Christianity Books

Book SynopsisRita M. Gross offers an engaging survey of the changes feminism has wrought in religious ideas, beliefs, and practices around the world, as well as in the study and understanding of religion itself.

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Book SynopsisThe surprising tale of the first American Protestant missionaries to proselytise in the Muslim world.

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Book SynopsisThis volume sheds light on the early rabbis as the shapers of religion and uncovers for the modern reader the early Sages' fundamental beliefs concerning God, the world and the human condition.

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Book SynopsisTells the story of The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, presents and analyzes its main points, and describes how its agenda has fared on its journey from the time of Vatican II.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisCombining historical, political, and ethnographic research, the author shows that the relationship between faith healing and illness in the conversion process is integral to the popularity of Pentecostalism among Brazil's poor.Trade ReviewProfessor Chesnut's succinct study should be required reading for all scholars of comparative religion, intellectual and social history, and Latin American culture. The fruit of an intensive field period of field research in the early 1990s...this volume manages in clear, unredundant, and highly readable style to synthesize the twentieth century history of four of the main Pentecostal denominations...of Brazil as well as exploring in depth the infrastructure and external politics of the largest of these denominations. * Luso-Brazilian Review *This study makes a distinctive contribution to the understanding of these Pentecostal congregations, their members, and their leaders. Although the focus of this study is Betim, Brazil, the dynamic it describes and analyzes is pertinent to similar groups condemned to poverty throughout Latin America. * Journal of Church and State *An exciting and provocative book! Without sensationalizing, Chesnut brings us to an understanding of the spiritual and emotional profundity of conversion. -- Virginia Garrard-Burnett * Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas, Austin *An engaging case study of one of the most successful Pentecostal bodies in Latin America. Importantly, it focuses on what most Latin American Pentecostals doùpersonal healing. -- David Stoll * author of Is Latin America Turning Protestant? *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Part I. The Spirit of Brazil 1. A Prophetic History Part II. Exorcising the Demons of Poverty 2. The Preconversion World of Illness 3. Conversion: Crisis, Cure, and Affiliation 4. Health Maintenance: Spiritual Ecstasy and Mutual Aid 5. Health Maintenance through Ideology and Morality Part III. The Church as Institution 6. Authoritarian Assembly: Church Organization 7. From the Assembly of Saints to the Legislative Assembly: Pentecostal Politics in Para Conclusion Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisA meditation on the key narratives of the Hebrew Bible, this book includes characters of the Old Testament, and is viewed by the author from a feminist perspective.Trade ReviewAlicia Ostriker combines her talents as poet, essayist, and literary critic in this witty and profound meditation on key narratives of the Hebrew Bible. . . .It is vital reading for anyone concerned with contemporary women's reimagining of the sacred. * Cross Currents *All of us who are women poets, idol breakers, and revisionists . . . feel a deep kinship to the work of Alicia Ostriker, and a debt as well. -- Eleanor Wilner * recipient of a MacArthur fellowship and author of Sarah's Gift *Transgressive, devout, poetic, bawdy, Ostriker's book executes a Jewish feminist's contradance with tradition and makes of it an ecstatic celebration. -- Marilyn Hacker * poet and former editor of Kenyon Review *The Nakedness of the Fathers belongs on the bookshelf of Jewish feminists beside Plaskow's Standing Again at Sinai. * Outlook *An imaginative and spiritual dialogue with characters and narratives of the Old Testament. * Publishers Weekly *Table of Contents1. Entering the tents In the beginning the being Entering the tents 2. As in myth: The Garden The Garden Creation The brothers Survival The father's nakedness The rainbow 3. Myth into legend: The fathers I The bosom of Abraham Sarah, or defiance The opinion of Hagar The cave Isaac, or laughter The opinion of the ram Rebecca's way Jacob, or the man of touch The sisters Rachel solo The interpretation of dreams. 4. Legend into history: The fathers II The nursing father The songs of Miriam The opinion of Aaron History: A Midrash on Sinai The Sabbath: Mystery against history The story of Joshua Judges, or disasters of war The redeeming of Ruth Hannah, or sons and lovers David the king The wisdom of Solomon 5. Though she delay: The return of the mothers Esther, or the world turned upside down Job, or a meditation on justice Tree of life Intensive care A prayer to the Shekhinah

