Collations On The Seven Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

This is the first English translation of St. Bonaventure's Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sanctus to appear in print. The Collationes were the next-to-last of the Seraphic Doctor's major writings, dating to 1268. This translation is similarly a crowning achievement for Fr. Zachary Hayes, a pre-eminent commentator on Bonaventure's thought for the last four decades. Scholars of medieval theology and of Bonaventure in particular will find a treasure trove here, thanks to the flowing translation of Fr. Hayes. Ample footnotes citing ancient philosophers, biblical texts, ancient Christian writers and contemporary scholars provide a rich resource for further study. Those interested in the contemporary question of how faith relates to reason will especially welcome the final two conferences - or, collations, on understanding and wisdom, in which Bonaventure wrestles with that same issue in the framework of this thought and times. Gil Ostdiek, O.F.M., Catholic Theological Union.

Western theology is frequently criticized for not having a fully developed pneumatology. According to these critics, preoccupation with Christology and an excessive focus on the nature and unity of God have come at the expense of a full theology of the three persons. While admitting that there is some truth to these criticisms, Elizabeth Dreyer maintains that those who level them base their conclusions on a narrow range of texts and thus fail to establish a true neglect of the Holy Spirit. Medieval authors offer a wealth of creative language and insight that speaks to the role of the Holy Spirit in contemporary spirituality and contributes to a renewed pneumatology for the twenty-first century. Book jacket.

Many of us fail to recognize that obtaining the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to getting to heaven. We often block their reception through our own faults. We fail to see how they are passed on or strengthened in the sacraments. And, sadly, we forget to petition God in prayer to bestow these gifts upon us. In these pages, Dr. Kevin Vost — best-selling author of The One-Minute Aquinas — provides us with a substantive yet readable introduction to the seven gifts and how we can humbly submit our wills to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. As Dr. Vost explains, these God-given gifts help us to conform our lives to His image, intellect and will. They prevent us from being drawn into frustration – and possibly self-destruction – by following our own sensual appetites. Indeed, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are the only path to being fully happy on earth and in the life to come. With St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure as his guides, Dr. Vost introduces you to the special charism of the Holy Spirit before explaining each gift one by one. You’ll discover the special meaning behind each of the natural and theological virtues, and you’ll learn the indispensible link between the seven gifts and the Beatitudes. You’ll also learn: How the seven gifts differ from the fruits of the Holy Spirit.The three ways to perfect fear of the Lord.The one sacrament that helps you fortify fortitude – it’s not the one you think.How the gift of knowledge differs from the gift of understanding.The seven steps to unwrapping – and sharing – each of the Holy Spirit’s gifts.The greatest of the seven gifts – and why you must possess it to attain heaven.Are the seven gifts habits we must develop, or does the Holy Spirit instill the habits in us? Don’t let another year go by without unwrapping and enjoying the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Read this book, and then accept the seven gifts the Holy Spirit so desperately wants to give you.

By focusing attention on the importance of preaching, this book should spur a fundamental reconsideration of 'scholastic' culture and education.

Bonaventure was a great pastor and preacher, and also a very effective teacher. His writing shows clarity and conviction, and his authority arose from his profound grasp of Scripture and patristic monastic tradition. The force behind how he wrote sprang from his keen sense of the significance of Francis and Clare and all that flowed from them, not least into his own spiritual life and experience as a person of deep contemplative and mystical prayer. Way Back to God is a comprehensive conspectus and study of how Bonaventure taught Christian theology and applied it to spiritual life. It is intended to be a guide through most of his writings (though not as a substitute for reading them). It provides a bridge into his thought, and also a remarkable hand-book of Christian theology in its bearing upon spiritual life. Douglas Dales' new work enables Bonaventure's distinctive spiritual theology to be seen as a whole, as well as making his writings, in Latin or English, accessible and attractive.

Laudato Si’ insists on a revolutionary human response to the public challenges of our time concerning the ecological crisis. The volume takes up the revolutionary spirit of Pope Francis and speaks to the economic, technological, political, educational, and religious changes needed to overcome the fragile relationships between humans and Earth. This volume identifies various systemic factors that have produced the anthropogenic ecological crisis that threatens the planet and uses the ethical vision of Laudato Si’ to promote practical responses that foster fundamental changes in humanity’s relationships with Earth and each other. The essays address not only the immediate behavioral changes needed in individual human lives, but also the deeper, societal changes required if human communities are to live sustainable lives within Earth’s integral ecology. Thus, this volume intentionally focuses on a plurality of cultural contexts and proposes solutions to problems encountered in a variety of global contexts. Accordingly, the contributors to this volume are scholars from a breadth of interdisciplinary and cultural backgrounds, each exploring an ethical theme from the encyclical and proposing systemic changes to address deeply entrenched injustices. Collectively, their essays examine the social, political, economic, gender, scientific, technological, educational, and spiritual challenges of our time as these relate to the ecological crisis.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Weve all heard the familiar description. But what does it really mean? And what difference does it make?

In Living the Beatitudes, you are invited to drink from the fountain of holiness and re-discover the mystery of Grace and the peace of living life in the Spirit. The beatitudes are a path that is right in front of us if only we would move from our fears and allow the spirit to guide us. Best-selling author J. Brian Bransfield helps you re-invigorate your spirituality by offering a life-giving practice and understanding of the Catholic faith.