Rating: 
Summary: Powerful and Compelling
Review: Philip Jenkins, author of other books on Christianity, takes another look at a contempoary issue involoving Christainity - this time specifically the Catholic Church.Reading at the title, one would think that Jenkins is a polemic for the Church. Far be it - he does take the Church to task for some of the way they have handled certian things like the Child sex abuse scandel.With that said, he defends the Church from silly and often agenda type attacks where individuals and groups opposed to the Church distort much of current events and reconstruct history to fit in with their agenda. He calls to task the illogical and disingenious assertions thrown by those people concerned only with their agenda. Topics discussed are: Feminizism, gay-rights, and the new media, just to name a few. The one real fault in this book is probably that it is too short for such a polemic topic. In order to probably please his editors, this book is only about 216 reading pages. However, it is exhaustively researched so one can go to primary source documents for themselves if needed. Oh, by the way, Jenkins is not Catholic and neither am I, just in case someone thinks his book or my review is denominationally swayed.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good points, but marred by omissions
Review: Professor Jenkins has written with insight and clarity on a number of controversial topics, unfortunately, while this book raises some important points, it is rather tendentious compared to his past works. At one point, he claims that the Clinton Administration's Health Security Initiative failed to make it into law because of the Administration's petty aversion to having the Catholic Church as an ally. This strange assertion will come as news to many, including Theda Skopol, author of the most comprehensive study on the failure of the Clinton health care proposal. Elsewhere, Professor Jenkins explores the pedigree of anti-Catholic prejudice in America in depth, but he fails to do the same for Vatican hostility to the United States which has a long pedigree of it's own. Despite the good feelings towards the Catholic Church in the United States at independence (due in part to French aid against the British) and disestablishment of Protestant churches, the Vatican regarded the U.S. "as the bastard brat of Jacobinism" (to quote Samuel Eliot Morison) and warned against the heresy of "Americanism". This hostility persisted right up until the papacy of John XXIII. Also, during the 19th century, the Vatican made no bones about its opposition to freedom of religion, freedom of thought, and freedom of conscience. This hostility persisted right up until the Second Vatican Council. Unfortunately, while none of the Vatican II reforms have been formally rescinded during the papacy of John Paul II, they now seem to be as much a dead letter as the splendid list of rights embalmed in the old Soviet constitution. Nevertheless, it is deplorable that Roman Catholics have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in actions this book indisputably documents. Such treatment deserves condemnation wherever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others that endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society. But the proper reaction to outrages committed against Catholics should not be to claim that all who take a critical view of the church are motivated by prejudice. There is an effort in some countries (e.g., Poland, Italy, the United States) by the Vatican to manipulate civil-statutes and by having its doctrines written into the secular law. Even when the Vatican's efforts may seriously threaten the lives and well being of a large number of people, (as in attempts to hamstring public health efforts against sexually transmitted disease) it's advocates remain undeterred and refuse to consider the magnitude of the risks involved. Although the authoritarian inclination of the Church is not a crime, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward theocracy; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective threat to a democratic polity. When the Church seeks to illegitimately extend it's power in democratic societies, or when civil legislation is introduced to confer privileges to which no one denomination has any conceivable right, neither the Vatican nor Professor Jenkins should be surprised when other distorted notions and practices gain ground, and irrational and violent reactions increase. With this in mind, decent Catholics should ask their Bishops to be especially cautious of any programs that may seek to pressure American law and society to abrogate the rights of any of it's citizens, even while claiming not to do so. A careful examination of the public statements and the activities conservative Catholic pressure groups promote reveals a studied ambiguity by which they attempt to mislead Catholics and the general public alike. For example, they may present the teaching of the Magisterium as if it were the mandatory source for all secular laws. Its specific authority is held to be binding on the entire society. Some of these groups will use the word "democratic" to describe either the organization or its intended actions, yet they do not defend and promote the interests of American society; indeed, they even openly attack it. . Those within the Church who argue in this fashion often have close ties with those with similar views outside it. These latter groups are guided by a vision bitterly opposed to American liberty and pluralism. They reflect, even if not entirely consciously, an absolutist ideology that denies the democratic nature of the United States, as well as the rights of every individual. This does not mean that conservative Catholics are not often generous and giving of themselves; but when they engage in seditious activity against fellow citizens, they confirm within themselves a disordered political inclination that is essentially self-indulgent. Jesus promised, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (Jn. 8:32). Conservative Catholics (including the hierarchy here and in the Vatican) should have the truth about American society and it's democratic culture clearly explained to them so they will stop denigrating it so incessantly. After all there has never been a society in human history that afforded so many the opportunity to practice their religion (including Catholicism) so freely. Perhaps Professor Jenkins's next book can take up that challenge.
