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Book SynopsisDigging for Diamonds explores 12 key facets which help you understand your unique God-given gifts and how you can live a valuable, purposeful life. Are you tired of living on planet shallow? Have you realised that there is nothing super about superficial? If so, then it's time to get real! What is hidden matters. What you can't see always shapes what you can see. And this is true for us too. God doesn't want us to be shallow people, so no matter how impressive (or not) we appear to be, it's what happens beneath the surface that matters most of all. So, it's worth digging a bit deeper to find out what is really valuable. Often it is in the hidden and slightly messy places where we find the greatest treasure of all. It's in the darkness that we often find diamonds. This book looks at 12 different facets of diamonds and the lessons we can learn from them, such as being unique but flawed, being resilient, knowing our value, being transformed and becoming a prism through which transformation happens. Cathy Madavan will in turns make you laugh and make you think. As you read and reflect on each chapter you will be challenged to move past the surface and to really dig deep into the treasure beneath the surface in your own life. You may well be richer than you realise. Content Benefits: Digging for Diamonds encourages us to dig deeper and discover more of the life-transforming treasures of our identity, strength, character and purpose that God has already placed within us - right where we are. Helps you to find the treasure hidden in the messiness of life Encourages you to be brave and move beyond the culture of shallowness to authenticity Uses the metaphor of diamonds to deliver life lessons Each chapter includes a Bible reading, teaching, questions and a prayer Studies themes such as identity and purpose Perfect for quiet times or discipleship groups as well as personal use Will encourage you to see that you are precious to God Gain a deeper understanding of your unique God-given identity and gifts Encourages you to live a valuable, purposeful life Written in an engaging and accessible style that is suitable for all to understand A perfect gift for any occasion to inspire friends, family or loved ones to dig deeper into God's truths Ideal inspirational gift for women A 40 Day Devotional companion is also available to explore the themes in more detail Audiobook narrated by author available Cathy Madavan is a regular speaker at events including New Wine and Spring Harvest Binding - Paperback Pages - 224 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book Synopsis"Professional carer" - it's almost a contradiction in terms.Let down by the 'system' Ann Benton, aided by a team of helpers, charts the journey of her father-in-law from unsatisfactory hospital care, through spectacularly absent 'care in the community', to being looked after at home. In eight easy-to-digest chapters she gives a Christian perspective on caring for your aged parent as well as giving practical tools to help those who find themselves in the same situation. Ann brings out the positive benefits of caring for those unable to look after themselves in her light-hearted, poignant and straightforward manner.Trade ReviewCaring for an elderly relative is a problem many of us will have to grapple with and here's a Christian perspective on the subject. In this easy-to-read book, Anne follows her father-in-law's journey from unsatisfactory hospital care through absent care in the community to being looked after at home. Written in a light-hearted style, here's heartfelt experience and wise advice for those facing similar challenges. -- Woman AliveThis is the updated and expanded edition of the book that first came out in 2007. I had read the original but was very glad of the excuse to re-read it, The last three chapters seem new and are really worth having. I think any Christian who has elderly par­ents that they are involved in caring for will find this a very valuable book. It's encourag­ing, practical, Christ centred and an easy read! You could even lend it to a non-believ­er struggling with the issues to help give a new perspective and to share your faith. -- Debbie Hardyman, Evangelicals NowHere is an excellent primer for those who may have to care for an elderly parent. From her own experience of providing a secure and loving environment for her father-in-law in the last 18 months before he died, Ann Benton provides us with down-to-earth, biblically rooted, practical advice. -- Evangelicals NowAnn Benton writes from the experience of having cared for her father-in-law. The book covers many practical issues that will be faced as good ideas for helping at whatever level of commitment to this task we can give. -- New Life (Australia's Christian Newspaper)

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Book SynopsisEach of us has a soul story to tell - the unique story of how we experience God throughout our lives. Kate Nicholas expertly takes you on a journey through the various stages of your life, helping you to see your soul's story as an adventure full of meaning and purpose, connecting your tale with the great sweeping arc of God's eternal narrative. As you identify the main themes of your life that connect past and present, you will be able to understand your life as a coherent whole. At the end of this reflective and practical process, you will have the tools to step out and tell your own story with confidence. Point others to Jesus as you are empowered to share the good things God has done for you. Content Benefits: Soul's Scribe helps you to make sense of your life story and gives you the confidence to effectively share your testimony with others. Encourages you to look back over your life and see where God has been at work, guiding your paths, and working out his plans Each chapter provides food thought about God's narrative, how it relates to you and how you experience God in the world at different stages of your life Helps you identify the main themes of your life that connect past and present to help you to understand your life as a coherent whole Provides you with the tools to step out and tell your own story with confidence Enables you to see your own life as an adventure, full of purpose and meaning Draws on scripture and developmental psychology Implements methods used by professional communicators Ideal for anyone who wants to see the bigger picture of their journey with God Perfect for anyone who wants to tell their story more effectively to others Binding - Paperback Pages - 256 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisA unique look at Moses' spiritual journey - from hiding his face to speaking face to face with God. Moses 'hid his face' from God, yet later in the scriptures he spoke with God 'face to face'. What did it take for him to trust God enough to change positions, and what can we learn from that journey? Jen Baker skilfully explores these questions in Face to Face. This masterful study of Moses' life is interwoven with Jen's personal testimony which helps guide the reader on a journey towards a deeper intimacy with God. However, as Moses' example shows, this journey often means walking through challenges and trials. Jen encourages us to see that these trials can actually be an opportunity to press in, not to retreat, resulting in the revelation that we are created for holiness, not hiddenness. Intimacy is the journey that takes us from one place to the other. Whether you feel distant from God, or want to deepen your relationship with him, Face to Face will help encourage you to experience God in a new and powerful way.

