Continuum Icons – serie

The thinking person's guide to being a Roman Catholic today. 'The richness of the Church's past is a liberation, not a straitjacket. It is a source of confidence in launching into and uncharted future.' Eamon Duffy is both a practising Roman Catholic and a distinguished historian, whose writings have changed the course of English Reformation studies. In Faith of Our Fathers Duffy brings the insights of history to the intellectual and pastoral challenges confronting Christianity in a post-modern world. In this lively and vivid book he considers the range of Catholic belief and practice, from prayer for the dead and veneration of the eucharist, to the place of Mary or the authority of the Pope. In the process he explores the ways in which the practices of an ancient religious tradition can be a vital Christian resource in the turbulent modern world. Duffy argues that attentive engagement with the tradition is indispensable in deepening our understanding of the Gospel today.

Herbert McCabe, who died in 2001, was one of the most intelligent Roman Catholic thinkers of the twentieth century. An influence on philosophers such as Anthony Kenny and Alasdair MacIntyre he was also befriended by poets and literary critics such as Seamus Heaney and Terry Eagleton. Equally at home in philosophy and theology, he despised jargon and intellectual posturing as a substitute for reason and argument. At the time of his death, he left a wealth of unpublished material- so outstanding in its quality and originality that it is surprising that it was never published in book form. This is now put to rights. In God Still Matters we have the chance to read McCabe on the topics that interested him most - philosophy of God, Christology, Fundamental theology, Sacramental theology and ethics. No-one who reads this volume will doubt that McCabe was one of the outstanding Christian thinkers of his generation and the epitome of Dominican intellectual openness and rigour.

In this illuminating and engaging book, Alban McCoy imaginatively and intelligently addresses the key questions that non-Catholics-and even Catholics- have about Roman Catholicisim. Are faith and reason enemies or allies? Do we need proof of God? Can God and evil both exist? Do we need the Pope? Is annulment divorce by another name? Why are women not ordained as priests in the Catholic Church? In an age where morality is increasingly challenged and reassessed, Alban McCoy demonstrates the relevance of the Catholic Church's moral teaching to the modern age and shows how Roman Catholicism is fully engaged with the realities of life and of the Spirit. Alban McCoy is Chaplain to the University of Cambridge. He is also a literary editor of The Tablet. His book, An Intelligent Person's Guide to Christian Ethics, is also in the Continuum Icons series.

In this concise and lucid book, Alban McCoy considers the fundamental principles of morality in a Christian context. Starting from the widespread phenomenon of seemingly insuperable disagreement in discussion of the most basic moral issues, he locates the root cause of such disagreement in confusion about the essential nature of morality as such. What distinguishes a moral judgement from an historical or scientific judgment? Which considerations are relevant to moral issues as opposed to questions of a pragmatic or practical importance? What resources are available to us when weighing moral matters? Various critiques of morality such as amoralism, determinism, subjectivism and cultural relativism, as well as different moral theories such as utilitarianism and absolutism are considered and found wanting. At the heart of the book, McCoy offers a rational account of morality rooted in virtue and character and human flourishing. He then sets this in a Christian context in order to show what difference Christian revelation makes to our understanding of morality.Writing clearly and without jargon, McCoy provides the non-specialist reader with a stimulating discussion of the fundamental concepts we employ in everyday consideration of moral questions. He manages to render difficult matters intelligible without oversimplification and his book will appeal to anybody interested in finding a way through the moral maze and to students of philosophy embarking on a study of ethics.

Dwight L. Moody, 'Mr Moody', was a hugely important Evangelical, of international significance. His influence on modern evangelicalism, and the interest in him, remain as strong today as in his own lifetime. This book provides an overall assessment of Moody's life and legacy, with particular attention to the international dimension. A range of chapters seeks to evaluate his theology, preaching, revivalist strategy, church music innovation, and global missionary work. While Moody has been the subject of many popular biographies, this is the first book to bring together international experts in all of Moody's many fields of activity and to provide a thoroughgoing evaluation of his life and achievements. It will establish Moody's historical importance and enduring legacy as a principal icon of the modern Evangelical movement. Dr Timothy George is Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama.

