Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time

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The real message

Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time

O'Murchu Continues His Vision

Catching Up with O'Murchu

Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Manufacturer: Crossroad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Faith | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Quantum Theology, Revised Edition: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics

Consecrated Religious Life: The Changing Paradigms

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ASIN: 0824522982

Book Description

O'Murchu shows us Jesus in a Wholly new and creative way.

Customer Reviews:

The real message.......2007-01-09

This book lays the challenge at your feet - the real message of Jesus is how to live fully a human life while focusing on the divine within you and every human being. Father O'Murchu's point is looking at God's incarnation from the beginning of man's existance and seeing Jesus' role as the fulfillment of this. I found that the challenge is the same reiterated by G.K. Chesterton - Christianity should not be condemned, it's never been tried. And the book's central theme - Jesus came to show us a radically new way of living our human life in the Spirit of God.

Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time.......2006-03-25

An eyeopener as to how we need to have Loving Kindness fill our lives.

O'Murchu Continues His Vision.......2005-09-27

Billed as a sequel to "Quantum Theology," this book is as refreshing as O'Murchu's other work. His argument for updating our understanding of the message of Jesus - catching up with Jesus - is necessary in our 21st century world. The message O'Murchu conveys is one which is in tune with other contemporary thought - living on a shrinking planet with diminishing resources.
The second half of the book, written as monologue/dialogue is a little tedious and sanctimonious but can be forgiven knowing what O'Murchu is trying to convey.

Catching Up with O'Murchu.......2005-06-13

In liberating the Jesus story for our times, O'Murchu follows a model used by the feminist theologian, Anne Clifford -namely
intelligently critique the conventional story, try to recover the elements of the original story and reconstruct as best as possible a timeless story. O'Murchu does a fairly good job at the critiquing; the recovery section of the book focuses on important, if selected and a somewhat limited view of Jesus' identities. The reconstruction represents an exhausting attempt to practically rewrite the gospels. Because of the size of the task, O'Murchu jumps to some conclusions that seem more fictional with little scholarship to back them up. O'Murchu also tends to repeat some good insights/themes over and over again. At the same time,in love with evolution, he practically skips over trying to explain suffering, the imperfections of this cosmos and other deep mysteries. Many of his challenging insights were left a bit open-ended for me to the point that I wished I lived around the corner from him to be able to ask things like what kind of afterlife does he believe in? He also seems to vacillate as to whether we should move beyond the institutional churches or whether we should re-work them into being prime movers of the Kingom and centers for ritual/liturgies that help stir us in that direction. All in all there's a lot of mind-stretching new ideas about Jesus that do resonate in a new world order that understands how quantum science frees us from a mechanistic world
and leads us to a world of unlimited possibilites as could really pursuing the Kingdom

Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship

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brief history of quantum physics and theology
A champion of the Word

Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship
John Polkinghorne
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Exploring Reality: The Intertwining of Science and Religion
The Physics of Christianity
God's Universe
Quarks, Chaos & Christianity, Revised and Updated: Questions to Science and Religion
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

ASIN: 0300121156

Book Description

Despite the differences of their subject matter, science and theology have a cousinly relationship, John Polkinghorne contends in his latest thought-provoking book. From his unique perspective as both theoretical physicist and Anglican priest, Polkinghorne considers aspects of quantum physics and theology and demonstrates that the two truth-seeking enterprises are engaged in analogous rational techniques of inquiry. His exploration of the deep connections between science and theology shows with new clarity a common kinship in the search for truth.

The author identifies and explores key similarities in quantum physics and Christology. Among the many parallels he identifies are patterns of historical development in quantum physics and in Christology; wrestling with perplexities such as quantum interpretation and the problem of evil; and the drive for an overarching view in the Grand Unified Theories of physics and in Trinitarian theology. Both theology and science are propelled by a desire to understand the world through experienced reality, and Polkinghorne explains that their viewpoints are by no means mutually exclusive.

Customer Reviews:

brief history of quantum physics and theology.......2007-06-19

In this slim well written volume Polkinghorne gives us a succinct comparison of the rational processes of inquiry required in both quantum physics and Chistian theology. As he says in his preface if you're looking for a book on quantum physics he has written a different work treating that subject specifically. He has also written elsewhere about his Christian faith and theology. This book's real value lies in its encouragement towards further reading.

