Religious communities and monasticism Books

Book Synopsis‘This book really, really will stay with me forever. It’s not only laced with the most incredible wisdom, but it’s also gentle and beautiful and eloquent. It brought me so much joy and so much comfort’ FEARNE COTTON ‘Life-changing. This book is sensational. If you’re struggling, feeling a little lost, anxious or in need of a mental lift, please read it’ ELLA MILLS, FOUNDER OF DELICIOUSLY ELLA The Sunday Times bestselling book of comfort and timeless wisdom from former forest monk, Björn Natthiko Lindeblad We like to think we can determine the path our life takes, but events rarely unfold the way we plan for or expect. In this international bestseller, former forest monk Björn Natthiko Lindeblad draws on his humbling journey towards navigating uncertainty – helping you, with kindness and good humour, to: - Let go of the small stuff - Accept the things you cannot control - Manage difficult emotions - Find stillness at busy times - Face yourself – and others – without judgment Infusing the everyday with heart and grace, this is a wise and soothing handbook for dealing with life’s challenges.Trade ReviewA multiple prize-winner across Europe, and you can quickly see why . . . This is a book of some brilliance * Daily Mail *With our potential to maintain a peaceful state of mind, it is possible to remain optimistic in the face of difficulties. Björn Natthiko Lindeblad, a former forest monk in Thailand, relates his experience of training to properly direct his thoughts which can benefit all -- His Holiness the Dalai LamaGenuinely stays with you . . . Will encourage you to let go of the small stuff, accept the things you cannot control and open your heart and mind to a more happy and peaceful life * Woman & Home *[An] extraordinary life . . . A book that, improbably, mixes elements of profundity and sweetness in equal measure. I read it, turning down the corners of pages I wished to refer back to, and marking certain passages with a pencil. By the end, almost every page was folded and marked * Telegraph *Phenomenal. Steeped in wisdom. Best book I've read in a long time -- Ella MillsI loved every single page . . . It’s not only just laced with the most incredible wisdom, but it’s also gentle and beautiful and eloquent. There’s so much storytelling . . . I literally could not put this book down -- Fearne CottonContains so many wisdoms that tie in with the big issues that the world wrestles with today . . . Heart-rending, yet at the same time so beautiful * Nyhetsmorgon (Sweden) *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShannen Dee Williams provides a comprehensive history of Black Catholic nuns in the United States, tracing how Black sisters' struggles were central to the long African American freedom movement.Trade Review“Deeply researched, elegantly written, and boldly argued, Subversive Habits is a brilliant excavation of the long political history of Black nuns. This is extraordinary scholarship that is as accessible as it is groundbreaking and illuminating. This timely and essential book widens the frames of Black women’s history, of religion and activism, and of Black Catholicism.” -- Barbara D. Savage, author of * Your Spirits Walk beside Us: The Politics of Black Religion *“Sweeping in its scope, exhaustively researched, and balanced in presentation,Subversive Habits is a seminal history of Black Catholic Nuns and their struggle for equality and justice in the Catholic Church.” -- Bettye Collier-Thomas, author of * Jesus, Jobs, and Justice: African American Women and Religion *"An awe-inspiring history book about Black nuns who fought for freedom and equality. . . . Subversive Habits is a stirring history text about the remarkable faith and conviction of Black nuns in America." -- Melissa Wuske * Foreword *(Starred Review) "Informative and often surprising, this should be required reading for scholars of Catholic and African American religious history and will undoubtedly become the standard text on its subject." * Publishers Weekly *"The 'uncommon faithfulness' of the nuns in Subversive Habits—taking the church at its word when it teaches that we are all one body—is a model of discipleship from which all Catholics can learn." -- Kathleen Manning * U.S. Catholic *"Shannen Williams's book chronicles the bold steps and persistence African-American sisters took to debunk their rejection by white orders that insisted Black women lacked souls and/or virtue suitable to be admitted to them. . . . This outstanding book, Subversive Habits, is well-researched, quite revealing and a set of history and reality lessons of how Black sisters kept the faith and made the Catholic Church change." -- Ralph E. Moore, Jr. * The AFRO *"This eye-opening, inspiring and thoroughly researched book unearths a history that few Americans know: the challenges and triumphs of Black Catholic nuns in the United States. It’s one of the most exciting new books in Black women’s history and powerfully captures the interconnections between race, religion and politics." -- Keisha Blain * Politico *"Subversive Habits demands a committed reader. However, it will reward the resilient and open-minded reader with apokalupsis—tremendous learning about the scope of racism throughout the American Catholic Church as well as the witness of these Black Catholic women and their contributions to the church and the world. Please take up the reading and stick with it. Draw some perseverance from the women the book depicts and take heart in their commitment to justice." -- Kevin Spinale * America *"Subversive Habits brings a very necessary balance to histories published in recent decades that focus on civil rights work by Catholics. It seems these historians were writing about the exception and not the norm. This is the story of courageous nuns, including those who felt they couldn't remain any longer, who are the true gems of American Catholic history. Every woman religious must read this book." -- Laura Swan * Magistra *"In Subversive Habits, historian Williams has given us a remarkable work of scholarship, one that may be distressing for many readers because she clears away any shred of doubt about the U.S. Catholic Church being racist from its very beginnings." -- Kathleen Finley * The Tablet *"I have never read a more thoughtful account of the Black Catholic experience than Shannen Dee Williams’ Subversive Habits. Williams’ book is a revelatory history of the experiences of Black religious women in understanding race, faith, and change in the Catholic church from the antebellum period through the various waves of civil-rights struggle to the contemporary era." -- Marcia Chatelain * Chronicle of Higher Education * "Williams seeks to tell the story of these women and of the Black and majority white sisterhoods in which they participated. The account is well documented, and Williams includes a look at the current departures of Black sisters from religious life and considers the likely future of Black female religious communities. Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, and professionals." -- L. H. Hoyle * Choice *"Williams's book is the go-to work on Black women religious in the United States during and in the afterlife of slavery. Future scholars, practitioners, and interlocutors are indebted to this brilliant author for the treasure trove she has gifted us." -- Ahmad Greene-Hayes * Journal of Southern History *Table of ContentsAbbreviations ix Note on Terminology xiii Preface: Bearing Witness to a Silenced Past xv Acknowledgments xix Introduction. America’s Forgotten Black Freedom Fighters 1 1. Our Sole Wish Is to Do the Will of God: The Early Struggles of Black Catholic Sisters in the United States 23 2. Nothing Is Too Good for the Youth of Our Race: The Fight for Black-Administered Catholic Education during Jim Crow 61 3. Is the Order Catholic Enough? The Struggle to Desegregate White Sisterhoods after World War II 103 4. I Was Fired Up to Go to Selma: Black Sisters, the Second Vatican Council, and the Fight for Civil Rights 134 5. Liberation Is Our First Priority: Black Nuns and Black Power 167 6. No Schools, No Churches! The Fight to Save Black Catholic Education in the 1970s 200 7. The Future of the Black Catholic Nun Is Dubious: African American Sisters in the Age of Church Decline 231 Conclusion. The Catholic Church Wouldn't Be Catholic If It Wasn’t for Us 259 Glossary 271 Notes 273 Bibliography 345 Index 371

