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For the Love of Mary takes the reader on a spiritual journey of tender love that begins with the questions, “How do I fall in love with Mary, the mother of Jesus and my spiritual mother? How do I cultivate a deeper, more intimate and meaningful relationship with her, inviting her into my spiritual life?” Fr. Daniel-Maria Klimek, T.O.R., presents a path of deep spiritual intimacy with Mother Mary that includes practicing the “presence of Mary” in one's life, consoling her Immaculate Heart through a spirituality of reparation, hearing her voice through her apparitions, and delving into a greater understanding of her sufferings as Mother of Sorrows. For the Love of Mary considers Our Lady's important identity and role in matters that are seldom mentioned in books about her but are of the utmost importance, such as her role in spiritual warfare and the ministry of exorcism, as well as her role in the renewal of the priesthood in a time when the Church faces so much scandal and confusion. She is the Morning Star that guides the struggling Church—and each one of her children—in the midst of surrounding storms to a purer path.

Today, the Catholic Church is dealing with many complex problems that often leave the faithful confused about the authentic interpretation of Catholic teaching. In Calming the Storm: Navigating the Crises Facing the Catholic Church and Society, experienced Vatican journalist Diane Montagna conducts a wide-ranging and trenchant interview with Fr. Gerald E. Murray that examines the root causes of and potential solutions to the many challenges the Church faces today. Fr. Murray's insights provide sure guidance in understanding the Church's teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, homosexuality and gender ideology, the worthy reception of Holy Communion, the value of the Traditional Latin Mass, the horror of the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy, the responsibility of bishops to uphold—not contradict—the Catholic Faith, and the duty of all Catholics to remain faithful to the teachings handed down from the apostles. Fr. Murray's analysis highlights that while Christianity is under siege in the modern world, our Faith teaches us to have confidence in God's never-failing providence. Renewing our minds and hearts in the truths that Christ and His Church teaches us brings true peace of soul. Amidst the maelstrom of doctrinal confusion and worldliness in the Church, Christ alone calms the storm when, like the Apostles, we turn to him in confidence and faith.

John Paul II's Faith and Reason was written against a background of Catholic scholarship focusing notably on the New Testament, St. Augustine's Confessions, St. Thomas's De Veritate, and the encyclicals of various pre-Vatican II popes. A detailed, textually based critique of these early sources reveals inconsistencies and conceptual errors that are shown to carry over into Faith and Reason. John Paul II's treatment of reason, in particular, turns out to be aberrant to the point of incoherence. It is inconceivable how this reason could join with faith in a way that lifts the human spirit to a contemplation of truth, as stated in the Preface of the encyclical. There is another sense of reason, however, which demonstrably is capable of cooperating with faith to achieve this effect. This reason is free from the fetters of Neo-Scholasticism that keep John Paul II's reason grounded. The present study joins forces with the encyclical with a detailed example of this other sense of reason in action. In this example, new truths come to light regarding the complex relation between the first and the second great commandments.

This book engages the theology of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI in dialogue with African Catholic theological concerns and challenges. After an Introduction by Matthew Levering arguing that African Catholic theology is an important resource for the whole Church, the book contains ten chapters by African and non-African Catholic theologians. Paulinus Odozor investigates whether and, if so, how the God of Jesus Christ stands in continuity with the God known to African Traditional Religions. Paul Ọlatubọsun Adaja addresses faith and reason in light of the current African anthropological crisis. Tegha Nji and Valery Akoh connect Ratzinger's idea of'pro-existence'with traditional African understandings of solidarity. Jacob Phillips compares the theologies of Robert Cardinal Sarah and Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI. Dennis Kasule examines the requirements of a New Evangelization for Africa, in light of the case of Uganda. Joseph Lugalambi proposes that the Catholic liturgies of Africa are in need of reform. Mary-Reginald N. Anibueze explores the Eucharist as a socio-communitarian event. Emery de Gaal reflects upon Ratzinger/Benedict's theology of inculturation. Joseph Ogbonnaya treats Caritas in Veritate with a focus upon the case of Nigeria. Maurice Ashley Agbaw-Ebai meditates upon Ratzinger's understanding of political power.

