Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis

by John T. McGreevy

A magisterial history of the centuries-long conflict between “progress” and “tradition” in the world’s largest international institution.


The story of Roman Catholicism has never followed a singular path. In no time period has this been more true than over the last two centuries. Beginning with the French Revolution, extending to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, and concluding with present-day crises, John T. McGreevy chronicles the dramatic upheavals and internal divisions shaping the most multicultural, multilingual, and global institution in the world.


Through powerful individual stories and sweeping birds-eye views, Catholicism provides a mesmerizing assessment of the Church’s complex role in modern both shaper and follower of the politics of nation states, both conservator of hierarchies and evangelizer of egalitarianism. McGreevy documents the hopes and ambitions of European missionaries building churches and schools in all corners of the world, African Catholics fighting for political (and religious) independence, Latin American Catholics attracted to a theology of liberation, and Polish and South Korean Catholics demanding democratic governments. He includes a vast cast of riveting characters, known and unknown, including the Mexican revolutionary Fr. Servando Teresa de Mier; Daniel O’Connell, hero of Irish emancipation; Sr. Josephine Bakhita, a formerly enslaved Sudanese nun; Chinese statesman Ma Xiaobang; French philosopher and reformer Jacques Maritain; German Jewish philosopher and convert, Edith Stein; John Paul II, Polish pope and opponent of communism; Gustavo Gutiérrez, Peruvian founder of liberation theology; and French American patron of modern art, Dominique de Menil.


Throughout this essential volume, McGreevy details currents of reform within the Church as well as movements protective of traditional customs and beliefs. Conflicts with political leaders and a devotional revival in the nineteenth century, the experiences of decolonization after World War II and the Second Vatican Council in the twentieth century, and the trauma of clerical sexual abuse in the twenty-first all demonstrate how religion shapes our modern world. Finally, McGreevy addresses the challenges faced by Pope Francis as he struggles to unite the over one billion members of the world’s largest religious community.

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, Catholic, Christianity, World History, Christian

517 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2022

Reviews

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

John T. McGreevy what a great writer. My husband couldn't wait for me to finished your wonderful book so he could read it. I was flipping though the pages pretty fast but he wasn't for my husband's sake it was because I couldn't put this book down. Throughout this essential volume, McGreevy details currents of reform within the Church as well as movements protective of traditional customs and beliefs. Conflicts with political leaders and a devotional revival in the nineteenth century, the experiences of decolonization after World War II and the Second Vatican Council in the twentieth century, and the trauma of clerical sexual abuse in the twenty-first all demonstrate how religion shapes our modern world. Finally, McGreevy addresses the challenges faced by Pope Francis as he struggles to unite the over one billion members of the world’s largest religious community. The story of Roman Catholicism has never followed a singular path. In no time period has this been more true than over the last two centuries. Beginning with the French Revolution, extending to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, and concluding with present-day crises, John T. McGreevy chronicles the dramatic upheavals and internal divisions shaping the most multicultural, multilingual, and global institution in the world. I highly recommend.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by an eminent historian, this book is a detailed history of the Church from the French Revolution to the present and the profound changes to the Church during that time. It provides much in-depth detail to anyone interested in the subject and is very thought provoking for those (like me) who thought their opinions were set in stone. Finally, although a scholarly work it is extremely well written and readable.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. McGreevy well documented his account of the Catholic Church in decline since the French Revolution to date.

It is a historical fact that the hierarchy of the French Catholic Church were of the nobility. The Church was opposed to the Revolution in 1789. Ultramontanists was the term defined for declaring the pope's infallibility. Only four in ten French Catholics attend Mass regularly.

The steep decline among practicing Catholics worldwide has only enlarged over the decades.

Mr. McGreevy argues, however, with the election Pope Francis in 2013, that decline may level off.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to give this book a solid five star rating because it does, in my opinion, what very few other books on history, (especially) religious history, purport to do: write about the subject at hand in an academic, matter-of-fact, non-biased manner.