It is now recognised that in a pluralistic world of which a multi-faith Britain is a part, it is important for everyone to understand the philosophies and practices of the world's different faiths.Six World Faiths reflects the multi-faith nature of society in its authorship and thus presents an introduction to inter-religious understanding which will provide people working and living in a multi-racial society with the knowledge necessary to appreciate each other's beliefs, practices and values.Under the co-ordination of Dr W. Cole, a founder member and past chairman of the Shap Working Party on World Religions in Education, six experts have each contributed chapters on his or her own religion.

In The Tripersonal God, Gerald O'Collins examines the roots and development of Trinitarian belief, drawing on three areas for reflection: Testimony to the tripersonal God in the scriptures - both the Old Testament background and the teachings of Paul and the gospel writers The development of Trinitarian doctrine from the second-century writers and the early councils of the Church through medieval theology and modern challenges Major Trinitarian issues of today, such as naming the Trinity, the distinct personal existence of the Holy Spirit and Trinitarian imagery A comprehensive, contemporary inquiry, The Tripersonal God illuminates the historical and scriptural roots of belief in the Trinity and clarifies contemporary trends in Trinitarian thought.

This new edition of the 1974 classic What Anglicans Believe is for the very different world of the twenty-first century and its powerful new preface examines the whole question of belief.David Edwards' purpose is to present a straightforward account of what many Anglicans believe. He writes honest answers to the questions that many are asking of their faith and the Church. He aims to help Anglicans all over the world to understand their own tradition and what it can offer them. A list of questions for discussion makes this an ideal book for study groups as well as for individual contemplation.

Kung sketches out a new theology of Women in the Church. This is not stridently feminist but sees the role of women as being vital for the development of the Church as an institution and for preaching the Christian Gospel. For two years Kung guided a research project on Women and Christianity, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. For most of the religions of the world, women are a problem. From time immemorial they have been subordinate to men, second class in the family, politics and business with limited rights and even limited participation in worship. It is not only in Christianity that equal rights for women has been a scandalously neglected issue. By an examination of the history of women in Christianity, Kung points to the scandals of the past. The prohibition of women servers at Mass and of the ordination of women to the diaconate and the priesthood are symptomatic of a male dominated Church, which takes a consistently 'negative' attitude towards contraception, abortion and divorce. Roman Catholic Canon Law is androcentric and male dominated.From his position of intellectual freedom, as an independent Professor at the University of Tubingen, Kung is free to analyse the mistakes of the past and to sketch out a new theology of Women in the Church. This is not stridently feminist but sees the role of women as being vital for the development of the Church as an institution and for preaching the Christian Gospel.

C.S. Lewis (1898-1953) was the most talented and lucid apologist for Christianity that the last century produced. In essays, critical studies, poems, novels and works of autobiography, he turned his formidable literary gifts to the task of re-presenting the Christian view of human destiny to a world bewildered by scientific materialism. He did not shrik the real difficulties that Christian belief encounters, nor did he downplay the cost of faith in an age of self-indulgence. Nevertheless, the radiant happiness and good sense that shine through his prose have never ceased to find new and eager readers, and his books remain part of the canonical wisdom of our culture. Philip Van der Elst surveys the whole of Lewis's vast output and gives a clear and illuminating summary of his stance towards the outstanding questions of our civilisation. Setting the writings within the context of Lewis's own painful life and striking conversion, he shows the enduring importance of a thinker whose vision of modern life was both comprehensive and profoundly optimistic.Van der Elst's book provides a lucid and stimulating introduction; for those already familiar with Lewis's writings it offers a challenging analysis of their meaning and of the continuous thread of argument which runs all through their various themes. An indispensable guide to an indispensable thinker. Philip Van der Elst's previous book, Resisting Leviathan: The Case Against a European State, was published by Claridge Press (Continuum) in 1991.

