Ancient Religion

Ancient woods are Britain's richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. They live in our collective imagination as quiet places, best left pristine and untouched. But their story has always been one of interdependence with people. Now, as ever...

इस अभूतपूर्व प्रयास में हिमालय के तपस्वी , प्रसिद्ध लेखक ओम स्वामी ने शाश्वत मंत्रों के आह्वान की आधारभूत जानकारी और पद्धति को उजागर किया है। अपने दशकों लंबी मंत्र साधना के अनुभव और गहन व्यक्तिगत अभ्यास के ज्ञान को उन्होंने अपनी विशिष्ट सरल और हास्य-विनोदपूर्ण शैली में इस पुस्तक में प्रस्तुत किया है।

The tradition of ancient philosophy is a long, rich, and varied one, in which a constant note is that of discussion and argument. This book introduces listeners to some ancient debates to engage with the ancient developments of some themes. Getting away from the presentation of ancient philosophy as a succession of Great Thinkers, the book gives listeners a sense of the freshness and liveliness of ancient philosophy and of its wide variety of themes and styles. 

Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

One of the most remarkable historical works of the 19th century came from the pen of French historian Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, a native of Paris. This amazing analysis of family and religious life among the ancient Greeks and Romans is the key to understanding ancient Mediterranean civilizations. The story begins in the misty period of the Bronze Age as the Indo-Europeans began to filter down into the Italian and Greek peninsulas. They brought with them a patriarchy that was based on ancestor worship and the veneration of hearth gods.

Scholars have sometimes maintained that the study of the history of African religions is an impossible endeavor. Some have contended that African religions do not have a history unto themselves, apart from their interaction with the newer religious traditions of Islam and Christianity. Others concede that such a history exists, but believe the source materials are insufficient to reconstruct such a history. This book speaks directly to these critics.

A dedicated group of Orthodox monks (who wish to remain anonymous) have created a fresh English translation of the Masoretic Hebrew text of the Psalter, corrected to the Septuagint. A frequently asked question: The Psalms aren't in numerical order in this Psalter. Why is that? Answer: That was done intentionally. This edition of the Psalter was created for prayer, at home or in church, rather than for reference. It's not just another Book of Psalms.

Gnosticism is one of the great mysteries in the history of Western religion. At its core is an ancient Greek word, gnosis, a word prominent in the writings of Plato which refers to a deep personal knowledge or understanding that often transcends the physical world. The Gnostics painted a picture of a fallen, broken world in which physicality was a product of a lesser deity. This deity was created in defiance of the One and in order to trap humans and blind them to the truths of their predicament and divine origins.

The ancient Mediterranean teemed with gods. For centuries, a practical religious pluralism prevailed. How, then, did one particular god come to dominate the politics and piety of the late Roman Empire? In Ancient Christianities, Paula Fredriksen traces the evolution of early Christianity—or rather, of early Christianities—through five centuries of Empire, mapping its pathways from the hills of Judea to the halls of Rome and Constantinople.

In this book, Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, a longtime parish priest, offers reflections on the text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom to help listeners learn to pray the Liturgy and to understand and appreciate the mystery that unfolds each time it is celebrated.

Make no mistake, the sacred gods are active. The African continent is home to ancestors, sacred deities, and diverse cultures. Among them is the Yoruba tradition, one of Africa’s most powerful societies. Standing the test of time and thriving against extinction, the Yoruba culture is one of the few African cultures that have crossed the vast oceans and continue to thrive today. Devotees spend their lives under the sacred guiding influence of the gods and are open to sharing the secrets of Orisha with those who seek knowledge.

The Ancient Wisdom is an insightful exploration and simplification of H. P. Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine. It makes for an important contribution to that text. The various chapters cover the main theosophical topics found in her books.

A long time ago, in a suburban high school not so far away, a closeted nerd (me) and a closeted soccer star (Hutch) fell in love and planned to make their public debut at prom. Until Hutch bailed at the last minute, leaving me with a broken heart and unworn tuxedo. Tale as old as time, right? I spent the past ten years working to forget Hutch, returning to our old high school to teach and make new memories that could erase ones of him. I thought Hutch was ancient history, off living his professional athlete life. 

In The Religion of the Ancient Celts, author J.A. MacCulloch introduces a different view of the ancient Celts as he dives into the mysterious world of the ancient Celts. Focusing on the scientific study that indulges in the wild, speculative notions of the Celts, this book touches on the sagas, worships, festivals, influencers, magic, and the transition of eras from Pagan to Christianity, and ideals. As readers begin their journey into this ancient world and ideals, they will uncover a deep, and complex culture and society.

Are you an Orthodox Christian who wonders how to explain to your Baptist grandmother, your Buddhist neighbor, or the Jehovah’s Witness at your door how your faith differs from theirs? Or are you a member of another faith who is curious what Orthodoxy is all about? Look no further. In Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick covers the gamut of ancient heresies, modern Christian denominations, fringe groups, and major world religions, highlighting the main points of each faith.

Rome did not fear wine. It feared what wine could gather. When the cult of Bacchus spread through the Roman Republic, it was more than a religious movement. It was secret meetings. Night rituals. Shared vows. A god who did not answer to the Senate. In 186 BCE, the state struck back. The Bacchanalian scandal led to investigations, arrests, and one of the most dramatic religious suppressions in Roman history. Yet Bacchus survived. This audiobook traces the rise of Rome’s wine god from his Greek origins to his transformation within Roman society.

Violence in the Old Testament has long been a stumbling block for Christians and skeptics alike. God Is a Man of War offers a fresh interpretation of Old Testament accounts of violence, by exploring them through the twofold lens of Orthodox tradition and historical context. Father Stephen De Young examines what these difficult passages reveal about the nature of Christ and His creation, bearing witness to a world filled not only with pain and suffering - often of human making - but also with the love of God.

Celtic mythology is widely considered to be among the most captivating of Europe's various mythologies due to the presence of a number of captivating aspects, including but not limited to: adventure, heroism, romance, and magic. The Celts were once a great people who dominated most of Europe, but, as a result of Roman invasions, they have since been reduced to a few minor groupings. Their mythology, on the other hand, was preserved largely as a result of the efforts of later monks from Ireland and Wales who wrote down the stories.

You're not as great as you think you are ... you are far, far greater. You're not as great as you think you are ... you are far, far greater. Before Religion is a treasure hunt through the oldest philosophical and spiritual texts known to humankind. This book is about how spirituality can be...

A collection of poetic spells and incantations that recount the rich lives of our ancestors, who were connected across cultures by their experience of the world as a magical place, who shared a belief, and who engaged in magical practices for manifestation, prophecy, love, protection, healing, curses, and even vengeance. Each minute of Ancient Spells and Incantations holds verses adapted from text unearthed through extensive research—grimoires, letters, and trial transcripts from across the ages and around the world.