Book Review

Having read two of Robert Hugh Benson’s novels I have been looking to read Come Rack! Come Rope! which has been highly recommended. When I was looking over the new Catholic Digital Downloads section at Aquinas & More Catholic Goods I noticed they had this novel available and so bought and downloaded it.

This historical novel takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I of England with a mixture of fictional and historic figures such as St. Edmund Campion. This is the time of the Recusants where not attending an Anglican church resulted in a heavy tax. Attending both a Catholic Mass and the Anglican service had been disallowed by the Pope. This was a time of increased persecution and the martyrdom of many priests and lay people. A time where the famous priest-holes were built where priests could hide in what were sometimes quite elaborate hidden rooms.

The novel starts by telling the story of a father who decides to stop paying the Catholic tax and to attend the Anglican parish while his son can not do so in obeying his conscience. This conflict between father and son is written so well you have to wonder how much of it was in a sense autobiographical. Robert Hugh Benson was the youngest son of the Archbishop of Canterbury and he left the Anglican priesthood to be ordained a Catholic priest and was later named a monsignor. It is easy to imagine that he drew upon this real life tension and experience when writing of the relationship between the father and son in the novel.

The whole novel is in fact is extremely well written with totally believable characters. I was totally wrapped up and involved in the story and the history of this time period. The inevitable conclusion also had me emotionally involved in a way similar to classics such as Shusaku Endo’s Silence or Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory, but with a more faithful priest. Just reading about this sad era almost makes laughable the complaints Catholics have against the anti-Catholic media. We are only in danger of being slandered or slimed, but not getting stretched on the rack or being hanged, drawn and quartered. I loved Evelyn Waugh’s novel Edmund Campion and Come Rack! Come Rope! reminds me of it, but it also has a more expansive look at this era. Highly recommended.

The Godless Delusion: A Catholic Challenge to Modern Atheism is a fairly new book by Patrick Madrid and Kenneth Hensley. While the title says it is a Catholic Challenge, the book really makes the arguments against atheism via logic and natural theology and does not rely on either scripture or sacred tradition. Of course the authors are Catholics and sections of the Catechism are used throughout to further highlight a point.

The laser focus of this book is to deconstruct the philosophy of materialism/naturalism. As much as atheists like to make their case that their atheism is based on reason and science, it really relies on the philosophy of materialism that denies that anything immaterial can exist. It starts out by contrasting the worldview of materialism and the theist worldview and then covering the so-called new atheists.

I thought the section on understanding atheists was a little too narrow in actually helping you to understand atheists. They talk about the tensions that the philosophy of naturalism creates for the atheist and they seem to imply that atheist in their heart of hearts understand why this tension exists in their denial of God. But understanding atheists really has the same problem as understanding people in that people are so varied and their reasons for the philosophies they hold can fall into various areas. St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica only listed two objections to the existence of God and they were generally the problem of evil and the ability of science to explain things. When I was an atheist I was one generally under the second objection in that for me science was my guide to truth and anything not currently understood by science will be understood in the future. A Catholic might reply on a deep piece of theology that it is a mystery, while the atheist will say that something not understood is just a mystery for now. Most of my years as an atheist I never had any doubt that materialism was true and that belief in God was nothing but a superstition to overcome with reason. Science explained everything for me so in my heart of hearts I did not feel those tensions. I trusted materialism unfortunately without thinking about the flaws of materialism and I never looked at what theists had to say on the subject. As a atheist there is a pride in saying you are following reason and truth, but really many atheists are seriously looking for truth and the atheist worldview is downright depressing – we have no purpose and we die and that’s it. C.S. Lewis said ‘A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.’and that was so for me. Many atheists probably fall in the same camp in that they never take seriously that their can be a rational argument for God. No doubt there are atheists who live a tension with God in that they are really defying God more than not believing in him or do not want to look at the case for God because they realize they would have to change. So I think this section could have been a little broader understanding of the motives for atheists. In general what they were saying was accurate in that there are real tensions in belief in materialism and when I came to understand what they were it brought me out of atheism into no man’s land for awhile.

Materialism in this book is rightly mocked in a good natured way as the show the myriad inconsistencies. The third chapter starts of the real meat of this book as it looks at morality and the fact that materialism can’t explain it. When materialists try to explain morality they really are trying to explain it away. They will pin it on something that is a ever-moving target and will deny any absolutes in this area. While atheists can be and often are good and moral people, it is not because of philosophy of materialism — but despite it. They look at each of the arguments used to define an ethic that atheists advance and frankly demolish them.

Later on they go into area of epistemology and how materialism is unable to provide a serious explanation for knowledge and reason. Kind of like the joke where the scientist creates life out of dirt and God tells him to create his own dirt. Proponents of materialistic determinism tell us we have no free will while trying to use reason to cause our brain chemical/electrical processes that we have no control over to their cause. The picture on the cover of the book shows a man sitting on a tree limb cutting off the limb he is sitting on. This really illustrates the materialist’s problem is that they have to borrow from the theists to argue their case. The last half of the book shows exactly why this is so in that atheism eliminates knowledge.

I found this to be a well-argued book and written in such a way as to be accessible to pretty much every reader.I don’t know how many atheists would take the time to read this book. Every time I see a book against atheism on Amazon the reviews are extremely negative and obviously written by people who had not read one page of the book or replied to any arguments contained within. Reason is not used and flaming replies full of hyperbole are used. On goodreads.com this book was given 1 star and the 1 star reviews were just polemics. If you read the comments at ex-atheist and recent Catholic John C. Wright’s blog when he talks about materialism you see much of the same. People obviously angered that a SF writer could stoop to believing in God and then to dare to use reason against their arguments. Though I must admit to being entertained by the atheists who accept the natural conclusions of naturalism and yet not see how it undermines their arguments. This book is certainly an excellent resource for those who want to refine their argument when talking with atheists or to just get a firm understanding of just how contradictory radical materialism is. For those honest atheists who consider truth more important than congratulating themselves by calling themselves brights — then this is well worth reading. I certainly wish that I had been introduced to the arguments contained within this book much sooner in my own life.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Godless Delusion and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there.

I recently finished Treasures Holy and Mystical: A Devotional Journey for Today’s Catholics by Father Philip Powell which I read as nightly meditations over a period of time.  Reviewing a prayer book is not the simplest of tasks and doing so for a collection of prayers can be even more difficult.  This is not the case with this prayer book which both bows to tradition and yet does so in a fresh way.  This recent book by popular Catholic blogger Fr. Powell exceeded my expectations.  I expected a solid collection of prayers, just not the cool Dominican outlook that shows itself within.  This prayer book contains Novenas, Litanies, and a Rosary meditation.

Fr. Powell has combined prayers and meditations from scripture, the treasury of the Church,  the Church Fathers, and his own writing.  He has created various Novenas which include ones based on Pope Benedict XVI encyclicals Spe Salvi and Sacramentum Caritatus, Vatican II document Dei Verbum, along with three intriguing Mystical Novenas.  I really loved the Mystical Novenas with a Dominican bent that provided much intellectual food for thought.  For example the Novena via Negativa explores what we know of God by exploring what God is not (apophatic theology); or the Novena via Positiva which takes the opposite approach (cataphatic theology).

Even the introduction was well worth reading on what mysticism means and how it applies to everyone of us.   For example he says “By denying your call to the mystical life, you deny the very vocation you took at baptism.”

This book will not get lost among my stack of books, but will be a reference to me and is a book of Novenas I will actually use.

Another book I recently read is by another Catholic blogger Taylor Marshall.  The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity is I believe his first book with another book coming out later this year.  I started reading his blog back before he came into the Catholic Church.  At one time he was an Episcopal priest and the book starts off with a chapter on his conversion.  The subject of Judaism in relation to the Church was one of the things that got him to think more deeply on the Catholic Church and how it effected his conversion was an interesting story in and of itself.

The brunt of the book though is about Jesus, the Church and its relationship to Judaism.  I really enjoyed the writing style and the series of short chapters that build upon themselves and presents the information in a coherent manner.  While I was aware of some of the information contained within, I learned a lot more on the subject about all the parallels between Catholicism and Judaism.  Topics such as Old Testament Jewish Vestments and Catholic Vestments,  Temple/Cathedral, Synagogue/Parish, Jewish/Catholic feast days, were all very interesting and along the way there is solid theology and apologetics on Jesus along with a detailed list of the prophesies that Jesus fulfilled.  It really is amazing all of the parallels and more than just a introduction to the subject.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to his next one.

