From apostolic times the Church has wrestled with the dilemma of how to defend its belief in the sanctity and permanence of marriage, while at the same time ministering the love and compassion of Christ to those traumatised by the experience of marital breakdown.Timothy Buckley is a Redemptorist priest who produced a report for the Catholic bishops of England and Wales on the pastoral situation among priests and people argues that the theology of the bond of marriage is responsible for an impasse which often limits the Churchæs official solutions to the granting of annulments. By tracing the history of the teaching on the bond, he concludes that the present discipline is based on disputable theiology and he proposes a way forward.An enlightened, sound, and original look at marriage today.
Timothy Keller, renowned pastor and New York Times bestselling author, explores the relationship of Jesus to the Holy Spirit in The Two Advocates, the seventh installment in his Encounters with Jesus eBook series. The Last Supper is known for the breaking of the bread and pouring of the wine. Yet in the seventh installment of his Encounters with Jesus series, Timothy Keller, pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church and New York Times bestselling author of The Reason for God, explores the central point of Jesus’ final discourse with his disciples during their last meal. Keller reveals how Jesus describes himself and the Holy Spirit as our advocates before God and why their advocacy can secure our peace.
True Freedom On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York Are American liberties on the endangered species list? In this eBook original, the Archbishop of New York and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issues a plea for all citizens to reject the cynicism of the day and foster a culture in which religious freedom and all human life are infinitely valued. Religion and the dignity of human life are under attack by a variety of threats in the modern world including abortion, infanticide, eugenics, misuse of artificial reproductive technologies, an unjust distribution of economic resources, war, the arms trade, drugs, and human trafficking. What can be done to stop this? Cardinal Timothy Dolan explains the need for all Americans to embrace a new culture rooted in what Blessed John Paul II called the Gospel of Life where the sacredness of all human life, and the freedoms that are their birthright, are upheld, respected and protected by law.
Renowned pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller continues his Encounters with Jesus eBook series with The Obedient Master, an exploration of Jesus’ active willingness to face death and how this obedience affects our lives. Jesus’ experience in the garden at Gethsemane is well known, yet it is both more horrifying and more beautiful than we realize at first glance. Timothy Keller, pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church and New York Times bestselling author of The Reason for God, examines this biblical passage to show us how clearly Jesus saw the penalty he would have to pay for our sins and how this payment ensures our standing as righteous in the eyes of God.
The Seal: A Priests Story" recalls the true story of an outrageous violation of religious liberty which created an unprecedented rift between the powers of Church and State. When a priest recieved the sacramental confession of a jailed inmate, in which forgiveness is offered by God alone, he did not realize that the sacred priest-penitent communication had been secretly tape recorded. Would it have helped solve the case? Or has the law violated a persons religious right? The story explores uncharted legal territory in this first impression case involving a priest, a penitent, a district attorney and the Catholic Church. It was the first time a violation of the seal of confession was alleged in a capital case in the United States, and the first time an attempt was made in court to define a violation of the seal of the confessional as a First Amendment violation. With a compelling Foreword by Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, this book of narrative non-fiction, written in a unique first person voice, will be of interest to Catholics and non-Catholics, clergy and parishioner alike across this nation, all people of faith, and readers independent of religious affiliation. Citizens concerned with the infringement of our Constitutional rights,in particular the right to religious freedom and privacy, and those in the legal profession will find this book a fascinating study. In the endless debate over the role of religion and faith in public life, this case offers a distinct contribution to that dialogue and presents a significant test of our American Constitution. Delve into the controversial incident that teeters dangerously between morality and ethics, law and religion. This very personal and public story is a compelling read. What Others have said: "The Seal" serves as a sharp reminder that we cannot take religious freedom for granted or stand aside when it is under duress . . ." (Francis Cardinal George - Archbishop of Chicago) "This revelation of a brazen attempt to violate the sacred privacy of the confessional and the constitutional rights of a vulnerable suspect should alert all of us. What happened in Oregon is a warning. I highly recommend this book." (Sr. Helen Prejean, Author: "Dead Man Walking" and "The Death of Innocents." "This case has more twists and turns than an Agatha Christy novel." (Sean Hannity - Fox News Network) "This is the ultimate nightmare between Church Law and Constitutional Law." (Roger Cossack - CNN). "This is unprecedented in American history . . .a Nazi tactic . . . the relationship between a priest and a penitent is sacred and cannot be violated . . ." (William Donohue - Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights). "Out of nowhere, as it must have seemed, the performance of a rite . . . enshrined in secrecy became a matter for the media, for the courts, for the public at large . . . (Judge John Noonan - 9th Circuit Court of Appeals: 1/27/97)
