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    Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith
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    Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith
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    Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith
    Ebook392 pages5 hours

    Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith

    By Robert Barron

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    “Catholicism takes a path less traveled in leading us to explore the faith through stories, biographies, and images.”—Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York

    What is Catholicism? A 2,000-year-old living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart and mind of the Catholic faith.

    Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, and teaching, Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism--from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and Saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell. Whether discussing Scripture or the rose window at Notre Dame, he uses his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world. 

    Paired with his documentary film series of the same title, Catholicism is an intimate journey, capturing “The Catholic Thing” in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic, unique, and inspiring, Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation, in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths, while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
    Release dateSep 6, 2011
    ISBN9780307720535
    Unavailable
    Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith
    Author

    Robert Barron

    Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester is an author, speaker, theologian, and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

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    Reviews for Catholicism

    4/5

    113 ratings32 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Could you imagine touring all fifty of the United States in less than a week? This book, Catholicism, by Robert Barron manages to hit all the most important points of the teachings of the Catholic Church. I only discovered the DVD this book accompanies after I'd completed reading. There may be slightly different material covered in the video project, (I have not seen all of it), but they seem to dovetail one into the other. Which came first? I could not say. They both use the advantages of their media format quite well.I find Barron delightfully clear and direct. There are a few places where I find his logical arguments unconvincing, but some of that may be just my tendency to strain at gnats. On the whole, I'd say this is an excellent resource for filling in the gaps for someone of the Catholic faith and a help to anyone outside the Catholic Church who wants an accurate picture of just what do Catholics believe. Once you've read The Holy Bible, and probably before attempting to trudge your way through the Catechism, walk with Robert Barron. You'll be glad you did.
    • 4/5
      Father (now Bishop) Barron manages to touch on a great range of Catholic teaching and thought, showing not only the cogency of its claims but also the beauty, dignity and charm it possesses. It is not quite the apologetic work other books have attempted, and its breadth prevents Fr. Barron from plunging deep into some of the issues he raises. Overall, very good.
    • 2/5
      Fr. Barron's (pun intended) continual promise (subs as the page turner) to clarify with details in the next chapter demonstrates a total lack of focus. His folksy dialect affirms the lack of any scholarly intent. And then to read Fr.'s dusty antique ideas con-firm that Aquinas' verbose SUMMA THEOLOGICA has not been updated for 7 centuries.
      What a waste that a tree died for this publication.
      Jax
      8-8-20
    • 5/5
      A great volume for converts to the faith, non-Catholics, and even Catholics who find themselves curious about the Church's depth. Fr. Barron does an excellent job communicating the basics of the Catholic Faith, but also helps the reader to (re)discover the beauty and majesty of this two-thousand year old group. I also recommend the accompanying DVD series, hosted by Fr. Barron himself.
    • 5/5
      Father Barron does an excellent job exploring and explaining all aspects of what Catholics believe and what it is to be a Catholic. In other words, why on earth someone would choose to belong to a faith that modern society sees as backward and wrong. If you're curious about Catholicism, or have long belonged to the Church, I recommend this book, as well as the DVD series it was written to accompany.
    • 4/5
      I am very thankful to have received this book. Barron gave this protestant a basic understanding of Catholicism. He did infuriate me at times, but that is to be expected. By the end, I felt that I had a much better grasp of what Catholicism is about, to the point of considering whether or not I could envision myself taking the step of conversion. Personally, I cannot, but Barron has advocated for his faith well.The incarnation of God in Jesus Christ is the basis for the COMMON faith of true believers, not just Catholics as Barron seems to state...but then, maybe that was just my reading of his words. But, on the other hand, this does open the doors for dialogue as believers, rather than dialogue with an opponent of the faith. As others have stated, Barron is a very engaging author who makes his case well, but not incontrovertibly. I am still intrigued by those who are enamored of Catholicism as the inconsistencies within it still remain unanswered to my satisfaction.I would heartily recommend this book for those looking for a basic primer on Catholicism, who wish to increase their understanding or even refresh their own thinking with the basics of their faith. Barron is a good evangelist for Catholicism, and a reasonably good one for the Christian faith as a whole. In fact, I still hope to be able to go through Catholicism a fourth time so that I can respond to it in a deeper. more theologically grounded way than in a book review.
