione Verbi Dei)
** The Appropriation of Divine Life in Cyril of Alexandria (Oxford Theological Monographs)

As far as I know, this book is the best one stop read on this central Christian doctrine. All of theology, in its relation to humanity, is really a footnote to the reality of deification. But what does that really mean? Are we absorbed into God? Are we just made like him by decree? Or do we participate in the very life of God and yet remain distinct in our nature and personhood? How this was experienced and worked out in the early church is the subject of this most detailed book.

Based largely on Jules Gross' work (La Divination du chrétien d'après les Pères grecs), Russell begins by tracing the main points of Gross, adding the criticism that Gross failed to explain, and take into account, the content in which the Greek Fathers wrote and discussed theosis. He notes that although deification talk was common in many pre-Dionysian (6th century) theologians, they were not doctrinally consistent in their usage and meaning. It is finally with St Maximus the Confessor that the theology of deification is worked out systematically.

I am leaving tons of content out, but rest assured that if you have an interest in the topic from the Greek perspective, this is the book to get. But it is not a book for beginners. For that, you may find uncreated energy a useful primer.

Although Russell's focus is Greek theology, he does offer an appendix of Syrian and Latin Fathers on the topic, along with a brief discussion of modern authors on the subject, such as Rahner, Zizioulas and Mascall.

I would strongly recommend the writings of Valdimir Lossky, especially The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church and Orthodox Theology: An Introductionon this subject. For a great East-West discussion, See A. Williams' The Ground of Union: Deification in Aquinas and Palamas. As well, please see Deification in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition: A Biblical Perspective, Being With God: Trinity, Apophaticism, And Divine-Human Communion, Theosis: Deification in Christian Theology (Princeton Theological Monograph) and Deification in Christ: Orthodox Perspectives on the Nature of the Human Person (Contemporary Greek Theologians, Vol 5).

My other reviews are often on this topic, and you can find some gems there to further your exploration of the implications of the incarnation, death and resurrection of our Lord.

"The great Antiochene fathers never use the term 'diefication' at all. That is to say... we are gods only in a titular sense. ... Without the Alexandrian sotereological perspective, deification can only be presented as a remote eschatological event." Norman Russell, (pp. 237)

"I no longer desire to be myself, but to find myself transformed in You, so that there is no 'myself' but only Yourself. That is when I will be what You have willed to make me from all eternity: not myself, but Love." Thomas Merton





Deification, as participation:
"Far from implying a heretical notion of man's absorption into God, as Western writers sometimes assume, the term encapsulates a number of widely differing approaches to the doctrine of salvation. Among the Greek Fathers deification is expressed variously as filial adoption through baptism, as the attaining of likeness to God through gnosis and dispassion, as the ascent of the soul to God, as the participation of the soul in the divine attributes of immortality and incorruption, as the transformation of human nature by divine action, as the eschatological glorification of both soul and body, and as union with God through participation in the divine energies." Norman Russell

Deification, Biblical Foundation:
The two classic biblical texts quoted in support of deification are Psalm 82:6 ('I said, you are gods and all of you sons of the Most High') and 2 Peter 1:4 ('precious and very great promises have been granted to us, that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature'). The first of these texts (also quoted in John 10:34) was never a cause of controversy. There already existed a Jewish exegesis which applied the words, 'you are gods', originally to Adam and Eve, and then to those who kept the Torah, when Justin Martyr -the first Christian Father to quote them- used them as a gloss on the Johannine 'children of God' (1 Jn 3:1). If baptism makes us sons of God and the Psalm addresses us as gods and sons of the Most High, then baptism must make us gods. Divine sonship through baptism therefore brings with it the divine qualities of immortality and freedom from passion. The text is often appealed to by later Fathers to express how baptism incorporates us into Christ, making us gods by grace in contrast to Christ, who is God by nature. N. Russell, "Partakers of the Divine Nature" in the Byzantine Tradition

Russell's Masterful Thesis:
So far, I could not but quote the eminent patristic scholar whose mother nurtured in him a love of the Fathers, and his fellowship and scholarship kept the fire inflaming. This book is unique, while exploring the diversity of the patristic approaches from Irenaeus to Maximus the Confessor, Norman Russell offers an unparalleled and compelling study of the roots and the development of the doctrine, while expounding its genuine Alexandrine texts and themes, in two chapters: The Alexandrian Tradition I & II, masterfully linking its schools led by Clement, Origen, and Didymus with the champions of its Orthodoxy Athanasius and Cyril.
He then masterfully traces Origen's heritage of Divine transcendence and Soul ascent in his great Cappadocian students who accommodated them to Athanasius thesis of mediation of the divine Logos through deification of the logos flesh assumed from Mary.
In the historical culmination of his extensive study, Norman Russell reveals the eminence of his patristic scholarship, in 'The Monastic Synthesis,' delving gracefully from Evagrius Ponticus, The Macarian writings, Dionysius the Aereopagite, to Maximus Confessor.

