Catechism of the Catholic Church : Second Edition

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Articulation of the Catholic Faith
Review: One might expect the Catechism to be dry and difficult to understand, but I am incredibly impressed with how well-written and clear the book is to the reader. It not only clearly explains difficult theological concepts so that the lay reader can understand, but it is filled with wonderful footnotes for further research. It is incredibly insghtful and written with a care which really shines through to bless the reader. Whether one is a Catholic, a searching protestant, or one trying to simply understand the Church more clearly, this is the book for you. Investing in its reading will benefit you in the years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Faith and Reason
Review: Several editions exist of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The one I prefer is the Doubleday hardcover edition (ISBN: 0385508190). It is a small, well-bound book, with over 800 pages. The type is not too small, and it is easy to read. This edition is also somehow cheaper than the other hardcover editions. The content of this book is the first Catholic Catechism produced in over four centuries.

The Catechism contains a very large number of biblical quotations. Some of them are given explicitly in the text, but most are given as references, mostly in footnotes. This book is the best companion to the Bible available. It is the most reliable and accurate. Since the explicit quotations given in the text are from the Revised Standard Version, the Catechism is best used in conjunction with this English translation of the Bible. I favor the Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (ISBN: 019528335X). (Some quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.)

Besides the quotations from the Bible, quotes from the fathers of the Church and Canons from the Ecumenical Councils are used to illustrate the correct interpretation of the Biblical passages. A large library is necessary to follow all the quotations given in this book: while the basic text is easily understandable to the average believer, tracking down all references in the book can be a lifelong enterprise.

The Catechism is organized in the traditional way.

The first part covers the Profession of Faith (the Credo). A synoptic table shows the Apostle's Creed side by side with the Nicene Creed. The Catechism follows the Apostle's Creed step by step, with constant reference to the Nicene Creed, which is shared by all major Christian denominations.

The second part covers the Sacraments. The biblical basis for each is discussed. For instance, a very strong statement of the Divine (and hence, Sacramental) nature of Marriage is given by Matthew (19:6): So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. This is a well-known passage, but still most Bible-believing Protestant Churches don't recognize Marriage as a Sacrament. The mistake of denying the Sacramental nature of Marriage is, of course, not just a biblical error, but also a tremendous historical mistake, one that has undermined the very foundation of Western Civilization: the Family. Because, if Marriage is not a Sacrament, it is just another contract, and then anything goes: broken families, serial polygamy, gay marriages, it all logically follows.

The third part covers Life in Christ. It mostly deals with the Commandments. A synoptic table gives the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, together with a Traditional Catechetical Formulation. The consequences of each Commandment are examined in detail.

The fourth part deals with Christian Prayer. It mostly covers the Lord's Prayer (Our Father!), given in Matthew 6:9-13. The Lord's Prayer is shown to be the summary of the whole gospel.