Books Received

The following works have been sent to Homiletic and Pastoral Review for review. If you have expertise and are interested in receiving one of these books for review, please send the Book Review Editor, Christopher Siuzdak, an email (hprbooks@ignatius.com) with your credentials and mailing address. We try to keep reviews around 750 words and receiving your review within three months of receiving the book will keep us on schedule.

Submitted reviews must be the reviewer’s original synthesis and critique. Reviews generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools are not accepted.

Publishers interested in supplying a review copy can obtain the mailing address by writing to the Book Review Editor at hprbooks@ignatius.com. Self-published works are not reviewed.

Reviewers should consult the HPR Book Review Style Sheet.

  • Barron, Robert, Scott W. Hahn, and James R.A. Merrick, eds. Engaging Catholic Doctrine: Essays in Honor of Matthew Levering (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2023) 523 pages.
  • Beckwith, Francis J. and Richard Sherlock, eds. A Catholic Engagement with Latter-Day Saints (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 249 pages.
  • Beutner, Dawn Marie. The Leaven of the Saints: Bringing Christ into a Fallen World (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2023) 328 pages.
  • Brisson, Michael. Death in Black and White: A Novel (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 366 pages.
  • Burke-Sivers, Harold. Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2023) 252 pages.
  • Congar, OP, Yves. The Spirit of God: Short Writings on the Holy Spirit (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2018) 297 pages.
  • Courtois, Gaston. When the Lord Speaks to Your Heart: Daily Devotions (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2023) 399 pages.
  • Crean, OP, Thomas. Vindicating the Filioque: The Church Fathers at the Council of Florence (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2023) 475 pages.
  • Croell, OP, Benedict and Fr. Andrew Hofer, OP. A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life (Valdosta, GA: Vianney Vocations, 2019) 277 pages.
  • Daniels, Matthew and Roxanne King. Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights: 1800s to the Present (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 207 pages.
  • Delbrêl, Madeleine. The Holiness of Ordinary People (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 187 pages.
  • Etheredge, Francis. An Unlikely Gardener: Prose and Poems (St. Louis, MO: En Route Books, 2023), 150 pages.
  • Etheredge, Francis. Human Nature: Moral Norm (St. Louis, MO: En Route Books, 2023), 509 pages.
  • Etheredge, Francis. Lord, Do You Mean Me? A Father-Cathechist! (St. Louis, MO: En Route Books, 2023), 239 pages.
  • Etheredge, Francis. The Word in Your Heart: Mary, Youth, and Mental Health (St. Louis, MO: En Route Books, 2024) 279 pages.
  • Favale, Abigail. Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 272 pages.
  • Forrest, Benjamin, Joshua Chatraw and Alister McGrath. eds. The History of Apologetics: A Biographical and Methodological Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020) 848 pages.
  • Flanagan, Anne. Come to Me: Living the Nine First Fridays (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2023) 273 pages.
  • Franchi, Leonardo. Thomas Shields and the Renewal of Catholic Education (Washington, DC: Catholic Education Press, 2023) 259 pages.
  • Pope Francis. The Complete Encyclicals, Bulls, and Apostolic Exhortations, vol. II (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2021) 401 pages.
  • Garrido, Ann M. Let’s Talk About Truth: A Guide for Preachers, Teachers, and Other Catholic Leaders in a World of Doubt and Discord (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2020) 179 pages.
  • Görres, Ida Friederike. The Church in the Flesh. Translated by Jennifer S. Bryson. Providence, RI: Cluny, 2023. 256 pages.
  • Görres, Ida Friederike. John Henry Newman: A Life Sacrificed (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 291 pages.
  • Granados, José, Stephan Kampowski and Juan José Pérez-Soba, eds. Accompanying, Discerning, Integrating: A Handbook for the Pastoral Care of the Family According to Amoris Laetitia (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Publishing, 2017) 122 pages.
  • Hermes, Kathryn J., FSP, Finding God in Times of Depression: Just A Minutes Meditations (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2024) 80 pages.
  • Hildebrand, Alice Von. Remnant of Paradise: Selected Essays (Steubenville, OH: Hildebrand Press, 2023) 173 pages.
  • Hill, Mary Lea. Growing in Virtue One Vice at a Time (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2024) 214 pages.
  • Honeycutt, Frank G. Miracles for Skeptics: Encountering the Paranormal Ministry of Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2024) 217 pages.
  • Howell, Kenneth J. John Chrysostom: Theologian of the Eucharist (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2024) 354 pages.
  • Hubert, Thierry and Sophie Delay. Lourdes: Healing and Rebirth (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2023) 248 pages.
