{"title":"Progressive Christianity","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"so-you-think-you-re-not-religious-a-thinking-person-s-guide-to-the-church-second-edition-by-james-rowe-adams","title":"So You Think You’re Not Religious? A Thinking Person’s Guide to the Church Second Edition by James Rowe Adams","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIf you are actively trying to make some sense out of existence, you may be more religious than you think you are.  If you think you’re not religious because you don’t (or can’t) believe certain propositions put forward by religious groups, you may be surprised to learn that Christianity is not necessarily about believing stuff.  According to James Rowe Adams, the primary focus of Christianity may not be about believing but about living in a community—a community in which you find companions in the search for meaning, a community where you can celebrate your triumphs and joys and can find support in failure and in sorrow, a community that provides rituals for the transitions of your life, a community that tells a story in which you can find a place for yourself. It is a story beginning with the recollections of the Hebrew-speaking people and of the early followers of Jesus, the teacher from Nazareth in Galilee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eYou may think you’re not religious because you see yourself as an agnostic or atheist, as a humanist or secularist, or as a skeptic or doubter, or as a person who is spiritual but not religious.  However you see yourself, you may find yourself feeling right at home among Christians who use the word “God” as Adams does in reference to certain kinds of experiences but who resist talking about “God” as a sort of being who occasionally intervenes in nature or in human history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44429383074078,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Adams-Cover.jpg?v=1675478557"},{"product_id":"birdlike-and-barnless-meditations-prayers-and-songs-for-progressive-christians-by-jim-burklo","title":"Birdlike and Barnless; Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReady for a humble, hard-working Christian religion that is pro-justice and pro-peace?  Ready for a faith that takes the Bible seriously because it doesn’t take it literally?  Ready for a soulful expression of progressive Christianity in meditative prose, poetry, ritual and song?  If you are ready to empty the barn of dusty dogma and take wing with celebration, you will find in Jim Burklo’s new book a rich devotional resource for individuals and a treasure-trove of fresh material for churches to use in worship and programming.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44429402145054,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Birdlike-cover.jpg?v=1675478880"},{"product_id":"deeper-love-faithful-rhetoric-for-progressive-social-change-by-progressive-christians-uniting-edited-by-jim-burklo","title":"Deeper Love; Faithful Rhetoric For Progressive Social Change by Progressive Christians Uniting edited by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDeeper Love is a web-based resource that is updated regularly with input from its users. It offers faith-based materials in language that can enable progressive political and social action. This publication provides activists, lay and clergy people, politicians, campaigners, and organizers with inspiring rhetoric to advance social change. The book is a handy reference tool to its contents and it links the user to future additions and changes. It is a project of Progressive Christians Uniting, a social justice activist organization based in Los Angeles, California.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44429414301982,"sku":"","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Screenshot2023-02-03at9.51.30PM.png?v=1675479161"},{"product_id":"hitch-hiking-to-alaska-the-way-of-soulful-service-by-jim-burklo","title":"Hitch-Hiking To Alaska The Way Of Soulful Service by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJim Burklo’s book is a must-read for those interested in exploring the intersection between service, learning and meaning-making. Through stories and thoughtful prose, Burklo offers a loving critique of our common preconceived notions about service and artfully presents a framework for engaging in ethical and meaningful action. I know of no other person who could better blend deep intellectual explorations with rich spiritual questions through such powerful story-telling. Pick up the book and begin hitchhiking to a more profound way of seeing service.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eKent Koth, Director, Center for Service and Community Engagement\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDirector, Seattle University Youth Initiative\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSeattle University\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWritten with raw heart energy fueled by years of disciplined reflection and practice. Whether you are Christian or not, read this book when you are close to burn-out and ready to quit your job in the good works department.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDr. Ulrike Wiethaus\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eProfessor of Religion and American Ethnic Studies\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWake Forest University\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn this powerful and provocative book, Jim Burklo brings to life the faces of those whom we so easily marginalize, and in the process redefines the spiritual life.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRetired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthor of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44429429342494,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Burklo-cover.jpg?v=1675479382"},{"product_id":"open-christianity-home-by-another-road-by-jim-burklo","title":"Open Christianity Home by Another Road by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIf you are not a Christian, this book invites you to explore the teachings of Jesus without requiring you to accept the Bible as literally true; or to follow an extreme, inflexible, or nonsensical theology.  If Christianity is your heritages, this book invites you to love God and your neighbor as Jesus did; to abandon or reinterpret any dogma that gets in love’s way; and if you have left that heritage, to come back to it with joy.