The bestselling Catholicism has now been revised and updated for an eagerly-anticipated second edition. This lucid and accessible account explains how Roman Catholicism and its beliefs and practices came to be what they are. Renowned scholars Gerald O'Collins and Mario Farrugia move through history to sum up the present characteristics of Catholic Christianity and the major challenges it faces in the third millennium. Clear and engaging, the authors present matters in a fresh and original way. They skilfully depict the Catholic heritage and show that Catholicism is a dynamic and living faith. O'Collins and Farrugia engage with contemporary moral issues and explore the challenges which Catholics and other Christians must face. This is an authoritative, lively, and up-to-date introduction to Catholicism for the twenty-first century.
Gerald O'Collins, S.J., A.C., is Professor Emeritus of Gregorian University, Rome. Mario Farrugia, S.J., is Professor of Systematic Theology at Gregorian University, Rome.
List of Illustrations ; Abbreviations ; Picture Credits ; 1. The First Thousand Years ; 2. The Second Thousand Years ; 3. Revelation, Tradition, and Scripture ; 4. The Tripersonal God and the Incarnate Son ; 5. The Human Condition ; 6. The Life of Grace and the Hope of Glory ; 7. The Sacraments ; 8. The Catholic Church and its Mission ; 9. Catholic Moral Life and Teaching ; 10. Basic Characteristics of Catholicism ; 11. Current Challenges