5 comments about Questions and Answers.

1. I just finished Questions and Answers by Pope Benedict XVI put out by Our Sunday Visitor which is a collection of various question and answer sessions from various audiences that includes sessions with children, youth, and clergy at multiple locations. This s a very worthwhile collection and with the amount of these type sessions I am sure we will see more of these books in the future.
   
   Pope Benedict XVI really opens himself up to these types of sessions which I think for the most part of quite unique in the history of the Church. The questions themselves are interesting, but it is the way the pope answers these questions in his own style that is quite remarkable. Reading through his sometimes lengthily answers you would think he had days to work on responses to questions put before him ahead of time. He is an amazing extemporaneous speaker and his answers reveal just how thoroughly he has integrated the faith and is able to speak on almost any topic to reveal his knowledge and contemplation on a subject. It is obvious as to the level of detail that he has given to these subjects in his own mind before hand.
   
   I also found it quite amazing his ability to really answer a question and put together a synthesis of Church teaching and his own practical experience to give almost a mediation on a question. The book opens up with questions from children and I think they way he answers them is the very model that people working with children and youth in regards to religious education should follow. He is able to answer serious questions to them in a serious manner that does not "talk down" to them, but at the same time making it understandable to them. He sees no reason to water down a serious subject just because he is talking to children and is able to tailor it to their intellects in such a way that even as an adult I found his answers fruitful for me.
   
   His answers, especially to fellow priests, are often long discourses - but he doesn't talk just to hear his voice. In one question he felt that the questioner had answered his own query and the Pope simple said for other to listen to what this priest had to say and not feel the need to add anything to it. You get the feel of his real humility when he answers questions in that he defines the limits of what he is able to answer and when speaking to clergy talks about their pastoral experience in taking his suggestions in.
   
   The questions run the gamut and some of them overlap. I especially enjoyed his discussions on marriage and his insight in regards to marriage. I loved how he referred to one large family as a parish. Some of his answers in regard to science are quite interesting especially in regards to the recent controversy and protests at the La Sapienza University in Rome calling the Pope anti-science. In on answer he talks about Galileo the great and the proper and supporting roles of faith and science. In another he talks about the false tensions between creationists and evolutionists and where they both go wrong and makes a fairly strong statement in regards to the science of evolution. When Pope John Paul II made a comment about evolution it got a lot of press and so I find it rather strange the Pope Benedict's comments in this regard did not get the same publicity. I guess it didn't fit their template.
   
   This book was edited by Michael Dubruiel and the Latin translation footnotes were provided by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf which as you would expect are quite informative.



2. The Q&A approach was more distracting than helpful. An index of the subjects covered would have been helpful.



3. Like the best-selling book-length interviews Salt of the Earth and God and the World, Questions and Answers features Pope Benedict answering a range of questions about the Catholic faith. Unlike those earlier books, in which the questions took the form of a lengthy interview conducted by a prominent German journalist, the questions here come from a variety of inquirers: children, students, seminarians, and priests. Because of that, the questions are often less theological and more practical. This book will not tell you everything you need to know about Catholicism, nor does it pretend to be a catechism. But it will give you additional insights into the Catholic faith and reveal the pastoral sensibilities of the current pontiff.



4. Questions and Answers offers a surprisingly enjoyable compilation of the one-on-one sessions between Pope Benedict XVI and various groups with whom he has met over the first years of his pontificate. The idea for the sessions was introduced not long after his election in 2005 and has become something of a regular feature of his audiences.
   
   Two especially intriguing aspects of the book jump out immediately at the reader. First, there are the pope's answers to the wide-ranging questions posed to him by such groups as children preparing for First Communion, Italian youth, and especially the priests of the diocese of Rome and Albano. It comes as little surprise that Benedict is able to answer all of the questions posed to him in exacting and equally sweeping fashion (he was, after all, one of the foremost theologians of the 20th century at the time of his election). But the capacity of the pontiff to reply in direct, clear, and pastoral terms demonstrates both his decades of labor as a professor but also his surprising ability as pope to be strikingly pastoral. The light pastoral touch has been apparent since his election (and his memorable homily at his installation), and his replies to the questions here are even more so. He speaks to the children in terms that are readily understood by a young mind even as they are obviously grounded in abiding faith. His replies to the priests are also straightforward in his real-world advice even as he notes the essential unity that must exist between the spiritual life and the pastoral ministry of a priest.
   
