Yet decreasing numbers of late twentieth-century and early twenty-first-century readers are familiar with the novel, due to many factors including its length (six volumes), subject matter (preaching), and a legacy of critical evaluation as a narrative lacking plot and psychological depth."--BOOK JACKET.

Miracles and Sacrilege is the story of the epochal conflict between censorship and freedom in film, recounted through an in-depth analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down a government ban on Roberto Rossellini’s film The Miracle (1950). In this extraordinary case, the Court ultimately chose to abandon its own longstanding determination that film comprised a mere ‘business’ unworthy of free-speech rights, declaring for the first time that the First Amendment barred government from banning any film as ‘sacreligious.’ Using legal briefs, affidavits, and other court records, as well as letters, memoranda, and other archival materials to elucidate what was at issue in the case, William Bruce Johnson also analyzes the social, cultural, and religious elements that form the background of this complex and hard-fought controversy, focusing particularly on the fundamental role played by the Catholic Church in the history of film censorship. Tracing the development of the Church in the United States, Johnson discusses the reasons it found The Miracle sacrilegious and how it attained the power to persuade civil authorities to ban it. The Court’s decision was not only a milestone in the law of church-state relations, but it paved the way for a succession of later decisions which gradually established a firm legal basis for freedom of expression in the arts.

Nietzsche, Tension, and the Tragic Disposition exposes the role of tension in Nietzsche’s recovery, in his mature thought, of the Greek tragic disposition. Matthew Tones examines the ontological structure of the tragic disposition presented in Nietzsche's earliest work on the Greeks and then explores its presence in points of tension in the more mature concerns with nobility. In pursuing this ontological foundation, Tones builds upon the centrality of a naturalist argument derived from the influence of the pre-Platonic Greeks. He examines the ontological aspect of the tragic disposition, identified in Nietzsche’s earliest interpretations of Greek phusis and in the inherent tensions of the chthonic present in this hylemorphic foundation, to demonstrate the importance of tension to Nietzsche’s recovery of a new nobility. By bringing to light the functional importance of tension in the ontological for the Greeks, the book identifies varying points of tension present in different aspects of Nietzsche’s later work. Once these aspects are elaborated, the evolving influence of tension is shown to play a central role in the re-emergence of the noble who possesses the tragic disposition. With solid argumentation linking Nietzsche with the pre-Platonic Greek tradition, Nietzsche, Tension, and the Tragic Disposition brings new insights to studies of metaphysics, ontology, naturalism, and German, continental, and Greek philosophies.

This ebook is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas (c.1225–1274). Although unfinished, the Summa is "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature." It is intended as an instructional guide for moderate theologians, and a compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church. It presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West. The Summa Theologica is divided into three parts, and each of these three parts contains numerous subdivisions. Part 1 deals primarily with God and comprises discussions of 119 questions concerning the existence and nature of God, the Creation, angels, the work of the six days of Creation, the essence and nature of man, and divine government. Part 2 deals with man and includes discussions of 303 questions concerning the purpose of man, habits, types of law, vices and virtues, prudence and justice, fortitude and temperance, graces, and the religious versus the secular life. Part 3 deals with Christ and comprises discussions of 90 questions concerning the Incarnation, the Sacraments, and the Resurrection. Some editions of the Summa Theologica include a Supplement comprising discussions of an additional 99 questions concerning a wide variety of loosely related issues such as excommunication, indulgences, confession, marriage, purgatory, and the relations of the saints toward the damned. Scholars believe that Rainaldo da Piperno, a friend of Aquinas, probably gathered the material in this supplement from a work that Aquinas had completed before he began working on the Summa Theologica.

In "The Battles of Wisdom and Humility," readers are presented with a rich tapestry of philosophical, theological, and spiritual insights spanning centuries of human thought. This collection unites a diverse array of literary stylesfrom essays and meditations to sermons and treatiseseach exploring the profound interplay between the virtues of wisdom and humility. Within its pages, the anthology offers standout pieces from monumental figures, reflecting the broad spectrum of perspectives on the inherent tensions and harmonies between knowing and unknowing, spirit and intellect, ego and self-effacement. The anthology does more than present individual works; it invites readers to traverse the evolving landscape of human understanding and belief, illuminating how these virtues are conceptualized and lived out across different eras and cultures. The contributing authors and editors, ranging from early Church Fathers like Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine to Enlightenment philosophers such as David Hume and modern sages like James Allen, each bring their unique historical and cultural backgrounds to bear on the theme. This convergence of voices, spanning the rise of Christendom, the Enlightenment's push for reason, and into contemporary philosophical dialogues, showcases the enduring relevance of wisdom and humility in seeking truth and living a meaningful life. Their collective works engage with pivotal movements in religious thought, ethical philosophy, and spiritual introspection, offering readers a multidimensional exploration of the subjects. "The Battles of Wisdom and Humility" promises to be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intersections of philosophy, spirituality, and human experience. It beckons readers to immerse themselves in a collective journey of understanding, challenging them to reflect on their own perspectives and preconceptions. Through its compelling assembly of voices, the collection not only educates but also stimulates a profound dialogue between the works of its authors, making it an essential addition to the libraries of scholars, students, and general readers alike who seek to deepen their insight into the enduring questions of wisdom, humility, and the human condition.