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    God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization
    God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization
    God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization
    Ebook118 pages1 hour

    God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization

    By Rev. Rick L. Samples

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    About this ebook

    In the book God, Choices and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization, Rev. Rick L. Samples examines how the church of the past and the spiritual movement of present day clash. Through his poignant real life stories, Rev. Samples discusses different religious beliefs and concepts that help guide the reader to a new understanding of God’s interactions within our world. Through his experience as a medical chaplain, Rev. Samples brings the reader into the world of his chronically and terminally ill patients. These interactions help the reader understand how and why life can suddenly spin out of control and how God can help them through difficult times. 

    Rev. Samples, through his conversational style of writing, offers a simple way to connect with God for those who feel that they no longer have a place to turn for help. Rev. Samples 
    presents thought-provoking new ways to develop and deepen a personal relationship with the Divine for non-believers and believers alike. The book introduces a spiritual guide to God 
    for those who have lost faith in formal religion. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRev. Rick L. Samples
    Release dateMar 2, 2016
    ISBN9781944788162
    God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization
    Author

    Rev. Rick L. Samples

    Revered Rick L. Samples is a 2007 graduate from the Claremont School of Theology and holds a Master of Divinity. He was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2012. Rev. Samples has been a medical chaplain for the past ten years, and is trained in Clinical Pastoral Education. He received his level II CPE certificate at Sharp Memorial Hospital in 2008. Rev. Samples has been involved in church ministries for the past 35 years, including youth, singles,music, home and hospital visitation ministries, as well as serving the church from the pulpit. He has a passion for ministering to those on the fringes of society, as did Jesus through his unconditional  acceptance of all.

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      Book preview

      God, Choices, and Guidance - Rev. Rick L. Samples

      God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization

      Rev. Rick L. Samples

      Published by Rev. Rick L. Samples, 2016.

      While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

      GOD, CHOICES, AND GUIDANCE: A THEOLOGY FOR A MODERN CIVILIZATION

      First edition. March 2, 2016.

      Copyright © 2016 Rev. Rick L. Samples.

      ISBN: 978-1944788162

      Written by Rev. Rick L. Samples.

      GOD, CHOICES, AND GUIDANCE

      A THEOLOGY FOR A MODERN CIVILIZATION

      Copyright © 2016 by Rick L. Samples

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Samples, Rick L., 1963—

      God, choices, and guidance : a theology for a modern civilization / Rick L. Samples.

      ISBN 978-1-944788-16-2

      1. Religion—Spirituality. 2. Theology—Divine Presence.

      3. Religious Belief and Doctrine—Religion and Death. I. Title

      ______________________________________________

      Scripture quotations are as follows:

      ESV English Standard Version

      NASB New American Standard Bible

      NIV New International Version

      NRSV New Revised Standard Version

      RSV Revised Standard Version

      Dedication

      I would like to dedicate this book to two people: to my wife Darciann, who has been supportive of the time that it has taken me to write God, Choices, and Guidance: A Theology for a Modern Civilization and for all her help over the past 30 years, and to my dear friend Chris, whose friendship and support helped me to understand life in very difficult times. Chris you are greatly missed.

      A quick note about the author:

      Revered Rick L. Samples is a 2007 graduate from the Claremont School of Theology and holds a Master of Divinity. He was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2012. Rev. Samples has been a medical chaplain for the past ten years, and is trained in Clinical Pastoral Education. He received his level II CPE certificate at Sharp Memorial Hospital in 2008. Rev. Samples has been involved in church ministries for the past 35 years, including youth, singles, music, home and hospital visitation ministries, as well as serving the church from the pulpit. He has a passion for ministering to those on the fringes of society, as did Jesus through his unconditional acceptance of all.

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      Searching For a New Way to Understand God

      Understanding God’s Presence in Our Lives

      Choices: The Formation and Foundation

      Understanding our Choices

      Choices and Consequences: How Our Decisions Affect Our Lives

      Choices: The Effects On Those Around Us

      The Choices We Make

      Guidance: God Within Our Choices

      Guidance: The Process of Our Decisions

      Guidance: Understanding God’s Counsel

      Guidance: Groups and Prayer

      Guidance: Hearing the Still Small Voice

      A Partnership With God: Listening to the Still Small Voice

      Introduction

      We live in a world where people are starting to question the existence of God, God’s ability to change the path of humanity, and humanity’s exploitation of the weak. The voices of the powerful seem to drown out all the voices clamoring to be heard. So often, I hear people ask how God is present in acts of useless violence or when we see poverty and the lack of concern exhibited by our public officials. People are also asking how God is present when lives are devastated by sickness or accidents that cause families to face life-changing moments.

