God's Kinde Love is the first first full-scale study of Julian of Norwich's doctrine of grace. The thesis of the book is that Julian of Norwich developed a sophisticated, multifaceted doctrine of grace that reflected a profound knowledge of the theological tradition; at the same time, Julian resisted the dominant theological tradition and its established socio-political alignments, and she offered instead a new theological paradigm: that of 'God's kinde love.' Through a close reading of th...

The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Christian Mysticism brings together a team of leading international scholars to explore the origins, evolution, and contemporary debates relating to Christian mystics, texts, and the movements they inspired.Provides a comprehensive and engaging account of Christian mysticism, from its origins right up to the present dayDraws on the best of current scholarship by bringing together a collection of newly-commissioned readings b...

This volume contains the most important spiritual writings of this seminal nineteenth-century theologian, including the Second Speech and the Christmas Dialogue.

An interreligious dialogue on the central Christian and Islamic concepts of mercy and grace seeking to foster and model mutual respect for different faith traditionsThe themes of divine mercy and graciousness are among the most foundational concepts in both the Christian and Islamic traditions and scriptures. "Mercy" might seem more prominent in Islamic discourse than in Christian; and "grace" might seem more prominent in Christian thought than in Islamic. Yet, in ...

There is today a dramatic reexamination of structure, authority, dogma -- indeed, every aspect of the life of the Church is held up to scrutiny. Welcoming this as a sign of vitality, Avery Dulles has carefully studied the writings of contemporary Protestant and Catholic ecclesiologists and sifted out six major approaches, or "models," through which the Church's character can be understood: as Institution, Mystical Communion, Sacrament, Herald, Servant, and, in a recent addition to the book...

Unity, joy, simplicity, beauty, truth-these are the hallmarks of the three Persons in one God, the Trinity. In Contemplating the Trinity, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the papal household, invites readers to turn to the Trinity so that they can enter into and experience the relationship of love that the divine Persons share with one another. Convinced that Christians today need a spirituality that is more clearly trinitarian, Fr. Cantalamessa draws from theology, spirituality, ...

Lectio divina, the ancient practice of prayerful reading, is a font whose waters are waiting to quench the thirst of spiritual seekers, both beginners on the spiritual journey and experienced travelers. The art of holy reading transforms lives. Through the practice of lectio individuals and communities discover God's living word addressed to them in their particular now," to enlighten, challenge, encourage, and suggest.Reading to Live traces the practice ...

The Philokalia (literally "love of the beautiful or good") is, after the Bible, the most influential source of spiritual tradition within the Orthodox Church. First published in Greek in 1782 by St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain and St. Macarios of Corinth, the Philokalia includes works by thirty-six influential Orthodox authors from the fourth to fifteenth-centuries such as Maximus the Confessor, Peter of Damascus, Symeon the New Theologian, and Gregory Palamas. Surpris...

Giussani begins by focusing on the Church as a community composed of people who are aware of themselves as defined by the gift of the Spirit, from which they derive a new conception of existence, the fruit of conversion. He then describes the Church's developing self-awareness of its dual elements of the human and divine. Concerned with verifying the Church's claim to embody Christ, Giussani situates the locus of verification in human experience, arguing that a different type of life is bo...

In "Theology for the Third Millennium," renowned theologian Hans Küng distills three decades of groundbreaking scholarship into a seminal work that reaffirms the enduring relevance of theology in our modern world.As religion faces constant questioning and frequent attacks, Küng's magnum opus offers a profound and intellectually rigorous defense of faith's place in contemporary discourse.This monumental volume is a must-read for students, scholars, and intel...

In fifty brilliant short essays one of the UK's liveliest young writers on religion introduces the key themes, movements and thinkers in theology.

Gnosticism developed alongside Judeo-Christianity over two thousand years ago, but with an important difference: It emphasizes, not faith, but direct perception of God--Gnosticism being derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "knowledge." Given the controversial premise that one can know God directly, the history of Gnosticism is an unfolding drama of passion, political intrigue, martyrdom, and mystery. Dr. Hoeller traces this fascinating story throughout time and shows how Gnosticism ...