Unexpected Grace
Stories of faith, science, and altruism
by Bill Kramer
Expecting a simple book of vignettes, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this powerful book of scientific studies on the subject of giving, forgiving, and grace beyond expectations.
The 1st chapter grabbed me because it was one of the best descriptions that I have read on the aftermath of the tragedy of 9-11-01. Reading the personal accounts of people helping one another without asking, and the way that ‘passing it forward’ worked in a tumultuous time, was very gratifying. The volunteers who gave daily of their personal time, love, & empathy, share their stories with a great depth.
This book teaches us that beyond the sterile statistics of science, lies humanity in all it’s grace & foibles.
The following study in the book is on the formation of friendships. Going beyond the safety of ‘like attracting like’, this group embraces its diversities, dispersing stereotypes & personal prejudices. Reading the personal accounts caused me to reevaluate my own abilities to be all-inclusive and all-loving.
My favorite study was ‘Guided by the Holy Spirit’, where the group studied the benefits of spirituality on their physical & mental health. I love this quote:
“..people who received something wonderful, something unearned, would be inspired by gratitude to pass that blessing on to others.”
The results may surprise you.
Bill Kramer’s Afterword says it succinctly, “Because love is transcendent. Don’t believe otherwise. Despite the conflicts that surround us, despite ample evidence of hatred and divisiveness, love is the uber power, the primal condition. Love doesn’t just trump forgiveness…it trumps all human endeavor, every achievement and every miscalculation. Mystics from all religious paths know through experience that love is our natural state.”
What more could we want?
This super readable book can be purchased online at www.templetonpress.org for $22.95
I look forward to many more books by this talented author.
Happy Reading!
Rev Dr Sandra Gaskin