   If the pope's answers are revealing so too are the questions. The issues posed to the pope by the children are ones that Catholic youth readily ask their parents (such as the one from a girl named Andrea who asks, "In preparing me for my First Communion day, my catechist told me that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. But how? I can't see him!"). The questions from the priests also point to the stresses and challenges faced by the priests in parish service and the sometimes heart-breaking situations they must try to solve and heal. In that sense, Questions and Answers shows the struggles of faith, hope, and love that all Christians must confront. And in his answers, Pope Benedict XVI proves why we would all do well to listen to him.
   
   This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in glimpsing the pope at his most articulate and also his most extemporaneous.



5. The questions posed, as well as the answers, are long, involved and at times difficult to understand. This is NOT a book for grade school children - probably not even early high schoolers. If you are and adult who is looking for the Pope's theological responses to questions about the church, the sacraments and morals this could have answers for you.

5 comments about Swear to God: The Promise and Power of the Sacraments.

1. Scott writes with a warm and witty style that keeps you entertained while you learn.



2. This is a good book, not great. Scott weakened my interest with his ongoing discussion on "oaths". I was looking for more discussion about the sacraments. He has written better books.



3. Swear To God will not fail to disappoint, with the author's refreshingly orthodox approach to the Catholic faith and Scripture scholarship. The book focuses on the concept of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church instituted by Jesus Christ: Baptism, Penance, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction. Hahn likens each of the sacraments to an agreement or a covenant, similar to those between God and His chosen people in Biblical times, between God and the members of His Church.
   
   Being a member of a Calvinist-Christian denomination that only recognised two of the seven sacraments, Hahn admits he initially did not view the sacraments as an integral part of salvation. He investigated further, only to find he was being absorbed in a consuming appreciation and eventual love for the sacraments. As his search led him to the writings of St Paul and the Fathers of the early Church, Hahn found he was increasingly drawn to all seven sacraments.
   
   Hahn believes many Catholics today have forgotten, or in many cases have simply never been taught, the awesome power of the sacraments as "actions with ultimate consequences ... matters of life and death". He seeks to remedy this situation by showing the amazing privilege that God has given to Christians worldwide through the sacraments since the beginning of history.
   
   He defines the idea of a sacrament in terms of a covenant with God, which akin to any other agreement has direct consequences. He then demonstrates the continuity of covenants [sacraments] throughout Biblical times. Hahn offers an overall insight into each sacrament in the early chapters, then develops them individually and examines their various aspects more fully in later chapters. But it is only through full and active participation in the sacraments that their true meaning and sacredness as a direct communication with God can come to fruition. He writes, "in baptism, in the Mass, at our marriage, and in every sacrament we celebrate, we invoke the name of the Lord, and we bind ourselves by covenant oath. We swear not by our name, but by God's [name] ... we pledge ourselves to obey the Word of God, as revealed in Scripture and Tradition. We have bound ourselves to a covenant, and every covenant implies a law."
   
   Swear To God is a dynamic book which fully achieves its purpose of showing Catholics and other Christians the unique and rich tradition of the seven sacraments. It engages the reader with amusing and, at times, sad anecdotes and memories all infused with a fervour for God and the Catholic Church realised over the course of time and a remarkable conversion journey.
   
   Anyone seeking answers about the sacraments, or who, as Hahn himself formerly was, is simply "bored" with the sacraments, will find this book hard to resist.



4. Swear to God is a landmark book for Catholics. Most Catholics do not understand what it is they are doing when they receive the Sacraments. Every Catholic, regardless of how much you think you know about the faith, should read, ponder and contemplate this book.
   
   Every Sacrament is a vow or oath to God that is a perpetuation of the ancient practices of Israel. Christ said several times He was not doing away with the Old Covenant, He was fulfilling it. Once you realize just what the Sacraments are and their tremendous significance, to us personally, to the Catholic Community and to the entire world, you will realize what it means to be the People of God.
   
