Mine And Thine - Ours And Theirs

Mine and Thine – Ours and Theirs (1979) by Thomas Cullinan, OSB – Catholic Truth Society
ISBN: None (this was 1979, when ISBNs were still optional for small-run theological gems) | Condition: Fine | From Crappy Old Books

Ah, the eternal question: what’s mine, what’s thine, what’s ours, and—most awkwardly—what’s theirs? In Mine and Thine – Ours and Theirs, Benedictine monk Thomas Cullinan takes on the tangled subject of ownership in the Christian tradition. Forget modern debates about who gets the TV remote or who finished the last biscuit; Cullinan dives deep into scripture, theology, and centuries of reflection on what it means to own, to share, and to be stewards rather than hoarders.

This copy, published in 1979 by the Catholic Truth Society, is in fine condition—which, for a slim theological paperback, is nothing short of miraculous. These little CTS booklets were often stuffed in pockets, highlighted to death in theology classes, or left to curl sadly on parish bookshelves. Not this one. The spine is uncreased, the pages crisp, the cover still sporting its gloriously retro 1970s design of cars, boats, and buildings—all the things we like to point at and say “mine.” It’s as if this copy has spent the last four decades in silent contemplation, waiting patiently for its next reader.

Inside, Cullinan assembles an anthology of voices on ownership—scriptural insights, patristic wisdom, and the ever-relevant reminder that nothing we “own” is really ours forever. It’s part theology, part moral reflection, and part gentle nudge to reconsider whether piling up stuff is the point of life. (Spoiler: it isn’t.)

For students of Christian thought, this is a neat time capsule of Catholic teaching from the late 20th century. For collectors, it’s a fine-condition example of a CTS booklet surviving against the odds. And for the simply curious, it’s a surprisingly accessible exploration of why “ours” might just be better than “mine.”

So here it is: Mine and Thine – Ours and Theirs, a slim but punchy 1979 theological reflection on property, preserved in condition as fine as its message is timeless.

Crappy Old Books: rescuing the world’s theological pamphlets—because even the smallest book can hold big ideas.

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