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<DIV>In this newly updated, expanded version of his popular work of apologetics, Shea presents a lively and entertaining look at his conversion to Catholicism from Evangelicalism and his discovery of Christian tradition. As an Evangelical, Shea accepted the principle of "sola scriptura" (Scripture alone) as the basis of faith. Now as a Catholic convert, he skillfully explains how and why Sacred Tradition occupies a central role in Divine Revelation.Tracing his own journey of intellectual and spiritual awakening, Shea begins by looking for a rejoinder to those modern-day false prophets who would claim that Scripture itself is not to be trusted, and ends with his conviction that tradition, as explained by the Catholic Church, is the only sure guarantee of the truth of the revelation of Jesus Christ.</DIV>

By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition

<DIV>** Currently only Available in ePUB format download ** If you use a Kindle reader rather than an epub compatible reader, please request a Kindle file for the book by sending a copy of your receipt/invoice email to kindle@ignatius.com. Please allow 72 business hours for a response.In these brilliant essays the renowned writer and churchman Fr. George Rutler addresses our current causes of anxiety and our never-changing, ever-new reasons for hope. His writings on the issues of our day are neither pessimistic nor optimistic, because they are infused with the confidence that God grants us his peace and no earthly circumstance can take it away.With insight and wit, with breadth and depth, Fr. Rutler comments on the confusion in the Church and the chaos in Western societies, which are not without precedent but are on a uniquely global scale. An underlying theme is his dismay at the lack of historical perspective. He says that the gremlin that haunts our times is ignorance and a failure to recall and to understand the trials of the past.</DIV>

Calm in Chaos: Catholic Wisdom for Anxious Times

<DIV>This clear and unequivocal call for personal reform as the basis of authentic renewal in society and in the Church is rooted in several sources. The work of an internationally recognized Biblical scholar (Rudolph Schnackenburg) is woven in with the observations of contemporary social critics as well as behavioral scientists. The author does not spare anyone's feelings in an attempt at a critical and objective analysis of the serious problems of the Catholic Church and "mainstream" religious denominations in America. This book definitively places the onus for reform on the individual Christian striving to follow the Gospel in our materialistic and selfish culture. Because of its roots in Scripture and in the long history of reform in the Church, this book offers the reader a well-founded hope that the first signs of real renewal in the Church are beginning to appear. Includes index. "Father Groeschel has written *the* book for the Church in the '90's. He is right on target! He has said clearly and prophetically what must be said before it is too late: namely, that all true Christian renewal must be rooted in personal, on-going conversion. I found reading the book as valuable as making a retreat." - Father Richard Roach, S.J., Marquette University "By his frequent use of appealing concrete examples and comparisons, Groeschel shows conclusively that true, lasting renewal in the Church can only happen by continual repentance and reform in our individual lives." - Father Kenneth Baker, Editor, Homiletic and Pastoral Review</DIV>

The Reform of Renewal

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

He was the Pope who closed the Second Vatican Council. He led the Catholic Church in the midst of one of its worst crises in history. He steered the course of the Church through the revolution of 1968 that shook the moral basis of a civilization. He was under fire from Lef&egrave;bvre fundamentalists, pro-guerrilla Liberation Theology priests, sexual revolution advocates, and a press without scruples.
Pope Paul VI was the first Vicar of Christ to visit Africa, America, Oceania, Asia, and the Holy Land. He was the first Pope to speak at the United Nations. He was pious, ecumenical, open to dialogue, a Pope perhaps too modern and prophetic to be understood by the people of his time.
This documentary film rediscovers a Pope whose holiness is now recognized by the Church through his beatification by Pope Francis in October 2014.

Paul VI: The Misunderstood Pope

<DIV>The first of four volumes of von Balthasar's many essays and conferences. Each focuses on a specific aspect of theology or spirituality and presents it with all the richness which comes from his immense erudition, but in a style that is directed and intelligible since few of these essays were intended for scholarly audiences. These volumes present a rare opportunity to experience Balthasar's synthetic and comprehensive treatment of major themes in theology without having to make one's way through much more extensive works which cover a much wider scope. These volumes will provide an excellent introduction to the thought of von Balthasar for those unfamiliar with him, and their chapters will focus on specific themes treated throughout his works for those who are familiar with him. An excellent overview of the writings and thought of one of the outstanding theologians of this century.</DIV>

