The Tree of All Hearts: Modern Parables for Teaching Faiths (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781573122986)

This collection of original contemporary parables and stories written by the authors for readers and hearers is presented with powerful wisdom and truths through the telling of stories.

Jesus was the master storyteller, and among his best-loved and most remembered words are the parables. Stories are essential for describing the Christian experience. The power of parables and stories lies in their ability to address matters of the heart in ways akin to poetry. As an aid to preaching and teaching, parables provide powerful windows to truths that can be grasped by the hearer on many levels.

The collection of parables and stories in this book addresses common themes of the Christian life: faith, fear, discipleship, discipline, death, life, salvation, and hope. Some are parables in the strict sense of the term; others are fables and genre stories. Like any good story, each will speak to the listeners at whatever level of readiness and understanding they bring to the story.

Each story includes corresponding Bible passages and a list of study questions for pondering various aspects of the story, either in personal reflection or group study.

Israel Galindo is Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA.

Alexander O. Gonzalez is an educator, teacher, and storyteller.