Sacrificing The Church

In a context of scandal and decline, the Christian church cannot afford to do business as usual. It must regain its bearings and clarify its nature and purpose. Sacrificing the Church provides this clarity by returning to the church’s foundation: Jesus Christ and him crucified. It presents an ecclesiological vision in which every aspect of the church’s life flows from and expresses the one sacrifice of Christ. This sacrifice is the basis of every ecclesial experience, the form and content of the church’s life, a life which shares in the eternal Trinitarian life of God. By and as Christ’s sacrifice we are introduced into the divine life. This participation plays out in three key areas, which set the church’s agenda in the contemporary world: its worship of God (Mass), mission to the world (mission), and efforts toward the unity of all people, beginning with divided Christians (ecumenism).

The pure joy of eyewitness history, one author observed, lies in the vicarious thrill of experiencing the event. The Eyewitness History of the Church: Volume Two draws together hundreds of first-person, eyewitness accounts covering the period of growth and testing that followed the restoration of the Church. Each chapter in this innovative book consists of eyewitness narratives of central events. You will experience a whole new world of LDS Church history through snapshots of specific moments captured by those who were there. See the dedication of the Kirtland Temple through the eyes of Sylvia Cutler Webb and the distinct impression it made, despite her young age at the time. View the tragedy at Haun's Mill with Amanda Smith, who lost a husband and a son, and find hope in the story of the son who lived. Feel the power of Joseph Smith's rebuke of the prison guards in Richmond, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt. Cheer Hurrah for Israel! with Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young as they embark on a mission to England. Marvel with Wilford Woodruff at the day of miraculous healings in Nauvoo. Rejoice with the sisters in Nauvoo at the formation of the Female Relief Society. Experience the Martyrdom at Carthage Jail with Willard Richards, who, in fulfillment of prophecy, was not harmed. For the past 175 years, these eyewitness accounts have helped shape the spiritual heritage of the Church around the world. They not only bear testimony of what occurred but also plant seeds of faith and belief in modern readers. This firsthand approach to learning about Church history will touch your heart, stir your imagination, expand your knowledge, and strengthen your testimony.

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

Offers a new understaning of sacrifice as a response to love and an entering into the self-giving life of God

This unique study explores the coherence of the Catholic tradition in relation to the fundamentals of faith. It will provide the reader with a contemporary understanding of traditional sacrifice. Catholic theology has struggled for an adequate account of the doctrine of sacrifice. In this book, McGuckian contends that the concept of sacrifice is central to the whole vision of faith. The Eucharist makes the Church, and the Eucharist is a sacrifice, so if we do not understand sacrifice we do not understand the Church. The Catholic faith contends that the Eucharist is a sacrifice. This introspective and contemplative work gives an intriguing and compelling account of how it actually is.

From the author of Messy Grace, a former pastor raised by gay parents, comes a compassionate playbook to help Christians, church staff, and ministry leaders create a culture of belonging without sacrificing theological convictions. What should we do? This is a question many Christians are asking as they face shifting societal norms, conflicting opinions, and often inaccurate scriptural interpretations regarding those who identify as LGBTQ+. Caleb Kaltenbach believes there’s a more helpful question:What am I willing to do to keep and build influence with ______________? Caleb knows our love for others is best measured by the lengths we’ll go to help them. He also recognizes that people find and follow Jesus better in community than in isolation. As a child raised by three activist gay parents, Caleb experienced firsthand the outrage of some Christians. That’s why he is committed to creating a sense of belonging for all people. True community can happen only when Christians are intentional in infusing their attitudes, systems, and values with grace and truth. This hopeful, practical book offers tools for encouraging church involvement, strengthening personal relationships, increasing empathy, and engaging in pivotal conversations about grace and truth with our whole community. Fostering a culture of belonging is a messy process, but it holds a massive possibility for everyone involved: a growing relationship with Jesus.