Straightforward answers about Roman Catholicism for a Protestant audienceThe Roman Catholic faith is one of the world's most widespread religious traditions, yet the unique aspects of Roman Catholicism elicit perennial questions from adherents and outsiders alike. Such questions tend to fall into three major categories: historical backgrounds, theological matters, and personal relationships. Using Catholic Church documents and the writings of Catholic scholars, Baptist systematic theologian Gregg Allison distills the teachings of Catholicism around forty common questions about Catholic foundations, beliefs, and practices. The accessible question-and-answer format guides readers to the issues that concern them, including:• Where do Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs differ?• What happens during a Roman Catholic Mass?• How does Roman Catholicism understand the biblical teaching about Mary?• Who are the saints and what is their role?• How can my Roman Catholic loved ones and I talk about the gospel?40 Questions About Roman Catholicism explores theology and practice, doctrine and liturgy, sacraments and Mariology, contributions and scandals, and many other things, clarifying both real and perceived differences and similarities with other Christian traditions.

Die Begegnung von Martin Luther und dem päpstlichen Legaten Thomas de Vio Cajetan im Anschluss an den Augsburger Reichstag von 1518 war ein bedeutsames Ereignis der frühen Reformationsgeschichte. Mit Cajetan trat dem Wittenberger Reformator erstmals ein Theologe gegenüber, der die Konsequenzen von Luthers früher Buß- und Rechtfertigungstheologie erkannte. Der vorliegende Band stellt den Versuch dar, die in den letzten Jahren in Bewegung geratene Cajetan- und Lutherforschung produktiv zusammenzuführen. Dabei wird das Aufeinandertreffen der beiden Theologen vor allem im Blick auf ihre Denk-, Lebens- und Glaubenszusammenhänge rekonstruiert. Ziel ist es, von der Biographie, dem monastischen Lebensraum und den theologischen Grundüberzeugungen her einen Beitrag zu einem kontextuellen Verständnis der Begegnung zu leisten.

Die Frage nach Gott – und mit ihr die Frage nach dem Woher und Wohin des Menschen – gehört in der aktuellen Situation der Menschheit zu den drängendsten Herausforderungen. Sie steht auch in der Mitte der Theologie Joseph Ratzingers/Benedikts XVI. Um die'merkwürdige Gottvergessenheit'in der Menschheit, die Papst Benedikt diagnostizierte, zu überwinden, fragen die Autoren dieses Bandes nach den Zusammenhängen von Gott und Geschichte, Gottes Gegenwart und Liturgie, Wahrheit und Lebenswirklichkeit, Offenbarung und Tradition u. a.

The traditional claim that Mary remained a virgin during the very act of giving birth to Jesus is one of the least known and least understood aspects of Marian doctrine today. Has the contemporary Church retreated from this claim? In Vessel of Honor, Fr. Brian Graebe provides a solid introduction to the historical development of the doctrine and its reception in modern Catholic theology. He shows that, far from being responsible for its contemporary occlusion, the Second Vatican Council did much to reaffirm the traditional understanding of Mary's perpetual virginity against its radical reinterpretation in the mid-twentieth century. Fr. Graebe demonstrates that the Council's underappreciated work on Mary's perpetual virginity must be seen as part of the legacy of Vatican II. Perhaps the most significant and timely contribution of this book is its illumination of the Council's revival of the patristic association of Mary with the Church. At a time when many claim Vatican II weakened the Church's commitment to Sacred Tradition, Vessel of Honor amplifies the Council's clarion call to the Church to receive and preserve God's revelation with virginal fidelity. Mary's physical intactness is an icon of the deposit of faith. Vessel of Honor is an important book both for modern Mariology and for the proper reception of the Second Vatican Council.

