Did you know that the Orlando Public Library at 101 East Central downtown Orlando has the New Catholic Encyclopedia and numerous other reference books on the Christianity and the Catholic Faith? Reference Department - 4th Floor - R 282.03 NEW

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About God But Were Afraid To Ask by Eric Metaxas.
There's an old conservative Christian saying, "God said it, I believe it and that settles it." Metaxas—a New York humor and children's book writer—doesn't use it, but employs that attitude in writing this cheeky question-and-answer book addressing the most common questions people have about God. Metaxas writes from an evangelical Christian perspective as he discusses the authority of the Bible, salvation and concepts such as heaven, hell, angels and demons. He admits early on that this book idea is "patently insane"; however, he "took a crack at" answering the kinds of questions he is asked all the time in his work as a writer and speaker. Without a doubt, Metaxas is a clever and straightforward writer, fielding jokes right and left before hitting the reader with the hard stuff. ("Q: What happens when you die? A: Well it depends, but typically the lawn goes unmowed for a while...") He then more seriously replies that we are either welcomed into God's presence in heaven or banished for eternity to hell. Metaxas gets high marks for wit but fails to explore the wide range of beliefs that devout Christians hold today.
In Everything Else You Always Wanted To Know About God But Were Afraid To Ask by Eric Metaxas, the author answers the rest–and some of the very best–of the questions that surface when God is the topic of conversation. Metaxas’s welcoming tone and his skillful use of humor lower readers’ defenses. He presents biblical truth in the form of engaging answers that can’t help but connect, whether the reader is an inquisitive skeptic, an open-minded agnostic, or even a new believer looking to get grounded in the basics of the Christian faith. No matter who is asking the questions, this sequel delivers the goods with disarming candor and biblical authority.
Everything You Always Wnated to Know About God But Were Afraid To Ask - The Jesus Edition by Eric Metaxas.
We all have questions about Jesus, but very few of us get the answers we’re looking for—if the answers even exist! Do they? Where (in heaven’s name) do you go to find out? New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas understands how hard it can be to get hard truths, and that’s why he is writing this hilarious, entertaining guide to the most influential single Person to have ever lived on the face of the earth. Like his previous books in this style, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God - The Jesus Edition by Eric Metaxas is a book that takes questions about the Son of God seriously enough to get silly- where appropriate. Metaxas covers questions about Jesus’ life -Did He live at all?-, His death -If He truly was the Son of God, why did He have to die?-, His resurrection -Did Jesus really come back after death?-, and much more. Apologetics has never been so much fun!
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Bonhoeffer.
In this weighty, riveting analysis of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Metaxas offers a view of one of history's darkest eras, along with a fascinating exploration of the familial, cultural and religious influences that formed one of the world's greatest contemporary theologians. A passionate narrative voice combines with meticulous research to unpack the confluence of circumstances and personalities that led Germany from the defeat of WWI to the atrocities of WWII. With sermons, letters, journal entries, lectures, the Barman Declaration, Metaxas brings to life the personalities and experiences that shaped Bonhoeffer: his highly intellectual, musical family; theologically liberal professors, pastoral colleagues and students; his extensive study, work, and travel abroad. Tracing Bonhoeffer's developing call to be a Jeremiah-like prophet in his own time and a growing understanding that the church was called "to speak for those who could not speak," Metaxas details Bonhoeffer's role in religious resistance to Nazism, and provides a compelling account of the faith journey that eventually involved the Lutheran pastor in unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Hitler. Insightful and illuminating, this tome makes a powerful contribution to biography, history and theology.
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas tells the story of the remarkable life of the British abolitionist William Wilberforce (1759-1833). This book chronicles Wilberforce's extraordinary role as a human rights activist, cultural reformer, and member of Parliament. At the center of this heroic life was a passionate twenty-year fight to abolish the British slave trade, a battle Wilberforce won in 1807, as well as efforts to abolish slavery itself in the British colonies, a victory achieved just three days before his death in 1833. Metaxas discovers in this unsung hero a man of whom it can truly be said: he changed the world. Before Wilberforce, few thought slavery was wrong. After Wilberforce, most societies in the world came to see it as a great moral wrong.
Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn.