Ironic Catholic has published a collection of her posts via Smashwords and it is available as Dear Communion of Saints: amusingly apt advice for foolish Christians. I remember reading some of these hilarious posts and enjoyed reading them again collected as a book. I think I had a grin through out reading this along with accompanying bursts of laughter.

The premise of these collected posts was a sort of Dear Abbey meets the Communion of Saints. Somebody writes the Communion of saints for a reply to their question and one or more saints answer the reply. She (The Ironic Catholic) is pitch perfect in reflecting the style of the replies of the various saints. When it comes to humor the truer something is the funnier it can be. This collection is quite funny in a entertaining way while at the same time providing theological correct answers.

With the latest Lady Gaga controversy it was quite fun to read one of the saints reply in regards to using a Lady Gaga song for the weeding. The saint called it “porn to a beat” which is so stunningly accurate it is both hilarious and a perfect description.

Smashwords is a site that helps people to self publish and you can download this book in multiple eBook formats for $2.99 (well spent).

As a child I so enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes movies I saw predominantly with Sir Basil Rathbone.  I fell in love with the Sherlock Holmes stories as a teenager and pledged myself to live as Mr. Holmes.  The reason and apparent stoicism of Sherlock Holmes appealed to me as a young atheist in so many ways.  Really Sherlock Holmes and Spock were my very ideals as to how to live.  I guess I didn’t realize how ironic it was that my atheistic ideals for how a human was to live was based on fictional characters.  Regardless there is much to love in these stories and through the years I have re-read them and read some of the novels by others who took on this great character.  I recently saw the latest Sherlock Holmes movie and while I enjoyed it, I had to keep many neurons from firing in complaining in disbelief how far it strayed from the original Sherlock Holmes stories.

I started this out to proclaim my Sherlock Holmes bonafides and that I am a true fanboy of the character.  So when I was asked to review a new book called “Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes ” by Ann Margaret Lewis you can imagine my delight.  The intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the Catholic Church are a combination I could hardly refuse.  That the stories involved Pope Leo XIII is another bonus.

From page one I was instantly immersed in the stories and even better I was never thrown out of the story because of some inconsistency.  I felt these were truly Sherlock Holmes stories and I got the same enjoyable feeling from these as I did originally from the stories.  Having the Pope prominently involved was enjoyable, but it was not the Catholic Church grafted on to a Sherlock Holmes story, but something integral and natural to the story.  This is really quite an accomplishment in my opinion.  Even better is the fact that each of the stories is somewhat based on a snippet about some other Sherlock Holmes case alluded to in the original stories.  This makes it even better and quite amazing to me that a story could be crafted out of such a little snippet from the original stories.

There are three stories in this book and while I enjoyed all of them, “The Vatican Cameos” was my favorite one and the one closest to an original Sherlock Holmes Story.  In a way that is surprising because the storytelling departs from the traditional in that Dr. Watson does not tell most of the story.  The snippet this story is dependent on is one where Dr. Watson was not involved.  Instead most of the story telling is told from the view of Pope Leo XIII who writes it out for the benefit of a request from Dr. Watson.  I so loved this story and the conversations between Pope Leo XIII and Sherlock Holmes.

The only caveat I have about this novel is that in one part the Pope says  “Thievery is always mortally sinful and one such sin always builds upon another.”  In Catholic moral teaching this is certainly not true.  A father who steals bread for his children to live has not necessarily committed a mortal sin.  What is stolen has an effect on whether a theft is mortally or venially sinful. A pen stolen from work certainly does not have the same moral weight of someone robbing a bank of a substantial sum. I just can’t see a pope making such a basic error in conversation.

The only real bad news about this novel is that it will not be published until August.  I really wish others could read it now it is so enjoyable.

* Footnote: On my discussion on my early love of Spock.  Science Fiction author and Catholic convert John C. Wright “If Vulcans  had a church, they’d be Catholics.” Well maybe if Sherlock Holmes had a Church it would be the Catholic Church.

