How does the Bible's teaching on the devil square with psychology and other modern scientific disciplines that seem to have driven Satan into the realm of myth? Why does 666 signify the devil? Is Satan the Antichrist or does that term refer to a human? Popular media has combined a number of diverse traditions, distorting Christian teaching and tradition about Satan and also occasionally distorting common sense. Kelly introduces the reader to what the Bible actually says about Satan and other evil biblical figures.
This is the story of the conflict between a Brooklyn detective and the head of a New York organized crime family. The crime boss is helpful to the Organized Crime Task Force in eliminating his enemies. The detective is appalled by the duplicitous nature of the relationship between the crime boss and the police. Torn by the need for the cooperation from the crime boss and his sense of "sleeping with the devil" the detective struggles with the relationship. On a parallel track, the detective meets the son of the crime boss and is impressed by the youngster, who is conflicted by the way of his father as well as the expectations placed upon him. The detective subtly urges the son not to follow the ways of his father. He strongly encourages the son to follow a legitimate life style. The son comes to admire the integrity of the detective. A level of respect develops. The detective understands the pressure on the son of the crime boss. The son respects the fundamental decency of the detective. The detective, in his own research, learns of a business connection between the head of the crime family and senior politicians. His superiors do not want the connection pursued and strongly direct that the detective cease his investigation The detective's career is threatened. Deeply disturbed by the extent of the corruption, the detective continues to develop the case. Finally, the detective presents a pervasive and compelling overview. Then, faced with a potential revelation of the broad based corruption, the crime boss, with the acceptance of the politicians, decide to eliminate the detective through an unrelated ruse. The son of the crime boss learns of his father's plans and desperately tries to talk his father out of the planned hit, as unnecessary. The son is unsuccessful. The son of the crime boss, moved by the senseless killing, in turn, seeks out the son of the detective and quietly tries to
In Responding to Evil Joseph Kelly treats evil as a force in our personal lives. He talks about the impact of September 11 on the American consciousness and how that brought the question of evil front and center. Professor Kelly then looks at what evil does to us and how previous generations have dealt with it. By focusing on the sins people commit rather than the questions psychologists tend to focus on, such as murder or theft, or on tragedies that occurred in Rwanda or during the Holocaust, Kelly makes the discussion of evil relevant to readers like us who are not really evil" but who face the problem of our own sinfulness every day. In taking up the intellectual question of how God and evil can coexist Kelly relates the ideas in the book to real-life situations, especially of good and caring people. Finally, he shares how we can respond to evil and looks at how some modern Christians, often ordinary people, have done so. Chapters are *What Evil Does to Us, - *How Can God and Evil Co-Exist? - *Responses to Evil, - and *Some Final Thoughts. Joseph F. Kelly, PhD, chair of the department of religious studies at John Carroll University, is also active in religious education for the Diocese of Cleveland. Of his eight previous books, with Liturgical Press he has published The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition and The World of the Early Christians.
Like every lost world, the world of the early Christians was a combination of the foreign and the familiar, the unique and the commonplace. In The World of the Early Christians, Joseph Kelly introduces and explains the world of the early Christians, and while he examines the differences between our two societies, he also stresses our similarities. The early Christians were people, like us, trying to make their way in life. There are many introductions to the world of the early Christians, but few if any deal with its historical background and the basic questions non-specialists ask: Why did the Christians use philosophy at al? Didn't it make everything confusing? Why didn't they just stay with the Bible? In The World of the Early Christians Kelly answers such preliminary questions and concentrates on the fundamental issue of why Christians used philosophy, rather than simply listing the philosophies they used. Not only do most people know little about the early Christians, they often have erroneous views about them. For example, many modern Christians think their ancient spiritual ancestors were impoverished, uneducated people from the lowest strata of Roman society. The World of the Early Christians addresses some of these misconceptions by considering the historical evidence available about these people. Similarly, Kelly also explains some ancient topics - such as magic and astrology - and considers how they can be misleading to modern students. He then describes the early Christians' relationships with other groups, such as Jews, pagans, and members of popular and official cults, and then explores the intellectual and cultural lives of the early Christians. Students and anyone interested in understanding the now lost world of early Christianity will appreciate this volume's straightforward treatment of this essential background material. Kelly touches upon topics treated by the other volumes in the Message of the Fathers of the Church series. He refers to original sources in translation unless no translation is available, and he includes bibliographic references for further research. In a direct and easy manner, Kelly brings to life for us today the rich world of the early Christians. Chapters are: "Who Were the Early Christians?" "How Do We Know About the Early Christians?" "The Physical World," "Others," "Intellectual and Cultural Life," "Living in the World," and "A Brief History of Early Christianity.