   Now you should read The Lamb's Supper, even if you have already read it. It means so much more once you understand God's Covenants with His people.



5. The apostle reminded us to "provoke one another to love and good works." Dr. Hahn has done that once again in this fascinating study of sacraments. Beginning with a discussion to define what sacraments are from Genesis to Jesus, then building on that basic understanding to a deeper understanding of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, Dr. Hahn leads us into his own surprised excitement at discovering these truths of the faith. His strong Calvinist background gives him an unique perspective in comparing the Roman Catholic and Protestant understandings. Christians of both faiths will find much here to excite them and reinvigorate their participation in the sacraments. The content of this book could very well help you to restore the heart in your worship - both private and communal. Very helpful and rich with detail.

5 comments about Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir.

1. Does being a self-assured and proud gay man make you a bit of a hypocrite in also proclaiming to be a practicing Catholic? That's the question that Scott Pomfret asks himself in his hilarious (as well as insightful and seemingly historically/scholarly accurate) memoir. Starting with remembrances of how it felt to belong to the Church in his youth, he resumes practicing his faith in Catholicism, at a time and place where more people were leaving it: in Boston, at the time of the Church's lobbying to repeal gay marriages.
   
   Pomfret (who works as a government attorney during the day and, with his partner Scott Whittier, is responsible for the "Romentics" series of explicit gay romantic novels) shows a knack for describing the stereotypical yet colorful individuals, both gay and straight, he met while involved as a lector (reader) at church services, and attending meetings of Dignity and a gay spirituality group. There's the tough pastor Father Bear-Daddy, a trio of elderly Irish lady volunteers he calls the Hale Marys (they're all named Mary), spirituality group leader Mama Bear, and the worldly Father McSlutty, among others. He also has a few choice names for the Archbishop, as well as the Pope (Pope Benedict XVI, whom he calls B-16.) He rants at, yet tries to reconcile, the rules and politics of the Church, which he correctly points out, largely came from individuals throughout history, not God. Ultimately, he focuses on the reality that the Church is made up of a diverse group of individuals, gay and straight, clergy or not, and spotlights the more memorable (or outrageous) among them.
   
   As a "product" of 12 years of Catholic education (enough to turn off ANYone to organized religion for life!), I must admit I roared with laughter dozens of times at the author's spot-on depictions of the Church's less-than-logical rules and pronouncements. He deals with many concepts that would be considered in bad taste, and joyfully leaps over "the line" to tell it like it is. He almost (but not quite) made me want to give "my" church another try as well, which is certainly a miracle worthy of papal-declared sainthood! My only beef with the book is that it is somewhat unfocused and rambling, with many "déjà vu" moments that seem to overlap with sections that went much earlier in the book. Don't know if non-Catholics can relate much to it, but I do recommend the book highly for both practicing and "lapsed" Catholics. Give it four stars out of five.



2. Since My Last Confession
   A GAY CATHOLIC MEMOIR
   A Must Read Book for ALL GLBT Christians especially Catholics
   Written by Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
   Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus
   www.missionstsergius
   www.missionstsergius/Divine_Mercy_Franciscans
   
   SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION, A GAY CATHOLIC MEMOIR by Scott Pomfret is a must read book for al GLBT persons who are or ever considered themselves Catholic and in fact, all GLBT Christian persons.
   The book will have you laughing hysterically, getting angry and make you think.
   " Since My Last Confession" makes it clear how a Gay person can even consider being a Catholic while it points out the hypocrisy of the Roman Church and it's contradictions.
   Filled with great humor, a true love and respect for the basic principals of the church as well as poignancy and regret for the church trying to use the smoke screen of homosexuality to hide it's failures in the pedophile sex scandal.
   Set in Boston where the author is an active member of a Franciscan Church as well as an open Gay man living in a committed relationship the book is full of humor and historical facts that opens your mind to the truth of Christ's message and the differences between the Truth and the churches current position.
   I strongly recommend this book for it's openness and honesty as well as historical facts presented in an enjoyable and humorous way.



3. this book is aimed for, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I'm a straight Jewish woman and I found the book at the O'Hare airport bookstore recently. Hey, why not take a chance and learn about gay Catholic lawyers? I'm glad I took that chance as Pomfret is a wonderful writer.