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Trade Review"Michael Molnar offers the first revolution in Star of Bethlehem research since Kepler's days. Molnar's big advance comes by considering what the Magi themselves would have deemed important. . . . Don't buy any other book on the Star of Bethlehem, because the old astronomical views are guaranteed to be irrelevant. Second, the new astrological paradigm forces the realization that astrology was an important force in historical times so that the disregard of the topic by most historians is blatant chauvinism. Third, the existence of a stunning astrological horoscope for April 17, 6 B.C, announcing the birth of a great king in Judea will now force scholars of religion to reconcile the event with their own beliefs." * Sky & Telescope *"Mr. Molnar takes a different tack, arguing that [the star of Bethlehem] was not an astronomical event that guided the wise men on their journey, but an astrological one. He may not have the best theory, but he certainly has the best story." * Economist *"And because sophisticated computer calculations reveal that such an eclipse did occur on April seventeenth in the year 6 B.C., Molnar fixes this as the celestial event that signaled the Christ child's birth. . . . The uncanny fit of all the ancient and modern pieces of this puzzle makes for a highly persuasive argument." * Booklist *"[The Star] was an alignment of stars and planets that ancient astrologers would have recognized as significant. No portent would have excited greater expectations of a divine birth in Judea . . . than a lunar eclipse of Jupiter (the 'kings' planet) in the constellation Aries. . . . [A] fresh theory providing new scientific support for the biblical story, making the 'star of wonder' a little less of a mystery." * U.S. News and World Report *"The explanation that appears in Molnar's new book . . . unfolds like a detective story: a clever scientific analysis woven into a cultural and historical fabric. . . . Molnar reports that the Magi considered the planet Jupiter to be the royal star. He argues that their astrological readings predicted that on April 17, 6 B.C. a remarkable alignment would occur when the sun passed into the northern sky, entering the constellation of Aries. Jupiter, Saturn, the sun and moon would appear briefly in close alignmentùan event that occurs no more than once a lifetime." * Nation *"This book has stunning new insight and approach, which finally gives a confident answer to a question that has fascinated all Christians through the ages." -- Bradley E. Schaefer * Yale University *"Molnar's The Star of Bethlehem is a fascinating contribution to the immense literature that attempts to come to terms with the Christmas Star represented in Matthew's Gospel. In my opinion, this book is the most original and important contribution of the entire twentieth century on the thorny question of how events recorded there should be interpreted." -- Owen Gingerich * Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics *"In support of an original interpretation of the Star, Molnar has assembled an impressive range of astrological and numismatic data, much of which will be new even to expert readers." -- Virginia Trimble * author of Visit to a Small Universe *"Michael Molnar offers the first revolution in Star of Bethlehem research since Kepler's days. Molnar's big advance comes by considering what the Magi themselves would have deemed important. . . . Don't buy any other book on the Star of Bethlehem, because the old astronomical views are guaranteed to be irrelevant. Second, the new astrological paradigm forces the realization that astrology was an important force in historical times so that the disregard of the topic by most historians is blatant chauvinism. Third, the existence of a stunning astrological horoscope for April 17, 6 B.C, announcing the birth of a great king in Judea will now force scholars of religion to reconcile the event with their own beliefs." * Sky & Telescope *"Mr. Molnar takes a different tack, arguing that [the star of Bethlehem] was not an astronomical event that guided the wise men on their journey, but an astrological one. He may not have the best theory, but he certainly has the best story." * Economist *"And because sophisticated computer calculations reveal that such an eclipse did occur on