Many Americans say they are uncertain about their religious beliefs, although they continue to attend Christian and other churches. Interdenominational minister Willis presents this beautifully written book to help questioners maintain their integrity while relating to the vast Mystery that informs the universe beyond all understanding. "We know we don't know," Willis says, "and yet we all (even atheists) must stand on assumptions that help us lead good lives." To explore these assumptions, he discusses different ways of thinking about God, scientific and mythical views, the sources of good and evil, and the need for both freedom and commitment. He assures us we can all think reasonably about Ultimate Reality and find a faith that fits. The book grew from theology classes Willis taught in Unitarian churches and universities and from conversations with discontented members of other discussion groups. His clear and engaging prose is full of lively exchanges with his students. Frequent references to the best contemporary theologians (Bishop Spong, for example) and to philosophers, physicists, mythologists, and Bible experts provide an inspiring resource for those who long to resolve the conflict between faith and reason, doubt and belief.

Does your faith make room for questions? The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Everyone has doubts. Where is God when bad things happen? Does God hear our prayers? Is there a heaven? How can we know? Often, we treat such questions as the enemy of faith. But uncertainty doesn’t mean our belief is lacking. Doubt can be a path to a deeper, richer encounter with God. In Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith, join best-selling author and pastor Adam Hamilton as he discusses some of our most significant sources of doubt and shows how a steady trust in God can emerge from them. You will delve into questions like: “Does God exist? How can I know?” “Is the Bible true?” “Why do prayers go unanswered?” Hamilton approaches these sources of doubt with honesty and insight, drawing on the rich wisdom of the Bible, Christian tradition, and his experience walking with thousands of people on their spiritual journeys. Whether you’re a longtime Christian or someone brand new to faith, this book will lead you to a trust in God that gives you the courage to ask tough questions. Though you may wrestle with doubt, you’ll discover a faith that—rather than providing simple answers—includes belief and trust as well as uncertainty and mystery. Additional components include the book, Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith, video teaching sessions featuring Adam Hamilton (with closed captioning), and a digital worship and sermon series that make this perfect as a group study and church-wide program done throughout the year.

Thoughtful essays on faith in everyday life from award-winning sportswriter Terry Pluto, who has also earned a reputation--and a growing audience--for his down-to-earth musings on spiritual subjects. Topics include choosing a church, lending money to friends, dealing with jerks, sharing your faith, visiting the sick, even planning a funeral.

Do you have a desire to spend time with God, a desire to glean golden nuggets from His truth? Perhaps you long to draw closer to your maker, but you are having trouble learning how to trust God through the various circumstances that have occurred in your life. "Spending Time with God" will help you view all of life's situations as being beneficial to your spiritual growth and personal relationship with your heavenly Father. Christ showed the importance of having intimacy with God the Father, as He would oftentimes steal away to a secluded area to be alone with Him. In a world that tries to keep us busy, we too must place a priority on intimacy with our Father, for at the Lord's feet we receive power, guidance, and knowledge to seek His face. "Spending Time with God" is a Christian devotional that equips you with wisdom, encouragement, and strength to remain faithful to God and give thanks to Him in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As you dedicate yourself to spending time with your Father, get ready to discover how He has destined you for greatness.

For anyone who experiences a lapse of faith—here are the answers you seek. Faith is the most fundamentally important aspect of following Christ. Yet there are times in every believer's life when the inevitable question arises in the heart and works its way to the soul: If I really believe, why do I have these doubts? The question may have been planted by tragedy or trial. It may have been ignited by rejection or heartbreak. It may even be as simple as an intellectual burr that can't be shaken. If you or someone you know is asking this question, this book will bring help and hope to every heart in search of a deeper faith.

