Following publication of 'The Da Vinci Code', the 2002 novel by Dan Brown, a worldwide audience is now aware of the existence of the mysterious cult of Opus Dei. However, very little is actually known about this secret Catholic organisation. In successive chapters, the book investigates the conspiracy theories behind the movement from its inception in 1928 to the present day. Including Opus Dei's movements in Spain where the movement's founder, Escriva, allied his group with Franco's regime - leading to several Opus Dei members occupying key positions in his government; and in Nazi Germany and in particular how at the close of World War II, many leading Nazis escaped through the Knights Of Malta and the Vatican 'rat run' to the Americas. Chapter Three explores Opus Dei's various political involvement in several South American countries - the most important and famous being the movement's involvement in Augusto Pinochet's Chilean Junta. Their links with the Vatican are equally alarming. John Paul II gave the movement a unique status in the church making it a 'personal prelature' strengthening its area of influence in the appointment of a future Pope. which were founded around the same time. Ronald Reagan's appointment of several high profile Opus Dei members is discussed, as is the arrest of double agent Robert Hanson in the 1980s and the Waco Siege. Continuing the 'US' theme, the following chapter assesses Opus Dei's suspected involvement in the death of Roberto Calvi (including the links with the Mafia and the usd1.3 billion missing from the Vatican banks). Spreading the net wider still, Chapter Seven looks at Opus Dei's influence across the former Eastern Bloc in countries like Hungary, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Kazakhstan. The final chapter looks at the present day state of Opus Dei, especially in light of 'The Da Vinci Code'. To conclude there is a further brief look at how Opus Dei is still working behind the scenes in many governments today...

How is the church being affected by globalization? What does wider and more direct contact between the world religions mean for Christians? What is God doing in the midst of such change? This important volume explores the implications of today's emerging global society for local churches and Christian mission. Prominent scholars, missionaries, and analysts of world trends relate Christian theology and ethics to five clusters of issues-stewardship, prosperity, and justice; faith, learning, and family; the Spirit, wholeness, and health; Christ, the church, and other religions; and conflict, violence, and mission-issues that pastors and congregations will find critical as they think through the mission of the church in our time. Contributors: David Befus Susan Power Bratton Ronald Cole-Turner Tim A. Dearborn Ian T. Douglas Kosuke Koyama John Mbiti James H. Ottley Richard Osmer Scott R. Paeth Cecil M. Robeck Jr. Lamin Sanneh William Schweiker Donald W. Shriver Jr. Max L. Stackhouse Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen Allen Verhey John Witte Jr.

For years, sociologists -- and marketing experts -- have focused on the Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. The generation after the Xers (people born since 1982), called the Millennial Generation, is in some ways a continuation of a trend. But in other ways, this generation is a breed apart. Dawson McAllister, who has worked with hundreds of thousands of young people, offers insight into how to relate to this up-and-coming generation. He talks about the forces that have shaped the Millennial Generation, its expectations of authority, how to make church "work" for the Millennial Generation, parenting and discipling strategies, what makes this generation different from other generations, and how this generation shares the spiritual needs of every generation. A fascinating and practical look at young people today -- and how we as adults can learn to relate effectively to them.

This work was written from memory by some sisters who were present at this conference, and revised by a priest of the Congregation of the Mission. Mr. Vincent commenced stating the subject of this conference consisted of two points. The first point being how important it is to profit by the instructions given us in the Conferences, by the admonitions of our superiors, or by advice of any kind. The second point was the means to profit by theses instructions and to put them in practice.

The Knights Templar Chronology tells the year by year story of one of history's most secret and mysterious brotherhoods -- in detail unmatched by any other reference volume. This remarkable book maps out at a glance the Templar's rise and fall from which so many modern-day groups draw inspiration. Never before have the world's most intriguing Knights had their incredible adventures and history so fully captured. If you liked The Da Vinci Code and Holy Blood Holy Grail, The Knights Templar Chronology is a fascinating timeline.

This work is the chronicles of Brother Thomas of Eccleston and Brother Jordan of Giano, which is translated from the Critical Editions. Contents: Introduction: note on the translation, Brother Thomas and his chronicle, Brother Jordan and his chronicle, manuscripts, Bother Elias and the Order, administration of a Franciscan Province; On the Coming of the Friars Minor to England; Chronicle of Brother Jordan; Bibliography. Illustrated.

This book is a guide to getting your faith-based program from the dream stage to a working community program. Take advantage of the professional experience of grant writers Jeff and Jenai Morehead's years of experience in developing neighborhood and economic development programs. Discover how the federal grants process works. Find out how your church and faith based organization can work together. Discover the inside of grants contracts and what you have to do after you sign the contract to keep your grant funds flowing. Learn how to deal with your critics. Find out how long it will take to get your money and study our grant writing suggestions for winning grants

The personal testimonies in this book are inspiring and encouraging to the faith community that understands the unique call to operate outside of the four walls of the religious institution and into the neighborhoods where the heart of the community is.

