The Everything Guide to Catholicism: A Complete Introduction to the Beliefs, Traditions, and Tenets of the Catholic Church from Past to Present Book

Top 10 Things Everyone Should Know about Catholicism x

Introduction xi

Part I History of Roman Catholicism

01 The Apostolic, Patristic, and Medieval Church (0-1400) 1

Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus 2

Acts of the Apostles 4

Life and Ministry of St. Paul 5

Christianity and the Roman Empire 6

Orthodoxy and Heresy 6

Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas 7

Catholicism in the Medieval World 8

The Orthodox-Catholic Split 10

02 The Reformation and Counter Reformation (1400-1648) 12

The Great Western Schism 13

The Catholic Reformation 14

The Protestant and Radical Reformers 17

The Counter Reformation 20

The Era of Exploration 22

03 Revolution and Restoration (1648-1962) 24

Gallicanism 25

The French Revolution 26

Napoleon and the Restoration 27

The Challenge of the Nineteenth Century 28

The Roman Response 30

Vatican I 31

The Church of the Twentieth Century 32

04 The Church of Vatican II (1962-Present) 34

The 1960s: A Time of Challenge 35

The Church and Pope John XXIII 35

Vatican II 36

The Documents 39

The Rise of the Lay Apostolate 41

Popes John Paul II (1978-2005) and Benedict XVI (2005-present) 42

The American Catholic Experience 43

Part II Revelation In Roman Catholicism

05 The Bible and Sacred Tradition 45

Ancient Writings 46

Criteria for Canonicity 48

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Structure 48

Authors of the Hebrew Bible 51

New Testament Structure 52

Authors of the New Testament 54

Why Are There Differences in Bibles? 55

Sacred Tradition as Revelation 56

Biblical Criticism 56

06 The Magisterium 58

Historical Questions and Issues 59

Conciliarism 59

Ordinary Magisterium 60

Extraordinary Magisterium 62

Synod of Bishops 63

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) 65

07 The Creed 67

Roots of the Creed 68

Latin Church Roots 69

Eastern Church Roots 70

What the Creed Is and What It Is Not 71

Functions of the Creed 74

Part III God

08 The Trinity 75

The Concept of the Trinity 76

Old Testament Ideas of the Trinity 76

New Testament Ideas of the Trinity 77

Economic Versus Immanent Trinity 78

Heresies Associated with the Doctrine of the Trinity 80

Official Church Teachings on the Trinity 81

God as a Community 82

Trinitarian Heresies Explained 83

09 Jesus Christ 84

Jesus the Messiah 85

Christian Understanding of Jesus as Messiah 86

Catholicism's Teachings about Jesus 88

Understanding Jesus Today 94

10 The Holy Spirit 96

The Pentecost Event 97

The Holy Spirit in Scripture 97

The Tradition and Theology of the Holy Spirit 98

Charismatic Catholics 102

Part IV Roman Catholic Theology

11 The Sacraments of Initiation 104

The Concept of Sacraments 105

History of Sacraments and Sacramentality 106

Baptism 109

Confirmation 111

The Eucharist 112

12 The Sacraments of Commitment and Healing 116

Concept of Discipleship 117

Marriage 118

Holy Orders 122

Concept of Sin 124

The Sacrament of Penance 125

Sacrament of the Sick 128

13 Moral Theology 130

Pre-Vatican II Understanding of Moral Theology 131

Post-Vatican II Understanding of Moral Theology 131

Moral Theology Today 134

Sin and Grace 138

14 Salvation 140

Salvation in the Bible 141

History of the Doctrine of Salvation 143

Salvation Outside the Church 146

Judgment 147

15 Mariology 153

Church Teachings on Mary 154

Four Marian Dogmas 157

Additional Teachings on Mary 161

Mary and Popular Devotion 162

Part V Study of the Church (Ecclesiology)

The Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic 165

Biblical Foundations and Development of the Church 166

The Church Is One 169

The Church Is Holy 171

The Church Is Catholic 172

The Church Is Apostolic 173

Basic Roman Catholic Church Organization 173

Models of the Church 176

17 Priesthood, Religious Life, and Lay Ministry 179

The Sacramental Priesthood 180

Religious Life-Concept of the Consecrated Life 184

History of Religious Life 184

Status of Priesthood and Religious Life Today 188

The Permanent Diaconate 189

"Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People" 190

Lay Ministries in the Church 191

The Question of Women in the Church 192

The Four Categories of Roman Catholics 193

Part VI Spirituality

18 Life of Prayer 195

What Is Prayer? 196

Popular Devotions 198

Saints 201

Sacramentals 203

The Mass 204

The Spiritual Works of Mercy 206

19 The Liturgical Year 207

Basic Premises of the Liturgical Year 208

Liturgical Seasons 208

The Sanctoral Cycle 214

Liturgical Precedence and Order 216

Part VII Contemporary Issues

20 Social Catholicism 218

The Social Question in Christianity 219

Rerum Novarum 221

Papal Encyclicals on Social Catholicism 222

Catholic Action 223

Catholics and Organized Labor 226

Nine Basic Themes of Catholic Social Teaching 227

The Corporal Works of Mercy 229

21 Contemporary Moral Issues 230

Birth Control 231

Alternative Reproductive Methods 233

Life and Death Issues 235

Homosexuality 237

Manipulation of Human Genetics 239

22 Dissent in the Church 242

Pay, Pray, and Obey 243

Vatican II, Humanae Vitae, and Licit Dissent 245

Role of the Theologian 247

Catholic Common Ground Initiative 248

The Question of Women's Ordination 249

Catholicism Divided 251

23 Catholics and Other Religions 254

Catholics and Other Religions: An Historical Overview 255

Vatican II's Teaching on the Relationship of Catholics and Non-Catholics 257

Ecumenical Dialogue Today 260

Interfaith Dialogue 262

Contemporary Issues 263

Appendix A A List of Significant Dates in Church History 265

Appendix B Basic Roman Catholic Prayers 267

Index 270