The truth is stranger than fiction. The doctrine of universal truths charts the journey of a pharmacist who believed he was the messiah of his profession. The journey mirrors a similar one made by Jesus Christ many thousands of years ago. He soon realised he was no Jesus. His journey however, led him to the universal truths. This is a contemporary retelling of that famous story of Jesus Christ.

"The Universal Doctrine" is about a life-changing event the author experienced at the age of twenty-three. From that profound experience came unadulterated "truths," which "The Layman" wishes to share the spiritual knowledge with which he was both blessed and cursed. He views himself as simply a messenger. The birthplace of this knowledge lies within each one of us, and his book shares with the reader how to access this information. He Wishes all those interested a fulfilling journey on this path of knowledge.

A reprint from the original 1782 addition of The doctrine of universal salvation examined and refuted : containing, a concise and distinct answer to the writings of Mr. Relly, and Mr. Winchester, upon that subject.

The 1960 publication of We Hold These Truths marked a significant event in the history of modern American thought. Since that time, Sheed & Ward has kept the book in print and has published several studies of John Courtney Murray's life and work. We are proud to present a new edition of this classic text, which features a comprehensive introduction by Peter Lawler that places Murray in the context of Catholic and American history and thought while revealing his relevance today. From the new Introduction by Peter Lawler: The Jesuit John Courtney Murray (1904-67) was, in his time, probably the best known and most widely respected American Catholic writer on the relationship between Catholic philosophy and theology and his country's political life. The highpoint of his influence was the publication of We Hold These Truths in the same year as an election of our country's first Catholic president. Those two events were celebrated by a Time cover story (December 12, 1960) on Murray's work and influence. The story's author, Protestant Douglas Auchincloss, reported that it was "The most relentlessly intellectual cover story I've done." His amazingly wide ranging and dense--if not altogether accurate--account of Murray's thought was crowned with a smart and pointed conclusion: "If anyone can help U.S. Catholics and their non-Catholic countrymen toward the disagreement that precedes understanding--John Courtney Murray can." . . . Murray's work, of course, is treated with great respect and has had considerable influence, but now it's time to begin to think of him as one of America's very few genuine political philosophers. His disarmingly lucid and accessible prose has caused his book to be widely cited and celebrated, but it still is not well understood. It is both praised and blamed for reconciling Catholic faith with the fundamental premises of American political life. It is praised by liberals for paving the way for Vatican II's embrace of the American idea of religious liberty, and it is