Saving Faith

Amazon.com

The villain is a classic spy caricature: cold-war CIA super-patriot Robert Thornhill wants to reclaim the glory days of the Central Intelligence Agency--when money flowed like the Mississippi during a flood, and the FBI watched helplessly from the sidelines. Working from his secret underground bunker, he blackmails Danny Buchanan, one of the great Washington lobbyists, to front an enormous bribery scheme that will force Congress to bend to the CIA's whims. But Thornhill's plan springs a leak: Buchanan's assistant Faith Lockhart discovers her boss's dirty dealings, and she intends to expose the whole mess to Thornhill's nemesis, the FBI. Thornhill's associates attempt to assassinate Faith, but their bullet kills her FBI escort instead. Faith finds herself on the run with Lee Adams, a fit-and-trim PI who had been shadowing her at the behest of Buchanan.

If all this sounds a bit confusing, it is at times. Baldacci works hard to keep the tension steadily rising, but it is sometimes difficult to remember why Faith and Lee can't just stop running and go for help. Nevertheless, they are very likable heroes, and Baldacci's depiction of the world of lobbyists and the internecine warfare of the FBI and CIA (complete with state-of-the-art spy gadgets and transmission-proof chambers) elevates the novel with details that can come only from careful research. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

It sounds like a movie pitch: "The story is like Tom Clancy crossed with John Grisham set in the Washington D.C. political world." But David Baldacci's Saving Faith successfully fuses elements from both of these chart-busters in this political thriller spiced with techno-wizardry.The villain is a classic spy caricature: cold-war CIA super-patriot Robert Thornhill wants to reclaim the glory days of the Central Intelligence Agency--when money flowed like the Mississippi during a flood, and the FBI watched helplessly from the sidelines. Working from his secret underground bunker, he blackmails Danny Buchanan, one of the great Washington lobbyists, to front an enormous bribery scheme that will force Congress to bend to the CIA's whims. But Thornhill's plan springs a leak: Buchanan's assistant Faith Lockhart discovers her boss's dirty dealings, and she intends to expose the whole mess to Thornhill's nemesis, the FBI. Thornhill's associates attempt to assassinate Faith, but their bullet kills her FBI escort instead. Faith finds herself on the run with Lee Adams, a fit-and-trim PI who had been shadowing her at the behest of Buchanan. If all this sounds a bit confusing, it is at times. Baldacci works hard to keep the tension steadily rising, but it is sometimes difficult to remember why Faith and Lee can't just stop running and go for help. Nevertheless, they are very likable heroes, and Baldacci's depiction of the world of lobbyists and the internecine warfare of the FBI and CIA (complete with state-of-the-art spy gadgets and transmission-proof chambers) elevates the novel with details that can come only from careful research. --Patrick O'Kelley

Download Description

Danny Buchanan and Faith Lockhart are the greatest influence peddlers in Washington because they can guarantee results. But Buchanan's bribery scheme is uncovered by Robert Thornhill, a zealous CIA chief, and he is forced to spy on his clients and network of politicians to further Thornhill's grand plan. Separately, Lockhart goes to the FBI to tell all, and thus becomes a target of Thornhill's. As the FBI is unknowingly pitted against the CIA mastermind, and Buchanan and Lockhart think each is destroying the other, it's left to private investigator Lee Brennan to "save Faith."

Customer Reviews:

Not his best.......2007-08-14

I'm still confused on how Faith and Danny did what they did. Not much character developement and suspending disbelief seems to be a major prerequisite for this book (and the narrator was horrible). But there are a few surprises and not much else. Overall, not a very memorable story.

Hooked me for hours!!!.......2007-07-25

This book started off kinda slow, but then kept getting more and more convoluted and exciting. I couldn't lay it down for the last hundred pages. A man's book, to be sure, but also extremely interesting to anyone who has served with one of the intelligence services.

Baldacci takes readers on a heck of a ride.......2007-07-16

Saving Faith opens during a meeting of a top-secret cartel headed by Robert Thornhill, Deputy Director of the Central IntelIigence Agency. Pursuing his own agenda, Thornhill pushes the group into arranging the assassination of Faith Lockhart, a Washington lobbyist who, for reasons revealed later in the novel, threatens his plans. The group reluctantly agrees to implement Thornhill's plan, even though it means that a FBI bodyguard must also die.