Die Päpste Pius XI. und Pius XII. erließen zahlreiche lehramtliche Dokumente: von einer Enzyklika über die Ehe- und Sexualmoral bis hin zum Mariendogma von 1950. Doch wer verfasste sie eigentlich? Wie entsteht ein Dogma und wie erfolgt die Inszenierung einer unfehlbaren Verkündigung durch den Papst? Und: Kann sich katholische Glaubenslehre entwickeln oder gar korrigiert werden? Neue Aktenfunde erlauben einen Blick auf den Schreibtisch eines Ghostwriters: des Jesuiten Franz Hürth. Unerwartet eröffnen sich historisch fundierte Optionen für die aktuelle Reformdiskussion in der katholischen Kirche.

In this book, Idara Otu, one of the new theological voices from Africa, rethinks ecclesiology in the changing context of a wounded and broken world. What does the Catholic Church in Africa look like post-Vatican II? This book creatively illuminates the intrinsic connections between ecclesial communion and social mission in the changing face of the church in Africa. The multiple levels of dialogue in African Catholicism, especially in the reception and contextualization of conciliar teachings, is redefining world Christianity. The author explores how dialogue, synodality, inculturation, leadership, human security, social issues, and social transformation are shaping the identity and mission of the church in Africa. This book also engages recent magisterial teachings and diverse theological voices in developing the praxis for the emergence of particular churches in Africa that are defined by the joys and sorrows of God's people. The book calls for a Triple-C church, revitalized through Conversion, Communality, and Conversation, as well as fostering integral and sustainable social transformation in Africa's contested march toward modernity.

Sexual revolution, terrorism, student riots, civil rights, Stonewall Riots, feminism, and the publication of Humane vitae. The year 1968 is a milestone in twentieth-century history. The papers presented in this volume mark an interdisciplinary and wide-ranging approach to a year, and indeed a decade, whose movements and events are still very much alive in contemporary society. The fruits of the conference are published in this volume to invite ongoing reflection and a critical discourse to a watershed moment in our history and culture.

How ought the church respond to the rise of a post-Christian secular age? Should it retreat? What is the mission of the church in this context? Joseph Ratzinger's eucharistic ecclesiology provides a model for living the relation between communion and mission, a model that provides a sound image for conceiving of and imagining the church's engagement with modernity and the embodiment of missionary communion. Ratzinger's vision, deeply influenced by St. Benedict's and St. Augustine's responses to the problems of their day, offers a theologically and liturgically grounded vision of missionary communion that transcends politics. In light of our creation by, from, and for the triune God, authentic responses to the present dis-integration of reason and community require the witness and invitation of the church as a community for the world. Ratzinger argues that right worship can and does habituate Christians and equip churches to respond to the existential questions confronting modern persons, many of whom seem partially paralyzed by the anxieties of life without truth and communion. Might the witness of communion for mission lived by the new ecclesial movements, especially the Focolare, offer an example of how Ratzinger's creative minorities can successfully evangelize this secular age?

Das Christentum ist eine Religion der Freude: Es verkündet die Freude Gottes an seiner Schöpfung und die Freude, die Christen an Gott haben können. In verschiedenen Beiträgen veranschaulicht Kardinal Koch, wie die Kirche berufen ist, Zeugnis von dieser Freude zu geben, die darin wurzelt, dass Gott Freude an den Menschen hat. Das Buch, das zum 70. Geburtstag des Kardinals erscheint, weckt und vertieft die Freude an der Schönheit des christlichen Glaubens und stellt dessen wesentliche Momente in leicht zugänglicher Weise vor.

