Over 3 million copies sold! Essential reading for Catholics of all walks of life. Here it is - the first new Catechism of the Catholic Church in more than 400 years, a complete summary of what Catholics around the world commonly believe. The Catechism draws on the Bible, the Mass, the Sacraments, Church tradition and teaching, and the lives of saints. It comes with a complete index, footnotes and cross-references for a fuller understanding of every subject. The word catechism means "instruction" - this book will serve as the standard for all future catechisms. Using the tradition of explaining what the Church believes (the Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she lives (the Commandments), and what she prays (the Lord's Prayer), the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers challenges for believers and answers for all those interested in learning about the mystery of the Catholic faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a positive, coherent and contemporary map for our spiritual journey toward transformation.
The Catholic church has always opposed abortion, but -- contrary to popular belief -- not always for the same reasons. This tightly argued, historically grounded study sets out to demonstrate that a "pro-choice" stance, now held by a significant minority of Catholics, is as fully justified by Catholic thought as an anti-abortion view, and may even be more compatible with Catholic tradition than the current opposition to abortion espoused by many Catholics and most Catholic leaders. A Brief, Liberal, Catholic Defense of Abortion argues that the current Catholic anti-abortion stance is justified neither by modern embryology nor by ancient church teachings. Combining up-to-date information on fetal development with a thorough grasp of the works of the church's early thinkers, Daniel A. Dombrowski and Robert Deltete expose crucial contradictions between the early and the modern church's views of abortion. Returning to the writings of two pillars of early Christian thought, Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, the authors show that abortion was originally condemned by the church on the grounds of perversity, since it nullified the only permissible reason for sexual relations: procreation. Only in more recent times has the view arisen of abortion as indefensible on the ontological grounds that human personhood begins at the moment of conception. The authors demonstrate that the early church's view of fetal development -- delayed hominization, in which the fetus is endowed with a human soul only when it achieves a physical human body -- is diametrically opposed to the current anti-abortion stance. In fact, the authors show, the insistence on immediate hominization that provides thefoundation for the current "pro-life" view stems from two seventeenth-century scientific misconceptions -- preformationism and the homunculus -- that have since been thoroughly discredited. By considering the history of Catholic thought in its relation to the history of science, Dombrowski and Deltete bring a new level of detail and focus to the abortion debate. Their thoughtful, measured argument provides a fresh perspective that will benefit participants on all sides of the controversy.
Good Catholics tells the story of the remarkable individuals who have engaged in a nearly fifty-year struggle to assert the moral legitimacy of a pro-choice position in the Catholic Church, as well as the concurrent efforts of the Catholic hierarchy to suppress abortion dissent and to translate Catholic doctrine on sexuality into law. Miller recounts a dramatic but largely untold history of protest and persecution, which demonstrates the profound and surprising influence that the conflict over abortion in the Catholic Church has had not only on the church but also on the very fabric of U.S. politics. Good Catholics addresses many of todayÕs hot-button questions about the separation of church and state, including what concessions society should make in public policy to matters of religious doctrine, such as the Catholic ban on contraception. Good Catholics is a Gold Medalist (WomenÕs Issues) in the 2015 IPPY awards, an award presented by the Independent Publishers Book Association to recognize excellence in independent book publishing.
What is abortion? A convenience to society? A legal offense? Murder? The twentieth century is not the first to face these questions. Abortion was a common practice two thousand years ago. The young Christian church, growing up in influential centers of Greco-Roman culture, could not ignore the practice. How would church leaders define abortion? Gorman examines Christian documents in their Greco-Roman context, concluding that Christians held a consistent position throughout the church's first four hundred years.
This provocative book takes a critical look at what is increasingly viewed as the central political issue for Catholics—abortion. From pro-choice politicians being denied communion to Democrats being called "the party of death," for some of the most vocal Catholic leaders, the abortion issue often trumps all others. The author, a practicing Catholic who is against abortion in principle, believes the Church is on the wrong course with this issue, with grievous results for the Church and American society more broadly. He gives a brief history of abortion legislation, then explores the issue from legal, moral, and Christian perspectives, presenting compelling reasons why Church leaders and Catholics should stop trying to overturn Roe v. Wade and reconsider the issue.
Abortion remains the most contested political issue in American life. Poll results have remained surprisingly constant over the years, with roughly equal numbers supporting and opposing it. A common perception is that abortion is contrary to Christian teaching and values. While some have challenged that perception, few have attempted a comprehensive critique and constructive counterargument on Christian ethical and theological grounds.Margaret Kamitsuka begins with a careful examination of the churchs biblical and historical record, refuting the assumption that Christianity has always condemned abortion or that it considered personhood as beginning at the moment of conception. She then offers carefully crafted ethical arguments about the pregnant womans authority to make reproductive decisions and builds a theological rationale for seeing abortion as something other than a sin.
