The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating overview of the Catholic faith
Review: Bob O'Gorman has taught in the divinity schools of St. Louis University, St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado, and Scarritt Graduate School in Nashville, Tennessee. He is presently teaching at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.

Mary Faulkner has a masters degree in religious education from Scarritt Graduate School, is a director of the Institute of Integrated Healing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, and a psychotherapist in private practice.

This 409-page, large-format, trade paperback has a comprehensive index and multiple appendices, including a glossary of important terms in the Catholic faith, a list of recommended readings, a chart of the symbolic elements within the rituals in the Catholic Church, and a list of all of the Catholic popes. The topics covered in the main text of the book are: (1) What is a Catholic? (2) What are Catholic beliefs? (3) How do Catholics experience God? (4) How do Catholics pray? (5) What is the Catholic identity? (6) The Church's history from the beginning to the present.

In the ongoing, excellent tradition of Alpha's Idiot's Guides, this book is extremely well laid out and is written in a clear, friendly style, both of which make it a pleasure to read. As a non-Catholic, my knowledge of Catholicism was sketchy at best before reading this book, and I found this comprehensive introduction to the major aspects of the faith fascinating. The following are topics I found especially interesting: There are different versions of Catholicism in the U.S., in particular, the Irish-, Italian- and Hispanic-Americans each have their own unique traditions. In the recent past, Vatican II revolutionized 400 years of practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church. The authors freely admit (which most sects of Christianity usually won't) the ways in which the ceremonies and traditions of the Catholic church draw upon other ancient traditions, including the Jewish, Greek, Roman and Celtic religions.

I highly recommend this book to Catholics as well as non-Catholics who are curious about the history, theology and practices of the Catholic Church.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money!
Review: I am not prone to writing a review, but there's something not right with this book. I bought this book with the intention of using as a "refresher course." After reading it, I thought the authors needed a refresher course. For example, the authors consider the singer, Madonna, a Catholic mystic. When you think of a solidly faithful Catholic, does the singer Madonna come to mind? I am pretty sure the answer is no. That is one glaring example of some of the "mis-steps" of the authors. I have never thrown away a book before but this book was my first and, hopefully, my last. If you would like to find a book that explains the Catholic faith in a down to earth language and represents the faith accurately consider, "Catholicism for Dummies."

Rating:
Summary: You have better choices, if you're interested
Review: I bet most readers who pick up a book called a "Guide to Understanding Catholicism" are not looking for sociology, but rather want to know what the Roman Catholic Church teaches and what Roman Catholics believe. They won't get a clear answer from this book. Indeed, someone who knows little or nothing about Roman Catholicism (presumably the intended audience for this type of primer) will be left confused and uninformed. Notwithstanding the author's claim of conformity with the Catechism, and his asserting a kind of "negative" approbation (i.e., nobody's "officially" complained), he's plainly aiming to be as ambiguous and elastic as possible. That's a shame, because clarity is one of the Church's great gifts to the pilgrim who actively and sincerely seeks the truth.

If the reader is a believing Christian from another tradition who doubts that Catholics are truly Christian, I'm distressed to say that this book can only reinforce that prejudice. You get the false impression that Catholics have followed certain ultra-liberal North American Protestants over the cliff. When it comes to serious concerns like the degraded state of sexual ethics in society, the book strongly suggests that conduct understood as sinful by essentially all Christians in every age and place can somehow be made compatible with Catholic belief. It goes so far as to say that "leaders in the Church" (its wildly misleading characterization of a tiny faction of dissidents and neo-Unitarians) support sacramentalizing same-sex "unions".

What the book does do well is to represent a narrow, very particular viewpoint that sadly is all too common among a lost generation of Catholics who, as the author himself puts it above, "spent our childhood and adolescent years in the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church" but who as young adults "were shaped by the foundation of Vatican II". These aging flower children headed down a blind alley when they badly misread the "signs of the times" back in the Sixties. (Indeed the authors seem more enthused about the mythology of the Sixties than about anything else.) Now in dwindling numbers they spend their golden years reading National Catholic Reporter and hanging out at Call to Action meetings. They deserve our prayers and charity, but they're hardly in a position to help out anyone else in working out her or his salvation.

As the author, in his response here, does quite predictably, this crowd always responds to criticism the same way: By invoking the ever-nebulous "spirit" of Vatican II (not to be confused with the Spirit), and by warning darkly of "organized forces" supposedly opposing it (shudder!). An authentic appreciation of Vatican II, however, respects what its teachings are and what they aren't. Vatican II did produce important teachings about social justice, religious liberty and pluralism, and individual conscience. What the Council did not do is to transform Roman Catholicism into a branch of politically correct Unitarianism, as the authors and their friends devoutly would wish. It did not nullify a millenium of the Holy Spirit's working in the Church. And it did not repudiate the tradition that produced so many awesome saints.

