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<DIV>Fr. Schall writes profoundly and charmingly about people, places and things, giving a Christian perspective to the importance of little things and particular moments. His essays on a variety of interesting topics combine fun, substance and serious reflection. </DIV>

Idylls And Rambles: Lighter Christian Essays

Discover

<DIV>Major feature films such The Passion of the Christ and Risen, and books such as Bill O'Reilly's Killing Jesus raise many questions about one of the greatest controversies in history--what really happened to the crucified body of Jesus of Nazareth.Using a popular question-and-answer format, this book examines the historical evidence concerning the fate of Jesus. Did Jesus really die on the cross? If so, what became of his body? Was it stolen? Misplaced? Is the resurrection a cleverly devised plot to found a new religion? Did the disciples of Jesus hallucinate? Is the Resurrection of Jesus a myth developed decades later, after the original disciples' experience of Jesus was distorted by a subsequent generation? Or did Jesus rise from the dead, as he promised and as his disciples came to believe and sacrifice their lives to proclaim?Carl Olson carefully weighs the evidence with in-depth analysis. Whether you are a believer, a skeptic, or something in between, be prepared to have your thinking challenged by this provocative and insightful book.</DIV>

Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

Peter Kreeft presents a philosophical and spiritual exploration of the mystery&#160;of pain and suffering, offering insights for those seeking meaning&#160;in hardship through personal reflection and Christian theology. It is an&#160;insightful guide for those who have experienced seemingly pointless suffering,&#160;combining personal experience with wisdom to address the “why” question&#160;from a faith-based perspective.This account of a real and honest personal quest on the meaning of suffering&#160;is both engaging and convincing. Written from a deep well of wisdom derived&#160;from experience and careful observation, Making Sense Out of Suffering is a&#160;book for all who are hungry for insight into the great mystery of suffering.

Making Sense out of Suffering

<DIV>In this book, Chesterton's brilliance as a writer and thinker again shine through as he explains his understanding of Catholicism and the Catholic Church and how its appeal to reason and truth eventually won him over. For Chesterton, two essentials lay at the heart of conversion, and without these, a man misses the point of it all. He describes these in his own words: ?One is that he believes it to be solid objective truth, which is true whether he likes it or not; and the other is that he seeks liberation from his sins."" That is why Chesterton became a Catholic, and what he describes in his unique and colorful way in this book.  </DIV>

The Catholic Church and Conversion

<DIV>With brilliance and creativity, Peter Kreeft has taken all of the sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and provided us with imagined questions for each in a totally contemporary setting. Kreeft asks 285 questions in the form of “letters to Jesus”, each in the voice of a different questioner. The answers of Jesus are taken verbatim from Matthew and printed upside down so that the reader must invert the book to read them.Along with its unique format, the genius of Letters to Jesus is its clever matching of questions to answers that get to the essence of Jesus’ teachings as they apply to our world today.</DIV>

Letters to Jesus (Answered)

<DIV>The widely read author and philosopher Peter Kreeft presents a unique book about the important beliefs that Catholics and Protestants share in common. Inspired by Christ's prayer for unity in the Gospel of John and Saint John Paul II's encyclical Ut Unum Sint, Kreeft demonstrates that Christian reunification is possible. While he acknowledges that there are still significant differences between Catholics and Protestants, he emphasizes that they agree on the single most important issue: justification.The style of this book is modeled on Pascal, Solomon, and Jesus: short answers and single points to ponder rather than long strings of argument. The writing is direct, simple, and confrontational, but vertically rather than horizontally by ""directing arrows not against each other (Protestant or Catholic) but against our own hearts and minds and wills.""The purpose of this book, writes Kreeft, is to be ""like an Australian sheepdog, herding and hectoring Christ's separated sheep back to His face. For that is the only way they can ever return back to each other.""</DIV>

Catholics and Protestants: What Can We Learn from Each Other?

