Local Theology Faculty - Books Released in 2009

What Every Catholic Needs to Know About the Eucharist: A Guide for the Liturgical Assembly
by Michael Kwatera OSB, Resource Publications, January 2009, $9.95

This book gives the historical background of the eucharistic celebration. It locates Eucharist in the context of the rest of the Mass, emphasizing the importance and role of the assembly. It fosters understanding of and appreciation for the celebration and sacrament. The individual will find it inspirational. Parish leaders can use it as the basis for a day of reflection on Eucharist.

Approaching God: The Way of Abraham Joshua Heschel
by John C. Merkle, Liturgical Press, June 2009, $19.95

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907–72) is widely regarded as one of the most creative religious thinkers of the twentieth century, and John Merkle is well known as a leading guide to Heschel's thought. In accessible and engaging language, Merkle's Approaching God: The Way of Abraham Joshua Heschel introduces readers to Heschel's life and works in the service of God and to the very heart of his theological perspective. This book clearly explains Heschel’s reasons for affirming the reality and revelation of God, what he recommends as ways of responding to God, and why he thinks it is important to accept religious diversity as the will of God. Deeply rooted in tradition, Heschel’s message was, in its day, both timely and ahead of its time. This book shows just how relevant his message is for those seeking God—and an enlightened perspective on God—in the twenty-first century.

Technology and Religion: Remaining Human in a Co-created World
by Noreen Herzfeld, Templeton Press, May 2009, $17.95

Technology is changing all the time, but does it also have the ability to change us and the way we approach religion and spirituality? In Technology and Religion: Remaining Human in a Co-created World, Noreen Herzfeld examines this and other provocative questions as she provides an accessible and fascinating overview of the relationship between religion and the ever-broadening world of technology. Readers will find nuanced examinations of the moral and ethical issues surrounding new technologies from the perspectives of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Building Bridges, Doing Justice: Constructing a Latino/a Ecumenical Theology
edited by Orlando Espin, with a contribution by Miguel Diaz, Orbis Books, April 2009, $28.00

These essays by leading Latino/a theologians, both Protestant and Catholic, mark an exciting new stage in the development of Latino/a theological identity, while also making an important contribution to the wider cause of ecumenical dialogue. Among the themes discussed: God, the Holy Spirit, Mary, the Bible and Tradition, Grace and Justification, and Ecclesiology.

One Heart, One Soul: Many Communities
edited by Mary Forman, OSB, Liturgical Press, June 2009, $24.95

The School of Theology•Seminary of Saint John's University sponsors an annual Monastic Institute to provide continuing education and spiritual enrichment for American monastics and all those interested in monastic spirituality and practice. One Heart, One Soul revisits the 2006 institute and its focus on the future with such important questions as:

• How do the origins, history, and present state of Benedictine monasticism point to the viability of its future?
• How can the new intentional communities contribute to the revitalization of Benedictine monasticism today?
• In what ways do the Benedictine Rule and its array of communal arrangements and the perspectives of these members and oblates inspire and provide the scaffolding for new communities of life and hope in our modern world?