Celibate Love

2020 Association of Catholic Publishers second place award in general interest In this volume, Br. John Mark Falkenhain, OSB, a Benedictine monk and clinical psychologist, provides a well-researched and thorough program for celibacy formation for men and women, adaptable to both religious and seminary settings. Attending to the theological and the psycho-sexual dimensions of what it means to pursue a life of chaste celibacy, Br. John Mark identifies and expands on four major content areas, including motives for chaste celibacy, theological aspects of celibate chastity, sexual identity, and skills for celibate living. Formation goals and benchmarks for discernment are discussed for each content area, and implications and suggestions for ongoing formation are offered.

Christianity Today Book Award Winner Friendship is a relationship like no other. Unlike the relationships we are born into, we choose our friends. It is also tenuous--we can end a friendship at any time. But should friendship be so free and unconstrained? Although our culture tends to pay more attention to romantic love, marriage, family, and other forms of community, friendship is a genuine love in its own right. This eloquent book reminds us that Scripture and tradition have a high view of friendship. Single Christians, particularly those who are gay and celibate, may find it is a form of love to which they are especially called. Writing with deep empathy and with fidelity to historic Christian teaching, Wesley Hill retrieves a rich understanding of friendship as a spiritual vocation and explains how the church can foster friendship as a basic component of Christian discipleship. He helps us reimagine friendship as a robust form of love that is worthy of honor and attention in communities of faith. This book sets forth a positive calling for celibate gay Christians and suggests practical ways for all Christians to cultivate stronger friendships.

Living Celibacy presents five pathways toward promoting the psychosexual health of Catholic priests: (1) Live close to God and one's deepest desires; (2) Develop broad and deep interpersonal relationships and communities of support; (3) Ask for love, nurture others, and negotiate separation; (4) Cope with stress and recognize destructive patterns of behavior; (5) Celebrate the holy. The pathways are not a theology of celibacy, nor do they explain why one chooses a celibate lifestyle. Rather they describe how chastity is experienced and enacted, what some of the opportunities and struggles might be, and how the experience of celibacy can enrich priestly life and ministry. Sensible, thoughtful, sane, informed by real-life examples, and well-grounded in both Catholic spirituality and contemporary psychology, Living Celibacy will prove a valuable resource to all priests who seek to be loving, celibate men. Too often books on this important aspect of priestly life neglect the psychological dimensions of the celibacy, view it only from a "sacrificial" point of view, or rely on an overly abstract theology. But as a longtime priest and professional psychologist, Sonny Manuel brings a perspective on the celibate life that offers insights both spiritual and practical. This is an ideal book for anyone frorn-4 first-year seminarian to an experienced priest. Book jacket.

Richard Baxter (1615–1691) was arguably the greatest English Puritan of the seventeenth century. He is well known for his ministerial manual "The Reformed Pastor", in which he expressed the unusual conviction that parish ministers were better off unmarried. And yet, Baxter seemed to contradict himself by marrying one of his parishioners, Margaret Charlton. Though Baxter claimed to be happily married, he continued to champion celibacy for the rest of his life. This book explores Baxter's argument for clerical celibacy by placing it in the context of his life and the turbulent events of seventeenth-century England. His viewpoint was shaped by several factors, including the Puritan literature he read, the context of his parish ministry, his burdensome model of soul care, and the formative life experiences shaping his theology and perspective. These factors not only explain why Baxter became the only Puritan to champion clerical celibacy but also why he continued to do so even after marrying.

Though we often hear about the "gay problem" today, there is an even deeper problem in the church today--one that we often overlook. The call to follow Christ is a call to costly obedience for all, not just for gay Christians. Far too often, the church has elevated homosexuality above other sins and required a costly obedience from gays that it is unwilling to demand of others. And yet, the answer is not to weaken the demands of obedience. Instead, gay Christians who make the difficult choice to align their lives with the biblical view of sexuality are a gift to the church, reminding all of us that spiritual growth and maturity is costly. There is a price to pay in following Christ and devoting our lives to the call of the gospel, and it is one that we all must pay--gay and straight Christians alike. Through the stories and struggles of gay Christians who are reorienting their lives around the costly obedience required to follow Christ, Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets call the church to reorient as well, leaving behind the casual morality that is widespread today to pursue the path of radical discipleship. Unlike any other book on homosexuality and the church, this is a call to examine your life and consider what God is asking you to lay down to take up your cross and follow him.

Are You Ready To Receive The Love You Truly Deserve? You are a great woman, and it's time to get the love and relationship GOD has had waiting for you all along. “GOD Where’s My Boaz” is a woman’s guide to understanding what is hindering her from receiving the love and relationship she truly deserves. A straight forward and easy to read book that will help you: • Recognize and overcome the obstacles in love & relationships • Take steps towards truly becoming the blessing you hope to receive • Feel empowered, encouraged, and focused on progress These aren’t tips and tricks on how to get a man. This book will assist you in taking a deeper look within which will help you prepare and position yourself for the love and man that is truly best for you.