Daisy

Billboard Chris

The Transgender Explosion

The Autism Factor

The Cool Factor

"I want people to know I exist"

The Porn Effect

The Trauma Factor

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Cognitive Therapy

"Affirmation" "Care"

Stereotypes

"Conversion" Therapy

The Suicide Threat

The Philosophy of Trans

The Motive for Separation

The Pill

Transhumanism

A War with Reality

"It is a Cult"

The School Problem

The Consequences of Conquering Nature

Redemption

Daisy 2022

Over the past few years, a transgender tsunami has swept the nation, completely overtaking the medical, educational, and counseling industries, and forever altering hundreds of thousands of young girls&rsquo; lives. What is going on? How did it come to this? And who is behind it? Filmmaker and father Don Johnson traveled the country to find out.
Featuring stories and insight from Daisy Strongin, Billboard Chris Elston, Ryan T. Anderson, Abigail Favale, Walt Heyer, Maria Keffler, Erin Brewer, Christopher West, Patrick Lappert, Pamela Garfield-Jaeger, Carl Trueman, Carl Olson, Billy Burleigh, Gary Michuta, Margaret McCarthy, Branda Lebsack, Michael Hanby, and Benjamin Wiker.
DISCLAIMER: This documentary contains graphic content that might not be suitable for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

Dysconnected: The Real Story Behind the Transgender Explosion

00 Opening credits

01 Prologue

Opening credits

02 Chapter 1

Prologue

03 Chapter 2

Chapter 1 04 Chapter 3

Chapter 2 05 Chapter 4

Chapter 3 06 Chapter 5

Chapter 4 07 Chapter 6

Chapter 5 08 Chapter 7

Chapter 6 09 Chapter 8

Chapter 7 10 Chapter 9

Chapter 8 11 Chapter 10

Chapter 9 12 Chapter 11

Chapter 10 13 Chapter 12

Chapter 11 14 Chapter 13

Chapter 12 15 Chapter 14

Chapter 13 16 Chapter 15

Chapter 14 17 Chapter 16

Chapter 15 18 Chapter 17

Chapter 16 19 Chapter 18

Chapter 17 20 Chapter 19

Chapter 18 21 Chapter 20

Chapter 19 22 Chapter 21

Chapter 20 23 Chapter 22

Chapter 21 24 Chapter 23

Chapter 22 25 Appendix 1

Chapter 23 26 Appendix 2

Appendix 1 27 Closing credits

Appendix 2 Closing credits

<div>
Dr. Owen Whitfield is the elderly Oxford professor of history who first appeared in Michael O''Brien''s novel The Father''s Tale. In the events of The Sabbatical, which occur sometime later, Dr. Whitfield is looking forward to a sabbatical year of peace and quiet, gardening in his backyard, and tinkering with what he calls his latest "unpublishable book".
As the year begins, he is drawn by a series of seeming coincidences into involvement with a group of characters from across Europe, including a family that has been the target of assassination attempts by unknown powers. During his journey to Romania, the situation in which he finds himself becomes more sinister than it first seemed.
The story deals with the tension between fatalism and the providential understanding of history, with the courage and love that are necessary for navigating through a confusion of signs, and with the triumph of faith and reason over the forces of destruction.
</div>

The Sabbatical: A Novel (Audiobook)

<DIV>This e-book can not be downloaded in Australia, Great Britain and Ireland."Teach us to Pray." The disciples' cry to Jesus has never been more topical. In a fast-moving, hyperactive, technology-oriented world, more and more people are trying to find meaning in their lives and to develop a living relationship with the Lord in prayer. However, they often find themselves at a loss to discover reliable guides point to sure pathways to the art of prayer. In this book Fr. Jerome Bertram answers the plea of so many of his contemporaries. Drawing on his own experience and his vast knowledge of trusted spiritual authors, he leads his readers into the various ways of prayer. After a few introductory chapters stressing the importance of prayer, Fr. Jerome takes us through the Our Father, the very prayer which the Lord himself left with us. Along the way, he tackles common difficulties such as distraction and detachment, thus providing valuable advice for all who seek to deepen their life of prayer, be they beginners or more advanced in the spiritual life. Building on the insights of Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth, the author provides an account of prayer that is easy to read, accessible, and clearly centered on Jesus Christ and the Church. </DIV>

Jesus, Teach Us To Pray

Introduction

Preface

Chapter 1: Faith and Knowledge

Chapter 2: Faith and Existence

Chapter 3: Faith and Philosophy

Chapter 4: The Future of the World through the Hope of Men

Chapter 5: What Will the Church Look Like in 2000?

