The Science of Religion in the Science of Life

This is a work that challenges the modern scientific world-view that nothing of any order producing significance created the ordered sum of everything. Some, however, seem to think that when they discover the means by which something came into existence this is one less thing we need God to explain, until we get to that point when we can conclude that nothing produced the ordered sum of everything. The fact is that for things to be investigated intelligently they first have to be ordered intelligently.

Moreover, a living being needs to be explained in terms of a living life-producing cause, a cause that can explain all that we predicate of the life-defining nature of their existence. We can see the origin, meaning and purpose of something in that which it has been ordered to be. Therefore, it must be dangerously naïve for scientists to suppose that living beings were ordered intelligently to reason intelligently by means that has nothing to do with intelligence and that there is no fool so foolish, as he who thinks they can be wiser than their creator.

And as we have been created to be moral beings our creator must of logical necessity be a moral being who has the ability create this ineffable life-generating effect in us, and this in turn reveals something of His purpose in creating us. To claim that all that exists has nothing to do with an intelligent and sufficient cause breaks all the laws of logic and takes us into the domain of farce and us as fools, and all to avoid that we are answerable our maker who created us moral beings.

The Questions Put by Jesus

Questions are revealing. It is exciting, therefore, in this book to study not only how Jesus’ use of questions characterises his ministry and his style of teaching, but also how those questions reveal his train of thought as events unfold, and what they reveal about him as a person in relation to himself, his neighbour, his environment, and God. This book engages with the milieu and the different Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. It examines 108 of his questions in some detail together with their parallels, amounting to 299 questions in all. It explores Jesus’ use of questions to promote his teaching and ministry and sometimes, more aggressively, to defend his disciples or discomfort and discredit his critics and opponents.

Hopefully, being alive to the questions put by Jesus and even wondering, perhaps, how we might answer some of them, helps to sharpen our personal beliefs. 

Strong Deliverer

God told me: “Write in a book all the words I speak to you.” This book speaks candidly and openly of the darkness I fell into after the death of my beloved husband – and my subsequent disability. It details very naturally and powerfully how I was led out of that darkness, into the bright light of day. Here, I tell you with absolute sincerity how my Saviour has become, in all things, my Strong Deliverer.

Shakib Arsalan’s Why Muslims Lagged Behind and Others Progressed

In the fall of 1928, the Imam of Java, a certain Mohammad Basyuni Imran, had a letter delivered to the Lebanese author and scholar, Shakib Arsalan. In his letter, Basyuni Imran requested Arsalan to explain the reasons for the backwardness of Muslims of the time compared to other nations. Furthermore, Basyuni asked Arsalan to suggest what they need to do to join the ranks of nations that have overtaken them and, in many cases, rule over them.

Arsalan published his response in a series of articles written for the Cairo-based Islamic journal, Al-Manar. Subsequently, these articles were combined and published in a book in 1930 with the title: Why did Muslims lag behind? And why did others progress?

In his response, Arsalan begins with an analysis of what has gone wrong. He addresses the belief of some that Islam is to blame for the backwardness of Muslims. He goes on to give examples of how advanced nations progressed while holding firmly onto their religious beliefs.

In simple, elegant prose, Arsalan takes the reader on a fascinating walk through history. There are references to pre-Islamic times and the early Islamic period, French colonialists in North Africa and their efforts to convert Muslim populations to Christianity, goings on in the British Houses of Parliament on the issue of transubstantiation, and much more.

The latter part of the book has examples of recent (1930s and earlier) achievements of Muslims when they set their minds on doing something.

It is a measure of the merit and excellence of Arsalan’s words that his book has never been out of publication. It remains among Arabic speakers as popular and relevant today as at the time it was first published almost a century ago.

Seasons of Antibes

She walks in the gardens of the Parc Exflora for the first time in three days. The 55 days of the first confinement are over and she cannot believe her eyes. For the first time she imagines, really imagines what it must have been like for Noah and the other seven, to be locked up in an “Ark” for 150 days. Wow! It is only something we read, but now truly we have not only imagined and caught a glimpse of it, but we do actually pray that we may never have to live through it!

Opening to the Realness of God

Humanness was created and brought to life 75,000 years ago. Every 25,000 years there is a harvesting of souls according to both positive and negative service polarization. At the end of the third cycle, those harvested as the positively polarized begin the process of working towards collective ascension. This is how humanity evolves from third density negative into fourth density positive that then ascends into fifth density, because that density is not physical.

What ascends collectively is the humanness of will, love, light, and consciousness as they pertain to and involve God—Creator or what brought us to life—and the universe. They are our mind, body, spirit, and soul. What they correspond to is the sun, earth, moon, and universe as a human ideal.

God’s will to be and know extends and expands by inversely reversing into a focus. It begins with a consciousness that is then shared with all else. This is true service polarity. There is only the oneness of God, the healing of life, the wholeness of the Christ as the human, and the ascension of that which ascends after service is performed.

We are only here to be kind and get along.

