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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church > General
Legal scholars and authorities generally agree that the law should
be obeyed and should apply equally to all those subject to it,
without favour or discrimination. Yet it is possible to see that in
any legal system there will be situations when strict application
of the law will produce undesirable results, such as injustice or
other consequences not intended by the law as framed. In such
circumstances the law may be changed but there may be broad policy
reasons not to do so. The allied concepts of dispensation and
economy grew up in the western and eastern traditions of the
Christian church as mechanisms whereby an individual or a class of
people could, by authority, be excused from obligations under a
particular law in particular circumstances without that law being
changed. This book uncovers and explores this neglected area of
church life and law. Will Adam argues that dispensing power and
authority exist in various guises in the systems of different
churches. Codified and understood in Roman Catholic and Orthodox
canon law, this arouses suspicion in the Church of England and in
English law in general. The book demonstrates that legal
flexibility can be found in English law and is integral to the law
of the Church, to enable the Church today better to fulfil its
mission in the world.
This book explores the Liturgy as the manifestation by cultic signs
of Christian revelation, the 'setting' of the Liturgy in terms of
architectural space, iconography and music, and the poetic response
which the revelation the Liturgy carries can produce. The
conclusion offers a synthetic statement of the unity of religion,
cosmology and art. Aidan Nichols makes the case for Christianity's
capacity to inspire high culture - both in principle and through
well-chosen historical examples which draw on the best in
Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglicanism.
Indigenous Symbols and Practices in the Catholic Church presents
views, concepts and perspectives on the relationships among
Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church, as well as stories,
images and art as metaphors for survival in a contemporary world.
Few studies present such interdisciplinary interpretations from
contributors in multiple disciplines regarding appropriation,
spiritual and religious tradition, educational issues in the
teaching of art and art history, the effects of government
sanctions on traditional practice, or the artistic interpretation
of symbols from Indigenous perspectives. Through photographs and
visual materials, interviews and data analysis, personal narratives
and stories, these chapters explore the experiences of Indigenous
Peoples whose lives have been impacted by multiple forces -
Christian missionaries, governmental policies, immigration and
colonization, education, assimilation and acculturation.
Contributors investigate current contexts and complex areas of
conflict regarding missionization, appropriation and colonizing
practices through asking questions such as, 'What does the use of
images mean for resistance, transformation and cultural
destruction?' And, 'What new interpretations and perspectives are
necessary for Indigenous traditions to survive and flourish in the
future?'
Contemporary western Paganism is now a global religious phenomenon
with Pagans in many parts of the world sharing much in common -
from a nature-revering worldview and lifestyle to a host of chants,
invocations, ritual tools and magical practices. But there are also
locally-specific differences. Local religious contexts, landscapes,
histories, traditions, politics, values and norms all impact on
local Paganisms. This is nowhere more evident than in a strongly
Catholic society, where religion and culture are deeply entwined.
Taking the Mediterranean society of Malta as a case study, this
book invites readers inside the world of a small, hidden
sub-culture. Showing what it is like being Pagan in a society where
the vast majority of the population is Roman Catholic, and
Catholicism permeates every sphere of public and domestic, social
and political life, Rountree reveals that Paganism here is a unique
brew of indigenous and global influences. Pagans employ both
creativity and borrowing in constructing identities within a
cultural context characterized by antagonism as well as continuity.
This book explores the intersections of religious and cultural
identity, the global and local, Paganism and Christianity, with
insights grounded in rich ethnographic detail based on long-term
fieldwork. Rountree makes invaluable comparisons with other studies
of modern Pagans and their various worlds.