April seventeenth in the year 6 B.C., Molnar fixes this as the celestial event that signaled the Christ child's birth. . . . The uncanny fit of all the ancient and modern pieces of this puzzle makes for a highly persuasive argument." * Booklist *"[The Star] was an alignment of stars and planets that ancient astrologers would have recognized as significant. No portent would have excited greater expectations of a divine birth in Judea . . . than a lunar eclipse of Jupiter (the 'kings' planet) in the constellation Aries. . . . [A] fresh theory providing new scientific support for the biblical story, making the 'star of wonder' a little less of a mystery." * U.S. News and World Report *"The explanation that appears in Molnar's new book . . . unfolds like a detective story: a clever scientific analysis woven into a cultural and historical fabric. . . . Molnar reports that the Magi considered the planet Jupiter to be the royal star. He argues that their astrological readings predicted that on April 17, 6 B.C. a remarkable alignment would occur when the sun passed into the northern sky, entering the constellation of Aries. Jupiter, Saturn, the sun and moon would appear briefly in close alignmentùan event that occurs no more than once a lifetime." * Nation *"This book has stunning new insight and approach, which finally gives a confident answer to a question that has fascinated all Christians through the ages." -- Bradley E. Schaefer * Yale University *"Molnar's The Star of Bethlehem is a fascinating contribution to the immense literature that attempts to come to terms with the Christmas Star represented in Matthew's Gospel. In my opinion, this book is the most original and important contribution of the entire twentieth century on the thorny question of how events recorded there should be interpreted." -- Owen Gingerich * Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics *"In support of an original interpretation of the Star, Molnar has assembled an impressive range of astrological and numismatic data, much of which will be new even to expert readers." -- Virginia Trimble * author of Visit to a Small Universe *"This small book, written for general readers, is that rarest of works—a scholarly treatise that proposes an entirely new solution to an ancient enigma; namely, the star of Bethlehem. . . . Welcomed by many astronomers and historians of science or religion and their students, the book is well researched, fully referenced, and supplemented with a wealth of explanatory notes, appendices, and glossaries. For interested scholars it will serve as a compact guide to a new line of investigation. For those interested in finding historical bases for as much of the story as possible, Molnar has demonstrated the futility of trying to identity the star with a visible astronomical phenomenon and he has singled out a new date for the birth of Christ. His supporting evidence is so persuasive that, henceforth, it will change the terms of debate on this issue. This is the first new and promising line of inquiry initiated in recent times." * Meteoritics & Planetary Science *"In addition to the enthralling explanation of the Christmas Star episode, the author addresses another of history's great mysteriesùthe actual birth date of Jesus Christ. Postulating the circumstances which would have brought the Magi to Judaea, Molnar defines the very day on which Christ likely was born. Although admittedly speculative, the argument is very powerful." * Celator *"This astronomer and classicist at Rutgers, beginning from the astrological symnbolism of a star in the constellation Aries (the ram) on coins minted AD 6 at Antioch, Syria, offers evidence supporting the historical basis of the messianic star mentioned in Mt 2:1û16. . . . This very readable and clearly organized book is very detailed in its computer-assisted astronomical history and in its expertise in ancient astrology/astronomy." * Southwestern Journal of Theology *"Molnar combines his training in astronomy with his knowledge of astrology and concludes that the star of Bethlehem could have appeared only when Jupiter was 'in the East.' Modern-day computer wizardry enabled him to chart an eclipse of Jupiter in Aries on April 17, 6 B.C., a day when Jupiter was, in fact, in the east, thus confirming the story. . . This book deserves the meticulous attention of pastors and