A companion to Mary Carruthers' earlier study of memory in medieval culture, The Book of Memory, this book, The Craft of Thought, examines medieval monastic meditation as a discipline for making thoughts, and discusses its influence on literature, art, and architecture, deriving examples from a variety of late antique and medieval sources, with excursions into modern architectural memorials. The study emphasizes meditation as an act of literary composition or invention, the techniques of which notably involved both words and making mental "pictures" for thinking and composing.

Many evangelicals paint fundamentalism with the same broad, negative brush. But we owe more to our pietist-revivalist roots than we realize. Richard Mouw s awareness of fundamentalism s problems hasn t robbed his appreciation for its strengths. The Smell of Sawdust sheds thoughtful and revealing light on the colorful parentage of contemporary evangelicalism. If you detect fondness, even a hint of nostalgia, you re right. From its history, to its ethos, to its mores and methods, Mouw takes you on a fascinating journey through the pros and cons of the 'sawdust trail.' Whatever your outlook on the revivalist tradition, whether favorable or not so favorable, these candid, thought-provoking insights will inspire your respect for fundamentalism s strong points, help you learn from its weaknesses, and above all, enrich your life as a Christian. Like the author, you ll find yourself singing the old gospel hymns with new understanding and depth. Filled with anecdotes from the amusing to the poignant, this book takes you back to the sawdust-covered earth of the early tent meetings . . . earlier, to the spiritual hunger that sparked the pietist movement . . . and later, into today, where we strive to effectively communicate the nonnegotiables of our faith to a needy world. The Smell of Sawdust is gentle and deeply personal. It is also wise--neither judgmental nor naive, but healing, furnishing redemptive insights into the character of our fundamentalist heritage. This book will broaden the perspective of thinking Christians who want to engage both their hearts and their intellects to reach the soul of our culture with the gospel."

Part keepsake, part teaching book, this small volume is filled with inspiration, encouragement, and reflections to ponder for 4th graders and up. Through simple text, it explains the privileges and responsibilities imparted through the sacrament of Confirmation. Compelling stories about saints and children their own age will help kids become more familiar with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and learn how the gifts can be active in their own lives. The apostolic mission of a confirmed Catholic is emphasized and readers are reminded that the sacrament of Confirmation is exciting-the same Holy Spirit who appeared to the apostles and the Blessed Mother at Pentecost is the one who will come to them when they are confirmed. "Too often we whisk our youth through the Sacrament without a clear understanding of what's happening. That's tragic, because a grace misunderstood is easily unappreciated, and a grace unappreciated is easily lost. My Confirmation Book empowers young people to receive the Holy Spirit in a way that's active, personal, willing, and enduring. Highly recommended." - Mike Aquilina, co-host of The Lamb's Supper on EWTN, and Executive Vice-President of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology "A wonderful tool for parents, religious education leaders, and all who are concerned about raising up strong young Catholics - Catholics who will be able to boldly and joyfully proclaim their faith and engage a culture so in need of God." -Teresa Tomeo, Catholic syndicated talk show host, Ave Maria Radio " Another winner from Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle! Clear, concise and inspiring - everything Confirmation candidates could want in a book that will help them prepare for one of the most important moments in their lives! A great resource for parents and catechists, too. Kudos on a job well done!" - Marge Fenelon Author of Strengthening Your Family: A Catholic Approach to Holiness at Home "Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle has created a resource of great simplicity and beauty for young confirmands. Tenderly and wisely written, My Confirmation Book explains and explores the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Concise, but powerful, the text includes illuminating stories and discussion questions, and a superb collection of brief quotes from saints and sacred scripture. I am eager to buy an armload of copies, not only for all the young people I know who are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, but for those who have already received it. In fact, I found so much encouragement and clarity in the pages of this small book of reflections; I'm going to give them to my adult friends, as well." -Lisa Mladinich, author "Be an Amazing Catechist: Inspire the Faith of Children," OSV

Today's rapid, deep, and pervasive changes in North American culture present myriad challenges for faith communities now and in the years ahead. Oswald explores the use of rituals as spiritually healing practices for the home, congregation, and broader community. He teaches congregational leaders how individuals and groups can use familiar new rituals to name, evaluate, live out, celebrate, and grow through change.