4. Okay, the topic sounds like a heavy one - a gay man struggling to find his place in an increasingly homophobic Catholic Church - but Pomfret's witty writing had me in stitches. For confidentiality, the author has changed many of the names of parish priests and church members, giving them hysterical names like Father McSlutty and Father Daddy-Bear, and he offers us funny, yet handy cut-out guides along the way with titles like "How to Come Out to Hardcore, Bead-counting Catholics" and "Brokeback Lent."
   
   That said, this memoir also deeply touched my heart and reaffirmed my own faith. Like many, I was surprised to learn that Pomfret - author of gay erotica books like "Hot Sauce" - is a devout Catholic and active lector and lay minister at his Boston parish. Where one might expect this to be an angry, Catholic-bashing book, Pomfret's memoir is actually a very loving one, as he attempts to accept the Church he loves, broken as she may be. "So why do I cling to a broken, dying Church and its broken prelate?" he writes. "Brokeness is an opportunity for the Spirit to enter."
   
   I, too, have struggled to support and defend the Church in which I grew up. Many of us have left, but Pomfret's memoir reaffirms that we are all a part of the Church, and that she is incomplete without us. One gay father of three tells Pomfret, "I feel a political responsibility not to leave and not to be budged by people who don't want me there. It's the Rosa Parks thing. It's my church, too, as much as theirs."
   
   So, while I howled with laughter throughout my reading of this wickedly-funny book, I, more importantly, have come away even more deeply committed to my own faith and in my resolve to help heal the Church from within. I have Pomfret - a kindred spirit - and his touching memoir to thank for that.
   
   -Salvatore Sapienza, author of Seventy Times Seven: A Novel



5. Devout catholic lector (lay minister) Scott Pomfret weaves gay humor into his critique of the (mis)management of the Catholic church during the period from the first open discussions of the pedophile priests through the passage of the equal marriage rights law in Massachusetts. He exposes widespread homosexuality in the priesthood while clearly differentiating it from the pedophilia of a small minority. Scott is relentless in his criticism of the church hierarchy for their long-term cover-up of the actions of pedophile priests.
   A central point in this book is hypocrisy. The Vatican very publicly issues rules. The bishops direct their priests to both publish and enforce them. Meanwhile, the parish priests decide whether these rules are appropriate for their congregations - and often simply ignore them. In some parishes, openly gay priests welcome their gay and lesbian congregants. In others, parish priests ignore constraints on marrying divorced parishioners. The vast majority of parishioners practice birth control, with no threat of pastoral approbation.
   Much of the humor in this book revolves around Pomfret's ongoing battle with Cardinal O'Malley over God's and the state's acceptance of gays in the church and equal marriage rights. One would think that Pomfret's obvious, open violation of Church rules would lead to excommunication. It hasn't. He continues to lector, take communion, and participate in the Gay-Lesbian Spirituality Group in his church in South Boston.
   Alongside the stories of his experiences, Pomfret provides short segments of his gay interpretations of various church rules. Since he means no threat to any of the lay people or specific priests in his church, he makes up special names for some of his characters. It is a fun book to read, while making strong points about the differences between the official church position on gay issues and the actions of their parishioners.
   If you think the Church is infallible, you probably will not like this book. If you know the Church needs to get back to its roots - living and spreading Christ's teachings - you will enjoy it.

5 comments about Theology and Sanity.

1. This is an excellent and engaging book. In the author's own words this is a book about seeing the universe the way the Church sees it because that is reality, and seeing reality is sanity. Seeing the world in any other way is not reality, and therefore insane. As a very early example Sheed writes,
   
   "...she [the Church] sees all things whatsoever held in existence from moment to moment by nothing but the continuing will of God that they should not cease to be. When she sees anything at all, in the same act she sees God holding it in existence. Do we? It is not merely a matter of knowing that this is so. Do we actually see it so? If we do not, then we are not living mentally in the same world as the Church. What is more, we are not seeing things as they are, for that is how they are."
   
