"I confess that I am an unreconstructed optimist. Not a naive one; I ve lived too long for that, long enough to have experienced a resounding case for pessimism. I have vivid memories of the Great Depression, and I ve lived through several wars and those international anomalies that we call police actions. I ve watched what has seemed to me to be a rather steady decline in both public and private morals, and a growing confusion about ethics. And of course, I ve watched the increasing prevalence of both evil and inanity (sometimes they re synonymous) in television and on the Internet." from the Introduction But: There is God. And because there is God, there is goodness. I profoundly believe that God is at work in our world and that our planet has not yet been written off as a lost cause. History seems to tell me that though our human race appears so often to dedicate itself to its own destruction, God is always at work, usually, I think, behind the scenes. And because of God, faith, love, and goodness keep being reborn. So I write about Life from the Up Side.

Twelve sessions: On Being Born with a Rusty Spoon: For those who ve had a bad start When Life Is at January: Who knows what wonders lie ahead? A Woman Who Lived with Scorn: For those who suffer rejection close athand Don t Blame the Donkey Capitalize on your adversity When You ve Been Given a Bad Name: Don t let others define you Color Her Moses: Never give up. Never. Plot for a Life: More than success Party Gone Flat: What to do when life loses its flavor Suppose You re Worth More Than You Think You Are: It s time you calculated your worth How Wide Is a Boat? Gladness is nearer than you think Strange Victory: The gains in our losses The View from Mount Nebo: And then, there is heaven "

If the Spirit is not equal to the Father and the Son, can the Trinity survive? Is the role of the Spirit in salvation as important as that of the Son? Why was the divinity of the Spirit problematic in the early Church? If the Son, Jesus Christ, is the way the truth and the life," what role does the Spirit have in God's reaching out to touch the Church and the world? Is there any contact with, any experience of God, apart from the Spirit? In what sense is the Spirit the goal of the Christian life? "The Other Hand of God" addresses these theological queries.

Chapters are *To Do Pneumatology is to Do Trinity, - *Struggling with Ambiguity, - *The Way of Doxology, - *To Do Pneumatology is to Do Eschatology, - *Movement Toward Fixity: Holy Spirit in Patristic Eschatology, - *To Do Pneumatology Is to Start at the Beginning, - *No Unified Vision in the New Testament, - *Losing the Battle to Stay with the Imprecision of the Scriptures, - *The Mission of the Spirit: Junior Grade? - *God Beyond the Self of God, - *The Return: The Highway Back to the Father, - *The Spirit Is the Touch of God, - *The Tradition of Subordinationism, - *Basil: Not Subordination but Communion of Life with the Father and the Son, - *Gregory Nazianzus: The Divine Pedagogy in Steps, - *The Council of Constantinople: The Triumph of Discretion, - *To Do Pneumatology is to Start with Experience, - *Experience of the Spirit in the Early Church, - *William of St. Thierry: 'so I May Know by Experience, '- *Bernard of Clairvaux: 'Today We Read in the Book of Experience, '- *The Role of Pneumatology in an Integral Theology, - *The Continuing Quest for a Theology of the Holy Spirit, - and *Toward a Theology in the Holy Spirit. -

"Kilian McDonnell, OSB, STD, a monk and priest of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, is the founder and the president of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research in Collegeville. For years he was a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Unity in Rome. He has been involved both nationally and internationally in dialogues with the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and Disciples of Christ. He has published on John Calvin, Christian initiation, and on the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, as well as collections of poetry. The Catholic Theological Society of America has honored him for his contributions to theology.""

A new edition covering the latest scientific research on how the brain makes us believers or skeptics

Recent polls report that 96 percent of Americans believe in God, and 73 percent believe that angels regularly visit Earth. Why is this? Why, despite the rise of science, technology, and secular education, are people turning to religion in greater numbers than ever before? Why do people believe in God at all?

These provocative questions lie at the heart of How We Believe , an illuminating study of God, faith, and religion. Bestselling author Michael Shermer offers fresh and often startling insights into age-old questions, including how and why humans put their faith in a higher power, even in the face of scientific skepticism. Shermer has updated the book to explore the latest research and theories of psychiatrists, neuroscientists, epidemiologists, and philosophers, as well as the role of faith in our increasingly diverse modern world.

Whether believers or nonbelievers, we are all driven by the need to understand the universe and our place in it. How We Believe is a brilliant scientific tour of this ancient and mysterious desire.

Who has authority to speak for God? Does His message come through other people, through Scripture, or both?

According to Neil Anderson, answers to these common questions must be based on two powerful truths: We are alive in Christ, and we are God's children. He examines the danger of counterfeit messages the roles of Scripture, the Spirit, and other believers ways to guard against Satan's deceptions the freedom that can replace fear of wrong decisions true spiritual discernment

This confidence-building resource will help readers listen for God's word to their own hearts. Questions for group study or discussion are provided at the end of each chapter.

Some material previously released in "Walking in the Light."

In this significant work, Professor T.F. Torrance examines the importance of the Nicene Faith for Christian Theology. By cutting across the divide between East and West and between the Catholic and Evangelical, he also offers a unique contribution to our understanding of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. The author provides an account of the principal themes of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed; the doctrine of God, as Father and Creator, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and of the Church; and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. He allows the patristic theologians so speak for themselves and brings to light the inner theological connections which give coherent structure to the classical theology of the ancient Catholic Church as it was formulated during the fourth century. T.F. Torrance engages with the theologians of the fourth century, illuminating and developing the one authentically ecumenical confession of faith of the churches of East and West. In the realisation of this approach, the theology of T.F. Torrance himself, one of our greatest contemporary theologians, is itself illuminated and developed, creating what is truly a remarkable 'one volume dogmatics' of today. The Very Reverend T.F. Torrance was Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Edinburgh.

Written particularly for the Charismatic Renewal in the English-speaking world, "Come, Creator Spirit" is a helpful guide for a better understanding of the Holy Spirit. In this detailed commentary on the famous hymn "Veni Creator," sung at the beginning of every new year, ecumenical council, and priestly ordination, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa describes the Paraclete and gives praise to its glory. Progressing through the hymn line by line, he provides insights, reflections, hymnography of Christian traditions, and testimonies of the saints.

This book describes the Church's experience of the Spirit of today, as well as the past. The biblical and theological base of the hymn opens the reader to the perspectives and inspirations in this book. Its Vision of the Holy Spirit in the history of salvation emerges as the reader progresses through the reading. In the celebration of the ecumenical character of "Veni Creator," this book draws from Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic traditions for al those who wish to seek a better understanding of the Holy Spirit.

Chapters are Spirit, Come " *Creator, - *Fill with Heavenly Grace the Hearts that You Have Made, - *You Whom We Name the Paraclete, - *Most High Gift of God, - *Living Water, - *Fire, - *Love, - *Anointing for the Soul, - *Sevenfold in Your Gifts, - *Finger of God's Right Hand, - *The Father's Solemn Promise, - *Gifting Lips with the Word to Say, - *Kindle Your Light in Our Minds, - *Pour Love into Our Hearts, - *Infirmity in This Body of Ours Overcoming with Strength Secure, - *The Enemy Drive from Us Away, - *Peace Then Give without Delay, - *With You As Guide We Avoid al Cause of Harm, - *Through You May We the Father Know, - *Through You May We Know the Son As Well, - and *And You, the Spirit of Them Both, May We Always Believe. -

"Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, is past professor of the history of Christian origins at the Catholic University of Milan and a member of the International Theological Commission. He is preacher to the papal household and author of "The Mystery of Pentecost, Easter in the Early Church; The Eucharist: Our Sanctification; The Mystery of God's Word; The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus; Jesus Christ, The Holy One of God; Mary, Mirror of the Church; The Mystery of Christmas;" and "The Mystery of Easter" published by The Liturgical Press."

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Here we revisit The Trickster, The Hunter, The Shape Shifter, The Green Man and Gods of Wisdom Wealth and Laughter. There are many Gods and they are also the Guardians of Nature and Protector of Animals. Whether European, Hindu, Ancestors of The Dreamtime, American Kachinas, Ussen and Wakan Tanka they are all accessible today. Walk through the complexities of belief and style and find the answers to your questions.

This popular theology on the Holy Spirit is at once profound and remarkably accessible. Jack Haberer tracks the doctrine of the Spirit through the Bible, contemporary experiences, and church life and examines the way it applies to social issues in the world today. Haberer's clear presentation brings stories from the Bible to life and makes this book a standout among those on the Spirit and spirituality.

The view of ancient Israelite religion as monotheistic has long been traditional in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, religions that have elaborated in their own way the biblical image of a single male deity. But recent archaeological findings of texts and images from the Iron Age kingdoms of Israel and Judah and their neighbourhood offer a quite different impression. Two issues in particular raised by these are the existence of a female consort, Asherah, and the implication for monotheism; and the proliferation of pictorial representations that may contradict the biblical ban on images. Was the religion of ancient Israel really as the Bible would have us believe? This volume provides a comprehensive introduction to these issues, presenting the relevant inscriptions and discussing their possible impact for Israelite monotheism, the role of women in the cult, and biblical theology.

This engaging volume traces the development of creation themes through the Pentateuch, the psalms, Job, the prophets, and the New Testament, discussing their implications for Christian faith and ministry.

This short, readable book discusses the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity for contemporary faith. In clear, understandable language, it explores the development of the doctrine of the Trinity in church history, discusses modern issues and developments, and speaks practically about the significance of this doctrine for the Christian life. The Foundations of Christian Faith series enables readers to learn about contemporary theology in ways that are clear, enjoyable, and meaningful. It examines the doctrines of the Christian faith and stimulates readers not only to think more deeply about their faith but also to understand their faith in relationship to contemporary challenges and questions. Individuals and study groups alike will find these guides invaluable in their search for depth and integrity in their Christian faith.

God as Communion explores ancient and new meanings of the symbol of God as Trinity and brings the Christian traditions of West and East into dialogue. Through an exploration of the works of two contemporary theologians, John Zizioulas and Elizabeth Johnson, Patricia Fox retrieves this central Christian symbol and uncovers its transforming power for the Church and world today. God as Communion shows how both Zizioulas and Johnson, from their very different theological traditions and starting points, provide a rich understanding of the symbol of the Triune God. Fox proposes we reclaim that doctrine of the Trinity as an eminently practical doctrine that challenges Christians and the Christian Churches to transforming changes in this new century. Part one examines the trinitarian theology of John Zizioulas, which focuses on the formative and seminal period of the first centuries of Christianity. Part two examines Elizabeth Johnson's exploration of the mystery of the triune God in feminist theological discourse. Part three brings the trinitarian theologies of John Zizioulas and Elizabeth Johnson into a mutually critical correlation. Fox concludes that the respective theologies of Zizioulas and Johnson together provide a rich resource for the retrieval of this ancient Christian symbol. Chapters under Part One: The Trinitarian Theology of John Zizioulas are The Trinitarian God - Persons in Communion," "God and Creation," and "The Church as Communion." Chapters under Part Two: The Trinitarian Theology of Elizabeth Johnson are "Renaming the Trinitarian God," "SHE WHO IS: The Being of God and Suffering," and "Reclaiming the Creator Spirit, Women and Earth." Chapters under Part Three: Towards a Retrieval of the Symbol of the Triune God are "Zizioulas, Johnson and the Retrieval of the Trinity," "Pneumatology and Christology in Mutual Relation," "Foundations for Trinitarian Theology: Persons, Naming, Structure," "Trinitarian Theology in Practice: The Issues of Suffering and the Ecological Crisis," and "Towards a Constructive Retrieval of the Symbol of the Triune God." Patricia A. Fox, RSM, PhD, teaches Christian spirituality at the Adelaide College of Divinity at the theology school of Flinders University of South Australia and coordinates the Spirituality Office for the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide. "

The development of kenotic ideas was one of the most important advances in theological thinking in the late twentieth century. In The Work of Love eleven foremost theologians and scientists discuss the kenotic view of creation, exploring the implications of this controverial perspective for Christian doctrine and the scientific enterprise generally. The authors' backgrounds are diverse-ranging from systematic theology to neuropsychology-yet each agrees in seeing creation as God's loving act of divine self-restriction. The key concept, kenosis ("self-emptying"), refers to God's voluntary limitation of his divine infinity in order to allow room for finite creatures who are truly free to be themselves. This engaging formulation of God's creative work challenges the common conception of God as a divine dictator and provides a more satisfying response to the perplexing problem of evil and suffering in the world. The fruit of discussions sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, these stimulating chapters bring a needed interdisciplinary approach to this weighty new trajectory in Christian thought. Contributors: Ian G. Barbour Sarah Coakley George F. R. Ellis Paul S. Fiddes Malcolm Jeeves Jurgen Moltmann Arthur Peacocke John Polkinghorne Holmes Rolston III Keith Ward Michael Welker

It is widely believed that modern philosophers have dismissed the idea of God and opted instead for a secular humanism. Challenging these stereotypes through a careful study of major philosophical texts written since the Enlightenment, Philip Clayton shows how the main thinkers of the modern period have continued to wrestle with the problem of God and to make proposals for understanding the divine.

Following up on his award-winning book God and Contemporary Science, Clayton here explores the constructive resources that modern thought offers to those struggling with the notion of God as "infinite" and "perfect." He finds in the narrative of modern thought about God strong support for panentheism, the new theological movement that maintains the transcendence of God while denying the separation of God and the world.

Ordained ministry cannot be understood by itself or only in its relationship with Christ. It must find its identity in relationship to the Church, for it exists to serve and build up the Church. In Sacramental Orders Susan Wood places the theology of ordained ministry within its ecclesial foundations, identifying four concepts that shed light on different aspects of ordained ministry and its relationship to the Church: a monarchical and hierarchical concept; a eucharistic, collegial model of ministry representing the communion of particular Churches; the priest, prophet, and king, which structures the concept of the Church as the people of God; and a theology of the Church as a sacrament of Christ and ordained ministry as a sacrament of the Church. Sacramental Orders is a liturgical and theological study of ordained ministry grounded in the liturgy of the 1990 typical edition of the rites. It addresses the three Orders within the one Sacrament of Order: bishop, presbyter, and deacon. By including each order with this study, the interrelationship between the three becomes more apparent, and the theology of one is allowed to inform the theology of the others. Wood points out that one of the challenges in theologies of ordained ministry today is to distinguish a bishop from a presbyter when both are ordinations to the priesthood and presbyters are assuming a greater ministry of oversight as they pastor more than one parish, and to distinguish deacons from presbyters at a time in church history when deacons are assuming more presbyteral functions. Sacramental Orders also focuses on the mutual reciprocity in the relationship between liturgical rite and the theology of the sacrament as explained in ecclesial documents. The ordination rites reflect the theology expressed by Vatican II and yet also present a theology of the sacrament embedded in the liturgical texts and actions. Chapters are The Ecclesiological Foundations of Ministry," "The Liturgical Rite of the Ordination of a Bishop," "The Sacramentality of Episcopal Consecration," "The Liturgical Rite of the Ordination of Presbyters," "Theology of the Presbyterate," "The Liturgical Rite of the Ordination of Deacons," and "Questions Concerning the Diaconate." Susan K. Wood, SCL, PhD, is Associate Professor of Theology at St. John's University, Collegeville, MN. She is the author of articles published in Theological Studies, Pro Ecclesia, One in Christ, Worship, Studia liturgica, Communio, and Studio Canonica. She is a member of the U.S. Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue. "

The Contemporary Christian Insights series includes important new works as well as reissues of books that have had a lasting impact on popular theology.

During recent years the Christian church has taken stock of its beliefs. In the course of the last century, Christian theology has had many challenge to meet and has not remained unchanged by the encounter. There have been radical questionings of almost every aspect of doctrine. Yet people are more willing now than ever to listen to constructive voices.

Christians are in search of a way to articulate a faith in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, hold convictions about the nature of man and his destiny, and show the relevance of belief to conduct C. F. D. Moult gives a plain and intellectual statement of what faith is, and how it can honestly and meaningfully be expressed today.

Does God Exist and Does He Care?

In April 1997 Reynolds Price received an eloquent letter from a reader of his cancer memoir, A Whole New Life. The correspondent, a young medical student diagnosed with cancer himself and facing his own mortality, asked these difficultQuestions. The two began a long-distance correspondence, culminating in Price's thoughtful response, originally delivered as the Jack and Lewis Rudin Lecture at Auburn Theological Seminary, and now expanded onto the printed page as Letter to a Man in the Fire.

Harvesting a variety of sources -- diverse religious traditions, classical and modern texts, and a lifetime of personal experiences, interactions, and spiritual encounters -- Price meditates on God's participation in our fate. With candor and sympathy, he offers the reader such a rich variety of tools to explore these questions as to place this work in the company of other great tetsaments of faith from St. Augustine to C. S. Lewis.

Letter to a Man in the Fire moves as much as it educates. It is a rare combination of deep erudition, vivid prose, and profound humanity.

Where did the Holy Trinity originate as a doctrine? Why did this doctrine develop? How can Christians speak of God as three persons and also worship one God? In "The College Student's Introduction to the Trinity, " Lynne Lorenzen examines how the doctrine of the Trinity has been interpreted in Eastern Christianity, Western Christianity, and by contemporary theologians including feminists and process theologians.

In Western Christianity the doctrine of the Trinity is an enigma. On the one hand, this doctrine is the foundation of liturgical worship. On the other hand, many Western Christians have focused theology and faith on the person of Jesus to the exclusion of any other theological categories. For these believers the doctrine of the Trinity has become divorced from the doctrine of salvation, soteriology; from the doctrine of the church, ecclesiology; and from how Christians understand what it means for Jesus to be the Christ, christology. For most believers this disjunction is so great as to make them wonder why, aside from tradition, theologians insist on speaking of the Trinity at al. That many theologians have not sensed this need to relate theology to the Trinity also indicates the breadth of the divorce.

In "The College Student's Introduction to the Trinity," Lynne Lorenzen examines the development of the separation of the Trinity from the rest of Christian theology, how it began with Augustine and continued in the Western tradition. One solution that she describes is for the Western Christian to rediscover the original function of the doctrine of the Trinity as integrating soteriology, christology, and the doctrine of God, to develop a doctrine that will reauthenticate the Trinity, and, above al, to integrate these doctrines in a doctrine of the Trinity for the West.

Lorenzen discusses four resources needed for a reauthenticated Western doctrine: orthodoxy, the theology of the pre-Augustinian tradition of the Christian Church that is currently still practiced in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches; the work of Jurgen Moltmann and his understanding that the Trinity includes christology and soteriology as foundational; feminism, which understands salvation occurs here and now and is the work of al creation; and process theology, which provides a metaphysics that describes how God relates with the world to bring about salvation. The work concludes by constructing a doctrine of the Trinity out of these resources.

Chapters are The Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity," "The Western Doctrine of the Trinity," "Recent Formulations of the Augustinian Tradition," "Non-Augustinian Formulations in the Western Tradition," "The Doctrine of the Trinity by Jurgen Moltmann," "Feminism and the Doctrine of the Trinity," "Process Theologians and the Trinity," and "reauthenticated Doctrine of the Trinity."

"Lynne Faber Lorenzen, PhD, is associate professor of religion at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, and president of the American Academy of Religion upper Midwest region.""

Here at last is a book that attends both to the call for more inclusive language in worship and to the traditional claims of Trinitarian theology. The authors insist that the Trinity must remain at the heart of Christian worship. But this need not confine us to a single formula or a narrow range of images; indeed, new forms of language are essential if we are properly to praise the unnamed, all-named, triune God. This book is brimming with liturgical resources, including prayers, hymn texts, and sample sermons.

A probing look at one of America's pressing social concerns--crime and the spiritual needs of those who suffer because of it. Headlines and nightly news programs remind us constantly of the reality of crime and victims who suffer from it. This important book is the first to make a theological exploration of the spiritual issues that victims face in the aftermath of crime and to offer practical advice for assisting those in need. Written by teachers, theologians, and practitioners well known for their expertise in the field, GOD AND THE VICTIM probes and examines issues of evil, justice, victimization, and forgiveness. Working from the view that crime is primarily a spiritual issue, the authors look at examples of victimization in the Bible for guidance about we can better minister to victims today. Readers of the book will attain a deeper understanding of what crime victims experience, insight into their practical and spiritual needs, and concrete suggestions for giving wise and sensitive help. Including thought-provoking sidebars and study guides for personal or group use, this volume is the best av! ailable resource for readers ranging from pastors and counselors to individuals whose own lives have been impacted by crime.

In Jesus Is My Uncle, Luis Pedraja examines Christology and the doctrine of God from a Hispanic perspective, emphasizing the role played by language and experience. This volume provides a unique perspective and promotes a deeper understanding of Hispanic theology and, by inference, other theologies as well.

Living in the cultural borderlands, an important aspect of the Hispanic experience is the languages used: Spanish and English. Pedraja examines how the way Hispanics speak about Jesus and God in Spanish creates different theological imagery than speaking in English does. All languages are laden with affections, nuances, and images that enhance the meaning of certain words. Since languages reflect and affect our theology, how one speaks about God provides a window into theology and unconsciously affects the way one thinks about God.

Adolf Holl's divine biography examines the life of the Holy Spirit in the context of the history of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  Interweaving scholarship with religion, myth, and culture, Holl expertly traces the influence of the Holy Spirit on men and women from all walks of life, over the course of centuries.  The result is quite unlike anything written before.

The Holy Spirit inspired a few Galilean fishermen to find the courage to preach a new world religion.  The Jews recognized it as the breath of God.  Mohammed was inspired by it in the dictation of the Koran.  Yet this same spirit has moved individuals to rebel against convention, authority, and even sanity.  Through Holl's freewheeling yet always crystal-clear discourse, we see how the Holy Spirit informs an incredible array of beliefs (including those underlying the rituals of Appalachian snake handlers) and ideas (the works of Freud and James Joyce are among the many discussed).

When the book was published in Germany, Der Spiegel wrote, "Holl has presented a formidable history, linking together the most distant things in a surprising way and leaving the whole as a paradox.  He leaves it to the reader to judge the encounter with the Holy Spirit as a manifestation of the divine in the human being--or as a case for the psychiatrist."

Whatever the reader's conclusion may be, The Left Hand of God is sure to be hailed as a major religious publishing event.


From the Hardcover edition.

This book traces Tertullians handling of key doctrines and draws implications for some of todays crucial issues: Trinitarian faith, the status of creation, gender, authority and power abuse. It takes the agenda of early Christian thought seriously and finds it profoundly relevant today.

By challenging some of the most cherished theological beliefs to emerge within black Christian communities, this text encourages us to extend the range of our religious world views and embrace black cultural expressions that have been ignored or despised. Anthony Pinn explores theological texts, preaching, folklore, spirituals, blues and rap to look at beliefs held within the African American community that contribute to the suffering of its members and to unleash a tradition of African American humanism.

Seldom does a teacher come along with the ability to take the exuberance of spiritual joy and put it on a page in lessons of graceful simplicity and life-giving power. But in "Colors of the Spirit, " readers are introduced to just such a teacher in Dorothy Ederer. Here she shares her own prescription for a fulfilling life, and illustrates it with the stories of those who have enriched her own journey. You will see in these stories people who looked inside themselves and discovered the potential God gave them to touch others. These individuals were the colors that brightened Dorothy's world, a world which was sometimes darkened by the hopelessness she encountered in her work as a counselor and teacher. Yet she found that just as white light is filtered through raindrops to create a rainbow, so too is God's light filtered through all of creation and manifested in each being in a unique way. In "Colors of the Spirit, " Ederer goes through each color of the rainbow to share the special meanings they have for her, and how the qualities they represent can bring us peace and joy in our own lives.

"From the Hardcover edition."