Scheduled to take place at a FBI safehouse, the hit goes wrong due to the timely intervention of private detective Adam Lee, hired to shadow Faith by persons unknown. Although the FBI agent is killed, Lee escapes with Faith, beginning a long, dangerous odyssey that begins in Maryland, moves to North Carolina, and ends in a Senate Conference Room in Washington. Adam and Faith become fugitives, forced to flee from the police, the FBI, and the CIA.

Okay, by now you probably have several questions, among them: Who is Robert Thornhill and why does he want Faith Lockhart dead? Who are the members of the secret cartel, and what are their goals? What secrets does a lobbyist possess that could threaten the CIA? Why is her death important enough to sacrifice the life of an FBI agent? Why was Adam Lee at the cabin that fateful night?

Well, I've concluded that I'd be doing Baldacci and his readers a grave disservice by revealing the intricacies of his convoluted plot, so you'll get no answers from this reviewer. I will say, however, that the plot of Saving Faith ultimately does hang together, making for a gripping read. Like Alfred Hitchcock, Baldacci loves coincidence. Like the famous director, he also gives his audience a hell of a ride, building to a surprising, satisfying conclusion (I suspect the Hitchcockian touches were deliberate, as many of the book's elements parallel the classic North by Northwest; witness the name Robert Thornhill, suspiciously close to that of Roger Thornhill, the unwilling hero of that movie thriller). Baldacci remains in top form, showing that the success of previous books (Absolute Power, Total Control, The Simple Truth, and The Winner) was no fluke.

Saving Faith.......2007-03-23

A very good book. This is the second book by David Baldacci that I have read. I look forward to reading the rest of his novels.

Yeah...not one of his best....for a Democrat writer.......2007-03-23

Most liberal writers are pretty good at what they do..but this is not one of the best ones of Baldacci's. Skip it...go on to the next one...look for four stars or more. He has a lot of good books, this isn't his best.

Full Faith and Credit:: The Great S&L Debacle and Other Washington Sagas

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If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me
Total garbage

Full Faith and Credit:: The Great S&L Debacle and Other Washington Sagas
William Seidman
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Public Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812921348
Release Date: 1993-05-25

Book Description

A colorful and insightful memoir on the creation and nurturing of the S& L debacle.

Customer Reviews:

If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me.......2003-02-06

Seidman uses the above quote in the chapter where he apportions blame for the S&L fiasco. This book contains a lot of entertaining passages, and considering it is a book about finance written by an accountant, that in itself makes the book unusual.

I found the book to be well written, and very up-front about the authors biases. It was refreshing that the hidden agenda was right out in the open for everyone to inspect, just the way the author maintains that good government should operate. As Seidman states in his introduction:

"Why write about these experiences?" Of course, I share the goals of most memoirists: to immortalize my contribution to society; even scores with my enemies; provide financial security for my old age, confirm the taxpayers worst suspicions about their government; and generally leave a record of my adventures for the benefit of future historians".

Total garbage.......2002-06-08

Thinks he knows everything. Full of hot air.

The Enemy Within: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Schools, Faith, and Military

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Savagely Unsatisfying
Savage tells it like it is!
Not even wrong, just insane
Good Reading for True Americans
You should read it to understand the deep end.

The Enemy Within: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Schools, Faith, and Military
Michael Savage
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0785261028

Amazon.com

Popular radio host Michael Savage returns to print with another attack on the forces of liberalism that he believes are tearing America apart. Using the same brash, abrasive style in his writing that has become a trademark of his radio show, he writes that "the Left operates specifically to undermine God, country, family, and the military" and that liberalism is "either treason or insanity" or "a mental disorder." He also takes on illegal immigration, the state of health care in the U.S., the "Hollywood Idiots," and the decline of schools and morality in general, all of which he blames on Liberals. Savage also drops bombshells such as: "Federal courts and judges in America today are to be more feared than al-Qaida," and Ruth Bader Ginsberg's appointment to the Supreme Court is "akin to appointing the general counsel of the Ku Klux Klan to the bench."