Here is a summons to pray with twenty great women of faith_from Hildegard of Bingen to Dorothy Day. Brief biographies are followed by commentary, prayer experiences, questions for reflection, and suggestions for action. Meehan brings these women to life, allowing their example to inspire, encourage, and empower you. Meet women who will change your life and enrich your spiritual journey with new possibilities of self-discovery, wisdom, creativity, and friendship. Reminding us that abundance is all around us, and challenging us to make a difference, this book is filled with stories of visionary women with whom we can share the longings that lie deep within us for divine love, deep tranquility, and human intimacy.

We tend to think of Christmas as a day-December 25-that is preceded by a season of commercials, sales, shopping, rushing, hurry, frustration, spending money, standing in lines, worrying, cooking, wrapping, more shopping, spending more money, going in debt, and lots more frustration. But it doesn't have to be this way. In the traditional church calendar Christmas Day was preceded by the season of Advent. This was a time of spiritual preparation, a time of getting ready for the Savior's birth. Perhaps we would do ourselves a favor to once again observe Advent as a time of anticipation and preparation for Christmas, and then have a time of more relaxed merriment afterwards. Want to give it a try? This book offers a series of meditations for Advent. Within these pages you will be able to enjoy the time leading up to Christmas as a period of introspection, anticipation, and joy. Here you will meet saints both ancient and modern, and learn lessons from their lives. You will be guided in how to slow down, learn to pause, and discover how to wait. You will be able to restore spirituality (and sanity) to the weeks before Christmas. And you can prepare yourself to truly rejoice that the Savior has come. We hereby invite you to join in The Journey to Christmas

One of the most common tasks undertaken by all clergy is ministry to the sick and to the bereaved. Containing the essentials for pastoral ministry in the community, Common Worship: A Pastoral Ministry Companion brings together services, prayers and readings for the most frequently encountered pastoral occasions in a portable, easy-reference volume. It includes liturgies, prayers and readings for: Emergency baptism Prayers for the sick and their families Holy Communion at home or in hospital Reconciliation services (not present in previous Pastoral Services or Ministry to the Sick volumes) Prayers with the dying and at the time of a death Prayers for use at home before and after a funeral Passages of Scripture and Psalms in both modern and Prayer Book versions This elegant and discreet volume - bound in soft-touch imitation leather with two ribbons - is the ideal size for keeping to hand in your pocket, bag or car glove compartment.

A deeply biblical and relevant Advent study that focuses on Mary, her song of deliverance and hope (the Magnificat), and her significance beyond the story of Jesus' birth.

** Suitable for online learning and study ** Brilliant Lent course for individuals and groups, based on the Oscar-winning film 'The King's Speech'. The purpose of 'Finding a Voice' could be summed up in the words of the King's speech therapist: 'To give them faith in their voice and let them know a friend is listening.' The course, which offers five group sessions plus weekly material for private reading, uses the film as a discussion starter and relates it to what the Bible has to say about such universal issues as discouragement and determination, fear and friendship, calling and courage. 'The King's Speech' is such a runaway success because it holds that mirror to our world, and offers hope of overcoming the difficulties. It shows hope built out of friendship, trust and supportive love; and courage in the face of gathering evil. Lent is traditionally a time for strengthening resolve, bringing believers together in trust and encouragement as they strive to follow their calling.

In the latest addition to Liguori's popular series of seasonal meditation books provides not only Scripture readings for the seasons of Advent and Christmas, but pairs them with a daily selection from the cherished writings of Saint Alphonsus Liguori.

This book encourages the reader to set aside time each day to reflect upon a specific Scripture passage while providing a suggested activity for Christian living during the Christmas season.

In the season when we focus on Christ's birth, let us follow the example of St. Alphonsus and his unwavering love of Jesus Christ.

