Steven Payne

Realizing Our Deepest Desires

Prayer & Spiritual Formation

“More than just another commentary on The Interior Castle, this book brings together the author’s lifelong study of the Spanish mystics and his lifetime of experience accompanying others on their spiritual journeys. Bernie Owens makes Teresa of Avila’s invitation to a transformed life understandable and attractive to contemporary readers, and offers us wise, practical guidance in following where she leads.”

Thérèse and Martin

History & Biography

“In this immensely readable book, with examples from the life-and-death experiences of famous mountaineers, the author draws upon the wisdom of Martin Luther and the Carmelite saints (especially Thérèse, Teresa, and John of the Cross) to guide us ‘on the steep slopes of the mountains of life.’ While recognizing their differences, Bishop Karin Johannesson brings out their surprising complementarity, helping today’s believers address the challenge of ‘secularism from within’ and live a more vibrant Christian faith.”

Towards a Christian Theology of African Ancestors

Theology

“Early missionaries often condemned African reverence for deceased forebears (‘mababu’ in Kiswahili) as primitive ‘ancestor worship.’ In this important new study, the author explores this fundamental feature of African traditional religions. He argues that the traditional African veneration of ancestors can be placed in fruitful dialogue with the Christian tradition of the ‘communion of saints.’ The resulting ‘mababu theology’ allows contemporary Africans to claim a fully African Christian identity while greatly enriching the global Church.”