Statements as bombastic as these deserve to be backed up with substance and well-thought out arguments, yet Savage offers little more than an anecdote or two before moving on to the next rant. This is not to say he doesn't make some good points or highlight blatant abuses by government, questionable suits brought by the ACLU, or morally bankrupt product coming out of Hollywood, but one can't help noticing that several shades of gray have been left out of his black-and-white arguments. Due to this lack of hard facts and background, Savage's book is not particularly convincing. Still, Savage does consistently challenge readers with controversial opinions and conclusions, so it would be a shame for potential readers to dismiss his book simply on ideological grounds alone. And if he really sets your blood boiling, you can always call him up on his show and take him to task. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

Talk radio sensation and New York Times bestselling author Michael Savage again goes for the jugular in this latest brash, incendiary attack on the corrosive effects of liberalism on our culture. Where The Savage Nation took shots at everything under the political spectrum, this book focuses squarely on the dangers assailing the cornerstones of American life, pointing out how liberal propaganda and agendas are seeping into our churches, our schools, even our families. Bold, sometimes angry, and always controversial, this book is pure, no-holds-barred Michael Savage, one of the strongest, most original voices in America today.

Customer Reviews:

Savagely Unsatisfying.......2007-08-24

Before writing my review of this book, I should like to make one thing clear: I owe a tremendous debt to Michael Savage. Listening to him was what first made me question the liberal nonsense which I was being fed in high school, and now that I have swung fully to the other side of the spectrum, he is still a joy to listen to, if a touch over-the-top at times. As such, when I opened this book, I expected to enjoy it. Certainly, I was prepared for a moment or two of thought-provoking shock, since Mr. Savage is a master of delivering such a thing on his radio show, but that was a risk I was prepared to take, because I was sure that Mr. Savage's voice would translate very well into the written medium.

I was sadly mistaken. Reading this book felt to me like reading some horrible, unholy union of a drunken rant, a war cry and a speech by some vilified totalitarian demagogue. Every page seems to shriek with rage and irrationality. It is a sad disappointment.

Needless to say, Mr. Savage is a far better talk show host than author. What this book does, however, is unveil Mr. Savage's long forgotten socialist roots, for the style of argumentation is one far more familiar to those on the left than those on the right. For instance, Mr. Savage does not even bother to intellectually attack his opponents. Rather, he accuses them of supporting pedophilia, drugs and perversion simply for objecting to certain expansions of government power. His opposition on this point, ironically enough, invokes a quote from the great libertarian economist Frederic Bastiat, who wrote:

"Every time we object to a thing being done by the government, the socialists conclude that we object to it being done at all. We object to a state sponsored education. Then the socialists say we are against education. We object to a state sponsored morality. Then the socialists say we want no morality at all. We object to a state enforced equality. Then the socialists say we are against equality. It is as though the socialists were to accuse us of wanting people to starve because we do not want the state to raise grain."

Similarly, Mr. Savage concludes that because the ACLU opposes giving policemen drastically increased powers, they want perverts and druggies to walk free. What he conveniently ignores, of course, is that no one, policemen included, will always use their powers for good. This is not to say that I do not find his critique of the ACLU to be true. I merely find it to be sloppy. The argument against the ACLU is infinitely more complex than a simple false dichotomy which places pedophiles on one side and good people on the other. Mr. Savage does his allies in the conservative movement no good by spewing this oversimplified invective into the air. Rather, he makes us look like the idiots which so many left wing college professors imagine us to be.

This brings me to a larger problem with Mr. Savage's book - it employs the sloppiest of argumentation techniques. Rather than attack arguments, what it does is attack imagined motivations. For instance, rather than shoot down the argument against prayer in schools on an intellectual level, Mr. Savage complains that the Left hates God. Anyone who has ever heard of the Reverend William Sloane Coffin or liberation theology knows this is not universally true (unless one imagines that Richard Dawkins speaks for the entire left wing). I have already touched on Mr. Savage's rather unfair treatment of the opponents of the patriot act (not all of whom are Leftists, incidentally - unless you consider the CATO Institute to be leftist). Besides this, Mr. Savage shows himself to be a hypocrite. He spends a good portion of his book ranting about how we need to shut down the "traitors" in our midst, but warns critics in his introduction that any sort of criticism of him shows them to be "brownshirts." Obviously, many of Mr. Savage's critics are fascistic in nature, but the hypocritical nature of the message, coming as it does in the preface to a book whose entire purpose is to demonize dissenters, makes Mr. Savage's otherwise persuasive argument look weak. Again, Mr. Savage is not doing himself or the conservative movement any favors.

