Church Books

The title and reviews make this book very tantalizing and intriguing - and if its anything near the quality of the other book by the same authors (Freke & Gandy), "The Hermetica: Lost Wisdom of the Pharoahs" (by the same authors)....I want it, need it, got to have it!!

I enjoyed this book very much. What began as leisurely self-study did not culminate and actualize accordingly. An aspiring academic and truth-seeker, I found myself both compelled and sated by the authors' diligently unbiased presentation of the world's major religions.

As it is said, "less is more," and this cliche in particular rings quite true throughout the pages of this book. The authors did not have to cram down our throats the obvious truth that there are to be found numerous commonalities in most major religions...thereby making it apparent to even the most casual observer that there are absolute Truths to be found, in one form or another, in all worthy sects. (Though what truly makes a sect worthy? Not the point, and I digress.)

That we derived as a species in our various race-forms with consistent, unchanging and uncontested beliefs is compelling and convicting. This book will appeal to all those eager to study religion, as well as to those who wish to explore mysticism and the truths thereof on a higher, more academic (and experential) level.

What an outstanding, simplified look at the mystical traditions! The authors present a clear-eyed look at the major religions, identifying the common thread of mysticism that runs through all of them.

"Each one of us is God playing a cosmic game of hide and seek with himself."--Timothy Freke

What I enjoyed about this book was how Mr. Freke & Mr. Gandy tied the world religions together. How spiritual ideas traveled across the world (there is a chronology of mysticism at the end of the book) and was blended into different cultures. Every culture gave their own distinct character to the basic idea of Oneness. That God is a inteligent force (my words) and how we must lose ourselves to find our true Self.

There is plenty of information on all the major religions plus at the end of the book mysticism outside religion. I feel that's important for people who are turned off by all religion. Read this book and find your own path or make your own.

It's written in an easy flowing style with tidbits of information that I was unfamiliar with. Anyone who desires to know God without dead dogmatic thoughts and lifeless creeds and allows them to be free to explore their inner life I recommend this book to read and own. Fascinating!

The sixties were a time of change for everyone - even Catholic priests. "Confessions of a 'Sixties Priest: But Probably Not What You're Thinking" is the author's tale of becoming ordained when everyone else his age was pushing a cultural revolution and pioneering the music of rock 'n' roll. A tale of ambitions and learning about the world outside one's own sheltered upbringing, "Confessions of a 'Sixties Priest: But Probably Not What You're Thinking" is an intriguing piece of writing indeed, and a top pick for community library memoir collections.

Reviewed for Reader Views by Richard R. Blake (7/08)

James M. O'Brien continues his memoirs in "Confessions of a `Sixties Priest." Ordained to the priesthood in 196l, after completing his seminary training at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Father James O'Brien's first assignment was at St. Patrick's Church in Rockford, Illinois.

Eager to make an impact, blind to his own ambition, O'Brien eagerly assumed his role as the youngest priest in the parish. He also served in the role as teacher of religion at Boylan Central High School. His success with promoting and publishing the parish bulletin led to assignment as staff writer for The Observer, the weekly newspaper for the Catholic diocese of Rockford which included twelve counties in northwestern Illinois.

The regular column in The Observer gave O'Brien the chance to express topics on liturgy, the church, the Bible or any of his current liberal causes. Six months later he was appointed as Assistant Managing Editor of the paper.

This was an era when the Catholic Church was on the threshold of liberalization of Vatican II and the civil rights movement was gaining momentum under the leadership of Martin Luther King. John F. Kennedy, America's first Catholic president had taken office. Rock and roll energized the music scene. The anti-war effort and anti-poverty programs were being birthed regularly. A cultural revolution was taking place throughout every sector of our society. O'Brien soon became intricately involved in many of these causes.

O'Brien's journey took a new twist when after a year he was relieved of his journalistic endeavors, transferred to St. Joseph's Rectory. His assignment included teaching classes at Aquin High School in Freeport, Illinois.

In June of 1966 O'Brien was given opportunity to take a year of year of graduate work at Northwestern University in the field of Communications with a special reference in television. During this time, he also served a residency at the St. John Brebeuf church in Niles, Illinois.

O'Brien traces his priestly career through an increasingly turbulent decade with self-deprecating humor and occasional irony. Alternately promoted, demoted and remoted, he encounters the famous, the almost famous and the yet-to-be famous. As the author himself notes, "I might have misremembered but I didn't make it up." Tabbed by his bishop for journalism, his liberal views relegate him to the boonies. Tabbed again for a graduate degree in television, he finds himself chaplaining a congregation of girls and women religious, not the best possible choice for the young celibate. Along with many others in his time, as the cultural revolution dissolves in a chaos of drugs and protests, O'Brien joins many others in leaving the priestly ministry.

