How God Becomes Real

How God Becomes Real PDF Author: T.M. Luhrmann
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691211981
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
The hard work required to make God real, how it changes the people who do it, and why it helps explain the enduring power of faith How do gods and spirits come to feel vividly real to people—as if they were standing right next to them? Humans tend to see supernatural agents everywhere, as the cognitive science of religion has shown. But it isn’t easy to maintain a sense that there are invisible spirits who care about you. In How God Becomes Real, acclaimed anthropologist and scholar of religion T. M. Luhrmann argues that people must work incredibly hard to make gods real and that this effort—by changing the people who do it and giving them the benefits they seek from invisible others—helps to explain the enduring power of faith. Drawing on ethnographic studies of evangelical Christians, pagans, magicians, Zoroastrians, Black Catholics, Santeria initiates, and newly orthodox Jews, Luhrmann notes that none of these people behave as if gods and spirits are simply there. Rather, these worshippers make strenuous efforts to create a world in which invisible others matter and can become intensely present and real. The faithful accomplish this through detailed stories, absorption, the cultivation of inner senses, belief in a porous mind, strong sensory experiences, prayer, and other practices. Along the way, Luhrmann shows why faith is harder than belief, why prayer is a metacognitive activity like therapy, why becoming religious is like getting engrossed in a book, and much more. A fascinating account of why religious practices are more powerful than religious beliefs, How God Becomes Real suggests that faith is resilient not because it provides intuitions about gods and spirits—but because it changes the faithful in profound ways.

How God Becomes Real

How God Becomes Real PDF Author: T.M. Luhrmann
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691211981
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
The hard work required to make God real, how it changes the people who do it, and why it helps explain the enduring power of faith How do gods and spirits come to feel vividly real to people—as if they were standing right next to them? Humans tend to see supernatural agents everywhere, as the cognitive science of religion has shown. But it isn’t easy to maintain a sense that there are invisible spirits who care about you. In How God Becomes Real, acclaimed anthropologist and scholar of religion T. M. Luhrmann argues that people must work incredibly hard to make gods real and that this effort—by changing the people who do it and giving them the benefits they seek from invisible others—helps to explain the enduring power of faith. Drawing on ethnographic studies of evangelical Christians, pagans, magicians, Zoroastrians, Black Catholics, Santeria initiates, and newly orthodox Jews, Luhrmann notes that none of these people behave as if gods and spirits are simply there. Rather, these worshippers make strenuous efforts to create a world in which invisible others matter and can become intensely present and real. The faithful accomplish this through detailed stories, absorption, the cultivation of inner senses, belief in a porous mind, strong sensory experiences, prayer, and other practices. Along the way, Luhrmann shows why faith is harder than belief, why prayer is a metacognitive activity like therapy, why becoming religious is like getting engrossed in a book, and much more. A fascinating account of why religious practices are more powerful than religious beliefs, How God Becomes Real suggests that faith is resilient not because it provides intuitions about gods and spirits—but because it changes the faithful in profound ways.

Making Christ Real

Making Christ Real PDF Author: Samuel J. Youngs
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725295075
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 191

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Book Description
Kenosis, or self-emptying, poses a fundamental question to any theological discussion about Jesus Christ: “In becoming human, did God empty himself of any divine qualities?” Many variations on kenotic Christology have emerged over the past 200 years, most of them claiming to both preserve and highlight the true humanity and ecclesial significance of Jesus Christ. While there is much to commend in these efforts, Samuel Youngs contends that nearly all such kenotic attempts have, against their best intentions, fallen into an echo chamber of abstraction and metaphor, rendering their talk about Jesus Christ and analysis of the Gospels fundamentally “unreal” and lacking in material significance for today’s living church. Most fundamentally, many kenotic accounts pay inadequate attention to Christ’s lived accomplishment, his current presence, and the modes of praxis that he makes real in the world. In dialogue with the important movement known as Transformation Theology, Youngs unfolds a detailed critique of method and discourse in kenotic christologies. Turning then to the vibrant christological thought of Jürgen Moltmann, a different outlook on kenosis is articulated and defended, one that is relational, concrete, and praxiological.