   Sheed's writing has a very academic tone to it. In fact he states up front that he is writing about the intellect, not the will. He is clear that salvation depends directly on the will, not the intellect, but at the same time he emphasizes that neglecting the intellect is to our own great disadvantage. In Sheed's own words,
   
   "But knowledge of the truth matters all the same. It matters for the reason we have already stated, namely, that every new thing known about God is a new reason for loving Him. It matters also...[because] in the appallingly difficult struggle to be good, the will is helped immeasurably by the intellect's clear vision of the real Universe."
   
   and,
   
   "After all, the man who uses his intellect in religion is using it to see what is there. But the alternative to seeing what is there is either not seeing what is there, and this is darkness; or seeing what is not there, and this is error, derangement, a kind of double darkness. And it is unthinkable that darkness whether double or single should be preferred to light."
   
   The academic tone to the book will definitely appeal to those who are more intellectually oriented, but the book is much more than pure academics. Sheed spent many years as a street minister and this comes through in the book, making each point hit home personally in one's own life.
   
   The book is written in three main parts: God, Creation, and Oneself. And within these three sections the author covers the whole gamut of the Catholic faith including: Thomistic proofs of God's existence, the mystery of the Trinity, God's creation of man, God's personal relationship with man, the life of Jesus Christ, the Church as the body of Christ, the sacraments, the human condition as viewed by the Church, heaven, angels, sanctifying grace, and so much more. In short it is an exceptionally good overview of what the Catholic church is about and how it sees the world.
   
   There are a few things one might want to be aware of before choosing or starting to read this book. First, as I've already mentioned, sometimes Sheed's writing, can have an academic air about it that might turn some people off. Many will appreciate the academic tone, but Sheed's passion for the intellect may at times be a little overbearing and rub some people the wrong way. If this is the case for you, try not to let it distract you too much. What Sheed has to say is excellent regardless.
   
   In the same way, with Sheed's passion for the intellect, sometimes his writing is not the easiest to read. For the most part his writing is very clear, but sometimes it can be just a little difficult to follow. I mention this simply because I would hate to see someone start the book and then stop reading it because it was more difficult to read than they expected. It is better to know up front that it might be a little difficult in spots, and be determined to push through it, than to give up entirely.
   
   Finally, the book was written in 1946 and updated in 1978, so some things may feel a bit dated. Again, I point this out simply so that one does not begin the book only to give up on it because it "sounds too old." On the whole, everything Sheed has to say is just as relevant now as it was then.
   
   In summary, through a mix of theology and ministry this book provides an exceptionally good overview of how the Catholic church sees the world and what that means for us in our personal lives.



2. This is an amazing book. Frank Sheed does an excellent job of sharing his insight into the mysteries of God.



3. Excellent, reasoned defense of Christianity and the Catholic faith. This apologetic is a classic, a must read for an informed Christian. Much easier to read than Chesterton, this book reminds me of C.S. Lewis in practical writing, with a more in depth examination of theology.



4. This was a wonderful book; one that I needed to read given my questions concerning God and His role in our lives. I also needed to read this book to determine how it is that the Church continues to spread the word of God given that the Church is organized and run by man. Man, inherently, because of the fall of Adam, is prone to sin. So how is it that the Church, run by man, who is prone to sin, can be the one organization to espouse the "truth" of God and His Son, Jesus?
   
   The first aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was that Father Sheed takes some very complicated topics and puts them into plain English so that the lay person can understand them. Father Sheed's explanation of the trinity, one of the most complicated aspects of the Catholic Religion (in my opinion), was explained in a most wonderful way. It was explained so that I could understand it and without all the "religious" terminology that usually accompanies such explanations.
   
   The second aspect of the book that I enjoyed was the organization. He takes these issues from step one and then logically continues with the book up to the end. He takes the prior steps and incorporates them into later steps and wonderfully demonstrates how they all fit together.
   
   The third aspect of this book I loved was the explanation of why Jesus "lowered" himself to human form. Father Sheed had a wonderful way of explaining why is it was that Jesus came to do what he did. He ties this in with the fall of Adam and how the fall of Adam severed our relationship with God. Father Sheed also explains what "original sin" is and why we have it. It is not that the person born has sinned but has the sin of Adam just because we are human. Because of the fall, man was severed with God but Jesus came to "bridge" that gap and that is what he did.
   