Apropos of nothing, the book throws in a good measure of the usual idiotic p.c. cant and blather about "patriarchy", "gender", the "earth", blah blah blah blah blah -- as if you already weren't up to your waders. The authors frequently cite "sociological data" where you might expect Scripture, and seem to flirt with New Age-y malarkey in the Matthew Fox vein.

Clearer and more accurate introductions to the faith are readily available for anyone who's sincerely interested.

Rating:
Summary: Lighten Up Brothers and Sisters!
Review: I cannot believe how divided and hateful our culture has become. And those of us in the Church who want to read the real thing - get the Catechism for crying out loud. This book is not for the Hard Core Practicing Catholic who "has been there done that," so to speak.

This is a very good book to give someone an introduction to Catholicism. Regarding the "Abortion, It's a Hard Choice" section it is VERY ministerial. And that is a GOOD THING. What if some girl had an abortion, was sorry about it and wanted to find out more about the Catholic Church but didn't think she could be a Christian/Catholic because of all the judgement flying around from some of us on this issue. This book would be an excellent book for her to find out more about the Church and REPENTANCE. And YES, even she could be forgiven.

Maybe, just maybe, not everyone is as enlightened as some of you and this book could bring people into the faith.

There are ALOT of women out there that think they can't be forgiven because they had an abortion. And that is our shame as Chrisitans. 'Cause if they can't be forgiven, then neither can any of us. NOT ONE OF US. It would make Jesus' shedding of blood, death and resurection pointless then if it doesn't cover ALL OF OUR SINS.

I am so sick of some Christians acting like they are better than some woman that has had an abortion. Eternity is Forever folks and we need to attract all into the Church that we can. Some women have chosen to be unrepentant about their abortion, even defiant because they feel betrayed on so many different levels. We should be ministering to them and bring them into the fold, not judging them.

All the people who wrote negative comments about the book, why don't you go write your own book and show the rest of us how it is done?

It is our responsibililty to bring people INTO the Church, not push them away. STOP being so judgemental and help out in what the true mission of the Church is, that of Conversion. This book is an Excellent Introduction to Catholicism and I believe will make people want to find out more about Jesus and his Church. Thank you for writing it. The Peace of Christ Be With You ALL!!

Rating:
Summary: Food For The Soul
Review: I found this book while I was browsing a local book store for books on the 'how to' of Catholic faith. As a freshly returned Catholic (I'd been away since I was about 14, I am 36 now), I needed a brush-up on just about everything, and to be honest, I was still trying to make up my mind about this whole Church thing.

What I found in this book was a refreshing overview of the Church, the faith, the history, and the sacraments. I found a sense of beauty and love that drew me in and made my heart sing.

More than my parish priest, more than the love and encouragement of friends, I can say that this book was the one thing here on Earth that helped me in taking the walk back to Christ's love and forgiveness. (I do not count the Mass that I attended a few days before buying this book, the Mass was not 'of this Earth', it is of God.)

Regardless of what the conservative reviews say, if you are a returning Catholic, or just interested in Catholicism, and you want information presented in a way that makes sense and helps you to learn, then you need to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: This book made me ill
Review: I have been a believing Catholic for about five years now after a long period of study and prayer. I was very saddened by most of what I read in this book. I do not regard it as an accurate representation of Catholicism at ALL, and I say this as someone who has experienced during his life-time, more than one side of the story.

I could't even comprehend why the authors themselves wanted to BE Catholic after what they said about Catholicism, particularly in the revised section written after the Sex Scandals broke out. They made it sound like the Catholic Church's authority to teach sound and accurate Christian doctrine was NOT to be trusted and that the sex scandals were the faults of great saints like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Augustine being a Church Father!

If I EVER came to BELIEVE about Catholicism much of the stuff THEY wrote, I would cease to be a Christian all together and return to Paganism. I literaly walked away from this book feeling like I needed to vomit.

Rating:
Summary: This book is superb!
Review: I have just finished reading the second edition of this book and if I could afford to do so I'd send it to every Catholic in the world. I have a doctorate in religious studies, am heading into the 70th year of my life, and have been a religious studies educator formally and informally for half of my lifetime. The book is historically accurate, covers the spectrum of contemporary Catholic thought and ethical positions and is done in an absolutely delightful style. I cannot congratulate the authors enough in terms of their brilliant work. Returning "idiot" to its original meaning is a special gift. I can hardly wait to get Mary Faulkner's book on women's spirituality. I plan to recommend this book to anyone and everyone who asks me about contemporary Catholicism. Catherine Berry Stidsen, Ph.D.

