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Book SynopsisFrom his many births to his deathbed deeds, this authoritative biography unites the Buddha of history with the Buddha of legend in a bid to reveal the lasting spiritual relevance at the heart of the Buddhist tradition. Acclaimed scholar John Strong examines not only the historical texts, but also the supernatural accounts that surround this great religious figure, uncovering the roots of many Buddhist beliefs and practices. Accompanied by helpful charts and tables, and drawing on a vast array of primary sources, the text also features such key topics as: biographical accounts from all the Buddhist schools, an analysis of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the life of the Buddha as depicted by Buddhist art and rituals, and the relics of Siddhartha Gautama, and how they continue his story, even after his lifetime.Trade Review"Furnishes readers curious about the Buddha with a deep and broad introduction to his many lives." * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisRabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the charismatic leader of the Chabad Hasidic movement and its designated Messiah. Yet when he died in 1994, the messianic fervor he inspired did not subside. Through traditional means and digital technologies, a group of radical Hasidim, the Meshichistim, still keep the Rebbe palpably close—engaging in ongoing dialogue, participating in specific rituals, and developing an ever-expanding visual culture of portraits and videos. With Us More Than Ever focuses on this group to explore how religious practice can sustain the belief that a messianic figure is both present and accessible. Yoram Bilu documents a unique religious experience that is distinctly modern. The rallying point of the Meshichistim—that the Rebbe is "with us more than ever"—is sustained through an elaborate system that creates the sense of his constant and pervasive presence in the lives of his followers. The virtual Rebbe that emerges is multiple, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized, the epicenter of a truly messianic movement in the twenty-first century. Combining ethnographic fieldwork and cognitive science with nuanced analysis, Bilu documents the birth and development of a new religious faith, describing the emergence of new spiritual horizons, a process common to various religious movements old and new.Trade Review"In this fascinating study, Yoram Bilu, Israel's foremost scholar of Jewish popular religion, has succeeded in penetrating the world of Chabad's messianic subculture. He offers a brilliant analysis of how these Hasidim use visual media, apparitions, and letters to their deceased leader to create an 'apotheosis' of the Rebbe." -- David Biale * University of California, Davis *"This ethnographic exploration of the religious imagination in Chabad demonstrates that there is no one better equipped than Yoram Bilu to provide a theoretically sophisticated and phenomenologically sensitive account of the movement's messianic devotion to its deceased yet ever-present Rebbe." -- Thomas J. Csordas * University of California, San Diego *"With Us More than Ever is an important book for readers interested in Chabad, Hasidism, and contemporary Judaism. Its focus on the 'messianic ecology' yields a nuanced and dispassionate image of the acute messianism of the Meshichists—a community, or, perhaps, a state of mind, that has been discussed, criticized, and ridiculed, but hardly ever researched either quantitatively or qualitatively." -- Wojciech Tworek * Association for Jewish Studies Review *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: Introduction chapter abstractThe messianic surge that swept Chabad in the late 20th century has not subsided following the death in 1994 of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the last president of Chabad and the designated Messiah in the eyes of most Hasidim. Since then, the movement has been able to maintain its popularity and dominance despite the catastrophic loss. Focusing on the Meshichistim ("messianists"), the radical Hasidim who deny the Rebbe's death, the introduction documents the means they employ to fill the void of the Rebbe's "occlusion." The book makes use of a media-studies approach to examine how these means fill the critical role of making the absent Rebbe present. The data are based on interviews with Meshichists, participant observations in their gatherings, and meticulous perusal of messianic publications, primarily periodicals. The discussion includes a description of the charged interrelationships that developed between the author and the Hasidim during fieldwork. 1Chabad and the Messianic Idea chapter abstractThe chapter follows the vicissitudes of the messianic idea in Chabad from the movement's inception to the stormy years of the seventh and last leader, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. As shaped by its founder, Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Chabad was less prone to messianic tension than were other Hasidic sects. The fifth admor, Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber, resorted to messianic discourse in the late 19th century in order to battle the lure of secular ideologies such as communism and Zionism. His son and successor, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, viewed the horrors of the Holocaust as messianic tribulations. But it was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson who generated acute messianic turbulence by advancing to his Hasidim the notion of imminent redemption. The Rebbe's messianic vision, kept alive by the Hasidim after his departure, forms the background for the means and practices that constitute the messianic ecology in contemporary Chabad. 2Meshichist Sociology chapter abstractThe chapter presents the major sociological features of the Meshichists. The Meshichists are more prevalent in the movement's periphery. Of Chabad's two main centers, they are more strongly represented in Israel than in the U.S. and more among the younger Hasidim in either place. –. In accord with the enthusiasm and high commitment typically displayed by religious immigrants and converts anywhere, new Chabadniks, coming from secular or other religious backgrounds, are overrepresented among the Meshichists. As a result of their outreach activities, Chabadniks anywhere tend to be more socially and politically involved in the wider society than are other ultraorthodox Jews, and the Meshichists all the more so. One indication of their assimilation into Israeli society is their use of military language in articulating their ideas and activities. 3Writing to the Rebbe: The Holy Letters Oracle chapter abstractThis chapter discusses the bibliomantic device the Hasidim developed to continue the dialogue with the absent Rebbe. The technique is based on inserting a petition randomly into one of the thirty-two volumes of the Rebbe's collected letters. Even though these letters were written to other people at other times, the petitioners maintain that the answers they receive are germane to their own pleas. The veridicality of the answers is redoubled when they play out in the real world. Following the miraculous stories associated with the Holy Letters Oracle, the chapter discusses its growing popularity and accounts for its success. The popularity and success of the technique seem to confirm the assertion of the Meshichistim that despite his occlusion, the invisible Rebbe is more accessible than ever. 4Sensing the Rebbe: Traces and Practices of Embodiment chapter abstractHow do the Hasidim perceive the absent Rebbe as close and involved? This chapter discusses a broad range of signs or "traces" of the Rebbe, such as the Rebbe's abode, his armchair, the dollar bills he distributed for charity, and the water from his ritual bath, which the Hasidim are adamant to keep intact and, where possible, to replicate. Primarily in Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, but also in Chabad Houses all over the world and in the Meshichists' homes, these artifacts serve as focal points for ritual practices that involve the Rebbe as an active participant. The traces and practices interweave to produce a "messianic ecology" that actualizes the Rebbe among his followers. In the religion-media paradigm, these traces and practices are conductors of his presence. 5Seeing the Rebbe I: Chabad's Visual Culture chapter abstractChapter Five is devoted to Chabad's visual culture as evidenced by the widespread use of still photographs and film footage of the Rebbe, which bolster his visual salience to an unprecedented extent in Judaism. The elaborate cult that has been developing around the Rebbe's images borders on iconophilia. The pictures serve as focal points for this wide-ranging visual cult. They are used as amulets, thwarting threats and curing maladies; as magnets drawing and attaching passersby to the Rebbe; and as icons triggering the elaborate ritual encounters between the Rebbe and his devotees. The chapter discusses the Rebbe's iconic picture, in which he is shown waving his hand in encouragement, and how it has taken on a life on its own. 6Seeing the Rebbe II: Dream and Waking Apparitions chapter abstractChapter Six maps the Rebbe's apparitions in dreams and then moves to reports of apparitions in normal waking states. The author proposes a psychocultural model to account for these apparitions, deeming them evidence of contextual accomplishment rather than psychopathological deficit. Two distinct clusters of apparition experiences emerge, one associated with ritual and the other with mundane settings. In comparison to Christian visionary experiences, the Rebbe's apparitions are hyper-realistic, literal reinforcements of the claim that the Rebbe is alive. While this claim is audacious ontologically, it limits the epistemological horizons of the messianic imaginary and detracts from its significance as a "taste" of the redemption. 7Schneersoncentrism: The Rebbe Steers the World chapter abstractFor the Meshichistim, the invisible Rebbe is the center of the world. Chapter Seven conveys this conviction through the notion of "Schneersoncentrism," the belief that the Rebbe steers the world and navigates its events. It discusses two broad domains where the Rebbe's imprint on the world is indelible, according to the Hasidim: natural disasters, which the Rebbe is able to stop, and manmade political upheavals, which the Rebbe can rectify. According to his followers, the Rebbe's fingerprints are evident in key historical moments such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Exodus of its Jews, and the American victory in the second Gulf War. 8The Apotheosis of the Rebbe chapter abstractChapter Eight deals with the sensitive issue of the Rebbe's deification, a corollary of his centrality in the universe. While the Chabad mainstream argues that attempts to deify the Rebbe are limited to the movement's lunatic fringes, it shows that activists in the Meshichist camp are not hostile to these attempts and, under special circumstances, are even willing to give them a voice. The mystical doctrine of the tzadik in Hasidism, which views him as part of the divine system of emanations, and the messianic shturem in Chabad today help attenuate the deep-seated resistance in Judaism to glorifying a human being. 9"To Make Many More Menachem Mendels": Creation and Procreation in Messianic Chabad chapter abstractChapter Nine illustrates the divine role accorded to the Rebbe in the fantasy lives of some of his followers by zooming in on his alleged role in one domain of human misery: infertility and birth problems. Drawing on a small sample of dreaming and waking apparitions, the chapter shows how the childless Rebbe "reproduces" himself by providing childless couples with children in his image. In these reports the Rebbe appears as a creator no less than as a progenitor. 10Holy Place and Holy Time in Meshichist Chabad chapter abstractChapter Ten discusses the spatial and temporal dimensions of holiness in the messianic religion. For the Meshichists, who ordinarily refrain from frequenting the Rebbe's sanctuary in Old Montefiori Cemetery in Queens, the most sacred site is the Rebbe's abode on 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, dubbed "770." Viewed as the house of the Messiah and a wing of the future third Temple, 770 is the Meshichist hub, where the life routine with the Rebbe is kept intact. Replicas of 770 have been built in scores of places across the globe. The Meshichist emphasize two dates in Chabad's ritual calendar: Yod-Aleph (11) Nissan, the Rebbe's birthday, and Gimel Tammuz, the date of the Rabbi's disappearance, euphemistically called the Day of Redemption. 11The Omnipresence of Absence: Messianism in the Technological Age chapter abstractChapter Eleven discusses the present-absent virtual Rebbe, maintained in part by the magic of technology. In analyzing the properties of his virtuality, it is suggested that the Rebbe is multiple (reproduced), close and palpable, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized. The fact that the virtual Rebbe can be directly accessed and equally shared by all Hasidim poses a potential threat to Chabad's hierarchical structure and cohesion. 12Meshichists, Christians, Sabbateans, and Popular Culture Heroes chapter abstractThe dynamic common to past and present messianic movements is the focus of Chapter Twelve. It considers the struggles of Chabad's messianism in light of the Christian and Sabbatean precedents. It also poses a speculative comparison between the cult of the Rebbe that emerges from Chabad's visual culture and the adoration of charismatic entertainment and political celebrities in global popular culture. 13From Tzadik to Messiah: Comparing Chabad and Bratslav chapter abstractChapter Twelve proposes a systematic comparison of Chabad and Bratslav Hasidism. Both of these Hasidic movements lack the defining feature of a classic Hasidic sect, a serving tzadik-admor, yet they are enjoying unprecedented success. Can the flourishing of these two movements be attributed to the messianic expectations they both nurture? In support of this supposition, the chapter seeks to decipher the enigma of the growing popularity of these two "anomalous" Hasidic sects by dwelling on their propensity for border-crossing in various domains. Conclusion chapter abstractThe messianic surge that swept Chabad in the late 20th century has created the opportunity for studying the religious imagination at large, and as a subject in its own right. Messianic movements expand the boundaries of proper religious conduct and bring to the fore modes of action and experience the religious establishment shuns as extreme or subversive. The media and the practices that Meshichists employ to make the absent Rebbe present were born in this fertile, enabling ecology. More daring and pronounced than ordinary institutionalized religious beliefs and rites, they differ only in degree. The conclusion discusses the unprecedented extent to which the Rebbe-cum-Messiah is glorified, the boundless energy his elevated status generates in his followers, and their capacity to cope with the disappointment of his occlusion by sustaining a virtual Rebbe that is palpable and close.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1923, The Prophet is a collection of twenty-six poetic fables that centre around the prophet Al Mustafa, who, boarding a boat in the city of Orphalese, where he has lived for many years, prepares to sail home. On the voyage Al Mustafa is approached by a group of travellers, with whom he discusses deep topics - love, friendship, passion, pain, religion - and The Prophet becomes a manual and spiritual guide. This edition features the original illustrations prepared by the author, as well as an introduction by Dr Daniele Nunziata, which introduces the great work for a new generation.Trade Review'I have loved many books over the years, but the one I would never be parted from and read again and again is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.' (Lesley Pearse, The Independent)