Life in the 22nd Century

In this book, the author recommends a project that will ensure a crime-free, abundant 22^nd century. He has aptly called this project “Project Minus Four”, which is intended to describe the four elemental concepts that need to be removed from a civilised society in order to free it from crime, poverty, social and national conflicts, domestic violence and needless tragedies, such as acts of terror, wars, buildings going up in flames, killing all who live in them, as well as all kinds of “accidents” that result on account of people being too anxious, too angry, too frustrated, or too tense—all of which are a direct result of the pressure that the economic and/or the social system puts on them. In this book, the author has set down the details of how these problems are to be solved and what the society in the 22^nd century can expect to be like if his Project Minus Four is implemented now.

Let God in: One Ignatian Journey

Perhaps you are a lifelong Christian as is the author, John A. Cooper. Perhaps you are thinking, "I have already let God into my life and my salvation is assured." Perhaps you are not a Christian, maybe you are Muslim, or atheist, or maintain another belief system, or no system at all. Then, this book is for you! Even if you have a relationship with God, would you open the door to your heart even wider and give up everything to live only in the love and Grace of God? Notice the cover art and symbol for the Holy Spirit, the light from the Father, and Jesus, all One God, all of the same substance. Jesus' hands reach out for you… Will you let Him into your life? Will you open the door even wider if he already lives in you? May Jesus be your Peace? John, You share yourself beautifully, both in your life experiences and in your imagination of scripture scenes, in the way you image Jesus, and how you apply those prayers to your personal and spiritual growth. This is a book that will invite all who read it with humility and courage to seek God in their everyday life experiences, with greater depth, trust, and unity. Thank you for sharing this book with me. - Bob Fitzgerald, former Executive Director Ignatius House, Atlanta, GA; currently Adjunct Lecturer, Spring Hill College; and Spiritual Director. This book is both a personal testimony and a practical guide. As in the story of St. Ignatius, the sudden loss of lifelong ambitions led to the grace of transformation, from self-confident determination to profound surrender, to the living Christ. Cooper shares a condensed version of his personal journal during the Spiritual Exercises in daily life. His notes for 32 weeks of prayer and reflection offer a very practical template for others to make their own journey of transformation. - Christopher Viscardi, S.J., Director of Spiritual Direction Program, Spring Hill College.

How to Negotiate the Crucibles of Life not Somehow but Triumphantly

Graeme Cross is well travelled and well experienced in issues of life. He has a genuine belief that many of the experiences he has gone through during his life have not been by chance but by design in preparation for what is contained within the pages of this book. On commencing this writing, all Graeme knew was that he was being required by God to share some of his learnings from his experiences of life. He had no plan as to give it a title, theme or content but was simply open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in every aspect. There are aspects of content that have come as a revelation to Graeme with the interweaving of certain events in his life only becoming apparent in the writing. The overall end result has been truly a surprise to Graeme himself and has once again demonstrated what is possible when one opens themselves up to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Graeme has a desire to see every individual enter into a relationship with God and experience the fullness of what that relationship has to offer, especially in the difficult times that come and believes that this book is inspired by God to this end.

Finding the Way Through Water

Finding the Way Through Water explores how water contributes to our understanding of the created world and our Christian beliefs. As an emeritus professor and an ordained priest in the Church of England, Roland K Price explores how water features in the Bible. Important at creation, water brings about global catastrophe, enables escape from slavery, ensures survival in the wilderness, prepares people for worship, and sustains warriors and exiles. Jesus turns water into wine, walks on water, stills the storm, has his feet washed with a woman’s tears, and washes his own disciples’ feet.

You will be surprised by the extent to which water pervades God’s story in the Bible, and how an understanding of the management of water today can make this story available to all. Prepare to be challenged whether you are a water professional or a Christian wanting to know more about God’s world today.

Corona Virus: Is There a Word from the Lord?

The current pandemic (Covid-19) has left many wondering: ‘is there a word from the LORD?’  

The Psalms deal with features of everyday life from pain and suffering, fear and failure, through to victorious success and prosperity. Understanding the Bible, especially Psalm 119, is essential to making sense of living in the aftermath of the Corona Virus. This alphabetical Psalm deals with the blessing known by following after God’s ways, recognising the temporal world and reflecting upon eternity. Its central message points to the promised Messiah – The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the fulfilment of the Psalm and urges all mankind to wholly trust in Him for salvation.

A Way of Life: For the Third Millennium

False ways litter the world. Even the great religions have become prisoners of colonial frameworks or of a selfishness that betrays their essence. As a result, our planet faces climate catastrophes, nuclear holocausts, and internet surveillance that makes us prisoners of unseen predators. There is a Way, however, whose time has come.

It is ingrained in the psyche of humanity. It resonates with Perennial Wisdom, with Chinese who understand it as Tao, with the Buddhist Eightfold Path, the Five Pillars of Islam, indigenous peoples whose insights have been summarised as The Harmony Way, and above all with Jesus who declared ‘I AM the Way’ (John 14:6) and whose first disciples were known as ‘followers of The Way’, based on Jesus’ Beatitudes (Matthew 5-7).

Whereas traditional monasticism restricted its vows to celibates cut off from the world, new Monasticism makes vows rooted in the Beatitudes accessible to everyone. One reason Benedictinism survived through the second millennium is because its founder wrote a detailed commentary on its rule. Here the founding guardian of a new monastic community writes a commentary on its Way of Life which he has reflected on daily for over a generation – and which promises to flourish through the third millennium.