In CONFESSIONS OF A SIXTIES PRIEST, the second volume of James O'Brien's memoirs, we see how a young, idealistic priest loses his vocation and his faith in his first decade out of the seminary. O'Brien's movement away from the Church probably would have occurred anyway, but since the decade in question was the 1960s, his re-examination of his life and his resolve to make radical changes in it were probably accelerated by the forces that were changing American society during that time.

As in his first volume, O'Brien gives us a look into a strange and now largely vanished world, that of American Catholic priests. On the one hand, the lives these men chose to lead, first in the seminary and then out in the world, strikes us as odd now, full of senseless restrictions and empty rituals. On the other hand, O'Brien shows us a group of characters that, as a group, is not odd at all. That is, some men in it are clever, honest , and interesting, while others are slow-witted, shady and dull. They could be accountants or stockbrokers; they do not seem holy. Perhaps this added to O'Brien's disillusionment, but he is not explicit on this point. Indeed, he is never clear on just what led him to reject his vocation, and that may be because it was not one thing, but a slow realization that his faith had disappeared.

Unlike some authors who have broken with the Church, O'Brien writes about it without being harsh or bitter. He is able to express some nostalgia for it; we can see why the religious life once might have been attractive, while at the same time he makes clear the many failings of the Church (especially its leaders) and why many people raised as Catholics are now alienated from the religion.

It is not, of course, O'Brien's purpose to explain the decline of the Catholicism in America. This is a memoir, and in it we see how one man changed in a changing society. O'Brien tells his story with good humor and admirable self-detachment.

A fun and thought-provoking book about learning to be honest with yourself - and definitely not what you think a priest might confess. Jim O'Brien has written an intriguing second volume of his memoir. Following his graduation from the seminary and his ordination, he is assigned a succession of posts in and around the diocese of Rockford, Illinois. His recollections are again funny and touching, and sometimes very surprising. Why would a bishop in Rockford assign a young priest to study for a Master's degree in Broadcasting, for example. But in this volume, O'Brien writes of his increasing frustration and confusion in his new role. Between the laughs, you find yourself wondering how the young priest will find a way out of the trap he seems to have set for himself. I was reminded of the first verse of the Talking Heads hit, "Once in a Lifetime":

"And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful
Wife
And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?"

The late Ezra Taft Benson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave this message at a BYU devotional and urged all members of the LDS Church to obtain a copy and read it.

I was in attendance when he gave the talk. When he stated that it is not the government's role to redistribute the wealth, I remember asking myself at the time, "Did he say that was good, or did he say it was bad?" I was confused. What would we do without Social Security, Welfare, Pell Grants, etc, etc. I was raised thinking these were an acceptible part of our society -- no problem. Frankly, I didn't even know what Socialism was and that the democratic party embodies many of the same principles.

As soon as President Beson was done with his address, I made a beeline for the BYU bookstore and immediately purchased the talk he had just given: "The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner."

My life has not been the same since. I was fired up with a spirit of freedom and patriotism that has not left me. Since that time I have writen books, ran for office, authored many studies on principles of government and freedom as they are found in the scriptures.

Our nation is in a time of great danger, having embraced many doctrines which are not in keeping with those principles of freedom set forth by the Founding Fathers. We are at war with the forces of evil that would seek to establish a world socialist government -- the New World Order.

Just this evening (11/4/98) when I went shopping, I saw a young adult wearing a T-shirt with the letters "NWO" for New World Order splashed across the front of it, giving me the chills.

The warnings of Ezra Taft Benson (among other great soldiers of freedom) are going unheeded. I would urge all men and women who value freedom to read this excellent pamphlet by Ezra Taft Benson, awake to a sense of our awful situation, and put on strength in the Lord to bring the final victory for freedom as we pass through dark and troublesome times.

"Truth will prevail," Ezra Taft Benson often said, "if pains are taken to bring it to light." May we do so; and may his pains not be in vain.

The late Ezra Taft Benson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave this message at a Brigham Young University devotional assembly (the only one he gave as their "Prophet") and urged all members of the LDS Church to obtain a copy and read it.

I was in attendance when he gave the talk. When he stated that it is not the government's role to redistribute the wealth, I remember asking myself at the time, "Did he say that was good, or did he say it was bad?" I was confused. What would we do without Social Security, Welfare, Pell Grants, etc, etc. I was raised thinking these were an acceptible part of our society -- no problem. Frankly, I didn't even know what Socialism was and that the democratic party (as well as many republicans) embodies many of the same tyranical principles.

