Tuesday, 12 December 2006

Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics by: Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli

Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics
Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli
IVP Intervarsity Press
ISBN 0830827021

This is an abridged version of Handbook for Christian Apologetics written by the same authors. This 'scaled down' version is a great little reference book, and is easily digestible, and hopefully it will draw you in enough to read the larger more complete work. This book is also one in a series, either sold separately or in a boxed set, that includes the following titles: Pocket Dictionary of North American Denominations, Pocket Dictionary for the Biblical Study of Hebrew, Pocket History of Theology, Pocket Dictionary of New Religious Movements.

This volume has 15 short, concise chapters written to answer the following questions:

1. Apologetics
2. Faith & Reason
3. Arguments for the Existence of God
4. The Nature of God
5. Creation and Evolution
6. Miracles
7. The Problem of Evil
8. The Divinity of Christ
9. The Resurrection
10. The Bible: Myth or History?
11. Life After Death
12. Heaven and Hell
13. Salvation
14. Christianity and Other Religions
15. Objective Truth

And it has a concluding page called 'The Bottom Line'. Each of these chapters is full of information to help you know your faith deeper if you are a Christian, or to help you understand the claims of Christianity if you are not.

This is a great resource, either for writing essays, for research, or for personal growth. It will give you all the basics of the Christian faith in one compact little book. Check it out. Like all of Kreeft's other works I have reviewed, I would have to highly recommend this book.


Book by Peter Kreeft:
C. S. Lewis: A Critical Essay (1969)
Love Is Stronger Than Death. 1979.
Heaven: The Heart’s Deepest Longing (1980)
Yes or No? — Straight Answers to Tough Questions about Christianity (1984)
Making Sense Out of Suffering (1986)
Fundamentals of the Faith, Essays in Christian Apologetics (1988)
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Heaven... But Never Dreamed of Asking (1990)
Making Choices: Practical Wisdom for Everyday Moral Decisions (1990)
You can understand the Old Testament : a book-by-book guide for Catholics (1990)
Summa of the Summa (1990) 
Three Philosophies of Life (1990) 
Prayer: The Great Conversation (1991)
Back to Virtue (1992) 
Shorter Summa (1993) 
Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal's Pensees (1993)
Your Questions, God's Answers (1994) 
Handbook of Christian Apologetics (with Ronald K. Tacelli) (1994)
C. S. Lewis for the Third Millennium (1994) 
Shadow-Lands of C.S. Lewis: The Man Behind the Movie (1994)
The Angel and the Ants: Bringing Heaven Closer to Your Daily Life (1994)
Talking to Your Children About Being Catholic (1995) — A treasure trove of ideas
Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really Know About Them? (1995)
Ecumenical Jihad: Ecumenism and the Culture Wars (1996)
The Snakebite Letters Devious Secrets for Subverting Society (1998)
Refutation of Moral Relativism (1999)
Prayer for Beginners (2000)
Socrates Meets Jesus (1987/2002) 
How to Win the Culture War: A Christian Battle Plan for a Society in Crisis (2002)
Celebrating Middle Earth: Lord of the Rings (2002) 
Three Approaches to Abortion: a thoughtful and compassionate guide to today's most controversial issue (2002)
Philosophy 101 by Socrates (2002) 
Socrates Meets Machiavelli (2003) 
Socrates Meets Marx (2003) 
The God Who Loves You (2004)
Socratic Logic (2005) 
You Can Understand the Bible (2005) 
Socrates Meets Sartre: Father Of Philosophy Meets The Founder of Existentialism (2005) 
The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind "The Lord of the Rings" (2005)
Socrates Meets Descartes (2007) 
The Philosophy of Jesus (2007) 
Before I Go (2007) 
I Surf Therefore I Am (2008)
Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer (2008)
Jesus-Shock (2008)
Socrates Meets Kant (2009) 
If Einstein Had Been a Surfer (2009) 
Between Allah & Jesus: what Christians Can Learn from Muslims (2010)
Socrates Meets Hume (2010) 
An Ocean Full of Angels (2011)
Summa Philosophica (2012) 
Jacob's Ladder (2013) 
Charisms: Visions, Tongues, Healing, etc. (feat. Dave Nevins) (2013) 
Socrates Meets Kierkegaard (2014) 
52 Big Ideas (2020) 
Practical Theology (2014) 
Letters to an Atheist (2014) 
Philosophy 101 by Socrates: An Introduction to Philosophy Via Plato's Apology : (Forty Things Philosophy is According to History's First and Wisest Philosopher (2014)
I Burned for Your Peace: Augustine's Confessions Unpacked (2016)  
How to Be Holy (2016) 
Catholics and Protestants (2017) 
Between One Faith and Another (2017) 
Forty Reasons I am a Catholic (2018)
The Platonic Tradition (2018) 
Socrates' Children, 4 vols. (2019) 
How To Destroy Western Civilization And Other Ideas From The Cultural Abyss (2021)
The Greatest Philosopher Who Ever Lived (2021)
Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings 3 vols. (2023)
What Would Socrates Say? (2024) 
 