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44432434037022,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/burklo_open_christianity.jpg?v=1675531080"},{"product_id":"mindful-christianity-by-jim-burklo","title":"Mindful Christianity by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMindful Christianity revels how mindfulness has manifested among Christians from the days of Jesus until now. It allures the reader to integrate it into every aspect of Christian living: prayer, worship, study, and service. And it shows how mindful Christian practice can lead to a humbler, kinder, livelier, more inclusive and common-sense form of the faith. It is structured for use as a program resource for churches, retreats, campus ministries, and other groups.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44432916775198,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Image2-4-23at10.05AM.jpg?v=1675540139"},{"product_id":"tenderly-calling-an-invitation-to-the-way-of-jesus-by-jim-burklo","title":"Tenderly Calling An Invitation To The Way Of Jesus by Jim Burklo","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"iframeContent\" dir=\"auto\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJim Burklo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eattunes the reader to Jesus’ voice in\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTenderly Calling\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is an invitation for those starting the path of Jesus, as well as for those setting out afresh. He invites the reader into the depths of the Bible’s transformative myth and poetry, into the practices of Christian contemplation, and into action, building the kingdom of heaven and earth. The way of Jesus is kindness: it is the open-hearted, open-minded, humble faith of a humble man.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFor two decades, Jim Burklo’s books and blog entries have thrown spiritual lifelines to disillusioned Christians, offering them an alternative progressive form of the faith. Now, in\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTenderly Calling\u003c\/strong\u003e, he addresses the growing population of people who know so little about the faith that they have little to unlearn. His book introduces the texts, rituals, symbols, and practices of the faith as raw material for the spiritual imagination, inviting the follower to creatively participate in the ongoing evolution of Christianity.\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTenderly Calling\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a welcome into the Christian faith that rings true for our time.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44432920543518,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Image2-4-23at10.06AM.jpg?v=1675540262"},{"product_id":"advent-in-the-real-world-by-bill-cummings","title":"Advent In The Real World by Bill Cummings","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFrom his childhood devotion to the religion of his parents and grandparents, Bill Cummings moved through all the structures and doctrines of the Catholic Church. He became a gifted scholar, priest, and college teacher. However, all along the way he had questions that no one seemed to want to answer. Or if they did the answers were unsatisfactory. While he was studying in Rome, Pope John XXIII provided the inspiration, guidance and encouragement that searchers such as Cummings needed to find their true calling. But when he finally decided that he could no longer work within some of the confines of his beloved church he had to leave and move into a world that he was totally unprepared for. His story is a must-read for the religious seeker of all faiths who face the challenges of a secular world and feel they are alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBill Cummings received his high school and college education in a monastery that was accredited by the University of Wisconsin. At Catholic University in Washington, DC, he received his STL in Theology and MA in Semitic languages, followed by extensive doctoral work in Rome, Italy, where he earned his SSB Re Biblica and finally his SSL Re Biblica from the Pontificum Institutum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAfter several years as a professor at a Catholic college, Bill left the academic and religious world and joined TWA as a leadership instructor. He later became manager of organizational development for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco, and finally vice president of a medical corporation in Georgia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn 1985, Cummings launched his own company, Cummings Management Consultants. He leads seminars, designs and conducts strategic planning, recruits executives, lectures on leadership, and coaches executives throughout the country\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44433016684830,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Cummings-Cover.jpg?v=1675543578"},{"product_id":"oh-my-god-by-bill-cummings","title":"Oh My God by Bill Cummings","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eor those of us who have become locked into ancient beliefs, Bill Cummings offers a refreshing insight into our very conflicting beliefs. He doesn’t really ask you to change your views but rather to accept other views, to look at ancient views in the light of today’s world. And Bill doesn’t talk down to his reader, but rather walks the trip with the reader to see God as he (or she) really is.