    • 5/5
      Best as a companion book to the DVD series of the same name. As a cradle Catholic who had left the churchm this was an amazing read as I returned after eight years. Fr Barron has this uncanny way to make the intricate and deep discussions of faith enjoyable, interesting, and even fun. This is a priest's priest, one who would have done the world a great disservice had he not answered the call of his vocation. Catholicism is not a book you just read, but it is a book you will refer to & retread often. My copy is highlighted, marked & written in; just after the second reading. Take the course and read the book, you will not be displeased, unless you are really antiCatholic.
    • 5/5
      I thought I had reviewed this ages ago. Ooops. I just ate this up as soon as I got it. Fr. Barron has a wonderful writing style and weaves the story of the Church together so beautifully. Having scene the exquisite Catholicism DVD series, I did regret a shortage of pictures but that is a small quibble. This is just such a marvelous book. It would be a great gift for someone who is interested in the Church or perhaps even as a text for adult catechesis. For Catholics who just want to expand their faith horizons, this is THE book to get. Every Catholic's library should have a copy.
    • 4/5
      Catholicism: Journey to the Heart of the Faith. Robert Barron. 2011. This book was written to accompany a 6 part DVD series Barron developed and produced on the essence of Catholicism. He begins with the incarnation of Christ and his teachings and discusses Catholic beliefs: the sacraments, worship, Mary, the saints, prayer, grace and salvation and heaven and hell. Barron’s writing is clear and concise but it is heavy on philosophy and it might not appeal to everyone. The DVD series has been compared to Clark’s “Civilization,” and from what I have seen it is beautiful and very well done. PBS showed parts of it and EWTN shows 30 minute segments from time to time. I really enjoyed the book
    • 4/5
      [Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith], by [[Robert Barron]]Finished 6/22/12I was received into the Catholic faith at 20 last year, and I wish I had had a book like Barron's to read before I made the leap. I have heard some of his CDs from Lighthouse Catholic Media, and he is one of the few popular Catholic speakers I like. Unlike many of the others, he does not bring his fundamentalist Protestant baggage into Catholicism. Also unlike many on the apologist circuit, he writes and speaks with a moderate tone.This book in particular is an exposition of the basics of Catholicism: Jesus, God, Paul, Church, saints, prayer, Mary, life and death. Thankfully, Barron avoids the more controversial issues of abortion, homosexuality, and women priests. Instead he packs in allusions to all kinds of writers and thinkers, saints and cathedrals. He explained Jesus' "turn the other cheek" as a kind of turning the other's conscience into their face with love (I had never been able to make sense of this). I loved his story of staring at the rose window of Notre Dame for twenty minutes, as I recently did that at St. Thomas Church in NYC. While some of the chapters dragged on, such as the one on Peter and Paul, the chapters on saints and prayer more than made up for it. I especially like that he picked an all-female lineup of saints for that chapter.Overall, a book good for non-Catholics to get a flavor of the tradition written neither in a polemic nor a removed academic style. Also good for Catholics needing a refresher.
    • 5/5
      Extraordinary book.... I knew what it was to be a Christian. I never knew what it was to be a Catholic until I read this book. the final three pages put it all in order.
    • 4/5
      Barron approaches Catholicism with a tremendous amount of affection for the positive contributions of the Catholic faith. By combining history, biography, art, architecture and theology, Barron has written an accessible and extremely interesting introduction to Catholic teaching and thought. His fluid writing style and the way that he integrates beautiful images and stories into his history is a model for the writing I want to pursue in my own religious studies career. However, some of the pitfalls of this book became obvious as I moved through the pages. I had a difficult time determining the audience Barron is writing for. While he often writes in a style the would be accessible to non-Catholic and lay-readers, he takes for granted that the reader has an expanded Catholic vocabulary, using large terms that he leaves undefined. As an Anabaptist, who's faith is formed in part as a reaction against Catholic and high-church teaching, many of his explanations simplified Catholic teaching in such a way that I could appreciate better the connections between our traditions. However, the more I read, the more I felt that Barron may have been writing for the millions of lapsed or non-participating Catholics who already have the basic vocabulary from their Catechismal training as a way to entice them to fall back into love with this ancient tradition. Another issue I noted is a lack of true interaction with the shadow side of Catholic history and theology. While he did not hide some of the darker times and trials of the church, for example he mentioned indulgences, inquisitions and current priest pedophilia controversies, his mentions of these difficult subjects was superficial with no honest grappling with the pain the "Church" has caused. He did speak of other movements - Quaker, Hindu, Lutheran... without animosity, but he never really spoke to the way that the Catholic Church has devalued other voices and diversity on many subjects. What I appreciated most about this introduction was the way that Barron included short biographies of saints and important Catholic figures to exemplify the theology he was explaining. He balanced both ancient and contemporary, male and female figures. His own love for these saints and this church rang through clearly in his pages. I am hopeful that I will be able to watch the companion video series to see how Barron includes art and video and travel with his enlightening introduction.
