The Rhetoric Of Pope John Paul Ii

From the downfall of communism in Eastern Europe to his devotion to Mary to his championing of social justice and orthodox theology, this book examines Pope John Paul II's several moments of persuasive finesse as well as instances when his message could have been crafted more effectively. Written by Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, agnostics, and atheists, the chapters approach the Pope with varying degrees of admiration, but always with intellectual respect.

Contends that John Paul II's overseas pastoral visits are a rhetorical response to a church and society deeply affected by secularization and pluralism, and constitutes a new way of speaking about the sacred.

The 2014 canonization of John Paul II and the quarter-century anniversary of the fall of Polish Communism were the main motivations in writing this book, which is richly illustrated with nearly 100 pictures and very reasonably priced! The book tells the story of how Saint John Paul II politically deployed sacred weapons and profane enemies in his war on communism. The effects of his deployment - chiefly during his three pilgrimages to communist Poland - were to evoke and refashion nationalist and religious cultural memories shaped over centuries and thereby influence the prevailing political culture of opposition. In his doing so, the Polish Pope inspired the opposition to peacefully and successfully challenge a communist regime that had at its disposal a full panoply of repressive forces.

Mixing religion and public diplomacy can produce volatile results, but in a world in which the dissemination and influence of religious beliefs are enhanced by new communications technologies, religion is a factor in many foreign policy issues and must be addressed. Faith is such a powerful part of so many people's lives that it should be incorporated in public diplomacy efforts if they are to have meaningful resonance among the publics they are trying to reach. This book addresses key issues of faith in an increasingly connected and religious world and provides a better understanding of the role religion plays in public diplomacy.

Musical Solidarities: Political Action and Music in Late Twentieth-Century Poland is a music history of Solidarity, the social movement opposing state socialism in 1980s Poland. The story unfolds along crucial sites of political action under state socialism: underground radio networks, the sanctuaries of the Polish Roman Catholic Church, labor strikes and student demonstrations, and commemorative performances. Through innovative close listenings of archival recordings, author Andrea F. Bohlman uncovers creative sonic practices in bootleg cassettes, televised state propaganda, and the unofficial, uncensored print culture of the opposition. She argues that sound both unified and splintered the Polish opposition, keeping the contingent formations of political dissent in dynamic tension. By revealing the diverse repertories-singer-songwriter verses, religious hymns, large-scale symphonies, experimental music, and popular song-that played a role across the decade, she challenges paradigmatic visions of a late twentieth-century global protest culture that place song and communitas at the helm of social and political change. Musical Solidarities brings together perspectives from historical musicology, ethnomusicology, and sound studies to demonstrate the value of sound for thinking politics. Unfurling the rich soundscapes of political action at demonstrations, church services, meetings, and in detention, it offers a nuanced portrait of this pivotal decade of European and global history.

While pontiff, Saint John Paul II brought forth an abundance of documents which will continue to be a permanent source of enrichment for the Church and society. This volume of summaries of the Pope’s major documents, with questions for study, makes these invaluable writings more accessible to each of us, and emphasizes the aspects of his teachings of most interest and application to the lives of the laity. For personal, small group, or class enrichment, John Fagan’s summaries help expose and illuminate the heart and mind of one of the Church’s greatest figures in history. John E. Fagan is an attorney who lives and works in Northern Virginia. He was born in Philadelphia and was raised in Colorado Springs. He has degrees from the University of Notre Dame (BA), Northwestern University (JD), and New York University (LLM).