Saint Augustine of Hippo:
Selections from Confessions and Other Essential Writings
Joseph Kelley, Ph.D.

Skylight Paths Publications (1594735825)

May 2010

From the Publisher:

Augustine of Hippo (354–430), theologian, priest, and bishop, is one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. He is known as much for his long interior struggle that ended with conversion and baptism at age thirty-two as for his influential teachings on human will, original sin and the theology of just war. Cherished as a model for the pursuit of a life of spiritual grace and criticized for his theory of predestination, Augustine is recognized as a living expression of the passion to understand and communicate the deeper meanings of human experience.

With fresh translations drawn from Augustine’s voluminous writings and probing facing-page commentary, Augustinian scholar Joseph T. Kelley, PhD, provides insight into the mind and heart of this foundational Christian figure. Kelley illustrates how Augustine’s keen intellect, rhetorical skill and passionate faith reshaped the theological language and dogmatic debates of early Christianity. He explores the stormy religious arguments and political upheavals of the fifth century, Augustine’s controversial teachings on predestination, sexuality and marriage, and the deep undercurrents of Augustine’s spiritual quest that still inspire Christians today.

From the Pews in the Back:

Young Women and Catholicism

Kate Dugan and Jennifer Owens, editors

Liturgical Press (0814632580)

July 2009

From the Publisher:

From the Pews in the Back is a book filled with questions about Catholic identity. How do young Catholic women see or define themselves? What is their relationship to the church? What are their struggles and joys? In a church that often consigns them to the pews in the back, what place are young women claiming? This collection of twenty-nine essays approaches these questions from a multitude of angles. These brief memoirs, together with the insights of editors Kate Dugan and Jennifer Owens, offer a glimpse into what it means to be young, Catholic, and female in today’s church. These women wrestle with the Catholic faith and with the church. They ask hard questions of the institution and are not willing to take easy answers.

From the Pews in the Back is a new chapter in the dialogue about the role of women in the church. The voices of these women range from inspiring and energetic to challenging and wounded. Ultimately, though, these women are stubbornly hopeful. They are claiming a place in the church and are calling other Catholics to talk with them about this claim. 

Ascend:
The Catholic Faith for a New Generation

Eric Stoltz and Vince Tomkovicz

Paulist Press (0809146215)

November 2009

From the Publisher:

An approachable, clearly written, and contemporary exploration of the Catholic faith aimed at young adults.

United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

USCCB (1574554506)

July 2006

From the Publisher:

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults was the first official catechism produced by the Catholic bishops of the United States since the creation of the well-known Baltimore Catechism in the 19th century. Unlike the earlier catechism, with its questions and answers that became familiar to generations of Catholics, this catechism is in narrative format and does not require rote memorization. Instead, it promotes a command of Catholic faith and practice through a more accessible writing style and numerous new features.

Each chapter opens with a story about a saint, a biblical figure, or an exemplary Catholic, most of them American, to invite reflection and to demonstrate the contribution of American Catholics to society. Although it is geared to adults, including college age and young adults, a number of youth ministry leaders have noted that it is proving to be a useful tool for older teenagers as well. The new work, which took six years to complete, is an inculturated version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church promulgated in 1992 by Pope John Paul II, who urged that local catechisms be developed to better address specific situations in different countries. 

The Catholic Companion to Jesus
Mary Kathleen Glavich

ACTA Publications (0879464224)

January 2010

From the Publisher:

The Catholic Companion to Jesus is an in-depth exploration of the life, times, and legacy of Jesus of Nazareth. Written in language that is easy to grasp for all readers, but comprehensive enough to be an academic resource, The Catholic Companion to Jesus delves into the prophets who preached of Christ's coming, the biblical and historical record of the life of Jesus, his ministry and miracles, his death and resurrection, the legacy he left to all of humanity, his role in modern life, and the second coming of the Messiah.

The Catholic Companion to Jesus is intended to be a catalyst for anyone who wishes to know Jesus better. The best and most effective way to know someone is by personal interaction, and this book offers practical ideas through which readers can open their lives to the one the prophet Isaiah foretold would be called "Emmanuel," which means "God with us."

Copyright © 1998-2007, Daniel J. Pierson.
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