Rating: 
Summary: Misrepresented Catholicism by Someone Who Should Know Better
Review: Before I say anything else, let me stress that I am a devout Catholic who sees a sincere adherence to the Magisterium of the Church (which encompasses both the teachings of my faith and the teaching authority of the Church) and an acknowledgement of the primacy of the Pope as head of Christ's Church as the keys to knowing my faith and putting it into action the way God intended me too. That said, I am extremely disappointed by Richard P. McBrien's efforts to convince Catholics that their faith could be improved by de-emphasizing the authoritative teachings of the Church (especially in his criticism of Popes who stress the authority of their office) and in turn embracing extreme leftist views. Among other things, McBrien implies in this encyclopedia that the Church's position is misguided and outdated on such issues as homosexuality, the ordination of women into the priesthood (which Pope John Paul II in a 1994 statement explicitly said would never happen; note that this encyclopedia is copyrighted 1995), the Just War Doctrine, and liturgical practices. His criticisms of the Church in these areas, and his misrepresentations of Catholic teaching in numerous other articles, are a direct violation of the oath of obedience that McBrien took upon being ordained a priest; and it should be noted that when a priest's teachings on Catholic matters fail to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church he claims to represent, his authority as a teacher suffers greatly. And speaking of authority, one thing that McBrien seems to trivialize in this encyclopedia is the concept of natural law. According to Catholic teaching, natural law is the rule of conduct that is prescribed to us by God by way of the nature with which He has endowed us. This means, for example, that because God created man and woman so that they would give themselves to one another in a way that was love-giving and that would also create life, then such practices as contraception, abortion, and casual or premarital sex (all of which go against the prescribed rule of conduct God intended for us) are immoral and unacceptable. And since sex is supposed to be between man and woman, it follows that the consummation of homosexual passion also goes against the precepts of natural law and is also sinful. On other issues (most notably on the ordination of women priests), Pope John Paul II (and his predecessors) have explicitly established the Church's position with the full power of their teaching authority. On all of these issues, Catholics are morally bound to accept the teachings of the Magisterium. And yet McBrien insists on presenting dissenting opinions on many issues that have been definitively addressed by authorities that he himself is answerable to.Now, having said that, I will give McBrien credit for thoroughly researching his topics and being informative and factual when he's not trying to promote his political agenda. It is for this reason that I give his book a 2-star rating instead of the 1-star rating that it deserves. As a historical resource, this compilation will serve you well. Still, it doesn't change the fact that McBrien has done a disservice to the Catholic Church with this compilation (and his other works). As a priest, he most definitely should have known better.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent resource
Review: Don't be fooled by critics who are so small-minded that they don't see what has happened to the faithful of the Catholic Church since Vatican II. McBrien is not disputing the teachings of the church, he simply explains what some of the opposition is to these views, both within and without the church. Anyone who denies that opposition exists to certain issues, like homosexuality, female ordination, birth control, and others are lying to themselves. McBrien does an excellent job of explaining what the teachings of the church are, in a very easy-to-read manner, for the Catholic and non-catholic alike. I applaud Fr. McBrien on another excellent job. This book is a must read for those interested in Catholic theology.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Definitions, But.........
Review: I got this book about 4 years ago and it does give great information and pictures that help in the understanding of catholicism, but is written on the point of view on the liberal side. Richard McBrien, the author, tends to bring opinions from somewhere other than the Magisterium of the Church on issues that bring heated debate within the people of the Church. If a non-catholic picks this book up and looks up information on issues such as sexuality, they will get the wrong idea on what the church really teaches. But for the most part though, the book is very thorough on most items such as people of the Church. A whole section on St. Augustine will give you everything you need to know about this popular saint. I recommend this book only to find historical facts, not for facts on morality.
Rating:
Summary: Good Definitions, But.........
Review: I got this book about 4 years ago and it does give great information and pictures that help in the understanding of catholicism, but is written on the point of view on the liberal side. Richard McBrien, the author, tends to bring opinions from somewhere other than the Magisterium of the Church on issues that bring heated debate within the people of the Church. If a non-catholic picks this book up and looks up information on issues such as sexuality, they will get the wrong idea on what the church really teaches. But for the most part though, the book is very thorough on most items such as people of the Church. A whole section on St. Augustine will give you everything you need to know about this popular saint. I recommend this book only to find historical facts, not for facts on morality.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book...
Review: I recommend this book to any Catholic, especially those seeking to understand their tradition in a better way. This book contains the ABC's of Catholicism and then some. It has much more information than what I imagined and has helped me to understand more about the Church. A must have for any Catholic.
Rating:
Summary: Compliments RP McBrien's "Catholicism"
Review: If you didn't like his book "Catholicism" there's a good chance you won't like this rare assest. A rare asset since Fr. McBrien unabashedly states that it is truly comprehensive...and it is.
While purusing it at Borders, I looked up several rather arcane topics I didn't think would be included and which I would be hard pressed to fine info on...voila...all were there. I also like the staggering list of contributors...of all faiths and persuasions.
I looked at the "Catholic Encyclopedia" which was next on the shelf, and found in banal, definitely not worth the price. Incidently I didn't buy it as I wanted to check the price at Amazon...a $14 SAVINGS! I would have bought it from Amazon, but a friend knew I wanted it and purchased it for me. It's a great asset and I will use it in conjunction with my well thumbed and underlined "Catholicism" and "Good News Bible." Oh yes, those reviewers that panned it should be right at home with Archbishop Pilarczyk and Fr. DiNoia along with the NAB...zzzzz
Rating:
Summary: Compliments RP McBrien's "Catholicism"
Review: If you didn't like his book "Catholicism" there's a good chance you won't like this rare assest. A rare asset since Fr. McBrien unabashedly states that it is truly comprehensive...and it is.
