Search results for ""Author Keith Ward""

From original sin to eternal life, the function of prayer to the role of the church, renowned theologian Keith Ward offers a comprehensive survey of the diversity of Christian thinking in this introduction to the world’s largest faith. By presenting three different interpretations for over fifteen key doctrines, he invites anyone interested in the contemporary spiritual landscape to consider the Christian faith from a new and refreshing perspective.

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Language about God is something like the language of poetry - The poetic use of language is not to increase your information about the world. We know facts about the world without having poetry. The use of words in poetry is to evoke in us a certain attitude or way of looking at things or feeling about things...If this is the use of religious language, what sort of view of the world is it trying to convey? I think we might say it is trying to convey that the world is an expression of a reality beyond it...' Keith Ward unpacks the meaning of the word 'God' and explains why we need to get rid of the crude and unhelpful assumptions that still abound. A book for all who are curious about how God, and God's actions, can be understood today. Intended for people looking for answers to life's biggest questions, this little book of guidance will appeal to anyone, whether believer or non-believer, looking for a quick and easy way into the topic.

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A short definitive account of Keith Ward’s theology, based on the philosophy of Personal Idealism. It records Ward’s views about God, revelation, the kingdom of God, life after death, the incarnation, atonement, and Trinity. In summary, it is a concise and clear account of most central Christian doctrines, formed in the light of modern science and Idealist philosophy.

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Jesus’ teaching has changed the world. Yet his sayings can often seem cryptic and hard to understand. In Love Is His Meaning, Keith Ward explores the various figures of speech and images that Jesus used, and finds they are all ways of expressing and evoking the self-giving love of God, manifested supremely in Jesus’ life. They communicate spiritual truths, often not in a literal but in a poetic way. They encourage us to take our own moral decisions with sensitivity and care for others. They show that God’s love will never abandon anyone, and that it extends to everyone in the world without exception. And they promise a fulfilment of our hopes for a just and peaceable world that surpasses anything we might describe or imagine. Putting aside literalist, authoritarian, legalistic, judgemental and divisive presentations of Jesus’ teachings, the author shows that what remains is the gospel of a divine love – a love stronger than death, and the only power that can and will redeem our disordered world.

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From Descartes to Dostoevsky, the debate concerning the relationship between religion and morality has raged for centuries. Can there be a solid foundation for ethics without God? Or would we be consigned to a relativist morality, where “the good” is just a product of societal values or natural selection? In this landmark work, acclaimed philosopher and theologian, Keith Ward, presents a revolutionary new contribution to this discussion. Reflecting on the work of philosophers old and new – including Hume, Mill, Murdoch and Moore – he argues that our conception of morality intrinsically depends on our model of reality. And if we want a meaningful, objective ethics, then only God can provide the solid metaphysical foundations. Carefully structured and written in Ward’s famously clear prose, Morality, Autonomy and God will be an invaluable primer for students of theology or philosophy of religion. But more than that, this strident and controversial book is guaranteed to shape philosophical opinion for years to come.

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Long before the release of The God Delusion, Keith Ward was defending religious belief on all sides from its detractors. In the new paperback edition of this influential bestseller, Keith Ward examines the arguments put forward by a host of scientists, sociologists, and psychologists, who claim that religion is nothing more than a host of naïve superstitions and delusions. Exploring the work of thinkers from Sigmund Freud to Emile Durkheim, Ward offers an alternative view, demonstrating religion’s key contribution to the human condition and its crucial relevance to the world today.

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Originally published in 1972, The Development of Kant's Ethics is Keith Ward's exceptional analysis of the history of Kant's ideas on ethics and the emergence of Kantian ethics as a mature theory. Through a thorough overview of all of Kant's texts written between 1755 and 1804, Ward puts forth the argument that the critical literature surrounding Kantian ethics has underplayed Kant's concern with the role of happiness in relation to morality and the significance of the tradition of natural law for the development of Kantian ethics. Covering all of Kant's extant works from Nova Dilucidatio to Opus Postumum, Ward traces the progression of Kant's views from his early ideas on Rationalism to Moral Sense Theory and the development of Critical Philosophy, and finally to his later-life writings on the relationship between morality and faith. Through careful analysis of each of Kant's works, Ward details the scientific, philosophical, and theological ideas that influenced Kant—such as the works of Emanuel Swedenborg—and demonstrates the critical role these influences played in the development of Kantian ethics. Offering a rare and extraordinary historical view of some of Kant's most important contributions to philosophy, this is an invaluable resource for scholars engaged in questions on the origins and influences of Kant's work, and for students seeking a thorough understanding of Kant's historical and philosophical contexts.

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From Plato to Wittgenstein and religions from Judaism to the Hindu tradition, interspersed with divine influences from Classical Greece, Romantic poetry, and the occasional scene from 'Alien', ‘God: A Guide for the Perplexed’ charts the path of humanity's great spiritual odyssey: the search for God. Leading the way through this minefield is acclaimed philosopher-theologian Keith Ward, blending the sublime and the eclectic in a narrative which offers wit, erudition and moments of genuine pathos. As a survey of the different manifestations of God through the centuries, and an examination of humanity's search for the divine, this is an engaging and informative book. As a deeply moving testament to our endless capacity for spiritual hope, it is compulsive reading for anyone interested in, or embarking on, the great quest for meaning. ‘A lively and very clearly written discussion summarizing and criticizing the thoughts of many significant thinkers.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Wry but delightfully non-ironic, intelligent and clear, this book is a blessing. ‘ Publishers Weekly ‘Highly informed, witty and immensely accessible. One of the most congenial, lively and informative introductions to this field.’ Alister McGrath, Professor of Historical Theology, Oxford University

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Though little can be known with certainty about the historical Jesus, the image of a heavenly figure – `Christ crucified and risen’ – was constructed out of his life and teachings. This vision of divine reality transcends traditional Hebrew poetic thought, retaining its ancient power in the context of our new understanding of a vast and evolving cosmos. In order to help us form a truly contemporary Christian spirituality, Keith Ward (writing in our own time and place rather than, for example, in the 4th century like St Augustine, the 14th like Julian of Norwich, the 16th like Ignatius of Loyola, or the 20th like Thomas Merton) offers a set of reflections on what he believes to be the unique and life-transforming revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. And as we explore the spiritual truths relating to this mystery as expressed in the Gospels, meditation leads naturally to prayer.

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Extraordinary performance from ordinary people is a must read for the high performing manager with the ambition to reach corporate leadership status. The book is as practical as it is exciting. How to succeed and which personal qualities are required from those who display the capability for great responsibility, are the themes that run throughout. The book focuses on both the key value adding activities and disciplines for driving through change and the styles of corporate leaders that attract successExtraordinary performance from ordinary people highlights how the leaders of the company, as a corporate team, can adopt and adapt the four value creating styles. It emphasises how to recognise which leadership framework suits the challenges of particular competitive environments. This insight nurtures a confidence to act decisively adopting an approach to communication which harnesses the energies of the organisation to achieve stretching performance targets. It concentrates on how leaders make a difference by what they do. Diagnostic models that show what really works and under which circumstances are core to this book.

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Written for marketing and finance directors, CEOs, and strategists, as well as MBA students, this practical book explains the principles and practice behind rigorous due diligence in marketing. It connects marketing plans and investment to the valuation of the firm and how it can contribute to increasing stakeholder value. Completely revised and updated throughout, the Second Edition features new case examples as well as a completely new first chapter containing the results of new research into risk and marketing strategies amongst Finance Directors and Chief Marketing Officers.

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