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* * * Winner of a 2006 Christianity Today Award of Merit! * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *
This book is a gesture of welcoming friendship for people who are new or newly returned to the Christian faith—those who are searching, lurking, longing, or learning. But those who have been in the faith for years are also finding it a fresh, challenging, and comforting review of the basics, placed in the context of a new century.
So Much More starts from the beginning, assuming little to no knowledge about the faith, yet appeals to the demanding reader—those who want things explained plainly but also deeply and beautifully.Rather than offering rational defenses of Christian doctrine, So Much More responds to concerns particularly urgent in our postmodern times: our longing for transcendence, our desire for integrity in all parts of our lives, our need to find a way of thinking and living that makes sense in a bewildering marketplace of ideas and lifestyles.
So Much More is ideal as
• a way to “go deeper” after a simple introduction to the faith
• a gift for friends who are curious about Christianity
• a text for new-member classes
• a refresher for more seasoned believers
• a focus for small-group study (click on “Study Guide” for more ideas).
“So Much More is a radiant manifesto
for the fully realized Christian life.”— Carol Zaleski, author of The Book of Heaven: An Anthology of Writings from Ancient to Modern Times
Readers have been saying...
“I gave So Much More to a friend who is a Christian, but who is so tired. She cares for her husband, who is very ill and difficult to deal with. My friend reads a little of the book every day and finds it so comforting. It’s a lifesaver for her.”
“I gave So Much More to my brother-in-law who is a spiritual guru in his own right but has become very vague about his theology. He loved it!”
“You have been able to show readers that some mysteries are bigger than you are—than any of us are—and that’s OK. It’s still possible to be a thoughtful, convicted believer even when every last little question isn’t perfectly answered.”
“I’m giving this book to my hairdresser. She is so curious about Christianity, and she’s a smart lady. I don’t want to give her something shallow.”
“I have read it four times. Every time I find something new and insightful in it.”
“This book isn’t Christianity for Dummies. It’s Christianity for Smarties!”
“We are using So Much More in our Bible study group. We are so enjoying a book that has some depth to it. So many Bible study books are kind of shallow and simplistic.”
“I’d like to use this book with my church’s college students. We are always wondering what kind of program or activity would be meaningful for them when they come home from college in the summer.”
“I’m using this book with my seminary students to talk about spiritual formation.”
“I’m using this book with my undergraduates at a Christian college as part of their first-year humanities course.”
“I think older people are liking the book because they become weary and have doubts, too. They need fresh expressions of their faith as much as anyone else.”
“You write so much as a daughter—a daughter of the church and of your parents and community. This is why older people appreciate your perspective on the faith. You see the big picture, generationally speaking.”
[These are accurate summaries of things readers from all over the country have personally communicated to the author.]
Summary
The first section of the book presents basic Christian beliefs—the incarnation and the Trinity, sin, redemption, meaning in suffering—demonstrating how these truths can reshape our imaginations so that all the parts of our lives, blessed and terrible and everything in between, make sense together in light of some big answers to the big questions of our existence.
The second section of the book describes basic Christian practices—prayer, Bible reading, worship, community, and service—inviting readers to ground their own spiritual practices in tradition while adapting the hard-won wisdom of the past for modern times.
So Much More does not attempt to make Christianity simple or merely practical, but rather to expose for newcomers its richness and depth. Ecumenical and generous, its inviting tone and poetic prose create a compelling picture of how Christian belief, practice, passion, and imagination can open ordinary lives to God’s transforming love.