I will continue listening to Michael Savage, however. I shan't buy any more of his books, but I shall listen to him. I would suggest, however, that Mr. Savage listen to the likes of William F. Buckley Jr. and Bill Bennett. Perhaps if he imitates them, he will stop exposing his own psychological nudity and expose the rather more unattractive intellectual foolishness of the Left. Those looking for an intellectual attack on liberalism, look somewhere else. Those looking for a scream of rage permeated with demagoguery, you have found the book of your dreams.

Savage tells it like it is!.......2007-06-27

Michael Savage, egomaniacal radio shockjock.... speaks the TRUTH, but I actually prefer his books over his radio tirades. Why? Because on the radio he tends to spend too much time going 'me me me me me' and ranting and raving. He must be something like bipolar. He is soooo much better when he is calm and collected. Obviously he has an iq above 200 (I should know, so do I... whoops, there's that 'me me me' thang, heh heh). BUT in his books, you get the gist of what he says on the radio, but calmly, collectedly... you have time to review, to muse, to draw your own conclusions. Michael Savage sees what's happening to the greatest country in the world (in case you cain't figgur it out, I mean the US of A)... we need to close our borders, we need to treat illegal aliens as the FELONS they are, not give them 'amnesty', we need to understand the threat of invasion by illegal aliens to our core structure (taxes, healthcare, physical safety, first-worlder thinking) by third-worlders. We need to STOP calling them 'emerging nations' unless you mean 'poking their slime-covered heads out of the cesspools of the third worlds. We need to understand the threat to our sophisticated, spiritual way of life by hardcore muslims, by practicing homosexuals, by liberals who don't believe there is 'absolute truth' and who practice 'political correctness' with the apparent goal of utter destruction of our great great country and way of life. We need to really support our troops who are out there fighting a war to save our way of life. We need to let the soldiers FIGHT not wait to get shot before firing back.

As a woman, I have worked in Saudi Arabia, I KNOW the real, not imagined, threat and brutality of islam which cares nothing for the rights of women and children. We need to understand the current 'agenda' of the Bush family (god help me I voted for that sinister idiot). We need to stop the governmental entities from stealing our freedom and way of life, little by little, step by step until we will be living in a modern-day nazi germany as so many peoples in other countries around the world live today.

Michael Savage for President!!!!! He speaks for me, he doesn't think for me, but he DOES speak, and so very well, what I think. Go Michael Go!!!! Great Book by a brilliant man who isn't afraid to speak the truth. Rush Limbaugh could learn so much from Michael.

Not even wrong, just insane.......2007-06-24

Michael Weiner-Savage, the blathering radio entertainer, now sets himself up as America's political and social conscience. Unfortunately for those who think he has anything relevant to contribute, Weiner is poorly qualified to pass judgement on the issues. In his book, he offers copious opinions, and practically no evidence to back up anything he asserts. In fact, he is SO far off base that he isn't even wrong. He's incoherent. His anger has made him irrational.

Apparently, there is a sizable audience for angry, incoherent ramblings. And that folks, is a sad observation on the state of public discourse in our country today. Demagogues like Weiner-Savage and other "hate radio" jocks have very successfully turned Americans against one another with their divisive tirades.

Good Reading for True Americans.......2007-06-13

Very well written. Great explanations of topics. Unfortunately, very true!

You should read it to understand the deep end........2007-06-07

It is amazing that many reviews have praised the amount of anecdotal evidence that Savage offers. Indeed, there are plentiful amounts of anecdotal evidence, back to back. Savage makes a compelling argument. That is, if you're a dim-witted idiot.

