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This article is about the theological concept. For other uses, see Grace (disambiguation)

Divine grace is a theological term which is present in many and varied spiritual traditions. However, there are significant differences between the way people of different traditions use the word.

Christianity[link]

Romans 5:1-2 (King James Version) "¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand..." Galatians 5:4 (King James Version) "⁴Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

Grace in this context is something that is God-given, made possible only by Jesus Christ and none other. It is God's gift of salvation granted to sinners for their salvation. The Christian teaching is that grace is unmerited mercy (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his son to die on a cross, thus delivering eternal salvation.

In the New Testament, the word translated as grace is the Greek word charis (Greek χάρις), pronounced khar'-ece, for which Strong's Concordance gives this definition; "Grace, the state of kindness and favor towards someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object." ^[1][2] A Greek word that is related to charis is charisma (gracious gift). Both these words originated from another Greek word chairo (to rejoice, be glad, delighted). ^[3] In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term used is chen ^[4][5] (חֵן), which is defined in Strong's as "favor, grace or charm; grace is the moral quality of kindness, displaying a favorable disposition".^[6] In the King James translation, Chen is translated as "grace" 38 times, "favour" 26 times, twice as "gracious", ^[7] once as "pleasant", ^[8] and once as "precious". ^[9]

Within Christianity, there are differing conceptions of grace. In particular, Catholics and Protestants use the word in substantially different ways. It has been described as "the watershed that divides Catholicism from Protestantism, Calvinism from Arminianism, modern liberalism from conservatism".^[10] Catholic doctrine teaches that God uses the sacraments to facilitate the reception of His grace. ^[11] Protestants generally do not hold that view. ^[12] In other words, even without the sacraments, divine grace has been imparted by God to humanity.

Hinduism[link]

Hindu devotional or bhakti literature available throughout India is replete with references to grace (kripa) as the ultimate key required for spiritual self-realization.^{[13][additional citation needed]} Some, such as the ancient sage Vasistha, in his classical work Yoga Vasistha, considered it to be the only way to transcend the bondage of lifetimes of karma.[1] One Hindu philosopher, Madhvacharya, held that grace was not a gift from God, but rather must be earned.^[14]

Islam[link]

Dr. Umar Al-Ashqar, dean of the Faculty of Islamic Law, at al-Zarqa’ University in Zarqa, Jordan wrote that "Paradise is something of immense value; a person cannot earn it by virtue of his deeds alone, but by the Grace and Mercy of Allah." ^[15] This stance is supported by hadith: according to Abu Huraira, Muhammad once said that "None amongst you can get into Paradise by virtue of his deeds alone ... not even I, but that Allah should wrap me in his grace and mercy."^[16]

See also[link]

• Hana

Notes and References[link]

Sources[link]

• Strong, James (2001), The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Zondervan, ISBN 978-0-310-23343-5 
• Stongnumbers.com, Online Parallel Bible Project (Biblos.com), http://strongsnumbers.com/ 
• Biblestudytools.com, Salem Web Network, http://www.biblestudytools.com 

Grace Mary Williams (19 February 1906 - 10 February 1977) was a Welsh composer.

Biography[link]

Williams was born in Barry, near Cardiff, Wales.

She was educated at Barry County School, and won a scholarship to Cardiff University ( University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire). She then went to the Royal College of Music, London, where she was taught by Ralph Vaughan Williams. During the Second World War, the students were evacuated to Grantham in Lincolnshire, where Grace composed some of her earliest works, including the Sinfonia Concertante and her first symphony.

During and after the war, Williams suffered from depression and other stress-related health problems. Having taught in London, she returned to Wales, where she worked for the BBC. One of her most popular works was her Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes (1940). In 1949, she became the first British woman to score a feature film, with Blue Scar.^[1] In 1960-61 she wrote her only opera, The Parlour, which was not performed until 1966. In the same year, she turned down an offer of the OBE for her services to music.

BBC Radio 3 devoted their Composer of the Week segment to her during the second week of August 2006. This resulted in several new performances of long-unperformed works, including her Violin Concerto.

