Reviews (12)

Terrible
I thought this book would give me some new insight into biblical history. Its didn't. It is disjointed and much of it talks about one ruler or king or leader (none biblical) who died on such and such date in history. It gives little is any detailed information about anything pertaining to the bible. I thought that by reading this book I would have some new knowledge about biblical history but I have none. Its just a terrible book.

Outstanding Historical Cross-Reference.
"Annals of the World" is a great historical reference for the most discerning of scholars.Covering the time from the beginning of creation to 70AD, James Usshur used over 2500 historical sources to ensure that he compiled a complete collection of historical facts.
A Elbereth Giltoniel! - oh, sorry, wrong work..
I was so looking forward to this book! Thank you, Larry and Marion Pierce, for making one of the most important works of fiction available! Now, that Christopher Tolkien has given us the complete work of J.R.R. Tolkien, or that Brian Herbert has significantly enlarged the universe of his father Frank, today's fantasy fans get another wonderful addition to their shelves. And all this while George Lucas finally led us to new shores - ah, these are good times for imagination! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Chronology    3. Chronology, Historical    4. Classics    5. Early works to 1800    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History / Ancient / General    9. History, Ancient    10. Reference    11. Religion    12. Religion / Church History    13. Religion / Reference    14. World - General    15. Ancient - General    16. Christianity - History    17. Civilization, Ancient   

Reviews (86)

Excellent new systematic theology
Dr. Grudem's Systematic Theology is a must, especially to newer converts!
Well Written for schlor or layman!
I think this is a book that everyone should have at home! Read it once or twice and stick it on a shelf for reference. I'm sure this will easily become one of my most referenced books.

Tyndale and Luther would be proud of this Student
From Calvinist, Schofieldites, Plymouth Brethernintes, Calvarites, Baptists, Ray Comfortites, Pentecostals and all evangelicals should nab a copy of this great work. Grudem has a good grasp of the dominating ideologies in today's Christendom.
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Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible Commentary    3. Christianity - Theology - Systematic    4. Fundamentalism    5. Religion    6. Theology    7. Theology (General)    8. Theology - Academic    9. Theology, Doctrinal    10. Biblical concordances & commentaries    11. Christian theology    12. Religion / Theology    13. THEOLOGY SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY GENERAL   

Reviews (23)

Life Changing
Being a member of a "discipleship movement", I have deep convictions about world evangelism.Without a doubt, Jesus Christ has been the most influential/impacting man to ever live.How did one man change the whole world? Answer: Discipleship.
This is the Master's plan!!!
This is the best work on evangelism and discipleship that I have ever read and I have read a lot.Virtually every sentence in the book is alive with truth that will impact the reader and leave a lasting impression on how Jesus intended to evangelize the world.

Simple yet Lifechanging
This book changed my outlook on life in just a few hours.It is about Jesus' life and method of reaching out to people.In our day and age many think that conversion is enough, but Jesus made it clear thatdiscipleship is vital.Coleman continually points back to the Bible, referencing the way Jesus lived his life as a model for believers today.This book is amazing.you should read it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - History - General    2. Christianity - Pentecostalism    3. Evangelistic methods    4. General    5. Jesus Christ    6. Missions & Missionary Work    7. Religion    8. Religion - Church Life    9. Religion / Evangelism   

Reviews (17)

An opinion.
Most of the teaching in this book was helpful in pulling out the scriptures which related to a particular subject heading. However, the author's interpretation of the scriptures and understanding of the culture during the times the scriptures were written was, in many places, poor.
Sound Biblical exploration of Eldership
Strauch builds a strong case for the importance of eldership--not just any eldership but eldership as described in the New Testament. Biblical elders, Strauch argues, are not board members or advisors to the pastor, but are themselves called to pastor, lead, protect, and care for the church. They are not subordinate to the pastor, but part of a collaborative team of equals each with needed gifts. Elders must be qualified men, but the qualification isn't seminary: the biblical qualification lies in being mature men of character who are motivated to serve. Strauch presents his points clearly and with strong Biblical support, also adding historical and cultural data to back up his interpretation. Strauch's presentation is a bit redundant, in part because he makes the points above in the first section, supporting them with Scripture, and he later goes sequentially through each of the same Scriptures in more detail to show how and why he has interpreted each verse in the New Testament that mentions eldership. The redundancy is not all bad, especially since this model of eldership--while Biblical--does not appear to be practiced in most churches: the repetition and detailed analysis may indeed be useful to those for whom these concepts are new. While Strauch adequately ties his reflections into life--there are clear practical implications--for the reader who isn't already in a church that practices these principles, a bit more practical, real-life example--how we've seen these principle work in practice, how to get there from here type reflection might be useful. Nonetheless, Strauch's Biblical Eldership is a must-read for anyone seriously interested in exploring what the New Testament says about how the church should be lead.

Biblical Eldership
This is the best book concerning the understanding (biblically) and the role of elders in the church I have ever seen.The author exigetically, as well as topically, takes the reader through a very comprehensive tour of what the Bible has to say about eldership in the local church.I cannot imagine how anyone could do a more thorough or biblical study on the subject of eldership. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Biblical teaching    3. Christian leadership    4. Christianity - Church Administration - General    5. Criticism, interpretation, etc    6. Elders (Church officers)    7. Institutions & Organizations    8. Leadership    9. Religion    10. Religion - Church Life & Growth   

Reviews (16)

A GodSend
As a Stephen Minister, this book has been a wonderful help when dealing with so many crises we face in life. A remembered song, a new story, a chance to sing-a-long has been a GodSend.

soul my sings then
Timeless and moving Christian hymns, with a bonus of fascinating facts about their authors and/or those whose lives were touched by each hymn.

Then Sings My Soul
Oh, my; what a fun book to look through.It gives you wonderful insight on hymns we have sung all of our life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Devotional    2. History and criticism    3. Hymns    4. Religion    5. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    6. Personal Christian testimony & popular inspirational works    7. Religion / Devotional   

Reviews (46)

Her best yet
I've read many of her books in the past year.For me they are always uplifting and encouraging.I would have to say that this particular one was by far my favorite.
The best book
I love this book. I think this is the best book. This book is based on real life experiences. Every tenet is vital and has sense. I can reread this book a lot of times and find something new and valuable for myself. After reading this book I get very curious about biography of Sylvia's grandmother. I think it will be very interesting to know about her life, her responses to difficult situations. Thank you Sylvia for this wonderful book.

MIND EXPANDING AND EDUCATIONAL
This book explains the tenets of Sylvia Browne's church "Novus Spiritus" and how she came to the conclusions about God, our purpose on earth, prayer, etc.Sylvia is definitely qualified to write such a book.She is a well educated, accomplished, life long student of world theology and history.You can't go wrong with this book, as it will teach you many things you never knew.Great reading if you want to expand your horizons and know more of the practical truth about spitiuality. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gnosticism    2. Miscellanea    3. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    4. Parapsychology - General    5. Religion    6. Spiritual    7. Spiritual Healing    8. Spiritual life    9. Spirituality - General    10. Body, Mind & Spirit / New Age   

Reviews (9)

The Shaping of Things to Come
I really enjoyed what the writers had to say concerning the topic. I did think some of their vocabulary was a bit difficult at times. I think the normal reader would like words that are easier to pronounce. They made very good points concerning our culture and reaching them with a differnet approach.

Rock The Boat
You will need some time to read this book.The authors present a new paradigm for doing church and missions in our time.They show us something we already know, that the current model (they call Christendom) is failing - and that attempts to maintain the status quo are costing us ground.I will resist the urge to tell you what I found in this book - it would take too long and others have done this well.If you are tired of the current model of pastoral/teacher, bring the lost to church, sing, give, preach, do it again next Sunday...then read this book.Let's rock the boat and start a revolution - let's be bold and creative about how we do Christianity.Let the Holy Spirit work in us today so that we can be couragous like the followers of Jesus were in the early days of the church!