Articles That Mention Kreeft:
Opus Dei
Opus Dei Part II
Catholic Catechism Dialogue blog
4 Resources

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Sunday, 10 December 2006

Rocky Balboa Movie

ROCKY BALBOA MOVIE OVERVIEW
Rocky Balboa opens in theatres nationwide on December 22, 2006

Rocky Balboa is an inspirational story that depicts a man who honorably answers the call in his life. With the odds stacked against him Rocky finds something left to give.

The greatest underdog story of our time is back for one final round of the Academy Award-winning Rocky franchise, former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa steps out of retirement and back into the ring, pitting himself against a new rival in a dramatically different era.

After a virtual boxing match declares Rocky Balboa the victor over current champion Mason "The Line" Dixon, the legendary fighter's passion and spirit are reignited. But when his desire to fight in small, regional competitions is trumped by promoters calling for a rematch of the cyber-fight, Balboa must weigh the mental and physical risks of a high profile exhibition match against his need to be in the ring.

Rocky Balboa motivates us to face our own challenges with perseverance, community support, and prayer. The story presents a dynamic opportunity for insightful discussions about where we find our courage, how we overcome losses and remain faithful, and what we define as victory.

Rocky Balboa (rated PG) stars Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, MiloVentimiglia, Tony Burton, James Francis Kelly III, Antonio Tarver and Geraldine Hughes.

FREE MATERIALS for the upcoming release of Rocky Balboa in theatres December 22 at www.RockyResources.com there are a some great resources for using this movie for a group discussion or small group event.


Some quotes from Sly from the movie and from his book:

"What is it you said to the kid? The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very rough, mean place... and no matter how tough you think you are, it'll always bring you to your knees and keep you there, permanently... if you let it. You or nobody ain't never gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit... it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward... how much you can take, and keep moving forward. If you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit."
- Rocky in Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) from the Trailer

"Locked inside each of us is the person we want to be. Others might not recognize it yet, but I'm telling you, it's in there. The passion shouldn't die before we do. Even against rediculous odds, what propels you forward and seperates you from the rest? P.R.I.D.E., which stands for perseverance, Responsibility, integrity, determination, and excitement. If you have these five elements in your life, you can accomplish almost anything."
Sylvester Stallone - Sly Moves p. 201

"Sly's Top Ten Tips for Life
10. Believe it! Truly, it can be done and it will.
9. Every day - every few hours - see your vision materializing.
8. Don't discuss your dreams. Pursue Them!
7. If other people can steal your ideal, most likely they will. (not so fond of this one)
6. Don't be afraid of embarrassment while pursuing your goal. It's all part of being committed.
5. Being naive is business and in understanding human nature is a recipe for disaster.
4. Study people's success stories hard. Study their failures even harder.
3. Enthusiasm is like a wonderful disease -keep spreading it until everyone's infected.
2. Only choose a goal that - if you had to - you'd gladly pursue for free.
In order to achieve success, you've got to follow your passion.
1. Most Important: If it's not broken, break it. That's how new discoveries are made.
That's why everything that changes life is called a breakthrough."
Sylvester Stallone - Sly Moves p.186

(I reviewed Sly Moves arlier this year, you can read the review here!)
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Wednesday, 6 December 2006

A Grief Observed by: C.S. Lewis

A Grief Observed
C.S. Lewis
Various Editions
ISBN Numerous

This is another amazing book by Lewis, and another that I have read multiple times. I have had to read it for at least three university courses over the last 18 years. This book is unlike anything else that Lewis ever wrote. It is raw, visceral and at times disturbing, unlike most of his other work that is very precise, specific, well argued and clearly laid out.

Recently I heard this story: 'Douglas Gresham, C.S. Lewis's stepson recently released a book about Lewis called Jack's Life. It includes a DVD interview, where Gresham states that Lewis did not intend to publish A Grief Observed; it was a personal notebook. When it was published it was under the pseudonym NW Clark and by a publisher Lewis had never published with. Gresham also said that Lewis received numerous copies of the book as gifts from friends who thought it would help.' That speaks to the power in Lewis's writing; even his friends thought the book would be helpful for him as he journeyed through his grief.

