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Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church Paperback – January 10, 2019

by Steve Weidenkopf (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 215 ratings
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All the makings of your favorite adventure story - drama, intrigue, promise, love, hope, and heartache spanning two thousand years...and YOU are a part of it!

Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church is a fresh retelling of the history of the Church. In this easy-to-read, not-your-average history book, Steve Weidenkopf introduces you to the vivid, dynamic story of God's work in the world since Pentecost. Along the way, you will meet the weird, wonderful, and always fascinating heroes and villains of the Catholic family tree.

Read Timeless and you'll

  • Learn the past in order to make sense of our world,
  • know Christ better,
  • be prepared to defend your Faith and the Church, and
  • understand where you fit in the greatest story ever told.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Weidenkopf teaches Church History at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology in Alexandria, VA. He is the author of The Glory of the Crusades (2014), The Real Story of Catholic History: Answering Twenty Centuries of Anti-Catholic Myths (2017), and 20 Answers: The Reformation (2017). He is the creator, co-author, and presenter of the adult faith formation program Epic: A Journey through Church History and is a popular author and speaker on the Crusades and other historical topics.

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  1. Print length
    576 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Our Sunday Visitor
  4. Publication date
    January 10, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.3 x 8.9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1681921480
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1681921488
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

rome series

A fresh retelling of the history of the Church

with all the makings of your favorite adventure story. Meet the weird, wonderful, and always fascinating heroes and villains of the Catholic family tree.

steve weidenkopf

History is integral to the Faith.

“My hope is that this work inspires you to grow in your Catholic identity, to understand that Church his- tory is your family history, and to take pride in the actions of your brothers and sisters in the Faith who came before you. Armed with this knowledge, I pray that we may defend the Church when attacked by false narratives and historical myths and grow deeper in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church he founded.”

— Author Steve Weidenkopf

Timeless cover crop

Often, we view the study of history as something mundane and tiresome.

In a world focused on the sciences and business, history may be seen as a quaint subject.

But in reality it is the subject, along with theology and philosophy, that can provide a sense of our human identity.

Identifying with the Catholic Church is an important part of our faith lives, but that can be difficult if we do not know the history of the Church. You may have participated in Bible studies or learned Church doctrines or apologetics, but you are not alone if you have never studied Church history.

trent horn

anne carroll

christopher check

timothy odonnell

Comprehensive in scope yet readable in tone! This is a solid introduction to Catholic history that will benefit anyone who reads it.

— Trent Horn, author of Why We’re Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love

[Timeless is] a clear, powerful, well-documented history book. Above all, [Weidenkopf] has again shown that Christ and his Church are at the center of history, and that whenever the Church undergoes a crucifixion, it is always followed by a resurrection, a much-needed lesson.

— Anne W. Carroll, author of Christ the King: Lord of History and Christ and the Americas, and founder of Seton School

I have been waiting for this book, and I didn’t think it could be done. But here it is: a one-volume history of the Catholic Church that I can recommend without reservation! No sneering triumphalism. No groveling apologies. Just the glorious story of the greatest institution in history, written how history should be written — lively, compelling, inspiring, and true.

— Christopher Check, president of Catholic Answers

Written with a Catholic vision of history and a lucid, popular narrative, his work brings to life two thousand years of history that both inspires and informs. This book’s Christocentric vision of history is a rare gem, to be read and treasured by the faithful and all who seek the deeper meaning of Western Christian civilization.

— Timothy T. O’Donnell, President, Christendom College

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The Fisherman's Tomb: The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search Saint Michael the Archangel Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith? The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid's Story of Addiction and Redemption Catholic and Curious: Your Questions Answered
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

All the makings of your favorite adventure story "š€š" drama, intrigue, promise, love, hope, and heartache spanning two thousand years...and YOU are a part of it!

Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church is a fresh retelling of the history of the Church. In this easy-to-read, not-your-average history book, Steve Weidenkopf introduces you to the vivid, dynamic story of God's work in the world since Pentecost. Along the way, you will meet the weird, wonderful, and always fascinating heroes and villains of the Catholic family tree.

Read Timeless and you'll

    • Learn the past in order to make sense of our world,

    • know Christ better,

    • be prepared to defend your Faith and the Church, and

    • understand where you fit in the greatest story ever told.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Steve Weidenkopf teaches Church History at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology in Alexandria, VA. He is the author of The Glory of the Crusades (2014), The Real Story of Catholic History: Answering Twenty Centuries of Anti-Catholic Myths (2017), and 20 Answers: The Reformation (2017). He is the creator, co-author, and presenter of the adult faith formation program Epic: A Journey through Church History and is a popular author and speaker on the Crusades and other historical topics.