As soon as President Beson was done with his address, I made a beeline for the BYU bookstore and immediately purchased the talk he had just given: "The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner."

My life has not been the same since. I was fired up with a spirit of freedom and patriotism that has not left me. Since that time I have writen books, ran for office, authored many studies on principles of government and freedom as they are found in the scriptures.

Our nation is in a time of great danger, having embraced many doctrines which are not in keeping with those principles of freedom set forth by the Founding Fathers. We are at war with the forces of evil that would seek to establish a world socialist government -- the New World Order.

Just this evening (11/4/98) when I went shopping, I saw a young adult wearing a T-shirt with the letters "NWO" for New World Order splashed across the front of it, giving me the chills.

The warnings of Ezra Taft Benson (among other great soldiers of freedom) are going unheeded. I would urge all men and women who value freedom to read this excellent pamphlet by Ezra Taft Benson, awake to a sense of our awful situation, and put on strength in the Lord to bring the final victory for freedom as we pass through dark and troublesome times.

"Truth will prevail," Ezra Taft Benson often said, "if pains are taken to bring it to light." May we do so; and may his pains not be in vain.

I believe Mr. Benson served the Eisenhower administration as the Secretary of Agriculture. In this work he lays out a case for guarding and honoring the protections afforded to us by the Constitution. He also cautions against the erosion of these rights and protections. Many great quotable gems. A must for any fan of the Constitution. Although this book isn't new, the insights contained in it are still valid today.

If you can get this book you should, and you should read it and share it with your friends.

I cannot give this book a high enough rating. I have delivered over a hundred copies of this book to friends. It is too bad that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has let this book go out of print.

This is the best book that has ever been written to inspire men an women in the United States of America to awaken to the message of the Constitution of this nation and to stand together to save this nation and our Constitution.

It is time to wake up. This book may be getting old, but its wake-up call is not.

I was given copies of this short book as gifts numerous times in my teen years and did not then realize nor value the book as I do now. I now hold this short book as one of the most important I have in my posession and hardly dare loan it out to anyone unless I have absule trust in having it returned. This is the last major message Patriot and LDS Church President and Prophet Ezra Taft Benson spoke on the subject of freedom. It is full of prophetic utterance that should be understood by all LDS people and liberty loving people everywhere, but it seems few have a clue. Indeed, the gadianton robbers "had seduced the more part of the righteous to come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils."

Contemplate the great wisdom and divine influence that was exhibited by the noble Founders of the Republic. God inspired them, and Benson assures that God must make use of people in this generation who will be so inspired, so that our liberties might be maintained. Benson expresses his faith that liberty will be preserved. However he says, it "may cost us blood before we are through." Benson tells us what we must do if we desire to be among those who help save the Constitution from the brink of ruin, and frankly few there are who practice such principles or who have ever been made aware of them. That is why this book is so valuable as a teaching tool to help others get a greater understanding of correct eternal principles on which liberty is built. Ignorance of these principles permits socialism to run unrestrained, thus weakening our economy, destroying our rights or in essence violating our pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As US Secretary of Agriculture under Eisenhower, Benson had been made to be host to Nikita Kruschev, leader of the USSR. He strongly opposed this state visitor and felt his visit a mistake, but nonetheless, he went ahead and hosted Kruschev for half a day at the Presidents request. During that half day in Washington, Kruschev arrogantly told Ezra Taft Benson that "you americans are naive" then proceeded to explain that Americans wouldn't accept communism outright, but would be fed small doses of socialism over time until one day America would awake and indeed be Communist. Benson said "It is happening, and they are ahead of schedule."

If you are looking for a complete bible study (that's not just for woman) this is the book... It pulls in scripture, the cathechism of the Catholic Church, Saints writings, and future Saints writings... There are 8 woman in my group -- we meet every other week and take about 1 1/2 hours to go through 3 questions. Most chapters have about8 or 9 questions... You can do it on your own, too...

It's wonderful to find a women's Bible Study out there written specifically for Catholics. There are some good Protestant ones out there, but their "slant" is not always close to the Magisterium's. Besides, where apart from a Catholic Bible study are you going to find comments that include the sacred tradition, Mary, and the Magisterium? Highly recommended for women at any stage in their life who are wondering about holiness, their faith, and trying to draw closer to God.

We recently started a Women's Bible Study group in our parish. We searched for a Catholic bible study guide that we could use along with the Bible and "Catechism of The Catholic Church". We started using "Courageous Love" by Stacy Mitch and it has worked out great. There are other books in the Courageous Studies for Women series that we plan to use when we complete this one.