We had a great deal of help in producing this book. Lyman Kellstedt of the American Political Science Association's Special Section on Religion and Politics allowed us to try out our ideas on a panel at the association's 1990 meeting in San Francisco. Paul Weber and John Francis Burke offered helpful suggestions at that session . Amy Eisenberg and Deborah Rich at Westview Press were helpful and supportive throughout. A. David Lynch of the City College of New York and Murray Karstadt of Rutgers University turned eleven chapters 011 five different word processing programs into a single manuscript. Needless to say, we could not have done it without them. Vicky Donner, supported by the City College Scholars Program, also assisted in readying the manuscript for publication . Dolores M. Byrnes prepared the index. Mary Segers acknowledges Dean Donald G. Stein and the Graduate School at Rutgers in Newark for the partial support provided by a 1 990-91 graduate research award . Lastly, we both offer our gratitude to the contributors to this volume. All of the chapters of this book, with a single exception, were written explicitly for inclusion in this book; none have been published previously. We could not have asked for more enthusiastic responses to our requests to contribute nor greater responsiveness to the time constraints we set. The goodwill of the contributors allowed this book to be the collaborative effort we originally hoped it would be. That said, the views expressed by each individual author are those of that author alone.
Two sons, one who kept the rules religiously and one who broke them all. One Father who loved both lost sons beyond anything they could imagine. Discover how deep and far God's grace goes in The Prodigal God The Prodigal God discussion guide will help you uncover, personalize, and apply life-changing insights from The Prodigal God DVD and book. In six captivating sessions, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller opens your eyes to the powerful message of Jesus' best-known—and least understood—parable. The Prodigal God is a revelation of the very heart of the gospel: God's radical love for sinners of every kind. Taking you beyond the traditional focus on the wayward younger son, Keller helps you glean insights from each of the characters in Jesus' parable: the irreligious younger son, the moralistic elder son, and the Father who lavishes his love on both. Inside this guide, you'll explore questions for group discussion and personal reflection, and exercises that will help you experience the truths of Jesus' parable in your own life. The gospel is neither religion nor irreligion, but something else entirely. Whether you're a devout believer or a skeptic, The Prodigal God will challenge you to see Christianity in a whole new way. Session titles include the following: The Parable The People Around Jesus The Two Lost Sons The Elder Brother The True Elder Brother The Feast of the Father Designed for use with The Prodigal God DVD and book.
The prevalence of the sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy and its shocking cover-up by church officials have obscured the largely untold story of the tort system's remarkable success in bringing the scandal to light. The lessons of clergy sexual abuse litigation give us reason to reconsider the case for tort reform and to look more closely at how tort litigation can enhance the performance of public and private policymaking institutions.
The polarization in the Church today can be traced back to a more fundamental crisis in theology, one which has failed to connect our mundane experiences and the mysteries of the Christian faith with the person of Jesus Christ. Ecclesial discourse on the so-called ‘hot- button issues’ of the day too often take place without considering the foundation and goal of the Church. And this is unfortunately due to a similar tendency in the academic theology that informs that ecclesial discourse. In short, much of post-conciliar Catholic theology is adrift, floating aimlessly away from the center of the Christian faith, who is Christ. The Center is Jesus Christ Himself is a collection of essays which anchor theological reflection in Jesus Christ. These diverse essays share a unified focal point, but engage with a variety of theological subdisciplines (e.g., dogmatic, moral, Biblical, etc.), areas (e.g., Christology, Pneumatology, missiology, etc.), and periods (e.g., patristic, medieval, and modern). Given the different combinations of sub-disciplines, areas, and periods, theology is susceptible to fragmentation when it is not held together by some principle of unity. A theology in which the person of Jesus Christ serves as that principle of unity is a Christocentric theology. Together, the essays illustrate not only what Christocentric theology looks like, but also what the consequences are when Christ is dislodged from the center, whether by a conspicuous silence on, or by a relativization of, his unique salvific mission. The volume is published in honor of Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at Boston College, Rev. Dr. Robert P. Imbelli, who dedicated his teaching and writing to bringing Christ back to the center of Catholic theological discourse.
