"Why do American political leaders regularly invoke the Founding Fathers, and what are the effects of their doing so? The author of this book links this rhetorical strategy to the rise of patriarchal white supremacy and Christian nationalism in the modern United States"--

Is there anything in the New Testament about the need for priests in the Church? Many Protestants would argue no. And if you point out that there is a priesthood in the Old Testament, they are likely to say it was a feature of the Old Covenant that was undone by Christ. How should a Catholic respond? In Jesus and the Old Testament Roots of the Priesthood, biblical scholar John Bergsma convinces readers that Jesus did, in fact, intend for a ministerial priesthood to be a key feature of the New Covenant. Bergsma shows how the priesthood is a major thread holding together the biblical story line—beginning with Adam’s loss of the gift of priesthood in the Fall and the long process of restoring his descendants to a priestly status over the centuries, culminating with Christ. With chapter summaries and discussion questions included, Jesus and the Old Testament Roots of the Priesthood can readily be adapted into a four-part study for personal or small group use.

A young teenage girl learns she is going to be a mother. Somewhere out there, a young teenage boy learns he is going to be a father. In American society, we naturally assume that it will be the mother who bears most of the responsibility of raising and caring for the children. Thus, we have many programs, both public and private, to benefit young, unwed mothers...as we should. But, comparatively, there aren't that many programs focused on helping the young men find their way along the parenting journey. Both families are often of little help. His parents are often disengaged because they have neither the skills nor the resources to accept responsibility for raising another child. Her family is angry at the young expectant father, because they feel he picked the family flower before it had fully bloomed. Consequently, the father-to-be gets lost in the shuffle, and either runs from his parenting responsibilities, or gets pushed out of the way. Combined with an ever-increasing absence of fathers from the nuclear family due to crime, drugs, unexpected death, or other life choices, we have generations of American children being raised in fatherless homes. Fifty years ago, the number of children being raised in fatherless homes was one in five. Today, that number is one in four...and, it's even worse in African-American families where the ratio is one in two. It's a national epidemic! In "Raising Fathers" Bill Johnson uses his own life experiences as a son to an alcoholic father, and a father himself, to begin a national conversation about the issue. At times invoking humor, at other times unbelievable tragedy, he speaks of the innate desire of every child to have a good relationship with their earthly father. He speaks of the divine nature of our Heavenly Father in assigning surrogate fathers to help the fatherless. And, he talks in depth of the societal impacts facing America due to generations of fatherless children. Jack Partridge, former President, Columbia Gas in Ohio, summed up Johnson's work. He said, " I found Congressman Bill Johnson's "Raising Fathers" to be a startling, eye-opening, and compelling read." Mark Weaver, Former Deputy Attorney General of Ohio, went on to say, "Bill Johnson is a national leader with a father's heart and an American soul. This book will make you cry, laugh, and -- most importantly -- think. We should all join Bill's clarion call to raise our nation by raising fathers." After reading "Raising Fathers", Gary Terashita, Editor-in-Chief, Regnery Faith Publishing, said "In Raising Fathers, Congressman Bill Johnson writes on one of society's deepest tragedies and greatest needs, the loss of and reclamation of fatherhood...I recommend this book to everyone in the cause of restoring America to greatness." Finally, Jim Roberts, Founder and President, The American Veterans Center, said "I found reading 'Raising Fathers' to be an emotionally powerful experience. I feel certain that other readers, especially fathers and fathers-to-be, will feel the same." It will take decades to reverse the erosive and corrosive effects that the absence of fathers in the traditional American family has had and continues to have on America's culture and society. "Raising Fathers" begins the conversation...now each of us must join the conversation if we ever expect to see a reversal of the trend of fatherless homes, and see a return to the safety and security of the traditional American family for future generations.

What it means to be a man or a woman is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times? The Catholic Gentleman is a solid and practical guide to virtuous manhood. It turns to the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church to answer the important questions men are currently asking. In short, easy- to-read chapters, the author offers pithy insights on a variety of topics, including • How to know you are an authentic man • Why our bodies matter • The value of tradition • The purpose of courtesy • What real holiness is and how to achieve it • How to deal with failure in the spiritual life

Dad, Be #1 for Your Kids What does it take to become a great dad? The question alone might overwhelm you, but the answer is simpler than you might think. It all starts with having a heart for God, and a heart for your kids. In A Dad After God’s Own Heart, bestselling author Jim George shares the basics for how to be the best dad for your kids, including . . . letting your children know you love and care for them learning the keys to positive and effective communication knowing the qualities kids need most in a dad ways to encourage your children in their spiritual growth how to build healthy relationships that will last for a lifetime As you commit to learning how to become the dad your kids need in their lives, you’ll not only draw closer to your children, but you’ll find incredible blessing in fatherhood.