Download or read book Structures of Grace written by Kevin Ahern and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis ("On Social Concerns," 1984) Pope St. John Paul II wrote of "structures of sin" operating in the world and how Christian solidarity held the key to confronting and overcoming them. In Structures of Grace teacher and activist Kevin Ahern profiles successful Catholic organizations from around the globe--some well-known, some less so--that embody Christian solidarity by addressing the urgent human issues of our day: immigration and human rights; healthcare and housing; food, agriculture, and water; war, peace and reconciliation. In telling the stories of organizations such as Jesuit Refugee Service, the Young Christian Workers, Plowshares and Network, Dr. Ahern sheds light on the mission, theology, and outreach of hundreds of such organizations, offering church professionals, students, educators, and volunteers a "directory of grace" at work in the world today. (Publisher)
Download or read book Bridges to Grace written by Elizabeth A Swanson and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2011-07-05 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the power of recovery ministry for your church. Churchgoers who experience painful family issues, addictions, abuse, loss, mental illnesses, and other secret sorrows begin to believe they live beyond the grip of God’s redemptive hand. Pastors often feel ill equipped to help with such problems and refer people to resources outside the church. People badly need Christ-centered counsel and encouragement, but few church leaders even know where to start. Bridges to Grace is an inspiring introduction highlighting the stories of churches across the country that are thinking systematically and organizationally about the ministry of recovery. The authors share how this ministry is bringing God’s grace to hurting individuals. They relate both success and failure, and best of all, they demonstrate how God uses recovery ministry powerfully for his kingdom purposes.
Download or read book The Meaning of Grace written by Charles Journet and published by Scepter Publishers. This book was released on 1996 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few concepts are more important in Catholic theology than that of grace, but most adult Catholics never move beyond a schoolchild's understanding of grace. Charles Journet explores philosophy, revelation and history to explain grace fully. Journet lays out both the doctrinal development of grace and corrects persistent mistakes that Catholics make about grace. He covers habitual grace, actual grace, predestination, justification, merit, and much more. He even includes a revealing exploration of Adam's earthly paradise and how the nature of the Fall called forth God's response of grace.
Download or read book Seasons of Grace written by Leslie Woodcock Tentler and published by Wayne State University Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seasons of Grace is a history of the catholic Church and community in southern lower Michigan from the 1830s through the 1950s. More than a chronicle of clerical successions and institutional expansion, the book also examines those social and cultural influences that affected the development of the Catholic community. To document the course of institutional growth in the diocese, Tentler devotes a portion of the book to tracing the evolution of administrative structures at the Chancery and the founding of parishes, parochial schools, and social welfare organizations. Substantial attention is also given to the social history of the Catholic community, reflected in changes in religious practice, parish life and governance, and the role of women in church organizations and in devotional activities. Tentler also discusses the issue of Catholics in state and local politics and Catholic practice with regard to abortion, contraception, and intermarriage.
Download or read book Africa s Social and Religious Quest written by Randee Ijatuyi-Morphé and published by University Press of America. This book was released on 2014-01-30 with total page 647 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This well-crafted book probes the key dimensions of Africa’s existential predicament. It constitutes an intellectual response to a gnawing “African situation”—the starting point for grasping Africa’s social and religious quest. Beyond split explanations of external versus internal factors (e.g., colonization/slavery vs. leadership/cultural values), this study accounts more comprehensively for emergent issues shaping this situation. The situation reflects a gamut of problems in traditional African religion and material culture, which hitherto defines African communality, polities, and destinies vis-à-vis the cosmos and nature. Thus, African religion and communities, each with its own attendant values, do not operate by critical engagement with larger issues of society and civilization, especially those shaped by the advent of (post-) modernity. Rather, they operate via adaptation. The communal drive for natural and social harmony inevitably produces a preservationist view of culture (“leaving things as they are”). This study takes an integrative approach to religion, society, and civilization; eschews dichotomies; and broadly defines and re-signifies life and wholeness as a true end of Africans’ quest today.
