The Sacred Worlds Series
The Sacred Worlds series blends images of visual beauty with focused selections from the writings of the great religions of the world, including both scripture and the writings of the sages and saints. Books in the Sacred Worlds series may be based upon a particular religious tradition or upon themes of interest, such as prayer or virtue, which are found in all manifestations of the sacred. The pocket sized books can be used for both prayer and personal reflection.
Praise for Books in the Sacred Worlds Series:
“World Wisdom has recently inaugurated a series of books, “Sacred Worlds,” that combines impressive imagery-both new and old fine arts, as well as contemporary and vintage photography-with selections from world faith traditions.”
—Library Journal
“This delightful, pocket-sized book lends itself to becoming a companion for the thoughtful religious person on his or her journey through a secular world.”
—Hannah Hunt, Trinity and All Saints College, UK on Christian Spirit
“One can get lost in contemplating these photographed faces, the weathered skin of natural men, the dignity which is the outward manifestation of inner strength, patience and wisdom. As for the quotations: [there is] simple grandeur from those who lived on the very face of the earth and the edge of existence.”
—James Alexander Thom, author of Follow the River; The Long Knife; and The Red Heart on Indian Spirit
“One of the great callings of art is to excavate a lost part of our culture, and the Fitzgeralds answer this summons handsomely here in a compact exploration of Native American women’s spirituality.”
—Publishers Weekly on The Spirit of Indian Women
“Editors Judith Fitzgerald and Michael Fitzgerald have assembled a fine collection of quotations from Christian saints, writers, and philosophers on the glories and wonders of the natural world. These are accompanied by breathtakingly beautiful photographs of nature.”
—Spirituality & Health magazine on The Sermon of all Creation
“A copy of this beautiful little book should be in every home.”
—Martin Lings, author of Muhammad: His Life Based on Earliest Sources, on Christian Spirit
“Indian Spirit is an exceptional book. What strength, dignity and beauty resides in those noble faces! A splendid piece of work by Michael Fitzgerald and World Wisdom.”
—Philip Zaleski, editor of The Best Spiritual Writing series on Indian Spirit
Indian Spirit blends wonderful photographs taken, in most cases, about a century ago, along with the thoughtful and often prophetic words of great figures in the American Indian tradition. Indian Spirit may be best summed up by one of the most important recent leaders of American Indian spirituality:
“Words alone are inadequate to express spiritual realities. This book expresses the Red Indian spirit because it combines the best photographs ever taken of old-time chiefs with some of their best words. You can meet these old-timers and share their wisdom. People who read this book will better understand our sacred ways. Aho.”
Thomas Yellowtail, Crow Medicine Man and Sun Dance Chief
What else has been said about Indian Spirit?
“Indian Spirit provides a unique and precious window into the sacred world of the olden-day American Indians. The wisdom of these great chiefs is greatly needed in a society that has lost its sacred center.”
—James Trosper, Shoshone Sun Dance Chief and Trustee of the University of Wyoming
“This little book is a gem. It offers wonderful insights into the mind and heart of the American Indian. No genuine ecologist can afford to ignore its message. Regardless of one’s own spiritual roots, the wisdom of these medicine men is powerfully enlightening.”
—Rama Coomaraswamy, author of The Invocation of the Name of Jesus: As Practiced in the Western Church
For more information, please visit How can we understand Native American traditions?.
—Light and Life Publishing
Christian Spirit combines powerful imagery with words of wisdom for an experience that is both visual and contemplative. Containing a wide variety of early Christian art from sources as varied as the Coptic and Celtic traditions and wide-ranging quotations from Christian saints and sages of the first one and a half millennia of Christianity, this book invites the reader to reflect upon the beauty and wisdom of the Christian spirit. The visual and written treasures contained in this volume formed the sacred foundation of the early Church and established a tradition which may even now be traced back to the Gospels. Though specifically Christian in content, the book in hand should provide a source of spiritual inspiration to seekers of all faiths.
