5 comments about I Told the Mountain to Move: Learning to Pray So Things Change.

1. This book revealed a very personal side of prayer in the life of a believer. It gave the reader insight into the power of fervent, consistent and continuous praying. It is a wonderful lesson and experience in "learning how to pray". I would recommend this book to all persons interested in learning how to pray, especially those who are struggling in their prayer life.



2. It's the most moving book I've read in a long time. The author was so honest about her feelings, her life, her faith. I really appreciated that about her. And, I learned so much! I look forward to reading her other book, I hope its, "BOOKS"...............



3. This is a must read for anyone who wants to be encouraged in their walk with God



4. If you are not serious about the power of prayer, please don't play around and read this wonderfully written testimony of a sister I feel I know. Pat Raybon, has captured the simplicity of prayer and illustrated the super natural implications prayer has always had in a believers life/ walk. A must read for any Pastor's wife, sunday school teacher and/or any sister searching for a deeper relationship with the Father.
   
   Thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting pen 2 paper Pat!



5. This is a terrific book. Her writing style makes it easy to read. The author is brutally honest about her shortcomings. I could relate to many situations in the book. This is a must read book for the Christian reader.

5 comments about The Scent of God: A Memoir.

1. When I was an adolescent growing up in a small Kansas town, I sometimes dreamt of becoming a nun--even though I was not Catholic. My cousin, Virginia, had given her life to God and went off to a convent. It all seemed so dramatic and selfless, and I admired her courage and commitment to a life of prayer and spiritual discipline.
   
   I have always been intrigued with the women who left their homes, families, friends and all their personal belongings and took vows of poverty and chastity. And I've also been curious about what life is like behind those sacred walls.
   
   When I discovered Beryl Singleton Bissell's memoir, The Scent of God, I devoured it, savored it, dog-eared the pages and filled it with yellow highlighting. I only do that with books that speak to my heart and soul; I know that I will return to those pages again and again.
   
   The Scent of God takes the reader behind the walls of a convent and into the heart and mind of a young woman who wanted more than anything to be "good", to please God and to be loved. While perfectionism and a compulsive need to be in control of her mind and body led to anorexia, controlling her heart would prove to be more difficult.
   
   This is a story about choices, commitments, faith and love. It is about the choice that Beryl had to make between her calling and an Italian priest who won her heart.
   
   Beryl's memoir is beautifully written, weaving in the rituals of everyday life in the convent with the emotional and spiritual evolution of a young woman who comes to trust herself as well as God.



2. I just finished this book very early this morning and have been haunted by it all day. Never has a story been so moving for me. Beryl's will and pure sense of the self is astounding and through all of her life challenges, particularly those revealed at the end I believe she still manages to stand tall and find comfort in her journey. There are no mistakes in this life and this story was a gift to me as it actually has strengthened my faith in God. Don't miss this read -- it's a must have for every library.



3. My life as a man could hardly have been more removed from the one lived by Beryl Singleton Bissell, so I was unlikely to be interested in a book about someone who become a nun at an early age. Yet I found myself riveted by this story which moves in and out of Puerto Rico, New York and Italy, through a long search to define the meaning of faith and to work past the many obstacles encountered along the way. This remarkably fast-paced book, for all its emphasis on a contemplative life, is jammed with intense experiences all lived before the age of forty, and it is so well-written that it immediately establishes common ground with any reader. I give it my highest recommendation.



4. I don't normally read memoirs but I was intrigued by "The Scent of God". From the very beginning, Beryl Singleton Bissell's prose drew me in as if I walked into her life and shared her childhood, adolescence, and later her tumultous life after leaving the convent. Her story is so honest and raw and I admire her candidness in revealing a love that no Catholic girl/woman would openly confess. Walk with her as she grew up with an alcoholic father and a manic mother. See what it's like to struggle between the secular and spiritual world. Find out how life's twists and turns mold naivety to resilience and survival. Grieve with her as she says good-bye to a love that she fought heaven and hell for. You won't be disappointed.



5. Somehow, when I read this memoir of a former Poor Clare, it stimulated a long past memory of when a Franciscan friar told me of a favourite, private prayer of Francis of Assisi: "Lord, who are you? Lord, who am I?" One wishes that Beryl and Vittorio had ever been taught to approach both those questions in a solid fashion, or to develop the maturity to truly formulate an answer. The picture which emerges is of sincere, dedicated people who were truly seeking God, but who, perhaps because of the lack of any genuine spiritual direction coupled with an excessive stress on obedience, never developed a true clarity of vision. They seem to be a spiritual mess - not wicked or crazy at all, but so devoid of a sense of personal identity and integration of their values into their lives that one wonders if they had any clear picture of vocation, or even of what love for one another entailed.
   
