William C. Hackett’s English translation of Jean Wahl’s Existence humaine et transcendence (1944) brings back to life an all-but-forgotten book that provocatively explores the philosophical concept of transcendence. Based on what Emmanuel Levinas called “Wahl’s famous lecture” from 1937, Existence humaine et transcendence captured a watershed moment of European philosophy. Included in the book are Wahl's remarkable original lecture and the debate that ensued, with signifi...

Blaise Pascal—a celebrated philosopher, mathematician, and inventor best known for his Pensées—is not often counted among the great Christian mystics. But the philosopher also composed two prayers, both of which display an unexpected spiritual depth.In this thoughtful study, author William C. Hackett presents new translations of, and commentary on, these two prayers of Pascal: the “Prayer Asking God for the Good Use of Illness,” a series of deathbed reflections on faith am...

William C. Hackett provides a renewed reading of Christian theology by evaluating the role of anthropomorphism in shaping negative theology. Through this theological history, he addresses the fear of anthropomorphism that prompted early philosophers and theologians to adopt abstract understandings of God.Hackett charts the wide-ranging importance of anthropomorphism to theology through figures including Balthasar, Bultmann, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Cyril of Alexandria. He argu...

Widely regarded as one of the most profound critics of our time, René Girard has pursued a powerful line of inquiry across the fields of the humanities and the social sciences. His theories, which the French press has termed "l'hypothèse girardienne," have sparked interdisciplinary, even international, controversy. In The Scapegoat, Girard applies his approach to "texts of persecution," documents that recount phenomena of collective violence from the standpoint of the persecutor—d...

Lectio divina, the ancient practice of prayerful reading, is a font whose waters are waiting to quench the thirst of spiritual seekers, both beginners on the spiritual journey and experienced travelers. The art of holy reading transforms lives. Through the practice of lectio individuals and communities discover God's living word addressed to them in their particular now," to enlighten, challenge, encourage, and suggest.Reading to Live traces the practice ...

Generating Traces in the History of the World is a synthesis of Monsignor Luigi Giussani's reflection on the Christian experience. His exploration of Christianity as an unforeseen and unforeseeable event in which the mystery became a man reveals how, by acknowledging this fact, an individual is simultaneously able to use reason and be moved by affection. Discussing the ways in which Christ continues to be present in history through the companionship of those whom He joins to himself in Bap...

Unity, joy, simplicity, beauty, truth-these are the hallmarks of the three Persons in one God, the Trinity. In Contemplating the Trinity, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the papal household, invites readers to turn to the Trinity so that they can enter into and experience the relationship of love that the divine Persons share with one another. Convinced that Christians today need a spirituality that is more clearly trinitarian, Fr. Cantalamessa draws from theology, spirituality, ...

What is paganism? In this penetrating and tightly argued manifesto, French philosopher Alain de Benoist seeks to answer this question with passionate intellectual vigor and a tremendous erudition. Arising out of the “monotheism vs. polytheism” debate that reverberated through Parisian intellectual circles in the late 1970s, this is neither a survey of ancient, pre-Christian religions, nor is it an argument on behalf of any modern neo-pagan sect. On Being a Pagan draws on ...

'Readable and expert - a brilliant guide to the life and thought of 17th century Europe's supreme polymath'Tom Holland'A richly detailed account of Pascal's life and times, which displays an energetic sympathy for Pascal's startling combination of intellectual precocity and humble faith.'Rory Stewart'A beautiful, accessible account of one of the era's most remarkable lives'Katherine RundellHe li...

In honor of its fortieth anniversary (1978–2018), Ignatius Press presents a special Commemorative Edition of one of the most important works written by Joseph Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy.This edition includes the earlier classic work with the same title by Servant of God Romano Guardini, a book that helped Ratzinger to "rediscover the liturgy in all its beauty, hidden wealth and time-transcending grandeur, to see it as the animating center of the Church, the very ...

The question of whether and how people who have not had the chance to hear the gospel can be saved goes back to the beginnings of Christian reflection. It has also become a much-debated topic in current theology. In Will Many Be Saved? Ralph Martin focuses primarily on the history of debate and the development of responses to this question within the Roman Catholic Church, but much of Martin's discussion is also relevant to the wider debate happening in many churches around the wo...

The noonday devil is the demon of acedia, the vice also known as sloth. The word “sloth”, however, can be misleading, for acedia is not laziness; in fact it can manifest as busyness or activism. Rather, acedia is a gloomy combination of weariness, sadness, and a lack of purposefulness. It robs a person of his capacity for joy and leaves him feeling empty, or void of meaningAbbot Nault says that acedia is the most oppressive of demons. Although its name harkens back to antiquity and...