Showing titles in Biographies

Encounter one of the most influential figures in Christian spirituality. "To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God." Said by Meister Eckhart, these words encapsulate the insight of a timeless philosopher, theologian, author, preacher, and mystic. Eckhart has contributed spiritual direction and knowledge to generations of Christians, yet his wisdom remains unknown to many.

Raised as an atheist, Sara Miles lived an enthusiastically secular life as a restaurant cook and a writer. Then early one winter morning, for no earthly reason, she wandered into a church. "I was certainly not interested in becoming a Christian," she writes, "or, as I thought of it rather less politely, a religious nut." But she ate a piece of bread, took a sip of wine, and found herself radically transformed.

Explore the profound spirituality of Hans Urs von Balthasar. Born in Switzerland, Balthasar (1905-1988) was one of the most prolific and sophisticated Catholic thinkers of the 20th century. As you will discover, Balthasar's theology provides a powerful model for the Catholic Church in the modern world. In Hans Urs von Balthasar: Rediscovering Holistic Christianity, you will join Balthasar expert Dr. Kevin Mongrain (PhD, Yale University) in exploring this great theologian.

At a moment when the world is asking, "Can the religions get along?" one figure stands out as the shared ancestor of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. One man holds the key to our deepest fears and our possible reconciliation. Abraham.

When Thomas Merton published The Seven Storey Mountain in 1948, no one could have expected it to become an international sensation. An autobiography of his conversion to Catholicism, it became a wildly popular best seller, propelling this humble Trappist monk to literary fame. Today, it is widely regarded as a spiritual classic. While it remains his most famous work, The Seven Storey Mountain is only the tip of the iceberg in Merton's rich, multi-layered oeuvre.

Hiding Jewish refugees during WWII landed Corrie ten Boom in a German concentration camp. Released after 10 months, she tramped the world with a burning desire to tell others that Jesus is a reality, that He lives, that He is victor. Join Corrie on a world-wide trip that could only have been planned by God.

In February 2005, more than 10,000 people in Bakersfield, California, watched as Brian “Head” Welch—the former lead guitarist of the controversial rock band Korn—was saved by Jesus Christ. The event set off a media frenzy as observers from around the world sought to understand what led this rock star out of the darkness and into the light.

Children were her life, and God’s messenger Mother Frances X. Cabrini dedicated her entire life to caring for poor Italian immigrants who sought refuge in the slums of New York City in the early 1890s. A devout champion of education and proper health care for the poverty-stricken, Cabrini forged a path of survival for young children by building schools, orphanages, and hospitals—not only in the United States, but also throughout Europe and Central and South America.

Encounter the towering thought of Karl Rahner (1904-84), one of the most significant voices in Catholic theology in the 20th century. An extraordinarily productive and creative theologian who wrote over 5,000 works, he played a central role as a theological advisor to the bishops at Vatican II. His influence continues to live on in the church and world today.

This course will have a profound impact on your faith and thinking. Thomas Aquinas, OP (1225-1274), is one of world history's most influential thinkers. His works indelibly shaped Western thought and Christian belief, and his brilliant ideas continue to resonate in universities and churches everywhere. But his complex thought can often seem inaccessible to most of us. In this superb course, taught by an internationally known Aquinas expert, you will tour his towering thought while gaining powerful insights into your faith.

In Uncharted, you will find a practical rhythm to grow in your faith, transforming your fears into trust, and your hesitation into commitment. In a world full of obstacles, comparison, and uncertainty, the most rewarding journey you will ever undertake is the uncharted walk with God.

Fr. Dan Crosby, OFM Cap., lived with and learned from Blessed Solanus Casey during the last year of Casey's life. Now Fr. Crosby shares his precious memories with you in this moving portrait of a holy and humble miracle worker.

Enjoy this wonderful collection of Andrew Murray's most notable works: Humility, Absolute Surrender, and With Christ in the School of Prayer.

Tracy King was raised in a house of contradictions-her family was happy and creative, yet shadowed by debt, phobias, her father's alcoholism, and the illusory promises of a born-again Christian church. The uneasy balance of the King household was irrevocably upended on a rainy spring night in 1988, when her father was killed by teenagers just blocks from their public housing estate.

John Wesley was an 18th-century preacher, theologian, and cleric who helped found the Methodist movement with his brother, Charles. Arguably one of the most important Christian voices of his day, Wesley wrote in his journal on a daily basis, capturing his views, thoughts, feelings, and prayers on paper to share with the world. The journal contains 50 years' worth of this great man's reflections and experiences and is widely considered one of the great spiritual classics.

In this in-depth biblical biography, Beth Moore takes you on an intimate, exciting journey through virtually every astonishing episode of David's remarkable life. From shepherd, to refugee, to king of Israel, David exhibited the purest virtues and the most heinous sinfulness. But through it all, his relationship with the Lord continued to grow.

What does it mean to be an imitator of Christ? Find out by exploring the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi and the movements he inspired with one of the world's leading Franciscan experts as your guide.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) is one of the most inspiring figures in Christianity: a Doctor of the Church, visionary mystic, powerful composer of hymns, artist, and philosopher. Now, you have the opportunity to know Hildegard intimately in this program on her life and spirituality.

Suitcases from Heaven: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Daughter-In-Law’s Cancer is the heart-wrenching story of a daughter-in-law fighting a rare, terminal cancer with a mountain of miracle-moving faith, and a mother-in-law depleted of miracle-believing faith who wants nothing to do with such miracle nonsense.

In this fascinating series, the saints you’ll meet include a woman who didn't discover her true vocation until she was past sixty, a man who lived for years with a concubine and fathered an illegitimate son, a religious teacher and reformer who was repeatedly charged with heresy, three women who were wives and mothers before they became Sisters, and many more. The words of these great men and women may move you, but their actions will absolutely take your breath away.