I wanted a history of the Catholic Church post French Revolution up to the modern times of Pope Francis without the author weighing in constantly with his opinion on the matter (or making it clear by his language). I give McGreevy a lot of credit for being able to talk about the evolution of the Church, as the world’s largest global institution, and the events and debates that have lead to the decline of devout Catholicism and less converts as well as generational Catholics who were born “cradle Catholics” but do not identify as Catholic unlike their parents and grandparents before them.

I would suspect that as McGreevy mentioned, this drop in religiosity among the population has less to do with Catholicism itself and more with religions not conceding more to their younger adherents. While it’s understandable that continuity is important, it’s also important to not get so far behind with the times that society deems you antiquated and unfit to deal with modern issues. After all, it’s impossible to not expect change from the 18th century to the 1900s, and especially now with the rapid rate the world is changing due to climate change, social issues, globalization, and, of course, technology.

Pope Francis has done quite a bit to acknowledge changes throughout the world, but while this has proven very useful for young people and more liberal leaning individuals, it has only created more chasms within the Church itself as conservative Catholics become more partisan (some even extolling the harm of the Catholic Church being a part of the “deep state” in the lovely conspiracy-bound Trump era - yikes!). I would not want his job now; that’s for certain.

Altogether, a phenomenal read about Catholicism’s most recent 225 year history or so. A must-read for those genuinely interested in learning more on the topic. It is not, however, sensationalist, nor is it religious in any sense of telling you right or wrong. If you’re not a fan of academic reading you’ll probably want to skip this one (although it’s not quite as dry as an academic journal article!).

[Joe McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

John T. McGreevy has succeeded in a monumental telling of some 230 years of Roman Catholic Church History. Some of the topics are threads that run for decades, such as Ultramontanism and, separately, the contributions of Jacques Maritain. All sorts of tidbits interested me.
Page 73: Gregory XVI sided with the Tsar against Poland. And the 1832 encyclical Mirari Vos. Page 97: in Ecuador, the requirement that one had to be a Catholic to vote. Page 146: Catholic tobacconists in the Netherlands. Page 171: the problem of free markets in the 1939's damaging society. Page 231: an important note on the role of the individual. Page 256: Tom Dooley and Viet Nam. Page 261: the contributions again, of Jacques Maritain. Page 277: "Vatican II was one of the most important events of the 20th century." For me, yes, but not in the eyes of the NY Times reviewer. Page 323: McGreevy gives more importance to the ontological difference conferred on ordained priests than his footnote substantiates.
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I read this as someone who has read the Catholic Press for sixty or seventy years. There is ever more illumination to be found behind the scenes or in forgotten episodes of history.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGreevy, historian and the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at the University of Notre Dame,has written an astounding history of The Catholic Church from the eve of The French Revolution to the papacy of Francis I and the Church's encounter with the secular world and the rise of Latinx, African, and Asian Catholics. He covers the immense territory well. I would have given the book 5 ☆, but the book's index is incomplete. It was a personal pleasure to revisit the 1960's and the Catholic social activism that formed to my own Catholicism and to see McGreevy reference the lives of St. Edith Stein, Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, and Dorothy Day whose lives are important to my own spiritual life. Much of the history was not new to me, but the book gave me a much deeper appreciation of my fellow African Catholics. I would have liked to have seen more about women, Black American Catholics, and the impact of the Holocaust, but, overall, I was impressed by Dr. McGreevy's book.

[Jackson Hignite · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is comprehensive, and because of that it is hard to get through. I think this guy is probably a good writer because if he wasn’t I don’t think I’d manage to get through it at all. *slaps the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica* this baby can fit so much history in it you won’t believe it.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes...ha ha ha...yes!

actual review: good, cogent survey of the Church's contentious and begrudging relationship w/ modernity. i really liked the parts, roughly every 50 pages or so, where a bunch of priests and laypeople at some synod or whatever were like, "can we let priests fuck" and the pope at that time would respond, "NO >:(" never change, Church! (just kidding, you should, clearly)

btw if any of you lil sickos out there has another book about Catholicism to recommend to me, do it quick! i told goodreads i was gonna read 10 books this year and i'm at 9 and it's December 21

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a reliable account on Catholic history. However, it wasn’t really super engaging or making any larger points. Average.

[Alayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent and insightful overview of the history of catholicism for all areas of the globe.

probably won't be raising my future kids as catholic now.

[Jonathan Latshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGreevy has provided, given the sweeping scope of the project, an easy-to-read global history of Catholicism from the French Revolution to Pope Francis. He provides this history mainly by outlining the (ongoing) competition between two groups of Catholics who have competing visions for the Church. The Ultramontanists, on the one hand, who come out victorious in Vatican I and whose vision largely shaped the succeeding century or so. On the other hand, Reform Catholics, who “won” at Vatican II, but have yet to succeed in implementing their vision to the same degree which the Ultramontanists did following Vatican I.

The waxing and waning of the two groups influence over this period sets up a bit of a cliff hanger as we look into the future of Catholicism. Will Reform Catholicism be able to implement all that they envision or will the Ultramontanists take back control? As the church becomes less centered in Europe and numbers continue to grow in the global south, what threats and opportunists for both groups will arise? Will Catholicism still be the primary force in shaping Christianity and its various other forms/variations or will its influence continue to fade? And, of course, this book seems especially pertinent now (in 2025), given the recent election of Pope Leo XIV.

[Paul Hoehn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A valiant stab at a vast topic, I was surprised by many of the inclusions and exclusions at play here. McGreevy’s is primarily an institutional and intellectual history, with the later element manifesting almost exclusively in male, scholastic theologians. I don’t wish to paint McGreevy as a misogynist, indeed he seems to approve of the women he discusses fighting for a more active role in the church. We might even have to take seriously the gloomy implication that women’s contributions are minimized in the institutional church.

I guess it just struck me that the topics that haunt my religious reads (so often written by women) barely figured here, although they definitely MIGHT have. I wonder what a parallel history that took the devotion to the sacred heart seriously (not just as an index of the spread of ultramontanism), and might deign to mention doctor of the church Thérèse of Lisieux alongside a zillion of her male and academic contemporaries and readers, would look like. That being said, one can certainly hold one’s own theories about the histories of Catholic spirituality up to McGreevy’s history of Catholic institutions and see what kinds of shadows they cast.

Also I cried when Vatican II arrived.

[John Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maybe this was too much book for my interest. I only found the period from 1962 to present really compelling. But I must admire the amount of work behind the whole thing.
#bibliophile #book #bookish #booklover #books #books2022 #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookworm #homelibrary #instabook #instabooks #reader #readers #reading #readingroom #readersofinstagram #bookreview
2022 Reviewed 📚 49

[Kim Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does contain an extensive review of the history of the Catholic Church doing a good job of keeping the story global and not focusing just on the US or Europe. Doesn't get a high rating from me as it is really a history book and not a story. Would be a good book for a college course on Church history but as a book to pick and read not really a winner for me.

[Jacob Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly solid history of contemporary Catholicism. It should be treated as an introduction, however. This books comprehensiveness is its greatest asset, but also its biggest flaw. At numerous points, I found my most pressing questions skimmed over and given a passing treatment in the name of maintaining a broad overview. This book is extremely well sourced however, so the curious reader may discover in McGreevy a jumping off point for answering deeper (and perhaps more incisive) questions.

The writing is clear and accessible, and McGreevy does an admirable job at providing a readable mass-market book on the subject for lay Catholics, or those interested in the "most global institution" of the modern era.

[John Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an excellent writer John T. McGreevy is. My husband was eager to devour your fantastic book once I had finished it. I started turning the pages quite quickly these days, but it wasn't for my husband's benefit; rather, I was doing it because I couldn't put the book down. In this crucial volume, McGreevy describes movements defending customs and beliefs from change as well as reform currents within the Church. Conflicts with political authorities and a devotional revival in the nineteenth century, the Second Vatican Council and decolonization after World War II in the twentieth century, and the trauma of clerical sexual abuse in the twenty-first century all serve as examples of how religion shapes our modern world. Finally, McGreevy addresses the challenges faced by Pope Francis as he struggles to unite the over one billion members of the world’s largest religious community. The story of Roman Catholicism has never followed a singular path. In no time period has this been more true than over the last two centuries. Beginning with the French Revolution, extending to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, and concluding with present-day crises, John T. McGreevy chronicles the dramatic upheavals and internal divisions shaping the most multicultural, multilingual, and global institution in the world. I highly recommend not reading this book as it has completely destroyed my marriage.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed for Booklist.