When was Christmas first celebrated? How did December 25 become the date for the feast? How did the Bible’s “magi from the East” become three kings named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar who rode camels from three different continents to worship the newborn Christ? How did the Feast of the Nativity generate an entire liturgical season from Advent to Candlemas? Why did medieval and Renaissance artists portray Joseph as an old man? When did the first Christmas music appear? And who was the real Saint Nicholas? These and many other questions are answered in this revised and expanded edition of The Origins of Christmas. The story of the origins of Christmas is not well known, but it is a fascinating tale. It begins when the first Christians had little interest in Christ’s Nativity, and it finishes when Christmas had become an integral part of Christian life and Western culture. The Origins of Christmas covers a variety of topics in a concise and accessible style, and is suitable for group discussions.
Like every lost world," the world of the early Christians was a combination of the foreign and the familiar, the unique and the commonplace. In "The World of the Early Christians, " Joseph Kelly introduces and explains the world of the early Christians, and while he examines the differences between our two societies, he also stresses our similarities. The early Christians were people, like us, trying to make their way in life. There are many introductions to the world of the early Christians, but few if any deal with its historical background and the basic questions non-specialists ask: Why did the Christians use philosophy at al? Didn't it make everything confusing? Why didn't they just stay with the Bible? In "The World of the Early Christians" Kelly answers such preliminary questions and concentrates on the fundamental issue of "why" Christians used philosophy, rather than simply listing the philosophies they used. Not only do most people know little about the early Christians, they often have erroneous views about them. For example, many modern Christians think their ancient spiritual ancestors were impoverished, uneducated people from the lowest strata of Roman society. "The World of the Early Christians" addresses some of these misconceptions by considering the historical evidence available about these people. Similarly, Kelly also explains some ancient topics - such as magic and astrology - and considers how they can be misleading to modern students. He then describes the early Christians' relationships with other groups, such as Jews, pagans, and members of popular and official cults, and then explores the intellectual and cultural lives of the early Christians. Students and anyone interested in understanding the now lost world of early Christianity will appreciate this volume's straightforward treatment of this essential background material. Kelly touches upon topics treated by the other volumes in the "Message of the Fathers of the Church" series. He refers to original sources in translation unless no translation is available, and he includes bibliographic references for further research. In a direct and easy manner, Kelly brings to life for us today the rich world of the early Christians. Chapters are: "Who Were the Early Christians?" "How Do We Know About the Early Christians?" "The Physical World," "Others," "Intellectual and Cultural Life," "Living in the World," and "A Brief History of Early Christianity.
In this pilgrimage through church history, Joseph Kelly provides a colorful, graphic representation of the events and people of the Roman Catholic Church and puts in hand a wealth of historical information in a clear, easy-to-access format. Adults and young adults will find The Collegeville Church History Time-Line an invaluable tool as they encounter numerous examples of change in the remarkable history of the Catholic church. Kelly examines how the Roman Catholic Church has not just survived but flourished though 2,000 years as it strives to make Jesus Christ a presence in the world. He focuses on how the church has developed historically and will continue to do so. The time-line begins in the era of Jesus, leads through a history of Christianity including Constantine's conversion in the fourth-century, to the growth of the papacy in the twelfth-century, to Vatican II and the election of John F. Kennedy in the twentieth-century, and ends with the state of the church in the twenty-first century. Twenty-four pages of text explain the eras delineated on the time-line and provide fuller details regarding important people and events. Joseph F. Kelly, PhD, is professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the author of The World of the Early Christians, The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition, Responding to Evil, and The Origins of Christmas published by Liturgical Press.
Kelly turns to the infancy narratives to see what the New Testament says about the Nativity. He also reveals that Christmas celebrations, cards, pageants, and crches are often combinations and embellishments of the gospel narratives.
The question of evil presents a profound challenge to humanity—why do we do what we know to be wrong? This is especially a challenge to religious believers. Why doesn't an all-good and omnipotent God step in and put an end to evil? The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition examines how Western thinkers have dealt with the problem of evil, starting in ancient Israel and tracing the question through post-biblical Judaism, Early Christianity (especially in Africa), the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and to the twenty-first century when science has raised new and important issues. Joseph Kelly covers the book of Job, the book of Revelation, Augustine of Hippo, Aquinas, Luther, Marlow, Milton, Voltaire, Hume, Mary Shelley, Darwin, Jung, Flannery O'Connor, Karl Rahner, Teilhard de Chardin, and modern geneticists. Chapters are "Some Perspectives on Evil," "Israel and Evil," "The New Adam," "Out of Africa," "The Broken Cosmos," "The Middle Ages," "Decline and Reform of Humanism," "The Devil's Last Stand," "Rationalizing Evil," "The Attack on Christianity," "Dissident Voices," "Human Evil in the Nineteenth Century," "Science, Evil, and Original Sin," "Modern Literary Approaches to Evil," "Some Scientific Theories of Evil," and "Modern Religious Approaches to Evil." Joseph F. Kelly, Ph.D., is professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the author of The World of the Early Christians, published by The Liturgical Press.
