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Santamaria's Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961

ISBN: 9781921946165
Author(s): Kevin Peoples Publisher: Garratt Publishing

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
This new book featuring BA Santamaria is the first to draw on primary resource material from the Santamaria files held by the State Library of Victoria since the publication of the Santamaria documents edited by Patrick Morgan.

Unlike most books on Santamaria, which focus on his involvement in the Labor Movement, this one analyses his leadership of the often mentioned but little understood National Catholic Rural Movement (NCRM). Author Kevin Peoples was an organiser for the NCRM from 1959 to 1961. Within the narrative frame of his own involvement, the author shows how Santamaria's charisma and authoritarian character continuously subverted the NCRM's aims as an official form of Catholic Action, to follow his own impractical vision for Australia as an agrarian society.

After the attack on Santamaria's industrial movement by the leader of the ALP, Dr HV Evatt in October 1954, Santamaria controversially pressed the NCRM into acting as his anti-communist arm in rural Australia. The drama in this new memoir highlights the clash between Santamaria and the then Father John N Molony, now emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University, at the La Verna Monastery, Melbourne in 1961, when Molony attempted to wrest control of the NCRM from Santamaria.

REVIEWS:
"What is most appealing in this book is Kevin Peoples' writing style. There is a certain gentleness to it despite the content of the book being about a very serious conflict over ideology. It perhaps reflects some of the Cardijn spirituality that Kevin is trying to describe." ...Brian Coyne, Editor, Catholica. Read the full review, including an audio interview with Kevin Peoples, HERE.
 

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Your Most Obedient Servant: B. A. Santamaria Selected Documents: 1938-1996 &
Running the Show: B. A. Santamaria Selected Documents: 1938-1996

ISBN: 9780522852745 (Hardcover); 9780522854978 (Hardcover)
Author(s): Edited by Patrick Morgan Publisher: Melbourne University Press; The Miegunyah Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Bob Santamaria was involved in Australian public life from before World War II until his death in 1998. His letters reveal facets of his personality and activities that the public was not fully aware of in his lifetime. He began as an agent and champion of the Catholic Church, and was a key figure in Australian politics, namely the ALP-DLP Split in the 1950s. He also ran a lesser known anti-Communist Movement throughout Asia for decades, at the same time as his Australian Movement. Spanning more than sixty years, this selection of letters to friends and members of the public reveals a person more subtle in his views than his adamantine public persona would suggest. Your Most Obedient Servant is a rare glimpse into a mind that was preoccupied on a daily basis with world events and ideological controversies.

Running the Show: B.A. Santamaria Selected Letters: 1938-1996 is a companion volume to Your Most Obedient Servant: B.A. Santamaria Selected Letters: 1938-1996 and is a selection from the documents he produced while working for the organisations he ran. These documents have not previously appeared in the public realm.
 

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The Content of Faith: The Best of Karl Rahner's Theological Writings

ISBN: 9780824512217
Author(s): Karl Rahner Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company; 1st Edition (Mar 1, 1993)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
No single anthology could hope to capture the full scope of Karl Rahner's thought—his publications numbering over 3,500 separate works in the years between 1924 and 1979—but this collection is the best that could possibly be devised, containing 174 selections which reflect the best of Rahner's thought from the early 1950s to 1980.
 

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Essential Visual History of World Mythology

ISBN: 9781426203732
Author(s): National Geographic Publisher: National Geographic

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
This is a must-have resource of world thought and fable – the innovative format – with timelines, sidebars, and self-contained interactive spreads gives readers a variety of entry points depending on their interest level. With enhanced resources including numbered picture references that match each image with its historical era as discussed in the text, and cross references to related topics at the bottom of the page. Conveniently sized yet large in scope, it reflects National Geographic's authority and credibility in the category of world culture and peoples. Those fascinated by mythology will find this illustrated world survey richly satisfying. Accessible, absorbing, and affordable, it will delight casual browsers and mythology buffs alike.
 

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To Reason Why: From religion to philosophy and beyond

ISBN: 9781921364143
Author(s): John Burnheim Publisher: Darlington Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
To Reason Why explains the arguments and aspirations that guided a professional thinker's choices on the key issues that have affected both theory and practice for believers and unbelievers of many persuasions from the turmoil of World War Two down to the present. John Burnheim reacted against the conventional ethos of prewar Australia, looking for a more objective basis for his religion. After ordination as a Catholic priest he undertook postgraduate studies in philosophy in Ireland and Belgium, concentrating on theories of meaning and truth. While Rector of Saint John's College in the University of Sydney he lectured in the Philosophy Department, eventually leaving the college to devote himself full time to philosophy. Shortly afterwards he left the church after twenty years in the priesthood, seeking to articulate a secular humanism. When the Philosophy Department was split in 1974 he was appointed head of the radical General Philosophy Department, attempting to administer the new venture as a participatory democracy and encouraging an opening towards Continental philosophy and feminist thinking which was to prove very influential in expanding the intellectual horizons of Australian philosophy. Reflecting on the failure of unstructured participatory democracy, he arrived at radically new political philosophy, based on the principle of entrusting decisions about specific public goods to bodies that are representative of those most directly affected by their decisions.

