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The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism
This introduction to Catholicism “combines scholarly depth with an engaging style to present the what and why of Catholic belief with exceptional clarity” (Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia ).
In The Light of Christ , Fr. Thomas Joseph White provides an accessible presentation of Catholic doctrine that is both grounded in traditional theology and engaged with contemporary concerns. Inspired by the theologies of Irenaeus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Henry Newman, Father White covers the major doctrines of the Christian religion including knowledge of God, the mystery of the Trinity, the incarnation and the atonement, the sacraments and the moral life, eschatology and prayer.
The Light of Christ also addresses topics such as evolution, the modern historical study of Jesus and the Bible, and objections to Catholic moral teaching. Authoritative yet accessible, this book serves as an excellent introduction for general readers or as a helpful text for theology courses in a university context.
“This is a book that offers itself as a companion . . . My goal is to make explicit in a few broad strokes the shape of Catholicism. I hope to outline its inherent intelligibility or form as a mystery that is at once visible and invisible, ancient and contemporary, mystical and reasonable.” —Father White, from the Introduction
In The Light of Christ , Fr. Thomas Joseph White provides an accessible presentation of Catholic doctrine that is both grounded in traditional theology and engaged with contemporary concerns. Inspired by the theologies of Irenaeus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Henry Newman, Father White covers the major doctrines of the Christian religion including knowledge of God, the mystery of the Trinity, the incarnation and the atonement, the sacraments and the moral life, eschatology and prayer.
The Light of Christ also addresses topics such as evolution, the modern historical study of Jesus and the Bible, and objections to Catholic moral teaching. Authoritative yet accessible, this book serves as an excellent introduction for general readers or as a helpful text for theology courses in a university context.
“This is a book that offers itself as a companion . . . My goal is to make explicit in a few broad strokes the shape of Catholicism. I hope to outline its inherent intelligibility or form as a mystery that is at once visible and invisible, ancient and contemporary, mystical and reasonable.” —Father White, from the Introduction
328 pages, Paperback
Published September 3, 2017
280 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Joseph White
35 books62 followersFather Thomas Joseph White, O.P. is rector of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the “Angelicum”). Fr. White is an expert in Thomistic metaphysics, Christology and Roman Catholic-Reformed ecumenical dialogue. Fr. White converted to Catholicism at age 22, while studying at Brown University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 1, 2024
Do you want a good dose of philosophy with your Catholic faith? Here's the book for you. Looking for something lighter than Edward Feser, but that still had intellectual depth, I noticed this title continually popping up in my searches. So glad I did because it is exactly what I wanted ... though the discussion of the Trinity caused a bit of brain paralysis, but that's no different than my reaction to any other deep look at the Trinity. It's been a long time since I've had to think in such a different way. All this is without ignoring the questions that Catholicism raise in modern life. Truly this is a great book.
January 13, 2019
Full disclosure: I am not Roman Catholic. That being the case, this book is a remarkable, beautiful account of the Christian faith. Roughly 2/3 (at least) of the book, Evangelicals / Protestants (should) find agreeable with their faith. While I've read some of White's other, more academic work, reading this clear introduction to Catholic Christianity was a delight. His writing is lucid and beautiful. (An aside, the book layout, font, template used by Catholic University of America Press might be my favorite.)
This book is not only helpful for proper ecumenical friendship, but also has the added benefit of seeing clearly the "fault lines" between Roman Catholics and Protestants. While I was in perfect agreement on faith and reason, Trinity, Christology, etc., I was also reminded *why I cannot and will not* ever be a Roman Catholic, my appreciation notwithstanding. The reality is that the doctrine of justification, biblical ecclesiology, mariology, and the sufficiency of Jesus as our mediatorial priest are not mere expressions of religious difference, but materially vital to Christian life and practice. Reading White has helped me to see the very best articulation of Roman Catholic Christianity and reminded me how grateful I am for the Reformation and the recovery of the gospel. White is not apologetic about the distinctives of the Roman rite and neither am I about the biblical Christianity of the magisterial Reformation.
I am truly grateful for Thomas Joseph White, OP. He is one of my favorite living theologians, even as we disagree substantially on matters of great substance for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. That being the case, I will still gladly commend this wonderfully beautiful book.
