Product Description
Archbishop Wynn Wagner is no stranger to choosing a different path on which to follow one's faith. In his enlightening, compelling, and often humorous "Recovering Catholic: How to be Catholic without being Roman Catholic," anyone who has questioned the direction of the Roman Catholic Church and has considered either changing denominations or leaving the church altogether will discover a new and satisfying path. How often do we receive honest, straightforward direction from a cleric whose credentials support his lineage of Apostolic Succession, who calls himself a recovering Catholic, and who refuses to proselytize? This book is not about convincing or alluring believers; it is about acknowledging the schism existing between the Roman Catholic and the Old Catholic churches and understanding that choices can be made freely, with our decisions rooted in knowledge, and without the guilt and threat of damnation too often heaped upon parishioners at every level of the Roman Catholic Church. Rather than consider this book an indictment, readers must recognize it for what is was intended to achieve: protection and encouragement for everyone who has suffered the dogma. Straight or gay, divorced or married, liberal or conservative, there is a place for you in the Christian world, a place where you will not be judged, provoked, humiliated, or even banned. This book is about finding your path and following it to a joyful and fulfilling life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Open and trusting dialogue that feels safe and genuinely light hearted.
I have a few issues when it comes to faith that I'm forever attempting to clear up. I feel that it's a lifelong process of understanding what kind of Christian to be. How literal do I take the Bible? How often do I go to church? Those kinds of things. I feel that the answer to this question, ultimately, is to be a better Christian tomorrow than I was yesterday. Thanks to Archbishop Wynn Wagner's book, "Recovering Catholic", I'm a little closer. Unlike most books about religion, which tend to assault you with the author's particular translation of the Bible, (which is naturally adversarial. Nobody likes to be talked at.) Wagner engages in an open and trusting dialogue with the reader that feels safe and genuinely light hearted.

Although his chief concerns are over the differences between Roman Catholicism and Old Catholicism, this is really a larger issue for the author than for the reader since the scope of the book encompasses a much wider view of all religion. And that is a vastly more interesting topic, which Wagner seems to admit by purposefully engaging the reader in larger discussions with each chapter.

Wagner uses a contemporary voice reminiscent of the voice in Sarah Vowell's books, and that makes his work much more readable than most religious books. As a general rule, I tend to avoid conversation with those who are strict about religion because the conversation takes on such a heavy load that it's impossible to carry. It becomes like driving down a road full of pot holes in a truck loaded with nitroglycerin. Wagner takes you from one topic to the next with relative ease, discussing with a profound love the works of Siddhartha Gautama, Galileo Galilei, and yes, Jesus Christ. The levity that he brings to the dialogue makes issues like child abuse manageable for those who get queasy and uncomfortable. It allows for a higher consideration to occur.

There is a lot of insight in "Recovering Catholic", not the least of which is that Roman Catholicism and Catholicism are two different sects. (Hey , that's news to me.) But the more important thing that you'll get is a wider researched, wider nuanced view of the questions that we ask ourselves as Christians. What does it mean that the Bible has been translated so often that today's version is really only a shadow of the original? What does it mean to be Episcopalian or Baptist or Mormon? Is there really on one right choice? Does religion really work like a game show where you try to guess the right door and behind one is eternal salvation and behind all the others is a lake of fire? It doesn't help that there are so many doors. Wagner engages these questions with a sense of comic timing and an eye towards contemporary reality that's refreshing. And that the book is so short makes it easy to go back through and engage in each point more thoroughly.

"Recovering Catholic" is really about how we deal with religion from day to day as human beings. It doesn't come from a soap box, but from flat on the Earth. It's an enlightening little book that will hold you firm to your convictions, or make you question everything. And I think Wagner would be happy with that, so long as you're willing to listen.

A Look At The Catholic Church but not the Roman Catholic Church
Recovering Catholic: How to be Catholic without being Roman Catholic

Recovering Catholic is yet another look at the world of GOD and Religion from the perspective of the Old Catholic Church.Archbishop Wynn Wagner uses his years of experience in the world of religion and spirituality to bring each of us to a delightfully humorous review of the things we've been told to believe and the things we've also found to be valid for us personally.He's able to share experiences from his own past along with presenting information for those seeking a better awareness of the nature of the Holy Eucharist and also our belief in the Love of GOD the Father, GOD the Son and GOD the Holy Spirit.Wynn makes it possible for each member of the Christian community to find comfort and relief in the world of the Catholic Church as a place where love is the message of our Almighty GOD.I have personally found this to be a very valuable addition to my collection of religious and spiritual readings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The Truth - a book
Great job, as always. Will continue to use your service.

Thanks, Jim

A polemical work that nevertheless points out some hard truths.
This book points out for Roman Catholics the proverbial elephant in the living room, the nasty secret that most in the post-Vatican II age of ecumenical optimism, would dare consider.This secret is that there really is a great deal that separates Orthodoxy from Catholicism and that these are not matters of semantics but very fundamental realities which cannot quickly or easily be overcome.

Dr. Carlton's work lacks much of the finesse of Bishop Kallistos Ware's work.He is says many things that Bishop Kallistos says, especially regarding the very real differences between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.However, he says them extremely bluntly.This is a rather polemical book at times, but its value is in saying from the Orthodox side in the blunt terms we rarely hear from the Catholic side.There are very real and fundamental differences between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.These differences will not easily be overcome and the enthusiasm of certain ecumenists I feel is seriously misguided.The filioque is not a minor thing nor is the way in which it was implemented.Orthodox practices with regards to divorce and remarriage are not minor from the Catholic standpoint.The powers and jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic are not unimportant to the Orthodox.They touch on ecclesiological questions which are fundamental to the understanding of what the church actually is.Certain understandings of sacramental theology differ greatly between the Orthodox and the Catholics.

I am a Roman Catholic.Dialogue will get nowhere unless it is based on truth.And it is meaningless unless it is open and honest.

Excellent!
This book tells it like it is. It will be painful for Roman Catholics to read, but if they would rather know the truth than to live a lie then this book will be worth it's weight in gold.
What this book demonstrates is what the Orthodox have been saying for centuries; that the Roman Catholic church is a medieval creation that came into being in the 11th century. Prior to that the Church of Rome was part of the Orthodox Church, one of five patriarchates (the others being Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem).
After the barbarians conquered the western part of the Roman Empire they set up a German emperor and a German Pope. In the east the Roman Emperor and the Roman patriarchs still reined and still adhered to the Catholic faith that had been handed down to them by the Fathers of the Church. The barbarian chiefs even went so far as to alter the Nicene Creed by adding the word "filioque" which completely alters the understanding of the Trinity that the Fathers had proclaimed in the first and second Ecumenical Councils. This was considered heresy by the Romans and the Photian schism ensued. It was patched up by the Eighth Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople in the year 879 which condemned any addition to or subtraction from the Nicene Creed as promulgated by the Fathers back in 381.
This is where matters stood until the 11th century when the barbarians invaded Roman territory in Southern Italy. The German/barbarian emperor took control of the papacy once and for all and introduced the altered creed with the word "filioque" into the liturgy of the Church of Rome. This was unacceptable to the Roman Emperor and to the Orthodox Church. The barbarians and the Romans mutually excommunicated each other in 1054. Europe was now divided into a Germanic West utilizing a heretical creed, and a Roman East adhering to the Apostolic faith of the Fathers.
Of particular interest in this book are the Tomos of 1285 and the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs in 1848. Both are beautiful defenses of the Orthodox faith against the Church of Rome.
I highly recommend this book!!!

