Best General History of Religion Books
Here you will get Best General History of Religion Books For you.This is an up-to-date list of recommended books.
1. Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
Author: by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Published at: Liveright; Illustrated edition (June 23, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1631495731
A scholar of American Christianity presents a seventy-five-year history of evangelicalism that identifies the forces that have turned Donald Trump into a hero of the Religious Right. How did a libertine who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith win 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016?
And why have white evangelicals become a presidential reprobate’s staunchest supporters? These are among the questions acclaimed historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez asks in Jesus and John Wayne, which delves beyond facile headlines to explain how white evangelicals have brought us to our fractured political moment.
Challenging the commonly held assumption that the moral majority backed Donald Trump for purely pragmatic reasons, Du Mez reveals that Donald Trump in fact represents the fulfillment, rather than the betrayal, of white evangelicals’ most deeply held values. Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping account of the last seventy-five years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism, or in the words of one modern chaplain, with a spiritual badass.
2. The Book of Enoch
Author: by Enoch
Published at: Defender Publishing (March 24, 2017)
ISBN: 978-0998142623
The Bible, as we hold it today, is esteemed by many religious institutions and especially Conservative Christians to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God. This doctrinal position affirms that the Bible is unlike all other books or collections of works in that it is free of error due to having been given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim.3:16, 17).
While no other text can claim this same unique authority, the Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed by tradition to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, which played a crucial role in forming the worldview of the authors of the New Testament, who were not only familiar with it but quoted it in the New Testament, Epistle of Jude, Jude 1:14 15, and is attributed there to “Enoch the Seventh from Adam” (1 En 60:8).
The text was also utilized by the community that originally collected and studied the Dead Sea Scrolls. While some churches today include Enoch as part of the biblical canon (for example the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church), other Christian denominations and scholars accept it only as having historical or theological non-canonical interest and frequently use or assigned it as supplemental materials within academic settings to help students and scholars discover or better understand cultural and historical context of the early Christian Church.
3. The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name
Author: by Brian C. Muraresku
Published at: St. Martin's Press (September 29, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1250207142
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER As seen on The Joe Rogan Experience! A groundbreaking dive into the role psychedelics have played in the origins of Western civilization, and the real-life quest for the Holy Grail that could shake the Church to its foundations.
The most influential religious historian of the 20th century, Huston Smith, once referred to it as the “best-kept secret” in history. Did the Ancient Greeks use drugs to find God? And did the earliest Christians inherit the same, secret tradition?
A profound knowledge of visionary plants, herbs and fungi passed from one generation to the next, ever since the Stone Age? There is zero archaeological evidence for the original Eucharist the sacred wine said to guarantee life after death for those who drink the blood of Jesus.
The Holy Grail and its miraculous contents have never been found. In the absence of any hard data, whatever happened at the Last Supper remains an article of faith for today’s 2. 5 billion Christians. In an unprecedented search for real answers, The Immortality Key examines the archaic roots of the ritual that is performed every Sunday for nearly one third of the planet.
4. Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day: The Complete Papyrus of Ani Featuring Integrated Text and Full-Color Images
Author: by Ogden Goelet
Published at: Chronicle Books; 20th Revised ed. edition (January 20, 2015)
ISBN: 978-1452144382
For the first time in 3,300 years, The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day: The Papyrus of Ani is showcased in its entirety in seventy four magnificent color pages. Maybe the most stunning presentation of this book in 3300 years: Upon death, it was the practice for some Egyptians to produce a papyrus manuscript called the Book of Going Forth by Day or the Book of the Dead.
A Book of the Dead included declarations and spells to help the deceased in the afterlife. The Papyrus of Ani is the manuscript compiled for Ani, the royal scribe of Thebes. Written and illustrated almost 3,300 years ago, The Papyrus of Ani is a papyrus manuscript with cursive hieroglyphs and color illustrations.
It is the most beautiful, best preserved, and complete example of ancient Egyptian philosophical and religious thought known to exist. The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an integral part of the world’s spiritual heritage. It is an artistic rendering of the mysteries of life and death.
5. The Cross and the Lynching Tree
Author: by James H. Cone
Published at: Orbis; Reprint edition (January 1, 2013)
ISBN: 978-1626980051
The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk.
Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and black death, the cross symbolizes divine power and black life God overcoming the power of sin and death.
For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era.
