For nearly twenty centuries, the Roman Catholic Church withstood all the currents of change and history and maintained a closely guarded orthodoxy which has always served as the basis and center of all Christianity. Yet, it is as if all of that has been just arbitrarily swept away in the few years since Vatican II. Given what the Church has always taught about itself being indefectible, how could this have happened? Did that Council have something to do with that terrible loss of faith? Ca...

Many concerned Catholics today, seeing the ways and teachings of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis), are asking themselves, Can that man be a real Catholic pope? From the time of Paul VI, a small contingent of faithful Catholics known as sede vacantists have expressed the gravest doubts that he and each of his successors in turn since then were real popes of the Catholic Church. This minority view, long dismissed by most, now emerges into a wide public view as Jorge Bergoglio seems to go...

Many concerned Catholics today, seeing the ways and teachings of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis), are asking themselves, Can that man be a real Catholic pope? From the time of Paul VI, a small contingent of faithful Catholics known as sede vacantists have expressed the gravest doubts that he and each of his successors in turn since then were real popes of the Catholic Church. This minority view, long dismissed by most, now emerges into a wide public view as Jorge Bergoglio seems to go...

For nearly twenty centuries, the Roman Catholic Church withstood all the currents of change and history and maintained a closely guarded orthodoxy which has always served as the basis and center of all Christianity. Yet, it is as if all of that has been just arbitrarily swept away in the few years since Vatican II. Given what the Church has always taught about itself being indefectible, how could this have happened? Did that Council have something to do with that terrible loss of faith? Ca...

Many concerned Catholics today, seeing the ways and teachings of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis), are asking themselves, Can that man be a real Catholic pope? From the time of Paul VI, a small contingent of faithful Catholics known as sede vacantists have expressed the gravest doubts that he and each of his successors in turn since then were real popes of the Catholic Church. This minority view, long dismissed by most, now emerges into a wide public view as Jorge Bergoglio seems to go...

A portrait of the renowned theologian and a detailed examination of the Reformation's impact on modern faith and society.When Martin Luther published his ninety-five Theses in October 1517, his criticism of indulgences became a rejection of the papacy and the Catholic Church emphasizing the Bible as the sole authority for Christian faith, radicalizing a continent, fracturing the Holy Roman Empire, and dividing Western civilization in ways Luther—a deeply d...

Saint Augustine -- the celebrated theologian who served as Bishop of Hippo from 396 C.E. until his death in 430 C.E. -- is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the Western world. His autobiography, Confessions, remains among the most important religious writings in the Christian tradition. In this eye-opening and eminently readable biography, renowned historical scholar James J. O'Donnell picks up where Augustine himself left off to offer a fascinating, in-de...

One may read about the "early church" or the "Renaissance popes" without a clear idea of the who-where-when-what-why-and-how of those eras. This easy-to-read volume answers the basic question "what did the Church look like in this particular period?" for the four traditionally recognized eras of Church history: early, medie-val, Reformation, and modern.

The Christian Tradition, formerly published by Pearson/Prentice Hall, introduces students at the beginning of the third millennium to a religion that has evolved over and shaped two previous millennia. With particular focus placed on the social and cultural background to this tradition, the text provides a stimulating survey of the history of Christianity from its Jewish roots to the challenges it faces in the twenty-first century. This innovative text weaves a consideration of th...

The Vatican. The Inquisition. Contraception. Celibacy. Apparitions and miracles. Plots and scandals. The Catholic Church is seldom out of the news. But what do its one billion adherents really believe, and how do they put their beliefs into practice in worship, the family, and society? This down-to-earth account goes back to the early Christian creeds to uncover the roots of modern Catholic thinking. It avoids getting bogged down in theological technicalities, and throws light on aspects o...

Vatican II is known to every Catholic at least by name, but were a little skimpy on the details. What happened there? Why did it take place? Why have there been mixed reactions to it? Most importantly, what is the impact of the Second Vatican Council on the People of the Church now?

It has been my strong desire for some time now to revise my book in order to emphasize ecumenism and unity proportionately a lot more than in the first (2004) edition. I'm much more interested in finding common ground. I've also learned a thing or two about Orthodoxy over the past decade. I wanted this volume to be able to read by Orthodox and also Eastern Catholics, without having seizures or going into apoplectic fits (caused by my ignorance or overly polemical or biased writing). I exag...