Making Sense Of It All

Thomas V. Morris discusses life, death, religion, the nature of faith and more. This captivating book is ideal both for thoughtful unbelievers who consider Christianity unreasonable, and Christians wanting to know how to share their faith with sceptics. Writing in an engaging, conversational style, Morris takes an intriguing new look at the big questions that keep coming up -- questions about life, death, God, religion, the nature of faith, the formation of an adequate worldview, and the meaning of life. Morris explores these kinds of questions in an earnest yet thoroughly entertaining and easily readable way, relating numerous personal anecdotes, incorporating intriguing material from the films of Woody Allen and the journals of Tolstoy, and using the writings of the seventeenth-century genius Blaise Pascal as a central guide.

Peter Kreeft observes that our world is full of billions of normal lives which have touched by apparently pointless and random suffering. He then records the results of his own wrestling match with God as he struggles to make sense out of this pain.

A New York Times New and Noteworthy Book From the bestselling author of Waking Up and The End of Faith, an adaptation of his wildly popular, often controversial podcast “Sam Harris is the most intellectually courageous man I know, unafraid to speak truths out in the open where others keep those very same thoughts buried, fearful of the modish thought police. With his literate intelligence and fluency with words, he brings out the best in his guests, including those with whom he disagrees.” -- Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene “Civilization rests on a series of successful conversations.” —Sam Harris Sam Harris—neuroscientist, philosopher, and bestselling author—has been exploring some of the most important questions about the human mind, society, and current events on his podcast, Making Sense. With over one million downloads per episode, these discussions have clearly hit a nerve, frequently walking a tightrope where either host or guest—and sometimes both—lose their footing, but always in search of a greater understanding of the world in which we live. For Harris, honest conversation, no matter how difficult or controversial, represents the only path to moral and intellectual progress. This book includes a dozen of the best conversations from Making Sense, including talks with Daniel Kahneman, Timothy Snyder, Nick Bostrom, and Glenn Loury, on topics that range from the nature of consciousness and free will, to politics and extremism, to living ethically. Together they shine a light on what it means to “make sense” in the modern world.

Maybe you learned about sex in school—anatomy, STIs, and pregnancy, right? You might think you’ve learned all there is to know, but there’s so much more to sex than just “doing it.” What about masturbation, is that OK? Are you dirty for having sexual fantasies? What about kissing, giving a blowjob, or taking the pill, is it safe? What if you touch someone’s penis, can you get pregnant? If you douche after sex, you won’t get pregnant… right? Making Sense of “It” goes beyond the basics of the birds and the bees to give teens a realistic, no-holds barred, nonjudgmental guide on everything to do with sex and sexuality. With this book, teens can learn about it all from the best contraception methods to what to expect at a clinic, even to the signs of an unhealthy relationship. Alison Macklin draws on her years of experience at Planned Parenthood to address everything teens want to and should know in a straightforward, open-minded, and sex-positive manner. Even better, “Conversation Starters” in each chapter give teens and parents a chance to test their knowledge and useful tips to help talk about sex in a way that works for them. In a world where teens are bombarded with bad information on social media, and are made to feel ashamed of something so natural, Making Sense of “It” offers trustworthy, gender-neutral advice on how to be safe, informed, and honest about “it”.

Making Sense of It All: Lessons from Cancer is the compelling true story of Joyce Rothman, whose courageous battle against two life-threatening illnesses set her on the fast track to spiritual awareness and the joys of “living in the moment.” With absolute candor and grace, through the unsparing lens of cancer, Joyce delivers the book she was destined to write: the inspired story of her own mortality. Her lessons may have come from cancer – but they lead to the very core of understanding through faith. This remarkable book will enrich the spirit and touch the heart of every reader looking to “make sense of it all.”

Making Sense of It All invites us to experience a good God who actively woos us to himself, even (or especially) through our heartaches and setbacks. With a pastor’s heart and fifty years of pastoral ministry, Richard Hipps weaves together biblical truths, storytelling, and the wisdom of fellow strugglers to draw us closer to God’s heart. His reflections will have you affirming with him that God is trustworthy—that a good God is telling a good story that will have a good ending.

We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives? In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.

“Kristin Swenson offers a confident, well-paced, well-informed, and accessible guide to Bible basics and biblical literacy.” — Walter Brueggemann, author of An Unsettling God: The Heart of the Hebrew Bible Bible Babel, from author and religious studies professor Kristin Swenson, is a lively, humorous, and very readable introduction to the Bible—what’s in it, where it comes from, and how it is used in our culture today. If you’ve ever wondered about the origin of the Christian fish symbol; the history of the Good Book; how the Bible weighs in on contemporary political issues; or even the biblical source of pop-culture references in WALL-E or Battlestar Galatica, then this is the book for you. Readers of A. J. Jacobs’s Year of Living Biblically and David Plotz’s Good Book will enjoy Bible Babel, a perfect primer for anyone interested in the Bible—secular and believing alike.