Best religious arts & photography books according to redditors

On the opposite side, we have The Brick Bible: A New Spin on the Old Testament.

It illustrates the Old Testament with Legos, without leaving anything out. It neither mocks nor supports. It simply shows it all as the Bible describes it.

Read the Amazon comments. It’s amazing how bent-out-of-shape Christians get when confronted with what their Bibles actually say.

1. Nope. Not rude or disrespectful.
   
2. http://www.orthodoxiya.fm/ (If you speak Arabic, here is an Orthodox on-line radio station. If not- you'll be just as lost as I am with this! However, if you like chants, there is some good chanting to be found here. If you prefer or know English better, then this might be more up your alley: Ancient Faith Radio (music/chanting, podcasts, blogs)
   
   Well, I'll just share books and links with you that I just shared to someone else on another thread. I don't know how useful some of them will be for you, since you don't have a Christian background, but there they are anyway. Regarding specific differences between Copts, Armenians, Old Believer, and Eastern Orthodox, I don't know of any books that specifically address the differences (but Ethiopians are Copts and Greeks/Russians/Antioch are all Eastern Orthodox). ;)
   
   The Orthodox Faith by Thomas Hopko (It's all on-line- so no need to buy anything here.)
   
   Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom (Wonderful resource for anyone.)
   
   On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius (Catholics of all stripes should approve of this, but this is definitely something the East looks at more frequently in my observation. Also all on-line.)
   
   The Meaning of Icons by Vladimir Lossky (Icons are often overlooked in book recommendations on Orthodox Christianity. It's a shame. It's one of the most fascinating subjects.)
   
   On Acquisition of the Holy Spirit by St. Seraphim of Sarov (Even the pope has recognized him as a saint. This is a wonderful and deceptively simple (i.e. heavy) read. This is also all on-line. There are also six you-tube videos for this so you can just listen: https://youtu.be/pBynRA0wNg8 )
   
   Also, I don't think this has much to do with theology, but I really liked them:
   
   The Way of a Pilgrim (I recommend this book to everyone. Always.)
   
   How to Live a Holy Life by Gregory Postnikov (This is a small book. It's deceptively simple. The doing of what's in it is more difficult.)
   
   

3. For an Orthodox view, I highly recommend this podcast series on the bible to you. Dr. Constantinou of the University of San Diego essentially covers what she would in one of her survey courses. This goes in-depth on the topics of scripture (old and new). It truly starts with the second podcast (Inspiration and Inerrancy) and moves on to cover oral tradition, bible manuscripts, the septuagint, the canon, translations and versions, patristic interpretation, the school of Alexandria, the school of Antioch, and the Latin fathers in other podcasts. Search the Scriptures: Introduction to the Bible (Lesson 2)

Felt banners are a result of the disastrous book published by the USCCB in 1977 Environment and Art in Catholic Worship.

https://www.amazon.com/Environment-Catholic-Worship-Bishops-Committee/dp/1555865631

The full text (without the photos of brutalist and yurt churches being touted as the new idal) is available at http://www.olqpparish.org/ENVIRONMENTANDARTINCATHOLICWORSHIP.pdf

Emphasis added:

> 98/ Images in painting or sculpture, as well as tapestries, cloth hangings, banners and other permanent or seasonal decorations, should be introduced into the liturgical space upon consultation with an art consultant. Like the furniture and other objects used in worship, they become part of the environment and are subject to its criteria of quality and appropriateness. In addition, their appropriateness must take into account the current renewed emphasis on the action of the assembly. If instead of serving and aiding that action, they threaten it or compete with it, then they are unsuitable.

