Uniquely in the kingdoms of western Christendom, the Scottish bishops obtained authority, in 1225, to hold inter-diocesan meetings without a supervisory archbishop, and continued to meet in this way for nearly 250 years. Donald Watt provides an authoritative study of these church councils from the Latin and English records based on original sources.In addition to creating an original work of considerable historical interest, Professor Watt brings discussion of the councils and their significance into the broader context of Scotland's political, legal, ecclesiastical and social situation over a long period.An important contribution to Scottish church history and to its influence on contemporary affairs.

Escaping from narrative history, this book takes a deep look at the Catholic question in 18th-century Ireland. It asks how people thought about Catholicism, Protestantism and their society, in order to reassess the content and importance of the religious conflict. In doing this, Dr Cadoc Leighton provides a study which offers thought-provoking ways of looking not only at the 18th century, but at modern Irish history in general. It also places Ireland clearly within the mainstream of European historical developments.

This book covers theoretical aspects of Catholic Religious Education in schools and examines them from multiple theoretical and contextual perspectives. It captures the contemporary academic and educational developments in the field of Religious Education while discussing in detail the challenges that Religious Educators face in different European, Asian, African, Australian, American and Latin American countries. The edited collection investigates how to pass on a Catholic heritage as a "living tradition" in diversely populated schools and communities. In this way it explores and asserts the proper identity of Catholic Religious Education in dialogue with Catechetics and with the wider discipline of Religious Education. As the different articles of this publication demonstrate - through a series of interesting and critical points of view - Catholic Religious Education is confronted with many challenges from the risk of marginalization to the confusion produced by a religious indifferentism leading to a strictly comparative or neutral method in the study of religions. It is essential to take into account in our research perspectives that Catholic Religious Education is not only a subject but also a mission in the light of the diakonia of truth in the midst of humanity H.E. Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect, Congregation for Catholic Education, Holy See, Vatican City Religious education teachers cannot by themselves overcome the ills of society, but religious education...can help to create better citizens of the world as some authors argue throughout this collection. could not ask more from such timely and provocative collection. It is a gift to the profession and to Catholic Religious Education. Prof. Gloria Durka, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA

Published in over 6,000 editions before the year 1900, "The Imitation of Christ" has been more widely read than any other book in human history except the Bible itself. It has been called "the most influential work in Christian literature," "a landmark in the history of the human mind," and "the fifth gospel."Now, and for the first time, comes an exhaustive edition of this classic work, a work that is bound to become a classic in its own right. Fr. John-Julian introduces Kempis and his "Imitation" in ways that will shock many who have read the book before. For example, Protestant devotees to the book may be astounded to discover that Thomas was not only a Roman Catholic but an ardent traditionalist contemplative monk as well. And devoted Catholic readers may be amazed to discover that he was a radical moral reformer and part of a group twice formally charged with heresy. Notes and introductions to every aspect of "The Imitation" open the meaning of this classic to the next generation of readers.

In a time of discouragement, how can the Church renew itself and its outreach to all people? Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, insists that a ""dumbed down"" Catholicism cannot succeed in today's highly educated society--instead, the Church needs to draw upon its great theological heritage in order to renew its hope in Christ. With Renewing Our Hope: Essays for the New Evangelization, Bishop Barron traces this renewal through four stages. ""Renewing Our Mission"" lays out the challenges that call for Catholics to become more aware of their own intellectual resources in encountering the ""Nones."" ""Renewing Our Minds"" showcases the importance of theological reflection as a font of wisdom and sanity in the Church, touching on Thomas Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, the recently canonized John Henry Newman, and Pope Francis. In ""Renewing the Church,"" he proceeds to look at how Scripture, the family, the seminary, and Catholic college graduates can each contribute to this renewal. Finally, in ""Renewing Our Culture,"" he returns to the judgments Catholics must make in assessing contemporary culture, specifically, family life, liberalism, relativism, and (surprisingly) the beauty of cinema. Bishop Barron, known as the host of the Catholicism PBS video series, was previously rector and professor of systematic theology at Mundelein Seminary outside Chicago, Illinois. He demonstrates again in Renewing Our Hope his ability to make the fruits of his wide reading accessible to a broad audience, while still giving his academic colleagues much to consider.

The official new Weekday Missal in a classically beautiful red imitation leather binding. The Collins Weekday Missal is fully updated with the new, approved Order of Mass, perfect for anyone wishing to prepare for Weekday Mass and take an active part in its celebration. With a closer and more direct translation of the original liturgy, more detailed and explanatory commentary and additional readings to help prepare and collect after Mass, The Weekday Missal will aid a closer, more transcendent experience during Weekday worship. It includes the official new Order of Mass, The Proper of Seasons, Ordinary Time, The Proper of Saints, Occasional Masses, as well as Masses for the Dead. New illustrations in the Romanesque tradition, four firmly stitched in ribbons, clear design, and quality printing, make Collins' Weekday Missal a durable, beautiful book from which to worship.

In this addition to the well-received Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), seasoned New Testament scholar and popular speaker Peter Williamson interprets Revelation from within the living tradition of the Church for pastoral ministers, lay readers, and students alike. The seventeen-volume CCSS series, which will cover the entire New Testament, relates Scripture to Christian life today, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry. Drawn from the best of contemporary scholarship, series volumes are keyed to the liturgical year and include an index of pastoral subjects.

The first examination of predictive technology from the perspective of Catholic theology Probabilistic predictions of future risk govern much of society. In business and politics alike, institutional structures manage risk by controlling the behavior of consumers and citizens. New technologies comb through past data to predict and shape future action. Choosing between possible future paths can cause anxiety as every decision becomes a calculation to achieve the most optimal outcome. Tomorrow's Troubles is the first book to use virtue ethics to analyze these pressing issues. Paul Scherz uses a theological analysis of risk and practical reason to show how risk-based decision theory reorients our relationships to the future through knowledge of possible dangers and foregone opportunities-and fosters a deceptive hope for total security. Scherz presents this view of temporality as problematic because it encourages a desire for stability through one's own efforts instead of reliance on God. He also argues that the largest problem with predictive models is that they do not address individual reason and free will. Instead of dwelling on a future, we cannot control, we can use our past experiences and the Christian tradition to focus on discerning God's will in the present. Tomorrow's Troubles offers a thoughtful new framework that will help Christians benefit from the positive aspects of predictive technologies while recognizing God's role in our lives and our futures.

Each year on Good Friday, Christian congregations all over the world walk the Stations of the Cross, a commemoration of Jesus' walk to Calvary. In "Walking the Way of Sorrows," artist Noyes Capehart and writer/journalist Katerina Whitley provide a fresh resource for congregations and individuals who want to explore the meaning of these Stations more deeply. Capehart's stark and powerful block cuts of the fourteen Stations are accompanied by monologues from the point of view of someone at each station. These monologues, along with biblical references and a brief liturgy, are excellent for individual devotion, but can also be used by groups who walk the Stations together.