Quest For Spiritual Community

Many churches recognize the importance of the genuine spiritual hunger in our time and are attempting to bridge the gulf between traditional religious institutions and the contemporary spiritual quest by revitalizing and retooling ancient spiritual practices. This book suggests that it is possible to relish the spiritual quest while honoring tradition and theological inquiry through practices such as spiritual guidance. It presents a sociological analysis of contemporary spirituality, case studies of congregations with spiritual guidance ministries, and reflection on historical practices and Protestant theological roots to explore the strengths and pitfalls of nurturing the contemporary spiritual quest in the average congregation. The resulting vision for congregation-based spiritual guidance incorporates practices that attend to person, community, and mission.

In today's frenetic society, people rarely develop intimate friendships. Instead, they spend their lives essentially disconnected from others, rushing through life content with brief visits and casual conversations. But what if one were to develop a community, a spiritual community, of people who walked with and supported each other through life's journey? A community of real friends who listened to each other's personal tragedies without merely trying to fix the problems, who encouraged and nurtured each other's strengths, and who accepted people for who they really are, instead of the image they try to portray. In Becoming a True Spiritual Community (formerly titled The Safest Place on Earth), Larry Crabb explores such a place, where God can heal disconnected people and allow them to reconnect with each other and, ultimately, with Him.

Finding himself at midlife, feeling hollow and a like fraud, Paul Hawker embarks on a journey into the wilderness. In the tradition of the vision quest, like a hero in a mythic tale, he leaves his family and community to spend 40 days and 40 nights on a New Zealand mountaintop knowing full well the solitude, deprivation, and dangers he will face from exposure to the elements. But like many mystics and sages before him, he chooses a path of physical and spiritual testing as way to break through the veneer of his life. Soul Quest: A Spiritual Odyssey through 40 Days and 40 Nights of Mountain Solitude is the ruthlessly honest account of Paul Hawker's attempt to open himself to the Source, to discern the voice of God in his life.

Eminent scholars shed light on the beliefs and practices of large numbers of people who describe themselves as spiritual even though they acknowledge no strong bond of doctrine or community with any historical religion. Topics covered include feminism, environmentalism, gay liberation, 12-step programs, therapy, mountain climbing, chiropractic, painting, nature study, playing computer games.

One of the leading thinkers to emerge in the postwar conservative intellectual revival was the sociologist Robert Nisbet. His book The Quest for Community, published in 1953, stands as one of the most persuasive accounts of the dilemmas confronting modern society. Nearly a half century before Robert Putnam documented the atomization of society in Bowling Alone, Nisbet argued that the rise of the powerful modern state had eroded the sources of community—the family, the neighborhood, the church, the guild. Alienation and loneliness inevitably resulted. But as the traditional ties that bind fell away, the human impulse toward community led people to turn even more to the government itself, allowing statism—even totalitarianism—to flourish. This edition of Nisbet’s magnum opus features a brilliant introduction by New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and three critical essays. Published at a time when our communal life has only grown weaker and when many Americans display cultish enthusiasm for a charismatic president, this new edition of The Quest for Community shows that Nisbet’s insights are as relevant today as ever.

The first two volumes of Baptist Sacramentalism helped give momentum to a renewal of sacramental theology among Baptists. In the years since, this conversation has come to include a more diverse range of voices and explore a broader range of topics. Baptist Sacramentalism 3 both reveals and shares in these trends, contributing to the continued expansion of Baptist sacramental theology. Essays from Scandinavian and Eastern European scholars reveal the ways in which sacramental thought is taking shape in non-English speaking contexts. Other essays demonstrate the ways in which sacramental thought informs questions ranging from disability to virtual reality. And in keeping with the first volumes, there is continued exploration of the sacramental witness of the Baptist past.

The cloister the keys of the kingdom -- The Puritans building a city on a hill -- The Quakers -- The power of friendly persuasion -- The Amish return to paradise -- The Shakers -- Sharing simple gifts -- The Mormons -- To the Promised Land -- The Oneida Experiment -- Love one another -- The Salvation Army -- Saving body, soul, and spirit -- The Catholic Worker Movement -- The virtue of hospitality -- Today's utopias -- A place just right

"Spiritual forces impact all humanity and cannot be controlled by Man. Their impact can and will be positive or negative, and they are helped or hindered by prayer and its intent. Our senses can be programmed by what we consume from different media sources. Our senses move us toward truth or error, and that movement will produce results. Do you know whose spirit is influencing your choices today?"--Page 4 of cover