Love Letters: Psalms for All Humans
Ebook
Just why do churches put so much energy into repackaging and explaining their holy book in words more people (even their own people) might understand? Many of us don't really want to know who "the wicked" are, or what "sin," "righteousness," "God," or "Lord" might mean, because they are part of a religious world we don't belong to. So what could we possibly have to learn from a text that is baked in that stuff? Much is being rediscovered in contemplative, meditative, and wisdom traditions, often dating back millennia and transcending religious worldviews. It should be no surprise then that there is indeed precious insight into human life to be found in the ancient Hebrew writings too. But how do we access it? It is time to offer a portion to everyone, all humans, regardless of background or religious affiliation, as we ask questions we have always been asking. Where is my life headed? What are my influences, and how do I react? Can I affect society? Do I feel stupid? Confident? Do I meditate and feel a reassuring sense of presence or terrible loneliness? Do my choices define me? When I try to act positively, am I part of something bigger? What is life all about? Where does suffering fit in? Love has a vital role in the process, and atheists, secularists, humanists, spirituals, religious folk--all humans should find more compelling spiritual insight here than we ever dreamed possible.
“Love Letters is a fresh, dynamic, radical take on an
age-old source of love and reassurance. John writes with deep
sensitivity and clear understanding of the suffering, joy,
exultation, and deep bereavement that humankind experiences.”
—Stewart Johnson, director, Wycliffe France
“As our western world shows less and less interest in the Christian
message, producing a generation that doesn’t even know its most
basic stories, let alone understand concepts like “righteousness”
or even “God”, is there really any place for the Bible any more?
That’s the issue that John Bainbridge tackles in Love Letters:
Psalms for All Humans. And he does it through a fresh translation
of these ancient texts by showing that they are relevant for every
time, every place and every people, religious or not; because they
tackle the questions that are still the most fundamental questions
of human existence. And in engaging with what John calls this
"collection of potentially life-changing texts” people of all
faiths or none can begin to explore those questions and to see if
they might lead them to experience what John calls "Divine
LOVE”.
Readers unfamiliar with the Bible will be surprised by how relevant
these ancient texts are, while readers already familiar with the
Bible will be challenged to re-think their view points through
refreshing - and at times, challenging - translations of familiar
verses. For both, this book can be a help in making the journey
from the known to the unknown.“
—Mike Beaumont
- Title: Love Letters: Psalms for All Humans
- Author: John Bainbridge
- Publisher: Resource Publications
- Print Publication Date: 2022
- Logos Release Date: 2022
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781666799293, 9781666738506, 9781666799286, 1666799297, 1666738506, 1666799289
- Resource ID: LLS:9781666799293
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T20:00:26Z
John T. Bainbridge has authored peer-reviewed articles for
leading Bible translation journals and is a regular contributor to
the Christianisme Aujourd’hui Alliance Presse magazine.
Having previously deconstructed his own Christian faith, he now
applies his passion for linguistics to building bridges for the
transformative message he rediscovered in the biblical texts to
non-Christian cultures. He is the father of two children, runs
ultramarathons, has no time for tasteless beer, and drives busses
in his spare time.