Polkinghorne reaffirms his commitment to "critical realism" largely derived from Michael Polanyi. He then takes us on a fascinating journey of the intellectual history of quantum physics and theology. He draws a series of parallels in the two disciplines. Starting with a discussion of how science uses experience and understanding in the process of discovery he explains how the relationship between theory and experiment played a part in Einstein's development of the theory of relativity. That is paralleled by a discussion of how Christology is shaped by the historical record of Christ found in the Gospels. That supports his adoption of "bottom up" theology. This format is followed throughout the book - first discussing an aspect of the history of science and quantum physics followed with a history of some aspect of theology. Overall, this makes for some fascinating reading, if at times a little confusing as to exactly how these different histories are paralleled.

Some of the scientific subjects covered are: the development of relativity, quarks, atomic structure, waves and particles, quantum indeterminacy and quantum field theory. The theological subjects include Christology, the historical Jesus, the incarnation, the doctrine of two natures, doctrine of the Trinity, miracles and eschatology. Polkinghorne finishes up with a discussion of some human aspects of intellectual inquiry such as the role of genius, insight, imagination, thought experiments and how the choice of words influences conceptual formulation.

Polkinghorne's aim is to get scientists to appreciate the rational inquiry demanded of theological reflection and perhaps to do some reading in theology. Likewise, he encourages theologians to appreciate the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry and to study science to see what that might add to their own theological formulations. I think this book succeeds in stimulating the reader in those directions.

A champion of the Word.......2007-05-10

John Polkinghorne is one of the most complete theologians in the Anglican Communion - if not in the whole Christian Church. Using the Church's long established three way approach to understanding scripture, he reads his bible, considers,seriously, the history of its interpretation and thinks profoundly about what it all can mean. All though the essay uses complex issues im both physics and theology it provided me a major helping of food for thought. It is one of those texts that can be read again and again.

Mind and Emergence: From Quantum to Consciousness

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Written for Philosophy Professors

Mind and Emergence: From Quantum to Consciousness
Philip Clayton
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Re-Emergence of Emergence: The Emergentist Hypothesis from Science to Religion
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ASIN: 0199291438

Book Description

Strong claims have been made for emergence as a new paradigm for understanding science, consciousness, and religion. Tracing the past history and current definitions of the concept, Clayton assesses the case for emergent phenomena in the natural world and their significance for philosophy and theology. Complex emergent phenomena require irreducible levels of explanation in physics, chemistry and biology. This pattern of emergence suggests a new approach to the problem of consciousness, which is neither reducible to brain states nor proof of a mental substance or soul. Although emergence does not entail classical theism, it is compatible with a variety of religious positions. Clayton concludes with a defence of emergentist panentheism and a Christian constructive theology consistent with the new sciences of emergence.

Customer Reviews:

Written for Philosophy Professors.......2007-01-18

This book is fine if you are a philosopher and interested in the concept of emergence. But if you are looking for a readable book, this is not for you. Phillip Clayton can write in an understandable way, but in this book he uses a very hard to understand style.

The book indicates that the concept of emergence is not well defined and the reader is likely to feel as confused after reading it as they did before. I would only recommend this book for an academic with a background in philosophy who is pursuing emergence as a concept. For the rest of us, it can be used as a sleep aid.

Quantum Theology, Revised Edition: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics

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tough read worth the wading
Vacuous Speculations
Update Review
A New Approach Toward Spirituality
Erroneous review

Quantum Theology, Revised Edition: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Manufacturer: Crossroad General Interest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time
Evolutionary Faith: Rediscovering God in Our Great Story
Reclaiming Spirituality
Religion in Exile: A Spiritual Homecoming
Consecrated Religious Life: The Changing Paradigms

ASIN: 082452263X

Book Description

From black holes to holograms, from relativity theory to the discovery of quarks, this book is anoriginal and rich exposition of quantum theory and the way it unravels profound theological questions.

Customer Reviews:

tough read worth the wading.......2007-10-09

admittedly a tough read, and i can see why the empircally linearly minded have great difficulty with it. It is after all theology which tends to be difficult to get through when scholarly. What O'Murchu offers is another lens to look at the world and the cosmos that every bit as valid as those more rigid sources. What i dont like about it is that for theology, it lacks foundation . . .is a bit wishy washy. But i gave it five stars because of its audacity and unique approach. We are living in a transitional time of paradigm shifting . . . many disciplines attest to that . . . we need the fresh insights that can be gleaned from those scholars who think and write outside the box. Thank you O'Murchu.