Savage rarely points out any statistics, or backing of his information. That's because he can't. Statistics would show a much clearer point, not one where he describes an illegal immigrant stealing all of his finances, a story which would be impossible to check. Savage writes with no coherent thought. Any student of economics or math would be thoroughly unimpressed with this book. There is lack of logic and reason behind his arguments.

Do you argue against globalization because one person loses their job while hundreds have a better standard of living? Evidently, Savage does. His attack on American colleges talks about the increase of sexual activity on campus. Please, it was similar twenty years back. Of course, he pipes about how he wanted to attend an Ivy League but was too expensive. Please, if he was as poor as he claims, financial aid was back then as it was now, college was much cheaper, and to be accepted into Ivy League, many students there have the ability to "think." Savage toots his own horn pretending that he could have gone to an Ivy League. He references Queen College, his alma matter, as formerly being excellent and today a relic of what it was. Please, Queens College has done significantly better since you were there Savage. You just can't admit that you went to what was a college that could never compete with an Ivy League. Queen's endowment is at $687,000, less than your house, - you have probably not given a penny back. Savage's pretentious attitude wants to come across to the reader that he was smart. Please, don't believe it.

I'm a neoconservative, and Savage probably hates me too. Yet, the causes that he lists, take for instance the issues he's had with law is ridiculous! It has NEVER in the history of law been up to the judge to decide how they "feel." A judge should only decide the facts of each course. How they are presented is up to each individual lawyer. The author of this book eloquently (which I mean by yelling at on the page) forgets that. Savage feels that the judge should sit down and think about how he "feels" about each case. Oh wait, aren't those judges of corrupt countries? When the judge decides its "fair" because he just received $500 underneath the table? Judges should look to only evidence and not emotional reason.

Read through his book carefully. Look for statistics (you won't find any!). It's easy to be blinded as he rampages off. Savage writes quickly, jumping from idea to idea, without coherent reason. As a result, you are not "thinking" about he's saying. Many of you are mindlessly following. Congrats.

Fear the ideologues and fear the demagogues said Jefferson. Amazon readers, have you heeded this advice?

Priest, Parish, and People: Saving the Faith in Philadelphia's "Little Italy"

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Priest, Parish, and People: Saving the Faith in Philadelphia's "Little Italy"
Richard N. Juliani
Manufacturer: University of Notre Dame Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0268032653

Book Description

From the perspective of historical sociology, Richard N. Juliani traces the role of religion in the lives and communities of Italian immigrants in Philadelphia from the 1850s to the early 1930s. By the end of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia had one of the largest Italian populations in the country. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia eventually established twenty-three parishes for the exclusive use of Italians. Juliani describes the role these parishes played in developing and anchoring an ethnic community and in shaping its members' new identity as Italian Americans during the years of mass migration from Italy to America.

Priest, Parish, and People blends the history of Monsignor Antonio Isoleri—pastor from 1870 to 1926 of St. Mary Magdalen dePazzi, the first Italian parish founded in the country—with that of the Italian immigrant community in Philadelphia. Relying on parish and archdiocesan records, secular and church newspapers, archives of religious orders, and Father Isoleri's personal papers, Juliani chronicles the history of St. Mary Magdalen dePazzi as it grew from immigrant refuge to a large, stable, ethnic community that anchored "Little Italy" in South Philadelphia. In charting that growth, Juliani also examines conflicts between laity and clergy and between clergy and church hierarchy, as well as the remarkable fifty-six-year career of Isoleri as a spiritual and secular leader. Priest, Parish, and People provides both the details of parish history in Philadelphia and the larger context of Italian-American Catholic history.

