Christian Books

Marco Politi takes us deep inside the power struggle roiling the Roman Curia and the Catholic Church worldwide, beginning with Benedict XVI, the pope who famously resigned in 2013, and intensifying with the contested and unexpected election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, now known as Pope Francis. Politi's account balances the perspectives of Pope Francis's supporters, Benedict's sympathizers, and those disappointed members of the Catholic laity who feel alienated by the institution's secrecy, financial corruption, and refusal to modernize.Politi dramatically recounts the sexual scandals that have rocked the church and the accusations of money laundering and other financial misdeeds swirling around the Vatican and the Italian Catholic establishment. Pope Francis has tried to shine a light on these crimes, but his work has been met with resistance from entrenched factions. Politi writes of the decline in church attendance and vocations to the priesthood throughout the world as the church continues to prohibit divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving the communion wafer. He visits European parishes where women now perform the functions of missing male priests--and where the remaining parishioners would welcome the admission of women to the priesthood, if the church would allow it.Pope Francis's emphasis on pastoral compassion for all who struggle with the burden of family life has also provoked the ire of traditionalists in the Roman Curia and elsewhere. He knows from personal experience what life is like for the poor in Buenos Aires and other metropolises of the globalized world, and highlights the contrast between the vital, vibrant faith of these parishioners and the disillusionment of European Catholics. Pope Francis and his supporters are locked in a battle with the defenders of the traditional hard line and with ecclesiastical corruption. In this conflict, the future of Catholicism is at stake--and it is far from certain Francis will succeed in saving the institution from decline.

We are living in a world of transformation, and the world tomorrow will be very different from the world today, or the world of yesterday. This extraordinary book will be fascinating to anyone concerned about the future of our world. Defining 6 key areas to discuss; society, religion, environment, science& technology, business, and politics, the authors draw a roadmap to the future. They investigate how unexpected changes and developments are transforming the social and business landscape of the 21st century. They have invited some of the world experts and specialists to contribute to this book, creating a virtual team spanning over all continents.

With over a billion followers, Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and a major global religious and political force in the 21st-century. It is also the subject of much misunderstanding, and many people know little of its origins or principles. "What is Islam?" is the perfect introduction to this important and complex subject. It covers all aspects of the religion in clear and concise chapters, including: Faith: The origins of Islam, the Koranic law and how it is dispensed; The Muslim world: A look at Islamic nations and their relative importance; History: The major events in the history of Islam; and, Sects: Islamic sects and the rise of militant Islam in the 20th and 21st centuries. This indispensable guide remains the definitive introduction to the subject.

If you’re intrigued by the intersection of love, law, and culture, this book is a treasure. It's a thoughtful deep dive into the complex subject of Muslim-non-Muslim unions in Southeast Asia, offering you a rare glimpse into how love contends with religious and cultural norms. The narratives and analysis in this book will leave you with a richer understanding of the region's diverse social dynamics.