This book shows how Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI mandated many confused, inconsistent, and misguided policies on clerical sexual abuse; actions that ultimately hindered the implementation of effective reforms to alleviate the crisis that has enveloped the Catholic Church for the last two decades. It also examines the possibility of authentic change by articulating the positive outreach of Pope Francis to the victims of abuse, his attempts at institutional atonement, as well as his struggles to implement systematic actions for the protection of young people.

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. It goes hand in hand with love, mercy, and grace, the fundamental theological virtues. However, forgiveness is easier to define than it is to embody. This unique collection of essays brings together theologians, ethicists, and ministry practitioners into a constructive dialog which explores the complex and crucial concept of forgiveness: what it is, where it is to be found, and how it might be practiced. These essays reflect the perspectives of those from various traditions who nonetheless take the Christian Scriptures seriously, believe that forgiveness is central to living out the Gospel, and are creative in the ways in which forgiveness can be practiced. Forgiveness is an art and not simply a science; as such it requires trust, skill, and hope alongside love, mercy, and grace if it is to be embodied. This volume offers a unique window into the art of forgiveness and the faithful and innovative ways in which it is to be understood, embodied, and cultivated.

Why should we care about marriage? There is a lot of confusion about the purpose of marriage today: outside the church as well as within it. Written by a distinguished Christian sociologist, Christian Marriage is a theologically rich, biblically robust, and sociologically informed treatise on the nature and value of marriage. Drawing on recent social science research, empirical data, and social history, Ayers paints a picture of marriage as an institution meant for human flourishing. Along the way, Ayers addresses such topics as: Dating and selection of a spouse The importance of premarital counseling Sex and procreation Mentoring and supporting unmarried believers Divorce and remarriage Current controversies surrounding premarital sex and same-sex marriage Though the book is academically and theologically informed, it is written with a pastoral heart. It seeks to provide a rich resource for pastors and counselors on a topic of supreme importance to a vibrant church and society.

Religious leaders require tremendous skill in emotional intelligence, yet their training very rarely addresses how to develop the practical skills needed-from self-awareness to resilience. Emotional Intelligence Religious Leaders draws on the latest research in business, psychology, and theology to offer religious leaders the information and tools they need to increase their emotional intelligence and enhance their relationships, communication and conflict management skills, spirituality, and overall well-being. The book offers both a deep understanding of how to develop emotional intelligence and also prescriptive insights about how to practice it that will be helpful for religious leaders in many settings, including congregational ministry, lay ministry, spiritual direction, pastoral counseling, and more.

Protests of neoliberal globalization have proliferated in recent years, not least in response to the financial crisis, austerity and increasing inequality. But how do religious groups organize themselves in response to these issues? This book systematically studies the relationship of religious activism towards neoliberal globalization. It considers how religious organizations often play a central role in the resistance against global capitalism, endeavouring to offer alternatives and developments for reform. But it also examines the other side of the coin, showing how many religious groups help to diffuse neoliberal values, promote and reinforce practices of capitalism. Drawing on a unique set of case studies from around the world, the chapters examine a range of groups and their practices in order to provide a thorough examination of the relationship between religion and the global political economy.

American environmentalism historically has been associated with the interests of white elites. Yet religious leaders in the twenty-first century have helped instill concern about the earth among groups diverse in religion, race, ethnicity, and class. How did that happen and what are the implications? Building on scholarship that provides theological and ethical resources to support the "greening" of religion, God and the Green Divide examines religious environmentalism as it actually happens in the daily lives of urban Americans. Baugh demonstrates how complex dynamics related to race, ethnicity, and class factor into decisions to "go green." By carefully examining negotiations of racial and ethnic identities as central to the history of religious environmentalism, this work complicates assumptions that religious environmentalism is a direct expression of theology, ethics, or religious beliefs.

Warum hat Mama die wahrheit sagen? Sie wusste es nicht. Ent decken Sie die verborgen en Geheimnisse von Weihnachten, und alle die Feietage. Diese Kurzanleitung wurde geschrieben, um die Wahrheit zu zeigen und auf eigene Faust zu enforschen. Sie werden schockiert Sein. Starten der Enforschurg, dem Lernen beginnen. Seien Sie frei.

To date, little has been published about the place of spirituality in working with survivors of intimate partner violence. Overcoming Conflicting Loyalties examines the intersection of faith and culture in the lives of religious and ethno-cultural women in the context of the work of FaithLink, a unique community initiative that encourages religious leaders and secular service providers to work together. The authors present the benefits of such cooperation by reporting the findings of three qualitative research studies. Individuals in secular and sacral services who work with victims of domestic violence, as well as academics in the fields of social work, psychology, and religious studies, will benefit from the insights, depth of experience, and range of voices represented in this valuable book. Irene Sevcik, Michael Rothery, Nancy Nason-Clark, and The Very Rev. Robert Pynn have brought their professional expertise and experiences to benefit FaithLink at different times and in different capacities. All of the authors live in Calgary except Nason-Clark, who lives in Fredericton. Sponsored by The Calgary Foundation.