Interesting information
The orthodox church believe that the catholic church is wrong in its doctrine, but at the same time blame the Protestant reform and the Evangelical Movement of lack of basis for its theological arguments. After reading this book I can only say that I remain evangelical christian, because the only argument repeated again and again have to be with the traditions that they regard as equal to the Holy Scriptures. Another point of disagreement is that they are the only interpreters of the Holy Scriptures. Nobody can reason the Scriptures, nobody can say anything different. A principle of the evangelical biblical theology is the freedom to interpret the Scriptures. Since the Protestant reform many theologians have made different statementes about certain passages of the Scripture that instead of tarnish the jewel gives more shine to it, because you can appreciate the truth from different perspectives. When I study my Bible I love to compare opinions even from different denominations about particular passages, becuase the text becomes alive. In fact, this is the rabbinical way of approaching the Word of God. There is no Definite opinion, the truth in a text is understandood better when all give what the Holy Spirit has sayed internally. You can appreciate that better in a Sunday School class.

Good book for a narrow audience
Clark Carlton, a former Baptist preacher who became Orthodox and then a respected scholar and theologian, has developed a series of books tailored to outside lay people interested in the Eastern Orthodox church.

This opus, THE TRUTH, is, as is evident from its subtitle, tailored specifically to Roman Catholic layity.It will not be of great value to Protestants or non-Christians, although those inside Orthodoxy will find it a good reverse way to learn a bit more about the Roman church.

Carlton competently covers the historic and theological differences between the two main branches of Christianity (sorry, Protestants, but world-wide you are a rather distant third).He might have spent more pages describing the gradual evolution of priestly celibabcy or papal authority in the West, but if he had, this would no longer be a concise book.

Carlton truly focuses on the sacramental, administrative, and doctrinal differences between the two Christian bodies.Catholics might be surprised to find how recently their church formalized doctines such as Papal infallibility or the immaculate conception and might also find raised eyebrows at just how many points of difference there are between them and what the current Pope refers to as a "sister church."

Whether the reader is considering conversion or merely researching or just plain curious, The Truth is a good place to start reading.

For my own money, I would supplement but not supplant Carlton's volume with a read Father Thomas Hopko's paper "Roman presidency and Christian Unity in Our Time" (September, 2005). ... Read more

Product Description
Religious controversy was central to political conflict in the years leading up to the outbreak of the English Civil War.Historians have focused on one religious doctrine--predestination, but Catholic and Reformed analyzes the broader preconceptions that lay behind religious debate.It offers an analysis of the nature of the English Church, and how this related to the Roman Catholic and Reformed Churches of the Continent.The book's conclusions explain the nature of English religious culture and its role in provoking the Civil War. ... Read more

Product Description
Angelus Press is proud to announce the publication of the first totally re-typeset, Latin-English daily missal for the laity since Vatican II. This is the most complete missal ever produced in the English language. We have included everything and have produced a missal that is affordable while being of the highest durability.

The Roman Catholic Daily Missal will become your life-long liturgical companion —at Church, at home, and on the road.

All new typesetting —not a photographic reproduction: clear and crisp type.

According to the 1962 juxta typica (typical edition) of the Missale Romanum

1,980 pages

All liturgical texts in Latin and English (both Propers and Ordinary)

All readings in English (Douay-Rheims translation) and Latin

All music in Gregorian notation

Ordinary with rubrics in red

Gilt edges

5 liturgically-colored non-fraying ribbons

Smythe Sewn, rounded back binding with durable, leather-like Skivertex polymer gold-embossed flexible cover

Rounded corners on pages and cover

Reinforced 80 lb. resin-impregnated endsheets for extreme durability

Printed and bound in the USA on the highest quality natural Bible paper imported from France especially for this missal

Fully and thoroughly indexed ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Very much raised in post-Vatican II church and felt like I missed out, so this missal helps
I've always been attracted to pre-Vatican II Catholic traditions. (Even after I left the Church for a few years, I loved learning about old traditions.)i like this missal because, as another review-er stated, it isn't a marketing scheme for SSPX. It is simply a reprint of the 1962 Missal, with updates for the new millenium.

Some of the older Saints days are marked, such as Saint Ursula and Saint Peter's Chair.

There are well-written explanations of the Seasons, Masses, and Ember/Rogation Days. I gained a better appreciation of the history and significance of Ember and Rogation. I also learned about the changes made to Holy Week Liturgy.

The illustrations are absolutely superb- very classic, very holy.

Sometimes, I just didn't get the way the Mass was organized. Thankfully, this Missal explains the Mass piece by piece.

The side-by-side English/ Latin columns are an added bonus. I don't have much interest in Latin, but it is nice to see this tradition preserved.

I recommend this missal for post-Vatican II Catholics (Roman and Eastern), as well as nostalgic folks who miss the Church of their youth. Traditional Anglicans and Lutherans might also like reading this snapshot of the Latin mass.

Makes a great gift, very durable and attractive, on top of educational.

Very Fast Service
The book was exactly as advertised.The seller shipped it very fast.I appreciate the good service, therefore, I would not hesitate to order from this seller again.

Compromised Missal
This Missal is compromised to conform to the post Vatican II new age changes.
Pretty much clear fact by now that the Freemasons took over the Vatican, instituted slowly evolving changes, and finally compromised Truth to make things more easy to conjoin with the heretical beliefs of the Protestants.

This Missal constitutes one more milestone on the road to the gradual change that leads to the novus ordo and later One World Religion. Don't believe me? Go to You Tube and Listen for Father Malachi Martin, former Jesuit priest and Vatican insider, who wrote Windswept House, Keys to This Blood and a number of other seminal works.

I recommend you look for the 1947 version of the Father Lasance Missal. Nothing else will do, if you want to claim to be traditional....

Angelus Press has the Best Missal!
Absolutely fabulous!You will never need another missal again.The commentary down the sides of the pages of the Ordinary of the Mass is the best!It is very useful to me as I learn the Latin Mass.

Very Pleased
I looked around for this Missal.
Found it at Amazon at a very reasonable price.
With shipping asdded it still was cheaper than
I could find anywhere.
... Read more

Product Description
In the revised edition of "Roman Catholic Worship," Professor White notes that contrary to often-expressed assumptions that nothing changed in Catholic worship from the Council of Trent to Vatican II, these four centuries witnessed significant change in devotions, church architecture and music, and in other ways than liturgical texts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Helpful Survey of Developments in the Roman Rite
This is an interesting introduction to the persistent liturgical developments, almost always consonant with social and cultural changes, within the Roman Rite over the past four centuries. Dr. White does not focus on the minutiae of official modifications to the texts themselves. Rather, he surveys the differences that have obtained in the public celebration of the approved liturgies, with special attention to developments in church music and architecture. This had helped me to keep the accelerated, and, for some, troubling developments of the past four decades in some sort of historical perspective. A useful book, although, while lauding the recent developments in the Roman liturgy, Dr. White helps himself to some petulant and prejudicial accusations against the leadership of the Catholic Church (the bit about the Vatican's "war against women" comes to mind). Particularly in the later chapters, this book is very much influenced by the ideological commitments of the author, which reflect the hope that the Catholic Faith can be transformed, along the lines of Dr. White's mainline Protestant faith, into a species of modernism--ideologically democratic, relativistic and egalitarian. ... Read more

Product Description
De-vo-tion (di-voh-shun) n. 1. Great love or loyalty, enthusiasm, or zeal. 2. Religious worship. 3. Prayers.

You know a lot about the Catholic Church, or maybe you are just learning, but there are things that confuse you—like what to do when you pray a novena, or how to "offer up" something, exactly what the Angelus is, or any of the dozens of other devotions that set Catholics apart from other Christians. But help is here!The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions is the only book that not only provides the who, what, where, when, and why of the most time-honored traditions of the Church but also the how.In this complete guide you get:

• step-by-step guidelines to all the devotional rites and rituals of the Catholic Faith

• a history of each devotion and a reflection on its importance in the prayer life of Catholics

• succinct and salient quotes from saints and prominent members of the Church

• cautions, drawn from Scripture and Tradition, for potential temptations and distractions

• the blessings and graces associated with the devotions

If you want to learn what devotions comprise a truly Catholic life—and share those practices with others—you can’t be without The How-To Book of Catholic Devotions.