This book is not only helpful for proper ecumenical friendship, but also has the added benefit of seeing clearly the "fault lines" between Roman Catholics and Protestants. While I was in perfect agreement on faith and reason, Trinity, Christology, etc., I was also reminded *why I cannot and will not* ever be a Roman Catholic, my appreciation notwithstanding. The reality is that the doctrine of justification, biblical ecclesiology, mariology, and the sufficiency of Jesus as our mediatorial priest are not mere expressions of religious difference, but materially vital to Christian life and practice. Reading White has helped me to see the very best articulation of Roman Catholic Christianity and reminded me how grateful I am for the Reformation and the recovery of the gospel. White is not apologetic about the distinctives of the Roman rite and neither am I about the biblical Christianity of the magisterial Reformation.
I am truly grateful for Thomas Joseph White, OP. He is one of my favorite living theologians, even as we disagree substantially on matters of great substance for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. That being the case, I will still gladly commend this wonderfully beautiful book.
February 6, 2018
I now more fully understand Catholicism thanks to this book. Want to know what's up with the Virgin Mary? How do you reconcile the mystery of the Trinity? Exactly how many people were killed during the Inquisition? All these answers and more are to be found in these pages.
The author clearly lays out the entire belief system, working from the more metaphysical nature of God and moving to the hard realities of Catholic teaching (which will make you realise that many Catholics are not very Catholic, but that's another story). The language is clear and concise: for example, I have read explanations of the Trinity before, but never quite grasped the concept until this book. Good for those wanting to find out more about the faith, and probably also for Catholics who need a handy source.
A big part about reading books about Christianity is slowly coming to the realisation that believing in religion is NOT for stupid people, and in fact can be very much the opposite. This book will help the non-religious understand belief.
The author clearly lays out the entire belief system, working from the more metaphysical nature of God and moving to the hard realities of Catholic teaching (which will make you realise that many Catholics are not very Catholic, but that's another story). The language is clear and concise: for example, I have read explanations of the Trinity before, but never quite grasped the concept until this book. Good for those wanting to find out more about the faith, and probably also for Catholics who need a handy source.
A big part about reading books about Christianity is slowly coming to the realisation that believing in religion is NOT for stupid people, and in fact can be very much the opposite. This book will help the non-religious understand belief.
September 6, 2018
"The Christian is free because he lives for the one thing necessary." (pp. 301)
October 17, 2018
White is worth savoring, because like Ratzinger and Balthasar, he has something really meaty and good to chew on in every paragraph.
White begins with God and then ends with the Last Things (with a prologue on prayer), such that the dynamic is man's journey back to God. This is a contemporary treatment of how everything in the Catholic faith and worldview fits together, and why Thomism matters to the average believer, and not just to theology geeks and nerds. For one, theologian Robert E. Barron (a.k.a. Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles), has remarked that Aquinas's theology IS his spirituality; separating theology from spirituality is a modern move, and would have made no sense to St. Thomas. That is on full display here. Aquinas was also a Master of the Sacred Page-- responsible for Bible commentary-- so there's no pitting the Bible and philosophy against each other, either, not if all truth is God's truth, and not if the Word was made Flesh. What is also valuable about White is the way he connects dogma and doctrine to Catholic social teaching, because the latter is faith in action, and in the words of Benedict XVI, the crux of Catholic social teaching is Love in Truth: Caritas in Veritate. Love is filled with Truth; it is intelligible and can thus be communicated through word and deed.
It would be interesting to compare this book with Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity, because White and Sheed both have a Thomistic approach to the Catholic faith. And one of the real strengths of the Thomistic approach has been to emphasize the reasonableness of the Catholic faith, even if not at the expense of everything else. For Thomists, the intellect precedes the will without superseding it. Even as the Church's Magisterium teaches that Faith and Reason are interpenetretive for coming from the same source (God), such a thing often doesn't occur to the average pew-sitting Catholic, and even to many Catholics involved in pastoral ministry in their parishes. As such, a tension between Faith and Reason-- whereby some Catholics embrace a hyper-rationalism and others, perhaps especially those who say they take their faith seriously, a kind of fideism that tends toward voluntarism-- often results that becomes a bifurcation, even as that bifurcation is not what the Church teaches. That's a problem.
