Among other relevant issues, this book adds new insights to the proposed Igbo Christian rites of reconciliation. Towards an inculturation, the resolutional equations of the Igbo cultural method of reconciliation - oriko in ala di mma - are balanced with the sacrament of reconciliation in operational life of the people who are pastorally concerned. In this context, the author refers to the Owerri archdiocesan working document on emume nsacha na ndozi, meaning a ritual of purification and peace, as well as to the Igbo Christian rite of reconciliation proposed by Augustine Echema. The method of these new rites is para-liturgical in nature which highlights the importance of reconciliation of human beings with themselves, their neighbours and God, whenever sin has taken place. Paradoxically, this new method of reconciliation can broaden ecumenism and strengthens the social, cultural, political and religious lives of the people. In this sense, reconciliation can be seen as a natural spiritual cord that ties people to themselves and to God in a communal and Christian environment.

Female Images of God in Christian Worship: In the Spirituality of TongSungGiDo of the Korean Church examines problems that arise from the use of exclusively patriarchal images in modern Christian worship. The author asserts that female images in the Bible could help worshippers find a relationship with God and provide encouragement and comfort in difficult situations. As a Korean Christian, MyungSil Kim explores the possibilities of employing God's female images in the services of the Korean Church, noting that Korea's native religions, the ancient religions and Muism, had many female deities unlike patriarchal foreign religions such as Buddhism and Confucianism. These female deities have comforted the Korean people when they experienced han, a distinctive emotion of deep sadness and resentment that is characteristically Korean. TongSungGiDo, the unique Korean prayer style of communal lament, provides an opportune space and time for the consideration of female images in the Bible. MyungSil Kim examines how female images could more effectively function in the context of TongSungGiDo in accordance with traditional practices to express the complementarity among the concepts of han, lament, female images of God, and prayer. This book is strongly grounded on biblical studies, feminist studies, Christian ethics, and religious studies, including principles of inculturation. The volume is a valuable resource to pastors who are sensitive about language justice in worship and to those seeking to explore feminist theology and particularly feminist liturgical studies.

""During my boxing career, you did not see the real Muhammad Ali. You just saw a little boxing. You saw only a part of me. After I retired from boxing my true work began. I have embarked on a journey of love.""
So Muhammad Ali begins this spiritual memoir, his description of the values that have shaped and sustained him and that continue to guide his life. In "The Soul of a Butterfly" the great champion takes readers on a spiritual journey through the seasons of life, from childhood to the present, and shares the beliefs that have served him well.
After fighting some of the fiercest bouts in boxing history against Joe Frazier and George Foreman, today Muhammad Ali faces his most powerful foe -- outside the boxing ring. Like many people, he battles an illness that limits his physical abilities, but as he says, "I have gained more than I have lost....I have never had a more powerful voice than I have now." Ali reflects on his faith in God and the strength it gave him during his greatest challenge, when he lost the prime years of his boxing career because he would not compromise his beliefs. He describes how his study of true Islam has helped him accept the changes in his life and has brought him to a greater awareness of life's true purpose. As a United Nations "Messenger of Peace," he has traveled widely, and he describes his 2002 mission to Afghanistan to heighten public awareness of that country's desperate situation, as well as his more recent meeting with the Dalai Lama.
Ali's reflections on topics ranging from moral courage to belief in God to respect for those who differ from us will inspire and enlighten all who read them. Written with the assistance of his daughter Hana, "The Soul of a Butterfly" is a compassionate and heartfelt book that will provide comfort for our troubled times.

Story and Song: A Postcolonial Interplay between Christian Education and Worship examines the roles of Scripture and hymnody in a Christian community in the twenty-first century, an era marked by a growing awareness of complex issues and migrating contexts. This work identifies the divisions that have existed between these two disciplines. The postcolonial approach employed here offers insights that uncover the colonial assumptions that led to division rather than integration of worship and Christian education. Furthermore, this book seeks to employ qualitative research methods in studying a Korean-Canadian diasporic congregation and a Korean feminist Christian group. Such research demonstrates how the Gospel Story and the congregation's stories can be woven together in a particular context, while the Song of Faith can help to build a postcolonial feminist community. Readers will be equipped to mend the divisions between Christian education and worship, to respond to the needs of non-Western Christian communities, and to attain postcolonial insights. A balanced theoretical work with reflective practical descriptions, this volume will be useful to those who are looking for a text to guide Christian education and worship courses and contribute to the readings of courses in practical theology, postcolonial studies, feminist pedagogies, and feminist liturgies.

In the time of the church, transformation, renewal, and the process of coming-to-faith rely on the symbolic efficacy of speech, where God is encountered as a word. The Sacramentality of Preaching examines the thought of Louis-Marie Chauvet and incorporates it into contemporary homiletical theory in order to bolster and renew Christian proclamation that has an intentionally sacramental character. Liturgical preachers will find practical pathways, frameworks, and common language through the use of this innovative sacramentology.

Scholars and experts in anthropology, theatricality, ethnoscenology, dance, religious studies, theology, history and art have contributed to the inspiring exchange of intellectual inquiry in this book. It presents the revised lectures and a selection of the revised papers from the international and interdisciplinary conference Religion, Ritual, Theatre which took place in April 2006 at the University of Copenhagen. The aim of the book is to intertwine new theories with concrete case studies in an empirical and practical manner. Case studies from different places and various cultures in Europe, South Africa, the Near East and India demonstrate noticeable parallels concerning the notions of embodiment and practice. Even though these upcoming perspectives share a rather redundant vocabulary they nevertheless seem to contribute to a common ground of a phenomenology of the body, of action and perception.

This book, which developed from an understanding of the dialectical relationship between theology and the church, provides information about the function and domain of language in the church through an analysis of its creedal statements. The study begins with an historical investigation of the crisis in linguistic interpretation in the church and theological community. Subsequently, a philosophical framework is presented through an investigation of particularly significant aspects of Ludwig Wittgenstein's later writings. Following a discussion of the alternative readings of Wittgenstein by theologians, examples are presented for ways in which we can apply Wittgenstein's linguistic approach to the interpretation of creeds. After distinguishing optional approaches to the creeds, the book presents an understanding of creedal statements in light of Wittgenstein. Reclaiming the functional nature of doxological language within its liturgical context provides a central connection between the language of the church and the actions of its members.

Take Time Out of Each Day to Relax and Grow Together In the midst of the stress and pressure of everyday life, Moments Together for Couples will give you and your mate a chance to pause, relax, and draw upon the strength of the Lord. This easy-to-use devotional helps you set aside anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes every day with your spouse to grow closer to God and closer to each other.

What is the true secret to spiritual growth for couples? Dennis and Barbara Rainey know from experience that the secret is more moments together. When you are lifting up your relationship and the rest of your life together to God, you won't be able to keep the spiritual growth from happening. In the pages of Moments with You, the Raineys offer just what couples need to get started or to continue growing in their quiet times together. These short but poignant biblical devotions are enjoyable and easy to use, providing a daily discussion point, prayer and Scripture reference. Married couples desiring a deeper spiritual connection with God and their spouse will come to treasure their time spent over Moments with You. For married couples of all ages and at all stages of life.

A selection from Underhill's enduring devotional writings, chosen for their pertinence to Lenten themes. Half a century has passed since Evelyn Underhill's death, yet her devotional writings have endured as a beacon to those who seek a deeper understanding of the interior life in the mystical Christian tradition. The editor's personal discovery of Underhill's works when he was a young student at General Theological Seminary moved him to pursue an extensive knowledge of her writings. From these he has skillfully culled readings appropriate for every day of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Eve and broadly following liturgical themes. Now back in print, these selections were chosen with the purpose of deepening Lenten observance by allowing the reader to follow the thought of Underhill, from the spiritual stocktaking theme for Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday's joyous anticipation of God's ultimate Gift.

Saint Therese of Lisieux is known as a saint, mystic, Doctor of the Church and is one of the most venerated saints of the Church. Her simple, yet remarkably profound Little Way is a wonderful devotion for all Christians.
Now, take the wisdom and holiness of Saint Therese wherever you go. In " 30 Days with Saint Therese of Lisieux," Thomas J. Craughwell packs the wisdom of Saint Therese and the scriptures into a 30-day devotional.
Supplemented by meditations and prayers for each day, "30 Days with Saint Therese of Lisieux" is the perfect way to begin following her Little Way.

The Inspirational Classic That Has Sold More Than 250,000 Copies

In this 40th anniversary edition of Eric Butterworth's inspiring tour de force, the author shares the greatest discovery of all time: the ability to see the divine within us all. Jesus saw this divine dimension in every human being, and Butterworth reveals this hidden and untapped resource to be a source of limitless abundance. Exploring this "depth potential," Butterworth outlines ways in which we can release the power locked within us for better health, greater confidence, increased success, and inspired openness to let our "light shine" forth for others.

Many Christians are locked in a cycle of addiction, particularly in the areas of alcohol and drug abuse. Adapting his successful Steps to Freedom in Christ, Dr. Neil Anderson has provided an alternative model of recovery for substance and alcohol abusers--a model that has also freed hundreds of thousands struggling with other kinds of addictions. But the devil doesn't give up easily. So to further help recovering addicts still struggling with temptation, there is the One Day at a Time devotional. Here are inspirational readings that reinforce the Steps to Freedom and encourage those on the road to recovery. This product is for those who want to break free from a debilitating lifestyle of addiction, and for pastors and counselors to use with their clients.

Women who are facing the reality of widowhood are often connected by a common thread of grief and uncertainty. "Hope for an Aching Heart" offers encouragement to help readers handle the challenges of each day with God's grace. Sharing from a widow's heart, the author weaves personal stories, Scripture, and prayers into 60 days of inspirational thoughts that motivate readers to draw closer to God. This heartfelt and engaging devotional helps to broaden women's understanding of the depth of God's love, His tender care, and His promise to always be with them.

Ibn 'Arabi (1165-1240) has long been known as a great spiritual master. His many works of prose and poetry are beginning to be more accessible in translation in Western languages. They possess the remarkable quality of being able to speak to people of all walks of life and belief, across the apparent barrier of many centuries and differing cultures. Despite this growing interest, the prayers which are attributed to him remain little-known. They provide a most precious glimpse into the real practice of the mystical life within the Sufi tradition. This is the first time that any of Ibn 'Arabi's prayers have been published in another language. This particular collection is one of the most beautiful, having been revered in the Islamic world for centuries. There are fourteen prayers, one for each day and night of the week. They include not only the most astounding expressions of contemplation and devotion to God, but also an unparalleled depth of knowledge of Union (tawhid). As the translators show in their introduction, the very structure of the prayers is a mode of contemplation, since for Ibn 'Arabi the weekly cycle itself is sacred. These prayers are presented with notes and appendices.

This is probably the greatest little Catholic prayerbook you will ever encounter because it has over 100 Traditional Catholic prayers and is comprised of 4 Parts or sections: Part I contains the common prayers every Catholic should know by heart over 25 including the Acts of Faith, Hope, Love and Contrition, plus numerous short invocations. Part II contains over 25 especially powerful prayers: to Our lady, St. Joseph, St. Anne, St. Jude, St. Philomena, St. Anthony, etc. Part III contains miscellaneous favorite prayers: e.g., Morning Offering, Prayers to Our Lady, to St. Joseph for Purity, to overcome a bad habit, for grace, the Te Deum, Consecration to the Holy Ghost, etc. And Part IV contains various other \"favorite prayers, \" such as for a happy death, the choice of a state of life, for priests, Fatima Prayers, for safe delivery of a baby, for the dying, for the dead, for the Poor Souls, etc. For a small package, this little Prayerbook is dynamite, and should be carried by all Large Print.

Estas a punto de embarcarte en un viaje de descubrimiento. A lo largo de estas seis nuevas sesiones, basadas en estudios impartidos por Rick Warren, vas a descubrir la respuesta a la pregunta fundamental de la vida: ' Para que estoy aqui en la tierra?'. Y esta es una pista de la respuesta: 'No se trata de ti... Fuiste creado por Dios y para Dios, y hasta que lo entiendas, tu vida no tendra ningun sentido. Solo en el encontramos nuestro origen, nuestra identidad, nuestro sentido, nuestro proposito, nuestro significado y nuestro destino. Cualquier otra ruta termina en un callejon sin salida'."

Are you ready for a revolutionary year with Heidi & Rolland? Whether stopping for the one in a dusty village in Mozambique or reaching out to the world, Heidi and Rolland model--and invite everyone into--the radical love that thrills God's heart. Energized by their work on the frontlines of ministry, the Bakers weave together miraculous stories, Scriptures, encouraging devotional thoughts and prayer to take you through the year. Every day is a fresh invitation to live fully devoted to God. When you surrender to Him and allow His presence to grow in you, you will find, like the Bakers, that you don't become less of yourself; you actually become more fully the person He has always intended you to be. Join Heidi and Rolland for an unforgettable year of sold-out, passionate, reckless devotion to the One who loves you more than you can imagine. "All God wants is my laid-down love, my reckless devotion. He is asking the same from you."--Heidi Baker