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Desert Fathers were the first Christian monks, living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. In contrast to the formalised and official theology of the founding fathers of the church, the Desert Fathers were ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world and live lives of celibacy, fasting, vigil, prayer and poverty in direct and simple response to the gospel. Their sayings were first recorded in the 4th century and consist of spiritual advice, anecdotes and parables. The Desert Fathers'' teachings and lives have inspired poetry, opera and art, as well as providing spiritual nourishment and a template for monastic life.Table of ContentsThe Desert FathersIntroductionFurther ReadingA Note on the Text1. Progress in Perfection2. Quiet3. Compunction4. Self-Control5. Lust6. Possessing Nothing7. Fortitude8. Nothing Done for Show9. Non-Judgement10. Discretion11. Sober Living12. Unceasing Prayer13. Hospitality14. Obedience15. Humility16. Patience17. Charity18. VisionsSome Names from the Text

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFranciscan priest Richard Rohr focuses his attention on all frames and doorways to the divine - the alternative way of Francis of Assisi.Trade ReviewA comprehensive examination of Frances and his egalitarian brotherhood. * Methodist Recorder *Anyone familiar with Rohr's innovative theology will recognise how this is firmly grounded in the teaching of St Francis and anyone who has not encountered Rohr before will, I am sure, be intrigued by what he has to say. * Reform *A book well worth reading and engaging with. * Together Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Timely and inspiring." * Paradigm Explorer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDaily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community draws on the spiritual practices of Northern Ireland's longest established peace and reconciliation organisation. For over fifty years, it has been bringing fractured communities together and resourcing others in the work of healing conflict. At the heart of its life is a simple pattern of daily worship. This prayer book captures the essence of the Corrymeela prayer experience to help you incorporate its spirituality into your practice of prayer. Structured over 31 days, it offers a daily Bible reading with accompanying prayer by Pádraig Ó Tuama. as well as an introduction to the spirituality that sustains Corrymeela’s remarkable work.Trade ReviewThese poem-prayers are compassionate, contemporary and formally innovative. Improvising key moments in scripture, they offer a fresh perspective, linguistic rhythms grounded in truth and love. Savour them on the tongue, learn them off by heart, customise them, make them your own. Patience Agbabi, poet, author of Telling Tales, former Poet Laureate of Canterbury. -- Patience Agbabi, poet, author of Telling Tales, former Poet Laureate of Canterbury

Read more less

Book SynopsisSt. Elizabeth was a grand daughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland, and the sister of the last Czarina Alexandra. This short work sets forth in the Grand Duchess's own words her vision for monastic life in inner city early twentieth century Moscow.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1960, five young men arrived at the imposing gates of Parkminster, the largest centre of the most rigorous and ascetic monastic order in the Western world: the Carthusians. This is the story of their five-year journey into a society virtually unchanged in its behaviour and lifestyle since its foundation in 1084. An Infinity of Little Hours is a uniquely intimate portrait of the customs and practices of a monastic order almost entirely unknown until now. It is also a drama of the men's struggle as they avoid the 1960s,the decade of hedonism, music, fashion, and amorality,and enter an entirely different era and a spiritual world of their own making. After five years each must face a choice: to make "solemn profession" and never leave Parkminster or to turn his back on his life's ambition to find God in solitude. A remarkable investigative work, the book combines first-hand testimony with unique source material to describe the Carthusian life. And in the final chapter, which recounts a reunion forty years after the events described elsewhere in the book, Nancy Klein Maguire reveals which of the five succeeded in their quest, and which did not.Trade Review"Maguire has produced a vivid, gripping and deeply touching picture of a world that is now lost. For an outsider to enter such a closed society and to capture its essence is an astonishing achievement: this is a work of history, but it has all the best qualities of a psychological novel." Diarmiud MacCullogh "It is fascinating to enter, if only for a few hours, into this way of life, where extreme devotion forms at last a bit of a bulwark against humanity's digressions." Los Angeles Times"

