Roman Catholicism preserves many of the oldest traditions in Christianity and it is the largest Christian denomination in the world. With headquarters in the Vatican, they control more land and resources than probably any other religious organization in existence. However, some Christians regard the Catholic Church as a non-Christian organization. There are many books published every year dealing with Catholicism, with some of the best reviewed here.
People around the world were stunned that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005 - and so quickly, too. It's almost unheard of for the College of Cardinals to act so fast or to elect someone who went into the conclave as a front-runner. Many expected a longer debate in order to find some sort of compromise candidate, not a quick decision on an arch-conservative. So what happened?
There are probably few people who haven’t heard of the Jesuits, more properly known as the Society of Jesus, but just how much do people know about them - their history, their goals, and their methods? That’s a more difficult question to answer because there are so many myths that have developed about the organization (both positive and negative).
The Vatican in Rome can be described as the world's oldest and most mysterious institution. What really goes on behind its walls? How are decisions which affect over a billion Catholics arrived at? What motivates the people who work there - power? Greed? Duty? Few people are qualified to answer such questions because few really know enough to even try.
There are few who haven’t head of the scandal of Catholic priests who for decades got away with sexually abusing boys and girls. Most information, though, has come through snippets in newspapers and magazines. The true horror of not just the extensive sexual abuse but also the hierarchy’s cover-ups has escaped most people’s notice.
When you think of nuns, what comes to mind? Stern, older women characterized by lethal rulers and the watchful eyes of hawks? Comical, even clownish women as depicted in movies like "Sister Act"? There are many different prejudices and assumptions made about nuns and there always have been - and most of them are probably wrong.
The year 2002 was one of profound crisis and crisis management for the Roman Catholic Church in America. This was the year that the stories of priests sexually abusing children - and the church hierarchy covering up for them - really broke out into the open and captivated the media’s attention. What, though, were the causes of the abuse?
There was a time when Catholics knew that their popes were human and very capable of sinning - even egregiously. But Catholics also had faith in the institution of their Church to eventually overcome the problems of any one person. Today, however, a cult of personality has developed around the current pope, and the independent authority of institutions has eroded.
The role of Catholicism in American society has long been a matter of some debate. Catholicism developed in a Europe controlled by monarchial, aristocratic, and even dictatorial political systems, and the Roman Catholic Church adopted many of the principles underlying those systems. America, on the other hand, was conceived as a new political experiment where republican and democratic principles would hold sway.
Catholics have lived in America since 1634, when the colony ships Dove and Ark arrived. Although there have been many changes in the circumstances for Catholics here, there has been one constant: a struggle to reconcile American and Catholic identities. How has this struggle manifested itself and how successful has it been?
What is going on with the Roman Catholic Church? During the past few decades, rancorous divisions have appeared over a variety of issues, including sexual morality, the state of the priesthood, and much more. These are rarely treated as arcane theological debates - a lot of anger and bad blood have been created over them.