The Mystery of Predestination: According to Scripture, the Church, and St Thomas Aquinas written by John Salza was recently released by Tan books. I wanted to review this book because this is a subject I had of which I have never read of specifically in depth. The subject of Predestination if often seen as a subject mostly weighed in on by Protestants, though predestination is specifically mentioned in scripture and has been addressed over time by various counsels. I was previously aware that the two major schools of thought regarding predestination in Catholics theology circles was the Thomist and Molinists views. The argument did get rather heated at one time until I believe the Pope told them to basically “chill out.” So there is no official teaching of the Church in regards predestination other than ruling out some aspects of the subject such as double-predestination as taught by Calvin where some are predestined to Hell. So currently the Thomist, Molinist, or some composite of the two are acceptable views for Catholics to prudentially hold.

I find myself more sympathetic toward the Thomist view and the author of this book argues from the Thomist view. This is not the easiest of subjects and there is a very good reason the word mystery really comes into play when discussing it. As with all mysteries it certainly does not mean we can know nothing on the subject, only that we can never fully understand it. This book though certainly helped me to come to a better understanding of the subject and especially the terminology involved with in discussing predestination. It might seem like a rather esoteric topic, but I think everyone can benefit by more deeply comprehending God’s will towards us in light of salvation and how to some extent his grace works in our life. There is certainly a lot to reflect on here. I know at one time I was actually vain enough to believe that I had read myself into the Church – that by devouring the library in regards to religion that I was just guided by my intellect to discern the truth that lead me into the Catholic Church. Kind of forgot about the fact that I can do nothing without God.

I thought the John Scalzi did a good job of explaining predestination and spent considerable effort on the basics fo the subject along with explaining the Thomist, Molinist views along with the Protestant views on predestination such as exposed by Calvinism and Arminianism. There is a good amount of repetition in this book in the concepts covered, though I think this was necessary in a difficult subject. I thought it aptly reinforced the content.

I did find it rather odd that one of the main foils the author used in espousing the Thomist view was to show them in contrast to the works of Fr. William Most. For those who don’t know, the late Fr. Most was a very solid Scripture Scholar and Theologian and one of whose books I have benefited from. I knew that Fr. Most tried to bring the Thomist and Molinist views together with his own presentation, but I had not read his book on the subject. John Salzi certainly takes issue with Fr. Most’s view on the subject and especially Fr. Most’s understanding of the Thomist view. The views of Fr. Most that the author points out certainly do seem at time to be in conflict with the thoughts of earlier councils. Though it is hard for an armchair theologian and all around amateur on the subject to be able to say if Fr. Most’s views were presented accurately. I can say that the author makes his case very well.

The subject of Calvinism is naturally also covered and contrasted with the Thomist view and a wealth of scriptural evidence is used to show the many problems with the Calvinist view apart from just double-predestination. I found these parts of the book to be very informative with a lot of good questions raised. In fact mostly I really enjoyed this book, though it makes for slow and careful reading. It is certainly not Predestination for Dummies, but the author does a good job of explaining what predestination is along with drawing evidence from scripture and tradition in support of his position.

I have heard good things from solid Catholics about some of this authors other books on Masonry and Purgatory, but as far as I know he also holds to geocentricism which raises some warning bells with me. That though is the only real caveat that I would have and as far as I could tell he presented the Thomist view accurately. Patrick Madrid wrote a blurb favorable for this book so I would trust that the content does not go against Church teaching.

Moving on to lighter reading. Paul: Tarsus to Redemption (Volume 1) is a new Graphic Novel on the Life of St. Paul. Matthew Salisbury a graduate of John Paul the Great University teemed up with with illustrator Sean Lam to tell the story of St. Paul in Manga format. Using comics to tell the truth of the faith has a good amount of modern history behind it and this continues in that tradition using the Japanese style. Now I have have never read any Manga directly though have been introduced to the drawing style via Animé I was introduced to via Adult Swim, but I do have a cat named after a character in Inuyasha. This graphic novel certainly uses the Manga style to good effect and I certainly enjoyed the illustrations used as the story is told. I really wished it had been inked, but the black and white drawings are fairly effective.