REVIEWS:
"The book demonstrates why the abandonment of the pews by so many Catholics, over the last forty years cannot just be put down to a failure of catechesis. It really all comes back to something that Jesus said, and that can be applied to the hierarchy that have ruled the Church since the Second Vatican Council, 'By their fruits you shall know them.' No improvements in catechesis can get over that. Or, as Burnheim would have put it, the Church "doesn't matter much anymore". And that is really the problem that Benedict is talking about when he attacks 'securalism' and 'indifferentism'. ... This book is highly recommended. It is very easy to read and very calmly written. The second half dealing with the philosophical struggles and streams at Sydney University is understandably a bit more difficult to follow, but it is worth persevering with it." ...James, Catholica Read the full review HERE
 

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The Front Page: Everyday Ignatian Spirituality

ISBN: 9781921511769
Author(s): Chris Gleeson SJ Publisher: ATF Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Front Page—Everyday Ignatian Spirituality features articles that were written for the parish newsletter during Fr Gleeson's time at St Ignatius Toowong in Brisbane. The stories reflect on everyday life in Australia – with anecdotes from parish life, the people Fr Chris has encountered in his ministry, and even the trials and tribulations of the golf course.

For most of the 'front pages' that follow, my inspiration has been twofold—to elaborate some touching story from my everyday life experience, however banal, and use it as a stepping stone to illustrate how we might more easily find God and be found by God in all things.

Central to Ignatian spirituality is the belief that our world is transparent, reflecting constantly a God who works in the depths of everything. St Ignatius Loyola saw the world as very 'user friendly'. For him every part of it, from the stars in the heavens to the flowers of the field, elevated his mind and heart to God. In Ribadeneira's Life of Ignatius we learn 'how even the smallest things could make his spirit soar upwards to God, who even in the smallest things is Greatest. At the sight of a little plant, a leaf, a flower or a fruit, an insignificant worm or a tiny animal Ignatius could soar free above the heavens and reach through into things which lie beyond the senses.'

Seeking and finding God in all things works on the belief that God is already present in our world and it is our task to uncover his presence and help others to do the same. It is very different to the old, perhaps arrogant, concept of ministry which talked about 'bringing God to the world'.
 

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Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion

ISBN: 9780241144770 (UK Hardcover); 9780307379108 (US Hardcover)
Author(s): Alain De Botton Publisher: Hamish Hamilton (26 Jan 2012 UK); Pantheon (March 6, 2012 US)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The boring debate between fundamentalist believers and non-believers is finally moved on by Alain de Botton's inspiring new book, which boldly argues that the supernatural claims of religion are of course entirely false – and yet that religions still have important things to teach the secular world. Rather than mocking religions, agnostics and atheists should instead steal from them – because they're packed with good ideas on how we live and arrange our societies. Blending deep respect with total impiety, de Botton (a non-believer) proposes that we should look to religions for insights into how to build a sense of community, make our relationships last, get more out of art, overcome feelings of envy and inadequacy, and much more. For too long non-believers have faced a stark choice between either swallowing peculiar doctrines or doing away with consoling and beautiful rituals and ideas. At last Alain de Botton has fashioned a far more interesting and truly helpful alternative.

REVIEWS:
"[De Botton] demonstrates his usual urbane, intelligent, and witty prose, always entertaining and worth reading...this book will advance amicable discussion among both believers and disbelievers." ...Library Journal

"This book should carry a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style warning: DON'T PANIC. Don't panic, this is not another contribution to the 'debate' about God, the Eton wall game of contemporary discourse, where no one can see the ball, no one knows what the rules are, and there hasn't been a goal in more than 100 years. Alain de Botton is an atheist, but he has no time for the 'unproductive question' of whether or not religion is true. His concern is the ways in which religions can be useful, even to non-believers." ...Rowland Manthorpe, The Telegraph
 

