Rediscovering Confession is about recovering the experience of confession, in danger now of becoming a lost art. It identifies four elements present in psychotherapy and confession: a state of heightened self-awareness, a growing realization that our predicament points in some meaningful direction beyond itself, the necessity to make a relevant response to our situation, and a potential for spiritual encounter that accompanies the process. Each chapter contains a section devoted to practice, with exercises for individual contemplation and experimentation, guidelines for forming a confessional partnership, directions for conducting discussions in a study goup, and ways to organize a small confessional group.

David Knight was forty years a priest before he learned that priests don't hear sins in confession. "What you are really revealing is your ideals," he says. "The real you has a different set of ideals, reflecting your heart instead of your lapses. This 'you' abides with God." With these words Father Knight reveals that A Fresh Look at Confession is unlike anything you may have read about the sacrament. He speaks about the heart of confession, its meaning and mystery, and why it is so necessary for authentic followers of Christ. This is deep theology, explained in clear language. But it's also much more: Father Knight's moving, intensely personal account of his own journey as a sinner takes readers beyond theory and into the awe-inspiring reality of our complete redemption in Jesus, who does not just forgive, but who "takes away" the sins of the world. From a varied background as missionary, teacher, pastor, professor, retreat director, and campus minister, Father Knight's ministry has come to focus on making mystical experience commonplace in conscious Christian living. Book jacket.

This collection of essays provides a critique of the popular and powerful genre of confessional writing. Contributors discuss a range of poetry, prose and drama, including the work of John Berryman, Anne Sexton, Ted Hughes and Helen Fielding.

We are often pressed to forgive or in need of forgiveness: Wrongdoing is common. Even after a perpetrator has been taken to court and punished, forgiveness still has a role to play. How should a victim and a perpetrator relate to each other outside the courtroom, and how should others relate to them? Communicating about forgiveness is particularly urgent in cases of civil war and crimes against humanity inside a community where, if there were no forgiveness, the community would fall apart. Forgiveness is governed by social and, in particular, by moral norms. Do those who ask to be forgiven have to fulfil certain conditions for being granted forgiveness? And what does the granting of forgiveness consist in? We may feel like refusing to forgive those perpetrators who have committed the most horrendous crimes. But is such a refusal justified even if they repent their crimes? Could there be a duty for the victim to forgive? Can forgiveness be granted by a third party? Under which conditions may we forgive ourselves? The papers collected in the present volume address all these questions, exploring the practice of forgiveness and its normative constraints. Topics include the ancient Chinese and the Christian traditions of forgiveness, the impact of forgiveness on the moral dignity and self-respect of the victim, self-forgiveness, the narrative of forgiveness as well as the limits of forgiveness. Such limits may arise from the personal, historical, or political conditions of wrongdoing or from the emotional constraints of the victims.

Drawing comparisons with Shadow of the Wind, The Name of the Rose and The Reader, and an instant bestseller in more than 20 languages, Confessions is an astonishing story of one man s life, interwoven with a narrative that stretches across centuries to create an addictive and unforgettable literary symphony. I confess. At 60 and with a diagnosis of early Alzheimer s, Adri� Ard�vol re-examines his life before his memory is systematically deleted. He recalls a loveless childhood where the family antique business and his father s study become the centre of his world; where a treasured Storioni violin retains the shadows of a crime committed many years earlier. His mother, a cold, distant and pragmatic woman leaves him to his solitary games, full of unwanted questions. An accident ends the life of his enigmatic father, filling Adri� s world with guilt, secrets and deeply troubling mysteries that take him years to uncover and driving him deep into the past where atrocities are methodically exposed and examined. Gliding effortlessly between centuries, and at the same time providing a powerful narrative that is at once shocking, compelling, mysterious, tragic, humorous and gloriously readable, Confessions reaches a crescendo that is not only unexpected but provides one of the most startling denouements in contemporary literature. Confessions is a consummate masterpiece in any language, with an ending that will not just leave you thinking, but quite possibly change the way you think forever.

'Rediscover Your Holiday Sparkle: 400+ Christmas Novels, Stories, Poems, Carols & Legends' stands as an unprecedented anthology that elegantly weaves together the diverse tapestries of holiday literature. Spanning centuries and embracing a multitude of literary styles – from the transformative social narratives of Charles Dickens to the intimate poetic reflections of Emily Dickinson – this collection encompasses the profound, the heartwarming, and the magical realms of Christmas. Each piece has been meticulously selected to highlight the myriad ways in which the holiday season has inspired some of the most eminent writers in history, making this compilation a treasure trove of cultural and literary significance. The anthology's vast range of offerings ensures that every reader can find a piece that resonates, be it a story that kindles warmth or a poem that reflects on the deeper meanings of the season. The contributing authors and editors, hailing from varied times and lands, bring their unique voices to a common theme – the celebration of Christmas. Their backgrounds span the gamut of the literary spectrum, from iconic figures like Shakespeare and Tolstoy, who need no introduction, to those like Beatrix Potter and Selma Lagerlöf, whose works have touched hearts in more specific but no less significant ways. This collection aligns with various historical, cultural, and literary movements, illustrating how the holiday season has been a perennial source of inspiration across ages and cultures. The anthology thereby serves as a microcosm of global literary heritage, offering insights into the universal human condition through the lens of Christmas celebrations. Scholars and casual readers alike are invited to delve into 'Rediscover Your Holiday Sparkle' for an unparalleled exploration of Christmas as depicted in literature. This anthology not only promises to rekindle the joy and wonder of the holiday season but also offers a unique educational journey through the evolution of Christmas-themed writing. It is an essential addition to the libraries of those who appreciate the richness of holiday traditions and the powerful narratives that have shaped them over centuries. Within its pages lies the opportunity to engage with the works of legendary authors in a new light and to foster a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling around the theme of Christmas.