Herbert McCabe struck those who met him (Alasdair MacIntyre, Anthony Kenny, Terry Eagleton, Denys Turner) or those who read his writings (David Burrell, Stanley Hauerwas) for his high intelligence. He was the most intelligent philosopher after the death of Karl Popper. His philosophical inquiries on God and the Human Being have yet to be properly understood, not because they were abstruse (clarity was McCabe's inexorable sword!) but because of their dizzying depth, for which many are not yet prepared. This is the first comprehensive study of McCabe, a person who preferred speaking to writing and left only the short--fragmented and dispersed--texts of his lectures and sermons. But in this book, to use David Burrell's words, Manni has'managed to get inside McCabe's mind'and assemble together for the first time the disiecta membra of a powerful system of thought.

Pope Francis has taken the world by storm. He is the most prominent Christian voice in our world today. How does he incorporate Scripture into his ministry and what does Scripture say about those things he emphasizes? This book will explore within Scripture the bedrock themes of Francis'time as Pope, such as the poor, women, a God of surprises, mercy, the environment, and excessive legalism. What we find is that a diversity of biblical perspectives provide deep theological support or precedent for Francis'agenda. Both Francis and Scripture call Christians today to live in dramatically new ways in our world.

The Church of God and Its Human Face is the first comprehensive study of perhaps the most original U.S. ecclesiologist of our times, Joseph A. Komonchak. In language accessible to a wide audience, the author offers an exposition of Komonchak's thought on the church and explores its distinctive features, including its implications for church practice.

Katholische Kirchenleitung nur Männersache? Doch ohne die Arbeit der Frauen gäbe es diese Kirche überhaupt nicht, deren gegenwärtiges Herrschaftssystem nicht biblisch zu begründen ist. Denn mit der Konstantinischen Wende haben Verantwortliche der Jesusgemeinden altrömische Staatsideologien der Männerherrschaft übernommen und daraus die römische Kirche konstruiert. In den Evangelien dagegen verkünden Frauen, vor allem Maria Magdalena, und nicht die Apostel, die Botschaft von der Auferstehung Jesu. Es ist also an der Zeit, Frauen in der Kirche die absolute Gleichstellung zu garantieren.

Ce livre rappelle l'importance capitale que revêt la notion de miséricorde dans la révélation chrétienne. Avec pour point d'ancrage l'Écriture, la tradition et le magistère de l'Église, l'auteur déploie un discours sur la miséricorde, mû par l'objectif avoué, de jouer les « temps additionnels » perpétuels de l'année de la miséricorde.

In 1611 Edmond Richer, the syndic of the Faculty of Theology of Paris, published a short but incisive defence of the conciliarist doctrine under the title De ecclesiastica et politica potestate. He claimed that this doctrine had been almost uninterruptedly followed by the University of the Paris since the time of the Council of Constance in the early 15th century. Within two years, at least six Latin, French or bilingual editions of the treatise saw the light as well as an English and a Dutch translation. The book was condemned at a meeting of the French bishops in March 1612 and its author was dismissed from his position of syndic of the Faculty of Theology a few months later. He withdrew from public life but remained influential. He continued to write in defence of the conciliarist doctrine and the so-called liberties of the Gallican Church until his death in 1631. He vehemently opposed Cardinal Bellarmine's doctrine of the indirect power of popes in temporal matters but never subscribed to the doctrine of the divine power of kings. Most of his books were published posthumously. Philippe Denis retraces Edmond Richer's career and examines his ecclesiological and political thinking. Without taking all the syndic's opinions at face value, this volume commits itself to taking seriously Richer's declared intention, which was to vindicate the teaching of the School of Paris and that of Jean Gerson in particular. Philippe Denis places the heated, sometimes aggressive, debates between Richer and his adversaries in the context of a double progression: that of the doctrine of an absolute monarchy, a form of government which had been developing since the troubles of the League, and that of the Ultramontane ideas, often disputed but supported with growing vigour, in France and elsewhere, in the context of the reception of the Council of Trent. Philippe Denis presents the English translation of his book originally published in French (Editions du Cerf in Paris, 2014).