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The Purple Culture

ISBN: 9781933515243
Author(s): Stephen L. Boehrer Publisher: Oceanview

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
What happens when those we trust most commit the most egregious acts of betrayal? It's a scandal that has sent shockwaves throughout the world. Sexual abuse committed in the place where we – and our children – should be safe: the church. As three bishops stand trial in Federal Court, charged with conspiracy for protecting abusive priests, prosecutor William Goulding and defense attorney James Kobs prepare for the trial of a life-time. As Goulding presents a litany of damning evidence, Kobs is forced to take an unorthodox route. But Kobs' toughest battle will be persuading the jury. From expert testimony about power, aristocracy, narcissism, and addiction, to the innermost thoughts of the trial's spectators and participants, this extraordinary courtroom drama unfolds as Kobs presents his startling case. An intelligent, provocative story about power and human nature, The Purple Culture is not a book about shame, guilt, finger-pointing, or lurid details. Part legal thriller, part psychological drama, the book demystifies the majestic and intriguing traditions of the Roman Catholic faith.
 

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When Bad Things Happen to Good People

ISBN: 9781400034727
Author(s): Harold S. Kushner Publisher: Random House USA Inc

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When Harold Kushner's three-year-old son was diagnosed with a degenerative disease and that he would only live until his early teens, he was faced with one of life's most difficult questions: Why, God? Years later, Rabbi Kushner wrote this straightforward, elegant contemplation of the doubts and fears that arise when tragedy strikes. Kushner shares his wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, a reader, and a human being. Often imitated but never superseded, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a classic that offers clear thinking and consolation in times of sorrow.

Since its original publication in 1981, When Bad Things Happen to Good People has brought solace and hope to millions of readers and its author has become a nationally known spiritual leader.

REVIEWS:
"Out of a faith-shaking and senseless waste of a life comes this remarkable and caring book, which will help many. It has sensible and unorthodox and mind-opening things to say about God – and about ourselves. Its author has wisdom and no bitterness. We can learn from him, about acceptance and guilt and despair and the helplessness we all feel when 'none of it makes sense' when we say 'why them?' or worse 'why us?'. We owe him our thanks" ...David Kossoff
"Rabbi Kushner writes from a wealth of Jewish wisdom and pastoral devotion, but his theology is, I find, is wholly in keeping with contemporary Christian thought. So far as there is an answer to the conflict between the goodness of God and the bitterness of suffering, this is it." ...Gerald Priestland
"It will bring new meaning, strength and hope to many." ...Dame Cicely Saunders, DBE, FRCP

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Harold S. Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, where he lives.
 

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Goodbye Father: The Celibate Male Priesthood and the Future of the Catholic Church

ISBN: 9780195175752
Author(s): Richard A. Schoenherr Publisher:Oxford University Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
In the last half-century, the number of Catholic priests has plummeted by 40% while the number of Catholics has skyrocketed, up 65%. The specter of a faith defined by full pews and empty altars hangs heavy over the church.

The root cause of this priest shortage is the church's insistence on mandatory celibacy. Given the potential recruitment advantages of abandoning the celibacy requirement, why, Richard A. Schoenherr asks, is the conservative Catholic coalition—headed by the pope—so adamantly opposed to a married clergy? The answer, he argues, is that accepting married priests would be but the first step toward ordaining women and thus forever altering the demographics of a resolutely male religious order.

Yet Schoenherr believes that such change is not only necessary but unavoidable if the church is to thrive. The church's current stop-gap approach of enlisting laypeople to perform all but the central element of the mass only further serves to undermine the power of the celibate priesthood. Perhaps most importantly, doctrinal changes, a growing pluralism in the church, and the feminist movement among nuns and laywomen are exerting a growing influence on Catholicism.

Concluding that the collapse of celibate exclusivity is all but inevitable, Goodbye Father presents an urgent and compelling portrait of the future of organized Catholicism.
 

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Full Pews and Empty Altars: Demographics of the Priest Shortage in United States Catholic Diocese

ISBN: 9780299136949
Author(s): Richard A. Schoenherr Publisher:University of Wisconsin Press (30 Nov 1993)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Roman Catholic Church faces a staggering loss of diocesan priests in the United States as it moves into the twenty-first century, and there is little chance of reversing this trend in the lifetime of the current generation of church-goers. Full Pews and Empty Altars predicts that by the year 2005, there will be twice as many parishioners per priest as there were in 1975.

Constructing a census-registry of some 36,000 priests in the years from 1966 through 1984, and using life-table techniques to forecast the Church's future, Richard A. Schoenherr and Lawrence A. Young portend a forty percent loss in the diocesan priesthood population, from 35,000 in 1966 to 21,000 in 2005. Along with the decline in priests will come a dramatic increase in the church-going population: from 45 million to 74 million.