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448372490526,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Image2-4-23at10.07AM.jpg?v=1675793691"},{"product_id":"the-southern-christian-heretic-by-bill-cummings","title":"The Southern Christian Heretic by Bill Cummings","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBill Cummings is a seeker and a scholar. He is also a heretic to many who oppose his views. But he only asks you to stop and ask a few questions of your own faith. What is your faith based on? Do you believe in an exclusive club that only those who believe as you do can belong to it? Or is your belief system an all-inclusive one? How far do your limits of faith extend? Cummings is a biblical scholar but he talks to the person in the pew without telling them that they must believe as he does. To him, all roads taken in love will arrive at the same place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBill Cummings received his high school and college education in a monastery that was accredited by the University of Wisconsin. At Catholic University in Washington, DC, he received his STL in Theology and MA in Semitic languages, followed by extensive doctoral work in Rome, Italy, where he earned his SSB Re Biblica and finally his SSL Re Biblica from the Pontificum Institutum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAfter several years as a professor at a Catholic college, Bill left the academic and religious world and joined TWA as a leadership instructor. He later became manager of organizational development for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco, and finally vice president of a medical corporation in Georgia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn 1985, Cummings launched his own company, Cummings Management Consultants. He leads seminars, designs and conducts strategic planning, recruits executives, lectures on leadership, and coaches executives throughout the country.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448381862174,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/The-Southern-Christian-Heretic.jpg?v=1675793847"},{"product_id":"going-to-church-it-s-not-what-you-think-by-susan-mann-flanders","title":"Going To Church; It’s Not What You Think by Susan Mann Flanders","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWith unflinching honesty and blunt assessment of the Church she both loves and longs to change, Susan Flanders uses the narrative of her own\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003elife to illuminate the great spiritual questions of our time. What does it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003emean to believe in God? How and for what shall we pray? How do we\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003erecover after great disappointment and find joy again? What does it feel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003elike when the Holy Spirit moves us toward a particular task or person?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReading Susan’s life story, you might hear echoes of your own. And you’ll\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003egain a whole new appreciation for what life is like on the inside for those\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ewho choose to wear a clergy collar. I promise—it’s not what you think.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSusan Flanders\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e grew up in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and was educated at Wellesley College, George Washington University and Virginia Theological Seminary where she earned an M. Div. degree in 1985. An ordained Episcopal priest, she has served as Associate Rector at St. Mark’s Capitol Hill in Washington, DC and as Rector of St. John’s Norwood Parish in Chevy Chase, MD along with several interim positions. Now retired, she serves on the board of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/progressivechristianity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eProgressiveChristianity.Org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e where she contributes new liturgies and articles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448546914590,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Flanders-cover.jpg?v=1675795218"},{"product_id":"things-i-didn-t-learn-in-sunday-school-by-john-t-foster-jr","title":"Things I Didn’t Learn In Sunday School by John T. Foster, Jr.","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMany have been taught that the Bible is divinely inspired but within the pages of this book it is clear God would not have made the errors revealed. The dating of the final agreed-upon Bible will shock the Bible student of Christianity, as well as the knowledge that very few of the books have known authors. Such simple terms as “sin” and its meaning will perplex the reader as well as numerous other decisions that Christians developed over the centuries. Learning about God, the reason for human existence, and the after-life, may differ in countless ways but rest assured this book is not designed to convince anyone of a given path for salvation. This book is not written to explain salvation but rather to bring out the inner workings that led to the development of the Bible that is recognized by religious scholars and to examine many of the perplexing issues facing Christianity today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFoster has compared the works of many noted scholars to decide whether they were leading the reader by facts and logic or whether they wanted only to preach their faith. When Foster discovered a pattern of outright omission of important information, he also discovered that these authors were most often serving traditional denominations of the Church. These authors were not educators but were disciples cherry-picking from scripture for their specific message. Often they labeled academic religious scholars as left-wing liberal professors teaching college-level students to reject Christianity. After careful consideration, Foster selected just a few religious scholars as his primary sources. He cites their findings throughout his book. He also enjoys presenting clear and concise findings from scripture, pointing out highly questionable thoughts, and jewels of information seldom broached in religious circles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448560611614,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Things-I-Didnt-Learn-in-Sunday-School.png?v=1675795357"},{"product_id":"the-bible-you-didn-t-know-you-could-believe-in-by-jeffrey-e-frantz","title":"The Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In by Jeffrey E. Frantz","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWithin the emerging world of Progressive Christianity this book seeks to present the Bible, God, and Jesus in ways and language that are believable. Today’s traditional churches are losing increasing numbers from their congregations because of the impact of biblical literalism. In the wake of an historical-critical method of biblical scholarship, along with parallel progress in the sciences and other academic disciplines, viewing the Bible as the inerrant, infallible word of God is simply not adequate to our modern experience. The author provides the reader with a modern view of the Bible, God, and Jesus that gives integrity to our beliefs, but does not rely on myth, superstitions, and literal translation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReview (\u003ca title=\"Get Full Review\" href=\"https:\/\/progressivechristianity.org\/resources\/the-bible-you-didnt-know-you-could-believe-in\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/progressivechristianity.org\/resources\/the-bible-you-didnt-know-you-could-believe-in\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ecourtesy of Progressive Christianity\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn, \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In\u003c\/em\u003e, Jeffrey Frantz provides a valuable teaching tool for local pastors and churches committed to the rediscovery of their faith.  