Welche homiletischen Wegmarken lassen sich aufgrund der Beschlüsse des Zweiten Vatikanischen Konzils (1962-1965) setzen? Ausgehend von der konziliaren Überzeugung, dass die Predigt'gleichsam die Verkündigung der Wundertaten Gottes in der Heilsgeschichte bzw. im Geheimnis Christi ist'(SC 35/2), lohnt sich zur Beantwortung der Frage auch eine Auseinandersetzung mit der dogmatischen Konstitution über die göttliche Offenbarung'Dei Verbum'. Sie legt grundlegende offenbarungstheologische Prinzipien dar und stellt dadurch auch für die Predigt als'Verkündigung von Offenbarung'wichtige homiletische Wegmarken auf. Die vorliegende Arbeit versteht sich als fundamentalhomiletische Relecture der Offenbarungskonstitution.

Where is the Catholic Church going? How will it face the challenges of the 21st century? Do the recent advances in modern technology pose a threat to the human soul? In this wide-ranging, candid conversation, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary, one of the most respected cardinals in the Catholic Church, speaks with Dr. Robert Moynihan, founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, about the Catholic Church's place in an increasingly secularized world. As the two-time president of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, Erdő is the leading bishop of Europe. And as Europe has descended into a deep secularism—more pronounced and rapid even than in the United States—Erdő is uniquely positioned and qualified to identify and tackle the issues that secularism presents. Here, for the first time in in one place, the cardinal speaks forthrightly about the need to “guard the flame” of the traditional Christian faith in the face of all temptations and obstacles. Guarding the Flame is a courageous call to remain faithful to the faith handed down from the Apostles, whatever the cost.

Just about fifty years ago, in its declaration on religious freedom at the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church programmatically dispensed with political coercion as a means of enforcing its claim to truth. This act of self-imposed restriction with regard to religious claims to truth is exceptional in the history of religions. It is still extremely difficult to explain even today how such a traditional institution as the Catholic Church could have altered its position so fundamentally. In this volume the authors dispute how the Church came to its position, what the reasons and motives were for its repositioning, what shape this process of change took, and the steps involved in the change: What were the characteristics, circumstances and dynamics of the path of Catholicism to recognizing religious freedom?

In every church--in every pew, it sometimes seems--there is someone who has been deeply hurt in the Catholic Church. And yet these people find themselves coming to church, wondering if anybody else can understand their experiences, their questions, and their needs. This book brings together twelve authors who describe the pain they've experienced in Catholic institutions--and the pathways they've found to healing and renewed faith. In poetry, memoir, pastoral guidance, and practical advice, these authors explore issues ranging from racism to sexual abuse to gossip and judgment. They share the prayers and practices which have helped them come to know the God Who is Love. They offer support and encouragement to all those for whom the church has been a place of harm as well as holiness.

The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II, 1962-65) was distinctly different from other councils in one significant aspect. In all the areas it discussed, this council did not see itself as the end of a process, but rather as a beginning. It opened, not closed, doors--whether doctrinal or disciplinary--for ongoing reflection, for possibilities of ever-improving knowledge and understanding. Laurenti Magesa offers this book as a stimulus for African (Catholic) Christians to continue digging deeper into and benefiting from the spiritual treasures that the Council still contains. For the theologian or historian of Vatican II, some of the information may be quite familiar, but all of it is important if one is to grasp the scope, meaning, and implications of the Council for the Church and people of Africa.

