Broken Gods: Hope, Healing, and the Seven Longings of the Human Heart

Description

Helps readers discover how the seven deadly sins reveals a divinely created longing that, when exposed to grace, can help us become what we truly are- sons and daughters of God. "You are gods." Blasphemy? No, those mysterious words, spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of John and alluded to in Psalm 82, point to a holy longing deep in our hearts that tells each of us that we were created for more. "Imagine that you were to wake up tomorrow to discover that, by some miracle, you had become a god overnight," writes Dr. Gregory Popcak. "Not THE God-omnipresent, all-knowing, all-powerful-but a god in the classic sense. That is to say, you woke to find that you were perfect, immortal, utterly confident in who you are, where you were going in life, and how you were going to get there. It might seem ridiculous to consider at first, but allow yourself to imagine this truly miraculous transformation. What would it be like to live without fear? How would it feel to be completely at peace with yourself and the people in your life? Imagine what it would be like to be able to resolve-once and for all-the tension that currently exists between all your competing feelings, impulses, desires, and demands. What would change in your life as a result of your having become that sort of divinely actualized person?" Bold questions are in need of bold answers. And in Broken Gods, a work that is both practical and inspirational, Dr. Greg explores what our deepest desires--and even our darkest desires-- tell us about our ultimate destiny and reveals a commonsense approach to fulfilling our true purpose in life.

Dr. Gregory Popcak, an adjunct professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, is the author of over 20 books and programs and an internationally recognized expert in Catholic pastoral counseling. He has degrees in psychology and theology, as well as a master's degree in clinical social work and a Ph.D. in human services. He is the host of More2Life Radio, heard on over forty stations around the country. Dr. Popcak's blog, Faith on the Couch, can be found at Patheos.com. He is an in-demand guest on both Catholic and secular radio and television programs and his work has been featured in the LA Times, The Washington Post, Fox News, US News and World Report, NPR's Here & Now, OSV Newsweekly, and many other media outlets. Please visit him at online www.CatholicCounselors.com

"This is the vision of the early Church Fathers - their understanding of salvation in Jesus Christ. But it is applied as never before, by a renowned psychologist, to our lives and relationships today. This book is a prelude to true and lasting happiness, not only in heaven, but right now in our homes and workplaces. Broken Gods is life-changing." -Mike Aquilina, author of Roots of the Faith "Gregory Popcak's Broken Gods is a canny recovery of a still-startling theology of Christian life about our divinization: "Gods though you be,/ offspring of the Most High all of you,/ Yet like any mortal you shall die;/ like any prince you shall fall" (Psalm 86). Popcak takes this idea seriously, walking us through the false desires--the deadly sins--that arise from our brokenness in order to discover the authentic desires that lead us to joy. His is a hope-filled, theological humanism that comes from years of experience in both clinical practice and prayer." -Tim Muldoon, Ph.D., theologian and author of many books, including The Ignatian Workout "In this excellent book, Dr. Popcak makes the ancient Christian doctrine of theosis, found in so many of the Church fathers, accessible and understandable. He shows that, in a way, everyone can be a mystic, in the sense that they are increasingly aware of the presence of God every moment of every day, and are becoming more and more "partakers of the divine nature." Anyone who is in the midst of a crisis, who is doing some soul-searching, or who just wants to live more intentionally in relationship with God and find authentic happiness, should read this book." -James L. Papandrea, co-author of Seven Revolutions: How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change it Again. "Today the Catholic and ecumenical evangelical traditions often speak of being "born again," through the Spirit in our personal encounter and relationship with Jesus Christ. But the early Church fathers described the actual organics of this rebirth through the Spirit as 'theosis,' or 'deification.' Dr. Greg Popcak has authored a great work investigating both the history and pastoral applications of this mystical reality in Christ. It is a good read." -John Michael Talbot, author of The Ancient Path "Broken Gods is rooted in this fundamental truth: the devil doesn't have his own clay! Sin, even the deadliest sin, is the distortion of something good. Popcak masterfully reveals how even our darkest desires ultimately point to something beautiful, to a destiny beyond our wildest dreams, and he offers a powerful, practical plan for readers to fulfill God's ultimate vision for their lives. A must-read for anyone who wants to live the redemption Christ won for us!" -Christopher West, Founder & President, The Cor Project Author, Fill These Hearts: God, Sex, & the Universal Longing To be human is never enough. We were made to be more. We feel it. We long for it. But we can't always name what the "more" is, let alone how to become it. In "Broken Gods," Dr. Gregory Popcak, does both and does both beautifully-charting a clear course for men and women to follow that begins with desire, develops through the virtues, and ends with divine fulfillment: a wonderful read! -Emily Stimpson, co-author of The American Catholic Almanac