Excellent
Excellent!An in-depth look and analysis of the success of the post-modern church and trends for the future of the Christian religion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Church    2. Church work    3. General    4. Missions & Missionary Work    5. Religion    6. Religion - Church Life    7. 21st century    8. Christian life & practice    9. Christian mission & evangelism   

Reviews (1)

the only option
Here is a monument to the current state of the academic study of religion. Thousands of pages of entries, most of them of the highest quality; yet a few slips remain. Typos abound, but I've found none confusing so far.
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Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Reference    3. Religion    4. Religion (General)    5. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    6. Reference works    7. Religion & Beliefs   

Reviews (32)

Finding Truth and Inspiration In The Meaning of the Words
The Bible, one of the most important books ever written, at least the New Testament, was written in the vulgate marketplace Greek which was often the common language in a multi-language Roman Empire. As Paul Ehrman showed in his book "Misquoting Jesus" as these books were translated and copied, the words sometimes too on different meaning. With this in mind, Wills instead focuses on trying to understand the meaning behind the words and actions of Jesus recorded in the Gospels and spoken of in his follower's letters. Rather than shying away from the more uncomfortable or seemingly misplaced passages Wills uses this as his starting off point.As he noted, in the 18th century Thomas Jefferson went about to edit his own version of the Gospels, filtering out what seemed incongruous, misplaced or was not representative of the "kind and gentle" Jesus or were not the part of a wise man's story, including the crucifixion.Today this is how we often want to view Jesus: ever kind, gentle, soft spoken, though we now love to focus on the crushing suffering of the crucifixion.
The True Jesus
This book is awesome - a must read.It is in essence a rescue mission to free the true Jesus who has been kidnapped by established churches and politicians in our day.Reading this book is a liberating and affirming experience.As an American Christian who has felt socially and politically bludgeoned by "Christians" in our churches and political offices in the last decade, I read this book with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart for truth does, indeed, set us free.This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to put his/her name on a ballot for office in this country - the message is a message for all mankind no matter what one's "religious affiliation."

Intrigueing, ultimately flawed
Garry Wills is an excellent scholar and writer, with a wide range of interests.His book What Jesus Meant is a great read, and he makes a herculean effort to break out of the mold of much recent scholarship, particularly the Jesus Seminar.However in the end he succumbs to many of the same maladies he identifies in those he criticizes.
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Subjects:  1. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - New Testament    2. Bible.    3. Christianity - General    4. Christianity - Theology - Christology    5. Criticism, interpretation, etc    6. Gospels    7. Jesus Christ    8. N.T.    9. New Testament Commentary    10. Religion    11. Religion - Church History    12. Religion - Theology    13. Teachings    14. Religion / Christianity   

Reviews (17)

Surprising, Encouraging, New
I loved the DNA of Relationships, primarily because the information tucked inside surprised me. Realizing how important it is to first care for myself as an important part of being relationally whole has revolutionized my thinking and my practices. Anyone who wants to take their relationships from good to better to amazing should read and heed this book.

Excellent thought-provoking book
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the many examples included.
best relationship book
My husband and I are currently in a small group going thru this book. Lots of insight about relationships and how much we control our own life with our thoughts, actions and words. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Christianity - Christian Life - Interpersonal Relationships    4. Interpersonal relations    5. Religion    6. Religion - Christian Life    7. Religious aspects   

Reviews (4)

The Theology of Sex
The the theology of the body is a look at sex to discover what we can learn about God. After all God created sex and we can learn about God by studying sex just as we might learn something about an artist by looking at a piece of art. The first thing we see is that God created us male and female. West shows that the union of man and woman in marriage is a picture of the union of God the Father and God the Son and just as the Holy spirit flows from the union of the Father and Son, children are produced from the union of man and woman. He also makes a clear distinction between love and lust. Love is giving of self while lust is taking for yourself. Marriage is a sacrament in that it is a earthly symbol of something spiritual just as the Eucharist is. These sacraments help us to grasp spiritial realities that we would otherwise have no hope of understanding. Marriage is also a symbol for our union with Christ in the Resurrection.

