Rating: 
Summary: May many Evangelical Protestants read this book...
Review: ...And realize the cold hard truth that like in the movie 'The Truman Show', what seems to be real (Evangelicalism as authentic early Christianity) really is not. There are five ways this can be dealt with and three of them are paths I would never recommend:1.) Simply bury your head in the sand and ignore the evidences. Continue to delude yourself that you truly do believe what Christians have always believed. Regardless of what God has revealed in His Word to millions of others over the centuries, only you have a Hotline to the Almighty and TRULY understand the Scriptures. This of course also encompasses being your own 'pope' of sorts and generally involves refusing to even consider the viability of any position that you do not personally like or understand. (This is of course coupled with an apathetic attitude towards wanting to actually understand alternative viewpoints also). In short, become a fideist (not an option for a true Christian truth-seeker). 2.) Seek to poke holes in the evidences Mr. Ray presents using arguments that (if applied consistently) refute your positions also. From there declare that Christianity is a fraud and sulk off into either agnosticism or atheism. (An unnecessary and very damaging path that will have serious eternal repercussions. Besides, these positions can have serious holes pocked in them too, etc. etc. etc.) 3.) Proclaim that you have 'seen the light'. From there you vigorously embrace the truth and then turn around and denounce the pathway you once traveled as wholly in error. (Or at least lacking any redeemable qualities: the antithesis of option 1 in essence and highly unbecoming of a true Christian truth-seeker). 4.) Proclaim that you have 'seen the fullness of light'. From there, you (potentially) struggle to embrace the ramifications of accepting the fullness of truth. In doing this you recognize that it is not necessary in embracing a greater good to abandon a lessor good, and use those good elements in service of the greater good (very much recommended). 5.) Even if not fully unconvinced with Mr. Ray's arguments and evidences, you look further into the sources he presents with an attitude of humbly following the Light wherever it genuinely leads. (This is also very much recommended though it may be painful in some areas to do this). There is no valid sixth option in my humble opinion. I noted in a recent essay I wrote on Christian unity, "the dynamic manner in which Evangelicals seek to put Christ first in their lives indeed puts most other Christians to shame." This element is of vital importance and lends itself in service to the greater good of the fullness of Christian truth. Mr. Ray did this in discovering the Historic Church and he does this today both in the books he writes, the articles he authors, and other means whereby he exhibits the importance of putting his words into action. I am sure the reader is wondering why I would say such things of Steve and yet only give the book 4 stars. Well, Amazon's rating policy does not allow for half-stars to be given for one thing. The content of the book itself is solid 4 star material not only in content but (most importantly) in presentation. From there, the copious footnotes bump that up to 5 stars. (Steve does more than just tell you what he believes but he also substantiates it with solid source citation - always a bonus in the view of this reviewer). But alas if I were to rate the composition or flow of the work I would give it 2 stars possibly 3 tops. The reason: while Steve uses copious footnotes, the layout many times forces the reader to flip pages over and back again to read the book. For example: page 151 has a passage from Ecclesiastical Writer Origen. The footnote by the name is '101'. The accompanying footnote is detailed and runs a couple of paragraphs. If one reads each footnote as they come up in sequence (which the layout of the book almost makes necessary) this at times presents a minor inconvenience to the reader. To complete the section, the reader must pause 1/3rd of the way down the page at the footnote, skip another 20% or so down the page to the start of the footnote, and read the footnote finishing page 151. From there they must flip over to page 152, scan 50% of the way down the page where the footnote resumes, finish the footnote. Then at that time they must flip back to page 151 and pick up on Steve's main points on Origen again at that point. While it is certainly well worth the effort involved, this structure detracts from the flow of the book. Regardless, this is still a book I highly recommend both for budding Catholic evangelists as well as those of the Evangelical tradition looking into the claims of the Catholic Church. This book is not presented as a scholarly thesis (though it is well documented). Steve strikes the balance in writing a book with the resource citations to please the scholarly sort as well as writing from the heart. He does this in a very warm appreciating tone towards his nearly 40 years of life as an Evangelical Protestant. The tone to the Evangelical is of the 'your goodness is fully realized in the Historic Catholic Church' mode (path number 4 from above). This is light years better than the oft-conversion story where the person takes a 'scorched earth policy' view towards their former faith incarnation (path 3 above). The treatments from Patristic sources on the ancient understanding of two core Church beliefs (Baptism and the Lord's Supper/Eucharist) add to the package and combined with the conversion story each takes up about 1/3rd of the book. It is almost three books in one: any of which is worth the cost of the purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Evangelical Protestants Convert to the Catholic Church
Review: A warm and touching story of an Evangelical family that stuggles with the issues that divide Catholics and Protestants. Join them as they discover the teachings of the Bible and the persecuted Christians of the first century. A thorough study of tradition and Scripture, Baptism and the Eucharist. Few have read this book without being profoundly moved; never to be the same again. With over 400 footnotes this book is theologically astute and emotionally moving
Rating: 
Summary: Three Books in One!!