<DIV>Increasingly, the future is becoming a theme for theological reflection. In the background we can detect a growing concern among many people for the future of faith. Does faith have any future at all, and, if so, where in all the confusion of today's trends will we discover its embryo? But the problem of the future assails not only the believer. In the ever more rapidly advancing process of historical evolution, man is confronted with enormous opportunities, but also with colossal perils. For him, the future is not only hope, but sorrow-a nightmare, indeed. He cannot avoid asking what part faith can play in building tomorrow's world. Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, approaches this problem of universal concern from a variety of angles, bringing his deep personal faith and theological brilliance to bear on these serious questions. &#34;Faith and the Future is a small book, but it deals with the largest issues, and does so in a way that has the ring of lived truth.&#34; - Mike Potemra, National Review</DIV>

Faith and the Future (Audiobook)

<DIV>Adrienne Von Speyr was a convert to Catholicism, a medical doctor, wife, mystic and author of some 70 books on spirituality. In this profound work on Our Lady, Von Speyr explores Mary's participation with Christ in our redemption, and the unique relationship that each of us should have with our spiritual mother. </DIV>

Mary in the Redemption

1. The Point

2. The Pointer (Me)

3. About Philosophy

4. About Faith and Reason

5. About Wisdom

6. The Data about Mary In Scripture

7. A Personal Appeal

8. A Preface for Protestants

9. The Fourteen Great Questions of Philosophy

I. Mary’s Methodology

II. Mary’s Epistemology

III. Mary’s Logic

IV. Mary’s Metaphysics

V. Mary’s Theology

VI. Mary’s Cosmology

VII. Mary’s Anthropology

VIII. Mary’s Psychology

IX. Mary’s Ethics

X. Mary’s Political Philosophy

XI. Mary’s Philosophy of History

XII. Mary’s Philosophy of Art and Beauty

XIII. Mary’s Philosophy of Education

XIV. Mary’s Philosophy of Religion

Conclusion

In 2019, Peter Kreeft published Socrates'' Children, a four-volume series on the hundred greatest philosophers of all time, spanning from ancient Greece to contemporary Germany. But he made a terrible mistake: he somehow left out women, and with this, he overlooked the greatest mind of them all.
He forgot her&mdash;a mysterious housewife from a desert village&mdash;because he had forgotten what "philosophy" means. "Philosophy is not the cultivation of cleverness," Kreeft explains, "or the sophistications of scholarship, or the analysis of analysis, or the refutation of refutations, or the deconstruction of deconstructions." No, "philosophy is a romance, a love affair&mdash;the love of wisdom."
This book is a one-of-a-kind study on Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus. If Jesus Christ is wisdom incarnate, and if Mary loved Him more than anyone else ever did, then it holds that Mary is the greatest philosopher, the greatest wisdom-lover. With precision and humor, Kreeft not only unpacks the thought and spirit of Mary as we know her through Scripture and Church doctrine, but offers a heartfelt crash course in the basics of philosophy&mdash;methodology, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, cosmology, ethics, politics, aesthetics, and more&mdash;all through the lens of the Mother of God.
Fans of Kreeft will find here another fine example of his characteristic freshness, creativity, depth, and readability. But above all, those who are curious about the mother of Jesus, whether they are new to Christian faith or simply hoping to discover it anew, will likely find themselves swept up in the tide of Mary''s wise love for God.

The Greatest Philosopher Who Ever Lived (Audiobook)

<DIV>Making the case for the Christian faith&mdash;apologetics&mdash;has always been part of the Church's mission. Yet Christians sometimes have had different approaches to defending the faith, responding to the needs of their respective times and framing their arguments to address the particular issues of their day.Cardinal Avery Dulles's A History of Apologetics provides a masterful overview of Christian apologetics, from its beginning in the New Testament through the Middle Ages and on to the present resurgence of apologetics among Catholics and Protestants. Dulles shows how Christian apologists have at times both criticized and drawn from their intellectual surroundings to present the reasonableness of Christian belief.Written by one of Catholicism's leading American theologians, A History of Apologetics also examines apologetics in the 20th and early 21st centuries including its decline among Catholics following Vatican II and its recent revival, as well as the contributions of contemporary Evangelical Protestant apologists. Dulles also considers the growing Catholic-Protestant convergence in apologetics. No student of apologetics and contemporary theology should be without this superb and masterful work.</DIV>

