Biblical theologian Terence E. Fretheim weaves key insights from Scripture with theological reflections on the nature and activity of God, God''s relationship to the world, and the natural order. Relational language and images fill the various forms of communication that ministry leaders must use to speak about God and God''s presence and activity in the world. Fretheim shows the importance of using this kind of language to speak to the realities of life and faith. Each chapter of the book explores a unique aspect of God''s relationship with humanity and the world, including God''s faithfulness, concern for our entire selves, promise to be present in both good and bad times, willingness to listen, sharing of power, and desire to allow an open future for all. Filled with authentic reflections and helpful insights, this is a must-read for all want to know and experience more about the nature of God.
Each of us experiences moments that shift the axis of our lives, nudging us into new perspectives and sometimes altering our course completely. These are threads--threads that seem mundane, silly, or even trite but, woven together over the course of a life, bring us to places we never imagined.Sex, God, and Rock ''n'' Roll is a story of such threads in one extraordinary life. Barry Taylor began adulthood on the road with a world-famous rock band, and there he found religion. He then became a theologian, priest, teacher, and a theist-non-theist-post-theist. Some of his stories will shock and others will provoke laughter and tears. Taken together, they show just how poignantly the sacred moves in all of our lives.
How should I respond when a teen comes out? Do I have to tell their parents? What does it mean to be transgender? And how do I talk to a trans youth?These are the kinds of tough questions facing Christian communities everywhere. It''s not enough for faith leaders to improvise their way through these questions. Leaders need concrete tools to navigate the LGBTQ+ landscape.Welcoming and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting and Working with LGBTQ+ Christian Youth is one of those tools. A handbook for pastors, youth workers, church leaders, educators, and other adults in Christian settings, the book provides answers to the most pressing questions about sexuality, gender, mental health, safe sex, and more.Written by a team of LGBTQ+ adults, Welcoming and Affirming features first-hand, personal testimonials from queer young adults who have experienced the joys and hardships of being queer and Christian. You''ll walk away with a lot of insight, prepared to love, affirm, and accept the LGBTQ+ teens in your community the way God does--exactly as they are.Welcoming and Affirming is a companion book to Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens.
In pre-publication, Finke was given as the author, rather than the editor.
"In Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids, kids engage in and practice mindfulness through fun and easy exercises, crafts, and activities, with the goal of learning a deeper sense of calm, peace, joy, and connection to the world around them, all while improving emotional intelligence, boosting self-esteem, and reducing anxiety"--
When she encounters problems that diminish her enjoyment of a class field trip to a local art museum, Emma calls on her inner sense of awesome to stand up for herself and teach her friend Charley how to feel comfortable in his own skin.
Illustrations and simple, rhyming text follow Little Ewe as she ignores Shepherd while chasing three lizards, splashing with six frogs, and more in a tale inspired by the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
"The story of how Shaesta Waiz became the youngest woman in history, and the first woman from Afghanistan, to fly around the world in a single-engine aircraft"--
Enrich each day with wisdom from our greatest spiritual thinkers. Through brief daily readings and reflections, the 30-Day Journey series invites readers to be inspired and transformed. By devoting a moment to meaningful reflection and spiritual growth, readers will find deeper understanding of themselves and the world, one day at a time. Emily Dickinson's unique spirit and gorgeous language have secured her legacy as one of America's most original and most beloved poets. Whether you are a devoted reader or are discovering the beauty of her poetry for the first time, this journey provides the perfect way to engage the thought of this strikingly gifted poet.
"A child learns to acknowledge an unwanted thought, show it compassion, and then actively let it go so she can focus on positive thoughts instead"--
Unable to choose one favorite color, a young boy enjoys wearing a pink tutu on Sundays, playing with an orange basketball on Tuesdays, and trying to change things with a purple wand on Saturdays.
Even as the world changes around her, a little girl has faith that circumstances will improve.