Explorations in Theology: Word Made Flesh

<DIV>Over the course a single decade, dozens of students, alumni, and professors from a conservative, Evangelical seminary in North Carolina (Southern Evangelical Seminary) converted to Catholicism. These conversions were notable as they occurred among people with varied backgrounds and motivationsmany of whom did not share their thoughts with one another until this book was produced. Even more striking is that the seminary's founder, long-time president, and popular professor, Dr. Norman Geisler, had written two full-length books and several scholarly articles criticizing Catholicism from an Evangelical point of view.What could have led these seminary students, and even some of their professors, to walk away from their Evangelical education and risk losing their jobs, ministries, and even family and friends, to embrace the teachings they once rejected as false or even heretical? Speculation over this phenomenon has been rampant and often dismissive and misguidedleading to more confusion than understanding. The stories of these converts are now being told by those who know them bestthe converts themselves.They discuss the primary issues they had to face: the nature of the biblical canon, the identification of Christian orthodoxy, and the problems with the Protestant doctrines of sola scriptura (""scripture alone"") and sola fide (""faith alone"").</DIV>

Evangelical Exodus: Evangelical Seminarians and Their Paths to Rome

<DIV> Written in 1951 (with a second edition in 1961), this book takes its place within an impressive array of attempts to wrestle with Karl Barth's theology from a Catholic point of view. The book adopts the twofold strategy of presenting an exposition of "the whole of Barth's thought," while doing so for the purpose of a confessional dialogue among theologians. Not to be construed as an "Introduction to the Theology of Karl Barth," Balthasar's effort is to provide a Catholic response which, though not "official", nonetheless seeks to express a common direction and movement within Catholicism.The Theology of Karl Barth shows how a rethinking of basic issues in fundamental theology-concerning the relation of nature and grace, philosophy and theology, the "analogy of being" and the "analogy of faith"-might lead to a rapprochement between the two great rivers of Christianity, without compromising the center of gravity of either. In the process the book makes a major contribution to renewed understanding of Christianity in a secularized modern world. Co-published with Communio Books."This reflection by one of the century's great Catholic theologians on the theology of one of the century's great Protestant theologians is an example of ecumenical dialogue at its best. One finds here a sympathetic and at the same time faithfully Catholic discussion of the major issues surrounding Barth's christocentricity. The appearance of an unabridged English translation of this book could hardly be more timely for the current religious situation in North America." - David L. Schindler, Gagnon Professor of Fundamental Theology, John Paul II Institute"No one should think he can quickly dispose of questions posed here offhandedly. It was precisely because writers were in the habit during the time of the Reformation of theologizing with a hammer that the split in the Church became irreparable. And to work at overcoming this split means much effort. Only the patient need apply." - Hans Urs von Balthasar </DIV>

Theology of Karl Barth

After quickly wrapping up chapter seven, Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro jump into the climax of the book–chapter eight–where Chesterton talks about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. They discuss that even the greatest of human societies are bound to fall and that the more decadent one’s life becomes the more one desires to return to natural and simpler life.
 

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The Everlasting Man – Episode 5

<DIV>How has the Liturgy of the Roman rite developed and changed in history before and after the Council of Trent? What principles have determined the boundaries of legitimate liturgical reform over the centuries? What was the Liturgical Movement? Did Guéranger, Beauduin, Guardini, Parsch, Casel, Bugnini, Jungmann, Bouyer and the Movement's other leaders know and respect these principles? And what is to be said of the not insignificant liturgical reforms carried out by Saint Pius X, Popes Pius IX and Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII in the course of the twentieth century?In The Organic Development of the Liturgy, Dom Alcuin Reid examines these questions systematically, incisively and in depth, identifying both the content and context of the principle of "organic development"-a fundamental principle of liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium-making a significant contribution to the understanding of the nature of the Liturgical Movement and to the ongoing re-assessment of the reforms enacted following the Council. </DIV>

The Organic Development of the Liturgy

<DIV>Disturbed by the direction in which the post Vatican II liturgical reforms have moved, two fictitious representatives of mutually antagonistic movements debate the remedy for "correct" liturgical reform. This unique work presents a debate between a "traditionalist" who argues for a return to the pre-Vatican II liturgy, and a reformist (no liberal himself) who advocates a new liturgical reform more in keeping with what the Council fathers had in mind. They bring to the debate the insights of renowned authorities on the liturgy, including Cardinal Ratzinger, Msgr. Klaus Gamber, Michael Davies, Fr. Brian Harrison and Fr. Aidan Nichols. This book is written for anyone interested in the Church's liturgy, and the controversies surrounding the liturgical renewal. It is both a primer for those who lack the theological and liturgical expertise to articulate their dissatisfaction with the state of the liturgy, and an excellent resource for those specialists who would appreciate having a single volume for consulting salient points from numerous authorities.</DIV>

