Karen Swallow Prior

The enthralling biography of the woman writer who helped end the slave trade, changed Britain’s upper classes, and taught a nation how to read. The history-changing reforms of Hannah More affected every level of 18th-Century British society through her keen intellect, literary achievements, collaborative spirit, strong Christian principles, and colorful personality. A woman without connections or status, More took the world of British letters by storm when she arrived in London from Bristol, becoming a best-selling author and acclaimed playwright and quickly befriending the author Samuel Johnson, the politician Horace Walpole, and the actor David Garrick. Yet she was also a leader in the Evangelical movement, using her cultural position and her pen to support the growth of education for the poor, the reform of morals and manners, and the abolition of Britain’s slave trade. Fierce Convictions weaves together world and personal history into a stirring story of life that intersected with Wesley and Whitefield’s Great Awakening, the rise and influence of Evangelicalism, and the convulsive effects of the French Revolution. A woman of exceptional intellectual gifts and literary talent, Hannah More was above all a person whose faith compelled her both to engage her culture and to transform it.

What if your vocation doesn't align with your passion?Some people are lucky enough to get paid to do what they love. But many are not. In You Have a Calling, award-winning author Karen Swallow Prior has encouraging news: If you pursue the good, true, and beautiful in all your work, you will find your greatest fulfillment. In this book, you'll discover· how knowing the crucial difference between passion and calling transforms how you view work;· how to finding meaning in every role, regardless of your career; and· how everyday work reflects the image of God through truth, goodness, and beauty.In an age when passion and calling are often confused, Prior helps you understand that passions come from within, while your calling, or vocation, comes from without and is about being called by others to serve. That crucial distinction can help you understand how God can use both your passions and our work, even if for different purposes.This book will appeal to everyone who wants to know that their daily work, ordinary though it may be, can fulfill a higher calling to God. You will gain a renewed sense of purpose, knowing you are created for virtue in all you do because you are created in the image of God.

For the millions who have felt disillusioned with American evangelical culture, this book is a lifeline for navigating the cynicism of both conservative and progressive beliefs to find real hope in the life and mission of Jesus. As a pastor and author, Nicholas McDonald spent years helping people work through serious questions about the evangelical church's gospel and its often hurtful responses to those confused by American Evangelical culture. He quickly realized that what these people needed--what he really needed--was not merely apologetics answers but the good news that speaks to their deepest dreams: love, beauty, and freedom--the very things Jesus promises to those who follow Him. With excellent storytelling and profound insights from his own deconstruction journey, McDonald compassionately addresses the concerns so many readers have with the evangelical subculture's sense of entitlement, nostalgia, and cynicism. And he outlines a clear path to finding restoration in Jesus. The Light in Our Eyes offers nine ancient practices to help you experience anew--or for the first time--Jesus's love, beauty, and freedom and to embody and extend them in the world. Through the scriptural song of Zechariah and relatable, inspiring stories of men and women who have been restoried by the gospel of Jesus, this book reminds us that Jesus' dreams fulfill what our hearts have longed for all along. Journey from despair and darkness to faith and light as McDonald outlines a path to becoming reenchanted by the dreams Jesus has for each one of us, the church, and the world. To take up His dream is the invitation to believe again, and to hope again.

Christianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Culture and the Arts)Contemporary American evangelicalism is suffering from an identity crisis--and a lot of bad press.In The Evangelical Imagination, acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior analyzes the literature, art, and popular culture that has surrounded evangelicalism and unpacks some of the movement's most deeply held concepts, ideas, values, and practices. She shows that understanding what the term "evangelical" means today means understanding not only evangelicalism's faith commitments but also the images, metaphors, assumptions, and stories that have cultivated evangelical culture.Brought to life with color illustrations and paintings, this book explores ideas including ? conversion? domesticity? empire? sentimentality? and more"Provides plenty of fodder for those wishing to explore what evangelicalism is and reimagine what it might become. It's an eye-opener."--Publishers Weekly"Akin to enjoying a lively conversation over a cheering yet bracing cup of tea."--Christianity Today (5-star review)"A breathtaking reminder of just how powerful the evangelical imagination has been and how much is lost when we forfeit it."--The Gospel Coalition

We aspire to freedom but often resign ourselves to an existence trapped in uneasiness and dread. Is there any way to shed such heaviness and reignite hope for deliverance? In Traveling Light, Eugene H. Peterson urges us to listen to an expert on freedom, Paul, whose letter to the Galatians reminds us of the realities of life in Christ, freely given to all. Peterson says, "If there is a story of freedom to be told, the story must begin with God. . . . The Bible is not a script for a funeral service, but the record of the proclaimed and witnessed God bringing new life to the dead. Everywhere it is a story of resurrection—life where we expect death." That lightness of spirit we're shown in Scripture is a gift and challenge. With an open path forward, Peterson calls us to embrace change, exploration, trust, love, and much more. Now with a new study guide, share the work of pursuing real rescue and relief through the abiding wisdom of Peterson.