Using a novel application of the demographic transition model and multiple regression models to explain the causes of change, Schoenherr and Young find that only six of every ten priests who leave the active ministry through resignation, retirement, sick leave, or death are replaced by ordination. Two of every five pastoral positions vacated each year go unfilled.

Schoenherr and Young maintain that in a society dominated by large and powerful organizations, organization demography must take its place among the other tools of social analysis. They tie their analyses to concerns of the population approach, integrating the study of declining organization size, the political economy framework, and Perrow's qualified power model. Full Pews and Empty Altars is one of the first major comparative studies of organizations to use the emerging organization demography approach. As such it breaks new ground both substantively and methodologically.

REVIEWS:
"Vital to understanding what is occurring in the Roman Catholic Church today. ... The policy implications of the study are of paramount importance to administrators both in the Church itself as well as to leaders in all types of religious groups who are dependent upon religious personnel to carry on the activities of the group. I am convinced the study is a classic work on religious clergy and will be cited as such for years to come." ...Helen Rose Ebaugh, University of Houston

"Richard Schoenherr's monumental work is a gold mine of statistics that cause one to think. Even if one rejects his assumptions and conclusions, one has to wrestle with the facts that he presents." ...Most Reverend Rembert G. Weakland, OSB

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Richard A. Schoenherr is professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is an inactive priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Detroit and coauthor of The Structure of Organizations. Lawrence A. Young is assistant professor of sociology at Brigham Young University.
 

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The First Five Years of the Priesthood: A Study of Newly Ordained Catholic Priests

ISBN: 9780814628041
Author(s): Dean R. Hoge Publisher:Liturgical Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Catholic Press Association Award Winner!

Reports indicate that many newly ordained men are feeling demoralized and some are resigning. The accounts raised many questions. How widespread is the problem? What difficulties are the recently ordained priests facing? Is the problem due to changes in lay attitudes or to changes in the ordained themselves? Is the situation different from what it was ten or twenty years ago?

The First Five Years of the Priesthood is a collaborative work of the National Federation of Priests' Councils and the Life Cycle Institute of The Catholic University of America that considers this phenomenon. It explores the experience of early priesthood and is based on a pilot survey of two groups—recently ordained priests active in service and those who have resigned.

The research team minimized interpretative work on the findings and engaged credible voices in American Catholic life to write commentaries on the implications of the findings. The First Five Years of the Priesthood includes both the research findings and commentaries.

Chapters are "The Setting of the Priesthood Today", "Attitudes of Newly Ordained Active and Resigned Priests", "What Makes for Satisfied Newly Ordained Priests?" "Four Types of Resigned Priests", "Life Experiences of Newly Ordained Active and Resigned Priests", and "Recommendations Made by the Priests".

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dean R. Hoge was a professor in the department of sociology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He did sociological research serving American churches for 31 years and authored several books and articles on American religion.
 

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Christ in Evolution

ISBN: 9781570757778
Author(s): Ilia Delio Publisher: Orbis Books

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Ilia Delio goes beyond the debate on evolution and intelligent design to reveal the Christ who is at the center of our lives in a complete universe. She draws on mystics and theologians to locate the love of God at the heart of a total redemptive process, not just physical but cosmic, cultural, spiritual, and taking place in human consciousness. Along the way, she offers surprising insights on issues such as artificial intelligence, technology, the search for extraterrestrial life, and, most of all, the meaning of Christ in our lives and our role as co-creators. Christ in Evolution is not an argument but a way of seeing the universe and our place in it with a vision that is "ancient but ever new".
 

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Theism, Atheism, and Big Bang Cosmology

ISBN: 9780198263838
Author(s): William Lane Craig & Quentin Smith Publisher: Clarendon Paperbacks

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Contemporary science presents us with the remarkable theory that the universe began to exist about fifteen billion years ago with a cataclysmic explosion called 'the Big Bang'. The question of whether Big Bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular science books, but has received scant attention from philosophers. This book sets out to fill this gap by means of a sustained debate between two philosophers, William Lane Craig and Quentin Smith, who defend opposing positions. Craig argues that the Big Bang that began the universe was created by God, while Smith argues that the Big Bang has no cause. The book consists of alternating chapters by Craig and Smith, with each chapter being either a criticism of a preceding chapter or being criticized by a subsequent chapter. Part One consists of Craig's arguments that the past is necessarily finite and that God created the Big Bang, and Smith's criticisms of these arguments. Part Two presents Smith's arguments that Big Bang cosmology is inconsistent with theism and Craig's criticisms of Smith's argument. The authors' arguments are based on Einstein's theory of relativity, and there is also a discussion of Stephen Hawking's new quantum cosmology.
 