His is a progressive voice that makes a clarion call to those  desiring to reclaim ground that has been relinquished to conservative voices.  Frantz articulates this message with the integrity of a local church pastor who has labored over four decades in this endeavor.  This is a special book for how it speaks and engages  both the believer and the skeptic – a book to be read and then used.  I have no doubt that somewhere Marcus Borg is cheering!\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e~Rev. Glen D. Larsen Jr.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz is a retired United Church of Christ minister. He had long-term pastorates in San Diego County and in Miami Lakes, Florida. His service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama in the late sixties spurred his commitment to social-justice ministries and to a spirit of ecumenism as a local church pastor. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pacific School of Religion. Dr. Frantz and his wife, Yvette, live in Boynton Beach, Florida.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448576143646,"sku":"","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Frantz-Book-Cover.jpg?v=1675795463"},{"product_id":"the-god-you-didn-t-know-you-could-believe-in-by-jeffrey-e-frantz","title":"The God You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In by Jeffrey E. Frantz","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs this book affirms, god continues to be the great conundrum, the great mystery, the great challenge of human existence. Paradoxically, while people have long claimed to doubt the existence of God, God is still the most important reality in the world. While many, in recent decades, have wanted to cease using the term God, the author prefers to not relinquish the term because, “for me, along with Martin Buber, it bears too great and complex a meaning and has too many sacred associations.” As an expression of Progressive Christianity, this book invites people to move beyond the God of supernatural theism, the God in the sky, the God of antiquity and the three-tiered universe. The conception of God presented in this book sees God as the great MORE of the universe, more than anything we can say, think, or conceive about God. God is understood mostly as Spirit, but also as infinite love and energy, abiding presence and endless mystery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz is a retired United Church of Christ minister. He had long-term pastorates in San Diego County and in Miami Lakes, Florida. His service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama in the late sixties spurred his commitment to social-justice ministries and to a spirit of ecumenism as a local church pastor. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pacific School of Religion. Dr. Frantz and his wife, Yvette, live in Boynton Beach, Florida.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448589480222,"sku":"","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/The-God-You-Didnt-Know-You-Could-Believe-In.png?v=1675795586"},{"product_id":"the-dishonest-church-by-jack-good","title":"The Dishonest Church by Jack Good","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Dishonest Church\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis an unblinking look at the reasons behind the decline of the mainline churches, and a prescription for a long overdue remedy: honesty!  It is also a celebration of a faith tradition that continues to evolve as it confronts the Ultimate Mystery.  The book insists that the only way to preserve this tradition is to allow it to do what it has always done: adjust to new realities.  Readers of this book will be affirmed in their desire to stand at the intersection of a dynamic tradition and an open future.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44448597213470,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/good_dishonest_church-184x294.jpg?v=1675795670"},{"product_id":"emotions-and-values-by-jack-good","title":"Emotions and Values by Jack Good","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe human warmth that enlivens his anecdotes reveals Jack Good’s extensive experience as both a pastor and a psychotherapist.  In addition, he shows himself to be a scholar, gracefully explicating key biblical words and coming up with an original and f\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eascinating take on Jesus: a role model for the effective channeling of emotional energy.  If you have ever felt like a victim of your emotions, or if you have ever used your emotions as an excuse for your behavior, you need to read this book.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e—\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"style30\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJames R. 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Whether the reader plans to visit Rome in person or from the comfort of their living room, the Korns provide this highly readable and scholarly book to assist them. Having a well-versed guide is a good idea for any exploration of Rome, which should always include a visit to the catacombs, and now such visitors have a great new asset thanks to Professor and Mrs. Korn. Their carefully researched and highly informative new tome on those ‘coemeteria subterranea’ should be read in advance by the serious catacomb visitors, and be in their hands as a ‘vade mecum,’ as they probe that which underlines the surface of today’s Rome to really understand why they call it the Eternal City.