The Light of Christ should be recommended reading for anyone unfamiliar with Catholicism who would like to learn more, Catholics who were not well catechized and would like to fill the gaps in their learning at last, and anyone teaching catechism or RCIA (while the majority of people whom you are catechizing or instructing may not yet be ready for White to begin there, as an instructor or facilitator of any sort, you should be): one of the real joys and beauties of Catholicism is its logical coherence. What matters to the Catholic is seeing the whole, and maturity in the spiritual life and learning to pray better often comes with an ability to see connections rather than just knowing all the answers to certain questions about hot-button issues. Connections pertain to logical implications which then compel us to choose what we live our lives for and how. For Catholics seeking to go deeper: putting the Eucharist-- the Word made Flesh-- first while studying and praying, and a lot of the "hard teachings" and how they promote human flourishing start to fall into place. Moreover, falling in love with God does mean that we ought to know who he is and to seek to love him for himself. How, and not just what, we think has an impact on what we believe and vice versa, and anti-intellectualism will not cut it. Reason is a crucial and integral part of the spiritual life, even if it's not sufficient by itself, not only because we are given free will, but for who God is and our being made in the image of God. God is the very source of Faith and Reason both, and is Logos. Reason does not exist primarily or merely as a tool of apologetics that is "handy" or "nice to have in the toolkit" for explaining the faith to those who have none. That said, human Reason is weakened by the Fall, and needs the gentle but incisive tutelage of Faith, such that the mind remains not only open to God in order that one sees bigger as one ought, but lifted up to participate in his Divine Life with all of one's self. To presume that "following Jesus" involves the heart and body but not the head isn't even borne out by Scripture. The last time I checked, the Shema, found in Deuteronomy, is still binding for Catholics and other Christians. Moreover, if Jesus is fully Man while remaining fully God, that kind of anti-intellectualism doesn't even make any logical sense, either, and Bishop Barron is right: anti-intellectualism is a sign of a corruption.
Some of the most challenging and convicting words I've ever heard comes from Barron's mentor, the late Francis Cardinal George of Chicago: "if you're not a man of ideas, you're going to be a lousy pastor of Jesus Christ." Something like it applies also to any would-be evangelist or catechist: if it's about "falling in love with Jesus Christ," we should fall in love with the right Jesus. And if "evangelization is about introducing others to your best friend (i.e. God)," it at least behooves us to not make a fool of him. Best friends are not only those with whom we can feel vulnerable and whom we can tell absolutely everything, but with whom we have edifying, life-changing conversations that stimulate not just the heart, but also the mind. Why would friendship with Jesus Christ, such that he is ultimately our best and greatest friend, be any different? After all, if Jesus is God, we're having an intimate relationship with Being Itself Incarnate that will involve all of ourselves holistically.
Thomas Joseph White's The Light of Christ lays out those implications in a systematic and approachable way, and in a way that is compelling for both beginners and those who are more theologically advanced. For one, in laying out an introductory course on Catholic theology for either highschool students or even college students, this would be a solid core text. And the ability to see the whole is not about "figuring everything out," thus "putting God in a box" and "explaining away mystery," but to lay out how and why Catholicism thinks bigger (to know that this is a tradition that is bigger than you and smarter than you is to free you up to know that you're not going to hit a brick wall), and to know that Mystery is entered into and engaged for itself. It is not to grasp and control, but to learn to humbly receive and be lifted up. And by that, one is transformed.
White begins with God and then ends with the Last Things (with a prologue on prayer), such that the dynamic is man's journey back to God. This is a contemporary treatment of how everything in the Catholic faith and worldview fits together, and why Thomism matters to the average believer, and not just to theology geeks and nerds. For one, theologian Robert E. Barron (a.k.a. Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles), has remarked that Aquinas's theology IS his spirituality; separating theology from spirituality is a modern move, and would have made no sense to St. Thomas. That is on full display here. Aquinas was also a Master of the Sacred Page-- responsible for Bible commentary-- so there's no pitting the Bible and philosophy against each other, either, not if all truth is God's truth, and not if the Word was made Flesh. What is also valuable about White is the way he connects dogma and doctrine to Catholic social teaching, because the latter is faith in action, and in the words of Benedict XVI, the crux of Catholic social teaching is Love in Truth: Caritas in Veritate. Love is filled with Truth; it is intelligible and can thus be communicated through word and deed.
It would be interesting to compare this book with Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity, because White and Sheed both have a Thomistic approach to the Catholic faith. And one of the real strengths of the Thomistic approach has been to emphasize the reasonableness of the Catholic faith, even if not at the expense of everything else. For Thomists, the intellect precedes the will without superseding it. Even as the Church's Magisterium teaches that Faith and Reason are interpenetretive for coming from the same source (God), such a thing often doesn't occur to the average pew-sitting Catholic, and even to many Catholics involved in pastoral ministry in their parishes. As such, a tension between Faith and Reason-- whereby some Catholics embrace a hyper-rationalism and others, perhaps especially those who say they take their faith seriously, a kind of fideism that tends toward voluntarism-- often results that becomes a bifurcation, even as that bifurcation is not what the Church teaches. That's a problem.
The Light of Christ should be recommended reading for anyone unfamiliar with Catholicism who would like to learn more, Catholics who were not well catechized and would like to fill the gaps in their learning at last, and anyone teaching catechism or RCIA (while the majority of people whom you are catechizing or instructing may not yet be ready for White to begin there, as an instructor or facilitator of any sort, you should be): one of the real joys and beauties of Catholicism is its logical coherence. What matters to the Catholic is seeing the whole, and maturity in the spiritual life and learning to pray better often comes with an ability to see connections rather than just knowing all the answers to certain questions about hot-button issues. Connections pertain to logical implications which then compel us to choose what we live our lives for and how. For Catholics seeking to go deeper: putting the Eucharist-- the Word made Flesh-- first while studying and praying, and a lot of the "hard teachings" and how they promote human flourishing start to fall into place. Moreover, falling in love with God does mean that we ought to know who he is and to seek to love him for himself. How, and not just what, we think has an impact on what we believe and vice versa, and anti-intellectualism will not cut it. Reason is a crucial and integral part of the spiritual life, even if it's not sufficient by itself, not only because we are given free will, but for who God is and our being made in the image of God. God is the very source of Faith and Reason both, and is Logos. Reason does not exist primarily or merely as a tool of apologetics that is "handy" or "nice to have in the toolkit" for explaining the faith to those who have none. That said, human Reason is weakened by the Fall, and needs the gentle but incisive tutelage of Faith, such that the mind remains not only open to God in order that one sees bigger as one ought, but lifted up to participate in his Divine Life with all of one's self. To presume that "following Jesus" involves the heart and body but not the head isn't even borne out by Scripture. The last time I checked, the Shema, found in Deuteronomy, is still binding for Catholics and other Christians. Moreover, if Jesus is fully Man while remaining fully God, that kind of anti-intellectualism doesn't even make any logical sense, either, and Bishop Barron is right: anti-intellectualism is a sign of a corruption.
Some of the most challenging and convicting words I've ever heard comes from Barron's mentor, the late Francis Cardinal George of Chicago: "if you're not a man of ideas, you're going to be a lousy pastor of Jesus Christ." Something like it applies also to any would-be evangelist or catechist: if it's about "falling in love with Jesus Christ," we should fall in love with the right Jesus. And if "evangelization is about introducing others to your best friend (i.e. God)," it at least behooves us to not make a fool of him. Best friends are not only those with whom we can feel vulnerable and whom we can tell absolutely everything, but with whom we have edifying, life-changing conversations that stimulate not just the heart, but also the mind. Why would friendship with Jesus Christ, such that he is ultimately our best and greatest friend, be any different? After all, if Jesus is God, we're having an intimate relationship with Being Itself Incarnate that will involve all of ourselves holistically.
Thomas Joseph White's The Light of Christ lays out those implications in a systematic and approachable way, and in a way that is compelling for both beginners and those who are more theologically advanced. For one, in laying out an introductory course on Catholic theology for either highschool students or even college students, this would be a solid core text. And the ability to see the whole is not about "figuring everything out," thus "putting God in a box" and "explaining away mystery," but to lay out how and why Catholicism thinks bigger (to know that this is a tradition that is bigger than you and smarter than you is to free you up to know that you're not going to hit a brick wall), and to know that Mystery is entered into and engaged for itself. It is not to grasp and control, but to learn to humbly receive and be lifted up. And by that, one is transformed.
October 9, 2023
First TJW book and looking forward to his works on the Trinity and Christology. I am not a Roman Catholic, but still feel compelled to give this book four starts for its order and writing style. I’ll also be reading an intro to RC by a Protestant soon so this balance of authors will hopefully prove useful.
August 22, 2020
Fr. Thomas Joseph White is a brilliant young mind in the church. He eloquently, intelligently and convincingly outlines the basic catechetical precepts of the Catholic Church and answers it’s sharpest critiques with deft conviction. Mandatory reading for any Catholic or person seriously discerning the faith.
