For those times when we’re wounded by broken trust, assaulted by disease, or victimized by evil—or when we’re crushed to see such things happen to people we love—Randy Alcorn offers something solid to hold onto: God's love. In this specially focused condensation of Alcorn’s If God Is Good…: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil, we’re continually guided into a deeper glimpse of God’s loving ways and higher purposes—the very things we’re often most blinded to whenever we battle pain and anguish. Alcorn avoids superficial or sentimental responses, and instead presses forward boldly to explore all the troubling doubts and questions that agitate within us when we confront suffering and evil. The issues are far from simple, the answers far from easy—but Alcorn shows how the way of suffering—a path that Jesus himself followed more than anyone else—can ultimately become a journey into wholeness and even logic-defying joy.

Stephen Long opens his erudite discussion of theology and ethics with the insistence that moral critique must emerge from a particular location, rather than from the fluid values of any "neutral" observer. Long sets out to put theology and ethics-as well as the church-in proper relation to one another. Ethics must be based in theology, not the other way around. Our "finite participation in the infinite make possible participation in a goodness beyond us." That goodness comes to us in the flesh of Jesus Christ, and the church is indispensable in drawing all people toward God's goodness. The church, a social ethic in itself, gives purpose and order to other social institutions, including family, government, and the market. "'The goodness of God'--such a simple phrase, such a profound (and maybe even distruptive) concept if we dare explore its implications. Not only does Steve Long lead us skilfully and smoothly through potentially difficult matters of theology and philosophy, he also brings home how our lives might be different if we really took the goodness of God to heart. "From matters of violence and economics to sexuality and family, Long takes his readers through a thicket of competing ideas, and leads them out the other side into greater clarity of vision, unity of purpose, and passion for God's good kingdom. Seminaries and Sunday schools alike will benefit from this scholarly but accessible volume." --Michael Budde, DePaul University D. Stephen Long is assistant professor of theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and codirector of the Center for Ethics and Values. He is the author of Divine Economy, a volume in Routledge's Radical Orthodoxy series.

When confronted by horrendous evil, even the most pious believer may question not only life's worth but also God's power and goodness. A distinguished philosopher and a practicing minister, Marilyn McCord Adams has written a highly original work on a fundamental dilemma of Christian thought—how to reconcile faith in God with the evils that afflict human beings. Adams argues that much of the discussion in analytic philosophy of religion over the last forty years has offered too narrow an understanding of the problem. The ground rules accepted for the discussion have usually led philosophers to avert their gaze from the worst—horrendous—evils and their devastating impact on human lives. They have agreed to debate the issue on the basis of religion-neutral values, and have focused on morals, an approach that—Adams claims—is inadequate for formulating and solving the problem of horrendous evils. She emphasizes instead the fruitfulness of other evaluative categories such as purity and defilement, honor and shame, and aesthetics. If redirected, philosophical reflection on evil can, Adams's book demonstrates, provide a valuable approach not only to theories of God and evil but also to pastoral care.

Each of the twenty-four chapters details thought-provoking, practical spiritual advice as well as personal stories and anecdotes to illustrate the vital spiritual concepts that can ease the challenges and confusions of daily living. Two of the chapters, "A Touch of Dynamite" and "God's Light Will Solve It," are new and haven't been printed previously.

The goodness of God is one of the most revolutionary truths of the Bible, but our generation has lost faith in the goodness of God. The image you carry in your heart of God and what He is like will dramatically affect your life, character, and destiny. Do you believe God can be your hero? Do you believe God has a good heart? Do you believe that God can transform you into the type of Christian that you always wanted to be? When we begin to understand and believe what it means when the Bible boldly declares that "God is good always," our lives will begin a breathtaking transformation, as we rise up to be a mighty witness for our Lord. Anyone who has been touched with the goodness of God cannot come away the same. The goodness of God encompasses everything that God is, and is a perfect representation of all His characteristics. The goodness of God is the foundation of all His works, plans, and purposes. If we are to understand what God is like, we must first know that He is good, and not evil. The devil works tirelessly to keep the truth of the goodness of God lost in the mindset of this world, and marshals all of his forces to cause confusion about the true character of our God. The goodness of God is the pinnacle point of the spiritual battle that rages all around us. Understanding the goodness of God is first and foremost in spiritual warfare, because without this, you can never stand for God faithfully

God wants us to be able to enjoy life, not just survive it. Enjoying the Goodness of God is not a Christian self-help book, though it will help you. It is not a bible study, though you will learn about the bible. It is not designed to motivate you to try harder, though you will be motivated. It does not contain the steps to achieve personal actualization and success, though when you discover who you are in Christ Jesus and all He has done for you, you will find great success. Enjoying the Goodness of God will point you back to Jesus and allow Jesus to reveal Himself to you once again. The more you see Jesus, the more He will change you, from glory to glory. Not behavior modification, but heart transformation. It results in great success!