   To the author's credit, she does not turn her reflections on her life into a 'novel form.' The text raises many questions and provides few answers. There is no element of "we were in the wrong places - we found each other - love conquers all" - and, since things are seldom clear-cut or resolved in this life, it is an honest image. The Scent of God is more a reflection than a standard biography. Many books by former religious mock the life in the convent, or show that the candidate was totally unsuitable, or provide an image of monastic life as either gruesome, romantic, or laughable, and there is none of this here. The paradox is that Beryl seems well suited to the life in the cloister overall, and details which may raise the reader's eyebrows (a mattress stuffed with husks for maximum discomfort; an anorexic being cruelly reproached as if her symptoms were wilful 'bad example') do not detract from a generally positive sense of Beryl's being a good candidate.
   
   Much goes unexplained - and there were areas where a more detailed treatment was neglected when it could have been enlightening. The obsession with the novice mistress is all too common when one is in a situation where pleasing her is seen as the sign of a call to obedience, and when every moment of one's life is under her controlling eye. Yet, just using this as one example, Beryl does not explore the situation with mature hindsight.
   
   Neither Beryl nor Vittorio, at age 30 and 57, seem to have either spiritual or emotional maturity. Vacillating and overly magical in approach (there are multiple instances when Beryl sees dreams or portents as divine signs - winning a book confirmed she was to be a Poor Clare), one wonders if they even understood what true love and commitment is at that point. Beryl's character is highly irritating at that point - narcissistic, totally blind to others' situations and given to childish self-centredness and a sense of 'look at all I gave up,' a supposedly mature celibate who was caught up and flattered with her attractiveness. In one scene, where Beryl is treated for a skin problem and the doctor places her hand on his penis, it is astonishing that a grown woman would see this as flattering, enjoying having aroused him, while being blind to the degradation and abuse.
   
   As Beryl mentions at times, things could have gone differently had she had counsel available. The bishop from whom she putatively seeks advice, then tries to impress, apparently neither sees this nor points it out, which shows he had no abilities in direction or discernment. The tragedy seems far beyond a lost vocation. One wonders if either members of the couple had enough sense of vocation or self to make a choice.
   
   Many elements, again unexplained, are highly puzzling. For a priest to wish to be laicised and marry, yet want to confine intercourse to marriage, is understandable. For him to take his prospective bride into the bed with him is bizarre. One wonders why - a test of control of himself? How did he not become physically aroused - was this a by product of the cancer? Why would a couple who wish to observe the virtue of chastity take such chances?
   
   The memoir is not the weary "I only became a nun because the Church thought only religious were holy - I left with the new theology of marriage" balderdash. My sense was of recording of memories, many which the author herself may not fully understand, which showed a sad lack of the "Lord, who am I?"

1 comments about No Swimming on Sunday.

1. I'm about two-thirds of the way through this book, and have enjoyed every page. I attended Sunday School as a child in the '60's. Lyn's descriptions of his Sunday School experiences matched mine exactly, right down to the opening exercises and the white plastic bank shaped like a church! What wonderful years those were.

2 comments about Saint Augustine: Select Letters (Loeb Classical Library #239).

1. Besides the Confessions, Augustine's Epistles will tell us the most about the person of Augustine and of his theology as it concerns itself with the Pelagian heresy, the Donatist schism, and with the multiduous questions posed by his numerous correspondents. Unfortunately, the Loeb edition does not contain the complete corpus of his letters; but it does furnish a paralel Latin text, a lengthy and learned introduction, and some helpful annontations along the way. See the review posted for Augustine's Confessions and Letters, complete under a single volume: Phillip Schaff, Nicene-Post Nicene Fathers.



2. Selected Letters is a very interesting collection of letters written by st. Augustine. Both the original Latin text on the left and the English translation on the right give the reader a great possibility to have an iteresting point of view to Doctor Gratiaes thought and eg. to the relationship between st. Augusine and another churchfather, st. Jerome.

3 comments about From Fallen To Forgiven.

