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H Επιστολή αυτή γράφτηκε στην Ρώμη το 50-56 μ.χ Ο Άγιος Παύλος προτρέπει τους Χριστιανούς να χαίρονται στις θλίψεις. Θα πρέπει να δέχονται τις αδικίες που προκαλούν θλίψη με την συναίσθηση και πίστη ότι μέσα από αυτές θα οδηγηθούν και θα ζήσουν τον θάνατο και την ανάσταση. Με αυτό τον τρόπο γίνονται μέτοχοι στον θάνατο του Ιησού Χριστού και στην ανάσταση του. Η Ημερομηνία της δεύτερης επιστολής βρίσκεται πιθανότατα ανάμεσα στο 63-67 μετά Χριστό , ενώ βρισκόταν στην φυλακή της Ρώμης ο Απόστολος Παύλος. Ο κόσμος απιστεί , εξαπατά και χλευάζει, όμως οι χριστιανοί θα πρέπει να διατηρούν το χριστιανικό τρόπο ζωής , συνεχώς αυξανόμενοι σε αγιότητα και σε αρετές και ποτέ δεν θα πρέπει να στραφούν πίσω στον παλιό τρόπο ζωής. The first epistle of Saint Peter was written in Rome 50-67 A.D. Saint Peter exhorts Christians to rejoice in suffering. They should enter into unjust suffering with a spirit of death and resurrection. Thus they partake in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. The date of the second epistle is most likely A.D 63-67. Saint Peter has probably written this letter while he was kept in prison in Rome. The people to whom he w...

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Religion

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Sequel to Four Girls at Chautauqua. Ruth, Flossy, Eurie, and Ruth return home as new Christians, eager to begin working. Their new faith clashes with their old lives, which they must overcome, as well as the prejudices of friends and acquaintances. (Summary by Tricia G)...

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Fiction, Religion

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In this late second century treatise, Hippolytus gives an excellent summary of Early Christian thinking on the subject of the antichrist. Familiar texts from Daniel and Revelation are treated together with his own current events to give a unique perspective. (Summary by Jonathan Lange)...

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Religion, Ancient Texts

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A temperance lecturer misses his train and ends up attending a town picnic. It was a common enough picnic on a commonplace day. But the discussions, actions, and attitudes from that picnic reverberate through the lives of many people. What are the far-reaching consequences of one commonplace day in OUR lives? (Summary by TriciaG)...

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Fiction, Religion

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The Books of Chronicles (Hebrew Divrei Hayyamim, דברי הימים, Greek Paralipomenon, Παραλειπομένων) are part of the Hebrew Bible (Jewish Tanakh and Christian Old Testament). In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim (the latter arrangement also making it the final book of the Jewish bible). Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings. It appears in two parts (I & II Chronicles), immediately following 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings as a summary of them with minor details sometimes added. The division of Chronicles and its place in the Christian canon of the Old Testament are based upon the Septuagint. The author of Chronicles, termed the Chronicler, may also have written Ezra and Nehemiah. His work is an important source of information about Israel after the Babylonian exile....

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Religion

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The record of the numbering of the nation of Israel, as well as the beginning of their maturity as they near the promised land of Canaan. (Introduction by Mark Penfold)...

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Religion

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Organized by week, this devotional has a morning and evening meditation for every day of the year. Although these devotions are short in length, they are filled with spiritual goodness. In just a few sentences, Spurgeon is able to convey the wisdom of Scripture with eloquence and purpose. These daily messages provide Christians with the spiritual energy they need to begin and end each day. Spurgeon weaves a verse of Scripture into each devotion, helping readers draw deeper meaning out of the selected passages. This powerful devotional provides Christians with the spiritual nourishment required to strengthen their relationships with God. Readers will find themselves inspired by Morning and Evening: Daily Readings. (Summary modified from ccel.org)...

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Religion

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Father Finn's beautiful little tale can be read in an hour or so, but it conveys a lesson which ought to be of longer duration. The interest of the story is chiefly theological, turning, as it does, on the refining and ennobling effects of frequent confession and communion on the soul; yet it is so simply put that any child can understand it. Regina O'Connell is a poor factory girl whose earnings support herself and her bedridden sister. She is simplicity itself—one of those rare beings whom unselfishness and genuine humility make heroines in the true sense of the word. She is a weekly communicant, and is trying her best to keep to the narrow path, but she cannot yet say from her heart the beautiful prayer of St. Ignatius:— Take, O Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will. She is tried, sorely tried. At times the pathos is almost unendurable, but she learns her lesson at last. Give me but Thy love and Thy grace, she whispered, for these are sufficient for me. And she received His love and His grace, and in the receiving her heart throbbed with a bliss seldom known upon earth, for His love and His grace were i...

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Fiction, Religion, Teen/Young adult

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Father Jean Guibert of the Society of St. Sulpice served as superior of the Catholic Institute of Paris. He wrote this short book, which bears an imprimatur, for both those who practice piety and those who disdain it. As noted in the preface to this book, the practice of piety has many advantages. The pious person is drawn into closer contact with God, his heart is purified and made glad, his mind is enlightened, his will is strengthened, and his zeal to love God and neighbor is enkindled. In Part I (Chapters 1-11), Father Guibert discusses the nature of piety, and in Part II (Chapters 12-18), he enumerates its fruits. The sequel to On Piety is Guibert's On the Exercises of Piety, which illustrates how piety is practiced in various ways. (Summary by dave7)...

