Purgatory holds a precarious position in the afterlife beliefs of most Christians. Often viewed as a doctrine that is held only by Roman Catholics, purgatory has historically been maligned by its detractors as unbiblical, theologically problematic, and a product (and source) of superstition. Moreover, it would appear that belief in purgatory has declined in the faith-lives of Catholics as well, many of whom now seem keen to forget the fears and anxieties that its existence might have raise...

With historical-critical analysis and dialogical even-handedness, the essays of this book re-assess the life and legacy of Swami Vivekananda, forged at a time of colonial suppression, from the vantage point of socially-engaged religion at a time of global dislocations and international inequities. Due to the complexity of Vivekananda as a historical figure on the cusp of late modernity with its vast transformations, few works offer a contemporary, multi-vocal, nuanced, academic examination...

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...

Regarded as the leading text in Christian theology for the last 25 years, Alister E. McGrath’s The Christian Theology Reader is now available in a new 5th edition featuring completely revised and updated content.Brings together more than 350 readings from over 200 sources that chart 2,000 years of Christian historySituates each reading within the appropriate historical and theological context with its own introduction, commentary, and study questions

Why is it 'good news' to say that 'Jesus is risen'? What has the resurrection to do with our idea of salvation? This book sets out to show how the experience of the resurrection was from the first one of forgiveness and of the healing of memories of injury, guilt or failure. Out of this healing grow new patterns of life together, and a new understanding of God. This classic work by one of the finest theological minds of our day is renowned for its synthesis of theology and spirituality, cr...

Rethinking Effective Apologetics for the Present Age.Christians have always had to defend their faith against all kinds of criticism and misunderstandings, but these attacks change overtime, and the strongest arguments of the famous classical apologists who preceded us are not necessarily the strongest today.Intellectuals Don't Need God is written to today's faithful apologists who are trying to commend Christianity in terms of its relevance to eve...

In fifty brilliant short essays one of the UK's liveliest young writers on religion introduces the key themes, movements and thinkers in theology.

In this wide-ranging book, Rowan Williams argues that what we say about Jesus Christ is key to understanding what Christian belief says about creator and creation overall.Through detailed discussion of texts from the earliest centuries to the present day, we are shown some of the various and subtle ways in which Christians have discovered in their reflections on Christ the possibility of a deeply affirmative approach to creation, and a set of radical insights in et...

Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the YearReasonable, concise, witty and wise, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli have written an informative and valuable guidebook for anyone looking foranswers to questions of faith and reason. Topics include:faith and reasonthe existence of GodGod's naturehow we know Godcreation and evolutionprovidence and free willmiraclesthe problem of...

Beginning to study theology is like stepping into a conversation that has been going on for two thousand years.How do you take part in this conversation--or even make sense of it--if you don't understand the vocabulary or know the contributions made by other participants?The Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms is the perfect companion to your theological studies. Among its three hundred-plus definitions areEnglish terms, from accomodation ...

Giussani begins by focusing on the Church as a community composed of people who are aware of themselves as defined by the gift of the Spirit, from which they derive a new conception of existence, the fruit of conversion. He then describes the Church's developing self-awareness of its dual elements of the human and divine. Concerned with verifying the Church's claim to embody Christ, Giussani situates the locus of verification in human experience, arguing that a different type of life is bo...

Through the intensely intimate relationship that arises between God and humans in the incarnation of the Word in Christ, God gives us the gift of God's own life. This simple claim provides the basis for Kathryn Tanner's powerful study of the centrality of Jesus Christ for all Christian thought and life: if the divine and the human are united in Christ, then Jesus can be seen as key to the pattern that organizes the whole, even while God's ways remain beyond our grasp. Drawing on the histor...