Showing results by publisher "Naxos AudioBooks" in Christianity

First published in 1471, the year of the author’s death, The Imitation of Christ is a highly influential Christian text. A celebration of God’s mercy, holiness, and love, The Imitation is a devotional guide in which Christians are urged to trust fully in God and submit to the circumstances of the life that we are given by God. Although Thomas à Kempis spent 70 years of his life in the confines of a monastery, this work shows a complete comprehension of human nature.

A story of spiritual awakening, St. Augustine's Confessions is a fascinating look at the life of an eminent Christian thinker. Widely seen as one of the first Western autobiographies ever written, it chronicles the life and religious struggles of Augustine of Hippo, from his days as a self-confessed sinner to his acceptance of Christianity as an older adult.

The 16th-century Spanish Carmelite nun St Teresa of Ávila was a prominent figure in the Catholic Reformation, and her writings have continued to inspire philosophers, theologians, historians, and countless others interested in Christian spirituality and mysticism. She distilled her own experience into this beautifully direct and accessible "living book", The Way of Perfection, as a guide for nuns in her convent.

In The Interior Castle, Carmelite nun, mystic, and patron saint of Spain Teresa of Ávila uses the metaphor of a giant crystal castle to explain her theory of the soul and the various stages it passes through as it progresses towards God. Beginning in the outer rooms, where demons are fought and vices are purged, the soul must reach the inner chambers, where it will enter betrothal and intimate union with God. Prayer is central to the journey, as the soul is guided by its practice and each phase represents a different category of devotion.

Intended to be a defense of the Christian religion, Pensées is a penetrating collection of thoughts on faith, reason, and theology. Unfinished at the time of Pascal's death, the book consists of philosophical fragments on the "wretchedness" of man and the controversial schisms of the church at the time. It includes the philosopher's infamous wager encouraging belief over agnosticism, as well as his thoughts on numerous other topics. Endlessly quotable, Pensées overflows with pearls of wisdom, each elusive sentence pregnant with a universe of thought.

Written in 516, The Rule of Saint Benedict for monastic living has been soul-inspiring for a countless number of people–not only monks, nuns and priests, but also a considerable number of lay people. It covers matters of doctrine, the structure of the monastery as the House of God, and observance of the Divine Office. The Rule gives a fascinating insight into the standards and behaviour expected of monks in their everyday lives. It remains notable for embodying the concept of a written constitution and influencing the shape of medieval Europe.

The Book of Margery Kempe is the extraordinary account of a medieval wife, mother, and mystic from Norfolk. Having married in c. 1393, given birth to 14 children, and pursued unsuccessful ventures in brewing and milling, Kempe made a vow of chastity and embarked on a life of prayer, penance, and pilgrimage.

Written after the capture of Rome in 410 by Alaric, King of the Visigoths, St Augustine's City of God was intended as a response to pagan critics who blamed Christianity for this brutal defeat. Augustine attacks ancient pagan beliefs and relates the corruption and immorality that led to Rome's downfall, which began before Christ, before reaching his main argument: that the City of Man is perishing and only the Heavenly City of God will endure.

Here are the main stories from The Old Testament: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's Ark, Abraham and Isaac, Moses, The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion's Den and more. In these days where religion plays a diminishing role, it is important that we know the stories of The Bible not least because they appear repeatedly in art, literature, drama, music and even in films and computer games!

The theme of revelation is apocalypse: the end of the world and the coming of Christ in judgment. The date of the composition was probably some time in the 90s A.D. One of the most controversial and quoted texts of the New Testament, The Revelation of St. John The Divine has inspired and troubled artists, poets, and seers through the ages.

Here are the greatest and best-loved stories from the Old Testament of the Bible, stories which can be read as much for their human, literary, and historical appeal as for their religious meaning. The selection ranges from childhood favorites like David and Goliath, to key moments in Jewish history (such as Exodus), and also includes some of the finest poetry in the Old Testament (the Song of Solomon, for example).

Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions is a prose work published in 1624. It consists of a series of meditations, prayers, and reflections that Donne wrote while he was recovering from a serious illness. It is divided into 23 sections, each representing a different meditation on various aspects of life, death, and spirituality. Donne explores themes such as the fragility and uncertainty of life, the interconnectedness of humanity, and the presence of God in times of suffering.

Jesuit priest John Gerard hid from English authorities for eight years before his eventual capture and torture in the Tower of London. Risking everything to preserve Catholicism in Tudor England, Gerard moved from house to house, converting many people and evading capture by mere seconds. Following a hair's-breadth escape from the Tower to the continent, he survived to tell his tale and pass on his experience to future missionaries and martyrs in The Autobiography of a Hunted Priest, a fascinating tale of espionage, disguise, priest hunters, and brilliantly designed hideouts.

The New Testament tells the extraordinary and moving story of the life of Christ and the founding of His Church. This generous selection from the texts which lie at the root of 2,000 years of European civilization ranges between the powerful sincerity of the Evangelists and the ecstatic vision of John's New Jerusalem.

Here are the main stories from The Old Testament: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah’s Ark, Abraham and Isaac, Moses, The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, and more.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

Here are the main stories from The Old Testament: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah’s Ark, Abraham and Isaac, Moses, The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion’s Den, and more.

The story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is told in the first four books of the New Testament of the Bible: the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The word "gospel" comes from old English, and means the "good story"....

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.