What do you think?
Rate this book
Baltimore Catechism: An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine: Enriched edition. For the Use of. Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes
Thomas L. Kinkead's 'Baltimore An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine' is a comprehensive and insightful guide to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Kinkead's writing style is both scholarly and accessible, making complex theological concepts easy to understand for readers of all levels. Written in the context of a time when catechisms were used as a fundamental tool for religious education, this book serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of Catholic beliefs and practices. Kinkead's explanations are clear and concise, providing readers with a solid foundation in the teachings of the Church. Thomas L. Kinkead, a renowned theologian and scholar, drew upon his extensive knowledge of Catholic doctrine and history to write this definitive guide to the Baltimore Catechism. His expertise in religious studies and his passion for education are evident throughout the book, making it a trusted resource for students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. I highly recommend 'Baltimore An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine' to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Catholicism. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned believer, Kinkead's book will enrich your knowledge and inspire further exploration of the teachings of the Church.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 12, 2023
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 21, 2024
THE REFERENCE/TEACHER'S MANUAL TO THE CATECHISM FOR ADULTS AND CONVERTS
The Baltimore Catechism No. 1 is intended for First Communicants through fifth graders; the Baltimore Catechism No. 2 is intended for sixth through ninth graders and those preparing for Confirmation; the Baltimore Catechism No. 3 is intended for students who have received their Confirmation and/or high schoolers. Volume 4 An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrines is intended as a reference work or as a teacher's manual (e.g., for Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes).
The Rev. Thomas Kinkead, who wrote the commentary, wrote in his 1891 Preface, "much time is wasted in the [Sunday School] classes... [Teachers] do not or cannot explain what they are teaching, and the children have no interest in the study. The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is intended for their use. The explanations are full and simple... The plan of the book makes it very simple and handy. The Catechism is complete and distinct in itself, and may be used with or without the explanations. The teacher is supposed, after hearing the lesson, to read the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow. It may be read just as it is, or may be learned by the teacher and given to the children in substance. [The book] will be found very useful also for the instruction of adults and converts." (Pg. xiii)
He explains, "'Hell' [in the Apostles' Creed] does not mean the place where the damned are, but a place called 'Limbo.' ... when our first parents sinned, Heaven was closed against them and us, and no human being could be admitted into it till after the death of Our Lord... Now from the time Adam sinner till the time Christ died is about four thousand years. During that time there were at least some good men, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others... who tried to serve God as best they could---keeping all the divine laws known to them... They could not go to Hell, because they were good men. Neither could they go to Purgatory, because they would have to suffer there. Where could they go? God in His goodness provided a place for them---Limbo---where they could stay without suffering till Our Lord reopened Heaven. Therefore, when Our Lord's body lay in the sepulcher, His soul went down into Limbo to tell these good men that Heaven was now opened for them." (Pg. 11-12)
He states, "Limbo is not the same as Purgatory. It does not exist now, or, it if does, is only for little children who have never committed actual sin and who have died without Baptism. They will never get into Heaven or see God, but they will not have to suffer pains as they who are in Purgatory or Hell endure." (Pg. 85)
He asserts, "when Martin Luther claimed that he was sent by God to reform the Catholic Church---which had existed nearly 1,500 years before he was born---he performed no miracles, nor did he give any other proof that he had any such commission from God; and he cannot therefore be believed." (Pg. 86)
Later, he adds, "Here, then, is how Luther got many to follow him. He told greedy princes that if they came with him they could become rich by seizing the property of all the churches, and the greedy princes, glad of an excuse, went with him. Then he told the people---the bad Catholics---that fasting was too severe; going to confession too hard; hearing Mass every Sunday too difficult; and if they renounced their faith and embraced his new religion he would do away with all these things: so they also followed him." (Pg. 130-131)
He explains, "Suppose .. that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that the Church to which he belongs is the true Church, and... never... had the slightest doubt of that fact. What will become of him? If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin, he will be saved; because... he was doing all he could to serve God... But if he ever committed a mortal sin, his salvation would be much more difficult... how could his mortal sin be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does not go to confession... Does he know that without confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot our mortal sin... It is to be feared either he would not know of this necessary means of regaining God's friendship... and thus the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of God... I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of Our Lord or His holy religion, but of those outside the Church who claim to be good Christians without being members of the Catholic Church." (Pg. 116-117)
He points out, "remember, the Pope is not infallible unless he is teaching faith or morals... If the Holy Father wrote a boon on astronomy, mathematics, grammar, or even theology, he could make mistakes as other men do, because the Holy Ghost has not promised to guide him in such things. Nevertheless, whatever the Pope teaches on anything you may be pretty sure is right. The Pope is nearly always a very learned man with many years' experience." (Pg. 120)
He notes, "The Church is one also in DOCTRINE---that is, every one of the three hundred million of Catholics in the world believes exactly the same truths. If any Catholic denies only one article of faith, though he believes all the rest, he ceases to be a Catholic, and is cut off from the Church." (Pg. 125)
He explains, "Those in Purgatory are the friends of God... they would not go into His holy presence with the slightest stain upon their souls; still they are anxious for their Purgatory to be ended that they may be with God. They suffer, we are told, the same pains of sense as the damned; but they suffer willingly, for they know that it is making them more pleasing to God, and that one day it will all be over and He will receive them into Heaven. Their salvation is sure, and that makes them happy. If, therefore, you believe that any of your friends are in Purgatory, you should help them all you can, and try by your prayers and good works to shorten their time of suffering... The faithful on earth can help the souls in Purgatory by their prayers, fasts, almsdeeds; by indulgences, and by having Masses said for them." (Pg. 320-321)
Obviously, there have been some changes in the Catholic faith since 1885, when the first edition of this Catechism was published. But generations of Catholics were raised learning, memorizing, and reciting its teachings; and it is of great value for anyone studying Catholic doctrine and its development.
