Luke to Theo, Again

Luke presents Christianity’s growth as explosive. His is the story of its far-reaching spread “to the ends of the earth”. If Luke were able to name his work (and it seems he never did), he would describe it as The Acts of God, or better still, the Acts of the Holy Spirit.

Luke to Theo, Again continues the author’s journey into the Graeco-Roman-Hebraic world of the first century. With Peter and Paul as the protagonists of the Jesus Movement, Luke’s sweeping panorama, with over 80 characters, moves from Jerusalem, across Asia and into Europe.

The author continues the practice of using box texts to illuminate various points in his commentary of Luke’s text. Clear biographical, literary, historical, and geographical data is presented in easy-to-follow list and dictionary formats, as well as more detailed background mini essays on the beginnings and spread of Christianity.

The Two Layers of Biology and Religion

Do you believe in souls, spirits, God, and perhaps even reincarnation? The author does, and he presents a compelling case for his beliefs through his model of consciousness. According to this model, there exists a state of elementary consciousness at every point in space, which he terms the ‘C-layer.’ Souls and spirits are conceptualized as closed systems within this layer, while God is identified with the entirety of the infinite C-layer.

The author finds empirical evidence for his ideas in phenomena such as near-death experiences, hypnotic regressions to past lives, young children recalling previous identities, mystical revelations, and transcendental LSD experiences. These topics are explored in detail throughout the book.

But if you believe in God, does it necessarily follow that He intervenes in the material world – the ‘M-layer’? Not necessarily, but after careful examination of the evidence, the author concludes that God indeed interacts with the material world, particularly in relation to organic evolution. He hypothesizes that God constructs models within the C-layer, which serve as molds for the development of organisms. This concept is strongly inspired by Rupert Sheldrake’s theory of morphic resonance, which is also discussed extensively in the book.

By the end of this thought-provoking work, you may find yourself, like the author, convinced not only of God’s existence but also of His integral role in shaping the foundation of everyday life.

Blessed

Part 1 of this book, ‘Enabled to Be,’ explores both the biblical identity and the developing characteristics of the Christian, inspired by the beatitudes in Matthew 5. This is the foundation for part 2, ‘Equipped to Do,’ in which Dennis highlights different ways in which God calls us to emulate the life and works of Jesus in our own individual circumstances. He is convinced that we are not born again to sit patiently in ‘God’s waiting room’ until we ‘go home’. We are enabled and equipped to step out in faith to make a difference while we are here on earth.

He believes passionately that the gifts of the spirit are the contents of the toolbox God has provided each of us with for our part in his kingdom coming and his will being done on earth as it is in heaven. Furthermore, that the actions and fruit of such endeavours not only confound the idea that the Christian life is boring, but also result in the fruit of the spirit being displayed through us as our character is moulded to become increasingly more like that of our Saviour.

He loves to quote scriptures like Matthew 10:7-8, Matthew 28:18-20, and John 14:12 to provide both inspiration and encouragement for us all to realise how much we have been blessed through the amazing grace of God both to be and to do.

Living on the Edge

Living on the Edge: Monastic Spirituality and the Development of Inner Space offers a profound exploration of Christian spirituality through the lens of monastic tradition, tracing its evolution from the New Testament era to the present day.

Richard Norton, a theologian and former Director of Studies at the UK Centre for Monastic Studies and Culture, examines the lives and writings of pivotal monastic figures including St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Teresa of Avila, among others. The book delves into the rich history of renowned monasteries like Subiaco, Monte Cassino, and the Peschersk Lavra in Kiev, revealing how these sacred spaces became crucibles for spiritual growth and innovation.

Living on the Edge shows how the development of monastic spirituality was neither problem-free nor straightforward, arguing that the twists and turns of this journey offer invaluable lessons for those of us living outside the cloister. Precisely because of its challenges, the wisdom of these monks and nuns – rooted in centuries of contemplation, prayer, and communal living – provide timeless guidance as we search for transcendence and greater well-being, mental health, and deeper faith.

The Creative Word

We all have a name and give names to almost anything. But what’s in a name? Surely it is just a convenient but trivial label to refer to things.

Yet we need to think again. Suppose someone hears the name of a person they love. Does their name not convey something of that person’s reality? Perhaps it stirs affections or memories. Other names might evoke fear and loathing. Certainly, a name is embedded in our personal and social lives. But that also allows the name to influence how we understand ourselves and our world. A name may even be ‘constructed’ by us, which then determines how different peoples see things.

If this sounds far-fetched, consider the following.

God speaks creation into being, and also names. Then Adam names the animals. Perhaps our naming mirrors in a secondary way the creative speaking of God. Giving a name may then be part of our own constructive creativity.

None of that should surprise us. We see the flowering of the arts, literature, sciences and so much more. All this creativity achieves further order in a world which God has already ordered. It can be for God’s glory and human flourishing, or tragedy and disaster - good and evil.

If giving a name lies at the heart of our creativity, there’s more to a name than we might at first suppose.

The Footprints of Mormonism

Many of us have had the experience of finding two nice young people with white shirts knocking on their door and finding out they are Mormon missionaries. The Mormon faith is uniquely noted for sending such missionaries all over the world. The founder of Mormonism was Joseph Smith and the study of his life, though complex, is most interesting at the same time.

To his followers, Joseph Smith is considered to be second in importance only to Jesus Christ in all of Church history. How Smith came to lead this movement is a captivating story on its own, and how he came to die is a sordid tale in American history. The Mormon faith started out as just a small inner circle of Joseph Smith’s relatives and it has grown to be a very large movement of multiple millions of adherents.

