The Religious Studies category has 710 audiobooks on Listento.it, with an average listener rating of 4.6★ across 3,555 ratings. The most-rated is Mere Christianity.
Atheist Delusions
Summary
In this provocative book one of the most brilliant scholars of religion today dismantles distorted religious "histories" offered up by Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and other contemporary critics of religion and advocates of atheism. David Bentley Hart provides a bold correction of the New Atheists’s misrepresentations of the Christian past, countering their polemics with a brilliant account of Christianity and its message of human charity as the most revolutionary movement in all of Western history. Hart outlines how Christianity transformed the ancient world in ways we may have forgotten: bringing liberation from fatalism, conferring great dignity on human beings, subverting the cruelest aspects of pagan society, and elevating charity above all virtues. He then argues that what we term the "Age of Reason" was in fact the beginning of the eclipse of reason’s authority as a cultural value. Hart closes the book in the present, delineating the ominous consequences of the decline of Christendom in a culture that is built upon its moral and spiritual values.
©2009 David Bentley Hart (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
Anatomy of the Soul
Summary
Do you want to improve your relationships and experience lasting personal change? Join Curt Thompson, MD, on an amazing journey to discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be. Explaining discoveries about the brain in layman's terms, he shows how you can be mentally transformed through spiritual practices, interaction with scripture, and connections with other people. He also provides practical exercises to help you experience healing in areas where you've been struggling. Insightful and challenging, Anatomy of the Soul illustrates how learning about one of God's most miraculous creations - your brain - can enrich your life, your relationships, and your impact on the world around you.
©2010 Curt Thompson (P)2016 Tantor
Walking the Bridgeless Canyon
Summary
In 2001 Kathy Baldock, a straight, conservative evangelical Christian, met Netto Montoya, a lesbian Native American, on the local hiking trails near her home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their friendship challenged Baldock's cultural and religious beliefs about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. In Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach Between the Church and the LGBT Community, Baldock uncovers the historical, cultural, medical, and political filters of discrimination through which the LGBT community is seen. With the foundation firmly established, she examines the most controversial filter of all: what the Bible says about same-sex behavior. Ten years of research as well as relationships with thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people led to answering important questions: How did history, culture, science, and politics intertwine to create social discrimination against the gay and transgender community? When and why did the conservative Christian community turn their focus on the gay and transgender community? Should Christian fellowship be extended to gay and transgender people? Should civil marriages, or even Christian marriages, be granted to them? What is happening within the LGBT Christian movement today? Baldock carefully constructs a timeline as she untangles the details of various influences and influencers. Along the way she shares fascinating stories and testimonies enriching the historical journey. Finally, for those who are wondering how they might enter into productive and respectful conversations about the intersection of faith and sexual orientation or gender identity, this book offers the resources and tools needed to make informed and wise Christ-centered choices.
©2014 CanyonWalkerPress (P)2015 CanyonWalkerPress
Total Truth
Summary
Does God belong in the public arena, or is religion solely a private matter? Nancy Pearcey makes a passionate case that Christianity is not just religious truth, but truth about all reality. It is total truth.
©2008 Nancy Pearcey (P)2008 christianaudio.com
The Pursuit of God
Summary
Of Tozer's many books and other writings, The Pursuit of God is his most famous and widely read. The Pursuit of God in particular has reached all the corners of the world. This book is considered a Christian classic and is still read and listened to by many faithful Christians to this day. It was written and published while he was a pastor in Chicago. In The Pursuit of God, Tozer writes about why people pursue a relationship with God and how one can best go about doing so. Much of Tozer's doctrine can be found in this book. Tozer writes, “We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” In chapter 1, Tozer explains that the reason one desires to pursue God is because God gave one that desire. God gives one the impulse, but one must “follow hard after him”. Tozer implores readers to strip to the “bare essentials” and present themselves before God without any efforts to impress him. In the second chapter, Tozer uses the example of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son in order to show obedience and unwavering faith. Tozer writes that one does not own anything if one follows God truly. Tozer writes, “Millions call themselves by his name, it is true, and pay some token homage to him, but a simple test will show how little he is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who or what is ABOVE, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, between God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However the man may protest, the proof is in the choice he makes day after day throughout his life.”
