Seeking to explore the blurred boundary between religion and pop culture, God in the Details offers a provocative look at the breadth, diversity, and persistence of religious themes in contemporary American consciousness. Representing a diverse range of disciplines, the contributors criticaly assess the ways in which American popular culture reappropriates traditional religious symbols to serve the purposes of particular communities.

Science claims to have won the battle against religions for explaining the fundamental truths of the universe, but God has become collateral damage in the process. We're told that the world was created from nothing and that life appeared and evolved from inanimate matter as a result of a long series of fortunate accidents. However, the scientifically-backed theories for humanity's great questions require a leap of faith at least as big as any religious person has ever had to take, because they're based on speculations. The caste which asserts its ability to mediate the truth about God for the "simple minds" of laymen is no longer made up of priests. Scientists have replaced them and are promoting a world view based on personal interests and aesthetic preferences instead of facts. They deliberately ignore evidence and fabricate truths to disprove the clues that show that the universe is a product of intelligent design. In this bold and provocative book, Christian Bandea exposes the major cover-ups used to hide the presence of God. Science is going through a denial of the divine phase. The specter of intelligent design is already lurking through the established scientific edifice. It's only a question of time before everyone realizes they can no longer conceal or ignore it. Promoters of atheism claim that gaps in scientific knowledge are used as proof of God's existence. As science advances relentlessly, believers are supposedly forced to retreat into narrow corners where the "light of reason" hasn't yet reached. However, history has shown, time and again, that new layers of complexity are revealed each time science considers it has come close to identifying final theories. The "God of the gaps" argument is a distorted interpretation of how our auto-revelatory, self-describing universe is unfolding. What superficially looks like a retreat of deism in front of scientific progress is, in reality, a process in which the clues pointing to the existence of an intelligent designer are becoming more refined as we improve our understanding of the world. Increasingly sophisticated evidence which suggests the presence of God is revealed to us and replaces yesterday's "miracles." The history of our progress as a species shows us that we could be living in an infinitely layered onion of clues about our Creator. Each time we peel off a layer and think we've reached the fundamental core of understanding, new domains of immense complexity are discovered. The God of the gaps is, in fact, the God of the details. About the author Christian Bandea has a Master's degree in contemporary literature. After working for seven years as a journalist, he has built a successful IT career as a network engineer and developer. He lives near Cambridge, UK, with his wife and daughter.

Take comfort in knowing that God hears you. The story of Hannah in 1 Samuel tells of one woman’s personal heartache and trust in the One who could fulfill her desires. She poured her heart out to God, and He heard her. The Our Daily Bread devotions selected for this collection reassure you that God is with you, God is for you, and God hears you. The personal stories and Scripture passages lift you up and remind you that God is bigger than the trials you face.

We all know that everything we have is a gift from God. But sometimes it s hard to know just how to give back to God. How much is enough? What does the Bible really say? What should giving look like in our everyday lives? Filled with good news for followers of Jesus, Mark Allan Powell s Giving to God shows Christians the way to a better life and a better relationship with their money — and with God. Powell presents stewardship as an act of worship, an expression of faith, and a discipline for spiritual growth. Faithful use of our time, talents, and money starts with a deep, satisfying relationship with the God to whom we belong. We can then learn, says Powell, to give gladly and generously out of our heartfelt connection with God. Informative, concise, and eminently practical (including discussion questions), Giving to God gives us resources for best using the treasures, material and otherwise, that God has given us.

PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION: “A solid introduction to the dialogue between the disciplines of cultural studies and religion…. A substantive foundation for subsequent exploration.”—Religious Studies Review “A splendid collection of lively essays by fourteen scholars dealing with religion and popular culture on the contemporary American scene.”—Choice

Almost all children wonder about God and wish they could see Him. But we don't need to see Him to know what He is like. We need only look around at all the things that are like Him: the warmth of the sun, the strength of the mountains, the nourishment of the rain, the comfort of a parent's loving embrace. Using simple concepts that are understandable to even the very young child, this nondenominational book gently introduces children to the concept of God.