Matters Of Faith

From the author of Catching Genius, a novel of a young man's search for faith-and its unintended consequences. At age twelve, Marshall Tobias saw his best friend killed by a train. It was then that he began his search for faith-delving into one tradition, then discarding it for another. His parents, however, have little time for spiritual contemplation. Their focus has been on his little sister Megan, who suffers from severe food allergies. Now Marshall is home from college with his first real girlfriend, but there is more to Ada than meets the eye-including her beliefs about the evils of medical intervention. What follows is a crisis that tests not only faith, but the limits of family, forgiveness, and our need to believe.

Is historical accuracy an indispensable part of the Bible’s storyline, or is Scripture only concerned with theological truths? As progressive evangelicals threaten to reduce the Bible’s jurisdiction by undermining its historical claims, every Christian who cares about the integrity of Scripture must be prepared to answer this question. Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? offers a firm defense of Scripture’s legitimacy and the theological implications of modern and postmodern approaches that teach otherwise. In this timely and timeless collection of essays, scholars from diverse areas of expertise lend strong arguments in support of the doctrine of inerrancy. Contributors explore how the specific challenges of history, authenticity, and authority are answered in the text of the Old and New Testaments as well as how the Bible is corroborated by philosophy and archaeology. With contributions from respected scholars—including Allan Millard, Craig Blomberg, Graham Cole, Michael Haykin, Robert Yarbrough, and Darrell Bock—Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? arms Christians with fresh insight, arguments, and language with which to defend Scripture’s historical accuracy against a culture and academy skeptical of those claims.

With the simultaneous rise of New Atheism and popularity of fundamentalist movements, a rational, open-minded debate on the role of religion today is sorely needed. Why Faith Matters is an excellent start – an articulate, nondenominational defense of established religion in America by the man Newsweek named the #1 Pulpit Rabbi in America. David J. Wolpe makes a strong case in favor of faith, replacing both the cold reason of atheism and the virulent hatred of fanaticism with a vision of religion that is informed by faith, love, and understanding. He explores the origins and nature of faith, the role of the Bible in modern life, and the compatibility of God and science. Why Faith Matters shows that there is still a place for God, faith, and religion in today’s world. Named the #1 Pulpit Rabbi in America by Newsweek, David J. Wolpe is a senior rabbi at the Sinai Temple of Los Angeles and a teacher at UCLA. Rabbi Wolpe writes for many publications, including New York Jewish Week, Jerusalem Post, Los Angeles Times, and Beliefnet.com. He has appeared as a commentator on CNN and “CBS This Morning”, and has been featured on the History Channel’s “Mysteries of the Bible.” He is the author of six previous books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times. Rabbi Wolpe lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. “A reasoned argument and spiritual autobiography. Rabbi Wolpe is a graceful writer, an insightful thinker, and a wide reader.” – Jewish Week

Addresses modern-world questions about the Christian religion and its tenets, drawing on historical events and present-day anecdotes to illustrate its joyful aspects while explaining the faith's embrace of the example and message of Jesus.

A thought-provoking, original appraisal of the meaning of religion by the host of public radio's On Being Krista Tippett, widely becoming known as the Bill Moyers of radio, is one of the country's most intelligent and insightful commentators on religion, ethics, and the human spirit. With this book, she draws on her own life story and her intimate conversations with both ordinary and famous figures, including Elie Wiesel, Karen Armstrong, and Thich Nhat Hanh, to explore complex subjects like science, love, virtue, and violence within the context of spirituality and everyday life. Her way of speaking about the mysteries of life-and of listening with care to those who endeavor to understand those mysteries--is nothing short of revolutionary.

"Robert MacFarlane has written that language does not just register experience, it produces it. Our religious language in particular informs and shapes our understanding of God, our sense of self, and the way we make sense of our challenging path back to loving Heavenly Parents. Unfortunately, to an extent we may not realize, our religious vocabulary has been shaped by prior generations whose creeds, in Joseph Smith s words, have filled the world with confusion. "I make all things new," proclaimed the Lord. Regrettably, many are still mired in the past, in ways we have not recognized. In this book, Fiona and Terryl Givens trace the roots of our religious vocabulary, explore how a flawed inheritance compounds the wounds and challenges of a life devoted to discipleship, and suggest ways of reformulating our language in more healthy ways all in the hope that, as B. H. Roberts urged, we may all cooperate in the works of the Spirit to find a truer expression of a gospel restored."--

Huston Smith, the author of the classic bestseller The World's Religions, delivers a passionate, timely message: The human spirit is being suffocated by the dominant materialistic worldview of our times. Smith champions a society in which religion is once again treasured and authentically practiced as the vital source of human wisdom.

The affirmation by St Irenaeus of Lyon has inspired Paul Mitchell in his life asparent, writer, poet, educator and learner.In this series of essays and articles, written over many years and for a variety ofjournals, he reflects on the joys and challenges of being a parent and teacher;he shares tender experiences of what worked, what did not and the struggle torecognise that parenting skills must adapt as children grow and develop theirown personalities.Here is a master storyteller at work, someone whose faith informs his naturalgifts. His deep understanding that resurrection is about our everyday lives isreflected in the stories of ordinary events, the surprises we meet along the way,and the people who enhance our love for life, our children, our partners andourselves.