In this addition to the successful Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, two respected scholars and Bible teachers interpret James and First, Second, and Third John from within the living tradition of the Church. The commentary provides crisp explanations of the text with helpful sidebars and ideas for application to enrich preaching, group Bible study, and personal reflection. This volume presents excellent biblical scholarship in a format accessible to laypeople with no special training in biblical studies.

The 17 New Testament volumes in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series have been widely acclaimed. The series now expands to include readable Old Testament commentaries that integrate the best of contemporary biblical scholarship with the traditional understanding of the Old Testament books as prophesying and prefiguring Christ. Written from a standpoint of faith in the Holy Spirit's inspiration of Scripture, CCSS Old Testament commentaries are designed for preaching, teaching, and applying Scripture to Christian life today. Accessibly written yet substantive, they include quotes from Church documents, Church Fathers, and saints and are packed with features that make them particularly useful to those doing ministry in Catholic parishes. General editors for the series are Mary Healy (Sacred Heart Major Seminary), Mark Giszczak (Augustine Institute), and Peter S. Williamson (Sacred Heart Major Seminary).

Notable Catholic interpreters of Scripture discern the guiding values of biblical interpretation at the brink of a new era for the church. Under the influence of Benedict XVI and Francis, Roman Catholics, whether lay or religious, have found renewed interest in studying sacred Scripture. Yet the church has also grown and faces new challenges in the new millennium. What does the future of Catholic biblical interpretation look like? And how ought the church’s rich heritage of biblical interpretation continue to influence it? This volume collects essays by some of the most influential voices in Catholic biblical scholarship today. Covering a variety of topics, from the Old Testament to the New Testament and biblical theology, the essays are united by a common goal: to hear the word of God and proclaim and apply it within the church. The authors pay special tribute to Marie-Joseph Lagrange. This nineteenth-century French Dominican led the way in blending critical methodology with respect for the Church’s authority in order to put scriptural study in service to the good of souls. Featuring diverse and authentically Catholic perspectives, The Future of Catholic Biblical Interpretation represents fresh purpose and direction for the church’s long and fruitful tradition of exegesis.

Intercessory prayer is not something you have to do. It's something you are privileged to do. Indeed, praying for others is a beautiful way of thinking, acting, and living like Christ. Yet many people struggle with intercessory prayer because they lack a coherent understanding of what prayer is and because they're not well grounded in how to pray. This inspiring book walks you through nine key steps to boosting your intercessory prayer's power and efficacy. Each step is paired with practical tips to help you implement the principle in your daily life, a patron saint to provide direction and encouragement on your journey, and prompt questions to guide meditations and journaling. Armed with these tools, you can revitalize your prayer life and begin responding with confidence to those in need of your intercession. With this book's help, your “Yes, I will pray for you!” will have new meaning and poten

In this addition to the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), Daniel Keating interprets First and Second Peter and Jude for pastoral ministers and lay readers alike. The seventeen-volume CCSS series, which will cover the entire New Testament, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively. Praise for the CCSS "These commentaries are both exegetically sound and spiritually nourishing. They are indispensable tools for preaching, catechesis, evangelization, and other forms of pastoral ministry."--Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM Cap, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Spirit Says offers a stunning collection of articles by an influential assemblage of scholars, all of whom lend considerable insight to the relationship between inspiration and interpretation. They address this otherwise intractable question with deft and occasionally daring readings of a variety of texts from the ancient world, including—but not limited to—the scriptures of early Judaism and Christianity. The thrust of this book can be summed up not so much in one question as in four: o What is the role of revelation in the interpretation of Scripture? o What might it look like for an author to be inspired? o What motivates a claim to the inspired interpretation of Scripture? o Who is inspired to interpret Scripture? More often than not, these questions are submerged in this volume under the tame rubrics of exegesis and hermeneutics, but they rise in swells and surges too to the surface, not just occasionally but often. Combining an assortment of prominent voices, this book does not merely offer signposts along the way. It charts a pioneering path toward a model of interpretation that is at once intellectually robust and unmistakably inspired.

In this addition to the successful Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS) series, two esteemed scholars interpret Galatians from within the living tradition of the Church. The CCSS relates Scripture to Christian life today, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help pastoral ministers, lay readers, and students understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively. Its attractive packaging and accessible writing style make it a series to own--and to read!

Through a detailed examination of the historical shaping and final canonical shape of seven oft-neglected New Testament letters, Reading the Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude as Scripture introduces readers to the historical, literary, and theological integrity of this indispensable apostolic witness. While most scholars today interpret biblical texts in terms of their individual historical points of composition, David Nienhuis and Robert Wall argue that a theological approach to this part of Scripture is better served by attending to these texts' historical point of canonization -- those key moments in the ancient church's life when apostolic writings were grouped together to maximize the Spirit's communication of the apostolic rule of faith to believers everywhere. Reading the Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude as Scripture is the only treatment of the Catholic Epistles that approaches these seven letters as an intentionally designed and theologically coherent canonical collection.