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Book SynopsisWhile leading a team on a week-long trek of the Himalayas, bestselling author and pastor David Platt was stunned by the human needs he encountered, an experience so dramatic that it "changed the trajectory of my life." Meeting a man who'd lost his eye from a simple infection and seeing the faces of girls stolen from their families and trafficked in the cities, along with other unforgettable encounters, opened his eyes to the people behind the statistics and compelled him to wrestle with his assumptions about faith. In Something Needs to Change, Platt invites readers to come along on both the adventure of the trek, as well as the adventure of seeking answers to tough questions like, "Where is God in the middle of suffering?" "What makes my religion any better than someone else's religion?" and "What do I believe about eternal suffering?" Platt has crafted an irresistible message about what it means to give your life for the gospel-to finally stop talking about faith and truly start living it

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Book SynopsisMany of us want to pray but are unsure how to go about it. Buried deep in the Bible, the Minor Prophets contain pearls of wisdom that form the raw material of prayer. These prophets understood the power of prayer, so what made them turn to God and how did they ask him for help?. By looking at each minor prophet in turn, Debbie Duncan explores their background and looks at how their example can help us to pray effectively today. They may be 'minor' prophets, but they teach us major truths about prayer. Content Benefits: Debbie Duncan looks at the minor prophets and draws out lessons from their lives that will enable you to learn to pray with confidence, even when times are really hard. Will help people who struggle with prayer to find confidence to pray to God in any situation Includes commentary on each minor prophet, combining biblical content with applicable life lessons Looks at issues such as justice, mercy, and hope in uncertain times Unpacks often overlooked books of the Bible Highlights the relevance of the Old Testament to our lives today Ideal for anyone who wants to deepen their prayer life Perfect for anyone who wants to gain practical life lessons from Biblical texts Binding - Paperback Pages - 224 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisIn this 40-day devotional based on the bestselling book Digging for Diamonds, Cathy Madavan encourages us to discover more of the life-transforming treasures of our identity, strength, character and purpose that God has already placed within us. Each day includes a Bible reading, a devotional thought, questions for reflection and a prayer. Spend 40 days digging for diamonds and find the treasure hidden in the messiness of life. Content Benefits: This 40-day devotional guide will help you spend more time in the scriptures, gain a deeper understanding of your unique God-given identity and gifts, and encourage you to live a valuable, purposeful life. Provides a Bible reading, devotional scriptural reflection, questions and a prayer for each day. Perfect for quiet times. Provides a structured plan to study themes of identity and purpose. Explores the themes of the Digging for Diamonds book in more detail, but can be used as a stand-alone book. Will encourage you to see that you are precious to God. Written in an engaging and accessible style that is suitable for all to understand. The ideal size for carrying with you wherever you go. Ideal reading for Lent. A perfect gift for any occasion to inspire friends, family or loved ones to dig deeper into God's truths. Cathy Madavan is a regular speaker at events including New Wine and Spring Harvest. Binding - Paperback Pages - 96 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisHow do you transition from a first generation movement under one founder leader to becoming a second generation movement with a multiple leadership? This question has now become a particular challenge for many fresh movements of churches, and it can prove to be a difficult and daunting one. David Devenish tells the story of how Newfrontiers tackled this issue, and how they successfully transitioned to next generation leadership through multiplication of leadership teams rather than appointing a successor, while still maintaining ministry accountability. Combining practical lessons with academic study, Devenish brings a wealth of experience, insight, and guidance that will prove invaluable to other movements embarking on a similar journey. Content Benefits: The issue of leadership succession has become a particular challenge for many fresh movements of churches which started as a result of the faith step of a particular founder, and who are now having to move to the next generation of leadership, whilst maintaining the same demonstration of missional and charismatic life. In this book you will learn practical lessons to transition from a first generation movement under one founder leader to becoming a second generation movement with a multiple leadership. Many new church movements are now approaching this challenge and this book provides help and advice on how to deal with this Transitioning leadership can be difficult and this book helps find a way through based on experience Provides practical lessons that can be used by other movements Draws on academic studies of movements within the Christian world Offers a robust theology for this emerging issue Applicable to all new church streams and movements, or churches pioneered by one founder Recounts the recent history of Newfrontiers Continues the story of Newfrontiers started in No Well-Worn Paths by Terry Virgo Ideal for any one looking at leadership in the church Author is a respected church leader with many years of experience in ministry and apostolic teams Binding - Paperback Pages - 208 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisRuth O'Reilly helps us to slow down, listen to God and respond to him in this beautiful devotional journal. God speaks. If we take the time to quiet our racing thoughts and be still for a moment, we can hear him. He is speaking all the time. Draw closer to God as you listen to 40 messages of love straight from the Father's heart, reflect on Bible verses and learn to talk to God with guided questions and prayers. As you write your thoughts in the journaling space provided, you will create a precious record of how God speaks to you that you can always treasure. Deepen your walk with God as you listen and respond to him speaking to you in this beautiful devotional journal. Content Benefits: With space for journaling included, God Speaks will help you to deepen your relationship with God, enable you to listen to his voice more closely, and spend more time in his presence. Each chapter has a letter in the voice of God to the reader, a Bible verse, a question to ask God, a prayer and space for journaling Each reflection is written in a conversational and easy to understand voice and is grounded in biblical truths Beautiful line drawings appear throughout and highlight Bible verses, giving the book visual appeal Coloured end papers complement the overall design Enables you to spend time listening to God and encourages you to respond Journaling space means that you can look back over your thoughts and be reminded of what God has spoken to you about Perfect for anyone who loves journaling Helpful for anyone who wants to start journaling as a spiritual practice Ideal resource for quiet times or devotional times Perfect religious gift for birthdays, celebrations, and more Binding - Hardback Pages - 176 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book SynopsisIn Step With God takes you on devotional journey through 101 biblical 'walks' and encourages you to take your own walk with God today.