Winner of a first-place award for popular presentation of the faith and second-place in pastoral ministry, catechetical resource from the Catholic Media Association. Many Catholics don’t believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. Rather, they see the bread and wine of Holy Communion as mere symbols of Christ’s body and blood. Is that disbelief just a misunderstanding or is it a blatant rejection of one of the central beliefs of the faith? In Real Presence, University of Notre Dame theologian Timothy P. O’Malley clears up the confusion and shows you how to learn to love God and neighbor through a deeper understanding of the doctrine of real presence. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that almost seventy percent of Catholics don’t believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. O’Malley offers a concise introduction to Catholic teaching on real presence and transubstantiation through a biblical, theological, and spiritual account of these doctrines from the early Church to today. He also explores how real presence enables us to see the vulnerability of human life and the dignity of all flesh and blood. O’Malley leads you to a deeper understanding and renewed faith in Catholic teaching about transubstantiation and real presence by helping you learn how the doctrine of real presence is rooted in divine revelation and how the Church’s teaching regarding transubstantiation is spiritually fruitful for the believer today; how to make your own the doctrine of real presence by worshipping Christ in the Eucharist and therefore making a real assent to real presence; how the Eucharist, although not the exclusive presence of Christ in the Church’s liturgy and mission, is crucial in growing our capacity for recognizing those other presences; and the important relationship between Eucharistic communion and adoration.
Over the past twenty years the American Catholic bishops have played a leading role in the antiabortion movement, published lengthy and highly detailed pastoral letters on nuclear weapons and on the American economy, and involved themselves, collectively and individually, in several national election campaigns. What is the source of the sometimes controversial political role of these religious leaders? Timothy Byrnes proposes a new answer in this lucid description of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and its activities. He demonstrates that the key to the political role of the bishops and other modern American religious leaders has been political change, rather than religious revival. Originally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
A Call to Fidelity seeks to thoughtfully examine and critically evaluate the contributions that Charles E. Curran has made to the field of Catholic moral theology over the past forty years. It also seeks to assess the development of specific topics in contemporary moral theology to which Curran has made his unique mark, particularly in fundamental ethics, sexual and medical ethics, social and political ethics, and topics related to dialogue with other traditions and approaches to Catholic ethics. Reviewing the many years of his influential writings, thought, and scholarship, fourteen distinguished scholars examine his contributions and the current state of the topics under discussion-which are as far ranging as academic freedom, birth control, gay and lesbian relationships, and feminism. Each contributor also provides a critical evaluation of Curran's work and outlines how these areas will hold or undergo transformation as the church looks toward its relationship with society and culture in the coming decades.
This volume considers the current state of research, offering a critique of current approaches to Catholic Biblical scholarship from a Catholic viewpoint. The authors (they're both Catholic theologians: Johnson teaches at Emory U., Kurz at Marquette U.) have contributed five chapters each on their approaches to Biblical interpretation, chapters in which they respond to each other's work, and a co-written conclusion offering their views on the importance of maintaining a Catholic identity in Biblical scholarship.
For over the past sixteen years, I have been in the process of writing what God has put on my heart and mind. Of course, with time, both has been through a lot of things, changes of life, but most importantly, the process of being circumcised of the norms of what is being taught in our Sunday schools, pulpits, and the traditions of men throughout a lot of churches. Yes, things have changed, but the core of what was given me is in full labor, ready to be birthed. Well, those days are over; I have to let what is in me out so God can replenish me with a fresh revelation of his Word and plan for mankind. His Word never changes, but it will impregnate your mind to whereby you are in labor pains to birth that which has been given to you. I hope this book will open the eyes and understanding of many, answer some questions, drive you into the Word, and most of all pierce the heart to be more receptacles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus said in Mark 13:13, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. God is guarantee of deliverance for his children who believe in and on his Son, Jesus Christ, and because of his love (level of victory eternally) that his children may have eternal life with him. Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved, and the opposite of that statement is those who do not endure until the end will not be saved.
Generous Justice - Keller explores a life of justice empowered by an experience of grace. The Meaning of Marriage - co-authored with his wife, Kathy, Keller turns his attention to that most complex of matters: our need for love, and its expression in marriage. Every Good Endeavour - Keller argues that God's plan is radically more ambitious than work being a means to and end: he actually created us to work. Preaching - known for his insightful, down-to-earth sermons and talks, Keller helps people understand themselves, encounter Jesus and apply the Bible to their lives.
