The Bush was Blazing But Not Consumed

The Bush was Blazing But Not Consumed
Author: Eric H. F. Law
Publisher: Chalice Press
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1996
Genre: Burning bush
ISBN: 9780827236721

Best-selling author Eric Law shows how to work with the dynamics of diverse cultures to create a truly inclusive community. In his widely acclaimed The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb, Eric H. F. Law explores the dynamics of multicultural misunderstandings and how different cultures perceive and use power. Here he shows how to work with those dynamics to create a truly inclusive community. sing Exodus 3 as a theological starting point, Law explains in detail how leaders can: understand and resolve difference in communication styles, recognize and avoid the "Golden Calf Syndrome," reconcile high-context and low-content elements in the group, use mutual invitation, and build dialogue through liturgy. Following Law's practical guidelines, we can, in the end, build multicultural structures everyone can live and thrive in.

Reading the First Five Books

Reading the First Five Books
Author: Rachel Toombs
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2024-10-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493448382

This book invites readers to rediscover the artistry and transformative power of the narratives of the first five books of the Bible. Reading the First Five Books highlights key literary techniques like brevity, pacing, characterization, and use of the grotesque, showing how these characteristics shape biblical stories into memorable, complex narratives that reward close reading. This accessible guide unpacks what makes Old Testament stories effective while cultivating skills for deeper engagement with scriptural texts. Extended examples drawn from each book of the Pentateuch are included. Bridging literary study and biblical scholarship, Reading the First Five Books models a spirit of open-minded yet careful reading that uncovers profound meaning in sparse details. The book is ideal for courses on the Old Testament or the Pentateuch. Students will find valuable instruction and inspiration for their own journeys through these sacred texts.

Reimagining Exodus

Reimagining Exodus
Author: David Zaslow
Publisher: Paraclete Press
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2017-03-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1612619665

More than half the world's population is familiar with the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt when they were liberated from slavery. Religious groups and movements of liberation, from the Puritans to Mormons to the American Civil Rights Movement, have used it as a template and an inspiration in their own struggles for freedom. In Jewish tradition, the Exodus is applied to the individual life journey, with captivities, freedoms and wildernesses. This book will explore how the struggles in Genesis can be applied to our issues today—personal and cultural. "Rabbi Zaslow weaves a connective tapestry for people of faith who no longer want their religions to divide them from each other. Reimagining Exodus takes the reader on a timeless journey. It shows how the Passover story has been a roadmap for both spiritual and personal liberation for thousands of years. As the foundational story beneath Judaism and Christianity it is time to reimagine how this seminal story relates to our world and our personal lives today." — Fr. Richard Rohr, Center of Action and Contemplation "David Zaslow has taken one of the greatest stories ever told and made it even greater. This book is a tremendous gift to anyone who is taking a journey of the soul, seeking to escape internal slavery and make it to the promised place where suffering is no more." —Marianne Williamson, teacher and author of Tears to Triumph "With the mind of a scholar, the heart of a poet, and the sould of a Hasidic teacher, Rabbi David Zaslow explains the Biblical exodus as more than an epic event. This book offers readers the ancient story as a contemporary compass—one which can guide our lives toward greater meaning and purpose, regardless of the faith we follow, citizenship we hold, or the politics we practice." —Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, President, Clal, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

Church Ahead

Church Ahead
Author: Bruce G. Epperly
Publisher: Energion Publications
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2020-07-14
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1631995170

How do you feel when you see a yellow caution sign that reads “Church Ahead?” Is it a place of potential answers and guidance, or a stumbling block, holding you back? In Church Ahead, Bruce Epperly, pastor, professor, and adventurous pilgrim looks about what this sign could mean. He looks at the kinds of spiritual practice that a congregation can embrace in order to be renewed themselves, and restore their mission to those around them who are hurting and in need. This is not a rejection of “church” as an institution, but a challenge to make church into a beacon of hope and light. The mission presented in this book is not just abstract theology and spirituality. It calls for, describes, and embraces spiritual practices that have an impact on the church, the community, and the world. Each chapter includes specific activities designed to change attitudes and energize action. In answer to the ancient question voiced by the prophet Ezekiel – can these bones live? – Epperly gives an emphatic “Yes!” But the path to that life involves an embrace of spiritual life, change, and adventure in every aspect of ministry.

Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire
Author: David J. Schlafer
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 184
Release: 2004
Genre: Preaching
ISBN: 1561012696

Offering a fresh approach to homiletics, David J. Schlafer provides an invitation to preaching by way of metaphor. Starting with the fire of Scripture, and engaging in the work of preaching as play, Schlafer offers new ways of approaching the preaching moment. Taking into account the preacher's call, the stages of preparation, the role of the congregation, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it all, we discover that playing with fire is a sacred act indeed. Two metaphors dance together across the pages of this book: fire and play. Two metaphors, plus a hunch: that texts of the Scriptures, the grounding voices of inspiration for Christian preaching, offer more than just truths to be interpreted and transmitted. What we call the Scriptures are the work of a great company of preachers. The Bible is a treasure lode of imaginative insights regarding how the mystery of preaching might be entertained. --from the Introduction