Christian life and practice Books

Book SynopsisA helpful guidebook answering one of humanity's most fundamental questions: What happens after I die? Summarizes the Bible's teaching on the meaning of death, the wonders of heaven, and the reality of hell.

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Book SynopsisStephen Cherry''s Michael Ramsey Prize shortlisted Healing Agony argues that one of the most profound challenges a human being can ever face is how to forgive in the aftermath of injury, hurt or violation. This book explores the theology of forgiveness alongside a number of contemporary forgiveness stories in order to glean insights for those facing just this challenge. While God''s forgiveness is revealed to be a simpler matter than is sometimes imagined, forgiveness between human beings is shown to be far more difficult, enigmatic and open-ended. This book offers a map of the rugged terrain that victims of serious harm, or those who seek to accompany them, will need to navigate if they embark on the venture of trust we call forgiveness.A Group Study guide for this title is available at http://religion.cherry.continuumbooks.comTrade ReviewHealing Agony is a searching analysis of forgiveness challenging simplistic assumptions and asks questions to which there are no easy answers. Stephen Cherry is unafraid to confront the complexities of one of the great issues of our time. -- The Rt Revd the Lord Eames OM, former Archbishop of Armagh * Pre-publication *This fascinating book holds together a Christian hope in the ultimate possibility of forgiveness, even when faced with the deepest wounds, combined with an honest and realistic understanding of the complexity of the venture, as one tries to become, slowly, a forgiving person. -- Timothy Radcliffe OP * Pre-publication *There is something mysterious and deeply rewarding about reading a book which perfectly and beautifully sums up an internal dialogue that you've been having with yourself for years. I've been exposed to many theories and analyses on the meaning of forgiveness, but nothing has been presented to me with such clarity and eloquence as Healing Agony.This book is a welcome antidote to a growing movement which promotes forgiveness as a panacea for all ills and thus creates a social and moral imperative around something that is deeply personal, always different, and which should be free of obligation and guilt. It is about the best book I've read on this complicated subject. -- Marina Cantacuzino, Founder and Director of The Forgiveness Project * Pre-publication *This is a very important book on a very important subject - forgiveness. * REFORM Magazine, September 2012 *Table of Contents1. You Can't Just Flip Your Feelings; 2. The Wilderness of Hurt; 3. After Torture; 4. A Duty to Forgive?; 5. Anger, Resentment and Grudge; 6. After Murder; 7. Forgiveness as Spirituality; 8. Forgiver Syndrome; 9. Visiting Evil; 10. Re-imagining Forgiveness; 11. A Forgiving Heart; 12. The Gifts of the Wise; Bibliography; Acknowledgements; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe Church in Act explores the dynamics of ecclesial and liturgical theology, examining the body of Christ in action. Maxwell E. Johnson, one of the premier liturgical specialists in the field, provides in this volume historical and doctrinal thinking on a diversity of liturgical subjects under the umbrella of Lutheran liturgical theology and in ecumenical conversation. The topics under consideration range from baptismal spirituality to Eucharistic concerns, including real presence, pneumatology, and reservation; discussions on what constitutes liturgical normativity, the diverse hermeneutical approaches to the Revised Common Lectionary, and the place of Mary in ecumenical dialogue and culture (especially Latino-Hispanic); issues of full communion based on a liturgical reading of the Augsburg Confession VII; and specific questions related to liturgy and ecumenism today in light of recent translation changes in Roman Catholic practice. Together, the volume offers a robust account of the liturgical, sacramental, and spiritual practices of the church for scholars, students, pastors, and others who seek to minister in an ecumenical context with increased understanding and insight.