Now discover how to:

• Pray the Sign of the Cross, Morning Offering, Grace Before Meals, Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love, and many more

• Pray the Angelus

• Make First Fridays and First Saturdays

• Make a novena

• "Offer up" something

• Pray the Rosary

• Read the Bible

• Practice mental prayer

• Examine your conscience

• Fast and abstain

• Pray with sacred images

• Consecrate your life to the Sacred Heart of Jesus or the Immaculate Heart of Mary

• Make a pilgrimage

• Wear a scapular

"This charming book shows you how to plunge in and do all the things devout Catholics do. Learning to pray in Catholic ways, learning to use Catholic things like scapulars and blessings and holy water, and learning to eat fish on Friday while knowing why -- all this amounts to more than one might think. Learning the practices of faith is learning faith again, and remembering why faith is so human and so sacred, and so dear to us."-- Fr. Ronald Lawler, O.F.M. Cap. Member, Pontifical Roman Theological Academy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Awesome book
This books is so much better than what I thought it would be.It is loaded with great prayers and interesting facts.I studied theology at a Catholic College and I was afraid this book was going to be too fundamental for me, but it is loaded with good stuff.I have learned a ton from it and have started using a lot of the prayers in my own prayer life.

New and Cradle Catholics Agee
New and Cradle Catholics agree that this book is a wonderful title for all that are interested in their faith. I myself became a Catholic about two years ago and I have always been searching for a book that could teach me the basics of catholic devoions. This book is the answer to my search with its wonderful descriptions and easy to understand directions in regards to Catholic devotions. This book is also recommended by Cradle Catholics who found this as a wonderful refresher and often offer the title to new members to the church.

Very good book
I bought this book and read a little to my 11 year old every night.He was very touched by it.I highly recommend it. It explains things so thoroughly, and makes you really pay attention to prayer.As a practicing catholic, I really thought I knew these very basic devotions, but you read this and look at the devotions much more deeply and really appreciate them for what they are.You will never pray the Lord's prayer the same way!

Catholic Devotions Made Easy!
Often times, the biggest problem faced by those new to the Catholic faith is that they are surrounded by lifetime Catholics. Not that there is anything wrong with lifetime Catholics for these people are the pillars of the faith but they have trouble grasping just how much the novice has to learn. Having lived all of their life with all of the tradition and ritual of the Church these lifetime Catholics can't know just how confused someone new to the Church can become. That is where books like this come in.

The authors seem to have aimed this book at Catholics who have never been at all active in the Church and have never been taught its ways but for the novice this book is a treasure. Many of the central beliefs of the Church are explained here and explained in a way that anyone can understand. For example, most Catholics wouldn't really consider Holy Water confusing. The new Catholic however only knows that Dracula doesn't like the stuff and has no idea of its real significance. This book explains just what it symbolizes and is used for.

Among the things explained in this book are the Sign of the Cross, the Angelus, pilgrimages, the Sacred Heart, and the significance of Fridays. All of it explained in an easy to grasp and fun to read manner. About mid-way through the book the reader will almost hear the sound as everything begins to click. Suddenly, many things that were kind of fuzzy become clear and understandable. Things learned in this book will bring the whole world of the Catholic Church into a much clearer focus.

Many people have great knowledge of the things they write about but only a few can communicate their knowledge as well as these two authors. For someone thinking of converting or just curious this book will be a great help and I highly recommend it to anyone going through the RCIA. Even if you are just studying the Catholic Church to better understand world history, this book is a must. An easy and quick read this book explains much of the knowledge of two thousand years. What more could one ask for?

a catholic primer!
this book is essential for the NEW catholic, the catholic brought up in the "anything goes" period of the 60's and 70's, or the catholic who would just like to expand their knowledge of the faith. Very easyformat, and flows beautifully. Includes just about all of the basics. Ibought it because I was bothered by distractions during prayer, but it gaveme much more than I had hoped for. ... Read more

Product Description
Biblical outlines for scripturally-based discussions of the Roman Catholic Faith. "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence..." 1 Peter 3:15-16 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Perfect for easy reference
I picked up this book the other day as an afterthought. After all its only ...*who could go wrong?*. I was not disappointed. This book pointed out exact scripture verses to me that allowed me to examine questions others had about my faith. Many Protestants that only rely on scripture don't want to hear a person interpretation. They only want to see the scripture. I would wholeheartedly recommend this very useful and easy to reference tool to anyone who is Roman Catholic or anyone who is challenged in what they believe. If you are looking for a cheep way of handing out a booklet to any catechism or RCIA class, this is perfect.

Great for those of us you can't remember chapter and verse..
As cradle Catholic, homeschooled in apologetics, this book is a real find.I am to the point where I know many of the apologetic arguments, but often can't remember the chapter and verse numbers of the passages I am quoting.This little book tucks nicely in my bible and helps me find those passages.

As a practical matter, I wouldn't use this as my sole entry point into apologetics.The book highlights the verses with brief explanations, but not necessarily the logic surrounding them.So, for example, if you don't know that the arc of the covenant is a scriptural type for Mary, you may be confused as to what those Old Testament verses have to do with Our Lady.

Get this book if you want to ENHANCE your existing apologetics learning and evangelization.It is extremely well done.

Catholic Pocket Evangelist by Fr Mario Romero
This small 35 page handbook gives a very concise overview of the Catholic faith with excellent Scripture references. Easy to handout to anyone who is interested in learning of the Catholic faith and is also covenient forapologetics.Have read many other books but really like this as a quickthorough reference.Highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description
The Holy Spirit: Medieval Roman Catholic and Reformation Traditions (Sixth-Sixteenth Centuries) is the third in a series of three volumes devoted to the history of Christian pneumatology.In the first volume, The Holy Spirit: Ancient Christian Traditions (formerly titled The Spirit and the Church: Antiquity), Stanley M. Burgess detailed Christian efforts from the end of the first century to the end of the fifth century A.D. to understand the divine Third Person. Volume 1 explored the tensions between the developing institutional order and various prophetic elements in the Church.The second volume, The Holy Spirit: Eastern Christian Traditions, brought together a wealth of material on the Spirit from Eastern Christian traditions, a rich heritage often overlooked in Western Christianity. By exploring the various ways in which Eastern theologians understood the Third Person of the Trinity, volume 2 showed how modern Christians can gain a wider vision and fuller understanding of the workings of the Holy Spirit in history and in our own generation.This concluding volume examines medieval Roman Catholic and Reformation attitudes toward the Holy Spirit beginning with the writings of medieval Catholic theologians from Gregory the Great and Bede to Aquinas and Bonaventure. Subsequent sections describe the contributions of influential women such Hildegard of Bingen, Birgitta of Sweden, and Catherine of Siena; "fringe" figures such as Joachim of Fiore and the Cathars; the magisterial reformers Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin; leading Catholic reformers such as Ignatius of Loyola; and the "radical reformers" Thomas Muntzer and Menno Simons. ... Read more

Product Description
Catholics are often reluctant to begin reading the Bible, this for various reasons. Perhaps we hang on to the notion that the Bible is a book meant for display, for recording the dates of family members' births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Or perhaps we once attempted to read the Bible and discovered there a culture entirely different from ours--and came to the conclusion that the Bible had nothing relevant to say to us in this place and time. Attentive to these and the many other reasons Catholics might give for not reading Scripture, Stephen Binz offers practical explanations that will make the Bible less foreign and more familiar. Introduction to the Bible allows readers to discover how the Bible came to be, how to choose a Bible translation, how to interpret the Bible within Catholic tradition, and how to benefit the most from Bible study.Readers will find practical explanations that will make the Bible less foreign and more familiar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Best Foundation
I was extremely pleased at the quality of this book and especially the ease of reading for the content it contains.It is THE best foundation for someone wanting to begin a Catholic Scripture Study. While it is not a Scripture Study in itself, it does provide much necessary and important information that sets the groundwork for future studies. Very happy with it. As a cradle Catholic, it was very informative and clarifying. Non Catholics as well could learn lots about the Catholic Church which is so ambiguously represented or misrepresented by outsiders. I am in a Catholic Scripture Study which follows the Liturgical cycle called "Come, Lord Jesus!" [...]and this book really helps to tie it all together.

