Protestant ethics has often been associated with work and duty, excluding sensuality, sexuality and other pleasures. In an age of body worship as well as body loathing, Elisabeth Gerle explores new paths, embarking on a conversation with Martin Luther in dialogue with contemporary theologians on attitudes towards desire, ethics and politics. She draws on Eros theology to challenge traditional Lutheran stereotypes, such as the dichotomies between different forms of love, as well as between spirit and body. Gerle argues that Luther’s spiritual breakthrough, where grace and gifts of creation became central, provides new meaning to sex and desire as well as to work, body and ordinary life. Women are seen in a new light – as companions, autonomous ethical agents, part of the priesthood of all. This had revolutionary consequences in Europe at the time, and it represents a challenge to contemporary theologies with a nostalgic appetite for austerity, asceticism and female submission. Luther’s erotic and genderfluid language is a healthy challenge to oppressive political structures centred on greed, profit and competition. A revised Scandinavian creation theology and a deep sense of the incarnational mystery are resources for contemporary theology and ethics.

"Passionate Embrace: Faith, Flesh, Tango " is a story of desire, intimacy, and transformation, set in the sumptuous world of Argentine Tango. Sandra Vander Schaaf shares the provocative tale of an unexpected love affair with the world's most sensual dance, and an equally unexpected experience of spiritual renewal on the dance floor. This is a vivid, eloquent, honest glimpse of Christian faith and doubt and the exquisite relationship between body and soul. "Captivating, credible, totally without cliches." - Eugene Peterson, author of "The Message and Telling It Slant" "Vander Schaaf daringly compares learning to dance tango with learning to pray; each is a movement of faith. That this venture into physical intimacy was the means of grace that led her to greater spiritual intimacy with God is the refreshing surprise of this striking and moving account of renewal." - Luci Shaw, author of "Breath for the Bones" and "Adventure of Ascent" “Refreshingly different . . . A very honest and brave book . . . . . . intoxicating.” – Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun

Luther, passion, and sensualism? In an age of body worship as well as body loathing, Elisabeth Gerle explores new paths. Protestant ethics has often been associated with work and duty, excluding sensuality, sexuality, and other pleasures. Gerle embarks on a conversation with Martin Luther in dialogue with contemporary theologians on attitudes toward body, sensuality, desire, sexuality, life, and politics. She draws on Eros theology to challenge traditional Lutheran stereotypes, such as the dichotomies between different forms of love, as well as between spirit and body. Gerle argues that Luther's spiritual breakthrough, where grace and gifts of creation became central, provides new meaning to sex and desire as well as to work, body, and ordinary life. Women are seen in new light--as companions, autonomous ethical agents, part of the priesthood of all. This had revolutionary consequences in medieval Europe, and it represents a challenge to contemporary theologies with a nostalgic appetite for austerity, asceticism, and female submission. Luther's erotic and gender-fluid language is a healthy challenge to oppressive political structures centered on greed, profit, and competition. A revised Scandinavian creation theology and a deep sense of the incarnational mystery are resources for contemporary theology and ethics.

Joyce Meyer explains that a life without purpose is a life not worth living. We all need a reason to get up everyday. We all need to reach for something beyond ourselves. Over the centuries, millions of people have asked, "What am I here for? What is my purpose?" We are born; we live; and we die. We cannot do anything about being born or dying, but we can do a lot about how we live. Download the free Joyce Meyer author app.

Passion's Embrace by Cassie Edwards released on Jan 25, 1990 is available now for purchase.

“Passion. I feel it coming off of you in heated waves. Now lift your bow and play these notes using that damned passion to bring out what this piece needs.” After years of struggling, Lilith Crane finally lands a job as a cellist with a major orchestra. To say she is thrilled is an understatement. Everything is coming up roses, until the sexy new conductor, Bella Lombardi, takes a personal interest in her. Normally, she’d be excited by the attention, but every time they’re together, Lilith can’t tell if the conductor wants to help her professionally, or desires something more intimate. Bella Lombardi’s career is flying high now that she’s the musical director of a prominent orchestra. Better yet, there’s a new cellist she can’t take her eyes off. But after a failed romance and family drama, she has sworn off women forever. She can’t deny the heat building between her and Lilith, but the only way to move forward with her desires involves acknowledging a secret she’s kept hidden for years. Passion is the first book in the Playing For Her duet. It’s the story of an insanely talented genius who appears to have it all, but realizes she has nothing without the woman she loves by her side. If you love the works of Jea Hawkins, Hildred Billings, Harper Bliss, or Clare Lydon, this is an excellent choice for you.

One of the most popular current views on spirituality is that there are varied paths to God. In this new Ancient-Future series book, Bob Webber evaluates this common misunderstanding of spirituality as separated from God's story, extremely self-focused, and shaped by our surrounding culture. This challenging work offers a corrective, calling us to an alternative Christian spirituality, one that reveals two sides-that of God's "divine embrace" of us and our passionate response. The Divine Embrace is a fresh, grounded look at true spirituality that will be embraced by pastors, thinking Christians, and anyone looking for an engaging and thorough treatment of this topic.

In an exciting and important book... The theoretical chapters are a model of elegantly styled accommodation; yet they brook no fudging of the issues, no comfortable ambiguities - Modern Fiction Studies The Transformation of the English Novel, 1890-1930: Studies in Hardy, Conrad, Joyce, Lawrence, Forster and Woolf is a provocative exploration of a crucial period in the development of the English novel, integrating critical theory, historical background and sophisticated close reading. Divided into two major sections, the first shows how historical and contextual material is essential for developing powerful readings. The second section is theoretical and speaks of the transformation in the way that we read and think about authors, readers, characters and form in the light of recent theory, offering an alternative to the deconstructive and Marxist trends in literary studies.

Focusing on the work of Hardy, Lawrence, Conrad, Joyce, Forster and Woolf, this study is divided into two sections: the first shows how historical and contextual material is essential for developing powerful readings; the second discusses how new theory has transformed the way we read and think.

"The Magic in My Beating Heart" is my ode to the ineffable, an attempt to capture the elusive beauty of love in all its complexities, presented as a collection of short stories in poetic form. It's an invitation to dance with the words, immerse yourself in the ebb and flow of emotions, and discover the magic within your own beating heart. May these poetic tales of love, these short stories in verse, ignite introspection, rekindle memories, and inspire a renewed appreciation for the transformative power of love in all its poetic glory. I hope you enjoy reading these poems.