Most of the early leaders of Mormonism were very controversial because they practiced polygamy which they called celestial marriage. Joseph Smith himself had at least thirty-seven wives. Brigham Young, the second leader of the Church, had over fifty wives. The main Mormon body with its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, has long since abandoned polygamous practice. Splinter groups, however, separated from the main Utah Church and continue even today the practice of polygamy.

One of those main splinter churches is centred in Colorado City, Arizona. This Fundamentalist group asserts that polygamy is a deep spiritual duty ordered by God Himself that is required to reach the highest heaven. Warren Jeffs is the leader of this group, and some estimate that he has around eighty-seven wives. He however is no longer with any of his wives because he is now serving multiple years in jail for sex crimes connected to minors.

This book covers all of the foregoing matters in refined detail and provides new insight and research into all of the issues connected to the history, the theology and the politics of the Mormon faith.

Charles Dickens Has a Wish

Charles Dickens Has a Wish explores Dickens’ use of ‘secret writing’ (inspired by Edgar Allan Poe) while composing A Tale of Two Cities. To fully understand A Tale of Two Cities, readers must solve the riddle Dickens introduces early in the novel and follow its directions. This book highlights and explains that riddle, along with other subtle clues Dickens uses to guide readers. Some of Dickens’ characters even have unnamed alter egos. By following the riddle’s directions, readers can uncover which characters have these hidden identities.

Dickens encourages readers to experience events through the perspectives of his characters. This mirrors Plato’s attempt, in the ‘Allegory of the Cave’ from The Republic, to have readers see the world through the eyes of the unchained captive. Both authors believed that experiencing life through another’s viewpoint activates what Socrates referred to as the quality of ‘Goodness.’ Often called the ‘third eye’ in Hindu traditions, this concept may also be tied to Gnostic teachings. Could this shared vision explain why The Republic was discovered among the Nag Hammadi texts? Readers who follow Dickens’ riddle may trigger this transformative experience automatically.

In essence, Dickens hid a profound plan for world peace within A Tale of Two Cities. He sought to instill ‘Goodness’ in his readers’ minds, envisioning a future where parents pass this lesson to their children for generations. His ultimate wish? Peace for all people on earth – forever.

Rediscovering God

This book defends the existence of God, but not the God described in the Bible. First, it discusses two serious errors in the Bible. The first is that God made Adam first and then later made Eve. What science proves is that the template for the human body is without doubt female. Men are only modified women. The other serious error in Genesis is that God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin of homosexuality. Read the evidence that homosexuality is genetic or epigenetic and hence created by God.

The book shows that if you want to be an atheist, you have to believe that: 1. All of the matter in the Universe came from nothing. 2. That, there must be an infinite number of Universes. 3. That, in a Universe where entropy (a measure of disorganization) rules, the dirt of the Earth self-organized into the most complex structure in the known Universe, your body.  A hint about the incredible complexity of the human body is given in the book.

Because a subatomic particle changes its behaviour based on whether it is being observed or not, Pantheism is the possible nature of God. The author is a big fan of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, but because the God that created the amazing Universe we live in and then humanity would not require blood to be spilled to appease the disobedience of a primitive man, it is unlikely that Jesus was God.

In His Service

Life is a journey. We all follow a path. There are times throughout our lives where we make deliberate choices about which path we take. There are other times that we just choose to let momentum take us – until we find we are not in control. And that scares us.

In this book, the author shares her journey with us. In her first book, Strong Deliverer, we see how an Almighty but loving God began to speak to her of His love for her when she became disabled and felt that all her life of worth and value was over. She found that this was not how He saw her… no matter what others thought of her.

This book takes us further along that journey… and opens up for us a way of joy and living that goes far beyond what this world and this life have for us.

Your Word for the Week

In a world where voices often speak only what people want to hear, many are left feeling burdened by life’s challenges, searching for a genuine sense of hope. This devotional seeks to provide that hope, offering a vision of a bright, eternal future with a place prepared by Him who has promised to return and fulfill His Word.

Though society’s leaders sometimes betray our trust, exploiting our childlike faith for their own gain, there remains One who watches over us, unwavering and steadfast. The Almighty God, Creator of all, extends forgiveness and redemption through His Son and the power of the Holy Spirit.

With one devotional per week, this guide illuminates the path to a deep and personal relationship with Christ, encouraging readers to embrace His unique plan for their lives. It reminds us that by living with purpose and faith, we invest in an eternal promise, one that offers a profoundly satisfying return beyond anything we can imagine.

Manifest for a Humanist Religio

In this book, we journey into the sacred spaces within our hearts, uncovering the light that shines from them, the very essence of our existence. At the dawn of time, the divine was within us, and through it, we communed with a Love that embraced all creation. Yet, as monotheistic religions and materialism took hold, we grew distant from one another, from nature, and from the diversity that once united us. We became strangers to the living world around us, whether human, animal, plant, or mineral, all bearers of the same primordial energy.

This book invites you to rediscover that connection, to awaken to the truth that we are all divine, sacred vessels of the divine presence. Reconnection begins with the realization that something vital is missing, something we sense deep within, a longing, an inexpressible nostalgia. Saudade.

A Day Is a Thousand Years

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
– 2 Peter 3:8, NKJV.

There are similarities between the days of creation, the Exodus, the days of Holy Week, and the earth’s millennia as determined through genealogy as calculated by the likes of Ussher. By looking at the patterns across creation, the Exodus, the days of Holy Week, and the millennia, we can see Peter was looking at a literal interpretation in 2 Peter 3:8.

This will take us from day one of creation to the 1,000-year reign and the new creation post Christ’s return as prophesied through creation week, the Exodus, Holy Week, and Revelation.

Whether you believe in a young earth or not, you cannot deny the seven millennia shown by the Biblical genealogy.