Catholicism Today An Introduction to the Contemporary Catholic Church [Paperback]

Catholics are not Christians. They worship Mary. They do whatever the pope says. They cannot divorce. They eat fish on Fridays. These flawed but common statements reflect a combined ignorance of and fascination with Catholicism and the Catholic Church. Catholicism Today: An Introduction to the Contemporary Catholic Churchaims to familiarize its readers with contemporary Catholicism. The book is designed to address common misconceptions and frequently-asked questions regarding the Church, its teachings, and the lived experience of Catholics in modern societies worldwide. Opening with a concise historical overview of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular, the text explores the core beliefs and rituals that define Catholicism in practice, the organization of the Church and the Catholic calendar, as well as the broad question of what it means to be Catholic in a variety of cultural contexts. The book ends with a discussion of the challenges facing the Church both now and in the coming decades. Also included are two short appendices on Eastern Catholicism and Catholicism in the United States.

IntroductionA Very Concise History of Christianity / Catholicism  A very short history from Jesus to the twentieth century Chapter One:Being Catholic  What does being Catholic mean? Chapter Two:Catholic Belief  What should a Catholic believe in? Chapter Three:The Catholic Church  The structure of the Church. Chapter Four:Catholic Rituals  The sacraments and sacramentals of the Catholic Church Chapter Five:The Catholic Calendar  The structure of the year Chapter Six:Challenges  The main challenges today for the Church Appendix I:Eastern Catholics  Who are the eastern Catholics? Appendix II:Catholics in the Unitedl#