Mostly I really enjoyed this retelling of the conversion of Saul to St. Paul and what is to be the first chapter of this story told with further chapters in the future. The story follows Saul apparently some time after the Martyrdom of St. Stephen up to his escape from Damascus. There are some extra-biblical story elements such as a friend of Sauls who is a gentile convert to Judaism and works with him to persecute the Christians. The story mostly follows the events in the book of Acts and in some ways breathes some life into St. Paul as a younger man that you don’t normally see. I have to admit that I was disappointed that the Martyrdom of St. Stephen was not included since it really presents the introduction of the pre-conversion St. Paul in the scriptures and to my mind the perfect starting point. As a tool to introduce a certain audience to the life of St. Paul I feel this Graphic Novel mostly succeeds, but the presentation could be improved on. There were certainly no serious defects that would keep me from recommending it and I do look forward to more in this series and the other subjects they plan to use the same treatment with. You can see some samples of the contents here.

For a thorough handbook for discerning priesthood “To save a thousand souls” is a great title.  Fortunately the book lives up to the title in that it is both a serious and worthwhile guide to those thinking about and further discerning a call to the priesthood.

As the author points out int the book, this is for those specifically  discerning the Diocesan priesthood.  I would suggest that even those who are looking at becoming a priest in a religious order also take a look at this book since it so well illustrates what the diocesan priesthood is — plus a lot of the advice would apply to them also.

Even as a layman reading this book there is a lot to recommend in it.  I really loved the first chapter “This is Just What Priests Do!” as it tells stories out of the lives of Diocesan priests.  As the book progresses it touches on the theology of the priesthood and the issue of what is a vocation in the first place.  Fr. Brett Brannen takes great care for the most part in explaining what a vocation is and what indeed is all of our primary vocations — to grow in holiness.  As he mentions, so often vocation is talked about in reference to the priesthood only and not the callings to consecrated and married life.

Fr. Brett Brannen has taken his wealth of experience to answer all those questions that someone discerning the priesthood is bound to have.  He also provides solid spiritual advice along the way to help in this discernment and how to develop the spiritual life of prayer.  Several chapters address this specifically, but the topic is integral to both discernment and to what happens after the man decides he is being called to the priesthood.

There is tons of practical advice spread throughout the book and presented quite simply.  One of the best parts of the book are the multiple stories from both his personal experience and from many others in regard to both discernment and being a priest.  Fr. Brett Brannen provides lots of clarity and he doesn’t just rollover difficult questions.  The book is solidly orthodox and the chapter titled “Celibacy, Chastity, Charity, and Cheerfulness” presents the subject of celibacy forthrightly and also goes into the Vatican document regarding proposed seminarians and same-sex attraction. This chapter was especially well written in regards to sexual integration and what might disqualify someone from the priesthood.  The topic of masturbation is also addressed in some detail.  Another chapter addresses prerequisites and impediments to the priesthood.

There is also a lot of important information such as what is seminary like and a look a the day to day life as a seminarian along with the educational requirements.  The types of assignments a Diocesan priest might experience and a look at ordination day are other important chapters.

In close to 400 pages I only had one quibble with this book.  The chapter on vocations talked of the single life led in generosity as a specific vocation.  I don’t believe that this is something the Church has really taught.  Mary Beth Bonachi wrote an article on this previously that she could find “no mention of an unconsecrated single “vocation” in Church teaching anywhere” and references Mulieris Dignitatem and notes John Paul II says that God calls all women to give themselves in one of two ways — in motherhood or in consecration to Christ. No mention of singleness in there. Though maybe this is an area that will be developed more fully by the Church in the future.  Often though I get the feeling people talk about the single life itself as a vocation to keep from hurting feelings. But I am not close to being an expert or really a fully informed layman on this subject.

Like I said I had just the one quibble and otherwise I think this book would make a great resource throughout the Church to help those in discernment and to give much good advice to others that want to help promote vocations to the Diocesan priesthood.  Besides as a thorough handbook on the subject people don’t have to read it cover to cover, but could also use it as a handy reference — especially with the question index in the back.  This book has also been praised by many people such as the always reliable Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. and others with a solid reputation.

Available via Vianney Vocations

Update: I found out that the book originally included in the section whether there was indeed a single vocation. They took the section out since the theology is still developing. So I guess I am now quibble free.

I recently received and read a book by fellow Catholic Phillip Campbell. Tale of Manaeth is an old school fantasy epic written in the narrative style like the Illiad or Tolkien’s Silmarillion. The scope is not as ambitious as Tolkien’s work in this style, but does cover a period of history around two centuries in a pre-Christian world full of both Pagan virtues and vices.