An Avant-garde Theological Generation examines the Fourvière Jesuits and Le Saulchoir Dominicans, theologians and philosophers who comprised the influential reform movement the nouvelle théologie. Led by Henri de Lubac, Jean Daniélou, Yves Congar, and Marie-Dominique Chenu, the movement flourished from the 1930s until its suppression in 1950. It aims to remedy certain historical deficiencies by constructing a history both sensitive to the wider intellectual, political, economic, and cultural milieu of the French interwar crisis, and that establishes continuity with the Modernist crisis and the First World War. Chapter One examines the modern French avant-garde generations that have shaped intellectual and political thought in France, providing context for a historical narrative of the nouvelle théologie. Chapters Two and Three examine the influential older generations that flourished from 1893 to 1914, such as the Dreyfus generation, the generation of Catholic Modernists, and two generations of older Jesuits and Dominicans, which were instrumental in the Fourvière Jesuits'development. Chapter Four explores the influence of the First World War and the years of the 1920s, during which the Jesuits and Dominicans were in religious and intellectual formation, relying heavily on unpublished letters and documents from the Jesuits archives in Paris (Vanves). Chapter Five analyses the crises of the interwar period and the emergence of the wider generation of 1930--to which the nouveaux théologiens belonged--and its intellectual thirst for revolution. Chapter Six examines the emergence of the ^ ressourcement thinkers during the tumultuous years of the 1930s. The decade of the 1940s, explored in Chapter Seven, saw the rise to prominence of the members of the generation of 1930, who, thanks to their participation in the resistance, emerged from the Second World War, with significant influence on the postwar French intellectual milieu. Finally, the monograph concludes in Chapter Eight with an examination of the triumph of French Left Catholicism and the nouvelle théologie during the 1960s at the Second Vatican Council.

Der spanische Dominikaner Melchior Cano (1509 bis 1560) gehört zu den bedeutendsten Persönlichkeiten in der Geschichte der Theologie. Als Professor für Philosophie und Theologie in Salamanca, Berater Kaiser Karls V., Teilnehmer am Konzil von Trient und entschiedener Gegner der Jesuiten prägte er die katholische Gegenreformation im 16. Jahrhundert wie kaum ein anderer. Sein Meisterwerk Über die Orte der Theologie (De Locis Theologicis Libri Duodecim) war für Jahrhunderte ein unübertroffenes Standardwerk theologischer Methodologie. Als solches inspirierte die Schrift einerseits bis weit in das 18. Jahrhundert zahlreiche Nachahmer zur Abfassung eigener Abhandlungen über theologische Orte; andererseits wurde sie selbst in zahllosen Editionen nachgedruckt und herausgegeben, die jedoch nicht selten fehlerhaft sind. Die vorliegende Studie widmet sich in acht Kapiteln jenen Fragen, die sich noch heute hinsichtlich Autor und Werk ergeben, und leistet damit einen weiteren Beitrag zur aktuellen Forschung.

In response to the recent critiques made against Balthasar's interpretation of Christ's descent into hell on Holy Saturday, this book argues that Balthasar does not intend to present a radical reinterpretation of the doctrine in contrast to the traditional teachings but rather intends to fully appreciate the in-betweenness of Holy Saturday as the day of transition from the cross to the resurrection, from the old aeon to the new. The book further argues that this awareness of the'in-betweenness'can be detected throughout Balthasar's theological corpus and provides a clue to interpret his thoughts on Christian discipleship and suffering. After all, the Christian existence is also characterized by the transition from the old aeon to the new, from suffering to victory. The Christian believes that their victory is already here and not here yet. In this sense, the Christian still lives in Holy Saturday. Eventually, we can deepen our understanding of Christian discipleship and suffering in the light of Holy Saturday. In short, we could patiently endure our Holy Saturday because of Christ's Holy Saturday in hell.

A Catholic Theology in a current African context remains a challenge for theologians. How can authentic African elements contribute to a catholic theological discourse that can contribute to a re-awakening of contextual theological reconstructions faithful to cultural contexts? This work responds bringing into dialogue one of the renowned German theologians (Karl Adam), and showing his success in his contextual theological project, but also evidencing his failures, and thereby setting boundaries for contextual theological constructions.