Public Domain (P)2018 Dreamtown Publishing
The Spirituality of Imperfection
Summary
I am not perfect is a simple statement of profound truth, the first step toward understanding the human condition, for to deny your essential imperfection is to deny yourself and your own humanity. The spirituality of imperfection, steeped in the rich traditions of the Hebrew prophets and Greek thinkers, Buddhist sages and Christian disciples, is a message as timeless as it is timely. This insightful work draws on the wisdom stories of the ages to provide an extraordinary wellspring of hope and inspiration to anyone thirsting for spiritual growth and guidance in these troubled times. Who are we? Why do we so often fall short of our goals for ourselves and others? By seeking to understand our limitations and accept the inevitably of failure and pain, we begin to ease the hurt and move toward a greater sense of serenity and self-awareness. The Spirituality of Imperfection brings together stories from many spiritual and philosophical paths, weaving past traditions into a spirituality and a new way of thinking and living that works today. It speaks to anyone who yearns to find meaning within suffering. Beyond theory and technique, inside this remarkable audiobook you will find a new way of thinking, a way of living that enables a truly human existence.
©1992 Ernest Kurtz, PhD, and Katherine Ketcham (P)2014 Tantor
Determined to Believe?
Summary
Determined to Believe? is written for those who are interested in or even troubled by questions about God's sovereignty and human freedom and responsibility. John Lennox writes in the spirit of helping people to come to grips with the biblical treatment of this issue for themselves. In this comprehensive review of the topic of theological determinism, Lennox seeks firstly to define the problem, looking at the concepts of freedom, the different kinds of determinism, and the moral problems these pose. He then equips the listener with biblical teaching on the topic and explores the spectrum of theological opinion on it. Following this, Lennox delves deeper into the Gospels and then investigates what we can learn regarding determinism and responsibility from Paul's discussion in Romans on God's dealings with Israel. Finally Lennox tackles the issue of Christian assurance. This nuanced and detailed study challenges some of the widely held assumptions in the area of theological determinism and brings a fresh perspective to the debate.
©2018 John C. Lennox (P)2018 Zondervan
2084
Summary
You don't have to be a computer scientist to get involved in the discussion about where artificial intelligence and technology are going. What will the year 2084 hold for you - for your friends, for your family, and for our society? Are we doomed to the grim dystopia imagined in George Orwell's 1984? In 2084, scientist and philosopher John Lennox will introduce you to a kaleidoscope of ideas: the key developments in technological enhancement, bioengineering, and, in particular, artificial intelligence. You will discover the current capacity of AI, its advantages and disadvantages, the facts and the fiction, as well as potential future implications. The questions posed by AI are open to all of us. And they demand answers. A work that is made to challenge all listeners, no matter your worldview, 2084 shows how the Christian worldview, properly understood, can provide evidence-based, credible answers that will bring you real hope for the future of humanity.
©2020 John C. Lennox (P)2020 Zondervan
What's So Great About Christianity
Summary
Is Christianity obsolete? Can an intelligent, educated person really believe the Bible? Or do the atheists have it right? In his new book, best-selling author Dinesh D'Souza ( What's So Great about America) investigates both Christianity and atheism and their influences on culture to show why there is, indeed, something great about Christianity. Challenging the assumptions of both believers and doubters, D'Souza demonstrates: how Christianity created the framework for modern science and is compatible with the theory of evolution; how Christianity explains consciousness and free will, which atheists have to deny; and why, against all expectations, Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in the world, while secularism and atheism are on the decline. He argues that, ultimately, you can't have Western civilization without the Christianity that gave it birth.
©2007 Dinesh D'Souza (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.
Postcards from Babylon: The Church in American Exile
Summary
The original gospel proclamation that the Lord of the nations was a crucified Galilean raised from the dead and that salvation was found in vowing allegiance to Jesus of Nazareth unleashed a shock wave that turned the Roman Empire upside down. Early Christianity was subversive and dangerous - dangerous for Christians, and a threat to the keepers of the old order. Most of all Christianity was countercultural. But what about contemporary American Christianity? Is it the countercultural way of Jesus or merely a religious endorsement of Americanism? In his provocative audiobook, Postcards From Babylon, Brian Zahnd challenges the listener to see and embrace a daring Jesus-centered Christianity that can again turn the world upside down. "In a bold and daring articulation, Brian Zahnd has sketched a Theology of the Cross for our time and place in the United States of the 21st century. He does so in a way that deeply resonates with the primal claims of evangelical theology. He sees that the Gospel is inherently and inescapably countercultural because the God of the Gospel is in particular and passionate solidarity with the left behind." (Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary)
©2019 Brian H. Zahnd (P)2019 Brian H. Zahnd
The God-Shaped Brain
Summary
Brain research has found that our thoughts and beliefs affect our physical, mental and spiritual health. Mind and body are interrelated, and we are designed for healthy relationships of love and trust. When we understand God as good and loving, we flourish. Unfortunately, many of us have distorted images of God and mostly think of him in fearful, punitive ways. This leads us into unhealthy patterns of self-defeating behaviors and toxic relationships. But our lives can change when God renews our minds with a truer picture of him. Psychiatrist Tim Jennings unveils how our brains and bodies thrive when we have a healthy understanding of who God is. He dispels common misconceptions about God and shows how different God concepts affect the brain differently. Our brains can adapt, change and rewire with redeemed thinking that frees us from unnecessary pain and suffering. Discover how science and Scripture come together to bring healing and transformation to our lives.
©2013 eChristian (P)2013 eChristian
God Can't
Summary
Hurting people ask heart-felt questions about God and suffering. The usual answers fail. They don't support the truth God loves everyone all the time. God Can't gives a believable answer to why a good and powerful doesn't prevent evil. Author Thomas Jay Oord says God’s love is inherently uncontrolling. God loves everyone and everything, so God can't control anyone or anything. This means God cannot prevent evil single-handedly. God can’t stop evildoers, whether human, animal, organism, or inanimate objects and forces. God Can't was written in understandable language. Thomas Jay Oord's status as a world-renowned theologian brings credibility to the book’s radical ideas. He explains these ideas through true stories, illustrations, and scripture. God Can't is for those who want answers to tragedy, abuse, and other evils that make sense!
©2019 Thomas Jay Oord (P)2019 Thomas Jay Oord
The Lie
Summary
Why Genesis remains critically important in presenting the Gospel How the biblical account of Creation impacts your understanding of Scripture and worldview Why evolution does not and cannot fit within the biblical timeline of history In 1987 Ken Ham wrote what would become a prophetic warning to the Church about the destructive effects of compromise with evolutionary ideas, and how this compromise undermines Scriptural authority and erodes Christian confidence in the infallibility of God's Word. Today we have Christians not only confused when it comes to Genesis and age of the earth, but even the reality of Hell, Adam as a real person, and Christ's own words about creation, marriage and more are being debated in the pulpits across the world. In this special revised and updated edition, Ken Ham again takes the lead in pointing out the looming precipice the Church is rushing towards, how evolution and/or millions of years, is driving away young people of the faith, and the biblical solution that can change it!
©1987, 2012 Ken Ham (P)2014 Master Books Audio (A division of New Leaf Publishing Group, Inc.)
Raven
Summary
The basis for the upcoming HBO miniseries and the "definitive account of the Jonestown massacre" (Rolling Stone). Tim Reiterman's Raven provides the seminal history of the Rev. Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the murderous ordeal at Jonestown in 1978. This PEN Award-winning work explores the ideals gone wrong, the intrigue, and the grim realities behind the Peoples Temple and its implosion in the jungle of South America. Reiterman's reportage clarifies enduring misperceptions of the character and motives of Jim Jones, the reasons why people followed him, and the important truth that many of those who perished at Jonestown were victims of mass murder rather than suicide. This widely sought work is restored to print after many years with a new preface by the author.
©2008 Tim Reiterman (P)2017 Penguin Audio
Everywhere Present
Summary
Have you ever referred to God as the man upstairs? Most Christians living in a secular society have unwittingly relegated God and all things spiritual to the second storey of the universe: a realm we cannot reach except through death. The effect of this is to banish God, along with the saints and angels, from our everyday lives. In Everywhere Present, popular blogger and podcaster Fr. Stephen Freeman makes a compelling case for becoming aware of God's living and active presence in every moment of our lives here and now. Learning to practice your Christian faith in a one-storey universe will change your life and make possible the living, intimate relationship with God you've always dreamed of.
©2010 Ancient Faith Publishing (P)2018 Ancient Faith Publishing
Did Jesus Exist?
Summary
Large numbers of atheists, humanists, and conspiracy theorists are raising one of the most pressing questions in the history of religion: "Did Jesus exist at all?" Was he invented out of whole cloth for nefarious purposes by those seeking to control the masses? Or was Jesus such a shadowy figure - far removed from any credible historical evidence - that he bears no meaningful resemblance to the person described in the Bible? In Did Jesus Exist? historian and Bible expert Bart Ehrman confronts these questions, vigorously defends the historicity of Jesus, and provides a compelling portrait of the man from Nazareth. The Jesus you discover here may not be the Jesus you had hoped to meet - but he did exist, whether we like it or not.