Theology of the Body: Everyone in the world should read this book!
Do you want to know how to love and be really loved by your spouse or future spouse? How does your body relate to that? What is sex for? Why did God make it? Believe it or not, the Church says that sex is a good thing - a really good thing - if it's done the way God intended it. Read this book (especially with your spouse or potential future spouse) to strengthen your relationship and/or understand what the Church teaches. Christopher West does an amazing job of describing John Paul II's teaching on human sexuality! Like my title says, I think everyone in the world should read this book. If people could understand the REAL way to have sex and how to fully express themselves, our world would be a better place.

It helped to Convert my heart!
Not only did I understand JPIIs material on Theology of the Body made easy by Christopher West, but I BELIEVE it!Theology of the Body converted my heart!God Bless. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - Catholic    2. Christianity - Theology - General    3. Religion    4. Religion - Classic Works    5. Christian theology   

Reviews (21)

Anti-Ecumenists should read with caution...
I've only just got this book, and so far, have found it a very good read and well Bible-based. However, it may bother or even offend somebody who may be looking for a book that's exclusively from their own Christian denomination (i.e., a Catholic looking for a devotional made exclusively from and for Catholics); the excerpts in this devotional are from both Catholic and Protestant writers from the past!
One of the best books I've ever been given!
Not sure what to read - read this.My wife and I were given this book as a wedding gift, and I think it's the best gift we got!Devotional Classics is broken into six sections: Preparing for Spiritual Life, The Prayer-Filled Life, The Virtuous Life, The Spirit-Empowered Life, The Compassionate Life, and The Word-Centered Life.Each section has excerpts from outstanding authors and their works - from recent authors like Dallas Willard and Watchman Nee to the great saints of the faith including Jonathan Edwards, Francis de Sales, St. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas a Kempis, William Law, John Bunyan, John Wesley, and Francis of Assisi to name a few!
Our Legacy
"Devotional Classics" is the companion volume to Foster's "Spiritual Classics." Foster and Smith designed it as weekly devotional guide to 52 classic historical authors on the devotional life. They catalog their readings using the Renovare conceptualization of six strands in historical spirituality: the prayer-filled life, the virtuous life, the Spirit-empowered life, the compassionate life, the word-centered life, and the sacramental life.
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Subjects:  1. Christian Life    2. Devotional    3. Religion    4. Religion - Classic Works    5. Worship    6. Religion / Devotional   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (1)

Exceptional Teacher
Pema Chodron has a wonderful kind voice.Her teaching on these CD is a gentle introduction to Buddhism for the lay person.I found great solace in her words and her voice.Like the Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron, Pema Chodron's laughter is an expression of pure joy.The genuine joy that I hear in their laughters is proof that Buddhism will help me, and indeed it has helped me.
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Rituals & Practice    2. Buddhism - Tibetan    3. Meditation    4. Religion    5. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    6. Mind, Body, Spirit    7. New Age / Meditation    8. Pop   

Reviews (11)

A Very Helpful Book For Singles
Ignore the negative reviews about this book. Dr. Gary Chapman has done a great job at helping single people find their love language in this book. I used it for small group bible study class & for devotional reading. It helped me connect with my christian & non christian friends, co-workers, family members, etc. in much a better way.

Not near the quality of the original
The original Five Love Languages was insightful, had a variety of examples and provided a good amount of psychological and Christian theory and application.This book is supposed to be for singles, but almost every example has to do with dating couples--people I don't really consider single.Rarely does it talk about regular friendship--and when it does, it's guy-girl friendships.I was hoping to get some insight into my same-sex friendships, family relationships and guy-girl non-romantic friendships, but this book falls horribly short of that.Get the original copy and just use a little imagination and brain-power to apply it to your single life.You'll save the time, money and frustration.

The Five Love Languages for Singles
This is an excellent book and I would recommend this to anyone.It really opens up your eyes on relationships and how they should work.I think that everyone should read this before getting married!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christian Life    2. Christianity    3. Christianity - Christian Life - General    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Interpersonal Relationships    5. Interpersonal Relations    6. Love    7. Love & Romance    8. Religion    9. Religion - Singles    10. Religious aspects    11. Religious life    12. Single people    13. Social Groups    14. Sociology - General    15. Family & Relationships / Love & Romance    16. Family & relationships   

Reviews (28)

Practical and Honest
I bought this book on a whim after seeing it in our youth minister's office. I knew my prayer life was fizzling, largely due to the non-stop speed of my schedule, so I stuck it in my purse to read... on the go. What I really appreciated about this book is that it's not filled with pious, over-used Christian catch phrases and fluffy, vague proclamations of reverence. Hybels works within the realm of God's reality. Furthermore, while I never think God should be reduced to formulas, the practical structure Hybels suggests is so helpful in nurturing a relationship with the one who keeps Jupiter spinning. At a few points he suggests writing out prayers, which I found works extremely well for me as this is how I best express myself. I resent the fact that some may disregard the value of this book because of it's "simplicity." I believe it is practical and to the point, something everyday people can work with. And I don't remember religious scholarship ever being a requirement to come before God, where we are only children.

excellent beginner resource
We used this as a church-wide study.Most folks loved it.It's really a great resource for folks who do not have much of an understanding of prayer than asking God for what I want.I found it perfect for that kind of person.It's not heavy on the psychology or complexity of prayer, but gives an excellent introduction into prayers of silence and listening.Great for a broad audience.

Good book on prayer
This is a very good book on prayers. Simple and straight forward. Easy reading. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Devotional    3. Prayer    4. Religion    5. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality   

Reviews (13)

Comprehensive and readable
My only criticism is there is no pronunciation help in the book. I also have the Oxford Bible Dictionary, which also lacks pronunciation guides. Other than that, as an Anglican, I find nothing to quarrel with in its presentation of the issues of the Bible. But since I'm not a fundamentalist, others might.

A worthy companion, electronically...
Oxford University Press has a reputation second to none in the production of scholarly reference works, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. It has certainly upheld that fine reputation for scholarship, objectivity, and authoritative research with its latest 'Oxford Companion to the Bible', edited by Bruce Metzger and Michael Coogan.
A worthy companion
Oxford University Press has a reputation second to none in the production of scholarly reference works, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. It has certainly upheld that fine reputation for scholarship, objectivity, and authoritative research with its latest 'Oxford Companion to the Bible', edited by Bruce Metzger and Michael Coogan. Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Reference - General    3. Bible Commentary    4. Dictionaries    5. Religion    6. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    7. Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis    8. Reference works    9. Religion & Theology | Biblical Studies | Old Testament/Hebrew Bible    10. Religion / Reference   

Reviews (48)

Error In Quran?
S18 v86 when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
Review - or diatribe?
People - you are both wrong in what you are doing. Pro and Anti-muslim arguments really don't belong here. Information regarding the translation and accuracy maybe, but the Quran is not on trial here. Focus on the product - not it's teaching.
Too many hatemongering reviews on here.
TO AMAZON.COM moderators!
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Subjects:  1. Islam - Koran & Sacred Writings    2. Religion    3. Religion - World Religions    4. Islam    5. Religion & Beliefs    6. Sacred texts   

Reviews (83)

very good!!
Tired of your self???????? Read this and get harshly jolted awake, you will never be the same(thank goodness)

Yes, it technically is logically inconsistant, but that's OK
It's true and important to understand that De Mello often communicates through contradiction. For instance, he tells us "The only way someone can be of help to you is in challenging your ideas." (Awareness pg. 35) No doubt, all of us can think of countless other ways and specific situations in which someone could be of help to us in a way other than by "challenging our ideas". However, this is a style De Mello has intentionally chosen in order to battle the sea of misconceptions that he sees over flooding our society. Rather than go through the semantic hoops that are technically necessary in order to make the subtle distinctions that he is after, De Mello chooses to "shock the truth out of us". He says things that are not intended to be completely accurate, and are sometimes even logically inconsistent, but rather contradict our culture's common assumptions, forcing us to either totally dismiss what he says or, if we read with an open mind, to consciously think about the point that De Mello is trying to communicate.
the good from
the good from many religions, yet easy to read, creates a new understanding. I didn't know about this Fr. DeMello until a reading assignment, and now I have read most of his 9 books. Sermon on the Mount, this one deserves several readings. MAL ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Catholic Church    2. Christianity - Discipleship    3. Inspirational    4. Inspirational - General    5. Personal Growth - Happiness    6. Religion    7. Spiritual life    8. Christian life & practice    9. Religion / Discipleship   

Reviews (24)

How to study your bible
IT is the best book on how to study the bible.I wish I had started with this book before I finished 96 hours in Bible courses.It would have helped me in all my other courses.It is the best system I have ever run across.

Kay's study methods explained
This book is well organized and explain's Kay's Inductive Method very clearly. It is easy to read but does require practice to become second nature. Her methods make Bible passages come alive with the background and context as well as the message and underlying application in our daily lives.

This is What You've Been Looking For!
I just completed reading this book and I can't get enough!If you are ready to roll up your sleves and study the truth of God's Word this is for you.It gives you pratical and sound skills for digging deep into the vast riches of God's word. I have studied for years but this is a systematic approach to Bible study and it allows you to first search out the scriptures for themsselves and then refer to other resources such as comentaries and word study guides as a source of enrichment rather than a foundation to you understanding and interpretation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - General    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Religion    4. Religion - Biblical Studies   

Editorial Review

Within the pages of this plainspoken Bible, young readers will find a year's worth of teen-written devotionals, one for every day of the work week. For example, in the opening section on Genesis, teens will find a shaded box for Monday's devotional, asking the reader what it means to be made in God's image. "Do you ever put yourself down for the way you look? What are you saying to God when you put down what he made?" Little boxes of text are inserted throughout the Scripture, where teens either suggest devotionals or discuss themes in the Bible. In another box, teens comment on the relationship between Adam and Eve: "The 'two becoming one' thing involves a lot more than sex. It involves two lives becoming one--two stories becoming one."The language, graphics, and frank discussion in this teen-oriented Bible make it a great resource for youth groups. It also makes a loving gift for teenagers who need help understanding how the Bible translates into the stressful world of adolescence. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

"One of the five best books to leave with your Christian teenager...."

Really Cool Bible for Teens!!!
I ordered this Bible for my daughter.She and another girl in her youth group here in Sweden (we are Americans serving over seas) shared it with some of the other girls and it has actually become top of the other girls wish lists for their birthdays!It has practical stories the girls can relate to and thought provoking questions that are appropriately worded.Other bibles I have looked at sometimes discuss things in ways that I would prefer talking to my daughter about.This uses the Word only!Great Word of God!!

Excellent devotional bible
This is an excellent devotional Bible.The first reviewer who doesn't like the Bible because it condemns witchcraft is completely ignorant of New Testament Greek, and seems to dislike anything that cramps their lifestyle or beliefs.The NIV is an excellent translation based on the oldest and best manuscripts and translatedby people who actually know Greek, and don't use alternate definitions that don't reflect the true text in order to make things that are condemned by the Bible seem accaptable.If you want your kids to learn what the Bible says, and not what a Wiccan wants it to say, this is a great devotional Bible. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Bibles    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Religion    3. Devotional    4. Religion    5. Religion - Bibles - General    6. Religion / Devotional    7. The Bible