A Concise History of the Catholic Church (Revised Edition)

Depending on religious affiliation (or lack thereof) some might say that the Catholic church has been around since the first century. Others would claim that it was really born in the fourth century with the reign of Constantine. The author of this book gives the reader no doubt that he is of the former persuasion, with the first sentence of the introduction eluding to this very fact. Constantine takes his place in the book as someone who led the "decisive victory" over paganism. But give or take four hundred years, it is actually quite amazing that an institution, with such a tainted history like the Catholic church, could last for so long. There are no doubt many reasons for this, and the author discusses a few of them throughout the book. However one views the Catholic church, morally, theologically, or philosophically, it is readily apparent that it is not likely to go away in the near future.There are many interesting facts that arise from the study of this book, and for readers (such as this reviewer), who hunger for an in-depth view of the history of Catholicism, this book gives a good start. The reader is easily convinced of the author's objectivity, and considering the troubling state of historical analysis these days, it is indeed refreshing to find an author who distances himself from political and institutional pressures. Too many historians today engage in blatant sycophancy to their host institutions or political parties. This has the affect of alienating readers, instigating extreme skepticism among the genuinely curious, and raising the general level of truculence among historians themselves.The Catholic church has had a major influence on Western society, this influence at many times extremely brutal, and at others constructive. Some of the more important facts and discussions that appear in the book include:1. The role of Pope Pius XII in the Nazi regime. This has been a hotly debated issue in recent years, and the author is sympathetic with Pius and frames him as holding to a position of neutrality against the Nazis. Pius did however attempt to counter the Nazi hostility towards the Catholic church as it was rising to power in the 1930's.2. The Second Vatican Council and the origins of "Catholic liberalism". The Council is characterized by the author as the most important religious event of the twentieth century up to the time it took place. Catholic liberalism has found much sympathy of late, and even the secular community has found common ground with some of its doctrines and political stances (there is still a "cold war" however between the secularists and the Catholic church at the present time, due in part to issues in biotechnology and genetic engineering). The doctrinal stands of the Council have no doubt contributed greatly to the survival of the Catholic church as it faces rapidly accelerating advances in science and technology. The author argues also however that many "average" Catholics were troubled by the stand of the Council and the new `liturgy', which was no longer to be read in Latin. This removed the "mystery" behind it, and made it more "common", with the effect that many "average" Catholics left the church.3. Augustine, and his doctrine of a "just war." Augustine apparently had no qualms about persecuting the Donatists, a Christian sect at the time, and he wrote the first document in the history of the Catholic church that attempted to justify state suppression of non-Catholics (the Inquisition took up this justification with enthusiasm centuries later).4. St. Gregory the Great, who is characterized by the author as giving the papacy direction throughout the Middle Ages. It was Gregory who was responsible for linking the Spanish church to Rome. In addition, his ability to deal with the Lombards set the stage for the military campaigns of Charlemagne later on. The empire of Charlemagne however is described by the author as being a somewhat loose association of geographical areas, and should therefore not be thought of as a continuation of the Roman Empire. He does describe it however as encapsulating the concept of a Christian commonwealth, its inhabitants to later succumb to feudalism and the Crusades. Church and state, pope and emperor, were to become one after the death of Charlemagne, but as the author outlines in some detail, this union was not to last very long.5. The Crusades, which were certainly the most horrifying part of the history of the Catholic church. The author describes the Catholic church as attempting to exploit the war-like spirit of the times to its own ends. Thus originated the Catholic version of `holy war', based in part on the writings of Augustine. Its results were brutal, with the First Crusade resulting in the slaughter of thousands of Moslem and Jewish residents of Jerusalem. It is difficult to understand how the participants of the Crusades could reconcile their Christian beliefs with this brutality. The author asks this question in the book, but he declares it to be outside the bounds of historical science.These and many other fascinating facts will be found while perusing this book. One can only wonder what the state of the world would have been without the Catholic church. Certainly it has alleviated much suffering, through its proliferation of charities and has contributed at least indirectly to modern science. But if all Catholics at the present time were to stop praying, stop attending mass, or to literally depart from religious practices completely, the world would not suffer too much. The Catholic church will survive for centuries to come no doubt, but it will not be able to compete with the ability of twenty-first century technology to alleviate suffering and improve dramatically the state of the world. It will be around but only as a spectator: as an institution that offers hope for an afterlife as it always has, but as human intelligence evolves will find itself to be a purely ancillary and superfluous one.

It is exactly what it says: Concise and never diverting to opinion though in several places, diverse schools of thought are presented. Though I converted in 1977 and have studied Catholicism all of these years, yet, the fathers of the Church continue to fascinate. --having protected and declared the divinity of each person of the Trinity--Father, Son and Holy Spirit in spite of dispute and accusations of heresy. I have a clearer understanding of protecting the divinity of Jesus at all costs--we would not have truth if it had not been chiseled from the iron-willed and adamant fight of those saints and heroes who held in trust the fullness of the faith as proclaimed in the beginning home churches This book is a testimony of imperfect people living and dying to the perfect 'truth' of Jesus'. It made me realize that most of us might be willing to die for the truth, but none of us probably would be willing to die for a lie. To me, this is the greatest testimony that Jesus was who he said he was. I have found that what most people who don't like the church are those who don't understand it. This book gives a valid testimony of what really happened...and is not a 'pie in the sky, feel good book'...it is more of digesting the fact that the people on the front line were not perfect but followed a God who was so true and right that they could not NOT believe.

The 2005 edition of TB's "Concise History of the Catholic Church" basically adds a very brief chapter on the final illness and death of John Paul II, and the election of Benedict XVI. TB writes that little update from the fullness of the moment when the world watched the events of the passing of one pope and the election of another on live broadcasts, so his two-page insert has the freshness of the immediate. That little chapter is more of a chronicle than a historical reflection.The 2005 edition of "Concise History", other than the above-mentioned little piece, reproduces untouched the 2002 version of TB's best-seller. The novelty of that 2002 edition had been his appraisal of the long pontificate of John Paul II leading across the threshold of the Third Millennium. That appraisal, published in time for the pope's silver jubilee on the chair of Peter, presents a type of "point of arrival" rather than a conclusion to the ongoing story of the Church. TB's book is, after all, a survey of 2000 years of Church history, so it is interesting that the last quarter of the 20th Century should get so much attention. Yet, that is the time in which most of TB's reader's were born and have lived, so that special attention makes sense.The "Concise History" is a solid text that can be used in college and seminary courses of Church history. I've used it as a text and resource for survey courses that I've taught at grad level for students of theology. It is highly readable, solid and sober in tone, informative and synthetic. In short, the book works, edition after edition. My students always seem to appreciate "Bokenkotter", as they call the book. Their appreciation is one of the reasons that I continue to make use of this resource when asked to speak of the history of the Church.

A good book, if you add the books by Diarmaid MacCulloch and John Hitchkock, you'll have a pretty good foundation to understand the history of the church.It could have been a little more detailed here and there, but over all nothing really big to complain about.Recommended.

Just what I wanted, an easy read but covers all you need to know.Ideal read for the lay person.Catherine

Not a book for someone looking for an unbiased historical book on the History of Christianity. This is essentially an apologetics for one vision of the Roman Catholic Church. Avoid this book if you are looking for something academic.

Value for money. Used for my doctoral degree studies.

Excellent read! My wife and I learned so much from this book that we had no idea about.