I searched quite a bit for a bible study for women that would meet the needs of my Catholic faith. I first purchased this book for my own personal use. Each lesson builds on the prior lesson and includes scriptural passages and assigned readings. Each lesson is more thorough than I had thought, but not overwhelming or extraordinarily time consuming. Time is a critical factor for most women, and this seemed to be just right. After joining a Catholic Motherhood Prayer Group, I was approached about putting a Bible Study together...I pulled this book out and submitted it to 23 other women for their review. All of them unanimously voted to go forward with this, and our local priest and spiritual director was impressed with the contents. It was decided that the group would use this book for the Bible Study. It was thorough, complete, accurate, well organized and easily managed.

We have used this book for our Women's Book Study this year, covering one chapter per month. It has been a wonderful source for learning, faith sharing, and growing in love with our families, our selves, and those around us. Highly recommended for group study or individual!!!

Have you ever wondered why Christian's worship God? Are we following traditions, religious mores? Or are there deeper meanings revealed in God's Word that can help us know what worship is?

This book was recommended to me by my pastor along with Peterson's book Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Both have been very helpful in explaining the biblical history of worship, the fulfillment of the Law by Jesus Christ, the worship of the early church, as well as worship in the future described in the book of Revelations.

Noel Due takes his readers beyond the animal sacrifices of the Jewish Law to the daily personal offerings in recognition of Christ's work on the cross and a believer's response to this offering in loving God by serving others. By not going into liturgy and structure, this book reveals the main reason for worship, we were created to worship Jesus Christ.

Both these books are well written and understandable for the layman.

If you want to see how the Bible reveals the person and work of Jesus.. buy this book.. Even if it isn't in stock and you have to wait a month for it.. buy it.. you won't be disappointed.. the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

So, have any of you had a very hard time finishing David Peterson's "Engaging with God"? This book is for you. A great Biblical theology of worship, with manages to remain readable and quite interesting at that. Highly suggested for music ministers or anyone interested in worship in general.

Absolutely, hands down, the best book on worship I have ever read. Due has done an incredible job with book - and it's something every pastor (worship pastor, senior pastor, anything-pastor) should go through. It's not always the easiest read - but the material is amazing.

I think, among other things, I loved his explorations of how the biblical concept of rest plays into worship most. And his concept of idolatry and how it's related to worship is amazing as well.

But note that, as I state above, this is not the easiest read. Don't bite off too much at a time - Due's concepts and understandings are best mulled over and chewed upon for a time. This work, though not exhaustively comprehensive, is very nearly so. And I think he's done an amazing job of focusing in on most all major passages dealing with worship in the Bible. With that understood, it's hard to comprehend how he fit what he did into the 238 pages he has written.

I know I said this is a must for all pastors (and in my mind it is!), but it's also for every worship leader out there. This helps you begin to wrestle with deeper theological concepts of worship. And it's for anyone who just truly wants to dig underneath the hood of biblically and theologically sound worship.

Dr. Due's work is both breathtaking and doxological! He skillfully leads the reader on a journey through the biblical narrative. Along the way, he insightfully point us to oft-neglected theological mile markers (an organic view of the church, a recovery of biblical eschatology) related to the subject of biblical worship. I found his recurring reflections on "false worship" (idolatry) as helpful as his encouragement towards "true worship." He thinks clearly and writes insightfully, lifting our discussion and the practice of worship above issues of style and form. Dr. Noe is to be commended for articulating the essential, more eternal issues surrounding worship and for calling us all to higher ground in this fine work.

What a wonderful resource for those of us who long to learn more about racial reconciliation rooted and reflected in the ministry of Jesus. With experiential wisdom, Dr. Salter McNeil interprets Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in Samaria and relates that significant story to her personal journey as an African American woman committed to the ministry of reconciliation. Readers will greatly value the appendix which offers discussion questions to promote depth of analysis and suggested applications to help us live out some of these ideas.

What an insightful book on the extremely important topics of evangelism and racial reconciliation. In this day and age of political correctness, often issues addressing diversity aren't adequately addressed and many people are unaware that people develop relationships and communicate in various styles. Because of this, it's helpful to read "A Credible Witness" and read helpful reflections on ways God would have us to spread his word -- showing reliance on others, going outside our comfort zone, building bridges, and more. Dr. Salter McNeil shares that all barriers that have divided us from God and from each other have been destroyed, and we are representatives of the kingdom, composed of people from every tribe, language and nation. I'd encourage you to read "A Credible Witness" since these issues are more important than ever today in our global society.

