This book will help you: • to appreciate the significance of one of the largest organized religions in the world • to understand the history of the Church, and what it means to be Roman Catholic • to recognize the Catholic Church's key practices and beliefs • to avoid faux pas in conversation, in traveling and in personal relationships. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world. Although it has evolved over time and spread to every continent, its belief, structure, and liturgy date back to the one Church founded by Christ. This personal introduction by an English priest, whose experience includes many years of service with the British army, is offered as one man's guide to the origins and practices of Catholic Christianity. The book considers the Jewish roots and historical context of Christianity. It traces the evolution of thought that culminated in the message of its founder, and the impact of Jesus' teachings on his followers. It recounts the history of the early Church, its aims and beliefs, and the formulation by the Church Fathers and the great ecumenical councils of answers to questions of faith, morals, and teachings. Thematic chapters deal with the topics of faith and reason, how to recognize truth, authority, myth, the question of sin, judgment and deliverance, and the meaning of the sacraments. Others deal with historical events, changing attitudes, religious practices, institutional structures, and sacred texts. Written in an informal and friendly style, this guide is the perfect introduction to a rich, complex, and profoundly influential system of belief.
