In modern times, evangelical Protestants have advocated for the belief that the Bible is the only real standard of truth and true Christian praxis for the church. But is this how the early Jews and Christians, who wrote the biblical books, viewed their sacred texts? And what counted as those sacred texts? Furthermore, there is often a lack of ......
The Imprecatory Psalms and the Ethics of Christian Prayer
To the modern ear, the concept of cursing sounds otherworldly, mystical, abhorrent. For some the idea may evoke images of terror-images not of God but of the devil. How then are Christians to understand the imprecatory psalms, which are violent and, for many, disturbing prayers for judgment that seem to contravene Christ's command to "love thy ......
Throughout the Psalms we witness David cry out for deliverance in seasons of anguish and grief, seeking refuge and strength from the Lord. Likewise, Jesus petitioned God in the garden of Gethsemane for strength in a time of dire need. The cries from both David and Jesus to God reflect the forgotten spiritual discipline of lament. Lament is not ......
This book consists of Islamic prayers Prophet Muhammad and some Muslim saints adopted for various occasions: morning and evening prayers, purification, eating, drinking, pilgrimage and everyday life situations. Additional sections include the most beautiful names of God, prayer for help and success, and other prayers to be recited any time.
Thomistic Reflections on Divinization, Prudence, Religion, and Prayer
Although not well-known in the English-speaking world, Fr. Ambroise Gardeil, OP (1859-1931) was a Dominican of significant influence in French Catholic thought at the turn of the 20th century. Conservative theologians like Frs. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP, Michel Labourdette, OP, Jean-Herve Nicolas, OP and many others hailed him as a careful ......
Our faith is centered around giving and offering support, yet our belief about those who need "help" must be reexamined. Philanthropy is steeped in myths that hurt communities of color rather than help them. Many current philanthropic strategies fail because they neglect the experience, wisdom, and gifts of those receiving "help," and prioritize ......
The theological enterprise in the West finds itself in a critical moment. Traditional models have failed to supply the church with the proper tools for engaging the hard, persistent realities of injustice. This is primarily because the models propose a language of faith that does not begin from the part of life where faith begins: namely, the ......
God calls humans to be creative. The human drive to represent transcendent truths witnesses to the fact that we are destined to be transfigured and to transfigure the world. It is worth asking, then, what truthful representations, whether in art, spirituality, or theology, teach us about the one who is our truth, the one who made us and the one in ......
Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving
Joy, pain, celebration, and grief are constant companions on the journey of caregiving. While remaining detached might seem the preferable option, it is not possible to disentangle the threads of our interwoven stories. Our lives are shaped by each other. We are transformed by our encounters.In Formed Together, Keith Dow explores the questions of ......