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The Liberation of the Laity: In Search of an Accountable Church

ISBN: 9780826416360
Author(s): Paul Lakeland Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The present crisis in the American Catholic Church stems from a two-fold source: lay people are powerless while the bishops are accountable to no one but the pope and the curia. While the number of lay people exercising ministries in the Church has grown enormously over the past thirty years (largely due to the shortage of priests), there has been little or no theological reflection till now on the genuine role of the laity. It is only from such reflection that structural reform of the Church will come. The first half of The Liberation of the Laity concentrates on the fortunes of the laity, theologically speaking, between Vatican I (1870) and Vatican II (1962-65). It examines the growth of the 'new theology' in France in the 1940s and 1950s, and shows how in the work of one of its leading practitioners, Yves Congar, much of the vision of the laity expressed at Vatican II was anticipated. Seeing the years after the council as decades of missed opportunity to recognize the role of the laity, the book turns to a series of constructive proposals for the liberation of the laity, and thus the liberation of the Church. It discusses the importance of 'secularity,' the need for a 'lay liberation theology,' and the centrality of the struggles against global capitalism in the mission of the Church. It ends with a chapter envisioning dramatic changes in ministry and governing structures, in which accountability will be central, 'servant leaders' will include women and married people, and both ecclesiastical careerism and the College of Cardinals will be history.
 

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Without Buddha I Could Not Be A Christian

ISBN: 9781851686735
Author(s): Paul F. Knitter Publisher: Oneworld Publications

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Honest and unflinching, Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian narrates how estreemed theologian, Paul F. Knitter overcame a crisis of faith by looking to Buddhism for inspiration. From prayer to how Christianity views life after death, Knitter argues that a Buddhist standpoint can encourage a more person-centred conception of Christianity, where individual religious experience comes first, and liturgy and tradition second. Moving and revolutionary, this book will inspire Christians everywhere.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul F. Knitter is Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, Union Theological Seminar, New York. A leading advocate of religious pluralism, he is author of over ten books on the subject.
 

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God Is Not a Christian: And Other Provocations

ISBN: 9780061874628 (US Edition); 9781846042515 (UK Edition)
Author(s): Desmond Tutu, Edited by John Allen Publisher: (US) HarperOne; (UK) Rider

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
In this essential collection of Desmond Tutu's most historic and controversial speeches and writings, we witness his unique career of provoking the powerful and confronting the world in order to protect the oppressed, the poor, and other victims of injustice.

Renowned first for his courageous opposition to apartheid in South Africa, he and his ministry soon took on international dimensions. Rooted in his faith and in the values embodied in the African spirit of ubuntu, Tutu's uncompromising vision of a shared humanity has compelled him to speak out, even in the face of violent opposition and virulent criticism, against political injustice and oppression, religious fundamentalism, and the persecution of minorities.

Arranged by theme and introduced with insight and historical context by Tutu's biographer, John Allen, this collection takes readers from the violent apartheid clashes in South Africa to the healing work of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee; from Trafalgar Square after the fall of the Berlin Wall to a national broadcast commemorating the legacy of Nelson Mandela; from Ireland's Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin to a basketball stadium in Luanda, Angola. Whether exploring democracy in Africa, the genocide in Rwanda, black theology, the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the church, or the plight of Palestinians, Tutu's message of truth is clear and his voice unflinching.

In a world of suffering and conflict, where human laws all too often clash with God's law, Tutu's hopeful, timeless messages become increasingly necessary and powerful with each passing year — and are needed now more than ever.
 

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Enhancing Religious Identity: Best Practices from Catholic Campuses

ISBN: 9780878408146
Author(s): Edited by John R. Wilcox & Irene H King Publisher: Georgetown University Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Addressing the difficulty of maintaining a distinctive religious identity this book looks at Catholic colleges and universities. Developing the Vatican's vision of ethical higher education, these essays provide a framework for enhancing Catholic identity across the campus and curriculum.

TABLE of CONTENTS:
Foreword by Monika K. Hellwig
Preface
Religious Identity: A Critical Issue in Catholic Higher Education John R. Wilcox
Overview: Defining a Catholic University
Introduction Irene King
What Is a Great Catholic University? Richard A. McCormick, SJ
What Is Meant by a "Catholic" University? Michael J. Lavelle, SJ
The Sides of Catholic Identity James H. Provost
Leadership and the Board of Trustees
Introduction Irene King
The Moral Core of Trusteeship David H. Smith
Conflicting Basic Duties David H. Smith
Centered Pluralism: A Report of a Faculty Seminar on the Jesuit and Catholic Identity of Georgetown University Bruce Douglass
Integrating Mission into the Life of Institutions Mary M. Brabeck, Otherine Neisler, and Nancy J. Zollers
Hiring Faculty for Mission: A Case Study of a Department's Search Joseph J. Feeney, SJ, Owen W. Gilman Jr., and Jo Alyson Parker
Is Jesuit Education Fulfilling Its Mission? Vincent J. Genovesi, SJ
The Integrity of a Catholic Management Education Michael J. Naughton and Thomas A. Bausch
The Faculty and the Disciplines
Introduction Irene King
Catholic Higher Education: A Strategy for Its Identity John C. Haughey, SJ
The Catholic University Project: What Kind of Curriculum does It Require? Stephen J. Heaney
Ethics and Religion in Professional Education: An Interdisiciplinary Seminar James L. Heft, SM
Academic Freedom and the Catholic University: One Generation after Land O'Lakes Michael Hollerich
Teaching Sociology in the Catholic University: Conflict, Compromise, and the Role of Academic Freedom William J. Kinney
Catholic Studies at Catholic Colleges and Universities Thomas M. Landy
Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas Don J. Briel
Graduate Business Faculty in the Catholic University Raymond N. MacKenzie
Theology and the Integration of Knowledge Terence L. Nichols
In the Beginning Was the Word Glenn A. Steinberg
Student Life
Introduction Irene King
Paradigms of Justice and Love Patrick H. Byrne
University-Community Collaborations: Shaping the Vision of Catholic Higher Education Karen Caldwell, Mary Domhidy, Sharon Homan, and Michael J. Garazini, SJ
Measuring Moral Development: A College-Wide Strategy Margaret G. Kender
Meeting Religious Diversity in a Catholic College Joan Penzenstadler
Behavior to Consciousness...A Paradigm Shift Paul Stark, SJ
Strategies for Change
Introduction Irene King
A Most Promising Road to Take: The Values Program Process Donald J. Kirby, SJ
Promoting an Ethical Campus Culture: The Values Audit John R. Wilcox and Susan L. Ebbs
Index
 

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Diakonia Re-Interpreting the Ancient Sources

ISBN: 9780195396027
Author(s): John N Collins Publisher: OUP USA (13 May 2009)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
This is the first comprehensive study of the Greek word "diakonia", from which the word "deacon" is derived. Diakonia and its cognates appear frequently throughout the New Testament, but its precise meaning has long been disputed. Today, it is usually translated "service" or "ministry". As Collins shows, this understanding of diakonia has been important to the development of a modern consensus about the nature of Christian ministry. Based on the understanding that diakonia is "service" and that the diakonos (deacon) is a "servant", nearly all Christian bodies today agree that the central idea of ministry is that of helping the needy, and that the "servant" church should be humbly devoted to helping the world, after the model of Jesus. Collins conducts an exhaustive study of diakonia in Christian and non-Christian sources from about 200 BCE to 200 CE. He finds that in all such sources the word is used to mean "messenger" or "emissary", and has no implications of humility or of helping the needy. This discovery undermines much of the theological discussion of ministry that has taken place over the past fifty years.

TABLE of CONTENTS:
I. ASSUMPTIONS
1. The Latter-Day Servant Church
2. The Servant Son of Man
3. The Early Servant Church
CONCLUSION
II. NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES
4. The Go-Between
5. Word
6. Deed
7. House and Table
8. A Question of Diplomacy
9. In the Language of the Papyri
III. FIRST CHRISTIAN WRITINGS
10. Spokesman and Emissaries of Heaven
11. Emissaries in the Church
12. Commissions under God, Church, and Spirit
13. Deacons
14. The Gospels
AFTERWORD
NOTES
APPENDIX I; APPENDIX II; APPENDIX III; ABBREVIATIONS
INDEX OF SOURCES
INDEX OF OTHER GREEK TERMS
INDEX OF AUTHORS

REVIEWS:
"Now John N. Collins has challenged the nineteenth and early twentieth century definitions and has supplied us with a whole gamet of rich associations." ...Distinctive Diacarate
"A significant contribution to the field of New Testament studies that is both solid and illuminating. It will clear the deck for new examinations of how the church needs to understand and order its ministry if it wishes to take the New Testament sources seriously." ...John Koenig, General Theological Seminary
"Will be interesting for scholars of classical and early Christian writings who are concerned to trace the use of a particular word in a variety of contexts." ...Theological Book Review
 