    • 4/5
      This book is great book that tells about what the church believes and how it came to those beliefs. Mr. Barron does this in a very nice way that and in plain language. I like the way each chapter builds upon the next. Mr. Barron also takes difficult matter and puts it in plain English that makes it easy do understand. This book is a must read for all Catholics and those wanting to know more about the Catholic Church and what it believes, without reading the Oficial Catichism of the church.
    • 5/5
      Father Barron has written an excellent book, very well written and always interesting. While there is much here that will be of great use to some just beginning a spiritual journey, or someone who knows little about Catholicism, there is also so much here for a lifelong Catholic.I have not seen the PBS series, but it closely follows this book, I can not wait to see it when it comes on our local station this year.
    • 5/5
      I'm not sure that there's much more to say about Father Barron's work that hasn't already been said in countless other reviews. _Catholicism_ — both the book and the TV series on which the book is based — is a fantastic exploration of the major facets of the Catholic faith, with a particular emphasis on its spiritual and cultural riches. Father Barron has a gift for illustrating theologically complex material with useful practical examples, and when examples won't do, he can explain a philosophical argument clearly and simply.It's worth noting that the text of the book follows the script of his ten-episode TV series rather closely. That's not a bad thing; while the book omits most of the colorful visuals and the visceral aspects of universality that the show conveys so well, it gives the viewer a means to go back and ponder some of the points that may have passed by too quickly in the narrative on screen.That brings me to the one significant aspect of the book that I found lacking. While Father Barron's explanations are excellent and highly insightful for the reader/viewer who may already have some familiarity with Catholicism, at times I felt that they might not be completely accessible for those who were coming in with no prior knowledge. Thus, while this is certainly a fine celebration of the Catholic Church and faith, it may not be the best introduction to them.
    • 4/5
      Written as a companion to Fr. Robert Barron's popular PBS documentary-film series of the same name, this book is a remarkable feat in concise definition of an awesomely broad topic. Using meaningful analogies and uniquely worded descriptions of concepts that are so commonly spoken of that understanding is assumed, Fr. Barron makes much seem new in this writing. The arrangement of chapters builds one upon the other until the logical final chapter "World without End: the Last Things." But if one reads nothing else in this book about Catholicism, go to the short coda at the end, "It's All about God," to experience the brilliance of Barron's ability to use language to capture the essence of this faith.
    • 4/5
      Clear, concise and informative. Barron's writing is a good companion to the television series and a good introduction to Catholic teaching for the novice.
    • 4/5
      Well, I finally got around to finishing this book which I received through Early Reviewers. Although it took me nearly three months to complete it, it was not due to a lack of interest but to the fact that I found it so interesting but filled with so much information that I couldn't read more than a few pages at a time without having to stop and contemplate what I had just read. There were many interesting ideas proposed which I believe would cause any practicing or questioning Catholic to reevaluate their faith as well as intrigue anyone else interested in a modern view of the faith or simply on a search for God. The author deals with the topic and some common arguments against the faith seriously and honestly without an air of superiority or a 'holier than thou' attitude. Honest answers for those with honest questions.
    • 3/5
      This is a well written, well researched exploration of the Catholic faith. Based on Scripture and the tenets of the Church, Barron starts at the beginning and explains various aspects of Catholicism in a thorough but easy to understand manner. While written for the non-scholar, Barron doesn't oversimplify or talk down to his audience.
