Catholicism and American Freedom: A History - Hardcover

McGreevy, John T.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0393047601 ISBN 13: 9780393047608

Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc, 2003

Synopsis

Explores the history of the Catholic Church in the political and intellectual development of the United States, discussing its impact on policies regarding slavery, public education, contraception, and the economy.

About this title

About the Author:

John T. McGreevy is the John A. O'Brien Associate Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. He lives in South Bend, Indiana. His previous book, Parish Boundaries, won the John Gilmary Shea Prize of the American Catholic Historical Association.

From Publishers Weekly:

The interplay between the American Catholic Church and the United States has long been a source of tension for both church and state. McGreevy, an associate professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, examines the relationship between the two, beginning with the Eliot School Rebellion in Boston in 1859 and extending into the present day, when questions about abortion and human life dominate the church's engagement with American political life. The author begins by exploring efforts by some Catholics to counter the Protestant brand of Christianity being taught in the nation's public schools in the antebellum period, pointing out the sharp division that existed between Protestants and Catholics in the 19th century. He also discusses how Catholics dealt with slavery, then presents the church's stands on behalf of human life, most notably concerning abortion, a debate preceded and affected by an earlier battle over birth control. McGreevy's final chapter combines a discussion of the proposed "consistent life ethic" linking abortion, poverty, the arms race and the death penalty with a sparse treatment of the church's recent sexual abuse crisis. The author sees the scandal as further evidence of a fragile institution trying to distinguish "permanent truths from contingent applications." McGreevy's work is largely academic, and is presented in such a way that it will be of more interest to scholarly readers than ordinary Catholics. Still, it should be a valuable resource for students of modern church history.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0393047601
• ISBN 13: 9780393047608
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448