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450241446174,"sku":"","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Below-Rome_cover.jpg?v=1675819814"},{"product_id":"authentic-freedom-claiming-a-life-of-contentment-and-joy-by-lauri-ann-lumby","title":"Authentic Freedom Claiming a Life of Contentment and Joy by Lauri Ann Lumby","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAuthentic Freedom\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e transcends centuries of dogma to reveal the powerful and life-changing message at the heart of Jesus’ teachings, and the universal truths at the core of every religion. The book’s unique approach offers an opportunity for the reader to heal the separation they feel within themselves, with God and with each other, ultimately revealing the truth of Oneness. Built upon the compelling integration of Eastern Energy Medicine and the 2000-year-old tradition of Christian, contemplative spiritual practices, Authentic Freedom reveals a dynamic and unifying path of spiritual transformation that speaks to people of all traditions and beliefs.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450310422814,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Lumby-cover.jpg?v=1675820462"},{"product_id":"the-jackdaw-and-the-peacock-biblical-mistranslations-and-christian-traditions-william-a-opel","title":"The Jackdaw and The Peacock Biblical Mistranslations and Christian Traditions William A. 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More a rabbi than a priest, he has always enjoyed teaching biblically based courses in local schools, parishes, and libraries.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450318024990,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Opel-cover.jpg?v=1675820578"},{"product_id":"waiting-for-the-archbishop-memoirs-of-a-former-priest-in-transition-by-dennis-ortman","title":"Waiting for the Archbishop Memoirs of a Former Priest in Transition by Dennis Ortman","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA celibate Catholic Priest for fourteen years, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDennis Ortman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e committed the unpardonable sin. He fell in love with a woman and had to make a soul-wrenching decision. He left the priesthood, married and began a new career as a psychologist. His story recounts the inner struggles he faced in coming to his decision and the influences on his entering and leaving the priesthood. His personal odyssey, beginning in an alcoholic home, took him around the world. Sent for theological studies in Rome, he experienced the grandeur, dark side and inner workings of the Church. Inspired by a meeting with Mother Teresa, he worked for a summer in India among the poorest of the poor with her religious order. There he encountered the wisdom of the East that stretched and challenged his faith. Working as a parish priest after the hope and promise of the Second Vatican Council and the social unrest of the 1960s, he experienced the disillusionment of many American Catholics. His story can help anyone making a transition in their life and seeking to discover the deeper meaning of their faith.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450343125278,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Ortman-cover.jpg?v=1675820895"},{"product_id":"drink-from-the-well-by-fred-c-plumer","title":"Drink from the Well by Fred C. Plumer","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFrom a rich lode of speeches, articles in eBulletins, and numerous publications, Fred Plumer has mined those that define the Progressive Christianity movement as it evolves to meet new challenges in a rapidly changing world. Written over a period of approximately six years, the material has been reviewed and edited but not in a manner that would change its original themes and purpose. This anthology is vintage Plumer, concise and direct to the point. It is organized into chapters that focus on a particular subject, so it might shed more light on that subject or theme.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe reader is invited to Drink from the Well.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450348663070,"sku":"","price":24.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Drink-From-The-Well.jpg?v=1675821009"},{"product_id":"advent-in-the-real-world-by-martha-porter","title":"Advent In The Real World by Martha Porter","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAdvent is the Christian church’s “new year,” the time when the liturgical cycle begins again, and we are encouraged to hear the stories again as if for the first time. At the same time that something new is being urged upon us, many people cling with both fondness and weariness to traditions–family and religious–that govern this time of year. This collection of reflections invites you to take just a few moments in each days of Advent to suspend doing in favor of being–to discern what newness you might find in your heart in the midst of the familiar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMartha Porter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a graduate of Candler School of Theology at Emory University, with a focus on pastoral counseling and the role of language in the formation of self. She trained at the Pastoral Psychotherapy Institute and worked at the Center for Religion and Psychotherapy, both in Chicago. A Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counseling, Martha’s first career was in education. She holds a doctorate in education and has taught math from 8th grade to graduate level statistics in college. She and her husband, Peter Ray, also an ordained minister, continue to lead the Contemporary Theology class at the Church of the Incarnation in Highlands, NC.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450355282206,"sku":"","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Advent-In-The-Real-World-Title-Cover.png?v=1675821131"},{"product_id":"the-nicene-creed-ancient-words-in-the-light-of-modern-faith-by-martha-porter","title":"The Nicene Creed Ancient Words in the Light of Modern Faith by Martha Porter","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Nicene Creed was both a religious and a political tool, a humanly constructed statement of belief that gave order and meaning to the world of its time. 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Martha Porter’s words fill the Creed with contemporary understanding and will free countless people to be able to say it with integrity.