Christian Life

Each of them found themselves removed from their homes and loved ones, locked up in prison and having to deal with the fallout of their actions. However, in the middle of their lowest point they discovered something life-changing. God hadn’t forgotten about them. Doing Time offers encouragement and advice on how to survive and even make the most of life inside prison. Offering the sort of practical and spiritual wisdom that only comes from personal experience, it shows that it is never too late for God to help us find a new way forward in our lives.

Our home, our duties and routines, our relationships, and the way we use our time, are the monasteries of our lives. It is through these practices that we build our relationship with God, that we find opportunities for contemplation, and deserts for reflection. In this beautiful little book Ronald Rolheiser turns on its head the idea that religious life is the preserve of monks and nuns. Our cloisters are the walls of our home and our work, the streets we walk, and the people with whom we share our lives. The domestic is the monastic. Chapters include: Monasticism and Family Life; The Domestic Monastery; Real Friendship; Lessons from the Monastic Cell; Ritual for Sustaining Prayer; Tensions within Spirituality; A Spirituality of Parenting; Spirituality and the Seasons of Our Lives; The Sacredness of Time; Life's Key Question.

According to the American Medical Association, one quarter of American women will be abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Loving support can make a tremendous difference to survivors as they struggle with the difficult process of healing and regaining trust in themselves and others. Often, however, pastoral caregivers possess the same misconceptions about domestic violence as does the uninformed public. Al Miles addresses the issues related to inadequate pastoral response to this pervasive problem. He explores the dynamics of abusive relationships and the role that clergy members can take to heal this painful situation. The new edition of Domestic Violence builds upon the insights, policies, and programs of the original volume and includes new information on the pathology of domestic violence and the effect the economic downturn is having on victim-survivors and batterers. Miles also focuses on helping clergy and other pastoral ministers develop a more compassionate response to victim-survivors who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. This thoroughly updated edition includes questions for discussion, a list of additional resources, and contact information for state coalitions working to end domestic violence.

Easeful Death sets out in straightforward terms the main arguments both for and against the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The legal choices confronting those caring for the terminally ill, and indeed those patients themselves who may be facing intolerable suffering towards the end of their lives, have been the cause of fierce public debate in recent years. The book takes as its starting point attempts in Britain and other countries to bring compassion into the rules governing the end of a patient's life. Drawing on experience in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the US state of Oregon, where either assisted dying or euthanasia have been legalized, the authors explore the philosophical and ethical views on both sides of the debate, and examine how different legislative proposals would affect different members of society, from the very young to the very old. They describe the practical, medical processes of palliative care, self-denial of food and water, and assisted dying and euthanasia, and ultimately conclude that the public is ready to embrace a more compassionate approach to assisted dying. This sensitive and authoritative short volume is informed throughout by a strong sense that, whatever the results of the legislative argument, compassion for one another must be both the guide and the restraint upon the way we treat people who are dying or who want to die.

Combining personal experiences with helpful information, Cavan Wood provides a framework to better understand and support families living with autism. Autism affects not only the autistic person, but also everyone with whom they come into contact. Families can face a long and often bewildering journey from the moment they notice the first possible signs of autism. As the father of an autistic child himself, Cavan Wood combines real-life stories with clear information to help parents better understand autism and support their child through diagnosis and the social contexts they will encounter through life. Entertaining Angels alsoshows how schools, workplaces and churches can become friendlier places for autistic people. Recognising that all people are made in the image of God, Cavan Wood offers practical tips on creating inclusive and transformative communities where all are valued and welcomed. Content Benefits: Cavan Wood distils autism information in an accessible way that will help support families facing a diagnosis, and encourages the wider community to be more welcoming to those on the autism spectrum. Provides helpful information to better understand autism Helps parents recognise signs on the autism spectrum Helpful tips on navigating home life, school and the workplace Includes personal stories of real-life experiences Questions for reflection are included Frames autism within a Christian context Shares a practical vision for creating autism-friendly churches Suitable for parents wanting information and help on autism Helpful for friends and families who want to support a loved one with autism Useful for school leaders, employers and church leaders who want to be more accommodating to the needs of autistic people Content advice provided by an autism charity