"While Priest, Parish, and People is in itself a rich ethnographic story about a most unusual priest, a particular Philadelphia parish, and the growth of parishes to meet the needs of a rapidly growing immigrant population, it is also an important story of the struggle between Irish and Italian cultures in the assimilation process, and an interesting insight into church politics and the workings of the Roman Catholic Church." —William V. D'Antonio, Catholic University of America

"This is a well-written, in-depth study of Philadelphia's Italian Catholic community. Focusing on a parish and its remarkable pastor, it chronicles the progress of an Italian immigrant parish from its earliest days in the mid-nineteenth century to its emergence as the social and religious center for the Italian community in the early twentieth century. For the author, writing this history was clearly a labor of love. He has provided all of us with a chapter in the history of Philadelphia Catholicism that was long overdue." —Jay P. Dolan, author of In Search of an American Catholicism: A History of Religion and Culture in Tension

"Rich in detail and culled from an array of primary sources, including the extensive writings of the second pastor of St. Mary Magdalen dePazzi, Richard Juliani weaves a masterful story. By tracing the nuanced interconnections between this first Italian national parish in the United States, its formidable pastor, and the growing immigrant community in South Philadelphia, this book provides new insights about Americanization and the formation of ethnic identity. Priest, Parish, and People is essential reading for scholars of American religion, immigration and urban history, and for anyone wanting to understand the Italian American experience." —Joan Saverino, Ph.D., The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

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Biblical Teaching on the Eternal Salvation of the Believer

What Must I Do to Be Saved? The Bible's Definition of Saving Faith
Steven Waterhouse
Manufacturer: Westcliff Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Strength for His People: A Ministry for Families of the Mentally Ill

Blessed Assurance: A Defense of the Doctrine of Eternal Security

ASIN: 0970241801

Product Description

A precise definition of the Gospel providing a Biblical basis for a grace viewpoint, addressing every evangelistic appeal such as 'believe', 'repent', 'publicly confess', 'forsake', 'yield', 'surrender', 'ask Jesus into your heart', 'make Jesus Lord', 'believe and be baptized', etc.

Customer Reviews:

Biblical Teaching on the Eternal Salvation of the Believer.......2007-07-08

Biblical Teaching on the Eternal Salvation of the Believer

Steven Waterhouse has written "What Must I Do to Be Saved" to help the reader understand the true message of evangelism and how to experience a personal assurance of salvation. Dr. Waterhouse explores the subjects of repentance, public confession of faith, and "asking Jesus into our heart." He further points out the types of faith that do not save.

He gives clarity to teachings on baptism, on what it means to have Jesus as Lord of your life, and a clear explanation of a believing, saving faith.

This book is an excellent gift for a college student, a serviceman, a friend or a family member. It provides solid teaching for anyone unsure about their salvation. It is also a valuable tool for learning the basic doctrine of salvation. This knowledge will enable the reader to share, with confidence, the gospel message with others.

Biblically sound, well organized, solid teaching.

Genuine Salvation: Regeneration, Repentence, Coming to Christ, Saving Faith

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Genuine Salvation: Regeneration, Repentence, Coming to Christ, Saving Faith
Arthur W. Pink
Manufacturer: International Outreach
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1892838028

Saving America?: Faith-Based Services and the Future of Civil Society

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Saving America?: Faith-Based Services and the Future of Civil Society
Robert Wuthnow
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691126283

Book Description

On January 29, 2001, President George W. Bush signed an executive order creating the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This action marked a key step toward institutionalizing an idea that emerged in the mid-1990s under the Clinton administration--the transfer of some social programs from government control to religious organizations. However, despite an increasingly vocal, ideologically charged national debate--a debate centered on such questions as: What are these organizations doing? How well are they doing it? Should they be supported with tax dollars?--solid answers have been few.

In Saving America? Robert Wuthnow provides a wealth of up-to-date information whose absence, until now, has hindered the pursuit of answers. Assembling and analyzing new evidence from research he and others have conducted, he reveals what social support faith-based agencies are capable of providing. Among the many questions he addresses: Are congregations effective vehicles for providing broad-based social programs, or are they best at supporting their own members? How many local congregations have formal programs to assist needy families? How much money do such programs represent? How many specialized faith-based service agencies are there, and which are most effective? Are religious organizations promoting trust, love, and compassion?

The answers that emerge demonstrate that American religion is helping needy families and that it is, more broadly, fostering civil society. Yet religion alone cannot save America from the broad problems it faces in providing social services to those who need them most.

Elegantly written, Saving America? represents an authoritative and evenhanded benchmark of information for the current--and the coming--debate.

Saving and Secular Faith: An Invitation to Systematic Theology

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Saving and Secular Faith: An Invitation to Systematic Theology
B. A. Gerrish
Manufacturer: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0800628500

Book Description

What does it mean to live by faith? Answers are more elusive than ever.

