The truth of Catholicism : ten controversies explored / George Weigel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Weigel, George, 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Catholic Church--Doctrines.

Catholic Church.

Theology, Doctrinal--Popular works.

Theology, Doctrinal.

Genre:

Popular works.

Physical Description:

x, 196 pages ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Cliff Street Books, [2001]

Summary:

What does being a Catholic mean? Is there a distinctively Catholic way of seeing things? What does the Catholic Church teach about the human condition -- about our lives, our loves, and our destiny? In The Truth of Catholicism, best-selling author George Weigel explores these perennial questions through the prism of ten contemporary controversies.

The Catholic Church may be the most controversial institution in the world. Some find its teachings inexplicable, puzzling, even cruel. George Weigel suggests that we look at Catholicism and its controversies from "inside" the convictions that make those controversies not only possible, but necessary. The truths of Catholicism then come into clearer focus as affirmations and celebrations of human life and human love, even as they challenge us to imagine a daring future for humanity and for ourselves.

Is Jesus uniquely the savior of the world? Does belief in God limit our freedom? What are we doing when we pray? Is the moral life about rules or about happiness? Doesn't suffering contradict the biblical claim that God is good? How does the Catholic Church think about other Christians and about other great world religions? Are Catholics safe for democracy? What will become of us? In an engaging, accessible style, George Weigel leads us through these and other questions into the truth of Catholicism: the truth about a God passionately in love with his creation, the truth about a love that creates a vast, liberating terrain on which to live a fully human life.

Contents:

An Invitation to Come Inside 1

1. Is Jesus the Only Savior? Christ and the Conquest of Our Fears 5

The Two Things Jesus Reveals 7

Getting the Story Straight 10

An Outrage? 13

Living Beyond Fear 16

2. Does Belief in God Demean Us? Liberation and the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus 19

Rumors of Angels 23

God: Fatherhood and Mercy 27

The Trinity 29

God Beyond "Spirituality" 32

3. Liberal Church? Conservative Church? Why Catholicism Is Not a "Denomination," and What That Means 35

The Church as a "Communion" 40

Called and Sent 43

Formed in the Image of Mary 45

Archaeology Teaches a Lesson 47

Liberating Doctrine 50

4. Where Do We Find the "Real World"? Liturgy and the Extraordinary Ordinary 53

"Shining from Shook Foil" 56

God's Work 59

The Priest as Icon 65

Prayer and God's Thirst for Us 69

5. How Should We Live? The Moral Life and the Laws That Liberate 72

Fitness for Beatitude 76

Freedom for Excellence 77

The Law That Liberates 80

Conscience and the Primacy of Truth 83

But What About Compassion? 87

A Word About Confession 89

6. How Should We Love? Celebrating the Gift of Sex 92

What Sex Teaches Us About Ourselves 95

What Sex Teaches Us About God 98

Is It Just Too Much? 103

Engaging the Issues 104

7. Why Do We Suffer? Redeeming the World and Its Pain 112

No Accidents 115

Redemptive Suffering 117

Weakness and Strength 120

The Vocation of Suffering 123

The Final Act 125

8. What About the Rest of the World? Other Christians, Other Religions 127

Christ Creates Unity 131

Christians and Jews: A Divinely Mandated Entanglement 137

Who Is Saved? How? 143

Why Bother with Missions? 146

9. Is Catholicism Safe for Democracy? Living Freedom for Excellence in Public 150

Making Democrats 154

The Foundations of the House of Freedom 157

The Life Issues: Abortion and Euthanasia 161

10. What Will Become of Us? Saints and the Human Future 168

St. Everyone 171

Prime Numbers, and the Rest of Us 174

Miracles and Modernity 177

A Choice of Worlds 179.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [181]-193).

ISBN:

0066213304

OCLC:

46713176