'A brilliant introduction to prayer' Richard Rohr, Author of Everything Belongs One of America's most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage teaches anyone to converse with God in this comprehensive guide to prayer. 'What do we need to learn? That prayer changes us-and so changes the world we live in; that God is always there before us; that it's God's action that makes the difference. Practical, comprehensive, and above all God-centered, this book is a deeply valuable companion for growing in faith.' Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury In The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, Father James Martin included a chapter on communicating with God. Now, he expands those thoughts in this profound and practical handbook. Learning to Pray explains what prayer is, what to expect from praying, how to do it, and how it can transform us when we make it a regular practice in our lives. A trusted guide walking beside us as we navigate our unique spiritual paths, Martin lays out the different styles and traditions of prayer throughout Christian history and invites us to experiment and discover which works best to feed our soul and build intimacy with our Creator. Father Martin makes clear there is not one secret formula for praying. But like any relationship, each person can discover the best style for building an intimate relationship with God, regardless of religion or denomination. Prayer, he teaches us, is open and accessible to anyone willing to open their heart.

Jesus is always at work. Mark was not one of Jesus' original disciples, but he was present at the birth of the church and had a strong relationship with Peter. After Peter was put to death during the reign of Emperor Nero, Mark decided to record everything Peter had told him about Jesus and create his Gospel account of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Mark shows us that no matter how chaotic our world becomes, we can always cling to the hope and peace that we have in Jesus. Even in the darkest of times, we can rely on the light of Christ to see us through. And while the path to following Jesus is not always easy, it is always worth it. The Jeremiah Bible Study Series captures Dr. David Jeremiah's forty-plus years of commitment to teaching the Word of God. In each study, he will help you understand what the Bible says, what it meant to the people at the time it was written, and what it means to you today. Along the way, you will gain insights into the text, identify key stories and themes, and be challenged to apply the truth you find in your life.

Jesus is the Great Physician. According to the apostle Paul, Luke was a "beloved physician" who traveled with him on several of his missionary journeys. However, Luke's real passion was in setting down an orderly account that detailed the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This was a task for which Luke was well suited, for he was both a thoughtful man of science and a great observer of people. Luke thus took great care in relating the information he collected, but he also emphasized the care that Jesus, as the Great Physician, extended to people everywhere-both Jewish and Gentile alike. Luke shows the high value Jesus places on rescuing all people from their sins-no matter how "far gone" those people might seem. And he shows how Jesus was willing to give up His place in heaven to come down to earth as a sacrifice for the sins of every person who will receive Him. The Jeremiah Bible Study Series captures Dr. David Jeremiah's forty-plus years of commitment to teaching the Word of God. In each study, he will help you understand what the Bible says, what it meant to the people at the time it was written, and what it means to you today. Along the way, you will gain insights into the text, identify key stories and themes, and be challenged to apply the truth you find in your life.

In seiner Funktion als religioeser Fuhrer wird vom Imam erwartet, Antworten auf jede Art von in der islamischen Gemeinschaft auftretenden Problemen zu geben. Entsprechend wichtig ist seine Vorbereitung auf diese neue Mission. Nun haben die meisten Imame ihre theologische Ausbildung in ihrer Heimat erhalten und wurden vor allem auf Grund ihrer theologischen und seelsorgerischen Kenntnisse aus dem Ausland rekrutiert. Folglich verfugt ein Imam in den wenigsten Fallen uber eine psychosoziale Ausbildung bzw. entsprechende Kompetenzen - allein aufgrund des gemeinsamen religioes-kulturellen Hintergrundes sind ihm die Anliegen der Mitglieder seiner Gemeinde groesstenteils vertraut, sodass er ihnen eine umfangreiche Beratung anbieten kann. Freilich steht diesem sozialen Reifeprozess eine Reihe von Problemen im Weg, etwa fehlende Deutschkenntnisse oder der Mangel an Fachkenntnissen uber die Lebensverhaltnisse von Kindern und Jugendlichen im Westen, denen der Imam in der Vermittlung von Wissen uber kulturelle und religioese Themen vorurteils- und wertfrei begegnen soll. Kein Land kann auf Dauer die religioesen Belange seiner BurgerInnen als eine Angelegenheit betrachten, deren Betreuung im Ausland wahrgenommen wird. Das war auch der Grund, dass in Europa heute verschiedene Massnahmen hinsichtlich der Ausbildung der Imame und SeelsorgerInnen debattiert werden. Auch in OEsterreich wird der Ausbildung der Imame und SeelsorgerInnen grosser Wert beigemessen, um sicherzustellen, dass die Ausbildung dieser Berufsgruppe in nachster Zukunft auf eine gute Grundlage gestellt werden kann. Diese Arbeit erhebt den Anspruch, die Moeglichkeiten einer derartigen Ausbildung an den staatlichen Universitaten, die eine entscheidende Voraussetzung fur die Kontextualisierung des Islam in unserem Lande ist, aufzuzeigen.

Turn on a cable news show or pick up any news magazine, and you get the impression that Christian America is on its last leg. The once dominant faith is now facing rapidly declining church attendance, waning political influence, and an abysmal public perception. More than 76% of Americans self-identify as Christians, but many today are ashamed to carry the label.
While many Christians are bemoaning their faith's decline, Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity's best days are yet to come. In the wake of the stunning research from his bestselling book, "unChristian," which revealed the growing disenchantment among young generations for Christians, Lyons has witnessed the beginnings of a new iteration of the faith. Marked by Lyons' brutal honesty and unvarying generosity, Lyons exposes a whole movement of Christians--Evangelicals, Mainline, Protestants, Orthodox, Pentecostals, and others--who desire to be a force for restoration even as they proclaim the Christian Gospel. They want the label "Christian" to mean something good, intelligent, authentic, and beautiful.
The next generation of Christians, Lyons argues, embodies six revolutionary characteristics:
""When Christians incorporate these characteristics throughout the fabric of their lives, a fresh, yet orthodox way of being Christian springs forth. The death of yesterday becomes the birth of a great tomorrow. The end of an era becomes a beautiful new beginning. In this way, the end of Christian America becomes good news for Christians.""
In THE NEXT CHRISTIANS, Lyons disarms readers by speaking as a candid observer rather than cultural crusader. Where other people shout, Lyons speaks in a measured tone offering helpful analysis of our current reality while casting a vision for how to be a Christian in a world disenchanted with the faith. Both a celebration and a reckoning, THE NEXT CHRISTIANS combines current day models and relevant research with stories of a new generation of Christian leaders. If you are worried by what you see transpiring around you, this book will take you on a surprising social exploration in hopes that you too will restore confidence in your faith.

"From the Hardcover edition."

This book provides new insights on the unique role of doctoral students and new faculty as they join other stewards of the academy working within Christian higher education. Weaving together a variety of voices-graduate students, pastors, and seasoned scholars-the book examines the Christian university's relationship to the Church and how faith and stewardshipcan guide the pursuit of teaching and scholarship.

Christians believe that history is moving towards a dramatic conclusion - that one day Jesus Christ will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. But there seem to be so many different views about how this will happen, and when it will take place. How can we make sense of it all?

This short, readable book explains clearly and simply the liberating reality of what the Bible is actually saying about the return of Christ and the end of the world.

Die Forschungsarbeit liefert den Entwurf einer Spiritualitatskritik. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Ausarbeitung von Kriterien fur eine lebensfoerderliche Spiritualitat. Als Inspiration dienen dafur die Gefangnisbriefe Dietrich Bonhoeffers. Sie sind das Zeugnis eines Theologen und Widerstandskampfers, der mitten in den Widrigkeiten des Lebens seine Glaubenstreue zum Ausdruck bringt und allen Suchenden heute wegweisende Impulse anbieten kann. Der Geistlichen Begleitung kommt in diesem Kontext eine prominente Rolle zu: sie ist der Ort, an dem sich Spiritualitatskritik bewahren muss. Dabei bezieht sie sich auf die Grundsatze einer maeutischen, empathischen und solidarischen Haltung. Die Gefangnisbriefe Bonhoeffers moechten aufzeigen, wie eine solche Haltung an Form gewinnen kann.