- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
In this eBook original, the Archbishop of Philadelphia offers a concise manifesto on the need to protect religious freedom here and abroad.
Principles that Americans find self-evident — the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of conscience, the separation of political and sacred authority, the distinction between secular and religious law, the idea of a civil society pre-existing and distinct from the state — are not widely shared elsewhere in the world, and in recent years seem to be in jeopardy on our own shores. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput offers a call to action for leadership both here and abroad, local and federal, to challenge this dangerous trend. By thoughtfully interpreting and applying Catholic values to this confusing time in human history, he provides hope for an American audience in need of moral direction.
Anonymous
Posted March 31, 2012
A great book for all Americans! The founding fathers would give this a 13 star review for its "revolutionary" call to defend our First Amendment lIberty! We have been guaranteed the rights enshrined in the Constitution especially those in the very First amendment ! They are being threatenned today by a wardrum of tyranny! Read , be informed and act! Germany might be a different nation today if people woke up to the tyranny of the Nazi's developing around them. Many Cahtolics and Christians were asleep then as they are now!! We need to wake up! This book will give you much more than a fleeting starbucks caffeine buzz!. It will give you a prophetic cry from the starry heavens to remember your origin as a person and a nation! It will call you to defend the Truth with unwavering zeal!!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 28, 2012
Im locked out of main camp.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SweetieMW
Posted July 20, 2012
Once again Archbishop Chaput puts forth the info needed for Christians to understand that values trump politics first and foremost. I am a Catholic first and a political party supporter second. Their values are not necessarily my values as a Catholic.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.BRFL
Posted July 19, 2012
Every Christan should read this to understand what their freedom should mean.BRFL
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 18, 2012
This is 33 pages that every American should read! My teenage children will be reading it tonight - whether they choose to or not!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Over the years Archbishop Chaput has become one of the most ardent and prominent Catholic voices in matters that concern the role that religion plays in the public life of the American republic. His book Render Unto Caesar is one of the definitive contemporary views on such topics. Even though Archbishop Chaput obviously comes from a Catholic theological and intellectual tradition, his views are ecumenical and appeal to the widest cross-section of people interested in the proper relationship between religious and political spheres.
Since Render Unto Caesar came out, there have been many troubling social and political developments that land special urgency to the renewed defense of religious freedom in the United States. Several states have enacted restrictions on the freedom of Catholic (and other) child adoption agencies, the federal government has tried (fortunately unsuccessfully) to have the final say in the employment decisions of the religious institutions, and most recently the same federal government has been embattled with the Catholic Church in matters concerning the freedom of Catholic institutions to use the health care plans of their choice.
As in most of his writing, Archbishop Chaput does not aim to just focus on any particular incident in his overall analysis. He offers his own insights based as much on the religious considerations as on the cultural history of America. The opening lines of A Heart on Fire are a quotation from Herman Melville Truth is like a threshing machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way. Archbishop Chaput is certainly not afraid of hurting tender sensibilities, but both in terms of the message and the style of writing he is eminently sensible and erudite. This short e-book presents some of his most ardent and eloquent appeals for a continuing witness of the religiously minded groups and individuals in the defense and promotion of their convictions in public. We live in challenging times, but it is exactly those challenges that can strengthen our own faith. I hope and pray that many of us will be able to rise to the occasion.
The only issue that I have with this Kindle ebook is its size. It is a very short document to begin with, on par with a longish magazine article. Additionally, the first chapter of archbishop Chaputs book Render Unto Caesar takes up about a third of the e-book. That larger book, published in 2008, is indeed eminently relevant to the discussion at hand, and it helps frame these current issues within the larger narrative. However, you are already able to read the first chapter of that book for free on your Kindle, so there is no extra value added by including it in this shorter e-book. I would have much preferred if this extra space were taken up by the further elaboration of the new insights and arguments that make A Heart on Fire such a relevant and timely document.
Another book that I would recommend if you are interested in exploring issues of religion and politics form a philosophical/legal perspective is Francis Beckwiths Politics for Christians. It is a probing and intellectually demanding book, but in my opinion it is one of the best recent resources on this subject.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 2, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted November 2, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted March 28, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
In this eBook original, the Archbishop of Philadelphia offers a concise manifesto on the need to protect religious freedom here and abroad.
Principles that Americans find self-evident — the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of conscience, the separation of political and sacred authority, the distinction between secular and religious law, the idea of a civil society pre-existing and distinct from the state — are not widely shared ...