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Books > Christianity > Christian institutions & organizations > Christian social thought & activity
Gain an understanding of the increased role religious congregations
now play in providing social support to the elderly Religious
congregations and faith-based organizations (FBO) from the Jewish,
Christian, and Islamic traditions have worked on behalf of older
adults for centuries. But the initiation of President Bush's Office
of Faith-Based Initiatives has raised many questions from both the
traditional secular and sectarian services as well as many
nontraditional services found in each community. Faith-Based
Initiatives and Aging Services addresses the issues of the
separation of church and state, the concerns involved in developing
social services in religious congregations, and the larger public
policy implications of this office. This unique book offers
perspectives from traditional and nontraditional faith-based
groups, as well as experts in volunteerism. The enactment by
Congress of the Charitable Choice section of the federal welfare
reform law combined with the creation of the Center for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives in the United States Department of Health
and Human Services to signal a high-level of interest in supporting
faith-based organizations. Faith-Based Initiatives and Aging
Services focuses on the specific applications of services provided
by religious congregations. Editors F. Ellen Netting and James W.
Ellor conducted an in-depth interview with Elizabeth Seal-Scott,
then Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives (an edited transcript of the interview is included in
the book) to help promote understanding of the development and
implementation of faith-based, grass roots programs. Faith-Based
Initiatives and Aging Services examines: the separation of church
and state Baptist perspectives on faith-based initiatives and
religious liberty managing older volunteers faith organizations and
ethnically diverse elders the heritage of religion and spirituality
in the field of gerontology faith-related agencies and their
implications for aging services the role of religious congregations
in the social service system Faith-Based Initiatives and Aging
Services is an essential resource for anyone interested in
developing programs for older adults in religious congregations,
for human services staffs seeking to work with faith-based
initiatives, and for government workers in need of a better
understanding of faith-based services in their community.
No other mainstream theologian has so consistently and trenchantly
taken a stand with and for people with developmental
disabilities.John Swinton Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas'
Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology
examines the influential writings of one of the most important
contemporary theologians. Over the past thirty years, Time magazine
Theologian of the Year (2001) Dr. Stanley Hauerwas has consistently
presented a theological position which values the deep theological
significance of people with developmental disabilities, as well as
their importance to the life and the faithfulness of the church.
Ten key Hauerwas essays on disability are brought together in a
single volumeessays which reflect and illustrate his thinking on
the theology of disability, along with responses to each essay from
multidisciplinary authoritative sources including Jean Vanier,
Michael Berube, John O'Brien and Ray S. Anderson. Dr. Hauerwas has
always been a fearless voice in the field of theology. Critical
Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas' Theology of Disability: Disabling
Society, Enabling Theology presents his work on the true meaning of
disability and provides critical multidisciplinary discussions
about his challenging ideas and their validity. In his essays,
Hauerwas discusses his views on issues such as the social
construction of developmental disabilities, the experience of
profound developmental disabilities in relation to liberal society,
and the community as the hermeneutic of the gospel. Included is a
new essay by Dr. Hauerwas responding to the contributors to the
book. Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas' Theology of
Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology explores Hauerwas'
thoughts on: the political nature of disability in liberal society
the creation of a society where there is more love the dimensions
of what is normal the key role of those treated as outsiders in
building community the theological understanding of parenting which
places responsibility for the individual child firmly within the
Christian community using the model of the church as a social ethic
developmental disability being equated with suffering the concept
of the person in the theology of disability the developmentally
disabled and the criteria for humanhood the importance of family in
the process of caring for people with developmental disabilities
Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas' Theology of Disability:
Disabling Society, Enabling Theology is a fascinating exploration
of contemporary theological reflection on disability and is
essential reading for students and teachers of practical theology,
pastoral counselors, clergy, chaplains, and social and health care
students.
This volume addresses the current scholarly controversies that have
crupted in the last 20 or so years over the implications of the
judaism of Jesus. Since the early 1970s, a number of historical
Jesus scholars have claimed that Jesus was a Jew, and that this
fact has significant implications for how one reconstructs the
figure of Jesus from the portraits in ancient Christian literature.
