Common Grace: Life and Faith in Classic Literature Hardback - 2005

A captivating collection for preachers, teachers, writers, and "anybody" who appreciates the power of great literature to open minds and move hearts.

What makes a book good? According to Mary Batchelor, good fiction 'rings true'. It encourages us to exercise our moral judgment, leads to greater understanding of ourselves and others, broadens our compassion, and expands our knowledge of life and of human strength and frailty.

"Common Grace "takes readers on a rich and stimulating journey through some of the world's finest literature where the struggles and joys of life and faith are illustrated in timeless words and images. From Dante, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens to Graham Greene, C.S. Lewis, and Maya Angelou, this comprehensive anthology brings together some of the best literary writing from the Bible onwards. Ranging from imaginative excerpts both powerful and profound to delightful selections of humor and satire, it offers a literary feast for browsing, discovery, and growth.

The collection is divided into five topical sections reflecting the desires, sufferings, and searchings of human existence:

The World We Live In
Home
Countryside and Animals
Food
The Church and its People

Being Human
Happiness, Laughter, and Recreation
Giving and Self-Giving
Suffering
Grief and Loss
Human Love

Knowing God
The Cross and the Resurrection
Repentance, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation
Prayer and the Presence of God
Divine Love
Last Things

Good and Evil
Angels and Devils
Goodness and Strivings for Goodness
Reaching out to Others
Foibles and Vices
Truth and Pretence
War and Peace

The Cycle of Life
Birth, Childhood, and Youth
Age
Death and Dying

Good and Evil
Angels and Devils
Goodness and Strivings for Goodness
Reaching out to Others
Foibles and Vices
Truth and Pretence
War and Peace

The Cycle of Life
Birth, Childhood, and Youth
Age
Death and Dying"