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A Sacred Look: Becoming Cultural Mystics

Author: Nancy Usselmann

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2018-04-18

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 1532635729

How should a follower of Christ engage the popular media culture? By becoming a mystic! Sr. Nancy challenges Christians today to delve deep into the rich theological tradition of the church as the root and foundation for recognizing the beauty of God present in all that is truly human. The artists of popular culture sometimes unwittingly seek transcendence while grappling with some of humanity's most profound existential longings. The cultural mystics of today point out those needs of humanity in the culture's artifacts in order to enter into dialogue with those who seek something beyond what this world satisfies. The anthropological-sacramental-incarnational paradigm presented gives us this ability to take a sacred look of the culture and offer the joy of the Gospel, Christ who is the answer of all humanity's yearnings!

Journey to Jerusalem

Author: Mark A. Villano

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 2020-08-15

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 0814688357

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2021 Association of Catholic Publishers first place award in inspirational 2021 Catholic Media Association Award second place award in popular studies Words of Scripture. Symbols of faith. Do you ever wonder what they really have to do with you? Can they truly help to interpret human experiences and change hearts? Does the metaphor of life as a journey make sense to you? Mark A. Villano’s latest book offers a path into questions like these. Delve into the spiritual insights that have guided human beings for millennia in order to better appreciate the significance and power they hold. Discover more about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, who meets us where we are and guides us along the diverse spiritual landscapes of life. The invitations of grace are all around us. We’re all called to participate in the life-changing mystery of Christ. Consider this book as a daily “retreat,” an invitation to let go of the noise around us and to simply listen. See it as a travelling companion on the most important journey of our lives.

Gaming and the Divine

Author: Frank G. Bosman

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-03-28

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0429018681

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This book formulates a new theological approach to the study of religion in gaming. Video games have become one of the most important cultural artefacts of modern society, both as mediators of cultural, social, and religious values and in terms of commercial success. This has led to a significant increase in the critical analysis of this relatively new medium, but theology as an academic discipline is noticeably behind the other humanities on this subject. The book first covers the fundamentals of cultural theology and video games. It then moves on to set out a Christian systematic theology of gaming, focussing on creational theology, Christology, anthropology, evil, moral theology, and thanatology. Each chapter introduces case studies from video games connected to the specific theme. In contrast to many studies which focus on online multiplayer games, the examples considered are largely single player games with distinct narratives and ‘end of game’ moments. The book concludes by synthesising these themes into a new theology of video games. This study addresses a significant aspect of contemporary society that has yet to be discussed in any depth by theologians. It is, therefore, a fantastic resource for any scholar engaging with the religious aspects of digital and popular culture.

Media Mindfulness

Author: Gretchen Hailer

Publisher: Saint Mary's Press

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 0884899055

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Whether you are a Catholic high school teacher of any discipline, a catechist, or a youth minister, feel confident that you can educate teens in one of the most difficult yet crucial areas of their growth in faith. Beware! Sister Media and Sister Catechist have written an information-packed resource that also shares their sense of fun and exploration. You and your students might consider this study of Media Mindfulness to be one of the most enjoyable and meaningful educational experiences in high school!

Catholic Evangelization

Author: Steve Dawson

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2024-05-20

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 1642292915

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This book begins with the inspiring story of Steve Dawson - his dramatic conversion to Catholicism as a young man and his founding of St. Paul Street Evangelization, an international apostolate that has grown to hundreds of teams in seven countries in just a few years. Also included are other moving stories of conversion and witness. The authors are ordinary Catholics who have come to love Christ so much that they now talk about Him with total strangers in public places - street corners, parks, and shopping areas. They aren't theologians, nor are they highly trained apologists with Ambrosian rhetorical skills or Dale Carnegie slickness, yet their simple missionary efforts have yielded amazing results. The book's style is readable, accessible, and conversational. It illustrates the missionary calling of all baptized Christians, including Catholics. It reveals the joy and fulfillment that come to those who humbly yet boldly share the good news of God's mercy with others.