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Religion

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Die schwarze Spinne ist eine Novelle von Jeremias Gotthelf aus dem Jahr 1842. Eingebettet in eine idyllisch angelegte Rahmenerzählung werden alte Sagen zu einer gleichnishaften Erzählung über christlich-humanistische Vorstellungen von Gut und Böse verarbeitet. Die Novelle ist unterteilt in die am Anfang auftretende Rahmenhandlung, die jedoch später zur Binnenhandlung übertritt. Zuerst kaum beachtet, gilt diese Erzählung bei vielen Literaturkritikern als eines der Meisterwerke des deutschen Biedermeier. Thomas Mann schrieb darüber in „Die Entstehung des Doktor Faustus“, dass Gotthelf „oft das Homerische“ berühre und dass er seine Schwarze Spinne „wie kaum ein zweites Stück Weltliteratur“ bewundere. (Wikipedia)...

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Fairy tales, Horror/Ghost stories, Literature, Religion

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John Bunyan (November 28, 1628 – August 31, 1688), a Christian writer and preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford), in the Parish of Elstow, England. He wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, arguably the most famous published Christian allegory. In the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August. Bunyan became a popular preacher as well as a prolific author, though most of his works consist of expanded sermons. In theology he was a Puritan, but there was nothing gloomy about him. The portrait his friend Robert White drew, which has often been reproduced, shows the attractiveness of his true character. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Religion

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The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, also known as the First Letter to the Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was written by Paul. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Religion

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“Mr. Benson sees the world, four or five generations hence, free at last from all minor quarrels, and ranged against itself in two camps, Humanitarianism for those who believe in no divinity but that of man, Catholicism for those who believe in no divinity but that of God.” This apocalyptic novel from the early 1900's is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias. (Summary from an original London Times review and Wikipedia)...

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Fiction, Literature, Science fiction, Religion

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Rabbi Louis Ginzberg was one of the outstanding Talmudists of the twentieth century. He was born on November 28, 1873, in Kovno, Lithuania; he died on November 11, 1953, in New York City. Ginzberg taught at the Jewish Theological seminary from 1903 to 1953. For 50years, he trained two generations of Conservative Rabbis. The Legends of the Jews is an epic 7-volume compilation of traditional Jewish stories loosely related to the Bible. Over the millenia, these stories, which expand on the Bible, flesh out the lives of biblical figures. In the process, they help bring to life the Bible's valuable lessons. The Legends of the Jews has been called a monumental work of scholarship. It is studied by serious students of both Judaism and Christianity. And yet the stories continue to be accessible and understood by all. They were designed to impart lessons of the Torah, and any child or adult will find much to enjoy about this work....

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Short stories, Religion, Myths/Legends

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A book on the all importance of humility, how Jesus was humble, and how we also can become humble. Murray wrote Without humility, there can be no true abiding in God's presence or experience of His favor and the power of His spirit. Without it there can be no abiding faith or love or joy or strength. Summary by ekaitz...

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Religion

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Not just a big book of geneaological lists, it is a record of things not mentioned in the Books of Samuel and Kings. It tells us of the kingdom of David and his life, but also gives us incredible spiritual truths. (Introduction by Mark Penfold)...

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Ancient Texts, Instruction, Religion

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In all the writings of the late nineteenth century minister and writer Andrew Murray, we see his passion for reality in the lives of Christian believers. In this series of addresses he explains how, in various areas of the spiritual life, one may grow in God and experience more of his power. In particular he shows the importance of Christ truly being given his rightful place in the believer’s life. There are chapters on: carnal Christians, the self life, waiting on God, entrance into rest, the kingdom first, Christ our life, Christ's humility our salvation, complete surrender, being dead with Christ, joy in the Holy Ghost, the triumph of faith, the source of power in prayer, and God being all in all. Although written well over a century ago, this book is still relevant and amazingly up to date! (Summary by Christopher Smith)...

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Religion, Instruction

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Andrew Murray describes the necessity and benefits of absolute obedience to God. He goes on to explain the way to achieve this level of obedience, which is required of all believers, and attainable through God's provision. (Summary by Joy Chan)...

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Religion

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On the Bondage of the Will (Latin: 'De Servo Arbitrio', literally, On Un-free Will, or Concerning Bound Choice), by Martin Luther, was published in December 1525. It was his reply to Desiderius Erasmus's De libero arbitrio diatribe sive collatio or On Free Will , which had appeared in September 1524 as Erasmus's first public attack on Luther, after being wary about the methods of the reformer for many years. At issue was whether human beings, after the Fall of Man, are free to choose good or evil. The debate between Luther and Erasmus is one of the earliest of the Reformation over the issue of free will and predestination....

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Religion

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The Epistle to Philippians (or just Philippians) is a book included in the New Testament of the Bible. It is a letter from St. Paul to the church of Philippi. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Religion