6. The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume
Author: by Marvin W. Meyer
HarperOne
844 pages
9780061626005
The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, edited by Marvin Meyer, is the most complete, up-to-date, one-volume, English-language edition of the renowned library of Gnostic manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945, which rivaled the Dead Sea Scrolls find in significance. It includes the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the recently discovered Gospel of Judas, as well as other Gnostic gospels and sacred texts.
This volume also includes introductory essays, notes, tables, glossary, index, etc. To help the reader understand the context and contemporary significance of these texts which have shed new light on early Christianity and ancient thought. The compilation of ancient manuscripts that constitute The Nag Hammadi Scriptures is a discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about the early Christian church, ancient Judaism, and Greco-Roman religions.
7. Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within
Author: by Taylor Marshall
Published at: Sophia Institute Press; Crisis Publications edition (May 31, 2019)
ISBN: 978-1622828463
Rob Morgan’s inimitable style will help people reacquaint themselves with the hymns of the faithful. His goal is to keep these traditional hymns vital and meaningful to all generations. Don’t look for a dry recounting of boring stories. These devotional-style stories show the emotion and drama behind the hymns of faith that have changed many lives throughout history – the people whose faith led them to write these wonderful hymns and the people whose faith was affected by reading, hearing, and singing the songs.
Designed to be personally reflective, these stories speak to your soul and add depth and meaning as you worship God through song. FEATURES:Includes words and music to each hymnSpecial softcover, french flap cover designIvory paper with brown inkJagged-edge paper, giving it a classic feelComplete with hymn indexUse for devotionals, teaching illustrations, introductory remarks for song leaders and music ministers
9. A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult
Author: by DK
Published at: DK; Illustrated edition (August 18, 2020)
ISBN: 978-1465494290
Discover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title. A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most interesting and often controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from ancient animal worship and shamanism, through alchemy and divination to modern Wicca and the resurgence of the occult in 21st-century literature, cinema, and television.
Providing readers with a balanced, and unbiased account of everything from Japanese folklore and Indian witchcraft to the differences between black and white magic, and dispelling myths such as those surrounding the voodoo doll and Ouija, the book explores the common human fear of, and fascination with spells, superstition, and the supernatural.
The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, this wide-ranging volume explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones, mystical plants and potions such as mandrake, the presence of witchcraft in literature from Shakespeare’s Macbeth to the Harry Potter series, and the ways in which magic has interacted with religion.
10. The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
Author: by Daniel McCoy
Published at: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (June 1, 2016)
ISBN: 978-1533393036
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you’d expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the enduringly popular website Norse Mythology for Smart People, it’s written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that’s easy to understand and a pleasure to read.
It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths more than any other book in the field while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating Viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part. You’ll learn about the Vikings’ gods and goddesses, their concept of fate, their views on the afterlife, their moral code, how they thought the universe was structured, how they practiced their religion, the role that magic played in their lives, and much more.
With its inclusion of the latest groundbreaking research in the field, The Viking Spirit is the ultimate introduction to the timeless splendor of Norse mythology and religion for the 21st Century.
11. The Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Sacred Texts)
Author: by Alan Jacobs
Published at: Watkins Publishing (November 15, 2016)
ISBN: 978-1780289700
This eye-opening collection of texts sheds light on the esoteric knowledge of Gnosticism, revealing intimate conversations between Jesus and his Disciples In 1945, several gospels, hidden since the first century, were found in the Egyptian Desert at Nag Hammadi. This discovery caused a sensation as the scrolls revealed the mysteries of the Gnosticsa movement which emerged during the formative period of Christianity.
‘Gnosis’, from the Greek, broadly meaning ‘hidden spiritual knowledge’, was associated with renouncing the material world, and focusing on attaining the life of the Holy Spirit. Many Christian sects are derived from the esoteric knowledge of Gnosticism. The gospels selected here by Alan Jacobs reveal intimate conversations between Jesus and his Disciples.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene sheds new light on his relationship with his favorite follower, while the Gospel of Thomas consists of mini-parables of deep inward and symbolic meaningmany of which are not found in the New Testament. The wisdom in this inspiring collection of texts is wholly relevant to our lives today, addressing the questions of good and evil, sin and suffering, and the path to salvation.