    • 3/5
      Robert Barron has written a book that is an introduction to the modern ecumenical catholic church. The author shares his thoughts on Christianity and this modern catholicism, not Roman Catholicism. He has a flair with the written word and has chosen his quotes and references in such a way as too follow the new modern idea of being catholic. The book should be titled 'Modern Christianity: A Journey to the Heart of Faith.' This book, though easy too read, is not theologically sound. His use of scriptures and his misrepresentation does not lend credence too his work. The author, as is stated in another review, even states that "From the Roman Catholic point of view, all of the non-Catholic Christian churches have sacrificed one or more of these qualities and therefore fall short of completeness or catholicity." (164) His construct of this and other sentences emphases that Roman Catholic point of view is not his.Under the auspices of sharing an introduction of Catholic's like Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Therese of Lisieux, Saint Edith Stein, Blessed Therresa of Calcutta he follows with Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton who was lead to become a Catholic Monk and prolific writer did not follow the Benedictine Rule he had vowed too follow. The book is not published by a Catholic publisher and there is no approval from even his diocese on this publication. The author does explain how this book is derived from his notes and experience gained while working on a ten-part documentary. The man can obviously write and perhaps, as his words show, this book is not about Roman Catholicism as I have inferred but the new modern catholicism popular in the U.S.A.
    • 5/5
      I thought this was an excellent book at presenting and explaining what makes Catholicism unique. We are shown the origin and reason for many "difficult" tenets of the Church, and certain chapters such as the one on prayer are simply outstanding. Barron is not afraid to reference important theologians and writers, although I could wish for a bibliography in addition to the index provided. He clarifies without "dumbing down". His writing is very clear and his passion is evident. I would strongly recommend this book to Catholics wishing to refocus their faith and to non-Catholics who want to know more about Catholicism.
    • 5/5
      Full disclaimer: I’m a Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada minister (to my US friends, think Assemblies of God) reviewing a book on Catholicism. Still, I read this book with an eager and generous heart. Using the boundary markers of your denomination to define your Christian faith (let alone status!) seems absurd to me. On the other hand, I take doctrine seriously and love to study. Here are my thoughts.I was struck by the number of times, especially near the beginning of the book, that I wanted to jump out of my seat and high five Father Barron. His scholarship and passion regarding the centrality of Jesus in the life of the church was breathtaking. I also noted that he used a fair bit of the conceptual world of N. T. Wright (duly footnoted). In the end, I was delighted to share much more in common with Father Barron than I had anticipated.Of course, there were areas that frustrated me. The role and status of Mary for one. The doctrine of Immaculate conception seems to be so far removed from scripture it’s absurd. On the other hand, I freely acknowledge that most Protestants underemphasize Mary because we like to keep the boundary markers between us and them nice and neat. (Side note: Martin Luther would have rolled over in his grave to read the title of that chapter: “Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast”. Boast! Seriously?)Father Barron takes a hard line on other denominations:"From the Roman Catholic point of view, all of the non-Catholic Christian churches have sacrificed one or more of these qualities and therefore fall short of completeness or catholicity." (164)(It’s interesting how, instead of stating his personal view, he prefaced it with, “From the Roman Catholic point of view …”.) Father Barron goes on to suggest that apostolic succession—the idea that the current Pope is the descendant of Saint Peter—is a “guarantee” (168) that they are preserving the faith. It seems to me like Jesus’ treatment of the Pharisees rules out this sort of naïve comfort. If the Jewish religious leaders couldn’t be trusted to faithfully preserve the faith, what makes us think that we can pull of the same feat?I could argue theology all day, but I’ll leave with one last particularly irritating argument. In discussing the afterlife, Father Barron states clearly that Protestants object that “purgatory is an unbiblical doctrine, a medieval innovation” (262). In response, he mentions misleadingly that “incarnation” and “Trinity” are also absent from scripture. I don’t know of a single person who argues that since the term “purgatory” cannot be looked up in a concordance, the doctrine is false. It’s the concept that matters. He then goes on to quote 2 Maccabees for a convoluted hint that purgatory may exist. In the first place, the reference to 2 Maccabees 12:44-46 isn’t a direct statement about purgatory. In the second place, Father Brown knows full well that the vast majority of Protestant churches view the books of Macabees as extra-canonical (or, at least, deuterocanonical).Now that my cathartic moment has passed, I still have to say: an objective Protestant reading of Catholicism will discover far more common elements of the faith than discord. You may even, like this Protestant, be inspired.Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided at no cost through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer’s program.
