The Cosmic Love Story God And Us

In this amazing book, the author presents insights into the mystery of love, both Divine and human. Influenced by personalist philosophers Martin Buber, Emmanuel Mounier, and Gabriel Marcel; by American Catholic theologians John Haught, Michael Himes, Bernard Cooke, and Ronald Rolheiser; and also by the Thomist personalist W. Norris Clarke, SJ, Lauder reflects deeply on the mystery of God and the human person. Martin Buber claimed that love was a cosmic force; Lauder's vision is cosmic. He has produced a book that is not only interesting and illuminating but also inspiring. Readers will find themselves returning to reread their favorite chapters, and researchers will find new quotes to include in their research projects. One of Lauder's talents as a writer is to explore the most profound mysteries, and write about them in language accessible to readers who are interested in reflecting on such mysteries as love of self, love of neighbor, and love of God. Rather than presenting insights into the meaning and mystery of love in a way that is excessively speculative and academic, Lauder's writing may challenge the intellect to incorporate the most profound truths about love into daily life. The Cosmic Love Story: God and Us will move readers to integrate insights into love from the book into their lives so that they choose to live as gift-givers, that is to say, as lovers.

If God is all powerful and entirely good and loving, why is there so much evil in the world? Based on a close canonical reading of Scripture, this book offers a new approach to the challenge of reconciling the Christian confession of a loving God with the realities of suffering and evil. John Peckham offers a constructive proposal for a theodicy of love that upholds both the sovereignty of God and human freedom, showing that Scripture points toward a framework for thinking about God's love in relation to the world.

How can people of faith foster love and resilience in our children while building sustainable, diverse communities? That’s the big question Ken Whitt answers in light of the many threats looming in our world. Through wisdom he has gleaned from scientists, scholars and lots of real families, Ken shows how God’s love is a hopeful compass in our lives. He encourages enjoying stories, songs and explorations of the natural world with children, and closes with “100 Things Families Can Do To Find Hope and Be Love.” Because Ken has years of experience working with multi-generational groups, his book encourages reflections and activities with our families that he knows will be both fun and faithful. The cover of his book illustrates a central story he shares about the wonderment families discover when they look up into the starry night sky with their children. “Ken Whitt offers care to weary souls in this book. It is not just his words but the spirit that manifests through the words. Ken says that love is at the heart of reality and love is what he gently breathes on us here,” Christian ethicist David Gushee, author of Changing Our Mind, writes in the book’s Foreword. “As you read this wise and joyful book, I know you will feel both instructed and delighted, and you will agree that your life has been enriched by adopting Ken Whitt as a literary pastor, mentor and friend,” Brian McLaren, best-selling author of more than 20 books, writes in the Preface. “In extensive dialog with scientists and theologians, Ken shows the delightful and enriching complementarity of faith and science. Both can feed us mentally and emotionally, and both are needed to move us in constructive and creative ways in the face of the global perils we face,” writes Daniel Buttry, author of Blessed Are the Peacemakers and the former Global Consultant for Peace and Justice of the American Baptist Churches.

The idea that we can partner with God strikes some people as audacious. Others consider it pretentious. Some may think it’s downright blasphemous! Can creatures actually can partner with God? This book answers that question... in the affirmative. The responses vary and the proposals provoke new insights. Along the way, the ideas break new ground. It turns out “partnering with God” has various meanings and dimensions. The seventy-seven contributors explore this rich diversity in accessible language, deep insight, and multiple stories. Their explorations inspire, elucidate, and motivate! What they're saying... This helpful book provides both important concepts and lived experience that invite us to consider how what we think about God affects how we live in the world. - Sarah Heaner Lancaster, Methodist Theological School in Ohio These essays are insightful, practical, thoughtful, and worth our consideration. Each author brings unique insights into the divine. - Christopher Fisher, God is Open Get a copy of Partnering with God!

Forever change the way you look at the Bible . . . and your own life Have you ever read the Bible only to come away confused? Ever wondered if God actually had you in mind when He began telling His story? Though life may not be going according to your plan, God has another one, far better than you can imagine. From Genesis to Revelation, experience His invitation to get you dancing with joy. In 66 Love Letters Larry Crabb offers a fresh, relational look at Scripture: “When you finish reading my first love letter to you, I want you to realize that I never underestimated how thoroughly you’d mess up your life or how painfully you would struggle and suffer, and I don’t want you to underestimate your failures or struggles either. They’re all part of the story I’m telling. “But neither have I underestimated my determination or ability to enter both the mess you’ve made and the pain you feel, then turn everything around. I can, and I will, make everything good again. Never underestimate me.” Larry’s intimate conversation with God asks deeply honest questions such as: “God, what is it you wanted me to see in Obadiah?” “And what’s up with Leviticus? Is there anything there for me?” “This one verse in Galatians has always frustrated me. Why is that?” “The way you wrote Revelation makes it difficult to understand—why didn’t you just describe what will happen in a straightforward way?” Listen to the story of God unfold through these chapters, and you’ll fi nd not only His redeeming love but His plan and provision designed especially for you.

A breathtakingly beautiful saga spanning from eternity to eternity, presented from the view of angels. Experience creation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection from this unique viewpoint, and gain a better understanding of the majestic love of God. Gene Edwards’s classic tale is the greatest love story ever told.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I began to see the Bible as a love story that began with a divorce. I imagined C. S. Lewis coming to my house for dinner, and I asked him why he wrote each of his books. He answered my question in a sentence or two. #2 The Bible is full of love letters from God. When you read the Bible and hear its love letters, you will understand the greatest love story ever told. You will be swept off your feet. #3 The Bible is a collection of 66 love letters from God to humanity. When you hear God speak to you in these letters, you can understand who He is and what He’s up to. You can join Him in the story He’s telling. #4 The more you can ask yourself what story your life is telling, the better you can understand the plot, and the happier you will be. When you manage to ask this question, science moves to the back row, and religion and philosophy step forward.

They say the Bible is true, but does it ring true? Does it resonate? In this journey through the Gospel of Matthew, Matt Woodley considers the audacious idea of a God with us--confronting us in the midst of all we've invested ourselves in and dedicated ourselves to, and encouraging us with the promise that the God who made us has a better life in mind for us. The Resonate series recovers the ancient wisdom of Scripture for a complex world. The stories and insights of each book of the Bible are brought into conversation with contemporary voices of hope and lament--the cultural messages we interact with on a daily basis. The Scriptures become a meeting ground where God is confronted with the pressing concerns of our day, and we are confronted in turn with a fresh experience of God's truth.