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Book SynopsisRather than seeing interruptions as a constant irritation, Life, Interrupted explores why they might actually be divine interventions that can bring about spiritual wellbeing.

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Book SynopsisStirrers and Saints provides biblical, theological and pastoral pointers to help all involved in church leadership become both spiritually mature and effective leaders.

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Book SynopsisIn Grief Notes Tony Horsfall charts the first year of his grief journey since the death of his wife from cancer. Month by month he tells the unfolding story of walking with and through loss, weaving this together with biblical teaching on grief and insights gained from grief counselling. With a poignant mix of honesty and humour, Tony shares the challenges of rebuilding his life and reflects on how he has seen God meet his needs as he wrestled with grieving in a time of lockdown and pandemic. Praise for Resilience in Life and Faith: 'This book will have a ministry-wide impact.' Dr Laura Mae Gardner, former International Vice President for Personnel for Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International

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Book SynopsisPrayer is at the heart of BRF’s work, and this special illustrated anniversary collection is a celebration of prayer for BRF’s centenary year. It can be used in a range of different settings, from individual devotions to corporate worship. Including sections on prayers of preparation, seasonal prayers, and themed prayers for special times and hard times, it is the perfect daily companion to resource your spiritual journey. Part 1: Approaching God Part 2: Prayers for the journey Part 3: Seasons of the Christian year Part 4: Together through the generations Part 5: How should we live?

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Book SynopsisAn exciting new series written with the aim of equipping churches and church-planting teams with the theory and practical knowledge needed to develop significantly new approaches to mission. This first book in the series presents a thought-provoking foundation for contemporary mission. Drawing on key theological, missiological and social scientific ideas it discusses the fundamentals that provide a basis for place-dependent, reflexive praxis amongst people occupying social margins. This fascinating work re-energises debate around questions of why and how mission in marginal places should be planned and implemented.

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Book SynopsisA little while ago, concerned that the next time they got together, one of them would be in a coffin, Jeff Lucas and Adrian Plass decided to start exchanging letters and this book is the result. Breathtakingly honest, funny, moving and immensely enjoyable, Seriously Funny is a celebration of 21st century Christianity as well as a no-holds barred expose of its sillier side. And they are equally hard on themselves their most embarrassing moments are a joy to read. Adrian Plass and Jeff Lucas are renowned for their ability to express the silly side of Christian culture, and to cut through our pretensions and foibles with incisive wit. In this candid, moving, hilarious book, they join comedic forces to challenge and entertain us.

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Book SynopsisA Himalayan journey of faith and mission. The seventh monsoon was the hardest of them all. I sat on the back porch of our Himalayan home and stared as the rain streamed down all around me. I had never felt so hemmed in by the constant rain, by the effects of the civil war and by the demands of home-school. As I sat there and listened to the pounding on our tin roof, I wondered whether I would make it through. I wondered whether I would cope with another 120 days of rain. And in doing so, I began to long for another season ... From the view point of her seventh monsoon, Naomi Reed takes time to look back on the seasons of her life. As she does so, she shares with us her journey of faith and mission and reveals poignant truths about God and the way he works his purposes in our lives through seasons.

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating story of one church community's journey into faith. A template for the miraculous and living in the reality of the kingdom of God now. Simon Holley is the pastor of the King's Arms, a church in Bedford, UK, which has seen God move in remarkable ways in healing. Here he tells the fascinating story of their church community's journey into faith. As he and others in the church learn to hear God and trust that he will keep his promises, they find themselves in exciting encounters with his healing power both inside the church and while going about their day-to-day lives. From many years of reaching out for more of God's blessings while keeping his feet firmly on the ground, Simon shares simply and honestly what he and his church have learned. 'Having journeyed with Simon Holley and the supernatural community at the King's Arms Church, Bedford, for more than five years now I am so happy to see this book in print. It is a template for the miraculous and living in the reality of the kingdom of God now. I know of no other person more qualified to write on the subjects covered in this book than Simon Holley. His insights and theological truths are matched by his experience of living and developing a people who are more aware of God's presence and his ability to act than they are of the possibility of defeat. These are robust, practical and deeply moving words which will change your life and your church forever. Simon Holley is the most authentic person I know and what is contained in here will leave you wanting more of God and greater displays of his power! This book is a must for pastors, leaders and anyone who wants to see heaven invade earth.' Julian Adams, Founder of Frequentsee Trust, speaker and author

