In the Bible and in Christian culture, the church is so often described as the "body of Christ" that the words seem to have lost all meaning. Far from being a tired, empty descriptor, however, physician and devoted Christian Dr. Ron Bryce has seen over his decades in the medical field that this popular analogy may be a literal definition of what the church should be. In Fingerprint of God: The Church As a Living Body, Bryce uses examples from science and nature to illuminate how God has placed His signature not only on all living things but also on His church. Bryce argues that by understanding what they are and living cooperatively with one another, the cells of the body of Christ can unite to fight off the diseases infecting the modern church, such as infighting, lack of charity, and lack of forgiveness.

In a material, dog-eat-dog world where pain and suffering exist and where only the fittest survive, how and why did selfless love appear? How did love become one of the most basic necessities of human life? What exactly is love anyway? Is the existence—and necessity—of selfless love evidence that we really were created in the image of a loving God? What if love was God’s fingerprint on our world and in our lives? What if love was the proof that he was here and that he made us to love and be loved?

Dr. Steven Mallory, a world renowned geneticist, embarks on a spiritual and scientific quest to discover the true meaning of God, existence, and the genetic code. In the process, he discovers the truth about love, the universe, and his spiritual destiny.

"From analyses of the brain functions of Buddhist monks and Carmelite nuns, to the question of whether directed prayer can heal the sick, to what near-death experiences reveal about the afterlife, Hagerty reaches beyond what we think we know to understand whether the ineffable place beyond this world can be rationally - even scientifically - explained."--BOOK JACKET.

Fingerprints of God is drawn from the authors experience during 50 years of parish ministry to a broad spectrum of worshippers, from teen-agers to senior citizens, from farmers to physicists, from blue collar workers to PhDs. All shared a common hunger to know God as an eternal reality in a world of change and pursued a quest to find reasons for faith. Evidence for the presence of God can be found in history, human experience and in Holy Scripture. Fingerprints of God relates contemporary situations to biblical precedents and personalities from Genesis to Revelation in search of Truth. The author follows the footsteps of others who found the fingerprints of Gods hand in their lives. With illustrations from literature, biography, and his own personal experience, he shares insights of pastors and teachers who guided his own faith journey. The reader follows the foibles and faith of Old Testament characters leading to the person and work of Jesus Christ, the finger of God among us (Luke 11:20). The significance of his life and death and resurrection as the foundation for our faith are the focus of the concluding chapters. The author makes no claim to be profound or prophetic. Each chapter is a simple attempt to answer some question or address a current issue or need in the life of ordinary people. None of the featured topics purport to be the last word on the subject under consideration. Like the words and works of Jesus, much more could be said which is not recorded in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31.

With a clear, straightforward definition such as this, the subject of the church isn't one that most people would consider a "doctrine." For this reason, there aren't many books that deal with this crucial fundamental belief. This very readable and informative treatment of such a vital topic fills an important gap in Adventist literature. Reinder Bruinsma's far-ranging look at the doctrine of the church moves from Old and New Testament foundations for this doctrine up through church government and on to controversial issues such as ordination and church discipline. Fittingly, he concludes with the mission and future of the church. His fourfold approach-biblical and theological, historical, practical, and with an Adventist perspective-ensures that every facet of the doctrine is explored in detail. This thought-provoking discussion challenges those who call themselves "God's people" to examine their current understanding of the church and to prayerfully consider their roles as part of the body of Christ. Book jacket.