Rating: 
Summary: Insightful look at a recurring prejudice
Review: This book is very helpful in detailing the way that anti-Catholicism has become acceptable in our society, especially in certain segments of the media. In addition to the book I heard a talk by Professor Jenkins and he goes back to colonial American to show the anti-Catholicism that was even put in primers.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent at what it does
Review: This book points out one strand of modern anti-Catholicism, namely the agenda of the secularist left. That this "new anti-Catholicism" is in fact virulent, and disgusting, is very true. I thank this non-Catholic author for his clarity of vision. However, anti-Catholicism is still alive in well in the United States, and is not limited to these new elites. One look at the reviews of Catholic books at Amazon.com will show you how much anti-Catholic hatred is present in the fundamentalist and evangelical movements. I as a Catholic respect my "bible-Christian" (a misnomer to be sure.. Catholicism is biblical as well) friends. I do not believe that they are destined to burn in hell, nor do I believe that their churches are evil. However, many of them feel quite differently about me, and I can see their hate displayed on web-sites, when they come knock on my door, or when I encounter them in the work-place. The central conclusion of the book is that this form of anti-Catholicism is a thing of the past, while the new challenge from secularists is the most dangerous. I am unconvinced.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent at what it does
Review: This book points out one strand of modern anti-Catholicism, namely the agenda of the secularist left. That this "new anti-Catholicism" is in fact virulent, and disgusting, is very true. I thank this non-Catholic author for his clarity of vision. However, anti-Catholicism is still alive in well in the United States, and is not limited to these new elites. One look at the reviews of Catholic books at Amazon.com will show you how much anti-Catholic hatred is present in the fundamentalist and evangelical movements. I as a Catholic respect my "bible-Christian" (a misnomer to be sure.. Catholicism is biblical as well) friends. I do not believe that they are destined to burn in hell, nor do I believe that their churches are evil. However, many of them feel quite differently about me, and I can see their hate displayed on web-sites, when they come knock on my door, or when I encounter them in the work-place. The central conclusion of the book is that this form of anti-Catholicism is a thing of the past, while the new challenge from secularists is the most dangerous. I am unconvinced.
Rating:
Summary: Fair, Thorough, Unbiased
Review: This is a really scholarly investigation into the blatant bias against the Catholic Church as promulgated by all forms of media and tolerated by American society. The author,a former Roman Catholic, now an Episcopal teaches religious studies and history at the Pennsylvania State University. Although he has made a decision to remove from his Catholic roots he is none the less very fair in his analysis of the bias which has pervaded the Church for the whole of our country's existence; in fact I believe he may be much more credible because of his independence from the Church. Philip Jenkins takes many issues including abortion,homosexuality,race,contraception,Church hierachy and papal infallibility and discusses these issues in light of historical perspective. He clearly shows that in an earlier era the "conservatives" of the populace were most threatened by Catholicism and were the most vigorous in trying to suppress it. Now, however, it is clearly the "liberals" who for totally different reasons and for different agendas are vehemently opposed the the Catholic Church. Dr.Jenkins brings to light issues that have become unpopular to discuss or even intelligently critique due to the transformation of social "norms" that even a generation ago were considered fair game. Even I, an orthodox Roman Catholic, find myself falling for some of these new acceptable prejudices. Dr. Jenkins clearly demonstrates the fallacy of these new biases.
Rating:
Summary: Non-Catholic Professor Examines American Anti-Catholicism
Review: When my local public library purchased Professor Jenkin's study of anti-Catholicism I was ambivalent. I checked out the book with the intention to skim through it, but soon I began to more deeply read individual chapters, and eventually ended up reading the entire book. Prof. Jenkins (a non-Catholic) presents a solid and balanced portrayal of the radically changing face of American anti-Catholicism, as well as how American Catholics have both combatted and contributed to this anti-Catholicism in the past and present. The superficial similarities and profound differences between modern anti-Catholicism and past prejudice is simultaneously astounding and unsurprising. The only book I know which surpasses this one in presenting the history of American anti-Catholicism is out of print ("John F. Kennedy and American Catholicism"). Coincidentally, that other work was also written by a non-Catholic (a Jewish scholar to be exact). I highly recommend this book to Americans of all backgrounds who wish to understand the story behind American anti-Catholic prejudice today.
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