    Product details

    • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Our Sunday Visitor (January 10, 2019)
    • Language ‏ : ‎ English
    • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
    • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1681921480
    • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1681921488
    • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.7 pounds
    • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 8.9 inches
    • Customer Reviews:
      4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 215 ratings

    About the author

    Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
    Steve Weidenkopf

    Steve Weidenkopf

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Steve Weidenkopf is an Adjunct Professor at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology in Alexandria, Virginia. He is the author of The Church and the Middle Ages: Cathedrals, Crusades, and the Papacy in Exile (2020), Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church (2019), The Real Story of Catholic History: Answering Twenty Centuries of Anti-Catholic Myths (2017), The Glory of the Crusades (2014), and The Reformation (2017): A Catholic Answers “20 Answers Series” booklet. His presentations on The Real Story of the Crusades, The Real Story of the Inquisition and The Real Story of the Reformation are available also from Catholic Answers.

    Steve is the creator, co-author, and presenter of Epic: A Journey through Church History – a 20 session parish-based study published by Ascension Press (2009) and the author and presenter of The Early Church, a 10 session program on the first 500 years of Church history also available from Ascension Press (2012).

    Steve has appeared as a guest to discuss Church History on numerous national Catholic radio and television programs including EWTN Live and Catholic Answers Live!

    He served as the Director of the Office of Marriage & Family Life for the Archdiocese of Denver (2001 - 2004) and as an advisor to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. and was an instructor at the Our Lady of the New Advent Catechetical Institute.

    Steve is a member of the Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East - an international academic group dedicated to the field of crusading history and is also a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

    Customer reviews

    4.8 out of 5 stars
    4.8 out of 5
    215 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers find the book very interesting, full of information, and timeless. They also describe it as very detailed, and say it's a very detailed history book.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    Select to learn more
    Reading experienceContentReadability
    14 customers mention "Reading experience"14 positive0 negative

    Customers find the book very interesting, with great footnotes and references. They also say it's refreshing to hear about the good intentions of past church leaders. Customers also say the book provides an interesting overview of Church history without getting lost in detail.

    "An excellent compilation with great footnotes and references...." Read more

    "A nice and interesting overview of Church history without getting lost in detail...." Read more

    "...Events don’t always go as planned, but it is refreshing to hear about the good intentions of many past church leaders...." Read more

    "This is a great read. I must admit I am so glad I did not notice in the product details that lists the pages of this book 256 pages...." Read more

    12 customers mention "Content"12 positive0 negative

    Customers find the book full of information, history, and motivation behind many important events. They also say it helps them understand the motivation behind important events in history.

    "...It helped me understand the motivation behind many important events and I’m happy it didn’t go off on tangents that are not relevant to the church’s..." Read more

    "...Learned a ton of facts that I did not know, especially about the Crusades, heresies and more. Thanks to the author." Read more

    "...Lots to learn on the Church, world history and the important influence of the church in the evolution of our world history." Read more

    "...Full of information this cradle Catholic, 16 years of Catholic school 50 year old never learned...." Read more

    9 customers mention "Readability"9 positive0 negative

    Customers find the book very readable, engaging, and detailed. They also say it's well researched and documented.

    "...I enjoyed reading this book because it is easy to understand and reads like a narrative...." Read more

    "Easy read for the Catholic and non-Catholic alike...." Read more

    "Beggining St Peter to Pope Francis, a very detailed, and documented history book...." Read more

    "This is a very well written, interesting, and at the same time mostly biased tale about the Catholic Church...." Read more

    Top reviews from the United States

    O R Strickland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless indeed.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent compilation with great footnotes and references.
    The author’s subjectivity makes it more believable somewhat without catholic bias, of which we are all guilty.

    Well done! Now to get my children to read it.
    Helpful
     Report
    Christian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Easy-to-Read Overview of Church History
    Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Steve Weidenkopf's book contains an overview of the entirety of Church history. He begins by examining the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the apostles' subsequently spreading this Good News to various parts of the world. Then, he gives an overview of early Church history including persecution until the time of Constantine, subsequent clashes with emperors, theological issues, and teachings of the Church Fathers. Then, he explores the Church's role in European society in the Middle Ages, including teachings of prominent theologians and the building of Cathedrals. Further, he examines the effects of the Protestant Revolution upon the Church, as well as issues such as the Galileo trials. Lastly, he explores the role of the Church in the modern world, including Vatican II, the Church's response to modern heresies, and the role of recent popes on the life of the Church.

