In a pathbreaking exploration of sexual ethics, Farley--who is highly regarded by her peers on both the right and the left, by religious feminists and Christian moralists--sheds new light on key issues: justice, personhood, the family, feminism, homosexuality, reproductive technology, and more. Farley is the author of Personal Commitments: Making, Keeping, Breaking.

The authoritative work on the Church's teaching on sexual morality has been thoroughly updated to address dimensions of this complex topic that have emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Since publication of the 2nd edition of Catholic Sexual Ethics, the philosophical landscape of human sexuality has dramatically changed. The rise of such concerns as moral relativism, the drive for same-sex unions, and a drastic redefinition of "marriage" and "family" have underscored the need for an unambiguous, up-to-date understanding of Catholic sexual teaching. Features: Summary of Catholic teaching on sexuality from biblical times to our own. Presentation of principal elements of the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI on marriage in the early years of his pontificate. Discussion of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's 2003 Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons. Integration of more recent materials that clarify issues into the existing framework of the book. Whether you are involved in ministry, education, or catechesis, you will benefit from having this essential resource near at hand.

Instrumentum Laboris is the (working document) for the 3rd Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (to be held October 5-19) which focuses on “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization”.The Instrumentum Laboris consists of three parts. The first part focuses on the biblical and magisterial understanding of marriage, and features a heavy focus on the “natural law.” It also reflects on the role of the family today, the “fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another.”The second part concerns many pressing challenges to marriage and the family. These include cohabitation, remarried divorcees, teen motherhood, mixed-religion marriages, and same-sex unions.The final part deals with openness to life and parental responsibility. It explores how to transmit the faith to younger generations and how to form children in difficult or irregular family situations.This document will set the tone for October's anticipated Synod on the Family, and it deals with some of the most important issues today.

A biography of Pope Francis that describes how this revolutionary thinker will use the power of his position to challenge and redirect one of the world's most formidable religions An expansive and deeply contextual work, at its heart The Great Reformer is about the intersection of faith and politics--the tension between the pope's innovative vision for the Church and the obstacles he faces in an institution still strongly defined by its conservative past. Based on extensive interviews in Argentina and years of study of the Catholic Church, Ivereigh tells the story not only of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the remarkable man whose background and total commitment to the discernment of God's will transformed him into Pope Francis--but the story of why the Catholic Church chose him as their leader. With the Francis Revolution just beginning, this biography will provide never-before-explained context on how one man's ambitious program began--and how it will likely end--through an investigation of Francis's youth growing up in Buenos Aires and the dramatic events during the Perón era that shaped his beliefs; his ongoing conflicts and disillusionment with the ensuing doctrines of an authoritarian and militaristic government in the 1970s; how his Jesuit training in Argentina and Chile gave him a unique understanding and advocacy for a "Church of the Poor"; and his rise from Cardinal to the papacy.

Today we find ourselves at a crossroads of two powerful, unrelenting currents that are completely at odds with one another. The movement for legal recognition of same-sex unions has gone beyond the separate but equal status of civil unions to demand equality in marriage for all couples. Progress is being made on many fronts: mayoral action, clergy officiating at same-sex marriage and union ceremonies, state legislative responses, and street protests, to name a few. Meanwhile, opposition to same-sex marriage has also been gathering strength. The struggle is sure to continue unabated for some time to come, pitting those who believe in the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman—and who seek to codify this belief in the U.S. Constitution—against those who find the basis for marriage between two loving, committed individuals not only in the history of our civil rights legislation and court decisions, but also in scripture and sacred religious traditions. Those who believe in extending to same-sex couples the 1,049 rights conferred by marriage as well as the supportive embrace of religious communities seek to strengthen the institution of marriage by making it inclusive and by passing laws and broadening doctrines to uphold marriage rights for all couples. This three-volume set clarifies the legal, political, religious, cultural, and social ramifications of same-sex marriage for gay and lesbian couples and their families and friends, and for the general public interested in the future of civil rights in the United States.

Kathleen Hull provides an exploration of the cultural practices around same-sex marriage, as well as the legal battle for recognition. She shows how couples use marriage-related cultural practices, such as public commitment rituals, to assert the realityof their commitments despite lack of legal recognition.

Contents: (1) Background and Analysis; (2) Discharge Statistics; (3) Issues: Legal Challenges; Actions Following the Murder of Private Barry Winchell; Recruiting, JROTC, ROTC and Campus Policies; High Schools; Colleges and Universities; Supreme Court Review of the Solomon Amendment; Homosexuals and Marriages; Foreign Military Experiences. Charts and tables.