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Book SynopsisIn God''s Hands is the 2015 Archbishop of Canterbury''s Lent Book.In this little gem of a book, Archbishop Desmond Tutu distils the wisdom forged through a childhood of poverty and apartheid, an adulthood lived in the glare of the world''s media, and the long and agonising struggle for truth and reconciliation in South Africa, into the childlike simplicity which Jesus tells us characterises the Kingdom of God.Archbishop Tutu has produced a meditation on the infinite love of God and the infinite value of the human individual. Not only are we in God`s hands, he says, our names are engraved on his palms. Throughout an often turbulent life, Archbishop Tutu has fought for justice and against oppression and prejudice.As we learn in this book, what has driven him forward is an unshakeable belief that human beings are created in the image of God and are infinitely valuable. Each one of us is a God-carrier, a tabernacle, a sanctuary of the Divine Trinity. God loves us not because Trade ReviewThis is a cracking book. Buy it. It will change your Church * Church of England Newspaper *Table of ContentsForeword by the Archbishop of Canterbury PART ONE 1 The Subversiveness of the Bible 2 We are created for Complementarity, for Togetherness, for Family 3 The Biased God 4 You Are Loved 5 It's All of Grace 6 In the Beginning, God; At the End, God PART TWO 'Arch' in Conversation: A Spiritual Retrospective Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisHis street name was Daylight. But he was a nightmare. On the streets of New York, darkness and violence reigned. Dimas Daylight Salaberrios popped his first pill when he was eleven years old, and just days later, he was selling drugs to his schoolmates. By fifteen, he was facing time at the notorious Rikers Island Prison. It was never safe to turn your back, and Dimas saw only one chance to survive: to become a street god. He would be the richest, most powerful ruler in the hood . . . or die trying.But in one terrifying moment, with a gun pointed at his head, Dimas had to decide: How far would he go? Was he finished taking reckless chances to rule as a god of the streets? Would he dare to entrust his life to the real Godan even riskier path? Because that God would send Dimas back down the darkest streets he'd ever known on a rescue mission after those still in danger.Street God is the true story of one man's against-all-odds journey from the streets to

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Book SynopsisFrom the founder of Mary's Meals and the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Shed That Fed a Million Children, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow travels the world encountering startling acts of charity and the power of generosity.Few people in the world are better placed to understand the role of charity and generosity than Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow. As the founder and CEO of Mary's Meals, Magnus helps feed and educate millions of children in 18 different countries across the world every year.In a time when some charitable organisations have been rocked by scandal and many are questioning their effectiveness in the modern age,Givetakes us on an epic journey to rediscover the beauty and transformative power of authentic charity.Powerful and inspiring,Givecelebrates the impact of charity in all our lives, illustrating how the act of sharing and even sacrifice is the key to a life of joy.Trade Review‘Such an inspiring and thoughtful rediscovery of the sheer beauty of charity. The loveliest book I’ve read this year.’ – Bishop John Keenan ‘A must read for everyone who has a heart to make a difference in the world.’ – Cheryl Weber, Host of 100 Huntley Street

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Book SynopsisI am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. - Madeline L''Engle?Written with love, humility, and faith, this brief but poignant volume was first published under a pseudonym, as it was considered too raw. Written moment-to-moment as Lewis processed the loss of his wife to cancer, this is more than a mere book on grief, but a visceral hand outstretched in the darkness, a reluctant guide through the mad midnight moments of mourning and loss. ?Key learnings that Lewis discusses are:       Pain is instrumental in the process of spiritual growth       Through hardship we often gain the best wisdom       Memories are treasures that will comfort you tomorrow

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Book SynopsisAn account which compares the contemporary anorexic teenager, counting every calorie in her single-minded pursuit of thinness, and the ascetic medieval saint, examining her every desire.

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Book SynopsisHow do people practice religion in their everyday lives? Courtney Bender spent more than a year working as a volunteer for a non-profit organisation called God's Love We Deliver, helping to prepare food for people with AIDs, this volume tells the story of that time.

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Book SynopsisIn 2001, a collection of open and affirming churches with predominantly African American membership and a Pentecostal style of worship formed a radically new coalition. The group, known now as the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries or TFAM, has at its core the idea of radical inclusivity: the powerful assertion that everyone, no matter how seemingly flawed or corrupted, has holiness within. Whether you are LGBT, have HIV/AIDS, have been in prison, abuse drugs or alcohol, are homeless, or are otherwise compromised and marginalized, TFAM tells its people, you are one of God's creations. In Filled with the Spirit, Ellen Lewin gives us a deeply empathetic ethnography of the worship and community central to TFAM, telling the story of how the doctrine of radical inclusivity has expanded beyond those it originally sought to serve to encompass people of all races, genders, sexualities, and religious backgrounds. Lewin examines the seemingly paradoxical relationship between TFAM and traditional black churches, focusing on how congregations and individual members reclaim the worship practices of these churches and simultaneously challenge their authority. The book looks closely at how TFAM worship is legitimated and enhanced by its use of gospel music and considers the images of food and African American culture that are central to liturgical imagery, as well as how understandings of personal authenticity tie into the desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Throughout, Lewin takes up what has been mostly missing from our discussions of race, gender, and sexualityclose attention to spirituality and faith.

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Book SynopsisIt's not a process, one pastor insisted, rehabilitation is a miracle. In the face of addiction and few state resources, Pentecostal pastors in Guatemala City are fighting what they understand to be a major crisis. Yet the treatment centers they operate produce this miracle of rehabilitation through extraordinary means: captivity. These men of faith snatch drug users off the streets, often at the request of family members, and then lock them up inside their centers for months, sometimes years. Hunted is based on more than ten years of fieldwork among these centers and the drug users that populate them. Over time, as Kevin Lewis O'Neill engaged both those in treatment and those who surveilled them, he grew increasingly concerned that he, too, had become a hunter, albeit one snatching up information. This thoughtful, intense book will reframe the arc of redemption we so often associate with drug rehabilitation, painting instead a seemingly endless cycle of hunt, capture, and release.

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Book SynopsisScholars have made urban mothers living in poverty a focus of their research for decades. Offering an analysis of how faith both motivates and at times constrains poor mothers' actions, this book reveals the ways it serves as a lens through which many view and interpret their worlds.Trade Review"Living Faith offers a thoughtful parsing of religious 'coping' as a multidimensional and multidirectional phenomenon. It usefully conceptualizes religious practices that are salient to the book's subjects as well as to broader religious publics. This highly original treatment of the role of religion in the lives of low-income women will be read widely, and for a very long time, by students of inequality, religion, gender, urban institutions, welfare policy, and more." (Omar McRoberts, University of Chicago)"

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Book SynopsisAngel Park is a Mormon fundamentalist polygamous community where plural marriages between one man and multiple women are common. Based on many years of in-depth ethnographic research, Illicit Monogamy considers the plural family from the points of view of husbands, wives, and children, giving a balanced account of its complications and conflicts.Trade ReviewIllicit Monogamy focuses on the polygamous community Angel Park, giving readers a real feel for the society. Jankowiak is superb at treating his subjects with fairness, so that we don't care about who is 'best,' but rather what universal factors shape people's responses. This is a wonderful book—I'd be proud to have written it. -- Elaine Hatfield, author of What's Next in Love and Sex: Psychological and Cultural PerspectivesJankowiak explores in detail the nature of polygynous relationships from the points of view of husbands, wives, and children. The ethnography is very rich and complex, and he is deeply sympathetic to these families in the almost inevitable clash they experience between religious ideology and human emotion and is able to deeply explore their often-conflicted perspectives. Jankowiak is masterful at this—I feel that I can truly understand from this book what it must be like to live in a plural-family household, in both its happiness and its tensions. -- Gordon Mathews, coauthor of The World in Guangzhou: Africans and Other Foreigners in South China’s Global MarketplaceThis original study of the fundamentalist Mormon polygamous community draws on the background of Jankowiak's cross-cultural and ethnographic research on romantic and companionate love, marriage, and sex in Mongolia, China, and elsewhere. Based on a six-year ethnographic project, the author presents rich details from the individual lives of men, women, and children as they adapt to a patriarchally-based polygamous form of family. Simultaneously the ethnographer discerns general patterns and regularities based on systematic collective norms drawn from religious sources. Jankowiak's brilliant synthesis of ethnography and theory throughout his lucid and engaging presentation will interest anthropologists, sociologists, social workers, and religious studies scholars everywhere. -- Raymond Scupin, author of Cultural Anthropology: A Global Perspective, Tenth EditionTable of ContentsA Note to Residents of Angel ParkAcknowledgments1. Plural Marriage and What It Means to Be Human2. Fundamentalist Polygamy: Contextual Background3. In the Name of the Father: Public Adoration Private Qualification4. Different Philosophies for Organizing a Family5. Placement Marriage or Self Choice: Finding Your Soul Mate6. Managing a Marriage: Expectation, Duty, and Preference7. Cowife Jealousy, Regret, and Cooperative Exchanges8. Family Politics Revealed Through Naming Practices9. Theology and Mother Care: Full-Sibling and Half-Sibling Bonding10. Theological Parenthood and the Making of the Good Polygamous Teenager11. The Lonely World of Polygamous MenConclusion: Themes and TrendsNotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Michael MacKay utilizes a humble and penetrating method in his Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. It is in the details of early Mormon history that MacKay truly excels." --Mormon Studies Review"A welcome and overdue contribution to the short list of publications on authority in the Church. . . . MacKay does not disappoint. . . . MacKay has given us a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of authority both preceding and following the 1830 organization of the Church." --BYU Studies Quarterly​"MacKay's account of priesthood authority should come as a relief to Mormon historians who have struggled to make the restoration of priesthood orderly and consistent. . . . In telling this complex story, MacKay is respectful and admiring and, for his readers, always illuminating." --Journal of Arizona History​"MacKay's excellent command of the subject matter makes this a necessary resource." --Choice​"A unique blend of scholarship, research, and historical retelling that goes well beyond accounts . . . MacKay's reconstruction can easily sustain the fabric of faith." --Interpreter​"The existence of this text should be heralded as an important milestone." --Juvenile Instructor​”Was early Mormonism excessively democratic, representative of a newly disestablished society? Or deeply theocratic, echoing the skeptical backlash against those same liberating impulses? In this exhaustively researched and sophisticatedly argued book, Michael MacKay argues that it is not an 'either, or' but 'yes, and.' And in doing so, MacKay digs into some of founding—and foundational—paradoxes concerning religion in the early American republic.”—Benjamin E Park, author of American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in an Age of Revolutions, 1783–1833”In Prophetic Authority, MacKay gives us the most thorough and painstaking description of the slow blossoming of the Mormon priesthood hierarchy available, embedding the story in the raucous context of antebellum American democracy. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand either of those worlds better.”—Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America