The well known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic ... until he reluctantly began to discover that his "enemy" had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous "dark night of the soul" after Scott converted to Catholicism. Their conversion story and love for the Church has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of lukewarm Catholics and brought them back into an active participation in the Church. They have also influenced countless conversions to Catholicism among their friends and others who have heard their powerful testimony. Written with simplicity, charity, grace and wit, the Hahns' deep love and knowledge of Christ and of Scripture is evident and contagious throughout their story. Their love of truth and of neighbor is equally evident, and their theological focus on the great importance of the family, both biological and spiritual, will be a source of inspiration for all readers.
Theophilos: A Novel by Michael D. O'Brien.
St. Luke addressed his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to a man named Theophilos. Who was Theophilos? Scripture scholars do not know, making him a fit subject for Michael O'Brien's vivid imagination. In this fictional narrative, Theophilos is the skeptical but beloved adoptive father of St. Luke. Challenged by the startling account of the "Christos" received in the chronicle from his beloved son Luke and concerned for the newly zealous young man's fate, Theophilos, a Greek physician and an agnostic, embarks on a search for Luke to bring him home. He is gravely concerned about the deadly illusions Luke has succumbed to regarding the incredible stories surrounding Jesus of Nazareth, a man of contradictions who has caused so much controversy throughout the Roman Empire. Thus begins a long journey that will take Theophilos deep into the war between nations and empires, truth and myth, good and evil, and into unexpected dimensions of his very self.
The "R" Father: 14 Ways to Respond to the Lord's Prayer by Mark Hart.
Mark Hart takes the reader on a journey through out the traditional Catholic prayer given in the Gospel, the "Our Father". Each chapter is titled with a segment from the prayer and is filled with true insight as to what kind of response it should evoke within. Hart--never failing to add his wit and charm--makes this book fun to read. His vulnerability and willingness to draw examples from his personal life makes it feel as though he is walking on this journey with you. I absolutely recommend this book to all Catholics; whether you want to strengthen your prayer life or not, after reading this book, you will find yourself entering into the Our Father like you never have before. You will find yourself not just memorizing the prayer but meaning it, not just saying the prayer but living it. It is a definite must-read.
Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit: A Young Catholic's Search for Meaning by Mart Hart
Too many young Catholics experience their faith as Mark Hart did: They rarely miss Mass even if they don t understand it they have a Bible even if they never read it they go to confession even if they aren t particularly repentant. Is that your experience of Catholicism? Is yours a faith of Thou Shalt Nots? If so, forget about a dreary life of mindless obedience to rules you don t understand. It s time to enter into the transforming light of your Creator who invites you to live from the still center of his undying love. The author s humorous and hard-hitting reflections drive home the point that God isn t calling the reader to be a good person, someone who merely obeys the rules, but a new person in Jesus Christ.
The Screwtape Letters by Clive Staples Lewis.
Who among us has never wondered if there might not really be a tempter sitting on our shoulders or dogging our steps? C.S. Lewis dispels all doubts. In The Screwtape Letters, one of his bestselling works, we are made privy to the instructional correspondence between a senior demon, Screwtape, and his wannabe diabolical nephew Wormwood. As mentor, Screwtape coaches Wormwood in the finer points, tempting his "patient" away from God. Each letter is a masterpiece of reverse theology, giving the reader an inside look at the thinking and means of temptation. Tempters, according to Lewis, have two motives: the first is fear of punishment, the second a hunger to consume or dominate other beings. On the other hand, the goal of the Creator is to woo us unto himself or to transform us through his love from "tools into servants and servants into sons." It is the dichotomy between being consumed and subsumed completely into another's identity or being liberated to be utterly ourselves that Lewis explores with his razor-sharp insight and wit. The most brilliant feature of The Screwtape Letters may be likening hell to a bureaucracy in which "everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment." We all understand bureaucracies, be it the Department of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, or one of our own making. So we each understand the temptations that slowly lure us into hell.
Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community by Albert L. Winseman, Donald O. Clifton, Curt Liesveld.
While millions of people in the U.S. are actively involved in some sort of religious organization, many people feel disengaged from their faith communities. More than half report that they really don't get the opportunity in their congregation to do what they do best. The problem is this: too many people's talents are going unappreciated. But it doesn't have to be this way. Living Your Strengths shows readers how to use their innate gifts to enrich their faith communities. The book shows people how to identify and affirm their talents, and how to use them for growth and service. Most importantly, Living Your Strengths helps people discover their true callings. The book includes an ID code that gives readers access to StrengthsFinder.com, a personality assessment that reveals the user's top five talents.



Wallbuilders.com

 WallBuilders is an organization dedicated to presenting America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built – a foundation which, in recent years, has been seriously attacked and undermined. In accord with what was so accurately stated by George Washington, we believe that "the propitious [favorable] smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation which disregards the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself has ordained."
In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, the nation of Israel rallied together in a grassroots movement to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and thus restore stability, safety, and a promising future to that great city. We have chosen this historical concept of "rebuilding the walls" to represent allegorically the call for citizen involvement in rebuilding our nation's foundations. As Psalm 11:3 reminds us, "If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do?"
WallBuilders' goal is to exert a direct and positive influence in government, education, and the family by (1) educating the nation concerning the Godly foundation of
our country; (2) providing information to federal, state, and local officials as they develop public policies which reflect Biblical values; and (3) encouraging Christians to be involved in the civic arena.

Check out all the book titles in the STORE at Wallbuilders.com especially those written by historian David Barton.

David Barton is the Founder and President of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that presents America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage. David is the author of numerous best-selling books, with the subjects being drawn largely from his massive library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era. His exhaustive research has rendered him an expert in historical and constitutional issues and he serves as a consultant to state and federal legislators, has participated in several cases at the Supreme Court, was involved in the development of the History/Social Studies standards for states such as Texas and California, and has helped produce history textbooks now used in schools across the nation. David was named by Time magazine as one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals, and he has received numerous national and international awards, including Who's Who in Education and DAR's highest award, the George Washington Honor Medal. His work in media has merited several Angel Awards, Telly Awards, and the Dove Foundation Seal of Approval.
A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart.
For the past three decades, many history professors have allowed their biases to distort the way America’s past is taught. These intellectuals have searched for instances of racism, sexism, and bigotry in our history while downplaying the greatness of America’s patriots and the achievements of "dead white men." As a result, more emphasis is placed on Harriet Tubman than on George Washington; more about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II than about D-Day or Iwo Jima; more on the dangers we faced from Joseph McCarthy than those we faced from Josef Stalin. A Patriot’s History of the United States corrects those doctrinaire biases. In this groundbreaking book, America’s discovery, founding, and development are reexamined with an appreciation for the elements of public virtue, personal liberty, and private property that make this nation uniquely successful. This book offers a long-overdue acknowledgment of America’s true and proud history.

America's Prophet: Moses and the American story - The exodus story is America's story. Moses is our real founding father. The pilgrims quoted his story. Franklin and Jefferson proposed he appear on the U.S. seal. Washington and Lincoln were called his incarnations. The Statue of Liberty and Superman were molded in his image. Martin Luther King, Jr., invoked him the night before he died. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama cited him as inspiration. For four hundred years, one figure inspired more Americans than any other. His name is Moses. In this groundbreaking book, New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler travels through touchstones in American history and traces the biblical prophet's influence from the Mayflower through today. He visits the island where the pilgrims spent their first Sabbath, climbs the bell tower where the Liberty Bell was inscribed with a quote from Moses, retraces the Underground Railroad where "Go Down, Moses" was the national anthem of slaves, and dons the robe Charlton Heston wore in The Ten Commandments. "Even a cursory review of American history indicates that Moses has emboldened leaders of all stripes," Feiler writes, "patriot and loyalist, slave and master, Jew and Christian. Could the persistence of his story serve as a reminder of our shared national values? Could he serve as a unifying force in a disunifying time? If Moses could split the Red Sea, could he unsplit America?" One part adventure story, one part literary detective story, one part exploration of faith in contemporary life, America's Prophet takes readers through the landmarks of America's narrative—from Gettysburg to Selma, the Silver Screen to the Oval Office—to understand how Moses has shaped the nation's character. Meticulously researched and highly readable, America's Prophet is a thrilling, original work of history that will forever change how we view America, our faith, and our future.