1893. The Contents are divided into the following sections: God; Jesus Christ is God; How We Became Sinners; Redemption; The Extent of the Atonement; The Finished Work of Christ; Election; The Holy Ghost; Conditions of Salvation; The Forgiveness of Sins; Conversion; The Two Natures; Assurance; Sanctification. What It Is; Sanctification. Can It Be Attained?; Sanctification. Conditions; Sanctification. The Conditions (Consecration); Sanctification. Objections; Sanctification. The Fruits; Backsliding; Final Perseverance; Death and After; Hell; The Bible; Woman's Right to Preach; and Getting Men Saved.

1897. Canon Frederick Warren of Ely followed his aunt, Sister Amelia Warren, into the field of liturgics and produced such outstanding works as The Liturgy of the Ante-Nicene Church, The Liturgy and Ritual of the Celtic Church, an edition of The Bangor Antiphoner, and (a worthy companion to his aunt's production) The Sarum Missal in English. Contents: Traces of Liturgical Worship in the Old and New Testaments; Ante-Nicene Ritual; Ante-Nicene Liturgical Remains; and The Connection between the Liturgy and Ritual of the Jewish and Christian Churches.

In the 1800s, nuns moved west with the frontier, building hospitals and schools in immigrant communities. They provided aid during the Chicago fire, cared for orphans and prostitutes during the California Gold Rush, and brought professional nursing skills to field hospitals on both sides of the Civil War.
In the 1900s, nuns built the nation's largest private school and hospital systems, and brought the Catholic Church into the Civil Rights movement. As their numbers began to decline in the 1970s, many sisters were forced to take professional jobs as lawyers, probation workers, and hospital executives because their salaries were needed to support older nuns, many of whom lacked a pension system. Currently there are about 65,000 sisters in America, down from 204,000 in 1968. Their median age is sixty-nine.
Nuns became the nation's first cadre of independent, professional women. Some nursed, some taught, and many created and managed new charitable organizations, including large hospitals and colleges. Sweeping in its scope and insight, Sisters reveals the spiritual wealth that these women invested in America.

Here is a book to challenge all separationist and accommodationist views of Christianity and the contemporary world. These pages will provoke a new level of discussion in the church and the academy alike.--Don El Saliers, Professor of Theology and Worship, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

The word "liturgy" literally means "the work of the people" -- so the active participation of everyone in the congregation should be the goal of Christian worship. Designed to help you attain that sense of full partnership, "The Work Of The People" provides you with a full year's worth of eloquent resources for thoughtful, reverent services. It's a comprehensive collection of liturgical prayers and readings for 52 Sundays, with each week's material based on a common subject (Freedom, Hospitality, Peace, and Stewardship are just a few examples). Written in everyday language that connects them to our daily lives, the prayers are conceived for congregational reading (either responsively or in unison) -- and their thematic unity will lead to reflection and insight in addition to praise and celebration.
The components for each week include:
- call to worship
- invocation
- call to confession
- prayer of confession
- words of assurance
- Psalm reading
- offering sentences
- prayer of dedication
- benediction
- scripture references (as possible texts for homilies based on the theme)
John H. Will is a retired pastor in the United Church of Christ. In addition to serving churches in Texas, Indiana, and California, Will has been a missionary in Honduras and Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department. He is a graduate of Rice University and Eden Theological Seminary. Will and his wife Johanna live in Burleson, Texas.

The origin of the Templars, their rise and growth, decline and fall and the fate of the last Grand Master.James Anthony Froude (1818-1894) was Late Regius Professor of Modern History in The University of Oxford. He was a renowned writer and historian, and a close friend and disciple of Thomas Carlyle. He was a controversial figure during his lifetime, and brought down upon himself the wrath of the high church; this did not stop the crowds from attending his lectures, as he was a compelling speaker. As a writer of English prose he has few equals in the nineteenth century.

In this classic reissue, scholar, pastor, and author J. Philip Wogaman addresses "people who wonder whether Christian Faith makes sense in light of the sweeping changes of our age," changes that have created at the same time a pluralistic world, a technologically sophisticated world, a dangerous world, a world of great prosperity, and yet great suffering. What are we to make of this time we live in? Can the Christian faith really provide a stable foundation? Wogaman wrestles with these and other questions as he investigates the true meaning of a Christian faith with a positive understanding of religious pluralism and a rejection of fanaticism. He concludes that this faith is a "hopeful love" that proclaims the centrality of love against selfishness and the power of hope against despair.

This is the story of selfless, civic-minded individuals whose passion for historic preservation led them to undertake a monumental task. Unable to locate a precedent to guide them, they were forced to rely on their own ingenuity and technical skills. (Christian Religion)

These creative, reassuring and beautiful texts can be sung to well-known hymns and songs in worship, groups, or at home. Many are written for use with children's songs, making them perfect for school, nursery, and camp singing.

The phrase "little flowers" has, in English, a vague aroma of sentiment and propaganda, and by virtue of the diminutive it has acquired a similar flavor even in Italian. Suppose this collection of tales has been called the "Franciscan Anthology," a title at once more exact and more majestic in its associations? Or suppose, somewhat facetiously, but still within its spirit, it had been known as the "Selected Miracles of Saint Francis and His Brethren?" The story as regards the English speaking world, might have been different. Illustrated.