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Book SynopsisThe Mormon tradition's emphasis on prophetic authority makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unique within America's religious culture. The religion that Joseph Smith created established a kingdom of God in a land distrustful of monarchy while positioning Smith as Christ's voice on earth, with the power to form cities, establish economies, and arrange governments.Michael Hubbard MacKay traces the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' claim to religious authority and sets it within the context of its times. Delving into the evolution of the concept of prophetic authority, MacKay shows how the Church emerged as a hierarchical democracy with power diffused among leaders Smith chose. At the same time, Smith's settled place atop the hierarchy granted him an authority that spared early Mormonism the internal conflict that doomed other religious movements. Though Smith faced challenges from other leaders, the nascent Church repeatedly turned to him to decide civic plansTrade Review"Michael MacKay utilizes a humble and penetrating method in his Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. It is in the details of early Mormon history that MacKay truly excels." --Mormon Studies Review"A welcome and overdue contribution to the short list of publications on authority in the Church. . . . MacKay does not disappoint. . . . MacKay has given us a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of authority both preceding and following the 1830 organization of the Church." --BYU Studies Quarterly​"MacKay's account of priesthood authority should come as a relief to Mormon historians who have struggled to make the restoration of priesthood orderly and consistent. . . . In telling this complex story, MacKay is respectful and admiring and, for his readers, always illuminating." --Journal of Arizona History​"MacKay's excellent command of the subject matter makes this a necessary resource." --Choice​"A unique blend of scholarship, research, and historical retelling that goes well beyond accounts . . . MacKay's reconstruction can easily sustain the fabric of faith." --Interpreter​"The existence of this text should be heralded as an important milestone." --Juvenile Instructor​”Was early Mormonism excessively democratic, representative of a newly disestablished society? Or deeply theocratic, echoing the skeptical backlash against those same liberating impulses? In this exhaustively researched and sophisticatedly argued book, Michael MacKay argues that it is not an 'either, or' but 'yes, and.' And in doing so, MacKay digs into some of founding—and foundational—paradoxes concerning religion in the early American republic.”—Benjamin E Park, author of American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in an Age of Revolutions, 1783–1833”In Prophetic Authority, MacKay gives us the most thorough and painstaking description of the slow blossoming of the Mormon priesthood hierarchy available, embedding the story in the raucous context of antebellum American democracy. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand either of those worlds better.”—Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis volume is as enriching as it is ground-breaking. It will definitely be a companion to students of religion and Eastern Orthodoxy from various disciplines, complementing the theological and historical approaches to Eastern Christianity. * Journal of Orthodox Christian Studies *These essays advance the understanding of Eastern Orthodox spiritual practices from a religious studies perspective, and they will likely stimulate new directions for research and teaching in this largely neglected area. * Reading Religion *This collection could well be a principal text in courses on contemporary spirituality and church life. And equally it could be used for retreats and for personal spiritual reading as well. It is a welcome addition to other fine work that explores popular spirituality. * St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly *[T]he contributors to this volume offer a number of valuable insights into questions of personhood, mediation, tradition, authority, publicity, intimacy, belonging, and the theological valences we attach to the human sensorium. Their collective labor demonstrates that Eastern Christianity is rich soil for anthropological inquiry from a number of vantage-points and for a host of theoretical interests. * AnthroCyBib *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Senses of Prayer in Eastern Orthodox Christianity / Sonja Luehrmann Part I: Senses1. Becoming Orthodox: The Mystery and Mastery of a Christian Tradition / Vlad NaumescuA Missionary Primer / Ioann Veniaminov 2. Listening and the Sacramental Life: Degrees of Mediation in Greek Orthodox Christianity / Jeffers Engelhardt Creating an Image for Prayer / Sonja Luehrmann3. Imagining Holy Personhood: Anthropological Thresholds of the Icon / Angie HeoSyriac as a lingua sacra: Speaking the Language of Christ in India / Vlad Naumescu4. Authorizing: The Paradoxes of Praying by the Book / Sonja LuehrmannPart II: Worlds5. Inhabiting Orthodox Russia: Religious Nomadism and the Puzzle of Belonging / Jeanne Kormina Baraka: Mixing Muslims, Christians, and Jews / Angie Heo6. Sharing Space: On the Publicity of Prayer, between an Ethiopian Village and the Rest of the World / Tom Boylston Prayers for Cars, Weddings, and Well-Being: Orthodox Prayers en route in Syria / Andreas Bandak7. Struggling Bodies at the Crossroads of Economy and Tradition: The Case of Contemporary Russian Convents / Daria Dubovka Competing Prayers for Ukraine / Sonja Luehrmann8. Orthodox Revivals: Prayer, Charisma, and Liturgical Religion / Simion PopEpilogue: Not-Orthodoxy/Orthodoxy's Others / William A. Christian Jr.GlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis volume is as enriching as it is ground-breaking. It will definitely be a companion to students of religion and Eastern Orthodoxy from various disciplines, complementing the theological and historical approaches to Eastern Christianity. * Journal of Orthodox Christian Studies *These essays advance the understanding of Eastern Orthodox spiritual practices from a religious studies perspective, and they will likely stimulate new directions for research and teaching in this largely neglected area. * Reading Religion *This collection could well be a principal text in courses on contemporary spirituality and church life. And equally it could be used for retreats and for personal spiritual reading as well. It is a welcome addition to other fine work that explores popular spirituality. * St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly *[T]he contributors to this volume offer a number of valuable insights into questions of personhood, mediation, tradition, authority, publicity, intimacy, belonging, and the theological valences we attach to the human sensorium. Their collective labor demonstrates that Eastern Christianity is rich soil for anthropological inquiry from a number of vantage-points and for a host of theoretical interests. * AnthroCyBib *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Senses of Prayer in Eastern Orthodox Christianity / Sonja Luehrmann Part I: Senses1. Becoming Orthodox: The Mystery and Mastery of a Christian Tradition / Vlad NaumescuA Missionary Primer / Ioann Veniaminov 2. Listening and the Sacramental Life: Degrees of Mediation in Greek Orthodox Christianity / Jeffers Engelhardt Creating an Image for Prayer / Sonja Luehrmann3. Imagining Holy Personhood: Anthropological Thresholds of the Icon / Angie HeoSyriac as a lingua sacra: Speaking the Language of Christ in India / Vlad Naumescu4. Authorizing: The Paradoxes of Praying by the Book / Sonja LuehrmannPart II: Worlds5. Inhabiting Orthodox Russia: Religious Nomadism and the Puzzle of Belonging / Jeanne Kormina Baraka: Mixing Muslims, Christians, and Jews / Angie Heo6. Sharing Space: On the Publicity of Prayer, between an Ethiopian Village and the Rest of the World / Tom Boylston Prayers for Cars, Weddings, and Well-Being: Orthodox Prayers en route in Syria / Andreas Bandak7. Struggling Bodies at the Crossroads of Economy and Tradition: The Case of Contemporary Russian Convents / Daria Dubovka Competing Prayers for Ukraine / Sonja Luehrmann8. Orthodox Revivals: Prayer, Charisma, and Liturgical Religion / Simion PopEpilogue: Not-Orthodoxy/Orthodoxy's Others / William A. Christian Jr.GlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBrennan's ethnography is a wonderful contribution to the scholarship on African Christianity. * Ingernational Journal of African Historical Studies *Given the ever-expanding scope of the study of the visual and expressive arts of Africa, this book offers another perspective and one that accesses the activities of one of Africa's adapted churches. * African Studies Association *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsNote on Language and Translation1. Singing the Same Song2. Onward Christian Soldiers3. The Voice of the Spirit4. Take Control5. Straight to Heaven6. In His Steps7. Living in the Spirit8. Show the Glory of GodEpilogueGlossary of Yoruba TermsBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBrennan's ethnography is a wonderful contribution to the scholarship on African Christianity. * Ingernational Journal of African Historical Studies *Given the ever-expanding scope of the study of the visual and expressive arts of Africa, this book offers another perspective and one that accesses the activities of one of Africa's adapted churches. * African Studies Association *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsNote on Language and Translation1. Singing the Same Song2. Onward Christian Soldiers3. The Voice of the Spirit4. Take Control5. Straight to Heaven6. In His Steps7. Living in the Spirit8. Show the Glory of GodEpilogueGlossary of Yoruba TermsBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThrough a thoughtful interrogation of the effects of faith and religion on our lives, our relationships, and our country, God Land investigates whether our divides can ever be bridged and if America can ever come together.Trade ReviewLenz holds light to the hypocrisy she finds. And her overall conclusions — that so much of this boils down to white supremacy and white privilege — is not what I was expecting from this book, but so helpful to me. By no means is Lenz, a middle class white woman, the first to point out white supremacy in American Christianity. But I found the structure of her arguments incredibly compelling and straightforward, for me, also an upper middle class white woman. * She Can't Stop Reading *God Land is a courageous narrative account of the religious and political divides that threaten to rip America down its middle. * Foreword Reviews *God Land is a gritty, insightful tour guide into some of the realities of the American Midwest. In this highly readable book, journalist Lyz Lenz provides her reader with a window into her own lived experiences as an Iowa transplant, a victim of sexist evangelical church cultures, a divorcee and a mother—a woman entangled with broader cultural histories of white Protestant America, nostalgia, and loss in the heartland. . . . Highly recommended. -- Kristy Nabhan-Warren * Indiana Magazine of History *This work will resonate with any readers interested in understanding American landscapes where white, evangelical Christianity dominates both politics and culture. * Publishers Weekly *[Lenz's] sharp, insightful prose and deep compassion help illuminate many facets of a complicated region and its ties to Christianity. And like the people she meets, Lenz can't quite give up her stubborn longing for a big-hearted faith and an even bigger God. The result is an incisive, sober-eyed yet hopeful look at a vital aspect of American culture. * Shelf Awareness *Table of Contents Dangerous Speculation The Heart of the Heartland Yearning for Better Days The Pew and the Pulpit The Church of the Air Room at the Table A Muscular Jesus The Asian American Reformed Church of Bigelow, Minnesota Bridging the Divide A Den of Thieves Satanists Potluck Reclaiming Our Faith The Fire Outside

