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The image of the "cafeteria Catholic" -- one who blithely picks and chooses those doctrines that suit him -- is a staple of American culture. But are American Catholics really so nonchalant about how they integrate the ancient devotional practices of Catholicism with the everyday struggles of the modern world? For Sense of the Faithful, Jerome Baggett conducted 300 intensive interviews with members of six parishes to explore all aspects of this question. The book is an act of listening that allows ordinary Catholics to speak for themselves about how they understand their faith and how they draw upon it to find purpose in their lives. Many American Catholics, Baggett shows, do indeed have an ...
A fascinating exploration of the breadth of social, emotional, and spiritual experiences of atheists in America Self-identified atheists make up roughly 5 percent of the American religious landscape, comprising a larger population than Jehovah’s Witnesses, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus combined. In spite of their relatively significant presence in society, atheists are one of the most stigmatized groups in the United States, frequently portrayed as immoral, unhappy, or even outright angry. Yet we know very little about what their lives are actually like as they live among their largely religious, and sometimes hostile, fellow citizens. In this book, Jerome P. Baggett ...
Habitat for humanity is an American house-building ministry founded by evangelical Christians, it has constructed 85,000 homes using volunteers. Baggett tells the story of its development and argues that it is a particular social form of religion, a paradenominational organization.
For this work, Jerome Baggett conducted 300 intensive interviews with members of six parishes to explore all aspects about whether American Catholics are really so nonchalant about how they integrate the ancient devotional practices of Catholicism with the everyday struggles of the modern world.
Marine Captain Dammit McGowin first encounters the beautiful Robbi Goodrich in a beachside bar. An instant connection soon blossoms into something more. However, Robbi is the sole heir to her family's extensive wealth and the death of her grandfather means her having to face responsibilities she was not prepared for. It also means her prized medical degree and her work as a doctor have to be put on hold. But all this pales in comparison to other events surrounding Robbi. Her two cousins are murdered and the same group seems to be hellbent on killing her as well. After she is abducted and held for ransom, Dammit has to rescue Robbi and together they fight for survival against murderers and drug dealers in California's remote Channel Islands.
A young five-year-old boy needs glasses. This boy loves orange. He wears orange shirts, shorts, and shoes. The boy is having problems in school, reading and seeing what the teacher writes on the board. His mom takes him to the eye doctor to get his eyes checked. The young boy is scared and apprehensive. This book describes his experience at the doctor's office using his words. He finds out that he needs glasses but doesn't want to wear glasses because he will look different. In the end, he finds a pair of glasses that make him feel cool and wants to wear his glasses.
A popular new image of Witches has arisen in recent years, due largely to movies like The Craft, Practical Magic, and Simply Irresistible and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed. Here, young sexy Witches use magic and Witchcraft to gain control over their lives and fight evil. Then there is the depiction in the Harry Potter books: Witchcraft is a gift that unenlightened Muggles (everyday people) lack. In both types of portrayals, being a Witch is akin to being a superhero. At the other end of the spectrum, wary adults assume that Witches engage in evil practices that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst. Yet, as Helen A. Berger an...
In January 2002, reeling from a growing awareness of child sexual abuse within their church, a small group of Catholics gathered after Mass in the basement of a parish in Wellesley, Massachusetts to mourn and react. They began to mobilize around supporting victims of abuse, supporting non-abusive priests, and advocating for structural change in the Catholic Church so that abuse would no longer occur. Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) built a movement by harnessing the faith and fury of a nation of Catholics shocked by reports of abuse and institutional complicity. Tricia Colleen Bruce offers an in-depth look at the development of Voice of the Faithful, showing their struggle to challenge Church leaders and advocate for internal change while being accepted as legitimately Catholic. Guided by the stories of individual participants, Faithful Revolution brings to light the intense identity negotiations that accompany a challenge to one's own religion and offers a meaningful way to learn about Catholic identity, intrainstitutional social movements, and the complexity of institutional structures.
In 2004 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston announced plans to close more than eighty churches. Distraught parishioners occupied several of these buildings in opposition to the decrees. Seitz tells the stories of these resisting Catholics in their own words, illuminating how they were drawn to reconsider the past and its meanings.