Jana Riess

American Millennials--the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s--have been leaving organized religion in unprecedented numbers. For a long time, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was an exception: nearly three-quarters of people who grew up Mormon stayed that way into adulthood. In The Next Mormons, Jana Riess demonstrates that things are starting to change. Drawing on a large-scale national study of four generations of current and former Mormons as well as dozens of in-depth personal interviews, Riess explores the religious beliefs and behaviors of young adult Mormons, finding that while their levels of belief remain strong, their institutional loyalties are less certain than their parents' and grandparents'. For a growing number of Millennials, the tensions between the Church's conservative ideals and their generation's commitment to individualism and pluralism prove too high, causing them to leave the faith-often experiencing deep personal anguish in the process. Those who remain within the fold are attempting to carefully balance the Church's strong emphasis on the traditional family with their generation's more inclusive definition that celebrates same-sex couples and women's equality. Mormon families are changing too. More Mormons are remaining single, parents are having fewer children, and more women are working outside the home than a generation ago. The Next Mormons offers a portrait of a generation navigating between traditional religion and a rapidly changing culture.

How Millennials Are Changing the Lds Church

The Next Mormons

What Would Buffy Do? explores the fascinating spiritual, religious, and mythological ideas of television's hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer--from apocalypse and sacrifice to self-reliance, redemption, and the need for humor when fighting our spiritual battles.

The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide

What Would Buffy Do

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

O. C. Dean, Jr.

"There are only two places where the powerful and great in this world lose their courage, tremble in the depths of their souls, and become truly afraid. These are the manger and the cross of Jesus Christ." "No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology finds its beginnings in the miracle of miracles, that God became human." These stirring words are among forty devotions that guide and inspire readers as they move thematically through the weeks of Advent and Christmas, from waiting and mystery to redemption, incarnation, and joy. Supplemented by an informative introduction, short excerpts from Bonhoeffer's letters, and passages from his Christmas sermons, these daily devotions are timeless and moving reminders of the true gift of Christmas.

Reflections on Advent and Christmas

God Is in the Manger

The author chronicles a year of her life in which she tried to act saintly by engaging in twelve practices, including fasting, Sabbath-keeping, and generosity, and how she failed miserably in doing so.

A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor

Flunking Sainthood

Over one year recounted in Flunking Sainthood, Riess failed twelve different spiritual practices. To her surprise, thought, she learned something important even from the ones she failed most spectacularly. This new 365 daily devotional, readers who are looking for spiritual growth will find guidance, arranged according to monthly practices such as gratitude, generosity, prayer, Sabbath-keeping, and hospitality. Each day’s reading has a reflection from a contemporary or classic spiritual thinker, a short scripture verse, and a brief prayer, reflection, or follow-up action. This daily devotional helps us know that there is great compassion for all of us who are flunking sainthood as we learn that spiritual growth is a lifelong journey without a fixed destination. Jana Riess is the author of The Twible and Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray,and Still Loving My Neighbor, which was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the best religion books of the year. “This book is about how to relax in our imperfections, trust God’s grace, and take authentic and practical steps toward deepening maturity in faith.” —Sharon Garlough Brown, author of Sensible Shoes “This devotional will stimulate your brain, companion your soul, and inspire you.” —Lauren F. Winner, author of Mudhouse Sabbath and Still “In addition to being a sagely writer, Jana is an avid quote collector. Here are 365 gems, full of mojo in insight for normal folks like us, along with a simple challenge to make each day a wonderful experience of falling forward.” —Brian D. McLaren, author of We Make the Road by Walking “Refreshingly realistic about our human imperfections and heartily confident of grace.” —Marjorie Thompson, author of Soul Feast “Jana is a thoughtful, wise, and compassionate guide to the life of the spirit, and this book will be a daily gift to all of us who are flunking sainthood—but hope to raise our GPA.” —Greg Garrett, author of The Other Jesus “Relax, spiritual slackers. Somebody else has done all the reading. Now you have a book of poetic inspiration, Bible verses, current bestsellers and ancient thinkers, one for each day. Skip a day? No guilt. Don’t understand? You’ll catch up. What’s the point? Try doing it, anyway. Seriously? Hilariously.” —Lillian Daniel, author of When “Spiritual But Not Religious” Is Not Enough

