History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Becoming Who You Are: Insights on the True Self from Thomas Merton And Other Saints (Christian Classics)

Average customer rating:

Great for discussion
great book
Martin Fulfilling A Contractual Obligation To His Publisher?
Becoming Who You Are
A true self is hard to find

Becoming Who You Are: Insights on the True Self from Thomas Merton And Other Saints (Christian Classics)
James Martin
Manufacturer: Paulist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 158768036X

Book Description

By meditating on personal examples from the author's life, as well as reflecting on the inspirational life and writings of Thomas Merton, stories from the Gospels, as well as the lives of other holy men and women (among them, Henri Nouwen, Therese of Lisieux and Pope John XXIII) the reader will see how becoming who you are, and becoming the person that God created, is a simple path to happiness, peace of mind and even sanctity.

Customer Reviews:

Great for discussion.......2007-08-27

Our scripture group is setting aside a half hour each week before our meetings to discuss each chapter of this book. Several members have already read it once and are eager to read it again so that we can talk about how it applies to each of us. I just can't say enough for Father James Martin--what a great, somewhat new, voice from the Jesuits to the "people in the pews."

great book.......2007-06-12

great book, author was very honest and revealing about Thomas Merton and others. Only wished the book was longer.

Martin Fulfilling A Contractual Obligation To His Publisher?.......2007-02-01

I loved "My Life With The Saints" and as a subscriber, enjoy Martin's writing in America Magazine. I am also a devotee of Thomas Merton's writing, and have read a majority of Merton's rather voluminous body of work. So I approached this little book expecting great things, and was left disappointed. Among other things, a fair percentage of this thin book simply re-uses writing from Martin's very popular book, "My Life With The Saints." Further, Martin's stated objective - to shed more light on Thomas Merton's concept of the false self versus the true self - was not accomplished. Frankly, I was left with the impression that Martin was simply fulfilling an obligation to his publisher when he tendered this manuscript. It does not rise to his usual level of writing excellence. For those who really want to explore Merton's approach to the emergence of the true self, I would suggest they instead buy a copy of James Finley's "Thomas Merton's Palace of Nowhere." Written nearly thirty years ago, it is still in print and full of insights Finley gleaned from studying under Merton as a novice in Merton's monestery, and as a practicing psychotherapist. But skip this volume.

Becoming Who You Are.......2007-01-23

This book insightfully helps you understand why and how our lives change as we pass through them. By analyzing the lives of two prominent Christian authors, it looks skilfully at the life of Christ. He gives ample opportunity to make a comparison with our own lives. The author has an engaging style that makes a deep subject easy to read. He gives sense to why we change and removes the anxiety about why we change. It was one of the most enjoyable books I have read in years. I highly recommend it to fans of Thomas Merton and Henry Nouwen.

A true self is hard to find.......2007-01-04

I decided to read this on a flight to Indiana from NY. I managed to complete the book on the return. It is a quick read, not a self help book, more about Merton and Nouwen finding their true self as well as the author's road to becoming a Jesuit. I think we all want to find our true self, but not all can and some never attempt to. Martin stresses the importance of finding our true self in order to achieve happiness that comes from within.

The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry

Average customer rating:

good - not too deep - quick read
Satisfied
Excellent read, great book
Retreat planning tool
Three Practices that Bring Life

The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry
Henri J. M. Nouwen
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060663308

Book Description

The modern classic that interweaves the solitude, silence, and prayer of the fourth- and fifth-century Egyptian Desert Fathers and Mothers with our contemporary search for an authentic spirituality

Customer Reviews:

good - not too deep - quick read.......2007-08-31

I enjoyed the perspective of being oversturated with words in our society. We are bombarded by advertising and have become numb to the spoken word. The highlight of the book is " It through spending time in the silent presence of the Lord that gives strenghth to our words"

Satisfied.......2006-11-05

I was very happy with my purchase. The book came quickly and was in excellent condition

Excellent read, great book.......2006-06-06

Short, simple, easy to read in the typical Nouwen fashion, and yet when you are finished, you can not help but feel refreshed, energized, and re-awakened to that "tiny whispering sound" referred to in 1 Kings 19:12. This is an excellent book about the heart of prayer: standing silent in the presence of God. There is a lot of noise out there, and this book shows how to leave the noise outside, how to instill the silence of presence to God in your soul, and how to carry that out to the marketplace, where the message of the Gospel so needs to be heard.

Retreat planning tool.......2006-03-17

This book was recommended prior to a spiritual growth retreat. All retreat members read the book and were very pleased with the information. It is easy to get caught up in the noise and confusion of the world forgetting how important and valuable solitude and silence are to a relationship with God. In those quiet times come rich growth. This was a great reminder.

Three Practices that Bring Life.......2005-08-28

In this book Henri Nouwen takes us through three often-neglected disciplines in our noisy, busy, fast-paced culture. He not only encourages us to take some time to turn from the noise to silence, from the busyness to solitude, and from running fast to slowing down to pray; but he shows us how.

When it comes to solitude, Henri defines it beautifully: "Solitude is the place of purification and transformation, the place of the great struggle and the great encounter..." He talks about how this is a time when we stand alone before a holy God, bare-naked. That is the struggle, to come to God honestly. To encounter this wholly other God who is wholly other in his holiness, grace and love. And as we accept his love and grace, we can boldly come before him and stand in his presence naked and unashamed.

Then he goes on to talk about silence. "First, silence makes us pilgrims. Secondly, silence guards the fire within. Thirdly, silence teaches us to speak." We live in a world of words and silence enables us to hear the voice of God, so that we can breath life into those around us by our careful choice of words. He talks about how as ministers we can give time for silence in our counseling, bringing people to Jesus, waiting for the Spirit's direction.

And when it come to prayer, Henri says, "The prayer of the heart opens the eyes of the soul to the truth of ourselves as well as to the truth of God. The prayer of the heart challenges us to hide absolutely nothing."

We all need help in developing these three disciplines: silence, solitude and prayer in our noisy, busy and fast-paced society. Henri reminds us of the importance of these disciplines and gives us some practical help in how to live them out in real life.

Average customer rating:

Ready to die...??
Did I miss something?
A "Jewel" of spiritual books...
Be Still and Know that I AM
Preparing for Home

Here and Now: Living in the Spirit
Henri J Nouwen
Manufacturer: Crossroad General Interest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0824519671

Book Description

The spiritual life is not a life then and there, but a life here and now. It is a life in which the spirit of God is revealed in the ordinary encounters of everyday. In this book of meditations, Henri Nouwen shows in a personal and insightful way that God is much closer to us than we ordinarily realize.

Customer Reviews:

Ready to die...??.......2007-04-03

This short book provides an account of the author's near-death experience after injuries suffered in an accident. It was very interesting to read the progress of his emotional and spiritual condition - increasing closeness to God as he moved toward death. Later, when his physical condition turned around and he began to recover, he didn't feel any relief or thankfulness. Rather, he went into a state of grief and despair at being denied final union with God. Reading this account led me to think about how I would react in a similar situation. I'm not sure I would react in the same way at all... But death is something that comes to each of us in the end... Our days are numbered, but the number is uncertain. Perhaps we should strive toward being better prepared.

Did I miss something?.......2006-02-22

While this was an easy read and well written book, I felt like Nouwen kept repeating himself throughout. I don't doubt his experience and am happy for him that he found such peace and definition for his service in life. But as for myself, it did nothing to further my spirituality or make me feel comfortable or peaceful about death. This came highly recommended and I wound up speed-reading through the last third of the book to get through it.

A "Jewel" of spiritual books..........2005-10-17

I've had this book for a while and always go back to it. I've recommended it to many friends as I am always glad that it was recommended to me. Well worth the read, guaranteed!

Be Still and Know that I AM.......2003-11-25

Henri Nouwen examines his life after a near death accident in which he encounters the Living God.

Facing the possibililty of dying he is able to let go and let God's unconditional love come to him and accept himself as God sees him.

His recovery from the accident brings about many changes in his attitude towards his family, friends, acquaintances and yes even his enemies. The experience brought resolve and forgiveness for his sins and the sins of others.

To come back to the living and take his daily cross was very difficult, since he had already prepared himself for the next life with Christ. To return to the former routine seemed impossible at that time but before long he had gone back to his former ways and was constantly trying to keep the peace that he had found during his illness.

Another book that touches on going to the mountain top and coming back would be "Hind's Feet on High Places" Hinds' Feet on High Places an allegory by Hannah Hurnard.

Preparing for Home.......2002-12-31

This book is different from many of Nouwen's other writings in that he presents lessons learned and spiritual reflections from a very specific event in his life (an almost fatal accident). As he often does, Nouwen delves deep into his own mind and shares his fears and deepest thoughts as he faced death. His thoughts on forgiveness "in the very end" for others and by others, caused me to give great consideration to how I daily forgive. If you fear death or are not "ready" for it, this book provides comforting thoughts for preparing for our real home.