This volume is witness to a spirited and fruitful period in the evolution of corpus linguistics. In twenty-two articles written by established corpus linguists, members of the ICAME (International Computer Archive of Modern and Mediaeval English) association, this new volume brings the reader up to date with the cycle of activities which make up this field of study as it is today, dealing with corpus creation, language varieties, diachronic corpus study from the past to present, present-day synchronic corpus study, the web as corpus, and corpus linguistics and grammatical theory. It thus serves as a valuable guide to the state of the art for linguistic researchers, teachers and language learners of all persuasions. After over twenty years of evolution, corpus linguistics has matured, incorporating nowadays not just small, medium and large primary corpus building but also specialised and multi-dimensional secondary corpus building; not just corpus analysis, but also corpus evaluation; not just an initial application of theory, but self-reflection and a new concern with theory in the light of experience. The volume also highlights the growing emphasis on language as a changing phenomenon, both in terms of established historical study and the newer short-range diachronic study of 20th century and current English; and the growing area of overlap between these two. Another section of the volume illustrates the recent changes in the definition of 'corpus' which have come about due to the emergence of new technologies and in particular of the availability of texts on the world wide web. The volume culminates in the contributions by a group of corpus grammarians to a timely and novel discussion panel on the relationship between corpus linguistics and grammatical theory.

Throughout the eighteenth century, an ever-sharper distinction emerged between Jews of the old order and those who were self-consciously of a new world. As aspirations for liberation clashed with adherence to tradition, as national, ethnic, cultural, and other alternatives emerged and a long, circuitous search for identity began, it was no longer evident that the definition of Jewishness would be based on the beliefs and practices surrounding the study of the Torah. In The Origins of Jewish Secularization in Eighteenth-Century Europe Shmuel Feiner reconstructs this evolution by listening to the voices of those who participated in the process and by deciphering its cultural codes and meanings. On the one hand, a great majority of observant Jews still accepted the authority of the Talmud and the leadership of the rabbis; on the other, there was a gradually more conspicuous minority of "Epicureans" and "freethinkers." As the ground shifted, each individual was marked according to his or her place on the path between faith and heresy, between devoutness and permissiveness or indifference. Building on his award-winning Jewish Enlightenment, Feiner unfolds the story of critics of religion, mostly Ashkenazic Jews, who did not take active part in the secular intellectual revival known as the Haskalah. In open or concealed rebellion, Feiner's subjects lived primarily in the cities of western and central Europe—Altona-Hamburg, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Breslau, and Prague. They participated as "fashionable" Jews adopting the habits and clothing of the surrounding Gentile society. Several also adopted the deist worldview of Enlightenment Europe, rejecting faith in revelation, the authority of Scripture, and the obligation to observe the commandments. Peering into the synagogue, observing individuals in the coffeehouse or strolling the boulevards, and peeking into the bedroom, Feiner recovers forgotten critics of religion from both the margins and the center of Jewish discourse. His is a pioneering work on the origins of one of the most significant transformations of modern Jewish history.

How do we live out the message of Jesus in today's ever-changing culture? The church is facing its greatest challenge---and its greatest opportunity---in our postmodern, post-Christian world. God is drawing thousands of spiritually curious 'imperfect people' to become his church---but how are we doing at welcoming them? No Perfect People Allowed shows you how to deconstruct the five main barriers standing between emerging generations and your church by creating the right culture. From inspiring stories of real people once far from God, to practical ideas that can be applied by any local church, this book offers a refreshing vision of the potential and power of the Body of Christ to transform lives today. 'We now are living in a post-Christian America---and that means we must be rethinking ministry through a missionary mindset. What makes this book both unique and extremely helpful is that it is filled with real-life stories of post-Christian people becoming followers of Jesus---not just statistics or data about them.' Dan Kimball, Author, The Emerging Church '. . . John's 'get it' factor with people, lost or found, is something to behold! Reading this book filled me with optimism regarding the next generation of pastors and faith communities . . .' Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church No Perfect People Allowed is a timely and necessary word for church leaders in a post Christian culture. John Burke serves up quite a tasty meal full of the rich nutrients that will strengthen the Body of Christ. Randy Frazee, Senior Pastor, Pantego Bible Church; Author, The Connecting Church and Making Room for Life