> 99/ In a period of Church and liturgical renewal, the attempt to recover a solid grasp of Church and faith and rites involves the rejection of certain embellishments which have in the course of history become hindrances. In many cases of religious practice, this means a simplifying and refocusing on primary symbols. In building, this effort has resulted in more austere interiors, with fewer objects on the walls and in the corners

> DECORATIONS

> 100/ Many new or renovated liturgical spaces, therefore, invite temporary decoration for particular celebrations, feasts and seasons. Banners and hangings of various sorts are both popular and appropriate, as long as the nature of these art forms is respected. They are creations of forms, colors, and textures, rather than signboards to which words must be attached. Their purpose is to appeal to the senses and thereby create an atmosphere and a mood, rather than to impress a slogan upon the minds of observers or deliver a verbal message.

Notes:

1. This book was spearheaded by (then-) Abp. Bernardin, USCCB president 1974-1977.
   
   
2. Abp. Bernardin was the one who forced through Communion in the Hand by counting absentee ballots from the U.S. bishops (a practice that is now forbidden).
   
   
3. Abp. Bernardin had been accused of sexually abusing a seminarian, but the seminarian later recanted.
   
   
4. ChurchMilitant.com reported on Cdl. Bernardin's having set up a pipeline of gay seminarians from Latin America to Chicago. https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/chicago-cdl.-cupich-waited-a-month-before-removing-child-porn-priest

My friend is an artist and he made two coloring books. This is the first one

More generally, St Augustine Academy Press has some good resources.

As for music, there are loads of recordings of chant and sacred music on YouTube.

Thanks! I do historical research professionally, so I have a lot of experience to quick look-ups. I love this kind of stuff.

For the gravestone type I used a great reference book by Douglas Keister called Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography. That mentioned the Sears Catalog connection, so I looked the stone up in a catalog archive I have access to through ancestry.com.

I found Mr. Tunstall listed as an railroad engineer on the 1880 census. I figured that his profession and the fact he died young suggested there was a chance it was in an railroad accident. Using the date of death from his tombstone I found the report of his death in an online newspaper archive.

This one is really good:

https://www.amazon.com/World-Faith-Peggy-F-Stack/dp/1560851627

Can I recommend The Brick Bible? It's scenes from the Bible, built out of Lego.

I'm reading the Old Testament to my son, and it is great. It shows Yahweh as the blood-thirsty genocidal maniac that he (allegedly) was. But it's just the Bible text, so your ex should find it unobjectionable.

haha darnit. i've known about this for a while, but didn't think to post it here for delish karma. really great site. read it when i'm bored from time to time. a version of it can also be bought at amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-Brick-Bible-Spin-Testament/dp/1616084219/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341402706&sr=8-1&keywords=lego+bible

Alright everyone, there's a whole world of fun and adult coloring books!!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Icons-Vladimir-Lossky/dp/0913836990/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487480778&sr=1-1&keywords=9780913836996

Perhaps not the guidebook you are looking for, but a good start.

If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism, you can check The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols, and for more details on the nine most common symbols, Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture : An Investigation of the Nine Best-Known Groups of Symbols .

I'm afraid I don't know of any similar guides to non-Tibetan Buddhist art and symbolism; perhaps somebody else has some ideas.

I'd like to recommend the book A World of Faith by Peggy Fletcher Stack and Kathleen Peterson. It offers simple, one-page explanations of most religions, and was written specifically for children.

I still find it useful today.

Amazon Link: (http://www.amazon.com/World-Faith-Peggy-F-Stack/dp/1560851627/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412541038&sr=8-1&keywords=a+world+of+faith)

I'm days late to the party but still wanted to reply.

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"All of them and none of them" is going to be ( albeit frustratingly ) your best answer haha!

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Like most philosophy its a bit like fine art... meant to be thought provoking yet very personally interpreted. The empty spaces between concepts laid out by words are where the real value is. So really you are trying to capture the 'accurate' feeling of those gaps, of that nothingness.

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Yet at the same time one of the best concepts from the Tao Te Ching is simply that if you can put it into words then it is not 'the eternal tao'. Really this means that it cannot be neatly defined by language. This makes the fact, that we require translations, to be less impactful on our attempts to understand the text.

