The Assault on Priesthood: A Biblical and Theological Rejoinder By Father Lawrence B. Porter, Ph.D., professor and chair, Department of Systematic Theology (Wipf & Stock, $46) The institution of priesthood in the Catholic Church has been challenged since the time of the Protestant Reformation and continues to be debated today. Even the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) reconsidered the function of priests in relation to bishops and laity. Just as the Vatican undertook a resourcement by looking back to the fundamental sources of the Christian faith to find guidance, Father Porter draws upon scripture and theological history in his book to come to a modern understanding of priesthood that is also rooted in tradition. With guidance from biblical examples, Porter tackles many themes influential in the continuing evolution of priesthood, including sacrifice, social justice, pop culture and violence against men of the cloth.
A Nation of Small Shareholders: Marketing Wall Street After World War II By Janice M. Traflet ’92/M.B.A. ’93 (The Johns Hopkins University Press, $45) Following the devastating stock market crash of 1929, many Americans swore they would never again become involved with equity investing. Yet later in the century, Americans were investing in the stock market at an even greater level than they were in the Roaring ‘20s. In this book, Janice Traflet examines how the New York Stock Exchange used the controversial marketing campaign known as “Own Your Share of American Business” to cultivate new individual shareholders between the 1950s and 1970s. The program’s creators believed that widespread shareownership would not only strengthen democratic capitalism, but also guard against the spread of Communism. The author’s study sheds light on the recent history of U.S. financial markets and the role of individual investors from a broad perspective.
The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind – and Changed the History of Free Speech in America By Thomas Healy, J.D., professor of law (Metropolitan Books, $28) The First Amendment proclaims one of the most quintessentially American rights: “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” However, freedom of expression wasn’t always championed. In the early 20th century, Americans were imprisoned for speaking out against government policies, such as the draft during World War I. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes staunchly opposed individual rights for most of his career, until 1919 when he wrote a court opinion that ultimately affirmed the right to free speech we enjoy today. What made Holmes change his mind? Using newly discovered letters and memos that have never before been published, Healy reconstructs Holmes’ journey from free-speech skeptic to First Amendment hero.
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