A History of Apologetics

<DIV>Prayer was a way of life for Adrienne von Speyr, one of this last century's great Catholic mystics. In this major work on prayer, edited by Hans Urs von Balthasar, Adrienne discusses the many aspects and kinds of prayer, the vocation of every Christian.The fundamental theme of this work is that prayer, like everything else that comes to man through God's self-revelation in Christ (such as grace; faith, hope and love; or the realtionship between Christ and the Church), is ultimately rooted in God himself and in his triune exchange of life.Beyond all purely creaturely motives and needs, Christian prayer is a participation in the inner life of the Trinity, which is revealed, prepared and accomplished in the world by Jesus Christ our Lord. By him it is made available for us to take part in. This book is much more than a manual on how to pray. It gives an in-depth description of prayer: first the prayer of the Trinity, then the prayer of Christ, then of the Blessed Virgin, and finally that of all Christians. In particular, the section on the prayer of Mary is a masterful description of the various stages of growing in prayer. Mary is the perfect model because of her intimate association with her Son. </DIV>

The World of Prayer

<DIV>One of Adrienne von Speyr's most cherished concerns was to rekindle Christians' desire for contemplation and thus to renew the Church's prayer. Light and Images is one of the most important of her works on the subject. She sets forth the deepest theological foundations of contemplative prayer according to the reciprocal relationship between "light" and "images".Like the simple images that open up infinite depths to the eye of faith, this little book contains an overwhelming wealth of insight into contemplation. One comes away from it with a vastly transformed understanding of the nature of prayer and an appreciation for its irreplaceable role in Christian life. With its disarmingly simple language, Light and Images is immediately accessible; and yet the new perspectives it offers on prayer surprise and challenge at every turn. The book is therefore both an incomparable introduction for those who wish to learn what it means to pray, and excellent spiritual reading for those seeking to draw more deeply from the Church's great treasury of prayer.</DIV>

Light and Images: Elements of Contemplation

<DIV> Theo-Logic is the third and crowning part of the great trilogy of the masterwork of theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, following his first two parts, The Glory of the Lord and Theo-Drama.Theo-Logic is a variation of theology, it being about not so much what man says about God, but what God speaks about Himself. Balthasar does not address the truth about God until he first reflects on the beauty of God (Glory of the Lord). Then he follows with his reflections on the great drama of our salvation and the goodness and mercy of the God who saves us (Theo-Drama). Now, in this work, he is ready to reflect on the truth that God reveals about Himself, which is not something abstract or theoretical, but rather the concrete and mysterious richness of God's being as a personal and loving God. </DIV>

Theo-Logic: Theological Logical Theory

<DIV>The papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (On Human Life) made headlines worldwide. Many talked about the encyclical when it was issued in 1968, but few actually read it. Why is it perhaps the most controversial document in modern Church history?On Human Life combines Humanae Vitae with commentary by popular and respected Catholic authors Mary Eberstadt, James Hitchcock, and Jennifer Fulwiler in order to address this question and to shed light on the document's enduring wisdom.Humanae Vitae is Pope Paul VI's explanation of why the Catholic Church rejects contraception. The pope referred to two aspects, or meanings, of human sexuality-the unitive and the procreative. He also warned of the consequences if contraception became widely practiced-consequences that have since come to pass: greater infidelity in marriage, confusion regarding the nature of human sexuality and its role in society, the objectification of women for sexual pleasure, compulsory government birth control policies, and the reduction of the human body to an instrument of human manipulation. The separation of sexuality from its dual purpose has also resulted in artificial reproduction technologies, including cloning, that threaten the dignity of the human person.Although greeted by controversy and opposition, Humanae Vitae has continued to influence Catholic moral teaching. St. John Paul II's popular "theology of the body" drew deeply on the insights of Paul VI. Pope Benedict and now Pope Francis have upheld the long-standing teaching, and a new generation of Catholics, as well as non-Catholics, is embracing the truths of the encyclical. </DIV>