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new edition of this contemporary spirtitual classic in which the ancient and gentle wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict is explored in realtion to the demands of modern living and the importance of balance between prayer, work and study.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA journey from where we are to achieving true happiness.Sister Mary David Totah was a nun of the Benedictine contemplative community of St Cecilia''s Abbey on the Isle of Wight. American by birth, she was educated at Loyola University, the University of Virginia and Christ Church, Oxford. After a distinguished teaching career, she entered religious life in 1985. For 22 years until her early death from cancer she guided the young nuns of her abbey with enthusiasm, wisdom and wit.The spirituality to be found in the pages of this book demonstrates to the reader why her influence should have been so great and so deep. Her notes to the novices deal with issues of relevance to a world beyond the cloister: What is the meaning of suffering? How do we cope with living with people who annoy us? How do we relate to a God we cannot see? How do we make the big decisions of life?Sister Mary David''s teaching was both profound and intensely practical, suffused witTrade ReviewA corpus of spiritual sagacity * Catholic Herald *Sr Mary David had an exceptional gift for friendship. The Joy of God, drawn from her notes, letters, and talks to novices ... shows why. Her joy, which was her hallmark, was a gift but it was also a choice, the fruit of effort, of very great, consistent generosity and courage, and of suffering. She was a disciple of joy. * The Tablet *If ever a book title conveyed its content, this one certainly does … That theme of joy, rooted in Christ, runs throughout the chapters, which have been skilfully put together from talks and letters to her novices. They deal with subjects such as growth, freedom, and darkness, and, while written for enclosed nuns, show how such a life develops deep insights into universal subjects. Liberally sprinkled with useful quotations from saints great and small, the book is easy to read. The chapters address how we are to grow in our consecration to Christ, whether that be through baptism or religious profession. * Church Times *Table of ContentsForeword: Sister Mary David Totah - Father Erik Varden OCSO PART ONE: CALLED TO JOY PART TWO: JOURNEY TO JOY Search Decision Growth Freedom Endurance Mercy Darkness Light PART THREE: SURRENDER TO JOY Acceptance-with-Joy: Her Last Lesson Interview Recorded a Few Weeks Before She Died Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe take it for granted that aspects of monastic life can sustain our daily lives in the world, but we owe this understanding to John Main, a Benedictine monk who pioneered the idea that the desert tradition of meditative or contemplative prayer, which had largely been forgotten in the West, was for all Christians. At his monastery in London, he started teaching this way of prayer to lay groups and a network of meditation groups came into being, quickly spreading throughout the world and renewing a sense of the Church as a fellowship rooted in prayer and contemplative action. Bestselling books soon grew out of his talks. This simple, practical guide to 'pure prayer' teaches that by ceasing to struggle to find words and images by which we all too easily try to control God, we give God freedom to be himself in our hearts and we begin to pray with 'the mind of Christ', as St Paul teaches. In a nervous world saturated with image and endless self-commentary, this is a nourishing, life-giving stream of hope and refreshment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisâHistorical fiction at its finest' @MargaretAtwood (Twitter). The richly atmospheric story of a young woman's struggle to define herself in a world of uncertainty, intrigue and danger in a time of great upheaval during the Tudor era. Trade Review‘Glendinning writes with a vivid immediacy about a fascinating, dark moment in our island story... a refreshing and original tale [about] the underside of Henry’s religious Reformation’ The Times'Marvellous... heart-breaking and unforgettable... a by times humorous, by times tragic but always compelling picaresque tale' Irish Times‘A brave girl, a powerful tale, a world on the brink of change – and how the past leaps into life!’ Fay Weldon‘An absolute pleasure... assured, quietly gripping, surprising and educative, with a terrific central character, it pins down the precarious nature of life in 16th-century England’ Daily Mail‘A touching, vivid and sometimes deeply shocking depiction of the lives of ordinary people whose world was shattered by Henry VIII’s policy to dissolve England’s monasteries. A must for anyone interested in the Tudor period' Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Queen’s Gambit (The Tudor Trilogy)‘A powerful and very immediate picture of another age. It is full of violence and loss, and yet it is also a testament to survival, courage, pity, and the eternal beauty to be found in small things’ Anne Perry‘An immersive, engrossing, and epic journey of a woman’s soul, finely researched and beautifully written’ Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I‘I loved this book from the very first page, for the poised lyricism of the writing and for the fascination of the story. Agnes Peppin, the butcher’s daughter, is an enchanting witness to turbulent times, and the cataclysmic events that shape her life become newly urgent and thrilling as seen through her eyes. This is a wonderful novel – sometimes tragic, sometimes redemptive, always thoughtful and wise’ Margaret Leroy, author of The English Girl‘Chronicles the human cost of Henry’s edict. Well written with wonderfully rendered descriptions of place and period and an evocative mix of fiction and fact... at once immediate and intimate… In a world ruled by men cowed before a fickle tyrant, Agnes’s decisions are not only pragmatic but authentic to her time and place’ New York Journal of Books'As the butcher’s daughter reflects on all she sees, Glendinning makes this tale exhilarating, lending Agnes a candid, eccentrically lyrical voice' Jean Zimmerman, New York Times‘A beguiling, affecting tale of dissolution and redemption set in a changing – and beautifully wrought – Tudor landscape. Gloriously authentic and refreshingly unromantic, this one got under my skin’ Jessie Child, historian and award-winning author of Henry VIII’s Last Victim and God’s Traitors

Read more less

Book SynopsisA revelatory account of how Christian monks identified distraction as a fundamental challenge—and how their efforts to defeat it can inform ours, more than a millennium laterTrade Review"A life of prayer and seclusion has never meant a life without distraction. As Jamie Kreiner puts it in her new book, [The Wandering Mind], the monks of late antiquity and the early Middle Ages (around A.D. 300 to 900) struggled mightily with attention...Charming...[Kreiner uses] the cultural obsession with distractibility to train our focus elsewhere, guiding us from the starting point of our own preoccupations to a greater understanding of how monks lived." -- Jennifer Szalai - The New York Times"A lucid and vivid examination of how early Christian monks created habits of contemplation to 'connect their minds to God,' opening 'panoramic vistas of the universe that transcended both space and time.' Ms. Kreiner, a professor of medieval history at th" -- Dominic Green - The Wall Street Journal"compelling, beautifully written and often amusing" -- Anna Katharina Schaffner - The Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisMonastic experience in twelfth-century Germany provides a rare window on to monastery life in the tumultuous world of twelfth-century Swabia. From its founding in 992 through the great fire that ravaged it in 1159 and beyond, Petershausen weathered countless external attacks and internal divisions. Supra-regional clashes between emperors and popes played out at the most local level. Monks struggled against overreaching bishops. Reformers introduced new and unfamiliar customs. Tensions erupted into violence within the community. Through it all the anonymous chronicler struggled to find meaning amid conflict and forge connections to a shared past, enlivening his narrative with colorful anecdotes – sometimes amusing, sometimes disturbing. Translated into English for the first time, this fascinating text is an essential source for the lived experience of medieval monasticism.Trade Review'Monastic Experience in Twelfth-Century Germany provides a skillfully annotated and translated text of the Petershausen Chronicles. The Chronicles not only provide a glimpse into twelfth-century German monasticism and society, they are a fascinating read: a saint who refuses to give up his relics, a cruel murderer who boils his victim, battle scenes, visions, miracles, and delightfully detailed descriptions make the Chronicles anything but a dry historical account.'The American Benedictine Review -- .Table of ContentsIntroductionThe Chronicle of PetershausenPrologueBook OneBook TwoBook ThreeBook FourTranslation of the Relics of St. GebhardAdditional EntriesBook FiveBook SixAppendix 1: The Life of St. GebhardAppendix 2: Concordance of book and chapter numberingBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisBorn in the dark days of the great crusades, the warrior monks of the Knights Templar vowed to defend pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Yet strangely, there are few historical records of the Templars ever fulfilling this task. Instead, their history is one of bloodshed and conquest, wealth and power, dark secrets and conspiracies. Today, the story of the Knights Templar is intimately linked with the story of the Holy Grail. But what exactly is this ancient artifact, and how has it been used to manipulate history for the last one thousand years? This book, based on the notes of the recently deceased historian, Dr. Emile Fouchet, attempts to unlock the secrets of the Knights Templar. It begins with an examination of their historical origins, their growth in the early middle-ages, and their supposed destruction under the charges of heresy. From there, it uses the clues left by the Templars themselves to reconstruct their secret journeys as they moved the Holy Grail from Europe to the New World and back. It also charts the secret, three-way war that is still being fought between the Templars, the Freemasons, and the Catholic Church. Finally, the book reveals the greatest of all Templar conspiracies, the attempt to found a new world order under the auspices of the European Union.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Origins and Growth / Downfall / Survival / The Magicians / The Manipulators / The Holy Grail / The New World / The Templar Treasure / Templar Locations / Bibliography / Glossary