More than 500,000 of the abortions performed annual in the U.S. are performed on college-aged women. This book is specifically geared for use by young advocates in the pro-life cause. The authors help you educate other young people about the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual effects that abortion has on women.
Four mainline Protestant denominations (the ECUSA, PCUSA, UCC, and UMC) are affiliated with RCRC. In this important new book, the authors carefully examine the literature and liturgical aids produced by RCRC, demonstrating how its theology radically contradicts the statements on abortion issued by its affiliated churches.
PRO-CHOICE OR PRO-LIFE? Imagine if the church united in their answers to this volatile question. Using scientific, moral, biblical, and experiential lenses, the authors carefully examine the varied claims about abortion. Each chapter is designed to better inform Christians straddling the pro-choice/pro-life fence. Thirty percent of the net profits from the sale of this book will support charitable organizations. "Excellent words for every Christian to consider, and a wonderful opportunity to be educated and prepared to share these truths with others." --Randy Alcorn, bestselling author of Heaven and Giving Is the Good Life "Christians, pro-choice or pro-life, will gain a renewed mindset about abortion." --Katha D. Blackwell, MSW, author of Not Another Victim "This thoughtful book answers the question, 'Is God pro-choice or pro-life?'" --Kim de Blecourt, author of the books Until We All Come Home and I Call You Mine ABOUT THE AUTHORS Steve Hammond, MD, FACOG, has been practicing Obstetrics and Gynecology in Jackson, Tennessee, for decades. He is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, serves as Medical Director of Clinical Research at The Jackson Clinic, and has served as the Principal Investigator for scores of clinical trials. During his residency at The Medical College of Georgia, Hammond performed more than 700 abortions. Emily LaBonte , FNP-BC, is a board-certified nurse practitioner working for a large healthcare company in Las Vegas, Nevada. There she serves as a lead on the committee in charge of mentoring new providers hired into the company. LaBonte also is a member of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. MORE ADVANCE PRAISE "With grace and truth, the authors bring clarity to the Christian conundrum about abortion." --Lynn Cory is leader of Neighborhood Initiative and author of Neighborhood Initiative and the Love of God "In this challenging and timely book, Hammond and LaBonte point out that more than half of the abortions performed in the United States in a given year are obtained by those who identify themselves as Christians." --Craig von Buseck, Author and Editor of Inspiration.org "Everyone has been told all we need is love, but what the world really needs is truth. This book forces us to see clearly the decision before all who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ." --Rick Burgess, co-host of The Rick and Bubba Show and New York Times bestselling author and speaker "Through this book, the authors show why the Church must get more involved. We may be able to give diverse opinions on many issues, but abortion is not one of these issues." --Scott Dawson, former candidate for Governor of Alabama, founder of Strength to Stand Student Conferences, and CEO of Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association, Inc.
The author of Abortion: The Ultimate Exploitation of Women offers a blueprint for the American Church to handle abortion in our country. Consider that for the past forty years, a staggering fifty-six million Americans have been killed by abortion. It claims the lives of over 1.2 million children every year, or roughly one child every twenty-five seconds. So why isn’t the American church doing something to stop this atrocity, which is the greatest holocaust in American history? The majority of American churches, God’s institutions for spreading the gospel of peace and defending the weak and innocent, remain silent. Feeding the poor, stopping human trafficking, rescuing children from abuse, and protecting women from exploitation are all issues the church is addressing. Yet abortion remains eerily absent from the list of church priorities in America. Why isn’t it the church’s highest priority? Is the American church silent because abortion has become politicized and church leaders are afraid to discuss it or because we simply don’t know what the Bible says about it? What will cause the church to wake up, rise up and take this issue to task to save our children? In his latest book, Deliver Us From Abortion, Brian Fisher, co-founder and president of Online for Life, breaks the veil of silence and uncovers the reality of abortion in the church, what the Bible really says about it, and how God has empowered His church to end this unspeakable tragedy. Praise for Deliver Us from Abortion “This book provides a powerful defense for the children who can’t speak for themselves.” —Josh McDowell, bestselling author of 138 books including More Than a Carpenter “Abortion is the greatest moral crisis of our generation, yet far too many churches have remained silent. In Deliver Us From Abortion, Brian Fisher offers a blueprint for the American church that is both instructive and encouraging. I pray that we can all hear and accept his challenge.” —Dr. Tony Evans, president, The Urban Alternative, senior pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship “Growing up in the King family during the Civil Rights era, I know what the church can accomplish. I am so glad Brian has written this book. May it challenge and equip the church to end the abortion holocaust in America.” —Dr. Alveda King, director of African-American outreach, Priests for Life