biblical scholars as well as of astronomy buffs. It confirms the accuracy of the Gospel accounts." * Provident Book Finder *"Molnar's theory incorporates easily verified astronomical events. The Star of Bethlehem includes excellent notes, diagrams and photos as well as a very clear glossary of terms and an extensive bibliography." * Madison Eagle *"In [Molnar's] view, it is ancient astrology, rather than astronomy that holds the key to what led the Magi to their destination. . . . Now when people look at the star on top of a Christmas tree they can be assured there was a Star of Bethlehem." * Louisiana News-Star *"This very readable and clearly organized book is very detailed and its computer-assisted astronomical history and in its expertise in ancient astrology/astronomy." * Southwestern Journal of Theology *"Written with a simple and efficacious style, as a sort of scientific-spiritual 'thriller,' the book includes some notes and appendixes also for researchers. Nevertheless, it is addressed to even a wider readers' target." * Bliss Internet Magazine *"Most convincingly, Molnar locates in ancient sources the signs that astrologers of the day would have interpreted as pointing to the kind of birth that would send wise men on a pilgrimage. . . . Is Molnar's case airtight? No. Is it convincing? Yes." * Lingua Franca *"Molnar . . . wrote an interesting, easy to read book. He backs up his investigations by referring to literature in astronomy, astrology, theology, and numismatics. The ancient Chaledan astrologers' wording of their horoscopes is critical for his conclusion. Using those sources and astronomy, he describes the skies at the beginning of our calendar. He draws the conclusion that our Lord was born April 17 in the year six B.C." * Perspective on Science and Christian Faith *"Michael Molnar writes with great style, clarity and originality. . . . If you are one of the many people interested in the Star then you should buy [this] book!" * Science & Christian Belief *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Tables Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction A Mysterious Star The Dawning of the First Millennium Secrets of Regal Horoscopes Astrological Portents for Judea Epilogue Appendices A Defining the Position of the Zodiac B Astrological Influences C The System of Mundane Houses and Cardinal Points D Regal Horoscopes Chronology Notes Glossaries Astrological and Astronomical Terms Historical and Numismatic Terms Significant Historical Persons Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisProvides the first comprehensive overview of the impact of missionary enterprise on the Xhosa chiefdoms of South Africa in the first half of the nineteenth century, chronicling a world punctuated by war and millenarian eruptions, and the steady encroachment of settler land hunger and colonial hegemony.Trade Review“Colonialism, Christianity and the Xhosa is an accessibly written and compelling synthesis that makes important contributions to several bodies of scholarship that have preoccupied generations of scholars interested in South African history as well as the intersections of empire and Christian evangelism.” - Fiona Vernal, University of Connecticut, author of The Farmerfield Mission: A Christian Community in South Africa, 1838-2008“Timothy Keegan’s book offers a comprehensive assessment of the dynamic interactions between the Xhosa chiefdoms and the European colonial and missionary enterprise during the first half of the nineteenth century. It explores more fully the Xhosa side of this complex history—how they encountered, rejected, or inculturated Christianity in the rapidly changing world created by European colonial and capitalist expansion. Minutely researched and written in highly accessible prose, the book is a welcome addition to the historiography of South Africa’s coastal belt and should be read eagerly by specialists and non-specialists alike.” - Jochen S. Arndt, Virginia Military Institute, author of Divided by the Word: Colonial Encounters and the Remaking of Zulu and Xhosa IdentitiesTable of Contents Introduction 1. The Meanings of Conversion 2. The Xhosa and their History 3. Colonial Contacts, Colonial Influences 4. The Missionaries and the Chiefs 5. Translations and Conversations 6. The Pull of the Mission 7. Moralizing Africa 8. Aftermaths and Conclusions