June 4, 2019
Rating 3.5
Albeit being a introduction I found it too shallow. It'd be more productive to read the CCC.
Albeit being a introduction I found it too shallow. It'd be more productive to read the CCC.
August 19, 2023
An excellent overview of Catholicism, and written with a beautiful devotional posture towards Christ. This is not a book to speak of what Catholicism is in contrast with Protestantism—although he does explain these points of difference as they come along, he is not setting the two in opposition to each other to describe the Catholic position. So much of what he describes is just basic Christianity, and he explains it with beauty and the fullness of scripture and history (quoting church fathers and saints.) This was an encouraging read.
June 22, 2023
I read this in order to see if it's worth suggesting to a (non-Catholic) friend.
It is a very good overview of the faith, but it's not in the strict sense an "introduction". White often doesn't give an initial definition of the terms he's trying to explain (e.g., purgatory, justification, etc.), so if a reader is completely unfamiliar with Catholicism/Christianity, they will find themselves incapable of understanding what the objections are that White is responding to.
That being said, for someone who has a cursory familiarity with Catholicism, it succeeds in the purpose White gives in the introduction: "My goal is to make explicit in a few broad strokes the shape of Catholicism. I hope to outline its inherent intelligibility or form as a mystery that is at once visible and invisible, ancient and contemporary, mystical and reasonable".
It is a very good overview of the faith, but it's not in the strict sense an "introduction". White often doesn't give an initial definition of the terms he's trying to explain (e.g., purgatory, justification, etc.), so if a reader is completely unfamiliar with Catholicism/Christianity, they will find themselves incapable of understanding what the objections are that White is responding to.
That being said, for someone who has a cursory familiarity with Catholicism, it succeeds in the purpose White gives in the introduction: "My goal is to make explicit in a few broad strokes the shape of Catholicism. I hope to outline its inherent intelligibility or form as a mystery that is at once visible and invisible, ancient and contemporary, mystical and reasonable".
July 28, 2024
This book is an introduction to Catholic teachings. It is good and answered many of my questions. As often is the case, it prompted more questions than it answered. This book is well-written with essentially no errors. I would urge the adoption of the Oxford Comma throughout.
I urge all serious individuals to read this book and ask the important questions. Do not allow your personal ignorance prevent the Truth from reaching you. Seek Him out and find Him.
I urge all serious individuals to read this book and ask the important questions. Do not allow your personal ignorance prevent the Truth from reaching you. Seek Him out and find Him.
November 9, 2019
One thing to get out of the way. This book should not be called an introduction. It can be construed as a book for a pure novice. It isn't. It is about Catholicism but starting from a higher level. This is a perfect book for those Catholics who have taken their faith seriously and have read deeply into their faith. So moving forward: this is simple a fantastic book. My earlier concerns may have been a result of my own intellectual limitations. This book is a true teacher. It's not just that you learn about the Trinity or Mary or some other topic but you really feel like Fr. White is guiding you deeper. Because he is a Dominican he leans quite a bit on St. Thomas Aquinas. The only other book I have read with a similar misleading "introduction" that stirred me so greatly was Introduction to Christianity by Pope Benedict the XVI. The Benedict book is a bit tougher but it too makes the reader feel you are going on a great spiritual journey. I highly recommend The Light of Christ if you have a Catholic reading group.
October 11, 2017
This book certainly deepened my own understanding of the Church. I especially came away with the impression of the centrality of grace in the Thomistic understanding of the divine economy. I also wanted to read it with an eye to whom I could recommend the book. I don't know if Joe Schmo Catholic would find it accessible, but our academically inclined friends and engaged Protestants might find it helpful. I would especially want my Protestant friends to read the chapters, "The Church" and " The Last Things. "
January 1, 2019
A solid introduction to the teachings of the Catholic Church. The first chapter describes how revelation and reason work together to inform Church tradition. Subsequent chapters, each relating to a field of study or controversy, consist of the scriptural and/or natural law justification for the Church's positions. The subjects covered include God as triune, humanity and creation, incarnation and atonement, the properties and role of the Church, Catholic social doctrine as well as eschatology.