Covering the nonviolence traditions in all the major religions as well as the contributions of religious traditions to major nonviolent practices, this book addresses theories of nonviolence, considers each religion individually, and highlights what discrete religious perspectives have in common. Covering all the major-and some of the larger minor-religions of the world, Religions and Nonviolence: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace examines the rich history of how human thinking on nonviolence has developed and what each religion offers to the theory and practice of nonviolence, providing a counterpoint to the perspective that religion has largely inspired violence and intolerance. It also traces the contributions of religious traditions to secular nonviolent practices, recognizes and explains why religion has historically inspired violence, and provides additional resources for investigating the crossroads of religion and advocacy of nonviolence and peace. The author addresses the nonviolence traditions in religions such as Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Ethical Atheism, the First Nations of North America, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Tenrikyo, and Revitalized Paganism. Ancient religions with important contributions to nonviolence-Zoroastrianism, Taoism, and Jainism-receive attention, as do Mo Tse and other Chinese philosophers as well as Pythagoras and other classical Greek thinkers. Students of religion, history of religion, sociology, or psychology will find this book key to achieving a balanced and therefore more accurate understanding of both religion and history. General readers will gain insights into the commonalities among different religions as well as each major religion's historical and current stances on issues of violence, such as human or animal sacrifice, slavery, war, and the death penalty. Explores all major world religions in the context of nonviolence in great detail Serves as academic material to supplement a lesson plan or as general interest reading for nonacademic audiences Highlights the history of each religion and its standing today Addresses the subject from the perspective of an author with a background in peace and conflict studies, psychology, and sociology

A primer or refresher on the sacrament of Baptism for new parents, new members, and godparents. This book is about preparing for Christian baptism in the Episcopal Church. While we may hear people say, "I was baptized a Methodist," or "I was baptized Catholic, or "I was baptized Episcopalian," people are not baptized into a denomination; they are baptized into the Christian faith. While various Christian denominations differ both their theology of baptism as it is understood and practiced in the Episcopal Church following the rite found in the Book of Common Prayer 1979. "This short book is full of helpful information, solid history, sound theology, and thoughtful reflection. It is the perfect book to give to adults or to parents of young children seeking baptism through the Episcopal Church. I am happy that I will be able to offer this book to my students for their future use when guiding baptismal candidates. A truly welcome resource."-The Reverend Dr. Nathan Jennings, associate professor of liturgics and Anglican studies, Seminary of the Southwest

How are Christians to understand and undertake the discipline of psychology? This question has been of keen interest (and sometimes concern) to Christians because of the importance we place on a correct understanding of human nature. Psychology can sometimes seem disconnected from, if not antithetical to, Christian perspectives on life. How are we to understand our Christian beliefs about persons in relation to secular psychological beliefs? This revised edition of a widely appreciated Spectrum volume now presents five models for understanding the relationship between psychology and Christianity. All the essays and responses have been reworked and updated with some new contributors including the addition of a new perspective, the transformative view from John Coe and Todd Hall (Biola University). Also found here is David Powlison (Westminster Theological Seminary) who offers the biblical counseling model. The levels-of-explanation model is advanced by David G. Myers (Hope College), while Stanton L. Jones (Wheaton College) offers an entirely new chapter presenting the integration model. The Christian psychology model is put forth by Robert C. Roberts (Baylor University) now joined by Paul J. Watson (University of Tennesee, Chattanooga). Each of the contributors responds to the other essayists, noting points of agreement as well as problems they see. Eric L. Johnson provides a revised introduction that describes the history of Christians and psychology, as well as a conclusion that considers what might unite the five views and how a reader might evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of each view. Psychology and Christianity: Five Views has become a standard introductory textbook for students and professors of Christian psychology. This revision promises to keep it so. Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

Ha uma crise mundial nos modelos e nas relacoes familiares. A familia e o espaco afetivo onde, em principio, todo ser humano adquire os seus primeiros valores. Ora, as estruturas familiares estao em crise, o que se reflete, por exemplo, no aumento da dissolucao de casamentos, no aparecimento de novos tipos de unioes, etc. Por tudo isto, muitos paises manifestam cada vez mais dificuldade em elegerem um conjunto de valores que considerem fundamentais na educacao dos seus filhos. As vezes, ate conseguem eleger os valores, mas tem extrema dificuldade na hora de transmiti-los devido as circunstancias hodiernas. Os pais adoecem seus filhos com atitudes totalmente contraditorias ao bom senso como: descaracterizacao do papel paternal e maternal que deveriam exercer, falta de respeito, praticas sexuais chocantes, falta de confianca por causa da palavra nunca cumprida, comportamento indiferente para com os filhos, racionalidade extremada e exacerbada, falta de afetividade familiar, e manipulacao dos filhos com o poder economico. Nao e uma influencia ma da sociedade para com a familia, mas e exatamente o inverso.