Religious Books

A landmark book on the role of visual arts, beauty and aesthetics in ecumenical exchange.
In a visual age, this book shares the belief that beauty and art can bridge differences. Essays from catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant artists, scholars, clergy and theologians explore beauty as a means to unify the body of Christ. The occasion of the Reformation commemoration year offers a time to reflect on the rich artistic heritage shared by all Christians and an opportunity to learn from other traditions.

"The Ecumenism of Beauty is a call to the church to again embrace the arts in service to its liturgy and mission." --Sandra Bowden, Collector, Curator and Past President of Christians in the Visual Arts

Essays include Calvin and the Visual Arts: The Aesthetics of Soli Deo Gloria, The Artist as Contemplative, and Art and the Liturgy.

Contributors to this book include:
Timothy Verdon, Editor -- Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Director (Florence, Italy)
William Dyrness -- Fuller Theological Seminary, Professor of Theology
Jérôme Cottin -- University of Strasbourg, Professor of Practical Theology
Susan S. Kanaga --Mount Tabor Ecumenical Centre for Art & Spirituality, Artist
Philippo Rossi -- Florentine Study Centre of Stanford University, Visiting Professor
Martin Shannon -- The Community of Jesus, Liturgist and Director of Formation

The work of contributors Susan S. Kanaga and Filippo Rossi is currently on display at the Grande Museo del Duomo in Florence, Italy. For more information visit artsandecumenism.org.

Twenty years ago, Dr. Alan Schreck's landmark book The Essential Catholic Catechism, was one of the most prominent books in the New Evangelization"publishing boom, through which many Catholics, both converts and cradle Catholics alike, learned the Faith.

TAN is proud to bring this book that has cultivated the hearts and souls of so many back into print. This new edition features an introduction by TAN publisher Conor Gallagher, student and friend of Dr. Schreck at Franciscan University of Steubenville. It is a new edition, but the questions and answers remain for they are perennial ones, that each new generation must ask and answer for themselves.

Who is God? How does the Church help me to know God better? What is the connection between faith and reason, between the spiritual life and "real life?" Does it really matter what I believe, so long as I'm a good person?

These questions and many others are answered simply and with clarity by the bestselling author Dr. Schreck. This book will give you a basic introduction to the Catholic faith that is both theologically sound and readily understandable.

A useful resource for anyone interested in learning more about the basic tenets of the Catholic faith. Keyed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this catechism also helps readers to understand more fully this important document and its relevance to daily life. An excellent tool for anyone who wants to be able to explain the Catholic faith more clearly. Ideal for religious education instructors, pastors, and RCIA directors.

"We always have a choice to live the moment as a cause of resentment or as a cause for joy."--Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

The insights of Henri Nouwen have shown millions of people how to choose joy in any moment--even moments full of pain and brokenness. Few spiritual writers have ever spoken so powerfully and directly to the heart as he did, in part because he compassionately bared his own soul and struggles to his readers, but also because he deeply understood that God can be discovered in every aspect of ourselves, even--almost especially--in the parts we find difficult to acknowledge.

This anthology of Nouwen's teaching covers all his major themes--God, love, life, death, psychology, woundedness, healing, and social action--and is drawn from among his more than forty books. It's the perfect, compact introduction to this brilliant and humble Catholic priest whom Christianity Today called "one of the world's great spiritual writers."

Popular meditations for every day, featuring a text from Sacred Scripture, a quotation from the writings of a Saint, and a meaningful prayer. Includes an introduction by Rev. Frederick Schroeder. Illustrated and printed in two colors. Includes ribbon marker.

Hookup culture has become widespread on college campuses, and Catholic colleges are no exception. Indeed, despite the fact that most students on Catholic campuses report being unhappy with casual sexual encounters, most studies have found no difference between Catholic colleges and their secular counterparts when it comes to hooking up. Drawing on a survey of over 1000 students from 26 institutions, as well as in-depth interviews, Jason King argues that religious culture on Catholic campuses can, in fact, have an impact on the school's hookup culture, but when it comes to how that relationship works: it's complicated.

In Faith with Benefits, King shows the complex way these dynamics play out at Catholic colleges and universities. There is no straightforward relationship between orthodoxy and hookup culture--some of the schools with the weakest Catholic identities also have weaker hookup cultures. And not all students define the culture in the same way. Some see a hookup as just a casual encounter, where others see it as a gateway to a relationship.

Faith with Benefits gives voice to students, revealing how their faith, the faith of their friends, and the institutional structures of their campus give rise to different hookup cultures. In doing so, King addresses the questions of students who don't know where to turn for practical guidance on how to navigate ever-shifting campus cultures, reconciling their faith with their relationships. Students, parents, faculty, administrators-indeed, anyone who cares about Catholic teenagers and young adults-will find much of value in this book.

New book of prayers taken from the classic work of Thomas a Kempis. All the prayers are given in large type and sense lines for easier reading and understanding. They are permeated by the inspiration and devotion of their author and inculcate the following of Christ.

"'Jesus, where are you?' I prayed every night as I wept . . . I felt I had failed as a priest, for I had preached love and the people made genocide. . . .Then I heard God speak to me. Jesus wanted me to use these experiences to evangelize later. It was then that I knew my life would be spared. God would make a way."

During the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga tells the dramatic story of how he survived while losing more than eighty of his family members and 45,000 of his parishioners in the killings. In the aftermath, Fr. Ubald experienced a renewed sense of purpose as a minister of reconciliation and a healing evangelist in his homeland and around the world. In Forgiveness Makes You Free, he offers five spiritual principles that can help those traumatized by the past to experience healing and peace in Christ.

In 1994 the world looked on in disbelief and horror as Rwanda erupted in violent bloodshed. All across the landlocked African country, militant Hutus rose up to exterminate the Tutsi population, including women and young children. One hundred days later, a million bodies littered fields, streets, and even churches. Now, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, a powerful testimony emerges of the power of God to bring peace and reconciliation into hearts full of fear and hate.

In Forgiveness Makes You Free, Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga shares his own dramatic story of how he survived the genocide and its traumatic aftermath. He testifies about how God spared his life so that he might help others with deep physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds to experience peace and healing. In retelling the story of how he forgave the man who killed his family and cared for the man's children while he was in prison, Fr. Ubald demonstrates how showing mercy can facilitate true forgiveness even in the most painful circumstances of our lives.

Throughout the book, Fr. Ubald teaches about five spiritual keys that draw us to Christ, the only source of lasting peace:

be thankful and have faith

choose to forgive

denounce evil

decide to live for Jesus

claim the blessing

Each chapter combines Fr. Ubald's story with reflection questions that guide readers along their own path of healing: from fear to faith, from shame to freedom, from isolation to reconciliation, from resentment to mercy, and from conflict to peace.

The final chapter offers a guided meditation to help those who need to experience the power of God to release those held in bondage by fear and hate and to find the secret of peace. An appendix contains information about "The Mushaka Reconciliation Project," a catechetical tool that has been used successfully by parishes in Rwanda, and could easily be adapted by parishes in the United States, to mediate reconciliation between individuals and groups who have become estranged by violence, trauma, and ethnic or cultural divisions.