A complete and concise introduction to the Bible
This is an excellent introductory text for study of the Bible.It makes an excellent companion book to a Bible study group, as an organizing and general starting point for bible study.As the Preface to the book states, this is a summary book for an introduction to the Bible, not a detailed study or an "academic" book.The book provides a first step to study, in non-technical language, with the stated objective of general information for readers looking for an overview of the topic.

Particularly informative to the beginning student is an overview of the topic of biblical scholarship in Chapter 11, which the author approaches from a perspective popularized by Father Raymond E. Brown . . . first, what the text MEANT, by the techniques of textual, form, source, redaction and historical criticism, and then what the text MEANS, by the techniques of literary, canonical and other specialized approaches.And in conclusion, he discusses the primary importance of faith and liturgy to biblical understanding and meaning within Christianity.

Short chapters that logically flow from Chapter 1, The Bible as God's Revelation, to the issues of inspiration and inerrancy in Chapter 6, to a discussion of the fallacy of biblical fundamentalism in Chapter 8, to the concluding Chapter 12, How to Read and Study the Bible, makes this book easy to read and understand.The absence of either a bibliography or an index is one shortcoming, but the text is so well organized and presented that this omission is quickly overlooked.

Becoming aquainted with the Bible
Stephen Binz provides a very readable (and interesting) introduction to the Bible.It is very factual and does a very good job of presenting the Catholic perspectives on the value and need for regular reading of Sacred Scripture.He also provides valuable tools for the beginner and more experienced reader of the Word of God.This is also a great entrance into a life-long journey of prayer and study for any believer in God.

outstanding
I lead an adult education class and when questions came up concerning early Christian history I turned to "resources" and found the perfect answers. Thanks to this book, we all got what we were looking for. Thanks, Deacon Oscar

Highly recommended for Catholics new to the enlightening labor of love that is Biblical and scriptural study.
Catholic biblical scholar, speaker, and counselor Stephen J. Binz presents Introduction to the Bible: A Catholic Guide to Studying Scripture. A brief yet solid primer covering how the Bible came to be, how to choose a Bible translation, how to interpret the Bible in accordance with the Catholic tradition, and how to grasp the most benefit from Bible study. "Whether discerning what the text meant or what it means, the constant factor in all the meaning discovered in Scripture is the community of faith. It is the community of faith from which the text was formed, it is the community of faith that accepted the text into its Sacred Scriptures, and it is the community of faith that continues to receive the text and be formed by it today. Biblical meaning is found in the way the church comes to understand the Bible more and more fully in its life, liturgy, and theology." Highly recommended for Catholics new to the enlightening labor of love that is Biblical and scriptural study. ... Read more

Product Description
Expanded and updated for the new millennium.

Covering the life of Christ, the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and everything in between, A Concise History of the Catholic Church has been one of the bestselling religious histories of the past two decades and a mainstay for scholars, students, and others looking for a definitive, accessible history of Catholicism. With a clarity that will appeal to any reader, Thomas Bokenkotter divides his study into five parts that correspond to the major historical and epochal developments in Catholicism. His authoritative, thorough approach takes readers from the Church’s triumph over paganism, through "the sound and fury of renewal," to a new section devoted to such topics as dissent and current developments in the ecumenical movement. Informative illustrations throughout the book, new to this edition, enrich the reader's experience, and the addition of a wide-ranging bibliography increases its value as a sourcebook.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Mis-titled and unbalanced
This book should actually have been entitled "A Concise History of Catholic Church Doctrine," for doctrinal issues are Bokenkotter's primary concern: pretty much everything else gets short shrift. It seems to me for example to be utterly bizarre that someone could write a purported history of the Catholic Church without any mention of iconography & iconoclasm or of the manuscript tradition and the advent of printing, all of which were tremendously important in terms of their use by and/or impact on the church. The prejudice in favor of the history of the church's beliefs as opposed to the history of the church is obvious in the structure of the book itself. The full second half of the book is devoted to the last 200 years, which have thrown up the contemporary doctrinal questions which interest Bokenkotter most. The previous 1800 years of Catholic Church history are crammed into the first half. From the point of view of general history, this emphasis is exactly wrong. The Catholic Church as an institution was far more central and important to society before 1800 than it has ever been since. This book may be useful to Catholics as a companion to to a catechism, but it is of comparatively little use to the historian.

Great Church History Book
Great introduction to Church history.Highlights all the important areas and helps to to appreciate each time periodand its importance.

Scary
I enjoyed the first part of the book, got leery around his presentation of the Reformation, and was tempted to put the book down outright after his history of the French Revolution. The last half of the book is more a political and social agenda than a history.Avoid.

Readable Religious History
On top of being an enjoyable read, The Concise History of the Catholic Church is a tremendous source of information on the colorful, often chaotic history of
the Catholic Church.The first chapter, "Jesus,"is a concise account of what historiansknow about him. This chapter alone is worth the cost of the book.
It's definitely a re-read. M.A.Gerhardstein

Don't Waste Your Time or $$$
I opened the book recently since I received it by mistake.This author thinks the problem with lack of priests is they are not allowed to be married and women should be allowed to be priests.Need I say more?

Father John Hardon, S.J. who developed the catechism in use by the Missionaries of Charity before the Catholic Catechism was published recommended Church History by Fr. John Laux for solid history anyone may read which covers up to about 1944. ... Read more

Product Description
In this third volume of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), Peter Williamson interprets Ephesians for pastoral ministers and lay readers alike. This volume, like each in the series, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Interesting and approachable
This is a very readable commentary written for general consumption but with enough detail to keep the interest of more serious student.There are occasional discussions of the original greek which were interesting and helped clarify some passages. Each of the sections ends with a brief discussion of the application of what has been read.

As an Evangelical reading a Catholic commentary, I found the references to the "church" informative and not threatening. I was originally concerned that a Cotholic commentary would be filled with issues I would be unable to accept, but I was surprised how little I found to disagree with. I particularly enjoyed reading the included thoughts of Pope John Paul as they related to the material presented.His love for Jesus and reverence for the bible was clear in the quotes provided.

In summary the commentary is readable, interesting and although Catholic in origen, of value to all faithful christians.

Solid Non-technical Catholic Commentary
Published in 2009 Peter Williamson's Ephesians is an instalment in the recent Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series published by Baker Academic.Rightfully or wrongfully, Catholics are sometimes criticised for their perceived lack of Bible study. Aimed at a lay Catholic audience this series should be helpful in addressing any such deficiency, it strikes a balance between sound biblical exegesis and accessibility.

This Series is primarily intended for a non-expert audience.As is often the case in popular-level commentaries, the current book is focused distilling the key teachings of Ephesians and relating them to contemporary Christians.As a result there is only limited consideration of the textual and translation issues that are characteristic of more scholarly commentaries.These caveats aside, this is a solid short commentary. Williamson is a knowledgeable guide and a capable communicator.From a Catholic standpoint the references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church are particularly helpful in relating Ephesians to broader Catholic doctrine.