On Human Life: Humanae Vitae

<DIV>The monthly "catechesis" in the Cathedral of St. Stephen by the Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, have become an institution among many people in Austria. In simple but beautiful words and vibrant images presented by the Cardinal, the doctrine and the practice of the faith are fruitfully brought together.This book contains a cycle of catechesis, or teachings on the Christian faith, which pose fundamental questions with respect to the confession of the faith: How can God be one and triune? How can He be all powerful and at the same time permit evil? Is our life free or pre-determined? How is Christianity different from other religions? How are we to understand the signs and miracles of Jesus? Why must we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus and hope in our own life after death?Cardinal Schoenborn explores these and many other important questions about the Christian faith, and especially about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, in his usual lucid and compelling style. He leads us to a deeper realization of who Christ is, what his saving mission was, and how we can know and love Him in a personal and profound way.An inspiring and practical work by a great churchman about the eternal importance of the Christian faith, and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and how it is crucial for our everyday life."Catechesis is something different from a theological discourse. Catechesis is actually a way, and we are invited to set out on such a catechetical way. For catechesis is very closely connected with the mission of Jesus himself. It is actually the direct translation of his mission, which he gave to the apostles at the end of his life: ಘAll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.' " - Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn</DIV>

To Know Jesus as the Christ

<DIV>Two great theologians endeavor to recover the centrality of Marian doctrine and devotion for the contemporary Church, offering a spiritually rich approach to Mariology that brings into new relief the Marian contours of ecclesial faith. Ratzinger and von Balthasar show that Mary is both the embodiment of the Church, and the mother who co-operates in giving birth to the Church in the souls of believers. At once profound and yet readily accessible, Mary: The Church at the Source offers a theologically balanced and biblically grounded presentation of traditional and contemporary thought on Marian doctrine and spirituality. </DIV>

Mary: The Church at the Source

Want to get more out of reading books?
Join Fr. Fessio, Joseph Pearce, and Vivian Dudro every Wednesday as they take an important book off the shelf and steadily unpack the most important passages over the coming weeks.
Not only can you enjoy their delightful and engaging banter, but their discussion will help you get more out of the text as you follow along.
 
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The Confessions – Episode 1

<DIV>Living the Truth includes two other Pieper books: Truth of All Things and Reality and the Good.This volume presents illuminating treatises of Josef Pieper on Thomistic anthropology and on the principles of right human behavior based on anthropology. With his customary lucidity, Pieper shows how all reality is positioned between the mind of God and the mind of man and is the basis for both man's unquenchable yearning and the measure of all man's knowledge. He then develops the Thomistic position that reality is also the basis for the good and therefore the norm of conscience and ethical action. As Pieper himself expresses in part of the thesis of the second treatise, "An insight into the nature of the good as rooted in objective being, of itself compels us to carry it out in a definite human attitude, and it makes certain attitudes impossible." Josef Pieper was schooled in the Greek classics and the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. He also studied philosophy, law and sociology, and has been a professor at the University of Munster, Germany. His books have been widely praised by both the secular and religious press.</DIV>

Living the Truth

After a terrible misjudgment in the delivery room, Dr. John Bruchalski realized that with every pregnant woman he attends, there are two patients&mdash;the mother and her unborn child. In addition to this discovery, two remarkable spiritual experiences deepened his understanding of the kind of man he had become and the one he was called to be.Two Patients is the story of how a physician who practiced abortion came to question the medical status quo and to pioneer an approach to reproductive medicine that respects female fertility, honors the dignity of unborn children, and o&shy; ers care to patients regardless of their financial situation. Such health care, writes Dr. John Bruchalski, is merciful medicine, and his memoir gives a glimpse of just how merciful the relationship between a doctor and his two patients&mdash;mother and child&mdash; can be.

Two Patients: My Conversion from Abortion to Life-Affirming Medicine

<DIV>For a Christian, the way to reach perfection is to strive for holiness. What is true perfection? Christ's words are clear, sublime and disconcerting: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." To have God as our model is a dizzying thought! Yet the Church reminds us that, "All the faithful, whatever their condition or state in life, are called by the Lord to that perfect holiness." The Church teaches us that holiness is not the concern of a privileged few, nor does it only pertain to Christians of the past. Holiness is always a call to every Christian of every age, a challenge for anyone who wants to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI says: "Holiness never goes out of fashion; on the contrary, with the passage of time it shines out ever more brightly, expressing man's perennial effort to reach God." Mother Teresa of Calcutta wrote: "Holiness is not something for the extraordinary; it is not a luxury of the few. Holiness is the simple duty for each one of us." The saints are our models and teachers in the ways of holiness. They show us that holiness is possible for us, since they experienced the same difficulties and weaknesses we do, yet persevered in achieving sanctity. The world of saints is a world of wonders, and in this book Pope Benedict XVI helps us to enter into that world. This inspiring volume presents the Pope's numerous reflections on many saints arranged according to the calendar year. He shows how the life of each saint has something unique to teach us about virtue, faith, courage and love of Christ. Dozens of saints are covered in this wonderful spiritual book. The Pope exhorts us through their lives, "Be holy! Be saints!"</DIV>