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So I cannot answer you as you would like. But I can honestly say that this is because there really is not a best translation. I own many different copies and related works ( on mentoring, on parenting, on this on that etc etc ) simply because there is not a single best iteration.

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I have ended up favoring two copies both of which are actually 'illustrated' - but do not hate on illustrations! Since they are illustrated I leave them out in the open like coffee table book style. Over time I've grown fond of them and their particular translations. Worth noting, the illustrated aspect of both books came AFTER the translating work... as in these authors didn't set out to make pictures they set out to translate accurately first then after many years made illustrated versions.

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One is by Stephen Mitchell. He is a renown translator. His Book

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The other is by Man-Ho Kwok, Martin Palmer, Jay Ramsay w/ calligraphy by Kwok-Lap Chan. Link for convenience

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I also found this on Mentoring and this classic on Parenting to both be very good.

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Final thought. I wanted to address your direct inquiry honestly ( ie: cannot label a 'best' ) but also provide some specific works that I have found value in. I also want to make a final recommendation to learn about Taoist philosophy. The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet. Amazon Link to box set of the two.

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Those two books are excellent for the studied as well as the unfamiliar reader. They thoughtfully explain how Winnie the Pooh is almost a perfect representation of taoist principles and concepts. I found these two books to be a really great way for me to personally cement philosophical concepts to real world practice. Having to read and think about full situations ( even if cartoon ) really helped me to memorize practical take-aways.

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So in summary, the TL;DR is this...

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• No best translation. This is not bad though, the exact translation doesn't matter so much. Literally the first words in the Tao Te Ching are saying if you can use words to describe it accurately then you are not actually describing the Tao. So its a "feeling" you learn over time, not a definition you memorize succinctly
  
• On the Tao Te Ching - I highly recommend, since they are cheap and short, to obtain several copies. One copy I linked, by Man-Ho Kwok, has a 20 page intro which dives into detail and nuance of translating. I found this highly insightful which is why I recommend to learn about the translation process a bit.
  
• If you want to learn about Taoism in general ( just as recommended as reading the tao te ching ) then I recommend Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet.
  
• I would also recommend to pick up related works like the one on Mentoring for example. Have kids? Get the parenting one too. Works such as these take the core principles of the Tao Te Ching and describe discuss and 'illustrate' their meaning for the reader. Thinking about these concepts in as many ways and situations in life as possible truly helps to further your understanding - and solidify the memories.
  
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  Whether you just want to explore a copy, or dive headfirst into The Way, I hope you can find some of this advice helpful!
  
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This looks like it might be good. I’m not an artist and I don’t have any interests in mandalas. Part of the reason why I deleted my comment, lol. I realized it really wasn’t my place to speak.
But, this one looks like it might give you information on the history of it and where you might put your colors
https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-History-Mandala-Genesis-Kalacakratantra/dp/1614292787

You will perhaps be better of asking over at /r/Catholicism or /r/OrthodoxChristianity. You can search from Christian Iconography to see if you can find a book, but I do not know any books. Most of what I have seen available are usually handcrafted Icons that one can buy.

The descriptions of the following books look to be similar to what you are asking about; however, Amazon is not exactly useful in letting you take a peek inside to see if it's what you want.

http://www.amazon.com/History-Icon-Painting-L-Evseyeva/dp/0955008905

http://www.amazon.com/The-Meaning-Icons-Vladimir-Lossky/dp/0913836990

Less a beginners' text, but more a kick-ass coffee table book: http://www.amazon.com/Yantra-Tantric-Symbol-Cosmic-Unity/dp/0892811323

This isn't exactly what you asked for, but I love it: The Life of Christ in Woodcuts. No text, just images.

do you guys like seeing the retarded shit in the bibe AND legos?! i just picked up a copy of The Brick Bible (http://www.amazon.com/The-Brick-Bible-Spin-Testament/dp/1616084219).

lego gore. the best kind of gore.


edit: ooOOOOoo i've upset the hivemind by linking to something. look at all the fucks i give.