St. Pope John Paul II

Central to his argument is the contrast between the personalistic and the utilitarian views of marriage and of sexual relations. The former views marriage as an interpersonal relationship, in which the well-being and self-realization of each partner are of overriding importance to the other. It is only within this framework that the full purpose of marriage can be realized. The alternative, utilitarian view, according to which a sexual partner is an object for use, holds no possibility of fulfillment and happiness. Wojtyla argues that divorce, artificial methods of birth control, adultery (pre-marital sex), and sexual perversions are all in various ways incompatible with the personalistic view of the sexual self-realization of the human person.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the book is that Wojtyla appeals throughout to ordinary, human experience, logically examined. He draws support for his views on the proper gratification of sexual needs, on birth control, and on other matters, from the findings of physiologists and psychologists. His conclusions coincide with the traditional teachings of the Church, which invoke scriptural authority. His approach ensures that non-Christians also can consider his arguments on their own merits.

A courageous apologetic. In no other book does the Pope emerge more clearly as an independent thinker. This book is a high-minded rejoinder to the sexual revolution.
-- Kenneth Briggs, New York Times Book Review

A Singular Bond That Changed History

Even as historians credit -Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II with hastening the end of the Cold War, they have failed to recognize the depth or significance of the bond that developed between the two leaders.

Acclaimed scholar and bestselling author Paul Kengor changes that. In this fascinating book, he reveals a singular bond--which included a spiritual connection between the Catholic pope and the Protestant president--that drove the two men to confront what they knew to be the great evil of the twentieth century: Soviet communism.

Reagan and John Paul II almost didn't have the opportunity to forge this relationship: just six weeks apart in the spring of 1981, they took bullets from would-be assassins. But their strikingly similar near-death experiences brought them close together--to Moscow's dismay.

A Pope and a President is the product of years of research. Based on Kengor's tireless archival digging and his unique access to Reagan insiders, the book reveals:

Nancy Reagan called John Paul II her husband's "closest friend"; Reagan himself told Polish visitors that the pope was his "best friend." When you read this book, you will understand why. As kindred spirits, Ronald Reagan and John Paul II united in pursuit of a supreme objective--and in doing so they changed history.

Winner of a first-place award for English translation editions from The Catholic Media Association.

Teachings for an Unbelieving World is a newly discovered work written by St. John Paul II--then Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Kraków--in the years just after Vatican II. He uses St. Paul's sermon to the people of Athens in Acts 17 as a framework for articulating the faith in a culture of skepticism and unbelief. These thirteen brief reflections provide compelling teaching for Catholics in today's post-Christian world and give fresh insight into JPII's pontificate. This is the first English-language publication of this important work.

St. John Paul II composed these thirteen reflections at a unique point of convergence in history--the closing of Vatican II in 1965 and the 1966 observance of one thousand years of Christianity in Poland.

Teachings for an Unbelieving World is an extended meditation on Acts 17 where Paul speaks to the cultural elite of Athens after he observed an altar of an unknown god in the city. Quoting from both the Bible and the documents of Vatican II, John Paul II draws timely wisdom from the apostle's mission to bring the truth of the Gospel to a worldly culture of sophistication and disbelief, one not unlike our own.

The future pope reveals Paul's memorable encounter as an enduring framework to boldly present the core truths of Catholic faith to those living under Poland's communist regime. In so doing, JPII demonstrates how relevant Paul's words are today and equips us to meet the challenges of proclaiming the faith in our times.

Teachings for an Unbelieving World affirms the continuity of Catholic faith about: