This book was a wonderful guide to a successful marriage based on the bible. Full of personal stories and biblical passages, The Christ Centered Marriage is an inspiration for all couples.

I read this book several years ago before I married my husband and I would recommend it to anyone that is getting married or is currently married. This book has helped me to understand my partner as well as my faith and I believe that it is essential! There are many wonderful examples of real life problems that many married people face and it helps to know you are not alone. I have continued to look through this book, even 2 years later, and it continues to help me understand myself and my relationships with both the Lord, and my husband. Overall, Excellent!

This book, along with Dissonant Voices by Harold A. Netland (which I have also reviewed), is among the best Christian books I have read on the relation of Christianity to the world's other major religions.

The main thrust of this work is the uniqueness of the Gospel. There are three major chapters dealing with the uniqueness question: A unique proclamation? A unique salvation? A unique disclosure?

The two other chapters: No other name? Proclamation, dialogue, or both?

"A unique proclamation?" discusses the idea that the New Testament argues that God-in-manhood (i.e. Jesus Christ) has died in human history and has been physically resurrected as well; these are unique historical events. Anderson contrasts this with major differences found in other religions. The mystery religions of the early Christian era (c. 0-200 A.D.) are myth based whereas Christianity is based on events in a specific place and a specific time. Anderson also notes the mythological basis of Hinduism (he also discusses the Hindu doctrine of avatars which is quite DIFFERANT from the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation). As for religions with a historical basis, he discusses Islam and Judaism (and includes Buddhism under this category, but I don't agree. Buddhism could exist if the historical Buddha was mythological.)

"A unique salvation?" discusses the ultimate goal or purpose of human existence, as understood from Christianity and other religions. For the Christian, this would be Heaven and the forgiveness of sins etc... However, this stands in sharp contrast to other religions, which have, for example, release from reincarnation as their "salvation." Anderson than classifies religions into two categories; those that are "this worldy" and those that are Hereafter oriented. The "this-worldly" religions/ideologies discussed are: Communism, Fascism, Theravada Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism. Then there are the religions where salvation is "primarily in terms of eternity" (e.g. Hinduism, Bhaki Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhism etc...). He notes that Christianity is among the very few with the dual emphasis both on eternity and the present world. Then, Anderson looks at the question of how salvation is to be attained in various different religions and the differences that are entailed here.

"A unique disclosure?" contrasts the Christian revelation of the nature and character of God to other religions. Anderson addresses the so-called, "evolutionary theory of religions," which asserts that religions start as animism, then polytheism and lastly monotheism. Anderson presents contrary evidence to this, in that there have been several tribes discovered which are either at the level of monotheism (and this development could not be attributed to outside influences) or henotheism (which is belief in or worship of one God while admitting or not denying the existence of other Gods; i.e. the notion of a "Supreme" God). Anderson looks at the problem of evil, the character of God and some other ideas in the rest of this chapter.

"No other name?" (based on Acts 4:12), is challenging in terms of the ideas presented but I think that Anderson has some good ideas here. He notes that the New Testament records the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as "once for all." One of the great passages in the book, is here:

"Inevitably, then the Christian faith is either itself false or 'casts the shadow of falsehood, or at least of imperfect truth, on every other system. This Christian claim' as Stephen Neill insists, ' is naturally offensive to the adherents of every other religious system... But we must not suppose that this claim to universal validity is something that can be quietly removed from the Gospel without changing it into something entirely different from what it is... For the human sickness there is one specific remedy, and this is it. There is no other.'" (page 140).

Anderson then proceeds to examine various different situations such as the pre-Christian era, those today who have never heard the Gospel, the Jews since the advent of Christ. I was very surprised that Anderson did not mention or discuss Hebrews 8:13; such a passage would seem to have decisive to say about the case of Judaism.

The last chapter is about the relation between proclamation and dialogue. Proclamation is the announcement of the Gospel and declaring what God has done in Jesus. Entering into discussion with the adherent of another religion, does not require, giving up one's commitments, embracing relativism etc... both rather committing to respect the dignity and accord the other person the respect the deserve as a person. Anderson takes as a text, the encounter between Cornelius and the Apostle Peter in Acts 10 where both gained something in the meeting. I am not sure what to make of this chapter; the whole issue of what dialogue is (in contrast to evangelism or theological argument) has not been clearly defined in a widely accepted way. There are some informal forms of dialogue with adherents of other religions, which may eventually change into a presentation of the Gospel; this would seem to be the ideal situation.