Vacuous Speculations.......2007-09-07

Quantum Theology is a book that claims to be consistent with Christianity but is clearly at odds with it. The subtitle is "Spiritual Implications of the New Physics," but this is just marketing drivel. The author obviously knows nothing about physics, except for the fact that quantum theory introduces an element of uncertainty into physics. He uses this idea to cast doubt on centuries of Christian tradition, and replace it with his own vacuous speculations. There are some ideas in the book that are worthwhile, but these are carried to ridiculous extremes. For example:
1. "Seek meaning in the journey rather than the destination." That's fine, but then the book goes on to say that the journey does not even have a destination. Enjoying the journey is fine, but just the same I would prefer to have a destination in mind.
2. "God supercedes traditional theology." Of course God is bigger than theology, but then the book goes on to denigrate 2000 years of Christian tradition and hold itself up as the new paradigm.
Some of the claims in the book that are at odds with the Bible are:
1. The notion of "God" is a human construct "that may limit rather than enhance our understanding of life's ultimate source and meaning."
2. "The dilemma of pantheism is resolved."
3. The idea of "original sin" is a human construct.
4. Quantum theology seeks to outgrow the quaint dualism of good vs. evil.
5. The major sin of our time is speciesism. (I don't know about you, but I can think of plenty of sin in this world that is worse than speciesism!)
6. "We live in a world without beginning or end." (This contradicts both the Bible and physics.)
7. It is only systems, rather than individuals, that can be guilty of sin. (So much for individual responsibility.)
8. "Resurrection and reincarnation are not facts." (I agree with half of that statement, but Christianity without resurrection is like a building without a foundation.)
Having criticized the book, I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There's plenty of dirty bathwater in this book, but some ideas of value include:
1. "No one source of knowledge ... can provide a complete description of reality." This emphasizes the Biblical concept of general revelation, which is ignored by too many evangelicals.
2. "Redemption is not just about personal salvation; it also concerns ... planetary and universal life." This idea, which is typically missed by evangelicals, is clearly consistent with the Bible.
In summary, this book provides some food for thought, but it contains far more junk food than nutrition.

Update Review.......2006-11-10

This is one of the most important books for Catholics and Christians to read. O'Murchu is a brilliant and wise writer, and his update with the most current information coming to us today about the Divine Mystery and how we can experience it in our own lives. He brings faith and much more,
spirituality, into today's world.
This is a must read.
Barbara Mayer

A New Approach Toward Spirituality.......2006-02-22

I recommend this book to all men and women, young or old, who are searching for an understanding of the sacred and their own spirituality. It was an eye-opener to meet people whose spiritual life is at a crossroads. They find no comfort or consolation in their current church and are searching to find a way to deepen their spiritual life. This is a book for them.

It is an opportunity to discover new perspectives on the sense of the sacred through a better appreciation of the cosmos, the universe.

Erroneous review.......2005-08-08

"Oddly enough O'Murchu ignores Alcoholics Anonymous which has had the greatest success by far in getting people to abstain from drink mainly by entering into a spiritual life much like the one he seems to be advocating." [...] erroneously states this. On Page 195 of the 1998 printed version, it clearly states ... "Practically every approach to the treatment of additions invokes, in one form or another, the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). Central to this vision is an acknowledgment that we, individually, are no longer in contgrol, and that wae are not ultimately responsible fr what we are or do. We learn, often slowly and painfully, to accept a 'power' higher than ourselves, within whose love and energy we are not absorbed or consumed, but rediscover anew our true selves, as people born with the capacity to love and to be loved. It is in this rediscovery of love that we recapture something of our true nature. We come home to ourselves."

Quantum Cosmology and the Laws of Nature: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action (Series on Divine Action in Scientific Perspective, V. 1)

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getting religion and cosmology together
Disappointing

Quantum Cosmology and the Laws of Nature: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action (Series on Divine Action in Scientific Perspective, V. 1)

Manufacturer: University of Notre Dame Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0268039763

Customer Reviews:

getting religion and cosmology together.......2000-08-14

Finding intersections between religion and science is tricky business, given that they haven't been on serious speaking terms for a couple of hundred years. I thought this book, in the area of cosmology, did an excellent job of making connections between quantum cosmology and orthodox christianity. While it does not propose pat answers, and refuses to sign up to anyone's dogma, it offers some fascinating ideas. Who would have thought, for example, that the no-boundaries condition that Hawking proposed for his explanation of the early universe, far from denying the existence of God (as Hawking and Sagan say) actually provide an interesting model for the operation of the timeless Trinity in a temporal world? The religion here is perfectly orthodox, though it does not kowtow to fundamentalism, and is perhaps a little too reverent to process theology ideas. There are some excellent and (as far as I can tell) accurate summaries of some very tough and interesting scientific ideas. Excellent reading if your mind isn't already made up on science/religion issues. And if you are willing to work at it some.