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review'for its simplicity and clarity it is a joy to read' Bury Free Press'A very readable translation of a text that gives a substantial impression of life - especially monastic - in the 12th century.' Dr J. Hines, University of Wales, Cardiff'gives a precious insight into the soul of a mediaeval monastery ... It is difficult to choose between the delights of this piece. Diana Greenway and Jane Sayers are to be congratulated on a translation which is plain prose, on an introduction and notes which really present the text, and on sub-editing the text in a way which much increases its accessibility.' Peter Hackett, Month'The translation is clear and unfussy, up-to-date but not colloquial.' Edmund King, University of Sheffield, Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"An impressive demonstration of how far a scholar can go with painstaking investigation and interpretation of scattered and limited evidence. . . . There is a great deal to admire and ponder [in this book]." * The Medieval Review *"The Beguines of Medieval Paris is an informative and lively book that will make readers see these women not as the hypocritical figures of the satirical tradition nor as the targets of hostile papal pronouncements but as active and charitable women who carved out an important place for themselves in a city replete with religious orders and institutions." * Catholic Historical Review *"Tanya Stabler Miller presents the reader with an elegant, thoroughly researched and persuasively argued study, providing invaluable insight into this urban female community but also making an informed addition to the growing understanding of Later Medieval spirituality more broadly." * French History *"This lovely book engages with the histories of work, women, and spirituality, as well as with urban and intellectual history. . . . Excellent." * Journal of Interdisciplinary History *"This is a wonderful new study of the beguines who lived in Paris and enjoyed considerable public respect, especially by King Louis IX. . . . Tanya Stabler Miller provides a detailed discussion of the available sources and illustrates through a variety of approaches how and why the beguines could establish themselves so well against all protests and condemnations by the theologians and clerics." * Mediaevistik *"Tanya Stabler Miller writes with intelligence and clarity. The contributions she makes to our understanding of how female spirituality was connected to female labor are revelatory." * William Chester Jordan, Princeton University *"An important and rich case study. In telling detail, The Beguines of Medieval Paris sheds light on the broader contours of this religious movement." * Walter Simons, Dartmouth College *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. The Prud'homme and the Beguines: Louis IX and the Foundation of the Beguinage of Paris Chapter 2. The World of the Beguinage Chapter 3. Beguines, Silk, and the City Chapter 4. Masters and Pastors: Sorbonne Scholars, Beguines, and Religious Instruction Chapter 5. Religious Education and Spiritual Collaboration at the Beguinage of Paris Chapter 6. "There Are Among Us Women Called Beguines" Chapter 7. The King's Beguines Appendix. Beguines Whose Occupations Are Known Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhilip Perry's Essay on the Life and Manners of the Venerable Robert Grosseteste presents us not only with a high standard of biographical scholarship but also a fine example of English eighteenth-century polemical writing. Grosseteste was a formidable thirteenth-century bishop of Lincoln who, because of his insistence upon the primacy of Scripture and his apparent wrangling with the papacy, had long been claimed as a type of proto-Protestant in the English post-Reformation historical tradition. Perry sets out in his Essay a vivid account of Grosseteste's life and achievements to advance his cause as a worthy saint and to recover his reputation as a loyal son of the Roman Church. His frank discussion of the abuses that Grosseteste opposed and the controversies in which he engaged put his text beyond the limits of what a Catholic priest could advisably print in eighteenth-century England. The manuscript remained unpublished for fear of causing scandal, and now sees its first printed edition.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMalcolm Barber's classic The Trial of the Templars recounts the dramatic demise of this elite military force in the fourteenth century. Having fought against Islam in the crusades in the East for nearly two centuries, in October 1307 the members of this respected Order were arrested on the order of Philip IV, King of France and charged with serious heresies, including homosexuality and the denial of Christ. Finding resonances between the fourteenth-century trial and contemporary events, Barber's classic account endeavours to tackle the unresolved controversies surrounding the consequences of the trial and includes discussions in the context of new work on the crusades, heresy, the papacy and the French monarchy.Trade Review'… this detailed narrative of the last days of the Order of the Temple has deservedly established itself as the standard account in a major European language.' Journal of Ecclesiastical HistoryTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction; 1. The participants; 2. The arrests; 3. The papal intervention; 4. The papal and episcopal inquiries; 5. The defence of the Order; 6. The end of resistance; 7. The charges; 8. The trial in other countries; 9. The suppression; 10. Conclusion; Notes; Chronology of the trial; Recent historiography on the dissolution of the Temple; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis bookshows how the kingdom of God has advanced through the progression of distinct covenants, collectively serving as the foundation for God's promise to bring redemption to his people.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA full and comprehensive survey of the development of the Cistercian Order which emerged from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The Cistercians (White Monks) were the most successful monastic experiment to emerge from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. By around 1150 they had established houses the length and breadth of Western Christendom and were internationally renowned. They sought to return to a simple form of monastic life, as set down in the Rule of St Benedict, and preferred rural locations "far from the haunts of men".But, as recent research has shown, they were by no means isolated from society but influenced, and were influenced by, the world around them; they moved with the times. This book explores the phenomenon that was the Cistercian Order, drawing on recent research from various disciplines to consider what it was that made the Cistercians distinctive and how they responded to developments. The book addresses current debates regarding the origins and evolution of the Order; discusses the key primary sources for knowledge; and covers architecture, administration, daily life, spirituality, the economy and the monks' ties with the world. Professor Janet Burton teaches at theSchool of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Dr Julie Kerr is Honorary Research Fellow in the School of History, University of St Andrews.Trade ReviewWell-structured and rigorously edited. * ANALECTA CISTERCIENSIA LXIII *This is an excellent introduction.providing a well-balanced and easily accessible overview. It is recommended to anyone interested in monastic or medieval history. * H-FRANCE REVIEW *A treasure trove of detailed information. * CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW *[The authors] are due the thanks of all interested in medieval monastic life for this fine addition to the literature on one of its most important manifestations. * AMERICAN BENEDICTINE REVIEW *It will serve undergraduates in the area of Cistercian studies as an introduction to the riches of the primary sources and as a pointer to debates in academic literature. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *An interesting and well-argued book. * JOURNAL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *A much needed introduction. [It offers] a detailed and readable account of the Cistercians' origins and an analysis of the distinctiveness of the medieval Cistercians' way of life. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Concise yet comprehensive...this book deserves to become a standard introductory work for anyone intent on serious Cistercian studies. * NORTHERN HISTORY *An impressive work of seminal scholarship. * MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW *An engaging and authoritative history of the Cistercian order from its origins to the end of the Middle Ages. This volume, a further contribution to Boydell's excellent Monastic Orders series, is a wide-ranging, Europe-wide history of the Cistercians, considering them in the religious, cultural, political and economic contexts of their world and time. * REVIEWS IN HISTORY *For those who teach religious orders or church history, this is must have....It provides a wider understanding of the Cistercian Order and how they interacted with the world as well as a firm basis of their organisation and life in general. * H-WRBI *A valuable contribution to Cistercian history. Recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsThe 'desert-place called Cîteaux' 'In mountain valleys and plains': the spread of the Cistercian Order 'Lonely wooded places': the Cistercians, their sites and their buildings Unity and concord: the administration of the Order Ora et labora: daily life in the cloister 'Angels of God': Cistercian spirituality Conversi, granges and the Cistercian economy 'Lanterns shining in a dark place': the Cistercians and the world Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsisthe Jesuits have always defined themselves, not by any particular place or specific ministry, but by a universal outreach. they were ready to go wherever the needs were great and the opportunities promising. Adaptability became their hallmark. From early on the Jesuits spread rapidly: to the Far East, starting with Francis Xavier in 1540, to North and South America, to Africa and eventually to Australasia. In their reports to Rome, they spoke about the different situations they faced, their successes and failures, their frustrations and hopes. This little volume tells the stories of a few of these Jesuits, from different continents and eras. In the hope that their commitment and struggles will prove inspirational once again today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book tells the life of Pedro Arrupe SJ, 1907-1991, whose cause for beatification was introduced in 2019. Arrupe played a central role in the Church of the twentieth century and his influence endures in the many who are fired by his idealism, vision and way of life. A tiny man with a heart truly larger than the world, he lived like a church mouse, prayed for four hours daily, and had a vibrant relationship with the three divine Persons through his sixteen years as General of the Jesuits. Born in Bilbao, he experienced the poverty of the Madrid slums while pursuing medical studies, and witnessed miracles at Lourdes which led him to join the Jesuit Order in 1927. He was expelled from Spain with his fellow-Jesuits in 1931 and began working in Japan in 1938 only to endure thirty-three days of solitary confinement on charges of espionage, and was a first responder in the oven of Hiroshima when the atom bomb fell there in 1945. He was elected in 1965 as superior general of the Jesuits, then numbering 36,000, and led them fearlessly for sixteen challenging years as the Church grappled with the decrees of the Vatican Council, 1962-1965. He made a refreshed Ignatian spirituality available not only to the Society but to Christians everywhere who try to find God in their daily lives. His renewal of Jesuit life and mission crystallised around the faith that does justice, and he challenged Jesuit alumni worldwide to become ‘men and women for and with others’. In 1980 he founded the Jesuit Refugee Service which has now spread globally. Trade Review‘This book will enrich whoever picks it up, open the eyes of your heart, giving a true flavour of this remarkable man.’ * Catholic South West *‘More than a memoir, this is a meditation on the life and death of Pedro Arrupe...this book belongs with the best in recent spiritual biography’. * The Furrow *‘this really is an account of a saintly life’ * The Pastoral Review *‘...a multidimensional portrayal of one of the greatest Church figures of our times...the author’s clear, measured exposition of the guiding principles of Arrupe’s life make this an accessible, provocative read.’ * Intercom *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brief meeting with a Buddhist nun in India made a deep impression on Christine Toomey. It sent her on a two-year, 60,000-mile odyssey to learn more about the contemporary women choosing in their thousands to become part of a long tradition of female spirituality that stretches back through the centuries and now embraces the radical possibility that the next Dalai Lama could be female. In The Saffron Road, Toomey follows in the footsteps of earlier generations of Buddhist nuns to trace the routes by which the philosophy has spread from a solitary order in a remote area of India in the 5th century BC, via 1950s San Francisco where Zen was popularised by the Beat generation, to the globally-renowned practitioners of mindfulness of today. Beginning her journey in the Himalayas, close to the birthplace of the Buddha, Toomey travels from Nepal, to India, through Burma, Japan and on to North America and Europe, along the way visiting contemporary nunneries to meet the women who practise there. Amongst those she talks to are a group of "kung fu" nuns, an acclaimed novelist, a princess, a concert violinist, a former BBC journalist, and a one-time Washington political aide. Through these conversations, the daily reality of the Buddhist existence is gradually revealed, together with the diverse spiritual paths leading these women towards nirvana. Combining travelogue, history, interviews and personal reflection, The Saffron Road opens the door to a rarely glimpsed world of ritual, discipline and enlightenment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisKathy Galloway offers a series of reflections on living by the Rule of the Iona Community, exploring its history, inner life and public witness. They arise from her conviction that 'the Rule is, for us, a source of freedom and, in its outworking, contains something of our prophetic edge. It is not so much that I keep the Rule, as that the Rule keep