Christian Spirit was also the Winner of the 2004 Midwest Independent Publishers Association Award for Religion and Philosophy.
“This beautifully illustrated book shows the reader where all the Christian denominations could find their unity: in sacred art and in spiritual depth. It is indeed the same spirit which runs through the diversity of forms. It shows that the Christian heritage still shines today in its sacred art.”
—Jean-Pierre LaFouge–Marquette University
“This is a beautiful book that captures the nobility of the human spirit in pursuit of God. Writings from great spiritual teachers throughout the ages shine like jewels on every page. This book is a worthwhile treasure for those who seek the pearl of great price.”
—Sr. Ilia Delio, O.S.F. – Washington Theological Union, author of Crucified Love: Bonaventure’s Mysticism of the Crucified Christ
“Each of these profound quotations and each of these wonderful images take us back centuries in time; they also take us to the very heart of what matters in the world. Readers should dwell on them. Meditating on just one of these every morning will add depth to each day.”
—Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, author of In the Heart of the Desert
For more information, please visit What is “Christian Spirit”?
With a profound vision of the sacred quality of creation, this collection of beautiful photographs of the natural world combined with commentaries by a host of Christian sages of all denominations, from the origins of Christianity through the 19th century, provides answers to how we should view the relationship between the Creator and creation as well as understand how the divine activity permeates the entire universe.
“Editors Judith Fitzgerald and Michael Fitzgerald have assembled a fine collection of quotations from Christian saints, writers, and philosophers on the glories and wonders of the natural world. These are accompanied by breathtakingly beautiful photographs of nature. As John Chryssavgis points out in the foreword, environmental ethics is where life, spirituality, and politics coincide. The time is ripe for all believers to reverence the earth and to do it with love, joy, compassion, and kindness.”
—Spirituality & Health magazine
For more information, please visit The Sermon of All Creation: Christians on Nature.
What was the role of women in the world of nomadic American Indians in the 19th century? The Spirit of Indian Women provides a unique glimpse into a world that is almost inaccessible in our time. The Spirit of Indian Women is another addition to the Sacred Worlds series following the recent, World Wisdom best-selling quotebook Indian Spirit in its approach, but is much more focused on women in Native American civilization. Through the combined power of photos, art, and the wisdom of traditional voices, modern readers can come to feel something of the timeless spirit of Indian women.
The book features:
Quotes from traditional Indian chiefs
Re-telling of legends of different tribes
Observations of Indian writers who were brought up in the ancient way
The actual words of many Native American women on their roles and the reality of being a woman in Indian societies
Powerful rare photos, many published here for the first time, that convey the spirit of these extraordinary women
Rich illustrations that make every page a work of art
For more information, please visit Noble Faces, Strong Voices: Exploring “The Spirit of Indian Women”?
The Universal Spirit of Islam serves an important purpose at a time when misunderstandings about Islam are rampant. It demonstrates that Islam accepts the validity of many other faiths to an astonishing degree, as proven through these quotes from original and central Islamic sources. These references from the Koran and the sayings of Muhammad speak for themselves; they are further augmented by superb illustrations of Muslim art and architecture. This small book offers the reader, whether Christian or Muslim, many compelling keys to inter-faith understanding through its moving words and beautiful images.
“By juxtaposing those passages depicting what the Koran says regarding different revelations—especially the Abrahamic faith traditions of Judaism and Christianity—this book not only reveals the common bond of these three faith traditions, but it also urges the reader to examine and probe the underlying transcendent unity of faith itself. . . . Why is this important? . . . Because so much misconception exists as to the relationship between Islam on the one hand, and Judaism and Christianity on the other. . . . These inspirational selections present the same essential spiritual truths that are found within each of the world’s major religions, offered in the hope that they will compel people who have lost their faith in God to reconsider; to stimulate adherents of other faiths to recognize their common bond with Muslims; and to contribute to a deepening of the life of prayer for practicing Muslims, and, indeed, for people of all faiths.”
—Feisal Abdul Rauf