With regard to possible drawbacks; two minor observations.First, while Williamson offers a mainstream interpretation of Ephesians that is appropriate for a broad Christian audience, his occasional use of distinctive Catholic terminology may be a modest deterrent to non-Catholics.Second, from a physical presentation perspective, the use of bold font to highlight key phrases and words is overdone.While font changes can be a useful technique, in the current case it distracts from the flow of an otherwise readable text.

Overall this is a solid popular commentary.I would recommend it to Catholic readers seeking a non-technical introduction to Ephesians.Individuals looking for a more detailed scholarly analysis may enjoy some of the many high quality academic commentaries such as Sacra Pagina (Catholic), Anchor (ecumenical) or Cornerstone (evangelical).

Eye-opening commentary
This wise, literate, and faithful presentation of the letter to the Ephesians is just one volume in a great new series of commentaries on the books of the New Testament, the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture.It reflects contemporary biblical scholarship and describes pertinent scholarly issues, but it avoids the all-too-common vice of treating the text as a mere historical artifact to be X-rayed and freeze-dried in order to exhibit the commentator's mastery of academic arcana.Instead, this volume (like the others in the series) presents the text as the Word of God and seeks to illuminate the relevance of each verse for contemporary Christians.Faithful to Catholic principles of interpretation, it will be quite edifying to Christians of all faith traditions.Any serious bible student who wants to get a good grasp of Ephesians should start with this book.Ephesians (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture)

The best commentary out there
I am a priest in an extremely large parish (7500 families).This commentary series is a gem for helping with preparation of homilies.It has just enough academic details to help you have a good understanding of the literal sense (what was really happening in the historical context), without getting bogged down in debates over who wrote what when.The best feature is the Application for living sections.They really help make the Word of God present in our life now.I have it on my iPhone/Kindle, as well as the printed version.I just hope that they get more volumes of the series out quickly. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring 650 lively, youth-friendly articles in the "Pray It!" "Study It!" "Live It!" model, The Catholic Youth Bible brings biblical topics to life and engages youth to reflect on the Scriptures, Catholic Tradition and beliefs, biblical history and figures, and contemporary issues. By drawing teens into the text, this inclusive Bible gives voice to young people of all cultures and nationalities and provides the necessary tools to make biblical messages relevant to real-world teen issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Catholic Youth Bible
It stated it was in good conditon.There was doodling and writing all over the book, inside and out.Very messy.If this is good condition, I'd hate to see poor.My son was embarrassed to have to take it to his CCD class.Disappointed.

book is great seller unreliable
the book is great. The seller,skmfg1234, however is totally unreliable. I was promised shippin between Aug 30- Sep1. It's 11 days past that range and still no delivery. So much for getting it as a birthday gift. My advice DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM SKMFG1234.

The Catholic Youth Bible
For young Catholics, this is one of the easiest to read Bibles published today.I distributed several to my students who had no interest in the Bible as well as to my grandchildren.The feedback has been:It's so easy to read and understand!Further, I would highly recommend this Bible for adults who have problems reading and/or understanding the more adult Bibles.It is my opinion no one can be misled in this review as to how valuable this Bible is to have in one's home.

Excellent multicultural connections
I just wanted to say that for me one of the things that really makes this Bible stand out is how it shows the similarities other cultures and religions have found in their quest for the truth. It points out beautiful beliefs and ideas from Asia, Native America, Africa etc. I think this is wonderful because it helps Christians relate to people who may not share exactly the same beliefs but essentially esteem the same values. I think it's important for us to remember when trying to spread the Gospel that Jesus didn't preach to people without first sparking their interest in a subtle way wether through actions or comforting words. In today's world beliefs can be a cause of separation but LOVE is the universal language that all religions worthy of the name can understand. I was given this Bible as a gift and had been thinking of getting a Douay/Jerusalem Bible, but I kept this one particularly for the Multicultural links and the other notes as well.

Also reccomended: Disputed Questions and The Way of Chuang Tzu byThomas Merton
God Bless

Great for adults!
I am 34 years old and this book was recommended to me by my Mother-In-Law 50+ and another friend 50+. So I highly recommend this Bible for any age. Makes the Bible so easy to understand...I love it!
Nevermind the review below it is obviously from an Evangelical Protestant type Christian, that kind of thinking is what turned me away from Christianity 15 years ago. Thank God I found the Catholic Church-Christ's True Church and my life has changed...what an eye opener. So many good 'Bible Christian Protestants' think that their way is the true way, but how can one honestly believe this when so many Protestant religions totally disagree on scripture passages?
They interpret the Bible however they want to? They take 5 verses from the Bible and start a Church! Then this kind of thinking leads to cult types religions based on Christ (Mormons, Jehovah's, David Koresh, etc.)Protestantism leans too much on mere traditions of men (every denomination stems from one Founder's vision. As soon as two or more of these contradict each other, error is necessarily present).
If one would just be open and pray, one would most definitely come Home to the One, True Church...the church Jesus HIMSELF started...The Catholic Church...not some church started by a man in the 1500's! ... Read more

Product Description
For nearly twenty centuries, the Roman Catholic Church withstood all the currents of change and history and maintained a closely guarded orthodoxy which has always served as the basis and center of all Christianity.Yet, it is as if all of that has been just arbitrarily swept away in the few years since Vatican II.Given what the Church has always taught about itself being indefectible, how could this have happened?Did that Council have something to do with that terrible loss of faith?Can the real Catholicism be found today, and if so, where?The shocking answer to this, once seen and truly understood, is as every bit as glorious as the original resurrection of Christ Himself, a tremendous source of faith and inspiration.It is a broad-based, longstanding miracle passing right before our eyes, have we but the Grace to see it for what it is. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Enquiry directed
Following advice to read this book for answers to queries about church direction and possible sources of traditional sacramental practice I placed order as for many previous purchases and was surprised at how quickly this book was delivered compared with previous orders. I wondered why?
Strangely the book seemed both detailed yet bland and not emotively directed to a particular personal view/solution by the author. I noted the glossary and the detailed sources listing for Michael Davies and Partick Omlor. Would have liked an index to the various religious by name and page/s mentioned. The sources are clear and the examples seem accurate. I am NOW about to reread after first jumping from known to known observations and examples looking for a fast fix that can only really be found by steady quiet progress ... if it may still exist within close geographic proximity of the individual reader.

NOT a book for the devout Catholic
while i can sympathize with the author on several points, he is none the less preaching the old falsehoods..
1. That the past several (at least 5) Popes have been illegitimate, false Popes.
2. That the abuses of Vatican II are in fact *authorized* by Vatican II.
3. That the solution is to secede from the Catholic Church and follow a split off movement who are creating their own bishops and priests.

If you are looking for information on this movement, then this book may be of value, but if you are looking for ways to bring your parish back in line with the true Catholic Church. this isnt it.Sadly many people completely mis interpreted Vatican II, and most of the secessionists groups are reacting to the abuses and excesses that people "justified" by claiming vatican II authorized it.

In truth: Vatican II did not "eliminate the Latin Mass" but merely stated that the ordinary, usual Mass should be in a language people understand, so they can more fully participate. (The Latin Mass was to be available for people who wished it).
Vatican II did not change or alter in any way the traditional reverence for life, marriage, and social justice of the church.

Warning Sedevacantist Book!
I was duped into buying this book. As a very conservative orthodox Catholic I do share some views with the author. Unlike the author I believe that THe Roman Catholic church has existed in ROme and the CHair of Peter has been Occupied by the popes the World has come to Know as John XXIII, Paul IV, John Paul, John Paul II and Benedict XVI....The author outwardly implies throughout the book that the previous5 men we not the pope. Knowing this I cannot suggest this book to anyone. In fact I believe that this book can be dangerous to some Catholics and a misleading representation to non-Catholics. I did like some of the parts that explain various movements and their beginings. I am sorry to not offer an alternative but only a warning to those that the author is no in union with pope Benedict.

Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church
This is a very well researched and readable account of the last forty years of turmoil in the Catholic Church. Although the author takes the sedavacantist position he is sympathetic to the veiws of all Catholics and provides the reader with solid explantions and persausive arguments.
This book has the strength of a true Traditionalist writer with out the venom we often find in this genre.

Most Concise Compendium on Traditional Catholicism Anywhere!
Until now there has not been a compendium gathering the tents of the various tribes of Tradition that so clearly explains the trials and tribulations of Traditional Catholics as Griff L. Ruby's "The Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church."

It is subtitled "A Guide to the Traditional Catholic Movement" and indeed it is. From the Preface and Introduction through twelve chapters, the Epilogue and three Appendixes - which answer practically any question anyone could muster - Griff takes the reader on a journey of common sense, dispelling myths, rumors and suppositions in a totally charitable Christian manner that avers the true sensus Catholicus , leaving little doubt what truly loyal Catholics must do to keep the Faith.

Griff is like that dependable ecclesial weatherman, assuring us that the Son will rise again and shine on all who cling to the Truths and Traditions of Holy Mother Church, despite the storms and dark clouds. Those clouds which have shadowed so many Traditional Catholics in different camps, often resulting in backbiting and sniping almost in the manner of the Pharisees, have been lifted in Griff's book as he charitably treats each Traditional group of note, showing that Traditional Catholics won't bite and that most of them are decent people who have first and foremost the salvation of souls and obedience to the infallible, perennial Magisterium of the Church as their goal.

To assure the reader that these are not his own personal opinions, but rather fully backed by Holy Mother Church, Griff proceeds to reinforce his statements with scriptural references that confirm that what has occurred over the past half century was not only possible, but very probable considering all circumstances, the state of the world, and the state of man's rebellion. His comparisons to Pontius Pilate are very revealing for indeed, the church of Vatican II placed Christ and His Church on trial and passed sentence on the Mystical Body of Christ. This "sentence" continues to this day with the current hierarchy constantly harassing and slandering those who desire to practice as Catholics always have.

"The Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church" is one of the most lucid, understandable and concise compendiums on the Traditional Catholic cause that I have ever read. Over the past few years I had heard many rumors and Griff's book was a breath of fresh air in putting flesh to facts that dissolves many vicious rumors which had cosmetically concealed the epidermis of epikea which, as he defines in several chapters and in the Glossary, is "a sense of proportion or common sense by which jurisdiction is not denied merely because the usual channels do not apply." That is the situation in the Church today when Modern Rome has become the Jerusalem of old, abandoning Christ and the faithful have scattered to the boondocks for the specific purpose of preserving the Faith.

Those who read his book should be regenerated to do the same and not look so cynically toward their fellow Traditional Catholics no matter what specific group it might be or their background. Consider the many Religious Orders founded by Saints over the centuries. The vast majority were subject to many obstacles, even subterfuge, sabotage and slander, but because they were of God, nothing could stop the pure of heart. So also Griff has identified the obstacles facing the Traditional Catholic movement in his book in which he covers 95% of all Traditional Catholics, and concludes vere dignum et justum - it is truly meet and just that each group has a specific purpose to carry out in keeping the Faith alive and restoring it someday to Eternal Rome as he writes in "We belong to Rome, and Rome is Ours"

Griff's best explanation, which he refers to throughout his book, is the "Vatican institution" in defining the current church of Modern Rome vs. the divinely protected Church of Eternal Rome. He leaves no stone unturned in showing how each Traditional Catholic group perfectly fit in the peg God intended for them to keep the Faith alive even in these devastating times when so many are so confused that despair is setting in. Griff's purpose for this book is to dispell that despair by offering hope that just as Christ was crucified, tortured beyond recognition, so also His Church has been beaten down beyond recognition but have hope all ye of little faith, for just as Christ rose from the dead, so also the True Church will rise again and become stronger than before. We have God's promise on that and Our Lady's that, in the end, her Immaculate Heart will triumph!

In summing up his arguments and syllogisms, the author shows in the Conclusion "We belong to Rome, and Rome is Ours" that the post-conciliar Church cannot possibly be the Roman Catholic Church because of the loss of the four indelible marks of the Church - One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. He uses the analogy of the empty tomb in which St. Mary Magdalen is told by the Angel, "He is not here, He is risen." Hence, the title for his book which shows that even though Modern Rome has suppressed the Mystical Body of Christ and tried to transform it into another body, it is not possible; for the True Mystical Body of Christ is not in Modern Rome but forever in Eternal Rome - the Church promised by Christ in Matthew 16: 18-19. As Griff writes,"'He has risen! He has gone to Galilee.' Let us focus on the meaning of that."Griff brings 'Galilee' today into focus as the underground Church - the very one that identifies "The Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church."

Those are the rallying points for keeping the Faith alive in these times when it is hardly recognizable anywhere but in the underground churches and catacomb chapels where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass remains the same today as it was four hundred years ago. Time stands still for those who assist at the Holy Mass of All Ages. Griff points out that practically ALL of the Traditional camps have the common bond of allegiance to "the Universal and Historical Magisterium of the Church on which the various disputants all base their arguments."

Few books have been published which better provide reasons to unite the Traditional Catholic movement. It needs to be circulated far and wide within the Traditional Catholic community as well as shared with Novus Ordo Catholics, Protestants, and others outside the Church so that they will, in God's time, through such excellent vehicles as this book, realize why Traditional Catholics guard their Faith so well and regard it as such a precious gift that can never be compromised, but can be obtained only through conversion, not dialogue.

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough to truly understand the current situation of Catholicism today and why Griff provides the key components for uniting the Traditional movement to resist those who have usurped the Church.

In the thirteenth century, Christ asked a simple Friar from Assisi to "Rebuild My Church;" today Our Lord has used many other vehicles for conveying the same thing. Griff Ruby's magnificent "The Resurrection of the Roman Catholic Church" is an excellent practical instrument to begin the process of rebuilding so that the tree will once again grow stronger, taller and fuller, bearing abundant fruits for the greater honor and glory of God and the salvation of countless souls. Griff's book is a must-read! To quote St. Basil the Great: "Rouse yourselves, brethren, seeing now that the Church has been seized by aliens." To that we add St. Paul's words, "Stand fast to Tradition."Griff Ruby has done just that!Kudos! "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Michael Cain
Editor, The Daily Catholic ... Read more

Product Description
There is an increasing hunger among Catholics to study the Bible in depth and in a way that integrates Scripture with Catholic doctrine, worship, and daily life. Second Corinthians is the fourth of seventeen volumes in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), a new series that will cover the entire New Testament and interprets Scripture from within the living tradition of the Church. This volume, like each in the series, is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Scholarly commentary on Second Corinthians
As a curious person with great respect for Sacred Scripture, this commentary is exactly what I have been looking for. It is scholarly yet without losing anything of the pastoral. The reader is not burdened with meaningless technical terms. Stegman gives his commentary in such a way that the reader can feel as though s/he is sitting at a table with Stegman discussing how this work of Scripture might open up fuller meaning for them. Fr. Stegman gives his viewpoint on the meaning of texts but also points out those ideas that understand some phrase differently than he does. Throughout the book there are a series of grey boxes on various pages that gives some further information beyond simple commentary. While serious Scripture scholars will be interested in Stegman's insights, those of us who have more limited education in the Bible and Biblical languages can feel as though it was written for us as well. Highly recommended for later secondary and college classes. ... Read more

Product Description

A major critical analysis of the Roman Catholic Church'sexclusive claim of infallibility.