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Book SynopsisTrade Review[O’Malley’s] oeuvre now forms a satisfyingly coherent whole…As authoritative as it is accessible. -- Stella Fletcher * Times Literary Supplement *An eminent scholar of modern Catholicism…O’Malley…invit[es] us to see Catholicism’s recent history as profoundly shaped by and against the imposing legacy of Pius IX. * Wall Street Journal *With Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church, John O’Malley, S.J., the worldwide dean of church historians, has completed his trinity of works on church councils… O’Malley completes his masterclass in church history and ecclesiology of the last 500 years, telling us as much about the church now as then. -- Christopher Bellitto * America *The best available [work] in English on Vatican I…O’Malley’s account of the debate over infallibility is masterful…The descriptions of the council’s setting and procedure convey a feel for what the bishops experienced there. -- William L. Portier * Commonweal *O’Malley offers a comprehensive and gripping narrative of Vatican I…In his eminently accessible volume, O’Malley repeats the success of his earlier histories of Vatican II and Trent…[He] weaves together the doctrinal issues with the personalities of the principal historical characters in the drama of controversy and conflict…[This] belongs to a long and productive career of exposing a wide readership to the fascinatingly complex history of the Church. -- Hilmar M. Pabel * The Tablet *O’Malley gives an accessible, even-handed overview of the council with a minimum of interpretive gloss. He excels in describing the ways in which the council initiated deep changes that still affect the everyday lives of Catholics. -- Russell Hittinger * First Things *Much needed and very informative…O’Malley’s book shows the many ways in which the church we know is still very much shaped by the First…Vatican Council. Put differently, the modern church is still, in certain ways, the work of reactionaries. * National Catholic Reporter *A gripping good read…With characteristic economy and clarity, O’Malley tells the story of Vatican I and the making of the ultramontane church—and, most importantly, why it matters. -- Mary Dunn * Harvard Theological Review *Provides an elegant historical narrative. -- John Cornwell * Times Higher Education *A fascinating and dispassionate glimpse into a pivotal and dramatic period of Catholic Church history. -- James Wetherbee * Library Journal *[A] judicious work of scholarship, carefully researched and elegantly narrated. -- Thomas Albert Howard * Patheos *A concise and accessible overview of the Council and the history that led to it…O’Malley does an excellent job of narrating the dynamics at play as the Church picked up the pieces from the devastation of the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. -- Jared Staudt * Denver Catholic *To be the premier historian of the modern ecumenical councils would seem an odd bit of praise, but John O’Malley, S.J., is exactly that and with characteristic grace. His history of Vatican I is a marvelous bookend to his field-shaping history of Vatican II and possesses the lucidity, insight, and erudition we associate with one of the world’s leading historians of Catholicism. It immediately becomes the standard history. -- John McGreevy, University of Notre DameThis excellent book fills a critical need for an up-to-date and comprehensive account of the events, the personalities, and the elaboration of the doctrine at the First Vatican Council. O’Malley draws from the best and most recent historical sources published in multiple languages to weave together masterfully the complex convergence of social, political, intellectual, and ecclesial movements that contribute to a culture of ultramontanism, the horizon against which one must understand both the event of the council and its teaching. -- Catherine Clifford, Saint Paul UniversityO’Malley is not new to writing re-assessments of pivotal events of modern Roman Catholic history. One can think of his important volumes on What Happened at Vatican II and Trent: What Happened at the Council, which have proven to be trend-setting in their interpretation of present-day Roman Catholicism. In this new book on Vatican I it is as if he has completed the trilogy on the three modern councils…O’Malley’s strength lies in the comprehensiveness of his historical reconstruction. -- Leonardo De Chirico * Evangelical Focus *

