Best of
Theology

1955

God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism


Abraham Joshua Heschel - 1955
    God in Search of Man combines scholarship with lucidity, reverence, and compassion as Dr. Heschel discusses not man's search for God but God's for man--the notion of a Chosen People, an idea which, he writes, "signifies not a quality inherent in the people but a relationship between the people and God." It is an extraordinary description of the nature of Biblical thought, and how that thought becomes faith.

Prayer


Hans Urs von Balthasar - 1955
    From the persons of the Trinity through the Incarnation to the Church and the very structure of the human person, this book is a powerful synthesis of what prayer is and how to pray. The testament of a great theologian on something which is most personal and interior, contemplative prayer.

The Root of the Righteous


A.W. Tozer - 1955
    But one comes before the other. In this collection of short essays, Tozer writes about the need for communion with God in the life of the believer. He critiques the focus on fruit and not on the Fount, offering thoughtful and practical insights for living the nourished life.  For the Christian eager to bear fruit-the busy one bearing little, the young one wanting growth, or the long-timer feeling discouraged-The Root of the Righteous is indispensable. May Tozer bring you to the center, to the Vine, that you may bear fruit for your joy and God's good pleasure.

Meditations Before Mass


Romano Guardini - 1955
    Meditations before Mass is a wise, pastoral, and timeless classic on preparing for Mass-it is an example of twentieth-century theologian Romano Guardini at his very best. Meditations before Mass was written before Vatican II, but its relevance has endured over the past sixty years. Not a "how to" book for either the old or the new Roman Rite, it is instead a spiritual feast for the mind and heart, and a guide for modern people who wish to make sense of the Church's feasts and liturgies. Meditations before Mass has helped thousands of readers participate more fully in Christian liturgy and continues to do so today.

They Speak by Silences


A. Carthusian - 1955
    Souls who have reached such perfection in this life are rare; not so rare, however, are those who ardently aspire thereto. It is chiefly for such as these - to encourage and help them to arrive at those same heights - that these thoughts have been preserved and collected. They Speak by Silences was first published in French in 1948, and has since allowed Carthusian wisdom and spirituality to reach the widest possible audience. This new, and widely requested edition carries on the tradition. It will provide material for daily reading and reflection for newcomers to Carthusian spirituality and, equally, for those who have already discovered the riches it has to offer. Not everyone can experience that same recollection that exists in a Charterhouse, but they must not be afraid to set aside as far as possible at least some moments, however short, for recollection and to give some time to Him Who is within them. It is in that silence that He speaks to us, and bids us listen to Him. Other books of classic Carthusian spirituality published by Gracewing include The Call of Silent Love, The Prayer of Love and Silence and The Wound of Love.

St. Raphael: Angel of Marriage, Healing, Happy Meetings, Joy and Travel


Angela Carol - 1955
    It gives the Scriptural background on St. Raphael, plus famous prayers to use in invoking the aid of this great Archangel, who identifies himself as one of the seven who stand before the Lord. Imprimatur.

A Retreat for Lay People


Ronald Knox - 1955
    Lewis called him "the wittiest man in Europe," and Ronald Knox was a deft apologist, an astute translator of the Bible, and the preacher for occasions great and small throughout the first half of the twentieth century in England. But he was first and last a priest, and it is in his sermons and retreat conferences that we meet Ronald Knox the spiritual guide. "A Retreat for Lay People" brings together a collection of his conferences preached over a period of fifteen years. His opening topic is "Discouragement in Retreat," and he concludes with a reflection on "Our Lady's Serenity." In between, Knox addresses the big questions - the fear of death, the problem of suffering, the world to come - but he also explores the little questions that loom large in our daily lives, like minor trials, liberty of spirit in prayer, and the use of God's creatures. Msgr. Knox shapes his collection around the classic "Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius." The first eight conferences address the foundations of our spiritual life; the next eight offer reflections on the life of Our Lord; the final eight take up practical questions of living our faith in daily life. These "pieces of eight" are punctuated by two meditations suitable for a Holy Hour. The Eucharist was at the heart of Knox's life and his profound love for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament shines through in these talks.As in all his writing, in these conferences Ronald Knox combines love for Scripture, commitment to the Catholic faith, and sympathy for the struggles and joys of Christian discipleship. "A Retreat for Lay People" is solid spiritual food, served up with refreshing simplicity and a dash of wit.