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Book SynopsisTo a deplorable extent, Christians accept Church rituals as sacred but baffling heirlooms from the Church's past. It is to remedy this situation that Father Daniélou has written this book. The Bible and the Liturgy illuminates, better than has ever before been done, the vital and meaningful bond between Bible and liturgy. Father Daniélou aims at bringing clearly before his reader''s minds the fact that the Church''s liturgical rites and feasts are intended, not only to transmit the grace of the sacraments, but to instruct the faithful in their meaning as well as the meaning of the whole Christian life. It is through the sacraments in their role as signs that we learn. So that their value will be appreciated, Daniélou attempts to help us rediscover the significance of these rites so that the sacraments may once again be thought of as the prolongation of the great works of God in the Old Testament and the New.Trade Review"No serious student of the Liturgy, no cleric especially, will want to miss the depths of meaning conveyed by the sacramental signs which this book reveals." —The Catholic World"Daniélou examines the sign-language of the Sacraments and of the Feasts...as this language is explained by the Fathers, who, in turn, based their interpretration on those given in the New Testament and in Tradition. The present study is published in the hope, therefore, that it will prove of great value to all who are interested in learning, and in instructing others in, the meaning of Christianity." —Michael A. Mathis, C.S.C., Editor, Liturgical Studies“Father Daniélou shows a life-long, intimate friendship with the early fathers of the church. With an amazing ease and dexterity he will call upon these holy writers to explain the early origin as well as the deeper and more primitive meaning of the sacramental rites. . . . [The Bible and the Liturgy] will provide a much deeper understanding of our principal liturgical rites in themselves and in their relation to the Passion. . . . There is much profit and inspiration in this book, so wonderfully rich in patristic lore.” —The Passionist“Daniélou offers us a rich synthesis of the profound meaning of the sacramental rites and feasts. The book is written most properly for a wide public; its contents are intended for the members of God’s people who, whether in parishes or cloisters, celebrate the feasts of the Church and take part in her sacraments. It is of high importance for pastoral liturgy and catechetical instruction.” —Worship“[T]he book awakens the reader to the depth and dimension and unity that characterize divine activities.” —Religious Education

