Music is such an important part of Advent and Christmas. Can you imagine Advent without "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"? How about Christmas without carols like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World"? It pleases the Lord Jesus when we sing of his coming with carols we know by heart. It pleases him even more when we think about the words we are singing. In twenty-four reflections on well-known carols and Christmas songs, James Howell explores the birth of Jesus. He p...

Compassion is more than a sympathetic feeling?it is the bond of human connection. Most religions lift up compassion, yet few people actually teach how to practice it. Through rich and moving stories of people from various faiths, Frank Rogers, an Academy for Spiritual Formation faculty and advisory board member, shows ways to incorporate compassion in our daily lives. His interfaith perspective on mercy, kindness, and caring for one another trains us to Pay attention, Understand empathically...

God wants to be known! The Gospel of John records several declarations by Jesus known as "I Am" sayings. With each statement, Jesus uses vivid images to capture our imagination, revealing more about his identity and purpose. In this 7-week eCourse, we'll explore along with author Rob Fuquay what Jesus meant when he said, "I Am...the Bread of Life; the Light of the World; the Good Shepherd; the True Vine; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Resurrection and the Life." Videos of Rob's ...

To embody an idea is to give a concept tangible human form. I can see it! I can touch it! Whitney Simpson’s Fully Human, Fully Divine invites us to an embodied Advent—an embracing of the concepts and ideas of the Advent season fully, with our whole selves. Christ modeled for us what it meant to be both fully human and fully divine. This Advent resource invites us to practice our humanity aware of the light of Christ within us. It challenges us to live right here, right now as we await the birth of the Christ Child, the embodiment of God’s presence.