Folder for Books Series

Folder for Books Series

Boston College's Church in the 21st Century Center has published an award-winning book series, drawn from the conferences and symposia the Center has held on campus. Assembled from papers delivered primarily by academics, the books are written to inform and inspire the community of Catholic faithful. Topics range from Church managerial issues and sexuality to hope and ministry for the church.

Just Released

Poverty: Responding Like Jesus

Edited by Kenneth R. Himes, OFM and Conor M. Kelly

The poor will always be with you, Jesus said – but that doesn’t mean Christians have ever figured out how to be with the poor.
Pope Francis has emphasized a vision of a “Church that is poor and for the poor.” But growing economic inequality continues to spread across the globe. This book takes a fresh look at the role of churches, and individual Christians, in relating to poverty and the poor among them. A strong focus is placed on the biblical and theological roots of the Church’s commitment to care for the poor. At times praised as a virtue and blessed as a condition, poverty easily confuses us, and we are often left doing little to nothing to make a difference with and for the poor. As a social evil and a burden, poverty has elicited many kinds of reactions among the followers of Christ. It is time for Christians to figure out what to do about it.

Contributors include Pope Francis, Pheme Perkins, Sandra M. Schneider, and Thomas Massaro SJ.

Catholic Sacraments: A Rich Source of Blessings

Edited by John F. Baldovin and David Farina Turnbloom

Using passages of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the official rubrics of sacramental rites as the basis for their writing, the contributors to this collection of texts highlight the connection between theology, prayer, and ritual. The book is divided into four main parts. The first part, entitled "Why the Sacraments?," treats the sacraments in general, focusing on the central role they play in the Catholic faith. The remaining parts treat the Sacraments of Initiation (Part 2), the Sacraments of Healing (Part 3), and the Sacraments of Vocation (Part 4). The treatment of each sacrament begins with selected passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that offer succinct descriptions of the sacrament and its role in the life of the Church. Second, there is an excerpt from the prayers used in the celebration of that sacrament followed by responses by theologians with expertise in the history and theology of that sacrament.

Encountering Jesus in the Scriptures

Edited by Daniel Harrington, S.J. and Christopher R. Matthews

This book seeks to make accessible some of the best modern scholarship on encountering Jesus in the Scriptures. These essays explain not only who Jesus was in the first century but also what he might mean in the twenty-first century.

New Voices in Catholic Theology

Edited by Anna Bonta Moreland and Joseph Curran

This book serves as both an introduction to much of the best original work being done in theology today, and a reminder of the legacy a great scholar can leave.

Catholic Spiritual Practices: A Treasury of Old and New

Edited by Thomas H. Groome and Colleen M. Griffith

This special treasury of spiritual practices, traditional and contemporary, can enable people to sustain and grow in their faith.

Love One Another: Catholic Reflections on How to Sustain Marriages Today

Edited by Tim Muldoon and Cynthia Dobrzynski

Two Centuries of Faith:The Influence of Catholicism on Boston:1808-2008

Edited by Thomas H. O'Connor

Prophetic Witness: Catholic Women's Strategies for Reform

Edited by Colleen Griffith

Church Ethics and Its Organizational Context

Edited by Jean M. Bartunek, Mary Ann Hinsdale, and James F. Keenan, S.J.

Handing on the Faith: The Church's Mission and Challenge