Lewis states in his book The Four Loves: "We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him, throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it." That view is drastically changed when he writes Grief. In A Grief Observed we have a very different approach. Lewis presents a very visceral response to the loss of his wife. An example of this is that Lewis states at the beginning of the book: "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing." This book shows us more of Lewis's own heart and life than almost anything else he wrote.

It is a great book for those dealing with loss - either for yourself or for someone you know and love. It is often used in grief counseling, and one of the courses I read it for was on the spirituality of death and dying. This book is a gem in the cannon of Lewis literature. It will not disappoint.



Other Reviews of Lewis's Books.
A Grief Observed
The Four Loves
...


...
The Dark Tower and Other Stories
...

Narnia Publication Order:
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
The Last Battle
...

Narnia Chronological Order:
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
...

Books about C.S. Lewis:
Planet's In Peril: A critical Study of C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy - David C. Downing
The Man Who Created Narnia - Michael Coren
...
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Monday, 4 December 2006

The Prodigal Son by: Georges Chevrot

The Prodigal Son
Georges Chevrot
Translated by Helena Scott
Scepter
ISBN 0906138485
ISBN 9781373015556
ASIN B0069AUJ60
 

This is another great little booklet from Scepter Press It is a real eye- opener. Chevrot approaches the parable of the prodigal son like no other author I have encountered. He helps us to see ourselves in each of the roles in this parable and helps us to see the significance of the real conversion in the repentant son's life.

The Chapters are:

1. The Younger Son
2. The Elder Son
3. Self-Reflection
4. Realization and Conversion
5. The Father
6. A Change of Heart

Considering this book has fewer than 60 pages, it has more content than many ten times that size. This book almost demands that you put it down and meditate on what you have read, or to take time to reflect before moving on, or even to pray about what you have read and the impact that that can have on your life.

Chevrot states: "And it is no exaggeration to say that our whole Christian life is one continual conversion.
Conversion is, not as some people imagine, a precondition for beginning a Christian Life, a sort of antechamber through which one must pass to be admitted to the kingdom. It is the permanent state of the Christian Life. And this radical transformation, which is aimed at making us into God's children, is never complete." p.49-50 (at least here on earth).

This booklet will open your eyes, and help you to open your heart to God's grace and love. For as Chevrot says: "The prodigal never thought how happy he was going to make his father. And we too forget that God is happy when he sees us coming towards him. It's unbelievable, I grant you. We could never have known this truth if the Son of God had not come down from Heaven to tell us so." p.55-56 This book will help you grow in experiencing this truth.

Books by Georges Chevrot available in English:
On the Third Day
The Easter Impact
Simon Peter
The Eight Beatitudes
Our Days Are Numbered: Getting Ready for Eternity
…




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Sunday, 3 December 2006

Procrastination & Unproductiveness


I seem to be very unproductive lately, at least when it comes to school work. I got up this morning with 100 pages of schoolwork left to read for the term. Now 8 hours later I still have 80 pages to read.

Abby, is out at the grandparents for the day so I can get some work done. My wife is working, and I ain't accomplishing much.

First I split a lb of bacon with our housemate and some pancakes for breakfast. Then 2 quad grande americano's and still not much focus or drive.

This work needs to get done I have an online exam I have to take by Friday.

Even last night I watch the Habs beat the leafs and wrote 3 book reviews but got no school work done, once the hockey was one.

Where oh where has all my discipline gone. My work place maybe too many distractions, and even a couch for naps. Maybe I need a more austere work place.

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Saturday, 2 December 2006

Saints on Sale on ebay

(I grabbed this off of another blog. Well worth the read.)

Bones of contention: Religious crusader battles auction giant

By Brian Murphy, Associated Press

Hardly an hour goes by without Thomas Serafin or one of his cyber-sleuths checking what eBay has to offer.

They're not hunting for bargains and never place a bid. Their interest is bone shards, bits of wizened flesh and a contemporary twist on the sacred and the profane: How the ancient trade in the most coveted religious relics has moved into the global flea market of online bidding.

"You can find bone fragments supposedly from St. Augustine being hawked on the Internet along with trinkets and antiques. There is something very wrong here," said Serafin, a professional photographer and Catholic activist based in Los Angeles, who has led an expanding campaign since the late 1990s to block the online sale of objects purported to contain the remains of Christian saints.

