Writing in alternating chapters, Pam and Terry interweave their story with an analysis of how mandatory celibacy has crippled the Catholic Church, sapped it of many gifted and dynamic priests, and divided the Catholic faithful around the world.

What God Has Joined Together is founded on the words of Jesus. This book explores the marvelous conceptual definition of marriage with seven distinct elements. The authors name these seven concepts: the principles of personhood, paradise, equality, "help meet" companionship, leaving, cleaving, and sexuality. Hopefully, loving couples desiring deeper passion, love, contentment, and fulfillment will discover anew the joys of paradise restored through the wonderful grace of covenant-commitment, forgiveness, and faith. At the same time the reader can discover Bible-based guidance for young couples and Biblical hope and restoration for threatened homes.

Much has been written about marriage from the sociological and psychological point of view and as an object of civil and canon law. But in terms of systematic theology this treatment of marriage as a sacrament may very well be unique. Every effort has been made to keep the text from becoming too academic while at the same time providing the average educated reader with a wealth of original insights into the "mystery" of marriage: in creation and as transformed by Christ. Chapters cover sacramental consent, bond, and covenant as well as the quest for the sign. Such thorny problems as the role of faith in the sacrament, marriage with an unbaptized person, the most pressing ecumenical questions and the relationship between the sacrament and contraception are studied in depth. Finally, the "sacrament of family" is treated at some length with an eye to its social and redemptive dimensions.

A strong novel about two couples in the process of getting divorced and how divorce is seen in the early 20th century.

The United States is home to only 6% of the world's Catholics, Robert Vasoli points out, but it now accounts for 75% of all Church annulments, two-thirds of which are granted on ostensibly psychological grounds. The real scandal, though, is not simply the numbers, but that Church marriage courts annul thousands of marriages that are actually valid according to Catholic teaching. Drawing on considerable research, the author details precisely how these courts let divorced Catholics - and many non-Catholics as well - bypass Catholic teaching and law. The result has been a tidal wave: in 1968, the American Church granted fewer than 600 annulments; today it hands out more than 60,000 a year. But Rome has not smiled on the performance of U.S. tribunals: of those psychological annulments appealed to the Roman Rota (the Vatican's highest marriage tribunal), more than 90% are overturned.

New from Best-Selling Author John Piper From Genesis to Revelation, the providence of God directs the entire course of redemptive history. Providence is "God's purposeful sovereignty." Its extent reaches down to the flight of electrons, up to the movements of galaxies, and into the heart of man. Its nature is wise and just and good. And its goal is the Christ-exalting glorification of God through the gladness of a redeemed people in a new world. Drawing on a lifetime of theological reflection, biblical study, and practical ministry, pastor and author John Piper leads us on a stunning tour of the sightings of God's providence—from Genesis to Revelation—to discover the allencompassing reality of God's purposeful sovereignty over all of creation and all of history. Piper invites us to experience the profound effects of knowing the God of all-pervasive providence: the intensifying of true worship, the solidifying of wavering conviction, the strengthening of embattled faith, the toughening of joyful courage, and the advance of God's mission in this world.

Editor H. Wayne House introduces a lively debate on varying Christian views of divorce and remarriage. Contributors include J. Carl Laney, William Heth, Thomas Edgar and Larry Richards.

The 1928 Book of Common Prayer is a treasured resource for traditional Anglicans and others who appreciate the majesty of King James-style language. This classic edition features a Presentation section containing certificates for the rites of Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage. The elegant burgundy hardcover binding is embossed with a simple gold cross, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and gift-giving. The 1928 Book of Common Prayer combines Oxford's reputation for quality construction and scholarship with a modest price - a beautiful prayer book and an excellent value.

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.

This book is for parents, parents who care deeply about passing on a legacy of faith in Christ, parents who invite their children to "ask Jesus into your heart." Pastor and author Charles F. Boyd found that many children don't understand the symbolism in this phrase. They believe Jesus steps into their chests to live there. This book bridges the gap between a grown-up's metaphor and a child's understanding.