  • Hughes, Archbishop Emeritus Alfred (with a Foreword by Bishop Robert Barron). Priests in Love with God: And Eager to Witness to the Gospel (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2021) 172 pages.
  • Johnson, Abby. Unplanned (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press [2010] 2018) 285 pages.
  • Johnson, Abby and Tyler Rowley, eds., Life to the Full: True Stories that Reveal the Dignity of Every Human Life (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2023) 178 pages.
  • Johnson, Orin. Incarnate in Word and Song: Exploring Music in Liturgy and Life (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2023) 114 pages.
  • Lang, Uwe Michael. A Short History of the Roman Mass (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 146 pages.
  • Lemna, Keith. The Trinitarian Wisdom of God: Louis Bouyer’s Theology of the God-World Relationship (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2023) 426 pages.
  • Kim, Matthew D. and Paul A. Hoffman, Preaching to a Divided Nation: A Seven-Step Model for Promoting Reconciliation and Unity (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022) 193 pages.
  • Kubicki, SJ, James. A Year of Daily Offerings: Giving Your Life to God One Day at a Time (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 389 pages.
  • Lahl, Jennifer and Kallie Fell. The Detransition Diaries (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 246 pages.
  • Livingstone, Tess. George Cardinal Pell: Pax Invictus (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 544 pages.
  • Lusvardi, SJ, Anthony R. Baptism of Salvation and Christian Salvation (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2024) 415 pages.
  • Mahan, Daniel J. A Journey Through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2024) 480 pages.
  • Mahar, Christopher M. Finding God in Suffering (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2023) 208 pages.
  • McGourty, Michael. Sent Out into the World: A Liturgical Theology for a Parish Community and the New Evangelization–A Reading of The Order of the Dedication of a Church (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024) 293 pages.
  • McWhorter, Matthew. Meditation as Spiritual Therapy: Bernard of Clairvaux De Consideratione (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2024) 276 pages.
  • Millare, Roland. A Living Sacrifice: Liturgy and Eschatology in Joseph Ratzinger (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2022) 309 pages.
  • O’Donnell, Tim. The Deacon: Icon of Christ the Servant, Minister of the Threshold (New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2020) 193 pages.
  • Muller, Gerhard. True and False Reform: What It Means to Be Catholic (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2023) 258.
  • Nutt, Mary Christa. Free For Christ: Religious Obedience and Thomistic Moral Theology (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2024) 381 pages.
  • Pearce, Joseph. Classic Literature Made Simple: Fifty Great Books in a Nutshell (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 232 pages.
  • Pinault, David. Providence Blue: A Fantasy Quest (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2021) 448 pages.
  • Schadt, Devin. Custos: Total Consecration Through Saint Joseph: The 33-day Preparation for Fullness of Divine Sonship and Spiritual Fatherhood (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 2021) 256 pages.
  • Schemenauer, Kevin. The Family as Basic Social Unit: Living Out Catholic Social Teaching (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2024) 294 pages.
  • Schwartz, CFA, George P, with Michael O. Kenney (With a Foreword by Lou Holtz). In God We Trust: Morally Responsible Investing (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 2018) 266 pages.
  • Sikorra, Joe. Defying Gravity: How Choosing Joy Lifted My Family from Death to Life (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2018) 211 pages.
  • Spitzer, Robert. Christ, Science, and Reason: What We Can Know About Jesus, Mary, and Miracles (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 361 pages.
  • Storms, Sam. Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Reflective, 2021) xiii + 353 pages.
  • Stoutzenberger, Joseph. Mystery and Tradition: Catholicism for Today’s Spiritual Seekers (Meza, AZ: iPub Global Connection, 2023) 349 pages.
  • Valters Painter, Christine. A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness (Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2024) 165 pages.
  • Vaverek, Timothy. As I Have Loved You: Rediscovering Our Salvation in Christ (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road, 2022) 231 pages.
  • Wickenhiser, Mary Mark, ed. Abandonment to Divine Providence (Revised Translation) (Boston, MA: Pauline Books and Media, 2023) 279 pages.
  • Wilgenbusch, Luke. Saved as through Fire: A Thomistic Account of Purgatory, Temporal Punishment, and Satisfaction (Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2023).
  • Wiseman, Matthew. The Two Jerusalems: My Conversion from the Messianic Movement to the Catholic Church (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2024) 212 pages.