   Do not get the idea that the "sanity" part of the book title means that if you don't live the Catholic Way perfectly that one is insane. This is not what that term means in the context of the book. Sanity means seeing the world as it really is; not deceiving ourselves that the world is differnt that it really is. If we can do that, then we are seeing things correctly and have "sanity". However, not seeing the world and God as they truly are does not mean you are insane, in the mental aspect of the word. Father Sheed gives us a good idea what it means to not see things as they really are and how to change that in our lives.
   
   This is a wonderful book. However, this did take me a long time to read. Father Sheed has much to say and it is all something that you must think about to fully understand what he is saying. You cannot read this book like a fiction novel; you can't or you will miss much of what Fr. Sheed is saying. It will take time but the time is well worth it.
   
   I have already purchased two more of Fr. Sheed's books and I look forward to reading them.
   
   If you have an interest in learning more about the Catholic, or even just the Christian faith in plain English, then I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It certainly has helped me along in my own search on God and the role He plays in our lives.
   
   Enjoy!



5. I learned so much from this book. It is not only a great apologetic for the Catholic faith, but it also emerges you in theology. Definitely some of the best exposition of the trinity I've ever read. A must read for anyone interested in anything!

No comments about The Vatican.

5 comments about A Biblical Defense of Catholicism.

1. This is a solid intro to Catholic apologetics, with a focus on lucid explanations of what the Church teaches and arguments for her biblical roots.
   
   One of the aspects of this book I appreciated is the authors exegetical method: Instead of just asserting that certain biblical passages absolutely teach doctrine X, a case is made for its relative probability, often compared to protestant views.
   
   One of the weaknesses is the book's reliance on long quotes from Catholic luminaries like James Cardinal Gibbons and John Cardinal Newman. While these explanations are impressive, I'd prefer to read them in their own contexts.



2. This is probably one of the best books written on Catholicism apologetics I have ever had access to. Dave Armstrong walks us through many different crucial points to the Catholic faith always making a remarkably fine point at last.
   It is hard to not get out on the street and start debating with "Bible-owner" protestants after reading such a wonderful argumentation.
   
   I recommend it. It is an excellent cover-to-cover reading as well as reference book for further studies.



3. Of all the recent books on Catholic apologetics, this is probably the best to begin with if you're a cradle Catholic (I'd recommend David Currie's "Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic" for Protestant Christians). The reasoning is straight-forward, comprehensive, and covers a very high level of the topics discussed. I actually read this one straight through, starting about 10 at night and finishing about 5 in the morning. It's that good of a read!
   
   It does not go as in-depth as, say, Paul Thigpen's "The Rapture Trap," but that's perfect for an introductory work. The chapters are not unforgivingly long nor unnecessarily complicated, which adds to the readability.
   
   This book is the second-best way to convince my evangelical friends that Catholicism is a Christian faith. The easiest way would be to have them go to a Mass, but that's next to impossible.



4. I love this book. I am a non-denominational charismatic born-again evangelical Christian. I was raised Catholic, and this book gave me some compelling insight into both my personal and religious heritage. This book, together with Scott Hahn's "Rome Sweet Home" almost convinced me to return to the Catholic Church. While I have instead remained Protestant, this book has inspired me to be become a bridge-builder to Historic Christianity, and has increased my understanding and admiration for Roman Catholicism.



5. Very well written with lots of biblical verse references and a very good description of church history explaining why tradition is so important as well. The author being very knowledgeable in beliefs of various Protestant denominations and where their beliefs originated aids greatly in understanding some of the misunderstandings Protestants have about Catholic beliefs. I especially liked the sample "conversations/debates" between a Catholic and Protestant. Being part of an ecumenical study group, this text is a great reference and has helped me many times to quickly locate verses which Protestants seem to need so desperately since most prefer to completely ignore the long tradition and discoveries of the faith in the first one and a half millennia of the Christian Church after Paul.

5 comments about You Can Understand The Bible: A Practical And Illuminating Guide To Each Book In The Bible.

