Religious Books > N Religious Books

Advantages: An interesting approach
Disadvantages: Sometimes a bit too much like a textbook

...the corollary that one does not believe the opposite. To believe that God exists, for example, precludes the belief that there is no God. To believe in one God precludes the belief in many gods and in no God. And so on... `To believe in God is not to believe everything. To trust everything without awareness of what is trustworthy is not the faith in God to which one is called by the gospel.' Christopher Morse, in his book `Not Every Spirit: A Dogmatics ...
...by approaching what it means not to believe certain things. Approaching theology as a practice of faithful disbelief, he examines the relationship of faith, theology, church, scholarship, and every-day life. `The earliest Christians were persecuted not for what they professed to believe, but for their disbeliefs. Their refusal to worship at the imperial shrines is what identified them to the governing authorities.... Only Caesar preeminently could ... Read review

Advantages: Good ideas
Disadvantages: For a narrow audience

...- Who is Responsible for Nurturing Spirituality? The essays here have given me insights to share with my community, of things for them to consider and to share with their own families. Also, there are practices and ideas that, while designed and intended for children, might also have application for older adults as well - ideas such as narrative theology and storytelling, and ideas of prayer, holy days and blessing such as found in the essays in ...
...This is an academic text, as the editors point out in their postscript. `Although these dialogues have intrinsic merit, we believe they need to be strengthened and enriched by also engaging in sustained dialogue with young people themselves as well as their leaders, educators, and parents.' This is not a how-to manual, but rather a book to lay a theological underpinning to a wide range of possibilities. ... Read review

Advantages: Good for anyone in ministry and considering ministry (ordained or not)
Disadvantages: -

...Jesus even says we are no longer servants, but friends (see John 15:12-15). Today's pastors often end up more as social workers or CEO's than as apostles or disciples, to the detriment of the church as a whole. But the ordained ministry is not simply a profession, which one may pick up and put away at will. It is a lifelong calling to a way of being. If there is an ontological shift that takes place during ordination, it is not in the being, but ...
...friendship being paramount, the pastor no longer has to see herself/himself as a martyr, a sacrificial person, but rather can be fully engaged with God and others (and oneself!) by befriend the people of God. 'As a friend, the pastor sees people as whole human beings.... As whole human beings, the pastor and the people are both called to be fully alive through relationships with God, one another, and themselves.' The 'tasks' (under the servant model) ... Read review

Advantages: Helps you set your life goals and follow it!
Disadvantages: It may bore you if you aren't focused

...psychologycal ideas and philosophic content. The ancestor of the bestseller - "The Secret" You attract what you think and more emotions you put into, quicker the result will appear. A great weapon for the pesimistic ones and those who've lost their beliefs. This book rearrange you on the right path. It's in onorable place in my library :) Abraham and Esther had made awesome works. Each and every component that makes up your life experience is drawn ...
...the thoughts you think and the story you tell about your life. Your money and fnancial assets; your body's state of wellness, clarity, fexibility, size, and shape; your work environment, how you are treated, work satisfaction, and rewards-indeed, the very happiness of your life experience in general- is all happening because of the story that you tell. If you will let your dominant intention be to revise and improve the content of the story you ... Read review

Advantages: Extremely well written, Counteracts Dawkins arguments concisely, Small book
Disadvantages: Some chapters extremely short, though this is not neceserilly a weakness.

The body of the text in this book talks about extremely complicated philosphical and theological concerning both the existence and nature of God that Richard Dawkins so casually and powerfully attempts to devalue. It is written to form the counter argument to Richard Dawkin's controversial book "The God Delusion" and does just that. Where some authors would be tempted to pile in every argument under the sun to do this, Cornwell is extremely particular, ...
...It is not written as an angry God attempting to shout down a non-believer either. In fact, the peace that is present in the volume of this book is extremely humbling and reminds Dawkins what the Christian doctrine of God and Angels are. Peace, Love, Goodwill. Not Anger, Hate, Suffering. ... Read review