The Baltimore Catechism No. 1 is intended for First Communicants through fifth graders; the Baltimore Catechism No. 2 is intended for sixth through ninth graders and those preparing for Confirmation; the Baltimore Catechism No. 3 is intended for students who have received their Confirmation and/or high schoolers. Volume 4 An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrines is intended as a reference work or as a teacher's manual (e.g., for Sunday-School Teachers and Advanced Classes).
The Rev. Thomas Kinkead, who wrote the commentary, wrote in his 1891 Preface, "much time is wasted in the [Sunday School] classes... [Teachers] do not or cannot explain what they are teaching, and the children have no interest in the study. The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism is intended for their use. The explanations are full and simple... The plan of the book makes it very simple and handy. The Catechism is complete and distinct in itself, and may be used with or without the explanations. The teacher is supposed, after hearing the lesson, to read the explanation of the new lesson as far as time will allow. It may be read just as it is, or may be learned by the teacher and given to the children in substance. [The book] will be found very useful also for the instruction of adults and converts." (Pg. xiii)
He explains, "'Hell' [in the Apostles' Creed] does not mean the place where the damned are, but a place called 'Limbo.' ... when our first parents sinned, Heaven was closed against them and us, and no human being could be admitted into it till after the death of Our Lord... Now from the time Adam sinner till the time Christ died is about four thousand years. During that time there were at least some good men, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others... who tried to serve God as best they could---keeping all the divine laws known to them... They could not go to Hell, because they were good men. Neither could they go to Purgatory, because they would have to suffer there. Where could they go? God in His goodness provided a place for them---Limbo---where they could stay without suffering till Our Lord reopened Heaven. Therefore, when Our Lord's body lay in the sepulcher, His soul went down into Limbo to tell these good men that Heaven was now opened for them." (Pg. 11-12)
He states, "Limbo is not the same as Purgatory. It does not exist now, or, it if does, is only for little children who have never committed actual sin and who have died without Baptism. They will never get into Heaven or see God, but they will not have to suffer pains as they who are in Purgatory or Hell endure." (Pg. 85)
He asserts, "when Martin Luther claimed that he was sent by God to reform the Catholic Church---which had existed nearly 1,500 years before he was born---he performed no miracles, nor did he give any other proof that he had any such commission from God; and he cannot therefore be believed." (Pg. 86)
Later, he adds, "Here, then, is how Luther got many to follow him. He told greedy princes that if they came with him they could become rich by seizing the property of all the churches, and the greedy princes, glad of an excuse, went with him. Then he told the people---the bad Catholics---that fasting was too severe; going to confession too hard; hearing Mass every Sunday too difficult; and if they renounced their faith and embraced his new religion he would do away with all these things: so they also followed him." (Pg. 130-131)
He explains, "Suppose .. that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that the Church to which he belongs is the true Church, and... never... had the slightest doubt of that fact. What will become of him? If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin, he will be saved; because... he was doing all he could to serve God... But if he ever committed a mortal sin, his salvation would be much more difficult... how could his mortal sin be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does not go to confession... Does he know that without confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot our mortal sin... It is to be feared either he would not know of this necessary means of regaining God's friendship... and thus the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of God... I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of Our Lord or His holy religion, but of those outside the Church who claim to be good Christians without being members of the Catholic Church." (Pg. 116-117)
He points out, "remember, the Pope is not infallible unless he is teaching faith or morals... If the Holy Father wrote a boon on astronomy, mathematics, grammar, or even theology, he could make mistakes as other men do, because the Holy Ghost has not promised to guide him in such things. Nevertheless, whatever the Pope teaches on anything you may be pretty sure is right. The Pope is nearly always a very learned man with many years' experience." (Pg. 120)
He notes, "The Church is one also in DOCTRINE---that is, every one of the three hundred million of Catholics in the world believes exactly the same truths. If any Catholic denies only one article of faith, though he believes all the rest, he ceases to be a Catholic, and is cut off from the Church." (Pg. 125)
He explains, "Those in Purgatory are the friends of God... they would not go into His holy presence with the slightest stain upon their souls; still they are anxious for their Purgatory to be ended that they may be with God. They suffer, we are told, the same pains of sense as the damned; but they suffer willingly, for they know that it is making them more pleasing to God, and that one day it will all be over and He will receive them into Heaven. Their salvation is sure, and that makes them happy. If, therefore, you believe that any of your friends are in Purgatory, you should help them all you can, and try by your prayers and good works to shorten their time of suffering... The faithful on earth can help the souls in Purgatory by their prayers, fasts, almsdeeds; by indulgences, and by having Masses said for them." (Pg. 320-321)
Obviously, there have been some changes in the Catholic faith since 1885, when the first edition of this Catechism was published. But generations of Catholics were raised learning, memorizing, and reciting its teachings; and it is of great value for anyone studying Catholic doctrine and its development.
Displaying 1 of 1 review