One of the most carefully prepared liturgies of any Roman Catholic
parish's year is the celebration of 'First Communion'. This is the
ritual by which seven- or eight -year-old children are admitted to
the Eucharist for the first time. It attracts the largest
congregations of any parish liturgy, and yet is frequently marked
by tension and dissent within the parish community. The same ritual
holds very different meanings for the various parties involved -
clergy, parish schools, regularly communicating parishioners, and
the first communicants and their families. The tensions arise from
dissonance between the parties on such key issues as expected
patterns of Church attendance, Catholic identity, dress and
expenditure, and family formation. The relationships and
discontinuities between popular and 'official' religion is at the
heart of these tensions. They touch upon deep-seated anxieties
concerning the future viability of the very structures and patterns
of parish life during the current period of falling Church
attendance and parish closures. For those within the Church who are
concerned to understand and address the issues in its structural
decline, this book will make sometimes uncomfortable but always
stimulating reading. Peter McGrail examines the relationship
between Church structures and popular religious identity, viewed
through the lens of the first communion event. Drawing out hitherto
unrecognised connections and significances for the future of the
Catholic Church at local level, the insights into the decline of
the parish as an institution present challenges to all with an
interest in and concern for the future of the Church in the
English-speaking world. Bringing to the fore the relationship and
tensions between liturgy and Church structures, both historically
and at the present time, this book offers academics and students
alike extensive material for reflection and future development..
Analytical Thomism is a recent label for a newer kind of approach
to the philosophical and natural theology of St Thomas Aquinas. It
illuminates the meaning of Aquinas's work for contemporary problems
by drawing on the resources of contemporary Anglo-Saxon analytical
philosophy, the work of Frege, Wittgenstein, and Kripke proving
particularly significant. This book expands the discourse in
contemporary debate, exploring crucial philosophical, theological
and ethical issues such as: metaphysics and epistemology, the
nature of God, personhood, action and meta-ethics. All those
interested in the thought of St Thomas Aquinas, and more generally
contemporary Catholic scholarship, problems in philosophy of
religion, and contemporary metaphysics, will find this collection
an invaluable resource.
In Faithful Careers Peter M. Smudde contends that God calls us to
live an "integrated life" that unifies both the spiritual and the
secular aspects of life. As an introduction to integrating the
Catholic faith with one's work, this book answers, in the Catholic
context, basic questions of what work is, why work is important,
who we are as workers, how may we have fruitful careers, where may
we find help about faith-work integration, and when we should take
next steps toward better integrating our work and the Catholic
faith. Smudde demonstrates how the Catholic faith truly does apply
to our labor, and that our lives depend on that labor, by putting
forth particular matters of the faith that pertain to faithful
careers. He then puts into real-world context, pertinent teachings,
concepts, principles, practices, and other means the Catholic
Church provides for us, so that those lessons can be practically
applied on a daily basis. Sources such as the Bible and writings of
the saints, popes, contemporary Catholic spiritual writers,
apologists, and scholars are applied to strengthen the support made
about the book's content. Catholic professionals at all stages of
their careers will welcome this insightful book, which explores the
call to put spirituality in the foreground-to obtain ever-deeper
faith and, thereby, greater integration of faith in everyday life
and career.
Winner of the 2020 Catholic Press Association Book Award In a book
hailed as "liberating" (Gary Chapman, New York Times bestselling
author), an award-winning author and mother of four weaves her own
stories and struggles with those of seven ex-perfectionist saints
(and one heretic) who show us how to pursue a new kind of
perfection: freedom in Christ. Spiritual perfectionism--an
obsession with flawlessness rooted in the belief that we can earn
God's love--is dangerous because so many of us mistake it for
virtue. Its toxic cycle of pride, sin, shame, blame, and despair
distorts our vision, dulls our faith, and leads us to view others
through the same hypercritical lens we think God is using to view
us. As a lifelong overachiever who drafted her first resume in
sixth grade and spell-checked her high school boyfriend's love
letters, Colleen Carroll Campbell knows something about the
perfectionist trap. But it was only after she became a mother that
she started to see how insidiously perfectionism had infected her
spiritual life, how lethal it could be to her happiness and her
family, and how disproportionately it afflicts the people working
hardest to serve God. In the ruins of her own mistakes, Colleen dug
into Scripture and the lives of the canonized saints for answers.
