Catholic history for today's church : how our past illuminates our present
Title:
Catholic history for today's church : how our past illuminates our present
Author:
Publication Date as Range:
2015
ISBN:
9781442250024
Physical Description:
viii, 235 pages ; 24 cm
General Note:
Includes index.
Contents:
Part I : the papacy and the popes. The Millennium and the papalization of Catholicism ; Papal job descriptions : yesterday and today ; Cardinals in conclave : a troubled history ; Reform of the Roman Curia : historical and theological perspectives ; The beatification of Pope Pius IX ; Two Popes : Benedict and Francis -- Part II : two councils : Trent and Vatican II. The council of Trent : myths, misunderstandings, and unintended consequences ; Bishops and theologians at the council of Trent : a lesson for today ; The council of Trent and Michelangelo's Last Judgement ; Ten surefire ways to mix up the teaching of Vatican II ; What happened and did not happen at Vatican II ; Dialog and the identity of Vatican II ; Two councils compared : Trent and Vatican II -- Part III : the church at large. Some basics about celibacy ; Were Medieval universities Catholic? ; Excommunicating politicians ; One priesthood, two traditions.
Abstract:
We can't understand the issues swirling in the modern Catholic Church without understanding the past. In Catholic History for Today's Church: How Our Past Illuminates Our Present, acclaimed historian John W. O'Malley, SJ, illuminates some of today's most contentious issues--from celibacy to the role of the pope--throughout their history. In his characteristically engaging style, O'Malley's essays provide readers with an overview of each theme in history, and then explore how that past connects with life today. Many of the essays highlight his expertise on the papacy and the papal curia, as well as the significance and legacies of the Council of Trent and Vatican II. By taking a historical approach, O'Malley shows how contemporary issues arose, assesses where they are today, and suggests how they might be changed for the better. Catholic History for Today's Church takes an invaluable long view on topics that too often find us shortsighted.
