Defrocking the Devil/Theology of Fear is a brief history of the last 2,500 years of monotheism using the actual words of the men who claimed to know the devilfigure most intimately. From Peter to Constantine to Martin Luther to our present day theologians, these men and hundreds more included in this book supported the early Church fathers' arguments for the inclusion of Satan into Christian polemics. A dualism appeared in the story of Jesus immediately after his crucifixion. Instead of tirelessly promoting the Christian message of "love thy neighbor as thyself" a new spiritual equation of hate, torture and murder entered the theological landscape. Defrocking the Devil is an attempt to puncture the myths surrounding the words: evil, devil and hell. Two thousand years after the birth of Christianity and fourteen hundred years after the start of Islam, hundreds of millions of people currently living on this planet are in real fear of one day ending up down in the devil's lair. How did Christian belief in Jesus become conditional upon the existence of fictional beings and wicked subterranean places? Defrocking the Devil seeks to illuminate the darkness and empower all people of faith to move beyond theologies that advocate violence into the spiritual equation. There have been many books written about this dark side of Western theology, but few historians do much more than recount its bloody genocidal history. Defrocking the Devil actively seeks to tear down such religious dogmas by using the very words of those who extolled such a hurtful, anti- Christian philosophy.

Defrocking the Devil/Theology of Fear is a brief history of the last 2,500 years of monotheism using the actual words of the men who claimed to know the devilfigure most intimately. From Peter to Constantine to Martin Luther to our present day theologians, these men and hundreds more included in this book supported the early Church fathers arguments for the inclusion of Satan into Christian polemics. A dualism appeared in the story of Jesus immediately after his crucifixion. Instead of tirelessly promoting the Christian message of love thy neighbor as thyself a new spiritual equation of hate, torture and murder entered the theological landscape. Defrocking the Devil is an attempt to puncture the myths surrounding the words: evil, devil and hell. Two thousand years after the birth of Christianity and fourteen hundred years after the start of Islam, hundreds of millions of people currently living on this planet are in real fear of one day ending up down in the devils lair. How did Christian belief in Jesus become conditional upon the existence of fictional beings and wicked subterranean places? Defrocking the Devil seeks to illuminate the darkness and empower all people of faith to move beyond theologies that advocate violence into the spiritual equation. There have been many books written about this dark side of Western theology, but few historians do much more than recount its bloody genocidal history. Defrocking the Devil actively seeks to tear down such religious dogmas by using the very words of those who extolled such a hurtful, anti- Christian philosophy.

Provides an intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism that will answer many of the questions you have. Includes an updated text of the Mass according to the Roman Missal, third edition, as well as chapters on creation.

The easy way to grasp the ins and outs of Catholicism Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for Catholics and non-Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations of Catholic weddings, Baptisms, funerals, Confirmations, and First Communions. You'll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture—from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one shares a foundational set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions. Various stances within American Catholicism today Covers the death of John Paul II and the succession of Pope Benedict XVI, who has supported the return of the Latin Mass among congregations who desire to celebrate it Expanded information on baptism, confirmation, and the other sacraments New information about the priesthood and religious life today Twenty-first-century issues and questions modern Catholics face, including gay marriage, abortion, and the death penalty Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith—from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it.

Adonis Vidu tackles an issue of great current debate in evangelical circles and of perennial interest in the Christian academy. He provides a critical reading of the history of major atonement theories, offering an in-depth analysis of the legal and political contexts within which they arose. The book engages the latest work in atonement theory and serves as a helpful resource for contemporary discussions. This is the only book that explores the impact of theories of law and justice on major historical atonement theories. Understanding this relationship yields a better understanding of atonement thinkers by situating them in their intellectual contexts. The book also explores the relevance of the doctrine of divine simplicity for atonement theory.

Why Sacraments? explores the Christian sacraments in relation to the Bible and the theological tradition, presenting solid theology in an accessible and popular manner. The book looks at the place of the sacraments in the worship of the church and the life of the Christian. The reader will find both a discussion of the seven rites called sacraments and an investigation of what it means for something to be sacramental. Contents: Foreword 1 Why sacraments? 2 Baptism 3 Sacramental character 4 The Eucharist 5 The anatomy of the sacraments I: signs, matter and form 6 How many sacraments? 7 Confirmation 8 Ordination 9 The anatomy of the sacraments II: setting, intention, minister and recipient 10 Marriage 11 Anointing 12 Confession 13 The sacraments and the Holy Spirit Conclusion: Sacraments and the incarnation

Faith Shattered. Vows Broken. After three years spent grieving secretly for his past lovers, a chance at something new appears in front of Killian McDonald. But will he grab a hold of what Nicoli Beltrame is offering him or ignore it in favour of renewing his commitment to his faith. Love isn’t restricted to being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Nicoli Beltrame knows this firsthand having fallen in love with several men already, and he isn’t one to shy away from a chance of falling for another. It doesn’t matter that Killian was a gift to him from his deceased nephew or that it came three years after his nephew had been buried. But Killian is different to the other men who share Nicoli’s bed—a priest with broken vows and shattered faith—while his world is full of danger that might cost Killian his life. Defrocked is a 36k MM+ age gap novella set in the House of Bolton universe. It involves a priest with shattered faith and broken vows falling in love with a mafia emissary who sees the priest’s darker desires and willingly grants them. Being MM+ there is also consensual sharing of partners.