Contains all the advice, guidance and resources a church needs to discuss admitting children to Holy Communion before confirmation Includes a ready-to-use preparation course for the whole family Also includes answers to the most common objections from parishes and an outline admission service Authors have many years' experience of advising and resourcing parishes on this issue

Experience God in the here and now through Communion. This book explores how celebrating the presence of God With Us through Holy Communion nourishes our souls, refreshes our sense of community, and equips us for mission in Christ's name. Yet many Christians do not understand Communion or see it only as an empty ritual. Because of that, low worship attendance or enthusiasm commonly accompanies Communion Sundays--leaving churches feeling spiritually depleted. This book provides insights and practical suggestions for giving this sacrament a more prominent role, not just in church life, but in the Christian formation of individuals. For small groups, Sunday school classes, and as a preaching resource, Holy Communion: Celebrating God with Us by Kenneth M. Loyer and general editor William H. Willimon is suitable for a four-week study and includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter. The Belief Matters series assists pastors and clergy in explaining fundamental elements of the church and its worship to congregations. Holy Communion is the second in the series and follows Incarnation by William H. Willimon.

Begun the same year he started work on his renowned dogmatics, the Loci Theologici, Gerhard's A Comprehensive Explanation... is a masterpiece in its own right. In 67 chapters (31 for Baptism, 36 for the Lord's Supper), Gerhard examines issues which are of vital importance today: Who may officiate at a Baptism, or celebrate the Lord's Supper? May substances other than bread and wine be used in the Lord's Supper? What is the proper preparation for receiving holy communion? May Baptism be repeated? Is immersion necessary for a valid Baptism? All these questions (and many more) are answered by Gerhard on the basis of Holy Scripture. Gerhard's profound knowledge of the Scriptures makes this volume a wonderful resource.

By itself, Mother Mary Loyola's first book, "First Communion, " stands as a monumental achievement in catechesis, in that it teaches children the crucial truths of our faith in a way that is equally understandable and appealing, despite the fact that more than a century has passed since it was written.
This book of questions, written by Mother Loyola as a supplement to "First Communion, " takes this achievement one step further, by facilitating classroom discussion of the material found in each chapter. Each lesson provides discussion questions, tied to page references in the source material, as well as additional stories designed to reinforce the concepts learned. Both catechists and parents alike will find this volume helpful in preparing children to receive the Blessed Sacrament.

Catholic colleges and universities have long engaged in conversation about how to fulfill their mission in creative ways across the curriculum. The "sacramental vision" of Catholic higher education posits that God is made manifest in the study of all disciplines.

"Becoming Beholders" is the first book to share pedagogical strategies about how to do that. Twenty faculty--from many religious backgrounds, and in fields such as chemistry, economics, English, history, mathematics, sociology and theology--discuss ways that their teaching nourishes students' ability to find the transcendent in their studies.

From the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus men have attempted to follow him by building narrow structures around doctrines that may or may not reflect the truth of the Scripture they suppose to base it on. Many Christian religions, when teaching about their foundational doctrine on which they base their faith, refer the seeker to the tradition of their particular church rather than the biblical basis. Traditions appear in many ways in formal religion, but the most obvious is in ceremonial and sacramental worship. In the pages that follow, I will attempt to show the importance and the absolute necessity of getting past the traditions of men. It is not my intention here to attack religions, but rather to show the error of accepting a tradition over scriptural truth. When speaking of religion, in this book I refer to the system that has been set in place, and not necessarily all the people that have membership in such a group. Robert A. French Robert (Bob) French has been in the ministry for over fifty years and during that time he has been an evangelist, a pastor, and missionary and has ministered in many countries and islands of the sea. He is now pastor of Balance Life Christian Fellowship in the city of St. Charles Missouri. Through the years Bro. French has conducted tent and auditorium meetings as well as speaking in hundreds of churches. He has pioneered in several places including the island of Puerto Rico where he and his wife spent three years in the San Juan area. Bro. French has spent a great deal of time working in Mexico and along with his oldest son Brian. He spends most of his time these days ministering to his local congregation and writing.

'Most illustrious Prince, I have considered that the Supper of the Lord (which has been violated by many and great superstitions, and turned into gain) should be renovated and restored according to the institutions of our Saviour Christ; and I have considered that all should be performed according to the Divine Word and of the Ancient and Holy Church, the care and instruction of which belong in some part to my office'. (Thomas Cranmer, Dedication to King Edward VI, A Defence of the True and Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrament.) In this fascinating and practical study, Nigel Scotland looks closely at the Service of Holy Communion in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and with further illumination from earlier versions of the Prayer Book and Cranmer's other writings, draws conclusions which may refresh and challenge our contemporary practices. The aim of this 'Anglican Foundations' series which focuses on the Formularies of the Church of England and the elements of the different services within the Prayer Book is to highlight what those services teach about the Christian faith and to demonstrate how they are also designed to shape the practice of that faith. As well as providing an account of the origins of the Prayer Book services, they offer practical guidance on how such services may be used in Christian ministry. Nigel Scotland has spent the greater part of his life lecturing in Church History at what became the University of Gloucestershire. He has served as rector of four country parishes and led a Fresh Expressions church plant for 13 years. Since 2006 he has taught theology students at Trinity College Bristol. He is married to Anne and in their leisure time they enjoy music, walking in the Cotswolds, gardening, visits to the gym and enjoying times with their grand-children. He studied at McGill and Bristol Universities and earned a doctorate at Aberdeen University. He is the author of eighteen books mostly in the area of Christian history.