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Book SynopsisThe death of Pope John Paul II and consequent election of Pope Benedict XVI has shed light on a political process that the world has not been privy to for almost twenty-six years. People from around the world gathered in St. Peter''s Square, wondering who the next Vatican leader would be and how the election process really worked, while everyone from international news correspondents to local priests added their own opinions to the debate. With Heirs of the Fisherman, former Vatican insider John-Peter Pham presents us with a highly accurate portrait of the modern Vatican, --the only account to reveal the striking changes to papal succession procedures made by John Paul II. Blending political and ecclesiastical history, Pham goes beyond a mere description of the complex rituals--including a rare insight into the dramatic shifts inside the College of Cardinals, whose 100 members now hail from 50 nations around the globe. He takes us into the secret conclave, where the electors were kept Trade Reviewa rich mine of information on papal elections, including the election of Benedict XVI * William Gibson, Archives *an extraordinary book... This well-presented, attractive [book], much more than a coffee table addition the drawing room, is to be welcomed and enjoyed * John Greehalgh, Catholic Herald21.07.2006 *

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Book SynopsisA timeless collection of prayers, quotes, poems and speeches for every occasion. Complete with a brief introduction to each piece and its author, this book features words and prayers from 300BC to the present day. It provides a great source of inspiration when planning a speech or ceremonial occasion or can be used for personal devotions.

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Book SynopsisA beautiful book of illustrated Bible stories, retold by the world's best-loved cleric.Nobel prizewinner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, re-tells over fifty of his favourite Bible stories for an audience of young readers.From classics such as the stories of Noah and the calming of the storm, to less-known stories such as Naboth's Vineyard or Ruth, the Archbishop makes these time-honoured stories come to life in his own inimitable voice.The book has a truly international flavour, with illustrators from around the world contributing their interpretations of the stories. The result is a glorious, and great value, package that will inspire a generation of children and their carers.Trade ReviewShortlisted for the Christian Library Book Award 2011 ‘Accessible and heartwarming…The Children of God Storybook Bible will draw in everyone who hears it’ – The Times

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Book SynopsisBoston Globe journalist and Catholic commentator Michael O’Loughlin opens a wonderful window into the heart and revolutionary mission of Pope Francis by examining his extensive and revelatory use of social media—published to coincide with the pontiff’s visit to the United States in September 2015.Michael O’Loughlin uses Pope Francis’s almost daily “tweets” to his 21 million followers to explain why this pope has captured the world’s imagination and to explore his strategy and vision for the Catholic Church. Grouped by the Pope’s most pressing concerns—forgiveness, mercy, injustice, poverty, war, joy, the environment, and more—The Tweetable Pope uses Francis’ pithy 140-character (or fewer) missives as a prism to view the biographical, historical, and spiritual context of his messages and how each is part of a larger vision.O’Loughlin contends that these seemingly simple commu

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Book SynopsisNever before published in Kerouac''s lifetime, Jack Kerouac''s Wake Up is a clear and powerful study of the life and works of Siddartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, from the author of On the Road. This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Robert Thurman.Wake Up recounts the story of Prince Siddhartha''s royal upbringing and his father''s wish to protect him from all human suffering, despite a prediction that he would become a great holy man in later life. Departing from his father''s palace, Siddhartha adopts a homeless life, struggles with his meditations, and eventually finds Enlightenment. Written at the end of Kerouac''s career, when he became increasingly interested in Buddhist teachings, and collected for the first time in one book, this fresh and accessible biography is both an important addition to Kerouac''s work and a valuable introduction to the world of Buddhism itself.Jack Kerouac (1922-69) was an American

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Book SynopsisCelebrating Life is an intensely honest expedition that teaches you how you can be a master of your circumstances and make your life a celebration.

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Book SynopsisAsking questions is essential for learning and enlightenment. "Ask the Monk" provides answers to common questions on karma, religion, God, and more, guiding readers on a journey of self-discovery and realization.

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Book SynopsisArchbishop Geoffrey of York, the loyal but illegitimate son of Henry II, appears to have quarrelled with everybody. This edition of Geoffrey's acta, together with Dr Lovatt's introduction, provides insight into the ecclesiastical and secular politics of the period in which he lived - and incidentally into the personalities of Richard and John.Trade ReviewThis volume is the definitive 'life and works' of Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet ... This thorough and enlightening examination of Geoffrey's career...is the essential background to understanding his episcopal Icta. * Judith Everard, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *[It provides] a fitting culmination to what has gone before. * DP Johnson, The English Historical Review *

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Book SynopsisKabir was a great iconoclastic-mystic poet of fifteenth-century North India; his poems were composed orally, written down by others in manuscripts and books, and transmitted through song. Scholars and translators usually attend to written collections, but these present only a partial picture of the Kabir who has remained vibrantly alive through the centuries mostly in oral forms. Entering the worlds of singers and listeners in rural Madhya Pradesh, Bodies of Song combines ethnographic and textual study in exploring how oral transmission and performance shape the content and interpretation of vernacular poetry in North India. The book investigates textual scholars'' study of oral-performative traditions in a milieu where texts move simultaneously via oral, written, audio/video-recorded, and electronic pathways.As texts and performances are always socially embedded, Linda Hess brings readers into the lives of those who sing, hear, celebrate, revere, and dispute about Kabir. Bodies of SonTrade ReviewRecommended. * J. Bussanich, CHOICE *Hess decodes (for the uninitiated) the experience, confidence, and wisdom of ordinary men and women of India. She shows us how people have been living out their inner and outer lives and how they have been enriching further the traditional "bodies of song" through performance. By this decoding, Hess has made a lasting contribution to our understanding of some of the most poignant aspects of Indian religiosity. * Purushottam Agrawal, ITM University, The Journal of Religion *Table of ContentsTransliteration ; Acknowledgements ; Preface ; 1. "You Must Meet Prahladji!" ; 2. Oral Tradition in the Twenty-first Century: Observing Texts ; 3. "True Words of Kabir": Adventures in Authenticity ; 4. In the Jeweler's Bazaar: Malwa's Kabir ; 5. Oral Tradition in the Twenty-first Century: Exploring Theory ; 6. A Scorching Fire, A Cool Pool ; 7. Fighting over Kabir's Dead Body ; 8. Political/Spiritual Kabir ; References ; Index