Partakers of the Divine Nature: The History and Development of Deification in the Christian Traditions

Gnosis, Theophany, Theosis: Studies in Clement of Alexandria's Appropriation of His Background (Patristic Studies (Peter Lang Publishing), Vol. 5.)

I initially bought this book as I was curious about the differences between Eastern & Western traditions, particularly with the notion of theosis --the deification of man. This book goes far deeper, and covers pre-Christian practices (like Stoic thoughts, the deifications of Kings, Roman Emperors, that of private citizens who committed symbolic acts --such as Antinous, Hadrian's obsession, who drowned to "save" mankind and other sotirologies).
The book was initially Russell's doctoral thesis, which, as far as I can guess from the dates, had to have been completed when he was in late middle age. But he made it very readable, free of the theophilosophical jargon of similar texts. He still has quotes in the original language and it is a true piece of scholarship.

Suzanne Mulvehill really provides an in-depth, soul-searching, inventory for those who wish to strike out on their own. When you've finished with the exercises, you'll know who you want to be and be prepared to get there. Not only good for up-and-coming entrepreneurs, but a means to finding peace in the business world for any reader.

ME
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

I have read many books on how to make the transition into entrepreneurship and THIS BOOK WAS ALL I NEEDED. The author is down-to-earth and realistic. She uses "real person" examples and problems, things that entrepreneurs will relate to. The exercises allow you to see things differently about your life and dreams, more than any other book I have read. This book is excellent!

I bought this book back in late 2004 - when I realized I could no longer work for corporate america. I wrote down short/mid/long range goals and launched my entrepreneurial journey. This book has and still is a roadmap for dealing with the many emotional challenges I've experienced along the way. I launched my business in spring 2005 while working full-time and left corporate america in spring 2006. To this day, I still consult Suzanne's book for advice. I'm so sorry it took me this long to acknowlege this author's great book.

The bottom line: When I have a doubt (ie., a lingering, negative thought) about my business I go to the chapter dealing with the root of the thought. After reading the chapter and thinking through the excercise, I always feel grounded and positive when I put the book down. I thank God for Suzanne and her work in writing such a great book.

I've recommended this book to three other entrepreneurs this past week. All three are dealing with the same emotional challenges I faced my first year in business.

We all have a still small voice inside of us. But we must allow ourselves to get quiet enough to hear it. It's not easy when we are so busy. Sometimes we are so busy being busy in order to avoid our inner voice.

Suzanne Mulvehill encourages us to trust more than we want to.
Once we uncover our Passion (uniqueness), see our Vision (plan) and Focus persistently we will experience true success.

Employee to Entrepreneur is the only book I have found that assists you to transistion from your current reality into your true reality physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Letting life take care of you, Suzanne reminds us.

Thank you Suzanne for encouraging us to Trust and Obey!

The format of this book makes it very user friendly;
I feel that the spaces left for me to fill in create a one on one atmosphere.
I see where my strengths are and am now able to identify the
areas of myself for me to improve.
This book said Now to me.
Do It Now.
Be It Now.
If you ever wondered if you could or should, you can
with this book to guide you.
Read it now and you will be getting far more than a book.

Amazing read. Gets to the heart of community, educating children, instilling work ethic, pride, and responsibility. Hands on teaching and learning for students and teachers. EXCELLENT.

Berger's method consists of allowing students to learn through real-world applications the concepts taught in class. To do this he integrates concepts of different subject areas for the completion of a project that has real-world application. Usually the projects are based on the community. He starts a project by showing his current students past student work. This sets the standard for excellence. As part of the project, the students create several drafts and improve their drafts based on peer-review. Classmates critique each other's work in a safe environment and through this process raise the excellence of their work. This method creates meaningful learning that many of his students cherished for the rest of their lives because their projects improved their community's lives.
As you read it you'll also appreciate Berger's passion for his students. It's an amazing book! I highly recommend it.

This book is a great practical example of how to focus as a teacher. Ron Berger brings to light the trouble with current educational trends and shows ways students can be naturally engaged. His students feel mature, bright and capable. Read this book, follow Ron's example. I finished it in a day and it has changed my whole approach to teaching.

"Teaching is hard," Ron Berger writes in this brilliant, inspiring and practical book of craft wisdom. While his primary audience is educators who focus on building school culture, his ideas for cultivating and maintaining an unwavering work ethic of excellence are gems also for parents, clergy and any one with responsibility for developing the mind and character of a child.
"It is through their own work that their self-esteem will grow," he notes citing numerous vivid examples. Berger writes with clarity, candor and humility. His stories inside and outside the classroom form a compelling narrative in support of his case that all children deserve an education that is this demanding and meaningful.