1. "From Fallen to Forgiven is for everyone who feels that their life is beyond repair... An inspiration to readers."



2. "From Fallen to Forgiven is the incredible account of a life transformed by Jesus Christ. When you read everything Jennifer has experienced in her life's journey you will have two surprises: first, that anyone could endure the pain and suffering she has known, and second, that through her faith she has been transformed into such a beautiful person. Jennifer's book will strengthen your own faith and encourage your heart. I highly recommend it."
   Dr. David Jeremiah "Turning Point" Radio & Television Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church

   "From Fallen to Forgiven is for everyone who feels that their life is beyond repair. Her own struggle and subsequent renewal through her commitment to Christ, and her faith in God's love and His willingness to heal, will be an inspiration to readers."
   Patricia Heaton Emmy Award Winning Actress, "Everybody Loves Raymond"

   On the screen, Jennifer O'Neill has brought her characters to life with amazing energy and talent. Now, after a lifetime of personal struggles, she reveals how God brought character and renewal into her life. This book is a no-holds-barred journey of faith and hope that will inspire every reader.
   Mark Larson Chairman, Media Fellowship International

   I appreciated From Fallen to Forgiven not just as a writer and Christian, but as someone who found this work tremendously encouraging toward deepening my daily walk with the Lord. Ms. O'Neill's presentation of her messageýincluding her own song lyrics and scriptural referencesýis a comfort and source of strength to which anyone can turn. And return."
   John Tinker Creator & Producer, "Judging Amy"

   "As in our recent women's conference, Jennifer beautifully communicates her love for God and people in the pages of this in-depth, Biblically based study. You'll appreciate her refreshing honesty and be changed forever by God's message of forgiveness."
   Dr. Robert Schuller Founding Pastor, Crystal Cathedral Ministries

   "Jennifer has lived many lives in her few years. She shares how her amazing walk with the Lord has healed many wounds. Everyone reading this book will find a common struggle in their own life and they will receive ministering testimony. Her honesty and openness are refreshing."
   Marilyn McCoo Singer

   "Jennifer O'Neill's deeply moving book From Fallen to Forgiven is a beautifully written chronicle of one Christian's journey from self-destruction to healing through the power of forgiveness. Learn from her words and know the power of moving beyond our own trespasses and giving those who have trespassed against us back over to God where they rightly belong."
   Michael A. Adamse, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist, Author, Radio Host

   "Jennifer O'Neill writes with candor and conviction about the transforming power of forgiveness and the blessings of God's tender mercies. Her compelling story proves that there's no cause so lost, no fear so great, no relationship so bruised that by God's grace it can't be rescued, calmed, and sanctified."
   H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Author of Life's Little Instruction Book

   "All those who are Christians, weak and strong, should read this book. My reading renewed my faith and love affair with Jesus Christ, Son of the living God!"
   Don Phillips Academy Award winning Producer & Casting Director

   "Jesus said of a certain woman that she loved much because she had been forgiven much. Jennifer O'Neill can say the same. Anyone who thinks she or he is beyond forgiveness should read Jennifer's life story. It is encouraging, uplifting, and beautiful as she is!"
   Cal Thomas Syndicated Columnist

   "From Fallen to Forgiven provides reminders of the importance of letting go of past indiscretions and letting God work in our lives."
   Marsha Blackburn Tennessee State Senator

   "This book is much more than an amazing testimony. Jennifer provides practical application through God's Word and her own experiences of how to come out of bondage and pain into a brand new life. Jennifer is a frequent guest speaker at Mercy Ministries of America to hurting young women, and her impact on them is immeasurable."
   Nancy Alcorn President and Founder, Mercy Ministries

   "Jennifer O'Neill's life story reminds us that healing is not only possible but promised. Jennifer's journey will enlighten the reader to the fact that God has a plan! A plan of purpose and provision to any and all who seek and offer forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ."
   Dudley C. Rutherford Pastor, Shepherd of the Hills Church

   "Jennifer O'Neill has invited us to embrace the experience of forgiveness and the journey towards wholeness with elegance and a healthy sense of humor. Her penchant for writing is only matched by her passion for God's love. From Fallen to Forgiven is a gift at the threshold of the doorway of hope. You'll walk away from this encounter knowing that what was done can be undone.
   Dr. Mark J. Chironna The Master's Touch International Church

