A noted biblical scholar's concise responses to a wide range of the questions most frequently posed to him about the Bible. +

Table of Contents: The churches -- History -- The workings of the church.

Taken together, these questions explore the role of deacons in the contemporary church, the formation of deacons, what it is like to live as a deacon, and the role of deacons as ministers of the word, the liturgy, and as apostolic leaders in service.

Any caretaker of children will appreciate these concise, thoughtful, easy-to-explain answers to some of the most important questions children will ever ask.i

Joseph Kelley has written a short, accessible, thorough introduction to, and overview of, Christian teaching on death, judgment, hell and heaven, called in theology the "four last things." Presented in the popular 101 Questions format, this book shows how these four topics, also referred to as "Christian eschatology," have their ancient roots in the sacred books of the Hebrew Scriptures, especially in the later writings known as apocalyptic literature. The New Testament receives and builds upon Jewish thought and piety, finding in Jesus Christ a new revelation about the meaning of death, the nature of judgment, and God's desire that all be saved and united through Christ in heaven. Kelley clearly presents the major theological ideas about the four last things that have emerged in Christian history, as well as the sacramental and pastoral practices surrounding death. Questions range from the simple What makes a cemetery Catholic? to Does the Church believe in reincarnation? to What do other religions say about judgment? and What does it mean to say that Jesus sits at God's right hand in heaven? This one-step guide to Catholic teaching on death, judgment, heaven, and hell is a one-of-a-kind book and will make informative, fascinating reading for high school, college, and graduate courses in theology, religion, psychology, social work, counseling, and ministry, especially death and dying courses. Also, adult education and parish study groups on death and dying as well as Christian support groups for bereavement. +

Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8? Are the trumpet judgments literal or symbolic (Revelation 8; 11)? What is the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:18)? Readers who have questions about the book of Revelation usually don’t want to wade through pages of commentary to find their answers. Prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock offers a helpful solution in this concise Q&A format. Questions are grouped in broad categories that focus on interpretation, background information, Jesus Christ, and the letters to the churches. A final category, “The Consummation,” is further divided into subparts that address the tribulation, the second coming, the millennium, and more. These easy-to find and easy-to-understand responses to the most commonly asked questions about the book of Revelation will empower readers to mine its riches and stand strong in their faith.