Synopses & Reviews
Despite a long history of external threats and internal strife, the Roman Catholic Church and the broader phenomenon of Catholicism remain a vast and valuable presence into the third millennium of world history. What are the origins of the Catholic Church? How has Catholicism changed and adapted to such vast and diverse cultural influences over the centuries? What great challenges does the Catholic Church now face in the twenty-first century, both within its own life and in its relation to others around the world? In this Very Short Introduction, Gerald O'Collins draws on the best current scholarship available to answer these questions and to present, in clear and accessible language, a fresh introduction to the largest and oldest institution in the world. O'Collins explains clearly and concisely where the Catholic Church comes from, what it believes and practices, the sacraments and the Church's moral teaching, and where it is heading. The book also includes a timeline of events in the history of Catholicism and useful suggestions for further reading.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Gerald O'Collins received his Ph.D. in 1968 at the University of Cambridge, where he was a research fellow at Pembroke College. From 1973-2006, he taught at the Gregorian University (Rome) where he was also dean of the theology faculty (1985-91). Alone or with others,
he has published fifty books, including such works with Oxford University Press as Christology, Jesus Our Redeemer and Salvation For All. Authored hundreds of articles in professional and popular journals, he has lectured at many universities and colleges in the British Isles,
India, New Zealand, the United States, his native Australia and elsewhere. As well as receiving over the years numerous honorary doctorates and other awards, in 2006 he was created a Companion of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC), the highest civil honour granted through the
Australian government. Currently he is a research professor of theology at St Mary's University College,Twickenham (UK).