Catholicism at the Dawn of the Third Millennium (Theology)

Rating:
Summary: Contemporary Catholicism Clarified
Review: After two decades of being away from the Church, I found myself wanting a second look and greater depth than I remembered from high school religion class. It was a pleasure to discover a book that pulls so much together. In "Catholicism at the Dawn of the Third Millennium," Thomas P. Rausch covers all bases: this is an overview of Catholic faith, beliefs, teachings, traditions and practice. He includes enough history to make it understandable, but the focus is contemporary: Where is the Church today? Where might we be going? It's a scholarly work -- plenty of footnotes for those who want to dig deeper -- but by no means intimidating. Effective organization and clear subheadings make it easy to pick out areas of interest, the writing is smooth and understandable, and each chapter ends with a short summary.

Revelation, faith, Jesus, the development of the Christian community, the institutional church, tradition, discipleship, sacraments, prayer and spirituality, salvation.....are all covered. Of course, there is a chapter on sin -- one that I found surprisingly helpful. He explores the challenges that lie ahead and addresses difficult issues like Catholic social teachings, ecumenism, the role of women in the Church, sexuality (including homosexuality), and Church authority. He clearly presents official Church teaching, while also reflecting on current theological trends.

For me, this reading has filled in gaps, deepened my appreciation and understanding of Catholic faith and life, and suggested areas for further study. The work will benefit anyone interested in a basic overview, whether motivated by personal searching, a question about Church teaching, or general interest in world religions and spiritual traditions.