 | |
| Author | Morris, Father Jonathan |
|---|---|
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Religion |
| Publisher | HarperOne |
Publication date | 2008 |
| Media type | Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle Edition |
| Pages | 230 |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-135341-3 |
| OCLC | 202537034 |
| 248.8/6 22 | |
| LC Class | BV4909 .M667 2008 |
The Promise: God's Purpose and Plan for When Life Hurts (2008) is a non-fiction self-help book written by Jonathan Morris, a Catholic priest, professor and news contributor and analyst for the Fox News Channel. The book is published by HarperOne.
In an interview, Morris said the idea behind his book came partly from a question posed to him by Neil Cavuto: "With all the suffering in the world, is God just really ticked off?" [1] Morris said that he felt the widely asked question—why an all-loving, all powerful God would allow suffering—was the question to help address for readers, and that the topic of suffering was an issue that mattered the most for everyone. [2]
In the introduction, Morris says that he has not written an answer to the philosophical question of suffering and evil, but a guidebook of spiritual principles and practical ideas. [3]
The book is broken down into three areas:
In Part I: God on Trial, Morris addresses the major questions, doubts and preconceived notions that many people have about the nature of God and faith. He also writes about the suffering of Jesus Christ as related in the Gospel accounts, as well as the challenge of reconciling the existence of suffering together with the existence of a merciful God. In Part II: Emotional and Spiritual Healing, the author highlights the complexity of suffering by examining the different kinds—physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual—as well as some of the various sources of suffering. Part III: Principles for Freedom-Living is on living with a sense of holiness and awareness of one's particular calling in life.
Charles J. Chaput, the Archbishop of Denver, wrote of the book and its author, "...Pope John Paul II spoke often and eloquently about the meaning of suffering. Father Morris has written a wonderful sequel to the Holy Father's thoughts, but from a very different perspective: that of a young priest; a man of energy, insight, world experience and engaging popular style." [4] One critic (writing for catholic.net) wrote, "This is the first book of a young priest who is already fulfilling a big mission as an effective communicator of the Gospel to the American people." [5]
In the first week of its release, The Promise was a #1 bestseller among the 'Christian Living' and 'Catholic-Inspirational' books on Amazon.com, [6] and was a religion bestseller for HarperOne. [7]
Anointing of the sick, known also by other names such as unction, is a form of religious anointing or "unction" for the benefit of a sick person. It is practiced by many Christian churches and denominations.
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Richard Rohr, is an American Franciscan priest and writer on spirituality based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church in 1970, founded the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati in 1971, and the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque in 1987. In 2011, PBS called him "one of the most popular spirituality authors and speakers in the world".
Eucharistic theology is a branch of Christian theology which treats doctrines concerning the Holy Eucharist, also commonly known as the Lord's Supper and Holy Communion. It exists exclusively in Christianity, as others generally do not contain a Eucharistic ceremony.
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Jonathan Morris is an American author, actor, commentator on religious matters in the media who has been a Fox News contributor and analyst since 2005. He formerly served as a Catholic priest, first in the Legionaries of Christ and later as a secular priest in the Archdiocese of New York. In 2019, he requested dispensation from the clerical state.
Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on canonical scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Catholic Church. This article serves as an introduction to various topics in Catholic theology, with links to where fuller coverage is found.
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