Rebecca Martin is a single mother with an apartment to rent and a sense that she has used up her illusions. I had the romantic thing with my first husband, thank you very much, she tells a hapless suitor. I'm thirty-eight years old, and I've got a daughter learning to read and a job I don't quite like. I don't need the violin music. But when the new tenant in her in-law apartment turns out to be Michael Christopher, on the lam after twenty years in a monastery and smack dab in the middle of a dark night of the soul, Rebecca begins to suspect that she is not as thoroughly disillusioned as she had thought.Her daughter, Mary Martha, is delighted with the new arrival, as is Rebecca's mother, Phoebe, a rollicking widow making a new life for herself among the spiritual eccentrics of the coastal town of Bolinas. Even Rebecca's best friend, Bonnie, once a confirmed cynic in matters of the heart, urges Rebecca on. But none of them, Rebecca feels, understands how complicated and dangerous love actually is.As her unlikely friendship with the ex-monk grows toward something deeper, and Michael wrestles with his despair while adjusting to a second career flipping hamburgers at McDonald's, Rebecca struggles with her own temptation to hope. But it is not until she is brought up short by the realities of life and death that she begins to glimpse the real mystery of love, and the unfathomable depths of faith.Beautifully written and playfully engaging, this novel. is about one man wrestling with his yearning for a life of contemplation and the need for a life of action in the world. But it's Rebecca's spirit, as well as her relationships with Mary Martha, Phoebe, her irresponsible surfer ex-husband Rory -- and, of course, the monk downstairs -- that makes this story shine.
At the heart of the Bible is a moral and ethical call to fight unjust superpowers, whether they are Babylon, Rome, or even America. From the divine punishment and promise found in Genesis through the revolutionary messages of Jesus and Paul, John Dominic Crossan reveals what the Bible has to say about land and economy, violence and retribution, justice and peace, and, ultimately, redemption. In contrast to the oppressive Roman military occupation of the first century, he examines the meaning of the non-violent Kingdom of God prophesized by Jesus and the equality advocated by Paul to the early Christian churches. Crossan contrasts these messages of peace with the misinterpreted apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation, which has been misrepresented by modern right-wing theologians and televangelists to justify U.S. military actions in the Middle East.In God and Empire Crossan surveys the Bible from Genesis to Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation, and discovers a hopeful message that cannot be ignored in these turbulent times. The first-century Pax Romana, Crossan points out, was in fact a "peace" won through violent military action. Jesus preached a different kind of peace?a peace that surpasses all understanding?and a kingdom not of Caesar but of God. The Romans executed Jesus because he preached this Kingdom of God, a kingdom based on peace and justice, over the empire of Rome, which ruled by violence and force. For Jesus and Paul, Crossan explains, peace cannot be won the Roman way, through military victory, but only through justice and fair and equal treatment of all people.
Now in paperback, in the fifth full–length novel in the beloved Harmony series Philip Gulley reunites us with the quirky cast of Quakers in Harmony, Indiana.
The answers to all the questions you''ve ever had about homosexuality but were afraid to ask are finally in one book, Is It a Choice? In this newly revised and updated edition, Eric Marcus provides insightful, no-nonsense answers to hundreds of the most commonly asked questions about homosexuality. Offering frank insight on everything you''ve always wanted-and needed-to know about same-gender relationships, coming out, family roles, politics, and much more, including: How do you know if you''re gay or lesbian? What should you do if your child is gay or lesbian? Do gay parents raise gay children? If you think a friend is gay or lesbian, what should you say? Why do gay men and women want to get married? What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
In this masterpiece of simplicity, Macrina Wiederkehr offers a series of meditations to bring us closer to a "God for all seasons," revised and expanded into this new edition. Designed for daily use as well as for retreats, Seasons of Your Heart is an eloquent and lyrical invitation to journey through the spiritual seasons of wonder, hope, love, mystery, and faith. Macrina Weiderkehr shares her "seasonal struggle with God" and encourages us to reconize those same peaks and valleys in our own spiritual life. Using biblical passages, poetry, and excerpts from her journal, Wiederkehr provides meditative ideas and prayers as "postures" for realizing and approaching the holy in our daily lives. These reflections and prayers, then, have grown out of a daily listening to God in the changing seasons of my spiritual life, "writes the author. "These reflections have grown out of my conviction that our God is not some Almighty Being beyond us, but a Mystery within."
Integrating faith with introductory Western history, this text provides a Christian perspective on the major epochs, issues, and events of Western Civilization. It details the role of the Greeks and Hebrews, Jesus in history, the Renaissance, and more.
Presents a Jungian understanding of Christ's teaching in this revised edition of a spiritual classic.
