In Stumbling in Holiness, professor and theologian Brian P. Flanagan addresses the ways in which both holiness and sinfulness condition the life of the pilgrim church. The book is rooted in a liturgical-theological explanation of how the church prays through its continuing need for repentance and purification, as well as its belief in its present and future participation in the life of the Holy One. After reviewing some of the ways in which past theologians have tried to explain the coexistence of ecclesial holiness and sinfulness, Flanagan suggests that, even if we can have confidence that God will fully sanctify the church in the reign of God, our ecclesiology must always attend to both the sanctity we already experience in the church and the sinfulness that is part of our continuing journey toward that reign.

If you enjoyed The Shack, you'll love this nonfiction look at faith, suffering, and healing. Weaving comedy, tragedy, and faith together into a tapestry of stories that will resonate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, acclaimed columnist Tony Woodlief offers hope and assurance of the enduring power of love and grace.

An American truth seeker recounts his life-changing friendship with the spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in this intimate memoir. Michael Fischman is the president of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation in the United States. In this intimate memoir, Fischman recounts his startling spiritual journey from childhood in New York “among the tribe of people known as the Jewish Middle Class” to befriending and working with the humanitarian and spiritual leader who changed his life. His story is a compelling narrative that blends remarkable experiences with an inner struggle and search for meaning. “In writing this story, different eras and their flavors came to life again—the world of Orthodox Jews I grew up in; twenty years of teaching meditation and breathing to people around the world; the traumas and triumphs of self-discovery in the Caribbean and Jerusalem; the spiritual traditions of India that became so meaningful to me; and the remarkable atmosphere around the enlightened master I fell in love with” (from the prologue). “Michael Fischman’s journey reveals how fears and negative emotions can be transformed into love, compassion, and higher consciousness when a student has an authentic relationship with a wise teacher.” —Deepak Chopra

Christians know that God loves them, but can easily feel that he is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. As a result, they focus a lot—and rightly so—on what Jesus has done to appease God’s wrath for sin. But how does Jesus Christ actually feel about his people amid all their sins and failures? This book draws us to Matthew 11, where Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart,” longing for his people to find rest in him. The gospel flows from God’s deepest heart for his people, a heart of tender love for the sinful and suffering. These chapters take readers into the depths of Christ’s very heart for sinners, diving deep into Bible passages that speak of who Christ is and encouraging readers with the affections of Christ for his people. His longing heart for sinners comforts and sustains readers in their up-and-down lives.

The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification presents the culmination of Puritan thought on living the Christian life. Combining doctrinal precision and pastoral sensitivity, Walter Marshall shows how sanctification is essential to spiritual life, dependent on spiritual union with Jesus Christ, and inseparable though distinct from justification. He shows how holiness involves both the mind and the soul of the believer and that it is the aim of the Christian life. It is no wonder that this book has been reprinted many times throughout the years and received such high praise from leading ministers of the gospel. "The most important book on sanctification ever written." John Murray (1898 1975), professor of systematic theology, Westminster Theological Seminary

"Presents examples from the lives of Catholic saints to show how we can use the obstacles we encounter in life to actually become closer to God and grow in holiness"--

Searching for answers in the midst of the sexual abuse crisis in the church, many blamed the clerical culture. But what exactly is this clerical culture? We may know it when we see it, but how can we 'whether clergy or laypeople 'go about dismantling it and putting in place a new, healthy culture? George Wilson has spent decades working with organizations to help them discover, and often recover, their foundational calling. He is also a Jesuit priest engaged in the lives of congregations. In Clericalism: The Death of Priesthood he brings together both capacities and gives his sense of the challenges facing the church. As members of the church, Wilson maintains, we are all responsible for creating a clerical culture. And we are also responsible for that culture's transformation. Clericalism aids this transformation by helping us examine some underlying attitudes that create and preserve destructive relationships between ordained and laity. After looking at the crisis and establishing where we are now, this book challenges us with concrete suggestions for changing behaviors. We are lay and ordained, but all baptized into the royal priesthood of 1 Peter 2:9, all called to spread the Gospel and do the work of God's love in the world. Ultimately, this is a hopeful book, looking for the restoration of a genuine priesthood, free of clericalism, in which we become truly united in Christ..