Holiness is Always in Season

<DIV>A Harvard graduate, Rhodes Scholar, and devout Catholic tells you everything you need to know about keeping your faith at a modern university. Drawing on her recent experience, Aurora Griffin shares forty practical tips relating to academics, community, prayer, and service that helped her stay Catholic in college.She reminds us that keeping the faith is a conscious decision, reinforced by commitment to daily practices. Aurora’s story illustrates that when you decide your faith matters to you, no one can take it away, even in the most secular environments and under strong peer pressure. Throughout the book, she shows how being Catholic in college did not prevent her from having a full “college experience,” but actually enabled her to make the most of her time at Harvard.Aurora encourages students who are about to begin this formative journey, or those now in college, that the most valuable parts of college life -- lasting friendships, intellectual growth, and cherished memories -- are experienced in a more meaningful way when lived in and through the Catholic faith.</DIV>

How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard: 40 Tips for Faithful College Students

In this episode, the dynamic trio cover Augustine’s conversion and the moments leading up to it in book 8 of the Confessions. Father Fessio highlights the importance of friendship and the stories of holy men in St. Augustine’s conversion while Vivian and Joseph discuss the importance of true freedom from sin.
 

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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The Confessions – Episode 4

&quot;Benedict XVI was a spiritual master,&quot; writes Robert Cardinal Sarah of his longtime mentor, after his death early 2023. &quot;His very precise and profound theological thought is rooted in an authentic mystical and spiritual experience.&quot; This book offers not an academic analysis of Ratzinger&#39;s intellectual work, but &#160;a personal sketch of the &quot;soul of Joseph Ratzinger&quot;, a glimpse into &quot;the secret recesses of his heart&quot;. In He Gave Us So Much, Cardinal Sarah traces the spiritual contours of Ratzinger&#39;s life and thought, revealing the image of a man on fire with love for God and neighbor. Benedict XVI was no professor in an ivory tower, but a shepherd and pastor, with the heart of a father. For him, prayer and meditation&mdash;communion with Christ&mdash;stand at the vibrant center of all Christian existence. After a series of essays on Ratzinger, He Gave Us So Much also presents a selection of texts and homilies written by the late pope himself, arranged by Cardinal Sarah as a &quot;spiritual itinerary&quot; for prayer. These works invite us to follow Jesus in our own lives&mdash;body, soul, and spirit&mdash;to the ends of the earth and beyond. &quot;You may discover an unexpected, unknown Benedict XVI,&quot; proposes Cardinal Sarah. &quot;His teaching and his example are a continent, still unexplored, where the Church will be able to find nourishment for a long time.&quot; This is no ordinary biography, but&mdash;in Sarah&#39;s words&mdash;the &quot;portrait of a saint&quot;.

He Gave Us So Much: A Tribute to Benedict XVI

<DIV>A Study of the History and Meaning of Personal Devotion to Jesus Christ for Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant ChristiansThe devotional life of Christians over the two millennia since Jesus' birth has been one of motion, changing and growing in response to the challenges presented to the Church, the temperaments of newly baptized nations, and controversies about how we can and should relate to God. And yet the core of authentic Christian devotion has not changed-it remains today, as it was in the time of the Church Fathers, the trusting and personal encounter with Christ that is both open and foundational to the life of all Christian believers. In this book the well-known spiritual writer and teacher Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C. F. R., surveys the development and trials of Christian devotion from the days of the martyrs until the twentieth century. Tracking it through the centuries and among "sadly divided branches of Christianity", he finds a commonality of experience and even of language that is constantly ignored among Christians themselves. By observing what "image of Christ" the canvas of common devotion portrays, he hopes we will move "not to discredit this image, but to sharpen it and make it more consistent with the New Testament and the ancient Church". Though the devotional life is sometimes brushed off as unimportant in comparison to a theological understanding of Christ, Groeschel warns that such dismissal threatens to make distant, unknown and obscure the Savior who said "I am with you always." The answer instead is to draw near to Jesus in devotion and with authentic expressions of that devotion, which themselves help paint the image of Christ found concretely in revelation onto the minds and daily life of the devout. Begun on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and the result of years of preparation and a whole life of guiding people as priest, public preacher, psychologist and spiritual director, this book will help Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant believers gain not only a comprehensive view of how pious Christians over the centuries have lived out their devotion to God, but the examples and perspective they need to live more devoutly today. </DIV>

