Connecting: Teenage boys, spirituality and religious education; Kath Enge-bretson; St Pauls; PB $29.95 [9781921032271]; 218pp; 215x140mm; 2007
Presentation of the findings of a four-year project examining the spirituality of Australian teenage boys, based on interviews with 1254 boys aged 15 to 18 years. Author identifies seven characteristics of the teenage boys’ spirituality: A spirituality of hope; that is inspired by others; that may challenge narrow definitions of masculinity; that is found and developed in friendships; that exists in tension between individualism and social concern; that seeks reflection and is open to prayer; that has the capacity to know and experience God. Final chapter addresses the specific issue of the boys’ understanding of and relationship with Catholic beliefs. Each chapter concludes with a summary and practical suggestions for religious educators. Foreword by Neil Ormerod. Tables; endnotes; references. Author is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the School of Religious Education, Australian Catholic University, St. Patrick’s Campus, Melbourne.

Ecology at the Heart of Faith; Denis Edwards; Orbis, USA, dist. by Rainbow Book Agencies; PB $39.95 [9781570756658]; 158pp; 235x155mm; 2006
Author has published numerous books and articles on the relationship between science and religion. His new book draws and builds on these to produce a ‘user-friendly’ account of the key ideas and themes of Christian ecological theology. Argues for a deeper exploration of central Christian traditions, interpreting them in the light of contemporary ecological understanding. Christian doctrines considered from this perspective include Creation, the Holy Spirit as Creator Spirit, the Incarnation, the Trinity, and Resurrection and the final transformation of all things. A further chapter considers Christian worship, spirituality and practice. Conclusion summarising the book; endnotes; index. Author is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide, and teaches theology at the School of Theology of Flinders University, Adelaide. Previous books include Jesus and the Cosmos (1991) and The God of Evolution: A Trinitarian Theology (1999).

Research Project on Catholics Who Have Stopped Attending Mass: Final Report February 2007; Robert Dixon & others; Pastoral Projects Office, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference; Spiral Bound [no ISBN]; 87pp; 295x210mm; 2007
Final report on a research project to discover the major reasons why some adult Catholics have stopped regularly attending Mass within the last five or so years. Following an introduction to the research and report, subsequent chapters present what is already known from previous research, the research method, the participants, results, and research findings. There are also commentaries by Professor Dean Hoge, Fr Richard Lennan, Dr Sandra Carroll, Fr Peter Williams and Bishop Gerard Holohan. Authors are Bob Dixon, Sharon Bond, Kath Engebretson, Richard Rymarz, Bryan Cussen, and Katherine Wright. Executive summary; notes on authors; tables; references; appendices. A printed version of the report can be purchased here, or a pdf of the report can be downloaded free here

Kevin Mark manages the Australasian information in the Global Books in Print database and is former religious publisher for HarperCollins Publishers.