I must admit that the narrative style took me a little time to adapt until I was able to get into the plot and the characters.  But this did not take very long and I was soon enjoying myself in this world where an arrogant king seeks to take the pick of the women from the surrounding nations and the resulting outrage when the daughter of another king is chosen.  A tragedy results that ends up pitting on nation against the much stronger nation of the arrogant king.

The mythic elements are quite interesting though this is not the standard fantasy world staffed with various races.  The best parts are the battle scenes with intricate strategies and memorable  warrior characters.  The title character is almost a kind of Xena, but without the silliness and a much more serious warrior working against the odds.  The style of the book in some ways reminded me of Tolkien Children of Hurin, there is a sadness that envelops the characters — though not as overwhelming tragic as the Children of Hurin. The author is currently working on a sequel to this book.

The author provides a useful FAQ and the book can be obtained on his site.

Not long ago I heard Joseph Pearce recommend a novel that he put in the same league as Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited. That is a pretty extravagant claim, but I trust Pearce’s literary judgment generally and so ordered A Postcard From the Volcano: A Novel of Pre-War Germany to read. I don’t have the literary skill set to be able to judge how accurate this comparison was – all I can say is that this is one of my favorite novels ever.

The novel basically starts in pre World War I Germany and follows the life of Max from boyhood on as he lives through this difficult time in history and both grows up and grows in wisdom. A great Catholic novel does not have to have hit-you-over-the-head Catholic themes, but presents the truth of the human person in a way that enables you to reflect upon it. The characters are so alive in this book, that I would have to remember that it was a book of fiction and not a historical drama based on the lives of actual persons. I wanted to be able to enter into conversations with them to both interact and to learn from them. The last page of the book brought to me a sadness in realizing that the novel was over, even though the ending was quite apt. I just did not want this book to end – which I don’t feel very often in a 500 plus page novel.

While much of the novel does not deal explicitly with Catholicism, as the story goes on those elements become more prominent at a philosophical level as the characters deal with the growing madness around them. In the midst of human depravity there is still always room for Christian hope and especially to pursuing/adhering to truth. I really wish I did have the literary capability to give this book the review it deserves and can only stumble in describing this novel. I can only give it my highest praise by saying it goes on my reread list .

Here is an interview with Lucy Beckett that IgnatiusInsight did with her for a previous book – which I will have to get.

Letter & Spirit is a journal of Catholic Biblical Study put out by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology started by Scot Hahn. It appears that they release a new volume annually and are currently on their fifth volume. I have not read the previous volumes, but judging by this one I will have to rectify that situation.

What this journal provides is the latest in solid Catholic Scriptural study with submissions from multiple authors. This journal is put out as a paperback book which is a good format for it. This volume has as its theme Liturgy & Empire and concentrates on the liturgy through the ages and the effect on society from Old Testament times on. While this is certainly a professional journal I think that even those newbies to scripture study such as myself can learn a lot from it.

Scott Hahn is always an engaging writer and his first essay on the view of the writer of 1-2 Chronicles is no exception. But I found something fruitful from every single essay in this volume as you might expect when you have Catholic Biblical scholars the like of Brant Pitre included. Scott Hahn has written many books that address liturgy and how integral and important it is in scripture. But there is a lot of there there and this volume only scratches the surface on this topic as it covers specific books in the bible.

As good as these article are there are also additional notes such as the excellent coverage of scriptural interpretations by Robert Barron and the Liturgical intersection with Social Justice and the vision of Virgil Michel.

But wait there’s more… Yes also included is a new translation of St. Thomas Aquinas’ commentary on 2 Thessalonians. Louis Boyer covers Satan and Christ in scripture and the early Church. Last but not least is homily by Cardinal Ratzinger on Faith and Politics that takes its anchor from a letter of Peter and presents this subject in quite an intriguing way.

So if you are interested in the latest in Catholic Scriptural Studies along with some classic thought on this subject, then this series and the latest volume is for you. Their mission is to foster deeper understanding of Sacred Scripture and I say they succeed quite well.

Letter & Spirit, Vol. 5 – Liturgy and Empire

This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Letter & Spirit, Vol. 5 – Liturgy and Empire .