Since the Second Vatican Council the place of Mary in theology and generally in the life of the Church has been at times muted. This is perhaps understandable given the debates concerning Mary's'place'in the documents of Vatican II. In an ecumenical age, it was argued, the church needed a less triumphalist Mariology and piety with a greater focus on Mary as model disciple. In certain respects this has led to a dichotomy between the continued Marian piety of many faithful (and, truth be told, the piety of the post-conciliar popes) and a theological timidity concerning Mary. This collection of chapters seeks to address the current situation of Mariology. Taken as a whole these chapters represent a welcome call for renewal and reawakening in Mariology. The collection is also delightfully eclectic, both in terms of topics covered and in terms of the denominational and academic backgrounds of the authors.

To what degree is Wesleyan theology part of the church's catholic witness? This book explores this question from a number of angles and goes on to embody some of these possibilities in conversation with other major traditions and figures within the Christian church. Overall, the volume shows that Wesleyan theology does draw from and can contribute to conversations related to the catholic Christian witness.

The most important work of the towering intellectual of the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas'Summa Theologiae remains one of the great seminal works of philosophy and theology, while extending to subjects as diverse as law and government, sacraments and liturgy, and psychology and ethics. Aquinas begins his famous Summa Theologiae by getting right to the heart of what every person longs to see: the face of God. With Latin and English side-by-side, this edition is perfect for students, teachers, pastors, or anyone wanting to have a deeper understanding of God.

This new edition of Holy Daring—revised and updated for new readers in honor of the 500th Anniversary of St. Teresa's birth—will be an abiding source of inspiration to all who want a fuller, deeper, meaningful, and balanced life.Tessa Bielecki shows how Teresa's vibrant natural life was the foundation of her mystical one, rekindling St. Teresa's outrageous spiritual impulse.

Get to the End is written about the end times, i.e. the end of the world and history as we know it. But it is written from a Catholic perspective. There are many books on the market that speak to the end times, however they are all written from a Protestant perspective and for the most part they are written by Christians from conservative churches who are generally Fundamentalist Christians. There are virtually no books written about the end times from a Catholic perspective. The few that have been written with a Catholic perspective of the end times have been written for the most part by Catholic priests and they are generally weighed down heavily in doctrine and dogma. This will be one of the first on the subject written by a Catholic layman who has a broader perspective than Catholic Doctrine and Dogma and who views himself as uniquely “in the world,” but not “of the world.”

Everyone is paying attention to Pope Francis, and that includes the most unlikely of admirers: a female Baptist pastor. Veteran minister and social justice advocate Donna Schaper has become a fan of the pope, covering him for Religion Dispatches, traveling to see him speak, and taking up many of his issues. Schaper says that Francis is a pope for all of us, and she has written him a series of letters—love letters, of a sort. She agrees with him on the environment, climate change, love of animals, and concern for the poor. But she has a lovers'quarrel with him on the issues of women's ordination and GLBT rights. Schaper's letters to Pope Francis are intimate and ornery, affirming and challenging. She has high hopes that he can heal the church and the globe, and she prods him to be even more inclusive than he already is. In the end, in spite of their disagreements, Pastor Donna loves Pope Francis, and she calls us all to join him in loving the world.

Although he is not always recognised as such, Søren Kierkegaard has been an important ally for Catholic theologians in the early twentieth century. Moreover, understanding this relationship and its origins offers valuable resources and insights to contemporary Catholic theology. Of course, there are some negative preconceptions to overcome. Historically, some Catholic readers have been suspicious of Kierkegaard, viewing him as an irrational Protestant irreconcilably at odds with Catholic thought. Nevertheless, the favourable mention of Kierkegaard in John Paul II's Fides et Ratio is an indication that Kierkegaard's writings are not so easily dismissed. Catholic Theology after Kierkegaard investigates the writings of emblematic Catholic thinkers in the twentieth century to assess their substantial engagement with Kierkegaard's writings. Joshua Furnal argues that Kierkegaard's writings have stimulated reform and renewal in twentieth-century Catholic theology, and should continue to do so today. To demonstrate Kierkegaard's relevance in pre-conciliar Catholic theology, Furnal examines the wider evidence of a Catholic reception of Kierkegaard in the early twentieth century-looking specifically at influential figures like Theodor Haecker, Romano Guardini, Erich Przywara, and other Roman Catholic thinkers that are typically associated with the ressourcement movement. In particular, Furnal focuses upon the writings of Henri de Lubac, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and the Italian Thomist, Cornelio Fabro as representative entry points.