This practical guide to spiritual healing blends insightful spiritual reflection and the wisdom of hard-won experience in a reliable and inspiring handbook for developing our innate capacity for richer living and richer giving through the healing gifts of the Spirit.Many years ago, Agnes Sanford was cured of acute depression by a minister who believed in the healing power of prayer. Subsequently, she herself became very active and successful in healing others of mental and physical ailments by drawing upon the same resources for inner well-being. In The Healing Gifts of the Spirit, she shares the simple, practicable ways of self-help she discovered, and gives step-by-step advice on how to help others.She discusses not only her own cure but also the gift of healing in general and its growing recognition in the contemporary church. She devotes a chapter to the gift of miracles, and another -- especially interesting -- to the gift of tongues. Her exploration of these topics is richly inspiring, offering readers one of the most detailed, informative discussions of the nature, dynamics, and potential rewards of these unique manifestations of God''s presence. At the same time, she demonstrates how anyone can draw upon this healing power for good in the world.As evidence of how these gifts can -- and do -- reveal themselves, the author cites many examples from observation and personal encounters with the healing power of the Spirit.
Internationally acclaimed author and teacher Rosemary Radford Ruether presents a sweeping ecofeminist theology that illuminates a path toward "earth-healing"--a whole relationship between men and women, communities and nations. "This is theology that really matters."--Harvey Cox
Brennan Manning shares his joyful message in a powerful new way with his first-ever collection of daily devotions. For every day of the year the beloved author of Ragamuffin Gospel and The Boy Who Cried Abba offers a verse of scripture, and each day's mediation is completed with a complementary reading from his own writings. Whether your life has already changed by Brennan Manning's dynamic version of the good news or you are meeting him here for the first time, Reflections for Ragamuffins will open your mind and heart to a profound new experience of God's unconditional love.
Doug Manning helps us understand what happens when someone dies, to accept it, and to face the feelings of loss, separation, and even guilt that we experience in a realistic yet healing way.
"A gripping discovery of God''s grace where we least expect to find it—in the decaying core of the city." —Ronald A. Nikkel, president, Prison Fellowship International"The story of Lupton''s ministry is one of the most inspiring in America. Those of us who are trying to accomplish something of value in urban settings look to him and his co-workers as models." —Tony Campolo, author of Stories That Feed Your SoulUrban ministry activist Robert Lupton moved into a high crime area of Atlanta intending to bring Christ’s message into the ghetto—but his humbling discovery of a spiritual life already flowering in the city’s urban soil forces the minister to reexamine the deepest parts of his own soul, confronting his own patronizing, materialistic attitudes and the biases he himself held against the urban poor.
Fitness walking for Body, Mind, and SoulNo matter how fast or far you walk, no matter what you goals or fitness level, whether you walk on a treadmill or in a forest, alone or with companions, this guide will lead you along a path of mental and physical exercise that travels from sole to soul. Author Carolyn Scott Kortge, an award-winning journalist and masters racewalker, offers a wealth of easy-to-do breathing exercises, visualisations, and active affirmations that transform fitness walking into a meditative practice – of awareness, spiritual renewal, and physical vitality. ''Whatever your motivation for walking – relaxation, aerobic fitness, weight loss, a healthy heart, or interaction with nature – a spirited walk can become the first step in a spiritual journey,'' Kortge says. With humour, anecdotes, and practical advice, she shows you how to take the first step and motivates you to walk for life with an approach for fitness that puts care of the soul on equal footing with care of the body.''If you really want to give your spiritual life a boost, let Kortge show you how the simple act of walking can take you on a trail of self-transformation to destinations inward-bound that you never knew existed. Here is a direct way to knowing yourself and a celebration of being fully alive.''JERRY LYNCH, Ph.D., co-author of ''Working Out, Working Within''''This is the walking book I wanted to write! While so many books focus primarily on physical fitness and health, my readers tell me it''s the spiritual connection walking satisfies that keeps them going.''MAGGIE SPILNER, walking editor, ''Prevention Magazine''Journalist CAROLYN SCOTT KORTGE holds bronze and silver meals from the USA Track and Field Association''s National Masters Championships and was formerly ranked among the top five women racewalkers in her age group. As a feature writer for daily newspapers in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Oregon, she has captured numerous national awards for excellence.
The bestselling author''s inspiring account of her spiritual journey into discovering the love of God."Beautifully written . . . the message and challenge of the book is profound. . . . This book will awaken your longing and set you off on your own spiritual journey."—Today''s Christian Woman"A joy to read from beginning to end."—Virtue Magazine Sue Monk Kidd explores the thrilling possibilities of God''s everlasting love. God''s Joyful Surprise makes an important statement about devotion to God rather than activity. Strands of humor and warmth woven throughout make it a joy to read from beginning to end.
A leading spiritual writer recovers "The Desert Way of Believing" -- the spiritual pathway discovered by early Christian monks who lived in the Egyptian desert that is still relevant to Christians today. Alan Jones distills the elements that made this fully orthodox way of inner transformation a unique and important part of the early church. Refreshingly readable and filled with rich insights, Soul Making draws together the spirituality of modern literature and elements of psychology. Jones shows how the desert way can become for any spiritual seeker a soul-stretching means of experiencing the "wonder, mystery, and awe" at the heart of the Christian faith.
A powerful new movement is sweeping across America: Christian men are coming together to make a difference in their families, churches, businesses, and communities.They are helping one another acknowledge a deep-seated need and hunger for spiritual nourishment and Christian fellowship. They are "sharpening" one another's understanding of what it means to be a man today.The first book of daily meditations created expressly for men in search of spirituality, Promises to Keep draws together the words of hundreds of prominent Christian authors and leaders. Offering inspiration and motivation, this little treasure provides the spiritual dimensions lacking in the lives of so many and proves that men can be strong and tender, can lead without tyranny, can be authoritative without arrogance, and can have relationships with each other that are full of meaning, insight, and even love.
What makes a Catholic a Catholic? According to Thomas Groome, an expert on the essential ingredients of Catholic Christianity, Catholics share certain vital features of life and identity. What Makes Us Catholic explains and illuminates that character, and invites Catholics of all kinds to connect more deeply and imaginatively with their own culture and spirituality.
A Dynamic Account of Religion's Central Role in American History
Renowned biblical sleuth and scholar Richard Elliot Friedman reveals the first work of prose literature in the world-a 3000-year-old epic hidden within the books of the Hebrew Bible. Written by a single, masterful author but obscured by ancient editors and lost for millennia, this brilliant epic of love, deception, war, and redemption is a compelling account of humankind's complex relationship with God. Friedman boldly restores this prose masterpiece-the very heart of the Bible-to the extraordinary form in which it was originally written.
Brief, pointed, practical instructions in successful living to help readers achieve happiness, peace of mind, prosperity, real health, and other desired goals.
Why Understanding America's Religious Landscape Is the Most Important Challenge Facing Us TodayThe 1990s saw the U.S. Navy commission its first Muslim chaplain and open its first mosque.There are presently more than three hundred temples in Los Angeles, home to the greatest variety of Buddhists in the world.There are more American Muslims than there are American Episcopalians, Jews, or Presbyterians.
With eloquence, candor, and simplicity, a celebrated author tells the story of his father's alcohol abuse and suicide and traces the influence of this secret on his life as a son, father, husband, minister, and writer.
A reissue of the classic retelling of the Nativity. "Written with dignity, unerring taste, and with no straining for effects."--Chicago Sunday Tribune
Rather than chronicling the well-reported sexual abuse scandal or advocating a particular reform agenda, David Gibson shows how the crisis in the church is unleashing forces that will change American Catholicism forever.
This engaging contemplation of maturity addresses the long neglected topic of what it means to grow up, and provides a hands-on guide for skilfully navigating the demands of our adult lives. Growing up happens whether we like it or not, but maturity must be cultivated. Challenged to consider his own sense of maturity while mentoring a group of teenage boys, Fischer began to investigate our preconceptions about what it means to be "an adult" and shows how crucial true maturity is to leading an engaged, fulfilled life. Taking Our Places details the marks of a mature person and shows how these attributes can help alleviate our suffering and enrich our relationships. Discussing such qualities as awareness, responsibility, humour, acceptance, and humility, Fischer brings a fresh and at times surprising new perspective that can turn old ideas on their heads and reinvigorate our understanding of what it means to be mature.
Simplicity in forms of worship, opposition to violence, and the importance of compassionate living and thoughtful listening are hallmarks of the spirituality of the Quakers. From their beginnings in seventeenth-century England to today, the Friends have attempted to live out their belief in the presence of God's spirit within their hearts. This book features the writings of some of the most influential and inspirational Quaker thinkers -- George Fox, John Woolman, Caroline Stephen, Thomas Kelly, and others -- providing a vivid portrait of the beautiful, simple spirituality of the Quakers.
The world's leading Islamicist offers a concise introduction to this rich and diverse tradition of 1.2 billion adherents. In this informative and clear introduction to the world of Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr explores the following topics in depth: •What Is Islam? •The Doctrines and Beliefs of Islam •Islamic Practices and Institutions •The History of Islam •Schools of Islamic Thought •Islam in the Contemporary World •Islam and Other Religions •The Spiritual and Religious Significance of Islam
"The Bible and the social and moral consequences that derive from its interpretation are all too important to be left in the hands of the pious or the experts, and too significant to be ignored and trivialized by the uninformed and indifferent.
With his characteristic eloquence and compassion, Peter J. Gomes offers a new collection of his most important sermons, which draw on the wisdom of the Bible to guide us through the year and enrich our daily lives.
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