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Book SynopsisIn the world of snake oils, you have to see the world a little differently. Where others see poverty, you see riches; where others see weeds, you see flowers; where others see sickness, you see openness. Becca Stevens calls herself a snake oil seller: She takes natural oils, mixes them with a good story, sells them in an open market and believes they help to heal the world. Becca is the founder of Thistle Farms, one of the most successful examples in the US of a social enterprise whose mission is the work force. She is also the founder of its residential program, Magdalene. The women of Magdalene/Thistle Farms have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction, and the natural body care products they manufacture-balms, soaps, and lotions-aid in their own healing as well as that of the people who buy them. The book weaves together the beginnings of the enterprise with individual stories from Becca''s own journey as well as 20 women in the community. In SnakTrade ReviewA simple, comforting reflection on one woman's crusade to make a difference in the world. - Kirkus ReviewsRich and insightful. - BooklistSNAKE OIL is one of the best reads I have had in a very long time. Stevens is a consummate storyteller...poignant, persuasive, witty, wise and, ultimately, a passionate lover of God. - Phyllis Tickle, lecturer on religion in America and author of Emergence Christianity: What it Is, Where it is Going, and Why it MattersThis book is a fascinating life story of a woman who took the evil done to her and used it for the motivation to do good for abused women around the world. She has been God's instrument for healing and hope for countless numbers of broken women across America. - Tony Campolo, PhD, Eastern UniversityIn her new book, Becca Stevens does more than reclaim the term Snake Oil, she tells a personal story of reclaiming life, hope, and grace. A truly inspiring read of painful hardships, enduring faith and seizing hope. - Senator Bill Frist, M.D.SNAKE OIL, Becca Stevens' profound and sensual autobiography, carries a weight of joy in every syllable. Stevens' greatest gift--as a writer and as an Episcopal priest--is an ability to make falling in love with God an inevitable, sacred, and necessary reality. - Alice Randall, author of The Wind Done Gone and Ada's RulesWith her signature poetic simplicity, Becca Stevens leads us bravely through her healing journey and along the path she has forged for so many wounded women-so that we can find our own way as both healed and healer. Reading this book is like being anointed with the very oils she writes about. - Nancy Rue, Christy Award-winning author of The Reluctant Prophet trilogy, inspired by Magdalene and Thistle FarmsI always think of Becca Stevens as a sort of extraordinary, down-to-earth angel--conscience, guide, inspiration and girlfriend all rolled into one. I will treasure this book. - Lee Smith, author of Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger

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Book Synopsis Live from a place of abundant peace in the midst of life’s everyday worries and stress with #1 New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen. In Peaceful on Purpose, Joel shares the secret to living at peace while under pressure. You will discover how to guard your mind and heart to keep the challenges and chaos on the outside from getting to your inside.  If you’re tired of living in tension and frustration, weighed down by the troubles of life, then it’s time for a change. In Peaceful on Purpose, you will discover that you were not designed to carry that heavy load or to just live worried, uptight, and on edge. You were made to enjoy your life, but too often we allow our situations and other people to determine whether or not we’re going to be happy. You’ll learn how to control your attitude when you can’t control your circumstances. You have the power to

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Book Synopsis Tap into your God-given intuition and start achieving ultimate success with this inspiring #1 New York Times bestseller from Bishop T.D. Jakes. If you have ever felt misaligned, this book is for you. If you have lost the rhythm, the passion, or the thrill of living in alignment, then keep reading. As He did with the very cells that comprise our bodies and the dry bones that were joined together for new life, God has given us deeper instincts to be attracted to those things that fit a higher and better purpose. Never settle for less than God''s best for your life. Some people have the courage to move beyond the ordinary, from the methodical mediocre into the revolutionary realization of where they belong. You can have this sense of belonging only when you connect to your core calling. The calling to creativity, the calling to teach, to give, to build, are all

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Book Synopsis New York Times bestselling author Joseph Prince invites you to experience the grace revolution that is sweeping across the earth. The grace revolution is all about bringing Jesus back to the forefront. When Jesus is preached and lifted high, lives are touched and transformed. It''s a revolution of relationship and it''s a revolution of restoration. The grace revolution begins in the innermost sanctum of your heart when you meet the person of Jesus. It is not an outward revolution but something that begins from the inside out. Today, you can experience deep, personal, and lasting transformation that is anchored on the unshakable, rock-solid foundation of Christ and His finished work.

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