Does Catholicism still exist? / James V. Schall.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schall, James V.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Catholic Church--Apologetic works.

Catholic Church.

Genre:

Apologetic writings.

Physical Description:

xvii, 265 pages ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Alba House, [1994]

Summary:

The Focus of This Book is Catholicism as it understands itself. If it is "against" anything, it is against those priests, bishops, theologians, professors, laymen and yes, non Catholics and non believers, who explain what Catholicism says about itself falsely or wrongly or incompletely. Catholicism may or may not be inherently credible, but it should rise and fall on what it says of itself alone, not on an explanation of itself that is not what it really holds about itself. Jean Danielou in his book The Salvation of Nations sought to state the essence of the problem of the Church today in the light of the famous sin against the Holy Spirit which could not be forgiven: "Many see only the human side of the Church and reject it because of that: their sin is not the sin against the Spirit, and we can believe that they will be forgiven. The sin against the Spirit... would be the sin of those who are cognizant of the divine nature of the Church and yet refuse through pride to acknowledge it." The issue of the existence of Catholicism, even at times for Catholics themselves, is increasingly at this level. Schall sheds light on the relevance of the Church today by pointing to its revolutionary stance vis-a-vis a culture with which it more and more often finds itself at odds.

Contents:

Preface: Are We Beginning to Doubt Everything? ix

Part 1 On the Lack of Catholic Apologists 1

Chapter I Does Catholicism Still Exist? 3

Chapter II The Problem of Intellectual Infidelity 25

Chapter III Thought and the Difference It Makes 43

Chapter IV Division Not Peace 61

Chapter V An Atheist in the Sacristy: Why Does Faith Seek Intelligence? 79

Chapter VI The Strange Consistency: Humanae Vitae After Twenty-Five Years 99

Chapter VII On the Lack of Catholic Apologists 113

Part 2 The Revolution That is Catholicism 131

Chapter VIII The Meditating Mole: An Underground Catholicism? 133

Chapter IX The Church Explains Itself: The New Catechism 149

Chapter X The Person From Within: The Foundations of Social Teachings 165

Chapter XI American Spirituality 189

Chapter XII Ultimate Questions: On Joy, Evil, and Sadness 209

Chapter XIII Life Everlasting 225

Chapter XIV The Revolution That is Catholicism 237

Conclusion: "The Human Machinery of a Perfect and Supernatural Revelation" 253.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0818906944 :

OCLC:

29797154