Experiencing Saint Therese Today is a collection of essays based on conferences given at a symposium sponsored by the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance near Chicago in 1988, to mark the centenary of Therese's entrance into Carmel. Since their publication, they have lost none of their freshness and vigor. Among other topics, Fr. Jim Geoghegan strikingly compares Therese with the photographer Edward Weston. Fr. John Russell examines, probably for the first time in English, the eight "pious recreations" (plays) Therese wrote for the Carmelite recreations. Joann Wolski Conn's "A Feminist View of Therese" finds Therese a mature adult who authored her own life vision and created relationships of mutuality. Fr. Redemptus Valabek's "Therese's Approach to Gospel Living" explores Therese's spirituality and reveals the warrior saint beneath her image. Sister Margaret Dorgan's "Therese and John of the Cross" explores one of the most intriguing aspects of Therese. Professor William Thompson's "Therese: Challenge for Doctrine and Theology" is a rich and provocative look at Therese's theological significance. Gracefully written and perceptive, this short essay plumbs the depths of Therese and suggests she is a forerunner to a "third Vatican Council," that Vatican II was insufficient to permit the Church to "catch up" with the young woman who has since become its newest Doctor. Fr. John Sullivan has done a great service to the friends of Therese by making these essays available. If you are tired of the "same old thing" about her, try this book.

Maria Boulding's translation of the Confessions has been justly praised for its balance of literary style, non-sexist language, and clarity of expression. She now has turned her efforts to the translation of the Ennarationes in Psalmos, a collection of preached sermons and written commentary on all one-hundred fifty psalms. This first volume includes commentaries on the first thirty-two psalms, with two expositions of six psalms, three of Psalm 32, and four of Psalm 30.

These expositions show Augustine at prayer, albeit public prayer in front of a congregation, and addressing a mixed audience, i.e. one composed of more learned and less learned hearers, a distinction he sometimes make reference to as determining the nature of his discourse on a particular day. And thus they show Augustine to be the great preacher and teacher he is. Some of the expositions show Augustine thinking aloud, as when he considers verse six of the first psalm, "I rested and fell asleep," which he variously interprets. He notes that different translations interpret the original Greek differently, and he offers his own thoughts on possible interpretations.

For one not used to patristic interpretation of scripture, Augustine's commentary can be jarring, since he does not just deal with the text on the level of literal interpretation, but he also includes what have come to be known, since the middle ages, as the analogical and anagogical interpretations, i.e. interpretations of what the psalm means in terms of Christianity and what it says to us about moral behavior, all part of Augustine's sensus plenior.

Some of his well-known themes appear, also, and the commentary offers another light on them. In the exposition of Psalm 5, Augustine treats of lying, commenting on the verse, "You hate all those who work iniquity." He gives a brief summary of the discussion on lying and concealing the truth that are found in more expansive forms in his treatises on that subject. The footnotes often are helpful in noting echoes of other works, although here, strangely, there is no reference to his other discussions of lying. He also offers a reflection on God as father and mother in Exposition 2 of Psalm 26, a discussion that might be surprising to some readers.

Overall, the Expositions of the Psalms offers what amounts to a mini-course in Augustinian theology, since all of his keys themes are treated in an abbreviated manner at some point in the exposition. And Augustine offers his advice to the people on praying the psalms in his fourth exposition of Psalm 30: "If the psalm is praying, pray yourselves; if it is groaning, you groan too; if it is happy, rejoice; if it is crying out in hope, you hope as well; if it expresses fear, be afraid."

Michael Fiedrowicz's introduction offers a good exposition on how to read this work, placing it in historical and literary context, with an especially good explanation of Augustine's method of interpretation. At the back of the book is an index of Scripture citations and a general index.

This book is a collection of four different works of Saint Augustine. The table of contents is as follows:

"Christian Instruction", introduced and translated by John J. Gavigan

"Admonition and Grace", introduced and translated by John Courtney Murray

"The Christian Combat", introduced and translated by Robert P. Russell

"Faith, Hope, and Charity", introduced and translated by Bernard M. Peebles

Index

The supplemental materials in this book consist of fairly short introductions to each work written by the translator of that work, footnotes that explain translation issues, references to other works, including scripture references, and finally, a shared index.

Each of the four works which comprise this book will be discussed in turn.

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The title of the first work, "Christian Instruction", leaves the reader to wonder whether the work is intended to instruct him in Christianity or to be an instructor of others in Christianity. The answer is: yes. To quote Augustine himself, in his discussion of it in his "Retractions":

"I...completed the work in four books. The first three of these help to an understanding of the Scriptures, while the fourth instructs us how to present the facts which we have just comprehended."

Of the "books" alluded to by Augustine, the first prescribes the proper attitude for the study of scriptures, specifically from the perspective of "faith, hope, and charity". The second prescribes a program of education, central to which is knowledge of language: both the general knowledge of language as a system of signs, and specific knowledge of Hebrew and Greek. The third prescribes a system of hermeneutics or interpretive principals and rules. Finally, the fourth is essentially a discussion of rhetorical methods of persuasion and their application to teaching Christianity to others.

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The second work, "Admonition and Grace", was written because a number of monks had been disturbed by an a letter of Augustine which they thought so exalted the importance of divine grace as to leave no place for human free will (and responsibility). The specific question they asked was:

"Why are we preached to, and given commands, in order to have us avoid evil and do good, if it is not we ourselves who do these things, but God who effects in us the will and the deed?"

To the immediate question, Augustine in reply developed the doctrine that while man of his own free will could do no good without grace, he could recognize his own evil, and in that power lay his responsibility:

"Whenever you fail to follow the known commands of God and are unwilling to be admonished, you are for this very reason to be admonished, that you are unwilling to be admonished...You are unwilling to have yourself shown to yourself, that you may see your own deformity, and seek one to reform you, and beg Him not to leave you in your ugliness of soul."

Not content with having answered the question at hand, Augustine went further, and discussed the ultimate origin of sin, and the state of man and the fallen angels before their respective falls and the nature of those falls. Going further yet, he discusses grace with regard to Mary and the elect, and still further, ultimately ending in a theodicy.

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The third work, "The Christian Combat" is a short, muscular work "written in a plain style for brethren not proficient in the Latin language". Its end is to lay out how a Christian should live, and to identify heresies that Christians should avoid falling into. As befitting its audience and purpose, it is simple and direct. The basics of Christian belief and scriptural justifications for them are quickly described, then then warnings are given a series of heresies that must be rejected.

The points of Christian belief covered are the nature of evil (Manichaean dualism being explicitly rejected), the governance of Providence, salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and God as the Trinity.

The list of heresies to be rejected is actually the bulk of the work. Each begins with a "Let us not heed..." introduction, followed by a description of the particular heresy, and then a justification (generally scriptural, sometimes logical) for why it should be rejected.

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"Faith, Hope, and Charity", the fourth and final work in the book, is also known as the "Enchiridion", or handbook. It was written in response to a letter containing a list of questions pertaining to Christian doctrine.

"Faith, Hope, and Charity" begins by discussing is a wide-ranging work, as its origin might suggest. Most of the work is loosely organized around the apostles' creed as a framework for explaning the faith. As such, it discusses belief in God, the goodness of creation, the nature of sin, the origin of sin, God's grace and Christ as the means of man's salvation, the church, the resurrection of the dead, the relation between providence and free will, hope and the Lord's prayer, and finally charity as the crowning principal of the commandments and the true good at which man should aim.

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For my part, the work that really stood out was "Grace and Admonition". The subtlety and power of Augustine's solutions to the problems of grace and free will make truly impressive reading. Several times, I went back to the beginning and started reading again - not because I didn't understand it, but because I was so floored by it, that I simply had to read it again right away.

Contents:

The Immortality of the Soul (translation and introduction by Ludwig Schopp)

The Magnitude of the Soul (translation and introduction by John J. McMahon)

On Music (translation and introduction by Robert Catesby Taliaferro)

The Advantage of Believing (translation and introduction by Luanne Meagher)

On Faith in Things Unseen (translation and introduction by Roy J. Deferrari and Mary Francis McDonald)

In "The Immortality of the Soul", Augustine argues that the soul's knowledge of itself means that it is a substance, and that knowledge of eternal things (such as the truths of mathematics) means that it itself is eternal. This core argument is supplemented by additional reasons as to why the soul cannot be material or merely of a form of matter. The work is philosophical and not scriptural in character. It proceeds too quickly from its premises to its conclusions to be convincing; Augustine himself later characterized it as obscure, and that he had not meant for the draft as it was to be published. That said, the work is interesting.

"The Magnitude of the Soul" is written as a dialogue. The particular questions taken up are: "(1) What is the origin of the Soul? (2) What is its nature? (3) What is its magnitude? (4) What is the reason for its union with the body? (5) What is the effect of this union? (6) What is the effect of its separation from the body?" The very nature of the questions reflect Neo-Platonic concerns, and Augustine's answers tend to parallel those of Neo-Platonism as well (this does not at all mean that they were un-Christian - numerous points of compatibility exist between the two, as many noticed both then and now). As with "The Immortality of the Soul", Augustine undertakes to argue for the Christian view philosophically, without reliance on scriptural authority.

"On Music" is by far the longest of the works in this collection, taking up almost half of it. At the time Augustine wrote it, he was planning a series of treatises on the liberal arts, but this series was never finished. Even this is only part of Augustine's planned treatment on music (it covers rhythm, but not melody). Taliaferro, in his introduction, states "It is too easy to overlook the first five books and concentrate on the sixth" (Augustine himself differentiated the sixth from the preceding books - referring to the first five, perhaps rhetorically, as childish).

Having tried to read "On Music", I must concur with Taliaferro regarding the ease with which one can overlook the first five books. The discussion is highly technical, and while Taliaferro may be right that there is substantial value hidden within it, my background was too lacking, I think, in the musical and/or poetic terminology to enable me to feel that I was really following it. The technical character is only relieved in the sixth book, in which Augustine makes a Platonic argument in favor of the study of music - that it takes the student in the direction of mathematics and eternal things, and away from the world, and as such is a step forward in the development of the soul.

As a final point, "On Music", at least as translated, doesn't read well - it contains quite a few sentences that are hard to even scan, such as: "So this world, often called in Sacred Scriptures by the name of heaven and earth, is great by containing all things whose parts being all diminished in proportion it remains just as large." Whether the obscurity is Augustine's or Taliaferro's I don't know, but it is certainly uncharacteristic of the other translations of Augustine I've read.

"The Advantage of Believing" was written by Augustine as a letter explaining what he felt to be the errors of the Manichaeans, whom he had just left. It basically undertakes to explain what he found wanting in Manichaeaism and in what ways he found Catholicism more satisfying. Particular points concern selective Manichaean skepticism about the reliability of scripture, and the reasonableness of faith - that the Manichaean arguments against faith were as selective as their reading of scripture - that they wanted skepticism directed against others but not against themselves.

"On Faith in Things Unseen" is a short work, in the form of a rather extended sermon, which aims to justify Christian faith against those who would argue that one should only believe that which can be seen. Augustine first argues that this advice is impracticable on multiple levels - that we believe in many things we do not see, just as our own minds, the good will of their friends, the love of their parents, and so on. The counter-argument that we know those things by their signs is the launching point for Augustine's defense that we also know the truth of Christianity by its signs. In particular, Augustine focuses on fulfilled prophesy and the rapid spread of Christianity through the world.

This is a collection of four short works by Augustine. The translations are by John A. Mourant and William J. Collinge, except where noted. The preface and introductions are by William J. Collinge.

The table of contents is as follows:

Preface

Select Bibliography

Introduction to "On Nature and Grace"

Entry from "The Retractions" on "On Nature and Grace"

"On Nature and Grace"

Introduction to "On the Proceedings of Pelagius"

Entry from "The Retractions" on "On the Proceedings of Pelagius"

"On the Proceedings of Pelagius"

Introduction to "On the Predestination of the Saints" and "On the Gift of Perseverance"

Letters of Prosper and Hilary (translated by Wilfrid Parsons)

"On the Predestination of the Saints"

"On the Gift of Perseverance"

General Index

Index of Holy Scripture

The first work in this collection, "On Nature and Grace", was written in response to a book by Pelagius called "De Natura". It is a disputatious work, in which Augustine alternates between quotes from the book that he took issue with, and his own rebuttals to those quotes. The issues revolved around original sin, the Fall, and the meaning of grace. Pelagius advanced a position that grace was identical with human nature, which was had in the same degree by all men, and that Adam's sin had not fundamentally changed man's ability to live a sinless life through his own free will. Augustine's position was that the Fall had changed man, and that all men thereafter suffered a loss of grace, which left them unable to sin without a restoration of grace from God. I did not find this Augustine's best work on the subject. Augustine writes best when the structure of his writing is his own; when constrained, as he is here, by the structure of someone else's writing, he tends to be repetitive and cramped.

The second work, "On the Proceedings of Pelagius", was written in the wake of the synod of Diaspolis, which questioned Pelagius on questions concerning his orthodoxy and ruled that his beliefs did not contradict the faith of the Church. This decision vastly annoyed Augustine, who felt that the synod had not pressed Pelagius hard enough and had let him get away with giving half-answers to the questions it had posed him. In this work, Augustine undertook the politically delicate task of attacking the synod's ruling without attacking the synod's members. To this end, Augustine alternately explained the heresies behind Pelagius' half-answers and gave the synod excuses for having accepted them. The work's primary interest is in the careful delineation of exactly what about the Pelagian position was heretical. It is of less interest as a source for Augustine's own theology, which he explained better in his other works (I would recommend "Admonition and Grace" particularly).