Disappointing.......1998-01-21

This book deals with Quantum cosmology, time (most contributors think that god is not eternal), the laws of nature, the problem of mind (they have a reductionist and evolutionary view) and the anthropic principle. The overall view of the book is neotheist. The authors are scientist or theologians.
It is incredible that there is no contribution and no consideration of the many works of the philosopher William Craig, who is the authority in the matter. Many of his articles can be found at leaderu.com, and his book is more serious than this one (the debate with Smith: "Theism, Atheism and Big Bang Cosmology"). Concerning the mind, Moreland's "Immortality" or Swinburne's "The Evolution of the Soul" are better works.

Beyond the Big Bang: Quantum Cosmologies and God

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A Wonderful Book! Please read it

Beyond the Big Bang: Quantum Cosmologies and God
Willem B. Drees
Manufacturer: Open Court Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812691180

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A Wonderful Book! Please read it.......1999-04-08

This is a wonderful book! Everyone must read it urgently. We Know that the Portuguese Language Translation of this work is quite already in Portugal under the Title: Para Além do Big Bang

Quantum Mechanics: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action (Series on "Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action", 5th V)

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Quantum Mechanics: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action (Series on "Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action", 5th V)

Manufacturer: University of Notre Dame Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Science & Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship

ASIN: 026803978X

Quantum Ministry: How Pastors Can Make the Leap

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Great Book for a Pastoral Reminder

Quantum Ministry: How Pastors Can Make the Leap
D. Randy Berkner
Manufacturer: Beacon Hill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0834123029

Book Description

Ministry is a uniquely demanding vocation. Of those who begin pastoral ministry in their 20s, less than half continue to retirement. Other studies have found that 75% of pastors say their self-esteem is lower now than when they first entered the ministry. This diminishing romance for pastoring is often linked to the haunting feeling that their efforts are not making much difference in people’s lives. Their insecurity ends up rationalizing underachievement, and many eventually give up or burn out. In Quantum Ministry , Pastor Randy Berkner adopts the belief that good is the enemy of great. He exposes the faulty assumption that average is acceptable and examines the various factors that contribute to underachievement and discontentment among pastors. Pooling from his own experiences and those of other pastors, Berkner addresses unrealistic role expectations, stressful credentialing requirements, low salaries, disorganization, the lack of a clearly defined purpose, and so on. He shows pastors the way to overcome these inhibitors and escape the destructive pull of the whirlpool of mediocrity. He inspires them to embrace a Christ-centered ministry model characterized by obedience, servanthood, excellence, and accountability, and outlines specific steps they can take to maximize their ministries. Berkner explains that the pastors who make the leap to quantum ministry are spiritually aligned, physically energized, emotionally connected, and mentally focused. For pastors and church leaders struggling with mediocrity or the comfort of just being ’good,’ Quantum Ministry offers a way to restore their measure of greatness and make the leap to a more rewarding, engaging, and fruitful ministry in the service of Christ.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book for a Pastoral Reminder.......2007-05-15

Dr. Berkner's book was an easy read and a book full of a wide range of ideas which were easy to apply to a variety of situations in any Pastor's career. While reading the book, I found myself asking over and over, is this "correction" or "advice" true to where I am now in ministry? The shot gun writing of a wide range of ideas and helps comes from a pastor's heart for the many shapes and sizes of the pastors he cares for and mentors. I think this book would be helpful to a new pastor because of some often repeated advice that bears repeating the whole of someone's career. The book takes the ideas and makes them applicable because of the author's call to do some goal setting, self-reflection (and the appendixes). Because of the good advice, the exhorting, and the pastoral mentoring, any new pastor or someone returning to the pastorate would ask, "Where am I now in the ministry?" "Where am I going?" "And how do I get there?" This book will help in maximizing the pastor's calling.

Guide to the Perplexing: A Survival Manual for Women in Religious Studies (The American Academy of Religion Individual Volumes, No 2)

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Guide to the Perplexing: A Survival Manual for Women in Religious Studies (The American Academy of Religion Individual Volumes, No 2)
Members of the Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession of the American Academy of Religion
Manufacturer: An American Academy of Religion Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The rise in the numbers of women in the field of religion does not mean that it is always easy for women starting out nor that women no longer face isolation. This manual offers practical help in negotiating the mine-field of an academic career. The authors want to enable women to be pro-active, to have the knowledge that will help them avoid common pitfalls, and to meet other adversities without the feelings of personal failure or self-blame that so often stem from isolation. While written explicitly for women, the manual should also be helpful to men starting out their careers and to departments hiring women.

David Bohm's World: New Physics and New Religion

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David Bohm's World: New Physics and New Religion
Kevin J. Sharpe
Manufacturer: Bucknell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 083875239X

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