12. The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
Author: by Richard H. Wilkinson
Published at: Thames & Hudson; Reprint edition (January 31, 2017)
ISBN: 978-0500284247
A comprehensive guide to the deities of ancient Egypt: their origins and their central role in the lives of the Egyptian peopleWorshipped for over three-fifths of recorded history, Egypt’s gods and goddesses are among the most fascinating of human civilization.
The lives of pharaohs and commoners alike were dominated by the need to honor, worship, and pacify the huge pantheon of deities, from the benevolent to the malevolent. The richness and complexity of their mythology is reflected in countless tributes throughout Egypt, from lavish tomb paintings and imposing temple reliefs to humble household shrines.
This book examines the evolution, worship, and eventual decline of the numerous gods and goddessesfrom minor household figures such as Bes and Tawaret to the all-powerful deities Amun and Rethat made Egypt the most theocratic society of the ancient world, and made Egyptians, according to Herodotus, more religious than any other people.
Now available in paperback, with hundreds of illustrations and specially commissioned drawings, this title remains the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the deities that lay at the heart of Egyptian religion and society.338 illustrations
13. Foxe's Book of Martyrs (Pure Gold Classics)
Author: by John Foxe
Published at: Bridge-Logos, Inc.; Revised edition (November 1, 2001)
ISBN: 978-0882708751
Would you suffer and die for Christ?”When the Church does not feel pain with those that are part of them, the Church’s nerves … Become dead.” Sabrina Wurmbrand, Co-founder of The Voice of the MartyrsIn 1563, John Foxe began writing a book in tribute to Christian martyrs, beginning with Stephen, the first believer who died for the cause of Christ.
Foxe’s original work ended with the martyrs of his own day those who were killed during the reign of “Bloody Mary.” He wanted the Church to remember the martyrs, for he knew that the blood of the martyrs truly is the seed of the Church.
Martyrdom is not a thing of the past. The Christian Church continues to endure great persecution in many places around the world. In fact, more Christians were affected by persecution, including martyrdom, during the twentieth century than in all previous centuries combined.
Listen to the cries of the martyrs, and let their faith, courage, and love touch your life. This classic work will stir you, challenge you, and inspire you to surrender everything to Christ. It will greatly build your faith.
14. Killing Jesus (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)
Author: by Bill O'Reilly
Published at:
Henry Holt and Co.; 1st edition (September 24, 2013)
ISBN: 978-0805098549
Millions of readers have thrilled by bestselling authors Bill O’Reilly and historian Martin Dugard’s Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, page-turning works of nonfiction that have changed the way we read history. Now the anchor of The O’Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth.
Nearly two thousand years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2. 2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God. Killing Jesus will take readers inside Jesus’s life, recounting the seismic political and historical events that made his death inevitable and changed the world forever.
15. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English: Seventh Edition (Penguin Classics)
Author: by Geza Vermes
Published at: Penguin Classics; 7th Revised ed. edition (June 26, 2012)
ISBN: 978-0141197319
A newly updated edition of the landmark translation by one of our greatest religious scholarsSince its publication in 1962, esteemed biblical expert Gza Vermes’s translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls has established itself as the authoritative standard. The original manuscripts, discovered in the Judean Desert between 1947 and 1956, completely transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origin of Christianity.
Now in its seventh edition, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English has been updated with a number of previously unpublished texts, as well as extensive new introductory material and notes. Some sixty years after the Scrolls’ discovery, this revised and expanded volume crowns a lifetime of research by Vermes.
For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
16. The Books of Enoch: The Ancient Apocryphal Books: Fallen Angels, Giants Nephilim and The Secrets of Enoch
Author: by History Academy
Published at: Independently published (September 4, 2020)
ISBN: 979-8682717651
The study of Enoch’s words awakened the desire to explore spiritual dimensions in a deeper way. Enoch once said: I write not for my own, but for the extreme future generations, for you human beings who will come. Enoch, the seventh of Adam’s descendants describes his journey through the seven heavens, where he receives revelations like when he is described the creation of the world and the secrets of the future.
Enoch’s journey culminates with the encounter with God after a life that lasted 365 years. From the mists of time he has shown humanity a luminous path to follow. Enoch goes back to the causes of evil and great are his sufferings for human wickedness and his exhortations to cultivate good and wisdom.
All his writings, which are reported alongside the interpretation of History Academy, were found and collected in the time before the birth of Christ. Not recognized by the Church and ignored in the Old Testament collection, they are now published for everyone to read.