A Daily Devotional for the Rest of Us

Flunking Sainthood Every Day

It's the Bible, now with 68% more humor and 99% fewer begats You've wanted to read the Bible, but it's Uber-long and, let's face it, sometimes boring. You're a busy person with stuff to do. You want the Bible, only funnier. And shorter. Enter The Twible, which brings you every chapter as tweeted in 140 characters or less, from Genesis to Revelation Find out what the Bible says you're supposed to do if a friend starts worshiping another god, your child disrespects you in public, or you break the Sabbath. (The answers to those dilemmas are to stone your friend, stone your child, and stone yourself. In that order.) Learn where Paul swears in the New Testament, and why Jeremiah could benefit from antidepressants. Inside The Twible you'll find: - A tweet for each of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible - A summary of every book of the Bible in seven words or less - Dozens of informative sidebars (print edition only) - More than 50 original cartoons - A glossary telling you who's who in the Bible - Unicorns From start to finish, The Twible brings the Bible to wonderful, wicked, weird life. "The Twible adapts the Old Testament to the light-hearted quipping familiar in everyday Tweets." -- The Guardian, UK "The Twible is the most entertaining version of my dad's book I've read in the last two millennia " -- Jesus Christ] "Twible is the best example I have ever seen of the reverence of irreverence." -- Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours "I wouldn't object if Twibles were in every hotel room." -- Hemant Mehta, The Friendly Atheist blogger "Forget about reading the Bible in a year. Now you can read it in an hour, thanks to the subversive, somewhat disturbed, mind of Jana Riess." -- Peter Enns, author of Genesis for Normal People "The perfect (surreptitious) iPad or Tablet companion for draggy Sunday (or Saturday) morning services. Caution: Not to be used for congregational Scripture reading." -- Mark I. Pinsky, author of The Gospel According to the Simpsons "Whatever you think of Twitter, there can be no speedier or funnier way to read through the Bible than with Riess's Twible providing spot-on interpretation chapter by chapter." -- Kristin Swenson, author of Bible Babel "The Twible is an indelible book that reads like an oddly religious comedy but has the impact of a brilliant jingle that sticks in your brain to the point of madness." -- Frank Schaeffer, author of And God Said, "Billy " "This is brilliant stuff-hilariously accurate summaries of complex material." -- Debbie Blue, pastor; author of Consider the Birds: A Provocative Guide to the Birds of the Bible "This is absolutely the funniest and most fun Bible 'translation' ever." -- Steven L. Peck, author of The Scholar of Moab

All the Chapters of the Bible in 140 Characters Or Less . . . Now with 68% More Humor!

The Twible

Ian Morgan Cron

Tap into the power of the Enneagram with this essential companion workbook filled with exercises, reflection prompts, and guided questions that can help you unleash your true inner power and transform your life. Ian Morgan Cron, the bestselling author of The Road Back to You and The Story of You and master of the Enneagram, provides the tools you need to recognize and break free from the damaging, outdated stories you’ve been living and discover a more hopeful story that is better aligned with who you really are. In six steps Cron teaches you how to SOAR: See your origin story Own your shadow side Awaken to your present moment Rewrite your new story Combining thought-provoking cues, dynamic questions, and motivating exercises with pages to record your reflections, The Story of You Workbook is the key to spiritual growth that will help you realize your true self.

An Enneagram Guide to Becoming Your True Self

The Story of You Workbook

How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church

David Van Biema

Patton Dodd

Award-winning religion journalists describe a recently rediscovered medieval prayer tool that provides fresh inspiration and daily prayers for contemporary Christians. All people of faith struggle at times to sustain a flourishing prayer life--a loss felt all the more keenly in times like ours of confusion, political turbulence, and global calamity. The Prayer Wheel introduces an ancient prayer practice that offers a timeless solution for the modern faithful. The Prayer Wheel is a modern interpretation of the Liesborn Prayer Wheel, a beautiful, almost wholly forgotten, scripture-based mode of prayer that was developed in a medieval times. The Liesborn Prayer Wheel resurfaced in 2015 in a small private gallery near New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. It faithfully and beautifully presents seven prayer paths for personal or group use. Each path invites contemplation on the "big ideas" of the Christian faith--the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and key words from the life of Christ. In the tradition of lectio divina and walking a labyrinth, The Prayer Wheel simply and directly takes readers into a daily, wholly unique encounter with God. As the prayers in this book unfold, readers will find an appealing guide for contemplation, a way of seeing God in new ways, and an essential new tool for Christian formation.

A Daily Guide to Renewing Your Faith with a Rediscovered Spiritual Practice

The Prayer Wheel

Christopher Kimball Bigelow

Get the facts on temples, tithing, missions, and caffeine Mormon doctrines, rituals, and history, demystified at last! Mormonism, or the LDS Church, is one of the world's fastest growing religions. But unless you were raised a Mormon, you probably don't have a clear picture of LDS beliefs and practices. Covering everything from Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon to tithing and family home evening, this friendly guide will get you up to speed in no time. Discover: * How the LDS Church differs from other Christian churches * What Mormons believe * What happens in Mormon temples and meetinghouses * The history of the LDS Church * LDS debates on race, women, and polygamy

Jana Riess

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