What if the Bible actually keeps us from hearing the Word of God? For many Christians, the Bible is the only way to know anything about God. But according to that same Bible, everyone can know God directly through an actual relationship with Jesus. Jesus Unbound is an urgent call for the followers of Jesus to know Him intimately because the Gospel is not mere information about God, but a transformational experience with a Christ who is closer to us than our own heartbeat.
"A look into scripture from multiple religious traditions, this book questions common assumptions about scripture and aims to help readers open up to new ways of thinking about it and engaging with it, while remaining committed to the Unitarian Universalist affirmation of the free and responsible quest for meaning"--
It's amazing how heavy the weight of emptiness can feel, how much room it can take up in our souls, how much pain can be caused by something that isn't even there.But while we may see the emptiness of our lives as our greatest problem, that's not how God sees it. When God looks into the empty places of our lives, He sees His greatest opportunity. God does His best work in the emptiness of our . . . Insatiable craving for things that don't satisfy Relational disappointments and loneliness Frustrated search for purpose and meaning Relentless desire for comfort and security Ongoing struggle to live with loss and unfulfilled dreams Join Nancy Guthrie in discovering why emptiness has never been, and never will be, a problem to God. As Nancy pulls back the curtain on God's work to fill up emptiness as revealed throughout the Bible, you'll experience page after page of grace and hope that your emptiness can and will be filled. You'll begin to see that God really does do His best work with empty--as he fills it with Himself.
"I was and I am an ordinary theologian, who does not have the Word of God at his disposal, but, at best, a 'Doctrine of the Word of God,'" writes Karl Barth in the preface of Die christliche Dogmatik im Emtwurf. Properly appreciating the complex career of Barth's characterization of what Scripture is theologically can open up constructive lines of inquiry regarding his self-description as a theologian and reader of the Bible. By mining Barth's published and posthumous theological and exegetical writings and sermons, both well-known materials and understudied writings such as the significant "Das Schriftprinzip der reformierten Kirche" lecture, Alfred H. Yuen offers a unique reading of Barth's thoughts on the person and work of the biblical writers by mapping his theological career as a university student, a pastor, a writer, a young professor, and, above all, a "child of God" (CD I/1, 464-65).
What does your heart crave? Love? Intimacy? Worth? Peace? Trust? Control? The greatest human desire is to be loved. Its cavernous appetite demands satisfaction. And its quest often takes us from one relationship to another. The results have a predictable ending and we can feel betrayed by what we thought would fill our heart's void. Whether we made past sexual choices we regret or were a victim against our will, our sexual past can leave scars on our hearts. As a result, we build walls and make vows to self-protect. We lose trust in others, lose faith in God, and lose our sense of identity-hiding our true selves behind masks of our own making. "This isn't how I thought my life would go." "This isn't how I thought my story would turn out."We can't simply delete the painful chapters of our life. But what if we can truly be at peace with God and with our past? What if the Hero of our story can free us from the ghosts of the past, and instead craft a redemptive story through the pages of our life?UNBOUND is a Biblical study of hope as it will help you find freedom from the lies and ties of the past, reclaim your true identity, and unleash your God-given potential. Through the pages of UNBOUND, you are about to meet a Freedom Fighter. Stefanie doesn't fight with the weapons of this world. She isn't involved in overthrowing governments or mob mentality. Instead, she fights courageously for women who find themselves broken and spiritually stuck because of their sexual pasts. Healed from her own painful past, Stefanie Libertore surrenders her own story to offer hope that others can be free. Her passion is to encourage the Bride of Christ to rise up, embrace their healing in Christ and unleash their potential, becoming Freedom Fighters for others."
Well–known Bible teacher Kay Arthur leads readers into the fascinating world of inductive Bible study where God Himself becomes the teacher (Psalm 119:102). With more than 60,000 copies sold, this book teaches readers how to study Scripture and specifically mark the text to unlock its meaning. In just 28 days readers learn how to study the Bible book by book and understand what they are reading recognize key words and concepts in the Bible discover the main point of any passage of Scripture discern God’s purpose and apply life–changing truths to everyday life This is a very practical, hands–on, learn–by–doing book, perfect for either individuals or small groups. Bible text and space to write insights are included. Readers need only a pen, a few colored pencils...and a prayerful heart to complete each study and experience the Bible’s life–changing power.
“Mesmerizing, magical, deeply moving.” —Elif Shafak Expanding on the popular podcast of the same name from On Being Studios, Poetry Unbound offers immersive reflections on fifty powerful poems. In the tumult of our contemporary moment, poetry has emerged as an inviting, consoling outlet with a unique power to move and connect us, to inspire fury, tears, joy, laughter, and surprise. This generous anthology pairs fifty illuminating poems with poet and podcast host Pádraig Ó Tuama’s appealing, unhurried reflections. With keen insight and warm personal anecdotes, Ó Tuama considers each poem’s artistry and explores how its meaning can reach into our own lives. Focusing mainly on poets writing today, Ó Tuama engages with a diverse array of voices that includes Ada Limón, Ilya Kaminsky, Margaret Atwood, Ocean Vuong, Layli Long Soldier, and Reginald Dwayne Betts. Natasha Trethewey meditates on miscegenation and Mississippi; Raymond Antrobus makes poetry out of the questions shot at him by an immigration officer; Martín Espada mourns his father; Marie Howe remembers and blesses her mother’s body; Aimee Nezhukumatathil offers comfort to her child-self. Through these wide-ranging poems, Ó Tuama guides us on an inspiring journey to reckon with self-acceptance, history, independence, parenthood, identity, joy, and resilience. For anyone who has wanted to try their hand at a conversation with poetry but doesn’t know where to start, Poetry Unbound presents a window through which to celebrate the art of being alive.
No matter what your position or background, you will be challenged to test your understanding of the Bible's critical opening sentences and reexamine your beliefs about the creation of the world through Genesis Unbound.
What does it mean to move beyond the boundaries of what we believe? The apostle Paul led the Galatians through a massive cultural shift in which they had to radically expand their ideas of who God is, who they were, and God's mission for the church. He was able to lead them through this time of great change because of his encounter with the risen Christ on the Damascus road, an experience in which his view of God was completely upended. Today Christianity is undergoing a cultural shift just as challenging as the situation confronting Paul and the Galatians. As many churches decline, congregations and pastors feel uncertain and anxious about how to continue their mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Elaine Heath extends an invitation to broaden our view of God by moving beyond the walls of buildings and programs to become a more diverse church than we have ever imagined. While deeply honoring tradition, she calls the church to boldly follow the Holy Spirit's leadership into the future. Ideal for a 6- to 9-week small-group study.
Jewish Theology Unbound challenges the widespread misinterpretation of Judaism as a religion of law as opposed to theology. James A. Diamond provides close readings of the Bible, classical rabbinic texts, Jewish philosophers, and mystics from the ancient, medieval, and modern period, which communicate a profound Jewish philosophical theology on human nature, God, and the relationship between the two. The study begins with an examination of questioning in the Hebrew Bible, demonstrating that what the Bible encourages is independent philosophical inquiry into how to situate oneself in the world ethically, spiritually, and teleologically. It explores such themes as the nature of God through the various names by which God is known in the Jewish intellectual tradition, love of others and of God, death, martyrdom, freedom, angels, the philosophical quest, the Holocaust, and the state of Israel, all in light of the Hebrew Bible and the way it is filtered through the rabbinic, philosophical, and mystical traditions.
