Faith Rising Between The Lines

This writing intends to rouse would-be believers to faith—or enhance the faith of others—through the adventure of modern fiction. While taking note of the secularity of our era, the author insists the Spirit of God has not departed the scene. The opening poem by Emily Dickinson, “Tell all the truth but tell it slant,” proposes the author’s contention that the “indirect discourse” of fictional writers may welcome readers to faith’s door in ways sermonic speech never did. The modern authors chosen for this purpose are Izak Dinesen, Annie Dillard, Kent Haruf, Loren Eiseley, Gary Trudeau, Garrison Keillor, William Golding, Walker Percy, Frederick Buechner, and Gabriel Marcel. Having explained one work each by these noted authors, the book closes by pointing to ways in which embedded faith may rise out of these pages to meet the reader where he or she lives.

This writing intends to rouse would-be believers to faith--or enhance the faith of others--through the adventure of modern fiction. While taking note of the secularity of our era, the author insists the Spirit of God has not departed the scene. The opening poem by Emily Dickinson, "Tell all the truth but tell it slant," proposes the author's contention that the "indirect discourse" of fictional writers may welcome readers to faith's door in ways sermonic speech never did. The modern authors chosen for this purpose are Izak Dinesen, Annie Dillard, Kent Haruf, Loren Eiseley, Gary Trudeau, Garrison Keillor, William Golding, Walker Percy, Frederick Buechner, and Gabriel Marcel. Having explained one work each by these noted authors, the book closes by pointing to ways in which embedded faith may rise out of these pages to meet the reader where he or she lives.

Sixteen-year-old Prince Oliver, who wants to break free of his fairy tale existence, and fifteen-year-old Delilah, a loner obsessed with Prince Oliver and the book in which he exists, work together to seek Oliver's freedom.

Moments of decision. Your life is full of them, and how you respond can have lifelong impact. The decision process can be as intense as a crucible—a vessel in a refining fire, a place where precious substances are tested, purified, and strengthened. In Crucible, we witness how faith, trust, fear, truth, despair, sacrifice, and humility refined David and drew him closer to the heart of God. We learn that God will use the choices we make to transform us into people after His own heart—and shape our lives forever.

What happens when Christians reconsider political engagement? Among leading Christian thinkers, political engagement is either unavoidably necessary or theologically impossible. Is this a false dilemma? Between Faith and Power examines how Christian groups are grappling with the demands of a pluralistic public square while remaining faithful to their tradition. Using the lenses of social science research and theological analysis, the book examines the successes and failures of these groups as they engage the public square. What emerges are models of Dynamic Engagement that Christian leaders are using to consistently pursue religious liberty across faiths while contributing to the common good.

In 1991 a pair of Ivy League-educated Californians, William Strauss and Neil Howe, published a landmark book, Generations: The History of America's Future from 1584 to 2069. In Generations and subsequent books, they develop a theory that generational cycles repeat through American history at about 90- to 95-year intervals. In this book, Carl Eeman accepts the invitation of Strauss and Howe in Generations: "We encourage specialists among our readers, whatever their backgrounds, to shed more light on the component pieces of the generational puzzle" (p. 16). Eeman explores the cycle of four generational types from a faith perspective and applies generational ideas to the practice of ministry and to congregational issues. This book makes use of the young field of generational theory and provides a valuable tool for understanding between generations. As congregational leaders minister among the people of God, these concepts will help them be more effective leaders, clearer communicators, and more nimble troubleshooters and problem solvers. Foreword by William Strauss and Neil Howe.

What is a “Catholic” novel? This book analyzes the fiction of Graham Greene in a radically new manner, considering in depth its form and content, which rest on the oppositions between secularism and religion. Sampson challenges these distinctions, arguing that Greene has a dramatic contribution to add to their methodological premises. Chapters on Greene’s four “Catholic” novels and two of his “post-Catholic” novels are complemented by fresh insight into the critical importance of his nonfiction. The study paints an image of an inviting yet beguilingly complex literary figure.