The book is the first of its kind to draw together in conversation the views of the early Church, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship, and post-conciliar teachings. Steck develops a comprehensive, Catholic theology of animals based on an in-depth exploration of Catholicism's fundamental doctrines—trinitarian theology, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, and soteriology.All God's Animals makes two central claims. First, we can hope that God will include animals of ...

A transformative perspective on animal afterlife bridging theological reflection and moral actionWhat happens to our beloved companion animals after death? Do they and other animals have a place in the divine plan?A Heaven for Animals offers a groundbreaking theological rationale for the inclusion of animals in heaven, challenging conventional thinking about the role animals have in God's plan. Based on Biblical evidence and the doctrine of the Cat...

The growing shift in Catholic moral theology from reflecting on rules alone to focusing on the identity and formation of persons as moral agents prompts a further question: What impact do recent changes in the identity and formation of Catholic moral theologians themselves have on how that discipline is practiced? Young Catholic moral theologians experience a sharply different professional formation and a changed location of ongoing professional life than prior generations of moral theolog...

A transformative perspective on animal afterlife bridging theological reflection and moral actionWhat happens to our beloved companion animals after death? Do they and other animals have a place in the divine plan?A Heaven for Animals offers a groundbreaking theological rationale for the inclusion of animals in heaven, challenging conventional thinking about the role animals have in God's plan. Based on Biblical evidence and the doctrine of the Cat...

Envisioning a future in which the Christian church plays a viable and transformative role in shaping society, Gretta Vosper argues that if the church is to survive at all, the heart of faith must undergo a radical change. Vosper, founder of the Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity and a minister in Toronto, believes that what will save the church is an emphasis on just and compassionate living -- a new and wholly humanistic approach to religion. Without this reform, the church as w...

This introduction to Catholicism "combines scholarly depth with an engaging style to present the what and why of Catholic belief with exceptional clarity" (Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia ).In The Light of Christ, Fr. Thomas Joseph White provides an accessible presentation of Catholic doctrine that is both grounded in traditional theology and engaged with contemporary concerns. Inspired by the theo...

Malls, stadiums, and universities are actually liturgical structures that influence and shape our thoughts and affections. Humans--as Augustine noted--are "desiring agents," full of longings and passions; in brief, we are what we love.James K. A. Smith focuses on the themes of liturgy and desire in Desiring the Kingdom, the first book in what will be a three-volume set on the theology of culture. He redirects our yearnings to focus on the greatest good: God. Ultimately, Sm...

· For people whose eyes glaze over when questions of salvation/redemption/atonement come up· Written by a theologian, but with a lay audience in mindEven theologians have had different ideas about the theology of atonement; how are the rest of supposed to understand it? This book is a good place to start. Crysdale, whose background in both psychology and theology gives her a unique perspective, presents an overview of the history of the theology of atonement, addressing cle...

One of the biggest legacies Pope St John Paul II left behind was his Theology of the Body. This revolutionary teaching on love, sexuality, and the meaning of our human bodies, was given over 15 years during his Wednesday audiences in St Peter's Square. Rather than being a dry, theoretical theology, it is meant to be lived. This momentous body of work deals with the deepest yearnings of the human soul and conveys a message that is positive, profound, surprising and also intensely practical....

What does it mean for the Christian doctrine of the Fall if there was no historical Adam? If humanity emerged from nonhuman primates—as genetic, biological, and archaeological evidence seems to suggest—then what are the implications for a Christian understanding of human origins, including the origin of sin?Evolution and the Fall gathers a multidisciplinary, ecumenical team of scholars to address these difficult questions and others like them from the perspectives of biolog...

In 2011, Frances Young delivered the Bampton Lectures in Oxford to great acclaim. She offered a systematic theology with contemporary coherence, by engaging in conversation with the fathers of the church - those who laid down the parameters of Christian theology and enshrined key concepts in the creeds - and exploring how their teachings can be applied today, despite the differences in our intellectual and ecclesial environments. This book results from a thorough rewriting of those lecture...

Spiritual formation in our local churches is too often poorly done or it is virtually nonexistent. We developed this innovative approach to spiritual formation in the congregation because it is desperately needed. The prompt cards are used to spark deep reflection and shape potentially life-transforming conversations with a pastor around spiritual practices, spiritual character, personal and social ethics, and emotional well-being. The model was trialed in five countries. We heard time and...