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Book SynopsisRobert Bellarmine was one of the pillars of post-Reformation Catholicism: he was a celebrated theologian and a highly ranked member of the Congregations of the Inquisition and of the Index, the censor in charge of the Galileo affair. Bellarmine was also one of the most original political theorists of his time, and he participated directly in many of the political conflicts that agitated Europe between the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century. Stefania Tutino offers the first full-length study of the impact of Bellarmine''s theory of the potestas indirecta in early modern Europe. Following the reactions to Bellarmine''s theory across national and confessional boundaries, this book explores some of the most crucial political and theological knots in the history of post-Reformation Europe, from the controversy over the Oath of Allegiance to the battle over the Interdetto in Venice. The book sets those political and religious controversies against the background of the theological and institutional developments of the post-Tridentine Catholic Church. By examining the violent and at times surprising controversies originated by Bellarmine''s theory, this book challenges some of the traditional assumptions regarding the theological shape of post-Tridentine Catholicism; it offers a fresh perspective on the centrality of the links between confessional affiliation and political allegiance in the development of the modern nation-states; and it contributes to our understanding of the development of ''modern'' notions of power and authority.Trade Reviewan important contribution to and arguably necessary for studies of Bellarmine and of early modern Catholicism * Orlando O. Espín, Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Stefania Tutino is emerging as one of the more influential younger scholars on Catholic political theory ca. 1600, and her most recent book is yet another valuable contribution to this area of research. * Marcus Friedrich, Sixteenth Century Journal *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; List of Abbreviations ; Introduction ; 1570s-1580s: the foundations of Bellarmine's potestas indirecta ; 1580s-1590s: the controversies over the Controversiae ; The controversy over the Interdetto and the attacks against Bellarmine's theory ; Bellarmine and the Oath of Allegiance ; Robert Bellarmine and the potestas indirecta: Continental repercussions ; The making of a scapegoat: the case of Martin Becanus ; Robert Bellarmine and the Catholic Church: questions of power and authority ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisA study of the relationships between theological norms, legal principles, and sexual practice.

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Book SynopsisFor several years now, the Roman Catholic Church and the institution of the priesthood itself have been at the centre of a firestorm of controversy.Trade Review"Greeley's summary is sobering.... His agenda of sorting out the social meaning of the priesthood in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis may be the kind of rough talk that will wake up some readers and empower others.... It's worth listening to what he has to say." - Father Paul Philibert, National Catholic Reporter; "I cannot imagine a more thorough critique of the stereotypes clouding intelligent discussion of the Roman Catholic priesthood - or a more unsparing assessment of the priesthood's real problems. As blunt as ever, Father Greeley backs his strong views with the best available data. The future of American Catholicism depends on its will-ingness to confront findings like these." - Peter Steinfels, author of A People Adrift: The Crisis of the Roman Catholic Church in America; "Greeley draws upon the tools of his trade to challenge some stereotypes of the priesthood today, particularly in the wake of the sexual abuse crisis of 2002.... This slim but opinionated volume should be required reading for students and reporters who are willing to look past sensational headlines to the more complex and nuanced picture beyond." - Publishers Weekly"

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Book SynopsisThis book chronicles the institution of the papacy and its influence on the culture, politics, and economy throughout the decline of the Roman emparie, Byzantine rule, and the Middle Ages.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis work presents thoughtful philosophical reflections on the very idea of tradition...the author offers refreshing insights... highly recommended. Choice A terrifically thought-provoking study of what honoring elders means. -- Heid E. Erdrich The Circle An excellent resource for scholars studying aging, eldership, or the Anishinaabe people. -- Shelly E. V. Nixon Religious Studies Review This is an extraordinarily fascinating book; an insightful and scholarly exploration of Native American attitudes toward aging and eldership. -- James Woodward Reviews in Religion & Theology Honoring Elders will prove an important foundational springboard for future studies on eldership to come. -- Cary Miller American Indian QuarterlyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Aging and the Life Cycle Imagined in Ojibwe Tradition and Lived in History 2. Eldership, Respect, and the Sacred Community 3. Elders as Grandparents and Teachers 4. Elders Articulating Tradition 5. The Sacralization of Eldership 6. The Shape of Wisdom Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTayeb El-Hibri draws on medieval Islamic chronicles to remap the origins of Islamic political and religious orthodoxy, offering an insightful critique of both early and contemporary Islam and the concerns of legitimacy shadowing various rulers. He also highlights the Islamic reinterpretation of biblical traditions.Trade ReviewAwe-inspiring erudition and a discerning eye for intertextual associations guide Tayeb El-Hibri's brilliant dissection of early Islamic political narratives. Once exposed to this methodology, readers will have difficulty accepting innocent 'factual' readings of even the most straightforward seeming accounts. -- Richard Bulliet, Columbia University, author of Cotton, Climate, and Camels in Early Islamic Iran: A Moment in World HistoryEl-Hibri advances a rich, provocative reading of events following the death of Muhammad and the careers of the first four caliphs. * Choice *An invigorating new reading of the story of the early Islamic succession to the Prophet Muhammad. * Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *An important, innovative, and particularly rich book, which promises to become a basic reference work for any scholar working on Islam's origins. * Journal of the American Oriental Society *A must-read for all serious students of early Islamic history...a marvelously challenging, provocative, and erudite rereading of this period and its sources. * Der Islam *Table of ContentsPreface1. Introduction2. Abu Bakr: The Moment of Confirmation3. 'Umar b. al-Khattab: A Saga of Law and Conquest4. 'Uthman: The Challenge of Innovation5. The Road to Civil War: Issues and Boundaries6. 'Ali: In the Image of the Prophets7. From Caliphate to Kingship: 'Umar's Reign and Future Changes8. ConclusionAppendix 1. Abu Mikhnaf's Account of the Saqifa of Banu Sa'idaAppendix 2. The Succession to 'UmarAppendix 3. Manushihr's DeclarationNotesGlossaryBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisMarco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI's resignation and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and the Catholic laity.Trade ReviewA profound analysis of the Argentinean pope given by one of the most important experts on the Vatican in the world. -- Santiago Zabala, ICREA/Pompeu Fabra University Politi's coverage of Pope Francis, his internal opposition and vision for a changing church, belongs in every newsroom for the adroit treatment of how ferocious Vatican politics can be. This book will attract general readers, nuns, bishops, professors, students, cardinals, diplomats, politicians, and even their hatchetmen seeking insight on a pope who has captured the world's imagination -- Jason Berry, author of Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church Politi is one of the world's most accomplished Vatican observers, and in many ways Francis is the pope he has been waiting his whole life to cover. This is Politi at his tea-leaf-reading best, which is very, very good. -- John L. Allen Jr., associate editor of the Boston Globe and Crux Marco Politi is a writer for our times, with his insight, access, and wisdom about an intriguing pontiff. Few people can dig up the nuggets and jewels about such important papal matters, and what Politi knows and serves up to his readers cannot be missed. Pope Francis Among the Wolves is surely another of Politi's 'must-reads.' -- Christiane Amanpour CNN, Chief international Correspondent Journalist and Vatican insider Politi draws upon a vast wealth of sources... This book is well translated and accessible to a wide audience of Francis's admirers and opponents, both inside and outside of the Catholic Church. Library Journal Politi certainly delivers on the subtitle's promise of a look inside the byzantine halls of the institutional Catholic Church. Publishers Weekly All Francis-watchers will want to-should-read Politi. Booklist [Pope Francis Among the Wolves] sheds light on the pope's revolution within church institutions. -- Elizabeth Webb AmericaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Translator's Note 1. The Smell of the Sheep 2. Francis's Fear 3. The Coup d'Etat of Benedict XVI 4. The Secrets of an Anti-Italian Conclave 5. The End of the Imperial Church 6. The Face of a Parish Priest 7. Walking with Unbelievers 8. The Hidden Women Priests 9. Death in Front of the Vatican 10. The Self-Critique of a Pope 11. The Program of the Revolution 12. St. Peter Had No Bank Account 13. The Enemies of Francis 14. The War of the Cardinals 15. The Italian Knot 16. A Resignable Papacy Notes Index