Reform of the Reform?: A Liturgical Debate

This unparalleled, scholarly introduction to St. John Henry Newman—mind, heart, soul, and personality—brings the great cardinal to life before our eyes, and with him the charged air of nineteenth-century England. Drawing from his letters, writings, and journal entries with precision and poetic flair, the book is one of Ida Friederike Görres' masterworks.While famous for his brilliance, Cardinal Newman did not hide in an ivory tower. His life was one of risk, sacrifice, and immense charity. His sharp turn to Catholicism rocked the University of Oxford, costing him his friendships, his livelihood, and his identity. Through failures and disappointments, over and over again, Newman let himself be recreated by God.This work, in Görres' words, is a portrait of "the boy, puzzled, who was startled and overwhelmed by God; the active, creative young prophet of his church in crisis; the hermit, who he was and wanted to be all his life; and the fighter, who he was with and against his will: the saint of the Church and the saint of humility, the one perfected in sacrifice".With an in-depth introduction by Ratzinger Prize winner Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz, an extensive commentary by translator Jennifer S. Bryson, and a detailed index, the book introduces readers not only to St. John Henry Newman, but to Görres, one of the greatest hagiographers of the twentieth century, whose spiritual writings have only recently been discovered by the English-speaking world.

John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed

With the start of the fifth chapter of part two, Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro discuss Chesterton’s claim that Europe would be just like Asia if it were not for Christianity. They also reflect on Chesterton’s claim that Christianity is the answer to the problem of evil and superior to philosophy. Then they cover chapter 6, where Chesterton describes the five deaths of the faith where people expected that the Church would die with the culture, but instead it persevered.
 

SUBSCRIBE to our channel and never miss an episode of the Ignatius Press: Off the Shelf. You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Stay up-to-date with past, current, and future books we will discuss on our website: <a href='https://offtheshelf.ignatius.com/'>https://offtheshelf.ignatius.com/ </a>
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Twitter/X: <a href='https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPress'>https://twitter.com/IgnatiusPress </a>
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The Everlasting Man – Episode 9

<DIV>This work analyzes how the three key elements of a democratic society&mdash;freedom, equality, and fraternity&mdash;have been misconstrued by intellectuals and policy makers who do not respect the limitations of the human condition. Their lack of common sense has resulted in social and cultural problems rather than solutions to them. By contrast, the social teachings of the Catholic Church mesh nicely with the demands of human nature, and as such they offer the right remedy to our cultural crisis.Freedom defined as radical individualism has eclipsed the understanding that real rights are tethered to responsibilities. Equality defined as radical egalitarianism yields little in the way of equality and much in the way of state-sponsored social discord. And fraternity without the foundation of familial bonds and religious communities leaves people isolated and disoriented.Catholic teaching offers much wisdom to remedy our insufficient understanding of the elements needed for a free and flourishing society. Its common sense is greatly needed to help modern Americans rediscover the true meaning of their highest ideals.</DIV>

Common Sense Catholicism: How to Resolve Our Cultural Crisis

Title Page

Introduction

Chapter 1, continued

Chapter 6, continued

Chapter 7, continued

Outro

<DIV>This book provides a detailed, updated exposition and defense of five of the historically most important (but in recent years largely neglected) philosophical proofs of God&rsquo;s existence: the Aristotelian, the Neo-Platonic, the Augustinian, the Thomistic, and the Rationalist.It also offers a thorough treatment of each of the key divine attributes&mdash;unity, simplicity, &#160;eternity, omnipotence, omniscience, perfect goodness, and so forth&mdash;showing that they &#160;must be possessed by the God whose existence is demonstrated by the proofs.&#160; Finally, it answers at length all of the objections that have been leveled against these proofs.&#160;This work provides as ambitious and complete a defense of traditional natural theology as is currently in print.&#160; Its aim is to vindicate the view of the greatest philosophers of the past&mdash; thinkers like Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, Leibniz, and many others&mdash; that the existence of God can be established with certainty by way of purely rational arguments.&#160; It thereby serves as a refutation both of atheism and of the fideism that gives aid and comfort to atheism.</DIV>