Brenda points out that as we become a more multiethnic nation we must more than ever take Jesus seriously and revisit the way we do evangelism. She uses the familiar story of the Samaritan woman ("her friend Sam") to help us to take a closer look at ourselves and how we approach those not like us. She points out "that if we are to be credible witnesses of the gospel, we must understand that it's not just nice for us to engage people across racial, ethnic, gender, sociopolitical and cultural lines, it's necessary!" I agree with Brenda that we are all looking for an authentic experience of God in the context of community. I plan to use this book for a small group study for a leadership team that is planting a new church, in hopes we can create the community that Jesus desired for us.

This is a fabulous resource for understanding God's heart for reconciliation, whether it be racial, socioeconomic or gender. The material is provoking yet accessible. A Can't Miss!

In our present times the need for cultural competency and hope in reaching a place of unity could not be more necessary. Brenda Salter McNeil hits you in the deepest depths of your heart with this profound and captivating message of "her friend Sam". McNeil connects the dots of the Great Commission (for all Christians to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and the command to be Amabassadors of Reconciliation.

She allows the reader to walk with her on this journey of evangelism and reconciliation by providing sound biblical text, guiding principles and powerful testominals of real encounters in her life. She even leaves you with a charge to not just put the book on the shelf when completed but to reach out into your church, community and even the unfamiliar places to experience and share this message of hope and understanding.

Once you pick up "A Credible Witness", I promise you will not be able to put it down until you have completed this leg of the journey.

If the words of my title ring a bell, then I assume that you have been saying the main creed of orthodox Christianity for some time. But what you may not know is the fascinating history behind the creed. Whole empires were torn apart in its development over "one iota" about who Christ is, lone theologians fought "contra mundi" for the truth, and political intrigue weighed heavy upon bishops and kings. After Nicea II, several other ecumenical councils were required to delineate the ground upon which theology could be built in reaction to the various challenges both philosophical and cultural that were presented to the faith's expression. Serving as a floor rather than a limiting ceiling, the creeds and the dogmas serve the Church as a sort of map by which we may travel in our faith without getting too lost in the byways of bizarre speculation or individualism.

Before I actually looked at the book, I thought that it would either be a slim volume of original work, owing to Pelikan's age and seemingly fast publishing schedule, or a large tome of primary sources with his insightful notes adding commentary. Oh how I was wrong on my first count! This book weighs in at a hefty 600+ pages and is chuck full of his elegant and scholarly prose. It is not so intellectually lofty that the novice would be intimidated, but perhaps works such as Kelly's "Early Christian Creeds" or Leo Davis' "The First Seven Ecumenical Councils" would serve as good companions. There is always that other fine work, "Beginning to Read the Creeds".

Pelikan is truly the master historian of doctrinal development, and the whole notion of creed is intimately bound to that development. He touches upon the perennial themes concerning the validity of the creeds both then and now, the meaning of an ecumenical council, the notion of tradition as the vivifying role of the Holy Spirit in the Church, and the interrelation between scripture and dogma. Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Protestants of all varieties would do well to sit at the feet of Pelikan and reconsider and reflect upon their own notions of the foundation of the faith- the natures and person of Christ and his Bride. We do not always follow the premises of our faith to their logical and historical conclusions.

If you are interested in creeds, you may also enjoy Pelikan's five volume set on the development of doctrine, along with his slim "The Vindication of Tradition". One author that I continually reference is Georges Florovsky. He had a firm grasp on the primary sources and spirit of early Christianity and served as one of Pelikan's mentors. His, "Bible, Church and Tradition" is very relevant to the whole notion of doctrinal development and creedal consensus. Of course there are tons of other great books, but those are quite useful in orienting your mind to the historical process involved in formulating eternal truths. Enjoy!

If you have an interest in how we got our definitions of faith in Christianity, you would be well served to read this book. It is not a "story" per se, however, and it will only give you an overview of the process as it has occurred over the centuries. Also, Pelikan is VERY academic in his language and presentation, so you might get a little lost from time to time among his lists and examples. However, if you can stick with it, he drives his points home with precision, and rarely is an issue raised with just a single example or reference, so you will get the gist of what he's saying, even if you can't follow everything.

I came away from this work marveling at the surprising UNITY of the very diverse (on the surface anyway) orthodox Christian faith through the centuries, and feeling that it was very hard not to see the hand of God in it. Pelikan knows this subject like (I imagine) no one ever has. He speaks from an authority that is remarkably.

This is a must read for any who are Christians or who are interested in the Christian scriptures. It is clear, readable and succinct. If you read your Bible you should know its history.

