In this frank and honest work, one of the pioneers of liberation theology in Latin America reassesses the movement in light of post-Cold War realities. Comblin outlines a liberative, theological pastoral agenda for now and the decades to come in the face of massive urbanization and the apparent triumph of the global marketplace. With the increasing apartheid of rich and poor, the cause of liberation remains as urgent as ever-perhaps more so. Jose Comblin, already established as a premier contributor to liberation theology, has now provided a work of major new importance. Significant changes have occurred since the inception of liberation theology thirty years ago, and Comblin provides a remarkably comprehensive, critical, and insightful study of economic, political, cultural, and religious developments that liberation theology must address. He offers as well a challenging new theological emphasis on 'freedom.' -Arthur F. McGovern, SJ University of Detroit A 'must read' for all interested in current debates among Latin American liberation theologians, and more broadly, on the eve of the third millennium, for all wondering about the meaning of the good news of the coming of God's reign in history. -Lee Cormie St. Michael's College and the Toronto School of Theology He dispels the rumor that liberation theology is disappearing or dead. This book is about the future of liberation theology, and, if Jose Comblin is right, it will play a vital role in the coming century. -Curt Cadorette University of Rochester

The history of mankind is fraught with clashes in the quest for liberty—in the name of often contradictory ideals of freedom. Roshwald explores the diverse understandings of the term liberty and its spectrum of application, in order to achieve a coherent and consistent definition of the concept in respect to both the individual and society. The issue of liberty is examined not only from the traditional angle of political philosophy but also from a philosophical-anthropological perspective. After analyzing examples of specific approaches to freedom, and describing a theoretically and practically viable definition of liberty, the book suggests the possibility and ways of attaining the ideal. The concept of liberty has been tarnished by propaganda, conflicting political claims, and uncritical usage. This book attempts to restore value to the meaning of liberty, arguing that it must be clearly understood and defined in the context of human experience in order to be universally enjoyed. Through a cogent analysis of contradictions in individual and societal perceptions of the over-used and abused principle, this interdisciplinary volume rescues liberty from its current role as being a mere slogan and presents the possibility for individual and collective freedoms to coexist. A selected Bibliography chronicles historical and contemporary treatises on liberty.

The bestselling author of "Washington's Crossing" and "Albion's Seed" offers a strikingly original history of America's founding principles. Fischer examines liberty and freedom not as philosophical or political abstractions, but as folkways and popular beliefs deeply embedded in American culture. 400+ illustrations, 250 in full color.

Conversion is intrinsic to the Christian Religion. The most remarkable conversion recorded in the New Testament is that of Paul, and most Christians consider Christ's encounter with Paul to be a prototype of Christian conversion generally. This collection of eleven essays give Paul's conversion a firmer rootage in the biblical materials while also emphasizing personal application. The contributors examine the nature of Paul's Damascus Road experience and the impact of that experience on his thought and ministry, and explore how Paul's experience functions as a paradigm for Christian thought and action today.

This book investigates the way in which the 'actualistic ontology' - i.e., the fact that God and human agents are beings-in-act in a covenant relationship - that underlies the Church Dogmatics of Karl Barth affects his conception of ethical agency. It analyses this effect along three paths of inquiry: knowing what is right (the noetic dimension), doing what is right (the ontic dimension), and achieving what is right (the telic dimension). The first section of the book explores the discipline of theological ethics as Barth construes it, both in its theoretical status and in its actual practice. In the second section, the ontological import of ethical agency for Barth is considered in relation to the divine action and the divine command. The final section of the book examines the teleological purpose envisaged in this theological ethics in terms of participation, witness, and glorification. At each stage of the book, the strong interconnectedness of theological ethics and actualistic ontology in the Church Dogmatics is drawn out. The resultant appreciation of the actualistic dimension which underlies the theological ethics of Karl Barth feeds into a fruitful engagement with a variety of critiques of Barth's conception of ethical agency. It is demonstrated that resources can be found within this actualistic ontology to answer some of the diverse criticisms, and that attempts to revise Barth's theological ethics at the margins would have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for his whole theological project.

For more than two decades, William D. Gairdner has been a major voice from the conservative resistance, primarily through his bestselling books The Trouble with Canada . . . Still, The War Against the Family, and The Trouble with Democracy. Now, in this new book, his passionate, probing, and provocative intellect is hard at work, ranging over hot button issues of the day in the spheres of culture, the family, politics, and science. His quick-hit, entertaining, and rousing chapters include "Late Night Thoughts on Equality," "Baby Seals and Babies," "Mourning Marriage," and "Six Types of Freedom." Here's what the famous conservative thinker William F. Buckley Jr. said about Gairdner's original publication of The Trouble with Canada: "His mobilizing passion wonderfully animates an analytical precision that should be the reason for a national -- binational -- celebration."

Plucked from a humble nomad family to become the leader of one of Tibet’s oldest Buddhist lineages, the young Seventeenth Karmapa draws on timeless values to create an urgent ethic for today’s global community. We have always been, and will always be, interconnected—through family, community, and shared humanity. As our planet changes and our world grows smaller, it is vital we not only recognize our connections to one another and to the earth but also begin actively working together as interdependent individuals to create a truly global society. The Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is uniquely positioned to guide us in this process. Drawing on years of intensive Buddhist training and a passionate commitment to social issues, he teaches how we can move from a merely intellectual understanding to a fully lived experience of connection. By first seeing, then feeling, and finally living these connections, we can become more effective agents of social and ethical change. The Karmapa shows us how gaining emotional awareness of our connectedness can fundamentally reshape the human race. He then guides us to action, showing step by step how we can change the way we use the earth’s resources and can continue to better our society. In clear language, the Karmapa draws connections between such seemingly far-flung issues as consumer culture, loneliness, animal protection, and self-reliance. In the process, he helps us move beyond theory to practical and positive social and ethical change.