The rights we enjoy in the West today, from the basic right to vote in elections to freedom of conscience, were won in a series of hard-fought struggles over five hundred years. This book presents the human story which tells the inspirational history of ideas in action.
Presents the stories of Martin Luther, Mary Wollstonecraft and Rosa Parks, whose sacrifices make us value these precious rights, especially in an age when governments under pressure find it necessary to restrict rights in the name of freedom.
Offers a non-religious alternative to the many people who do not follow one of the world's great religions. This title covers: "Genesis"; "Proverbs"; "Histories"; "Songs"; "Wisdom Acts"; "The Lawgiver Lamentations"; "Concord Consolations"; "Sages"; and, "The Good Parables".
Imagine that there was an ancient code of conduct, widely forgotten in modern times, which nonetheless lurked under the surface of our society and shaped our most fundamental habits: from the nature of sexual guilt, to the concept of weekends. Imagine it had begun with an obscure group of tribes 3,000 years ago, and exploded out to became central in the spread of Judaism, the rise of Christianity and the nature of Islam; that it went far beyond religion, and inspired masterpieces such as King Lear, and social upheavals such as the French Revolution and the modern trade union movement; that it was behind the scientific ambitions of Isaac Newton, and the activism of Martin Luther King Jr; that it continues to influence today's most powerful political issues and social habits. Imagination has little to do with it; this is, in fact, the story of the Ten Commandments that David Bodanis brings thrillingly to life.
In ten chapters, naturally, he explores the roots and enduring forces behind each commandment, showing how they grew and spread and came to eventually influence so much of the modern world. Ultimately, each is an amalgam of rich human stories and dramas, which in Bodanis's skilled hands are memorably told. The Ten Commandments is not about religion, but about how the concepts that are the basis of those famous commandments underpin the history of human civilization - East and West, religious and secular. Among them are Louis XIV's 'divine right of kings', medieval jurists' concept of 'innocent until proven guilty' and Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
There has been a bad-tempered quarrel between defenders and critics of religion in recent years. Both sides have expressed themselves acerbically because there is a very great deal at stake in the debate. This book thoroughly and calmly examines all the arguments and associated considerations offered in support of religious belief, and does so in full consciousness of the reasons people have for subscribing to religion, and the needs they seek to satisfy by doing so. And because it takes account of all the issues, its solutions carry great weight. The God Argument is the definitive examination of the issue, and a statement of the humanist outlook that recommends itself as the ethics of the genuinely reflective person.
My Door is Always Open is the complete and definitive set of interviews between Pope Francis and Jesuit priest Antonio Spadaro.
In the summer of 2013, Pope Francis gave three extended interviews to Spadaro, the head of La Civilta Cattolica (Catholic Civilisation), a Catholic periodical based in Rome, in which he spoke at length about his background, his Faith, and his vision for the Roman Catholic Church. Here, at last, is the complete collection of the interviews with a full commentary by Spadaro, the interlocutor and commentator.
In this compelling and engrossing dialogue, Antonio Spadaro introduces a Pope of great intellect and intelligence, who for the first time gives a rounded and substantial account of where he may lead the Roman Catholic Church in the years to come. Insightful and sincere, Pope Francis expounds upon the contemporary issues facing the Church, including the role of women and his experiences at the heart of Church governance, and he and Spadaro discuss at length the major issues facing religion around the world.
Including accounts of Pope Francis' visit to Brazil for World Youth Week, My Door is Always Open is the first book written by the Pope since he was elected and is the most convincing and persuasive guide to Pope Francis's vision as one of the most charismatic figures of our time.
