In the summer of 1872 two young Norwegian girls arrived in the quiet, historic hamlet of Concord Massachusetts to take positions as domestic servants. Over the years many more men and women arrived, becoming domestic servants and farm laborers. The wife of a farmer who employed Norwegians took an interest in their spiritual welfare, learned their language and began teaching a Norwegian Sunday School class in 1879. From these humble beginnings a new church was born in 1893, hosted by the Tr...

"Net of Deception is one of those books you simply cannot stop reading until the very last page. This novel is an explosive mix of medicine, sex, politics, and international complot... powerful, contemporary, and food for the brain."- Ervin Kocjancic, MD, Professor, University of Illinois Health and Science, Chicago.The malevolent owner of an online sexual-enhancement dispensary preys on wealthy and powerful men through carefully planned data-mining schemes...

"[H]as the perfect crime been devised? This is a brilliantly clever and intriguing thriller. I highly recommend it."-Cristian J. Luciano, PhD, professor at University of Illinois, ChicagoA biochemical engineer develops a synthetic marvel that's sure to save lives - but good intentions quickly turn criminal in this intriguing medical thriller where unscrupulous doctors and a villainous drug company greatly endanger patients... until a courageous whistleblowe...

For nearly 700 years debate has raged over the true nature of William Wallace and his role in Scotland's turbulent history. Was he the Braveheart of Blind Harry's legendary account, the bold, but savage, hero of the Scottish wars? Or, as some contemporary chroniclers attested, nothing but a villainous thief and vagrant fugitive? This book draws on a wide range of contemporary and modern sources to look behind the figure of legend to find Wallace's true character. Through s...

In this volume we focus on the years following Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012. This has been a more active period than his first two terms, including the annexation of Crimea and, ultimately, the invasion of Ukraine. Thus, this period may be characterized as the run-up to that war. The core issue discussed in this volume is Putin’s redefinition of “democracy” as the foundation of society and government in the Russian Federation. Putin argues for a strong central government in whi...

In Volume Three of this four-volume series, we examine the rhetorical development that occurred during the first two terms of Vladimir Putin’s tenure as president of the Russian Federation. Initially, Putin appeared to follow in the path set by his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, vowing that Russia was, at heart, a European nation and would be a westward facing democracy going forward. He even mentioned partnering with the EU and NATO. Eight years later, at the 2007 Munich Security Conference,...

There is a widening divide between the data, tools, and knowledge that international relations scholars produce and what policy practitioners find relevant for their work. In this first-of-its-kind conversation, leading academics and practitioners reflect on the nature and size of the theory-practice divide. They find the gap varies by issue area and over time.The essays in this volume use data gathered by the Teaching, Research, and International Policy (TRIP) Project over a fifte...

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the early history of Christianity, focusing on the development of Christian thought, theology, and practice from the time of the apostles to the post-Nicene era. It examines the contributions of key figures such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Origen, and Athanasius, who played pivotal roles in defending Christianity against external criticism and internal heresy. The book traces the evolution of core Christian doctrines, including ...

Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397 AD), one of the most influential bishops of the early Church, is often recognized as a key figure in shaping Christian theology, liturgy, and the development of the Latin Christian tradition. Born into a Roman aristocratic family, Ambrose was appointed bishop of Milan in 374 AD, despite having no formal clerical training. His rise to the episcopate is an emblematic example of the complexity of Christian leadership during the late Roman Empire, where political, soc...

"Against the Powers: Spiritual Warfare in Patristic Biblical Interpretation" delves into the early Christian understanding of spiritual warfare, focusing on how the Church Fathers interpreted the battle between good and evil within the pages of Scripture. Through the writings of figures such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Athanasius, this book examines the theological and spiritual framework developed by early Christian thinkers in response to the pervasive influence of sin, demonic ...

Pope St. Gregory the Great stands as a towering figure in the development of Western biblical exegesis, his legacy intertwined with both the spiritual renewal of the early medieval Church and the preservation of classical Christian thought in the post-Roman world. Born around 540 AD into a noble Roman family, Gregory witnessed firsthand the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the devastation wrought by barbarian incursions, and the cultural disarray of his age. Despite this turbulent back...

The early Christian understanding of virtue was deeply shaped by the synthesis of biblical teachings, Jewish moral traditions, and the philosophical legacy of the Greco-Roman world. In the Patristic period, virtue was not merely an abstract ethical concept but an essential part of the Christian life, a means by which believers conformed themselves to the image of Christ. The Church Fathers saw virtue as both a divine gift and a human task, requiring both grace and effort. Their reflections...