I would recommend this book, in addition to, "Dissonant Voices: Religious Pluralism and the Question of Truth," by Harold A. Netland, to all Christians who:

a) want to know how to deal with members of other religions

b) want to know how to show the idea "that all religions teach the same thing," is really a distortion of the world's religions

c) are interested in learning about other religions

I thought the book was very good. Anderson's background contributed to that. He is a scholar, having taught Islamic law in England for many years, but he also takes an evangelical approach, which is helpful for Christians with traditional backgrounds. He also refutes many of the better known pluralists (Hicks, Cantwell, etc.), and helps the average person better understand the whole issue. This issue is extremely important to the church. Anderson discusses such questions as: Is Christianity unique? Can one be saved by any other name but Jesus? and so forth. This is a good book to read about this important subject and while meaty it is not too hard for most lay people to read and get something out of it.

A sparklingl book and many ideas to use for Chritams affairs. The games and crafts are tremendous. This book is great for anyone hosting a Christams Event for any ages. The chapter of The What, Why and How of Christmas Parties is a great beginning for any type of party and gives you a starting point. Suggestion: Purchase a complete set.

For anyone wanting to recapture the nostalgia and "family friendliness" of the Christmas season, Wilhelminia Ripple's Christmas Parties: What Do I Do? is a terrific place to start! This attractively presented compendium offers more than 125 creative ideas for games, crafts, and holiday snacks that will make every Christmas gathering fun and memorable. The themes offered for consideration including Christmas Trees, Stockings, and Candy Canes; Snow, Snowmen, and Snowflakes; Santa Claus and His Elves; Rudolph and His Reindeer; I Believe in Angels; and Christmas Here, There, and Everywhere. 36 easy craft projects are clearly laid out with step-by-step illustrations. Christmas Parties is enhanced with 40 simple and delicious recipes for Holiday treats and drinks; 36 "Santa-Approved" games; and more. There's even suggestions for celebrating the end of the Christmas season with "New Year's Tips and Fun Party Ideas" from here at home and around the world. Christmas Parties is a thoroughly "user friendly" instructional reference that will be appreciated by one and all, year after year, Christmas after Christmas.

Jean Froissart (1337-1410) was a contemporary of Chaucer's (it is likely that they met on several occasions, but there is no evidence they were friends. Chaucer is often cited as the leading poet of the 14th Century and Froissart its ranking historian. Geoffry Brereton does an excellent job of rendering an abridged translation of Froissart's multi-volume work. Using the same method employed in the one-volume Penguin edition of Gibbon , many sections of the original text, covering relatively minor events and battles, are rendered in precis form. What we get therefor, is essentially "the best" of Froissart. Brereton also does a good job of providing just the right amount of footnotes and warns the reader when Froissart's account veers from more reliable sources. Froissart was gathering most of his information second-hand, primarily from noblemen of the era who were witnesses to the events, but whose viewpoints may have been colored to some degree by natural biases, and were sometimes themselves reporting information from what they had heard, not necessarily what they had seen.

Froissart delivers a marvelous panorama of a fascinating era. He tells his story from the perspective of the nobility, to whose households he attached himself. He traveled from castle to castle, through several regions of France, Flanders and England, adding to his chronicles as he went. This was a turbulent period, covering a large stretch of the Hundred Year War (between France and England primarily). It begins with the deposition of Edward the II (unforgettably dramatized by Marlowe) and ends with the deposition of Richard II (likewise, by Shakespeare). Sandwiched between these bookends are some of the most unforgettable scenes in written history. Froissart infuses his descriptions of major battles (Poitiers, Roosebeke, Otterburn, etc), great tournaments (Saint-Inglevert) and feasts (the entry of Queen Isabella into Paris) with great color and panache. What makes the Chronicles so moving, however, is his treatment of incidents in which humanity is limned in a much dimmer light. The siege of Calais, for instance, is rendered quite graphically and one can readily see how the event inspired Rodin's monumental bronze, "The Burghers of Calais," depicting the town fathers being led out of the gates with iron collars fastened around their necks. Edward III, whom Froissart generally reveres, is cast in a none-too-heroic mold, both during and immediately after the siege. The Black Prince's desire for revenge is seen as undeservedly implacable. Finally he is brought around to reason by the supplications of his Queen.