Although its various bodies boast a combined total of at least 300 million members, the Eastern Orthodox Church is widely perceived among members of other denominations to be an exotic branch of the faith, often shrouded in mysticism and misunderstandingthat has been exacerbated by the longstanding Eastern-Western split. In'Purification of Memory', Ambrose Mong casts light on the true nature of Orthodox theology, illuminating the thinking of eight distinguished modern Orthodox theologians who have madeimportant contributions on topics as ecclesiology, ecumenism, Christology, and Mariology. Approaching the work of John Meyendorff, Nicholas Afanasiev, John Zizioulas, Georges Florovsky, Sergius Bulgakov, Vladimir Lossky, Nicolas Berdyaev, and Jaroslav Pelikan from an ecumenical standpoint, Mong deftly draws comparisons with the theology of their Roman Catholic counterparts to reveal points on which the two traditions have much more in common than either side will always admit. The author interweaves these comparisons with a fascinating exposition of the history of the schism between the Eastern and Western Churches to demonstrate decisively that in spite of the bitter mistrust dividing them, they share a common heritage which could, and should, serve as a basis for reunification. Before old wounds can mend, however, a healing process of forgetting, characterized by Pope John Paul II as a'purification of memory', must take place to clear the path towards a long-awaited return to unity.

The twentieth century witnessed renewed interest in a Roman Catholic theology of the word. The contributions of Karl Rahner and sacramental theologian Louis-Marie Chauvet demonstrate the Roman Catholic conviction that the word is fundamentally sacramental: it has the capacity to bear Gods presence to humanity.Rhodora Beaton examines the work of Rahner and Chauvet to articulate the relationship between word and sacrament within the context of language, culture, and an already graced world as the place of divine self-expression, and analyzes the implications for Trinitarian theology, sacramentality, liturgy, and action.

If you believe in the transformative power of Scripture in your life, imagine what it can do for others around you!Scripture scholar Stephen Binz has spent the past 30 years working to help Catholics with the'frequent reading'of Scripture through the ancient movements of lectio divina -- listening, meditating, praying, contemplating the Word and witnessing to it. That means reading the Bible fully expecting the Holy Spirit to illuminate the passage we read.Now in Scripture-God's Handbook for Evangelizing Catholics he brings to light the power of scripture to not only renew our lives, but make us living witnesses of the Gospel. Inspired and influenced by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, Binz shows us the indissoluble connection between their call to New Evangelization and its necessary connection to the Word of God.Every chapter brings you closer to Christ and closer to His Word as you:Grasp the importance of recovering the evangelical dimension of CatholicismDiscover the'hero evangelizers'in Scripture and historyLearn to read the Bible as an evangelizing CatholicUnderstand the key link between lectio divina and the New EvangelizatiionIdentify the obstacles to hearing and witnessing to God's Word todayUnderstand the role of Mary, the Star of the New EvangelizationThrough Stephen's approachable but thorough coverage of the topic, you'll be prepared to share with the world your joy in the Lord!

Following the lead of Pope Benedict XVI, in Dark Passages of the Bible Matthew Ramage weds the historical-critical approach with a theological reading of Scripture based in the patristic-medieval tradition. Whereas these two approaches are often viewed as mutually exclusive or even contradictory, Ramage insists that the two are mutually enriching and necessary for doing justice to the Bible’s most challenging texts.