One leaves the book with a clear understanding of the importance of Grace and Charity to the Chrisitan life and the centrality of the sacraments to obtaining the former and practicing the latter. The book also includes some particularly useful pages explaining the purpose and nature of purgatory. Given the complexity of the subjects covered and the relative paucity of words spent on each of them one is often left with more questions than answers, even if those questions are better informed than they would have otherwise been. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth reading as an introduction to Catholic or Christian theology for non-catholics, the poorly catechised and catholics who are a little rusty.
One leaves the book with a clear understanding of the importance of Grace and Charity to the Chrisitan life and the centrality of the sacraments to obtaining the former and practicing the latter. The book also includes some particularly useful pages explaining the purpose and nature of purgatory. Given the complexity of the subjects covered and the relative paucity of words spent on each of them one is often left with more questions than answers, even if those questions are better informed than they would have otherwise been. Nonetheless, it is definitely worth reading as an introduction to Catholic or Christian theology for non-catholics, the poorly catechised and catholics who are a little rusty.
October 19, 2019
The Roman Catholic Church is massive in every aspect: geography, theology, history. If you are looking to get your head wrapped around the essential parts of the Church, you may not know where to start. Thomas White's The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism provides a great starting place for the beginner that wants to learn or a believer who wants to revisit the essential truths of the church.
White provides a summary version of the basic teachings of the Christian Church. His concise writing is easy to follow and he encourages you to follow up with more in-depth reading and studying. He is sensitive about subjects that are controversial and I believe has the pastoral skills needed for those who are on the opposing sides of the issues he presents.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for an introduction to Roman Catholicism.
Grade: B+
White provides a summary version of the basic teachings of the Christian Church. His concise writing is easy to follow and he encourages you to follow up with more in-depth reading and studying. He is sensitive about subjects that are controversial and I believe has the pastoral skills needed for those who are on the opposing sides of the issues he presents.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for an introduction to Roman Catholicism.
Grade: B+
November 19, 2024
"Our time in this world is short, while eternity draws near. Amidst the changes of this life, we find our deepest joy by fixing our hearts on the one thing necessary, that which endures forever: the peace of Christ and the city of God. It is God and the hope of life with God that give true stability and fortitude to the human heart. It is this desire that unites all those who are truly Christian."
I cannot recommend this book enough!! I read this book in a book club that I led through the Thomistic Institute, where I was first introduced to Thomas Joseph White. I love the way he articulates his thoughts and lays out the beautiful mysteries of the faith. The first 2/3 of the book go through many ecumenical teachings that I believe all Christians would benefit from reading. However, my favorite was chapter 6, where he taught on Social Doctrine. Particularly the Church's teachings on marriage and family.
I cannot recommend this book enough!! I read this book in a book club that I led through the Thomistic Institute, where I was first introduced to Thomas Joseph White. I love the way he articulates his thoughts and lays out the beautiful mysteries of the faith. The first 2/3 of the book go through many ecumenical teachings that I believe all Christians would benefit from reading. However, my favorite was chapter 6, where he taught on Social Doctrine. Particularly the Church's teachings on marriage and family.
September 17, 2022
Coming from a Protestant perspective, it is amazing how much common ground we have with Catholics.
White gives an excellent exposition of the Catholic faith, drawing from St. Aquinas, Newman, and Vatican II. It reads much like a Protestant book of systematic theology, as White covers revelation, theology proper, anthropology, Christology, ecclesiology, and (albeit not quite in the Protestant sense of the word) eschatology.
What is interesting is that White includes some things that wouldn't usually be found in conservative Protestant tomes, at least not in their own sections: social doctrine and prayer. These sections serve to "ground" the usually abstract findings of theology into lived experience and action.
White gives an excellent exposition of the Catholic faith, drawing from St. Aquinas, Newman, and Vatican II. It reads much like a Protestant book of systematic theology, as White covers revelation, theology proper, anthropology, Christology, ecclesiology, and (albeit not quite in the Protestant sense of the word) eschatology.
What is interesting is that White includes some things that wouldn't usually be found in conservative Protestant tomes, at least not in their own sections: social doctrine and prayer. These sections serve to "ground" the usually abstract findings of theology into lived experience and action.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2020
A really wonderful overview of Catholicism. I particularly liked the chapters on last things and prayer, which contained many thought provoking ideas. While this book certainly isn't intended to be comprehensive on any single issue, it gives a theologically satisfying description of broad swaths of Catholic beliefs and practices and provides so many footnotes and citations for further reading. This is really a gift for people who want to better understand the Church at its core without getting too technical or in the weeds.
