Religion In Times Of Crisis

Religion is alive and well all over the world, especially in times of personal, political, and social crisis. Even in Europe, long regarded the most “secular” continent, religion has taken centre stage in how people respond to the crises associated with modernity, or how they interact with the nation-state. In this book, scholars working in and on Europe offer fresh perspectives on how religion provides answers to existential crisis, how crisis increases the salience of religious identities and cultural polarization, and how religion is contributing to changes in the modern world in Europe and beyond. Cases from Poland to Pakistan and from Ireland to Zimbabwe, among others, demonstrate the complexity and ambivalence of religion’s role in the contemporary world. Contributors are Mariecke van den Berg, David J. Bos, Marco Derks, Marco Derks, R. Ruard Ganzevoort, Miloš Jovanović, Vladimir Kmec, Marta Kołodziejska, Anne-Marie Korte, Anne-Sophie Lamine, Christophe Monnot, Alexandre Piettre, Ali Qadir, Srdjan Sremac, Joram Tarusaria, Martina Topić, and Tom Wagner.

This volume addresses our global crisis by turning to Augustine, a master at integrating disciplines, philosophies, and human experiences in times of upheaval. It covers themes of selfhood, church and state, education, liberalism, realism, and 20th-century thinkers. The contributors enhance our understanding of Augustine’s thought by heightening awareness of his relevance to diverse political, ethical, and sociological questions. Bringing together Augustine and Gallicanism, civil religion, and Martin Luther King, Jr., this volume expands the boundaries of Augustine scholarship through a consideration of subjects at the heart of contemporary political theory.

Nearly two decades ago Hank Hanegraaff’s award-winning Christianity in Crisis alerted the world to the dangers of a cultic movement within Christianity that threatened to undermine the very foundation of biblical faith. But in the 21st century, there are new dangers—new teachers who threaten to do more damage than the last. These are not obscure teachers that Hanegraaff unmasks. We know their names. We have seen their faces, sat in their churches, and heard them shamelessly preach and promote the false pretexts of a give-to-get gospel. They are virtual rock stars who command the attention of presidential candidates and media moguls. Through make-believe miracles, urban legends, counterfeit Christs, and twisted theological reasoning, they peddle an occult brand of metaphysics that continues to shipwreck the faith of millions around the globe: “God cannot do anything in this earthly realm unless we give Him permission.” “Keep saying it—‘I have equality with God’—talk yourself into it.” “Being poor is a sin.” “The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews!” “You create your own world the same way God creates His. He speaks, and things happen; you speak, and they happen.” Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century exposes darkness to light, pointing us back to a Christianity centered in Christ. From the Preface: “Having lost the ability to think biblically, postmodern Christians are being transformed from cultural change agents and initiators into cultural conformists and imitators. Pop culture beckons, and postmodern Christians have taken the bait. As a result, the biblical model of faith has given way to an increasingly bizarre array of fads and formulas.”

Global conflicts, civil unrest, fallen leaders, health crises, financial meltdowns--the world is ripe with strife. When we face unexpected personal crises or when society around us seems to be collapsing, we wonder: Why is this happening? Can God be trusted? Who can I trust to help me follow Jesus through this current crisis? When the Universe Cracks is a sweeping, multifaceted look at the role of crisis in the life of faith from an esteemed gathering of pastors, faith leaders, and experts. You'll find honest and realistic reflections to help you navigate a present trouble or anticipate changes. Inspired by a global pandemic, these writers examine the whole history of God's people and offer a fresh perspective for every time the universe cracks. Scholar and church leader Angie Ward facilitates this energizing and fascinating discussion. Thought leaders Jo Anne Lyon, Efrem Smith, Christine Jeske, D. A. Horton, Kyuboem Lee, Marshall Shelley, Matt Mikalatos, Sean Gladding, Catherine McNiel, and Lee Eclov each contributed a chapter. When the Universe Cracks is the first in a series of Kingdom Conversations, books that bring together experts and faith leaders to address the most urgent and perplexing challenges of our time in resonant and redemptive ways for each of us and all of us.

What was unfathomable in the first two decades of the twenty-first century has become a reality. Religious liberty, both in the United States and across the world, is in crisis. As we navigate the coming decades, We the People must know our rights more than ever, particularly as it relates to the freedom to exercise our religion. Armed with a proper understanding of this country’s rich tradition of religious liberty, we can protect faith through any crisis that comes our way. Without that understanding, though, we’ll watch as the creeping secular age erodes our freedom. In this book, Ken Starr explores the crises that threaten religious liberty in America. He also examines the ways well-meaning government action sometimes undermines the religious liberty of the people, and how the Supreme Court in the past has ultimately provided us protection from such forms of government overreach. He also explores the possibilities of future overreach by government officials. The reader will learn how each of us can resist the quarantining of our faith within the confines of the law, and why that resistance is important. Through gaining a deep understanding of the Constitutional importance of religious expression, Starr invites the reader to be a part of protecting those rights of religious freedom and taking a more active role in advancing the cause of liberty.

