Holy Cooperation!


Book Description

The first Christians immediately set about creating a social structure based on democratic control of their collective resources, which were shared freely. While this was a voluntary system, it carried great spiritual weight and was a continuation of values that were clearly encouraged in the stories of the Old Testament. This style of organizing can also be found in the modern cooperative movement, which is made up of thousands of democratically controlled businesses serving millions of members worldwide. This movement touches the lives of nearly half of Americans, and has grown into a comprehensive economic system in other parts of the world. Christians have played key roles in the development of this movement, but the theological basis for this participation is not widely understood. Holy Cooperation! is an examination of what the Bible teaches about social organizing, and an exploration of some of the cooperative ways that Christians have worked together. Through cooperation we may act as our brothers' and sisters' keepers, while staying true to Jesus's teachings of liberation.




Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit


Book Description

A highly practical guide for nurturing relations between believers and the Spirit, in order to better advance the Kingdom of God.




The Homiletic Review


Book Description




Rethinking Cooperation with Evil


Book Description

Rethinking Cooperation with Evil: A Virtue-Based Approach applies Thomistic virtue theory to today's most challenging questions of cooperation with evil. For centuries, moralists have struggled to determine the conditions necessary to justify moral cooperation with evil. The English Jesuit Henry Davis even observed: "[T]here is no more difficult question than this in the whole range of Moral Theology." This important book addresses this challenge by applying the virtue-based method of moral reasoning of St. Thomas Aquinas to issues of cooperation with evil. Those who pastor souls report frequently receiving questions from attentive believers about whether a particular human action inadvertently contributes to some moral evil. Examples of potentially immoral cooperation with evil include whether one may shop at a particular franchise known for its support of abortion, whether Catholics may attend civil marriages outside the Church, or whether an organization may submit to government mandates that health insurance include payment for immoral practices. Although recent moralists have tackled specific topics related to cooperation with evil, agreement on an overall common paradigm has not yet been reached. Rethinking Cooperation with Evil proposes a method for Christian believers and others to approach these questions from the foundation of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church. This text provides both an overall method for how to understand the issue of cooperation, as well as practical counsel for specific cases. Rethinking Cooperation with Evil advances the theological conversation on this topic from both speculative and practical vantage points. To facilitate his argument, Connors utilizes historical analyses that contrast Aquinas's method of moral reasoning with that of the casuist treatment of cooperation. Consequently, the book includes numerous case studies that will be of interest both to moral theologians and readers new to the topic.




The Prayer of Illumination


Book Description

This book looks into the liturgy of the Mar Thoma Church. The Mar Thoma Church claims to be Eastern and Reformed. An enquiry is made into the liturgy of the Eucharist to look into the the prayer for illumination. The measuring rod to determine the Eastern and the Reformed nature is the Eastern fathers such as Gregory Nazianzen, Athanasius, St. Basil, etc., and the Reformer John Calvin. The prayer for illumination as laid out in the Eucharistic liturgy of the Mar Thoma Church is compared to the prayer for illumination in the Syrian liturgy and the Genevan psalter. Some observations are made and, accordingly, conclusions are drawn. Based on the conclusions, some implications are given for the Mar Thoma Church.










Religious Education


Book Description

The authors of this volume examine theory and practice regarding past and present roles of Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious education in nurturing tolerance, interpreted as mutual respect for and recognition of other groups, in Eastern (Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro and Romania) and Western (Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia and Spain) Europe, Israel, Nigeria and Uzbekistan. They also explore potential roles of religion and exclusivism in fostering (Islamic state, NGOs, etc.), but also averting (Islamic legal theory, authority, Sufism, etc.) radicalization, and of secular states in allowing, but also banning minority religious education in public schools.With contributions from Friedrich Schweitzer, Martin Rothgangel, Gerhard Langer, Daniela Stan, Arto Kallioniemi, Juan Ferreiro Galguera, Maria Chiara Giorda, Rossana M. Salerno, Viorica Goraş-Postică, Constantin Iulian Damian, Valentin Ilie, Dzintra Iliško, Ayman Agbaria, Zilola Khalilova, Raid al-Daghistani, Osman Taştan, Moshe Ma’oz, Adriana Cupcea, Muhamed Ali, Rüdiger Lohlker and Dele Ashiru. The Editors Ednan Aslan is the Chair of Islamic Theological studies at the University of Vienna where he is a Professor for Islamic Education. Margaret Rausch is scholar, researcher and university instructor in the field of Islamic and Religious Studies.




Daily Triumph


Book Description

The devotional Daily Triumph features at least one message from each book of the Bible. Also included is Ruth; the book of redemption and Colossians; the book telling of Christ as the supreme and all-sufficient one. Besides this you will find eighteen devotional messages on the work of the Holy Spirit inter-mingled throughout. Finally, each devotional features "Today's Hymn." This is the title of a hymn so that you can reflect on the song. Read through it, give it some thought, and may the Lord use it to put a song in your heart. Jeff Pepper was born and raised in Sterling, Illinois. After graduating from high school, and going out on his own to earn a living, he started attending church. He did not attend regularly though, because the church he tried did not seem to line up with what he read in his Bible at home. While working at his place of employment a man was hired that talked to him about spiritual things. This man invited him to visit the church he went to; which was Faith Baptist Church in Sterling, Illinois. This church preached the truth of God's Word. Therefore, after attending for about a year he realized this was indeed what he had been seeking. So in July of 1978 he accepted Christ as his Savior, and went on to serve faithfully there. He later married and started raising a family. He, his wife Sheila, and daughters Janna and Michelle now reside in Shannon, Illinois, In April of 2001 the Lord laid on his heart a burden to put together a devotional book using messages from pastors, evangelists, missionaries, Christian educators, and others in full-time Christian service. Now, almost ten years later this devotional is here.




The Zondervan 2022 Pastor's Annual


Book Description

Countless preachers have turned to the Zondervan Pastor's Annual to save them time in sermon and service preparation. This tried-and-true resource makes your demanding job as a pastor a lot easier. Use its contents as is, or tailor it to fit your unique approach. The Zondervan 2022 Pastor's Annual supplies you with: Morning and evening services for every Sunday of the year Sermon topics and texts fully indexed Definitive and usable sermon outlines Devotionals and Bible studies for midweek services Fresh and applicable illustrations Appropriate hymn selections Special-day services for church and civil calendars Meditations on Lord's Supper observance Wedding ceremonies and themes Funeral messages and Scriptures Basic pastoral ministry helps Messages for children and young people Offertory prayers