    • 4/5
      Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith is an excellent single-volume snap-shot of the worldwide institution and way of life that is the Roman Catholic Church. Combining history, theology, ritual, art, and music Barron's book offers a great window into a great tradition well suited for both outsiders and insiders.
    • 4/5
      Although Fr. Barron clearly, as the title itself indicates, intended this book to be an introduction to Catholicism, I think that what he has written here is an excellent introduction to Christianity as a whole. And I say that in spite of the two swipes (on pages 3 and 164) he takes at the Orthodox Church, of which I myself am a member. Other than perhaps his understanding of the interrelations of the three divine persons in the Trinity, which seems to be based largely around the filioque, and, of course, his discourse on papal infallibility, there was hardly a thing I could find with which I disagreed. In fact, that may be the greatest message that I took away from the book, probably contrary to Fr. Barron's desires: that perhaps East and West aren't so different after all.Fr. Barron is, in turns, poetic and intellectual throughout the book. His initial descriptions of the Incarnation (pages 9-10) and the liturgy (pages 172-4), for instance, are so beautiful they could easily become verse. And his discussion of God (chapter 3), for example, wonderfully breaks down very difficult and rather heady concepts in language that anyone can understand. Adding to the beauty of the book are the black and white photographs of some of the most beautiful sites in Christendom sprinkled throughout the book and the wonder-evoking set of color photographs in the center.Also contributing to the excellence of this book are the numerous short quotations, bits of wisdom, and anecdotes sprinkled throughout. For these, Fr. Barron draws especially heavily on modern Christian thinkers like Paul Tillich, Thomas Merton, and Edith Stein, giving us a presentation of a Christianity that has grappled with the great problems of the modern and postmodern world and its thought as encapsulated by such figures as Marx and Freud (whom Fr. Barron references specifically). In course, he demonstrates to the reader that Christianity is not the medieval superstition and antiquated silliness some would like to paint it as, but it continues to be what it has always been: the Truth, the way to Life from the realm of unbecoming. I recommend this book as an introduction to Christianity for the newcomer and an engaging refresher for the experienced – with a uniquely but not exclusively Catholic flavor. I especially recommend that all Catholics have a read of this book.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It has enough depth to hold the interest of the more knowledgeable Catholic while still being basic enough for the uninitiated. The other thing I appreciated is that it came from the point of explaining the beauty of the Catholic faith as opposed to arguing against something. If I had a compliant it would be that while some of the pictures add to the text, at times they didn't seem particularly related or there weren't pictures when I would have wanted one.
    • 5/5
      I read the book an watched the series and found both fantastic. It was written with Catholics in mind and takes a lot of that into consideration. I doubt that most non-Catholics will find the book interesting or informative, still to those Catholics who want to understand their religion better this is a must have book.
