Books by Mark Vernon

We live in an age of emergency, exacerbated by a collapse of meaning. Writer and psychotherapist Mark Vernon examines the type of intelligence that, whilst often dismissed and overlooked, is crucial to understand and cultivate if we are to survive and thrive in our times. Spiritual intelligence is the foundation of who we are and our particular type of consciousness. It is the perception identified across wisdom and religious traditions, and known by many names, which can be summarised as the awareness of awareness, and so of being itself. It is the foundation of peace, even in the face of death, as well as purpose and solidarity. The challenge today is to recover and live according to that knowledge. Examining themes from the nature of consciousness to the experience of time, the emergence of our species and the teaching of spiritual adepts, the book is an antidote to rampant AI and a complement to emotional intelligence. It is written without presuming religious commitments in readers and draws on a mix of sources and experience gained from the author's own practices. It advocates pilgrimage and improvisation, virtues over morality, and big histories that do not turn the story of our species into a bleak struggle for survival. The seven steps will help readers identify spiritual intelligence within themselves, unpack why it matters, and suggest how a wider trust in it may be revived.

The forgotten story of Christianity, inward sight and life in all its fullness today.

In this book:'Mark Vernon writes with sharp insight and a generous understanding of how humans search and create meanings to sustain their lives' - Madeleine Bunting, Guardian.Why doesn't God go away? God: All That Matters, by philosopher Mark Vernon,suggests that there is something odd about the way God is discussed today. It is often as if the divine were being examined in a test tube, in a search for empirical and objective confirmation of his/her existence. Yet, for people of faith, the experience of God is nothing if not subjectively real; they know God, in-so-far as they do, in their lives. Vernon therefore looks to move the argument on from the debates between atheist and religious fundamentalists, to look at how people through time have looked for, experienced, and explained God - in suffering, in nature, in morality, in peak experiences, in goodness, in the future and in love.This accessible and concise book will appeal to both students and general readers, giving a fascinating introduction to a wide range of perspectives on God.The All That Matters series:All That Matters books:All books in the All That Matters series are written by world experts in their subject field. These experts work to distil a topic and get right to its heart, making the book accessible for both students and general readers. Each compelling book contains new and interesting perspectives and tells stories that matter.The Author:Mark Vernon has an unparalleled ability to convey profound philosophical ideas in a manner that is both accessible and personal but also rigorous and challenging.'- Raymond TallisMark Vernon is a journalist, broadcaster, teacher and author of several books. He is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London and has degrees in physics, and theology and a PhD in philosophy. He was a priest in the Church of England, left a convinced atheist, though now takes religious and spiritualpractice very seriously - a journey he has written about in his book How to be an Agnostic.Keep up with Mark Vernon on his website: www.markvernon.com.Other books in the All That Matters series:All That Matters - Interesting introductions to important issuesBooks on the following subjects are available from the All That Matters series: Muhammad, Water, Political Philosophy, Sustainability, Philosophy, Intelligence, Love, Russian Revolution, War, and Creativity.To find out more visit: www.allthatmattersbooks.comGod - philosophy - the way God is discussed today - divine - empirical - objective - existence of God - faith - experience of God - subjective - debate - atheist - religious fundamentalists - explaining God - suffering - nature - morality - goodness - love - accessible - concise - students - general readers - fascinating - introduction - perspectives on God - spiritual practice - agnostic - All That Matters - pocket book - Christianity - Judaism - Islam - Buddhism - Sikhism - non-religious - spirituality

The authentic spiritual quest is marked not by certainties but by questions and doubt. Mark Vernon who was a priest, and left an atheist explores the wonder of science, the ups and downs of being 'spiritual but not religious', the insights of ancient philosophy, and God the biggest question.

Mark Vernon offers penetrating insights on the idea of friendship, using philosophy and modern culture to ask about friendship and sex, work, politics and spirituality. He also explores how notions of friendship may or may not be changing because of the internet, and looks at the psychology of friendship.

Argues that positive psychology has overlooked and sidelined the ancient wisdom on wellbeing, notably from the Greek philosophers. This work shows that wellbeing is not found in a focus on pleasure, or even the pursuit of happiness itself. Rather, it is a question of meaning and responding to the great challenge: the search for transcendence.

Use Ancient Wisdom to revitalise your life!Do you ever get the feeling that something went wrong? What with credit crunches, wars, congestion charges, and unemployment, it is natural to hark back to less complicated times. In this witty and inspiring book, Mark Vernon does just that. However, we are not talking about the 1980s try 400BC! Filled with timeless insight into life, relationships, work and partying, Plato's Podcasts takes a sideways glance at modern living and presents the would-be thoughts of Ancient Philosophers on various topics central to our 21st century existence. From Plato on podcasts to Epicurus on bottled water, this is a funny but profound take on what life means today (and two thousand years ago).

If science has replaced God, is life necessarily meaningless? This book argues that the advances of science and the retreat of religion in secular society does not have to mean a life without spirituality.

Business: The Key Concepts provides everything you need to know about concepts and terms. It combines detail and accessibility and explores new developments in business.