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Trade Review. . . a unique three-year study . . . of such depth and breadth that it raises serious questions about how all U.S. Christians interpret and practice their faith.Kenneth L. Woodward, NewsweekTable of ContentsTable of Contents Foreword ix Introduction x Index of Selections xiii Table of Abbreviations xxiv The Faith of the Early Fathers 1 Index of Scriptural References 409 Doctrinal Index 413 General Index 433

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Book SynopsisEssays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories - Matthew 2 and Luke 2

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Book SynopsisSecond Revised Edition

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Book SynopsisThe Liturgy and TimeTable of Contentsv. 1. Principles of the liturgy / by Ir en ee Henri Dalmais ... [et al.] -- v. 2. The Eucharist / by Robert Cabi e. -- v. 3. The sacraments / by Robert Cabi e ... [et al.] -- v. 4. The liturgy and time / by Ir en ee Henri Dalmais, Pierre Jounel, and Aim e Georges Martimort.

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Book SynopsisSecond Revised Edition

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Trade ReviewThis little gem of a book delivers all that it promises, and considerably more. . . . The author writes clearly and concisely, making it easy to concentrate on the text and ideas. This little volume would serve nicely both for spiritual reading and for an introduction to the spirituality of Early Christian women ascetics.American Benedictine ReviewThis book is a very interesting and stimulating source not only for learning about a part of the history of the church which has been little emphasized, but also as a source for promoting the continuing value of the work of the ancient ammas for spiritual guidance in a modern world.Catholic Studies. . . many will find this resource a valuable source of inspiration and prayerful reflection on women’s faithful lives, both ancient and modern. It is a text that could well be used for classroom use in Christian spirituality, in the history of early Christianity, and in the dynamics of Christian prayer. The faith, especially of these ancient and courageous desert women, inspires admiration and at times awe. That Forman has provided a way for ordinary Christians to reclaim their stories and to embrace them in prayer is a great service.New Theology ReviewMary Forman is an outstanding teacher. She has honed the skill she exhibits in this precious book by teaching both undergraduate and graduate students for many years.Pastoral MusicThe author interprets for us both what is said and what is hidden in layers of patriarchal and cultural perspectives. She has an outstanding command of the language of story and the anecdotes of desert spirituality. She gets to the heart of the meanings for us today and invites us to enter into these stories, letting them stand in their authenticity without imposing on them our contemporary overlays of psychology, sociology, theology, and spirituality.Pastoral MusicModern readers will enjoy getting acquainted with wise and holy ammas such as Sarah, Theodora, Syncletica, Melania, and others. An extensive bibliography is included for those interested in further exploration of this fascinating and largely neglected part of our spiritual heritage.LiguorianThis book is an excellent read for all pastors, male or female, because it invites us into the desert with the ammas, into their Wisdom, and to explore our own faith by daring to be contemplative.Prudence T. Wood, Trinity Seminary ReviewOne thing that I especially like about this book is its profound reflection on lived experience. Mary Forman is able to go back into her long experience in her monastery (Saint Gertrude’s, Idaho) and pull up fascinating and moving examples of modern ammas in out Benedictine convents. I think she shows clearly enough that the days of the Desert Mothers are by no means over. Cistercian Studies Quarterly

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Book SynopsisSowing the SeedTrade ReviewWhile focusing on the three readings for each Sunday, [Holyhead’s] rich comments weave the biblical message together with reflections that can lead to preaching or solid spiritual reading.The Bible TodayWelcoming the Word in Year B: Sowing the Seed is a treasure. It offers us the fruit of Sister Verna’s deeply prayerful and informed reading of the Scriptures, leavened with insight from poetry, art, the spiritual masters, and contemporary prophets. It invites us to engage imaginatively with both word and world. This book will be a rich resource not only for homilists but for all believers wanting to worship well. It certainly sows seeds that will yield a plentiful harvest in receptive soil. I recommend it highly.Tom Knowles, SSS, St Francis’ Church, Melbourne, AustraliaWe will welcome this third volume in the series of Verna Holyhead’s beautiful reflections on the Sunday readings—Welcoming the Word in Year B: Sowing the Seed. There is no doubt that what she writes will indeed help us to Welcome the Word each Sunday. She writes with great insight and freshness and her work indicates her deep knowledge and love of the Word and there is a rich personal dimension to her work. This volume will help us to sow the Word more deeply in our hearts so that the yield from our prayer and reflections will indeed be a hundredfold in our lives. Her conversations between the Sunday Lectionary and The Rule of Benedict add to the originality of the text and the inclusion of the Scriptural index adds to the treasure we will find in this book.Margaret Malone, SGS, Kardinia, Australia