Equally moving is Froissart's account of the Count of Foix' ill-fated relationship with his son and sole heir.

The trouble starts when the King of Navarre, brother-in-law to the Count of Foix, renigs on a ransom promise. The Count sends his wife (the King's sister)to Navarre to collect his money. The King refuses and she is afraid to return home without it, so she stays on at her brother's court for several years. When the Count's son, Gaston, is about 15, he decides to visit his mother. He asks her to return home, but when Gaston tells her it's his request, not the Count's, she remains where she is, still earful of her husband . Gaston, before returning home, stops to pay his respects to the King of Navarre. Before Gaston leaves, the King gives him several gifts to take home with him, the last of which turns out to be a locket containing poison. After Gaston returns home, the locket is eventually discovered around his neck and the Count imagines that Gaston meant to poison him. He has him imprisoned in a tower, where Gaston wastes away and dies. The story is rendered quite simply and movingly and comes as close to Greek Tragedy as any account in medieval literature, calling to mind the curse upon the House of Atreus.

Also noteworthy are Froissart's depictions of the two great Peasant Revolts of the era, that of the Jacquerie, in France and "Wat Tyler's" in England. Of the two, the Jacquerie created a great deal more damage and put the gentry in mortal fear of their lives. The English revolt is the result of a much more spontaneous event, a sudden conflagration ignited by the proletarian preaching of "a crack-brained priest of Kent, John Ball. Ball was a firebrand who liked to end his sermons by exhorting the commons to take what was rightfully theirs. Eventually, the peasants do haphazardly organize and march into London, where they make demands on Richard II. They cause a degree of mayhem, but eventually reach a settlement with Richard, where after they disperse to their homes and their leaders, John Ball, Jack Straw and Wat Tyler end up with their heads displayed atop pikes on London Bridge.

Froissart covers a great deal of ground in his Chronicles, and again, the Penguin edition offers a fine sampling of the much larger work. If you are at all interested in medieval literature or history, this is a "must" read. One cautionary note. Froissart does go on at some length when it comes to lists of personages who were at a particular event. It's apparent he doesn't want to offend anyone by leaving them out (not forgetting that many of the people he was writing about were still alive at the time). The roll-calls themselves, however, have a certain charm and poetic quality to them. All in all, there's very little in this book not to recommend. Besides being colorful and informative, it's a grand read.

Froissart's Chronicles is probably one of the best works of medieval literature available to the reading public. He recounts numerous events, some of which he witnessed firsthand. Also in his chronicles are stories and legends that he learned of in his many travels through Europe. His writing style is concise and clear, although historians have found that his sources of information are not always the most accurate. Nevertheless, his stories are engaging and insightful and more or less true (he got a lot of information from knights and other people who were eager to be recorded in his chronicles as heroes, and thus gave him bias information). His works include eyewitness information on medieval towns, battle tactics, arms, castles, dress, food, social activities, customs, geography, languages, and science. For anyone who wants to know what the Middle Ages were really like, this book is absolutely necessary to have!

A wonderfully distressful novel! Mary takes you to many complex levels that are part of the experience of being human. This book will not only force you to look at the complex prejudice and discrimination issues in our culture, but will expose parts of your own heart you may not want to see. The characters become vivid and alive and you will miss them for days after the last page has been turned. Kudos! to Mary Anderson Parks. Please don't make us wait to long for your next book. Yes, please do write a sequel and let us know about Sky and Katherine.

Mary Parks has created a character who is believable and real. She makes choices by intuition to preserve her family and herself by returning to her home on the reservation. After making the choice to be there, she makes the best of her difficult relationship with her mother and the man she gets too involved with. This character stayed with me for days as I read her search for herself and her ability to make wrong choice yet not be devastated by these mistakes. I liked her courage and her inner solidity as she makes her way into a new life. The themes of interracial marriage and raising children in a sometimes hostile world are intriguing and touch us as the sturggles of many women in the 90s.

Jon Anderson is a national treasure. His insights are wise, his words, witty and his take on his city and its people, delightful.