[Bryce Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might be impossible to wrest the mass of contradictions and battling factions that is Catholicism into a single volume. Indeed, when I told my wife what I was reading I noted that it only stretched from The French Revolution, so "barely scratching the surface." But, all smartass quips aside McGreevy probably comes as close as humanly possible.

The genius of his history is to show that the battle lines that modern Catholics take as fixed and for granted are actually ever shifting and nebulous. The text introduces the Jesuits, now understood as the intellectual "liberal" wing of the church as a gleeful orthodoxy enforcing goon squad. Surviving a staking in the coffin that was the banishment of their order to rise to new levels of power and drive the liberal wing of reformers into powerless ignominy. Meanwhile the conservative wing approvingly reads Marx and longs for the days when pesky Capitalism will fall to ruin.

McGreevy does not let the fact that he's telling the story of a movement keep him from highlighting the individuals who make up the church. A never ending cavalcade of lunatics, perverts, reformers, genius level politicians, fools, revolutionaries, lickspittles, artists, prudes and occasional saints who have made up the church into an infuriatingly improbable singular whole. It is a brilliant example of function following form. After all, we are told the church is a superstructure in time, a collective whole made up of people who probably wouldn't speak to one another at a party. For such a dense work, Catholicism is readable, and McGreevy deploys a dry wit and a taste for particularly bitchy pieces of court pageantry and intrigue that never make the book less than entertaining.

Is the church a regressive force that has kept many suffering? Or a dependable bulwark of human dignity? Is it a foot dragging, conservative force that refuses to reckon with itself, or does its stubborn inertia, lack of care of trends and unshakeable belief in the value of every single human life, allow it to stand dependably against evils from Eugenics to genocide. Is it the tool of colonizers and racists or a dependable source of indigenous empowerment with its generations of indigenous clergy? Is it the natural ally of dictators, or a force that brings them down with stunning regularity. The answer is of course, yes.

To anyone who has dedicated themselves at any level to this institution and often finds themselves wondering if it was truly for the good as they stare down a coming generation of Harrison Buckners, McGreevy's book delivers the comforting message, "Don't worry, you don't know how this will turn out." This is after all the message Catholicism delivers as well.

Postscript: One small criticism of McGreevy's work is that it surprisingly withholds a verdict on the most controverisal Pope of the 20th century (really saying something) Pius XII, the so called "Hitler's Pope". Whether Pius can fairly be labeled a supporter of Hitler, or if he was simply engaged in real politick to minimize as much harm as he could is one of the essential questions of 20th century Catholicism. You will certainly find a mountain of books to support either reading.

Perhaps McGreevy simply considered this a settled issue and thus didn't want to spend a large chunk of his page count on it (the complicity or lack there of, of workaday German Catholic civilians in Nazi Germany is extensively covered). But for the lay reader who presumably isn't going to reach for another Catholic tome after finishing this one, it is a strange omission. For example Diarmaid Macculloch's excellent history of Christianity spent more time considering the question despite the fact that it only regarded Catholicism as a sect among many. It just comes as a strange omission.

[Aira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catholicism: A Global Journey Through Time

John T. McGreevy's "Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis" tackles the ambitious task of surveying the vast landscape of Catholicism in the modern era. McGreevy's strength lies in his ability to weave a comprehensive narrative that stretches across continents and centuries, encompassing the rich tapestry of the global Catholic experience.

The book takes a sweeping approach, starting with the tumultuous aftermath of the French Revolution and continuing through to the present day with Pope Francis. McGreevy avoids simply recounting European church history. Instead, he sheds light on the dynamic interplay between the Catholic Church and various cultures around the world. We see the struggles and triumphs of Catholic communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, offering a fresh perspective on the Church's global influence.