Rating:
Summary: Enhancing my Catholic training!
Review: I really liked this book. I'm in the process of converting to Catholicism. I live in a small town that doesn't have structured classes. All my learning comes from the local priest. This book helped answer a lot of questions that were not covered by my priest. Such as the rituals during mass (crossing yourself with holy water, the creeds, and so on). I learned a lot of the history of the Church that I didn't know before. I feel that I know a lot more about what I am getting into before converting. Especially that the Catholic Church isn't a cult like my sister says it is. The one problem that I had with the book is that it was almost politically correct in its reading. For example, when they gave the time table in the front of the book, they used BCE and CE instead of BC and AD. They didn't want to offend anyone. I just thought it went too far. There are other instances in the book where they took a cynical view of the beliefs. It may just be because I am still ignorant about the Church, but I really wanted to have a little more pro-Catholic stance from it. All in all, it is a very good book. It is filled with very useful information and trivia. I'm even having my non-Catholic husband read it so he knows what his wife is getting into!

Rating:
Summary: Morality Requires Free Choice
Review: In the past several months negative reviews of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism have begun collecting on Amazon.com. They seem to emanate from the same neo-conservative position that would like to roll back the reforms of the Catholic Church made at Vatican II. Since these reviews are in such sharp contrast to the heart-warming reports received during the first three years of the book, and since some are simply incorrect, I would like to take the opportunity, as one of the authors to respond.

Most of these critics have asserted that the book does not represent Catholic teaching. I want to assure the reader that each and every teaching in the text and in the glossary of terms is correlated with the latest version of the Catholic catechism. Some have questioned the absence of the Catholic imprimatur, which is the Latin word meaning "let it be printed," and is a bishop's seal of approval reserved for official Catholic teaching. To have the imprimatur used for books published by a secular press and intended for the general audience, is not necessary or appropriate.

The publishers of the Idiot's Guide series insist on hiring an expert in the particular field who is paid to read the book and edit it from his or her authoritative knowledge. Our book was reviewed by a priest who holds the Doctor of Jurisprudence, Master of Church Administration, and Licentiate in Sacred Theology degrees. He has served as Vicar General and presently serves as General Counsel and Censor Librorum for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. Censor Librorum is the office of the theologian a bishop appoints to read and advise him on which Catholic books to grant his imprimatur. We acknowledge him in the front pages of the book. Both authors have their credential as qualified teachers in religious education. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and am full professor of Pastoral Studies at Loyola, Chicago's Jesuit University. Additionally, I have a mandatum from the Cardinal Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to teach Catholic Theology. The mandatum is an acknowledgment by Church authority that a Catholic professor of a theological discipline is a teacher within the full communion of the Catholic Church.

We have received numerous letters from Cardinals, bishops and priests praising the book, especially for making the Catholic Church so accessible. We have received no letters of disapproval from church authorities. Our stated purpose isn't to present a theological study of the church, but to portray the experience of being Catholic. In taking this approach, we openly discuss the struggles as well as the joys. The viewpoint we present cannot be portrayed by clergy-whose life and formation has not only focused them on the institutional aspect of the Church, but has also separated them in a particular restricted class of the church that makes up less than 1% of church members. It is the cumulative identity of this Church that is the focus.

We spotlight this religion historically, theologically, philosophically, symbolically, sociologically, doctrinally, and institutionally. We assess its significance for the third millennium. This book presents Catholicism as a two thousand year old faith that is anything but monolithic and certainly not perfect. It is the ongoing story of how Jesus as the Christ walks with the people. This story is as diverse and complex as the people who live it. There are differences of opinion within the hierarchy of the church, different interpretations of cannon law, and different theologies-often conflicting with one another. To present Catholicism as a simple matter of law and prescribed church practices it isn't what we set out to do-that would miss a complete understanding of Catholicism. Our point is that the continued presence of Christ on earth exists in the ever developing lives of this people! There are thousands of books the reader can consult on matters of church law and doctrine-few that talk about what it is like to dynamically live the religion.

One writer complained about the section title: "Abortion, It's a tough choice," saying that for Catholics there is no choice. This section clearly and unequivocally lays out the Catholic Church's present teaching on abortion. The church is against it. At the same time, the church teaches that without choice there can be no morality. The individual is obliged to think about his or her action and freely make a choice according to conscience. So yes, for many Catholics, abortion is a tough choice-it presents a moral struggle.

In 1966 the U.S. Catholic Bishops declared: "No one is free to evade his (sic) personal responsibility by leaving it entirely to others to make moral judgments." Yet many people in the church continue to seek the security of law rather than accept the responsibility that comes with freedom-the onerous task of wrestling with moral dilemma-to seek perfection is to fall short of the mark many times in a lifetime.