In 2007 the president of the Evangelical Theological Societyconverted to Roman Catholicism. His conversion and subsequentresignation stirred up questions that always swirl around suchhigh-profile conversions: Why do some Protestants become Catholics?Is Roman Catholicism a false church? Which church is the truechurch?

Norman Geisler and Joshua Betancourt answer these questions inIs Rome the True Church?, a major critical analysis of theRoman church's claim to being the only true church. Since thisclaim is the most fundamental of all Catholic dogmas-all otherdoctrines being based on it-the whole of the Roman system stands orfalls here. The authors explain and critique the Roman church'sbiblical, historical, theological, and philosophical arguments onbehalf of its claim, digging into the best primary and secondaryCatholic sources on the subject. This book has answers forstudents, thoughtful evangelicals, and anyone interested in RomanCatholicism.

Customer Reviews (17)

Children of the nominalists
Much has already been detailed by my fellow Amazon reviewers concerning the level of substance in this book. It falls far short of what we would expect from these authors.Indeed, it would seem that at least one of the authors was not convinced himself since the buzz around the web is that Mr. Betancourt has, in fact, become a Roman Catholic! So setting those common criticisms of this work aside, I think there is still something to consider in this work that is encapsulated in the title question.

The question itself concerning Rome is one that implies the belief that there is not one true church; or it implies that if there is one true church, Rome is not it. The first assertion only begs the question, "How many churches did Jesus found?" The second assertion begs the question, "How did the gates of hell prevail despite Jesus' promise (second part of Matthew 16:18)?"When it comes to the historical record, there are only two contenders for the one true church and if it is neither of those, then Jesus' promise was empty. If there is no hope for the Eastern Orthodox and Latin (Roman) Catholicchurches then we cannot have hope for any of the other contenders as the true church. When I was a devout Protestant myself I remember this dilemma well in a debate I had with a friend who was joining a cult because he said the church had become so corrupt it had no resemblance to the church Jesus had founded. I remember pointing out Matthew 16:18 to him and then the nagging question came to mind - was I not saying the very same thing to justify my Reformed Protestant tradition as superior to the Catholic tradition? It seems a dilemma that follows inevitably the nominalist philosophy that has continued to guide the successors of the reformation (see The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism).

Try it out if you must but do not limit your study to one side of this question and particularly do not be satisfied with rather shallow challenges such as this one. The authors surely could do better than this.If not, one wonders what keeps both authors from entering the Catholic church.

Co-Author Betancourt IS NOW CATHOLIC!!!
It turns out that this man's book is so poorly written that there was no way that he could debunk the Church. Joshua Betancourt is now a Catholic convert!! Praise God! Alleluia!! WELCOME HOME JOSHUA!! You are now in the ONE TRUE Church of Jesus Christ! Those of you who want a good book defending the Catholic Church, read Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church (Modern Apologetics Library) by Stephen K. Ray. Great book in DEFENSE of The CATHOLIC CHURCH!

Co-Author converted to Catholicism.
The co-author, Joshua Betancourt, converted to the Roman Catholic faith shortly after the publication of this book.I guess even he knew how flimsy the arguments against the papacy are!

The author converted to catholicism!
A lot of bad reviews here which I don't mind BUT the good news is that the co-author Joshua M. Betancourt had just converted to Roman Catholicism! I read it's just after the publication of this book that he made the move, talking about re-phrasing yourself! Go Holy Spirit!

Not one of Geisler's better works
I found Geisler's treatment of Catholicism to be repetitive and dull.As a few others have stated here, Geisler is an accomplished scholar, and a brilliant philosopher and theologian, but this work is simply disappointing.I'm a Roman Catholic and a fan of Geisler's work, but this book fell short.Not worth reading in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description
This 21st Century edition of the traditional Missal of the Tridentine Rite is published with an Imprimatur. (A guarantee from the Church that the publication is free from moral or doctrinal errors.) This is the only complete Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962 approved by the Church! The text of this edition is based upon the Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual (16th edition) published by Laverty & Sons, Leeds, in 1960 and has been fully revised and updated. Its features include: 2,216 pages printed in red/black. Size approximately 3.75" x 6.3". 115 engravings throughout carefully scanned, corrected where necessary and digitally remastered. Foreword and Imprimatur from the Most Reverend Fabian W. Bruskewitz, STD, Bishop of Lincoln. All the Masses of the Liturgical Year, in Latin with English translation, according to the Roman Calendar of 1962 - Temporal and Sanctoral Cycles and accompanying rites (Blessing of Ashes, Blessing of Palms, Chrism Mass, and the Blessing of Holy Oils, etc). Ordinary of the Mass, in Latin with English translation Liturgical Calendar. Table of Moveable Feasts up to AD 2066. Complete Holy Week Liturgy of 1962 (including the Office of Tenebrae). Common Masses of the Saints and the Blessed Virgin. Supplement of special Masses for the Dioceses of the USA. Supplement of special Masses for the Dioceses of England and Wales. Supplement of special Masses for the Dioceses of Scotland. Feasts celebrated in particular places and in certain religious congregations. Votive Masses for the days of the week. Sixteen Votive Masses for various occasions. Masses for the Dead (including infants), Complete Burial Service, Prayers for the Dead. Marriage Service and Nuptial Mass. Kyriale, in traditional Gregorian chant notation, including: Tones for the most common Ordinaries: I (Lux et Origo), IV (Cunctipotens Genitor Deus), VIII (De Angelis), IX (Cum Jubilo), XI (Orbis Factor), XXVII (Sundays of Advent & Lent), XVIII (Deus Genitor Alme). Tones for the Asperges and the Vidi Aquam. Tones for the Credo: I, II, III and IV. Vespers for Sundays and Feasts. Compline for Sundays. Hymns and chants for Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Anthems to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Litany of the Saint. Various Devotions and Prayers including favorite Litanies, the Way of the Cross, prayers of the Rosary and others Morning and Evening Prayers. Devotions for Confession. Devotions for Holy Communion. Te Deum Laudamus. The Itinerary or Office before a Journey. Various Blessings. An explanation of "The Liturgy or Public Worship of the Catholic and Roman Church". An Abridgement of Christian Doctrine. The flexible cover edition is made using real Morocco leather hand covered over flexible boards. The edges have been meticulously stitched to create an elegant and portable Bible. The endpapers are made of thick heavy weight paper, decoratively printed with traditional Catholic symbols. The edges of the paper have been gilded to the highest standards with a special gold gilding process to provide the warm glow seen on the gilded surface of the pages. Six soft ribbons have been specifically chosen to ensure that they do not damage the gilding or paper edges in any way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Definitely recommend...
I love this missal!!! Very useful for Latin Mass and for the basic prayers!!! I definitely recommend this for any Catholic or someone considering converting!

Beautiful, But Too British
This is a beautiful missal, but I think it is overly British... there are almost 200 pages of supplemental material for feasts for Great Britain, Scotland and Wales that are basically irrelevant to anyone else. Personally, I'd rather that space be used for the texts of the other sacraments. The main text too, is from a British angle... the translation is British and a little difficult to understand and interspersed throughout are notes that are relevant to the Mass celebrated in Britain... prayers for the Queen and things like that. I'm sure that's wonderful for people that are from England and Scotland and Wales, but I personally find it distracting when I am trying to follow the mass and there is all of this extra information that I have to wade through to get to what is relevant, and it takes a long time to decipher the English dialect. And I agree it's a shame that the Latin text is so small. Part of the reason they probably did that was because the Latin takes less space... The English translation is inevitably longer. Still, I wish it was easier to read the Latin. It is beautifully done though... the collection of the Kyriale is fantastic. I just hope that a more American, or simply a less culturally specific, version comes out in the near future.