1. I rarely, if ever, make such an urgent plea about a book; but Kreeft has given a panoramic view of the entire Bible brimming with the insight of a man in the grip of a faith that is on fire. For Catholics, the book is great because it covers all the books that we recognize as part of the Old Testament and because the Catholic perspective is evident everywhere. As a graduate student in Biblical Studies, I am grateful for Kreeft's giving me an overview that re-energizes my studies and never lets me forget the forest for the individual trees. Thanks, Prof. Kreeft.



2. I have looked at several handbooks of the Bible (Halley's, Ryken's, New Jerome, Hollman, Bowker's) and this one is clearly the best. Because the author (Peter Kreeft of Boston College) is a philosophy professor, he focuses on explaining the IDEAS contained in the bible, which is really what ordinary people are looking for when they study the scriptures.
   
   The text includes messianic interpretation of the Old Testament (the study of how prophets such as Isaiah and Zechariah predicted the life of Christ hundreds of years in advance) while more "critical" bible study materials dismiss or downplay this.
   
   Kreeft includes moral (or "ethical" since he's a philosopher) interpretation of the Bible, such as the occasion when he outlines the cyclical nature of sin in his chapter on Joshua and Judges.
   
   Kreeft also makes use of symbolic (or allegorical) interpretation, and anagogic interpretation (what the Bible is saying about the salvation of souls). The book is clearly supportive of Catholicism, but should be useful to anyone who wants to understand the Bible according to the original intent of the writers (Kreeft supports "traditional authorship" of the scriptures). The book has a very evangelical tone, though some dispensationalists may not like it because Kreeft supports amillennialism and sidesteps the evolution-creation controversy.



3. I am using this book as a study guide for reading the Bible in a homeschool high school class. How can anyone argue with the logical, cogent, and humorous ideas of this learned man? His books appeal to the intellect and reason, as well as Faith.
   Jana Carpenter



4. If I were to take a trip to China I would read about China: where to go, what to see, what is important, what is
   China's history, etc. Well, this book guides you through the Bible. What was the purpose of each book. What was the motivation of the writer. This is a mini course in the Bible. Everyone interested in growing in knowlege of the Catholic Bible must read this. Everyone interested in growing in your prayer life MUST read this.



5. Prof. Kreeft has a gift for making somewhat dry material come alive. He is also great at demonstrating the big themes in the Bible -- the parts that you may miss if you do not have a 'big picture' point of view. He is more academically minded that similar books I have read -- which I like, but it may not be everyone's preference. I plan to read more of his works in the future. FYI... Prof. Kreeft is a Catholic and he does talk about Catholicism from time to time, but this is a book that mainstream Protestants can learn from -- don't be put off by his Catholicism.

2 comments about Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer.

1. Peter Kreeft has distilled decades of wisdom about Thomistic theology and Catholic apologetics into a wonderful explanation of the Faith for young readers. Targeting students of Confirmation age -- adolescents to teens -- Kreeft poses a series of skeptical questions about God and gives thorough, charitable, and orthodox answers. While every chapter is praiseworthy, his answers to "Why is Jesus different?" are exceptional. Here is a sample:
   
   "The center of Christianity is Jesus because Jesus is not just a great human being; Jesus is God. The center of Islam is not Muhammad, because Muhammad, like Moses, claimed only to be a prophet, not God. The center of Budddhism is not Buddha, because Buddha, like the Hindu gurus, claimed only to be an enlightened man, not God. ... But Jesus is the center of Christianity because Jesus claimed to be God, and Christians believe that claim. ... The divinity of Christ is the distinctive Christian belief: it is the one thing all Christians believe and no one else does. If a Christian ceases to believe this, he ceases to be a Christian. If a non-Christian comes to believe this, he becomes a Christian."
   
   If any of what is excerpted above appeals to you, this is your book, as it is chock full of similar aphoristic expressions of Catholicism. There is a tremendous gap in catechetical materials for middle school-aged students; Peter Kreeft has helped fill it. Make "Because God Is Real" your standard Confirmation gift. (Yet readers of all ages will benefit from reading it.)