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Book SynopsisJinhua Jia draws on a wealth of previously untapped sources to explain how Daoist priestesses marked themselves as a distinct gendered religious and social group. The first comprehensive study of the lives and roles of Daoist priestesses in Tang China, Gender, Power, and Talent restores women to the landscape of Chinese religion and literature.Trade ReviewAn incredibly important book for both scholars and students, one which will remain for years to come a pivotal resource for classrooms and related studies. * Reading Religion *Gender, Power, and Talent succeeds in demonstrating the breadth of achievement of Daoist priestesses in the Tang. -- Daniel Burton-Rose, Northern Arizona University, USA * Nan Nu *[This] volume presents an impressive wealth of material for historical studies on women as well as on religion. * Religious Studies Review *[Gender, Power, and Talent's] contributions to the scholarship on Chinese religion, literature, and women studies make it a useful reference for scholars and students interested in related areas. Overall, it is a worthy beginning to what we hope will be increased emphasis on women and Daoism, and it should stimulate further research on Daoism and gender studies. -- Yue Wu * Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews *Written by a rising leader in Chinese religious studies applying an interdisciplinary approach that combines religious, literary, and gender studies, and searching through all available sources and recovering many new texts, Gender, Power, and Talent examines both the conventional and ‘unconventional’ roles played by Tang Daoist priestesses in the historical context of the Tang dynasty. -- Nanxiu Qian, Rice UniversityGender, Power, and Talent argues that Daoist women of medieval China played an important role in the religion and in the society of the time; that their emergence as a major social force is unprecedented in Chinese history; and that they developed a new form of identity both as women and as Daoists. The gender-critical perspective of the book together with its meticulous historical research makes it a unique contribution to the field. -- Livia Kohn, Boston UniversityElite Daoist nuns of the Tang dynasty used to have a scandalous reputation. Jinhua Jia does them justice; the gossip is accounted for, but more important elements are added to the picture: the uneasy invention of Daoist monasticism, the debates around female religiosity and poetic expression, and the rise of early modern self-cultivation practices. This gendered history of medieval Daoism is a major addition to our understanding of Chinese religious cultures. -- Vincent Goossaert, Université PSL, École Pratique des Hautes ÉtudesUsing previously unknown mortuary inscriptions, rare Dunhuang manuscripts, and a broad range of received texts, Jia offers a revealing panorama of women's religious practices from medieval China. This study of Tang Daoist priestesses from various backgrounds brings the lives of these many remarkable women out of the shadows. Cultural and social history at its best. -- Paul W. Kroll, University of Colorado, BoulderBy making meticulous use of important new sources and re-viewing older ones with an informed and insightful gender-critical eye, Jinhua Jia has admirably succeeded in finally releasing Tang dynasty Daoist women from the traditional stereotypes, whether romantically idealistic or moralistically censorious, that have so long obscured their significant accomplishments in such diverse areas as scriptural exegesis, ritual practice, medicine, literature, and the arts. -- Beata Grant, Washington University in St. LouisTable of ContentsList of Figures and TablesAcknowledgmentsList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1. The Rise of Daoist Priestesses as a Gendered Religio-Social Group2. Destiny and Power of the Ordained Royal Women3. Religious Leadership, Practice, and Ritual Function4. Liu Moran and the Daoist Theory of Inner Cultivation5. Longevity Techniques and Medical Theory: The Legacy of Hu Yin6. The Yaochi ji and Three Daoist Priestess-Poets7. Unsold Peony: The Life and Poetry of the Priestess-Poet Yu XuanjiConclusionAppendix: Du Guangting and the Hagiographies of Tang Daoist WomenNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a groundbreaking analysis of how religious terrorist groups manage and adapt to major shifts in leadership. It argues that how successors position themselves in terms of the founder shapes a terrorist group’s future course and examines how and why different types of successors choose to pursue incremental or discontinuous change.Trade ReviewMeticulous in its research, Terror in Transition delivers an abundance of new insight into the impact of succession on terrorist entities, delivering on its objective to better “analyze the implications of decapitation.” Focusing on the essence of a leader’s “how” and “why” and its relationship to succession, Terror in Transition also provides CT practitioners with a framework to assess other options for influencing the direction of terrorist entities. -- Gina M. Bennett, author of National Security Mom: Why Going Soft Will Make America StrongTerror in Transition is the definitive study of how terrorist groups manage (or fail to manage) leadership transitions. Bacon and Grimm's analysis helps us understand how and why certain terrorist groups thrive while some split or otherwise cannot manage the transition. Their many insights can help counterterrorist officials exploit transition tensions to weaken extremist groups. -- Daniel Byman, author of Spreading Hate: The Global Rise of White Supremacist TerrorismAn original, systematic, detailed, and rigorous analysis of terrorist leadership and succession. A very compelling study of a major topic. -- Richard English, author of Does Terrorism Work?: A HistoryMeticulous in its research, Terror in Transition delivers an abundance of new insight into the impact of succession on terrorist entities, delivering on its objective to better “analyze the implications of decapitation.” Focusing on the essence of a leader’s “how” and “why” and its relationship to succession, Terror in Transition also provides CT practitioners with a framework to assess other options for influencing the direction of terrorist entities. -- Gina M. Bennett, author of National Security Mom: Why Going Soft Will Make America StrongBacon and Grimm have written an outstanding book, essential reading for anyone seeking to understand terrorist organizations, or leadership of violent groups in general. -- Brian Phillips * Small War Journals *It rewards unpacking owing to its analytic soundness, practical utility and, lamentably, its ongoing relevance. * Survival *An important conceptual and knowledge-based foundation, which will undoubtedly be built on for years to come. * Parameters *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Literature Review and Research Design2. Founders: Who Is a Founder, What Does He Do, and Who Comes Next?3. The Second Ku Klux Klan: From Founder to Fixer4. Egyptian Islamic Jihad: From Founder to Figureheads, to Fixer, to Visionary5. Al-Qaida in Iraq/the Islamic State of Iraq: From Founder to Signalers6. Al-Shabaab: From Founder to Fixer, to Figurehead7. Pathways and Possibilities: Lessons Learned from the Mini–Case StudiesConclusionAppendix A. Religious Terrorist GroupsAppendix B. Summary of Mini–Case Study DataNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a groundbreaking analysis of how religious terrorist groups manage and adapt to major shifts in leadership. It argues that how successors position themselves in terms of the founder shapes a terrorist group’s future course and examines how and why different types of successors choose to pursue incremental or discontinuous change.Trade ReviewMeticulous in its research, Terror in Transition delivers an abundance of new insight into the impact of succession on terrorist entities, delivering on its objective to better “analyze the implications of decapitation.” Focusing on the essence of a leader’s “how” and “why” and its relationship to succession, Terror in Transition also provides CT practitioners with a framework to assess other options for influencing the direction of terrorist entities. -- Gina M. Bennett, author of National Security Mom: Why Going Soft Will Make America StrongTerror in Transition is the definitive study of how terrorist groups manage (or fail to manage) leadership transitions. Bacon and Grimm's analysis helps us understand how and why certain terrorist groups thrive while some split or otherwise cannot manage the transition. Their many insights can help counterterrorist officials exploit transition tensions to weaken extremist groups. -- Daniel Byman, author of Spreading Hate: The Global Rise of White Supremacist TerrorismAn original, systematic, detailed, and rigorous analysis of terrorist leadership and succession. A very compelling study of a major topic. -- Richard English, author of Does Terrorism Work?: A HistoryMeticulous in its research, Terror in Transition delivers an abundance of new insight into the impact of succession on terrorist entities, delivering on its objective to better “analyze the implications of decapitation.” Focusing on the essence of a leader’s “how” and “why” and its relationship to succession, Terror in Transition also provides CT practitioners with a framework to assess other options for influencing the direction of terrorist entities. -- Gina M. Bennett, author of National Security Mom: Why Going Soft Will Make America StrongBacon and Grimm have written an outstanding book, essential reading for anyone seeking to understand terrorist organizations, or leadership of violent groups in general. -- Brian Phillips * Small War Journals *It rewards unpacking owing to its analytic soundness, practical utility and, lamentably, its ongoing relevance. * Survival *An important conceptual and knowledge-based foundation, which will undoubtedly be built on for years to come. * Parameters *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Literature Review and Research Design2. Founders: Who Is a Founder, What Does He Do, and Who Comes Next?3. The Second Ku Klux Klan: From Founder to Fixer4. Egyptian Islamic Jihad: From Founder to Figureheads, to Fixer, to Visionary5. Al-Qaida in Iraq/the Islamic State of Iraq: From Founder to Signalers6. Al-Shabaab: From Founder to Fixer, to Figurehead7. Pathways and Possibilities: Lessons Learned from the Mini–Case StudiesConclusionAppendix A. Religious Terrorist GroupsAppendix B. Summary of Mini–Case Study DataNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTraining books for church colleges and lay training courses.

