Little Books of Guidance – serie

Why do we exist? Is there a God? What's the point of it all? These are some of the questions that all thinking people ask at some point in their lives.John Cottingham explores the whys and wherefores that lead people to become believers.ContentsThe starting point Why want to believe in the first place? The human quest Reaching for the unknown The still small voice Intimations of the sacred Evil and waste Belief and observance

'What Happens When You Pray?' - asks John Pritchard.It happens to most of us at some time or other. A faint stirring somewhere that there may be more to this life than meets the eye. The thought just flits across our air-space and we ask ourselves, 'I wonder... is there something else?'Perhaps something really brilliant or really tragic happens to us and we're not sure what to do with the experience. Maybe it even gets as far as a sense of reaching out from inside ourselves for something. But what?John Pritchard explores that elusive 'something else', examines the art and power of prayer and explains how to slow down enough to hear what God wants to say.John Pritchard invites all who are curious about how to become more in tune with the Spirit of God to share in addressing this fundamental question. 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.

Heaven is one of those great mysteries that somehow symbolizes what we don't know about ourselves and the world around us. At the same time it lifts our vision from the mundane realities of our lives and reminds us that beyond the daily grind of our existence there is another, unseen reality.' Paula Gooder explores the Bible's teaching on heaven and explains how it is nearer to earth than you might think. A book for all who are curious about the dwelling place of God and the angels. 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.

It's a big book, full of big stories with big characters. They have big ideas (not least about themselves) and make big mistakes. It's about God, and greed, and grace; about life, lust, laughter and loneliness. It's about birth, beginnings and betrayal; about siblings, squabbles and sex; about power and prayer and prison and passion ...And that's only Genesis.' Tom Wright unpacks the contents of the Bible and explains the meaning of its inspiration, impact and authority. A book for all who are curious about how God's voice can be heard 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.

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.

Alister McGrath shows how science can take us only so far in answering the big questions about our origins, and how Christianity can take us further. A book for all who want to explore the reasons why the universe exists, and why we are in it.

Rowan Williams takes you to the heart of what Christianity means for those who practise it, and the hope it offers to the world at large. A book for all who wonder what the Christian faith is all about, and what difference it really makes.

For many people, the crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans is just another tragic fact of history - a cruel travesty of justice, perhaps, but nothing more. But for Christians the death of Jesus has a much deeper and far-reaching significance.Jane Williams examines the reasons why Jesus' death was seen by his first followers as nothing less than the demonstration of God's love for his creation, and the means by which we all can find forgiveness and redemption, both now and in the world to come.

John Pritchard takes an honest look at what the church is really for and how it works. A book for all who wonder what it must be like to be part of a community of people who are trying to follow the life and teaching of Jesus.

Robin Gill sensitively examines the various explanations that theologians offer to the problem of why the world contains so much innocent suffering. A book for all who want to believe in God but struggle to do so in the face of the pointless cruelty that appears to be built into God’s creation.

Most of us think we know right from wrong, even if we have no particular religious faith. But where does that knowledge come from? Is it something we're born with? Or is it something we learn from the culture in which we grow up?Robin Gill examines the major reasons that people give for trying to lead a good life, and considers what is distinctive about the teaching of Jesus on this vital subject.

Regarded by believers as the foundation stone of their faith, and as a stumbling block by those who struggle to believe, the resurrection of Jesus lies at the heart of the Christian gospel.James D. G. Dunn sets out clearly and fairly the arguments for and against Jesus' resurrection, and explains why most biblical scholars believe the weight of historical evidence points in its favour.

Jesus is the most influential person to have walked the earth. But why? And what makes his life and message so important to so many people today?James Dunn investigates what we can know for certain about the historical Jesus, and the reasons for his enormous impact - then and now.

Many people assume that science `disproves’ the idea of God, and that we no longer need faith in order to understand the world or why we are in it. Roger Trigg examines these assumptions and considers whether recent developments in science may in fact support religious faith. He goes on to consider the increasing scientific evidence for the inherent orderliness and comprehensibility of the universe, which leads him to ask an even more radical question: Might there be aspects of religious belief that can help to support our science?

Explores how we can use our bodies sexually and holistically in contemporary culture. What About Sex? provides a moral compass to navigate the changing landscape of sex and sexuality. Dealing with the Bible, evolving traditions and customs, and the findings of science and psychology, Haller endeavors to inform and guide rather than lay down the law. This book is not about what goes where or who does what to whom, but about what it means to be an embodied person with responsibilities both to oneself and others.

The three chapters of Why Suffering? attempt to provide a gentle exploration of how we can respond to a complex issue that has baffled and bothered humanity throughout the ages: Why does a good, all-powerful, and loving God permit evil and suffering? The opening chapter examines the challenge in some depth, while the two additional chapters set forth a Christian response that is grounded in the disclosure of God in Christ on the cross.

Social media has become a virtual world in which all manner of human communities are being formed, including many centered on prayer, faith, and spirituality. But with the benefits also come liabilities in terms of attentiveness vs. distraction, self-assertion, consumption, and anonymity—all enemies of healthy community. How to Be a Disciple and Digital provides a framework for an ethic of social media community to help foster the growth and stability of prayerful spiritual communities online.

We think of holy people as spiritual seekers, but holiness is more than being in touch with the holy. What is holiness all about? What is wholeness of life? What are practices of love? What is spirituality all about? What is worship all about? Life, according to Timothy Sedgwick, is not a series of experiences or a search for increasing novelty. Rather, there is a more fundamental desire to be whole which characterizes our human experience. This is what Christian faith is all about. It takes practice. It takes community. It takes time. It is a life of loss and love, lament and joy. And, in short, this is what holiness is about: It is a way of life Christians call grace and salvation.

Jesus teaches us to come before God with humble hearts, boldly offering our thanksgivings and concerns to God or simply listening for God's voice in our lives and in the world. Whether in thought, word or deed, individually or corporately, when we pray we invite and dwell in God's loving presence. Jesus often removed himself from the crowds to quiet himself and commune with God. He gave us examples of how to pray, including the Lord’s Prayer. “Will you continue in the prayers?” “I will with God’s help.”This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

By reading and reflecting on scripture, especially the life and teachings of Jesus, we draw near to God and God's word dwells in us. When we open our minds and hearts to scripture, we learn to see God's story and God's activity in everyday life. There is a prayer in the Book of Common Prayer (Proper 38, page 236) that asks, “Grant us so to hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” the Holy Scriptures. Again we state, “I will with God’s help” when asked in our Baptismal Covenant, “Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching?” This is what it means to learn about God: read, study, discuss, and engage in the story of God and God’s people, including the life of Christ.This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

Jesus teaches us to come before God with humble hearts, boldly offering our thanksgivings and concerns to God or simply listening for God's voice in our lives and in the world. Whether in thought, word or deed, individually or corporately, when we pray we invite and dwell in God's loving presence. Jesus often removed himself from the crowds to quiet himself and commune with God. He gave us examples of how to pray, including the Lord's Prayer. "Will you continue in the prayers?" "I will with God's help."This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

When we worship, we gather with others before God. We hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, give thanks, confess, and offer the brokenness of the world to God. As we break bread, our eyes are opened to the presence of Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made one body, the body of Christ sent to live the Way of Love. After Jesus’ crucifixion, his friends’ eyes were opened and they recognized him as the Risen Christ when they broke bread and blessed it together. By gathering in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God we, with God’s help, “continue in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.”This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

Jesus called his disciples to give, forgive, teach, and heal in his name. We are empowered by the Spirit to bless everyone we meet, practicing generosity and compassion, and “proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ” with hopeful words and selfless actions. We can share our stories of blessing and invite others to the Way of Love. We share our faith and unselfishly give and serve others with our time, talents, and treasure.This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

As Jesus went to the highways and byways, he sends us beyond our circles and comfort, to witness to the love, justice, and truth of God with our lips and with our lives. We go to listen with humility and to join God in healing a hurting world. We go to become Beloved Community, a people reconciled in love with God and one another. We seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. We strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being. With God’s help we cross boundaries, listen deeply, and live like Jesus.This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.

From the beginning of creation, God has established the sacred pattern of going and returning, labor and rest. Especially today, God invites us to dedicate time for restoration and wholeness––within our bodies, minds, and souls, and within our communities and institutions. By resting, we place our trust in God, the primary actor who brings all things to their fullness. When we set aside time to rest we receive the gift of God’s grace, peace, and restoration.This series of seven Little Books of Guidance are designed for you to discover how following certain practices can help you follow Jesus more fully in your daily life.