Questions of religious identity will be central to the way that the twenty-first century unfolds. Anglicanism: The Answer to Modernity is the boldest attempt in recent years to address the intellectual future of the Church of England in a confident, open and faithful way. The eight Cambridge deans who have contributed combine academic theological work with practical ministry to students in exploring the credibility, wisdom and coherence of Anglican answers to biblical, moral, philosophical and social issues. They also evaluate the presence of the Church at various levels in the life of the nation. They believe that the Church of England is not a dying and irrelevant anachronism. Rather, their vision is of a robust and inclusive Anglicanism, from which we may fashion the answers necessary for human life and growth. This book sets the conceptual tone for the Church of England at the start of Rowan Williams's term as Archbishop of Canterbury. Based on pastoral experience, the contributors map out a confident future for a Church that sympathetically and intelligently offers meaning and hope in times of uncertain direction. Contributors include: Duncan Dormor (St John's College, Cambridge) Jeremy Caddick (Emmanuel College, Cambridge) Jack McDonald (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge) Maggi Dawn (King's College, Cambridge) Jeremy Morris (Trinity Hall, Cambridge) Timothy Jenkins (Jesus College, Cambridge) Jo Bailey Wells (Ridley Hall, Cambridge) Jonathan Ben Quash (Peterhouse, Cambridge)

Is it surprising that a sixth-century monastic text, the Rule of St. Benedict, should be a guide for lay Christians living in today's world? In fact, the questions which St. Benedict had to face are still questions which face us today: how do I live with others? With the world? With myself? With God? How do I bring balance into my life? St. Benedict speaks to the heart, and this commentary approaches the Rule in a prayerful and reflective way. It will help many people who today are seeking a contemplative centre in a busy life. St. Benedict's writing is steeped in scripture. In the Middle Ages, his Rule was seen as a digest of the Bible. It therefore crosses the divides of the church and speaks to Christians of all denominations.

For two years Küng guided a research project on Women and Christianity, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. For most of the religions of the world, women are a problem. From time immemorial they have been subordinate to men, second class in the family, politics and business with limited rights and even limited participation in worship. It is not only in Christianity that equal rights for women has been a scandalously neglected issue.By an examination of the history of women in Christianity, Kung points to the scandals of the past.The prohibition of women servers at Mass and of the ordination of women to the diaconate and the priesthood are symptomatic of a male dominated Church, which takes a consistently 'negative' attitude towards contraception, abortion and divorce. Roman Catholic Canon Law is androcentric and male dominated.From his position of intellectual freedom, as an independent Professor at the University of Tubingen, Küng is free to analyse the mistakes of the past and to sketch out a new theology of Women in the Church. This is not stridently feminist but sees the role of women as being vital for the development of the Church as an institution and for preaching the Christian Gospel.

Here is an entirely fresh and original book about Jesus, the Jesus of devotion, the Jesus within.Here are fifty pictures (or images) of Jesus, each being a chapter of the book. We need to get away from cliches and see what Jesus really means for people today. After a brief account of Jesus and his times, the author introduces the book and how to read it. Some of the pictures of Jesus are surprising- Jesus the drop out, the vagabond, the one who refuses power,the family therapist and the exorcist.Gruen has a rare gift of simple communication, of bringing Jesus alive to modern men and women.This was a gift which Henri Nouwen also had and the publishers are expecting to command similar sales.The style is simple and direct and psychologically in tune with our times.

In this concise and lucid book, Alban McCoy considers the fundamental principles of morality in a Christian context. Starting from the widespread phenomenon of seemingly insuperable disagreement in discussion of the most basic moral issues, he locates the root cause of such disagreement in confusion about the essential nature of morality as such. What distinguishes a moral judgement from an historical or scientific judgment? Which considerations are relevant to moral issues as opposed to questions of a pragmatic or practical importance? What resources are available to us when weighing moral matters? Various critiques of morality such as amoralism, determinism, subjectivism and cultural relativism, as well as different moral theories such as utilitarianism and absolutism are considered and found wanting. At the heart of the book, McCoy offers a rational account of morality rooted in virtue and character and human flourishing. He then sets this in a Christian context in order to show what difference Christian revelation makes to our understanding of morality. Writing clearly and without jargon, McCoy provides the non-specialist reader with a stimulating discussion of the fundamental concepts we employ in everyday consideration of moral questions. He manages to render difficult matters intelligible without oversimplification and his book will appeal to anybody interested in finding a way through the moral maze and to students of philosophy embarking on a study of ethics.