The Resilient Church: The Glory, the Shame, & the Hope for Tomorrow

by Mike Aquilina

Beginning with the earliest martyrs and ending with the twentieth century, The Resilient Church offers a fascinating look at the trials and triumphs of the Catholic Church over the past two thousand years. Fast-paced sketches of critical periods in church history give readers perspective on the challenges faced by the church today. Short selections in each chapter highlight some of the great heroes who influenced the course of history. Mike Aquilina does not shrink from the realities of the past, including badly behaved leaders and those who betrayed the Lord. Yet he also leaves readers with well-founded hope for the future: God remains faithful in every circumstance and fulfills his promise to remain with his church always.

Genres: Church History, Catholic

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Mike Aquilina is author or editor of more than thirty books, including The Fathers of the Church, The Mass of the Early Christians, and A Year with the Church Fathers. He has co-hosted eight series that air on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). He has co-authored books with Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and theologian Scott Hahn. He is past editor of New Covenant magazine and The Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. He appears weekly on Sirius Radio's "Sonrise Morning Show." Mike and his wife, Terri, have six children, who are the subject of his book Love in the Little Things.

In 2011 Mike was a featured presenter of the U.S. Bishops' Diocesan Educational/Catechetical Leadership Institute. He also wrote the USCCB's theological reflection for Catechetical Sunday in 2011.

His reviews, essays and journalism have appeared in many journals, including First Things, Touchstone, Crisis, Our Sunday Visitor, National Catholic Register, and Catholic Heritage. He contributed work on early Christianity to the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought.

Mike is a also poet whose works have appeared in U.S. literary journals and have been translated into Polish and Spanish. He shared songwriting credits with Grammy Award-winner Dion DiMucci on the forthcoming album "Tank Full of Blues."

Reviews

[Dolores Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

[Richard Grebenc · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author says in the Introduction: "This book is not a chronicle or even, strictly speaking, a history. It covers only a sampling of years from just a few spots on the globe." This being said, it succeeds in its goal of covering key events throughout the history of the Church from the early martyrs of Roman persecution through the priest scandals of our present decade. In between, we're reminded of or introduced to (depending on the reader's knowledge of history) key figures and events in the history of the world and the Church. For example, we're told of the earliest apologists, like Justin Martyr. Great intellects of the early Constantine-liberated Church like Ambrose, Augustine, and Cyril of Jerusalem. Also, the effects of the rise of Islam and its related persecutions of Christians leading to the First Crusade and the Spanish expulsion of Muslims. Then a jump to the split of Martin Luther and his followers, Henry VIII, and subsequent Protestant fractioning. Spaniards Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and John of the Cross give the Church hope as Protestantism rapidly spreads. During this time expansion in the New World and the trials and tribulations there, including poor treatment of the natives in too many cases, is highlighted. The appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego leads to the conversion of millions just as many Europeans leave the Church for Protestantism. The French Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries led to severe anti-Catholicism and repression. This anti-Catholicism was very prominent in America as well, with much persecution of immigrants, particularly the Irish. Popes Pius IX and Leo XIII of the late 19th century saw the demise of the Papal States and the fight against Modernism. The spirituality of the 20th century was most influenced by Therese of Lisieux in her short, hidden life. World War II is explicated through: its chief villains (Hitler and Mussolini) who, aside from the tragic attempt to exterminate the Jews, killed many priest, nuns, and lay Christians, and; the popes who opposed them (Pius XI and Pius XII) through word (encyclicals and letters) and deed (particularly saving many Roman Jews). The latter part of the 20th century saw the influential Second Vatican Council and the popular and long-serving Pope John Paul II and his fight against Communism.

Undoubtedly, some will argue that certain persons or events should have been included, but were not. Yet the author does a fine job of covering a lot of ground in an interesting and accessible way. Certain insights sprinkled throughout the book are very valuable. For example, martyrdom in the early Church as a sacrifice and how it relates to Jesus' sacrifice and the Eucharist. Also, certain little known figures, like the interesting story of the first priest to celebrate Mass in the New World, are brought forth. The "Closer Look" sections at the end of all chapters but the last generally focus on a deeper treatment, usually of individuals, of the era covered in the preceding chapter (the story of the first Catholic bishop of Charleston, John England, is particularly fascinating).

The author, as the subtitle indicates, does not shy away from problems that have been caused by certain Church members but he does not dwell on them either. There will be "glory" and "shame" in an institution in which frail humans are involved. This is valuable insight for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, especially those with misconceptions about the Church.

In this relatively short book the author cannot go into great detail on any topic but does an excellent job of providing an overview of certain events. His discussion of the French Revolution stands out as an excellent summary of this era in European history. And the terrible persecutions of Catholic Americans leads us to appreciate the freedom we have to practice religion today. For the student of Church history or secular history it whets the appetite leaving the reader wanting more.

That being said, my main suggestion for enhancing the book would be a "For Further Reading" section at the end of each chapter. One can look to the footnotes, but these are not generally as helpful as would be a list of supplemental materials for the reader who wants to go deeper into a particular topic.

Philip Jenkins is quoted in the last chapter: "The best indicator that Christianity is about to experience a vast expansion is a widespread conviction that the religion is doomed or in its closing days." Then the author goes on, in an excellent one page summary, to show how that has happened throughout Church history, nicely wrapping up the book.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Aquilina's books on Christian culture and history (e.g., The Fathers of the Church, Expanded Edition) are not to be missed. The Resilient Church: The Glory, the Shame, & the Hope for Tomorrow is a respectful look at a number of episodes in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Not a comprehensive history (or even an attempt at a concise one), this book offers readers a number of vignettes from the life of the Church, through its encounters with heresy and holiness, scandal and salvation. Political events find their way in, but Aquilina's focus is on the Church as exemplifying one particular virtue: perseverance. Inasmuch as all Christian history is the story of a divine marriage, Christ and his Church, consider this book as an honest and sometimes humbling memoir of how that, as yet not fully consummated, marriage plays out in the lives of the faithful across millennia. It's an excellent read, and while not scholarly, the reader is bound to find something of interest. I particularly enjoyed the treatment of the Crusades. Inasmuch as the history of the West largely cannot be understood outside the history of the Church, this book is recommended for all.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this free in the mail when I renewed my subscription to the Daily Word. I felt that I should read something substantial after wasting so much energy on Phillipa Gregory's books of Incest and British Seduction. It was interesting, but dull...as are most books about the History of the Catholic Church.