She discovered to her surprise that many holy men and women were,
in fact, recovering perfectionists. And their grace-fueled victory
oer this malady--not perfectionist striving--was the key to their
heroic virtue and contagious joy. In The Heart of Perfection,
Colleen weaves the stories and wisdom of seven ex-perfectionist
saints (and one heretic) with Scripture and beautifully crafted
tales of her own trial-and-error experiments in applying that
wisdom to her life. Gorgeously written and deeply insightful,
Colleen Carroll Campbell's The Heart of Perfection is a "must-read"
(Jeannie Gaffigan, executive producer of The Jim Gaffigan Show)
that "gives us permission to...walk in the freedom of God's
unconditional love" (Jennifer Fulwiler, author of One Beautiful
Dream). For a free Heart of Perfection reading guide for book
clubs, visit Colleen-Campbell.com.
"An intimate, revealing and sometimes wrenching family memoir of
the journalist and social advocate who is now being considered for
canonization" (The New York Times), told with illuminating detail
by her granddaughter. Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a prominent
Catholic, writer, social activist, and co-founder of a movement
dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor. Her life has been
documented through her own writings as well as the work of
historians, theologians, and academics. What has been missing until
now is a more personal account from the point of view of someone
who knew her well. Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty
is a frank and reflective, heartfelt and humorous portrayal written
by her granddaughter, Kate Hennessy. Dorothy Day, writes Hennessy,
is an unusual candidate for sainthood. Before her conversion, she
lived what she called a "disorderly life," during which she had an
abortion and then gave birth to a child out of wedlock. After her
conversion, she was both an obedient servant and a rigorous
challenger of the Church. She was a prolific writer whose books are
still in print and widely read. Although compassionate, Hennessy
shows Day to be driven, dogmatic, loving, as well as judgmental, in
particular with her only daughter, Tamar. She was also full of
humor and laughter and could light up any room she entered. An
undisputed radical heroine, called "a saint for the occupy era" by
The New Yorker, Day's story unfolds against a backdrop of New York
City from the 1910s to the 1980s and world events spanning from
World War I to Vietnam. This thoroughly researched and intimate
biography provides a valuable and nuanced portrait of an undersung
and provocative American woman. "Frankly," says actor and activist
Martin Sheen, "it is a must-read."
The story of St. Martin de Porres, the black Saint, is written to
inspire children by describing his childlike love for Jesus and
demonstrating his devotion and kindness to people.
Here, a leading black Catholic moral theologian addresses the
thorny issue of racial justice past and present. Massingale writes
from an abiding conviction that the Catholic faith and the black
experience make essential contributions in the continuing struggle
against racial injustice that is the work of all people.
From a critical realist perspective, this book examines the manner
and the extent to which religion is shaped by modernity. With a
focus on Poland, one of the most monolithic and religiously active
Catholic societies in the world - but which has undergone periods
of intense transformation in its recent history - the author
explores the transformations that have affected Catholicism from a
position of reflexivity. Viewing Catholicism as a system of ideas
elaborated by tradition, the author considers the relationship
between human subjectivity and social structure by examining the
shift from traditional religious practice to modern religious
observance, particularly in an era of migration in which many
Polish Catholics have relocated to western European countries, with
profound changes in their religious outlook. Presenting a new
approach to understanding religious change from the perspective of
religious reflexivity, Polish Catholicism between Tradition and
Migration will appeal to scholars across the social sciences with
interests in religion, research methods, social change and critical
realist thought.
Endorsed by EWTN hosts Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, and Fr. Benedict
Groeschel, CFR, this do-it-yourself retreat combines the Spiritual
Exercises of St. Ignatius with the teachings of Sts. Therese of
Lisieux, Faustina Kowlaska, and Louis de Montfort. The author, Br.
Michael Gaitley, MIC, has a remarkable gift for inspiring little
souls to trust in Jesus, The Divine Mercy. As Danielle Bean,
editorial director of Faith & Family magazine, puts it, "The
voice of Christ in these pages is one that even this hopelessly
distracted wife and mother of eight could hear and respond to."
Includes practical helps an in appendices.