      I have been a chaplain for many years in both hospice and hospital settings, and I have daily conversations with people who are sick, injured or dying. I have continually found myself asking these same questions. Then I must reach back to my days in seminary to find answers that provide comfort to the patients who I work with, and to answer them for myself. The questions that I hear the most are How God could let this happen to me? Where is God in this situation? and Where was God when my child or loved one died? These are the types of questions, I find, that are by far the most difficult to answer.

      As a chaplain, I constantly find myself talking to family members and patients to find out what their belief systems are and to reinforce those beliefs. Reinforcing their beliefs rather than changing them is done in order to help the patient and family through the present crisis they are facing.

      Our current society has seen a rapid breakdown of the family unit and the diminishment of the church community. Now, more than ever, people are finding themselves without belief systems to rely on and with little support from family members. As I talk to those in my care, I continually hear the phrases I am spiritual not religious, I believe in God, but I don’t attend church due to the hypocrites, and I am (fill in any denomination), but I have not attended church in years. I just can’t find a church that I like.

      However odd these phrases sound, they do not surprise me anymore. As we move into a more enlightened time, we see our world changing rapidly and a Church that, as a whole, seems to lack the will to keep up with the changing times. The old theological understandings lack what the teaching of the church reflects, and those who are in authority are often afraid to speak out. Church leadership seems to believe that congregations have the inability to accept new ideas. Other churches seem to be stuck in the middle ages trying to hold on to misconceived notions or ideologies. This has created a disconnect that has many people leaving the mainline denominations and charismatic churches. Many people are starting to seek a path where God is a God of love and a God for all people, not just a God for those with the same belief system as themselves.

      As people seek to find God and understand that God can be many things to all people, they often find themselves asking difficult questions; questions that cannot be answered by the old theologies or by people who are afraid to question teachings that the church itself has difficulty defending. These questions can range from, How could God take away my wife and leave me with two young children? or How can God be on both sides of a conflict? and What is God’s plan for my life? All of these questions are valid and very difficult to answer, yet I hope that I can help those of you who are seeking a God who loves all people. I also know many of you still wish to understand how The Divine interacts with us every day. These are the very concepts we will explore together.

      Searching For a New Way to Understand God

      As we seek to understand why so many of us are now searching for a new theology, we must look to the past. We must look to our religious history and to the decisions that have been made by our religious leaders. This brings up many difficult questions that must be answered. As with most theologies, the Christian theology is centered on peace and love. This, however, seems a difficult idea to swallow when examining the history of Christianity.

      In the 6th century, Pope Gregory the Great preached that Mary Magdalene was a model penitent whereas other political statements created the notion that she was a prostitute. The Western Church did little to change this perception, and it gave a male-dominated society an excuse to keep women from becoming leaders within the church. However, the Eastern Orthodox Church gave no credence to these accusations.

      In the year 1054 CE/AD Cardinal Humbert and two other legates under Pope Leo IX, entered the Church of Hagia Sophia in the city of Constantinople, placed a Bull (letter) of Excommunication on the altar, and walked out. This event began the Great Schism, which fractured the Christian Church forever. This event was nothing more than a power play to control the church that failed.

      In the year 1096 CE/AD, the first Crusade was waged in the Holy Land as the armies of Western Europe, under the direction of Pope Urban II, attacked the Muslims to free the city of Jerusalem. After 200 years and thousands of people killed, the seventh crusade finally ended with two main results: a mistrust and hatred between two religious groups and what the Popes of the time wanted the most—the removal of many powerful men who threatened their authority.

      The Inquisition began in the year 1478 CE/AD and lasted for more than 350 years. Thousands of people were put to death at the hands of the Christian church for a multitude of reasons; including witchcraft, adultery, and failure to convert to a faith they did not trust or believe.

      In the year 1517 CE/AD, the Reformation began, splitting the Catholic Church from the new Protestant Church. The Reformation resulted from Martin Luther posting his 95 Theses to the door of the Church of Wittenberg on October 31. The 95 Theses was a protest of the Catholic Church selling Indulgences. An Indulgence was exchanged for a large donation and allowed the recipient to perform acts not deemed as good or even blatantly sinful without fear of any action by God or the Church. I am sad to say that I have seen one of these Indulgences or free tickets to commit sin dated in the year 1968.

      In the year 1633 CE/AD, Galileo Galilei was placed under house arrest and died nine years later; his only heresy

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