? Publishers Weekly starred reviewA Best Book of 2018 in Religion, Publishers WeeklyReading great literature well has the power to cultivate virtue, says acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior. In this book, she takes readers on a guided tour through works of great literature both ancient and modern, exploring twelve virtues that philosophers and theologians throughout history have identified as most essential for good character and the good life.Covering authors from Henry Fielding to Cormac McCarthy, Jane Austen to George Saunders, and Flannery O'Connor to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Prior explores some of the most compelling universal themes found in the pages of classic books, helping readers learn to love life, literature, and God through their encounters with great writing. The book includes end-of-chapter reflection questions geared toward book club discussions, original artwork throughout, and a foreword by Leland Ryken. The hardcover edition was named a Best Book of 2018 in Religion by Publishers Weekly."[A] lively treatise on building character through books.'"--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What does a Christian political witness look like in our day? Politics ought to be defined by fidelity to the common good of all the members of society. But our modern Western politics are defined by a determination to bend the natural world and human life to its own political and economic ends. This wholesale rejection of the natural order is behind the dominant revolutions in our history, and defines our experience in Western society today—our racialized hierarchy, modern industry, and the sexual revolution. In What Are Christians For?, Jake Meador lays out a proposal for a Christian politics rooted in the givenness and goodness of the created world. He is uninterested in the cultural wars that have so often characterized American Christianity. Instead, he casts a vision for an ordered society that rejects the late modern revolution at every turn and is rooted in the natural law tradition and the great Protestant confessions. Here is a political approach that is antiracist, anticapitalist, and profoundly pro-life. A truly Christian political witness, Meador argues, must attend closely to the natural world and renounce the metallic fantasies that have poisoned common life in America life for too long.

Wish you had time to re-read and enjoy that daunting stack of Charles Dickens novels? Take heart: Dickens enthusiast Gina Dalfonzo has done the heavy lifting for you. In short, readable excerpts she presents the essence of the great novelist’s prodigious output, teasing out dozens of the most memorable scenes to reveal the Christian vision and values that suffuse all his work. Dickens can certainly entertain, but his legacy endures because of his power to stir consciences with the humanity of his characters and their predicaments. While he could be ruthless in his characterization of greed, injustice, and religious hypocrisy, again and again the hope of redemption shines through. In spite of – or perhaps because of – his own failings, Dickens never stopped exploring the themes of sin, guilt, repentance, redemption, and restoration found in the gospel. In some passages the Christian elements are explicit, in others implicit, but, as Dickens himself said, they all reflect his understanding of and reverence for the gospel. The Gospel in Dickens includes selections from Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son, Bleak House, Hard Times, Little Dorrit, Our Mutual Friend, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Sketches by Boz – with a cast of unforgettable characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Sydney Carton, Jenny Wren, Fagin, Pip, Joe Gargery, Mr. Bumble, Miss Havisham, betsey Trotwood, and Madame Defarge.

The summer of 2020 has shown us how much we all depend on one another. Whatever else they do, pandemics show us we are not alone. Covid-19 is proof that, yes, there is such a thing as society; the disease has spread precisely because we aren’t autonomous individuals disconnected from each other, but rather all belong to one great body of humanity. The pain inflicted by the pandemic is far from equally distributed. Yet it reveals ever more clearly how much we all depend on one another, and how urgently necessary it is for us to bear one another’s burdens. It’s a good time, then, to talk about solidarity. The more so because it’s a theme that’s also raised by this year’s other major development, the international protests for racial justice following George Floyd’s death. The protests, too, raised the question of solidarity in guilt, even guilt across generations. By taking up our common guilt with all humanity, we come into solidarity with the one who bears it and redeems it all. In Christ, sins are forgiven, guilt abolished, and a new way of living together becomes possible. This solidarity in forgiveness gives rise to a life of love. This issue of Plough explores what solidarity means, and what it looks like to live it out today, whether in Uganda, Bolivia, or South Korea, in an urban church, a Bruderhof, or a convent.

How should Christians approach important contemporary issues like war, race, creation care, gender, and politics?Christians in every culture are confronted with social trends and moral questions that can be difficult to navigate. But, the Bible often doesn't speak directly to such issues. Even when it does, it can be confusing to know how best to apply the biblical teaching.In Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues authors Joshua D. Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior first offer a broadly accessible framework for cultural engagement and then explore specific hot topics in current Western culture including:SexualityGender RolesHuman Life and Reproduction TechnologyImmigration and RaceCreation and Creature CarePoliticsWorkArtsWar, Weapons, and Capital PunishmentFeaturing contributions from over forty top thinkers, proponents of various views on the specific topics present their approaches in their own words, providing readers an opportunity to fairly consider options.Unique in how it addresses both big-picture questions about cultural engagement and pressing current issues, Cultural Engagement provides a thorough and broad introduction useful for students, professors, pastors, college ministers, and any believer wanting to more effectively exercise their faith in the public square.

