Kirjahaku

The world, contrary to popular understanding, is not less religious but in many ways more religious than ever. Two issues seem to be emerging in this resurgence. One is the need for a spiritual center that gives integration, a sense of inner peace, ethical guidance, and meaning and direction in life. It is present in most of the world's great religious traditions and present elsewhere as humans seek to find their way in a confusing, conflicted, and rapidly changing world. Accompanying this quest for a deeper spirituality is the ""God question"" and a desire to understand the divine in new ways that match a contemporary worldview. This book, Mindful Spirituality, invites the reader to find a thoughtful, credible, and satisfying way to address these two major concerns. While starting within a Christian frame of reference, the book is not exclusive, but ecumenical and interfaith in spirit. It is especially helpful to those with no set spiritual pathway and those disenchanted with traditional approaches that seem out of date and for another era. In a deep and sacred way, it invites the reader to reach upward for a thoughtful way of understanding transcendence, to open inward for a mature and gratifying spirituality, and to expand outward in responsible and loving service. ""This unique book is a treasury of priceless wisdom and guidance to help us embrace the bewildering mystery of existence and divinity, evolve into the fullness of our being and aspire to be of authentic service to creation."" --Imam Jamal Rahman, author of Sacred Laughter of the Sufis ""Duncan Ferguson has given us a set of daily meditations that speak to our yearning for a deep spirituality in time of religious doubt and ethical confusion. It blends wisdom from many faith traditions to shape our lives to greater meaning and purpose. This book uplifts and illuminates even as it gives the pleasure of engaging and lucid writing."" --Mark Valeri, Professor of Religion and Politics, John C. Danforth Center, Washington University, St. Louis Duncan S. Ferguson has served in the church and higher education as a chaplain, professor, and senior administrator. He received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh and has had an interest in writing across his career. His recent books are Exploring the Spirituality of the World Religions (2010), Lovescapes: Mapping the Geography of Love (2012), and The Radical Teaching of Jesus (2016). He is currently engaged in several programs related to international peace and justice.

The world, contrary to popular understanding, is not less religious but in many ways more religious than ever. Two issues seem to be emerging in this resurgence. One is the need for a spiritual center that gives integration, a sense of inner peace, ethical guidance, and meaning and direction in life. It is present in most of the world's great religious traditions and present elsewhere as humans seek to find their way in a confusing, conflicted, and rapidly changing world. Accompanying this quest for a deeper spirituality is the ""God question"" and a desire to understand the divine in new ways that match a contemporary worldview. This book, Mindful Spirituality, invites the reader to find a thoughtful, credible, and satisfying way to address these two major concerns. While starting within a Christian frame of reference, the book is not exclusive, but ecumenical and interfaith in spirit. It is especially helpful to those with no set spiritual pathway and those disenchanted with traditional approaches that seem out of date and for another era. In a deep and sacred way, it invites the reader to reach upward for a thoughtful way of understanding transcendence, to open inward for a mature and gratifying spirituality, and to expand outward in responsible and loving service. ""This unique book is a treasury of priceless wisdom and guidance to help us embrace the bewildering mystery of existence and divinity, evolve into the fullness of our being and aspire to be of authentic service to creation."" --Imam Jamal Rahman, author of Sacred Laughter of the Sufis ""Duncan Ferguson has given us a set of daily meditations that speak to our yearning for a deep spirituality in time of religious doubt and ethical confusion. It blends wisdom from many faith traditions to shape our lives to greater meaning and purpose. This book uplifts and illuminates even as it gives the pleasure of engaging and lucid writing."" --Mark Valeri, Professor of Religion and Politics, John C. Danforth Center, Washington University, St. Louis Duncan S. Ferguson has served in the church and higher education as a chaplain, professor, and senior administrator. He received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh and has had an interest in writing across his career. His recent books are Exploring the Spirituality of the World Religions (2010), Lovescapes: Mapping the Geography of Love (2012), and The Radical Teaching of Jesus (2016). He is currently engaged in several programs related to international peace and justice.

The book addresses the way we are able to understand the radical invitation of Jesus. The invitation is to those who heard Jesus in the first century, the intervening centuries, and those in the twenty-first century urging them to turn away from a life that is self-centered and to seek a life that is God-centered, accepting the reign of God in one's life rather than wealth, pleasure, power, and fame. Jesus says that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and all of our basic needs will be met, being transformed and finding meaning and purpose in our lives. The invitation is radical in that it calls on us to give up the accepted norms and values of our culture and world and give ourselves to a life of integrity and truthfulness, love and compassion, and justice and peace. We are invited to find our true identity, to be filled with and transformed by the God of love and to become one who is filled with grace and truth, as Jesus was. ""The heartfelt sincerity of Duncan's scholarship and insights resonates deeply inside of me. As a Muslim, I am profoundly inspired by this book to move beyond my ego and evolve into the fullness of my being; to live a God-centered life and engage fully in the social justice and earth care issues of our time."" --Jamal Rahman, author of Spiritual Gems of Islam ""Duncan Ferguson has done the serious biblical and theological study required to unfold the depth and meaning of Jesus' radical call to discipleship, for Jesus' own day and for ours. This clearly written book will enrich the study of the life and teaching of Jesus in college and seminary classes and will challenge readers in the church to embrace Jesus' invitation to live out God's reign in their own lives."" --Thomas F. Johnson, retired Professor of Bible and Theology, George Fox University Duncan S. Ferguson has served in the church and higher education as a chaplain, professor, and senior level administrator. He received his PhD at the University of Edinburgh, and has had a deep commitment to teaching and writing across his career. His recent books are Lovescapes: Mapping the Geography of Love (2012), The Radical Teaching of Jesus (2016), and Mindful Spirituality: The Intentional Cultivation of the Spiritual Life (2018). He is currently engaged in several programs related to international peace and justice.

The book addresses the way we are able to understand the radical invitation of Jesus. The invitation is to those who heard Jesus in the first century, the intervening centuries, and those in the twenty-first century urging them to turn away from a life that is self-centered and to seek a life that is God-centered, accepting the reign of God in one's life rather than wealth, pleasure, power, and fame. Jesus says that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and all of our basic needs will be met, being transformed and finding meaning and purpose in our lives. The invitation is radical in that it calls on us to give up the accepted norms and values of our culture and world and give ourselves to a life of integrity and truthfulness, love and compassion, and justice and peace. We are invited to find our true identity, to be filled with and transformed by the God of love and to become one who is filled with grace and truth, as Jesus was.