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Deacons and the Church: Making Connections Between Old and New

ISBN: 9780819219336
Author(s): John N Collins Publisher: Morehouse Publishing (Feb 18 2003)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
John N. Collins, author of the groundbreaking study Diakonia, explores the pastoral implications of a new scholarly understanding of the role of deacons in the Early Church. In many churches today — Catholic, Anglican, and others — deacons have come to serve largely as servants of the poor and needy. In Deacons and the Church, Collins argues that this limited role for deacons was based on misinterpretations of key scriptural passages. Following the history of deacons in the Early Church to modern times, Collins offers extensive reflections on the relevant Scriptures, and suggests that we redefine the role of deacons for today. Rather than limit the role of deacons, he urges the church to adapt ancient meanings to modern pastoral situations. In the words of Ignatius of Antioch, whom he quotes in the final chapter, "Deacons are not providers of bread and drink but are agents of the congregation."

Collins paints a rich picture of deacons as agents of the church, ordained to the service of the bishop, who sends them forth as ministers of the church as a whole, rather than simply social workers. Collins provides an understanding of deacons that embraces social welfare but is not bound by it.
 

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Blazing a Trail: Catholic Education in Victoria 1963-1980

ISBN: 9781863550741
Author(s): Anne O'Brien Publisher:David Lovell

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
From 1963-1980, Catholic education in Victoria underwent a period of unprecedented change which transformed it from a highly dispersed group of schools on the verge of collapse to a fully articulated system, dynamic and focused.Ecclesiastical, governmental, educational and sociological forces underpinned developments and tensions. Two new partners emerged: political parties and the Catholic laity. The call from the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) for renewal in the Catholic Church led to the conflicts, confusions and frustrations usually associated with profound change. Authority was challenged and catechetical debates abounded.The necessity for government funding led to debates and factionalism within the church and gave rise to alignments based on political and social ideology.

In 1973 the commonwealth Labor government accepted the report of the Karmel Committee which recommended a huge increase in funding for all schools. The very existence of Catholic schools in Australia was threatened by fierce opposition to the implementation of the Karmel Report from anti-Labor forces. Crucial to the successful resolution of multiple problems was a close and persistent collaboration among the stakeholders. Commitment to the principle of maximising local autonomy, together with 'block' funding, emerged as foundational components in the restructuring process.

Eventually strong leadership, a small but professionalised Catholic Education Office of Victoria secretariat and an inclusive state-wide body neutralised the dissidents.

By the end of the period, responsibility fro the administration and conduct of Catholic schools was largely the domain of the laity, and the implementation of uniform conditions and portability of service for teachers across Victoria had begun. An identifiable system had been established with a balance of centralised services and decentralised responsibilities.

Dr Anne O'Brien's book draws on primary documents and interviews with key players in these events to tell the story of this exciting period in the development of the Catholic Church in Victoria. What it reveals has importance as we enter the twenty-first century where the church and Catholic schools will be confronted with undreamed-of challenges which will demand visionary leadership.
 

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Oxford Guide to Chaucer: Canterbury Tales

ISBN: 9780198711551
Author(s): Helen Cooper Publisher: Oxford University Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The three Oxford Guides to Chaucer are written by scholars of international repute, with the purpose of summarizing what is known about his works and offering interpretations based on recent advances in both historical knowledge and theoretical understanding. They will provide readers at every level with new interpretations and ideas, with essential and up-to-date information on such matters as dating and sources and with analyses of thematic issues, structure, style rhetoric and generic relations brought right up-to-date for this second paperback edition. Helen Cooper's volume on The Canterbury Tales tackles these matters both for the whole work and for each individual Tale. It also includes a survey of literary responses to the Tales over the two centuries following Chaucer's death. The book is perhaps the most comprehensive single-volume guide to the Tales yet produced, bringing together a wide range of disparate material and providing a readable commentry on all aspects of the work. It combines the comprehensive coverage of a reference book with the coherence of a critical account and since its first publication in 1989, has established itself as a standard work on the Tales.
 

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Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit

ISBN: 9780385494113
Author(s): Garry Wills Publisher: Image

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
"The truth, we are told, will make us free. It is time to free Catholics, lay as well as clerical, from the structures of deceit that are our subtle modern form of papal sin. Paler, subtler, less dramatic than the sins castigated by Orcagna or Dante, these are the quiet sins of intellectual betrayal." ...from the Introduction

From Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills comes an assured, acutely insightful — and occasionally stinging--critique of the Catholic Church and its hierarchy from the nineteenth century to the present.

