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Suited for individual reading or group discussion, A Joyful Theology makes a lively exploration of creation in order to learn more about the Creator.
For Maitland, the Scriptures, tradition, and the creation are sources of God's greatest gift to us. In "A Joyful Theology, " Maitland makes a lively exploration of creation in order to learn more about the Creator. What she finds is a God who inspires awe, who calls us to be committed to one another, and who invites us to live in joy.
Reprint. Originally published: New York: Macmillan, 1984.
A life of consecration prefigures what Christians hope for by calling into question the value of power, sexuality, and material possessions. Religious life challenges the idea that these things alone bring happiness and shows that we can be more fulfilled, happier, and more whole without being attached to them. Furthermore, detaching ourselves from these desires allows others to live with more dignity and greater ease, as well. Consecrated life, then, is a prophetic witness to the joy of the eschatological call of Christianity. In the words of Pope Francis to religious men and women leading up to the Year of Consecrated Religious, “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living!”
What are the poetics of everyday life ? What can they teach us about God? Art, music, dance, and writing can certainly be poetic, but so can such diverse pastimes as fishing, skiing, or attending sports events. Any and all activities that satisfy our fundamental need for play, for celebration, and for ritual, says William Dyrness, are inherently poetic and in Poetic Theology he demonstrates that all such activities are places where God is active in the world. All of humanity s creative efforts, Dyrness points out, testify to our intrinsic longing for joy and delight and our deep desire to connect with others, with the created order, and especially with the Creator. This desire is rooted in the presence and calling of God in and through the good creation. With extensive reflection on aesthetics in spirituality, worship, and community development, Dyrness s Poetic Theology will be useful for all who seek fresh and powerful new ways to communicate the gospel in contemporary society. William Dyrness s bold invitation to a poetic theology shaped by Scripture, tradition, and imagination one luring us toward a fuller participation in beauty than argument or concept alone allow reminds us that truth itself is beautiful to behold and poetic to the core. . . . If poetry is in its deepest reflex an intensification of life, then Dyrness s call for a poetic theology is one we ignore at our peril, reminding us that faithful living is not only about proper thinking but also and, perhaps, more properly about the texture of our living and the quality of our loving. Mark S. Burrows Andover Newton Theological School Makes a strong case for aesthetics as one of the avenues used by God to draw human beings near to him and his glory. . . . A wonderful journey through Reformed spirituality and a wake-up call for Reformed theology. Cornelius van der Kooi Free University, Amsterdam
Join New Testament scholar Thomas Schreiner as he explores the meaning and purpose of the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation can feel more intimidating to read than other books of the Bible. It invites readers into a world that seems confusing and sometimes even strange: golden lampstands, seven seals, a dragon, and a rider on a white horse. But at its core, Revelation is a message of hope written to Christians facing hardship, and it's worth the effort to read it and understand it. In this first volume in the New Testament Theology series, trusted scholar Thomas Schreiner walks step-by-step through the book of Revelation, considering its many themes—the opposition believers face from the world; the need for perseverance; God as sovereign Creator, Judge, and Savior—as well as its symbolic imagery and historical context. The Joy of Hearing brings clarity to the content and message of Revelation and explores its relevance for the church today.
Are you interested in connecting with other women who share your faith, interests, and everyday concerns? A vibrant, self-sustaining women’s ministry will help you achieve this goal, can take many forms, and is a key component of any vital parish, says Elizabeth Tomlin, who for nearly a decade has launched and grown Catholic women’s ministries in the United States and abroad. In Joyful Momentum, Tomlin shows you how you also can start, expand, strengthen, or retool an existing women’s group or ministry in your own Catholic parish. God can use even the most unlikely people to build up a successful women’s ministry, Elizabeth Tomlin says. “If someone had told college-aged me that I would someday lead a global women’s ministry, I would have said, ‘No way. I’m not smart enough. I don’t know enough. I’m too sinful. I’m not good enough.’” And yet, that is exactly what happened. Tomlin is a founding member of the Military Council of Catholic Women Worldwide, the women’s ministry organization of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA. Whether you are interested in starting a spiritual book club or a group for moms with young children, retooling an existing ministry for moms who work outside their homes, or revitalizing a languishing prayer group or committee, you may feel underqualified and overwhelmed when first facing the challenges. Joyful Momentum provides the tools you need to get started, including “Momentum Builders” that will give you the confidence to do what needs to be done. Tomlin shares her personal stories, spiritual insights, and practical tips to show how almost any group can create a spirited, sustainable outreach. With natural warmth, honesty, and self-deprecating humor, she makes a compelling case for the importance of women’s ministry in the life of a parish, and coaches you through all the details. Used for personal formation or as a group study, this book conveys the important elements of women’s ministry—from a small book club to a larger undertaking that might include social media-based prayer supports, on-call childcare helpers, or multi-committee annual festivals or parishwide events. This book will teach you: why spiritual friendships and pastoral connections are essential to the success of any women’s ministry; how to build a team dedicated to prayer, simple hospitality, faith-filled catechesis, humble service, and personal outreach; and tips for handling trickier aspects of team leadership, such as conflict resolution and long-term transitional planning. Each chapter offers practical advice and inspirational stories to help you discover how to cultivate Christ-centered friendships; discern a call to women’s ministry in yourself and others; invest in prayerful preparation, biblical hospitality, and faith formation; develop a leadership team; and create a mentoring plan that will sustain the group over time.
A unique combination of biblical teaching, scientific research, and personal biography shows those who follow Jesus how to live joyful, purposeful lives. Hopelessness has invaded much of our culture, even reaching deep into the church. But while the world is awash in negativity, Christians have resources to live differently. In The Happy Christian, professor and pastor David Murray blends the best of modern science and psychology with the timeless truths of Scripture to create a solid, credible guide to positivity. The author of the acclaimed Christians Get Depressed Too, Murray exposes modern negativity's insidious roots and presents ten perspective-changing ways to remain optimistic in a world that keeps trying to drag us down. The Happy Christian invites readers to shed negativity and become countercultural missionaries by demonstrating the positive power of the gospel in their lives.
This is a wide-ranging book about the relationship between God and contemporary science and culture. This leads into a consideration of how we should respond as Christians to a number of controversial and contemporary issues. The themes are similar to those in her previous book A Big-Enough God, which was very successful, but this is presented accessibly for those with no theological training.
Noticing how often the new Pope had the topic of "joy" as the central theme of his many addresses, Murphy delved into the vast writings of the Pope, before and after his election to the papacy, and found that the theme of joy has pervaded all of his theology. Recognizing the Pope's invitation to joy as a key to understanding his basic theological vision, Murphy develops those ideas and writings in a creative way, and helps the reader to engage personally with the original and pastoral mind of Joseph Ratzinger, professor, pastor, and now Pope Benedict XVI. This joy is nothing other than the joy of the Christian faith. Indeed, the "first word of the New Testament," says Pope Benedict XVI, "is an invitation to joy." The Gospel of Jesus Christ, he insists, is not a burdensome imposition but is truly "glad tidings" for mankind. Christianity is the key to true and lasting joy, the only joy that abides in the midst of life's anxieties and difficulties. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book argues that joy is central to all of Pope Benedict's thought. All the other great themes of the Christian faith are intimately connected with it and radiate out from it. The world is in need of hearing once again the message of joy which Jesus Christ makes known. For priests, religious and laity who are concerned with presenting the Christian message in a positive, attractive and convincing way, as well as for all who wish to delve into the rich and exciting thought of Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most inspiring Christian thinkers of recent decades, this timely book will provide insight for personal reflection, preaching and teaching.