God's Companions.God's Companions Samuel Wells Blackwell Publishing, 2006. 224 pp. It is a common complaint that God's presence in today's world is hardly noticeable. In this warmly written, charmingly humane humane pertaining to the avoidance of infliction of pain, discomfort and harassment; used especially with regard to animals. humane considerations book, Samuel Wells contends that the situation is quite the contrary. Wells, the Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, argues that the glass is half full--God's presence and gifts are abundantly evident in this world. Humans have been given more than enough to subsist sub·sist v. sub·sist·ed, sub·sist·ing, sub·sists v.intr. 1. a. To exist; be. b. To remain or continue in existence. 2. and sustain each other, and those who think otherwise are wearing blinders blind·er n. 1. blinders A pair of leather flaps attached to a horse's bridle to curtail side vision. Also called blinkers. 2. Something that serves to obscure clear perception and discernment. . One of Wells's aims is to bring this insight to bear in the arena of church ethics ethics, in philosophy, the study and evaluation of human conduct in the light of moral principles. Moral principles may be viewed either as the standard of conduct that individuals have constructed for themselves or as the body of obligations and duties that a and practice. He writes that the church is a representation of the abundance of God's gifts, especially through the practice of worship. There is recognition that many churches do not live up to these standards, but a framework is given to set churches in the right direction to provide spiritual nourishment nour·ish·ment n. Something that nourishes; food. and fulfillment. He emphasizes a move away from the market-driven mega-churches summering up everywhere in favor of smaller, community-driven churches that worry more about their constituents than the bottom line. Vignettes gathered from various church communities recur throughout God's Companions, bringing his arguments to life. |
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