Luke Timothy Johnson begins his study of the practical issue of how decisions are made in the church by admitting to a bias: that there ought to be a connection between what the church claims to be, and how it does things. Because the church claims to be a community of faith, it does not reach decisions simply on the basis of good management policy, or the analysis of market trends, or efficiency, or even ideological consistency, but in response to God's activity in the world that presses upon us and urges us to decision. Faced with how to respond to God's leading, the church decides what to do on the basis of two realities: Scripture and discernment. Because it calls the church into being Scripture is the fundamental authority in the church's life. Yet it is not enough for a congregation simply to turn to the Bible when a decision must be reached, for Scripture does not directly address all issues which face the church today, and those it does often reflect greatly differing historical and social contexts than our own. Thus, added to the authority of Scripture in the church's decision making is a process of discernment, in which the members of the community--under the guidance of the Holy Spirit--recall how God has worked in their lives as individuals and as a community and discern together God's direction for the future. Johnson argues that this very pattern of decision making can be found in Scripture itself, notably in one of the central events of the book of Acts. Beginning with the conversion of Cornelius and culminating in the Apostolic Council of Acts 15, we see how a string of smaller narratives combine to tell the story of God's movement within their midst, and how this narrative became the basis for the reinterpretation of Scripture and the inclusion of Gentiles into the fellowship of the church. Looking at a number of thorny issues facing the contemporary church, Johnson demonstrates how the interaction of Scripture and discernment can and must become the basis for how we respond to the decisions with which the church wrestles today.
“In this intellectually stimulating book, Timothy Gordon argues that the source of America’s political and cultural salvation is the very Catholicism that has been rejected — and even persecuted — from the first days of the republic.” Michael Voris, Church Militant Some Christians decry the deism of our Founding Fathers, claiming that outright anti-Christian principles lie at the heart of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, crippling from birth our beloved republic. Here philosopher Timothy Gordon forcefully disagrees, arguing that while anti-Catholic bias kept them from admitting their reliance on Aristotle, Aquinas, and the early Jesuits, our Protestant and Enlightenment Founding Fathers secretly held Catholic views about politics and nature. Had they fully adhered to Catholic principles, argues Gordon, the “Catholic republic” that is America from its birth would not today be on the verge of social collapse. The instinctive Catholicism of our Founders would have prevented the cancerous growth of the state, our subsequent loss of liberties, the destruction of families, abortion on demand, the death of free markets, and the horrors of today’s pervasive pagan culture. In Catholic Republic, Gordon recounts our nation’s clandestine history of publicly repudiating, yet privately relying on, Catholic ideas about politics and nature. At this late hour in the life of the Church and the world, America still can be saved, claims Gordon, if only we soon return to the Catholic principles that are the indispensable foundation of all successful republics.
Many Catholic priests, nuns, and brothers in the United States take a strong interest in US policies that affect their "brothers and sisters" abroad. In fact, when the policies of their native government pose significant dangers to their people internationally, these US citizens engage actively in a variety of political processes in order to protect and advance the interests of the transnational religious communities to which they belong. In this provocative examination of the place of religion in world politics, Timothy A. Byrnes focuses on three Catholic communities—Jesuit, Maryknoll, and Benedictine—and how they seek to shape US policy in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Based on years of fieldwork and on-the-ground interviews, Reverse Mission details the transnational bonds that drive the political activities of these Catholic orders. This fascinating book reveals how the men and women of these orders became politically active in complex and sometimes controversial causes and how, ultimately, they exert a unique influence on foreign policy that is derived from their communal loyalties rather than any ethnic or national origin.
Through the use of three case studies—Poland, Croatia, and the Slovak Republic—Timothy Byrnes argues that the Catholic Church remains deeply involved in the central politics of this vital region over both governmental structure and public policy; deeply implicated (for better or worse) in the ethnic divisions that characterize the post-communist era; and profoundly part of the social fabric of virtually every state in East Central Europe.
