Catholic Faith in America - Hardcover

Gillis, Professor Chester

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 081604984X ISBN 13: 9780816049844

Publisher: Facts on File, 2003

Synopsis

One in four Americans is Roman Catholic, and the beliefs, practices, structures, and loyalties of this large faith community are important to the political, social, and religious life of America. This book explores the dynamic and sometimes difficult relationship that Catholics have with American culture and society. It describes Catholics' history, contributions, unique characteristics, and participation in American life from the beginnings of the nation to the present. This volume portrays key figures and events in the life of American Catholicism, clarifies topics that may be commonly misunderstood by those who are not Catholic, and offers Catholics an objective look at their faith. With strong opinions and a widely diversified population, the American Catholic community remains one of the most visible in the nation.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up-While this is a concise and sometimes fascinating introduction, the information isn't always accurate. Gillis presents Catholic views on culture, social issues, and politics; a brief biographical list of important Catholic Americans; a look at beliefs and practices; and a short history of the church in America. The book concludes with a glance at what the future holds for the church, including a discussion of the recent scandals. The tone is reportorial and avoids making judgments, the information is presented in a clear and easy to follow manner, and the black-and-white photos are well chosen for effect. Unfortunately, the author refers twice to a monk as "a type of priest" who lives in a monastery. However, many monks are not priests. Being one does not necessitate the other. And he makes odd sweeping statements like: "Because of fears that the church might object, The Ten Commandments is the last movie with a religious theme that some older Catholics have seen." What is that supposed to mean? How many older Catholics is "some"? And how many were interviewed to arrive at such a vague conclusion? There is also a problem with the index. Supposedly, information on Dorothy Day can be found on pages 94-95, but those pages show an uncaptioned picture of a woman serving soup to what appear to be a couple of men in cassocks and the text includes information about John Carroll. Wait for something better on this topic to come along.
Herman Sutter, Saint Agnes Academy, Houston, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review:

..".a concise and...fascinating introduction...clear and easy to follow..."

About this edition

• Publisher: Facts on File
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 081604984X
• ISBN 13: 9780816049844
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 128
• Editor: Melton Founder/Director J Gordon