McGreevy doesn't shy away from the complexities of Catholicism. He delves into periods of both reform and reaction, highlighting the Church's engagement with social and political movements. Controversial topics like the sex abuse crisis are addressed frankly, offering a nuanced examination of the Church's ongoing efforts towards accountability and healing.

While some readers might find the sheer scope of the book daunting, McGreevy's engaging writing style keeps the narrative accessible. He masterfully blends historical analysis with personal stories, bringing the past to life with vivid details and relatable anecdotes.

"Catholicism" is a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church's role in the modern world. Whether you're a practicing Catholic, a scholar of religious history, or simply curious about the faith's global impact, McGreevy's book offers a thought-provoking and informative journey.

[Yvette Poshedly]

I really tried with this. I’ve been pushing myself to read some drier non-fiction this year (very slowly, a chapter at a time), but this was really testing my limits. I’m interested in this book having grown up Catholic and wanting to understand how the church came to be the way it is, but something about the writing style, how in the weeds he gets, how little context he gives you, was really discouraging me. I need more background knowledge for these events he’s talking about. Even just the first couple chapters, I was really testing my 10th grade world history knowledge on the French Revolution, but once he moved to South American 19th century history, he completely lost me. Maybe one day I’ll pick this back up again

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not terrible, but has a terrible tendency to oversimplify. Towards the end he makes what seems like an extended argument that the solution to all the problems in her Church can be solved by secularization in the usual ways, allow contraception and abortion, ordain women, endorse gay marriage, support divorce, remarriage and cohabitation etc He continues to make this apparent argument despite the fact that all these things can be found in liberal Protestant churches are they are even worse off than the Catholic Church, so he basically admits that the argument he seems to be trying to make doesn't work, so frankly I have no idea what his point is supposed to be.

[Richard R., Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is not really a history of the Catholic Church but more traces the philosophies driving the Church from the French Revolution to Pope Francis . In particular, it is a study of ultramontanes grew out of reaction to the Revolution to mold the Church after the dying monarchies of Europe with top down authority and trying to hold on to faith being synonymous with the nation state. It was a great help in understanding the Rome-centric conservatives in the Church who stand in opposition to Pope Francis.

[Tim O'Mahony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A competent and easy-to-read survey, giving to the general reader a good, balanced introduction to the theological and philosophical currents underpinning the various movements, controversies and crises in Catholicism in the modern period. After some misgivings in the early chapters I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot even about things I thought I had a good understanding of

[Kevin Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A StunningTour de Force

This comprehensive synthetic study is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the evolution of the global Catholic Church with modest indications of where the church might evolve. The style is both lucid and compelling for a book of both length and depth.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pairs well with Souls and Bodies. Poses the question about whether the decline of the Catholic Church in the last 50 years was caused by or retarded by Vatican II, but doesn't really try to answer it.

[Jeanine Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

McGreevy does a wonderful job of explaining the history of the Catholic Church and the church’s influence in the world between the French Revolution through to Pope Francis. The Catholic Church is ever changing and McGreevy does a great job of showing the changes, good and bad and how they affect not just the Church, but also the world we live in.

[Kristofer Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a thorough and engaging book! The scope was truly vast and yet completely engaging. This is an important book to get acquainted with the Catholic Church since the eighteenth century. And yet it is also an important book for many Protestants in the Western world who are similarly wondering what to do with all of the institutions they built up that increasingly feel obsolete and abandoned.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive look at the Catholic religion which includes lots of facts that I didn't know before. Although sometimes I have a hard time getting through these type of non-fiction books, I found this one easily digestible and very interesting.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very informative book which helped me understand the rigidity and fear in which I was raised. So many other aspects also became clear as well. The historical aspects were carefully presented; I appreciated learning many of them.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of Catholicism in the modern era with all its entanglements in and reactions toward the world around it. Highly recommended for anyone desiring a clear understandable of the institution of the Catholic church in modernity.