Blessed Hope


George Eldon Ladd - 1955
    At their sharpest, these disputes can lead to the breakdown of fellowship among those who should be standing firmly together against unbelief. Through its many printings, this book by George Eldon Ladd has proved to be a helpful guide for Christians who want to discern clearly the basic biblical teachings about the Blessed Hope. Writing not for his fellow scholars as much as men and women in the pews, Ladd, whose numerous studies of New Testament interpretation earned him the reputation of being one of contemporary evangelicalism?'s leading thinkers, sketches the history of interpretations of Christ?'s second coming and then carefully and lucidly examines the biblical passages on which this doctrine is based. Ladd?'s conclusion is that the blessed hope is the second coming of Jesus Christ, not a pretribulation rapture of believers in a secret coming of Jesus. Yet he concludes, too, that there should be liberty and charity within the Christian community for all who hold to the expectation of the blessed hope and appearing in glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The City of God: Books 11-22 (I/7) (The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century)


Augustine of Hippo - 1955
    Augustine's most influential work. Following Augustine's critique of the Roman religious, political, and intellectual tradition in Books 1-10, Books 11-22 set out his great vision of the origins, the histories, and the ultimate destinies of the two cities: the earthly city, rooted in love of self as expressed in the pride and lust for domination that shatter human society, and the heavenly city, rooted in love of God as expressed in the humility and yearning for the supreme good that unite humanity in a just social order. For all those who are interested in the greatest classics of Christian antiquity, The City of God is indispensable.This long-awaited translation by William Babcock is published in two volumes, with an introduction and annotation that make Augustine's monumental work approachable. The INDEX for Books 1-22 (both volumes of The City of God) is contained in this volume.

Apostolic Preaching of the Cross. Revised.


Leon L. Morris - 1955
    This third edition is revised throughout.

I Want to See God/I Am a Daughter of the Church (Set)


P. Marie-Eugene - 1955
    A synthesis of rich doctrinal teachings with the sureness born of a deep contemplative experience, thus offering a vital doctrine to men and women. Bringing to light the dynamics of baptismal grace, Father Marie-Eugene opens up the paths of contemplation and holiness to all, in the midst of ordinary life. Both books illustrate the untiring search for God through time and the need for reliable spiritual Masters.

The Inspiration Of Scripture: A Study of the Theology of the 17th-Century Lutheran Dogmaticians


Robert D. Preus - 1955
    

The Satisfaction of Christ


Arthur W. Pink - 1955
    Its uniqueness was demonstrated in various ways. Centuries before it occurred it was foretold with an amazing fullness of detail, by those men whom God raised up in the midst of Israel to direct their thoughts and expectations to a fuller and more glorious revelation of Himself. The prophets of Jehovah described the promised Messiah, not only as a person of high dignity and as one who should perform wondrous and blessed miracles, but also as one who should be "despised and re- jected of men," and whose labors and sorrows should be terminated by a death of shame and violence. In addition, they affirmed that He should die not only under human sentence of execution, but that "it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; HE hath put Him to grief" (Isa. 53:10), yea, that Je- hovah should cry, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man that is My Fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the Shepherd" (Zech. 13:7).The supernatural phenomena which attended Christ’s death clearly distinguishes it from all other deaths. The obscuration of the sun at midday without any natural cause, the earthquake which clove asunder the rocks and laid open the graves, and the rending of the veil of the temple from top to bottom, proclaimed that He who was hanging on the Cross was no ordinary sufferer.So too that which followed the death of Christ is equally noteworthy. Three days after His body had been placed in Joseph’s tomb and the sepulcher securely sealed, He, by His own power (John 2:19; 10:18), burst asunder the bonds of death and rose in triumph from the grave, and is now alive forevermore, holding the keys of death and hades in His hands. Forty days later, after having appeared again and again, in tangible form before His friends, He ascended to heaven from the midst of His disciples. Ten days after, He poured out the Holy Spirit, by whom they were enabled to publish to men out of every nation in their respective languages, the wonders of His death and resurrection.

Women Saints: 365 Daily Devotions and Prayers


Madonna Sophia Compton - 1955
    Traditionally acknowledged saints stand alongside noble women of other religions, and heroines of the Old Testament.

The Office of Woman in the Church: a Study in Practical Theology


Fritz Zerbst - 1955
    

The Bible Book by Book: An Introduction to Bible Synthesis


G. Coleman Luck - 1955
    A survey of the Bible as a whole, with a summary of each book's context, outline, and content.

A Diary Of Readings


John Baillie - 1955
    It is intended that each of the 365 passages should serve as the bases for reflection, or as a source of sustenance on each day of the year.

Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel (Library of Christian Classics) (Library of Christian Classics)


Theodore Tappert - 1955
    Sometimes it is forgotten that he was also a pastor and shepherd of souls. Collected in this volume are Luther's letters of spiritual counsel, which he offered to his contemporaries in the midst of sickness, death, persecution, imprisonment, famine, and political instability. Freshly translated from the original German and Latin, the letters shed light on the fascinating relationship between his pastoral counsel and his theology.Long recognized for the quality of its translations, introductions, explanatory notes, and indexes, the Library of Christian Classics provides scholars and students with modern English translations of some of the most significant Christian theological texts in history. Through these works--each written prior to the end of the sixteenth century--contemporary readers are able to engage the ideas that have shaped Christian theology and the church through the centuries.