Dark Night of the Soul: A Masterpiece in the Literature of Mysticism by St. John of the Cross

Average customer rating:

Deep study for self-examination and meditation
Good for those serious about their faith.
A Classic but Difficult for the Lay Reader! Great for Scholars and Academics Though!
The "classic" of understanding spiritual union.
Cultivating Our Appetite for God

Dark Night of the Soul: A Masterpiece in the Literature of Mysticism by St. John of the Cross
St. John of the Cross
Manufacturer: Image
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Mysticism | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0385029306
Release Date: 1959-01-11

Amazon.com

As a Carmelite monk, the 16th-century Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross was well trained in the systematic theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. In Dark Night of the Soul, St. John's sharply organized mind gives clean shape to his mystical belief in a loving Being somewhere outside the realm of feeling, thought, or imagination, who can only be known through love. Dark Night of the Soul describes the process of purgation, first of senses, and then of spirit, that precedes the soul's loving Union with God. To quote from this book would detract from the coiled power of its tightly focused picture of the soul's progress; suffice it to say that there has never been a better book for discouraged Christians. When you cannot understand what or why you believe, but you find yourself unable to abandon faith, look to St. John for help. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

St. John of the Cross has been called "the most sublime of all Spanish mystics," and his spiritual masterwork, Dark Night of the Soul, stands as one of the greatest contributions to the literature of mysticism.

Customer Reviews:

Deep study for self-examination and meditation.......2007-06-08

Do not let the size of this little classic make you think it will be a quick read and easy study. It is difficult reading with regard to the somewhat archaic language but more so for the probing nature the author demonstrates in self-examination. It is not a quick study but one that helps you work out your salvation with fear and trembling. The wounds it can inflict may be painful but necessary for true healing of the human heart. Read and meditate on the words a little at a time - the sections are short enough to facilitate that approach. This is no self-help chicken soup for the dark night, it is major surgery for the wounded and sin-stained heart under intense self-examination.

Good for those serious about their faith........2007-01-09

This is a wonderful book for those who have been adult Catholics for some time, but wonder about the direction of their relationship with God. If you are a young or new Catholic, read The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis instead because you probably won't get much out of this one.

A warning also to "Cafeteria Catholics" who don't take their faith seriously: don't waste your money. This is not the watered down, mindless drivel so popular among those who want theologians to tell them what they want to hear. This is for serious catholics who want an honest and deep relationship with God. If you fall into that category, then you will find this a very rewarding read, and will be amazed with the insight he shows into the christian journey.

A Classic but Difficult for the Lay Reader! Great for Scholars and Academics Though!.......2006-06-25

There is no doubting the credentials of the author of this work; a bona fide mystical saint but the way this book is written in a very difficult to understand translation into English (on purpose!)suggests to me that this is more for the scholar or academician than for the lay believer.

There are footnotes that are longer than the main texts on many pages! This makes for difficult reading and in sticking religiously (sorry)to authenticity, reading for the average Joe is excruciatingly painful. Perhaps this is part of the purgation one has to tolerate to achieve purity or at least gives us some idea of how difficult it is to be so pure.

Thank goodness for Jesus who shows now why He had to come and save us and to bring us to the Father because the average Joe who I'm sure God wants saved as well would struggle to understand the text as written here. Don't despair, maybe someone like a Scott Hahn with his brilliant gift of simplifying the vastly difficult scholarly texts will one day try his hand at interpreting this for us.

Reading through this, one can't help but feel brow beaten by someone eager to show how much more scholarly he is to us. I'm sure that was not St. John's intention so let's hope his message is eventually simplified for mass digestion instead of the indigestion this version promotes.

The "classic" of understanding spiritual union........2006-03-11

St. John of the Cross wrote the Dark Night of the Soul in the mid-sixteenth century. It has as much validity as a sort of "road map" to entering the spiritual union now, as it did then. His approach is a testimony to the timeless journey of one's soul to it's Creator, God. Fr. Thomas Green, S.J., uses it as a basis for his Spiritual direction and his books on the subject.

Cultivating Our Appetite for God.......2005-09-15

"The Dark Night of the Soul" continues St. John's "Ascent of Mount Carmel" in which he speaks of various nights:

1. The First Night: Purgation of the sensual part of the soul,

2. The Second Night: Purgation of the spiritual part of the soul,

3. The Third Night: Purgation of the activity of the soul, and

4. The Fourth Night: Purgation of the soul with respect to passivity.

The first three nights teach Christians how to deny and purify themrselves with the ordinary helps of grace, in order to prepare their senses and faculties for union with God through love.