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJohn Shelby Spong, author\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRe-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMartha Porter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a graduate of Candler School of Theology at Emory University, with a focus on pastoral counseling and the role of language in the formation of self. She trained at the Pastoral Psychotherapy Institute and worked at the Center for Religion and Psychotherapy, both in Chicago. A Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counseling, Martha’s first career was in education. She holds a doctorate in education and has taught math from 8th grade to graduate level statistics in college. She and her husband, Peter Ray, also an ordained minister, continue to lead the Contemporary Theology class at the Church of the Incarnation in Highlands, NC.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450367373598,"sku":"","price":22.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Porter-cover.jpg?v=1675821259"},{"product_id":"the-soul-of-the-psalms-from-ashes-to-alleluias-by-martha-porter","title":"The Soul of the Psalms From Ashes to Alleluias by Martha Porter","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIf you define yourself as a member of that growing category of Christians termed progressive, liberal, contemporary, or emergent, you likely already know that it can be difficult to find resources that speak to your evolving faith, especially resources that are based in scripture and related to the seasons of the liturgical calendar. In this book, Porter connects the reader with voices from centuries past, illustrating how the very human expressions in the lament Psalms can illumine dimensions of our relationships with each other and ourselves. In Porter’s view, these psalms convey the redemption that can be found in relationships of trust, relationships that can bear the full range of speech, including bitterness, fear, disappointment, and even anger. The contemporary psalms which spring from these ancient laments enable the progression “from ashes to alleluias.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Martha Porter has taken the Psalms out of Walter Brueggemann’s classroom and installed them in the treasure house of resources available to the work of pastoral ministry. Her work in this book is a gift that will bring life to many.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJohn Shelby Spong, Author\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMartha Porter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a graduate of Candler School of Theology at Emory University, with a focus on pastoral counseling and the role of language in the formation of self. She trained at the Pastoral Psychotherapy Institute and worked at the Center for Religion and Psychotherapy, both in Chicago. She was a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counseling and is ordained in the United Church of Christ. She also holds a doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is also the author of\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/the-nicene-creed\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/the-nicene-creed\/\"\u003eThe Nicene Creed: Ancient Words in the Light of Modern Faith\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450379104542,"sku":"","price":22.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Porter-Psalms-cover.jpg?v=1675821375"},{"product_id":"beyond-moralism-a-contemporary-view-of-the-ten-commandments-by-john-shelby-spong-denise-g-haines","title":"Beyond Moralism A contemporary View of the Ten Commandments by John Shelby Spong \u0026 Denise G. 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His struggles for candor in theology, worship, and life are apparent.  He is not always satisfied with traditional or comfortable answers to the questions of human history, nor does he work from theory, imagination, or even simple optimism.  Open and direct, he uses truth to gain truth, and he speaks for many who will quickly recognize much of their own thought.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450418032926,"sku":"","price":22.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/CHRISTPOWER-Cover-184x294.jpg?v=1675821935"},{"product_id":"dialogue-in-search-of-jewish-christian-understanding-by-john-shelby-spong-jack-daniel-spiro","title":"Dialogue In Search of Jewish-Christian Understanding by John Shelby Spong \u0026 Jack Daniel Spiro","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis Dialogue, between an Episcopal clergyman and a rabbi, excited, captivated and shook the City of Richmond, Virginia.  Here is an attempt to sink beneath the superficial and to grapple with the core of both Judaism and Christianity making apparent areas of Common ground as well as areas of irreconcilable difference.  It is accomplished with a rare theological sensitivity in which the personalities of the two participants are revealed as open and warmly human.  This book can be a major catalyst for Jewish-Christian discussions in every city of this nation.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"stjohannpress","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450438381854,"sku":"","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/spong_dialogue_in_search-184x294.jpg?v=1675822117"},{"product_id":"the-easter-moment-by-john-shelby-spong","title":"The Easter Moment by John Shelby Spong","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpong writes of his friendship with a dying friend and reflects upon the mystery and miracle of Easter.  His questions, informed by years of Scripture scholarship, are tough and searching; his answers, startling and significant.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450448310558,"sku":"","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/spong_easter_moment-184x294.jpg?v=1675822205"},{"product_id":"honest-prayer-by-john-shelby-spong","title":"Honest Prayer by John Shelby Spong","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn one of his earliest texts (1973), written while he was still a parish priest in Richmond, Virginia, John Shelby Spong examines the meaning and power of prayer, its impact on his daily life, and how we might gain insight to this religious practice that has been with us since the dawn of mankind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs Bishop Spong states in his preface, “My primary purpose here is simply to remove some roadblocks, some misapprehensions, some of those barriers to prayer that I believe plague the modern mind, for they have plagued me.”\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450457518366,"sku":"","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/spong-honest_prayer-184x294.jpg?v=1675822313"},{"product_id":"into-the-whirlwind-the-future-of-the-church-by-john-shelby-spong","title":"Into the Whirlwind The Future of the Church by John Shelby Spong","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn this book, John Shelby Spong invites the church to renew its thought in response to the rigors of the post-modern era.  Bishop Spong argues that it is only by holding up every doctrine, every belief, every practice to the light of rational inquiry that we can determine which ones have withstood the testing of our times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis provocative, radical, and liberating book was not written as the final answer to the dilemmas which face the church today.  Rather, it is Bishop Spong’s intention to raise questions, to open debate on a number of subjects, to bring the difficult issues into the arena of public debate, both within the church and outside it.  For if these issues are not faced, those outside the church will quickly conclude that it is irrelevant to their needs and concerns, and they will continue to turn away from it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450466201886,"sku":"","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/spong_whirlwind-184x294.jpg?v=1675822407"},{"product_id":"the-living-commandments-by-john-shelby-spong","title":"The Living Commandments by John Shelby Spong","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhat do twentieth century, urbanized Americans have in common with some Middle Eastern nomads who lived more than thirty centuries before them?  The Ten Commandments.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCan these “Ten Words” really speak to us today?  John Shelby Spong says yes.  In \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Living Commandments\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e he looks at the context into which the Commandments came, traces the development of the Hebrew people’s understanding that accompanied their history, and finally holds out what he believes to be the essence of the Ten Words for our own time.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450469806366,"sku":"","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/spong_living_commandments-184x294.jpg?v=1675822496"},{"product_id":"misfits-the-church-s-hidden-strength-by-barbara-wendland","title":"Misfits The Church’s Hidden Strength by Barbara Wendland","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn her Introduction, Barbara Wendland ask that the church hear the cries from the so-called misfits, stop driving them off, and find ways to tap this vast wealth of human talent. Without using this source of hidden strength, the church stands to lose its role as a force in modern day society. Grappling with the issues of today and accepting the ongoing changes in biblical scholarship we will be closer to following the greatest of all misfits—Jesus of Nazareth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMany church misfits have strengths that the church and the world desperately need. Wendland takes her readers on the personal journey that made her realize that, in some ways, following Jesus requires\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efitting in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn February 22, 2016, the Westar Institute was pleased to announce that Barbara Wendland was one of two recipients of the 2016 Advocate for Public Religious Literacy (APRL) award, a national award that seeks to recognize the courage, commitment, and contribution of members of the public who go to extraordinary lengths to cultivate thoughtful discussion and disseminate learning about religion in their communities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs\u003cb id=\"yui_3_16_0_1_1456186392605_3417\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003ea lifelong lay member of the United Methodist Church and a member of Southern Methodist University’s School of Theology Executive Board, Barbara was nominated by her colleague, David Dykes, based on her years of work as the publisher of the \u003ci id=\"yui_3_16_0_1_1456186392605_3422\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConnections\u003c\/i\u003e newsletter, which aims “to increase the religious literacy of the many churchgoers who are largely uninformed about religion, theology, the Bible, and church history and operations.”  The full announcement can be viewed\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Goto Full Press Release on the Westar Insitute Blog\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westarinstitute.org\/blog\/2016-recipients-advocate-public-religious-literacy-aprl-award\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.westarinstitute.org\/blog\/2016-recipients-advocate-public-religious-literacy-aprl-award\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarbara Wendland is one of those Christians who has taken a long, hard look behind the proverbial curtain of faith and now wants to have a conversation about what she has found.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e–Gretta Vosper,  author of\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWith or Without God\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAt last, Barbara Wendland has written the book for which we have all been waiting!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e–Dr. Val Webb, theologian and author\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450475737374,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Wendland-Cover_Layout-1-184x294.jpg?v=1675822614"},{"product_id":"a-reasonable-christianity-faith-for-the-twenty-first-century-by-d-darrell-woomer","title":"A Reasonable Christianity Faith for the Twenty-first Century by D. Darrell Woomer","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn a day and age when people are yearning for what is new and up-to-date, why should their religious beliefs not be included in their search? For thousands of years, many Christians have held onto the belief that heaven is above and hell below, even after very persuasive scientific studies discredited that ancient Hebrew cosmology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis book aims to restore your Christian faith by bringing it into the contemporary world—the twenty-first century. As we move through the years, our arts, economies, politics, and technologies are constantly being innovated. Innovation, from innovare (latin for ‘to renew or change”), is about improving upon what we already have. So why not also renew our Christian beliefs so that they fit better in today’s world? It’s time!