Catholicism: The Story of Catholic Christianity

by Gerald O'Collins, Mario Farrugia

This lucid and accessible account explains how Roman Catholicism and its beliefs and practices came to be what they are. The authors move through history to sum up the present characteristics of Catholic Christianity and the major challenges it faces in the third millennium. Explaining matters
in a fresh and original way, they do justice to the Catholic heritage and show that Catholicism is a dynamic and living faith. Well-structured, highly informative, and clearly written, the book does not duck critical problems and the negative side of history. Rather, O'Collins and Farrugia explore
the challenges which Catholics and other Christians must face, and examine the need to confront contemporary moral issues. This is an authoritative, lively, and up-to-date introduction to Catholicism for the modern reader.

Genres: Religion, History, Theology, Nonfiction, Catholic

424 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Born in Australia, Gerald O’Collins received his PhD at Cambridge University in 1968. From 1973 to 2006 he taught at the Gregorian University (Rome), where he was also dean of the theology faculty (1985–91). He is now a research professor in theology at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham.

Reviews

[Gille Liath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discussions of Christianity generally can't get very far without running into controversy. This one gets all the way to page one of the Preface, where the authors wonder whether they should have called the book *Roman* Catholicism; they say they 'appreciate the motives' of those who prefer this epithet, and Anglicans who like to refer to themselves as 'Catholic'. Well, I appreciate that the word 'Roman' has often been used - and sometimes still is used - with the intention of being condescending and disparaging, that it is an inappropriate way of referring to a global church, and that the aforesaid Anglicans seem to think they can have it both ways, be both Catholic and Protestant.

It illustrates the importance of being able to tell your own story, though; and church histories in English have generally been written by Protestants. Some have tried to be fair to Catholicism, others have not, but either way they are still Protestants and write from that perspective. The softly-softly, charitable way the present authors approach the issue, though - indeed the fact that they raise it at all - is representative of a book which is trying to be inclusive, and which leans towards the liberal and ecumenical. And that's a good thing. Vatican II is the best thing that has happened to the church since the Reformation, and it is deeply worrying that there are elements which want to go back on it; it should be obvious to anyone with eyes in their head that we need to go further if anything.

But although billed as 'the story' of the church, actually only the first two chapters give you a whistle-stop tour through church history. The rest is a a round-up of Catholic teaching (admittedly some of it, particularly on the nature of God, framed in a historical way); a sort of left-leaning commentary on the Catechism with a little more flexibility of interpretation and an eye on the practical effects of teaching in the world. And there are places where the Catechism definitely benefits from such treatment. But that isn't what I was looking for. I have to say I feel a little misled: I was expecting more history.

[James F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of history

A comprehensive ,at time too scholarly, account and history of the church. I enjoyed especially the discussion on the sacraments as being central to Catholicism. Very litle attention to the Mother of God.