This book is the product of a relatively long history of pilgrimage research in a Dutch theological setting. It is intended as a report for an international audience on this long-running programme. Two lines are followed in the book. The first is the track of liturgical studies, in which an historical, European ethnological and anthropological approach has predominated. The second is a social science track, with specific content coming from psychology of religion. The combination of these two lines has been extremely fruitful. In addition to results of various surveys of contemporary pilgrimage practice and the expansion of research into ritual and cultural context in which modern pilgrims find themselves, special attention is also bestowed on historiographic issues involved in orienting pilgrimage research, and its theoretical and methodological aspects. The places of pilgrimage examined here are Wittem, Dokkum and Amsterdam in The Netherlands, Banneux in Belgium, Lourdes and La Salette in France, and Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The central question which informs the whole study is to what extent one can perhaps speak of a new type of pilgrim today, the "modern pilgrim".

In this collection of original art and reflections, the Carmelites of Indianapolis share some of the insight and wisdom they have gleaned fro years of praying with the many 'hidden friends' of their tradition. Well-known saints such as Therese of Lisieus, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross, as well as some lesser-known holy people, such as Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, Nicholas the Frenchman, and Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, come alive in these pages to enrich and inspired your own life of prayer and spirituality.

Used successfully in Episcopal dioceses and congregations, Total Ministry describes a new way for local congregations (especially small ones) and judicatories to organize their response to God's call and to provide resources, support, and encouragement for ministry-a way that is not dependent only on full-time, seminary-trained, ordained leaders.

In this addition to the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series, Guy Prentiss Waters provides a study of the Sabbath, from creation to consummation.

The aim of this course is to explore the Beatitudes, which encapsulate the teaching of Jesus. Jesus himself lived out the Beatitudes in his earthly life and called his followers to do the same. This five-session group study course encourages Christians to examine their lifestyle in the light of Jesus' radical teaching and to live out these kingdom values - now. This course takes a two-pronged approach to studying the Beatitudes, deepening our understanding of Jesus and challenging our deepest personal values; and helping us understand how they should impact on our approach to major global issues, such as environmental pollution and the deep-seated hostilities and injustices that afflict our world. Each session of the course contains enough material for 90 minutes and includes guidelines for group study, with full background notes for leaders, interactive activities, including questions for group discussion and multimedia suggestions, a wide range of suggestions for Lenten prayer and meditation, and a challenge to practical action.

Young children and their parents will delight in this colorful, lovingly illustrated, and simple rendition of the traditional Christmas story. This lift-the-flap book brings the well-known characters of Christmas--angels, shepherds, wise men, Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus--to life for little ones. Sturdily constructed to last for years, this book invites children to take an active role in discovering the mysteries of Our Lord's birth.

Someone's hiding behind the door.
Who it is we can't be sure.
Open the doors and you'll find out.
What Christmas-time is all about
The answer lies on a bed of hay.
An angel will help you on your way

This book makes an excellent gift or family keepsake.

"board book"

This illustrated workbook arises out of many years of leading retreats, study and quiet days on the theme of the cross in many contexts from an English Cathedral city to a South African township. The symbol of suffering and sacrifice, the cross also stands for the triumph of love over hate, life over death, hope over despair.
This includes complete outlines with prayers, readings, guided meditations and instructions for making crosses on the following themes: Crosses from around the world, Holy People, Holy Places & Crosses: Bridget, Francis, Andrew and others, Good Friday Pilgrims: living the cross, Making Crosses: yours and mine, Meditating with Crosses, and Following The Way of the Cross.

A collection of over forty new hymns and songs by Rusty Edwards, author of We all are one in mission. The publication also includes detailed topical/thematic, scriptural and metrical indexes.

My Baptism Book aims to help children understand one of the most important days of a child's life. It is a beautiful personal reminder of this special day and one that a child can return to again and again. It can be used by adults and children together, or in more formal baptism preparation and includes a number of inspiring ideas on ways to use the material creatively. This is an ideal gift for children aged 3+.