    • 4/5
      Catholicism by Fr. Robert BarronReceived from LIbraryThing's Early Reviewers ProgramThis is both a fantastic and a disappointing book. It is the transformative experience that the best Catholic theology is and yet it is direly tainted by agenda. I shall be giving it the harshest review I can not solely because it deserves it. but because quite often this book is actually worth sitting on, chewing slowly and digesting critically, which is the highest praise I can award.This book is Fr. Barron’s tour of the continued incarnation: “the ongoing presence of the Word made flesh, namely Christ.” which is to say, the Catholic Church. It has three themes for the American Catholic thinking of leaving the church for a Protestant one: two hidden ones: the rehabilitation of Mr. Ratzinger and the feel-good family-friendly – indeed Evangelical - nature of Catholicism; and a third visible and celebrated theme of the depth and truth of Catholic teaching. The latter theme is the only interesting oneMr. Barron launches with the prophecies and Jesus’ teachings and what an exposition he gives us! The Sermon on the Mount and the Parable of the Prodigal Son are taught and this is the first time I’ve had either completely and correctly explained. All the other interpreters are mewling plaintively in the distance, but here, solidly and transformatively is the truth. However Barron’s following chapter on God just doesn’t have it and I kept on thinking back to Timothy Ware’s The Orthodox Way in which he drives a stake deep into the heart of the matter, which Barron just doesn’t.The Mariology takes us on an unplanned visit away from a heart of Catholicism: the knowledge of faith as reason and reality, and into that sad accretion of belief vs. reason. Must I believe that the garment of Our Lady of Guadalupe is not fabricated and that the paints tested on it are only a later addition? I am certain that this was not the intention of the author but it is what comes across to a sceptic. Yes I know that the church has not officially declared the garment as miraculous but since that is the case, why is it taught as being so here? And this questionability of teaching arises again in the chapter of church history. Am I to believe that “In the Sixteenth century the Christian church in the West tore itself apart over this question [Justification by faith]”? From Northern Europe we see this tearing apart as the price of freedom and the cost of corruption. The theology was just the political tool used to achieve our ends. The above is contrasted against chapters of succinct and rich descriptions of what the church is and of worship, though the discussions on the saints, history, and very stunningly prayer, are sometimes quite weak. However his summaries of St. Teresa of Avilia’s work and of St. John of the Cross’ central teachings in the chapter on prayer are fascinating and I would suspect very solid introductions to their ideas and lives.Barron closes with ‘The Last Things’ in which he takes Dante for a guide through the afterlife. It is all brilliant until he reaches heaven where discards his tutor to write what he likes: mostly feel-good teachings of the sort that one would find in a Protestant church and certainly not in a Catholic one.So what of the charge of agenda? The theology here is amongst the best I’ve read but Barron carefully, so very carefully punctuates his book with Protestant language and heresies to portray the Catholic Church as offering the same comforts and ‘hugboxyness’ that the evangelicals recruit with. He describes Saint Therese’s father as having ‘unconditional love’ for her and then sails even further from the shores of orthodoxy when he describes the church as meeting during the mass as ‘family’, touching that Protestant poison of the church being a family (read clique) rather than of it being the body of Christ. Yes he does not claim the church is a family but that it meets ‘as family’ so he obviously knows the difference. But he also knows that most people don’t believe what they read but believe what they want to have read, and he – possibly following a commanded agenda, knows and exploits this. He even cites that wonderful idea that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and claims it to be true. Wonderful stuff and exactly what an Evangelical wants to hear but even more wonderfully debunked by Voltaire and certainly not a dogma.More disturbing is this book’s attempted rehabilitation of Mr. Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), something which I suspect even our author has great difficulties with. The Pope’s name is dropped only sparsely throughout the book, but it is dropped, and a rather weak (perhaps even a truism) theory of his is discussed in the chapter on God. Finally in closing there is a ‘Coda’ of about three pages. In it the most pathetic, and I do mean seriously pathetic, anecdote about Mr. Ratzinger is used to close the book with the message ‘It’s all about God”. Yet these pages are so poorly written and the anecdote so meaningless it seems to this reviewer that the book was sent to the ‘powers that be’ for approval and was returned with the message ‘close with more Ratzinger’ which he duly and minimally did.So can I recommend this book? Yes – absolutely: its theology is a thrilling and maturing read, and yes, as a short introduction to Catholicism, it is excellent; but be well aware that it is tainted by Protestant heresies, and by that awful hole in Catholic thought whereby the laity, confusingly free and wise, do whitewash the corruption of the Vatican. Note: This reviewer’s bias is that he is seriously considering entering the Catholic Church but is as yet undecided and still heavily researching. He would like to recommend Kreeft’s Catholic Christianity and Karl Adam’s Spirit of Catholicism which this reviewed book could be described as being a compliment to.
