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Let's admit it. We live in a complicated world where things are a bit crazy - and not in a good way. A global pandemic, wars, racial strife, wealth disparity, death and destruction; we are all affected by these things one way or another, even if only through the media. And we all suffer because of them - sometimes directly and physically; usually emotionally; and often spiritually, though we may not always recognize it. Some of us suffer more than others, of course, particularly those of us who are or have been touched directly by tragedy or trauma. It's enough, sometimes, to make you question your faith. It's enough, sometimes, to make you wonder if you're cursed. "Not so!" says Jesus. Not only are we not cursed, it is in these painful extremes we are the most blessed. With genuine pastoral sensitivity, Schmidt says, "The Beatitudes tell us that we can find and experience God's presence in difficult times. We can know ours lives are expressions of divine love when we seek to bring about peace and justice in our world. We can find comfort when we are grieving and hurting. And all those times when people put us down for our adherence to living the gospel, we can feel assured that - despite ridicule - we are on the right path."
“In troubles times, hope often seems elusive, a vague promise of the future. But Anne Howard transforms hope into a tangible practice of faith by sharing the stories of young adults who take Jesus’ beatitudes both literally and seriously. Read Claiming the Beatitudes and glimpse a transformational wisdom for church that grounds life in God’s beauty, truth, and goodness.” - Diana Butler Bass, author, Christianity for the Rest of Us and A People’s History of Christianity “Anne Howard interprets each beatitude through the story of a present-day student as well as Jesus’ beatitudes. She brings the beatitudes into our experience now, beautifully, readably, so we can answer the question, ‘Where do you see God’s presence in our world?’ And so we can say, ‘yes, thanks’ to God’s invitation to participate.” - Glen Harold Stassen, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary “By focusing on how Jesus’ beatitudes are actually being lived in the lives of twenty-and thirty-somethings today, Anne Howard accomplishes what few before her have done; she takes the beatitudes out of the realm of pietistic platitudes or arcane academics and puts flesh and blood on them. In so doing, she instills a craving in each of us to wrap our own lives around these simple yet revolutionary words.” - Eric Elnes, author of The Phoenix Affirmations and Asphalt Jesus “Can the beatitudes come alive for us today? The moving stories and compelling reflections of Claiming the Beatitudes say ‘Yes!’ The questions at the end of each chapter offer true-to-life challenges. The entire book is an invitation to conversation and conversion. Try it!” - Bishop Frederick Borsch, Professor of New Testament, Chair of Anglican Studies, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
In this timely exploration of the Beatitudes, Kolbell suggests that the eight pillars--meekness, empathy, righteousness, peace, persecution, poverty, purity, and simplicity--are still valuable codes of conduct for busy, anxious lives.
A Practical and Engaging Guide for Changing the Way We Seek God's Will How do we know God's will for our lives? This question lies at the heart of Christian life. And yet, attempting to understand our greater purpose can become a source of frustration as we look for help when making important life decisions. Spiritual retreat leader and Episcopal priest Fred Schmidt reveals how we can better recognize the difference between God's will and our own, deepen our ability to hear God's voice, and sharpen our powers of discernment.
So what really happened that first Easter Sunday? The simple answer is that no one knows… only a problem if one is trying to prove that each of the stories is factually accurate. If we suspend that attempt for a moment and read the Easter stories in the gospels for what they are – profound statements of faith – we may discover something much more powerful and lasting… Few stories in the entire pantheon of literature evoke as much emotion as the gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus. For many Christians, these are the quintessential texts, the ones that define Christianity, their personal faith, and the whole of human existence. That’s a lot to put onto a few simple stories! When using this study, therefore, it will be helpful to have a sense of where participants are coming from. Are they a mixed group with ideas that are all over the theological map? Do they tend to approach the stories as metaphor and take the stance that the resurrection could not possibly have happened? Do they take it literally and believe that things must have happened exactly as they are recorded? Do they feel that there is some point to reading these stories, even though they leave us with more questions than answers? People’s ideas may differ – slightly or greatly – and that’s okay. The point of doing this study is not so that everyone comes out with the same belief, nor is it to convince anyone, at any time, that they must believe one thing or another. The purpose of this study is to explore these powerful faith stories so that they might in turn inform and enhance our daily living.
As part of the Classics in Spiritual Formation, the sermons of Gregory of Nyssa offer a contemporary rendering of ancient spiritual wisdom for today's readers. Begin with the introduction, which provides the context and background, and then dive into the text, translated and paraphrased Michael Glerup from the original languages. You'll also find helpful callouts that show how the work relates to your personal spiritual formation and clarify unfamiliar ideas. Don't miss this unique opportunity to interact with the work of some of Christianity's great spiritual formation teachers and experience true spiritual transformation.
Women make up over one-half of the world's population, yet throughout history women have been kept out of power; they have been oppressed and disregarded, and have often had their stories ignored. This is a tragedy not only for women but for all humankind, because we all have much to gain by hearing one another's stories, and by experiencing one another in all of our rich fullness – not from a preconceived notion that one group or sex is superior to another. This is important to note at the beginning, because history has largely been told by men. In particular, the stories we have preserved from ancient times tell things from a male perspective, and often ignore women. Thus, we often need to read between the lines and behind the words to really hear the stories of the women who played such a significant role in the events described in the biblical stories, and by extension, in our tradition. Of course there are real differences between women and men, just as there are real differences between men, and between women. We are not all the same; as individuals, we are all different from each other. Rather than a problem, however, we can see this as one of the greatest gifts God has given us – the wonderful and amazing gift of difference. The sessions in this study will invite you to explore the stories of some amazing biblical women, to get to know them and to learn from them. How might we live our lives in response to that?
Christianity receives a lot of attention in the media, but the most frequently discussed version represents a type of Christianity that sometimes turns people away from the Church. Kissing Fish presents a postmodern systematic theology of progressive Christianity, a growing movement that reclaims the radical message of the Gospel. This informative, contemplative, and entertaining book will guide you through the beliefs that inspire us to love one another in the transformative way that Jesus proclaimed, including practices that will take your faith to a new level. Kissing Fish is a scholarly yet thoroughly accessible introduction to progressive Christianity. While the intended target audience for this work would seem to be those who have either left the Christian faith or never adopted it at all; the work is filled with pearls of wisdom for all of us, whether associated with Christianity or not. Kissing Fish is a truly remarkable work, serving both as a reminder of the beauty and grace that form the central tenets of the faith, while offering a graceful yet prophetic rebuttal to its more exclusionary tendencies. Kissing Fish is part theological text and part tell-all personal spiritual journey. Imagine a down-to-earth combination of the works of Marcus Borg, Anne Lamott, Jim Wallis, Rob Bell, Shane Claiborne, Diana Butler-Bass, Brian McLaren, Walter Wink, Wes Howard-Brook, and Donald Miller. A profound romp that informs and inspires.
The Rise and Fall of Belief and the Coming Age of the Spirit There is an essential change taking place in what it means to be “religious” today. As religious people shift their focus to ethical guidelines and spiritual disciplines—not doctrine—we are seeing a universal trend away from hierarchical, regional, patriarchal, and institutional religion. Now, legendary Harvard scholar Harvey Cox offers a new interpretation of the history and future of religion, revealing how doctrines and dogma are giving way to new grassroots movements based in community, social justice, and spiritual experience. The Future of Faith is a major statement and a hopeful vision from one of the most revered theologians today.