In Sacred Balance, certified yoga instructor and spirituality blogger Melinda Emily Thomas helps you align body and spirit through two timeless traditions: yoga and the Benedictine Way. Studded with illustrations of basic yoga poses and ideas for wellness, prayers, and meditations, Sacred Balance offers an abundance of wisdom for daily life that guides us toward peace and wholeness.
"Shows how Sayers used edgy, often hilarious metaphors to ignite new ways to think about Christianity, shocking people into seeing the truth of ancient doctrine in a new light. Urging readers to reassess interpretations of the Bible that impede the cause of Christ, Sayers helps twenty-first-century Christians navigate a society increasingly suspicious of evangelical vocabularies and find new ways to talk and think about faith and culture. Ultimately, she will inspire believers, on both the right and the left, to evaluate how and why their language perpetuates divisive certitude rather than the hopeful humility of faith, and will show us all a better way forward"--Book jacket flap.
According to new research from the Public Religion Research Institute, there are over 35 million consistently progressive Christians in the United States. Majorities of American Christians support reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights. Yet they''re erased from our public narrative--only mentioned as outliers to the fundamentalist norm.In Just Faith, progressive Christian activist and writer Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons explains how a strong religious left has accompanied every major progressive advance in our society, and he resurrects the long but forgotten history of progressive Christianity in the United States that can and must link arms with progressive Muslims and Jews to make the moral case for pluralism, human dignity, and the common good. Graves-Fitzsimmons provides a blueprint for this type of resurrection based on his advocacy work at the intersection of religion and American politics. Graves-Fitzsimmons creates a rallying cry for a bold progressive Christianity that unapologetically fights for its values to impact the biggest political battles of our time--from immigration and economic fairness to LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights--so that progressive Christians will stop lowering their voices when they identify as Christians. ""What kind of Christian are you?"" they''ll be asked. And they''ll even be understood when they reply with a smile, ""The good kind.""
Cliff Edwards, a well-known Vincent van Gogh author and scholar, explores Van Gogh''s second gift--the surprising written works of Van Gogh in letters to his brother, fellow artists, and friends. Edwards illuminates Van Gogh''s vision and creative process for readers as a way of living and creating more deeply. Van Gogh''s Second Gift gives us another side of Van Gogh, whose poetic, creative, and original mind opened up startling insights on the creative process. A perfect book for creatives and those who want to understand more about one of the world''s most beloved artists, the genius creator of works like Starry Night. Focusing on more than 40 letter excerpts, Edwards offers clear background and insights into Van Gogh''s life and creative ideas, as well as suggestions for reflection and personal engagement. Van Gogh sketches are scattered throughout the book.
Fear of death is nearly as inevitable as death itself, so we have used modern medicine and the funeral industry to create an ever-increasing distance between us and our mortality. But these interventions have stripped death of its mystery and mysticism. Taking readers on a journey through history, guided by the mystics, Awakened by Death shows us how our psychological and spiritual relationship to death has changed over time, and helps us to reclaim a healthy engagement with our own mortality. Ultimately, readers will gain a deeper understanding of how facing the fear of death, and embracing rather than eschewing its mysteries, can help us live richer, fuller lives.
"Monsters may look and act scary, but deep down they're not so different from you and me"--
Illustrations and easy-to-read text capture a child's perspective while towering over a baby, a butterfly, and a seashell, feeling dwarfed by a giraffe, a waterfall, and the universe, and feeling just the right size.
"Expert advice and encouragement are paired with exercises to help you face down your fears, let go of expectations, stop comparing yourself to others, and make your art with courage"--
When you''re expecting a baby, all the focus seems to be on the external trappings of pregnancy--baby showers, doctor appointments, setting up the nursery, learning about baby''s development. But amid all that preparation, your own emotional and spiritual journey is also taking place. You''re not just growing a baby; you''re becoming a mother.In Expecting Wonder, Brittany L. Bergman dives into this identity transformation with wit and grace, offering a heart-level guidebook for women in the season of pregnancy. Bergman shares stories of wrestling with fear, learning to trust God''s goodness, and making space physically and emotionally for both her baby and her changing identity. By sharing her own honest journey of fear, change, and hope, Bergman offers the reader a picture of the miracle that God is working not just in the reader''s body, but also in her soul.