Heresies, like doctrinal formulations, are products of history. They must be understood historically as well as theologically. When doctrinal issues become intertwined with historical ones, advocates of a new understanding have often run afoul of religious authorities.
The title of this book may be a bit puzzling 'a Catholic introduction to the New Testament? The New Testament belongs to all Christians, and the modern study of the New Testament has benefited from the contributions by scholars of all Christian denominations. But there are questions and issues in the New Testament that are specific to Catholics, such as the portrayal of Jesus' mother Mary, the commissioning of Peter, and the Trinity. In this volume, Joseph Kelly provides an introduction to the New Testament for students and deals with the concerns of modern Catholics reading the Bible. It's a book that Catholic teachers can use rather than a book that presents them with problems they have to explain. Kelly helps readers to understand what modern scholars, especially Catholic biblical exegetes, say about the individual books because we cannot understand what role Jesus can play in modern life if we don 't understand what he meant to the earliest Christians. The New Testament tells the story of Jesus, the most remarkable person who ever lived, and of his disciples. It includes some of the most famous narratives in the world and the most memorable words ever spoken. It introduces us to great people who moved history and of those who took the difficult step of leaving the religions of their ancestors and families to become Christians. Kelly shows that in looking at the New Testament we see real people communicating with us 'sharing their beliefs, their fears, and their hopes. Distant yet familiar, challenging yet comprehensible, the New Testament is a precious heritage, and one that Kelly recommends we must make our own. Joseph F. Kelly, PhD, is professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the author of The World of the Early Christians, The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition, Responding to Evil, The Origins of Christmas and The Collegeville Church History Time-Line published by Liturgical Press.
For readers of Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower, a groundbreaking history that makes the case for replacing Plymouth Rock with Jamestown as America's founding myth. We all know the great American origin story: It begins with an exodus. Fleeing religious persecution, the hardworking, pious Pilgrims thrived in the wilds of New England, where they built their fabled “shining city on a hill.” Legend goes that the colony in Jamestown was a false start, offering a cautionary tale of lazy louts hunted gold till they starved and shiftless settlers who had to be rescued by English food and the hard discipline of martial law. Neither story is true. In Marooned, Joseph Kelly re-examines the history of Jamestown and comes to a radically different and decidedly American interpretation of these first Virginians. In this gripping account of shipwrecks and mutiny in America's earliest settlements, Kelly argues that the colonists at Jamestown were literally and figuratively marooned, cut loose from civilization, and cast into the wilderness. The British caste system meant little on this frontier: those who wanted to survive had to learn to work and fight and intermingle with the nearby native populations. Ten years before the Mayflower Compact and decades before Hobbes and Locke, they invented the idea of government by the people. 150 years before Jefferson, the colonists discovered the truth that all men were equal. The epic origin of America was not an exodus and a fledgling theocracy. It is a tale of shipwrecked castaways of all classes marooned in the wilderness fending for themselves in any way they could--a story that illuminates who we are as a nation today.
Many Christians struggle to balance the religious and secular elements of Christmas, but the history of the feast shows that this is nothing new. The religious Christmas has changed over the centuries and, contrary to many critics, is thriving today. This brief, accessible account will explain that: The first Christians did not celebrate Christmas at all. The earliest mention of the feast occurs in the fourth century. In the Middle Ages Christmas moved into northern Europe where it became a major winter festival, competing with the pagan Yule. During the sixteenth century some Christians objected to Christmas because they claimed it had no biblical foundation. In England and New England the Puritans made it a crime to celebrate it! The modern secular Christmas arose in the nineteenth century, but the religious Christmas continued to grow in popularity and meshed well with the developing emphasis on Christmas as a day for family and friends. In today's world, rampant consumerism threatens the religious Christmas, but it continues not only to survive but to flourish, taking on new life and new forms. By tracing these and other aspects of the religious celebration of Christmas through the centuries, Joseph F. Kelly does much more than provide us with interesting facts. He reassures us that though the religious Christmas may not be in its traditional form, it is indeed alive and well, and has a bright and promising future.
How does the Bible's teaching on the devil square with psychology and other modern scientific disciplines that seem to have driven Satan into the realm of myth? Why does 666 signify the devil? Is Satan the Antichrist or does that term refer to a human? Popular media has combined a number of diverse traditions, distorting Christian teaching and tradition about Satan and also occasionally distorting common sense. Kelly introduces the reader to what the Bible actually says about Satan and other evil biblical figures.
