Bishop Books

Augustine's 'Confessions' is among the most important books ever written. One of the first autobiographical works in the modern sense, it also represents the first time a psychological and theological enterprise were combined. It also helps to bridge the gap between the Classical world and the Medieval world, exhibiting strong elements identifying with each of those major historical periods.

Most undergraduates in the liberal arts encounter the book at some point; all seminarians do (or should!). Many adults find (or rediscover) the book later, after school. For many in these categories, there are concepts, narrative strands and historical data new and unusual for them. Notes, commentaries and guides are called for - this book by Paffenroth and Kennedy is a good one in many respects.

This book does not represent the thinking and analysis of one (or two) primary authors. Instead, Paffenroth and Kennedy have drawn together an outstanding team of Augustinian scholars to each focus upon one book (or chapter) of the thirteen that comprise the 'Confessions'. They do not look for one overarching theme (or even several) and then try to force the text into that narrow confine; rather, they let each book speak for itself, each one through the interpretative and scholarly lens of a different observer. Each essay can stand on its own - they are not interdependent, but they do all address the same topic, and thus relate in that basic way.

In many respects, this variation-viewing of 'Confessions' suits Augustine's personality well - he was a passionate person, but his focus wavered for much of his life until finally settling upon Christianity and the neoplatonic synthesis with this faith. Even while remaining a passionate Christian and rejecting the sort of dualism present in the Manichee teachings, he varied between various positions within these systems. The authors are conservative and liberal, young and old, Catholic and Protestant. Augustine's varied thought reaches through many denominational and scholarly paradigms.

These are not Cliff's Notes - they do not represent simple synopses of the books in the 'Confessions'. The authors assume the reader of this text will be reading (or will have read) the actual text of the 'Confessions'. These essays are relatively short (the longest is 18 pages) but insightful and engaging. There are extensive endnotes for those whose interest is more scholarly (35 pages of endnotes, to be exact - almost twice the number of pages of the longest chapter), but the texts of the essays can be read without these notes perfectly well for the more casual reader.

The book includes at the end suggestions for further reading, a list which includes some classic standards (Brown, Chadwick) and other pieces that were new to me. There are indexes for scripture and for subjects, and a brief biographical paragraph on each of the contributing authors.

This is a book that will be of interest to novice readers of Augustine as well as scholars, to students, clergy and laypersons, and anyone else who might have an historical, literary, philosophical, theological or other interest in Augustine - something for everyone, perhaps?

This book is an outstanding analysis of "reading and writing nature" in the works of four great American poets. I found the book specific and compelling. It helped clarify for me the problems of perception and cognition as they have been analyzed, written about and lived by American poets. It enhanced my own experience of and appreciation for these writers. The book also opens a door onto the larger dimensions of nature that can become locked or occluded through disuse. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the relationship between art, nature and the imagination.

Bishop Clark wrote this book for YOU!!! We can all benefit from his insight and his words of guidance. I picked up this book and didn't put it down until I finished. Thank God for this book. It opened my eyes and gave me hope. I reccomend you buy it asap! It will be a great investment for your life.

This is a well-put-together biography of Augustin Verot, third Bishop of Savannah, Ga., and first Bishop of St. Augustine, Fla. The book shows Verot was a character, as the author says in the best sense of the word. One does not get the idea that he was episcopal timber from reading about his career as a teacher in Maryland, but from Apr 25, 1858, (when Archbishop Kenrick consecrated him as Vicar Apostolic of Florida) on, one cannot but be impressed with the self-sacrificing and devoted way he performed his arduous tasks. Putting up with what he did must have been what enabled him to play such a tough and outspoken role at the first Vatican Council, where, inter alia, he called for the rehabilitation of Galileo--which was finally accomplished during this pontificate. His discourses at the Council, which seem to have been quite numerous and frank, cannot have been very persuasive but contained a lot of common sense. One wonders how he could fail to be cowed by the scene, being, as he was, a very minor bishop from a poor diocese. It was during the Council that he was appointed Bishop of St. Augustine. This is great work on a great bishop.

Dave Cassidy, aka "Doc" of the Dwarf Squad is 34 and feeling restless and on edge.
He was promoted to leader of the Dwarf Squad when Mike Bishop decided to get married and Mike was promoted to joint head of the Agency with Jeff Baker.

Cassidy and his men were sent into North Africa to rescue the Mannings and to find Colin McDermott. He walked into what looked like a three way sex orgie. Robert Manning claimed his wife was drunk.
He and Ali bin Muzzar has lust on their minds.
It turns out that Patricia Manning, 28, had walked out on Cassidy six years ago and he was not happy to be in her presence again.

His men got the Mannings out only to find out that bin Muzzar had been murdered and they had a lot of questions to answer.
Then there was another murder.

There was hard feelings between Henry Hunter, Tricia's father and Dave Cassidy. Dave felt that Henry was doing some money laundering and Tricia wouldn't believe it. Tricia walked out on Dave.

Now the Squad is rallying around Dave and Mrs. Manning as her life was being threatened. No matter what, Dave was going to protect her.

Turns out to be an excellent plot - great characters - hair raising intrigue - a few dead bodies.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED --M - this is definitely a keeper -- but where are the other's stories? It is time to write them.

M. A. Claussen is great to read. If you have an interest in the subject, which I admit is a very specific section of the population, then this book is a dream come true. Well written by a true authority on the subject.

"McNally's study is thorough, balanced and professionally critical: a spendid addition to our accumulating knowledge of the Irish Catholic Church." E.R. Norman, Peterhouse, Cambridge University. The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 185-86.

This is a wonderful combination of theory and application for the creative writing classroom. Bishop helps us step away from the tired tricks of introductory writing classes and create a learning environment that's beneficial to students and teachers at all levels. She encourages teachers to position ourselves as "senior learners" and to implement writing exercises that make it so that every student leaves the class with the seed for a new piece of writing. Best of all, she does it in plain language that doesn't cause headaches. This isn't a classroom text, but a teaching text. Great theory, sample exercises that leave room for personalization, and a boost for my teaching inspiration.

This book give top priority to all aspects of Youth Ministry. This document appropriately received a unanimous vote by all of the US Bishops and gives the clergy and lay people clear direction and priority for our youth. It covers topics from religious education to liturgical music for the youth.

For Catholics, any individual can experience revelation;; whereas for Muslims, prophets are the ones who experience revelation. For Catholics, "revelation offers humans an intimate knowledge of God, and Christians experience faith as a gift from God that enables them to respond positively to this offer." In Islam, the Arabic word "wahy" is used for revelation; "as such, 'revelation' us used for those special modes of communication through which God speaks to the Prophets and the Messengers." In spite of the difference in focus, both Christianity and Islam regard revelation as a special communication, or working, of God or Allah which renders individuals more aware of the God; and individuals who experience revelation work to spread this awareness. This difference is not so much in what is revealed as in the subject experiencing revelation; which subject is the source for communicating what is revealed to others. The short, pithy summary--little more than a pamphlet--of the "Dialogue" specifies differences and identifies commonalities between this concept of revelation which is central to the faith and beliefs of both major world religions.