Beyond the Here and Now

Contents

Introduction: Of Teaspoons, Keyholes and Sausages

SECTION 1: FROM WORLD TO GOD

1 God is Green . . . A Precious World?

2 And Every Bush Afire . . . An Awesome World?

3 That’s About the Size of It . . . A God-Sized World?

4 Out of Control . . . A Providential World?

5 More Than Meets the Eye . . . A Spiritual World?

6 The Case of the Clogged Carburettor . . . A Scientific World?

7 The Little Fine Tilth Book . . . A Created World?

8 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way . . . A Story-Shaped World?

9 What Does God Do All Day? . . . A Cared-For World?

10 God-Talk . . . A Talkative World?

SECTION 2: ULTIMATE VALUES?

11 The Supermarket of Faiths . . . Valuable Variety?

12 Beside this Font . . . Childish Values?

13 Home Sweet Home . . . Gracious Values?

14 VIPs . . . The Value of Success?

15 Can’t Take It With You . . . Valuable Valuables?

16 I Just Don’t Want To Be There When It Happens . . . Eternal Values?

17 The Rhythm of Life . . . Ultimate Values?

SECTION 3: IS THIS THE LIFE?

18 Will the Real World Please Stand Up? . . . A Realistic Spirituality?

19 Power Dressing . . . A Weak Spirituality?

20 There’s Got To Be a Better Song Than This . . . A Yearning Spirituality?

21 Lovers’ Leap . . . A Faithful Spirituality?

22 These Foolish Things . . . A Spirituality for the Times?

23 On Being Shouted At a Lot . . . A Deafening Spirituality?

SECTION 4: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

24 Life Maps . . . A Hopeful Journey?

25 Life is Like a Toothache . . . A Suffering Journey?

26 It’s Only Human . . . A Sinful Journey?

27 The Devil Rides Out . . . A Fearful Journey?

28 Asking for the Moon. . . A Prayerful Journey?

29 Security Systems . . . A Dangerous Journey?

30 Hell Is . . . A Wasted Journey?

31 The Nine O’Clock News . . . A Dead-End Journey?

SECTION 5: WHO ARE WE?

32 Car, Bus or Tram . . . Choosing People?

33 Images . . . Reflective People?

34 Inside Story . . . Soulful People?

35 The Body in Question . . . Mucky People?

36 Gender Wars . . . Sexy People?

37 Humour . . . Serious People?

38 Raiders of the Lost Ark Again . . . Complicated People?

39 Still Breathing After All These Years . . . Hopeful People?

SECTION 6: BELONGING

40 Let’s Play Out . . . The Friend?

41 Partly Political . . . The Neighbour?

42 The Other Cheek . . . The Peacemaker?

43 Rules, Rules, Rules . . . The Lawmaker?

44 It Depends Who’s Looking. . . The Stranger?

45 Sex and Education . . . The Lover?

46 Inclusive Conclusion . . . The Multinational Corporation?