    I enjoyed reading this book because it is easy to understand and reads like a narrative. Although there isn't enough room in this book to cover each aspect of Church history in great detail, Weidenkopf still does an excellent job giving a fair and balanced overview of each topic that he covers. I would therefore recommend this book for anyone starting to learn about the history of the Catholic Church.
    11 people found this helpful
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    DG Simmons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good survey
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A nice and interesting overview of Church history without getting lost in detail. A good starting point to uncover the topics I want to dive deeper into.
    Helpful
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    T Michael
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight into Catholic history!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A must read about the history of the church from the perspective of its primary movers and shakers. It helped me understand the motivation behind many important events and I’m happy it didn’t go off on tangents that are not relevant to the church’s goals at the time. Events don’t always go as planned, but it is refreshing to hear about the good intentions of many past church leaders. Every Christian should find this compact history worthwhile as a means for understanding the basic tenants of Christ’s church.
    11 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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    C.W.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased with the book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great read. I must admit I am so glad I did not notice in the product details that lists the pages of this book 256 pages. My copy is 538 pages. I would not have purchased a book of 256 pages. This will be a great read again at some point if the good Lord wills it. Learned a ton of facts that I did not know, especially about the Crusades, heresies and more. Thanks to the author.
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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    Arturo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Easy read for the Catholic and non-Catholic alike. I’m a cradle Catholic and love chronology, as it helps me understand and see things in perspective. I have just started the book and will do a full review once I’m done. I was too eager to start reading and had to comment.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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    G Manuel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Feeling the “black spots” of Catholic Church history.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Beggining St Peter to Pope Francis, a very detailed, and documented history book. Lots to learn on the Church, world history and the important influence of the church in the evolution of our world history.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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    Michael Graham
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read—though Highly Biased, Selective, and Solicitous
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    As a student of Biblical and Church History, this book was interesting to read. As a Protestant, it is important for me to read and listen to those who criticize my own faith tradition.

    At the outset, the Biblical grounds cited by the author for Petrine Primacy are highly suspect at best. To describe Paul’s encounter with Peter at Antioch and described in Galatians as a “fraternal” disagreement embellished by Protestants is not only questionable, but really betrays the skew and bias of the entire book throughout when the author gives Rome and the Pope pass after pass even while claiming to be self-critical.

    This is also true of the Jerusalem Counsel in Acts 15 as well as Peter’s profession about Christ in Matthew 16. I was even more convinced after reading this book that the establishment and evolution of Petrine primacy in the Roman Catholic Church is an unbiblical development conveniently emerging over the years in Church history and without warrant from Scripture itself.

    It is like a quilted approach of the book’s whole cloth narrative patching stories together as it progresses from one historical moment (and Pope) to another. The author proffers criticisms of Roman Catholicism, which become occasions for excuse making, blame shifting, and light criticism while the heavy criticism is saved for opponents, so even the criticisms seem to become back-handed complements as they unfold.

    The development of early church fathers was fascinating to read despite selective self-serving narratives. And there were certainly great stories as well.

    The analysis of the Protestant Reformation (“revolution” according the author) and the “Reformation” at the Council of Trent (which couldn’t be a “counter-Reformation” because the “Protestant Reformation” wasn’t a “Reformation” but a “Revolution”)—as well as the leaders of the Protestant Reformation—was poorly done in my estimation. This is an area I’ve studied for decades. The response from the Counsel of Trent seemed thin and a poor response to Luther, Calvin, and the reformers.

    In sum, it seems to me that the historical pursuit of assurance of salvation—or I should say the absence of assurance except through the Roman Catholic church— and the rejection of justification by faith alone is a most tragic biblical error from the beginning of Catholicism (Biblically speaking and not merely starting with Luther) and ultimately leads to all sorts errors and attempts by Christians who long for assurance of salvation, and end up leading generations of people into wearing all sorts of hair shirts in various attempts to earn God’s approval and the Popes acceptance.

    After reading this history, I am more convinced than before that justification by faith alone is the hinge on which the church stands or falls.
    2 people found this helpful
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    Top reviews from other countries

    Doyle Catherine
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm really enjoying reading this very readable book!
    Reviewed in Italy on February 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I wanted to read about the history of the Catholic church from the point of view of Catholicism instead of from the point of view of the proliferation of protestant writers who damn it according to the history of Elizabeth I. I am really really loving reading this book. It confirms that Catholicism is deeply rooted in history rather than simply a religion. I feel so passionate about where Catholicism has come from and how it's been persecuted over the last 2,000 years.
    Report