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.

Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport examines religion in America today, reviews just how powerfully intertwined religion is with every aspect of American society, and explores what appears to be religion's vibrant future in the U.S. -- all based on more than a million interviews conducted by Gallup since 2008. Popular books such as The God Delusion have dismissed religion as a delusional artifact of evolution and ancient superstitions. But should millions of Americans' statements of belief and their behavior be dismissed that quickly? The pattern of religious influence in American society suggests mass consequence rather than mass delusion. In God Is Alive and Well, Frank Newport, Gallup's Editor-in-Chief, provides a new evidence-based analysis of Americans' religious beliefs and practices -- and bold predictions about religion's future in the U.S. Most Americans are at least marginally religious, significantly more so than in most developed nations around the world. The majority of Americans believe in God and say that religion is important in their daily lives. And Americans routinely participate in religious rituals. Levels of religious consciousness are not distributed equally. Systematic patterns of differences in religion occur with surprising regularity. An American's religiosity is very much bound up with social position and geographic space. There is an important interplay between religion and life status factors -- age, gender, marital status, having children -- and with achieved status distinctions -- class, education, income. Those who are most religious are demonstrably different across a wide spectrum of outcomes from those who are not. These include lifestyle choices, social participation, ideology, partisanship, and views on political and social issues. Religion can be the driver for highly disruptive social behaviors, up to and including the taking of human life. Unlike citizens of any other country in the world, Americans group themselves into hundreds of distinct micro religious groups and denominations. These groups are constantly evolving, splitting like amoeba to form new groups. The most common pattern today is the development of the "no name" religious group, consisting of Americans who worship only under the banner of their own nondenominational predilections. These religious groupings are sociologically related to social status, geography, politics, and social and political attitudes. The emotional, non-negotiable bases of religion and the nature of its appeal to the most ultimate of rationales mean that highly religious Americans are one of the most potentially influential groups in society. Religious beliefs provide a foundation for much of today's American politics. America is and will remain a religious nation, and it is entirely possible that in many ways, religion will be more, rather than less, important in the years ahead. The foundation for God Is Alive and Well is the perspective of science -- analyzing what people think, do, and believe about religion. Frank Newport's distinction as a well-known social scientist and authority on American life, his media experience, and his unique personal history as the son of a Southern Baptist theologian will increase this book's sales potential. God Is Alive and Well is based in large part on more than a million interviews Gallup has conducted in recent years -- interviews that asked Americans about their religion, their religious beliefs, and their religious behavior. The resulting data provide an unparalleled and unprecedented database of information about Americans and their religions. Written for lay readers using a conversational tone, God Is Alive and Well presents new information with an entertaining style.

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

Gold Medallion Book Award Winner. Over a million copies sold. An inspirational classic for more than thirty years,?Where Is God When It Hurts??honestly explores pain—from physical wounds to emotional and spiritual pain—and sheds new light on God's presence in our suffering. "How can a loving God allow this to happen? God is either all-loving or all-powerful, but he can't be both." You've heard that question, and perhaps you've even asked it yourself. When a loved one dies, we receive a terminal diagnosis, or natural disasters strike, people often wonder whether God is the?cause?of suffering and why he doesn't immediately take away the pain or fix the situation. As a result, we become angry at the once-beloved God who betrayed us. Bestselling author Philip Yancey uses examples from the Bible and from his own experiences to show us how we can learn to accept—without blame, anger, or fear—what we don't understand. Along the way, he answers questions such as: Why is there such a thing as pain? Is pain a message from God? How should we respond to suffering? How can we learn to cope with pain? Where Is God When It Hurts??speaks to everyone who thinks that suffering doesn't make sense. With compassion and clarity, Yancey brings us one step closer to finding an answer when our pain, or the pain of those we love, is real and we are left wondering,?where is God when it hurts? "One of the most helpful treatments of the problem of evil that I've ever read. If I were looking around for something to give to individuals who are going through travail or difficulty, this is the book I'd recommend." —Dr. Vernon Grounds, former Chancellor of Denver Seminar

What if fear is the new brave? That's the question that you need answered if you are living afraid. Finding courage begins with fear itself--fear of the Lord. I Choose Brave reveals a countercultural plan to help you where you are--knee-deep in fears of parenting, the future, your marriage, and a world that feels unstable. When you're feeling fearful, the last thing you need is a social-media meme telling you to simply "power through" your fears. In I Choose Brave, Katie Westenberg digs deep into Scripture and shows that finding the courage to overcome our fears must start with fear of the Lord. Hundreds of passages speak to this foundational truth, yet we have somehow relegated them to antiquity. In sharing her own compelling story of facing her worst fear, Katie serves up theological truth with relatable application. In this book, you will · discover a fresh take on an old truth that displaces fear once and for all · understand why the culture's idea of "fearlessness" is a farce · access the holy courage you were made for With this new knowledge comes tremendous freedom. Hidden in the cleft of the Rock, the One truly worthy of our fear, you will begin to understand the only path to real courage.