Beginning with a rich discussion of the Reformation legacy, historian-theologian B. A. Gerrish responds that if we release our thinking from sectarian, partisan lenses, we find that faith denotes a multitude of impulses---trust, doubt, fidelity, and confidence---and is a fundamental human posture. It undergirds not long "saving" faith but also "secular" varieties in other religious traditions---and even outside religions. We al literally live by faith in every phase of our lives. Gerrish's prolegomenon to theology goes on to ask what then is the use of belief? Ho, in fact, do we come to faith? And how are religious and secular faith related, especially in relation to Jesus Christ?

Gerrish opens up the notion of faith to encompass "the discovery of personal meaning in one's existence" and the theological drive to articulate the deepest drives of the human self.

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understanding myself

A practical resource for better living

Reviewed -by C.Gale Perkins-author

Gaining Courage to Live Outside of the Bubble

My Review of a Great Book

Stepping Out of the Bubble: Reflections on the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy
James P. Krehbiel
Manufacturer: Booklocker.com
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Binding: Paperback

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Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthough Program to End Negative Behavior...and Feel Great Again

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ASIN: 1591138019

Book Description

STEPPING OUT OF THE BUBBLE: REFLECTIONS ON THE PILGRIMAGE OF COUNSELING THERAPY is the story of courage and risk taken by those who seek to better their lives. Drawing on the wisdom of those who provided a foundation for counseling theory and and practice, Krehbiel shares his expertise and wealth of experience. By sharing personal experiences, you will find encouragement to move forward in the journey toward personal growth and development.

Customer Reviews:

understanding myself.......2007-05-01

After reading Stepping Out of the Bubble a year ago, I went back and read it again for a second time. I was able to pick up even more information this time around that helped me understand and overcome some of my own internal conflicts. This is a book you can read at any point in your life and always find information that pertains to that particular moment. Krehbiel has a way of explaining things that others may consider unexplainable. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or just a guy like me, this book can and will change your life.

A practical resource for better living.......2006-03-27

For me, "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" was reminiscent of the renowned books of author, M. Scott Peck, in the style of presenting profound insights into sensible, easy-to-understand language and clear ideas an average person can relate to. Practicing Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist and author of "Stepping Out Of The Bubble", James Krehbiel proficiently shares a portion of his expertise, condensing great weight into accessible and workable solutions for a more fulfilling life's plan.

The "bubble" represents our security and comfort zone, but it is also the inner place where we store the pain of our past experiences and the unpleasant reality of that not being made conscious which keeps us bound in unhealthy and self-defeating patterns. Staying within this bubble limits our emotional responsiveness as we numb ourselves to the coexistence even as unresolved issues unconsciously filter forth. To step outside of the bubble is to courageously examine the contents in all honesty and to face life's reality outside of the bubble. Once outside the bubble, one can move forward to experience life in more emotional depth, fullness and passion. "Being a fully functioning individual is about being true to whom you are and letting things be the way they are," explains author, James Krehbiel.

With brilliant and compassionate understanding, Mr. Krehbiel briefly details methods used and pertinent case examples within his therapy practice. "Self-regulation is a goal of therapy. I educate people in the fact that all the answers are ultimately within." "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" strives to do the same, by giving information on how we become trapped in the bubble and how beneficial the making of conscious choices to leave, can be.

Some of the many topics included within this book are: being assertive, characteristics of an "authentic" person, the integration of each of our different personality parts, the difference between true guilt and false guilt, setting boundaries, addictions and addictions to "manic" relationships, awareness (staying in the moment or mindfulness), grounding, honoring one's inner voice, panic attacks, OCD and mood disorders. The section regarding kids and parenting was exceptional, in my opinion, and I found many points about discipline that made much sense. Also appreciated was the section relating to religion (dogma) versus faith (spiritual) as well as what needed to be said about pop culture.

I enjoyed reading "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" and would recommend it to anyone. It is enriching and inspirational.

