The Eternal Kingdom


Book Description

In accordance with prophecy, Jesus set up His eternal kingdom. But before long, Satan influenced men to start making changes in the structure of Christ's kingdom, the church. These changes took the form of doctrines, practices, and structures that were foreign to the Bible. The result was a new church-the Catholic Church-in competition with Jesus' kingdom. This book shows the path of the Catholic apostasy, but also shows the groups which still followed the truth-though they were labeled as heretics by the Catholics-the people within Catholicism who tried to bring them more in line with the Bible, and finally, many of the individuals who decided to start fresh by restoring New Testament Christianity.




Constructing Nineteenth-Century Religion


Book Description

Examines the ways in which religion was constructed as a category and region of experience in nineteenth-century literature and culture.




Meeting Jesus in the Sacraments


Book Description

(© 2010) The Subcommittee on the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found that this catechetical high school text is in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and fulfills the requirements of Core Course V of the Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age.Meeting Jesus in the Sacraments reveals the sacraments as the definitive way that Jesus remains present to the Church and the world today. The text explores concrete ways for students to understand the sacraments, participate in their rites, and benefit from their graces.The text is organized around the traditional definition of sacrament from the Catechism of the Catholic Church--an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us by the work of the Holy Spirit. This definition is clarified by organizing the chapters around four dimensions of the sacrament: memorial, celebration, communion, and transformation.Through regular placement of "For Reflection" panels and assignments that focus on deeper research, developing a personal and communal prayer life, and active transformation of self and society, this text allows students to come to know Jesus through participation in the sacraments and the grace of their effects. Selections from Catholic blogs and profiles of saints offer a practical application of the sacrament to teenagers.




St. John's Gospel


Book Description

As Catholics in ever-growing numbers are taking part in Bible studies, many questions arise. How do I study the Bible? Where do I begin? Is it OK to interpret the Bible for ourselves? What Bible should I use? How can I understand such a deep book as the Gospel of St. John? This book has the answer to these and many other such questions. Stephen Ray takes the difficult and makes it easy; he takes the confusion and makes things clear. It gives a simple start for a beginner while providing the depth and profundity for the scholar. This book is one of a kind. It is the first extensive, easy to use and thoroughly Catholic study guide available. This Bible study provides extensive ""text boxes"" with detailed information that helps students discover the cultural, religious, historical and other information on the specific passage they are studying. It utilizes quotes for a wide range of scholars, historians and specialists to instruct the student and give valuable insights into the background and meaning of the text. This book can serve as a basic Bible study guide for working through the Gospel of John, helping the student plumb the depths of St. John's marvelous and deeply spiritual Gospel. It is excellent for use by individuals or groups, for families or schools.







An Alphabetical Analysis


Book Description