Vaughan Roberts finds direction for today's church in Paul's prophetic letter of 1 Corinthians. Ancient Corinth was a similarly confusing cultural landscape to our own, but in Paul's vision Roberts finds a path of wisdom that will help you choose the true spirituality of the gospel of Christ and become the authentic church God intends for you to be. Each chapter includes a Bible study.
In this groundbreaking book, Richard Potter, an academic and a mystic, sets forth a revolutionary thesis: to evolve personally, spiritually, and globally, we need a new concept of spirituality that is not tied to culturally specific beliefs and practices. The time has come for a spirituality of consciousness. By focusing on consciousness instead of dogma, it becomes possible to realize the core truths of world religions without being bound to outdated beliefs and customs that no longer serve humanity. Learn core consciousness-expanding practices including meditation, breathwork, sound work, and retreats. Explore ways to open your heart, achieve self mastery, evaluate spiritual teachers, and attain spiritual freedom, all steps on the path to greater contentment, clarity, compassion, and a profound sense of inner peace. Take a spiritual adventure beyond the bounds of time and place with one of today's most original spiritual thinkers.
A launching pad for your spiritual journey, this inspiring book provides clear, specific, and practical guidelines for becoming a Christian who lives like Christ. Christians today live in a world that is activity heavy and relationship light. The result is spiritual emptiness. We struggle to know what God wants from us and for us . . . and we’re unsure what a real relationship with God really looks like. But that was never God’s idea. HIS idea of faith is not about rules or religion— it’s about relationship. That’s where God tells us to start. In Romans 12, God gives us a clear picture of what Christians should look like at the root level. If you’re ready to move from “in” to “all in,” then you’re ready to become a Romans 12 Christian. The next steps of your journey toward true spirituality start here.
Donald G. Bloesch provides incisive guidance toward a genuine Christian spirituality that is firmly rooted in biblical faith and fully aware of the positive contributions of various streams of Christian tradition.
In the expanded edition of this profound exploration of Christian identity, David G. Benner illuminates the spirituality of self-discovery. He exposes the false selves that you may hide behind and calls you to discover the true self that emerges from your uniqueness in Christ. Deepen your experience of God through discovering the gift of being yourself.
Authentic Fakes explores the religious dimensions of American popular culture in unexpected places: baseball, the Human Genome Project, Coca-Cola, rock 'n' roll, the rhetoric of Ronald Reagan, the charisma of Jim Jones, Tupperware, and the free market, to name a few. Chidester travels through the cultural landscape and discovers the role that fakery—in the guise of frauds, charlatans, inventions, and simulations—plays in creating religious experience. His book is at once an incisive analysis of the relationship between religion and popular culture and a celebration of the myriad ways in which invention can stimulate the religious imagination. Moving beyond American borders, Chidester considers the religion of McDonald’s and Disney, the discourse of W.E.B. Du Bois and the American movement in Southern Africa, the messianic promise of Nelson Mandela’s 1990 tour to America, and more. He also looks at the creative possibilities of the Internet in such phenomena as Discordianism, the Holy Order of the Cheeseburger, and a range of similar inventions. Arguing throughout that religious fakes can do authentic religious work, and that American popular culture is the space of that creative labor, Chidester looks toward a future "pregnant with the possibilities of new kinds of authenticity."
This book is about how God's Word shapes and rules our devotion to him. What is the best way of talking about this? 'Spirituality' is what many people call it, but this is not the ideal word. It can mean a great many things, some of them very far removed from anything the Bible teaches. 'Piety' is another possibility, but this is sometimes used in a rather negative way. Preferable is 'Devotion'. When we speak of a couple being 'devoted' to each other, we mean that their relationship is strong, loyal, and loving - which is how we should relate to God. All three words are used in this book. In each case it is talking about how we relate to God, that is, how we express and exercise personal relationship with him. The aim is to examine what the Bible teaches about knowing God and living with him. Why 'True Devotion'? For two reasons: we must be truly devoted to God - our relationship with him must be real and deep; and we must be devoted to him truly - our devotion must be grounded in and governed by the truth, by the teaching of the Bible. This book draws on both the Scriptures and the writings of Christians of the past. Part 1 unpacks 'Gospel Spirituality' as responsive, paradoxical and relational; Part 2 critiques 'The Mystical Way', discussing experience of God and his voice, prayer, the inward journey and the testimony of mystics and reformers. Part 3 looks for 'The Way Ahead', focussing on meditation and concluding with a call to a Christ-centred, responsive spirituality. ALLAN CHAPPLE is senior lecturer in New Testament at Trinity Theological College, Perth WA. He has pastored churches in Western Australia and England, and was founding Director of the Perth Centre for Applied Christian Studies, then founding Principal of Trinity Theological College.
Feeling burnt-out from life, strung-out from social media, and put out by a society that always wants more from you? Beloved nun and social activist Joan Chittister, who appeared on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, offers a practical, character-building, and inspirational guide to help you take control of your emotional life and redirect your spiritual destiny. Joan Chittister, whom Publishers Weekly calls "one of the most well-known and trusted contemporary spiritual authors," is a rabble-rousing force of nature for social justice, and a passionate proponent of personal faith and spiritual fulfillment. Drawing on little known, ancient teachings of the saints, Sister Joan offers a practical program to help transform our thinking and rebel against our fears, judgments and insecurities. "Freedom from anxiety, worry, and tensions at home and work, comes when we give ourselves to something greater," she argues. "We need to seek wisdom rather than simply facts, to think before speaking, and in turn create respectful communities." With a series of twelve simple rules for healthy spiritual living, Chittister not only reminds us, but pleads with us, to develop enduring values by shifting our attention to how God wants us to live. This book will teach you how to accomplish this.
Based on the biblical model for Christianity, Living on the Edge challenges readers to experience Christianity the way God intended and provides an actual profile of a disciple of Jesus Christ that is relational, grace-based, faith-focused, practical, and measureable. A launching pad for a journey toward becoming a Christian who lives like Christ, this book provides questions and resources at the end of each chapter, as well as directions to continue on your journey through an interactive Web site, where the reader will discover clear spiritual pathways and personal coaching to make it over barriers.
