The Devil You Don't Know: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in Everyday Life (Ave Maria Press)

With insight reminiscent of The Screwtape Letters, Rev. Louis J. Cameli challenges readers to reconsider what they've always believed about the devil. In some ways, it's easy to believe in a devil who makes heads spin round and enables people to levitate. Many movies and books about possession and exorcism have trained spiritual seekers to identify evil by its expected Hollywood conventions. By contrast, in The Devil You Don't Know: Recognizing and Resisting Evil in Everyday Life, Cameli, nationally renowned pastoral leader and priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, paints a challenging, unsettling portrait of the devil as a formidable adversary who works great harm, often in quiet, less-seen ways. While remaining a fixture of popular culture, the devil has—until now—been largely ignored in contemporary spiritual writing. Cameli exposes the devil's tactics of deception, division, diversion, and discouragement, in individuals and also in institutions. This thoroughly biblical, deft exploration considers the personal and social dimensions of sin, and offers both enlightenment and hope in the power of Christ to overcome evil. With insight reminiscent of The Screwtape Letters , Rev. Louis J. Cameli invites readers to reconsider what they've always believed about the devil. While contemporary media showcase demonic possession and exorcism, Cameli highlights the subtler, more disconcerting tactics of the deception, division, diversion, and discouragement that hinder the spiritual journey. In some ways, it's easy to believe in a devil who makes heads spin round and enables people to levitate. Ubiquitous movies and books about possession and exorcism have trained spiritual seekers to identify evil by its expected Hollywood conventions. By contrast, Rev. Louis J. Cameli, nationally renowned pastoral leader and priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, paints a challenging, unsettling portrait of the devil as a formidable adversary who works great harm, often in quiet, less-seen ways. While remaining a fixture of popular culture, the devil has--until now--been largely ignored in contemporary spiritual writing. Cameli exposes the devil's tactics of deception, division, diversion, and discouragement, in individuals and also in institutions. This thoroughly biblical, deft exploration considers the personal and social dimensions of sin, and offers both enlightenment and hope in the power of Christ at work to overcome evil. Rev. Louis J. Cameli invites readers to reconsider what they've always believed about the devil. While contemporary media showcase demonic possession and exorcism, Cameli highlights the subtler, more disconcerting tactics of the devil: deception, division, diversion, and discouragement that hinder the spiritual journey The Devil among us The ordinary work of the Devil: deception The ordinary work of the Devil: division The ordinary work of the Devil: diversion The ordinary work of the Devil: discouragement.