   "I am absolutely convinced that one of the most important experiences we must endure to become comfortable in God's presence is what Jennifer's book is all about. Jennifer exemplifies the beauty of honest and transparency. I am truly grateful and acknowledge the value of her contributions to the body of Christ as a writer."
   Stephen S. Sawyer Christian Artist, ART for GOD

   "By opening up the depths of her own pain and brokenness, she allows us to see the nail-scarred hands of Jesus tenderly pick up the broken pieces of her life, cleansing the shame and healing the pain in a way that moves us all to trust Jesus with our darkest secrets and most painful memories."
   Rev. Tommy Hays Messiah Ministries

   "Readers will discover an intimate and moving account of a soul's unfolding. For all who wrestle with disappointment, distrust and rejection, this book offers words of encouragement and spiritual insight into the power of forgiveness as a way to calm, to reconcile and to heal."
   Carla Archuletta Marketing Consultant




3. If you're looking for an entertaining Hollywood bio, this ain't it. I guess she covered most of the Hollywood stuff in her earlier book, "Surviving Myself." This one is all about the beauty and wonder and glory of being "saved" by Jesus, and is laced with passages of scripture. Since I'm completely non-religious, I flipped through it for just a few minutes and gave it back to the library.

2 comments about Where Women Walked.

1. I was really moved by the stories of the women in this book. The authors did a great job of recounting the hardships and challenges of older women while challenging their readers to draw on/grow in their own faith to handle the hurdles in their lives. I plan to use this book in my own life if/when I face similar challenges and will share it with others who are in the midst of experiencing such things as a divorce, cancer, loss of a spouse, etc.



2. The authors interviewed and recounted the stories of older women in the hope of inspiring younger readers to seek older women's wisdom and encouragement. This book is a gem for younger and older readers alike as it spans generations. At the crux of each story is the presence of faith and how it works in women's lives. A must-read!

1 comments about Essays and Other Footprints: Left by Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

1. This important collection includes twenty-nine essays selected from the Carpenter collection, Essays on Christian Science Ascribed to Mary Baker Eddy; Bible Lessons and Sermonettes; Footsteps Fadeless; and a number of her early transcripts, including her published version of The Science of Man.
   
   One passage from the Red Book states, "Law means orderly and continuous activity. Therefore, the active energy emanating from Mind is law, and is eternally established. Mind, or active infinite intelligence, is of necessity law. All true active thought, motive, and purpose are in divine Mind.
   
   "Love is everywhere. Abide in Love. Nothing can touch or harm you in Love. Know that you live in Love. Love is God as Life itself. Take this understanding with you and bless others with Love. Remember there will be nothing comes to you that you cannot overcome.
   
   The victory is yours by inheritance; claim it and use it as yours. Work every day to know that the belief of impossibility has no power over you. Know that it cannot possibly affect you in any way, and can never for an instant hinder your demonstration, whether you are working for health, peace, joy, or any mental quality, thing or experience. Know that you are conscious of the possibility and realization of all that is good and true.
   
   Resolve your occupation or business into mind; then make it a channel for activities of good. Any evil in the past cannot act as present consequences nor claim those consequences of evil to be indestructible, for God knows no evil, and it has no presence."

1 comments about Fearless Entry: When the Church says you don't belong, Jesus says you do.

1. This book is a fresh, honest, witty look into the state of the Church in post-postmodern America, and raises some outright bold questions about how most Christians are living out their faith. Miller brings a unique "insider's view" perspective as the son of a United Methodist preacher who has fought his whole life for acceptance within the Church, while all along knowing it would lead him farther away from the missing pieces of spirituality that a teenage rebellion had exposed to him.
   
   Miller's account of his relationship with his father is truly stirring, and his stories kept me smiling, if not having fits of irrepressible gut-bustery. His stories of being imprisoned for skateboard-related monkey business were particularly engaging. While being easy-to-read and entertaining, this tome also asks some thought-provoking questions... some which we should ask of the Church, but most which we should solicit of ourselves. This was a great book; I only wish is that it was longer, or that it could have been narrated to me at bedside by Miller himself.

No comments about TO FIND HOPE - MOTHER TERESA.

4 comments about Doctors Of The Church: Thirty-Three Men and Women Who Shaped Christianity.

1. Like most protestants the term "doctor of the church" meant little to me. If anything it may have referred to those ministers in the church who had conferred upon them an honorary doctory of divinity degree. As the years went by I encountered the term in one of my college religion classes but its origins were never explained to me until the advent of this book.