Download or read book The Sovereignty of Grace written by Arthur C. Custance and published by Classic Reprint Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 453 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a straightforward, clearly written book dispelling the notion that election and predestination are cold, austere doctrines from the mind of John Calvin. The author conclusively shows that these doctrines of grace are alive, vital and are the very heart of the Gospel itself. Explore useful practical applications of what is often thought of as purely theological matters. Experience the comfort of God's sovereign grace in daily life, here and now. Gain new insights into that paradox of God's sovereignty and yet our sense of freedom of choice and responsibility. Tackle knotty problems, such as, "Why bother evangelizing if election guarantees salvation for the elect?" By compelling and engaging reason, Arthur Custance points out the inconsistencies in the Arminian position (as well as others) and the undeniable necessity of embracing the doctrines known as Calvinism.--Publisher's description.
Download or read book Rhythms of Grace written by Mike Cosper and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2013-03-31 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is it singing? A church service? All of life? Helping Christians think more theologically about the nature of true worship, Rhythms of Grace shows how the gospel is all about worship and worship is all about the gospel. Mike Cosper ultimately answers the question: What is worship?
Download or read book Love in Action written by Simon Cuff and published by SCM Press. This book was released on 2019-02-28 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Described as 'the Catholic church's best kept secret,' Catholic Social Teaching provides a rich body of thought, and finds a particular resonance as all denominations in the church seek to engage with the needs of contemporary society. Yet beyond the immediate context of the Catholic church, it is all too readily ignored. Resolutely aimed at those who come from traditions beyond the movement’s traditional catholic heartlands but who seek to view their ministry through the lens of generous orthodoxy, "Love in Action" offers a deeply scriptural but accessible introduction to this vital approach to the church’s ministry in the world.
Download or read book The Family written by Jack O. Balswick and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2007-06 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This proven resource covers every issue that affects family life. The third edition includes updates to all chapters and the inclusion of current research.
Download or read book The Fullness of Free Time written by Conor M. Kelly and published by Georgetown University Press. This book was released on 2020-10-01 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An ethical framework and vision of free time for social good—and how to achieve it. In the work-centric culture of today’s world, it is easy to view free time as indulging laziness or extravagance.Conor M. Kelly, however, argues that free time possesses enormous potential for good if exercised in accordance with theological ethics. By examining pursuits such as television, digital media use, sports, and travel from the perspective of Catholic solidarity, Kelly demonstrates how individuals can choose new free time activities or restructure current pursuits to be more relational and socially conscious. The first book to use the Catholic theological tradition to explore the importance of free time, The Fullness of Free Time addresses a crucial topic in the ethics of everyday life, providing a useful framework for scholars and students of moral theology, philosophy, and political theory, as well as anyone hoping to make their free time more meaningful.
Download or read book The Transcendence of God written by Edward Farley and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-06-28 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the varying perspectives of theological thought the contrasting ideas of transcendence and immanence must inevitably be looked at together. To whatever extent they are held to be mutually compatible or mutually exclusive, neither can be considered without at least some cognizance being taken of the other. Nevertheless, in the swinging of the pendulum from era to era, first one and then the other theme receives the greater weight of attention. Thus, nineteenth-century liberalism placed more emphasis on immanence, whereas the twentieth-century revolt against liberalism has concentrated on transcendence. In this book the author studies the transcendent aspect of God as developed by five contemporary theologians. Two of the men whose work Dr. Farley examines, Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich, are thoroughly familiar. The other three, Karl Heim, Charles Hartshorne, and Henry Nelson Wieman, have received less attention in recent studies. The five represent widely divergent traditions, but all of them agree in opposing immanentism. Moreover, they all deal with the tension between the philosophical and the Biblical affirmations of God's transcendence, and attempt to show, in their respective ways, how these types of "beyondness" are related.
Download or read book Economy of Grace written by Kathryn Tanner and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are there any fair and viable alternatives to global capitalism? University of Chicago theologian Kathryn Tanner offers here a serious and creative proposal for evaluating economic theory and behavior through a theological lens.
Download or read book Majority World Theology written by Gene L. Green and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 733 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More Christians now live in the Majority World than in Europe and North America. Yet most theological literature does not reflect the rising tide of Christian reflection coming from these regions. If we take seriously the Spirit's movement around the world, we must consider how the rich textures of Christianity in the Majority World can enliven, inform, and challenge all who are invested in the ongoing work of theology. Majority World Theology offers an unprecedented opportunity to enter conversations on the core Christian doctrines with leading scholars from around the globe. Seeking to bring together the strongest theological resources from past and present, East and West, the volume editors have assembled a diverse team of contributors to develop insights informed by questions from particular geographic and cultural contexts. This book features a comprehensive overview of systematic theology, with sections on the Trinity, Christology, pneumatology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology contributors including Amos Yong, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Victor I. Ezigbo, Wonsuk Ma, Aída Besançon Spencer, Randy S. Woodley, Munther Isaac, and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen explorations of how Scripture, tradition, and culture fit together to guide the church's theological reflection scholars demonstrating how to read the Bible and think theologically in light of contextual resources and concerns inside views on what doing theology looks like in contributors' contexts and what developments they hope for in the future When we learn what it means for Jesus to be Lord in diverse places and cultures, we grasp the gospel more fully and are more able to see the blind spots of our own local versions of Christianity. Majority World Theology provides an essential resource for students, theologians, and pastors who want to expand their theological horizons.
Download or read book Church written by Michael G. Lawler and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 1995 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is taken for granted today among theologians that the principal achievement of the Second Vatican Council was its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium. It is beginning to be equally taken for granted that the core of this central document is its vision of Church as communion. "Communion," Pope John Paul II has said, "is the very mystery of the Church." Church: A Spirited Communion grows out of the ecclesiology of the Council as a systematic treatment of this notion of communion. Church: A Spirited Communion is not, however, a book only about the Church. It is a book about the God whom Christians confess as Triune, who calls the Church into existence and who seeks its commitment in every age. It is a book about the Church only to the extent that the Church is in communion with this God. To the extent that it is a book which is primarily theo-logical and only secondarily ecclesio-logical, it is a book which adheres to God rather than to men and summons the Church to do the same.
Download or read book Grace written by Morris Gleitzman and published by Penguin Group Australia. This book was released on 2009-08-03 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A serious message wrapped up in greatness of heart and lightness of touch." The Bookbag In the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twins. And talk about happy families, we were bountiful. But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And lo, that was when all our problems began. Grace, who comes from a fundamentalist Christian community, has always been encouraged to think for herself by her parents. When she produces a school project that goes against the community's teachings, she is faced with the threat of being cast out and losing her family. As she fights to keep her family together and find her true self, she learns valuable lessons about self-discovery and standing up for oneself. With powerful themes and relatable characters, this story is a must-read for any child struggling with individuality and finding their voice. ------------------ PRAISE FOR MORRIS GLEITZMAN ‘Readers can't get enough of him.’ The Independent ‘A brilliantly funny writer’ Sunday Telegraph ‘A virtuoso demonstration of how you can make comedy out of the most unlikely subject’ Sunday Times ‘He is one of the finest examples of a writer who can make humour stem from the things that really matter in life.’ The Guardian
Download or read book Models of the Church written by Avery Dulles and published by Image. This book was released on 2002-05-14 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is today a dramatic reexamination of structure, authority, dogma -- indeed, every aspect of the life of the Church is held up to scrutiny. Welcoming this as a sign of vitality, Avery Dulles has carefully studied the writings of contemporary Protestant and Catholic ecclesiologists and sifted out six major approaches, or "models," through which the Church's character can be understood: as Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, Servant, and, in a recent addition to the book, as Community of Disciples. A balanced theology, he concludes, must incorporate the major affirmations of each. "The method of models or types," observes Cardinal Dulles, "can have great value in helping people to get beyond the limitations of their own particular outlook and to enter into fruitful conversation with others... Such conversation is obviously essential if ecumenism is to get beyond its present impasses." This new edition includes a new Appendix and Preface by the author.
Download or read book The Power of the West in the Economy of Grace written by Eskil Jonsson and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2013-06-27 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The overall problem raised in this book is that the Western culture of modern rationality, power, and economics departs from a rather narrow, secular and ego-centric worldview. Therefore, it does not recognize the identity of traditional cultures and religions nor social, economic, or ecological justice in relation to the rest of the world. Western religion has, over history, often played a legitimating role for political power, and the expansion of institutional structures and has therefore lost much of its prophetic identity to be signs of peace, justice, and unity. The ecumenical and integrative model of stewardship as an economy of grace, with a deeper ecological philosophy, does, however, offer new visions for a multicultural and multireligious economy. This book is intended for leaders, students, and scholars interested in interdisciplinary studies of politics, religion, economics, and ecology. This will also be of interest to students and researchers in peace studies or conflict management, as well as to leaders who are engaged in the building of peace and justice.