The first three nights can, to some extent, be done in our human activity. However, on our own, we cannot prepare ourselves for Divine union in the perfection of love apart from the purging of the dark night of fire. The dark night is a passive night in which God accomplishes the purgation based upon our human incapacity.

Building upon this foundation, St. John states his plan: "An exposition of the stanzas describing the method followed by the soul in its journey upon the spiritual road to the attainment of the perfect union of love with God, to the extent that is possible in this life."

Thus his purpose is to describe the stages that God moves us through, and we move through, as we encounter increasing depths of intimacy with Him.

For St. John, sanctification requires the death of self-sufficiency. "In order that the interior motions and actions of the soul may come to be moved by God divinely, they must first be darkened and put to sleep and hushed to rest naturally as touching all their capacity and operation, until they have no more strength."

He is teaching that the dark night is the process by which God destroys the fleshly capacities so that these habituated vestiges of the old person are uprooted. Then the light of Divine love enlivens the new capacities. In fact, in places he implies that our human capacities are replaced with Divine infused capacities, not just renewed human ones.

What is healing and health for Saint John? "For the soul is now, as it were, undergoing a cure, in order that it may regain its health--its health being God Himself." God brings health by killing the appetite for delectable but non-nutritious things and creating an appetite for Himself.

The goal of the dark night is total assimilation in the Divine Essence, to be absorbed in the center of the flame of God's love.

Modern readers expecting an easy-to-digest recipe for intimacy with God will likely starve or be turned off by the richness of the food and the depth of the imagery. Though a classic, "The Dark Night of the Soul" will not be the best choice, and certainly not the first choice, for most people in the beginning stages of their spiritual journey.

Readers should also be aware that the way the term is often used today is not exactly what St. John had in mind. Writer's today tend to mean "spiritual depression" when they talk about "the dark night of the soul." By "spiritual depression" and by "the dark night of the soul," modern writers are talking about the emotional experience of the absence of the felt presence of God. St. John meant this, but much more. For him, the dark night was about absolute despair leading to absolute dependency. The emotional, mood component was secondary in St. John's thinking. The spiritual, relational component was primary.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians" and "Spiritual Friends."

The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition

Average customer rating:

Every day should be Fathers' Day
Chriatianity is older than you think
Answered My Questions

The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition
Mike Aquilina
Manufacturer: Our Sunday Visitor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 159276245X

Book Description

The Fathers of the Church, first published a decade ago, has become the standard popular introduction to the great teachers of early Christianity. Now, this new edition presents more material from more of the Fathers -- including authors from little-known traditions of Egypt, East Syria, North Africa, and the lands that make up modern Iran and Iraq. Also new with this edition is a section on selected "Mothers of the Church," holy women from Christian antiquity.

This expanded edition features full references and citations, a topical index, detailed bibliography, and ancient texts available in English for the first time in more than a century.

The Fathers of the Church is an excellent place to pass on those same teachings and traditions -- long established as an indispensable reference tool for clergy, seminarians, RCIA candidates, and lay Catholics who want to strive to live up to the "Faith of Our Fathers."

Customer Reviews:

Every day should be Fathers' Day.......2007-09-15

This is an excellent, greatly expanded edition of an overview for intelligent Christians who are looking for a place to begin to understand Patristics (the writings of the Church Fathers). I can't think of anything that is more important for a Christian or a student of Christianity. We strive to hear the Spirit, but sometimes we disregard the Spirit speaking through Tradition. Mike Aquilina has added more authors and focused more on the texts of the Fathers. He's also added a section on female writers in the early Church.

Aquilina's brief, readable book serves as an introduction to the Fathers and how their ideas relate to the great councils of the Church. He follows that foreword with 3 chapters, one for those thinkers who preceded the Council of Nicaea, those who were contemporaneous, and those who followed it. For each Father, Aquilina gives a well-researched biographical sketch, followed by a representive piece of that Father's writing. It's a nice blend of commentary and tract, context and text. The author's prose is sharp, direct, concise and unobtrusive, the selections well-chosen and, in this edition, greatly expanded. The result is an eminently readable book that leaves you wanting to drink more deeply at the Patristic well.