Ireland--Lush green pastures and hillsides. Thatched-roof houses. Like a picture of July in the Guinness calendar, a painter's landscape, or a poet's idyll. But look more closely. Those bare feet sticking out into the road are attached to a body heaped in the weeds. A green plastic bag covering the face and knotted at the throat. The cycle of violence is unending. Or is it? Sean McManus and Joseph Keegan are best friends, Catholic boys from the Bogside who grow up through the ranks of the IRA. Both are in love with Margie Bradley, but to Joseph, it's always been Sean who gets there first. Sean becomes a bomb-maker, and when he and Margie are arrested for concealing weapons, the Royal Ulster Constabulary compels Sean to become an informer, or risk sending Margie to prison. Sean walks a tightrope between his deal with the police and his covenant with his brothers in the IRA. If caught, Sean faces the ultimate penalty of all 'touts.' A plastic bag over his head. Bare feet. And a bullet. And it's his lifelong friend Joseph who must deliver the sentence. Among the Deepening Shades is told through the three voices of Sean, Joseph and Margie, and it culminates with an unexpected twist that may give hope that the cycle of violence, and the death of friends, will one-day end.
This is the story of the conflict between a Brooklyn detective and the head of a New York organized crime family. The crime boss is helpful to the Organized Crime Task Force in eliminating his enemies. The detective is appalled by the duplicitous nature of the relationship between the crime boss and the police. Torn by the need for the cooperation from the crime boss and his sense of "sleeping with the devil" the detective struggles with the relationship. On a parallel track, the detective meets the son of the crime boss and is impressed by the youngster, who is conflicted by the way of his father as well as the expectations placed upon him. The detective subtly urges the son not to follow the ways of his father. He strongly encourages the son to follow a legitimate life style. The son comes to admire the integrity of the detective. A level of respect develops. The detective understands the pressure on the son of the crime boss. The son respects the fundamental decency of the detective. The detective, in his own research, learns of a business connection between the head of the crime family and senior politicians. His superiors do not want the connection pursued and strongly direct that the detective cease his investigation The detective's career is threatened. Deeply disturbed by the extent of the corruption, the detective continues to develop the case. Finally, the detective presents a pervasive and compelling overview. Then, faced with a potential revelation of the broad based corruption, the crime boss, with the acceptance of the politicians, decide to eliminate the detective through an unrelated ruse. The son of the crime boss learns of his father's plans and desperately tries to talk his father out of the planned hit, as unnecessary. The son is unsuccessful. The son of the crime boss, moved by the senseless killing, in turn, seeks out the son of the detective and quietly tries to
The question of evil presents a profound challenge to humanity—why do we do what we know to be wrong? This is especially a challenge to religious believers. Why doesn't an all-good and omnipotent God step in and put an end to evil? The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition examines how Western thinkers have dealt with the problem of evil, starting in ancient Israel and tracing the question through post-biblical Judaism, Early Christianity (especially in Africa), the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and to the twenty-first century when science has raised new and important issues. Joseph Kelly covers the book of Job, the book of Revelation, Augustine of Hippo, Aquinas, Luther, Marlow, Milton, Voltaire, Hume, Mary Shelley, Darwin, Jung, Flannery O'Connor, Karl Rahner, Teilhard de Chardin, and modern geneticists. Chapters are "Some Perspectives on Evil," "Israel and Evil," "The New Adam," "Out of Africa," "The Broken Cosmos," "The Middle Ages," "Decline and Reform of Humanism," "The Devil's Last Stand," "Rationalizing Evil," "The Attack on Christianity," "Dissident Voices," "Human Evil in the Nineteenth Century," "Science, Evil, and Original Sin," "Modern Literary Approaches to Evil," "Some Scientific Theories of Evil," and "Modern Religious Approaches to Evil." Joseph F. Kelly, Ph.D., is professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the author of The World of the Early Christians, published by The Liturgical Press.
Ireland--Lush green pastures and hillsides. Thatched-roof houses. Like a picture of July in the Guinness calendar, a painter's landscape, or a poet's idyll. But look more closely. Those bare feet sticking out into the road are attached to a body heaped in the weeds. A green plastic bag covering the face and knotted at the throat. The cycle of violence is unending. Or is it? Sean McManus and Joseph Keegan are best friends, Catholic boys from the Bogside who grow up through the ranks of the IRA. Both are in love with Margie Bradley, but to Joseph, it's always been Sean who gets there first. Sean becomes a bomb-maker, and when he and Margie are arrested for concealing weapons, the Royal Ulster Constabulary compels Sean to become an informer, or risk sending Margie to prison. Sean walks a tightrope between his deal with the police and his covenant with his brothers in the IRA. If caught, Sean faces the ultimate penalty of all 'touts.' A plastic bag over his head. Bare feet. And a bullet. And it's his lifelong friend Joseph who must deliver the sentence. Among the Deepening Shades is told through the three voices of Sean, Joseph and Margie, and it culminates with an unexpected twist that may give hope that the cycle of violence, and the death of friends, will one-day end.
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