This discussion guide will help you learn how to dialogue with those who share common doubts and objections to Christianity. In the video sessions (DVD/digital video sold separately), Timothy Keller and six panelists hold candid and unscripted discussions about the broad scope of people's discomforts with God, the Bible, and Christianity in general: Discussion 1: Is the Bible a myth? Has science disproved Christianity? Discussion 2: Is there only one way to God? Are other religions as valid? Discussion 3: Clashes with Christian morality and ethics – why are there so many rules? Discussion 4: Why would God allow suffering and evil. Discussion 5: Injustice and hypocrisy in the church. Discussion 6: Objections to God's wrath and judgement. The Reason for God small group discussion guide can be used individually or in a group setting by anyone engaging with friends who don't share his or her beliefs. For each discussion, the study guide includes: An opening thought on the topic. A summary of the objection to the topic. Related Bible verses. Space for notetaking. Questions for group discussion. In his New York Times bestselling book, The Reason for God, Timothy Keller established himself as a modern-day C. S. Lewis who brings together faith and intellect, theology and popular culture, modern-day objections and historic Christian beliefs. Using literature, philosophy, and Scripture, Keller explores the truth and challenge of Christianity in this six-session small group conversation starter. You and your group will be challenged to wrestle with your friends' and neighbors' hardest questions and engage those questions in ways that will spark honest, enriching, and humbling dialogue. Designed for use with Reason for God Video Study (sold separately).
What happened to the mystical body? A theology that stoked much theological creativity in the first half of the twentieth century both in Europe and in the United States had receded by the latter half of the century. One in Christ explores the theology of the mystical body of Christ as developed by Virgil Michel, OSB, examines the reasons for its decline, and traces it throughout the work of Louis-Marie Chauvet, a surprising custodian of the mystical body’s “French stream.” By delineating three major streams of mystical body theology, Timothy R. Gabrielli helps readers understand it more clearly and, in so doing, lays the groundwork for harvesting its potential for contemporary theology.
This book helps Christian voters and politicians think through two perennial questions. Are we required to apply the judicial laws of the Old Testament to our present-day political contexts? And if we are required to obey these laws, how shall we do so? Against the historic Protestant consensus that posits Christians as bound to advocate and apply only the moral principles underlying these laws, Christian Reconstructionists have recently argued that obedience to and promotion of all divinely unamended Mosaic civil laws remains the Christian's new covenant duty. After testing the most thorough statement of the Reconstructionist view--as presented by the late Greg Bahnsen in his Theonomy in Christian Ethics--against Scripture and the Westminster Confession, How Firm a Foundation? demonstrates that the Reconstructionist ethical perspective is unbiblical, unconfessional, and ultimately unhelpful, while the historic Protestant position expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith remains the biblical and useful perspective Christians need to guide contemporary uses of the Mosaic judicial laws.
Sheed & Ward, in partnership with Commonweal magazine, presents the second of two volumes in the groundbreaking series, American Catholics in the Public Square, a project funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Essays by scholars, journalists, lawyers, business and labor leaders, church administrators and lobbyists, novelists, activists, policy makers and politicians address the most critical issues facing the Catholic Church in the United States. Volume 2, American Catholics, American Culture: Tradition and Resistance, is introduced by Peter Steinfels and Robert Royal. Part One, "Against the Grain," explores the philosophical and practical differences between Catholicism and American culture on issues in sexuality, marriage, abortion, stem cell research, women's rights, and physician-assisted suicide. The essays attempt to mediate the divide between Catholicism's communal and personalist view of the human person and the American preference for autonomy and pluralism. Part Two, "Popular Culture & Literature," confronts the role and interaction of the Church in popular culture and explores the identity of the "Catholic" writer on the literary page and in the media. Part Three, "Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice?" endeavors to define what anti-Catholicism is, where it is found in North American culture, what it means for maintaining group identity, and how it can be interpreted as an American or religious phenomenon.
Keeping in Tune with God is an essential resource for clergy and the people who love, work with, and care about them. Based on the tested wisdom of Listening Hearts discernment, the book provides clergy with encouraging words and practices to develop their relationships with God, their families and friends; to carry the practice of spiritual discernment into the life of their congregations; and to work more effectively with other leaders to nurture the life of Christ in the world around them.
The announcement of Jesus' birth by the angel to Mary is one of the most rich and beautiful moments in the Gospels. The angel's revelation of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah is one of the key passages of the Christian faith, and Mary's response to the news has long been held up as an example of robust faith and courage. In The Mother of God, Timothy Keller, pastor of New York's Redeemer Presbyterian Church and New York Times bestselling author of The Reason for God, explains why this encounter is so significant, and draws deep life lessons for all Christians to follow in the example of Mary.
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