Verbum’s Free Book of the Month for April links three important study resources: The Clementine Vulgate (free), the Lexham Reverse Interlinear Vulgate: New Testament ($1.99), and the Lexham Reverse Interlinear Vulgate: Old Testament ($2.99).

You get all three for under $5—and you’ll definitely want to get all three. Here’s why:

The Clementine Vulgate is a prerequisite resource for both reverse interlinears. Because the interlinears don’t come preloaded with the Vulgate, the free resource is needed to make them work.

Start with free

Let’s start with the free resource. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I and prepared c. AD 383–405, Jerome’s Vulgate rapidly became the standard version of the Bible in the West and remained so for centuries.

Some years later, the Clementine Vulgate became the official edition of the Latin Vulgate, corrected and standardized following the Council of Trent and promulgated in 1592 by Pope Clement VIII. It remained as the official Latin Bible text for the Roman Catholic Church until the end of the twentieth century.

Get the Clementine Vulgate today, free. [Read more…]

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Light in Darkness: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Catholic Doctrine of Christ’s Descent into Hell–Free

Enrich your spiritual journey during Lent by contemplating the mystery of Holy Saturday. In Light in Darkness: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Catholic Doctrine of Christ’s Descent into Hell, author Alyssa Lyra Pitstick argues for the existence and authority of a traditional Catholic doctrine of Christ’s descent into hell. Drawing on multiple yet unified resources of authoritative Catholic teaching, Pitstick challenges Hans Urs von Balthasar’s argument regarding Christ’s descent into suffering and whether it is compatible with traditional teachings about Christ. Get your copy free this March!

Will Many Be Saved?: What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization–$1.99

Have you wondered how people who have not had the chance to hear the gospel can be saved?  Dive into this much-debated topic in Ralph Martin’s book Will Many Be Saved?: What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization. It’s yours for $1.99 this month.

These deals are only good through March 31—get them both now!

In Lenten Grace, members of the Daughters of St. Paul share the fruit of their “lectio divina” (a prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture). This handy volume contains their insightful reflections on the daily Gospel readings of Lent. You can get it free this February.

You can also join the Daughters of Saint Paul in welcoming the unique grace of Ordinary Time in their book Ordinary Grace Weeks 1–17: Daily Gospel Reflections—which is an opportunity to reflect more deeply on all the aspects of the mystery of Christ, as presented in the daily Gospel readings.  It’s yours this month for only $1.99.

These deals are only good through February 28—get them both now!

St. Francis began An Introduction to the Devout Life as a correspondence with a married woman looking to increase her spiritual devotion in the midst of a busy life; the result was a layman’s guide to the spiritual life. Each chapter is a short meditation designed to challenge and refocus the believer towards an authentic Christian life. At nearly 120 chapters, An Introduction to the Devout Life is the perfect companion for jump-starting a devotional routine or continuing a life-long journey of spiritual maturity. You can get it free this January.

St. Francis also has a treatise that is intended to be used after one is acquainted with the devout life. Go deeper into the mystery of Christian devotion with his treatise Of the Love of God. It’s yours this month for only $1.99.

These deals are only good through January 31—get them both now!

Scott Hahn is one of the most prominent Catholic authors and theologians of our time. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn entered the Catholic Church in 1986 and has since become a bestselling author and respected professor of Scripture. “My work is about reading the Bible,” Hahn writes, “reading it with you, and reading it ‘from the heart of the Church.’”

In Covenant and Communion, Hahn offers a probing look at Benedict’s theology, providing a clear and concise introduction to the 265th pope’s life and work. Hahn argues that the heart of Benedict’s theology is salvation history and the Bible, and he shows how Benedict accepts historical criticism—but recognizes its limits. Examining how Benedict reads the overall narrative of Scripture, Hahn shows how Benedict puts it to work in theology, liturgy, and Christian discipleship. You can get it free this December.

Move from there to Hahn’s presentation of 1 and 2 Chronicles as a theological interpretation of Israel’s history, emphasizing the liturgical structure and content of Chronicles and providing fresh insight on salvation—past, present, and future. It’s yours this month for only $1.99.

These deals are only good through December 31—get them both now!

The debate on the topic of faith and works has been long-standing and is arguably the pinnacle theological topic surrounding the issues that sparked the Protestant Reformation. For topics like this, there is nothing more valuable than going back to learn from the theological powerhouses of the days of the early church. St. Augustine is nearly unmatched in his ability to properly help us navigate such deep topics. Get this book for free, and gain a new understanding into this important topic.

From there you can then study Augustine’s treatise on the Sermon on the Mount. This work is certainly complementary to his study on faith and works, as the Sermon on the Mount shows us how the New Law that Jesus brought us was even more demanding than the Old Law, because the New Law requires us to love as God loves (Matthew 5:43-45). Get this title this month for only $1.99!

These deals are only good through October 31—get them both now!