Credo: I believe...

With these words, Christians around the globe and across the millennia have on a regular basis begun their regular recitation of faith. Christianity has been from very early days a faith that has laid heavy emphasis on orthodoxy (right belief) apart from (but not always separate from) orthopraxy (right action) - indeed, Christianity has always hoped that right belief leads to right action, but it has put the focus upon right belief as the foundation.

Jaroslav Pelikan, emeritus professor of History at Yale has written extensively on the history of Christendom, specialising in many of these texts on the history of Christian belief (his masterful five-volume series on this topic is still a standard). Honoured with degrees, awards, and even a post at the Library of Congress, there are few in the same league as Pelikan when it comes to developing the history of Christian thought. This particular volume, 'Credo', is both a stand-alone volume of the basic history of development of the creeds or belief structures of the major strands of Christianity, and also serves as an introductory volume in the larger work 'Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition', a series most likely to find a home in major libraries, but rarely in individuals' homes, save the most serious of scholars. That is not a problem with this volume, however; as it should find a place of honour in the libraries of Christians Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant.

Pelikan, an ecumenically minded scholar but decidedly orthodox Christian, gives an admirably fair overview of the traditions presented here, striving as best he can to preserve the terminology of each tradition as each defines itself. This can be confusing at at times, as Pelikan notes; every tradition sees itself in terms of being orthodox, evangelistic, catholic, and reformed in differing ways against differing social and historical contexts.

The narrative essays comprise four major sections: Definitions of Creed and Confession; The Genesis of Creeds and Confessions; The Authority of Creeds and Confessions; The History of Creeds and Confessions. Much hinges on the definitions employed when talking about creeds and confessions - churches are sometimes defined by these or over against these, but as Pelikan states, these are more easily described than defined. Pelikan spends a good deal of time showing the different kinds of formulae and statements of faith, how there is both continuity and change in their development across the many strands of Christian expression, and what exactly creeds and confessions are meant to do and not do. In exploring the creation of creeds and confessions, Pelikan starts with scripture, but quickly moves on to the other influences; the number of Christians over time who have maintained an exclusively-scriptural creedal or confessional basis is vanishingly small. In this confusing field, Pelikan lays out very clear paths. Similar confusion occurs in looking at the issue of authority, which brings up another difficult issue in interpretation - the interpretation of creeds and confessions can be as difficult and varied as biblical interpretation. All of these set a strong contextual stage for examining history-proper of the creeds, stepping from the early church to the Eastern Orthodox formulation, to the Medieval West, to the Reformation Ear, and finally to statements of faith in the modern Christianity.

There are three other major sections: first, an extensive bibliography with up-to-date titles in the area of Christian history and the creeds; second, indexes to the other volumes of the 'Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition'; and third, several indexes to the present volume, including indexes to scripture, to various creeds and confessions, and to persons mentioned in the text. The indexes are generally good, but there are minor issues that could make the volume more handy (for example, the index on creeds is done by abbreviation; these abbreviations are found at the beginning of the book, and could be repeated here for ease of use, or at the very least, the page number of the abbreviations could be listed). The majority of Pelikan's references are in English and English-translation, on the assumption that scholars can draw from these the original language references more readily than non-scholars could draw from original language; however, again given the scope this work, perhaps a few extra pages could have been incorporated to permit these references as well. These are small issues in an otherwise magnificent research resource.

There are indeed many works on creeds, confessions and the development of Christian profession (as distinct from Christian theology or Christian history proper); there are smaller volumes that cover the same material, but this volume takes advantage of the latest scholarship, and the vast encyclopedic knowledge of Pelikan and his team of scholars, including among the many contributors Valerie Hotchkiss (co-editor of the other volumes in the series) and Bishop Kalistos Ware.

Pelikan's work on creeds and confessions began in earnest with his doctoral dissertation in 1946, nearly 60 years ago; he has spent as long a professional life in this field as it is almost physically possible for anyone to do. This work may not be the capstone on his career, but it is certainly a worthy standard in its own right, and should serve as a major touchstone for years to come.

Teaser: If you belong to either of the two largest Christian bodies, Roman or Orthodox, you stand and recite the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed every Sunday, saying "I believe in One God, the Father Almighty..."
Yet, these two ancient bodies schismed over the addition of just two words to this creed and Christians have never again been a united church.

This alone should give anyone interested in Christian history sufficient reason to read an excellent book about Creeds.

Content: CREDO is a comprehensive yet very accessible history of creeds in Christianity, their role, the struggles, and the need for them. Origins, conflicts, and evolution are all well-addressed.