On the surface Liz Petrone looks as if she has it all: a family, a budding writing career, a successful marriage. But, like so many women, she is desperately lonely. She''s also dealing with the life and death of her alcoholic mother and the ghosts of her own suicidal past.The Price of Admission takes us on a journey with Liz from loss into renewed life. Raw, unflinchingly honest, and surprisingly funny, Liz writes from a universally understood place of struggle, whether that is the deep darkness of grief or the hazy, yet joyful, dimness of demanding everyday lives spent caring for ourselves and our families.Through a combination of personal narrative and common truths, Liz provides a timeless reminder to world-weary readers that, just as birth follows death, light does indeed follow darkness; and that, often, it is because of our pain--and not despite it--that we grow, survive, and--yes--thrive.
While Little Mole is bringing home a beautiful mushroom as a Christmas gift for his mother, he encounters woodland friends in need and shares the mushroom with them.
"In St. Thomas and India, renowned scholars trace the historical, religious, and cultural connections link India's Syrian Christian community with St. Thomas the Apostle. They use modern historiographical methods that seek to corroborate the ancient tradition that tells of St. Thomas's missionary journey to India in the middle of the first century, in which he established seven churches in some of the major commercial centers of Malabar. From this first churches, Christianity spread throughout the region. It also examines the legacy of ancient Christianity on the St. Thomas Christian community in India today, as well as explores the various cultural and religious connections between the Syrian church in Indian and other ancient churches in the east."--
Journalist and pastor Mark Wingfield describes how the congregation he serves undertook a detailed study of how the church should respond to the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members. The study was conducted by a nineteen-member blue-ribbon task force that included wide representation of the church's various constituencies. The author served as a staff liaison, recording secretary, and resource to the study group, keeping meticulous notes of the process and the aftermath of the study.Why Churches Need to Talk about Sexuality is written for clergy and lay leaders in Protestant congregations of all kinds who need a helpful guide to conversations about human sexuality within congregations. The book also has in mind anyone who wants to understand the controversial debates about human sexuality and the Christian church today and who desire to follow a process to discuss the topic and make decisions about how congregations and individuals will respond to matters of ministry and sexuality.This book not only details the process used at Wilshire but also tells the human story of why the study was undertaken and what happened to the lives and faith of real people inside and outside the church. The author's hope is to provide a resource to other clergy and church leaders to understand why this issue must be addressed, how difficult it is to address, and what to expect along the way. As the title indicates, even though this is a difficult conversation to have, churches must have the conversation anyway.
Rural contexts are often over-looked, treated as "flyover land." But because everyone must eat, rural communities and their work in food production are vitally important to the whole of society. Mark Yackel-Juleen spent many years in rural ministry and is the founder and executive director of Shalom Hill Farms, and so offers valuable insight on the present issues of food production and environmental sustainability, and connects it in profound and practical ways to the biblical and theological tradition. The result is a clear set of powerful and actionable tools for rural leaders and ministers to help them address issues of sustainability and land use in their ministry. Everyone Must Eat masterfully shows how one can integrate the sociology of community, the secular realities of economics and public policy, and the powerful presence of God's word in order to practice faithful leadership.
Beck explores the theology of Johnny Cash by investigating a dozen of Cash's songs. In reflecting on Cash's lyrics, and the passion with which he sang them, readers gain a deeper understanding of the enduring faith of the Man in Black.
How is comedy relevant to the global crises of late modernity and the theological critiques that respond to them? For an earlier generation of theologians, whose experiences were shaped by war, tragedy was the literary paradigm for ethical and theological understanding. By contrast, this work draws upon recent philosophical, anthropological, and psychoanalytic studies of humor to develop a theology of comedy. By deconstructing secular accounts of comedy, Marcus Pound argues that comedy is a participation in the divine. As such, it should inform our thinking about liturgical, sacramental, and ecclesial life, especially if theology is to respond to postmodern capitalism's ideological imperative to "have fun." --
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