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Book Synopsis''In Italy, they call him il Papa, which means The FATHER'. Until his unprecedented 2013 election, author and friend Elisabetta Piqué called him Padre Jorge. He may have changed his name to become Pope Francis, but it did not change their friendship.Written in a style that brings the man to life and reveals fascinating and decisive episodes that shed light on his influential character and personality, Pope Francis: Life and Revolution offers unique insights into how the Pope thinks and feels; his work for the poor; and his vision for the Church. Piqué reveals the personal side of Pope Francis his freedom, courage, humility, humanity, and humour and the profoundly spiritual influence his Jesuit formation has had on the man who now leads the Catholic Church.Above all else, Pope Francis: Life and Revolution reveals a man consistent in his beliefs and actions. He is a spiritual leader unwavering in his love for God, whose inner joy and peace move him and can inspire us to serve the lea

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Book SynopsisOscar Romero: Prophet of Hope is a comprehensive account of the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador's incredible journey of holiness and courageous witness in the face of cruel state oppression. Historian Roberto Morozzo Della Rocca draws directly on previously unpublished documents some of which were used as evidence in the process leading to Romero's beatification in 2015 to write the most authoritative biography of Romero to date.Morozzo tells the complete story of Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, from his humble roots in Ciudad Barros, El Salvador, to his ordination in Rome and his eventual appointment as Archbishop of San Salvador. It weaves a sensitive account of Romero's character both public and private with a mature appraisal of his theology and unfailing commitment to the poor, marginalised and persecuted of Latin America. The final chapter describes Romero's movements and words during the final months, weeks and days that led to his martyrdom assassinated while celebrat

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Book SynopsisFrom the prize-winning screenwriter of The Theory of Everything and Darkest Hour, The Two Popes is a fascinating, revealing and gripping tale of two very different men whose destinies converge with each other - they both live in the Vatican - and the wider world.On 28 February 2013, a 600-year-old tradition was shattered: the conservative Pope Benedict XVI made a startling announcement. He would resign. Reeling from the news, the College of Cardinals rushed to Rome to congregate in the Sistine Chapel to pick his successor. Their unlikely choice? Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,200 years, a one time tango club bouncer, a passionate football fan and a man with the common touch.How did these two men become two of the most powerful people on Earth?What''s it like to be the Pope?What does the future hold for the Catholic Church and its 1 billion followers?The Two Popes is a dual biography that masterfully combines these two popes'' lives into one gripping narrative. From Benedict and Francis'' experiences of war in their homelands - when they were still Joseph and Jorge - and the sexual abuse scandal that continues to rock the Church to its foundations, to the intrigue and the occasional comedy of life in the Vatican, The Pope glitters with the darker and the lighter details of life inside one of the world''s most opaque but significant institutions.Trade ReviewA cracking read . . . With due respect to those talented thesps, they will have to go some to convey all the nuances and contradictions, ambiguities and embarrassments, dark secrets and outright skulduggeries that McCarten crams into his 200-odd pages . . . engrossing -- Richard Morrison * The Times *I learned things from the script I didn't know. I just thought, "Can that be right? Were we that perilously close?" And so it just grabbed me.Provides a compelling look at life and politics in the Vatican today * Vanity Fair, This Winter’s Best Nonfiction Reads *Anthony McCarten has an astonishing knack of transforming a familiar story into a new tale, and one that is revealing and sometimes challenging. Now he has done so once again with The Pope, a beguiling tale of ecclesiastical plotting and intrigue that resembles a sort of bloodless Borgias. It may be a book about how two men reached the holiest pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church, but when the clouds of incense clear we are left with an awful lot of sinning. The papacy is supposed to be infallible, but thanks to McCarten's deft lifting of the Vatican's scarlet curtains what we see is the breeding ground for one of the greatest scandals of our times in which conspiracy and vanity are on display to a terrifying extent[On the play version] Why did he do it? Why did Pope Benedict XVI, that most traditional of pontiffs, break with tradition and resign in 2013, ceding the way to his reformist rival, Cardinal Bergoglio? That's the problem at the heart of this compelling new problem play by Anthony McCarten - and, sensibly, the playwright leaves it more or less unsolved. He presents us with two contrasting and eternal characters, both at breaking point: the wavering conservative and the reluctant liberal. The playwright's own sympathies seem to be with Bergoglio, yet, despite the relatable ordinariness Nicholas Woodeson brings to that role, it is Anton Lesser's shy, candyfloss-haired Benedict who, against the odds, emerges as the more fascinating presence: the one who can play Mozart, however imperfectly, the one who attempts little jokes, far less polished than his rival's hail-fellow shtick, yet more amusing for their faults. McCarten, who wrote the screenplay for Darkest Hour, has a gift for creating intimate dramas from public biographical property. Here the theatre becomes a confessional, with the audience asked to grant absolution to two flawed but pious priests. * The Times, ???? *[On the film screenplay] Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins deliver a sit-back-and-marvel double-act masterclass that will be spoken of in the same breath as De Niro and Pacino in Heat . . . the triple-whammy impact of McCarten's script, Meirelles's direction and, mostly, the two lead performances creates a completely credible reality, at times indecently moving . . . there are big ideas in here too * The Times, ***** *[On the film] Essentially a papal buddy movie, a mesmerising two-hander, and one of the finest films of either performer's career -- Kevin Maher * The Times *[On the film screenplay] If I like the script, that's the reason I'm doing it -- Jonathan PryceAnthony McCarten . . . after The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour and Bohemian Rhapsody, has rather cornered the market in glossy biographical dramas * Guardian *This engrossing double biography of the chalk-and-cheese pontiffs Francis (the "slum bishop") and Benedict ("God's rottweiler") is full of drama, dark secrets and Vatican skulduggery. * The Times *[On the film] Oh my word. I just loved #thetwopopes. Such a mesmerising film. And so delighted they didn't traduce Benedict. The chemistry between him and Francis was so moving. It's on Netflix now. And it is definitely worth watching -- Giles Fraser

