Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Religion & Spirituality

Renew your prayer life with Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton was one of the great spiritual masters: a Trappist monk, profound mystic, and brilliant writer. He inspired men and women from all walks of life with his dedication to prayer and contemplation. In 1967, near the end of his life, Merton gave a powerful set of lectures on prayer to the Sisters of Loretto. He channeled a lifetime full of wisdom, piety, and prayerfulness into these erudite yet down-to-earth talks.

Did you know that the Catholic Bible contains seven books that are not included in the Protestant Bible? These special books of the Bible — Sirach, Wisdom, Tobit, 1 Maccabees, Judith, additions to Daniel, and Esther — contain harrowing stories of family, resurrection, and prayer. In this 12-lecture audio course, 7 Catholic Treasures: Understanding the Deuterocanonical Books of the Catholic Bible, Dr. Dorothy Jonaitis, DMin, eloquently elaborates on these interesting and historically significant Scriptures

Through the centuries, countless faithful men and women have been drawn to Carmel's wisdom about prayer. In this series, you will explore Carmel as a fountain of wisdom about prayer. Pope John Paul II affirms Carmel's place as a school of prayer, describing it as a place "where prayer becomes life and life flourishes in prayer."

Find hope in suffering in this lecture set by Henri Nouwen, one of the 20th century's great spiritual masters, as your guide. In our society, we learn to hide our grief, to suppress our joy, to fight darkness with darkness. We are like Jesus' generation, to whom he says, "We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry" (Luke 7:32). Now, the spiritual master Henri Nouwen helps you practice healing through both suffering and joy.

For nearly 2,000 years, Christians have followed the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, called Messiah or Christ in the New Testament. Indeed, no other person has had such a wide-ranging and powerful impact on the history of the Western world. This has compelled scholars and the faithful alike to undertake the quest for knowledge about his life. Now, you too can take this quest.

In this book, you will discover the reason why Jesus chose parables as his favorite form of teaching. Based on the work of scholars, incorporating what Pope Benedict XVI writes about, and the parables in his book Jesus of Nazareth, Fr. Hughes’s presentation is colorful and easy to follow. Whether you are a minister or a layperson, you will love these talks.

The rarely heard sermons and reflective talks in this set attest to the depths of Thomas Merton’s brilliance. You’ll witness the evolution of Merton’s thought as he moved away from a narrow, cloistered mindset to an ecumenical and socially engaged outlook. This curated collection spans five years of his life and comprises four talks that showcase the themes close to Merton’s heart: the authentic Christian life, contemporary society, contemplation, Marxism, and the relationship of literature to religion.

You likely have questions about Catholic canon law. Brilliantly taught and filled with helpful, real-world examples, this survey course was designed with your questions in mind. You are invited to join one of America's leading canon law experts in exploring the principles and rules that govern our religious conduct. In 12 lectures, you will see how religion and the lives of all Catholics are intertwined in spiritual, practical, cultural, and historical ways.

Explore the Franciscan view of Christ as the center of all creation and of what the incarnate word reveals about life in the Holy Trinity. The Blessed Virgin introduces us to the Franciscan reflection on the human person. Divine and human freedom are explored. Franciscan contributions to the study of Scripture will receive special attention. You will glimpse the inspiration that Francis gave to artists, musicians, novelists, and poets across the centuries.

Fr. Charlie Smiech is a celebrated international retreat director and spiritual advisor. A Franciscan friar, he has traveled throughout the world offering the best in Catholic teaching and Franciscan spirituality. Now, Fr. Smiech will help you explore the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi in this rewarding audio retreat. As you listen, you will learn how St. Francis lived the Gospel and receive guidance for your own spiritual pilgrimage.

Join Thomas Merton in spellbinding lectures on two essential philosophical topics. In this audio program, you will learn about the meaning of life and the essence of beauty with Thomas Merton, one of the 20th century's great thinkers. Delivered with unrivaled brilliance and insight, these remastered recordings of Merton himself will transport you into the abbey where he taught and imparted his spiritual wisdom.

Join Fr. Richard Clifford, celebrated Harvard-educated scripture scholar, on a journey through the 46 books of the Old Testament. The Old Testament contains a wealth of wisdom, spiritual insights, and timeless stories. In this expansive course, you will explore the Garden of Eden, the reigns of King David and King Solomon, beautiful poetry, the wisdom of the prophets, and much more. Your guide, Professor Richard Clifford, SJ, a world-renowned and widely published scriptural scholar.

What are the apocryphal gospels? Purporting to fill in the missing pieces of Jesus' life story, these books are often the subject of popular discussion and heated debates. Few, however, truly understand their context and meaning. In The Apocryphal Gospels: Exploring the Lost Books of the Bible, you have the opportunity to explore these gripping texts with one of Catholicism's great scholars.

From mourning to discernment, from invitation to intimacy, and from community to the charge to go forth and witness, this work seeks a fuller understanding of the Eucharist through the story of the disciples on their way to Emmaus and calls us to experience the entire journey, to know that what we celebrate and what we are called to live are one and the same.

Society teaches us to define ourselves by the things we have: belongings, education, experiences. Our inner worth depends on our surroundings, and, as the Gospels say, we "belong to the world." Spiritual master Henri Nouwen teaches you how to move beyond such traps and achieve a deeper sense of self. Nouwen draws upon his own experience of leaving a Harvard professorship to work with the disabled.

With Zach Flanagin (PhD, University Chicago), you will study cutting-edge scholarship that reconstructs the historical Jesus. From The Da Vinci Code and Jesus Christ Superstar to the works of Thomas Jefferson and contemporary scholars, Prof. Flanagin merges popular with scholastic “portraits” for full effect.

What would it be like to listen to great figures of our faith discuss their struggles, life lessons, and spiritual insights? A number of remarkable Christians have bequeathed to us their autobiographies. Now, you can access their words and understand the contexts in which they lived with a master scholar and teacher as your guide.

Julian of Norwich was a 14th-century Christian mystic, important English theologian, and visionary writer. Indeed, her masterpiece, A Revelation of Divine Love (or Showings), is the first book written by a woman in English. Six centuries after her death, she continues to inspire with her pious and moving words. Now you can enjoy this brilliant course on Julian. In nine lectures you'll consider what we know (and don't know) about her life and the larger historical context into which she fits.

In the midst of poverty and oppression, liberation theology emerged in 20th-century Latin America as a beacon of hope. By thinking about their faith in innovative ways, believers wrestled with these profound social problems. Dramatic in its context and sweeping in its scope, liberation theology continues to offer fascinating ways to engage with issues such as inequality, violence, and ecological concerns. Now, Liberation Theology gives you the opportunity to understand its context and implications today.

As the Society of Jesus approaches its 500th anniversary, the Jesuits make up the largest unified religious order of men in the Catholic Church. How did these "Soldiers of Christ" grow from their humble beginnings to become an order deeply engaged in ministries, learning, and society in 112 nations on all six inhabited continents? Whether you are a Jesuit yourself or a person touched by Jesuit education, ministries, and writings, you will love this course.