Exceptionally well written, the book is both funny and compassionate, astute and compelling as it profiles some of the the people and institutions that call the third coast home. Anderson's vignettes challenge those who believe that New York City is the only REAL city in America with anyone/anything worth watching. The book will appeal to those wtih a taste for things cultural and intellectual, as it includes an interview with the late poet John Nims, as well as writing on such plances Hemingway's childhood home and the "Book Orphanage," and well as those readers drawn to the more material practices of a city, for example: "Clothes found in the Rubbish don't have to look trashy" (a Dumpster-Diving Fashion show) and "Finding the Humor in Haggis" (the dinner of the Illinois St. Andrew Society). Anderson's book provides the reader with a kind of "back-stage pass" to the city, as well as serving as a primer for how to write non-fiction that is as riveting as any novel. His strong voice and intellegence unites the peices and makes the reader want to get to know Anderson himself. I haven't enjoyed a work of non-fiction this much since "naked" by David Sedaris.

Hannah Ropes kept a diary for only one year during the time she served as a nurse in the Civil War. She actually supervised Louisa Mae Alcott and was responsible for many of the reforms in the hospital where she worked. She was a well-spoken woman who was also not afraid to stand up to her male supervisors. She cared very much for, "her boys" as she called the patients she worked over day and night. She is one of those women who has not been given credit and has not been well-known until recently. Her untimely death ended a daring career as a feminist and take-charge Civil War Nurse. This is fascinating and inspirational reading.

Hannah Ropes was a feminist of her day. Yet she believed a wounded soldier needed a motherly woman's touch. These letters are a great gift and the editing job on the book is superb. Ropes worked herself to death in Union hospitals in Washington D.C. The Union lost a good nurse and history lost a terrific writer. (In fact Ropes was a writer before the war.) She battled anyone who got in the way of good health care including going all the way to and old friend, the Secretary of War to roust out a thief in the hospital system. She poignantly describes the wounded wrecks who passed her way and the efforts made by those who cared are poignantly described as well. Ropes writing abilities were great. They are aided markedly by the brief biography of her which serves as introduction to the book. Through it, we come to know the iron will of the woman which was so beneficial to her as a nurse but which she herself down-played. For any who value "first person history" this book is a gem!

IF YOUR CANCER HAS NOT REACHED THE FINAL STAGE WHERE YOU CAN'T HOLD ANYTHING DOWN, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU... IF YOU DO WHAT THE DOCTOR SAYS YOUR CHANCES OF BEATING CANCER ARE 95% IF YOU PRAY ALSO AND ASK FOR GOD'S HELP IN HEALING YOU....

I was sceptical at first, but I found this cleanse to be highly effective. I and 12 of my girl friends {also my husband) had similar results. I lost 14 pounds of compacted mucous and toxic debris in 10 days of cleansing. My husband was even more apprehensive than I, but after doing the cleanse he experienced multiple benefits (libido, sperm count etc.) I'm in the body therapy business and this is the best of several i've tried. I recomend it to the old the infirm and the hopless as well as all you young folks out there. If you truly want to clean your small as well as large intestine and eliminate the hordes of parasites that live in our bowels and wreck havoc in our bodies, this is it!!!!

This is a superb book. I recommend it to everyone. It has a delightful fun tone about it, easy to read with lovely cartoons & it is THE book to read on how to easily & simply coach your staff about customer service.... AND get them to pay attention & actually do it ! It is so logical & so effective. I am a customer service consultant to the top 100 & I find this book invaluable. You MUST read it !

This book comes closest to being an actual "how to" coach book. It is a practical, easy to read plan to improve coaching skills or start developing them. Every new coach always asks "where is the book that tells you how to do it?" This is it!

Here is the last part of Aztecs' History in CHIMALPAHIN's compiling. It's followed by a precious kind of calendar by CHIMALPAHIN himself. A prime material to understand Aztecs' meaning of life. I'm waiting for the 4 other books of this exceptional collection of indigenous testimonies (Please excuse my bad English: I'm an usual French writer)

There are many "Codices" about MesoAmerica. This one is presented as a translate of primitive nahuatl compiling of Aztecs' History. An important contribution to Mexican History. The total collection counts 6 books; two are now available.