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Michael MacKay utilizes a humble and penetrating method in his Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. It is in the details of early Mormon history that MacKay truly excels." --Mormon Studies Review"A welcome and overdue contribution to the short list of publications on authority in the Church. . . . MacKay does not disappoint. . . . MacKay has given us a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of authority both preceding and following the 1830 organization of the Church." --BYU Studies Quarterly​"MacKay's account of priesthood authority should come as a relief to Mormon historians who have struggled to make the restoration of priesthood orderly and consistent. . . . In telling this complex story, MacKay is respectful and admiring and, for his readers, always illuminating." --Journal of Arizona History​"MacKay's excellent command of the subject matter makes this a necessary resource." --Choice​"A unique blend of scholarship, research, and historical retelling that goes well beyond accounts . . . MacKay's reconstruction can easily sustain the fabric of faith." --Interpreter​"The existence of this text should be heralded as an important milestone." --Juvenile Instructor​”Was early Mormonism excessively democratic, representative of a newly disestablished society? Or deeply theocratic, echoing the skeptical backlash against those same liberating impulses? In this exhaustively researched and sophisticatedly argued book, Michael MacKay argues that it is not an 'either, or' but 'yes, and.' And in doing so, MacKay digs into some of founding—and foundational—paradoxes concerning religion in the early American republic.”—Benjamin E Park, author of American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in an Age of Revolutions, 1783–1833”In Prophetic Authority, MacKay gives us the most thorough and painstaking description of the slow blossoming of the Mormon priesthood hierarchy available, embedding the story in the raucous context of antebellum American democracy. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand either of those worlds better.”—Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America