Five Proofs of the Existence of God (Audiobook)

<DIV>The popular apologist and best- selling author of Catholicism and Fundamentalism addresses fifty-two of the most common misconceptions about the Catholic Faith that are held by many Catholics and Protestants. Drawing upon Scripture and the Catholic tradition, he not only shows the logical errors in these positions but clearly spells out Catholic teaching and explains the rationale behind frequently misunderstood doctrines and practices. An excellent guide to what Catholics really believe and why. </DIV>

What Catholics Really Believe: Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Faith

<DIV>The noonday devil is the demon of acedia, the vice also known as sloth. The word “sloth”, however, can be misleading, for acedia is not laziness; in fact it can manifest as busyness or activism. Rather, acedia is a gloomy combination of weariness, sadness, and a lack of purposefulness. It robs a person of his capacity for joy and leaves him feeling empty, or void of meaningAbbot Nault says that acedia is the most oppressive of demons. Although its name harkens back to antiquity and the Middle Ages, and seems to have been largely forgotten, acedia is experienced by countless modern people who describe their condition as depression, melancholy, burn-out, or even mid-life crisis.He begins his study of acedia by tracing the wisdom of the Church on the subject from the Desert Fathers to Saint Thomas Aquinas. He shows how acedia afflicts persons in all states of life— priests, religious, and married or single laymen. He details not only the symptoms and effects of acedia, but also remedies for it.</DIV>

The Noonday Devil: Acedia, the Unnamed Evil of Our Times

<DIV>The principal editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, presents the sources of meditation on the mystery of God's human face from the great Masters of early Christianity. Artists and theologians have meditated upon the mystery of God's human countenance and tried to express it. This book seeks to present the great sources of this meditation--sources which today are widely unknown, or have become foreign or obscure. These sources are above all the great masters of early Christianity. In their meditation upon Christ, Bishop Schonborn seeks the sources of the art on the Icon. The reader will find not only an engaging introduction to the meaning and beauty of Icons, but an invitation to draw closer to the One who inspired these Masters of theological expression and holy art. Includes beautiful color Icon illustrations. </DIV>

God's Human Face: The Christ Icon

<DIV>Jennifer Fulwiler told herself she was happy. Why wouldn't she be? She made good money as a programmer at a hot tech start-up, had just married a guy with a stack of Ivy League degrees, and lived in a twenty-first-floor condo where she could sip sauvignon blanc while watching the sun set behind the hills of Austin.Raised in a happy, atheist home, Jennifer had the freedom to think for herself and play by her own rules. Yet a creeping darkness followed her all of her life. Finally, one winter night, it drove her to the edge of her balcony, making her ask once and for all why anything mattered. At that moment everything she knew and believed was shattered.Asking the unflinching questions about life and death, good and evil, led Jennifer to Christianity, the religion she had reviled since she was an awkward, sceptical child growing up in the Bible Belt. Mortified by this turn of events, she hid her quest from everyone except her husband, concealing religious books in opaque bags as if they were porn and locking herself in public bathroom stalls to read the Bible.Just when Jennifer had a profound epiphany that gave her the courage to convert, she was diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition-and the only treatment was directly at odds with the doctrines of her new-found faith. Something other than God is a poignant, profound and often funny tale of one woman who set out to find the meaning of life and discovered that true happiness sometimes requires losing it all.</DIV>

Something other than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It

<DIV>Expanded Edition English author Evelyn Waugh, most famous for his novel Brideshead Revisited, became a Roman Catholic in 1930. For the last decade of his life, however, Waugh experienced the changes being made to the Church's liturgy to be nothing short of "a bitter trial". In John Cardinal Heenan, Waugh found a sympathetic pastor and somewhat of a kindred spirit. This volume brings together the personal correspondence between Waugh and Heenan during the 1960s, a trying period for many faithful Catholics. It begins with a 1962 article Waugh wrote for the Spectator followed by a response from then Archbishop Heenan, who at the time was a participant at the Second Vatican Council. These and the other writings included in this book paint a vivid picture of two prominent and loyal English Catholics who lamented the loss of Latin and the rupture of tradition that resulted from Vatican II. In the light of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, many Catholics are looking again at the post-conciliar liturgical changes. To this "reform of the reform" of the liturgy now underway in the Roman Catholic Church, both Heenan and Waugh have much to contribute. </DIV>

