{"title":"Fr Erik Varden","description":"\u003cp\u003eFr Erik Varden's writings delve deeply into the disciplines of faith and spiritual reflection, offering profound insights grounded in monastic wisdom. His works, such as \u003cem\u003eChastity\u003c\/em\u003e, explore themes of commitment and inner transformation with contemplative clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders interested in \u003cstrong\u003eReligion \u0026amp; Spirituality\u003c\/strong\u003e will find his books a valuable guide to understanding the nuances of prayer, solitude, and the spiritual journey. Varden’s thoughtful approach invites a quiet, meditative engagement with timeless religious principles.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"chastity-by-fr-erik-varden-9781399411417","title":"Chastity","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe word \u003cem\u003echastity\u003c\/em\u003e, at first sight, may seem intimidating, something to be dismissed out of hand. It is, however, something very different to celibacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt a time when religion is in decline in the Western world and when it often seems that the senses have run riot, Erik Varden shows that chastity, the single-minded direction of the senses, is a loveable quality and one that affects and beautifies humankind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe terms sexuality and wholeness indicate that to be sexual is to exist in a state of incompleteness longing to be restored. Wholeness points to a healing embrace that we desire so greatly. In Biblical language, chastity is a function of simplicity of sight. We are no longer torn apart by our passions and our desires; indeed, they may reach their fulfilment. Body and spirit, male and female, order and disorder, passion and death can move from creative tension to a new kind of wholeness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eVarden’s text is enriched by a wide range of references to scripture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47595997790444,"sku":"9781399411417","price":36.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1cd0590fcb0e8c55fca0fd1976a4c914.jpg?v=1777937140"},{"product_id":"healing-wounds-by-fr-erik-varden-9781399410403","title":"Healing Wounds","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAre we healed through our wounds or are our wounds themselves healed from some other source?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eHealing Wounds\u003c\/i\u003e, Erik Varden examines the New Testament where it spells out why Christ’s wounds were efficacious for the healing of humankind. He contends that while this theological perspective is fundamental, it often falls short of addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of believers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBob Dylan once said, tongue in cheek, ‘Pain sure does bring out the best in people.’ The philosopher Donald MacKinnon said, ‘Suffering never ennobled anyone.’ Suffering by nature poses questions people wrestle with today in many fields of life with counsellors, therapists, philosophers, and spiritual directors. But the conundrum remains and in this book Varden sets out to resolve it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStructured to guide readers through a journey of reflection, beginning with the raw reality of suffering and moving toward the possibility of redemption and renewal. Varden employs a contemplative tone, inviting readers to sit with their own experiences of pain and consider how these might be transformed through faith and introspection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47596568150252,"sku":"9781399410403","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7aec6a119d94f84932088ce24c74efde.jpg?v=1777936068"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/fr-erik-varden.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}