The British Christian Women's Movement charts the British Christian
women's movement and its inception in the post-sixties decades,
amid new currents generated in the British denominational churches,
and the wider current of Women's Liberation. Focusing on Christian
women's concern with the position of women in the church, this book
identifies core Christian women's theology which affirms a
(rehabilitated) 'new Eve in Christ', and contrasts with a paradigm
shift taking shape in North American feminist theology. It argues
that this divergence is primarily because of the effect of
prolonged Church of England women's ordination debates upon the
ethos of the British Christian women's movement.
This book explores the rhetoric and public communication of the
Catholic Church in the United States in the wake of the sexual
abuse scandals and offers a demonstration of how large
organizations negotiate a loss of public trust while retaining
political power. While the Catholic Church remains a major
political force in the United States, recent scandals have
undoubtedly had an adverse effect on both its reputation and moral
authority. This has been exacerbated by the public responses of
Catholic clergy, which have often left supporters of the Church,
let alone critics, profoundly unsatisfied. Drawing on documents -
voting guides, pastoral letters, sermons, press releases, and other
materials - issued by the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB) as well as American nuns, the book explores
Catholic political statements issued after the sexual abuse crises
entered the public consciousness. Using approaches from linguistics
and rhetoric, it analyses how these statements compare to similar
materials issued before this time. This comparison demonstrates
that for the American Catholic Church persuasion is less important
than maintaining the impression that there has been no loss of
authority. This is a timely study of the Catholic Church's handling
of the recent revelations of abuse within the Church. As such, it
will be of keen interest to scholars of religious rhetoric,
contemporary Catholicism, linguistics, rhetoric, communication, and
religious studies.
The Roman Catholic Church's critical stance towards liberalism and
democracy following the French Revolution and through the 19th
century was often entrenched, but the Second Vatican Council of the
1960s saw a shift in the Church's attitude towards democracy. In
recent years, a conflict has emerged between Church doctrine and
modern liberalism under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. This
book is a comprehensive overview of the Catholic Church's
relationship to modern liberal democracy, from the end of the 18th
century until today. It is a connection that is situated within the
context of the history of ideas itself.
This volume is a response to Pope Francis' environmental encyclical
Laudato Si'. Published in 2015, the encyclical urges us to face up
to the crisis of climate change and to take better care of the
Earth, our common home, while also attending to the plight of the
poor. In this book the Pope's invitation to all people to begin a
new dialogue about these matters is considered from a variety of
perspectives by an international and multidisciplinary team of
leading scholars. There is discussion of the implications of
Laudato Si' for immigration, population control, eating animals,
and property ownership. Additionally, indigenous religious
perspectives, development and environmental protection, and the
implementation of the ideas of the encyclical within the Church are
explored. Some chapters deal with scriptural or philosophical
aspects of the encyclical. Others focus on central concepts, such
as interconnectedness, the role of practice, and what Pope Francis
calls the "technocratic paradigm." This book expertly illuminates
the relationship between Laudato Si' and environmental concerns. It
will be of deep interest to anyone studying religion and the
environment, environmental ethics, Catholic theology, or
environmental thought.
On 9th August 1945, the US dropped the second atomic bomb on
Nagasaki. Of the dead, approximately 8500 were Catholic Christians,
representing over sixty percent of the community. In this
collective biography, nine Catholic survivors share personal and
compelling stories about the aftermath of the bomb and their lives
since that day. Examining the Catholic community's interpretation
of the A-bomb, this book not only uses memory to provide a greater
understanding of the destruction of the bombing, but also links it
to the past experiences of religious persecution, drawing
comparisons with the 'Secret Christian' groups which survived in
the Japanese countryside after the banning of Christianity. Through
in-depth interviews, it emerges that the memory of the atomic bomb
is viewed through the lens of a community which had experienced
suffering and marginalisation for more than 400 years. Furthermore,
it argues that their dangerous memory confronts
Euro-American-centric narratives of the atomic bombings, whilst
also challenging assumptions around a providential bomb. Dangerous
Memory in Nagasaki presents the voices of Catholics, many of whom
have not spoken of their losses within the framework of their faith
before. As such, it will be invaluable to students and scholars of
Japanese history, religion and war history.
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