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhere is God? Who is Jesus? Why do people suffer? And, how should we pray? These, and similar questions are addressed in this book in the hopes that you will finally be able to reconcile your contemporary worldview with your faith, instead of trying to fit your faith into today’s world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRev. Dr. D. Darrell Woomer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas a M.Div. and a Th.M in Hebrew Scripture from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a M.A. and a Ph.D in Spirituality from Duquesne University. He has been a pastor, teacher and campus minister for over 40 years and is a prolific author.  He is the author of\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/the-lost-christianity-of-jesus\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/the-lost-christianity-of-jesus\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThe Lost Christianity of Jesus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450495103262,"sku":"","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/Woomer-cover.jpg?v=1675822874"},{"product_id":"the-lost-christianity-of-jesus-how-the-early-church-chose-paul-over-jesus-by-d-darrell-woomer","title":"The Lost Christianity of Jesus How The Early Church Chose Paul Over Jesus by D. Darrell Woomer","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"iframeContent\" dir=\"auto\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHow can something be lost if it never existed? Jesus was not the person many Christians make him out to be. He was never a Christian so how can we speak of the Christianity of Jesus? The historic Jesus must be understood as a first century Jew. He was born and raised, lived and died as a Jew. So not only was Jesus not a Christian but there was no such thing as Christianity during his lifetime. Although some claim that Jesus was the first Christian, he was not. He was a first-century Jew. Christianity, as we know it today, is the indirect product of Paul and not Jesus. Although Paul did not intend to form a new religion, he can rightly be called the founder of Christianity, for his doctrines and theology, as developed in his seven authentic letters, are the basis and core of contemporary Christian beliefs. By selecting and canonizing the letters of Paul, the early church used them for the core beliefs of Christianity. The sacrificial death of Christ for our sins, Christ’s resurrection, and his coming again all come from the ideas of Paul.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReviews\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDarrell Woomer’s\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eresearch spins our brains in fascinating ways. This former university chaplain makes his case for a new Christianity based not on Paul but on the original Jewish context. He uses the work of Amy Jill Levine, James Tabor, and the work of the Jesus Seminar, three fine sources to validate his premise. It is a stunning work. I commend it to you! —\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca title=\"Visit Author Page\" href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/category\/titles-by-author\/john-shelby-spong\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/category\/titles-by-author\/john-shelby-spong\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJohn Shelby Spong\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, author, Unbelievable: Why Neither Ancient Creeds Nor the Reformation Can Produce a Living Faith Today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn his book,\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDarrell Woomer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003elays out a cogent and compelling argument not only about what it meant to be a follower of Jesus in the earliest days, but also what this might mean for Christianity today. It calls the reader to rethink the legacy of Paul, the Jerusalem Movement and forgotten role of James the Just, and more broadly the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. —\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJeffrey W. Robbins\u003c\/strong\u003e, Chair of the Westar Institute’s seminar on “God and the Human Future” and author of Radical Theology: A Vision for Change\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDarrell Woomer’s\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003enew book is a most valuable addition to the growing corpus of works aimed at recovering what the original Jesus movement was truly like prior to Paul’s reinterpretation of the teachings of Jesus. What is especially valuable is that Woomer breaks new ground in examining the practical implications of what current research into the “Jewish Jesus” means for the growing number of Christians trying to recover a more authentic Christianity–true to the religion that Jesus himself practiced. —\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Rev. Jeffrey Butz\u003c\/strong\u003e, Penn State University, author of The Brother of Jesus\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRev. Dr. D. Darrell Woomer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas a M.Div. and a Th.M in Hebrew Scripture from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a M.A. and a Ph.D in Spirituality from Duquesne University. He has been a pastor, teacher and campus minister for over 40 years and is a prolific author.  He is the author of\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/a-reasonable-christianity\/\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"http:\/\/stjohannpress.com\/a-reasonable-christianity\/\"\u003eA Reasonable Christianity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Johann Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44450501919006,"sku":"","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0717\/8095\/8494\/products\/The-Lost-Christianity-of-Jesus.png?v=1675823016"}],"url":"https:\/\/stjohannpress.myshopify.com\/collections\/progressive-christianity.oembed?page=2","provider":"stjohannpress","version":"1.0","type":"link"}