Few authors are able to write successfully for both the fiction and nonfiction markets, and perhaps I am foolish to think I might turn out to be the exception. To the untrained observer, science fiction, fantasy, and Christian philosophy might seem like totally different markets, but C.S. Lewis and I would disagree. Creative imagination and intellectual curiosity often go hand-in-hand, and it’s not particularly uncommon for religious skepticism to be a part of that mix. Some of us have stayed with the church while we’ve worked through our faith-and-doubt issues and others have chosen to leave religion behind. The reasons we choose to leave or stay are seldom entirely intellectual nor are they completely emotional/experiential, and I’m not about to assume I have the wisdom to address all of them at once. For those readers who think no one listens or understands, however, I can assure you that you’re not alone in your questions, and I don’t think you’re weird for asking them. Not in our community, at least.
TRAITS & TYPES: AN EXPLORATION OF PERSONALITY TYPES AND TYPOLOGIES
We see the dynamics of personality and personality conflict around us every day, but how often do we think about what we are really seeing? What motivations and viewpoints are at play beneath the surface?
Using the Big Five Aspects Scale (BFAS) as a master index of personality traits, Traits and Types takes readers on a guided tour of personality measurement systems like the Myers-Briggs, the Enneagram, and others that are less well-known but no less fascinating.
Far from passively allowing personality tests to define them, I invite readers to dig deeper, ask questions, and search each model for life-changing insights. The goal is a greater understanding of yourself and others. Are you ready?
Author’s Comments: My interest in personality began when I was around nineteen years old. In was in college trying to figure out my life, and I was a mass of insecurities. So were many of my classmates, but I couldn’t see it at the time. I thought it was just me. Another thing I couldn’t see is that my tendency to overthink everything was also the shadow side of some of my most useful strengths. Learning about personality types unlocked a lot of doors for me, and I found that I enjoyed talking about it. So did a lot of other people I met at school, at work, and in other places. I found myself teaching about it in organization behavior and consumer behavior classes and doing seminars for church groups. Finally, I decided to write a book to bring together the best of the best and to add a few of my own insights and teaching tools. It took a while to strike the right balance between education and entertainment, but I hope my readers will find it to be a readable and engaging resource.
Traits and Types will be available on Amazon as a printed book on July 29, 2024 and as a Kindle book on July 31.
GENESIS AND THE THOUGHTFUL CHRISTIAN
Author: Timothy D. Wise (as T.D. Wise)
Some Christians dismiss all of mainstream science as a diabolical conspiracy, and some mainstream scientists dismiss the Bible as a collection of outdated stories and superstitions left over from a more primitive age. There is, however, a third group that, in spite of the challenges, finds it more satisfying to live in that tension-filled zone between the timeless truths of the Bible and the constantly-shifting landscape of scientific discovery and has the audacity to believe they can find God in both.
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Author’s Comments: I sometimes feel spread between worlds. When I was writing this book, I was teaching at a state university during the week, teaching a college Sunday school class at a Baptist church on Sundays, and taking classes at a Baptist seminary during my spare time (such as it was). Those worlds didn’t always stay separate, however. The students in my college Sunday school class were a bright group. I appreciated the fact that they trusted me enough to ask honest questions about our doctrines and beliefs, but sometimes they stumped me. I wrote this book to address the questions they asked, but they had graduated and moved on by the time I finished it. One of them is in Silicon Valley, another is a filmmaker, and most of them have started families. I fondly remember the time some of them formed an impromptu musical group and performed a set of Harry Potter-based songs at Books-A-Million when one of the books went on sale. That’s why I dedicated the book to “They Who Shall Not Be Named” which was the name of their group. Maybe one day they’ll get around to reading it and remember our discussions.