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Interdisciplinary studies by leading Hispanic scholars investigate the religious, cultural and artistic dimensions of Hispanic/Latino Catholicism in the United States, revealing the promise it holds for the Church of the next millenium. Uncovering the riches of Hispanic/Latino Catholicism, the essays in this volume explore its roots in the Spanish colonial and Amerindians of Latin America as well as the cultural and religious breadth of contemporary Latino faith. Peter Casarella is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Raul Gomez, S.D.S is Vice Rector and Director of Hispanic Studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, Wisconsin. CSS Publishing Company ¿ FaithWalk Publishing ¿ Academic

This study on the life and thought of St. Gregory of Nazianzus was written by feminist theologian and Patristic scholar, Rosemary Radford Ruether, as her doctoral dissertation and originally published by Oxford University Press in 1969. The focus of the study is the tension and conflict in the life of Gregory of Nazianzus and his contemporary Christian companions, such as Basil the Great and Gregory Nyssa, between rhetoric and philosophy.This is a conflict that has deep roots in Greek culture, going back to the time of Isocrates and Plato. It reflects two major streams of Greek culture, the literary tradition of classical education and public argumentation, with its often specious use of language, and the philosophical search for truth which saw itself as culminating in spiritual communion with the Good, the True and the Beautiful. In the Christian context of the fourth century A.D. this conflict had been translated into a tension between classical literary education, which still shaped the socialization of Christian leaders such as Gregory and informed the patterns of their preaching, and their search for contemplative union with God. Gregory and others spoke of the ascetic life of emerging Christian monasticism as "the philosophical life," thus incorporating this tension between rhetoric and philosophy into their own lives.For Gregory and other Christian leader of his time, Christians should renounce worldly ambition and even Christian positions of power, such as episcopacy, to pursue the separated life of monastic discipline, yet even in this ascetic retirement they found it difficult not to continue to employ the much-loved literary culture of their youthful education. This book shows how this tension played out in Gregory's own life, including his relation with his friend and school companion, Basil the Great, who shared the quest for the monastic life with Gregory, but later became a bishop and sought to secure his power against church rivals by forcing episcopacy upon both Gregory Nazianzus and his own brother, Gregory Nyssa.The volume also studies the way in which Gregory of Nazianzus employs rhetorical conventions to shape his own literary style in his sermons and treatises. It then focuses on the anthropology and cosmology that underlay Gregory's understanding of the "philosophical life" as a journey of communion with God. In the final chapter it reviews Gregory's own struggles to find a modus vivendi between the two cultures of classical literary education and the ascetic, contemplative life. This is a struggle that did not end with the fourth century, but continued to shape a Christian culture that adopted classical Greek literature as the basis of its educational curriculum and yet also taught the ideals of the soul's quest for God.Rosemary Radford Ruether has been a pioneer Christian feminist theologian for over three decades and is among the most widely read theologians in the world. Her book, Sexism and God-Talk, a classic in the field of theology, remains the only systematic feminist treatment of the Christian symbols to date. With wide-ranging scholarship, Dr. Ruether has written and edited over thirty books and hundreds of articles and reviews.

Pastors love to preach about grace. The essence of the Good News, grace is unmerited favor from the all-powerful Creator of the world. There is perhaps no more satisfying message to deliver.But does the average churchgoer really understand what grace means for them? Is it just another "Christianese" term that fails to resonate?Bill Thomas' Surrounded by Grace: A Bible Study for Lent is a tool based on the Gospel of John to help pastors, small groups and congregations answer the question of what grace is in a modern context. From the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana to his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Thomas uses John's words to affirm that the Lord's favor extends to all no matter how insignificant we see ourselves or our problems.Written to be utilized for individual or group study, or for worship services during the Lenten season,Surrounded by Grace encourages the imagination to ponder that there is no storm so great the Lord cannot overcome it; no pain so deep he will not sustain us through it; no death so final he will fail to resurrect us from it.Lessons Include: "Grace for Those Awkward Moments" (John 2:1-11) "Grace for the Broken Heart" (John 11:17-44) "Grace When Things Are Chaotic" (John 16:17-33) Bill Thomas is an associate pastor at First Christian Church of Washington, Missouri. Previously he has served as a minister at Northridge Church of Christ in Circleville, Ohio, and as pastor of Stony Point Christian Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Bill received a B.S. in Education from the University of Kansas, a Bachelor of Theology from Manhattan Christian College, and a Master of Arts from Johnson Bible College. His previously published works include The Road to Victory: A Pre-Easter Home Study and The Critical Questions … And More: Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies (CSS Publishing). An avid sports fan who referees football and basketball, he is also the author of two young adult Christian books with a sports theme: Pete Thompson and the Long Road Home, and Pete Thompson and the Last Out (Publish America, 2004).

Feed My Lambs is a collection of 103 children's object lessons, written in script form, so that those who desire to give fun and effective sermons will be able to easily prepare the message. I hope to encourage people who might pick up Feed My Lambs to give children's sermons a try. I think about how I went about it years back. I walked into a Christian bookstore, asked where the children's sermon book section was, picked up a few books, and wondered if I were biting off more than I could chew. I want people to know they can. God will certainly bless them and all the little ones they are trying to help. Jesus said, "Feed My Lambs."Included in Feed My Lambs:Index of Seasonal ThemesNotes to the ReaderIndex of Bible referencesLiturgical calendar suggestionsChapter-by-Chapter synopsisSome of the chapter titles in this book are:Having a Right Relationship with GodTrust in the Lord and His Perfect PlanOur Sins and Jesus' ForgivenessTalking with GodHolidaysDebbie Gordon has been a Lutheran all her life. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with majors in finance and management. Debbie has traveled extensively throughout Europe, especially while living in England several years ago. She is heavily involved with the ladies group at her church, and enjoys working with flowers and plants. Debbie currently resides in Pennsylvania, has been married for 23 years, has four amazing children, and a clever, white standard poodle.All author royalties for Feed My Lambs will be donated to Focus on the Family.