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Thousand Fates explores the afterlife of medieval monasticism in England and Wales. A thousand years of monasticism came to an abrupt end in the mid-sixteenth century with the Dissolution of the Monasteries. At its peak two hundred years earlier, many people chose the contemplative life, while the rich sought salvation through the foundation or embellishment of religious houses. Much of the nation’s wealth was locked into these complexes through elaborate rebuilding, gifts of precious objects and flourishing libraries of rare books. Then in just four years all of the eight hundred plus houses were closed and ten thousand people dispersed, with the monastic fortune liquidated and passed to the crown. Today we are left with echoes of a time dominated by an enclosed elite, their homes repurposed or derelict or obliterated. Some of these foundations still thrive as churches, schools, homes or tourist attractions. Others have left little physical trace, the casual viewer ignorant of their existence. A Thousand Fates is not an account of why the monasteries closed or what happened to the people displaced. Instead it focuses on the monastic buildings and their numerous fates and brings life to their stories.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the most influential texts in the Middle Ages, The Rule of Saint Benedict offers guidance about both the spiritual and organizational dimensions, from the loftiest to the lowliest, of monastic life. This new Latin-English edition has features for both first-time readers and scholars of medieval history and language.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMonasticism is a social and religious phenomenon which originated in antiquity and which still remains relevant in the twenty-first century. But what, exactly, is it, and how is it distinguished from other kinds of religious and non-religious practice?In this Very Short Introduction Stephen J. Davis discusses the history of monasticism, from our earliest evidence for it, and the different types which have developed from antiquity to the present day. He considers where monasteries are located, from East Asia to North America, and everywhere in between, and how their settings impact the everyday life and worldview of the monks and nuns who dwell there. Exploring how monastic communities are organized, he also looks at how aspects of life like food, sleep, sex, work, and prayer are regimented. Finally, Davis discusses what the stories about saints communicate about monastic identity and ethics, and considers what place there is for monasticism in the modern world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review...excellent... * Patricia Rumsey, Modern Believing *... the book of Stephen J. Davis deserves to be read, understood and used not only by the curious people who want to find more about the approached topic, but also by the specialists in their future scientific enterprises. * Iuliu-Marius Morariu, Studia Monastica *This pocket-size text is concise without sacrificing necessary illustrations, expert but free from pedantry, and skilfully arranged by significant themes. * Patrick Horn, Reading Religion *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; REFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines the turbulent modern history and sociology of the Sri Lankan Buddhist Monkhood and its effects upon contemporary society. Using translated Sinhalese documents and interviews with monks, this text unravels the inner workings of this New Buddhism and the ideology on which it is based.Table of ContentsPreface Note on Usage 1: Buddhism, Civil Society, and the Present Study 2: Dharmapala and the Definition of the Monk's Mission 3: The Economic Stage: Vidyodaya and Rural Development 4: Vidyalankara: The Descent into Ideology 5: Social Service: The Anatomy of a Vocation 6: The Critique of Monkhood 7: Conclusion: From Regeneration to Degeneration Index ??