   Bernard McGinn profiles the lives of thirty-three men and women who shaped Christianity not by academic degrees but through their sermons, teachings, exemplary lives and leadership. These illuminating teachers were the "Doctors of the Church." In his introduction the evolution of the term is explained. In Latin christianity it was a generic term denoting all who gave instruction in the faith. As the church began to institutionalize and doctrinal disputes arose ,the term and the functions of such persons became more critical. Thus the institutional church gave a person the authoritative title of "doctor" however it was understood that the Holy Spirit was the guiding principal in that person's teachings.

   The text is divided into three time periods in which these doctors emerged;Patristic, Medieval and Modern. A brief bography is given on each subject and the particular teaching that they expoused. In the Patristic period we find doctors who are acceptable in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Othodox traditions. At the close of his text the author speculates about the future of the doctors of the church. Will protestants be included? What about more laity, women and those who are married? What importance will they have for the future of Christianity as a whole? I highly recommend this book for those interested in church history, the individual doctors and the impact that these thinkers had on all aspects of Christianity. For the general reader it is an accessible document and will give you a greater appreciation of the church's history and growth through its teachers.




2. Modern Christians, much like the ancient Israelites described in the book of Judges, are plagued by a lack of memory. All too often, we forget the lessons handed down to us by generations past.

   My search for those lessons is what led me to this book: "The Doctors of the Church : Thirty-Three Men and Women Who Shaped Christianity" by Bernard McGinn

   One the great resources I have found for unearthing the wisdom of the past is Paulist Press' wonderful series: "The Classics of Western Spirituality." Having read a few volumes of the series, and having noticed Mr. McGinn's name was listed in my most recent volume as being the General editor, I decided to read something written by him. I found that "The Doctors of the Church" is an excellent introduction to and starting point for the study of the Catholic Church doctors.

   The book begins with a chapter about what exactly a doctor of the Church is. It then moves on to discuss how each doctor got to be a doctor. I found these chapters interesting enough...but the prey I was hunting for here I only found in the next (and largest) section of the book.

   The second section of the book consists of brief descriptions of the life and teachings of each doctor. This part of the book is ideally suited for those needing an introductory level overview of the doctors. More useful still, each chapter has suggestions for reading works by the doctor as well as McGinn's own bibliography of works about the doctor. This is an awesome way to make it easy to dive into the deep waters of the doctors' teachings.

   The final section discusses the significance of the doctors to the Church today as well as where McGinn thinks the Church might turn as far as the naming of doctors in the future. This was again insightful, but less useful for my purposes.

   Overall, I found "The Doctors of the Church" to be an excellent book. I glad I read it; and now, I recommend it to you.




3. This is the first choice in the first month of our new parish-wide book club that meets only in our church bulletin: St. Martha Parish-Wide Bulletin Book Club, a project of FACE/Foundations in Adult Catholic Education. If you belong to St. Martha's or read this review, you're in the club! No pressure. No meetings. We won't mind if you list this membership on your resume.
   The Doctors of the Church are recognized as authoritative teachers who pass on spiritual wisdom. McGinn reminds that "Doctrina in Latin signifies the act of teaching, instructing, or training of any kind, so a doctor is a person who teaches...." (P.4) We posited that our book club should begin with a firm selection. We set about asking which Christian or Roman Catholic book, besides the Bible, would be best for our new beginning. We concluded that we should begin with our Church's most distinguished faculty. While these thirty-three are not our Master Teacher, each has been from over two thousand years of Christian authors and teachers elevated by The Church to doctor ecclesia. Whom better to start our book club school year than teachers?
   There are other offerrings published on the subject of Doctors of the Church, but McGinn's authority as an historical theologian and position as Naomi Shenstone Donnelley Professor of historical theology at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago that brings such brilliance and richness to this book. From the preface he brings the reader into the 2000 year traditions of Roman Catholicism through a descriptive architectural tour of St. Peter's Basilica as a metaphor for this historical richness. His ability as scholar and teacher bring us in Part One to an understanding of what a Doctor of the Church is and how that definition evolved. If Truth is elegant, McGinn is perfecting it!
   This book provides a very challenging several days read/study, or could be used as a contemporary burst-read-before-bed by reading a single life at a time, usually no more than three pages. Each life could also be read slowly for the spiritual challenge each doctor's writings inspire in the contemplative. As if this weren't enough, McGinn adds three appendices that are concise and useful reviews: Dictionary of Heresies (2 pages), Ecumenical Councils (2 pages), and Use of Doctors in Recent Church Teaching (2 pages).
   Reading this book is like taking a survey course in Church philosophical underpinnings, without the lengthy term papers and thick tombs. This book is not only in paperback, but is few more than 200 pages!
   Finding a selection to appeal to busy adults in 2500 families in a Roman Catholic parish in the mid-West was certainly made easier by McGinn. We're very excited to have a selection that will allow all levels of readers to delve into two thousand years of doctrine in a meaningful way. This is a perfect selection for September back to work and school with Roman Catholicism's most distinguished faculty, our doctores ecclesiae.



