Church Doctrine

In Pope Peter, Joe Heschmeyer says that papal flaws are an opportunity to understand what the papacy really means, not to abandon it (or the Church). Drawing deeply on the scriptural and historical witness, he offers a thorough but accessible defense of the papal office and an edifying picture of the extent—and limits—of its authority.

This collection includes The Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of latter-day divine revelations and inspired declarations, and the Pearl of Great Price, the name given to one of four volumes of scripture called the “standard works” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In the spirit of George Carlin and Christopher Hitchens, the son of a former Catholic nun and a Franciscan brother delivers a deeply irreverent and biblically correct takedown of far-right Christian hatred—a book for believers, atheists, agnostics, and anyone...

Understanding Christian Denominations: A Guide to Doctrines, Worship, and Beliefs Across the Church Are you curious about the real differences between Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and the many branches of Protestantism? Do you want a clear, concise guide to how Christians around the world understand salvation, scripture, sacraments, and worship? This comprehensive and reader-friendly book breaks down the complex world of Christian denominations—without bias, jargon, or theological confusion. Understanding Christian Denominations explores the key beliefs, practices, and structures that define ...

The Nicene Creed has stood at the center of Christian belief for more than sixteen hundred years—uniting believers, defining doctrines, and shaping worship across continents and centuries. Yet for many, its phrases remain mysterious, distant, or shrouded in ancient language. This book changes that. It opens the doors of understanding with clarity, warmth, and a sense of discovery that speaks to today’s reader. From the drama of the Council of Nicaea to the powerful meaning behind phrases like “begotten, not made” and “of one substance with the Father,” this guide brings the ...

Mormon Doctrine in the Apocrypha: a Concordance of Teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Extracanonical Writings is an alphabetical listing of 179 teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that occur in 66 ancient sacred texts that are not a part of the biblical canon, along with the corresponding teachings from those ancient texts.At the end of the volume is the section entitled “The Extracanonical Sources” wherein bibliographies and brief descriptions of each cited extracanonical work are listed alphabetically, followed by an index of the ...

Dr. James Papandrea introduces you to all the major theologians, philosophers, and martyrs of the early Christian church and explains the theological principles that guided the Church from the New Testament era through the apologists, and, ultimately, to the development of the major doctrines. He uniquely situates the teachings of the early Church Fathers against the social and cultural context of the Roman Empire and its relationship to the Church.

The Shorter Summa (Compendium of Theology) — Thomas Aquinas A New Modern English Translation with Explainers to Clarify Difficult Concepts Thomas Aquinas’s concise handbook of Christian theology—known both as the Compendium of Theology and the Shorter Summa—now rendered in clear, current English. This reader-friendly edition keeps Aquinas’s structure and arguments intact while removing archaic phrasing and adding brief, targeted explainers where readers typically get stuck. Why this edition New modern English translation: faithful to Aquinas, stripped of needless archaic language....

This book contains stories told from the point of view of those who experienced the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants, giving us insight into their meaning. While the section headings provide context for the revelations, they don't tell the complete story. What questions prompted the revelations? What did the Lord's responses mean to those He addressed? How did they respond? Perfect for study with the Doctrine and Covenants.

The Catholic Church defines the seven sacraments as “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.” Do you regularly partake of these “efficacious signs of grace?” Catholic clergy, religious, and laity alike declare the wonderful blessings of the sacraments. Yet, many people still have questions. What are the seven sacraments? When did Jesus institute the sacraments? How did the Church recognize the sacraments? Why should Christians receive the sacraments? Father Pierre Pourrat (1871-1957) answers these ...

There’s more to salvation than punching your ticket for heaven. John Wesley taught that full salvation means becoming completely holy in heart and life. This focus on personal holiness was one of the defining characteristics of the Wesleyan revival. The many Methodist and Wesleyan denominations, the Pentecostal and holiness movements, and the Salvation Army all trace their lineage back to these teachings. Wesley’s followers believed what he taught fiercely, lived it out faithfully, and witnessed to it boldly, to the point that they were often violently persecuted. Today, millions of ...

This is a book born in the spaces most of us try not to see...prison yards, death rows, the narrow hallways outside execution chambers and the living rooms of families who will never stop crying. I’ve held the hands of men moments before the state killed them. I’ve sat with wardens, families of victims and grieving mothers...carrying the weight of a system that thinks it has the authority to end life in God’s name. And I’ve realized that when the state kills, it is not only the condemned who die...it is the witness of the church, the imagination of mercy and the gospel itself. ...

This ebooklet is the transcript of David Bercot's audio lecture on What The Early Christians Believed on the Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms. This doctrine concerns the relationship of the kingdoms of this world with the Kingdom of God. In this ebooklet, Bercot explains what the early Christians believed about involvement in the governments of this world. Bercot quotes extensively from the early Christian writings to demonstrate what the early church believed. He also discusses attempts Christians have made to combine the church with various kingdoms of this world--all without success.

How did a libertine who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith win 81 percent of the white evangelical vote in 2016? And why have white evangelicals become a presidential reprobate's staunchest supporters? Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping account of the last 75 years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism.

Unlock the Mysteries of Early Christian Heresies Are you fascinated by the early roots of Christian thought? Do you want to delve into the controversies that shaped the foundations of the Church? Look no further. "Early Christian Heresies: A Beginner's Guide" is your gateway to understanding the revolutionary ideas that challenged early Christianity. This compelling volume combines three essential guides into one comprehensive book: Marcionism: A Beginner's Guide Arianism: A Beginner's Guide Pelagianism: A Beginner's Guide Imagine exploring the provocative beliefs that rejected the Old ...

Part of the furor in the Middle East is the identity of Israel. Various sects of Christianity try to tackle its relationship with the nation, kingdom, and homeland of the Jews. With that in mind, this book aims to answer the following question Biblically: Why is the Church not and never will be Israel? Discover: The five main views of the relationship between the Church and Israel The difference between the New Testament and New Covenant (It's not what you think) Why passages that seem to imply that the Church is Israel doesn't actually say so The question is explored in many angles, and...

In The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explores the origins of our divisions and points the way forward to mutual understanding. His starting point is moral intuition - the nearly instantaneous perceptions we all have about other people and the things they do. These intuitions feel like self-evident truths, making us righteously certain that those who see things differently are wrong. Haidt shows us how these intuitions differ across cultures, including the cultures of the political left and right.

For too long the Religious Right has masqueraded as a social movement preoccupied with a number of cultural issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. In her deeply reported investigation, Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: this is a political movement that seeks to gain power and to impose its vision on all of society. America’s religious nationalists aren’t just fighting a culture war, they are waging a political war on the norms and institutions of American democracy.

Christian belief didn’t quietly settle into place. It was fought for in sermons and letters, tested in councils, and paid for in exile. At the center of that struggle stood one stubborn, brilliant bishop who refused to soften the truth—even when the world told him to bend. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria for Beginners takes you inside the most decisive theological conflict in early Christian history and introduces you to the man who shaped how Christianity understands Christ to this day. When emperors wavered and bishops compromised, Athanasius stood firm. Not loudly. Not theatrically. ...

Even self-described Christians question whether God would consign anyone to hell. Msgr. Pope explains this false perception: “If it exists at all, it is largely empty, except perhaps for a few serial killers or genocidal maniacs like Hitler.” People who adopt this belief are ignoring Jesus’s teachings that instruct the exact opposite.