The Survivors' Club - Each second of the day, someone in America faces a crisis, whether it's a car accident, violent crime, serious illness, or financial trouble. Given the inevitability of adversity, we all wonder: Who beats the odds and who surrenders? Why do some people bound back and others give up? How can I become the kind of person who survives and thrives? The fascinating, hopeful answers to these questions are found in THE SURVIVORS CLUB. In the tradition of Freakonomics and The Tipping Point, this book reveals the hidden side of survival by combining astonishing true stories, gripping scientific research, and the author's adventures inside the U.S. military's elite survival schools and the government's airplane crash evacuation course. With THE SURVIVORS CLUB, you can alsodiscover your own Survivor IQ through a powerful Internet-based test called the Survivor Profiler. Developed exclusively for this book, the test analyzes your personality and generates a customized report on your top survivor strengths. There is no escaping life's inevitable struggles. But THE SURVIVORS CLUB can give you an edge when adversity strikes.

Faith and Work Resources - Allowing you to live out your faith at work. Everything from books, CDs, videos, e-books, MP3 downloads on a variety of topics from ethics, discipleship, adversity to family, government, money, and mentoring. FaithandWorkResources.com
The Culturally Savvy Christian: A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite by Dick Staub
"Dick Staub has written an engaging and provocative book needed in our times…His insightful critique of popular Christianity and his numerous quotes make it a good source for sermon material or a book discussion group. He provides us with ‘slow food’ for thought." – The Rev. Canon Jonathon Jensen, The Living Church magazine (May 2009)
New copies of inspirational books for workplace believers by Os Hillman at the Orlando Public Library!
Today God is First and The 9 to 5 Window, also in Spanish: La ventana de 9 a 5. If you are a resident of Orange County (not city limit of Maitland or Winter Park) you can reserve a copy and have the books delivered to your home for free. Go to www.ocls.info or click the book image on the left and request a copy. If do not qualify for home deliver, click on the book image on the left to see if copies are now available at the downtown Orlando library. You can also register to receive free daily meditations from TGIF volumes 1 and 2.
Servant Publications and Servant Books
Servant Books is dedicated to publishing books that spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, help Christians to live in accordance with that Gospel, promote renewal in the Church and bear witness to Christian unity. Servant Publications and Servant Books—Nourishing the Christian Mind, Strengthening the Christian Heart. Check out titles on topics of interest to persons of every age and walk of life. www. ServantBooks.com
Catholic Catechism E-book
 Catechism Online: The Catechism of the Catholic Church
From the Vatican in English, French, German, Italian, Latin and Spanish
Online Bible Link
Bible Online: The New American Bible
From the Vatican in English, Italian and Latin with Concordance!


Father Scott's Books & Tapes
Check out this collection of some of Father Scott Seethaler's books and tapes of talks he has recorded for a reasonable donation which includes all shipping and handling charges. If you wish to order, print the page and complete the order form at the bottom. Titles include: Healing After a Divorce; You Gotta Laugh; 5 Talks That Can Change Your Life; The Loss of a Child; When My Spouse Dies; L.E.N.T. - Let's Eliminate Negative Thinking and many more. Click on the image to the left to go to Father Scott's web site.
Adoremus Books - Resources forYour Catholic Home
Adoremus Books (Latin for "Let Us Adore!") carries a broad selection of top quality books and resources designed to enrich your Catholic home. From the Fathers of the Church to the great writers of today, Adoremus Books has something for everyone. Free shipping on all orders over $25.
Lessons of the Heart at Ave Maria Press
Lessons of the Heart - Celebrating the Rhythms of Life - Pat Livingston
This is a warm and compelling book that enables readers to see themselves with fresh tenderness. It offers hope and encouragement in the face of the hectic stress-filled demands of contemporary life. Pat Livingston helps readers recognize themselves and their experiences in her narratives and images. We learn that God is a hidden presence in our lives.
Click the book cover to purchase online from Ave Maria Press.

Celebrating Faith Year-Round Activities for Catholic Families by Mary Cronk Farrell
This book seeks to provide you with practical help in teaching your children Christian values and fostering faith in everyday family life. Chapters offer ways to celebrate the Church's liturgical year, as well as secular holidays. You will find simple explanations of the Church seasons and major holy days. Scripture readings, simple prayers, rituals and activities are suggested throughout, as well as true stories from family life meant to inspire, encourage and offer food for thought.

Click on the book to visit Mary Cronk Farrell's website and view the table of contents, read a sample chapter and learn about her many other books.
Catholic Almanac
Search the Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Almanac online or order your own copy. Information includes Glossary, History of the Church, Famous Catholics, Saints, the Papal Conclave, the Papacy, Bishops, etc. This title is also available in the reference collection at the Orlando Public Library - R 282.58 CAT.