This book explores the anti-Jewish legacy of past scholarship,
shows that the Judaism of Jesus is a more complex issue than
sometimes acknowledged, and explores the subterranean cultural
implications of the recent insistence on the Judaism of Jesus.
Examine the reactions of leading clergy to the Catholic Church sex
abuse scandal! Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church is an
eye-opening collection of Catholic and non-Catholic perspectives,
statements, and responses regarding Catholic clergy sexual abuse
from a public symposium entitled Trusting the Clergy? This book
includes the viewpoints of some of today's most influential members
of the Catholic Church, such as Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, Bishop
Howard Hubbard, and Father Donald B. Cozzens. It will bring you up
to date on the ways in which the American Catholic bishops have
dealt, or are attempting to deal, with the sexual abuse scandal. In
Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church, Archbishop Harry J. Flynn
offers a bishop's perspective on the sexual abuse crisis and
describes how the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops
(USCCB) has responded to issues of clergy sexual abuse since the
1980s. Fr. Donald B. Cozzens summarizes what has been learned from
the clergy abuse crisis, and then moves to the systemic issues that
need to be addressednot just personal relationships but issues of
structure and meaning. This book also includes viewpoints about the
Catholic Church from renowned scholars and non-Catholic church
leaders, including Michael J. Bland and Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune.
This book offers presentations on: the Charter for the Protection
of Children and Young People created by the United States Catholic
Conference of Bishops (USCCB) the need for the Catholic hierarchy
to convert from an institutional protection agenda to a
justice-making agenda understanding the abusers' modes of operation
and motivations identifying future potential sexual abusers
attempting to enter the priesthood including the sexual abuse of
adults as well as children as future agenda issues the data the
Church compiles on the numbers of perpetrators, victims, and costs
associated with the scandal determining whom to believe when there
are conflicting stories the impact of the clergy sexual abuse
crisis on Latino and African-American communities Sexual Abuse in
the Catholic Church provides a historical marker for the state of
the church's discussion one year after the Boston Archdiocese was
faced with intense media scrutiny resulting in the resignation of
Cardinal Bernard Law. This book is a unique collection of credible,
diverse voices engaged in public discussion of a difficult social
problem facing the church. Use it to formulate your own opinion on
how the Catholic community is responding to the sexual abuse
scandal.
Every follower of Jesus Christ should be able to answer two simple
questions:
- Who is investing in me?
- Who am I investing in?
God desires to pour an abundance of spiritual and emotional capital
into your life. And he wants to use you to pour spiritual and emotional
capital into others. Along the way, you'll be changed. Others will
change. You will experience God and his community in a new and personal
and supernatural way. And so will others.
God calls this process of spiritual investing "making disciples." It's
the heart of the Great Commission. It's the vision of a great local
church. It's the secret of a healthy joyful, secure, and significant
life.
Religious liberty is one of the most contentious political issues
of our time. How should people of faith engage with the public
square in a pluralist era? Some citizens hope to reclaim a more
Christian vision of national identity, while others resist any
religious presence at all. This dispute is not new, and it goes
back to the founding era of American history. As the country was
being formed, some envisioned a Christian nation where laws would
require worship attendance and Sabbath observance. Others advocated
for a thoroughly secular society where faith would have no place in
public life. But neither extreme won the day, thanks to the unsung
efforts of a Connecticut pastor who forged a middle way. Historian
Brandon O'Brien unveils an untold story of how religious liberty
came to be. Between the Scylla and Charybdis of theocracy and
secularism, Baptist pastor Isaac Backus contended for a third way.
He worked to secure religious liberty and freedom of conscience for
all Americans, not just for one particular denomination or
religious tradition. Backus's ideas give us insight into how people
of faith navigate political debates and work for the common good.
Backus lived in an age of both religious revival and growing
secularism, competing forces much like those at work today. The
past speaks into the present as we continue to demand liberty and
justice for all.
Christianity Today Award of Merit in Spiritual Formation "Now, with
God's help, I shall become myself." These words from Danish
philosopher Soren Kierkegaard resonate deeply with Marlena Graves,
a Puerto Rican writer, professor, and activist. In these pages she
describes the process of emptying herself that allows her to move
upward toward God and become the true self that God calls her to.
Drawing on the rich traditions of Eastern and Western Christian
saints, she shares stories and insights that have enlivened her
transformation. For Marlena, formation and justice always
intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and
contemplation. If you long for more of God, this book offers a
time-honored path to deeper life.
A Courageous Yes When Yvrose fled her native Haiti for the United
States, she couldn't imagine she'd return. After suffering multiple
miscarriages, she struggled to build a new life. In a desperate
moment, she finally met Jesus-uttering her first "yes" to God. That
one yes became many when she couldn't forget the faces of the
children she saw in a recurring dream. Finally, a trip to Haiti
brought her dream to life when she became Mama to the many children
left with no home after a catastrophic earthquake devastated the
nation. Becoming Mama tells the incredible story of one woman who
had the courage to lay everything aside in answer to God's call.
You will be encouraged by God's overwhelming faithfulness to
Yvrose's every yes to God, and learn you don't have to sell
everything or travel to far-off places to make a difference. All
you need is an open heart ready to say yes to His call.
People are hungry to make a difference in their community, yet most
don't know where to start. In fact, 'serving the least' is often
one of the most neglected biblical mandates in the church. Barefoot
Church shows readers how today's church can be a catalyst for
individual, collective, and social renewal in any context. Whether
pastors or laypeople, readers will discover practical ideas that
end up being as much about the Gospel and personal transformation
as they are about serving the poor. Here they will see how the
organizational structure of the church can be created or redesigned
for mission in any context. Drawing from his own journey, Brandon
Hatmaker proves to readers that serving the least is not a trendy
act of benevolence but a lifestyle of authentic community and
spiritual transformation. As Hatmaker writes, 'My hope is that God
would open our eyes more and more to the needs of our community.
And that we would see it as the church's responsibility to lead the
charge.'
This ground-breaking book provides fascinating insights into the
fast-emerging body of research that explores the relationship
between sport, theology and disability within a social justice
framework. In the shadow of two major sport-faith events that
fore-fronted the theology of disability sport, the Vatican's
international conference-Sport at the Service of Humanity and the
Inaugural Global Congress on Sports and Christianity York St John
University, UK, at which Dr Brian Brock led a thematic strand on
the topic-this book provides a foundation for further research and
practice. This text is a timely and important synthesis of ideas
that have emerged in two previously distinct areas of research: (i)
'disability sport' and (ii) the 'theology of disability'. Examples
of subjects addressed in this text include: elite physical
disability sport-Paralympics; intellectual disability sport-Special
Olympics; equestrian sport; church, sport and disability, and;
theologies of embodiment, competition and mercy. This book, written
by leaders in their respective fields, begins a critical
conversation on these topics, and many others, for both researchers
and practitioners. The chapters originally published in the Journal
of Disability and Religion and Quest.
This bestselling text by Haddon Robinson, considered by many to be
the "teacher of preachers," has sold over 300,000 copies and is a
contemporary classic in the field. It offers students, pastors, and
Bible teachers expert guidance in the development and delivery of
expository sermons. This new edition has been updated throughout
and includes helpful exercises.
Praise for the Second Edition
Named "One of the 25 Most Influential Preaching Books of the Past
25 Years" by "Preaching"
" An] outstanding introduction to the task of preparing and
presenting biblical sermons. More than any other book of the past
quarter century, "Biblical Preaching" has profoundly influenced a
generation of evangelical preachers."--"Preaching"
Wesley Hill's personal experiences and biblical reflections offer
insight into how a nonpracticing gay Christian can "prove, live
out, and celebrate" the grace of Christ and the power of the Holy
Spirit. For many who are on this path, it's a lonely one. The
reality of loneliness and isolation of the celibate homosexual
Christian is something that Hill lives and takes seriously in his
pursuit of the gospel-centered life. To those on a similar journey,
it's often a life of uncertainties and questions. In Washed and
Waiting, Hill explores the three main struggles that have been part
of his daily effort to live faithfully: What exactly does the
gospel demand of gay and lesbian Christians, and how can it enable
them to fulfill its commands? How do Christians who experience
homoerotic desires live with the loneliness such desires entail? Is
there any relief for it? What comfort does the gospel offer? Can
those of us who struggle with homosexuality please God and truly
experience his pleasure in the midst of sexual brokenness?
Interspersed throughout these main sections are character sketches
and stories of people who have experienced this journey's trials
and triumphs. Hill offers wise counsel that is biblically faithful,
theologically serious, and oriented to the life and practice of the
church. As a celibate gay Christian, he gives us a glimpse of what
it looks like to wrestle firsthand with God's "No" to same-sex
sexual intimacy and contemplate serious and difficult questions.
For Theology Students, Scholars and Professors. Are you looking to
understand the complexity of peace keeping, and the vital role of
praying for those in authority? After reading you'll have a greater
understanding of the complexity of peace keeping. The Dove, the Fig
Leaf and the Sword' is a fascinating critique of the Church's
varying response to the use of force over the centuries that gives
Christians a greater understanding of the complexity of peace
keeping, and stresses the vital role of praying for those in
authority. Alan Billings is an Anglican priest and a former
Director of the Centre for Ethics and Religion at Lancaster
University. In recent years he has taught the ethics of war to
chaplains to the forces at the UK Defence Academy, Amport, and on
military bases in England and Germany. ' The Dove, the Fig Leaf and
the Sword' is a highly informative, well-researched and systematic
approach to historically changing Christian views around war and
peace is an excellent overview that does not flinch from also
facing the contentious contemporary context. Billings believes
Christianity must engage both ethically and realistically if its
message is going to have any relevance in the arena of war and the
spectrum of other military operational options with those who bear
the weight of making those life-changing and responsible choices.
ECPA Christian Book Award Finalist - Faith and Culture Christianity
Today Book of the Year Award, Politics and Public Life Common life
in our society is in decline. Our communities are disintegrating,
as the loss of meaningful work and the breakdown of the family
leave us anxious and alone-indeed, half of all Americans report
daily feelings of loneliness. Our public discourse is polarized and
hateful. Ethnic minorities face systemic injustices and the
ever-present fear of violence and deportation. Economic
inequalities are widening. In this book, Jake Meador diagnoses our
society's decline as the failure of a particular story we've told
about ourselves: the story of modern liberalism. He shows us how
that story has led to our collective loss of meaning, wonder, and
good work, and then recovers each of these by grounding them in a
different story-a story rooted in the deep tradition of the
Christian faith. Our story doesn't have to end in loneliness and
despair. There are reasons for hope-reasons grounded in a
different, better story. In Search of the Common Good reclaims a
vision of common life for our fractured times: a vision that
doesn't depend on the destinies of our economies or our political
institutions, but on our citizenship in a heavenly city. Only
through that vision-and that citizenship-can we truly work together
for the common good.
Discover Jesus' goals of togetherness, oneness, and unity in an
increasingly divided world. When you learn to confront the areas in
your heart that might not love as Jesus loved, you can help build a
flourishing, Christ-like culture. Throughout his ministry, Jesus
specifically bridged the gap with the ostracized, outcast, and
overlooked. He told his followers to do the same. The gospel
message is for everyone-and our mission as believers is to make
disciples of Jesus, not duplicates of ourselves. This requires us
to live and love beyond our preferences, to build relationships
with those who are different from us, and to go beyond the
boundaries of unspoken rules and invisible lines. It's time to
break the strongholds of division that have been passed down from
generation to generation. In Love Outside the Lines, Jimmy Rollins
will expand the gospel message of Christ beyond the lines of
cultural norms, show us how to follow in Jesus' footsteps by moving
away from racial stereotypes and moving toward things that unite
us, empower a culture of people willing to be part of the
conversation on racial reconciliation, help us embrace the kingdom
truth that we are better together than we are divided, and
exemplify a life of dynamic diversity at church, work, and home.
Join Jimmy on a powerful journey to rediscover the discipleship of
diversity that leads to unity. Together, we will confront our
comfort-zone barriers-both known and unknown-and take a detour to
pursue the kind of diverse relationships and honest dialog that
build a flourishing Christ culture.
Dewi Hughes' conviction is that the suffering through poverty of
such a vast number of people in our day is overwhelmingly the
result of the misuse of power by others. Hence, the underlying
theme of this wide-ranging, challenging study is that poverty has
to do with the way in which we human beings use and abuse the power
God gave us when he created us.
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