A Bitter Trial: Evelyn Waugh and John Cardinal Heenan on the Liturgical Changes

Opening credits

Introduction 

1. The Traditions of Men 

2. A Commonsense Look at Jesus of Nazareth 

3. Famous Last Words 

4. Blind Alleys

5. The Dog That Didn't Bark 

6. The Lens in My Eye 

7. The Tradition of God 

8. Circles and Lines 

9. Dying and Rising 

Afterword 

Closing credits

In this newly updated, expanded version of his popular work of apologetics, Shea presents a lively and entertaining look at his conversion to Catholicism from Evangelicalism and his discovery of Christian tradition. As an Evangelical, Shea accepted the principle of "sola scriptura" (Scripture alone) as the basis of faith. Now as a Catholic convert, he skillfully explains how and why Sacred Tradition occupies a central role in Divine Revelation.
Tracing his own journey of intellectual and spiritual awakening, Shea begins by looking for a rejoinder to those modern-day false prophets who would claim that Scripture itself is not to be trusted, and ends with his conviction that tradition, as explained by the Catholic Church, is the only sure guarantee of the truth of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
&nbsp;

By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition (Audiobook)

<DIV>The well-known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Now these two outstanding Catholic apologists tell in their own words about the incredible spiritual journey that led them to embrace Catholicism. Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic ... until he reluctantly began to discover that his "enemy" had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous "dark night of the soul" after Scott converted to Catholicism. Their conversion story and love for the Church has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of lukewarm Catholics and brought them back into an active participation in the Church. They have also influenced countless conversions to Catholicism among their friends and others who have heard their powerful testimony. Written with simplicity, charity, grace and wit, the Hahns' deep love and knowledge of Christ and of Scripture is evident and contagious throughout their story. Their love of truth and of neighbor is equally evident, and their theological focus on the great importance of the family, both biological and spiritual, will be a source of inspiration for all readers. </DIV>

Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism

<DIV>Few figures have impacted the rising generation of Catholics more than Peter Kreeft, the widely respected philosophy professor and prolific bestselling author of over 80 books. Through his writings and lectures, Kreeft has shaped the minds and hearts of thousands of young apologists, evangelists, teachers, parents, and scholars. This collection of eighteen essays, mainly by millennial Catholic leaders and converts to the Catholic faith, celebrates Kreeft&rsquo;s significant legacy and impact, his most important books, and the many ways he has imparted to others those two seminal gifts: wisdom and wonder.Among the eighteen contributors to this book are Brandon Vogt, Trent Horn, Tyler Blanski, Dr. Douglas Beaumont, JonMarc Grodi, Jackie Angel, Matthew Warner, Rachel Bulman, Fr. Blake Britton, and others.</DIV>

Wisdom and Wonder: How Peter Kreeft Shaped the Next Generation of Catholics

For about 300 years, Catholic priests and lay people in England were persecuted, and even martyred, for the practice of their Faith. But before this period of brutality, Catholicism had been vibrant in England. And after it, Catholic England would flourish once again. Joseph Pearce, acclaimed biographer and author of the new book FAITH OF OUR FATHERS: A HISTORY OF TRUE ENGLAND, joins us in this episode to discuss “true England”—the England in which the Catholic Faith thrived before its violent suppression by the Tudor monarchs; the England that maintained the Faith through a bitter period of anti-Catholic bigotry; and the England that flowered again in the literary and spiritual revivals of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Discovering “True England”: A conversation with Joseph Pearce

<DIV>In a thorough and hard-hitting discussion, Cardinal Raymond Burke frankly offers his thoughts and insights on the pressing issues of our times: the role of the Catholic Church in the modern world, the liturgy, spiritual renewal, marriage and family, respect for human life, and more. His deep love for Christ is evident as he recounts his own upbringing in a devout Catholic family, his early priestly years, and his service as a bishop in the United States and Rome. Every topic is approached from the perspective of deep faith and sound reasoning, without polemics. Cardinal Burke, a great canonist with long pastoral experience, treats difficult subjects with clarity and directness. His lucid and straightforward answers help with understanding the essential moral and spiritual challenges of today. They uncover the foundational truths of the natural law, which is written on our hearts.</DIV>