Making Room

Making Room PDF Author: Chistine D. Pohl
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 9780802844316
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
For most of church history, hospitality was central to Christian identity. Yet our generation knows little about this rich, life-giving practice.

Rejoice and Tremble

Rejoice and Tremble PDF Author: Michael Reeves
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433565358
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
Fear is one of the strongest human emotions, and it is one that often baffles Christians. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." — Proverbs 1:7 Fear is one of the strongest human emotions—and one that often baffles Christians. In the Bible the picture can seem equally confusing: Is fear a good thing or a bad thing? And what does it mean to "fear the Lord"? In Rejoice and Tremble, Michael Reeves clears the clouds of confusion and shows that the fear of the Lord is not a negative thing at all, but an intensely delighted wondering at God, our Creator and Redeemer.

Creating Christ

Creating Christ PDF Author: James S. Valliant
Publisher: Crossroad Press
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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Book Description
Exhaustively annotated and illustrated, this explosive work of history unearths clues that finally demonstrate the truth about one of the world’s great religions: that it was born out of the conflict between the Romans and messianic Jews who fought a bitter war with each other during the 1st Century. The Romans employed a tactic they routinely used to conquer and absorb other nations: they grafted their imperial rule onto the religion of the conquered. After 30 years of research, authors James S. Valliant and C.W. Fahy present irrefutable archeological and textual evidence that proves Christianity was created by Roman Caesars in this book that breaks new ground in Christian scholarship and is destined to change the way the world looks at ancient religions forever. Inherited from a long-past era of tyranny, war and deliberate religious fraud, could Christianity have been created for an entirely different purpose than we have been lead to believe? Praised by scholars like Dead Sea Scrolls translator Robert Eisenman (James the Brother of Jesus), this exhaustive synthesis of historical detective work integrates all of the ancient sources about the earliest Christians and reveals new archeological evidence for the first time. And, despite the fable presented in current bestsellers like Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Jesus, the evidence presented in Creating Christ is irrefutable: Christianity was invented by Roman Emperors. I have rarely encountered a book so original, exciting, accessible and informed on subjects that are of obvious importance to the world and to which I have myself devoted such a large part of my scholarly career studying. In this book they have rendered a startling new understanding of Christianity with a controversial theory of its Roman provenance that is accessible to the layman in a very powerful way. In the process, they present new and comprehensive archeological and iconographic evidence, as well as utilizing the widest and most cutting edge work of other recent scholars, including myself. This is a work of outstanding and original scholarship. Its arguments are a brilliant, profound and thorough integration of the relevant evidence. When they are done, the conclusion is inescapable and obviously profound. Robert Eisenman, Author of James the Brother of Jesus and The New Testament Code "A fascinating and provocative investigative history of ideas, boldly exploring a problem that previous scholarship has not clearly or credibly addressed: how (and why!) the Flavian dynasty wove Christianity into the very fabric of Western civilization." -Mark Riebling, author of Church of Spies: The Pope's Secret War Against Hitler

The Real Christ

The Real Christ PDF Author: Bernadette Roberts
Publisher: Contemplativechristians.com
ISBN: 9780692851159
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The Real Christ is simply the E=MC2 of theology, unfolding the deepest mysteries of the Trinity with profound clarity. This is a must read book for anyone who has struggled with remaining a Christian or grown frustrated with the banality of what seems to be the "Jesus Industry" of corporate Christianity. Please prayerfully and slowly read The Real Christ. It is full of some of the most liberating and transforming ideas currently available to humankind. It is what Christianity was meant to be and, quite truthfully, must still become. We are urged to take up and read, and consider again the complete superstructure that is Christianity so to really discover and really become Christ.

