Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Christianity

In the summer of 1967, religious communities around the world were experiencing a time of renewal and reflection. As monasteries sought to adopt practices prescribed by the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI asked two Cistercian monks to compose a message about the contemplative life. Those monks in turn sought the contributions of a fellow monk and master of contemplation - Thomas Merton.

For much of Western history, belief in God seemed universal. As society has grown more secular, however, people have increasingly expressed disbelief in God. Today, a quarter of Americans are religiously unaffiliated, with many identifying as atheists. As the number of atheists has grown, so too have debates around the legitimacy of religion. Too often, these debates have been marked by misunderstanding on both sides.

Meister Eckhart remains the outstanding representative of Germany’s medieval Rhineland mysticism. While our knowledge of Eckhart’s life is limited, we can see that he was an active mystic in his preaching, teaching, and writing. His boldness of speech is matched by his power to integrate what seem like irreconcilable opposites.

Although the story of Jesus' Passion, Death, and Resurrection forms the core of Christian belief, the full depth of its meaning is often not immediately understandable to 21st-century readers. Occurring some 2,000 years ago, these events were narrated with the language and symbols of contemporaries in a civilization and culture considerably different from ours. In He Lives: The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, you will delve into the world of the biblical authors in order to understand the religious message of these events.

Recorded in 1964 at his monastery, Thomas Merton gave these lectures to novice Cistercians. Today, you are invited into Merton’s classroom for an intimate discussion about one of Christianity’s most influential figures. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. (1090 - 1153) is one of the most important figures in the history of Christianity: a founder, reformer, and Doctor of the Church.

After enjoying this insightful series of contemplative talks, your experience of the Lord's Prayer will be forever enriched. When asked for a teaching on prayer, Jesus did not respond with a method or technique. Rather, he responded with words that captured the essence of his teaching and lifestyle. Known as the Our Father or the Lord's Prayer, his response is one of the most cherished prayers in the Christian tradition.

This illuminating 12-lecture audio course will crystallize your understanding of the two vital elements that make up discipleship: mission and evangelization. Fr. Gittins expertly dissects familiar scripture passages, revealing the deep and inspiring faith of Jesus’ first disciples. The concluding lecture ties everything together with powerful reflections on the cost of discipleship: a willingness to give up everything to follow Christ.

From the age of the apostles to Vatican II, the Catholic Church has evolved and invigorated itself. Now, you can take a riveting journey through Church renewal and reform. When we first encounter the words reform and renewal in talking about the Catholic Church, we might think of Vatican II and the idea of aggiornamento - "updating". But the history of reform is nearly as old as the Church itself; indeed, one of the constants in Church history is change.

No one’s life has made such a great impact nor sparked such immense curiosity as that of Jesus of Nazareth. The enormous influence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection has fueled a widespread search for knowledge about his earthly existence - a quest undertaken for both religious and scholastic reasons. Led by Rev. Donald Senior, one of the world’s leading New Testament experts, this audio course has touched the hearts and minds of the faithful around the world.

Do you believe God exists? This bold audio series invites you to join some of the world’s leading thinkers in taking on this profound question. In 13 riveting episodes, your host, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, tackles this topic in one-on-one interviews with leading figures across fields. Addressing issues ranging from the problem of evil to how the discovery of alien life might affect our belief systems, this series will engage your mind and heart in some of the universe’s biggest questions.

This set of captivating talks brings you face-to-face with an intimate side of Thomas Merton - the monk, poet, scholar of literature, and social activist who rocked the 20th century. As with so many of the talks that Merton gave to his novice monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani, these talks put the progression of his thinking - from cloistered monastic life to issues of social justice and interreligious understanding - on view.

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.

Learn about Irish Catholicism, early Christianity, and Eastern religions with Thomas Merton as your teacher. Recorded in March of 1968 at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, Celtic Spirituality: The Beginnings of Irish Monasticism investigates the history of Irish monasticism with special attention to St. Patrick.

Join three of Catholicism’s leading biblical scholars in exploring the Gospels of Matthew, John, Luke, and Mark. Learn25 listeners have long gained knowledge and spiritual fulfillment from our biblical studies offerings. Now, featuring four illuminating courses from beloved scripture experts, this bundle offers close readings of the four gospels and places the texts in meaningful conversation with one another.

Perhaps no 20th-century spiritual thinker so profoundly captured the human experience as this Catholic priest and psychologist. Now, in this moving audio program, you have the rare opportunity to listen to Nouwen's voice. He powerfully draws upon his own struggles to show you how to move from loneliness to solitude, from hostility to hospitality, and from illusion to prayer.

In this unique retreat, you will join the Master of The Cloud of Unknowing, who will guide you into a powerful encounter with the hidden, living God. Written during the turbulence of 14th-century England, this mystical text and its anonymous author capture some of the most profound contemplative teachings of Christianity.

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.

This is the theology course you wish you had taken in college or graduate school. This special series surveys the rich landscape of Catholic theology and presents it clearly and passionately. Begin by following your presenter, Rev. Kevin Burke, SJ, dean of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, through the ancient origins and modern developments of our rich Catholic tradition. Each lecture builds on the next so that you will gain a keen sense for the synthesis of theological thought.

Beginning with the seemingly simple question "what is human?" Fr. FitzGerald investigates the implications of modern science. Several lectures are devoted to stem cells. What are they, where do they come from, and how are they used? Does it matter if a stem cell comes from an embryo versus bone marrow, the placenta, or skin? Examine the promise and dangers of stem cell research. The world marveled at Dolly, the first cloned sheep, and now cloning is widespread. What is cloning, how is it done, and are humans being cloned now?

In the final year before his death in 1996, Henri Nouwen wrote an account of the death of his friend Adam, a severely handicapped young man from L'Arche. In the story of Adam he found a way to describe his own understanding of the Gospel message. Adam could not speak or even move without assistance. Gripped by frequent seizures, he spent his life in obscurity. And yet, for Nouwen, he became his friend, teacher, and guide. It was Adam who led Nouwen to a new understanding of his faith and what it means to be Beloved of God.