Crisis of Confidence in the Catholic Church

Raymond G. Helmick, S.J., is Instructor in Conflict Resolution at the Department of Theology, Boston College, USA.

• Preface1. The Nature of the Crisis2. How the Church has Handled Grave Crises in the Past3. The Monolith Church as it Emerged from the FrenchRevolution4. Between the Two Vatican Councils: The Church Striving toFind Itself5. Vatican Council II: Its First Period, 19626. The Council Without Pope John7. Bringing the Council to Its Conclusion8. Why was the Council So Important?9. The Crisis Begins to Set In10. Pope John Paul II11. Sex Scandal in the New Millennium12. What Shall Be Done?BibliographyIndex

Helmick takes an in-depth look at the major crises, failures, and missed opportunities that have plagued Roman Catholicism … The author's grasp of church history is impressive, ranging from the East-West split to the events of today ... He argues that the Catholic Church suffers from an excessive amount of clericalism and a sense of privilege. Through this lens, Helmick explores how it has failed repeatedly to respond to serious issues such as church decline and the sex abuse of children … This title is not the work of someone with an agenda against the Catholic Church. Instead, it is a well-researched book that seeks to correct many of the Church’s historical shortcomings. Overall, this volume is suitable for both teachers and students seeking to learn more about Catholic Church history. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty.