It is no accident that among the most frequent expressions Jesus conveys to his followers in the Gospels is "Do not be afraid!" Living out this command from Christ should raise questions for spiritual seekers today: How do we cultivate a faith that does not succumb to fear? What is Christian hope and what does it look like to embrace it in the face of such fearful circumstances? Can we retrieve or develop an understanding of the Holy Spirit that better grounds us in times of crisis and moments of fear? This book explores these and other questions in the Christian tradition.
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"We live in a complex world of heightened fear, kindled by competing news feeds and social media. Dan Horan brings to light one of the most paralyzing conditions for human growth and offers a comprehensive discussion that brings fear into an explicitly Christian focus. Fear can conquer the will, divide the heart, and stifle the mind. Where the spirit is, however, there is love; fear is driven out by perfect love."
—Sr. Ilia Delio, OSF, Connelly Endowed Chair in Christian Theology, Villanova University
"In these troubling times, this brilliant book sheds light on the deep roots of fear and anxiety, while opening the door to spiritâ€filled hope."
—Andrew Prevot, Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies, Georgetown University
"Fear and Faith is a small book with a big message: Fear is a tool of control, and Christ teaches us to resist it. Daniel P. Horan guides us to lean on this aspect of our faith so that we can live the abundant existence we are meant to live. Important words for our times."
—Sophfronia Scott, author of The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton
Daniel P. Horan, OFM, PhD, is professor of philosophy, religious studies, and theology, and director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. A columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, he is the author of fourteen books, regularly lectures around the United States and abroad, and serves on several university, academic, and publication editorial boards.
A guidebook on how to live the Trappist charism outside a monastic enclosure.
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"Michael Downey's theological depth enriches, his poetic prose inspires, his prayer pulses through these pages. Every word, each finely chiseled cameo evokes silence, sobriety, and solidarity in everything." —Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization
"This slim volume offers a balm for today's frenetic and disconnected soul. An astute cultural observer, Downey shines a revealing light on the 'magnificent distractions' that can impede the spiritual life even as his poetic sensibility draws us ever more deeply into the art of living prayerfully. We are in the safe hands of a wise and perceptive spiritual master." —Richard R. Gaillardetz, Boston College
"A guidebook on how to live the Trappist charism outside a monastic enclosure. It was in many ways Charles de Foucauld's own calling. Sobriety healed his soul, silence opened him to the mystery, and solidarity led him to encounter the God who calls us his brothers and sisters. As Michael Downey points out, the three are not signposts to perfection but to increasing our desire for that in which our hearts can rest." —Little Sister Kathleen of Jesus
Dr. Michael Downey has served as professor of theology and spirituality at universities and seminaries in North America and abroad. Author or editor of more than twenty books over the course of an academic career spanning more than forty years, he has remained active in working with enclosed contemplative monks and nuns. He is recipient of three honorary doctorates and was awarded the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice by Pope John Paul II.
The consistent ethic of life is a fully Catholic engagement with the difficult challenges that conscience encounters in our time. This short book is a resource for parishes and general readers to rediscover the consistent ethic now in this challenging, divided moment of our history.
Tracing the historical development of the consistent ethic from the early 1970s up to recent days, A Consistent Ethic of Life encourages readers to adopt an attitude that calls them to be partisans for life above the partisanship of our politics.
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"Is there an antidote for the increasing polarization rending both the Church and the US? In this short, accessible book, Steven P. Millies argues that since the 1970s, A Consistent Ethic of Life has been precisely the remedy for committed Catholics seeking to discern a faithful way forward amid escalating and divisive partisan politics. Drawing on rigorous scholarship, Millies deftly narrates—in prose eloquent yet clear—a new and thicker account of the historic, ecclesial, and theological development of the consistent ethic, from Vatican II through John Paul II to Pope Francis. As the US moves into yet another fraught election cycle, A Consistent Ethic of Life is a must read for thoughtful Catholics in parishes, classrooms, and the academy." —M. Therese Lysaught, PhD, professor, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago
Steven P. Millies is an author and political theorist, and currently professor of public theology and director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois.
