Is the Bible simply another ancient Middle Eastern test, or is it somehow unique? And if it is unique in some way, is it ever intellectually honest to simply disregard that uniqueness in studying it? How can Christians study documents they believe to be God's revelation, or to contain it in some real sense, as if it were otherwise, and without compromising the very uniqueness which presumably prompts them to study it? This book is essential for any student of the Bible who considers himself or herself in any sense a believer. It challenges such people to invoke their intellects and, above all, their capacity for intellectual integrity in asking a question most non-Fundamentalists simply refuse to think about: is it ever intellectually honest for Christians to study the Bible as if they were agnostic or athiestic students in a secular university? Is there a place specifically in the Church for Bible study filtered through the presuppositions of unbelief? And even in the secular acadamy, to what extent are "modern methods of Bible study" in fact intellectually honest?

In this age of all too often non - discerning readership of some volumes labeled as Christian literature that bear essentially an
"in name only" relationship to true Christianity, we have to be thankful for those who devote much time and effort to the translation of works from other languages, and skillfully so.
We must also be thankful for qualified editors and those who commit to publishing, not to mention offering at reasonable prices, works saved for English readership.

This particular work of the noted 17th century Lutheran theologian and professor, Johann Gerhard, is thoughtfully translated from the German by Elmer M. Hohle and edited by David O. Berger, Director of Library Services, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. The publisher, Repristination Press, Malone, TX, must be credited with selecting this wonderful Gerhard work to publish and provide at inexpensive prices for such valuable content.

The work itself, approximately 330 pages, is select sermons of Gerhard on the Passion of Christ in its stages. To quote the editor, "Johann Gerhard views the Passion of Christ with Old Testament eyes ... The events, people, and prophecies of the Old Testament are seamlessly connected with their culmination in the suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ."

Suffice it to say that one is disappointed only that this work
does end, but you are prompted to want to read other Gerhard translations that are available in English not to mention returning to Scripture. Gerhard was a great exegete for his time and today. Thankfully, the translation is very well done by Hohle so that the English reader may savor what German readers have been able to do until now.

I could not encourage anyone enough to add this volume to their library.

Library Journal's review of this guide: "Combining encyclopedic coverage of destinations with loads of practical information and atlas-type maps, the series illuminates the wonders of nature but emphasizes the peculiarity of a place's people and their folklore."

Exporting To Canada: A Guide For American Countries by Gerhard Kautz (president of GWEM Systems Limited, a Canad-based international marketing consulting company doing business in more than forty countries) is a no-nonsense, practical primer for expanding one's business market to international dimensions with a maximum of profit and a minimum of difficulty. Chapters cover how Canadian business culture differs from that of the U.S., the metric system, the North American Free Trade Agreement, consumer profiles, intellectual property protection in Canada and much, much more. Exporting To Canada is an excellent and recommended basic business primer for anyone considering going international - especially in this modern century with auction sites and sales for the Internet that make doing business with another nation only a mouse click away!

The book begins with a brief history of the development of Old Testament Theology as its own field of study (as opposed to a systematic approach to the Old Testament or a theology of the Old Testament in light of the teachings of the New), tracing its roots to the time of the Reformation and, more importantly, to J. Gabler's inaugural address at the university of Altdorf in 1798. In the ensuing chapters, the development of Old Testament Theology is further outlined via a survey of the major eras and contributors to the discipline (e.g. the methodologies of Bauer and Wellhausen in the 1800s, the theologies of Otto Eissfeldt and Walther Eichrodt of the 20's and 30's, the landmark work of Gerhard von Rad in the 60's, and the OT Theology "boom," if you will, of the late 70's). The book concludes with a look at more recent contributions in the field of Old Testament Theology by scholars like W. Brueggemann and P. Trible. Probably the most attractive aspect of this book is that it features the authors' views in their own words as opposed to another scholar's interpretation of their views. Also, since it is an introduction to the study of Old Testament Theology, a brief outline and commentary on each reading is provided by one of the book's editors. Finally, where applicable, views from all areas of the theological spectrum are included in this book, whether liberal, conservative, or anything between or beyond. If you're looking for a solid introductory text in Old Testament Theology, look no further.