"The first theologian in modern times to discover to our wonder and joy the fully sacramental character of the Mass was, doubtless, that profound and personal thinker, Abbot Vonier." - Fr. W. Barden, O.P.

In his greatest, and most influential masterpiece, Abbot Vonier gives a spiritually and intellectually enriching explanation of the Eucharist based on a careful study of "the great sacramental doctrine of the Church" found in the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Council of Trent. Vonier writes, "To conceive the sacrifice of Mass as a sacrament is a simple visualization of a great truth which, if it be once grasped by the mind ... makes all the difference between light and fantasy." The great beauty and intellectual clarity of the Church's theology as explained by Vonier reminds the reader over and over that "In theological matters the spark that illumines always comes from under the hoof of strict reasoning."

Greg Tyree has thoughtfully, carefully, and vigorously done just that in this wonderful little book, "What the Bible REALLY Says about Baptism. You will certainly appreciate his candid writing accompanied by his careful style that will lead any thinking Christian who has yet to be baptized to say "What hinders me from being baptized?" Dr. Tyree clearly sets forth the Biblical foundation for the historic doctrine of believer's baptism by immersion. Hours of research and Biblical study have once again paid off for all of us who will read and learn from the truth contained in this book. His years of pastoral experience as well as hours of laborious preparation provide a vast pool of knowledge from which to pull. But more than that, this man loves God and His inspired Word-that alone infinitely qualifies Dr. Tyree to write this book. In a day and age when the Church is suffering from "truth deficit" we are grateful for men like Greg Tyree who unashamedly stand on the solid rock of God's truth as revealed to us in the Scriptures. This is a work that ought to be read carefully and repeatedly with Bible in hand It is my pleasure to recommend What the Bible REALLY Says about Baptism for your reading, study, encouragement, and challenge. Joe L. Fauth Pastor, Calvary Bible Church, Wrightsville, PA President, Spread of Grace Ministries In What the Bible Really Says about Baptism I will show you from the Bible that "believer's baptism" (baptism by immersion that follows conversion or regeneration) is the correct mode of baptism. I will show the error of infant baptism (pedobaptism), as well as the falsity of sprinkling and pouring (effusion). I will demonstrate the meaning and purpose of baptism, as well as its significance regarding assimilation and membership in the local church. I will not do this by merely quoting theologians and church historians, but mostly by appealing to the teachings of the Bible. So if you are concerned with what the Bible teaches, and you desire to be obedient to God's Word, then this book may be just what the doctor ordered. Beware; you may change your views. If you do, will you be courageous enough to act on your new convictions? TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Preface Introduction Chapter One: Why Baptism Matters Chapter Two: The Various Views of Baptism Chapter Three: The Mandate of Believer's Baptism Chapter Four: The Meaning of Believer's Baptism Chapter Five: The Method of Believer's Baptism Chapter Six: The Message of Believer's Baptism Chapter Seven: Objections to Believer's Baptism Chapter Eight: The Qualifications for Baptism Conclusion Afterword About the Author

Chapel-size edition in color for the celebrant. Contains the Traditional Catholic Mass in Latin (1928), the Traditional Catholic Mass in English (1912), the Mystical Mass in English (1916, Wedgwood/Leadbeater), the Propers for the Moveable Cycle, and the Propers for the Fixed Cycle of days.

In "The Lord's Supper" Bishop Hayes presents a comprehensive study of the holy Sacrament. Both the Catholic and Reformed positions are examined and biblical solutions are given for the problems that exist in the mentioned theologies. The book answers important questions, like: "What is the Lord's supper?" Who may partake of the Lord's supper?" "Is the body and blood of Christ really present in the elements or do the elements actually change into the body and blood of Christ?" "How often should the Lord's Supper be observed?" These are but a few of the questions addressed in the book. Having shopped in several Bible bookstores and discovering how little is written on the subject it is safe to predict that this work will be in great demand and a standard volume in the libraries of those who love the Sacrament.

Considered by many to be one of the most influential German Pietists, August Hermann Francke lived during a moment when an emphasis on conversion was beginning to produce small shifts in how the sacraments were defined-a harbinger of later, more dramatic changes to come in evangelical theology. In this book, Peter James Yoder uses Francke and his theology as a case study for the ecclesiological stirrings that led to the rise of evangelicalism and global Protestantism. Engaging extensively with Francke's manuscript sermons and writings, Yoder approaches Francke's life and religious thought through his theology of the sacraments. In doing so, Yoder delivers key insights into the structure of Francke's Pietist thought, providing a rich depiction of his conversion-driven theology and how it shaped his views of the sacraments and the church. The first in-depth study of Francke's theology written for an English-speaking audience, this book supports recent scholarship in English that not only challenges long-held assumptions about Pietism but also argues for the role of Pietism's influence on the changing religious landscape of the eighteenth century. Through his examination of Francke's theology of the sacraments, Yoder presents a fresh view into the eighteenth-century ecclesiological developments that caused a rupture with the dogmas of the Reformation. Original and vital, this study recognizes Francke's importance to the history of Pietism in Germany and beyond. It will become the standard reference on Francke for American audiences and will influence scholarship on Lutheranism, Pietism, early modern German studies, and eighteenth-century history and religion.

Written in a popular style, yet more in-depth than most small-group study books, Everyday Miracles explores the Sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper: their history, the biblical witness, the theology behind both, and how to celebrate them in worship and our daily lives. Everyday Miracles was written by a Minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), but will be beneficial to members of all Presbyterian/Reformed denominations as well as all Protestant Christians in general. Questions for reflection at the end of each chapter encourage discussion and make this book an ideal choice for small-group studies, Sunday School classes, officers' meetings, book clubs, etc.