Showing results for "Exploring Christian Spirituality" in Religion & Spirituality

This book builds on a simple premise: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique but is rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher. Good teaching takes myriad forms but good teachers share one trait: they are authentically present in the classroom, in community with their students and their subject. They possess "a capacity for connectedness" and are able to weave a complex web of connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students, helping their students weave a world for themselves.

Storytelling is a powerful and effective means of communication, a truth Jesus knew and used to great advantage in his parables. Many of the plots in these parables involve financial matters. They teach about God's perspective on money, resources, and their use, but further, they teach profound spiritual truths about the kingdom of God. This kingdom operates according to a different kind of economy, wherein relationships, love, and serving others take precedence over accumulating wealth and possessions.

How is that hope both expressed and experienced in contemporary worship? In this volume in the Dynamics of Christian Worship series, pastor, theologian, and songwriter Glenn Packiam explores what Christians sing about when they sing about hope and what kind of hope they experience when they worship together. Through his analysis and reflection, we find that Christian worship is crucial to both the proclamation and the formation of Christian hope.

Today’s cultural imagination of heaven often involves little more than chubby cherubs in tunics, big golden gates, ethereal clouds, glowing halos, and never-ending choir concerts. But if that’s all heaven is, what hope and relevance could it possibly offer for our lives today? Fortunately, a biblical view of eternity offers us more. Way more.

Robert Barron is one of the Catholic Church's premier theologians and author of the influential The Priority of Christ. In this volume, Barron sets forth a thoroughgoing vision for an evangelical catholic theology that is steeped in the tradition and engaged with the contemporary world. Striking a balance between academic rigor and accessibility, the book covers issues of perennial interest in the twenty-first-century church: who God is, how to rightly worship him, and how his followers engage contemporary culture.

Deepen your faith with this extraordinary retreat. Whether you are a layperson of faith or a clergy member, this inspiring series is for you. Although we sometimes think of holiness as belonging to the realms of the consecrated religious, clergy, and certain saints, being a lay Christian is just as powerful a vocation. And as Vatican II's Lumen gentium reminded us, we are all called to be holy, no matter what our walk of life.

This remarkable work offers an analytical exploration of the nature of divine eternity and God's relationship to time.

In his decades as a teacher and an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has often shared remarkable insights gleaned from his study of the New Testament. Our Day Star Rising compiles these insights: those about the history and context of the New Testament as well as teachings from the New Testament, wherein he uses its verses to cast new light on various doctrinal themes.

When Christians learn about Jewish tradition and history, they see the Bible and the life of Jesus with a new and enriched perspective. Knowing more about Judaism brings them closer to Jesus because Jesus lived and died as a Jew and consistently quoted the Jewish scripture and stories. In this book Evan Moffic, popular rabbi, author, and guide to Jewish wisdom for people of all faiths, continues the What Every Christian Needs to Know About series with an exploration of the wisdom and traditions of Judaism.

Together, the adherents of Christianity and Islam make up over half of the world's population, and their numbers are expected to keep growing. The influence of these two faiths—and their relations with each other—is seen in politics, economics, and social interactions. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Christianity and Islam, covering three interrelated areas: historical developments and encounters, the influence of religion on politics, and religious beliefs and worldviews.

Reflecting on many examples from real life as well as literature, and on the insights of psychologists and philosophers, Cherry uses the tension between the desire to forgive and the protest that a person is unforgivable to push towards understandings of forgiveness that avoid the harshness of binary models. Forgiveness is not, he insists, the only good way forward after harm. A positive understanding of non-vengeful unforgiveness is vital if the harmed are to be given the care and support they need and deserve, and if forgiveness itself is to be authentic and liberating.

Written for anyone who wants to develop a deeper more meaningful relationship with God, Mansions of the Heart offers a step-by-step guide through a spiritual formation road map based on Teresa of Avila's Seven Mansions. The book includes a Mapping Tool that will help you discern your place on your spiritual journey and offers church leaders a process for helping church members to grow into spiritual maturity.

Join one of the world’s most acclaimed theologians, award-winning professor Fr. Harvey D. Egan, S.J., as you will grapple with life’s ultimate questions and explore our rich Christian heritage. Here, you will discover powerful insights into the meaning and salvific value of the truths of Christianity. This illuminating audio course will explore the Christian faith as a powerful whole, allowing you to discover the full range of life’s greatest mysteries.

If you would like to know more than just bits and pieces of God's plans for the future, pastor Skip Heitzig is your guide to gaining a fuller understanding of the Book of Revelation. You will explore everything from the rapture to Christ's eternal kingdom and gain a deeper appreciation for the majesty and power of God; examine all the key events that will take place in the last days; discover how God's plans for the future apply to you right now; and learn how to be ready for Christ's return.

If we call someone extravagant, we’re usually thinking about his spending habits and luxurious way of life. So to use that word for a homeless man who had only one change of clothes—an itinerant teacher who depended on others for food and shelter—seems a stretch. Yet Jesus was the most extravagant person who ever lived. Carole Engle Avriett invites you to redefine your notion of “extravagant.” In this study of ancient customs and ways of life, you’ll gain an understanding of the cultural context of the Scriptures and of twelve key characteristics of God's nature.

Most of us have a sense that there may be more out there than only what we can see or touch—not necessarily a God but something. You could call this intuition "somethingism." This book offers you the opportunity to begin to explore your own sense of more. Imaginative and thoughtful chapters reflect on our experiences, considering the possibility that our sense of something out there correlates to a someone who not only exists but can be encountered and known in the person of Jesus.

Each of us, even the most simple, is called to a journey. We may be asked to leave behind everything we have grown dependent on. And when this is the case, the tale of Frodo and his friends offers hope that we will be given the strength and the help we need to overcome every obstacle and defeat every foe. This book is meant to help you find the way.

Hope for the Holidays is more than just a catchy phrase that you might find in a Hallmark greeting. Hope is vital to our lives, and it is often the most prevalent during the season of Christmas. This book speaks about the message of hope that we find in the Christmas story as we celebrate Jesus' birth.

Let This Mind Be in You explores God’s call on our lives to servanthood. Aimed specifically at ministers of the Gospel, this book argues that servanthood is essential to every form of Christian service. When we consider the teachings of Scripture and the example of Jesus, we simply cannot be who we are supposed to be without taking the posture of servants.

This We Believe explains the essentials of the Christian faith and its impact on our lives. Each season will use key texts as springboards for exploring the core tenets of Christianity, beginning with the Apostles' Creed and continuing with texts such as the 10 Commandments and the Our Father. While each season will progress through these documents, each episode will be centered around a specific topic, such as the Cross, or the Holy Spirit, or a specific question, such as What happens when I die? or Why is there suffering the world? The goal is to provide an insightful and exciting ...