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisReveals the meaning behind the cryptic codes and secret rituals of the medieval brotherhood of warrior monks known as the Knights Templar. This guide covers topics such as who the Knights Templar were, how they rose so high and fell so far, and why there is so much interest in them.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 3 Conventions Used in This Book 4 What You’re Not to Read 5 Foolish Assumptions 5 How This Book Is Organized 6 Part I: The Knights Templar and the Crusades 6 Part II: A Different Kind of Knighthood 6 Part III: After the Fall of the Templars 6 Part IV: Templars and the Grail 7 Part V: Squaring Off: The Church versus the Gospel According to Dan Brown 7 Part VI: The Part of Tens 8 Icons Used in This Book 8 Where to Go from Here 9 Part I: The Knights Templar and the Crusades 11 Chapter 1: Defining the Templar Code 13 Knights, Grails, Codes, Leonardo da Vinci, and How They All Collide 14 The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon 16 Defining knighthood 17 Defining monasticism 19 Warrior Monks: Their Purpose 20 A vow of nine crusader knights 21 Don’t leave home without it: The Templars’ role as international bankers 22 Builders 24 Templars in Battle 24 Betrayed, Excommunicated, and Hunted 25 So where’d everybody go? 26 The riddle of Templar symbols 26 Templars in the 21st Century 28 Templars and the Grail quest 28 Templars and the fringe 28 Chapter 2: A Crash Course in Crusading 31 Getting a Handle on the Crusades 32 A Snapshot of the 11th Century 33 Fealty, fiefs, and feudalism 33 Pilgrimage 34 Y1K: The end of days 36 The Spanish ulcer 37 The dilemma of the second son 39 Piracy and trade 40 The First Crusade: A Cry for Help, a Call to Arms 40 Meet the Byzantines 40 Go East, young man! 41 Peter the Hermit 43 Get out the beer, we’re here! 44 Forward ho! 45 The massacre of Jerusalem 46 The founding of Outremer 48 Let’s Give It Another Shot: The Second Crusade 49 A dynamic new Muslim force 51 Jerusalem falls 52 The Third Crusade 52 The celebrity crusade 54 Richard and Saladin 54 The Final Curtain 55 The Fourth Crusade 55 The Fifth Crusade 56 The Sixth Crusade 56 The Seventh Crusade 56 Chapter 3: The Rise of the Knights Templar 59 The Perils of Pilgrimage 60 Why bother? 61 St Helena discovers it all 62 Medieval muggers 63 Where’d everybody go? 65 A New Knighthood 67 “The Poor Knights of Christ” 67 The Knights Templar 68 Keeping their oath 71 A Simple Mission Creates a Powerful Institution 71 Digging in the temple 71 A windfall of money and power 72 Bernard of Clairvaux 73 The Council of Troyes 74 Opposition to the Templars 75 The Explosion of the Order 76 New gifts 77 Eyes of the pope 77 International Bankers 78 Check, please 79 Building boom 80 Imitation, the Sincerest Form of Flattery 80 The Knights Hospitaller 81 The Teutonic Knights 82 Livonian Brothers of the Sword 83 Up Where the Air Is Thin: The Templars Reach Their Zenith 83 Part II: A Different Kind of Knighthood 85 Chapter 4: Living in a Templar World 87 A Standard Unlike Any Other 87 The Templar Rule 88 Warriors and monks 90 Templar do’s and don’ts 90 A Templar day planner 91 No women allowed 93 The pride and the power 93 Punishment and penance 94 Who’s in Charge around Here? 94 Grand Master 95 Master and Commander 95 Seneschal 95 Turcopolier 96 Marshal 96 Under-Marshal 96 Standard Bearer 96 Knight 96 Sergeant 97 Treasurer 97 Draper 97 Squires 97 Lay Servants 97 Chaplain brothers 98 The Templar Commandery: Medieval Fortress and City 98 City within a city 98 The signature round churches 98 Symbols of the Templars 100 The red cross 100 The Beauséant 102 Skull and crossbones 103 Chapter 5: The Poor Knights Crash and Burn: The Fall of the Templars 105 The Seeds of the Fall in the Nature of the Order 106 A little independence goes a long way 107 Money: The root of all evil 108 Huge tracts of land 109 Cracks in the Armor 110 Getting a little too chummy with the heretics 111 Templar bashing: The latest game from the Holy Land 113 Playing politics 114 A new and deadly enemy: Saladin 115 The Treacherous Kingdom of Jerusalem 119 Ethics by Borgia, politics by Shakespeare 119 The horns of Hattin 121 The final curtain 123 The last Crusader 124 Dark Clouds Converge over France 125 King Phillip “The Fair” 125 Pope Clement V 127 The setup 128 October 1307: An unlucky Friday the 13th 129 The Accusations 130 The Confessions 130 The End 131 Chapter 6: Cold Case Files: The Evidence against the Templars 133 The Chief Accuser 134 Opening Move: An Illegal Arrest 136 The Charge Sheet 138 The caliber of the witnesses 141 Dangerous foreign entanglements 141 Blowing Away the Charges, One by One 142 Desecrating the cross 142 Denying the sacrament of the Mass 143 Sodomy 144 Embezzlement 145 Baphomet 146 Heads up: So what was it? 148 The Pope Knuckles Under 149 Secretly Absolved 151 Part III: After the Fall of the Templars 153 Chapter 7: Templars Survive in Legend and in Fact 155 The Templar Fleet 156 Sailing up the Seine 156 La Rochelle 156 So where’d they go? 157 Talking Treasure 157 Cold, hard cash 158 Treasure more mystical than cash? 159 The Scottish Legends 160 Battle of Bannockburn 161 Rosslyn Chapel 162 Templars Part Deux: Return of the Living Knights 166 Portugal and the Order of Christ 166 Spain and the Order of Montesa 167 The Hospitallers 167 Switzerland 168 The Greatest Templar Myths 169 Templars possessed the Ark of the Covenant 169 A Templar connection to the Shroud of Turin 170 Templars discover America! 171 The Templars Survived! 176 The Larmenius Charter 176 The Priory of Sion 179 Rex Deus 179 Templars spawn the modern-day conspiracy theory 180 Chapter 8: “Born in Blood”: Freemasonry and the Templars 183 The Masonic Fraternity: Who Freemasons Are and What They Believe 184 A quick tour of Masonic history 186 The brotherhood code of the lodge 188 Identifying the Possible Templar Origins of Freemasonry 189 Rosslyn Chapel and the Masons 191 The Templars’ sacred subcontractors 194 The Masonic Knights Templar and Where They Came From 195 Chevalier Ramsay begins a knightly legend 196 Freemasonry’s mysterious “Unknown Superiors” 197 Templarism in the American colonies 198 Templar drill teams: The origins of Masonic Knights Templar military costumes 198 Skulls and crossbones! 199 The Templars’ place within Freemasonry 200 Chapter 9: Modern-Day Templars 203 Modern Templar Orders 204 Order Militia Crucifera Evangelica 204 Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani 206 Ordo Novi Templi 207 Ordo Militia Templi 209 Chivalric Martinist Order 209 Order of the Solar Temple 209 Ordo Templi Orientis 213 Knights But Not Templars 213 Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem 213 Order of the Grail 214 Sovereign Military Order of Malta 214 Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem 216 Deutscher Orden (Teutonic Knights) 217 Order of Christ 217 Teetotaling Templars of Temperance 218 Templars of Honor and Temperance 218 International Order of Good Templars 218 Part IV: Templars and the Grail 221 Chapter 10: The Templars and the Quest for the Holy Grail 223 The Holy Grail: A Ten-Century Quest 224 The Quest Begins 225 Chrétien de Troyes 225 Robert de Boron: The Grail becomes holy 228 Perlesvaus 228 Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival 229 The rest of the story 229 The Templars and the Grail 230 The Real Grail? 231 Chapter 11: The 21st Century Dawns with a New Grail Myth 233 Holy Couple: The Search for the Bloodline of Christ 234 The biblical account of Mary Magdalene 234 The legend 235 Holy Blood, Holy Grail: The Legend Rediscovered 235 The Priory of Sion 237 Rennes-le-Château 238 The peculiar Pierre Plantard 241 The priory exposed 243 Was any of it real? 244 Part V: Squaring Off: The Church versus the Gospel According to Dan Brown 245 Chapter 12: Templars and The Da Vinci Code 247 The Secret Societies of Dan Brown 248 The Da Vinci Code’s “facts” of the Priory of Sion 249 The “Da Vinci” Templars 252 Opus Dei 254 Leonardo da Vinci and His Last Supper 256 John or Mary? 257 The “missing” Grail found 258 Chapter 13: The Suppression of the “Feminine Divine”: Truth or Feminist Fiction? 261 Defining Divine Femininity 262 The “lost bride” 263 The mysterious Magdalene 265 Mary’s Marriage: Pros and Cons 272 Pros 273 Cons 275 Goddess Worship and the Sacred Feminine: Do We Really Want It Back Again? 279 The women who worshipped goddesses 279 The women who worshipped the male God of Israel 282 The Catholic Church’s Relationship with Women 288 The real burr in the saddle 289 Victorianism 290 Facing the future 290 Chapter 14: Getting Our Acts Together: Constantine and the Council of Nicaea 291 Fiction, History, and the Early Church 292 Early Christianity: A secret society 292 Dan Brown’s version: Teabing does the talking 294 What Boring Old History Books Say 295 The Christian conversion of Constantine 295 The real Council of Nicaea and what happened there 297 “Closing the Canon”: Determining the books of the Bible 300 Conflict over celibacy 303 Part VI: The Part of Tens 309 Chapter 15: Ten Candidates for the Site of the Holy Grail 311 Glastonbury Tor, England 311 Hawkstone Park (Shropshire, England) 312 Takt-i-Taqdis, Iran 313 The Santo Caliz (Valencia, Spain) 314 Sacro Catino (Genoa, Italy) 314 Rosslyn Chapel (Roslin, Scotland) 315 Wewelsburg Castle (Buren, Germany) 315 Montségur, France 317 The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City) 318 Castle Stalker (Argyll, Scotland) 318 Chapter 16: Ten Absolutely Must-See Templar Sites 321 Where It All Began: Temple Mount (Jerusalem, Israel) 322 Temple Church (London, England) 323 Royston Cave (Hertfordshire, England) 325 Rosslyn Chapel (Roslin, Scotland) 325 Kilmartin Church (Argyll, Scotland) 326 Chinon Castle (Chinon, France) 327 Templar Villages (Aveyron, France) 328 Tomar Castle (Tomar, Portugal) 329 Domus Templi — The Spanish Route of the Templars (Aragon, Spain) 330 Where It Ended: Îsle de la Cité (Paris, France) 331 Chapter 17: Ten Places That May Be Hiding the Templar Treasure 333 Rosslyn Chapel (Roslin, Scotland) 333 Oak Island Money Pit (Nova Scotia, Canada) 334 Temple Bruer (Lincolnshire, England) 334 Hertfordshire, England 335 Bornholm Island, Denmark 336 Rennes-le-Château, France 336 Château de Gisors (Normandy, France) 337 Switzerland 338 Trinity Church (New York City) 338 Washington D.C.’s Rosslyn Chapel 339 Index 341