The third and fourth works "On the Predestination of the Saints" and "On the Gift of Perseverance", are closely related. They were written not against Pelagius himself, nor any of his followers, but against a separate group that had objected to the strong positions that Augustine had adopted in the course of the Pelagian controversy. This group has since come to be known by the misleading label of the "semi-Pelagians". The particular point of disagreement was Augustine's views on predestination, which left grace as an entirely gratuitous gift of God, with no basis in human action. His opponents instead held that man's free will was the starting point for God's grace and that men could thereby choose to be saved of their own will. Augustine denied this on the basis of scripture, and addressed some practical objections they raised to the doctrine (in particular how asceticism and preaching could be carried on consistently with it). I found the works useful in understanding the basis for Augustine's theology, but I would not recommend that they be read in isolation. As with so many of Augustine's disputatious writings, they are focused on the points at hand and do not address the more subtle aspects of Augustine's theology and can lead to an over-simplified impression of it.

Insofar as the editorial materials are concerned, the introductions and summaries are quite useful, as are the plentiful notes.

This is the biography of Earl Rogers, the famous Los Angeles California lawyer from the turn of the last century. The author was a Hearst reporter and columnist for many decades, and Earl Rogers' daughter. It contains no pictures of the many people mentioned in the book, and no index. Yet it is worth reading for education as well as entertainment.

Earl Rogers was the real person who was the model for the fictional "Perry Mason". (ER also had a young lawyer on his staff named Paul Drake.)

Earl Rogers had a number of firsts: the introduction of ballistic evidence, the use of scale models, charts, and blackboards in the courtroom, etc. His advertised motto was: "Call us and keep your mouth shut", as true today as a century ago. He participated in many famous trials, and would win because of detailed study of the facts and testimony, and sometimes by finding overlooked witnesses and evidence. Unfortunately, his drinking limited and put an early end to his career (like some other trial lawyers).

The adventures of Fletcher and Zenobia are painted with the most vivid language imaginable, enough to challenge even the adult reader but simple to please even the youngest listener. The illustrations are fantastical, just enough to underscore the humor and irony. This book is the equivalent of those great Bugs Bunny operatic cartoons, entertaining to both child and adult.

A brilliant presentation to complete the series on the history of the U.S. Constitution. First, in the style of day-to-day newspaper reporting, "A Constitutional Journal" described the writing of this wonderful document; then, "A Child of Fortune" presented the drama of the ratification by the States (again in a "present-tense" style, from the perspective of not quite knowing how things might turn out). Now, the Bill of Rights and first elections are covered in "Forge of Union, Anvil of Liberty". All three books are well-written, historically-accurate, and entertaining. Do a bit of "home-schooling" with your high school-aged children with this most essential part of U.S. history. Short of visiting Liberty Hall and Washington, D.C., these books make history come to life better than any I've read (and I've read quite a few).

One of many TAN Titles hailed by Mother Angelica. These fascinating dreams involve prophecy and reading of hearts, with powerful spiritual message. Includes: To Hell and Back, Two Boys Attacked by a Monster, The Snake and the Rosary, and many more. These dreams led to many conversions and will instruct, admonish and inspire today.

"From Doctor to Healer" should be required reading for every medical student and physician. It is a classic text that clearly and concisely defines the paradigm shift that is occurring in medicine. The authors describe the characteristics of the old paradigm - "technomedicine" - and those who practice it; the bridging "humanistic" medicine with its distinguishing features; and the new paradigm of "holistic" medicine with its defining attributes. In the process of their superb illumination of the ways in which these types of medical practice differ, the authors use heart-rending and evocative interviews and comments from physicians who are stuck within the old paradigm, those who are making the shift, and those who have been through the transformation and have survived in their profession. The book is invaluable for physicians who are feeling isolated and confused about the imbalances they feel in their professional lives. The stories of other physicians who have had the same feelings and experiences, suffered the same wounds, felt completely alone in their anguish and longing for a different way to practice, will comfort and encourage readers to continue on their own paths to transformation within their profession. Patients who are seeking to understand their physicians, or looking to find a physician who is ready to be a partner in their healing process will be greatly assisted in their search by the information and insights in this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who has any contact with the medical profession.