The Heart of Catholicism: Essential Writings of the Church from St. Paul to John Paul II (Hardcover)

~ Theodore E. James (Author, Compiler) "In this section are presented the teachings of and about Jesus that are found in the "Good News" of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which..." (more)
Key Phrases: most holy stigmata, venerable brethren, conjugal faith, Jesus Christ, Holy Ghost, Christ Jesus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This one-of-a-kind anthology of the most significant and timeless writings of the Catholic Church contains excerpts from Justin Martyr to Augustine to St. John of the Cross to G. K. Chesterton to Pope John Paul II, and many others.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 751 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879738065
• ISBN-13: 978-0879738068
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,545,655 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to Catholic Writings, May 7, 2006

By	David Bennett "www.ancient-future.net" (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an excellent and basic collection of Catholic writings. It contains writings dating from the New Testament times to Pope John Paul II. Included are writings by Ignatius, Clement, Justin, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Ambrose, Augustine, Benedict, Francis, Thomas Aquinas, Leo XIII, Chesterton, and more. It also contains creeds and Church council documents. While each author is not exhaustively represented (it would take hundreds of volumes!), the book contains relevant and popular excerpts from many well-known and lesser known Catholic authors, enough to generate interest to look into the authors further. Both Eastern and Western writers are included. However, this is not just a book of quotations or excerpts; some works appear in their entirety.

The writings are about topics as diverse as monasticism, the Trinity, justification, modernism, mysticism, the sacraments, love, and so forth. As such the writings provide a general introduction to Catholicism. However, this book is not a catechism or systematic theology, but a basic sampling of writings, so those looking for writings on specific topics may have to sort through the writings.

Overall, I recommend this book for those wanting a good sampling of Catholic writings from the beginning until the present. However, if you are already familiar with many of these writings, the book may not be worth the investment. Even if this is the case, it would still make a good gift.