Kirjahaku

Did Orpah behave that badly? The Book of Ruth paints a glowing picture of the Moabite widow who sacrificed homeland, faith, and family to accompany her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel. Ruths choice paid off . In Israel, she remarried and eventually became the great-grandmother of the illustrious King David. But what happened to Naomis other widowed daughter-in-law, Orpah, who decided not to go to Israel? Mentioned briefly in the Book of Ruth, Orpah chose to return to her birth family, an accepted custom. Nevertheless, religious tradition has excoriated Orpah for her decision. She has been labeled a traitor and worse. Why? What difference could that one unexceptional young woman have made? Or was she more remarkable than she has been previously portrayed? What happened to Orpah after she parted from Naomi and Ruth? What if a recently unearthed ancient scroll revealed those mysteries? Hidden centuries ago to prevent the revelation of shocking truths, the scroll bears Orpahs account of the famous story narrated in the Book of Ruth and more. Specifi cally, it offers secrets which some would prefer remain buried. However, why not allow Orpah to tell her side and defend her name, actions, and reputation? Here she does just that, looking back on a long, eventful life filled with anguish and joy, adventure and intrigue, and interaction with Biblical characters who may not have behaved as correctly, or, in some cases, as incorrectly, as history would have us believe. Sometimes the choices people make are not for their own reasons, but because a higher power has plans for them other than the obvious. And Jonah was not the only reluctant Old Testament prophet, as you are about to discover.

Did Orpah behave that badly? The Book of Ruth paints a glowing picture of the Moabite widow who sacrificed homeland, faith, and family to accompany her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel. Ruths choice paid off . In Israel, she remarried and eventually became the great-grandmother of the illustrious King David. But what happened to Naomis other widowed daughter-in-law, Orpah, who decided not to go to Israel? Mentioned briefly in the Book of Ruth, Orpah chose to return to her birth family, an accepted custom. Nevertheless, religious tradition has excoriated Orpah for her decision. She has been labeled a traitor and worse. Why? What difference could that one unexceptional young woman have made? Or was she more remarkable than she has been previously portrayed? What happened to Orpah after she parted from Naomi and Ruth? What if a recently unearthed ancient scroll revealed those mysteries? Hidden centuries ago to prevent the revelation of shocking truths, the scroll bears Orpahs account of the famous story narrated in the Book of Ruth and more. Specifi cally, it offers secrets which some would prefer remain buried. However, why not allow Orpah to tell her side and defend her name, actions, and reputation? Here she does just that, looking back on a long, eventful life filled with anguish and joy, adventure and intrigue, and interaction with Biblical characters who may not have behaved as correctly, or, in some cases, as incorrectly, as history would have us believe. Sometimes the choices people make are not for their own reasons, but because a higher power has plans for them other than the obvious. And Jonah was not the only reluctant Old Testament prophet, as you are about to discover.

In the 1970s recent college grad Char flees to the idyllic Pennsylvania-Dutch countryside to consider her future. Staying with a Mennonite great-aunt, she meets Amish bad boy Uri Stoltzfus, who agrees to serve as her guide to the Plain culture. Both Char and Uri have hard choices to make about the values they will embrace in this coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of a turbulent decade. Feminism, racism, the Vietnam War, more permissive attitudes toward sex and drugs, and new types of music collide with a way of life unchanged for centuries. Char also meets another great-aunt whose very existence proves an affair between Char's great-grandmother and an unidentified lover. Who was he and why did he not assume responsibility for his daughter? Char hopes that finding an answer to this family mystery will help her solve her own dark secret.

In the 1970s recent college grad Char flees to the idyllic Pennsylvania-Dutch countryside to consider her future. Staying with a Mennonite great-aunt, she meets Amish bad boy Uri Stoltzfus, who agrees to serve as her guide to the Plain culture. Both Char and Uri have hard choices to make about the values they will embrace in this coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of a turbulent decade. Feminism, racism, the Vietnam War, more permissive attitudes toward sex and drugs, and new types of music collide with a way of life unchanged for centuries. Char also meets another great-aunt whose very existence proves an affair between Char's great-grandmother and an unidentified lover. Who was he and why did he not assume responsibility for his daughter? Char hopes that finding an answer to this family mystery will help her solve her own dark secret.

Anticipating a peaceful life after death, an intrepid nun is chagrined when St. Peter refuses her entry at heaven's gates. Instead, he charges her with returning to earth on a special mission. But before St. Peter can supply explicit instructions, Sr. Martha Louise is unexpectedly transported thirty years into the future, to a post-apocalyptic totalitarian state. She finds religion outlawed and humanity tottering on the brink of extinction, thanks to a mysterious despotic ruler, the Illustrious Innovator, venerated as a demigod. Not only must Sr. Martha Louise convince the Illustrious Innovator of the error of his ways, she also must deal with revolt, famine, plague, and myriad other catastrophes in a world rapidly descending into frenzied chaos. In a first-person account that mixes biting political satire, lighthearted supernatural realism, and grim noire fiction, Sr. Martha Louise relates her management of her unintentionally vague divine mission.

Anticipating a peaceful life after death, an intrepid nun is chagrined when St. Peter refuses her entry at heaven's gates. Instead, he charges her with returning to earth on a special mission. But before St. Peter can supply explicit instructions, Sr. Martha Louise is unexpectedly transported thirty years into the future, to a post-apocalyptic totalitarian state. She finds religion outlawed and humanity tottering on the brink of extinction, thanks to a mysterious despotic ruler, the Illustrious Innovator, venerated as a demigod. Not only must Sr. Martha Louise convince the Illustrious Innovator of the error of his ways, she also must deal with revolt, famine, plague, and myriad other catastrophes in a world rapidly descending into frenzied chaos. In a first-person account that mixes biting political satire, lighthearted supernatural realism, and grim noire fiction, Sr. Martha Louise relates her management of her unintentionally vague divine mission.

Chapters 11 and 12 in the Book of Judges recount how a rash vow forced the military victor Jephthah to sacrifice his beloved only daughter. While scholars agree that she was sacrificed, for centuries they have debated the exact nature of that sacrifice. Some argue that Jephthah's daughter was ritually killed on an altar, her throat slit like an animal's. Others maintain that she forsook marriage and motherhood to devote the rest of her life to serving her god. Whatever occurred remains a mystery. But might the unnamed young woman's too eager compliance have disguised more than submission to her father and her faith? Did she stray beyond the accepted norms for her day? What forbidden passions did she pursue? In her own quiet way was she as reckless as her famous father?

Chapters 11 and 12 in the Book of Judges recount how a rash vow forced the military victor Jephthah to sacrifice his beloved only daughter. While scholars agree that she was sacrificed, for centuries they have debated the exact nature of that sacrifice. Some argue that Jephthah's daughter was ritually killed on an altar, her throat slit like an animal's. Others maintain that she forsook marriage and motherhood to devote the rest of her life to serving her god. Whatever occurred remains a mystery. But might the unnamed young woman's too eager compliance have disguised more than submission to her father and her faith? Did she stray beyond the accepted norms for her day? What forbidden passions did she pursue? In her own quiet way was she as reckless as her famous father?