While purusing it at Borders, I looked up several rather arcane topics I didn't think would be included and which I would be hard pressed to fine info on...voila...all were there. I also like the staggering list of contributors...of all faiths and persuasions.
I looked at the "Catholic Encyclopedia" which was next on the shelf, and found in banal, definitely not worth the price. Incidently I didn't buy it as I wanted to check the price at Amazon...a $14 SAVINGS! I would have bought it from Amazon, but a friend knew I wanted it and purchased it for me. It's a great asset and I will use it in conjunction with my well thumbed and underlined "Catholicism" and "Good News Bible." Oh yes, those reviewers that panned it should be right at home with Archbishop Pilarczyk and Fr. DiNoia along with the NAB...zzzzz
Rating:
Summary: Don't be misled -- this is a great resource.
Review: Richard McBrien is a scholar of great distinction and this book is a useful and reliable resource for believers and inquirers. No one who has attacked McBrien has a small percent of his scholarship. We have used this book for years in our parish Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults program and have found it most helpful. The word catholic means universal. There will always be those whose view is narrow, but McBrien is not one of them. He's still a good Catholic.
Rating:
Summary: McBrien and His Team Have Performed a Great Service
Review: Since I received this book from Amazon last week, I have had real trouble setting it aside. Not only does it contain a staggering amount of information; it also is beautifully produced and intelligently written. First, it is huge, a good thing for any encyclopedia -- 1300 pages and over 4,000 entries. It is full of pictures: photos of important individuals and sites, reproductions of famous artwork, and explanatory drawings. Major topics, such as each of the sacraments, are covered in long, well-organized essays. And all the details indicate that this project was undertaken with the seriousness and dedication it deserves: the entries are cross-referenced, helpful bibliographies follow many entries, boldface subheads break up and organize the longer entries, bylines are provided after the more analytical entries, a complete list of contributors with their affiliations is provided, pronunciations are given for unfamiliar terms -- I could go on and on. But most impressive to me is the care with which the entries are written. The writing is aimed at the intelligent non-specialist, someone who has the curiosity and mental vigor to want to hear the various sides of difficult issues. Clearly, some Amazon reviewers were distressed that the book does not simply say, "The Church teaches X," and leave it at that. The book *does* say where the Church stands on various issues (insofar as it has taken a stance), AND the book *also* tells us what other opinions have been and are held by important thinkers and in repsected circles. Take for example the entry on homosexuality, which other reviewers here have singled out. It was written by Michael Place, Research Theologian to the Curia, Archdiocese of Chicago. The entry expressly tells us that "Traditionally Catholic teaching has grounded its understanding of human sexuality in the Genesis vision of man and woman," and that "On several occasions the Church's hierarchical magisterium has rejected" liberal doctrines in this area. And, for those who want to know more than what the "blackletter law" is, the entry also discusses those liberal doctrines and how attitudes about, and scientific understanding of, homosexuality have developed. Some Catholic readers apparently do not want the added information; they would prefer a series of cut-and-dried pronouncements without a dangerous idea in sight. Perhaps some Catholic readers also would prefer that a Catholic encyclopedia proclaim in no uncertain terms why their priest or their co-parishioners are heretical corner-cutters. To its credit, that is not what this book provides. If you want to *understand* Catholicism rather than put your God-given reason on autopilot, this book is for you. Buy it. It is well worth every penny.
Rating:
Summary: McBrien and His Team Have Performed a Great Service
Review: Since I received this book from Amazon last week, I have had real trouble setting it aside. Not only does it contain a staggering amount of information; it also is beautifully produced and intelligently written. First, it is huge, a good thing for any encyclopedia -- 1300 pages and over 4,000 entries. It is full of pictures: photos of important individuals and sites, reproductions of famous artwork, and explanatory drawings. Major topics, such as each of the sacraments, are covered in long, well-organized essays. And all the details indicate that this project was undertaken with the seriousness and dedication it deserves: the entries are cross-referenced, helpful bibliographies follow many entries, boldface subheads break up and organize the longer entries, bylines are provided after the more analytical entries, a complete list of contributors with their affiliations is provided, pronunciations are given for unfamiliar terms -- I could go on and on. But most impressive to me is the care with which the entries are written. The writing is aimed at the intelligent non-specialist, someone who has the curiosity and mental vigor to want to hear the various sides of difficult issues. Clearly, some Amazon reviewers were distressed that the book does not simply say, "The Church teaches X," and leave it at that. The book *does* say where the Church stands on various issues (insofar as it has taken a stance), AND the book *also* tells us what other opinions have been and are held by important thinkers and in repsected circles. Take for example the entry on homosexuality, which other reviewers here have singled out. It was written by Michael Place, Research Theologian to the Curia, Archdiocese of Chicago. The entry expressly tells us that "Traditionally Catholic teaching has grounded its understanding of human sexuality in the Genesis vision of man and woman," and that "On several occasions the Church's hierarchical magisterium has rejected" liberal doctrines in this area. And, for those who want to know more than what the "blackletter law" is, the entry also discusses those liberal doctrines and how attitudes about, and scientific understanding of, homosexuality have developed. Some Catholic readers apparently do not want the added information; they would prefer a series of cut-and-dried pronouncements without a dangerous idea in sight. Perhaps some Catholic readers also would prefer that a Catholic encyclopedia proclaim in no uncertain terms why their priest or their co-parishioners are heretical corner-cutters. To its credit, that is not what this book provides. If you want to *understand* Catholicism rather than put your God-given reason on autopilot, this book is for you. Buy it. It is well worth every penny.
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