Spe Salvie

Pope Benedict XVI's second encyclical, Saved In Hope, ("Spe Salvi" in Latin) takes its title from St. Paul, who wrote, "In hope we have been saved". In this special deluxe hardcover edition of the work, the Holy Father continues a line of thought he began with his first encyclical, God is Love. Love and Hope are closely related in the spiritual life. Love of God involves hope or trust in God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man". Hope enables us to look to the next life, but it also inspires and purifies our actions in this life. Pope Benedict considers modern philosophies and the challenges of faith today in light of the virtue of hope. "Confronted by today's changing and complex panorama, the virtue of hope is subject to harsh trials in the community of believers. For this very reason, we must be apostles who are filled with hope and joyful trust in God's promises. In contemporary society, which shows such visible signs of secularism, we must not give in to despair." — Pope Benedict XVI

Alister McGrath’s Christian Theology: An Introduction is one of the most internationally-acclaimed and popular Christian theology textbooks in use today. This 5th edition has been completely revised, and now features new and extended material, numerous additional illustrations, and companion resources, ensuring it retains its reputation as the ideal introduction to Christian theology. Fully updated 5th edition of the bestselling textbook, incorporating expanded material, numerous student features and new illustrations Features new sections on Copernicanism and Darwinism Includes extended discussions of Augustine’s doctrine of creation, Trinitarian theologies of religion, and the relation of Christianity to other faiths May be used as a stand-alone volume, or alongside the Christian Theology Reader, 4th edition for a complete overview of the subject Retains the chapter structure of the 4th edition, ensuring comparability with earlier editions and courses based on these Accompanied by a revised instructor’s website featuring expanded resources including study questions and answers; visit www.wiley.com/go/mcgrath for more details and to register for access

The question of whether and how people who have not had the chance to hear the gospel can be saved goes back to the beginnings of Christian reflection. It has also become a much-debated topic in current theology. In Will Many Be Saved? Ralph Martin focuses primarily on the history of debate and the development of responses to this question within the Roman Catholic Church, but much of Martin's discussion is also relevant to the wider debate happening in many churches around the world. In particular, Martin analyzes the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, the document from the Second Vatican Council that directly relates to this question. Contrary to popular opinion, Martin argues that according to this text, the conditions under which people who have not heard the gospel can be saved are very often, in fact, not fulfilled, with strong implications for evangelization.

Everyone needs love. Everyone desires love. But not everyone understands love. In fact, love is probably the most misunderstood subject in history. In his first Encyclical, Pope Benedict helps to clarify the meaning of love. He examines the nature of various kinds of love — human love and divine love, eros, friendship, and charity. He writes beautifully and inspirationally of how man was made for love by the God who is love, the God who became one of us out of love — Jesus Christ. In the second part of the Encyclical, Benedict addresses the Church's practice of love. He examines the relationship between justice and charity, as well as the call of every Catholic to serve others in love. The Pope's "love letter" to mankind is remarkably accessible and timely.

This dystopian tale from Robert Hugh Benson offers a unique spiritual twist on typical end-of-the-world narratives: in Benson's imagined future, it's the Catholic Church that offers the only respite from encroaching doom. Whatever your religious beliefs may be, Lord of the World is a gripping must-read for fans of novels like Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984.

Pope Benedict's second encyclical, Spe Salvi, On Christian Hope, is inspired by St Paul's letter to the Romans.