Peter Kreeft
Ignatius Press
ISBN 9780898707984
ASIN B004QOB78A
I read this book as part of my working through the Catechism in a year. Over the last few years I have read the catechism and other similar books a little bit each day throughout the year. This year I added this book and it took me 4 months of study to work through this volume. This was an excellent read. It was a wonderful study tool. It helped me go so much deeper in my study of the Catholic Faith. The sections in this volume are:
Preface
PART I: Theology (What Catholics Believe)
Chapter 1: Faith
Chapter 2: God
Chapter 3: Creation
Chapter 4: Man
Chapter 5: Jesus Christ
Chapter 6: The Holy Spirit
Chapter 7: The Holy Catholic Church
Chapter 8: The Forgiveness of Sins
Chapter 9: The Resurrection of the Body
Chapter 10: Life Everlasting
PART II: Morality (How Catholics Live)
Chapter 1: The Essence of Catholic Morality
Chapter 2: Human Nature as the Basis for Morality
Chapter 3: Some Fundamental Principles of Catholic Morality
Chapter 4: Virtues and Vices
Chapter 5: The First Three Commandments: Duties to God
Chapter 6: The Fourth Commandment: Family and Social Morality
Chapter 7: The Fifth Commandment: Moral Issues of Life and Death
Chapter 8: The Sixth and Ninth Commandments: Sexual Morality
Chapter 9: The Seventh and Tenth Commandments: Social and Economic Morality
Chapter 10: The Eighth Commandment: Truth
PART III: Sacraments and Prayer (How Catholics Worship)
Chapter 1: Introduction to Catholic Liturgy
Chapter 2: Introduction to the Sacraments
Chapter 3: Baptism and Confirmation
Chapter 4: The Eucharist
Chapter 5: The Sacrament of Penance
Chapter 6: Matrimony
Chapter 7: Holy Orders
Chapter 8: Anointing of the Sick
Chapter 9: Prayer
Chapter 10: The Lord’s Prayer
Chapter 11: Mary
Conclusion
Abbreviations
Notes
This is not a volume I could pick up and read through from beginning to end. At least not do so and really take it in. But by reading 5-15 points a day it was very digestible. In the introduction Dr. Kreeft goes over some of the possible titles this book had, and his reason for them, and reasons for changing. They were:
Mere Christianity
What Is a Catholic
He also states:
“Half a century ago such a book would have been superfluous, for Catholics knew then twenty times more than they know now about everything in their faith: its essence, its theology, its morality, its liturgy, and its prayer; and there were twenty times more books like this one being written. The need was less, and the supply was more. Today the need is much more, and the supply is much less. Since “nature abhors a vacuum”, spiritually as well as physically I offer this unoriginal “basic data” book to those Catholics who have been robbed of the basic data of their heritage.”
The book might be unoriginal, and basic data about Catholicism, but maybe that is what makes it such a treasure. This book is likely one I will read each year for years to come. This book is an amazing resource, for the faithful, for those studying Catholicism, and for those just curios about what Catholicism is all about.
Kreeft has written some amazing books and this is among the best!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
Other Kreeft Reviews:
Socrates Meets Jesus
The Sea Within
Handbook of Christian Apologetics
Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics
The Journey
The Unaborted Socrates
The Best Things In Life
Between Heaven Hell
Doors in the Walls of the World
Catholic Christianity
…
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Articles That Mention Kreeft:
Opus Dei
Opus Dei Part II
Catholic Catechism Dialogue blog
4 Resources
Related Posts:
The Catechism in a Year Companion, Volume III
…
Books from the Council of Baltimore:
Baltimore Catechism Two
Baltimore Catechism Three
Baltimore Catechism Four
…
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