Level: You can read and enjoy this book, and learn much, regardless of whether you are just exploring what it means when you say "I believe," are up to wondering what the origins of the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed are, or are interested in the subtle nuances of theology behind the filioque clause.

What Creed does your church use? Where did it come from? What is the difference between a statement of belief and a profession of faith? CREDO explains all of this and so much more, and does it clearly and completely.

Well-worth buying! A must for any Christian's library!

Extra Details about the Author: As many have noted, Dr. Pelikan was a professor of Christianity at Yale and an ordained Lutheran minister. He was the leading Christian historian of the 20th century. His books on Luther and Lutheran doctrine and history, written in the 60's, remain touchstones on the topic.

Less known, is that Dr. Pelikan, who fell asleep in the Lord in 2005, retired from the Ministry and Yale and left the Lutheran Church. Being an exemplary man, he never uttered any commentary, nor did he trumpet his own conversion, but he was chrismated into the Orthodox Christian Church a full decade before he died. His scholarship led him there, yet he never let this bias his later works. He went on to a late career as Dean of Theology at St. Vladimir's Seminary.

As pastors we live in a world that is changing. This book brings it out to the forefront what is changing and the choices that we have to make. I didn't walk away from reading this book all warm and fuzzy but I did walk away having a greater understanding of the issues involved in what is going on in my church and in the world and community around me.

This excellent resource from Roxburgh has been significantly revised and reissued as The Sky Is Falling: Leaders Lost in Transition. Roxburgh calls for a new conversation between emergent and "liminals" (or those in various existing traditions).

This book does a marvelous job of weaving together change theory, a theological vision of the church, and a sense of the cultural and social setting in which today's churches live. Building on the vision of "missional church" cast in a book by that title (of which Al Roxburgh was a co-author), this book helps leaders develop a sense of their calling to cultivate congregations in that direction in a time calling for rudimentary rethinking about who the church is and rerooting of practices that embody that understanding.

In a time when books on change are sometimes mere how-to manuals, this one sees things deeper and broader. In a time when cultural analysis paralyzes, this book invites hope within even vague and chaotic times of transition. In a time when biblical vision is set aside for what works, this book works toward a habit of discerning the calling and sending of God

This volume introduces the reader to some very helpful perspective on understanding the complexity of the postmodern world we now inhabit. While the "liminality" we find ourselves in at present between this new world and our present world prevents us seeing clearly where we are going, the authors provide some very helpful insights far charting a course. Those seeking to be leaders in the church in this postmodern milieu will find this a very valuable resource. The treatment of change is particularly strong - one of the best that is available in print for Christian leaders that I have seen.

This book gives hope and reality to stay focussed on mission and ministry in this time of enormous transition. The transition themes in the Bible are pivotal in staying connceted to the people of God who have crossed the bridge. Redefining leaders as poets, prophets, apostles, and pastors and notputting one type above another was liberating and very discerning. This book will be used in the SEPA synod for the training of future pastors and leaders and to transform existing leadrship. Biblical and postmodern ...all in one.

This book is very thought provoking. I felt the same as the first time I read 1984, and Brave New World. I like his style. There are many quotations and interesting facts. It was a learning experience that I will ponder for a long while.

Jason Cruise Founder TodaysPreacher.Com

There are a lot of bad books out there today!! There is nothing worse than spending money on something that you can't use; but, this is not one of those books!!! Henderson's book was super, in my opinion. He is certainly up to speed on today's listener. He uses a constant theme throughout the book which he deems, "God's Word to a _______." For instance, Chapter 6 deals with "God's Word To A Distracted World"; Chapter 8 deals with "God's Word To A Disconnected World." This helps you see how God's Word can reach such a target.

In this work he covers the average person sitting in your audience; what has made them the type of listener they are; their different thinking patterns, etc. David Henderson sat under Haddon Robinson, the "teacher of preachers." You can see Robinson's solid, Biblical influence on Henderson; and, I think this only adds to the credibility of the author.

David Henderson knows how to help you "gain a hearing" with a crowd. The book really helped me better understand today's audience, and techniques to help reach them. I'd really recommend that you read this book ... I think you'll be a better preacher because of it!!!

Preach On Friends ... Jason Cruise

In high school speech classes, we were taught to "know your audience." As an apathetic high schooler, I didn't really care what she meant, but it eventually made sense (once I actually decided to think about it). You wouldn't use sock puppets to explain math to accountants; you wouldn't use in-depth power-point presentations to explain math to first graders. With this in mind, why do many Americans still try to talk about Jesus using the methods used thirty years ago? Why do we use Christian "jargon" to explain Christianity to those outside the faith?

