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This volume contains one hundred and ten sermons attributed to St. Caesarius bishop of Arles for forty years (502-542). He is reputed to have been an outstanding spiritual leader presiding at some important synods in Gaul and perhaps second only to St. Augustine a most diligent and effective preacher. This reputation most probably accounts for the large number of sermons attributed to him. In 1937 Dom Germain Morin, O.S.B., after some fifty years of exacting research published the Caesarean corpus of sermons. His studies led him to question in varying degrees the Caesarean authorship of fifty-four sermons in this volume which are therefore marked with an asterisk. In 1971 Marie-Jose Delage published the results of a more recent study on the Caesarean sermons. The work of Delage indicates that Caesarius must have had access to a good collection of homilies from which he borrowed freely and frequently without ever mentioning the source. At the time of Caesarius this was not an unusual practice. The most frequently used author, as one might suspect, is St. Augustine. This usage ranges from using a complete sermon to which are added a simple introduction and appropriate conclusion, to quotations chosen from the several Augustinian sermons. Other authors used by Caesarius are: Origen (in Latin translation), Ambrose, Eusebius, Quodvultdeus and Cyprian. A fairly detailed summary of the sources for the sermons in this volume is to be found in the Appendix to volume 66 of The Fathers of the Church, pp. 229-234."

In all religions, in the medieval West as in the East, ideas about the past, the present and the future were shaped by expectations related to the End. The volumes Cultures of Eschatology explore the many ways apocalyptic thought and visions of the end intersected with the development of pre-modern religio-political communities, with social changes and with the emergence of new intellectual and literary traditions. The two volumes present a wide variety of case studies from the early Christian communities of Antiquity, through the times of the Islamic invasion and the Crusades and up to modern receptions, from the Latin West to the Byzantine Empire, from South Yemen to the Hidden Lands of Tibetan Buddhism. Examining apocalypticism, messianism and eschatology in medieval Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist communities, the contributions paint a multi-faceted picture of End-Time scenarios and provide their readers with a broad array of source material from different historical contexts. The first volume, Empires and Scriptural Authorities, examines the formation of literary and visual apocalyptic traditions, and the role they played as vehicles for defining a community’s religious and political enemies. The second volume, Time, Death and Afterlife, focuses on key topics of eschatology: death, judgment, afterlife and the perception of time and its end. It also analyses modern readings and interpretations of eschatological concepts.

Genesis 12–50 recounts the history of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—and the early fathers used these passages to draw out the spiritual significance of the patriarchal narrative for Christian believers. In this ACCS volume, ancient commentators provide a wealth of ancient wisdom to stimulate the mind and nourish the soul of the church today.

Although many Catholics are familiar with the four Gospels and other writings of the New Testament, for most, reading the Old Testament is like walking into a foreign land. Who wrote these forty-six books? When were they written? Why were they written? What are we to make of their laws, stories, histories, and prophecies? Should the Old Testament be read by itself or in light of the New Testament? John Bergsma and Brant Pitre offer readable in-depth answers to these questions as they introduce each book of the Old Testament. They not only examine the literature from a historical and cultural perspective but also interpret it theologically, drawing on the New Testament and the faith of the Catholic Church. Unique among introductions, this volume places the Old Testament in its liturgical context, showing how its passages are employed in the current Lectionary used at Mass. Accessible to nonexperts, this thorough and up-to-date introduction to the Old Testament can serve as an idea textbook for biblical studies. Its unique approach, along with its maps, illustrations, and other reference materials, makes it a valuable resource for seminarians, priests, Scripture scholars, theologians, and catechists, as well as anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Bible.

Who were Catholicism’s greatest orators? What was the key to their effectiveness? Was it mere scholastic ability or spiritual inspiration? The answer is “both.” In this follow-up work, Father Ray E. Atwood examines the lives, theologies, and preaching examples of the Church’s greatest preachers. This book tells the story, in biographical form, of Catholic preaching from the Old Testament through today, concluding with the homilies of Benedict XVI. Masters of Preaching takes the reader around the world in search of homiletic gems. Readers will learn about the stories of familiar figures, such as Saint Gregory the Great, and less familiar figures, such as Monsignor Francis Friedl. Readers will also discover how these men moved their congregations to deeper faith and greater understanding of the mysteries of salvation. Two appendices at the end of the book serve as a terrific resource for those looking for practical illustrations of lectionary themes. This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the subjects of public speaking and Church history.