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Book SynopsisThe author of this book challenges the contemporary view of God and suffering. Calling upon scripture, and the philosophical and theological tradition of the Fathers and Aquinas, he advocates the incarnational truth that the Son of God actually does experience human living, including suffering.Trade Review“This theologically erudite and pastorally sensitive study is an essential work for any theologian concerned with the question of divine suffering.” —Theological Studies“Weinandy’s book is such a compelling treatment of central Christian doctrines that one is eager to see his thesis formulated in a way that presents no temptation to those who might be inclined to repeat the sins of the anti-Jewish past.” —Commonweal“Weinandy’s book is a strong statement of the grammar of orthodoxy with respect to the question of God’s impassibility and an extremely useful resource for study of the history of the question.” —The Journal of Religion“This is theology as it should be done. Throughout, Weinandy imaginatively engages the Christian tradition in a way that respects the truths of faith as a ‘mystery’ to be explored rather than as ‘problems’ to be solved, thus giving to his entire work the character of intelligently believing humility. For those who are ready for a very thorough intellectual and spiritual workout, this book is warmly recommended. —First Things“In... chapters, Thomas Weinandy walks briskly and intelligently through... two extremes, showing how a perfect and immutable God can be said to suffer alongside and because of human sin, not out of any deficiency, but out of his fullness. ...[T]his represents the best of post-conciliar theology: rooted firmly in the tradition while drawing from the best of contemporary thought, sympathetic to diverse positions without ever forfeiting a critical gaze....” —Homiletic & Pastoral Review“It is to the author’s credit that he has presented difficult philosophical and theological material in a manner that is easily accessible to a general readership and still quite useful to the advanced student.” —Modern Theology“The only defense of God in the face of a suffering world must be a dogmatic one which asks who he is as he is made known through his Church in the midst of the earth and how He responds in this identity to our suffering. Weinandy’s book is a rare and strong example of a traditional dogmatic response to it, we would all do well, therefore, to follow his argument closely both in order to understand how the Church expressed the mystery of the cross in the past and in order to understand why another approach to the question of Christ’s cry might be needed now.” —St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly

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