Reviewed -by C.Gale Perkins-author.......2006-03-18

Stepping Out Of The Bubble by James P. Krehbiel, Is an outstanding book on Counseling Therapy. Krehbiel, is able to put life patterns and fears into perspective so that the lay person can fully understand the mystery that most think is behind counseling. His approach to show that so much of what we seek answers for is within ourselves and with the right counsellor we can become free and step out of the Bubble or Bubbles that a lot of us are in.

This book should be a gift to every teen and their parents, no home should be without it.

Gaining Courage to Live Outside of the Bubble.......2006-02-25

James P. Krehbiel's Stepping Out of the Bubble was a fascinating read. I found myself underlining various passages. His explanation of how we get stuck in the bubble (comfort zone), and how we find our way out is powerful. It provided me with hope as I move through my own personal journey. I found myself experiencing an emotional reaction to many of the case examples and concepts he explored. He definitely hit some "hot buttons" in my life. But Mr. Krehbiel also provided specific guidelines and tools for stepping out of the bubble. At one point he says, "Courage can be defined by those who live outside the bubble as opposed to those who live in it. I like to compare stepping out of the bubble to wading into the water."

His chapter which includes ideas on multidimensional thinking is appropriate in today's political climate. He indicates that true dialogue takes into consideration the appreciation for differences in opinions. He makes some profound statements about pop culture's affect on the lives of today's children. He also gives parents tools and resources for assisting their children in bettering their behavior. The book ends with a resounding "yes" to life with a hopeful, powerful way of perceiving and reframing life's problems. This was an excellent book!

My Review of a Great Book.......2006-02-23

"Stepping Out of the Bubble : Reflections On the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy by James P. Krehbiel is an amazing and outstanding book that provides help and direction to the many people that are suffering from problems described in this book.

I was amazed at how many of the problems and challenges, that the author writes about, are problems and challenges I have seen many people suffer with.

The counseling theory and practice information in this book provides a direction for people that have a problem and are willing to go to counseling and risk moving forward in their journey toward finding personal growth and development, and eventually stepping out of the bubble.

Many people have problems and challenges that they never seek help for and they and their loved ones continue to suffer. This book goes a long way in bringing the thought of counseling to people and helping people to better understand the counseling process.

To author James P. Krehbiel thank you for writing your great book. I am convinced your book will help many people and because of your book many more people will step out of the bubble. I recommend this book very highly and also feel it would be a great college text.

Saving Souls, Serving Society: Understanding the Faith Factor in Church-Based Social Ministry

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Saving Souls, Serving Society: Understanding the Faith Factor in Church-Based Social Ministry
Heidi Rolland Unruh , and Ronald J. Sider
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0195161556

Book Description

Recent years have seen unprecedented attention to faith-based institutions as agents of social change, spurred in part by cuts in public funding for social services and accompanied by controversy about the separation of church and state. The debate over faith-based initiatives has highlighted a small but growing segment of churches committed to both saving souls and serving society. What distinguishes faith-based from secular activism? How do religious organizations express their religious identity in the context of social services? How do faith-based service providers interpret the connection between spiritual methodologies and socioeconomic outcomes? How does faith motivate and give meaning to social ministry? Drawing on case studies of fifteen Philadelphia-area Protestant churches with active outreach, Saving Souls, Serving Society seeks to answer these and other pressing questions surrounding the religious dynamics of social ministry. While church-based programs often look similar to secular ones in terms of goods or services rendered, they may show significant differences in terms of motivations, desired outcomes, and interpretations of meaning. Church-based programs also differ from one another in terms of how they relate evangelism to their social outreach agenda. Heidi Rolland Unruh and Ronald J. Sider explore how churches navigate the tension between their spiritual mission and the constraints on evangelism in the context of social services. The authors examine the potential contribution of religious dynamics to social outcomes as well as the relationship between mission orientations and social capital. Unruh and Sider introduce a new vocabulary for describing the religious components and spiritual meanings embedded in social action, and provide a typology of faith-based organizations and programs. Their analysis yields a framework for Protestant mission orientations that makes room for the diverse ways that churches interrelate spiritual witness and social compassion. Based on their observations, the authors offer a constructive approach to church-state partnerships and provide a far more objective understanding of faith-based social services than previously available.

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