In the past two decades, Québec has been racked by a series of controversies in which the religiosity of migrants and minorities has been represented as a threat to the province’s once staunchly Catholic, and now resolutely secular, identity. In Moments of Crises, Ian Morrison locates these debates within a longer history of crises within – and transformations of – Québécois identity, from the Conquest of New France in 1760 to contemporary times. He argues that rather than seeking to overcome these crises by reconsolidating national identity, Québec should look on them as opportunities to forge alternative conceptions of community, identity, and belonging.

In Experiencing God in a time of Crisis, Sarah Bachelard explains that there are critical times in our lives in which our frameworks of sense seem to collapse and no longer enable us to convey meaning to overwhelming events. Bachelard suggests that the practice of meditation and contemplation may help us endure and integrate such experiences.

'The world will never be the same!' How many times have human beings uttered this cry after a tragic event? This book analyzes how such emotive reactions impact on the way religion is understood, exploring theological responses to human tragedy and cultural shock by focusing on reactions to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7, the two World Wars and the Holocaust, the 2004 South-East Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. It discusses themes such as the theodicy question, the function of religious discourse in the face of tragedy, and the relationship between religion and politics. The book explores the tension between religion's capacity to both cause and enhance the suffering and destruction surrounding historical tragedies, but also its potential to serve as a powerful resource for responding to such disasters. Analyzing this dialectic, it engages with the work of Slavoj Žižek, Karl Barth, Theodor Adorno, Emil Fackenheim and Rowan Williams, examining the role of belief, difficulties of overcoming the influence of ideology, and the significance of trust and humility.

What will people say about you when the crisis is over? Will they say that you lived out what you proclaimed all your life? Will they say that your actions matched your confession? Ultimately, what will God say about you? Not only that, but as a Christian, are you being a lighthouse for others during the storm? Dr. Abidan Shah and his wife, Nicole, have composed this book of 30 brief devotions to help you navigate your faith through whatever crisis you may be facing. Their prayer is that as you read this book, God will guide and strengthen you through His Word into the image of His Son by the Holy Spirit. "With both grit and grace, Abidan and Nicole Shah give meaning to our suffering through their deeply insightful, highly encouraging, and thoroughly biblical thoughts about living through a crisis. In every page, love and truth converge, offering hope, redemption, and a solid anchor in Jesus Christ. Readers of 30 Days Through a Crisis will feel like they've made new friends. Be kind and treat yourself to this wonderful book." -Dr. David Alan Black, Senior Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary "Abidan & Nicole Shah have done it once again...they manage to speak directly to your heart in a way that God may certainly use to change your life in less than a month! There are so many devotions out there... many are good, some even great...but this one is powerful...quick...thoughtful...caring...yet directly to the point for the difficult times we are now facing! Money and time well spent!!!!!" -Dr. Mark Cress, Founder, Corporate Chaplains of America "Abidan and Nicole offer simple yet profound insights about survival during tumultuous times. These Christ-centered insights will empower the reader to not only survive but thrive. Understanding that life is not always fair and that God is always good will help the reader navigate through the most difficult challenges. I find the book well written and well constructed. I highly recommend this book to all whether the crisis is a pandemic or any of the numerous trials one faces from the cradle to the grave. The book offers a simple road map from infancy to adulthood." -Dr. John Check, Methodist Minister, TV Show Host "With a passion for people and an understanding of the power of prayer, Dr. Abidan and Nicole Shah have written a must-have devotional book for all of us. Times of crisis can test our faith but the Shahs have provided the antidote to that hopeless feeling through 30 Days Through a Crisis. As they walk us through God's word in each of the 30 days they provide us, their readers, with two valuable resources. First are the action steps we can take every single day. This isn't a book that you just read and close after the day's reading, but rather a book that invites you to see God in your life and in the crisis. The second aspect that is so valuable is that they have included pages to journal. It doesn't matter what your crisis is, journaling through that season, is vital and allows you to see how God is at work, how prayers are being answered and how your faith is growing. Pick up this book and start reading it today. You will be amazed at what your life looks like 30 days from now. -Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo, Co-founders of ONE Extraordinary Marriage

Viewing the Civil War as a major turning point in American religious thought, Mark A. Noll examines writings about slavery and race from Americans both white and black, northern and southern, and includes commentary from Protestants and Catholics in Europe and Canada. Though the Christians on all sides agreed that the Bible was authoritative, their interpretations of slavery in Scripture led to a full-blown theological crisis.