This book is an inspiration! Written by a teacher, Berger outlines how his school has created a culture of excellence. Through the use of project based learning as the core of the curriculum, they inspire the students to create products of high standards. He explains how and why they do this. His stories of his students show us how all students can produce amazing work. This book reminds us of what real can and should look like.

This book is all you need to know about worship, but more than that, it is about how to serve God with praise and worship. Through this book I have found that praise and worship is interconnected to every part of our lives. It calls for character, honesty, confession, prayer and study of the scriptures.

This was the text for praise and worship class at Southwestern Assemblies of God when I attended in the past.

It is very practical. It would be very good for someone interested in worshipping the Lord more or someone who is a leader in church.

Bob Sorge is a good writer. There is also a workbook available for this text.

please i would like a spanish version of Exploring Worship or a list of the available translations

This is an awesome book. If you want to know what Praise & Worship is and why we do it Read this Book. If you want to know how to live a lifestyle of a worshiper... read this book. This book biblically explains a lot of misconceptions about Praise and Worship.

This book is a MUST READ for all christians.

I have read many good books on praise and worship. However, I rate this one at the top of the list. It is very easy to comprehend and practical. The additional workbook and/or video can assist one better in teaching a class over a short period of time. There are lessons in the workbook with questions at the end of each chapter. I have taught from this book for years as my main resource and used other books and supplements. At any rate, it is excellent as a stand alone or with its other tools.

Even though tomes have been written on the American presidents, Dr. Smith manages to bring fresh insight as a result of painstaking research. ( It could serve as a model for any student looking to document his research) The book is not "light" reading....but the author writes with clarity and with as much impartiality as humanly possible. I found his distinction between the ways that these presidents' faith shaped their policies to be thought-provoking. This book provides a strong framework from which to examine the coming election season.

I encourage you to set aside a block of time each day as you loose yourself in the history and faith of each of these men. It is full of interesting faith facts that just a history of these presidents would never touch. I must confess it took me time to read and digest this book, but well worth the time. I look forward to reareading this book in order to grasp new facts that I did not glean from the first read. I would love to see it used in school class rooms everywhere. The research, notes and excellent writing of this work is outstanding!

A first-rate work in which eleven presidents are analyzed in terms of their religious beliefs and their actions. Solid framework of analysis. The work brims with new details, broad understandings, and sound and judicious conclusions. Impressive, varied bibliography. The copious notes, alone, are worth a close read. Sparkling writing and sound organization make this a page-turner.

Gary Scott Smith's Faith and the Presidency is fascinating to read and weighty in substance. Full of personal details drawn from the lives of various presidents as well as important observations about public policy and religious impulses, Smith hits the sweet spot between bold, exciting claims and strong supporting evidence.

I was particularly persuaded by the book's observation that the foreign policy of presidents more readily reveals their philosophical commitments because the U.S. presidency has greater latitude abroad than at home.

This is a book worth reading from cover to cover. Smith hits a home run with this exceptional book. A tour de force!

If you are looking for fresh information about the role of faith and religion in the lives of some of America's greatest presidents then I highly recommend purchasing Faith and the Presidency.
The author, Gary Smith has done his homework. His research is very thorough and his style of writing is clear and free of technical jargon.
I thought the book presented a balanced view of democrat and republican presidents; and the author covers each president's religious affiliation without bias. After reading this book I finally understand why religion is such a hot topic during every presidential election.
Reading about Abraham Lincoln and how his faith helped him address the crises of the civil war is the best I have read to date.
Students, teachers of history, religious leaders and those with a love of presidential history need this book to complete their library. A must read for 2007!

Picking up Fastrack Business Management is like making a phone call to a wise old friend. Fastrack offers understanding of a wide range of business dilemmas and offers a sage suggestion or two for resolving each of them. You won't find (irritating) chapter and verse here; you WILL find valuable advice for a host of today's thorniest business issues.

The BEST business book to come along - superior value and information for the business professional on the move. "Fastrack is extremely relevant to the critical issues facing today's leaders. It cuts through the typical business jargon with refreshing clarity and directness and is a timeless practical guide to making better decisions and improving the way you manage.

Fastrack Business Management is an interesting and enjoyable read. It is extremely substantive, with a wealth of helpful insights on subjects of interest to top and middle managers today. I would recommend it to anyone.

The BEST business book for the Millennium - superior value and information for the business professional who wants answers, fast. "Fastrack" is extremely relevant to the critical issues facing business today and cuts through the typical buzzwords with refreshing clarity and directness. It is a timeless practical guide to making better decisions and improving the way you manage. You will find the "Key Points" (at the end of each chapter) most valuable. Each lists a succinct summary of the author's important business tips you will refer to time and time again.

Fastrack is a great tool for managing your business. The book provides clear, cogent answers to the "big picture" questions that are difficult to grasp. The chapter on Globalization was especially helpful to AHN, which deployed several strategies with great success. A great read, jam packed with nuggets of wisdom from a guy who clearly knows what he's talking about.