Henderson, as you might guess, contends that modern American Christians must change their approach to sharing the faith in order to fit modern America. The pattern of Henderson's book is straightforward: he examines a particular aspect/mindset/value of modern Americans; he then gives ideas about how a Christian might share Words of Eternal Life with such an American. Henderson's prose is both straightforward and enjoyable. He gets right to the heart of the American mindset, then illustrates it with descriptions from scenes from popular movies, personal anecdotes, jokes, etc.

In all, Henderson does the modern Christian a great service in writing "Culture Shift." Jesus tells Christains to tell others about him ("Go, therefore, and baptize all nations...") and Henderson can help us along the way through this book. Highly recommended.

This book is not just about "Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World," but also about better understanding the world we live in today. The author delves into various facets of the modern (American) life to show "Who We Are," (chapter 3-8), and "How We Think," (chapters 9-14). While doing so, he shows not only how deeply our culture has gone into a sort of postmodern chaos, but also gives examples of how he has been able to reach out to non-Christians and see their lives' changed for Christ. Henderson has definitely been affected in his writing by his mentor, the author of the foreword, Haddon Robinson, named one of the top ten preachers in America. This is mostly positive, including Dr. Henderson's "Concepts Worth Remembering" and "Recommended Reading" lists that are at the end of every major section. This book is very readable and helpful for any Christian who may want to know the current culture better as well as how to present the gospel of Christ in the 21st Century. I enjoyed the book for these reasons, but did not feel it was exceptional enough to warrant 5 big stars. However it is very good and any pastor or lay person who is actively involved in the life of their church would enjoy it.

David Henderson has a better understanding of today's culture than most college philosophy professors. He provides awesome insight of how to reach out to people who believe God is absent from their lives, and draw them into Christianity. The book also forces the reader to evaluate the sincerity of his own faith.

This little book has been my companion off and on for over 15 years. I have given away more copies than I can count. O'Malley is not only a poet, but a playful and wise man who knows what it is to have one's pretensions shattered. Perhaps some of this comes from the years he has spent teaching youth at Fordham Prep School. He is a master of simplicity; just a few words, a few lines, make a prayer that can stay with one all day, or all week, or for a life. To see an example of his playful and wise spirit, turn to his original "parable" re- the "big black dog that gallumphs" beside him on his walk, p. 120.

I recommend this to anyone who wants to pray but feels there is not enough hours in the day to do so. The book title pretty much says it all. The readings are very short. I think it is an excellent book to begin out on, but if you're like me, you will begin desiring more and may need to move to a larger prayer book.

I have used this book for three years. I am back to purchase an additional copy for my 18 year old daughter. I would like to buy it for all of my close family and friends-but won't until they ask! What is remarkable about O'Malley's book is the pertinence of the prayers, and the excellent selection of timeless poetry ( English majors- here's Donne, herbert, Pound, Tennyson, Dickinson, truly remarkable selections- artlessly placed throughout the month. Coupled with his own paraphrases of the psalms and a very direct personal and yet intelligent conversation with God- he usually gets me started by saying to God precisely what I was about to say myself, and lets me move on from there. The dailiness of it helps to form you. The book consists of a month's worth of prayers, three per day- each a short series of prayers, psalms and a selection from literature. Intended to be used in place of or the same way as a breviary. Everyone zI know who's used it, lives with it.

Daily Prayers for Busy People has just 30 days of prayers, but you won't be bored on even the 10th time around. The combination of simple and sophisticated, stimulating and soothing, makes this the one book that I always take along with me. O'Malley has the ability to touch the soul with just a few words

This volume has a well-deserved sequel. Fr. O'Malley has developed a prayer book with a four week cycle which speaks to contemporary Catholics to whom the psalms and patristic readings are "dead". This is not an adaptation of the Liturgy of the Hours; rather it is a substitute. Morning and Evening prayer have a simple structure: an opening prayer, a "grace" or single sentence to carry with you outside the formal prayer time, a psalm expanded to include a variety of Biblical poetry, a hymn which is usually poetry from the last three or four centuries, and a closing prayer. Mid-day prayer is the longest adding a prose reading and a Scriptural reading to the format.

Representative authors of hymns and readings include: Gerard Manley Hopkins, John Donne, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Graham Greene, John Masefield, e.e. cummings, John Milton, Thomas Merton, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dag Hammarskjold, T. S. Eliot, Eleanor Farjeon, William Shakespeare, Elinor Wylie ...

If you have not found the Liturgy of the Hours prayerful, consider this volume as an alternative. It is an excellent volume.