August 24, 2021
Pretty good introduction that elucidates some questions I've had for a while as a culturally Catholic (denominationally atheist but Portuguese, which means you're assigned catholic at birth) guy. I do think some of the leaps of logic are a little annoying. The author will say "since we accept apples, it follows that oranges" which I don't like very much. He seems keen to show that modern science is compatible with conservative catholicism, yet makes some decidedly unscientific leaps that don't feel earned by the (admittedly otherwise okay) philosophy of the text.
Not bad anyway. Standard.
Not bad anyway. Standard.
May 17, 2022
I have been a Catholic my whole life - and my son is studying in Rome and knows Fr. Thomas White as he has done filming for some of his presentations at St. Thomas Aquinas University in Rome. So I was looking for a book that really could help me understand my faith even more - and my son suggested this book. It has taken me a long time to read it - there is a lot to take in - but it is so worth the time. This book has helped me to understand my faith even more and answered questions that I always wondered about. A definite 5 star read for me.
January 15, 2024
A great book for scholars looking to learn more about Catholism and really dive into the theology of the faith. Although wonderfully comprehensive, organized, and in-depth, this book was so dense as to be borderline unreadable for me. Although the information itself was interesting, I found it taxing, uninteresting, and incredibly dense. The information gets 5 stars, and his understanding of the content is clearly very advanced, but this is in no way an introduction or an easy read on catholicism.
June 19, 2024
A quintessential book for any Catholic seeking to deepen his understanding of the faith. Though it is subtitled as “An Introduction,” this is by no means a book only for “beginners.” This is a treasure trove of deep philosophical and theological insights; serious Catholics will put this down feeling many times more enriched, both those wanting to firm up the foundations of their faith and those seeking to taking their Catholic life to new heights. I highlighted most every page, and will sure return to this book again many times in the future.
May 20, 2018
Este volume é uma ótima introdução à fé católica e seus componentes, porém, de maneira alguma superficial, pois o autor perpassa conceitos como Trindade, Eucaristia, Maria Santíssima... de maneira profunda mas muito bem explicada. É um livro que vai servir para aumentar ainda mais os conhecimentos dos católicos já praticantes, apresentar a fé para aqueles que querem conhecê-la, e servir de referência nos estudos, para ambos.
June 27, 2024
Really good introduction to Christianity and Catholicism but not for beginners more of an intermediate level book.
Great writing style and references it is concise but also very valuable.
Some of the topics are still hard to understand for beginners and a lot of the language used is not for beginners. Either read this book with your phone next to you to search up what most words mean or make sure to have some prior familiarity with theological terms.
Great writing style and references it is concise but also very valuable.
Some of the topics are still hard to understand for beginners and a lot of the language used is not for beginners. Either read this book with your phone next to you to search up what most words mean or make sure to have some prior familiarity with theological terms.
September 29, 2020
An excellent introduction of Catholicism and Catholic philosophy. At times it is a bit intellectual and dense as he presents various aspects of Catholic teaching, but other times it is spiritually deep. For anyone interested in Catholicism, and specifically for anyone theologically/intellectually minded, I highly recommend this book.
May 17, 2021
This was an excellent and thorough introduction to the the Catholic Faith. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Catholicism or to Protestants who want to learn more about Catholic Theology. This book helped me clarify why I am not a Catholic but also gave me a deeper appreciation for this Christian tradition.
July 31, 2023
I cannot think of a better modern introduction to Catholicism than Thomas Joseph White's superb book. It is clearly written, thorough, and presents authentic teaching in an intellectually attractive and welcoming manner. Catholics as well as non-Catholics should read it to help revive the much-needed dialogue between faith and reason.
March 23, 2019
By far the best introduction to Catholicism that I have read. A must read for anybody seriously interested in learning about the faith. I wish all young, inquisitive practicing, and non-practicing, Catholics would take a read of this.
May 14, 2021
Absolutely fantastic overview of the Catholic faith. Perhaps a little on the academic side in some places but a book that I recommend to anyone, both within the Church and outside her, who wants to learn more about the Catholic Church.
June 10, 2021
Very insightful. Gives a clear overview of what are the central tenets of the Catholic Faith. I was impressed of how comprehensive this book is, covering all the questions I could think to have regarding the faith and its place in today's world. A must-read for anyone interested in Catholicism.
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