What we want for schools reveals what we value as a society. “What’s the point of school?” Parents have a stock set of responses, but the question remains unsettled, even two centuries after the Prussians invented compulsory education. The Prussian idea of what a school is for – to mold the populace to serve the state – seems unacceptable today. In vogue, instead, are slogans like “acquiring marketable skills” and “realizing your full potential.” These ideas powerfully shape our culture. Ultimately, they boil down to pursuing one supreme value: individual success in a competitive world. Schools are a mirror of our society as a whole; what we want for schools makes plain what and whom we value in our common life. In the Christian tradition, the life of discipleship is also a school. In this educational community, under the instruction of our one Teacher, we learn not to seek empowerment, but to find strength in weakness; not to out-achieve others, but to serve them; not to pursue our passion, but to obey a call. Also in this issue: poetry by Christian Wiman; reviews of new books by Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris, Francisco Cantú, Leif Enger, Carol Anderson, Stephanie Land, and Susan Wise Bauer; and art by Margaret McWethy, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, Gérard David, Jackie Morris, Gustaf Tenggren, Sergey Dushkin, Anja Percival, Dmitry Samofalov, Christoph Wetzel, Sherrie York, Cathleen Rehfield, Pawel Kuczynski, and Jason Landsel. Plough Quarterly features stories, ideas, and culture for people eager to put their faith into action. Each issue brings you in-depth articles, interviews, poetry, book reviews, and art to help you put Jesus’ message into practice and find common cause with others.

“This book was written to help you see and understand that God is the Giver of life. You are his child. He cares deeply about you. When you hurt, he hurts with you.” —from the Introduction Infertility is the profoundly wounding experience of many couples, often leading to feelings of despair and shame as they grapple with shattered dreams and unanswered questions. But God does not leave them alone in their pain. The Creator and Redeemer of life has not forsaken the infertile, but has called and equipped them to participate in his church, kingdom, and mission. Overflowing with warmth and sensitivity, this book explores what the Bible says about infertility, helping the church walk alongside couples struggling with infertility and assessing the ethical issues surrounding common fertility treatments and reproductive technologies.

"A love story, an epic tragedy, a cautionary tale about parents respecting their children, even, incredibly, more than a minor note of humor-Romeo and Juliet has it all," says editor Sara Barkat. Now, in this special volume, you can encounter this enduring play in the company of four vibrant women who love stories and ideas. At turns thoughtful, informative, personal, or funny, these are voices that will draw you into a timeless work and transform Shakespeare into more than just an old playwright you were (or are) compelled to read. Popular in his own time, speaking in ways that made his audiences laugh and cry, Shakespeare is not just for people who are "literary." Find your way into his beautiful (sometimes blush-worthy) words. And maybe take a few choice phrases with you into the future-for love, or laughter, or a tease. This volume includes the play, essays, personal annotations by Callie Feyen, four bonus classroom activities, and a glossary.

Read the Stories of Eight Remarkable Women and Their Vital Contributions to Church History Throughout history, women have been crucial to the growth and flourishing of the church. Historian Michael A. G. Haykin highlights the lives of eight of these women who changed the course of history, showing how they lived out their unique callings despite challenges and opposition—inspiring modern men and women to imitate their godly examples today. Jane Grey: The courageous Protestant martyr who held fast to her conviction that salvation is by faith alone even to the point of death. Anne Steele: The great hymn writer whose work continues to help the church worship in song today. Margaret Baxter: The faithful wife to pastor Richard Baxter who met persecution with grace and joy. Esther Edwards Burr: The daughter of Jonathan Edwards whose life modeled biblical friendship. Anne Dutton: The innovative author whose theological works left a significant literary legacy. Ann Judson: The wife of Adoniram Judson and pioneer missionary in the American evangelical missions movement. Sarah Edwards: The wife of Jonathan Edwards and model of sincere delight in Christ. Jane Austen: The prolific novelist with a deep and sincere Christian faith that she expressed in her stories.

With a foreword by Eric Metaxas, best-selling author of Bonhoeffer and Amazing Grace.The enthralling biography of the woman writer who helped end the slave trade, changed Britain’s upper classes, and taught a nation how to read.The history-changing reforms of Hannah More affected every level of 18th-Century British society through her keen intellect, literary achievements, collaborative spirit, strong Christian principles, and colorful personality. A woman without connections or status, More took the world of British letters by storm when she arrived in London from Bristol, becoming a best-selling author and acclaimed playwright and quickly befriending the author Samuel Johnson, the politician Horace Walpole, and the actor David Garrick. Yet she was also a leader in the Evangelical movement, using her cultural position and her pen to support the growth of education for the poor, the reform of morals and manners, and the abolition of Britain’s slave trade. Fierce Convictions weaves together world and personal history into a stirring story of life that intersected with Wesley and Whitefield’s Great Awakening, the rise and influence of Evangelicalism, and convulsive effects of the French Revolution. A woman of exceptional intellectual gifts and literary talent, Hannah More was above all a person whose faith compelled her both to engage her culture and to transform it.