Real Life Theology

Real Life Theology PDF Author: Daniel McCoy
Publisher: Renew.Org
ISBN: 9781949921892
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 768

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Book Description
REAL-LIFE ANSWERS TO LIFE'S BIGGEST QUESTIONS Real Life Theology invites you to a fresh way of living by bridging two areas of your life: what we know about God and how we live our lives. This collection of thirteen accessible books gives real-life answers to fifty-two of life's biggest questions, such as: What is the gospel? What is saving faith? What role does baptism play in salvation? What are the essential, important, and personal elements of the faith? How should we view marriage, gender, and race? Real Life Theology was written with everyday Christians in mind. We encourage you to read it, walk with others through it, and along the way learn God's real-life answers to your biggest questions. This series will help churches in their training of pastoral staff as well as the everyday disciple maker in your church or ministry. -- Jim Putman, author of Real-Life Discipleship As our churches become more diverse and our culture less biblically literate, we increasingly need Real Life Theology. -- Mark Moore, author of Core 52 This book is a one of a kind for our generation. Highly recommended! -- David Young, author of King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship We're excited to integrate Real Life Theology into our leadership development resources at Southeast Christian Church. -- Matt Reagan, Associate Pastor of Southeast Christian Church It's imperative that we do theology wisely and well, and this book is a fantastic help! -- Matt Proctor, President of Ozark Christian College BOBBY HARRINGTON (DMin, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is CEO of Renew.org and Discipleship.org, both national disciple making networks. Bobby is the founding and Lead Pastor of Harpeth Christian Church. He is author or coauthor of more than a dozen books on disciple making. DANIEL MCCOY (PhD, North-West University) is Editorial Director of Renew.org. He has created classes on philosophy, ethics, and world religions for Ozark Christian College. Among his books are The Popular Handbook of World Religions (general editor) and The Atheist's Fatal Flaw (coauthored with Norman Geisler).

Real-Life Discipleship

Real-Life Discipleship PDF Author: Jim Putman
Publisher: Tyndale House
ISBN: 1617472689
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Is your church making disciples . . . who make disciples . . . who make disciples? Real-Life Discipleship explains what should happen in the life of every Christian and in every small group so that the church becomes an army of believers dedicated to seeing the world saved. With the overriding goal to train disciples who know how to make more disciples, this book offers proven tools and strategies from Real Life Ministries, one of America’s fastest-growing churches. In this book, you will learn: How to create churches that succeed and grow How to intentionally disciple believers in every stage of their spiritual development How to find and develop leaders in your church This book also contains these helpful features: A summary and profile of each stage of spiritual growth Recommended resources for disciple-makers Spiritual facts A presentation of the gospel Discover what the Bible says about true and effective discipleship with these strategies and practices in this great church resource.

Lies We Believe About God

Lies We Believe About God PDF Author: Wm. Paul Young
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501101412
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
From the author of the bestselling novel The Shack and the New York Times bestsellers Cross Roads and Eve comes a compelling, conversational exploration of twenty-eight assumptions about God—assumptions that just might be keeping us from experiencing His unconditional, all-encompassing love. In his wildly popular novels, Wm. Paul Young portrayed the Triune God in ways that challenged our thinking—sometimes upending long-held beliefs, but always centered in the eternal, all-encompassing nature of God’s love. Now, in Wm. Paul Young’s first nonfiction book, he invites us to revisit our assumptions about God—this time using the Bible, theological discussion, and personal anecdotes. Paul encourages us to think through beliefs we’ve presumed to be true and consider whether some might actually be false. Expounding on the compassion fans felt from the “Papa” portrayed in The Shack—now a major film starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer—Paul encourages you to think anew about important issues including sin, religion, hell, politics, identity, creation, human rights, and helping us discover God’s deep and abiding love.

What Did Jesus Look Like?

What Did Jesus Look Like? PDF Author: Joan E. Taylor
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0567671518
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
Jesus Christ is arguably the most famous man who ever lived. His image adorns countless churches, icons, and paintings. He is the subject of millions of statues, sculptures, devotional objects and works of art. Everyone can conjure an image of Jesus: usually as a handsome, white man with flowing locks and pristine linen robes. But what did Jesus really look like? Is our popular image of Jesus overly westernized and untrue to historical reality? This question continues to fascinate. Leading Christian Origins scholar Joan E. Taylor surveys the historical evidence, and the prevalent image of Jesus in art and culture, to suggest an entirely different vision of this most famous of men. He may even have had short hair.