Chriatianity is older than you think.......2007-09-06

For many people, there is a gap between the time of Jesus and the time of Constantine. The gap between 30A.D and 313A.D. is rich with information about the roots of Christianity. Reading the Church Fathers helps one to understand the structure of the church as well as the deep love and devotion that the early Christians shared.

Answered My Questions.......2007-08-23

This book was easy to read and understand. My goal was to find out what happened after the Ascencion of Jesus and on into the next centuries. This book answered my questions.

Average customer rating:

A Wake Up Call for the World's Thinkers...

The Regensburg Lecture
James V. Schall
Manufacturer: St. Augustines Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1587316951

Customer Reviews:

A Wake Up Call for the World's Thinkers..........2007-07-05

This book was my first introduction to Fr. Schall and I must say I was very impressed. This book is a great resource for those who have either read the Pope's Regensburg speech or have not read it yet, seeing as the first appendix contains the Pope's speech at Regensburg in its entirety.

Fr. Schall really unlocks the genius of the Pope's address and really gets to the reality of what the Pope was saying and at the same time shows the incredible neglect by the media in the recent past in it's treatment of what the Pope "said".

This book is a must and a challenge for anyone in higher education who thinks that the Roman Catholic Church and her teachings about reality, God, and man are outdated. Fr. Schall demonstrates with certain clarity that Pope Benedict XVI clearly understands the current cultural problems and makes them clear in this work, namely the abandonment of the objective rational world in religion and politics. Also given in this wonderful work is the foundational answer to getting our culture back on track in order to realize the true good for you and all peoples.

Average customer rating:

Speaks the Truth
Strong foundation for someone who wants to do what is right
This Book Changed my Life. Tolle, Lege.
Changed my heart...
The antidote to the outside world

Love and Responsibility
Pope John Paul II
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0898704456

Book Description

Drawing from his own pastoral experience as a priest and bishop before he became Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla has produced a remarkably eloquent and resourceful defense of Catholic tradition in the sphere of family life and sexual morality. He writes in the conviction that science--biology, psychology, sociology--can provide valuable information on particular aspects of relations between the sexes, but that a full understanding can be obtained only by study of the human person as a whole. Central to his argument is the contrast between the personalistic and the utilitarian views of marriage and of sexual relations. The former views marriage as an interpersonal relationship, in which the well-being and self-realization of each partner are of overriding importance to the other. It is only within this framework that the full purpose of marriage can be realized. The alternative, utilitarian view, according to which a sexual partner is an object for use, holds no possibility of fulfillment and happiness. Wojtyla argues that divorce, artificial methods of birth control, adultery (pre-marital sex), and sexual perversions are all in various ways incompatible with the personalistic view of the sexual self-realization of the human person.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the book is that Wojtyla appeals throughout to ordinary, human experience, logically examined. He draws support for his views on the proper gratification of sexual needs, on birth control, and on other matters, from the findings of physiologists and psychologists. His conclusions coincide with the traditional teachings of the Church, which invoke scriptural authority. His approach ensures that non-Christians also can consider his arguments on their own merits.

Customer Reviews:

Speaks the Truth.......2007-09-24

This book gives an excellent analysis of human dignity and its relation to the beauty of human sexuality as a gift, and from that gift is life. The book gave me an insight on how our culture has exploited our human dignity and sexuality, such as viewing people as "objects" (e.g. pornography); this book speaks the Truth and I love it! I highly recommend this book for anyone who plans to read Theology of the Body, teach Theology of the Body for Teens, as well as teach Theology of the Body in marriage preparation courses or young adults groups.

Strong foundation for someone who wants to do what is right.......2007-06-27

Pope John Paul II provides answers to questions many don't ask, and most don't know how to answer. This book provides a strong foundation to those who seek to do what is right in relationships (relationship with God, significant other, fiance/ee, or spouse). The authority and correctness of this book has made me, a life-long Protestant, take a second look at the Catholic Church.

This Book Changed my Life. Tolle, Lege........2007-02-15

This is a poetically dangerous book. I first read it some ten years ago, just after having graduated college, when I was emerging from my adolescent decadence & skepticism.. I was searching for understanding, for faith. The thought herein is so limpidly potent it made me high, like great poetry. It radically changed my thought & heart for good. For better. It made me actually embrace the Faith, and the Church's ethic on sexuality & the human person. It really sheds the deepest insight, revealing the pith of what it means to be a human being. To be a man or a woman, a Christian.

So I cannot possibly recommend it highly enough. It should be read by, or explained to every Christian, not just Catholic. It ought to be a part of every Catholic's catechesis, as well as at the top of the reading list of anyone who seeks to understand the Faith.

[Aside: If you are a priest, have you quoted this book in a homily yet? Please, Father.. I mean, I realise hearing from the likes of S. Ambrose or John Chrysostom is waaay too much to ask, but can we get at least this much of the Tradition? Please? Is thirty years back already too far? By that mark we should have already had enough of the St. Louis Jesuits & their ilk by now.. and we all know we're *never* going to get sick of them!]

I've heard (or rather have read) some folks - a rank few - attack this work, and it's author, on the grounds that they are theologically suspect: for being phenomenalist. More Heidegger & Husserl, than Augustine or Aquinas.. For being modernist, in other words. Instead of being reactionary, the pope's too "liberal" for some. Funny. People are such a hoot.

All I can say is that I know nothing about this supposed masonic subversion of the papacy, myself. I only report the nattering for the sake of full disclosure, as it's the only negative criticism I've read of this book anywhere. Virtually every Catholic I respect who has read this book loves it.

Lots of folks from the other side of the spectrum shoot their mouths off and scratch their pens over the Church's teaching on sexuality in general, without ever really bothering to understand it. They call John Paul (and Paul VI & Benedict, etc., etc.) authoritarian killjoys, amongst worse things. (The Church's prohibition of condoms prevents the control of AIDS! Or didn't you know? Wait.. Or is it the Church's prohibition on sexual activity outside marriage? Is that killing people too? I get so confused.. Anyway..) They would never bother to touch this book. They cannot afford to give it a fair read. Like witches with water, trolls sun, vampires garlic, or Kal-El kryptonite, exposure to the truth in these pages burns.

Despite all the cocky posturing, I think many of them sense this.. They know it might actually awaken conscience, and move them to become someone they would rather not be. For, as we all know, an informed conscience can be a truly inconvenient thing. Tant pis..

But useful, nonetheless. Being that it can free you from unhappiness, addiction, "poor self esteem," and that ultimate killer of love, freedom & life: sin. Which is why this book and the "inconvenient" yet beautiful truth that it proclaims is so essential.

Purgatorial fire (Truth, Love) hurts, but cleanses.

Final admonition: acquire & read this book.

Changed my heart..........2006-12-13

This book is so beautiful and stunningly true. It took my breath away and it spoke to my heart. It brought me to a new understanding of my body and how I express Love through it. I feel that it is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a "must read" in this age. It's a great companion to his "Theology of the Body."

The antidote to the outside world.......2006-07-27

"Love and Responsibility" is Karol Wojtyla's analysis of erotic love between men and women. Originally given as a series of university lectures in 1958-59, the book was first published in 1960, ironically the same year the first oral contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA. "Love and Responsibility" is the philosophical foundation on which Wojtyla (later known as John Paul II) based his "Theology of the Body".

The overarching theme of Love and Responsibility is the personalistic norm, whereby one treats others as persons, not as objects of use. This idea is especially important in the realm of sexuality since it can be easy to use the other person even within the bounds of marriage.

I found Wojtyla's writing about shame to be especially interesting. Shame has negative connotations these days, but in Wojtyla's understanding, shame is simply when something that is private crosses a boundary and becomes public. The sexual values of our bodies should remain private, but today many young women dress immodestly making the sexual value of their bodies public, so this would be "shamelessness".

And if anyone is under the impression that the ideas in this book are going to be prudish, just take a read through the final section of the book on Sexology. Wojtyla says a husband must take into account the different sexual arousal rate of his wife so that "climax may be reached by both the man and the woman, and as far as possible occur in both simultaneously." I can see why women liked this pope!

While the reading might be a bit on the philosophical side for some readers at times, I believe if every man would read "Love and Responsibility" and take it seriously, women today would be treated with more dignity and respect that they currently are given.

Journal of a Soul: The Autobiography of Pope John XXIII

Average customer rating:

Pope John XXIII
Informative and inspiring.
"The Good Pople John"
Soul to Soul
redundant and a bit boring

Journal of a Soul: The Autobiography of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
Manufacturer: Image
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385497547
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Book Description

No other pope of this century has aroused so much interest and universal affection throughout the world as has Pope John XXIII. Journal of a Soul is an inspiring reading experience that records this pope's thoughts and traces his spiritual development from adolescence to the seminary to a career as a priest, a European papal diplomat, Patriarch of Venice, and finally Pope John XXIII.