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Book SynopsisRaymond E. Brown, SS (1928-1998) Expanded Edition with Essays by John R. Donahue, SJ, and Ronald D. Witherup, SSTrade ReviewThe individual chapters are very helpful if read during the appropriate liturgical season. The volume is highly recommended for home purchase as well as for parish, college, and religious house libraries.Catholic Library WorldMy only wish is that the book had been issued in hardcover to better withstand the repeated use it will surely be put to for teaching and preaching.Trinity Seminary ReviewRaymond Brown speaks with a monumental assurance, the fruit not merely of his knowledge of the texts but also of his life of faith. His book contains many insights of startling simplicity into the original meaning of those texts, as well as into the church’s situation today. Many who think that they know the scriptures well will find themselves enriched by observations from this eminent, and much-lamented, scholar that will not have occurred to them. There is a profound wisdom here that comes from decades of living in and with the text of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures.The WayThis book takes time! The text demands time not for conceptual understanding. No, the text deserves time to be experienced as a collection of scholarly meditations on the person of Christ in the Sunday proclamation. One needs to ‘ponder these things in the heart.’ Additionally, both the scholar and the preacher will benefit from reading the detailed notations. They do not distract from meditation.Catholic Books ReviewThis book provides a wonderful introduction to Gospel exegesis for laity and is an invaluable tool for those whose task it is to break open the Word of God Sunday after Sunday to sometimes very diverse audiences.Prairie MessengerThis is indeed a fitting tribute to the enduring contribution of a great Catholic biblical scholar and teacher.The Bible TodayAn ultimate compendium of Brown’s work through the years.Midwest Book ReviewFr. Raymond Brown’s Christ in the Gospels of the Liturgical Year fills a significant void in Catholic publishing: a book that integrates study, spirituality, and applications in an accessible manner. Its issuance as a handy compendium is particularly timely given the Synod on Scripture and the growing prominence of lectio divina. Christ in the Gospels of the Liturgical Year makes an excellent companion to the liturgy of the hours or daily and Sunday missals. This compelling title is enjoyable as well as informative and inspiring, thereby keeping the pages turning. A fitting testimony to the enduring nature of Fr. Brown’s work.Karl A. Schultz, National speaker and author of eleven books

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Book SynopsisThose who preach the Word, those who proclaim it from a lectern and those who hear it should all find something in this collection of relections to inspire them to greater appreciation of the mystery of God's Word. The reflections are developed around eight themes.

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Book SynopsisThe Mystery of Christ's BaptismTrade ReviewThis slim volume contains rich meditations on the meaning and role of the Spirit as portrayed in the New Testament, particularly the GospelsThe Bible Today

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Book SynopsisMuch has been written regarding the western liturgy; the same cannot be said of the Byzantine liturgy. Father Taft contributes to a remedy of that shortfall through this work. In it he traces the origins of the Byzantine Rite during its period of formation: from its earliest recorded beginnings until the end of Byzantium (1453 c.e.). While the rite has undergone some change in the period since then, its outlines remain essentially the same.

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Trade ReviewIt offers a multi-dimensional perspective on this central mystery of our faith and is a good resource for the preacher.The Priest

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Book SynopsisThe Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of JustificationTrade ReviewAnyone interested in this critical ecumenical development will consider this volume a vital addition to the library.Religious Studies ReviewThe volume is quite general and accessible, and provides a valuable overview to ecumenism that often branches into areas well beyond that of the doctrine of justification. As such, it is a valuable companion piece to ecumenical research, and an informative analysis of the original documents.Catholic Books ReviewOf special interest is the essay on the Eastern Orthodox perspective on justification, which views 'being saved' as an ongoing growth in the spirit rather than a once-for-all personal experience.Christian History Institute"I hope that throughout this year members of all traditions within the Christian family will study the results of the decades of dialogue between the churches of the Western tradition and a good place to begin is with this book."John E. Hugus, APC, Journal of the Academy of Parish Liturgy

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Trade ReviewThere have been very few books, if any, that have had such a profound effect on my life. I love the combination of stunning scholarship and beautiful spirituality.Nicky Gumbel, Founder of Alpha Course

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