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Living with Hope: A Scientist Looks at Advent, Christmas and Epiphany »

Book cover image of Living with Hope: A Scientist Looks at Advent, Christmas and Epiphany by John Polkinghome

Authors: John Polkinghome
ISBN-13: 9780664227494, ISBN-10: 066422749X
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Date Published: September 2003
Edition: (Non-applicable)

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Author Biography: John Polkinghome

Book Synopsis

Advent is a time for deepening encounter with reality, including the ultimate reality made manifest in human form at Christmas and Epiphany. This thought-provoking book illuminates biblical thinking with striking new insights from the author's twin disciplines of theology and science at the cutting edge of physics. Through daily readings for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Polkinghorne explores such themes as the end of the world, individual destiny, unseen realities, heaven, hell, and suffering; this is not a book that hides behind platitudes or easy solutions, yet the author offers profound insight into his deep reflections on the nature, meaning, and purpose of creation. Suitable for individual study, as a guide to prayer during Advent and beyond, or as the basis of small group discussion, Living with Hope offers a unique and inspiring pathway into the coming of Christ in history, in our lives, and in what we shall be.

Table of Contents

Prefacevii
Introduction1
Advent recovered1
Advent preparation2
Advent hope3
The Four Last Things5
Christmas6
Advent 17
The end of the world7
Monday: Death10
Tuesday: The Fall--Mortality12
Wednesday: The Pit--Little deaths15
Thursday: Denial of death--The rich fool17
Friday: Individual destiny19
Saturday: Sorrow21
Advent 224
Unseen realities24
Monday: Judgement26
Tuesday: The distortive effects of sin29
Wednesday: Divine wrath31
Thursday: The coming of the hidden Christ33
Friday: Purgation, not destruction35
Saturday: Do not judge37
Advent 339
John the Baptist39
Monday: Heaven41
Tuesday: Continuity--The soul44
Wednesday: Discontinuity--The new creation46
Thursday: A sacramental world48
Friday: The worship of Heaven50
Saturday: All creation52
Advent 455
The Blessed Virgin Mary55
Monday: Hell57
Tuesday: Grey, not red59
Wednesday: Holiness61
Thursday: The sin against the Holy Spirit63
Friday: Cynicism64
Christmas67
Christmas Eve: Mary or Augustus?67
Christmas Day: The Word made flesh69
St Stephen: Following Christ71
St John the Evangelist: Simple words--profound truth73
Holy Innocents: The bitterness of suffering75
29 December: Divine vulnerability76
30 December: Faithful Joseph78
31 December: The pilgrim path80
Epiphany82
Naming of Jesus: Saviour82
2 January: Prophet84
3 January: Priest86
4 January: King88
5 January: Jesus is Lord90
Epiphany: Gentiles and intellectuals92
Baptism of Christ: All assumed94
Postscript96
Does the universe make sense?96
Questions97

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