Free Downloads When "Spiritual But Not Religious" Is Not Enough: Seeing God In Surprising Places, Even The Church
The phrase "I'm spiritual but not religious" has become a cliché. It's easy to find God amid the convenience of self-styled spirituality--but is it possible (and more worthwhile) to search for God through religion?Minister and celebrated author Lillian Daniel gives a new spin on church with stories of what a life of faith can really be: weird, wondrous, and well worth trying. From a rock-and-roller sexton to a BB gun-toting grandma, a church service attended by animals to a group of unlikely theologians at Sing Sing, Daniel shows us a portrait of church that is flawed, fallible--and deeply faithful. With poignant reflections and sly wit, Daniel invites all of us to step out of ourselves, dare to become a community, and encounter a God greater than we could ever invent. Humorous and sincere, this is a book about people finding God in the most unexpected of places: prisons, airports, yoga classes, committee meetings, and, strangest of all, right there in church.
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Jericho Books; Reprint edition (January 14, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1455523097
ISBN-13: 978-1455523092
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #61,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #32 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Religion #37 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Churches & Church Leadership > Church Growth #88 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Sociology
"Spiritual but not religious" (SBNR) is a classification that seems to be appearing in the spiritual autobiographies of more and more people these days. I wouldn't call it new, but at the very least anti-institutional or self-styled spirituality is more present in the public discourse and more widely celebrated than it has been in the past. It should be no surprise. Organized religion, it seems, tends to follow culture. Sociologist Robert Putnam, among others, has been tracking the erosion of institutions and the rise of individualism in the U.S. over the last several decades. The SBNR movement, in my opinion, has been conceived largely of those two trends in our society. Interestingly, I received my pre-ordered copy of this book during a week in which NPR aired a series titled "Losing Our Religion," which chronicles the decline of organized religion in the U.S.--a trend that is pronounced among people in their 20's and 30's. Being part of that demographic myself, and being the senior minister of a mid-sized mainline protestant church (with a solid contingent of 20 & 30 somethings), this is a matter of great interest to me.Chapter one of "When 'Spiritual But Not Religious' is Not Enough" regaled me by boldly claiming what is often seen as a forbidden sentiment for someone in my position: I find the SBNR narrative (i.e., the "heilsgeschichte" or "salvation story") to be rather boring and self-serving. Daniel captures it perfectly: "Let me guess, you read The New York Times every Sunday, cover to cover, and you get more out of it than the sermon. Let me guess, you exercise and where do you find God? Nature. And the trees, it's always the trees during a long hike, a long run, a walk on the beach. And don't forget the sunset. These people always want to tell you that God is in the sunset.
When "Spiritual but Not Religious" Is Not Enough: Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church TOP PLACES IN THE WORLD TO PLAN YOUR VACATION / HONEYMOON / RETIREMENT: Bonus Chapters Included: TOP 5 Places To Take Photos and Top 5 Places for "City ... vacation packages, vacation photos Book 1) Good or God?: Why Good Without God Isn't Enough The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook: Eat Even More Food and Lose Even More Weight There Is No God and He Is Always with You: A Search for God in Odd Places Relocate! 25 Great Bug Out Communities: Safe Places To Live If Bad Things Happen - Wonderful Places To Call Home If They Don't. Safe Is Not Enough: Better Schools for LGBTQ Students (Youth Development and Education Series) The Lois Wilson Story, Hallmark Edition: When Love Is Not Enough For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Still Not Enough: Coming of Age, Coming Out, and Coming Home Remarriage after Divorce in Today's Church: 3 Views (Counterpoints: Church Life) The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations (Leadership Network Innovation Series) Vertical Church: What Every Heart Longs for. What Every Church Can Be. What Would Jesus Deconstruct?: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church (The Church and Postmodern Culture) CHURCH and SOCIETY IN TRINIDAD Part I & II:THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN TRINIDAD 1498-1863 The Catholic Church in Micronesia: Historical Essays on the Catholic Church in the Caroline-Marshall Islands The Records of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, Wilmington, Del., From 1697 to 1773, With an Abstract of the English Records From 1773 to 1810 and Catalogue and Errata of the Records of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church The Early Church (The Penguin History of the Church) (v. 1) Church STILL Ain't A Showplace for Saints (Church Saints Book 2) Western Society and the Church in the Middle Ages (The Penguin History of the Church) (v. 2) How Not to Die: Surprising Lessons from America's Favorite Medical Examiner