Review: Amazingly good book, a conversion story with an extensive look into the Catholic history behind Baptism and the Eucharist. More than just convincing me about these two sacraments, this book allowed me to deepen my spiritual understanding and appreciation of them. Mr. Ray clearly still loves the non-Catholic tradition he comes from and this fact makes the book an excellent "loaner" to anyone considering Catholicism or challenging it. *Make sure you read all those footnotes*
Rating:
Summary: A Commanding Presence
Review: Anyone who's read Mr. Ray before knows what I mean. He argues convincingly, and provides copious source notes. You can't go wrong. By the way, before I get into the review "proper," I would recommend that you also purchase Mr. Ray's *Upon This Rock*, a phenomenal defense of the Papacy. This book, *Crossing the Tiber*, is really two books in one. It is divided into a conversion story (which is one really long chapter, consisting of somewhere around 100 pages), and a defense of two doctrines: the Eucharist and Baptism. As is his custom, Mr. Ray builds his defenses by citing all relevant Scripture, along with plenty of foot-note commentary, and then citing all relevant Patristic sources, again, with much foot-note commentary. This book packs a powerful one-two punch in this way, and is highly recommended for anyone who needs a good reason to join the Catholic Church. Mr. Ray's conversion story plows the field, by raising in the reader's mind all the questions that were raised in Mr. Ray's mind during the course of his journey. His defense of the Eucharist and Baptism at the end of the book plant the seeds in this newly plowed field, by giving plenteous arguments from Scripture, supplemented with evidence of how the entire Church had always understood these Scriptures from the beginning. If you're not a theologian, that's ok. This work isn't overly heavy on technicality, just on solid reasoning. It's easily followed by anyone, and you may just find yourself becoming a theologian by the end of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A solid, entertaining book about Catholicism
Review: As a Catholic, I found the Ray's walk toward the Catholic faith very exciting and also very informative. The author provides numerous references to scripture and patristic documents. I learned a lot about my faith, and it's enjoyable reading!
Rating: 
Summary: Crossing the Writer
Review: Bad structural problems. No edited well. Poor thinking.
Problems that should make you think twice:
1. The author is focused on himself and his story. Egotistical. I would prefer his thinking to his narration, but both are weak.
2. The author claims to have studied the bible and the early church writings for hundreds of hours. The author then calls his decision to switch churches a spiritual transformation and that transformation reaches its apex after he listens to some cassette tapes. He says that tears were streaming down his face as a result. He phones his name-dropped friend and says: ... guess what, I am a Catholic. Next, in the same paragraph the author says that (1) he had never been to a Catholic Church; and (2) he never realized, until that moment, the import of his decision. A Christian ordinarily works with or has friends who are protestant and catholic and fundamentalist and pagan (etc.) friends, and has learned that there are differences in doctrine between men, but not many differences between men themselves. If he is a sensible man he knows that goodness and evil exists in people from all walks of life. This author couches his learning in the language of spiritual transformation. It is merely about a guy that opened his eyes a little.
3. There would be no book if they author had not begun by understanding nothing of the catholics. Crossing the Tiber is a misnomer. The book should be called - "leaving behind my predjudices and lack of learning". But who cares about a guy leaving behind his prejudices?
4. Note to future authors - just because you have strong emotions from time to time, they are not necessarily the basis of a book needing to be written.
5. Many learned protestants and scholars understand the Catholic church very well, and love her as their own. Yet they remain protestant.
6. The author states that protestantism was a sinful example of reductionism. I doubt anyone has understood God completely yet. As a result, are not all churches a poor reduction.
7. The book promotes a deepinging of the schism between the children of God because it talks about finding a new church as if it were a matter of life and death. The author takes his ignorance of the catholic church as a younger man, builds up a wall that was never as high as the author imagines, and then jumps over it, and finds himself moved by the experience. Self-indulgent. Better is the man who understands both the protestants and the catholics and write a book that brings them as close together as possible.
8. Worse, the book conveys the idea that greater happiness is possible as a catholic. What happened to all your happy protestant years? Better would be the story of how you were once happy and had grown unhappy. And don't claim to have found absolute truth, admit that you have not studied the entirety of ecclesiology, and base your gratification for your decision because you are happier ... until when?
9. The footnotes are not footnotes at all, but continuations of the narrative, and are sometimes more relevant than the text held out as central. A little further study on English composition would be appreciated.
End - Overall, I cannot recommend the book. It was suggested to me by a friend and I looked forward to it based on the description on the back cover. The sentiment on every page does not seem to have the sense of truth here, which is all one can ask for from a book. It is a weak read.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful!
Review: Crossing the Tiber is a well-researched, heavily foot-noted account of the discovery of truths that lead the author to the Catholic faith. Stephen Ray's grasp of Church history and the early fathers makes this book a powerful tool for chiseling away Protestant misconceptions of the Catholic faith. Further, Ray's erudite appeals to the early Church fathers very convincingly shows that the earliest Christians were indeed Catholics. I am in the process of converting to Catholicism and this book was integral in my journey to Rome. I highly recommend it, along with Robert Sungenis' "Not By Scripture Alone" and "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" by Karl Keating.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful!
Review: Crossing the Tiber is a well-researched, heavily foot-noted account of the discovery of truths that lead the author to the Catholic faith. Stephen Ray's grasp of Church history and the early fathers makes this book a powerful tool for chiseling away Protestant misconceptions of the Catholic faith. Further, Ray's erudite appeals to the early Church fathers very convincingly shows that the earliest Christians were indeed Catholics. I am in the process of converting to Catholicism and this book was integral in my journey to Rome. I highly recommend it, along with Robert Sungenis' "Not By Scripture Alone" and "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" by Karl Keating.
Rating:
Summary: Superlative explanation of the basics of Christianity
Review: Crossing the Tiber is must reading for anyone interested in Christianity. It demonstrates the deep roots of the faith over its 2,000 year history, probably most importantly, in the process exposes Fundemenalism and Evangelicanism for the tawdry shells of modernism and faux-Christianity that they are.
Rating:
Summary: Great book on Catholicism...
Review: For those not sure about what the Catholic Church
teaches on salvation and the Eucharist,this is
the book to read and contemplate.
Stephen Ray's book is brillant in expertly
defending the truth of Catholicism with the
Bible and the early Church Fathers.
A reviewer on Sept6th said it was egotistic
for him to share his testimony!
Oh please!!!Christians have been sharing their
conversions for centuries,including St.Augustine.
Also alot of former Catholics need to read this
valuable book.
Yes all of us Christians can learn alot from reading
CROSSING THE TIBER!
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