Gregory of Nazianzus, "The Theologian," was recognized among the Cappadocian Fathers as a peculiarly vivid and quotable exponent of the doctrine of God in Trinity. A brilliant orator and accomplished poet, he placed before the Church his interpretation of the sublime mystery of the God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These five sermons, probably delivered as a series at the …

Isaac of Nineveh was a native of Bet Qatraye near present-day Bahrain on the Persian Gulf. A teacher and monk, he was consecrated bishop (ca. 660-680), but preferred to live out his live as an anchorite. A Scriptural scholar, he studies Scripture so much that he became blind and had to dictate his writings. He died at an advance age and was buried in Rabban Shabur, where he spent most of his …

Is all Christian art fundamentally blasphemous? That was the question posed aggressively by the Christian iconoclasts of the eighth century in a bitter controversy. The resounding answer, "No" from John of Damascus helped to secure the future of art in the service of Christ. Without his brilliant defense, both profound and at times earthly, we might well have had no icons, murals, …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

The sermons of St John Chrysostom are noted as classical commentaries on the Christian life. Knowing well the realities of life in the world, the temptation of rich and poor alike, this great orator — "the golden-mouthed" — addresses the questions of wealth and poverty in the lives of people of his day. And yet, as the modern reader is confronted with his words, it …

St Basil the Great wrote his treatise On the Holy Spirit during the closing phase of the Trinitarian controversies of the fourth century. The Arians had previously denied the full divinity of the Son and the debate then turned to the Holy Spirit. In this work, without explicitly calling the Spirit "God," St Basil demonstrates that He, like the Son, is of one and the same nature with …

The world was startled in 2007 by revelations that Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s spiritual life was full of serious doubts and personal suffering for nearly 50 years. The other great saint of the last half century—Padre Pio—offers similar revelations of his own in this enlightening collection of short excerpts from his letters. Many books have been written on the life and works …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

In the early fifth century the Christian world was racked by one of the fiercest theological disputes it had known since the Arian crisis of the previous century. The center of debate turned on the nature of the personhood of Christ, and how divine and human characteristics could combine in Jesus without rendering his subjectivity hopelessly divided, or without reducing his authentic humanness …

Three volume set of the Ethical Discourses of St Symeon the New Theologian. St Symeon was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. This set includes: Volume I — The Church and the Last …

The resurrection of the body, perhaps more than any other Christian doctrine, requires us to face the implications of faith for our personal lives and for our understanding of the world. This issue faced St Paul in his dealing with the early church and also troubles St Gregory of Nyssa in the fourth century AD . St Gregory, educated in the prevailing Greek philosophical system, yearned to …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

This informative and enjoyable little book serves as a valuable introduction to major themes in Greek Patristic anthropology-the image of God in the human being, the Fall of humanity, and the cause of evil-and brings together the main writings of St Basil the Great, fourth-century archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, on these subjects. St Basil deftly addresses the questions posed by the …

St Athanasius stood contra mundum for the Trinitarian doctrine 'whole and undefiled,' when it looked as if all the civilized world was slipping back from Christianity into the religion of Arius, into one of those 'sensible' synthetic religions which are so strongly recommended today and which then, as now, included among their devotees many highly cultivated clergymen. The glory of St …

The cult of the saints is a phenomenon that expanded rapidly in the fourth century, and John Chrysostom’s homilies are important witnesses to its growth. Until now, the majority of John’s homilies on the saints and martyrs have been ignored. However, in this volume,Wendy Mayer investigates the liturgical, topographical, and pastoral aspects that marked the martyr cult at Antioch …

A look into Clare's experience of intimacy with Christ, and a pursuit in understanding and appreciating her vision of gospel leads Benet Fonck to examine the seemingly poetic words of Clare to St. Agnes of Prague; words that describe her relationship with Christ and all the values and behaviors that emanate from this relationship, words that convey the real-life experience of St. Clare.

Description:   Written by a long-time friend and associate of Mother Teresa, this work features nearly 100 of Mother Teresa's favorite prayers, including many of her own works. Covering a variety of issues and situations, these prayers demonstrate Mother Teresa's spiritual mission: to spread peace and love throughout the world. Hardcover

The author studies various aspects of Bonaventure's mystical world view, leading to an understanding of his relevance to contemporary issues such as individualism and relatedness, peace and violence, and the problems of the created world's relationship to the person who seeks to love God in all and above all.

A wonderful resource for the Pauline Year from Magnificat! Praying with Saint Paul is a handbook of daily reflections that leads the reader into the richness of the writings of the great Apostle. The words of Saint Paul are very familiar to us from the readings of the eucharistic Liturgy. Yet, we rarely get a chance to reflect on Paul’s wisdom. Praying with Saint Paul offers a kind of …

    Moments of inspiration from some of your favorite saints: strive to imitate their virtues, learn from their timeless wisdom, and ask for their intercessions. Dear St. Padre Pio, Pray for me, please, that I may receive the graces I need to deeply participate in the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Please help me to desire humility, simplicity, and the spirit of obedience in my walk of …