To read the viewpoint of the clergy, there is now a popular book in another series by two priests that gives it to you. Many of our critics have recommended it. However, to understand the complexities of Catholicism, as our title suggests, this is the book. We are Catholic authors who in our twenties, beginning our families and adult life were shaped by the foundation of Vatican II. Having spent our childhood and adolescent years in the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church, we are well aware of what radical changes were recovered in Vatican II - social justice, ecumenism, an embrace of the signs of the times, and the dignity and value of the informed individual conscience. Reader, be aware there are organized forces who speak against the spirit of reformation of Vatican II.

Robert T. O'Gorman
Professor of Pastoral Studies
Loyola University Chicago
Co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism

Rating:
Summary: Author Response
Review: In the past several months negative reviews of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism have begun collecting on Amazon.com. They seem to emanate from the same neo-conservative position that would like to roll back the reforms of the Catholic Church made at Vatican II. Since these reviews are in such sharp contrast to the heart-warming reports received during the first three years of the book, and since some are simply incorrect, I would like to take the opportunity, as one of the authors to respond.

Most of these critics have asserted that the book does not represent Catholic teaching. I want to assure the reader that each and every teaching in the text and in the glossary of terms is correlated with the latest version of the Catholic catechism. Some have questioned the absence of the Catholic imprimatur, which is the Latin word meaning "let it be printed," and is a bishop's seal of approval reserved for official Catholic teaching. To have the imprimatur used for books published by a secular press and intended for the general audience, is not necessary or appropriate.

The publishers of the Idiot's Guide series insist on hiring an expert in the particular field who is paid to read the book and edit it from his or her authoritative knowledge. Our book was reviewed by a priest who holds the Doctor of Jurisprudence, Master of Church Administration, and Licentiate in Sacred Theology degrees. He has served as Vicar General and presently serves as General Counsel and Censor Librorum for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. Censor Librorum is the office of the theologian a bishop appoints to read and advise him on which Catholic books to grant his imprimatur. We acknowledge him in the front pages of the book. Both authors have their credential as qualified teachers in religious education. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and am full professor of Pastoral Studies at Loyola, Chicago's Jesuit University. Additionally, I have a mandatum from the Cardinal Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to teach Catholic Theology. The mandatum is an acknowledgment by Church authority that a Catholic professor of a theological discipline is a teacher within the full communion of the Catholic Church.

We have received numerous letters from Cardinals, bishops and priests praising the book, especially for making the Catholic Church so accessible. We have received no letters of disapproval from church authorities. Our stated purpose isn't to present a theological study of the church, but to portray the experience of being Catholic. In taking this approach, we openly discuss the struggles as well as the joys. The viewpoint we present cannot be portrayed by clergy-whose life and formation has not only focused them on the institutional aspect of the Church, but has also separated them in a particular restricted class of the church that makes up less than 1% of church members. It is the cumulative identity of this Church that is the focus.

We spotlight this religion historically, theologically, philosophically, symbolically, sociologically, doctrinally, and institutionally. We assess its significance for the third millennium. This book presents Catholicism as a two thousand year old faith that is anything but monolithic and certainly not perfect. It is the ongoing story of how Jesus as the Christ walks with the people. This story is as diverse and complex as the people who live it. There are differences of opinion within the hierarchy of the church, different interpretations of cannon law, and different theologies-often conflicting with one another. To present Catholicism as a simple matter of law and prescribed church practices it isn't what we set out to do-that would miss a complete understanding of Catholicism. Our point is that the continued presence of Christ on earth exists in the ever developing lives of this people! There are thousands of books the reader can consult on matters of church law and doctrine-few that talk about what it is like to dynamically live the religion.

One writer complained about the section title: "Abortion, It's a tough choice," saying that for Catholics there is no choice. This section clearly and unequivocally lays out the Catholic Church's present teaching on abortion. The church is against it. At the same time, the church teaches that without choice there can be no morality. The individual is obliged to think about his or her action and freely make a choice according to conscience. So yes, for many Catholics, abortion is a tough choice-it presents a moral struggle.

In 1966 the U.S. Catholic Bishops declared: "No one is free to evade his (sic) personal responsibility by leaving it entirely to others to make moral judgments." Yet many people in the church continue to seek the security of law rather than accept the responsibility that comes with freedom-the onerous task of wrestling with moral dilemma-to seek perfection is to fall short of the mark many times in a lifetime.

To read the viewpoint of the clergy, there is now a popular book in another series by two priests that gives it to you. Many of our critics have recommended it. However, to understand the complexities of Catholicism, as our title suggests, this is the book. We are Catholic authors who in our twenties, beginning our families and adult life were shaped by the foundation of Vatican II. Having spent our childhood and adolescent years in the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church, we are well aware of what radical changes were recovered in Vatican II - social justice, ecumenism, an embrace of the signs of the times, and the dignity and value of the informed individual conscience. Reader, be aware there are organized forces who speak against the spirit of reformation of Vatican II.

Robert T. O'Gorman
Professor of Pastoral Studies
Loyola University Chicago
Co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism