Beauty today is a paradox. The cult of beauty is ubiquitous but it has lost its transcendence and become little more than an aspect of consumerism, the aesthetic dimension of capitalism. The sublime and unsettling aspects of beauty have given way to corporeal pleasures and 'likes', resulting in a kind of 'pornography' of beauty. In this book, cultural theorist Byung-Chul Han reinvigorates aesthetic theory for our digital age. He interrogates our preoccupation with all things slick and smooth, from Jeff Koon's sculptures and the iPhone to Brazilian waxing. Reaching far deeper than our superficial reactions to viral videos and memes, Han reclaims beauty, showing how it manifests itself as truth, temptation and even disaster. This wide-ranging and profound exploration of beauty, encompassing ethical and political considerations as well as aesthetic, will appeal to all those interested in cultural and aesthetic theory, philosophy and digital media.

Does love have its limits? Are couples challenged beyond what they can handle when one becomes ill? How does one cope in the face of a devastating, debilitating disease that has come to steal your loved one from you? Saving Beauty is a deeply personal narrative of a marriage transformed by the emergence of a serious illness. Dr. Kaplan shares his touching story of loving a beautiful woman ravaged by multiple sclerosis. A tale of love, sensitivity and strength emerge from the pages as Dr. Kaplan examines the psychological and social effects of disability with the wisdom and expertise of a trained psychologist. Saving Beauty is not only about facing the unexpected, it is also about exploring the meaning of soul, and learning how to muster courage and acceptance while dealing with life and death issues. Dr. Kaplan provides pragmatic insight into celebrating life, even through the devastation and pain. Saving Beauty examines how circumstances, good and bad, shape our characters and destinies, as it champions the importance of hope. These memoirs capture the redemptive power of love in the face of despair. With a surprising conclusion, the reader discovers how pain and loss can become catalysts for amazing soulful transformations. Dr. Harvey A. Kaplan is a psychotherapist who lives and practices in New York City.

Kathryn B. Alexander argues that natural beauty is a source of religious insight into the need and way of salvation, and this project develops a theological aesthetics of nature and beauty with an aim toward cultivating a theological and ethical framework for redeemed life as participation in ecological community. With interdisciplinary verve, engaging systematic, philosophical, and art theory systems of aesthetics, the volume fosters the cultivation of the sense of beauty through creative, religious, and sacramental experience. All three types, in fact, are critically necessary, as the author argues, in eliciting hope for ecological redemption. This volume makes a vital contribution to the systematic and philosophical framework for ecological theology, aesthetics, and theological ethics.

Balthasar is one of the most influential of Catholic twentieth-century theologians, and his oeuvre is astonishing in its range and amplitude. This together with a style of writing that is cyclic rather than systematic makes his work difficult to assimilate. The author has overcome this obstacle by finding an integrating motif that makes coherent sense of the whole. That motif is the concept of 'form'. The first section of the book deals with that 'form': its genesis, its meaning as a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts, and as a revelation of the mystery of Being. Section two shows how, when the concept is applied christologically, it signifies the incarnate form of Jesus as expressing the glory of the triune God, the source of Being. Section three, which deals specifically with Balthasar's soteriology, demonstrates how because of his mission to save a sinful world the form of Jesus has to undergo suffering and death and become apparently 'formless'. While indicating that the main lines of Balthasar's theology are rooted in tradition, the book also illustrates the radicalness of his approach. His dialogue with theologians and philosophers, both ancient and modern, is discussed and evaluated throughout.

Dating violence affects a huge number of teenage girls -- one in three girls between the ages of ten and eighteen reports having been assaulted by a boyfriend -- and can run the gamut from possessiveness to stalking to outright physical abuse. Often it is the girls with the highest selfesteem, those who believe they are in control of their lives and can bring out the best in their boyfriends, who find themselves in the grip of a relationship in which the tables have been turned. This essential and timely book incorporates the insights and advice of experts in the fields of education, adolescent psychology, criminal justice, threat assessment, and sociology. Authors Crompton and Kessner also include the voices of teenagers and parents to provide an in-depth portrait of the dynamics of controlling behavior.

Offers advice for dealing with teen dating abuse, from stalking to physical assault, discussing the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship, steps that friends and parents can take, and ways to intervene effectively.

Wyatt Sheridan, a Texas Ranger, is drawn into a case that will test his faith and investigative skills. As he searches for a missing teen, he uncovers a ring that lures young girls into a life of prostitution. The case becomes personal when his daughter and the woman he loves are threatened. Will he discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil tears them from his life?