©2012 Bart D. Ehrman (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers
Not the Impossible Faith
Summary
Not the Impossible Faith is a tour de force in that genre, dissecting and refuting the oft-repeated claim that Christianity could not have succeeded in the ancient world unless it was true. Though framed as a detailed rebuttal to Christian apologist J.P. Holding (author of The Impossible Faith), Carrier takes a general approach that educates the listener on the history and sociology of the ancient world, answering many questions like: How did Christians approach evidence? Was there a widespread prejudice against the testimony of women? Was resurrection such a radical idea? Who would worship a crucified criminal? And much more. Written with occasional humor and an easy style, and thoroughly referenced, with many entertaining "gotcha!" moments, Not the Impossible Faith is a must-listen for anyone interested in the origins of Christianity. Richard Carrier, PhD, is an expert in the history of the ancient world and a critic of Christian attempts to distort history in defense of their faith.
©2009 Richard Carrier (P)2013 Pitchstone Publishing
Saving My Assassin
Summary
"I should be dead. Buried in an unmarked grave in Romania. Obviously, I am not. God had other plans." At just under five feet tall, Virginia Prodan was no match for the towering six-foot-ten-inch, gun-wielding assassin the Romanian government sent to her office to take her life. It was not the first time her life had been threatened - nor would it be the last. As a young attorney under Nicolae Ceausescu's brutal communist regime, Virginia had spent her entire life searching for the truth. When she finally found it in the pages of the most forbidden book in all of Romania, Virginia accepted the divine call to defend fellow followers of Christ against unjust persecution in an otherwise ungodly land. For this act of treason, she was kidnapped, beaten, tortured, placed under house arrest, and came within seconds of being executed under the orders of Ceausescu himself. How Virginia not only managed to elude her enemies time and again but also helped expose the appalling secret that would ultimately lead to the demise of Ceausescu's evil empire is one of the most extraordinary stories ever told. A must-listen for all generations, Saving My Assassin is the unforgettable account of one woman's search for truth, her defiance in the face of evil, and a surprise encounter that proves without a shadow of a doubt that nothing is impossible with God.
©2017 Virginia Prodan (P)2017 Two Words Publishing LLC
God and Stephen Hawking
Summary
It certainly is a grandiose claim to have banished God. With such a lot at stake, we surely need to ask Hawking to produce evidence to establish his claim. Do his arguments really stand up to close scrutiny? I think we have a right to know. The Grand Design, by eminent scientist Stephen Hawking, is the latest blockbusting contribution to the "New Atheist" debate and claims that the laws of physics themselves brought the universe into being rather than God. In this swift and forthright reply, John Lennox, Oxford mathematician and author of God's Undertaker, takes a closer look at Hawking's logic. In lively, layman's terms, Lennox guides us through the key points in Hawking's arguments - with clear explanations of the latest scientific and philosophical methods and theories - and demonstrates that far from disproving a creator God, they make his existence seem all the more probable.
©2011 John Lennox (P)2018 Lion Books
Holy Envy
Summary
The renowned and beloved New York Times best-selling author of An Altar in the World and Learning to Walk in the Dark recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching the world’s religions to undergraduates in rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations. Barbara Brown Taylor continues her spiritual journey begun in Leaving Church of finding out what the world looks like after taking off her clergy collar. In Holy Envy, she contemplates the myriad ways other people and traditions encounter the transcendent, both by digging deeper into those traditions herself and by seeing them through her students’ eyes as she sets off with them on field trips to monasteries, temples, and mosques. Troubled and inspired by what she learns, Taylor returns to her own tradition for guidance, finding new meaning in old teachings that have too often been used to exclude religious strangers instead of embracing the divine challenges they present. Reimagining some central stories from the religion she knows best, she takes heart in how often God chooses outsiders to teach insiders how out-of-bounds God really is. Throughout Holy Envy, Taylor weaves together stories from the classroom with reflections on how her own spiritual journey has been complicated and renewed by connecting with people of other traditions - even those whose truths are quite different from hers. The one constant in her odyssey is the sense that God is the one calling her to disown her version of God - a change that ultimately enriches her faith in other human beings and in God.
©2019 Barbara Brown Taylor (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers