La necesidad de ligar y conciliar el mundo espiritual con el universo donde habita la armon a de Dios como piedra angular de la belleza, lleva al poeta a establecer "su mundo" desde donde inicia la construcci n de su propio edificio para abrir la ventana de las oscuridades a la luz, y la elevaci n de lo cotidiano a las comarcas de la belleza celestial; as en el principio era el Verbo, de qu le sirve ganar al hombre hasta el mundo entero, la fe confirma la ley, si hablase todas las lenguas, qu cosa ser el amor, c mo lo puedo entender, si a Dios quisieras pintar, tanto amor jam s he visto, adoro a un Dios que no veo, la salvaci n es un hecho, el amor, el odio, la muerte, todas las peque as y grandes cosas que hacen de cada hombre y de cada mujer, en las manos de Dios, seres irrepetibles. El aporte que Joel Suarez ha hecho para la difusi n y conocimiento de nuestra doctrina luterana, quiz s ha pasado desapercibido en gran medida; su car cter humilde y altruista as lo ha querido. Los poemas que se presentan en este libro, adem s de reflejar el alma de un poeta, tienen una amplia base doctrinal centrada en la Palabra. Joel conoce las circunstancias hist ricas que se daban hace quinientos a os, cuando Mart n Lutero emergi como un gigante para preservar la verdadera doctrina de Cristo y librarla de las garras que la hab an deformado y de qu manera. Ahora estampa a nivel de d cimas la esencia del cristianismo. Su lectura, entonces, a trav s de la diversidad de voces y tonalidades, puede deparar inesperadas sorpresas al recuperar o reencontrar esos parajes del esp ritu que alguna vez perdimos. Es muy grato redescubrir a trav s de este libro la sensibilidad espiritual de un hombre especial; una sensibilidad que merec a ser presentada de la forma apropiada, para compartirla con muchos creyentes m s.

Encounter the multifaceted life of one of the most influential and creative pastors of the past half century with unforgettable stories of his lifelong devotion to his craft and love of language, the influences and experiences that shaped his unquenchable faith, the inspiration for his decision to translate The Message, and his success and struggles as a pastor, husband, and father. Author Winn Collier was given exclusive access to Eugene and his materials for the production of this landmark work. Drawing from his friendship and expansive view of Peterson's life, Collier offers an intimate look into a rare, remarkable life that is at once artful, sacred, and earthy. For Eugene, the gifts of life were inexhaustible: the glint of fading light over the lake, a kiss from Jan, a good joke, a bowl of butter pecan ice cream. As you enter into his story, you'll find yourself doing the same - noticing how the most ordinary things shimmer with a new and unexpected beauty. Content Benefits: Warm, fascinating, and uniquely inspirational, this authoritative and comprehensive story of Eugene Peterson will help you discover the man behind The Message. * Authorized biography of Eugene Peterson * Draws on exclusive access to private correspondence and hours of exclusive interviews with Eugene * Reveals Eugene's rich theology, love of language and pastoral insights * Photo insert included * Perfect reading for anyone who loves The Message * Ideal for anyone who loves biographies

The Politics of the Spirit is a masterful study of the political effects of evangelical Protestantism in Central America. Timothy Steigenga's thoughtfully crafted work questions whether the spread of Protestantism in Latin America has reinforced authoritarian elements in political culture or deepened nascent democracy. Steigenga provides a thorough review of the literature on religion and politics in Latin America, putting many of the hypotheses generated in this literature to the test through an analysis of comparative survey data and qualitative interviews. Steigenga investigates the impact religious affiliation has on political activity and belief, and the influence of cross-denominational religious beliefs and practices on Latin American life. His comparative work explores how different political systems the established democracy of Costa Rica and the transitional system of Guatemala impact the politics of religion. This enlightening interdisciplinary book will appeal to scholars seeking to understand the relationships between religious and political change in Latin America."

Virulent anti-Catholicism was a hallmark of New England society from the first Puritan settlements to the eve of the American Revolution and beyond. Thus America's tactical decision during the Revolution to form alliances with Catholics in Canada and France ignited an awkward debate. The paradox arising out of this partnership has been left virtually unexamined by previous historians of the Revolution.

In Necessary Virtue Charles P. Hanson explores the disruptive effects of the American Revolution on the religious culture of New England Protestantism. He examines the efforts of New Englanders to make sense of their own shifting ideas of Catholicism and anti-Catholicism and traces the "necessary virtue" of religious toleration to its origins in pragmatic cultural politics. To some patriots, abandoning traditional anti-Catholicism meant shedding an obsolete relic of the intolerant colonial past; others saw it as a temporary concession to be reversed as soon as possible. Their Tory opponents meanwhile assailed them all as hypocrites for making common cause with the "papists" they had so recently despised. What began as a Protestant crusade succeeded only with Catholic help and later culminated in the First Amendment's formal separation of church and state. The Catholic contribution to American independence was thus controversial from the start.

In this felicitously written and informative book, Hanson raises questions about difference, tolerance, and the role of religious belief in politics and government that help us see the American Revolution in a new light. Necessary Virtue is timely in pointing to the historical contingency and, perhaps, the fragility of the church-state separation that is very much a poltical and legal issue today.

Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religious movement of our time. The unexpected birth of the modern-day Pentecostal movement at the doorsteps of the twentieth century is as perplexing as its continuing existence and unprecedented expansion worldwide. Once marginalized from public discourse, Pentecostals have entered into mainstream culture, religion, politics, academia, and social action. However, the unprecedented growth of Pentecostalism in all its diversity has led to characterizations ripe with platitudes, stereotypes, and misrepresentations. This Guide for the Perplexed sheds light on the most persistent contrasts characterizing the Pentecostal movement: the tension between local manifestations and global Pentecostalism, the inconsistency between spiritual discernment and charismatic excess, the gap between rampant denominationalism and the pursuit of Christian unity, the disparity between poverty among many Pentecostals and the popularity of the prosperity gospel, the division between Oneness Pentecostals and their trinitarian counterparts, and the worldview of Pentecostals beyond the confines of a religious movement. Those tensions form the essence of global Pentecostalism and represent the emergence of a global Christian world.

From its inception the Christian Church thought of worship and prayer in Trinitarian terms. At the heart of this Trinitarian concept lay the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ, which in its liturgical expression, presented Christ not merely as the object of prayer, but also as its mediator - prayers were directed to the Father through Christ.;The author traces the idea of the priesthood of Christ, and its effects on Christian worship and prayer, to its origins with the earliest Christians and through the Arian and Apollinarian debates. He then focuses on the Reformed tradition, and the influences of John Calvin, John Knox, John Craig, John McLeod Campbell, William Milligan, Theodore Beza, William Perkins, federal theology and the Westminster tradition, through to the present day.;The book is a history of an important doctrine, but it also shows in a remarkable way how the doctrinal struggles within the church have been reflected in the actual worshipping life of the church and how they continue to be reflected today.;Redding concludes with a number of key affirmations for a reformed understanding of prayer and also a critique of some modern tendencies and practices in the church.