    • 3/5
      I received this book for free as part of the Early Reviewers book program at LibraryThing.com.I haven't seen the documentary that this book is intended to be a complement to. [and prepostitions aren't what you end sentences with] Thus I may be missing some of the intent by reviewing the book simply as a book, rather than as a multimedia package. That being said, there are some beautiful pictures in this book, showcasing the treasures of the Church. This is really part of the purpose, since it has been argued that the works of art Christianity inspires are among its greatest evangelists.This book is intended to be a brief, but complete summary of the Catholic faith. Barron accomplishes this. My single favorite part of the book is Barron's treatment of the Sermon on the Mount. Barron summarizes the Beatitudes as the more we draw on the divine life, the more we receive in return. Each of the positive attributes in the first four Beatitudes is something we need to be happy, and they are best possessed by giving them away. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. [Matthew 6:33] The negative Beatitudes are interpreted in a light of detachment. Blessed are those who love God enough that they do not need the ordinary comforts of life.My least favorite part of the book was the section on four recent saints, Katherine Drexel, Thérèse of Lisieux, Edith Stein, and Mother Theresa. None of their lives speak to me. This is pretty normal, it is why there are thousands of saints, there is one that everyone will find interesting in the way they refract the infinite goodness of God. I found these four saints, or least Barron's presentation of them, pretty similar. This is mostly a matter of taste. Others may absolutely this this part.Overall the book is pretty good. Anyone who wants an intro to Catholicism will find it here.
    • 4/5
      It is very difficult for me to review a book like Fr. Robert Barron's "Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith." Years in the making and heralded by a healthy dose of promotion across the Catholic corner of the internet, it can be hard to separate the hype from the thing itself. I also have the nagging feeling that I'm not Fr. Barron's primary audience for this work. I say that less as someone who works full-time for the Church, and more as someone who prefers systematic theology to philosophy. (Fr. Barron's masters degree is in philosophy and he is an unabashed admirer of St. Thomas Aquinas, whose life and writings are frequently cited in the book.)With those provisos, what can you expect from "Catholicism?"In the introduction Fr. Barron promises to take us on "a guided exploration of the Catholic world... I want to function as a mystagogue, conducting you ever deeper into the mystery of the Incarnation in the hopes that you might be transformed by its power." He intends a celebration of the faith, rather than an academic overview, and he keeps his word.Fr. Barron covers the major topics of the faith in ten chapters that mirror the ten episodes of his DVD series. These include the person of Jesus Christ, his teachings, the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Eucharist, the saints, and prayer, among others. Each chapter includes highlights from the Church's historical and theological heritage, from Bl. Theresa of Calcutta to St. Augustine, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris to Bl. Pope John Paul II. The book also boasts an impressive amount of photography and artwork, much of it from Europe's great cathedrals and basilicas.As anyone who has seen his YouTube videos knows, Fr. Barron has a gift for explaining the faith in simple, understandable terms, and this gift is on full display in "Catholicism." Even notoriously complex issues such as theodicy (the problem of evil) are dealt with in clear terms, with non-Christian alternatives laid out in contrast with the person of Christ:"For the Christian faith, the only adequate "resolution" of this dilemma is the one effected by God himself on the cross of Jesus Christ. On that cross, the darkness of the human condition met the fullness of the divine love and found itself transfigured into life. On that cross, God went to the limits of godforsakenness and made even death itself a place of hope. God, in his love, becomes the answer to the problem of evil."One thing you should not expect is a systematic walk through the Church's teachings. This is actually one of the little things that bugged me about the book: it's incomplete treatment of certain subjects. For instance, in the chapter on prayer, Fr. Barron spends most of his time on Thomas Merton, John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila -- important figures, to be sure, and ones who have much to teach on prayer! But Fr. Barron then offers a few pages on petitionary prayer before wrapping up the chapter -- neglecting the other four forms of prayer laid out in the Catechism. Similarly, his chapter on the "last things" includes very good reflections on heaven, purgatory, and hell -- but no mention of judgement, the traditional first "last thing." Again, Fr. Barron's approach isn't wrong or even unhelpful. But for someone acquainted with the Catechism and the traditions of the Church, the omissions are curious.Another troubling aspect of the book is it's solid Euro-centrism. Almost no attention is paid to Catholicism as it is lived in the global south, either in the stories Fr. Barron tells or in the artwork used throughout the book. At a time when Christianity is seeing unprecedented growth in Africa and South America, this makes "Catholicism" look rooted in the Church's past, rather than its future.But those are minor quibbles about an otherwise impressive accomplishment. Fr. Barron has crafted what may prove to be the defining introductory text to the faith for the coming decades; I predict that "Catholicism" will be added to many personal and parish libraries and will become a classic text for inquirers and RCIA candidates. Anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith could hardly do better than picking up this book.Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.
    • 4/5
      Have just started it but am enjoying his writing style immensely.