Mitch Finley earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in Theology from Marquette University. He is the author of more than 30 books.

• Chapter 1 AcknowledgmentsChapter 2 IntroductionChapter 3 Jesus of NazarethChapter 4 The Early ChurchChapter 5 The Church Gives Birth to the New TestamentChapter 6 The Constantinian EraChapter 7 The Council of ChalcedonChapter 8 The Crusades, the Inquisition, Saint Dominic and St. Francis of AssisiChapter 9 The Protestant ReformationChapter 10 The Council of TrentChapter 11 Ultramontanism and the First Vatican CouncilChapter 12 Pius X and the Modernist CrisisChapter 13 John XXIII and the Second Vatican CouncilChapter 14 Epilogue: The Current State of the Church

In his third edition of Key Moments in Church History, Mitch Finley enlivens a topic which, in a less talented writer's hands, could have been deadly dull. Instead, in his usual down-to-earth narration and flowing style, Mitch presents events seemingly far removed from us—-the Council of Trent, the Crusades, even the Reformation—-as precious parts of our own past, events that brought the entire Catholic Church to where it now stands, for better or worse. The thought occurs more than once—-what is happening today that may become a Key Moment for our descendents? Excellent and well-documented, worthy of being a must-read in any Catholic high school class, and beyond.