The faithful : a history of Catholics in America / James M. O'Toole.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Toole, James M., 1950-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Catholic Church--United States--History--20th century.

Catholic Church.

Catholics--United States--History--20th century.

Catholics.

United States--Church history--20th century.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (376 p.)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, MA : Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Here, James O'Toole offers a panoramic history of the American Catholic laity. From the first settlements of Catholics in the colonies, to the turmoil of modern scandals, we see Catholics' complex relations with Rome and with their own nation, the institutional changes and the daily life of America's Catholics.

Shaken by the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal, and challenged from within by social and theological division, Catholics in America are at a crossroads. But is today's situation unique? And where will Catholicism go from here? With the belief that we understand our present by studying our past, James O'Toole offers a bold and panoramic history of the American Catholic laity. O'Toole tells the story of this ancient church from the perspective of ordinary Americans, the lay believers who have kept their faith despite persecution from without and clergy abuse from within. It is an epic tale, from the first settlements of Catholics in the colonies to the turmoil of the scandal-ridden present, and through the church's many American incarnations in between. We see Catholics' complex relationship to Rome and to their own American nation. O'Toole brings to life both the grand sweep of institutional change and the daily practice that sustained believers. The Faithful pays particular attention to the intricacies of prayer and ritual-the ways men and women have found to express their faith as Catholics over the centuries. With an intimate knowledge of the dilemmas and hopes of today's church, O'Toole presents a new vision and offers a glimpse into the possible future of the church and its parishioners. Moving past the pulpit and into the pews, The Faithful is an unmatched look at the American Catholic laity. Today's Catholics will find much to educate and inspire them in these pages, and non-Catholics will gain a newfound understanding of their religious brethren.

Contents:

Introduction 1. The Priestless Church 2. The Church in the Democratic Republic 3. The Immigrant Church 4. The Church of Catholic Action 5. The Church of Vatican II 6. The Church in the Twenty-first Century Notes Acknowledgments Index

Notes:

Originally published: 2008.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [311]-367) and index.

ISBN:

9780674266339

0674266331

9780674033825

0674033825