This Image Books edition features a biographical portrait of Pope John by his personal secretary, Monsignor Loris Capovilla. It also includes several of his most moving prayers, sixty brief thoughts and aphorisms, his "Rules for the Ascetic Life," many of his letters, even his last will and testament. Christians everywhere will welcome the reissue of "one of the most original, interesting, and inspiring revelations of intimate personal experiences ever written," which "ranks well with the classic spiritual autobiographies" (Critic).

Journal of a Soul, the first ever such work from a Roman pontiff, opens new windows onto the soul of the man himself.

Customer Reviews:

Pope John XXIII.......2007-01-10

No biography does his life justice. Interpretation, as always, is key. Read with insight, this autobiography is a grand excursion into spirituality and humanity.

Informative and inspiring........2005-09-30

This is an excellent book on the mind & insight of Pope John XX111.....well worth a read for anyone trying to find a way to holiness amidst the hustle & bustle of the modern world....a breath of fresh air, beautifully written.

"The Good Pople John".......2005-07-18

"Journal of A Soul" . . . even the title of this volume is evocative of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower (her autobiography is titled "The Story of A Soul"). It is appropriate this this "great man" was at the same time such a "humble" man . . . like Saint Therese's "little ones living the little way" (in fact Pope John XXIII (Angelo Roncalli) was a soul devoted to Saint Therese).

This journal or "diary" written by Angel Roncalli chronicles his life . . from youth until just before his passing . .from a student . .to Vativcan diplomat . . . to "Pope". It is not a simple recounting of biographical events . . . but give us John XXIII's thoughts as to how and why he lived these events . . .the spiritual judgements which guided him along his journey. . .

Pope John XXIII always remained faithful to the spirit of God and His guidance and direction . . . yes, he grew in spirit and evolved . . and yet always remained consistently "the same person". He never lived a pretense . . . he was who and what he was . . . andc he presented that face to the world in all honesty and humility. . . . and he was accepted by so many because of this straitforwardness . . he was loved . . . by catholics and non-catholics alike. He opened doors, not just the "aggiornomento" of the church . . . but he opened doors of people's hearts, not just to him . . .but to each other.

There would have been no "Vatican Council II" without his initiative and spirit to set it on its course. The sixties were also a time of "loosening" and "opening windows" everywhere . . . there may not have been a 'sixties" as we know them had there not come into the fore Pope John XXIII. So much of our open debate and discussion in religious and ecclesial and even "spiritual" matters flows from the open windows this man threw wide to let in "fresh air". . . and the air still blows in those windows to help keep our own heads clear.

This is "the book' to read if you want to know "the man" in his own thoughts. . . in his own prayers . . in his own written words. . . . a truly good book from a truly good man.

Soul to Soul.......2005-07-06

In the most intimate words, recalling events of the day in diary form, here is a look into the Soul of Blessed John XXlll. Reading through the pages of the book cannot help but touch your soul as well as your mind! From a teen in Sotto Il Monte through his Pontificate, a most tender selection of joy, trust, sorrow, pain, and hope are shared here. His uncompromising adoration and devotion to Jesus, the Gospels and the Church come through not by preaching about it, but rather through the way he lived, and prayed. Devout from his youth, and fiercly loyal to his convictions, that's the example of his life. He embodied the forgiving aspect of Christ, and lived it... and so much more was our Blessed John. While this was never written with the intention of one day becoming the autobiography of a Great Pontiff, it was taken from bits and pieces of scrap paper, papers of differing sizes, notebooks, etc., which Blessed John kept from the time he began writing his diary at about age 14. Reading these selections can only make your heart swell with affection, gratitude and love for this gentle giant of our times. No, he was not just a "poor" "good" Pope, he was a kind, loving, and brilliant Prince of the Church, who was never tainted or taken far from his humble roots. I've found that no matter what words I call up in an effort to describe our Beloved John, only through the reading of this profound work of the heart and soul will you begin to approach the feeling that no words can quite conjure up. This is a gem in my library, and Blessed John remains even more Beloved than I thought possible!

redundant and a bit boring.......2001-09-01

i was looking for an inspirational work on such an inspirational figure...wasn't there. Quite repetitive and I'm afraid his spirituality was redundant, a bit boring and reflected asceticism and fear & trembling. HOWEVER, he did a great job with VII and responded nicely to the Holy Spirit. His best line that I know of is when asked: "How many people work at the Vatican?" His reply: "Oh, about half."

Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics

Average customer rating:

A most interesting work
thoughtful book on touchy subject
When will the '60's end?

Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics
Margaret Farley
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0826410014

Book Description

This long-awaited book by one of American Christianity's foremost ethicists proposes a framework for sexual ethics whereby justice is the criterion for all loving, including love that is related to sexual activity and relationships. It begins with historical and cross-cultural explorations, and then addresses the large questions of embodiment, gender, and sexuality. Following this is a normative chapter that delineates the justice framework for sexual ethics. Though the particular focus is Christian sexual ethics, the framework is broad enough to have relevance for multiple traditions of sexual ethics. The remaining chapters focus on specific issues in sexual ethics, including same-sex relationships, marriage and family, divorce and second marriage, celibacy, and sex and its negativities.

Customer Reviews:

A most interesting work.......2007-03-20

The author utilizes a Neo-Kantian general or formal ethics to address specific issues of sexual morality. In case you are wondering 'just' in the title does not mean 'only' but 'in accord with justice'. It is well written and well thought out. The weakness of the book from a philosophical point of view is that the general ethics is not argued for at length. It is more or less presupposed, although it is presented in an intuitively attractive manner. Most time is spent on applying the Neo-Kantian perspective to sexual matters. This is something which, to my knowledge has not been done before. The ethics elaborated here can be called Christian because of the author's obvious motivation and perspective. It is weak however in providing a basis for the conclusions in scripture and church tradition. Thus this work is exactly what its title indicates, a framework or sketch, rather than a comprehensive treatment.

thoughtful book on touchy subject.......2007-01-16

Dr. Farley's book is carefully written and convincingly argued. As a Catholic moral theologian in these times of limited theological discourse especially on matters concerning sexual ethics, I give Dr. Farley major credit for taking on this subject with honesty and courage. The book provides a wide range of historical evidence on many religious traditions regarding sexuality and she builds to the promise of the virtue of justice based on the human condition in regard to love, most importantly, that is everyone's due and the role of sexuality in love. My favorite part of her book is her discussion of moving beyond only the physical expression of sexuality that she quite rightly, I think, states has had too much emphasis throughout history and trips us up to this day and argues for the importance of the human need and importance of love. I hope all thoughtful, spiritual readers of all religious traditions and sexual orientation who want a thoughtful, well-reasoned theological study and argument for justice in love read this book. Dr. Farley is a refreshing, thoughtful voice on this subject.

When will the '60's end?.......2006-12-31

Much of this book is devoted to the history of sexual and marital practices in the West and to a cross-cultural comparison in an attempt to develop a framework for a contemporary Christian sexual ethic. Although the picture she paints is far from complete (she does not, for example, cite or engage John Witte's important work on the development of marriage in Christianity), Farley does provide enough of a picture to draw three conclusions: Throughout history and across cultures, societies have regulated the sexual passions, channeling them mostly into heterosexual marriage involving either monogamy or polygyny; in both patrilineal and matrilineal socities, women were often subordinated to men; and polygyny presents special dangers to women's equality.

Against this backdrop, Farley provides a framework for "just sex" centering it around seven criteria: do no unjust harm, free consent, mutuality, equality, commitment, fruitfulness, and social justice.

But, how to apply this framework in the concrete reality of people's lives? It is here that Farley sounds like a broken record from the 1960's or 1970's. For her, "commitment" is conditional and contingent because life is often too hard and full of unexpected surprises to live a permanent and unconditional commitment. Instead of offering an ethic that provides tools and understanding so that we can strengthen our commitment, she prefers to dilute the whole idea of commitment. She sees the pain of young girls who "hook up" in uncommitted sex "because they want relationships, though they seek them in vain in the practices that make relationships unnecessary." (p. 234) And, she sees young men ("who appear to enjoy these practices more than girls") taking advantage of "sexual partners almost without limit" with no need for commitment. (Ibid.). Yet, the most she can offer them is that we try to teach them the principles of sex that is just.

Today's young people who have suffered through their parents' broken commitments and who know the alienation and loneliness of the "hook up" culture, want more, need more, and should demand more from those who propose to guide them into adulthood. Those who believe that "just sex" and "just relationships" are possible, should read Karol Wojtyla's groundbreaking work "Love and Responsibility" with, or better yet, instead of, Farley's book. My college age children asked me to read "Love and Responsibility" earlier in the year. Since reading it, I have come to believe that it will provide the foundation for Christian sexual ethics in the 21st century.

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