2. When I expressed some doubts regarding the Catholic faith and theism in general, my mom bought me this book. I eagerly began reading it, hoping to find some hearty brain food to digest along with all the other philosophic stuff I'd been ingesting.
   Unfortunately, this book doesn't consider the arguments against the Catholic faith/life very deeply. Ironically, Kreeft doesn't talk a lot about the "Does God Exist" question. He devotes a few pages to describing basic arguments like "the universe must have come from SOMETHING" and such. He goes on to, in less than twenty or so pages, prove that Jesus is God incarnate, and that Catholicism is the true Christian faith. The next few chapters attack the most common issues that the typical teenager would have with the Catholic Church, like (I can't remember them verbatim, but off the top of my head) "Why can't I have sex before marriage?", "Why doesn't the Catholic Church allow women to become priests?", etc.
   While his arguments are decent, they feel more like quick bullet points from one of those pamphlets from the back of a church than a truly indepth discussion about faith, existence, and lifestyle choices.
   I guess Kreeft does a fairly good job of addressing sixteen huge issues in this small book. It would be fine as a confirmation gift, or perhaps for someone who wants to brush up on their basic apologetics.
   However, this book does not in any way stand up to the doubts and issues a young adult would have after reading a pop-philosophy book like "The God Delusion", or perhaps after taking a philosophy or ethics class at almost any university in the U.S.
   Like I said, this book does a decent job of outlining some of the basic arguments for Catholicism and morality. But if someone is looking for a meaty analysis of these and other key issues, I would highly advise that they look elsewhere.

5 comments about Loyola Kids Book of Heroes: Stories of Catholic Heroes and Saints Throughout History.

1. The writing style in this book is one in which the author has a conversation about the who's and why's of the saints with the reader. Solidly Catholic and different enough in style to make it appealing to even reluctant readers. We read a lot of saint stories, but this book is in my son's room being read each night-and without force I may add. He's enjoying it as much as I did.



2. This book is very well written and geared toward relating our beautiful Catholic saints to the lives of kids today. Amy Welborn knows children and manages to draw connections between decisions the saints had to make in standing up for their faith within the culture they lived, and how this same problem would present today. So the book helps to show how the virtues of the saints are attainable for us within the 21st century context. I love the book and I also learned a lot in reading it to my son.



3. I would actually rate this 4.5 stars if Amazon had that option. The reason I can't give the book 5 stars are as follows: (1) the author does not use proper capitalization for pronouns referring to God (i.e. she uses "his" when it should be "His") and (2) the saints' feast days are not listed under the chapter title for easy liturgical year reference.
   
   I really like how this book is organized by the 7 cardinal virtues of Faith, Hope, Charity, Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude, and Justice. I also think it includes a good mix of saints, blesseds, Biblical people, and other Catholics from throughout the ages. Some are very familiar such as Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope John XXIII, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, and so on. Others were unfamiliar to me having been raised in the post-Vatican II era and it's nice to learn their stories. The text is engaging and the author does a good job at presenting the stories in an age-appropriate manner (always a concern when dealing with the violence many of the saints had to endure).



4. This book has seven sections, each based on a virtue--faith, hope, charity, temperance, prudence, fortitude and justice. Of the 37 heroes who excelled in these virtues, some are from the 20th century--St. Mary Faustina, Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, and Maria Goretti. Each story is 3-4 pages long, and is introduced and written in a kid-friendly way. Good way to introduce children to real heroes!



5. This looks like a great resource, and we will continue to use it. I recommend you look over the material first. Be aware that the introduction includes the phrase, "They remembered how Jesus had been created by God in a special way inside Mary...." I do not think this was intentionally heretical, but one should be careful when speaking about Jesus, who was not created in any way whatsoever.

1 comments about The Sexual Person: Toward a Renewed Catholic Anthropology (Moral Traditions).

1. For too long a time the sexual ethics of Catholic authors substituted sexual anxiety and submission to authorities for critical intelligence, serious scholarship, candor, & compassion. In recent years a quiet revolution has been taking place in publications by Christine Gudorf, Patricia Beattie Jung, Mark Jordan, Margaret Farley, and James Alison, among others. Now Todd Salzman & Michael Lawler have written a carefully researched, cogently argued, frank, and revisionary study in the Catholic understanding of sexual desire, love-making, birth regulation, premarital sex, and homosexuality. A brave, intelligent, and thoughtful contribution.