4. There is a rare and distinguished title in the church, little used and even less understood--that of Doctor of the Church. To date, only 33 men and women have been accorded the honour of being a Doctor of the Church, and among these are some of the most influential figures of Christianity (most of Christianity as a whole, and not just specifically Roman Catholicism). They include the likes of Augustine, John Chrysostom, Aquinas, and Teresa of Avila.

   --What is this title?--
   Doctors of the Church have been so named because they have provided critical insight into the life, practice, spirituality and definition of the church at key historical points, and have done so in such as way as to endeavour to teach and otherwise impart this knowledge to others. These are the great teachers of the church, in word and deed.

   They are divided into three broad categories. The Patristic Doctors are the notables among the early church fathers, in the post-apostolic age to the close of the early round of church councils. These Patristic Doctors are thirteen in number:

   Athanasius of Alexandria
   Ephrem the Syrian
   Hilary of Poitiers
   Cyril of Jerusalem
   Basil of Caesarea
   Gregory of Nazianzus
   Ambrose of Milan
   John Chrysostom
   Jerome
   Augustine of Hippo
   Cyril of Alexandria
   Peter Chrysologus
   Leo the Great

   The next subgrouping is the Medieval Doctors:

   Gregory the Great
   Isador of Seville
   Bede the Venerable
   John of Damascus
   Peter Damian
   Anselm of Canterbury
   Bernard of Clairvaux
   Anthony of Padua
   Albert the Great
   Bonaventure of Bagnorea
   Thomas Aquinas
   Catherine of Siena

   The next subgrouping is the Modern Doctors:

   Teresa of Avila
   Peter Canisius
   John of the Cross
   Robert Bellarmine
   Lawrence of Brindisi
   Francis de Sales
   Alphonsus de Liguori
   Theresa of Lisieux

   The Patristic Doctors tend to be held in high regard by all denominations, East and West, Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. The Medieval and Modern Doctors are often less regarded outside of Catholic circles, but still have provided spiritual and theological insight that enriches the entirety of Christianity.

   It is unclear what authority outside of the Papacy can declare a Doctor of the Church -- this book remains ambiguous on that point, too.

   `Although in the last four centuries it is only the Roman popes who have been interested in adding new names to the list of doctors, recent popes have not used their power of nomination to aggrandise the papacy by adding more of their predecessors.... Since 1700, only one pope, Leo I (declared a doctor in 1754), has made the list--and few would disagree with this belated recognition of a teacher revered in both Eastern and Western Christianity. A survey of the new doctors shows that the bishops of Rome have continued to think of 'doctor' as an ecumenical denomination, involving both Eastern and Western Christianity.'

   --What is the future of this title?--
   The most important aspect of the Doctors of the Church is without a doubt their continuing influence in the development of life, practice, thinking and spirituality of all of Christianity. A renewed interest in those who demonstrated clearly the vocation of teaching in the church bodes well for an increasingly community-driven model of church leadership.

   `What is distinctive about the doctors as a group is the model they present of combining the intense love of God and neighbour that defines sanctity with a commitment to the intellectual work of learning, preaching, teaching, and writing.'

   Doctors are different from saints in their status and role; these people live as much through their writings as through their veneration and intercessory aspects.

   With a concern toward the ecumenical nature of the office doctor ecclesiae, McGinn argues for the inclusion of more Eastern figures, as well as Protestant figures who illuminate truth in their own way -- as Aquinas said, no one figure will ever embody or represent the fullness of truth found in the church as a whole, and that definition of church must be broadened beyond medieval political definitions.

   Bernard McGinn has put together a good collection of brief biographies of these important figures.