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Book SynopsisThe Mormon tradition's emphasis on prophetic authority makes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unique within America's religious culture. The religion that Joseph Smith created established a kingdom of God in a land distrustful of monarchy while positioning Smith as Christ's voice on earth, with the power to form cities, establish economies, and arrange governments.Michael Hubbard MacKay traces the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' claim to religious authority and sets it within the context of its times. Delving into the evolution of the concept of prophetic authority, MacKay shows how the Church emerged as a hierarchical democracy with power diffused among leaders Smith chose. At the same time, Smith's settled place atop the hierarchy granted him an authority that spared early Mormonism the internal conflict that doomed other religious movements. Though Smith faced challenges from other leaders, the nascent Church repeatedly turned to him to decide civic plansTrade Review"Michael MacKay utilizes a humble and penetrating method in his Prophetic Authority: Democratic Hierarchy and the Mormon Priesthood. It is in the details of early Mormon history that MacKay truly excels." --Mormon Studies Review"A welcome and overdue contribution to the short list of publications on authority in the Church. . . . MacKay does not disappoint. . . . MacKay has given us a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of authority both preceding and following the 1830 organization of the Church." --BYU Studies Quarterly​"MacKay's account of priesthood authority should come as a relief to Mormon historians who have struggled to make the restoration of priesthood orderly and consistent. . . . In telling this complex story, MacKay is respectful and admiring and, for his readers, always illuminating." --Journal of Arizona History​"MacKay's excellent command of the subject matter makes this a necessary resource." --Choice​"A unique blend of scholarship, research, and historical retelling that goes well beyond accounts . . . MacKay's reconstruction can easily sustain the fabric of faith." --Interpreter​"The existence of this text should be heralded as an important milestone." --Juvenile Instructor​”Was early Mormonism excessively democratic, representative of a newly disestablished society? Or deeply theocratic, echoing the skeptical backlash against those same liberating impulses? In this exhaustively researched and sophisticatedly argued book, Michael MacKay argues that it is not an 'either, or' but 'yes, and.' And in doing so, MacKay digs into some of founding—and foundational—paradoxes concerning religion in the early American republic.”—Benjamin E Park, author of American Nationalisms: Imagining Union in an Age of Revolutions, 1783–1833”In Prophetic Authority, MacKay gives us the most thorough and painstaking description of the slow blossoming of the Mormon priesthood hierarchy available, embedding the story in the raucous context of antebellum American democracy. Valuable for anyone who wants to understand either of those worlds better.”—Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Goodwillie illuminates the life of Richard McNemar, who played a pivotal role in the formation of the complicated religious landscape of the trans-Appalachian west in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period of American religious history that continues to deeply inform our national culture. McNemar's story seems deeply relevant now, as America has devolved into deep division over religious and political conviction, more than most of us have ever seen in our lifetimes."—Carol Medlicott, Northern Kentucky University"This chronological and detailed treatment of his life highlights McNemar's contributions to Shaker theology, missionary efforts, leadership, poetry, hymns, and printing. Richard McNemar: Frontier Heretic and Shaker Apostle goes beyond and debunks whatever may remain of Shaker folklore connected McNemar. Instead, the reader appreciates him as a man of great integrity and deep religious faith who, in spite of a range of human imperfections, remained true to Mother Ann's Gospel."—Stephen J. Paterwic, author of Historical Dictionary of the Shakers, and The A-Z of the Shakers.Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsMapsIntroductionPart I: Presbyterian and Schismatic1. Youth2. Westward Migration and Education3. Ordination4. Revival5. RebellionPart II: Shaker6. Rebirth7. The New and Living Way8. Community Foundations9. Shakers and the Shawnee Prophet10. Shaker Publications and the Expansion of Missionary Efforts11. Gospel Order in the West, James Smith, and the Ohio Mob12. War Comes to the Wabash13. Perfidy, Pilgrims, Prosecution, Progress, and Pestilence14. The End of the Beginning15. "There's Something Dead upon This Ground," or, "The Buzzards and the Flesh"16. The Struggle with Abijah Alley and Aquila Bolton17. Eleazar Goes East18. Eleazar and the Covenant19. Custos Sacrorum20. The Great Snake and the Patriarchal Skeleton21. Unrest in the West22. Freegift to the West23. "The Name or Memory of Mr. McNamar"24. The New Era25. War in Heaven26. A Wandering Star27. Look Homeward, Angel28. Aftermath and LegacyAppendix 1: Richard McNemar, "A general outline of the past Journal of my life"Appendix 2: Richard McNemar, "Testimony of E[leazar] Wright"Appendix 3: Richard McNemar, "My years on earth have been but few"Appendix 4: [Archibald McCorkle?], "A few mourning thoughts on McNemar's fall," and Richard McNemar, "An Answer to the Mourning Thoughts on McNemar's Fall"Appendix 5: The Expulsion of Richard McNemarAppendix 6: [The Redemption of Richard McNemar]NotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThese essays offer a historically rigorous dismantling of Western claims about the superiority of celibate priests.Although celibacy is often seen as a distinctive feature of the Catholic priesthood, both Catholic and Orthodox Churches in fact have rich and diverse traditions of married priests. The essays contained in Married Priests in the Catholic Church offer the most comprehensive treatment of these traditions to date. These essays, written by a wide-ranging group that includes historians, pastors, theologians, canon lawyers, and the wives and children of married Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox priests, offer diverse perspectives from many countries and traditions on the subject, including personal, historical, theological, and canonical accounts. As a collection, these essays push especially against two tendencies in thinking about married priesthood today. Against the idea that a married priesthood would solve every problem in CathoTrade Review“Married Priests in the Catholic Church makes an original contribution to the history of married and celibate clergy in North America, its pastoral implications, and, most importantly, the theological relationship between marriage and priesthood. I found it so captivating that I could not put it down.” —Radu Bordeianu, author of Dumitru Staniloae: An Ecumenical Ecclesiology"This book is primarily concerned with the clergy of Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, which has a historic tradition of married as well as celibate clergy. . . . Clearly the issue of married clergy remains a stumbling block to East-West church reunification. Other contributors observe the joys and realities of married priests, their families, and their financial problems." —Choice"Adam A.J. DeVille has done a great service for the Catholic Church by editing the collection of essays that make up Married Priests in the Catholic Church. . . . This book is a welcomed response to certain ideologies that view the Eastern Catholic churches and their married priesthood as a concession to be tolerated, at best, or a denigration of the priesthood of Christ, at worst." —Reading Religion"The importance of this publication is that it will help members of both the Western Rite and the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church realize that the very different disciplines relating to marriage and priesthood in the Eastern churches and their offshoots in our Western world is not some exotic remnant or historical accident, but an ideal that exalts marriage and, in consequence, priesthood, and is certainly more solidly based on tradition than the mainstream Catholic tradition of the West." —Journal of Orthodox Christian Studies"Married Priests in the Catholic Church... provides a summary of the challenges that unsettle some of the simplisticcaricatures of some interpretive understandings amongst priests and Bishops." —Reviews in Religion & TheologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction—Adam A. J. DeVille Part I. History Ancient and Modern 1. Was Priestly Celibacy an Apostolic Tradition? The Theological Stakes of a Historical Argument—David G. Hunter 2. From Antioch to America via Smyrna: Rethinking Married Priesthood and Parish Life with Ignatius, Alexis, and Polycarp—D. O. Herbel 3. Mandatory Celibacy among Eastern Catholics: A Church-Dividing Issue—James S. Dutko Part II. Canon Law East and West 4. Recent Papal Pronouncements on the Admission of Married Eastern Catholic Men to the Priesthood: An Ecumenical Issue—Alexander Laschuk 5. Canonical Reflections on Clergy and Marriage—Patrick Viscuso Part III. Ecumenical Considerations 6. Official Catholic Pronouncements Regarding Presbyteral Celibacy: Their Fate and the Implications for Catholic-Orthodox Relations—Peter Galadza 7. Married Clergy in The Anglican Tradition—John Hunwicke 8. The Gift to the Church of Married Clergy—Edwin Barnes Part IV. Pastoral-Familial Life 9. Reflections on Two Vocations in Two Lungs of the One Church—David Meinzen 10. Growing Up in a Rectory: Using Oikonomia to Answer the Tough Questions Posed by the Children of Priestly Families—Julian Hayda 11. The Joys and Crosses of Clerical Families—Nicholas Denysenko 12. Marriage and Ministry: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective—William C. Mills 13. “What Did You Expect?”: A Reflection on Married Clergy and Pastoral Ministry—Andrew Jarmus 14. The Vocation of the Presbytera: Icon of the Theotokos in the Midst of the Ministerial Priesthood—Irene Galadza Part V. Theology 15. Celibacy and the Married Priesthood: Rediscovering the Spousal Mystery—Thomas J. Loya 16. Married Priesthood: Some Theological “Resonances”—Basilio Petrà 17. Married Priests: At the Heart of Tradition—Lawrence Cross and Basilio Petrà 18. Conclusion: Toward a Theology of Married Priesthood—Adam A. J. DeVille Appendix 1. The Toronto Tempest—Victor Pospishil Appendix 2. Recent Views on the Origins of Clerical Celibacy: A Review of the Literature from 1980 to 1991—J. Kevin Coyle Contributors List Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Married Priests in the Catholic Church makes an original contribution to the history of married and celibate clergy in North America, its pastoral implications, and, most importantly, the theological relationship between marriage and priesthood. I found it so captivating that I could not put it down.” —Radu Bordeianu, author of Dumitru Staniloae: An Ecumenical Ecclesiology"This book is primarily concerned with the clergy of Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, which has a historic tradition of married as well as celibate clergy. . . . Clearly the issue of married clergy remains a stumbling block to East-West church reunification. Other contributors observe the joys and realities of married priests, their families, and their financial problems." —Choice"Adam A.J. DeVille has done a great service for the Catholic Church by editing the collection of essays that make up Married Priests in the Catholic Church. . . . This book is a welcomed response to certain ideologies that view the Eastern Catholic churches and their married priesthood as a concession to be tolerated, at best, or a denigration of the priesthood of Christ, at worst." —Reading Religion"The importance of this publication is that it will help members of both the Western Rite and the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church realize that the very different disciplines relating to marriage and priesthood in the Eastern churches and their offshoots in our Western world is not some exotic remnant or historical accident, but an ideal that exalts marriage and, in consequence, priesthood, and is certainly more solidly based on tradition than the mainstream Catholic tradition of the West." —Journal of Orthodox Christian Studies"Married Priests in the Catholic Church... provides a summary of the challenges that unsettle some of the simplisticcaricatures of some interpretive understandings amongst priests and Bishops." —Reviews in Religion & TheologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction—Adam A. J. DeVille Part I. History Ancient and Modern 1. Was Priestly Celibacy an Apostolic Tradition? The Theological Stakes of a Historical Argument—David G. Hunter 2. From Antioch to America via Smyrna: Rethinking Married Priesthood and Parish Life with Ignatius, Alexis, and Polycarp—D. O. Herbel 3. Mandatory Celibacy among Eastern Catholics: A Church-Dividing Issue—James S. Dutko Part II. Canon Law East and West 4. Recent Papal Pronouncements on the Admission of Married Eastern Catholic Men to the Priesthood: An Ecumenical Issue—Alexander Laschuk 5. Canonical Reflections on Clergy and Marriage—Patrick Viscuso Part III. Ecumenical Considerations 6. Official Catholic Pronouncements Regarding Presbyteral Celibacy: Their Fate and the Implications for Catholic-Orthodox Relations—Peter Galadza 7. Married Clergy in The Anglican Tradition—John Hunwicke 8. The Gift to the Church of Married Clergy—Edwin Barnes Part IV. Pastoral-Familial Life 9. Reflections on Two Vocations in Two Lungs of the One Church—David Meinzen 10. Growing Up in a Rectory: Using Oikonomia to Answer the Tough Questions Posed by the Children of Priestly Families—Julian Hayda 11. The Joys and Crosses of Clerical Families—Nicholas Denysenko 12. Marriage and Ministry: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective—William C. Mills 13. “What Did You Expect?”: A Reflection on Married Clergy and Pastoral Ministry—Andrew Jarmus 14. The Vocation of the Presbytera: Icon of the Theotokos in the Midst of the Ministerial Priesthood—Irene Galadza Part V. Theology 15. Celibacy and the Married Priesthood: Rediscovering the Spousal Mystery—Thomas J. Loya 16. Married Priesthood: Some Theological “Resonances”—Basilio Petrà 17. Married Priests: At the Heart of Tradition—Lawrence Cross and Basilio Petrà 18. Conclusion: Toward a Theology of Married Priesthood—Adam A. J. DeVille Appendix 1. The Toronto Tempest—Victor Pospishil Appendix 2. Recent Views on the Origins of Clerical Celibacy: A Review of the Literature from 1980 to 1991—J. Kevin Coyle Contributors List Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the image networks of St. George in the eastern Mediterranean, revealing how the different portrayals became central to Crusader, East Christian, and Islamic visual cultures.Trade Review“This panoramic volume follows the images of military saints across Armenian, Byzantine, Coptic, Crusader, Georgian, Islamic, Syriac, and many other fields of study usually held separate. Badamo ties together the fragmented political map of the later medieval eastern Mediterranean in unexpected ways that cause us to rethink broader questions of global art and history.”—Benjamin Anderson,Cornell University“Saint George Between Empires particularly excels in highlighting the importance of Saint George / al-Khiḍr in both Christian and Islamic contexts, and is by far the most all-encompassing study on this subject.”—Dr. Mat Immerzeel,Fellow International Studies, Leiden University

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