I Am With You Always

<DIV>"We have reduced all virtues to one: being nice. And, we measure Jesus by our standard instead of measuring our standard by Him." For the Christian, explains author Peter Kreeft, being virtuous is not a means to the end of pleasure, comfort and happiness. Virtue, he reminds us, is a word that means "manly strength." But how do we know when we are being meek--or just cowardly? When is our anger righteous--and when is it a sin? What is the difference between being virtuous--and merely ethical? Back to Virtue clears up these and countless other questions that beset Christians today. Kreeft not only summarizes scriptural and theological wisdom on leading a holy life, he contrasts Christian virtue with other ethical systems. He applies traditional moral theology to present-day dilemmas such as abortion and nuclear armament. Kreeft restores to us what was once common knowledge: the Seven Deadly Sins have an antidote in the Beatitudes. By setting up a close contrast between the two sets of behaviors, Kreeft offers proven guidance in the often bewildering process of discerning right from wrong as we move into the questionable mores of the twenty-first century. He provides a road map of virtue, a map for our earthly pilgrimage synthesized from the accumulated wisdom of centuries of Christians, from Paul and the early Church Fathers through C.S. Lewis.</DIV>

Back to Virtue: Traditional Moral Wisdom for Modern Moral Confusion

<DIV> The first volume of this series surveyed the great world dramatists to gather concepts and ideas to apply to the real stage, which is the universe God has made and centered into himself as an actor. This volume describes the actors, the dramatis personae. This is his theological anthropology concerning man, his freedom and destiny in the light of biblical revelation. Von Balthasar is concerned here with the dramatic character of existence as a whole, approaching the topic through a consideration of the various conditions and situations of mankind as a drama that involves both the Creator and his creatures.</DIV>

Theo-Drama: Theological Dramatic Theory

Opening Credits

1. The Need for This Book

2. What is Joy

3. Joy is Not in Us; We are in Joy

4. CS Lewis’ Mistake about Joy

5. The Last Commandment of the Last Apostle

6. Joy Is Not Essentially a Feeling

7. Sorting Out the Meanings of “Joy”

8. The Joy of Christ’s Cross

9. Doing God’s Will

10. Heaven and Hell

11. The Two Things “God’s Will” Means

12. Should We Pray for the Enjoyment of Earthly Things?

13. Joy is a Cat, Not a Dog

14. Don’t Get a “Spiritual Sweet Tooth”

15. Here is the Infallible Argument for Joy

16. Isn’t It Too Idealistic?

17. God or Joy? A Thought Experiment

18. Don’t Give Up on Joy

19. What’s the Catch?

20. Joy is a Marriage

21. Real Joy versus Apparent Joy

22. Only Two Philosophies of Joy

23. How Joy is Mystical

24. How Big is Joy?

25. What of Agony? How Can That Be Joy?

26. Joy and Hope versus Entropy

27. The Roller Coaster

Joy: we look for it, long for it, and spend our lives chasing it. Yet do we really know what it is? Is it a feeling, a state of mind, or a reward for success? Do we know where to find it? The more we seek it, the more it eludes us.
Yet joy is real. &ldquo;Joy&rdquo;, writes philosopher Peter Kreeft, &ldquo;is a mystery. It is bigger than we are.&rdquo; Joy&rsquo;s secret, however, is that it cannot be reached or found but only given. True joy is God Himself, who, giving Himself, takes us outside ourselves, across valleys of loss and mountains of triumph.
This lucid, witty reflection on the true nature of joy convinces us, page after page, that while sorrow is inevitable, joy is very, very near at hand. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s scandalously simple,&rdquo; Kreeft reveals. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no method; you just do it.&rdquo; To &ldquo;do&rdquo; joy, we must let go of all fake happiness, all false gods. We must return, over and over, to the one true Joy, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Drawing from the wisdom of C.&thinsp;S. Lewis and Saint Thomas Aquinas, this instant classic by self-proclaimed curmudgeon Peter Kreeft walks us through the long, beautiful task of surrendering to deep joy, the chief work of any life worth living.

The Mystery of Joy (Audiobook)