Papal Sin in the past was blatant, as Catholics themselves realized when they painted popes roasting in hell on their own church walls. Surely, the great abuses of the past — the nepotism, murders, and wars of conquest — no longer prevail; yet, the sin of the modern papacy, as revealed by Garry Wills in his penetrating new book, is every bit as real, though less obvious than the old sins.

Wills describes a papacy that seems steadfastly unwilling to face the truth about itself, its past, and its relations with others. The refusal of the authorities of the Church to be honest about its teachings has needlessly exacerbated original mistakes. Even when the Vatican has tried to tell the truth — e.g., about Catholics and the Holocaust — it has ended up resorting to historical distortions and evasions. The same is true when the papacy has attempted to deal with its record of discrimination against women, or with its unbelievable assertion that "natural law" dictates its sexual code.

Though the blithe disregard of some Catholics for papal directives has occasionally been attributed to mere hedonism or willfulness, it actually reflects a failure, after longtrying on their part, to find a credible level of honesty in the official positions adopted by modern popes. On many issues outside the realm of revealed doctrine, the papacy has made itself unbelievable even to the well-disposed laity.

The resulting distrust is in fact a neglected reason for the shortage of priests. Entirely aside from the public uproar over celibacy, potential clergy have proven unwilling to put themselves in a position that supports dishonest teachings.

Wills traces the rise of the papacy's stubborn resistance to the truth, beginning with the challenges posed in the nineteenth century by science, democracy, scriptural scholarship, and rigorous history. The legacy of that resistance, despite the brief flare of John XXIII's papacy and some good initiatives in the 1960s by the Second Vatican Council (later baffled), is still strong in the Vatican.

Finally Wills reminds the reader of the positive potential of the Church by turning to some great truth tellers of the Catholic tradition — St. Augustine, John Henry Newman, John Acton, and John XXIII. In them, Wills shows that the righteous path can still be taken, if only the Vatican will muster the courage to speak even embarrassing truths in the name of Truth itself. ...From the Hardcover edition.

REVIEW:
"This brilliant biography, this excellent small book, presents with brio the life of a person who still stirs us, throws us off, speaks to us, heart to heart. Garry Wills's agile mind matches the agility of St. Augustine." ...New York Times Book Review
 

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Three Revolutions: Three Drastic Changes in Interpreting the Bible

ISBN: 9781921817489
Author(s): Robert Crotty Publisher: ATF Press

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The author describes the drastic changes or revolutions that have occurred in the interpretation of the Bible during his own lifetime. The author uses his own experiences to describe these revolutions and to reflect on what consequences they have had for his own life-story. The first revolution was the introduction of the historical-critical approach. The Bible was interpreted as historical in a broad sense, not in all its details. In a Roman university the author later found that this broad historical verification of the Bible became more and more problematic.
 

Listen HERE to Professor Crotty in conversation about his life journey and the book on ABC radio with Richard Fidler

The second revolution is described as the Bible as Literature methodology. This approach puts aside history and examines the Bible as a clever and subtle literary document which has controlled religious belief and practice but cannot be substantiated as historical fact. There was a third revolution. Within the secular university scene, the author became involved in the study of anthropology and sociology. Judaism and Christianity were seen as religions amongst other religions; their sacred writings were seen as sacred writings alongside others. The new approach forces him to rethink the history of Israel, the relevance of the Hebrew Scriptures and Judaism itself; he also has to rethink the history of Jesus, the relevance of the Christian Scriptures and Christianity. This life journey should be of interest to those working in the fields of biblical and religion studies.

REVIEWS:
"Robert Crotty is a Biblical scholar who has taken a serious interest in religious education in Australia and made an enormous impact in the schools. Here we read the fascinating odyssey of his long career in the study of the Bible." ...Professor Graham Rossiter Professor of Moral and Religious Education, Australian Catholic University

"Written with literary flourish and a little humour, this book is an easy way to learn about the modern study of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures." ...Professor Terry Lovat Head of Theology, Newcastle University

"Speaking as a Roman Catholic, I consider that in Robert's decision to leave both the priesthood and the church, that church lost a biblical scholar almost without peer in this country at that time. And it had only itself to blame. Its leadership failed to understand where contemporary biblical scholarship should've been taking the church and it failed in that most basic courtesy – the invitation to dialogue and conversation. Robert's defence of his position is telling:" ...Dr Bernadette Kiley, from her address to launch the book at the Adelaide Writers Week, March 2012