Last month, Serafin's group, the International Crusade for Holy Relics, opened a new front that's truly worthy of a David and Goliath metaphor: a call to boycott eBay.

It seeks to pressure the world's largest online auction site to close alleged loopholes used to bypass its ban on allowing bids for human remains.

Hani Durzy, spokesman for eBay, said the San Jose, Calif.-based company is "very willing to reopen talks" with Serafin's group about its concerns after discussions broke off about a year ago.

"As far as the boycott, well, we've really seen no impact to speak of," said Durzy. "We don't know if it's even still in place."

But Serafin said the symbolism is what's important.

"Yes, it's just a blip on the screen," he said. "But we want to make a point. They are taking the same position as Judas. They are selling out the church."

Interest in religious patrimony of all types - from icons to stained glass - has soared in recent years, along with the blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code, the Christian-themed Left Behind series and major museum exhibits devoted to art and spirituality. At the same time, a flood of ecclesiastical items has entered mainstream antiquarian markets from once-flourishing churches that were closed because of shrinking congregations or population shifts away from older city neighborhoods.

But the sale of so-called "first-class relics" - bone, flesh, hair, nails and fragments of other body parts - remains a murky subculture, one that's increasingly shifting from the back rooms of dealers' shops to the Web's worldwide mall.

Dozens of religious items are on eBay at any time. Most are ordinary objects such as icons, medals or prayer cards. But Serafin believes the strongest interest is for the first-class relics, which he says has accounted for up to 40% of the eBay relic listings at times.

"This is where the real action is," he said. "This is where our fight is."

Serafin describes his motivation as part consciousness raiser and part consumer crusader.

He calls the sale of such relics deeply offensive to believers in their sanctity.

Then there is the caveat emptor - or "let the buyer beware" - factor. Clear documentation on a first-class relic is extremely rare and fraud is as old as faith - as noted more than 600 years ago in a scene from The Canterbury Tales in which pigs' bones and a pillow case are part of a cache of dubious religious relics brought from Rome.

Some recent offerings on eBay include "the air" that Christ breathed, the wing of the Holy Spirit and "the hand" of St. Stephen.

Serafin also says the rules - both canon and eBay's - are on his side.

Most churches with centuries-old traditions in the display and veneration of relics, including the Roman Catholic and Orthodox, prohibit the sale of any objects believed to hold body parts.

The extensive list of eBay's banned items include Nazi paraphernalia, firearms and ammunition and "human parts and remains."

Durzy said eBay has more than 2,000 people assigned to cull prohibited items, but noted that blanket enforcement is a challenge with up to 7 million new items going up for bid every day.

Sellers don't make it any easier.

Many now make a point of saying that the reliquary, or container, is for sale and the actual relic is a "gift." There are even conflicting linguistic signals. On Monday, a seller posted a relic of St. Eymard, a 19th century French priest, that was described as "ex ossibus," Latin for "from the bones." But the fuller text says the relic "does not contain any human parts."

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach the seller - and several other relic dealers on eBay - via e-mail contact information were unsuccessful.

"We just want the same rules that apply to guns, Nazi items or the bones of American Indians," said Serafin, whose group is a loose association of about 200 members around the world ranging from a Russian Orthodox archbishop to Catholic priests and lay people.

Across the time zones, they try to keep a round-the-clock vigil on eBay for any suspicious relics. They fire off e-mails to eBay and the seller - who is often known only by an online nickname and e-mail address - asking for the item to be withdrawn.

But it's a cumbersome process.

In late October, Serafin's group protested what they considered an "ex ossibus" relic of the 19th century St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. The sale went ahead, starting at $25. Twenty-seven bids later, an anonymous buyer picked it up for $565, plus $12 shipping.

(Image above: Tom Serafin displays a replica of a nail claimed to be used in the crucifixion of Christ.)

By Brian Murphy, Associated Press
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Friday, 1 December 2006

Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt
FS&G
ISBN 0374480095

This is an amazing book, even if the film a few years back failed to capture the magic of the story. This book is often used in Children's Literature courses, and is also used in grief counseling for children. It has much to offer on many different levels.

The Tucks have a secret, and their secret can either be seen as a blessing or a curse. The Tucks drank from a magic spring and now they cannot die. Young Winnie Foster finds out their secret and so the Tucks take her home to try and explain the secret and the importance of keeping it. Yet now the town is in an uproar looking for the Tucks, and the family needs Winnie's help.

The writing is excellent, and the story will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a book for yourself or to read to children in your life, this is an excellent pick. Well written, with impeccable prose, you will not be disappointed.

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