Orthodox Perspectives On Baptism Eucharist And Ministry

"A study commissioned by the Catholic Theological Society of America.""Co-published by arrangement with The Catholic Theological Society of America"--T.p. verso. Bibliography: p. 187-190.

Essays combining biblical study, theological reflection, and historical and contemporary analysis in developing an eucharistic understanding of the identity of the Church. The author is professor of New Testament at the University of Thessaloniki (North American rights). Joint publication with the World Council of Churches.

The Orthodox Church is one of the three major branches of Christianity. There are over 300 million adherents throughout the world. The Orthodox Church is a fellowship of independent churches, which split form the Roman Church over the question of papal supremacy in 1054. The Orthodox adherents include people in: Greece, Georgia, Russia, and Serbia. There are an estimated one million members in the United States. This Advanced book explains the basic principles of Orthodox Christianity and describes in detail the holidays observed by the Orthodox Church. In addition, relevant book literature is presented in bibliographic form with easy access provided by title, subject and author indexes.

The celebration of the liturgy is central to the life of faith and also for the self-understanding of the various churches in the East and West. An amazing convergence of Christian denominations has taken place in the area of liturgy and liturgical studies since the Second Vatican Council, entering also into the practice of liturgical celebration. In this collection - with contributions from a symposium held in Vienna in November 2007 - internationally recognized scholars from various Christian denominations present the ecumenical contributions and the Jewish roots of the Christian liturgy. [PLEASE NOTE: The individual essays in this volume are written in various languages. The book contains ten essays in English, eight in German, and two in French.] (Series: Austrian Studies of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology / Osterreichische Studien zur Liturgiewissenschaft und Sakramententheologie - Vol. 6)

This volume of ecumenical documents, key texts, and critical essays is the first collection of its kind exclusively dedicated to Pentecostalism and its contributions to Christian unity. In the first part, a cadre of internationally renowned scholars addresses the ecumenical heritage and perspectives of the Pentecostal movement since the early twentieth century. Part 2 offers a collection of final reports from international dialogues with Pentecostal participation. The final part contains programmatic essays in response to The Nature and Mission of the Church, a major study on the doctrine of the church published by the World Council of Churches. Most of these essays were first presented by the ecumenical-studies group of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, currently the only organized ecumenical think tank among Pentecostals in North America. Since its formation in 2001, the group has encouraged Pentecostal participation in ecumenical concerns, has hosted Roman Catholic-Pentecostal conversations at the annual meeting of the Society, has invited international scholarly debates on ecumenical matters, and has engaged in the study of ecumenical consensus statements. The essays and documents in this collection model the dedication and commitment among Pentecostals today that engage the challenges and opportunities of Christian unity from the perspective of a tradition that has often been falsely accused of being anti-ecumenical. This collection presents an invaluable resource for teachers, scholars, and pastors interested in engaging the global Christian arena from the worldwide and ecumenical image of Pentecostalism. "Of all of the dialogues with whom the Roman Catholics have been involved in the evangelical community, the Pentecostal may be the most interesting and influential. The Pentecostal and Catholic communities have experienced serious tension in certain parts of the world, especially in Latin America. Therefore these dialogues, and the reflections brought together in this book, should be a rich source for the task of making the results of the dialogues a common heritage in Catholic and Pentecostal seminaries, colleges and universities, and congregations around the world. Dr. Vondey has assembled a line-up of Pentecostal scholars known for their depth, scope, and fairness, a set of essays that should be of interest well beyond the Catholic and Pentecostal communities."---Jeffrey Gros, FSC Memphis Theological Seminary "In the field of ecumenism the common perception is that the youngest and fastest growing movement in global Christianity has been absent. Pentecostalism and Christian Unity will not only expose this misunderstanding, but also prove to be an invaluable resource. Along with official bilateral documents, a series of essays documents the nature of Pentecostal ecumenical engagement and provides mature theological reflection on how to proceed. The ecumenical movement will be both enriched and challenged by this contribution."---Ralph Del Colle Marquette University

In his new book, Saints As They Really Are, priest and scholar Michael Plekon traces the spiritual journeys of several American Christians, using their memoirs and other writings. These “saints-in-the-making” show all their doubts and imperfections as they reflect on their search for God and their efforts to lead holy lives. They are gifted yet ordinary women and men trying to follow Christ within their flawed and broken humanity—“saints as they really are,” as Dorothy Day put it. Saints As They Really Are is the third book in Plekon’s critically acclaimed series on saints and holiness in our time. He draws on the autobiographical work of Dorothy Day, Peter Berger, Thomas Merton, Kathleen Norris, and Barbara Brown Taylor, among others, as well as from his own experiences as a Carmelite seminarian and brother. Plekon shares the power of these individuals’ stories as they unfold. The book offers a strong argument that our failings and weaknesses are not disqualifications to holiness. Plekon further confronts the institutional church and its relationship to individuals seeking God, focusing on some of the challenges to this search—the destructive potential of religion and religious institutions, as well as our personal tendencies to extremism, overwork, pious obsessions, and legalism. But he also underscores the healing qualities of faith and the spiritual life. Plekon's insights will help readers better understand their own spiritual pilgrimages as they learn how others have dealt with the trials and joys of their path to everyday holiness.