Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and writer of popular history whose work delves into the ancient and medieval periods, exploring complex themes of faith and religious institutions. His writing is deeply informed by a personal journey of belief, transitioning from evangelicalism through Episcopalianism to his reception into the Catholic Church. Sweeney's distinctive approach examines spiritual life and history with empathy and intellectual curiosity, often highlighting the value found within organized religion.
"Meister Eckhart has been a huge influence on spirituality for more than 800 years. This book of meditations is for people seeking the 'wayless way.' It is not for those looking for a simple path. These fresh, stunning renderings of Eckhart's writings in poetic form bring life to one of the great spiritual voices of any age. They reveal what it means to love God and find meaning in darkness-not darkness in general, but your darkness. Only when you are in the darkness, Meister says, do you have even the possibility of seeing the light"--
An introduction to the spiritual legacy of Thomas Merton Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk and one of the most influential spiritual figures of the 20th century. His writing on contemplation, monastic life, mysticism, poetry, and social issues have influenced generations and his legacy of interfaith understanding and social justice endures to this day. Thomas Merton: His Life, Teachings, and Practices offers an exploration of Merton as a monk, as a writer, and as a human being. Author Jon M. Sweeney delves into Merton’s life and ideas with an appreciation for his work and a deep understanding of the spiritual depth that it contains. Thomas Merton offers a unique view of popular and sometimes controversial monk, braiding together his thoughts and practices with the reality of his life to create a full portrait of a pivotal figure. The Merton revealed in its pages is a source of inspiration and insight for those wrestling with questions of faith and spirituality. At its core, the book is about the search for wholeness—a search Merton undertook himself throughout his lifetime and one readers can also embark on as they draw inspiration and guidance from his life.
Turn from fear and find peace with one of the most recognized figures in Christian history. Saint Francis of Assisi understood that the surest way for a person to turn from fear and find grace was to embrace a life filled with ordinary miracles. And for twenty-first century living, we can learn from the teachings of this beloved sainttofind a path where our faith is made tangible again and where we embrace listening and gentleness in the face of fear and uncertainty. From author and Saint Francis scholar Jon M. Sweeney comes Feed the Wolf , exploring fifteen spiritual practices from the essential wisdom of Saint Francis. Each lesson begins with an invitation to "embrace the wolf"--to consider another viewpoint, to befriend our fears, and to discover something new--and illustrates the ordinary miracles of Saint Francis's life, such as touch what is frightening; refuse power; have nothing to lose; spend time in the woods; pray with the moon; turn toward what's simple; and more. The nature of these ordinary miracles is that they can be repeated become spiritual practices that lead us toward peace. Allow the insights from the world's most popular saint to move into your heart, feet, mouth, and hands, and discover a peaceful path forward to navigate today's precarious times.
The Pope's cat, Margaret, learns about Holy Week as the pope explains each day
from Maundy Thursday to Easter. The pope introduces Margaret to the Sistine
Chapel, where they pray together--
Margaret, the Pope's cat, is bothered by unusual activity in the Vatican but
relaxes in the presence of Michelangelo's Piet a before attending Midnight
Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.
Meister Eckhart (1260 -1328) was a priest, a mystic, and nearly a heretic (he died before the Church court's verdict). In the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church rehabilitated him and the late Pope John Paul II spoke of his work with fondness. However, what makes him of particular interest is the fact that he has influenced a wide range of spiritual teachers and mystics both inside and outside the Christian tradition. Erich Fromm, Eckhart Tolle, Richard Rohr, D. T. Suzuki, and Rudolf Steiner have all credited Eckhart as being an important influence on their thought. In addition, his work has influenced the development of 20th century American Buddhism and the Theosophical tradition. Eckhart wrote at a time - much like our own - when society appeared to be coming apart at the seams. In the midst of all that chaos and uncertainty, he captured the many forms and stages of the love of God, the mystic path, and the journey of transformation - in language so startling that he, too, was often accused of heresy. Now, seven centuries later, this fresh, stunning rendering of his work translates the essence of one of Christianity's greatest poetic and spiritual voices. Here is a book that conveys the heart of Eckhart's teaching on what it means to love God and embark on an authentic spiritual journey - a journey that is characterized by mystery, paradox, and an embrace of the unknown.
This story of how Hell got "invented" is engaging, erudite, and illuminating. It could be the most important theology book you ever read. It is also hilarious. Jon Sweeney, convert to Catholicism and married to a rabbi, author of two dozen of his own religious books and editor of hundreds of others, delves into the question of Hell with intellectual curiosity, sincere faith, and good humor. He pretty much proves that it was Dante who gave us the Hell we have, and then he admonishes us to think again about the hell that exists around us every day.
Popular historian and award-winning author Jon M. Sweeney relates the untold story of St. Francis's friendship with Elias of Cortona, the man who helped him build the Franciscan movement. Sweeney uses the complexities of their relationship in a gripping narrative of how their efforts changed the world and how Elias's enthusiasm betrayed the ideals of his friend.Few biographies of St. Francis have examined his complicated relationship with close friend Elias of Cortona. In The Enthusiast , award-winning author and historian Jon M. Sweeney delves into this little-known partnership that defined and then almost destroyed Francis's ideals.Blending history and biography, Sweeney reveals how Francis and Elias rebuilt churches, aided lepers, and entertained as "God's troubadours" to the delight of everyday people who had grown tired of a remote and tumultuous Church. At the height of their spiritual renaissance, however, Elias became "the devil" to many of the other friars; they believed him to be a traitor to their ideals. After Francis's premature death, the movement fractured. Scorned by most of the Franciscan leadership, Elias followed a path that would leave him a lonely, broken man. Sweeney shows how Elias's undoing was rooted in his attempts to honor his old friend.The Enthusiast was the winner of a 2017 Catholic Press Association Book History (Third Place).
The riveting story of Pope St. Celestine V, the pope who retired from the papacy. At the close of the tumultuous Middle Ages, there lived a man who seemed destined from birth to save the world. His name was Peter Morrone, a hermit, a founder of a religious order, and, depending on whom you talk to, a reformer, an instigator, a prophet, a coward, a saint, and possibly the victim of murder. A stroke of fate would, practically overnight, transform this humble servant of God into the most powerful man in the Catholic Church. Half a year later, he would be the only pope in history to abdicate the chair of St. Peter, an act that nearly brought the papacy to its knees. What led him to make that decision and what happened afterward would be shrouded in mystery for centuries. The Pope Who Quit pulls back the veil of secrecy on this dramatic time in history and showcases a story that involves deadly dealings, apocalyptic maneuverings, and papal intrigue.