Principal works[link]

• Elegy for String orchestra (1936)
• Four Illustrations for the Legend of Rhiannon (1939)
• Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes (1940)^[2]
• Sinfonia Concertante for piano and orchestra (1941)^[3]
• Symphony no. 1 (1943)
• Sea Sketches, for String orchestra (1944)
• Violin Concerto (1950)^[4]
• The Dancers (1951)
• Penillion, for orchestra (1955)^[5]
• Symphony no. 2 (1956)
• All Seasons shall be Sweet (1959)
• The Parlour, opera (1961)
• Trumpet Concerto (1963)
• Carillons, for oboe and orchestra (1965)
• Ballads for Orchestra (1968)
• Missa Cambrensis (1971)
• Ave Maris Stella, for choir (1973)
• Fairest of Stars, for soprano and orchestra (1973)

Recordings[link]

Only a handful of Williams' works have been recorded. Her Second Symphony, Penillion, Sea Sketches and Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes have been included in two Lyrita compilations, and several choral works, including Ave Maris Stella, were recorded for a Chandos Records collection. Ballads for Orchestra was recorded by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Baldur Brönnimann and was included in issue number 35 of BBC Music Magazine

Further reading[link]

Grace Williams left no autobiography, but a useful introduction to her work is

• Boyd, Malcolm (1996). Grace Williams. University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1372-8. 

External links[link]

• Interview with Grace Williams

References[link]

Laura Mixon Story Elvington (born c. 1978) is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter from Spartanburg, South Carolina.^[1]

Her single off the album "Blessings" became her first to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, making her one of the few female Christian artists to ever reach the top of the singles chart.

Career[link]

Story began her career in 1996 when she met Shane Williams, from the band Silers Bald, at Columbia International University. Williams asked Story to join the band and she became their bass player. Story released four independent albums with the band.^[2]

When the band was about to sign a deal with Essential Records, Story's manager suggested her to record a solo album. In 2002, Story left Silers Bald and began working on her first album, Indescribable, which was released independently that same year. In 2004, the title track of her album was recorded by Chris Tomlin in his album, Arriving. Tomlin's version peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs and was included in the compilation album Passion: How Great Is Our God. The band Avalon also recorded a version of the song for the WOW Worship 2006 album.^[3]

Story released her second independent album in 2005, titled There Is Nothing. The album was produced by Ed Cash and Mitch Dane. During that year, she also married Martin Elvington, and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to become the worship leader and women’s pastor for the arts and music community at Perimeter Church (http://www.perimeter.org).

In 2006, Story signed a record contract with INO Records and two years later, released her third album, Great God Who Saves. The album was also produced by Ed Cash.^[4] In 2010, she was nominated for a Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year at the 41st GMA Dove Awards.^[5]

Blessings[link]

In May 2011 Story released her fourth album titled Blessings. To date the album has become her biggest commercial success having debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, giving Story her highest placement ever on the album chart. In June 2011, the first single off the album also titled "Blessings" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, giving Story her first number one hit and making her one of the few female Christian artists to ever reach the top of the singles chart. In an interview, Story explains “Blessings is just a bunch of songs about worshipping when life is hard". Her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and she wondered "Why didn’t you just fix it, God? You’re all powerful and all loving… just fix it." Later after mentioning her desire to return back to normal, her sister said "You know, I think the detour is actually the road." She realized that “Spending time with [husband] Martin obviously makes me happy, but it makes me a better person. That’s the blessing of it.”^[6]

Discography[link]

Solo Albums[link]

• Great God Who Saves also charted on the Billboard Heatseekers Album chart peaking at #25.
• Blessings also charted on the Billboard Folk Albums chart peaking at #3 and on the Billboard 200 chart peaking at #30.

With Silers Bald[link]

Singles[link]

• "Blessings" also charted on the Billboard Heatseekers Song chart peaking at #18.
• "Blessings" also charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart peaking at #7.

Awards and nominations[link]

GMA Dove Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Official biography