Seeing, Knowing, Being

Author: John Greer

Publisher: SCB Distributors

Published: 2012-02-15

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 0615595901

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From ancient Taoist sages and Sufi mystics to Christian contemplatives and contemporary Zen masters, Seeing, Knowing, Being explores the profound truth behind all the world’s mystic traditions: Living a spiritual life has nothing to do with fixing ourselves. It is simply a matter of awakening to what we already are. The real work of self-discovery-and the answer to our suffering, emptiness, and loss of meaning-is learning to see in a different way. “The mystical adventure is all in the seeing, says John Greer. “From departure to arrival, nothing changes but our eyes. But the process isn’t that simple. In this all-embracing work that is destined to become a classic, Greer artfully traces the steps and stages of the delicate process of awakening. He shows how we can move from society’s hand-me-down version of reality to the wonder of our true nature-from conceptual, habitual patterns of thinking to knowing the truth by being. Like a master artist who captures an image and stirs something deep inside of us, Greer also highlights nearly one hundred evocative metaphors, as varied and colorful as the sages themselves, to kindle your imagination and spark your intuition-to shift your perspective and shake you into an awareness that no amount of explanation can. What Greer shows, with great wisdom and compassion, is that when you put aside the map of the mind, you can follow the compass of your heart. You can move through the details of life-going to work, raising a family, throwing out the garbage-and still experience the wonders and oneness of life with deep reverence, gratitude, and joy. “Books often describe journeys. Seeing, Knowing, Being actually takes you on one. . . . A profound expedition into the true nature of life. -MATTHEW FLICKSTEIN, author and producer of the award-winning film With One Voice

Mutants and Mystics

Author: Jeffrey J. Kripal

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2011-11-15

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 0226453839

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"Account of how comic book heroes have helped their creators and fans alike explore and express a wealth of paranormal experiences ignored by mainstream science. Delving deeply into the work of major figures in the field - from Jack Kirby's cosmic superhero sagas and Philip K. Dick's futuristic head-trips to Alan Moore's sex magic and Whitley Strieber's communion with visitors - Kripal shows how creators turned to science fiction to convey the reality of the inexplicable and the paranormal they experienced in their lives. Expanded consciousness found its language in the metaphors of sci-fi - incredible powers, unprecedented mutations, time-loops and vast intergalactic intelligences - and the deeper influences of mythology and religion that these in turn drew from ; the wildly creative work that followed caught the imaginations of millions. Moving deftly from Cold War science and Fredric Wertham's anticomics crusade to gnostic revelation and alien abduction, Kripal spins out a hidden history of American culture, rich with mythical themes and shot through with an awareness that there are other realities far beyond our everyday understanding."--Jacket.

The Gift of Being Yourself

Author: David G. Benner

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2015-09-24

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 0830899456

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"Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee." —Augustine Much is said in Christian circles about knowing God. But Christians throughout the ages have agreed that there cannot be deep knowledge of God without deep knowledge of the self. Discerning your true self is inextricably related to discerning God's purposes for you. Paradoxically, the more you become like Christ, the more you become authentically yourself. In this profound exploration of Christian identity, psychologist and spiritual director David G. Benner illuminates the spirituality of self-discovery. He exposes the false selves that you may hide behind and calls you to discover the true self that emerges from your uniqueness in Christ. Freeing you from illusions about yourself, Benner shows that self-understanding leads to the fulfillment of your God-given destiny and vocation. Rest assured, you need not try to be someone you are not. But you will deepen your experience of God through discovering the gift of being yourself. This expanded edition, one of three titles in The Spiritual Journey trilogy, includes a new epilogue and an experiential guide with questions for individual reflection or group discussion.

Nine Lives

Author: William Dalrymple

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2010-06-07

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1408801248

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A Buddhist monk takes up arms to resist the Chinese invasion of Tibet - then spends the rest of his life trying to atone for the violence by hand printing the best prayer flags in India. A Jain nun tests her powers of detachment as she watches her best friend ritually starve herself to death. Nine people, nine lives; each one taking a different religious path, each one an unforgettable story. William Dalrymple delves deep into the heart of a nation torn between the relentless onslaught of modernity and the ancient traditions that endure to this day. LONGLISTED FOR THE BBC SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE

Alive in God

Author: Timothy Radcliffe

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2019-10-03

Total Pages: 433

ISBN-13: 1472970225

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How can Christianity touch the imagination of our contemporaries when ever fewer people in the West identify as religious? Timothy Radcliffe argues we must show how everything we believe is an invitation to live fully. God says: 'I put before you life and death: choose life'. Anyone who understands the beauty and messiness of human life – novelists, poets, filmmakers and so on – can be our allies, whether they believe or not. The challenge is not today's secularism but its banality. We accompany the disciples as they struggle to understand this strange man who heals, casts out demons and offers endless forgiveness. In the face of death, he teaches them what it means to be alive in God. Then he embraces all that afflicts and crushes humanity. Finally, Radcliffe explores what it means for us to be alive spiritually, physically, sacramentally, justly and prayerfully. The result is a compelling new understanding of the words of Jesus: 'I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.'