EXTRAORDINARY!
This is an incredible treasure of our faith.This Missal is excellent, beautiful, complete, easy to manage.I hope that many will begin to appreciate and love our unique catholic liturgy with the help of this Missal. God bless!

Nearly Perfect
I use this missal everyday. It has one medium size flaw-numerous typos. Perhaps this reprinting has them corrected, I don't know.

High quality leather binding, but format could be improved
I own three missals; 1945 St. Andrews, 1962 Baronius Press, and 1962 Angelus Press. What is desirable about the B.P. Missal is its soft genuine-leather cover, gold trim, and cream-colored pages. However, I would suggest that the B.P.'s "weakness" is the format, especially when compared to the beautiful 1945 St. Andrews missal. For example, the St. Andrews has both the Latin and English on the same page, organized into two columns, with rubrics in red. The B.P. however, has [for the mass] English on one page and Latin on the opposite page, with the rubrics repeated on both pages (also in red). Suffice to say, it is redundant to have the rubrics repeated twice. Another drawback so to say; the LATIN text [for the propers and other prayers] in the B.P. Missal is reduced in font-size to ~1/2 the size as the English font. Unfortunately, this de-emphsization of the latin text is a common trend among newer missals (post 1950's). Certainly, if anything is to be de-emphasized, it should be the vernacular, not the official language of the Latin Rite (note the 1945 St. Andrew gives equal spacing to both). A third minor complaint; the print in the B.P. is somewhat difficult to read (for example, there is no clear differentiation between headings, canon, and rubrics like there is in the Angelus Press and St. Andrews). In this regard, the Angelus Press and St. Andrews missal are aesthetically "neater" than the B.P. (although there is significantly more "dead space" in the Angelus Press Missal). There is also less information on each page. In the B.P., the text for the mass consumes about 71 pages, whereas in the S.A. is about half that; at 34 pages! (When I attend mass with the B.P. missal or Angelus Press missal, I find I am constantly turning pages to keep up). One last point, is the commentary in the S.A. missal is quite exceptional; it reads like a an old seminary textbook and contains traditional line art, with explanatory diagrams. The fallback to the St. Andrews 1945 is that it has been republished in hard-cover (not leather), with white pages and red trim (the Angelus Press has a imitation-leather cover, with gold trim, and cream pages). Perhaps the format of the S.A. 1945 together with the quality of Baronius Press leather-bound publishing would make for an ideal missal.

***EDIT: I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED THAT THE S.A. IS AVAILABLE IN A 1962 EDITION, LEATHER-BOUNDED WITH GILT EDGED. HOWEVER, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT LATER EDITIONS AFTER 1945 HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORMAT, SUCH AS THE DE-EMPHASIS OF LATIN AS MENTIONED ABOVE, AND THE REMOVAL OF LINE-ART**** ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: Spring Arbor/Ingram, Our Sunday Visitor 2003 Author: Beth McNamara Branigan, Sue Robinson, Anne E. Neuberger Format: 178 pages, paperback ISBN: 9781931709446 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Rural bible belt area
Great ideas for the whole year! I am always looking for resource material to be used with small or large groups and for backup for catechists. I live in a very small rural area parish and we can never have enough suggestions because we are constantly gathering the youth for fun learning.

Catholic customs for homeschool
This book is very elementary.It would be good for pre-K to early first.It is easy to follow and has some good activities, but many of them are for classroom use.It's okay, and I will use it, but I think I would have done better to google particular feast days and find activities that were more appropriate and make my own binder.

Great projects for kids!
This is a really great book of projects - I've already used it quite a few times!When I purchased it, I seem to have skipped over the whole "For Children's Faith Formation," and it's definitely geared toward the "Little Church" or Sunday School environment, but most of the projects can be done at home as well.Highly recommended!

Excellent Resource
I had been looking for a resource to add to our homeschool curriculum that would follow the liturgical year.We have enjoyed many of the simple enriching activities while learning more about saints/important people and our faith.

Well organized
I bought this book because I like it when our family has some sort of Catholic faith item to discuss at dinner.We were using 365 days of Saints and talking about the saint for that day, but this book is so well organized that I can look up new facts and traditions to bring to our life.I have two older children and two babies, so this book is great for all.I'm just a mom, so probably won't do the little book projects etc, but glad to have them for a reference.I like the organization by season and liturgical year and that there is something for every month. ... Read more

Product Description

The only Catholic Study Bible based on the Revised Standard Version 2nd Catholic Edition, the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament brings together all of the books of the New Testament and the penetrating study tools developed by renowned Bible teachers Dr. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch.

Customer Reviews (46)

A Wonderful Work
Comments on the physical aspect of the book:

I have the paperback version of this bible and it's true what other reviewers said about the quality of the binding: top-notch! It is sewn, not just glued. I expect that the color maps at the end portion will not tear off easily since they are also sewn. Even the glue applied to the spine is neatly applied.

The bigger font of the main text is highly readable, as well as the font used for the study notes (smaller). For reference, if you have the ESV study bible, its study notes' font is too small that I have to use my reading glasses. For the Ignatius Study Bible NT, I can do away with my reading glass and still read comfortably.

The paper: Very high quality, thicker than the usual bible paper and "off-white" for lack of a better word. It's not pure white which is a "plus" in my view since it reduces glare. It is also thick enough to prevent the text behind it and on the next page to show through.

The paper cover has a black theme which serves to enhance the external beauty of the book. Considering that this is only the New Testament, it might surprise some to see that it's almost as bulky as the ESV Study Bible! I credit this to the large font of the main text, the generous amount of study notes, whole page topical essays (they occupy a page each making for a more focused reading), word studies (in shaded boxes), concordance, list of doctrines, color maps, charts and the quality of the paper.

My comments on the content:

I'm afraid I may not give it justice. So I'll just leave this to more eloquent reviewers. I just praise the Lord and give Him thanks that such a bible study material as this has been published at all.

God willing, the publishers will be able to release the Old Testament version before too long. Ignatius has in fact just released the Genesis Study Bible but already it is out-of-stock!

Looks good so far
I'm not going to comment too much on the content, as I haven't had a chance to read too much of it. I will say a few things. There is a GREAT concordance in the back. A rarity in Catholic Bibles, for some reason. There is also a nice index. As far as the notes/commentary goes, the one complaint I have is that it seems that they assert certain things as absolute truths that may be only their interpretations. I have read other Catholic Bibles which give a different point of view. (I'm not talking about anything against Church dogma, which obviously is what it is.) But certain verses are open to interpretation, so just remember what the notes and commentary are and what they are not. They are helpful, but are not the Word of God.

As far as the quality of the book itself, it is nice. The paper they use is great. It's thick enough so that you can't see through to the writing on the other side. It really helps the readability. And it just feels like good quality. I purchased the hardback version. The cover is very nice; my only complaint is that it doesn't really stay open on its own. When you're reading it, you have to be holding it open somewhat. However, it does obviously stay closed well, so that's a plus.

I am pleased with my purchase.

Study Bible
This was much more than expected. I love everything about this study bible. I do recommend Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament. I wish that all Christians would use this Study Bible.

Bible-ease
Paging through the new issue of the New Testament, I am struck by the quality of paper, the extensive and easy to use footnotes, and the additional resources provided to help in understanding the many parts of the bible.

Outstanding Value
I love the Ignatius Study Guides, and this is THE BEST value for the money.Individual books cost $10 or more at my local Catholic Bookshop, so to get ALL of them, plus maps and other study guides in one volume is simply irresistible.If you do any sort of New Testament Study, BUY THIS BOOK. ... Read more