Just before the 1800s, a group of Mennonites emigrated from the Vistula Delta area to the Ukraine, where they established their own communities, with their religious freedoms guaranteed. These believers prospered in their new land, and the late 1800s became something of a golden age for them. One of their number was a photographer named Peter Gerhard Rempel. Rempel set up shop in the Chortitza Colony, and took many pictures. As with all golden ages, however, this one came to an end. In the chaos of World War I and the Russian Revolution, the fragile Mennonite communities were torn apart, their members fleeing to the New World. But Mr. Rempel never really did find himself at home in his new land, he always dreamed of that golden age in southern Russia, where it was forever summer and forever Sunday.

The text of this book is an excellent history of the Mennonites of southern Russia, giving a lot of good information on their closing days (my family had already left by that time). However, the real reason to get this book (if you are so lucky) is for the photos. They are of course black-and-white, but they provide a fascinating look into a life now lost. The pictures show a people who are wealthy, happy, and dressed in modern clothes. The pictures each have an informative description, but for some reason these were placed at the end of the book. That is really a minor complaint, though.

So, if you are interested in the Mennonites of southern Russia, then I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of this book. It really is one of the best resources I have ever seen.

Gerhard Lichter, and acclaimed international paleontologist shows how to collect, record, prepare, and display your own discoveries. The tools and methods for extraction and preparation are covered. Very nice photographs from specimens collected around the world. This is a definitive must have for all fossil collector enthusiasts

This work is the study of a society as reflected in the life of Frederick the Great. The subject of interest is not so much the man per se but rather his interactions with the society he did so much to shape. Ritter's treatment allows the reader to learn about Frederick but not to know him as a man. In fact, the work serves largely to sublimate Frederick the man to the Prussian state. The reader sees Frederick as having succeeded not through divine placement but by luck, reason, and a commitment to the state above all personal and worldly considerations. But despite all Frederick's realism, as revealed by Ritter, he remains an enigma. Indeed, as Paret alludes to in his introduction, certain events of European history and aspects of Frederick's life are not explored in Ritter's European-oriented presentation. Certainly my own lack of understanding of the complicated alliance patterns of early modern Europe detract from my understanding of the book.

Frederick's reign seems to have marked a crucial turning point in history-- one toward the development of the modern European nation-state. Frederick utilized the French designs of emerging nationality to bring to life a state whose purpose was to further the good of all its inhabitants rather than to serve as an instrument of the prince's vainglory. From the mediaeval throes of dynamism was born the modern state. To a large degree, Frederick the Great was Prussia; he raised her to a level of power that would not long outlive him. This is what makes Ritter's biography history.

There was a certain ambivalence evidenced in Frederick's conception of warfare. He only pursued war to further the state, and he learned from war--especially his initial invasion of Silesia. Always, Prussia in the end seemed to prosper from her ruler's military actions. Central in Frederick's conception of the state was the need for a vigilant standing army. To oversee this grand army, Frederick developed a program for proto-modern statehood--in all aspects to be overseen by him personally. In his state, he sought to utilize the nobility in a paternalistic system. Patriotism was his goal; his military leaders were not to fight for him but for Prussia. Frederick was deeply involved in military strategy; as a soldier-king he demanded discipline and controlled aggression among his men. Significantly, over time he came to see the value of statecraft over military action; after his Silesian invasion, his wars seemed more defensive in nature; often no decisive victor emerged from battle. He came to realize that warfare was constrained by the state's national resources. As Ritter describes it, Frederician warfare was defined by maneuverability and limited aggression. It is the birth of patriotism in the form of Frederician absolutism that lies at the heart of Ritter's study. Compelled by the rise to power of Naziism, Ritter seeks to show how such German nationalism had originally been born.

This text gives a number of proofs of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra (FTA). The proofs come from diverse areas of mathematics including complex analysis, abstract algebra (Galois theory) and topology. A version of Gauss's original proof is even given. The background information leading up to each proof makes the book readable for a math major who has taken a first course in abstract algebra. A student who uses this text will have seen a lot of really interesting mathematics by the end and will have a sense of how the mathematics can be used.

A beautiful compilation of facts and figures for both the novice as well as for the experts.I have been in this field for 20 years and for the first time I have seen work of such composite nature.