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis fascinating new book explores what life was like during the Templars' stay in Somerset during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It reveals the struggles over land ownership in the county, and introduces the reader to little known historical characters including William de Marisco, revealing his struggle with the Templars, and claim to the throne of England. The final chapter explores the controversy surrounding a carved wooden man's head discovered in a Somerset church. The author has found compelling evidence to suggest the church was not only built on Templar land, but had a connection with the Grand Master of the Order himself. Richly illustrated and compiled using original research, this book is sure to appeal to everyone interested in medieval history.

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisRichard Carter swapped a life of simplicity with an Anglican religious order in the Solomon Islands for parish ministry in one of London's busiest churches, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Seeing a need for monastic values in the centre of the city, he founded the Nazareth Community. Its members gather from everyday life to seek God in contemplation, to acknowledge their dependence on God’s grace and to learn to live openly and generously with all. Part story, part spiritual meditation, The City is My Monastery offers spiritual wisdom for daily life rooted in the Nazareth Community’s seven guiding principles: Silence, Service, Scripture, Sacrament, Sharing, Sabbath Time and Staying.Trade Review‘This wonderful book is both recognizable and startlingly new. What we are given here is not simply another book on ‘spirituality’ but a workbook for living in and with meaning, Christian meaning, Jesus-shaped meaning.’ -- Rowan Williams‘This book is a generous gift. The City is My Monastery is rich and moving reading which warmed my spirit and encouraged me to stay.’ -- The Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London‘This is a book that moved me deeply and will surely strengthen and give heart to many. It is an autobiography of poetry and prayer. Above all, a powerful poetic meditation on meeting God every day on the streets and in the people of London.’ -- Neil MacGregor, founding director of the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, director of the British Museum 2002-2015‘Precious few are the books that accomplish what this masterfully practical and inspiring book accomplishes. Nor do they do so with such grace, depth and unflinching insight. Those who tread the pathless path of contemplation will be grateful to be in Richard Carter’s debt for the gift of this remarkable book.’ -- Martin Laird OSA, author of An Ocean of Light‘The City is my Monastery is beautiful, inspiring, humble and attractive. It is so deeply soaked in loving attention and that is what makes it so infectious.’ -- The Revd Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields‘This is a life-changing book, and needs to be read as it is written - as a prayer.’ -- Sarah Coakley, Norris-Hulse Professor Emerita, University of Cambridge‘There are treasures on every page: wisdom gathered, practised and shared. This book is so readable it could be a quick read, but linger and use it slowly over the months and years. This is a guide to life.’ -- The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury‘This is one of those books that can be a lifetime’s companion, holding before us what we are here for: Life.’ -- Father George Guiver, Community of the Resurrection‘Richard Carter has written a book not of abstract theory but of lived experience and practice. It will inspire urban and rural dwellers alike.’ -- Revd Lucy Winkett Rector St James's Church, Piccadilly

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 16th and 17th century Ireland religion and nationality fused together in a people’s struggle to survive. In that struggle the country’s links with Europe provided a life line. Members of religious orders, with their international roots, played an important role. Among them were the Irish Jesuits, who adapted to a variety of situations – from quiet work in Irish towns to serving as an emissary for Hugh O’Neill in the south of Ireland and in the courts of Rome and Spain, and then founding seminary colleges in Spain and Portugal from which young Irishmen returned to keep faith and hope alive. In the seventeenth century persecution was more haphazard. There were opportunities for preaching and teaching and, at time, especially during the Confederation of Kilkenny in the 1640s, for the open celebration of one’s religion. This freedom gave way to the savage persecution under Cromwell, which resulted in the killing of some Jesuits and others being forced to find shelter in caves, sepulchres, and bogs, the Jesuit superior dying alone in a shepherd’s hut on an island off Galway. There followed a time of more relaxed laws during which Irish Jesuits publicly ran schools in New Ross and, for Oliver Plunkett, in Drogheda, but persecution soon resumed and Oliver Plunkett was arrested and martyred. At the end of the century, as the forces of King James II were finally defeated, some Jesuits lived and worked through the sieges of Limerick and then nerved themselves to face the Penal Laws in the new century.Trade Review‘With a broad stroke and a light touch, the author paints a fascinating picture of an unrecognisable Ireland from just a few centuries ago...[an] exceptional story, exceptionally told’ INTERCOM -- Fr Paul Clayton-Lea * Intercom *"Approachable yet detailed" The Irish Catholic 2021 -- Peter Costello * The Irish Catholic *‘Morrissey combines an immense knowledge of his subject with an engaging, accessible style’ -- Colmán O'Clabaigh * The Furrow *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book introduces us to St Bernard of Clairvaux through the lens of friendship. Close reading of Bernard’s writings, not least of his letters, brings out the humanity of the saint and reveals the role of human friendship in his life. The author shows how similar are the experiences of this twelfth-century monk, with his needs and joys, hopes and feelings of inadequacy, to our own experiences of relationship in our present world with its pressures and social media. Liz Carmichael, Emeritus Research Fellow, St John’s College, Oxford This fascinating and intimate portrayal of Bernard will inspire anyone wishing to explore the essential place of spiritual friendships in forming true disciples of Christ. Nick Swanson, Baptist Union Church Minister; Spiritual Direction trainer, Launde Abbey Team; IPCS Pastoral Supervision tutor Jennifer Campbell’s brilliance in the book is how she has curated original material from the letters and reflections of the monks that by and large speak for themselves—and yet speak directly into our own age. One cannot read the book and not have one’s own experience touched and illumined by the deeply authentic wisdom it contains. Chris Blakeley, Director of the St George’s House Leadership Fellows Programme at Windsor Castle, Spiritual Direction Tutor

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less